Session 2

We awoke from our rest. Mender seemed exhausted. Jack examined the bricked up 
part of the wall and reckoned it was at least one foot thick. Jack and Lee
decided to go down through the other exit, in one of the sarcophagii.

They returned, safe and sound, and we followed them into a disused storeroom.
We entered through a mocked-up barrel, into a room full of real barrels,
which had lain undisturbed for a long time. We talked for a while about what
to do. Jack suggested we infiltrate the bandits. I hadn't considered the
idea, but Jack was as persuasive as ever. I just hoped he'd be as good
at convincing the bandits we were for real.

We searched the 'old storeroom', and found some poor quality clothing.
Normally I wouldn't have considered such garments, but the journey through
Mender's suggested route had left us filthy. We wished Jack well in his
infiltration, and agreed to wait for up to two days before taking any actions.

We heard a girl's scream.

Jack crept off, only to return a half hour later. The girl had screamed
because a guard was abusing her. We were then introduced to a Mr. Andrew
Teal, a butler. Jack also mentioned a captive dwarf.

Teal was a most fortunate find. He (and the girl) were captives. She was a
noble, captured by the bandits. Well, actually, they weren't bandits,
exactly. Their leader is a certain Baron Aross, who seems to be intent
upon building up a large fighting force. Given the location and the
(undoubtedly useful) pretense of mere banditry, it seems clear that this is
no regular army.

The previous day, a noblewoman had arrived, with supplies, weapons, and gold.
With 10 to 20 new recruits arriving per day, and a few hundred here already,
this will be a very considerable force. Certainly, it could take Woodwall
without difficulty. That's hardly its aim though - it could already have
done so if the Baron so wanted.

That bastard's going to pay for those caravans he attacked. I believe
Goodfield & Goodwell's usual policies towards unruly debtors might
have to be extended a little in this case.

Mr. Teal lead us up to a tower, where we were introduced to a Captain. We
were provided with sleeping quarters, but slept fitfully. I'm used to
rising early, but some of the others were really beat even before we were
given standardised kit and drilled for several hours. (This must have cost
a fortune to finance!)

The Baron's banner is a rampant griffin on a red field. Strikes me as quite
warlike.

There must have been at least 400 men. Many were new. The core group seem to
be the Captain's own band, 30 experienced mercenaries loyal to him
personally, and now acting as his subordinate commanders.

The Baron strolled out, with a veiled noblewoman. They talked a little, but
I don't think they wanted anyone to hear.

We got a few hours free-time in the evening. I gave Jack a silver piece to
buy some tobacco. We found a quiet location, and discussed how we might kill
the Baron.

Teal arrived along, injured. His head was bleeding. Mender's confinement
within this castle had obviously driven her quite mad. We went along at
once - unarmed! Maybe Mender's not the only crazy one!

Lee entered the room first, only to be thrown by some invisible force. He
hit the wall and was injured, but not knocked unconscious. Evan then rushed
in, torch in hand, ready to strike Mender unconscious. Jack was then
stunned by Mender. Lee struggled to recover. This looked really bad.
I grabbed Jack and started to haul him out of there. Then Evan went crazy
too, and attacked Lee, knocking him to the ground. Then Evan charges at me.
Damn my lack of knives! I've have carved him up like a big plump Auchenross
turkey. I fled. I hoped the big fool would follow me, but he just started
beating the life out of Jack. I didn't want to go back only to get killed
fighting for the already all-but-dead.

After a short while, I heard the noise stop. I sneaked closer, and
heard talking. Blood was splattered all around. Mender was ok again.
Andrew was there, with the formerly captive drawf, who is called 'Devon'.
Seems like Andrew had released Devon, who'd managed to sort out the
situation. Impressive.

We cleaned up the bloody corridor. Mender needed to leave the castle. Evan
took her out. Dangerous. Brave fellow. Devon returned to his cell for now.

We then drilled for a few days, observing what we could. We planned out
how to kill the Baron. I suggested to Jack that we should search the Baron's
rooms while we're there, for documents and the like. Annie improved on this -
why risk fighting the Baron at all, when we need information (and proof of
all this) much more than one dead Baron? After all, things had changed.
It was now clear that killing the 'bandit leader' wasn't enough - the
Captain and noblewoman would still be there.

So, a new plan, and a simple one really.

