Earthdawn: Adventure Log 20 - Bartertown Beatdown

This is the twentieth Adventure Log in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.

The setting of Earthdawn is expansive, even when just limiting it to Barsaive. There are an astounding number of different and significant locations to visit and explore, each with their own character and adventures. Not to mention the locales of their own creation that will likely be injected. Compound this with the volume of lore that is available and the idea of crafting a campaign that addresses all of this as you may want is daunting.

To deal with this "problem" (oh, to always suffer from having too much good stuff), my general technique is to have a coherent theme and a handful of locations that will, more-or-less, serve as a base of operations. This allows to maintain the wonderful exploration which makes Earthdawn so vivid, while still building the connections that make the setting alive.

Tragically, this means that some things will inevitably have to be cut. In the long run, a game will most likely benefit from greater focus, even if it is handled in story arcs. This allows everyone to give their attention appropriately to the events at hand, allowing for serial exploration of the setting, while returning to their home base.

This isn't necessarily going to work for all groups, but it is a good way to start breaking down the setting into more digestible pieces, rather than going after it all at once.

Adventure Log – 20 Bartertown Beatdown

Written By: Elmod of Glenwood Deep

Date: 28 Teayu – 30 Doddul, 1507 TH
Group Name: Mismatched Steel

Group Members

Elmod the Nethermancer
Honeysuckle Sunspray the Windmaster
Sogun the Messenger
Ting the Swordmaster

A slight detour to the lands of the Coil River. Visited the liferock(1) of Sogun to also get info on Ting's sword(2). I had a lovely dinner with Kissling, mayor of Ayodhya town.

After which, we stopped off in Ardanyan to check in on Titoo. Dwarf issues and multiple Thief Guild wars, otherwise our home is okay(3). We booked employment to Bartertown as mercenaries and protectorates, but only managed to run into Arthu and his gang(4). He, unfortunately, seems quite attached to his sash of the Bands of Fortune. We also happened upon a Messenger.

In Bartertown, I met with Fastoon and sold him my black mantis egg since he explained how impossible it would be for me to rear it without special techniques.(5)

Ting, Honeysuckle and Sogun became employed by Tarr to take out some more drug dens. This also eventuated our killing of Vigo and some of his gang - which fled and will likely look for us again(6). They were involved in the Consortium and infiltrating/infringing on Tarr's business(7).

More research at the Library about items.(8)

*     *     *

(1) That would be Ayodhya, next to Lake Ban.

(2) Unrequited Wave

(3) The first of many understatements. Ardanyan has some serious issues - but ignoring those, everything is fine.

(4) A human Swordmaster that claims to be the last heir of Landis and has managed to befriend the urshan.

(5) This may be the most terrifying run-on sentence that I have read in a long time. So many terrible possibilities are contained here. This Nethermancer wanted to raise a Horror construct, but decided to sell it to Fastoon instead? We need to keep an eye on this in a big way.

(6) Other reports indicate that this isn't quite how it happened. Essentially, Tarr hired them to murder the leader of whatever the Merchant Confederation calls their guards. In a very public fashion so that there is no confusion on who did it and who ordered it. Which they did. This is impressive because that was a troll Swordmaster of a particularly nasty streak. 

(7) Tarr's only "business" is theft. Well, he has been diversifying into murder and arson as well. 

(8) Received and edited by Ela Pono

While it certainly seemed like a short session, there was actually quite a bit going on here. The majority of the events were staging future events and announcing that things were getting worse. Ardanyan has had trouble brewing for quite a while and this was simply a continuation of that. The conflicts in the shadows were hinting at some new trouble brewing in the background.

The seemingly minor events at Ayodhya and the Lake Ban area also foreshadowed some future events significantly, though they may have seemed innocuous at the time. Included in this are interactions had with Arthu, a recurring character that has a Thread Item the Group wants very badly. It has been commented that if it wasn't for the fact he was so damn likable, he would be dead in a ditch by now. That is pretty much how they roll.

It was in Bartertown where the major events took place. Some seemed harmless enough - selling the egg of a Horror construct to an Iopan Nethermancer that is known to traffic in things that would be illegal actually inside of Throal; that couldn't possibly go wrong. To be fair, most of the Group sold them previously, deciding that they wanted nothing to do with keeping those on their persons.

