Game Session 1 Forest of Secrets

The group enters Old Town Ruins and off to there left they spot a young boy roughly ten years of age. The boy is staring at the group, uncomfortably so. They ask him "What has happened to the town." The boy replies that the town has been being attacked by marauders and most of the goodly folk has left." They ask him "where his parents are." At this point the boy is moving closer to Irish Red to stand next to him. The boy then tells him his parents are dead. Irish Red feels a tug at his coin purse and realizes that the boy just tried to pick pocket him. In stead of getting angry Irish Red offers the boy ten gold. The boy responds by becoming a torch barer for Irish. Irish now has a hireling. The boy points them in the direction of the Inn and then follows close to his new mentor. The boys name is Stan, but Irish prefers to call him Pip.

As they start off down the road to the Inn they notice that a lot of the buildings have been used for scrap as most buildings are missing several pieces. Well the ones that are still standing any ways. They spot a Forge and the Black Smith is out working. He nods his head in there direction as saying hi. Then gets back to his work. The group approaches him and he says "The name is Jovan and I have many common wares for sale, mostly armor and weapons." and  "I do have one very nice piece, it is +1 Plate Mail with a special quality. It ways ten pounds lighter than regular plate. The cost I'll get you though I want 10,000gold for it and not a shilling less. Squizgar Bearcharger asks Jovan if he may buy a singular piece. Bearcharger asks for a cod piece. Jovan says that it will be 10 gold for the cod piece and Bearcharger buys it. Irish asks if there is anything the Black Smith can do with a giant spiders carcus. Jovan tells him yes he can and asks him to bring him two giant bat wings and a alligators hide. The group begins there trek to the inn once more.

As you approach the Inn you notice all around the Inn the buildings have been demolished. At the top of the Inn is a wooden tower with a man and a bell in it. 100 yards in any direction around the inn are wooden ramparts with one exception, the trail leading up to the door. Just outside the ramparts are to men at arms.
The first man at arms approaches the group with his hand out and says "My name is John and you have found the, but not just any one can enter." The group flips him a gold to get inn. John drops the coin in his pocket and holds his hand out again. Irish throws him Five gold and again John drops the coin in his pocket and holds his hand out. Only this time he looks over to his partner and says "Aint these a bunch O cheap asses?" At this point Bearcharger has had enough and takes a swing at the Johns arm. The attempt failed with John being the faster.

Just behind the group they hear the approach of another man and notice two more men at arms. Now the group is flanked and the Inn Militia begin attacking. One of the Archers takes a shot at Velhamos, but Vel being of extraordinary intelligence, pulled a large green gem from his pocket. The gem caught the light and shined right into the archers eyes causing him to stumble. The arrow went straight into the sky and came right back down on the archer. Vel then cast an invisibility spell. After several more exchanges between the group and the men at arms, Bearcharger killed one of the men at arms and they all surrendered. Allowing the group entrance into the Inn.

"Sorry about me boys we are having a lot of hard times these days." says Olaf the Inn keeper. "We get raided at least once a week by bandits and varmints.  That is why most of the town up and left. Me and me boys know that the trade route still needs protectin so we stay. Not to mention the coin we are making in the process. You will notice that there are not a lot of people left in town and those that are are mostly goodly folks. There is one that not many of us wish to speak with and hes for doin the same. He lives in the tower down the road as you are getting ready to leave. I guess he is not so bad, his wizardry does help out when the marauders come out of them durnd woods. The Forest of Secrets they be callin it. The only secrets it is holding is where them damned bandits are hold up." 

Those bastards down at Last Chance outpost arnt doin a durnd thing to help. I almost believe that they have a deal worked out with them damned bandits not to attack those that take the route through the woods. Enough of that, would you like a room and welcome to the Golden Goblin Inn.

The common room ill cost you one gold a night.

There are three private chambers each with two beds for three gold a night your choice.

Meals are on the house with the private chambers, but otherwise they are 5 silver a meal.

Mead is warm and strong and is a silver a mug.

As you look around the Inn you notice there are only four other travelers there in a room that could fit fifty. Two of them are dressed in nobleman’s robes and are sitting at a table with each other eyeing you tentatively. The next man is sitting alone in the darkest corner of the Inn and is sipping a Mead. You can just barely make out his eyes staring at you from under his cowl. He gets up and leaves. The forth man is sitting alone at the bar and Olaf and this man are having a conversation. The group sits quietly down and goes about ordering some food. They do not seem to notice that they have not seen Vel since the battle. They also seem uninterested in his where abouts and are more focused on the good drink and food.

They do notice that one of the men in the back corner is peering at them out of the cowl of his cloak. This man then proceeds to get up and walk out. What he does not notice is that Vel, still invisible had noticed him noticing the group noticing him, and decided to follow the suspicious man. He follows him for a good five miles out side of town. The man is meet buy an extremly large man in a suit of Black Plate Mail. The two seem to know each other and start a conversation. Mean while back at the Inn...

