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Storytime from The Hollows (Contains spoilers)

Posted: Sat 12 Oct 2019, 21:51
by Fleuri
So, quite some time ago I asked about this problem viewtopic.php?f=77&t=5046&p=38786#p38786 . Due to unforseen circumstances we finally got around to play the next session today and we had a blast. I was asked to tell how it went, so here goes:

The session started with a standoff between Yawin and his rabble and Sturkas with village militia. Krii the Goblin and Grugh the Dwarf were on Yawin's side and Goblins Solga and Sulfur as well as Wolfkin Dave had their route to harbor, where they were supposed to sabotage Yawin's barge, now blocked off. Situation was tense until Nirvea the Midwife arrived to make a plea for reason, urging Yawin's people to stand down as they were both drunk and poorly equipped in comparison to militia. It was agreed, that the whole scuffle and the leadership of The Hollows would be settled at dawn with Yawin facing against Mrs. Pollmor's champion Sturkas.

As the crowd dispersed, Solga, Sulfur and Dave made their way to the harbour. Grugh followed them in the distance, knowing they were up to no good. Solga and her wolf steed, rat acted as a distraction to draw out the guards on the pier and also prevent Grugh for interfering. Grugh didn't try to push it though, as he has a distaste for humans and Yawin, who according to him has betrayed his dwarven heritage.

While the distraction didn't really work on the harbour guards, Dave and Sulfur managed to slip aboard the barge. Realising they had forgotten to bring along both cutting tools to cut the ropes of the vessel as well as fire making tools, they went under deck to find something to improvise with. They came upon a single guard patrolling the cargo deck and quickly neutralised him. Luckily for them, the guard carried a sword and a lantern. As they intended to raze the barge, but wanted no casualties, they set the cargo deck on fire, carried the knocked out guard upstairs and dumped him on the pier. The barge was being held with two ropes. As Dave and Sulfur cut the rope in the stern first, the vessel started to drift in the river sideways. After cutting the rope in the bow, both ran back to the stern, jumped off the ship and swam to the other shore, with Dave almost drowning in his chainmail. Both Grugh and Solga had already fled the scene. Though Solga had a fleeting feeling of being watched, she just shrugged it off. But Perko knows. Perko... knows...

In the meantime Yawin and Krii were plotting next day's duel. Even though Krii had agreed to be Yawin's secondant ,Yawin wasn't sure of his chances of winning, so two agreed to close Three Skulls early and set out to sabotage Sturkas somehow. Krii was biding his time outside Sturkas' house and so it happened that village militia sent for Sturkas due to an arson happening in the harbour. This was a golden opportunity for Krii and he picked a lock on Sturka's door and went to lace his foodstuffs with poison.

The next day dawned with most of the village ready to witness the duel at the old temple. Yawin was fuming due to his barge being burned and was shouting threats to Pollmor for he was sure the Bailiff herself had been involved. Sturkas was visibly unwell, but still didn't opt to include his secondant. The duel was swift. Both combatants lunged at each other. Despite his weakened state, Sturkas delivered a swift slash at Yawin wounding him, but he just sucked it up and with a mighty swing of the axe Sturkas fell on the floor like a ragdoll: Yawin had become the new leader of the village.

Pollmor asked Sulfur discreetly to bring his group to her house for the payment of the sabotage and one final request. As Yawin's supporters went on to celebrate his victory and new leadership, Sturkas was brought to Nirvea for urgent care. Dave wanted to check on Sturkas and went to her house. He found the midwife with Sturkas clinging for life. Knowledgeable in medicine, Dave offered to help Nirvea, though she seemed strangely argumentative. While treating Sturkas, Dave noticed that the previous treatment had been subpar, but paid it no further thought as Sturkas' condition became stable. Nirvea thanked for assistance, but her demeanor was cold, even hostile. Dave was worried that he had embarrased Nirvea by interfering, but decided that saving lives was more important than preserving pride.

Meanwhile, Pollmor had informed the rest of the party, that she was sure that Yawin was coming for her and she intended to make her escape to Grindbone tonight. The plan was, that Ness, the loyalist for Pollmor would bring a horse to The New Cemetery and the party was to escort Pollmor through the Old Cemetery and help her over the wall. Being a frail old woman she couldn't have done it alone. Pollmor was to hide in the Old Cemetery until sundown and the escape would be done in the dark.

In the afternoon, Yawin gathered the residents in the Chapel and made a speech outlining his new policies and plans for The Hollows. He also informed, that Mrs. Pollmor was nowhere to be found and a prize will be paid for anyone bringing her to justice. At the end of the speech, Nirvea entered and announced that Sturkas had succumbed to his wounds. Dave knew that something wasn't right, but did not say anything.

In the evening Grugh went along with Ness to secure the New Cemetery. The rest of the group moved carefully in two groups through the Old Cemetery, making sure to disturb the restless dead as little as possible. Arriving to the northern wall it became apparent that Pollmor was in no condition to scale it despite groups best efforts. The abandoned watchtower was also sealed so the party had no other choice than to make their way back to the eastern gate. Grugh and Ness had also returned. Sulfur, Solga, Krii and Dave tried to smuggle Pollmor past the gate guards but failed miserably. Grugh almost started a fight but Krii was quick to negotiate and bribe the guards, using his influnce as Yawin's secondant and advisor. Adventurers and Pollmore walked through the gate unharmed, but it remains to see if they are ever allowed to come back.

(So yeah, Forbidden lands is a pretty cool game)

Re: Storytime from The Hollows (Contains spoilers)

Posted: Wed 23 Oct 2019, 08:55
by faun
cool story, thanks for the followup. It would be wicked if Mrs Polimar found the dwarves and got the reward for turning in Yawin and was escorted back to the hollows where they arrest Yawin. The story gets so messy, love it.