Arena – Session 6

System Resources: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Second Edition.

Oracle Resources: Mythic Games Master Emulator second edition.

Generative Resources: Story Engine cards. Gamemaster’s Apprentice cards. Worlds Without Number worldbuilding tables.

The Helian Empire is an aggressive, theocratic nation state a few hundred miles to the southwest of Sardis. An outwardly peaceful region until a decade ago, Helia underwent a coup at the hands of an obscure flame cult which rapidly grew to dominance in the southern reaches. Whilst relatively short, the regime change was bloodthirsty, and transitioned the area into an oppressive, expansionist theocracy.

Through indoctrination and conscription, the Helian Empire has amassed a sizable army, although one lacking in experience. Because of this, the Empire has avoided antagonising greater powers such as Qal’afar or the Mynean city states. Sardis, on the other hand, is a relatively weak nation in close proximity, isolated by its eastern terrain and open in the far north only to the failing Velentic and modest Gallacian states.

Many therefore feel expansion to the northeast was inevitable, although there is much talk made of the military incompetence of the southern Cortas, as well as rumours of a shadowy force high up in the Sardic government that is working to further the aims of the Helian invaders.

Scene 8 – Expected.

Round 1

The combat is brutal and short, as Orion, Aurora, and Phaedra spring into action before the Helian soldiers have a chance to act.

Blood still running hot, the mage screams and hurls herself at the nearest guard, spear levelled at his chest. Her momentum is enough to pierce the Helian armour and kill him instantly. Phaedra crouches down behind a supply crate and sends an arrow into the neck of a flanking solider, who drops as he enters the chamber. She nocks another, pulls smoothly to her anchor, and lets it loose at the Captain. The Helian warrior raises her shield which takes the impact of the projectile, then moves deeper into the room towards the rogue, sword drawn.

The Helian forces move towards the exit, ushering the Commander to the door, whilst Orion places Marcus on the ground. The taurok pulls his monstrous axe from its sheath and charges, smashing through supply crates and crashing into the enemy ranks. The speed and ferocity of his attack forces the soldiers back, and Orion slams into the Helian Commander, crushing him against the iron shod door frame.

The captain and remaining soldiers desperately try to aid their leader, rushing forward and repeatedly stabbing at the taurok. But nothing distracts the beast from his grisly task, as he repeatedly mauls the helpless Commander with steel, horn, and claw.

Round 2

Marcus pulls himself up, draws a blade and takes two staggering steps into the room before his legs give way and he crashes into a stack of barrels.

In the confined scrum of bodies around the exit, the fighting is desperate. Phaedra and Aurora kill another guard, whilst the Helian captain opens a deep wound across Orion’s back. The taurok batters his opponents aside to gain enough room to swing his axe and brings it down upon the Commander. Filled with terror and in the grip of a mortal panic, the leader freezes as the murderous blade descends, impacting his skull and cleaving down through the shoulder, exiting under his armpit in a red wave of gore.

Round 3

Against the bellowing orders of his superior, the remaining guard flees the chamber. The captain squares up to Orion and attacks. Her swing is powerful and precise, but the taurok grabs her wrist and breaks it with a simple twist. Her scream of pain is cut short as his huge hand clamps around her skull and crushes it, the dreadful pulping noise followed by an eerie silence.

Scene 9 – Altered – Add A Character.

The group wastes no time and finds a door key on the body of a guard. They exit onto the streets of Argallas, quickly crossing the main thoroughfare and moving down one of the numerous alleyways that criss-cross this part of the city. Sandstone and terracotta tile buildings rise on all sides, cramped and swaddling them in shadow. Phaedra leads them deep into the city’s backstreets.

Q: Are they spotted by any soldiers?

A: Extreme No.

The chaos in the arena has drawn most of the local Helian forces and the group arrive at Phaedra’s safe house swiftly and unseen. The building is nondescript, looking like every other in the area, and the rogue enters through a hidden side door.

The building is supposed to be empty, but the group find someone there, a small, furtive man called Arnus, a black-market fence for the local Guild. He and Phaedra obviously know one other, and Aurora realises their friends in the resistance are likely made up of Thieves’ Guild members, Phaedra included.

Arnus has been waiting for them and tells the group there has been a change of plan. Originally, they were to leave the city via an old smuggling tunnel that leads to a small farming hamlet a mile or so to the northeast. The tunnel exits in the cellar of La Mera, a large inn servicing the Cantorra trade route whose owners are allies of the Guild.

Phaedra moves to the basement, where she guides the group through a secret door into a network of natural and hewn passages beneath the city. As they work their way through the maze-like web of Guild transit tunnels, Arnus informs them there has been increased Helian troop activity near La Mera, enough to make them decide to wait a few days before attempting to move. Orion snorts that the point is moot since he wouldn’t have gone without Marcus, who is too wounded to go anywhere.

The group is led into a secure cavern which is serving as a base of operations for the resistance. Aurora recognises their leader, a rich noble by the name of Salba Karesti. A statuesque woman who made her money from merchant caravans, the Ortant Karesti has many land holdings throughout the Cantic Hills.

Marcus is helped to a side chamber where he is attended by Entius Albalbar, a high priest of the now outlawed Caturian church. The cleric performs a ritual that heals the worst of the Gallacian’s wounds, before seeing to the rest with poultice, needle, and thread. The priest then turns his attention to the others.

When the resistance learns of the Commander’s death at the hands of Orion, there is much rejoicing. The group is congratulated and then eventually allowed to rest.

For the next few days, as riots and chaos reign in the city above, the characters recuperate, re-equip their supplies, and prepare for the journey to Kas-Gorga. They are shown bathing facilities and given fresh clothes. Aurora even manages to source a new spellbook and writing equipment. They speak often to Salba and the other resistance leaders about events of the past few weeks, the struggles ahead, and the best routes to the eastern citadel. Marcus learns it was the Ortant who ordered the poisoning of H’alang the dwarf, a direct intervention as her covert attempts to influence the Helian authorities had failed. She tried the same with Raz-Neben, but nobody could get close enough.

On the morning of the fourth day, news arrives that the troops along the Cantorra trade route have been recalled into Argallas. Whilst not fully healed, the group are sturdy enough to travel. They gather their things, and head back into the tunnels beneath the city.

Party Status

Marcus Vesta, Level 3 Ranger. 16/24 hit points.

Orion, Level 3 Fighter. 25/41 hit points.

Aurora Ebarri, Level 3 Wizard. 6/11 hit points.

Phaedra Nerin, Level 4 Thief. 27/29 hit points.