*Yoink*

Totally stealing this idea for my ASSH campaign. Not sure which one. Maybe the one with the kids, but will have to adjust since it looks like the girl isn't as interested as she used to be.

Good stuff! I've used some of James Boney's adventures in my campaign, too. I like his work.

The players had their first session. As is often the case, they spent a lot more time in town than I expected them to, but we did manage to get into the cave system and get some combat encounters played.

The PCs met many of the significant NPCs in Ketill Manor, including Lord Ketill, Helgi Ketilsson, Fell Dilltos, and Einar Oddason.  They first scouted the raided farms: no significant clues were found, there, other than a few small blood-stains.  The PCs surmised that the raiders didn't kill anyone, but perhaps kidnapped them.  The ranger examined the surrounding terrain with an eye for how she might have mounted such a raid and searched those areas for tracks. She was successful, and the PCs found the remains of an old cold camp where the raiders had gathered. The ranger was able to follow some signs back to a sheltered valley in the hills, where she located a hidden cave entrance. Little daylight remained, so the PCs decided to return to the manor and see if they could recruit more help for an expedition to the caves the next morning.

Arriving at the Doomed Minotaur tavern, the PCs found it packed with locals, including Einar Oddason, Helgi Ketillsson, and Fell Dilltos. To make a long story short, they recruited a bunch of stout farmers to assist them, as well as Helgi Ketillson (who is going in defiance of his father's orders against it). Fell Dilltos encouraged the participation of Helgi, and also made a big public display of supporting the manor, offering a to pay a man-price in silver to the families of any farmers, should the worst occur.

The next day, the PCs and the farmers traveled to the cave system.  The day was partly cloudy, but not rainy or overcast, so light was plentiful. The Ranger and the Assassin scouted the entrance and discovered brass pot "alarms" set up in the concealing brush; they removed these without incident, then went on to scout the actual cave mouth (more of a slit descending beneath the earth).  Sunlight filtered in, showing a natural fissure descending beneath the hillside. They snuck inside as far as they could without using torches, and both heard and saw a couple of orc guards at a widening in the cave, where there appeared to be some sort of intersection. The dim light glinted off a gong hanging on the cave wall.  

The two PCs decided to try and eliminate the guards, but their attempt went sour; the orcs shouted, yelled, and fought back when attacked. The Ranger managed to slay her orc quickly, but the assassin had trouble with her well-muscled guard, who managed to strike the gong with his spear-butt while fending off her attacks.

Outside the cave, the Vennor the Cataphract heard the shouts and sounds of battle, and led a charge of spearmen into the cave. His own spear skewered the remaining orc guard, and he hastily reformed his men, pulling the formation back from the intersection as he heard the sounds and yells of approaching defenders.

The first wave of defenders rounded the corner and ran into the bristling spear formation.  The PCs were lucky with their rolls, killing several orcs immediately, with no losses of their own.  As the melee continued, Helgi Ketilsson took a wound, but fought on.  The orcs broke, so Vennor led the PCs' force in pursuit, cutting their enemies down before they could make good their escape.

A second wave of orc defenders, accompanied by several wolves, arrived at this point. Again, the PCs did well in the combat, primarily because Xulldar the Pyromancer threw a vial of incendiary oil into the charging orcs, scoring a direct hit on the orc he perceived to be the leader.  Again, after a few rounds of melee, several orcs fell, a wolf was slain, and the PCs' enemies broke and ran.

We left off there.  The PCs have been lucky with their rolls, so far, and have slain a large number of orcs without taking a single casualty (although there have been wounds, of course).

Last edited by Philotomy (9/23/2016 3:23 am)

What an excellent start! Thank you for sharing your notes. I hope you find the time to continue to do so!

Fun! Thanks for posting, man. I'm stealing this town (and the hooks) and buying that module. Sounds like you guys are off to a good start. I hope you keep posting the journal.

A quick update, as we got in another session this weekend:

We had stopped with the PCs still in the dungeon, so the new session started where we left off. The party advanced their formation deeper into the caves, following a blood trail from the fleeing orcs.  They penetrated fairly deep into the tunnel system, locating a few side caverns which they gave brief attention (mostly to confirm they appeared to be dead ends and didn't hold orcs waiting to ambush them). While reforming after checking out these side caves, the Assassin (who was on lookout duty) reported hearing movement from the tunnel where the blood-trail led. The PC hastily resumed their spear formation as several waves of arrows came out of the darkness, downing Dill, one of their farmer spearmen.  Vennor (the Cataphract) led an immediate spear charge down the tunnel, and melee was soon resumed.

