5th Malleus, Tempen 605 AR.
Several days after finishing their contract for the city watch the party were interested in moving on, having heard of the money and fame that could be gained in the city of
Arriving at the barracks that evening and handing over their invitation the party were escorted to an office. Julian Helstrom then entered. Greeting the party he offered them refreshments and seats. Ogrim of course was quick to oblige when there was food on offer. Helstrom then informed them of the reasons for this meeting. He had heard from his various sources that the party were intending to head down the Dragons Tongue to go to Five Fingers. Since they were going that way he wondered if they could perform a small service for him. He needed them to transport a prisoner from the watch barracks to the fortress of Stonebridge. The pay for this little job would be 500 Crowns now and another 500 when the prisoner arrived. Alive. The party then asked who this prisoner was and why it was important to transport him. Most of all they wanted to know why them? Helstrom explained. The prisoner went by the name of Johan Denyson and was a local crime boss of sorts. Having finally been caught by the watch he was willing to cut a deal, offering them information on much of the city’s underworld. Too good an offer to refuse Helstrom had decided he had to be taken away for safe keeping. The party was required to do this as they had impressed Helstrom with their breaking of the Thamarite smuggling ring. Also he didn’t know who in the watch was actually working for or reporting to Denyson’s enemies in the underworld, who would now most certainly want him dead. Thus he needed some out of towners. The party accepted the job. Pleased Helstrom informed them that the prisoner would be ready for transport the following morning. In the meantime the party was to plan exactly what to do with him and how to get him to his destination.
The party debated the options for quite sometime, should they go by river and then across land? Land all the way along? After much debate it was decided to go by land in an armoured and secured wagon. Several other identical wagons would be sent out in different direction to fool any would be assassins. Only the party, Helstrom and a few others would be privy to the identity real one. Gaunt, Ogrim and Tok began work on their wagon preparing it for the trip to come whilst the other went out and bought up all the supplies that they would need for the trip, expected to take the better part of two weeks. The wagon was armour plated with slots and visors for the guards to look out of and some protection for the driver and shotgun. A bar was rigged up inside to hold……… Gaunt managed to get hold of some toxins from a local species of fish, they were not fatal but given in enough quantity they would certainly make someone pretty ill.
Time marched on, too quickly for some. Other wagons were dispatched before the real one and others would be sent out after them, all on different routes. Denyson was brought out under guard and escorted to the wagon where he was secured. Gaunt and Thrawcheld would remain in the wagon keeping an eye on him. Ogrim and the Fruid would head off to the city gate to ensure their security there. Thalan, Tok and the Kossite would ride up front and on top. The scout being the driver of the wagon. Sam Vimes would follow some hours behind them, making sure that they were not being followed. Helstrom handed over the first half of the pay and the papers for the transfer. With these the party set out.
The first half hour of the journey or so was quite successful. The streets weren’t to busy and they travelled with quite a speed. Or at least as fast as a horse drawn armoured prison wagon can go through a major city first thing in the morning. However, this was not to last. Across the street in front of them another wagon appeared and stopped. Tok and Thalan then noticed that there were several men running along the rooftops above them. Behind them too was a wagon, blocking them in the street. Out of the shops on either side cam armed men. Somebody had ratted them out it seemed. Not losing anytime the party flew into action, Talan unloading his crossbow into the nearest criminal type before drawing his sword. Tok and the Kossite did the same. Being surrounded and fighting desperately the three managed to hold some of their attackers at bay. Unfortunately they were being fired upon from the front, rear and above. Diving for cover Tok hid under the wagon. Despite losing his hat from his head, he made a daring grab for it, returnign it safe and sound. In the rear Gaunt and Thrawcheld peered out. Seeing the action unfolding they decide they wished to be a part of it. They weren’t going to lose 500 crowns that easily. Opening the door they took it in turns to fire their crossbows out at the attackers coming from the end of the street. Gaunt used colour spray on several of them. One of the attackers had managed to use a sewer entrance and hook a chain onto the axle of the wagon, ensuring it could not go forwards. Stray shots however had struck the horses, killing them. Thalan and the Kossite were fighting desperately and were taking some damage. Succumbing to his wounds the Kossite fell from the wagon dieing on the cobbled street. Tok noticing this leapt over to his fiend, when not engaged in stabbing attacker’s feet from under the wagon. With his healing abilities he managed to stabilise the Kossite for the moment. From up above they heard the sounds of fiery explosions on metal. The attackers on the rooftops were hurling a few Molotovs down, some of which were smashing all over the street while others made contact with the wagon, slowly burning it. This worried Gaunt and Thrawcheld greatly. Tok managed to unhook the wagon. And negate some of the fire damage by using his magic to create water. Some minutes later the attackers were defeated on the street and those on the roves had disappeared. Abandoning the now burnt out wreck of the wagon the party commandeered one of the ones their attackers had left behind. Ogrim having seen smoke rising from the city had sped from the gate and arrived at the scene, too late to be of any particular help, but it is the thought that counts.
