Session Logs: Wolves of Summer 1-4

A slender youth stands before two horsemen, armed and armoured. Her hair is dark and matted. Behind her stand a labourer and a coward. "We are free people. I am Jackdaw. I spilled the blood of Magnus Threefinger."

"We come on a vessel taken from our former captors," the woman behind her adds. "We seek work and shelter. We number fifteen in total."

The coward says nothing.

A Note

This was supposed to be a summer campaign, but then a whole lot of life happened, and my summer ended up being pretty crazy. In the end, we played four sessions. Despite this, I was still very pleased with the narrative that emerged over the course of these sessions. I've collected them all here. Our story ends in tragedy.

 

The Campaign

Luke Gearing's Wolves Upon the Coast. Run until my classes start back up (the end of summer).

The Reavers fan zine proved extremely useful in prepping and running this game.

Intended tone: Beowulf by way of Berserk.

Soundtrack: Border 50 by Master Margherita.

 

The Party

Jackdaw, the killer, in ill-fitting maille, with a two-handed axe.

Flewellyn, a Brythonic farmer, taken from her home in southern Albann.

Tobb, the coward. In leather, with a shield and spear.

 

The Map 

Tobb's Map, lovingly illustrated

 Session 1: Sword // Tower

 

May 3rd. Heavy Rain.

Tobb could not kill Magnus Threefinger, and so Jackdaw did. The party, alongside twelve rowers, where now in possession of a longship.

On the ship was a map, detailing the surrounding coasts. Within the day, the group could reach a small island [02.05] or a peninsula [06.03]. Going further would require rowing through the night. After a vote, they decided to head for the peninsula.

The party beached their longship late into the evening. They covered it with the sail and slept inside, posting watches throughout the night.

May 4th. Fog.

The party awoke to thick fog and low visibility. For fear of getting lost, they decided to hug the coast, sailing south until they could get their bearings.

Late into the day, the walls of a fort emerged from the fog, standing over the water [09.05].

Rather then approach at night they beached to the north [09.04]. The men of the fort did not approach [reaction roll 6, made at -1]. The group slept there, posting watches again.

May 5th. Heavy Rain.

In the morning, the eldest of the crew warned of an approaching storm, which would arrive the following day.

Flewellyn, Jackdaw, and Tobb approached the fort, hoping they could weather the storm there. Two horsemen rode out to meet them, with a troop of armed soldiers following behind. They told the party that they approach the fort of Dun Dulnad, and ask that they declare themselves.

This goes very well [reaction roll 11]. Jackdaw's bravado appeals to the soldiers, who had heard tell of Magnus Threefingers. The group are granted shelter for the night, and told they can meet with the Count.

The party noted that the people in shanty village beneath the fort seem quite afraid of the Count's men.

Over a meal, the party met Count Drest. Jackdaw impressed him by telling the story of how she killed Magnus Threefinger, and asked the Count to tell a story of his own. He splayed his greatsword out on the table, calling it Meredith and claiming he killed a Norse chief for her. He also spoke of a war in eastern Fortuu, against the orcs of the Black Strath.

Pleased with the party, the Count allowed them to stay the night and wait out the storm in Dun Dulnad.

In the night, Tobb heard the Count crying out in. He woke Flewellyn and the two rushed to his chamber. As he awoke, he grabbed Tobb, screaming of a tower. When he came to his senses, he seemed distraught, but said he might have more business with the group the following day.

May 6th. Storm.

Early in the morning, Jackdaw cut her hair and watched the rain fall.

Flewellyn found work in the smithy, and even managed to impress a largely unimpressed blacksmith.

Later in the day, the Count summoned the group to his chambers. He told them that every night, he is haunted by nightmares of an isle and a tower. He believed that for his nightmares to end, the tower must be found.

Flewellyn boasted that she will find the tower. Jackdaw raised the stakes, saying if she meant it, she would stop the nightmares too. Flewellyn accepted the challenge.

As the storm raged on outside, the party planned to leave the following morning, searching the islands west of Dun Dulnad.

