TOPIC: R4 Runewild

Runewild campaign to begin next week. I will miss week 2, and my estranged Irish son will likely be guest-starring in some capacity for weeks 4 > 6.

Just checking I have your character concepts correct;
Ellie: Fairy/Druid (Hag-owned)
Morgan: Human/Wizard (outlawed acolyte)
Rich; Human/Barbarian (runish scion)
Ted: Wood Elf/Fighter (time-lost knight)
Tom: Human/Paladin (devotee of St Adso)

A quick history of the Runewild;

1000 years ago: The Aosidhe (high elves) rule the Runewild and protect it from the Hag Queen Griselda (aka Mother of Ogres). Humans (the Runish clans) settle the forest's borders.
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400 years ago: Ruler of Aruanda King Waithrik the Conquerer sends knights into the Runewild to subdue the truculent Runish clans.
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Griselda unites many witches in her Grand Coven and strikes back against the Aosidhe elves. The elves convince the Aruandan knights that Griselda is the greater threat and fight together to destroy the Grand Coven. Griselda escapes.
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The Aruandans subjugate the Runish clans and establish outposts throughout the Runewild. Most of the Aosidhe elves disappear, the few who remain become the Ruasidhe (wood elves).
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70 years ago: The current ruler of Aruanda dies, plunging the kingdom into the Throne War. Knights escort Princess Esme into the Runewild and leave her in the custody of the Ruasidhe elves, far from those who would steal her birthright. Esme has all sorts of adventures and outsmarts Griselda on more than one occasion.
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Ten years later: The knights return to collect Princess Esme and crown her as Queen of Aruanda. She bids the Ruasidhe farewell and returns to the capital.
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Now: Queen Esme grows old and establishes the Runewardens to safeguard the denizens of the Runewild - be they human or fey - and to foil the schemes of Griselda and the surviving members of her Grand Coven.

... and that is where YOU come into the story.

Day 1

Two travellers approach the village of Widderspire; Bruno the Bold (Human Paladin, devotee of Saint Adso - played by Tom) and Merlin (Human Wizard, outlawed apprentice of the Council Arcane - played by Morgan). They carry a decree from Queen Esme of Aruanda, identifying them as Runewardens, tasked with protecting the sprawling forest known as the Runewild. The leaves of the great wood are turning to shades of autumnal gold as the long Summer draws to a close.

Waiting outside the village are a pair of Ruasidhe elves; Verdan (Wood Elf Rogue - played by Adam) and Tinkerbell (Wood Elf Fighter - played by Ted). Years ago, the Ruasidhe swore themselves to the service of the young Queen Esme, an oath they honour even as her long life and peaceful reign comes to an end. Flitting around the two elven warriors is Apogee (Fairy/Druid, hag-owned - played by Ellie).

The Runewardens have been granted the deed to the late Lord Widderspire's old hunting lodge to use as their base of operations. Before he took up holy orders, Bruno had been a humble carpenter, and he immediately begins planning the necessary repairs and rennovations to the dilapidated loghouse.

The party introduce themselves and their mission to Mayor Aldor Macson of Widderspire, who suggests the villagers may have adventure hooks for them. Verdan learns of unsavoury vagabonds malingering near the Last Watchtower and the Runewardens decide to investigate. Bruno visits the church of Saint Adso and meets the local priestess Hattie Price. Graves in the cemetery have been disturbed and Price suspects the Whitebone Sisters are responsible. Bruno swears to bring the witchy siblings to justice.

On route to the Last Watchtower, the Runewardens encounter a trio of mercenaries calling themselves the Three Bears; Rupert, Yogi & Pooh. They offer their swords for the price of 15gp per day, which the party have neither the funds nor inclination to pay.

