accomplishedCHARACTERS:
Sahauviia the Green (Kathy) - Atlantean Sorceress
Koomara Hadansi (Angela) - Galacean Scavenger
Orgaskemisqak (DavidM) - Lemurian Craftsman
Melucene Palleremos (Ellie) - Hesperian Priestess-in-Training
Vaino the One-Eyed (Mark) - Cimmerian Adventurer
3rd Ululu, Year 506 Meta Kataklysmos (M.K.)
...who instinctively start to move back, though several of the player Heroes are ready with weapons. Sahauviia the Green casts a couple of spells of protection as the Heroes back off, slowly. Melucene Palleremos asks what the creature is, and Sahauviia explains that it is an ice troll, and that this one has the ability to manipulate the weather in the hills and mountains. Orgaskemisqak the Metalworker and Vaino the One-Eyed attack the creature, their initial forays not doing much damage to the creature. Koomara Hadansi and Melucene move in on the creature, but both are wary of it and their attacks render no damage. Only Sahauviia's protective spell prevents Melucene from being serious injured, and the Hesperian backs off. With tremendous effort [and a few Hero Points], Orga and Vaino are able to drive the ice troll off, though neither comes away unscathed.
With the snowstorm now showing no signs of abating, the player Heroes continue on blindly, Vaino barely leading the Heroes to shelter in a cavern, where they take refuge for a couple of days. With Orga and Vaino having hunted for some game, the player Heroes emerge from the somewhat too cozy cave on the afternoon of the 5th of Ululu to find that the weather has warmed up somewhat. The Heroes decide to shelter one more night in the cave, before setting off the next morning.
The player Heroes emerge the next morning after eating a hardy meal of deer. With Vaino leading the way and Sahauviia and the others offering advice at times, the Heroes make their way through the sloping hills cautiously, and arrive at a steep slope, at the bottom of which can be seen the Icedale River and the community of Iceford nestled in the valley. The sharp-eyed Koomara makes out people going about their business, but there are also signs the town has come under attack, and several fires burn seemingly out of control. Looking around, Koomara finds the small road that leads down into the valley, and the Heroes traverse it with little difficulty.
Crossing the (icy) bridge across the river, the player Heroes make their way to Iceford, but are met by a small militia armed with spears and swords who are suspicious of the Heroes. Sahauviia and Melucene convince the men, led by Koolten Darash, that they mean the villagers no harm, and Koolten leads the five Heroes into Iceford proper, and guides them to the Frozen Seal Inn. With a hardy meal under their belts and their bones warmed by the fireplace, the Heroes finally feel somewhat comfortable once more. Melucene is finally able to treat Orga's wounds suffered at the claws and bite of the ice troll properly, though she tells the others that she is running out of certain medicinal herbs and other items.
The player Heroes listen to the talk in the common room of the inn, and learn that the town has been menaced of late by ice trolls, but there is a more sinister, more intelligent force at work as well. The trolls appear to be organised, and executing some sort of plan that has made it impossible for foodstuffs and other supplies to get in or out of Iceford. By questioning the inn's patrons, the Heroes learn a bit more about matters, but Melucene advises the player Heroes to rest and recuperate for the night. Which they do, but not before a bit of carousing as well. :)
Come morning, Koomara and Vaino wake in the same bed, and both agree not to discuss their liasion with the other Heroes, and then the five player characters meet for breakfast in the common room. They agree to a plan of action, and the Heroes set out on their appointed rounds. Melucene and Sahauviia go in search of a local apothecary, and discover that it is a young Hesperian woman named Abelia. She is able to purchase several of the medicinal materiels that she needs at a reasonable price, and she and Sahauviia learn of several attacks on the townsfolks by the ice trolls and some bandits. Abelia laments the fact that she's not received several of her expected shipments, and is worried for the town's safety.
Koomara and Orga pay a visit to the local mayor, Jagred Felishan, and learn very little, though the mayor seems suspiciously comfortable with matters and doesn't see a need to panic. While he admits that there is "trouble" in Iceford, his people aren't suffering as yet though business is somewhat "slow". Leaving the mayor's building, Koomara tells Orga that she thinks the mayor is involved. As they return to the Frozen Seal, the two are attacked by a group of seeming thugs, wielding knives, spears, and short swords.
Vaino seeks out Koolten Darash, and finds the militia man willing to help the player Heroes as best he can; his own people are stymied at every turn in their attempts to get to the root of the problems in Iceford, and he welcomes the Heroes' arrival in Iceford. As they talk, one of the other militia men, Chaza, rushes in, and tells Koolten that raiders are attacking the town from the direction of the river bridge. Koolten prepares to head out to fight them off, and Vaino says that he will lend his Cimmerian axe to the efforts. They head out.
Melucene and Sahauviia return to the inn, and leave their newly acquired supplies, and deciding to search for their companions, learn of a skirmish going on with two of the player Heroes involved. Rushing to seek out the matter, they arrive on the scene to see Koomara and Orga under attack, their foes much more skilled than is first evident. Sahauviia's spells and Melucene's staff skills turn the tide slightly in favour of the Heroes, and Orga and Koomara are able to take down the last of their opponents. Orga questions the sole survivor, Plaxo, using his warhammer as a mtivating force, and learns that they were sent by the mayor, Jagred Felishan, to eliminate the Heroes, but it's too late...there's another attack ongoing as well.
Elsewhere, Vaino the One-Eyed, Koolten Darash, and his men emerge from Iceford's walled defenses to find that they are severely outnumbered, as the town is about to be attacked by a large number of bandits - and two ice trolls! Vaino says he will get help, as Koolten leads the seemingly doomed militia against their foes. As he rushes back to the town, he is met by Sahauviia, the wounded Orga, Koomara, and Melucene and tells them what is happening. Vaino leads the charging player Heroes back to the town walls, where they see the attack being led by the ice troll - and a blue-hooded figure that Sahauviia eyes suspiciously. She shouts a warning to Orga, who dodges aside in time, as a bolt of blue fire erupts from the hands of the blue-
hooded figure, nearly striking him. With Vaino shouting a war-cry, the player Heroes charge straight into the melee, as Sahauviia unleashes a green bolt of force!
Friday night's session of Atlantis: The Second Age was a pretty good one as far as I was concerned, having a little bit of everything, with the players pursuing various goals, engaging in combat, having some good roleplaying moments (notably between Angela and Mark), and starting to put two and two together. I hadn't run a session of Atlantis: The Second Age since before I left for GenCon (near the end of August), and with the other two gaming groups focusing on the Chill 3rd Edition RPG at the moment, it was fun to come back to this sword & sorcery game and gets some *RARRRH!* time in again. Lots of fun. The players thoroughly enjoyed themselves, both Kathy and Angela commenting on how much fun this game session was.
Overall, the scenario (called "Ill-Met in Iceford") is coming along very nicely, and next session looks like it's going to get off to a frenetic, in-your-face start. Can't wait! :)