What really pushed the plot forward was the open act of violence they engaged in against the other faction within Bartertown. There had always been hostilities and scuffles between the two groups, though most of the actual damage was committed against proxies rather than directly against the other group. This was a watershed moment for that conflict and marked the point of no return - when there was only one way it would end: in flames.

In general, it is my preference to have the players be present, and the catalyst if at all possible, for these events. It helps to drive home that they directly effect the world around them and their actions do make a difference. In real time, the first arc of this plot has been resolved, complete with callbacks to this very event and what the implications of it were. 

Earthdawn: Adventure Log 08 - Ardanyan's Revenge

This is the eighth Adventure Log in an ongoing series about Earthdawn.Introduction and Index.

Prior to the Scourge, the Mad Passion Raggok was known as Rashomon. At that time his ideals were endurance, leadership, perseverance and tolerance. None of the other Mad Passions were twisted to the degree of Raggok, and now he has the ideals of bitterness, jealousy and vengeance.

Raggok is closest Earthdawn comes to the standard fantasy evil god, often appearing as a large man with a ram's head and open, festering wounds. The common elements associated with him include cold, insects, skeletons and the undead, weapons and wounds. His generally associated powers involve calling up painful memories to torment, inspire hatred, raise the undead and just generally everything you would expect the localized incarnation of evil to do.

His followers, questors, tend to either wallow in debauchery, flaunting their wealth and wasting it, or to lead lives of deprivation and spend all of their resources doing whatever they can to make things worse for those around them. Though there are certainly shades of grey between those extremes, all questors of Raggok have an investment in making the world a generally worse place to be, particularly on a personal level.

Adventure Log – 08 Ardanyan’s Revenge

Recorded By: Elmod of Glenwood Deep

Date: 13 Riag, 1506 TH
Group Name: Mismatched Steel

Group Members

Elmod the Nethermancer(1)
Honeysuckle Sunspray the Windmaster(2)
Jak’Tak the Weaponsmith(3)
Ting the Swordmaster(4)

Ting and I found Honeysuckle and Jak left town quickly. I talked with Issir Faang(5) again and was reinspired to look for the amulet he previously spoke of – the spirits being restless. He also offered an old item in exchange for the amulet expedition.

Ting and I then gallivanted into the forest at night, trying to be quiet, but either way were undisturbed by the forest elves. We found the amulet in an old shallow grave of a humanoid skeleton. We returned, Issir looked and inspected the amulet, and returned it to me. Also he gave me a strange doll. We parted.

Ting made friends with Wuschwusul, a new t’skrang in town, that also came in with an obsidiman Warrior, Caedrus. Ting had fun gallivanting with Wuschwusul.(6)

Returning to have tea with Issir again, I found he had vacated the premises. Asking around I found no one even recognized he had been there until I found a poor willed soul that revealed Issir had fled anonymously and threatened death to those around his house – and he’d left through the West gate (which also did not see him leave). His place vacant, I began to live in his house.

I saw Ting shortly thereafter reporting that our companions, Honeysuckle and Jak’Tak had returned to town. Reconvening with them, we discussed leaving the town to catch up on the poor climate of the elves in town.

On leaving, however, we found that posters identifying us as outlaws (including an obsidiman Honeysuckle and Jak had met outside of town). Guards were promptly alerted to our leaving and we fled through town.

Down an alley. Honeysuckle and Jak’s friend, Titoo, gets our attention to come and follow him and we proceed to follow and hide in a cellar of his.

He discussed how Grankar Eisengeisser was captured by the local elf conglomerate, also looking for the kaer that Honeysuckle and Jak found previously. A hastily devised plan is made to rescue Eisengeisser at the Council Hall’s basement. Ting asks her new friend to try and create a distraction to five us advantage. We set forth with disguises from Titoo.

Explosions are heard in Hangside(7) as we near the Council Hall’s rear gate. Many guards are seen leaving. Honeysuckle flies through the gate and mostly kills the two guards, one of which I finish off with an Astral Spear quite handily. Keys are found as Titoo opens the gate and we proceed through the house.

We meet a group of six guards at the front door. We battle for some time. My foe wounded me most furiously before I eventually ripped his spirit from him finally. The others fought well too. We locked the doors and fought the remaining guards in the cellar and the stairs. Grankar and hooded prisoners were found along with a secret passage in the treasury.

