Fellowship 2e Session Analysis

1. Session Overview

Prose Summary:

The Fellowship crawled from Kovat's yurt-strewn expanse like refugees fleeing a theological plague. Gil's memory circle had spoken: leave by dawn, take your horses, take your fool's errand elsewhere. The immortality cult wasn't interested in salvation—just in not dying, a distinction lost on optimists. One weeping guard bought his family's escape with tears and warnings about The Dust Bowl—where people go to "disappear forever."

They stumbled through leveling mechanics like drunks through a dark room, discovered the Shepherd had recruited Lorb's nomadic orc clan as shock troops, and learned one tearful guard's family needed saving more than his pride did. Tuya, the ray of light with the iron spine, became their ward. A dozen souls—four wives, twice that many children—now their burden.

The journey to Hearthgate unfolded in vignettes: Ulion's song sparrow preaching the Song of Beginnings, Ale-ore learning bird-speak from a magical primer, Mortimer nearly becoming crab-bear kibble in a rockslide cave. The dwarf learned that avian theology contains uncomfortable truths about bipedal monkeys. Mortimer befriended tarantula-sized spiderlings while orc children played "let's ride the giant murder-spiders" without supervision.

Nyx, ever practical, lured Kovat's hunting party into the spider nest. Fire giant plus regiment minus spiders equals ash and silence. The forest burned. The nest died. Only the giant walked home.

Then came the mob—not an army, just madness wearing human skin. Thousands shambling toward Hearthgate, chopping trees with bread, conversing with stones, tearing apart anyone who wasn't equally broken. Mass graves marked their passage. Ahead, sealed dwarven gates. Above, vultures.

And there, in the valley's throat: a void titan, four stories of headache-inducing nothing, shepherding entropy & madness toward the mountain's heart.

Detailed Lists

Characters/Entities Mentioned:

Items:

Locations:

Encounters:

2. Narrative Progression

Plot Development:

Key Events:

Quests Began:

Quests Continued:

Information, Lore, Secrets, Hints:

