Adventure 5 - Perilous Estate of Affairs

After some time deliberating their course of action, the group of frontier heroes decided to investigate the destroyed stagecoach. While the giants represented a real threat to Creek City and environs, there was no evidence that more of the creatures were either in the area or approaching. Murderous highwaymen (if, indeed, they were the cause) seemed a more dire threat. Neelan was especially affronted by the dishonour of the stagecoach massacre.

In the morning, John Henry met Watch Captain Ducal at the Watch House in Creek City and plied him with a series of questions, to learn more about the stagecoach incident. The coach had been en route to Lugton on the road from the northeast, but didn't arrive on schedule. Tayzen Laster, a grizzled hunter from the frontier and father of bride-to-be Gina Laster, headed out to meet his future son-in-law. Tayzen found the charred remains of the stagecoach, burned to ash and cinder. Four bodies were found in the wreckage, and a fifth against a tree some short distance from the others. The stagecoach was not known to carry any special cargo or passengers - just a rudimentary trip, ferrying people, mail, and personal effects around the New World.

Tayzen returned to inform the watch officer present in Lugton, Karel O'Neill, of the tragedy. Karel investigated the site with some citizens of Lugton, and then brought the remains back to the town to be properly buried. Runners were sent to Blanchard and Creek City with news.

While John Henry was plying Ducal for information, Keigan was working his charms on the locals of Creek City, asking about the recent troubles afflicting the Harris family. Most of his converse was mundane and common knowledge, save for one story he learned from a wizened old woman in the church of Torqua. She told him that, 50 years back or thereabouts, she recalled a young Harris lad spurning his bride at the altar. In her estimation, mocking Torqua in his own temple was a grevious sin, and "as ye sow, so shall ye reap".

The group met at the local tavern, the Red Lamp Saloon, where Patrick Harris agreed to meet them. He offered them some coin from his savings, plus five of the best mounts from his horse ranch outside Lugton if they would investigate his family's tragedy. They agreed, and Patrick set out for Lugton in their company. The trip was uneventful.

The story of the stagecoach was confirmed by Watch Officer Karel in Lugton, who was busy canvassing the town, trying to identify the passengers on the coach. The driver was known to be Jack "Apple Jack" O'Leary, and Karel believed both Harriet Downs and Simon Harrow were possible passengers. Patrick Harris returned from his farm with five excellent horses, any of which would fetch a fine price if sold. Neelan and John Henry headed out to the site of the attack, while Keigan began rumourmongering in the local watering hole.

Hammish was struck by a flux in the bowels, and retired to the village inn where he secured lodgings and repeated use of a privy.

The investigation took an unexpected turn when Neelan heard rustling in some bushes near the site. A well-placed arrow, thrumming in a nearby tree trunk, brought Tayzen Laster out of hiding. The old hunter had tracked hoofprints leading away from the site of the attack: they headed northwest, avoiding the town, and ended at some large lakeside estate north of Lugton. He claimed to have snuck into the stables and seen a large number of horses, including two with crown brands (used by the stagecoaches).

Neelan returned to town to fetch Keigan, but Tayzen called him a fool. Tayzen himself was returning for help, but he was intent on collecting more than one man. In times like these, the frontier uses a posse.

Keigan rallied a dozen or so well-bodied citizens of the community, and, along with Karel, headed back to the site of the attack. Tayzen began following the tracks once more, leading the posse towards the estate as evening turned to dusk.

Karel commented that the only estate he knew of north of Lugton belonged to Cuthbert Lyons.

"Lyons, Lyons," mused John Henry, "I know that name. Wait. Garrison Lyons. The guy with the dogs, wasn't it?"

"Oh, aye," replied Karel. "Cuthbert's his father."

John Henry blinked twice, and remarked "Oh, shit," to no one in particular.

Neelan aided Tayzen in his tracking, and also mentioned that Cuthbert might not be trustworthy, considering his son was using trained hounds on a Harris ranch southwest of Creek City. Tayzen seemed intent on tracking down the men responsible for the stagecoach massacre, saying "I lost a son-in-law in that fire."

