Session 28 - The Fight Against Taugenichts' Gang

General Summary

Before Leaving Drachenstelle

Winifred and Kaleb have cloistered themselves so that Winifred can mourn the passing of Manfred in solitude. With Winifred and Kaleb isolated, Edmon goes about the castle, looking for ways to make himself useful throughout the week. Nearing the end of the week, Edmon speaks to Dagobert to ask how he can make himself useful to his distraught lady. Dagobert replies that the lady needs time to grieve, and is in good hands, and instead recommends that Edmon offer Ingo aid with any efforts around the castle to ingratiate Winifred and her entourage to the local lord. Though Edmon thought Dagobert was speaking of his masonry skills, Dagobert clarified that he was speaking of Edmon’s skill at arms.
While at Drachenstelle, Edmon and Mechtild also hear rumors about a spear of great power that Ingo the Pious possesses. While the origin and powers of the spear are uknown, it is rumored to be a powerful artifact. Some even say that the ownership of this item is one of the reasons that Ingo the Pious is so confident in being able to maintain control of Schloss Drachenstelle.
When he speaks to Ingo the Pious, Edmon is tasked with scouting out, and possibly eliminating bandits to the south. Ingo then recommended that Edmon should speak to Mechtild, who is in need of employment. Ingo offers a bounty of 10 marks for each bandit head that is brought back.
Mechtild agrees to help with removing the bandits, but is also interested in reuniting with Rodrick and Uisce. Mechtild also asks about Dagobert, but nothing comes of it. Edmon and Mechtild agreed to head south along the river, hoping to complete both find the bandits and, if possible, their erstwhile acquaintances.
Gerbert, Ingo's majordomo, informs Edmon and Mechtild that they should be discrete. There appear to be a group of freethinking peasants who are attempting to create a free realm of their own in the wilderness, and that they could also pose a danger. This prompts Edmon and Mechtild to leave any horses behind.
A week passes at Castle Drachenstelle. Edmon and Mechtild then set out along the river to the south.

Uisce and Rodrick with the Bandits

During their week in the bandit cave, Rodrick and Uisce are asked to help in a few different ways. First, the bandits made it clear that they planned to go on an expedition to an allegedly abandoned village. Both Uisce and Rodrick were asked if they wanted to join the expedition and they agreed to accompany the bandits. Second, Rodrick is asked if he could heal wounds from fights. Based upon his medical training, Rodrick informed Talgonets that he could heal combat wounds and began gathering the supplies needed to heal such wounds. Finally, Uisce spent the week entertaining the bandits in the cave and swimming in the river, offering to teach the bandits to swim.
At some point during their sojourn, Taugenichts, the bandits' leader, came under the impression that Uisce belonged to Rodrick. Rodrick does not correct Taugenichts, but does turn hium down when asked what price would need to be offered to buy Uisce, stating that he would not part from Uisce for all the gold in the world.
Additionally, Taugenichts informs Rodrick that crazy people have entered the woods, who wander around the woods attacking travelers and villages randomly, raiding locations looking for supplies and food. During one such discussion, Mutti Courage, the clan matriarch, asks Uisce to lure any crazy cultists that Uisce finds in the woods back to the cave stating that Uisce would be rewarded. Uisce and Rodrick discuss the idea of luring cultists back to the cave. While neither of them disagree with the idea, they were curious as to the reason for such a request.
Nearing the end of the first week with the bandits, Uisce, Rodrick, and Schweinhund go out in the evening to lure any wandering cultists back to the cave. While walking through the woods, they came across two travelers who appeared to be starving and were discussing the edibility of bark. Uisce approaches and enthralls the two travelers with a magical singing performance. The two travelers are ready to follow Uisce, but spot Rodrick hiding in a bush to the side. Despite this setback, Uisce is able to begin leading the two travelers to the cave with promises of food upon their arrival.

