The thing about Hanset...

Hanset was buzzing with activity.  The last of the farmers loaded up their wagons to join the mass exodus on the King's Highway.  Soldiers and militia hurriedly prepared the small town for impending doom.  The Duke of Hanset made his way through the mayhem to greet the troupe.
     "Welcome friends."
     "I am Lord Shinkleboo and here are my men." Fox extended a welcoming hand.
     "How was your trip?" the Duke smiled.
     "The trip was just fine," Fox scratched his head, "we would have been here much sooner if it wasn't for that scurvy pirate.  That black-toothed bugger dimdoored on us, our apologies."
     "Black teeth, you say?" a concerned look took over the Duke's chubby face.  "I know the man.  He has killed many of my men, sadly he is not a pirate.
     In an attempt to add to his series of exceedingly bad choices, Auren, decides to disclose the nature of his new pet to the Duke.  The bond was small but it did exist between them.
     "By the Lords!" cried the Duke.  "That must be what they are after!  You must return the baby to the parents, they will stop setting fire to our town."
     Auren stumbled through a lengthy argument, defending his position that the baby in no way contributed to the actions of the adult Pyrohydras in the swamp, who were currently rampaging towards the city.
    In preparation for battle the group stays the night.  Fox readies his poison, Groth, his spears and Auren collects rats for his new pet. 

The next morning Fox and the crew find themselves at the edge of the swamp.  Just past the treeline, approaching flames are visible, and the loud cracking of trees echoed out into the clearing.  A teary-eyed Auren placed the caged baby in the center of the clearing.  Groth quickly went to work digging out three large traps between the swamp and the baby.  The group waited as the baby started to coo and the crashing in the swamp moved closer and closer.
     Three large cypress' at the edge of the swamp snapped and flew to the ground with such force that it sent tremors.  The creature blasted into the clearing.  It raced through the trap and slid to a stop at the caged infant.  The Hydra stood 4 times the size of Groth, stretched out for over 20 feet and roared with all five of it's angry heads.
     They began their attack with ranged weapons; Auron and Fox with arrows, Groth with his spear and Phae cast his enlarging spell on Groth.  Groth charged in a fit of rage, screaming with his sword in the air.  Bringing it down, he released one of the Hydra's heads from it's captivity.  The head fell to the ground with muffled thud.
     Feeling the confidence of battle Auren charges behind Groth severing a second head.  Phae reaches up and conjures a Scorching Ray blast which turns part of the hydra to coal.  Smoke rises from the first bloody stump followed by bubbling.  The hydra drops back and writhes in agony as the stump sprouts two new heads.  Lurching forward the creature lets out five high pitched screams and attacks Groth.  One head at a time takes a shot at the green brute.  As the creature steps forward an angry Groth removes another head.
     Auren is overcome with magic, compelled by a force deep within, he begins to chant.  An icy burst rains down on the Hydra and baby freezing them both. 

Auren weeps.  (like a teenage girl)

The group recovers some magical Hydra stuff (23,000 : 3285)

Epilogue: While resting back at Hanset the group is woken in the middle of the night to a commotion out in the street.  A group of soldiers has gathered at the tavern doorsteps where the bloodied hindquarters of a horse lie.  "This is the work of a devil." said one of the soldiers.  "Just outside of town a guardsman was found half eaten." said another.

ADVENTURE AWAITS!

