DF Novices, Session 2 - (Half-)Ogre Thoughts

     Here is a report from the player of Borgergorg, the group's seemingly soft-hearted half-ogre barbarian.  I am giving a bonus point of Beginner's Luck* to any player who writes a cool summary for me to post.

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    I remember the clunk of the bandit's axe on my back still, in all their might they failed to break past my skin. I remember feeling some pity as they were beaten down by a stick bug man holding a staff**. Like watching puppies getting nipped at by vultures. I was a little worried for the ones that ran with broken spirits. The woods aren't kind to lost strays. I was asked to carry one of the fallen bandits so I did, he was light. It reminded me of those sorry nights when a youngling of my clan had too become a stray, sneaking to play after dark while the rest of our clan laid sleeping. I had to carry their bodies too.     The bandit seemed to have survived our onslaught of blade and club, for better or for worse they made it back to our camp alive. Able to ask some questions once they awaken.     A weaselly-looking man seemed very unhappy to see the bandit and had us explain what their business was in the caravan. Fenn told them what had happened and called me their “large friend over there”. I liked that I was a friend.     The Weaselly man ordered the bandit dead. I didn't like that one bit. I wish I had stopped the death; it all happened so fast. I decided to go on my own for a bit, staring at the shifting tree line as we dredged along the path.     The other guards wanted to hunt an owl bear and wanted me to come. The fight was quicker than I expected, and one of them managed to put an arrow in their eyes. I was a bit excited, I remember how back my clan would throw small feasts when the hunters managed to take on a beast like an owl bear. Our fun was cut short by the sounds of marching. Some goblins of all things. My friends seemed ready to cut them down without a second thought. The goblins seemed ready to do the same. I'm no silver tongue but I did all I could to stow the growing aggression. They want tribute for crossing their land, something I doubt I could afford nor my allies. I can only hope there is some common ground I can find with them.

- Borgergorg. 

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    * Beginner's Luck is what I am calling a one-use point of "Buying Success" (p.B347). The intended purpose is to help keep their rookies alive, e.g. converting a missed defence roll into a possibly life-saving parry. Does not normally include crit successes or fails, so it's not all-powerful. I gave everyone 1 point of this at the start of the adventure to get them all through the first session alive. This offer of earning further uses is blatant bribery on my part to encourage player write-ups in order to get more. 

    GM comments: The "stick bug man" is Erizax, the group's young wizard, who proved himself effective in melee in the first session without casting any magic. The "weaselly-looking man" refers to the nobleman travelling with the caravan which is employing the PCs. Borgergorg found himself as negotiator in the current stand-off with the goblins, as he's the only party member who speaks any Orcish. Next session we shall see how that negotiation plays out...