Awful Squad Jr West Marches Wiki
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This page has summaries for each of the sessions we do! You can check here to see what experience you get if you aren't in a game.

Into the Marshes (2/26/2018)[]

Player Characters: Awk, Perry, Pondweed, Tenderwing, Ser Berry

The first group of people to leave the mushroom forest venture off across the creek and into the western marshes. On the way across the creek, their boat is attacked by a giant (normal sized) catfish. They fought it off together and managed to get it to leave without hurting it too badly (it did get a little shocked tho).

When they arrived on shore, they were greeted by the vast swampy marshes. Awk set out to find some magical mushrooms, and Perry wanted to check out the new plants she'd never seen before. Pondweed and Tenderwing mostly just hung out on the ship and had a... conversation. Ser Berry tried to keep everyone safe, which was a trying time considering how everyone was scattered.

Awk tried to summon someone or something to help him find the 'shrooms he wanted, but accidentally called a Praungle (a prawn person) instead. He could understand a bit of what they said but not much. He ran away to where Ser Berry was, and she defended him from the Praungle, who threw their spear as a distraction before running away (Berry kept the spear). Awk then recruited Berry to help find the mushrooms he wanted, and after a sufficient volume were gathered, they left to go back to Trickfoot Castle.

Experience: 10 experience for players at the session (5 experience for those were not)

Back to the Marshes (2/28/2018)[]

Player characters: Awk, Perry, Aly

Three mushroom connoisseurs range out into the marshes once more in search of fungi fun-times. They find two new species of mushrooms: one that is filling and sweet smelling, and one that is poisonous. The sweet-smelling mushroom is pink and long, and the poisonous mushroom has a wide, flat black cap. It induces a powerful lethargy in those who eat it (with lesser effects for smelling and touching it).

They heard a strange chirping sound, almost like a bunch of crickets, and Perry flew up into the sky to get a view of the surrounding area. She saw a small group of huts through the mists, but before she could see much Perry got shot at, and flew to the ground to avoid getting hit. She hit the ground pretty hard.

As the three of them talked and argued about what to do and what Perry saw, some figures appeared across the far ridge. The chirping intensified, and it erupted in a wet shriek. Awk was able to tell that it was some kind of dialect of Praunglish, and that they were telling the three adventurers to "go away" or something along those lines. Awk communicated that they were friendly, and wanted to give a gift (some cabbage that he brought with him). Throughout this, Awk realized that this community of Praungles were intolerant of others and afraid of losing their mushroom stores ahead of the winter.

They left the cabbage (deliciously spiced by Aly) nearby where they were standing, and then went to hide. Three Praungles scuttled over: one but a child (with a twig made into a spear), one more adult looking (larger twig spear and a dried/hardened mushroom shield), and one quite grizzled and scarred (with a twig spear and a well crafted blowgun and a bundle of darts). While the adults were searching for traps, the young one ate some of the cabbage and was blown away. They convinced the shield-wielding Praungle to try it, and they were similarly amazed, but the older grizzled Praungle made them knock it off.

While the Praungles were searching for traps and such, Perry was able to get quite detailed sketches of the three of them and their weapons and clothing. When the Praungles departed, they brought the delicious cabbage back with them, which, unbeknownst to the adventurers, has a massive effect on their little community. Now, rather than intolerant of strangers, these Praungles are obsessed with finding seasonings like what they experienced.

The adventurers went back to Clementine's boat and headed home. On the journey back, Perry confronted Awk about the poisonous mushroom he had found and what he intended to do with it. She told him that if he didn't promise her that he wouldn't use it to harm anyone, that she would tell the Council Archivists (who investigate potentially dangerous finds from outside of Trickfoot Keep upon request) and get him in trouble. He told her that he wouldn't, and that he just wanted to investigate the mushroom's properties. Satisfied, they all went their separate ways upon arriving back home.

Experience: 10 experience for players at the session (5 experience for those who were not).

The Mysterious Caves (3/1/2018)[]

Player Characters: Ser Berry, Perry.