Following the passage since the prison doors could not be opened, we found a shrine to Raggok – a Mad Passion. The passage eventually leads to a passageway with pit traps and a magically concealed passageway to a cave passage to an underground kaer.

The kaer was teeming with life and population. We were still quite haggard from the battle and were noticed as outsiders – not least by some Illusionist that tried to “summon” some Horror-like lizard beings(8). It was enough to let him get away, though he was spotted as associated with the City Council of the city of Ardanyan by his ear clasp.

Finally reaching the Council Hall in Kaer Ardanyan, a dwarf, Joran, lead us to a chamber to talk (in deference to the angry mob alarmed at our entrance and presence). We informed him and his elven counterpart about the end of the Scourge and corruption of their Council members who were corrupted the city of Ardanyan. Leldrin was also additionally responsible for deluding the Kaer by claiming a Horror at the gates to the kaer. Other things about the Questor of Garlen.

We reluctantly agreed to appear in chains to assuage the townspeople’s fears – however somewhere we were also duped as Joran was impersonated by the Illusionist Leldrin (one of the other corrupt leaders of the city of Ardanyan). We chased him to the entrance of the Council Hall, but he escaped with invisibility.

Returning to the commotion in the city of Ardanyan, we revealed the corruption of the Council to the angry mod of townspeople – lead by Ting and eventually backed up by Joran.

Joran bestows us titles of Protector’s of Ardanyan as well as giving us a recently vacated property in Hangside.

Jak sold some of our recent loot to purchase an alchemy lab that I helped prepare. I hope to soon learn additional alchemy skills and knowledges. Other people people improve their skills as well.

Titoo was employed to watch over our new alchemy lab for 50 silver/mo.(9)

(1) Known associate of Fastoon Julari Makanth Phunkot of Iopos. Trained under Mestoph, if that information is possibly correct.
(2) An uncommon Discipline, particularly in this part of Barsaive, the Windmaster is a community guardian, similar to a Warrior, for Windlings of Glenwood Deep.
(3) Known associate of Maester Bleys and Omasu.
(4) Known associate of Tarr. Trained under T’Skee “the Magnificent”, Swordmaster of V’Strimon. See cataloged: Adventuring Groups: Exploration: Fourfathers.
(5) Human Nethermancer residing in Ardanyan.
(6) Wuschwusul, a Swordmaster of Syrtis. Caedrus, a Warrior of Ayodhya. See cataloged: Adventuring Groups: Mercenary: Scale and Stone.
(7) Regarded is as the “nice” part of Ardanyan where the ruling elves and their favorites resided. A forested area on the South side that is elevated and overlooks the rest of Ardanyan.
(8) Leaping Lizards, I believe.
(9) Received and Edited by Zamirica One-Knee.

*     *     *

This session marked the conclusion of the "Ardanyan's Revenge" arc. Some old threads were followed up on and I introduced the first real Thread Item, the Sinistral Puppet. The first half of the session went very well. Returning to Ardanyan and evading the guards was tense, and the wanted posters gave clear hints that all was not right (they were based on characters present during the previous session, not the Group as a whole). Following that was some planning and a daring nighttime raid on the Council Hall. This was exciting and full of action, the pressure was high and the pacing excellent, right up until they started exploring the kaer.

When the characters arrived at the kaer things took a turn for the disgruntled. The immediate actions of the Illusionist within and the responses from the kaer-dwellers served to frustrate some players. Essentially, a lot of the details and importance is lost if you are not actually from the kaer. With that buy-in, the tension can be maintained as there are different repercussions and some investment in how things go (also real fallout from actions outside). The big meeting at the end had something of a deus ex moment where the overall villain makes his escape. Given the significantly differing power levels, he has tricks at his disposal that the players are powerless against, but all he does is make an escape. Regardless of how you approach this adventure (from within or outside), some players will be unhappy with how this plays out.

In all, it is a good introductory adventure and plays best as the starting point of a campaign. The end is somewhat dodgy, but everything leading up to that is good. If nothing else it can be mined for a lot of ideas. The epilogue was fine and the fallout from what happened can keep Ardanyan a simmering issue for quite a while. It holds a lucrative location and will always be a target for scorchers, but now lacks any cohesive leadership. The town is bursting at the seams with new inhabitants and clearly cannot support all of them. Also, the relations between the various factions is approaching an all-time low with the betrayal that was revealed - the money that everyone is fighting over is all gone. I went with a slow burn on the problems as everyone has just gotten out and there is relief, but the tensions and resentment remains. The local adepts largely left to see the world, leaving the city even more vulnerable. Things in Ardanyan are going to get worse before they get any better. Certainly the Protector's will continue in their new responsibilities?