May 7th. Heavy Rain.

The party sailed westward in the morning, the wind in their sails. They came to a small rocky isle, with a crumbling drystone tower [07.05]. Birds and birdshit covered the island, as did spindly little mushrooms.

Jackdaw dared Tobb to eat one of the mushrooms. For such a measly individual [1 total hit point], this was deemed a boast. He immediately felt sick and lay down in the boat.

The remainder of the group went on to explore the island. Jackdaw goaded Flewellyn into trying to steal some eggs, but she was unsuccessful. The birds started to dive-bomb and harass her. Not wanting to go into the tower without Tobb, the group returned to the boat.

Tobb did not awake for several hours.

As he slept, he dreamt vividly. He saw the island as it once had been, a dark tower looming overhead. Bird skeletons and broken eggs were littered about. Tobb approached the tower.

Climbing to the top, Tobb found a spectral figure. They appeared as a warrior, covered in tattoos.

Tobb asked them where his friends had gone. "No friends here. Only us ghosts."

After a pause, it asked Tobb if he was a warrior. "I'm a thrall," he replied.

"I could make you a warrior, if you let me."

Tobb let them. They fought together, locked in combat as stars died in the distant sky. Finally, they plunged a blade into Tobb, and he awoke in the longship, having mastered a sword-art lost for centuries.

For his bravery in eating a poison mushroom, Tobb's crew award him a new title: The Weary. He was a coward no more.

With everyone upright again, the party decided to check out the ruined tower.

As they entered, a figure descended from above. It gave Tobb a brief glance, an acknowledgement of a brief moment long ago, then it drew its sword and attacked.

The fight was short and furious. In the end, Jackdaw severed the warrior's head. Tobb become the sole inheritor of the warrior's art.

The party stayed the remainder of the night on the island. Tobb took the warrior's sword, and insisted they build a pyre for the body. The rain made this challenging. Jackdaw pocketed a few mushrooms from the island.

May 8th. Light Rain.

The party returned to Dun Dulnad. Count Drest informed them that the tower of his dreams had crumbled, and that they had gained the hospitality of the fort. The group rested there for the remainder of the day, and stayed the night.

 

Session 2: Ship // Town 

May 9th. Overcast.

The group sailed south from Dun Dulnad, spotting Guthram [09.09], but ultimately passing it by. Rumors had reached them of the Pirate Queen of Guthram, and so they decided to be cautious. Continuing south, they beached in Ruislip for the night. The land where they camped was barren, almost scab-like [06.09], but they were able to rest undisturbed.

May 10th. Overcast.  

The party sailed further south, intending to explore the lower part of Ruislip. Early in the day, they spotted two raiding vessels to the south-east, bound for Guthram, and bearing the flags of that town. They gave them a wide berth, and where undisturbed.

Unfortunately, as they approached a certain cove, another vessel emerged, this one crewed by pirates.

The party fled south across the channel, and were fortunate that the pirates did not give chase. They beached their ship and approached a village, Treorci.

The inhabitants of Treorci were not happy to see them. They demanded the party explain what they desired here which Guthram had not already taken. In order to convince the people of Treorci that they meant no harm, Flewellyn agreed to enter the village as a hostage, while the remainder of the crew spent the night in the ship, further up the coast.

 

Session 3: Sea // Gull

May 11th. Hot. 

From Treorci, the party decided to sail further south, to the city of Cernyff [08.14]. Among other things, they wanted to get new sails for their boat, because their current ones seemed to be getting them into fights.

Cernyff was the largest settlement they had seen thus far. On the northern side of the river, a massive stone church was under construction.

The party split up in town, pursuing personal goals.

Flewellyn spoke with a shipwright, but was dissatisfied with the price he put on a new sail.

Jackdaw went carousing, and ended up meeting an architect, who had dodged the draft in the north and come to work on the church. Her ear had been nicked, indicating military service in Fortuu.

