respscorp (GM) causes Rolling 12 - 3d6 = -4 LD: If you want us to see them at all times, add them to the quick macro bar respscorp (GM): they are LD: hmm you should be able to set permissions to the macros yeah, it should be right above the "delete macro" button "Visible to players" P.P. A.: Do we need to fill in the character sheets here on roll20? I usually just gave GSC open in another window, but if it's easier for the GMto keep track of things here… respscorp (GM): should be up now Sheets are optional now that we have some basic macros to speed up rolling P.P. A.: good respscorp (GM): Everybody here? P.P. A.: so it would seem LD: I'm physically here Give my mind a minute to also get out of bed that was a joke, I'm ready respscorp (GM): Alright It's near the end of the growth season, when the spring harvest has been planted, the weather is fair and most wild animals are still caring for their young - a good time for travel Awan, Blaer and Radulf have been travelling for 1 day now, barely out of their home valley but already having lost sight of any signs of human presence. Their goal - to make a trip over to some of the less friendly neighbours and make a name for themselves by bringing some loot back. A daunting trip where you have to brave both the wilderness and clansmen less than happy to see you. And one less daring youths usually make in larger groups, but you're fairly confident that your ability is enough and your small number would make you more able to avoid notice. You're headed towards the lands of the Red Serpents respscorp (GM): let me fix the measuring tool In the meantime, it;s a good moment to stop and look at your fellows (a quick rundown of looks and reputation) Radulf strolls leisurely along the forest's edge, carried by his trusty shepherd's axe. Underneath his fashionably bent straw hat (he does carry a helmet), his light blond locks are gently moved by the wind, and his brown eyes look about with idle curiosity. Radulf: One son—of four—of a well-to-do clan member, he spent much of his adolescence so far looking after the family's flocks of sheep, sometimes the cattle, too, ever accompanied by his trusty dog Karli. Radulf never stood out much either way, though those who spend time with him appreciate his tall tales of strange places and peoples, fairies and spirits, and dark nightmares—fantastical pictures and stories which, he says, come to him in his dreams. MrFix: Awan is a young, pale man with brown hair and distinctive blue eyes, dressed in some light - weather appropriate clothes. Thick leather sleeveless jacket protects his torso, while the neck, head and face are covered up by a mail coif. He carries his possessions hanging off of a pole on his shoulder and keeps an axe close at hand. Whenever he speaks, he speaks well, with pleasantly soft, but firm voice. Blaer is a young woman with fair skin and dirty blond, shoulder length hair, currently tucked away, as she usually does when hunting. The eye can't help but be drawn to the glint of metal from her right hand, or rather the hook in its place, currently resting a bow in its indent. This would be the one thing anyone would know about her, before her skills in hunting, before her knowledge of the wilds, and before her training in healing. Her violet eyes scan the trees regularly, looking for signs of predator or prey. respscorp (GM): As the three are making their way on the 2nd day of their journey shortly after picking up camp, you can see some people in the distance across the next slope. This close to home it's usually someone you know. This conclusion is also supported by the fact that upon also catching sight of you they wave and stop to wait. Seems like it might be some of the people you grew around with. Radulf smiles and takes off his straw hat, waving it around over his head. respscorp (GM): You eventually make it across the slope, and can see the four of them waiting for you - the only kids your age in the specific valley your families' farms were located. Eoghania, the trouble-making, weird and feist daughter of the bowyer, Muiram the herbalist's granddaughter, Sayalla the Wizard's granddaughter and Aegir the healer "Hey-llo cousins", Eoghaina greets you in her slightly rasping, small voice. "We're out for herbs, maybe bag us some small game, but it looks you have much bigger plans!" Radulf: “Collect some extra herbs for us in case our plans don't pan out!” Radulf responds with a laugh. Background is, Sayalla might be one of the most desirable maids in your age, not just for her the fact that she is related to the wizard - and therefor both tied to a wealthy man and not technically anybody's cousin. She's also of tremendous stature, easily taller than some man and supposedly a good shot and a quiet, diligent worker. Too bad she promised never to get married before her good friend Eoghaina - who is near her opposite - a small, skinny girl and an incorrigible troublemaker, at least as a kid. Awan: "Hey. We're on patrol, seen anything unusual recently?" P.P. A.: Sounds like one guy has to take one for the team here Background: "Don't worry, we will" - Muriam smiles, while Aegir makes her best not to look at Blaer's missing hand. "Just take care, some things even herbs and needles cannot fix. Make sure you don't forget something? People always forget the simplest things when they head out in the wilds." respscorp (GM): Meanwile, Sayalla turns to give Awab a serious answer: "Nothing unusual around here." "I sighted a deer earlier, but it was pretty young and far away - not worth losing our way to chase after it." Awan: "That's good, maybe our borders are finally respected. You're gonna head further away or return to the settlement?" Radulf stops and strikes a very pensive pose, and a serious mien. After a few moments, he looks at Muriam: “Is my head still on my shoulders?” respscorp (GM): "We were thinking to head a bet further out - there's a curious meadow half-a-day out east, then back home. Might be able to make it back to one of the bothies in the forest before it gets too dark with a good pace." Muiram replies, obviously dreading the short but intensive trek. Then smiles and cuts in before Eoghania can reply to Radulf "It's on your neck." Blaer remains silently watching the conversation Radulf places his hand on his head and grins. “Then I've got the most important things with me—my head on my neck, and carrying you in my heart.” He winks, before squatting down to bet his dog. “…and Karli, of course.” Awan: "It's on but we can fix that issue really quick. Meanwhile, we could come together that way, it's not much of a detour for us." Radulf: *pet respscorp (GM): Aegir will just silently make her way around the group to check if Blaer is healthy, doesn't experience pains, itches, discomforts or other malaise. At Awan's proposal, there is a short discordant chorus of "Sure...", "Yeah, why not" and "Hm..." then, as they technically have a way to go and a short time to get there, they all pick up and start walking. Radulf can try to use his flirt-relevant skills if that was his intention, otherwise his remark merits no response. Rolling 3d6 = 6v10 (Sex Appeal) respscorp (GM): Well I guess it does merit a blushing dismissal then. LD: woah Radulf is quite satisfied with that. Blaer separates a few steps from the group as Aegir comes over and talks to her respscorp (GM): Picking up on travelling speed, it is the girl's intention to make it towards the weird meadow in ~3h and then out towards a bothy before dark so another ~4h. What's everybody's encumbrance-adjusted Move? Rolling 0 - 3d6 = -13 P.P. A.: ah wait, Radulf may be at 4 and Light encumberment, depending on whether you want to say his axe is equipped or not (he does carry it, but being a walking stick it also kinda carries itself) Rolling 3d6 = 6v10 Hiking P.P. A.: LD: just do 3d6 and then put the skill before or after the brackets respscorp (GM): (btw, you get free food courtesy of loving families - 7 day's worth, weighting 14lbs for each person - supplemented with hunting it can last much longer) Rolling 12 - 3d6 = 7 P.P. A.: I usually just roll the dice and put the ESL next to it in plain text for comparison, but I can adopt this style if preferred Background: need to go in a call, I'll try to keep things going here respscorp (GM): Everyone moves together, though most of you are slowed down by your supplies, while your friends are travelling light. Still, Muiram and Aegir are not bastions of endurance, so they're thankful for the somewhat more measured pace. Base move 3, Mountain, Good Hiking Rolling 12 - 3d6 = 1 respscorp (GM): Radulf and Blaer only know of the place because it is well-liked by your herbalists and they sometimes talk about it, but they're also sure this is the right direction. Probably ~1h more at your current pace Radulf: “I've been meaning to see that meadow, but our herbalist warned me there'd be hell to pay if I led our sheep there. Fair enough, they leave any grazing grounds looking like Uncle Gwyn's [bald] head if you leave them be.” respscorp (GM): After some more time time walking up and down the steep terrain, everybody finally makes it to the herbalists "weird" meadow. You can immediately see what they meant when they dubbed it that - though it is covered by the thick shade of ancient, densely growing trees, it is thick with strange, aromatic purple and yellow flowers that have grown as tall as a a man's waist. The air is chill, quiet and thick with the sweet aroma of the flowers. Muiram and Aegir take out small blades, put down their empty baskets and start harvesting the yellow ones and a small green plant hiding among the bigger flowers. Radulf looks around, curious, but knows better than to touch or smell anything carelessly. Awan: What is the current time of day respscorp (GM): The other two just rest their backs against a nearby tree, talking quietly until the harvest finishes. It is about noon time. Radulf observes the girls doing their work. “Are the purple ones poisonous?” he asks after noticing that they were ignoring those. Blaer draws her own small knife, and moves to Muiram and Aegir Blaer: Would you like some help? respscorp (GM): "Nah, perfectly safe, just useless", answers Eoghania "Try chewing the seeds, it's just sweet, perfectly harmless" Meanwhile, Aegire jumps a little but gratefully accepts the help. Muriam, while castin a glance and Eoghania: "it's nice to see some folk still volunteer to do work, without having to be made to" Radulf could do with a snack, so he takes a few of the flowers and gives their seeds a try. respscorp (GM): The girls give Radulf a look varying between "Holy Mother of Earth, he did it" and "oh no"; But the seeds do ineed feel like they're watery, kinda sweet and not at all poisnous. Radulf should probably make a HT+1 check Rolling 3d6 = 17 P.P. A.: I'll take that 11 so, pass respscorp (GM): (alright) Absolutely nothing happens. You feel fine. In fact, this stuff is delicious. Eoghania looks a bit impressed, and the concern on everybody's face slowly melts away and they get back to work. LD: Would I be able to make a roll to know what the herb actually does? Radulf happens to swallow the seeds just as the other girls make their remarks. He looks visibly concerned for a moment, but after a few tense seconds pass, he feels fine—and, thus, puts a few others into his mouth. respscorp (GM): (LD, yes) LD: would that be naturalist or pharmacy Herbal? respscorp (GM): Eating a few more is fine. In fact, everything appears to be fine. They were probably trying to psyche you. Like that timr Eoghaina threw a legless lizard in your shirt to make it back at you for putting a frog in her skirt and then everybody was acting terrified about the "snake" Radulf glances at Eoghania with a “I'm onto you, but I'll let you off the hook this time” look in his eyes, and a confident smirk on his chewing lips. Rolling 13 - 3d6 = 1 respscorp (GM): Naturalist tells you the plant is probably not poisonous, as its seeds look like they rely on being eaten to spread. But Pharmacy might tell you more about their properties Rolling 12 - 3d6 = 2 Awan: "The wildlife certainly respects the meadow's boundaries. What's the story behind it?" respscorp (GM): Muiram looks up and gives Eoghania a look as if to stop her from responding, then speaks while meticulously cutting small, green leaves. "Grandma found it short after setting down by the valley. Thought it weird so she spend some time stalking it. Claims it's guarded by a spirit, but that that Blaer too some herbs for her own, Muiram warns her that neither of the two types they picked should be ingested. They are for tinctures and brews that go on the skin. The blue ones are supposedly an ingredient in a wound balm, the yellow ones treat fevers and swellings Do you split up now, or walk together until they reach one of the bothies your clan keeps in the woods round their lands? P.P. A.: The latter seems safer LD: Blaer has no issue sticking with the group for longer Awan: as long as it's not much of a detour, we can stick with them respscorp (GM): It's going to cost you the rest of this day. since it's a sideways movement, nothing is gained, nothing is lost, except time P.P. A.: We're not in a particular rush, the company is pleasant, and it'd be bad if they got attacked by wild animals or something; seems worth it LD: Yeah, as long as our mission doesn't have any time-sensitivity to it, and we have the food to cover the journey, I'd say it's worth it respscorp (GM): On the way back, Sayalla offers to help with somebody's baggage. She's traveling light and her strength seems to match her unnatural stature (she can take up to 30 lbs from others and still keep pace with anybody else); Eoghania has a different idea though - those that are faster than the group average should roam ahead and try to bag some small game for supper Awan: "Go forth and hunt, we're in no hurry." Blaer would offer to do some hunting for the group respscorp (GM): Blaer if she's encumbered to the point where her speed is below 5, would be advised to drop some of her load on the rest of the group But is otherwise very welcome Blaer would leave behind her bag with the herbs and food stored in it, leaving her unencumbered LD: it's 14.5 lbs Radulf: “I'll have… wild boar, please. Oh, and shoot us a jug of wine while you're at it,” Radulf jokes, and offers to take the herbs off her. Rolling 9 - 3d6 = 1 Radulf has a chat with Awan in the meantime: “Any plans for what we'll try and take from the Red Serpents?” respscorp (GM): You will reach a bothy shortly before dark. Blaer stops herself before she gets too tired, sense getting the better of her Radulf: “We won't be able to lose them easily if we're travelling with too many animals, there's some open terrain between them and the hills, far as I know—unless we can take a few horses” Background knowledge is, horses are usually better guarded than other animals - closer to the village. While sheep are the least guarded - usually by kids and a few days away from the main settle areas. The kids can try to alert patrolling warriors, but a thief usually has a day's headstart P.P. A.: Makes sense Travelling on foot with a flock of animals is a good deal slower than chasing after thieves on horseback though which is the concern here (but needn't be resolved yet, of course) Awan: "Red Serpents... Maybe we can try taking one of them captive for ransom." Radulf whistles. “They'd /really/ be out for blood then.” Awan: "We'll see what opportunities we'll have once we arrive." Radulf: “I guess.” Background: Muiram was just about to say something, then closes her mouth hearing Awan's plan. Just nods along. "Pretty bold. You're probably going to have more luck discovering the elusive local savages that keep stealing Old Egard's piglets than getting one of the across the rive. They're not reasonable folk like us you know." Background - everybody just assumes Egard is lying. Nobody has seen native humans. If there were any, you just assume the Serpents killed them all or something. respscorp (GM): Besides, only that farm and only these two years, and only enough to feed about 1-5 people for a short time? Either beasts or local kids. Radulf chuckles. “We'll come back with all the piglets, and all the cookies the ‘little men’ came and stole from my little brother, as he so insists with crumbs all around his mouth.” respscorp (GM): "I don't know about that. Sometimes things are out there in the wilds. You of all people should know what I'm talking about" Muiram suddenly grows serious. Awan: "Our bands would meet it if it was a threat to us. If it's hiding away, it's afraid." Radulf scratches the back of his head and slowly wipes the smirk off his face. P.P. A.: I assume at this point domestic pigs are sufficiently distinct from wild boars that you can tell them apart easily? respscorp (GM): "Maybe. Our warriors are pretty awesome. At least mold of the old timers. The new bunch, not so sure." Muiram pouts pensively. She often makes these jabs at her older brother's generation, who was a famously handsome womanizer and holder of "that weird kid" title before Eoghania. Domestic pigs are kinda distinguishable from wild pigs. Radulf: “Well, if they're stealing pig, they probably want to raise them into big ones before they eat them.” respscorp (GM): To the point where it's an actual danger a wild hog might try to rut with your domestic pigs and give you a generation of unruly, hairier, less tasty offspring Radulf: “We'll keep an eye out around acorn trees and the like for any strangely hairless boars.” Awan: "Right." respscorp (GM): You eventually make it to the bothy, and the other catch up with you with whatever they managed to bag. P.P. A.: (On Papua New Guinea, the natives generally raise pigs by training the piglets to recognise them and trust them, then release them into the forest so they can forage there and up & fat, and after enough time has passed they go looking for them and call them back to them—so they can be taken home and eaten.) (Hence the assumption that the pignappers would also let the stolen pigs forage somewhere in the woods) Anyhow, thanks for the session nvm :DDD respscorp (GM): The evening passes in light conversation (and potentially heavy eating, we'll check hunting luck next time); after everybody goes asleep though, that is when things always get complicated for Radul Radulf closes is eyes on a stomach of later to be determined fullness, and passes out happily exhausted after a day of hiking and chatting with the local girls. (From respscorp (GM)): once again, you find yourself stranded, looking down at the small bothy from outside, the stars spinning in the sky, the moon racing upward, the leaves jittering madly as if pulled by some rabid, ghostly wind Radulf uses his dog as a pillow. Radulf reaches out to the moon on instinct. (From respscorp (GM)): You feels a motion behind you, but it is gone as soon as you turn away. Something keeps spinning, flitting around you. You can distinguish the small din of tiny silver bells or maybe just some delicate metal buckles (From respscorp (GM)): and there is a giggle. Radulf: “O-oi, where are you?” Radulf turns left and right, tries to spin around, his movement laggy and slow. (From respscorp (GM)): It is unclear if it is real, and uncertain if it did obey. But you can hear some merry gibberish zooming past your ear as it darts in a direction you can follow this time. It makes a light tinkle and you can see s subjtle, silvery trail in the air as you turn in that direction Radulf follows it as best as he can, unconscious of whether he's walking or flying. (From respscorp (GM)): It leads Radulf away from the bothy. The trail ends abruptly behind a tree, replaced by an ephemeral cloud of floating brightness. Something large, hairy, pitch-black and oily stares at you from beyond the cloud, but seems unable to cross over. Radulf stops still and stares back at the shape, both in terror, and searching for where the chiming, sparkly, giggling thing might have gone. P.P. A.: (er, oops, should I be whispering too) (To GM): probably, sorry (From respscorp (GM)): The dark beast slowly starts sliding, trying to circumvent the cloud, to get around it and get to you. Radulf hesitates for a moment, mesmerised by the cloud, but fear gets the better of him and he tries to hide from the creature by moving around the tree and hiding behind it. (From respscorp (GM)): As your arm accidentaly passes through the ghostly tree, you realise it's not going to be much help at deterring the beast. All you've do is avoid its sight, but it already knows you're here. (To GM): Radulf considers running away from the forest, into the sky, somehow conflating the twinkling stars with the sparkling path he followed to the cloud in the first place. However, he realises that giggling thing might still be around, and the monster a threat to it, so he raises his axe, lifts it overhead, and prepares to swing it down at the creature if it peeks out from the other side of the tree. (From respscorp (GM)): - that's a good question - does equipment move over to the projected form? (To GM): Probably not, but he's following dream logic. He may discover that he isn't actually holding an axe—or he manifested a spirit-axe by thinking he has one, but that might be an Innate Attack I'd have to buy first. Up to you. (To GM): If he realises he doesn't have an axe he'll just gtfo (From respscorp (GM)): quickly discovers he doesn't have his trusty axe (or indeed, his trusty anything) on him and legs it. (the dream form can have signature gear maybe?) respscorp (GM): The beast haunts you, as awkward in this nightmare world as you seem to be, but still with a gait longer than yours. Radulf can probably figure out when it's about to pounce and turn to at leas avoid it pouncing at his back? (From respscorp (GM)): whispers are easy to forget :) (To GM): indeed (To GM): Radulf is trying to flee, but he isn't panicking; he tries to keep track of his opponent and to avoid it, before there's a good opportunity to escape into the wherever. Perhaps the sparking night sky. (From respscorp (GM)): in this state can float away, while the beast for some reason cannot. It appears to be a beast of both the nightmare world and the material one and glares at you hungrily from the ground. (To GM): He looks back at it once more from above; he shudders as his eyes meet its (as well as a floating spirit can shudder), and flies away “to safety”. (To GM): so presumably back to his body/being awake, not that he knows (From respscorp (GM)): Your journey into the sky beyond the treeline reveals you several things - a great, black shape of nightmarish proportions - the unholy cross of an owl and a snake is coiled around the nearest mountain peak. It's blazing eyes iluminate the night. In the distance you can see the glow of your home village and the surrounding famrsteads, glowing with the presence of protective ancestral spirits. And not too far from the bothy where it started - a warm, dwindling glow in the forest (From respscorp (GM)): - for some reason, the snake-owl dragon doesn't scare you as much - it is too vast and too distant to bother with the likes of you. Just a dreadful piece of background compared to the beast below. (To GM): Radulf recognises the glow in the forest as the clearing where they stayed. (To GM): or thinks so, at least (From respscorp (GM)): Doesn't seem to match the location, but then again his sense are distorted and he often loses track of what he was doing Radulf doesn't really acknowledge the giant serpent as something that captures his attention, but the glow of his hometown and the forest calms him, and the dangerous creature isn't really on his mind anymore. (From respscorp (GM)): Peek at the glow, or return to bothy and body? (To GM): Radulf does feel drawn to the glow, which seems more comforting right now than the bothy in the dark, and is indeed drawn there. (From respscorp (GM)): as you close the distance, it appears to be some dwindling campfire. Some lonely figure has kindled it at a pretty late hour, probably after trekking a bit through the dark to have a very late dinner. (To GM): He tries to warn the figure of the beast lurking in the woods. “There is a terrible creature among the trees, black and dark; do not let the fire go out!” he shouts, or at least tries to. Rolling 10 - 3d6 = -2 (From respscorp (GM)): they grab their spear and run away so fast you can barely make out their silouette before the darkness swallows them; (To GM): Radolf is content that the traveller seems to be wary of the danger now, and properly alert (though moving away from the light seems like a bad idea); and thus, he slowly drifts back to his body. (From respscorp (GM)): and end (To GM): Sorry if that took a bit long; but I very much enjoyed it, thanks! MrFix: yeeee P.P. A.: \o GM: eeey MrFix: sup GM: work is weird time to begin? LD: let's go GM: Previously! Three young people on a quest to brave the wilderness and come back with the loot On their first day of travel, they come across some childhood friends, spend some time escorting them and helping them gather herbs. Blaer went off to try hunting! GM now returns to Blaer, shortly after she got her ego under control, and continued at a more measured pace instead of tring to out-sprint her less-responsible cousins. GM: It's time to make a decision about how and what to hunt: Generally speaking, she can try to track big game, something she knows her friends might be of help if she manages to advised them well. Sayalla and Eoghania are swift and strong, but not super-smart. Or she can have the group spread out and try to bag small animals and birds on the way - something reliant mostly on the perception and accuracy of individual hunters. GM wall of text end Blaer will try to catch some big game by coordinating with the other girls. She has a plan in mind Rolling 13 - 3d6 = 0 GM: Blaer figures that the large, sweet-smelling seeds will probably attract birds if left in the open, but that crushed and left under the heavy canopy of the nearby treeline, it will probably attract some sort of large omnivore - most likely a wild pig. Or small rodents if the location is poorly chosen. Survival - to pick good location. Leadership (and a speech) - to organise your brawn Stealth - to lay in wait nearby at the ready; Stop rolling if you crit-fail. GM wall of text end LD: what if the seeds were crushed and mixed in with something that would be more palatable to a herbivore? GM: Used to poison vegetation? Could work. But a deer would have a choice between a lot of vegetation all around, whereas for the pig the seeds would smell like a rare treat. GM fence of text end Blaer turns to the other two Blaer: I have a plan to catch us a boar with ease. Blaer pulls out a handful of seeds Blaer: If we set this down as bait, we can trap one. But I will need patience. Can you do that? GM: Both of them meet the plan with a mix of doubt and excitement. "A whole boar! I guess I can stand doing nothing for a while." is Eoghania's remark. Sayala cautiously nods that she's also on board. GM text end Rolling 7 - 3d6 = -9 GM: (this close to a crit fail, but you just manage to be uninspiring) GM Long story short, a pig of sounder finds its way to the crushed seeds and devours them almost in an instant, taking great pleasure in doing so and pulling the snare taut around it's neck Rolling 12 - 3d6 = 0 The boar is mentally stunned and trapped in the snare for the moment before it pulls the snare appart, for a cumulative penalty to active defences. I'm not rolling this. Blaer's snap shot hits the animal despite the distance between them and she rolls for damage. Next time she can try aiming to be safer. The boar has DR 1. The boar is also now Tipsy. Blaer causes Rolling 5 - 3d6 = -7 roll for damage in its centre of mass 2 points of damage (after armor). GM this seems to be quite enough for the boar, which fruitlessly tries to gore on of your friends before keeling over unconcious and dying; a large, older animal might have been a harder hunt, but your preparation might have overcome one of those as well. GM you meet up with the rest of the group at the bothy, where you dress and prepare the animal, adding some choice cuts for your travel GM: It is now the morning of the next day. Everybody is rested (through Radulf will have some unpleasant memories); you can add a total of 3 daily rations to your reserves. Awan: "Well, I suppose we split here." LD: Oh, can Blaer take some of the bones from their catch with her? GM: (Yes, she can.) Radulf rouses and rises, looking not too well rested. Radulf: “Morning all,” he mumbles, and pats his dog. Awan: GM Radulf's dog lets out a soft bark, followed by a whine, happy to face another day of excitment with its favorite humans, but also concerned for Radulf GM: The girls, also going through most of the appropriate morning actions - rolling out of bed, brushing, fussing, mixing up some light breakfast, agree with Awan - "Yeah! Good luck cousins!" GM text end Radulf yawns, runs his hand through his ruffled hair, and looks around for a moment. “Ah, right, we're at the bothy.” As he comes to his senses, he finds back to his usual lackadaisical self. Blaer: May the gods bless your way. Awan: "Farewell. So... Straight north through the plains or detour through the forests?" Radulf smiles at the ladies. “It was a pleasure; we'll see you when we return triumphant.” He stares out into the forest for a moment, and looks at the girls with a slightly worried impression. “Just… keep away from the trees at night.” Rolling 10-3d6 = 2 Hiking, Move 3 GM while everybody is finishing their preparations, Muirma steals a moment to check in on Radulf "Did you have one of your visions again? You shouldn't just ignore those you know." Then, unless he volunteers some exposition she rushes to join the rest of them and leave. Radulf: “Eh, it was just a nightmare,” he answers dismissively, but stops himself. “…I don't remember it all that well, but… Get home safely.” GM: Your group speed is based on the slowest among you (3), not modified by Hiking (failure). The terrain facilitates you at the start of the journey and the vegeation is not too dense. Radulf pauses and tries to remember what he can. “I dreamed that I followed some tinkling, sparkling stuff into the forest, but there was some dark creature. It felt oddly… real, grounded.” Radulf leaves it at that unless there's more inquiries though. Awan: (I have over 15 pounds of food, did we deplete any during yesterday?) GM: (None, due to hunting and sharing with friends - 14lbs is food for a week for one person) Radulf left behind one ration, or ate it the day before, because he's at Heavy encumberment with 10, but still at Medium with 9 GM: Muiram will not inquire further, just warn the rest of you to keep watch at night if Radulf is having his visions. Your speed for the start of the day is going to be 2 miles per hour. You can probably have no trouble travelling for ~16 miles if you don't stop to hunt nor forage for this time. And then probably a couple of more even though the woods will grow denser Awan: Then let's travel 16 miles and then 100 more Radulf idly whines about his legs at some point, but keeps walking. GM the weather keeps nice for the rest of the day, facilitating your travel. Some rudimentary knowledge of the area around your homes makes advanced navigation unnecessary, at least until you hit the deep woods, where your speed is slowed down. You will be covering 0.5 mile per hour for the rest of the day, and if you take turns keeping watch you'll probably need ~9h camping (this includes setting up and picking up camp) to get a good rest GM: You also have ~2h until sundown, and travelling in the woods after dark is very hard even with lightsrouces. GM text end Awan: I suspect we can camp. Radulf is quite happy to, and will get to work setting up tents, lighting a fire, whatever is necessary (and doesn't involve too much running around) GM: (if you have any Survival on anyone in the group an at least Personal basics for everyone, camping is assumed to happen) (unless the terrain is Mountainous, Desert, Swamp or Deep Woods, which it is not, yet) The last question is do you keep moving 2 more hours to cover some extra miles today? The only drawback is having to camp in less hospitable terrain Rolling 9 - 3d6 = -5 Radulf slows down and looks up through the leafy canopy. “The sun's setting soon, isn't it? How about we call it a day and set up camp?” Awan: "We should stay here for now, considering that we'll have to take watches too - we can't exhaust ourselves fully." Blaer: "We have to make up for our slow progress today. We can't afford to waste our last daylight hours" Radulf: “Can you still set up a campsite when you're stumbling around in the dark of dusk under the trees?” Blaer: Setting up camp isn't a hard task, even in low light. Radulf: “Yeah, but you're more experienced with this.” Blaer: "Then perhaps now is the time for you to gain experience" Awan: "We won't be making much progress while I carry so much food. We either rest today and eat my supplies, or I'll have to leave a lot of it behind to speed up." Blaer doesn't seem to be budging easily Awan: (Mayhaps a leadership roll to reign her in?) Radulf: “Ah, but, uh— think of Karli.” Radolf quickly, gestures at his dog to lay down and roll over, and whispers: ”Look tired!” GM: (This is more of a Diplomacy or Fast-Talk territory and ultimately up to players to agree if they want to use skills on each other) Awan: (Since failure on overconfidence roll created this scene, maybe skill roll will disable it) P.P. A.: I'd avoid that unless it's something meaningful for character development and the player is undecided which way his character would sway that makes sense though LD: That's basically my thoughts. GM: (at the end of he day, Blaer can believe she can do it, but you're still travelling together; Diplomacy or Fast-Talk can convince her to be considerate, reasonable or just confuse her into deciding she's already demonstrated her ability) Rolling 10-3d6 = 0 +4 Charisma, "You've pushed yourself enough during yesterday's hunt, there's no need for our enemies to meet us exhausted and hungry." (Success by 4 total) Radulf: “It's not like the Red Serpents are going to run away from us either.” “I mean, would be impressive if they did.” “But they're not like your usual prey that needs to be stalked and relentlessly pursued, or else it vanishes, Blaer.” Blaer sighs Blaer: Very well. We may rest now. Radulf can't hold back a relieved smile, and gets to work after they've found a good place. GM: The terrain here is suitable, so there's no danger of pitching the camp "wrong". However, due to lack of sufficient camping supplies (people without Personal Basics), things might be a problem in the future unless the group has Group Basics; (if you want, we can retroactively assume Blaer has brought personal basics, since she knew you would spend days camping out) GM text end LD: I would appreciate that I'll just slot the personal basics into my equipment then. We each lose a day's worth of rations, right? Awan: I suppose Awan will take second watch, gotta work around Light Sleeper. Radulf offers first or last watch, though he doesn't look like he'll be able to really stay awake after dinner and nightfall. Blaer will offer to take last watch GM everybody on watch rolls Perception to make sure nothing gets past you (From GM): Radulf also rolls Perception in his sleep - and it probably matters how far away he floats; there's no sparkling things around you this time Radulf tries his best to keep his eyes open. He stands and strolls around lightly during his watch, knowing he will fall asleep if he sits or lies down. Rolling 11 - 3d6 = 0 GM: Well, a few things happen: GM Radulf is fairly certain nothing but nightbirds and nocturnal rodents get near the camp. GM Awan suspects someone has snuck close to the camp unseen, but then made noise while retreating (From GM): You wander around, drifting around the camp where Awan is keeping watch, but see nothign remarkable nearby. Carefully you scout around for traces of the beast. You find some, giving you more of a clue about it's nature, but it's currently safely away from your group. Awan: (To GM): an easy rest then (From GM): You do notice something humanoid trying to spend the night unseen on a treebranch quite away from your camp though. From a distance it looks hairy and like it's carrying a short hunting spear. You only notice it because the spear sticks out from among the branches, and because you're quite lucky tonight. GM Blaer is informed about intruders reaching almost to the camp before retreating, so it would be quite expected if she is wary. Still, other than some large nocturnal animal shuffling off into the distance, nothing much of note can be noticed. GM: Morning comes, and with it the loud chorus of songbirds that will ruin any attempt at sleeping in. Radulf yawns and stretches. “mmnnnnothing happen?“ he sleepily asks Blaer, and Awan when he wakes up. GM: (North and Northeast are dencely wooded, hilly areas that will be slow to traverse, after that it's smooth walking again at least until you cross the river) Awan: "I think somebody tried to invade the camp at night." Radulf: “What?” Radulf, about to lay back down, wakes up quickly. “Did you scare him off?” Awan: "So it seems. I didn't see anyone specifically, maybe it was an animal." (From GM): is sure that if there was anyone anywhere close to camp, it must have been while he was away from camp, since he's absolutely sure nothing snuck past him last night Radulf scratches his head. “Maybe. …notice anything in the dark like a blade in the moonlight?” Rolling 12 - 3d6 = 7 LD: Ah, sorry, had to go AFK suddenly I'm back now GM: You suspect that you will be covering slightly less than a mile per day over the dense woods and rugged terrain today. But on the upside you will probably have 12h of sunshine and pleasant, if slightly hot weather. The heat should not be an issue at all in the shade of the great trees. During the trek, you keep an eye out for suspicious things and strange tracks. Whoever wishes can roll Perception or Tracking. Rolling 11 - 3d6 = 5 GM: At the end of the day, one person uses Survival to avoid potential problems with camping in the very dense vegetation (also, it's mile per hour, not per day, my bad) Awan: How much food in pounds do we expend per day? GM: (About 2lbs if it's the home-cooked meals you got for free) Awan: (Cool) P.P. A.: noted Awan: (So, survival roll is needed then?) Blaer holds her hand up to the group, stopping them Blaer: Look over here (From GM): Looking around for either of your night-time friends, you might be relieved to know you see neither. But you pass not far from the tree where you saw the humanoid, if Radulf is curious to see it with his waking eyes as well. Blaer moves over to a spot on the ground, digging away at the dirt with her free hand. Radulf stops as well, looking in a certain direction. “That tree looks familiar…” Radulf walks over to a tree and looks around it. (From GM): Blaer's thing happens just then - when you first recognize the tree Awan: "Something of note?" Radulf turns his attention to Blaer. GM Blaer digs out some soot and small bones. A rodent was cooked and eaten here Blaer begins to speak more softly Blaer: Awan: "Maybe scouts from Hiordlings..." Radulf: “We won't know until we've seen them. Let's keep an eye out, maybe mix up our route a bit to make our goal less obvious.” Awan: "North West then?" Radulf nods. Blaer: Perhaps we should consult the spirits about this. Radulf: “Might as well, I have a queasy feeling about this.” (From GM): Radulf had noticed something on the tree before going back to see. Some mark on the bark. Radulf looks around and notices something, and returns to the tree—feeling its bark and taking a closer look. GM: (This kind of rodent is larger than a squirrel, especially during the cold season and now during growth season, but it's still 2 meals at best) Blaer digs up the small rodent bones and begins using them for the ritual magic to ask the spirits (Intuition) Blaer: Should we continue straight to our goal, veer off to avoid detection, or seek out our enemies? GM: Blaer is visited by a strong feeling of which way lies glory. She knows the spirits guing her have her interest at heart, but sometimes evaluate the world based on things unseen by mortals. Blaer lets out a deep breath as she finishes the ritual, the small rat bones having been broken. Rolling 13 - 3d6 = -3 GM The campsite Blaer chose, or something about it feels slightly off, but it's hard to pinpoint what it is; GM you figure out from various clues that from tomorrow, the weather will slowly keep getting hotter - not a problem as long a you are in the Something might be sneaking up on the camp, and Blaer seems entirely unaware. It's going to make a quick contest against the perception you rolled. something Rolling 11 - 3d6 = 4 Finding it easier to head downwards towards the river and the less dense woods, you make good time - tomorow you'll have to figure out how to ford the river. However, during the day something happens that might slow you down considerably. Who's going to volunteer to be the "person who walks in front"? P.P. A.: Radulf is a bit slow and not used to the forest, so while he'd be up for it, this wouldn't be too productive and just slow us down GM: (by speed alone it should be Blaer?) Awan: (Awan will do it if Blaer feels better in the back) LD: Blaer is 6 basic speed, but probably would prefer to be pushing them forward from the back while keeping watch than leading the way GM: (So Awan?) LD: yeah Awan: ye GM: Awan may find himself in danger if he fails to notice danger heading his way. Roll Perception at +2 due to your slow, encumbered speed giving you sure this isn't a coincidence - even before looking you could feel the thing was taut under the treeleaves... and to have it here, exactly where any sane person would choose to wall in this terrain... Rolling 14 - 3d6 = 4 GM: You can see this is a very rudimentary trap, probably improvised in a hurry. But quite well made. The improvised tripline causes you to fall on top of jagged stone hidden under the treeleaves ahead, and potentially roll down the slope. A man would be hurt and slowed down. A horse would probably be crippled. A horse's ride is likely to be severely injured. It looks freshly made. The vines used to make the line would have dried up if it was more than a day or tow old in this weather. GM end exposition Blaer: Not for a man. For a horse. They would trip on this line, fall onto the stone, and then tumble down further. Off horseback would be enough to wound, but on... Blaer points out the parts of the trap as she explains Blaer: Both would likely not live long. Radulf: “And it's fresh, you say?” Radulf smirks confidently. “Looks like somebody is scared of us and thinks we're on his tail. I say we accept the invitation and pursue him.” “If they're laying traps like that, they're not up for a direct confrontation, so they can't number that many.” Awan: "They might be readying an ambush down the hill to finish anyone wounded by the trap, let's sneak in." GM perks up and makes a small woof at hearing one of the magic words GM: Karli does this, the dog Radulf nods to his dog, and with a jerk of his arm he transfers the handle of his axe firmly into his hand. Radulf points Karli to the exposed trap, making sure the dog doesn't injure himself. “Try to pcik up his scent.” Blaer: We shouldn't underestimate them. This trap was made quickly, but well. If this is the kind of thing they make under pressure, then they are as quick-witted as I am, and that is something to be careful around. Blaer attempts to disarm the trap, and possibly recover the materials for her own use. Radulf will wait with letting his dog sniff the trap until it's safely disarmed, of course GM: It is a piece of vine and some ordinary rocks. You feel like you would have done better - by trapping the trap. As it is though, it's just a piece of vine and some rocks. Disarming it after discovering it is trivial. Karli Sniff Rolling 12 - 3d6 = 0 Radulf's dog seem to pick a scent with some difficulty, but it manages to get one it's confident about. Blaer: But perhaps...our best option is to let them think the trap has been sprung to lure them out. Radulf: “Push something down the hill?” “Cry loudly in pain?” Blaer looks to Radulf with a glint in her eye that gives him an uneasy feeling, before turning her attention back down to the slope Awan: "I do have this pack full of food here." LD: Would Blaer have a clear shot of the bottom from where she was? Blaer nods GM: No, it takes a small curve in the terrain. You'll need to move ~4 yards from the top to properly see the bottom Awan: (Before we have 5 hour fight, can we stop here? I am super tired and we played for 4 hours already) GM: Or you could sneak into position ahead of time I agree. Blaer: We could have two sneak down, and a third would stay behind to send our packs down the hill and make noise. P.P. A.: I concur LD: Agreed. GM: I just want to see the plan, if there is a fight at all it will be next time. Radulf smiles with a bit of concern, holding back his dog for the time being. “Sounds good.” Blaer: When they come out to ambush, the two will ambush them, and the third will join in. Blaer re-attaches her bow to her hook Blaer: I will be best from the top of the hill, so I will roll the packs downhill Awan: Alright. GM: (Alright then, until next time.) Awan: see ya, thanks for running P.P. A.: Thanks for the session GM: It was a bit slow with the trekking, but now it's coming to a bit of a head LD: Yeah, good session. Thanks for running P.P. A.: Aye The hiking was very slow, but there was a bit of noticeable buildup of tension and suspicion because of the things we noticed at night or found traces of during the day which was nice LD: It was a bit of a slow burn, yeah, but it also gave everyone a chance to contribute something. Assuming that we're getting into the fighting this session, I feel like I should warn you that this will be my first time doing actual map-based combat in GURPS respscorp (GM): Alright. GM Last Time! The heroes of this story spent several days cutting straight through the densest, absolutely unexplored parts of the woods. Some times they felt something was watching them, at night they heard weird beasts stalking them and at one point they were sure someone tried sneaking up on their camp. GM They found traces of another person or persons in this part of the woods and decided to keep going north after consulting the spirits. And now, as they were coming to a less densely wooded area, they found out a trap waiting for them and suspect somebody might be waiting for them down the slope. GM retrospection end Awan: "So, who's sneaking and who's pushing?" Radulf: “I'm not very good at sneaking.” Blaer: I would have the best angle with my bow from the top of the hill, and could attack from above. Radulf shrugs. “I'll get down there ahead of time then so I just have to sit still.” Awan: "Uh, no, they'll spot you if you do." Awan lowered his yoke on the ground. "Guess I'm going alone then." Radulf: “Nah, that's too dangerous.” GM reminds you that you can drop the sacks and hide them somewhere so you're not encumbered in a fight Radulf: “I say you go ahead, then I'll follow slowly and carefully. If I make too much noise, Blaer will cover it up by pushing down our packs to drown out the nosie I make, before I'm in position.” Blaer nods, removing her pack and setting it near the lip of the incline Blaer: I can agree to that. Radulf adds his to it. Awan: Alright. GM: Ok, whoever goes up the side, rolls Stealth at +2 due to good lines of sight and ample cover. You also make a trivial Climbing(at +4) to avoid mishas on the steep incline. Those who sneak down roll Stealth raw Rolling 11 - 3d6 = 3 GM: Ok Unpackign my bad drawings: 1.Dark line - this is a steep slope, full of exposed roots and loose dirt. You need to climb it, but it is easy 2. Numbers - relartive elevation. Except where there is a steep slope, assume gradual sloping that's not enough to hinder people not sprinting 3. Grey - boulders; Green - fern and undergrowth, enough to hide a crouched person completely; Ochre - tree trunks Blaer and Awan have a bead on some people before Radulf makes noise GM: You see three people, one of them keeping an eye out towards the path, while the other two are crouched and discussing something. You suspect they are Hiordlings and they appear armed. The sentry has a long-axe on which he is resting, one of the other guys has a bow drawn but no arrows readied. "Steep Slopes" are all around 1.5m tall What was everyione's Base Speed? LD: 6 P.P. A.: 5.25 Awan: 6 GM: Awan and Blaer can act in whatever order they want then. LD: Blaer would probably be acting first, responding to the noise she heard from Radulf GM: Ok, go LD: wait, is that the pack there? GM: yes packs, I assumed multiple P.P. A.: now wait a moment GM: it's Camouflaged LD: Blaer is supposed to be right next to it so she can kick them down as a distraction P.P. A.: I assumed we had the high ground in the first place, and then the plan was for Blaer to kick the packs down to the bottom of the trap the enemies had prepared for us GM: I see P.P. A.: while Awan and Radulf would wait next to the bottom of that trap, concealed GM: There, she was just getting ready to do that. Blaer gives their packs a solid kick down the slope GM: Alright Maybe a little too late after the noise Radulf made, but maybe the rolling bags will convince the observer Radulf just had a fatal accident Meanwhile, Awan? Rolling 6-3d6 = -3 P.P. A.: Oh well, it was not to be GM The guy with the axe speaks "What the... what?" - visibly confused, he grasps his axe with both hands and cautiously aproaches the bend GM the third guy grasps his spear and stands up from crouching Rolling 11 - 3d6 = 0 They know something is up, but not where you are. Awan? Awan: Can Awan see the warrior from here? GM: Yes. Assume boulders are sticking rougly half of their radius out of the ground, so this one would be ~0.5m tall. Awan: Awan will aim his throwing axe at the warrior. GM: Alright. Awan: End of turn GM The guy with the bow readies an arrow carefully. GM: Radulf Radulf winces loudly while he gestures for his dog to lay low, and readies his axe. (Effectively doing nothing.) GM: I keep forgetting the dog Radulf: Ah wait, I could turn this into a Wait maneuvre. Telegraphed attack on anyone who happens to walk in front of him and isn't an ally. GM the warrior moves in to look around the bend GM spots Radulf in the open and gives out a warning for the other 2 GM The guy with the spear moves forward GM: Blaer Blaer steps around the rock and draws her bow taught, aiming for the warrior GM: But what about the arrow? LD: She had already had it put on the bow before moving, which is why she kicked the packs with her foot, since her arms were occupied I'm pretty sure I mentioned it at the end of last session, but apologies if I didn't Rolling 4 - 3d6 = -6 The axe bites, but something tells you he is wearing some sort of good quality armour. As in, you didn't notice the armour, so it's probably finely made but not heavy. Awan: End of turn then GM The hunter turns and takes a couple of steps forward - the slopes prevent him from seeing any of you GM: Radulf P.P. A.: Can the warrior see him at this point? or did he turn his attention to Awan? GM: The warrior is aware of both of you, but his friends literally can't see any of you yet. P.P. A.: In that case Radulf brandishes his axe and stares at the warrior, looking him straight in the eyes if he meets them. He prepares (Wait) to run out and strike him (Move and Attack) if he decides to go for Awan. P.P. A.: (end of turn) Awan: Wait cant become move and attack P.P. A.: oh oops (kinda makes sense, haha) Then; Radulf realises that if they allow the warrior's allies to catch up, they'll lose their opportunity to take him down two-on-one; so he Moves and Attacks him with his axe with a yell! Radulf swings his shepherd's axe at the warrior (not targeting anything in particular)! Rolling 10-3d6 = -3 GM The axeman blinks once after the quick exchange of blows, hardly believing his luck. GM The guy with the spear takes a step forward and changes the grip of his spear, preparing to throw it instead of to stab with it Rolling 11 - 3d6 = -7 LD: W O W P.P. A.: :DDD Blaer is clearly losing her cool, fumbling as she grabs an arrow from her quiver and dropping it to the floor, eliciting some hissed curses Rolling 8 - 3d6 = -4 4x1.5=6hp more on him GM The warrior glances down at his bleeding leg and looks worried Awan: Not crippled? GM: Checking for it RN Awan: LD: if his HP's at most 12, it should be crippling P.P. A.: Needs to be over HP/2 LD: oh, then 11 or less P.P. A.: Depends on how thick his leg is armoured Awan: It was counted already GM: He has 12 hp, so 6 does not cripple him. P.P. A.: aye Awan: Was he injured before? GM: Yes, from you. Awan: Right GM: He is at 9/12 aka Ree-ling Awan: nice GM: And also at -4 from shock for this turn GM Dog uses Bite P.P. A.: (going to brb and make dinner, since Radulf is out anyway—not to be impolite though, I'll check up on how the battle is going frequently) Rolling 11 - 3d6 = 3 4 points of damage (after armor). LD: I'm assuming they had at least 1 DR armor otherwise, that's the full 6 Warrior also takes 2 damage, and Hunter takes 1 from the collateral damage from the explosion GM: Well, their "average" DR is 0 against this explosion. So they are both badly singed, but luckily for them not ignited on fire Blaer is smart enough to know the dry leaves on the forest floor will catch fire though - is she aiming high, or does she not mind hitting them? In the current weather it will start a fire, but not a forestfire. Rolling 12 - 3d6 = 0 Awan Awan: Awan draws another throwing axe and steps onward. GM: Onward or sideways? GM The guy with the bow waves his weapon and attempts to get everyone's attention "Enough, enough!" he shouts in his thick Hiordling accent - Just as they were getting ready to argue, Awan's bellow strikes a fear in their bellies. However, they're still to scared to surrender unconditionally... GM: "Look, you win. Let's not this make this bloodier than it needs to be. We'll drop our weapons, go look after your bleeder." Blaer is taking this opportunity to crouch down and pick up her dropped would by this point have her bow drawn, and be aiming at the group's packs, getting ready to shoot in case they try to go for it. GM The enemy retreats in disaray GM: You manage to stabilize Radufl and he eventually regains consciousness, but he does not regain any extra HP from First Aid. He's going to need some rest before he can afford to maintain the quick march you maintained the previous days. He also seems a bit disoriented. (From GM): You had an out of body experience while knocked out. You here? GM From the enemy you have captured one Long Axe, a Spear and a ST11 Bow. The weapons are of "average" quality, but probably have some familial value for their former owners. LD: Once the enemy leaves, Blaer would descend from her high perch and go for their bags to get the herbs she grabbed GM: Gonna try magic pharmacy? LD: regular pharmacy, I think GM: It's the same thing when you use "magic" herbs really. But you're probably going to need to retreat to a good camping position to cook the mix LD: Then Blaer will grab her bags and try to find a good spot to set up camp (To GM): back Radulf groggily returns to this side of mortality and looks around. (From GM): While unconcious, you were able to get an outsider's view of the battle and maybe spot some extraneous details that others missed. Roll Observation if you have it, otherwise Perception if Radulf was curious. Rolling 12 - 3d6 = 2 Blaer quickly starts up a fire with her magic before cooking up the herbs into a salve (From GM): You spotted 2 things. The guys you fought had friends... but they think you also had friends. They were going after somebody else when you met them, split into a 2 groups - the 3 you fought and another 2. The other 2 started running when they heard fighting and 1 of them got shot. Their entire group was retreating shortly before you came to. (From GM): shot by a sling to be exact Radulf speaks as if in a daze: ”What… what about the others? …the other enemies.” Awan: "We've captured their weapons in exchange for their lives." GM The medicine is distilled, and based on her experience Blaer thinks it will: GM: 1. Make imbiders potentially Drunk 2. Help imbiders potentially recover HP Radulf: “Hah,” Radulf smiles weakly. “Who was the guy that helped us?” Blaer: "It was Ghrian who aided us this day." GM: And this will be covered next time! LD: woo thanks for the session, GM P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! GM: We'll roll for potion effects next time as well. Thanks for the game. Awan: Thanks for running GM: Greetings P.P. A.: \o GM: Anybody know anything about Fix? P.P. A.: Fix? Oh, MrFix GM: Awan's player P.P. A.: no idea GM: Gonna start the stuff, see if he joins us meanwhile. GM Last Time! After encountering some Hiordlings and a basic but effective trap, you decided to get the drop on them, with some success. A short skirmish ended with people heavily wounded on both sides, but you drove them off the field and got them to surrender their weapons. GM Afterwards, Blaer boiled an infusion from the magic herbs that should help Radulf get better fast. It should be an almost miraculous aid, but with guaranteed side effects. GM Also, Radulf was raving about more enemies and shooters. Retrospective ends. GM: It's up to Radulf to decide if he wants to risk the sickeningly sweet-smelling concoction. Radulf looks at his dog, also badly injured. “Ah, poor Karli…” He extends his hand to pet him. ”Does this work on dogs, too?” he asks Blaer as he gulps down whatever she hands him—not all of it, being sure to leave some for his dog. Rolling 8-3d6 = -4 (HT-2) GM: The potent drug fills you up, clouding your senses. You feel drowsy and giddy at the same time, and everything starts swimming in front of you not too much until MrFix shows up if he does, but we can get things out of the way that he can read up on, without making any decisions yet) Radulf: ”Ah… ahah,” Radulf mutters, his feeble laughter interrupted by plenty of wincing. “Well, it's doing sss— …something. Guess I have to bear with it, I guess.” Radulf turns his head to look at Blaer, a little crosseyed and glazed. “Wha was that guy you said?” Blaer: "Ghrian. The One of the sun." "I have learned from him the ways of heat and flame, and it is through those teachings that I rattled our attackers." Radulf: “Ah; damn shame I didn't see it.” He tries to think, and covers his eyes with his hand, but to little avail. (Not getting that Blaer is making the point that his teachings and techniques saved them, and thinking I'd be for waiting a little bit, unless there's other things to fill the time with (though it's not like Radulf is very lucid or mobile right now) LD: I don't mind waiting a bit either GM: skeletonbench.jpeg Well, doesn't look like it's happening P.P. A.: welp In my other GURPS group we place a character in NPC mode when the player can't make it, but we usually have 4–5 players, so that softens the blow Doubt that'd be wise with one of only three players absent in the fourth session GM: Yep. P.P. A.: Thanks for the session nonetheless GM: Heh, you're welcome Hopefully next time is an actual session. P.P. A.: yeah GM: Because my schedule will get more complicated if they call me back at office, and from what I remember it's the same for others. P.P. A.: I'll probably be fine for a while still Anyhow, back to Discord o/ respscorp (GM): big hmm P.P. A.: >offline welp respscorp (GM): Play on and hope he shows up? LD: Well, the issue is we stopped last week because we felt that we were at a point where he needed to show up P.P. A.: Yeah respscorp (GM): Yep. But as he's missing again, he not being part of the decision-making is an option. If you two are OK with that. I'd rather not skip 2 weeks in a row. P.P. A.: Makes sense; do you want to puppeteer his character? respscorp (GM): I'll keep to what he told me about his character and avoid compromising it. It's how I usually handle things if someone is temp missing. And hope he makes it midway P.P. A.: Alright LD: Sounds good to me Radulf eventually rouses from his stupor. Radulf: “These were Hiordlings, right? What were they doing out here?” Blaer: It is hard to say. We are just down river of their village. GM travelling up and down the river is less onerous than cross-trekking through the deep wilderness, but it's still quite away from their lands. (you are uprvier from them) LD: shoot, that was my first instinct Radulf: “Yeah, but… quite a distance. I don't know where we are exactly, but I'm sure we're much closer to our home than to theirs.” GM: The outline is what they usually consider "their lands Radulf shrugs. “I guess they've been disarmed so if they were planning something naughty, like we do, they can't follow through with it now.” Radulf: “They might come back, though.” GM: To try to guess what they were doing here and maybe figure out if there's a chance they'll come back to chase you, Tactics might help. Or Strategy, or possibly even Survival. Rolling 13 - 3d6 = 3 Radulf:Survival (Mountains) -3 ah sorry, that's a success P.P. A.: had 3d6-12, not 12-3d6 rolled a 9 though GM: Blaer thinks about what might have lead a group of people out here. They had trackers and if Radulf's rambling are to be believed there were more of them. And they were armed for a fight, not for hunting. Blaer concludes: 1)They were not out for a walk obviously. 2)They were chasing someone, or looking for someone. 3)Not you though, your appearance blindsided them. 4)They felt confident enough to split up. GM: 5)They felt like they need to split up, meaning they were either trying to encircle their prey or looking for tracks. Too bad the skirmish roughed up the area, because the group you chased off was looking at something before you interrupted them. And finally, you're not sure if they will attack you, this is more of a tactical question. But you suspect they will not - as they had 2 as badly wounded as Radulf. (or more if Radulf is to be believed) end (Radulf, who is currently back to the immaterium, is smart enough to figure out he has no idea) P.P. A.: [Minor GMing suggestion: given how you're in control of Awan anyway, it'd have ben more organic to lead Blaer and Radulf to these conclusions by having him guide them there in conversation; pointing things out, etc.) Blaer: Do you remember that site of a fire we found before? Radulf: “Ah right. Do you think that was theirs?” “I didn't look at… there might've been the holes of tentpoles and such, footprints?” Blaer shakes her head Blaer: I believe that belongs to the person they're looking for. Awan: I doubt it. That squirrel was meat enough for one man. Radulf considers, and nods. Blaer: They are on the hunt for someone who is hiding nearby. Perhaps someone who broke their laws and tried to flee the consequences. Awan: This perhaps is right. But the camp we found was on our side of the deepwoods. Perhaps there is more than one such fugitive hiding in the woods, but my feelings lead me to doubt it. Radulf: ”Well, a lone person shouldn't be a threat; I'm sure the folks at home can deal with him, though it may be good to be warned…” Awan: I suspect your spirit divination lead us on the tracks of this man, by chance or fate following them across the woods to stumble into these Hiordlings. Radulf crosses his arms and leans back. “…I think when we traveled with the girls a few days ago I saw… some guy with a spear? Or maybe I dreamed it…” Awan: Maybe it's a ghost. Maybe it's nothing. Or maybe it's the same person you saved in your dream comeback to save you now by braining that Hiordling. We have bigger worries now. We should get a move on before the Hiordlings get back home and send others after us. You should rest now, for tomorrow will be a hard march. Radulf: “Yeah, I guess it's not our problem.” Awan then turns to Blaer - "If your curious though, maybe you can go look for the tracks of that supposed slinger while he rests? That way we also know how much of his visions can be trusted?" Blaer nods Blaer: A good idea. GM: Following Radulf's description, Blaer manages to find the place nearby. Something happened hear recently enough alright - she can see the leaves crushed as only heavy-set humans do. And a lot of blood that has already attracted some fuzzy, cute carnivores. The small vermin scatter as you approach. This call so Tracking at +1. You can take some extra time as well if you think slow and steady is more important than a chance at potentially giving chase. Rolling 14 - 3d6 = 5 GM: Two stout, well-armed men, you can see where they were resting on the hafts of their spear and axe. One got hit by something and bled a lot, the other dragged him away, using the body as cover. You don't find the projectile, but find a discarded spear. Probably from the one hit. You also find the tracks of the ambusher - they ran in a hurry and did not cover their tracks. The tracks head back deeper into the woods. Incidentally, also closer to your current camp. (Carrying an entire Long Spear might be too cumbersome, but you can take the spearhead) Blaer grabs the spearhead and follows the tracks slowly and stealthily Blaer decides against it and returns to the group Blaer: I believe I have found our target. He's camped close to us, and is in a panic. GM: (Radulf is resting, Awan is guarding him) P.P. A.: How much HP has Radulf recovered now? Awan: 4 HP LD: what time is it currently? GM: It will be dark soon. Awan gives Blaer a nod - I'd offer to switch places with you, because I think I'm a better sneak. But it's your hunt after all. Especially if I'm right and your spirit divination lead us on their trail Radulf: “I'm still a bit woozy, but I can stand and walk, and, uh, fight.” “Want to tail him quietly, or confront him? I don't think this needs to turn into a fight.” Awan gives Radulf a concerned look - Too bad you can't dream when you want. It would have been useful for this. GM: (Radulf is still Drunk from Blaer's herbal remedy, which does not hurt his enthusiasm, but might be a bad idea at dusk in the woods.) (meanwhile Blaer is Overconfident?) Rolling 6 - 3d6 = 1 GM: (Np, just warn us if you can) Ok, seems like having to always chase some of her childhood friends has given Blaer invaluable training. What does she want to do though, as she catches up. It's very gloomy in the dark, so the best you can do is dodge trees and keep running until you catch them. Everythign is shades of grey and black under the thick crowns of the oaks and teaks. LD: hmm Blaer will try calling out to the man, as quietly as she can reach him Blaer: GM: Poor visibility, frenzied chase. Trying to stop it seems smart, but will they listen to you? Can you make an Influence roll? E.g. Diplomacy? LD: Blaer doesn't have any of those skills should I roll at default? GM: She suspects then that her quarry will consider her words but continue running. LD: Then I suppose it's time to get crafty she can't convince him, she likely doesn't have the strength to restrain him, and it's unlikely she can keep up this speed for long. Would it be possible to try and corral him into a trap? by chasing him in a certain direction? GM: Yes, you think they are scare of you for some reason. Also, actually shorter than you by a bit. The visibility is bad due to the lack of illumination, but you can still judge rough silouettes (Meant to say that since they are scared and winded, you can try. What is your plan?) LD: My idea is to set up a quick tripwire, and then chase him back around in a circle towards it GM: It would be hard to set it up in a hurry, but otherwise could actually work. You'll need to roll for Traps, something such a simple thing usually doesn't need Rolling 14 - 3d6 = 7 LD: Thankfully Blaer is real gosh darn good with traps GM: holy shit Well, I guess this ridiculous plan works splendidly. Do they clothesline themselves or trip and fall? LD: I'd say trip and fall, since a lower trip means it's harder to spot GM: Off they go rolling and skidding to a stop.This allows Blaer some time in which they will be dazed, but she suspects that they might just start running again when they regain their senses. Blaer will essentially try to pin them by their torso with her body weight, and hold down his arms Blaer: I tried to warn you. LD: She will also try and get a good look at this person for the first time GM: Trying to wrestle people with a missing hand is not usually the best idea, but Blaer knows that even a stronger opponent is done for if they are already pinned by the time they act. (you should still roll wrestling at +8) Rolling 14 - 3d6 = 0 GM: or rather, it doesn't default to anything, but you roll the higher of DX or Wrestling ST is good for breaking free and power moves I doubt your DX+8 is 14 :3 LD: I thought there would be some penalty GM: +10-2 Either way, it seems the roll is adequate. You drop on your quarry's back and manage to secure their arms, pinning them. You can try to keep one of your hands free but this will make it easier for them to escape. But for now you have their attention if nothing else. What you initially thought for a hood is actually long hair, and instead of a large but strangely lightfooted man it seems they are a thin woman, a little bit shorter than Blaer. She dropped her weapons and provisions when she had her tumble. You can't say much about her features while her face is planted in the forest floor, but you're certain about two things - her skin is darkened by the sun, painted with crude green and ochre and she's not wearing anything. She starts coming to her senses slowly. Blaer starts the interrogation with an easy question Blaer: What is your name? GM: "Let... let me go. Why do you keep chasing me!?" Blaer: Perhaps I should ask you why you have been following us. And why the Hiordlings have been chasing you with many men. GM: "You were the one follow me!" Blaer might wish to drag her back to camp so others can also participate in the interrogation? LD: She will do that. Though first she will use a blanket from her camping supplies to cover her up, if only to prevent either parties from getting embarrassed GM: You probably left your baggage so as not to be encumbered, but you can arrange something after dragging her back, yeah. Blaer and her captive make it back to camp. In the meantime Awan has managed to get a small smokeless fire going and propped up a rough lean-to to hide the light. Radulf is feeling much better by this point as well. Radulf waves to Blaer as she comes in sight. “Did all go well? Are you unhurt?” Blaer: I am fine. And I have found this GM: (Blaer is pushing in front of her what seems to be a dirty young woman covered in Blaer's blanket) Radulf: “You can pick that up in the woods? Maybe I should take up hunting too.” Radulf laughs. Radulf clears his throat however. “Was she the one we were looking for?” He smiles at her. “The name's Radulf, nice to meet you. We mean no harm.” GM: The young woman tries to resist Blaer a bit more now, obviously prefering to be as far away from Radulf and Awan as she would be allowed. (Radulf can try to roll for Influence to potentially change her attitude) Blaer will acquiesce and keep her distance from the two Radulf sees that she's fearful, and stays sitting without getting closer. His dog is resting in his lap, and he's idly petting him as he smiles at the captive. P.P. A.: Does he recognise her face from any of his dreams? (that'll affect how he proceeds) GM: (Not the face, but you recognise the silouette. She was the stranger you warned and the hairy thing you saw sleeping in a tree, and the slinger you saw) Radulf just kept seeing someone run away into bushes or darkness Radulf holds his chin and bends forward a little, taking a closer look at her. “…have we met before?” Then it clicks, and he smiles broadly. Radulf: “I've seen you in my dreams! …now, don't misunderstand—you certainly are a dreamy beauty—” he laughs, “but… a few nights ago, I saw you resting at a campfire in the woods, and then you sprang up and ran away?” GM: (would you like to attempt Diplomacy to be more pleasant?) P.P. A.: Sure; though in general I think you could improvise a bit more, have NPCs react less to rolls and more to how PCs present themselves, how the NPCs perceive them Rolling 11-3d6 = 2 GM: Oh, my bad What I mean is, the NPCs react entirely to what you say and how but their Reaction predisposes them. Rolls change Reaction. That's it. Radulf doesn't act overeager; he stays seated at the campfire, Karli dozing in his lap, as he tries to speak to the woman. P.P. A.: yeah GM: "You... I recognize your voice now. " she stops struggling against Blaer as she looks pensively at Radulf. "How did you sneak up on me then? Why have you been chasing me since then?" Radulf opens his eyes and looks surprised. “I remember I dreamed that I called out to you… At least I thought I had dreamed all that when I woke up.” He lifts up his dog and places it next to him, and turns around (still sitting) to face the woman. “We haven't been chasing you, though. We're headed— somewhere else, and thought were being watched by you, as we found traces of your presence wherever we went.” GM: "I kept going north! Straight into the steepest slope, and you still followed me! " - she slumps slightly against Blaer "It's as if the spirits were guiding you. I even tried to leave traps for you, and none of them worked! And then I made a mistake and these other men also came after me." Radulf: “As if the spirits were guiding us, huh?” He looks over to Blaer with a grin. Blaer: Perhaps it was fate for us to meet. Awan: Heh. Hers, or ours? Blaer: But what was this about a mistake? What did you do? GM: "I got careless... You were hounding me, so I thought only of ways to stop you. " she hangs her head "One of them saw me and ran into a trap I had set for you." "If only I had kept running instead of hiding to make traps..." Radulf: “Hm, so they were already in the area not to look for you, but for some other purpose…” GM: "I'm not sure. They saw me a day ago by the river." Radulf looks relieved. “Ah, they might have followed you from there.” Radulf holds his chin. “Wait a moment, you said you recognised my voice? What did I say to you?” GM: "Something about a terrible beast, black and dark. I was so scared by someone having found me, I just ran without thinking." She blinks away some tears. Radulf: “Ah. I'm so—” Radulf pauses and holds his mouth, colour leaving his face. “…if me warning you a dream, then… what I was warning you about…” Radulf gulps. Radulf looks at everyone present. “That night, I saw a black creature, big and hairy, among the trees. It could see me, and chased after me for a while.” Radulf: “When I woke up I thought it had just been a nightmare, but…” Radulf falls silent and looks pale. Blaer: Such a beast might actually lurk in these forests? Awan frowns "And I was hoping the witch just likes to scare us with stories." Blaer: Do you think that is why the Hiordlings are here? To hunt the beast? Awan: I doubt it. Hiordlings are cowards. They probably were out fishing, saw a girl in the woods and called all their cousins to chase her. 5 men on one girl is the kind of odds those bastards like. Radulf chuckles, and a smile returns to his face. “Anyway, sorry for scaring you—although it turns out the warning was appropriate. What's your name, anyway, and where are you from?” Radulf asks the woman. GM: "My name.. is Thea." she thinks for a moment, tries to find if Blaer is still holding her as tightly and continues with a sudden influx of confidence "I'm from very far, I am lost." (From GM): Basedon your knowledge of Body Language, the second part was a lie. Radulf: “Thea… That's an usual name, but I like the sound of it.” He winks, but adds with a more smug grin: “Kinda strange for you to speak our language when you're from that far away, though.” *unusual name GM: "I, uh, I was eavesdropping on people." she stammers, tries to look Radulf in the eye and subconsciously fidgets, trying to pull her wrists free from Blaer. Radulf: “I don't think you were trying to raid our village all alone, and, uh…” He catches glimpses of what's underneath the blanket as Thea struggles. “…naked—and if you're not our enemy, we aren't yours either, so you can be honest with us.” He speaks cheerfully, with no hostility in his relaxed pose or voice. Blaer will try and go along with this by releasing one of her wrists GM: Well, it looks like she's not going to immediately make a run for it at least. But she's going to take advantage of it to grip the blanket tighter. "I can't lie to you, but there's things I can't speak of." she admits after a long pause "Do what you want, I..." her voice trembles slightly, but she regains some of her resolve" I won't say. Please don't ask. I'll do what you want, I'll even swear away my life, but I can't betr... I can't speak of it." Radulf sighs. “Too bad, you've made me curious.” He pats an empty spot by the campfire. “Why don't you stay with us until you trust us enough to tell you?” He looks at Blaer and Awan: “What do you think?” Awan: She's not one of us, cousin. We should be wary. Awan smirks "Who knows. If your dreams are true, maybe she's the one stealing that old man's piglets." Blaer: I trust in the spirits, and their advice. If they wish for us to stay with Thea, then we shall. Awan: Too bad we have to move to avoid the Hiordling posse. And take her along I guess. GM: (I'm thinking of concluding the session at the end of your discussion) P.P. A.: (makes sense) Radulf: “Have you got your own supplies?” Radolf asks the girl. GM: (She has a sling, a bag, a spear and a long knife. In the bag there is some cord, dried berries and some nuts, a comb, some twine, flint, tinder and a blanket) P.P. A.: Might as well end here, see if MrFix gets back next time, and has Awan chime in with his own opinion beofre we skip ahead GM: the spear has a bone tip Radulf nods; seems like she can look after herself well enough. Awan: We are agreed then. We march tomorrow. I take fist watch, Blaer takes second. You Radulf, get some rest. Awan nods towards Thea "Maybe tier her up?" Radulf doesn't object, he's still a bit woozy as much as he wants to play it off. Radulf: *play it down (From GM): You can notice her reaction to the suggestion is atypical. As if being tied down is something that would afford her an opportunity. It's just that she's so bad at hiding her feelings, you can see it plainly. Radulf: “Is tying her up necessary? She doesn't look like the type to murder us in our sleep, and if she runs off, well, whatever.” He looks her in the eyes and winks. “I'd rather you stay, though.” Awan: Fine. GM: With that, everybody settles for the night. P.P. A.: Thanks for the session LD: yeah, good session GM: Thanks for the game Sorry for the Influence mix up. P.P. A.: No worries If MrFix misses the next session too or has lost interest, I can ask around among my GURPS friends if anyone's interested to take his place (since I'm getting into it so I hope the campaign can continue) GM: Just to re-iterate, I want to run it straight by the book as a test. Reaction controls attitude, but that just means how biased or friendly they are, everything else is actual rp Yeah, but you can also ask around even before. I think I can handle 4 people if ti comes to it. P.P. A.: Sure The last few sessions were more on the side of rollplay rather than roleplay, but after this one my worries are alleviated Anyway, thanks again, and back to Discord respscorp (GM): Previously! Our heroes set up camp to care for their wounded comrade. While Anwan made sure Radulf is not devoured by wild beast during his drunken rest, Blaer tried to find out more about the mysterious slinger from Radulf's visions. Her hunt successfuly, she came back to the camp with a captive in tow. Radulf talked with the strange wildling girl and slowly to his horror discovered his frequent nightmares may be as true as the witches from his clan always suggested they were. And now, back to camp where Anwan might have some questions before everything is settled for the night. GM: (the circles of the map are "patrolled areas" for each clan) MrFix: (Did Awan witness the strange girl?) P.P. A.: Blaer brought her to the camp (wrapped in a blanket) and the three of us (Awan GM-controlled) talked to ger At the end of last session we were discussing whether we should keep her around, and didn't want to continue before you/Awan had a say in the matter too MrFix: (Why do we want to keep her around?) GM: (I assume Awan might have some actual questions on his own and opinions, just like this one he can voice now) (Summary of what you pieced together so far: 1.By accident, you were following her through the wilds. 2.She speaks your language. 3.Skin colour and texture suggest she is not your kin, not even as distant as the other clans. 4.She understands your traditions. GM: 5.She doesn't want to speak of where she comes from. 6.She is scared of you 7.Her knife is extremely good quality and made of a good metal, but the rest of her belongings are primitive and rudimentary) Awan: "We should head back home, so Radulf can recover. Let's leave her to her business." (From GM): Up to Radulf to tell his friends what he figured out - that the girl feels she can easily escape if you leave her tied up. GM: Having defeated and taken the weapons of some enemies, turning back now would not be shameful by the customs of your people. Radulf turns to Blaer: “With that medicine, how long do you wager until I'm back in shape?” Radulf: “Assuming I rest properly, but we keep going?” Awan: "Hmm... weeks maybe." (How much HP do you have?) P.P. A.: fug, I didn't keep track of them; let me scour the logs real quick GM: (you are out of medicine, but if you travel really gently and have a dedicated person to support Radulf, it will count as rest for him now that you're out of the deep wilds) P.P. A.: 0 +1 from first aid, +4 from the medicine GM: So he is no longer heavily wounded P.P. A.: so 5 HP right now Awan: (5 days to recover 5 more HP I guess) P.P. A.: also Rapid Healing Awan: (which does... +1 HP per day?) (I guess 3 days GM: It's1 base untless he goes fighting or any very strenuous activity, plus potentially 1-2 from someone caring for him medically per day) P.P. A.: +5 to effective HT onl rolls to recover HP (oops, forgot to apply that) Awan: (So still 5 days) (Unless we have physician?) LD: Diagnosis, first aid, and pharmacy but no physician Awan: (First aid too) (Maybe Esoteric Medicine will work, if this wildling girl has it) GM: Physician or Esotetic Medicine for the long term care Radulf scratches his head. “We're still some days' travel away from the Red Serpents, right? I could recover a bit along the way.” Radulf: He crosses his arms. “I… don't want to endanger us for my injured pride, but, you know, coming back ‘victorious’ and my story being that I swung, missed, and got knocked out…” Awan: "As we come closer to the serpents, we might hit patrols or more of these woodsmen." "We'd have to defend you." "A different option is to camp for a few days here." Blaer: We can stay here for as long as we need, so long as I have my bow. Radulf sighs. “I'll leave the decision up to you; I really don't want to inconvenience you unnecessarily.” Radulf points at Thea, the strange girl. “Thea! You're mysterious and here on a secret mission. Is it something we can help you with, in exchange for a good story to tell, and perhaps exotic spoils?” Radulf: “Hunting for a white deer perhaps? Recovering some stolen ancestral treasure?” Blaer: No matter what we choose, though, we will need to move. It is not safe to stay here long. whether we move into the wilds to recover, or move on. GM: The wildling appears uncomfortable at becoming the focus of the conversation again, looks to Blaer, then back to Radulf, licks her dried lips and sighs "Can I plead with you for a bargain, before I answer? Everything you ask I will answer truthfully, just don't ask of my home again, and shield me from anyone else who asks." Awan: "We won't ask of your home, but we won't take up arms for a cause we know nothing about, and don't believe in." GM: She gives Awan a puzzled, cautious look. Radulf nods. “We can cover for you and say you're with us, though, or convince the person not to ask if it's one of ours.” Radulf: “To take up arms for a secretive stranger is a bit much to ask, though.” GM: "It is much", she agrees,"though think. If you let me go, and we never see each other again, you will be free of your oath." Awan: "And if we see you next week, as part of a raiding party?" (From GM): You get the feeling she is hoping a lot to be set free and not see you again. She seems to like you on some level, but is still terrified. (To GM): Is she cute (in appearance, voice, etc.)? GM: "I can swear, I will not attack your people. I'd not want to pick a fight with you, please. I can make an oath to it - not lift arms at all, except to save my skin" Awan: "I don't want to give any oaths just because I want to have a conversation. If any one of you wants to, go on, but you'll speak for yourself, not the group or the clan." (From GM): She is not a great beauty by the standards of your people. She appears a bit malnourished, does not have the air of authority a lot of people value in a good wife, she is more suitable than running in the woods in build than in running a farm' but her hair is red and she is "cute" in appearance, so it's 50/50 (To GM): I see, thanks will wear that oath if you also swear not to attack our people. If we're in a situation where you're in danger, I'll hold them off while you run away.” He looks at Blaer and Awan: “And while run, in a different direction. My curiosity is my own, and if it kills me… again, that's on me alone.” Blaer: The Hiodlings are still looking for you now. The time for secrets may be no more. If you do not wish us to know of your people, that is fine. But perhaps allies would be more helpful, yes? GM: The wilding grits her teeth in desperation, but nods at Blaer's words. "You are right. And I am in no condition to defy anyone now..." She bows down as she is already kneeling forehead low to the ground and hands wrapped around her torso - a position which among your people indicates utter submission as it's impossible for one to defend himself from it. "I accept your deal, Radulf" Lifting herself with some effort due to her extreme exhaustion, Thea stands up and looks up to Blaer. "Will you allow this?" Referring to the fact that she is still Blaer's captive. Blaer lets Thea go completely, nodding GM: Thea takes a few tired steps towards Radulf, handing Blaer back her blanket, probably symbolical of being released from her protection. It will take some dusting to get the green and ochre out of it. Radulf wears a friendly smile, but has some trouble keeping his eyes anywhere polite. He digs out his own blanket and holds it out to her, eyes closed. GM: Thea drops on her knees next to Radulf, more from exhaustion than as another show of submission and accepts the blanket "I swear upon my blood. I will not raise my hand against Radulf, nor his kin, save to keep my skin, and I will run rather than fight then. I swear also to answer his questions truthfully, always to the best of my ability." (From GM): You can't help but get a good look. As someone who grew up around several girls and frequently went swimming with them or played war with them occasionally, you note that compared to the girls from your village her skin is not just darker, but very smooth and hairless. (To GM): it was inevitable Radulf tries to get up but winces and holds his wound; but stands up anyway, and moves his hand to his heart [or however we swear oaths in our culture]. “I, Radulf, son of Rodemir, hereby swear upon my blood that I will not ask Thea of her home, and shield her from anyone who so does; nor harm her, while she keeps her oath.” GM: It is done then. She appears a little terrified and a little relieved. Radulf sits back down again—slumps, rather. “By the way,” he leers at the blanket covering her, and grins cheekily with his head on his chin: “You could do with some more meat on those ribs.“ GM: She recoils from Radulf's gaze and from his words, then peeks at him like a puppy that had just had a piece of bacon swung at them. Radulf leans back and laughs. He smiles at her: “I wouldn't tease an enemy,” and leans forward again. “But tell us: what brings you here, and where are you headed?” GM: "I was on a rite of passage..." she answers,lying down on the ground and biting down a yawn, her eyes tearing up a little "And being captured... I have failed it." Radulf: “Ah…” Radulf's grin becomes narrows into a polite smike. “Blaer, look what you did!” he jokes awkwardly. GM: "I've never heard of anyone failing, let alone getting captured..."the girls volunteers more information "I thought it's just stories they tell us to scare us into being cautious." Blaer: "You were simply...an exception. We would not have been here if we weren't on our mission, and the spirits did not guide us to you. Radulf: “What did your trial consist of?” Blaer allows herself a sly smile as she takes food rations out of her pack Blaer: Besides, you were simply outmatched by Cynwrig's greatest hunter. GM: "I had to survive on my own for a month and... "she appears suddenly wary and unsure "... away... from people. The most gifted bring something as proof... of the places they have dared visit." This might explain some of the weird items you found in her back - rock chippings, dried flowers, a small piece of wool, some nails, a decorated piece of cloth. Radulf: “On your own all alone, or on your own without anyone from your clan?” GM: She gives Radulf a wary grin, or maybe more of a terrified rictus, unsure if she has to answer this. The three of you can almost feel her scramble to find an excuse not wriggle out of answering. (to wriggle out of it that is) (From GM): You realise she might remain frozen like this for entire minutes unless prompted. (To GM): figured, was about tot ype Radulf grins. “I think you know where I'm going with this. We're out on a daring adventure ourselves.” GM: "I... actually don't?" She speaks up squeakily Radulf explains: “You would have failed if you relied on the help of one of your clansmen; but if you make allies on your journey, is that not your feat?” Radulf: *your own GM: Her sheer relief at Radulf's words is evident to everyone. "No, I'm afraid not. Even if you just let me go, I will have failed." P.P. A.: (LD and MrFix pls tell me if I'm monopolising this interaction, and chime in whenever) you all on your own?” LD: You're not, Awan: Mhmm P.P. A.: (good) Blaer: What does "failure" mean for you? Awan: "Let her answer Radulf's question first." GM: She appears uncomfortable and curls up under the loaned blanket. "I was not just seen, but captured. An utter failure" Her voice carries some of the stubborn despondency of a child that just lost a game and is resisting attempt to cheer them up. "And no, there are no others. Or at least I haven't seen any." Suddenly, she is startled, and looks at you wide-eyed. (From GM): Needless to say, your Body Language skills tells you she thinks she just blurted out something she should not have. (From GM): You opinion from the conversation so far is that she's also absolutely terrible at hiding her body language. Worse than the human average. Awan: "So you all go out to be tested one by one, and not in batches?" (To GM): Radult tries his best to hide his amusement at this reality, but will delight in teasing her going forward GM: She grits her teeth and glances at Radulf cautiously. Radulf grins. “Take pride in your kin. If there's more of you around here, you're the first one we've notic—” He pauses and thinks seriously. Radulf: “…maybe s where those piglets went…” Radulf also looks from Theo to Blaer, bringing attention to her question GM: (she answered Blaer's question first, it's Awan's question where she suddenly decided to be evasive) Awan: "It would explain how she knows about us, but we do not know about them." "Your people steal from us?" P.P. A.: (oh, nvm) GM: She curls up like someone about to get their face kicked in, cowering under Awan's gaze and his questions. "I don't know..." Her lack of straight denial speaks plenty. Radulf sighs. “That would explain why we cannot ask you about your home.” Awan: "Let's take her back home with us. It'll be no less honorable than pushing on into another fight, and it'll be better for your health." Radulf nods. GM: She whimpers quietly, muttering something about her own stupidity. Awan: "We'll move right away if everyone is ready." P.P. A.: (what time is it?) LD: Evening GM: It is currently late in the evening. About 1/4 of the night has passed. Which makes it generally a good time for sleeping. Or a good time to attempt a night's march - but those are slow and perilous and you will almost have to drag Thea along who is faint from exhaustion. P.P. A.: With two people exhausted and shaky on their legs, resting might be a better idea GM: Radulf feels pain, but is quite well rested. P.P. A.: ah Awan: "We'll have to watch her, or make sure she's pacified. She has been evasive when answering us." "I usually take middle watch, who'll take first?" Radulf: “I'll do it. I only woke up a while ago, after all.“ Awan: "Make noise if trouble comes. Do you need help with her right now?" Radulf looks at her. “She looks tired and defeated. I'll just let her sleep.” Blaer: Then I'll take last Blaer has set aside an extra ration of food for Thea, and is eating her own GM: Thea cautiously unpacks the food, looking up to you apreciatively and warily Then starts devouring it, as if worried you'll change your mind. Radulf spends his shift mulling over how his dreams are apparently real, and plans to see if he can use that to watch the camp while asleep—or if he's too delirious in that state, or too slow to react. He'll ask Awan to do something odd or unusual at some point throughout his shift, to see if he can react to it or remember it in the morning. GM: Radulf's watch passes uneventfully. Nothing seems to go nearby the only sound coming from Thea whimpering in her sleep. Radulf reluctantly nudges her awake at some point, having allowed her maybe an hour of rest. Awan: P.P. A.: (reverse the order of these then) Radulf: “I understand.” “By the way, at some point please give a signal of some sort. I want to see if I can see it in my dream and react to it in some way, or remember it tomorrow.” Awan: "Alright." As Awan watches the girl during the night, while the rest are asleep, he toys around with his throwing axes in the view of the captive, spinning them in his hands, adjusting grip, aiming at trees, etc. GM: She watches you warily, strangely unconcerned and gradually falling asleep from exhaustion. Radulf , if he's asleep, dreaming, and seeing this, tries to say “Hit!” every time Awan throws the axe at a tree and it sticks. P.P. A.: Since his perception of time is slowed down, I'd be interested in the lag between the throw and his response Awan: He's not throwing any, he figured the act itself is enough of a signal. P.P. A.: oh in that case recton: Radulf , if he's asleep, dreaming, and seeing this, tries to say “nice” after a particularly nimble spin/twirl GM: A disembodies voice, distant, distorted and like a very loud whisper is what Awan hears every time, but there is some inconsistency and lag between the unearthly whispers and the things you do Thea trails off into slumber, despite the noise. Awan: Once the time comes, he swaps out with Blaer. GM: (he does not prevent Thea from resting during his shift?) Awan: (I can roll intimidation to see if it keeps her stressed enough to not sleep, but otherwise no) (To GM): I figure his hazy dream self is mesmerised by the axeplay, and once the shift changes, forgets what he was doing and drifts off into the night a shift also passes uneventfully, Blaer tags in. Unless she wants to do something in particular, it is safe to say her shift also sees no incidents Blaer spends her shift watching Thea until she's sure she's asleep, and then proceeding to boobytrap the area in case she decides to run off Rolling 12 - 3d6 = 1 GM: You manage the march uneventfully, though at some point you see strange, bear-like tracks in one area, and marks on the trees as if a very angry lion was sharpening its claws on them. (From GM): Radulf notices something during the journey - Thea gets clumsier if people pay attention to her. Is she just shy? Or jinxed? Awan: "She's afraid of me, so make yourself look sympathetic to her, maybe it'll prevent her from doing something dumb. Also, I think she's more skilled than she lets on - she knows when I watch her." Radulf whispers back. “Hah, you'll rather have to tell me not to be too nice. She's skilled but clumsy, it's too cute.” Radulf was making some occasional smalltalk with her anyway, like asking her what she was looking forward to eating when she returned home. GM: The journey is interrupted on two occasions by Thea. The first time she trips into a dry root, falling on her face in front of Awan, the second time she slips, falls and rolls downhill into some nettles. The third time, she manages to drop into a small but full stream you are fording over. Awan would almost suspect these are clumsy attempts to trick you and make a run for it, but she always ends up momentarily stunned and in what seems like some discomfort after it... Radulf takes her under his arm and has his dog walk alongside her. Radulf: (like keeping an arm on her outer shoulder so he can keep her steady if need be “…you know.” GM: Even though she likes Radulf somewhat, she is obviously uncomfortable with being this close to him. Radulf: “Could it be that you are cursed with bad luck?” Radulf will take his hand off and let her go when the road is clear, but pull her closer if they're walking downhill somewhere steep, or over slippery/rough terrain GM: She gives you Radulf a wary, obviously fake grin, shyly rubbing all the place where her skin is still red from the nettles, all the more obvious after the springwater washed away her paints. P.P. A.: (I'm assuming she's still wearing that blanket; Radulf would have lent it to her, in any case) GM: (It's mountainous woodland, navigating it while clutching a blanket would be very hard, practicality has to take over unless you want to carry her all along) (she has one of her own also - a tattered old pelt) P.P. A.: alright; he'd be less touchy then, only if the ground is particularly unstable steep or slippery slopes etc. GM: Plenty of that around, but conventional wisdom holds that you don't bunch up in such terrain where one false step can also drag down your buddies P.P. A.: my urbanite upbringing bretrayed Radulf: “Are you sent out with just a fine knife, and have to provide for everything else yourself?” P.P. A.: in that case, yeah, just what make sense. Providing some stability however is reasonable/logical GM: "Not always. That knife is a family treasure." Awan: (I'd like to stop here, personally, if there's no objections. I dont mind if Radulf continues to flirt with the forest hobo while im gone) LD: Funny you should mention that, I need to head to work now, so stopping now would be a good idea GM: I was thinking to get to the village now, but if you need to call it a night, it's a good time. P.P. A.: Yeah, it's getting a bit late here too GM: Ok, next time back to the village. P.P. A.: we can arrive next session Awan: Thanks for running LD: yeah, good sesh. P.P. A.: Thanks for the session GM: Thanks for the game GM Previously! Radulf exchanged oaths with the wildling Thea, and she agreed to answer truthfully in exchange for his protection. After a lengthy interrogation session, the three friends knew quite a lot about her and decided to head back home. On the way, they showed mercy to their prisoner, letting her rest and feeding her, thus earning her trust in addition to her apparent fear of them. GM: Now, after a trip back far less eventful than the trip forward, they can finally see their home village in the distance (and waiting for MrFix) (any questions we can cover while waiting) P.P. A.: Hm, none really LD: Nope GM Ever cautious after their brush with near-defeat and finding out they were being stalked by a magical soul-eating beast, the groups stops for a rest while Awan scouts a bit ahead. (feel free to RP or ask the NPC stuff while we wait) Radulf digs into his backpack and hands Thea his blanket again, now that they're nearing civilisation and the terrain has gotten more manageable. Radulf: “Did you see our village before we met?” GM She shudders "Only from the distance. I never wanted to meet anyone up close." Then gently rejects the offered blanket pushing it away "I can't rely on your charity forever and it seems I'll have to get used to being seen by many of your people anyway. If you want to help, I beg that you argue for your people's mercy on my behalf." GM: It's not hard for either of you to see that being around a crowd seems a terrifying propsect to her. Radulf: “ did not really do us any wrong,” Radulf reassures her with a calm smile. “…your kinsfolk did, kinda, but… Well, we'll try to figure something out.” He puts the blanket over her shoulders anyway. “Walking around stark naked won't help to direct attention away from you, though, and it'll reflect poorly on me too.” Radulf turns to Blaer: “We're going to report this whole thing to the elders, I suppose? The Hiordlings are going to be out for revenge, so everyone needs to be on guard the coming weeks.” Blaer nods Blaer: "Of course. There is much they should be wary of now, if everything we saw was true." Radulf nods. ”I'm… going to ask Caitlin about the stuff I saw in my dreams too.” He makes a pained expression as he so says. “I hope she isn't going to scold me too badly for having been so careless about this before.” Radulf is taking it with an embarassed grin though. Awan returns, grim-faced and casts Radulf and the naked savage a disapproving look; Awan: "Way is clear, but there's tracks of something. Maybe your darkness beast. Let's go." GM: (no point waiting past the 30m mark) P.P. A.: (yeah) (want to invite any of the online newcomers in the Discord to come spectate?) Radulf has a cold shiver run down his spine and gets up. “Right.” He pets his dog and firmly grasps his axe. “Wish I could tell you more about it, but all I remember was that it was dark, hairy, and scary, really.” Radulf: “It seemed to stick to the woods though…” He scratches his head, not sure if he remembers that correctly or if it just couldn't keep up with him floating away. Awan grumbles as he leads the way Awan: "Well, this is the woods. The wilderness surrounds the farmlands on all sides" Radulf: “I'll… keep an eye on the trees.” And so he does, a little less happy-go-lucky than usual, and a bit jumpy at big shadows in the corner of his eyes. Blaer fiddles with her hook prosthetic, starting to loosen the straps around her shoulder GM: You walk down towards the village, and thankfully nothing happens as wilderness gives way to glades, and then to fields and the sturdy farmsteads of your clan. Radulf 's step lightens, and his posture seems more confident as the woods open up, green beds the hills, dotted by grazing animals. GM: Most people are busy with their fieldwork or housework and most kids are away looking after the farm animals or playing games, but you get the attention of a small group of young teens that were practicing their sling-work and quickly gather to follow you. "Hey, hey!" "Who is this you bring in from your raids?" the boys inquire enthusiastically "Why is she naked?" one of the girls inquires judgmentally, before the other one scolds her - "Look, she's obviously a wild savage, just like the stories Eoghania tells! They do exist!" Radulf glances at Thea (a look of slight annoyance) and throws the blanket over her. “Now now, you can hear about it from the elders later,” he dismisses the kids and shoos them away. Blaer waves her hook arm in the children's general direction, a vague threat attached to it GM: They retreat some distance but then follow you, discussing something in elevated whispers. Radulf shrugs patiently. Blaer: "The children will whisper and gossip, that is what they do." "Perhaps you should be thankful it is not you they speak of." Radulf: “I hope my embarassing show—” He looks down on himself and finds the large cut in his still bloodstained clothes, and laughs weakly. “Well, it can't be helped.” Radulf addresses Thea: “I'll ask my sister to lend you some clothes before we meet the elders.” GM: (just planning how to introduce a new PC, will resume in a minute) P.P. A.: (np) Blaer: (take your time) P.P. A.: test (From GM): It is getting very easy for you to read Thea. For some reason, the prospect of clothes worries her? Not like she hates it, but like it might end up poorly for her? She looks as if she might admit something if pushed, but before you could do something... (waiting for PC intro to happen soon) (To GM): got it now Vodka: The array of snares and pitfalls, all made in such a manner to avoid being directly lethal for the sake of Thea’s survival were arranged along the road ahead, this was something she considered more than just a profession, it was an oeuvre. Failsafe after failsafe, she’d laugh at the gods if she had the audacity, still, she was not that brave. Still, it seemed the gods had picked up on that thought, and moments before the first of the group stepped into the snare, the wicked creaking of a branch, gave way, dropping upon the first trap. The object itself launched up with a great deal of force, yet, the angle was not entirely straight up. With Orphea too preoccupied on seeing the rest of the traps come to fruition, she was met headfirst with an aggressive branch, knocking her back, and fatefully revealing herself to the party. GM From your perspective, you are travelling between farms, when with a great noise another naked native lands in front of you P.P. A.: (I'm assumiong, going by the name, she's another wildling) GM: (a brief description is in order) Vodka: She was above average in height, her skin color was a tan Mediterranean. She wasn't particularly attractive, but neither was she ugly. Her eyes were a Dark Brown, and her hair was a messy black, tied up in a rather haphazard bun to keep it out of her face. One could presume it'd be shoulder length if not for the aforementioned bun. It was worth noting at the moment, she also had a black eye. Radulf snorts loudly, and barely manages to keep in a burst of laughter. Radulf acts quick and picks her up by the arm; grabbing her, but not holding her especially firmly, just living her up from the ground. “Friend of yours?” he asks Thea and points at the girl, grinning. Radulf: *lifting GM Thea nods, stunned with disbelief for a moment. She then tries to walk over and comfort her kin, but some remaining snare flicks into life, whipping her across the knees and sending her falling next to Orphea. GM: The teens trailing the group burst into laughter. Blaer shoots a glare at the group Radulf snorts even louder, and needs to cover his blown-up cheeks. Awan sighs at this silliness and goes ahead to give word to the elders, hoping his friends can manage on their own here Vodka: Orphea blinks, she was atleast somewhat used to this, heaven itself acting in such a manner. She flinched when Orphea shot up, wishing she'd regained her focus a moment earlier to warn her. Alas, that's just how things were. She paused, thinking of exactly how to best spin off her attempt at capturing the party, noting they were already laughing a bit, she paused before speaking "It uhh, it seems rather unfortuitous there happen to be traps here, if you'd be kind enough to allow my cousin to leave...I'd be willing to show you through them." She paused, thinking, but more importantly swallowing her ego to continue speaking "I'm pretty good at...finding them." She gestured towards her eye with the non grappled arm, smiling uncomfortably. Radulf stows his axe on his belt and helps up Thea too, still holding the stranger's arm in his other hand. He sits down, and pulls the girls down to sit next to him. Radulf: “Now, let's all calm down,” he tells himself as he reins in his chuckling. “If there are this many of you in this area, one of you should just go and get your clan elder or cheftain so he can meet with our elders.” “…as much as I enjoy naked girls raining on our path.” Blaer sighs as she attempts to refasten her prosthetic arm, hooking her bow onto the end as she moves up next to Radulf Vodka: Orphea sat down as instructed, not really thinking acting hostile would be beneficial in this situation. Upon hearing him mention the fact that she was, indeed nude, she blushed slightly, crossing her legs and covering as much of her breasts as she could with her non grappled arm. She spoke, her voice fettered with a mixture of discomfort and embarrassment "We're not from around here, I was just, just looking for her, we're explorers from a distant land, and.." She paused, looking towards Thea, hoping she'd pick up the narrative she was giving off "we're SUPPOSED to stick together" She shot a glare towards her, one decent at reading people could probably note it was a bit forced. GM: A small group of people from nearby steads is already headed this way to investigate the commotion. With most everybody being away doing fieldwork, it's just a couple of old men with their shields and spears, and a couple of young hosewives that have grabbed a huting spear or a sling, plus whatever healing supplies their house had in store, worried some enemy or fantastical beast has arrived to sow destruction. Radulf: “Blaer, could you lend our new catch your blanket please?” Thea just looks at Orphea and shakes her head; Orphea can remember that this skinny girls has never been good at lying or hiding her emotions. Blaer does so, pulling out the blanket, still covered in markings from when Thea was wearing it Radulf releases Orphea's arm so she can cover herself, and uses the opportunity to wave friendlily at the people coming their way, to assure them that everything is fine. Radulf calls over: “Everything's fine! Careful where you step, though.” Vodka: Orphea does so, concealing her nudity as best she could. She looked around, thinking but refraining from comment, unsure of what to say yet to try and weasel her way out of the situation. name?” GM: "Well, damn the Dark, what was all this racked about!?" One of the old men inquires, his eyes curiously inspecting the two wildlings as he rests on his spear to catch his breath. "Eh, not as spry as I used to be." "Oh, Earth-as-mah-witness, what the hell has been done to you boy?" One of the women exclaims, noticing Radulf Blaer: "We're back from our outing with news and..." Blaer looks back at the pair of captives pensively Blaer: "...Guests." Vodka: "Orphea" She returned the smile, knowing there wasn't any reason not to, furthermore appearing as hostile is a great way to get trapped. She paused, once again, thinking. It pained her to offer to destroy hours of work, but she felt it reasonable enough to do so given the circumstance. "If you'd let me return to my Travois, I'd be willing to help fill in the odd pit in the area." Halfheartedly, she removed an arm from the blanket and gestured towards a suspicious pile of leaves. Radulf replies to the woman. “Ah… that was the Hiordlings. Should have heeded brother Arnulf telling me I should train more.” He smiles reassuringly. “I'm fine though. We were headed for the elders', to tell them the entire story.” Radulf: “I'm Radulf.” He nods at Orphea. “Please do so. If someone gets hurt by your traps, it may get more difficult to smooth this whole thing over.” Radulf says this in a friendly way, but there is an implicit warning in there. Blaer: There is no need. I will handle the traps. Blaer begins searching the area for any traps left behind by Orphea GM: With time and caution, Blaer will manage to find them, since they were put up in a hurry Radulf: “Thanks, Blaer.” Vodka: She nods, standing up and walking off towards where she hid her cache of things, noting Blaer's comment she stopped and turned around, pausing a moment to think. "They're holes, not the easiest thing to undo on your own." Halfheartedly she pointed towards the various snares and pitfalls she'd set up, not wanting him to accidentally trigger one. her*) Radulf glances at Orphea after thanking Blaer for fixing Orphea's mess, with a raised eyebrow. Vodka: The pitfalls, were indeed pits about six feet deep, they were relatively small, and the bases were cushioned somewhat with loose dirt. "I was intending to get my shovel and fill them back up." Radulf nods approvingly, though still with a skeptical look on his face. (He was subtly urging her to thank Blaer too.) GM: Thea shuffles a bit close to Orphea, tugging on the edge of the blanket and giving her a quick, bashful glance "Mind huddling together, cousin?" Vodka: Orphea, not wanting to be rude, slung it over Thea and nodded. "No problem." She looked over towards the group. "Well, I'm going to get my travois now, alright?" Radulf nods. “We'll still be around.” He has one arm lightly slung around Thea to keep her from running off after her cousin. Blaer: "You won't be going anywhere on your own." Blaer pulls her bag out and sets it down by Randulf Vodka: She blinked, "Right, well, you can come with me if you want?" She paused, transferring the blanket over towards Thea. She looked towards Blaer, her expression was clearly plastered with annoyance, and if Blaer was studying her eyes, they were definitely drifting towards her prosthetic. Radulf looks at Blaer. “I'm not worried, but call if there's trouble.” GM: "Right, me and the boys will come along as well. Just in case" One of the old men declares, pulling on his bushy beard, as they line up to follow Blaer and her guest. Blaer holds the prosthetic arm out, the bow hanging from the hook at the end as she places her other hand on the string to steady it Blaer: "Lead the way." Vodka: She headed off towards the place where she kept her glorified dragging sticks, staying on guard due to the group of men and the cyborg following her. In addition to the standard two sticks tied together with cord and a little basket at the back, she'd set up somewhat thin, but thankfully obfuscating cloth to drape off the sides as she walked, as to maintain a modicum of modesty in spite of the gods, as a result of this, she carried the travois at a larger angle than was really efficient. If nothing terrible happened on the way, she'd return back, not really able to do anything given the current situation. Radulf leans in on Thea and talks to her seriously. “I'm not going to ask you where you're from, but I know you're NOT from ‘far away’. If this kind of thing could happen more often, it would be better if your leaders could meet with ours, come to some kind of agreement—maybe pay for those piglets, and afterwards establish a trading relationship, or something—before one of our folk gets caught in a trap laid by yours, and this whole thing gets out of hand.” Radulf is friendly and smiling still, but he looks Thea straight in the eyes, expecting a straight answer. GM: Thea returns an unsteady, forced smile, as if unsure what to answer. Nothing horrible happens, and soon Radulf, Blaer and the two girls find themselves in the middle of the fortified village. Out of all the times for this to happen, Radulf spots Muiram making her way towards you group through the small crowd of curious onlookers. "Hey Blaer." She smiles at her friend before giving Radulf a stern look. "You probably think it makes you look heroic, by if you go to the elders in a filthy shirt, grandma and Wassa are not going to let you hear the end of it!" Radulf avoids meeting her eyes. “Don't worry, I was… going to try and hide this, anyway.” Radulf did intend to get a change of clothes first GM: From the perspective of Orphea, Muiram is a short redhead with a tight-fighting shirt and long-skirt, a large sash filled with various pouches on her waist. She gives you and Thea a very ambiguous look after scolding her friend. Radulf does turn to look at Muiram though, and seems to size her up with a curious look. (To GM): How does she compare in size and figure to Thea and/or Orphea? Vodka: Orphea nods her head towards Muiram, putting on a smile, in the least confrontational way she could, she'd place her spear at the base of the travois to prop it up, and begin to fill in the pits she'd dug the night prior. If all went well, the cloth on the travois would be covering her body up to her shoulders. (From GM): Orphe and Thea are tall for girls, Muiram is average, so she is shorter (To GM): Ah, so her clothes wouldn't fit them P.P. A.: I thought we basically skipped that part and skipped to the village Vodka: (Ah, whoops, my bad) GM: (all holes are filled, and everybody is at the village, Radulf and Blaer have some time to freshen up and pick new change of clothes, while Thea and Orphea have their belongings confiscated and put in a neat pile next to the Metting Hut) P.P. A.: ( need to brb for a few minutes, so) Radulf goes off to change his clothes, assure any worried relatives that he's alright, ask his elder brother for some fighting lessons later, and borrows some old clothes for Thea from his sister Vodka: Orphea stuck close to Thea, doing her best to slightly conceal her nudity with her body as she essentially covered herself with her arms as best she could. Blaer would be wearing some looser clothes from her usual hunting attire, her bow hook prosthetic replaced with a basic wooden block "arm" P.P. A.: (back) (To GM): safe to assume he can get some battered old garments for the girls, or at least a spare cloak to drab them with? (From GM): Yes GM: As Radlf and Blaer come back, the small crow of curious onlookers and gossipmongers mostly keep their distance. They have no particular reason to be anything but idly curious and to bother a captive would be disrespectful of the people who brought them in, not to mention immature when there is no reason for it. Radulf eventually returns to the… guests–barely shaven, hair combed a bit, changed into clean clothes, with a cloak fastened by a modest metal brooch… and carrying some dresses, which he hands over to the two girls. Radulf: “That will be more convenient than the blankets,” he notes. (or more realistically: one old and unadorned dress, and an oversized man's shirt and a tattered skirt) Orphea: She looked at the dresses and smiled. This expression slowly shifted towards a sullen expression. "I am deeply grateful for this hospitality, however, I fear that my people are cursed to erode clothing when wearing them. I'd feel wrong in quickly destroying the fine vestments your people had worked on. Another blanket though, would be much appreciated." GM: Thea gives Orphea a slightly shocked look, then shrugs. Radulf 's eyes open wide; he searches Orphea's face (and Thea's reaction too), but finds her expression to be genuine. “…to be honest, I kind of want to see that, but… I see.” He stows the clothes he brought somewhere safe, and unfastens his woolen cloak, draping it around Orphea. Radulf: (stows as in gets rid of them in a narratively convenient way, handing them to someone he knows for safekeeping or whatever) (unless he can just put them in a bag or something) Blaer: A curse? GM: Thea steps closer to her older cousin, seeking safety in closeness to her kin. Awan: "I never figured them to be real." GM: "Haha, don't listen to her, she is making stories." Thea tries to disperse any ideas of "a curse" rather unconvincingly with the trembling in her voice. P.P. A.: (assuming Thea's still wearing that blanket) Radulf looks at them skeptically and remembers when he joked about her being cursed with bad luck when she kept tripping in the forest. Radulf: He glances at the curious onlookers and listeners, and quickly dismisses the topic: “Let's talk about that later.” Awan: "We certainly will, the elders will ask about it." P.P. A.: (ooh, that's why she didn't seem fazed by being tied up—the rope would just have desintegrated) Orphea nods in thanks towards Radulf, covering herself with the long cloak. She reciprocates the gesture, moving a bit closer to her as well to allow that familiar sense of not being alone with strangers. She looks towards Thea, blinking, noting the thankful decision to change topic, she spoke up "if you'd address the grievances you have towards my cousin and I, I'd be willing to work with you to pay off the debts in exchange for her freedom, Are there any actions we should perform upon meeting your elders as not to offend them?" Radulf remembers being scolded for his lack of proper statue in the past, so he looks towards Blaer and Awan. P.P. A.: (oh hey, I didn't notice MrFix joining; hi) GM: "Hey Radulf, are you going to marry those savages!" some kid voices off, confident in the anonymity provided by the thin crowd "The way you are coddling them!" This is followed by the meaty "thwack" of somebody getting a might slap on the back of their neck. Radulf leaves that uncommented, and after/if Blaer or Awan have any comments on how the girls should behave before the Elders, he ushers them that way—and warns them: Radulf: “Answer honestly to what you're asked.” He smirks. “You are pretty bad at telling lies, so you'd just embarrass yourself anyway.” *yourselves Orphea blushed slightly, before nodding, ready to take in what advice the others would give. Blaer: "Simply remember that you are a guest and stranger here." GM: If Awan has no advice to offer, after a moment of expectant silence everybody is invited in by one of the clan's warriors. Radulf , usually a bit of a slouch, makes his best effort to maintain proper decorum before the elders. Orphea 's eyes drift over towards Radulf's means of holding himself, noting the straighter posture and the like, she'd copy that, doing her best to come off as respectable despite wearing nothing but a cloak. Awan: Radulf also has something like that prepared if he is addressed. GM: The Meeting Hut is a round, stout building constructed to house as many people as possible early in the Settling years, as a place for people to gather and discuss how to proceed. The elders have already assembled in their customary position, your promptness managing to dispel some of the sour mood some of them might have picked up at having been assembled on short notice. They are seated in a semircircle, expecting you to stand in front of them and present your case. LD: Hey, I need to go to work soon. GM: It is up to you to decide what order you speak in. (We can end here if everybody is fine, or carry on with the speeches if you have a bit of time?) Awan: (How much time do you wish to spare, LD?) LD: (It would probably be best if we ended it here, since I don't have much time, and it would be better to have this all happen together so it's not lost or forgotten midway through) P.P. A.: I'd be fine with that Orphea: (I'm fine with anything) Awan: (Got it) GM: make sense Cya next time Awan: see ya Vodka: peace P.P. A.: Thanks for the session respscorp (GM): greetings P.P. A.: \o Vodka: yo MrFix: hey LD: The gang's all here well, most of the gang's all here GM Previously! As our heroes were escorting the wildling Thea back to their clan's village, they stumbled into another strange girl that seemed to have fallen victim to the same trap she had lain for them! Annoyed that this would happen this close to home, they took her along as well and prepared for a meeting with the clan elders. Radulf whispers to Awan beforehand: “How about you present the story as we experienced it, and afterwards I relate what we learned from and about Thea?” Orphea: Orphea waited, awaiting a prompt in the form of body language for her to go up and speak, she presumed that those within the clan would debrief regarding their own escapades before coming to her Awan: "Alright then. Anything you want me to say about you?" respscorp (GM) After a short delay, Aerdfed, one of the picked warriors of the clan pokes his helmeted head out of the Meeting Hut and beckons your group forward. He steps outside, and makes a gesture at the small crowd gathered that the elders will discuss things with you in private first. the enemy.” Awan: Radulf assumes an upright and proper posture, and follows after Awan alongside the others. [Assuming ”you” was all of us] Orphea entered as well in a somewhat brisk pace. She wasn't particularly fond of the crowd observing her and Thea. She did her best to mimic the respectful posture, but there was an underlying feeling of dread in the back of her mind, which was, admittedly, not difficult to spot. respscorp (GM): The Meeting Hut is one of the oldest buildings in the village and as such - not as large or grand as a meeting place perhaps should be. It can hardly fit half the adults of the clan so most assemblies are usually carried out in front of it. On the inside, it is a large, tall, single-hall building with a roughly domed shape made out of wrought heavy wood, decorated in floral and serpentine carvings, richly painted and decorated with silver nails. Depictions of clan history and deeds line the walls. In the center is a shrine of the clan ancestors - a rough rectangle of polished bone and darkwood. (and yes, you means all of you) On the other end of the room you can see the clan's five elders line up on two benches. The other benches of the hut are pushed at the edges of the hall, with the seeming intent of making you remain standing. They are a hunched, broad-sholdered old man, a spry very bearded greybeard, a short, compact and very broad man with dark fur-lined clothing and beard, and two old ladies - one richly dressed and regal, the other short, round and wearing an impressive amount of amulet and knick-knacks around her. One of the old ladies motions your group over. "Welcome back home, children. Why don't you tell us all of your travels?" (end) Awan: (What was the name of the settlement we traveled to?) (Also, do we know in character that who we fought were hirdlings?) P.P. A.: Hiordlings, yeah We were travelling towards the Red… forgot the name LD: I keep coming up with the name Red Bandits or Red Snakes Awan: (Well i hope the GM will know for sure) P.P. A.: Red Serpents respscorp (GM): (you know they were Hiordlings, you were going to raid the Red Serpents - since they are far and would never expect it) Awan: (Got it) respscorp (GM): (The guy that wounded Radulf mentioned his name when surrendering - Drust, son of Caratacos) Balthazarr, the Mad: yo dawgs I herd you like gaman P.P. A.: yo LD: Who told you? was it that bastard Dean? P.P. A.: Actually good timing since we're about to give an in-character recap of the events so far respscorp (GM): (Eoghania is eavesdropping, since nobody invited her in - but she loves stories about the native savages and can't help herself, and obviously she thinks nobody can catch her eavesdropping) Balthazarr, the Mad: FRIGGIN DEAN Eoghania is certainly doing just that respscorp (GM): (shh - OOC in Discord plz) Awan: "We travelled north from home in hopes of reaching Red Serpent lands - the plan was to inspect their defenses and choose our target then. We took a lengthy detour through the woods to avoid detection of their patrols, but instead we discovered a Hiordling ambush. We outmaneuvered them and defeated them in combat - they bargained for their lives and surrendered their weaponry, which we brought with us. Some of it is good quality. Radulf got injured in the fighting, so we slowed down for a bit to let him recuperate. While we were resting, Blaer caught a wild woman snooping around. We subdued her and Radulf has been questioning her thoroughly. We brought her here because apparently her people are to blame for recent livestock disappearances. Radulf can tell you about what he learned in detail." Radulf bows lightly to the exalted audience and steps forward. “A few nights before the battle, while…” His eyes glance at Caitlin, the crone, and he quickly averts them and avoids her judgemental gaze. “…dream-walking, I saw a figure in the forest and accidentally spooked it. Blaer consulted the spirits on which route to take, and our path led us towards traces of someone's presence.” respscorp (GM): Both Awan and Radulf seem to be enjoying the elders' full, silent attention so far. Wilfrid and Caitlin give Blaer nods of stern approval. Blaer nods Blaer: "This woman seemed to have been following us, though she believed we had been following her." Radulf: “During our battle with the Hiordlings, as I…” he says a bit more quietly: “lay there bleeding, I saw another figure engaged in battle with Hiordlings—knocked one out with a sling. Blaer went after her and caught her, and it was Thea.” Radulf nods to Blaer. “The girl thought we were hunting her, and laid traps for us throughout the forest; the Hiordlings fell victim to one of them, and thereafter chased her in fact.” Radulf: “As she had not quite wronged us, we questioned her peacefully. Thea had me swear not to ask of her origins—and deny such questions from others—, in return for truthfulness answers on all other matters.” respscorp (GM): Adelrad, the lawspeaker, raises his hand ceremoniously, to demand your pause and attention. Radulf immediately falls silent and defers to him. Eoghania leans in with a wonder, eager to hear Orphea shifts her attention towards Adelrad, not wanting to come off as rude. Radulf: *truthful answers respscorp (GM): "And so," the short, stocky man begins in his deep, rumbling drawl "before we carry on with your tale, there is one thing to know in a hurry - under what intention have you brought these two young ladies here? Be they your guests or prisoners?" All of you know Adelrad is very well versed in old tales, traditions and customs. He has some deep meaning behind the question probably. Awan: "While we hope for peaceful resolution for any conflict between ours and their tribe, we kept Thea as prisoner to prevent her escape on our way here." Radulf puts his hand over his mouth and considers his answer, and is relieved when Awan speaks up. Radulf assumed “unwilling guest” would be a disrespectful non-answer and only earn reprimands. respscorp (GM): Adeldrad looks over to Blaer. "And what do you think? These two like to talk, but it is you who caught her, isn't it?" Blaer: "I believe the spirits lead us to meet this woman for no small reason. What that reason is, though, I do not yet know." Radulf looks between Blaer and Adeldrad, as this seems like the point where he can continue the story. Blaer: "I wished her brought here and our story told so that you may give your wisdom." Orphea scratched her shoulder somewhat uncomfortably beneath her covering. She did her best to compose herself and continue the respectful disposition once she became aware of what she was doing. respscorp (GM) Adelrad and Caitlin nod in approval at Blaer's words, but Adelrad would like to cut in one last time before letting you continue. respscorp (GM): "I ask, " the old man begins, slow as usual "because it matters in regards to who takes responsibility. "he ponders for a moment, as if trying how to digest a very long-winded point... "In simple terms, children, a guest would be owed your hospitality and protection. A captive does not, but honor still obliges use to consult you." respscorp (GM) they all nod to Radulf to continue, but Caitlin interrupts them. The two old women glare at each other for a moment, before Caitling forwards her question: respscorp (GM): "What about you, girls?" She nods at the pair of naked outsiders present in front of them. "Anything you would like to add so far?" Eoghania listens with rapt anticipation; will they be prisoners? Honorbound guests? Orphea looked over to Thea, before shaking her head gently. "I do not have anything to add yet, thank you." Her forced disposition of calmness was somewhat betrayed by the slight air of hesitance in her voice, she wasn't particularly unnerved by speaking in general, however the weight of the moment in respect to her tribes future frightened her. respscorp (GM): Now finally all the elders agree you can continue. Radulf respectfully nods and continues: “Thea told us that she was out on a rite of passage, surviving in the woods with little on herself, and gathering proofs of the places she had visited. Her kin, following this practice, may have been behind the disappearance of the piglets belonging to [whoever it was].” Radulf: “As we knew not the whole truth, and as this matter seemed sensitive and possibly one of war or peace, we decided to bring Thea before, you o wise elders, that you may discern and judge wisely.” Radulf adds: “As we knew not whether she was of an enemy or not, though we took Thea prisoner, we treated her as a guest; shared our meals with her, and laid no hand on her.” Orphea 's eyes drift around the room, scanning for what she presumes is the cause of the pinpricks against her neck, it was more of a second nature to scan for things upon feeling it than a conscious effort. Radulf turns to Thea: “If you have suffered any undue abuse under us, please speak up; for our elders are just.” GM: Wassa and Adelrad grumble something about abuse maybe being due or not, one from the point of tradition, the other more concerned with missing farm animals. Eoghania steps forward from an upper window, and shouts through the room at the outsiders "What of it prisoner?! Do you challenge me here? In defiance of our hospitality?" Eoghania realizes at this point she is no longer hiding in the eaves to listen in, either blushing madly or in shame for having intruded where not invited P.P. A.: [Radulf gracefully making an excuse for thinking Thea is cute and being soft on her because of that] Radulf looks up, at first surprised, then trying to hide his amusement. GM: The elders, with