While it wasn't introduced in this session, the group treasury was an element which really helped to bring everyone together. The idea certainly isn't a new one, but many players are hesitant at the idea of one player recording all of the group things and effectively having control over this resource in addition to their own resources. This is not an unfair sentiment. To directly address that, while still providing the benefit of pooled resources, I got a physical box to keep everything in. It's similar to the player boxes, but a little smaller, a different shape (hexagon vs. circle), with hinges and a latch - it is clearly a different box. Since money is tracked by actual coins and nearly all of the other consumables have tokens, everything fits in the box nicely and can be clearly interacted with by each player. This means there is no gatekeeper to the funds, that donating to it is as simple as tossing coins inside, and what is available is readily apparent. The actual results are very different as well. Since it's introduction, most of the players donate nearly everything to the group treasury. One player only donates most of it, and he gets some gentle ribbing, which is still remarkable. The physical construct focuses attention in a way that abstractions do not. For any groups looking to promote more cohesion, I cannot recommend these enough.

Earthdawn: Adventure Log 07 - Mystery of Ardanyan

This is the seventh Adventure Log in an ongoing series about Earthdawn.Introduction and Index.

Passions are the Earthdawn equivalent to gods in other fantasy worlds. They fill similar functions: Passions have portfolios (Garlen's ideals are hearth and healing), Namegivers honor them for their blessings, powers are granted for their most ardent followers (known as questors), and the Passions work to advance their agendas in the world. They are different in key ways, however. The Passions are born from the Pattern of their land and have sway only there. This means the Passions of Barsaive are different than those of Cathay, though the same as those of Thera because it was Thera that Named Barsaive.

Anyone can follow a Passion and most Namegivers have one they favor above others. It is through the small acts of continual devotion and following those ideals which lead most Namegivers onto the path of a questor. While any Namegiver can be a questor, it is more uncommon for adepts to follow that calling. Following a Discipline requires dedication and focus that few can muster, even if they have the ability to do so, and even less can serve two different "masters" to the necessary degree. Also, the powers are not free and adepts have other things to spend points on.

When the Passions manifest, typically in dream, the viewer will see them in the form they most expect. Generally this will mean in their own race and of the gender they associate with that Passion. Each Passion has particular elements associated with them that will always be present, though not all. For example, Garlen may appear as a motherly woman with arms open in acceptance, or as a kindly man ready to offer comfort and safety. She could appear in a home with evidence of children present, perhaps even address the character as in the manner of their mother, while he could appear within a kaer, or gathering water for his family.


Thera and Barsaive have twelve Passions and prior to the Scourge all were largely benevolent to the Namegivers of the lands. During the Scourge, however, they were assaulted just as the people whom they spring from were. Three of the Passions went mad from the actions of the Horrors and their natures were changed. Known now as the Mad Passions, they became dark reflections of themselves and began pursuing their own insane agendas across the land. Their disruption of the previous balance between the Passions has caused strife among these entities. Now, instead of existing in harmony, they compete and pursue their ideals to the exclusion of others. Whether these attitudes are filtering down to Namegivers, or even stem from the collective consciousness of Namegivers, is unknown.

Adventure Log - 07 Mystery of Ardanyan

Recorded By: Honeysuckle Sunspray of Glenwood Deep

Date: 09 Riag – 12 Riag, 1506 TH
Group Name: Mismatched Steel

Group Members

Honeysuckle Sunspray the Windmaster (1)
Jak’Tak the Weaponsmith(2)
Ontheros the Horror Stalker

Awoke to Jak’Tak screaming and dealing with a thief trying to steal the debt paperwork. We left for Throal early the next morning looking for answers.

At the first crossroads we met up with a traveling group. Ontheros, the obsidiman whose brothers were corrupted and destroyed a village(3). Where we were joined by a group of psychic chakta birds. After moving along for a while we encountered an injured dwarf that had been attacked by a group of elf raiders over a map of a mine near Ardanyan. As we were about to leave we were attacked by a group of elf raiders on horseback who kill Tungar. He was carrying a letter from Grankar describing the map and how much wealth can be made.

