Westfall #7

 

Westfall #7 

A brief recap for the readers...

A small group of adventurers have been traveling together since meeting one another in the Westfall town of Marshport, located in the muddy lowlands in western Westfall, post-Cataclysm Azeroth where various forces have helped heal the scars on the land. The party consists of the following:

Rolfir Deepstone - A Dark Iron Pyromancer and Scribe who is trying to purchase property in southeast Westfall on behalf of his client.

Trajan Pennyweight - A Goblin Alchemist working on behalf of his family's banking clan to check on two different branches of the Pennyweight Coin Exchange & Holding in both Westshire and Sentinel Hill. His family has partly sponsored the trip by providing the wagon and strongbox the party is traveling with.

Westin 'Wes' McCatlain - Son of Elwynn Forest ranching clan, adventurer, travel writer, and Stranglethorn game hunter. He's on holiday from his family in Elwynn Forest and has decided to travel with the group. He is also smitten by local gunslinger, Delia Sharpe.

Delia Sharpe - Westfall local and possible former Defias member who is also a catalyst for one of the plot threads after winning a treasure map from some Defias heavies where staying at the same inn. She is quietly smitten with Wes, although she has yet to act on these feelings beyond sleeping next to him when they've shared bedroll space or inn rooms.

So far... 

The party has dealt with Defias a number of times after Delia won that map in a card game. The Defias under Captain 'Shooter' Kilmeade have attacked the party in the inn, in the swamps, and on the road. Each time losing out, and each time the Defias sub-leader escaping before he was dealt with. The party's path has taken them from Westshire to the nearby settlement of Wheatford, and now on to Jangolode Town. The ultimate goal is to get a barge at a nearby village that borders the Westfall river in order to hasten the groups travels to Sentinel Hill. Once Trajan settles up there, the party is free to pursue other tasks, such as overseeing the property that Rolfir has purchased for his client, and then pursue Delia's map. First, the party arrives at Jangolode.

Q: Is there a problem entering the city?
A: No, no modifier.
---

The party arrives at Jangolode Town, so named after the Jangolode Mine which had opened first and required a few years of candle importation and prospecting until the right vein of silver was struck and the town experienced a boom following the Cataclysm. The party takes up at another inn that is paid for by a letter of credit from the Pennyweight's with Trajan's signature at the bottom. The party studies the map that traces from Jangolode over to New Borough using the King's Highway. That was the plan since it was easiest on the cart wheels.

"We'll actually break from the road here and make our way to Fairbank for the barge," Delia traced a line, "There is a trade store that any reputable barge will off-load at that acts as the river entrance to Sentinel Hill. That area is highly patrolled and we should have seen the last of the Defias for now."

She finished her drink and added, "The real danger is getting from Jangolode over to Fairbank without running into any trouble."

"How active are the Defias this far north?" Wes asked, looking to Delia for an answer.

---

Delia gets a History (+1) check to see if she can recall anything pertinent: 17 > 15 - She has a fairly accurate picture of northern Defias activity. She knows that those loyal to Vanessa VanCleef. The True Defias as they sometimes call themselves are more active around the original Defias groudns at Moonbrook and the Deadmines. Sons of VanCleef, the scalawags, are more active in the north.

---

"Active, but not as organized as the True Defias are," Delia said, "I had dealings with them when I rode up from the south. Ever since the leadership of the Brotherhood was splintered they have been little more than bandits and scoundrels who like to play dress up."

"Kilmeade rode north," Trajan pointed out, "Scoundrels or not, he'll be looking to pay us back for what we've done."

"This time we won't let him slip from our hands," Delia said softly, "That right, Wes?"

Wes was drinking his pint when he heard Delia call to him. He swallowed and nodded slowly, "First one we take out in a fight. Agreed?"

The others agreed as Kilmeade never sold himself as being a reasonable man. It was either him or the members of the party.

---

Q: Is the stay in town uneventful?
A: No, but the party is not caught by surprise.

Although Delia has dismissed the party's concerns that the northern Defias were little more than thugs, it appeared that the party passing into the north had not gone unnoticed. Captain Shooter Kilmeade has put the word out about to both his men and other thugs looking to hone a rep or get paid that a party of adventurers would be passing through. He wanted them harmed and an item that Delia was carrying removed and brought to the Captain intact. A group of brutes were watching from a nearby table, gulping down ale as they watched the group and Rolfir stand from the table and announce that he needed to use the restroom.

---

Rolfir is stalked by a hired Rogue named Lamar. The Dwarf enters first, but given the Oracle we received first, his paranoid state allows him to detect that there is movement shadowing him, even if he doesn't immediately detect Lamar. Rolfir's guard is up. Rolfir enters the bathroom and steps around the decorative fountain to to use the urinal in one corner.

Rolfir Perception: Natural 20 - Immediately detects Lamar over his shoulder and sees the sap that the Rogue is carrying.

Q: Is Lamar alone?
A: No, but the two other thugs he's traveling with are waiting outside to keep people away from the door.

Surprise Round 

Rolfir Casts Mage Armor (3/4 Remaining) - AC: 14 / Arcane Ward: 10

---

Round #1 - Initiative
Rolfir: 15
Lamar: 22

Lamar realizes he has been spotted, right down the sap that he has in hand. Lamar calls out for his aides before charging at Rolfir and swinging his Sap down to catch the dwarf. Attk: 8 - Miss

Rolfir takes a step back and attacks with Firebolt. Attk: 9 - Miss

At the end of the round, two thugs working with Lamar storm into the bathroom to find the Dark Iron and Human going at it.

Q: Do the other party members hear the commotion?
A: Yes, no modifier.
---

"Deal with the Dwarf and make it fast! We've got to get out of this place before the Watch comes," Lamar said as he glared at the Dwarf menacingly.

Round #2

Lamar: 22

Party: 19
Rolfir: 15
Thugs: 10

Lamar drops his sap and draws his shortsword, stepping in range and attacking Rolfir. Attk: Natural 1 - Rolfir dodges and the weapon gets stuck in one of the frames of the toilet stalls.

Wes is the first to notice a ruckus occurring, but knows that Delia is the one carrying close range pistols. He points in the general direction and looks to Delia, who nods and slips away from the table.

Rolfir shifts to get the three men in range and holds out his palm to cast Burning Hands.

Targets make a Saving Throw vs. Dex (14)

Saves
Lamar: 9 - Failure
Thug #1: 11 - Failure
Thug #2: 18 - Success

Damage (1/2 on success): 4
Lamar HP: 23/27
Thug #1 HP: 7/11
Thug #2 HP: 7/11

Thug #1 charges at Rolfir and attacks with sword. Attk: 10 - Miss
Thug #2 holds back and watches as Lamar and the other Thug crowds the Dwarf. He is debating about fleeing from the scene.

Round #3

Lamar
Party
Rolfir
Thugs

Lamar switches to his dagger and attacks twice: 14 / 10 - Hit/Miss. D: 5. Rolfir HP: 44/44 / Ward: 5/10

Delia kicks the door in and does a quick look around, spotting two thugs, Lamar, and Rolfir being backed into the corner of the stall. One of the thugs turns on her and she draws her pistol. Attk: 17 - Hit. D: 13. Thug #2 HP: 0/11 - Slain

 

Following after Delia is Gerald Chartroom. The Worgen is a few steps behind and ignoring the commotion in the tavern while she is kicking the door in.

Rolfir attacks Lamar with a Firebolt. Attk: 16 - Hit. D: 8. Lamar HP: 15/27

Thug #1 turns and sees both Delia and Gerald advancing on the room and Rolfir having been hurt yet and surrenders by dropping his weapon.

---

 

"This doesn't have to be to the death," Delia said with a second pistol in her hand, "Who put you up to this?"

The Thug looked to Lamar before looking back to Delia, Gerald, and eventually Wes and Trajan as they came up from their table to the bathroom. The man pointed to Lamar and said, "He hired us to attack all of you. Said we were to grab the Dwarf and use him to exchange for your map."

"Damn your tongue, fool," Lamar said, "A member of the Defias approached a few of us about finding your party and waylaying you. Said you were carrying something valuable and that he'd pay us for it."

"Who is 'us'?" Trajan asked.

"We call ourselves 'Copperheads.' We work out of an abandoned section of the mine that was left to the kobolds," Lamar said.
---

The party lets Lamar and the second thug leave with a warning that they will receive no quarter if they go against the party again. Trajan sighs as he signs off on the trouble and damages that were caused by the fight. Really, the cost should have fallen upon the Copperheads, but the party needed a rest before going out into the field. Now it was a question on whether or not they needed to deal with the gang.

 

Trajan decides to ask the bartender about this mine, try to get a bead on the location. Trajan Persuasion: 19 - Medium+ Success

 

Q: Does the Bartender know this mine?
A: No, no modifier

Trajan's efforts were successful, and the bartender would like to help, but the man at the counter is not aware of which mine is being used by the Copperhead. He suggests if the party wants to find a mine to look for Carney Roth, an old time prospector who has worked the Jangolode in the past.