Age of Strife 2: Episode 12

## Cast

Neal Pass Erickson - Dungeon Master

Jennifer Latham - Marcella 'Ginger' Thorne

Jeff - Stefan Thorne

Patrick - Luther Thorne

Tyler - Arthur

## Recap

On New Years Day, Lady Condy Wyatt heads out hunting with 10 foot solders, a knight, and some servants with hunting dogs, into the Thornwood Forest. The encountered 2 or 3 elves and a battle ensued. The knight, Kel Jaina, managed to slay of the elves before the other elves withdrew. Lady Wyatt and 3 of her people died in the fight (2 more died from the wounds later). Clara Wyatt, the 27-year-old daughter of Condy Wyatt, is the new head of the noble family.

Rumor has it that the corpse of the elf is on display at the Wyatt Family Manor in Rosebloom.

### Tuesday, 3rd January, 56 AoS

It is the day of Lady Condy Wyatt's Funeral. As a noble family, the Thornes are to attend.

Before heading out, Stefan checks up on the Throne Socialites's investigation into the Greendall Family Servant who tried to trick them into attacking Zara Genhal's Carriage. The servant isn't from town, but one of the villages, probably Darbloom. The servant is Lord Kel Rugspin Greendall's personal assistant, who only is in town when Kel Rugspin is.

The Throrne join the procession from the Noble Quarter to the Crypt Island. The Thornes don't know Clara Wyatt's well, she tended to oversee the two villages, Rosebloom & Wassulwurf, that the Wyatts owned, so she wasn't in Waadsworth much. Kel Jaina is in attendance, her wounds bandaged. Kel Rugspin was at the funeral but not his servant.

After the funeral, the family return to their estate. Over lunch, Lord William Thorne tells of a rumour he heard. A werewolf attack in the village of Sketch, the furthest south village before the badlands. A caravan arrived in Sketch, and that night a werewolf attacked a bartender and a patron in a tavern. The caravan is due to arrive in Waadsworth soon. Word arrived ahead of the caravan when a messenger from Sketch sent a messenger to Lady Kat Thresher, who owns the town. It wasn't a full moon. A natural werewolf had to have done the attack, not a cursed person.

Luther is suspicious of the caravan, and thinks they shouldn't be allowed in Waadsworth, but considers this a Thresher Family problem. Lord Thorne reminds the Thorne Family earned their nobility though action and military might, the family have a reputation to uphold. Luther and Stefan disagree. Ginger insists they deal with the monster heading to their town. Arthur says he and Ginger had ordered Silver Weapons a few days ago, and can collect them. Luther says he'll investigate the Caravan, but for financial situation. Luther goes to disguise himself.

Stefan continues to argue with his father, with Stefan blaming Lord Thorne for the loss of their villages and thus they having no income like the other noble houses. Lord Thorne points out he made the family into nobility in the first place. The two go their separate ways.

Stefan goes to talk with Luther about seeking out Kel Rugspin Grendall's servant and kidnapping him. Luther says his busy today, he'll be digging up Sophia Lorne's necklace and selling it to the caravan. Stefan wants to use the necklace as a weapon against another noble house, but Luther talks him out of it.

Luther, disguised, goes to leave Waadsworth. As he leaves out the south town gate, he spots 6 wagons pulled by 6 oxen on their way towards Waadsworth, guarded by 10 men-at-arms. The caravan is flying colourful banners.

Arthur, in his armor, stands guard with his brother Kel Reginald. The two talk about not getting in the middle of arguments the members of the Thorne family with one-another.

Ginger & Stefan goes visit Blacksmith Jethro and is able to pick up the silver spear head. Arthur's silver dagger will be ready tomorrow. Jethro adds that if orders of armor or weapons are needed, they can be given to the caravan coming to town, and they'll delivery them next time they are here. Jethro vouches for their reliability. Stefan does some blacksmith training with Jethro.

Ginger goes to the central market and sees the Caravan pull in and set up shot in the North-East Corner, moving aside local merchants who had their stalls there. Ginger looks at all the people and the tarps over the wagons, wondering where the werewolf is.

