Bandaluthia Session 19

Bandaluthia: Session 19

Early in the morning, just before dawn a sweaty halfling shifts in his slumber. His night has been troublesome with regards to sleep, but now he feels some electric eyes boring into his soul. He breaks into a sweat, as the despairing disappointment weighs heavy on his guilt. Once awake, he can remember the anxiousness, but the rest remains tantalisingly close, but yet just out of reach of his consciousness. Qu has not slept well at all.

Early Sunday morning sees Coolio going to mass. Shaniqua delivers a letter to Gretta. (Albeit via a Cobblestoner and Dave) Ratsel reads the morning by, and Hollenlord stretches out for his first game of Torturabol. Qu manages to eat a little for second breakfast, but no one notices the feeble attempts of his once proud eating habits.

Torturabol. Hollenlord is not surprised to find that Dex is not available for the game. (It was his fatal blow to him just hours before that ended Dex.) However, neither Donis nor Champs is there, and the team cleric Gene’o is not available either. The team are in disarray and lacking in confidence and self belief.
Up steps Hollenlord, Hugh Dorcman to the team, and he plays a blinder. The “Blades” win by a massive 77 points to 38. Hollenlord is remarked as ‘man of the match’ and no one even gives the missing guys a second thought.

Hurrah for Hugh Dorcman!!!

Meanwhile, the rest of the Animals meet up and go for Sunday roast at the Satyr. Qu notices that in the pub is Donis himself and his other two cronies. A brief plan hatches and Ratsel and Coolio transform (disguise self spell) and pose as silk traders. They sit very close to Hathers gang. Donis is in conversation with Freddie Carver, Gryff is ever present at his side. The conversation is not pleasant, at least Donis is worked up; Freddie is as calm as ever. The two Animals start to talk loudly about a silk trade, but Gene’o butts in when Ratsel starts to sprout geography. A silk farm where the very best worms are fed the very best food, and a place that the well travelled Gene’o had never heard of. His explanation for the interruption is that he accuses Ratsel of trying to cheat Coolio by selling him fake silk. Coolio assures him that the silk farm is not from this plane of existence. Gene’o produces a map, and tells Ratsel to show him where then.

Luckily here, Donis loses patience with the serenely calm Freddie and threatens him. Gryff growls and the dwindled Hathers gang decide to leave. Their next port of call is at The Monterey Wizards Tower. Here the Hathers gang spy the people following and threaten them. Without any ‘meat shields’ the magic-user, 2 clerics and a thief bravely run off. They return to the Satyr and question Dave about this turn of events. The conversation is in full flow when it seems to both Qu and Coolio that everyone else stops. Only Dave is in motion and he is drawing his blades and backing off very quickly indeed. An Avatar or Angel with electric eyes appears before Qu. The Angel accuses Qu of the heinous crime of disrespecting the church. A gasping Qu racks his brain, but has no answer. The Angel pulls his mighty sword and plunges it into the heart of Qu. The Angel says in a deep baritone voice “One Week” and he disappears. Qu seems quite unharmed by this bizarre turn of events. The others seem to continue the conversation as if nothing happened, but become alarmed to see that Dave, a split second ago who was sitting with them, is up against the far wall with two blades out shouting at Qu “WHAT THE F%&* WAS THAT?” over and over again. Qu it seems is quite unknowing, but Coolio recalls a book he read once about Yondalla’s minions.

D’Jarra-Leon is called by Dave to recheck the Guild Lounge security. On achieved, he informs the group that Donis has bought a ‘locate person’ scroll and that he is looking to find Coolio. D’Jarra-Leon then says that he gave them a real scroll, but the magic is fixed so that they will be able to ‘locate’ Coolio at midnight in the Fereygas Park in the oak copse where the Animals killed Cardonius. The Animals decide to lay a trap and finish The Hathers contract once and for all.

Plans are made and details worked through. Final preparations are made which sees Coolio and Shaniqua visit the gnomes. The gnome symbol (given to the Animals for rescuing the gnome children from the Hathers gang) is swapped for some explosive crossbow bolts and a view to create some more inventive quarrels. Qu, down in his study is finding out the consequences of being visited by a vengeful Angel. Qu has lost all of his magic abilities, and his use of magic devices. This seems to be a crippling turn of events at a very poor time indeed.

In the oak copse of Fereygas Park, lay in wait not five Animals, but seven, as Gus and Raj, the Animal retained ‘meat shields’ flank the Wizard Ratsel. Plans have been made for Coolio to be lying in the middle, then shoot his new crossbow, then to have a crafty artificer spell (done by Ratsel) worked upon Coolio, which would see him swapped for Hollenlord. So as midnight goes the Animals spy not three, but five approaching the copse. It seems the Hathers boys have added muscle too.

The plan starts well, Coolio jumps up and shoots his explosive bolts. This is where the plan stops working. Coolio misses his aim and his oak trees instead. The resulting explosions must be responsible for raising the alarm to the Town Guard. Hollenlord, who was supposed to hold his attack to be swapped with Coolio, rushes out in attack. Donis and Gene’o move to attack the muscle flanking Ratsel. Champs meet the challenge of Hollenlord. Qu, powerless, shoots crossbow bolts at Champs, which sees him do little damage, but it is damage. Shaniqua stabs Champs from the rear, and delivers a hefty shot. Hollenlord and Champs exchange blows. Ratsel shoots at the cleric, who in turn blasts his own magic at Raj. Donis steps in and slays Raj stone dead. Gus retaliates by killing a muscleman of the Hathers gang. Shaniqua then throws a tangle foot bag down at Champs feet, which holds him fast. Hollenlord in need of respite finds none as the other muscle bears down upon him. However, Hollenlord is no mood to mess. He kills the man with a single downward cut, which powers through the body. Hollenlord then takes time for a much needed potion. Coolio takes aim at Donis as does Shaniqua. Qu, shouting from his tree still peppers Champs; he tells everyone that Champs is breaking loose. Ratsel fires off his kaleidoscope which brings down Gene’o the cleric with his third burst. Gus, Coolio and Shaniqua exchange blows with Donis. Donis strikes out, his mighty sword hits Shaniqua who screams and falls.

The now inevitable cry of “Stop! In the name of the Law” rings out over the fight. Seconds later, Gus, Coolio and Shaniqua bring down Donis. Champs breaks free, and swings his sword at Hollenlord. The sword arc is strong and unerring, and Hollenlord falls. Ratsel then casts invisibility upon Gus, and then upon Donis. He instructs Gus to take Donis back to 22. The Law enter the fray. A paladin of Bahamut senses evil. He dispatches the Last of the Hathers gang then demands explanation. Coolio begs him to aid his fallen comrades, but only Shaniqua can be revived. Hollenlord lies in a pool of blood, not all of his own, dead.

The next few minutes sees Qu and Coolio distract the law away from the dead cleric’s corpse, whilst Ratsel steals ‘all that glows’ except for the obvious armour and boots. The halflings spin a yarn and the Animals are left to take Hollenlord back to 22.

This is where the session ends. Much talk after includes resurrection. Magic and contractual specifics.

Will Gus make it back to 22 with Donis’ corpse? Will Hollenlord be resurrected?
Will the Animals ever have a fight where none fall? Will they ever pay off Thelonius?

Find out next time in Bandaluthia.