Scenario 2 - Swampland

While the battle against the Jungle Deep rages along the line of the old beacon towers, you and your companions have made a huge discovery. Scouting the area behind Tor Varden, you found a long, deep fissure that runs down into the gloom beneath the canopy of the Jungle Deep. Within this fissure is a rough and broken stairway. It seems too purposeful to be a natural occurrence, yet its rough surface and uneven, sloping steps argue against it being made by the hands of men. Reporting your find to your superiors, you quickly receive new orders. You are to lead your team down the stairs and penetrate as far as you can into the Jungle Deep. You will be the first warriors of Alladore to enter the cursed realm and any intelligence you can bring back will be of huge importance. Take any opportunity to strike against the enemy, but your primary goal is reconnaissance.

 

Scenario 2 - Swampland

At the bottom of the broken stairs, day has given way to a murky twilight, the sun blotted from the sky by the impenetrable layer of entangled leafy branches that seems to form the very roof of the Jungle Deep.

Most of your party have covered their faces to block out the stink of the place, and perhaps to hide their despair. Before you, where fertile fields once stood, is an endless stretch of swampland.  The water nearest the stairs is too deep to wade, but it appears to quickly become shallower further on. If you want to carry on with your mission, there is no choice but to swim through the dark waters until you reach solid ground. Still, it is not a decision you take lightly, for who knows what could be living beneath the still surface ?

The adventurers must discover as many clues as possible as to what is happening inside the Lorenthian frontier, and then trudge into the swamp to try and get away from danger.

Swimming through the deep waters proved a dangerous affair, due to the presence of a foe belonging to a strange and unknown species, a wading bird perfectly at home in this treacherous terrain.  The Twins managed nontheless to find a patch of solid ground, allowing them to punch a crossbow bolt through one of their foes. Pattashin had already reacted poorly to the appalling stench of the place [-2 Health from the start] and, along with Keila, was struggling.  He had, in the end, to strip of his heavy armour and let it, and his shield, sink into the dark waters.

Whilst Bohwihsh and his Battle Ram managed to clamber out of the water's icy grip - Bohwihsh greatly helped by ingesting his dose of Wraithwalk - the Twins and Keila were surprised by Tethru suddenly rising up out of the water around them, spears bearing down.  As for Pattashin, he had two Tethru upon him, and without armour or shield, trying to lay about him in deep water that dampened his every blow, he was an easy target.  Badly wounded, he slid down unconscious into the black mass.

Akriss had also gotten beyond the deep water, and launched a powerful fireball that blew Pattashin's two assailants into small pieces, that simmered and smoked for quite some time despite falling into the water [the fireball got a critical hit !].  The Ranger-Mage bravely decided to double back, and with a Split Cast was able to heal both Keila and The Twins, who were in equally dire need.

Bohwihsh had by this time found the body of another Lorenthian soldier, and taken off his signet ring.

With healing magic coursing through their veins, both The Twins and Keila were able to push back their foes.  The Twins laid a Burning Mark on theirs, which exploded as the Tethru charged back into the fray, killing it instantly.  As the same happened in front of Keila, she swung her axe and with one mighty blow, decapitated her adversary.

In the lull that followed, all of the members of the company were able to get out of the deep water.  Jabir had discovered some strange purple flowers, which unfortunately he was unable to identify.  Bohwihsh sneaked out, right from under his nose, a final clue, which turned out to be some arcane writing [Bohwihsh failing to translate it, we decided that it was logical that everyone try at the end of the adventure, and whomever succeeded by the highest difference, nailed the translation].

Things were rather calm, with only a couple of enemies appearing a fair way off.  The Twins must therefore have been surprised when a vampire bat flew right at them, as it not only managed to get past their defenses, their bite would later be found to have infected one of the hedgehoglings with a disease.

Perhaps alerted by these very bats, a Hu-man patrol turned up, one warrior leading two archers.  With going very slow in the swamp, their presence could be very dangerous indeed.  Fortunately, Akriss had a Shield of Light spell on the tip of his forked tongue, which protected Bohwihsh from the first rain of arrows.

Although Jabir's shooting proved to be of limited assistance - he did however take down a Tethru that had appeared in the vicinity - the combined efforts of the Battle Ram and Akriss held the Hu-Mans down, and eventually saw them flee [turn 10 having been reached].

This time the company thought to map out the swampland, which would be precious should Alladore attempt an incursion in force here later.

Akriss' Cobra had its health reduced to 0 but made a full recovery.  Pattashin was less fortunate, having notonly ingested a lot of water, but swamp water to boot.  He is Badly Wounded and will begin the next scenario at -5 Health, unless he sits it out.

The vampire bat bite received by The Twins becomes infected, making them Diseased.  They will play the next scenario with -3 Health and -1 on all die rolls.

The Rangers add up their XP.  We have decided to implement a house rule : instead of Rangers getting equal XP, each Ranger gains XP for whatever s/he or his/her companions achieved, which is then doubled (as we have 2 Rangers).  This doubling is not applied to XP that, by its nature, benefits both Rangers.

The Twins and their companions sent into the nether world a total of 4 Tethru, 1 Vampire Bat and 1 Hu-Man.  Bohwihsh found the signet ring, and the arcane writing which he was nonetheless unable to translate.  This means a total of (25x 2), plus 5 for the mapping = 55 XP, bringing The Twins to 503 pts and Level 5.  They choose not to change any spells, and improve their skills in climbing, reading runes, strength and survival.

Akriss and his companions had less success, slaying 3 Tethru; however it was Jabir who translated the strange glyphs on the eroded stone jutting out of the vile earth; this was enough for Akriss to understand it was a powerful spell.  Akriss gains (22 x 2) + 5 = 49 XP, for a total of 411, making Level 4.  He maintains all his spells, and learns a new one, Armour.

All Companions gain 2 PP, except for the Cobra and Pattashin (1 PP), which brings Bohwihsh up to level 2 (and +1 Fight).  We also have another House Rule : for each 10 XP (FRD) a Companion brings in for his Ranger, he receives an additional 1 PP.  This benefits Jabir.  No other Companion changes level, however.

All Heroic Abilities and Spells used are regained.

No treasure was found during this scenario.

The company did not redistribute any gains from the scenario or previously.

Akriss has a spellbook, in which he leaves his Slow spell.

This is the end of a scenario, so there is no reorganisation.