Raiding for Hostages

From: Jeff Richard <richaje_at_...>
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2005 03:57:15 -0000

I think some might find this a little entertaining - it is a recent writeup from our Seattle Farmers game. A little background - "Ferdinand the Bull" (a mighty magical bull and clan treasure) was stolen by the fiendish Greydogs (as a reprisal against a recent cattle raid by the Orlmarthings). The players swore to get Ferdinand back, but they fear (1) the Greydog champion, Cornard Deathdealer; and (2) killing many Greydogs and causing a bloodfeud. So they came up with a plan - let's convince the Orlmarthing to launch a diversionary raid and then lead a small strike force into Greydog Village to kidnap the wife of Chief Kornos Longbrewer - Kerna Highblossom. Anyways, here's the writeup of some very crafty Dogkillers:

Sea Season 1615
Yerestra Kingswidow consulted with her grandchildren. She agreed to support her grandchildren's raid on the Greydogs, but told them that she expected greater things from them. Herger called in favors, asking for support for a raid to regain Ferdinand the Bull.[1] Kaylin tried to convince Morganeth White-Eye to support the raid. Brenna got the support of Ranulf Wordsmith. With the aid of the chief, Herger managed to get the entire clan to support the raid.

       The clan learned from travelers that Cornard Deathdealer boasted of having taken Ferdinand in a raid.[2]

       The clan performed the Arming of Finovan on Herger, arming him as the Swordthane and mustered the entire Woodpecker warband. Then the Woodpeckers split up. Chief Gordangar and his Warthane led the larger force as a diversion, while Herger led the assault on the chief's house. The Woodpeckers plundered Thane Stead (whose inhabitants had fled) and successfully withdrew In advance of the Greydog fyrd, although they lost most of their plunder in the process.

       When Nisk saw that the Greydogs had set off in pursuit, Herger snuck his force through Greyvale to Greydog Village. They burst into the chieftain's hall. The chief priestess, Kerna Highblossom, stood in the doorway and summoned an earth snake (talosi) to protect her. It tried to swallow Herger, but Korlmhy destroyed it with a sky bolt. As Kerna tried to command people,[3] Brenna ignored her and threw a bag over her head.[4] Then Brenna put out the hearth fire, to show we could have burned the hall. The band then raced back to the Orlmarth tula with Kerna and six other hostages (her two teenaged daughters Mahomessa and Eonistarana, the chief's crippled Dishthane, Broddi Clubfoot, his wife Keninstella Hotblood, and two thralls). There was an uncomfortable standoff at the boundary when the Greydogs caught up, but the Greydogs had to return home.[5]

[1] As said before, Ferdinand the Bull is a magically fertile bull,
a clan treasure of the Orlmarthing and the greatest treasure of the players' stead.
[2] Although several of the players are weaponsthanes and rank
amongst the best warriors of the Colymar tribe, Cornard's reputation is such that they were loathe to engage in combat with him if they could avoid it.
[3] My version of Kerna was using an improvised Shame Men feat
(which I now think should be included as part of the Ernalda the Queen package). She had the fierce Woodpecker warriors cowed by her mere presence - a delight of the HQ system.
[4] Another delight of the system - Brenna (David Dunham's
character) resisted Kerna with her Disrespectful of Authority ability and succeeded.
[5] An interesting use of the mass combat rules which resulted in a
marginal victory for the Woodpeckers.

Jeff