The Pirate Who Got Away

The group traveled west on the  Kings Highway towards Hanset, all were mounted atop horses except groth who guided his own wagon down the road.  The road was much busier than ever before with caravans, lone wagons, farmers, women and children all traveling in the opposite direction.  Auren slowed his horse to ask a young farmer what the exodus was about.
     "The swamps are ablaze," replied the young man, "all of the farmers are leaving Hanset, the crops have burned and the barns and houses are next."
     "There must be something to these swamp fires after all." Fox rode up next to Auren.
     "Indeed." Auren replied.
     Auren spotted a figure off in the distance.  Moving up the road was a cloaked figure steering a wagon through the bottleneck of farmers.  The cloaked man stood out from the rest, his wagon moved with purpose rather than salvation. 
     "Halt sir!" Auren shouted.  The wagon came to a stop as farmers hustled by.  "I represent Lord Shinkleboo, where are you headed farmer?"
     "I travel from Seawell and am in quite a hurry." replied the hooded figure.  It was clear by his tone that he did not care for Lord Shinkleboo.
     "What are you carrying that causes you to be in such a rush?" Auren asked. 
     "I am traveling to Stret with a delivery for my masters." growled the hooded man as he gripped the reigns.  Auren continued with non-essential questioning to distract while Fox silently moved to the back of the wagon. 
     Fox pulled back the flap and peered inside.   The wagon was dark and musty.  Unable to see anything he slipped in the back and came across a steel cage being covered by a quilt.  Inside the cage was a wiggling and writhing serpent.  It was unlike anything Fox had previously seen.  It had arms and legs like a salamander.  The creature stirred and sneezed a small burst of fire that singed the edges of the quilt.  Fox decides to let the party know and makes his way out of the wagon.
    Auren sees Fox's feet hit the ground, "Be on your way sir."  The driver lurches forward and cracks the reigns.
     "WAIT, hold that driver!" Fox scrambled towards the front of the wagaon.
     "HALT, again!" Auren screamed at the driver.
     The hooded man cracked his reigns even harder a second time and stood up as both horses reared high.  The hood slipped down revealing a scurvy pirate.  He squinted in the sun showing a gnarled toothless grin.  The stallions stomped the ground and took off dragging the wagon with them.  Farmers dove this way and that, some were trampled by horses while others were sucked under the wagons wheels.  The chase ensued.
     Sitting atop his horse, Phae stared intently, he raised his hands in the air and cast a spell nauseating the pirates horses.  Auren fired off an arrow directly into a horses hind quarters.  Both rode their horses surgically through the mess of injured farmers.  Groth hops out of his wagon and begins to stride through the mob with even less care for farmer safety.  Fox and Auren come just short of the wagon while Groth speeds ahead.  The pirates horses wildly try to part ways as they speed up on the massive green half-ogre standing in their way.  Unable to escape their harnesses, the horses and wagon careen off the Kings Highway.  Crashing a dozen feet below, the wagon splintered sending the steel cage rolling down the embankment.
     Farmers flocked to the crash site.  "Who was that man?",  "Did you see the dragon?",  "He started the fires.".
     "Calm down people, Lord Shinkleboo and his men have this under control." Auren stopped his horse and dismounted.
     Groth hopped down off the Kings Highway and placed his large green foot on the back of the scurvy pirate, pining him to the ground.  After ending the misery of an injured horse, Fox tends to the crate and notices something new in the daylight.  The creature has two heads and is bleeding.
     Seeing that the wagon appears to be under control, Auren decides to tend to the wounded farmers on the highway.  He heals a few minor cuts and scrapes before coming across a woman in labor.
     "Do not worry ma'am, Dr. Baron Vonn Puddleduck, at your service." and with that Auren delivered a baby.
     Meanwhile back at the wagon a struggle develops between the pirate and Groth.  The green man swings to incapacitate the pirate but misses.  The limey bastard slips free as Groth swings again to subdue.  The Pirate dodges the blow and steps back.  Fox rushes to assist, but arrives too late.  The air next to him opens up into nothingness, the Pirate steps through, and disappears.
     "Where did he go?" Auren slipped down off the highway.
     "Dimension Door." Fox stated as he slumped in frustration.
     "What do we have here?" Auren skirted over to the crate and his eyes went wide.  "A Pyrohydra!"  The two headed creature cooed and it was love at first site.


Stay tuned: MMMM-BOP

Where do we go from here?

