Soloplaly Game Report - Teuta Act II, Scene II

The next day , they awoke to to find their host Eucheron pensive and worried.  He informed them that his son Petoai had been hunting in the mountains to the east with some companions and they were over due in returning.  He offered them two weeks rations to search for the hunters. ¹ The party quickly agreed, as they wanted to search the mountains in any case.

Eucheron pointed them down the trail the hunters had taken, it skirted the mountains for several miles before turning left and plunging into them.  As they walked along they heard a sudden crashing and cry of a deer in pain.  Rushing forward, a troglodyte had just brought down a small doe.  Sumakos cast entangle on the creature to slow it as the others rushed in to attack.  They faltered as the creatures stench thickened and swirled about them.  It clawed  Lucius, the pain and the unfamiliar weapon making him miss his return strike as the troglodyte pulled him into it's embrace biting at him until he fell.

Throwing Lucius at the Teuta and Sumakos, making them dodge away, it lunged at Maedus but the tall grass entangling stopped it short.  Maedus' return stroke went awry.

It swiped again at Maedus, the claws whistleing past his face, but Sumakos thrust his spear into it's side and Maedus gave it a mighty buffet that stretched it on the forest floor.  Maedus and Teuta attended to Lucius, while Sumakos butchered the deer.  Lucius's wounds were too serious for him to continue, so they returned to hamlet to let him rest and have Eucheron smoke the deer meat for them.

The second day, Teuta, Maedus and Sumakos set out again, searching the mountains for  two days without finding any sign of the hunters.  They decided to head back to pick up Lucius at that point.  On the way home, during Sumakos' watch,  he saw a bear coming into camp, attracted no doubt by their careless leaving of food and garbage within the campsite. Yelling at it roused the others, but did not scare away the animal.  Sumakos cast Entangle, but the bear's great strength didn't notice.

Sumakos closed with the bear to give the others a chance to snatch up their arms; his thrust missed as the bear's claws pulled him into where it could bite his shoulder.  Sumakos fell as Maedus and Teuta ran up with flaming brands to drive the beast away.

They rigged a stretcher out their cloaks and carried Sumakos back to the hamlet of Clausura where Lucius awaited them.²

The sixth day, Lucius, Maedus and Teuta resumed the search, turning into a different mountain valley. They found a campsite where the ashes were still barely warm and made camp there.³ Pushing hard the next day further into the mountains, after noon they heard the sounds of combat and rushed forward to see the last of the hunters fall in battle with four of the foul troglodytes.  Lucius cast Dancing Lights and the troglodytes stood dazed, one swaying from it's wounds.⁴  Maedus and Teuta shot arrows and slung stones, but none of them hit the trogs, thus wasting the advantage Lucius had provided.  Shaking off their daze, the monsters closed in.  Maedus and Teuta managed to land solid, but not mortal blows.  Lucius's opponent clawed him, knocking him to the ground.  Maedus absorbed a similar attack, unfazed.  Teuta endured a savage clawing and biting but remained defiant.  The damage slowed her and the creature easily evaded her next attack, while Maedus killed his opponent.  The troglodyte that had dropped Lucius turned and clawed at Maedus.  Teuta's opponent tore into her again, dropping her to the ground.  Finally, Maedus was overwhelmed, leaving the remaining troglodytes to enjoy their grisly feast.


[TPK,is just desserts for a small party without healing on a hexcrawl]

Soloplay Game Report - Teuta Act II, Scene 1

As they walked down the road towards Oricum, Lucius told them of the bandit lords who had aided the Macedonians in their fight against the Romans twenty years before.  He described the battle at the gorge of the Aoos that had crushed the Macedonian army and how all of their allies had been cut down or captured and sold as slaves.
   "According to the scrolls that old Lysixenos has, they joined the Macedonians after a two day march.  In that sort of terrain it means that they were within twenty miles of the gorge."
  "So you're proposing we tramp down the Ceraunian road to Chaonia?", asked Sumakos.  "If the the Toad is after Teuta, it will be easy for him to send the Phrygian down the road on a horse and overtake us."
  "Possible", admitted Lusicus, "but unless you think we could take ship at Oricum and sail down the coast, which I can't afford, how else can we get there?"
  "I grew up in the Byllian Hills, we just cut through the fields to the East Road to Dimale and then pick up the course of the Apsus, we can follow it through the mountains and come out in Chaonia east of the gorge."¹
  With that they swung east and passed through Dimale as the afternoon faded they decided to press on into the Byllion Hills until the light faded.²  The next day they reached the mountains at the head of the valley, Lucius wanted to push on, but Sumakos and Teuta were adamant they they should camp then and start the ardouous trek in the morning.^3,4  The next day they began their trip through the mountains, Sumakos estimated that they should reach the valley of eastern Chaonia in no more than a week. 

Red indicates the group's path.  Green is the trail they meant to take.