the exception of Wilfrid and Caitlin jump startled at the sudden intrusion and the warrior at the door spins around to face the room - frowning when he see who it is, he gets ready to intervene on command. Orphea blinked towards Eoghania, unsure exactly of what to say, instead she opted to wait for the reaction of the other people present. She was, very clearly surprised by the sudden outburst however. Radulf: The young man grins at Eoghania and can't miss the opportunity: “Oh, is someone ?” Eoghania stands, fist raised in challenge at the outsider who eyeballed her, but she darts a look to kill back at Radulf GM: Caitlin clears her throat and stands up from the bench. "Very good, now listen here... This is obviously the ancestor's serendipity at work." P.P. A.: At the elderly woman's invervention, Radulf straightens up and quickly averts his eyes from Eoghania again. Radulf: At the elderly woman's invervention, Radulf straightens up and quickly averts his eyes from Eoghania again. Wiping off his satisfied smirk in the process. GM: "The Eoghania girl just challenged one of our captives here, and she is withing her right to do so" Adelrad seems to have figured where this is going and winces, massaging his temples theatrically Eoghania has a glimmer in her eye and a growing smirk of her own Orphea grimaces, not particularly wanting to get into a fight proper, however, she was a stranger in a strange land and didn't particularly want to come off as weak for the sake of her people and her own reputation. She positioned herself in such a manner to indicate a desire to speak, waiting to be called upon for the sake of doing her best to maintain the respectful disposition she feels she may have already kicked down the street GM: "You all should know the tales and traditions, you all should know what this means" she speaks to her fellow elders with an amused smirk. "It means a duel of grievance, where Eoghania desires to champion our people. Should the outsider accept, she would be freed. All grievances to her and her friend would rest on this duel." The old woman pauses - whether for breath or dramatics, it is not obvious. "And we can't discuss a further decision before that!" Awan: "Of course..." GM: The old witch turns towards the rest of you "Well, girl. Do you accept this challenge?" Eoghania trembles in excitement, her grin wide and satisfied Orphea paused, thinking. "I believe I am in no position to decline such a challenge, and am grateful for the opportunity. However, before I accept in fullness I would request to know the rules associated with these Duels of Grievance as to permit me to both show respect to your culture and to know if I, as the recipient of the challenge, am provided with any protections" Eoghania: "Bah! Pretty words are a cowards defense! Face me!" Radulf looks at Awan, an awkward smile on his face, and raises his eyebrows. GM: "A reasonable request," Adelrad rubs his chin, won over by Orphea's politeness in contrast with Eoghania's eagerness. Still, he can't help himself but sound patronizing "It is a simple affair. Two men who have a grievance, if they agree to it can settle things in a duel. They invite a witness each, and then have at it. It is considered that the violence addresses their grievances. Hmm. "It seems as though he is starting to come around to the idea." Eoghania: "Fists? Sticks or stones? What shall I draw out your failure with, hmm?" GM: Wilfird cuts in, seemingly also coming around to the idea "The challenged picks the weapons, right?" Orphea nodded, bowing her head slightly as a display of respect towards Adelrad. "Thank you" She turned towards Eoghania "Unarmed combat would be my request, devoid of armor if you'd be willing to agree to it. I would prefer to fight until one of us yields or is unable to continue fighting if you have no objections." She maintained a respectful tone, though a veneer of callous egotism sunk through with the posture of her body, and emphasis on certain words. Eoghania sneers and smiles broadly, hoisting her horned helm and dropping it to the floor with a heavy THUNK Eoghania: "Agreed" Radulf looks between the two for a moment, and holds his chin in a ponderous pose. His smile grows broader, with a hint of lecherousness. Eoghania: "Raduld, you are my Second" she announces, pointing a finger "If I am slain by treachery, you will avenge me." Eoghania winks GM: Caitlin becoms Eoghania and Orphea over with Adelrad to discuss something away from the others. Possibly legal consultation or stuff. Orphea follows along, doing her best to maintain a civil disposition in contrast to her admittedly quite savage appearance. Radulf freezes up at being called out, but immediately responds with a confident smile. “Gladly. I can also console you if you lose.” Radulf steps closer to Thea and puts a hand on her shoulder. “Don't worry; Eoghania is… bold, but a good person,” he assures her, looking at the two girls receiving the elder's counsel. Radulf: “I figure the loser's pride will hurt much worse than any injury, if any.” Eoghania: "Oh enough of that, , carry my helm and perform your duties" Radulf sighs, picks up her helmet from the floor, and steps forward to follow procedure/take any other armour off of her. GM: Caitlin waits for Eoghania and Orphea both to follow her to the edge of the room, so she can advise them "I see you're both eager to go at each other's throats, so I'll be brief. Fate has given you a chance to erase the grievances between our people - so don't ruin it by killing each other." "Now, Eoghania, dear, our wild friend is new to this, so I have some words just for her. Shoo." Eoghania gives a simple nod and steps out to prepare herself. Stretching arms and legs and unstrapping her belt to drop on Radulf. Orphea remained silent, nodding at the Elder's request to withhold straight up murder. She was slowing her breathing and focusing, in effect psyching herself up for the combat that was sure to follow, however, she was a guest, and besides the errant, reflexive twitch, she did her best to position herself in such a manner to indicate that she is indeed listening towards the elder's words. Radulf slings it over his shoulder and carries the helmet under his arm, visibly amused by all of this. Eoghania: "Don't get any idea's; we didnt agree to strip anything else off. No oiled wrestling ladies" she teases GM: Caitling leans in with a friendly smile and whispers... Radulf: “Aw, and here you got my hopes up,” he calmly jokes. He looks Eoghania in the eyes: “You better do our clan proud, or I'll keep teasing you about this for years to come.” Eoghania meets the stare flatly, and then smirks Orphea nods silently returning the whispering tone, her body language indicated apprehension at least. Eoghania stands tall and ready, arms held loose to her sides. She watches the outsider intently Radulf takes a step back. Though he finds it unlikely, he does get ready to intervene if there is any foul play from Orphea. GM: Caitlin chuckles at something the wild girl said, and whispers back, cautiously reaching out a hand to rest on her shoulder... "That's enough!" The old witch suddenly announces. "Seeing as you're both eager to go at it, let's go out and let you get on with the violence!" Orphea nodded, bowing her head towards the old woman. "I would request that you act as my witness for the combat about to take place" Orphea added this, not wanting to be without an official witness on fear that her victory may be nullified due to legal pedantry. Orphea regardless, she moved towards the FIGHTAN area, breathing steadily, getting into a more combat oriented mindset GM: The elders chatter and grumble as they shuffle out of the Meeting Hut and sweep all others before them. Outside, they order the two warriors on guard to stand apart and mark the edges of the fighting area. A small crowd gathers to gawk, and word quickly spreads of what's going on. (Speed of each?) Orphea: 6 Eoghania: (ditto; 6) combat reflexes here Orphea: (You beat me then) GM: You are guided to opposite ends of a 6 yard circle, then everybody clears out and you begin. Eoghania: [Whee, map magic! Orphea has the initiative then?] Orphea: [Oh, it seems to still be working here for some reason, nice] GM: Eoghania has CR, so she goes first Eoghania steps up, arms raised and ready. She has an implacable smirk on her face. (Step, Wait) Awan: (Girl fight, yay) Orphea approaches two yards, entering a defensive stance, doing her best to focus on her breathing and to anticipate the oncoming attacks. (All out defense and move) Eoghania takes the bait; she steps forward, and swings a kick for Orphea's leg (Step, attack) Rolling 13 - 3d6 = 5 GM: (wb) Vodka: (ty, hope the internet is appeased by that brief suffering, you roll already?) GM: (yeah, it worked) Eoghania: [nice;scared that was a crit ofr half a heartbeat] Eoghania steps up and tries to plant a kick into the Outsider; she strieks only air as the coward retreats! Awan: (Oh god oh man I am having flashbacks to my unarmed combat test) Eoghania: :D >:D Vodka: Orphea moved forward, her eyes focusing on nothing particular and her expression taking on a bestial grimace. She'd attempt to move into close, performing an All out Attack rapid, Her initial maneuvre was an attempt to grapple her oponent with both arms, directed towards the torso. The next attack would be a knee strike towards the groin. In addition to the standard all out attack, her animalistic vigor resulted in her utilizing some of her reserves of energy to strike with (hopefully) deadly precision, in game terms thats Extra Effort for precision. AoA Wrestling Grapple: Effective skill 13, +4 from Determined, -2 from supersensitive, -2 to impose a -1 to parry. Knee Strike: Effective skill 13 if grapple succeeds, otherwise 10 -2 from supersensitive, -1 from knee strike technique +4 from determined, -3 for 's smirk rises to a sneer; She reciprocates with two of her won blows while her opponent is open! (all out attack:double (punch and then her continued moving in a low stance, her aggressive movements remarkable made her a bit difficult to hit in the moment, noting the overswing of her opponent she'd growl, somewhat giving into her tribes savage reputation, before delivering two attacks in a slower, but more sure method. Her initial attack saw her fist quickly opening, entering into a somewhat clawed formation as she went to slash her nails across the face of Eoghania, seeking to temporarily blind her. The second attack was a jab towards her solar plexus, with all of this, she neglected her think it'd only be 4 damage to eyes though, my thrust is 1d-1 and its crowd falls silent as Eoghania slumps over. Some protests, others are displeased, and others still wonder if they should avenge the annoying girl's honor or something. The elders slowly shoo them away as the healers make their way towards Eoghania. Blaer joins the healers as they converge onto Eoghania, looking to assist and learn a bit more about treatment from watching Radulf: After Eoghania doesn't come back with a mad grapple from below, Radulf sighs, and slowly steps into the ring. “You won fair and square,” he commends Orphea with a polite smile, but little enthusiasm, and takes a look at Eoghania. Eoghania: [I swear to gawd Blaer, you better be observing while averting your fuckin gaze] Radulf (to see if she's dangerously injured.) Orphea backed away from the event, and lowered her head respectfully, doing her damndest to come off as gracious in victory. Her chest movements indicate she was breathing heavily, and there was a slight smile on her face she couldn't force away, the instinctual feeling of demonstrating the competence of ones clan inspired a quiet satisfaction in her. "I am grateful for the opportunity offered by your clan." Was all she could think of saying without coming off as a total asshole. GM: Eoghania can feel the careful touch of her childhood friend Muiram that puts some balm and a rag over her eyes. Everybody finds their way back to the Meeting Hut. Eoghania: [5 crushing injury; immediate first aid should fix her up the most embarrasing bruising] Eoghania rouses from the knockout eventually, flailing at the healers in a kind of panicked defense but then simply sulking as she realizes she has lost. Awan: "So... what now?" Radulf puts a hand on her shoulder and smiles at her, without any smugness. He hands her belt back to her and holds on to her helmet until she demands it back. Eoghania: "The outsider has bested me!" she declares angrily, but with a smile "and now she has earned my respect!" "Orphea is it?" she asks the crowd loudly " GM: "Now" Wilfrid puffs heavily though his whiskers looking back at the rest of the elders."I guess things are cleared out to the point where we can start fresh. These two are free of grievances, and are now just outsiders wandered onto..."he frowns at being interrupted, but let's the young people finish their talk. Radulf holds his head and chuckles, grinning widely. Eoghania: "Ow, my tit" Blaer looks like she has something to say, but her attention turns to the elders to listen to them first Orphea bowed her head towards Eoghania, smiling back, at the best friend comment she blinked but nodded, happy to have found companionship. "I am honored to be considered as such, in our battle I noticed your initial movements were filled with the grace of a veteran, if we had battled with your preferred weapons, I have little doubt that the conflict would have ended in your favor." She did her best to speak in such a manner to save face for her opponent, plus making the person you're fighting look good doesn't hurt you looking good yourself GM: Muiram presses the balm firmly against Eoghania's face and leans to whisper Eoghania: [MAP MAGIC!] GM: "Er, yes..."Wilfrid resumes after a pause "Outsiders on our land, but we could welcome you as guests." "Awan was right before - there will be other grievances - but they will now be the grievances of others from your clan. And we would like to settle these if your people would agree to talk?" Orphea paused to think, weighing her words before speaking. "I cannot guarantee anything, though I am willing to deliver the request to speak. I myself hold no grievances towards this clan and admire the hospitality provided, we were treated cordially as prisoners and given the opportunity to earn off the grievances accrued while within these lands. Would you have any opposition towards meeting on neutral grounds? Our people are weary of disclosing our exact locations for fear of how rapidly information spreads." GM: The elders hum and puff and chatter in whispers as they think about it. It seems the way of speaking of Orphea is a bit fancy for one of the old men and he needs the wording clarified. Then they turn back to Orphea and the rest of you. "Eoghania, darling girl..." Wassa starts with her elderly, dulcet voice that makes all her kin run for the hills in anticipation of what usually follows. "You are a brave and honest girl, and just delcared this savage your best friend!" "And the rest of you, heroic youths..." she turns to Awan, Radulf and Blaer She pauses, giving you some time to react. Eoghania proudly puffs her chest as she can, curious to what this could mean in a negative way Orphea remained silent besides offering a sympathetic glance towards Eoghania and Thea. Blaer grips her prosthetic, having a bad feeling about what was coming next Radulf stiffens up; having done so badly in battle, he takes the ‘heroic’ to be sarcasm and braces for a scolding. Awan: ugh Awan nodded in acknowledgement. GM: The old matriarch continues with a sadistic smile "Your daring deeds have already made way through Market Town and to here before you even crossed the wilds. I think this is a good task to entrust to you - escort these cuts in "Awan and Blaer, I know this is a hard task, but I hope you can also keep Radulf and Eoghania from getting into trouble" Eoghania: [just as scary as spilling the dice behind the GM screen] Radulf bows lightly, not betraying how he feels about this… and takes Caitlin's jab in stride. Awan: "... Of course we will. We'll accomplish the task." LD: Blaer nods Blaer: You honor us, elder Orphea bows her head, her fist clinched slightly before she forced it to relax "Miss, I must humbly decline their escort, if I were to return with outsiders I would be made a pariah." Awan: (Do they take trophy weapons from us btw?) GM: (no, they are yours, but you can leave them at home or donate them to the clan) Awan: (Awan will donate them if nobody wants to keep them) Radulf speaks up: “Let us at least accompany you part of the way, past the Hiordling's reach—they may be looking for Thea still.” Eoghania smacks fist into palm "A chance to honor the clan in battle!" LD: there was a spear among the weapons, right? Blaer might take that with her GM: The elders whisper for a moment, then Wassa weighs in one Orphea's concerns - "Know child, that this is a delicate affair. Your people would do well not to spur us. But handle your affairs as you wish - our young warriors will escort you, and I advise you to find somebody willing to talk with them." (meaning you can have the meeting in the woods for all they care) Eoghania: [were going on an adventure! ] Awan: (A spear, a bow, a good quality longsword) GM: (long knife, not long sword) Orphea bit her lip at the veiled threat, nodding slowly "I will do my best to ensure that the relations between our clans are directed in a positive light, for the sake of us all." She winced, wanting to react in a less than courteous manner. "Is there anything else you would wish to say to me while I remain here?" GM: The other elders appear done with the outsiders and start shuffling out - probably willing to discuss things if approached by someone from the clan. Caitlin however beckons Orphea and Eoghania with a friendly smile. Orphea approached approached Caitlin, returning the smile, it was apparent she held a degree of respect towards the old witch. Orphea: [approached approached, come on brain, you can do better than that] Eoghania scoots GM: On his way out, Wilfrid stops to congratulate Awan and Blaer on their performance during the previous journey and bore them with tales of his famed adventures in his youth Awan: Nice Eoghania: [damn im missing famed adventure tales!] Radulf approaches Caitlin before he leaves (after she's done with the two girls), bashfully so. ”It… may have been better to listen all these years, but… Is there anything I ought to know, or beware of, on my nightly wanderings?” LD: sick, boring tails of adventures GM: Caitling has a brief spiel for Eoghania and Orphea, before looking after the needs of others. "You fought well girl. Perhaps a little too well for the liking for some touchy people. You won't be leaving before sun-up tomorrow, so I think to avoid incidents you should stay in with a good friend who will keep idiots from bothering you too much. Right, Eoghania?" Orphea nodded, taking in what she was saying without comment and awaiting Eoghania's response. Eoghania smiles, nods and takes Orphea by the hand Eoghania: "Like I said before; we ar enow best of friends, " "So lets show you some hospitality before we set out on our own grant tale" *grand GM: Thea appears a little lost, confused and forgotten by all. She tries to stick close to Radulf, but not too close. Orphea nodded towards Eoghania, clasping her hand back and prepared to follow along. Her eyes drifted towards Thea, not so subtly hinting her concern for her less martial cousin. She was clearly in a good mood, glad to be seen as an equal and a comrade instead of an instrument of oppression or an oppressor as she had been taught was the dialectic of the world. Radulf indulges her and gives her a reassuring smile. P.P. A.: Oh no, Orphea's people are communists That explains why Thea is starved GM: Thea appears unsure whether to stay around Radulf or follow Orphea. She seems a little scared of her cousin and her new friend. Eoghania: "Bring your little friend along; if she wants to learn how to braid hair too, she can fight me for your honor later" Eoghania welcomes Thea over with a broad grin with a hint of mischief Radulf smiles & gives Thea a light tap on the back to nudge her in Eoghania's direction. P.P. A.: Eoghania's and Orphea's Orphea beckoned Thea over, smiling and doing her best to come off as less brutal than usual. GM: Eoghania, Thea and Orphea leave together, and Caitlin turns to answer Radulf Eoghania: [these girls are gonna learn to and hell, maybe even weave a basket] [BEST FRIENDS] GM: "The list is too long to speak out and i don't even know the end of it. Just keep an eye out. Your thoughts will reveal the immaterial as it is - there are less lies there. So beware the dark, and beware the brightest of lights which can burn you. Beware things with claws and teeth for they have them for a reason." (Is there something Awan and Blaer want to do? Somewhere to be?) Orphea: [Hell yeah, basket weaving best friend gang] Radulf nods and heeds her words. He also reports about the creature he saw—black, hairy, staring at him though he was formless. In case the witch has an idea of it, or just so she can caution others venturing into the forest. Eoghania: [EO is a derp but she twists a good rope] LD: Depends on the time they have GM: The old witch hesitates, uncharacteristically for her, then tells Radulf she needs to think of it overnight and will talk to him tomorrow. And that he should under no circumstances go outside his home that night while ethereal. (Awan and Blaer have until tomorrow - I think this is a good time to wind down if people need to go, but give it a thought) Radulf 's blood chills a little as he sees Caitlin so concerned, and nods. Eoghania will spend her moments alone with the Outsiders making them her new close-kin; she shows them her prized possessions (her axe and shield, her metal helm from a time long ago, and her various bits of macrame). She will listen as much as she is spoken to, and absolutely empathizes with the girls status as outsiders Eoghania: "Girls like us need to stick together; honorable and strong" Radulf is going to spend the rest of the day with his family—glad to be home alive after his near-death experience—and ask his father and elder brother(s) for some advice on how to git gud at fighting, being honest about his poor performance. Radulf has matured a little bit; he's not quite as lackadaisical anymore as before he left. Blaer would consider holing herself up in her craftspace to further her skills, but turns around and decides to join the outsiders and Eoghania Orphea nodded happily, taking in the information given by her new best friend she mentioned a few objects of particular value back home, mainly trinkets derived from her first hunting trip. She came off as genuinely interested in everything that was shown to her, as it was foreign and interesting from her perspective. GM: Muiram and others also approach Eoghania, seeking to make this into a welcoming party for the 2 girls. Eoghania: we endanger the balance, so many gathered in one space! EO is mostly curious about how Orphea hunts; EO favors the thrown spear and ambushes Orphea: "I generally just sneak up on sleeping animals during the night and use my spear. " She paused, thinking for a moment only to come to the rather serious issue of not being good at throwing it towards animals "If that doesn't work for catching larger game, I'll either use a pitfall with spikes, or, if its particularly hot out, try and pursue them until they collapse form exhaustion, I would be honored if you'd be willing to help me learn how to more effectively throw my spear that seems...significantly easier than running up to the animal." Eoghania: >cue montage of demonstrating calisthenics, stretching, and weightlifting SWOLE GOTTA LIFT LD: Blaer would've shown her some prime trapping techniques GM: (I think we can end here as it's the usual time. But people can hang around if they want to play the slumber party or talk about hunting and cultural mores.) Awan: (I gotta go to bed so see ya, thanks for running) GM: Thank you! Orphea: (It was fun, thanks for running it P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! Balthazarr, the Mad: thirded; great time gotta love the overconfident Brawler getting the wind knocked out of her sails by the mysterious stranger RNGesus hates me Vodka: It usually despises me, I'm amazed I rolled as well as I did lol Balthazarr, the Mad: you banked well on spending FP for skill levels where it counts. I too tried to exploit an all out defenseless opponent, but alas, Overconfidence asked me to not make things easier on myself LD: RNGesus is a god who acts with two things in mind: shits, and giggles Balthazarr, the Mad: forsooth, sage tell on Vodka: Very true GM: lesson learned - "AoA Double, Telegraphed" Vodka: Normally I play more defensively in gurps, but aggressive tactics are just fun I'm going to head off, thanks for having me everyone. I'd make a heart but the roll20 interface forbids it. P.P. A.: I was about to flex on you but then realised that I left the custom keyboard layout with the unicode heart behind on my old PC alas Vodka: ♥️ there we go P.P. A.: Balthazarr, the Mad: gg everyone P.P. A.: gg LD: I just know the alt code by heart ♥ GM: ▲ ▲ ▲ fug ignore me I am a sad man respscorp (GM): hi Vodka: yo Balthazarr, the Mad: bon soir GM: Want to go into brief detail of the girls' dinner party or skip till morning with everyone gathered? Eoghania: [I can only imagine the level of shenanigains involved with Eo trying to create camaraderie through food, drink and song] [The girls all banded up overnight, right? sleepover, braiding hair, exchanging gossip about the hidden society of Orphea and her kin come from] GM Previously! Brining their guests before the clan elders, the heroes were interrupted by their childhood friend Eoghania falling in through a window-slit! She challenged Orphea to a fight and they fought in front of a small gathered crowd with surprising ferocity! Orphea finally sent Eoghania on the ground with a brutal strike, and Eoghania responded by extending an offer of friendship. The elders bid the young heroes to go negotiate with the secret tribe of savages in the wilds, but until morning the girls went off to entertain themselves and nurture their budding friendship! Eoghania is definitely teaching the friendship song to the gurls while she also teaches them her special braids [both of which are made up on the spot, but she always makes up for lack of talent with enthusiasm] Orphea happily followed along, performing the songs and attempting to mimic the braids to the best of her ability. It was apparent still, there was a bit of tenseness about her despite this. GM Muiram suggests that after dinner the group retreat to her cottage. She is very proud of that cottage, where she does her magical and herbal experimentations and lives on her own instead of sharing a roof with her parents. It is an old shack her grandmother used to use a workshop, something to keep the mystic fumes out of the main house. Orphea agrees heartily with the prospect of getting away from most of town. Eoghania: "Definitely a fun place for some privacy! I bet there will be plenty of shiny bits we can find spare to weave into our hair!" GM: Once there, Muiram passes around small wooden cups of strong alcohol of her own making to help brighten the mood. Orphea drinks, trying to do so moderately as to avoid a serious enough lapse in judgement to reveal vital information of her people. She smiled towards the others, enjoying herself, still, she didn't say much personally, unsure of how exactly to carry on a conversation GM: The drink is sweet, cold and fresh to the taste going in, with a scorching aftertaste. Drinking in moderation, roll HT+1. Drinking immoderately, nodded after taking a deep drink of the alcohol provided "This is good." She was still, admittedly out of her element and a bit on guard despite the pleasant atmosphere. GM: Muiram remains sober so far, but Eoghania's giant friend is also affected by the alcohol. Eoghania: "guuuurl~ You slow down!" LD: Baer would probably stray towards caution when it comes to alcohol, but she might consider otherwise. Should I roll for overconfidence? Rolling 11 - 3d6 = -1 GM: As the evening progresses, carried on by strange alcohol and Eoghania's exhuberance, Muiram would ask Orphea if she's uncomfortable in some way Orphea: "No, no, its alright, I've just been taught to keep my guard up. I genuinely appreciate the hospitality and do not wish to come off as unappreciative" She smiled, still a bit tense Eoghania: "We are warrior-aalies now! Do not feel you are unsafe! There is nothing to guard from!" Eoghania ponders for a moment... Eoghania unstraps her shirt, and holds it out for Orphea to take Eoghania: "Please, I am a fool; you must be dressed as us to be with us" :D Orphea: "Right, I suppose you're right" She looks at it, blinking "I..melt clothes. I wouldn't want to ruin your good shirt" She forced a smile, her discomfort radiating even more intensely now that she's trying to put a conscious effort into conceal it. GM: Muiram grows almost as read as her hair, but gives Eoghania a nod of encouragement. "I had not considered... our guest my be uncomfortable because of this..." Orphea: concealing it*) Eoghania: "Whaaaa~? You melt them?" Eoghania looks somewhere between confused and frustrated, and shes blushing through the confusion Orphea nodded hesitantly. "I apologize for the inconvenience" Eoghania: "Are you cursed?....Show us this 'melt'!" and she jabs Orphea with her shirt again, incredulous Blaer: "That's the curse you spoke of before, yes?" GM: Muiram gives Eoghania a stern look, only partly softened by the alcohol. "You've made her even more uncomfortable now..." Orphea: Orphea puts it on, rolling her eyes as she does so. "That's the one, yes" Her expression was a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment, however in the initial moments of putting on the shirt she smiled the soft kind of smile on does when they feel less like a weirdo than usual. Relatively quickly the expression would fade back to discomfort and annoyance on account of it getting eaten away. She had no real issue demonstrating the curse as it was information that could be quickly acquired if she didn't outright say it. GM: It does not instantly "melt" as some might expect. It slowly decays and disintegrates until the remains slide off from Orphea. Eoghania watches intently, her drink and revelry momentarially forgotten GM: Even thought the drink, Eoghania might become aware that destroying an entire shirt just to see it happen goes a bit beyond frivolity. Hindsight is a hell of an aftertaste. Eoghania: :P Orphea shrugged and resumed whatever party shenanigans the group was currently involved in, making sure to not lose herself to the tempting sway of alcohol. Blaer watches the process intently as well Blaer: And this is something all of your tribe has? How did they get such a curse? GM: Orphea can feel the attention of the entire room on her. Eoghania: O.O Orphea: "I would prefer not to answer it, the history is uncomfortable and discussing it would ruin the mood." She frowned, placing her right arm on her left and rubbing it uncomfortably, hoping her genuine show of angst towards the whole situation would hopefully dissuade further prodding. GM: Muiram places her arm on Orphea's shoulder. "Sorry that Eoghania is an idiot. She didn't mean to make you uncomfortable..." Eoghania: "..... " Orphea: "Its alright, I don't mind curiosity is natural." Her eyes drifted over towards Blaer, then towards Eoghania. She shrugged slightly. "She admittedly didn't ask the question though.." P.P. A.: [all caught up] GM: Seemingly glad the wildling didn't run away from her friendly gesture, Muiram looks at her friends and asks Orphea if she'd feel less uncomfortable if they all undressed for her sake. Orphea: "Yes, though if they're not comfortable doing so, I don't mind." She smiled, appreciating the gesture. GM: Muiram appears to be having second thoughts, but will go with whatever Blaer and Eoghania go for. Blaer just shakes her head. Eoghania: "screw it!" and she disrobes! "now its a proper maiden-party!" waving her skirt over her head Orphea smiled towards Eoghania, appreciating the gesture. GM: Muiram and Sayala soon followed Eoghania's example, leaving Blaer the odd one out. The young women drink and talk until late, but don't overdo it, knowing that they have a trip in the morning Orphea would get ready to rest for the night, making sure Thea was doing alright before heading off to sleep. Eoghania revels until shes the last one awake, then satisfied she gave everyone her best, she plops out somewhere comfy GM: In the morning, Awan and Radulf are probably the first ones to meet as they get ready to go. Radulf 's wandering spirit is unfortunately unable to snoop, because he vaguely remembers Caitlin's warnings and, more on feelings of dread and comfort, contemplates the house shrine instead in his dreams. Eoghania: [least-hungover] Radulf looks well-rested; his armour and clothes have been patched up, hiding the fresh bandages below. He pets his dog, Karli, which smells of medicinal herbs. Radulf sits in front of his home speaking with his close relatives until anyone calls him over. P.P. A.: (oh right, do I roll anyhting for recovering HP) Blaer would sneak out of the hut early in the morning, returning to her own home and beginning to make preparations GM: (In the village you can benefit from a magical healer restoring your HP to full... but they can't fix crippled or missing limbs, so beware that danger...) Eoghania: [y'all gonna be covered in salve. tasty tasty salve] GM: When Eoghania finally wakes up, still early but not as early as the others, she finds herself naked, in a pile of her similarly nude friends. The air still smells of spirits. Orphea was probably still sleeping, she'd spent the last few days sleeping on hard dirt and the assumed pile of furs or straw she opted to sleep on was considerably softer. GM: Meanwhile, Wilfrid goes around to make sure people are getting ready, bumping into Awan, Blaer and Radulf and brining them together just outside the village. Awan: "Good morning." Radulf waves his family goodbye, trying to alleviate their worries, and meets up with the others. Eoghania stubles up, wanders home, and gets strapped in for travels; fresh clothes, tool sin her special iron box, and everything rope dup and reqady to walk Radulf: “Good morning.” He smiles at Blaer and Awan, a little awkwardly. “…I feel kind of responsible for dragging you into this.” GM: Eoghania might still decide to do that, but there's a small complication - she can't find her clothes. Did they all "melt" last night? Eoghania silently seethes, but theres more curiosity on the 'how' than there is embarrasment on the what. She will make do with whatever she can robe herself with and tie it off fashionably'' Eoghania: [after all, there should be something spare in her home, and adventure awaits!] GM: Strangely, the hut seems to contain only straw, pots and furniture. Eoghania is sure there was a decorative rug yesterday! The rest of her friends wake up, finding themselves in a similar predicament. Blaer: "It was no more your deeds than ours that lead to this." "Besides, I would have done it myself if you had not." Awan: "We'd have to deal with that at some point any way, we can't be stolen from forever." Orphea yawned, stretching as she woke up. Radulf relaxes and smiles warmly. “Thanks, friends. Let's make the best of it.” Eoghania shouts accross the village from her home Eoghania: "RADULF! BRING YOUR FIRST HER CLOTHES!" GM: (Eoghania is still in Muriam's hut) Eoghania shouts from whereve rshe is Radulf: “What lies ahead of us is unknown, but this is an oppor—” Eoghania: "YOUR BOY-CHILD TRICKS WILL NOT STAND, RADULF!" Radulf: “Wha—“ He turns around and looks… across the village, to wherever that lovely grating voice is coming from. GM: Muiram is too slow to shush Eoghania... from her expression she probably would have liked to avoid this becoming a known incident. The shouting is coming from behind the tall house of Caitlin's family. Not more than a hop and a skip from where you are Radulf waits for a few moments to try and pretend he didn't hear anything. …he looks at Wilfrid, silently asking for permission to see what's up. Eoghania: "Don't shush me! Look about! Our clothes ar emissing and it MUST have been that silly boy-child hiding them on us!" GM: Wilfrid shrugs. The old man has given up on Eoghania and is clad she is other peoples' problem. Radulf hangs his shoulders. “Excuse me for a moment…” He parts with the group and heads towards the tall house. P.P. A.: what's the status of the door Awan: "... Hmm." Orphea looked around, noting everyone was still naked she investigated for melted clothing, hoping that she didn't find the scraps she had at the last point. GM: The door of the hut is just a sturdy oak door. It is bolted from the inside, but Eoghania is free to do something about that. Sayala would never stop Eoghania, and Muriam is too puny to try. (wait no, Blaer left, the door is mildly ajar) Eoghania: "RADULF! Don't just stand there! Return our clothes!' Radulf knocks on the door and asks in a volume that not the entire village can hear it. “What are you trying to—” Radulf: “…what?” Eoghania: "Our missing clothes! You obvuiously stole them in the night you lewd miscreant!" Radulf sticks his head through the door to see what the matter is. GM: As if in response to Radulf's confusion, the door swings open. Maybe he knocked too hard? Eoghania: [anime-blushing and smacking of fans ensues] Radulf looks. Quietly. Calmly. His annoyed expression having transformed into a perfect pokerface. GM: Thea gives Radulf a friendly smile from among the others, still a bit dizzy from last night. Eoghania: [damnit thea you tart] Blaer is standing at a distance from the door, watching the events go down with a silent sense of schadenfreude Radulf smiles back kindly. …having broken his poker-face, he hastily breaks the silence, hastily before someone else gets broken. “So, er… I appreciate you showing me this, but why did you call me over?” GM: Muiram sighs and stops trying to use magic to become invisible. Eoghania: O.O GM: Probably remembering that she doesn't know how. Radulf turns around to Blaer: “You spent the night with them right?” GM: "Give up, 'Nia, you know how he is... he'll just stay there and smile and ask questions..." Orphea continued looking for evidence, or if that fails the scraps which very clearly whisper that she made an error of judgement Blaer: It is a little hazy, but yes. Radulf crosses his arms and grins condescendingly at Eoghania (though his eyes are aimed a little too low to meet hers): “See; I don't think anyone could have sneaked in here with Blaer around, much less a klutz like me.” Blaer: I think I remember something about a shirt being destroyed.... Eoghania blushes in a rage at that point, and does her best to cross her arms and meet his gaze Eoghania: "Fine; then help us FIND the clothing we ar eall missing, or LEAVE you filthy mna" Radulf grins. “I don't feel like leaving right now. …I'd come inside to investigate, but I value my life…” Radulf: “Orphea,“ he asks, oddly enough looking more at Muriam than at Orphea: “You said you… rot away clothes? Is that only clothes you're ?” GM Muiram leans towards Orphea to whisper Orphea continued her search, observing the windows, doors and other entrances for signs of foul play, not commenting on the situation and instead opting to investigate. "I doubt it was me. there'd be ashes" She gestured towards the remains of Eoghania's shirt before giving an appreciative nod towards Muiram. Radulf raises an eyebrow, and his eyes start looking somewhere other than the more obvious points of interest. “Blaer, any footsteps around the holds his chin and taps his lips with his index finger. “…Eoghania, come over please.” He sounds serious, and tries earnestly not to smile too awkwardly. “…no foul play, really.” Radulf turns around and beckons his dog over. “Karli, come here.” Blaer will step into the hut and try investigating on her own for any sign of what happened GM: Karli eagerly arrives and barks happy to be part of things. Orphea continued looking, letting out a frustrated sigh. She was going to be at it for a while, being confident that foul play was going down. Eoghania obliges, but in a blushing angst Radulf is blushing at this point as well, but tries to focus on the problem at hand. “Karli, smell her.” He squats down and pats the ground next to her—and Eoghania's legs, if that's needed for his dog to catch on. Rolling (11+4)-3d6 = 2 Blaer slowly rises and looks to the pair Radulf: “Good boy, show me where it leads.” Blaer: I think you have wasted our time enough Radulf opens the fibula on hos cloak and throes the latter onto Eoghania. “Orphea, you should come too.” Radulf: *his cloak and throws GM: Karli wags his tail and after circling around once, starts following a trail inside the hut, then around the furniture and then out the hut again... Blaer: Eoghania, where did you put the clothes? GM: Muiram sighs "Blaer's right, ev..." Blaer's remark cuts her short and she glares incredulously Eoghania: "Last night, I tossed my shirt to Orphea, and my skirt went....somewhere. We were having a lot of fun, okay?" Radulf stands there, a bit surprised—by Blaer's remark, as well as Karli's trail unexpectedly not leading away from the hut. Radulf takes a step inside and looks at the beams under the ceiling. Orphea nodded towards Radulf and opts to follow as requeste GM: Having finished sniffing around the hut, Karli now starts sniffing around outside of it. The good boy is follow the scent meticulously, unaware of the conversations of humans. Radulf keeps an eye on his dog, and is ready to follow him if he leads them away. Having tossed Eoghania his cloak so she can come along. Blaer: I know you have been vying for Randalf's attention lately, but this is just getting silly. Eoghania follows along, twisting a cord about her waist to maintain some of her modesty Eoghania: "Good dog, you sniff out the weirdo who stole my clothes" Radulf: “Blaer, what do you mean?” Blaer: I mean she's doing all this to catch your eye. There was no trace of anything, so it must have been done by someone in the hut. GM: Muiram sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. "Hey Radulf, isn't it unfair that Eoghania hides our clothes, yet you give your clock to her? Or did you just want a better look at the rest of us, IDIOT?" Eoghania: GASP Radulf looks over his shoulder to Muiram. “You're more shapely than her, yes; but I'm trusting Karli on this.” He grins at Eoghania: “…or was it really you?” Orphea remained silent, opting to just follow the dog to the destination. Eoghania glares a tthe accuser, shoots Radulf his own flavor "oh as if" and follows the dog GM: Karli soon circles in place, turning to give Radulf the "bird flew away, are you sure you shot it" look Radulf scratches his head, very confused now; and looks at Eoghania again, this time not as jokingly. Eoghania looks about for the clothes or the thief Radulf pokes the ground underneath Karli with the butt of his shepherd's axe GM: Eoghania can see her skirt. Freshly washed and drying on a line a bit beyond the confused dog. Orphea continued looking around, seeing if anyone happens to act in a manner that indicates wanting to not get caught. GM: Did someone from Muriam's family just give it a wash? Eoghania: [All this because nobody left a note] Radulf looks up at the laundry, and back and forth between it and Eoghania. Eoghania: "Don;t look at me! I didn't ask anyone to do my washing for me!" Radulf manages not to laugh, but has a big, fat, shit-eating grin on his face. “Well done, good boy.” he praises his dog and rubs its head, occasionally snorting. GM: Muiram sighs again, her fists at her side as she stomps her food in the dirt. "Ok, enough. Blaer is right, we've wasted enough time. Radulf, get your cloak and go get ready! 'Nia, you run home and get a fresh change of clothes." Eoghania retrieves her fresh laundered clothes and dresses quickly, muttering al lthe while about "pervert radulf and his shenanigains" GM: Clothes are wet, as if just out of the through. And of course, you are a shirt short. Radulf: “One thing, girls: next time, please call me over in the evening when you need help , not in the morning when you need help getting dressed.” Orphea blinked "Does your culture have lax views on property? I am a bit confused why someone would take your clothing and then clean it" She shrugged, "Do you know where my Travois is being kept?" Eoghania will remember that remark Radulf gets ready to run the hell away. GM Muiram growls in irritation and begins readying a spell to smite Radulf Rolling 12 - 3d6 = -4 Eoghania heads off in her wet clothes and Radulf-cloak to finally prepare to leave on her adventure (which should have been underway quite some time ago) GM: Muiram calls upon the barrow kings and their blessed blood, launching a veritable swarm of red ribbons... then somehow manages to entangle herself and drops on the ground, struggling to undo the ephemeral gossamer binds Eoghania: "Damn the fates for cursing me with such interesting times, even before I join a valiant quest!" P.P. A.: (might be a good idea to borrow another shirt before she leaves) GM: In some time, everybody is ready to begin your journey. Muiram is also there - "Grandmother said I should come along because of something Radulf saw in the forest." Eoghania: [i surely have spare clothing in my home, now that I can get to it in modesty] GM: Eoghania's mother declares that Eoghania is lucky that Eoghania is too old to be hung out to dry by her ears, because how could you ruin an entire shirt. Radulf can't quite look at her in the same way again, but he's not grinning stupidly and treating the matter appropriately seriously. He nods. Eoghania: "Magic curses are a helluva thing mum" P.P. A.: [“You don't know how often I've heard that excuse from your father.”] GM: (Actually, yes) Orphea had assumedly acquired her travois, she waited with the group to be ready to head out, holding it up as to conceal herself from onlookers. She winced a bit at Miurum's failed smiting attempt, emphasizing with getting dunked on by divine forces GM: Before the group heads out, they are informed that although Thea and Orphea are cleared of any wrongdoings and are considered friends now, they were captured enemies before. So their stuff is loot that now belongs to the clan. Stuff that can be gifted back if peace is established. P.P. A.: oh no, Thea's branches, bits of wool and patch of fabric! Orphea 's face betrayed her severe annoyance at this, she still refrained from comment, not wanting to mess up the relationship they're presenting. Admittedly, this did sour her mood of the clan somewhat. She waited, naked and clearly a bit peeved off at the entrance, tapping her foot aggressively. P.P. A.: (the knife is more of an issue) GM: (that knife is clearly a treasure, but Thea reacts much the same way as Orphea) The group is ready to head out. The first few days of travel are easy going. Thea and Orphea don't carry as much weight as the other obviously, but their lack of sturdy shoes means they're not that much faster in the long term over the mountainous terrain. As you approach the deep wilds, some of you might want to act as scouts for the group and roll Perception. Radulf , not being as fleet-footed, rather plays rearguard—watching the depths of the woods together with his dog. Eoghania remains the stoic guard of the core of the group; her poorly garbed new friends her main concern as they travel Blaer would take the front, being most accustomed to roaming the lands and deeming herself best for it Orphea: "You want me to scout ahead? I work better without people watching me anyways." She sighed, if she was leading the group, she'd make a few odd turns with the hope of making it seem like her village was somewhere it wasn't. Radulf: “I'm glad it turned out this way,” he at some point on the journey notes to Thea. “Blaer caught you, so it'd have felt like stealing another hunter's prey, you know.” He winks at her. “Now that you're free, you're fair game again.” GM: Thea frowns, murmuring that she doesn't want to be seen as prey. Orphea if she hadn't gone ahead to scout, she'd place a hand on Thea's shoulder, hoping to offer a degree of comfort. Eoghania: "if you threaten her again like that, you'll have me to face, Radulf" Radulf: “What is prey, if not a modest treasure?” GM: "Nobody apreicated that joke, Radulf." Muiram adds her voice in support of the wild girl. Radulf was about to make another quip but scratches his head. “…sorry, I guess.” Eoghania reminds radulf she is walking with an axe and shield now Orphea shot a glare to radulf, but avoided comment. GM: (someone still needs to act as scout/advance guard) P.P. A.: (Orphea already volunteered, what about Blaer and Awan's opinion?) Eoghania: [isnt that Orphea?] Orphea looked around, heading off to scout ahead after the conversation was over. LD: I thought Blaer was doing it P.P. A.: (also I assume this little interaction too place at another time, separate from Orphea volunteereing) Orphea with Blaer makes the most sense imo Eoghania: [if we had tokens on the map, we could just 'slot' ourselves into open positions] P.P. A.: [good idea] Awan: (Gonna stop for today, gotta help family out) P.P. A.: [alright] [mind if I continue with some RP while the logistics/organisation are being sorted out OOC?] GM: We can cover what the scouts see, so the group starts together next time. P.P. A.: ok GM: Since Orphea needs to guide the group anyway, she needs to be ahead. And she also mentioned working better when you're not looking at her body. Are you willing to trust her? Eoghania: "I trust her; anyone who doesnt may take it up with me" Radulf won't raise any objections. He doesn't say it out loud, but in a way they're kind of holding Thea hostage, so he doesn't expect any foul play from her cousin. Blaer insists on taking part in the scouting party anyway Blaer: "You may know the path, but I know the woods." Orphea looked towards Blaer, her expression sunk somewhat and the focus in her eyes indicated a degree of annoyance. "Right..." She sighed, and began her effort to scout ahead for dangers, searching for any ambushes or other kinds of things that go bump in the night. Rolling 13 - 3d6 = -2 GM: You stick together, right? Orphea: Much to her chagrin, yeah LD: yup Radulf: “Hey, 'Nia.” Orphea: Dropped to a whisper, leaning in towards Blaer "Someone's trying to sneak up on us, I'm not sure if they're from my tribe, because I presume they'd just introduce themselves, stay on guard." She continued scouting ahead, leading them in a direction that wasn't really going towards her camp, and instead towards a place she felt would be a decent enough place to meet up. Radulf stares ahead into the woods. “When we meet that tribe, don't do anything, uh… overeager.” Radulf: “I know I'm not one to talk, but we don't know what they're gonna be like—if they won't be on edge or misunderstand something as hostility.” GM: (waiting for Blaer to respond to Orphea, because if she doesn't, something might happen) Blaer would draw her bow and ready it as she follows behind Orphea GM: As the two young women stalk through the undergrowth, their quarry seems to realize they've been made and tries to evade them. This time both can clearly hear someone running... what is your first, split-second reaction at noting this? Orphea moved forward, taking an all out defense maneuver, prepared for what comes from the direction of the sound. She'd call out for her associates further back to seek to move up to reinforce as well, not wanting to delay on the getting the rest of the gang here time. Blaer draws her bow, aiming it towards the noise and preparing to fire GM: As Blaer readies to fire, a figure flies out of the undergrowth. This is her only chance to fire before they get to Orphea. Radulf with a flick of his arm moves his shepherd's axe from its comfortable role as a walking stick into the firm grasp of his hands, ready for action, and breaks into a run. Rolling 11 - 3d6 = -2 LD: I would have gotten it if I hadn't made the last minute adjustment Eoghania: [curse you leg shots!] GM: Blaer shoots and misses. Orphea barely manages to glimpse your attacker before they are running literally into her. She tries to sidestep and deflect her opponent in a practiced way, but slips on a pebble. She falls, tripping up her attacker and the two roll downhill in a confused mess of flailing limbs, stopping with a wet "sploosh" in a thick batch of ferns. (Orphea and her attack both experience Unluckiness) Orphea did that Eoghania: kek and a half P.P. A.: [shoot to kill or don't draw your weapon] Blaer rushes over to the top of the hill, looking down on the water below P.P. A.: although it seems with some of our potential enemies, the best tactic is going to be making them screw themselves over GM: Judging by the thick ferns and the sound, it's mostly a muddy mountain pond. Not enough to drown by far, but a useful source of drinking water in the mountain. Orphea opted to move to grab the person, she was a bit pissed that he didn't opt to speak when he very well could have "What is wrong with you?!" Rolling 6 - 3d6 = -7 Orphea grasps them by the torso Orphea: (Oh, just pass exact because I'm prone) GM: The young man blushes at Orphea, obviously confused. "I... wanted to rescue you?" Lean and tall, of darker skin and rusty hair kept long in a loose braid behind his back, large expressive eyes and broad shoulders, the young man is still too confused to resist the grappling. If Thea or Blaer wanted, now is a good time to secure him into a pin. Orphea on her next turn she'd go for a pin if unimpeded, all out attacking once more and using both arms. Clearly aggravated by the whole thing, not stopping in the case he's going to slip off and run. "People don't charge people they're trying to rescue, give me a good explanation on what you're doing or I'll have it e-" She sighed, holding off on being as cold as she'd like to be, one to not look bad infront of the savages, for maintaining. And since Pin is a Regular Contest, you fail so far. But there is no need to roll - with him confused you'll succeeed eventually. Orphea eventually succeeded by the graces of rolling a bunch of dice a bunch of times without resistane. Orphea: resistance*) GM: Blaer makes her way down shortly after. "I... don't understand" he stutters as he finally graps what you've don. "You want us both to be caught?" He struggles, but his spirit is not really into it enough to manage to slip free. Blaer sighs, lowering her bow as the reality of the situation dawns on her Blaer: "You are blessed that I changed my aim at the last second. I assume you know of this one, Orphea?" Orphea: She sighs "No, they have offered a degree of formality, I was taking them to an area away from our homeland that's somewhat convenient for a parley." She stares at him "What were you doing out here, its not safe, and you clearly weren't here just to rescue myself and my cousin as, well, I don't see how you'd have managed to follow us this far without being noted." She turned to Blaer "Not personally, no. though I doubt he's a threat." She looked back, getting off of him "Don't run." Her expression was more confused than angry. Blaer: "We have come to speak with your people of peace and partnership." GM: The young man stands up, clearly terrified from Blaer, and more than a little confused by Orphea's tirade. "What are you going to do to me?" He asks Blaer Orphea: "She's not going to do anything, you're alright." Orphea stretched, a bit uncomfortable by the tumble. Blaer turns her head away and blushes slightly as the man stands up, and nods Blaer: "I have no plans to harm you or your people. We are here to talk, not fight." Radulf calls ahead, unable to see where the two went: “Blaer, where are you?” GM: The young man steps in place, prepared to bolt given half a chance. He gives both women a pleading look. "I don't want to go back." Then from pleading, he goes towards resolute "I won't" Eoghania: "another new friend? He doesnt seem to want to be part of his old people?" Blaer turns her head to call out towards Randulf, but then stops as the man speaks and turns her eye towards him inquisitively. "You won't go back where?" Blaer: "To your village? Your people?" Orphea sighed, looking towards the young man like one's conservative grandfather looks towards their purple haired granddaughter when politics are brought up. "One, you shouldn't want to go back, two, please do not do anything to disclose our location. What happened that made you run away?" Orphea: (One, why wouldn't you want to go back* brain fucked up) Radulf stops and listens for any sounds [and for the conversation he doesn't know is ongoing] GM: (ok, that's a great metaphor) Eoghania: [oh, we should be caught up to the scuffle by now?] GM: Eoghania somehow manages to find the group, Radulf manages to get lost and reaches back to Awan and Muriam P.P. A.: :c Eoghania: :V LD: Gotta go now, work's calling P.P. A.: See ya Vodka: Peace Eoghania: [whew, out in a flash] GM: The young man now shifts uncomfortably under the gaze of Eoghania and Blaer, giving Orphea a pained, confused look. Getting some hint from her, he swallows his words and just murmurs "I'd rather be taken by these outsider women than go back.." He doesn't seem to really mean it. (CYA) Finish scene or stop? Eoghania: "What kind of coward is this that wont face what troubles him at home?" Orphea: My votes to finish the scene) GM: His face grows flustered and he raises his voice, temporarily overcoming his shyness in front of the clothed women. "I'm not coward, I'd fight you anythime you pompous barbarian!" "Erm, sorry" Orphea: "You're an important part of the tribe, you have been pampered, and as such, don't recognize how good you have it within its limits. I assure you, the outside world will be far crueler to you, than the relative safety of our homeland." She turns towards the others. "Do you mind if he and I converse in private? I'd like to hear his grievances and try to handle this." P.P. A.: (I'm not involved but Blaer is, so continuing without LD seems wrong) Eoghania: [yeah we could pause till next time Orphea: (oh fuck, good point yeah we ought probably halt it till LD comes back, didn't realize) GM: Yep Ok, thanks for the game and cya next time Orphea: peace P.P. A.: Thanks for the session everyone Vodka: Was good, ty Eoghania: [yeah, fun bit of shenanigains, but glad to see us moving forward now into PLOT territory :D] P.P. A.: same Eoghania: 4xp? [also, I dont recall what was given out last week] LD: I am here now GM: Previously! After a short while, Orphea leads everyone into the wilds and towards suitably neutral ground! On your way there, Orphea and Blaer stumble into a weird young man that Orphea is very keen to keep shushed! Muiram and Awan might be having a little surpise encounter on their own while you interrogate the young man. (gonna wait for Fix and Balthazar, but if there's something you want to ask the young man...) Eoghania is curious as to how we have met yet another strange man from Orphea's tribe so close to home... GM: It seems Orphea and the boy were JUST finishing an argument about that when you arrived. Judging just from her expression and body language, even somebody who doesn't pay attention to these things might decide she's not impressed with his wit. (also, it's been two and 2/3 days of travel so far) P.P. A.: (Did Radulf get lost and only find his way back to Muiram and Awan, or can he join the party?) (From Eoghania): dont give the man new ideas: we con only lose shirts for so long] GM: (got lost but Karli got him to the group around the young man... right now) Vodka: "You're an important part of the tribe, you have been pampered, and as such, don't recognize how good you have it within its limits. I assure you, the outside world will be far crueler to you, than the relative safety of our homeland." She turns towards the others, as her eyes go over the people in actual equipment, and back to herself and the male from her tribe, her posture and expression slumped somewhat apparently. "Do you mind if he and I converse in private? I'd like to hear his grievances and try to handle this." Her voice had lost the general authoritarian tone and was replaced with a slight air of defeated-ness. Radulf arrives, looking around. “…what, another?” Eoghania: "I think we can give you some privacy, but remain in sight. I will come ot your aid if you need it" Radulf leans in to Blaer and whispers: “What's going on?” Blaer: Eoghania: "Oh nothing Radulf, just a coward from her tribe. She will tell him what-for" GM: The young man begins to look a bit uncomfortable with the gathering crowd, instinctively trying to hold Orphea by the bicep. ” Radulf asks his friends quietly. GM: At Eoghania's words though, he nearly snarls Eoghania shrugs visibly "Cowardice? Who is to say?" Eoghania: "Im sure he has invented any reason to flee" Blaer: "We should let Orphea talk with her kin." GM: No longer hiding behind Orphea, he nervously tugs on his long hair and steps up toward Eoghania. What she had been saying seems to have provoked him on some level. Blaerr's reasonable words immediately cause him to shy away though. Eoghania makes sure to stare him down, with a smirk Orphea went to grab the man approaching Eoghania by the ear or arm or whatever presented itself that wouldn't make her look too terrible grabbing him by, and moved to drag him behind the bush if successful in her corralling of her P.R. nightmare. Radulf crosses his arms behind his back. “You don't run away from your clan unless you've either committed a crime so bad you're choosing exile over whatever punishment would await you—or unless you're really stupid.” GM: He obediently complies with Orphea's dragging. Radulf makes sure to cast him a smirk, but frowns when Orphea successfully drags him away. Eoghania: "Im guessing hes probably pretty stupid then. I dont think he has the gall to be a rebel" GM: He starts conversing with her in a hushed voice, though his body language is somewhat transparent if somebody wants to hazard a guess which way the conversation is going... Radulf: With the two tribals out of eyesight and earshot, Radulf crosses his arms and looks more serious. Eoghania remains vigilant and keeps an eye on them Radulf: “Orphea is smart. He'd probably have spilled some secrets in his anger,” he notes quietly. Orphea once secure behind the bush, she glares at him, pulling a fist back and trying to maintain an image of authority before stopping herself, she leaned forward, sighing deeply. "Trouble politicking in the tribe or something?" Her body language returned to the less-than-optimistic veneer that one has when being forced into looking at a very naked, very not glorious mirror. Her voice was hushed as she continued to speak, looking around for any interloper before continuing. Leaning in closely she spoke. Radulf doesn't try to sneak closer or anything; he listens carefully from where he's standing, but gives up if they're too quiet. Orphea 's eyes didn't really have the same kind of spark to them, it was clear she was speaking more as if she was reading off of a script than saying anything with much passion. GM The young man sighs and his shoulders slump a little. He gives his braided hair a tug before nodding and trying to explain something in a very hushed voice Orphea scowled, clinching a fist, before relaxing it, her expression remained solidly within the realm of not having a great time. Eoghania passes the time playing at flipping her throwing axe in her hand Radulf: “I wonder how many of them there are. It would be awkward if we arrived at the meeting spot and there was nobody there because they all got themselves caught by us already, at this rate,” Radulf jokes. Orphea stared towards the man, her expression shifting from resigned dread to one of exasperated surprise in the same way someone would normally react to a parade of nude people, wiggling their bits at passerby. Well, that analogy isn't perfect for her. Radulf closely observes the two foreigners, studying their expressions. ”If their tribe is embroiled in feuds or something, that might be troublesome.” Blaer: "If it was a feud big enough to be an issue, surely we would have heard of it from them already. Every clan has their small squabbles." Eoghania: "Truth: they dont seem interesting enough to have something as intriguing as " GM The young man shrugs in resignation, but composes himself a little. Orphea made an apparently forced expression of calm towards him, she was, pretty apparently not in a calm, accepting mood. Eoghania: "Oi!! You all good then Orphea?" Orphea gave her people's equivalent of a thumbs up towards Eoghania, they hopefully had the same cultural hand symbol for 'yep' Eoghania squints, but nods (From Eoghania): ITS INFECTIOUS (To Balthazarr, the Mad): hahaha Orphea sighed deeply, staring towards the man before blinking a few times, not really trying to maintain the ominous staring power move. GM: "Just... keep quiet and wait after your plan is done, please?" He says the last part a bit louder than he intended, it seems. (though actually, it is a bug in roll20 ) Orphea: Orphea frowned at him, then looked back towards the group. Radulf smiles and waves. Eoghania holds up her axe, gesturing to wards him with an implied "?" GM He sighs heavily with exasperation, like someone who's about to try reasoning with yet another lion about why he should not be eaten Eoghania is certainly that lion, and grins wickedly at him again "All done then? Shall we send him off with all his pieces, or less?" Orphea: Orphea Following this, she'd wave back, and return to the group, not awaiting confirmation from the man she was speaking with. Orphea smirked towards Eoghania, admittedly wanting to make an example out of him, but opting to come off as more merciful and agreeable. "I will show him mercy for the time being, I believe he's realizing the importance of his actions on a scale outside of himself." GM He nods and follows Orphea. His eyes flash in ire at Eoghania's words, but he manages to control the angry trembling in his arms and look to Orphea appreciatively. GM: "Please beg your forgiveness. I tend to be too emotional for my own good." Radulf smirks at the guy. “It's fine; you're lucky Orphea here knows to keep you from telling us anything too interesting.” Orphea smiled at Radulf's comment, rubbing the back of her head. She clearly appreciated being acknowledged as at least semi competent in diplomatic affairs. Radulf smiles at her after his remark, a hint of annoyance overshadowed by a look of respect. GM: MEANWHILE, whit Awan, Muiram and Thea. Muiram looks up at something invisible, and beckons Awan closer. "People talk up your gift of gab" Awan: "I guess they do, why?" GM: "There are some people here, that I'd like you to speak to. I always get tongue-tied around them..." "Though I guess you can't see them... hold on." GM Muiram takes out a long, curved knife and slices open the tip of her thumb, wincing in pain. Radulf looks between the young wildling and Orphea, and asks them: “Your entire tribe is cursed to be naked, huh.” He strokes his chin. “You hunt, right?” GM: "Close your eyes for a moment please" Awan: "... Right." GM: Awan can feel Muiram anoint his eyelids with the blood, then press her bleeding thumb to his lips. "You'll also need to drink a few drops" Orphea nodded, she'd admitted to hunting before and the fact she was cursed to be naked. There wasn't any real tactical advantage to lying about things that were apparent from a cursory observation. She avoided eye contact somewhat and maintained a less than comfortable posture. Not really wanting to get tricked into revealing more than she intends. Awan: "That's..." "Eugh!" Radulf: “What do you do with all the pelts and hides, since there's no reason to make clothes? Other than some blankets, bags, tents.” A hint of a smirk forms on his pensive expression. GM: "Wow, that's not insulting or anything" She pouts, then starts incanting something under her breath. Awan can see a halo of symbols dance around her, that were not there before. He can also see a pair of strangers crouching at the side of the path. The strangers are tall, pale and red-haired, dressed in rich furs, flowing cloth and wearing ample jewelry of gold and bronze. "Praise to your ancestors, manling!" they raise their hands in greeting, speaking in unison with their melodic,androgynous voices. Both look a little out of focus. Orphea: "They mainly go into blankets, bags and tents, yeah" From the way she was speaking, it was apparent she was going to mention something else before cutting it off with just saying yeah. "I don't personally look over the logistics of how goods are handled. I'm not the person to ask." She admitted, genuinely being unaware of where exactly all the resources went within her tribe. She generally just set up the traps. Awan: "Uh... ah, likewise, greetings to you!" (did she mention why we're talking to these people before?) GM: (she implied it) (no, wait, she didn't, but they're about to say it) The two nod, then the left one speaks. "Ours might be a fortunate meeting. A dangerous beast stalks this area." Radulf: “You don't need many of those,” Radulf comments, before cutting off. “But I see, I see,” he says, pleased. Awan: "A beast?" Eoghania: "MMM something worthy of a hunt then?" P.P. A.: [That conversation is taking place elsewhere I think] Eoghania: [ah, ree] GM: "A monster wrought of darkness and sinew." They nod. "Dangerous for both your kind and ours. Though in different ways." the two nod at each other. P.P. A.: [Awan, Muiram, and Thea being separated from the rest of the party, trailing behind] GM: (you'll be togehter soon) Orphea nodded, glad to have evaded the interrogation and the inevitable pitfalls of the unholy drive to answer questions placed in the mind of man. "I'd be more than happy to know what questions you do have for my superiors within the clan, I do not hold high enough rank to be sure on what I can or cannot disclose, so I'll politely refrain from answering questions without proper authorization." She nodded her head, putting on a kind expression, however, her body language still exhibited a degree of apprehension towards the topic at whole. This was consistent as she generally felt on edge when discussing her people, or thinking about discussing them around foreigners. Awan: "Sounds bad, what can be done about this?" GM: "We can easily avoid the beast for now." the blurred strangers say "but it will start stalking our homes soon enough. And we cannot harm it. It is more on your side of things for now." "You will have to slay it." "It will try to feast on your souls soon enough" Radulf looks around briefly (for Awan) before responding to that. “Well, we want payment for the stolen piglets. …and get a good deal out of it, of course, but it's also to do away with our grievances, so our tribes can have peaceful relations afterwards.” Eoghania: "And if we must, we will take them and mete out justice as we desire" Awan: "Right. How can it be found?" Radulf glances at Eoghania wtih an awkward smile. “…if needed, yes.” He reassures Orphea, though: “But if they're as smart about it as you, I don't think that'll be needed.” GM: "Like any beast, it leaves tracks." "And its darkness can be seen." The two stand up, revealing their tall and lanky builds. "You will require a reward?" Awan: "We'll require assistance in slaying it, what kind of help can you provide?" Orphea: "That's understandable, a-" Orphea stopped, fully, looking at Eoghania for a longer than standard glance moment before turning back. "Its apparent to everyone who is aware of our people that we are weary of outsiders, while I understand the loss sustained by the piglets, the overall mood will sour rapidly if you begin with demanding reparations for actions which my be the responsibility of my tribe, I will cede I don't know if the blame lies on us, but if it does I acknowledge it. If I recall correctly, which I may not, wasn't my conflict with Eoghania done to anull the grievances directed towards my people in addition to myself?" She paused, thinking, she was on edge in the same way the rabbit in fables was when talking to whatever ravening monster they seek to dupe with clever utilization of words. "Consider the value of the piglets and their repayment, and weigh that against the total income that may come from trade if it occurs." She paused again, taking a breath. "I understand that it is unfair to the individuals who lost their possessions, but for the sake of the common good, perhaps I could urge you to less demand repayment, and more phrase it in such a manner which allows for each party to look good in the interaction." GM: Their wide, thin-lipped mouths droop down in a frown. "We cannot harm the beast. And would rather not get too close to it. We will approach your Dreamer again. Tell him to follow us this time." And with that, they bow and float in the wind, melting into the sky. "Blessings upon your ancestors" (the others manage to arrive at about that time, holy wall of text batman) Radulf crosses his arms and looks at her sternly. “Your duel was to anull the grievances towards you and Thea—you know, laying traps for us.” Awan: "... Who were they, and should we assist them?" Eoghania: "Orphea, I do not jest, but I do not make light of this; I will take justice for our tribe if I must. As long as I am not forced to" "After all, you're nice" "Your tribe cant all be cowards like this one" GM: Muiram gives Awan's question some thought. "They are the barrow people. Have you seen the barrows in the valleys? They went in...and became like this" The young man glowers at Eoghania, but controls himself. Repeated insults have left him a bit... calmer. Awan: "Ghosts?" Orphea: "I requested clarification, and I am grateful for it." She sighed, nodding towards Eoghania. "I do not think negatively of you for such a directness of planning, I am however, trying to facilitate a positive outcome for each group. My tribe are certainly not cowards, and I am trying to point out that our people will be hesitant to cede to ultimatums. A better channel would, in my opinion, be more useful for actually securing the pigs, instead of fumbling into a conflict which would cost far more than what was taken." GM: Muiram nods "If you can be a ghost while living? Not quite ghosts and spirits, not quite men. Most of them seem nice, but I get tongue-tied around them." Awan: "They certainly were in a hurry. Any idea what is the beast they want us to slay?" GM: Muiram shrugs, then looks to the rest of the group as they arrive. "Oh ancestor, another one?" Radulf waves to Muiram, Awan, and Thea. “Must be the season.” Awan: "Hello." GM: Thea looks up at the new addition with some confusion, then looks at Orphea inquisitively Orphea sighed towards Muirams comment, she was clearly annoyed at the fact that three people, including herself had failed to maintain concealment. Still, she forced a smile trying not to come off like the grump-a-rump she was on the inside. GM: The young man nods at Awan with wary respect. Radulf: “By the way, what's going to happen to you two now that you've, uh, failed your rite of passage?” Radulf points back and forth between Thea and Orphea. Eoghania: "Oh no! Will you have another season to try? Can I take you on a hunt and have you eat the heart of a kill?" Eoghania gasps! Eoghania: "Does besting me in single combat mean you would succeed?" Orphea shrugged "We'll probably mention it a few times when we want her to feel uncomfortable I guess, she should be able to try again." Turning to Eoghania she'd shrug "I wouldn't mind eating somethings heart with you though, and this wasn't really my adulthood ritual, I was trying to rescue Thea." She paused, thinking of how best to phrase this "I recall when we first encountered eachother, you were injured from conflict, and you mentioned a rival clan, it's a bit hypocritical of me to ask, but may I know about the conflict?" Radulf: “Thea started it,” Radulf says nonchalantly. Eoghania giggles a tthat Radulf looks at Thea's reaction before continuing, to see if there's a frown he needs to turn upside-down Orphea blinked, turning to thea, her expression sank from a forced smile to a glare. "What?" GM: Thea sighs, looking a little annoyed, a little guilty and a little picked on by scare outsiders. Radulf pats Orphea on the shoulder. “Now now, it was kind of an accident. Someone from an enemy tribe fell into one of her traps, and they started looking for her.” Radulf: “They ran into us, and we thought they were invading, so…” Eoghania struggles to hide her giggles GM: Thea kinda shrinks under Radulf's touch and words. Orphea took a deep breath, her arms were shaking and her voice cracked and shook slightly, it was clear she was inches away from screaming towards her two tribesmates, the one thing she saw as an advantage, being twisted into another grievance towards her people. "Right, thank you. I'm going to, I'm going to take a moment to compose myself, and...I'll just, be right back." She bowed her head and walked off, if not stopped she'd move out of eyesight, and wail on a tree for about a minute or two, intent on returning once she got her little angie session out on god's most innocent of creatures. P.P. A.: (he was patting Orphea so she wouldn't be so angry at her cousin, but yeah) Radulf feels a little guilty now and ruffles Thea's hair. “I don't mind it turned out that way. I was the one who spooked you in the first place, too.” Eoghania: "Oh her temper rivals my own. Do you think she's touched by a demon?" Radulf smirks at Eoghania and looks her in the eyes. “Having grown up alongside one, nah, she's not nearly as bad.” GM: "No, " the savage young man quips "She.." he stops himself in time, but obviously intended to say something at least a little deorgatory. Eoghania playful-jabs Radulf with an elbow Eoghania: "So, coward, what do they call you at home?" GM: He clears his throat, trying to retain his composure. Since he's not a coward, she can't be talking to him, right? Orphea was wailing on a tree at the moment, the reason center of her brain having been overpowered by fury and secondhand embarrassment. Radulf looks at Awan. “…hey, your eyelids and lips are all bloody. What happened?” Eoghania: "Hey Radulf, whatever they get up to on their own time is their own matter" GM: Muiram smiles uneasily and gingerly sneaks towards Orphea's anger-tree. Awan: "I've had to speak to the ghost people." Eoghania: [god, if thats not a euphamism, it should be] Awan: "They asked us to slay some mythical beast." Radulf: “…huh.” Radulf stares at him blankly, and expectantly. Eoghania also stares, her mirth drained away Orphea had likely destroyed the poor things first line of defense against insects. Her hands remained oddly unbloody, a particularly astute person could probably discern there was something a bit odd about that hearing the audible punching of a considerably hard surface. She would turn around however, assuming Muiram wasn't naked, the little tingle on the back of her neck indicating she was being observed. Awan: "Muiram can explain." Radulf looks over to where she went. “I see. …by the way.” He puts his arms around Awan's and Blaer's shoulders, and brings them together into a half-circle to whisper to them. “Blaer, how long does it take to hunt a… deer, for example, and to tan its hide and everything?” (To GM): Would Radulf have been to the market town before in his life? (From GM): No reason not ot have been, if he feels curious about it. Orphea Orphea nodded towards Muiram, she calmed down, she was breathing a bit heavily but she would resume continuing to lead them to a meeting spot more convenient than relative to her tribes actual location. Orphea Well, she returned to the group and offered to do so atleast. I'm running on low sleep, sorry Radulf explains to his friends before Orphea returns. “They don't need clothes, so I think they don't have much use for all the furs and leather they get from hunting.” Radulf: “I was thinking when we confront them about the piglets, we should make an outrageous demand, and then let them haggle us down to a compromise where they give us a bunch of furs and such, instead of a herd of pigs. But I need to know how valuable those are.” “They need to think they got a good deal since they have too much fur anyway, while we get a lot more than would be due.” Awan: "Good thinking." Radulf breaks up the secret parley when Orphea (and Muiram) come into earshot. Orphea: "I'll continue to lead you to the meeting zone, if there aren't any objections. I apologize for the lapse in my composure" Radulf: “Don't worry about it,” he dismisses her concerns cheerfully. “Muirmam, what was that about ghosts and a beast…?” Eoghania: "Yes, please, do we have an epic quest? Is there some great evil to battle?" Orphea began leading the group, looking around for ambushes, or beasts for that matter now. She was looking for a relatively comfortable place, far enough away from her actual location to make it difficult to discern the exact place, and close enough as not to waste the whole point of Thea and the young man at the same time trail at the end of the group, trying very hard to stay out of Orphea's eyesight and giving each other angry looks that clearly tell what they're thinking "YOU made her angry" GM: Orphea spots some curious tracks. They look like those of a very large bear, but the animal spent a lot more time sharpening it's claws and gnawing at young trees than a bear would. The area exudes the same air of raw anger Orphea felt within herself earlier. Orphea gestured for the group to stop, she scanned the area tentatively. "Found some odd tracks, and well, stranger behaviors" She gestured towards the tracks and bite/claw marks on the nearby trees. She couldn't really gesture towards the pissed-offness in the air, but she certainly would if she was capable of it. "Looks like a bear but something feels off, any ideas?" GM: Awan remembers seeing something like this one the journey northward. Awan: "Familiar, yes." "Maybe it's the beast we're seeking." (From GM): Radulf remembers this clearing. You flew up, leaving the beast fuming. Only now do you realise how far it had chased you. You probably saved Thea's life luring it away that far. Eoghania: "Good! Then we shall test ourselves against it!" and she swaps to her spear to carry instead of her axe. "Lead on tracker" Radulf stops and looks around—and stops still, growing a bit pale. Radulf: “It… followed me here.” “Blaer, can you tell how old these marks are?” Orphea sighed, looking at the tracks before edging her spear a bit more in grabbing reach from her travois. She moved to observe them, but stopped to observe what the group was doing before jumping into a murder hunt. Blaer kneels down, running her left hand over the bark as she examines the mark for signs of age Rolling 15 - 3d6 = 4 GM: Blaer discovers there's three layers of damage. The most recent is from maybe last night, and is just some casual claw-sharpening. So is the one from 3 days ago. Most damage was done more than 7 days ago, when the beast just struck and gnawed on the trees, spinning around as if in rage. One younger tree was snapped in two then, and another is slightly uprooted. Blaer: "This is not the marks of a beast having a fit. Not entirely." "It attacked these trees a week ago, but it came back as soon as last night to sharpen its claws on the bark." Radulf: “A week ago…” the young shepherd thinks and reckons the days that have passed. “That was… that night we were sleeping in the hut.” He looks at the damage at the tree, and winces a bit. “It must have been mad that I got away.” Eoghania: "You ar eits quarry?" she says surprised "then by all means little hare, we shall use you to flush it out!" Radulf squints at Eoghania, before pausing and considering that proposal. He shudders, but also finds no logical objections to that plan. “…I'll get back at you for that,” he mumbles grumpily. GM: The naked young man sighs at Eoghania's words as if using men as bait for wild beasts is very typical behavior he has seen too much of. Then he remembers something and tries to pretend he never did anything like that. Orphea looked around towards the group, sighing "I would prefer not to head towards a quarry that I'm not aware of as that's generally not safe, I would not want any of you to come to harm , even moreso that your safety is important for the mission. If I am unable to persuade you to deal with the creature after the meeting, I would atleast ask you inform me of everything you know about it." Radulf: “It's black, hairy, and it can see spirits.” Awan: "It eats souls." Eoghania: "It probably bleeds" Orphea blinked, groaning at the newfound risk present in the back of her mind. "With that said, and the newfound risk you're bringing with you..." She took a and off the travois, pinching the bridge of her nose and groaning before resuming holding it as normal. "I feel it would be better to delay the meeting with my people and seek terrain that you are more familiar with. I would ask that you also consider this assistance as repaying a portion of the debt you've assigned to us." Her tone was aggrivated, she was about to suggest blindfolding everyone, spinning them a whole lot, and bringing her to her homeland, but that seemed a bit too far for her. Radulf slowly turns towards Awan, but he doesn't know him to be one for making jokes. He breathes out. Eoghania: "Oh come now; we track it, make a defensible camp, we bait it in with my second here, and we kill it" "Simple" Radulf: “Well, it hides among the trees, so we should probably set ourselves up on the edge of the forest, or in a large clearing, so it can't sneak up on us.” “If it's too strong, we throw Eoghania at it and run way.” “'fraid there's not much too her though, so it'll get hungry again soon.” Eoghania: "I would die in single combat with it, were it to somehow best me, if only to save you all" Radulf pouts at her playing hero. Eoghania: "As if you could somehow take my place?" HAH Orphea nodded towards Radulf before turning towards Eoghania. "Something which devours souls, tends to possess intellect enough to collect them, we ought err on the side of caution." She thought to herself, having lived in the woods for a while was she familiar with any particular border zone that'd make it easier to deal with conflict if it came to that. GM: (border zone of the forest?) Awan: "We certainly can try to surround it and stab it to death, but somebody will be the one to face it directly... Seems like it'll be Eoghania." Orphea: (Or like, a clearing that'd give us decent chance of avoiding ambush) GM: The young mane from the savages clears his throat. "I... would like to volunteer. That young woman keeps insinuating... about my valor.." Awan: "... Very well." Radulf objects to that: “Awan, you can't be serious. 'Nia—” Eoghania: "What valor? You have yet to even introduce yourself to us, coward, and prove you were even named" Orphea smiled towards the young man, giving him a nod of approval. He wanted to leave, and dying to make the clan look good was a pretty good deal for a deserter. Radulf looks the wildling in the eyes to see if he's serious, and solemny nods. GM: (Area Knowledge if you have one that applies) Awan: "Radulf, if we decided to kill the beast, even though we don't have to, we'll won't be able to kill it in one hidden blow, so a skirmish will happen. And somebody will be the person that the beast attacks." Rolling 3d6 = 3 v 12-? (Area Knowledge: Home; dunno what the distance penalty is here.) P.P. A.: wew Eoghania: [NICE] P.P. A.: I don't think we're quite far enough away for that to be a fail Eoghania: [RNGesus be praised] GM: (the extremely slow speed of travel in the woods works in your favour) Orphea: "If its capable of injury and relatively beastial, if we just find a way to slow it down, we should be able to harass it without closing to melee. I'm a competent enough tracker, and" She gestured towards blaer "She is as well, so, if we maintain two shifts of harassing it and a mobile standpoint it should be unable to deal much damage." GM Radulf knows the perfect place. He remembers it like it was yesterday... P.P. A.: (He probably also have grazed some animals around here once) Radulf snaps his fingers. “I know just the spot.” Orphea blinked, feeling a bit bad she got out-forested. Awan: "I suppose we can try that." Radulf gives all the relevant details in indirect speech. Orphea takes it in, appreciating the clear and concise manner he explained it. GM: Radulf rememers Eoghania, Muiram and friends got late one day, when you were all younger and people started looking for them. At around one mountain glade, you finally found them. Or rather, they found you, leaping out of ambush and nearly cracking your ribs with their pretend-swords. The girls were playing at being ferasome natives and lost track of time. You all head there, since it's not far. P.P. A.: (will have to take a break to eat dinner soon) GM: (it's a good time and place to end) Vodka: (Sounds good, thanks for the session) GM: Thanks for the game. Awan: As always, thanks for running P.P. A.: Thanks for the session LD: Thanks for running Eoghania: yeah aight; next week SPIRIT BEAR THING AND DOOM Vodka: ♥ Eoghania: yeah thanks man for the game :D EO is a fun little fireplug P.P. A.: Indeed respscorp (GM): hi P.P. A.: \o respscorp (GM): I think the others might be an hour late >_> P.P. A.: wouldn't surprise me I still get confused at which time the game is supposed to be so I just make sure I'm already readys at the earlier time (now) respscorp (GM): Balthazar did warn us about his commute though so that might be on me Eoghania is srapped and ready to take on the Mystery Beast Orphea is decidedly less equipped and ready to fall back when things go south! Eoghania: [kek] Radulf is cautiously optimistic! GM PREVIOUSLY! Orphea was driven to a breakdown by the stupidity of her wayward kin! Can she make it? Can she manage being both a beast-slayer, an ambassador for her people and a gods-damned babysitter? We may soon find out. GM: Meanwhile, Awan and Muiram had an encounter with the etheral Barrow Dwellers and received a warning about a mysterious beast! Moving onward, the group found signs of the beasts's rage and figured out a good area to try and ambush it. (and now, they stop a moment to discuss their plan and other things, while waiting for Awan) P.P. A.: (and while moving towards the spot Radulf remembered?) Eoghania: [yeah dawg, y'all had a crit success. If that doesnt give us a wooded glen with countryside, there shall be FURY] Radulf: “Blaer,” the shepherd asks: “Your fireball, are they…” He scratches his head. “Are they fireballs, or are they just normal fire created with magic?” GM: (it gives you a wooded ravine with jagged terrain, good for ambushing things) (as Radulf discovered painfully in his earlier years) LD: That a good question what say you, GM? Are the fireballs themselves magic, or normal fire made by magic? GM: (the Magic limitation means they are "magical" and thus subject to things that specifically block magic, like MR) Eoghania: [neato; now is it pulled from a dimension of pure fire and used here? or is it being magically generated with the Ætherforce?] [the true debate] LD: In my head the fireballs are an essence of "sun juice" Balthazarr, the Mad: I dare you to say that with a straight face GM: (sun juice is serious business) Balthazarr, the Mad: P.P. A.: sun god is also the trickster god, sells refreshing juice to make a profit from his own causing the summer heat Balthazarr, the Mad: oh thats actually genius LD: (Sun)[https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/019/180/ezgif-2198194681.gif] wait shit there we go Balthazarr, the Mad: ahhhh so its the [ ] that does it the more you know.gif LD: it's the other way around GM While the settlers are having what seems like a primitive theological debate, Meliton approaches Orphea warily "I still can't figure out what you're planning, but I think coming back with the head of a dread beast might give more weight to your words..." LD: brackets on the name, then () on the link GM: (it's the storm god who is the screaming asshole, sun is the smug asshole god) Balthazarr, the Mad: like learning /emas and /desc P.P. A.: Melition? Balthazarr, the Mad: The GM I think is referring to 'Coward' has not introduced himself to Eo P.P. A.: hah Balthazarr, the Mad: silly boys, with their pride Radulf: “Muiram, if Blaer's fireball is magic, can it burn spirits?” Blaer: "The fire I toss is no ordinary flame. It is like an essence of the sun itself." Orphea looks towards him, shrugging. "Killing things does seem to be a really common means of acquiring political capital, yeah." Orphea sighed, looking at the tree line, then the ground around her. She returned to focusing on Meliton for a moment, awaiting a comment if one was to come GM Muiram adjusts her hat and thinks Eoghania: "Hah! Radulf! This beast can rend trees, so it must also then be a victim to iron! We shall best it with weapons still" GM: "Shocking as it may be, Eoghania is right." Muiram nods. Radulf: “Yeah, but it could see me when I was a spirit, and it eats souls. So it must be something of a spirit itself, right? Wouldn't fire hurt both its… spirit-ness, and burn its form?” Eoghania smiles....and then a second later sees the jest Radulf: ”Like, at the same time?” Eoghania: "Well, we could test things Radulf; has your 'spirit body' ever been burned by sun juice?" GM: "The Barrow Folk confirmed the beast is of this world mostly. And I think if it was a full spirit, it could have followed Radulf and got him..." She shrugs "It is supposedly wrapped in a veil of darkness, so maybe the sun's fire would be particularly useful." Orphea snapped her fingers, looking up, and smiling slightly, she'd move to direct Meliton and Thea into a huddle. Radulf: “It has not,” Radulf answers proudly. “It hasn't burned its spirit-hand on a spirit-pot either when its mother told it that it shouldn't touch it.” He smirks at Eoghania GM: Meliton manages to restrain himself from flinching at the gesture, but only barely. He follows obediently, but with his head held high. Thea just follows gingerly, worried about all this secrecy Blaer makes an off-handed glance at their prosthetic arm at Randulf's comment GM Muiram glares at Radulf for mysterious, inscrutable reason Orphea spoke towards the group, wrapping an arm around each of the shoulders of her clans-mates, her expression was uncharacteristically excited in dealing with the two of them. Radulf grins, with a bit of sarcasm to it, and waves back. GM at least at the start, both Thea and Meli act like the expect Orphea to just smack their heads together... Eoghania: "Always with the secrecy! The deceit!" she calls to the huddle Radulf puts his arms around Eoghania's and Blaer's shoulders and draws them close together. “Then let's be secretive too, that'll show them!” Orphea shouted back, in a somewhat playful tone "It is a strength of mine!" Orphea looked over towards Meliton and began to speak, a moment later she looked towards Thea. Radulf proclaims this loudly, but does whisper to his friends: “Blaer, how much work is it to hunt game, skin it, and to prepare its hide?” Eoghania: "This again! Radulf, are you so untrained in hunting you need a teacher?" Radulf: “I hunt passively.” Blaer: "To skin an animal and prepare its hide is something that takes time, but does not require much effort when you know what to do." Eoghania: "You passively" GM In the naked savages huddle, Meliton manages to smile so smugly, it would probably tax the girl's patience at least a little. Blaer: "Hunting it, however, is a different story. You could go all day without finding a catch, or you could stumble upon one the moment you step in the forest. It all depends on the spirit's whims" Orphea nodded towards Meliton she spoke in more than a hushed whisper at this point, not really thinking calling an idea good demanded secrecy. "That's a good idea, make the request and get to it." Radulf playfully pushes Eoghania away a bit. “I see. So, that being the case, you may have to spend a long time to get a nice hide, if just because your prey eludes you.” Blaer nods Blaer: "To catch an animal is something that you can never take for granted, even if you're as skilled as I am." GM Meliton looks at Orphea for a moment, not really daring to meet her gaze despite his earlier smugness. "I'm not sure. That girl keeps trying to provoke me... can you ask instead?" Eoghania: "My ears burn with hot words of my beauty! Speak to me coward if you would!" Radulf nods. “While we need to be tough on the wildlings, it could be profitable to make sure they remember us well, so we can trade with them for furs in the future. They hunt anyway, but have no need for clothes, so they probably have a lot they don't need they might trade us for cheap.” Orphea shrugged, looking towards Meliton then back towards Eoghania. "This is a good enough time as any to face your concerns, I've got faith you can manage to ask to borrow a hatchet." Eoghania: "Is "Come and get it then, boy" GM The wildling boy sighs, his smugness all gone. He aproaches Eoghania warily and bows slightly. "Can I please have a hatchet, that I can make spears for my kin?" For some reason, he appears quite flustered by the time he finishes his sentence. Eoghania: "Who am i loaning the use of the tool to then? Your manners fail you constantly" Eoghania smugly looks him down, holding the hatchet ready GM: He tenses, about to say something rash, but then Eoghania's gaze seems to snap him out of it and make him flustered. He exhales softly. "My name is Meliton, stranger. What is your name?" Eoghania smiles broadly and stretches her open hand to him, to grasp it Eoghania: "I am Eoghania, kindly met, boy who enrages Orphea" she winks "Good to know someone named you" GM: Relieved to get such a reaction, he grasps her hand firmly, suddenly looking up to her eyes. "Kindly met... indeed. I have misjudged you and my manners have been atrocious. I apologize." Radulf calls over: “Don't worry, hers are, too.” Eoghania while holding his hand, she baps him in the middle of the chest with the back of the head of the hatchet Eoghania: "Just remember boy, I can kill you if I need to" GM: He gives her a rigid grin. "Let's hope you don't have to see if you really can." And accepts the hatchet. Orphea snickered at Radulf's comment, she turns towards Thea, checking if she looks confident enough for what she'd proposed or if more psyching up was in order. GM: Thea nods. Unnerved, but ready. Radulf looks at them with his usual, calm smile. “Better keep an eye on them, they may be planning something,” he quietly notes to his kin.” Orphea looked towards Thea, then towards Meliton "We'll take the vanguard against the beast." Eoghania: "Hah! I shall leave your bodies in a high place when it tramples you, but, if you must" "Just make sure you leave your spears in it as it overruns you" Radulf holds his chin and thinks. “Without shields?” Eoghania: "Two hands hold a weak spear better" Radulf: “I suppose, but spears made out of wood? No metal tip? We can expect this monster to have a hide as least as thick as a boar's during the mating season.” Orphea grinned, displaying a smug confidence years of being told about your people being used to be unbreakable walls of spears and iron tends to create. "Focus on flanking it effectively instead of worrying about us. A soft blow from a hammer isn't going to do much with even the sturdiest of anvils." She turned to Radulf following her counter-jeering. "We should have time to fire the tips, atleast" Eoghania: "Yes! So they set them agains tthe earth for the charge. Ensure they are long, so you have some distance on yourself from the claws" Radulf: “You'd have to aim at some soft spots then: eyes, mouth,” he notes to Orphea. He's not jeering, but dispassionately serious. Orphea said the initial part towards Eoghania, not Radulf. Radulf nods to Eoghania. “Drive a few into the ground, position yourself between them. Sure, that could work.” GM: Meliton sighs and explains that unfortunately, long spears would take a lot of searching in an uncultivated, wild forest. He can manage multiple short spears with the material available at hand though. Eoghania: "The belly is soft and broad, especially when you are charged. They are simple folk, not warriors as you or I" GM: And without waiting for a reply, he starts wandering the area, looking for suitable wood. (the spears would be Cheap, with a 0.5 Armor Divisor) Orphea opted to help Meliton look for suitable spear progenitors. Could a successful Survival (forest) or naturalist yield a couple longer sticks for longer or heavy spears? Rolling 13 - 3d6 = -1 Radulf doesn't actively look for anything, but just takes a close look at his surroundings as he and the others slow down to wait for the three naturalists to return. Rolling 12-3d6 = 2 GM: Radulf manages to evaluate the area for potential advantages. From what he has seen of the beast, the heavy, compact frame of the thing suggested by its pace would make it unable to climb the steep slopes found in the ravine. (brow circle - tree trunk; green - ferns a plenty; grey - boulder; line - steep slope number - relative elevation in barbaric units, 1 height ~3.5yards) P.P. A.: (I meant looking for suitable sticks & branches that happen to be on the wayside) GM: (you find a lot suitable for sharpened stakes and 1-2 suitable for spears) Radulf sits down near a ledge and starts sharpening one of the spear-sticks with his knife, enjoying the excuse to sit down. Eoghania wanders the spot, idly looking for the 'perfect' faceoff position, but also just looking cool and magestic on high spots, hands on her hips P.P. A.: (maybe Artist (Woodworking) at a bonus since this is not especially filigrane work?) Radulf: “Careful not to fall,” Radulf calls out in jest. GM: (making stakes just works, making weapons requires actual skill in making weapons) P.P. A.: (ah) Orphea: "Its unlikely that the thing is going to just happen upon this point, in the direction we want it to, I think I'm the fastest runner, so I should hopefully be able to bait it towards where we want it." Radulf: “Do we have any ropes we could span between some of these trees?” Blaer wanders over to where Radulf is, holding out the vines she found Blaer: "I did not know you carved, cousin." Radulf: “You have a lot of time on your hands when— I mean, herding is , but a good man must not forget to hone his finer skills.” Radulf has been doing a bit of woodcarving on the last few days, but usually at night when it was his shift to watch the camp. GM: Karli barks in agreement. Totally in agreement and not as if to suggest he does all the hard work. LD: Can I roll a per-based woodworking roll to judge his technique? :3 Eoghania: [dont need ot be skilled to judge. at leas tnot ] Radulf puts his knife down to pat his trusty dog and ruffle its fur. GM: Summing up the efforts of the days, you have managed to get a short length of sturdy vine-rope, multiple sturdy wooden stakes and 2 wooden spears and 4 short wooden spears on top of whatever else you bring with you. Orphea reached for her shovel, only to remember she didn't have one. A great annoyance assailed her mind before she returned to assisting with preparation for the boss fight. Radulf has been kind of hiding his nightly woodcarving though, and keeping it in his pocket. Radulf gets up and looks around. “Blaer, you should take the high ground, for obvious reasons. Then we could try and trap it in this area here. Radulf: “There's this path up the ledge, the large boulder over there, and the wall behind us.” Eoghania nods along to the plan Radulf: “Bit more open to the north, but it'd have to take a long way around, so we could react to that.” GM: (feel free to place the stakes where you think they would be useful) P.P. A.: hmm the green patches are fern, right? GM: Yes, thick enough to hinder movement through ti. P.P. A.: oho Blaer is of course going to try and climb onto the highest perch to get a good sniping spot Radulf: ”Maybe some stakes between the trees over there? That flank is the most open.” “Would force it to go around them.” “If we're on the back foot, we'd be retreating upwards anyway, through that gap there between the rock and the cliff.” “Or we block those gap there, force it to slow down and regroup if it tries to run around the cliff to the north.” *that GM: Meliton shrugs to show you he trusts you opinion, but thinks the latter is the better idea. Eoghania: "It is a force of nature, i doubt we will encourage it anywhere." Orphea nodded at his most recent comment on the gap. "That makes sense, if we're lucky its going to be a creature of blind rage, and I should be able to draw it into our position while your group can pepper it from the ledge." Radulf shrugs. “Then we'll just hope it barges into the spikes and they slow it down.” Radulf: “Blaer has a direct line of sight from above, we can also poke it with spears from these ledges, or throw them at it.” Eoghania: "Good, a plan. I like it" Blaer: "I will start things off by hitting it with my fire, before the rest of you come down on it with your weapons." GM: All that's left then, is for someone to draw the beast this way... Radulf: “If someone went looking for it, he could get ambushed. How about I take a nap and see if I can find it?” Orphea Stretched, not particularly excited about being bait, but confident she'd do the best of it. "Everyone ready?" She expected Meliton and Thea to have the spears, she was about as effective in close combat. She blinked, looking at Radulf, but shrugged. "I wouldn't mind knowing where it was before I set out, sure" Eoghania: "Don't get eaten, but if you find it, run right back here" Radulf: “I can't promise anything, but… If those spirits are still around, they might now where it is.” Radulf looks to Muiram and Awan. “Anything I should know about them?” GM: Muiram points out there aren't any nearby. The most important thing to know, she says is to not follow them into the barrows. "And always be polite and never make an oath lightly in front of them." Radulf nods to that, and comfortably seats himself at the foot of a large tree… the leaves casting a waving shadow onto the ground as the breeze brushes along the mountainside. GM: Karli trots over and rests his head in Radulf's lap. The big dog's even, heavy breathing has a calming effect. Radulf knows the importance of his mission, and so is very committed to peacefully relaxing and letting his thoughts quiet down and drift in the wind (with a hint of a smug grin that his superpower is being lazy). Rolling 13-3d6 = 6 Blaer calls out from below Blaer: "If you have trouble losing consciousness, I'm sure Eoghania will help you out" GM: She almost manages to distract him from his very hard, very important task of falling asleep. But eventually Radulf dozes off. P.P. A.: Fortunately he is professionally trained in this, after many years of practice GM: Radulf manages to find himself floating and immaterial again, looking down at his body. Just like before, he looks mostly like himself, just a bit pale and... insubstantial. P.P. A.: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYiAPRoZKuk] combat theme GM The others only see Muiram blushing and looking away from something. Eoghania: "Hah, shes admiring his spirit bod" Eoghania grins mischeviously (To GM): Being asleep and thus a bit unfocused, he probably doesn't put 2 and 2 together to realsie that his dream form is him, naked (From GM): Up to you really, it could just be a cloud-puff. (To GM): will have to consider the funniest option later (From GM): ghost dongs (To GM): Radulf floats up into the sky a bit, which seems so blue and far and open… before he remembers what he's here for, and drifts towards the forest. Orphea waited patiently, trusting in her heroic, snoozing associate to figure out where the thing is. (From GM): Radulf is looking for a visible place of darkness during daytime. The beast has probably concealed itself somwehre it would be less obvious... which narrows your search pattern. Roll Per and tell me how you handle the search. (To GM): He's going to try and skim the crowns of the trees on his way to the clearing where they found the signs of its rage, and then he's going to kind of spiral outwards from there, looking for particularly dense parts of the wood. Rolling 12-3d6 = -3 (To GM): As he can pass through solid objects, he'll fly just under the top of the trees, still getting startled by trunks and branches in his way and trying to avoid them even though he phases through them :V (To GM): If he can't find anything, he's going to try and find the spot where Awan talked to the ghosts, to see if any are still around he could aks for directions. (From GM): Distracted from phasing through trees, branches and boulders, Radulf unexpectedly finds himself in a place of great darkness... and only his panicked flight saves him. You have found the beast, but alerted it at the same time. GM: The others can hear a low, thunderous, rumbling growl reverberate over the wilderness. Birds and game animals spook, leaving their hiding places and fleeing from the general area. Radulf thinks it might be possible the beast has spotted him. And remembered him. (To GM): He doesn't immediately fly up, but rushes low the forest below the treeline, so that the beast starts chasing him; once the trees clear out a bit and it can see where he's flying off to, he quickly gains height and rushes back to his body. Orphea gestured for her comrades to form up if it seemed the growling was approaching her position, and to stand prepared in the direction it came from. Eoghania: "Starry night! This will be a battle!" she grins wickedly, and checks the strap on her shield, and holds her axe tight (To GM): tell me when he makes it back & wakes up GM: Orphea cannot hear the beast commin, nor is there another growl, but she can see a great mass of shadow barreling in her direction. An unnatural, and creeping dark swallowing the daylight as it comes charging, eerily silent. The only things visible, a fanged maw and three glowing eyes peering from the darkness. Eoghania: "Oh, " GM: A grizzly bear might be a terrifying sight to see charging at you. The vague-hints of something bear-sized, posessing of dagger-talons, knife-teeth, glowing eyes and surrounded in unnatural darkness is much worse. Enough to make people at the front roll Fright (at +1 for your was stunned for the first second of combat, her face went flush as the thing approached, desperately in her mind she tried to convince herself clinched her fists tightly and screamed like a madwoman, the coherency of words were lost on her as the being approached. Still, she prepared for its assault, taking a wait maneuver and preparing a stop hit if the beast closes to range. GM: (you got stunned by Fright?) Orphea: (yeah, got an 8 on the table, passed on this turn. Unsure if the stun was for pre-round or current one.) ( Stunned for one second. Every second after that, roll vs. Will, plus whatever bonuses or penalties you had on your original roll, to snap out of it) GM: (recovered, not ready to act) Orphea: (Gotcha) Orphea didn't prepare for the stop hit, and instead slapped herself a few times to get back into the combat mindset. GM: Now that the beast is close, you can all see it. It is like a squat mix between a bear and a toad, with a wide mouth, stocky legs and surrounded by an aura of dark and quiet. Rolling 11 - 3d6 = 0 LD: that's it P.P. A.: Assuming she had her bown in one hand and her other hand open for a fireball, I'd argue that her bow is already ready, basically GM: Karli jumps ahead, barking and growling. P.P. A.: at least insofar as after fast-drawing an arrow it may be superfluous to nock it GM: (also yes, but shooting is still an action) Eoghania: [oh no! the pupper!] LD: yeah, it takes 2 ready actions to reload a boy you're already wielding, and fast draw cuts it down by 1, so I can attack next turn, but not this turn P.P. A.: Oh, I see (my turn order table only has the 6ers listed) GM: Radulf Radulf runs downhill towards the opponent, reading his axe and bellowing a war-cry! GM: The squat beast looks at Meliton in annoynace and stands upright, making its grotesque similarity to a bear all the more apparent. Except that it's paws hold long, sharp, straight talons. It swings at the naked boy beast gurgle-roars, turning it's attention to Eoghania. Funny, it's own roar is not affected by the unnatural quiet that surrounds it. Meliton seems to be shoting something, but his soft voice is swallowed by the beasts's aura. Orphea Orphea rushes forward, neglecting defense and pacing, simply slashing twice at the beast's eyes with her nails, hoping to blind the thing to make the fight a bit less brutal. Orphea: (AoA Rapid, Fatigue for Accuracy) Having moved into close, and sacrificed beast roars and tries to spin around after being attacked from all sides. It still holds, but has lost its confidence and gained the rage of a wounded animal instead. (Blaer) Blaer lets loose a shot at the beast's torso Rolling 10 - 3d6 = 5 Eoghania: NICE 6 points of damage (after armor). LD: P.P. A.: noice GM: bork bork Radulf Radulf figures that if it has claws, eyes, and fangs, it has an overall animal-body. …and while the skulls of bears are terribly thickand the hides of bears tough and strong, they all have a certain soft spot, between and below their eyes… Radulf takes a step forward and takes a telegraphed all-out swing at the monster's nose! Rolling 15 - 3d6 = 8 (-5 to that, but still avoids stun) The Beast is maddened with pain now and randomly swings at people around it cried out in pain like a little bitch, being in a world of hurt, thankfully for her, the thing quiet-ed her agony sounds enough that she might be able to damage control her way out of the inevitable revalation she had the pain threshold of a kid who cries when he scrapes his knee. Rolling 13 - 3d6 = 3 But steadies itself, determined to take at least some of you along with it Orphea respects the creatures ferocity, but was currently in too much pain to really do much to counter it, All out Defense, hoping to probably use wrestling to 'parry' getting chewed on. Rolling 16 - 3d6 = 6 Eoghania: jesus, beat by 6 GM: The struggle seems doomed, but at least some of the beasts' jaw strength seems to suffer from the wound it got from Radulf earlier. Meli AoA Rolling 16 - 3d6 = 9 Orphea 's blatant disregard for her safety was coming to bite her (Heh) in the ass, seeing as a tie isn't a win she was probably still stuck in those chompers. Rolling 12 - 3d6 = -2 Eoghania: nope Orphea was a bit concerned about her inevitably getting disemboweled, she'd takes a breath and a step closer. He flips his weapon around in his hands, raises it over his head, and slams the blunt, hammer-like end into its third eye. “Die already!” Rolling 7 - 3d6 = -7 It is stunned. P.P. A.: except when my Dwarf chopped off limbs with his bardiche Eoghania: [oh my god he chopped off so many limbs] P.P. A.: (oh, and my snakeman's woefully ineffective spear, and moderately ineffective construction attack) *constriction GM: With the beast stunned, prone and near-dying, you manage to somehow chop and stab it till it is finally dead. P.P. A.: (good call) GM: You stand triumphant, some of you bloodied. P.P. A.: (this isn't D&D after all) Does the darkness dissipate after it's dead? Radulf uses one of the discarded spears to help pry open the dead monster's jaws. Radulf: “Orphea, are you alive?” Orphea coughed painfully, glad the thing had stopped chewing on her to death, she looked herself over, was she gushing blood? "I've been better, but yeah, thank you for the help." She smiled towards Radulf, then looked down, somewhat dissapointed in herself for serving as designated chew toy instead of violence provider. Eoghania: "If you can hear us, explain how you got trapped in it's jaws like a rabbit!" Radulf: “Explain how you that.” He turns around: “Blaer, have we got any medicine?” And what about you, uh…” He looks at the wildling boy. GM: Meliton winces as he also sits next to Orphea in the designated "bleeding naked people" corner. Orphea stared at Eoghania, then towards the things jaws, with a completely deadpan expression she measured the length of the thing's jaws, and then that of her own torso. If all went well, her analysis would yield that she was comparatively snack sized to the thing, atleast enough so to be bit into it. Blaer climbs down from her perch, rushing to Orphea as she uses whatever medical herbs she has left Eoghania: "Oh good, she still understands jokes. She'll be fine" :D GM: (both of them need First Aid for starters) Orphea accepted any first aid given, thanking those who provided it, and the group as a whole for their valor in fighting the beast alongside her. Rolling 12 - 3d6 = 2 GM: (this is for Orphea I assume? Will Blaer help the boy as well?) LD: Orphea first, since Blaer thinks they need the help more also boys are icky P.P. A.: hm to the 3d6 macro so the low rolls are green and the high rolls are red please thank you Orphea looked over to Meliton, checking to make sure he was doing alright as she was being patched up. Her expression hinted that she was really feeling the lingering pain of getting chewed on by a big aggressive demon-thing, but it was also clear she was doing her best to hide it, which wasn't particularly good. LD: or rather cs6 or rather cs Radulf tries to figure out what do to based on his Veterinary knowledge, but he asks Muiram and Blaer first if this is a good idea. Rolling 10-4-3d6 = -3 LD: FUCK Eoghania: ["Dude, she doesnt have a dog spleen. she has a regular spleen!"] P.P. A.: (He doesn't do anything, he just explains what he'd do to Meliton if he was a sheep or something) (and asks if that is what he should do) ) way) *bends GM: Muiram would urge Blaer to provide first-aid to the boy, while she provides a bit more long-term care to Orphea. Her job made harder because she can't afford to tie anything in place. Eoghania: [this might be a good time for EO to invest her unspent points in some variation of magic healing] Blaer begrudgingly acquiesces, knowing that Orphea is in good hands Orphea remained silent as she was treated, her focus tending to rest upon Radulf, it was clear that despite the pain she was in, she was thinking about something. Radulf squats down next to Meliton and takes a look at his wounds, and what Blaer is doing with them. Radulf thus doesn't notice the eyes resting on him. Rolling 14 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 3 P.P. A.: (OOC: they probably worry that he might be planning to spy on their settlement in his sleep) GM: Yes, roll for him separately. The naked young man breathes heavily, having a hard time coping with the pain from the bloody gashes on his chest, but still manages to look at Radulf Radulf looks back. “I'm trying to learn. Tell me if I'm, uh, bothering.” GM: Muiram is going to prevent people from getting infections and help their long-term care and HP recovery after they receive First Aid. Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -1 GM: Meliton twitches in a most unvalours manor as Blaer tries to patch him up, ruining her effort and spilling some more blood until they finally dress his wounds. LD: Blaer is apparently too distracted by the naked wildling to provide proper first aid GM: (this is a good moment to stop) Mark 4 CP and hit me with any questions you might have. Eoghania: will do! And im not joking about buying healing powers P.P. A.: Thanks for the session Eoghania: though I might make it 'fun' P.P. A.: I'm still not sure what to spend points on, though removing the Unreliable & UUncontrollable modifiers on his dreaming ability would make sense GM: "be healed by my LIGHTNING" Eoghania: FORCE POWERS, ACTIVATE P.P. A.: Lily rubbing off on Eoghania? :P Eoghania: MUAHAHAHA GM: Oh, and uh "supernatural rewards" Eoghania: GM: Muiram thinks that if you cook the beast's liver, you can use it as justification for getting Rapid Healing. If everybody shares. Or Regeneration (slow) if only one person eats it. respscorp (GM): hi LD: Hello Vodka: yo P.P. A.: I don't have my character sheet with me and if I don't respond after a few minutes I will have fallen asleep; just put Radulf on autopilot in that case PREVIOUSLY! After setting up a good ambush locations, the heroes set about to find and lure the dark beast. Luckily, this called for something Radulf considers himself a natural at - sleeping! Separate from his fleshy body, his etheral form floated over the mountain slopes and eventually lured the monster right into the trap! What followed was an epic battle that bore proof of Orphea's bravery as she threw herself into the monster's maw, choking it with her very body to help protect others! P.P. A.: We shall never forget this heroic sight and her brave warcries Orphea was still in quite a bit of pain, and mainly sitting around getting tended to medically. She did her best to put on a tough face, but her best for doing that wasn't really good. Orphea's trials are not over yet, as Muiram prepares to wash her wounds pokes around the monster's corpse, investigating the thickness of its hide, the colour of its eyes, and what happened to the darkness The witch's further medicinal manipulations for your long-term care are equally painful as she pokes around the exposed flesh with some sharp MONSTER CARVING 101: Carve the beast while it's fresh, and you may use some parts of it to imbue yourself with a portion of its abilities or to carry around for their mystic power! Orphea did a bit more respectably this time, managing not to wiggle around like a child getting a haircut. Orphea: Orphea was, naturally still swearing to herself profusely, and a bit louder than she felt like she was. Blaer will draw her long knife, and get to work carving at the beast Muiram: Sorry Orphea, so much of what I know relies on, well, wrapping you in cloth to bind you wounds... please try to rest and stand still a bit... Orphea clinched her teeth, nodding "T-" She yelped, assumedly the prodding hadn't stoped "Trying, could I get something to bite down on?" Eoghania produces a finely knotted chunk of rope she had bene braiding Eoghania: "That should be tougher than your teeth" Muiram gives Orphea a look as if the girl just said something briliand and hands her the leather sheath of her medical knife. Eoghania: "huh?" Orphea nodded towards Eoghania, took the rope or the sheath, probably the rope because one was from her de jure best friend. This'd hopefully make her squirm less. Eoghania provides an 'aid another' action Eoghania: [crap wheres my d20] Muiram: Stay here to keep her company... try to get her to stay stilll... and try not to kill her yourself... Muiram appears a bit drained after she has finished tending to the two naked young people as she starts cleaning her bloodstained hands. Eoghania nods solemnly, and cuddles up to her friend who seems to be on the mend. There is cuddling Orphea reciprocated the gesture, comforted by the gesture like all social animals are. She was still feeling pretty crummy though, on account of her inside-outside barrier being more of a suggestion, albiet a strongly worded one thanks to medical aid.. GM: (Orphea recovers 1HP from First Aid and 2 HP from supernatural aid; with rest and relaxations she will roll for further long-term recovery on the next morning) Eoghania: ["We need to get you some sort of magic pants"] Muiram: I think it's best we camp around Orphea. I can't bind her wounds and well... she tough but I still think she should rest as much as possible now... Eoghania: "A veyr good idea, becaus eI am not moving until she is able to move herself" Orphea had probably passed out leaning against Eoghania at this point. Being a big dumby, she let her guard down due to the traditional calming power of hypotension due to bloodloss and having something warm to lean against. GM: Muiram and Radulf get around organising camp, seeing how Eoghania has a good excuse to sit down and do nothing. Eoghania smirks knowingly Thea helps around the camp, while Meliton comes to sit next to Eoghania. He looks about ready to say something but just gives up. Orphea was unconscious and thus, unable to comment. GM: (unless someone wants to do something specific about the camp prep, it's soon morning) LD: You never got back to me on that creature cutting Eoghania: [ooh sexy] [night pelts?] GM: Oh, sorry The beast is covered in punctures from the weapon blows and it's skull is cracked from Radulfs final blow. The hide is tough as that of a bear and the fur seems soft - but there's so many hold now, it's of no use as a rug. Maybe winter clothing material? The skull is cracked, but sill holds some baleful miasma around it. Perhaps with some help from a witch it can be come an anti-lanter of sorts? An object that drains light? Eoghania: [you best crit roll that skinning!] Two of the eyes are bloodshot and lifeless, but the middle-one glows with an inner light. It would make for a pretty bauble and convenient candle replacement if stored in resin. and of course, claws and teeth the beast has a plenty, as well as sinews, meat and bone - the usual useful portions of a large predator that can feed several families for a while and may be used to craft tools, arrow-tips and decorations. GM: (dressing and butchering it is Survival, but it's easy enough not to require a roll if you take your time) (anything else about the carving?) LD: Nope. Assuming that such a thing can be completed leisurely without risk of damaging it, Blaer will spend the evening carving it up, in a pleasant mood. GM: The evening passes peacefully, at least if we don't count Eoghania who has to act as a pillow. And still has Melition nearby just being awkward. Eoghania: "Boy, speak if you will, or stop gawking at our embrace. I can you enjoy it" "Don't make me revoke your big boy rights" Meliton smiles at Eoghania's remark. "You are right, it does look enjoyable.I'm almost tempted to try it out myself, but Orphea bid me to be a good lad." Eoghania: "And the other reason; I have a knife" Orphea mumbled incoherently, being asleep and all Eoghania: "" Meliton waves in dismissal of the knife. "You don't need that thing to scare me, you're scary enough yourself." Eoghania grins, but is now curious Eoghania: "speak then, quietly, or go" Meliton: I was worried about her. She's pretty remarkable, I don't know if you've noticed. Both of you are pretty scary in your own, good way. Eoghania: "Fear us from a distance; you may pay tribute to us by cooking us a hot meal tomorrow form the beast's flesh" "it is 8cuddle time now*" Meliton He stands up and goes to help with the camp. "If it can earn your jealously-guarded magnanimity, sure, it will be waiting for you come the woke up, having slept for comparatively the longest time, she stretched a bit, feeling her guts move closer from the nights rest Orphea: (Yea) Eoghania clings closely until she stirs, then lets her wake at her own speed. Orphea's wounds have mostly scabbed over. Still tender, but her usual protective shell is at least whole if not healed. Eoghania: "ooooh, battle scars" Orphea looked towards Eoghania, than towards the spots where she got chewed on by the dark spirit. She shrugged, smiling slightly and nodding, still a bit too groggy to come up with a particularly witty comment. Eoghania makes sure she has comfort, water and food, immediately GM: Sometime early in the morning, Meliton poked Blaer awake to offer her to go hunting together - to bag something for breakfast. Blaer agrees, slinging her bow out Orphea nodded towards Eoghania. "Thank you" She smiled, genuinely, enjoying her company despite the xenophobic bit of her brain screaming about what happened to wolves when they got scraps. Of course, the one dog she's interacting with at the time is some kind of ideal dog descended from the realm of forms. Eoghania: point of order giant devil bear carcass GM: good point Orphea nodded in agreement towards Eoghania's statement. GM: I guess Meli and Blaer mostly gather herbs, wild onion and fruit. LD: As they gather, she starts talking with Meli Blaer: "I'm surprised you're offering. You seemed rather keen to keep me away from you before." Orphea if given the chance, she'd imbibe a bit of the spooky bear thing's blood, and make her best rudimentary offering and give some of the blood towards the goddess her tribe follows who didn't decide to bully them or leave because they were weird forced nudists. She didn't particularly expect any boons but just appreciated having a god in her corner despite the whole gigantomachia thing. Meliton does seem clumsy and distracted as if he's worried about Blaer to the point of being unable to ignore her presence, but tries to smile, looking over his shoulder "I was just scared and acted dumb because of it." Eoghania nods along with the ritual, bright and happily dispensing with bear blood Eoghania: "Hah, dumb" " Orphea smiled at her assistance, glad she didn't give off any particularly chauvinistic vibes towards her faith. GM: (this is away from camp - he'd never use those words anywhere Eoghania can hear) Eoghania: :P "Orphea, we are Battle-sisters now. A bond that cannot be broken until death or dismemberment. Your ways and mine will mingle, and our followers will learn of our furies" "Tales will be told of our legends" P.P. A.: (just woke up again, let me get my bearings IRL and read up on what happened) Blaer: "I understand. It is hard to assume nice things will happen from the people you hide and take from." Orphea grinned at that, feeling a genuine bit of sorority that she didn't feel amongst the less noble of her own kin. "I am honored, and am certain they will." She paused, thinking how best to explain the myriad of political thoughts running through her head. Eoghania: "Dont fret; we will forge our own lineage if we need to. Take husbands and bear children that will follow our great legacy" ....unless?" Meliton: I didn't take anything, myself. Most of us are just shy, despite our strength, so when I saw the two of you together I just made a dumb assumption. Orphea grinned back, moving her hands together, then resting them against her mouth. She lowered her voice a bit, not wanting everyone to hear the initial thrust of her political planning, and also because it was a bit embarrassing. "Speaking of that, what's your people's..uhh, policy on multiple wives or husbands?" Orphea blinked a bit and straightened her neck like she saw something a bit odd before relaxing as normal. Eoghania: "I have no idea; we will make something work though" GM: (Eoghania knows there's some old people back home that will probably be a little too happy to pontificate on ancient traditions and examples) Orphea smiled back, thinking what to say next, pausing. She continued still speaking lowly "Does the axeman hold any positions that hold a deal of respect or political sway such that marrying him would secure lasting alliances and positive relations? I see in him great potential, both in matters martial and political. Thus, I am seriously considering becoming his wife and doing my best to instruct him in the traditions and stratagems my people utilized to achieve greatness in the past." GM: (outraged Thea noises in the distance) Eoghania: kek "Oh just knock him over the head and drag him to a hut. We'll settle the rest in the morrow" Orphea snickered at that. "I ought ensure that my people approve of the endeavor first. I won't deny that he's attractive, but the weight of such a relationship weighs more heavily on my mind than a desire to well, you know." Blaer: Meliton: Well. That she's your prisoner and needs help. Blaer: "Well, she was, for a time, but through her words and feats of strength, she became an equal in our eyes." "And, should we succeed in our goal, the rest of your tribe will be able to do the same." Meliton: Exactly. I didn't think of that. Just like you assume we're thieves, I assumed you're all slave-takers. Orphea sighed, concernedly and moved to lean against Eoghania lightly, she was clearly very stressed out about the whole, working to up-heave a nonproductive political system thing. Eoghania takes the hint, and simply is a big shoulder to lean on Orphea remained silent, going back to just thinking of what to do, it was still clear she appreciated the support though. Blaer and Meliton manage to gather some products to spice up the breakfast, and head back in time to get the food ready for the others. P.P. A.: (got a call as I was caught up) Eoghania: [man, thats gonna be an awkward breakfast] Radulf has spent the early hours or the morning around the campfire carving a small piece of wood, leaving the girls to chatter among themselves and recovering from the exhilarating encounter the day before Thea tries to spend time next to him, just watching him work. Radulf doesn't take his eyes off his work, but would be loathe to ignore the girl either. “By the way, who was it that cursed your people?” Thea flinches under the question and looks around for Orphea. Orphea was busy thinking, probably looking in a different direction. Thea: "Maybe we should ask Orphea, she'll probably tell the story better." Radulf looks up from his knife with a friendly smile. “I'd rather hear it from you.” Thea fidgets, then awkwardly tries to sit in a way that she probably hopes Radulf would find distracting because she herself finds embarrassing. Her attempt to distract him is ridiculously transparent. Orphea: (Would Orphea manage to hear the conversation if she was kinda spaced out?) Eoghania: "C'mon now; this is a story to GM: (well, she would now that Eoghania has mentioned it) Orphea stretched a bit, blinking. she was reciting speaches and having old women tell her why she was dumb in her head, and was a bit unsure of what was going on. Radulf acknowledges her poses with some amusement, but ultimately keeps re-training his eyes on hers. “Your outward treasures are easy to see; so I'm curious what treasures and stories you bear inside. by this point Blaer and Meliton a probably nearby as well. Orphea blinked "Pardon, but what are we talking about?" Eoghania: "something somehting, Radulf needs inside you, im gonna stab him, something something" Orphea blinked "Huh" Eoghania: " we were asking the tale of your people, how your clothing curse came about. Radulf took it to a weird place" Thea grows borderline purple with embarrassment at Eoghania's earlier words. Radulf glares at Eoghania, somewhat unsaumed, but plays along when she quickly returns to the subject. Orphea: "Oh, well, I'm not sure we're allowed to say that, though, I suppose we've fought together so..." She took a deep breath, thinking for a way to give a genera gist, without you know, explicitly stating gigantomachy. Orphea exhaled slowly, mentally kicking around a few traditional stories until she got a basic enough idea of what to say. "Imagine a wise old man, one in tune with the way objects interact with each-other. He uses this gift and travels far and wide, creating things such as aqueducts to bring water to those away from rivers, and myriads of other wonders to elevate those around them to newer and higher heights. Eventually the old man looked upon the vastness and fastened himself a wondrous set of wings from wax and feathers, and with them he ascended, first to the tops of the trees, than he interacted with the birds, but he flew ever higher, beyond the clouds and until the heat from the sun melted the wax and he fell." She paused, hoping she didn't give too much away, while upping the mysterious and smart as fuck and important to interact with peaceably mindset. Blaer: "So, your people were Radulf: “A wise king, who had great works of his own design built, and dabbled in less successful magic?” Eoghania: "Sparkling stars in the sky" Blaer: ...punished by their hubris?" Orphea shrugged, nonchalantly. "I'm not going to say anymore until I am able to." Meliton smiles seeing Blaer struggle to get two words in between her more loquacious friends. Orphea stood up, stretching her arms a bit. "Well, I feel like I'm able to head and get the other party for the discussion, might be worth it to go over what general things you're wanting to discuss however once more though." Orphea her gaze did rest on Blaer for a bit longer than she intended, and the little hint of shame on her face gave of the 'yeah, you got it on the head' sort of thing she was trying to conceal, but 10 points is 10 points. Radulf looks displeased. “That didn't explain anything. At least tell us if that man was your people's ancestor, or their king and they his subjects.” Radulf halts and taps his chin. “Unless that was an allegory, that man was your people.” Eoghania: "It is always allegory. The wings were actually prosthetic dongs he fashioned from magic rocks. Just let the story lay for now" Orphea snaps a finger and points at him, nodding slightly, averting the annoyed rant she was seconds away from going on. Radulf reflects on the tale with that in mind. “...so your people built a sprawling kingdom, but made enemies, or looked into their otherworldly realms, that... they shouldn't have.” Blaer feels satisfied with having "nailed it", and gets to work on making some breakfast Orphea: "I'm not able to say anything more regarding it, I very much hope I will be able to tell more soon." Orphea frowned, before resuming a more neutral expression. She thought to herself about any of the common spots the lesser members of her people pretended to be nymphs or some other nonsense. Were any closer and more conveniant of a meeting spot without makes sense, nearby cut any serious time off the trip though? If not, she'd probably be fine just doing it on dead bear thing mountain) GM: (Yes) Orphea: (There an estimate of how high traffic is in the area?) GM: (you can expect to find someone there) Orphea thought for a bit more before deciding to just take the careful route and volunteer to arrange the meeting here, she didn't want one of her stupid lustful tribes members ruining the impression of her tribe she was going for. Eoghania: [Thats my job!] GM: (a wise choice, no doubt) With that, Orphea now just needs to decide how to make contact, and what to do about Meliton and Thea Orphea she'd simply request to talk to Meliton and Thea and ask if they wanted to come back or wait with the others, she would try to pressure thea to head back for the sake of that sweet, sweet quest complete political capitol to blow on making sure this ends in friendship and not another burn the crops and put dead animals in the well conflict, she had dreams about that kind of stuff, and really would prefer not to engage in horrific warfare. Both of them would prefer not to come with her. In fact, Meliton would repeat his offer that if this doesn't work out, the three of them should just leave and avoid the fallout. It's pretty obvious however, that this time he would be happy to for her to refuse and continue chasing her dreams. GM: (and so everybody waits for Orphea to come back?) Orphea she'd make one final effort to get Thea to tag along, but wouldn't press it much further than that. If she's adamant Orphea'd head out to face society alone, she was not excited for this. Eoghania: "Can I come?" "Or are we not on the 'meet the parents' step yet?" Orphea: "I would love to take you along, but it would be a tactical mistake for securing negotiations." Orphea smiled towards Eo, appreciating the offer atleast. Eoghania: "I have been called worse things; don't worry about it" Orphea 'd go to give Eo a hug before setting off to talk to her scary tribe grandmas about major cultural shifts. Eoghania reciprocates Orphea set off, doing her best to avoid making obvious tracks just in case. Orphea manages to meet someone after several hours of running - a couple of girls that are not gonna tell her where they're going, but the body-paint and the feathers in their hair speak plenty Eoghania: "Dont get eaten again!" Orphea would look at them with chauvinistic distrust, but decided against it given what she was currently planning, honestly they were a benefit to her argument, being idiots and all. Orphea basically left them to do whatever silly thing they were doing, stopping them wasn't going to accomplish much. Idiots or not, the girls see one of their kin run, scarred and unarmed, they're gonna offer to escort her back home Orphea accepted the offer, she wasn't going to deny such a thing for no reason. "Compatriots." GM: (how much longer can you stay?) Orphea: (For a while, I'm a bit tired but all's well, if this is going to be focused on me alone for a decent amount of time should we just do it on discord so they don't have to sit through a session or two of my dumbass trying to do politics?) GM: (I'm thinking 15 minutes tops, not a session :D) Orphea: (Oh, yeah I can definitely do that lol) Eoghania: [i vote for offside RP, but Im also at my time limit for the day over here] GM: Alright It's a good point to end for others narratively. We can wrap this up in /W or discord. LD: I think now's a good point to end it here P.P. A.: I also wouldn't want the meeting to begin until I'm back home and lesss groggy Vodka: I'm fine for whichever you've got a preference for. Eoghania: man I cant believe you got hit with the boomer meme disease Balthazarr, the Mad: who lets their appendix burst? its like youre milhouse! P.P. A.: Didn't want Rose to outdo me! (She had appendicitis June last year) Balthazarr, the Mad: good lord P.P. A.: (if she hadn't recognised the symptoms and urged me to go to a doctor Saturday night I may be dying right now.) Balthazarr, the Mad: just laying there, oozing glad you didnt die man :D P.P. A.: not yet at least Balthazarr, the Mad: that was not a challenge! P.P. A.: *might be dying Thanks for the session Balthazarr, the Mad: yeah that was solid fun reps; I cant wait to cause social upheaval and declare a new dynasty! Vodka pondered the social view on sneaking in at night like a creepy conversation ninja. respscorp (GM): гс hi LD: Hi respscorp (GM): goddamned roll20 P.P. A.: >almost everyone here already Hope I'm not too late respscorp (GM): Not sure about Balthazar's ETA P.P. A.: Is Orphea still out and about? You could go ahead with that while we wait for him, otherwise if it hasn't been covered in whispers already GM: It has P.P. A.: Ah GM: but let's get the gang together while we wait PREVIOUSLY! In the wilds, our heroes rested and recuperated and spent some time talking about Orphea's people. Then, while the widling girl made a run for home, the others camped out and spend two evenings uneventfully. chatting about this and that. Radulf: “What do your dwellings look like?” Radulfs asks the two remaining wildlings. “They have to be very warm in winter if you cannot wear clothes.” Meliton would invite Blaer hunting, or rather - he would present it as an invitation to be her assistant during hunting for the camp's food reserves. P.P. A.: (\o) Eoghania passes the time idly tying and retying knots and braids, looking frustrated and worried Thea: "Well, yes. Big and warm for the winter." The girl is obviously worried about saying something out of turn and ruining Orphea's carefully laid-out diplomatic plans. Radulf thinks back to cold and unpleasant, but also cosy, nights spent huddled around the hearth of his home, or the smoke-dried floor above. Orphea was on her way to camp, trying her best to calm a bit down about the whole diplomatic situation soon to go down. Radulf: “Living together with the livestock would also warm the home,” he muses aloud. GM: "Yes, but it is a bit smelly." Thea opines. "So we don't keep them right next door to the living spaces." Eoghania: "Nobody needs to cuddle with them more than your Radulf. Who else would we choose to cuddle with swine" Blaer obliges, going hunting with Meliton, using her tried-and-true method of setting up snares and traps and luring the animals into them. (From Eoghania): how ya feeling bucko Radulf lets Eoghania's comment pass for the time being while he imagines the wildlings' homes. …his eyes open a bit in surprise. “Where else do you keep them? On a different floor?” (To GM): better and better but still, uh, exhausted Eoghania: "?" she asks aloud, to herself "Radulf, as my Second, we should concern ourselves with more important things. LIke how my new battle sister and I shall rule our new dynasty. Would you make her a good husband, i wonder? Serve and protect her?" Radulf: “They remind me of you,” he replies to Eoghania with a wink, as if it was a compliment (which it clearly isn't). seems to enjoy hunting with Blaer, even more so because of her propensity for using snares, which makes it a calmer, more cerebral affair - and with her focusing on that, he's free to focus on just doing the heavy lifting and dragging of things. GM: (that was supposed to be Meliton) Thea blinks, as if she's worried she might have said something wrong. "Yes, on a different floor, they have their own pens for the winter." Blaer: "Do you usually hunt for your tribe?" Radulf nods to himself: assuming the animal pens are on the bottom floor so the heat rises to the living quarters above, while during the summer days the herds graze outside. Meliton: "No, not really. I've not spent much time in the wilds until recently. My early attempts were sad affairs, really. I had to rely on sharpened stakes and wild hogs' stubborn idea to just charge at things." Eoghania simmers (but doesnt seethe) about her spot in camp. Eoghania: Blaer: "Those kinds of traps are what gave me this wooden hook for an arm. Consider yourself lucky to remain intact." (To Balthazarr, the Mad): he did reply with Radulf:“They remind me of you,” he replies to Eoghania with a wink, as if it was a compliment (which it clearly isn't). (From Eoghania): :P yeah, and then he ignored that followup Meliton nods at Blaer. "I guess I'm lucky to have you to teach me these things." He glances at her prosthetic and cautiously asks if he can get a closer look, careful not to cause offense. (To Balthazarr, the Mad): oh, I missed that Radulf snaps out of his distraction (thinkgen about houses, still doing woodworking). “Wait, whom? Orphea?” Eoghania: "Yes! you daft pig-thinker, my Battlesister!" "Who else?" "I envision a future: you wed her to mingle their houses, I wed one of their fine young men..." Awan: "If any would have you" Radulf mulls it over seriously for a moment: “She's certainly strong, capable, and hardy. And tastes well, apparently,” he says the latter with a guilty smirk. “But— well, pretty much what Awan said.” Eoghania: "We have been tested in battle, and bested a nefarious foe. We are Heroes of a Legacy now" Blaer nods, taking her bow off and holding out her hook arm to Meliton Blaer: "It's something that I learned to make myself...with a bit of help." Eoghania: "Who would refuse us?" Thea squeaks out "I taste well as well, I bet!" before realizing what she just blurted out and running away to hide. Radulf: “Anyone with a working head on his shoulder—which is why I can't see you wedding one of their young men.” Radulf smirks at Thea's outburst and feels flattered by it, but doesn't amplify her embarassment, enjoying it as it is. Meliton hold the arm and the prosthetic gently, with professional interest and appreciation. "This is very clever and well done... I'm sorry, I really can't focus properly when you're watching." He lets go and steps back. "Let's get back to hunting." Eoghania: "Gods willing I will put a hatchet to a good man and place it on whoever comes willing" "But... truly it will be a test to find a good man of theirs" Radulf: “True, I can see you removing his good head from his shoulders with your hatchet. That would be one way to solve the problem.” Eoghania blushes angry and frustrated...her point broken by poor words Blaer: "...Yes, let's." Two evening pass, and eventually Orphea leads a small delegation of her kin towards the camp. As the initiator of this event, and considering the concessions she had to make, she has some small influence over who is included, so there won't be people in it she finds particularly objectionable. Eoghania tries her best to be clean and presentable; fresh hair braids and clean weapons The delegation soon arrives. Thea is followed by a small group of young women, carrying spears and wearing some decorative body-paint - mostly black lines underscoring their faces and the contour of their bodies. Although they seem more richly decorated than Orphea, it's obvious they defer to her, at least for the time being. Radulf makes sure to present himself well. He combs his hair a bit, brushes Karli's hair off his cloak, and stands tall and proud. Orphea arrived, a bit disappointed that she a relatively young person was going to have to champion everything. If she had the time she'd get painted all pretty like too. Blaer tries her best to clean up GM: (Orphea's delegates would be very willing to loan her some paint - as would the friends she made on the way back if they knew she doesn't hate cosmetics) Eoghania: "Well, I knew there would be a whole tribe of nude women. Very different to see them in numbres" Orphea orphea shrugged, thinking to herself how best to begin a conversation she'd hoped those more versed in her tribes economic needs would have championed. One of the other girls placed her hand on Orphea's shoulder reassuringly. "We're here to aid, you, just as you're here to lead us. Don't worry about not having all the answers." Radulf: “Are these ladies our escort to meet your… elders, or leaders?” Eoghania roughly nudges Radulf Orphea smiled and nodded towards them "Right, thank you." She'd go ahead and discuss issues internally before helping set up the meeting area. Upon being asked that, Orphea Orphea: heck fuckin roll20) Radulf asks Orphea politely, as he's a bit surprised to see Orphea in the centre. Orphea would look at him with a mixture of misattributed annoyance and the most obviously forced smile one could imagine. "Our elders decided that I and these particularly skilled youths will head the delegation." Orphea was not having a good time. Radulf raises an eyebrow, but retains his formal posture. “…very well then.” One of the naked young women clears her throat, clearly asking Orphea for permission to speak. Orphea nodded, giving them the chance. GM "That one to the left" Our leaders conferred and decided to sent a group of youth, same as your people. We didn't want to make things awkward by sending too many, or someone too old. Radulf: “I see; considerate of them,” the shepherd says politely, but not quite able to hide a bit of offense taken. Radulf looks at Blaer and Eoghania (and Awan and Muiram) before speaking to see if they want to throw anything in, and clears his throat. Eoghania remains stoically silent, but meets his gaze Muiram indicates to Radulf she'll let him know if she says something she disagrees with, but gives him her confidence. Blaer simply nods to Radulf Radulf speaks: “I am Radulf, son of Rodemir; you know us, so I will skip the remaining introductions. We have come here for two reasons: to escort and return to your tribe your two wayward daughters, Thea and, well, Orphea.” Radulf: “Through their tact, courage, and prowess they have exonerated themselves of any wrongdoings against my kin; we return them not as prisoners, but as free women.” “…and we picked up that guy along the way,” he says sloppily as he points over his shoulder to Meliton. Blaer covers her mouth in a way to look pensive, while also trying to hide her slight smirk Eoghania punctuates Radulf's gesture with a giggle and smirk Meliton appears like he really, really doesn't want to be here. He gives Orphea a pained look full of hope. Radulf: “Our second purpose in coming here is to address the grievance of five piglets, stolen from our clan over the last six years. As we have learned, it is your people's custom to venture into the wilds as a rite of passage, alone, and living off the land. As these thefts were unlike our enemies' raid, and did not bear the scars of a wild animal attack, we hold it against your kinsmen that it is them who stole our livestock.” *five years Ophea's delegates look to see if she wants to answer, or if they should get on to presenting their side Orphea went through introductions for her side as well, she'd presumably have gotten the names of the girls she was traveling with by now. She'd listen to him, she knew the pig debacle was going to come, and she really, really wished she had been given someone who actually keeps track of stocks. If there was someone in her group who had gotten that kind of information she'd defer her response to them, they'd presumably rehearsed the pig debacle thing. One of the girls stepped forward to address what history might remember as the pig debacle thing. In polite words, she'd say there is zero proof the piglets were not taken by someone else, or indeed - eaten by the same old man spreading fanciful stories about their disappearance. But in the spirit of friendship and wrongs perceived, they are willing to gift your clan the value owed. That Girl: Our people might benefit from mutual friendship, so we'd like to offer you a gift that is twofold. Some fine metal tools our craftsmen have made, and some of our young people come to live with you and aid you in your affairs, for a time at least until the labour out-values the perceived injury" P.P. A.: (how skinny/meaty are these girls by the way?) GM: (one of them is skinny like Eoghania, the rest have well-rounded, somewhat athletic figures, tending towards taller than average for women from your clan) P.P. A.: (good, so they generally aren't malnourished like Thea) Radulf foregoes into the dirt his calculations for how they actually owe like 600 pigs, but looks that girl in the eyes with a satisfied smile. “Such was my hope. Our wise and sagely elders chose not to keep as reparations two nubile slaves—to forego feud and bitterness, to extend to your people the hand of friendship, and I am pleased to see you do the same.” Radulf: “Your people are a secretive one, cursed to many hardships, but skilled in their trades. I hope that with these both our gestures, we may have peace, commune, and share with each other the fruits of our abundance.” Most of the delegation blushes, shocked at the "nubile slaves" part, one of the taller girls snerks, barely suppressing her laughter. P.P. A.: *foregoes drawing Orphea generally came off as glad the other members of the delegation were better at being nice than her. She'd relaxed a bit. Eoghania: "Where are their men?" Radulf: “Upon our return, we will gift to Orphea and Thea the spoils taken from them.” *justly taken from them the young women relax a bit, though they still seem a bit wary and flustered, eyeing Radulf with newfound caution. Radulf acknowledged Eoghania's aside but mulls over his next words. Radulf doesn't know all that much about diplomacy; delegations visiting each other usually bear gifts, and that's a way of trade and keeping up good relations? “Though you keep your dwellings hidden, I hope our people can both offer each other our hospitality in the future.” He looks to Orphea. “Would later delegations and visits be like this—you contact your kin to set up a place to meet?” Orphea made an uncomfortable face, pacing and stretching a bit before he spoke. "I believe that such arrangements would be tenable, however..." She paused, thinking a bit more, not wanting to point out all of the idiocy she'd dealt with. "However, I believe that the station would be better filled by another member of the clan. I'd like to be able to provide continuous support with your group and running back and forth would make that difficult." If it wasn't apparent already, she was clearly hiding something. Radulf 's neutral expression betrays a little bit of suspicion. “…so that our elders may know the name of your leaders, I would like to ask you who leads your people, and in what manner?” One of the other girls places her hand on Orphea's shoulder. "We learned Orphea has a dear friend, and such a thing should be treasured, so we bade her to stay with her friend." Eoghania beams Radulf looks aside to Eoghania with an empathetic smile. Orphea smiled back towards Eoghania, she was appreciative of her clans members ability to come off as nice, a skill she really needed to hone. One of the shorter girls, a small-bodied blonde with paler skin than the rest, answers Radulf "We decide most day to day stuff between each other in an assembly of the clan. Our elders are just well-respected for their experience." That one girl: But I suspect the minutiae of our internal affairs is not that much of a concern for you, I think. Most of our interaction will be one person to another. It seems the wildling are a bit more individualistic than the settlers in this regard. Radulf nods. “I will commend the whole of you for your friendliness and wise decisions, then” A short, awkward pause follows, as the blushing delegation shuffles in place behind Orphea, unsure if the official negotiations are over. Orphea smiled towards them, she didn't have anything else to add, but she would go ahead and just ask if they had any questions. Radulf strikes a pensive pose while the delegation breaks ranks a bit, himself unsure if there is anything to add. He once again looks over to his comrades, and would otherwise relax as well. Blaer speaks up Blaer: "How are we to meet again?" "We cannot have much of a partnership if we do not know where to go to speak with each other on matters." Radulf nods to that. Eoghania: "We should meet here, in the place of our great battle. Where our people stood together as one tribe and fought against an evil thing, together." Eoghania draws her hatchet, and throws it into the earth at her feet, blade sinking deep The tall one: We'll setup a meetswap camp somewhere nearby. I think your people have something like that? And we'd be willing to let a few of you visit our home under an oath of secrecy. Trusts build little by little. Orphea nodded her head towards Eoghania's statement, thinking it seemed like a decent place to set up an embassy. Quite a lot of the delegates nod at Eoghania's idea as something that makes perfect sense Eoghania: "I would suggest your best craftsmen take our accounts, and begin carving a proper stone" Radulf smiles in assent. Blaer: "Perhaps I could forge a proper mark in metal for this site." Orphea allowed the delegation to give their own ideas, her body language indicated she preferred Eo's idea, but she didn't actively comment The delegates casually comment that some markers and art will appear in time, but for now it will just be a place to meet and trade - and keeping it inconspicuous until people get used to the idea will keep it secret for longer. One of the young women: I think there's more than one reason why we finally break our isolation for you. Word spreading is unavoidable, but for now we're not willing to trust others as much. You treated our kin well and have shown yourself friendly and worthy. With that, the negotiations seem to be finally over and people are free to mingle with each other. Some of the delegates casually suggest that a humble feast is in order. Orphea supported the idea of a feast and would do what she could to help it be prepared. Eoghania: "Oh Blaer, i hope you brought enough for everyone" Tasks get split up evenly, and soon there is a small celebration involving freshly caught game and some alcohol that may or may not be a diluted form of witch's brew. GM: (anyone want to do or avoid doing anything in particular?) Orphea not particularly P.P. A.: (not really, though I'm a bit out of it) Eoghania: [Eo should party, and make merry, though shes a bit preoccupied with the retelling of the tale of the slaying of the beast to anyone she can bend a ear of] Radulf is going to use any opporrtunity to small- and smoothtalk, both to impress and to try and learn a bit more about economic needs, wants, and surplusses of these people, and other interesting bits about their lifestyle Radulf is also going to inquire politely about Orphea's and Thea's standing in their tribe's÷ not hierarchy, but overall order Radulf: *politely –> subtly Strangely enough, the wildlings seem quite a bit more of a captive audience than Eoghania's clansmen, at least in her experience so far. GM: Radulf doesn't pump out much details, but can get a rough idea of things, helping him build up a picture of it in his head. As for Orphea and Thea... it seems Orphea has risen from the position of relative anonymity as a "brutal fighter, doesn't talk much" to "smart kid, and a brutal fighter" at least among her peers currently present. (aaah) Thea on the other hand - the girl try to not be mean to her, but they all seem to think she's a bit of a failure. The first girl in decades to actually fail her rite of adulthood. Nothing drastic, they just seem to think she's a massive failure but are not mean enough to state it. P.P. A.: poor Thea Orphea appreciated the sentiment and generally didn't add much herself Blaer would be spending her time with Thea, trying to socially back her up GM: (now is a good time to stop generally, but here's one last cliffhanger) As everyone is starting to relax, there may or may not be somebody sneaking up on them... as they're about to find out next time! Radulf is going to ask Thea at some point whether she wants to return to her kin, or whether she wants to stay with them and Orphea for a while longer Thea would indicate she definitely would prefer to stay with Radulf is possible, or with Orphea otherwise. She seems to think the quiet condescension with which she is treated by her kin here is infinitely better than what may await her at home. Radulf smiles at that, and pats her head. As far as he's concerned, she's always welcome. P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! Orphea: ty for the session ♥ GM: (thanks everyone, see you next Monday) respscorp (GM): (hello) P.P. A.: \o LD: I'm here Previously! Negotiations were concluded and hope of a new, better world was planted. Settlers and natives made peace and overtures to friendship, and in the end both delegations sat down for a humble celebration. And now... Everybody who cares about their own safety or that of the fellows, rolls Percetion. Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 0 The senses of most of you serve well - but not well enough, for you only notice something is wrong when the danger comes in plain sight! Still, that allows you a precious extra moment to warn others and get ready. Orphea was really invested in her soup, man it was good soup. Up on a nearby ridge stands... some guy. Stocky, broad, short blonde bear - Blaer and Radulf would recognize the man they fought some time ago. That Guy: We meet again! P.P. A.: (He was the one who knocked Radulf out, right?) GM: (yes) (are you by chance carrying his Fine Longaxe?) P.P. A.: (I'm still carrying the old shepherd's axe) Radulf stands up with his trusty axe in his hand and meets the man's eyes. “So we do.” That Guy: And this time, we have the drop on youu! Orphea turned around squinting at the conversation going on Blaer meanwhile is making her way into the undergrowth nearby for cover and hiding Orphea doesn't need her skin tingling with the gaze of several extra men to notice they are up there. GM: (Blaer can roll Stealth to try and just.... casually disappear in the undergrowth) Radulf briefly looks between the enemy and Awan. “My honour is stained by the wound to inflicted upon me, while yours is staiend by the defeat suffered at my friends' hands. How do we handle this?” Rolling 11 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 5 LD: That Guy: I'll tell you how! We can have a go at it, bloody our blades! But as you offered us surrender before, I'll extend you the same courtesy - you can leave your weapons and go back to your homes. All except the savages... Eoghania: Coward! You are to scared to fight us! Orphea glared towards the guy, not particularly fond of the suggestion Radulf: “If you do not wish for a duel, we can send you all running again; that works for me!” P.P. A.: Does the terrain slope downhill in the direction of those smaller lines? That Guy shrugs, declaring it's fine by him. The rest of them seem relieved he's done talking and get ready. GM: (yes) (~2m tall dirt slopes, inconvenient to climb for normal humanoids) Radulf notes to his friends and allies “The trees should provide some cover from enemy arrows.” Radulf looks over to Orphea's entourage to see how they're armed. Blaer takes this time to ready her bow, nock an arrow, and begin taking aim at one of the enemy archers Orphea stood up, if she was given the time, getting ready for fightan. The delegates carry decorated, but seemingly functional spears. GM: (everybody has had the time for standing up and at least a Move during the talk) Orphea took a step, changing her direction, not wanting to get into a full sprint yet because you gotta sync up with your buds for that. Radulf gets a bit closer to the trees for cover. Orphea just knows Eoghania will charge in Radulf speaks to the allies at the back: “Since you're caught up in this, how about you stand behind us and use your spears to poke at anyone who comes near?” Radulf: “Damn it, Eoghania!” Eoghania: NO GUTS NO GLORY, RIP AND TEAR! Radulf grinds his teeth but prepares to advance as well, can't leave that hothead all alone. Orphea noting her comrade moving forward, she'd rush forward with similar gusto, requesting her compatriots move to flank to hold off an exit, she are wearing thick linen shirts and felt hats; That guy is wearing some sort of bulkier armor under his overtunic; spear guys below have large oval hideshields with an iron rim and boss and have bronze-tipped spears; they have iron-tipped spares; axemen have Longaxes with seems iron blades; archers have selfbows and axes as sidearms. guy in the back has pouches of no doubt charms and medicines, as well as undoubtedly friends on the other side) (as the bow is not scoped, you only need to Aim for 1s) Rolling 8 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -4 Eoghania: hahahaha Cerndric convulses once and topples over GM: (Orphea) Radulf winces but also feels a good deal of Schadenfreude. Orphea: Orphea performed a heroic charge into close against the axeman, positioning herself between her all-out-attacked comrade to impose a -4 for attacking through enemies! Furthermore, she'd deliver a telegraphed eye rake, not particularly able to hit for shit when that guys eyes are moves up to the two girls and stands menacingly over Cemdric. He looks at the archers and the shaman-looking man, and calls out to them, standing tall and proud: “Your leader is gelded and at our feet; the other warrior blinded, both at our mercy. Lay down your arms if you wish them to live!” Radulf gazes at the spearmen too. The other young men seem concerned and intimidated, but the shaman only manages to croak out "It's too late, fool!" as he finishes his incantation Orphea pondered to herself in the attosecond before getting exploded by magic if there was a greek equivalent of the blood eagle. Lightning crackles and pounds down on Radulf, a thin silver spear of skyfire manifesting out of the clear sky. Insignificant compared to the power summoned by gods, but more than enough to harm men. Rolling 7-3d6 = -2 Orphea went ahead to try and provide cover for Eoghania, noting she was probably less likely to die for it, and something something friends are precious P.P. A.: Hm, I could luck this Eoghania: :3 EO has good friends GM: (should have used die for cover under Eoghania Radulf) (ahem... dive for cover) P.P. A.: Oh, that was an option for a sacrificial dodge too? Eoghania: RADULF! Tackle me! Like one of your french girls! P.P. A.: Oho, you can, B377 Radulf leaps at Eoghania to shove her out of the way forcefully! (7+3)-9=1 Vodka: Mister President watch out! GM: (you brave fool) Eoghania: P.P. A.: so Sacrificial Dodge and Drop + Diving for Cover Orphea was the cover, presumably. Radulf: Eoghania's shield still lowered and her face towards the enemy, Radulf leaps to forcefully shove her aside, and half-falls on heri in the process? Eoghania: [good lord, do we dodge? explode?] GM: You all fall down on top of Eoghania, trying to pull her (and in the case of Radulf yourself) out of danger. Lightning strikes behind you, a searing bolt that makes the dirt erupt in a fountain and the leaves supernatural bolt thankfully is limited by its ephemeral nature to only strike where it lands, but it is hot enough to ignite clothing and hair. Rolling 9 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -2 And so they did. Eoghania: :3 "Radulf get off of me. Your betrothed is over there" Orphea went ahead and helped the two up to the best of her ability, noting thea rushing over she furrowed her brow a bit, before looking at the axeman, did he make it as far in the route being blind and all? Radulf and Eoghania quickly discover that although they are fine, they are smouldering and need to stop and roll until they put themselves out. Eoghania: SHIT HOT POTATO Axeman doesn't know much of what is going on, he surrenders Eoghania: GM: Blaer has a chance to shoot a man in the back Blaer will instead go for a shot to the leg Orphea blinked, satisfied and not being a total asshole she opts not to take out her sick slavery revenge fantasies on a guy who surrenders, despite the fact that she very clearly wanted to from her facial expression towards Mr. Eunuch and the Axe-man. She turned towards the others for their opinion on what to do about the prisoner. Rolling 10 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -3 You can see that the girls from the delegation are eager to give chase and hesitate only for a moment to see your intentions... they seem inclined to follow your lead on this Eoghania: "Oh good, a prisoner of their band! They may pay for his safe return" "Radulf, tell them your heroic plans for your enemy's men" "Who I so expertly dispatched for you" Orphea gestured towards the axeman than pointed to Cerndric, a perpetual look of disgust plastered on her face. "His family own anything valuable enough to ransom him off?" GM: (btw, they are looking for encouragement to chase the routed foe from anyone, not Orphea specifically) Eoghania: [yeah, Radulfs foe, his clal] Radulf , his back on fire, yells defiantly at the enemy. “You have stoked the flames of your own demise!” Eoghania: hahah oh shit Orphea seemed to be on the side of letting them get away, being evil and easy to read, she was clearly planning some Dracula shit. Eoghania: naked lady battle cries ahoy? afterwards, but killing them would probably work too. GM: The girls nod at Radulf, ready to run if he would but encourage them. Radulf notices this, and raises his seared arm towards the foe. “Charge! Spare only those who surrender!” Eoghania cries havok! Once shes not smouldering, she charges alongside! Radulf rolls off Eoghania and through the dirt to extinguish the fire on his back. P.P. A.: (at the nearest opportunity. We still in combat time?) GM: (combat is over) Orphea frowned, shrugging she'd give the surrendered axeman a friendly pat on the shoulder, asking him to stay put before joining the pursuit, having a move of 8 she'd probably be able to catch up without too much issue, her preference for target is, of course, the shaman. Orphea and her kin run forward, quick-footed all of them, like vengeful dryad hungry for the lifeblood of menfolk Eoghania: yeah, seconded, fuck the shaman in particular Together you manage to round them up, but not before Orphea and some of her kin manage to have a series of odd mishaps. GM: (which probably does not at all contribute positively to Thea's mood) Radulf helps tying them all up after disarming them, and recommends silencing the Shaman, if he still lives; with a gag perhaps. Orphea once she'd captured them all, Orphea'd make an attempt to speak to Eoghania in private, trying not to be particularly audible about her suggestion. "I'd prefer to make an example of the shaman for his lack of concern for his clansmen, and well, the lightning thing. I am using you as a moral framework on if I should proceed or not." Eoghania: "i have a hatchet" Radulf also helps intimidate them into surrendering, promising their lives if they submit, but a deadly wound in their back if they turn and flee. Eoghania: "the shaman needs no tongue" Orphea takes not of her desire to mutilate the shaman, and as a result considers that confirmation enough to go ahead with her plan. She'd go ahead and request one of her compatriots spears and a knife. Awan: "You cannot just go around carving people who have surrendered." Radulf: “Your spirit-talker pronounced what could have been your death-sentence, when we offered to spare your lives,” Radulf addresses the captured youths who were at the cusp of surrendering when he made the suggestion. Eoghania: "He loses his tongue for transgression and repayment. He keeps his life for surrendering" Orphea noted her decision to spare the shaman, Orphea mumbled, abandoning the spear-and-knife gathering plot, clearly dissatisfied. GM: "That's not what the traditions say, Eoghania. You are mocking our ancestors." Eoghania: "And how would we mete out justice, otherwise?" Radulf: “He may keep his tongue, but should he ever utter a word of malice, or conspire with his feeble spirits against us again, he will lose not only his tongue, but his head.” “Is that clear?” He looks at the bound & gagged shaman and the men beside him, demonstratively weighing his axe in his hand. Orphea looked an unhealthy bit disgusted and annoyed at the way the conversation was proceeding, hypocrite, thy name is Orphea. Eoghania visibly seethes (for the good of the show) Awan: Awan seems satisfied with this compromise. "Of course. Mercy for the surrendered, no quarter for the foe." Muiram would try to save Cerndric's life if no-one stops her. Or you could let him die from bleeding. Eoghania: [and no better way to scare folks into knowing that, then to have Eo to want to do worse] Blaer: "While it is not our place to judge him, it is his clan's. We would be remiss if we did not make them aware of his recklessness in the face of his own kin. "Perhaps a suitable mark can be given?" Orphea turned towards the axeman who'd surrendered earlier. "The shaman would have traded your life for his egotistical desire to feel powerful, traditionally, how would you treat one in your clan who behaves as such?" Muiram and Awan nod in agreement with Blaer. Radulf nods to Muiram to keep the geldling from bleeding out. Orphea 's expression of seething anger softened somewhat looking towards him, she really did appreciate his surrender without pursuit. Radulf also smiles in agreement with Blaer. Eoghania: "Dont save his manhood. It is no longer his to keep" The Axeman, his eyesight gradually improving, nods at Orphea grudgingly... although his eyes ling on some parts of her a bit longer than necessary. "Our clan will know what he did." He seems to swallow down on what he personally would advise. Eoghania: "Axeman, must I geld you too? Answer her and avert your gaze" Muiram: "It is not mine choice to make 'Nia. I'm not a true healer, I can only save his life, nothing more." Orphea looked into his eyes, stepping closer and resting a hand on his shoulder "You've got a right to express your real opinion, come on, I won't bite." She smiled in the way someone does when they're craving to hear something horrible. "Even if the spell worked, the back rank would have dispatched you, he one hundred percent would have had you dead, just to rub his powers in your face." Muiram seems to feel a pang of guilt as she surreptitiously glances towards Blaer The Axeman looks up at Orphea, his mustache twitching as he ponders her words for a moment. "You wildlings sure are a vicious bunch. I'd probably give him a good smack on the head for being reckless, but since he did not break his word, he committed no crime." One of the younger boys nods. "If anyone is to blame, it is Cerndric." Radulf meanwhile takes aside one of the guards who accompanied Orphea and quietly asks her: “Given your circumstances, I suppose you have little use for hostages or slaves, and it would be better for us to take them?” The young Hiordlings try to keep their eyes away from the widling girls with varying degrees of success. The girls bear this with some stoicism, but at least one is going to suggest blindfolds before long. Eoghania: "I have a hatchet, and no cloth" Orphea chuckled, slapping him on the shoulder in a playful manner, she grabbed her stomach for a bit, still laughing in the way someone hearing about such a thing from an outsider belonging to the class she interpreted as completely soulless rapacious monsters that are either to be dealt with or enslaved. She turned towards the axeman, putting a hand on his face and focusing into it, staring at him with the genuine mixture of hatred and scorn someone who fucking chugged the fascist Kool-Aid and asked for seconds did. "Know that this forest is haunted, but it has a serious lack of corpses hanging up. I dislike the lack of decor very, very much. Your band of interlopers are being spared by the mercy of..." She pointed towards Radulf in an exaggerated way with her thumb "This guy right here, if I find you tresspassing again, I'll probably not be with him, and I'll decorate, you know I will." She turned, her expression becoming more friendly towards Radulf "All yours." Eoghania: :3 dats mah gurl The naked young woman Radulf is talking with would nod and then lose her composure over Orphea being honestly brutal. Radulf: “Do your people have use for their arms? You should get a share of the spoils too, after all.” All of them would try to take Orphea away and huddle for a bit, seemingly worried for her. Or by her. Orphea accepted the gesture, her expression had returned to a calm relaxed one. She'd probably honestly be in the foreign baby killing camp if it weren't for the fact she looked at history too. As she was taken away she'd suggest to Radulf to decide something he thought was fair, adding she trusted him. Radulf surveys the weapons (and armour) they took from their captives, waving over whoever of his friends he knows to have the most discerning eye for quality equipment. Radulf: (perhaps Blaer) LD: probably Blaer will take a look at it Blaer can tell the bows are well made, but in no way exceptional weapons easily; she's less able to judge the other weapons, but they don't seem to have noteworthy defects. The armour is several hard shirts, several felt hats and a piece of iron mail, in good condition and smelling of fresh oil. Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 2 (guy gets to live) Radulf muses aloud, but quietly, to Blaer and whoever else squeezed into the conversation: “They cannot make any use of armour, so we will take it with us. As for the weapons, if any of us have a need, we can take one or two, and we will leave the rest to the wildlings as their part of the spoils, and a gift of friendship. Sound good?” Blaer nods in agreement LD: Are the weapons made of iron? have Smith (Iron) as a skill GM: 2 spears are bronze, one of the axes is bronze. Rest is iron. Blaer can judge none of the metal parts of the weapons have any defects. And she's now even more sure the mail is decent and well maintained. P.P. A.: So two bows, two bronze spears, a bronze axe, and some iron axes? GM: And some iron spears and a couple of hatchets, knives and clubs. Radulf: The bronze axe one- or two-handed? The wildling split in two groups as the two oldest girls take Thea aside and shoo the others back to return to Radulf, Eoghania, Blaer and co Radulf: ”Hey, 'nia. Do you need any of these—replace your hatchet perhaps?” Eoghania: " replace it? Never" She considers the weapons though "i could carry another though" "set me aside whatever you think I need. The battle was enough for me" Radulf picks up the bronze axe as a nice trophy, and gathers up the other weapons to present them to the wildlings. Radulf: “We will be taking only this axe; you shall have the rest of their weapons—take them as your spoils,” he addresses Orphea and whoever is with her. P.P. A.: The other consideration is that these are a bit of a pain to carry all the way back home, so this is more convenient too :V the younger Wildlings thank you, but look somewhat critically at the weapons Eoghania: :V Orphea nodded towards her group first, then towards the Radulf. "Thank you" She'd grab one of the spears, a temporary murder stick beat none at all, but man did she miss murder stick. Meliton takes the remaining longaxe, and the girls give him only mildly disapproving looks as he retreats away from them. Eoghania: "They look down upon the spoils of war? How odd these nubile women are" Orphea Shrugged looking at Eoghania, then towards Meliton. Radulf replies quietly. “Seeing how fine Thea's knife was, I suppose their weapons are of finer quality than these; but it's really the gesture that counts here.” One of them: No, no. We mean no disrecpect to your generosity. But I think one of our craftsmen can do a bit better than this. We might be willing to take some of your metal and smith it any way you like if you have any more of these guys' shoddy ironwork around. Radulf: “If they keep coming at this rate, we can deliver a batch every week,“ Radulf laughs. Awan: I fear next time we will meet real warriors, not just enthusiastic farmhands and womanizing stickpickers. Eoghania: "heh" Muiram: Speaking of warrior, 'Nia, maybe you should take the mail shirt. You lead our charge, you deserve it. Radulf nods to that. “If you keep attacking recklessly like that, you'll need it.” Muiram is good enough a bluffing people in their face to get them to swallow her bitter brews that even fi she is just secretly hoping this might prolong Eoghania's life by a couple of weeks, she does not show it. Eoghania smiles wryly Eoghania: "I have such wonderful, complimentary friends" "thank you, I will wear it proudly" Radulf: “If the geldling can walk, I propose we send him back to his tribe to tell them of their defeat; and that we showed mercy, and are willing to ransom the captives. Nobody has died yet; there is no cause for a feud, unless they persist in their folly.” Orphea: "I'd prefer we send the axeman, he had the decency to surrender without pursuit." Orphea commented. Eoghania: "That one would make the better herald, yes, Orphea" "He may even survive the walk home" The axeman nods. "If you hope for someone to present that message, then perhaps you should send me along as well. And lend us a pair of spears, that we can hope to cross the wilds in one piece." Axeman: "Otherwise I don't mind just remaining a prisoner. Beats being the meal of beasts." Radulf nods. “Very well, we'll do it like this.” Orphea began to speak but stopped, shrugging, clearly not very invested in what she had to say. Radulf addresses the axeman. “Escort your leader home to deliver our message. It was he who bore the fault of your defeat; let him bear the scorn, too.” P.P. A.: (also since he screwed up twice now and lost his manhood, enthusiasm for ransoming him may be low) Eoghania: [who would pay for a dickless failure?] P.P. A.: (having the leader return and bear the brunt of the anger and disappointment also allows the axeman to speak more freely and better convey our demands) You reach an agreement with the axeman, who starts making preparations; LD: Need to go The delegates turn to you and inquire if you would mind them escorting him some distance as a gesture of good will. They know the woods well and want to try and convince the Hiordlings they are your friends and would help you - but they are not necessarily their enemies GM: (be safe) Radulf gladly agrees to that. Orphea looked towards the delegates with a degree of dissapointment, her expression softened and brightened after a while, she'd go ahead and give her blessing as well. Realizing coming off as just monsters might turn on the ol' genocide desire of the savages. The rest of the girls would pull Orphea into a hug, against her wishes if they must, promise her that somebody else will be along before long, tell her to be careful and take care, and then prepare for leaving Orphea hugged back, nodding a bit and feeling all that emotional stuff that comes with leaving your racially mandated gal-pals for the long vacation. It's almost as if the earlier episode and Orphea's general reputation have them a bit worried about her mental health. Still, they seem to respect and trust her. GM: (this is a good time to end, tie up any loose ends you might have) Orphea did, admittedly come off like a crazy murder bitch at home. Eoghania: [eh im good; got a victory, got some lucky breaks. Been a good day for Eo] P.P. A.: (and I'm getting a bit tired, sorry if I've been losing steam) Radulf steps up to the group of naked girls and puts a hand on Orphea's shoulder, and addresses her kin. Radulf: “Orphea has a good head on her shoulder. We would not stand here today in peace and friendship if not for her tactfulness, diplomacy, and courage.” “Thank you for entrusting her to us; a trust I pray we will not disappoint.” Orphea smiled at Radulf, genuinely, she wasn't particularly used to compliments and blushed a bit, not really knowing how the fuck to respond in this situation. The bunch of naked girls nods and mutters in general agreement. "Some others will come, as per our agreement, until them... oh." They blush, as if suddenly remembering something they had forgotten. "Hm." The blonde one, who introduce herself as Amatha or something: There was one thing we forgot to talk about... Her again: The topic of liaison and marriage. Orphea had forgotten it in the spur of the moment, the compliment draining her realpolitik brain. Fool, you will become slaves to sycophants. Eoghania: [] Radulf grins awkwardly. “Ah, yeah… I can see how that's… a concern.” Orphea 's focus drifted to Thea, easy to read and all that. Radulf 's eyes briefly veer towards Thea, but he reigns them back in quickly. Radulf: *reins The lot of them, speaking over each other: No, no, it really shouldn't be too much of a concern we hope. We'll send someone to answer your elders' questions in more detail.. Radulf: “Very well. We'll try not to create a fait accompli— err.” He scratches his cheek a bit and averts his eyes from all the shapely bodies around him, whic distracts a bit from finding a tactful wording. “Preserve the… Well, you know. We will inform our elders and expect your liaison.” One of them giggles shyly, causing the rest of them to give her murderous glances. Amatha: Don't worry, we were actually going to warn you about the opposite. Some of our youngest can be a bit eager and now that we've relaxed our regime of secrecy, they might do something untoward. Please be understanding towards them, we probably should apologize in advance. They all sigh, as if each of them has at least one young and stupid cousin. GM: (and with that, it's a wrap) Orphea: (Thanks for having me ♥) P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! GM: Thanks for playing everyone. Vodka: ♥♥♥ Eoghania: :V (From respscorp (GM)): How's the health, btw? (To GM): Pretty good (To GM): I'm still often tired and feel my digestive system more strongly than usual but I'm almost feeling normal again for much of the day, definitely recovering very well Previously! With negotiations concluded, the two groups were attacked by an old friend. The fight was very short and brutal, with the enemy shocked by the reckless bravery and skilled hands of our heroes. The two groups now split, you are free to head home. Eoghania now proudly wears the scavenged mail armor, and has already taken to braiding in a skirt of decorations along the bottom; one for each ally she has made i nher time Eoghania: "See Radulf? This one is frumpy because it best represents you" ;P Radulf forces a smirk. “And it reflects your domestic skills.” respscorp (GM): It is a bit oversized, but thankfully the straps are in pristine condition, allowing it to fit someone much leaner than the original wearer. The metal bears several discolered paches, indicating the shirt has been in the past pierced or struck numerous time. No doubt a family treasure of some worth, as evidenced by the decorations on the straps and the red thread on the edge of the linen sleeves. Radulf takes a deep breath and walks a bit closer to Eoghania, and speaks more quietly, a hint of friendly annoyance in his voice. “Now, what kind of plan is it that you and Orphea have been hatching?” Eoghania: "hah, nothing too devious. Simply an arrangement of marriages to secure the alliance of their people and the thrusting forward of our destinies" :D Eoghania pats him on the head Eoghania: "You will make a fine husband" " Thea attempts to stick very close to Radulf after earlier insinuations about his future marital status. Blaer: "I hope you aren't planning on roping me into these arrangements of yours" Eoghania: "I wonder, would you mind becoming a princely addition to our court Blaer?" "I mean, obviously, the highest position will be mine and hers, but you could do as some sort of leadership role" Orphea waves her hands as if to dismiss any danger of Blaer getting roped into things, at least from her side. She seems a bit brooding and distant after her whispered conversation with her kin earlier. Eoghania: "Orphea! Dear friend, tell us the good news of my betrothed" Radulf scratches his head. “Yeah, see… If the wildlings—” He pauses and turns to Thea and Orphea: “What do your people call themselves, by the way?” Orphea sighs, giving Radulf the look of someone who has deigned to be patient and provide an explanation that will no doubt lead to further questions: Orphea: "Gymnoagrioi. It is a word in an old language most have forgotten about." Radulf listens, conentrates and whispers the word to himself a few times. “…can I just say ‘Gymnings’?” Eoghania glares Eoghania: "Please afford her the honor of her heritage" Radulf: ” try pronouncing that.’ Eoghania: "Gymnoagrioi" :P Orphea tries to explain it's not the name of an ancestor, but probably some sort of archaic descriptor. Her tribe uses a lot of old words from that language, only remembering the meaning of some. Eoghania lights up at that description Orphea: I think it has something to do with athletic prowess and nature. Eoghania: "You have a ?!" "Glorious!" Radulf: “…strength, litheness, and nature? ‘Wildlings’ isn't that far off, then, actually.” Orphea bares her teeth in a rough semblance of smile that is mostly devoid of humour Orphea: Sure. Eoghania ribs Radulf with an elbow, and an accusatory frown Eoghania: "orphea, feel free to give him one yourself. He's being rude and " Radulf: “I'm not to be rude but it just comes back to that, doesn't it.” Eoghania: "Perhaps he will not make a good suitor." Orphea waves her hands to dismiss any implications of rudeness, unhappy that her mind always assumes on is present and trying to convince herself otherwise after all the nice things everybody has said and done for her recently. Orphea: Perhaps not. The group slowly makes its way back and catches glimpses of the village below them occasionally. It's going to be a while before they reach it however, owing to the jagged mountainous terrain. Radulf: “Anyway, back on topic. If the… don't really have leaders, but the standing of a man hinges more on his wealth, relations, and so on… How much would a marriage alliance actually bring? It wouldn't be a shortcut to influence, I mean.” Radulf muses. “Of course, being on good terms with a well-standing family means you could trade more easily, have someone to speak before the Wildlings for you on matters of war and peace.” Eoghania: "Radulf, stop thinking so small" Radulf slows his step and holds his chin, thinking this through a little. Eoghania: "We will be forging a " "we will create newer and better rules" Blaer: "What is wrong with the old rules?" Orphea: Ophea gives Meliton and Thea a look. Just to make sure they're not going to try answering that question. Radulf raises an eyebrow. “The point of an alliance is to bring together two peoples, to work together, to be able to act in both of their communities. You don't want to be a stranger to both of them, that'd be pointless.” Eoghania: " Radulf also nods to Blaer. “Also, what Blaer said.” Radulf: “Our elders have done well and raised us in bounty and peace, and pass down their wisdom to us.” “Sure, they're stingy and stuffy at times, but I'm not going to say that I know or could do better than them.” Blaer nods Blaer: Eoghania: "Funny, I seem to be making my own way down this mountain just fine" Blaer smiles Blaer: "Yet who was it who sent you up it to begin with?" Radulf: “Who made your clothes, shield, and hatched, and who taught you to use them?” Eoghania: "" :P Blaer: "Even beyond our elders, the spirits guide us as well." Radulf makes a dismissive hand gesture and breaks off from Eoghania to ask the wildlings a question… after a moment of looking between Orphea and Thea, he asks the latter: “But, uh, speaking of marriage and lineages: how is the curse passed down in your tribe? From father to son and mother to daughter?” Orphea touches the hem of Eoghania's sleeve. It's obvious she's keeping a lot of stuff in, but also is not quite as enthusiastic about tossing away everything as Eoghania is. Even if she is tempted to just throw everything away and take her battle sister to live off, free from everybody. Eoghania: "Blaer, we chopped up a spirit. If we had done as it wished, we'd all be certain colors of various excrement by now" Eoghania stops, hands up, to concede the moment for now Muiram quips in that the beast was merely a beast, not a spirit. And that there are indeed bad spirits, just like there are bad people. Blaer sighs Blaer: "You never were keen on these matters." Muiram: I can tell you about Chalkman when we camp for the night. He's someone from the old country who followed us here. Eoghania: " excites me. Muriam you are a tease" The group continue in silence, and eventually night descends. They camp, and Muiram tells the tale of Chalkman, an old spirit who peeled himself out of a hill, leaving his silhouette there on the hillside. (To GM): no answer to “But, uh, speaking of marriage and lineages: how is the curse passed down in your tribe? From father to son and mother to 3–4 hours (and two rolls, one for the base item, one for the decoration) per attempt, according to what we worked out in the general a while ago… four days with about two hours of downtime each? Rolling 10-3d6 = -5 GM: (frog) Radulf rummages through a pocket and produces one of two combs; the teeth look good enough, but the ram's head adorning it is a bit off. He looks at it critically, doesn't really show it to the others but if Blaer leans in she can get a good look. “…still needs some work.” Radulf obviously kept something else in his pocket that he avoided taking out. it seems Radulf is not going to get any unwanted attention over his carving attempt at least Eoghania: "stop playing with yourself in that pocket, Radulf, you arent fooling anyone" Blaer speaks more softly, trying to keep the conversation between the two of them Blaer: "I did not think you had much of a need for a comb..." Radulf replies quietly, a little embarrassed: "Well, I'm glad there was no need for a parting gift - it would have been a shoddy one. " Radulf: *for a parting gift, after all Blaer: "It is the thought that counts...besides, the misplaced eye looks rather quaint." Thea , who has been off to check on the campfire heads back towards Radulf, but fails to catch his facial expression in the twilight. Radulf: "When we get home, I should have some time to home my skill a little. " Radulf pockets it again before anyone else gets curious. Radulf: "Someday I want to carve you a really fancy hand." Get cheerfully announces to Blair. "It'll be completely useless, though. " Blaer: "Perhaps. Perhaps not." "When we get back to the village, I'll return the favor for showing me your work." Muiram: "In legend, the hero Craydahn wrought a hand of silver that was as good as living. Such sorcery is beyond my family though. And the Wizard refuses to share his secrets so we don't even know what he can do." Radulf: “I'm already impressed what you are able to do with your hook, to be honest.” Eoghania: " Blaer: "I doubt there is much that could sway the wizard...save his daughter." GM: (granddaughter, which makes it even weirder that nobody has seen any other family) Blaer: "...granddaughter" Blaer frowns as she considers the implications that dawned on her the evening passes uneventfully, not even Radulf encountering something really crazy unless he really goes hunting for it LD: during this uneventful evening, Blaer would like to actually use Oracle Eoghania: gasp consult the stars! Blaer spends some time, looking for an omen GM: She encounters a young fox. The animal startles and hurries off, dragging the large carcass of some bird of prey. Blaer realises that interpreting the omen too literally would be wrong... Blaer can see a dangerous future foretold in the omen. As the cycle of time turns just like day turns to night, an unseen danger will threaten the wounded predator. An aggressive and proud people will fall, exhausted by their efforts, and a new predator shall enter the scene. Blaer realizes that evens leading to this future are already unfolding Blaer returns to the group, thinking over the omen. Blaer speaks up after several minutes of silence Blaer: I have news to give to the elders. Radulf: ”What is it?” Blaer: "An omen. I believe the Hiordlings are soon to be no more." Eoghania: "Whew, thats ominous. Spirits spoke in your ear about this?" Blaer: "They lead me to the signs." Radulf glances over to the prisoners, out of earshot. “…is it us who are meant to seize their weakness and wipe them out? Well, we will leave that to the elders.” Eoghania: "He who dares, Radulf. He who dares" With nobody else having anything to say, the night passes and by the end of the next day you return to the valleys controlled by your clan. As you make the turn on one well travelled path, you hear a whistling, as somebody waiting past the undergrowth warns they are about to come out. Radulf almost expects another botched wildling ambush at this point. Eoghania remains ready with her hatchet, as always, but curious as to the newcomer Blaer rests a hand on her knife handle Not an ambush, but a meeting, though as the wildling girls pop out of the undergrowth and start to carefully descend the loose-soil slope on the side of the road one of them manages to trip, tumble down and land face-first in front of the group with an undignified whimper. There's four of them, carrying hunting spears and bulging leather sacks full of something heavy. Eoghania smile sbroadly at the meeting "Well met ladies, what ar eyour spoils?" And they're wearing bodypaint and feathers in their hair as if they're trying to make a good first impression, Orphea notices as she groans in mild annoyance Radulf: “You were fast.” Radulf greets them with open arms and a smile. “We bid you welcome to our home.” GM: "We made ready almost as soon as Orphea left," one of the girls explains, helping her fallen friend up. "But yes, we made it here fast. Some got too excited and had us practically running so we don't miss meeting you ahead of time." Euphilia: "I'm Euphilia." It seems like all other wildlings, this one is not going to mention her parentage. P.P. A.: Are all of them from the group we met before, or some different ones? GM: (all of them different - these are not yougn, but still qualified candidates, these are the ones that drew the short stick and have been sent to bring you gifts and labour with your people to repay the pigs) (delegates, not candidates) Eoghania: "Have you brought us good tidings? A fine quarry to share?" Radulf introduces himself: “I am Radulf, son of Rodemir; these are Eoghania, Blaer, and Muiram. Nice to meet you.” The girls shift uncomfortable under Eoghania's glare, bow to Radulf and nod to their kin in your group. Radulf drops the formal air for a moment and asks them. “Don't misunderstand, it is good to see you, but… How many men are there among your tribe? Other than Meliton here, we have only met womenfolk.” Blaer: "I am Blaer, daughter of Einar...The Great Hunter of Cynwrig." Blaer adds that title in after a moments pause. The girls all look at Meliton, as if he's some exotice, unexpected animal that is so outrageous in its presence their minds had ignored him until now. Then they turn to Orphea, obviously hopeful for guidance. Orphea: "They mostly stay at home." Orphea seems to give her words some thought and to struggle how to formulate something. Eoghania: "Penned up like pigs? Or do you let them out to roam sometimes?" Orphea surprisingly does not laugh at Eoghania's joke, but tries not to kill the mood by nodding towards Meliton Orphea: "At least one seems to have gotten out." Radulf: “…I see.” Radulf figures this isn't the whole truth and there's some dark secret to it—which may explain why Meliton ran away—but he doesn't want to start poking at the honourable diplomatic delegation. Blaer: "Shall we then?" Radulf nods. The girls also nod in haste and arrange in formation at the tail end of your group. Radulf invites them to walk more in the middle, so the prisoners can be at the back but still guarded by someone Euphilia: "Orphea also asked for a priest and a scholar among us and that would be me." The rest of the girls appreciate Radulf's gesture but insist they prefer to walk behind you and to the sides, as if preferring to remain out of sight, Eoghania: "Euphilia! A priestess then, tell us a tale as we walk" Radulf: “Please do.” Radulf perked up at what Euphilia said, and doesn't really hide his curiosity. Very soon your group is out of the wilds and past the first farmsteads as you approach the fort. Most people do not live there most of the time, but it has enough space to house your entire clan should there come a need. Though as spread as some of the newer farms are, undoubtedly some people would be easily trapped outside if an enemy appeared. Euphilia blushes a light tone of pink over her tanned skin and shifts under your gaze as if you are in some way horrid, or intimidating. "What would you like to know about?" Eoghania: "Considering how little we know, even having travelled with your sisters for a week.... anything would be lovely" Euphilia: "Oh, well I guess I can start with the Lady of the Wylds, one of our patrons..." Orphea: (Anybody here have special knowledge of gods I did not see on your character sheets?) P.P. A.: Not unless Radulf ran into any during his sleep journeys once LD: Ooh, ooh, pick me! Thank you Theology (Sun/Storm Brothers) Should I roll to compare my existing knowledge against the story? Orphea: (yes) The young girl tells you of the Lady, the fleet-footed, red-handed, merry huntress known for her strength, love of the chase, her eagle eyes and killing hands This sounds vaguely familiar to some of you, but perhaps more so to others. Rolling 11 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -2 Blaer realizes this sounds familiar and might be related to one of myriad strangers your gods met during their adventures, but struggles to remember the details. Euphilia concludes her short tale, hinting that there are other gods, but this one is an especially revered ancestor, just like Sun, Storm and Earth are for your people. Eventually you stand close to the fort, ready to go in. GM: (this is a good time to end it) P.P. A.: (yup) LD: yup P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! LD: good sesh. Thanks GM GM: (thank you for the game, let's try to schedule the next one in Discord) Hello P.P. A.: \o Balthazarr, the Mad: well, THATS a map update good show dawg everybody came back to the village and met the native representatives close to it. After a short talk, people started speculating about slave dungeons and myths that match. And now, the young heroes have reached the village and have some time until the old folks from the clan gather to meet up with them and the gift-bearing natives. GM: (not sure if it's clear from the map, but the village is on a hill, with an earthworks wall around most of it) Balthazarr, the Mad: gotcha; thats what the brown barrier is then, nice and the natural slope has the wall this is a really neat map :D P.P. A.: Indeed it is LD: I like it Radulf , leaning on his shepherd-axe-walking-stick, glances back at the party's entourage: naked, decorate women bearing gifts, and a bit under half a dozen prisoners. Radulf: “…you know, this is a pretty triumphant entry into our village,” he mutters to no-one in particular. As a small crowd of mostly curious kids gathers, your native friends seem to get a little bit antsy Kids: "Eoghania has conquered the wilds and come back with prisoners! How many did you slay Eoghania!?" Eoghania: "Any who dared defy me!" Radulf: “She slew an entire bloodline,” Radulf adds with a grin. Eoghania: "No future heirs" The kids don't seem to catch on the innuendo, so they assume the killing was literal... and a bit exaggerated Orphea remained silent, thinking and occasionally looking back towards the prisoners. Remaining at the gates is probably going to continue accumulating random people, so it's up to you whether to wait here or indoors Radulf: “Let's not leave the elders waiting.” Radulf beckons his dog to follow as he steps through the gate, after taking a deep breath. Eoghania: "They hsould know we have been successful, and why we have a party of naked women to introduce" , but in this case its just a kindness..." Karli woofs softly at the kids climbing and petting him, then gets in line after Radulf. Radulf seems a bit lost in thought as he approaches the great hall. Petting his dog before he enters seems to calm him down, though. You get into the Meeting Hall, and after a short wait in which you can relax on the benches in the cool air of the hall, you can hear the elders ariving. Not all of them are here, perhaps because they expect there are not major decision to be taken, or there is some crisis somewhere else that needs their counsel. It's just the two old women and the lawspeaker. Eoghania: [sorry, who's missing then?] GM: (warchief and champion) The elders give a polite nod at the outsiders, a friendlier one at Orphea, and a welcoming one at their own young kinfolk come back from the negotiations with not just more outsiders, but also prisoners and gifts from the looks of it. Adelrad tilts his head towards the armed warrior escorting him and the prisoners are escorted outside, not to become privy to any further discussions. Radulf gets up as they enter and assumes a more upright and dignified pose. Caitlin: "Well now, kids. Seems you've had a very eventful journey." Eoghania: "We are no longer ..." Radulf: “…and you haven't even seen the demon-beast's hide and claws.” Wassa hums loudly at Eoghania's assertion, but quiets down when Radulf adds his bit. Adelrad: "Seems like you have a story to tell, but let's not keep our guests waiting. It would be rude to do so." Adelrad waits to see if Orphea or the other girl will speak first, unsure which one is in charge. Orphea Orphea wasm Orphea: heck) Radulf: “Indeed, we should introduce our honoured guests first.” He politely gestures towards the girls. “Orphea mediated the meeting between us and her people; the ones behind her, led by Euphilia*, are an embassy come to visit us.” Orphea wasn't in a particularly conversational mood, nor was she the best when it came to just telling stories without an objective, she waited unless it seemed apparent she'd have the storytime role. P.P. A.: *if the others introduced themselves with names too, he'd mention them as well GM: (they didn't, you suspect some mixture of anxiety and a culture of "speak out line and get smacked") The natives bow in their particular way with one hand outstretched to the side and the other on the staff or spear each one carries. Euphilia and the elders exchange greetings, and she seems to be trying to act respectful as if to her own elders. The elders learn about the negotiations and commend both your wit and the natives' honesty and generosity. Radulf: “As we celebrated our new friendship, we were attacked by a group of Hiordlings, and fought them together. By Orphea's bravery and Eoghania's wantonness, they were made to surrender. We took back five of them as prisoners, and sent the others back to their village to relay our demand for a ransom.” Adelrad: "Let's hope this gives them pause next time." Blaer: "About that..." "I have seen an omen. One that I believe fortells the end of the Hiordlings." Eoghania again, beams under the light of her glories, but she remains silent for Blaer's portents Blaer: "However, their end comes from the rise of a new foe to take their place." The elders direct their attention at Blaer. Wassa and Adelrad look to Caitlin who nods, affirming her faith in Blaer's gift. Adelrad: "Did the omen reveal anything more?" Blaer shakes her head Blaer: "Only that one foe would be traded for another with their defeat." Adelrad appears concerned and pensive. Adelrad: "If only we could know whether the north or the south. Perhaps we can divine this together later? I have long believed your gifts in need to guidance." Caitlin: "For now, let us hear about this devil-beast. Is it the one from your dreams, boy?" Radulf nods. “We saw traces of it in the forest, and prepared ourselves; I took a n— had my spirit lure it out, and together with the two Wildlings, and a wildling boy who had joined us earlier, we managed to slay it.” Radulf: “It put up quite a fight, but Orphea bore the brunt of it.” P.P. A.: Who took the spoils with us? The eye, fur, claws, etc. Orphea smiled, happy to be complimented. Eoghania: [safe to assume I was caretaking them] ] Radulf nods to Eoghania. Eoghania raises them for all to see, the remains of the beast, on display The elders now understand the meaning of the vague toothmarks that will probably forever mark Ophea and appreciate the size of the beast, though probably not it's power. Wassa: "What a foul creature. The land itself is probably thankful for its death." Muiram: "The mound folk surely will be." GM: (barrow, not mound) Radulf turns to Caitlin: “Can anything… special be made from its remains?” Eoghania: "Perhaps a totem, or a ward against any things like it?" Caitlin: "Most certainly so. The best stuff is always the one made when the blood is still fresh on the kill, but these would also do nicely." GM: (aka, the difference between using a kill as an excuse to spend CP in a weird way vs getting some wondrous artifacts later) Caitlin orders her granddaughter to take the remains to their home. She'll be back to you later with the results. Euphilia and the elders will go into some details about marital and religious customs if nobody has anything else for them. Eoghania: [yeah im good for now, EO is happily satisfied atm] Orphea doesn't have anything to say at the moment Radulf doesn't have any questions or anything to add either Euphilia: "Some of our kin have already expressed some interest in solidifying our bonds through blood. And I remember Orphea mentioning something about it on your side as well." Blaer has no further questions They go in short over each side's marital traditions and attitude towards it, satisfied to reach some common ground despite the notable differences. Caitlin: "Marriage among us, is a contract of trust and the foundation of a family. The person of highest regard leads the union and the other partner becomes part of their family. It is a bond of sacred trust, and although it can be broken by mutual agreement, betraying said trust is evil." Euphilia: "Marriange is a form of alliance between people who love and respect each other. A woman of regard can have multiple partners, but only one is considered to be the leading wife, who is the head of the family." Radulf raises an eyebrow at that, but stays quiet. Both sides agree that neither natives nor settlers are inherently superior by dint of their blood, so it's up to individuals and families how to approach things, which just means there will be more arguments and discussions in the future. Wassa: "That covers that topic, unless someone wants to go ahead an set a precedence right here and now?" Eoghania visibly shows some restraint Blaer looks towards Radulf Orphea didn't comment, just listening to the conversation going down, her mental diplo-capital still kinda expended Radulf tries to ignore being looked at and himself looks away, at, uh, the carvings of the wooden posts of the hall. He did listen carefully, though. Thea clears her throat and grabs Radulf by the sleeve Thea almost trembles with anxiety as she gets people's attention and looks up at Radulf, obviously hoping for an encouraging gesture Radulf has a brief flustered ‘well, shit’ expression, but quickly composes himself. He, too, clears his throat, and puts an arm on Thea's shoulder. “Well, though there is much our peoples have yet to learn about each other…”He pauses for a second, thinking of how to spin it. “It is by living together that we can—” Radulf stops. His expression changes from flustered to more determined as he squeezes Thea's shoulder: “Enough of that—Thea is cute, and I like her.” Orphea blinked a bit, not wanting to comment and ruin the scene, She was still doubting herself on account of the females always passing down the curse bit. Radulf looks at her apologetically. “There are still many things to be considered, though, so let's not rush into anything blindly.” Thea: "Radulf is brave, kind and considerate. And wise as well. I seek his courtship, but let us not be hasty..." Thea seems both incredibly relieved and a tiny bit disapointed. Radulf smiles at her. “You haven't met my family yet, have you? I'll introduce you later.” Radulf does want to get his family's approval, and is also going to want to meet his would-be in-laws at some point—and needs a bit more time to think about what the curse would mean for his progeny. His smile is earnest and radiates hope, however. Wassa almost visibly sighs in relief at not having to have to sort this out right now, but immediately perks up at sensing an opportunity. Wassa: "Hm, your parents are reasonable people, Radulf, but maybe you'd like me to talk to them for you?" Radulf nods. “Thank you, I would appreciate it.” The old lady hurries off, enthused about getting another person in her debt. And with that, the meeting is definitely over, leaving only the decision of where to house your guests. Adelrad: "This is an interesting problem. These young women are here to work with us to repay their people's debts. Since it is you that helped this happen, I think it is fair for them to stay with and help your families in their labor." P.P. A.: (Referring to Orphea and Thea, excluding the messengers?) GM: (referring to the others, excluding Orphea, Thea and Euphilia - they are able-bodied volunteers here as part of the deal to provide labor as repayment) (whereas Orphea and Thea are just honored guests and Euphilia is a spirit-talker here to speak with your holy folk) P.P. A.: (ah) Seeing as how there are no objections, he considers the matter settled. Radulf: “Until they have been ransomed, the Hiordlings can also be put to work; pushing back the forest and tilling new farmland, or somesuch.” Eoghania: "sounds fair and even. We will host them well, I'm sure' Adelrad: "It's easier to guard them when they are one place. Let's not tempt the fates while things are going our way." Radulf nods meekly. Eoghania: "We will hav elittle need to guard them; it is a simple debt, not imprisonment" Adelrad: "Blaer, let's meet up to look at the skies tonight. I will go get you from your home." the old man says and stands up to leave. P.P. A.: (guarding them was referring to the Hiordling prisoners) (not the Wildling guest-workers) Eoghania: [augh, right, derp] [I blame coffee] Euphilia follows him to discuss matters of spirits and customs. From all his years of dealing with insane shamans and possessed ascetics, he doesn't seem to treat her as anything special. This leaves you and the guesting girls alone in the meeting hall, free to decide what to do. GM: (your families probably live in farms outside the village area, feel free to add detail, or let me know if you don't care much for it) Eoghania: [Eo's folks are likely a family of farmer/weavers. Assuming we produce the not-feed crop to make cloth with, and where her habits originate from] Blaer: (Blaer's family is likely the local blacksmiths, which is how she had the ability to do ironworking to begin with) Radulf 's family home is presumably a big house more towards an elevation than the river, a floor of it devoted to stables for the family's animals; and probably a side building to house either Radulf's grandparents or the eldest son. They have a few small fields and a garden but mostly to supplement their herd, to which they offer to add their neighbours' animals when they're brought out to pasture. GM: (Your clan mostly has wool and nettle, but your allies the Redhorns make Flax fiber and Linen; Eo's folks might be nettle-weavers, which is not very commn, but makes specific, high-quality stuff) Eoghania: [yeah definitely; living in nettle fields would make as bristly as Eo] GM: (ok, with that covered, you have 12 guests to disribute; Awan excuses himself - his folks are too conservative for this) P.P. A.: 12 is a lot! Eoghania: yes, certainly; Eo would be generous with whatever she can bear here... and shes definitely going to lean on her new fame whereever it is] LD: Blaer would try to take on a number of people, but only those she thinks can help out at their specific task and Meliton, because Radulf thinks about what kind of labour needs to be done. Since his father's inheritance is going to be split four ways, with his elder brother inheriting the bulk of it, they have been working on expanding the family's land and possessions a bit—clearing some woods and adding new fields, looking to build another small house… He wouldn't want to burden the guests with such hard labour, but if they could take over some of the other daily chores, like weeding the garden and maintaining the fields, that would free up family members to work on those things. He assumes they could accommodate three or so, though he will have to check back with his kin. Orphea will probably tag along with Eoghania, still a bit lost in thought. Radulf: “Ah, Orphea! Can I talk to you later?” Orphea: "Oh, sure." She blinked, looking over towards him, her expression indicating a tad of apprehension. Eoghania: [who better to relax with!] Radulf seems a little bit apprehensive as well. ”Let's get everyone settled in first though.” Orphea nodded towards Radulf. "Right" She smiled at him, still unsure of what exactly to say, but still being a fan of his company and all that. Everyone seems ready to go and be settled. Blaer picks a couple of girls who have had some experience but not enough to qualify as even apprentices to a real smith, and Meliton is happy to be remembered even though he is more of a carpenter. Eoghania gets the rowdy and brave ones, Radulf the rest, who assure him they're not scared of hard work. There might be some objections from your families later, but for now you are free to focus on personal matters. P.P. A.: Given how those logistics can probably be glossed over unless anything extraordinary awaits or a conflict/disagreement needs to be managed and resolved, can we skip ahead to later when Orphea and Radulf have time to talk? (Eoghania and Blaer aren't , but Radulf will resign to Eoghania tagging along if she insists, and doesn't mind if Blaer happens to be there) GM: (yeah, I meant exactly that, we're skipping over it) P.P. A.: (ah, ok) Orphea was likely sitting around at a predetermine meeting spot, waiting apprehensively. She leaned against a tree, wrapping her arms around her stomach and staring off, unsure how to best wrestle with whatever conversation was going to go down. Radulf raises is hand as he approaches, his dog by his side. “Did everything go well with Eoghania's family?” GM: (up to Eoghania's player on how racist or greedy for more working hands her folks were) Eoghania: [oh lord, I really hope theyre not that type. Eo's whole gig seems more rebellious against their upbringing if anything.] Orphea smiled towards him, nodding. It was a genuine smile, she couldn't particularly fake one very well. Her expression was still a bit more sad than would be expected from someone within the relaxation period of adventuring.She probably had a decent time with them regardless, due to Eoghania's assistance if not by them being nice in general. Radulf slumps down close to her at the bottom of the tree. “We're alike in that we both consider more things than we end up talking about. Let's… I'd like to talk openly about some of those now.” Orphea looked over towards Radulf, nodding. "I'm unsure how to start exactly. I fear I'm being needlessly emotional in not wanting to wed into your clan to secure our alliance moreso, " She looked at him, smiled softly then averted her gaze. "For a moment I hoped that if I were to bear a child from outside of my own population, they would be free from the curse placed upon my people. That hope is dashed now, and I can't help but only see my role as a mother turned into some means of propagating a sick joke from on high. Don't get me wrong, I love my people, but seeing them like..." She gestured to her perpetually naked form, frowning "this, combined with the constant small mistakes attributed to supernatural mockery, I don't feel right giving that to future generations." She laughed, uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, I know this isn't particularly strategic of me." Radulf pats the ground next to him, inviting her to sit down. “I'm not here to be strategic this time, either. The thing with the curse being passed down from the mother to her children… It's one of the things I'm struggling with too—bluntly put, I'd be cursing my own children and my children's children, and I need to think about if this is worth it. …but that's something I will have to find the answer for myself.” Radulf: “I rather wanted to talk about… our peoples' prospects together.” Orphea sat down next to him as invited, listening to him continue speaking if he was going to do so. Radulf: “My hope is simply that our clans are going to get along, live in peace and trade with each other. And trade is where I'd smelled an opportunity. Your people have different needs from us, so I'm sure there's some goods you have little need of that we could put to good use, and hopefully vice-versa.” “And, well, being the middleman in that kind of exchange sounds like a…” He smirks self-consciously. “…an eas— a fitting way to earn status and wealth.” Orphea paused, thinking about what to say, and how to say it in a manner that didn't come off as too patronizing or too self serving. "In the relations between our people, I saw for the first time what came off as respect from outsiders. I long to be able to provide your people with the knowledge of our own which allowed us to hold a vast empire." She slumped over, looking at the ground away from Radulf. "I have faith in my ancestors, but I worry about the current generation of my people, It feels inevitable that we're going to die out one way or another in the generations to come, I just want something great to come from our memory instead of ending as just a mockery of what we once were." She looked back, looking appropriately unhappy for the perspective she holds. "I have no problem with trade and co-operation, I welcome it, and have hopes that such things will drag fate away from the path I see it marching down." She smiled faintly, looking at Radulf for a response. Radulf responds with a serious expression. “I wanted to ask about that. It sounded like Eoghania's foolery at first, but you clearly have some plans you're serious about. …and now it sounds like it wasn't just striving for higher status, but something more dire.” Radulf: “The whole thing with, uh, marrying me.” He awkwardly scratches the back of his head. Orphea looked towards him "You are both a competent warrior and rhetor, I see a great deal of potential in you, and would be honored to work to have you reach it." Radulf: “Yeah, that's about what I expected: you wouldn't allow me to laze around but push me to actually make something of myself,” he grins. He crosses his arms and sighs. “Though with Thea being as clumsy and… as she is, I'd have to put in some hard work myself to be able to take care of her, too.” GM: (savage) Radulf: “What were your plans, though, or what are they? Just now it sounded like you think your people aren't going to make it, so you must've had an idea for how to shake things up, try something bold and new to save them?” Meanwhile Eoghania is having fun with a bunch of wild girls who have recently discovered that the scary pain plant they only know about from youthful dares is actually good for making fine fiber And Blaer is stargazing with Adelrad Eoghania: "You really just need to handle it the right way to make strings, its easy once you know how" *etc. etc. P.P. A.: *easy once you know– ow! Orphea looked at him, shrugging. "This opening up was the extent of my plan to shake my people up, ultimately, my hopes are to preserve the bits of our culture that lead us to greatness, if things go very well, we might be able to exist as a respected class, and if they go atleast alright, our ancestor's great deeds won't be forgotten. I'd like to help your people conquer the more violent tribes by force, and integrate the smaller ones with the pressure of being the sole power in the region, I've been thinking how to do this quickly for a while though, still." GM: (LD had to rush off to work) P.P. A.: (ah, ok) Radulf: “Sounds kind of sad if you put it that way, but yeah. I don't know what other secrets your people are hiding, but you're gifted metalsmiths on one hand, clumsy and kind of apprehensive on the other.” He smiles. “My clan is not going to try and enslave your craftsmen or women, I'm sure. If we grow closer together, we can combine our strengths and cover each other's weaknesses.” “Conquering everyone around us sounds like a bit too much work for me, but if Blaer's omens come true, we might not have a choice but to get proactive.” “If it's your hope that we'll carry your weapons to victorious battle, and by defeating our common threats, make this place safe for your people to live with us in peace without having to hide… I don't think that's an unreasonable dream.” Orphea nodded, smiling towards him."That's part of the plan, and perhaps you're right, conquest and the ruling over the conquered will likely call us to great labors and cruelties.It would be selfish of me to try and coerce your people down such a path at the expense of their happiness. Still, I struggle to think of a way to proclaim my existence to the world without such acts." Radulf thinks for a moment—back to all the clawing-out of eyes and wanting to rip out the tongue of their prisoner. He grins warmly at her. “That does seem to be your destiny.” Orphea looked towards him, her silence hopefully inviting elaboration. Radulf catches on and elaborates: “You're pretty fierce as a warrior, and think far ahead. If the gods will for there to be such opportunities, you'll be the one to seize them.” Orphea smiled and nodded towards him "Thank you" Radulf smiles and gets up. “As for me, I'm lazy and would rather watch the sheep and have the wind stroke my hair all day—but if my clan's situation demands it…” He reaches out to Orphea to help her up. “…I'd look forward to work together with you, and see what we can achieve together.” Orphea accepted the gesture, being helped up, she clasped his hand a bit tightly, nodding at him, surprisingly content with being alright with simply working to maintain the bucolic lifestyle of Radulf and his people. It is at this time, one of Radulf's younger cousins runs up to them and, despite being momentarily distracted by Orphea, remembers why he's there... That: Guy "Radulf, you've got to come see this!" GM: (to be continued) P.P. A.: Not the most exciting cliffhanger I've had, but thanks for the session! Orphea: (Good session, probably should leave earlier in the future on my part because I sorta tabbed out of my online class lol) P.P. A.: oops Eoghania: oof GM: No CP today, but everyone gets Reputation 1 with the lCynwrig clan. Eoghania: huzzah to rep we did GOOD respscorp (GM): hello Balthazarr, the Mad: yo ho respscorp (GM): Oh wow, I was just gonna say you might be late due to commute :) Balthazarr, the Mad: moo hoo ha ha, now we can mock PPA for being last! ?! AWWWW YEAH P.P. A.: gomen gomen respscorp (GM): I'm almost certain it is my bad for setting it wrong P.P. A.: I didn't check the scheduled time here anyway so it was on me Previously! After some introductions and discussions with the elders, our young heroes delivered the gifts and agreements, and settled their guests among their family. Radulf had a heart to heart with Orphea about the future, and Blaer went stargazing with the clan's elder god-speaker. They might be rudely interupted very soon, but for now... Adelrad arrives early in the evening to fetch Blaer so they can both ascend up a nearby hill to look at the stars. "Was a time where this could be done just fine from the roof of the Hall, but I'm a bit less spry now, and the village has grown too bright and noisy..." Balthazarr, the Mad: [] Adelrad: Each star in the sky is under the influence of one god or another. Even Ghiarn and Dohma have relatives who navigate their stellar domain for them Thus gazing at their motions can be revel more precise providence to the learned. But it is also much easier to be confused, because there's countless stars - and sometimes the dimmest exert their influence as much as the brightest. Just like down here on the mortal plane, heh. Adlerad start enumerating the better known stars, which reminds Blaer of a conversation earlier today somehow Blaer would try to name a few herself to try and prove how much she knew already Adelrad: Very good, Blaer. I know you're youung and want to live your life for yourself, but you have a gift with these things. We have a lot of hunters and very few spirit-talkers. Blaer: "But what is it that keeps me from being both? The spoils of my hunts help me consult the spirits, and the spirits help me find greater hunts." Adlerad: I'll concede that. But a person is always one thing first and another second. Whatever you decide for yourself, we should meet some times so we can counsel and I can help guide your gifts. Adelrad: Now, let us focus on trying to figure out what the stars hint. Let us see if Athru's Circlet can tell us something... GM: (background Oracle rolling) An omen in the night sky - Arthu's constelation passes between the Blood Star and the King, both of them sliding along the night sky as if pursuing it. The meaning is clear. Arthu's people - whether you, your enemies or the people back in the Old Country - all will be threatened by your ancestral enemies. Blaer points this out immediately to Adelrad Adelrad nods. He doesn't need to point out the obvious - This vision matches and clarifies the previous one. Balthazarr, the Mad: [yet another sign of evil shit we havent dealt with yet] Blaer: Then...an enemy from old will come, take out the Hiodlings, and we will have to face them. Radulf also watches the stars, through disembodied spirit-eyes—though not an interpreter of them, he's content to count them, note their position and motions Adelrad: . The blood-handed war god and the avaricious king. The evil gods worshiped by the people across the Stormhold Mountains. Our ancestors fought them, just as our gods fought theirs. They are greedy, evil and rapacious people according to legend. And in our migration we did move closer to the Stormholds. We should warn the rest of the elders... but until then, not a word to others. It is at this point when you are interrupted by a young man who serves as an occasional messenger of the elders because of his fast feet. Adelrad's presences is required urgently. Meanwhile, Radulf, Orphea and Eoghania have also become aware something is going on, informed and urged on by younger, more impressionable relatives. There is something unusual in the village, and it seems to have garnered more of a crowd than your guests did earlier, despite the hour (or perhaps because of it). Radulf wakes up, despite his dream-walking having been too distracted by the pretty sky to notice the murmur below.. Radulf: “First night in a proper bed again, and now this.” ) Radulf gets sloppily dressed and stumbles out into the dark to see what's going on. Blaer follows behind the elder Vodka re-adjusted the couple of feathers in her hair, then headed off. Not being able to sloppily get dressed. Vodka: Orphea*) Eoghania: "Who dares...?!" You all arrive at roughly the same time, in time for what seems like a second reading of something written on a piece of bark. Whoever brought it is no longer there, but there is a frothy, tired horse that a couple of men are gently rubbing and walking about to help it recover from its merciless gallop. The horse is nervous and twitchy from exhausting and the noisy crowd, but otherwise seems healthy. More interesting might be the message though: Radulf looks over to the poor horse, but sees that they're taking care of it. He scratches his bed hair and pushes himself into the crowd to be able to listen. Eoghania presses to the fore as well, eyes searching for the enemy that is not there Eoghania: "A message? From who? What is the word?" Wilfrid: "Cousin! I write to you in advance of my coming, for things have become unbearably dangerous for a freedom-loving man in this land! As you read this, I am travelling with my household and family to you, escaping the clutches of this so called King that dares lay claim to a title he has earned not through acclaim, but through strength of arms alone! Many others will do so as well, for no chieftain who has stood his ground is today alive to tell of it. I trust you know full well what this means!" Radulf holds his breath for a moment, before letting out a sigh. He looks around the crowd for Orphea. The crowd buzzes angrily, as plenty of people have their own understanding of "what this means!" Orphea was likely proximal enough to be easily found by Radulf, she did kinda stick out in a crowd. Radulf raises his hand in greeting, a forced smile on his face. “So, about that empire-building…” He leaves it at that. Orphea did stick out from the crowd. It seems she's the only wildling people naturally give enough personal space to... and that attracts her own kin clustering around her. Orphea Orphea nodded faintly determinedly, not particularly excited to jump immediately into statecraft after being convinced to enjoy the simple life, but determined nonetheless. Blaer looks to Adelrad as the message is read out Eoghania: "FINALLY! A nefarious title to an ominous portent! Radulf: “You know that warnings never herald things, right?” People are starting to get a little heated in their discussion of what exactly "this means" but seem to be evenly split between "trouble" and "more mouths to feed" Radulf notices the murmur looks at Orphea for a few moments. “…it probably wouldn't do much good to tell the crowd what this means, without having a plan ready or the elders to calm them,” he says more to himself. Orphea nodded in agreement, not really planning on detailing the logistics of conquest and population maintenance to the common person, it was just poor optics to be direct about things most of the time. Eoghania: "Yes Radulf, of course, lets go tell the elders" Radulf: “Well, there's two things ahead of us: taking in our dear cousins, and preparing a def—” He stops and glares at Eoghania. “Look, not everyone is as eager to die as you, and causing panic won't do any good. Can you until things have settled down?” Eoghania glares wickedly at Radulf's rebuke Caitlin, having arrived meanwhile helps Wilfrid calm the crowd a little and suggest what it really means Caitlin: "Calm down everyone, it's not the first time there has been an unpopular king. The only difference is this time everybody has a popular place to run off to, a place where they already have friends or family." Radulf asks Orphea quietly: “I don't remember our elder's history lessons too well, but a king is a man who has united many clans or tribes under him, and has their men under his authority, right?” Orphea paused, thinking "Essentially, yes. Though traditionally kings appeal to divine authority instead of strength of arms, well, they all appeal to strength of arms but that's supposed to be the one they hold in the back if appeals to the heavens fail" Orphea tapped a finger against her chin, clearly focused on something insidious. Radulf nods, and thinks. “Eoghania, how does your mother keep your family in line?” Radulf: “…or try to, at least,” he adds after a long, tired look at the girl. Eoghania: "With sweet words, backed by a knobby wooden spoon...though she could never keep in line" Radulf: “I guess this king relies more on his spoon—so, fear and punishment.” Caitlin has managed to mobilize most of the crowd now with organizing food and lodging for more people, but you can see old Wilfrid approaching your group like he has something in mind for you to do. Radulf notices Blaer a bit apart from the crowd, and waves to her to join them, before noticing Wilfrid coming their way, Blaer separates from the elder after a second's hesitation and rejoins the group Radulf: “That's your omen coming true, isn't it?” Blaer nods, though their mind seems preoccupied by something Wilfrid "Ok, others might be struggling to figure this out, but I know my cousin well enough to know what he means. It's a warning - if he has had this idea, others will as well. Our guests might be a problem this year, but they will be more able bodies next year. And likewise for our enemies... unless of course something is done about it." Radulf: “If that king defeats the Hiordlings, will he add the survivors to his numbers?” Eoghania: "I sim to be that something" Orphea looked around, not really wanting to give her two cents in even relative public Wilfrid smiles at Eoghania as if to indicate he likes her take. Eoghania gives Radulf a wry wink at that ;) Wilfrid: "Lots of people will be travelling now... the other elders will insist we can't spare any warriors and should protect our own, but I think you kids are perfectly capable in your own right... and can make sure fewer people... or at least poorer people reach our enemies." Wilfrid leaves you to think about it. He can't order you to do anything after all. Radulf: “Conquer the Hiordlings before the king does?” Radulf asks in a hushed voice. Eoghania: "No you we shall be the kind words while he is the spoon" Radulf: “Same idea by another means.” Orphea piped up, her tone indicating slight discomfort. "I've no doubt that my comrades and myself could put an effective dent in the advancing forces, but one who rules by force of arms alone, is likely skilled in matters militaristic at least" Orphea turned to Radulf and smirked "Conquest is a harsh word, a quick display of strength, a little bit of mercy and then demonstrating ourselves as protectors, of them, and then the rest of the scattered tribe, then just taking away the powers of the clans, little by little, keeping them fighting eachother instead of us for power, that's how we stand a chance of integrating these lands and holdi-" Orphea shrugged, nodding towards Eo "Essentially that, yeah" GM: (so, uh, clarification - people will be coming from the South-East - you are closer to the old coutnry than the Hiordlings are - and quite a bit of travel away) Eoghania: "We have plans, Roadulf, of course. But where is your mercy? Your comraderie? Your sense of ?" Radulf quickly hides a smirk at Orphea's talkativeness. “The problem is that they don't know what's coming for them, and why it would be wise to… follow our lead.” GM: (there is no danger of whatever new king is at home coming here... not yet anyway - Wilfrid just suggested ambushing and either killing or robbing travelers that are related to enemy clans) Radulf stops and thinks. “…the prisoners. We could make sure that they overheard whatever readful stories our relatives will have to tell when they arrive.” Radulf: “Then we escort them back to their village when the ransom is paid, they reunite with their families healthy and well, and we leave them to… discuss their prospects for a while.” Radulf taps his chin and thinks, haning spoken quickly and only reflecting on it now. Orphea looked a bit uncomfortably towards Eo, then back towards the group. Orphea shrugged "Throughout most of history, nobody really knows what enemy is coming, what matters is that the fear of that enemy may be spun into tales of reasons why they should fall before us, as we alone are capable of holding off the dark hordes. We ought find the enemy clans refugees, and manufacture horror stories if our friend to the south east has not provided them well enough." Her expression was cold and calculating, she was back in her niche of being an evil fuck. P.P. A.: (oh) (he could clarify; even if Radulf has more context, he's hearing the elder's words while he's thinking of something else, and interpreting them accordinhly) GM: (Well, Wilfrid is bad at communicating compared to his sword and spear work) P.P. A.: also yeah, it sounded like only our relatives were coming here, not enemy clans too Radulf nods to Orphea. “We've shown our prowess and our mercy to the Hiordlings—now they just need to know that there is another strong party looming, one less merciful than us.” Balthazarr, the Mad: [as long as we get to something] Wilfrid: "Well, if you think it could work. I've seen you have with words. Or at least like talking. But my concern is just to hinder our enemies' kin. There will be families coming over, laden with as much as they can take along. Unfamiliar with the terrain. Easy pickings." Blaer: "And if they were to be ambushed, the thieves would gain great spoils" Radulf: “So we escort our relatives, and make sure they arrive safely, and no-one else does?” “With an emphasis on the last part?” Eoghania: "No-one" Orphea 's eyes narrowed towards Wilfrid. "We stand at the precipice of presenting ourselves as protectors of the other tribes, and holding lordship, the paltry sums acquired from their parties is far less than what can be achieved if we, by force if necessary, take it upon ourselves to offer protection to all who are going to these lands." She paused, smirking "It also will provide us with families loyal to our clan, if the other tribes happen to not wish to be protected." Wilfrid frowns at Orphea, displeased with either the content of her speech, or the big words she was using... or both. He finally leaves you all alone. Radulf: “How about a compromise. We welcome all who flee here, and offer our protection to them; and those who refuse our hospitality will bear a lighter load on their way elsewhere.” “Wouldn't go well with ambushes though.” Blaer: "You underestimate the how deeply the divide is between our clans. I know a number of people from our village who would sooner die on the ground than take a hand up from a Red Serpent." "And I imagine they feel likewise" Radulf looks to Eoghania: “Whom do you want to beat up and how?” Orphea: "Which is why these people, less entwined in the conflict between your clans are a boon, ruling over disparate cultures is a challenge, but if we can ensure -some- people in that clan like us, and still act enough like a member of that clan for those not too invested to follow, we can break those with fury in their hearts to oppose us, and begin the works to make them forget a time we ever weren't their protectors and masters." Eoghania: "Whomsoever defies us and is the least worthy of our alliance! P.P. A.: (sec) (sorry) Radulf grins. “Sounds good to me.” Blaer thinks it over Blaer: "...It is as good of a plan as any. Then are we to leave at dawn?" Radulf: “…let's say after sunrise.” Radulf yawns. Blaer: "Where is Meliton? I need to confer with him about some things." Meliton: "Oh, here. I just... don't like being out in the open among people much." Meliton conveniently stops from behind a nearby fence respscorp (GM): (aaaaaa, my typing today; he comes out from behind the fence) Blaer: "You know how to work wood, yes? If we are to ambush potentially many people at once, we will need to have better traps made than the ones I forage in the woods." Radulf: “And we mustn't fall into them ourselves,” Radulf adds with a poorly-hidden smirk and glance in Orphea's direction Blaer gives a rare smile Blaer: "What I have in mind is better than just simple pits and snares" Meliton shyly shuffles in place, rubbing his calf with his foot. "Yes, I can do that, but spikes... tend to be very indiscriminate and messy. Are you sure you want that?" Orphea looked away, a bit embarrassed still by her initial maneuver. Blaer: "Come, we have much work to do." Blaer will head back to her abode with Meliton and begin working on making crossbow traps respscorp (GM): (crossbows have not been invented by your culture group) P.P. A.: damn, should have put more points into Research respscorp (GM): (but if what you want is something to launch projectiles and fool people about your numbers, there are options) LD: I figured that. Would it be possible for Blaer to invent the basics of a crossbow? After all, they are TL 2 Orphea: Could Meliton explain the Gastrophetes? LD: I'm just imagining her making a bow, a resting mechanism like her arm, and then inventing some kind of crank to hold the string back Radulf pats Eoghania on the shoulder. “We confront 'em, if anyone is being… particularly unfriendly and unreceptive to our greetings, you take care of him, and if the rest of 'em don't rethink their attitude at that point… How's that sound?“ Vodka: Gastraphetes* Eoghania grumbles her assent LD: Nothing like an actual crossbow weapon, just a mounted platform she can launch arrows from with the pull of a string Eoghania: "Just like the last fellow who disagreed with you" respscorp (GM): (a rudimentary arrow catapult is simple enough to just make, but for anything close to an actual weapon, I'm bringing out the invention rules) Radulf: “I'd be impressed if you could pull that off—pun not intended—consistently, but I'll leave the details up to you.” respscorp (GM): (so "arrow traps" is something Blaer and Meliton can try to piece together, yeah) Radulf: “Let's hit the hay again though.” He yawns again and weakly lifts a hand before breaking from the group and going home. respscorp (GM): (how much time do people have left?) LD: I've still got a couple hours in me Orphea: (About 30 minutes) respscorp (GM): Ok, then I think it's a good time to end and next time we'll continue from you already setting up on the next day. And I will get in touch with everyone for individual stuff later between sessions. Does that sound OK?" P.P. A.: imo we shoud get preparations out of the way now so that next session we cna jump right into the journey LD: And yeah, Blaer's just tying to make a "crossbow" for the purposes of a movable trap, not a weapon meant to be carried around and used personally respscorp (GM): Alright, any preparations to cover other than the traps? Blaer and Radulf have been around enough to know of a good spot? Balthazarr, the Mad: Eo is just going to strap gear together and say goodbye to her parents again; less to do at home, more to do out in the world Radulf is going to inquire about the dark-beast's parts in the morning, and whether they can take some of them (fangs, claws, etc.) to turn them into sufficiently intimidating accessoires LD: Blaer would probably leave it to Radulf since she spent most of her times to the northeast P.P. A.: rather like the boar-tusk helmets of ye older Myceneans, something that says “we killed this scary beast whose big tusks/claws/fangs we now bear” -r Radulf is going to share his knowledge of the area—convenient paths likely to be taken by people moving with animals, dangerous bottlenecks (cliffs, dense forest, etc.)÷ respscorp (GM): This is the place Radulf and Blaer pick a treacherous fording point across a river P.P. A.: perfect Balthazarr, the Mad: neat, map magic P.P. A.: and fast LD: Alright, end of sesh then? respscorp (GM): Yes, I'll be getting in touch with you about traps and Radulf about out of body experiences later LD: sounds good. GG and thanks, GM P.P. A.: Thanks for the session Balthazarr, the Mad: cest bon GM: (thank you for the game) LD: Alright So, I'm guessing I'll be using the invention rules you posted? respscorp (GM): Yes. So let's start with what the idea is Something that launches an arrow when you trigger it? LD: The basic idea is a trigger system linked to a wire/string that can be either set up as a trip wire, or held and yanked on And it's essentially a platform that can be tied to a tree trunk or branch that holds a bow in place or in it, and the trigger mechanism holding the bowstring taught essentially the mechanics of a crossbow, but in a very blocky form respscorp (GM): Yep. So, bascially, because it's a straight and logical follow-up of knowing how a bow works (you take a bow, you have something hold it pulled and then you need something to hold the arrow) It's not a full-on innovation, Blaer can figure it out without needing some fancy schooling. LD: And just for future reference could I potentially turn this into a crossbow over several similar iterations of making it more compact and portable until I can just hold it and fire it personally, or is there an intrinsic leap in thinking that is required no matter how I go about it respscorp (GM): Yes, but it's going to be a lengthy process and require progressively higher skill levels (SL 14) and might take some tries. A crossbow or bellybow is TL-appropriate, so it shouldn't be a problem unless it has something custom. So in this case, Blaer rolls Armory (Bowyer) to design it right. Meliton will provide +1 from using complementary skills. Rolling 11 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 1 respscorp (GM): And then I do a secret roll to see how the first experiment goes (it might have hidden bugs) LD: I guess not, because I can't think of a fancier trigger mechanism that's appropriate for the setting of the traps or TL respscorp (GM): It might come up that you need to figure out more precise pressure sensitive trigger that lets people through but snaps when horse move over, for example. Anyway, Blaer and Meliton manage to complete a prototype of their trap and discover some problems along the way: 1.Keeping it readied for too long may result in it snapping of firing prematurely. Anything under 1 minute is safe though. 2. After firing, it may damage itself and need fixing. You don't have time to make a better version right now, but these should be fixable from what Blaer can figure out - just need sturdier woodwork, better clue and some way to make the bow part sturdier and less flexible. LD: that second fault shouldn't be too big of a deal It was intended for a single volley against groups that shouldn't show up too frequently to begin with the first one is a bit more of a problem though. We'd need to have some form of scouting to give us enough notice to set them up either that, or Blaer needs to stay in the shadows setting them up quietly while Radulf distracts them with conversation respscorp (GM): Yep. LD: Alright, now how much sleep do I have to give up to make these? respscorp (GM): About 2h of sleep are sacrificed (plus the normal waking hours) LD: And that's to make how many? respscorp (GM): Give me a bit This initial time is for designing and testing the first batch on the fly, which produces 2. After that, depending on how improvised and unstable you want them to be you can make more. LD: How much sleep do I have to deprive myself to make two more? respscorp (GM): About the rest of the night. Or leave it for after you have reached the place Much, much less if you recycle existing bow staves Since that's a big part of the labour. LD: I suppose I'll leave it for after we get there respscorp (GM): Alright. LD: Blaer can afford a bit of sleep deprivation, but probably not a whole night especially if she's going to be getting into melee combat respscorp (GM): Yes, that is wise. LD: and I think that's it? respscorp (GM): Yeah. If there is anything else I'll be in discord. Balthazarr, the Mad: YO DAWGS P.P. A.: \o respscorp (GM): hey dawg GM: it's just us, so not sure what to do Balthazarr, the Mad: now the weird sex stuff starts, obviously GM: eh There is stuff that can be covered, e.g. Thea wanted to talk to Radulf before he goes, and I don't know if there's stuff Eoghania wants to do back home P.P. A.: Wasn't Eoghania good friend with the wizard's granddaughter? GM: She was, I guess we can explore that as well. Balthazarr, the Mad: sweet jesus P.P. A.: Salaya (had to look her up), who IIRC hasn't appeared since the first session Depends on whether she or her grandfather are going to be relevant to anything again (otherwise she could also be retconned away); perhaps best left up to Balthazarr Balthazarr, the Mad: hey man, wizards daughter? How have we NOT doubled down on that? At the best, magical powers P.P. A.: *granddaughter Balthazarr, the Mad: at the worst, demon summoning gone awry we need to fix with violence P.P. A.: whose parentage is completely unknown they're both giants though well, at least abnormally tall Radulf seeing stuff in his dreams could also be used to bring the three characters together GM: Yeah, her relevance was gonna be conditional on whether Balthy is interested, don't want to overwhelm the game with too many NPCs (which I do all too often) And yes, the wizard is a weird person who fell from the sky on a bolt of thunder, around the time your grandparents were building their homes in the area Dusted himself and went "yep, this is the place" Supposedly. Or it could be just old wives' tales. Balthazarr, the Mad: oh man, that guy is certainly being tapped for info because man, Eo is in a place to like, actually do that now GM: Aye It's early in the next morning, very early indeed, when the black, awkwardly masoned rectangular tower that the Wizard supposedly wrung from the very earth is visited by Eoghania who has questions. Eoghania: "Wizard! I have need of your stories! Show yourself!" GM: (5 mins, urgent call from work) (fuck this week, sorry I am back for good) The ominous edifice, slightly taller than the normal two-and-a-half story farmhouses of your people, stands silent for a long moment, then the sound of some furniture falling over sounds from inside. Eoghania: "Oh gods is he drunk...?" Sayala peeks out from one of the narrow windows, then you can hear her running downstairs. She opens the door and attempts to give Eoghania a big hug. Eoghania warmly embraces the girl Eoghania: "Bring me the wizard" Sayla: "Grandfather is busy right now, but come on in, he'll be done in a moment!" GM: (Radulf may also be there if Eoghania deigned to mention her trip to him) Eoghania: " Radulf does have a convenient excuse to be there! He wanted to ask about the parts of the killed shadow-beast. Radulf arrives as Eoghania is being ushered in, holding some claws and patches of fur in his hand. “Ah, so you're here too,” he notes with some friendly apprehension, before segueing into a sarcastic: “I mean, good morning.” The towering girl leads you inside through the narrow halway and up into a cluttered room full of knick-knacks, strange rocks, dried up skins, piled up scrolls and stacked tablets in unlabeled crates of tablets. There's also a small table with a pot of hot herbal infusion and some delicate clay cups. Radulf lifts his hat in greeting of Sayla. Eoghania sits at the table, and wonders what to do with her hands, and how to sit politely in these situations The sound of things unseen scuttling, creeping, shuffling, walking and whispering about can be heard faintly Radulf curiously looks around, but is careful not to touch anything, and even more careful that Eoghania doesn't either. Sayala: "A visit from the young heroes over breakfast, such an honor." Sayala bows in jest, then sits down and pours some of the hot drink along the cups. Sayala: "Though as a matter of fact, I am a little jealous." Eoghania: "Of our exploits? Or our new positions?" Radulf: “If it's of Orphea, don't worry—'nia has even more space in her heart than in her head.” Radulf sheepishly grins and winks: “And if it's of Thea, it's not too late yet.” Sayala hides her wide smile behind a sip of tea, then Radulf's followup forces her to take a gulp of the still-too-hot drink Radulf: *than in her skull (sounds better) Eoghania: [hah, retconning your zingers?] [radul fis eternally an inch from being hit upside the head with the back of a hatchet] Sayala coughs and gasps as she gets a bit of a signed throat P.P. A.: (living on the edge, one nap at a time) Radulf: “Ah, careful.” Radulf looks over to Eoghania, since she seemed like she had a purpose in coming here. Eoghania: "What? im waiting for the wizard. He has answers to my questions and tales for me to consider" "especially the tale of his coming here. There may be truth to it now" "The madness of our lives proven, I mean" dreams is quite something.” Radulf: “I wonder if he has lived in that world all his years.” Sometimes later, the tall, bald man arrives from the upper floor, dressed in his usual faded blue coat and high-platform sandals. Eoghania: "Wizard" Radulf does likewise. Wizard: "Ah, guests." He looks at his granddaughter who seems to be flushed and sweaty from drinking too much hot tea in too much of a haste and with a gesture dismisses her. She goes downstairs, waving goodbye, and indicating her eagerness to resume the conversation. His voice is soft, slightly rasping and with the thin after-tone of an old man, but his figure is otherwise more like that of an awkward teenager - all too tall and gangly. Eoghania: "Wizard, We have nee of you. I seek the truth of our history, and to glean more from the past. " "Radulf wants you to help him make jewelry" GM: "Oh, jewelry. A fine art, though I have always lacked in the feminine energies necessary to make the best of it." Radulf doesn't bother to correct her and makes a dismissive hand gesture. “Don't mind me for now, I can wait.” Wizard: "And what I do have, I unfortunately squander on my love of pastry." The old man chuckles as if to some inside joke Wizard: "Anyway, the past." "If you want to pry into it, Adlerad is the man for it, and Caitlin the woman. But whatever questions you do have, I will at least try to answer." Eoghania: "Tell me Wizard, are you truly from the time of two generations past? How old does that make you? GM: "Well, to be honest, when I was a child, I was not in the habit of counting my years. But yes, I was already gaining on in years when I first came to your people those... 51 years ago." "Not much now..." the tall man mutters to himself over his cup of tea. Eoghania: "But how do you remain so vigorous? So well?" The wizard fixates Eoghania with a look, as if suddenly noticing her for the first time. Wizard: "Oh, you are that girl. The weaver's daughter. My granddaughter's friend." "I guess it cannot be helped, I've heard about you after all." "You see... I am a wizard. My life sustained by unspeakable spells and incomprehensible magic. Also, the climate here does wonders for a man my age." GM: "Too bad my granddaughter has not a scrap of talent. Would have been nice to leave some legacy for after I am gone." Eoghania: "Wizard" than that. I wish to wield this as well!" Radulf carefully asks: “Are you… by your powers or birth connected to the world the waking eye cannot see?” Wizard: "Well, I can teach you. But it will be a waste of your time. You have as much talent as Sayala. Instead of persevering in a field in which you have no gift, why not excel in one where you are already gifted?" The old man then turns to Radulf Eoghania glares Wizard: "By birth no, but I have some understanding of it. Different from the one the witch has, though maybe not necessarily better." Eoghania: "I am not a wizard." Wizard: "What? Yes, of course not. This is how I talk to adults. Children don't get the option to choose." Radulf considers the giant's words. “I see. …I think. I wondered if doing magic means to do things in the invisible world, which then has effects on the visible one, but it doesn't sound like that.” The old man sighs and prepares to give a short lecture. Wizard: "What people call magic can be many things. A mastery of the finer laws of nature. Closeness to spirits. The ability to master the alphabet arcane, and the properties of substance. And others besides. I am not bragging when I say that I have studied most, and mastered some of these. But there are so many secrets in the world, that sometimes each people have their own way of knowing. When I came here, I was already at least past forty years old, yet I met a young girl who had a lot to teach me." "I've heard of your strange dreams, young man. Perhaps you want me to help you study them?" Radulf nods. “I don't want to get too deeply involved, but it may be good to understand what I see at night—what to beware of, whom to befriend.” Eoghania bristles and reddens, but listens. Radulf thinks. “About Eoghania though—she's not made to be a wizard, but you use your magic to grant yourself vitality, strengthen your body. Are there any… easy basics even she could use to that end?” The wizard looks a bit confused, but nods over his cup. Radulf: “She make good use of that sort of thing; not to your level of mastery of course, but just as something that works well with her natural… talents.” Wizard: "Like I said, I have the time to teach her. Learning from me is probably not her best option, but it's her choice." Radulf looks to her. Eoghania: "Well, if not who do you suggest I learn from?!" The old man carefully sets the cup on the table then theatrically throws his hands up in the air. Wizard: "Your own people, perhaps. Although... hm, maybe there is someone else. "Either way, I will not turn you back. Now, young man, was there something specific you care about, or should I await for a night-time visitation?" Radulf digs into a pouch and presents a few trophies from the shadowbeast. “I was wondering… The beast we fought had strange abilities—its was shrouded in darkness, and its hide quickly sealed any wounds we inflicted, for example. Does that magic linger in its corpse, and is there a way to fashion objects from it embued with that magic? …not just this beast, but others like it, too.” Wizard: "Yes. In fact, some of the bigger trophies you brought from this one are now with the witch's daughter, who is probably sleeping in after a night's work of putting in the finishing touches..." He goes on to explain that in addition to other stuff, some materials from such monsters can be used by experienced craftsmen as aids in making superior materials. If someone is a craftsman, then they can recognize the use on the spot, probably. Radulf asks if there is a specific way to preserve a beast's magic after it's been slain, just like how you need to tan hides quickly before it starts rotting. P.P. A.: or fouling, I forgot the right term Wizard: "There is usually no way - too much essence is lost quickly after death. But some things can be preserved in very special pots. You need very special soil and very hot fires for these though, so I might trade you one, but I cannot afford to loan you one." Radulf smiles and nods. “I will come back to that once I can make an appropriate offer.” Wizard: "Alright then. Eoghania, if you have nothing else to do right now, we can begin after breakfast by meeting someone that might be a better teacher of "magic" for you. Radulf, you should come as well, it is relevant to your questions as well." Eoghania smolders Eoghania: "Yes. Lets" Radulf: “Thank you.” P.P. A.: (since I'm hungry and it's about dinnertime, I wouldn't mind bowing out for a bit so Eoghania can get the sole focus) Eoghania: well, really, I could step back here and get to doing all the shit I need to today too. Balthazarr, the Mad: good to know the wizard is a popus ass tho good to get the suspicion out of the way GM: (hah, is that how he came out... he's a bit arrogant, but also awkward and poorly socialised) P.P. A.: yeah, that was the impression I got from him Balthazarr, the Mad: fucking wizards P.P. A.: that and a little lazy GM: (he's old, and is starting to like just looking out the window and drink tea) Alright, see you next time. Very nice that we managed to cover new ground. P.P. A.: Thanks for the session respscorp (GM): hi P.P. A.: \o Balthazarr, the Mad: good morning P.P. A.: o/ LD: \o/ PREVIOUSLY! On the Wild Frontiers! After concluding the negotiations, our heroes relaxed and had some heart-to-heart discussions and plans for the future made. This was all interrupted, by news from a homeland they have never seen, and the plans of a belligerent old man encouraging them towards plain robbery in the name of kith and kin. While preparing, Blaer worked hard to test out a clever new snare that she had conceived, while Radulf and Eoghania relaxed and spent the time pestering The Wizard. Now though, everybody is mostly ready. Blaer looks like she has missed a bit of sleep, and she has packed her bags heavier than usual. respscorp (GM): (and I assume she might conscript someone else to help her with the heavy lifting) Eoghania is ready and waiting to depart, busying her hands with some twisting braids, while clutching her hatchet close too LD: She would be trying to get someone to hoist most of the materials for her, yes she would carry her normal gear, plus the one completed prototype of the mounted bow trap to give it a once-over as they walked (and also show off her genius to anyone that looks interested) also how much FP does she lose from lost sleep? Meliton is going to volunteer to help after helping with preparing the thing. Outside of him, there's probably others as well. The extra load will have to include the carpenting tool you're going to borrow along, which is actually significant. Radulf will only offer to carry anything if anyone notices that he is there, which he will make sure not to draw attention to, when the topic comes up. Orphea: Orphea also remained relatively silent, she didn't really have anything to add at the moment. respscorp (GM): (1 permanent FP until she catches up with sleep) (Orphea has all her stuff back btw) Radulf uses the opportunity to discuss something with her (which conveniently will make him occupied and left out of any distribution of heavy things to carry). Radulf: “They're going to be coming from the south-west, across the river,” he begins. “I was thinking about what to do with those who… well, submit to us without much trouble.” “Yo you think it's a good idea to settle them on the other bank of the river? They'd be close, quick to reach by boat, but also an arm's length away with a big moat in between.” “They'd also be between us and any other new arrivals.” Eoghania: "A sound place to put them, Radulf. Well thought out, as always, you schemer" Orphea: Orphea shrugged "Settling everyone who choses to bend the knee in the same location would possibly let them garner enough power to oppose our government. We'd need to plan out the settling so that they're going to be eternally stuck in a minority position until we can encourage assimilation." She shrugged "That, and a constant flow of, kind of fabricated, information to remind them that we're the barrier between the relative peace they're enjoying, and chaos and pain." Eoghania: "Should we force them to marry in then? Exchange a sire for a sire? For a mingling of the tribes?" Marriage between clans is kinda traditional between allies Radulf smirks, a bit uncomfortably, at Orphea's wit. “For starters we could split them up; some west of us, some south. If there continue to be troubles in the homelands, that may take care of the tales of chaos and strife.” Orphea nodded "If it doesn't offend too much, intermarriage would be a very powerful tool to get them loyal, yes." Orphea nodded towards Radulf. "True, the issues in the homeland are a great tool, I would be more comfortable if we made sure to place a few colonists in the locales they're settling in, give them a role of power that provides the goods, then put the less savory collection roles in the hands of the minority group. If we know enough of their cultures we should also try and maintain a ratio between rival or atleast semi-competitive tribes in the settled areas so they compete more with eachother than us." (From respscorp (GM)): Radulf has enough imagination to be able to see himself in others' shoes. Some people would be willing to settle in a new place, but he imagines most would just want to continue to the relatives they were already going for. Radulf nods. “We could settle them together with our newly arriving kinsfolk; make sure the latter treat the others well, but from a place of power.” Radulf shrugs. “Depends on who it is who's coming, though. If they've also already got relatives in the area, they might just wanna pass through.” Radulf: “We'll just have to see whom we'll be dealing with each time.” Orphea: She nodded "Taking in a great deal of people is always a challenge, planning out our course of action and adapting to changes of situation will be tantamount to our success" The young heroes continue their conversation on the road most likely, recognizing that time is of the essence. The sooner they get there, the more time to prepare. Eoghania scoots her boot Orphea continued along, very, very happy to have her travois back. Radulf has been ready too. respscorp (GM): (Somebody has to navigate for the group to make sure you don't get lost in the rough, forested terrain and get there in an optimal amount of time) Blaer will lead the way as the group's wayfinder Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 0 Before noon, you have managed to cross the full and often treacherous river south from your clan's village. It's a sunny, windy day and several of your relatives as well as some Redhorns are out with boats on the river and the nearby lake, so it's easy to get a lift across. The rest of the day continus without incident - you spot some game tracks but you've left all signs of other humans behind for now. You camp out, and at night, Radulf's ethereal form floats out and around (From GM): There are some more agitated spirits around, but nothing too scary. You notice a small procession of barrow-folk moving through the night, their shapes somewhat blurred and surrounded by a glow like moonlight. (To GM): He use the opportunity to scout ahead, but probably lose track of that objective in dreamy delirium and wander around the area. He'll avoid the less friendly spirits but get drawn a bit to the glowing barrow-folk, because they shine so nicely. (From GM): The procession is of two armed men and a lady on a horse. The horse is strangely thin and delicate, just like the barrow-folk themselves. Taller than normal horses, too. The woman gazes at you as you approach and calls out "Wake up!" Blaer would try to spend the time camped to work on some more of the bow traps (To GM): He probably still gets startled by that enough to snap back to his body and indeed wake up. It's hardly enough time unless she intends to lose sleep over it, but it gives her some time to have another look and try some things out. LD: Perhaps she does intend to lose sleep over it. The question is how much? (To GM): unless this is cause for a concentration roll or something Eoghania: [ooooh theres a passion not to be discounted, there] GM: (Anything less than 4 hours lost is not going to make here more sleep-deprived than she already is. It's enough time to make some progress on a second copy, or try to hammer out some of the bugs) LD: Blaer is both stubborn and overconfident. She wants to make sure her traps are ready by the time they get there, and she thinks she's good enough even when she's a little sleepy (From GM): It does, but with nothing trying to eat his sould right now, it doesn't matter if he wakes up in 1s or 10s LD: Let's see, the bugs were the the fact it needed fixing after the first shot, and a propensity to fire prematurely if left set up for over a minute, right? Radulf startles awake at some point, and looks around disoriented. He mumbles something about: “That always gets me…” and is about to lay down again when he sees Blaer busy. Radulf: “Still at work this late?” Blaer will work on fixing its premature firing issue. Radulf speaks quietly enough not to take anyone of course LD: Is this Radulf's spirit talking? Radulf in the flesh, drowsy and with half-open eyes. Blaer: "This trap will not let me sleep, in the state that it is in." GM: (roll Armory at -4 to try and remove the bug; Or you could just work throughout the night for extra time taken to make it a little bit easier... but risk colapsing) LD: And I still can't use traps instead? Radulf stumbles over and takes a long, close look. P.P. A.: (Not sure if any of his skills apply; maybe Observation to notice something that Blaer overlooked that'd be an obvious problem, or Artist (Woodworking).) (If nothing works here, he'll just shrug and go back to sleep.) GM: (the trap part is working fine so far, it's the crossbow part that has "bugs"; Carpentry, Armory and Bow can be used as complementary skills, since it's just an issue of making a bow that can survive being under tension for an arbitrary ammount of time I imagine) Rolling 9 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -7 LD: w o w GM: Hmm Thankfully, nobody got hurt. Eoghania: hahah oh no LD: the fact that you start with that worries me Eoghania: [I mean, its not a crit fail unless your modified skill was only a 6] LD: it was not Eoghania: [awesome! then you just got the worst possible result] LD: I mean it was not only a 6, it's a 9 so that's just a normal failure, right? GM: (And the worst possible result is no result. Blaer just gets frustrated with her lack of progress after a sleepless night. She tries to catch some shut eye and probably does, but feels poorly on the next day.) (Blaer is now -3 FP until a good sleep) LD: total? GM: Yeah, total. Bad stuff happens if you lose more than 50% of your usual max. The normally nonconfrontational Meliton looks like he might try to prevent further sleepless nights. LD: if you don't mind, I would like to spend one of my points bumping up my armoury for the future treating this failure as a sort of learning experience That day, you move further into the valley between both peaks. You see the mountains rising up on three sides and the densely forested plains to the south-west stretching ahead. The terrain here is rougher, though lacking in any big features. Sparse woods, clumps of bushes, unexpected small cliffs and incountable small streams zig-zagging as they carve their pathways through the ground. GM: (Sure) Eoghania: "All uphill from here now" You notice one group of travellers in the distance as you head towards your destination. You might be able to catch up with them if you try, but that would delay you by at least a day. They appear like a small group of people with about four cows, a cart and some small amount of other animals. They are unfamiliar with the terrain and progressing slowly. Eoghania: "Hmm, they seem foreign here too. And having trouble with a large group heading downhill? Interesting" Radulf idly but precisely counts the people and animals as he observes the group. Orphea didn't comment, leaving the plan of action to the people in the tribe she was representing. Eoghania: "Not worth our time then" GM: (They are heading uphill) P.P. A.: Do their clothes or hairstyles give any indication whether they may be our relatives or literally whos? GM: Gonna need to get closer. The cart design and rough outlines you see from here mark them as at least belonging to your culture. Radulf: “…at the pace they're going, we might meet them on our way back,“ Radulf half-jokes. “They might need a hand or make for easy pickings, though. What do you think?