Lady Ceiling's Journal

Lady Ceiling’s Journal

Sizing up the situation, with the three packs of wolves advancing on us, Graf Silth ordered us to run to the larger clump of bushes to our left. “But there may be dangerous creatures hidden in there!” gasped Lady Shalaka as she ran.

 “But that stump in the middle might be an Ent!” retorted Princess Griselda.

 “At least we will have one side protected from the wolves!” declared Sir Shure.

Fortunately the approaching wolves slowed, the left hand pack veering away left, it looked as though they would be circling around the bushes to attack us in the rear.

 “Get your Blinding Flash spell ready Barbver! Crossbows see yon hoverers, do you loose at them!”   

  “Sire do you think they are not in the Gheist Flache?” asked Cord.

  “We have to hope not!” grunted the Graf.

The first two shots by them missed but the abigails passed the spare crossbows forward and then reloaded the first ones. On the second volley we saw the large demon, presumably Beevil himself flinch, and he must have been hit. The right hand pack came closer but the one circling round had still a way to come. I thought the other two might wait until the circlers were in position, but instead they charged.

Blitzen!” roared Barbver and a big flash appeared just in front of him blinding the large wolves attacking us at the vital moment. The right hand pack swung round, attacking our flank. Fortunately they were smaller wolves and so not quite so dangerous. So a fierce melee ensued, with the wolves yowling and their goblin riders shrieking. Our two crossbows in the second rank (as was Princess Griselda and I) loosed up at Beevil, as he hovered with his two Imps above the fray. I think he hoped to cast a spell on Graf Silth but he was fighting in the front rank. However wonder of wonders a bolt brought him cursing to the ground. Whilst the wolves already engaged fought on, the ones circling round halted in their tracks. Our weapons cut better than the wolves teeth and of course they had no armour. Our cook Melda felled two wolves with her cleaver! With all their riders, down five remaining wolves fled from the front pack. The flanking pack lasted longer but was reduced to a single goblin rider who then fled. Then a figure materialised beside the two Imps who remained hovering above Beevil’s body. I saw a sword flashing twice and they became just puffs of dust drifting ground wards. The figure was an Amazon clad in brown armour. She called out “I am the Fata Zena! Give my amazon regards to King Granbold!” and she vanished as quickly as she came!

Meanwhile Graf Silth was reforming us ready to face the remaining pack of wolves. Abigail Shapa had been wounded with her shield shattered and her left arm broken and torn. Lady Shalaka bandaged her with her own first aid kit, whilst abigail Meen took over the crossbow reloading duties for Cord. But they were not needed as the remaining pack of wolfs turned and left the field. Two of the fallen wolves were still living and had to be dispatched. Graf Silth himself found that Beevil, with two quarrels in him and broken bones from the fall, still breathed. So he cut his head off. He did not turn to dust? I remembered that in the ‘Lay of Two Unicorns Morgana’ the demon Testronitz turned to dust when she slew him. She had the magic sword Taglier, so I guess that Zena’s sword must also have magic properties. Graf Silth decided that he would keep the demon’s horned head as a trophy. He ordered us to skin all the dead wolves as their pelts were valuable. There were fourteen of them plus the bodies of six small goblins. Their swords were only the size of daggers! They each had a small rectangular shield with their name burnt onto the back of it in Runes. So we had killed Scart, Megob, Jortim, Ladebak, Homun and Klingh. The Imps Zena had killed were named Sik and Pik, for we found their clubs which each had a large spike in it. We kept all these trophies to show the garrison at Aroar.

   The Halberdiers were set to felling the tree in the middle of the bushes that we had used. Cut up with some of the bushes it made a funeral pyre for the bodies of the enemy. Having watered the beasts at the pond in the wood we camped beside the great fire. At the late dinner that night we discussed how we should approach those at Aroar. Lady Shalaka was afraid that her affianced bridegroom, Sir Slepe son of Silo might be affronted at her sudden appearance and try to break it off. Graf Silth said that after losses we had had getting here, he must be made to wed his daughter! Princess Griselda said that she thought that we must make a more tactful approach. She suggested that we camp outside the castle and send two negotiators to tell Sir Slepe why we were there. If we suggested the wedding be the next day, that would be Hopeday 26th of the Fourth Moon, that would give him time to think, and become resigned to his fate! “It is not going to be that bad!” declared Lady Shalaka a little affronted. However Graf Silth agreed to the plan and decreed that Sir Shure and I be the two negotiators!

   The night passed peacefully enough and in the morning we marched on to Aroar Castle. As planned the rest pitched our camp some fifty hets from the castle, whilst Sir Shure and I went on to the Castle Gate. As we walked I told Sir Shure, “One day we are going to have to do some explaining about this to King Granbold so Princess Griselda has suggested that we keep some of our cover story. Please let me do the talking?”

He had been looking rather grim but he replied “Very willingly! I have been told that Aroar has an oubliette from the days when it was held by the Chaotics. I would not like Sir Slepe to cast the two of us down it!”

When we reached the castle the gate was open but we could see faces peering at us from the battlements above. We proceeded on into the courtyard and there was Sir Slepe with warriors and dvaus staring at us from ahead and from every vantage point. I started “We wish to speak to Sir Slepe your constable?”

