Scoundrel's Folly part I

by Borstennskoldmund

(note. This journal actually picks up this story mid-thread. It just happens that this is when we started taking a journal. I may go back and add earlier episodes at a later date)

We've been given an artifact for our heroic efforts, a sort of compass that points unerringly towards its partner. The partner artifact was stolen before our eyes and transported to a destination in the Western Isles (so we believe).

Anyway, we set off to visit Reggie Coleson, an explorer and researcher we met a month or two back. He'd indicated at the time that he may be able to find out a bit about this type of artifact. Pierre, who has been carrying the compass, has been having odd dreams of late, dreams involving some evil mastermind using the compass to open some sort of box. Last we saw, Reggie was in Eisen, so we trekked from Usurra over the mountains to Eisen.

Franz is most happy to be back in Eisen, chewing on lumpy porridge served with good brown ale. Our Montaigne companions Eduarde and Pierre are not so enthusiastic about the local culinary delights. Eduarde received just blank stares when he tried ordering champagne at the local inn ('Is that some kind of Montaigne ale?' asked Franz).

Came to a town in the province of Fischler, where we met Eisenfürst Fischler himself and shared conversation and a few drinks. He warned us to avoid the Black Forest as we travel onwards. We also picked up that there is a huge white snake that has been gobbling up the locals in the swamp area to our north. Whilst a reward for its head has been posted, we thought it prudent to avoid the area. However, with the Forest to our West, the swamp to our north and our destination northwest, we have to travel out of our way quite a bit. So off we head, roughly northeast.

A fog soon descends and I discover that we've strayed somewhat, looks like Pierre hasn't been consulting the compass. I put on my own Syrneth artifact, an odd looking hat (not a fruitbowl!), which allows me to detect that we are in fact heading due north, into the swampy area infested by the nasty 'Verschlingen'.

However greed gets the better of me, and rather than pointing out the correct direction to head, I allow the party to continue north, after all what's an itty-bitty snake against the four of us!

We soon come across a near dead fellow gibbering about the Verschlingen and coughing up blood and sputum. Recalling rumours of a plague up north, I gingerly examine the fellow to see if I can assist, but alas, he dies in my arms. Amongst his ravings we had learned he was with a party of about a dozen or so mercenaries who set out a few weeks back to hunt down the great white snake, but have become lost in the swamp with little food or water.

We decide to try and meet up with this other group (I had to do quite a bit of persuading to get the others to agree to continue). Pierre has a brilliant idea, he fires off his musket, and a few moments later we detect an answering pistol shot.

After a short while and another round of fire, we meet up with a bedraggled group of four mercenaries, the last remaining from their party. They are able to give us a little more information about our quarry, which generally arrives shortly after dusk.

That evening we all stay alert on first watch. Sure enough the beast approaches. It stinks to high heaven, and some are overcome by the fumes it exudes. Franz and Pierre are soon into the action, together with the mercenaries, chopping madly at the frightful beast. Eduarde soon fires off a few rounds of musket and pistol, but it takes a fearful amount of damage with barely a flinch. This is going to take some beating!

After a fruitless attempt to damage the snake with an invocation of the rune of Villskap (still can't quite control that bolt of lightning), I wade in to whack the thing with my bardische. A short while later, we've delivered quite a number of telling blows, but while it oozes gumph from a number of wounds - enough to take down any man - it does not seem to notice. The mercenaries are all down, overcome by the awful stench. The stench is hurting us too, our strength is waning. Fortunately we have managed to avoid a couple of close calls with it's
nasty gaping maw, the slime dripping from its fangs looks particularly unappetizing.

Eduarde is fighting like a champion, he's actually not bad with that pig-sticker sword of his, darting quickly to deliver wound after wound. Almost as good as the stories he tells the ladies about himself. Eventually we notice the snake appears to have wearied, it's not attacking as viciously as before, but still it does not back off either.

Then, calamity strikes! And so does the snake! It turns on Pierre who defends valiantly, but is unable to stop a nasty bite on his forearm. Pierre drops to the ground convulsing madly, but down to three men we are unable to render assistance (if it would have helped anyway, he doesn't look at all well). Franz, Eduarde and I now attack grimly. I've callen on the rune of Sterk to bolster my defence, I certainly do not want to suffer the same fate as Pierre.

The Verschlingen is really struggling now, and Eduarde delivers a series of telling blows, finally the beast slumps, defeated. I drag Pierre to a safe distance from the foul stench of the dead beast, and examine him, but his life has gone, I can see quite plainly the nasty wound on his arm, already putrefying with the large dose of poison. Death must have been instantaneous.

It is a hollow victory. The four mercenaries are also dead. While we may get some reward and recognition for dragging the carcass of this foul beast into town, I cannot help but feel remorse for the greed that drove me to lead the party into the swamp, and ultimately to the death of our brave Montaigne friend.

Borstennskoldmund.