Sunday 26 March 2023

Turn 16: The Thrappled Lemmings and the Ogre's Stash (Five Leagues from the Borderlands)

 The healer strode into town. They had heard that the Thrappled Lemmings were here, and that meant money. They knew that wherever the Thrappled Lemmings roamed, either the Lemmings or those around them would need tending. The owner of the Cloak and Dagger tavern was patching up windows from last night's festivities, as the healer walked past. Across the way, tents were being set back up again.  Business looked good right now. 

The Thrappled Lemmings were keeping their heads down after the latest night out drinking, so they only spent 1 Mark on their upkeep. They were fairly sure that they would have to spend a lot more to be allowed back into the Cloak and Dagger. Still, it had been a good night, even if it did end in shenanigans. They had met the locals and found out more about the area to the north-east (+1 Story Point). Woodsmen who were now tending bruises and bad heads had reported the presence of an ogre up there. Now might well be a good time to go and investigate this rumour. It would give the locals a chance to cool off.

While the others packed, Drogo prayed. He was fed up of getting hurt and hoped that a bit of time spent sacrificing to the gods might help him come unscathed from the next fight. Drogo gains the Blessed trait for this campaign turn.

With time and distance of the essence, the Thrappled Lemmings set off. Half a day out of town, the skies opened and the rain came down is a solid sheet of water. Sir Thiebault confidently led the party onwards, slipping and sliding through the mud. For once, his sense of direction worked, and they were soon standing in the area where the ogre was rumoured to live.

As usual, Fulrad was delegated to scout ahead. The area was wooded, with a small number of low rises. A ramshackle and dilapidated woodsman's hut lay in a small clearing ahead. The heavy rain had turned part of the area to boggy marsh, and there were a couple of rocky areas that might make good hiding places for an ogre. As he neared the cottage to check it out, he fell over his own feet and landed face first in a muddy patch. Forgetting himself, he cursed loudly.

"Grargh!" said the ogre as it emerged from the cottage, and then, "Graargh!"

"Darn pesky kids knocking on my door again!"

It had heard Fulrad, was wide awake and was charging towards him. He sprinted back towards the rest of the party, yelling, "It's an ogre and it's here!"

As the party caught up with Fulrad, Onesipe fired a crossbow bolt that went straight into the beast's shoulder but left it totally unaffected. The ogre charged Sir Thiebault who fought it to a standstill, but was pushed back. Fulrad took this opportunity to put an arrow in the beast's chest.

"Graaargh!" howled the ogre as the arrow hit something vital.

Drogo charged in to support Sir Thiebault. The ogre swiped him backhanded and he dropped like a stone, unconscious. Sir Thiebault charged in to avenge Drogo and was also left unconscious in the mud. The other Lemmings grouped together for mutual support. As missiles flew at the ogre to no effect, Wido soon joined the other two in unconsciousness, and it looked like Onesipe would be next, but he quickly turned the tables on his foe. It was the ogre that retreated, blood streaming from its leg. Lysanthir then stepped in to administer the coup de grace, and to claim all the credit, of course. The ogre slumped to the ground with Lysanthir's sword in its chest.

"Graaaaaargh!" it gurgled as it expired.

Meat shields not really doing their job the right way!

Checking their comrades first, the party found that both Sir Thiebault and Drogo were merely knocked unconscious, but Wido was badly hurt. He had hit his head hard on a rock. At first it looked like he was dead, but a little checking showed that he was still breathing, but only just (-1 Story Point to reroll).

With the casualties taken care of, the serious business happened. The ogre had a stash of battered weapons (a self bow and a war spear), a bag of tools, two bottles of tonic and a decent set of chain armour in its hut, all probably looted from less fortunate adventurers. There was also a small pile of gold coins (2 Marks) This would all come in handy. The Lemmings grabbed the lot and settled in to camp there.

While camping, they encountered a group of woodsmen who thanked them profusely for dealing with this threat, but also informed them that there was another monster threatening their livelihood somewhere else in the area. No one was sure quite where though, because it had only been seen roaming in the fog.

After the battle, Fulrad goes up a level, gaining a Speed increase. Onesipe goes up a level, gaining an Agility increase. I'm glad I had a story point to save Wido or he would have been my first dead party member. I'm fairly free with my use of story points in this campaign. As the whole thing is about the narrative, story points are there to keep it going. In this case, I rerolled, rather than choosing an outcome, because there needs to be a bit of drama, but I see no issue with choosing a result. I would do that for Lysanthir as my avatar, but do not intend to do so for the other party members. They get rerolls and must live or die with the results of that.

The ogre is a Gloomhaven Cragheart figure. I am using 28mm figures for my Aberrations because they are meant to be imposing and tough looking. Also because I happened to have it and it looked about right for this role. Might as well save money where I can!

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