Kal-Arath Actual Play Part 5

Kharn and Paimon go on a quest.

Paimon speaks with Kharn about a vision of an artefact of Malakai that lies hidden in a ruined city due north.

Travel tracker (6) days. Day 1 Thunderstorm. Not lost. No POI or Enc.

The journey starts off with difficulty as a thunderstorm rolls in over the grasslands. They manage to stay the course, but do not make progress on the journey. They settle in for the night as the storm subsides.

Camp encounter: Black Legion Champion 20 HP, Armour 2, Greatsword d6A x2 per round. 10 morale. Intimidate (Presence check 8+ or opponent makes combat rolls at disadvantage). Hostile.

Kharn is awoken with a kick to his face.

“Get up scum. I’m hungry.” Kharn looks up at the looming Black Legion Champion then to Paimon who offers some cooked meat. The Black Legion Champion regards them both as he eats the dried meat they offer.

Oracle: Does this satisfy him? Yes, but... he wants a duel.   

He challenges Kharn to a duel. First blood. Kharn accepts without hesitation. They stare at each other, the campfire light flickering around them.

Intimidate: pass PRE check. Initiative: Kharn. 

The Black Legion Champions smirks as Kharn stands his ground. Most men flinch under his gaze. Kharn leaps forward and gets past the Black Legion Champions guard. A drop of blood showing on his arm. The black legion champion nods and commends Kharn on his fighting skill before walking off into the night.

Day 2

Thunderstorm. Lost. No POI. Hostile Lone Sorcerer.

Winds of the great prairie expanse begin gusting up as Paimon and Kharn pack up the camp in silence. The encounter during the night could have gone in a much deadlier direction. Before long they find themselves lost, unable to make any travel progress. they find some shelter near a few large rocks. Soon, they notice, a lone person walking across the storm swept plain. Paimon and Kharn ready their weapons. As the person gets closer they are able to see she is from the far southern jungles of Lhar. This does not bode well as the Wilderness Spirit Pacts are in direct opposition to the Demon Pacts commonly found in the great steppe of Kal-Arath.

Wilderness Mystic: HP (13) 1 , Bone armour 1, 2 x Daggers d6D, Morale 10, Tier 2 Wilderness pact spells.

The Lhar mystic begins to run at them, chanting the Wilderness Pact spell Aspect of the Beast. Her canines seem to enlarge along with her size. Her run increases in speed. She signals and a Small Raptor Lizard appears out of the tall grasses beside her.

Small Raptor: (9) HP, tough scales 1 armour, claws and bite d6 each, 2 attacks per round. Initiative: Kharn and Paimon. Rage 1 round. Kharn critical strike. Paimon casts CrimsonPS to steal 4 HP. Rage ends with no hindrances. Mystic makes her morale save.

Kharn yells in rage and Paimon casts Crimson Palm Scripture as they run to meet her. Gorechild hums. In the blink of an eye, the Lhar mystic’s right arm is severed and sailing above their heads. Paimon runs his hand along the scaly side of the raptor as he dodges to the side. The raptor stumbles, feeling pain from Paimon’s touch, and turns back.

Kharn dodges a dagger strike from the Mystic and she in turn avoids a chopping swing from Gorechild. Paimon narrowly avoids a bite from the raptor but gets caught by a swipe from its claws.

Kharn misses with his next swing as well and is caught again with a poke from the Mystic’s dagger. Paimon backs away and casts Eternal River of Blessed Strength. His enhanced prowess allows him to dance around the next attacks of the Raptor, but he is feeling the decrease of vigor in his chest.

Kharn nicks the mystic with Gorechild and she gets under his guard with another strike of the dagger. Paimon connects his spiked mace with a dull crunch on the side of the raptors skull. He turns to see Kharn finish off the Lhar Mystic.

Exhausted, Kharn and Paimon make camp. Out of respect for the sheer will it took the Lhar Mystic to fight as she did, they offer her daggers in the fire to Malakai as a honoured foe. Kharn and Paimon discuss the broken Malakai sculpture they found on the body of the Lhar mystic. After they find the artefact they will need to travel to the jungles of Lhar to see what this means.

Loot: 6 rations, 2 doses of Gruul and a small broken stone bust depicting Malakai. No camp encounter. Recover to full HP. 1 XP each. Kharn reaches level 3 and takes the skill to add +1 to armour. 

Notes:

Another fun session to play out. I used the Valley of the Black Ziggurat supplement to create the Mystic of Lhar. Kharn and Paimon will head into the jungles to experience all that setting has to offer.

I am hoping for a bestiary for Kal-Arath, there are plenty of foes in the books , but sometimes I am looking for something different. It is easy enough to roll up a foe or modify if needed.

Kal-Arath Link