“ Eoghania: "Again, not worth our trouble. I doubt their animals would form much a militia for us to gloriously defeat" "Let us find our foes" Blaer nods, yawning Blaer: "We must get to the location quick so that we may set up quick, and be ready for the first group coming in." Radulf nods. “Onwards then.” You manage to reach the place before long. The terrain for days around encourages people to descend towards this wrinkle in the valley, and a whitewater stream running across forces people to look for a good ford - which is at the place. Clumps of vegetation provides for a good place to hide right within a shot's distance from the ford. Blaer gets to work building the other bow traps Eoghania finds a high place which to see from, and promptly places herself there, shield and hatchet at the ready, and other things discarded in an unprepared heap Eoghania twists at her knotwork, something to keep her hands working, if not productive GM: (high places nearby include - a boulder or a tree. Tree will require climbing.) Radulf stuffs everything he doesn't immediately need into a crevice or under the exposed roots of a tree, too Eoghania: [boulde rit is] Radulf: “How are we going to handle this? Attack first as a show of force, then offer them mercy? Or I invite them to accept our gracious hospitality, and everyone jumps them if they're bad guests?” Orphea: "The latter option seems more sustainable." Eoghania: "We speak to them. We ask them their story and intentions in their travel. Inform them of our claim to this land. Then we make a decision" Radulf nods and drinks some water after the long walk to make sure his voice isn't raspy. Carli darts out, making one full circle around the nearby copse of trees, just to enjoy himself. Then eyes the distance, flaring his nose and settles down in anticipation. Rolling 7 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -6 GM: You both spot the first group of travelers heading your way, but Eoghania is the one who makes a good note of some details. It seems like a an extended family with two carts and bout twenty cattle and so much sheep. Notably, there appear to be at least 4 men that have the stance of season warriors. About 3 other men and 3 young boys. Some women and children. The 4 men that stand out appear well-armed - shield, spear and hatchet. Eoghania: "Hmm, men after my own heart..." "We have warriors among them! Ready yourselfves! RADULF! Don't fuck this up!" LD: Has Blaer finished any extra bow traps, and does she have time to set them up? Radulf laughs nervously. GM: (There are 4 traps ready - when triggered, they will basically use the "collateral shot" rule - fire off and attack anything in their path with a skill of 9 until they hit someone) Radulf makes sure he doesn't look too dishevelled, and sits down on a waist-high rock next to the path, from which he can greet the travellers in a comfortable and slightly elevated position. GM: Soon the small caravan turns past a copse of woods and enters within eyesight. They spot Radulf as they approach the ford and 2 of the men unsling their shields and, spear in hand, head towards it. They grasp their spears in their shield hand and one of they waves at Radulf Blaer is going to wait to load the traps until it looks like the conversation is about to go south Stranger: "Hello there! What manner of man are you, friend or foe? May we pass this ford?" Radulf waves at them with an innocent smile, the other hand resting on his axe. “Hello, strangers; that's what I'm wondering, too. Are you fleeing the turmoil in the Old lands?“ Stranger: "Aye. These folks are fleeing Galchobhar's men, because one of their boys was dumb enough to attack his messengers. We had reasons of our own to travel, so we agreed to escort them as mercenaries." Radulf nods. “We're happy to extend our hospitality to those who wish to be good neighbours, pay due tribute to their hosts, and aren't looking to start trouble.” They seem to find that mildly amusing Radulf musters the others in the caravan, to see if their boys are the type to be dumb enough to attack people they shouldn't, or if they look alright. Stranger: "We're head in the Wildlands to be free, boy, not to pay dues, and the same goes for those families behind us." One of them lowers his voice to the point where Radulf can still hear him, but the folks further behind cannot GM: "And we gave them our word, boy, so we're not going to stand back. I don't know how many pals you got line up there in the bushes, and I'm not eager to find out... but I advise you to be very careful in your next words." The other pats his buddy on the shoulder and addresses you with a bit of faked levity Warrior: "Hey, why don't we start over. As guests to your home, we might end up polite enough to offer some gifts... if the hosts show us kindness and hospitality" Radulf: “Enough,” he calmly replies to the first warrior with an unfazed smile. In response to the second he opens his arms in a friendly gesture. “That's the idea: a show of goodwill, so that we may return it in kind as we become neighbours.” “A safe journey to a good place to settle for those who make good company, and a chance to turn back safely for those who don't.” Warrior: "Sounds like a fair exchange. Go get the old guy." He slaps the one who first greeted you and nods back towards the wagons Eoghania: :o GM: "I'll talk for my men, then the old guy talks for his folks. My proposal is simple - we give each other our word, and then you let us pass. The families go wherever they want, me and my boys settle in with your folks for an year." Radulf 's poker face smile grows a bit more earnest. “Sounds good to me; let's hear the elder's word, to make sure there's no disagreement there.” Soon he is joined by an old, broad-shouldered and bow-legged old man. Hunched from age and a life of hard labor, and ruddy-faced, he walks with a bit of a limp and composes himself with the careless boldness of someone who feels like they've had their fill of life. Under an old, bronze cap pokes out a pair of bushy brows and drooping silvery whiskers. Oldster: "Whash all dish den? Be ye outlaws or wot?" Eoghania: "We're the rightful protectors of this land, oh wizened warrior man" Radulf shows some goodwill and hops off the rock to stand properly as he speaks to the old man. Radulf: “…what she said. We don't want the homeland's troubles spilling into these our lands. Are you and your kin heading anywhere specific?” Radulf pays close attention to see if their manner of speech or appearance links them to any of the neighbouring clans he knows. Oldster: "Gawrsh, I hope nawt. Me an mine are hopin to outrun said troubles." He seems to stop himself mid-breath before going on a rant and settles down, peering curiously in your direction. Oldster: "Ye're awful young... but that's none of my business. We're headin for our kin north from here." As the old man continues his explanation, you figure out he is going to his cousins among the Blue Eagles P.P. A.: Who are not our enemies according to the map, so let's not make them such Radulf: “Ah, the Blue Eagles?” P.P. A.: (in b4 this turns into Iron Age Papers, Please) The old man nods after processing your question. LD: Glory to Cynwrig Eoghania: "[oh man we need a flag] [and perhaps we should discover paper] [to demand papers, in swearing allegiance to flag] Radulf thinks for a moment, eyeing the group's cattle—closes his eyes, and smiles once more. “Send them Cynwrig's regards, then,” and steps aside from the middle of the path, as an inviting gesture. The caravan passes by very carefully, despite the leader of the warriors trying to calm everyone by claiming to "thrust the boy's eyes" Eoghania: [hah, gay] Warrior: "My name is Eogan, son of Fedelmid Bloody-hands. I keep my words, so I will be seeing you soon I guess." Radulf: “Radulf, son of Rodemir,” the shepherd introduces himself. “The rest of the way should be safe if they cross the river west of the lake.” “I'm looking forward to seeing you here again soon.” Eoghania: "Stay to the river, westward, Bloodyhands. We will see you on a better day in brighter times" GM: (you probably also give them some tips - that flat area on the map is rolling hills with annoying and unexpected streams a gullies crisscrossing throughout - a pleasant land to hunt and camp, but a frustrating one to travel) Before the evening darkness descends, you have a couple more encounters. First is Thea and a couple of other girls catching up to see if you're in need of more manpower. (From GM): It's absolutely transparent for Radulf she was worried about leaving him alone with Orphea and Eoghania though Radulf explained to the rest of the party after the encounter that there's no point in making enemies of the Blue Eagles, so even if they ended up empty-handed this time, new allies down the road in the form of those mercenaries, and a good word with the Blue Eagles seemed worth it. Radulf is glad to see her, actually. Orphea nodded "If we got injured fighting them, we wouldn't really be able to detain those belonging to our enemy clans." Radulf: “No need to be worried,” he welcomes her with a cheeky grin, “but I'm glad you're here.” Eoghania: "We are always glad to have good friends nearby Thea" A bit later, shortly before sundown, another group approaches. Seems like 4 people, 1 cow, some dozen sheep and a pair of dogs. As they get closer, the descending dusk lets you study them before they can see you - 1 middle-aged woman, 1 boy younger than Radulf, 1 girl about a year younger still and a child. They appear worn out by the road and nervous. Eoghania stands with her shield on the ground, resting against it as they approach. Hatchet on her hip. She makes sure they receive a smile Radulf musters them with a frown. “…Eoghania, you handle this.” Radulf leans against a tree and watches the scene from behind. Radulf will smile at them if looked at, his axe leaning against the trunk, his dog sitting next to him. P.P. A.: well, more a bit off to the side than behind Eoghania: "Welcome, strangers. I am Eoghania, axe-maiden and defender of this land. From where do you come?" the boy and the girl grip their weapons nervously, their eyes darting around to search for more foes in the shadows past the vegetation. Eoghania raises her empty hands, palms up Eoghania: "No need for those here, Im sure." The middle age woman speaks up, cutting what might have been a reply from the young man. Woman: "We're travelling to our kin to the north. If you are the defender of this land, will you let us pass?" Eoghania: "For what reasons are you travelling? Are you on a pilgrimage to your Kin, or do you settle?" Radulf raises an eyebrow but keeps smiling… politely. Woman: "We are going to live with them at least for the time. We've left home behind." She looks as resolute as the rest of them are scared P.P. A.: Almost all of the other clans are “north” from here, but this sounds like the Red Serpents. Any indicators? Eoghania: "We must ask, your home behind you, what has happened to it? Why do you flee into the Norht?" Woman: "My husband was killed for having more courage than sense. He thought winning one fight would be enough. He did not understand it would just invite more fights." Radulf: “Very true.” Radulf comments from aside, and pushes himself off the tree solidly onto his feet. “Who are your kin?” Eoghania: "A noble death, but a pointless one. You seek his kin then? For the children's sake?" The woman eyes you, then takes a deep breath. Woman: "I'm going to my kin, not his. We're not looking for trouble. We're Hiord's kin." GM: (how is everyone for time, do we finish now on this line?) Orphea: (I can stay for another 17ish minutes) Eoghania: [kek, thats oddly specific and super short too] P.P. A.: (I can continue too) may be enough time to deal with this encounter LD: I got nothing but time GM: (time enough to wrap this exchange then, go) Radulf scratches his head and sighs. He leans on his shepherd's axe—relaxed, but demonstratively. “You're not looking for trouble, and know that it's unwise to pick fights,“ he addresses the woman. Eoghania nods to that The woman knows what's up, so she clutches the sides of her skirt and looks defiantly. Radulf: “To get to the point: leave some of your sheep with us, and we'll give you a guide to lead you safely through our clan's lands.” “The Hiordlings live on the other side, and they have lacked your wisdom lately.” While some of her children appear dismayed, she relaxes visibly. Woman: "Aye." Blaer steps forth from the brush Blaer: "Wait." Eoghania curses softly under her breath Orphea frowned, resting in her own stealth area, she didn't particularly agree with the course of action performed, but didn't want to make Cynwigs leadership look weak. Blaer: "If you go to the Hiordlings, you will only find more suffering awaiting you. More people who will put courage before sense, and bring you hardships because of it." Blaer turns to Radulf Blaer: "Perhaps we can find a more favorable deal should they choose a different village to settle?" Woman: "You may speak truth, but they are my kin. And how should I know who started it and who is just too stubborn to stop? Yet..." Radulf suppresses a grin and nods.He turns to the widow again: “Once you join with your kin, they'll probably make you our enemy.” Radulf: “But it needn't be that way.” Orphea blinked, pleasantly surprised by Blaer's social maneuvering. Still, she did her best to remain hidden, naked lady covered in feathers is not the go-to way to say civil ally. Woman: "Yet, as a wife I am done, and I already left my kin once, when I married. I have children to think of... what you propose makes sense." Radulf: “We can give you a safe place to settle, out of the way of that conflict—under our protection, of course, but safe.” Eoghania: "And there are plenty of men useless to fatherhood, but hale and ready to be patrons to a mother as yourself" "Or perhaps, even just a stead of your own. A new patriarch in your son" Radulf smiles at the boy. “Someone who's willing to die for his mother and sister deserves a good future.” Eoghania: "Aye; thats a true noble warrior. He and his sister" Blaer nods Woman: "I'm not going to thank you for this, but it is a better deal than most would give a lone mother, I suspect. Very well, I accept. But allow me but one condition - that my children are not called to fight my kin." Eoghania: "Rather, we shall request their aid, the time should come. And should they wish to honor us with their arms, we will welcome them. But we will not press, and there will be no shame to their refusal" "Liberty, fo ryou and your kin" Radulf: “Going by our past encounters, we can handle your kin on our own,” Radulf chuckles—then smiles earnestly. “It's a promise.” GM: (and with that concluded, we shall reconvene next week) 3CP all Eoghania: gnarly Vodka: (Thanks for having me LD: nice P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! Balthazarr, the Mad: dumb quesiton, whats that put us at for total PC points? give or take? LD: I'm at 178 P.P. A.: 178? Balthazarr, the Mad: gotcha Vodka: yea GM: 178 seems wrong somehow Balthazarr, the Mad: I am definitely looking at an old sheet then GM: as in, I suspect it should be something like 181-183 now P.P. A.: YOu didn't award any points for the last cople of sessions *cpiple Balthazarr, the Mad: GASP P.P. A.: *COUPLE LD: *cripple Balthazarr, the Mad: ka-poople? GM: (cuppa sessions) You are right, it is 178 now respscorp (GM): heya P.P. A.: \o Balthazarr, the Mad: just re-saving the GCS for eo here and done again respscorp (GM): feed me pdfs Balthazarr, the Mad: :V done and done Previously! On the Frontier! After marching out, our heroes set an ambush site near one of the most convenient fords in the area, a place that travellers unfamiliar with the area would naturally gravitate towards, guided here by the many streams and slopes of the valley. respscorp (GM): Their first day has passed with two encounters so far, both of them peaceful. Balthazarr, the Mad: Unsurprisingly, the night does not see any further travelers arriving and passes uneventfully for most. Meliton tries to convince Blaer to make up for lost sleep and leave her contraptions alone for one night. (To GM): Radulf just wanders around the area in a dream-like state without particular alertness or purpose. Though, remembering the giant serpent from his home mountains, he's going to take a cautious look at those peaks south-east of the party's position The evening sees a bot of rain at the end of it, enough to result in a chilly morning The morning also passes, damp and uneventful unless you do something with it. The day however... LD: Blaer will try and improve the traps while they're waiting. Having to constantly unset them was too much Eoghania offers some twines she has been weaving, to keep her hands busy. (From respscorp (GM)): The spirit of this peak seems to be some sort of sleepy, tortoise-like beast with shaggy fur. Radulf is visited by a small, iron-clad man though, who waits for him at the edge of the firelight and advises him Continued her long think on how to properly indoctrinate a bunch of immigrants. She'd occasionally ask questions about the various cultures from the group. Regretting not taking her wax tablet with her. Rolling 9 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 2 Radulf is also happy to discuss these things with Orphea; proposing to marry widows like the one yesterday to unlucky bachelors and older widowers of their own clan, who'd introduce the children to Cyrnwig ways. Radulf: While saving more capable men for more strategic marriages, like hypothetical daughters of elders or chieftains. At around noon time, several of you overhear some distant cries. Sounds like something violent is happening not very far. Eoghania stows her string and knife into her work-box, and springs to her feet with hatchet and shield in hand, gathering to the others, eager to track this commotion! Eoghania: "Where are they? What enemy do we face now?" Radulf gets up and ready. “It'll be obvious what to do if we recognise any of the parties. If we don't… well, we'll need to act quick.” Radulf: “Side with whoever's taking the beating so they're going to be ingratiated to us?” Whatever it is, it will probably be over by the time you get there, unless one side manages to dig in or start running. It will be at least several minutes. Eoghania grimaces, and has a sad and angry look Eoghania: "We have to do ! We can't just listen in and dither!" Radulf looks to Blaer and to the wildlings. “Can one of you go and scout, and direct people to flee here if they're losing, and seem worth saving?” Blaer: "I believe I can do that. Get the traps ready in case I'm being followed." Radulf nods seriously. “Lob a fireball to create a diversion if you must.” Radulf takes up position. “Eoghania, we'll block off the ford to any pursuers.” Eoghania: "NONE shall pass" Blaer leaves most of her stuff, running for the fight Orphea was somewhat confused on the decision to interrupt the foghting. However she moved to get into position woth her comrades, not commwnting. Rolling 6 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 0 P.P. A.: skipped leg day, hu— lucky. LD: oh okay respscorp (GM): (Blaer does a good spint over the lengthy distance of rough terrain, avoiding sinkholes, leg-trapping brambles, treacherous slopes and other hazards. Meliton is left far behind by the time she gets a good look at the scene. Peeking out of the bushes, Blaer sees that someone has recently made makeshift bridges of rough logs over a forked stream whose rapid waters have dug deeply and narrowly into the soil here. A bunch or ragged men, some with spears in their hands, have gathered around something, while others are leading a small herd of sheep away, probably to a nearby camp. She suspects these men are outlaws. People who get exiled and placed outside the protection of traditions and law due to being particularly vile or just very unpopular. They often band together for survival and a large enough band might decide to act as brigands. Blaer makes a quick calculation - if she makes haste to fetch the others, it might be possible to surprise the ones remaining here before they leave to join their sheep-driving friends. Blaer does another calculation, and instead goes as far to where Meliton is, and has him head back to fetch the others while she keeps an eye on the situation to give herself more time to plan something respscorp (GM): (smart) Blaer does not have perfect visibility from her position, but it looks like the outlaws wrecked a cart laden with stuff and instead of trying to repair it, they have pile the things up to sort their loot. She spots a spreading puddle of blood past some bushes, and sees two of the outlaws with knives and hatchets trying to carve up a dead cow - the animal seems to have take a stray arrow during the fight. Blaer: Are there any signs of the people who were with the cart? Some time later, Meliton arrives back and informs the others that Blaer needs their help with some outlaws. He's going to stay here to guard the camp (mostly from animals, since it's pretty well hidden). Blaer tries to get a better look for details and rolls Observation Rolling 7 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -7 P.P. A.: Too many trees in this forest LD: another one of the skills I left at default Maybe they are dead. She can see the pool of blood clear as day. respscorp (GM): (welcome to my first experiment in dynamic LoS) LD: oooh, nice Eoghania: woo! LD: so that's what it looks like from the player end respscorp (GM): (ctrl+L lets you see as a token does) P.P. A.: Doesn't work for me, let's see if Firefox fares any better (than Pale Moon) yep Eoghania: ppa, what is it with you and that bowser Orphea: could I make a stealth and observation to maybe blast the banditos who are seme isolated? im not able to use the map on phone P.P. A.: Did Meliton summarise the situation to us? respscorp (GM): (He did, and you met with Blaer some 20m away from the edge of this area so you have some idea - the outlaws Blaer was observing are behind the bushes ahead) past the stream LD: for a second I read "shaman" on the turn order as "shadman" and got really worried Radulf whispers to the reassembled party: “Here's the plan: we kill most of the stragglers here but let one escape. He's going to get help, but they need people to guard their prisoners or animals, so they'll split their forces. We prepare an ambush for them, and then assault the camp.” Rolling 6-3d6 = -4 Orphea: oh, if they arent actively looking for trouble we might have passed P.P. A.: oh nevermind, didn't realise combat time was already on respscorp (GM): (well, it is now) Eoghania: [would this be a good time to join in with screaming STEALTH! as we run up, arms flailing?] respscorp (GM): (as long as arms means weapons) Alerted by some stray sound, one of the outlaws absentmindely looks towards Orphea and Blaer and spots them. He shouts out a warning, but at least some of his friends will probably take some time to react. Also, they killed the dog, it seems. Eoghania thinks to herself "How do I best serve my friends and divert attention?" P.P. A.: >killed the dog kill 'em all " Radulf nods. respscorp (GM): (ok, combat time is) Eoghania ran is screaming, so Blaer (or Orphea at the same Speed) Orphea prepares for combat, being aggressive! (could someone play for me? I cant see the map on phone. I do 1d+2 with spear, effective skill of 12-supersensitive penalty and a dodge of 9) Blaer draws an arrow for her bow Rolling 11 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -2 respscorp (GM): (I assume you mean for Orphea to run ahead?) Orphea: (somewhat with group just a focus on AoA and telegraphix ones to make up for penalty) respscorp (GM): (Blaer fumbles a bit with the arrow Looter: "Whuh, a naked wildling?" The one who spotted you draws a sword, uncharacteristically well-kept and fine looking. The rest are reacting too slow, save one who runs up jumping usually is unrolled; unfortunately, Eoghania's heavy shirt weighs her down, and in this case makes sure she barely misses the One of his buddies recklessly charges at Orphea, aiming to tackle her - as if he thinks depriving her of the advantage of her spear would win this fight Rolling 10 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 2 Eoghania: god-dumnit Backed against a boulder, he cannot retreat but still manages to barely avoid certain death I give up, I give up!: Scared beyond belief, he volunteers his surrender. But an outlaw, and one you caught at the scene of a murdered family, has no value as a person. Rolling 10 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 0 Coward: Leave me alone! Eoghania is only getting visibly angrier GM: Blaer1 Blaer is just going to try moving Blaer maneuvers around and realizes she might get to practice shooting people in the back... or stick with Radulf's proposal from earlier. Rolling 10 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 2 He's sweating having seen the carnage inflicted so far, but his ability to keep her at bay for another second gives him a sliver of hope Two of them run, the guy in front of Eoghania cowers, backed against the boulders, and the sword-wielding brigand steps in. Having seen arrows bounce off her, he's not sure what can work, but is out of is facing the only one brave or stupid enough not to have ran. She can try to end him now, but even if she doesn't he will be encircled in a The sheep and cattle have left clear tracks, so that tells you the other two are running in complete panic, and not towards the brigands camp. Either that, or the brigands took a roundabout way when leading the animals. Vodka: Orphea tallied up her murder count, satisfied. She didnt have much to say Radulf makes sure nobody of the enemy overhears him. “I was hoping they'd go get reinforcements whom e could ambush, but…” Radulf rejoins the others and takes a closer look at the bandits# victims. P.P. A.: (assuming combat time is over) The brigands have piled up a lot of the belongings of the family they have murdered. You notice several things: GM: (yes) Eoghania stands over the broken man, guarding him, but not tending wounds You notice one of the outlaws had a very nice sword. Recently stolen from the looks of it. You notice that some of the stuff is ruined by the rough handling, but it used to belong to a somewhat wealthy family and sturdier stuff is still nice. You also notice that the young girl over there is not quite dead yet - they just left her to bleed out and she might still do so. Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 0 Radulf takes a deep breath and was about to offer to try and see how applicable his Veterinary knowledge is here. (Actually IQ-4 rather than Veterinary-4, the former is higher), but he sees Blaer has got it. Eoghania: "Radulf put your hog-fingers away" I swear on me mum Radulf: “…would be a bad idea, yeah.” The girl has lost a lot of blood and your intervention was not the fastest possible. She's going to need a lot of rest and water and soup. LD: Soup's on, baby Radulf: “Is she going to make it?” The girls is also legally the heir of this loot until you find anyone else from her family. But as she's a wounded child, you're technically Thea and one of the other wildlings show up to at least let you out of this situation. They can guard the wounded child while you pursue the rest of the outlaws. GM: (and this is a good place to stop I guess) Radulf: “We don't know how many there are, but they took prisoners by the looks of it, and animals. Must be at least another half a dozen, maybe a full one.” P.P. A.: (yep) Thanks for the session (and bbl dinner) From the tracks, it seems like the outlaws indeed WERE a full dozen and a bit on top But currently, there's far, far fewer of them. Orphea: (good session was fun!) Eoghania retrieves her shield and hatchet, gives Radulf a look, and drives him forward if he lags behind LD: Gud sesh Balthazarr, the Mad: yeah good times had by all here felt good to get into the fray again GM: (sorry the dice hated you) respscorp (GM): hello LD: greetings P.P. A.: \o GM: poked Vodka, let's hope they make it here soon Vodka: garble P.P. A.: Hi there Vodka: yo Previously! On the Frontier! You killed them all, except maybe one or two that managed to high-tail it while you were feeling magnanimous. You even managed to save the life of the young girl remaining as a sole survivor of the ambushed family. And now, she's going to need a lot of rest, so Thea and the other girl retreat with her within the cover of the nearby overgrowth, while you chase after the outlaws. Radulf: “They've got prisoners, so they're going to need to leave a few men behind to guard them. It'd be nice if we could draw them out, but…” He looks around at the corpses the party created last session. “They shouldn't have that many men left anyway.” It also looks that the pair who got away were so terrified of Orphea that they are running away from where the rest of them lead the animals and prisoners. Orphea suggests she scout ahead at night, and harass them to make the attack during the day easier for the rest of the group. She can see in the dark, and would prefer not to get rusty at performing night raids. Thea: "This might be a good idea. We can take this girl and care for her better back at the main camp. And at night Radulf can help you by haunting around." Radulf looks up into the sky and at the shadow of his shepherd's axe to gauge the time of the day. Radulf: “We risk those two who fled reuniting with their brethren and warning them if we wait. What do you two think?” He looks to Blaer and Eoghania. There must be around 4 hours until sunset. Eoghania: Patience is for cowards! But I can appreciate my sister's desire to kill them all in the night. Radulf: “She's suggesting to only harass them at night and attack them tomorrow morning, though. …which not a bad idea.” Orphea waited for the confirmation to go on her little misadventure, planning various horrific ways to shatter the bandits morale Seems like everybody is waiting for Blaer's opinion Blaer blinks, seeming to have lost concentration for a second Blaer yawns Blaer: Watching them at night would be more effective...but we can't forget why we're here The more time we spend hounding these thugs, the less time we have to watch over the pass Radulf: “Thea and the others are taking care of the girl for now. I say we pursue our enemies now and try to overwhelm them; if they're too well defended, we pull back and go with Orphea's plan.” Radulf picks up the sword of one of the slain enemies. “Let's take some of these weapons with us. We could throw them to their captives… but only if needed.” Swords are normally expensive enough. But this one looks well-made and decorated. Probably a family heirloom - and a good weapon on top. Radulf: “On a loan.” Thea: "Be careful and good luck." Radulf waves her goodbye with a confident smile. Not much later, you see the tracks seem to start leading in circles. A simple enough trick, if you have the wit to not lose track of where it all comes out at the end... Rolling 15 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 3 It seems you are all of one mind regarding which direction to follow out of the muddy tangle of animal tracks. They all lead around the bend in the terrain and towards a group of ragged-looking hills. Rocky outcrops and cracks dot their faces as you approach. Orphea: Orphea would look around, seeing if she could spot any overlooked signs of living, or the odd silhouette of somebody who happened to be out and A. sticks to trees and rocks that don't look like anything can be thrown down from atop, as cover from any potential arrow fire. Radulf sticks to trees and rocks that don't look like anything can be thrown down from atop, as cover from any potential arrow fire. Seems nobody is visible, but if they are just around the bend it might be prudent to sneak up. Or to take a very large detour so you can scout the hills from all directions from a safe distance Rolling 11 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -1 The grassy hillside is easy to ascend, but the grainy, porous rocks are sometimes covered by just enough dirt to hold a clump of grass and a raid of pebbles escapes under your feet as you cross over the top, alarming the small herd of stolen animals stabled in a clearing between the hills. There is also a guard down there, but he has not noticed any of you yet - he's going to check on the animals, but doesn't seem particularly alert - yet. Radulf speaks in whispers now. “There they are.” Orphea quietly mentioned hearing some conversation from underground, warning the group that the guard might not be the only one they've got to deal with. Radulf: “That one is busy guarding the animals. We need to figure out where his comrades are.” Blaer: "I think they might be closer than we think." Radulf asks Orphea: “Did it sound like they're moving through a tunnel, or through crevices in the rock?” Radulf gets his weapon ready. Blaer points to a hill Blaer: "I think I saw smoke coming out of that hill. They may have dugout homes inside." Orphea thinks for a moment, gesturing towards the cave entrance nearby. She maintained her low volume in speaking as she said "I believe there might be a rather large cave system throughout the hills" Radulf looks for a surface of exposed rock in the area, or a few big trees. Radulf: If there are any, he'll motion for the party to head there, since they're going to be safe from any attacks from straight underground there. The only big trees are roughly 40 yards from the hills. P.P. A.: that's only two or three minutes of walking The sole guard appears somewhat incautious - after looking around on the ground and around the animals, he returns to his post without bothering with a larger sweep Radulf whispers: “Let's deliberate under those trees. They aren't going to dig through the roots.“ Radulf: “If we could find an entrance to those caves, we could try and smoke them out. Well, if this doesn't also kill their prisoners.“ P.P. A.: The stables and guard were in an indentation between hills, right? *in a depression GM: (yes, secluded)] Radulf: “We could just attack the guard and draw them out wherever they are, but if a bunch of hidden doors sprang open from every hill around us, that would be bad.” Rolling 9 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 0 LD: OH BABY GM: he's surprised, so roll damage) P.P. A.: 8 points of damage (after armor). The man reacts with shock, then topples over as his leg gives in under his weight. A moment later you can see him double over on the ground and seemingly expiring on the spot for no good reason. Blaer tries to assess the man's true deadness from afar. This may be a trap. He appears far too still for a man with an arrow in his leg. And why pretend without at least giving a signal to his people? Then again, the trap might be doubly devious. Radulf peers into the distance. “Nice shot! …was your arrow poisoned?” Blaer frowns Blaer: "It wasn't." Radulf: “…one down—but what now? Throw some rocks or send Karli to startle the animals, so they make noise and someone comes out to look?” Blaer puts away her bow and slowly creeps up towards the body As Blaer gets closer, the chances of the man pretending grow slimmer by the second. His posture is too uncomfortable and unnatural, the bleeding too ample. He also appears of average build, though there is something... Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 1 Hard to tell without a more throrough examination, but it looks a classic case of the Dim sickness. It weakens the body from within, degrading it until the victim starts growing dimmer and dies. This guys was in the early stages so was probably just feeling under the weather. Thankfully, Blaer knows that this is a parasitic disease - just don't let his blood touch any open wounds or anything and you should be safe. GM: (diseases that inflict toxic damage can produce funky results like this) LD: (Neat!) Blaer: So this person is straight dead with no chance of recovery, right? GM: (he is technically at -4 HP and with a crippled leg) (and will survive and maybe even recover with medical treatment, technically speaking) P.P. A.: We gave him a free bloodletting! Radulf waves to Blaer and makes an inquisitive shrugging gesture, thus asking what's going on. Blaer sneaks back, keeping her voice low Blaer: Radulf: “…well. What now? Sooner or later someone is going to come out and find him, but it might be dark by then.” Orphea shrugged, she was ready to attack personally, but would like to see the traps she worked on be used. Radulf: “We can cause a commotion among the animals. …or just sneak off with them.” Eoghania shrugs, she has no input on this Eoghania: There's about5 of them missing from our count so far. Blaer is pensive for several seconds Blaer: "Perhaps...this is an opportunity for use to settle things without risk of shedding more blood." "If this one has sickness, then there is good chance the others will have it too. I do not think they have a healer with them, so they may be willing to trade the hostages for their safety." Radulf: “We should have brought the heads of their comrades, but that they haven't come back yet may be proof enough that we're bets bargained with.” “Sounds like a good idea, though.” Radulf looks to Orphea for confirmation. Orphea nodded, a bit disappointedly "There's no real reason to accelerate the work disease will do for us" Eoghania: It won't do it for us if we stop it! Radulf, these people have killed and will continue to do so - your soft heart should not bleeed for them. Radulf: “If they've got it, the prisoners are probably ill, too.” “…it might really be easier to just take the unguarded animals and go.” Orphea sighed, thinking to herself "I'd prefer we at least try to give the prisoners the freedom to die outside of a cave, though" Radulf sighs. Radulf walks a bit away from the trees onto the hill. He strongly stomps his feet on the ground and also knocks on it with his shepherd's axe's handle. Radulf: “Come out!” It appears very thick. Some sound may trickle through the cracks, but they appear very thin and deep. Still, sufficient shouting seems to do the job. You hear the sound of movement inside the cave Blaer draws her long knife Orphea readied her spear, hopeful that they won't do something stupid. Radulf takes a few step back to the safe trees and leans relaxed on his axe. Finally, a man carrying a candle peeks out around a corner; his shaggy beard accentuating his unkempt clothing and slovenly bearing Radulf: “You're with the bandits, I take it,” the shepherd calls over to him. Outlaw Beard: Who in thunder's ass-end are you? LD: "My name is not important. What's important is what I'm about to do" Radulf: “First of all, you might want to check up on the guy guarding those animals. The arrow was us, that he keeled over from it immediately wasn't us.” P.P. A.: This would have been deliberated beforehand:how do you treat that disease? Like would we just trade them some herbal remedies, or just offer to not kill them while they're weakened and leave them some food so they can rest up? You treat it with either herbs or magic, because it's kinda deadly if untreated due to being parasites, not just a sickness. P.P. A.: Good Radulf points to the guard bleeding out, his careless stance making it clear that he won't use the opportunity to attack them. The man looks back into the cave, then towards you again after enough time to have been given some silent signals by those behind him. He creeps a little closer, narrowing his eyes. P.P. A.: I can't see the guard and animal pen, so I'lm going to rely on the narration for this He seems to be looking around, trying to ascertain if there is more of you. Eoghania: (he was by the cave entrance when he fell) P.P. A.: aye; I thought we'd stay a bit farther away, still by the trees and behind our traps but whatever works GM: (ah, I thought you'd get close enough to trap them inside if they try to just make a run for it) P.P. A.: (they'd leave the prisoners behind and eventually succumb to disease so that wouldn't be a bad outcome) Another one follows him out, as gangly and sharp looking as the other is round, hairy and slovenly. P.P. A.: (but yeah, more so that everyone can keep a respectful/safe distance while negotiating) They narrow their eyes at you, hands on their weapons and stand awkwardly by the cave entrance as if waiting for something. Outlaw: "Was another one with us, but he ran deeper in if you're wondering" the lanky one volunteers some information Radulf nods. Radulf: “To get to the point: we're kinda impatient, so instead of just waiting for you to die to the Dim, we'll trade you the cure and tell you how to use it in exchange for the prisoners you took, and everything you took from them.” “How's that sound?” The short one opens his mouth, but the lanky one gently raps him on the brow with his club. Outlaw: "Better deal than a cornered outlaw usually gets. What's your game, boy?" Radulf: “We're just very nice,” he replies with a bit of sarcasm. Actually, the thug is right: if these two are the only ones left, there's really no reason not to just kill them—but Radulf would hate to go back on his word, now that he's given it. “If you recover and aren't wise enough to fuck off, you can ask the survivors of your attack for mercy and us for some soil to till if they grant it.” The short one opens his mouth, but the lanky one gently raps him on the brow with his club. Yes, again. Outlaw: "A very good bargain, boy. I'll take it. Let's hope we never see each other again afterwards..." His eyes linger on Orphea Outlaw: "But if we ever find ourselves in roles reversed, I will remember this mercy you showed us." Radulf: “I appreciate the thought, though I don't think that'll happen.” He smirks slightly while making a gesture for him to look him in the eyes, not Orphea. Orphea 's eye twitched a bit, she was resisting a compulsion to do what she'd been rehearsing for the night attack. Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 3 It will probably work. They take it and high-tail it out of there, leaving you with their supposedly hiding comrade somewhere in the cave. Radulf: “Let's see who and what is in there.” Radulf looks to the girls. “Eoghania holds her shield up and goes ahead, Orphea behind her with her spear? If the tunnels are narrow, this should be unbeatable.” Orphea nodded towards Radulf's suggestion, that made enough sense to ehr Radulf will go behind them or walk netx to them to plug any gaps/flank. Rolling 15 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 9 P.P. A.: Dodge? GM: (ok, who here has Combat Reflexes?) Radulf does not Orphea does not Eoghania seems to have Radulf and Orphea are mentally stunned by the sudden appearance of a large, menacing man covered in furs, skulls, padded dark clothing and wielding a vicious looking mace in one hand. His yellow eyes seem to Unable to retreat further in the same moment, his defences are overwhelmed by the naked girl, and no I did not, so the 2nd one is a The spear stab seems to cause only a surface wound. Judging by the sound, he has some sort of mail sewn between the layers of his coat. Blaer's opponent is barred from advancing on her by a large dog. Rolling 14 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -2 (ok, so he has -4 to defences for 1s) The large man startles and fidgets only to see nobody behind him. The momentary distraction gives the girls in front of him a much needed didn't cry out in pain atleast and just continued growling like the crazy bitch she was! She'd deliver an all out attack (Determined) and (Telegraphic) blow to the back of the guy's heel after moving behind him, hopefully trapping him in the ass facing one of the murder ladies shoots forward, circling around the knife-wielding bandit to strike from behind, going for an All Out Attack (Strong) Telegraphic Attack at the neck. Rolling 10 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 0 The man tries to stab Karli. And fails, despite the dog's determination to not let go. GM: Radulf's Ghost! P.P. A. cheers from the reserve bench (To GM): That trick probably won't work again, so he moves deeper into the cave to look for the prisoners. (To GM): If they're not or only poorly tied up, they may be rallied to fight back. (To GM): also keeping an eye open for potentially helpful spirits P.P. A.: HT roll to wake up automatically is only after an hour has passed, right? (From GM): Only a sullen ghost of a woman, who looks up at you and comments "Valiant try, I wish I could haunt as good as you, but they cannot hear me." Rolling 14 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 6 Eo does not give ground GM: Orphea! Orphea: Orphea advanced, delivering another deliberately aimed thrust to the hell of the man, spending a fatigue and all of her fury to ensure that if it it doesn't really matter, since I've got the movement to position myself behind him again and go for another AoA Telegraphed Rolling 10 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -1 Man flails around with knives Orphea might rush out to help Blaer, but even then Blaer has at least a couple of seconds before her brave friend arrives Orphea: was the sound of conflict audible from the cave?) GM: (probably, Karli is loud) Either way, Blaer does another attempt at slitting his throat? Blaer is going to step into close combat and go for a stab to the vitals instead Orphea went over to check on radulf, a look of disappointment covering her features as the head of the bandit leader flew off, her horrific impulses staved off by the reaper yet again. Rolling 13 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 3 Orphea raised a hand to slap him, hesitating, before finally delivering a few, unenthused wake up slaps. None hard enough to do any real damage. It was clear she felt a bit bad about wailing on her unconscious and Eoghania (and Blaer and Karli) turning it around with flanking maneuvres and targeting the enemies' legs/feet was great LD: what I was planning on doing was waiting for the bandit to be foolish enough to strike with both knives, use my superior dodge to retreat out of the way, and then rush in for the attack I've been evaluating for to end it in a blow but then doggo respscorp (GM): heya Vodka: yo P.P. A.: \o PREVIOUSLY! On the frontier. After following the brigands to their hideout, our heroes did some shooting and, having discovered the signs of illness, decided to bargain with them. Two of the outlaws took the deal and after a short discussion, praised your generosity and ran off. Two others chose to ambush you as you tried navigating the cave system they were using as a dwelling. With them defeated at last, you're free to run inventory on their hideout and rescue their prisoners - a young boy and a girl, heavily bruised and frightened, but otherwise intact. The youths are understandably a little startled by the sight of the blood-bathed Orphea, even if she seems on your side. Radulf puts up a tough façade while standing, though he briefly winces in pain whenever he moves. His friendly smile is genuine, however: “Where are you two from?” Orphea avoided conversation with the children, she wasn't particularly much of a conversationalist when it wasn't for an objective. Blaer looks over the children for injuries The girl tries to shy behind the boy, who in turn tries to keep his eyes on Orphea. He breathes in for courage, stands up and attempts a formal response despite his bruised face and bloodied nose. Radulf's blood-soaked clothes seem to make him re-evaluate his own injuries. Boy: "I am Leofwine, son of Offa, of the Blacksword Clan. This is my sister Elfswinth. To whom do I owe our rescue?" They both seem bruised, the boy's nose is broken and the girl has a nasty scrape on one elbow, but are otherwise fine. Blaer: "I am Blaer, daughter of Einar, of the Cyrnwrig clan" Radulf: “Radulf, son of Rodemir; too of the Cyrnwrig, same as Eoghania here.” Eoghania glares a little at the boy for starting at Orphea Orphea looked up, supposing it would be in poor faith not to name herself, and more importantly her people. "Orphea, of the Gymnoagrioi" It felt strange to her to identify where she'd come from, but her people's integration into society as a whole demanded she atleast try and piece together a few legends as to leave her people with a positive image, instead of one of mild confusion. Of course, just saying a name didn't do too much. Radulf: “Anyone else here?” Radulf quietly asks whoever did the most exploring ofthe caves. They startle a little at Orphea's voice, as if expecting something significantly less eloquent. Leofwine: "N-no. I'm not sure because they just tossed us in here, but I couldn't hear anyone else." Orphea: "We ought try and scout out the cave in totality if its not impossible, we could use some string to facilitate not searching the same section multiple times." Orphea added, sincerely not wanting to feel guilty of leaving some kid to starve to death in the dark. Radulf nods calmly. “Let's clear everything out and head back.” He smiles sadly at the children. “We have set up camp not far from here, and are going to find a permanent place for you to stay later.” The cave has many twists and turns, with the outlaws only seemingly using a couple of them, but a thorough search seems feasible. Radulf winces once more as he moves himself over to the bandit boss's decapitated corpse and begins stripping it of its armour. With his broken ribs he isn't keen on walking through the winding tunnels himself. Orphea went ahead and performed the search with care, ready to bolt back to a more opportune position at the sign of any serious threat. She'd use the string method if applicable, or form some other trail as to avoid returned the spoils she'd managed to find to be divvied up amongst the group, she didn't want to horde things from her friends, and in all honesty she wouldn't have much luck smuggling anything out anyways. P.P. A.: hamster Orphea “Why are your cheeks so bloated?” “Allergies.” Radulf loots the corpse away from the childrens' eyes. There is so much look in the cave that it would take a while to take full inventory. Thankfully, there is a small her of cows outside with at least 1 bull and a couple of oxen - enough to let you haul it back out. A lot of it is just food and drink - including a lot of good alcohol. But there is gold, silver, jewelry, well-crafted blades, decorated pots and more. Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 1 P.P. A.: If the penalty here gets too high I could also roll Current Affairs at default (IQ-4 = 8) Radulf gets the feeling this guy might be someone infamous, but not infamous enough for Radulf to recognize him. Still, he has a distinctive tattoo on his back and face. P.P. A.: Good thing his face is portable thanks to Eoghania His armor turns out to be some sort of mail hauberk sewn into a heavy coat and dyed in dark, almost black color. It smells like the kind of thing you never part with and never wash, just keep stitching and oiling while still wearing it. Radulf asks Orphea once she returns: “This guy was fairly well equipped, had a lot of loot, and look at these tattoos here. I don't know who he was, but I'm thinking sticking his head on a pike at the ford would leave a strong impression on any new arrivals.” Orphea nodded gingerly to the suggestion, it was less horrific than what she had planned to do with him if he hadn't been mercifully executed by Eo. Still, it made enough sense. Orphea: Speaking of wanton brutality, was there anywhere nearby Orphea would be able to go to wash off the dried viscera on her person? There is a natural spring under the cave, close to the outlaws living space. The water probably flowed out of the hill in ages past, then subsided into the caves. Now it seems to drain into a series of very narrow opening at one end of the pool, sinking back underground barely 5 yards after emerging. Orphea went ahead to go and utilize the spring to clean herself, she'd do her best not to dirty the spring so much, as it served to ease thirst as well presumably. She naturally preferred when her skin wasn't itchy and covered in dead person bits, at least when she wasn't in a very violent mood. Rolling 11 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 2 Blaer has some luck in her search. There are some naturally medicinal herbs in such regions that are easy to find. She also has some luck in finding a useful poisonous berry. When brewed and reduced into a paste, a bleeding wound that tastes this substance quickly spread a feeling of pinpricks followed by localized muscle stiffness. GM: Large quantities, if ingested, can be lethal. LD: Alright, that should be good enough GM: Loading most of the portable things, you slowly make your way back to camp, where the two youths are overjoyed to find their little sister is still alive. Radulf let's them enjoy their reunion, but eventually asks if any other relatives of theirs are on the move here too LD: I am here Elfswinth: "Not back home, but we were going to an aunt that lives in this region. She was married to a wealthy Heron trader in Marketon." Radulf nods. “That's quite a ways away from here. You can stay with us for a while—give your sister time to heal and recover.” Radulf: “Then you can come along the next time we visit the market.” Radulf is going to discuss this with Orphea quietly afterwards, but he hopes the three young, able heirs may decide to just stay with his clan over that period. Otherwise, gaining a wealthy Heron as a potential ally wouldn't be a bad outcome either. Orphea personally considered them returning and spreading the word of the groups heroism to have a higher utility than the net labor 3 kids could muster for the tribe. They nod. The boy gives the native girls uneasy, furtive glances. Some of them shy away or return the glances with a defiant glare, making him blush. Two of the kids are almost adults by now, at most 1-2 years away from being able to take charge of their household and already able to care for their sister when she is done. Radulf comments the boy's looks with a smirk. “They are our allies. Still, you could ogle them a bit more subtly.” GM: "I'm sorry!" he blushes even more furiously and goes to clear his head at the edge of the camp. (The main utility of the kids is they bring their family's wealth with them) P.P. A.: (hence the mention on heirs, yeah) Thea waves at Radulf, motioning that she'd like a short word in private. Meliton does the same with Blaer, almost in mockery of Thea's preceding gesture. Radulf gladly walks over, using his shepherd's axe as a bit of a crutch to prop himself up more dignified. Orphea still had a greater fixation on power than wealth in most situations, still, she reasoned convincing them of landing into, and acting in a manner to form more long lasting alliances with the tribe would probably be better. Something, something ancient realpolitik. Worst case scenario, find some pretty young girl with friends to marry off to the rich boys who, while indebted would likely. say yes securing a stronger degree of alliance between the tribes. Orphea: In the mean time, Orphea would consider and think about the propoganda campaign to bring about a (probably false) sense of unity, and claims for the Cynwrigs to gain the title of 'protector' of the other peoples, naturally, she'd only bring up this sort of thing with Radulf in private. Nobody likes to know someone's preparing propoganda campaigns smiles bashfully and shudders under Radulf's eyes, then tries to keep a serious expression. "Just wanted to have a brief talk, because Orphea might be giving off the wrong impression. She's brilliant, and the things she has done to bring our people together are amazing. But she has a way of seeing things which is very traditional." Blaer: "Is there something you wished to talk about, or did you just want to make people think you had something going on as well?" Blaer says this with that particular joking tone that tries to sound serious Orphea was unable to eavesdrop on the "Our girl is a Machiavellian monster" talk, far too preoccupied with her planning to subvert the history of the lesser peoples, who were seen as such on the mainly arbitrary distinction of not getting to watch her have traps spring on herself. Radulf hears her out, smiling all the while. Thea: "She sees us as cursed, and wants us to be independent. I just want you to know that I don't feel that cursed outside the literal jinx we live under daily. Being able to feel the world the way I do, being as tough as we are - it's not that bad. Just wanted you to know." "And I feel like she's too hard on herself and everyone else, because of the way she feels. But she is way too scary for me to say it to her face." Radulf sits down at the foot of a tree, and offers Thea to sit down next to him. “The impression I got is that your people's situation right now is not bad, but that she bemourns… long-lost glories of the past, and also a reclusive or complacent mindset among them.” Meliton meanwhile smiles at Blaer's jab. Meliton: "Yes, but also wanted you to know of an idea I had while working on the traps. If we make the bow tougher and heavier... it will be useless as a bow, but it will solve the hypertension problem." Radulf: “I don't know your history, so I can't tell if that's overly pessimistic and hard—on them, and on herself.” Blaer: "Hmm, that could work...the only issue is figuring out how to make a bow that's useless as a bow. It seems another long night is in order." Thea nods, but also waves her thin arm dismissively. "There's plenty of thing to bemourn of our present, but the past glories are legendary. None but Orphea and a few spirit-seers can claim to have seen them. I just don't want to be a prisoner of the past. For me in particular, those few weeks with you have been surprisingly pleasant. And some of our elders... they used to think we should let go of our old pride. Anyway, I did not want to have a deep talk or judge our famous friends. Just wanted to let you know how I feel." Meliton: "Or it can wait for tomorrow." Blaer: "It could if our task could wait until the day after, but that's not the case." Meliton sighs and prepares to assist Blaer through another late night. LD: Time for another episode of "Blaer probably should have the Workaholic disadvantage" Radulf ponders. “She saw the past, with her own eyes, by magic means? That must have left a very strong impression indeed.” He puts his arm around Thea with an impish grin. “…but I agree with you—the present is a lot more precious than the past.” Thea rests against Radulf. "Agreed. But ;let's get back to camp. There's still work to be done tonight. I might disagree with her, but I don't want to disappoint her." P.P. A. nods. “Despite her cunning and a certain bitterness, she means well and works towards a better future for all of us.” He leans his head against her. “The future won't begrudge us another moment here, though.” Radulf nods. “Despite her cunning and a certain bitterness, she means well and works towards a better future for all of us.” He leans his head against her. “The future won't begrudge us another moment here, though.” GM: (we have entered an endless recursion of time) Radulf will get up and back to camp with Thea a few minutes later though, however disappointed. P.P. A.: (I had originally typed “another minute” but then I wasn't sure anymore when minutes were invented) (High Middle ages—phew, close call!) Orphea meanwhile is the only reasonable adult left in charge of camp, so she has to handle things such as the older girl being worried about leaving her sister alone with the natives even for a moment, or the boy blushing and apologizing constantly while nearly running into the campfire because he tries to keep his eyes closed. Thea would be willing to spare a few moments with Radulf away from others and reveal some extra hidden knowledge about her magical nature, no rush. She just reminds him that he has a fresh wound so vigorous motion is out of the question for the time being. Orphea , having a more Spartan mindset was unsure of how to really proceed in comforting and directing the savage children. She'd assure the older girl that her people were fair and kind, and that she was a significantly more brutal example in contrast to the norm. She'd suggest to the boy that he focus on talking with his sister, to keep his mind off of the current distractions. Her tone wasn't extremely cold with either of them, just mildly annoyed that she had, by grace of not running off, been given such duties. Radulf is content not going that far yet in this intimate but only fleeting moment. Orphea manages to keep order in the camp, though it may erode her sanity. Radulf and Thea arrive a little bit later, while Meliton and Blaer work late into the night. Radulf won't stay up very long, his injuries demanding rest, but he's going to help smooth things over between the youngsters and the wildlings, and everyone else—ultimately recommending a good night's rest, as it's been a long day, and a terrible one for the children. Radulf also lets them play with his dog to distract themselves, if they wish. Making a "useless bow" turns out to be easy conceptually - just use a thicker, less yielding piece of wood. Shaping it will require a check against Carpenter or Armory. Karli is relieved to find out the youths are old enough to desires cuddling and serious games such as running or throwing things, none of that "climb on top of the dog" stuff Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 4 Thankfully, there is a lot of useful wood types around, so they make some progress at the cost of a sleepless night. Meliton looks at the product of their nightly labour, he mutters something about this being the best sleepless night he has had so far. Blaer: "If only all nights spent laboriously working one's wood could turn out so well." Blaer yawns Eoghania , far be it from her to be the voice of caution, but in this case she points out your party is possibly laden with loot. At this point it might be worth still to direct people or bluff some into parting with an animal or too, but looking for trouble has become less than optional especially with a mortally wounded girl to care for. Blaer: "This is what I was worried about. That we would simply amass too much to keep with us, and would have to travel it all back, leaving the area unwatched." Radulf agrees. “It would make sense to return for the time being, if just to make sure all our spoils and wards make it safely. We could join up with the mercenaries from two days ago and return with them, too.” Radulf looks over to Blaer, Meliton, and all the fruits of their work. “On the other hand, abandoning all these traps is also a waste. The bandit leader's head ought also to deter and make it easier to …negotiate with new arrivals.” Orphea: "I could probably maintain watch at night, keep track of lights from campfires and survey a wider area, then report it back to some people willing to stay back with me." Orphea didn't really have an option of succumbing to homesickness for a while, so she'd offer to keep busy. Blaer: "These traps were built to be moved, so we can take them with us." Radulf: “Sending some people back with the children, animals, and spoils and maintaining a smaller guard here, which won't pick any big fights, in the meantime might be the bets solution.“ Eoghania: "So what are you proposing exactly, Radulf?" Radulf: “We decide who goes back and who stays behind.” “And how long we're to stay posted here anyway. We've already got rich spoils and could return in triumph, but not a lot of settlers and manpower yet.” “Our relatives haven't come yet; escorting them home would be a good time to pack up and return.” “But yea.” He looks between the party and the wildling girls. “Eoghania and Thea, how about you and the girls guide the children, animals, and treasure back home, while Blaer, Orphea, Meliton, Karli, and I stay behind a bit longer?” Blaer nods Blaer: "I see no issues with that" Eoghania: "Getting rid of both me and Thea? Just what are your intentions towards Orphea that you want us both gone?" Eoghania does acquiesce in the end, but not without complaining about it for a while and insisting that it's Radulf that needs to head home due to his injury. LD: "I want to get rid of the NPCs. Except Meliton because he actually gets Blaer to do things" P.P. A.: (shh, don't let theose on the other side of the fourth wall know) Radulf: “I'm suggesting go with them because I know you can protect them if there are any incidents on the way—not that there's going to be.” “And Thea to go with you because I trust you to protect them, but with nothing else.” Radulf looks aside a bit embarrassed. “…and so I'll make sure that I come back home alive no later than needed.” Radulf does discuss his injury with Blaer especially, wondering if it's better for him to stay here and rest while they wait for travelers, or to endure the uncomfortable journey home down the hills and then get proper treatment at home. Eoghania: Stupid Radulf giving me orders, razzle-frazzle. LD: That's a good question. What does Blaer's medical expertise say? Radulf: “Ah, damn—I missed a chance to insinuate that you're jealous or Orphea.” Eventually, Eoghania bids her farewell to Orphea and heads her little loot-lade caravan north. Radulf needs rest, food and good care the most right now. He can get them best if he stays put for a few days then heads back home once he's stable enough to walk. Radulf: *of Orphea wished Eoghania well, a bit sad to see her primary moral compass head off. Blaer: "An injured idiot does far worse on a journey than an idiot who has several days of rest and food between his injury and his journey" Eoghania: Hey, consider my bright personage a motivation to hurry back home in one piece! Radulf adds to Blaer's statement with a grin. “And I assume the same goes for a clever, skillful and wise man such as myself.” P.P. A.: (honestly Thea sticking around to take care of Radulf would make a lot of sense too, dunno if sending her home isn't too meta) meta) Blaer: "you are maybe one of those things. Two at most." "Take your pick." Radulf: “I'll add ‘modest’ and humbly let my actions speak for themselves.” Blaer: "As long as those actions are resting and listening to the advice of your cousin." Radulf: “Knowing when to rest and conserve your energy is wise, isn't it?” Blaer decides now is the time to start ignoring Radulf and do her own thing Radulf laughs, clutching his aching chest and belly he does. P.P. A.: (Up to Thea whether she wants to stay or go with Eoghania. Radulf doesn't have the willpower to say no to her offering to stay and nurse him back to health, but sending Eoghania off with just unnamed wildling NPCs seems heartless too) (It'd be logical to have Orphea go with her, but that' obviouslys undesirable for meta reasons; unless there's a time skip coming anyway) Thea is definitely going with Eoghania. Not because she doesn't trust her, but because she wants to help her. Radulf puts his hand on Thea's cheek as he sees her off. “…when we meet again, we're going to have a lot more time.” Regardless, the following day turns out uneventful, giving Radulf time to stop bleeding and regain his ability to walk. And a good thing too, since the day after sees several large groups moving into the region. The terrain forces them towards the ford you have warded, but it also forces them towards one another, which may lead towards violence sooner or later. GM: (and how that turns out, we'll see next time) P.P. A.: Thanks for the session Vodka: ♥♥♥3 was fun GM: Thank you as well. LD: Good sesh respscorp (GM): heya PREVIOUSLY! On the Frontier. After tracking the brigands to their camp, disaptching them and searching it, our heroes walked back enriched and victorious. Reluctant to leave a job half-done, they sent most of their companions back home with the loot and the survivors of the brigand attack and returned to their posts. GM: And sooner, rather than later, they see several large groups of travelers on more or less a collision course with each other and quite possibly - you! Radulf suggested sticking the bandit leader's tattooed head on a pole on the other side of the crossing. Orphea: Suggested labelling it, with a sign saying bandit or something. It left a somewhat poor impression to just have a head on a pike, despite how neat it was. P.P. A.: Can anyone here write? GM: (Each of you can write) Blaer will try making a carved wooden plaque detailing the criminal and his crimes Radulf: “Hm, perhaps something like: ‘Ye who step foot on this land with ill intentions and arms in hand shall— …no, that's too silly.” Radulf agrees with Blaer's approach, though he suggests putting ‘BANDIT LEADER’ at the top if people don't have time to read the entire thing. Orphea: "Short and sweet really sells the point, if we add too much people are just going to see the head." Orphea shrugged, returning to her hiding spot to continue thinking about propoganda and all that good stuff. The first group is of several well-armed men in square-patterned wool cloaks. Walking along their well-laden draft-horses, they move swiftly and quietly along the path they have chosen, eyeing the other groups with caution but little worry. Two of them walk ahead of the rest and are soon by the ford, inspecting the head. Radulf has made himself comfortable, sitting prominently on a rock or against a tree—hoping he doesn't have to get up too often. Blaer: "Perhaps something like: Leader of bandits, sought to kill and rob the Cynwrig clan and their allies. All like him will share his fate." Radulf definitely approved of that. Radulf: In the present, Radulf greets any new arrivals with a friendly smile and a lazy salute. One of the forward scouts raises his hand and the rest of them stop and eye the ford and their surroundings warily. Man: "Survag, son of Ethergar. Fancy trophy you got here." Radulf: “Radulf, son of Rodemir. We figured it would save us and other would-be troubloemakers any unnecessary trouble.” “Fortunately, you don't seem to be such. What brings you here?” Blaer is among the trees, watching Survag: "We are smiths. Our fraternity follow Dhear-Gefail, the forge-lord. We make swords and tools, and our secrets that come from the forge-lord we guard jealously. Some said that the new king would attempt to pry our secrets from us or force us to only craft for him and him alone." "There was some debate over these rumors. In the end, we decided that some of our brothers should set out to bring our craft to more distant lands. So that even if the rumors prove true, our craft will survive." Blaer leans forward, listening more intently Radulf nods. “We have not heard much about the homeland's state, far from the king's grasp—but going by all the widows and orphans seeking refuge here, I'm wont to assume the worst.” Radulf: “We of the Cynwrig guard this pass to make sure ours remains a peaceful land—free from bandits like that one,” he points his thumb at the impaled head: “and where men like you can pursue their trade freely.” Survag: "A beautiful sentiment. You will not begrudge us then to make the crossing slowly. Or even... let others through first. Yes, let's do that." The armed priest-smiths steps aside from the path and settle down to wait. Soon after, the other two groups arrive, bristling and eyeing each other and everybody else warily. Two large families, with their retainers and carts with household items and their herds of cows and sheep approach, displaying their colours proudly and eyeing each other with hostility. From the distance, you hear several "Stop approaching us, you honorless brigand or you'll get what's coming to you!" thrown in each direction Radulf is quite fine with that and watches the other groups stare each other down. He waits a moment to see if anyone says anything direct their attention towards him— and that's his cue. Radulf gets up using his shepherd's axe as a bit of a crutch—assuming the feuding families won't notice that—and approaches the ford with open arms, and speaking loudly to them: “Now, now. I take it both of you are fleeing war and strife in the homeland—you will make no friends here if you bring such strife with you here.” Radulf 's eyes home in on whoever seems to e the leaders of these two groups—looking for older men, well-dressed or armed, perhaps more vocal than the others—and lifts his hat and introduces himself. “Radulf Rodemirson of clan Cynwrig. May I ask who you are?” He looks to and between the ones he assumes to be the heads of the household. On the right side, a broadly-built, wrinkle-faced old man with well-kept, long beard sits upon the top of a lade cart like a king upon his war-chariot, swaying rhythmically with the pile of furniture beneath him every time the heavy wheels hit a bump in the path. His loud, booming voice frequently drown out the others. He now spares Radulf some attention as both columns stop meters from each other. And on the other side... On the other side, there is a portly, big-biceped old man with long white hair ride upon a haughty, short-legged but powerful horse, glaring imperiously at all around and flashing glances of pure hatred of his counterpart ahead. He too stops once his people approach the ford and gives Radulf a glance. The first man grins, the other frowns. Radulf nods respectfully to the two men, with a polite smile. Cart -man "Eeey, it's one of our boys!" Horse: -man "Cyrnwig dog." GM: (ree) LD: Try putting the name in quotes, like /as "Horse-man" text P.P. A.: fugg, real diplomacy time Radulf returns the cart-man's joy with a smile and nod, but makes sure to spare the other man a similarly friendly smile. “And who might you be?” he asks the horseman. That Guy: "Orik, son of Padraig. Of the Red Serpent clan." P.P. A.: well LD: whelp Other Guy: "Wassai, son of Caro. And brother of Wilfrid! Of the Cyrnwig clan." To make matters worse, the brothers of the forge seem to be watching Radulf intently, no doubt judging his people based on his actions in this moment. Radulf is quite aware of that; he makes sure to remain roughly in the middle from the two clans, not inching closer to his distant uncle. Radulf: “I'm glad you made it here safely,” he does respond to him, but then turns to Orik. “Orik! I will be frank, we and the Red Serpents and are not on the best terms here, either—but I do not wish for old grievances from the homelands, which both of you,” he looks at Wassal as well: “have chosen to leave behind, to add to them.” “We guard this river so that it shall carry away the blood of those who try to cross it with hatred in their hearts,” he again points to the head: “but may also the bad blood of lands far away be washed away in crossing it. What are your grievances, Wassal and Orik?” Orik looks at Radulf with disdain, but his face slowly straightens up into an emotionless mask, ignoring for the moment the taunts of his counterpart. GM: "Come over here then, boy. If you want to talk, come over here and will get off my horse for you." Wassai waves with magnanimity, as if allowing this. Wassai: "Go on then. If he tries any funny business, we'll show 'em the sharp end." Radulf sighs, throws Wassal a short, appreciative smile, and approaches Orik calmly. He uses his axe as a walking stick, a very loose grip on it, the blade turned way. Rolling 10-3d6 = -3 HT roll for one day of rest P.P. A.: ah wait, I forgot Rapid Healing which is +5, so that's pass yb 2 meaning he's at, uh 1 or 2 HP unless he received any additional treatment last night LD: Blaer would definitely be treating him GM: (Long term care would still only give him another HP at most) P.P. A.: so 2–3 HP Radulf tries to play tough but doesn't put on a show either. Radulf makes it across, but it has become kinda obvious he is not in the best of health. Orik: "Keeping your watch despite your wounds, eh boy?" Radulf keeps his head high and his smile polite & friendly, even if his step is neither springy nor very regular. Radulf: “I am not alone,” he reveals: “but, it wouldn't do to abandon our post and duty. …and leave folk like two to make war here,” he jokes with a smirk. *like you two Orik: "Wouldn't be much of a war." A murderous flash in his eyes and a hungry grin swim to the surface, but he pushes them back for now. "For your sake boy, me and mind will behave. But I want to see all of your people in the open. And I want to cross first." somewhat surprisingly, Wassai only rubs his nose pensively, instead of exploding. Getting a somewhat calculating look on his face. Letting his rival go ahead is a loss of face, but he's taking it calmly for some reason. Radulf smiles innocently: “I will leave that up to them,” he says loudly towards the rest of the party. “We would be fools to permit our enemies to cross—but I stand here because I hope this won't be an issue.” Radulf: “You flee unjust rule—what justice is it that compels this hostility towards Wassal here?” Perhaps encouraging the listing of grievances was not a great idea, Radulf finds out. It quickly devolves into a shouting match of grievances and retorts. It is a small wonder nobody loses their nerve. You glimpse a history of a life-long rivalry, of raids and revanches and more raids. Of witty insults shared over religious festivals and humiliating pranks, of blood shed and property destroyed. Radulf: While the two men are squabbling, he tries to get a glimpse of their entourages—women, children, young ones? All of that, yes. Entire extended family with everything they own and every mercenary and loyal farmhand they could muster up. Quite the following. Radulf eventually speaks up and calls out: “Ork! Wassal!” He addresses the following more to the latter, and only sometimes looks at Orik as well. His criticism addresses both of them, but he figures Wassal can handle direct criticism, Orik is better addressed indirectly. Radulf: “Look behind you! Why is it that you have come here? Is it not to protect your families, to find for your sons and grandsons a better future?” “To flee the rule of a king who fails his duty to mediate conflicts and mete out justice?” Both, kinda: "Nah, he's just a hungry bugger and we know he'll come for us on account of being wealthy and opinionated." It does calm them down though. Radulf loses his smile to a slightly annoyed expression, but he clears his throat and makes an effort. Radulf: “If you want to commit your children to slaughter each other for your old grudges, you may as well have left them to fall to that king's sword.” Wassai: "Ahem. Yes. Anyway. I'm gunna be the bigger man and say you go right ahead Orik. Can't go undermining mah boy's beautiful speech. This is his land after all, we are guests still." Orik: "Yes, right. Well then, let us see the companions of yours boy, and we shall be off. If more of your clan are like you, perhaps there is some hope for your bloodline." Radulf smiles at both of them, and steps aside to clear the path across the river. He also waves to the others. Orphea: Came out, picking up her travois to cover up the whole not wearing clothes thing. P.P. A.: Wise Meliton smears some mud and leaves on him and comes out if Blaer does. Blaer walks out from the woods, holding the string to activate the trap slightly behind her Orik: "A wounded boy, a crippled girl and two naked savages. I suspected a bluff. But either way, you have my respect, Radulf, son of Rodemir. Let's hope you don't soon meat one of my children on the battlefield." And they begin to move across. Radulf grins. Radulf is pretty sure he would have been quickly avenged when Blaer's traps suddenly sprang probably killing Orik, killing/injuring some of his entourage, and thus giving their clansmen an opportunity to strike. Also, something tells Radulf that his wounds would probably have earned him an offer of surrender. Like most older Serpents, this Orik seems arrogant and violent, but also honor-bound. The Serpents pass, with a few sparing a curious look at Orphea. Soon they are disappearing in the distance, while the other two groups approach you. Radulf smiles warmly at Wassal and approaches him with his arms open for a hug. Radulf: “Thanks for your patience, relative!” the old man climbs down from his nest on top of the cart and waves Blaer over as well to join them. Meanwhile, the smiths are crossing the ford and one of them approaches Orphea Orphea: Orphea smiled towards them, waiting what questions would come. She wasn't much of a smith herself, and didn't know if her people's mastery of metal was really common knowledge. Blaer drops the string and walks over, moving over to the smiths Survag: "Hello. Do you speak our language? You are a local, right?" Blaer: "I am Blaer, daughter of Einar the blacksmith, and inheritor of his craft. It is a pleasure to meet you." Orphea: She nodded "Yes, I do speak the language" Radulf excuses Blaer and talks to Wassal in the meantime, giving him a rundown of the overall situation. The Cyrnwig's alliance with the wildlings, whose looks can be deceiving; the conflict with the Hiordlings, the ill tidings of future instability and them being the reason the party is our here trying to win potential allies and keep out trouble… Survag: "Ah, interesting." He beams at the two young women. "Me and my brothers are not accustomed to large treks through the wilds. We've done aright so far, but have already managed to get lost once, much to our shame. Can you gives us the lay of the land?" Meanwhile, Wassai and his kin listen to Radulf and nod. The old man manages to sneak in one "Shame I'm happily married for decades now, shame" and earn a thwack from what must be his wife and eye-rolls from most of his children. Orphea: Orphea wpuld provide him with decent directions to the best of her capabilities without sacrificing knowledge of routes which were presumably secret for her people. Still, she was genuinely trying to be helpful. Wassai: "Good that, but listen - some of the kids went off to chase a calf got lost. It bothers me to ask this of you in your state, but I assume you know the area better, Can you go find them and help them? Should be way over there across that hillock." Blaer would fill in the gaps from what she's personally learned navigating from here, which would coincidentally lead them right into their home territory Radulf: “We'll go and look for them after they're done there,” he responds, sitting down and resting a bit while Blaer and Orphea have time to finish their conversation. Incidentally, Blaer might notice the kind of looks Meliton gets from her distant kin before the muscular, slightly feminine young man retreats back into the bushes. Survag is very thankful for the help and promises to wait for Blaer for some time around the Redhorns village, since she seemed interested in talking. But for now, he wants to hurry and make use of the remaining daylight to continue on their journey. Blaer nods, giving her kin an unamused look after wishing the smiths farewell After what feels like a very long time, all the travelers are across, leaving you on your own once more. Blaer sighs with everyone finally out of ear shot Radulf does too. Radulf drags himself back to his feet. “We're going to have to look for some of our kin—they went looking for a calf and haven't returned.” Radulf: He looks to Blaer and Orphea: “Any insights from the smiths? I hope we left a trustworthy impression, they seemed like they would make for good allies” Orphea: "They were mainly looking for directions, I think they liked us enough. I think Blaer'll get to talk with them more back in town" Blaer: "They seemed trustworthy enough, although...I have never heard of the one they worship" "It may just be a god kept as closely as their techniques, but it is odd." Radulf: “We could ask around our cousins, maybe he just doesn't have any worshippers here… Did the name sound familiar to you, Orphea?” Orphea: She shook her head, "Not particularly, sorry" Radulf pets Karli, deep in thought. “Something to keep in mind.” Radulf points out the hillock behind which the kids likely got lost. “I'm, uh— still pretty miserable, to be honest, so how about you scout ahead while I follow slowly?” Radulf could have asked for something belonging to them so that Karli could sniff it and pick up the trail. Orphea: Orphea would offer to help Blaer with tracking down the lost kids and cow. (I might head off soon, it chill if I just stick in the background for now?) GM: (Yes, but we can also wrap in up in 15 mins) Orphea: (That works too) P.P. A.: (yeah, this can probably be streamlined) Radulf due to his injury is slow and weak, so he's going to lag behind a good deal. He'll keep an eye open but doesn't expect to be able to do more than meeting everyone halfway. Blaer will get to work tracking the kids down, focusing on the animal they were with Blaer quickly finds some tracks across the hill, and with Karli's help she and Orphea manage to quickly find the "kids". Two young women, one portly and muscular, the other lean and wiry, slightly younger than them. They're taking turns standing over or leaning into a cleft in the earth. As you approach, you can hear the echoing moos coming from below. Ita: "Eyes up, Clio, we got some strange people approaching. Ho, strangers!" Orphea waved, the universal symbol of not intending to commit violence. The two young women briefly squabble over who was rudely staring at Orphea in a very sibling-like manner, before remembering their manners and apologising. Blaer: "I am Blaer, daughter of Einar, of Cynwrig. We were sent by our mutual kin to find you." Blaer walks past them and peers down the cleft, already having an idea of what's below Blaer: "And I can see why you have yet to return." Ita: "Do excuse us. Are you native to here? We've got quite the puzzle here. Our cow got lost and it's not down that hole. But it did not fall in there, it seems quite hale and wandering around. So it somehow walked in." GM: (not down = now down) Orphea: Orphea looked around, thinking of her relative position to the one cave entrance. You're far from that one cave, but the soil here has that same chalky texture as in that area. And the same occasional wounds in the earth. Of course, dropping down and reversing the search would also be simpler if one was daring enough. But that's best left for... next time! LD: ayyy Thanks for the sesh! P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! GM: Thanks you everybody as well. Did I forget to hand out CP last time? P.P. A.: >[19:25] respscorp: 2020/10/15 - 3 CP We didn't have a session on the 22nd, so no GM: oh yeah (so yeah, another 3CP more as marked in the Discord) and see you next week (or poke me if you have questions or ideas) LD: Will do! respscorp (GM): hi P.P. A.: \o Vodka: yo LD: greetings PREVIOUSLY! Our heroes oversaw a dispute between some mortal enemies and managed to prevent a bloody fight in a way that impressed both friend and foe. Blaer and Orphea also impressed some travelers from a far-off land, that promised to wait for them around the next village they encounter. But now, there is a more serious obstacle, an epic task in front of them - recovering a lost cow. It seems the damn animal somehow found its way into the karst cavern beneath your feet and even now you can hear it shuffling about and mooing from below Radulf has caught up to the group and introductions etc. out of the way. Radulf: “Building a pulley here doesn't seem practical.” Radulf's arrival thankfully draws some attention away from Orphea. Instead of staring at the exotic native (just like in the old stories!) the attention now shifts to the heroic and wounded young man. (Must be heroic, why else would he be wounded?) Orphea: Was relieved to no longer be the focus of attention, Orphea did what she did best and listened to other people discuss minutia Radulf: “I'm going to scout the area down there—a bit of rest would do me well anyway.” Blaer: "Allow me to go. You are in no shape to wander through caves lost" Radulf: “Ah, you misunderstand.” Radulf looks seriously at the lost girls: “It may look like I'm sleeping, but…” He can't suppress a smirk. “…I probably am, but I will be doing .” Radulf sits down against a tree in a meditative, but more importantly comfortable, pose and starts to concentrate… or slowly drift off into a nap. (Autotrance). Rolling 12-3d6 = 1 Will Spooky ghost~ (To GM): He's going to head towards the source of the mooing, and from the cow's current location look for the path it has likely taken—nearby cave entrances, crevices, etc.—and follow it. (From GM): Can your projected form see in the dark? Orphea: Sat around, concealing most of herself with her fancy-travois which was mercifully reunited with her. She was happy to have Radulf use his mind scouting before she had to actually do stuff. (To GM): …not really. (To GM): if he finds an entrance that quickly gets too dark inside, he's going to fly straight up through the rock to the surface though to see where it is To ouside observers not much seems to happen. Meanwhile.. (To GM): calling into an area that eventually gets too dark to see whether the echo resounds from anywhere else is another idea (From GM): You quickly find the cow, as it sticks close to the light from the crack in the ceiling and is lapping up some water collected in a pool underneath. From there, several opening large enough to a cow to move through descend into darkness. Lacking the tactile sensation, it is hard to find out where exactly they go as the light disappears... but you mark the general directions by popping up to ascertain your location. Rolling 3d6 = 11v11 Meanwhile, the pair of young women eyes Radulf curiously. Ita: "He do that often?" P.P. A.: >every night, sometimes during the day as well Orphea nodded, shrugging (From GM): Radulf can hear some creepy mumbling from the darkness. Sounds like some old man gibbering. (To GM): He carefully and quietly approaches the source of the sound (gracing through rock if need be) to see if it's a spirit or a human. Blaer: "Often enough" "The spirits have blessed him in a way that lets him be as lazy as he wishes" (From GM): You follow the sound in pitch-black darkness, as it slowly gets closer and closer. You're not sure where you are anymore or which junction leas here... only your relative location (since you can always pop up to find that out). The gibbering grows clearer and intelligible - something about "Kill, all, yes." And then it stops. (From GM): "Who goes?" the voice croaks softly. (To GM): Radulf is ready to pop up back to the surface immediately if his spirit is about to be attacked, or if there are people moving out apparently to leave the cave. “Greetings, Radulf my name. Pardon my trespassing, I only wish to find the way to retrieve a lost animal,” he answers. (From GM): "Lost. All lost. And you will be, too, if you're not careful." It's unclear if the voice is chuckling, sobbing or salivating. (To GM): “Are you lost, too?” Ita: "Erm. So. A lot of other like you?" She turns to Orphea, trying to awkwardly make small talk. Orphea: "Mhm" Orphea responded, not really getting into the small-talk all that well. (From GM): "Lost? I was found, we were found, that was the problem. Why are you here? You should run! Hide! And make no sound, or you will be found. Lost and then found." (To GM): “Thanks.” With that, he very hastily makes back to the surface—straight up. Clio: "Really? Do you live close by?" (From GM): You are not that far away. Though maybe underground it might take a bit more time. Blaer: "Close enough to be our allies, and yours by extension." (To GM): He memorises the location and direction, and returns to his body—after the smalltalk there is over. Orphea: Nodded towards Blaer, glad that she was able to give an answer without sounding rude. Clio: "Oh, nice. So it's not just you? Can you tell us about your people?" Ita , sensing that the native might be uncomfortable with talking to them, looks over to Blaer, raising her eyebrow quizzically. Orphea nodded towards Cilo, she went ahead and told a few bits and pieces of interesting, but harmless information about her people, mainly covering a few bits of cultural information that're either not secret or obvious from even a second of interaction Radulf slowly opens his eyes, his sleeping face hardening into an uneasy frown. Clio: "That bit about gathering to discuss questions over supper and wine sounds very smart. Will your people do that in our village? Can I come?" Ita: "He stirs." Orphea shrugged, "I can't say for certain, its not really up to me" She'd turn towards Radulf "Everything alright?" down there.” Radulf: “I don't know what it is, but it's dangerous, and apparently hears very well.” Radulf walks over to the crevice and looks around in different directions, orienting himself—thinking, pointing in different directions. Orphea pondered the situation, unsure of what to do exactly Radulf: “I couldn't… see anything in the dark, really, but there were a few possible paths leading to the cow, in these directions.” “And a ghost somewhere around… there.” He points towards a spot not far away from their current location. Blaer: "A ghost?" Radulf: “So it seemed—he sounded like he had fallen victim to whatever stalks those caves.” Blaer turns to the women Blaer: "How long has that cow been down there?" Ita: "Can't rightly tell you. It's been lost for three hours or so as we kept looking in the wrong places. Probably been around there the whole time." Blaer: "So the beast that stalks these caves must not do so often. Otherwise the cow would be gone, and the bandits would not have settled there" GM: (You searched the entirety of the other cave system - you're sure this one isn't connected to it) LD: Ah, my mistake. Point still stands GM: (except maybe by cracks so slim only water and bugs can pass through) coherent for ghostly ramblings, though.” Blaer: "I believe I shall descend to where the cow is, while Orphea escorts Radulf to this location from one of the entrances" "The two of you will ensure the path is clear, I will ensure the location is secure, and when we meet up we will exit together" Radulf shakes his head. “The area immediately around the cow is safe. Assuming whatever there is won't crawl to the surface, our two comely cousins can keep an eye from above. Splitting up doesn't seem wise.” Orphea: Pondered further, nodding softly "Right, right, I've got a feeling the creature may be wanting to come after us, so we ought plan to set up for a fighting retreat if need be, and knowing where to retreat to is an important part of that, do we have anything to set up an apparent trail of the way out? Caves are...easy places to get lost in" Radulf looks to Blaer: “What about some of your traps” Radulf: +? Blaer looks around to see if she can fashion a makeshift trap GM: (She probably can, but it depends on the place in the cave she choses. Something like a swinging board or a falling rock or just some sharp spikes on the floor would be easies to set up. Or even a trip rope) (but before that, you'll need to actually get in) Blaer: "I could fashion some simple traps, but first I need to get to that part of the cave. Which is why I suggest I head in from here to set them up." Radulf: “Ah, so we could retreat towards your position if we find it?” Blaer: "Exactly" Orphea: "Sounds good, though I'm a bit worried about having to fall back if I'm heading in with Radulf, maybe he could wait next to Blaer, and do the whole sleep-scrying thing, and then signal if the beastie is sneaking up on me." Orphea paused, blinking "Not that I think you're slow, I'm just really fast and you're still injured and stuff." She looked a bit uncomfortable at being a bit negative towards the party dynamic Radulf nods. “No, you have a point.” Ita: "What if you all just went down together and expand from here?" Radulf: “…good idea. I could act as the rear guard then.” Orphea: Followed the parties lead, she'd ask radulf a bunch of questions to get a general idea of the cave she was going to work around in. Clio: "Hopefully this rope I have is enough to help at least one person down. Radulf grins. “Convenient, thanks.” Radulf answers Orphea's questions as best as he can. He really didn't see very far beyond the area with the cow, but can tell her in which directions it branched out, and in which direction the ghost was. Clio: "Well, we were expecting to rope the cow back, see?" Orphea: "Right, do we know...a non-rope up exit to the caves? I have a lingering worry that the thing is going to come at me or the cow just before we make it out, I'd prefer neither of us get ripped apart on the ascent." Radulf: “Let's search the surface for other entrances before going down.” Orphea nodded, her caution hopefully leading to safer, yet far less entertaining conflict if such a thing were to come. Radulf heads into one of the directions he saw the cave branch into and points the others out to the others, so they can split up and whoever finds something can inform the others. He recommends not shouting but waving, if possible/if there is a line of sight. Orphea insisted rather strongly they remain line of sight, past, recent experience and all the scary cave stories her kin had told her P.P. A.: splitting up on the surface of course, to look for entrances not going in on their own Orphea was far less concerned about splitting up then, she'd go ahead and spend some time looking outside. GM: (If somebody has an exotic applicable skill related to spellunking, now is the time to roll it) LD: Would tracking work? Vodka: Oh yeah, the cow probably walked in one. P.P. A.: I've got Tracking, Animal Handling (Cattle), Survival (Mountain) GM: (Tracking is guaranteed to work eventually, but will take time. Survival might help, but at a default) Radulf takes it slowly and follows his inutition and Karli's nose as he heads into one of the directions, keeping an eye out for water flowing into Everybody working together manage to find the tracks left by the animal as it wandered through the area. Following them, they eventually find a wide, well-hidden opening in the ground to the side of a nearby stream. Orphea: Were there any other tracks next to the cow, or anything to indicate that it didn't go alone? Absolute normal cow tracks. Someting did spook it, because it looks like it entered in a hurry. But nothing else here. Knowing the current area and that the cow is very young and small, maybe some large flying predator swooped down but failed to get it? These things are know to happen sometimes, but mostly to sheep, not cows. Orphea went ahead and gathered up a bunch of stuff to make a trail so they could easily figure their way out. Some colourful pebbles from the stream take some time to collect but will stand out in the cave... assuming you have any light by which to see (you have torches or can make them swiftly enough) LD: Blaer's fire spell could work as light, right? GM: (Doesn't it just flash and die, like a normal attack? So it can illuminate for a moment, but not provide lasting light) LD: Well it does take a turn, which I assume is the fire forming in the hand GM: (thematically, she can buy Accessory to be able to mimic a torchlight) LD: could I do that now? Blaer concentrates, taking the time to form the molt of flame in her hand, but instead of throwing it, trying to keep its form to provide light GM: (sure) (necessity being the mother of invention I guess) Well supplied with light, the three of you are ready to brave the cave opening. At first, it just looks like a wider, squatter cave... then you notice it. The floor, burried as it is under clak-dust from the natural cavern walls, is still noticeably tiled Orphea looked at the tiles, did they resemble any she'd saw in her own people's cave lair? They in fact, did. These ones are much less preserved and cruder, but they follow the same arcing pattern of arrangement and the same rough proportions. Orphea winced, looking around, she happen to hear any horror stories about old places of habitation in her time with her people Oprhea doesn't know of any particular horror stories applicable, but there's the usual ones... especially since the city her people inhabit is one they found, not one they built. Radulf notices the flooring and is intrigued by it. “Anything wrong?” he asks Orphea quietly. Packed amid the layer of dust are dead leaves accumulated over the years. And some old bones. Orphea responded, quietly, clinching a fist. "Looks too much like home, I'd prefer we kill whatever monster is down here. Though, I'll differ to completing the task at hand if you don't think its worth satisfying some base, likely misdirected revanchism" Orphea: " Radulf smiles, puts an assuring hand on her shoulder and nods. Orphea smiled back, glad to have companionship in this kind of place, still, as her eyes drifted to the presumably human bones, her expression resumed a cold, cruel disposition, only slightly softened when her gaze fell upon Blaer or Radulf. At least some of the bones belong to livestock and wild animals. Although there is at least one obviously human jaw to be found. Blaer takes one of the bones Blaer: "This may help us find the way" Blaer begins to do a ritual to consult the spirits on the direction to go Orphea watched, not really sure what else to do Radulf does too, and keeps his senses alert. Blaer stands up Blaer: We shall head this way Radulf follows Blaer's lead, taking it slowly and watching the paths not taking for movement. Radulf also studies the construction of the ruins—the pavement, the walls, whatever decoration and ornament are left visible. Vodka: (The shift to the bone-zone for aesthetic map purposes or are there this many?) Orphea went ahead and set about leaving the pebbles behind, piles of corpses or no, she needed a good route to know where exactly to go Time and sediment have erased much. It feels like the cave has burried the ruins instead of unearthing them. There are faded decorations on the stone blocks - a rough spiral carved into each one. P.P. A.: (“bone-zone” sounds like a fan nickname for some Dark Souls area, or an innuendo) As you walk further in, the number of bones increases. Some of them appear fresh. Most of them - ancient. Something has been piling its bones here... but some of these bones were probably here when it arrived. Radulf: “Something definitely lurks here.” Orphea notice some motion at the edge of her vision Orphea turned towards it, she gestured in that direction for the rest of the more darkness-clouded of her companions Radulf peers into the darkness, axe at the ready. P.P. A.: oh, he would also be wearing the bandit leader's mail now gotta add that to his sheet later GM: (washing the smell out might be a good idea at some point) P.P. A.: heh would have washed it very superficially at some point today morning would still stink and whatever is baked into it at this point would remain, but at least recent blood and stuff would be off Orphea has spotted movement to the north and to the west Radulf whispers: “Two?” Vodka might have accidently held mouse 1 there, hopefully not Orphea gripped her spear tightly, she'd move to approach stealthily before reason got the better of her, she'd hold up a hand and casually point back to where they came, She was confident she could take on one held up a hand again, she'd gesture to the west-wall, her grip on the spear was still tight, and it was apparent to those in her visual range she was holding back her murder-fury for the sake of tactics. Radulf points to the passage next to him and whispers: “I hide in there, you With sudden movement, the thing rushes at Orphea. It looks like a tall, muscular human with smooth skin. Similar to a man of her bloodline, but of strangely coloured skin and very large size. And as if in full opposition to her people, these things have promiment body hair instead of none at all. They also seem to have sharp, almost fang-like canines. Thankfully, it's not fast enough to cross the entire distance to her before she can react. Orphea turned tail to the ambush as stated before, she'd shout out "Two!" Seeing the other in her peripherals. She was fast, and hopefully getting bludgeoned by her other comrades would make these creatures who, hopefully, were less durable to punishment than she was, fall quickly enough. Orphea: Would this count as an emergency? GM: (combat always is) Orphea went ahead and spent the two fatigue, running at ungodly fast speeds to the ambush point. P.P. A.: (Radulf would have gotten Karli to his side in his ambush position) GM: (two fatigue?) Vodka: (Took enhanced move one but made it cost 2 fatigue and be only usable in emergencies)a GM: (ah, I see) ( for the actual limitation, combat doesn't always count, but this counts) Vodka: (Right) GM: Blaer! Blaer can't do much but hold up her prosthetic and prepare for an attack LD: all out defense GM: Radulf! Karli gets into a low position, crouching to ready for a pounce Radulf takes a step towards the wall, still out of the line of sight Radulf prepares to strike whatever enemy approaches! GM: (at what Reach? 2?) P.P. A.: Yeah can probably do a telegraphed attack too if he's going to be in the enemy's blind spot You can hear and maybe see them approaching, but neither gets close enough for Radulf and Karli GM: Orphea! Vodka: Manevered back another step, and took an all out defense, preparing to "parry" the movements of the ogres with her spear, hoping they were going in her general direction. She'd also shout out that one was coming from the east, wanting to be considerate of Radulf's lack of piercing dark vision GM: wait, where did blaer go? (ah, underneath) Blaer! Vodka assumedly occupied the same hex as blaer if possible, wanting to shield her from the incoming ogre on the east side. Orphea: (Gronk, posting as the wrong dude, my B) Blaer continues to take all out defense, backing towards the entrance, considering her main hand is carrying their light, and her off hand just has the hook on it. Rolling 9 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 2 Orphea! Orphea: Orphea took a wait maneuver, getting ready to use her spear to keep the let go of her spear, it was kinda stuck in the one caveman, she'd claw at the one grabbing her hair's eyes.Telegraphically! Rolling 10 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -3 P.P. A.: dice pls GM: -_- Radulf and Dog Radulf figures that between the two strong arms, large fangs, and murderous rage, severing just one arm isn't going to cut (heh) it—he takes a step, and swings his axe right at the neck of the Ogre holding Orphea. Karli joins the dogpile by trying to bit the unhurt ogre with a runaround attack. Rolling 13 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 0 P.P. A.: >surviving (5-DR)*2 damage to the neck Karli cripples the leg on the other ogre (not permanently, but it doesn't matter) P.P. A.: noice which allows you to finish him off GM: (desc do people have 15 minutes to wrap up?) P.P. A.: (I do) Blaer: (Les than 15 minutes, actually) Orphea: (I'm able to) If any were alive, Orphea would request that it not be directly killed but apprehended, of course, the look in her eyes suggested that it'd probably be kinder to just kill the thing Finishing off this one might be a mercy, yes. It doesn't seem inclined or capable of being interogated either. P.P. A.: (still combat time?) GM: (no) Radulf raises his axe over the crippled Ogre… but stops, and offers it to Orphea instead. Orphea: Ripped her spear out of the dead one and moved to impale its shoulder into the ground, really, it would probably be the right thing to stop her from fulfilling the horrific actions she was planning to do. She turned to Radulf, her expression turning rather soft. "Do you think you could get me a big pot?" Radulf: “A… pot?” He looks around a bit puzzled, looking around for a bowl or anything like that among the ruins and bones. Radulf feels the to of his head and notices the padded hardened leather pot helm there. Orphea: "To bring some water to a boil, I had the idea a while back about the bandit leader but he died, so I wasn't able to. This guy's a bit bigger than the others, so I can't really -dunk- him in a cauldron, you know?" She said this matter of fact-ly, as if she were discussing the weather. Radulf: “…if we want to be back at the camp with the cow and the girls before dark, I don't think we have time to skin these monsters.“ Orphea: Sighed, noting the fact it hadn't made any attempts to plea for mercy she concluded it was more of an animal than a sapient, not wanting to torture something just following natural impulses she'd just pull her spear out of its shoulder and drive it into the things skull. She frowned, seeming pretty down about the whole thing, her endlessly revanchist mindset once again staved off by not having a direct person to direct it towards. "Right, yeah, lets just keep moving" LD: gtg P.P. A.: (good point to end it here for today, too) GM: (aright) (Let's finish this next week) Vodka: (Was fun ♥) P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! \o respscorp (GM): hello LD: hi PREVIOUSLY! After investigating the environment, our heroes went into yet another cave system prepared for danger. And danger they found, though in this case they manage to take the initiative from it and win the day. Some ravenous ogres attacked them- sharp-fanged, brutish, towering men. And the cave itself was a strange blend of natural formations and ancient, regularly-shaped ruins. With the ogres now defeated, the way is open for further exploration. And maybe the rescue of the silly cow that managed to get lost underground somehow. Radulf: “…how did that cow get past them unmolested?” Radulf scratches his head, but doesn't dwell on it. Orphea was prepared to continue her chthonic journey, leaving behind the happy shiny stones to facilitate knowing the way out of the nightmare that is caves. Orphea: "I still think it was lead in somehow, I assume going into the oppressive darkness of a place like this would scare your average non-cave adapted animal." Radulf nods, the faintly lit silhouette of his face warping in the scarce light. “What kind of place was this?” he asks Orphea as he catches glimpses of masonry and habitation. Underneath, old leaves, older bones and ages of chalk-like dust mix to form a powdery residue coating the floor. Orphea: "It seems like a field outpost, though I can't really discern its exact purpose from the cursory examination" She continued looking around and leaving a trail, not wanting to get lost. respscorp (GM): The ruins here seem to follow a rectangular grid. Some of the walls left standing are rounder, but the buildings themselves still seem to have conformed with a roughly rectangular organization. Radulf: “All this for an ?” The shepherd contemplates this, and glances at Orphea's back once in a while, starting to see the outlines of what weighs on her. Blaer looks down and examines the old bones, trying to get some sense of who they are, and how old they are Orphea: "It is quite impressive, yeah." She sighed, continuing along, not really enjoying kicking around bones and dealing with past glory which was less present now. She'd go ahead and look around, hopefully they'd been Following the tracks around, Orphea can find out a couple of things. First of all, there's more than two ogres here. Mixed with the bigger tracks, there's others as well. One of them lead the cow away. Orphea: Orphea would convey the information, a strong tinge of aggravation in her voice. Still she'd maintain her pursuit of the cow, leaving behind the odd bauble to help discern a simple way out. Radulf keeps a warier eye out into the darkness then, and tries not to get distracted by the ruins so much. He treads carefully and avoids unnecessary talk. Blaer: Orphea nodded at Blaer's comment Radulf remembers that they've got the darknesss-cloak made from the three-eyed beast's hide. Radulf points that out. The cloak will probably hide somebody from sight. Perhaps best laid on someone who does not carry the light, but paradoxically it would help a little even then. Radulf whispers: “I would suggest Blaer dons it and goes ahead, but she's also our light-bearer.” Orphea shrugs, not having much experience in the field of equipment management Blaer nods Blaer: "I would do so if it didn't leave you in the dark" Radulf: “Orphea can't wear it, so I might as well. If we find more ogres I could ambush them that way, or circle around them unnoticed.” “…I'm also not very good at nimble dodging or not dying at the moment, so—far from me being a coward—being less likely to be targeted…” Orphea: "Sounds good, walk up behind them slowly and split their skulls" She commented, nodding towards Radulf Karli moves carefully around, sometimes going outside of the light but never straying too far Radulf pets Karli and becomes one with the darkness, speaking softly to the dog and petting it so it realises he's still there. Radulf: *Radulf dons the cloak and The dog wiggles its nose at Radulf Following the tracks in the dust, you soon find the cow. It's penned between a couple of sharp, smooth rocks, held back by a fence improvised out of several lengths of sinew and guts closing the gaps between the jutting, fang-like rocks. From this point, Radulf also figures he can backtrack to the place where he met the ghost. Radulf points out… He briefly lifts his cloak so the others can see his outstretched arm, and points out that direction. “We'd better not take that way back.” Orphea: "Right, lets get the cow back, once you're in better health I'd like to cleanse this place." She sighed, looking over the gore-craft fence. Radulf: “Wait—Blaer, you mentioned this might be a trap. Can you see anything here that could set one off, or where they might be hiding?” Radulf also takes a look around for suspicious shiny things twinkling as a ray of light hits them, or roughly ogre-sized openings hidden in the shadows. Orphea went ahead and looked around as well, utilizing her dark vision Oprhea figures that if any are left, they might be hiding away from the light. Some sneaking in the dark might be required if she felt like hunting them all. But for now... none threaten the nearby area. Orphea: "It looks clear enough to me, they seem to be avoiding the light." She'd give one last cursory glance over the gore-fence and cow held within Or maybe just avoiding your group, after seeing that you're dangerous. Radulf lifts his cloak and offers it to Blaer. “I'm going to lead it out then. Come, Karli.