Location: small island immediately south-east of Trickfoot Keep.

Berry, Perry, and Tenderwing sailed to the tiny island just south-east of the Keep. When they arrived, they found a campfire and signs of a scuffle. It seemed like a quadrupedal insect was hurt and traveled up into the mountains. When they followed the path up there, they found the entrance to a cave, nestled between two massive rocks. The trail led inside. The cave walls had strange words written on them, in a language no one recognized, carved in the stone.

They followed the path down until it split, and the tracks led in two separate directions. To the left, an injured bipedal insect went, and to the right, an uninjured insect dragging something. The group of adventurers followed the left path first, wanting to take care of whoever was hurt.

They found a huge antechamber, with similar words to the walls carved into the ground. Where the trenches in the stone were dug, the words were filled with water. They could see a huge, absolutely massive statue that looked like a wingless fairy. The statue was very crudely formed, without almost any detail at all, just like the shape of a woman. In front of the statue was a badly injured ant, who couldn't speak or move. Perry managed to heal the ant enough that it could walk, and it started to head back to up the tunnel to the right-hand path.

When they followed the right hand path they found another antechamber, but in this one there was a great statue of what looked like a figure made of rock. Their head was boxy and square, while their arms were long and flat. There was much, much more detail here than in the statue of the woman. Along the walls of the room, mouse-sized replicas of the great statue lined the walls. And in the center, an ant was slowly dragging one such replica, though broken down and missing limbs, to the statue.

The ant's eyes glowed blue, and the ant from the previous antechamber looked anxious and afraid at the sight of it. The three adventurers stalled, unsure of what to do, so the ant from the previous antechamber limped forward trying to save its companion. The ant with glowing eyes made a strange shrieking sound as it approached, and when the adventurers came closer its eyes glowed red and it prepared to attack.

Perry picked up what looked like the arm of the broken down replica and swung it at the ant with glowing eyes. She hit it over the head and cracked its eye, and the glowing light in its eyes began to flicker. Berry ran up and pushed it over with her shield, knocking it to the ground and in doing so, knocking it out for a brief moment. The ant came to and managed to mumble a few incoherent words before the replica it was dragging lurched up.

After they exchanged a few tense blows, the three adventurers managed to defeat it together. They helped up the ants and learned that they were Wanderers sent out here on a mission. When the replica was defeated, a series of glowing blue words flew out of it and onto the palm of the big statue.

In the alcove around the wall where the replicas were standing, Perry found an opening where one was missing. Berry decided to place the defeated statue there, and it began to heal. Perry picked up its arm, and took it back to Trickfoot Keep with her, along with drawings of many of the strange things they had seen in these caves.

Berry and the ants reported what they had experienced to Ser John, the leader of the Wardens and Wanderers. The ants promised to call on the adventurer's help on the mission that they were sidetracked from when they were attacked.

Experience: 20 experience for players at the session (10 experience for those who were not).

The Sandy Shores (3/12/2018)[]

Player Characters: Slipper and Aly

Location: The sandbar just east of Trickfoot keep.

Slipper and Aly went out to explore the sandbar near town. They went through the mushroom glen on the way there, and heard a strange buzzing sound from nearby. Off in the distance, they saw what looked like a great mountain, just over the mushroom tops. It seemed to heave and shudder as if it were breathing. Slipper approached the buzzing sound while Aly hid in the underbrush and Slipper was immediately found by the source of the buzzing. It was a group of strange yellow insects, with wings and stingers. They were chewing and gnawing at the mushrooms in a wide clearing. When they noticed Slipper, they scuttled over to him and began smelling him and asking him questions. When they invited him back to their home, he declined as best he could, and they accepted it. They heard the great beast in the distance roar, and the group of insects ran off back to it without him.

When Slipper and Aly regrouped, they decided to check out the huge brown... thing, and see what it was up to. When they got closer, they saw more clearly that it was a living creature, almost the size of their own city in height, and on its back were what looked like... structures? They were quickly spotted by guards, who swooped in to investigate. They looked like the yellow insects seen previously, but wore armor and carried massive shields. More worrying, their stingers were forced out and supported by a little plate at the base of their thorax, turning their butts into weapons. Needless to say, Slipper and Aly were not having it.

