ransook


Ransook’s Personal Log

 

I made contact with the group I have been hearing so much about. I was hired in the end to deliver a letter to them. What luck, I was wondering how I was going to gain introduction to a band of cutthroats with a reputation for killing and burning everywhere they go. Not the kind of folks one wants to anger through undue familiarity. As it turned out, this was no problem.

 

I no sooner had I delivered the letter than I was being welcomed as a new strong arm to their band. Easiest recruitment I’ve ever had. I didn’t even have to thump anyone to prove my skill or courage. I was just congratulating myself on my good turn of fortune when the cleric starts blubbing about a dream she’s had from the gods and saying the group is all doomed until they set right something one of them did to offend not just one god, BUT A WHOLE REGIMENT OF GODS. Great, my luck to board a ship that appears to be sinking right out of port.

 

The group decided to set that aside and proceed with the present mission, getting some female they freed from imprisonment named ruler of this town. The local Duke (they guy who captured her ) seems likely to want to stop this proceeding. I suggested we set up an ambush between the Duke’s residence and the sight of the ceremony to intercept him and delay if nothing else. The bands leader, Galinda, didn’t like that plan for some reason. I suggested an alternate notion of posting myself on a rooftop between the sight and the castle. I would fire a burning arrow if I spotted the Duke approaching. This was acceptable, and I and the thief set out for a building some distance away from the house where the druids were doing their chanting thing over the girl. All the rest of the band remained in the house to watch (as if that would help).

 

Sure enough the Duke emerged with three knights, a wizard and some men at arms. They made a beeline right for the ceremony. I fired my warning arrow and settled down to prove my worth. My orders were to kill the Duke if possible. I was determined to try, despite his clearly superior plate armor. I drew, aimed and let fly. My first arrow struck and bored into this man almost to the fletching, and he didn’t even flinch. I knew then this was going to be a long day.

 

The thief showed great courage in charging out into the Dukes men alone (since the band was too far away to help, the price of their front row seats at the ceremony), but not the most sense. He got stomped flat by somebody almost immediately. Some men at arms managed to figure out where the arrow came from and charged into my building. I knew the door I had barred would hold them for a while but my time was now limited.

 

While the band ran to meet the Duke I fired and fired. I got another arrow into the Duke past his armor. The band met his party just below my building and one of them managed to gash the Duke grievously. With two good cloth yard shafts and a gaping wound pouring blood, still the man would not go down. I was stunned. I was also out of time, I could hear the door giving behind me and I knew five men at arms would soon be upon my rooftop. I chose to go over the wall and climb down the side of the building, fully expecting pursuit. Later I found out Xander the wizard, may the gods bless him, cast a spell upon my pursuers to draw them to the back of the building and away from me. He is a clever man this Wizard, and a good one to have behind you in battle (which I understand is his preferred position in battle).

 

By the time I got in a position to fire upon the enemy again the Duke was down. I don’t know who finally got in the killing stroke. The knight Galinda was steadily beating on him, but Xander later took credit. Who cares. I saw the cleric had a knight she was engaged with and perceived him to be injured. I loosed an arrow at him and down he went in a clatter of steel. The rest of the fight was over soon enough. I fired nine arrows and recovered only five intact. Plate armor does unpleasant things to even the best shaft.

 

Two of ours were down by battles end but they will live. The spoils were quite sufficient. I traded my scale armor for the Duke’s plate. He had no more need of it. I find this band cares little for pay, as if the “glory” of a battle won was sufficient reason to risk ones life. I asked how things were to be divided and having been told equal shares I removed $125 gold pieces from the 1000 the newly elected leader awarded us.

 

A mercenary has to be firm in matters of payment after all, lest the master “forgets” the bargain once the fighting is done.

 

Ransook’s Personal Log 11-2-07

 

So we are cursed and have to find a dozen magical bits of flotsam to make the gods happy. Great!

 

The first thingy is called the shroud of Skelose. We root around temples and find it was used by some powerful cleric in an attempt to clear out a nasty city of undead under a mass graveyard. He led an army of clerics, priests and paladins. AN ARMY! And he failed. Now we few (We happy few, we band of brothers…sisters…) are to follow in their footsteps. The army was swallowed whole and never returned from this place. The local priest would not aid us, but advised us to be out of there by dark.