The Last Watchtower is a crumbling edifice near the end of Waithrik's Wall, constructed long ago to pen the fey denizens of the Runewild. The Runewardens explore the tower and find the bodies of five brigands in the basement. A swarm of fat rats gorge themselves upon the grim banquet. Brandishing a torch to drive away the vermin, Verdan and Tinkerbell examine the bodies. All five men sport blood red rags and expressions of horror frozen unto their dead flesh, but no obvious signs of whatever felled them.

Evening approaches and the party make camp in the upper floors of the old watchtower. During the night, a ghostly figure - hulking and spectral - approaches along the crumbling battlements. The ghost's rude garb marks it as a Runish clansman of the tribes that settled the fringes of the Runewild prior to the Aruandan conquest some 400 years ago. Intuiting the ethereal beserker slew the bandits in the basement - and that they have few effective means of combating a ghost - the party opt to flee. Bruno boldly stands his ground as the others scramble down the wall - and would have been cut down by the clansman's incorporeal axe had Apogee not distracted the ghost by slinging magic pebbles at his head. The Runewardens flee into the dark forest, whilst the ghostly apparition jeers their cowardice.

Day 2

The rest of the night passes uneventfully and the party enjoy the benefits of a short break - although Bruno is still looking rough after his run-in with the Runish revenant. Tinkerbell finds tracks leading away from the watchtower - apparently not all the bandits were slain by the ghost. The party follow the trail, heading north-west.

Soon they hear a loud, incessant buzzing sound, and spot three goblin scouts patrolling the skies from the backs of three giant flies. The Runewardens attack the patrol and quickly take the goblins out - although one wounded fly escapes the ambush.

The party follow it back to the ruins of an old Runish keep on the crest of Flyspeck Hill. Verdan draws his dagger and sneaks ahead, stealthily eliminating several more goblins before raising the alarm. The Runewardens battle their way through the dungeon and confront the goblin broodmother and her animate honey golem. Bruno gets his halberd stuck in the golem's torso and Apogee's dainty wings are hopelessly gummed up with sticky honey. Merlin blasts the honey golem with a barrage of Firebolts, melting it into a gooey amber puddle on the dungeon floor. The broodmother hits Bruno and Merlin with a sleep spell, moments before Verdan finishes her off with a poisoned arrow. Apogee identifies the healing properties of the magic honey (recover 1d4+1 hp per spoonful) and the injured heroes get down on their hands and knees to lap up what's left of the golem like a pack of wild dogs. The party search the broodmother's lair and discover a map to the location of the magic honey tree, and instructions on how to craft their very own honey golem.

Everyone advances to level 2!

TBC

Day 2 (cont)

The Runewardens have routed the Flyspeck goblins and slain their wretched broodmother. In the dungeon of the goblin lair, they find Ian the Igneous (Fire Genasi Barbarian - played by Rich), an imposing bald man with alabaster skin and a flaming beard. The Runewardens release Ian and recruit him as their new meat shield and cosmetologist.

The party investigate a large stone door inscribed with the wolf head emblem of some long-lost Runish clan. Bruno places his hand against the stone and is cursed to violently oppose anyone trying to open the door. While Bruno grapples Ian, Verdan manages to slip through the opening into the dark and dusty crypt beyond. His intrusion causes the skeletal remains of six Runish warriors to stir from their long rest. Verdan retreats, sealing the undead clansmen in the crypt behind him.

The Runewardens exit the goblin lair just as the clouds burst. The tracks they had followed from the Last Watchtower are obliterated by the sudden downpour. The party decide to return to Widderspire for a long rest. The skies darken and the storm worsens. A group of bandits emerge from the muddy ditch, encircling the party and demanding a toll to use the road. They look as wet and miserable as the Runewardens feel, and are broadcasting strong 'let's-just-get-this-done-so-we-can-all-go-home' vibes. The party empty their pockets, producing little more than pocket fluff (Tinkerbell has all the gold and Ted was absent this week). The bandits try to take Merlin's spellbook, but the wizard resists and ends up brawling with a jug-eared bandit in the muddy ditch.