“ He approaches the calf and tries to calm it, and to get it to follow him. The cow is nervous, but it doesn't seem scared by anything other than the dark. Whatever these ogres are, the cow doesn't seem to be more nervous about their lingering smell than the smell of the bandit lingering on Radulf's mail. respscorp (GM): (and so, get cow and leave?) P.P. A.: (yup) Orphea went ahead and followed her shiny rocks out, with the rest of the party, remaining on guard. Blaer takes point to light the way back (From respscorp (GM)): Radulf can hear some small noises in a side corridor and Karli lowers himself ready to pounce. It would probably take a moment to peek around... or ignore it and move out. Orphea, if alerted, will obviously go for maximum violence. Radulf whispers: “Stay on guard.” He tries to be calm to not make the calf nervous, and beckons Karli over… while his hand shifts from treating his axe as a walking stick to firmly grasping it. (To GM): He keeps one eye on that corridor and if the noises grow any louder or anything moves towards the party, he's going to alert them immediately. (To GM): He also doesn't hide it from whatever peers back from the darkness that he's watching them. If they're this shy, they're insecure, and he's not going to let them think that the party let their guard down. (From respscorp (GM)): They don't. From his limited experience with animals, Radulf thinks something has manage to corner itself in there trying to avoid your group. It will probably scamper off when you leave. Karli seems to hold the same opinion - the dog is tense, ready to pounce, but it's quiet and confident. It perceives this as a hunting opportunity, or at least a non-threatening situation. (To GM): He's going to let it hide then. After a bit of time passes, Karli wags his tail and looks at Radulf quizzically. Radulf pats the cow and makes sure Karli helps to guide it over the dark cave floor. Karli lowers himself, wagging his tail and giving Radulf a look. As if trying to say "Hey, friend, must I do the work while you have fun chasing shadows? Can't we switch?" But quickly obeys. Radulf also pays attention to the cow, and leads it over ground where it's unlikely to stumble over any sharp rocks or bones. Soon you all make it out and back under sunlight. A short stroll away, the two young women wait for your triumphant return with the cow. Orphea yawned, returning to the simple comfort of concealment within her travois. Radulf sighs a breath of relief. “I've had enough of caves for a while” Blaer: "Well, it is time for us to return, in any case." Clio: "It's a relief to see you back. There was all sorts of awful noise from below, it spooked the horses up good." Radulf: A pair of cave-dwelling ogres. There were probably more of them, but it seems they kept their distance afterwards.” LD: Hey, I need to be right back. Getting asked to do a quick errand a couple minutes away from the house Ita: "Ogres. Well. I heard monsters were more of a thing hereabouts. Guess we really should be thankful you came around." While Blaer keeps a lookout, the rest have a moment to relax as you slowly make your way back to camp. Radulf: “I've never been to the old homeland—has all the land there been tamed, and is man man's only enemy left?” Clio: "There's still plenty of wilds left, but even the wilds are tamer. There's far fewer places that people go around that there isn't anybody living anywhere close by. There's established paths between the villages, and sometimes you can walk for days without losing sight of habitation. If you're not a woodsman or herdsman, you probably never really see the actual wilds, cause nobody wants to risk it when they can avoid it." GM: "There's barrows and there's people telling stories of monsters and monster-men. But me and Ita have never seen any of those. The most extraordinary thing we ever did saw was a barrow pixie." Radulf: “There are barrows over there too, huh? They abound here as well, and we're told to stay out of them. Between the elders' warnings and the spirits' too, this is bets heeded.” LD: back now The group reaches the camp, with Blaer catching up to the others. Melliton pops out of the bushes, immediately attracts the attention of your guests, frowns, waves at Blaer and retreats back in. Ita: "Wow. Who was that?" Blaer: "Another one of our allies. He's been helping me with my work recently." Radulf: “Their people are all unfortunately cursed with nakedness, but they make up for it by being very hardy.” Blaer: "And very resourceful" Orphea nodded, not really wanting to comment that much Blaer: "Oh, and his name is Meliton." The young women look after Meliton curiously, then get down from their stout, small horses and unsaddle them for a rest. As it's getting a bit late in the day, they ask for permission to spend the night by your fire. Radulf gladly agrees. It's welcome company. Orphea had no objections Radulf: “How many people do you wager are still going to be coming here?” he asks the two. Blaer: "Likely many more, but I do not think we should try to field them all. Only as many as we can." Radulf nods. “Once I'm able to, we can head back. It might be worthwhile for our clan to establish a permanent outpost here though, a small fort, perhaps a tower…” Meliton: "I can only imagine that would be a very big undertaking. Such a place would need enough people to keep it tidy and resist the chance outlaw. Then again, what do I really know..." Radulf: “It would be quite an undertaking, but if our numbers are swelled by our relatives… Well, I'll bring it up with the elders.” Meliton: "I keep forgetting you can do that." Meliton quiets pensively The night passes and then a couple of days of meeting and providing directions for mostly small groups of travelers head north as Radulf's health slowly returns to him. Orphea spent that time spit-balling a few (Sort of false) narratives that might be beneficial mentioning offhandedly to people coming in with good idea. Though I like to gauge first how… receptive the travelers are to the idea. If they're too prideful and belligerent, presenting our clan more as mediators, sensible judges might appeal to them more.” GM: (Orphea tries to work behind the scenes, or does she open up more to people?) Orphea: "True, we've already managed to work towards such an image, I'm not wanting to flat out state that it is good to obey your people and seek their protection, just to plant the idea, you know?" She shrugged "I suspect it'll be harder to pick up, its more of a seed to be planted in popular thought than a full on directive" (She's mainly just working behind the scenes, coming up with strategies.) Radulf nods and agrees. Radulf: “Did your people live in the old homelands too, or were they native to this region?” Orphea nodded, they shared a language enough to hint a common origin, and they were in private. "We've been in this region longer though." Radulf leans back: “It's unlikely that we're going to meet any distant kin of yours, hiding as they probably are, but perhaps as word spreads of our alliance, some are going to make their way over here.” Orphea nodded "I would be happy to see more of my kinsmen from distant lands, though I doubt we would take such an obvious route." Radulf doesn't have any other grand plans other than recovering, dealing with migrants, and eventually returning home Time passes, with no other notable encounters, though you acquire some small gifts and tribute from passing families. Orphea attracts some attention from the most romantically-inclined, remarking how she looks like an archaic warrior princess from the old tales. Orphea did her best to politely turn down any romantic advances without hurting the pride of those offering such things, she did quite appreciate the comparison though. Radulf asks her later after such an encounter: “Can you wear jewelry?” Radulf: “Or does that count as clothes?” Orphea frowned, "I can't, sadly" GM: (romantic, as in people prone to magical and poetic thinking, romantics; not as in people interested in romance) Orphea certainly appreciated the comparison then, only half-accidently assuming attraction where none was! Radulf: “Ah, too bad…” Meliton: "Think of it as a vortex of chaos swirling inside, bathing us in its power, devouring all that would constrain us." Orphea shrugged, nodding to Meliton "I hadn't really thought of it like that before, I appreciate the idea." Radulf contemplates that. Meliton: "Ah, I assume you've relished more in travelling the wilds. I had to spent way too long in the background of drunken scholars and boastful warriors. Those are probably someone's words I've memorised." Orphea: She nodded "I have been more in the company of wildlife than philosophers, so you're probably right" Meliton nods, unsure if it would be wise to continue this conversation without consulting Orphea on how much he's allowed to divulge. Days later, it's finally time to head on back, settle things at home and catch up with the people that promised to meet you near the Red Horns' village. GM: (but that would have to be next time) For now, all get +1 Reputation in the area. P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! LD: good sesh Vodka: Was fun ♥♥ respscorp (GM): hola P.P. A.: \o LD: hi Vodka: (Sorry about that) P.P. A.: no worries PREVIOUSLY! Having dispatched the ogres, our heroes spent some time exploring the ruins they inhabited. Wary of further surprises, they found the cow and made their way out with due haste, leaving whatever other dark secrets the place had for another day. Reuniting with the two young cow-catchers, they made their way back to their camp and spent a few days allowing Radulf to recover from his injuries, They met a few more scattered parties of refugees and finally made their way northward. Orphea was the subject of some awe and some patronizing, and there was some discussion about the properties of her entropic aura. Finally, the whole group makes its way to the edge of the river close to Red Horns Villlage, where they know they can always get someone to boat them and their newfound wealth across. Orphea: Appreciated the degree of awe given to her, but she did her best to remain relatively stoic about the good and the bad, gods know she'd heard enough stories about someone feeling too proud and then having horrible things happen to them. Radulf: “It's kinda odd: I used to think about places—their location—in relation to our village, where they are from home and how far away. Now I'm starting to think about places in relation to each other instead, including our home. Red Horns village rises in the flats across the river, a disfigured clump of brick walls, tall towers and closely-packed longhouses, some of them built on stilts to avoid the risk of spring floods. Small boats float lazily across the river as young people fish or ferry things downstream. A couple of larger boats moved across slowly, laden with people and farm animals coming from the south. Meliton: "Forgive a my ignorance, friend, but I'm not sure exactly what you mean." Radulf: “Ah, uh… Take the Red Horns' village.” He points towards the walls and rooves across the river. “I used to think of it only as ‘downstream from home,’ but I'm starting to see it as ‘across the river from the border’ and ‘between us and the market town”.” “Meeting all these people from different tribes and thinking what paths they'd have to take to get to their destinations and where it'd be best for us to settle them probably caused this.” Melion: "Ah. Well, I'm just a simple carpenter and pole-turner. I'm afraid my world-view will always be in need of an axle to keep it centered." Meliton tries to subtly glance in Blaer's direction. LD: Be right back real quickddddddddddddd P.P. A.: :DD You sit down and wait until one of the boatsmen decides to deign you with their attention. As a small group, you soon attract the attention of one raft-owner whose vessel would be hard-pressed to fit some of the travelling families. Rafter: "Greetings, strangers. Ger, son of Arnolf is my name. You looking for a lift across the river? Or somewhere downstream?" Radulf: “Radulf, son of Rodemir; well-met, Ger. Straight across will do—our destination lies upstream.” “Seen a lot of business the last few days?” Ger: "That I do. Help yourselves in." The scrawny man drives his raft into the shallows and outstretches his oar to help people climb aboard the sturdy, if rather rudimentary, vessel. Ger: "Not that I row for a living. Got a lovely farm downstream with the family. But I take people with me when I can, and the last few days there have been quite a lot of people. So the old folks called on us that have anything that can stay afloat to help out." "Also put their foot down on what to ask in return." Ger names his price, a reasonable and only very slightly inflated price that can be paid in goods or silver. Since he's not a merchant, any silver will have to be weighted at the village. Radulf doesn't mind. Radulf looks over to Orphea and Meliton to see if they mind, though Orphea shrugged, not caring too much as long as she could wait outside the weighing building and keep her travois up. LD: Right, sorry, I'm back The young man just shrugs and smiles with an air of resignation. GM: (wb) P.P. A.: welcome back With everyone aboard, you make a slow but gentle trip across the river. The two young women leave to look for their relatives, and your group is left on their own, though Orphea and Meliton attract plenty of curious gazes. Radulf is eager to get the payment proceedings over with and to get home. Orphea followed along with the group, admittedly a bit excited to get a bit of rest as well. Blaer: "I wonder how our distant relatives are settling into the village." The silver is quickly weighted, owing to the small line of nervous people waiting for their turn already forming behind Radulf. It feels as though the village has almost doubled its population and you can see the locals' hospitality already wearing a bit thin. You suspect that in time some of the people you advised to settle across the river instead of continuing across might be thankful for your words. Orphea can feel so many eyes upon her, that she almost misses the cloaked man approaching her before he gets too close. Cloaked: Figure "Well met again, ladies," Orphea looked at him with a bit of confusion but avoided direct comment, doing her best to appear uneventful still concealing herself as best she can with the cloth going down the sides of her travois. Radulf has put everything back in the pockets it belongs into and tips his hat. “Hello! Care to lift your hood so we may recognise your familiar face?” Blaer nods at the cloaked stranger Blaer: "And the same to you." "How have you been finding our hospitality?" The man removes his hood, revealing an unfamiliar, chiseled face with short beard. He nods back at Blaer. Smith: "Given the circumstances, it is holding up well. We have set up nearby, helping the local smiths manage the uncanny amount of broken tools and broken carts lately. Not exactly our area of expertise, but the faithful do what work the gods put in their way. Unless you have relatives living here, I think you'll find better shelter in our camp than you can find in the village." Radulf smiles, recognising the man now. P.P. A.: What time is it in-game now? It is shortly after noon. P.P. A.: How long is the trip from here to our village roughly? Can we make it before nightfall? GM: (extremely unlikey; it's more than two days of travel on foot) Radulf looks to the others, looking positive about it. Blaer: "That sounds like a sound idea" Orphea had absolutely no objections to going somewhere less crowded Radulf smiles. “Thank you, we'll gladly accept.” The traveller takes you through the busy paths of the village. Your strange group attracts some attention, but probably not as much as they would on a regular day. Meliton shies away from the curious gazes and playful greetings of the some of the young women you pass along, but tries to keep his spine straigh. Meliton: "Really cousin, you can't rely on this contraption forever if we are to live among these people." Orphea: "I prefer not to be seen, this helps me not be seen as thoroughly. I am content staying in private areas in the future, away from the prying eyes this thing is made to conceal me from." She said this rather coldly, and her shift in posture and focus towards Meliton indicated rather clearly he'd hit a nerve. Radulf proposes a compromsie: “We're coming back from a long tip far from home. If you want to practice walking about more openly, you have ample opportunity for it when we get home with more familiar faces in the crowd.” Orphea 's expression didn't lighten at this offer, and her general mood remained apparently soured. Still, she had the grace not to scream out about it; less so the ability to hide how obviously she wanted to perform such acts. If subtlety is your goal, that big thing hardly helps. Either way, feel free to vent when we're in a more private setting. You know I'm use to it and you deserve it far more than... some other people.: GM: (ok, this broke in an amazin way) Meliton: "If subtlety is your goal, that big thing hardly helps. Either way, feel free to vent when we're in a more private setting. You know I'm use to it and you deserve it far more than... some other people" Orphea: "Its not, I recognize its a large, triangular shaped tarp." She admitted. Her expression softened a bit but she was still clearly in a worse mood than before. Radulf clears his throat and tries to lighten the mood. “What kind of dishes do you enjoy, by the way? I'm looking forward to my mother's cooking; I figure our kinswomen are going to prepare something to celebrate your safe return too.” Orphea thought for a moment. "One of my favorite dishes is plakous, its this crisp, multilayered pastry with honey, I've got no idea how to make it, but I am craving it quite a bit" This was hit with another pang of nostalgia to her home, which she wasn't allowed to go back to for a while, which didn't help her mood too much. Still, she did her best (Which wasn't very good) to maintain a not-sad/pissed expression for the rest of the walk atleast Radulf tries to keep up some mild and pleasant small-talk to stave off awkward silence and silent bitterness, but doesn't over do it either. Orphea does her best to contribute as well, not wanting to be a hyper-buzzkill Blaer mainly talks about how she likes to prepare her own kills over the fire Meliton just acts a bit awkward and apologetic. Making others feel bad is somewhat new to him. Eventually, you make it outside the village and towards a nearby wooded area, where the travelling smiths have set up camp. Survag: "Ah, our brother has found you. You're probably tired from your journey, so please find somewhere to settle down and let us treat you as your guests to our camp, just like we are guests in these lands." The tall priest-smith greets you and waves at the small but tidy camp. Everything is neatly arranged and ordered and the camp itself is off from the road, half-concealed by the tree-line. Radulf: “Thank you very much. It's good to see you've settled in so well.” Blaer looks around the camp to see what kind of smithing supplies they have set up Orphea smiled to the group, thanking them for their hospitality before heading a bit away, digging her spear into the ground, using it to prop up her mobile anti-social hut and sitting down within it. The smiths have set up a very rudimentary working environment in a large square pavilion with its sides removed. The seem to be lacking truly heavy tools, but there is enough to allow them to do basic repair and maintenance on metal tools. Notably, the lack good striking surfaces and a decent furnace, but that's normal for someone on the move. Survag: "This is temporary. We plan to settle somewhere more permanent, but we've yet to pick a location. I remember your native friend had a proposal for us, so I await conversing with her with interest." He nods towards Orphea retreating to her own corner of the camp, then turned towards Blaer. Survag: "I remember you also had some thing you wanted to talk about. Let's take a seat by the fire. There is tea." LD: how much of a thing is tea in this setting? GM: (herbal tea is a thing people do a lot, because it's a simple hot drink with more flavour than just water; and easy to do as long as you're not dumb enough to boil absolutely random weeds) (orphea's people prefer dilluted wine with hot water and some naturally spicy stuff instead of just plain herbs in water) Blaer obliges, taking a seat by the fire, and taking a mug of the tea Radulf has no particular interest in their craft but is curious about what kinds of stories they might tell, and so gladly sits by them and listens. You take your seats and Survag encourages Blaer to speak more of her plans and ask her questions. Blaer: "To begin, I would like to hear about your forge god. Survag: "Dhear-Gefail is a god of fire. He is a master smith and makes tools out of iron, as well as weapons of war. He is a master of many craftsman's secrets. Our fraternity has been keeping his secrets and inducting new artisans in the sacred Charred Fortress that was turned to imperishable cinder by a divine spark. With the recent tumult... some of us were sent out to make sure our craft does not die out. But that doesn't mean we'll freely share our secrets." Blaer: "Of course. Still, the fact that you invited us means you wish to talk about it, yes?" "I would like to ask what you think of this particular work of mine" Blaer slowly unfastens the straps of her prosthetic, and then offers it to Survag to inspect Survag takes the prosthetic in hand and carefully inspects it. He appears most thorough, taking the task seriously and handling the hand replacement with care. Survag: "There are some irregularities in the make, and the metal is not perhaps the best. But you've made it work and it is quite clever. I don't think you have a gift per se. But I think you have the potential to create magnificent things if you put your mind to it." Survag tells Blaer and company a short story about his god. It is obvious that this is the abridged version. Perhaps he guards his god's secrets jealously, or just wants to avoid boring you. The story tells of an ancient king who lost his hand and abdicated his throne to a healthier relative. But the new king conspired with evil giants and had to be disposed of. So Dhear-Gefail got together with a master silver-smith and together they made a hand of iron and silver, that was as lissome as the real thing. Blaer: "Yes, I remember hearing a similar story recently..." "It's certainly an attractive story for me" Blaer looks at their stump of an arm Survag: . "It is more than just a story. I have seen the hand in our vaults. It was a miraculously intricate thing, well beyond my ability to even comprehend, yet also strangely simple and sturdy." Blaer perks up Blaer: "Really? You've seen it?" The priest-smith nods. Survag: "The stories do not do it much justice. Before I became a master, I had a hard time imagining it right. I expected a jagged, sturdy copy of a hand, jewelled and precious. Or maybe a hand with skin of silver. It is... somehow both of those and neither." Blaer takes a sip of her tea GM: (look like net died for Vodka) Blaer: "I didn't imagine you people would be so cruel. Taunting a poor girl with the splendor of a replacement arm she'll never be able to have." Survag: "Cruel, perhaps to try and recruit her with such stories, but I don't think it is something beyond her reach. She has that look of someone who probably keeps hearing how much she can attain if she focused. As do you, by the way." GM: (good time to wrap it up if you have nothing to add?) Blaer: (Yeah, sounds good) P.P. A.: (fine by me) Thanks for the session GM: Thanks for playing LD: thanks for the sesh Previously! Returning home victoriously, the group made it across the river and rendezvoused with the travelling priest-smiths they met along the way. After some conversations about wardrobe and character, they settled around the travelling brothers' campfire and swapped tales. And now, it is time to return to these wild frontiers. For the last embers of a dwindling campfire hold within themselves the promise of the morning sun. As the camp settles down for the night, Survag and his brothers would ask your opinion on where best to settle. They know Markettown is the biggest settlement, but they are less interested in attracting clientele than in pursuing their crafts and secrets. P.P. A.: Is Meliton there too? Meliton is there too, a little nervous about the priest's patronizing magnanimity, but still, politely and stoically accepting their banter. Radulf thinks about the landscape around them—and of a place that would satisfy both the smith's wishes and be useful to his clan. “Do you intend on farming or herding, or live by trading your crafts?” Radulf might ask Meliton before he suggests anything since he doesn't know where exactly the gymnoagriol live, where there might be friction or where new settlers might be welcome. Blaer sips her tea as she lets Radulf take the lead for the conversation Meliton: "Ah.Surprising that you would ask my opinion when Orphea is right there..." Meliton smiles nervously, looking around for Ophea Meliton: "But if you ask me, I think close to your village is a good place. Not to brag, but few others can provide them with the same quality of tin and iron as our people." P.P. A.: (the question about the farming was to the priests, to figure out what kind of space and terrain they need) Radulf: “Yeah, my first thought was the hills and meadows north of our village. A bit off the beaten path but not far from it.” Orphea was pretty obviously in her anti-social tent just a bit away from the group. Regardless, she'd pipe up and agree that close to Radulf's village would make a good amount of sense. Radulf: “It seems like your people live roughly in that area too, and they would make good trade partners and neighbours.” Survag: "We are devoted to our craft. We can do other things to survive, but if we can focus on our craft and our rites, then that would be for the best. Perhaps we can do some tools that people would find useful... The priests interrogate Meliton on how his people could be such good smelters, considering other things, but their own habit of secrecy makes the respect his lack of answers. Radulf: “A more secluded arm of the river flows down from the mountains there, so you could transport goods in bulk if needed. Our clan lives nearby as do the Gymnoagriol, but it's off the main road and trade routes, so you wouldn't get any unexpected visitors.” Survag: 'That does sound rather ideal. Flowing water is also necessary for our crafts though not as much as to affect those downriver in any way..." "It's settled then. We'll travel with you and then look around for a good place. We can work out the arrangements with our neighbors later, especially since we have some of them right here." With that, he moves to retire for the night. Radulf smiles and agrees. Before falling asleep himself, he's going to check up on Orphea, see if she's alright, and tell her about this conversation if she didn't overhear it already. Orphea stood up as Radulf approached, her general expression towards him was warm, though it was clear she still wasn't in the best mood Radulf recaps what had been discussed and asks for her opinion on their preliminary decision. Aside from that though: “You've been quite down today—what's troubling you?” Blaer would stick around for a little longer, drinking the tea and watching the fire as she considers the offer made to her Orphea: "I agree with the general idea of setting up near your village, its close enough to trade with both of our peoples, but well, distant enough that my paranoia; and likely the paranoia of my kin, won't be too flared." She paused, shrugging "Its nothing that I can really change at the moment, so...I am grateful you're concerned at me" She smiled at Radulf, avoiding eye contact. Radulf returns the smile and stops himself from patting her head—she'd probably see that as condescending—and gives her an encouraging pat on the shoulder instead. “If you want to get something off your chest, I'll be around. Sleep well.” Orphea nodded, "You too" She'd go ahead and head to sleep, assuming he headed off. Radulf heads off unless Orphea indicates she wishes otherwise Miraculously, nothing terrible awaits Radulf in the dreamscape save a pair of old ancestors happy to have a young ear to pour their endless complaints into. That he is not even related to them matters little. Looking back hard enough, they manage to find so Redhorns ancestry in his bloodline and continue their night-long litany. It's not terribly informative Blaer eventually runs out of tea, thoughts, and desire to stay awake, and so retires for the night Radulf humours them. It's not like it can bore him so much that he'd fall asleep from it, after all. LD: what if he DOES fall asleep, and he finds the secret second layer spirit world? P.P. A.: >Radulf's sleeping spirit falls asleep >his body starts sleepwalking >the second later spirit world is just the metaphysical ancestors of these spirits telling even more boring stories LD: It's boring anecdotes all the way down You awaken in the morning, your heads full of vague memories of dreams containing ideal shapes complaining about the absurdity of concreteness. Blaer endeavors to not drink strangers' teas before bed in the future Radulf watches the sun rise and finds the cyclical nature of linear time perfectly agreeable. After a couple days of travel, you make it back to the vicinity of Cynwrig village without incident. The journey has been short and without incident save for a late rainshower dampening the mood on the first evening. As you near the village, people wave their greetings from the distant homesteads and you attract a small following of curious youths eager to be the first to see and hear what's new. Rando Kids: "Hey, did you really fight a giant? How many brigands did you slay? Did the savage girl really disembowel 15 men? Was there a big fight? Did you make those other people cry when you took their sheep?" Orphea did her best to stay in the back and avoid conversation, not really being the best with kids. Radulf laughs. “All exaggerations, but exaggerations of the truth.” Blaer: "It was only 14 men. The last one did it himself from the sight of it all." Blaer is wearing an obvious grin as she adds kindling to the fire Carlungus: "Is that why she's sad? That the 15th took his life before she can get to him?" Blaer: "If you do not behave, she may decide to make the 15th." Orphea looked around a bit awkwardly, opting not to commen. Radulf nods to Blaer's statement with a poorly suppressed grin. The kids approve of this retort and choose to drop the topic, instead focusing on caves and brigands and loot, before finally deciding that they should run ahead and tell everyone the news. Blaer waves them off as they run away before turning to Radulf Blaer: "I wonder if our parents ever lied to us with such glee" Radulf: “The big lies we probably figured out at some point, but the little embellishments… Probably.” we kill, though? Two trolls, the bandit leader and the guard… Two ran away…” Orphea blinked, realizing she doesn't have an accurate count of the amount human lives she's ended. On some level, she was just used to it being at zero. You vaguely remember at least four others before that... in total not quite 15, but enough to make a small village reel. Orphea looked relatively surprised for a moment before resuming her general not in a great mood look. Blaer silently contemplates the fact she's barely done anything in the battles they've waged Radulf pets Karli for his contributions. As you cross the last league to the village,you find a small gathering of people there to welcome you and celebrate your return. Your parents, some of the elders and Euphilia along with a few other girls Radulf happily waves his hat to them as they come into view; while he looks at his parents, his eyes also search for Thea. Blaer holds her prosthetic arm up in the air as a symbol of triumph Thea can be seen hiding between the rest of her kin. She waves at Radulf, while the rest of them wave at Orphea. Orphea waved to the group, smiling at them. There was a hint of genuine positive emotion upon reuniting with Euphilia Your families and friends will welcome you and lead you to a small welcoming feast, dedicated to both your return and to the guests you have brought along. Euphilia has managed to arrange for herself a somewhat central spot, its placing marking her the equivalent of a visiting thane or other humble, but honored guest. She beams at Orphea, but then lets her pick a place on the table that is further away from everyone if she wanted. Orphea opted to sit next to Euphilia, it was pretty obvious she missed her. P.P. A.: Do we gag and tie up the bard? LD: I feel like I'm missing important context P.P. A.: >never read Astérix psh, transatlantic barbarians Radulf is happy to tell his family and friends of the group's exploits in whatever detail they like. Blaer would do the same, eagerly telling her father about the roaming band of smith-priests which are soon to take up residence nearby Orphea opted mainly to listen instead of talk. Radulf would have proposed inviting the smith-priests to the banquet in return for their hospitality the last few days. They are invited. They are the guests you brought along. after some wining and dining and poetry and telling of tales, Radulf's father has an announcement to make. Him: "You have done amazing things, distinguishing yourselves like few others in the one year since your coming of age. Now as the seasons roll over, the peak day will soon arrive. And after it, as the days dwindle, we start to prepare for the Cold. But also, as newly of age, this shortest of nights will be the first time you meet the gods face to face." He is speaking of the traditional last rite of adulthood. A solitary mediation in which the soul supposedly wanders and meets its ancestors. Radulf assumes that this is going to come easy to him, but is still a bit excited. Dad finishes by giving his son a knowing look as he takes his seat. The rest of the feast proceeds in a calm manner, but afterwards some of you find themselves accosted by older relatives. Radulf is visited by a couple of old uncles who compliment Thea for being quiet and diligent, making subtle but obvious hints about what they are alluding to. They also point out that she is literally homeless and poor, and discuss this strange notion of "secondary wife" introduced by the natives by comparing it with the settlers' own custom of concubinage. Blaer is similarly accosted by her grandmother who wants to hear more about Meliton, while complimenting his looks, manners and the fact that apparently he knows a craft. Grandma is enthusiastic about the prospect of grandkids and quick to point out that such a quiet boy will let Blaer do whatever she wants without getting in her way. Grandma really wants grandkids. Radulf: “That reminds me, I ought to meet your parents sometime soon,” the shepherd tells Thea. Eoghania tries to cheer up Orphea with her boisterous antics, trying hard to hide her own anxiety about the upcoming ceremony. P.P. A.: oh, also Radulf would have taken a bath in the river at some point on their journey home, and kept the bandit leader's mail stowed away afterwards Thea appears unsure about this, but nods to keep up appearances. Blaer wages the war she has had with her grandmother ever since she made her policy on marriage clear Grandma is not yet desperate enough to suggest skipping the whole marriage thing, so she eventually relents. Radulf interrupts Blaer and her grandmother with a polite smile and apology to the latter. “Blaer, I forgot—did we make a note of the tattoos on the bandit leader's body?” Blaer shakes her head Rolling 11-3d6 = 3 A guy: "Hmmm. This looks... familiar for some reason?" After some discussion, people manage to agree that this must have been some guy famous for being "trice outlawed" due to being both a horrible person and a charismatic, powerful warrior. He was outlawed, then adopted by another clan, then outlawed and then again. Radulf: “That's… impressive; though you'd think everyone would be wary of taking him in at least after the second time.” Old Man: "He was outlawed for being a really mean bastard. People tend to think that's a good thing to be when it's pointed at others. Really, they should have just shown some spine and kept him around after adopting him." Radulf: “Keeping his head there, for as long as it lasts, sends the right message then.” Oldster: "Some people don't get the message until it hits them. Just think how many lives might have been saved if the buggers kept their mean bastard close instead of booting him out as soon as they grew tired of him. Like old Annega;s dog! She kicked it out of the house and it went and murdered a ewe in Edri's flock! The two of them still aren't talking!" People slowly start to leave and head-out as the night progresses. It's actually six days until the Solstice, leaving you with plenty of time to take care of other things or prepare mentally. Radulf: ”I agree. Like how we keep Eoghania around.” Radulf grins in her direction. Eoghania beams back, all sunshine and honey. "That's right! And you're still alive because of it!" Orphea eventually moved to sit by herself away from most of the interactions going on. Radulf: “Indeed. To my never-exiled favourite troublemaker!” He toasts her. P.P. A. stops prolonging the scene Eoghania will follow Orphea, still trying to cheer her up or at least trying to find out who she needs to punch to avenge her battle-sister. Orphea talked to Eoghania a lot, and did her best (Which wasn't very good) to put on a happy face about the situation. Once alone, she'd go ahead and explain her more base issue of being homesick and unable to return for a while, then go on to explain her more existential issue of feeling stuck between over-hopeful idealists and crazy reactionaries in dealing with her own people. Of course, she'd cede that this is probably because the people with extreme beliefs are the loudest. P.P. A.: One fist for the left-win, one fist for the right-wing t. Eo Time speeds ahead. Eoghania keeps trying to keep herself and Orphea busy, to distract herself from the upcoming ritual even thoiuhg people keep reassuring her that this is not a trial and cannot be failed as long as she minds what she has been taught. Her main goal however seems to be to distract Orphea from her issues and make her feel like she has a home with her sworn sister. Orphea clearly appreciates the support, she is unsure of what the actual ritual is beyond vague-spirit quest stuff, so she'd ask about it if Eoghania didn't seem too uncomfortable talking about it. P.P. A.: Oh, Orphea is going to participate? Neta. (I thought it was for our clanmembers only) Eoghania doesn't know exactly. People like to act smug and say "You'll find out." when she asks, apparently. And it might be different for boys and girls. But apparently it's a sort of like the vision quest scholars and priests use to relive the past among Orphea's people. Orphea shrugged, nodding; her curiosity mostly sated she'd resume whatever diversionary activity they were taking part in Nobody will ask Orphea to participate. She can volunteer to do it, and nobody will bar her. But they warn her she might see thing from her bloodline, not from theirs... and this can be dangerous. Apparently the ritual makes sure the young people are somewhat protected from the worst mythical foes of their people... and it might not be as efficient against Orphea's ancestral enemies, because they are different. GM: (But it would be a very strong symbol of unity) Orphea would opt to volunteer then, seeing as if she were successful it would strengthen unity; and if she were unsuccessful she'd no longer have to worry about the future on account of not being alive. Of course, she didn't outright state the latter part, but the death-obsessed mindset she has hasn't really been appealed by the instances of combat she's been in. That being the case, the three of you are presented in front of the old priests for a last minute instruction of what happens during the ritual. Radulf plans on talking to the wildlings and Thea about meeting Thea's parents, and also visiting some of the people they settled nearby to check up on how they're doing,. but he's content to recover, look after the sheep, and laze around a bit until the ritual. Six days isn't enough for any big adventure. Old People, speaking in turns: "In the past, this was done dfferently. Boys would get abducted in a sack in the middle of the night. Girls would be lead to a testing pit with the rising moon. One of your ancestors saw the secret of how the admixed soul works, so you will be in the temple grounds." Orphea listened intently, not wanting to perform badly out of ignorance Radulf nods, approving of this change. Them: "You drink the sleeping infusion, and let your soul wander. The sacred circle leads you in. The warriors and we guard the threshold, keeping the small evils out, lest they take your body in your absence." "The circle draws your soul to see the secrets of our clan. It marks you as one of us. You will see the past, you will be visited by our enemies and might perceive the gods." Radulf: “Enemies past, or also enemies present and eternal?” Them: "All of these, maybe. It varies between people. They turn to Orphea with some small concern Them: "We don't know what you'll see dear. Maybe our ancestors? Maybe yours? Your friend told us that you have experience in these dream journeys, so we hope you will do fine." Orphea smiled confidently towards them, nodding, unsure if she was supposed to speak at the moment she hoped that her less than fearful attitude would at least put their minds at ease a bit. The old people place in front of you a silver platter with 3 cups of wine. You know the herbal infusion is mixed within. Blaer takes the cup, and brings it to her lips, smelling the drink to see if she could get an idea of what was in it Radulf pets Karli once more, both to calm himself and to give his dog confidence that Radulf falling asleep and meeting spooky spirits soon is no cause for concern. Orphea took her cup and prepared to drink from it, preferably in sync with the other two for dramatic effect. Radulf takes the cip placed before him and is ready to drink, as soon as the elders nod their okay. Radulf or in sync with the others, yeah You get the nod to go ahead and drink. Radulf sips and downs the rest. Orphea performs the mystic drinking act, hopefully at least partially in sync with the others. Blaer drinks in sync to bring them to the brink and sink into sleep For a while, nothing happens. Then it hits you like a slap to the neck and you can see yourselves pass out on the floor as your mind becomes one with the cosmos. You wake up... somewhat not yourselves. As if your existence so far has been a dream and you now awaken in your real bodies. Yet the back of your mind insists the reverse is true - you are just a young person peering through the eyes of a mystical person... and lacking something of what made them who they were, you should be careful. Radulf looks down at his dark, fluctuating body, trying to remember - was he a dark-haired woman or a man? Similarly, Blaer looks down on her golden garb, unsure if she was woman or man. Oprhea doesn't have this problem. She awakens as a tall, muscular and tanned woman with wild, long hair and sharp nails and fangs. P.P. A.: (can we see each other?) Orphea opened and closed her hands a few times, feeling the fangs with her tongue. She nodded, that made sense. After completing some vague pre-proprioception she'd make an effort to observe her surroundings. LD: Does Blaer have both her arms? She went to the ceremony without her prosthetic Radulf notices that this is different from his dream-walking. He is not himself outside of his body, but seeing through someone else's eyes. GM: (For now you are not next to each other and Blaer has both arms - because you realize you're not yourselves, but someone else) Radulf quietly wonders what the person he is wright now wnats to show him Blaer takes a moment to examine their body, and the golden garments they were The fluctuating of their bodies distracts them from further observations. Or one different from your own? Whatever the case, your existence fluctuates fluidly, ready to settle into whatever configuration you accept as natural. Beyond that, you realize you might be embodied in a mythical ancestors. Radulf aspected to Storm, and Blaer to Sun. Radulf settles into what feels the most familiar to him, as far as it concerns his perception—not minding little details like hair colour or length, as he focuses his attention on where he is and what he is to see. As you settle into the weird bodies of your ancestors, you face one creeping realization.. That the story will be continued next time... P.P. A.: X) Thanks for the session! Orphea: ♥♥ good session) LD: nice. Thanks for the session respscorp (GM): hi Vodka: yo respscorp (GM): So, how is everyone doing and any questions to clear before LD shows up? P.P. A.: Been reproachably lazy recently, but otherwise well respscorp (GM): (method acting, I see) P.P. A.: :V a bit unsure about what kind of powers to invest into, but maybe this session will give me some inspiration My usual problem with magic in TTRPGs is that I can't really think of much that isn't either 1) very circumstantial and heavy on the GM (e.g. more involved communication with spirits or time travel) or 2) just a shinier shortcut to do things a character could do otherwise (in combat especially) respscorp (GM): (Hard to conceive magic that isn't just a shortcut... thankfully GURPS provide some structure to give ideas. E.g. "Create Sunlight") P.P. A.: Yeah, perhaps the right approach is less to start with thinking of possible applications, and rather to think of a theme and of things which cannot be achieved by other means and then mold that into something practical respscorp (GM): (or just think of thematic things and go for what looks good; I can try to compile a crude "shopping list" if you want) P.P. A.: Basic ideas building off the dreamwalking theme, not vetted for being good: - go one layer deeper and see & communicate with spirits on that layer (e.g. trying to smoothtalk elementals into aiding the party) - be able to talk to other people in their sleep (enabling long-distance communication at night) - peer into people's dreams - astrally project back in time (or into the future) Another approach would be to look atexotic/supernatural Advantages and refluff them, adding modifiers/limitations as appropriate respscorp (GM): (all I will say is no playing with causality) P.P. A.: haha respscorp (GM): (ok, let's begin and hope LD joins soon) LD: hello P.P. A.: (perfect timing) \o Previously! After making your way home, you got ready for your rites of mystical adulthood, to be held on the night of the solstice. Orphea was made the offer to participate as well, to deepen the magical bond with her hosts. After drinking the poisoned wine on the temple grounds, your mind quickly descends into darkness, only to awaken as someone... something else. In ancient times, the gods walked the primeval world, and it is in their bodies that the dream has placed you. You are now someone else, someone you have heard of from legends... and if they are to be trusted - someone who is your ancestor. There is a moment's confusion as your mind ascertains its identity over your body and your shape solidifies before your eyes. Radulf opens and closes his hands a few times to get a—heh—grip on the situation. He looks around to the others, and probably has no trouble identifying Orphea, and concluding who the other woman must be. Blaer finds herself in the shape of Ghrian, the Sun. The world is young and has scarcely known your benevolent touch yet, but your jealous brother Ahtru keeps sending his stormclouds to get in your way, jealously putting himself in front of you. He enjoys travelling the world and takes pride in his closer connection with it, resenting your aloofness and your destiny to stand above him. Radulf finds himself as easygoing Ahtru, storm-god and patron of freedom. Your sibling Ghrian imagines themselves lord of this world, and their aloofness and magnanimous hubris grates on you. You think you will do a better job as a leader, due to your closeness to things and thus a better perspective on them. Their "enlightened" lack of emotion and supposedly highbrow attitude also tend to get on the nerves. You have been feuding for a long time now, and things only got worse when the Earth Goddess allowed you both to vie for her attention. You should not have fought as much, but you are reluctant to see your own fault in this. You scarcely believe Ghrian is capable of deep love anyway - just warm friendliness and patronizing care. P.P. A.: >two ancestral brother deities I foresee a tragic end Orphea has become the Lady of the Wild, whome her people sometimes call Argotera, "the Huntress". The dark wilderness is your stalking ground and the myriad beasts your pets and pet projects. The other gods are fools, engaging in stupid feuds as if their massive domains are scarcely enough instead of being too vast already. You have been resting here a while, wondering what to do about this latest mess - the Earth has retreated from the living world, sulking over the conflict her careless flirting has caused. Now everything slowly dies and twists without her fertile influence, and you're sure the gods would only resent you if you dare to try and fix anything about this. And now, by serendipity, the culprits have arrived at your campfire, driven by their quest to fix what they have wrought. But they have managed to turn even that into a competition. You are unsure of the actual ability or even the actual manner of existence of these gods. You can only rely on momentary feelings and old legends. Vodka: Orphea’s gaze looked up towards the others and their fluctuating semi-abstract form, and back to her rigid, established one. She grinned, taking another cursive glance at her hands before cackling to herself; it was apparently a more pained laugh than one expressing pleasure or humor, in the sort of way that someone feels compelled to laugh at tragedy. Internally, the memory of the determined proto-fascist was screaming at well, mostly herself, and fate. The repeated memories of fate-assigned prat-falls , the divine mandated feelings of embarrassment for existing and being seen by ones the gods had deemed her betters for the simple fact that they had not aspired higher and the apparent rigidity of her fate, now materialized in the body of some legendary hero whom, unlike the others lacked an ambiguous form. While likely not the point of the experience, her contrasting form with the others only cemented her suppressed feelings of otherness. A cacophony of violent suggestions raced in the woman’s mind, hopefully not apparent to the others. Suggestions of self genocide, simple suicide and a whole catalog of murders screamed in one ear, and in the other increasingly depraved acts of violence sang out; acts which had only been prevented by the apparent moral superiority of her comrades. She moved to dig a finger into her arm, hoping to carve her own destiny out of the flesh of her ancestors if necessary, she already knew that the myths of her people’s greatness were highly exaggerated, I mean, can you believe that such a sick joke of a people ever amounted to anything beyond being angsty in the dark recesses of society and the woods. Even the titles of her goddesses suggested as much! What a cruel joke to be fed tales of grandeur in youth only to be met again and again with failure, not even the biting kind that one can rest in but the comical kind in which she is forced to grin with the audience, taking a bow and laughing alone lest she succumb to even greater punishments. She stopped before digging her claw too deeply into her arm, likely only leaving a cursory scratch if that; noting the fact that others had assumed such forms. Vodka: Still, Orphea’s original consciousness continued to demand and scream that she existed, like a child lost in a dark room, guarded only by a somewhat Spartan vision of confronting one’s threats instead of hiding from them. Ultimately, however her own internal monologue was still ultimately motivated by the same basic pathetic fear of a child hiding under the blankets from a perceived geist; the fear that she sought to evade was a relatively standard one as well. The realization was that it was highly unlikely she was the main character in any story, and that her actions would share the same impact of the legends she’d heard before. The fact she was embodying an ancient figure, while appreciable, was merely further fuel to the litany of neuroses that kept her going long after she came to the conclusion her failure was inevitable and that this was simply an elaborate attempt to die with some degree of honor instead of merely wasting away. Needless to say, if the body she’s occupying shares the easy to read disadvantage, it’d be rather apparent that Orphea was having a mental breakdown before subsuming more fully into the persona given to her. Orphea was caught in a mental dillema, if she hadn’t been fully devoured by the character given to her, the worship of death that occupied most of her conscious thoughts, be that the death of a people or death through martial combat bid her to egg on the inevitable, to allow for a sweet end to all things such that the tales of her people’s failure may be forgotten. Yet, the whispers of the character given to her, and the memories were likely strong enough to put such things aside, she fell back in her niche of seeking to manipulate and subvert, to misdirect, it was the only thing she felt she had any confidence about; and even that got her banished from her home. LD: holy SHIT Radulf decides to just roll with it, and points his finger at Ghiran: “I told you: your aloof indifference is this world's undoing: your warmth grows and nurtures as much as it singes and scorches all that lives. Without me shielding this world from your razing rays in the shadow of my clouds, the Earth Goddesses's would be a barren wasteland!” LD: all those messages just came in at once P.P. A.: also, I concur P.P. A. scrolls up Orphea discovers that although she is the Lady, she is also herself. Her own will driving the goddess on, like an audience that cries for the puppeteer to veer off-script and cut short the delicate tapestry of history. And something within the nature of her ancestor resonates with it. Blaer: I'm sure you would think that, brother. It is much more palatable than the truth of childish jealousy causing you to attempt to blot me and my gifts out of this world. Blaer gently smiles, currently unclear whether or not what portion of the person standing here was Blaer Radulf notices Orphea's form trying to hurt itself, and sees her crazed and bitter eyes peer through the haze of embodied mythology. “Orphea— …or whoever you are right now, what's wrong?” Blaer: Look at you, brother, talking nonsense. You should know that speaking such a way will only serve to harm you, yes? Radulf: “What harm is there that's not below lofty notice?” he retorts. Orphea: relaxed, smiling and laughing "Its nothing, just all of this is so silly, isn't it? We're embodying divine figures and all we're doing is bickering about the environment, of taking too much or too little! These problems aren't divine they're simply mortal on a grander scale." She paused, nodding in agreement to the whispers in her mind "All of this is farcical; there is no grand concept we're exploring which couldn't be addressed from a human perspective. It's a secret that our people were punished by the gods for our hubris, to consider ourselves their equals but it seems to me that the distinction between god and man is moreso one of scale, look at yourselves and sincerely ask if this argument that, Ahtru looks Argotera in the eyes: “Gods and mortal men may walk the same paths, but the gods's footpritns are deeper.” “A man's decisions may spell catastrophe for him and them whom he loves; a god's judgement can doom peoples and generations.” “Thus it is good that men look to the lives of gods, to see the end of tragedies and alter the story of their own lives; and to see the grandeur of divine creation and put their minds into imitating the creators.” (From respscorp (GM)): Yes, you Ahtru know this too well. You let things get a little too far this time. But you'll never give Ghrian the satisfaction of admitting guilt. Radulf: “Gods and men walk the same paths, but the gods' footprints raise mountains and carve seas, so that man may see them and by these landmarks know the way he himself must walk.” (To GM): Noted (From respscorp (GM)): One reason Ahtru is liked the most is because he is... like a normal guy. He struggled, he made mistakes, he worked to fix them. (To GM): hopefully without the trickster god aspect, don't wanna have to pull a Loki and go out in drag or father world-ending monsters Orphea nodded, feeling the subtle agreement and the sharp pang of veering too off character. She managed to evade yelping out in pain, much to her own pleasant surprise. She felt it important to resume the role, donning either the happy or sad mask; she knew she was dealing with pride, she was dealing with gods after all, so the roll of the fool was a better rhetorical one. A slight unease in Orphea approached; followed by a subtle acknowledgement of the goddesses wisdom. Orphea: She frowned, tapping her finger against her mouth. followed by just listening to the two discuss philosophy, at the moment she nodded taking in what information was given; hoping for a retort to Ahtru's statement by Ghiran Blaer nods Blaer: Surprisingly sage advice from you, brother. I am sure the mortals will learn much from your folley in the future, assuming you do not resign them to dreary darkness. Radulf: “They will see my rain as the sweat and tears of someone burened with such an insufferable sibling, I'm sure.” “But enough jesting.” He crosses his arms. “Loathe as I am to admit it, life grows where rainbows fall, where your light warms the darkness and my rain quenches the fires of destruction.” “Point being, let's work together.” Blaer: Does this mean you're finally ready to set aside your squabbling and acquiesce to my destined place above you? I of course foresaw it happening eventually, but it's a pleasant surprise for it to be sooner than expected. Radulf: “Neither nor,” he pouts: “but right now we both sit here on the same ground, so let's keep our fight in the sky.” He turns to Orphea's mythical ancestor: “Argotera, you know the underside of the shadows and where the waters drain. Any idea where the Earth Goddess may have gone?” Orphea: The goddess thought to herself about her general reputation. It was no secret the two of them were proud as can be; and in the face of pride the serious rhetoric orphea was comfortable would have little effect but make them be able to agree that she was a complete and utter dumbass; Hell, that’s what the conversation has been about so far. The art of making people change subjects requires tonal differences, and damn it, she was going to work with what this peyote-inspired nightmare gave her. If not for her; for the sake of an interesting narrative. She wrapped her arms around her midsection humphing “You guys are both so cute when you’re doing your thing, and well; it’s no secret that you’re both vying for the same lady.” She shrugged, “I mean, if I was the earth goddess I’d want some space too.” Blaer: Perhaps instead of looking for where she went, you should look inside for why she went, brother. Radulf makes a troubled expression, somewhere between guilty as charged and also amused. Blaer: Perhaps the recent rainy tantrums of a storm god had finally broken her resolve. and if said storm god were to recant such infantile behavior, she would return on her own. Radulf: “I was going to propose skipping the part where we argue for another century about whether it was that or your persistent chasing of her, round and round all day, but if you …” Blaer: You can't hide from the truth forever, brother. It may take a gentle but firm hand to push you in the right direction, but I will see it done. It is the burden I must bear as your better. Orphea: Agrotera continued, musing to herself "I mean, Ghrian, your stoic sun god thing is downright hot (ha!)." She positioned herself in a proud stance, looking down at the fire. "Chicks eat that stuff up, it calls for respect; also makes them want to get close and understand you" She winks, "I know I do" She turned to Ahtru, carrying the same relaxed, sort of ditzy facial expression. "And you, there is something just comfy about when it rains, makes you want to cuddle up close to someone and just listen to the pitter-patter, if you catch my drift" She paused, frowning "But when you guys fight its just, not really sexy; I get its a competition but as you guys said you're way above mortals and way above animals, so just bashing heads against each other doesn't really arouse us as heavily as it does, say a doe. When you guys are fighting you just get sort of hyper-aloof and showoff-ish with each other and embody your traits way way too hard; I mean deer sort of.." She pauses, making little mock horns with her hands and hitting them against eachother "Instead of going for the guts and all, ladies don't like it when you try too hard." Radulf: His eyebrow twitches, and thunder quietly rumbles in the distance as the horizon slowly darkens—but the stormclouds brighten and break up as he listens to Agotera's words. Orphea: Orphea on the inside of course was in existential agony, fulfilling the role of comic relief; one which she had dedicated most of her life to -not- filling. Radulf: He clears his throat—a thunderous sound, but not an emotional one—and nods. “You speak well and have a point.” Blaer: Yes, it is a sentiment I echo. I do not wish for this fighting to continue. I of all people have been seeking to settle things into the natural, wonderful order they belong in. Radulf snaps his fingers—a little lighting sparking between them—and proposes something to Ghiran: “The Earth Goddess likes flowers, which we in our quarrels tend to trample underfoot. Why don't we work together to plant a garden as an apology and to show her that we work together and mind ehr happiness?” Radulf also turns to Agrotera: “You know better than us what walks and crawls and swims and flies. Will you help us make this garden so it'll be home to all kinds of life that would please her?” Blaer: It is a good start, perhaps. But such a feat will require a great view and a greater mind to plan it properly. So, I will instruct you on how to best form your apology garden. Radulf: “Life is chaotic, it blooms and withers, rises and falls. ” Blaer: But the beauty is in the order formed from the chaos. And if we seek the proper beauty, we must build the proper order. Orphea: Smiled, nodding along maintaining the still rather relaxed ditzy expression. She was happy the message got through, but if she acted like she knew too much about shit it was more than likely they'd get to arguing semantics instead of extrapolating on the point the silly plant person gave. She nodded "Sure, I'd be happy to help, I love gardens." Orphea really did like gardens, of course she liked them because as a youth she associated cutting off rosebuds with decapitations, but don't we all on some level? Naturally the argument started again, she resumed deep thought, maintaining a rather relaxed expression. This was something which greatly amused her, being able to think something and not give it up; what fun! Blaer: If you simply throw the seeds with abandon onto the ground, you will never hope to create a space to host a fitting apology for your misgivings Radulf: “Well, first of all need a location. If the Earth Godddess is to walk the garden, she will see it from below, not above.” He again looks to Argotera: “Can you guide us to a good place?” Blaer has become steadily more radiant and hard to look at directly the more they talk. Radulf has conjured a cloud between him and Ghiran that grows more opaque as Ghiran grows brighter. Orphea: Argotera thought to herself, thinking of a good place to go while also thinking of a subtle silly dirt person way to insinuate that maybe perfect order is really boring. She walked, tapping her fingers facing neither of them; mainly for the sake of her poor eyes. "I don't know if a perfectly orderly garden will really get the Goddess prepared to hop on you guys; a bit of noise is important to spice things up, think about forest fires, they're chaotic but important for new life to grow!" She mused this in less of a rhetorical and more of a just stream of thought kind of manner, hence the use of the term awesome. Of course, nobody could truly deny forest fires were sort of rad from an outsiders perspective. "I don't know if a perfectly orderly garden will really get the Goddess prepared to hop on you guys; a bit of noise is important to spice things up, think about forest fires, they're awesome and chaotic but important for new life to grow!"*) Radulf ponders, looking back to a couple of times when he cast some lightning into a forest to see it burn, then extinguished it again a bit later with a storm if he couldn't pin the blame of the fire getting out of control on a drought caused by Ghiran. Radulf: “I ways liked how rain falling down on a mountain finds its own way down into the valley, and how clouds cling to them—and mountains provide shade from the sun's constant glare. …but for the sake of , perhaps plainer ground next door where he can shine fully, so not a valley on all sides,” he ponders aloud. *always Blaer: A mountain would be perfectly acceptable, as a matter of fact. Orphea: Realized much to her chagrin she recognized the story she was in. Now came an ever-important moral predicament to metagame or not metagame. Then, a spark of realization. Of course, she knew well that metagaming makes an RP experience less entertaining; evidenced highly by one of her fellow tribe members looking directly in that shelf for the potion of wisdom; yeah, that one in particular not the deadly hemlock one. Fucking Sappho. She looked around still walking casually. A bit amused that she was helping plant a pretty flower garden given the circumstance Blaer: It is easier to give my gift with it so close, and its peak can help break up the troublesome clouds you always make. I can certainly design a Grand Garden around such a feature. How about this for a comprimise: Argotera will find the spot we build, I will decide which flowers will grow best in which areas, and you will plant them as you wish. Orphea continued wandering along happily, tracing her memory for aesthetically pleasing locales, as well as locales where pretty flowers already resided; possibly ones which conveniently line up with fault lines that go to the cthonic realms of the dead; normal stuff. water that helped them groow and flourish. “Very well. I agree.” Radulf: *and his wind that scattered their seeds. The Lady's memories and premonitions conjure visions of Alpine glades overtaken with colour as light and shadow dance over them. Blaer smiles, becoming almost sickeningly radiant Blaer: Good. Perhaps this will endeavor will finally show you the good that comes from listening to your wise brother. Radulf: A spark of lightning flashes in the cloud between the two. Orphea lead them there if possible, being a god the concepts of velocity and distance were hopefully beneath them. The conflicts between Hercules and a Tortoise were for mortals to worry about. She was also rather happy with the aesthetic present. Radulf follows (in some manner) Argotera, letting her scout ahead before she settles on a direction and catching up then. Blaer follows behind at a distance, humming to himself Radulf: “It annoys me, brother, that you always take to travel across the sky, and yet you always arrive at the horizon ahead of me no matter how I hurry,” the storm god idly notes. Orphea gestured to the location she genuinely considered the most aesthetically pleasing, such a skill rested primarily on Agrotera rather than Orphea. Radulf flies over and around it once, a few raindrops in his wake, before settling on the ground wreathed in mist. He looks pleased. “Very good; thank you.” Hot and cold in equally extreme measures. Shadow and light, dry and wet in pleasant proportions. A good place to meet. Orphea appreciated the symbolism, hoping it wasn't lost on the others. Blaer: I always arrive at the horizon earlier because I always plan to. You are always far too busy floating idly around to keep up with my steady pace. Such is always the result of careful planning. You do not need my gift of sight to see that. Radulf ignores Ghiran and smiles and nods appreciatively to Argotera. Blaer looks around, a warm light basking the areas he gazes on, before nodding stoically Blaer: This will do. This will do very well. Orphea: "Still, you've both got to admit its fun to zip on across, right?" She commented, sizing up the area, apparently focused more on the garden than the subtle jabs going on. Blaer: I will definitely enjoy walking across this land for the many days to come. Radulf nods. “It is good that creatures have legs and wings, so they may roam the land and rejoice in its beauty.” Orphea smiled at that, she'd continue surveying the area, trying to come up with a nice model for a garden, hoping that the two gods would share their agreed upon positive things. Agrotera can see that the plants observe an hierarchy among themselves, where they naturally grow in groups and form patterns of their own. A careful hand that sculpts the land to affect their environment will ensure this order is pleasing despite being chaotic. It will make sure they grow together in peace without stifling the competition between each other too much, ensuring that the most pleasing and tallest rise from the green. respscorp (GM): (and of course, any knowledge of Gardening, landscaping, Farming or Survival(Mountain) would help, as well as possibly Herb Lore) Rolling 11 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 2 Orphea: ./me lacked such skills herself, so she merely pointed out how neat the groups and patterns already present were, the ultimate design falling importantly to the two brothers who were working together to make something nice. oh golly I'm brain dead. ) The way the alpine glade shapes up is surely a metaphor for... something. From it's harmony, to the beauty found in such a place where the extremes of both sun and air make it uncomfortable. One can freeze to death while at the same time dying from sunstroke. And yet the flowers bloom and sway in the frigid wind, under the scorching sun. It pleases the heart to see. Radulf uses precision rainfall to erode some unsightly terrain if necessary or make any meandering streams just a little bit curvier. Blaer seems to walk carelessly around the area, but is really deliberately pacing his movement to give some areas more sunlight than others Radulf also scatters seeds with gusts of wind, not so much that it'd disturb the harmony, but so that each area is speckled with just enough random variety. Radulf: to break up any monotony. Blaer carefully bathes the land in varying sunlight, planning in his mind's eye every step ahead, occasionally shouting orders to his brother to direct him on a more fruitful course Radulf plays along, but whistles innocently whenever a cloud happens to rain down on Ghiran on its way to where he directed him. Blaer remains serene, but the rain steaming off him as it was heated rapidly belied a bit of his true emotions Orphea did her bet to suppress any serious tensions from rising by generally complimenting and being excited about the points where they happened to work together more, there was a wonderous feeling in having somebody acknowledge that what you were doing was valid; she didn't go overboard though, remaining mostly sincere about her opinions (which were generally positive!) if she was absolutely in adoration over everything it'd be clear that some of her intents were disingenuous. Orphea: Orphea was pleased to help reduce the likelihood of a cataclysm in this timeline, but was also a tad bit disappointed every situation she mediates tends to have a moral of mutual understanding and comradery amongst mankind all man united as brothers, etc. The world stirs. Not physically, but on an existential level. Something senses the labor of these gods and is ill-pleased with the beauty they have wrought. On some level you realise the priests and physical guards are supposed to prevent such forces from entering your dream... but something about what you did and how you did it... something about your choices has threatened another, and he comes. He comes. The end... of the session. LD: damn Thanks for the sesh, GM. Real good Orphea: ♥♥♥ Awesome session was fun, hella excited for next week) P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! I agree, loads of fun respscorp (GM): (Next time you will face some divine enemy... but you sense that he is a mortal behind a mask, same as you) (And I will have to add some actual stats for these divine avatars) Thanks for playing. P.P. A.: ~ Orphea going primordially primal on whatever approaches is going to be a sight for sure respscorp (GM): hello P.P. A.: henlo Vodka: yo LD: hi I'm here and I have my sheet Previously! After descending into a dreamlike state, the heroes find themselves cast in the roles of the gods, their distant relatives. Ahtru and Ghrian quarelled, and accused each other of their misdeeds while Agrotera tried to keep herself and them calm. In the end, they designed to make a garden such that it would stir the earth back to life. Work proceeded apace between the gods, up until they were about to place their final touches. Then, they felt like something dark lurches closer, envious of their labour and seeking to despoil it. The three quickly retreated further into the mountain heights, unwilling to see their garden turned into a battlefield. P.P. A.: indeed Vodka: Naturally LD: mhmm Radulf points into the distance to where the foreboding presence is coming from, and the clouds part to cast light on it. “Who goes there?” his voice rumbles across the horizon. Orphea: simply observed in her form, it was unbecoming of nature to cry out for battle; a beast on the hunt only announces its presence when seeking to avoid a fight. Silence is the language of killers, and she would prefer to kill whatever threatened her works instead of communicate with it, given such a course of action would be tenable Blaer shines his sunlight upon the darkness, to reveal it to all The combined effort reveals a small host of beings in the distance. Some of them remain distant, while one misshapen, towering figure marches on. Gods inimical to either your cause or your being have gathered, but without a mortal will to spur them into action, they are content to observe from afar and respect the ancient compromise. The one that draws closer towers above the rest - an inky, oily giant belching black smoke and leaving the world warped in its wake. respscorp (GM): "Why labour long knowingthat in time you will still perish, why persist a dream nobody seems to sufficiently cherish? Just surrender, let yourself feel the blade of the Ender. Relax, he'll be also among you erelong." Radulf manifests a sharp, solid lightning bolt in his hand. “In our time we work to make our dreams reality, so that our reality may become the dream of those who come after us.” Blaer draws his solar bow Blaer: We have no intention on perishing any time soon, anyway. Perhaps you should follow your own advice and crawl back to whatever putrid burrow you came from. Radulf: “Thus we pass the torch that our Father kindled, and light fills the void. You, creature of the darkness, have no place in this world.” Orphea smiled at the creature, in some regards its the form she'd imagined she'd have taken if she were indeed given carte-blanche to assume a form. Trying to come up with a retort she'd pause for a moment, thinking. "Why do you seek to rush what you claim to be inevitable? You must admi-" She stopped herself, not wanting to sour the optimistic light in the darkness speech going on by the other two. GM: "Your father was resented by his peers, betrayed by them. Is it just to persist a world that harbors those traitors still? The suffering of your children, you have made real. Why not end it now? Your betrayed cousin is there, at the edge, watching. He will, in time, reap your essence. Why wait and continue to suffer and inflict suffering? Justice demands that you surrender and die." another maw opens on the side, directed at Argotera: GM: "Why do you take their side, witch? They have caused you and yours so much suffering." Orphea genuinely agreed with what the entropy man was putting down but refrained from saying as much; friendship and all that. Orphea: She paused to think. "The same reason anyone picks a side, a collection of arbitrary checkboxes they fulfilled which in turn made me think working with them would be fun this cycle of existence." Radulf: “Before every end there is a beginning, and new beginnings will always outrun their end. As Ghiran makes the sun rise on the evil and the good, I send rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike; this world is a gift that demands to be given, and as long as we and those who come after us keep dreaming and working, it shall be passed down forever ahead and out of your final grasp.” “You try to sway is because you know that if you just wait at the end, for the end to arrive, all you will ever receive are but the crumbs left behind by time that has already begun anew and passed over you.” *sway us The towering figure bends its eyeless gaze inward for a moment. Then it bellows thunderously. Devourer: "Then perish." LD: ("No u") Blaer draws an arrow and prepares to fire Orphea looked at the creature with mild fannoyance "I would request before I feast upon your paradoxical form you consider the tale of the reality you currently occupy; in the beginning there was kháos, emptiness or void, and we in turn emerged from it. If you truly seek oblivion it is necessary you shatter the model we are all so apparently bound to; reject your role as a servitor to this realm and create an inner oblivion, only there can this meaningless oroborean cycle be broken." Orphea: with mild annoyance, and a hint of pity*) Radulf eyes the puddle of water and extends his empty hand towards it in preparation of the battle to come, As Agrotera utters her words, she feels a pang of pity for her daughter that will come to know things that only cause pain. Blaer calls out loudly, speaking out beyond their current target Blaer: Leave now! This is your last chance to leave without unduly provoking us! Orphea: glimpses two things with her extended perception. One is the true nature of gods, who extend through time in a way unlike mortals. The other is how divine and mortal being influence each other - the gods make things happen, but they get shaped back in turn. Most importantly, she knows what Agrotera knows and wanted to keep secret from her - chaos existed before the world and the world is always but one slip away from returning to it. Whenever world-defining or world-defying might is deployed, it always risk destroying the world, and the strife of gods is a dangerous thing. This thing before you is an avatar of corruption - a pathetic being in its own way and all the more dangerous for it. Radulf smiles at Agrotera: “Don't be so gloomy—I'm the one who conjures dark clouds and cold rain! You live, and while you live you can dream and work to make your dreams a reality—and pass down to your successors embodied the apollonian ideal as her namesake did, favoring the rational and orderly. She'd smile faintly to Radulf but deep down saw little difference between the corruption of mortals and the creature before her. Still; it was foolish enough to make itself an enemy, and she would eliminate it for that. She too longed to sever the ephemeral repetition of similar events, played out in varying theaters and settings; but she understood that such things required a perfect order, instead of the more Dionysian chaos she assumed the creature before her represented. Still, its essence carried an aspect of the long death she craved and as a self-appointed instrument of such dark ambitions she'd work to grant the things stated wish of approaching a true end to suffering. Something that its essence would be used to accomplish, by simply ran up towards the creature this turn, speaking to it "Recognize your own farcical nature and revolt against it; devour yourself and end this pointless debate whose outcome is already decided and spare us the time" She was mainly trying to sap the thing's will to fight at this point. GM: (Radulf!) P.P. A.: (oops) Radulf flies forward, spear in hand! P.P. A.: (actually, at 7 move, Flight, and Enhanced Move (Air), could he move 7(1+1)=28 hexes in one turn?) Radulf doesn't fly that far, but rather flies to the lake here. P.P. A.: (end turn) The beast turns around, raising one arm in the air as if beckoning something or someone. Revenant shades, perversions of beings one slain, rise up. For all that it wanted you to die, it seems not to bear respect for death. Devourer: "The pain persists then. Have at thee. The three of you shall never know peace." Orphea sincerely disliked the fact she was fighting a slightly more attractive and powerful version of standard Orphea P.P. A.: Orphea's beauty standards are somewhat eccentric I see LD: says a lot about Radulf, doesn't it? Vodka: hehe GM: (and yes, Ahrtu is fast) P.P. A.: (time to look up rules for couching polearms and charges) GM: (the rules are called Slam) P.P. A.: (thanks) Blaer's turn? GM: Yes! LD: what state of bow readiness am I at? Blaer: am I good to fire? GM: Yes LD: So, if I read my sheet right, a shot to the vitals is actually to hit than a torso shot? GM: (Yes) (notably, you all suspect the revenants all have vitals but the big monster does not - you can still shoot at the higher skill though) LD: Vital shot it is. All out attack what's the range penalty? Blaer: "You dare evoke the Ender's name in the same breath you spit on his very ideals! Do not delude yourself or any one else that you are here on the took this time to attempt a malediction upon the beast, stepping forward and concentrating upon it. To rush into combat as it wanted was only an invitation to be surrounded and decimated. Rolling 14 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 3 "That doesn't even make sense, the other sibling is the one associated with the dawn." The beast appears stunned by this. P.P. A.: kek Vodka: The power of brotherly love The wights drift forward, the twisted remains of corrupted people. They make ready heavy bronze and jade weapons and drag chains of metal behind them. Specters: "We got your daughters, we're coming for you now, nymph." Blaer: "My brother is under my care, and thus all my powers and glories are his as well!" Might blows swung by revenant tendons swing at Agrotera Orphea: Agrotera would take a step back, utilizing her graceful movements to hopefully deflect such things attacks, the brutal calculus of battle raced in her head, during all of this Rolling 17 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 6 GM: (Alright, you can shoot now) LD: wait I thought it took 2 ready actions or are you saying I'm ready now if I fast draw and ready? Orphea: I think fast draw lets you shoot once/turn) LD: I was under the impression it let you take a single ready action for free GM: (it's a combination of things - basically you can try to draw-and-shoot, but it's usually too hard for people without Heroic Archer) (I posted the thing in Discord) LD: oh right, heroic archer Blaer will try to shoot one of the wights while flying towards and above the fray GM: (ok, roll Bow-3 2 times - 1 to draw cleanly and the other to hit - you get Accuracy to the second roll) Blaer will also do AoA, moving half their aerial movement speed, which is their basic move, moving 5 hexes horizontal and 2 hexes vertical Rolling 14 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 2 (perhaps getting closer would be prudent) Ahtru! Radulf resists his storm-god impulse to slay the serpent (for now), and charges at the Devourer. Radulf: An eerie silence surrounds his target as the winds still, only to be parted violently in a flash of lightning. In an instant, Ahtru storms ahead to run the monster through with his thunderbolt-spear! P.P. A.: (According to Martial Arts this would be an A--Out Attack, full move + attack a no penalties; can I use 1 FP to retain my defensesß) Rolling 11-3d6 = -1 GM: (sad music) P.P. A.: (Does Radulf's Luck work for Ahtru?) GM: (no) P.P. A.: (Who it seems also has 18 points unspent, Luck is only 15) (aw—though this makes for better drama) (Does the charge still hit /does the Devourer crit-dodge?) The young god feels the venomous fangs scathe his divine power. Thankfully, it prevents them from punching through and inflicting the venom upon him. Rolling 16 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 8 The beast reels and sputters, roaring in agony, but remains standing. Reaching out with one super-beefy arm, it tries to embrace and devour the storm god as he did many others before. Rolling 16 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 3 LD: same DR? GM: (yes) 4 points of damage (after armor). LD: that should be 6 points again, since it's an impaling attack to the vitals It reels but remains standing Blaer: "Focus on keeping the monsters at bay! I have a plan!" GM: Rolling the absolute minimum dice twice in a roll is uncanny. Argotera! Orphea: Is Radulf currently grappled? Radulf: Yeah, by the serpent Orphea 's eyes widened after seeing Ahtru, or more importantly radulf get attacked a few times; she was remiss not to immediately aid him, seeing her companion grappled by the serpent drove her to direct her anger towards that thing; which may have put a damper in the plan proposed by Blaer. She'd rush around the beast and perform an AoA Rapid, spending a fatigue to make it strong, using her talons, and then a standard kick. Rolling 16 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 4 (it survives, but barely it seems) Radulf! Radulf: “Thanks!” P.P. A.: at leats one of his hands is free, right? GM: All his hands are free, it has entwined itself around the torso getting ready to Constrict Vodka: Going to try and take a hot bath to get rid of my headache, if my turn comes up one just have my character do something you think is tactically sound with a risk for her own personal safety, got a karate and judo at 18, 4d for talons with a 2d fatigue followup and 3d+2 for kicks.) P.P. A.: hm, I don't think an Air Blast is going to catch both of the monsters without also endangering Agrotera Vodka: do it P.P. A.: alright Radulf: “Agrotera, dodge!” the storm-god shouts as he raises a hand and unleashes a blast of concentrated air at the two monsters surrounding him! Rolling 17 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 3 Devourer At Ghrian's gesture, the starry sky draws near. One after another, the star-captains draw their bows and fire at the command of the Day-star Rolling 7 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -4 P.P. A.: nice numbers LD: hang on how many extra damage rolls do I do? the recoil is 1? GM: Yes that's why I removed some people to save time 11 points of damage (after armor). GM: For the big guy, roll 3x hits 9 points of damage (after armor). 5 points of damage (after armor). LD: so 25 damage? GM: Yeah. Seems his main defence is being homogenous and big One other god steps into the area, driven by mortal will. Serene, he seems to come as neither friend nor foe, but an opportunist. His shape is of a lithe, masculine figure bearing an ebony sword and you all recognize him as the god of endings. Not death, nor change, nor begginings - just endings and partitions and separations. His sword takes things and says "this is where you end". P.P. A.: (his archenemy is the god of cliffhangers, who denies endings and shrouds them in ambiguity) GM: "At the start you said some pretty words, cousins, but do you mean all of them? This thing will pursue you again and again, forever, without end. For this to end, another thing must also end." Ender: "I can put an end to things. But I am not a judge. It's up yo you, wholly." Radulf: “So put an end to this dream—our end is not to be found here, but waits untold in the future.” Radulf really wanted to see the Earth Goddess though. Ender seems to know this and is willing to accept this as a suitable sacrifice. Orphea shrugged, her mood was rather casual and she didn't particularly mind ender despite him being considered one of her pantheons rival gods; in reality she very likely paid a great deal of unintentional reverence to him and the cold dark. "I was hoping to devour him and inherit his providence, the idea of things being consumed seems to line up with my portfolio a bit and I'd prefer it stop being misappropriated instead of downright annihilated, of course, I'm aware on some level that the self which I occupy is in a superposition between two entities with assumedly clashing beliefs in some regard so I'd need a moment to think about it." And think about it she did, would it be out of character for her to try and steal the Devourers domains and lump them under the category of nature? Ender: "I'm a simple man. I end things. You two forced this on me, along with this sword. I don't care what gets assimilated or anihilated as long as it stops." He glares at the siblings, but without much malice Radulf as Radulf doesn't know the story behind this; he assumes the two burdened him with an inconvenient duty passed down by their father or something. Radulf stands by his idea though, and looks at Agrotera: “Death follows birth, and without beginning there is no end.” Radulf: “If you do not first love the beginning and the new, birth and life and birth again, then death will devour as you consume it.” LD: gtg P.P. A.: >the Ender decides to end the session GM: (wrap it up in a hurry) (From GM): feels himself grow, as if he just resonated strongly with his god. But that still leaves Orphea with the decision to make... Radulf feels himself grow, as if he just resonated strongly with his god. But that still leaves Orphea with the decision to make... Orphea moved over to the devourer, sitting infront of it and waiting apprehensively; Orphea had always been a bit of a dark minded person and had no qualms with getting zero-summed out of reality if it allowed a more sane person to embody the little deaths that make life interesting. She'd pause, offering some words of consolation to Ender. Radulf's words hit her, well more Orphea than Agrotera, she presumably considered life a rather fun thing! which only further delayed the ominous decision. "The way you glare at them regarding your position saddens me. You're all beautiful its just that your beauty is a more bittersweet one, if conditions were eternal we'd be unable to really value them; they'd just be. Loss is necessary for things to be precious, you know?" Orphea would settle on inheriting the providence for such a thing. It was difficult for her to admit to herself but she did truly love her friends and companions. She appreciated the fact that they were alive and existed but acknowledged that if they were to exist forever such beauty would become shallow. It was a hard decision and she truly hoped the person getting the shit end of the stick on this was normal Orphea, she was after all eating the slightly less intelligent but significantly more attractive version of herself. Radulf looks through Agrotera's eyes to seek Orphea's. Assuming he can read her feelings there, he says nothing, but offers a gentle and loving smile. “You are not alone.” Radulf: He trusts her to make the right decision from here on. GM: "You are one of the last of the old era. Your pity stings me, but I treasure it. Should we end the dream? Should I take another of your children?" Implicitly, Ender is asking Orphea if she would become his follower Orphea nodded, Orphea's mind had always been fixated on some arbitrary perceived death point, and such a fixation had blinded her to all of the beauty present in the short time she'd get to exist. Accepting an end, and embracing it would, in Orphea's opinion at least grant her a modicum of the peace she'd been seeking since birth. Ender swings his sword and the dream ends GM: to be continued Vodka: Fun session ♥♥♥ P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! Vodka: ^ P.P. A.: Very enjoyable all around, but I need dinner before commentary GM: thanks for playing respscorp (GM): hello Vodka: yo P.P. A.: \o LD: I live Previously! In a dream, the gods confront the Devourer, a mythic three-headed giant that slew and devoured many old gods after they were usurped and weakened by a newer generation. Emboldened by this feast, he had hounded the young gods, salivating in anticipation of their inevitable end. To this end, he sought to discourage them and ultimately - to kill them and destroy their hope-inspiring work. Eventually triumphant, the heroes awoke, having understood something about their gods and ancestors. Radulf a little disappointed, Blaer perhaps a little inspired and Orphea a little hounded but ultimately satisfied. Radulf wakes up and regains his bearings, slow to get up as he takes a moment to get used to not being able to fly anymore. He yawns, and looks over to the other two. Orphea awakens as well, stretching a bit before looking around. She was a bit more pale than she was pre-trip which was interesting to her. Besides that she'd just look around, gauging the responses of others to see if they passed/failed Radulf looks around for his cup. If there is any bit of wine left in it, or it spilled, he dips his finger into it… and flicks a drop of it at Blaer' forehead with a cheeky grin. The old cups have been removed. Maybe to avoid anyone going for them in an attempt to return to the dream? Either way, in their place is a new one, full of seemingly normal wine, as well as a basin of water with clean cloths. Blaer is the last to stir awake, her lost arm moving upwards, as if trying to wipe the wine with some non-existent hand. It tries, before the lack of any sensation startles Blaer awake, eyes wide before she settles back into reality Radulf uses the water then. Radulf: “How are you two?” He looks at Orphea in particular. “You seemed troubled there, Argo— Orphea; did it all work out at the ende?” Euphilia and Adelrad stand a little to the side, willing to give you some space and some time to get your bearings. It seems that if you've woken up and remain calm at that, there is little reason for concern... for now. Orphea: Orphea shrugged "I'm doing fine really, just re-adapting to being back in "me" I suppose." Her general posture and body language suggested she was relaxed, all things given. Radulf nods. He's sitting up comfortably and relaxed as well, and gives reassures Adelrad and Euphilia with a content smile. Radulf: “And you, Blaer?” Adelrad strokes his beard and looks at Euphilia. The young priestess cringes a little and smiles back politely, seemingly oblivious of whatever is making him pensive. Blaer: "I am not sure...my memory of events is hazy...but the feelings and emotions are like they're set in my soul" "It is odd...feeling like I know what happened, but being unable to tell the story" Radulf nods and tilts back his head. “I remember what happened, but I can't tell if it was me doing things as ‘Athru’, or if I just followed the story through him.” Radulf: “Do you think that garden is a real place somewhere?” Euphilia takes a ginger step forward on the tip of her toes as if eager to explain and opine, but she senses the old lawspeaker's eyes on her backside and recedes back to a place slightly behind him, oozing impatience Blaer seems a little confused at first Orphea had considered the events which took place to either have taken place in a realm of hypotheticals or in a superposition of worlds which collapsed down upon their return to this primary timeline. Bearing witness to the relation between the gods and time is not great for preventing speculation. Still, she would prefer a more concrete answer. Blaer: "I think the concept of real loses some meaning in these dreams..." "But if it didn't exist before we entered our sleep, it does now, in some form or another" Radulf nods. “Something to ponder.” He notices Euphilia though, and looks at her expectantly. This finally rouses Adelrad out of his pondering. Adelrad: "This is a dangerous thing to ponder. People who decide their dreams can change the world, and that they deserve the power to do so... they can cause a lot of harm." Euphilia: "It is dangerous to them, at least...push against reality and you might bump into it." The two exchange glances, but this time the girl stands her ground and Adelrad relents with a sigh. Radulf shakes his head. “If we had such a power, it was merely borrowed.” Adelrad: "I don't think I'll ever approve the frivolous way in which your priests treat the sacred realm, but at least you don't... engage in sorcery like some villains in the past." Orphea refrained from comment, though it was clear on some level she did want to. Radulf: “…given what we've learned… Did those sorcerors borrow—steal from, rather—the gods' powers at will, dreaming while awake?” Radulf is curious but wears a skeptical and disapproving mien as he asks that. Adelrad: "Borrowing this power is perfectly normal, if you know the secret rites. Dangerous and unreliable, but not unnatural." Adelrad waves his hands to the sides, dismissing the notion. Adelrad: "Sorcerers, what they do - is try to change the gods, the world, history." Orphea obviously took notice of such a comment, she still refrained from comment however Blaer seems to be particularly absentminded during this conversation, rubbing her stump of an arm as she gazes on the area where the rest of it should be Radulf raises an eyebrow. “I think I get the idea. That sounds like a recipe for disaster.” Radulf doesn't voice the question if what they just experienced wasn't just that which Adelrad described, since he trusts it to be all in order if it's a traditional ritual Euphilia: "It always does end in disaster, supposedly. The world tends to snap back or snap apart... like an abused leather rope." Adelrad: "Or so history tells us." Adelrad strokes his beard pensively Radulf: “History written and re-written by who, if the world is so malleable?” He leaves that more as a rhetorical question. “Euphilia, did you want to say something earlier?” Orphea: "Wouldn't that be an effect of selection bias, seeing as a clean alteration of history wouldn't be able to be noted?" Orphea commented with a twinge of discomfort. Radulf nods to Orphea. Euphilia: "Hm? I can't remember what it was about anymore But about alterations, this is something we talked about at length... and who knows." Adelrad: "Well, history has shown all attempts to be not-so-subtle and very catastrophic for everyone, not just those involved. Lands destroyed, empires crumbled. The Evil Emperor backed the False Sun faith, and it only grieved his people in the end." Radulf nods solemny, and notices that Blaer has been rather quiet and lost in thought since their return. He puts a hand on her armless shoulder. “This is easy to say for me, but even if it feels like you've lost your arm a second time—I'm glad to have Blaer back from ‘Ghiram’.” Radulf grins. “You're much less insufferable and at least as good a shot.” Orphea: "Right, this would be evidence for blatant sorcery leading to catastrophe, not necessarily sorcery as a whole. Don't get me wrong, I agree wholeheartedly that sorcery only tends to lead to tragedy. I know as much from my own history." She pondered for a moment, deciding against pointing out the inherent nature of all things to crumble and be forgotten; she didn't want to make all of her people seem like buzzkills when it was just her. from my people's history*) Radulf: “I was going to ask that in quiet, but was sorcery involved in the cursing of your people?” he asks Orphea, with a side-glance at Euphilia too. Orphea laughed with a bit of discomfort, her gaze shifting back and forth. It was pretty obvious to her now her people attempted something similar to the infinite-god loop to ascend beyond this plane of existence. "Perhaps, though I was speaking more directly about a sorcerer who had driven us from our ancient homelands." Blaer looks up, a smile creeping in on her face Blaer: "I'm afraid you may not be as free of Ghiram as you think you are, 'brother'" GM: (Ghrian) P.P. A.: (oops, sorry) Euphilia: "Heheh... well, we have no way to know for sure. That part of our history is obscured and unyielding to scrying. There are popular myths, but what the gods don't tell us, we can't know for certain. And Orphea herself recently reminded us that our stories can be lies, sometimes." Radulf grins back: “Down here, so far from the sun, a bucket of cool water is always going to douse a lofty flame, so be careful what you start.” Radulf nods to the two wildlings, trusting that they aren't hiding more from him with their answers than is reasonable and fair. Orphea blinked, a tad bit unsure of what exactly she meant, being a god and witnessing time and space cascade in varying angles outside the geometries you're used to put a damper on ones memory P.P. A.: (that the past may be rewritten and distorted memories of lost timelines cloud history?) Orphea: (That and the person playing Orphea has the capacity to read context in text akin to that of the common housecat) (I felt it was mainly a more flavorful way to say me me stupid not know what Euphilia is referring to) P.P. A.: (Yeah, probably referring to: Orphea:"Wouldn't that be an effect of selection bias, seeing as a clean alteration of history wouldn't be able to be noted?" Orphea commented with a twinge of discomfort. ) Orphea: (Oh, that makes sense) Blaer flicks some water back at Radulf Blaer: "Don't be surprised if a couple raindrops don't douse me out" Euphilia: "I meant the time you dove into dreams to find us a legal precedence... and found us a sad bit of hope as a bonus." Adelrad: "Anyway. Your dreams - only you saw them. But I assume from the way you speak, that you shared them. That is a bit unusual." Orphea: Orphea nodded to Euphilia. "Ah, right." Radulf laughs and barely resists the temptation to turn this into a water fight. On instinct, he makes a shooing motion with his hands… and a light gust of wind brushes over Blaer. P.P. A.: (Probably just messing up her hair a bit.) Blaer blinks Radulf is a bit surprised himself, but it also feels right somehow. Blaer: "Did we share a dream? I never considered it, but I never thought it was any other way" Radulf also looks at Adelrad: “This is unusual?” Orphea remained silent, listening to the others talk Adelrad: "Unusual? Yes. It is usually taken to mean that people are destined to accomplish things together. Or compatible and complementary to each other. Though I do remember one initiation that resulted in a lifelong rivalry stemming from a shared dream." Radulf smiles at Blaer with only a hint of concern. “There's always a balance to be found.” Adelrad encourages you to tell him of your dream in summary so he can help interpreting it or showing you how you can adress some of the questions it might have left you with. Radulf gladly complies and recalls it as best as he can, always giving the others space to interject or to add things he missed. Orphea Orphea took a deep breath before she began speaking. "I awoke in the standard form of one of my people's goddesses, that being Agrotera. Upon witnessing the shifting forms of my two compatriots I was filled with an innate sense of dread and nearly attempted to rip a more personal form out of the body which had been given to me. I calmed down somewhat upon recognizing that they had just taken longer to take on prechosen aspects. As it began I stood as the goddess and listened to the two gods fight. I, personally was overtaken with a deep sense of disgust at seeing things so high above us mortals bicker over affairs that every soul goes through at one point or another. This, if I recall correctly lead to a feeling that I could rip myself from the form of a god, though a sense of unease permeated at doing such. Following this, partially to avoid returning to a fragile state and likely being devoured by an entity which we would encounter later I adopted a laid back type of persona. This was done in part due to Agrotera's nature as a trickster, and my personal respect for [SETTING EQUIVALENT OF SOCRATES] who would put on a guise of ignorance to better persuade people or gain knowledge." Orphea: She paused, taking an inhale. "As this continued I made some appeals to both of their prides and encouraged them to work together in the spirit of fraternity and make a garden to bring back the spirit of the earth whose name I have forgotten. As progress was made I noticed that their bonds were growing. A dark presence crept up and we fled from the area of considerable beauty to do battle with it in a locale that would reduce the chance of collateral damage to our efforts. It arrived, gave a spiel about how existence is suffering and the only way out of it was to submit to it. I argued that it was merely a pawn in the hands of existence, continuing a cycle like the rest of us. Then I glimpsed into reality from a perspective that makes my head hurt trying to recall, though I assure you it was interesting. The creature failed to see reason so we killed it, I ate it and Ender showed up at the end and decided now would be a good time to end the dream, even though I don't remember what he actually ended us in exchange for doing so." GM: (I was just gonna type to break it up into parts) Orphea: (My Bad) (I'll go ahead and chunk it so it doesn't cause retinal bleeding) "I awoke in the standard form of one of my people's goddesses, that being Agrotera. Upon witnessing the shifting forms of my two compatriots I was filled with an innate sense of dread and nearly attempted to rip a more personal form out of the body which had been given to me." "I calmed down somewhat upon recognizing that they had just taken longer to take on prechosen aspects. As it began I stood as the goddess and listened to the two gods fight. I, personally was overtaken with a deep sense of disgust at seeing things so high above us mortals bicker over affairs that every soul goes through at one point or another. This, if I recall correctly lead to a feeling that I could rip myself from the form of a god, though a sense of unease permeated at doing such." "Following this, partially to avoid returning to a fragile state and likely being devoured by an entity which we would encounter later I adopted a laid back type of persona. This was done in part due to Agrotera's nature as a trickster, and my personal respect for [SETTING EQUIVALENT OF SOCRATES] who would put on a guise of ignorance to better persuade people or gain knowledge." "As this continued I made some appeals to both of their prides and encouraged them to work together in the spirit of fraternity and make a garden to bring back the spirit of the earth whose name I have forgotten. As progress was made I noticed that their bonds were growing. " Orphea: "A dark presence crept up and we fled from the area of considerable beauty to do battle with it in a locale that would reduce the chance of collateral damage to our efforts. It arrived, gave a spiel about how existence is suffering and the only way out of it was to submit to it. I argued that it was merely a pawn in the hands of existence, continuing a cycle like the rest of us." P.P. A.: (oh, as direct speech) Orphea: " I argued that it was merely a pawn in the hands of existence, continuing a cycle like the rest of us. Then I glimpsed into reality from a perspective that makes my head hurt trying to recall, though I assure you it was interesting. " "The creature failed to see reason so we killed it, I ate it and Ender showed up at the end and decided now would be a good time to end the dream, even though I don't remember what he actually ended for us in exchange for doing so." Radulf begins his account: “I found myself in the body—and mind, perhaps?—of Athru, god of storms, rain, and thunder. I had intuitive knowledge of the situation and my powers, but it was all a bit hazy as I was unsure whether I was Radulf or Athru, and my memories and feelings mingled.” GM: (it doesn't have to be in direct speech) P.P. A.: (oh ok) GM: (But if you have some biases and thoughts...) P.P. A.: (doing to direct-speech the seemingly more important or biased parts and gloss over the rest, like much of combat) Radulf: “Either way, I recognised my friend Blaer and my divine sibling Ghiran, god of the sun, insufferable nuisance, lofty, noble, and a pain in the rain.” “It seemed that our bickering and fighting had driven the Earth Goddess underground, whom we had both been courting. It was totally Ghiran's fault,” Radulf says this with self-aware glee, knowing this to be not quite true: “but… Well, that's when I became aware that something was going on with Orphea or Agrotera.” Blaer: "I distinctly remember the feeling that it was actually Ahtru's fault, and disappointment that he failed to admit it." "But go on." Radulf notes aside to Blaer. “Truth be told, I'm sure we both shared the blame and feld a pressing need to make amends, but I don't know the proportions. You or Ghiran probably started it, whatever it was.” Radulf: “Argotera calmed down, and afterwards helped us calm down, and mediated a truce. I proposed that, to prove to the Earth Goddess that we were very sorry and didn't have to fight, we should work together to create a magnificent garden, lush with flowers, green, and wildlife, as an apology. Agrotera would pick a suitable valley, Athru and Ghiran shape the land with water and fire, wind, rain and sun.” Radulf looks at Orphea: “Now I know what was going on with you, too. Sorry if we scared you.” Orphea smiled towards radulf, nodding "Its fine, I had a good time throughout after the whole initial bit." Radulf: “Anyway, we worked together well enough, and just as we were about done, a dark presence approached. As Orphea said, we didn't want to devastate our apology-garden with the scars of battle, so we went to face it÷ elsewhere. I'm not sure where that was anymore… Either way, this dark and many-mouthed black behemoth spoke of death and end and suffering, and how we should just submit to the inevitable and let ourselves be devoured.” Blaer: "I was concerned at first that you not playing along would collapse the dream on us or something." Radulf: “We argued briefly with the monster but it was obvious that we were going to fight it, and so we did.” Blaer: "Although it seemed we drew trouble by playing too well together" somehow.” Radulf relates how it summoned vengeful wraiths as well as a giant serpent, and summarises the fight: Ghiran shooting arrows, Athru's daring charge which got him surrounded, the other two bailing him out, and Ghiran ending it with a shower of celestrial arrows.” Adelrad nods along, trying to remember the details Radulf: “I'm not sure if I thanked you for that, so I'll do that now to be sure,” he adds to Blaer and Orphea. Mortal and squishy again, he realises how precarious his situation was at one point. “When the devourer was the only enemy left, the Ender arrived, our half-brother, burdened with the task of ending things that have run their course. He demanded a sacrifice from us to end the devourer. I proposed ending the dream we were in, since our end wasn't to be found there, but… here, in waking mortality.” “The details elude me, but Argotera longed for death and wanted to devour the devourer to usurp its nature… Athru and I seemed to speak as one at that point: ‘Every end needs a beginning, death is nothing without life,‘ and how important it was to love the entire cycle, to embrace life, birth, new beginnings—or else death and nothingness would devour her.” Radulf looks to Orphea: “I'm not sure sure what agreement you came to with Ender, but it all worked out at the end. He swung his sword, and we awoke here.” Radulf tilts his head and crosses his arms. “Too bad we never got to see the Earth Goddess. …I wonder if she saw our work anyway.” Adelrad seems a bit worried as story progresses, but his eyes sparkle with a hint of mirth at the ending Adelrad: "I'm not sure if you knew this, Radulf, but usually the Earth Goddess gives you a vision of your destined true love in life." Radulf looks surprised, since he doesn't remember anything of the sort in the dream. His eyes wander towards the door, wondering if Thea might be waiting there for him. (And Karli!) Radulf wears a slightly puzzled look as his eyes return to Adelrad, but he remembers something to add: “One more thing: it seemed as if the Ender was… like us. A mortal behind the god.” Radulf: “I didn't recognise who that was, though.” Radulf looks questioningly at Blaer, perhaps she did. P.P. A.: (well assuming LD gets back) GM: (more fatally, the Devourer was;) P.P. A.: (oh) (up to you whether it was me the player or Radulf the character who got it wrong; he'd probably remember it better than me) Radulf: *Devourer GM: (I think he would remember they both were) P.P. A.: (ooh) confusion) Radulf mentions this for both! Blaer shakes her head "I couldn't place who could have played either role. Not that I remember much of the dream in general." Adelrad shakes his head Adelrad: "No doubt only an evil person and a foreigner would associate with the god-eater. I'm afraid your own... daring actions might have summoned his attention. Usually our watch wards off the normal lesser evils and ancestral enemies that would try to invade your dreams." Radulf: “How would have have noticed? Would he have seen a sign in reality and then dove into the dream to meet us, or was he already there?” GM: "It's... something that priests and some others notice. When a strong will is present in the divine realms, the servants of those who oppose it are rallied. So we know this much - the people behind the visions you saw - they are devoted to their causes and they had the servants and resources to enter the dream on short notice. No ordinary people, these." (it's an extra effect of the Blessed advantage in this setting) Radulf: “Sounds like we've made some worthy enemies.” He laughs nervously. Adelrad: "I doubt it's personal... yet. If these meetings persists you will... learn each other's scent so to speak." The old man speaks with grimness that seems to stem from bitter experience Radulf nods seriously. “If something like this happens again, I would like to turn to you for counsel.” Adelrad: "Of course. It is my duty as your lawspeaker. And young Euphilia also has knowledge of these affairs, naive though she is. In my absence, she can help keep you safe just as well." Radulf smiles at her. “I'll be in your care. …well, hopefully it won't get to that point.” Adelrad: "Now... I think I can offer the two of you some advice and help... but for young Orphea... I think she should perhaps seek out someone more knowledgeable in the affairs of the Bleak Swordsman. There is that old priest in Blue Eagle village... I think he ought to be still alive, he's much younger than me." Orphea: She'd nod towards Adelrad, prepared to gather some knowledge regarding her newfound patron. Adelrad: "Though, word of warning. His god is not that popular, especially outside times of war... so he'll probably try to conscript you or bargain for something in exchange for his knowledge." Orphea: "Right, I'll keep that in mind. Thank you." She'd nod, frowning a bit at the idea of being put on a mission for some ephemeral goal in the service of the god of the inevitable. Radulf: “This probably goes without saying, but we'll accompany you. Right, Blaer?” Blaer nods in a very active way Adelrad nods and leaves with a satisfied smile. Orphea smiled towards the two of them appreciatively. "Thank you." Euphilia gives everyone a warm smile Euphilia: "I think both our people and yours tend to celebrate these things with a feast. Some warm food and cool wine will help you sort your thoughts or soothe your memories..." Radulf: “Sounds good!” And so they feasted and although it was not the grandest affair in the land, it served as an appropriate ending to an eventful day. Radulf is going to tell his family and friends the whole story again at the feast, of course. Orphea enjoyed the feast a lot more than the last one she had here, still she wouldn't say much unless directly prompted. Radulf jokes to Eughania that between her and Ghiran, it's a difficult call who was more unbearable. …and add “probably Ghiran,” after she reacts. Blaer would chime in to add to the story, and reel in Radulf's taller tales Radulf feels a duty to spin the story slightly in Athru's favour where he and Ghiran were concerned, but makes sure to laud the other two and give them credit wherever any is due. P.P. A.: (Thanks for the session?) Blaer would actually argue with Radulf in Ghiran's favor, speaking much more freely and passionately about the matters, even if she couldn't quite remember the details of the events GM: (and this is a good time to end) Radulf plays along, re-enacting the divine rivalry with Blaer, but always keeping it in good faith and humorous. P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! Vodka: ♥♥♥ Fun session GM: thanks for playing P.P. A.: Off to Discord LD: Woo yeah P.P. A.: \o respscorp (GM): oi Vodka: apologies for lateness Last Time! on the frontier The heroes analysed and converesed about their visions. And over dinner decided to make a journey so Orphea can meet a genuine swordpriest and learn more about the god of endings. Radulf has thoroughly cleaned the mail from the exiled bandit in the meantime. Vodka: Orphea waited to head off, not really initiating much in the way of conversation. LD: oh yeah woo yeah oh yeah woo yeah Eoghania tried to keep Orphea's spirits up, distract her with shenanigans or generally trying to get a reaction out of her even if it meant acting like a fool. Whatever it takes to get her friend to not be down in the dumbs. Orphea wasn't particularly sad but she'd certainly carouse with Eoghania, her spirits were always significantly higher when she was around. Meliton and Thea will try to be supportive as well in their much more understated, humble ways. But the day eventually comes, unless you procrastinate eternally - you are set out on a journey towards the lands of the Blue Eagles. Radulf: “We rarely cross this river, come of think of it.” LD: thankfully, eternal procrastination is my specialty. Orphea nodded towards radulf's comment as they headed along. The river is full, rough and wide at the low part of the mountains, becoming fordable only much higher, except during summer. It is, in many ways, harder to cross than the deeper, fuller river starting below the Icy Lake. It's also usually much colder than anything else, bearing the glacial cold of the mountain tops down into the valleys. Even now, it's probably a good idea to cirumvent it by either taking a boat across the lake or heading into the mountains to look for a ford. Radulf: “Taking a boat across the lake is more convenient. If we want to keep in touch with the new settlers on the other side, we're going to have to get used to boating anyway.” P.P. A.: (hah) Radulf glances at Orphea. “Given their great stonework and metalcraft… Did your people have any big and impressive ships, too?” Orphea thought back, she'd never seen a ship from her people due to being landlocked, but she had hopes they might. She shrugged "I don't really know, sorry." Radulf shrugs too then. With the increased need for water transport and reduced need of secrecy, they might. But for now, your best bet would be to just walk across the coast until you encounter some fisherman willing to take you across. There are a couple of them from your clan already. Blaer: "Perhaps we could endeavor the new settlers into helping to build a bridge. It would give them work to do as we gradually accommodated our settlement to have room for more normal jobs. Orphea headed along, listening to the others talk Radulf: “They need some time to settle in, build houses, till fields—until then ferries will do. But afterwards, that would be a good idea.” Walking along the wilds and then following the lake's shore takes a while, allowing you plenty of time for conversation. But it is otherwise an easy and uneventful journey. Several times you see the tracks of large predators, and once at the lake you notice a large serpent sunbathing, but the animals do not bother you. Eventually you find a large homestead with several boats. Blaer: "Do we have the fields for them to till, houses for them to build? If not, you may find your dreams of empire dead in its cradle from the unrest." Radulf: “The land should be fertile enough. The forest is a little sparse there however… Should we take a detour and stop by them to see how they're doing before heading north?” “There's the risk that we're going to get stuck there if they need immediate aid, but we could also communicate their needs to places upstream.” Orphea: "We really ought check if they're doing alright first, I feel it'd be a bit odd if a follower of the god of endings was impatient." Radulf nods. Blaer: "Agreed." That still leaves you close to the lakeside homestead. But perhaps the people there can transport you downstream as readily as across. Radulf approaches the homestead to ask for a ferry service, or to rent a boat and being given instructions on how to sink it. LD: >How to sink it Radulf: er *how NOT to sink it P.P. A.: (ill omen, this typo) LD: Let's hope it's not a Freudian slip and Radulf doesn't secretly want to stop Blaer from becoming Ghrian P.P. A.: “We're in my/Arhtu's element now!” The lakesiders actually do recognize you, having heard of you during their recent visit to the village. They offer you hospitality for the night and a ride both downstream and across. Old Maerg: "Mah girl can take you across no problem, she knows the currents almost as good as her old man and can cuss the bad spirits better than her ma. She'd be right honored to host you on her tub, right daughter?" Daughter: "Daaaaad! But also yes." Radulf: “The honour would be all ours,” Radulf replies with a smile. “I hope we can regale you with some tales from the border in return.” Blaer: "And I may be able to teach you a few prayers to bless your journeys over the water." respscorp (GM): "Ach, yeah, much appreciated," the lanky, unkempt girl livens up. "The lake is great, but after boating around it for more dan ten years, it's gotten boring. The same green blighter always waiting in the same spot until you finally don't want to even bother and avoid 'em altogether, the same fish in the same spot every year... One day I'll just go downstream, as far as the river goes... some say to the biggest lake ever. So big, no man can know its shores." Orphea maintained a grateful posture but didn't really say much herself. Much to Orphea's dismay then comes the gesture by the girl indicatign she'd like to have a brief chat in private Radulf: “I've heard of that place… But this lake might get more lively soon, too, with new houses and villages on the shore.” Orphea headed over as directed, she'd smile towards her, waiting to let her start the conversation of course. The lakelander rubs the back of her head, feeling awkward about the talk, then speaks softly, as if sharing a secret. Unacustome to people, she's not super-quiet, so eavesdropping might be possible... Blaer lets her curious nature get the better of her as she tries to listen in Orphea responded in a quiet enough tone, though she was probably unconsciously matching the lakelander's volume so she was naturally eavesdroppable as well. Radulf is also curious, and keeps his ears open and his eyes closed. Boat Girl: "Just this... when I was little, I used to go out on the lake a lot on my own... felt safe and thought I could do anything. The for the first time in mah life, leg cramp... Ah panicked, and would have died, were it not for another girl... she dragged me out of the water and nursed me back to life... but when I mentioned something, she ran away in the woods... always thought she was a dryad or something, but now Ah know. So... uh... I dunno who she was, but... thanks? If you ever find out, just tell 'er." As if a weight has dropped off her neck, the girls stands up straighter after saying all this. respscorp (GM): "Well, Ahma go make sure the boat has no new leaks, get er ready for tomorrow." Orphea looked at her with an appreciative, albeit somewhat uncomfortable expression, nodding and taking in the story. She'd make an effort to get a description and pass it on to Thea later if possible. Besides that, she mostly just stayed with her thoughts. Radulf pretends he wasn't listening by looking out onto the lake. The next day, you set out and have a smooth journey downstream. As you beach the boat and take a walk around, you encounter a small camp. And what looks like the beginning of a construction. You encounter several others, recognizing people you've met at the ford in some of them. LD: What kind of construction does it look like? It looks like they are building separate homesteads and longhouses. It seems if a village does form, it will do so organically through concentration of the people. respscorp (GM): The only ones seemingly willing to live close by for now are a small smith and carpenter family that are building their homes side by side, hoping that their crafts will attract people who have great needs and poor impulse control. "Oops, I guess I also need to get the horseshoes changed while I'm here to buy planks." Radulf: “Let's take a walk around and ask how everyone is doing, but it seems they're doing well.” Orphea follows along, pleasantly surprised and a bit happy with seeing everyone just sort of setting up. Blaer just looks at the smith and carpenter shop so close together, and considers its meaning as some form of omen P.P. A.: if they shared a roof they'd be the first shopping mall :DDD Radulf greets people he recognises and stops for a chat with anyone willing. Almost everyone is struggling to settle down, but happy to get some help and goods from their neighbours from the Redhorns. Most are happy to see you again, though one old man looks at you askance muttering something about taxes. The young widow is there to the side, having settled for a break on her journey, and she's particularly glad to see you, inviting you for the evening if you're not in a hurry. Blaer would at the very least stop by to check up on her and see how she was doing Radulf looks at Orphea to make the call, but wouldn't mind at all himself. Orphea had no objections, she wasn't in that much of a rush. Radulf also generally advertises to people that with the Blue Eagles' and the Cyrnwig holdings being upstream, they can be traded with as well—and since the party is going north anyway, he could relay the general needs of the fledgling colony to anyone willing to lend an ear there. Widow: "Times are hard, but we should count our blessings." "And I count you among them, really. Not only did you take pity on us, but yesterday I was visited by a man from the Herons... a clan I've never heard of. He was looking for you and when he heard my story, he gave me an entire cow. For something you did, apparently? I did not understand, but I was too shocked to even thank him properly." LD: Can I roll to figure out what's going on? I failed my IRL IQ roll P.P. A.: those were the orphans, I think respscorp (GM): (probably, yeah) Radulf smiles at the story, having an idea who that could have been. “I'm glad to hear that.” Radulf: “That must have been a relative of the children we saved from a bunch of bandits. We came too late and found their parents dead, but the three said that they had wealthy relatives with the Herons. Sounds like they made it there safely afterwards.” Radulf muses as an aside: ”The nearby villages are a little overburdened with newcomers themselves at the moment, so it's good to hear that people are still willing to lend a hand.” Blaer smiles Blaer: "One can always find the kindness of kin, even outside of their family." Orphea felt happy, her expression was naturally optimistic, though a twinge of discomfort appeared for a few brief moments. Woman: "It is always easier for those that have much to be generous... but it is good when they remember that." Blaer: "How are the children doing?" Woman: "They are all fine. Keep making plans to go visit the neighbour's kids and play with them. Although my daughter keeps wanting to visit you up north "to see the wild people"." She shrugs, giving Orphea an apologetic look Radulf: “Perhaps not the reputation you'd like, but it's a positive one.” He lightly nudges Orphea with his elbow, trying to cheer her up. Orphea shrugged back, smilling towards her. It was clear she didn't really mind that her people were seen in a good light as much as she did earlier on. Orphea: "Yeah, I'm glad we've got a positive one, though its still a bit uncomfortable having a reputation in general" She'd laugh at that, lightly but still somewhat amused. Blaer: "I can imagine. Living your whole life as exiles, only to become fond figures in a matter of days and weeks." Orphea nodded "Yeah, I'm sure it'll work out alright this time" She smiled faintly, a twinge of optimism uncharacteristically present in her voice You pass the evening in peace, and on the next morning, get a visit by the lake girl eager to get going because apparently boating upstream is hard work and she doesn't think you have a lot of practice, so better start early in order to make it across before sundown. Blaer will try to remember some of the rituals she's learned to promote good luck when sailing Orphea would do her best to help out on the trip Radulf watches her closely and asks questions throughout the ride, in order to figure out how boats work, and offers to lend a hand (to get some practice); he also fulfills his promise of riveting tales, like the man-eating ogres baiting men with a cow, or the thrice-exiled bandit band! respscorp (GM): (next telling it will be a bandit army!) Despite the lakelander's pessimism, you make it, safe and sound across the lake, much further upstream than anticipated and well before sundown. The footpaths here are less travelled, but still some can be found and some of you are quite decent at travelling the wilderness. Despite encountering some disturbing tracks and Radulf getting the occasional visits by the metal-clad gnome, the radiant lady and some black, flappy thing in his sleep, you manage to arrive without incident at your destination. The Blue Eagles live high in the hills, the only other clan to prefer such highlands other than your own, probably something to do with their namesake. Either way, you are soon close to their village, attracting the curious looks of men, women and elders bearing their trademark blue tattoo on their face. Orphea gets the majority of looks, because the other two are less unusual as visitors go. Radulf meets the looks with a disarming smile and a friendly greeting. P.P. A.: Is the village above our current location or below (as it pertains to being able to see into the distance) Orphea followed along, hoping that Radulf's gregarious disposition would at least avert some eyes. respscorp (GM): (it's on an elevate earthwork, it's ground level about 5 feet over your ground level) (but it's also in the middle of a shallow valley, so I guess you can see over the palisade) Radulf probably doesn't see the temple in the back there then, and instead notes how relatively tightly clustered the houses are. Indeed, as you get closer, you note that the villager is more compact and the houses bigger and sometimes grander than the ones back home. It seems that the Blue Eagles only use the village as a fort and gathering place, with only the most promiment living there instead of on their own stead Nobody stops or bothers you on the way there, since you're obviously visiting and obviously people of some import as indicated by your overall weirdness level P.P. A.: “[whisper] they look like player characters!” As you enter the village itself, finally some young man either gets brave enough or remembers enough of his manners to approach your group and give the formal greeting - inquiring whether they be friend or foe and what brings them to this place, where he lives. P.P. A.: “[whisper] Are you sure? That one looks like a named NPC to me.]” Radulf lifts his hat. “A friend—Radulf, son of Rodemir, of Cyrnwrig. Well-met.” Radulf: “We are on a pilgrimate of sorts: we heard of a swordpriest who lives here.” Radulf lets Orphea come forward and specify details, if needed. Boy: "Ah. One of those." trying hard to hide his amusement, the young man directs you towards a house outside the village, hidden among the hills. He also notes your lack of swords. Radulf thanks him for the directions. “Does he get a lot of visitors?“ Orphea nods in thanks, she didn't have much to add at the moment but was happy to pick up what useful information Radulf's social traits would likely divulge Boy: "More than he would like to, that's for sure." "If your visit proves disapointing, and you don't mind people having a laugh while they treat you to a cup, people would love to hear how it went later..." The young man makes his goodbyes and then hurries off, glancing back as if still wondering if Blaer or Radulf is the supposed learner. Blaer: "I suppose we should prepare ourselves for battle, then" Radulf: “A cranky welcome at least.” “I don't think having met the Ender in person is that common however, maybe it'll grant us some goodwill.” Orphea nodded towards Radulf's comment. Radulf goes ahead and leads the way, following the directions given. You find the small house hafl-nestled inside a granite cliff among the hills, just as the man said. A neat, but grass-ridden path leads there, and a small flock grazes nearby, attended by a young girl that watches with unwarranted intensity. As you approach, a gray-haired, broad-shouldered man with drooping cheeks steps out of the house, watching you get closer. Orphea approached with the best amount of respect she could manage, there was a slight difficulty in always being unable to dress for the part. Radulf takes his hat off and slows his steps to lets Orphea take the lead. Radulf also smiles at the girl, and the animals. This only makes the girl more defensive and intense for some reason The old make casualy stands by the fence, staring Orphea up and down, mildly surprised at her taking the lead. Old Man: This is a place of endings, and of violence. All are welcome, but the wise do not come here. Why have you come?" Blaer: "We come bearing tales of The One of Endings, looking for someone willing to listen to them and speak of them." Orphea: "I have come to seek out wisdom relating to the faith, from my earliest memory I was assailed with horrific thoughts of the death of my people, recently I underwent a ritual and Ender called out to me, I bore witness to the knowledge of all things ending and it brought me a great deal of comfort. Ultimately, I want to give thanks to the god which, in showing me the ephemerality of all things provided me a sense of peace which I thought would previously remain forever alien." Radulf raises his hand in a greeting and leans on his axe, eyes on Orphea. Should make it clear that he's simply accompanying her. The old man eyes Orphea with further surprise and finally says: Old Man: "You can come in. The rest of you can wait. We won't be long." Orphea would follow when directed to do so. Radulf nods and pats Orphea on the back. “Call us if there's a problem.” Orphea nodded towards Radulf, giving an assuring smile towards him. Inside the house, there is a cozy interior - spartan and functional, but delicately decorated. Next to a small table sits an older man, thin and weathered, white-haired and clean-shaven, with sharp features and prim, simple clothing. The other one remains by the door and beckons Orphea inward. Doorman: "The girl seeks comfort in endings. And she smells of blood." Orphea followed inward, remaining silent to show respect towards the host of the building. She had all manner of questions but it seemed far more appropriate to give him the momentum of conversation. Radulf attempts to chat up the herder girl in the meantime, small talk, learning what he can about the area and people here—or taking the L if she obviously wants to avoid them. P.P. A.: (Needn't interrupt these events though, more in the background) The old man at the table motions for Orphea to join him at the table. Priest?: "And what do you hope to get here?" Orphea sat down, bowing her head respectfully towards him, she thought for a moment. "I would like to learn of rituals or other gestures which I could use to show my gratitude to Ender" Meanwhile, outside the girl politely but firmly explains she's become the old man's servant precisely to avoid having to deal with young men, so pleas go away. Priest: "Gratitude? For what do you owe him gratitude?" Radulf: “Regrettable, but it can't be helped.” Radulf wishes her a good day nonetheless and finds a tree to sit under, and either plays with his dog, chats with Blaer, or naps. Blaer sits under the tree next to Radulf Orphea: "Witnessing the ephemerality of things has granted me a peace of mind which I thought before was unattainable." She'd pause, thinking. "Ever since I was a young girl I was beset with fears of my people's inevitable collapse, I saw the signs I saw them growing either complacent or self-devouringly revanchistic. This fear lead me down a dark path, one which I doubt I would have been able to get off of if my perspective wasn't shifted in witnessing time, ever briefly on the scale of the gods." "Having been shown the inevitability of all things, I am no longer as tightly enshackled by a pressure to stave it off." The old man looks at Orphea wild the mild surprise old people reserve for young people that get too dark and deep. Old man: "Your people? You speak.. a little strange, are you... hm. From the Herons, perhaps?" Orphea: "The Gymnoagrioi, we have been a relatively isolationist people." She explained. Blaer: "So, have you had the time to make any more carvings, cousin?" The shepherd girl visibly relaxes at being left alone. She doesn't seek company, but at least she's now comfortable in knowing you're not going to seek hers and save her the torture of having conversations. Rolling 11+1-3d6 = 2 Priest: "Well, I'm not that travelled, so I guess I would not have heard of them even if they were not. We can talk about those signs if you want... as fellow humans. But first, about the thing you want to know - there is little you can do for the Bleak Swordsman. He severed his name in part so he can not be evoked, cursed or praised." Rolling 11+1-3d6 = 2 Priest: "But there are things that please him. Being honest. Doing one's duty. Bearing his symbol." P.P. A.: the ram-comb worked, his attempt at something lightningbolt-shaped did not. Priest: "You could try to devote yourself to his service... you will be much better at it than the uncouth young men who keep bothering me to teach them. But it is not a path lightly travelled." Radulf smiles and gets out a wooden comb, with the likeness of a ram's head with nicely curved horns carved into it. He shows it to Blaer. “I'm going to give it to Thea when we get back.” Radulf: “Since she cannot wear clothes, and bags and pockets are difficult for her too, I figure something she can wear on her hair would make a nice gift.” P.P. A.: (sorry for the dice spam) Orphea nodded, taking in the information provided. She appreciated the decision on the part of Ender to do such. "What would be expected of me if I were to devote myself to his service?" Blaer: "A thoughtful gift. I will miss the eyes of your previous attempt, however." Radulf: “My knife slipped, and when I tried to correct it… and then correct … Well, if you ever see a ram like that in the wild, name it after me. Or run away, and fast.” Priest: "Change your name. Bear his symbol. Obey your insturctor until you are ready to venture on your own. How long that will go, I cannot tell, but something tells me - not that long in your case. Be honest, uphold oaths... and the rest of it he will let you know, occasionaly. The thing with the swordsman is... if you're one of his, he doesn't need to tell you. Very often, you just know." Blaer: "I will capture it and save it as a present for your upcoming wedding." Blaer sits against the tree Blaer: "Perhaps I should carve something myself. It's been a while since I've practiced. The only issue is I do not have inspiration for a craft." Radulf chuckles. ”I hope I get to meet her parents soon to get their approval, but she seems coy about it; perhaps shame over her capture. Hopefully not shame over her capture of a man like me, haha.” Radulf: “You should look for motifs that you're familiar with and spent a lot of time observing. Game, for example.” Orphea nodded, deeply considering it. "I will have to spend some time considering it. I feel a strong calling to take up the duties but I worry that in doing so I may be unable to assist those who I feel a responsibility for." Radulf: “That way you can tell when something doesn't look as it should, since you have a vivid picture of the real thing it in your memory; how it looks in the light, how it moves and turns.” Priest: "Lest they be oath breakers or cheats, I doubt you will find the two in conflict." "Have a think. And keep in mind that a wandering sword doesn't need to spend their days in devotion. Just to be themselves most of the time." Blaer sighs Blaer: "I suppose what I mean is I do not have an idea of what to make something . I wish to craft with purpose, but I cannot think of one for a small wooden carving." Orphea nodded towards his statement, she'd request the opportunity to join confident that her comrades were honorable and just enough such that there wouldn't be any real conflict of interests. Radulf: “On that topic… Is there anything between you and Meliton?” The priest stands up, beckoning her deeper into the cave. The house. The cave that the house was built to plug. The dark and ominous cave. Orphea journeyed deeper in the cave as instructed, the dark and ominous nature of it was hopefully a bit less intense due to the fact she'd grown up in caves that and being able to see in the dark. P.P. A.: [music changes from the generic house interior BGM to the dungeon track] Priest: "There are no further tests. Not from me at least. I can teach you to use a sword, and I can offer advice if you ever need it. But in there, you will find something... and it might change you." Orphea considered making a comment on the rapid-fire lifechanging events taking place for her but she opted to nod respectfully for the sake of the mood. Blaer: "Well, he certainly seems to like me, by all accounts." Radulf: “I can have a talk with him if you want, ask him what he's aiming for, how serious he is—or to not overdo it.” Blaer: "That is fine. I'm sure with a few questions I could get those answers from him myself." "I'm just...content with the way things are between us, at the moment" Radulf nods. “Alright. …I do wonder about the wildling men. He's the only one we've met, and the three of them made a few confusing remarks they then tried to pass off as jokes, but not very convincingly.” Blaer: "Perhaps it has something to do with the curse being held exclusively by the women. A number of possibilities spring to the mind, some mundane, others more...outlandish." Radulf: “Exciting or terrifying, depending on where and how far your imagination goes.” He grins mischievously. Blaer returns a grin Blaer: "I wonder. Cousin, would you be content to have such a life, if it meant you kept your growing list of lovers?" Radulf whistles innocently. “I have no idea what you mean.” Radulf: “And at some point it would be too stressful to handle.” Radulf gets a bit more serious and reins in his grin. “I'd be lying to say that I would mind, but if I had to choose between the wholehearted smile of one woman, and the smiles of many all clouded by jealousy, I'd want just one.” Blaer: "So our dear Radulf doesn't wish to be the sheep with many shepherds or the shepherd with many sheep? You've had me fooled for my entire life then." Priest: "There is also the matter of swordwork. I hope you are a quick learner. But from what you told me, I can put you through an intensive training..." Radulf: “Herding a large herd over free and open pastures is one thing, making sure the sheep are well-fed and warm in the stable during the winter is another. At least it deserves more effort and consideration.” Orphea would agree graciously and follow such instructions. If it were more appropriate she wouldn't have any objections to getting the emblem on her back as well. Radulf grins cheekily: “You're always welcome to join the flock, though,” and winks. Priest: "It's always good, and thankfully you have companions who can help you with that. This paint is reinforced, so it would remain for a long time. Most priests in this land know how to mix it." "Go talk to your companions, we'll start your training soon." And after the talk, we can close up to cover the training montage. Blaer: "In terms of marrying, you are at the bottom of my list, cousin. Below most everyone, and even further below dying alone." Radulf holds his heart and makes a silly grimace. “Oh, how cruel, how cold.” Radulf notices the door of the cabin opening. Blaer: "Mostly because I would not wish to make Thea jealous." Blaer looks over to the cabin as well, waving Orphea over with her good hand Eurydike headed out to her companions, with a fresh tattoo and some fancy paint on her. "I've entered into the service of the Bleak Swordsman, I'll be training here for a while. Due to entering into the organization my name's Eurydike now." She smiled a bit awkwardly, unsure what else to say. Radulf smiles. “I'll take good care of her, no worries. Best as I can, at least.” Radulf greets Orph— “Ah, oh.” Radulf: “…alright. I might slip up and call you Orphea until I get used to it though.” “How long are you going to stay here?” Radulf has gotten up. Blaer: "I will never make that mistake, however. I am far less scatterbrained than my cousin here." Eurydike: "I'm not sure, though from what has been told it shouldn't take too long. If conflict does arise while I am still training from what the priest has told me I may be able to assist if need be, so long as the mission is honorable and all." Radulf: “A few days, or closer to a moon? We can see about finding a place in or around town to stay for a few days, or we could go home for now and come back for you later.” Eurydike: "I'm not sure, it depends on how quickly I pick up the skills, I am happy with you doing whatever you consider to be the most convenient." Radulf nods. “So you will be trained in swordfighting and the rites associated with the Ender?” Eurydike nodded Blaer: "If it is all the same to you, I would like to spend some time in this village, speaking with its people." Radulf nods. “I believe the mercenaries we met were headed here too, we could look for them.” Radulf turns to Eurydike: “I assume with power comes responsibility and you won't unsheathe your sword without purpose—or something,” he smiles: “but I still look forward to see the fruits of your training eventually, Eurydike.” Eurydike nodded, "I am admittedly a bit excited to see what it yields as well." Blaer nods Blaer: Perhaps I should forge you a sword to celebrate your new devotion. Eurydike: "I would be honored, thank you" The old man would later confirm that this would be ideal if possible. Radulf: “If there's anything I can help with, don't hesitate to ask.” Eurydike nodded, smiling towards both of them. She was glad to have their support in this matter. Blaer: "It is just as much of an honor to make something for a future follower of the Ender. It's a rare occasion to be sure." Radulf: “You seem to have found your path and your footing on it, that's what I see.” We shall see... NEXT TIME! P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! Vodka: ♥♥♥ Good session respscorp (GM): thanks for playing LD: Thanks for hosting! P.P. A.: going to put 1 point in Boating (Sailboat) if that's alright respscorp (GM): hello P.P. A.: henlo Vodka: yo GM: any questions before we start? LD: Is mayonnaise an instrument? GM: Good question. I think it's a condiment. Previously! The heroes travelled to the Blue Eagles lands to find a reputed sword-priest that can initiate Orphea into the mysteries of the cult of endings. They took a small detour across the river to check on the new settlers, met some old acquaintances, got word of some of the results of their actions and eventually, after days of travel made it to the Blue Eagles village. They found the old swordsman and Orphea got accepted as an initiate without much trouble, something in her words having impressed the priest. After a descent into a dark cave, Orphea was gone and now Eurydice walked out to greet her friends. She was still due some sword lessons, which the friends can wait for by either camping out or seeking hospitality among the Blue Eagles. Or in the small farmshed near the pirest's house - it's not luxurious but it's conveniently nearby. Eurydike was currently mid montage, going through the intensive training motions. Radulf would like to pay the town a visit, see what the people are like there, if they see any familiar faces. Blaer would go with Radulf, looking for any local blacksmiths Leaving Eurydike behind, the others head towards the village to check it out. It's close to sundown by the time they reach it, with the settlement mostly quiet except for the barking of dogs and the muffled sounds of housework and conversation coming from within the house. In the quiet, it's easy to hear the rhythmic sounds of a hammer and the pair follow it towards a smith. At the smithie, a smooth-faced young man is sitting next to a small anvil, beating wire. LD: wait, it's sundown? In that case Blaer would probably just stick with Radulf talking to the locals GM: (too late, you get to talk to locals that are smiths) LD: fugg what's the name of those priest smiths? Radulf is fine with this. He's keeping an eye out for places likely to host strangers overnight though, in case no opportunity arises from this. Radulf expects to be staying for a few days anyway so he's not in a hurry Meanwhile Eurydike is in a montage of sword training so intense it stretches into the night. Not a problem for someone who can see in the dark anyway. Blaer remembers that the smiths mentioned following Dhear-Gefail, which sounds foreign. Eurydike could indeed see in the dark, that likely did not help against the buildup of lactic acid however. Eurydike montage! Blaer approaches the smith Blaer: "Excuse me, may I ask you a few things?" Smith: "Oh, good evening and for sure." The smith stops his hammering for a moment and creakily stands up to greet them. Must have been sitting in the pose for a long time, since he's not old enough to have a creaky back otherwise. Radulf greets him without derailing the dialogue. Blaer: "I am Blaer, daughter of Einar the smith, of Cynwrig." Blaer does a culturally appropriate respectful greeting GM: "Ah. I'm Gotric, son of Alfric, of the Blue Eagles. I've heard of Einar, he's a good smith, for sure. When I was starting he made some tools for me that I was needing." Blaer smiles Blaer: "That sounds just like him. Tell me, have you ever heard of the smith-priests of Dhear-Gefail?" He thinks hard for a moment, setting his hammer and the half-done wire aside. Gotric: "Cannot say that I have. That sounds like one of those mystical cults, for sure. Only smithing god I know about is... Old Ember. He helps keep the furnace burning right and knows the secrets of working iron and melting tin correctly." His pause is noticeable enough that Blaer can recognize he probably needed a moment to remember the common name for the small god he follows. The real, secret name is usually kept only for the initated. Blaer: "They've come from the west, seeking asylum here from the tragedies of their homeland, and a place to continue their work. If you have not heard of them yet, you may soon." LD: Would Blaer know the god's true name herself from her studies? Smith: "For sure I will, but... there's not much work for mystical smith-brothers from the west around here. Maybe a vain chief would like a fancy sword, maybe a rich Heron would like something nice with the gold I hear they get from trading downstream. But art does not put bread on the table." GM: (It's a thing people generally avoid to mention. The names of the major gods are just well known because they are major. And it's sometimes believed you shouldn't speak them anyway. Hence Wild Lady, Big Shiny, Sky Ram) (the skill might help, but names are harder to know than facts) Rolling 11 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 3 "There may not be work for them here now...but things are changing in these lands. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?" Blaer has heard the name Solaimaz, which she is sure is something old and foreign. Radulf: “The coming of so many settlers will ensure more mundane work for them to stay in practice, at least.” “How many people came to this town, by the way?” Gotric: "Not that many, to be sure. They'll have to cross the river, then the wilds, right? We got a few that had relatives here." Radulf: “Ah, the ones that brought those mercenaries with them?” He blinks, then nods, smiling Smith: "Ah yes, I remember those. Really big family, and so many armed men. Shame they went back, I was looking forward to working on more blades and less plows. The warriors, not the family. The family is... I dunno where they are staing, but they're building a big stead out near the edge of the woods." Blaer: "Speaking of, we're staying in this village for a few days. Do you have or know of any places to stay?" The pair are provided with a couple of recommendations. Searching through, you find shelter for the night and spend it mostly uneventfully, benefitting from one of the clan elders having guest-rooms in her family home. Blaer was hoping to stay with the smith, but isn't willing to push the issue if they didn't pick up on the hint Several days pass in which the friends get the chance to study or practice as they wish. In the end, Eurydike's training is over, she gets one of her mentor's old swords as a parting gift and can head to the village looking for the others. GM: (the smith has a small, cramped home an isn't terribly enthusiastic about bringing guests for the night, but he wouldn't mind spending more time, be it working or talking) Blaer would spend the time trying to forge the sword she promised for Eurydike, using the smith's forge. She was willing to negotiate the terms to allow her to use his tools and materials Radulf , unless he finds a skilled carpenter/woodworker from whom to learn a thing or do, would spend the time fleecing elders for their knowledge of the land and wisdom of the ways of peace and war, and flirting (with due modesty) with local girls. the smith would enthusiastically agree and even offer some help. His facilities are not perfect for making swords, but he has some good metal in stock and welcomes the chance to see it put to good use. Radulf collect some stories of old places, weird valleys and a strange stone idol that kills people. He also collects some tips and tricks about carving and selecting wood. P.P. A.: (Going to buy a point worth of local Area Knowledge (Blue Herons) and one in Faerie Lore if that's alright) LD: I'm also going to put points into smithing, after the check for making the sword GM: (it is - there is a lot of mounds in the area and Radulf can even go visit one awake or asleep; Blaer gets +3 to her rolls from the facilities and help) Rolling 14 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 5 LD: didn't even need it do I need to roll anything for adding the iconography? Eurydike accepted the sword graciously, thanking her mentor before heading off to reunite with her comrades. She probably looked a bit tired, but overall content with how things were going. Rolling 11 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 3 LD: ayyyyyy Making a sword is very hard work, but thankfully, Blaer has help and ready access to good tools and materials. It's ready by the time Eurydike returns. Blaer opts to make a shorter, lighter blade, something that would benefit from Eurydike's up-close feral fighting style, and general unencumbered movement, with the symbol of The Ender embedded subtly, but surely in the base of the blade, not quite noticeable staring straight on, but visible from the glint as the sword moves GM: (So it's a short sword? Or a shortish broadsword?) LD: I just realized both have the same reach Meanwhile Eurydike is at the gates of the village, attracting fearful and curious stares. Nobody seems brave enough to just go and greet her though. LD: I guess short sword. Eurydike appreciated the difference in stares quite a bit, though she did her best not to display too much smugness over it. She was not very good at that however. Eurydike: She'd continue searching for her comrades, casually walking around, if her results didn't come up too well she'd approach someone and ask if they'd seen them. Eurydike walks through the village, and nobody dares to stop her. Some are intimidated, some are curious, most are unwilling to bother a stranger that hasn't done anything too weird yet. Naked girls coming out of the woods are one thing, but when they bear the mark of the bleak god, it's quite another. Eventually, she bumps into Radulf who's taking a detour to see what the commotion is about. Radulf: “Or— Eurydike! You're done?” Eurydike waved, she was happy to see a friendly face especially after all the training. "Mhm, how have things been for you?" She smiled at Radulf, having missed being with the party a good bit. Radulf: “Quiet and uneventful—your days must have been long and hard, but you give off the impression that it was well worth it.” Blaer would soon follow Radulf out, holding a long shape wrapped in cloth, and still covered in the soot and sweat of her latest work at the anvil Eurydike nodded along, she'd look over the sword for her with excitement, smiling with the slight twinge of discomfort that comes from having people do nice things for you when you're less accustomed to it. If there were any cultural rituals associated with accepting a sword she'd do her best not to mess them up. Eurydike: Naturally, she would be really thankful towards Blaer for her gift and express as much. She wasn't super good at accepting things but it was pretty apparent she was moved emotionally by the effort put into it. Blaer shows off the details of the sword's insignia, before placing it in Eurydike's hands, watching to see how well she takes to its build Eurydike grasped the sword and moved it around, gauging the balance and overall feel of the weapon It is a decent, well-balanced weapon. Not exceptional in any way, but very serviceable. Certainly better than the cheap majority of weapons. Eurydike reiterated her gratitude for the weapon, it was of a good quality and she was ready for the opportunity to use it with her. On some level Eurydike was expecting combat in the near future but she didn't crave it as heavily as Orphea. Fighting and killing is just a thing that happens. Related to that, the villagers are relived they are visited by somebody's strange forest friend and not a vengeful apparition in the shape of a young woman, so they mostly go back to their lives, except the few curious or lazy enough that remain in the hopes of something else interesting happening. Eurydike forest friends are indeed a far less intimidating sight than vengeance taking the form of a young woman. Eurydike didn't have much else to say, and felt excessive thank you's would probably just be annoying. Radulf: “Shall we head home then?” Blaer: "Should we try to find the mercenaries and speak with them?" Radulf: “Oh, I nearly forgot—yes, good idea. The smith said they already left, so we should ask the family they accompanied where they went.” You have reason to believe they took the long way around the lake, going through the mountain passes. It's a slower way, but better suited for a large party like them. And the size of their party will probably allow you to catch up, unless the decide to quick march for the rest of their trip for some reason. Radulf inquires when they left, and does a quick calculation whether it's a better idea to follow and try to catch up to them, or whether to take the quicker and shorter route and to catch them near the lake when they come down from the mountains. Rolling 11-3d6 = 7 Navigation P.P. A.: I'll take the 2+1+1 roll Overland will be marginally faster for your group. And also more arduous overall, though you will be following paths and passes, not going through straight up unpassable wilds and mountains slopes. Radulf: “Hm following them through the mountains would be faster, but, well, rocky and uphill. I could do with some exercise, but what say you, Eurydike? Are you tired after the intense training?” Eurydike: "I'd like to think of it as more of a chance to show off my conditioning, though if you'd like to take a more relaxing path I won't object" Radulf: “In that case, let's take the faster and more difficult path.” Eurydike nodded, prepared to follow along. Blaer: "Allow me to lead the way." Radulf nods, trusting her pathfinding skills much better than his own. They set off, after ensuring ample supplies. And make good way through the mountain passes, until they meet a strange person on the road. What is their deal? Find out Next Time LD: woo gg Vodka: ♥♥♥ Thanks for having me P.P. A.: Thank for the session. GM: thanks for playing respscorp (GM): Hello P.P. A.: \o Vodka: yo GM: Since 33% of players couldn't make it, let's devote some time on questions (if there are any and you didn't ask during the week for some reason). Anything to cover? P.P. A.: Hm… most questions I can think of straight away would be ones to ask other characters in-character GM: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Radulf , over the days so before the party's journey to the Blue Eagles would have asked Thea about her family, more persistently as she kept shying away from it. LAST TIME The young heroes spent time on the road, hurryign through the mountain passes, but having time in the evenings to reminisce about old coversations and talk between each other about this and that. Radulf remembers the way Thea appeared anxious to discuss these kinds of things without Orphea's approval. She did say they did not get along great and that families are a little different among them. Radulf: “O— Eurydike, what can you tell me about Thea's family?” He'd cross his arms if he wasn't carrying his shepherd's axe. “She's very uptight about it, but I can't tell if it's personal embarrassment or she's worried about carelessly spilling your people's secrets.” Vodka thought to herself of the nature of Thea's family, she'd answer as honestly as she could unless it was egregiously embarrasing, in which case she'd dodge around the question a bit. Vodka: heck, sorry brain's got the dumb atm) The basic facts are these - the ancient people of Gymnoagroi have a family structure that is more flexible and communal - a troupe of women helping each other and living together, raising their children together. Depending on their prestige and martial power, they might for a large entrenched power block in society, seeking to adopt all young people with potential and use them to perpetuate their power. It is not a system particularly kind to those that don't fit in - as they have to compete with established power structures that include highly-competitive people. How much of this Eurydike shares is up to her. Eurydike she'd go ahead and explain most of it, if anything Radulf's prodding (heh) may help Thea try again on her passage ritual and gain a modicum of respect from her people. She didn't really consider the politicking of the various families to be embarrasing, moreso just a reasonable form of pragmatism to boost personal power. P.P. A.: (heh) Radulf listens well and takes it all in. “Sounds harsh. I can see why she's reluctant to go back then: she's brought shame upon herself by getting captured, and her ‘family’ is not one that would support her if it doesn't serve their goals within your society.” Radulf scratches his head. “I'll assume she has some people who care about her, but she basically risks becoming an object of politics—whether to the detriment of her family's standing, or if her ‘sisters’ figure out a way to make her situation work for them—am I getting that right?” Eurydike shrugged, it was the society she grew up in; factionalism and conflict was almost second nature to her "Pretty much, she's a bit timid to make it in our culture, but I've personally considered the power-politic as useful in helping me develop skills and traits. If she wants to be seen as more of a person than an asset for a faction she's definitely going to have to strengthen her backbone a good deal. I'm not super great at that kind of thing but having her stick around for some of the more combat-oriented missions we do would likely be a good confidence builder." Eurydike: Pausing to think "If it won't dampen our efforts to present the Cynwrig as a benevolent protector to the incoming people she might benefit a lot from raiding one of our enemies." Eurydike paused to consider if this action would be considered however as she was now bound by oath not to follow pragmatism as her sole god. It is perfectly acceptable to raid one's enemies or neighbors - provided one has not promised them to refrain from such actions. From what Eurydike learned from the old man, the Swordman used to be a god of war a very long time ago, but his grimness made him less popular than the Sun and Storm - as did his general strict and exacting nature. There are still many young people who want to know the secrets, but the priests take few disciples. Radulf nods and thinks over it for a minute before he gives a reply: “I'm going to have a word with her when we return. Ultimately, it's up to her: I'd be happy to keep her as she is, birds of a feather as we are, but if she needs closure—whether that's the approval of her family, or the fulfillment of her rite of passage—she should seek it.” Radulf: “I wouldn't want her to carry any regrets into our future, so I want to help her get resolve anything that needs to be resolved.” Eurydike was a bit relieved to see the similarities between her own upbringing and that of her god. The song and dance routine of tribal warfare was far more "peaceful" than the kind of warfare she'd envisioned, more take a cow for a pig than burn down Thrace for holding several dissidents. Eurydike: She'd nod towards Radulf, "That's fair, it'd do no real good to have her carry out such actions if it weren't of her own volition. Its far harder to earn self respect when guided by puppet strings" then* Taking a cow for a pig followed by burning down Thrace would be about as bad as just burning it down. oh cripes I got it right the first time...) Radulf: “I'm good as long as no matriarch knocks on our door someday demanding her back due to some laws I didn't know about,” he laughs. GM: (hue) It's up to Euridike to decide on whether Radulf should know that if that ever happens, he'll be dragged along as well. Eurydike laughed along with him, nodding before describing in as best of detail as she could of all the possible circumstances such an event could transpire. "We really should get her to at least complete the rites associated with adulthood, though. Orphea's still on Exile for a bit from the Gymnoagrioi's homeland so I might have to stay back a bit, I'm a different person but I feel it may be in poor taste to use a change of identity to get out of past life's arrangements." Radulf considers those circumstances, and his mixed feelings express themselves as something of an awkward grin, somewhere between intimidated and intrigued. Radulf: “I agree. Can she simply re-try her trial of survival alone in the wilds?” Eurydike pondered the exact rules of the affair, she'd deliver it to Radulf as best she could. She's fully able to retry it, right? Is she allowed to do it with others or is it expected she goes solo? Eurydike is not an expert in law and sacrament - she might have to ask Euphilia. But it's very likely that a repeat attempt will have to be done in explicitly "hostile territory" - either far away enough from any friendly settlers like Cynwig, or in the wilds close to the Hiordling's farmsteads. And of course there is the matter of bringing back something that belongs to another. Thea is very timid when it comes to people, but she's got an eye for hunting. Maybe some monster would be better suited for her disposition than having to steal from people. Eurydike explained this as best she could to Radulf, she still personally favored Thea raiding a rival clan even if a monster would be more appropriate to her. Exiting one's comfort zones seemed more appropriate of passage into adulthood in her personal opinion. Obviously though, it wasn't Eurydike's choice. Radulf furrows his brows and looks rather worried by this. “It would be improper for me to help her cheat, with or without her knowledge, but I could not rest easy and wait idly while she exposes herself to such dangers.” Radulf: “If she decides to re-take the trial, we should take her along on a few raids or monster hunts first, so she can gain more experience.” “There are the trolls that remain in that cave system, or the Red Serpents still…” “Blaer, did you hear anything about the Hiordlings we took prisoner? Have they been sent back yet?” Radulf just remembered about that Eurydike: "Either works for me, it may be worth consulting with your elders regarding which target would seem optimal for the Cynwrig as a whole." She'd shrug, both prospects appealed to her for different ways. She enjoyed the idea of purifying her assumedly degenerated kin, though she also was excited to engage in more formal warfare. Blaer nods affirmatively. It's not like she gets actively involved so much, but she does work and keep her ears out. Radulf nods back. He wasn't going anywhere with this, just wanted to know. Eurydike didn't really have much else to add Radulf snorts. Radulf: “What if this is how the Hiordlings meet their prophesied end? Conquered by Thea on her second rite.” Eurydike: "I'm sure what survivors of their people which remain will do a fantastic job enhancing her image." With the topic exhausted, they probably go back to the routine of just travelling. And each knight Radulf finds himself under the shadow of the dragon coiled around the mountain, as well as frequently haunted by the dwarf that still keeps telling him that he can't keep this up, he should stop being so trusting and nice all the time. Radulf initially dismissed that spirit's advice as just another snipped of inscrutable fae whisper, but seeing how persistent this guy is—and apparently following him around—he confronts him one night: “Why do you keep telling me this? Is there someone particular who's close to me whom I should mistrust?” Radulf: “Or were betrayed at some point, which haunts you as you haunt me?” Dwarf: "If there is someone close to you, it may be already too late." Radulf thinks aloud: “Those close to me I love and trust, and I would rather risk their betrayal in the future than sour my relation with them in the here and now with distrust and suspicion.” Radulf: “Are you lonely?” Dwarf: "You carry the blood of kings, and with it destiny and tragedy. Closeness is a luxury the likes of you can only afford if they care not for what happens." Eurydike was in the clear! Radulf: “No man can become king who is not brave nor a leader; and no man is brave who lets fear of betrayal close his heart to love, nor can a man be who fears his friends be a leader.” “To fight means to risk defeat, to love means to risk betrayal, and to live means to risk death. Only he who faces those fears can seize what is good in life.” “…what's this about the blood of kings?” Dwarf: "Are you not from the king's clan? Does that not make you the kin of kings? Pontificate all you want, friend. In time you will lament not listening. Live, love, fight if you must - it's not like I have a lot to do in death but to spectate the likes of you." Radulf: “I appreciate your advice, but I will heed it at my own discretion. But now I must sleep. …wait, am I not already asleep…?” He trails off after that in some confusion. P.P. A.: (and so Karli's secret scheme remains undiscovered and continues to slowly unfold) GM: (Quite. Now, another thing to cover is if Eurydike takes any sacred vows for now?) Eurydike: (She's going to avoid that if she can, taking a bunch would be a lot for her to manage and she really, really doesn't want to break any) GM: (Alright. That is actually wise.) (Any questions about the template and how it works?) Eurydike: (Its just take a vow at a - and thematically appropriate bonuses to get a net 0 right?) (Or a net negative I assume) GM: (Yeah) (Plus the ability for plot-level stuff such as "I pledge my wife to bring the villain to justice" which Eurydike is too smart to do I suspect.) Eurydike: (I mean, unless she didn't particularly enjoy that wife, yeah) GM: (oh wow, amusing typo - the guy who ends things does not usually deal in wifes, just lives) Eurydike: (Reasonable) P.P. A.: (hahaha) GM: (Anyway, I'd like to avoid proceeding without Blaer's player about the stranger person you encounter on the road, so that's it for this week I guess) P.P. A.: yeah, reasonable Thanks for the session! Eurydike: Sounds good, thanks for the session ♥♥♥ respscorp (GM): Hello I'm testing an enhancement plugin for Roll20, tell me if any strangeness occurs Vodka: ok Previously! After spending some time in the lands of the Blue Eagle clan, studying their way of life and their crafts while Eurydike studies sword use, the friends set out on the way home across the mountain passes, hoping to catch up with the group of armed warriors that they acquainted themselves with earlier. They were making good time, when one day, just as they were cresting one of the mountain passes along a pleasant but narrow path under the shade of the oak trees, they met a strange person. The stranger looks like they are seated by the side of the path from a distance, their ostentatious cloak contrasting brightly with the fallen leaves. From closer though, it's obvious that they are deformed - to such a degree that their body has found some new harmony and where individually their features might seem grotesque, together they fit together well enough. Bow-legged, hunched, impossibly broad-shouldered and with a massive muscular torso, long arms that touch upon the ground, long, spindly fingers. In posture this being reminds Radulf of one of his night-time visitors, but dressed in a regal cloak of gold and red instead of dull bronze plates. Radulf sees someone ahead and looks him over, equally ready to greet the man or to change the grip of his shepherd's axe from walking stick to weapon. Its turn to look in your direction, seemingly waiting for you to get closer. Radulf pinches himself to make sure he isn't napping, but he is not. This creature is of flesh and blood. “Hail,” he greets it as they slowly approach—he's in no rush. LD: This is all together as a group, right? respscorp (GM): (Yes) Radulf wonders if this is the guy the dream-dwarf wanted to warn him of; he keeps that possibility in mind. Eurydike followed behind Radulf, maintaining an equally polite but prepared demeanor, she certainly didn't want to hurt the creature given that it would be rude to assail random persons sitting down. She'd certainly be aggravated if such things were done to her! Blaer stares at the creature, picking up her pace to be at the front of the group as they approach The stranger lifts its long, spindly arm in greeting. Kagernac: "Hail to you, young ones, heirs of kings, blood of sun and storm. And hail to you, daughter of queens and slaves, kin of dragons, heir of thieves, bringer of death." "I am called Kagernac, master of pits, talker to outsiders, maker of oaths and recounter of treasures." Radulf: “You seem to know who we are; have we met before, if not in this world then in another?” Blaer: "Or did perhaps the spirits inform you of us?" Eurydike smiled at the introduction, it was clear her personal sense of pride appreciated the set of titles, and she wasn't the best at hiding it. "It is a pleasure to meet you." Kagernac: "I don't know you personally, but I know your lineage - in general history, though not in detail. As for this meeting - the seers told me that I would meet the people I was looking for on this spot. So I stood and waited a while." Kagernac adjusts himself with an audible creak - his chest expands, his body straightens, his shoulders lean back and his legs shift to a narrower stance. He still remains a short, stocky, hunchbacked and bow-legged creature, but visibly expands by at least a hand, like a discarded puppet suddenly made to move again. His wrinkled face sports long, drooping whiskers, probably waxed to remain neat as they are, and his small, beady eyes shine ice-like beneath a heavy brow. Blaer: "I admire you patience then, to wait all this time for us. What is the business you have?" Radulf: “Forgive my rudeness, but what are you?” Kagernac: "I've not waited long, not at all. And whether you are the ones I'm waiting for, we shall see soon." "As for what am I - think of me as a messenger, an emissary. There is a thing that my lord needs doing, and it is my job to find the doers." Radulf raises an eyebrow. “And who is your lord?” Kagernac: "Namely this - some time ago, some ancestors of yours lived hereabout and we gifted them a gem as a sign of friendship. But that time is past, and we would like the gem back." "Hmm, inquisitive sort you... My lord is the ruler of the Underworld hereabout. A manager of mountains and the underground realms. A King, you would call him in your tongue." Undeterred by the interruption, he draws breath to continue his exposition unless further inquiries are made Radulf nods and listens carefully. Kagernac: "This gem then - it was placed in a vault, by your ancestors. Easy for us to find as they left. But we are creatures of our world. An oath given must be kept, a gift given cannot be taken back. So I propose a deal - I shall tell you of this vault - full of treasures that are by all rights yours, but one that you can never find on your own, for your ancestors hid it well." "In return, you swear to return us the gem." Blaer: "For what purpose do you need the gem so badly you would risk breaking an oath for it?" Kagernac: "We're not risking anything. We always keep to our word. Elsewise we could have just taken it." Radulf restraints himself from squinting suspiciously at the man. “What is the nature of that gem, or its powers, if there are any?” Eurydike remained quiet, thinking over matters. She felt an obligation to ensure everything was oath-kosher, but she was still hesitant to assume there wasn't an alternative motive. "If it would be alright, I would be grateful if you would share with us the tale of this gem, and what lead to our ancestors receiving it." Kagernac sighs, faced with such due diligence and undue suspicion Radulf nods at Eurydike's request. P.P. A.: >Please break into this ancient tomb that we can't enter to retrieve some artifact for us, this is totally kosher. Kagernac: "The Eye of Ice they call it, an almaz of prodigious size and unmatched quality. A bauble of no small magical power to our kind, and one of our precious legendary treasures. There must have been some squabbles on whether it is wise to offer it as a gift, but it surely must have been intended to show our utmost sincerity. At that time, there was a large surface kingdom here, and relations were good between the pries-kings of your ancestors and our people. Many of them built sturdy dwellings and cities underground with our instructions, and many of us learned new ways of doing things with metal and crafts." "That kingdom seems gone now, even yourselves are newcomers to this land now. It seems the old friendship is gone, though a new one may start in turn, and we want our treasure back, since the gesture under which it was given is now an empty one." Radulf nods along. “This sounds reasonable. One more question however: is there anything your king intends to use the Eye of Ice for now, or is it just a matter of wrapping up loose ends, and our presence here being as good a time as any?” Kagernac: "The seers proclaimed I would meet the people to do this task on this road. It could be you, it could be someone else. As for use... it is fabled to be a tool of scrying. I'm sure it will see some use." Eurydike pondered her own history, living generally subterraneously she'd hope she'd overheard at least one myth or tale that corroborated the fellows story. Given her people's horrible record with other factions she'd also wonder if she knew the 'tale of how the friendly mountain people inevitably betrayed us or we betrayed them' She'd pause, thinking for a bit longer. "Will there be any kind of mystical check or protocol to validate that we are permitted to enter the tomb, and if not is there anything we may do to prove our legitimacy to enter? I am apprehensive to enter a resting place of the dead uninvited." respscorp (GM): (Eurydike can try to use History, Hidden Lore, Theology or anything of the past. If none of these exist, Local Knowledge at -6) Radulf also tries to remember if he picked anything up from shamans or "It's not a tomb, it's a vault. A ritual chamber at first, hastily converted to a hidden treasury as your ancestors started to mistrust and kill each other. It's all very confusing to us - they were gone before we even noticed something was going on." Rolling 11 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 4 LD: Oh, that's real nice. Everyone succeeded on a different aspect Vodka: (Gymnoagrioi, my dumb brain cannot spell) Radulf knows that the Underfolk exist, but the Barrowfolk generally mistrust and avoid them. A strange stance to exist between people both of which are incapable of breaking their word. He also remembers that they are supposedly capable of digging through the earth like a man swims through water and carry bags of gold everywhere, value steel higher than any metal, and consider themselves the ultimate owners of any mineral wealth. Eurydike remembers some tales that make sense in light of this new information. When her ancestors ruled their own kingdom, there are mentiones of short foreigners paying tribute. No mention of treachery, but they are also mentioned in several tales of the time her people were enslaved. Blaer knows of several tales that mention an underground tribe - mostly inimical to Sun and Storm in their principles, but mostly isolationist - a threat only to the careless. Radulf taps with his finger the top of his axe and thinks. “…thank you for your anwers; I believe you. We'll need a moment of counsel among ourselves, though.” The underdweller waddles some distance away. Radulf turns around and motions for Blaer and Eurydike to join him and to stick their heads together. Eurydike nodded in agreement towards Radulf's comment, there was a degree of awkward discomfort in his mention of 'mistrust and killing each other' but she quickly resumed a more optimistic stance and convened with the group. Radulf: “I'll be frank: this sounds like a bad idea and very suspicious, but I also believe he was being truthful. If the power of the Eye is only scrying, giving it to them should not… well, it could be more obviously a bad idea.” Blaer: "There is still the matter of the oath." Radulf: “I decline: I expect some dangers down there that he isn't telling us about— and as nice as riches and treasures are, our lives are worth more. …on the other hand, this seems like a great opportunity to learn more about this land's past, to explore the ruins of a lost kingdom and perhaps learn a bit not only about Eurydike's people, but also the ones they shared their lands with.” honour their oaths, so to get back this item, it must be us, distant descendants of its recipients, who return it to them.” Radulf: “The question is if we would break any ancient, long-forgotten promises if we did that, but I assume we'd find out before it's too late.” Blaer: "Perhaps we could convince the mercenaries to help us? It sounds like there is a great wealth of treasure inside as well, something that could easily sway them to lend their aid." Eurydike nodded towards the general consensus of helping them "He's come off as honest and his people's reputation gives him credence, I trust his claim we're the heirs of the place, but I would still prefer greater evidence." She paused at the mercenary comment, slightly uncomfortably looking around "While I understand the utility that would provide, I fear that the treasure there is unlikely to be great for the long term, especially if more parties became aware of it. Enviable hordes of treasure invite envious and malignant parties." Radulf: “I would also like to reserve the option to say ‘no’ at any point and simply leave, which would be harder if we've whet the mercenaries' appetite for gold and plunder.” Eurydike nodded Radulf: “This a bad idea and dangerous, but we've yet to see wherein the danger lies. It sounds just interesting enough that I'm curious to take a look, to see if there is anything worth proceeding for—but if the choice is between committing to it and declining, we ought to decline.” “In any case, if we agree we must demand of the Underfolk that they do not use the Eye of Ice to do harm to our people or to aid our enemies—and that they will let us part ways in peace and safety.” Blaer: "I'm afraid that may be a choice we have to make now. The underfolk said they would only show us the location once we swore to return the gem." "We may not be bound to oaths as they are, but I would rather not flagrantly break them if we can" Radulf nods. Eurydike nodded, mostly in support. Poor girl had to follow oaths due to her end-dad. Eurydike pondered if there'd be any issue simply granting them rights to take the gem given their suggested rights over the vault. Rolling 12-3d6 = 2 Curious Eurydike went ahead and suggested that course of action, having thought back to when he mentioned they would have taken it if not for their loyalty to oaths. Radulf: “It's one thing knowing something to be a trap and going in anyway because you must, and you can weigh the risks, but this one has too many unknowns and not compelling enough a reason.” Rolling 9 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -2 Radulf nods to Eurydike: “That's the only alternative I can think of: we demand such assurances from the Underfolk that, if they were insincere, it wouldn't be worth it for them anymore and they would delcine.” Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -1 (From respscorp (GM)): The creature's phrasing was such that if not you, it would probably squat here until it finds someone less cautious, which might be an issue. Radulf: “If we demand that we be allowed to keep the Eye of Ice, and only give it to them at our discretion—our opinion to be swayed by whatever we see and live through down there. If they expect us to be happy with them anymore, they wouldn't take that deal.” “We must consider the risk, however, of them just finding someone else to get the Orb for them, someone less scrupulous.” Blaer: "That is exactly what they would do. We much choose the words of our oath carefully." Blaer smiles Blaer: "Of course, I already have an idea as to what kind of oath to take." Radulf: “Oh?” Blaer: "It's simple. We just need to swear to return the gem to its rightful owner. If what they said is true, then they will be the ones to receive it. But should we find one with a better claim, we can give it to them without worry of breaking our oath." Eurydike: "Aren't we technically the rightful owners? I feel like that may just be interpreted as us swearing to take the gem. That's certainly how interpret it" "Would..."We shall help you in retrieving the gem, so long as a feeling of good faith remains through each party, on the event of either party feeling a breech of this good faith a discussion will be held and a decision on what to do next will be discussed at the given time." This lets us highlight that we're being mauled by murder-guardians when we were just expecting a quick in and out while also giving them the ability to address their concerns with behavior if we do something. Its set up in the spirit of compromise but I think its a subtle enough way to say "We can back out if things go abysmally south" without betraying the spirit of the deal." Blaer: "It's certainly much more wordy...but it sounds more thorough, and I trust your oath expertise." Eurydike: "We might need to change it to discussed at a mutually chosen time, I feel it may be counterintuitive to sit down and talk in the middle of a fight..." Eurydike thought to herself of the litany of ways either party could abuse the wording of the agreement, this would take a while if nobody else commented. LD: Quick, someone invent the book so we have enough space to write down the full oath Radulf ponders the wording. “Perhaps something like this: ‘We shall retrieve the gem, so long as both parties act in good faith. In case either party determines a breach of good faith before the Eye of Ice has been obtained, the terms of the oath may be renegotiated, or the mission aborted.’” Radulf: “If we have obtained the Eye of Ice, we will return it to you on the condition that it must not be used to harm us or our peoples, either directly or by aiding our enemies, and on a guarantee of safe passage home.” Eurydike: "That sounds fair to me." She'd smile, glad her suggestion was refined before the season ended Radulf looks at Blaer expectantly. Blaer nods Blaer: "I see no issue with it." Radulf nods. “It's settled then. Do you want to deliver the terms, Eurydike, or should I?” Eurydike: "I would be happy to, though I'd like a moment to go over it a few times to minimize risk of miss-speaking it" Radulf is fine with that and helps out. Eurydike went over it several times, until it came like second nature, she was decently intelligent so it hopefully didn't take uncomfortably long, once she felt confident in such a thing she'd indicate as much and prepare to deliver the proposal to the underground fella. Kagernac loafs about aimlessly, moving across the path and the back a safe distance from them. Kagernac: "Made up your mind, or have you more questions?" Eurydike: "I believe we are ready to deliver our proposal, thank you for your patience" Eurydike would pause incase anyone had anything to say prior to offering the terms. If there was nothing, she'd just deliver Radulf's proposal verbatim. Kagernac: "Hmmm... good to see you have a mind for punctuality and strictness. However..." "The gems was a gift, there is no explicit oath there, just an implicit obligation. I doubt that changes things significantly though." respscorp (GM): (gem, not gems) Kagernac: "Our deal is also such, that it cannot be renegotiated past a point - since I offer you knowledge in exchange for a bauble. I can try to give you greater details of the vault though before I reveal the location - and you can decide if your caution is warranted." "Finally, I cannot accept such a long-term arrangement as you would require. Things change too quickly among you for it to be prudent. Bu perhaps an oath lasting for 5 decades would suffice?" respscorp (GM): "Though since the Eye is no weapon, we can freely promise to not use it against you directly. I just feel obliged to point such is not a very meaningful oath." The strange dwarf seems delighted with your desire to make things clear and explicit Radulf: “Hence the addition of aiding our enemies. The information it can be used to gather could be shared with others.” Kagernac: "Hmm, yes. How about this. Our kingdom is hidden and strong. We can promise not to share information scryed on your blood-clans for five generations in advance except under duress?" Radulf looks to the others. “Sounds fair to me.” Eurydike nodded to Radulf, an infinite term was admittedly excessive. She had to respect escape clauses as well given their proposal was equally ridden with them. Radulf was about to object, actually, that five decades is too little and five generations would be more proper. Provided that everyone is in agreement, the strange fellow would lead them off the path and into the mountains. Eurydike hoped for more information regarding the vault prior to crossing the precipice of it being rude to back out, an informed agreement is a happy agreement. More information he would provide on the way, to what he claims is the best of his knowledge Eurydike trusted him in that regard, due to his people's history and his apparent excitement at protocol. Kagernac: "This used to be a temple to people who remembered they were kin to dragons and went there to meditate and bask in the energy they took from their kin. Then they used it to store treasures in it, precious things from baubles to tablets of precious knowledge. Finally it was hidden by enchantment and by mundane means, probably they thought to return for it later and either forgot or died without telling anyone." respscorp (GM): "Of traps, we are certain there aren't any that can be fashioned by man or artifice." Kagernac: "What guardians it might have, we do not know. But our augury has made it clear there is no being in the vault or around the vault, whose goal or purpose is to guard the vault or prevent the taking of the treasures therein." He eyes your group, cognizant now of the fact that just like him you can see this still leaves some possible dangers that might appear as loopholes of the divination. Radulf: “It may well be occupied by monsters who simply made their dwelling in it, then.” “Without much regard for the valuables or the history of the place.” Kagernac: "The outer gates are still closed and we know the Vault's still whole." He volunteers some more information, seemingly realizing that your success and survival is of benefit to his cause. In such discussions, he leads you across the rough terrain, an adept climber despite his ostentatious clothing. He also seems relatively tireless, letting you dictate when to travel and when to stop for a rest. He eats his own food and his own drink and obligingly helps you find drinking water. The trip takes two days In the end, he leads you to a cave entrance, obviously recently excavated from the dirt and tree roots it was hidden beneath and shows you how to unlatch the heavy stone door Radulf: “Have any other humans come here recently?” Kagernac: "None. Well, some of her kin" He motions towards Eurydike Kagernac: "But the digging was done by our workers." Radulf: “That's good.” Eurydike nodded in acknowledgement of his statement, not really having anything to add. He retreats a little, squatting by the entrance to wait. respscorp (GM): (oh boy, light can be bodyblocked now) Radulf proceeds with caution, step by step, axe in hand, Karli by his side. A black stone statue of a small dragon. Good for a fright in the shadowy dusk, but nothing more. LD: UNTIL IT COMES TO LIFE AND ATTACKS US Radulf goes get spooked by them for a sec Radulf: *does Eurydike appreciated the statue., on some level, Eurydike had a strong desire to lay on a warm rock and pile of money. Eurydike: (Are those piles loads of gold and silver?) P.P. A.: >Scrooge McDuck is a drake really makes you think Piles of gold and silver, coins and bars, suits of armour and discarded weapons Radulf whistles, but keeps his eyes on the surroundings. Glittering gold, trinkets and baubles... Eurydike did her best to do the same, accepting she'd be dead and gone helped resist the urge to lounge aggressively on the pile of money. Catching light, the large diamond sparkles as if with inner light Blaer stays by the entrance, illuminating the area with a flame in hand Radulf: “Before we rush to the main prize, let's take a good look around for traps. Blaer, how would trap this place if so tasked?” Eurydike: "I think he mentioned a gem that started with an Alu- sound, is that what we're looking for?" She'd add, her own ignorance regarding gem types coming to light. Blaer looks around Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 4 It seems from a more careful inspection, the statues are not built into the floor and were in fact dragged a little. Blaer: "I can't say I've thought of many traps for a stone vault. I've rarely had to hunt prey in such settings" "However, those statues are not attached to the floor. They have have been moved at some point." Blaer motions to the marks with her hook hand Radulf: “Let's hope they have moved, not that they have moved.” Radulf takes a closer look at them to see if there is anything lifelike in them. A glimmer of the eye, or articulated limbs. The scrapes on the tiles look as if the statue was dragged a little while still immobile itself Radulf follows the damage on the tiles to trace their original position. It looks like they were moved by about a yard each P.P. A.: (Are these pillars reaching to the top of the room, or pedestals?) The material seems to be some sort of dark, veiny granite Eurydike shrugged "My gut is telling me that grabbing the gem is going to set them off, or something. I'm going to head back to our friend and ask for a description of what the gem looks like, because gems on pedestals seem like invitations for punishing those who snatch things off pedestals without hesitation. It'd be pretty terrible if it were just a gem in some innocent pile, that's certainly where I would hide something."" The pillars are real and reach top to bottom Radulf nods to Eurydike and checks out what the statue's mouth looks like—if they are singed, sooty, if there are any openings… Eurydike went ahead and went out to ask, preferring looking dumb over being crushed by a giant boulder triggered by a weight trap or magical lightning. The mouths seem to be crude in that they are not even opened. Just detailed, but rudimentary and easy to make carvings indicating rows of teeth. trap. Kagernac: "It is big as a child's head. Translucent, like ice but more so." Radulf looks if any of the chests have been moved, looks like it. Radulf: “On the other hand, there are no corpses here, nor bloodstains,” he says to himself for the others to hear. Blaer steps towards one of the gold piles and brushes some pieces aside with her hook hand, seeing if there was anything hidden underneath them Eurydike thought back to the diamond, if it matched the description she'd explain its position and ask if there were any risks that he may be aware of. It seems there are no corpses hidden in the piles. And the description matches the large gem Eurydike returned, she'd spend some time looking at the stonework around the entrance, expecting a door to slam shut on them if they messed with the diamond. Radulf looks at the platform(?) in the middle. Some sort of altar from the looks of it. Clean - no signs of burning of offeringor anything of the sort. No blood or notches on it either. Radulf inspects it closer for symbols “Blaer, would you like to look at this? Any rites with which to placate potential lingering sp—” Radulf slaps his forehead. Radulf sits down and lays down on his cloak. Radulf: “Give me a moment.” Dragon: "HOHOHO" Blaer: "If you wish for me to sacrifice you, I will only begrudgingly accept" Dragon: "WAKEUP" Blaer says this in jest Dragon: "GREETINGS" Eurydike: "Oh, hello." Eurydike bowed her head in greeting towards the dragon. Radulf gets up. “Well. Greetings!” It seems that a dragon has winked into existence. Radulf dusts off his cloak and yawns. Blaer lets out a long exhale, internally cursing to herself for abandoning her position at the entrance Radulf pauses for a moment because he isn't 100% sure whether he dozed off there for a split second, but realising he's awake, he stiffens up a bit. Radulf also hopes the catch wasn't requirng a human sacrifice to get the Eye, now that he thinks about it. Radulf: “Er, uh, well met; I assume you guard this place?” A big, coiling beast with massive wings and spiky horns. It seems to radiate a subtle heat up close. It seems to regard you with curiosity. It's voice is booming, and the echo of the chamber makes the words clash together unintelligibly. Dragon: "GUARDNO. THISISTHEPLACEIHAVESLUMBERED. WHOAREYOUCURIOUSBARBARIANSTOCOMEANDWAKEME? WHEREAREMYATTENDANTS?" Radulf concentrates to make sense of the words, and gets the gist of it. He glances over to Blaer and Eurydike, gulps, and speaks: “Depending on how long you have slumbered, and whether your attendants were human, they were likely our very distant ancestors, or our ancestor's kin.” Radulf: “I am Radulf, son of Rodemir, this is Kari, and these are…” He looks to his comrades and lets them introduce themselves. Radulf introduced Karli because he's not sure whether dragons are animals and thus regard other animals as… people to be introduced. Blaer: I am Blaer, daughter of Einar, of Cynwrig Blaer turns around to look at the dragon, taking a step back to give herself some space Eurydike "I am Eurydike, Sword of Ender." She'd introduce herself if the conversation was at a sufficient momentum of silence for her to speak without talking over someone. She'd also observe the area, did her proximity to the dragon come off as awkwardly close relative to another human? The Dragon's sinuous movement seems to claim a bit more space than its literal volume would suggest, but it doesn't seem to mind Eurydike's closeness. Dragon: "CYNWRIG. CURIOS." "DONOTTHINK..." As it peers at Eurydike it slows down to match your own diction... Eurydike didn't really mind the proximity then, the dragon gave off warmth and walking on cold stones was less than comfortable. Radulf is relatively calm for being face-to-face with a dragon because he has seen bigger and scarier things in his waking dreams. Radulf and it seems reasonable so far. Dragon: "DO NOT THINK YOU CAN BE A THREAT TO ME, LITTLE KIN. I AM A SPARK OF BEGININGS YOU CANNOT EASILY END ME. BUT LET US NOT MEASURE FANGS NOW, INSTEAD LET US TRADE WORDS." But how that conversation goes, we will find NEXT TIME! Eurydike: Exciting@! Vodka: ♥♥♥ Fun session, thanks for having me respscorp (GM): Thanks for playing everyone. P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! respscorp (GM): Same time next week? LD: Thanks for hosting! Vodka: sounds good to me P.P. A.: Sure Looks like Radulf didnä't have to take a nap to see what spirits linger here respscorp (GM): It's more like him almost taking a nap triggered them. P.P. A.: yeah sleep in my cave!” Vodka: Glad I didn't try sleeping on the gold. P.P. A.: “At least take me out for dinner first” Vodka: reasonable respscorp (GM): hello P.P. A.: \o PREVIOUSLY! The heroes encountered a strange, richly-dressed and armed hunchback on the way. He bid them to retrieve a treasure for his people in return for revealing to them an entire treasury of things that belonged to people who may have been ancestors to some or all of them. After some careful deliberations and clarifications, they struck a bargain with the strange fellow and he lead them higher into the mountains. There among the crags, he revealed a hole in the ground that lead into a big man-made cavern full of gold, silver, piles of gems and chests full of ancient writing. And there was also a dragon. Dragon: "Let us speak now and exchange answers. Why are you here, for starters." Radulf is honest: “We were asked politely to retrieve,” he points over his shoulder, “the Eye of Ice, as it was supposedly given as a gift to distant, long-extinct relatives of ours, and it would be improper for the gift-giver himself to take it back.” Radulf: “We knew there was that would complicate the matter, and it appears I am talking to that something—or rather that someone—now, but it appeared an honest request and so we accepted.” “Who are you, and what is your purpose in being here?” Eurydike: ./me opted to remain quiet as the two parties conversed, not seeing anything she needed to add at the moment. (My brain is small.) P.P. A.: (The cold just froze it momentarily) Radulf keeps an eye on Blaer and Eurydike and gives them space to speak up. Large beast snakes around restlessly, it's coils winding within the confines of its folded wings with a soft grating noise like knives upon whetstones. respscorp (GM): (the*) Dragon: "Long-extinct you say..." The dragon narrows its lantern-like eyes until they are mere slits under its armored, horned brow. Radulf smiles politely and sweats only a little. Blaer: "At the very least, they are no more in these mountains. Whether they perished here, or moved elsewhere, we cannot say for sure." Radulf: “Our clan arrived to this land two generations ago, but we've been told by a few different otherworlders that we are the distant relatives of the men who were once kings in this land, and who built this vault.” “Naught remains of their kingdoms on the surface however.” Radulf looks at Eurydike if she has any lore to add. Eurydike shrugged, her own personal repository of lore regarding dragons was not too thorough The beast swears in a booming voice, in a tongue that sounds archaic but vaguely familiar. Its wings flap out reflexively, raising a gust of wind that sends coins, gems and gilded skulls flying. It's sword-like talons reaches reflexively for her knife, squeezing the handle for a second before slowly letting go, returning to her original position respscorp (GM): (yeah, good point - Eurydike is merely reminded that this thing can probably actually hurt even her, but sure, whatever) Radulf is still using his axe as a walking stick; his grip on it tightened for a moment under a sweaty palm, but he doesn't ready his weapon. Eurydike maintained an empathetic, albeit slightly concerned expression in regards to the dragon. The quick mental damage-calculus suggested that rocks were tougher than she was and the poor fella definitely didn't have much of a problem digging his talons in those. Dragon: "And these... people. They have sent you here to retrieve this gem?" Radulf breathes in and out and looks the dragon in the eyes: “The request came, by proxy, from the King of the Underfolk, who it was who bestowed the Eye to the ancient kings—or so we were told.” Blaer: "We are just travelers that came across the offer. We have no strong stake in this arrangement." Blaer hopes to set themselves up as disinterested 3rd parties Eurydike nodded towards Blaer's comment, the whole FREAKING DRAGON showing up was a strong enough reason to utilize the escape clause in her opinion. Dragon: "Houmph." The creature fold itself again, exhaling a low-pressure blast of heated air as it tries to force itself to calm down and think. Radulf gives it the time and space to calm down as per his self-preservation instinct. Dragon: "So you would cast yourself as the unwitting pawns... I do not know whether to admire your caution or lament your lacking dignity, given the claims of kinship... which I think would be easy enough to test. Find a bowl. There must be some among all this glittering clutter. Find a bowl and offer me your blood." Radulf goes to look for one. Eurydike went ahead to search as well in a different area. Divide et Impera and all that. Blaer stays to keep talking with the dragon The dragon settles down flat on the ground, a dreadful cross of cat and serpent. Finding several gilded cups is easy enough. It seems they were cast in the piles owing to their weight in precious metals. Blaer: "We all believed there was more to this than what they had told us, but we figured we would learn more from exploring ourselves." Radulf nods to that. Eurydike made an affirmative noise in regards to Blaer's comment. Blaer: "So if I may ask, what is the story of this place?" Radulf brings back a few cups and sets them down between the dragon and the party, and gets out his knife; though he stays it, curious to hear its answer to Blaer. Dragon: "Give me first a moment to judge you and ponder, and then some of your questions may be answered." As it watches, it's serpentine neck stretches out from its bulk and it taps its chin with one claw in an almost human manner. Blaer: "Very well. You wished for an offering of blood, yes?" Blaer goes to draw her knife in a calm, but signaled manner, checking the blade to make sure it was still sharp enough Radulf: “Hopefully not for a taste test,” Radulf jokes very uneasily. He hunches down near a cup and is ready to make a small cut on his hand. The dragon rumbles with soft, deep laughter at Radulf's joke. Blaer thinks while she inspects, wracking her brain for her years of magical experience to see if the dragon would be able to pull some form of trickery on them using their blood offering Eurydike smiled at the comment and following laughter as she went ahead and worked to get her blood in a cup, hopefully a small cut would be enough to get the requisite amount of blood. Radulf doesn't worry about that much since the dragon wouldn't need a lot of trickery here, and he's seen enough strange and confusing fae stuff that he stopped thinking about it too deeply. Radulf makes a small cut and drips a bit of blood into the cup after having cleaned it of dust with some cloth. Blaer makes a careful cut on her right arm, letting it drip into the cup before tightening the straps of her prosthetic to stymie the blood flow The dragon laps up the blood with haste, like a cat worried that a rare treat dangled in front of it might soon be taken away. Dragon: "Yes, I see." The air grows heavy and a hint of whispering voices surrounds the dragon in an intangible whirlwind as it cocks its horned head, listening to their barely perceptible voices. Dragon: "It seems you have been as sincere with me as you seemed, which is no small cause for alarm... what has become of this land?" Blaer looks to the others, not quite sure how to answer the question respscorp (GM): "Well, worry can wait for worry's time." Radulf: “It would help us to know what it was like in your time.” Dragon: "A great kingdom, ruled by enlightened philosophers..." Its eyes fall on Eurydike and it gives it pause, as if it is pondering how much to reveal of certain things. Dragon: "Before we talk of the distant past... what did you talk about with the under dweller? And how many did he bring along with him?" Radulf raises an eyebrow at the last question, and looks to his comrades. “As far as we could tell, he was alone…” Radulf: “He told us what we told you.” Blaer nods Blaer: "A single messenger, speaking on behalf of the King." Radulf realises he could—perhaps should—have taken a nap and scouted for reinforcements when they met him. Dragon: "Yes, but what did you agree with him, what did he say? I would like the exact wording. It seems desperately curious about the contract. Eurydike paused, the dragon's gaze prompting her to both speak or justify her existence, as it stood she'd think back to the exact wording, and if such did not come to her she'd explain re-negotiation was possible if either party saw a perceived breech of good faith, something which his portrayal of potential guardians as automata instead of well, the Dragon, qualified as a sufficient breech not to mention the fact that his description of them being the heirs of the vault, and them clearly not have probably inherited it due to the Dragons presence once again would render the arrangement null. Optimally, she'd prefer to just open up arbitration between the Dragon and the Underfellow. "Fascinating." respscorp (GM): (aaa) Radulf also recalls the wording and relays it to the dragon: that they agreed to return the Eye, that it would not be used against them for five generations, and that this supposed both sides acted in good faith—the risk of unexpected dangers was mutually acknowledged, but moral complications or secrets maliciously kept hidden from the party could change the situation. The Dragon seems absolutely fascinated and impressed with the amount of through you have put into this. Blaer watches the conversation, eyes moving between the dragon and Eurydike Eurydike didn't really have much else to say, if prompted for more information she'd try and bring up more. Radulf: “A dwarf like him kept warning me in my sleep not to trust anyone, so we were especially cautious.” Dragon: "This... now. Interesting. Did the one in your sleep say anything else? What did he look like?" Radulf describes his looks—proportions, features—and says that it was him who mentioned their royal blood, but that aside from that it was mostly ramblings not to trust anyone easily, or at all, and to expect to be betrayed. Radulf: “He seemed very anxious, and it is my belief that one must extent one's trust and friendship at the risk of betrayal, so I only acknowledged his warnings as something to keep in mind.” Blaer tries to shoot Radulf a look along the lines of "don't tell the large dragon monster absolutely everything about us." Dragon: "Strange fates. I would advise to follow his advice and do not trust this fellow, though perhaps he might be more trustworthy than the one in the waking world..." Radulf acknowledges that, too, and cuts himself short with an apologetic look towards Blaer. Dragon: "Back to your contract. It does assuage my worries somewhat, it seems he did not expect me to be here, so he really wants that gem, and is not looking for me." "Which makes me wonder... perhaps it is best to give them what they want, if they cannot turn it against us?" Radulf nods. Blaer: "Looking for you? For what reason?" Eurydike frowned, picking up the subtext paired with the prior 'lets not murder eachother' comment by the dragon. Eurydike'd nod towards the comment, five generations of immunity might honestly be able to be interpreted as MUCH longer given their new living relative. The dragon bobs pensively Dragon: "Who knows, yet? People who cannot break their oaths can be very creative and subtle in their treachery. The home I remember when I set to sleep is gone, and it seems you do not even know why... their fall must have been thorough for them not to leave a living memory... or ancient and subtle perhaps." Eurydike maintained a rather empathetic posture, it was clear it didn't take her much to commiserate with the dragon, given the relatively similar feelings of a lack of longing for a nation only available in one's dreams, which once existed in the realm of physicality. Radulf: “We are a curious bunch; if we don't lose our heads to slumbering dragons delving into more ancient ruins, I can come back here to share with you what history we learn of.” “Don't expect much, however.” Dragon: "I don't intend to wait that long... I've slumbered too long and I begin to feel the pangs of hunger. Go give that dwarf his bauble. But also..." Radulf wonders quietly if the barrows and the spirits related to them share in this history. It shifts out of your way and watches you intently. Dragon: "Feel free to fill your bags with loot, but avoid the heavy items and tools. Consider this a gift from a doting ancestor on his surprisingly intelligent grandchildren, as uneducated, unkempt and degenerate as they are... and a way to avert the dwarf's suspicion." It growls impatiently and uses its tail to shovel a pile of ancient coins towards you, seemingly eager to get out of the cave as soon as possible - but not before Kagernac is gone. Radulf looks slightly offended and feels his chin… sure enough, he hasn't shaved in a few days. Point taken, Radulf: “Very well, thank you.” Radulf sets down a bag and begins shovelling handfuls of gold coins into it—pausing once in a while to take a closer look at them in the flickering torchlight, to look at the faces, things, and words impressed on them. Dragon: "Grrrm. I would have loved to swap more questions... but I really am growing hungry. As much of a pleasant surprise your disposition was compared to the troubling tales you shared...." Radulf: “Just, uh… What do you eat?” Eurydike nodded towards the Dragon "Thank you." She'd go ahead and take a fistful of coins, her lack of pockets making avarice untenable. If nobody else felt like it, she'd use her other hand to take the Eye Blaer will do similar, hooking her back to her claw as she scoops treasure in by the handful, aiming for general areas that catch her eye with trinkets and valuables Dragon: "Not you hopefully, but it would help if you clear the way faster..." The massive serpentine beast shuffles uncomfortably, like a small child too shy to detail exactly how bad the problem is Radulf overall heeds the dragon's advice to take only the light stuff, but if there is any particularly intriuing or pretty trinket he'll take one with him. live and not us or our allies?” Radulf also shovels faster. The dragon grumbles something about no desire to get entangled, but as a show of goodwill they will avoid one particular direction Radulf doesn't get overly specific or sic the dragon on any enemies: “Let's put it this way: any tragedies to befall the lands /north-east/ of here would be unfortunate news, but we'd get over it.” P.P. A.: (That's where the Hiordlings and Red Serpents are IIRC, while our allies and neutral parties like the trade city are more to the south Blaer parses her lips, wondering if they may have just created a self-fulfilling prophecy Radulf realises something and gets very serious: “And, uh: one request of mine. Should you ever encounter a lone, naked, red-haired girl in the wilderness, please fly past her.” Radulf pleas, almost. The dragon grows impatient and anyone willing to scoop up more than a pound of loose coins and minor baubles will need to be both fearless and foolhardy. Radulf packs up quickly. “You've got the Eye?” he asks Eurydike, and picks up the torch. Eurydike nodded, holding the giant orb out to confirm the fact she was carrying the big boy-diamond. Radulf: “Then let's go.” Radulf waves once to the dragon with a friendly smile, but keeps his farewells very brief and quickly makes for the exit. Eurydike headed off, she began to speak but stopped herself, Kagernac was listening and offering to talk if the Dragon wanted to sometime would likely rouse suspicion, still, she felt a desire to provide a degree of grief counseling as in the dragon she saw a bit of herself, albeit a far cooler, giant lizard version of herself. Blaer is the last to leave, turning to the dragon Blaer: "Before we go, can we at least have the honor of knowing your name?" Eurydike: was probably*) Radulf stops at that and turns around to hear the answer. LD: We did give our names last session, didn't we? Eurydike: (Yea) P.P. A.: yeah, all in turn Dragon: "Aiden, Protector." Radulf smiles, looks Aiden in the eye and nods—and then scampers. Blaer nods, showing her thankfulness by quickly leaving the area as requested Eurydike looked back, she'd suggest in a quiet enough voice if the Dragon felt like talking about life or anything she'd try and be available, and if time permitted she'd be willing to discuss potential rendez-vous areas, but given the dragons got the big hungies, such ventures may be untennable. Admittedly such a venture wasn't super tenable because naked lady bearing a mark of the bringer of the end times and giant lizard aren't exactly subtle. Eurydike: I say tenable too much.) P.P. A.: Not very subtle sure, but would want to interrupt the chat of a death-bringer berserker and a dragon? Vodka: touché LD: is the underfellow right outside the entrance, or does the group have some space to themselves between him and Aiden? Kagernat waits a little down the path, showing a little impatience only when he sees the lot of you coming out respscorp (GM): (So you do have some space) Blaer pulls the group close as they leave the dragon's domain, but before they reach Kagernat, whispering Blaer: Radulf nods affirmatively. Eurydike nodded as well The dwarf shifts impatiently, but manners prevent him from intruding upon your group and he paces around, waiting for you. Radulf raises a hand in greeting and points at the orb in Eurydike's hand. Eurydike held out the orb to Kagernac, not really feeling a need to hold it over her head and have him jump for it no matter how funny it would be. She'd just give it to him as agreed upon. Blaer just waves His long hand unfurls, snatching it from her hands greedily, but he manages to retain enough control to bow politely as he does. Kagernac: "Much obliged, much obliged. I see you also manage to find some other things, very good. Feel free to return for more if there is any... this was all that we desired." Kagernac steps back and it seems like he is starting to sink into the ground. Eurydike refrained from comment, though it was apparent she found the whole ground-sinking thing to be neat. Radulf nods. “Thanks, and fare well.” Radulf does NOT make a dumb pun along the lines of ‘you'll be seeing us, like, with your scrying Eye, get it?” Blaer just watches him leave, similarly impressed by the feat Radulf does look on curiously. It's neat, but it makes you wonder what's all under your feet whenever you walk somewhere. Kagernac: "Hehehe. Goodbye, humans, goodbye. May your luck keep up." And he's gone. Radulf breathes a sigh of relief. “It feels ominous and this is probably going to have repercussions, but I don't think we could have made any better decisions either.” Minutes later, a swift, massive shape slips out of the hole and slides across the air more akin a fish than a bird. It swings around and heads north. Eurydike shrugged "Most actions do, I'm sure things will turn out well, and if they don't we can always take solace in looking at the very long term" Radulf: “It's strange that the dragon said he is our ancestor. Was he once a man?” Carli just seems glad nobody got eaten and gives each of you a happy nuzzle as he runs around to expend all the nervous energy he had accumulated Radulf is happy to indulge him, plays fetch with him along the way. Blaer immediately cuts in Blaer: "We will just have to keep in mind that those people now have a way to watch us, in case we do anything interesting....or anything interesting." It is at this moment the GM remembers he forgot to describe the murals. Eurydike shrugged "Maybe" As Carli approached she'd reciprocate affection and pet the dog because she wasn't a total monster. The murals around the top of the rotunda were depicting a ritual of people praying and priests sacrificing cattle and men, and one of the priests descending into the pit of sacrifices to emerge changed. Blaer provides the dog with scritches from the not-so-sharp part of her prosthetic P.P. A.: oh yeah, that clears things up Purely artistically, Eurydike thinks her people might have gotten a bit better at sculpture and art. respscorp (GM): (or might think so if she cared about such things) Radulf: “That may be how their kingdom ended. At least it would have introduced… difficulties.” Eurydike was glad to see a bit of progress in her culture in that regard, if it was clearly of her people's she'd have probably commented on it. Radulf: “Should we head home? I'm not sure if we can catch up with the mercenaries; if we do, we might come across them by chance if they rested somewhere along the way.” Eurydike: "Sure" Blaer: "It would be best to head home, considering what we're carrying." Radulf: “Yep.” Blaer: "The longer we wait, the more likely some poor bandits will get some poor ideas" Radulf: “Given how loaded we are, someone might even get the idea of a bandit when he wasn't one before.” The trip proves surprisingly uneventful considering everything else. Radulf doesn't even get any noteworthy visitors anymore, just the usual arrangement of complaining ancestors, distant monsters and patronizingly concerned pale ladies. Sometimes, when you crest a height in the pass, you see in the distance columns of smoke, mostly to the north. Radulf chooses not to comment on these. , As you pass close to the Swapmeet area, you encounter a small group of natives, who initially wave Eurydike over before they can properly distinguish her markings. Then they feel a little awkward and on edge. Girl: "So.... uhm, did you see it?" Eurydike: "See what?" She asked, smiling towards them, she was admittedly a bit used to the awkward and on edge demeanor due to consistently going for the eyes and being really, really, really brutal most of the time. Blaer: "Do not worry, Radulf is not nearly untoward." Radulf chuckles. Another: Girl "The dragon!" respscorp (GM): (aaa, brain) Blaer: "You mean that shape on the horizon?" Radulf looks awkwardly between Eurydike and Blaer before he says anything. Her: "Real, actual dragon. Nobody has seen one in forever. And it swooped by and just inhaled a pair of sheep some days ago before continuing north." Eurydike blinked, she was genuinely surprised, though not for the given reason. Moreso that it got so close so quickly. Given she was about as good of a liar as a guy wearing a sign saying liar, it wouldn't be hard for an observer to conclude she's witholding some information Radulf: “We've seen fires rise from that general area. It's probably best to just avoid his hunting grounds.” Third one: "Strangest thing, the shepherd swore he picked her up, looked her over and apologized. She still refuses to go out under the open sky the poor child." Blaer looks over to Radulf, just watching the rollercoaster of emotions that were likely to happen on it Radulf: “Are there any ancient stories of dragons passed down among your people?” Radulf returns Blaer's look and shrugs with a relieved smile. The girls eye you and hasten to bid their goodbyes, unnerved by your presence. Though they would probably also stay if you ask, for pretty much the same reason. Which might be for the best. Eurydike can spot would-be seekers of glory, and these ones have decided to re-evaluate their confidence. Eurydike wished them goodbyes and safe travels, letting them head off back to relative safety, she'd rack her own brain about dragon stories, seeing if the newfound terror in response to such a question may help jog her Luck can be a curious thing. For once, Radulf has the chance to ask the clan elders as soon as he nears the clan's farmlands. It is because they are waiting for you with the vaguely annoyed faces of old people who are not sure what's going on, but are sure it's your fault. Radulf: “The time I get knocked out in one blow, you'll have to take responsibility for your careless temptation of fate and nurse me back to health.” Radulf smiles. “But it does seem that Luck and Fortune, too, are charmed by an honest smile.” Radulf waves at the elders, triumphantly at first, a but more modest as he sees their faces. Blaer remains equally reserved before and after she sees the elder's faces Eurydike maintained the shared reserved demeanor, she wasn't particularly excited for the inevitable mission to stab the murder-lizard to death, given she felt they'd really clicked. Perhaps to Eurydike's surprise, it seems that the elders are mostly worried and annoyed, not particularly motivated to do anything about the dragon which they perceive as a force of nature that has mercifully avoid their lands so far. They ask for a thorough retelling of events and complain about your bravery, and about the relatively smile size of the dragon -if it was bigger it might have brought ruin to your enemies instead of "merely" costing them who knows what and riling them up. News travels slowly, so nobody knows exactly how much damage the dragon has caused, but it seems it has burned one homestead and some random patches Radulf: “We— er…” Radulf realises that ‘we made a pact with a shady underworld fairy kind and awakened a man-eating dragon’ is not a good look, but he's relieved that they're not too angry about the situation, so he can take time explaining the party's actions. Blaer starts by explaining their trip up to the Herons, and that part of the trip, to give everyone else some time to think about how to tell the latter half of the story. Eurydike considered what to say, still hoping Radulf would cover the explanation. Radulf: “Ah, that's right—Orphea is Eurydike now. Eurydike, do you want to explain?” Radulf buys some more time. Eurydike: "Oh, right, I went to the Herons lands and sought training to become a Sword of Ender, the priest was receptive and I was reborn as Eurydike." If the training wasn't supposed to be hidden, she'd get into the minutia of it such that Radulf had more time to get his excuse ready. If it was supposed to be private, she'd awkwardly look around for a moment, hoping someone else would speak. Blaer would take back over Radulf decides to keep the part about the Kagernac out for now—he will confess it to the shaman in private later, and also approach the wizard about it—and just states (not a lie!) that fairyfolk pointed out an old ruin out to the party, a bit off the path. Radulf: “They'd whispered that we had blood ties to its long-forgotten builders, so we decided, after weighing the risks, to take a closer look.” Blaer nods Radulf: “By the way,” he takes off his bag and shows it to the elders, full as it is of gold, “there was treasure in there.” The explanation stretches out and the elders declare that it should be resumed after you've had some time to rest. Radulf hopes that'll distract the greedier and more simpler ones. Which would be Next Time P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! LD: Woo money Vodka: ♥♥♥ LD: Great sesh! GM: Thanks for playing and sorry for the sessions which are mostly about outwitting and out-mannering edlritch beings by being nice to them LD: Don't you dare apologize Vodka: Outwitting and outmannering eldritch creatures with manners is my favorite kind of conflict. LD: Agreed. GM: 4 CP AND P.P. A.: We choose to do that, and it's very satisfying—and credibly handled! GM: I need you to think of ways in which piles of gold can turn into Wealth, because gold does not put food on the table. Cows and farmland puts food on the table. P.P. A.: Yeah That's part of why Radulf wasn't especially excited by the treasure hoard Vodka: Consumer electronics use gold, though that's admittedly a suboptimal thing in our tech level. P.P. A.: He realised that all the gold in there would buy like 1000 times as many cows as in the area He doesn't know monetary theory or inflation but he realises that having more money than things to buy with it isn't very useful and just paints you as a target LD: Blaer would probably try her hand at melting them down to make jewelry or something P.P. A.: A pile of gold coins is nice, 100 cows would be nicer Vodka: Gold could always have a value in magical processes as well, and the gods could serve as divine Fiat-fellas such that putting all the gold coins on an altar, burning it alongside special incense and prayers causes it to disappear and go to the realm of the divine in exchange for good harvests or something. GM: Eurydike might know that the Lady of Streets accepts silver and gold wheels such as these ones in sacrifice. The settler gods mostly accept slaughtered animals and sweet-smelling woods. Vodka: Makes sense P.P. A.: Could also ask the wizard if gold has any magical properties that would make it useful as a weapon against very specific kinds of enemies like silver or cold iron but more specialised Finally, it's pretty and shiny; sometimes that's all you need Vodka: Shiny = good GM: Gold and silver are valued, but there is no specific coinage. So Blaer's idea is good. A standard unit is a "ring". P.P. A.: Radulf will want to keep at least one of each type of coin though, because the things depicted on them intrigue him. Wondering whose head this is, or what those words and numbers mean. GM: (yep, yep) respscorp (GM): Hello LD: I awaken P.P. A.: \o Previously! After having a nice chat with the increasingly confused and agitated monster, the heroes managed to part way with the dragon amicably and then even part ways with Kagernac the Underdweller without arousing his suspicion or jealousy. As they made their way back home, they saw a couple of smoketrails coming from the north-east - it must be quite the fire to be seen over such a distance - despite the perfect viewing conditions offered by the clear weather and crisp mountain air. They also learned that the dragon had on the way managed to consume a few animals belonging to the natives, but caused little damage outside of that and giving the shepherd quite the fright. By the time they reached home, it seems word of a dragon has travelled on swift wings ahead of them, and they find the majority of clan elders assembled to welcome them with that typical "I'm sure this is somehow your fault" expression Eurydike likely ended up giving the "This was probably my fault expression" without fail. Radulf too. After a retelling of events, the elders decreed that the talk should resume in the morning. It is now the morning, and your various worried friends, family or loved ones see you away as you've had the time to rest, freshen and clean up before going to the meeting. Radulf informs his family briefly that “It's fine, don't worry about it too much, but better stay away from his hunting grounds.” Radulf also saved the talk with Thea for later, wanting Eurydike and Blaer to be present for it. P.P. A.: (also already preparing the explanation to the elders) Eurydike would give the information distribution to friends/family for those who were not bearing the mark of the god of endings; she felt like the tattoo would lead everyone to assume it was more hospice than plain explanation. Eurydike: wouled leave the information distribution*) Blaer tells her family about her journey over yesterday evening, mentioning to her father how she forged a rather nice shortsword. By tomorrow morning, she was dressed up in much fancier clothes than her usual hunting attire, and was wearing a decorative prosthetic Eurydike, incidentally, finds her mark changes the way the clan views her a little. She's perhaps more of a stranger now, but one that their legends more easily categorize. A weird ascetic swordsperson, this they can understand, if not exactly welcome. It's less complicated than "forest nymphs, but not really, there's a lot of ancient history but they'd rather not talk about it." Blaer's father radiates a bit of mild pride over her tale. The shortsword to him means more than the dragon or its treasure. Radulf also dresses up properly for the meeting—perhaps a little more than usual after the justified insults heaped upon the barbarians by the ancient dragon. He doesn't become vain, though—for all their lack of refinement, he and his clan are around now, the kings of old are not. Radulf also assures his brothers and father, who probably viewed him as a bit of a black sheep before, that despite all the recent triumphs he's really still as lazy as always; he just knows how to make it work for him now. Radulf: “And I have invaluable friends who keep me alive.” Radulf is totally going to brag to Eoghania though if he comes across her. The only one who seems to appreciate the admission is his grandfather from his cozy corner by the fire. Grandpa: "Finding out how to make your nature work for you is the only thing that matters in due time..." Eoghania escorts Euridike towards the meeting, giddy at her friend moving up in the world and fantasizing about alternately dragonslaying or dragonriding. She doesn't seem very enthusiastic about Radulf's bragging though, declaring that "he probably slept through it" Radulf knew she wasn't going to buy it, but that's part of their dynamic. Radulf: “Eurydike, how did your kinswomen here react to your vows?” Eurydike shared in the enthusiastic future-thoughts with Eoghania, there was something infections about it. When Radulf asked she'd shrug, ceding they treat her a bit more coldly, she didn't seem to personally mind though, adding, if they weren't too-publicly perceptible that she preferred the bit of coldness instead of the path she was headed on prior to following the god of endings. The ephemerality of things helping dissuade her from trying to carve out a vast thousand-year empire. LD waves as she joins the group Eoghaine: "But a small one wouldn't hurt. And I will be With-Queen to make all tremble. Anyway, good luck guys, try not to die of boredom or admit to anything you haven't actually done." Radulf waves hello to Blaer and goodbye to Eoghania Eurydike nodded affirmatively to such a suggestion, a small one was still very much a fun idea. Finally, without much ceremony, you are welcomed into the great hall, to discuss what comes next with the elders. And why would there be need for much ceremony - you are all (mostly) family and the circumstances are serious but not dire. The elder wait for you arranged around a table laid out with some water, brew and fresh bread and cheese - an obvious sign that they expect you to be at ease and suspect the discussion might stretch out a little. Caitlin: "Welcome kids, have a seat. We were having a bit of a conundrum before you arrived - maybe you can help us by telling us what you think of this situation." Blaer takes a seat, but refrains from eating for the moment Blaer: "What's the situation?" Radulf bows and relaxes a little. “Thank you.” He takes his seat, and looks at them to answer Blaer's question. Drustan: "The big flying snake situation." The old warchief crosses his arms and exhales through his drooped moustache - the very image of a man who long learned the value of patience but never learned to love it. Eurydike sat down, as instructed; pausing to think about the geopolitics that must come with cool fire-lizards. She'd go ahead and eat a bit to better justify her relative quiet during thoughts. "The Dragon seems like it tolerates us, and it may be useful to try and direct it towards more expansionist-minded neighbors, such as that empire. Though, I'll admit that if they actually deal with the dragon it'd go a good deal to cementing their legitimacy. Overall, the dragon is set to avoid us, I believe. This may be good in the short term, but it may breed animosity and desperation amongst our close neighbors if we cannot encourage it to move further away." Radulf: “Well, I suppose we should tell the story.” Several silver-topped hairs turn to Eurydike in genuine surprise. A few pair of eyes narrow, some nod, others find themselves surprised to be in agreement. Caitlin just smiles and raises her hand to make sure the elder wait for the others to say their piece as well. Radulf begins: “We had heard whispers from the fair folk along the way that we were distantly related to certain erstwhile kings of this land—long gone and forgotten now—, and one directed us to a buried vault built by them, where ancient treasures lay.” Radulf seeks eye contact with Caitlin to see if she raises an eyebrow; he will elaborate if she looks wary at that opener. Eurydike resumed eating, she'd found that the food was good in addition to helping one speak less. She'd hoped the narrowing of eyes were for her rather casual suggestion of prematurely destabilizing a vast area, inevitably leading to mass hunger instead of prematurely eating. Caitlin is non-helpfully stoic and non-committal. Others motion for Radulf to continue. Radulf: “We were suspicious, but this forgotten history intrigued us, and after asking for some assurances that we weren't being led into a trap, we agreed.” “The vault was largely empty, save for a great many piles of coins, jewels, and other treasure—more than there are things to buy with. We searched the place carefully for traps and the like, and awoke at last… well, dragon.” ”To make a long story short, he recognised us as distantly related to the builders of the vault, and chose not to eat us on the spot. We talked for a while, and he agreed to let us go in peace with what we brought here. We asked him politely to go sate his hunger from hundreds of years of sleep ,” Radulf points towards the North-West, “and please not where our families and allies live, and he agreed, and seems to have kept his word.” Blaer watches the elders react to the story Radulf , having finished the summary, looks to the elders and to Eurydike: “It speaks our language and could be reasoned with, and was modestly sympathetic to us. We shouldn't reckon him an ally however, or capitalise greedily on the opportunities his rampage presents us.” Radulf: “He is going to leave us alone if we stay away, for the time being; what of the future, I don't know.” Radulf sits down again and quietly considers Eurydike's suggestions. Eurydike nodded "Reliance on a great power outside of one's control, tends to lead to poor results when the winds of chance take its action out of one's which align to us. The empire assumedly has more compact amounts of cattle for it to hunt, so..." Eurydike paused, a look of surprise and disappointment on her face "It may be able to just arrange a tribute in exchange for the dragons assistance, something I am unsure if would be tenable for us with our resources." The elders look at each other meaningfully, then back to the rest of you. Most seem to be standing to their own biases, but for the current situation, they do not seem worried or angry beyond the usual. Wassa: "Well, you did a good job of handling that monster it seems. It's rare for youth to choose words over action, very well done." Adelrad: "Dragons have long had a history with the gods and our people according to legend and usually an unpleasant one. We should be cautious, but for now it is good that this one has been sent away." Durstan: "We should ready weapons, and be prepared for the worst. It is almost the season of the summer harvest - the worst time to be preoccupied with a dragon or desperate neighbors" The others just nod along until Caitlin speaks. The old witch managed to keep such a good act that Blaer failed to notice she was plotting something. Caitlin: "Should we perhaps send someone to scout out the north, maybe see how the monster is doing and what." Blaer blinks, before giving a wry smile Blaer: "It sounds like you have someone in mind already." Radulf takes drinks a sip and pretends he doesn't already know what comes next. Wilfrid: "Aye, I think maybe a couple of the younger warriors and some of the hunters, we can sneak across to the north. We stay out of trouble, don't get close to their flocks and they'll miss us. You kids can be of help to your families now that harvest time is coming." Radulf is surprised, but it… makes sense. Durstan "Yeah, it's a lot of farmwork to be done, to be sure..." Eurydike considered it reasonable enough, if there were no violations to the metaphysical laws of party cohesion she'd offer to help scout herself, seeing in the dark would naturally be beneficial. Of course, if it'd be more coherent for her not to do such things, the thought would conveniently not come to mind. Radulf: “I don't want to shirk my responsibilities, but whether these lie more in the harvest or in looking after the dragon I woke up, I leave to your judgement.” Caitlin and Wassa appear amused by Radulf's quip, enough to share a smile despite their age-old mild and mutual animosity Blaer seems almost a little disappointed, but it fades into relief Radulf likewise. Radulf: “I should mention, relating to the dragon…” He's been hesitant since he doesn't know if this knowledge is dangerous, but the elders would know: “The walls of the vault showed a procession and a ritual by which a man was a dragon, and the way Aiden spoke, this must have been his story as well.” Wassa: "Reasonably speaking..." She tops along with the others to listen to Radulf Wilfrid: "Not a real one then. Dunno how to feel about that." Radulf shrugs. Wassa: "What significance do you think that holds?" The old lady looks the three of you over, like your one time experience makes you experts on the topic. Radulf: “If our forgotten ancestors engaged in such practices, it may be better for us if they stay forgotten; they may have made a few enemies in that fashion.” Radulf comes up with something, being prompted to stay something. Eurydike: "Given the ritual indicated a large enough sacrifice of men and cattle, it may be worth trying to speak with the dragon about the ritual, I know if I were an emperor I'd be investing some resources into longevity, and well, mass human sacrifice and a great deal of cattle are well within the capabilities of an emperor." Adelrad: "Hm. Hopefully nobody else knows that. Did that dragon seem like the kind that would know and share such secrets?" "This land used to have a reputation for "you will be killed by dragons" in the old times. Could that be the reason?" Radulf shakes his head. “We asked him a bit about his kingdom and its history, but he seemed to have chosen it unwise to share any of it with us.” Radulf: “Probably.” Eurydike nodded towards his statement, resuming thinking Caitlin: "In light of this, instead of merely scouting it, perhaps it would be a good idea to talk to it and get it back to sleep somehow. Or discover more about what it wants in the long term." Wilfrid: "It is a beast, what is there to talk about... oh alright." He relents, grumbling, after seeing that this time he is in the minority. Eurydike considered it a reasonable course of action, she'd remain quiet not having anything to add Radulf isn't happy with this but can't find any reasonable objections to it either. LD silences herself by finally having some food Adelrad: "There is another, troubling thought here. A lot of our legends have tragic tales of dragonslayers... if these dragons were indeed kin of our people, such misfortune might have been cause by the act of kinslaying..." Eurydike leaned forward, listening in. She really didn't want to kill the dragon herself, so an excuse not to do it was all the better. Adelrad: "Though that's unlikely. The laws on kinstrife specify only close relations." Wassa: "Regardless, I agree with Caitlin here. It would be ideal if it can be reasoned with a second time. A single wyvern is usually a dangerous enough adversary that in the past we've spent entire seasons just feeding one until we're ready to hunt it. And they are dumb, cowardly creatures despite their size. A dragon... better to talk it into hiding away from the world if possible." Radulf: “He showed us patience and mercy, recognising us as distant kin, so I would like to avoid killing him, if possible.” Radulf nods to Wassa. Durstan: "You've a kind heart Radulf, but sometimes we must kill to live. Thankfully, you travel now with a wandering Sword, maybe she can do it if it comes to that." "That was a joke. I know you've been lucky so far, but if talking backfires, I'd rather have you kids back in one piece." Radulf smiles. “I agree.” Eurydike smiled awkwardly, she knew she wouldn't hesitate if the dragon became a threat to her comrades, still the thought saddened her given how easy it was for her to commiserate over shared legacies of old greatness. Blaer nods, holding her prosthetic Caitlin: "Well, with that settled, it's tea time." Tea time follows. It also signifies an end to the meeting - you're free to stay or go. Eurydike would follow the lead of of comrades Radulf would be happy to enjoy the hospitality but looks to Eurydike and Blaer if they're uneasy or eager to leave. Blaer sticks around and has tea. It's clear she intends to stay for a while. Radulf indulges then too, and hopes to learn a bit more about old legends about the land. Radulf brings up that the old kingdom moved or built its cities under the earth and wonders aloud if the barrows have anything to do with that. Caitlin: "Good thinking, my boy. But why not ask them directly? My granddaughter tells me you already had some meetings with them." Adelrad: "And there are some barrows nearby. We only discovered them when the steads were already built, and it gave people quite a fright at first." Radulf holds his chin and nods: “If they do have a connection to the past, they could tell us a little more about the dragon—or dragons as such—before we meet him again.” The elders descend into reminiscing about their youth and childhood, when the land was completely wild and untamed and to hear them tell the tale, wyverns and monsters were hiding under every bush. Radulf can really believe this (to be only slightly exaggerated) now. Eurydike listened in, content to enjoy what food was available and the company. respscorp (GM): (something weird just happened to chat) P.P. A.: ? The conversation stretches long, with the old people content to talk for as long as there is someone to listen, but eventually the drinks and food is exhausted and they remember they do have things to do, leaving you on your own somewhere past noon. Radulf: “Do you two have anything to do today?” Eurydike: "Not really" Blaer shakes her head For Blaer and Radulf, people will always be happy to find them things to do if they look idle while near home, but there is nothing specific right now. A visit over to the closest barrows is probably going to be a two-hours walk travelling light. Radulf: “Should we take a look at the barrow-spirits then?” “I'd also like to talk to Thea about… the things we talked about, Eurydike, with you around,” addressing primarily her, but Blaer as well, “but that doesn't need much daylight.” Blaer: "I was hoping to speak some more with the elders, but I'm sure they have had enough of our presence" Blaer remembers that there is some simple magic that allows others to see and hear the barrow folk, so you wouldn't have to rely on Radulf napping. P.P. A.: (good) (From respscorp (GM)): And Radulf knows that if you go inside the barrows, you enter their land and can walk in their presence. Eurydike nodded, prepared to tag along with the errands and communication, not having too much to say (To GM): oho! Blaer does some quick research as to the procedure for that magic before heading back home to change to her "work clothes" Radulf also changes, though keeps some of his better clothes on; he wants to appear proper before the spirits, especially if he isn't going to talk to them floating and naked (From respscorp (GM)): It is generally considered unwise. Of the "and he spent 60 years in there for some reason" variety (To GM): He's going to try and talk to them outside if possible, and only agree to go inside if necessary, if the party all agrees, and they get some assurances that it isn't going to warp spacetime hard Radulf: “Hm, should we take Thea along? We did say it'd be good for her to get some more experience in the field.” Eurydike: "Sure, sounds like a good idea to me." Radulf goes to invite her then. (From respscorp (GM)): Thea is delighted, but would like to know if she should prepare in any way. It also seems like Radulf's mother has been treating her as something between adopted daughter and Radulf's bride - as in, made her do a lot of housework. Blaer and Eurydike soon meet at a convenient spot to set out, but it seems like Radulf might be a tiny bit late Or just less fast with preparations. (To GM): He tries to convince his mother to free her for the day; as for Thea, probably not a lot of preparations are needed. It's not far away, and they're either going to be back by sunset, or in 100 years if tings to badly. (To GM): Either of which requires the same amount of preparations, funnily enough. Radulf is joking, mostly. He doesn't expect that to happen. But soon enough arrives with Thea in tow, the skinny girl quite enthusiastic about being honored with the chance to tag along. Radulf tries not to let it on but he smiles more brightly too, quite happy to have her around again after the long absence. P.P. A.: *not to let it show Eurydike waved as they approached, happy they seemed in good spirits. Radulf: “Everyone ready? Then let's head out.” P.P. A.: (What time did we finish last Sunday?) respscorp (GM): (Roughly around 30 mins from now IIRC) Eurydike 'd follow along The path towards the barrows is fairly easy to traverse - overgrown, but there's still a few animal tracks - and here and there the remains of settler habitation as stead that were built too close were quickly abandoned but parts of them still survive many decades later. Blaer follows behind, keeping watch Birds and small wildlife seem abundant here - and accustomed to human presence - more curious than skittish. The plants take a brighter hue and the grass grows tall and suffocating as you get closer until you finally stand in front of the three old barrows and the simple alter erected in front of them by your people. The simple structure sometimes holds sacrifices and gifts - but is presently empty, carrying only traces of ash and dried herbs. The wind here is melodic and otherworldly, too repetitive in a way that almost induces drowsiness. A gaping pit, darker than it has any right to be under the bright sun mars one side of the central hill. Like a gaping eyesocket. Radulf brought a number of coins from the vault with him. Radulf turns to Blaer as the oracle-expert: “You said you had a spell ready? Do we need to do anything to summon them on top of that?” LD: A good question! do we? Blaer begins preparing to cast the spell regardless The ritual prepared by Muiram for Blaer seems straightforward - you need to dab a bit of Radulf's blood on your foreheads and palms, then read the letters on the tabled she had given. The words are themselves a simple beckoning song, not in itself magical, but combined with the tablet and Radulf's blood, supposedly it should do the trick. Muiram usually uses her own blood, but she thought Radulf being on hand is more convenient. Radulf offers his blood for the good cause; the second time he's drawn his own in the last week. The words read, the anointment made, you notice the phantasmal guards that have been there all along - tall, pale men with dark eyes, clad in bronze and strange fabrics of blue and green, their conical helmets glisten under the sun a little strangely, like the angle does not match completely. Left one: "Welcome, neighbors. For what purpose do you come to us?" Blaer looks to Radulf to lead the conversation Radulf lifts his hat. “Greetings. We heard a few stories about this land from a long time ago, and were looking for someone who might tells us more about the distant past—or has perhaps even been there.” Right one: "And what sacrifice are you ready to make for this knowledge?" Radulf: “A sacrifice to someone, something offered in trade; or a personal sacrifice, offering something , in… more spiritual ways?” P.P. A. has talked to enough fair folk to know that the things they value and like to trade for are quite different in nature from the currencies of man. Radulf has talked to enough fair folk to know that the things they value and like to trade for are quite different in nature from the currencies of man. P.P. A.: (that feel when no fair folk gf) Guards: "Ah, you misunderstand, perhaps. We are guards and guides. Depending on how desperate your need we would guide you to those that might satisfy it for a suitable price." "The nature of this price is for others to determine." Radulf nods. “We are curious more than anything.” He looks to the others. “As such, we would part with nothing too dear for this knowledge. I for my part am *quite” P.P. A.: oops Radulf: curious though, so I'd pay a price modest but not completely trivial.” Radulf gets out a few coins from his pocket. He kept these as personal souvenirs and because the images on them fascinated him. Trading these physical mementos for knowledge pertaining too them—the value of gold aside—seems like it'd make sense. Radulf or as fare for the guides. Radulf also looks at the others if they want to chime in. P.P. A.: (or object or caution) Eurydike had no objections Blaer has none either Left Guard: "A simple thing then. I will take you there. Follow me, do not stray and touch nothing." He leads through the dark circle in the barrow. Karli sits down and gives Radulf an apologetic look as if to say "Sorry old friend, but this is one place I will not follow." careful to follow their advice. Radulf: “Let's stick very close together,” he cautions the others. “Perhaps hold hands, even.” Eurydike held out her hands for each of them, they were kind of cold to the touch which probably made things a bit uncomfortable. Eurydike: "Admittedly, I can see in that dark, so." in the dark* holy shit I have brain damage) Blaer: "If this is one of your tricks, Radulf, your hand will be holding onto the sharp end of my hook." Guide: "Darkness will not be an issue for long. But if you want to leave your swords at the door to hold hands, be assured that they will be safe." Radulf: “In this case I'm just worried about any of us getting lost, no lie.” Blaer offers her hand to hold in that case Radulf makes sure that they all form up in a chain, and offers to lead, or for Eurydike to lead. Eurydike would offer to lead, it allowed her to have a free hand to carry around a sword. She'd bring the Sword Blaer made her along as she didn't really want to be left disarmed, not that she'd really be using it unless given the all clear; hacking into people's ancestral dead is generally a poor thing to do. Eurydike: With dark vision in hand, she'd follow the Guide and do her best to prevent her comrades from tripping Radulf sees to it that Thea is in the middle of the group/chain. The dark, dusty burrow abounds with whispers and wails, ephemeral hands grasping at you, trying to grasp clothes or hair. Prepared for it, and holding each other, you keep your cool and soon emerge on an emerald clearing surrounded by a dark, brambly forest. Overhead hang clouds, solid like stone blocks, dark and oppressive. The guide directs you through a path among the giant trees, many of which turn out to be hollowed and inhabited by barrowfolk and stranger creatures, some of which turn to stare after you wordlessly. In the end, he leads you into one of the hollows, remaining by the door as he ushers you in to stand in the company of a luminous being. The woman in front of you appears of indeterminable age - her sullen eyes, the narrow face with delicate features and the pouting, blood-red lips lend her an otherworldly beauty, but in a way that suggests she might be millennia past her prime. Golden hair, frames the face and falls impossibly long over the floor, sparkling in the faint glow of her pale skin. Her nude body possesses something slightly inhuman to it - so spindly and long-limbed. And she appears impossibly tall, easily able to stand more than 5 hands taller than Radulf. Presently, she lays on a large wooden bed, surrounded by piles of tablets, scrolls and pages, trays of abandoned cups and several wilting aromatic flowers. Guide: "I will wait for you outside" Radulf: “Thank you.” With that, he closes the door leaving you alone with the strange woman. The door seems to block all outside noise. Radulf finally lets go of the hands he's been holding, and politely lifts his hat. “Pleased to meet you, miss; I am Radulf, son of Rodemir, and these are Blaer, Thea, and Eurydike.” Eurydike nodded her head upon being mentioned Blaer bows Radulf: retcon to *honoured to meet you The woman... or creature, looks at them with melancholy eyes and outstretches her hand towards them, with the slow, deliberate motion typical of old people despite her pristine looks. Her arm has two elbows. P.P. A.: (In a handshake gesture, a “put something in my hand” gesture, or a slow-mo “trying to grab” motion?) Beansidhe: "What have you brought me?" She sounds exhausted, bored, short of breath. Her palm is outstretched as if waiting for you to give her something. Radulf decides to put the coins in her hand. They represent what he wants to know about, are from that area, and are a price he's willing to pay. Should work. Her hand is cold, colder than Eurydike, and her breathing so shallow that it's almost inperceptible. The barrow woman retrieves the coins and stares at them before turning towards the rest of the group to give them a slow look. Beansidhe: "The rest of you?" Eurydike would give them a few of the coins she picked up if she still had them on her, otherwise she'd just kind of shrug awkwardly Blaer thinks, before offering the bones of a recent kill of hers the coins have convenient holes to be strung in one's hair, so she might still have some of them as mementos. Eurydike went ahead and gave her a few of them then, leaving maybe one or two still in her hair. Thea just smiles and shrugs, she has nothing on her person. respscorp (GM): The barrow woman retreats the offerings and studies them with a heavy sight that probably exhales more breath than she has taken in for your entire stay so far. Suddenly faint and out of breath, her limbs fall to the side of her bed while she silently mouths her throughts and struggles to breathe. Beansidhe: "These are interesting..." She finally speaks, turning to you with a warm, tired smile. Beansidhe: "I can tell you something of the coin's past or the hunter's future..." Radulf: “We came to hear of the coins' past,” Radulf speaks, but turns to look at Blaer, uncertain. If there's something in her future that would be good to know… Blaer shakes her head Blaer: "I can know my future any time I wish. You cannot do that with this coin's past." Eurydike remained silent, fine with either option Beansidhe: "Wise..." She spends a few moments to draw breath LD: from your gwave? Radulf smiles and nods. “Thanks.” He then turns his curious eyes at the spirit. respscorp (GM): (lol) She spends a few moment drawing in shallows breaths before speaking again. Beansidhe: "For the price... you are all willing, and driven by destiny... you cannot pay it. That one... will have to stay with us for two days." The pale giant nods towards Thea. Beansidhe: "Two real days... don't worry." Radulf gulps and looks at Thea, and back at the Beansidhe. He is about to ask what that would entail—but not being Thea's husband yet, it is not his decision. He looks at the wildling then, with neither nod or shaking head, and simply smiles patiently at her. It's obvious by Thea's expression that she wouldn't mind sacrificing two days for Radulf, but also she's really curious about it, really afraid of it, and feeling really sorry for this creature Radulf: “It's your choice,” he encourages her to make it, without rushing her, “and either one would please me, so long as it's yours.” Thea: "This makes me feel more pressured somehow." She looks towards the other women for guidance. Blaer looks back at Thea, and then to the spirit Blaer: "What if I took her place?" Eurydike blinked, frowning Radulf frowns at that too. Beansidhe: "So ready... admirable... but it must be her." Eurydike turned to Thea "Talk to her about what conditions will be like while you remain here, try to get an idea of her intents through subtext as well. Work to judge the situation and make the decision you think is right. No matter what, you'll hopefully learn something" Radulf nods. “Ask what you need to know to make a decision.” Radulf: “Or do you want me to chime in too?” The pale woman smiles warmly at everybody's suggestions but slowly shakes her head. Beansidhe: "Looking for more bargains... is a deep pit." Radulf: ”So any answers about this bargain would themselves have to be bargained for—it's a clean “yes” or “no” thing?” Eurydike remained silent, not sure what she could add that Radulf didn't just say She nods slowly Radulf nods and puts his hands on Thea's shoulder and looks her eye-to-eye: “This land is strange and scary, and those two days would be, too—but it would be too high a price for this knowledge if you had to endure any worse than fear itself and bewilderment.” Radulf: “If I had to make this choice for you, I would decline, because I do not want to expose you to things frightening, all alone.” “To face these difficulties instead is something only you can agree to.” Radulf has in mind that Thea is probably going to have to re-take her rite of passage, harder than the first time, and that this would be good training for her, a leap of faith, facing the uncertain, steeling her nerves—but, as he said, the choice rests with her. Radulf is very much fine with her declining though; he'd have to pick up some of the slack of her weakness, but he wouldn't mind if it's for her. Thea: "Erm, this is fine, I think... I'll do it." Radulf smiles, and hugs her tight. “Thank you.” Eurydike stared at Radulf with a mixture of confusion and surprise, like he'd just released a ferocious animal into the puppy bowl, spraying meat-scent on the poor dogs just rolling the cute little ball around. Once the conversation continued though, she'd look towards Thea with pride, not doing anything yet so Radulf and her could have their moment. Thea: "You'll have the chance to thank me properly later..." Determined not to get empotional and sacred, she steps forward and and takes the pale giant by the hand. The entire room folds and flicks you out, along with the guard, who seems completely unvexed as if this is normal daily stuff. Guard: "Well, guess you'll get what you wanted soon enough. The old lady... she's not very well, you'll have to excuse her." Eurydike frowned slightly, she wanted the chance to slap Thea on the shoulder and congratulate her for taking initiative. Radulf takes a deep breath. He's definitely worried, but also proud of Thea. He glances over to Eurydike, looking for confirmation in her eyes. Radulf: (And by the sound of it finds it there.) And answers will come... next time Eurydike gave a comfortable ga- Radulf asks the guard: “How does… age and illness work among your folk, anyway?” P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! Vodka: ♥♥♥ thanks for the session LD: Good sesh! P.P. A.: we've been at it for five and a half hours after all well worth it though! also some of these descriptions were 10/10 evocative, eerie, yet tasteful Guide: "Not like among yours... she is, unwell because she lacks life. Visitors like you are the only thing that keeps her going on, I think. Many of her age just go to sleep..." The guards shudder with the dread of centenials feeling their midlife crisis aproaching P.P. A.: lel Vodka: brb for a bit respscorp (GM): Hello P.P. A.: \o LD: I live Vodka: yo Previously! A dragon is loose in the countryside, and although it is not targetting your lands, it might prove to be a problematic circumstance one way or another. After some debate (but mostly tea and bread) the heroes decided to consult someone significantly older- the barrow folk. They performed a ritual and were lead into the mist-covered woodlands beneath the barrows, where the roots of the eldest trees live as entire trees of their own. In a giant hollow was a cozy home, and in it an ancient being even among these everyoung ghostly folk was resting. The old barrow-woman promised them some knowledge in return of someone sacrificing a few of their time to her. Now, two days later, they return to the barrow to receive their part of their bargain, as well as to get back their friend. It is a warm, summer day. Birds call and flutter from the trees and insects buzz and scurry around the tall, strangely fecund grasses overgrowing the barrows Eurydike: would have tried to bring along some food and water if she had the chance, a bit concerned that there might not have been any where she was staying. Radulf looks a little nervous, and his usually leisurely steps carry him a bit farther with each. LD: by the way, during the interim it seems like we all wanted to work on a test to see if jewelry would stick for Eurydike. Do we come to any conclusion on that? respscorp (GM): (Ah yes) The experiment is a partial failure. Gold doesn't seem to resist whatever curse this might be - but it breaks neatly at its weakest link, instead of deteriorating altogether until the weakes part gives out. So it actually falls of faster, but is not ruined in any other way. Melliton confides that he had seen someone wear jewellry, but he predicts it's some jealously guarded secret, because he has never heard of how it was made. He is confident Blaer can figure it out but suggests that perhaps a daring heist (for knowledge, not material gains) might be faster. Radulf's inquiry into under dwellers earns him mostly warnings and the knowledge that they can be found in far-off lands as well. Apparently they are quite numerous and vindictive when roused to anger - and also sneaky and indirect. Radulf wondered aloud at that time whether the curse defined “clothes” by their function of covering the body, or by some other way that can be exploited. That the gold jewellery broke at the weakest link seemed like it broke the being-clothes part of it, wrapping around or keeping it on the body. He didn't know what to make out of that at this point, though. Radulf: On their way to the barrows, he shares with Blaer and Eurydike a musing on the warnings he'd been given. “While our oath has us covered, there's something I hadn't considered: what if they wanted the Eye of Ice to give it to someone else, another moral?” “Nothing we can do about it now, of course, but…” Blaer: "Assuming they spoke truthfully about its ability to divine, we should be safe, unless the person they're giving it to just happens to be some warring general watching us to plan the perfect strategy to conquer us." Radulf nods, but also breathes some relief. ”We can never be sure, but we probably shouldn't be anyone's foremost target.” Radulf: “Using it to scry on enemy kingdoms or looking for specific people he has a grudge on would make more sense, and nobody here should be either.” respscorp (GM): (meanwhile, on Mars - "Ah, the EYE! Finally, I can find this prophesized trio of royalblood sleepyhead, iron-handed trapper and bare deathbringer to find where they live") The grass around the gaping maw of the barrow stirs and Thea crawls out, dusty, covered in cobwebs but otherwise unharmed. Then she tumbles forward and falls in the grass with a pained gasp. P.P. A.: (GURPS Wildlands II: A Princess of Mars) Eurydike offered her the food/water she tried to bring as earlier mentioned, her expression indicative of concern, but in the awkward way people who don't often express sympathetic concern have. Radulf hurries to her side and helps sit her up. Blaer would squeeze in next to the two, looking Thea over and checking for any medical issues with her Thea accepts the help and the water, grabbing the waterkin with sudden urgency, but still having the presence of spirit to take small, measured sips. Radulf is still a bit worried, but most of all relieved. He waits until she's drank and eaten her fill before asking: “How have you been?” Her skin is paler and more taut than normal, and there's dark shadows under her eyes, as if a week of thirst and sleeplessness had suddenly been visited on the already skinny girl. She tries to wave everybody's concerns away as she gives herself pause to get some small amounts of food with the water, curling up as her stomach growls with hunger and pain. Radulf realises only now that two days in the real world didn't necessarily mean two days for her in the barrow-world. Thea: "Ah... hells... how long have I been in there. It felt like just an overnight stay." Radulf: “It was two days here as well, as the spirit said.” “Although it felt longer.” respscorp (GM): "It feels... It suddenly feels like I haven't eaten in days." She manages to keep seated, although a bit wobbly It would probably take her at least a day, maybe a couple of them to fully recover. respscorp (GM): "Not that we ate anything, but it just felt like I spent a very long night cleaning up her house and fetching metal tablets for her." Thea suppresses a very long yawn and tries to blink the sleepiness away, shaking her head. Thea: "Speaking of... she told me a lot about the dragon people." Thea eyes Eurydike for a moment, trying to convey something. So devoid of subtlety and guilde is this girl, that Blaer and Radulf have no problem guessing it as well - something about the history of their people was also revealed. Radulf was about to pat her head to let her indulge in her sleepiness, but curiosity wins and he squats down and listens. Eurydike 's facial expression divulged a bit of excitement in regards to the dark revelation, still it was clear she did her best to maintain an empathetic/concerned atmosphere. An empathetic/concerned atmosphere slightly undermined by excited tics Rolling 12-3d6 = 2 Curious “You can rest first if you wish, we have time,” the shepherd says as convincingly as he can. Radulf while he's ever so faintly bouncing in his squat. Thea can read an audience eve if she can't lie to one. So she tries to steel up and, although her speech has a slight drawl to it, she tries to summarize what she learned, interrupting her telling with small yawns and smaller sips of water Thea: "A long time ago, when people first figured out metalwork and built great empires to facilitate it, the Sidhe were already retreating in their barrows to escape war with their old enemies. But they kept an eye on the waking world out of curiosity and concern." "The great cities were ruled by pirest-kings, trying to use the power of their gods to fight each other and dominate the lands, jealously hoarding horses, bronze and gold - the tools of war and what they considered the higher metal of magic... I think I didn't understand that part fully..." "In their wars, they were pressured by circumstance to try new things to survive - because whoever lost would see their lands scoured, themselves consumed by the magic of their rivals, and their people lead into slavery." respscorp (GM): "One such city was on the verge of falling, when a dragon appeared and destroyed the enemy warriors, then left as if saddened. Many pursued the dragon to thank him an ask for spiritual guidance, for in that age humans saw violence as the ultimate mark of enlightenment. Might made right, and so therefore rightness was judged by might..." Radulf listens intently and tries to visualise the scenes she talks about. Thea takes a longer pause to catch her breath. Eurydike listened intently as well, hoping she still had enough comestibles to bribe a story out of her sleep deprived compatriot. Of course, she brought the food regardless of that, and would be happy (albeit less so) to share and then let her go to sleep because she's clearly about to pass out Blaer silently listens along Thea: "Ah... and they finally found him and he taught them the secrets of his transformation before he flew off beyond their reach." Radulf: “For what price, I wonder…” Thea: "I think the problems started later, at least so the story went. What the old one had meditated on for lifetimes, others sought to claim in no time, sometimes without fully understanding. Not all were bad people - many were warriors that sought to server their people better..." Radulf: “Although from what we saw in the vault, the transformation itself was price enough.” Radulf nods. Thea: "Their city grew and subjugated others, and the pursuit of knowledge and the strange draconic wisdom made it a pleasant age for most, supposedly. The fairy... she said that is when our people were created first - stronger than humans but not as gifted as dragons... their lesser cousins in some ways. I tried to ask her more, but she said our destiny was not the subject of the tale." Radulf looks at her and Eurydike. “The kin of dragons…” P.P. A.: (Or however the dwarves phrased it) Thea: "Eventually, their enemies grew desperate and unified against them. By that time the eldest dragons had left, becoming aloof of the world just like the original one. It was a long and terrible war before which only the earlier wars of gods could be considered more destructive and not by much." Eurydike nodded, listening along. This in her mind partially justified the compulsion to lay on all of the coins, but, truth be told, that's probably just because she was weird personally. Thea takes another little pause for food and water before continuing with the conclusion of her tale. Thea: "Their enemies gave birth to golden-helmed giants and summoned demons from the sky to fight the city's dragons on equal terms And with the loss of the original secrets, there were not enough proper dragons to beat them back. Eventually the golden-helmed giants reached these lands and began to scour them of all life. The Sidhe and other older races were worried for the world and beckoned the eldest dragons back to this place - arguing that since the destruction came from their entanglement with the world, it will trap them in it forever unless they intervened one last time." "And so the true dragons were roused, and they descended on the golden-helmed giants and their human hordes as if springing a trap to have lead them all in one place. None survived, and the land was banned from humans for five hundred years, a death on any who set foot inside until the land had had time to heal." "She also said... some of the true dragons saw a stranger truth that day and just lay down to sleep, forming the mountains around us. Thea eyes the nearby peak wearily - the very image of an impressionable young woman trying to tell herself that this is just a fairy tale, and not a true tale told by a fairy. Radulf follows her gaze and seems to recognise something there— before he puts on a polite smile. Eurydike waited tentatively, she was excited for another horrific revelation, though her expression was tempered with a desire to be comforting as it was clear it was putting a degree of stress on her compatriot Radulf looks at Eurydike and slightly changes the topic: “If your people were created then and in that way… I shudder to imagine what magic they dabbled in if they were punished for it by the kingdom turning into man-eating dragons—unless that part of the story is a lie, and they were really conquered ańd enslaved by the dragon-kings.” Eurydike awkwardly looked around, unsure of how to exactly say several months ago, Orphea was very much considering utilizing the blackest of arts to bring her people to the top and devour those who spited them. She instead, opted on a partially uncomfortable "Yep" The universal indicator of I wholeheartedly believe my people are capable of mass-human sacrifice as I was very close to doing it myself. Radulf finds he touched on something even more frightening than the sleeping dragon-mountains he wanted to distract from, and disengages after an awkward laughter. Radulf puts a hand on Thea's head and ruffles her hair, smiling warmly. “Thank you for all your effort. You deserve some rest.” Thea: "Allright!" She beams enthusiastically for