Survival training aka Hunting trip

The players (ages 4-10) drew their campsite & what they made.

The party of three; Alexander (warrior), Green (rogue) and James (mage) headed into the forest to the north. They were heading to the foothills where they would find boar, deer and rabbits, plus a stream that was a hot spot for fishing, even more so then the river on the other side of the village.

They were lead by Faerenal Derendil who was the head of the rogue department of the Academy. Once they made it to the clearing where the cadets would spend the next 32 or so hours, she reminded them that they were being tested, and then she left.

The first thing they tended to was putting up their individual tents. Then went in search of wood for the fire pit that James had dug. Alexander built up the wood and Green worked on starting the fire. Once they had a good fire going Green headed out to hunt for Boar while Alexander set a bear trap just outside the camp. The cadets knew they would be selling the meat they did not eat from any game that they caught, plus the pelts if in good shape. Alexander and Green had decided they would make themselves coats from what they killed.

Green took his time and after about an hour found several boar. He took aim with his bow and fired at the largest one. The arrow struck but didn't drop the boar, instead the boar charged at him and Green had to act fast. His second shot got the boar in the shoulder and dropped him. Then Green was able to finish the job and he dragged the boar back to camp.

Alexander wanted a bear. Being a warrior it was natural that he wanted to test himself against the largest beast in the forest. However, he settled on deer. It took him a while but he found one grazing in a clearing and was able to sneak up on it and make a quick job of it. He wound up with two deer by the afternoon.

James went fishing. He enjoyed the tacktile aspect of fishing. Holding the rod and hooking the bait, then waiting for a catch... and waiting... and waiting... finally something was on the line and he pulled and pulled, seeing it was a large trout, he worked with all his might when suddenly - snap! The line broke. He decided if he was gonna eat dinner he better go look for some rabbits. He caught one fairly quickly and was able to go back to camp and have rabbit stew.

Meanwhile Green ate a wonderful meal of boar meat that he had slowly roasted skewered over the fire. While the meat was cooking he began work on the pelt. His goal was to make two coats from it. Quickly realizing he may need another boar to complete both, Green went on the hunt again. This time finding a smaller boar, but enough to complete his coats.

Alexander decided to also make coats from the deer he had caught. His first one though was a bit damaged, but he found it fine for himself. He'd need to make a better one to sell though. With the undamaged pelt he was able to make a fine one that he would sell when they went to the market square.

Alexander headed back out before dark to do some fishing and after loosing a 30 inch carp, he wound up with a large cod. Not a bad day fishing.

Then it was time to bed down for the night. All the meat that was not eaten (and there was a lot) was prepared and hung so it would survive the night. The cadets would finish their work on the pelts the next day, then break camp and head back to the village.

Will the cadets pass their survival training?

Will they get full price from Mrs. Padmore in the academy kitchen for the meat? And what about those pelts they plan to sell at the market?

What about those bears that Alexander wanted to catch? Are any close enough to smell the delicious meat hanging right in the middle of camp, ready for the taking?

We'll find out next time!

The Martek Mines

Taken from "Hero Kid Adventures"

Sheriff Ira Skeen caught up with the cadets and asked for their help.

The Martek Mines, which have been abandoned these last hundred years, have collapsed. The probem being that just last week two miners reopened the mine to seek their fortune. Their family had expected them to return to the village several days ago. When they didn't show the sheriff went out to check on them and found the entrance collapsed, trapping the miners inside. So, she's asked if the cadets will go in and try and find them.

There was a gap in the fallen rock slide that they crawled into. Once inside they found the minors bedrolls, along with a pick ax, rope and a shovel. They spotted tracks leading west and ventured forward. They came to a section where they could go straight or turn north. While discussing where to go a giant bat flew in from the north tunnel and attacked. It bit the Mages shoulder before eventually being killed.

The cadets split up, Green heading west and the others heading north. Green enters a cavern with a giant pit and hears a man yelling for help. He uses his rope to pull the minor out. After making sure he's okay, Green finds out that the miners hadn't seen a giant bat. John, the miner, had fallen in the pit during the earthquake that must have caused the entrance collapse.

Green catches up with the others as John heads back to the mine entrance. The cadets find themselves at an underground river, their only way to continue is a tunnel to the west. Suddenly a swarm of bats (normal size) swoops down, as they rush to get out of the way, Alexander falls into the river. Luckily before getting swept away he is able to climb out. They rush down the tunnel, only to be stopped by a broken rope bridge - their only means to cross the raging river.

Alexander and James come up with a plan involving a grapling hook and lots of rope. Alexander is the last to cross, and holds the end of the rope as the other two slowly make their way over the bridge. Both almost fall several times - Alexander holds tight, keeping them from falling. Once on the otherside Green holds onto the other end while Alexander crosses.