Bruno presents Queen Esme's decree to the thug captain and places the entire gang under arrest. The bandit captain tears up the decree. Bruno is stunned by this flagrant disregard for his authority. Sharing this sentiment, Ian flies into a rage, severing the bandit leader's head whilst screaming; "A little off the top, sir?!" Merlin summons his green flame blade and emerald fire leaps from body to body. Verdan does a nutshot. The remaining highwaymen flee into the night, leaving their wounded fellows to be taken into custody by the Runewardens.

Days 3 - 7 (Long Rest)

The Runewardens return to Widderspire to rest and recuperate. Interrogating the prisoners, Bruno learns they work for the infamous robber baron Ianto the Red. The prisoners don't know where Ianto's main camp is, but the gang maintain an outpost in the ruins of Widderspire Keep. Bringing Ianto to justice would make the road to Caerfell safer for everyone, and cement the Runewarden's reputation as champions for good.

During downtime, Bruno repairs the leaking roof of the Runewarden lodge. Verdan goes hunting. Merlin pores over maps of the Runewild, searching for... something. Ian sets up shop in the village, offering his services as barber and stylist. He overhears two customers discussing Elenwen's Tree, a local landmark the heartstruck visit to carve the name of their beloved into the ancient trunk.

Bruno spends his evenings standing vigil in the Widderspire cemetery, to deter the Whitebone Sisters exhuming any more of the graveyard's long-term residents. The witches do not return, but Bruno hears haunting music originating from the mausoleum of the late Lord Widderspire. He investigates and meets Hoorah the bunny-eared Pookah girl, who often visits the cemetery to talk to the ghosts. She says the spirit of Lord Widderspire is sad because he misses his wife and children. Bruno recommends Hoorah vacate the cemetery as the Whitebone Sisters may be nearby. The Pookah girl is unperturbed - she is under the protection of Grandfather Pookah, and even the Grand Coven know better than to mess with him.

Day 8

The Runewardens head north, following Waithrik's Wall toward the ruins of Widderspire Keep. Merlin spots a severed head watching them from a nook in the wall. The head is uncommunicative, but seems pretty chill. The party decide to take it with them. They continue north across the rolling hills - pausing briefly to shout at an unfriendly forester - before finally reaching the hilltop ruin.

Verdan scouts ahead under cover of darkness, scampering up the rubble-strewn hillside. Two bandits stand guard atop the crumbling gatehouse, and a third emerges to tend to a malnourished donkey tied to a post in the castle courtyard. The bandit laments his many woes to the disinterested animal, citing his poor bladder control as the primary reason he fell into a life of skullduggery. He always aspired to be a cobbler, like his father before him, but nobody wants to buy pissy shoes. He starts to cry. Verdan sheaths his dagger and slips back into the shadows, overwhelmed with pity for the plight of this tragic figure. When the coast is clear, Verdan scales the outer wall of the gatehouse to eliminate the sentries. He kills them both, but not before alerting the rest of the gang.

Watching through the eyes of his owl familiar, Merlin waves the fighters forward. Ian crashes into the gatehouse and buries his axe in the skull of the would-be shoemaker. Merlin is shot in the spleen - the most magical organ in the human body! Verdan plays whack-a-mole with the bandits trying to get onto the roof of the gatehouse, until thug captain Harden arrives and clobbers him good. The party fight their way up through the gatehouse to reinforce the beleaguered elf. Harden is taken alive, the rest of the bandits not-so-much. The Runewardens have reclaimed Widderspire Keep! Hopefully, their new captive can lead them to the main camp of Ianto the Red.

TBC

XP
100xp for clearing Flyspeck Hill
325xp for surving bandit ambush
100xp for befriending Hoorah the Pookah girl
100xp for exploring new hexes
500xp for reclaiming Widderspire Keep

1125/4=281+300=581 (next level at 900)