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Session 005 - Blood on the Brindleford Road

Snapshot

Detail Value
Party Level 4
Main Focus Defeating the Red Banner patrol and pushing farther toward Brindleford.
Ending Point Mid-battle against gnolls and giant hyenas around an overturned wagon.

Recap

The disciplined force surrounding the party's camp was a Red Banner patrol: five hobgoblin soldiers led by two captains.

The party tried to explain that they had already fought gnolls and were traveling toward Brindleford. The captains declared the road Red Banner territory, described Brindleford as under siege, and accused the party of carrying aid to the town. They demanded the party surrender its weapons and submit to arrest.

The party refused.

Unlike the gnolls, the hobgoblins fought in formation. They supported one another, followed commands, and used poisoned arrows. The party broke the patrol's line and defeated all seven hobgoblins before either captain could escape.

After recovering about 60 gp in coin and valuables, along with usable Red Banner gear, the party secured the camp and completed its interrupted long rest.

At dawn, the party continued toward Brindleford. Near mid-morning, an overturned wagon appeared in a narrow stretch of road. Blood, a dead draft animal, red cloth, alarm wires, and a crude pit marked the site as bait. Bruce disarmed an alarm line, Nugget scouted from the air, and the party moved away from the obvious kill zone before the ambushers attacked.

Gnolls and giant hyenas erupted from the brush along the slopes.

By the end of the session, the party had killed two gnoll warriors and one giant hyena. Another hyena was badly wounded, but pack lords and additional warriors remained in the fight.

What the Party Learned

  • The disciplined soldiers serve the Red Banner.
  • The Red Banner claims the roads around Redmark Keep.
  • Red Banner forces say Brindleford is under siege.
  • They are trying to stop outsiders and supplies from reaching the town.
  • The gnolls and Red Banner are separate threats with very different methods.

Next Session

Resume the ongoing gnoll ambush at the overturned wagon. The party spotted the trap in advance and was not surprised, but the battle is still active.