The siege of Brownsville left a mess of the town and it's countryside.  The aftermath left smouldering ruins, piles of dead charred remains and screams of help from townsfolk and soldiers.  Raddick and Nera tended to the casualties and needs inside the town walls.  Pas took a limping burrow out to the farmlands to assess the damages beyond the wall. 
     The group met up again with Captain Pierce who insisted that they head back to the ruins of the keep to dispatch of any leftovers.
     "Look..." Fox replied
     "Listen if you all can not handle it then you might find a suitable task in protecting the caravans heading to the dwarven ruins." the Captain smiled.
     As the conversation began to heat up a rider approached with great speed and came to an unhealthy stop.  As the rider raised his hand to speak, his eyes rolled back into his skull, his body twitched and he fell from the horse.  Groth reached down and picked him up by the scruff of his jacket.  Auren slapped the man across the face and his eyes shot wild.
     "Captain Pierce, I have news!" he gasped for breath.  "I am Dingleberry Seawell, Pirates from the coast have moved inland.  They are ravaging our supply lines.  There are also fires in the swamp, with every passing hour they get larger and move closer."
     Fox pounded his fist into his palm, "Swamp Pirates!"
     "The worst kind," replied Phae.
     "I have sent two parties of men out to investigate those swamps," Captain Pierce lowered his head, "they have yet to return."
     "We will ride back to seawell with you Dingleberry." Fox stated.
     "Impossible, I must continue on to Stret, official orders." Dingleberry remounted his horse and sped away.
     "Seawell is too far away and the fires are getting closer and closer," the Captain stated, "I need you to go to the swamp and find out what is going on."
     They prepared supplies and commandeered horses for thier trip.  With Nera, Raddick and Pas hard at work rebuilding the town and extra set of hands would be needed.  Groth and Auren searched for 3Dub.  Upon finding him in his filth covered state, they decided to toss him in the lake before loading him up with armor.

The Road to Hanset...

The Things They Carried

As the townspeople rush to put out fires and chase the remaining goblins back into the forest our heroic group sifts through their kill.  Bodies and parts of bodies had been strewn across brownsville.  Among the carnage were items of great importance.  Following is a list of those items and their new owner:

Mage Scrolls = Phae

Spear of Distance = Nera

Spear of Human Bane +1 = Nera

Viscious Sword = Groth

Ring of Protection +2AC = Phae (Groth angrily protested and was calmed when Phae granted him a Ring +1)

Magic Bow = Fox

Ghost Touch Dagger = Pas

Magic Armor = To be sold

Armor of Shadow = Fox

Gold = 590
Silver = 1356
Copper = 2000
Electrum = 4

Exp = 1371

The Brownsvill Six

With all preparations finished the group took up positions throughout the walled city at gates and on top of the twelve foot wall which worked it's way down to two feet in some areas.  Cauldrons of boiling oil hung above the two main entrances.  An enlarged Groth readied one gate while Raddick and a group of trusted men guarded another. 
     War drums pounded as a wave of goblins emerged from the treeline.  Dire wolves and Ogre Magi's followed suit.  A sea of Goblins now flowed from the forest and towards Brownsville.
     Phae raised his hands and began a chant.  An orange glow grew in front of him.
     Auren interrupted, "wait for it."
     Phae paused as the horde moved closer.
     "Wait for it."
     More creatures flowed out of the forest."
     "Wait for it."
     Speeding out of the treeline Auren caught site of a blur.  It was coming upon them quickly and he recognized the Ogre Mage's outline.
     "Now!" he cried.
     Phae's raised his hands above his head and the orange light grew in size and intensity.  With one last chant he launched a great ball of fire out to the field striking the oily fire line.  A ring of fire sprung up around the town of Brownsville igniting hundreds of goblins.  Little screaming balls of flame ran this way and that, trying to put out the fire, with no luck they fell at the hands of the town's guardsmen who quickly dispatched much of the Goblin horde.
     The Magi had reached the wall where Auren and Phae stood and cast darkness over them.  Phae was able to let off a flame burst which reached it's Ogre target coming through the fire line.  On the other side of the town wall Pas and a crew of archers heaved an oil lantern and a volley of arrows respectively igniting and injuring a dire wolf.  Groth hurled a boulder making matters even worse for the creature.
     The wolves reach the wall, one meets his end with caltrops while the other four make it over.  Two of the wolves engage Raddick and his men, catching him off guard and tripping him to the ground, Raddick orders them to attack.  The highly trained unit dispatches the two wolves.   
     Auren fires an arrow at the last known location of the Ogre Mage, with great skill it lands.  Crossing his fingers in the darkness, Phae fires a shot overhead and blasts the mage.  A third and final blow from Fox knocks the mage out of the sky and to his death below.   
     Across the square their green companion flies into a rage, screaming and slobbering he begins swinging at anything and everything.  He cleaves through two wolves with ease and slaughters their riders for fun.  Two ogres charge the gate, unable to get footing on the wall, they remain outside.  Noticing the pending situation Auren turns his bow on the Ogres.  Groth charges the wall to take a swing.  Phae finds his way out of the darkness cast by the Mage and kills one of the ogres with a fiery burst.  The last of the ogres flails out and catches Fox with his club just as Groth buries his blade deep into the creatures chest.  The beast falls and the battle simmers.

