Siege of Quitokai Finale

Night Safari Fire Dancers, 5 of 7, a photo by kian esquire on Flickr.

The attackers made yet another sortie; under a cloud of giant bats, warriors attacked from both sides. While the defenders rushed out to meet the Wolf Clan, several warriors from the Red Clan crossed the burning logs of the north palisade to enter the compound and began seeking entrance to the stone great house. But while the villagers suffered a couple casualties, the attackers over-extended themselves. The bats proved a momentary nuisance. After driving them away, the defenders inside the great house shot their arrows at the Red Clan leader. Once he was brought down, his followers hesitated, and after losing several more of their numbers, retreated. Meanwhile, the villagers fighting the Wolf Clan went on the offensive, and after repelling those attackers, pursued them into the jungle, likewise seeking the enemy leaders in particular. And again, once the leader was slain, the remaining attackers fled deeper into the jungle, casting aside their shields in panic.

Night's Dark Terror, Part 2

My character, Pavel, missed the first episode, but I'm very glad to play this very well-regarded module. After his sucess in smiting a tribe of hobgoblins into oblivion, Pavel migrated to more civilized lands to the south, committed to protecting his fellow Traldarans and their faith from the corrupting influence of the Thyatians.

And so he found himself on a boat, and that boat attacked by slavers. Pavel prayed and his fellow passengers were victorious. They captured one of the slavers and ordered him to bring him to their camp. The long slog through marsh in a light rain and growing darkness gave Pavel an opportunity to re-affirm his disdain for physical comfort and his dedication to the Law. The slaver's camp was deserted. The slavers, vainly fleeing from the punishment that lives inside them, had abandoned their comrade and left many crude and cowardly devices of the type used for entrapping animals. The captured slaver, confronted by the sudden awareness that he was soon to receive just payment for his career of cruelty, made a desperate attempt to flee-- and perished in one of pits dug by his fellow blackhearts. Sometimes, it seems, the Law has a sense of humor.

Pavel and the others returned to the boat and, the next morning, continued their voyage. They were put ashore at a hut in the forest, from which they would continue on land in the morning. The owner was gone, but having learned that she was a faithful Traldaran, Pavel knew that she would gladly extend hospitality to a man of the Faith and made himself at hom, santicfying her rude home with his prayers. And a few hours later, Pavel would return the favor by preparing her final earthly home, and saying the prayers to send her off to her next one. Roger-- one of the other travelers, discovered her body while fishing off the dock. Strange signs for strange times.

As night fell, the travelers shuttered themselves inside the hut. They refused entry to the bear.

Do Not Stop For Hitchhikers, a photo by Brayo on Flickr.

Birth of the Little Fox Gang

After Tetsukichi, Mayro, and Beatriss-- with temporary allies from the Dirty Rain Gang emerged victorious in their fight against the Black Flowers in the ground floor of the House of Jourdain, a young woman glided down the stairs and said that Madam Guto would like a word with "the new masters." Kura, the Dirty Rain gangster who had led the raid identified himself as such, half repressing a glance at Tetsukichi and Beatriss for confirmation. Beatriss didn't challenge Kura's authority, but she did question his intelligence: "Let's not walk right into an ambush."

When the "new masters" hesitated, a woman identifying herself as Madam Buto also descended the stairs. A handsome woman in her 60s, she wore plain, mannish clothes; her fingers were adorned with many rings, and otherwise wore no jewelry; she walked with a cane and a slight limp, but seemed generally strong and vigourous. She explained that she would like to negotiate for the protection of the new masters.

She went back upstairs and called on them to followe her. at the top of the stairs, hearing her voice from what had been the library, Beatriss remembered that there had been something very strange and terrible in the upstairs, specifically in the library. They entered warily.

And Beatriss remembered. A demon-- behind a secret door in the panelling. But now the panelling had been removed and the demon was clearly visible, sitting in the middle of a large bamboo cage.



Madam Guto needed guards and she would pay them to stay in her house and maintain order, especially when there were guests. Beatriss was not interested in employment, and made known her intention to leave. Madam Guto didn't argue, but suggested that Beatriss and Tetsukichi wait for her downstairs, so that "we can talk about another issue." Beatriss, against her own better judgment, agreed.

They went downstairs, and waited. The other gangsters were curious as to what had happened and Beatriss was eager to share her misgivings. Before long, Kura appeared, all smiles, and asked for his lieutenants to come up. They did. There was a brief argument, and then silence. Soon, Kura and his lieutenants came downstairs. Kura explained to the others that they had signed an agreement with Madam Guto and were breaking away from the main body of the Dirty Rain Gang. They were going to stay in the house, make good money, and run things their own way.

Beatriss and Madam Guto strolled into the courtyard so they could talk, with Tetsukichi and their followers-- um, following.

Madam Guto explained that she had signed an agreement and that she had suggested a name for the new group-- the Little Foxes. She hoped Beatriss liked the name. She hope that future relations between Beatriss and the Little Foxes would not be like the unprofitable relationship with the Black Flowers. "Let's just agree that you leave my Little Foxes alone and I leave your Little Foxes alone. That's all."

Talking was over and so Beatriss attacked. Surprisingly nimble, Madam Guto suffered only a minor wound and fled to the house; Beatriss's friends were caught off guard by their friend's sudden move. But they agreed to support Beatriss, who claimed the woman had threatened her children. The Little Fox gang met Beatriss inside the house and asked her to leave.

Al-Fitar, Tetsukichi, and Golfo were wounded and so the party decided to leave peacefully. They have since made contact with the main body of the Dirty Rain gang to discuss what to do about their new mutual enemy.

(Although Mayro was active in taking the House of Jourdain and destroying the Black Flowers, after the battle, he vanished as suddenly as he'd appeared. PCs do things like that, you know.)

stupid!

stare, a photo by Mamluke on Flickr.

Strathbogie & co. continued to explore the maze of glyphs and pits under the wizard’s tower. The overwhelming message was that we were overlooking the obvious. Case in point: There are two “golem halls”, large rooms dominated by a statue that comes to life when needed to clean up victims of the traps. In each of these rooms, about a dozen spells are inscribed on the walls. With the proper resources, Strathbogie and Brigitta could be copying these into first their own spellbooks and then others, and make for themselves a tidy sum. But shouldn't there be something more?

We’ve also recalled coming upon a few notes scribbled on the flyleaf of an old spellbook. It provides cryptic hints that probably apply to this wizard’s tower. The master liked flowers, healing is available and, in case of capture, “break string.” We do have a necklace with different types of beads on it, including the letters TTJINW(or M).