05 A Tale of Two Combat Encounters

Session 5
A Tale of Two Combat Encounters

June 14-16, 861

Foreword
    RED APES! RED APES! RED APES!

Session Report
June 14, 861:
    Nadya the Elf Apprentice Assassin had met Nobody, a liaison of the Gentlefolk of Falkirk (The Local Guild of Thieves and Assassins). Nobody demanded a payment of 65 g.p. to establish friendly relations between the Gentlefolk and the new adventurers (Nadya the Apprentice Assassin, and Posey the Apprentice Thief). Nadya shrewdly negotiated the fee down to 50 g.p.
    In the Snout and Jowl, the party put together another expedition to the Overgrown Ziggurat. The Apprentice Assassin hired Jane Ironbones and Hacksaw Molly for muscle. Veteran-Prestidigitator Carxaris contracted mercenaries Podrik and Red-Handed Helen. Acolyte of Amtor Dandelion hired Unferð the Generic and Orien. Prestidigitator Bruce Steel rounded out the Party.
    The Party went West, trundling down the soggy track into the Ruined Jungle.

June 15, 861:
    About lunchtime the trail the Party had been following debouched into a large clearing, occupied by the Overgrown Ziggurat and a tribe of Shaggy Red Apes.
    The Red Apes were perhaps paying more attention than Party and so were not surprised. By the time the Party had dismounted and drawn up battle lines, the Red Apes had crossed almost the whole clearing, hurtling towards the Adventures with horrible hooting and howling. A crossbow-bolt from the Apprentice Assassin Nadya, and a magic-missile from Prestidigitator Bruce Steel only served to further enrage the mighty beasts. With a terrific crash the Red Apes charged into the flank of the Party's formation. It was over from the start. Down went Podrik, down went Orien, Unferð the Generic, Red-Handed Helen, Bruce Steel, Nadya, and Carxaris before the grasping hands and flashing fangs of the Red Apes. The remaining Adventurers fled. The Halfling Acolyte of Amtor Dandelion (somehow) put the unconscious Veteran-Prestidigitator Carxaris on a horse, and healed her as they, Jane Ironbones, and Hacksaw Molly raced back towards Falkirk.

June 16, 861:
    The remnants of the ill-fated expedition arrived in Falkirk with 0 g.p and 0 x.p.
    In the Snout and Jowl, another expedition took shape. Elf Apprentice Assassin Ivy, with Hirelings Jane Ironbones, and Hacksaw Molly; Aspirant Druid Fangorn (and his Giant Badger) with Hirelings Sterling and Gerard; Acolyte of Amtor Dandelion; Elf Prestidigitator Mr. Sparkles; and Gnome Rogue-Prestidigitator Physis Pebblecloak with Hireling Malfoy joined together to go fight Zombies in the Sub-Basement of the Ruined Library.

June 17, 861:
    The Band of Adventurers arrived at the Ruined Library at the edge of the Iron Desert. They marched straight down to the sub-basement, and in a sturdy formation in a narrow hallway, began to butcher Zombies. The Hireling Malfoy, armed with a halberd, finished off at least 5, thus earning himself the sobriquet "Malfoy the Halberdier". While a few Adventurers were knocked unconscious, the Acolyte of Amtor cast Cure-Light-Wounds, and there were no fatalities. With the last of the Zombies in pieces, the Party located the nearest bag of treasure, collected it, and headed back to Falkirk.

June 18, 861:
    At the risk of editorialising. The Party of Cowards, like cowards, avoided a Rad-as-Hell encounter with a Rad-as-Hell 2-Headed-Giant-Snake, in a cowardly fashion.
    The Band of Adventurers arrived in Falkirk with 480 g.p.

June 19, 861:
    The Acolyte of Amtor Dandelion takes a day off to sleep, and then spends her time in Falkirk checking out the local Temple Scene.
    The Aspirant Druid Fangorn and his Giant Badger spend their time in Falkirk reading "Astral Navigation" Vol IX.
    The Veteran-Prestidigitator Carxaris spends her time in Falkirk recovering from the wounds inflicted by the Red Apes, and hanging out with her friend Alzinath the Antiquarian.
    The Gnome Rogue-Prestidigitator Physis Pebblecloak spends her time in Falkirk investigating
a rumour about the Hand of Vecna.

Afterword
    I did several things wrong with the Red Ape battle. I failed to give the Apes their full attack routine; I failed to give the Apes an attack while the party members were mounting their horses; I neglected to ask how exactly a 2'6" Halfling proposed to dead-lift a human onto a horse. Had I done better, we could've achieved TPK, and that thought is motivation enough to ensure I won't make these mistakes again.

Dramatis Personae
    Orien, Human man-at-arms, Level 0, June 15th 861, Torn to Pieces by Red Apes
    Unferð the Generic, Human man-at-arms, Level 0, June 15th 861, Torn to Pieces by Red Apes
    Red Handed Helen, Human man-at-arms, Level 0, June 15th 861, Torn to Pieces by Red Apes
    Podrik, Human man-at-arms, Level 0, June 15th 861, Torn to Pieces by Red Apes
    Nadya, Elf Apprentice Assassin, Level 1, June 15th 861, Torn to Pieces by Red Apes
    Bruce Steel, Human Prestidigitator, Level 1, June 15th 861, Torn to Pieces by Red Apes
    
    Carxaris, Half-elf Veteran-Prestidigitator
    Dandelion, Halfling Acolyte of Amtor
    Mr. Sparkles, Elf Prestidigitator
    Ivy, Elf Apprentice Assassin
    Physis Pebblecloak, Gnome Rogue-Prestidigitator
    Jane Ironbones, Hacksaw Molly, Malfoy the Halberdier, Sterling, Gerard, Human Light-footmen