The Deranged Scribblings of a Poor Wordsmith...

Amber Renarde

The six travellers share a look, first between themselves before all eyes direct quite fixedly upon Iah. The three knights in particular seem to be awaiting her decision. Iah seems inclined to ride past and on to Restenford – if only because her party is somewhat small and may fair poorly against what she has decided must be a band of Malegaunt's raiders. She seems unsure as to whether or not these lands are actually hers, however, but when informed by Shelby that the smoke is almost certainly coming from the direction of Vintiver, one of her manors, Iah decides she must investigate.

She certainly seems reluctant to do so – looking around she can see that Garrett in particular shares her view that this particular bridge is becoming something of an albatross (* this is where their encounter with a dying man in session one lead to an encounter with dark-spawn). However, it is perhaps this memory that spurs her on. Mayhap it is not Malegaunt at all, but more darkspawn?

Leaving Fossett and Garrett behind to guard the cart and it's cargo of treasure, Iah orders Shelby to escort her and the others over the bridge towards the smoke. They ride at speed, somewhat alarmed by how loudly the old wooden beams groan and shake beneath their thundering hooves. Riding through the low, yellow stubble of recently harvested fields, they soon top a rise to find that the smoke stems, not from Vintiver itself, but from a small outlying thorpe. It's four buildings are smouldering, with some small flames blazing still, though the barn seems to have burnt itself out already (*the result of a grain explosion and subsequent flash fire).

As they draw closer through the fields, they spot a caparisoned horse, bearing an unknown livery, tethered to a post in a clear area between the four buildings. Nearby a neat line of bodies have been arranged in rows. Judging by how calmly the horse stands amongst the smoke and the stench of burnt flesh, this is a mount bred for war. The horse smells the approach of the party steeds and, raising a whiny, draws the attention of a lone armoured form struggling into view. The figure is that of a tall, muscular man in the armour of a knight, dragging what appears to be a human corpse from the shell of one of the buildings. The mail-clad figure lowers the corpse to the ground and raises a hand to it's eyes to ward the sun.

While Iah and her party slow their speed of approach from a gallop to a canter (in part to show their good intentions) the man calmly wanders over to his horse and removes his sword belt from his saddle-bags. He belts it around his waist even as the four riders enter the common yard. Calmly raising his hand, he calls out:

“Close enough! Who goes there? What know you of this atrocity?”

Iah calls out to him that she is the Lady Iah, and that she has every right to be here since the knight stands upon her lands. The party are somewhat alarmed when the knight snorts loudly at their answer and announces:

“These are the lands of Lord Malegaunt, and I his appointed warden. By what right do you claim them as yours.”

Iah's claim that she is the daughter of Lady Nimue, newly come into her inheritance are met by an even louder snort and an expression of scorn. The knight calls out that Lady Nimue had no daughter -at least not that she ever confided in him.

At this, Iah, somewhat surprised, asks if the knight knew her mother. Of course he did, comes the reply, “For it was by her order that I came to be warden of these lands, first for her, and now, for her son.”

Iah again protests that she is indeed Lady of these lands and, half in jest, a very suspicious knight calls out for her to prove it.

Triumphantly, Iah shouts out that she has signed and sealed papers proving her claim. The still unknown knight laughs and simply asks if he looks like a clerk?

“Read your papers? I'm a knight, not a damned scribe. Come lady, you'll have to do better than that if you expect me to believe you.”

(* At this point, out of character, Andy points out that he's just found ten of his people murdered by raiders and now these four strangers have turned up and suddenly declared that one of them is his lord. As far as Ser Lothryn, is concerned, he's dealing with a mad woman, a crazy dwarf, another lunatic whose wearing her father's stolen breaches and some whelp dressed up in daddy's armour pretending to be a knight. They're going to have to work hard if they want him to believe their claims.)

Laria asks if there might be a priestess in Vintiver who can read. The knight affirms that there is -but she's in Vintiver, and they are here. Ogden grumbles and makes some unfriendly noises while looking to his axe. The knight gives him a very dirty look, but at glances from Shelby, Laria and Iah, the dwarf settles.

Then Iah has an epiphany. “I have my mothers signet. Would you recognise that.”

She holds her hand out for inspection, so that the knight may see the ring for himself. However, the knight is rather wisely keeping a good twenty feet between himself and the party and has no inclination to come any closer. He is outnumbered, after all. And he has good cause to be suspicious.