We head to the cave and encounter a super scary bear/goat monster lives. Though I was not afraid and managed to get the beast to retreat.

Farther in the cave we find a cave trap and were once again ambushed by elves.

We successfully defeated the elves. They thought they had us trapped, but I valiantly went after their leader while Jak and Ontheros took out the others. Once we defeated them we ventured into the cave to search for treasure.

This cave was filled with many intersections and the first room of any note was filled with dark, writhing black worms. It was scary and gross. We quickly left. The next room led us down a ladder and faced with more intersections. After some exploration we discovered we needed to cross these giant pits filled with some kind of mist that sucks out the air. While I was fine, being able to fly and all, Jak and Ontheros braved the pit and were able to escape unscathed. The first major room we encountered had a wondrous purple crystal(4) in the middle of the room. It was so beautiful and made you forget everything else. Ontheros claims it is meant to trap Horrors. I guess he’s right, being that he’s spent quite a bit of time tracking Horrors. The next room had lots of vegetation and a stream running through it. The next large room was dark and kinda creepy. While looking around we were ambushed by two large flying creatures that were kind of flat with long stinging tails. It was if they were swimming through the air.(5)

These menacing creatures were quickly dispatched. And we claimed their stingers as tokens. The next path showed that the stream have become a river with a heavy current. Getting Jak and Ontheros across the river proved to be a quandary once more.

Being the brave Windmaster that I am, I decided to explore a small crevice where the river enters the rock. This cavern was very dark and dangerous. With a low ceiling and a fast moving river(6) I wasn’t sure about this but I persevered. Towards the end of the cavern I saw some gold veins running through the rock. I decided to return and report my findings. Not finding any obvious treasures we decided to return to the surface and then to Ardanyan in order to gather our friends to return in order to further explore the river section.(7)

(1) An uncommon Discipline, particularly in this part of Barsaive, the Windmaster is a community guardian, similar to a Warrior, for windlings of Glenwood Deep.
(2) Known associate of Maester Bleys and Omasu.
(3) Refer to entry cataloged under: Adventuring Groups: Miscellaneous: Mismatched Steel – 02.
(4) I have read of these before, but never a purple one.
(5) Likely shadowmants.
(6) This is exceptionally brave and foolhardy behavior for a windling due to their size and inability to fly with wet wings.
(7) Received and edited by Zamirica One-Knee

*     *     *

Technically the much larger female krillra.

This particular installment was mostly meeting some fauna of Barsaive and minor dungeon-crawling. I enjoy throwing in a some color to the proceedings (when I remember) as it can make the setting seem more vivid and remind everyone present just how other everything is in the world. Chakta birds are a personal favorite for this: they are largely benign, but many players cannot seem to trust them. Ironically, the windling was most offended by their existence - threatened by competition? A brithan, krillworms and shadowmants also made appearances and are all interesting because of the different responses they evoke. Particularly krillworms, which are largely harmless, but just icky. No one likes to fight krillworms.

The plot of the adventure proceeded largely as expected, though some clues were missed or overlooked. There happened to be enough pointing to what was going on (even if things were addressed in a curious order at times) that events kept moving - this is a good thing. The Group figured out where the main entrance to the kaer was roughly, but couldn't find the actual door. Discovering the door and gaining access is amazingly difficult, which makes sense since the kaer is supposed to protect against Horrors with hundreds of years to patiently grind away.

One thing the events reminded me of is how some of the basic assumptions of Earthdawn are different than most fantasy games. The best and most basic examples of this are obsidimen and windlings. Both of these Namegivers change the fundamental nature in how characters move around in various situations. Windlings can fly, though not carry much, which is a special thing generally reserved for bird familiars at low levels. Obsidimen, on the other hand, can severely limit travel. There is no common rope that can support their mass; even doing a single push-up is a feat for these Namegivers. What this comes down to is the following: don't forget the unique abilities and limitations that your particular Group may have and face. Handwaving can be effective, but it isn't very satisfying and once you have gone down that road, it is a difficult up-hill battle to bring back those elements that were ignored for convenience.

The loot I introduced in this session were the shadowmant stingers. There isn't much to say about them - I ordered small glass icicle ornaments. I got two different sizes to make certain they would fit in the boxes. This plan had foresight since I had to use the smaller size even though I liked the design less.