Tobb, who has developed a fondness for mapping, found a cartographer in town. They shared some drinks, and eventually the cartographer told him of Tarasaigh, a lost isle said to be a tomb for great heroes, littered with white flowers. Tobb boasted that he will find this isle, and bring the cartographer a flower from it.

When the party are reunited, Jackdaw was impressed to hear Tobb had made a boast.

May 12th. Warm. 

The party returned to sea, sailing south in search of Tarasaigh. They passed a small fishing village in southern Ruislip, but did not stop.

Further south, along the coast of Albann, they came to some steep cliffs [06.16], overlooking jagged rocks. A great many seagulls were on these cliffs, screeching down at the rocks below.

Night was approaching, so the party beached their ship a little further south [06.17], resolving to check out the cliffs in the morning.

May 13th. Very Hot. 

The party explored their surroundings a bit. They saw some toppled stones atop a nearby hill, but decided to check out the rocks first.

Taking the ship close to the rocks, they saw a shape bobbing in the water, and quickly realized it was a dead body.

Tobb tried to lasso it with a rope, and disturbed everyone with how well he did it [3 on 3d6]. 

Once the body had been hauled into the boat, the party examined it. The throat had been slit, and it was covered in lacerations. Broken seashells marked the wounds. The party decided this was likely the work of sea peoples, and threw the body overboard.

The party returned to their camp, and decided to scale the hill and check out the rocks. They found some ruins, at the center of which was a spiral staircase, heading down into the dark.

From atop the hill, the party could see a small village further inland [07.16]. They elected to speak to the townsfolk before delving the ruin, and returned to camp for the night.

 

Session 4: Bird // Snake

May 14th. Fog. 

The party split up, with Tobb and the crew foraging for food, while Jackdaw and Flewellyn headed to the village.

Tobb's foraging went exceptionally well, and the crew were able to gather plenty of food.

The people of the village were morose, directing visitors to talk to Seisyll. Seisyll explained to Jackdaw and Flewellyn that the village had recently lost several of their children, who had disappeared gathering firewood. The party reasoned that the children probably went into the ruin in [06.17].

Jackdaw agreed to look for the children, after Seisyll promised to tell their story should they succeed.

Seisyll sent for a mystic, who provided the party with bone figurines of Saint Anthony--A ward against evil.

The party returned to camp, planning to delve the ruins the following morning.

May 15th. Heavy rain. A bad, bitter day.

After some deliberation, the party gathered atop the hill. They found some planks which seemed to have been moved, uncovering the staircase downward. Lifting the planks, they concluded they had been moved recently, as the grass underneath was still live. They were certain the children were down there.

Flewellyn lit a lantern, and the party descended down the stairs and into the darkness. They entered into a large chamber, supported by pillars in all directions.

Ahead of them, they saw a small shape, which turned out to be a rather detailed stone rat. The party pocketed the rat(??).

Probing deeper into the darkness, the party found the back corner of the chamber. Here they found the lost children, turned to stone. A wretched, featherless bird was among them, as if cradled in the arms of one of the children.

[I read Luke Gearing's Cockatrice poem here (Volume 2: Monsters &)]. It seemed quite effective at setting the scene. 

The cockatrice uncoiled and moved to attack the party. It struck Flewellyn, and she turned to stone instantly. The figurine was no help to her. The light went out.

Tobb lit a torch, and he and Jackdaw began to flee, with the Cockatrice in pursuit. Tobb won initiative, meaning he would act before the Cockatrice, however Jackdaw failed, meaning she would act after.

Tobb, realizing that the Cockatrice had attacked Flewllyn's light, knew he had a chance to save Jackdaw. He turned around, facing the creature, and tried to burn it with his torch. It killed him on its turn, rending him with its claws.

Jackdaw fled, emerging from the ruins alone. Tobb, formerly the coward, died to save her.

 

Retrospective

There was quite a bit of discussion at the table about how we could continue from here, with Tobb and Flewellyn's players rolling up new characters from the ship's crew, and young Jackdaw cementing herself as a bit of an unlikely leader.

This game was a lot of fun to run, and I really enjoyed Wolves overall. I hope to pick this back up at some point.