After a few nervous glances, Iah makes to dismount and approach this knight whom she herself has cause to suspect – he's declared himself for Maleguant after all. Which, given what she knows of her brother, is not a ringing endorsement of this knight's character. However, Shelby intercepts her. Thrusting the tip of his sword in the dirt, Shelby takes the ring from her lady-ship and cautiously hands it over to the knight.

The still un-named knight examines the ring closely and does indeed recognise the ring. Not only the pattern of the engraved seal itself, but a few familiar scratches in the metalwork as well.

His suspicions partly allayed, the knight introduces himself as Ser Lothryn. Without any trace of apology, he admits that the seal appears to be in order. He allows that he will give “mi'lady” the benefit of the doubt for the time being. But warns that he will have her parchment inspected by the Priestess as soon as they return to the village itself.

“But” he warns, “Should your claims prove false, I shall be... displeased.”

At this Laria dismounts and offers to help the knight collect and bury the dead. Ser Lothryn looks even more startled at this offer than he did by Iah's claims to be his overlord. Before the knight can reply, Ser Shelby points out that such work is not fit for a lady.

This is too much for Laria, she has been criticised for her dress, her behaviour and her willingness to fight for her friends. Tearfully, she asks Shelby why he thinks her so helpless?

Shelby, taken aback, protests loudly that one thing Laria is not is helpless: “Miss, you held off three assassins all alone not three nights ago, saving the life of the woman I am sworn to serve. And what's more, you did so without armour and clad only in your night gown. No milady, you may be many things, but helpless you most certainly are not.”

At this, to Laria's surprise, Shelby bows to her, not so deep as he would to a lady like Iah, but certainly as low as he would bow to a Tancred or a Rolland. Laria is much affected by this display, the first sign of respect from anyone other than Iah or Ogden she has received since leaving the Abbey. She mutters something about seeing to the horses whilst lowering her head to hide her pleasure -and to blink back appreciative tears. Meanwhile, Ser Lothryn's reaction to this revelation concerning the odd lass with the sword on her belt is carefully guarded. His thoughts remain his own.

Ogden grumbles, but at Iah's insistence he also dismounts to assist the two human men. Shelby meanwhile, heads off towards the barn, the least damaged building, in the hope of finding some shovels. Ogden, at a loss, follows. Laria thereafter takes the reins of the loose horses -not wanting them to bolt as they did at the bridge a week ago. Iah, meanwhile, stays mounted, and begins to ask Ser Lothryn several questions about what happened here. Prudently suspicious, the good knight keeps his answers vague. He has a fair inkling about what caused all this bother, but he's not about to tell a stranger. Even one that might be his new lady – or at least his lord's sister. She does learn however that none of the dead bore wounds from weapons, but nearly all were wounded by claws of somesort, larger than that of a wolf or a bear. Two thoughts run through Iah's head at this: werewolves (for they are said to dwell still under the boughs of the nearby Brecilian Forest) or else the wolf-like beasts they fought at the stranger's cabin a week before. Neither option seems particularly pleasant.

Shelby disappears into the gloom of the barn, quickly letting out a shout of alarm. Ogden and Ser Lothryn (by dint of his longer legs) arrive at the barn together to find the younger knight kneeling beside a charred, yet breathing form. In the gloom, little can be made out about her save that she is, in fact, a woman. And a somewhat slight one at that. Ser Lothryn exclaims his surprise. Ten people lived in this small collection of homes. Ten. And he has already accounted for them all.

While Shelby and Lofryn put their backs into moving the beam, Ogden sticks his head out the remains of the barn door and yells for Iah and her herbs.

Leaving Laria outside with the now even more unsettled horses, Iah grabs her healing bag from her saddle and runs towards the barn. By the time she arrives, the two knights have lifted the beam clear. Lothryn and Ogden are about to move her to where light streams in through the burned out thatch when Iah screams at them not to move her.

Ogden simply drops the woman's arm there and then, almost letting her head smack into the hard ground, were it not for the quick actions of Lothryn on the other arm. The Knight, Shelby and just about everyone else (meaning Iah) shoot the dwarf a dirty look. The dwarf offers a shrug in his own defence. “But you said drop her?”. No-one (in-character anyway) is amused.

Iah calls to Laria to bring her a few more things from her saddle. Laria ties the horses to the same post as Lofryn's mount (which eyes her wearily) before she grabs the bag and runs.