Around a bend they come to giant webs, all entangled, blocking their way. They rip through it. On the other side their in another cavern. There are two sacs hanging to the left and another web wall to the right. They burn the sacs, knowing that they are spider sacs. Then a large spider enters from behind the webbing and attacks. They fight and kill it, then go down the pit  that was behind the webs.

They see another two sacs, and across the room they see a spider 3x's as big as the others. It quickly runs across the cavern and attacks them. While fighting, two spiders drop from the sacs. Melee ensues.

Once they kill the spiders they hear yelling for help in the next cavern. It's the other miner, Thomas. He's hanging wrapped in a web. They cut him down and help him out.

Searching the cavern they find remains from others who were not as lucky as Thomas. They search and find 15 gold coins, a compass, some twine, a grappling hook and a spike.

They gained 250 XP.


This story was taken from "Hero Kids Adventures" and adapted for Fantasy AGE. Although I kept the village name Rivenshore, everything else about the world has been changed.

Rats Under The Murky Ale Tavern

The boys painted their own minis & the 4yr old did the spider.

After an afternoon of target practice, Alexander, Green and James headed inside the academy to the mess hall for lunch. Before they could make it that far they were called into the Guard Captain's office.

Captain Jack informed the cadets that Maise, the owner of Murky Ale Tavern, has been complaining of giant rats. She said they were as big as her little dog. The Captain figured she was exaggerating, and asked the cadets to take a look, with the instructions that if there were rats, get rid of them.

As hungry as the boys were, they headed over to the tavern. Maise was beside herself, and grateful the boys were there. Willie the bartender had been bit. The bite mark was just below his knee. The cadets knew that couldn't come from an ordinary sized rat.

They headed down to the basement and immediately smelled the fowl stench of rat droppings. As they rounded the corner of the stacked barrels, they saw a giant rat, chewing on something. Alexander used his sword and cut it, Green shot an arrow, James threw a fireball - missing and catching a barrel on fire. eventually they got the rat only to be faced with a second one.

After dispensing of the rats they made there way to the second room of the basement where Alexander heard a cry from a child. It sounded like it came from below the basement. Heading to the back of the room they find two more rats. Fighting in close quarters, Alexander gets bitten. It's nothing too serious and the cadets finish off the rats. Grabing a healing potion on the way, they head down the hole in the floor boards towards the cries of the child.

Once down below, their only light is blue fungi along the rock and dirt walls. Suddenly a rat comes out of a hole in the wall and attacks! While Alexander and James fight the rat, Green investigates the hole. He sees a rat and tries to stab it with his dagger. The other two kill their rat and Alexander explores further down the tunnel, finding another hole. Meanwhile, James burns the rat in the hole that Green found to a crisp. Alexander sets a trap of small caltrops and cheese at the third hole. Sure enough the cheese is enough to get a rats attention and the boys kill it.

They split up after that. Alexander continues down the eastern tunnel, while Green and James make their way west. Alexander finds a cavern with stalagmites and a small pool of water. He spots something sparkling in the water he believes is gold and goes in to get it. He is attacked by a giant Spiny Rockfish that had camouflaged itself in the rocks. Although bitten he manages to get an attack with his dagger, and the fish quickly retreats. Fully camouflaged, Alexander could no longer find the fish so he turned his attention to what was indeed 5 gold pieces. He then searched the cavern and although not finding the child he did find an arrow that he thought might be magical.

Meanwhile in the western tunnel, Green and James come upon a 4 foot ledge where they fight two more giant rats. Both cadets get their ankles bit, but prevail in the end. Jumping down the other side they enter the rats den. By this time Alexander has joined them and they fight several giant rats, plus the rat king, which Alexander kills. Green discovers one more rat in a hole and sets a small caltrops and cheese trap. This time the rat bites down on the cheese and gets a caltrop piercing the roof of its mouth. Green quickly kills it.

They discover the child, a young boy, hiding in another hole.

With the boy safe and sound they search the cavern. James finds 3 gold, Green finds 4 gold and Alexander finds a dagger. After asking Green what kind of arrow he had found, Alexander winds up selling the Arrow of Accuracy to Green who is the archer in the group.

They head back up to the tavern, tired and starving, to find a feast laid out for them as a thank you from Maise. After they eat Alexander sells the dagger he found to Willie the bartender. Then Green, realizing he spent all of his gold, washes glasses for Willie for a gold piece.

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This story was taken from "Hero Kids Adventures" and adapted for Fantasy AGE. Although I kept the village name Rivenshore, everything else about the world has been changed.