The following morning the path forked, Sumakos confidently led them up the left hand path into the shadow of the peaks.  Three days Sumakos announced that they had reached the Candovian trail and Clausura was only a few miles to the right.  As the miles walked by and there was no sign of the valley of eastern Chaoinia, much less Clausura, they became less and less certain that they knew where they were.  Sumakos remained confident that they were on the Candovian trail, but did not try to pretend that he knew wher they might be on that trail.  One midnight Lucius arwoke the others at the sound of horses approaching.  Two riders on shaggy beasts rode into the light of the campfire, armed with scimtars.  They gave a loud whistle and the party realized that there were over a dozen of them.  The leader, wearing padded armor, cantered forward and smiled sardonically, "You shouldn't camp right on the trail, you never know who you will meet."
"We're simply travelers, on our way to Clausura.  We have nothing of value."
"Clausura?  You're on the right trail, but you're a week away."
  "A week, that's lnger than our provisions will last, can we purchase some from you?"
"See, you do have something of value, let's see what you have besides your gold.  Unfortunately, we won't be selling."
Later, as the bandit chieftain rode away in Maedus' scale armor, Teuta remarked "I see his point on who you meet on the road."

  Three days later, Maedus woke them up before dawn, saying there's something out there.  They're mvoing pretty stealthily."  Suddinely, the party was rushed by three goblins, who closed into attack.  Maedus, Teuta and Lucius all missed their attacks.  Sumakos cast Entangle and trapped all the goblins.  After dispatching the evil humanoids, they counted up what they had gained, three morning stars and shields and a handful of silver.  "At least we'll have money to buy food, if we find anyone who has any extra."
Two days later, they camped overlooking the valley and ate the last of their provisions.  The next day the marched hungry into the little hamlet of Clausura.  As the sun approached the zenith, they came up the cluster of buildings, the farmer's wife bustled up from where she was working in the garden.
"You lot look footsore and tired."
"Yes, m'am, hungry too.  Our provisions gave out last night.  Could we purchase some food from you?"
"We can talk about that later, I have some beans in a pot.  You can join us, then we'll talk about what you need to go on."
The farmer, Eucheron and his workers soon came in for the meal.  In the discussion over the food, he mentioned that he had seen Bardyllis and his gang riding north the previous week, so he wasn't surprised that they had run afoul of them.  He wasn't aware of any ruins near the farm, but had rarely ventured into the mountains east of the valley.  He did offer to sell Maedus a set of old studded leather, which he claimed he had recovered from a casualty of the battle years before.  In response to a question from Teuta, he replied that there were no healers in the valley, the closest temple being to the west south of the gorge.⁵
Game notes below the jump.

Soloplay Game Report: Teuta - Act I, Scene 2

Phrygian Cap

  The throbbing behind her ear brought Teuta back to consciousness.  Opening her eyes, she saw she was in a small room, dimly lit by the lit coming through cracks in the shutters.  She could hear muted voices in the next room, but no one was watching her.  She fumbled at the cord binding her hands, found and end and quietly freed herself.  Looking aruond, she spotted her belt with it's daggers and pouch tossed in a corner.  Buckling it on she went to the door and listened. She recognized the Toad's harsh voice, saying something about the assassination.  

  She moved to the window and eased the bar out of the shutters, peering through the slits, she saw that she was on the ground floor of a building in one of the little alleys near the Dockside gate.  She couldn't tell if the Toad had left someone on guard out in the alley or not.  Speed, she decided, would be better than stealth in this situation.   

  She threw the shutters back with a clatter, just as Alkemachos entered the room.  Judging from the bellow behind him, the Toad had followed him in.  She used the window sill to give herself a boost up the wall and quickly reached the roof.  Looking down she saw Alkemachos slowly climbing after her.  As she turned away, she notcied a glint of metal in a shadow down the alley, was that a figured in a cloak and Phyrgian cap?  Teuta sprinted to the far edge of the roof and launched herself across the gap to the next building as she heard  the older thief gain the rooftop behind her.  She stumbled as she landed, but quickly ran to the opposite side.  She heard a thump and a scream, looking back the roof tops were empty.  She whisked away into the shadows towards the Laughing Eel. 

As she approached the Eel, light spilled out with Lucius and his friends as they tumbled out the door. Maedus was in full armor. She straightened and came up to him, say "You can't wear that in the walls, someone will call out the Families. 

In a slightly distance voice, Maedus responded "The Proskyntos are already out and when we find out who tried to have Epiphroditus killed, we'll destroy them to the last."

"Epiphroditus? But the Phrygian killed Klephtis tonight. Why would he agree to two jobs in one night? It would be so much harder to pull off."

"More than one man can kill,." Lucius interjected ,"Why in Rome there's a dozen assassinations a night. Compared to that this is a trifle."

"If the families have been raised, we'll never get out the gates tonight, and I'll need a new place to lie low." Tueta launched into a brief explanation of her night.

"Come up to my tutor's, old Lysixenos won't be bothered by Traodinus and his gang. They'd be afraid he'd really turn them all into toads! We'll all escort you up there. Maedus and Sumakos can meet us there in the morning."

Agreeing they turned down the street and walked to the Stoa.

A crowd was waiting in the square by the Oricum gate the next morning. Looking, they saw that each group leaving was being questioned by the guard and the contents of carts were being prodded with spears.