Inventory Time:

UPDATE!

Read all about it!  Previous storyline update: CLICK HERE to read.

Smoke on the Water

     The rugged group kicked the dried blood off of their boots on the bottom step as they entered the Sheriff's quarters. 
     "How did things go out at the keep?" Captain Pierce looked up from his work.
     Raddick stood aside from the doorway and pointed off into the distance, "What do you think?"  A massive black column of smoke rose high in the sky.  Captain Pierce's eyes grew wide as he rose from his desk.
     "This is not good." he took a sip from his mug.
     Fox and Pas discussed the gory details of the battle and the captain approved.  They had clearly earned the opportunity to join the ranks of the watchers.  By showing their strength and dedication to cause they have earned the sponsorship they had been waiting for.  However the ragtag group required intensive training if they were to achieve such status. 
     "That training will not happen today!" The captain barked as he stared blankly at the smoke in the sky.  "We must be ready for an attack," his voice trailed as he walked out to the square. 
     "Who is attacking?" Aren asked in a gruff tone.
     The Captain spun around on his heels baring both canines "Don't you think that setting fire to an enemies hive, might just upset a few bees?"  Groth and Phae looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders. 
     "We are going to need help getting ready," Aren called out. 
     "How about 3Dub?," added Fox.
     "No can do, he is locked up at the moment," the captain scratched his head.  "Ran over three elderly women while drunk in a trash wagon."  His eyes lit up as he turned to the square, "LIEUTENANT DAN, prepare the guard for attack!"  All of Brownsville came to a halt.  Pierce turned to Aren, "your induction will have to wait, for now we prepare for war."
     One hundred or so able bodied townspeople joined the group in preparing for an all out invasion.  Groth collected wood for barricades as well as boulders for heaving.  Fox prepared poison to for the tips of arrows and spears.  Aren took oil out to the perimeter to create a burn line.  Nera and Phae filled cauldrons of boiling oil above all of the fortified entrances while Raddick prepared the ranks and armed the men. 

TONIGHT WE DINE IN BROWNSVILLE!

Ghost Recon

Excerpt:
Aren's Dream Journal

The field at the bottom of the hill bubbled with a foot of blood and guts.  Limbs and skulls floated and bobbed as Nera and Pas splashed around looking for loot.  The sky darkened a bit but no rain fell.  Silently I motioned for Fox to join me in scouting out the fortress up ahead. 

At the top of the hill a large keep stood with walls too high to scale.  A massive crumbling hole rested where a large entrance once was.  We waited.  There was no sign of life, no shadows announced themselves.  We moved closer.

Inside the opening was a large cavernous hall.  No light, no breeze and no sounds.  As our eyes adjusted we noticed lumps and mounds scattered about.  Could this be the next wave of goblin scourge?  A wind rose up the hill, tickling the high grass, and passing into the great hall.  The gust entered the hall bounced off the walls and finding no place to go, it exited back through the hole.  I looked at Fox who fell backwards when the stench hit him.  His eyes watering, he gasped for breath.  I chuckled and leaned back into the opening.  The mounds were not sleeping hordes but stacks and piles of goblin scat.  A small shitty mountain range speckled the great hall dimpled with lakes and streams of urine.  Just beyond the mountains stood a small door.  It would probably be our best option for finding the Dark Lady and her prized artifact.

We split up and scoured the perimeter of the keep for another insertion point.  With no luck we met back up on the opposite side.  Nothing but wall all around.  To the East we came across some well used horse stables and a well about 100 yards from the wall.  The bucket was up with no hint of water. 