Luther gets to the tree and digs up the Necklace. Luther heads to the main square and tries to sell the necklace, still disguised. The merchant is from Highport, and says she'll be able to sell on the necklace down there. The merchant offers Luther 250 gold. Luther says he'd like to buy some Mithril Ore for sale. The cost is 300 gold, so Luther adds 9 turquoise gems & 5 gold. Luther heads home with the mithril ore and puts it in a chest. Luther changes in his armor.

Ginger has Arthur put the Silver Spear head onto a Spear shaft, then goes visit Sheriff Bruce. Ginger finds Sheriff Bruce patrolling around the Central Market, keeping an eye on things, keeping the trade caravan unmolested. Ginger says she will help the Sheriff keep a watch out for werewolves tonight, but because it is a crowded place, the Sheriff dismisses the werewolf as a fake rumor. As Ginger goes to leave, she sees Kira Thresher, youngest sister of Lady Kat Thresher, go into the market place. The Thresher family are the ones who own Sketch, the place where the werewolf attack allegedly took place. Kira Thresher has a dozen armed guards with her.

Luther talks with Arthur and Ginger about fighting a werewolf tonight. Ginger tells them about Kira Thresher heading into the Market with a dozen guards, and Luther says they need to see what happens. Ginger gets her armor and follows after with Arthur.

At the central market is a hullabaloo. The Thresher Family Guards have formed a perimeter around the Caravan. Kira Thresher is interrogating the head of the caravan. Sheriff Bruce and his town guards are keeping the crowd away. Luther is in the scene first and gets past the town guards, but the Thresher Guards don't let him through. The Thresher Guards says they have the situation under control. Ginger & Arthus arrive at the square are a little time, but they don't get close, but keeps an eye of the situation from a distance.

After some time, Kira Thresher pulls out a dagger and has her guards round up the caravan drivers and soldiers into a single file line. Kira Thresher then interrogates them one by one. Luther starts pacing. Ginger tells Arthus that she is impressed with Kira taking action like this.

After Kira Thresher starts talking with the third caravan guard in the line, the caravan guard breaks from the line and she flees through the back of the market eastward, along the edge of the river. Kira Thresher sends 6 of her guards to chase the fleeing caravan guard. Sheriff Bruce also sends 2 Town guards to help with the chase. Luther and Arthur join the chase. Ginger stays with the town guards in the Market Square, keeping an eye on the rest of the Caravan People.

The fleeing caravan guard reaches the bridge to the Crypt Island and runs across the bridge. A Thresher Guards hold the bridge, as the other 5 continue to chase. The fleeing caravan guard starts to open the crypt door, but cannot and the guards arrive with spears drawn. The caravan guard transforms into a werewolf. Thresher Guards & Town Guards back up from the werewolf as Luther arrives. Luther starts throwing daggers at the werewolf.

Arthur manages to get pass the Thresher Guard and starts to cross the bridge. The werewolf melees with the 7 guards in front of her.

Back at the Market Square, Sheriff Bruce & Kira Thresher have the rest of the caravan arrested. With nothing else happening at the town square, Ginger leaves and stars rushing after the others. At the blacksmith's shop, Stefan is oblivious to the noise of battle across the river.

There werewolf rips apart a guard in front of her. Luther is stuck in the back of the crowd of guards, so goes beside Arthur. Another guard is killed by the werewolf. The werewolf is at half health after sustanding many blows from thr throw daggers and the guard's spears.

Ginger arrives at the bridge. Stefan looks out the back of the blacksmith shop and sees the battle in progress on the crypt island. Stefan goes to look for a fisherman boat to take him across.

Luther gives his vial of type K poison to Ginger. Arthur pushes his way though the guards to the front, and joins the fight against the werewolf. There werewolf stuns Arthur and knocks him out as Ginger joins the other guards with her spear.

From behind reinforcements from the Wyatt Family, including the injured Kel Jaina. Stefan arrives on the island with the boat then joins the fight.

There werewolf flees from the battle, and jumps into the water. Luther tends to Arthur's wounds. The Wyatts rush down the south bank of the river parallel with the werewolf. Stefan & Ginger gets back in the boat and give chase.