Laria arrives just as Iah finishes patting down the unconscious woman for signs of open wounds, impalement, or broken bones. Satisfied, she instructs Shelby and a grumbling Ogden that it is now safe to move her. While they carry the woman outside into better light, Ser Lothryn goes to fetch his bed roll from his saddle.

Upon his return, he stops dead in his tracks at the sight of the woman's pointed, elf ears. Though he knows this will mean trouble, he does not deign to explain why just yet. By the woman's intricate facial tattoos Iah marks her as one of the nomadic Dalish elves. She and Laria remember that a caravan of these folk had been encamped in these parts -near Vintiver itself in fact- when last they rode this way a week ago. Iah alone also notices that, clenched tightly in her hands, is a single, silver link of some thick chain – like a portcullis chain perhaps. Or a manacle. She calls it to the attention of the others.

It is then that the notice, coming across the fields from the direction of Vintiver, a party of perhaps thirty people, all clutching scythes, pitchforks and other farm implements, a few hundred yards away. Even at this distance, they sound angry. And afraid.

Ser Lothryn calls out to the villagers as they approach, waving to reassure them that there is no danger at present.

(*Spoiler Actually, if Andy hadn't joined us this session, there would have been danger. But this seemed the best place to bring him into the story. Having the heroes just “happen by” while Ser Lothryn was fighting for his life - thereby instantly earning his trust - just seemed too easy. Therefore the scripted encounter was skipped entirely).

As the villagers draw closer, the others make out the looming figure of a massive man bearing a blacksmith's hammer and wearing a thick leather apron. Though most of the villagers stop and stare as soon as they are close enough to identify the wounded woman as an elf, this giant of a man lets out an incoherent howl of rage and lunges for the woman, hammer raised high above his head.

Recognising the blacksmith's murderous intentions, Laria and Iah quickly interpose themselves – only for Shelby and Ogden to interpose themselves between the girls and the blacksmith a few seconds later.

Fortunately, Ser Lothryn's outraged shout brings the blacksmith short before bloodshed ensures – the knight reminding the smith that it is Ser Lothryn himself who holds the power of low justice in this region and not one Master Cobden, village Blacksmith.

The crowd grumbles at this, echoing Cobden's insistent belief that it is the elf and her kind that are responsible for the recent raids on the manor. Lothryn explains in no uncertain terms that the wounds caused by the raiders were not made by weapons and that the elf is likely as much a victim as the locals. They seem appeased rather than alarmed by the statement, though at the back one or two men can be heard to utter the dread term, “werewolves”. A few begin to fidget with their weapons and glance at Iah's party nervously. Even these stalwarts shut up at a sharp gaze from the good Ser Lothryn. The village knight explains that the girl will be brought to the village chantry and questioned -as will the strangers.

Shelby is somewhat reluctant to simply leave his brothers stranded on the road with a great deal of money at this point – especially with raiders afoot. He departs to escort them in with Iah and Ser Lothryn's blessing. Laria offers to accompany him but Shelby quietly mutters that he'd feel better with someone other than Ogden looking after his lady. Laria reluctantly agrees.

By the time he returns with Fossett and Garrett, Ser Lothryn has already delegated the villagers to digging graves – partly to keep them from causing trouble- and has elected to leave Cobden in charge while he escorts the party and the elf girl to Restenford (another wise move on Andy's part, since it serves as a sop to the blacksmith's pride after his earlier humiliation and reinforces the blacksmith's position and authority as the village Alderman).

While Ogden and the squires lift the elf onto their cart, Laria organises the horses. Iah sits beside the injured elf on the cart, allowing Ser Lothryn to lead the way to the village proper. Along the way the several more small hamlets and thorpes, all of which belong to the manor of Vintiver. The party is joined by a half dozen villagers on foot, all of whom are a little old to be digging ditches yet not, it seems, too old to take up arms when the need arises.

Approaching the village proper, Iah and her party see around twenty homes running along one side of a single track. On the opposite side from the cottages, with their wattle-and-daub walls and small herb gardens at the rear, can be found the village manor house -a large wooden building with it's own yard and stables – and the village chantry. Between the two runs what appears to be the village green, a large, grassy area where animals roam, albiet tethered to a few solid wooden posts. Three fields lie scattered about the village, with the north field bearing the stubble of freshly cut crops and that to the south having been newly ploughed for the winter crop. The final, eastern, field is filled with long grass, ready to be cut to produce hay for the winter. All in all, Restenford proves to be a rather presentable village with a population of anywhere between a hundred and two hundred and fifty. The chantry itself is rather well made, being composed of local stone, but it is still a rather small building for it's type. The villagers could probably squeeze into it for protection for a night or two, but there is insufficient room for their animals or crops. Nevertheless being the only stone building in the village, it is the best defensive position to be found.

