5 LEAGUES FROM THE BORDERLAND : KATANGA CAMPAIGN TURN 5

THE BOOK OF THE SOUTH

Month of the Red Moon

Week of the Hyena

We return to Djanzaban and the locals welcome us with offerings of food and ale. The slavers must have truly been despised here.

The next few days are quiet. Sonya does not find any Tracks of significance. Erland has been spending time at the bazaar where he has shown a surprising flair for Bartering. Red passes up the option to buy a Shadowy Cloak and instead buys a Potion of Fortune for 8 gold. It is not cheap... but that is a rare find.

The men of the warband have taken to swaggering around with smug grins on their faces. It is not difficult to see why. Djanzaban is full of shameless hussies! They take money for something that should be freely given!

Some excitement! A military patrol stops by Djanzaban. It seems king (or to give him his proper title, 'Oba') Mbisi sent them to track some bandits that were preying on his 'kingdom'. The heads hanging from the saddles are mute testimony of the patrol's success. 

It is no wonder Sonya was not able to find anything when she went out tracking.

As we prepare to head out, a young woman approaches Red. It seems she is a Novice Priest and desires to join our little warband. The roh be praised! Our warband is attracting some repute and our fortunes wax.

Despite her earlier failure, Sonya now finds something... disturbing. Tracks not made by man or natural beast. We follow and soon come across a giant golem! 

A few whispered instructions from Red sees the warband circling to surround the unnatural creature.

Red raises her sword... then swings it down.

We strike!

BATTLE TURN 1

Our archers, Batu and Val fire at the golem. Only Batu hits but doesn’t do damage. The creature's hide must be magically enhanced. I wish i knew how to do that. 

The others cautiously move closer, but stay well out of range of the golem, who charges at Red. 

I move within a stone's throw of the monster.

BATTLE TURN 2

Batu, Val and I fire at the golem. Only I hit. But rocks do not do much damage against a creature of supernatural origin. Oh, may the roh guide my arm to a weak spot!

Conn and Red move in and attack. A quick slash of blades and a dodge later and ... yes! I see something blue... is it blood? ... spurt from the monster. 

Roaring with rage, the golem retaliates. It attacks! But Red gets the upper hand. With Conn’s assistance, she deals the monster 2 more blows. It collapses without a sound on the hot, dusty sand. 

I cannot believe it. Never, in all the time I have been with this warband, have I  seen our leader fight with such fury or intensity.

AFTERMATH

Everyone praises Conn. It is no small thing to meet and help defeat a magical monster like the golem. A truly Heroic feat, even if it was Red who slew the creature with a Will of iron. She could not have done it without his aid.

It seems the golem is an unusual monster. It has a lair... and it has some hidden treasures! Some Gold (oh, very well... 19 pieces if you must know!)... a suit of Partial Armour... and a Prisoner! He is beaten and battered but underneath the dirt and bruises he looks ... promising. He was a hunter, sent by a nearby village to scout for this monster. Instead, he was captured by the monster and instead of being killed was taken captive. Truly, a strange creature.

Val shouts in triumph. She holds a loft a vial with a soft blue glow.

She brings it to me so I can See it. I do so, and cannot stop the shout of excitement from my lips. It is a Spring Vial potion! The rarest of the rare! It can cure any injury... any wound... it can even bring back the recently deceased if administered quickly enough before the roh departs the body! Truly a treasure beyond price!

How the creature came by such a thing will probably remain a mystery.

We share a meal with the hungry hunter. Before he departs, N'kwamba swears undying loyalty and Friendship to the friends who have rescued him from a fate worse than death. Although... is it my imagination or do his eyes gleam whenever he looks at me?

I find I am not... displeased... and smile back.