Forgotten Songs Retrospective -- "The Call of the Silver Huntress"
This is part of the ongoing "commentary track" for Katja's Diary, posted on Risus Monkey. I was the GM for the game in which the Monkey played Katja. The entry that corresponds with this commentary can be found here.
Of course it was a trap, Kata?! I did not anticipate, however, it would turn so nasty so quickly.
Briefly, here's what happened (as best I can recall) while Katja was unconscious. It sounds like I scored a critical hit on Katja with my first attack, which knocked her out. It may very well have killed her, but we used the opportunity to begin Katja's conversion to a cleric of the Silver Huntress.
The Innkeep, who was pressured into being in league with the bandits, had arranged this meeting knowing the party would be ambushed, but not knowing about Kreed, Boaz, and Sunny, who waited in the distance. The bandits knew the party was onto them, but thought they could take out Katja, Orion, and Bix easily enough, gaining treasure in the process and possibly selling them into slavery somewhere. The ambush went off well enough, but when the back up crew arrived the bandits knew they were in trouble. At some point, the Innkeeper was used as a human shield/hostage by one of the Cimbrian thugs, bringing about a standoff. Poor Durslap was murdered so that the bandits could get away. Apparently, the party had adopted a "do not negotiate with bandits" policy (which would come into play again several months in the future). Seeing the wanton murder of a man he knew, Nob the bandit decided he'd had enough and surrendered.
I am not really sure what I intended for Katja, exactly, in the ensuing chase. The message from the goddess indicated she should hunt and kill the nasty bandit who shot her and also killed Durslap. This, obviously, didn't work out so well as, apparently, the party had also adopted a "take prisoners" policy. Like many times before, these opponents were probably too tough for the party, being 3rd level (where the average party level was maybe 2nd at this point), but I was trying to compensate for there being 6 PC's, one of which was min-maxed to be a melee machine. I hadn't anticipated the bandit's capture, and I REALLY didn't anticipate Kreed sneaking back to murder him once he had been captured. Again, not the last time this happened. But it did cause some ruffled feathers among players as well as characters.
The leader of the bandits had fled back to their hideout, a semi-collapsed fort that was once part of the Tempian (Roman) fortifications that could be found throughout the area. The party again captured the bandit leader and presumably killed the wizard/alchemist that made the gimlet; I am not sure what happened to him and Katja's diary doesn't mention him at all. This hideout also contained some clues to the Oghma Temple that the party, in their anger, haste, and frustration, didn't really pay much attention to. The verse carved into the wall of the fort was one of those clues. Written by a famous bard, it refers to the ancient Tempian governor of the region, noted for his cruelty. There was some connection between that governor and the Oghma temple, but I can't quite remember it now.
I also think there was some plates or plaques with some letters. Or did I end up putting those somewhere else?
The party also, at last, gains some real treasure. The note Bix found was legitimate; the rogues were supposed to meet up with some representatives from a world-spanning thieves guild in Duma Fafni, the nearest city, about four or five days south. (It read: "You and Pembroke look promising. Will meet you in Duma Fafni at August festival. Go to the Tavern of the Shining Helm. Ask for Meddlyn.") I halfway hoped the party would try to follow up on this lead, or at least ask about the August festival. I intended for the party to head to the city for that festival as a break from the Temple.
The party also has a name! I absolutely loved The Outsider's Aegis as a party name. It suited at least most members of the party quite well.
Next: The party veers WAAAY of track so that I can make a player happy.
Of course it was a trap, Kata?! I did not anticipate, however, it would turn so nasty so quickly.
Briefly, here's what happened (as best I can recall) while Katja was unconscious. It sounds like I scored a critical hit on Katja with my first attack, which knocked her out. It may very well have killed her, but we used the opportunity to begin Katja's conversion to a cleric of the Silver Huntress.
The Innkeep, who was pressured into being in league with the bandits, had arranged this meeting knowing the party would be ambushed, but not knowing about Kreed, Boaz, and Sunny, who waited in the distance. The bandits knew the party was onto them, but thought they could take out Katja, Orion, and Bix easily enough, gaining treasure in the process and possibly selling them into slavery somewhere. The ambush went off well enough, but when the back up crew arrived the bandits knew they were in trouble. At some point, the Innkeeper was used as a human shield/hostage by one of the Cimbrian thugs, bringing about a standoff. Poor Durslap was murdered so that the bandits could get away. Apparently, the party had adopted a "do not negotiate with bandits" policy (which would come into play again several months in the future). Seeing the wanton murder of a man he knew, Nob the bandit decided he'd had enough and surrendered.
I am not really sure what I intended for Katja, exactly, in the ensuing chase. The message from the goddess indicated she should hunt and kill the nasty bandit who shot her and also killed Durslap. This, obviously, didn't work out so well as, apparently, the party had also adopted a "take prisoners" policy. Like many times before, these opponents were probably too tough for the party, being 3rd level (where the average party level was maybe 2nd at this point), but I was trying to compensate for there being 6 PC's, one of which was min-maxed to be a melee machine. I hadn't anticipated the bandit's capture, and I REALLY didn't anticipate Kreed sneaking back to murder him once he had been captured. Again, not the last time this happened. But it did cause some ruffled feathers among players as well as characters.
The leader of the bandits had fled back to their hideout, a semi-collapsed fort that was once part of the Tempian (Roman) fortifications that could be found throughout the area. The party again captured the bandit leader and presumably killed the wizard/alchemist that made the gimlet; I am not sure what happened to him and Katja's diary doesn't mention him at all. This hideout also contained some clues to the Oghma Temple that the party, in their anger, haste, and frustration, didn't really pay much attention to. The verse carved into the wall of the fort was one of those clues. Written by a famous bard, it refers to the ancient Tempian governor of the region, noted for his cruelty. There was some connection between that governor and the Oghma temple, but I can't quite remember it now.
I also think there was some plates or plaques with some letters. Or did I end up putting those somewhere else?
The party also, at last, gains some real treasure. The note Bix found was legitimate; the rogues were supposed to meet up with some representatives from a world-spanning thieves guild in Duma Fafni, the nearest city, about four or five days south. (It read: "You and Pembroke look promising. Will meet you in Duma Fafni at August festival. Go to the Tavern of the Shining Helm. Ask for Meddlyn.") I halfway hoped the party would try to follow up on this lead, or at least ask about the August festival. I intended for the party to head to the city for that festival as a break from the Temple.
The party also has a name! I absolutely loved The Outsider's Aegis as a party name. It suited at least most members of the party quite well.
Next: The party veers WAAAY of track so that I can make a player happy.
The "two views" on these sessions are interesting!
ReplyDeleteGlad you think so! I love Katja's diary, but there are things Katja doesn't know. So I try to fill in the gaps and add the background, as well as throw some things I learned GMing this thing in for good measure.
ReplyDelete