Age of Strife 1: Episode 2

## Cast

Neal Pass Erickson - Dungeon Master

Bradley - Jonathon Ramsey

Jennifer Latham - Amy Amberfall

Jeff - Toran Amberfall

Patrick - Radric Amberfall

## Recap

200 Exp to Radric Amberfall for the on-show Recap.

### Friday, 25th September, 56 AoS

Amberfall Estate, Waadsworth. It has been a week since the attack on Lady Danny Amberfall. There has been no sign of the Longclaw Gang in this time. The farmers need one more good rain, or the crops will rail and harvest will fail.

The family are in Lady Danny's bedroom. The family finances are in a bad shape and a debt of 220 gold needs to be paid by the end of September. Danny tells the family to stop searching for the Longclaw Gang. The family suggest they go after the Goblins of the Stinking Marsh for wealth. Danny mentions the idea could work. Also in the Stinking Marsh are Bullywugs who ride Giant Beatles, but they are friendly and trade with humans.

After getting supplies including a Donkey named Saddlebags, the family head out the north gate of Waadsworth. The family keep to the edge of the swamp and head east. By late afternoon, they have travelled 12 miles, the party are ambushed by a squad of Goblins with slings 50 yards away. Radric kills one with a bow shot. Amy kills one with a Crossbow shot. A goblin hits Saddlebags the Donkey with a rock, and it goes running. After the goblins fail to hurt Radric wearing armor, they turn and flee. Jonathon & Amy kill a retreating goblin each. Toran accidentally kills a goblin he was trying to keep alive with the flat of his sword.

The family loot the goblins and find nothing of value. Toran chases after Saddlebags the Donkey and recollects it and brings it back. Amy notices in the Goblins belongings are some dead venmous snakes, which could be useful to someone in Waadsworth for 20 to 30 gold.

The family then head into the swamp in the direction the Goblins Fled. After a mile into the swamp the sun starts to set. The party make camp in the swamp.

During Radric's watch during the night, he hears movement, so he walks up the family. The family put on their armor. The goblins don't get close to the camp and bypass it. The party sneak up behind the goblins and attack them, killing 3 in the first round with arrows & bolts. The goblins return fire with slings, and Toran is knocked unconscious. The remaining goblins turn and flee northwards deeper into the swamp. The family fire on the retreating goblins, but make no more kills.

With the fight over, Amy turns Toran over so he doesn't drown in the water. Amy loots the Goblins and finds no coin. Jonathon is worried, with Toran out of action, that they won't raise the 220 gold in time. He suggests they go to Thornwatch Keep to try to beg for gold from the Lord.

The party camp on a new patch of try land with the unconscious Toran, who is too heavy to put on Saddlebags the Donkey.

### Saturday, 26th September, 56 AoS

The family wake up except Toran who is still recovering. Jonathon fortifies some of the area around them using rope and branches

Some time later Jonathon spots to the east a lone goblin to the East. The goblin walks up to the party, and Radric sees that it has been stabbed in the belly with a spear and looks like a zombie. The family shoot the zombie dead. Jonathon then cuts the inert zombie's head off with Toran's sword.

Late in the afternoon, Toran wakes up. Jonathon brings up again about going to Thornwatch Keep and getting a loan after pleading the house to the Lord's service. Toran says that Jonathon doesn't have that authority yet, Lady Danny Amberfall is still the head of the family. Jonathon says if they keep goblin hunting, someone will die, and that is on Toran's hands.

The family head west in the swamp to hunt down more treasure. An hour later they see in the distance a 35 foot long slug that they know can spit acid. The party decide to attack the slug and open with a volley of arrows and bolts. The slug returns fire with an acid glob at Radric, but misses him twice, but the third acid attack hits Radric, knocking him out and he starts bleeding to death. The others continue to pepper the slug with shots, with with Toran going into melee with the slug to finish it off.

The family rush over to their uncle to save him from bleeding out, but fail, and Radric Amberfall dies.

Over the next few days Jonathon goes to Thornwatch Keep on his own as Amy & Toran take Uncle Radric back to Waadsworth.

Jonathon gets an audience with Countess Lorwind and manages to speak his case and get the debt delayed for a month, but the lord has disdain for the Amberfalls for this begging. At the end of October the Amberfalls now owe 415 gold.

## Experience

1986 experience each

* Jonathon Ramsey reaches level 2
	+ +6 HP (Total Max HP = 7)
* Toran Amberfall reaches level 2
	+ +5 HP (Total Max HP = 12)
* Amy Amberfall reaches level 2
	+ +3 HP (Total Max HP = 7)

## Journal of Jonathon Ramsey of House Amberfall

As many days before, I awoke on this day and my first course of action was giving myself to my studies. It is an escape from the strife of this life. I have given more thoughts to the gods and the questioning why Voraci and Malkis have no children.

Some would suggest they fear what a child among them would be. I have heard some say Malkis is crazy but not crazy enough to have a child with Voraci. I disagree though. I think if one would refrain from the relation it would be Voraci and not Malkis. Malkis is Chaos. So the idea of Malkis being afraid of what a child would be seems out of character for Malkis as the child could play into the chaos. I think soon I need to stop at the temple and question the clergy on this. I wonder what their thoughts are on this matter.