  1. "They're going to take us all there and when we get there we disappear forever" - Tearful Guard pointing to The Dust Bowl (former mountain). Purpose: Suggests Shepherd's plan involves The Dust Bowl, possibly related to void/entropy, explains why memory circle cooperates.
  2. Song of Beginnings - Multiple sources reference ancient song related to world's creation. Song sparrow: "I know songs, I'm a song sparrow, of course I should be part of this conversation." Purpose: MacGuffin for campaign, likely key to defeating Shepherd.
  3. Dwarven-Elven Collaboration - Master Carillon's research and documents reference location where dwarves and elves worked together on sound/music. Purpose: Suggests ancient alliance, implies current racial divisions are recent, hints at power in combined efforts.
  4. The Dust Bowl = Former Mountain - Mountain disappeared overnight, Master Carillon believes it was collaboration site. Purpose: Connects Shepherd's power to specific location, suggests targeted destruction of important sites.
  5. Immortality Sect Logic - Kovat orcs believe if unprepared for reincarnation when dying, soul becomes "adrift in ether." Purpose: Explains why promise of immortality is appealing, shows Shepherd exploiting cultural beliefs.
  6. Bird Religion Controversy - Some bird theology suggests "monkeys that walk around on two feet should perish and disappear from the planet." Purpose: Comic relief, but also suggests even nature has apocalyptic factions.
  7. The First Bird Warning - "Getting eaten" is primary danger, "she's always hungry." Purpose: Future encounter setup, suggests not all powerful beings are allies.
  8. Fire Giant Corruption - Flerg was formerly Nyx's friend, now serves Shepherd, survived destroying entire spider colony. Purpose: Shows Shepherd corrupts individuals, establishes pattern of turned allies, demonstrates fire giant power.
  9. Khaz-Dorahn's Preparation - Dwarves sealed gates, evacuated Hearthgate population. Purpose: Shows dwarves take threat seriously, gates may be important defensively.
  10. Mob's Insanity Pattern - Not organized army but mass psychosis, performing nonsensical tasks, occasionally violent. Purpose: Suggests Shepherd's corruption isn't military strategy but entropy/chaos itself, different threat type.
  11. Lorb's Clan Characteristics - "Much more agile," "minimal housing," "constantly on the move," "always where the drama is." Purpose: Establishes enemy general's tactics, suggests hit-and-run warfare.
  12. Void Titan Observation Effect - "When you look at it, it just kind of disappears...you look into darkness or into nothing...gives you a headache." Purpose: Establishes void titans as perceptually dangerous, foreshadows difficulty fighting them.
  13. Scavenger Activity - "Birds, like big vultures and other that are flying around and going down and getting the junk." Purpose: Environmental detail suggesting death and decay following mob.
  14. Master Carillon's Connection - Bell master researching music, has documents from Khaz-Dorahn, making connections between ancient civilizations and song creation. Purpose: NPC ally with knowledge, possible guide through dwarven city.
  15. Tuning Fork Ineffectiveness - Ale-ore's attempt to affect orcs with tuning forks completely failed. Purpose: Establishes limits of bell-based magic, or perhaps wrong application.
  16. Elven Isolationism - Ulion's people chose to "hunker down and ignore the world and hide through the troubles." Purpose: Shows not all communities can be rallied, establishes elven faction opposed to resistance.
  17. Crab Bear's Crystalline Claws - Protrusions could hew through stone, used as tools. Purpose: Worldbuilding, possible crafting material if retrieved.
  18. Spider Nocturnal Behavior - Avoid sun but aren't truly vulnerable, just sleepy/inactive during day. Purpose: Tactical information, though colony now destroyed.
  19. Kovat Guard's Desperation - "If I leave, they'll hunt me down. If they leave, they'll be safe." Purpose: Shows Shepherd's control mechanisms include tracking/hunting deserters.
  20. Multiple Information Sources Converging - Song sparrow, elven sage Randello, Master Carillon all independently point to Song of Beginnings. Purpose: Campaign direction, suggests this is "the answer" to Shepherd threat.

World Dynamics & Campaign Setting:

World Changes:

Faction Movements:

Location Descriptions:

Kovat: Sprawling yurt encampment on plains, mixture of permanent and semi-permanent structures, textile production evident, guards patrol regularly, dominated by large central yurt for Gil and memory circle, atmosphere of religious tension and fear.

Spider Forest: Dense woodland with massive old-growth trees, canopy extensive enough to support giant spider colony, webbing created gray appearance from distance, darker underneath canopy, sticky webbing throughout, now showing burn damage and smoke.

Crab Bear Cave: Recently exposed by rockslide, rough exterior rock face shows fresh breaks, musty smell indicating long closure, interior hewn by crystalline claws creating smooth but ridged surfaces, creature hibernates within.

Journey Terrain: Three rivers to cross, extensive forests, gradually ascending into mountains, narrowing valleys as approaching Hearthgate.

Hearthgate Valley: Cleared expanse from centuries of settlement and farming, scattered farms and households spreading outward from central town, narrowing valley walls, signs of mob passage (hundreds of fire rings, latrine areas, debris fields, mass grave pits).

Hearthgate: Small trade town, mostly wooden construction with some brick buildings, built around entrance to Khaz-Dorahn, church and warning bells still ringing but town appears mostly evacuated, vulnerable position in valley.

Khaz-Dorahn Entrance: Massive stone doors intricately carved, currently sealed shut, represents entrance to underground dwarven city.

History & Lore:

Ancient Dwarven-Elven Collaboration: Multiple ancient civilizations believed world was created with "a tune, with a certain sound." Dwarves and elves specifically worked together on sound, music, and instruments at location that is now the Dust Bowl. This suggests pre-Shepherd era had more cooperation between races.