The group are listening to the many conversations that are going on. Olaf and the patron are talking quite loudly about the bounty that the Merchants Conclave have put on the Marauders heads. Almost as though they are hoping and wishing you are hearing it. The Noblemen are being very secretive and whispering. You notice that one of them keeps nodding your way. Every now and then you can here them make a quip about how you had better not come for the reward or some such thing. Bear charger now being on his fifth pint and feeling randy, decides he does not much like them talking all secretivly about the group. He decides to through his fresh new pint at the Noblemen and hits one square in the face... 

The rest of the group bursts into laughter and the Noblemen not much liking the humiliation approach the group. They ask Bearcharger if there is a problem and then focus there attention on the one girl in the group and say "Just you never mind girly, fightin is for us men. So go fetch us some points.." Before they could finish both Irish and Bear are up on the table and a few feet from the Noblemen. Irish and one of the Noblemen end up in a grapple and Bear and the other Noble are exchanging blows...Candy just sighs and says here we go again. Never being much of a fighter he heads over to the bar to get a fresh mead for the spectacle...

Vel over hears the man with the cowl tell the Black armored man that there is a group of adventurers that have just moved into town. He also tells him that he is unsure of there alliances, but if he plans on raiding the town that he should be a bit more careful. Then the two men begin walking in different directions. Vel decides to follow the man in the Black armor. He is heading due west for the forest. Once at the forest the man steps into the forest and disappears completely and there is absolutely no sign of him. Vel can see the foot prints leading to the woods, but none just inside of the forest its self. He does notice a hint of a magic pulse coming from the forest and decides to cast ESP to see if he can here the mans thoughts...

Irish gets thrown free of the Nobleman and goes right through a table. Olaf is just about frantic at this point running all around screaming who is going to pay for all this damage. Having had the rude comment through her way and being eager to join into the fun. Layla Time grapples with the distracted Nobleman that just launched Irish. Bearcharger and the other Noble are trading head butts to see whom is the strongest. Layla is thrown free of the Nobleman and ends up going through anther table. Irish is back and throwing punches and manages to knock his opponent out cold...

Vel successfully casts ESP and can here the man in the Black armors thoughts. He hears him grumbling about how everyone must find there own way to the city of trees and how there is never the same path. The man also says that he wishes that the damned people would find him already and something about them always messing with him and changing the path again and again. He decides that may be with dusk's unset it is time to head back to the inn for some sleep or to let the group know what happened. Vel heads off for the Inn...

Just then Irish sees a charging human missile heading straight for the other Noble. It is Layla time and her timing could not of been worse. The Noble side step right out of the way and Layla face planted right into the wall. Knocking her slef unconscious. Bearchager using the distraction knocked out the other Nobleman and then came Olaf. You bastards get the hell out. My beautiful Inn, all destroyed. Irish ever the chivalris one tosses him a sack of gold and says I hope this will help easy your troubles. Bearcharger then says I got. All looked surpruised at that. What no one knew was Bearcharger had picked the Noblemans pocket when no one was looking and used that money to pay for the Inns damage. With all set back to right and the group happy to be the victors. They went on to buy the mead for the rest of the night.

When Vel entered the Inn he noticed all the damage and saw his friends belligerently drunk at the bar. He decided it best to let them know all that transpired in the morning. Little did he know this one almost a grave mistake. About two hours after he went to sleep and the time was reaching 1100pm and all in the bar where drunk as skunks. The lone man in the bell tower began ringing his bell. Olaf knowing immediately what that meant, went as white as a ghost. He said all to arms the Marauders have come! All to arms or we will all perish. 

The group ran straight for the court yard and Candy was up into one of the turrets in a flash. He yelled down there has got to be at least forty out there and they are all mounted with bows. A volley of fire arrows came over the ramparts at that point. Catching the buildings on fire and injuring some. The injuries where minor and did not stop any one. The group noticed in the bell tower the Wizard that Olaf was talking about had come. They could see him casting. The two magic users cast defensive spells on them selves. Drawing some grumbbling from the fighters. 

Another volley came on doing little damage to the group, but catching a lot of the wooden structure on fire. Irish trying to help stop the Marauders from circling as they where decided to go and catch fire to the rumble that was around the ramparts with little affect. Layla Time casts call lightening and the first bolt hits the one of the leaders of the Marauders almost killing him. The leader flees and takes ten men with him. Vel casts phantasmal force and most of the Marauders believe the images before them and are killed. This leaves only a few score of men left. The wizard in the bell tower casts a fire ball on the rest of the men left. He kills all of them but three. Those three retreat as fast as they can.

The group helps to put out the fires and notice that Laylas call lightening is still striking around them and decide to head into the Inn for some much need rest... Until next time...


Two quests imerged from this session.

One Irishs armor and the things he needs

Two Vels magical amulet so he may go speak to the other magic user.

I forgot one the quest for the Book on the Forest of Secrets.

100EXP to any one who can tell me Pips real name at the next game session.