The werewolf is swimming towards the portcullis. Stefan shouts to the Wyatts to open the portcullis. The Wyatts do so, and start taking some boats. The werewolf swims out of town and goes to the north shore. Stefan keeps the boat nearby. The werewolf transforms into a full wolf and bounds away.

A little time later everyone is back in town with the other noble families, and Countess Lorwind arrives on the scene. She directs the noble families and their soldiers to the town hall. The Thrones follow along with everyone to the Town Hall.

In the townhall it ia a ruckus meeting before Countess Lorwind takes the stage. With all the threats facing Waadsworth, the Countress wants all infighting between the noble houses to stop. A 100 GP bounty is put on the werewolf. One of the Lithman nobles blame the Threshers for the werewolf problem, and asks for the Threshers to be punished. Countess Lorwind ignores the request, and asks for ideas.

Stefan stands and asks for all the nobles to work to rebuild the Waadsworth wall. Stefan ways a werewolf cannot be handled by one family along, pointing out how powerful the werewolf was in the battle. He also calls for the city watch to be increased.

Countess Lorwind talks of the cost of rebuilding the wall and the skill involved. Stefan volunteers Cousin Maximilian Thorne the Engineer's services free of charge. Countess Lorwind puts the Thornes in charge of repairing the wall. Countess Lorwind imposes an additional 10% tax on all the noble families income to pay for the wall.

House Wyatt speaks up. They talk about the threat of the elves, which could stop Waadsworth from thriving.

House Genhall stands and says an expedition of theirs have found traces of precious metals in the Tuk-Tuk Mountains. They request land be granted so they can mine the mountains. Countess Lorwind says she can't grant land that isn't hers, but the family is free to go out and claim what wealth they can seize across the marsh in the mountains, but warns them it will be a waste of manpower.

Stefan stands again and says if they trains up a militia, they can drive away the goblins, making it safer to get to the Tuk-Tuk Mountains. Countess Lorwind says if the Thrones can raise up a militia and clear the swamp of goblins, they are to do so.

The meeting ends. Colin Wyatt, the late-Condy Wyatt's husband, comes over to the party. Colin Wyatt ties to make it clear that he has been given mining rights by the Countess. Luther disagrees on the point, but agrees they will work together as the Countess wants. They shake hands and go their separate ways.

The Thornes had home to their estate. Luther tells the whole family of the town hall meeting.

Cousin Maximilian of their new project to design the new wall. Also Kel Reginald needs to increase the recruiting of the militia. Cousin Maximilian says they need a new source of stone for the wall. Uncle Joseph Thorne says historically the stone came from Hagthor's Claim, then floated up the river. Obviously that is currently not feasible with current circumstances. Cousin Maximilian suggests the stone from the Tuk-Tuk Mountains, but needs a stable to see if it would work. Cousin Maximilian gets to work using the stone that is left.

Luther explains about clearing out the swamp north of Waadsworth of goblins. Lord William Thorne warns of Goblin Shamans who live in the swamp, which Tybarodite had personally seen.

Luther thinks the priority now is to locate a source of stone. Ginger reminds the party of the bounty on the werewolf's head. Arthur is too injured to track the werewolf right now.

They talk about setting up the milita, which will be expensive. Luther says they will go to the Wyatts for the funding. Lord William Thorne says he had a large stash of wealth in Nixon.

The family, with so much going on, decide to work out what they should do first and in what order.

**The List**

1. Get men at arms from Threshers to hunt werewolf
	1. Use restoration of their name as leverage
2. Import Weapons/Armor from Caravan
	1. Use the werewolf attack as leverage for discount/future payment options
3. Draw up plans for the wall
4. Estimate costs of Militia
	1. Scout into the swamp, plan out what area to clear and establish a road
5. Find a source of stone
	1. Send out scouts to the south, west of the River, maybe into the Badlands? Hope is to establish a mining settlement with land and funding granted by Countess Lorwin
	2. Other potential sources: Nixon, Lake Lorun Keep, Hagthor's Claim, Lighthouse