|
Scene Two:
The Beleaguered Warriors
The heroes have finally reached Tarney Hall, the gathering place for the locals of Trollwood.
Overview
The heroes meet with the remaining locals of Trollwood, as well as the only remaining legionnaire from the initial party sent to aid the locals. As night falls, they begin to gain more information on their mission when another local reports of a trollekai attack, luring the heroes to Whetstone Farm.
Getting Started
The Narrator should look at the map and descriptions of Tarney Hall located in Act Two, Scene Three: The Siege. However, this is merely to get the Narrator acquainted with the structure, not to reveal any important information to the players.
First Impressions
Even in the gathering darkness, Tarney Hall looks odd in the wilderness. It is a large, two story building the size of a dragon. The building is made of worn wood that has been lovingly tended to for years. A set of double doors lead into the main hall, while several rooms branch out from the sides.
Kara leads you down a winding slope and onto the short cobblestone trail that leads to the steps of the hall. The dying sun slowly drowns in the flowing night and casts long shadows across the walls. Kara steps up to the doors and raps sharply with her knuckles. The doors open suddenly and a worried farmboy holding a short bow peeks out.
"W-were you sent to help us?" the boy stammers nervously.
"Yes, we were sent by the Legion," Kara responds quickly as she pushes her way past the boy and into the building. "You know, you should keep this door barricaded. If we had been a bloodthirsty bandits, then we would have torn the doors open."
You enter a large hall with various animal heads and weapons adorning the wall. One particular weapon, a long, rusty lance, hangs over the fireplace. Evidence of a recent fight lie scattered across the floor.
The boy sputters a short answer but it fades quickly as several men emerge from a stairwell. One man is dressed in makeshift leather armor; one man is armored in dented and outdated Solamnian plate mail; and the last man is dressed in a coarse, red robe.
Grimly, the three men step forward to greet you.
The Story Continues
The three men are suspicious and wary at first, but they do introduce themselves. The man in makeshift leather armor is a hermit named Resik. He fled his cabin, located several miles west of Tarney Hall, after a brutal attack by the trollekai. The trollekai tore his cabin apart searching for something. He barely escaped with his life and fled to the safety of Tarney Hall.
The man in worn plate mail armor is Thomas Steelguard. Once a Knight of Solamnia, Thomas now resides in Tarney Hall and maintains the area. He would have fallen with Tarney Hall if not for the arrival of the initial legionnaire party sent to aid the residents of Trollwood.
However, the only man remaining from the legionnaire party is the legionnaire sorcerer, Jaedyn Faerglaze. The trollekai attacked Tarney Hall and managed to abduct the legionnaires, leaving only Jaedyn behind.
The boy is Thomas's page, Augin Helmspurr. He was the boy that alerted the legionnaire cell in Hazuk and brought them back to help the locals.
Although they are suspicious, the men are relieved that aid has finally arrived. However, they are slightly doubtful that the heroes can fare any better than the legionnaires did.
If the heroes insist on looking around, the Narrtor can use the map and descriptions of Tarney Hall in Act Two, Scene Three: The Siege.
See the Character Index for more infromation on the characters.
The Narrator can paraphrase the following passages if the heroes question the men:
Rezik
"We been livin' out here 'round Trollwood for generations! Everything was peaceful all my life, so far," Rezik begins slowly. "And then a couple of days ago, strange things from the woods started to attack us! The demons were stark white, they were, and have nasty spines poking every which way! And their eyes, their eyes were like flaming coals! Believe you me, I high-tailed it outta my cabin when they came 'round. I don't know what those critters were doing, but they tore my cabin apart lookin' for something! They tried to take me like they took the Delgoths, but I made it 'way. I been holdin' up in here for a coupl'a days. I was here when Thomas sent Augin to git those legionnaires.
"Not that they did no good! The demons took most o' them up during the first attack. We all that's left!"
Thomas Steelguard
"I noticed what had happened to Talmeth Farm when I visited them six days ago. I was going to check to see if they needed anything, since I was going to send Augin, my page, to Hazuk. When I noticed that the farm had been destroyed, I sent Augin immediately to alert the Legion of Steel. They arrived soon enough and began searching the area for clues. Soon enough they discoverd the remains of Delgoth Farm.
"Rezik here came in a few days ago and told me about what happened at his cabin. I alerted the legionnaires and they came right over during the night to Tarney Hall to ask him some questions. However, the moment they reached the doors to the hall, creatures with flaming eyes and sharp talons leapt out of the darkness and attacked them. I tried to help, but the demons were too strong and too many. We all retreated into the Hall and barricaded all of the opening.s The demons retreated, but not after they took eleven of the twelve leionnaires. Only Jaedyn remains now. We've been holding out for two days, and they haven't come back once. Still, we don't know what they are or what they want. I know they're not trolls, because the trolls in Trollwood are gray with mottled skin, not spines. Still, I have to admit that I'm at a loss to explain the attacks. I don't like sitting around, but I just don't know how to fight them!"
Jaedyn Faerglaze
"I had just completed the training of my former apprentice, Charice Delgado, and was about to choose my next when Augin showed up in Hazuk. He came straight up to Bowsprint, the leader of the cell, and told him about the attacks. Now, I may not be an expert on trolls, but it seems to me that the attackers are undoubtedly trolls! I mean, how else can you explain the terrible strength of the attackers! Also, I swa my legionnaire brethren hack again and again at the white bastards, yet they didn't fall! It must be their regeneration powers!
