STALKER7

A NIGHTWATCH BLOOD AND BONE AAR

Despite Summer’s heat and busier schedules, the CCWC is moving toward the finale of our Nightwatch Blood and Bone campaign, Grave of the Sun.

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Despite facing death cult assassins, giant scorpions, rogue sorcerers, summoned dervishes, mummies, and other unnatural foes, our heroes have remained steadfast. Over the course of a hundred hard days and dark nights, they have sought to stop an unknown party from freeing a legendary necromancer, the Mistress of Bones, from her ancient prison – a place known only as The Grave of the Sun.

*cue dramatic music*

In previous sessions, the intrepid Nightwatch searched out hermit scholars, braved sandstorms, fought incursions by enemy soldiers, solved ancient riddles, and entered forbidden tombs. In our latest session, A City of Silk and Schemes, the party returned to the capital city of Alyad to update the Emir on their investigation.

They arrived at Alyad in time for the annual Festival of Water. Upon presenting their findings to the Emir, they learned not only had his network of informants gone abruptly silent, but poisoned food had been found in the residence’s kitchen. In fact, there had even been an attempt on the life of the Caliph himself. (May he live forever.)

It appears the malign forces behind this conspiracy have set their plan in motion. There is little doubt the mad scheme to find and free the necromancer is part of this treasonous plot.

But who is behind this conspiracy? Is it the insular, ultra-conservative nomad sheiks? One of the rival, neighboring kingdoms? The wealthy and worldly Caravan Masters? Or perhaps the city’s Governor and its Grand Imam?

The festival’s First Night ceremony would draw dignitaries and massive crowds later that evening, and the suspects would all be in attendance. That meant their offices would have reduced security and staff, so the Emir tasked our heroes with infiltrating their premises in search of evidence of profane crimes and high treason.

NARRATIVE SCENES

The party started making their way across the city at sunset, moving from the sheiks’ compound to the embassy residences, to the Caravan Masters’ offices, then finally the Governor’s mansion.

At each location, our heroes had to find a way past the outer walls, then deal with whatever security was unlucky enough to pull duty that evening. Lastly, they would need to finesse their way into locked desks/chests/cabinets for any incriminating items or correspondence. Per the Nightwatch guidelines, all these challenges had to be handled without combat.

One would think stealth would be the order of the evening. And while there was some sneak-n-peek going on, the players began to incorporate trinkets and treasure pilfered from one location to gain entrance to the next. Whether it was a few bottles of wine and a handful of silver ‘gifted’ to a disgruntled servant at a side entrance, or dancing girls hired with stolen gems to distract bored guards, there was a lot of inspired improvisation on display as the group moved from site to site.

As the moon rose over the opening ceremonies, the players arrived at their last stop: the Governor’s Mansion.

[SPOILER ALERT: Turns out the Governor is the madly ambitious, back-stabbing, assassin-hiring, wanna-be-necromancer-abettor.]

It’s always the last place you look, eh?

TACTICAL ENGAGEMENT

A secret passage in the basement, a hefty stash of silver coins, an embroidered belt of exquisite workmanship, a pouch of unusual jewels… the players took in the sights, the secrets, and the souvenirs. However, it was a double locked desk drawer that unmasked the mastermind behind the plot to overthrow the Kingdom of Harab; the correspondence found there would have the Governor’s turban removed at the neck.

Mission accomplished. Now, all they had to do was get the evidence to the Emir.

Sneaking through the Governor’s mansion, the group had noticed several large statues carved from pale stone, but they were busy avoiding stray guards and random servants to think anything of them. Besides, the statues represented the kingdom’s traditional guardian animals: the desert hawk, the mountain lion, an oasis bird. Fierceness, Strength, Wisdom… qualities that made Harab powerful and wealthy. Extravagant, sure. Pompous, perhaps. But the kind of loud, self-serving decorations favored by most high-level city officials, right?

Goal: Get out alive with the evidence

The party made their way through the main residence toward the courtyard. Unfortunately, they were spotted by servants. Mike D sprang into action.

Having nicked a set of fine robes from the Governor’s closet, he opted to stay behind and distract the staff so his three companions could make a run for the main gate.

Great idea – except for that pouch of unusual jewels. Matt G’s Mancer had not only stolen a gorgeous traveling cloak for himself, he had swiped them too.

A gong began to clang the moment he stepped into the courtyard. That caused a number of guards to emerge from the hut nearest the entrance. Worse, the largest of those odd, pale statues began to move – directly toward him.

At first the guards were confused. It’s the first night of a huge festival. Who are these oddly dressed, well armed strangers? What is that commotion in the main house? Why is the big stone statue alive and swinging a massive mace? By the gods of Harab, what is going on here?

Dealing with the servants, Mike D’s character was delayed until Turn 2. That left three characters to face the roused guards and a huge, implacable statue.

Deciding to shoot first and ask questions later, the guards attack. Arrows begin to whistle past our heroes’ heads. Matt G’s Mancer takes two solid hits from an angry statue. John’s Tracker begins firing back as Matt B’s character charges the guards. The fight is on.

They keep coming

Bruised and bleeding, Matt G’s Mancer staggers back a step or three. More guards emerge from the hut. Matt B finds himself in the fight of his life. John’s Tracker is firing furiously, trying to thin the mob.

Meanwhile, Mike D’s Mancer emerges from the house to find his comrades bogged down in a vulgar brawl in the middle of the courtyard. The exit is right there – so close and yet so far.

“None of this matters. We need to get out of here and get the proof to the Emir!”

More clanging, more guards. And two smaller stone guardians. (they were standing in the Governor’s office a moment ago.) Mike D sees his teammates are injured, stuck in melee, and unable to close the final distance. Deciding it’s time for drastic measures, he charges into the nearest melee scrum and unleashes Arcane Detonation.

That knocks most of the attackers ass over teakettle and buys his comrades a few precious seconds. The following turn, he activates Arcane Shield, boosting the defense of any and all nearby allies. An AOE spell that moves with him, Mike D slowly starts herding his injured friends toward the exit. Thankfully, they manage to stay one step ahead of their advancing enemies.

Aftermath

With a majority of the city at or near the opening ceremony, our heroes had little trouble getting back to the Emir’s residence. Later that evening, the Emir returned and upon seeing proof of the Governor and Imam’s treachery, ordered their arrest.

The Imam was seized immediately but – shocker – the Governor had fled.

A little ‘enthusiastic questioning’ by the Emir’s personal guard and the Imam soon confessed. It was the same old story: ambition, resentment, vanity, and the temptation of using dark powers to fulfill them.

The Imam insisted he was always averse to the Governor’s scheme of leveraging the necromancer to help with the coup. The Imam believed a being as cruel and ancient as the Mistress of Bones, someone in league with the powers of death and darkness, could never be trusted.

“You are correct,” the Emir said. “A serpent can never shed its skin.” With a nod, he ordered the executioner’s blade to fall.

Before the Imam’s head had stopped rolling, he turned to the Nightwatch. “Pursue the Governor. Find the Grave of the Sun. Stop him before he frees the Mistress of Bones and releases a wave of evil over the entire kingdom of Harab.”

Yes, sire.

And so ended the session.

to be continued…

That’s all for now. Watch this space for the final confrontation.

Click on the following links if you’re interested in Nightwatch Blood and Bone or the Grave of the Sun campaign.

Thank you. Have an excellent weekend.