The Stolen Land (Savage Worlds)

Game Master FabesMinis

"Look, if you're right, they'll be dead. If I'm right, they'll be useful. I believe you, Kari, but I just don't think it's always that simple. My family are supposed to be nobles, protecting the land for their people. A lot of them aren't any better than the vermin you're talking about with a prettier name. I want to change that and I have to start somewhere. Fred and Ginger are the first experiment."

"Varos." one of them, a man with lank dark hair grunts.

"Greffen." the other mutters.

"Varos." one of them, a man with lank dark hair grunts.

"Greffen." the other mutters.

Ardell stares at them in disbelief before turning to Pavla. "You hear that? You start giving them choices and they disobey. A lack of dicipline i say!" turning back to the bandits "You had a chance. Number 1 and Number 2 it is."

"Kari, i'm of noble birth to. At least my father is noble. I am... misplaced.. Sort of. And that son of b+&&$ left me and my mother in a circus, with a chief who abused my mother every night. If you had heard your mother scream like that every day, you would know that even amongst the greatest of titles evil exists, and even in the dirtiest of rivers diamonds can be found"

The bandits glower.

"Ardell, just call them by their damn names already or they're going to gut you in your sleep."

"Varos. Greffen."

Pavla repeats the names carefully. "I'll remember. I'm Pavla."

Can we get some supplies for the journey from Svetlana? We can forage as well, but some basics would be helpful if she can spare them.

You can indeed get supplies from the Levetons.

Pavla asks nicely for supplies, offering to pay for them, as they'll also be used for feeding ex-bandits of which Oleg and Svetlana may not approve.

She also takes Svetlana aside and asks for the loan of a cloak the bandits have seen her wearing.

Ardell get a scowl across his face, throw his hands up and stomp over to pack his horse
"Ardell do that, Ardell don't do that. Ooh Ardell that is de-humanising, you should use their real names. Bah. Like i don't know what i'm doing. Freaking bandits won't even give me their names in the first place." he mutters giving the saddle a rough pull

So, all the PCs on horses - Pavla sharing with a bandit? Someone else sharing with the other bandit? Remember, if they walk, your speed will be very much reduced. And you are not exploring yet, you are heading at your best speed to the likely location of the camp?

Svetlana looks quizzically at Pavla, "Um, yes, alright, here you are." she says, proffering a woollen cloak.

"Yes, we'll be happy to sell you anything we need."

Matrak Sen says, "I'll... stay and guard the fort. Yes. What do you mean, 'coward'?!" he adds to himself in his usual manner, "Stupid old man! Yes, you!"

Oleg starts dragging the bodies of Happs and the other bandit to hang them on the front wall.

Kari is emphatically *not* riding with a bandit. She helps Oleg move the dead bodies for hanging, though, if there is time.

Pavla will ride with Varos, which neither of them will enjoy much, I suspect.

It seems sensible to head to the camp directly and do some exploring on the way back - if we get back.

Ardell with ride with Greffen. And yes straight for the camp

Blackbow looks the bandits squarely in the eyes, "Remember, one peep outta you two, and 'Ole Betsy' takes you down first..."

Any supplies from the Levetons? They have anything on the d20 equipment list within reason. If you ask for something, I;ll check if they have it.

Any supplies from the Levetons? They have anything on the d20 equipment list within reason. If you ask for something, I;ll check if they have it.

Well, another week's worth of supplies would probably be a good start...

Agreed. Another lamp and a spare tent would be helpful as well. She's prepared to share a horse with Varos, but she's not sharing her tent.

An extra sheaf of bolts would be nice...

Agreed. Another lamp and a spare tent would be helpful as well. She's prepared to share a horse with Varos, but she's not sharing her tent.

Wouldn't it make more sense to let the bandits sleep in the open, secured, and with blankets then in a tent where no one can see them? That's how they used to do it in the old west, always have the criminal in plain sight.

It would make more sense, but if the bandits happen to find us early and spot two of their own tied up and in the open, that's something of a giveaway.

So, we need to get moving, they're expecting these 'gents' shortly...

"Time to leave, I think."

Sorry for delay, folks, Rosey and I have been working on the map.

