Adventure 7 - (Interlude) A Changing Wind

The Protectors of Creek City, as they were known by the residents of the frontier town, stayed and lived amongst the locals for a few weeks following the capture and arrest of Burgomaster Graves. During that time, war broke out between the colonies and the native peoples whose presence had finally be revealed. While the Sandorians began to assemble their military, the natives (named "Poquoi" by Graves during his interrogation by the Axemen of Torqua) attacked without respite or mercy, attacking settlements, stagecoaches, and wagon trains indiscriminantly. Often, mutilated corpses were left behind to belie the savagry of the attack.

The group learned that Lord Commander Jannot Whitney, an old campaigner from the Old Country who had chosen to emigrate to the colonies, would command the defending forces. Taking up a command post in Fort Farholde of the frontier, Whitney send a summons to "The Creek City Protectors", calling for their aid in the name of their King.

The group obeyed the summons, although without excess enthusiasm.

Taking a half-dozen young men from Creek City who were enlisting in the militia, the group were driven by Rusty Tannerson north along the frontier to Norrisberg, and onwards to Pottersfield, then to Fort Farholde. En route, they came across a ruined wagon train, razed and burned, with corpses strewn afield.

Neelan and Pennyworth scouted the surroundings, while the rest of the group checked for survivors. One man, badly wounded, remained alive. When Neelan attempted to heal him, however, he let out a piercing scream of pain and anguish. He was beyond recovery, and the group ended his misery as mercifully as they could.

The sound alerted the Poquoi raiding party that had just left the scene, however, and they laid ambush to the Protectors and their charges. A host of bowmen and hatcheters attacked, but the party's strength caught them off-guard and they retreated to their horses as soon as they began taking losses. They managed to escape with only two of their number slain.

The group continued on to meet with Lord Commander Whitney, who welcomed the party warmly and explained where he thought their skills would be of most use. Most of the party were disturbed by Whitney's insistence in adhering to "the rules of proper combat", because the savagery of their enemy would offer little forgiveness. Still, Whitney would not be dismayed and assigned the group to scout out a mountainous region to the west for a
staging camp of the Poquoi.

On a brief tour of the Fort's motte and bailey after their conference, Whitney was pointing out troops and formations when he cocked his head to the side and asked, "Did you just hear that?"

Experience Awards

Combat XP:
Archer: for L3 PCs, +36XP; for L4 PCs, +32XP
Hatcheteer: for L3 PCs, +36XP; for L4 PCs, +32XP
TOTAL COMBAT: for L3 PCs, +72XP; for L4 PCs, +64XP

Story XP:
None

RPing and Personal Goal awards:
None

Player Chits:
Keigan (2; +400XP), Neelan (1; +200XP); Hamish (1; +200XP), Pennyworth (1; +200XP)

TOTALS:
Hamish (L4): 7620 + 64 + 200 = 7884
John Henry (L4): 7505 + 64 = 7569
Keigan (L4): 7480 + 64 + 400 = 7944
Neelan (L4): 8405 + 64 + 200 = 8669
Robert (L3): 5490 + 72 + 200 = 5762