The party is greeted by a crowd of concerned womenfolk, who rush to the half-dozen or so returning menfolk to hear news of their kin. One or two turns away, sobbing, to be comforted by friends, but for the most part their reaction to the news of the villagers is one of relief. None of them will be mourning lost husbands today.

Outside the chantry, upon the steps, stands a familiar figure – the nameless Priestess from the bandit camp. The woman raises a hand to her mouth in shock at the sight of Iah and her companions, fleeing pale-faced into the darkness of the chantry. The party is no less surprised to see the Priestess - but even more surprised at her reaction.

(*It doesn't actually occur to the players that the last thing the woman might want to see right now is a group of people who not only know of her ordeal, but who very nearly shared the same fate).

Despite the relief that a battle has not taken place, the village women are understandably in an uproar at the fate of their neighbours. Hate-filled glances from villagers of all ages and both genders are directed at the wounded elf as Ogden and the knights carry her from the cart. Once again, Ser Lothryn raises his voice to calm the angry crowd. He proclaims that he shall reveal all he can to the villagers once he has spoken to the elf. They listen respectfully and, out of respect for their protector, disperse back to their homes.

Unsure for how long he can keep the trust of the villagers in the face of this unknown evil, Ser Lothryn shakes his head sadly and follows Iah and Ogden into the chantry. As Fossett and Shelby emerge to fetch the treasury chest inside, Laria departs with the party's mounts to tie them securely to a hitching post on the village common.

She steps inside the chantry in time to see a flustered Priestess (who by now has been introduced by Ser Lothryn as Sister Arda) conducting a whispered and somewhat hurried conversation with the village knight by the eternal flame. Laria herself joins Iah and Ogden by the altar, on which the wounded elf now lies. Shelby, Fossett and Garrett, meanwhile, loiter by the double doors leading outside, with Garrett resting on the treasury chest, which he uses as a make-shift seat in the pew-less hall.

Their conversation over for the time being, Sister Arda and Ser Lothryn approach the altar stone and the wounded elf. Iah greets the sister warmly and deferentially; the sister replies with as much warmth as she can muster, but has the discomforted look of one who would wish to be almost any place else but where she finds herself. Sensing Sister Arda's mood, Iah very quickly turns the conversation to the wounded elf and her condition. The two set to examining the girl's wounds briefly, conferring amongst themselves to agree a course of treatment and then separate briefly once again when the Sister retires to a side chamber to fetch the necessary herbs and unguents.

In her absence, Ser Lothryn steers Iah to one side by the elbow and asks again how she came to have Lady Nimue's ring. He listens patiently but with some scepticism as Iah outlines her adventures over the last two weeks and offers up her documentation for his inspection. When Sister Arda returns, she and Lothryn leave Iah to tend to her ministrations while they retire once again to the warmth and light of the eternal flame to purview the documents in question.

(*In game, I handed Lothryn's player the actual handout outlying Lady Nimue's Will which I prepared before session one and presented to the other characters during the reading of the Will).

The two whisper quietly together for a while once the Priestess has finished reading. The knight asks the Sister how she knows the strangers and what their history is. Understandably, she is reluctant to elaborate but confirms that she has met them once before -briefly- on the road and that they were in the company of Bann Rolland, who was mentioned in the Will. Sister Arda asks Ser Lothryn what he intends to do. When he affirms that he is not yet sure -and will not be till he has spoken with the elf- she asks for an escort to the graves of the dead that she might pray for them and conduct the appropriate funerary rites. While she leaves via a side door to her quarters to make preparations, Ser Lothryn disappears through the opposite door (the chantry is shaped approximately like a crucifix, with the main doors at the base and the altar at the head). He returns to the main worship hall after but a minute or two.

(*While out of sight he stuck his head out the Vestry window and called over two village lads, one of whom he sent north to speak with Bann Rolland, the other he sent South and East to speak with the Abbess and Ser Faradin).