 

We found an entrance to the underground city thanks to Xander. We entered and immediately got in a fight with:

Slime

Skeletons

Ghouls

An undead Wight

More skeletons

 

During the battle with the Wight Violet was struck and lost some of her life essence. This shook her too the core and she clearly wanted to run. But, in the best traditions she got hold of herself and with renewed courage stayed in the fight.

 

I had to alter my preferred method of fighting given the close quarters of the battlefield. I put away my bow and switched to the mace. I hate a close battlefield. I kept an eye on the time and suggested we exit before dark as the priest said. Galinda agreed so we left, the job unfinished, but with our asses mostly intact.

 

When we got out I suggested my fellows armor up and get shields. Their lack of armor is surprising given the close combat they seem to prefer, none carry shields! I myself took a medium steel shield. Xander paid the cost from the groups purse, so I did not speak of a share of the treasure collected in the graveyard. One must bear these things in mind…

 

Ransook of Khoras, mercenary, adventurer, idiot.

 

Ransooks log 1-11-08

 

An ARMY of ORCS. We are sneaking into a besieged city surrounded by an army of Orcs…they say the gods favor fools but Ahhh.

 

We got in the city and managed permission to enter an old mansion to find the spear. The mansion is disserted but guarded by magic.

 

There is so much magic in this land. Not like home where a man’s good steel, muscle and skill can be counted on to carry the day in almost any circumstance. We end up in a trophy room attacked by spirits. Steel did nothing to them and I without so much as a magic sausage. Fortunately, I noticed three weapons hanging on the wall. I grabbed the first and swung at the nearest apparition. It passed through with no effect. The second implement I grabbed, a mace, smashed the thing with heartwarming efficiency. The ghosts were quickly dispatched and when the city captain (sent along to ensure we stole nothing) was not looking I replaced the mace with a more pedestrian one of my own.

 

I now have a magical weapon with which to battle these creatures.

 

That Hanthil is one sharp fellow. When Orcs appeared in the basement from a tunnel he thought to check if it was new dug or old. It turned out to be a fresh tunnel dug to attack the city, not an escape route as I had thought. This ranger is sharp as Spanish steel. I must pay more attention to him.

 

Pity he is consumed by a want of revenge. Bad for business.

 

Ransooks log 1-19-08

 

Hanthil has a grudge against Krang Slork, leader of the Orcish army surrounding the city. He wants to capture the warlord and find out where his sister is.

 

Hanthil plans to have us magically appear to be Orcs and exit the tunnel to seek an audience with Krang. I suggest we use some of our “group owned” loot to help promote the story that we are the sappers who dug the tunnel and we have broken into a treasure room. Krang will naturally want to see the treasure himself (we hope) and we can lead him back through the tunnel into the city, where he can be captured.

 

Ok, great plan but I don’t talk Ork. We walk through the camp with every Ork and his cousin in the world all saying “Grock block frock gobble gobble gerrr” and other useful sounds. I did the best I could to put in an enthusiastic “Arrg” now and then, while hoping for the best. Eventually, we got into the leaders tent. More gobbledygook was spoken and after a few (sexy?) looks from Willow directed at Krang we were heading back to the tunnel with the warlord. I guessed the plan was working.

 

We went through the tunnel and Violet collapsed it trapping Krang. Hanthil yelled some silly thing about “He’s mine”. The guy is big as a mountain and wearing enough armor to outfit a heavy cavalry troop. Right…Hanthil can take him on his own. I fire two arrows into the guy, others also got some good swipes in and down he went.

 

These people know nothing of questioning a prisoner. A mercenary has to get answers he can trust to be true, not just what the screaming wretch thinks he wants to hear. Besides they want to loosen an Orc’s tongue with pain! He probably wears spiked underwear just for the pleasure of the feeling while he walks. Eventually they do it with magic from Willow. The Orc told Hanthil what he wanted to know I guess (“Gobble grock frock blah blah).

 

Then it was time to kill him. Violet did it after prancing about. I don’t know why these folk make such a production out of killing. When it is necessary then it should be done efficiently, as with any other task. I insisted his face not be touched as his head was severed from his body. We then took the head to the city wall and used a catapault to fire it into the Orc camp. Xander spoke more gobbledygook and we attacked the Orc army. It worked. They ran.

 

I ended up with the two handed broadsword Krang had carried. A big weapon, and one that precludes the use of my shield, but useful. The group as a whole got 1000 gold pieces. Not bad.