Five Leagues From The Shadowdeep – Turn 0
Once more into the fray, my friends!
My recent attempt at starting a Rangers of Shadowdeep campaign faltered because I was frustrated with how 'swingy' the RoSD rules are, especially since I discovered Nordic Weasel Games. Their 5 Parsecs From Home and 5 Leagues From The Borderlands games are top-notch games, and I find that they are more fun to play.
But, I do want to play through the Rangers of Shadowdeep storyline. And I think I can do that using the 5 Leagues rules.
The main difference will be that, unlike with standard Rangers of Shadowdeep, my adventuring team will not be Rangers - they will be adventurers traveling the lands, dealing with the the other threats in the area, and taking Contracts to help out the Rangers and play through the scenarios.
My recent attempt at starting a Rangers of Shadowdeep campaign faltered because I was frustrated with how 'swingy' the RoSD rules are, especially since I discovered Nordic Weasel Games. Their 5 Parsecs From Home and 5 Leagues From The Borderlands games are top-notch games, and I find that they are more fun to play.
But, I do want to play through the Rangers of Shadowdeep storyline. And I think I can do that using the 5 Leagues rules.
The main difference will be that, unlike with standard Rangers of Shadowdeep, my adventuring team will not be Rangers - they will be adventurers traveling the lands, dealing with the the other threats in the area, and taking Contracts to help out the Rangers and play through the scenarios.
The dreams continued to occur. And in the end, Serrol and his friends ended up dead, victims of the Shadowdeep, or of the frozen horrors of Felstad.
"I'm telling you, Serrol", Carovnik said, "You're having the dreams because of what you saw when you were fleeing Lorenthia. We can't imagine the horrors you faced. And we understand why you don't want to be a Ranger. But why are we heading closer to the Shadowdeep, instead of going far, far away?"
"Well, you see.... There are still good people there. And with the Rangers facing the evils of the Shadowdeep, the people need help. They need protection, from threats both within and without. So I'm going to help them."
Sakalas nodded his head in agreement. "When the Shadowdeep consumed Lorenthia, my people turned away from these lands, and the Unseelie Ice-Heart Court now rules the elven lands. Without someone to push back, the cold will continue to blow, until the people are caught between Winter's grasp and the Shadow."
Hildr sat by the fire, her dog Skitter gnawing on a haunch of meat. "Lorenthia wasn't the only land consumed by the Shadowdeep. This world has known horror after horror, and the villagers bear the brunt of it. So if we can help them, I'm all in."
The next morning, the group continued their trek north.
"I'm telling you, Serrol", Carovnik said, "You're having the dreams because of what you saw when you were fleeing Lorenthia. We can't imagine the horrors you faced. And we understand why you don't want to be a Ranger. But why are we heading closer to the Shadowdeep, instead of going far, far away?"
"Well, you see.... There are still good people there. And with the Rangers facing the evils of the Shadowdeep, the people need help. They need protection, from threats both within and without. So I'm going to help them."
Sakalas nodded his head in agreement. "When the Shadowdeep consumed Lorenthia, my people turned away from these lands, and the Unseelie Ice-Heart Court now rules the elven lands. Without someone to push back, the cold will continue to blow, until the people are caught between Winter's grasp and the Shadow."
Hildr sat by the fire, her dog Skitter gnawing on a haunch of meat. "Lorenthia wasn't the only land consumed by the Shadowdeep. This world has known horror after horror, and the villagers bear the brunt of it. So if we can help them, I'm all in."
The next morning, the group continued their trek north.
They were headed for the village of Earav, skirting the Elfwood when they heart the unmistakable howling of a Gnoll Pack. The group continued cautiously, until they found an old abandoned village, a few buildings overgrown with trees and brush. Just beyond, the group could hear the Gnolls, and by the arrows that flew their way, they knew the Gnolls saw them.
Sakalas stood back, his longbow able to reach out beyond their range, and began to fire. Serrol and the rest of his team moved forward.
Serrol and Sakalas fired; Serrol's shot hit one Gnoll, but did not slow the Gnoll down. Carov wove a spell over Serrol to aid him in combat.
Serrol continued to advance and fire his bow, quickly running out of arrows. Hildr and Skitter were working on flanking the Gnolls, charging ahead at full speed.
One of the Gnoll archers' arrows found its home in their guide, the Forester Emmon, who screamed and fell to the ground.
Carov wove another enchantment, summoning a cloud of fog to hide their advance, buying them time to get in melee range, while several Gnolls found Hildr and attacked. With a gutteral battle cry, she cut one Gnoll down and forces two others to step back.
Carov wove another enchantment, summoning a cloud of fog to hide their advance, buying them time to get in melee range, while several Gnolls found Hildr and attacked. With a gutteral battle cry, she cut one Gnoll down and forces two others to step back.
One of Sakalas' arrows hit its mark - one of the Gnoll archers, clearly distracted by Hildr's proximity, accidentally left cover. It was his last mistake.
Another arrow flew true, dropping a second Gnoll.
At the same time, Serrol was moving to engage another group of Gnolls. Their second archer fired a shot at Serrol, shaking him up, while one of their leaders leapt into combat with him. This Gnoll's attacks would have proven deadly to most humans it faced, but Serrol parried the attacks. Another attacked Carov, but Carov was not just a sorcerer, as his sword struck true, killing the Gnoll.
Sakalas' archery killed another Gnoll, but their last remaining archer fired a shot at Serrol, and it struck true, sending Serrol to the ground, bleeding heavily.
Carov began to retreat as quickly as he could. With Serrol down, he felt his only safety was to join back up with Sakalas and Hildr.
The combatants continued to exchange blows; Sakalas' fine archery killing one of the Gnoll leaders. As the group continued to fight, the Gnoll archer that took out Serrol shot Skitter, who fell to the ground with a yelp and a whine.
That was enough. Hildr charged up to the Gnoll archer - the last Gnoll standing, and with a mighty shout, killed the Gnoll.
Sakalas, Carov and Hildr went around and saw to Serrol, Emmon and Skitter. All three would recover fully.
After catching their breath, they silently continued their hike towards the village of Earav, and its great Monastery.
