Romance of the Perilous Land - Session 04

8th September 2021

It's a Wednesday evening and we're round Simon's for the next part of Matt's Romance of the Perilous Land campaign.

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​Garfield Greenfingers - Played by Steven
This former owner of an apothecary with an affinity for the esoteric arts and knowledge of the supernatural had joined the company. 

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​Location: The Pit

The company had found themselves in the maze of brickwork tunnels that sprawled beneath Hykaria city, eventually leading them below some sort of manhole cover and to their destination. Made of iron, the manhole cover was heavy, Trefor had to exert himself to lift it.
Upon clambering out, the company’s dim wavering light revealed what appeared to be a windowless study.
The smell of old paper distinctly emanated from a wall of books, row upon row of mutely coloured spines on a myriad of subjects could be seen glumly lit on the shelving. Central in the room was a sturdy looking table of polished oak while flush against one side was a small and apparently unused bureau. Hanging from a wall hook was a thick woollen cloak decorated with clearly royal heraldry.
Beyond the room, the company could hear muffled, indistinguishable noises.

Searching the books revealed a series of ledgers documenting detailed listings of fights which had taken place in the pits as well as their participants. Further searching revealed details of ‘George’, the date of their arrival at the pits and where they were being held captive.
The company knew this was the pseudonym of Georgina, whom they had been tasked with rescuing from the pits.
Continued rummaging through the bureau found a ream of loose vellum letterheaded sheets and a wax stamp. The leafs were blank save for one among them which spoke vaguely of the indiscretions of some unnamed nobleman.

With nothing else to be found in this chamber, the company exited and found themselves in an empty gently curving grey-painted brick corridor lined with doors. One stood out among them; a larger, bulkier door.
Through the large door was a curiously long room and equally empty room. Running along one wall was a series of wooden booths. They were, the company surmised, some sort of gambling booths, no doubt used during the pit fights.
Returning to the corridor, the company continued searching.

While they went on, the dull, distant, muffled growl of a roaring crowd could be heard.
No fights would be scheduled for this hour as the company knew? No gambling either, the booths were unoccupied.
The company travelled the corridor, following the noise. It led past all other doors, eventually sloping downwards. Unveiling into a wider, wider space. It was a circular roofless room with the starry dome of night providing a ceiling. Carpeted in a layer of dirt, the circular space was populated with numerous pits. A mob of perhaps a hundred had congregated around one such pit. Bustling and hollering, the well-appointed crowd was entirely fixated on whatever was occurring in that pit.
As the company approached, they saw coin changing hands. Illicit combats and gambling were underway. Cautiously, they managed to insinuate themselves into the crowd and bustle to the pit. It was hosting a fight!
Below, a man displaying several bloody streaks through rips in clothing and brandishing a sword was ruggedly battling some vicious bearlike creature which sported a bizarre visage. It was, Garfield told them, a bugbear. The company had heard tales of such creatures, baleful, malignant and hateful of man.
As the fight continued, so did the gambling. Soon though, fortune favoured the man who managed to land the bugbear a telling blow - it was defeated. A cheer broke out of the gathered crowd.
Without delay, a heavy looking door in the side of the pit swung open, the man was led out and in his place came a smallish, thin man, slight of build. He was introduced as ‘George’.
From a second door, a pair of bugbears were pushed out. This would be a much harder fight.

It was then that the company chose to interfere.