My escape through studies though came to a quick end as my shattered world was shattered even more. Mother summoned me, little brother, little sister and dear uncle. She summoned us and informed us that our pursuit of her attackers was over. Instead we were to give ourselves to adventuring, as we had less than a week to meet our families financial needs.

In the wake of Danny having us shift our focus, Toran was rather uneasy and practically wanted mother to spoon feed us exactly what we should do. It was obviously though that mother wanted us to take initiative and find the answers ourselves.

Once we had broke away from mother to formulate a plan I was actually pretty excited. I believe I had come up with a great plan. One that would not only bring us wealth but it would do so in an intelligent manner and also create a very powerful alliance for our family moving forward.

This idea was to go into the centaur village. Go to them and take them a cart full of wine and the only thing in return we would want would be knowledge on where to find wealth safely in the wilds. That and a friendship with these powerful creatures.

Toran basically scoffed at this proposition and elected to go blindly into the swamp in hopes of finding a goblin encampment. I pointed out that this was not for certain to bring us wealth nor was it safe as we would vastly be out numbered. Nobody listened to my knowledge though.

They view me as a stupid when in reality I am may be the smartest man they know and maybe the smartest man in this entire god forsaken city. I knew from the start this was a bad idea but it was obvious I was out numbered. So we went into the swamp.

We quickly ran across a group of goblin hunters. We quickly routed this small group. We did not get out scrape free though as Toran took a pretty nasty blow to the head. This did not derail ambition though. We went further into the swamp. As we journeyed night came and with night, came came.

Before I fell asleep I looked to the stars to find guidance on my destiny. The stars were silent this night. This brought fear to my heart. Why would the stars not speak this night? Maybe I was just distracted as little brothers scoffing came yet again telling me how useless my search for guidance from the stars is and he pointed out that I would be much more useful if I abandoned the stars and learned to do something productive like healing similar to Susan.

I ended up falling asleep however my sleep was interrupted as Radric woke us all up. There was a nearby goblin scouting party, numbering ten strong. We quickly began trailing them. We trailed them deep into the early morning. They eventually stopped to rest and eat. We discussed if we wanted to attack. I proposed creating a distraction with fire and as they were distracted we attack. Again Little Brother scoffed and pretty much said this was useless.

Everything came to blows. Little Brother actually went down. About the same time as little brother went down, the goblins broke off and ran. In the aftermath of Toran going down and the goblins running we set up a small crudely fortified camp on a small peninsula. As Toran was out we discussed what to do next.

I recommended leaving the swamp and going to Thornwatch Keep and striking an accord there. I knew Toran would oppose. Uncle Radric and Little Sister seemed on board at first. However, when Little Brother finally awoke he strongly opposed, saying nothing would come of that and we had no authority to do such a thing and he pointed out I was not the head of the family. He insisted that we keep marching blindly into the swamp. I strongly opposed this. Again Radric and Amy fell in line with Toran.

I made it clear, very clear that if we went this route, someone would die. Not only did I make this clear I told little brother when it happened, the blood was on his head. As we tracked through the swamp we ended up coming across a giant slug that was as large as a shack. It's size was monstrous. We have heard tales of giant acid spitting slugs. The value of their acid must be great. So we attacked from far unleashing an onslaught of range attacks on the beast.

Slowly we hammered into the creature. We were thrown off when we realized that the beast could move at insane speed in the swamp. It was closing on us quicker than we could imagine. As it closed the unthinkable happened.

Uncle Radric was critically struck by the creatures acid. I watched as he fell into the swamp water with acid ripping into his flesh. Toran rushed in to save Radric but it was doomed from the start as the swamp water around Radric quickly turned into a river of blood.

I had considered running but could not leave my brother and sister. From far I kept unleashing bolts however the creature unleashed another wave of acid. This one eating into me. The last thing I remember is a burning sensation like nothing I had ever felt and then I was out.

I have no idea how long I was out. When I arose though we were on our way back to Waadsworth and brother and sister informed me the slug was dead and as was Radric.

I exploded. I tore into Toran with my tongue. I reminded him of my stance on moving deeper into the swamp and pointed out that I told him someone would die and when it happened the blood was on his head.

He speaks so passionately about seeing our house surpass everything. With his passion he wants to fiddle with blind swamp expeditions and then after our uncle dies because of him, he abandons the cause and heads back to town knowing our house would be taken from us. I refused to accept this and demanded we change course and head to Thornwatch Keep. Brother refused again pointing out I have no authority. The stakes were too high. I left Toran. I left Amy. As they were returning home, I alone headed to Thornwatch Keep.

I do not know the way of the nobles. I do not know the mannerism and what is acceptable. What I do know is there is still glory in the name of Amberfall. Glory that will rise and surpass. Glory that will not break.

I went to Thornwatch. The other nobles made me look and feel like a fool. They mocked the name of Amberfall. However they gave us a month extension on our dues.

I will silence the mockers. I will surpass them in every way. It is difficult though, because my own family will heed nothing I say. It is time that changes. It is time I take my place. It is time my word becomes law.

Mother is broken. My time is now. I think Mother and I need to have a talk. She may not believe in me but if I do nothing, I fear more will die.