10th SepDec 1060 - Village of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
The campaign in the Nightwood is escalating. Every militia patrol that's been added up and down the River Road is harassed by more and more brazen goblin activity. Injuries are rare and goblin aim is as accurate as goblins showing courage. I'm certainly hoping W.'s plan is helping our supposed allies to the north. Sooner or later, I'll be part of those road patrols, and a cowardly goblins hits with a rock, every now and then.
As all the focus is along the north of Eding, I'm increasingly worried open our southern swampland. Krull and Company have gone on a full-blown campaign against the lizardmen. Hunting parties are hunted down, villages pillaged, and I swear there are rumors that Krull is paying some of Sellman's brigands to work as extra muscle.
Tactics like this won't keep us safe, in fact, I have a sneaking suspicion that when they fight back, Krull will be nowhere to be seen and we'll all suffer for it.
Krull has proven to be an aggressive and successful leader, although the others have told me his courage is entirely built up from the extra-tough armor he found in the Castle in the Moors. Heavily enchanted plate mail, and a steady supply of shields makes him nigh-invulnerable to the lizardmen's attacks, even if they can still land blows against his compatriots.
14th of SepDec 1060 - Village of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
Krull is mighty no more!!!!
The war against the lizardmen continued at an ever-escalating pace, until last night. Last night the lizardmen were not caught completely off-guard. A small retinue escorted the women and children's escape, while the larger group fought a fighting retreat.
The lizardmen fought back, and continued a steady retreat, far longer than normal. Krull's attention was so focused on hurting the lizardmen, that he, and everyone else out that night, failed to realized that the lizardmen were leading them in circles.
That is, until they dashed over a copse of trees, and five dozen warriors emerged out of the warriors to engage our "heroes." Most dropped their weapons almost instantly, but Krull was still itching to continue the fight, swinging his sword and cursing at them in the lizard tongue... until he stopped moving.
He quite literally froze in an awkward position... unable to move, and barely able to talk. Then, an older lizardman, bedecked in wild feathers and animal bones, emerged from the warriors. The leader (shaman) of the creatures demanded the others kneel. They obliged.
Krull continued to curse.
Satisfied by the other's submission, and intolerant of Krull, the shaman order his warriors to stab Krull between the plates of his armor. Only partially satisfied by the blood dripping off Krull's body, he then order the rest to set up a bonfire around the fighter's frozen body.
If they couldn't easily kill the man who had terrorized their tribe for days and weeks, they were going to burn him alive.
The other adventurers knelt in silence was the flames grew around their leader, friend, or loud, angry guy. The group wouldn't specify, but I could tell it was Theron, Krull's father, who finally pleaded with the the shaman for his son's life. A parent's eyes can't hide the love, and possibly shame for their child.
From there the details were sketchy, but Krull's great war with the lizardmen was now over. Any sign of the adventurers even near the southern peasant fields would be met with an invasion of Eding no one has ever seen. The lizardmen escorted the group out of the swamp. Krull's injuries are mostly on his feet and legs.
15th of SepDec 1060 - Village of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
Ned Overland left Eding in the early morning hours. He did not say goodbye to anyone.
17th of SepDec 1060 - Village of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
The militia picked up escalated goblin activity. Rocks and slings were replaced with poorly shot arrows and undersized units horribly failing at ambushing our men. The militia maintained discipline and did not pursue over the river into the Nightwood.
W. doesn't know and it's too heated to send a courier, but unbeknownst to me, W. learned some naturalist skills, arcane lore, heka-infused blessing to speak with animals, and will attempt to tie a note to a sparrow's leg and send it to the goblin shamans in good standing.
If W. does not need my services, I will find leisure anyway I can find fit.
22nd of SepDec 1060 - Village of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
My planned weekend of fishing during the harvest was cut short by orders to lead a patrol down the River Road. Due to my keen eye, and expecting their tactics, I spotted the goblins hiding along the opposite riverbank, and then chucked a rock into a nearby tree, knocking a goblin off a branch. All the goblins, save the fallen one, fled into the Nightwood.
I grabbed the fallen goblin by his hair knot, forced a magic elixir down his throat, and as soon as he regained consciousness, began barking at him in goblin.
*Stop the attacks or the witch will have her revenge... tomorrow*
This brought great fear to the goblin, and as I dropped him to the ground, he scrambled away and swam across the river.
As usual, the younglings in this militia (none of whom speak goblin) are in awe, and my legend grows.
.....
24th of SepDec 1060 - Village of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
My legend is set in-stone with two straight days with neither a sound by or the sight of a single goblin by the militia. The message, no matter from whom, was received, and right as the harvest begins in force.
25th of SepDec 1060 - Village of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
Krull and Company left this morning, with the excuse to winter in Hydincall with all their riches. It's also been 11 days, and Krull's burns to his feet and legs are still so bad that he cannot walk. A lack of clerical healing beyond those of Markuus is quite obvious. To add insult to injury, since Krull cannot walk, nor ride in stirrups, the party has been forced to buy a cart for a local farmer to haul the warrior to at least Omsjik, where they might buy a wagon for less ignominious transportation. It's a sad end for the Summer, and I don't know if or when they'll return.
18th of OctDec 1060 - Village of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
The harvest is almost complete. There are no goblins, no lizardmen, and most importantly, none of Krull's companions can be found.
W. has required nothing of me, even the friendship of basic conversation. With the snow coming in less than a month, I've decided to prepare for the winter.
With two young girls, I figured Barrack needs the coin and the time away from home, so I offered him a chance to split enough wood to keep my aching bones warms for five months.
To warm my heart, I've ordered two casks from the dwarf Thavumilr Bottledelver. While he's never been late, getting it in this early should guarantee delivery before I'm snowed in with a few books from W.'s collection. They won't mind at all.
GM Notes: The encounter with Krull nearly getting burned at the stake by the lizardman is absolutely true. A few sessions/encounters escape my memory, but most of the time they were searching for ruins, and running into lizardmen. And Krull's AC (plus Dex) was hard for a traditional 2nd Edition lizardman to penetrate, so he ran roughshod over them.
Until news came to the tribal elders further away, and the shaman decided to reset the relatioship with the villagers back to the somewhat rocky status it had always been.
Ned's departure was planned, as Wooly went off and became a manager at a dollar store (when dollar stores were the hot new thing). The burning of Krull was his last adventure.
Ned probably went off to Hydincall for the winter, and hopefully he earned enough coin to get back to Argivia or Danaan to live his final years by the beach.
Or perhaps, he got word that a certain acquaintance was now the Bishop of Ferrand, and a quick visit could earn him some soul-cleansing forgiveness and perhaps a hand in his retirement plans.
Thirteen years in the village might be smoothing over Elsderth's callous heart, as he now associates with individuals he once thought to be "Enemies of the Village." It's clear that he does not like Krull, does not care for Theron, and is less an asset with "W." every day.
Next:
#86 - The Year 1061