While Sister Arda and Ser Lothryn are otherwise engaged, Iah notices her patient's eyes flickering. Iah calls Laria over and conducts a loud conversation about how they mean the elf no harm, do not blame her for the attacks and hope she can help them uncover the truth about the raids. Laria looks at Iah as though she's suddenly grown a second head for a few moments before quickly catching on and electing to play along.

At this point, Lothryn returns to the worship hall. Approaching Iah, he returns her documents and confirms that they appear to be in order and that he will continue to give “mi'lady” the benefit of the doubt until he receives confirmation of the Will's authenticity. He does not, at this point, reveal that he has sent two couriers speeding off on his spare horses to do just that.

While the two high-born discuss the politics of inheritance, Laria leaves the chantry to keep watch on their horses from the chantry steps. The horses are, of course, perfectly safe in this small and rather innocuous village, but Laria does not know that for sure. All the tales she has heard since leaving the Abbey -and almost all she has experienced since- has taught her to be cautious and mistrustful of strangers.

Ogden tires of his chat with the boys and wanders over to the altar. He and Ser Lothryn begin to discuss the town's defences. After a few moments, Ser Lothryn assures himself that the elf will not be talking to him any time soon. He invites the company to join him for dinner at the manor house and leaves to inform his staff of the presence of visitors.

As he leaves, he calls out to a few of the more steady local lads newly returned from grave-digging and has them stand guard by doors – to keep an eye on both the wounded elf and his guests.

Unaware of the event, Iah sends Ogden and the boys up to the manor. However, the three knights linger outside the chantry to discuss who should stay to keep and eye on the elf and the treasury and who should head up to the manor. Fossett insists that the chantry is the safest place for the chest and that they should take turns to guardboth it and the “prisoner”. Ogden quickly tires of the discussion and follows after Lothryn.

Inside the chantry Iah informs the elf that it is now safe to cease her masquerade. Only the three girls – Iah, Laria and the elf, remain in the worship hall. The elf's eyes flicker involuntarily at this news. Iah and Laria gradually coax her into giving up her game and conversing with them. As the elf rises from her supine pose, Iah notices her palming the silver link. When asked about it the elf, Eshara, says it’s a meaningless memento and of no import. Gradually they coax her into revealing that her caravan (the one they saw a few weeks ago) was run out of town following an altercation that led to the former priest (not Sister Arda) killing one of the Dalish in a fight. However, no sooner had they entered the woods than the clan came under attack – often by night, with lone hunters and even whole families being snatched in the night one by one. She explains that a few days after they left Vintiver, the entire caravan was attacked in the night and her people massacred. A few captives were taken to a dark place in the woods from which she managed to escape. She can tell them little of the foe she fled from, save that the creature who led these “dark beings” called itself Malice. She took refuge in the barn after her escape, but Malice's servant creatures followed her somehow and massacred all present before tearing the thorpe apart. The girl is terrified -almost frantic- throughout and begs to be allowed to flee since this “thing” undoubtedly knows where she is.

When the two women promise to protect her, she can only laugh hysterically through eyes filled with tears and swear that nothing can protect her now. “Let me go,” she says, “Or else surely it will find me here too.” To Laria's astonishment, Iah agrees and lets her go.

Hardly able to believe her luck and in something of a panic, the lass bolts out of the Chantry -straight through the double doors onto the main street of town, where the three knights and Lothryn's appointed men quickly bear her to the ground, raising a hue and cry in the process.

And then Cobden stalks out of the crowd.

Iah, Laria and the Knights quickly intervene, with Iah once again trying to pull rank on a man who has absolutely no concept of who she is. “Who are you, wench, to tell an Alderman what he can't do in his own damn village,” is Cobden's rather predictable reaction. Just as predictably, he scoffs when Iah (truthfully) reveals who she is.“We'll see what Lord Malegaunt has to say about that, little girl.”

Fortunately, Lothryn quickly arrives to, once again, disperse the gathering with an outstanding display of oratory. He orders the villagers to return home and just as briskly (if not angrily) orders the others back inside the chantry. Shelby and Garrett take pains to ensure that a weeping and rather terrified Eshara joins them. The enraged knight rather firmly insists that Iah explain why he was not summoned the instant the elf awoke. He also demands to know why on earth they could not prevent her escape. His reaction to Iah's admirably honest answer involves several long, deep breaths and an all too quiet (menacingly quiet, in fact) lecture on the responsibilities of the nobility with regards to the law.