a moment before collapsing to sleep. Eurydike returned the awkward, slightly forced laughter. She'd nod towards Radulf's comment, Thea was exhausted and dark revelations were more comfortably delivered while rested. She'd look down, was the spot of ground she was on particularly comfortable? If she could come up with a superior position she'd offer to help carry her to that much better locale.. Radulf keeps stroking her hair a bit, and notes quietly: “She must've been fighting very hard to stay awake to finish the story.” Radulf: “Should I carry her back or should we rest here for a while?” Radulf takes off his cloak, either to lay Thea down on it or, if she's already in a comfortable spot, to use as a blanket. Eurydike: "Might as well carry her somewhere more comfortable, I wouldn't want back pain to be another thing she has to deal with" Blaer: "We should set up camp to let her rest and eat." Radulf nods and picks Thea up, quite happy to do so. The giant grass seems soft enough, but Radulf has heard all sorts of stories about people who let their dreams wander close to barrows, so maybe moving her is for the best. It's not like she weight anything considerable. Blaer pulls out her bow Blaer: "She'll likely be hungry still when she wakes, as will the rest of us." Radulf smiles. “Good thinking.” He looks at her in his arms: “She really needs to put some flesh on her bones.” As if driven by fate, Blaer's gaze slides to the side, a bright spot beyond the thicket. A large stag, majestic and magnificent, with a silvery-white pelt and blood-red horns. It looks at her and starts off, chased by ghostly Sidhe. And although obviously an omen, she struggles to interpret it. Something about hunting... or the past? Blaer stares out in the direction of the omen for several minutes, wracking her brain for answers Radulf if he caught a glimpse of it and Blaer's pained expression afterwards, cocks his head. Eurydike had nothing to add, her mind still hypothesizing a veritable trove of dark revelations that may be the case. Rolling 14 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 5 Blaer finds an abundance of small game tracks, some of it frequented. It seems that small beings cannot sense the barrow ghosts the same way cats and some larger animals seem to do. respscorp (GM): (Checking against Trapping or a Ranged weapon+Stealth to determine ammount of portions) Meanwhile the other probably set up a campsite? P.P. A.: Yeah Survival rolls or is this too routine? Blaer would opt to set up some traps in one area, before hunting in another nearby while she waited, trying to drive any missed kills into the trapped area, if possible Traps Rolling 14 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 7 GM: (too routine to do it around here) P.P. A.: alright Radulf makes quiet conversation with Eurydike while gathering firewood (& chopping it out of earshot of sleeping Thea) and so on: “What do you think the dragons saw that made them become one with the earth?” Eurydike: "Probably the revelation that as time goes on, as all warmth in this world fades away as the light of the heavens begins to wane; the kindling of reality becoming ever more limited, that they too would subsume into the miasmic realm of memories, and then, fade in totality, only for new, albeit slightly different versions of themselves to emerge, carrying out the same song and dance all the wiser. The knowledge that no matter how great they were, they would be forgotten as they had been millions of times before." She said this matter of factly, like it was just sort of something people discussed. "Either way, its pretty neat they decided to become mountains, right?" none the wiser*) Blaer has a chance to relax and focus her mind through the familiar activity and the noise of the wilds. It allows her to put her best into the job and with some luck she manages to return with enough meat to cover the rest of the expedition and even save some for home. Radulf 's eyes glaze over slightly because the end of all things seems quite a bit more distant from his point of view than the mere rise and fall of kingdoms and empires. “It is. I didn't want to say it around Thea, but I've often seen them in my dreams.” Radulf points towards the nearby mountain range: “These ones have a great winged serpent coiling around it,” for example. Radulf: “The mountains in the south when we guarded the ford had another dragon. They are awe-inducing, but I never felt ill at ease beholding it either.” Eurydike nodded unsure of what exactly to say in response to that information. Shrugging she'd comment. "Hopefully the one around this mountain isn't red, we've got ethnic animosities with the Red Serpents right?" Radulf: “It's probably beyond such squabbles. I've never intervened in a war between anthills either.” Radulf scratches his head. Radulf: “Perhaps we should have Aiden talk to one of these, and they could share with him whatever wisdom he needs to lay himself to rest too.” Eurydike shrugged "That's a fair point, it would be nice for him to talk with them and get a better idea." She opted to refrain from mentioning the casual cruelty she expressed towards ants for their high crime of existing near her assorted foods. Thankfully, the large forest ants typical of the regions prefer to keep to their large anthills under the trees and avoid large sunny clearings like this one. Thankfully for the ants. Eurydike damn straight Radulf turns more serious and sits down, looking ominously to the sky. “Even though those were times and worlds far away from ours, I can kind of get what Thea told us of kingdoms going to ever greater lengths to fight each other.” Radulf: “Since Blaer's prophecy and the news of the king in the old homeland, I've been worrying about that too. If he comes to invade with a lot of men, to stand a chance against him we'd have to make the other villages and clans here obey and fight under us. We talked about this before.” “To defend ourselves we'd have to wage war on others first, grow more powerful, more numerous.” “Now, that wicked king is far away—but if all the clans here lived in cities bigger than the market town and had men and arms to spare for conflict, I'd be much more worried, perhaps desperate, for the safety of our home.” Radulf scratches his head. “Throw in magic as a means to fight against greater numbers or stronger warriors…” Through cobwebs of time, Eurydike remembers something she read as the Ladies supposedly once said - "No-one travells a fortnight to chop a useless tree." Eurydike nodded, listening to his suggestions, some time ago she'd seek to egg this on, but she really didn't want to see her idealized, and well thought out forever-war of expansion. "Magic serves as a good force multiplier, though, all things considered, a competent empire would simply stage a battle they're unable to win, but can hold for time enough to use more mobile forces to slaughter animals and raze farmland. Direct conquest of the other tribes may lead to the imperial realization of a greater threat, than a mutual-defense treaty leading into possibly federating would. Seeking that sort of arrangement would also make us more difficult to conquer, as, it would be harder to effectively rule over a band of disparate people expecting their own things, than one people already united and ironed out with force." She was rambling, but that too Radulf tries to follow: “You're saying that the bigger you grow, the bigger and more identifiable a target you become?” Radulf: “While just having a lot of alliances means you're just as dangerous to attack as a big kingdom, without being as much of a threat for others to worry about, and without conquest being as straightforward?” Eurydike: "Essentially, its a less exciting idea of deterring an empire, but if they have to police a whole lot of different cultures that hate them for unique reasons, instead of one organized group that can be pretty easily broken by slaughtering a cities population and sending colonists to outnumber the remaining locals, yeah. We might want to try and make this place seem worse than it is though, as empires sometimes work on letting people slaughter foreigners for their land, and well, its a hard sell to go to a hostile locale to kill people for land that isn't particularly appealing." Radulf nods. “Send a message of ‘There isn't much here but we're going to fight every bit of it‘?” Radulf: *fight for every bit of it Eurydike: "That's a decent enough idea, how much you want that to be honest is subjective though. We really ought study the economic interworking of the empire too incase we do come into conflict so we can know where to desperately try to sneak and burn down so they..." She shrugged "Yeah, a message of we don't have much but we'll jump out of bushes and stab you repeatedly is the way to go" Awkward silence while Thea sleeps and Blaer takes care of food. Eurydike was indeed a major contributor to awkward silence Radulf smiles and breaks it eventually: “You're really put a lot of thought into this. Did you learn that much about your history?” Eurydike: "I think about my history a lot, but it was just that I had a lot of free time and had to consider every potential issue which would impact my people, which was...a lot given our history" Eurydike shrugs, glad he seemed to finder her paranoia useful instead of deeply disturbing. Radulf: “You'd make a very good leader… If you keep, er, some of your in check, haha.” As the conversation carries on, Thea wakes up and drags herself closer, listening in. Her long years spent mostly on her own in the wilds have built a habit of taking sleep only in short bursts. Radulf: “It's good to be able to draw on the experiences on the past.” “That's part of why I'm so curious to find out more what happened. I don't know much about the world—seems like learning about the mistakes others made before me saves me the trouble of learning the hard way.” Radulf sits back. “And it's fascinating—takes your mind to places far away and long ago.” P.P. A.: (Is Thea sneaking or do we easily notice?) Eurydike: "I appreciate it, honestly I'd prefer to direct people less prone to brutality, than lead myself, even though I recognize that I and everyone I know will die one day, its hard for me to refrain from saying the ends justify the means." She nodded in agreement with that, "It is definitely preferable to have past-people mess up so you don't have to." Radulf: “Although I must say, they sure found ways to mess up I'd never even thought of,” he laughs, mass human sacrifice for dragon transformations and golden-helmeted giants sounding very distant now. Eurydike nodded too, sharing the casual mirth that comes from laughing at people lacking the benefit of hindsight. Thea is not really sneaking, just moving closer to listen in. Having spent most of her conscious years in the wilds fending for herself, she's not very learned on these topics so she just listens. Radulf beckons her to sit next to him. By that time Blaer has also finished dressing the animals and is free to join the others. Blaer: "Another normal hunting trip done" Blaer says this with a hint of smugness Radulf grins. “Thank you as always. You'll have to teach me sometime—you make it seem as if the forest's just full of food waiting to be caught.” Radulf has done some hunting before but for want of attention or care, he usually finds less animals and catches yet less. Radulf: “Who knows, maybe I could even catch another Thea with enough practice.” Blaer: "Considering you weren't the one to catch the first, you have a ways to go." Radulf: “Indeed, I have much to learn.” Radulf glances at the wildling with a smirk. “I'll have to study this one carefully to learn more about their habits.” Thea: "You might find that kindness keeps more than skill can catch..." "Anyway, what were you talking about earlier? Being too undesirable to catch?" Radulf nods. “Basically. Rather like how a wolf makes for a poor dinner, and you'd only hunt one if its pack keeps killing your sheep, but not otherwise.” Radulf: “Well, or for the pelt and glory.” Eurydike listened in, not sure of what to add to the conversation Radulf addresses her: “From the sound of it, your people have quite a few secrets and riches—not even counting the women—but you keep them well-hidden. You can't desire something you don't even know is there, after all.” Thea: "Thrill of the hunt, yeah." She supresses a big yawn, turning towards Blaer. Thea: "We never talked about that night before... I'm still not sure why you ran after me back then? I guess caution? Or not willing to give up on an advantageous situation?" "Don't know much of the secrets. Probably Melli would know most. He was mixed up with the powerful from what I understand." "But he hates talking about it." Blaer: "I would say it was the guidance of the spirits. I had consulted them and they told me to head north to meet a greater fate." Thea: "And that worked out for both of us, but I meant more... that specific moment when you ran after me in the dark." Blaer thinks back to that moment Blaer: "Perhaps a bit of it was caution. At the time we thought we were being pursued...or, perhaps it was the thrill of the hunt." "I don't think I've really tracked other people until then, and the prospect of catching one seemed like a deed worth merit." Blaer smirks a bit Blaer: "Especially considering I managed to set up a trap and drive you into it, all while chasing you." Thea: "Yeah, I can see that I think." "It got me thinking about what they were talking about - even if you're not very rich or desireable, someone might pursue you just for the sport of it, or because it's what they do." "I know it sounds dumb, but I've been thinking about this a bit while you guys have adventures - about how people can get caught up doing things just because..." Radulf ponders that thought and nods. “One thing leads to another, difficulties met dare you to overcome them…” Thea: "I think the old Orphea would have said... it's better to just hit first and hit hard. I dunno what you think about it now Eurydike, but maybe it's not worth worrying too much when all things end eventually?" "Erm, like I said, this is all a bit beyond me." Eurydike: "Essentially, yeah, maybe more hit at an opportune moment, but yeah I've been worried a lot less, its more about doing everything I can to help the people I care about and chase arbitrary goals I want, instead of monolithic ambitions. I still enjoy travelling and pursuing goals though, Radulf is right that consistent difficulties help you get better at dealing with difficulties." Radulf thinks to the animal kingdom for analogies that'd help make sense of these thoughts. “Let's see… there are animals that just try to hide themselves, or run away—unworthy of man. Others can be killed by someone stronger, but they put up so much of a fight that most hunters would rather chase easier prey. And then, of course, there are the hunters, the strongest, that other animals fear.” Radulf: “To hunt a king, you need a kingdom of hunters.” He doesn't want to seem weak and unambitious in front of Thea, but he must admit: “That's a lot of effort. Being known as a hunter who protects his own territory will fight back very hard should be enough to keep others away, if they're also lazy.” Thea: "You forget another group, probably because you've grown up among them." She slaps the ground next to her and Carli promptly lays down, glad to receive some pets and scratches. Eurydike smiled a bit awkwardly but quickly returned to her resting expression. Radulf is happy to see them get along. It's a viable strategy, sure—but as much as he likes Karli, being some king's dog sounds rather ignoble. Thea: "Karli is a good dog. But I think more importantly, Karli knows you're a good person and is happy to be your friend." Radulf has an ‘oh’ expression; he blushes slightly and scratches his head, averting his eyes to hide his happy smile. Thea: "People already have it as a saying - being somebody's dog. Some of the newcomers complain about king's dogs. But in the eyes of those other persons, maybe their master is a good man and our kind - just wolves to be exterminated to clear more farmland." Thea supresses another yawn. Thea: "My mind feels... off-centre after that visit in the barrow... sorry if I ramble too freely, I think I'll turn in early so I can be on even footing with the rest of you in the morning..." Radulf: “Well, here we know the king next door to be cruel and a bad ruler.” He agrees with the sentiment though: “To be a good king's friend who guards his herds, though… Why not?” Eurydike suddenly found a tree waaaay in the distance to be interesting, she'd opt to go ahead and look at that tree, and away from the conversation. Man, what a good tree. Radulf ruffles her hair again. “Not at all, these were good thoughts. You should share them more often.” P.P. A.: (Hopefully Blaer's spell has worn off by now so Eurydike doesn't see the tree or resident dryad blush and wave back at her) Blaer works on preparing the meat to eat while the two lovebirds talk Karli, free from Thea's attention, arrives to drool at the meat and act hungwy and pathetic Radulf broaches the topic of Thea's rite of passage though, even if she's sleepy; delaying it won't bear any good fruit. Eurydike and Blaer we welcome to chime in: “By the way, Thea, do you plan on retaking your rite of passage?” Eurydike opted not to comment, that tree, man. P.P. A.: Eurydike be like “apex predator or bust” Blaer feigns denying the dog some of the meat, but quickly gives up the facade Thea: "I was thinking... maybe your people's rite if it matters. But maybe I should just gather my courage and try again Shouldn't you worry about bigger things though? Big flying things?" Radulf: “I mainly want everything to be settled on your family's side. I mean, I could imagine worse than being dragged off by a clan of naked women citing obscure marriage laws, but…” Radulf nods at the dragon thing though, and speaks up: “Blaer, Eurydike and I talked earlier and figured we should have Aiden meet one of the mountain-dragons.” Radulf: “They could speak to him with more authority and understanding, and convince him to join them in their slumber.” “Better than we probably could, at least.” Eurydike: "He may be able to convince them to wake up too, we ought speak more thoroughly with the dragon before we commit to anything. To delegate personal issues to higher powers, gets higher powers involved for good or ill" She'd shrug, not totally sure if that would happen, but she would like to not cause the apocalypse to prevent a significantly less serious great tragedy. Blaer: "I wonder what purpose awaking a mountain range's worth of dragons would serve that a single one could not easily accomplish" (To GM): I forgot, in Radulf's dream-walking, was the mountain-serpent asleep or just idle? IIRC it was the latter Eurydike: "Its less for a purpose and more for the fun of waking up and stretching one's legs I'm worried about. I wasn't the only one who kicked anthills right?" (From GM): It was idly snaking it up with its pharos-like eyes, either circling the peak like snakes circle things, or just wiggling with motions unbefitting something so gargantuan. Radulf gives Eurydike a look, but the point stands. Eurydike was apparently the only one who kicked anthills Radulf: “That Aiden's motivation too, you're right.” “Although, uh… They're already awake, so no need to worry about that.” Eurydike: "Oh, that's a relief." She said, smiling softly before shrugging. "I see less of a problem with the dragon talking to them then, though we really should try and assess their thoughts and desires personally before seeking the aid of hyper powerful beings." Radulf nods. “Either way we need to meet and talk to him again, and then see how to proceed.” Eurydike: "Sounds like the reasonable thing to do" GM: (So, what's the short-term plan? Hunt small dragon or go talk to big one? Or trust astral-Radulf to talk to the big one?) P.P. A.: Talk to small dragon, then figure out whether to hunt him. Radulf talking to big dragon in the meantime/on the journey to small dragon to explore that option, too as IO understood it On the next morning, you head home and make ready for a longer journey. Some of the lands you will go through will be hostile and stealth might be paramount. Thankfully, you're not there to raid, so avoiding notice might be easier. You are also not lacking for volunteers to accompany you. Radulf might also take the evening before as a chance to poke the big dragon spirit nearest In-between that, Blaer, as the most pragmatic, realizes that word of you returning with a dragon's treasures might start to spread. The hoard itself is probably safe - the location is very hard to find. But there might be an uptick in would-be treasure hunters roaming the wilds. And how it all turns out, we'll see next time! GM: (we can cover dragon talking after a short break today or over Discord P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! Vodka: ♥♥♥ Thanks for the session P.P. A.: I'd prefer Discord later/next week if that's fine, still got some stuff to do tonight GM: that's cool Previously On the Frontier After several days waiting, the heroes went to retrieve Thea from the barrow folks' hollow. She appeared exhausted and starved as if having spent many days without any food or rest, but otherwise unharmed She relayed to them a story of the past, and the heroes laid out a plan - while making ready to go looking for the dragon, Radulf will go try talking to the giant dragon spirit her sees every night snaking around the closest mountain peaks. And so he did, now coming to the usual meeting spot under the old walnut tree to relay his findings to the others on the next morning. Radulf feels his throat a little nervously. His speech is a little awkward at first—he stumbles over a few words—but after he's gotten into the flow, it goes away and he relaxes again. Radulf: “The dragon allowed me a glimpse into its mind,” he begins. “It… My memory of it is a little hazy, and I remember more feelings and impressions than… words and knowledge, but the gist of it is thus:” “As they grew older and yet not older, the immortal dragons grew… not really weary of the world, but maybe they didn't really feel part of it anymore, which is why they first left.” “They still felt some attachment to their mortal humans descendants though. When that terrible war broke out with the golden-helmeted giants, they returned because… It wasn't so much that it was their responsibility, but that war and all that led to it was kind of their tether to the world, how they were entangled in the world's fate, and so they had to sever it, put an end to it.” “Most of them left again to the gods know where, but a few, like the one of this mountain, stayed behind for their own reasons. Like… dozing, watching the sheep graze in the shade of a tree on a sunny day.” “And the sheep and grass are the fates of men, and the day is centuries.” Radulf scratches his head, trying to relate how he understands what he remembers the best way he can. Radulf: “The dragon we woke up is, by their reckoning, young and immature, and perhaps out of tune with his nature or his place in the world.” Radulf shrugs. “I think talking to him would do no harm. The mountain-serpent said we could send the dragon to it, too, so they could talk dragon-to-dragon.” respscorp (GM): Thea, who has been watching Radulf with some concern but was too curious to interrupt, finally speaks out. Thea: "Radulf... what is wrong with your tongue?" Radulf grows a bit pale. “It's… not back to normal?” He sticks it out and tries to look at it (seeing maybe only the tip). Eurydike listened along, she'd go ahead and take a look at radulf's tongue when he took it out as well. Blaer would examine the tongue from the medical perspective, trying to find any signs of illness on it Radulf's tongue has a bright red Y mark on it, as if someone had recently cut into it and has barely had time to heal. As if his tongue was mutilated until it resembled one of a snake or serpent. Eurydike blinked, that certainly was a bright red mark. Radulf: “Ah han't thee ih, ith ih heathy?” Radulf doesn't really feel anything, physically speaking. Radulf closes his mouth again and moves his tongue around a bit. “It feels normal.” He sees the concerned expressions on everyone else's faces though. “What does it look like?” Blaer: It looks like someone tried to give you a serpent's tongue Eurydike nods, that about summed it up Radulf winces. “That's what it felt like.” He mimics a clawing with his hand. Radulf: “It had to… do some things to make me more like it so I could understand it. Wasn't pleasant.” “Anyway, I'd rather not dwell on that part.” Thea: "I don't know how to feel... dragons, underdwellers, barrow dwellers... feel creepy and dangerous. But then I also felt the same way about your people as well." Radulf shakes his head. “This is different. They live in a world of their own, or perhaps worlds of their own.” Blaer: "We seem to be treading into the world of the spirits more and more, with less and less trepidation, each passing day" Radulf: “I wonder if that's good. It might be for the best that they're usually hidden from us. They aren't bad or dangerous by intent, but I don't think they see the world or live in it like we do.” Radulf smiles at everyone present (and pets Karli): “We here can talk about the same things, and do things together…” he tries to find the right words, “that affect our lives in proper ways.” Radulf: “Dragons and fair folk and the like can talk to us, help or harm us, but it's not something they really share in, I think.” Karli barks softly and whines low, as if to remind everyone there is stuff to be done, things to move for. He seems to care little for your talks other than the simple pleasure of being included in them. Eurydike appreciated Karli's inclusion in discourse, not having much to add herself Radulf: “Should we tell the elders and ask to go meet Aiden?” Eurydike nodded, it seemed like the right course of action Blaer: "It would be best to let them know before we headed out" Thea shrugs, a bit unsure there is a point, but not seeing any drawback. Karli just trots around slowly to keep himself moving. Soon all of them summon the elders for a quick recap of their findings. After being briefed, the few that came on such short notice encourage you to follow your plans but advise caution. Radulf: “We could wait until he's burned himself out and starts to get lonely or bored, but solving the problem sooner rather than later might raise our standing among the people in the area.” Radulf doesn't know how these dragons perceive time. Around a week since they woke him up, maybe another until they get to him… Elder: Wassa "Something tells me this might be one thing we shouldn't be too eager to take credit for... but I guess you might as well or some other young fool will do it eventually." Eurydike nodded, she had something to say but Elder Wassa had a good point. Radulf nods. “It wouldn't be good to make any of this known.” Radulf: “Someone seeing us show up in the region and the dragon's activity ending a couple of days later couldn't hurt though.” Eurydike: "Solving the problem without admission of guilt is unlikely to make many enemies" Radulf: “The longer the dragon stays active, the more questions are going to be asked about his origin.” Radulf asks the present elders if there is anything to know about the area they'll be traveling through, like particular tactics of local hostile clans or unusual wildlife. Presently there's only Adelrad and Wassa, but whil this is not their sphere of expertise they have a good idea of who knows what about what. To sum it up - the wilderness is poorly explored and still dangerous, but there are known paths. But the known paths are most often patrolled. There will be mounted patrols around important assets - 3-4 experienced warriors on horseback, using it for speed and transport of weapons, not for fighting. But these will not cover the areas away from important wealth like sheep or crops. With the coming harvest weeks, patrols will be more on guard, but there will be fewer other people. And traditionally, only a fool or a This is indeed true, though they seem to have a soft spot for Blaer and are always welcoming when she comes to visit, so if Radulf has any plans that require a sword... Rolling 14 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 0 Either way, the first leg of the journey proceeds without problem, with Eurydike and Blaer cooperating to find good paths and keep the party supplied with foraged food and fresh water. After several days, you exit the deep wilds and find yourself climbing down the slope towards the river separating you from the Hiordling lands - not too far from the place where you first met Thea. The area seems like it has seen more traffic since last time... Rolling 11-3d6 = 3 Perception It seems there have been armed men camping around the area some time ago - leftovers of several camps that had been maintained for multiple weeks. They seem to have gone away now. Radulf scratches his head and looks at Thea and Blaer: “Think this was the Hiordlings out for revenge after their last coupleof defeats, or trying to defend their border?” Blaer: "Perhaps they were hoping to catch us one more time and get their revenge." The way downhill seems clear enough all the way down, though anything can be hiding among the rough terrain and the dense woodland. And then there's the issue with crossing the river. Radulf: “Eurydike, can you see in what direction they left when they broke camp?” Eurydike went ahead to check out if she could get a better idea of where they were heading, she'd request Blaer help her out because two sets of eyes are better than one, y'know? Radulf would want to avoid their route, but if the river crossings in the area are limited, they might not have many choices there. Blaer would agree to help out, though she silently questions how she could have missed the obvious signs they had pointed out before GM: (Obviously it's weird weather - isn't she overconfident?) LD: I interpreted overconfident as overvaluing your abilities before you do the thing, not rationalizing failing after the fact The pair split up to cover more ground and avoid distracting Eurydike by accidentally glancing at her. It seems the people who camped here eventually headed northeast towards existing river crossings. Blaer even remembers one of them being like a small settlement on this side of the river - a stead and 3-4 huts, mostly hunters and woodsmen, but offering their boats to others of their clan for a quick trip across or down the river. GM: (faiir enough) LD: How long has it been since the family travelers came? It has been slightly more than a month since you met, though probably slightly less than some weeks since they've reached their destination. Blaer: "On second thought, perhaps this was a camp set by or for our recent visitors to this land." It is possible, but they most likely would have taken the long way around. Unless something strange happened. In both cases, it seems that whoever was here left at least a week ago. Radulf asks Blaer and Eurydike: “Would a band of warriors hunt and forage differently from travelling families?” Radulf idly keeps an eye out for any marks of weapons. Radulf: (On trees, bones) Eurydike shrugged, thinking to herself. She didn't have a soldier skill so her frame of reference wasn't really there. GM: (most clan warriors probably wouldn't have it either, being either proto-nobles, proto-mercenaries or just regular folk who also fight) The clues point towards this being more of an organised outing for armed men. The firepits are deep and there's plenty of burried bones in one burried pit Blaer manages to find. Seems someone came here for a reason, eventually turned it into a holiday, then finally walked back home. P.P. A.: heh The coming harvest season may or may not have something to do with that last part. Blaer takes the bones and uses them for the ritual to ask the spirits for guidance Radulf asks Thea: “You spent some time around here before we met, right? What do you know of the river crossings here?” P.P. A.: (I assume she came along since we talked about taking her with us on our outings more) GM: (Yes, but also what does Blaer ask the spirits? They usually just point out the best option out of several.) Thea: "I've never been across the river, but I've gone down to it a lot." Thea thinks of several small cottages of people that you can either avoid or use as a place to spend the night in the comfort of an actual building. Blaer: (What is the best route across the river? Choosing between following the path used by these recent travelers, heading towards a settlement on the river, or forging their own trail) Radulf would prefer to draw little notice since they're encroaching upon enemy lands and they don't want to advertise the whole dragon thing. The complicated tangle of bones and twine points towards "uncertain, but maybe do not follow". Blaer knows such hazy results are at least never misleading, even if they're not very useful. Radulf: “Well, here's a different idea: we cross wherever is convenient and the farthest away from nearby fields and pastures.” “That way if someone calls for reinforcements they won't arrive until we're gone, if they even bother.” Blaer: "That sounds like a good plan." Eurydike: "Yeah, makes sense to me" Radulf asks Thea and Blaer if they know of such places, isolated riverside homesteads well away from the main ones or simply fords. Blaer has rarely ranged through the deep wilds, but she still has some knowledge of it perhaps... Rolling 13-3d6 = -1 for Home, minus modifiers P.P. A.: nvm :DDDD LD: that roll is before modifiers Radulf: “That sounds good,“ he answers Thea, his only memory of the general area being some dazed nightly wanderings once. Blaer knows of a few places. Maybe even the same places Thea learned to avoid. There is one place nearby, a bit upstream and not entirely adjacent to the river. Some small clan of hunters that like it there. Blaer: "Follow me." Blaer begins leading them to that destination LD: Also, I'm afraid I need to leave now. Got family obligations to attend to GM: Godspeed (Glad we at least got the ball rolling, this has been a very cursed week in terms of RP) Radulf: Thanks for the session! P.P. A.: er ^ Was something with the Shattered Worlds Tuesday campaign? Vodka: Thanks for the session! I reside in a deep, dark horror of Radulf's ever growing self awareness of the nature of his existence! ♥ Blaer leads the party to a nearby valley, where a large lodge is present. Several smaller buildings, a couple of barns, a goatpen and a large plot dedicated to beeshives. One very large, hairy and portly fellow recognizes Blaer after approaching and waves at her - his every motion menacing with the inevitability of an incoming bear hug. NEXT TIME respscorp (GM): Hi Vodka: yo P.P. A.: \o LD: Hello Previously! On the Frontier! The heroes set out north to look for the Dragon, hoping to avoid any unnecessary contacts along the way. As they approach the river separating the mountain wilds, they find many tracks suggesting that warriors had been out here in force for some time before leaving the area. Eager to avoid any chance encounters, they skirt to the west, and Blaer leads them to one family lodge she's visited several times in the past. The Portly Homestead is a large longhouse with several attached buildings, nestled comfortably in a small depression of the terrain, protected by the winds by the close slopes and by the springtime floods by jagged stones jutting from the slope just over it. As you approach, one large specimen of the family inhabiting this home waves and beckons you closer, his massive arms and warm smile threatening near-fatal hugs to all nearby. Eurydike presumably received and reciprocated a hug with all the awkwardness that comes from hugging a cold to the touch, naked, weapon of the god of ending things. Radulf doesn't mind. Blaer braces for the crushing bear hug, but even her years of repeat exposure does little to mitigate the force Blaer speaks amongst the crushing Blaer: GM: The large, round, soft, hairy, bearded, fuzzy, wool-clad, gargantuan middle-aged man doesn't seem to discriminate or mind. He gives everyone a body-crushing hug. Even Karli gets picked up like he is still a pup. Caedda Portly: "Welcome, welcome. It's been a long time, come, come, let me introduce you to the family... whoever's here at this time anyway!" Eurydike follows along, not having much to say but doing her best to be polite and honor the hospitality and all that. Radulf happily engages in small talk but lets Blaer handle the overall interaction, since she knows these people. Caedda: "Oh, my, yes, where are my manners also. I am Caedda, son of Wigstan, of the Portly Lodge... and this here is the wife..." He waves over to a rather large, broad-shouldered and round-faced woman boiling something in a large pot over an open fire. What follows is the introduction of an endless stream of teens, old ladies, live-in househands, a young smith (the pride of the household), pots of newly boiled fruit preserves, cheeses, venison... and very gradually you find yourself seated for lunch. Blaer sighs as they find themselves sat at the table Blaer: "Every time, like a spell cast upon you, they find a way to string you through pleasantries and into a meal with them." Eurydike did her best to acknowledge and show appropriate respect to the various introduced peoples. Smiling warmly, albeit showing telltale signs of discomfort at being in so many people's fields of view. Her conversational skills were appropriately lacking from such events and her focus rested primarily on the food, except at times one's speaking suggested a need to indicate focus. Radulf: “A most heinous kind of subterfuge,” Radulf jokingly responds to Blaer as he samples the food. He's making an effort to remember names and take pressure off of Eurydike in the table conversation. Blaer seems to readily engage in pleasantries with the Portly family, despite her statement, even seeming to enjoy herself Eurydike gave a smile towards Radulf before resuming her study of the real or imagined intricacies of the table before her. Blaer in particular chats up the smith in the family, exchanging stories and boasts about their feats and techniques Gradually, the conversation shifts from introductions towards news from the wider world, especially about things they've only seen or heard hints of rumors about. A dragon flying around the mountains, the "forest girls" openly talking to outsiders, strange constellations, immigrants from the Old Country and traders from the far north. Some Old Lady: "You've heard of some of these things, no doubt?" Blaer: "We've lived through most more than others have heard of them." Radulf laughs out loud at that. Radulf: “Wait, strange constellations?” Radulf looks at Blaer: “Perhaps your star-archers…?” Blaer also finds out the boy is still mostly an amateur. Living out here in the woods doesn't help much the exchange of ideas - she can probably give him a lot of pointers. Caedda: "Ah, some hiordling boy was here some time ago with his friends. Climbing up the mountain to get a better look or somethinb, because he thought he'd seen something strange. He also mentioned the northerners" Blaer: "Hmm...are the constellations still there?" Everybody around the table shrugs. Blaer though probably keeps some eye out on the skies regularly, because of her connection to them... and hasn't noticed anything obviously strange. So it's either very hard to notice, was very temporary, or is just an error. Radulf: “How long ago was that?” Radulf tries to recall when they had their divine LARP/rite of passage and proposes something in thta ballpark. Young Man: "Naye, it was more recent than that. I remember it clearly, because a day after they left I saw that dragon fly low over the trees." Radulf strokes his chin, intrigued, and looks to his companions: “We were travelling that day, right? It may have been something we witness or were involved in.” Seeing as how you know little of these topics, the hosts try to squeeze out of you information about things that you do know. Do forest girls drink blood? Can they climb moonbeams? Is the dragon here to herald the coming of the end of the world? Or just flying in from the fabled Dragon Mountain because he was lost and hungry? How many people are coming from the Old Country? Are they really as many as those already living here? Does the Old Country even exist? Blaer tries to answer all the questions as tactfully and wittily as possible Eurydike sort of struggled to answer questions given all the eyes, though if nobody else would give the answers of "No, and usually no" for the forest folks, she'd go ahead and bite the bullet, she was sure she heard of at least one person walking on moonbeams but that might have been made up. If her comrades left it at no for the moonbeam debacle she'd be content with that as well. Radulf isn't 100% sure that Orphea/Eurydike has never drank any blood but doesn't say as much. “If you ever climb to the moon, will you take me with you?” he asks Thea jokingly? Radulf: -? Thea who is already a little overwhelmed by the attention appears to be trying to will herself invisible, or else to burn a hole into the ground and sink into the depths, away from human eyes Radulf notices and quickly moves the topic away from her to add to Blaer's answers by relating some stories the migrants from the Old Country told. “We've never been there ourselves but it sounds like a much busier place than here, where it's easier to step on each other's foot.” Caedda: "Ah yea, obviously. My old grandpa may he rest in peace, he always said it was like that. Especially in winter, he was either melancholic we don't have much neighbours or happy that we didn't. Many towns there as well, from what he used to tell. Of course the kids these days, some of them haven't even seen the Market." Topic successfully shifted, the conversation slowly splinters and dies down as people eat and drink. Radulf hets the occasional jab about being a lucky lad with his large entourage of ladies, but it quickly dies down as their original intention was to poke fun at Radulf, not make said ladies uncomfortable. Arrangements are also made to give you one of the side buildings as a sort of of guest house for the night and some of the younger relatives are sent to air it out and tidy up. Eurydike was overjoyed to be able to retreat to privacy, she did her best to maintain smiles and other such things, but her pace and sigh of relief made it pretty apparent she was not having the grandest of times at the family dinner. Still, she was grateful and would put in the effort to stammer out her thanks for the lodging. Radulf thanks them for the hospitality more warmly. He really appreciates it, moreso since he expected an uncomfortable trek deep into hostile lands—so finding such respite here, a good meal, a roof, etc. is quite a cause for relief. Blaer loses track of the time lecturing the young smith on the proper techniques for smithing, having to occasionally adjust her advice to no longer have the assumption that you can just strap a tool to your arm As people start to leave and get back to their daily chores, it starts to become apparent some of the women want to discuss something with Eurydike. Akwkward, meaningful glances are exchanged as if the presence of men is not ideal, and eventually the last remaining young man invites Radulf outside to look at some wood carvings. Radulf can see that he's unwelcome and thus gladly obliges. Learning a bit more, or new inspiration, would be good anyway. Eurydike obliged them, she'd request to talk on the other side of a wall if possible however. Blaer sticks around for the conversation if she is allowed, and otherwise joins Radulf in the wood carving watch The wood carving are actually interesting at least. Made by a master who owed the family's patriarch a favor from the times of the exodus, supposedly. Blaer is very much welcomed, as a sort of intermediary since it is assumed the two young women are friends due to travelling together. Radulf makes the best of it, admires and closer inspects the craftsmanship, etc. offscreen for as long as needed Some Lady: "It's about my girl Alfthrys. I don't know how to approach this - we've known your people live in the woods since the times of Grandpa - but always reclusive and on the other side of the wilds, so we mostly ignored each other... occcasionaly leaving offerings in the woods, occasionally getting something back like a strange knife or an interesting piece of food." Some other lady: "Alfthrys always was a little strange and wild. We don't mind that in our children, not much, but she's always been a bit strange... well don't look at me this way Cydgun, you know it's true..." Eurydike made the affirmative sets of sounds to indicate she was listening, as body language wasn't really an option if they were kind enough to let her listen from behind a wall. Not behind a wall, but they will oblidgingly look away, interpreting it as some religious thing or a strange magical thing, like other supernatural woodland beings possess. Eurydike found the compromise acceptable, glad her means of reducing discomfort was viewed as cool ritualism rather than embarrassing. (From GM): Meanwhile Radulf, now not in the company of his femal companions, will get some more direct questions about the sort of topics young men are curious about. Since they live remotely and the older family members are very strictly against incest, the young men usually have to go far (by their reckoning) in search of brides and compete with more refined and often wealthier lads. So they are curious about Radulf's travelling with and flirtin with a forest lady - for them these were mythical, fairy-like creatures (also said to drink blood, rescue lost children and kidnap young women to make them join them). Cydgun: "Anyway... as I was saying before some people had to butt in... Alfthrys decided at some point she is a forest lady... as if it's a thing someone decides! She's a good girl, not meaning no harm, but I'll be very thankful if you could give her a good telling off, being one yourself and everything..." (To GM): Radulf is careful not to mention the things that Orphea and Thea long kept secret, or the more racy bits like the polygamy. He emphasises rather that they are humans, albeit with some magical abilities, and thus relatable—but also that they have a very different culture: more competitive even within families, secretive and generally uncomfortable with strangers… If you can get to know an individual, though, they make for pleasant company and surprisingly strong fighters. (To GM): He mentions that he wants to marry Thea, and that she is lovely indeed, but that, for everything to be in order and for no unpleasant consequences later, this is going to require a bit of politicking and still learning more about their customs to make sure her extended family isn't going to have objections. (To GM): He doesn't mention that “consequences” and “objectionbs“ from her extended family may or may not involve being dragged off to be a communal husband of an extensive, all-female household. Eurydike: "I could give her a few horror stories or something, and try to tell her off. Is anything else going on with her? Just telling her off might be good for the short term, but, you know, we really ought try and find her an identity to work with instead of just shoot down hers and leave her with void." Eurydike paused. "Its mainly just the mystique of our culture she's drawn to right?" (To GM): tl;dr; they're nothing to be afraid of if you don't make them your enemy, and the fascination is warranted, but a cute normal girl from a village nearby would be less complicated to get involved with. Blaer simply watches for the moment, letting Eurydike talk (From GM): Everybody seems to just hear "Yes, it is possible, but as MAGICAL PEOPLE, there will need to be some quests and trials involved. Someone objects that as clearly magical people, it can't be considered human in sense other than "fellow living beings worthy of respect for their quirks and strangeness". Since the Portly blood seems to skew towards producing big lads and woodlands living is hard work, someone also discreetly asks if all of the forest girls are small and skinny like these two. And also some small talk about hunting and axes. (To GM): He also mentions that the one male wildling he knows is a good guy but he chose to flee from his home and now rather lives with the Cygwin, secretive as to why, so make of that what you will. The woman look at each other, feeling a little humbled by Eurydike's fancy talk, but unwilling to complain since a devotee of a dark (but necessary) god mentioned scary mystical words like "void" Blaer: "Basically, she wants to figure out something your child can want to be instead of being a forest lady." Cydgun: "Well, talking to her might not hurt anyway... She just ignores us, because she's heard it all before. A good girl otherwise, always helping around" Other Lady: "As long as the helping does not involve housework..." (To GM): He keeps the heritable curse to himself, that seemed like something Eurydike was very embarassed about (From GM): As polite, well-raised boys, they take the idea of overly-strict matriarchs with due seriousness. Their minds are now filled with visions of willow-supple maidens and their scary, oak-sized, gnarled, dark mothers. Eurydike felt a pang of guilt as she herself did not have a housekeeping skill. "I'd be happy to talk with her, there is a challenge in getting one to think outside of what they've determined to do. I had to witness the world unravel and aeons turn into moments to really get over my preconceived notions" she said this matter of factly, with a hint of pep, as if such a notion wasn't deeply, deeply horrifying. These are simple people. Despite being older, they take her completely seriously and with a hint of superstitious fear. Eurydike would follow to talk with Alfthrys if she wasn't brought to her to speak. (From GM): Meanwhile outside, the talk is interrupted by someone coming by and expressing worry that some kids are unacounted for and heads towards the house. Radulf probably follows, since he can sense the upcoming searching party. Other lady: "No need to go looking for her, she'll be back when it's time for dinner. Probably out hunting... or lazing about somewhere out of sight." Radulf gm indeed he does P.P. A.: oops GM: (hah) Eurydike: "Right, is there anything else you'd like to talk about? It would help to know if this household had any plans for her such that I don't end up deterring her further from a certain course of action. " Cydgun: "No, we just want to make sure she doesn't make a mistake..." Eurydike: "Right, I'll try to set her in a more...logically coherent path then." Eurydike smiled, a gesture wasted if the other parties were honoring her request, but it was a smile nonetheless. It is at this time some old man bursts in, followed by Radulf. Eurydike: "Oh, hello" Eurydike blinked, seeing if she could angle herself away from the sudden guest's vision Blaer: "Back so soon, Radulf?" Radulf: “It appears that a few children have gone missing.” “Let's help look for them,” he addresses Blaer and Eurydike—and looks at the ladies present to see if they still wanted to finish anything: “That's alright, isn't it?” The old man gives Radulf a look, then speaks. Old Man: "I wanted to ask about this... I was checking the smokehouse when Alfthrys ran past saying something about kids wandering off and she was going after then,..." There is some slow panic initially stifled by disbelief as women scatter to take inventory of the children around the area. Eurydike: "Yeah, of course" She'd stand up and get ready to hunt down some children, looking slightly concerned as she'd already developed a parasocial sense of obligation towards the one who had decided to larp as a member of her people. Blaer looks to Eurydike Blaer: It seems we can catch two rats in one trap Blaer puts her tracking skills to use to find traces of where the Alfthrys and the kids headed off to Radulf: “Karli, come here.” He looks at the old man: “Do you have anything on hand that belongs to them, clothing or a blanket or something?” Eurydike went ahead and worked to assist Blaer in the tracking efforts, two heads are better than one and all that. It seems it will take a while until people figure out who the kids in question are (if any at all). Blaer prioritizes looking for Alfthrys, since through her she'll be able to possibly learn who else is missing Eurydike followed Blaer's lead on this one, considering time of the essence and hoping that Radulf's more careful planning would corroborate with their brash do the thing attitude. Radulf lets Blaer and Eurydike go ahead and asks them to leave some markings along the way, he'll catch up with them. Knowing who the missing kids are might help locate them—perhaps they have some favourite hiding spots or were out doing something specific they didn't come back from. Radulf: If it was just an excuse for Alfthrys to sneak off on their own, that'll at least calm everyone down and he can still catch up with Karli's help. Eurydike went ahead and did her best to leave markings for her more patient homie. Not wanting him to struggle to regroup. GM: (Blaer or Eurydile Tracking-2) Eurydike: (Any way I could assist Blaer by like, covering area's she wasn't looking at Blaer covers the main area and finds some light-fooden tracks in the old leaves on the forest floor. But when Eurydike does not answer her whistle, she has to also find Eurydike who has wandered off a bit Meanwhile, at the house, the inventory has finally managed to gather everyone old enough to qualify as "kids" and old enough to be allowed to move unsupervised. Three children are indeed missing. And one younger girl is upset because they trapped her in the wood shed to prevent her from following. Karli manages to pick up the track from said woodshed. Radulf immediately sets off, following his trusty dog. Radulf after asking the younger girl if they aid anything about where they were going, of course. Rolling 12-3d6 = 2 Animal Handling (Dogs) Eurydike looked around for Blaer, hopefully reuniting with her after coming to the conclusion that children rarely have paws. Still, she'd waste a few precious moments and kick herself for it. Eurydike alternatively, she'd continue the search, pretty confident that children are creatures of hubris who would try and obfuscate their tracks. Eurydike: (Up to the gm mainly) Radulf prevents several deer and squirrel related distraction. Eurydike really does waste some time, but her instinct is... surprisingly good as she finds out when she finally reunites with Blaer. The children did try to hide their tracks, but poorly - now that Blaer has followed the older girl's tracks towards their trail, the two can pick up speed. Rolling 11-3d6 = 3 (To GM): Will is probably more important for the consequences but too late (From GM): Yeah Radulf makes good time following the track directly, even making up for time lost waiting. The acoustics of the forest soon bring to his ears a sort of strange music. Blaer and Eurydike can see him ahead of them, stumbling forward with a determined expression As they catch up, Blaer herself starts to hear the strange harmony, and Eurydike soon after. It is... bizarelly hypnotic, and they soon catche themselves walking towards it along with Radulf - it seems they've crossed several yards at least before the two young women manage to shake off the entrancing effect. Blaer is struck with a memory of dread, and plugs her ears, quickly moving up to Radulf to try and shake some sense into him Radulf probably needs some shaking; he has a pleasant smile on his lips, not at all appropriate to the situation, and pays little attention to Karli's concern for him. Eurydike 's hands were occupied with blade and travois, so she'd work to power through the enchanting melody If she could, she'd fish out some cloth from her First aid kit and try to jam her own ears, then Radulfs, then, if time permitted Blaer's of course, as Blaer is coherent she'd be less forceful in doing so. Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 2 GM: (Blaer might want to help slow him down since she's initially free?) LD: She doesn't have any wrestling skills, so I figured it would be better to let Eurydike restrain Radulf while she focuses on plugging his ears Rolling 11 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -4 Blaers quick thinking and Eurydike's frantic reaction manages to hold on to Radulf for long enough to clear his head forcefully. Unfortunatelly, now everyone is functionally deaf. LD: I immediately regret my decisions Eurydike: "....." Eurydike said as she gestured in the direction she last heard the music from, if anyone were capable of lip-reading reading it'd probably be pretty easy to figure out. (To GM): he snaps out of it? Blaer gives Radulf a very angry look, before moving ahead of the two, pointing towards herself before gesturing forward (From GM): Yes, 1s aftter he stops hearing he becomes Mentally Stunned, then 3s later her recovers Eurydike nodded affirmatively towards Blaer, she had the trail and it'd make a helluva lot more sense to follow her. Radulf comes to his senses after a few seconds. He looks around, disoriented, then at Blaer and Eurydike. He sees the stuffing in their ears and feels the ones in his, puts two and two together, and gives them both a serious nod. Radulf readies his axe, gives another affirmative nod to Eurydike, and follows her. Radulf: er, follows Blaer Blaer continues following the tracks left by the kids Blaer follows the tracks, perhaps feeling a little wary by her lack of hearing. Meanwhile Radulf spots Karli looking a bit confused. The sound doesn't seem to affect dogs the same way but the poor animal still seems disoriented and distressed Radulf squats down to give him a good rub and then motions for him to stay close. The group moves along, soon emerging close to a small river flowing downhill towards the bigger one. Something large - definitely larger than a man, glistening like silver and gold, and white under the sunset is lying among the bushes. A young woman wearing little more than a harness holding her quiver and two younger teens stand entranced in front of it. Radulf speaks to the others— but finds that kind of ineffective. He instead takes a look at the surroundings and cuts a few marks into trees they pass. Rolling 9 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 1 Eurydike lowered her travois and picked up her second broadsword from it, it really didn't serve much purpose besides cross-parrying. But, she still felt bad about picking one or the other to use as they held sentimental value to her. She'd try and sneak on up, unaware of how noisy Radulf was One of the group obviousl must have made enough noise to alert the creature as it rears its head. In some ways... it reminds a little of the ancient sidhe, but disturbing in other ways. Vaguely feminine, with a pretty face, but long, multilimbed, it's torso a serpentine mess of metallic scales, arms and wings. It's visage seems to be stuck into a permanent masque of innocent bewilderment as it focuses its dull, glass-like eyes on you and flaps its myriad wings as it straightens up. It's fingers end in sharp nails, hard looking but not quite talon-like. At the bottom of its long, flexible torso it seems like the legs are almost human-like, but follow the same lanky, flexible and muscular scheme - and seem adorned with small glistening wing-like... things You can count... maybe 6 arms, some... whipping, golden and flexible limbs and well over 10 wing-like shapes with 2 pairs of large, proper wings. Radulf braces his axe. He calls out—his speech off since he can't hear himself—to the two humans standing before it: “Get away from that thing!” Radulf looks at the monster's face and isn't quite sure whether there's anything looking back from those eyes, or if the real eyes are hiding elsewhere. He tries to speak toit anyway: “What are you?” He considers for a moment that he couldn't understand the response anyway. “Raise… three arms if you can understand me.” LD: Is it too late to roll stealth to stay hidden while the two engage the creature? Eurydike continued doing her best to prowl behind the creature, hoping she remained hidden. If its focus drifted to her such that she noticed, she'd prepare for combat, if not, her goal was to get close enough, say four yards away to be able to run up behind the thing and slash at its ankles. For now only Radulf is seen by the creature. But, as it gets up on its knees and towers slightly above him, he can tell with dreadfull certainty... That he'll find out what happens Next Time Vodka: Thanks for having me, great session ♥♥♥ LD: Great session! P.P. A.: I concur; thanks for the session! Previously, on the frontier: Having travelled across the unexplored wilds without incident, the heroes visited the Portley Lodge to catch some local news and spend the night indoors. While there, they decided to help their hosts looking for some missing children. Rushing into the woods, they nearly fell victim to an entralling melody - probably the exact thing that befell the children. Following their tracks, they eventually came upon a most-disturbing creature. The strange being stands up and watches them with glassy eyes as they approach. P.P. A.: IIRC Blaer and Eurydike were sneaking? respscorp (GM): (fixed) Radulf holds back from calling out to the children—they might be safer, for now, if the creature considers them safely under its control. He tries to comprehend the monster's anatomy—is its stiff face really its head? How does it move? He doesn't make a move yet but stares it down, axe in hand. There is definitely something very wrong with the creature - it is very graceful looking, but its movements are jerky at just the wrong places - as if it's a marionette, or as if it's constantly trying to restrain itself and constantly failing. It is especially apparent as it stands up - a burst of speed quickly dampened as if it keeps catching itself exerting too much speed and strength with every motion... Somewhat... despite it's lanky proprotions, the way it moves exudes unimaginable strength and clumsyness Eurydike looked over her approach vector for when things inevitably, or presumably get intense, is the water shallow enough to be ran across? The river is deep enough to be waist-high. The banks are navigable enough despite the narrowness and the current is not too fast - but generally jumping over it would be faster than wading through. It still seems to be focused on Radulf - maybe it hasn't noticed the others. The dog seems a little confused by the thing. Radulf tries to keep just out of the creature's range, imagining it falling/slamming down estimating where it'd land, and staying just outside of that range. Radulf: “Karli, herd the children away from it,” he tells his dog, whistling and signalling with his axe as he would when they're driving sheep—while he doesn't take his eyes off the being and tapes a step closer to keep its attention. Karli seems confused - both by the fact that he can't hear anything, and the strange being which seems to be filling him with conflicting instinctual responses. He trots closer to Radulf, bristling and nervous. Radulf can't blame him. Radulf looks at the creature's wings and strange movement and tries something: he concentrates Rolling 12-3d6 = 0 to push a gust of wind at the creature's left side, so that it catches in its wings and throws it off-balance (or so he can see how it reacts to it—like a bird?) respscorp (GM): (Control Air?) P.P. A.: (Yeah) (Well, you noted it down as Telekinesis) respscorp (GM): (I did? I'm a bit confused, can I get a latest version pdf?) P.P. A.: Sent The creature teeters a little - letting the air push it around a little, and turning its head around to scan for the source of the disturbance without losing track of Radulf and his dog. It starts to spread its wings - perhaps intending to leave? P.P. A.: Also this is going to be fairly limited, not like a powerful blow but more like, a small gust where it's unexpected Radulf really has no idea what this thing is or what it wants. Radulf also can't see (and he won't look for them to alert it to their presence) or hear Blaer and Eurydike but trusts them to do what is necessary when the time is right (which they may be better able to evaluate from their position.) It just bobbed and teetered in tune with the pressure, like a confused cat. P.P. A.: That's almost cute and yeah, that's what it sounded like Eurydike was a tad bit hesitant to kill the thing, noting the distinct lack of devoured child carcasses, and the black soulless eyes, which, in some part, she imagined she'd inevitably end up with if Orphea managed to do some of the horrific ideas to rekindle an empire. She'd walk around and hop across the thin bit of lake, taking her time if nothing serious happened Radulf sees that the creature isn't being aggressive and seems to be just as cautious as him, so he tries something perhaps risky: he maintains eye contact for a minute… but his eyes also become unfocused. His ears are already stuffed, and though he keeps his eyes open, he tries to tune out everything but the creature and Rolling 12-3d6 = 6 concentrates to enter autotrance and bring out his spirit (without falling totally asleep). P.P. A.: (basically teasing out his spirit just slightly, overlaying his body more than separating from it, to take a look at what his eyes might not be able to see Eurydike waited patiently, not wanting to piss off the marble cicadaperson. She had faith in Radulf's diplomatic acumen, and giving the thing another variable to worry about might impair his ability. Radulf manages to achieve some semblance of deliberate astral projection... but might require a similar show of self-control to go back. For now though, he can see things... (From respscorp (GM)): There is a cloud of wailing ghosts swirling around the creature. Some of them floating around, others huddling against it, some of them seemingly gnawing on others among them. They do not seem attached to it - more like a miasma of gnats around a stag than slaves chained to a master. They are all faded and tattered, but there does seem to be some theme to them, some hard to discern pattern that Radulf's mind is trying to warm him of. To the others it probably seems like Radulf is spacing out. The creature sways on its lanky legs, its flexible spine making it seem like an intoxicated snake. Its wings are unfurled, but for now Radulf's bizarre behaviour seems to have made it curious. (To GM): He especially tries to discern if the ghosts are all of children and teens; mutilated in a similar way; or have a theme of singing or music to them. Rolling 12-3d6 = 5 Eurydike: (Can you do evaluates from a range?) P.P. A.: (er, yeah, Evaluate, not Observation) respscorp (GM): (yes) Blaer draws her bow and aims it Eurydike went ahead and conducted mental murder-calculus in her head, inevitably getting that sweet +3 evaluate cap. (From respscorp (GM)): It is hard to discern, but it seems that there's a mix of. A lot of angry, tattered souls of warriors and outlaws that it probably killed. They form the majority of the cloud, especially the outer layer. And the smaller number of children and young adults that huddle closer. It doesn't seem to properly see the souls, or do anything with them... (From respscorp (GM)): So it seems to be collecting them instincitvely, probably. Or at the behest of someone long gone. Some of them seem old and faded - perhaps spirits are not meant to linger for so long. respscorp (GM): (big whisper) (To GM): Interesting! I suppose the winning move here would be to appear non-threatening so as to not join the warriors and outlaws in there who bit off more than they could chew. Rolling 12-3d6 = 3 (To GM): Oh to be sure, the children here are still in their own bodies and not orbiting the creature yet, right? (From respscorp (GM)): The ultimate winning move would probably be to peacefully disable the creature and then bring a priest to fix this ghost problem. But Radulf figures its probably not going to be easy or necessarily worth the effort (From respscorp (GM)): They seem enthralled and exhausted, but otherwise fine. Radlf snaps back to reality. (To GM): Yeah, killing it and freeing those poor souls, but that's a lot of risk for something that's really not their problem. Radulf twitches and shakes his head awake. He looks once more at the creature… and cautiously lowers his axe and assumes a more relaxed posture. Whatever it was that fascinated it about Radulf, the monster also snaps out of it and starts flapping its wings while watching him warily. Radulf scratches the back of his head—if just so whoever else is watching him can see that he's being himself. Vodka relaxed somewhat noting Radulf's demeanor, still her lack of information and the difficulty in communicating prompted her to remain ready, in a somewhat less aggressive way all things considered, which might get rid of the evaluate bonus Radulf calls out to the children, if they can hear him: “Snap out of it! Your parents are worried, let's go home.” Radulf takes a step towards them and stops looking at the creature, though anyone who's watching him can tell that he's still on gurd. Radulf: *guard P.P. A.: “being on gourd” would be a nice euphemism for being drunk on the job Radulf also still carries his shepherd's axe as an axe rather than as a walking stick, though not too tightly The creature tenses and drops back on the ground, flaring its wings menacingly and opening its mouth. Its menacing screech is loud enough that Radulf and Eurydike can feel it in their bones, hear it even though their stuffed years. It adops a wider posture and grips its sides, as if about to pull something out of its torso. Its other arms are raised threateningly, with its eyes fixated on Radulf. Radulf stops walking immediately and his mouth can be seen uttering something unpleasant. The enthalled youths fall on their butts from the shock of the creature's sudden sound, but are still either enthralled or altogether too dazed to react P.P. A.: Appearing non-threatening and ignorable is hard Eurydike continued waiting, the semi-relaxed state fading as she once again got very focused in on which part of the creature would make the most sense to try and lop off first, and how to do it Radulf looks at the creature again and takes a step back, hoping that might calm it, but he also grips his axe. Weaving its spine slowly, the creature tries to straighten up completely in order to appear more fearsome as it watched Radulf... it's masque-like face continues to show just naive innocence, but it's body language is tense and wary. Radulf: “This really appears to be more like an animal,” he says to Karli, who can't hear or really understand him. He'd like to get Blaer's advice as a hunter, but doesn't want to look around for her and direct the creature's gaze to wherever she's hiding. Radulf has a brilliant idea! Radulf hides behind a nearby tree or shrub! Radulf meekly peeks out at the creature from there, such that it can see him hiding (and that he is hiding) if it pays attention, but he also hopes to break the line of sight or lose its attention once it loses interest. Faced with a retreating opponent, the creature relaxes to a more natural posture, relaxing its wings and hunching its flexible spine again. After a couple of moments, it relaxes its arms as well and moves to scoop up its victims in a neat pile, before trying to circle around and get a better look at what Radulf is doing. Karli seems confused still, and while it tries to put itself between Radulf and the monster, he seems to also like the idea of staying away from it. Radulf , while his eyes flit back to the creature to observe its movements, looks for Blaer to the side. (Does he see her?) Radulf will not see Blaer unless he rolls Per or if she gives him a sign (risking her cover only a tiny bit, since the creature is fixated on Radulf) Rolling 11-3d6 = 1 Per Radulf hopes Blaer meets his eyes (he assumes she's been observing him as much as the creature) and rapid-fires a few simple gestures while the monster is busy rounding up the teenagers. Radulf shrugs with a confused expression, Blaer seems to be aiming in Radulf's direction instead of at the monster Radulf points intently at Blaer and then taps his head. Blaer lowers her bow slightly, nodding as she watches Radulf Radulf waits for a few seconds to see if she responds with anything, while looking back at the monster intermittently to make sure it doesn't see whom he's communicating with It does seem to still mostly pay attention to him It was ready to leave before, but now it seems fixated on Radulf for some reason, as if he needs oversight Radulf keeps his communications very minimal and hides any gesturing behind dense leafage Blaer shakes her head and shrugs, before motioning her bow towards the creature Radulf notices that it creeps closer so he doesn't respond to Blaer; he just nods, but without looking at her. Radulf still clasps his axe and peeks out at the bush towards the creature, trying to meet his eyes, and look confused. Blaer takes aim with the bow, drawing it as she tries to figure out the best place to strike it Radulf: The latter doesn't require much acting on his part. Radulf tapes a step aside out of the bush and backs away a bit—drawing its attention away from where Blaer is aiming. Radulf is hunched over slightly, consciously imitating a cat or a hedgehog trying to tuck itself in. Something about Radulf's behavior further calms the creature and it relaxes its many arms Blaer aims for about where they imagaine the heart would be...and lets loose (From respscorp (GM)): Radulf is close enough to see the details now - there are things like sword-handles embedded among the golden veins in the creature's hearing the thwang of a bow, she'd move to rush forward, and behind the thing taking a somewhat erratic swing at the thing's back given her running over. Rolling 14 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 0 It does not work, but it's pretty close respscorp (GM): (Radulf) Eurydike: (Was Karli's hesitance to rip n pooch tear apparent?) P.P. A.: Do the sword handles stick out of its body or are they firmly embedded in it? Also, how many pairs of arms does it have? respscorp (GM): (yeah, but Karli is a dog) (8 arms, and yes, anyone can try to grasp them) (From respscorp (GM)): They are the same colour as the veins, so maybe they just belong there. Radulf Moves and Attacks by swinging the hammer-end of his axe at one of the golden sword-handles that slightly produce from the creature's veins. Rolling 13-4-3d6 = -1 Radulf misses unless it's +1 SM Eurydike: I'm assuming I don't have the -2 due to being directly behind the big fella respscorp (GM): (it can be flanked normally) (It is SM+1) Radulf: Oh, so that hits (something)? respscorp (GM): (It hits the torso. Assume that hitting the swords is -3 like Vitals) P.P. A.: better than nothing 11 cr P.P. A.: whoa The creature winces from the blow, it's white flesh bruising a golden hue. respscorp (GM): (Euridike) Eurydike Grimaced, her mind clearly recalling something she'd drop her swords and go to put the thing in her choke hold, eying Radulf and blare, waving her available hands and shaking her head in a uncomfortable and both hands around the neck for the choke hold, just waving it them to partially get attention, and hopefully deliver a message) in a choke hold, my brain is low smart) The neck is long, thick and flexible - making it easier to grab (can be grabbed as if torso, but still hard to strike). Euridike holds onto it. P.P. A.: Like… she puts the creature's neck in a chokehold, locking her arms around it; then she wiggles her hands in that position and shakes her head? Blaer will attempt to draw and fire her bow in one go Eurydike: (Sorta, yeah, mainly just moving the hands with the palm out. I'm not great at describing body language, but her facial expression looks like she kicked a puppy.) Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 4 But he is not massive enough it seems respscorp (GM): Radulf Radulf interprets Eurydike's gestureing as “do not kill this thing,” moreso since she's usually be full of bloodlust right now. P.P. A.: Would pulling them out (not to field them, just pulling them out and dropping them immediately) be a fancy disarming maneuvre or…? *wield Rolling 13-2+4-3d6 = 8 (All-out) Radulf hooks one of the hilts with his axe and pulls it out. Radulf glances at Eurydike afterwards to make sure he understood her correctly. The blade comes out smoothly after a short initial resitance. It is surprisingly long and flexible, with a golden sheen - it seems to be öiled by the creature's golden blood There is one more remaining P.P. A.: Oh, there are only two? respscorp (GM): Euridike hangs on to the neck of the monster P.P. A.: Phew, I thought there was one for every arm respscorp (GM): (yeah - maybe they couldn't fit in more inside) Eurydike looked less uncomfortable than she was when he slammed it in the ribs, still, she's just looking pretty stressed about all of this. She'd loosen her grip and move to just gently lower the thing, patting it in a really awkward attempt to say sorry about breaking your third rib. "Just, go with this please, they're stressed about the kids, like with bears and stuff, you know?" If it went along with it, she'd opt to use her free hand to hold one out in a more protective manner for the thing than anything else, she was not used to de-escalation and it showed in her face. Eurydike: then when she was, golly my writing skills are at 23%) oh wait, my reading comprehension is doing bad) P.P. A. looks over his shoulder to Blaer with an alarmed expression and shakes his head. Radulf looks over his shoulder to Blaer with an alarmed expression and shakes his head. P.P. A.: and ah yeah He didn't attack it again but just used it as a hook to pull out one of the swords it's got in its body The thing seems very confused and hurt more emotionally than physically so far, even though Radulf's hit did leave a sizable bruise P.P. A.: and made eye contact with Eurydike so she could confirm that “stop attacking it” was the message there Eurydike seemed preoccupied with trying to comfort the thing, her expression softened at his apparent stopping of attacking before nodding her head over towards her travois which was probably offscreen from when she began sneaking. Hopefully he'd utilize context effectively. It was less than difficult all things considered as it had a spear and a first aid kit in it. The monster is confused enough to not go aggressive and to stop to try and comprehend why you jumped it and then stopped. But it regards Eurydike most of all, before reaching out for her swords with two hands and for Eurydike herself with four. Eurydike lets it, she'd reciprocate a hug or get her neck snapped, depending on the mood of the creature. She was a sub-prime candidate to hug due to being a cold embodiment of the god of endings, still, she was doing her damndest to be more comforting than a horrific reminder of the ephemerality of all things. One monster grabs the other and then tries to flap off while still eyeing Radulf all the time. Eurydike patted a few times, "Wait, wait, its alright, calm down, we're just stupid, not malicious, I have a first aid kit, let us help you" She wasn't particularly resisting but her body language, and well, language suggested she was not wanting to fly off. The creatures struggles to lift a full-grown woman and just pathetically flaps overhead, dragging Eurydike along slowly, her feet still mostly reaching the ground... Still, it seems to be picking up strength and might try to head over the trees soon Radulf could read its intent and didn't do anything about it picking up the sword he'd drawn out, but he remained on guard. He returned its look apologetically but still with some confusion. Eurydike gave the cultural equivalent of a thumbs up towards the group. She'd look up towards its inky-black eyes with about as much sympathy as anyone else she accidently jumped.. respscorp (GM): (It didn't take its own sword, it took Eurydike's swords - it's own sword is still at Radulf's feet) Eurydike: (Gronk one second accidently deleted part of my post) P.P. A.: (oh) So it's carrying Eurydike off? Eurydike Gave the cultural equivalent of a thumbs up to the group. She'd lightly squeeze the creature and gesture towards the ground; looking towards its inky-black eyes with as much sympathy as she'd afford to any other individual she accidently jumped. respscorp (GM): (Trying to) P.P. A.: Previous post applies then save for the sword but also Blaer draws her bow again, aiming for one of the creature's wings Radulf looks at Eurydike, grimacing by raising an eyebrow and pointing at her. Radulf: “Where are you carrying her?” he calls out to the monster. Eurydike shrugged, waving dismissively at him, and, if she'd noted Blaer aiming at it, she'd wave her hands again, pointing her palms to her and shaking pushed the creature off of her, patting it on one of its psuedo-shoulders. She'd move to stand up and approach Blaer, glaring at her. Eurydike can feel the energy buble up in the creature's expanding torso as it build up to a low, treatening hiss and gets ready to pounce at Radulf who keeps to be at the center of all of its troubles. It tries to grip Eurydike and keep her tucked underneath itself, away from the others. Eurydike It seem the thing is ridiculously strong, so escaping from it might be a struggle. respscorp (GM): (was supposed to be /W, oh well) Radulf takes his axe in the ground and pulls out his earbuds, frustrated and out of patience. P.P. A.: ready for a will roll if necessary It's just hissing at him. Loudly. Eurydike stayed under the creature, fuming slightly. If she saw Radulf take out the ear-thingies she'd do the same. Radulf: “What's going on? Eurydike, what is that creature?” he looks at the wildling girl, and then at the thing: “You, I'm sorry for attacking you, but where are you taking my friend?” It just keeps hissing and will try to drag itself along the ground closer to the kids - and trying to drag Eurydike along. Eurydike: "A distant kinswoman, cursed like most of our kind who put too much " There was spite in her voice, and she was still staring at Blaer, not looking over to acknowledge Radulf. Radulf: “Is she trying to those children?” Eurydike: "If the stories are accurate, " Radulf: “…that would explain what I saw. Can you talk to her and explain that we're trying to return them to their families, to their parents?” Radulf squats down and pats his leg for Karli to come up to him. shot her." Karli trots over and whines a little, trying to indicate that it would be MUCH better if they could be further away from the dangerous monster Radulf: “In Blaer's defense, it was carrying you away and we didn't know where.” Radulf pets Karli and picks up his axe, with one hand only, and slowly walks backwards. Blaer just looks back at Eurydike, just shaking her head. She had drawn another arrow, but is keeping it by her side, not putting it in her bow Eurydike: :"And I think I indicated pretty obviously that I was fine with that! I don't give a damn what she was worried about, if she respected me she would have listened!" She rose her voice, half-shouting. The events clearly hit a nerve pretty badly. Radulf sighs. He waves towards Blaer and motions for her to come over, pointing next to himself. Radulf also walks over to the sword he drew out and picks it up. Radulf carries it on both hands' palms and presents it to the being to take back. Blaer sighs and finally breaks cover, walking towards Radulf Radulf keeps a respectful distance so it can come and get it. The monster tries to place Eyrydike on top of the older teenage girl, the one she was supposed to talk to. And then folds up in place, flaring its wings and glaring with its glassy, expressionless eyes Radulf also bows his head once to make it clear that this is meant as an apology. Eurydike moved off the pile of kids, she'd stand up behind them, not really feeling right laying on a pile of kids. It huffs, imitating Blaer's exasperation in a much greater volume. Then settles down and glares, seemingly willing to wait as long as it takes. Eurydike was not really in a mental state to try and mediate, she just sat there, her reason overpowering her urge to do something stupid. Radulf sets down the sword in front of him and takes a few steps back. He motions for Blaer to take out the earplugs. Blaer pauses for a moment, but eventually unplugs her ears Radulf summarises the situation to her: “In brief, this is a distant kinswoman of Eurydike, cursed or something to take that form. She was apparently just trying to protect those children.” Radulf: “It's probably best if you apologise to her—bow or something—and then we gain some distance and let Eurydike handle it from here.” Radulf is stern and to the point but doesn't seem angry with Blaer either. Blaer bows low, at an awkward angle that would be difficult to interpret as a preparation to pounce, before stepping back, slowly stowing away her weapons It crawls over to its abandoned sword, seemingly calmed by Blaer's gesture, then rolls on the ground awkwardly as it tries to insert the sword back into its body. Then it resumes its watch over its charges (or victims?), trying to nudge Eurydike back into the pile Radulf: “There are a lot of ghosts swirling around her; most of them warriors, bandits, and the like; some children that cling to her,” Radulf calls over to Eurydike and Blaer, whom he motions to come over to him. “She must have seen some bad things happen and learned to be wary of armed men, but… doesn't seem healthy for all of these spirits to be stuck with her.” Eurydike resisted in a soft but firm way, placing a hand on its nearest shoulder. Eurydike looked up, then down hesitating, her expression had softened from one of anger to sadness. Blaer speaks softly to Radulf nearby Blaer: "This is a bad idea..." "But I can't think of any better ones." Radulf: “Yeah. I… think we should trust Eurydike on this.” It tries to keep Eurydike down overprotectively - trying to use its bulk and weight to keep her close with most of its hands, flaring it's wings and positioning itself between her and the others. Radulf: “If there is no other way but to put down that… woman, she will see it to be so, and ask for our help.” Radulf doesn't sound confident in that being avoidable. Blaer: "She should be able to handle this...as long as she doesn't let its kinship to her blind her to its intentions" Eurydike the gesture was not lost on her, and she appreciated it, still she'd maintain an effort to keep herself seen, she didn't particularly like it, she doubted she'd ever get used to it, all things considered. Radulf: “She's usually—” he picks his word carefully, “level-headed enough to make the proper choice, even if it's a saddening one.” “Let's turn around for now.” Eurydike waited, remaining mostly silent Blaer: "...Right." Blaer turns and walks away Eurydike faced the creature, trying to look it in the eyes to call for some degree of attention, and more importantly, respect. "Can you understand me? I apologize if that question comes off as insulting" Radulf smiles at Blaer, now that they're facing the other direction: “I probably shouldn't say this, but… nice shots.” He pats her on the back. “If this had been a fight to the death, we'd have been in a good position.” It doesn't seem to understand her words at least, but it does seem to understand that she's agitated. It looks around, then tries to meet her eyes. It is a bit confused at what it wants from it, so it tries to shove her at the kids - this time clearly with the intention to just leave her to watch over them. Blaer: "Not likely. Not a single shot pierced the skin. short of trying to cook it and you two alive, I had little recourse Eurydike nodded, she'd move to slowly start shuffling the kids back to their home, slow enough it could easily just put a hand on her to get her to stop. Radulf: “It seemed stunned by one of them, and the third one took it out of the sky; those put it at a disadvantage and us as an advantage.” The creature does indeed put a hand on the top of her head to jerk her around and demand her attention, reaching out for her swords, but not touching them. Radulf laughs awkwardly and scratches his head: “though I couldn't do much damage to it either, its skin looked and kind of felt like marble.” Eurydike she'd pick them up, holding her tutors with her dominant hand, and casting it a somewhat apologetic gaze. She'd pick up Blaer's, but, she did so with a degree of hesitance. She'd beckon the creature, and the children over to follow her before wiping off her master's sword with the care and ritualism she'd presumably been instructed in during her time training, and, with a degree of apprehension she'd do the same for After a brief pause, the creature looks towards the heavens then hack violently, vomiting golden blood over the blade. It spreads it swiftly over the blade while lifting it by the handle as if to make sure the wood and leather remain untouched, then swings it around to help it dry - letting golden droplets stain the grass and bushes. Then it hands it back, hilt-first. Eurydike accepted the blade from the creature, she seemed to appreciate the gesture even if she had no idea what it meant. It starts flapping and slowly ascends into the air. Eurydike didn't stop it from leaving, she frowned looking down. Clearly feeling guilty of her inability to think of anything else she could do. The piled up youths come to their senses shortly after, looking around in confusion. Radulf slowly turns around, careful not to disturb it again, but curious to see what's happening. Eurydike opted to return the group to the main party, she'd put her swords back into the travois and use the blankets attached to the side to cover herself as best she could. She wasn't in a very talkative mood, but if prompted she'd talk. Radulf handles introductions if necessary, if they already met the kids earlier at the table he'll only mention that they came to look for them. Radulf: “We'll leave the well-deserved scolding to your parents.” You've not met any of these offspring before. Boy: "Whuh, who are you? Where are we?" Radulf: “We're guests of your parents' farmstead, who went to repay their generous hospitality by going out looking for you when they found you missing.” LD: Does Blaer recognize them? Radulf looks around. “No idea where we are, we followed your tracks.” The older girl who seems barely younger than Eurydike and barely more dressed, smacks the boy on the back of the head Her: "You idiots snuck out to somewhere, got lost and wandered off without noticing, so I had to run after you... and then you kept running deeper into the wilds." Blaer recognizes the girl, the kids not that much Blaer: "It is good that you're all still safe." The older girl is Alfthrys, though a bit older than Blaer remembers her from last time. Blaer: "Follow us, it is time to return to your family." Radulf: “How did you end up here anyway?” Radulf doesn't ask about the creature; if they don't remember it, it may be better not to bring it up. Kid: "Well, you're dumb. And naked." The younger girl pouts, as if confident that she's managed to find a trump argument for her relative. Only then she notices Eurydike to the side and suddenly worries that her insult might get her in trouble with someone less easy to push around than her older cousin. While she's silent, it gives the other two kids the chance to provide Radulf and the others with almost and excessive ammount of details. In short, they were sneaking out to go fishing, Althrys notice them and chased them, then they remember hearing a very sweet song. Alfthrys: "I also remember some sort of song..." Eurydike didn't comment, she sort of found the willingly larping as having an ancestral curse a bit odd, and, well, dumb. Radulf nods. “We heard it too. It had a magical draw to it.” The kids finally quiet down, the realization that they were in danger and are likely now in trouble dawning over them. Alfthrys takes this chance to stick her tongue out at them, then bow low towards Radulf, Blaer and Eurydike Alfthrys: "I guess we owe our rescue to you?" Eurydike refrained from comment Radulf just nods faintly; it's hard to tell in what danger they were—what the creature intended to do with them, and to what extent it knew what it was doing. ”Let's go home before it gets dark,” he changes the topic. Radulf: “For however angry your parents are going to be with you, they're many times more worried now, and they're right to be—keep that in mind.” Sensing the gravity, the kids walk ahead of you without objection, their shoulder slumped. It's a lesson they probably will remember for a long time - maybe even more than two days! Everyone walks back towards the lodge, trying to absorb what just happened and what to do with the information. But what they'd do we're going to find out Next Time LD: Woo! Vodka: ♥♥ Great session, just want to say the maps are awesome btw! P.P. A.: Thatnks for the session! and I agree GM: (this new handpainted style is something I really liked when I saw it) hello PREVIOUSLY On the Frontier P.P. A.: \o Vodka: \o After confronting the strange monster, the heroes each drew their own conclusions about what it is and how to handle it, based on their unique skills and talents. Unfortunately, with their ears stuffed they were unable to communicate! Fortunately, they managed to confuse and intimidate it enough that it left without attacking, flying off towards its nesting grounds. The problem postponed and its victims or wards rescued from its clueless care. And now, with the small group of young teens herded in front of them, the heroes have made their way back to the Portley Lodge, where they're freed from their young charges who quickly get taken away by mothers and aunts to receive their portions of hugs and punishments. Leaving them alone for a couple of moments with only Althrys nearby, since most adults and young men are out still searching And Thea, who is happy that she no longer has to try and provide emotional support for the large, intimidating matrons of the Portley clan Vodka was not in a mood particularly keen for life advice, though if it seemed like Althrys was interested in her, she'd work to think up a lesson as is appropriate. Still, it was apparent to any observer she was in a less than stellar mood Eurydike did that, not Vodka, vodka is a useful illusion to facilitate ooc communication P.P. A.: Eurydike projects Vodka into the real world to telepathically communicate with the demiurge of her world Sensing the sour mood, Thea steps a little closer to her usually composed cousin and gives her a wary nod indicating her willingness to listen to whatever it is if nothing else. Eurydike smiled softly at the gesture but remained quiet, her sour disposition returning shortly after. Radulf can also see that something is wrong, but didn't want to ask about it with the Portley kids around. Radulf beckons Thea over to explain what happened to her, so that she may make a guess. He summarises that they followed an enthralling song to a strange being, a winged, armed serpent with a humanlike face—or mask?—which had drawn in the runaways. Radulf: “I wasn't sure if it was a beast or something more like a fairy, but it acted more like an animal. There were all kinds of ghosts clinging to it, too.” Blaer finally speaks up, after being silent for most of the trip Blaer: "We will need to get rid of it at some point, if we don't want to see this happen again." Eurydike tightened a fist at the mention of ghosts, popping her fingers with her thumb. She took a deep breath and continued doing her best to maintain a neutral expression, which really wasn't that good. Still, it was apparent she was at least trying. Radulf: “I wanted to avoid fighting it but it became unavoidable if we wanted to take the kids back, but once we engaged it Eurydike recognised it as distant kin, twisted into that form by… something.” “To make a long story short, she somehow convinced it to let the kids go and then it flew off, but it was all a bit strange.” Thea: "Sounds like a complicated situation. Maybe we should talk about it more later." Radulf has something click: “Not a satisfying conclusion either—perhaps that's why our disciple of Endings is in a bad mood now.” Radulf scratches his head. Thea eyes the Portley girl meaningfully. Radulf hesitantly nods to Blaer, gauging Eurydike's reaction though. Eurydike: "It must be dealt with, its clinging to souls of those who have died as either wards or victims and the history of its manufacture indicates that outright killing it will be counterproductive. If I were a sorcerer I would create an instrument to go out, perform actions and deliver the accumulated souls for me to utilize in my rituals. Therefore, it is necessary to attempt some kind of purification to liberate the excess souls, and, hopefully it prior to ending its tortured existence if it still remains as a threat to reality." She spoke in her more natural cold logistic, putting the angies back in the tiny hole that they belonged. "I am hesitant to take highly direct action with an entity which is close enough to be considered kin, and, if we are to kill it I'd prefer to offer hospice instead of the typical fearful execution." Sighing, she looked to the group "The nature of this will, naturally take a period of time, and I understand if you would prefer to continue on the objective we've set out on." As if on prompt, a wind picks up out of nowhere, northernly and harsh. It picks up some dead leaves and topples a bucket someone had left suspended on a nearby fence before its howl dies down along with the clatter of the rolling bucket. Eurydike looked over to the fallen bucket, mostly out of reflex Radulf: “I… don't mind taking a detour for this, but how you going to free those souls? Are there any rituals you've been taught for that kind of circumstance?” Eurydike: "No, I am hoping to return to my tutor and seek guidance in handling the matter, I hope he has more familiarity with this kind of circumstance." "Preferably we will apprehend the creature and bring it with us to ensure it does not expand the ranks of souls bound to it." Thea: "If you think it's something old, maybe I can try to go back home and ask about it..." Eurydike: "That's a good idea." Radulf nods. Radulf: “This might take a while, though– but on the other hand, that creature is more of a concern than the dragon right now, or at least closer to home.” Thea: "Let's not split up too much. It will waste maybe a day or two if we move together, but we might waste more if we split up and it turns out one of us has need of the others." Eurydike 's stoic demeanor faded rather abruptly, she went to speak but stopped herself. She returned to a more neutral expression as Thea spoke, nodding. Radulf: “Yeah.” Radulf looks at Blaer: “What do you think?” Blaer: "Trapping it is good, since I do not believe we are able to deal with it as we are now, but our ability to keep it under our watch is limited." "I already have an idea of where their nest is, so we could simply seek it out there once we are ready." "However, this creature is one that does not keep one nest forever, and forces could conspire to make it move. If we wish to solve the problem rather than push it away, like we did with Adrian, we will need to act quickly on this unseen time limit" Radulf: “Capturing it first and then figuring out what to do with it good, but I'm not sure if we can do that, or where and how to keep it.” Eurydike winced slightly, realizing her role reversal and the unfortunate series of words she was obliged to say for the completion of the objectives set out by her faith. "Physical traps are effective to a certain degree, but the thing's strength is such that means of physical bondage I can imagine would eventually wind up escapable. What, in my opinion is necessary is a less direct means of control; to foster attachment and bid it follow us.." The woman paused for a moment, her gaze drifting over her two companions. "if the shackles we place upon it are direct, it may grow to resent us, and, I presume if it is terminated earlier the souls will not be liberated and instead delivered to its creator." She was, apparently uncomfortable with what she suggested, and her gaze rested upon her friends with a nervousness that she's rarely displayed. Radulf furrows his brows: “What can you tell about its creator, or what it is? The souls looked like they were… caught up in its reach, but it didn't seem to know they were there, or… do anything to keep them trapped.” Blaer sighs Blaer: "If you wish to tame it so that it will stay nearby, it is something you will have to do yourself. You are the one that already has its favor, and the only one currently willing to interact with it." Radulf nods. Radulf: “And it seems suspicious of me.” “…not that I can blame it.” Thea and Carli both move closer to Radulf as if to express their disagreement with the monster's judgement. Eurydike began to speak before just nodding towards Radulf, how she held herself suggested the comment may have been less than polite. "It is necessary that you both at least acclimate the creature to you once I've calmed it, I can't have it following me into town, and I presume you will have some difficulties reaching my tutor." Radulf fails to hide a happy grin at that gesture. Radulf: “So you will tame it, and then it should become comfortable enough with us so we can keep it out of trouble while you meet your mentor?” Eurydike: "That's the hope. I'll put faith that you won't wind up shooting it this time." She smiled in the pained way one does when they're aggressively, furiously jamming emotions down like, bludgeoning the shit out of those fee-fees with a hammer, pretty much jamming that stuff into a blender, looking it in the eyes and pressing the button until there's just a feeling paste that can be more efficiently jammed into that hole where feelings belong. Thea: "I doubt you can literally tame a monster. But if it's capable of peaceful interaction with Eurydike, maybe I can substitute for her in a pinch" Radulf is glad he isn't Blaer right now. Eurydike: "That sounds ideal." Thea: "And don't be harsh on Blaer, she always means well. She probably saw things differently from you." Blaer: "So long as your plan for taming it does not involve letting it eat, maim, or carry you off, I can assure you that I will not try to harm it.." Radulf puts a hand on Blaer's shoulder and addresses Eurydike: “If you do anything rash, tell us about it.” Radulf: “I did not want to see our friend carried off to wherever by a strange creature, and was frankly relieved when Blaer shot it down.” Radulf smiles. “When we don't have our ears stuffed anymore I'm sure we can avoid such misunderstandings, thugh.” Blaer seems like a brick wall upon which Eurydike's heightened emotions about the betrayal simply bounce off Eurydike stared at Thea for a moment, then towards Blaer. "Alright, I'm going to explain this now because you don't seem to get it. Two arrows bounced off of it harmlessly and Radulf's hammer tickled it. So, given that if it actually had an inkling to kill us, we'd be dead. Situation A. Its openly hostile to us, and just wanted to marinate the kids but found me as a better snack: I am fully content dying for the sake of people who are comparably innocent, me getting flown off and devoured would prevent a gaggle of children from getting devoured," She continued her rant, though given the momentum of arguments it would be bad faith not to put a lil break for interruptions and all that sexy drama-stuff Thea cringes a little, her non-confrontational streak making the conversation physically unpleasant to her Radulf frowns and looks disapprovingly at her. Eurydike: "Situation B; The creature was openly hostile to us but wanted to devour the children. Its leaving the area with the children would have given you ripe opportunity to get the people who haven't, as a matter of faith decided to be pretty alright with dying, back to their families, and, ideally, I'd deal with it batting at me and acting like an animal for a bit before taking a roundabout way back and reuniting with you..." (From GM): Radulf is certain his blow did a lot more than tickle it Eurydike: "Situation C; The creature doesn't want to hurt the children, or us; it taking me off wouldn't impact me that negatively, seeing as, in this situation it didn't even want to kill me, and even if I kept there, I'd more than likely be able to escape when it slept, and if I didn't; oh well, people lose people, I'd prefer it be me rather than some innocent parties." She took a breath, pausing. This would be the ideal time to gutpunch her with a counterargument Radulf: “Look, what you say makes sense—but put yourself in our shoes. We see something we don't understand take our friend away from us, and can't even hear what our friend is saying.” “I at least am not going to weigh up your life against that of the children, or care much for the odds, and I'll defend Blaer for thinking:and acting—likewise.” “…besides, I'm pretty sure it was hurt by my blow,” he adds dismissively, as that's besides the point. Eurydike: "The children were at risk, and I was at risk. I presume that you knew well enough that I you respected me enough to acknowledge the decision and deal with it, even if it personally made you uncomfortable." Radulf: “You like to think things through coldly and methodolically—so consider that sometimes we may just panic, or deem something——else more important than betting on the best outcome.” Blaer: "You may have been willing to sacrifice yourself to achieve your goals, but I wasn't. If I had let it leave with you, we would lose track of it, and have been unable to provide support should something gone wrong. I make plans that succeed, and betting on losing a friend is never a success." Radulf nods firmly. Blaer: Besides, from observing it I was able to get a grasp of its mind because of how similarly it acted to other animals. Because of that, I knew that it was not actively hunting us as a predator, or else it would have attacked us long ago. We were still in an advantageous position, and I wanted to make sure we did not lose it." Thea: "It s-sure is nice you value each other. M-maybe we should just focus on how to treat it in the future and..." Eurydike seemed to calm down a bit, moreso at Blaer's words than Radulf's. "I apologize, it's not you, and, the way it turned out things ended Ideally. Just as I ask you to respect my decision making, I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't acknowledge your own." She sighed, "I'd prefer not to get into the historical angsts at the moment, and just give it a time for the intensity of the moment to give way to leveler heads." She paused, laughing uncomfortably. "Mainly my own." Radulf gives Thea a reassuring pat on the back and changes the topic to something more productive: “We should talk about what it thinks and acts like, and how we should treat it.” Radulf: “I agree with Blaer, it seemed like an animal but not like a predator.” Eurydike 's gaze lingered on Radulf and Thea for a moment, before looking back to Blaer. Radulf: “It watched me warily, as if trying to determine if I was a threat or not—on guard, ready to pounce if need be, but only if there was a need.” Thea: "So it wasn't collecting the children for pickling?" Radulf: “It's strange. It did draw them in, then it seemed protective of them. It didn't want to them I'm sure. Most of the ghosts around it were warriors and outlaws; what ghosts of children and women there were huddled close to it.” “It might still collect them but that doesn't tell a story of it attacking and devouring children to me.” Blaer seems to consider saying something, but mentally deletes that line of dialogue, and instead just nods with a smile Eurydike: (Was the kid LARPING as a Gymnoagrioi still around?) GM: (Yes) Thea: "So... does it then just collect children and kill their parents when they try to get their children back?" Radulf: “I mean, it might just have been protective of its food supply to make sure we don't steal any and eat them ourselves,” he jokes and winks at the teenager, “but it also looked like it was just going to leave at some point, and when it was grounded it crept back between us and the kids.” He scratches his head. “Not sure what to make of that.” Thea kneels down to give Carli a hug and scratch the back of his head. Thea: "When I was little, one of my cousins had a very vicious dog. It wasn't a bad dog, she just raised it poorly. It was afraid and attacked everyone who came near it while it was eating. Of course, it couldn't break our skin so everyone mostly laughed it off..." "And of course, bears and pigs get very aggressive when they have young..." Radulf sees two possibilities here… The idea of both of them being true crosses his mind, given how the creature being so twisted and confused, but he prefers to keep that unpleasant thought to himself. Eurydike shrugged "I find myself looking at these creatures symbolically, instead of entirely within a realm of physicality The Dragon mentioned being an embodiment of beginnings, and it, it seemed like some sick parody of a desire to protect, and well, the desire to inflict harm upon those who are seen as aggressors." She sighed "The creature was designed for some reason by a sorcerer who, following the typical sorcerous model, decided to curse our people with some horrible, and arbitrary kind of punishment. They're known to generally protect children and eliminate bandits. I believe that the utility of their creation is to harvest souls as something with that method of operation is..." She paused, looking down "Effective at deterring the average go out and fight things type from killin them immediately." GM: (it hunts "outlaws" not just bandits - i.e. anyone thrown out of society as well) Eurydike corrected her comment for the sake of clarity if it came to mind. Radulf listens, it checks out with the impressions he got from it. Radulf: “You speak of ‘them,’ how, uh, common are they?” Thea: "Eurydike is probably referring to really old legends. She used to be really into that sort of stuff. Maybe there's only this one left... and maybe it's very old? Do they lay eggs, Eury, or are they always made?" Eurydike: "Not very, or, at least I hope not very. I really only recognize them from the stories." She shrugged, looking over to Alfthrys for a moment. "Sorry about the delay in acknowledging you. I was planning on giving you a speech about not limiting hype focusing on something just yet, but I in part lost my train of thought. I admire your interest in our culture, but clothes are nice; you shouldn't spurn the good things that are from your people in working to craft an identity, look at the traits we possess that you enjoy and work to reach those but don't let your admiration blind you to the wonderful things about your own culture. Life is short, and to dedicate yourself wholly at such a young age risks many other potential ventures. You come off like someone with a lot of spirit, and, well, investing the time to really consider where you direct that is important to get the most out of your life. If you are still interested in us, I'd encourage talking to your parents about learning about our customs and traditions alongside your own instead of pursuing the ideal born from limited information." Eurydike felt really, really odd not being missionary about her culture, but, it seemed more appropriate to acknowledge that they were tragically people like everyone else instead of the all around supreme people. Eurydike looked towards Thea and shrugged, she didn't recall. Althrys seems a bit dazed by the barrage of words, blinking and taking a tiny step back. Althrys: "But... I just want to be like you. I know it can't be easy, but I thought... eventually one of you will talk to me and accept me..." Eurydike: "What does it mean to be like one of us?" She asked, putting on a supportive gesture, she was doing the ancient Socratic technique of asking a lot of questions with, thankfully, a bit less power-posing about intellectual superiority under the guise of humility (probably) GM: (at least she did not pose it as a question her simpleton neighbour would ask were he presented with that information) Althrys: "Well... I've been trying to find out! All I know is you are strong, free and reclusive! You always run away from me or taunt me! I just want... to be strong and wild and free." Eurydike: "What about being wild appeals to you?" The girl looks a little intimidated at being taken seriously and obviously worries that this querry might be her one chance... that she might easily miss! Alfthrys: "Being free... running in the wilds. Being strong enough to live where the monsters roam... but also despite all that strength you all seem so reclusive... so you're not bad..." "Don't know how to explain it, but if despite your strength you prefer to live alone in the woods... it's like grand-grandfather used to say. That we settled out here to be on our own when there were just his family here." Eurydike: "Your family is a bit large, do you have much time alone?" Eurydike inquired, the tone of her voice was respectful, though the question was always a bit uncomfortable due to family y'know Alfthrys: "No, on the contrary - because there's so many people, I can be alone anytime I want. I just hunt, fix some things around the house or go fishing - usually only come back during the night. I don't hate my family... I just want to be more like you." Eurydike: "Able to run around the woods and be strong?" She'd gesture towards Blaer "She's strong, and good at running around the woods. I never said you hated your family, to ask the opposite then, do you talk with them about how you're doing often, and if so, how do they tend to respond?" Alfthrys: "They don't understand! They'd rather it be an enchantment you cast on me to turn me, than it just being my choice!" GM Alfthrys pouts dramatically your choice to run around naked in the woods, but there isn't really any enchantments I know of that can give you the physiological traits associated with our people. I don't really know if its a grass is greener on the other side kind of thing, but humor me alright? Imagine going to bed, wrapped up in blankets next to a fire. That's something that I'd really like to be able to experience, but can't as a result of being who I am." Radulf understood it more as her family wanting to put a spell on Alfthrys to get the idea out of her head rather than to try and understand why she thinks that way, but he's trying to keep out of the conversation… mostly. Radulf prompts Eurydike: “You told us once that your families are very competitive and harsh on each other, aren't they?” Alfthrys opens her mouth bu waits to see where Radulf is going Eurydike: "Oh, yeah, definitely. I had to learn how to claw at people's eyes to avoid getting pushed around. It still amazes me how little cliques fight, or at least how much more subtle they are in conflicts, in the towns around here." Thea doesn't seem super comfortable with Euridike's admission, but her body language seems to completely support its veracity Eurydike the nonchalantness she explained learning to rip at people's eyes to get them to leave her alone probably spoke more to the hyper-competition than the words themselves. Radulf: “Meliton also doesn't plans on ever returning, as far as I can tell.” -s Eurydike smiled awkwardly at the mention of Meliton, while she was being mostly honest, she was in part wanting to still partially sugarcoat the brutality of her culture to look good. Thea: "Well, Meliton... just like me is an odd one out. I think it might be unfair to judge the rest of us by him or me." Blaer takes her turn to speak to Alfthys Blaer: "That strength and kindness you admire is not held only by Eurydike's people. Do not think you need to turn yourself into one in order to inherit them." Blaer kneels down to be more at eye level with the child Blaer: "In fact, perhaps you can do something more important." GM: (the teen is just 1-2 years younger than you all) LD: True, but Blaer would still do that. She's a little patronizing like that GM: (unlike her younger cousins and siblings which she was chasing) (all good) Blaer: "Perhaps you can be the first to find that wild strength and recluse kindness for yourself, and share it with the rest of us, and allow others to live their lives as freely." "But you cannot find it for yourself if you try to copy others without thinking of yourself." Blaer speaks as if this is something that's been on her mind recently Radulf puts an arm around Thea and pulls her closer after her odd-one-out comment and smiles at her. Radulf: A thought crosses his mind then, and he asks Alfthys: “Do you want to be like the Wildlings so you can share in their qualities, or so you can be part of them?” Althrys: "But how can I teach others if nobody's willing to teach me?" The teen tries her best to control herself and act like an adult. She tries to wrest her speech under control so only the faintest hint of a stiffled whine is noted, and her leg twitches but does not stomp the ground in anger. Eurydike thought back to the main-parties home village, there were the odd people from her homeland visiting and co-operating there, right? Eurydike: home* homeland is a bit implicative of them not being in basically the same geographic region.) Indeed, there was a delegation in the Cyrnwig village, and although mostly made of young weirdos, some of them like Euphilia used to be people of some prominence back home. Eurydike opted not to mention that, given the kids proclivity for running off without much forethought, but it was clear she thought of something. "Blaer is right, I'm not the person I am solely because of my culture, nor was I taught explicitly to act how I do from it. Many of the traits about myself that I consider important to what makes up, well, me, came from experience outside of my home and not from direct tutelage." P.P. A.: (is she going to respond to Radulf's question?) Althrys mutters something under her breath, then directs her eyes to Radulf for a moment and then back to the others. Alfthrys: "It's not that I want to be exactly like you. But if I want to have your powers, I have to have your banes, and act like you do... that's how it works for everything else, after all!" "And since you're the first ones who want to talk to me... maybe you can take me on as a disciple? After what you did, my parents will surely agree!" P.P. A.: “To what end do you want to have their powers?” Radulf: “To what end do you want to have their powers?” Radulf exchanges looks with Eurydike to make sure he isn't getting in the way of the conversation. Eurydike blinked "Oh, no, that's...that's just not how it works. Just, just work out a lot and wear mail or something..."It probably wasn't as good as the mystique, but damn it, Eurydike in her hearts of hearts has longed to wear a cool helmet, A Bronze Breastplate, and Greaves. Eurydike and a cloak, and shirt and all the other stuff she'd forgotten due to never experiencing the hellish chafing just wearing armour without underclothing would ammount to The girl gets confronted with the circular nature of her thinking. She wants cool powers so she can run around naked in the woods, but she does it to ritualistically emulate what in her mind are magical dryads. Which, admittedly, is not completely wrong. Emulating powerful magical beings does lend one a measure of their power, because it means you bring your nature closer to them. It is how some priests can access tricks similar to the powers of gods. Eurydike noted that it may be a good idea to study some of the natural sciences on her next visit to town so she doesn't mess up with assessing the nature of things again. Eurydike made a mental note* GM: (to note, Eurydike is right - it's not going to work in this case) Radulf: “If it's strength you want, so you can protect your family, I can introduce you to Eoghania from my clan. She's a beats in battle. Once, she… pfft…” He catches himself from laughing: “chopped off the manhood of a Hiordling leader, and she saved my life once cutting off the head of a bandit leader.” her to wear some armour, too.” “If you just want to run around naked, be my guest,” he adds with a cheeky smirk. The girl shows Radulf her teeth as if he's the one being patronizing and not Blaer earlier. Aflthrys: "Either way. You say I don't know - then teach me. You are going to the place you call home - please take me!" Eurydike pondered how to explain they were doing action things without it only further encouraging the girl to come along with them. Thea gives her cousin an encouraging gesutre, using Radulf's back to hid it from Alfthrys Eurydike: "With how things are going at the moment, I'm hesitant to take you with us. I'd recommend spending time thinking about what you want, and questioning why you want it. I know that's not a very exciting response, but trying to calm down and look at things from an unbiased perspective can do wonders to helping one achieve their goals, or better find out what they want them to be." Eurydike looked towards the others in her group, if their opinion differed, she'd dliberate Alfthrys: "I am very calm. But if you don't want me to go along because you think I'm dumb and will just get in your way, I plead that you be honest with me." Alfhtrys: "I don't want to get in the way of your important mission, but please do not deny me out of concern for me. It would be hypocritical after all you said earlier!" Radulf nods in all seriousness, no longer grinning for his dumb joke. Eurydike: "It's not out of concern for you, it's mainly that I'm hesitant to take on another responsibility and variable to deal with for personal reasons. I understand you have a desire to see the world, and go out, but I am without enough information to be privileged to make such a judgement in fairness" (Was the nod towards the kids case or Eurydike's saying no adventure and fun for you?) respscorp (GM): (probably both) P.P. A.: The latter Eurydike not wanting to take her with us Vodka: (Stick in the mud gaming) P.P. A.: tbh she seems like a capable girl and Radulf has taken a liking to her, but as far as he can tell they've got too much on thier hands right now to take an apprentice except… Radulf adds: “You sound capable enough, but we've got a lot on our hands right now.” Radulf is struck by something though. Radulf hesitates to say it out loud to not raise any false hopes, but decides to anyway: “Eurydike, Blaer. Since she was one of the kids the creature was trying to protect…” Radulf: “Do you think it'll be more willing to trust Blaer and I if it sees her with us?” Eurydike shrugged "I'd prefer to let her reunite with her family properly before planning that kind of stuff" Alfthrys: "Hey, I'm not estranged from my family... I think? I talked to them just earlier this afternoon." Eurydike: "They were worried about you and the others running off to the woods." She hoped that she didn't just miss them interacting while being preoccupied with the big angries. Alfthrys waves her hands dismissively but seems to think of something. Alfthrys: "Of course I'll talk with them again before I leave. I hope you're not going to just run away while I do so. But... if I can help you catch that cursed creature, I would be happy to!" The way she speaks "cursed" seems to focus on the fact of it, not on sentiment - accent on the creature being the victim of a curse, rather than wishing a curse upon the creature Eurydike: "I'd ask you deliberate with your parents about it first; communicating with and potentially facing a rejection of your desires goes a decent way to demonstrating responsibility." Alfthrys: "Facing a rejection doesn't mean I'll have to accept it!" She goes to talk with her parents Eurydike sighed, waiting for Alfthrys to be a bit away she'd think for a moment. "Could one you please check if they actually say yes or no? I'd prefer not to deal with the high density of people focusing on me." Radulf looks at Blaer: “You're quieter than me.” respscorp (GM): (beep) Vodka: (bop) LD: Sorry, got pulled away by my family for a bit respscorp (GM): (topical) P.P. A.: heh Blaer was so quiet she actually already left to check on it Blaer has no problem observing the meetign while unobserved. The girl plays loose with the truth but technically sticks to it. Her parents are beyond worried, but accept her version of events - that she's going to help the heroes hunt the monster but that they are reluctant to let her do reckless things. Blaer watches the scene play out quietly, staying out of it for the time being Shortly after, the girl's mother comes back out with her to confirm if this is true, apparently aware of her daughter's tendency to apply a romantic twist on reality. Blaer manages to slip out and wait casually with the others. Mother: "Hello again. And apologies for not thanking you properly yet. Though we still might if you stick around for the night." Vodka nodded towards the approaching mother, waving. She wasn't great at accepting praise so, she hoped Radulf and Blaer could pick up the used to being a decent person slack. Eurydike did that, thankfully. Vodka was still trapped on the edge of reality, manipulating her actions with their long, unholy tendrils that dictate the consciousness of fictional beings like herself. Radulf smiles. “It was the least we could do after enjoying your hospitality.” Cygdun: "Hospitality is something we all owe each other. Risking life and limb... is a little more. But your humility does you credit, young man." "Now, just to make this sure I understood correctly, because my child has a fanciful way of speaking sometimes - you intend to hunt that monster and think she can help you?" Blaer nods Blaer: "She is an excellent tracker. It was only through her efforts that we managed to find the children in the first place." Radulf looks behind the mother to make sure Alfthrys isn't listening in on them; until he's confirmed that, he speaks a bit more carefully. Cygdun looks askance as if suspecting some young people conspiracy, but she knows Blaer from before and by reputation, so she ends up looking at her girl with some newfound pride Alfthrys is on the side of her mother, dreading this talk because she might have been a little liberal with facts P.P. A.: oh ok Radulf: “The monster was dangerous, but it did not seem intent on harming the children. It was rather protective of them.” “It might recognise Alfthrys and be less on guard if it her with us.” Radulf looks at Alfthrys: “It was your daughter who asked to come with us so she could learn from Eurydike and Thea. Fankrly we are not too excited about it, but she seems able to handle herself.” Alfthrys has to obviously restrain herself from hissing at Radulf But Cygdun doesn't seem to notice Radulf: “Going after the monster dos bear its dangers, but we can responsibly take her along on that adventure, where she may indeed be useful to us.” “The decision rests with you and her father, of course.” P.P. A.: (sorry for being so slow here, DST making my brain mushy) Cygdun worries, grasping the sides of her aprons nervously. Cygdun: "But she's so young, she's not had her initiation yet!" Alfthrys: "Just because I have to wait for my cousins to be old enough to undergo it as well! And you wouldn't let me travel to look for a priest!" Cygdun: "I'm worried, Cyrnwigs. And I know that if I ask my husband he'll just defer to you, and I'm worried that if I say no she'll just go and ask him..." She obviously is asking you to just say no to Alfthrys. Radulf sees where this is going, but feels like the has to say no in a way that doesn't leave Alfthrys dissatisfied (and risk her coming after them anyway), espcially since he brought that up. Radulf: “We haven't know Alfthrys for long—she's told us she can hunt and mend things, and she's evidently protective of her younger relatives. What can she do, and how much danger has she experienced?” Behind her mother, the girl's exasperation is obvious as she glares at Radulf in exagerated disbelief Cygdun answers slowly, seemingly completely oblivious of the faces that the subject of conversation is making behind her Cygdun: "Well, the boys all say she's supposedly a good hunter... the older ones always seem surprised by her catch..." It's obvious she's torn between three instincts - the tradition of being honest, the motherly instinct of praising her child and the parental instinct of making sure their child does not stand out and is not endangered Cygdun: "And she does help out with chores and reaching how to reach places, she's so good at climbingin..." "But she is a reckless and foolish girl who puts too much stock in fairy tales." Radulf nods somberly, and acknowledges Alfthyrs with a few glances as her mother not only confirms her self-description, but actually elevates it. Radulf: “She was honest with us then, and she does sound like she can handle herself… if she doesn't recklessly run off on her own.” Radulf tries to think of how to gracefully make a decision here… and decides to dodge the responsibility: “Alfthyrs, is there anything you've always wanted to do here with your family that they never took you along with?” Blaer: "A reckless and foolish girl who puts too much stock in fairy tales...that certainly sounds like someone we know, doesn't it Radulf?" Radulf grins. “Only Alfthrys has better manners.” Blaer: "Still, if such a rude girl could grow to become a renowned hunter, perhaps the girl could too, if given some proper mentoring." Blaer turns back to the mother, giving a knowing smile Cygdun gives a nervous smile, pleased at the praise from someone she respects, but worried at where this is heading Radulf feels bad for it having taken this turn, but gives her mother one out: “Are there any roles or duties here that you've kept her from, that could teach her responsibility and the importance of carefulness?” Radulf is thinking of participating in a boar or wolf hunt, or taking a leadership role where she's responsible for others, things like that. Cygdun: "Well, she's still a girl, not an adult, so really, there's plenty of things we haven't told her..." Radulf: “Rashness can be very dangerous,” he tells the mother but really indirectly addresses the girl, “and if you hunt and fight with others, you need to trust and be able to rely on each other to make the right decisions, and to make up for it if someone makes a misjudgement.” “It sounds like Alfthrys hasn't made these experiences yet, or learned from failure.” “Not to meddle with your parenting, but maybe it would do her well for your family to ease her into these things, to slowly entrust hr with more responsibility so she can learn to handle it wisely.” Radulf makes it very obvious just in case: “…so that she can go on a bigger adventure like a monster hunt someday.” Thea: "Radulf, that's cruel... if technically true. When will she get to do something dangerous if all her life she prepares..." Eurydike 's facial expression shifted momentarily, as if she was compelled to make a comment before it returned to the default slightly awkward at being within eyeshot neutral expression. Radulf cringes a bit—but also appreciates the comment. Now the mother has both an easy way out to keep her daughter at home, but also a good reason to let her come with the party. Radulf looks into the mother's eyes, serious and nonjudgemental. He shifts his gaze over to Alfthrys, hoping the mother follows, and considers what's really best for the girl (incl. what she wants). Both mother and daughter are confused and emotionally exhausted by the emotional highs and lows Rolling 9 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 1 respscorp (GM): (heh) Blaer suddenly feels the weight of celebrity on her Blaer briefly glances at the other two to see if she can get a read on which they would prefer to happen, since it seems to be up to her Blaer suddenly gets an idea Blaer: Perhaps if you are at a loss, you should consult those that I do when I face similar decisions. "I shall query the spirits, and tell you their answer." Radulf seems undecided himself, but his shy nod turns into a confident smile: “A good idea.” Eurydike considered that a good enough idea. Blaer would go procure animal bones, or a quick catch to make the divination Everyone seems to agree respscorp (GM): (hidden iq roll) Blaer does the divination, asking "Should Alfthys accompany us on the journey?" Blaer pauses, before looking up Blaer: The spirits say yes. Eurydike was ready to accept the decision of the spirits on this one. They usually have a decent idea of what to do. Radulf breathes out after the tension of the sacrifice being offered and read, and smiles gently. “I think that's the right decision, too.” Thea: "The spirits have... a weird way of seeing things. They made you chase me... and that almost ended badly for everyone." But how exactly it will end up We will see Next Time! P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! Vodka: ♥♥ Good session Thanks for having me respscorp (GM): thanks for playing Hi P.P. A.: Hello Vodka: yo Previously! On the frontier: Having chased off the strange monster, the heroes returned with kids in tow back towards the Portley lodge, where they deposited them back in their mothers' hands. Then they had a lengthy talk - with each other, about their next steps. And with the local girl - Alfthrys - about her desire to imitate the maidens of Eurydike's tribe. Like many young people, she was upset at being questioned - especially by people barely older than her - but maybe she absorbed at least a little of what they were saying. At the end of the day, they decided to try and find out more about the monster from the Hidden City, and then visit the old sword-priest to learn more about rituals used to set lost souls on their way. They allowed Alfthrys to accompany then set down to rest for the night, enjoying chance to sleep indoors for a change... Eurydike mostly stayed in the room afforded to her, happy welcoming families tended to cause more discomfort outside of her homeland than they were worth. She'd be ready to head out whenever. Radulf reflects on some of the elders' occasional mentions of the importance of making firm decisions, especially as a warrior (and the other elders' warnings not to be rash and incautious). Thea takes this opportunity to inquire with Eurydike what she thinks they have to do with their fangirl - something they can briefly discuss in private away from eavesdropping Outsiders. (From GM): Radulf can take the time during the night to scout around. There's no apparent dangers close by, but as he lifts up he can see some new fires in the north. Eurydike paused to think for a moment, shrugging. "I'm not totally sure, I don't really mind brining her, it shouldn't be too hard making sure she doesn't get killed, though we might want to invest in a leash or something." Thea laughs softly at the idea. Thea: "Well, since she can wear one, maybe we should. If she's going to keep taunting us by relying on conveniences we can't use." Blaer also has time and access to the local tools if she wants to prepare something (To GM): He tries to see if there are any invisible traces of the previous day's creature in the area, but otherwise doesn't do much. Eurydike smirks towards Thea, nodding. "I'm honestly not great with handling kids, its one of my weaknesses to assume people behave rationally." Thea: "That would... probably make you bad with adults as well. Think I should talk to her about it? After all, I'm as much of a kid as she is - we're about the same age and both have not had our initiation yet." Eurydike chuckled softly "Good point, yeah that would be ideal, thank you" Thea turns on her heel and runs out of the small guest-house. Blaer spends some time outside stargazing and checking for omens before she retires inside GM: (hidden dicerolls) The stars seem to move to some hidden cosmic rhythm tonight, spinning slowly through the night sky - small glowing objects that are the boats of the sky... Blaer can see the Dragon rise and spin with the Bolt, she can see the peculiar movement of the Ox and the rise of the Lancer It's not completely clear, but one thing is certain - there will be a clash of powers, and a conqueror will walk motivated by honest motives. The dance of Dragon and Bolt is both traditional and peculiar - is it a sign of battle or something else? These two constellations symbolize a mystical side of Arthu as dragonslayer and dragonfriend and his more traditional storm power. Blaer lingers outdoors for a bit longer before heading to bed Everyone settles down for the night and has a good rest. In the morning, you're probably woken up at the regular time by the sounds of roosters and people getting up to do the morning necessities - kindling fires, fetching water... Radulf yawns and stretches, but he's unusually quickly on his feet and getting ready for departure. Eurydike yawned, looking longingly towards the solitude and comfort afforded by the pile of comfortable things to sleep on. Knowing that everyone else was probably getting up, she'd rendezvous with the party and prepare for the departure as well. Blaer would get up early and try to do a quick morning hunt for breakfast before they headed out Radulf: “The dragon is very active in the north,” the young man notes as he turns his head that way. “…but we've settled our priorities.” Blaer: "The stars of the Dragon and the Bolt danced together last night. There is something happening up north. Perhaps a fight...perhaps something else." Radulf scratches his head. “I was thinking of your older oracle… What if the dragon unites some of the people in the north under a leader, and this is how the Hiordlings are conquered?” Blaer: "The stars also showed signs of an honest conqueror...and that does line up with that reasoning." Radulf frowns and furrows his brows. “I feel like leaving yesterday's creature aside for now and taking care of the dragon first, but…” Radulf: “Well, whatever the stars, we can only see up to the horizon, and we already decided what to do.” Radulf looks around for the wildlings and Alfthrys. Eurydike remained without comment, though it was clear she was thinking Alfthrys attempts to join the group for breakfast, but gets intercepted by Thea who takes her aside so that you can finish your discussion in peace. Radulf puts on a smile again and tries to lighten the mood again before Alfthrys joins: “Any bets on how many days until Alfthrys gets homestick?” Eurydike: "Two, probably." Eurydike shrugged, frowning she'd turn towards the two and ask if they think it'd be worth a shot asking their home town for help in freeing the souls, instead of taking the comparably longer trek to the Blue Eagles land. Radulf's comment on the dragon reminded her that there was, well, a dragon snatching people up and all. Radulf nods. “You said this had happened before, and those creatures were of your people once, so you can't be the first to try and do something about it.” Blaer: "The village elders are wise, but I think all they would have to help us with this creature are stories and questions for the spirits. I don't think this is something we can receive help from the familiar and safe." GM: (in the Cyrnwig village you also have a reputable witch and the Wizard) P.P. A.: (oh, their as in Cyrnwig) Eurydike: "Right, well, it's along the way so there's no harm in asking; I'd prefer to handle this affair quickly with the knowledge of the souls successful passing then spend unecessary time for the sake of my pride." Radulf elaborates: “Are there any elders or keepers of old knowledge in your village who might know something?” Blaer: "But the wizard, though...." Eurydike: "I'm not totally sure, given some concessions Orphea had to deal with." There was a heavy, heavy, annoyance on her voice as she recollected, "I doubt I would have much luck navigating the factions to secure a meeting with someone competent in time." After she finished speaking, she'd look towards Thea for a moment, and then return her attention to the group Radulf: “Let's ask our wizard then.” He has another idea: P.P. A.: (what was the name of the wildling priestess who came to our village again?) GM: (Euphilia) P.P. A.: thanks Radulf: “If Euphilia is still there, might she know something, or does she have better connections to those who would?” he asks Eurydike? GM: (If you're going to visit the wildlings' home, you'd have a direct access to the source, no?) P.P. A.: (this is in response to Eurydike saying that she didn't have enough clout to have direct access to the Knowers of her society) Radulf notices Eurydike looking at Thea briefly, and does likewise. “And what about her?” Eurydike: "Oh, that would be a great idea, actually. Euphilia ought have either the knowledge or social capital to help us out." Eurydike frowned uncomfortably for a moment, thinking for a second "Thea's part of the group, and if information gathering is untenable at your home, sending her may delay our ability to seek out knowledge at the Blue Eagles." Radulf nods. “Then let's head home first to meet the wizard and Euphilia.” Eurydike: "I think we should probably secure the creature first..." Radulf: “…oh, right.” Radulf laughs awkardly. Radulf: “It flew west, right?” Eurydike: "I think so." Blaer has a pretty good idea of where it's next might be. Where it's nest might be, even. Her knowledge as a hunter gives her confidence that it can't be too far and is probably nesting somewhere in the rough terrain to the west of here. Blaer points towards the direction of said terrain Blaer: "It's likely nesting there." Eurydike nodded, ready, but not particularly excited, to tag along and bag a former kinsmen turned monster. Radulf: “You and Alfthrys take the lead then; you both best know the land and the hunt.” Thea perks up from the other side of the room to see if it's time to get going. With breakfast done and plans set in order, the heroes get going and receive a grand sending off by their thankful hosts. The trip will like take a couple of days, depending on weather and terrain. Someone takes point and uses their outdoors skills to lead the group smoothly over the rough, forested terrain. Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 2 It rains heavily on the second day, grinding your advance to a halt as you're forced to take shelter until the weather clears. But thanks to Blaer, you don't loose much time and manage to avoid having to circumvent several large crags and cliffs. Alfthrys may on several occasions test the patience of the older girls - she's a skilled outdoorsman, but her skills seen mostly self-taught and she lacks the discipline and consideration for travelling with others - exacerbated by her youthful confidence making her eagerly volunteer for any task around the camp. Eurydike appreciated the reduction in camp-chores the new person provided. She, like most of the time, wasn't particularly talkative unless interacted with. Eventually, you reach the area... And Radulf manages to spot the creature during his dreamwalking. You're set to close in on it. P.P. A.: (Is the map black for everyone?) Eurydike: (ye) Eurydike looked towards the area "Right, best case I might be able to get it to come along with us willingly if we all play nice, worst case, well, I suppose the debacle will be solved sooner." Radulf: “Blaer and I might make it suspicious, but I'd also feel uneasy letting you three go there all by yourself.” GM: wait the map is black? P.P. A.: Yes GM: (strange, the overland doesn't even have sight and lighting enabled) P.P. A.: Now it works Eurydike: "Right, because we can communicate lets go through some situations and discuss how to handle them. In hindsight, we really should have done this on the way" Radulf: “The likeliest outcome: it recognises you two” he addresses Eurydike and Alfthrys, “is comfortable around Thea, but tenses up when it sees Blaer and me. „If we all go together it may be more on guard but also associate all of us with each other, instead of seeing us as separate groups.” “I should mention that it is armed,“ he turns to Alfthrys and Thea: “It has golden swords… in its body, in its veins, which it draws when it must fight.” Eurydike: "Right, that does seem ideal, Thea, Alfthrys and myself go up, calm it down then we introduce you guys and go through the awkward being comforting and indicating that you're not a threat bit." Blaer nods Blaer: "I'll keep watch from a distance in the meantime, just in case things go wrong." Eurydike: "Right" She'd nod, preparing to move up towards the creature in a nonconfrontational manner with Thea and Alfthrys. Thea and Alfthrys stand ready to follow after Eurydike Radulf stays behind, out of view behind the green, practicing looking non-threatening and calming down Karli. Eurydike looked towards the creature, smiling uncomfortably Thea leaves her spear behind and makes Alfthrys leave her things behind as well Thea: "If things get bad, you should run back to the other anyway." The creature was resting in a pile on the thick moss among the ruins. It lifts its head and, seemingly wary but not hostile, watches Eurydike intently. It slowly lifts itself up with its spindly arms until it is kneeling. Eurydike approached at a walking pace, unarmed as she moved to slowly clear the distance with the thing. The monster uses its long arms to slide itself closer to Eurydike and reach out for her Then it swings its arms town, battering her painfully. The blows cause no actual harm, but are painful. It's not obvious if the creature is clumsily trying to pet her or doing something else Blaer speaks to Radulf as she continues to watch Blaer: "It looks like it's just roughhousing with them at the moment, so we're still fine." Eurydike patted the creatures head, if the battering was short she'd weather it, if not she'd lightly smack the creature hoping to express 'please stop' in animalese. Radulf nods and keeps an uneasy watch of the situation. Thea keeps Alfthrys behind herself, suddenly wary about the girl's relative fragility. The monster pound on Eurydike for a good minute unless rebuked, then settles down and slides itself forward - as if seeking to lay on top of the girls and cover them with its wings. Eurydike probably responded, not wanting to get slapped for a minute. As the creature moved to slide itself forward she'd push against it, not wanting to be laid on all that much. She'd remain close to its side though, doing her best to assess its body language Sliding through and between the girls, the creature crooks its serpentine neck to look at them with its dispassionate mask of a face, then crumples on the ground and lays mostly motionless, swaying its head a little as it slowly turns to observe them in turn Eurydike remained mostly inactive, thinking to herself and trying to come off as nonthreatening as the creature acclimated to them being there. It hisses softly, then crawls around and settles, perching on top of the remains of some ancient wall, allowing it to keep more level with them without having to spend any effort propping itself up. Maybe it's flexible spine is not as god at keeping it upright as that of humans and human-shaped beings? Eurydike continued just spending time in proximity to it. She did indeed take the time to consider how awful it'd be to have a huge length of spine with just normal human thicknes Eurydike: thickness*) Thea tries to touch its head. It allows it, but after a while it starts bumping its head against her hand. Thea: "It seems like it can't feel much. My hand hurts already, and it acts like I'm failing to scratch its itch." Eurydike: "Right" She looked towards the thing with pity, not envying the torture that would come from an unscratchable itch, or well a lot of other things it was dealing with. "It seem calm enough to introduce the others yet in your opinion?" Thea: "I don't know. Maybe it just feels we're non-threatening. Do you think it sees us as children or as younger versions of itself? Or something else?" "Let's try to bring it to the others instead of dragging new people into it's nest." Eurydike: "Probably a mixture of little its and kids, good call, it is probably going to be less defensive that way." She'd go ahead and start trying to lead the creature over towards the group, gently pulling it in their direction The monster lifts up and walks after them with the resignation of an aging lion acquiescing to a cub's incessant demands for play Blaer puts away her bow, keeping her hands free of weapons and not in any particularly threatening position Radulf isn't hiding and tries to be relaxed. He smiles at the creature as friendly as he can—though he still finds it strange, he' also come to regard it with some pity, so he doesn't need to act that hard. Radulf makes sure his posture is open. Eurydike observed, standing near the creature with the hopes her presence calms it at least somewhat Thea goes betweem Blaer and Radulf, trying to put her hands around them and show that they are not dangerous The creature fluffs up its wings and flaps them a couple of times to appear bigger and more threatening, but Thea's display for now prevents it from screaming and getting ready to fight. It maintains a way watch on them, the kind of posture normally preserved for uneasy curiosity Radulf places a hand lightly on her shoulder and smiles at her, then back at the creature. Radulf: “It'll be hard for us to convey to it what we want—it seems to be unaware of the souls clinging to it, for starters.” Blaer follows suit, waiting patiently for the monster to calm down to get to the next step of this careful process Radulf: “Although just getting it to follow us might be enough.” Radulf looks at Eurydike and Althrys: “Are there any leftovers in its nest, so we know what it eats?” Eurydike thought back, did she see any bones or anything that'd suggest a dietary preference There is no signs of it ever eating anything Surrounded by people, it perks up a little - still wary, but it approaches Thea to make sure she's fine and not being tormented or controlled in any way - but it does so without acting overly hostile. Eurydike looked to Radulf and shrugged "I didn't see any leftovers." Radulf: “Strange—and unfortunate, that would have been an easy way to earn its trust.” Eurydike nodded Radulf , still next to Thea squats down and smiles at the creature, extending his empty hand so it can sniff it, if that's what it does. Blaer holds her hand out, palm outstretched, telegraphing her intent to touch the creature, but not making any more than a couple steps movement towards it Having seen that Thea is fine, the creature accepts being touched, but it seems to quickly lose its interest in Blaer, Radulf and Carli. Eurydike understood losing interest in Blaer and Radulf, but its disinterest in Carli confirmed she was definitely dealing with something of an alien psychology. For the most part, she was mostly thinking about how to drag the thing around while minimizing issues GM: (oh no, it does not care for big fluffy dogs) Radulf: “Do you think we can get it to follow us south, or would we have to constantly entertain it so it doesn't turn around and fly back?” For what it's worth, the creature seems curious and willing to follow Eurydike and the others, like a confused female bear that unexpectedly found abandone cubs in the woods. Eurydike: "Hopefully, we ought at least take watches during camp to ensure it doesn't wander off when we're asleep though." Radulf nods. “If it doesn't eat, we won't have to feed it either.” Alfthrys: "It has to eat something... how else does it keep alive?" Radulf: “…where even is its mouth?” Radulf looks at its face again, he remembers it being as stony as a mask, if not in fact a mask. It has a mouth on its face. It has been using it to make sounds so far. Its face is just completely expressionless otherwise - stuck in a masque of melancholic bemusement P.P. A.: oh, I see Radulf retcons his last comment! Radulf: “If it tries to eat one of us, we do what is necessary.” “If it suddenly gets up and flies away, we should follow it; it may have gotten hungry and went out to seek food.” Eurydike: "Yeah, sounds like a plan." Blaer: "With the speed it flies, we shouldn't have much trouble keeping track of it." With the strange monster in tow, the group makes their way across the mountain passes and back towards home for the time being GM: (back to the village?) Eurydike: (I think that's the plan) P.P. A.: Aye The creature never leaves your side for long and doesn't seem to either eat nor drink anything for the entire trip. It is not until the last day of the trip that Blaer finally figures out something Blaer says it plainly Blaer: "It eats life force." Eurydike: "Ohhh, oh, yeah that makes sense." Eurydike frowned, unsure of what she could add besides uncomfortable revelation. Radulf: “That… ouch.” Thea: "So we did bait it with food after all." Blaer: "Specifically, it's been sapping our strength bit by bit for the entire time we've been with it." Radulf: “That would explain why it is drawn to especially and loses interest in adults.” GM: (Everyone is down one long-term FP by the way) Eurydike grimaced, not sure what to say or do Worst of all, the creature doesn't seem to understand any of this. Radulf looks at Eurydike with sad eyes and an… understanding smile. Eurydike: "Right, well, lets try and expediate this, ensure the souls get to move on and terminate her as humanely as we can." Blaer: "Perhaps now would be about the time to stop considering this creature a lost friend." Thea: "I'm not sure. It's not like it literally devours people. But it doesn't seem to enjoy it's life a lot either. Maybe locking it up somewhere comfortable next to an animal pen?" Radulf: “It spine is weak and it can't seem to move much on the ground, but its skin is tough…” Radulf looks at Thea: “If anyone knows a magical grove with lush and abundant trees, sure, but…” Eurydike: "It's still a former kinsman under a curse, I have no issues terminating it, but I would prefer to do so with minimal cruelty. I'm thinking once the souls are secure, and its asleep, we just drive a spike through its skull and end it quickly. Its means of consumption are likely tied to the accumulated souls and I'd prefer to do it in fast rather than starve it. " Blaer: "Considering it's thick skin, perhaps the best thing to do would be to wrench its neck." Eurydike: "I figure its neck muscles are a bit much for us though" Thea: "It doesn't need to eat, but... has it ever tried? It does have a mouth... Can we try feeding it some treats when we get to the village. I mean... I still think it's excessive, but if we can get it to eat something, that might be the most painless option." Radulf puts a comforting hand on Thea's shoulder. “Who will keep feeding it, and why?” Thea: "That's what I love about you, you're so devoid of deviousness..." Radulf: “…oh.” Eurydike let the others discuss it, spending this time to ponder the symbolism of the creature, uncomfortable as how she continuously tends to relate to it. Radulf gets it. “…that would be the best choice then, yes.” Radulf is a bit embarassed. Thea: "So, are we still going to bring it to the village? What do you think, Blaer?" Blaer: "Well, it's hunger is less deadly the more people it has to feed off of, so we shouldn't have to worry about killing off the people." Eurydike: "Might be worth keeping it a ways off though to prevent a scene. I'm assuming its, well, sort of intimidating to the average person." Blaer: "And there's also the singing." Radulf: “The wizard's tower is a little outside of the village, we should keep it there and bring Euphilia there.” And so they do. Coralled in the Wizard's bard and kept sedated by girls from the Hidden City coming to keep it company and feed it honey biscuits, it stays put At lest unitl NEXT TIME GM: (my typography is horrible lately) Vodka: you're good) P.P. A.: Hardly noticeable Thanks for the session! LD: Don't worry about it, you're doing good. And yeah, thanks for the session! GM: thanks for playing Vodka: ♥ GM: Hello Vodka: yo P.P. A.: \o Last time Somewhere far off Youths from different cultures brought together by twsits of fate and the whimsies of spirits confronted a dangerous monster and managed to drive it back towards their home. With time, they discovered just how dangerous the creature is, at the same time as evidence mounted it is not actively malicious. It might enjoy the company of children and act protective of them, but it lacks the knowledge of how to care for them, mesmerizes them when it tries to entertain them and sucks the life out of everyone nearby over time. This combined with its skittish, overprotective nature and terrifying strength all point out to how dangerous it can be to a populace ignorant of its nature. It really says something about the caliber of the heroes when they've managed to pacify and coral a monster such as this. GM: (and now we wait for LD, hopefully not long) Radulf make sure Alfthrys gets acquainted with Eoghania while she's here. Eoghania reacts with appropriately patronizing aloofness to the girl who thinks she can mimic her sworn sister. Eoghania: "Ho, ho. If we wrongly call the mountain people savages, and they wrongly call us barbarians, what is this scrawny girl trying to be? Seems like she's the only actual naked savage here." "Anyway. How did your expedition go? We did not expect you back so fast." Radulf: “We ran into something that we thought we needed to take care of first.” He points at the monster if it's anywhere, nearby, and either way explains: “A monster of sorts. It's got souls clinging to it which we hope the wizard can fix, and it feeds on life energy so we need to put it down—but we only learned that recently. It's rather docile and protective of children, so we hesitated initially.” “Also seems to be a cursed and transformed Wildling, or to have been at some point…” Eurydike was likely preoccupied away from town keeping an eye on the thing Eoghania would want to meet Eurydike anyway, and was going to be bothering the Wizard either way, so she suggests that they show her the monster, she show her some thing cool, and then they all go to meet the wizard. Radulf gladly takes her along. Eurydike was overjoyed to reunite with Eoghania again, her mostly cold demeanor melted somewhat as she happily engaged in conversation with her sworn sister. Blaer welcomes Eoghania warmly as she joins back with the group Eoghania gushes about her amazing sworn sister who is now also a swordmaiden and once more urges Alfthrys to become a sworn minion to either of them. She also gushes enthusiastically about the sword Blaer made as a preamble to: Eoghania: "When you're back, can you make something cool for me? I'll be saving copper and tin waiting for you to come back. It has to be a long axe, like Radulf has, but better, and what if it also has a spear tips, or maybe a swordblade, or maybe just a long axe blade that is a sword and a spear...." It goes on for a while Blaer nods along patiently, waiting until the end to simply say Blaer: "I will see what I can do." Radulf indulges her silly idea and voices concerns about weight distribution and unwieldiness, but as he thinks it through he slowly becomes convinced by the advantages of a proto-halberd. The atgeir, perhaps Eoghania: "Anyway, before we go off to the Wizard's tall house, let me show you something amazing." She points at at a boulder a little way off and then takes a deliberate, low stance with her eyes closed and her mouth muttering a soft incantation. A moment later, she opens her eyes and swings her fist forward. There is an audible crack. Both from the boulder and her own hand. As well as a barely visible whip-like ripple through the air. P.P. A.: sorry Eoghania: "While you do great deeds, I did not stand idle. I've been bothering the Wizard to teach me... and he has been very... annoying about it. Kept giving me books and riddles and saying it's all the same, I don't have the brains for it." Radulf whistles. “That's… not going to understate it, very impressive.” Eurydike nodded along giving an affirmative nod to the statement. Eurydike considered it impressive as well! Eoghania nurses her hurt hand, then shakes it as if expecting that to shed the pain away. Radulf takes a look at her hand. “You actually…” He looks to the rock and back: “So you didn't throw magic at the rock, but actually punched it with your first from that far away?” Eoghania: "Turns out... all that talk about having to find my own way was literal, not just patronizing nonsense." Radulf: *fist Eoghania: "No, see... it just... really hurts when you throw your life out of your body. Supposedly you're not supposed to even try." "The trick then is to catch it back, of course." "And eat hearty meals." Radulf: “I think I get the—” He bursts out laughing at the second line. “That's !” He slaps her on the back. “No really, you're quite something.” Eoghania stares at Radulf, expecting the follow-up to this obvious set-up. How is he going to get her this time? Radulf: “I was about to warn you not to overuse that kind of thing, but you found a way around that already.” Radulf is genuinely impressed at her inventiveness and Eoghania-ness and won't tease her for once. Blaer watches silently, looking mildly perplexed and impressed Radulf: “Can you punch things like that too, your life-force passing through them and hitting something on the other side?” Eurydike looked on, genuinely impressed by Eoghania's new ability. GM: "How can I hit something I can't see, huh, Radulf? Anyway. I have much more to train. This is loud, messy, slow and it hurts... a good start, but still not much better than a good spear. Maybe a good way to intimidate a fool, and of those there are plenty. Let's go see the Wizard." Eoghania laughs and tries to lead the way something, not away in the line of sight. Radulf also makes for the wizard. Eurydike would head for the wizard with the group assumedly bringing the creature along for them to inspect Blaer: "I don't know what's a scarier thought: Eoghania practicing magic, or her succeeding in learning it." The group makes their way to the tower of the Wizard. Still as stony and bizarre as ever. The towering old man creeps out to meet them and study their new pet. He gives a full, formal greeting to everyone who has passed their initiation, gives Karli a pat and ignores the others. Wizards: "What is this that you have brought me?" Eurydike: "A kinsman turned creature cursed by a sorcerer from distant lands; it devours life force and has a host of souls surrounding it. We would like your aid in freeing the souls and euthanizing it." The Wizard studies it from afar, then procures various crystals and twine and stones and small baubles and a black skull from the pockets of his dress and consults them. Wizard: "I will need time to study it. You claim to know what it is. Can you tell me more, or find out more?" Eurydike did her best to recollect the story with more detail. She'd also direct her focus towards Thea, giving her the opportunity to volunteer to gather info from their homeland without outright telling her to. Radulf relates what he saw of it, hoping that things like the golden swords embedded in the veins or its ignorance of the souls orbiting it might ring a bell or help the wizard narrow it down, Radulf: . Blaer comments on its actions, comparing them to different animals in order to paint a picture of its mindset Wizard: "This helps, but I will need time. I am, after all, a foreigner, and have not seen records of such creatures in my homelands. If you can find true records of its like, it will help. Similarly, I think one of you being a vessel of he who cuts the cord, you might free those souls better than I alone. But I can brew a potion that will allow your mind to get closer to the world of icons if you require an inspiration from them." Eurydike listened to the wizard, nodding. "Pardon my ignorance but what would the use of the potion entail? I am prepared to do what is necessary to liberate the souls in the creatures possession." Eurydike admittedly, Eurydike hoped what was necessary did not include heading back to the homeland Orphea was technically banished from for a while. Wizard: "I will need a day to prepare it. Luckily, we have all the ingredients on hand. You will then need to walk in the footsteps of your icon for a time - remember a time when he performed his duties as liberator and destroyer. It is a dangerous and reckless ritual, yet the people of these lands do it often. When the time comes, you will use the power of the icon and perform that which needs doing in this world." Radulf: “Am I understanding it right that after drinking the potion, she needs to act as the Ender did—or does—for a while until she becomes convincingly similar enough to him to partake of his powers?” Eoghania: "Just like the priests and champions do during festivals and rituals!" Blaer: "And like we did before." Eurydike nodded, she'd ask if there were any texts within the village she could study to optimize her characterization. Optimally, one relating to similar circumstance Radulf nods. The Wizards nods. Wizard: "I am always amazed and humbled by the regularity with which your people take reckless risks and have built their spiritual knowledge on surrendering to powers they barely know. Some people back home... would probably hold a less positive view. But the price of knowledge is a mind open to all that is and can be." The Wizard advises Euridike to seek a good legend in the village, or else he can volunteer one that he knows well but has never been used in a ritual locally since it is foreign. Eurydike she'd be content with the Wizard's story as she assumed it was likely closer to the context of the mission at hand. Eurydike naturally, if there was time she'd be more than willing to seek out alternatives before settling on one. P.P. A.: He said preparing the potion would take a day anyway, right? Wizard: "Very well. It is at its core a simple story. There was a great city. The first city some say, though others say it was the first new city. The people lived there in a multitude and it was at first well built and orderly, with each person having a role, and each role being a calling that the person chose. Even cities can grow old though, and as it grew it stiffened. People were enslaved to their roles, and those who refused their calling were no longer able to leave. The streets grew crooked and the walls bore down. It was no longer hale and strong, but it was so large that none could escape. Some said that it needed to molt, but was barred from it by a clever man who had climbed on top and refused to come down. To this aged city came Cordcutter and he killed it so that it's people can be free and so that many new cities could be built." GM: (and yes) Wizard: "This is a tale I learned from the grass-eating barbarians of the flatlands. In my homeland, it is unknown. And in the east, it is also told, but then they call him Destroyer, and lament the loss of the City." Eurydike nodded, thinking for a moment. "When you say killed the city do you mean that the city or the city and its inhabitants were destroyed?" She asked this with a neutral expression, it was important to know for characterization purposes. Wizard: "The city itself, not the people." Radulf: “How do you kill a city? Destroy the buildings and drive the people away, or enslave them and drag them off?” Eurydike was relieved that she wasn't going to have to Darth Vader the child spirits. "Right, are there any other details from the story you'd consider important?" Eurydike: "My issue is that in dealing with the souls it is likely that some hold amicable relations with the creature and will cling to it. Ideally it would be an easy prospect but I expect that more direct methods are important, and as such a story in which he carries out a less charitable goal may be important." Eurydike did her best to sidle around the fact she suspected very strongly she was going to have to ghost-stab sad, lost children. The Wizard rubs his chin and says that he needs to get busy with brewing, but after he gets it going he can give her more details. Eurydike nodded "I'll go and seek out alternative stories in the village and come back in an hour or so if that's enough time" Wizard: "Sure, sure. Ah, Eoghania go find my granddaughter, I'll need you two to fetch some things..." And he disappears inside his home. Radulf turns to Eurydike: “Can we accompany you?” Eurydike: "I'd appreciate it, Its easier to deal with people with you guys around." Radulf smiles: “And you get to be the conqueror you always— …well, I guess you'd have preferred to build and rule a great city rather than to destroy one.” Thea: "That was Orphea. This is Eurydike." Radulf: “Ah, true, true.” Eurydike: "Orphea was honestly more of a raze the potential threats and revel in some idealized eternal victory kind of thing. It's good that she, and by extension I, met you guys and calmed down." She'd head towards the village to ask the elders about tales of her god, preferably darker ones because she didn't expect her soul-rescuing to be particularly lighthearted. Radulf doesn't mind being easy-going, but worries that being too soft on others may backfire at some point, so helping to conquer and raze a city may help build callousness. Radulf: “Who'd have thought that Eoghania becomes the Wizard's apprentice, though?” he smiles at Blaer. Blaer: "Certainly not me. It seems she's endeavoring to not be left behind by us." The elders volunteer what tales they could remember, mostly about the more famous feats of the Sword God and his champions. How Death came into the world, how it was scattered and then forged into his sword. How he severed his familial ties, how he judged oaths. How Balan the Swordsman opposed the Necromancer. How Cadeyrn killed the hospitality-breakers. How the Shadow Girl stole a piece of Death. Euphilia also volunteers some information - she says she knows of how the Ender ended their people's homes again and again, but then also came to end their slavery again and again and can tell of these legends. Radulf asks some of the more magically gifted elders: “During our initiation, our dream was invaded by someone. Suppose this happens again this time… can you keep watch and figure out who it is, or where an whence?” Eurydike reluctantly considered the story of her ancestral homeland being destroyed again and again to be the closest to her objective of breaking up a bunch of kids who presumably want to hold onto their friend and be safe. Euphilia endeavours to provide some details, and also pleads to be taken to the creature so she can study it Eurydike would be more than happy to take her to the creature, she'd prefer a more humane means of liberating the souls than ripping-and-tearing deceased children. Radulf intended to invite her to look at it anyway. Euphilia: "There are many back home, who would love to have this creature. Some out of genuine belief of the story you've told me, others as a symbol of prestige... but you're right to prioritize the lost souls. You have a natural talent for peeling the veil of this world, so I do not doubt you can do it... I just hope you don't eventually pay a hefty price for it." All that's left is for Eurydike to pick a suitable legend to serve as a guideline. With the knowledge that even then, it will be just a guideline for herself, not for the shifting tides of the legendary time. Radulf nods. “I don't know how it works but I'm assuming that the price is on that which we take from beyond the veil… like, to keep for ourselves.” Radulf: “As with the fallen kingdoms here that built their foundation on magic and sacrificial pyres.” Radulf looks at Euphilia, thinking it would be comedic right now to use his limited wind-magic to lift her skirt—but she's naked already, after all. He sighs, disappointed. Eurydike opted to ponder the details given for the dealing with her people; she was hoping to get a framework for the cold detachment necessary for the mission before her. Eurydike she'd decide on the mission of handling the city however, not wanting to pretend to decimate her people again and again, it just wasn't that appealing to her Euphilia, like almost all of her tribe, and certainly those of higher status, has extremely long, flowing hair in case Radulf ever decides to mess with them. The details Eurydike is given are that the liberator/destroyer/ender was a foreigner to the city, but had a quiet sympathy for it. In the stories told by the nomads, the City is never considered evil, but diseased - and its fate tragic but necessary. Likewise in the stories of the northmen. In the stories of her own people, Ender is a cold, unfeeling man. He shows up and kills - fates, empires, tyrants and wise queens. He measures the time of all things and ends them by his own arbitrary measures. Radulf flicks a little gust of wind at Euphilia's hair then, after his short comment, to make it rise and fan out briefly—with a cheeky grin. Euphilia puffs her cheeks and mutters something about "The children of the Storm are as insufferable as he, yet the daughters of the woods must suffer their whims anyway." Euphilia: "Have some decorum!" Radulf clears his throat and stands upright and proper. Poorly suppressing his amused grin. Radulf: “When we join Eurydike in this, will we embody companions of the Ender?” Blaer wonders if the Ender even has companions Euphilia: "When we conduct our ceremonies, it is always by chosen champions who submerge in the legend to bring us enlightenment and perpetuate the memory. So I don't know, truly. But from what your elders have told me, you can either choose someone else to represent and hope your choise is correct... or trust chance and follow whoever was there at the time... this second method is what I'd recommend. But I think your elders would suggest the former." Eurydike was mentally preparing herself to embody the god of endings. Blaer thinks really hard about it and concludes that the Sword God does not have companions per se, but sometimes travelled with his cousins, Storm and Sun Blaer: "Most likely, we will reprise our roles as the brothers." Radulf nods. “Or embodiments of them, or actors in their name.” Euphilia: "Very well. Though I expect this journey to be shorter and less perilous than your initiation." P.P. A.: (Sorry for the quiet, can't think of anything to add) With everyone assembled and everything prepared, the time comes to conduct the ritual. It is taken away from the village, to make sure no harm fall to it. Spirit-talkers, Alderad and Euphilia make ready to try and repel invading spirits and the invading presence of hostile priests. Thea, Meliton and Eoghania wish everyone good luck. Radulf is a little bit excited to delve into an unknown story. You are given acourtments and ritual items to anchor you to your roles - which in the case of Eurydike involves painting the sword symbol over her skin and carrying a sword. And then, you drink the Wizard's potion and start walking. You walk until dark and set to camp. In the middle of the night, Eurydike awakes. Eurydike finds herself changed... her skin is pale, her frame is taller and heavier, her hair dark as night, her heart filled with quiet purpose and calm. More pressingly, there is a skinny girl, with dark, smooth skin sitting on top of her, a grin somewhere between melancholy and mischief on her face. The girl is holding her sword! Eurydike looked towards the skinny girl, maintaining a neutral expression she'd wait to see if they were going to say something. Thief: "Good morning stranger. Somehow you bear the burden of our kinship. Maybe... you stole something from me? All the more fitting that I steal something from you, yes? Don't worry though, it's for a good cause and I'll give it back! I'm not like those others who tried to claim your weapon for themselves." Eurydike looked towards her with a resigned look, thinking back towards his(her?) training he(she?) recalled being permitted to raid so didn't take the action as a direct offense. "Tell me of the cause, and the others. My memory shifts as we stand upon this cut-out of existence." The strange girl laughs softly and blows Ender a kiss. Thief: "That's dangerous thinking. Try to stay in the present. Oh, it's such a shame what has been done to you... perhaps we could have been friends." She still holds on to the sword, but moves off Eurydike... Ender. And kneels to the side, holding the deadly blade in her lap. Thief: "Would you really care for the cause? You have your own way of judging things. Why would you care of the fate of my people?" Eurydike: "It is not my place to cast judgements upon the fate of your people, there is something which must come to an end, and I am obliged to see that through. I am asking for the sake of knowing where you are appropriating my resources and how it aligns towards the task at hand." Thief: "Well, if you want to know, you'd best try to catch up." She jumps to her feet and races away from your camp, her soft laughter serving to wake up your travelling companions Eurydike followed with the dispassionate annoyance that comes with millennia of just watching the ending bits of those family friendly movies where the dog dies. Radulf yawns and gathers his bearings—figuring out where he is, and who he is, and what is going on, Blaer stirs and sits up herself, scanning the surroundings to try and get a grasp on the situation Radulf finds himself to be a wild-haired wildman, with a furry jacket over his bare pecs, a large jade talisman, a straight sword at his side and a radiantly polished buckler. Radulf: “Nice.” Radulf looks to Eurydike… the Ender. “What's the commotion, boss?” Eurydike: "My sword was taken, we're currently pursuing the thief such that the mission may resume as planned." There was a twinge of discomfort in his speech if Eurydike's Easy to Read carried over, but it was clear there was an effort to be very detached about things. Blaer finds herself as the wise noble lady in her golden rainment. A scholar and a healer, with her striking arrows that carry the heat of midday when they are red-tipped, and the plague of the summer swamps when they are black-tipped. Both Storm and Sun get the feeling that this is something keeps on happening - someone trying to steal Death. To their great shame, they once did it as well. Radulf jumps up and offers Sun a hand: “Quaint. Think your arrows can outrun the thief?” Blaer takes it and stands up Rolling 14 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 0 The arrow flies off, grazing the thief and slowing her down enough for Ender to catch up with her. By the time you catch up with the young girl, you've exited the wilds and entered the vicinity of a large, walled city Eurydike went ahead and advanced towards the thief, looking towards her, and then the city. Radulf skips over in light and effortless leaps. He picks the girl up by the collar. “Now what do you want with Death, hm? Inflict it on someone, or keep it away from someone precious?” Radulf he does this after Ender takes back the sword. Radulf: (Or if she's dropped it or is obviously unable to swing it at him while his guard is down, really) The girl turns to face her pursuers, frowning Thief: "I was only going to borrow it. But oh well, I guess it cannot be helped!" She nibbles on the blade and falls dead on the spot, her body evaporating on the spot. When Ender recovers the blade, he sees that it's missing a tiny spec near the handle - the tiniest imperfection, but potentially catastrophic still. Blaer follows behind with the steady assurance of the passing sun Eurydike took the blade, and took a more important moment to inspect the imperfections to assess how horrifically death's alteration was going to impact the world. Something tells her she'll have to catch the thief... eventually. But by swallowing that mote of Ending, now she's the only one who knows when her flight will end. All this and a giant city - next time. In the ANCIENT PAST, A TIME OF LEGEND. Radulf looks a bit distraught as the light weight he was holding turns to dust and smoke and even then escapes his grasp. P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! Eurydike: ♥♥ Thanks for having me GM: thanks for playing LD: Good sesh! GM: Hello P.P. A.: \o LD: Greetings GM: (Ah, all are here, let's begin) Previously! Gin Adala, the wandering swordsman from the Northern Mountainland and her companions made their way towards Oro, the Great City. In Oro, she had learned, lived others of her kind - and perhaps could answer her questions about her divine lineage. With her traveled Arashi - a wild bandit-sorcerer from a distant land. And Fotismena, the enlightened one. Stopping for the night not too far from the city outskirts, they were awoken by a strange girl that tried to steal Gin Adala's cursed sword - one that was said to house the secrets of Death, the Black Blade. Gin Adala felt a strong connection with the Sword God then, and knew this was a reflection of things that had happened and will happen - a strong omen. The thief swallowed death and disappeared before she could be caught, leaving them in front of the city's outskirts. The desert sands stop, chained and hobbled by the humidity of the rivers, turning into fertile soil. Row upon row of tall houses and smaller homes line by the beaten, gravel-lined roads. And beyond that, the tall towers and impossible palaces of the city's heart. It is as if countless clan stronghold had uprooted themselves and trekked through the sands to reach here in pilgrimage, crowding around their unmatched better, a giant among mere mortals, impossible and unconquerable. Radulf: “How audacious of the people of this land to so defy the sun's withering glare!” Radulf exclaims with some respect but mostly as a provocation aimed at a certain someone. Blaer seems more confused than upset by the attempt at provocation Eurydike: Gin Adala took a moment to inspect her blade as she continued approaching the town. She'd resist the urge to thumb the discrepancy in the blades form near the handle, considering such an action to perhaps have less than stellar consequences. Eurydike was a bit disturbed internally as this continued to support the Chiastic nature of reality, having first seen herself in a monster, and then in this vessel she moved forward. "Two vast and trunkless stones stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies...I'm sure you two know the rest." She paused, looking back and smirking, a confident expression on her face. "Regardless, there are knowledgeable people here and before the sun beats them back we ought try and pick their brains." Blaer: "Yes, some knowledge gathering should do us all good." Radulf nods. The sun, still distant, is already sending it's first outrider, Dawn into the sky. Soon it's chariot will start its slow journey towards zenith, but for now, it mercifully takes its time, giving the world a sense of blessed light without the curse of the desert heat. Up ahead in the agglomerated houses and strongholds, people move around, trekking towards the river or making ready for the day ahead. The scent of fire and the din of tools carries on the faint wind. P.P. A.: (Any extended irrigation canals and water reservoirs around?) GM: (in the distance. Here, only wells) P.P. A.: (I see) Radulf paces ahead, taking in the environment. “How closely the houses are huddled together… like manmade hillocks, dry and cracked.” Eurydike: The mountain swordsman scanned the various peasants from a distance with the smug sense of invincibility that comes from hardly ever receiving anything that'd come off as a good punch to the face. Did she see anyone who was in a similar state of dress as herself? Gin Adala looks around... from this distance, she doesn't see a lot of the city, most of it hidden behind its outer layers. Still, she manages to glimpse a small group of young women, lacking the distinct colourful dress of the locals, moving in a group towards the river. Radulf regards it all with a certain arrogance as well—knowing on some level that he wouldn't be here if the people of this land hadn't invited disaster through their way of life, and on another scorning those who would pile up mountains and bury themselves in them when the sky, so blue and endless above them, extends so far and wide. Eurydike: Gin would approach the group of women. Her sentiment was similar to Arashi's though she quite enjoyed the city, imagining what musical accompaniment would be most appropriate for its dissolution. Radulf: Arashi playfully curious about everything despite his attitude. He saunters over to the women as well, arms crossed behind his head, smiling and waving at whichever of them look and have a lovely shine in their eyes—but he lets Gin go ahead since she has a clearer purpose. Blaer: Fotismena follows behind the two, scanning the situation as she seems to take every detail in Away from the main road, the sand turns to filthy mud as no-one bothers to haul away refuse piled up in corners between houses - the inhabitants only making the token effort of keeping the land in front of their doorstep and that surrounding the wells clean. It's not completely soiled, as they seem to have at least the werewithal to burry their bodily refuse away from their homes, but the stench of cucumber peels and other rotting produce leftovers is strong. Having spotted the group from over a hundred yards, Gin hurries after them, gathering the gazes of the locals as she moves past. Her divine blood that had made her extraordinarily tall even in her homeland makes her tower over most of the locals here. Arashi and Fotis also attract curiosity, of the more polite kind. A few early-risen artisans and some people cooking food wave at them hospitably and shout something in the local language. Radulf grins gregariously (a very extroverted polite smile, really, since he can't understand shit) and waves back to return the vibes, but doesn't stop for any of them to keep up with Gin. P.P. A.: pls add Arashi and Fotis as available characters for us so I can /me without feeling bad for it LD: Yes, please Eurydike: Looked down on her pathetic assumed-kin, putting little effort to hide the disgust in her expression, tempered by the occasional glare towards those outside of proto-best friend team. "Has poverty simply stripped you of clothes or do you embody the unyielding capabilities of destruction I do without the will to use it?" P.P. A.: (at Arashi?) GM: (should work now) Eurydike: (Statement directed towards the nekked women) P.P. A.: (oh nvm, yeah) GM: (everyone should have an extra character option) Gin Adala: (ty ♥) Arashi: (nice, thanks) Fotismane: (Thank you) Pulling through the awaking neighborhoods, they finally catch up with the group. Four young, wiry girls carry a long yoke made of something that looks like a giant reed. On each side, a heavy pot is balanced. They are marching slowly towards the river, driven forward by a local girl carrying a small, flexible stick made from the same kind of giant reed. She prods and swings at then seemingly without provocation, but without putting any strength into it either, like a sleepy cowherd driving their animals towards the water. Gin Adala approached, seeing they were in the middle of something, She'd turn her focus towards the local girl, then back to the four of her distant relatives being driven along. Noting the fact they were being commanded she instead opted to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they were a separate, pathetic nudist culture and not something which belonged to her kin. Turning to the local girl she'd force a smile before quickly returning to a cold expression "Care to tell me about the people you're brining along?" The girl, which until now had been sleepily focuse on her task, at first looks around confused. When she notices Gin, she at first frowns as if preparing to scold her, but then she sees her sword and seems concerned. She tugs on the long, flowing hair of her charges to get them to stop while she tries to figure things out. Local: "Are you from the Palace? Where is your mark?" Her tone is questioning, but her bow indicates a form of wary obeisance. Local: "They are good girls and I keep an eye of them. Whatever trouble there's been, I'm sure they're not involved in it." Gin Adala gripped her sword on her mention of a mark, her gaze drifting towards the girls to see if she could locate one on them. "That is none of your concern, thank you. I will speak with them for a moment." She would turn towards one of the poor girls, not acknowledging the woman beyond that statement. "Give me the location of one of your elders, I must discern why you are in such a poor state." Arashi smooths things over with the girl to not leave her in complete confusion; she seemed mildly protective of her slaves, that's enough to earn a little bit of his goodwill. “We're travellers but something happened on the road here” he explains with a smile, one hand resting relaxed on his pommel. The local girl looks at their group with suspicion, but Arashi's smile, rich clothing and appeal to the familiar quickly smooth things over. Clearly the foreigner doesn't keep his slave unarmed. So she lets Gin talk with the the four women while she turns to Arashi. Local: "Come to trade, or see the city?" Meanwhile, the waterbearers look at Gin awkwardly, but their handler distracted they decide to answer Waterbearer: "We keep out of things outside the household. Nor do they let us wander out alone. But we still know who is who. And we don't know who you are nor why you ask questions." Arashi: “More to see the city—we've heard much of it,” in a fashion, “after all. How long has it stood?” Gin Adala glared towards them, "My name matters little, I am from a village in the mountains and I have come to discern the nature of people who bear traits similar to my own" She held the more cruel portion of her statement, putting on a faux-friendly expression knowing honey better then vinegar and all that. Gin Adala did, glare before putting on a friendly expression; being someone whose worth was derived from violence she drifts more to intimidation then diplomacy, and the out of character currying of favor was mainly due to the obeisance of the slavemaster affording them protection. Local: "Since times immemorial. The Palace was built by the gods!" The four women glare back, unintimated They were letting themselves get driven forward by a scrawny young woman, but Gin's sword and stature don't seem to scare them as they slowly lower their load to the ground. Gin Adala smiled, letting a soft exhale of relief from her nose. Her expression drifted towards a more genuinely friendly one as she remained silent hoping for either violence or a lead. Waterbearer: "If you don't matter, then why should we tall you anything?" GM: (tell*) Fotismane pulls out one of her red arrows, admiring it publicly as it gives off the heat and light of the sun, a gentle but sure threat of power Fotismane: "Our names do not matter, not us. We are all humble servants of the gods." Gin Adala: "My doesn't matter to you, I am from a distant land and stories of my character have been unlikely to reach you. I am a foreigner and it is apparent from the squalor you live in that you are pressed with issue. There is a chance I could be of assistance to one of your elders in exchange for information." Arashi smirks smugly at that comment, but suppresses his grin so as to not break his immersion. “If man has maintained it since, that may be just as impressive, wont as he is to sin. Does it prosper still, a fertile field that yields rich fruit to the citizens who tend to it?” Local: "That it does." She catches a glimpse of movement to the side, turns towards her slaves and frowns. Local: "My golams are good girls, but they are strong and I feed them well. I don't know what yours has done to provoke them, but it looks like they're itching for a fight." The way she says it implies she's just warning him and wouldn't mind the spectacle herself Fotis' threat gives them pause, so they look at their mistress and at Fotis to see how that will go Arashi looks over to the scene Gin is making and scratches his head, unsure whether to intervene. He tries to find Gin's eyes to see whether she looks frustrated/ready to snap, and to enable her to wordlessly communicate with him. Gin Adala bore a happier expression seeing her assumed kin prepared for conflict than when she saw them being shepherded along as cattle. It was clear she was excited for a fight if one was to transpire however. P.P. A.: (To be clear, did the little thief look like these golams too?) GM: (no, she looked... different in the same way a cliche elf looks to a human - she was leaner, more beautiful, more agile, somehow unearthly) (Gin Adala also looks different - a bit paler, with darker hair and almost a head taller, but leaner in built) Arashi puts a hand on Gin's shoulder and speaks to her quietly: “I thought you were here to sever worn ties, not to create new loose ends.” Gin Adala looked back towards Arashi, her expression softening from violent exhilaration, comradery soothing her. "I have come to discern the nature of my strength, fraternizing with those who resemble me is not the reason for coming" She looked towards the group, weighing taunting them further or giving the momentum in the conversation. Seeking information that fisticuffs might not yield she hoped the gaze of a freeperson who looked like them might prompt envious jeers that hinted towards their nature. Gin Adala: giving them momentum in the conversatino*) It's pretty obvious they don't find the concept of different classes within their group strange. Mostly to them, she seems like someone of a vaguely similar status and outside their household. Someone they can converse with and fight with without getting into trouble. Arashi: “To tempt someone into his own betterment is a way of fraternisation.” He pats her shoulder once and steps away, leaving her to resolve the situation however, but he warns her: “Fixation is death without dying; what is loose should be tied, or come free for good.” Arashi embraces his divine-ish-also-sorceror persona instead of plainly stating that if she gets too fixated on people like herself that's counterproductive to ending things incl. obsessions and unhealthy ties. Gin Adala pondered his words, nodding to him. She'd turn her head towards the woman, bowing her head respectfully. "Thank you for your time ma'am, I wish you a good remainder of your day." With that she'd, with an aggravated expression move away from the crux of conversation, acknowledging the wisdom of her companion. Gin Adala: (center, not crux. My bad) They make a few comments about Gin's courage or lack of thereof. With no further reaction to their provocation, their mistress swings her stick at them and they pick up their loads and continue on their way Local: "We will continue to gather water, foreigner. If you have no knowledge of our City, you are welcome to follow. When we are done, I can take you to our home to show you hospitality." She says so addressing Arashi, since he was the one that talked to her the most Arashi takes a quick look at Fotismane and Gin to see their reactions before he replies. Gin Adala bore a polite expression with a strong undercurrent of not wanting to tag along with the water people. Gin Adala the pained civility of having to watch a younger sibling play one of the inane skinner box phone games they apparently consider a solid release. Fotismane stows her red arrow back in its place. She seems to have no qualms with this path P.P. A.: As an only child, is that like hearing a parent praise overpriced proprietary hard-/software without having ever tried any alternatives? Vodka: I think so, yeah. P.P. A.: Poor Gin/Eurydike Arashi politely declines. “I much appreciate it, but for now we're happy to wander and explore on our own.” GM: (Fools, you have internalised the mores of opression!) (Hypocrite that you are, for you trust mores to tell you what they are, or do you not object because of your own upgringing. Now are you going to fight, or run like a dog?) Arashi grins and salutes her in whichever way comes natural to his current persona: “A good day to you and yours.” The local girl 'tsk's as if having missed a stroke of good luck and continues on her way. P.P. A.: well, salutes as in casual gesture of deparitng Gin Adala definitely skedadled away from a Diety larping as poor people as they are oft to do. Hubris wrought from natural armor unchecked by the minutia of clique-politics a monster you are! Eurydike to herself was regretting avoiding what seemed apparent, but this was less a self journey to her and more a chance to do some hardcore character acting to free a buncha souls and, well, an upbringing of getting touched by sick people for healing and then praise for strangling a lion does this to people. Gin Adala: She'd wave as well, heading off to study the area for hopefully more well off examples of her kin. Of course, being outside the wall Eurydike, unlike Gin didn't expect to see that kinda thing. Arashi speaks more freely with his friends once they're among themselves again. “I'm curious to find out what brings about the end of this city; if it proudly keeps even its slaves strong and well-fed and keeps attracting traders and visitors, it sounds vigorous yet.” GM: (of note - this is the largest settlement Radulf and Blaer have ever seen. For Euridike it is smaller, but more populous and less grand than what she has seen back home) (but obviously, for Gin is is the largest) Arashi can't deny being impressed. Wanting to wander a bit to get a feel for the city was more of an excuse not to accept the local girl's hospitality—which he'd have appreciated, but that's not what they're here for—but on second thought, it is amazing to him that you can even wander and get lost in a settlement. Gin Adala: "Perhaps a great beast, or a litany of small cuts which will, in time, coalesce into a great beast of story. The size of this place exceeding what social groups are capable of handling, paired with wealth is presumably equivalent to eating a soup garnished with broken glass." Pausing to think of the words more, and the sight of the more direct confrontation to her ego prompted her to reflect a tad, her travelling companions are her friends and harassing every naked chick was likely to get closed doors more than open entrances. "While the great creature lasts, we ought enjoy its bounty. Is there anything either of you would like to do here?" She, like Orphea internally reflected if this gesture was out of genuine companionship or a policy of appeasement Fotismane is equally impressed, head on a swivel as she takes in all the sights, noting it down either mentally or on whatever writing supplies she had with her at the moment Arashi shrugs. “There's much to see and appreciate here even without going out of our way to look for it.” Arashi indeed pays much attention to artisan workshops along the road, decorated homes, wares being paddled, the dress of the locals, etc., stops infrequently to take a closer look. Arashi: “Are we looking for the thief still, or the fragment of death she took with her to the great yonder?” The outside layer of the city seems to consist of clumps of tall towers, some of them connected to each other at the upper floors. Inbetween them are formed narrow streets where artisans peddle their goods, clans cook or work fabric communally, or people gather for spectacles. Farmers from outlying villages who have stayed overnight are setting up stalls to sell grain and produce. Here and there, the trio can see other distant kin of Gin Adala - climbing the walls to repair some small damage, doing menial labour, hauling loads or fighting as a spectacle. At least once they are approached by someone who offers them a chance to earn some coin by pitting Gin against some local favorite. Past the inner layers is a massive wall, over 20 yards tall and dotted with impressive square towers whose tips glint painted in indigo and red Gin Adala: "You think its worth knocking some heads in the fight pit for prestige to ease our passage to the better off regions of the city? I'd like to see what my kin are capable of regardless." Arashi: “I won't stop you if that's what you want to do, but this sounds more like human cockfights—not sure how much renown is to be earned that way.” Arashi doesn't mean to discourage her, he just doesn't seem convinced it's worthwhile. Gin Adala: "A fair point, the way she spoke to me fitting the role is more likely to get you offers for trade than personal prestige. Care to at least spectate then?" Arashi smiles. “Sure.” Fotismane: "I wouldn't mind observing your talents in combat." Arashi: “How are you liking it, Fotismane? 'tis a very sunny land after all.” Fotismane: "I have little to say, for words are not enough to describe this" Gin Adala shrugged looking towards Fotismane "I'd like to show them, but if its a front for people hawking people who resemble me, I'd prefer not to lower myself." They stop and watch for a bit while conversing. The audience's gaze makes the gladiators clumsy and reckless, which seems to be part of the appeal of the spectacle. The other seems to be the fighter's ability to inflict a lot of spectacular punishment on each other without any lasting injury. Over the course of one fight two wooden boards and one old pot get broken into someone's head or back. Spectacular throws and painful holds seem to be crowd-pleasers, and a lot of the fighting style seems to be focused on inflicting pain towards the goal of making the opponent admit defeat or be rendered too disoriented to fight back. Arashi quietly notes: “So they really are distant kin of… Hm.” Arashi chooses not to dwell on it now because thinking too much across time and space doesn't seem wise in a dream. Arashi: “A spectacle to be sure.” Gin Adala looked on at the mudwrestling pankration with serious disappointment, sighing, she'd make a mental note to herself that hit and run tactics were the ideal. Something Orphea discerned several times on the being a grownup test. "That's one way to put it. I don't think spectacle fighting's for me." Fotismane: "A shame." Arashi is slightly disappointed since he was just starting to get the appeal, so to speak. Arashi: “I get the feeling we should take a look at that temple built by the gods.” Gin Adala: "I admit, I can see why you enjoy watching this kind of stuff, its just a bit too easy to project into the flailing people down there." She'd nod towards Arashi, "Right. Might be worth visiting during the off hours though, I doubt with how dense the population is I'll be able to avoid stabbing someone" In the background, someone executes a spectacular combo and the crowd cheers for a bit, then the fights seems to be over. Looking at the inner city, it seems traffic inside is regulated - and most of the people lining up seem wealthier than the rest. Thankfully, their group does look wealthy Arashi waits in line, keeping a relatively low profile seems for the best. Gin Adala waited in line, focusing on her breathing as not to stab one of the people casting their focus near her to death. Half because she knew it would be inappropriate and the other half because people tend to look at murders. Fotismane studies as she waits in line Arashi also takes a curious look at the others in line, the guards, etc.—wanting to get an impression of who runs the city. The people in line seem like wealthy merchants, warriors, foreign visitors with their entourage They get a quick interview and then get let in. Most of them seem wealthier than the trio and in larger groups. Just by the gates, Gin can see a pair of nude wemone bearing large axes and a large tattoo or painting on their hips and shoulders It seems to depict a tree that stretches from the underworld to the sky Gin Adala took a moment to appreciate it, thinking if she, or Eurydike happened to recognize the symbol anywhere else Gin is unfamiliar with the specific symbol, but thinks she recognizes the meaning - the tree stretches through three worlds, connecting and rooting them. Fotis is a scholar and sees a deeper meaning here. The world-tree, a symbol of something that used to exist before the wars of the gods where everything was connected and much closer together. Gin Adala 's focus drifted away from the great mural to see if there was anyone around who looked like they were explaining things. Still, she was happy for the experience in itself. Gin Adala mainly a priest or anything, admittedly, it may be more likely to find those kinds of people deeper in. Fotismane: "Interesting..." The armed warriors at the gate explain things as they interview people in the line. The line moves quickly, and soon it will be the trio's turn to pass through. In order to expedite things, one bronze-helmed warrior is already approaching them to talk. Gate Guard: "Greetings, foreigners. You seek to enter the City?" Arashi answers gladly if nobody else pre-empty him. Gin Adala tolerated letting the others take the lead on this one. Arashi: “Indeed. Pray, what customs should we mind to honour, what sacrifices are proper at your temples?” The guard explains the conditions of being allowed entry - the pilgrim (as he calls it) must sacrifice wealth to the city, and in addition must behave respectfully. Guard: "It is good that you are polite and humble, and mind the divine. There are several small temples, but the greatest temple, indeed greatest in all the land is the temple to the Sun Emperor. There princes and chiefs go to bow down and seek his wisdom or to pledge their fealty and receive the god's blessing." "I see you bring with you a golam and have her bear herself with the dignity of a higher one. But she is not - and if you wish to avoid giving offence, you should disarm her or have her prove herself." "The golam are a symbol of prestige for their owners, so it will be beneficial to you. But if she fails, it will be a black mark on your name for having a presumptuous slave." GM: (aaa) Gin Adala 's expression soured, she'd make a quick mental headcount of the guards and consider potential escape routes. The prospect of slaughtering a city was unlikely but to the Benefit(?) of Gin, Orphea had considered methods of genocide for quite a while. Eurydike, being less bloodthirsty than her predecessor dissuaded herself from metagaming horrific solutions. Arashi: “Very well; the works of her hands will prove her worthy of her tool.” “A duel with a champion, I suppose?” Arashi went ahead and accepted in her stead since she seemed eager to get into a fight before, but not if it meant humiliating herself—this time she has a good excuse. Guard: "I do not know, to be quite honest, liege. I do not pry into their secrets." Gin Adala huffed, annoyed by the acceptance on her behalf but aware enough of the necessity of it. Arashi: “Well, uh, who is in charge of issuing the challenge or trial?” "Well, liege, it should be really simple. Just walk past those two when it's your turn, they'll handle it between each other." GM: (did it again) Guard: "Well, liege, it should be really simple. Just walk past those two when it's your turn, they'll handle it between each other." It's a really interesting mix of disdain and reverence his face displays when he talks about the armed women barring the gate. Like they're both slaves, but of untouchably higher status than him. Arashi: “I see—very well.” He smiles confidently—hiding some concern that Gin Adala will bring deal with the two in a manner too flashy or cruel. Gin Adala reverence kept the brutality at bay but the disdain in their eyes made it difficult to resist the urge to sever a limb or two when it came to conflict. Arashi gives Fotismane and Gin the opportunity to quietly voice any concerns, but otherwise doesn't rock the boat and plays along with everything. The line moves forward, group by group, until it is their turn to go through a minute later. Seeing as how nothing was raised by his subordinate, the chief of the gate guards only greets them and extends a formal welcome, binding them with the same obligations as guests and himself as their host. He eyes Gin Adala in a way that seems covetous, then turns to face the next group of visitors. Up ahead, the pair of women stand with their large axes at the ready. Already glaring at Gin to see how she'll act. Arashi can't deny a bit of giddy excitement to see how this plays out, overshadowing any concerns. Gin Adala nodded her head respectfully towards the two axe wielders, she offered a smile, glad to see people that look like her in a position that was at least somewhat prepared for combat. "So, how is this to go?" One of them frowns, obviously displeased with the frivolous way this is handled, but the other one grins, half-way between welcoming and psychotically violent. Axe-Crazy: "First we go fight, then we go talk. Your master can be present only for the first part." Traditionalist: "This is a test to see if you can be one of us, not if you're strong or fast." Gin Adala: "Right, is there anything I should be aware of besides the process of go fight-go talk? I'd prefer not to get disqualified on a technicality." Traditionalist: "We'll have to wait for replacements. And understand - your ability to figure things out is part of the test." Replacements arrive within minutes, and the trio is escorted inside. The whole inner city looks like an enormous plaza, with streets that are the size of plazas and plazas the side of villages. Impossibly green and lush parks stand amid the paved surfaces, spreading cool, fresh air around. Gin Adala: "Right..." The trio picks up a couple of other of Gin's nude kinswomen - some armed, other painted in bright colors and wearing golden beads in their hair. The entire group moves towards one of the parks, the more densely overgrown one, like a miniature forest amid the city. Arashi tries not to show too openly that he's marveling at the sights and hella impressed. As the trio's escort grows, they notice a few extremely important looking dignitaries, strict clan matrons, wealthy merchants and imposing priests and scholars lose their shiny golam as she turns around to follow the trio. They all seem annoyed, but to some degree resigned with respecting one of the traditions that reinforces their status. Gin Adala continued walking, doing her best to maintain a neutral expression, though if Eurydike's lack of skill at such things carried through she was rapidly jumping back between murder-fantasy and discomfort. P.P. A.: How many non-golam warriors and guards are there in the area? GM: (Most of them, in fact. But as you enter the woods - none) P.P. A.: Interesting As they form in a small circle around Gin Adala, they regard Arashi and Fotis with curious, wary eyes. One of the women, her skin decorated with green and white stripes, turns towards Gin Golam: "Why are you doing this?" Gin Adala: "To be able to enter the city armed." Gin Adala wore a cold, prepared expression, she'd opted to refrain from saying too much as the more information provided is an invitation to greater scrutiny. Her statement was technically correct and Eurydike hoped her peoples respect for social maneuvering wasn't lost to their position as respected trophies. Green: "Why do you need to enter the city armed?" Gin Adala: "To maintain effective fighting cohesion with my group along with deterring potential conflicts before they have a chance to occur." Gin Adala told the truth, it was indeed an important aspect of it, she didn't want to give up her attachment to the weapon, but someone keen on looking at gesture probably noticed an instinctual tightening on the blade. Arashi quietly asks Fotismane in the meantime: “Could ending this city mean freeing the gulams here? I'm not convinced—they do a lot of work but the other citizens seem capable of that same work, and of fighting, and the gulam are kept as much for the prestige as their usefulness.” More of the unarmed, painted ladies surround her, their demeanor strict and inquisitive Chorus: "Why fight? What conflicts? For whose sake all this? Do you really want this?" Arashi: “They don't seem especially unhappy with their status, which can be quite high, either.” Gin Adala: "Your asking questions in rapid succession makes it difficult to accurately address any of them, if you want a genuine answer slow down. If you want basic ones: I am skilled at it, we're in a densely populated area and well off, don't be naive, for myself and my companions, define "this" Fotismane: "It seems to me that the golams don't consider themselves particularly trapped, no...but that simply raises more questions." Gin Adala: (Probably shoulda used semicolons instead of commas there.) "Your asking questions in rapid succession makes it difficult to accurately address any of them, if you want a genuine answer slow down. If you want basic ones: I am skilled at it; we're in a densely populated area and well off, don't be naive; for myself and my companions; define "this" (There we go, reposting because the comma in a statement between comma seperated ones made my brain angry at itself) Chorus: "All of it. Why do you do it? For what reason? If you do it for the others... then you can drop the sword and be taught civil skills. Arts and numbers. You are beautiful, you seem smart - if you let us educate you, you can be a treasure that elevates your master. You don't need to be a sword." Gin Adala: "To deny the sword in favor of words alone weakens the efficacy of both, someone who utilizes only arms is labelled a marauder and handled by the throngs of enemies they accumulate, and one who speaks only words is bound to the role of a sycophant, currying favor to borrow someone else's ability to swing a blade." P.P. A.: that feel when no warrior-poet gf The women split and part and bow slightly to Gin and congratulate her. Chorus: "Well spoken, well spoken. But why then fight and speak for others if you are so capable yourself?" Arashi again quietly notes to Fotismane: “I've been acting like her master so we blend in and don't attract unwanted attention, but now I'm wondering if that was overly cautious.” Arashi: “Oh well, it got us this far.” Gin Adala: "One's own capabilities, however great are limited. To form bonds of trust and comradery with others allows you to empower them, and in turn empower yourself. I will posit my skill is great, but I acknowledge that others are formidable as well. I could likely hold my own against one, or two of you but if you attacked in full force my capabilities would be overshadowed by the number of attacks inflicted. This is not to say in typical conflict will join handedly, fear of injury and hesitation to risk one's life can keep greater numbers at bay and comradery is both something which grants those who share it numbers and the motive to overpower the urge to hesitate when battle comes." in typical conflict people will*) They all nod and step back, leaving a small space empty for her and two opponents GM: (it is a little late, do you have time to finish the fight?) Gin Adala: (Yeah, I'm good to go, any major differences in stats for Gin compared to Eurydike?) GM: (Gin is Eurydike with SM+1 and DX+1) Gin Adala: (I suppose its too late to suddenly become a savant with a sword using accumulated points?) LD: It's a little too late for me, but that should be fine, given I'm just spectating Gin Adala: (I'm fine with either option, fighting with an effective 13 in the skill'll make me use tactics) Arashi: I still have time (to spectate) GM: (ok, let's do this; and not sudden spending) Gin Adala looked towards who appeared to hold authority as she stepped forward, she assumed that wielding death's crystalized form may make the fight a bit unfair and her expression held a bit of sympathy in that regard. If given the terms she'd suggest the conflict to be unarmed so she didn't end up hyper-deleting someone. Everyone is ok with going unarmed. They also can offer her a club, a staff or a training stick if she prefers to use those. Gin Adala genuinely preferred everyone being unarmed for an out-of-character-in-character reason of Orphea's upbringing of fighting her peers mostly unarmed. They all agree to an unarmed duel then. Gin takes position in the small forest clearing opposite her opponents. They tense up and ready up, but she's a little faster. Gin Adala: About how far are they from?) (Oh, I'm dumb lol) (There set boundaries for the fighting given by native positioning?) GM: (assume people form the red circle Gin Adala moved up towards the flank of one of her opponents girls, spending a fatigue to give her actions more clarity and attack with purpose. As was a typical of her opening she'd go for an eye rake! Rolling 10 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 2 She attempts to grab around Gin's torso rolling 9-3d6 Having moved up, she wasn't really prone to step back but she'd certainly try to evade, quickly trying to divert her momentum away from Meanwhile the other runsh forward and past Gin, trying to grab her by the neck and pivot herself into a hold around the taller girl's neck, Rolling 14 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 5 She slips away easily Gin Adala moved a yard back, repositioning herself to face the two if she could with the "move one yard in any direction" following breaking a She manages to stay out of their grasp and also to foil the flanking maneuver of the other who stops instead of running into the thick bush on Gin's side She ducks, trying a sweeping kick at Gin's legs Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 6 Gin Adala: (Does retreat give its bonus for every attack or just the one?) (Oh, its for one target) Gin Adala hoped to dodge the attack, maneuvering to utilize the momentum of her movement to err on the side of the hex outside of the kicks Adala delivered a series of furious swipes towards the still vision-capable woman's face, neglecting her defense in the process. Rolling 7 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -5 She stumbles back, holding her face. Both of her opponents are blinded and with some open space to retreat, they are clearly at a disadvantage. But how is she going to try and end this? Gin Adala: rolling 12-3d6 (Stealth) Gin would move to sneak up behind her initial target, Adala noting the failure of stealth she'd utilize the superiority of speed! Being a speedy gal she'd rush behind the girl to her left and The strangest thing happens. As she moves in for the kill, her victim hears her run and tries to turn fast. She slips, spins in place and stumbles prone - but since Gin did not expect this, she also falls prone on top of her. GM: (Instead of a grab, Gin gets the chance for an elbow or knee drop, but also ends up prone) Gin Adala: "I was wondering when that would happen" Gin says, possibly breaking character a bit, less pissed off and more relieved as the inevitable prat-fall she'd been dreading for a long while happened. Still, she'd Adala 's elbow blasted the ground pretty hard, thankfully her natural DR prevented any real lasting harm that nasty rock could have done. Rolling 8 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -5 The other one tries to get a drop on top of Gin, but stumbles and just lands on top of her. Despite the bad luck, Gin is still at a significant advantage GM: (To avoid rolling a lot of 8s and 9s, what is Gin's long-term plan in the fight?) Gin Adala: (Roll to the side, stand up, get one in a choke hold, apply a blood choke to KO them, then move on to the next one. Isolating them if possible) (If they aren't standing up she'd try and drag them away from eachother and just make it as difficult as she could for them to regroup as 2 blind people that can communicate are still a decent threat when wrestling is the only option) (Well, the mostly practical option seeing as all out defenses and per rolls make kicking invite getting dragged back to the dog pile) Gin manages to finish her opponents off cleanly and without too much trouble. While doing so, she notices that much like some of the masters back home, they have a bias towards trying to go for painful strikes - and with their numbers advantage it is very good she seized the initiative so fast. Gin Adala was initially glad that she won the competition, getting a tad bit invested. Her happy expression dampened a bit as, thinking from a narrative or just pragmatic way it was more than likely that the prime Gin Adala probably butchered these two girls with the death blade or got her ass handed to her in unarmed combat, Gin didn't really have the experience of getting the crap kicked out of her by groups of her peers that prompted Orphea to fight really, really dirty. That probably will have some effect later... Gin Adala this, naturally lead her mind to wander further at the nature of all of this, the fact that the Lady was referring to Orphea, her scolding Ender for referring to the fact time was apparently cut out for a purpose, the (uncomfortable) implication that in being kin of dragons they were also beings that represented begi- Gin Adala Will save her existential issues for next tmie! NEXT TIME Arashi in the meantime discovered they sell an interesting bit of foodstuff here, some kind of puffy roasted grain. Vodka: (Thanks for having me, hope my ungodly cheap combat tactics are entertaining to DM for ♥) P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! GM: (Thanks for playing) (It's all fun, this is actually one thing Euridike's kin is more vulnerable to, hence why everyone is shocked when she does it) P.P. A.: (This was actually somewhat educational since most of my GURPS combat experience is with ranged combat, so I can learn something from this variety of close-combat maneuvers.) Vodka: (I am excited for the ramifications of winning the "Hey you're not too great" 2-1 typical ego handling ritual that's presumably to check if people are sincere in defeat) P.P. A.: Especially since yesterday's Shattered World session ended with my character prone next to a boss and a few lackeys with the rest of the party still two or three turns away. (After a well-planned sneak attack on the boss which the dice unfortunately punished in spite of Luck.) GM: Sadly Euridike can't rely on well-planned sneak attacks since there's a high chance for it to backfire She's managed to evade horrible luck for a long time by not doing anything crucial Vodka: Truly life is pain. Her modus operandi for sneaky violence is do it on an overcast night, throw a bucket on torch or other light source, if that fails: Run away, target furthest off enemy, if that fails: Abort and run away, repeat. She's paranoid as heck due to falling on her face consistently but her people's curse for Hubris would admittedly still screw her over. P.P. A.: I should invest whatever points and freebies we get after this into a more robust combat setup for Radulf expand his repertoire a little Anyway, have a good evening o/ Vodka: Have a good one respscorp (GM): hello P.P. A.: \o Vodka: \o LD: Hi Previously! In times immemorial the City stood. The city, center of culture, of wealth, of trade, of civilization itself. It's sturdy walls, its glorious ziggurats. The city with its bronze-clade warriors and its obedient, enchanting golam. To this city once travelled Death in the shadow of one Gin Adala, or perhaps her companions. After looking around the streets of the outer city, Gin, Arashi and Fotis made their way for the true city, the city of palaces and mansions and libraries and gardens. There Gin sparred with her kin and seemed to be accepted by them, to be taken quietly aside at some later point and be revealed their secrets. All too late did Eurike and her friend Blaer think that Gin should have lost this bout, and in winning she has created a divergence - one that may open the way for others. And now, they all sit under the shade of the trees, in the fresh and cool garden. A tall golam girl, her limbs painted in indigo and her hair decorated with gold bows to Blaer and Arashi Her: "By her actions, your friend has been accepted as one of us. And by her actions you have been elevated to nobility of the City, for only through owning us, the worthy, is worth given." Fotismane looks to her companions for a moment Fotismane: "We're honored." Gin Adala was having a small little existential crisis but did her best to bear a grateful expression. Arashi is a bit confused but moreso takes it for granted, having grown more into his boisterous and self-confident persona. “Hah, glad to hear.” Arashi: “So status in this city is conferred by the ability and excellence of your golam, whether martial or otherwise?” GM: "The golam hold all official positions, and by owning the most excellent ones, status is conferred. Golam who cannot even hold a position are pathetic," The one speaking seems to the youngest in the group, a tall, lean and dark-skinned girl whose hair is richly decorated with golden pins and purple ribbons Arashi grins and holds his chin. Blue-Hands: "Your friend has been accepted among the ranks of the defenders, who put their bodies on the front lines so that their masters can safely slay the enemy. Valiant protectors, they." Arashi: “. So you are the real ruling elite of this city, who administer its citizens through your owners… unto whom you confer ownership of yourself to elevate them to the office you desire them to hold?” There is some murmur of discontent among the women, though it is unclear whether it's over Arashi misjudging or about things not being as exciting as Arashi paints them. Gin Adala opted to just listen, not seeing any particular advantageous in character reason to comment, eradicating the city and the social structure seems easier given the new noble status. Arashi: To try goad them into a more substantiative response; Arashi turns to Gin Adala: “Hear that, Gin? Parallel hierarchies: an elite of golam who subtly control the elite of the humans, who rule over their citizens, who in turn keep the lower-class golam in their place.” Gin Adala: "Pretty overcomplicated, but, hey big city right? I'm sure there's a bunch of norms outside of that" Most of the ladies start to leave, no doubt eager to return to their duties. A couple stay to talk with Arashi and Fotis, while another small group leads Gin, ostensibly to complete her initiation rite, murmuring something about her friends not understanding. Blue Hands: "Not quite. At all levels, we are the holders of worth, but not the holders of power. A long time ago it was decided that all worth should be held only by those with no power of their own, so that they can be claimed by others and there can be no despot holding both worth and power." "So it is even among the worthless - those that hold are useless sisters collect their meager worth, lording their scraps of status over their brethren." She explains this to Arashi, while the others try to haul Gin away for a while. Gin Adala tagged along as instructed, her ability to play a character hampered by a brutal argument between the other two characters she has existed as. GM: (our* useless sisters) Fotismane: "So, only those who have the worthiest serve them are fit to have the most power." She sighs, though whether at frustration at the question or her own powerlessness, it's not readily apparent, even to Fotis who often has an eye for details Blue Hands: "It is not for us to judge the powerful. Those are their own affairs. We just serve those we must." Arashi nods, trying to wrap his head around it all. “Do the golam answer to their masters, and their masters to the Sun Emperor, or would you have to obey him over your owners if they were in conflict?” Fotismane is just left with more questions about the feasibility and internal coherency of this form of governance, but fears poking too hard at it would cause the dream around them to crumble down on top of them The woman nods at Arashi, pleased at his prudent question. Blue Hands: "He controls the Cursed-Queen. If he makes her order us, we cannot disobey. This, and his mercenary soldiers, makes him the master of the City." Arashi exchanges a look with Fotismane, and gives her the chance to ask the obvious question here. Fotismane: "Mercenary soldiers, you say?" Arashi meant the other one, but that too: “The Cursed-Queen?” Blue Hands: "Yes, his silver-helmed soldiers help him keep the other rulers in check and make sure he wins the Street Hunt every year." She then turns to answer Arashi's question Blue Hands: "Yes, the Queen. From holding her stems ultimate power." Arashi: “Is—” He just had a thought—if the Queen is immortal, maybe she wanted Death? “Is the Cursed Queen an immortal woman, or a title passed down from mother to daughter?” Blue Hands : She is older than the city. She was here first, bathing in the waters, when the first man caught her and she taught him how to trade and deal with others, how to weave boats and how to share and act justly and with cunning." Arashi looks at Fotismane again with a raised eyebrow and intrigued look. “Friend, do you recall that… apparition of a golam we saw on our way here? What did she look like again” Fotismane tries to recall the details Fotismane remembers the details well, after studying the target in details before making her shot. A skinny young woman, with hair as dark and voluminous as the night itself. Her skin is smooth like marble and dark like dried sandalwood. Her dark eyes glow like coals in the dark. As she describes it, the blue-handed girl shakes her head. Blue Hands: "There is some similarity, but what you describe sounds like just some poor, worthless young sister. The Queen appears more mature, of fuller flesh and more regal bearing than this monkey-like person you describe." Arashi applies dream-like, mythological logic to this and isn't convinced the highest immortal queen, made to rule over a hierarchy of slaves, wouldn't assume the guise of the lowest case to obtain a fragment of death—but he'll talk about that with Fotismane under four eyes. “I see.” Fotismane: "Is there anything else you want to ask of them, Arashi?" Arashi shakes his head. (There's the Street Hunt but he can either imagine what it is or assumes it irrelevant.) Arashi: “And you?” Fotismane shakes her head in kind Arashi: “Hm, one more: is the Sun Emperor as old as the city, or is he the son of the previous emperor, and so on?” Blue Hands: "No, he has been ruler of the city for a dozen years now. An unprecedented long time." Arashi: “I see. Here's to a long life yet,” he smiles—no lie behind it either, sounds like he'd be only collateral damage but neither the cause nor the purpose of the eventual destruction of the city. “Thanks for your many answers. When may we be reunited with Gin?” She frowns a little, but dares not object to his well-wishing. Blue Hands: "In the morning, most likely. I will show you to a house for visitors where you can wash away the dust and rest for the night." And without further ceremony, she leads the way. Fotismane follows behind silently, waiting for the time when she and Arashi would be alone to discuss matters Arashi likewise. Soon they are alone, in a small, cool bedroom that overlooks the river and the grand ziggurat. Fotismane gives pleasant goodbyes to the golams as they leave, before sitting down and letting out a heavy sigh, looking to Arashi Fotismane: "This certainly is a lot to take in." Arashi nods. “At least, the purpose of our coming seems clearer now.” Arashi: “Though this city thr oops “Though this lustrous city thrives, it is ruled by a Cursed Queen, perhaps cursed to undeath, perhaps clinging to life beyond its due.” “Without her, whom the golam follow, the city's power structure may well collapse and throw it into chaos—but a city that lives by a dead ruler lives on borrowed time, and someday that debt must be repaid.” Fotismane: "The slaves give worth to their masters, but I wonder who decides their worth, and how they manage to keep power separated." "It seems like a system that exists only as long as people remain blind to its truth." Arashi: “Whether the little thief we encountered was who she appeared to be, a slave of low birth, or a magical persona of the Cursed Queen, it must be the Queen for whom she wished to borrow a piece of death—whether to undo the Curse, or to free the golam of the city's warped hierarchy.” Fotismane: "I suppose now we know why the golam do not consider themselves slaves. They see themselves as treasures instead. giving value to their servitude Arashi nods. GM: (well, if nothing else to discuss, skip to morning?) Arashi: “Gin will see it differently and know her target once knows the story, I wager.” P.P. A.: (yeup) LD: (Mhmm) In the morning, a Gin that is surprised at her lack of hangover and other, worse aches, manages to find her friends just as they're making ready for the day ahead. She has been given some ritual markings by her new kin - black hands and red nails. The paint they use must be magicked in some way, because it seems to stick securely and feels smooth to the touch, as if becoming part of the skin and benefiting from its protection. Gin Adala took a tentative look around, annoyed that she couldn't feel the cities idols on the back of her neck from a distance. "I hope your night was as exciting as mine, you want to take a stroll around the walls? I bet there's some interesting art all around we missed just going through the front." This was, naturally an excuse to speak somewhere with an open field of view to prevent interlopers. Fotismane: "That sounds like a wonderful idea" Arashi: “Sure.” Gin Adala set off to really inspect the walls from the outside, get a feel from the city and take a breath of that open-esque air that her mountain-raised lungs craved. The walls have some murals on them, which remind her of the ones in the hidden city. Much simpler and made of bright mosaics instead of durable pale stone, they depict the past and the laws of the City through exagerated scenes, such as a golam distributing grain and taking all the blame for any shortfallings. Or another golam bearing a lantern leading two women out of darkness. Gin Adala outside and hopefully out of earshot of the intrepid interloper she'd get down to discussion of the logistics "Its a miracle that this city hasn't collapsed already, the fact we get to be the ones to to it is a gift. Currently, the King and His Son are the main heirs to the Queen-wife ownership debacle. A more traditionalist sect of his guard hate him while the loyal ones are defending his trophy. My general plan is to plot an insurrection, eliminate the king and his heir, learn to play the lyre and maybe some pleasant accompanying instruments and play it as the city burns to the ground due to a power vacuum, we ought also grab anything of value we can on the way out for posterities sake." Gin Adala: "The lyre part is optional, and, given it would take a lot of time to really learn how to play an instrument well I understand if you want to leave that part out" Arashi: “I thought you would go directly for the immortal, older-than-the-city Cursed Queen instead, who really rules the city's golam, and thus the city itself.” Fotismane: "Is sacking the city as we're leaving really necessary? Where we're going after this task is done, valuables will only serve as weight we cannot carry." Gin Adala: "It's, it feels appropriate to sack the city; I mean, one of us has bandit in their epithet." She took a few practice swings with her sword, some at adult neck level and a few a bit lower, just in case. Gods she hoped the kid was at least a bratty teenager or an adult, preferably with a punchable face. "The city is the most inane slave-on-slave system where there's really no defined ruler I think she's stuck going along with the king because he won at hide-and-seek because his retinue numbers in the thousands. I was focused mainly on what we had to do to tear the system down. Really, she's stuck up in it too, I'd personally just fake my own death and leave given presumed competence on her part." Arashi: “Perhaps she longs for more than a fake death—or others think she deserves more.” He makes a point to stare at Gin's chipped blade. Gin Adala: "Perhaps, I have a lingering feeling that the vagabond which damaged my blade was either the same entity as the queen before us or her kin. Either way I am not particularly against playing my role in these affairs" On her mention of the role, she thought back to prior circumstances of daring and perchance heroism of the group, hoping to assess if murdering a man and his child in cold blood fit their general behavioral patterns. She was certainly hoping it did as a daring rescue was a lot harder! Arashi: “My thoughts exactly.” Arashi turns to Fotismane: “You, blessed with the powers of the sun,” he says that part with a hint of mockery, “what do you think of the Sun Emperor's role in all this?” Thinking back, Gin remembers that she's generally been an easy going warrior, a kind of strange mix of acetic and hedonist, slaying the deserving. Sometimes mercy-killing. She'll have to see them before she decides if she wants them dead or merely taught a lesson. Fotismane: "I think the story of separation between power and worth is a rather creative lie to tell your people to avoid being seen as a despot" Gin Adala let out a long, annoyed nasal exhale. "On second thought, lets consider how we can bypass the mercenaries" Slaying the deserving and child murderer didn't really go hand in hand. Orphea was distressed by the spike in assumed difficulty but Eurydike was relieved she didn't have to decapitate a six year old. Arashi laughs. “Honestly I can't tell whether the Sun Emperor is the despot here keeping the Cursed Queen captive, or whether she's been pulling the strings of a succession of rulers.” Arashi: “I guess we'll have to meet them to find out.” Gin Adala: "You are nobles after all." Gin Adala chuckled, still amazed by how easy it was to gain status in this city by having an efficient violence perpetrator. Arashi: “Thanks to your prowess, o precious possession of ours.” Gin Adala snickered, Gin not being raised on stories about outsiders inevitably actually enslaving you and using you to reach their goals preventing the innate hostile defensiveness such a comment would provoke in Eurydike. They see the purple-ribboned and haughty golam girl from yesterday sneaking around the wall, getting close to them. Though it seems she's not tracking them - instead just making sure no-one is tracking her. She hasn't seen them yet. Gin Adala: "Should we tell her skylining herself is not an effective way of moving in secret or commend her ability to obfuscate stupidity?" (Oh, redact that I thought she was on top of the wall) Arashi watches with a curious smirk and waits until she notices them. Gin Adala opted to let her fellow paranoid plotter have the first word in the encounter. She overplayed inspecting the (admittedly impressive!) mural visible from her angle of the wall. Seemingly startled by their presence, she looks around nervously and then greets them politely, blushing in the direction of Fotismane. Ribbons: "Oh, hello. I see you're also here to admire the murals. Looking perhaps for some clue about the upcoming Hunt?" Gin Adala turned towards Ribbons, not wanting to break the innocent facade she'd let the other two handle the questions, she was just their loyal comrade after all. Gin Adala if they did not seem interested she'd certainly nod in agreement for them at the very least. Arashi: “The—what was it—Street Hunt? We heard the name, but care to fill us in on what it is?” Ribbons: "Yes. It is about to happen soon. The queen is lifted out of her home by ancient magics and wanders the streets until someone catches her." Her expression sours, and she looks at them critically, as if trying to discern something Ribbons: "Everytime there are some foreigners trying their luck in the hunt, infusing the city with fresh blood and preventing the rulers from getting entrenched. Until recently, that is. The Silverhelms patrol the streets one the days before and during the Hunt, killing anyone they spot outside." Arashi bursts out laughing at that. “That's one way to make sure you win.” He quiets down a bit and shows some sympathy: “Is that why the current Sun Emperor's rein has been so long?” Ribbons: "Supposedly. I was six when he supposedly started doing it." Gin Adala: "It still confuses me, isn't Loyal Mercenary supposed to be an oxymoron in the same way as a tru-, an uhh" She paused to think, the general oxymoron Orphea told herself was not really that polite given both present company, and well, present meta-company. "you know, dry water or something..." "You know how large the kill squads are?" Ribbons: "Perhaps two hundred men strong in total, in groups of five. I guess he needs the others back home to keep the nobles and champions in line." Arashi: “They would be no match for noble golam in equal numbers I suppose, but for the weaker ones of the common folk?” Ribbons: "We don't fight our masters. That would literally destroy everything." She grows pale at the mere consideration of it Gin Adala blinked Arashi doesn't immediately comment because he wants to watch Gin's reaction first, or at least her trying not to react. Gin Adala stared at the girl with a look of apparent confusion on her face she wasn't totally dumbfounded. Taking a moment to compose herself she gestured towards the slums "That just applies to the ones in positions of prestige right? I'm sure there's at least some insurrectionary activity where everyone's poor." She looks horrified and a little sick, her caramel skin growing pale all over her body as her vivid imagination presents her with terrible visions Ribbons: "The humans are free to fight and kill each other, but we don't fight them directly, only at someone's behest. It's the basis of our existence!" Arashi takes a different approach, and puts an assuring hand on her shoulder: “Let's not go that far—but please answer me this: every golam has her master; and every golam also obeys the Cursed Queen, and through her, him who catches her, right?” Ribbons: "Y-yes." GM: The girl's voice is shaky as if she expects him to blow her mind with some logical fallacy she's opening herself for. Arashi pats her shoulder as he's planning to do just that: “On the day of the Hunt, your masters could all become the new Sun Emperor, and surely would like to at least try, correct?” Ribbons: "Some of them, yes. There is... well, you can't own too many high-ranked golam, so whoever owns the Queen relinquishes all else." She lifts her chin up defiantly, digging her feet into the sand. Ribbons: "My master loves me and does not suffer from excessive ambition, for example." Gin Adala tapped her feet, looking around nervously. Arashi smiles patiently and warmly: “That's good. Still, the Silver-Helmets infringe upon his rights by tradition—and I'm sure there are many who grieve this more bitterly.” Arashi: “But when the Hunt starts, the Queen parts from the previous Emperor—while she wanders, the throne sits empty, and waits for the yet-unknown successor.” “During this interregnum, the previous Sun Emperor is a man like any other—and yet he, who is even withough a golam, uses his mercenaries to deny your master, and all masters, their rightful opportunity to ascend the throne.” “Aren't they practically a foreign army during that time, deny the citizens their rights at the commands of one without even a golam? She shivers, as if suddenly very cold and looks towards Gin for support. Gin Adala: "It is your civic duty to protect the time honored traditions which are blatantly being abused, isn't it? To live in a farce of an ideal is not to very much live at all." Gin's nervousness was thankfully about something else entirely. How exactly will the Hunt proceed? Will the City be drowning in blood by the end of the week? We'll find out... Next Time! Also, somebody give Ribbons a hug, she's about to faint. Vodka: being Ribbons is suffering ♥♥ Good session, thanks for having me LD: Good sesh, it's really interesting learning more about this civilization GM: Thanks for playin P.P. A.: cute ribbon Thanks for the session! Note to self for next time: ask what happens if a golam catches the Queen respscorp (GM): Hi Vodka: yo P.P. A.: \o Where we last left our heroes... It was a mythical past. Perhaps not their own, but certainly one belonging to some distant ancestor of at least one of them. Masked by the identities of ancient travelers in an ancient land, the three friends made it into the First City and infiltrated into its peculiar society. A day later, they walked outside the walls of the True City to discuss their next steps when a chance encounter with one of the local caste of golams - slave-officials of the state, the highest and lowest of society - helped them assemble a few more pieces of the puzzle, but not quite yet decide on their course of action. We return now, back at the point immediately following the verbal barrage that they had launched at the magistrate with the purple ribbons, causing the young girl to tremble with anxiety, trapped between ignoring her duty and advocating armed conflict within the city. Arashi looks at Fotismane to calm the poor girl; he'd keep pushing but if she has a nervous breakdown, that wouldn't be conductive to getting her to cooperate either. Arashi actually has an idea. He smiles patiently and lifts Ribbons's chin up too look at her: “I know this all sounds daunting, but it's not as if you're in this alone.” Arashi: “There are many others who think this way, but cannot muster up the courage to talk about it—but who, when their spell of silence is broken, will throw their support behind your cause.” “As for those who cannot speak because the walls of their palaces have ears… the chatter and din of the market and the alleys, which brim with Golam no less devoted to their masters, drown out a lot, don't they?” He grins mischievously. Fotismane: "One could certainly talk about many things without worry" Ribbons: "Ah, erm, talk with the common golam from outside the City?" She seems a bit shaken, but not outright hostile to the idea. Ribbons: "Would they even listen? Would they even comprehend? Have you talked to any of them?" Arashi shrugs, but confidently. “They might not use the same kind of high-minded language as the inner-city elites, but I'm sure they know what duty is, what just rights are; what is owed and denied to their masters.” Arashi: “Why don't we try and see right now?” Gin Adala smiled towards Ribbons, hoping to be encouraging. Fotismane glances to her companions, hoping the Golam will take them up on the offer so that they could discuss matters in private The purple-ribboned young woman, wise in the ways of civilized society and non-verbal communication, nods courtly and takes a few steps back. Ribbons: "I will have to rely on your guidance in this, but I'll wait for you a little ways over there." She retreats, lending you some privacy. Fotismane speaks softly to avoid being overheard Fotismane: "I believe I can see the death of this city from where we stand." Arashi agrees with simply a smug, satisfied smile. Gin Adala spoke softly as well, nodding "It's what happens when one bases everything off of falsifiable assumptions." Arashi asks Gin: “Do you want to push them further once enough people are on board with this, and trick the Golam into going too far and beyond the point of no return? Or should we just go with this plan and leave things to unravel on their own from that point? …maybe abduct the Cursed Queen if we can catch her.” He shrugs indifferently at the last suggestion. Fotismane: "I believe the Cursed Queen being removed from the city will cause things to follow suit. If we want to see this happen, that will be the most direct way Gin Adala: "I was thinking of just abducting the queen, giving some speech that flagrantly goes against the established system and letting anarchy ensue, I'm pretty sure she doesn't like her current situation and if I was her I'd just make it easier to get caught." Gin blinked "Yeah, just removing her might be less likely to get us killed." Arashi nods. “Formenting some kind of unrest would still help—whether to have easier access to the Queen ahead of the Street Hunt, or so the streets are drowned in chaos and— well, wouldn't make it easier to find her at that point, but all the fearful would be hiding indoors and all the ambitious fighting with each other.” Gin Adala: "Good point, better to let someone else manage the mercenaries." Fotismane: "It sounds like we're at an agreement then: we help the golam spread the word to oppose the mercenaries, then during the hunt we relieve the city of its Queen." Gin Adala: "Sounds like a plan" Arashi grins. Ribbons stands to the side, gazing at the murals depicting the ancient history of the city and looks a little lost. She occasionally glances in the group's direction, waiting for any indication they are done. Arashi raises a hand to Ribbons and approaches her. “Let's spread the word so hushed whispers swell into a welling chorus!” Ribbonds looks uncomfortable with the prospect, but states that she's at least willing to talk to the commoners if they can introduce her to them. She has not talked to anyone outside the walls ever since she proved her worth as a child by sneaking past the guards and infiltrating the City. Arashi will take care that she isn't overwhelmed. They're going to talk to some golam and their owners as they seem approachable, get their opinions on the situation after making them feel safe to talk freely about them, then drop their ideas and leave them to mull over it—gradually ramping it up if the responses are overall favourable. Arashi is also going to ask Ribbons in between about the mood in the City, different factions… and eventually task her with cosying up to them, or getting the party an informal meeting with them. Gin Adala did her best to nod along and show support for Arashi's ideas, hoping her nifty real people markings would add some ethos to the argument. Arashi encourages Fotismane and Gin to talk to people who look like they're more on their wavelength; Fotismane as the wise and sagely explainer and vague-feeling-inducer, Gin speaking to the more proud and fiery warlike golam, himself taking more of a salesman approach but also adapting it to the listener to win their trust. Vodka: (There time to justify a propaganda roll?) Fotismane takes the lead on engaging with the nobles and the scholars, engaging with them at the angle of their status or philosophy GM: (this is a great time for propaganda roll, but something tells Euridike that Gin isn't a calculating person - rather an honest folk hero) Gin Adala: (Being an Honest Folk Hero is suffering) P.P. A.: Not sure what skills Arashi has, but as this kind of socrceror-warlord he probably has some charisma, public speaking, or enthralling somewhere Rolling 3d6 = 7 GM: (You have your own skills, but the more out of character you act, the more risk there is of something unexpected adding itself and the higher the difficulty might be) P.P. A.: fast-talk, public speaking, propaganda, what have you ah GM: (that's why the priests are usually super cautious) Gin Adala went along, speaking from the heart to her fellow aspirant-warriors of how the system functionally forbids the true meritocracy strength calls for as it currently stands, thousands of memetic attack vectors neglected, a whole selection of slogans left unchanted, one day Eurydike, one day. Fotismane would pursue it from the honor and tradition angle, retreading the points they covered with Ribbon about how a King that uses mercenaries to make the honored tradition of the Hunt a formality makes it hardly a system as fair and true as it was Radulf 's Fast-Talk and Diplomacy would work; he'd present his points less in his personal careful and diplomatic ways, and more confidently and pushy. His diplomatic thinking would inform how he needs to approach someone, but the way he delivers it he models more after the barbarian he's embodying. Arashi and yeah, focus on the mercenaries maybe being in the emperor's employ now, but when the Crused Queen walks, they'd just be an occupying power denying everyone their rights and potential claim to the throne, in spite of the city's customs. Ideally he's stroke the pride and greed of some to make them feel personally slighted and robbed of their shot at kingship and glory by this. Rolling 6 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -5 Blaer is too stubborn to properly debate Arashi's speeches find quick purchase in the inhabitants of the outskirts. Most of them rough tribal people barely wisened to the ways of the city, but already looking down on their desert relatives, it doesn't take long to convince them that there is something they're due and that the ruler is basically cheating while gambling, something that is usually cause for a feud among their clan-based society Fotis tries to appeal honestly and openly to the wealthy aristocracy of the city, but her honesty combined with the need for discretion fail to convince anyone but those already in agreement with her. At least she now knows who the honest and idealistic elite of the City are. Gin Adala opted to try and highlight her points in the platonic style, wrestling with people in addition to presenting her arguments, such that, if successful they'd come to see the reason of her points. One so good at fighting couldn't be wrong, of course, if she did poorly it would only serve as evidence of the system's corruption! How could she They try not to think too hard about it, especially with their masters around. Ironically, their masters seem less educated and intelligent and don't even comprehend it beyond "if champion win, then point strong". The seeds of dissent slowly grow towards a grim harvest come the time of the Hunt. Having planted and nurtured them, what do the heroes do next? Gin Adala would spend the coming time strategizing with proto-best friend team and ribbons about the best strategy that their group ends up winning geopolitical hide and seek. Naturally, if anyone else had better plans she'd hear those out too. Arashi asks Ribbons—and any other co-conspirators by now—if a meeting between Gin and the Queen could be arranged. Whether as an aside of some official palace-golam inspection, or entirely off the record in some secluded garden. Arashi explains only to his two proto-friends: “Getting her opinion on her situation and the city's may help; ideally, she downright cooperates on the day of the Street Hunt, but let's not arouse too much suspicion.” Fotismane: "In hindsight, it would have been easier to seek council engaging in seditious talk" Fotismane speaks in confidence as well Gin Adala nodded, that probably would have been a better idea Arashi shrugs. “Too late now.” The queen is well guarded either way, sneaking up to her would have been an arduous adventure in its own right. Arashi: Yeah, he was more thinking of some kind of some routine meeting between the queen and some upper-class golam, or perhaps Gin being formally introduced as a new subject, that'd have given her an opportunity to get close—but going to any greater lengths & risks doesn't seem worth it. Arashi innocently—under the pretense of maybe getting one as a gift/tribute—inquires what animals the royal couple likes, or what animals are commonly used throughout the palace. Arashi: (on the off-chance that they can tie a message to the imperial mouser or intercept a carrier pigeon something) It seems the queen is just kept imprisoned, now little more than a magical attribute of rulership. The King however is sure to accept any exotic animal that they can be given, or other grandious gift, hard at work at building up their dynastic myth. GM: (in other words, if you can find something to present as a suitably strange or grand "gift" it can be a good pretext to get to him) Arashi: “Can you think of anything?” he asks the others. Gin Adala: "Might be worth strolling around, or getting people to stroll around the area she's kept to get an idea of the chances she'll be somewhere." Some attempts and questions indicate that as a whole the entire palace is heavily guarded, especially now. The guard will be reduced to half strength during the hunt, but by then you'd have other things to worry about Arashi meant more of anything suitable as tribute/gift, although what fancy things they have—like a sword of death—are too precious even if they hope to steal them back afterwards, and otherwise the city has such splendor that it's hard to think of much Arashi or Radulf know that seems appropriate. (From GM): Too late for that perhaps, but with the king already subverting tradition, perhaps he would accept a second golam as a gift? Especially one that is foreign and not subject to local traditions Gin Adala really had no idea when it came to an applicable gift. (To GM): it crossed my mind, but that second part makes it worth considering Arashi looks at Gin… thinking about something. Arashi: “If golam are property, and the king already doesn't care about traditions like not having any besides the Cursed Queen…” He doesn't seem happy with the idea though. “It could work but I'm not sure if it's worth it. It's also surely end up with his head in your hands, so we'd have to plan for your escape.” Gin Adala: "I'd prefer to just catch the queen, direct conflict with the king's just going to spread conflict to his kid, and, well, it just seems like a cleaner method to catch her then handle the bloodline" Eurydike being insistent on staying in character for the sake of freeing spirits back in the present ignored Orphea's pleas of how much easier it would be to just end the bloodline. Arashi nods. Arashi: “Let's just get familiar with the city's streets, useful vantage points, stuff like that, instead of scheming more than necessary. Gin Adala spent time getting familiar with ideal routes/tactically sound points within the city. She'd do her best to discern a few optimal points of contact with the enemy such that their numbers advantages were The last day passes in getting familiar with the streets and the people... but the city is so vast, there is little chance to fully familiarise yourselves. Fortunatlely, the enemy will have the same problems. GM: (who is Gin making plans for? For the group if they get chased down by 20 armed men?) Arashi mostly scouts out towers, high rooves, etc. that grant a good overview of the area—so that when the time comes, they can see where there's fighting and what areas to avoid, and perhaps catch a glimpse of the Queen—or simply narrow down where she isn't. Gin Adala: (Escape routes primarily, but also ideally intercept points for the queen's path. If only one's an option the focus'll be more strongly on the former than the latter) Fotismane might remember how she used to hunt lions fron her elephant mount. And while there is no elephant presently here, and the city is no tropical forest, she can still apply her tracking and hunting skills to figure out ways to flush and find what soon would be the prize all are chasing after. GM: (also feel free to suggest specific plans and actions to set in motion if you want) Arashi is going to help locals they convinced to join the cause to form up into groups. Once the Street Hunt begins and the Queen leaves the Sun Empeor's side, co-conspirators in the city would launch a highly visible signal—or, if they don't have anything suitable, Fotismane could shoot a sun arrow into the sky—so the cells across the city assault the mercenaries out in the streets. Fotismane checks out the river, seeing if they could set up a sort of boat or raft in secret to use to get out of the city through a route unblocked by conventional defenses Arashi plans with Fotismane and Gin if they should get people to prepare for ambushes at certain points in the city that'd narrow down the paths the Queen could take—leave some areas thick with fighting, and others less likely to be affected. Arashi: mercenaries still patrolling the streets would also help to keep fence-sitters cowering in-doors; then the party can deal with a small troop themselves if they need to in order to grab the Queen. Fotismane spots several boats in the inner city. It would be easy to steal one and scuttle the others in no time. And the fine riverboats of the city can easily outrun the clumsy fishing boats from the outskirts Arashi: There's more than a bit of luck involved, but creating enough chaos so nobody has any chances to catch the Queen already improves their odds—and they know what's coming. Gin Adala agreed with the general plan, divide and conquer was generally the way to go, she'd inform on escape routes and considerably beneficial points to launch attacks once it actually occurs. When it came to the capture of the queen she'd stress the importance of having loyal-agents secure a gate or, alternatively a path to the river such that they could actually make it out to confirm the capture. Radulf isn't quite sure what powers Arashi has; they must be more modest than Athru's were, but he still feels the power of storms coursing through his alter ego. Arashi: “Come our grand escape, we can also drop any false modesty and let loose.” Arashi looks at Fotismane's bow and Gin's sword. Radulf gets the feelings Arashi is just a humble brigand and charmer, with modest understanding of the Storm, less direct and more mystical. But he bears the divine treasures of a distant land: The Jade amulet that wards against evil and dragons. See any dragons around? Yeah, it works. The impossible sword! It is so light in the hand, so sharp, so firm. Sorcery! The magical mirror! It's so reflective and hard - it throws anything that comes at it right back at the attacker. Radulf has a bit of nagging doubt about two of these, but he's as confident overall as Arashi would be. Fotismane's bow is of divine origin itself, made by some mad spirit that got tricked into bending metal like wood. But the true danger comes from the arrows she makes herself, imbued with her enlightenment and natural knowledge. The red ones bring light and fire, the black ones bring all manner of poison and pestilence. Gin's sword is very dangerous - some say it is the First Sword itself somehow made its way into her hands. It cuts cloth, leather, stone, bronze, flesh - anything. It is also of a completely bizarre and unheard of construction - impossibly long and straight and heavy, as long as a spear and fashioned of a strange flowing metal. GM: (So, feeling ready for the Hunt?) Vodka: (Seems like its time for it) (I don't have anything else to add) P.P. A.: (same) LD: (I'm ready to go) The night arrives, and from their vantage point, the trio can see the preparations being made into the outskirts and the city. It seems that others also notice them, but have perhaps misinterpreted them - and almost the entire host of the mercenaries forms up in the plaza in front of the grand ziggurat. The ruler of the city will personally lead the majority of them as they scour the city block by block, though no doubt slowed down by the resistance of the locals. Darkness sets down and already small signs of chaos erupt here and there, but the main host does not move, making ready to start marching in force come the dawn. Fotismane stirs her companions awake in the middle of the night Fotismane: "Come. I have found a time of serendipity for our hunt, and that time is now." Gin Adala wakes up with little protest, though there was a bit of grumbling before the dreamlike ignorance of the importance of the mission clicked. "Right." Gin Adala: subsided* not clicked) Fotismane: "The king is thorough with his forces, but they are still human, relying on the Sun's gift to work. But the Queen does not need it, and we have our own, so our time to act is now." Arashi wakes up quickly and doesn't dwell on the strangeness of sleeping inside a dream—adventure beckons! Arashi: “Good thinking—light our way, friend!” Fotismane begins the search through the streets, using a red tipped arrow to light the way like a torch GM: (pick a spot anywhere in the city to start from) P.P. A.: What direction did the death-thief come from? LD: I assume the spot I'm pinging is where the guards are situated from? GM: (you suspect they might sweep following this path) (basically west towards east) P.P. A.: She's be roaming the outer city outside of the walls, right? Vodka: (Based on the tactics roll would I assume the patrol is more likely to avoid apparent conflict areas or seek to intercept them?) GM: (she'd be anywhere away from the palace half of the inner city - can be anywhere else that is technically part of the city) Arashi could see her either huddling in the southern parts of the city, or moving from the river outward towards the eastern suburbs GM: (for tactics - you think they won't care - just sweep forward, but if anything attacks them, they will wrap around the place and crush all resistance before continuing) (You also know she gets transported out by fairly tale magic, so she can start far away) Arashi points towards the two general area shis intuition directs him towards. Vodka considered the two locations, she was concerned about the relative separation of the points. She was hesitant to suggest splitting up due to the painful awareness that individual heroic people tend to lose against a group of organized people with spears. Gin Adala: Gin did that, ignore Vodka's continued attempts to manifest into this world. P.P. A.: Does the river flow north or south? LD: (Sorry about that, computer had to restart) GM: (It flows south) Arashi: “We could start in the east, then take a boat downstream if our search turns up nothing and run into the Queen if she's been driven towards the river by the approaching mercenaries.” Gin Adala thought back to the king, was he confident enough to stand out at the ziggurat and expect not to get shot? Gin Adala: "Sounds like a plan, if we fail to locate her before the king setting up an ambush and handling him should at least prevent the status quo from continuing." "And well, mercenaries without the guy their loyal to" ) Fotismane: "We have the time. It will be hours before dawn hits and the army moves." The king seems to be with his mercenaries now. Leading maybe not from the front but among them. Obviously unnerved from the developments and unable to see what is being cooked up. Looking up the streets for a single woman will not be fast. The entire process seems to be crafted to reward luck, or otherwise cleverness and backstabbing. Arashi sticks with his suggestion of looping around the east and taking a boat downstream to the southern part of the city if that turns up nothing. They could split up a little and basically search parallel streets, still in shouting distance of each other, or viewing distance if they stick to the rooftops. Gin Adala spent the time searching to discuss the prospect of assassinating the king with Fotismane for the sake of risk assessment, presumably a good shot is all it'd take if he wasn't too ominously powerful. Fotismane debates the merits of straight assassination, specifically the optics of murdering the king outright without suitable casus belli. Death should only come to him once the people of the city find death to be a suitable result, otherwise it will be an undesired tragedy to recover from, rather than the first step of change Fotismane also reminds Gin of the succession of power likely still in place, and removing the king would also mean removing his heirs Gin Adala sighed, suggesting just taking his heir hostage would do enough if their search was unfruitful. She ceded that the idea of a person with high political power caring very much for their child beyond their utility was unlikely. