Adventure 3 - The Wherefore and the Why

The party decided to waste no time and set off after Garrison Lyons, the dog breeder and trainer. The adventurers followed the trail from the back of the kennel, which looped through the forest, avoiding the town of Blanchard, and eventually rejoined the main road leading to Creek City. Pressing onwards through the dark, the group espied a campfire and thought they had found their prey.

Keigan assumed the role of a drunkard, covering himself in booze, while the rest of the party approached stealthily in the brush beside the road. The group at the campfire warned Keigan to continue on his way and that they were in no mood for company, but the rotund jokester took no heed to their warnings even when crossbows were levelled at his chest. The dogs noticed the other figures approaching in the woods and began to growl. The command to attack was given, and the battle was joined.

Hamish exploded from the woods in a frothing rage, and began wilding swinging his oversized sword through the ranks of the enemy. He was beset by a trio of hunting dogs immediately, as well as a couple of the warriors. Keigan, out in the open and attracting much attention, was also the victim of some savage hounds. Neelan, Abel, and John Henry all joined the fray with their individual fighting styles, and most of the enemy group were quickly dispatched. Two men managed to escape into the darkness in opposite directions before the party could prevent their escape.

Hamish searched the fallen foes and found a note in one of the men's pockets which read...

At dawn, while Keigan snored merrily, Neelan and Hamish tried to follow the tracks of one of the escapees. The trail seemed to lead through the brush and onto the main road back to Creek City. Returning to their companions, the group fashioned a makeshift litter and brought the four bodies back to Blanchard, a few hours to the north.

Quickly they noticed that Yul was no longer in the stocks. A quick inquiry revealed that he was being cared for by the preacher of Blanchard, Father Lucas. Lucas, while congenial, seemed concerned for Yul's welfare and insisted on accompanying the party to Creek City to keep an eye on Yul. He also identified three of the four bodies from the battle: Garrison Lyons, and his brothers, Hardy and Fado. The group, now wondering about the mysterious signature "P", headed to Creek City uneventfully.

The group headed first to Watch Captain Ducal's office to report their progress, which was interrupted by Yul's desperate accusations of brutality. Ducal seemed livid that torture would be used by officially deputized watch officers, but the tense situation was defused by Burgomaster Richard Graves who complimented the men of the party on their efficiency and directness. He offered to throw a celebration that evening in the heroes' honour for saving the Harris farm, while leaving further investigation of the motives to Watch Officer Ducal. Ducal seemed displeased at Graves' interference.

Abel and John Henry took a quick visit to Father Samuel of Creek City, who had been suffering from some sort of wasting disease for weeks. He was pale and gaunt, obviously suffering. Keigan and Hamish headed to the tavern, where they conversed amongst themselves about the evils of the world and heard a rumor about a new type of ore discovered in the Black Hills mines to the east of town, a subject of much excitement for the past day. Neelan made some inquiries about the land grants, learning that every few months a land race for prearranged plots was organized: the quickest family to ride to and stake a claim won the plot. Eventually, the party met once more at the Burgomaster's estate.

At the affair, the party heard more about how the townsfolk were worried that the stagecoach that had been razed to the ground might well have been the work of a new band of murderous highwaymen (a severe problem, as the coaches are the lifeline between the frontier town and "civilization"). They also heard that the Church had sponsored a ship to come to the new world bearing a travelling reliquary containing the bones and hair of St. Augustine, and would be visiting most communities in the New World for the sake of Torqua's pious followers. A few new families were being frightened by the legend of the lost colony, which was a new story to most of the party. John Henry, having lived in Sandorton for 5 years, related the details to his comrades.

Their casual conversation with Graves was cut short when a watch officer burst in and began furiously reporting some event to the burgomaster. Graves took the party aside and related that a panicked miner had arrived and claimed that "giants" had descended upon the mine and barricaded it, killing or driving away everyone on the site. Graves seemed doubtful, but asked the group to investigate and resolve the matter immediately, sanctioning the use of "all necessary force", be the problem caused by man or beast.

The party set out immediately for the mines.