The morning sun cast long shadows across the scorched remains of another homestead as the companions tracked devastation once again. Three farms reduced to ash and blood—a pattern gnawing at Qavitrae’s mind like an infected wound. She studied the tracks leading away from the latest atrocity: livestock hoofprints mingled disturbingly with massive wolf paws and crude boot marks.

“Goblins,” Thindruk muttered, his fingers tracing the dirt impressions. His golden beard glinted as he straightened, eyes narrowed toward the tree line. “They’re getting bolder.”

Wanda tightened her grip on the morgenstern, casting a long shadow across the charred timbers. The trail headed northwest, toward Black Peak and the old Greathammer mine, now property of the noblewoman Herdsen—the very woman they’d come to investigate.

The forest swallowed them as they followed the trail deeper into enemy territory. Felrick moved soundlessly despite his stout frame, copper eyes alert for danger. Beside him, Nora navigated the undergrowth with practiced ease, swagger stick in hand.

Near the mine entrance, a stench of wet dog, filth, and something far worse greeted them—the musk of predators marking territory. Qavitrae’s hand rested warily on her sword hilt as they crept toward rocky cover.

It was Nora who heard the snorting behind a pile of tailings. She exchanged a glance with Felrick, and the two warriors moved silently around the rocks. They found a goblin sentry sprawled asleep, head resting comfortably on a rucksack. Nora extended a fist to Felrick—rock, paper, scissors—a child’s game deciding life and death. Nora won and brought her swagger stick down, cracking the goblin’s skull with brutal efficiency. Green blood pooled beneath the creature’s crushed head.

The corpse offered little of value save a pewter goblet marked with an ‘L’—a sign of theft at least. Ahead, the mine entrance gaped like a hungry maw, promising answers wrapped in shadow.

Wanda lit a torch while Qavitrae sparked her oil lamp to life. Flickering light danced across rusted cart tracks vanishing into darkness. The stench intensified as they ventured inside, soon coming upon an abandoned mine cart seized with rust.

“Could ride it in,” Felrick joked grimly, though even a gentle push screeched loudly enough to alert everything within the mine’s depths.

They pressed onward, shields raised, weapons at the ready. Ahead, the tunnel branched into three passages, from which came a low, threatening growl. A huge wolf emerged at the torchlight’s edge, eyes glinting ominously. Its howl reverberated through the tunnels, a chilling death knell.

Qavitrae’s thrown knife found its mark in the wolf’s shoulder, driving it yipping deeper into the darkness. Then, chaos erupted.

Goblins poured from the tunnels, shrieking alongside snarling wolves. Shadows danced wildly as the torch clattered to the ground amid the initial clash. The mine became a nightmarish frenzy of snapping jaws and crude weapons.

Nora fought like one possessed, her swagger stick breaking goblin bones with merciless precision. One brutal strike obliterated a goblin’s reproductive organs, leaving it writhing in agony.

But the wolves were something altogether different—unnaturally cunning, strong, and vicious. One lunged for Qavitrae’s throat, and only her centuries of experience saved her from immediate death. Blood spattered stone walls as she twisted free, desperately swallowing laudanum to quell the savage pain.

Wanda’s litany of hatred echoed venomously, briefly cowing even the wolves, but her morgenstern missed its mark, leaving her exposed and breathless. Beside her, Thindruk’s brass-knuckled fists swung futilely in the chaos.

Felrick’s pistols thundered in the darkness, powder flashes illuminating carnage. One wolf dropped instantly, a bullet tearing through its skull. Yet enemies surged relentlessly, and for every fallen foe, two more rushed forth.

Then came the mounted goblins, wolves slavering beneath them. Their leader, clad in patchwork armor, waved a corroded blade, arrows slicing through the air. The distant sound of more howls promised reinforcements.

“Retreat!” Wanda’s voice cut decisively through the chaos. “To the entrance!”

They battled desperately through darkness, wolves snapping at their heels. Nora guarded their rear ferociously, armor deflecting jaws even as blood streamed down her arm, buying crucial seconds.

The glimmer of daylight from the mine’s entrance offered little respite. Felrick stumbled, and a wolf seized the opportunity, fangs piercing his armor. He screamed as an arrow buried deep into his small frame, vision dimming with the sight of his fleeing companions and an endless tide of pursuing enemies.

The rusted mine cart sat mockingly immobile. Wanda slammed herself against it, attempting to create a barrier, but rust denied her efforts. Their chances for escape looked slim, with the possibility of saving Felrick even slimmer. Qavitrae and Thindruk exchanged grim glances, each silently weighing their dwindling options.

Deep within the mine, goblin war cries rose, mingling with the howling of wolves and the scraping rush of countless feet.

Session Notes

  • Opening Field Report by the GM (Luke)

    • Reads a formal River Warden Jochen Hallberg report describing:

      • Investigation of repeated burned farms and missing folk near Grissenwald.
      • Three farmsteads destroyed; no witnesses, only blood, ash, and livestock tracks into the forest.
      • Locals blame Clan Greathammer dwarves—recently flush with coin and “sour with rot-gut”—but nobody has proven it.
      • Mentions a riverboat Dandy Fräulein whose crew matches the party: dwarf noble, gnome with pistols, two human women (one burly bailiff, one with blitzball swagger) and an erudite elf.
      • Notes the crew questioned locals, fought Greathammer dwarves at the Drowned Otter Inn, then purchased horses and rode south toward the disused Black Peak mine (bought by noblewoman Herdsen).

