Since November I have been running a weekly Swords & Wizardry Hex-crawl for a group online using Roll20 and Discord. The group has had several adventurers come and go during that time including some unfortunate deaths along the way. Our current line up consists of the remaining adventurers who after returning from the misadventures at the castle previously believed to be owned by the legendary Rogahn and Zalegar. The team consists of of Lenny aka "Lippy" the acquisitions expert, Kira the cleric of Drammond(god of adventure and luck), and Luca the most recent graduate of the Beltaine wizards college.
Looking to sell what little loot they could acquire from the castle in the city they find out a local noble just outside the city is known to make purchases of the more rare and strange. They request an audience and are well met by the elven noble, Aramis. They work out a deal to sell a still fine quality but no longer magical rug, and some of the jewelry they found but more interestingly he has a job offer for them. He mentions a friend of his is being blackmailed by the thieves guild in Hampstead, that they have a letter which if it fell into the wrong hands would be disastrous for his friend and her family. He offers 1,500 gp to the group on its safe recovery and its contents still sealed. They have a month to retrieve and return the letter and no one is to know who hired them to retrieve it. It is in a brown envelope with the signet of lady Windgrace of Hampstead. The group agrees and heads back to the city to rest up and head out in the direction of Hampstead.
They meet a young traveling mage by the name of Elfaine at the Bronze Gnome(tavern/inn) who is looking for a life of adventure and signs on to travel with the group. The next day they resupply their provisions for themselves and their hauling donkeys and head off in their large cart on the road to Hampstead. The weather is favorable and things go quite well with no major encounters for the first few days giving the mages time to trade and share spells with one another and to pass the time telling stories of their few exploits.
On the night of their 4 day on the road Elfaine while on his watch hears something rummaging through their gear but by the time he noticed and aroused the rest of the team whatever it was ran off in the dark. Every one checks their gear and Luca notices his spellbook has been taken! Elfaine is appalled that some one or something would be so disrespectful as to steal a mages book and finds some tracks leading from their camp. He throws all caution to the wind and hurriedly follows them to a nearby cave with the rest of the group giving chase behind him. Once inside of the cave and ignoring the cries of his new friends to hold up and wait he listens and hears what sounds like chewing just around the corner behind a cave wall. The rest of the group catches up but fearing the worst they decide they have to confront now what ever has Luca's spellbook. They turn the corner and come face to face with a 6ft long giant badger.
The badger is not particularly happy to have uninvited guests in its lair and drops the book and gives a wicked hiss of defiance. Lippy lets loose a arrow from his short bow and scores a hit and has drawn its attention to himself. Elfaine throws 3 darts, one of which embeds itself into its flank while Kira swings wildly with her mace missing completely in the dim light from the torch. Luca casts his prepared shield spell on Luca to hopefully provide him some protection. The badger furious at this point scores a wicked slash with its massive paw and knocks Lippy to the ground and unconscious. Elfaine throws some more darts to some affect but no where near enough to deter the raging beast. Kira seeing her chance rushes by and grabs the book. Luca unsheathes his dagger and stabs at the badger but does nothing more than draw its rage towards him. The badger turns and unleashes its full fury on him with a series of savage slashes across his throat killing him instantly. Kira comes in from behind and with all her might brings her mace deep into the back of its skull caving it in and the badger goes limp.
After the bloodshed is done with the survivors drag out the bodies of their friends and the badger and head back to their camp to recoup. Watching over Lippy he eventually awakens to find the rest of the group cooking some strips of badger over the fire and saying their goodbyes to Luca over a makeshift grave they dug. They decide to let Elfaine hold on to his spell book for the time being and with nothing else to do here head back on the trail to Hampstead hoping they don't encounter any further issues along the way. The next few days went much like the first however they saw in the distance a castle up in the mountains but they opted to leave it alone for now but took note of its location. Eventually they find a road sign pointing east to Hampstead. The find that the road ends at a steep sheer cliff that plummets 50ft down into a chasm. The guards on the other side request to know their business and they state they are travelers with business in Hampstead. The guards tell the to not cause trouble and the draw bridge is lowered and they enter into the city. Requesting directions to the inn our heroes find themselves at the Hairy Cavalier. The tavern side is not overly busy with just a few of the local working men at a table chatting and drinking, 2 green robed men sitting at another table quietly drinking and keeping to themselves, and in a booth sitting across from each other are 2 robed figures looking like they didn't want to be bothered.
While Kira procures room and board for the group as well as stabling of the donkeys and their cart, Lippy purchases some drinks for himself and 2 extra and heads over to the booth and sits down offering a drink to each of the other gentlemen and begins to prattle on slipping in the occasional thieves reference to see if either of them may provide some information on the local thieves guild. They are not particularly forth coming with any useful details and they make it clear they are just passing through and while accepting of his generosity their sour demeanor is evident they wish for him to be on his way. Kira during this time strikes up a conversation with the farmers and hears rumors of kobald sightings within the mountains and that they do not take kindly to those who trespass within their territory and are known for being especially clever and cruel. She also learns from them that there is a local temple to Drammond which just so happens to be a pilgrimage location for the faith which she takes note to visit first thing in the morning. She walks over to the booth with Lippy and the hooded men and inadvertently offends one of them which Lippy buys them another round of drinks and all seems to be fine right up until closing time. Kira feeling bad about what she said to offend the man as he is getting ready to walk out the door just puts a hand on his shoulder to get his attention and he spins around and has a hand on the hilt of his dagger and lets her know under no certain terms is she to lay another hand on him less she lose it at which she quickly calls over to the inn/tavern keeper and says that his tab and breakfast are on her and that she meant no disrespect now or earlier. He grumps at her and decides to leave with out causing any further commotion. The group then heads to their rooms and calls it a night.