Nearby was part of the crick where the dragonflies were mating. Slipper climbed up on Aly's shoulders and tried to glide her onto a dragonfly so they could make their escape, but fell at the last moment into the water. Aly got him by the wing and carried him along as the dragonfly took flight and they got away from the insect guards.

They made their way to the other side of the sandbar, past the great beast, and found a beautifully sculpted sandcastle. They decided to enter, and upon doing so found the inside as lovingly crafted from sand and glass as they might expect. When Slipper shouted for the inhabitants to come out, a naked mole rat named Agnes waddled down the great staircase in the foyer of the castle. She greeted them kindly and they chatted for a while. She explained that the insects were paper wasps, who had built a great city on the back of a bear which they could control. She dodged any questions about her family because "We met 10 minutes ago and like, boundaries dude."

When they requested it, she offered them a tour of the castle, starting with the kitchen. The stove was made all of glass, and the windows were also made of glass. Next they went to the dining room, which had chairs and tables made of green glass. When Slipper asked if she had made them, Agnes said she did and showed them her forge. In it, she blew glass and made beautiful objects of colorful glass. When Slipped asked if he could have some, she gave him three (valued at 200 bits each).

(Also at this point Slipper showed her his dandelion weed, which is a very non-addictive drug that he had on hand. Aly did not approve.)

Slipper and Aly really wanted to do something to help this nice naked mole rat, so they offered to get her potatoes. Unfortunately, naked mole rats don't eat a lot, so she was kind of full up on potatoes. When Aly made her a delicious meal from a bit of one of the potatoes, Agnes grew very excited and offered that if they wanted to get her something, that they could make her more delicious meals like that one.

The duo decided to go back to Trickfoot Keep after asking if it was cool if other adventurers came to hang out at her castle, which she was completely fine with. They flew back on the dragonfly they tamed named Deke, safely skirting the great bear and the paper city on its back.

Experience: 15 experience for the players who were at the session (10 experience for those who were not).

Come to Whitewing (03/14/2018)[]

Player characters: Slipper, Perry, Pondweed, Tenderwing

Location: Whitewing Castle

The residents of Trickfoot were invited to a ball at the neighboring Whitewing Castle, a mysterious kingdom across the north river. Slipper, Perry, Pondweed, and Tenderwing met Fern Shiprat, who offered his services as a ferryman to carry them to the party.

An unusual fog set in along the way, which Perry discerned to be of magical origin, intended to keep the travelers safe. Once they arrived they met The Steward, a pale white mouse, and his swan mount. He welcomed them to the kingdom and boasted about its tranquility and prosperity, as well as the beauty of their ruler, The Shimmering Queen.

On the way up to the castle Pondweed spied a red-clad stoat atop the castle parapets, whom Tenderwing decided to talk to. He introduced himself as Ser Scarlet, leader of the Queen’s Guard. Tenderwing tried very hard to get him to open up to her, but the more she pressed the more he withdrew, afraid of the Queen’s influence over him. Finally she offered him a pact: “Do you promise that you will let me stay here if I can keep her eyes from myself?” Scarlet, frustrated and doubting Tenderwing’s abilities to evade the Queen, revealed himself to be a ghost, pushing her off the parapet. Undeterred and her pact incomplete, she returned and fought the invisible spirit until he had his blade at her throat.

Meanwhile, the rest of the party interrogated some revelers to find out that the entire village was in attendance at the party, including a mysterious “Lady”. Fern immediately took to the celebration, dancing and dining. Perry braced herself with a stiff drink. Slipper also had one, despite Perry’s best efforts. Pondweed had some snacks and spied a black rabbit among the crowd of pale revelers, but got corralled to a side-room where a large painting of Ser Scarlet was hanging. Perry briefly talked with a server, an albino raven, but she quickly lost him in the crowd and suddenly forgot about him altogether. Slipper made his way to the rabbit, who was crying softly to herself. Concerned, Slipper offered to help but when she agreed, the revelers grew angry and tried to drag Slipper away. With Perry’s help Slipper got free and received a strange black button from the rabbit’s dress, who unraveled like a spool of black yarn when the button was removed. This caused the arrival of the Shimmering Queen, whose song took control of the revelers and compelled the Trickfoot visitors to come to her.

