A Dolmenwood campaign
Characters,
Picky – A thief and orphan whose father was murdered by Crookhorns. Kindred: Human Age: 19 Hitpoints: 3/3 AC11 Abilities: S7 I9 W10 D13 C8 C11 Languages: Woldish
Betty Swallow – A brewer and fighter who prefers the company of horses. Kindred: Human Hitpoints: 3/3 AC14 Abilities: S13 I11 W10 D10 C11 C10 Languages: Woldish
Ronald Ramstein – A thatcher who felt the calling and became a friar for the Pluritine Church. Kindred: Breggle Hitpoints: 1/1 AC11 Abilities: S7 I10 W13 D10 C7 C10 Languages: Gaffe, Woldish and Liturgic
Clover Forlocke – A blacksmith turned hunter who lives in the wilds. Kindred: Breggle Hitpoints: 7/7 AC14 S10 I9 W9 D13 C13 C6 Languages: Gaffe and Woldish
Setup,
The players have been conscripted into the same organisation, The Society of Chosen Agents for Uncommon Errands (hitherto known as SCE). Previously prisoners at the Duke’s pleasure, they have been given a chance to make amends and contributed to the Duchy’s endeavours in Dolmenwood.
The Society is hired to learn the secrets and uncover the oddities of Dolmenwood in hopes of finding powers learning intelligence that will aid in cementing the Duchy’s lordship over Dolmenwood. The head of the society is a man called Samuel Laburnum; he is curious and cautious having been an intelligence officer for Baron Hogwash. He has summoned the players to Prigwort for an assignment and told them to wait at Raptappen’s Quadrant. That was 3 days ago, he has yet to appear. With their stipend running low and locals asking questions the adventures-for-hire need to figure out their next move.
Notes on the Session,
Day 1
Season: Mid-winter Month: Frisk, 26th of Lymewald 1091
Weather: Cold wind and gloomy
The group decided to find out any information they could about Laburnum’s stay at Raptappen’s.
To do this they flirted with the proprietor Aspith and convinced her to give them access to Laburnum’s room; Picky claimed that Laburnum was her uncle who she was trying to find. Meanwhile Ronald asked Aspith to show him her wine collection in the cellar as a means of distraction. Looking through the inn logs Clover found out that the last time Laburnum made a dinner request was four days ago: turnip soup.
His room was very orderly, with little of help provided from searching. However they did find a letter requesting Laburnum investigate Cobbins, Midgewarrow and Chancton. Whilst they were trying to figure out what this meant members of the local constabulary entered the inn and Aspith came upstairs to attend to them. They had just completed their shift and so came to the bar for a drink. Sergeant Marge Bregson and her colleague Rodger Burl seemed flustered. Clover decided to buy them drinks in the hope of finding out if they knew anything about Laburnum. Unfortunately they had had no dealings with him and they instead became bemoaning how short staffed they were. For weeks there had been raids on merchant caravans coming in and out of Prigwort and the police were struggling to get the situation under control. They didn’t have time to follow-up on any other investigations including reports of Crookhorns in the area south and the recently missing son of the elevated Sirrop Drouge of the noble brewing House Oberon – Arda.
A little tipsy, the officers asked if the group would look into the issues and offered them rewards in return for their citizen’s service. The group learnt more about Arda’s wild ways and his association with a local vigilante group The Bounders who Aspith informed them frequent an inn called the Clashed Antler.
Next time the party plan to confront members of The Bounders about the disappearance of Arda and head south to investigate the Crookhorn rumours. They hope to ingratiate themselves with the town, who don’t like outsiders, by bringing home one of their own.
Things to work on,
I still want to improve my ability improvise dialogue without unintendedly generating plot points and getting players all fired out to follow something that has no substance. One of the players in particular was precisely interrogating everything the NPCs said for hidden meaning which is a great playstyle (and his first time!), but I don’t want them to go conspiracy hunting. This particularly happened when I had Aspith mumble grim proverbs: ‘The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down for warmth’.
I fear they are now looking for a child who burned down his village! The flipside of this is they won’t need much encouragement to follow rumours and this should lead to some interesting adventures. Overall I am very impressed with how they took to the first session, maybe they won’t die as quickly as I had feared.
Divine Melancholy 