Another play aid that I have not talked about yet, despite introducing them much earlier, are binders. I created binders for each character that have a combat summary, a chart with the action dice, steps, and result levels, combat option sheets, expanded character sheets, full descriptions of all Talents and skills (including any relevant tables) and pouches to keep note cards. Everything is in sheet protectors and all of the players have dry erase markers. All of this is to try and move things along quickly, particularly combat, by putting all of the relevant information at each player's hand without anyone getting lost in the Player's Guide. The ability to write on the sheets and then easily clean it up means that everything stays legible longer and combat notes are easy. For games that have a lot going on, this is a very helpful system for me. In other games I have included information from between games in the binders as an easy way to disseminate information without exactly letting each player know fully what was going on.

Earthdawn: Adventure Log 06 - Festering Ardanyan

This is the sixth Adventure Log in an ongoing series about Earthdawn.Introduction and Index.

Scorchers are considered a plague across the plains of Barsaive by many; they are considered the only true element of ork culture by others (these would mostly be ork scorchers).  They are tribes of loosely affiliated ork cavalry and are fiercely territorial of what they consider their ancestral lands, particularly towards other scorchers and any other groups that can put up a fight. Given the lifespan of orks, ancestral status may not take very long to reach. Most commonly these savage nomads make their living by taking from others, though some may act as mercenaries, often protecting other Namegivers from the attacks of other scorchers.

Tribes most interested in feeding their families will engage in semi-formal protection rackets; pay them to leave you alone. If you don't pay, they will take and you will be punished. If you pay, they will come back wanting more. Tribes lucky enough to have a chieftain with foresight may take that a step further and actively protect those who pay them. This is by no means altruistic; if they are successful, that means they will be able to pay more and more often. A situation beneficial to everyone, though it lasts only as long as it takes for the newest chieftain to decide they are growing fat on the yoke of these weaklings. Bringing us to tribes that are interested in the glory of conflict in the name of Thystonius, Passion of Combat. Even if the village will pay, they will still engage in an orgy of violence because that is just their way, though they will not necessarily shy away from their equals (or even betters) in conflict - that is the depths of their devotion to their chosen Passion.

Mercenary tribes may evolve from those that see the wisdom in working within the system, or perhaps just engage in a more formalized protection racket with some acceptable civilized trappings. The unfortunate nature of some of these tribes is that when the opportunity seizes them, they may turn against their erstwhile employers and engage in the very behavior they have been paid to prevent. Scorchers can be a fickle lot, likely due to a poor understanding of their social underpinnings. They are, after all, just brutal savages. Not all scorchers fall into these categories, nor should they. The Thunderers are the most famous tribe and with good reason: they have earned a reputation for honor and valor, serving the dwarf kingdom of Throal for years.

In play, they may be a common and convenient enemy. Bands of scorchers can appear nearly anywhere in varying sizes and their attacks are frequent and often brutal. Luckily for civilization as a whole, their organization rarely rises above that of a band, though all of the bands nominally operate under the leadership of the chieftain. The level of coordination, leadership and organization to have all of the bands together as a cohesive whole is extremely rare, but terrifying when it occurs (see the Thunderers for a prime example). Consider the potential threat represented by various scorcher bands becoming organized for an unknown purpose by an effective leader. A mounted horde that gives even the Thunderers pause. Dealing with a threat along those lines is the kind of thing that legends are made of.

Adventure Log – 06 Festering Ardanyan

Recorded By: Jak’Tak

Date: 02 Riag – 08 Riag, 1506 TH
Group Name: Mismatched Steel

Group Members

Elmod the Nethermancer(1)
Honeysuckle Sunspray the Windmaster(2)
Jak’Tak the Weaponsmith(3)
Ting the Swordmaster(4)

We return to Bartertown. Nishta(5) needs a mate. Titanstroke Greybeard, chief of the Thunderers. Skull Wargs(6) – ork scorchers in the area. Brutal and cruel. Warrior brotherhood works for Maester Bleys. Ting takes work as Tarr’s bodyguard. Phregas Kular, as human merchant, hires us to guard his caravan – to Ardanyan. Scorchers attack on the third day – burly orks with skull helmets. Skull Wargs! One raider rushes past and delivered an object. The driver claims ignorance. Elmod is hired as inquisitor. Jak gets a horse. We reach Ardanyan, a fine city. The city guard looks fine, but can they fight?