At the same time the Queen took control of Ser Scarlet to reject the first pact Tenderwing offered him. He then attempted to drag her to the ball with the others. Tenderwing offered a second pact: “If I go with you, will you let me make this right? Will you let me help you?” to which Scarlet dismissively agreed. At the same time she attempted to dispel the Queen’s control over him, which temporarily freed him but also trapped his spirit within her. The Queen’s control resurfaced and she offered Tenderwing a counter-pact: The fairy could keep Scarlet within her but must now follow the Queen’s orders, just as he did. Tenderwing agreed and took up the knight’s red darning needle.

At the same time, Fern ran to the Queen, completely enthralled while the rest of the group resisted. They struggled between escaping and saving Fern, with Slipper eventually breaking free of Perry to stab the Queen in the paw. This caused her to become outraged, turning the ghostly revelers against the group and ejecting them from the hall. With the illusion no longer maintained the castled crumbled into disrepair, leaving the group sitting outside an inaccessible ruin with Fern inside. As they approached the dock, his ghostly figure appeared before them. While he was clearly under the Queen’s thrall, he still offering them safe passage back home. Once back, and regaining some of his free will, he apologized for succumbing to the Queen’s influence before vanishing into thin air.

Experience: 25 experience for the players who were at the session (15 experience for those who were not).

Bedlam in the Burrows (03/27/18)[]

Player characters: Ser Berry, Pondweed, Tenderwing

Location: Trickfoot Keep

Locals have been disappearing in the middle of the night without a word or trace. The Sylvans appointed Ser Berry to investigate the matter along with Lemongrass and any outside help she wants. She first recruited Pondweed to help, as she believes the matter may in some way relate to Whitewing Castle and the strange behavior of her friend Tenderwing. (As they spoke a white raven flew overhead. Mysterious.) The two stopped by the fairy's house to check on her and invite her to help them investigate. She made a pact to do so if they would help her "build a body" some time in the future.

The disappearances occurred in The Burrows, a densely populated region of the Keep where many large families live. They first investigated the disappearance of two frog brothers, Tad and Ted (short for Tadpole and Tedpole). They were rogues and general scoundrels who had recently plucked a crow's feathers and were planning to sell them as "bendy spoons". Through scrying Tenderwing was able to determine that they had eaten at the local kitchen and gone to bed before vanishing.

The group then talked to Tabs and Agate, two mouse sisters. Their niece's husband, Filbert, had an argument with the young mouse and vanished that night. When they questioned the niece she said he had eaten at the local kitchen as well. Perturbed, the party went to the Kingfisher's Kitchen, a local eatery.

There they ordered food from a prim Kingfisher and his crab cook, who served them vegetable stew. While talking to them, Tenderwing's blade, acquired from Ser Scarlet, began to vibrate and tug toward the crab. The cook revealed herself to be Mother Matron, a spirit and resident of Whitewing Castle whose children were being held captive by the Shimmering Queen. She had been feeding patrons parts of her soul that yearned to go back to the Castle, luring them to their doom. Tenderwing attacked her green safety pin, toward which her blade was drawn.

When attacked Mother Matron became inconsolable and turned into a huge hulking monster that sought to escape back to Whitewing. The magnetic pull of the safety pin trapped Tenderwing's blade and pulled her along. After a brief battle, Lemongrass and Berry were able to incapacitate the crab long enough to allow Tenderwing to dispel the specter, drawing it back into the pin. Tenderwing took the safety pin and departed, leaving behind an even more concerned and confused Pondweed and Berry.

Experience: 25 experience for the players who were at the session (15 experience for those who were not).

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