Session Three: Why are we bringing the whore?

(Spoiler Alert!  Do not read if you plan on playing Citadel of the Winged Gods.)  Session three finds our group of adventurers as mercenary scouts in the Army of General Tunamos who has been sent by Ganymedes the mad Despot of Kryros to destroy the rebellious city of Azagara in the southern province of Ghandar.  The princes of Azagara and Sulapul, two of the most powerful strongholds in Ghandar, are leading the rebellion. With the majority of the two princes’ forces besieging the city of Kenaton, Tunamos’ army has been secretly marching south to catch the lightly defended city of Azagara unawares.  Ganymedes’ generals believe that crushing the city of Azagara will bring an end to the rebellion.

                                                                            

                                                               

Our Heroes!

About a day out of Azagara, General Tunamos summons the party to his tent for a meeting.  It is there that the general informs our heroes that they will go on a scouting mission in which they are to prevent anyone from warning the city of Azagara of their arrival.  This is much to the chagrin of Druun the Gorgon, the commander of the Valk cavalry who insists that he and his men alone can handle that.  Tunamos points out that Drunn and his men have been more interested in killing, looting and raping than in actual scouting and insists that he will send the player characters as well.  Fuming, Druun simply says “As you wish” and departs.  It is at this point that Katrina asks “Why are we bringing the whore?” in reference to Sylph.  This set the tone for the relationship between Katrina and Sylph for the rest of the evening. Hell, it probably will set the tone for the entire adventure.  I came up with the reason that the officer that Sylph has become “friendly” with was facing disciplinary actions and, as a result, Sylph was been sent out on the scouting mission as part of the officer’s punishment.  Provided with horses, the party takes off on their scouting mission.
Around midday, the party hears the sounds of sheep.  While Sylph and Katrina were exchanging insults, Shangor decides to sneak to the top of hill to see where the flock of sheep is.  He spies the flock of sheep and two shepherds hastily trying to drive their sheep in the opposite direction of the oncoming army.   Hawk decides to do some tracking while Sylph and Shangor circle ahead of the shepherds to layout some kind of trap while Katrina and Sul’khaz trail behind.  It isn’t too long before Hawk finds horse tracks leading way from the army and directly towards the flock.  She immediately gives takes off to try to catch the horseman.
In the meantime, Sylph and Shangor have managed to get ahead of the shepherds and set a “trap”.  Shangor hides in the brush while Sylph plays the damsel in distress card to the hilt.  The shepherds immediately fall for it and rush to her aid.
After providing her with food and water, the shepherds tell Sylph that she must come with them to their village for there is an army coming and it would safest for her there.  They also tell her that a third shepherd had ridden off on their only horse to warn the village and the city of Azagara.  Right about this time, Hawk arrives on the scene.  The shepherds immediately draw their meager weapons to defend Sylph but Hawk just rides by, determined to catch the rider that is obviously trying to warn the locals about the oncoming army.  Having overheard that the shepherds were well aware of the army and that they had dispatched a rider to warn the city, Shangor slips off and rides after hawk, leaving Sylph to the shepherds.
It is now time for Katrina and Sul’khaz to arrive on the scene.  Sul’khaz summons his wolves to appear.  His plan is trick the shepherds that the wolves are there to attack the sheep and he will save them from them.  With the wolves running towards the shepherds and the flock, Sul’khaz rides up and attempts to leap on the first wolf.  He fails miserably and spectacularly and turfs in front of the wolves, the shepherds, the sheep and the gods themselves.  After dusting himself off, he appears to ward off the wolves that then retreat.  It become clear that the shepherds aren’t buying this so Katrina takes matters into her own hands.  She shoots one of the shepherds with just enough damage to shake him.
Despite the protests of Sylph (the shepherds had been kind to her), Katrina shoots the second shepherd as he runs off.  It was good thing it was a called shot to the leg because Katrina’s player rolled a raise on her damage.  Otherwise, the shepherd will only be crippled for life instead of dead.  I think we need to switch disadvantages on Katrina and replace her Vow to avenger her family with coldhearted.  She had no problem shooting down innocent bystanders.  It was good roleplaying as well and the agreements between Katrina and Sylph only escalated after the incident.  Sylph, Katrina and Sul’khaz decide to restrain the shepherds and bring them with them to the village.
Speaking of the village, Hawk has followed the tracks to the village and discovered that it had been attacked by a group of six Valk raiders, Druun the Gorgon’s men.  Tunamos had given orders that there would be no looting.  Shangor arrives right behind her and they both descend to the village with plans to order the Valk to cease and desist.
Upon arriving in the village, Shangor and Hawk find five regular Valk raiders being led by Kumal the Smiling, Druun’s second in command.  Hawk demands that they stop immediately.  Kumal calls them both “Dirty Feet” and he and his men let loose with a barrage of arrows.  Shangor and Hawk charge in.

Hawk and Shangor charge the Valk

Oops!  A Valk is killed by "friendly fire"

Kumal decides to split

The fight was short and vicious.  This encounter is supposed to take place with the entire party but that didn’t work out that way.  As it is, Hawk and Shangor are pretty badass and they managed to defeat the Valk, although one Valk was killed by “friendly fire.”  He was fighting Shangor and two of his buddies fired into the melee.  They both missed Shangor and hit the Valk.  He didn’t survive.   With Hawk calling him a coward, Kumal rode off although Hawk did manage to score a hit on his pony but it was not enough to bring the animal down.   The only reason that Hawk did not pursue was because there were wounded and dying that needed to be attended to.
Among the wounded was an old man that had obviously been tortured, probably by Kumal.  He was clearly dying but he in exchange of the promise that they would take care of his grandson Jura, he tells Hawk and Shangor that a man’s weight in silver can be found in the House of the Red Door the city of Azagara. With that, he dies and Hawk honor’s her promise to take the boy in.
An hour or so later, Katrina, Sylph and Sul’khaz arrive in the village with the shepherds in tow.  The shepherds are re-united with their families and the party discusses their next move.  The third shepherd was never caught so the party decided that it was a safe bet that he had made it to Azagara and that the city had been warned.  It was decided that the group would return to General Tunamos and give him a full report, including the fact that the city had been likely been warned and the attack on the village by the Valk raiders.  Hawk was certain that they rode back into the army camp with the five Valk ponies in plain view of everyone.
General Tunamos received the information stoically.  As it turns out, the other scouting parties had suffered similar bad luck and it was abundantly clear that the city had been notified of their arrival.  The General also took the report of the attack on the village by the Valk riders.  Although disgusted, he told the party that he would forgo any charges for the moment as he still needed Druun and his men for the upcoming battle.  He also insisted that Hawk refrain from pursuing any personal vendetta against Kumal until after the campaign was complete.  He would insist the same from Druun as well.  The General then told the party to prepare themselves for tomorrow as he would need them when they attacked the city.
Next time, the Battle of Azagara!