ACKS Session Report: September 29
Swords Swords everywhere and not a one to swing
One player down, the two remaining players chose to play some backup characters. Put the living expenses to the test for the main crew. The backup crew turned decided to run a short way up to a no named hamlet and find the source of all the swords in the river. A good time was had by all.
Dramatis Personae:
Diane - Warlock Level 1
Aurora - Custom Nobrian Level 1
Session
The evening was hot and sticky in the slums of Rook’s Ward. Diane plied a meager trade selling minor protection and curse charms. Such idols such as a small carved wood disk that claimed to bring “good luck” which in actuality would cause the bearer to stub their toe at an increased rate. Her owl familiar, Maximus, ruffled his slightly damp feathers as a striking individual approached. This was clearly a Nobrian woman, large feathery wings draped uselessly like a shawl around the woman’s shoulders, and her voice echoed slightly with a celestial note. Diane hated the stranger immediately. But the stranger seemed not to notice. A brief exchange in which Diane was made aware that this Nobrian was making her look like an informant. She made herself scarce, slinking away in the Bitter Apple. The Nobrian followed, apparently determined to recruit the Warlock into service. Some fool idea that they were going to hunt a vampire who had slain a glass merchant a few days west. A drinking contest was held in which the Nobrian was forced to drink a disgusting oily beverage, which she immediately vomited out. Their relation soured, Aurora turned to leave only to be accosted by street punks. These were easily put down, and the bartender having seen enough, kicked them both out. Their relationship thus settled, they rented a room at the nicest Inn in town.
Early the next morning, they made their way up to a small hamlet. They had both heard rumors about the river there being choked with swords. Following the river, they found a caved in hill, looking like a gaping mouth with teeth made of all sorts of eccentric swords. The entered, choosing not to like a torch, and walked down a short tunnel. Miraculously, they avoided getting sliced up by the metal in the dark flooded passage. They reached an open room, and heard an awful screaming and clanging ahead. Lighting a torch, they were stunned by a disgusting group of half man, half duck creatures. There were four, sparing with each other and screaming. These immediately rushed the duo, though after the leader was killed the remaining fled. One more was struck down, but the rest escaped. The Warlock then spied a large gem in the head of the massive statue in the room, which the Nobrian retrieved. They also retrieved two faintly glowing swords marked with a II and a IX. They continued to the west and found a room flooded to their chest and filled with large oyster beds. The water was extremely clear, and the warlock spotted a giant octopus wielding a sword skulking along the south wall. They retreated immediately and thew rocks, attempting to frighten it away. They succeeded in forcing it to cloud the water with ink. The least and explored westward instead. They found a latrine room with an ominous note scrawled in brown over a crumbling wall. Knocking it down, they found what was clearly a vampire, though weak and already impaled with another glowing sword, this one labeled VIII. The Nobrian parleyed with the villain, but ultimately decided to stake and behead the foul thing with one of the previously acquired swords. They moved on, and were ambushed by another gang of the duck men. These 6 proved even weaker than the last and were all slain. They continued north and found the body of a man with a mitre, impaled by a spear. The Warlock removed it, disturbing the remains and causing them to rise up again. This fell thing wielded a sword, and the Warlock found that the spear made her desire to put down the thing because it wielded a sword. She became to attack with a flurry of blows, barely noticing when the thing clawed her as it fell. To the north again, though slightly shaken, they met with a pile of discarded swords in a pit, from which issued some metal men. These beings begged for death, though a regular steel sword simply stuck to them. Thankfully, some of the more esoteric swords they had seen proved effective. Here the Nobrian acquire blade VI. They then went east and entered into a giant forge room. A bounding figure came out and greeted them, introducing himself as Gladio. He congratulated them on making it this far, before casting a Quest on the the Nobrian. Demanding that she kill nine people with swords in the next nine days or perish. They retreated from the place.
Upon returning to town, they slept. The next day, Diane rested while Aurora went to the stomping ground of a known horse thief, and killed him and a few of his goons. Then, realizing that this act of public service might not be viewed the same way by city officials, she retreated to the Abbey of Father Michelle and begged to have the Quest removed. He agreed for a sum of gold, and Aurora was free of her hideous task.
This covered September 29 - October 1 in campaign time.
Eccentric swords recovered
Human teeth sword
Reverse sword
Wooden torch sword
Mirror sword
Hairy human skin sword
Magnet sword
Fishing rod sword
Bomd sword
Housekeeping
This report is obviously very late. We missed a session last week due to me being required to renovate a house in order to get it ready for market. I worked 7 14 hour does in a row, 8 at my normal job and 6 on the house. In that I missed the publishing date on this. In cases like this, I do not punish the players for missed campaign time. We will pick up this week on October second in game and then play until we are current again. It will be up to them to decide which characters go on the next adventure, if any become henchmen and which will have to eat the living expenses to catch up to the week after this. I don’t forsee any missed sessions in the near future, at least on my end. So for now,
Sail On!
-ShockTohp