0x01: The Cold Bounty, Part 3

• The following morning, after a long, cold night, the PCs turn their attention toward exiting the mountains and returning to civilization. They angle toward the elevated watchtower observed the previous day.
• As they approach, Christoph and Sören sneak forward as scouts, noting the sounds of a woman in pain. Christoph identifies a guard and this watchman immediately calls out the alarm when the other PCs approach less than stealthily. This poor unfortunate fellow promptly gets an arrow for his troubles.
• With the armcry raised, a fierce fight ensues with more bandits rushing out, led by the original target of this expedition, Fat Farlsbag himself! In the ensuing melee, Queen Coppertong is grievously injured and falls from the side of the mountain, seemingly to her doom though Christoph and Jörg will later find that she is a mere 10 yards down, unconscious and bleeding. Farlsbag himself is felled, as are most of his bandits, and it is little surprise that the two who surrender are already bearing the brands of cowards on their faces.
• There are two hostages in the camp, a beautiful young woman wearing the (now dirty) habit of a Shallyan nun and a nobleman the PCs vaguely recall seeing in the bounty expedition. Both are badly beaten, with the nobleman so grievously injured that it is a wonder he is still alive. The Sister recoils away from all of the men and glares hotly at the bandit who was standing watch over her and the nobleman before Sören captured him.

GM Notes:

• As expected, this session was just one long fight. Not sure why it dragged as long as it did although to be fair, there were a lot of hostiles (8) and five PCs. Plus, it lasted 12 rounds or so. Almost got my first GURPSHammer fatality! Alas…
• There was some brief offline discussion of trying to stabilize Fat Farlsbag, but with the Bleeding rules in effect and him having taking a vitals strike, I think he’ll probably bleed out before anyone even tries to save him.
• The “Coward” or “Deserter” brands I stole from the Codex Alera books by Jim Butcher. I liked the idea and it fits the Empire here.
• Some of the aftermath stuff is information I intended to relate following the end of the fight, but we were running late so instead I’m putting that here for proper flow.