In this session, our party regrouped, began preparing for the imminent attack, heard the First Scream, and saved a family…

Intro - Zoyana returns to Greenest

Zoyana made her way back to greenest on Day 3 since hearing from Leosin of the upcoming raid.

• As she approached Greenest, she came across the same location where the party had bested the bugbear bandits a few days before.
  • A new cart had been left in the same spot as the party had found a cart last time. This cart had a busted wheel and some boxes, including a number of reasonably fresh pastries.
  • Zoyana took the pastries to share with Pliny as amends, but then decided to eat half of one. As soon as she noticed the bitter taste under the sweet flavor (with a Constitution 20 saving throw), she spat out the pastry a moment after taking the first bite, having realized it was poisoned.
• Gaining a sense that she needed to get back to Greenest, she cast Longstrider on her horse and got back on the trail.
• As she rode up the road, on a rise, there was a stone kobold in the middle of the road. She got the sense that it was left there for a reason (Survival 15), and chose to leave the road and travel the last section cross-country.
• The sprinkles turned to rain as she continued her travels.

Gathering

• As Zoyana returned to Greenest, she saw Pliny before Pliny saw her.
  • She used the remaining pastry to bean Pliny in the head, and rode past toward the Keep saying “Pliny, come on, I’ve got to tell you something”
  • Pliny, in his confusion, started to ask where she had gotten the pastery, before hearing her say “Come on” as she kept riding without looking back.
• Zoyana also saw Aegar before Aegar saw her: “Aegar, Aegar, Aegar, I’ve got to tell you guys some things. I went to the camp, I know where they are, I’ve got to tell you guys what I saw” as she kept up the pace to the Keep.
• The party regrouped in the keep with Governor Nighthill, Leosin, and Escobert, spreading out a map of Greenest.
  • With some creative use of language (and the invention of a couple new curse words), Zoyana recounted her adventure and observation that the camp was on the move:
    • A couple hundred troops, multiple factions, no seige weapons, probably ladders. Saw them packing up. Probably coming here.
    • Cave at the back, some drakes and other weird stuff.
    • Presumed leader was a woman with black hair.
• While Governor Nighthill expressed some doubts that the raiders could travel as fast as Zoyana had, he supported the informal council in beginning immediate preparations:
  • Sent riders to the outlying farms to tell them to flee or seek the keep.
  • Alerted the townsfolk.
  • Confirmed arms are stocked.
  • Had the guards eat a good meal and get a good night’s rest in preparation for action soon.
  • Pliny prepared by consuming copious amounts of drink.
• The town’s forces now counted approximately 75 bodies: 20 odd regular guardsmen that cover the keep, plus the merchant guards that were in town, plus the farmers and others enlisted as the local “militia”.
• While the council was planning, the light rain became the occasional shower, and thunder and lightening began booming in the distance.
• As the excitement died down to begin waiting, Governor Nighthill pulled Aegar aside:
  • GN: “You know we’re well and truly fucked, right?”
  • Aegar: “In all honesty my Lord, it is likely that you will lose part of your town. However, if we have done our jobs right, we will save your people”
  • GN: “Yes. You and your friends have been amazing. Fucking dragon pebbles and shitbloods. What do they want with us anyway? No matter…
  • GN: “When things get hot, I’m going to need you and your merry band to do the things that adventurers do.
  • GN: “We have the farmers and sheep…,” he waives his hands, “suducerers. They’ll do a might well better than nothing thanks to you. But we have maybe 30 trained fighters, and I need them on the walls.
  • GN: “When it comes to expeditions, that’s what adventurers do, right?
  • GN: “Since they’re early, I’m going to need you to do things a little differently than we planned.”
  • Aegar: “Plans usually fall apart on first contact with the enemy. That is why it is good to have goals. Goals we can continue to strive toward. We will protect these people however we need to.”
  • GN: “What do you say, be a strike force?”
  • Aegar: "If that is what you wish of us then we are capable of doing so. What would you have us do? Each time we leave the keep there may not be time to receive more orders. Give us some goals and we will accomplish them.
  • Aegar: “Prepare a signal for us to return to the keep when you have need of us.”
  • GN: “Good idea. 3 blasts of the horn should do?”
  • GN: “For now, nothing changes. But we’re not going to have time enough to prepare and get everyone safely in the walls, the walls defended”
  • Aegar: “Three blasts of the horn, as you say.”
• As the preparations continue on, the party decided to take advantage of the Governor’s hospitality and bed down in the keep for the night…

2100: The First Scream (Greenest population: 1,200 Confirmed survivors: 0)

Around 9PM, the party heard:
         a particularly loud boom of thunder
         a flash of lightning… and then
         the distant sound of screams to the West and to the South.

• Aegar peered over the wall into the dark and rain and saw nothing, then gathered with the others.
• Governor Nighthill sent a guard to sound the alarm bell.
• A guard from the top of the keep pointed to the west and yelled: “Fire!”
  • Governor Nighthill sent a group of guards to respond to the screams to the south, and the party to investigate the fire and screams to the west: “Get a report, get back. No adventurer funny business!”

Summary