This time, the PCs were not rolling as well. Their front rank had better armor than the orcs they faced, which helped a lot, but the combat was a grinding, cramped clash of shield walls in the dark tunnel. Although the PCs and their stout-hearted farmers did well (and it's good that Vennor enjoys a high Cha), the numbers of their orc foes started to tell. (There are a LOT of orcs in here for a 1st level party.)  Vennor, perceived to be the leader, received a lot of attention from the orcs and took several wounds. The leader of the orcs in this engagement was a large creature wearing ill-made armor and a plumed helm (one of the orc lieutenants), but that orc stayed out of the front rank.  At length, Vennor, down to three hit points, decided to go for broke. He took advantage of the deaths of two orcs in the front rank and flung himself into the disrupted orc formation, dropping his spear in favor of his axe, and trying to reach the orc commander.  Vennor was supported by a mailed swordsman-farmer named Renn, as well as the Ranger.  Together, they hacked their way to the orc commander and cut him down. Vennor hooked the orc's shield with his axe, pulling it aside, and Renn struck the killing blow. (I decided to elevate Renn to a 1st level Fighter if he survived the battle.)

The death of their leader broke the orcs' morale, again, so they fled.  Again, the PCs pursued, but soon found themselves in a cave where their enemies turned as there was a dead-end, of sorts.  Some orcs were climbing a ladder, where there seemed to be a larger cave or gallery, above. The PCs caught sight of another tall, armored orc shouting commands from that upper gallery. Badly wounded, himself, and leading many wounded farmers, Vennor realized there were too many orcs to engage, again.  He called a retreat, rather than a charge. The demoralized orcs the PCs had chased were in no rush to pursue, so the PCs made good their escape from the caves, carrying the unfortunate Dill with them.

The PCs returned to Ketill Manor, where they sought treatment for their wounds and reported their findings to Lord Ketill and his Reeve. Renn survived, so I elevated him to 1st level Fighter, and the PCs sang his praise, as well as that of Helgi Ketilsson (much to Fell Dilltos's annoyance).

Lord Ketill was disturbed to hear that the "brigands" were orcs, not men. There was some discussion of laying a trap in one of those outlying farmhouses (pretended to be asleep and waiting for raiding orcs, like Beowulf or 13th Warrior), but the PCs decided not to try this, as they needed rest and healing.  It was decided that all outlying families would shelter in the manor house of Lord Ketil, and men would keep watch in the night. The PCs announced they intended to return to the cave the next day to renew their assault on the orcs. While Lord Ketill did not offer to supply any additional men, Fell Dilltos said he would send some of his own oath-men to accompany them.  

In the night, the outlying farm buildings were put to the torch, but the orcs did not attack the manor or the village, itself.

DM notes:

Fell Dilltos has told his oath-men that he would not weep if Helgi Ketilsson were to fall in battle.  I haven't decided exactly what the orcs are going to do. They have lost many warriors. Their god-idol has told them to wait for the humans in the caves is certain doom, and that they should leave the caves (this advice makes sense when considering how/why the idol is speaking to them -- detailed in the module), but flight is distasteful to the orc chief, and he has nowhere to go. He has been thinking about the idol's words, and is wondering if he should send a lieutenant and a force of orcs to hide outside the caves ("leave the caves") with orders to follow the humans when they re-enter the tunnels.  This would cut off their retreat and trap them, and would also follow the idol's command to "leave the caves to avoid certain doom."

As a side note, if it weren't for experienced players, men-at-arms, and morale rules, I think the number of orcs in the lair would probably TPK many low-level groups. If you run Idol of the Orcs, keep this in mind.  As it is, though, my group is liking the challenge. They also liked the "classic tale" aspect of how the scenario is working out. The discussion about feigning sleep like in Beowulf got all sorts of grins and chuckles around the table.

Probably thinking about the 13th Warrior movie, the players have also mentioned searching the valley and surrounding area for another way into the caves. As written in the module, that doesn't exist. It might be worth adding something like that, though.

 

Last edited by Philotomy (9/26/2016 12:44 am)

Gosh, you really have me curious about this adventure, PJ. I love Boney's other works, so I should pick this up as well. No doubt part of my interest is derived from how you are running it for your crew. Great stuff!

Cheers,
Jeff T.