Satisfied with Iah's evident contrition, Ser Lothryn asks Sister Arda if she knows anything about this “Malice” creature. She shakes her head before admitting that her local knowledge is limited, given that she took up her post less than a week ago. However, she volunteers to check the village records. When she departs, Fossett sighs loudly and asks Iah if she wouldn't mind confiding what she has learned to the three sworn knights in her service. Who, he takes pains to explain, can't very well do much in the way of protecting her if she doesn't actually take the time to tell them what she might need protecting from. Shelby and Garrett likewise look somewhat displeased in this regard, but neither so much as the highly-strung Fossett.

(*At this point Iah's player seems to realise that she has not been treating her knights with the courtesy or deference due to their rank. Iah's continual refusal to use their title when addressing them has left all three with the impression that she doesn't really feel they are deserving of knighthood. Something which wounds their fragile young egos all the more precisely because they're not entirely convinced they are ready for knighthood either.)

Iah wisely apologies for her neglect in this regard, once again placating her knights with all-too true admission that she is new to the customs of the nobility. She goes on to confess that she is still coming to terms with her own elevation and has given little thought to anyone elses. Satisfied with this explanation, Fossett listens intently while Iah relates the elf's story. Realising that her lady-ship has neglected to ask a few pertinent points (such as where the elf actually escaped from and how to get there) Fossett tries to ascertain this information himself. However, Fossett's punctilious nature and brisk, rather intimidating manner does nothing to settle the elf's unnerved state. If anything, his manner serves only to frighten the lass all the more. “She's clearly simple,” is Fossett's verdict. However at some gentle coaxing from Iah, Laria and (surprisingly) Ogden, the lass reveals she fled from a ruined stone tower deep in the bowels of the Forest, where she and her surviving kin were held prisoner.

Lothryn admits he knows the place she describes rather well, having ventured there once in his youth. He reckons that it lies no more than a days march through the forest, having been over-run by darkspawn during the last blight and long-since reclaimed by the Forest.

After some more prompting from Lothryn and Fossett, Eshara begins to describe the forces under her captor's command. However, she has barely begun to describe the first of these creatures - large, unnatural and seemingly diseased wolves- when Iah leaps in to comment that she has encountered some of these wolves herself, not two weeks ago. The elf exclaims: “Two weeks? Then Hagden could not have been responsible after all?” The conversation then digresses to address who this Hagden is (the answer being that he is the brother of the Dalish elf murdered by the villagers in a brawl and one of the first hunters to disappear in the attacks). The party never does return the conversation to the nature of the creatures that might await the heroes in the depths of the ruin.

Eshara herself is quickly forgotten while the talk among the party quickly turns to the possible presence of dark-spawn and so forth. A grateful Eshara (grateful for the end of her interrogation that is) sinks into silence as Laria relates the story of her encounter with darkspawn at the Bridge nearly two weeks ago.

Conversation thereafter turns to the safety of the village – Lothryn in particular is keen to ensure the security of the villagers. He, Ogden and the knights all suggest fortifying the church and bringing the villagers there overnight. Lothryn especially is keen to depart first thing in the morning for the ruins. Fossett, Shelby and Garrett, all keenly aware of their oaths to protect the innocent, are also all for accompanying the knight on the morrow. However, Iah points out that she will need to accompany the expedition as well – since sister Arda, the only other healer, must remain behind to tend the chantry. She then goes on to add that Laria will need to accompany her as chaperone -what sort of lady would traipse around in the woods with only men for company, after all? Ogden also speaks up and declares that he won't be letting Iah out of his sight.

Lothryn and the knights are hardly pleased by Iah's decision, but they are won over by Iah's argument that the prisoners will need a healer even in the unlikely event that those who wish to rescue them will not. Then Iah laments that, if they all leave, there will be no-one to protect the villagers and (though she does not actually say it) her treasury. Iah's knights see where she is going with this and protest vehemently at being left behind. They relent when Iah explains there is no-one she trusts more to protect her people and her future (an oblique reference to the gold) in her absence. Even so, Shelby is particularly insistent that at least one of the brothers should accompany the party. It takes Fossett to remind Shelby that his oath included obedience to their lord, and, in effect, that he should shut the hell up and do as he is told.

(It's at this point that I make a point of asking Silv and Aimee -as the novice's in the group- what sort of supplies they think they will need for the expedition. Andy, Caroline and I are all very impressed when Silv rattles off, with very little time for thought, the four essentials for adventuring: food, water, rope and torches).