The group heads roughly south-west, leaving the plains behind, and entering the forested land beyond. It is now early afternoon.

The day is relatively warm and sunny.

Please could you all make a Notice roll.

Notice: 1d4 ⇒ 41d6 ⇒ 3

Exploding skill die: 1d4 ⇒ 3 So, my Notice roll is 7.

Notice (untrained) 1d4 - 2 ⇒ (3) - 2 = 1
Wild die 1d6 ⇒ 1

Ardell is probably busy teaching the bandits a little dicipline...

"Would you sit still already? You are going to push us both over this damned horse" he scold Greffen

Greffen mutters something about "trying to get comfy" and "fat-arse".

1d6 ⇒ 1

MAP

Pale green is grassland. The darker green of the hex we are entering is forest. Mapping is somewhat rudimentary at present, but may improve. Note that North isn't where you'd expect.

1d6 ⇒ 6 - Notice
1d6 ⇒ 5 - Wild dice

Pavla is exceedingly alert, possibly because she has Varos squished into the saddle behind her.

"Keep your hands to yourself, or expect a visit from weasels," she mutters under her breath.

"fat-arse".

"I know you got, but you could at least try to fill less"

"So, Woody, where are we?" he ask with a smile looking at Korren.

Pavla hears an all too familiar snuffling from a clearing up ahead, as well as some high pitched snarls from another creature. The snuffling and snorting sounds like a bear.

"Bear. Up ahead."

"We can feed it one of the bandits as a distraction." Kari suggests, and her tone hints she might not be joking.

"Well - are we just going to wait for it to find us, or hide and see what it plans to do?"

"Let's just sneak around it. No need to get involved with it."

"Bears an be dangerous...be careful..." Blackbow whispers from the

Stealth for Ardell
1d6 ⇒ 1
WD 1d6 ⇒ 6

WD ace
1d6 ⇒ 5

Total: 11

Ardell sneaks up, hiding behind a bush. In the clearing he can see a large brown bear looking confused and intrigued by a large hole from a which a badger's head occasionally emerges, snarling and snapping.

"Watching the bear with his crossbow at the ready, Blackbow waves the others around... whispers to himself "Good bear...we don't want any trouble..."

Korren carefully moves around the bear.

Stealth: 1d6 ⇒ 51d6 ⇒ 4

This isn't going to go well.
1d4 ⇒ 4 - stealth untrained
1d6 ⇒ 1 = wild dice

Pavla holds her breath and steers her horse carefully away from the bear.

Stealth=1d10 ⇒ 9
Wild Die=1d6 ⇒ 5

The group is easily able to bypass the distracted bear from a safe distance away.

Onwards to the next hex? That will be another 5 hours and take you to the evening.

Yes. Mapper is poised and waiting.

"Stop squirming," Pavla mutters to Varos.

Blackbow will search for additional food to add to the parties supplies, berries, rodents, etc.

[survival]
1d6 ⇒ 3
[wild]
1d6 ⇒ 2

Blackbow is unsuccessful in finding any additional supplies. The darkness and fatigue from the journey must be impairing him.

Greffen grunts, "We're about a mile away from Thorn River Camp."

It is now night and you have been riding for 10 hours or so. Unlike the bandits when they make the trip, you have not been laden with trade goods. It has been a hard ride using game trails and trackways.

"I'm not sure riding through the night is a good idea. Is this a good place to make camp, Varos? Do please remember that a wrong answer will bring mustelidid doom."

Varos grumbles, "How should I know? I reckon it'll be alright. Someone keep a look-out for animals, should be fine."

Blackbow checks the surrounding area to see if he thinks it's a safe location.

Survival1d6 ⇒ 6
Wild1d6 ⇒ 6

NICE! Re-rolls:
Survival1d6 ⇒ 2
Wild1d6 ⇒ 6

Re-roll:
Wild1d6 ⇒ 6

Re-roll:
Wild1d6 ⇒ 5

For a staggering 23! on the Survival roll.

In good and bad news, I'm about to buy a new computer. This means no more frantic fan noise and abrupt crashing - I hope. It also means I may be offline for a while until I get everything reinstalled. Apologies if I vanish without warning and DMPC as needed.