STALKER7

A NIGHTWATCH BLOOD AND BONE Battle Report

Our campaign, Grave of the Sun, continues.

As you no doubt recall from the previous session, the murder at the Emir’s palace led to a nasty fight in the souk, as our heroes pursued the thieves who had taken the mysterious and malevolent artifact – a wooden cylinder, sealed with wax and etched with sinister symbols. Despite the Nightwatch’s victory, the assailants escaped with the contents and left the broken tube behind.

Returning to the Emir’s Palace, the Nightwatch was given a signet ring and access to a ship. (a dhow with runners on the hull, enabling it to travel over sand, in the desert.) They were then tasked with finding the reclusive mystic, Rajul Hakim, the only person who could decipher the symbols. If the Watch and the mystic could determine the tube’s contents, then they could perhaps discover their adversary’s identity and thwart their plans.

NARRATIVE SCENES

The storytelling portions of the game involved the team meeting several of the Nomadic Sheiks in the deep desert, and convincing them to divulge Hakim’s location. It took several rounds, but thanks to Mike D’s previous interactions with them back at the Emir’s Palace, the party was able to get the information.

The next challenge was less diplomatic and far more physical: heading to Hakim’s hut in the foot of the northern mountains, the sand ship was caught up in a sudden sandstorm. Each member of the Watch had to take up stations on the ship to help it get through the storm safely.

Despite their best efforts, the ship skidded into a northernmost trading post, badly damaged. It will take several days to repair, but rest of the journey needed to be made on foot anyway, so the crew will use the time to fix the vessel. (“damn city dwellers. don’t know a jib from a squib.”)

Hakim’s Hut

The party arrived at Rajul Hakim’s hut to find him under attack by Scorpions of Unusual Size and already injured.

The party leaps into action. Newcomer, Matt B’s Mancer lead the charge, dodging, striking, spearing, and spell-slinging against the nasty little vermin.

First wave is scorpions. The second is beetles. Both are chittering, poisonous, and freakishly determined.

Mike D’s Mancer and Mike E’s Alchemist move to help and heal the wizened old hermit. And his enormous mute helper.

New Adversaries

More enemies appear and they’re not creepy crawlies; they’re just creepy. Zombies, erm… Mummies. (zombies wrapped a little too tight)

On the left and the right. Worse, there’s some kind of mid-level management mummy with them.

And that assassin that almost killed Matt G’s Mancer last time.

Once again, our heroes face down the monstrous threat. Intent on revenge, Matt G burned the last of his spell charges to kill, then rekill, the assassin. His comrades were down to the last of the small insects and the mummies, when the Mother of All Scorpions appeared. Angry and venomous. But Matt B’s Mancer was not afraid.

Mama S was one tough broad. She put a world of hurt on those who had killed her babies, but in the end Spear, Spells, and Explosives put her down.

Rajul was safe. (and his camel) The Nightwatch was victorious.

Aftermath

With the hermit safe, translates the symbols over dates, flatbread, and tea: the tube contained a Blood Ruby. A magic gem fashioned from vile magical rituals and used to resurrect the dead.

The term ‘The Grave of the Sun’ is also etched into the wood; the mythical resting place of Sayidat Aleizam – the Mistress of Bones – a powerful giantess and evil necromancer imprisoned centuries earlier by the archangel Jibril himself. The tale is so old, it has turned to legend, and the site of the epic confrontation lost in the mists of time.

However…

It is said that the sorcerer Hazm Ar-Ghayb learned the exact location of the Grave of the Sun from a demon he bound to his staff. A treacherous and wicked man who killed thousands and enslaved hundreds, Ar-Ghayb was finally killed seventy years ago in the Caliph’s Great Purge. (The Night of Judgement.)

Could it be someone is trying to discover the location of Sayidat Aleizam’s eternal prison? And they are willing to resurrect Hazm Ar-Ghayb to do so?

Tune in next time…

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Thanks for stopping by. If you’re interested in Nightwatch Blood and Bone, you can get a print copy HERE or the pdf HERE.

Good hunting.