Bandaluthia Session 52

Bandaluthia Session 52

Thelonius walked through the bar like he owned it. The spotty book-worm had gathered responsibility and power. It was apparent in the way he now carried himself. He motioned to various people who followed in response to his command. Kharkin the Stone Dwarf fighter, Pandora the Tielfing thief, Freya the blonde-haired warrior, Milo the Half-Orc cleric of Kord, Jean-Luc the human wizard (and informal apprentice to Thelonius) and Sylive, the brooding Elven ranger.

'We wish you to undertake a task for us. A caravan is heading north, carrying a message. It will be guarded for part of the way by Kifco’s barbarians. Guards from the Bandaluthian army will escort it the whole way. Your mission is to substitute the scroll case for this, containing a new message'. Thelonius held up a case, with the substitute within. 'Do not get caught’ continued the wizard. 'And, after you have completed that task, I wish you to undertake another. Travel North West and you will find a forest, in which grows a plant I need for my powerful magic.'

Jean-Luc stared in awe at his master. Many of the others considered what was in it for them. Sylvie stared at Milo, hate in her eyes.

The newly assembled group left to equip themselves. The stores contained all manner of things and the group assembled the kit that they thought would be most useful. At the suggestion of Sylvie, Pandora sought to acquire a masterwork spyglass. Her thieves’ skills were put the test, and she left with it under her cloak. Outside and she was about to hand the ill-gotten gain to Sylvie; however, Kharkin remarked on the object and asked to look at it. On finding it had been stolen he walked back in the shop and returned it to the lawful owner.

The party joined the caravan, and travelled for a day casing the job in hand. Jean-Luc drove one cart, Kharkin the other. The second day on the caravan and they tried to befriend the drivers of the mail-van. Unfortunately, they were professional. A plan was quickly hatched whereby Freya would use her assets to distract the driver. However, one spurned her advances as the other waited in the nearby woods hoping to engage in carnal knowledge with beauty from the north. Freya began to argue with the remaining driver, who explained he had a wife and children, and he was in no way interested in an intimate demonstration of how to hold a bastard sword in combat. Other members of the party joined in the argument, while Pandora, unseen, unlocked the mail-van, slipped inside, and swapped the message-case.

The argument, by this time, had reached fever-pitch. Allegations of rape were now being levelled. The honest driver feared being hanged. Pandora emerged around the side of the cart, winked, and asked what the problem was. Quickly the situation calmed as the party said they must have got the wrong end of the stick.

The next morning the party left the caravan and struck-out North West. The grasslands began to rise until the party neared a ridge. Some distance ahead they spotted an orc. Travelling south, to circumnavigate the threat, did not shake the menace. Milo went back to liaise with the creature, but to no avail. On learning of his bastard heritage they attacked. The rest of the group closed, to save the cleric, and battle was joined. Quick work was made of the two orcs: Milo struck; Jean-Luc fired his crossbow; Freya tried to run one down from her charging mount; Kharkin planted his feet firmly and swung with his stone hammer; Pandora shot with her crossbow; and, likewise, Sylvie with her longbow, initially on horseback. Their adversaries soon lay dead, albeit in strange attire. It was as if they wore heraldic tunics — fine clothes indeed for orcs.

The party crested the rise and stared beyond. Below them lay a wood. Their quarry lay within. The further trials and tribulations of this task remain to be seen in the next thrilling episode of Bandaluthia …