  • Party Strategic Discussion

    • Review of a fourth burned farm newly discovered plus two others further upriver.

    • Debate over next move:

      • Nora reminds group of tracks toward the mine and possible shortcut through forest.
      • Concerns voiced (mainly by Wanda) about stealth vs. charging in.
      • Party agrees scouting first is prudent; decide to track goblins toward the mine.

  • Folklore & Goblin Lore

    • Party rolls Folklore checks:

      • Learn goblins are cowardly individually, gather in large numbers, often live deep forest or mountain, may ally with orcs, and have few qualms about Chaos worship.
      • False rumor injected: goblins grow “more plant than animal.”

    • Decision reached: expect a sizeable force and possibly wolves.

  • Trail Tracking & Navigation

    • Wanda (assisted by Felrick) succeeds at challenging Survival check.

      • Follow clear tracks (including goat hoof-prints) from burned farm through forest to mine trail beneath Black Peak.

    • Visual sightings:

      • A squat, red-stone two-storey round tower with tarnished brass dome further up hillside, connected by wagon road.
      • No visible sentries on tower or mine mouth from vantage point.

  • Initial Stealth Approach

    • Torch unlit; party creeps along trail (challenging Stealth):

      • Qavitrae critical success covers noisy armor of others.

    • Nora & Felrick hear odd snorting near spoil heaps; investigate separately (easy stealth).

      • Discover a sleeping goblin using rucksack as pillow.
      • Silent “rock-paper-scissors”: Nora wins, crushes goblin’s skull with swagger-stick (critical hit, mangled organ).

  • Loot & Evidence Debate

    • Goblin carries pewter goblet embossed “L,” fork, mug, fire-hardened spear.
    • Discussion: bring corpse as proof vs. leave; decide to leave for now, continue scout.

  • Mine Entrance Reconnaissance

    • Party advances; smell of wet dogs, excrement, mustiness noted.
    • Old mine cart (empty, rusty wheels) on track; large heaps of overgrown spoil.
    • Torch lit (Wanda); darkness beyond braced timber entry.
    • Party forms marching order; Felrick sits briefly in cart dreaming of mobile firing platform.

  • First Wolf Encounter

    • Stealth check inside mine fails partially; a large wolf emerges.
    • Qavitrae throws dagger, wounds wolf (10 damage).
    • Nora charges but slips on loose stones (critical fail), regains footing, then critical hits goblin rushing in—deals 22 damage, rolls grievous injury “Mangled Organ,” killing goblin outright.

  • Battle Escalates

    • Wolves and goblins pour from tunnels:

      • Wolf mauls Qavitrae (22 dmg)—spends Fate point to avoid death, ends grievously wounded but standing.
      • Wanda issues Bard’s Tale Inspiring Words (+1 damage & peril thresholds, +3 initiative to four allies).
      • Felrick uses Gangster Grip pistol point-blank: first shot grazes wolf; reloads amid melee.
      • Thindruk joins with knuckle-dusters but rolls critical fail (takes peril).

    • Combat traits observed:

      • Wolves are Slow (defenders +10) and Weak (cannot cause grievous injury).
      • Vicious weapons (Nora’s stick) grant extra damage die on injuries.

  • Chaos of Critical Failures

    • Multiple party members (Wanda, Thindruk) crit-fail attacks; suffer combat fatigue peril.
    • Felrick’s second pistol shot explodes wolf’s skull (21 damage) — first enemy wolf downed.
    • Goblin archer on wolfback targets Wanda; arrow deflected by heater shield.

  • Tactical Shift – Decision to Retreat

    • Echoes reveal more goblins/wolves deeper in mine; party low on Fortune coins and health.

    • Plan: fall back toward entrance, possibly use mine cart as barrier.

      • Felrick disengages, shoots rider off wolf (takedown), misses following wolf.
      • Wanda tries to push rusted cart (arduous Athletics −30) → critical failure, suffers 12 physical peril; begins striking flint to ignite coal/rucksack inside cart.

    • Qavitrae quaffs laudanum (shifts to serious wound), fires pistol but misses; runs toward light.

    • Nora fights rear-guard:

      • Smashes weakened wolf (damage 14) but fails to fell it; retreats under bite pressure.
      • Both pursuing wolves miss bite attempts—one crit-fails, exhausting itself.

    • Party members sprint:

      • Triple-move actions: Wanda reaches cart, Qavitrae and Felrick toward entrance, Thindruk follows.
      • Nora executes full sprint through wolves (benefits from +3 threshold) and escapes to cart area.

  • Pursuit and Cliffhanger

    • Remaining goblin wolves give chase:

      • One wolf downs Felrick during retreat—inflicts grievous wound (but weak trait prevents injury).
      • Goblin archer critically fails, shoots own wolf (6 damage).
      • Additional wolf riders appear from tunnel behind, mounting up.

    • Session ends with:

      • Party clustered near mine cart and entrance trail—Wanda preparing to light improvised barrier.
      • Felrick grievously wounded, wolves snapping at heels.
      • Goblin riders assembling for charge; howls and goblin shouts echo through mine.