Quote from: Brigman on March 19, 2024, 01:10:01 PM
I did not know that.  They didn't smoke pipes in the middle ages?  Gandalf lied to me? LOL

Tobacco was a product of the Columbian Exchange; it was introduced to Europe from the Americas in the 1500s.

No joke, I learn new things all the time, running (and researching for) this game!

Going through "The Child Eaters", it made me realize how used to being spoon-fed boxed text I'd become from 5e, too.

We got our 4th session in tonight!  Despite being tired and worn out, everyone seemed to have a good time, and the plot thickens...

The next morning the party sets out to the bandit's hidden cave, trying to scope it out.  They find an arrow embedded in a tree that had missed Andrew as they'd fled yesterday. They scout the lookout post on top of the hill, finding some arrows, wine in a skin, and a bag of rations, but no bandits.  The cave entrance is partially covered by branches, but they have no trouble entering. Stephen uses his 'science' to rig a quick alarm at the entrance using some string, a cup and a spoon (to make a bell), so they aren't surprised while inside.

Inside, they find a barrel full of snow melt, a trough for watering horses, some burlap sacks full of stolen barley, and a thatch mat for sitting/resting.  As they poke around, before they get much deeper in the cave, Maladicta's Cymri instincts warn her there's trouble coming.  Everyone dashes for cover, with Mala hiding behind the water barrel, Alexander rolling in the dirt and mud to hide low on the floor, Andrew hiding up against the wall by the entrance, and Emma squishing inbetween the burlap sacks.  Only Stephen sits out on the thatch mat in the open, hoping to parley.  The party readies weapons...

The alarm bell jingles as a man trips the wire, and Andrew isn't interested in parley.  He swings his greatsword into the interloper, catching him square in the ribs and dropping him to the ground in a bloody heap, alive but broken.  Cries of alarm and surprise echo from outside as the remaining five bandits - including Steven, their leader - hastily ready weapons.

Maladicta creeps forward and slits the throat of the wounded bandit (Elijah), dragging his corpse deeper into the cave.  Alexander tips over the barrel (spilling forth the water), and uses it as cover as he moves towards the entrance.  Emma switches from dagger to bow, and Stephen curses the hotheaded Scot even as Andrew rushes out with his greatsword.

There are five bandits remaining, including the leader, Steven, and they're armed with shortbows or spears.  Before they can attack, Andrew swings his claymore again and straight up decapitates a bowman, Percy.  That's enough for the remaining men.  They weren't expecting an ambush.  They break and run!  (Rolled 12 on their morale check!)

Emma fires off an arrow and catches the farthest, Steven, in the shoulder, staggering him.  Two keep running, but Steven is slowed, and a third man (Thomas) slows to help him... allowing the party to catch up.  Thomas holds up his hands in surrender as Steven settles to the ground, not expecting mercy.

But the party surprises him.  They grill him as to who he is, what they're doing, and so forth.  Little point in lying, Steven admits that they're the bandits from Swinlon.  He insists they were only stealing food to survive, and denies ever killing anyone.  He expresses dismay that a party of men from Swinlon never made it back (they were found killed on the road coming back from Lord Trevet's manor by the party last game). He confirms that no, this was not done by his men. He also said that there is something strange and unnatural about the village of Wharram.  Between their bumper crop and Swinlon's famine, that's bad enough.  But in the last seven months, five infants - all delivered by the widow Elizabeth Midwife - have disappeared from Swinlon.  Steven thinks foul black magic is afoot, but obviously, wounded and captured, he can no longer do much about it.  He seems resigned to his fate, but the party seems more sympathetic than expected.  Emma even shares some of her (stolen) meat pies with the two bandits. The party believe now that the Mother is behind something strange, and perhaps the famine and child disappearances are related.  They're determined to find out.

Andrew rigs a sled from the wood of the barrel, using his carpentry skills, while Stephen Cooper uses his barrel-making skills to assist.  This allows them to drag the dead men through the snow as they accompany Steven and Thomas back to Swinlon, hoping to investigate further and learn the secret of the goings-on in the three villages...

And that was as far as we got tonight.  A bit short, but we were all fried from a long week in real-life!

Awesome!