As the good Sister and Ser Lothryn depart to summon the villagers for an overnight stay at the chantry, Ogden sets about scrounging up some necessary supplies at the manor. He fills a half dozen bladders with well water as well as collecting bread, cheese, rope and a dozen torches from the manor house stores. Upon his return, Lothryn looks over Ogden's efforts with approval, pausing only to send a lad running off to the manor house to fetch a few bladders of oil as well. “If in doubt, burn it,” is the village knights advice when it comes to anything unnatural. Laria makes a point of tracking down some string and some rope for their explorations as well, just in case the ruin proves to be larger than they expect.

Dawn's early light brings forth both relief and tears from the village women, while their menfolk direct their voices in praise for Andraste. Ser Lothryn, Iah, Laria and Ogden take their leave amidst the well-wishes of the village folk. As her three knights wish her luck, Iah instructs the brothers to keep one eye on the elf and the other on Cobden (there follows several quips at poor Garrett's expence). They pledge to do all they can to keep the elf and their lady's treasury from harm. Fossett leads his brothers in a prayer for their safety before the party departs. Shelby takes the time to personally wish Laria good luck and express his confidence in her ability to keep her ladyship safe.

As the party makes ready to leave, Eshara calls out in a plaintive voice that they should not go. When Iah tries to reassure her, the elf girl simply hisses that she is a fool. “You should be running!” is the last thing she says before returning to the chantry under the watchful eyes of the three brothers.

As the four heroes set out on foot from the village, their last sight of the chantry shows them Sister Arda, alone on the steps, calling down the blessings of the Maker upon them. Not long after that, the stone building disappears they hear the deep, sepulchral boom of the chantry doors thundering shut behind them.

At the edge of the forest the group (at Lothryn's urging) takes the time to oil and ready their weapons. Given the nature of the undergrowth, Lothryn suggests they travel in single file. Though the other three quickly arrange themselves behind him with Ogden next, then Iah and Laria bringing up the rear, Lothryn balks at the thought of leaving a woman exposed at the rear of the party. Following his instructions, Laria and Ogden swap places, placing the heavily armoured dwarf at the rear of the formation. While they march under the dark eaves, Laria is very much aware of her surroundings, examining every bush and tree-branch with the eye of a veteran hunter. Her crossbow points wherever her eyes look.

The only familiar noise is the occasional chink of mail from the two men in armour.
The slightest natural sound has them on edge. Every few moments, they hear a wolf howl far off in the distance. Even the buzzing of a few wasps, still living long after most of their kind have vanished with the death of summer, seems somehow threatening in this murky wood.

After many hours of travel through thickly interwoven branches and the thick detritus of the deep-forest floor, they come across a wide ravine in the earth. A fallen tree spans the gap, though the tree itself is rotten with age and it's surface thickly coated in slippery moss and lichens. Ser Lothryn looks about him and declares that they are now close to the keep.

Rather than lose time hacking through the brambles to circumvent the obstacle, Ogden elects to try the bridge – but not before tying one end of the rope about his waist and the other to a tree. Ser Lothryn takes up the slack on the rope, digging his heels deep into the slippery forest floor. Above, from the branch of a withered tree four crows watch intently as the dwarf begins to cross. A fifth soon joins them to observe the proceedings. Growing suspicious, as knowing that Malice is served by other beasts of the forest, Laria keeps an intent eye on the doings of these strange birds, her crossbow loaded and held ready.

By the time Ogden has inched most of the way across, every spare space on the tree in question is occupied by crows. Laria nods to Iah and expresses her very reasonable fear that something strange is going on. Iah agrees and, just as Ogden is about to reach the other side of the fallen log, she calls out. “Be careful Ogden, I don't like this”.

(By sheer coincidence, Laria's player says this just as Ogden fails his final dex check to cross successfully. Being a typical GM -and therefore a bit of a sadist- I decide that it is this sudden warning that distracts the dwarf and causes him to plummet from the log).

Ogden slips, his concentration lost as he suddenly looks about for some threat, thereby shifting his already uncertain balance and sending him plummeting off the side of the log. Fortunately, Lothryn sees him about to go and braces up in time to stop the dwarf falling into the brush filled ravine below, brush that (now he is close enough for a good look) Ogden can't help but notice bears rather large, dangerous looking thorns from which a viscous liquid drips in quivering anticipation.