Heading out of the city the party hooked up with the druid and went on their way, heading out across the levee’s and marshes to the west of Corvis. Denyson was securely tied and bound in the back, being guarded by Gaunt, Ogrim and Thrawcheld. Thalan and the recovering Kossite had control of the horses. Tok as usual was everywhere at once. After several days of now uneventful travel through the region the party began to relax slightly. Oh what fools they were. Coming down the road, minding their own business and quite pleased with themselves after a successful day hunting came several gatormen. Worried the party readied their weapons. The gatormen looked the wagon and its passengers up and down , bemused at the antics of some they went on their way. Thalan, not knowing too much about their kind decided that they were clearly a threat and shot one of them. The gatormen were not best pleased. Turning they engaged their vile attackers. Ogrim being a fairly good warrior, and owning a spear dispatched the three reptilian passers by quickly, the fourth fled to inform his chums of this heinous incident. They too were not best pleased at the events. The party then sped up their progress fearing reprisals of the gatormen and their no doubt very annoyed wives.
The track way that they were on however was not so well designed for the speed at which they wished to go. The rise was bumpy. Having had several days to work at his bonds Denyson had managed to work himself free. One doesn’t get to the top of the criminal society in Corvis without learning how to get oneself free from various forms of binding. Sitting there, looking all innocent, and unnoticed by his guards, he used the excuse of a bump to launch himself out of the wagon, over it very low side, down the long slope of the levee and into the swamp. The party were mightily annoyed. Their 500 Crowns was slowly swimming away.
Losing no time the party sprung into action, Gaunt, Ogrim, Thalan, Thrawcheld and the Kossite jumped down the levee, not too well it might be added as they failed to remain on their feet. Landing in a heap at the bottom. Denyson meanwhile continued his steady escape, using the darkness and water to hide. Gaunt cast a light spell and the party began to search, locating Denyson further out in the swamp the players sped after him. Ogrim picked Thalan up and launched him out into the swamp. The water got deeper and so it was now necessary to swim. Various spells were cast at Denyson, attempts to freeze him failed and he continued to get away. Finally the Kossite, Thalan and Thrawcheld caught up with him and wrestled him back to the levee. There he was bound again and secured more firmly than before. Gaunt, annoyed that he had been upstaged and outwitted forced some of the fish toxins down Denysons throat, knocking him unconscious after some violent vomiting. Resting up the party continued on their way.
Several more days passed and they met little resistance or trouble. Denysons was kept in a near constant state of sedation. The swamps and marshes soon gave way to fields and forest. The party turned away from the river area and began to cut across country along old track ways and paths. Little did they know that they were being stalked. Later that night the horses pulling the cart were slain, struck by arrows from hidden assailants. The party dove for cover. However they were being fired upon from all sides. It being night time and their attackers possessing some skill at basic field craft managed to elude being spotted. Taking damage and with a now useless wagon the players decided to flee on foot. Ogrim picking up Tok and Denyson. Across fields, ditches and woods they fled, consistently being hounded by their attackers who managed to keep pace. Despite attempts to cover their tracks with magic fog they were pursued towards the river for several miles. Sam Vimes who had by now caught up with his comrades offered a few shots out of his pistol. Despite their magical effects the enemy kept coming forwards, finding himself alone, he headed off in a different direction intending to link up with the other later.
Dogged for several miles the part finally holed up in a rocky outcrop. Tok using his chameleon like ability to hide. Out of the darkness came their pursuers. Out flanking them and managing to attack the party in the rear a panicked and desperate combat erupted. Despite some injuries the party managed to survive. On closer investigation of the bodies the players noticed that they bore tattoos and markings of the Daggermoor Rovers. Clearly Denyson was worth dead at any price if mercenaries of this quality were being hired. Healing their wounds and resting the party hunkered down for the night. The next day the set out for the river in hope of being picked up by a passing ship. Their luck did not hold and they were forced to continue the remainder of their journey on foot along the river bank.
Finally they arrived at Stonebridge, looming out of the trees was their destination, standing like a large grey monolith against the blue sky. They made straight for it. Coming to the barbican they offered the guards their papers and informed them of who they were. The guards told them to wait while their story was confirmed by the commander. It was and they were allowed to enter. A shot rang out and Denyson was struck. Falling down blood poured from a hole in his back. Dragging him into cover the party rushed inside the safety of the castle. Denyson was given immediate treatment and though seriously wounded was saved from death. The guards too ka particular intrest in the Kossite, his accent aroused their suspicions and after a good hour of questioning they decided he was no threat and sent him on his way.
The party stayed in Stonebridge for a few days resting and received their pay of 500 Crowns.
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