Averaigne campaign - session 40

[The story so far]

Session 40 - in which there are trolls, a sad end, bandits, guile, guilt, vengeance, and promotion

The adventurers, including new recruit Gern, head after Lord Montfort to force him to explain his role in the lizardyness of his wife.

NOTE: in order to keep a complete record, but not put off posting these any longer, I'm just transcribing my DM notes. Short and sweet, but this was a monster session to round off our regular gaming. And it happened about a year ago (bad Mr Rab!), but we've the opportunity for a game on Friday so I'm getting things up to date again.

• the death of Jean is relayed to his sweetheart Annette, and lord Guisarme FitzHeron's ring is returned to his widow Lady Eleanor at the castle of Brun

• they head North

• there's a troll

• they find a dying knight in a wood who charges them with the rescue of his sister, taken by bandits, the price of her ransom being ten pints of troll blood

• troll blood duly acquired, and after much oddness they discover a farcical tale of mistaken identity, but do secure the release of the sister

• the Montfort estate is reached and they sneak, bluff and hide in a cart to get inside

• once in, some hold the tower doors against all-comers, while the rest rush the stairs to reach Lord Montfort

• He is a broken man, realising too late that his long-subdued suspicions over exactly how his fiancee had been healed years before had proved true after all. Such guilt, much sad.

• Offers a small landholding if they exact vengeance on the witch who caused the problems

• they agree, but force him to swear not to kill himself

• off into the forest where the witch had a variety of hybrid creatures bound to her will

• big battle, in which many heoric deeds, and the pitiful death of Gern, bring order and cleanliness (purge it with fire!) back to the forest and Montfort's lands

• in gratitude, the heroes are granted the joint castellan-ship of Broadmead Ridge, a battered old tower and house that overlook the two villages of Holt and Frith, as well as the toll bridge over the river Holt.

• And there was much rejoicing.