Alison’s ‘historic fantasy’ sword and sorcery game – ‘Goth’ – has been going from strength to strength. She’s run five episodes so far. The date is nominally around 210AD or so, but she feels free to divert from real history (both political and social) if it suits her setting.
 
Back in August I posted here about the first game, so I thought it was time to catch up. In the first game my PC’s adopted clan - the Barenstark (‘strong as a bear’) – had fought a stiff battle with a neighbouring Goth clan, the grey cloaked Wolf Clan, after Wolf had kidnapped the young daughter of our Reik (chieftain) and prepared to sacrifice her. My PC, Safrax, led a scouting party to Wolf’s main village and freed the Reik’s daughter, killing Wolf’s sorcerer in the rescue. In the battle that followed when the warbands of Barenstark and Wolf clashed, Safrax decapitated the Reik of Wolf and eventually Barenstark won the battle. (You will find a more detailed AP of this game in 'General Discussion', if you are interested.)
 
In the second game of this episodic campaign, Our aging chief, Reik Gadaric, called a moot of all the men of the clan to discuss what had just happened. Why had Wolf kidnapped his lovely young daughter Embla? Should Barenstark attack Wolf again with the strength of the whole clan to drive them far away? The Reik’s eldest son and presumed heir, Gutheric was most enthusiastic with this course of action, which surprised Safrax as Gutheric was not present at the battle or in the group that actually sneaked in to rescue his sister.
 
The meeting was cut short by news that a party of Goths was approaching. Slowly advancing on the camp was a small group of people from the gothic clans Eagle, Stag, and also Wolf! Eagle held lands further to the east of Wolf, and Stag further east again – not far from the shores of the Black Sea. The party was led by a woman called Asta, the recently bereaved widow of the Reik of Stag. She told a sad story.
 
The reason Wolf had kidnapped Embla was also the reason that Eagle and Stag had performed human sacrifice to Woden Allfather. Ard, a Goth priest fleeing from the east said that Persians were coming and laying waste to all the peoples that came across. The Persians were fleeing their homeland after losing  out in a power struggle and were looking for a new home, and slaves. The priest said that the Persians were a curse from Woden for the impiety of the wandering Goths of the south. Only a human sacrifice of a noble would satisfy Woden and then help them defeat the Persians.
 
So, both Stag and Eagle had performed the bloody sacrifice required from one of their nobles, but Wolf had stolen Embla so they wouldn’t have to kill one of their own. But Ard the priest had disappeared, and the sacrifices had done no good. The Persians had smashed Stag, killed their warriors and their Reik, and enslaved any surviving Goths. They were now resting at the main Stag settlement before moving on to Eagle.
 
The Wolf spokesman – a massive warrior called Galt – offered apologies for the kidnapping of Embla. Reik Rhima of Eagle said that the only way to stop the Persians was for the clans to fight together. Asta of Stag said that the only warriors remaining were the ones they saw here, who had led her away when all was lost. “I beg that you help free my remaining people. Any who wish to stay with us and join Stag will be given land and honour. And we have many widows in need of husbands…including myself.”
 
In short order a band of warriors was assembled to join the mixed warband. Safrax and his closest friends formed a scout group, Filimer his best friend, Soas the Bowman, the huge warrior Cniva, and Wallia the Sneaky. Wallia was the best scout in Barenstark and he was training Safrax’s recently adopted son, Eloric. So Eloric came too.
 
On the way to Stag’s settlement, they were attacked by some Goth bandits – broken men without any clan. It did not go well for the bandits. On approaching the settlement they found it deserted, the bodies of the fallen rotting where they fell. Climbing a high ridge to look down into a neighbouring valley, the scouts found the Persian camp and the stockade where they kept the Stag slaves. They had to keep very quiet, not only because of the Persians but also because Asta had said there was a dragon under the hill. Every year they performed a ceremony to keep the dragon sleeping, but this year the Persians had attacked at the due time, so the dragon may be ready to awake.
 
A plan was quickly hatched – to attack just before dawn and catch the Persians asleep. Wallia and Eloric were to spot the Persian sentries so Soas and Gaut could use their bows to take them out. That night they slept for a few hours among the dead.
 
Safrax talked to Gaut of Wolf about the choosing of a new riek for Wolf. Apparently, it was proving difficult to find a successor to the man Safrax had killed. Gaut had been put forward by some, but he thought he had no chance. Gaut was very handsome as well as a big warrior, and Safrax suggested he put himself forward as a husband for Asta. He would probably become reik of Stag, as the people would want some continuity. (Safrax liked Gaut, and he seemed sensible. So, Safrax thought him a good match for Asta - if she would have him -  to help rebuild Stag. And he was too good a warrior to lead Wolf, if Wolf wanted revenge.)
 
Just before dawn the attack went in. Wallia and Eloric went into the Persian camp first then escorted Soas and Gaut in. The Persian mounted scouts went down and a swift charge by the Goths took most of the Persians in their bedrolls. Wallia and Eloric freed the slaves from the stockade and Safrax told them to arm themselves with Persian swords. The widows needed no urging. The goth warriors tackled any knots of Persians who were forming up to fight together. They had no time to string their bows. Ard, the renegade Goth priest, was found among the Persians and swiftly dealt with. The slaughter was massive. Fourteen-year-old Eloric killed his first foe. Few Persians made their horses, and those that did rode east.
 
The Goth dead were collected but the Persians were left where they fell. As they left the valley that morning, Safrax and his men saw the dragon descend the ridge and feast on the Persian dead. It would sleep for another year, after such a big meal.

Last edited by Gruntfuttock (9/30/2025 2:15 am)