Harrowed Halls

GM: Chaosius Stevas Toddius
Decanus Lucius Flaccus (Mike Byrd)
Crixus Dotorus (Evil Mike)
Varicus Benus (Ben)
Tantus Oxium Dracuss (Owen)
Saverrio (Alex)

Evil Mike’s character, Galafanakis, died. He is replaced by Crixus Doctorus who is an arrogant, big mouth. The rest of the group keeps him around because he is also an archer and medici.

I never know who Alex’s character will be. He finally made his own character, Saverrio. He is a noble sort, heroic and loyal. The best Roman has to offer.

Our Legionaries have been captured by the Carthaginians on the eve of the great battle between the Romans and general Hasdrubal, Hannibal’s brother. They are stripped of their gear and tieed to posts awaiting the pleasure of the Carthaginians. Galafanakis is later taken and tortured. His screams are heard throughout the night, but no information does he give. Had they chosen Varicus instead, information would have flowed like water from a fountain…before any torture.

The next mornings, the Romans attack. Thanks to the leadership of Praefectus Castrorum Pennus (and Alex’s stellar dice rolling), the Romans decimate Hasdrubal’s army. As the army retreats, Carthaginians rush by our heroes in their haste to escape the Romans. A final group passes the heroes and the leader of the group orders a soldier to “Kill them.”

Most of the heroes have worked free of their bonds unbeknownst to the lone soldier approaching them. Unfortunately the Soldier gets the Joker for infinitive and strikes a killing blow to Crixus. He survives as most of the blow hits on his breastplate. Oxius rushes to his aid, but cannot strike the Carthaginian. Then Saverrio leaps up and lands a killing blow with his bare fist.

The legionaries are reunited with the Roman legion.

The legion splits. Most of the cohorts follow Hasdrubal. The rest split apart into groups of 1, 2, or 3 centuries and go about retaking the Hispania coast.

Three weeks have passed with our heroes seeing little fighting as most towns are easily retaken. A fort, previously held by the Romans, now stands to be reclaimed from the Carthaginians.

Prior to the battle, the heroes are visited by Pollis whom they saved at the towers weeks back. He thanks them and rewards them with stone medallions that will afford some protection against some of the horrors they may have to face in the future. Pollis leaves and Centurion Baculas arrives and gives the heroes a job. Before dawn they are to take the fort’s gates by stealth. When the trumpet sounds, they are to open it and let the Romans in.

The heroes work out a strategy and execute it. Strangely Varicus is the first over the wall and makes the first kill. This seems a little out of character for the slacker. The wall is taken, but the alarm sounds. They’ve been seen! Crixus finds a high spot to send arrows into the Carthaginians. Varicus and Saverrio form a shield wall to contain the foe. They’ll later be joined by Oxium after he finishes off the foes on the wall. Decanus Lucius (like any good leader) and the extras of the contuberium wait outside the gates.

Inside the fort, a shadow rises from the corner of a nearby building and enters the fight. This shadow becomes a Dacian warrior. Crixus fires a couple of arrows into the man, but he is not affected. This is another Strigoi! More Carthaginians heed the call to arms. Soon Varicus, Saverrio, and Oxium are fighting for their lives wondering if they’ll be able to open the gates at all. The Dacian Strigoi has joined the fight as well. Their shield wall holds.

Outside, one of the extras dies with a spear through his heart. “Why isn’t the gate opening!?” wonders Decanus Lucius. Then the Roman trumpet sounds. In just moments the attack will begin in earnest. The gates must be opened!

At the sound of the trumpet, the Dacian Strigoi breaks off from the fight. In Dacian he says, “Another time perhaps.” He sprints for the back of the fort. Crixus follows along the rooftops after him. Then the Dacian disappears.

The heroes inside finally get the gates open just as the rest of the Romans reach it. There are several dramatic Carthaginian deaths. (I think the heroes like an audience.)

In the aftermath, Crixus finds a hidden door in the wall of the fort that the Dacian used to escape.

The heroes interrogates the Carthaginian prisoners for information on the Dacian. They find he is looking for a Dacian bowl or pot from long ago. They also speak with Pollis, who gives each of them sacred weapons that will “harm those that cannot be harmed”. He also tells them of the Twilight Legion of which he belongs. He tells them to follow the Dacian Strigoi to find out what’s going on. He also fills in some information about Strigoi in general.

Chaosius Stevas