Divine Melancholy

Field notes from a Dolmenwood campaign

Characters,

Picky – A thief and orphan whose father was murdered by Crookhorns. She was sent to a hag iron mine where she orchestrated a strike. 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. He worked for the Brackenwold mob. Kindred: Human Age: 27 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. He ate a noble’s dinner. Kindred: Breggle Age: 26 Hitpoints: 1/1 AC11 Abilities: S7 I10 W13 D10 C7 C10 Languages: Gaffe, Woldish and Liturgic

Clover Forlocke – A blacksmith turned hunter. He supplied arms to the wrong folks. Kindred: Breggle Age: 24 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 Session One,

Day 1

Season: Onset of Spring

Month: Moot, 11th of Symswald 1091

Weather: Warm and Sunny

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, his former relationship with a girl named Flora and his association with a local vigilante group the Bounders who Aspith informed them frequent an inn called the Clashed Antler.

Next time the gang 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.

Notes Session Two & Three

Day 2

Season: Onset of Spring

Month: Frisk, 12th of Symswald 1091

Weather: Bright and Fresh

The party began the session by leaving the inn and heading into Prigwort. As it was market day they headed to the market square to see what they could learn about the local goings-on. As they arrived they observed Captain Hogwash overseeing the transportation of wagons of stone towards the Abbey Gate.

Ronald tried to make conversation with the captain but couldn’t get his words out and was swiftly led away by a guard to the Church of St Waylaine. Whilst this was happening Picky pickpocketed the captain and stole a letter which instructed the captain to oversee the construction of a tower to the west of Prigwort.

Clover and Betty approached one of the stalls selling pastries and cakes, it was extremely popular, being run by ladies from a bakery in the woods. They conversed with the ladies about local events including the disappearance of Arda; they claim to have observed him arguing in the square with a pudgy man and unkempt man not long before he went missing.

At the church Ronald met Prigwort’s vicar Mother Liane Smunk who was unexpectedly thrilled to see him. A native of Lankshorn with breggle heritage, she has long aspired to initiate shorthorns into the clergy. However she did not know much about local events although they did pray together and Ronald gained the spell Hold Person.

Eventually the gang regrouped in the square and established a plan for how they would approach the Clashed Antler. Clover barged into the inn and, whilst Austache was in the middle of a fanciful tale about riding a dragon, Clover accused of him of being both a liar and a rogue! Austache so affronted promptly challenged him to a duel and they both charged outside to yelps from the Bounders. Whilst Austache was chasing down Clover, Ronald was hidden the wall of the beer garden and at the opportune time stuck out his staff causing Austache to dramatically fall flat on his face.

Meanwhile Picky and Betty entered the inn and tried to get information from the rest of the Bounders. Picky approached someone she suspected may be Arda’s ex-girlfriend and Betty went sniffing around the bar. Picky had a heart to heart with the girl who was indeed Flora. She recounted to Picky of how Arda had become distant and desperately wanted her to come with him to a place in the woods. At the same time Clover and Ronald interrogated Austache who crumbled like soft cheese. He spoke of Arda being obsessed with some beautiful music he had been hearing in the woods nearby an old fairy fort. They also asked him about the words on the note from Laburnum’s room and he said he remembered tales from his childhood about Cobton-on-the-Shiver notably that there were ‘animals that lived in houses’. The gang also decided it would be a good idea to see if anyone in the village knew more about crookhorns and how to fight them.

Next time the gang plan to visit traders in Prigwort to prepare to step out into the woods as well as perhaps consult the local magician Mostlemyre Drouge. They will then head out in search of the fairy fort and potential crookhorns.

Notes Session Four

Day 3

Season: Onset of Spring

Month: Eggfest, 13th of Symswald 1091

Weather: Pouring rain

The party set out on the Old-Horse Road (towards hex 1206). They had tried to rouse Betty than morning but he did not answer his door (The person playing this character cannot continue playing). After about an hour of journeying the party hears a commotion a little ways of the road. As they get closer they can see a camp in a field between the road and the deeper woods; there are small figures wondering about and a larger shape hanging from an ash tree.

The party decides to approach the camp, they hear the sound of raucous laughter and observe a merry scene of drunken delight. The figures are no smaller close up and indeed no more than 4 ft tall. They wear red caps of varying styles, have bony elongated limbs and fleshy pointed ears. When they laugh they reveal pointy teeth glistening in saliva. They dance around in the mud drinking from copper goblets. If the sight of these well-capped folks wasn’t strange enough, the source of the intoxicant they quaffed was another oddity entirely. From the ash tree (on which it was now clear a person hung) there protruded a tap as the like one would see on a barrel at an inn and when the creatures need to refill their goblets they simply twisted the handle and out poured a light orange liquid the shade of mead.

Ronald decides to indulge in the “tree drink” and is handed a goblet by one of the creatures who says something in Sylvan to his friend which makes them both laugh hysterically. Picky also tries to ingratiate herself with the group by showing her admiration for their red hats, this turns into a dance of sorts. Clover, concerned about the person hanging from the tree, moves towards the tree, one the creatures exclaims at this and waves a hatchet at Clover. Clearly they do not wish to part with them. From what he can tell the person is a young woman dressed in patchwork robes with long matted hair. She has a gash on her head and is unconscious, swaying gently from a large branch attached by a rope at her wrists. The creature thumps her leg with the handle of his hatchet and giggles.

“Mead fairy!” He shouts.

The others join in “Mead fairy!” “Mead fairy!” “Mead fairy!”.

Clover tries to ask them about the fairy fort but they either don’t understand or don’t care to listen. He asks them how did they get here. They shrug, they cannot remember which road they took.

Suddenly they all start chanting.

“Mallowheart the cruel, Prince of all the Ravenwild With his crown of iron he torments every human child Best not to displease Seven-Past-Noon For under his boots he will crush you soon.”

Clover asks who Mallowheart is and the creature looks confused and indignantly replies that he is master. At this point the woman hanging from the tree starts to stir. Clover decides to make his move. Whilst Ronald and Picky make efforts to distract the creatures Clover cuts the woman down and carrying her in his arms, hightails it over to the road. Meanwhile the ash tree is beginning to swell and shake.