We casually walked past the guard to a stairs leading to the back of the
Baron's rooms. It's a quiet part of the castle. As we passed him, we
attacked. Evan whacked him with the torch he held, and clunk, down went the
guard. Lee replaced the guard, and Evan and I lifted him upstairs, as Jack
crept ahead.

Evan stayed back. Myself and Jack move forward a little. We stop and listen.
Jack goes onwards into the main room. There's some noise from one of the
rooms. Sounds like the Baron and the noblewoman are lovers. How sweet.

Jack searched the room, finding some documents. Jack prepared to open a
locked drawer. Myself and Evan left, ready to leave the castle in a hurry.
Jack opened the drawer - with considerable noise, due to dropping it,
spilling money all over the floor. The Baron crashed through the bedroom
door, wearing nothing, but armed with a large sword. Jack bolted, and
the Baron ran after him. Some incompetant guard made a failed attempt to
stop Jack, but he reached us, and we popped down the barrel, and into the
tunnel through which we had entered the castle. Lee was up front.

We heard snuffling ahead. We moved on, quickly, to discover ourselves facing
a rather nasty looking beastie. It was huge; twice Evan's height, and
shaped like a deformed pig. We scattered around the slow and ponderous
creature. I think it might like to charge at a nice slow opponent, but
against several lighter foes, it was outflanked. Evan and I really carved
into it. I drew a nice 'x' on its lower belly, really hurting it. Evan
just thumped it really, really hard. The others got in some nice hits too.
It kicked Evan, throwing him several feet backwards, and removing him from
the fight. We continued carving, and it responded by firing some nasty black
stuff around the place, which I evaded. It didn't get a second chance at
that.

We hustled through the tunnels, and soon were out, into the forest and
freedom. Evan was joyous, like a big stupid dog that's been let out of
the house and wants to play. Mender met us, and seemed much better.
(We later realised that in our haste, we'd forgotten to bring Teal and the
girl. Oops.)

We returned to Mender's cave, and rested. The contents of the drawer had
included a little box, which Jack had managed to grab. He opened it up,
finding an amulet, 'From MG to BA'. Baron Aross? How many nobles by the
initials of BA and MG can there be? Maybe a fair few, but we've also
seen the Baron's heraldry, and those documents. Ah, yes, those. They
list various individuals involved in this verture.

The King of this land is listed... but as a possible problem. Maybe he'll
listen to us? We've also considered going to Morpeth, where I can give
the documents to my father. Ah, if only... there's no doubt that would light
a fire under the Free State Army, but Morpeth's too far away.

We decide to go to Baldock, the capital up here. The Westwall road is not an
option, and going to Westwall itself (or Midwall) is ruled out, in case
these trouble-makers have bribed the Free-Stater soldiers.
I don't like that idea one bit. It's bad enough the way the States are losing
their unity; corruption is the last thing we need. Corrupt soldiers and
officials make life nasty for traders. So do civil wars. (If they want
a decent war, there are still all those unkilled elves out over the Wall.)

Some of the others were worried that the FS Army might decide to hold the
castle, and expand the clearing, leaving Mender no better off, bane wise.
I pointed out the the Army is far too weak to do that - they can barely man
the Wall these days.

We're going to cut south, through the Deep. This Devon we met is from there,
not surprisingly. Turius smiles on us. Lee should be useful there too.

Evan has decided to stay with Mender. A pity, as I quite respected him. I
hope he'll still be around if we end up back here. Still, it's Jack most
of all who'll have to perform if we make it to Baldock. He's the best talker
of us, by a way. At least we're not mud-covered peasants. Kings are quite
a bit more receptive to merchants. (I hope. This one better be.)
Actually getting to him alive could be a major challenge.

I've read those documents. The accounts are boring and mundane, and don't
list sources. Still, this kind of thing must have affected trade in the
region. I'm going to have to talk to merchants and see if anyone's heard
anything. If they're smart, they'll have gotten Morpeth merchants,
with discretion required. Still, so many caravans, so many weapons...

Of course, we have a list of names, but it's not really enough. We don't know
what their aim is, or if there are other mercenary bands around, or what
length of campaign they're planning. 

If I'm lucky, there'll be a friend of G&G in town. I'll get him to bring
a copy of the documents to my father and uncle. If we fail, maybe they'll
be able to do something. (At least make a profit from it, somehow.)

Morpeth's far away though. Right now, it's up to me and Jack, and whoever
we can find to help us, to stop these provincial scum.

Damn.