Abandoned camp to the West – 04/07

In the middle of the day, the Three Headed Etin is packed, many adventurers make merry, spending their well-earned coin after returning from their questing. A Dwarf, all in Mail and with a Great Axe strapped to his back walks through the crowd, climbs the centre most table and slowly and deliberately removes his axe from his back. The tension is building as more and more people notice him, some hands go to hilts, some reach for bows, but no one has yet taken action. He shifts his grip to the shoulder of the haft, the tension eases ever so slightly, he then brings down the axe with all his strength on the table, the base of the haft ringing like a hammer, once, twice, thrice… and then he speaks.



"I, Gara Bronzebeater, Moutain Dwarf Wizard, demand recompense for the desecration of one of mine fallen brothers!



This tale begins back in town where some fellow adventurers and mine self were looking into the Abandoned Camp to the west that I once came across when I first arrived in Kantas.



Our suspicions started upon encountering the one armed Ranger, Dalius, who was spying on us while we inquired about the camp.



After questioning, he admitted that he also had his doubts about the official stories of beast attacks, and he should know what beast marks look like, he lost his arm to an owlbear…



So we set off, myself, Grimes the Paladin, Morrigan the Bard, Dalius and *grits teeth and snarls* Gameskeeper Willhelm.



T’was but a short walk to the camp and rather uneventful if truth be told, I was starting to wonder if there was truly anything else to this tale than beasts and a half eaten Rangers delusions.



But once we got there, what we found was enough to at least peak my interest…

At a glance the story of an animal or beast attack didn’t seem too far fetched, but upon closer inspection things seemed off, the “claw marks” in the tent’s looked more like cuts… the destruction was too… organised.

We found other clues too, an arrow drawn in the dirt pointing north, a scrap of paper, badly burned but with the words “they have their own” and “suspicious” still clearly legible. And then Grimes saw it, clear as day, the glint of a spyglass up in the hills. We made chase.



Luckily Dwarves are natural sprinters and my companions were also fleet of foot so we covered the mile and a half to where we spotted the reflection in good time.



After searching for tracks we knew what we were after, two humanoids, small, barefoot and running. We made chase once again, I could feel the blood pumping through my veins, my muscles driving me forward and my boots pulverising everything beneath me, the thrill of the chase had got me. And then we spotted them, two Halflings running for the woods, before I could fire off a warning shot to make them stop Morrigan called to them and promised them not to harm them. He did, I didn’t…



They came to a stop and so we met Eric and Lindle the Halfling scouts.

Eric was stubborn little fellow so we quickly found a way to separate them and get Lindle to spill the beans.



They were part of a party of 6, Two humans, a Tiefling *spits on the ground* and one of mine own kinsmen. This strange party had a fortified camp to the north of where we were and had been stockpiling goods to ship through another portal. Another portal out of Kantas!

The Halflings claimed to have been press ganged into helping them and Lindle said he would be grateful for our help in liberating him and his brother and would even provide fire support from the tree line. And so we planned.



Dalius would sneak around the camp and start a fire, to distract them while we took them down from suitable positions in the tree line. The plan was perfect, nothing could go wrong… but I sadly forgot to take into account that I wasn’t the stealthiest of adventurers and when it came to climbing the tree to take position, mine armour betrayed me by ringing against the tree…



A single arrow seemed to sprout from the log as I slipped from the branch, missing my head by inches… Battle was joined.



The Tiefling and human leader, Rede was her name, sprinted towards us. Morrigan to my surprise and dismay started strumming on his banjo… and a wariness seemed to come over all present. It affected the Tiefling so much that he fell asleep there and then. Arrows rained down from the trees at our foes, shot by the halflings and Grimes from their elevated positions, pinning our foes down. In a ditch attempt to go down fighting, Rede released two arrows towards me, the first glancing of my mail and the second caught by the shield spell I hastily cast. I dug deep into mine arcane powers and released a torrent of fire with a scorching ray spell, Rede was incinerated in a flash of flames and smoke.

Upon seeing this, the mountain Dwarf, mine own kin, charged us. His rage could be seen in his eyes, his mouth was frothing and his muscles seemed to bulge to twice their size, he charged us flinging javelins… and then fell under a hail of arrows… Only their scout remained but she was nowhere to be seen. But then I felt it… two slashes of a blade swing into my back, the first was parried by mine wards the second by mine armour. I swung mine great axe at her, inflicting a terrible blow and trapping her in a booming blade aura, if she moved the experience would be… shocking… knowing this she tried to pierce me with arrows, again, shield saved me from an early demise… before she could see her mistake another hail of arrows flew through the tree line. Barrie the scout died before she hit the ground.



The battle was won, the loot was divided. Some potions and scrolls amongst others, some gold and various resources that could be of use to our small town.



While the others interrogated the now woke Tiefling I read the final rites of mine kin to the Dwarf, putting his soul to rest for whatever is yet to come. I had hoped to convince him to lay down his arms as there are few Dwarves in Kantas… but sadly battle was joined too hastily.



As I finished and stood solemnly before the Berserker, Willhelm walked past and upon seeing the dwarf laid before him, he kicked him in the head and continued walking. I took all of mine self-restraint not to incinerate him there and then. But murder in the woods is beneath me.





And so I stand before you my fellow settlers, people whom I have known for many weeks, good people with whom I have feasted and battled and made merry and I say this: I WILL HAVE RECOMPENSE!