1. Welcome to Sartosa

Arrived in Sartosa to find several other warbands converging on the area. The immediacy of the arrival spooked Triton slightly and he decided to play this one a little hesitantly, there’s no point making enemies so early.

To their left, a group of angry dock workers poured towards them. Triton was sure he’d arranged for safe arrival at the docks before the family arrived. He’d have to have words with their leader when the dust settles, he paid good Bretonnian Florins to secure safe berth.

To their right, through the canyon rushed a small group of undead. Seeing a Vampire amongst their number spooked the warband a little, their kind has a history of persecution at the hands of other vampire families.

Triton split his warband in two to defend against both flanks. Tahoma, Ursuzna and a couple of the Pesci brothers moved to defend against the undead, with Flroian taking up position with his blunderbuss at the opening of the canyon. Hopefully a single warning shot from that would be enough to convince the undead there were easier targets elsewhere. Tahoma climbed the canyon wall to apply pressure from there with her throwing knives and fish-hook shot.

On the left was the remainder of the warband, with Joe Pesci manning the cart. Seeing a small group of dock workers sneak up on the warband from the high ground, Cruella started chanting and knelt down into the sand. At the culmination of her spell she blew into the sand at her feet and one of the dock workers clutched his face, blinded by the sand. The dockworkers charged in and a swirling melee erupted with bodies falling on both sides. 

A roar rang out as Florian fired his blunderbuss at the onrushing undead. The necromancer was knocked down, the vampire wounded and a ghoul taken out, but still they kept on. As the vampire rushed into Ursuzna, the necromancer crawled to his feet and fired his pistol at Tahoma on the rock face. His shot struck true, and she tumbled down with a bullet hole through her chest. Joe leapt off the wagon, collected the wounded actor and bundled her into the wagon where he staunched the bleeding and begun sewing her wound together. He would need help, but this would ensure she survived long enough to get help.

2. The Lost Prince

Hearing there was a lost magician wandering the streets the Ponzi family swooped to save him and push for a reward. At the least he might have something on him worth pinching. The family arrived to note another precinct of wathcmen have also come for the magician. The Cathayans arrived accidentally, chasing lost treasure, while the dock workers have continued their riot through the streets.

Spying the magician stumbling around near the statue of Gregor the Gloater, the family pushed their cart fast, hoping for a quick pick up and retreat. Sensing troubles the watchmen accosted the family, and after some words said in anger a brief melee erupted. With cover from Gaston, Tommy jumped the barricade, grabbed the magician and ran back to the cart. Making a daring leap as the cart turned around Tommy boarded the cart and called the retreat. It was only as he pulled himself up to his feet on the bouncing wagon bed that he looked back and noticed the magician hadn’t made the jump and was left in the dust. Seeing the watchmen crowd in and the rioters keen and fresh for a fight the family all followed the wagon to safety.

3. Tainted Copse

Two warbands were intent on moving through the haunted outpost town of …… this town has been a ghost town for several years following an awakening of the forests. The copses surrounding …… constantly shift around and many who have entered them have never returned. On one occaision the copses completely cut off the roads into and out of the town, cutting off the residents from food and aid. Since then all travellers have made sure to pass through this part of the island incredibly quickly, and never straying from the road.

The two warbands met on the road, not willing to stay too long in the haunted ruins of the settlement they traded a few insults and blows and went about their business.

With a large number of the travelling show aboard their wagon a pesky dock worker attempted to unhook the lead horse. He was unsuccessful but did spook the creature which galloped off down the street in great distress. With Florian unable to soothe his spooked mount the wagon careened into walls and pillars. Shortly before nightfall, a large meteor fell from the skies narrowly missing Captain Leatherwing. Inspection of the stone found it to be pure wyrdstone, and risking the mutating effects of such a large piece he and one of his riotous dock workers started chiselling off chunks for themselves.

The comet also attracted some locals, with a small band of marsh goblins converging on the area.

With night closing in and the forests becoming more wild and active, the Captain finished his chiselling and ordered his warband south and to safety.

4. Roiling Mist

Following the great typhoon, the small coastal town of …… was destroyed. As the seas rose, they claimed the buildings as their own, drowning what inhabitants couldn’t escape in time. With the area destroyed and a smorgasbord of drowned bodies, some Femir have taken up residence. Their arrival coincided with the ruins being cast perpetually in a dense fog, limiting visibility to only a few feet.

Sensing an opportunity for plunder and the protection of the fog two separate warbands arrived. Captain Leatheriwngs and his disgruntled dock workers arrived first and spread out amongst the ruins. With a large haul of cargo washed up around the large skull cliff, he concentrated his efforts there, with others sent to investigate the buildings. Triton arrived from the ocean, where he ordered his more nimble warriors to climb the ruined buildings, while a couple of Pescis landed on the beach intent on exploring the interior.

Upon the buildings Triton was able to defend the narrow walkways with his trident and support from Tahoma’s fish-hook shot. Florian piloted the boat close to the ruined buildings where he and Elsarella took shots at foes when the fog parted enough for them to see.

The commotion drew the attention of the femir who made for each of the warbands.

One peasant fell off the buildings in the fog and tried to outswim the femir chasing him, a challenge he was ill equipped to complete.

The isolated Ponzi family members were slowly picked off one by one in the fog, eventually Triton called a halt, knowing there was little left to achieve and he retreated from the area.

5. Surprise Encounter

Wandering around the canal district, the Ponzi family stumbled upon the Warband of the notorious Vampire Count Dorian. The exchange was short and bloody with the undead blunderbusses roaring away and the Count himself in the thick of the action.

Flexing his muscles, Triton stepped forward to block the vampire’s way. The fight that followed was short and brutal, with the Ponzi patriarch’s body falling limp to the ground. In a frenzy, Rough Tommy threw himself at the vampire, his tiny spry body outwitting the vampire momentarily.

Seeing the body of her husband lying lifeless on the ground, Curella drew herself up and gathered the remaining family members to her as they left the field to the undead to swarm over.

The body count was high. Alongside their patriarch lay the bodies of Jorge and Thibault Pesci. Jorge was ripped apart by ghouls, while Thibault bravely stood in the path of the vampire.

6. The Pool

Following the disaster at the canals the Ponzi family were at a loss. Without their artistic director, their star and their father, what were they to do. Ever the stoic, pragmatic one, Cruella consoled and grieved with them, all the while planning their next move.

They wouldn’t be able to perform for some time, so they needed to find an alternate income for the time being.

It was Florian who sparked the idea, he had heard tale of a mysterious galleon that had washed ashore in the typhoon. This wreck was lost decades ago, and the stories say it was carrying a hold full of treasure when it did.

Hoping they were the only ones to hear about it, the Ponzi family, now with a sense of purpose again, made the long trek inland to the valley where the wreck was rumoured to now reside.

Not wanting a repeat of the Canals, they made their way cautiously towards the rotting hulk. This time Cruella had brought more of their show with them. Special Effects expert deployed alongside the crew. His fireworks should be enough to distract any others who showed up to claim the loot. Though he was very strongly ordered not to fire until he saw enemies converging, there was no need to give away their position until they had to.

With Elsarella, Gaston, Florian and Cruella proving cover from the valley walls and ruined buildings, Tahoma and Tommy converged on the wreck with the support of the Pescis.

It turned out they were not alone… Those damned preachy Dock Workers had arrived, as had the Cathayan Merchants, and to top it all off, the local constabulary had arrived to lock down the wreck site.

The fight was mostly contained to the heights, with the Merchants pouring out of the building and along the gangway to the wreck. As the ran past, their magician fired mercilessly into Gaston and Cruella, killing them, Their bodies tumbled down the valley walls to land broken and lifeless. On the eastern side of the valley a strangely mutated woman slithered along the rope bridge towards Florian. Her gait was strangely hypnotic and neither his blunderbuss nor pistol seemed to have any effect on her. Finally she made her way onto Florian’s outcrop and punched him clean off it. Luckily his training on the stage meant he was able to land on his feet and back away from the hideous but strangely alluring lady.

Meanwhile in the wreck, the Pesci brothers were providing cover and support to the two nimble young actors as they combed through the wreck for treasure, around them all was the fizz, whoosh and bangs of fireworks. One such careened into the hulk of the wreck and everyone collectively held their breath to see if the ship caught alight. Luckily the flames didn’t take hold as timbers were too damp.