Alas, the poor dwarf does not long have time to gaze upon the certainty of death just inches from his dangling feet, for it is then that a swarm of black fluttering wings and dagger-sharp beaks descend upon them.

(Rather than use the beasties described in the scenario I used a home-made crow-swarm. I decided there were 30 birds in the flock, and that each round the birds would dish out a total of 1d6 damage for every 6 birds, with the dice allocated between various characters. Each bird had just one health point, but unless the characters were using area effect weapons, each attack would only kill a maximum of one bird per damage dice rolled for the weapon. It proved to be a very effective improvisation. The swarm would certainly have been even more lethal had Andy not remembered to bring the oil.)

Even before Ogden swings to a halt on the end of his rope, the birds leap from their branches. Laria's quick reactions allow her to shoot her bolt even as the birds take flight, sending a pair of birds streaking towards the ground in a cloud of black feathers. Recognising that the evil avians will soon be upon them, she throws aside her bow and reaches for her blade.

While most of the birds swarm around Ogden, the heavily armoured dwarf proves impervious to their beaks. The much more lightly armoured Laria is less lucky, their beaks tearing through her hunting leathers to leave dozens of small wounds on her body. Iah, dressed only in simple travelling clothes, is even less fortunate. Though she manages to protect her face and eyes, her clothing provides so little protection that she might as well be naked before the crows' attack.

Lothryn, like Ogden, is almost completely impervious to their beaks. Which is fortunate, since there is little he can do to defend himself while he holds onto the rope. "Somebody get the oil off my belt!” he shouts, shaking his head to prevent the birds from striking his vulnerable eyes.

It is fortunate then, that Ogden quickly and deftly climbs back onto the log, which he then wraps with both arms and legs as he strives desperately to hold on in the face of a buffeting from the birds.

Iah runs through the flock, swinging her arms about her head trying to fend off the crows and more and more sense her vulnerability and take wing towards her. She reaches Lothryn and, fumbling blindly, pulls a bladder of oil from the knights belt.

Meanwhile, Laria crouches down to make herself less of a target and, hiding her face, swings blindly with her blade, bringing down another of the birds.

Iah and Laria again suffer wounds as the birds swarm them, now largely ignoring the two armoured males to focus their attacks on the more vulnerable female party members. Fortunately, Lothryn is able to let go of the rope now that Ogden has climbed to relative safety on the log-bridge. He swings his pack to the ground and fumbles blindly inside for a moment, before triumphantly finding both a torch and a flint-and-steel for fire-lighting.

Now largely ignored by the crows, Ogden crawls to the far end of the ravine, standing up once he reaches the other side and looking about him for foes within reach of his axe. Alas, all the foes are swarming Iah and Laria on the other side of the ravine.

Iah kneels down before Lothryn, tucking her face into her knees and holding the oil bladder out, ready to squeeze on an instruction from Lothryn.

Laria likewise tucks herself into a ball and concentrates on defending herself from the swarming birds.

(I decided that rather than add 2 to the characters defence, in this case -since the crows didn't need to make an attack roll- it would add to the armour rating instead).

However despite her efforts Iah is ripped very nearly to shreds, suffering more wounds from the birds in the space of a few seconds that she has thus far in the entire encounter. It's almost as though the crows sense what she and Lothryn are up too. However, the crows fail to knock the bladder from her hands. Nor does the buffeting of their many wings prevent Lothryn from lighting his torch on the second attempt.

As Ogden watches helplessly from the other side of the ravine, Iah thumps the oil bladder with the palm of her hand, sending flames jutting into the air when the oil is ignited by the flames of Lothryn's torch. Taking advantage of the confusion this causes among the panicking birds and plummeting, flaming feathers, Iah unleashes a mindblast under Ser Lothryn's very nose. The surviving crows, those that do not flutter to the ground from flame or magic, scatter to the four winds. Soon the only creatures yet living by the ravine are the characters themselves, standing upon a carpet of dead or dying crows.

(I elected to treat the improvised flame thrower as a Flame Burst spell- a house rule which Ill probably keep using in future games By the end of the fight, Ogden and Lothryn had barely been scratched, but Laria was down to 26 health from 39 and Iah was sitting scared on just 5 health points. The whole encounter proved to be a fine lesson in the relevance of the old adage: “Protect the Mage – He's your nuke!” )