Rangers of Shadow Deep: Caught by the Ghoulies!

(Photos to be added when I get them.)

Mission: Escort, Scenario 2: A Ghoulish Experience

‘Holy’ Moses’ hand dropped to his scabbarded sword when he caught the first flickering glimpse of firelight through the trees.

By rights, this should be the camp of his fellow rangers – the designated meeting point – but the encroaching Shadow Deep had changed these once-magnificent forests, twisting paths and introducing new and terrible denizens…

There was a loud ‘crack’ behind him. He winced, turning sharply to scowl at his latest companion: a raw strip of a lad by the name of Baldrick. The boy smiled apologetically – it was not his fault really; credit must be given to the lad: when the kingdom’s coffers were stretched to the limit, it was heartening that untrained recruits like him were prepared to step forward.

That said, if the hazy figures gathered around the campfire were not aware of their presence before, they were now!

Sure enough, he was greeted by a number of raised bows, arrows poised to fly, as he and his companion walked into the clearing.

“Greeting friends,” he said, carefully raising his hands. “Gods be with you.”

Time for some more online ROSD! Giles, Rita and Alan had already played the first scenario in this mission, which requires the rangers to escort Milankovite, a renowned scholar, to a distant astronomy tower and back again. The first scenario (entitled A Perilous Path) saw them journey through a graveyard, where they were beset by ghouls.

Several heroes, including one of the rangers, fell before the creatures’ filthy claws and so replacements were urgently needed to continue the trek. Cue Moses and Baldrick!

Escorting the Scholar, our ranger heroes Felton with recruit Shelley (Giles), Ethan Jugge and recruit Mouse (Alan), Bronwen and warhound Petal (Rita) and Moses with recruit Baldrick (me) follow a winding path through the woods.  As they cautiously press on, scanning the gnarled trees for clues, they are confronted by a powerful Ghoul King with four Ghoul attendants. If that wasn’t bad enough, another eight Ghouls appear behind them.

Pressing forwards Holy Moses prays up a bolt of magical lightning with which to blast the Ghoul King, but the cunning beast dodges his righteous power. Guarding the rear, Ethan and Bronwen use their magical abilities to rain fire onto the pack of ghouls. The surviving ghouls fall upon Mouse and Petal, but meet a bloody end for their trouble. Meanwhile, Felton plunges into the woods, discovering a trinket.

Continuing to search the woods, Felton comes across an enchanted throwing knife. On the woodland track Moses continues to grapple with the Ghoul King, buckling under the creature’s ferocious onslaught. Ethan finishes off the last of the ghouls behind the party before moving up in support of his religious comrade. For her part, Bronwen also begins to scour the woods. The remaining ghouls launch themselves at the heroes, some falling under the swords of righteousness, but others managing to take down Shelley and Mouse.

The last of the ghouls are finished off and things become eerily quiet. Able to proceed without being hassled by ghouls, Bronwen comes across some very useful herbs: Anthalus & Hurn seeds. Baldrick also pokes around the bushes while Petal and Scholar move up, escorting the scholar.

Things didn’t remain quiet for long. While the heroes heal their wounds, a diseased ghoul rotter shambles onto the track, blocking their exit. The hideous creature lumbers towards them, dodging arrows before swinging clumsily at Felton. Thankfully the ranger quickly dispatches it, allowing our heroes to continue (and for Moses to retrieve an enchanted two-handed weapon from the woods – a valuable weapon for the kingdom’s arsenal!)

The heroes press on, a circle of sunlight heralding an exit from the ghoul-ridden woods. Suddenly there is an inhuman screech from behind warns them of the presence of a ghoul flinger – a beast that throws missiles from a distance rather than using it’s claws to attack its prey. Thankfully it is too far away to do any damage and, after a couple of fruitless pot-shots, the heroes usher the terrified scholar out of the woods to, temporary, safety.

A great time was had by all and, thankfully, most of the heroes survived. Things were a little easier once the initial ghoul ambush was fought off, but the late arrival of the rotter and flinger proved that it’s never wise to rest on your laurels when the Shadow Deep draws near.

Head bowed in prayer; Moses felt rather than sees the first weak rays of dawn sunlight probe the grey clouds above. Rising stiffly, he walked up the hillock that shelters their makeshift camp to join the robed figure that stands atop, gazing into the distance.

“W-will they come back?” asksed the scholar. “T-those creatures?”

“Oh, without a doubt; once they catch our scent. But, with the Gods at our side, we will prevail.”

“Hm,” Milankovite replied, not entirely convinced. “Even so, it is good that our destination is in sight, is it not?”

Moses followed his gaze. Poking out of the mist, he could just about make out a tall dark shape.

“That’s the observation tower eh?” he grunted, unimpressed. “A good few hours’ march, I think. Let us hope we reach it in good time, else you will have to be quick about your business before darkness falls…”