Finally, our group got to continue their adventure in dungeon world after too long an absence.
And what an adventure!
I’ve played quite a few RPGs, but this session was the most epic I have ever been a part of.
Party:
Falconclaw: Ranger Half-Elf (Pet Dragon – Squeegymuff)
Captain Hobin: Human Thief
Japseye III : Human Bard
Vincent Furnace: Dwarven Cleric
NPC Spligg: Captive Goblin
Following directly on from where the party left off last time (rescuing the local buxom barmaid from a den of goblins), rather than rescuing the barmaid, they discover her flayed remains being used in some kind of dark ritual. They decide to go back to town to give the barmaids father (the local tavernkeep) the bad news – but not before washing the Otyugh blood off of their clothes. As they reach the stream they hear the distressed cries of an old woman. On investigating, they find an old woman, up to her neck in water, in the middle of the stream – pleading the adventurers to help her.
The Cleric wades into the water to aid her – only to find that the head is attached to an appendage of some swamp dwelling monster – the body a vast set of jaws. From the shore, the bard lets forth a cacophonous cry and deafens the ranger and the cleric. The cleric is snapped up in the jaws and pulled under the water – The thief lets loose an arrow , finding it’s mark, then the bard tries again – hitting the right note this time, the old-woman/swamp thing’s head explodes – and the party can now wash their dirty laundry in peace.
Once back in town, the only lead they have is an amulet bearing the sigil of Neurberg, a much larger town a weeks travel east. So they decide to find out why the barmaid was sacrificed in so brutal a manner.
They hitch a ride with a trade caravan and make their way to Neurberg. On the 7th night, half a days travel from Neurberg, the caravan stops abruptly and some commotion is heard from the front of the convoy. It’s too dark to see what’s going on, but they just make out the silhouette of a man being stabbed and left at the side of the road, the caravan then begins moving again. They ask the driver what happened but he doesn’t acknowledge them, or even respond in any way. They investigate the body – finding nothing but a sword hole in his chest.
The caravan has moved on, it’s the middle of the night, it’s pouring with rain – so they decide to look for a cave to take some shelter. Finally deciding on a use for Spligg, the Goblin they captured during the attempt to rescue the barmaid, they tie a rope to the goblin, enchant a stick with a light spell and force Spligg into the cavern to lure out any beast that may lurk there.
Spligg walks into the cavern, turns a corner and then abruptly vanishes – the rope end cut. The thief manages to discover a pit trap at the point where Spligg’s footsteps end – and being a foolhardy adventurer – leaps head first into the trap – the cleric jumps in after him. The bard and ranger decide to investigate further into the cavern.
After falling for a short time, the thiefs fall is broken by spligg, and then the cleric lands on both of them. In the gloom they can see nothing, but can feel that they are caught in some kind of net.
The bard and ranger make their way slowly through the cavern – and find a dining room table – twice the size that would be comfortable for humans, laid out with huge over-sized cutlery.
The Cleric casts a light spell on the net itself, and they find themselves in some kind of pantry – the sound of heavy distant footsteps gets louder and louder till a giant Ogre looms into the room. “MMMmmm DINNER!” it booms. It then unhooks the net and slings the adventurers over it’s back.
The Thief spies an opportunity for a backstab and plunges in his dagger. The Ogre then thwacks the net hard against the floor, damaging everyone in it. He hold the net aloft and threatens the theif “Are you gonna behave now?” ;
The thief stretches his legs to create enough room to draw his bow, and fires an arrow directly into the ogres eye. The orge, now blinded, thrashes around the room, knocking over pots and jars. The Thief and Cleric take the opportunity to escape the net – as does Spligg, who bolts for the door and runs off down the cavern.
The Cleric charges the thrashing Ogre, only to be flung against the wall by it’s thrashing limbs, while the Thief sidles his way carefully behind the Ogre for another, fatal, backstab.
The ranger and bard hear running footsteps closing in on them, so they link arms into a ‘clothesline’ behind a door – and knock Spligg on his back as he runs through the door. Poor Spligg will never get away from these adventurers!
The party make camp and set off in the morning for Neurberg.
On the road to the town, they start to notice something strange about the inhabitants. They are all emaciated and pale, with dark rings under their eyes as if they haven’t slept for weeks. They try to question some of them but are completely ignored (“Just like the driver of the caravan” – they think). The Thief decides to see how responsive they are by openly picking their pockets (only finding buttons and fluff), and when they continue about their business without acknowledging him – the party are now sure something is up. In order to be doubly sure – the bard decides to punch someone in the face – an old woman is walking towards him, who he proceeds to punch square in the jaw, knocking her unconscious. We’re not sure what this proved, but it was damned funny! …….. to be continued!