"Well, I'm getting ahead of myself. I left with my fellow legionnaires, Ashley, Taernin, Jakster, Devon, Klyen, Farkus, Gwen, Xeke, Otto, and Trylae. First, Augin showed up Talmeth Farm, and it was in shambles! We searched the area, but we didn't find anything. Trylae, our mystic, sensed some dangerous insects in the cabin, but those harmless insects couldn't have done anything!
"Next, we went to Delgoth Farm, but it was in th same condition. Everyone was gone and everything was a mess! Even our magic, mine and Trylae's, couldn't figure out anything. The only thing we could get was a strange feeling that something evil lurked in the woods, but anyone could've told us that without usin' magic! We scavanged around the fringes of the wood for awhile until Thomas found us.
"He told us that Rezik had been attacked, so we went to Tarney Hall. We were just outside when the demons emerged from the shaodws and tore into our ranks. We tried to fend them off, but they were impossibly strong! We retreated into the Hall, but one by one my comrades were taken. By the time we got in, the demons were gone. We checked outside after the battle, but there weren't any bodies! Now I know a couple of my friends, especially Farkus, stuck at least one of those demons real good, but no bodies were found! I still say that the attackers were really trolls, I just need to prove it!"
Augin Helmspurr
"Well, sirs, when my lord Sir Thomas discovered the calamity that had befallen Talmeth Farn, he sent me straight to Hazuk. I told the head of the Legion cell what had happened, and I accompanied twelve legionnaires back to Trollwood. Despite their best efforts, they found nothing at Talemth Farm and nothing at Delgoth Farm. We were headin back to Tarney Hall to talk with Rezik when the fiends attacked us! I tried to fight with them, but they were too many! I retreated with my liege and by the time we were safely in the Hall, eleven of the legionnaires had been taken!
"I really don't know what to make of this situation. I can only hope that you are more effective than your predecessors."
The Cry for Help
As soon as the interviews are over, read the following to the heroes:
A muffled cry suddenly breaks the monotony of your conversation. Rezik, the hermit, immediately dashes for cover while Jaedyn and Thomas ready their weapons.
You hear the pained neigh of a wounded horse as well as the sobbing of a young child. Quickly, Augin and Thomas rush to the door and peer out of the slits of a boarded window.
A bedraggled young boy of no more than fifteen summers collapses across teh doorway as they open the doors. Augin quickly leaps out of the house and into the night to check on the youth's steed, but the horse's blood already flows like a river and mingles with the cobblestones.
Sir Steelguard quickly helps the sobbing lad into the Hall as Augin secures the door behind his master. The boy appears relatively unharmed, except for a large gash on his arm.
The boy is Eugene Whetstone from Whetstone Farm. He begs for assistance, saying that his farm is being attacked by demons in the night. He rode here on his horse to get help.
At this point, Jaedyn suggests that the heroes should go to Whetstone Farm as soon as possible. If none of the heroes have any form of summoning magic available to them, Jaedyn will volunteer his wand of summoning to aid the heroes. Kara will insist that the heroes leave immediately and discourage any action that will delay their departure.
While Augin, Thomas, and Jaedyn insist on staying at Tarney Hall to protect the Hall and Eugene, Rezik, who wants to get revenge on the demons for destroying his cabin, will volunteer to accompany the heroes.
Actions
There are no particular actions to take note of in this scene, although heroes can attempt first aid on Eugene. This requires an average Dexterity action to restore 1 Endurance point to the wounded lad.
Characters
The Narrator should refer to the Character Index for more information on some of the following characters.
Human boy, timid demeanor, Rabble. Co 4, Ph 3, In 6, Es 4, Dmg +2 (dagger), Def -1 (padded armor).
Eugene Whetstone. Human boy, afraid demeanor, Rabble. Co 3, Ph 2 (currently reduced to 1), In 4, Es 5, Dmg +0 (fists), Def -0 (normal clothing).
Jaedyn Taerglaze. Human adult male, optimistic demeanor, Adventurer. Ag 4D, Dx 6C, En 5D, Str 4D, Re 8A (64), Pe 7C, Sp 4D, Pr 5B, Dmg +2 (quarterstaff), Def -0 (robes), also sorcery (geomancy, aeromancy, and divination), secondary weapon (dagger/+2), wand of summoning { 9 charges }, and ring of free movement.
Kara Half-elven. Qualinesti half-elf female young adult, rash demeanor, Adventurer. Ag 8X, Dx 7A, En 6C, Str 6B, Re 7B (49), Pe 6A, Sp 5D, Pr 7C, Dmg +4 (cutlass), Def -2 (leather armor), also sorcery (pyromancy), secondary weapon (dagger/+2), and missile weapon (longbow/+6).
Rezik. Human middle-aged male, cantankerous demeanor, Novice. Co 4, Ph 5, In 4, Es 3, Dmg +0 (fists), Def -2 (leather armor).
Thomas Steelguard. Human middle-aged male, eccentric demeanor, Champion. Ag 5B, Dx 4B, En 7A, Str 7A, Re 4X, Pe 5B, Sp 5D, Pr 6B, Dmg +12 (two-handed sword of renown), Def -5 (plate mail).
Outcome
This scene should end with the heroes traveling magically to Whestone Farm. Go to Act Two, Scene One: The Children of Chaos.
If, for some reason, the heroes act very unheroic and decide to stay at Tarney Hall, go to Scene Three: The Fury of the Storm.
Previous | Table of Contents | Next
|