Night was well passing by the time the group arrive at the edge of the ungated estate. A stable and privy stood as outbuildlings, while the manor proper stood two stories tall and lit in various windows. Karel, unflinching in his resolve to give Old Man Lyons the benefit of the doubt, was worried that the perpetrators of the massacre might have the family hostage. Neelan and Abel volunteered to scout around the house.

At the front, one window revealed an empty but well-appointed sitting room. At the rear, Neelan was able to catch a glimpse of at least a dozen rough and armed men carousing in a dining hall. He was briefly spotted by one, but his Muzamil instincts and quick thinking helped him escape.

Forced to enter the estate and protect (or confront) Lyons, Karel insisted upon knocking on the front door. Keigan took some volunteers to guard the rear entrance, a few more posse members guarded the side door to the privy, and Karel with his men approached the front. Neelan and Abel slipped into the sitting room through the open window.

At the sound of Karel's knocking, the men in the dining hall sprung into action and fled the room. Some barrelled out the back door, and some out the privy door, apparently to circle the house and beset the arrival. The presence of the posse at both exits turned their plan somewhat askew. From his vantage point in the sitting room, Neelan could also see the rough men forming a 'welcoming committee' in the entrance hall.

As soon as combat was visible from the front of the house, Tazyen blew his hunting horn, and then quietly snuck inside through an opened window, away from the various combats.

Keigan used his overwhelming battle presence to cause one soldier to freeze, drop his weapon, and retreat in fear. Between him and his fellows, their enemies were either slain or routed back into the house within a minute. Keigan barrelled through the door, past the dining room, and into the entrance hall.

Neelan, meanwhile, danced into the front hall with a Windrunner's grace, and, tumbling and turning, proceeded to play merry havoc with the half-dozen guards within. They threatened to pin him down, but he evaded their blows and retreated through the sitting room and into an adjacent hallway with two vicious men in hot pursuit. Abel demonstrated his martial skill by leaping out the side door and assisting the posse members near the privy.

John Henry, at the front on the manor with Karel, burst through the front doors like a (heavyset) avenging angel. All arms turned on him, but his self-made suit of mail turned aside most of their blows. He laughed merrily at his enemies vain attempts to breach his armour, while methodically attacking each opponent in his own time, protecting Karel and the other posse members.

A older figure, arrayed for battle, stood on the grand entrance stairs, and Tayzen approached him to do battle. John Henry called out to the man, confirming it was Cuthbert Lyons, and Keigan attempted to subdue him. Tayzan attacked relentlessly, refusing to use the flat of his blade and drawing blood when he made contact. Cuthbert retreated up the stairs with Keigan hot on his heels.

With so many of their number fallen, the soldiers began to throw down arms and plead for mercy.

Keigan followed the sound of Cuthbert's flight, which included a muffled 'thud'. The big man turned right, into what appeared to be an empty bedroom. A quick search revealed nothing, no hiding spot for Cuthbert. Moments later, however, Karel noticed Cuthbert's leap from the second-story window, and held the prone man at sword-point, telling him that he was bound by law, and ordered to submit.

A somewhat more substantial 'thud' saw Keigan leap from the same window, grab Cuthbert's ankle, and yelled, "I got him!".

Ultimately, three members of the citizens of Lugton had lost their lives in the battle, while more than three-quarters of the attackers - there had been at least a score - had been cut down.

As the grounds were searched in the wee hours of the morning, two unmarked graves were found near the back of the estate property, just past the tree line. Mundane coorespondence was found from Cuthbert to various family members, signed 'Paternosh', a family nickname for the patriarch meaning 'father of all'.

Also, a document was found in Cuthbert's study, reading thus:

Experience Awards

Combat XP:
Mercenaries at the Lyons Estates: 500XP apiece

RPing and Personal Goal awards:
John Henry (3; +450XP), Keigan (3; +450XP), Neelan (3; +450XP)

Player Chits:
Neelan (1.5; +225XP), John Henry (1.5; +225XP)

TOTALS:
Abel: 4340 + 500 = 4840XP
Hammish: 4930 + 500 = 5430XP
John Henry: 4140 + 500 + 450 + 225 = 5315XP
Keigan: 4140 + 500 + 450 = 5090XP
Neelan: 4240 + 500 + 450 + 255 = 5415XP