Orc Reincarnation Beliefs: Traditional orc culture believes in reincarnation cycle requiring preparation. If one dies unprepared for reincarnation, their soul becomes "adrift in the ether" unable to reincarnate. This makes promise of immortality particularly appealing as it bypasses the risk entirely.

Orc Social Structure: Orcs organized in "clans" (decided term over "tribe," "ordu," or "ulus"). Semi-nomadic, carrying large yurts and equipment, but some like Lorb's clan are extremely mobile with minimal housing. Memory circle serves as governing religious body.

Bell Magic History: Master Carillon's life work studying musical bells and their magical properties, connections to ancient civilizations and creation myths, tuning forks as derivative tools.

The Dust Bowl Event: Mountain disappeared overnight, previously known location, now empty space, Shepherd's doing, possibly related to destroying collaboration site.

Bird Religion: Complex theology among avian species, includes concept of "First Bird" (female deity/originator), some sects believe bipedal creatures should be eliminated, song sparrows particularly interested in musical/sonic matters.

Mongol-Inspired Orc Culture: Terminology borrowed from Mongol history (Ordu, Ulus), parallels in nomadic lifestyle, tent culture, horse-based society.

3. Player and NPC Interactions

Player Characters:

Kurg "Breaktooth" Randalar (The Orc) - Eric:

Actions: Largely absent (player dealing with earthquake emergency in Philippines), narratively explained as distracted and slipping away from group to handle personal matter. Previous session established non-hostile relationship with Gil and arrangement for horses/food.

Key Dialogues: Addressed questions about traditional orc beliefs and reincarnation, explained that unprepared souls become adrift.

Development: New bond with Shepherd - Shepherd revealed female cousin married into Lorb's clan, someone Kurg was very close to growing up, now under Shepherd's control.

Inventory: No changes documented.

Companions: No interactions this session.

Nyx (The Harbinger) - John:

Actions: Primary role in distraction during guard conversation, extensive interaction with song sparrow about Song of Beginnings, led rescue mission for orc children via Vkkal (pegasus), communicated with tarantula-sized spiderlings, orchestrated trap leading Kovat forces into spider nest, responsible for entire colony's destruction.

Key Dialogues:

Development: Leveled to 2. New bond with Shepherd through Flerg (fire giant, former friend now corrupted). Reinforced pattern of pragmatic problem-solving with dark consequences. Demonstrated leadership in crisis.

Inventory:

Companions:

People's Lore: Harbingers have connection to corrupted/fallen entities, can identify former allies now serving Shepherd.

Ale-ore Bridge (The Dwarf) - Booker:

Actions: Most talkative/inquisitive character this session, made speech about discontent in Kovat (intentionally audible to guards), had private conversation with tearful guard, received speak-softly questions about situation, learned bird communication via magical book, attempted to use tuning forks to affect orcs (failed), threw hardtack to distract crab bear, accompanied Mortimer to investigate rockslide, extensive engagement with bird theology.

Key Dialogues:

Development: Forged bond with Master Carillon. Learned basic bird communication (significant character moment - underground dwarf learning sky-creature language represents openness to new experiences). Growing friendship with Nyx through magical item exchange.

Inventory:

Companions:

People's Lore: Dwarves skeptical of non-material magic, prefer tangible results, underground perspective makes surface wildlife fascinating/alien.

Ulion the Sleepbringer (The Elf) - Alf:

Actions: Visited Hidden Fae hold (unsuccessful recruitment), introduced Song of Beginnings information from Randello, facilitated bird communication, gave Ale-ore primer book, bonded with gaggle of orc children during journey, participated in bird theology discussions.

Key Dialogues:

Development: Leveled to 1 (finally). Forged bond with gaggle of orc children. Established connection between surface elves and hidden fae. Introduced key plot element (Song of Beginnings).