 “I am he. Speak on Madam.”

 “We are emissaries from Her Royal Highness Princess Griselda of Neradh. She has been seeking scenes from which to design tapestries, to sell to the humans for the enrichment of Neradh. She was seeking to find the actual places involved in the human tale of Coerl and Yanwen. Amongst the ladies accompanying her, are the Grafin Zilch and her daughter Lady Shalaka. When our travels took us to a place over the border in Hunara, the Grafin pointed out how close we were to this castle. The castle that houses you Sir, the fiancé of Lady Shalaka. So the Princess undertook the expense of crossing the River Eorwine to come here. We do have the Druid Barbver with us, so it seemed a fine opportunity for your intended wedding to take place?” Sir Slepe looked appalled as did many of his garrison, who all stood mumchance.

Sir Shure spoke up, “This adventure has not been without cost, as we encountered some hostile elements. In fact we were attacked by wolves and goblin wolfriders just eleven myles from here! Presumably that was in your estate in fact. My Lord Graf Silth, who commanded the Princess’ bodyguard, carries the head of the powerful demon Beevil and fourteen wolf pelts. In all we slew one hundred and sixteen enemies in our travels. However Her Royal Highness has managed to sketch many scenes for her tapestries!”

Sir Slepe and his people still all remained speechless so I spoke again. “Her Royal Highness appreciates that this may seem a little sudden. She has suggested that if it seems too soon for you, she could leave Grafin Zilch and her daughter here until you are ready, whilst she returns to Naug. If you do decide to have your wedding now, the Druid Barbver has suggested around the tenth hour at our encampment tomorrow?”

 “We will think about it.” responded Sir Slepe. So I curtsied and Sir Shure bowed and we walked away towards our camp. “That was speech straight from the dark one in Gashad Dur Lady! Perhaps Bishop Bhorin has the right attitude to you dvaus after all?” carped Sir Shure. “How if Sir Slepe bars the gates against us tomorrow and will not let Lady Shalaka in?”

 “Then it would be for Graf Silth and the Princess to decide what to do next. But it is not an outcome that I think at all likely. I do not think Sir Slepe will want to upset the King’s elder sister. Nor will he want his future mother-in-law staying longer than necessary. Especially if he has ever met her before!”

So we reported our mission to Graf Silth and the Princess. The Graf was uneasy, reckoning on how difficult it would be to try to storm the castle with our scant force. The Princess had more confidence and congratulated me on formulating an easy way to explain matters to King Granbold, for when we returned. Nevertheless we all had a worrying night before a messenger arrived from the castle after breakfast.

 “Sir Slepe sends that he will be ready to marry lady Shalaka around the tenth hour this morning! He is disappointed that his parents will not be able to attend the ceremony but hopes that they will appreciate the circumstances of his marrying in haste.”

 “Thank you. We will be ready.” responded the Princess.

So the dwarf hero Sir Slepe son of Silo married the beautiful Lady Shalaka daughter of Graf Silth of Khazdan, that morning of Hopeday 26th of the Fourth Moon 707 After Talarth Narnienor. And according to the Skald’s Lay recording our adventures, they lived happily ever after!

                                                =                      =                      =   

Games Master’s account

When thinking up this action I was actually afraid that the wolves might do enough damage to ruin the saga. Hence my involving the Fata Zena. In fact I thought that she might be needed to save the party. Beevil put himself at risk because after all his other reverses, he wanted to inflict a curse on Graf Silth. Due the two crossbow dwarves or more accurately Alan Hamilton’s dice throwing he was first wounded and then crippled, falling to the ground. Seeing this halted the third pack in their tracks. Had they charged in their nine would have been resisted by only three warriors and an abigail. After them the Princess and Lady Shalaka would have become involved. The blinding flash, plus the dwarves fighting superiority, plus the usual lucky dice throwing, eventually beat off the two remaining packs. If the flash spell had failed, the 5 cubit wolves could have done some damage but it did not.

   Thus ends this Dwarf Saga, originally named Trouble for Aroar. It gave me and my players some enjoyable fun. Next will come the Belmanian Civil War, caused by the unexpected death of King Grocus. A Prophesy has indicated that he will be succeeded by a Queen but which of his six consorts will it be? 

                                    =                      =                      =

     

   

Our starting Forces             

       

On to Starting Out In which Graf Silth deals with a dwarf patrol, someWild and Voracious Wolves and fights a duel! On to the Journal of Lady Ceiling in which she records the detail of the quest part 1
On to the Night Action On to Lady Ceiling's Journal Part 2
On to the Action at the Fields of the Raghi  
On to the Defeat of Bishop Borin and his Pursuit of Graf Silth On to Lady Ceiling's Journal Part 3
On to the Action at the Salubral Springs  
On to a side show in the Forest  
On to the action at Rupie Chase On to Lady Ceilings Journal Part 4
On to the the Butterfly Glade On to Lady Ceilings Journal Part 5
On to the Blasted wood On to Lady Ceilings Journal Part 6
On to Market Day at Lo-Li On to Lady Ceilings Journal Part 7
On to the S-Bend On to Lady Ceilings Journal Part 8
On to Wolf Glade On to Lady Ceiling's Journal Part 9

Back to the Mission Introduction

Back to top

Back to Home page