7. Lair of the Beast

Leaderless, the Ponzi family felt adrift. While Triton was the artistic one, the flamboyant showman and the figurehead of the family, it was Cruella that kept them together, kept them fed, healthy and provided them direction. Her loss was too hard to take for some. Fighting their way free from the wrecked ship, the family found themselves embroiled within a fight around the lair of some poor beast. Spying Count Dorian fighting his way through the Cathayans, a heart wrenching shriek erupted from Tahoma’s lips. She was still grieving the loss of her parents, her father at the hands of the Vampire. With rational thought the furthest thing from her mind she launched herself off the show’s barge and into the surf. Florian, with unwanted leadership thrust upon him reached out to grab Tahoma, but she twisted through his grip and struck out for shore.

Barking some hasty orders to the rest of the family, Florian sent Joe, Sea Bass Tim, Putanesca and Rough Tommy out to protect Tahoma while he tried to cut her off with Thierry, Julio, and Vadora. Leaving Max, and ___ to protect the barge.

With the two parties making for the shore, Florian’s party was quicker, making use of the rocks and debris, however Tahoma’s was much more direct, with her attention solely on the hulking form of the Vampire captain. The two parties converged at the ruined building on the shore, and Florian was able to grab Tahoma and bark some hasty words to her about risking everyone else’s life. Seeing the cloud of anger recede from her eyes, her face lost its tautness and for the first time she looked around. They were surrounded. On their way to the beach Florian told Vadora to treat with the watchmen also arriving on the beach. Their hasty parlay bought the family some small amount of protection and time. Provided no one did anything rash and attacked unprovoked.

8. Ghartok's Tomb

Following the typhoon, the legendary Ghartok’s tomb has resurfaced amongst the docks. Hoping they were the only ones yet aware of the tomb’s new location, the Ponzi family rushed across land to the small seaside town of Keracha. With the peak of the tomb in sight, they made all haste across the ruined jetties, until the sight of 3 enraged chaos trolls halted them. Taking the more cautious approach also allowed the family to spy the arrival of 2 long boats and some guttural shouting on the horizon.

One longboat split off and headed straight for the Ponzi barge, whilst the other made direct for the tomb.

A scuffle erupted on the jetties as one of the chaos trolls blocked the way forward.

9. Ambush

Heard word of the ogres advancing on Count Dorian’s warband who had just found a stash of treasure. Florian planned to arrive just in time to pick through the remains once the two warbands had beaten each other up a bit.

The ogres were slower in arriving that we anticipated. At the first sign of danger, Count Dorian quickly turned tail (or at least turned into a bat) and fled, leaving his warriors to follow in his wake. Tahoma took Bastinda and the Priest around to try and cut off the fleeing warriors whilst the rest tried to tie up the ghouls. Upon the raised sections the Barber, Florian, Rough Tommy and a couple of Pescis fought the ghouls. Florian initiated the fight with a deafening roar from his blunderbuss. This killed one ghoul, and knocked down two others. The following melee resulted in 3 ghouls out of action and both Florian and Rough Tommy downed. In a dark day for the two heroes, both succumbed to their wounds, and were laid to rest with great honour and sadness with the rest of the fallen Ponzis

While chasing the fleeing undead, Bastinda cursed the Necromancer who, in his fury turned and charged the aged witch. Luckily the curse stuck and the necromancer found his grip was off, his stabs didn’t hit flesh, and his feet tripped over seemingly nothing. With Bastinda retreating from the necromancer, his frustration erupted and his charged the newly arrived Ogre Captain who made short work of the undead wizard. Tahoma made short work of one of the dregs and with the threat of the undead finished the Ogres and Ponzis made an uneasy agreement to go their own way with the loot they had acquired.

Following the battle and the wake for the departed heroes, the remaining ponzis returned to the city to burn away the pain in whatever suited each individual. The priest visited the bordello, when he suffered a severe leg wound from a rather vigorous spanking. Tahoma, feeling lost, alone and angry took herself off to the Sanitarium where she was incarcerated for a couple of weeks and undergoing some terrifying treatments. She returned to the warband quiet and timid, having lost all of her confidence. She wouldn’t speak of her trials however.

10. Body Count

Quickly surrounded by the ogres. Erton fired a rocket which quickly changed course and hit Joachim directly in the face, knocking him out cold.

With the Ogre hunter crumping a few pesci brothers, Tahoma still in the sanatorium and Jochim out cold, the remaining warband fled from the maddened ogres.