"They won't let us out" Maedus said, as he rested the sack containing his armor, shield and sword to the ground. "We're not farmers or traders, we don't have a reason to be leaving today. Not after the attack on Epaphroditus last night."

"Nonsense," Sumakos responded "I'm traveling to the oracle at Dodona to have my dream concerning the two goats and the lyre interpreted, and you're accompanying me."

Teuta smiled, "It's my father's friend, Demetrios, in charge, he may not let us through, but we won't be reported." and gestured to the armored man leaning against the wall out of the sun, within the shadow of the gate.

The crowd shuffled forward, picking it's way around the the steaming remains of the draft animals' breakfasts, until they were at the front of the queue.

Demetrios straightened up and strode out to them, waving his subordinates over. "You lot send someone to get us a jar of wine, it's going to be a hot day.", as be passed them a few coppers. "I'll take this bunch."

He walked up until his feet were almost touching Sumakos' sandals. "What's your excuse for a sudden trip into the countryside, armed to the teeth?"

Ignoring Sumakos' mumbled explanation of his desire to see the oracle, Demetrios said quietly to Teuta, "Your father hunted me up last night, after he heard about Klephtis' murder. He was worried about you, I'll tell him I saw you safely out of town. When you get settled, send me a message, I'll make sure it gets to him without Troadinus hearing about it."

"But the gates are shut, won't you be questioned about letting us through?"

"If the council bothers to ask, I'll mention that I passed a party that included a young Proskyntos lad", nodding at Maedus; "a most devout holy man and a Roman twerp from the Stoa." he finished sarcastically. "You'll just be some pretty lass I've seen around town."

With that he turned and started yelling at his men for the wine as they passed through the gate.

See the Epirus Nova page for previous scenes.

 

[How the story played out in Mythic below the jump]

Teuta - Honor Among Thieves

   As Teuta stood above the body, she felt the air stir in the chamber.  Quickly drawing her dagger she spun to the side, crouching. 

  "Very nimbly done" said a familiar mocking voice from the shadows near the entrance."Move away, reduce their target. Wasn't that one of his lessons? Did you remember to stay out of the blood too?"

  "Admaatos, his killer is still near!  I saw Klephtis alive entering this room not ten minutes ago." Teuta exclaimed as she straightened, sheathing her dagger and surreptitiously moving he feet to answer his last question to herself.

   Admaatos moved out from the shadows, stowing something under his cloak, saying "The Phrygian, I'm sure, I saw a man in a cap leave the door just as I came up the street.  I didn't see you in the street, so how did you enter?  Over the fence and through the kitchen?"
   
  "Over the fence, up the wall and through the roof trap.  I tested the kitchen and he has - had - something leaning against the door that would have fallen over with a clatter."

  "Well, " he said, rubbing his nose "I suppose I might as well go tell Troadinus that he can pay the Phrygian."

  Instantly, she crouched again with her dagger back in her hand, staring at him.  "You betrayed him" she accused.  "The Toad sent you here to ensure Klephtis was dead."

  "Now it's not very respectful to call your new master 'The Toad', is it?"  he laughed, shaking his head.  "With Klephtis dead, Troadinus is the undisputed Master Thief of Apollonia.  -  And we now work for him."

  "How could you work for that loathsome slug?  Does nothing Klephtis did for you mean anything?"

  "Loyalty is of no use to a dead man.  That was another one of Klephtis' little lessons  But, no, I did not betray him, I didn't know Troadinus was going to have him killed.  But now that he has, we are expected to call on him for our new assignments."

  "The only thing the Toad wants women to do is go whoring for information he can use against their customers."  Teuta said, as Admaatos squatted down over the body  "If that was all I wanted to do, I would have agreed to having my father arrange a marriage."

  "You have a point about his view of women in the guilds, one that's a sharp as this little bolt that pierced old Klephtis' neck.  Hmm, that wasn't fired from any belly bow." Admaatos said half to himself as he gave the body an expert frisking and stood.  "Maybe our friends the Miraditorum have a new toy?" 

  "So Teuta, if you don't work for Troadinus, what will you do?  Your only real options would appear to be a hasty marriage into one of the families or leaving town."

  Teuta paused in the act of sheathing her dagger, suddenly numb with the realization that her life couldn't follow her chosen path any longer.  She gasped in a deep breath and fought to control the emotions in her face, as the adrenaline suddenly drained away.

  "I would advise you not to panic, but I don't think that's actually necessary" Admaatos said as he proffered her a small cloth wrapped bundle.

  "What is it?" she didn't reach out for it.

  "Klephtis' lockpicks.  I know there is something special about them, but I don't know what it is.  Troadinus will send someone to look for them as soon as he hears from the Phrygian.  Take them, you can present them to Troadinus if you decide your throat is more important than your pride.  You may be able to convince him to use you as more than an informant if you can figure out how to use them.  Other wise you'll probably want them at some point.  Of course, " he said with a wry smile "you can always give them back to me at the wedding, if that's the course you take."

  He placed the tools in her unresisting hand, turned and left as silently as he had arrived.