Session 1: The Witch in the Woods #1 Report
General Summary
Meeting up on the road to Hitchcock, most of our worthies -- the sellsword, Grumble Toothsnap; the bravo, Fleur; the father-son con men, Cedric Cromwell and Bahlsen Butterkeks; and the foppish Bacchus Fellhart and his servant, the jester, Bonzi -- enter the town hoping for little more than a drink and a warm bed. However, pushing his luck perhaps a bit too much, Cedric is expelled from the dive tavern, the Tuppence, by its proprieter, Pius Frengi, who had warned Cromwell before that his tricks wouldn't fly in the Tuppence any more.
Cedric and Fleur, the latter given to fits of paranoia and sleeplessness when within the confines of an urban area, left the city limits to camp out in the woods, where they spent a surprisingly peaceful and moderately restful night (one shouldn't expect THAT to happen too often in this grim and perilous world). The others spent the evening in the hayloft of the stables, except for Bacchus, who took advantage of the dangerous pleasures of the Tuppence's two exotic, elven prostitutes, Mai and Meow.
In the morning, our worthies, eschewing the dubious breakfast fare at the Tuppence, made their way to Hitchcock's Market Circle, where they dallied away much of the morning and afternoon browsing goods and chatting up the locals. Bonzi made a point of talking with the town constable, Right Heinritch Paltor (keeper of the town's only functioning blunderbuss) as well as an amiable pie maker, while Grumble and the others sought out rumors and perused the Word Pole near the Market's dry, mermaid-adorned fountain.
It was not long after Bonzi's conversation with Constable Right Paltor, and after that worthy had left to check on Hitchcock's disreputable South Side, that a hubbub arose as three low orks entered the town from the north, knocking pedestrians out of the way and overturning carts on a whim.
The three orks made their way to the brick-and-mortar herbalist shop, the Green Weave (est. 1205, prop. Magda Essentine). Curious, Cedric moved into position by the front door to eavesdrop, while Bahlsen went around back to do the same. Cedric was unable to hear anything, but Bahlsen had more luck, catching the gist that the orks were in need of replenishing their supply of Red Cap Mushrooms, but their normal supplier -- an old woman by the name of Granny Merry who lives in the woods -- had barred her door to them, yelling things about monsters and attacks in the night.
Madame Essentine, however, could not provide the orks with the amount of Red Cap they wanted, or at the price they wanted, which was more or less free. So the orks struck her down. Hearing this, Bahlsen shouted out that he had some Red Cap mushrooms for sale and then ran off back around the building.
Back in front, he hurriedly explained what he'd heard to the others. Grumble, Fleur, Cedric, and Bahlsen then went in to the front of the shop to check on the proprietor, just as the orks came hurrying around the corner, looking for the mysterious Red Cap merchant.
Bonzi, thinking to lure them away, started dancing and shouting something about having a fine red cap (of hair). The orks gave chase, though Baccus tripped one with his walking cane as it hurried by.
The other two orks, though, went is swift pursuit of Bonzi, who led them merrily among the remaining street venders until the jester was cornered in an alley. Bonzi tried to climb up a wall, but was brought down by the largest of the orks, who proceeded to beat the jester into unconsiousness quite handily.
Bacchus caught up only in time to find the ornamental head that had broken off of Bonzi's jester's stick and to see his faithful servant being carried off to the north by the orks. Hurrying as best he could back to the Green Weave, he found his companions bearing the beaten and unconsious body of Magda Essentine to the barber surgeon's shop nearby.
As the barber surgeon, Alonzo Kepler, worked on saving the life of the herbalist, with much accompanying blood spillage, Bacchus unburdened himself of his terrible knowledge of what had happened to his personal aide de camp, and implored the others, especially the swordswomen, Grumble and Fleur, to take up pursuit of the orks and bring Bonzi back to the safety of the town.
We left our worthies as they decided who, if anyone, would set out upon this task, and how they would go about doing it.
Rewards Granted
Grumble, Fleur, Cedric, Bahlsen, Bonzi, and Bacchus each received 200 RP to spend on advancements. Woo!
Missions/Quests Completed
Save Bonzi from the Orks: Planning stage
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