Inventory:

Companions:

People's Lore:

Mortimer Montgomery (The Squire) - Liam:

Actions: Learned about music/instruments from old man/Master Carillon, investigated rockslide with Ale-ore, got grabbed by crab bear, domesticated crab bear with food, told orc children stories about spider-riding halfling, led to children's disappearance, accompanied Nyx on rescue mission, embellished story upon return.

Key Dialogues:

Development: Leveled to 2. Developing pattern of well-meaning actions with unintended consequences (children endangered by spider stories). Growing friendship with crab bear (wants to return). Learning music/bell magic from Master Carillon.

Inventory:

Companions:

People's Lore: Squires serve as support/social role, not primary combatants, learn from multiple sources.

NPCs and Entities:

Interaction Summary:

Master Carillon: Significant interaction, nerding out over Song of Beginnings revelation, connecting historical dots, identified Dust Bowl as former collaboration site, actively researching during journey, has maps and documents from his library, enthusiastic about discoveries, becomes more important as research guide.

Tuya: Took leadership role among refugee families, identified Nyx as main contact point, manages other wives and children efficiently, comes across strong due to compensating for intimidation, essential for keeping refugees from being burden on Fellowship.

Tearful Guard: Desperate plea to save family, emotional breakdown, pointed to Dust Bowl as destination, returned briefly next morning for confirmation, showed deep love for family and sacrifice.

Song Sparrow: Enthusiastic about being included in Song of Beginnings discussion, shared bird religious perspectives, directed Fellowship to seek First Bird, typical bird mannerisms and priorities.

Crab Bear: Hungry but not aggressive when fed, released Mortimer once given food, retreated to eat and food-coma, hewn cave with crystalline claws, potentially befriendable.

Tarantula-sized Spiderlings: Thousands emerged from egg sac, responded positively to Nyx's wild speak and food offer, successfully located lost children, inherited destroyed nest.

Giant Spiders (Parents): Nocturnal colony maintaining extensive canopy webbing, avoided sunlight but not vulnerable to it, attacked when disturbed, entire colony killed in battle with Kovat forces and fire giant.

Other Kovat Guards: Mixed reactions - some stern/hostile, some ashamed, some gave dirty looks, some hurried away from Nyx's preaching, one higher-ranking guard broke up confrontation.

Orc Children (Gaggle): Adventurous, gullible/impressionable, excited by Mortimer's stories, snuck away to find giant spiders, fell in ravine while fleeing something, unconscious and bloody but survived, bonded with Ulion.

Orc Wives (3 others besides Tuya): Following Tuya's leadership, families of other sympathetic guards, fled Kovat with children.

Minor NPCs:

Gil: Leader of Kovat orc clan, described as "greedy" in Shepherd's bond, made decision to expel Fellowship, provided horses and food but refused support.

Memory Circle Members (unnamed): Religious governing body of Kovat, appeared in Gil's yurt during dismissal, dominated by immortality sect faction.

Kovat Guards (multiple unnamed):

Randello: Elven sage, "famous rabble rouser" among elves, contacted Ulion about Song of Beginnings, provided crucial lore.

Kovat Scout: Chased orc children into spider territory, got frightened by spiders, lost track of children, reported back leading to regiment deployment.

Dwarf Traveler: Unnamed victim torn apart by mob while traveling opposite direction, demonstrated mob's violence.

Old Man: Previously mentioned, teaching Mortimer about music (likely Master Carillon referenced differently).

Halfling Spider-Rider: Mentioned in Mortimer's story to children, from City of Bells, inspired children's dangerous adventure.

Elven Elders: Refused Ulion's request to join resistance, chose isolationism.

Hidden Fae Royalty: Final authority in Hidden Fae hold, elders wouldn't carry message to them.

Factions:

Kovat Orc Clan:

Lorb's Orc Clan:

Memory Circle (Immortality Sect):

Hidden Fae:

Khaz-Dorahn Dwarves:

Hearthgate Community:

The Mob:

The Overlord:

Generals:

Lorb:

Army:

Plans:

Lore: