The Thief was robbed?!

Songs of Blades and Heroes campaign game 9, ‘The Heist’, was a fitting title as Bayaz and his lads "wuz robbed!"

Rumours have spread that a warband has obtained a magical artefact. A thief has been hired to steal the powerful item! Now everyone is chasing after him – the warband that was robbed is hunting him down while his employers are trying to organise his escape.

The First Law crew, having paid their share of damages to Fat Eddy, the proprietor of The Blue Oyster Bar, since the mass brawl withthe elves, spent a couple of weeks recuperating and generally keeping a low profile. Even Rudd Threetrees. It was Curden Craw, after a marathon game of dice with a couple of Gurkish traders, that became the recipient of information pertaining to some kind of magic artefact ripe for the taking in a hamlet a dozen or so leagues away.

After a long discussion, Curnden convinced Bayaz and the crew that investing in the services of a specialist would greatly improve the chances of success for this particular venture.  And so it was that Grendel from the Dishonourable Guild of Thieves was contracted.  After an increasingly anxious few days waiting, Bayaz eventually received a folded piece of parchment from a discreet courier, which simply read, " Belt of Strength. Meet in  Ostenlet. Two days. G"  a roughly draw map indicating a few isolated buildings and wooded locations was drawn on the reverse. Apparently the investment had paid off.

As Logen Ninefingers and Ferro Maljinn were still recovering from their injuries they opted to stay behind whilst the remaining crew headed to the hamlet of Ostenlet. Upon arrival the small warband were dismayed to find Ostenlet's only inn was already full and so they were relegated to the delights of a nearby barn for their stay. Given the suspicious demeanour of the inn's patrons, and the local farmers muttering about the sudden influx of strangers in the area, clearly Grendel had gone to ground hoping to avoid drawing attention to himself and the mysterious 'Belt of Strength'. The next day, Bayaz skilfully convinced a sulky Curnden Craw to stay at the Inn to keep a eye on the clientele, whilst the rest - Black Dow, Red Hat, Rudd Threetrees and Forley the Weakest accompanied Bayaz with his map to locate Grendel's hideout.

It was only a short while after the First Law set out from the barn that Fate once again mischievously intervened. There seemed to be some sort of disturbance emanating from a traders house next to the inn. As they approached they saw someone that looked like Grendel duelling with the obviously svelte figure of an elf. Threetrees then pointed further up the trail. More elves approaching  - Galan's elves!

But it was too late for Grendel as he lost his valiant battle with the elf before the First law lads could close the distance. The elf quickly headed back towards his comrades, with Grendel's leather man-bag slung over his shoulder. Ironically Grendel had himself been robbed! The First Law crew were enraged, Black Dow particularly keen to close with the bloody elves.

Once again, the First law crew found themselves outnumbered and engaged in yet another vicious skirmish with Galan's wily warband. Threetrees dragged the grievously wounded Grendel into the traders house, whilst Forley, Red Hat and Black Dow charged the elves who were quickly forming a battle-line. Forley skilfully flanked and started loosing arrows whilst his comrades crashed into the enemy. Bayaz had caught up and, sighting Threetrees through an open window in the trader's house, bellowed for him to leave Grendel and support his friends. That he did, the door hinges being rattled apart as Threetrees charged from the house bellowing a thunderous war cry.

With Red Hat and Black Dow outnumbered and doggedly trading blows with the elves, Bayaz himself, embittered by months of lost engagements with Galan's warband, uncharacteristically let his self-discipline melt away and charged into the melee himself. He even exhausted his rare Charmstone hoping to get the edge on Galan. The First Law lads fought so valiantly, that Galan somehow found himself being engaged by Bayaz, supported by Threetrees!  Sensing his imminent demise it was all Galan could do to hold off the onslaught. But once again, luck sided with the elves and they swiftly ran to their leaders aid.

Inevitably, the greater eleven numbers told and the skirmish concluded with the First law lads wounded and beaten. Galan, battered and bruised himself, and more than a little perturbed by the ferocity of Bayaz's onslaught, ordered his warband to disengage as they had got what they wanted - the mysterious Belt of Strength. 

Galan briefly held his sword in salute to Bayaz and then slunk away, melting back into the woods with his warband.