We regrouped with the others to discuss a plan of action.  The party was divided as follows:

1. Nera - Attack through the fortress door or explore the well
2. Raddick -  Torn between finding a fight and returning to Brownsville
3. Groth - Wished to sit atop the well and release 3 days worth of pent up Brownsville cuisine
4. Phae - seconded Groth's idea, adding that the refuse be promptly set abalze
5. Fox - Head back to Brownsville and report to Cpt. Pierce
6. Aren - Agreed with Fox

After intense deliberation an agreement was reached.  Groth hauled all of the bodies up to the hill and tossed them into the opening in the wall.  As he finished the aroma had been stirred up to an amazing crescendo of death and feces.  The entire group was taken aback and moved halfway down the hill.  Phae stepped forward and unleashed a fireball that ignited every square inch of the great hall.

With our good deed of the day behind us we headed back to Brownsville.

NEXT UP: Under Seige 4 (sans Segal)

Back Issue Update

The Watcher's have added more information regarding the interactions between Blossom and her hunky Blackguard.  Don't miss the latest!

Check it out: Blossom and the Blackguard

You Can't go Back in Time!

Or can You?

A late release of the Brownsville Report is hot off the press.  New things have come to light!  CLICK HERE to get full access.

From the Cave Drawings of Fox

* Poorly scribble excerpt from Fox's stained notebook

We left one last goblin maimed and in agony.  At first he did not want to cooperate.  After a bit of pressure and intimidation the foul creature began spilling the magic beans.  He claims that there are treasures in the keep.  He insists that the floating guy is his boss.  States that he is a total dick and forces his kind to dig day and night.  The filthy wizard means nothing to me.  My only concern is the black lady and he starts to clam up. 
Groth forces the wretch to talk some more.  We also promise him free passage away from here.  She is in the keep, working for Chium, looking for an intelligent artifact.  She has 100's in league with her, guarding and working in the compound.  With nothing more to say I turn him loose.  I am after all a man of some of my words. 
The goblin flinches a bit and eyes all of us intently, not sure if we are done with his services.  We ignore him and he makes his way, limping down the hill, towards the field.  At fifteen feet out Aren cracks his whip and the creature explodes. 
"Oh, now you want to kill something," I couldn't resist the jab.

Notes to self:

1. Find Black Lady

2. Get better at intimidating goblins

3. Get more handkerchief's

Wave Dos, Surf's Up!

          When last we left our merry band a platoon of goblins proved insufficient in deterring their quest.  Surrounded by a pile of corpses, the group gathers their bearings.  Pools of blood shone bright in the sunlight.  Flies moved in by the dozens.
          Atop the hill the dilapidated stone structure kept watch over the carnage.  A wave of creatures spewed out from the front gates.  They swarmed down the hill like ants at a picnic.  Goblins followed by large beasts splashed through the bloody slop.  At once 4 goblins fell on Fox.  Coming to his rescue Aren fumbled for his whip.  Unable to locate it he pulled out and iron pot instead.  In frustration he heaved the pot into a group of goblins.
          "TOM PETER!" Cried Aren.
          Raddick joined the battle with a crushing blow to a goblin wearing a brown bandanna.  Next to Raddick, Groth exploded into a blind rage.  He slashed through three small green enemies.  Fresh blood mixed with old splattering this way and that. 
          Goblins screamed and wolves howled as the sky lit up even brighter.  Nera felt the air around her boil as the temperature raised.  She turned her head to see robed figure casting fiery spells.  A shower of fire rained down and bathed a group of goblins in death.  Nera was curious of the newcomer.  This display did not signify his alliance.
          From behind the mass of goblins came the dire wolves with goblin war chief riders.  One snuck up and knocked Groth to the ground.  Aren cocked back and dispatched a goblin.  Raddick kills four of his own and takes on a wolf. 
          "This hasn't stopped me before," shouted Groth from the ground.  He swung on a pile of Goblins, sending limbs and gore flying.  A snarling wolf charged in slinging spittle.  Groth lurched forward and brought his blade down splitting the wolf in two.  Finally with a moment to breathe he stood back up.  The battle raged on with the Nera, Fox and the newcomer dealing out their damages.
          As more dire wolves came down the hill a mist overcame the three who were in the thick of the battle.  The strange mist lasted only a moment and once it dissipated Raddick and Nera found themselves covered in shadow.  The half-ogre had more than doubled in sized.  His armor and weapons grew in size also.  Standing over 20 feet tall Groth was a terrorizing site.  The creature raged on and his temper seemed to match.  A group of wolves surrounded and tripped him to the ground. 
          "Leave my friend alone," Aren had grown attached to the green fellow and decided to cast a distraction.  Nera called out a healing spell.  Again from the ground Groth raged out and killed two wolves who attacked from behind while the newcomer rained more fire down on the last of the wolves. 
          Nera and Raddick moved away as Groth got to his feet. 
          "Watch out above you!" Aren shouted out.  The group stared to the sky.  Overhead a Goblin Wizard hovered in the sunlight.  How long had he been there?  Where had he come from?  Was he in league with the newcomer?  His arms stretched wide, an arc of blue light connected them, and he fired a blast at the green monster. 
          Groth dodged the blast and leaped into the air.  Given his new size and the new length of his sword he appeared to reach fifty feet.  The last two feet of his sword buried deep into the wizard's side.  Drops of blood rained down on the party.  Proving his allegiance to the party the newcomer fired a magic missile into the floating wizard.  In fear of total destruction he took off towards the ruins.


Orange Handkerchiefs for everyone!!!

Splatterday Night Fever

     The group made their way back through the field where they had encountered the dire bears.  As they passed through the tall grass to the opposite side of the field they were met with a subtle hill leading up to crumbling multi-storied building.  At the top of the hill Nera and Pas noticed a line of figures holding steady. 
     Groth, Nera and Raddick assemble themselves at the base of the hill with Pas, Arin and Fox flanking.  From atop the hill came battle cries and the rattling of steel.  A goblin warchief sitting atop a dire wolverine and a small army of goblins charged down the hill.  Nera hissed and leapt forward, stopping short of Groth's tree trunk arm.
     "We wait," he bellowed.  His chest expanded with a deep breath.  The group stood at the base of the hill, all eyes trained on the wave of attackers.
     The Goblins crash into the group.  Arin takes a few steps back and readies his weapon.  His grip falters and the weapon buries into the leather of his boot and deep into his foot. 
     "AHHHH you Bastard!" He howled.  Doubling over in pain he removes the point from his foot.  Groth, Nera and Raddick close in to form a wall protecting Arin. 

     Groth's nostrils flared and a pounding pulsed through his skull.  His muscles tensed as he twitched into convulsions.  He braced both hands on the hilt of his sword.  The beat in his brain intensified.  He could no longer hear the sounds of battle or comrades.  His vision blurred to small pinpoints of light.  All of this enraged the half ogre.  His mouth opened wide with angry excitement.  Nera and Raddick exchanged glances.  Was this the moment they had feared?  Would this wild animal finally snap and destroy them all?  They both took half a step back as Groth raised his sword in a wide arc nearly missing their heads. 
     He brought it down with great force.  Neither of them knew which creature he attacked because all that remained was a mist of gore that dotted their faces.  He lurched forward swinging again and again dispatching two more goblins with ease.  A tornado of body parts, blood and bile sprayed out in all directions.  He rested the dripping blade on over his shoulder looking left then right. 
     Raddick saw a chance to safely enter battle and acted upon it.  He stepped into a crowd of goblins, swinging his blade, he dealt death to two.  The wolverine raced upon him attacking and blocking him off from Groth.  Nera stepped up beside Raddick and quickly went to work.
     With his temperature rising Groth yelled out to his comrades, "I'm HOT!"  He moved forward and spotted another goblin in the small pinpoints that he could now call his vision.  The thumping tempo rose again in his brain and he called out again, "I'm HOT FOR TEACHER!"  He cried as he cleaved through a few more goblins.  Slinging gore and screaming he turned his fury on the wolverine, burying his blade deep into it's hind quarters. 
     Nera was not so sure who the teacher was but the battle cry had unlocked her blood lust.  She let loose and dispatched a goblin then turned her weapon on the creature and the war chief.  Arin regained his footing, hobbled forward and cracked his whip; silencing a screaming goblin. 
     In a final burst of fury Groth pulled his great broadsword through a grouping of goblins.  Raising it high in the air he brought it down on the back of the wolverine's neck with a thundering snap.  It slumped to the ground leaving the rider strapped to a motionless pile of meat.  Groth smiled and laid his blade on the creature's forehead.






David Lee Groth is born...