January 10 Game Notes

Gameplay begins as Guy arrives from Luthia to find Virgil, Floyd, Axe, and Brix at the drop-off point in Silar for the bridge destruction project. Three weeks have past since the initial scouting of the bridge. After regaling Guy with the story of the last session, the party heads for the bridge, to discover that it has been destroyed. The fresh remains of a monumental battle lay strewn about. The party happens upon the body of a warrior, and Brix resurrects him to discover that he is a member of the Order of the Serpent. The warrior explains that his party had been sent by Colonel Braddock after no word came back from the Abbey party. The Order of the Serpent (sans Pskenart, who had since left the group to focus on the rebuilding of Larst) prevailed, though all of the party died in the process (the destruction of the bridge itself was ultimately the result of a suicide run by Bricka, whose body could not be found and is presumed dead). The party recovers one other body, a spellcaster, but he declines the opportunity to return to the land of the living. The party and the warrior return to Luthia.

In Luthia, Colonel Braddock welcomes the boys and returns them to the business of conducting the war. Reports that the Goblin Army has pushed significantly farther down through Tutia and into Illrea is disheartening, though the party is relieved to hear that the Southern front is holding its ground until the Northern unit pushes to a certain point – presumably the mountain pass between Illrea and the former Bodian Protectorates. Colonel Braddock announces a strategy to push the Northern front back into Tutia, then into Jottenheim. He also reveals that he has ordered the druids to dig trenches in two fallback areas, with the final fallback in the Western Twilight Lands. Braddock’s demeanor strikes Floyd as gloomy and seems pre-disposed to defeat, but when confronted with such an impression, Braddock expresses a hope that the Goblins will stop their inexorable march westward when a significant show of force is displayed.

Braddock asks the party to convince the King of Illrea to order an evacuation, an action the King is reluctant to take because of his perception of Illrea’s symbolic importance to Western Aggravail. Floyd and the party make an impassioned plea to the king, persuading him that the preservation of Illrea’s people and it’s records are a preservation of Illrea itself, far more than any plot of land would be. The king agrees to an evacuation of the city on the condition that a garrison is placed therein and guarantee that an attempt will be made to hold the city. Given Ilrea’s proximity to the pass, and it’s perception as a slowing point for the Goblin Army should they get close to the pass, this matter is easily agreed to.

With the evacuation underway, Braddock asks to send the party to the Tutian/Illrean front to provide aid and support to the battle. The party agrees, but expresses a desire to visit Dreia first on a mission to recruit the wizard’s university into service for the Western Aggravail army. Needing to go quickly, the party takes a chance on Virgil’s Teleport, which goes off without a problem. In anticipation of a showdown with Mason, Virgil and Floyd head for the wizard university, while Brix, Axe, and Guy travel to Mason’s office.

In a surprise, Axe, Brix, and Guy find Mason to be somewhat agreeable to the notion that the wizard college be put to the task of supplying the war effort with magical technology. Mason expresses his desire to keep The Freelands strong and safe, and does so in such a way that for the first time in a long time, Guy and Mason understand each other. Then there may have been some kissing (unconfirmed, Floyd was not there to witness it).

Meanwhile, Floyd and Virgil arrive at the college and call an emergency meeting of the regents, who listen to Virgil’s plea, which falls on more or less deaf ears. The regents, absorbed in their own selfish desires, see no reason to aid the war effort without significant monetary gain for the college, even going so far as to suggest the party give up a good deal of their own personal equipment in exchange for creating a small number of communication devices that would aid the coordination of the war effort. Finally, a tenuous deal is reached. However, before they leave the university, Virgil heads to the university commons and declares a challenge grant – thirty thousand gold pieces in increments of five thousand for six ideas / magical developments that will advance the war effort. Impressed, Guy matches the challenge grant with thirty thousand of his own. One student comes forward with an idea that is immediately awarded – an advanced spell technique that allows mages to combine their spells for increased effect.

Using Brix’s word of recall, the party returns to Luthia, and is immediately transported to the Tutian front. They arrive to find a massive battle in progress. Amid explosions and catapulting boulders, the party makes its way to the command tent, where they find Colonel Dudemont, who sends them to confront the Goblin Army’s primary strike force, a group of nineteen ogres and a troll who punch through areas to gain the infantry access.

The party preps, heads out, and encounters the strike force. They are tremendously well-trained, and present a considerable challenge to the party. During the battle, Axe is killed, though ultimately, the party prevails. In addition, the through means of their magic (Prayer and Bless from Brix, Mass Enlarge Person from Virgil) and Floyd’s singing, the W. Aggravail army (primarily composed of trained soldiers from Nemia), find new life, and significantly push back the goblin forces. Although the victory is small, and hard-won, there is a tremendous boost in morale and confidence that comes with this win.

Following the battle, Axe is resurrected by Brix, and although glad to be returned to life, the experience is such that he requests a temporary leave from battle. Axe heads to Larst to join Pskenart in the rebuilding of Larst. The party expresses their gratitude to Axe for traveling with them so far, and count him among the most valuable of their allies.