Karl the dwarf meets with an ork. And hands over a box. Honeysuckle follows to an ork home. In the box is a pigeon, which Honeysuckle kills(7). Elmod meets with the local Nethermancer(8). Gets a job to fetch a necklace. Ting hands out with the t’skrang folk. Eats spiced fish. We tell the authorities. The conspirators are arrested and we head out to find the necklace. Find out that it is an elven burial ground. We were confronted by elves and left empty-handed. Phregas gets arrested, Elmod goes to make a statement. We found some of the forest elves there. Strange. Uncovered a slave ring(9)? The dwarfs are dubious. We take a job collecting a debt from the Council. We are told to return in the morning. Ting and Jak camp in the woods. The Council tells us to get payment from his family. The elves are not trustworthy.(10)

(1) Known associate of Fastoon Julari Makanth Phunkot of Iopos. Trained under Mestoph, if that information is possibly correct.
(2) An uncommon Discipline, particularly in this part of Barsaive, the Windmaster is a community guardian, similar to a Warrior, for Windlings of Glenwood Deep.
(3) Known associate of Maester Bleys and Omasu.
(4) Known associate of Tarr. Trained under T’Skee “the Magnificent”, Swordmaster of V’Strimon. See cataloged: Adventuring Groups: Exploration: Fourfathers.
(5) Troll Novice Weaponsmith associated with Maester Bleys.
(6) Particularly violent and troublesome. They seem to have a new leader that is exceptionally cautious, determined, and cunning. Little more is known.
(7) This suggests a whole new level of operations for the Skull Whargs. I suggest contacting one of the Houses and arranging for a suitable group to do reconnaissance in the area. Seven Winds of War would be preferable, though expensive.
(8) Issir Fanng, a human Nethermancer residing in Ardanyan.
(9) This must refer to Grankar Eisengeisser, a dwarf merchant of Throal operating in Ardanyan. No Throalic dwarf would ever take or hold slaves.
(10) Received and edited by Zamirica One-Knee.

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This session marks the beginning of a three-part arc using the adventure, Ardanyan's Revenge. It is typically suggested and used as an introductory adventure for groups just getting into Earthdawn. There are two different ways in which it can be run: a Group of Initiates starting inside of a sealed kaer, or a group outside of the kaer. The former is the most popular take, which is as expected since having characters come from a recently unsealed kaer is a good way to start of any chronicle. It gives them a common history and reason to be together, and also allows them to explore the world together with limited expectations that they are already familiar with the setting. To those steeped in lore, the issue of spell matrices can be a sticky one (they weren't available until after the Scourge), but there is some discussion on how to handle that within the adventure; including that when they were developed they were immediately a part of the larger Discipline, which is my preference, or characters can be created as "old-style" characters with different Talents.

Since this Group was already well under way, I decided to go with the much less common take and have them become embroiled in the events. Some elements were added to include this arc in the larger story (notably further implications with the scorchers in this session). On the whole, the adventure works much better with the direction that it was clearly intended. There are parts where, depending on your group, keeping them interested and focused on the issues at hand and not walking away from the mess, can be tricky. Besides that, the adventure as a whole is good, though the end can seem like a railroad if your group needs to feel they have agency in every scene and action. I will try to address these specifically as they occur, though they are generally not helped by being outsiders and having no initial buy-in to the premise and actors involved.

Despite using them for all of the sessions, I realized that I had not yet brought up one of my favorite game aids: note cards. These are the best way for me to distribute things that I want players to have in some way and tend to quickly go on replacing traditional ways to track various things. For example, I have cards for every piece of equipment with the game effects and stats (including weight and cost), along with a description. This helps save time looking things up (including buying more, or even making it), gives a place to take notes and also tracks who actually possesses the item in question. All of this is doubly true for Thread Items. They make great handouts and a useful way to introduce new characters. Make a card with their Name and some key traits about them; easy descriptors to convey the important elements about them. Players can then take notes about that character in one place. I prefer to color code my note cards, so I know at a glance what I have; for example, purple is people, green places, red blood magic, white equipment, blue key items, and yellow consumables. An interesting way to implement theft is to quietly remove a card from a stack and then have the theft noted when the player notices the item is missing. This is not a good idea for every group or player, though can be effective for groups that appreciate that kind of play.