Edmon and Mechtild arrive

While wandering to the south, Edmon and Mechtild, hear Uisce’s voice speaking amongst a group. Edmon and Mechtild attempt to sneak up closer to eavesdrop on the conversation, but are unable - their gear makes too much noise. Edmon and Mechtild are spotted by the two travelers, who dart into the woods to hide, while Uisce makes herself invisible.
As the two loud warriors advance, Edmon notices a man hiding behind a tree. He calls out to the man who then responded asking if Edmon had any food to share. Edmon offers the man food, which causes the second traveler to come out of hiding and ask for food as well. The first traveler, who was hiding behind the tree, introduces himself as Georg, and tells his story. The two men were tailors who left the city of Brillig to follow a charismatic fellow named Reinhard about a month prior. They immediately lost track of their charismatic leader and became lost in the woods, and have since begun starving. Mechtild asked if there was a woman with the travelers as she heard a female voice. Georg says that there was a woman leading them to a place with food, but she had disappeared, likely being very shy. Georg speculates that Uisce could have been a tree maiden.
When Edmon and Mechtild first arrived, Rodrick recognized Edmon’s voice. Rodrick quietly relays this recognition to Schweinhund, informing Schweinhund that Edmon is a skilled fighter in the service of Lady Winifred. Schweinhund recommends that Rodrick and he himself should keep their heads down for the time being. He watches Rodrick very carefully, causing the scholar to suspect that he means to kill him if he makes any sudden moves.
During the conversation between Edmon, Mechtild, and the two former tailors of Brillig, Uisce is invisible and standing very nearby. After speaking with Georg, Edmon and Mechtild step aside to discuss their next move and hear a twig break. This makes Mechtild suspicious, and she begins throwing pocket sand in the general direction of the sound, hitting Uisce. Uisce becomes visible and talks to Edmon and Mechtild about the two travelers, and suggests that with darkness approaching, everyone should go to the cave. Mechtild attempts to get Uisce to return to the Drachenstelle to work for Ingo the Pious while Edmon informs Uisce that they are here looking for bandits for Ingo. After speaking for a while, Edmon and Mechtild become aware of the fact that Rodrick, who is usually inseparable with Uisce, is nowhere to be seen. When asked about Rodrick, Uisce acts coy and says that Rodrick is somewhere around. Uisce then invites Edmon and Mechtild to the cave for a rest and they follow her along with the two craftsmen.
As Uisce and the rest leave the area, Rodrick and Schweinhund discuss the chances of a fight between the bandits and the two warriors, with the cave bandits likely winning. Rodrick sends Thatch to land on Edmon’s shoulder in an attempt to warn him and keep the warriors away from the cave. Edmon bats the owl away, but recognizes it as belonging to Rodrick with Uisce informing Mechtild that Thatch does in fact belong to Rodrick. The company follows Thatch as he turns to fly back to Rodrick, and then continues on to fly towards the castle before disappearing. After following Thatch, Mechtild, Edmon, and Uisce see two figures fleeing towards the cave. Mechtild suggests that the group chase after the two figures and Georg becomes skeptical of them, fearing that they are going to prepare a trap with ogres to kill everyone. However, after Mechtild and Georg share their concerns, the company continues their travels towards the cave.
Roderick and Schweinhund quickly return to the cave and work with the other bandits to begin preparations for a battle with two warriors of the local lord. Roderick overhears the cave bandits speaking Fogarma words. He also helps to prepare poultices and salves for wounds, while receiving advice from Mutti Courage, who is also busy preparing a liquid in the cauldron that the bandits dip their weapons in, probably either a poison or some sort of magical unguent. While preparing for battle, Taugenichts asks Rodrick what happened in the woods, and demands to know why Uisce is leading warriors to the cave. Rodrick tells him that Uisce was in fact looking for stray travelers when she happened upon the two warriors. Rodrick concludes that he does not know why Uisce was bringing the warriors back to the cave, but the bandits should not hurt her.
As she approaches the cave, Uisce becomes aware of different traps that the bandits laid for unwary travelers. However, she is able to lead her group of followers along a safe path straight to the cave.

Fighting the Bandits

As Rodrick finishes his preparations for battle alongside the bandits and Uisce approaches the cave, the bandits' dogs notice the scent of intruders and charged out of the cave after the travelers. Mechtild is the first to meet the dogs in combat while one of the bandits leans out of the cave to fire arrows. While Mechtild and Edmon join in the melee with the dogs, Uisce supports them, and coaxes the two tailors out of hiding to prepare to defend her.
After the initial charge of the dogs, two of the bandits come out of the cave to fight Mechtild and Edmon. Rodrick also joins the foray out of the cave, however instead of aiding the bandits in their defense against Edmon and Mechtild, he turns on them. As melee continues for some time, the last three bandits, including Taugenichts and Mutti Courage, charge out of the cave as well.
The fight begins to turn in the favor of the newly formed allies. But Mutti Courage reveals herself to be a witch, and uses spells to destroy the two tailors, and to severely hurt both Uisce and Rodrick. But the bandits are slowly but surely being ground down and with Uisce and Rodrick supporting the fight, while Mechtild and Edmon are able to batter through most of the enemies. Taugenichts clashes with Edmon, Mechtild fights several bandits including Mutti Kourage, and Uisce and Rodrick are harried by a bandit with a bow. Uisce is finally able to slay Mutti Courage by hurting her pride to the point where she could no longer stand it and collapsed. Taugenichts is slain by Edmon, who cuts the bandit leader asunder. With the loss of both of his leaders, the bowman attempts to flee, but to no avail as he is slain by a Edmon's well-thrown javelin.

Missions/Quests Completed

• Bandits of Taugenicht's band are slain

Report Date

22 Feb 2024

Primary Location

Schloss Drachenstelle