Acolyte of Death... a session report

 is the name of my current Deluxe USR Sword & Sorcery adventure. One of the players has been so kind to write up a session report of the action so far. Here it is as I like having as many records of a session as I possibly can get.

Acolyte of Death

Hardon Kumar, unlike his father, is unlucky in games of chance. Sure, he wins a bit from time to time but nowhere near enough to cover his losses. And his recent losses have been substantial enough that those he owes have decided to get their money another way and arranged to sell his niece into slavery. This obviously didn't go down too well with his long-suffering Uncle. His Uncle in no uncertain terms told Hardon to return to him his daughter or to expect to find a price on his head. So, Hardon ropes his old friend Frisco Shan's, the fabled hunter into his half-baked rescue plan, and together they set out to rescue his put upon niece.

They trace the kidnappers back to a half-ruined town in the ash wastes. Twenty or so crumbling buildings, half buried, only half seemed to be currently occupied. An inn, a ruined temple and what looks like an old fort seem to be the only substantial buildings remaining. The town's name is Fanwier or something similar and after getting a hostile reception from the few townsfolk encountered outside they made their way to the dismal looking Inn known according to its swinging sign as the Twilight Inn. The inn is well named as it's ill-lit, full of smoke and unpleasant odors. Behind the rough looking barman are shelving which holds filthy glass jars in which human heads float. A few drinks were had and a couple of questions were asked. It seems the man we were looking for is indeed Varaak Ironthorn the local taxman who seems to moonlight as a bandit. The dynamic duo are interrupted by a low born Susrahian mercenary who tries to start trouble but luckily is soon dealt with. Unfortunately, he seems to have been working for Ironthorn so hearing angry voices approaching it was time to flee with what little information they had gathered.

They flee and barely manage to avoid the pursuing mercenaries, and they head towards the ruins of the Tower of Eternity, the possible location of Hardons kidnapped niece. It seems that she was sold onto this unpleasant sounding man by the name of Aulric. Hardon was sure that if he could just talk to this fellow, it could all be sorted out, Frisco wasn't too sure about that, but you never know. After hours of travelling across the barren ash filled landscape they make it to a vale with the black stone ruins of a tower, surely this is the place described to them.

Frisco was able to confirm that this was indeed their target as she noticed the tacks of a cart pulled by oxen heading towards a small outbuilding to the side of the ruined tower. Stealthily approaching the buildings, they were surprised to hear nothing apart from the groans and snorts of the oxen in the small building next to the tower. There didn't seem to be a way into the main body of the tower but they did discover a crude tunnel that led underneath its ruined bulk. The tunnel was dark and noisome and there was a strong smell of animals underlined with the smell of their dung. They explored the nearby chambers, not finding much apart from a pile of human offal and in a side chamber a box containing several glass vials. A mix of red and green liquids, what they did is currently a mystery. They then encountered a lot of armed, armored apes who were oddly annoyed. Much bloodshed and heroic combat happened but at last they managed to fight their way back out but at a terrible cost, Handsome Hardon was nearly beaten to death and was currently unconscious, the sound of his ribs grinding against each other as he was dragged back into the moonlight and away from that grim tower.

Even though it may look like I have mangled the spelling of some of the names I am in fact using the way they would be spelt in beautiful Laksha. All praise Simatala God of the bloody white jade altar.

Lying abandoned on the ash plains Hardon experienced a fever dream. He was so close to entering his god's blood-flecked maw but instead of falling into that black abyss he saw a humanoid figure seemingly made of stone walk towards him holding a large copper bowl in his hands. This bowl smoked and produced a hellish smell as amongst its hot coals Hardon could make out burning entrails. He began begging for mercy, saying he was too young to die and that he had things to do. And this is where the new hero enters...Genn a mysterious stranger consumed with thoughts of bloody revenge onto Ironthorn and his men. They had cast envious eyes onto Genn’s farm and in one bloody night had claimed it in fire and blood. Leaving Genn half mad and alone in the wastes seeking his vengeance. It seems that Frisco had disappeared into the surrounding darkness but not before leaving Hardon by a weak fire and it was the light from this as well as the painful murmurs from Hardon that drew him to the pitiful camp. After quickly scanning the area to make sure that it wasn't some elaborate trap, he being a man of honor in these dishonest times he attempted to bring Hardon to consciousness, if only to find out why he was alone out here in the middle of nowhere. He managed to wake Hardon and after several attempts he got the gist of what the hell was going on. He had seen the stone figure briefly as well before it had disappeared somehow but decided to keep that to himself for now. Any further questions had to wait as they were interrupted by the sounds of hooves and the angry shouting of men. It seemed like Ironthorn and his men hadn't given up on their search and had now arrived at the tower demanding answers and Aulric. They were not met with offers of refreshments or hospitality and after sending two men into the tunnels three apes yelled out their challenges.

Hardon and Genn lay hidden nearby in a small fold in the ground and watched in fascinated horror as these two groups began to rip into each other. The battle was hard fought with heads and organs crushed and blood flying out everywhere, turning the dark ash beneath the bellowing combatants into a thick sickly soup. The men managed to down one of the apes but at the cost of most of their lives. Finally, only a few men remained. One looked at the odds and wisely fled, whipping his horse madly in his desperation to get away. Ironthorn though bravely stood his ground, his horse no longer an option after it had been raked by an ape’s vicious claws. It now lay thrashing madly on the ground and no good to Ironthorn. So, he yelled out to his gods and with his sword in hand charged into the two remaining apes. They welcomed his cries with bellows of their own and with a crash the last battle was joined. Genn was tempted to send a stone into Ironthorn via his sling but decided that that wasn't necessary and may reveal their position to the apes and that looked like a bad idea as with horrendous cries they ripped Ironthorn apart. The wastes returned to silence after the shocking noise of battle. The apes began to rip the bodies apart occasionally biting chunks out of choice parts as they went. They then picked up anything that looked valuable including Ironthorns sword. The weak light causing the large ruby on its hilt to gleam red. Clean-up finished they dragged their dead companion back down into the noisome tunnels with only the occasional huff and snort to mark their passing until they were consumed by the shadows. Genn and Hardon looked at each other, shrugged and began to slowly make their way down to what was left of the ten men hoping to find something of value if only that was Ironthorn's skull.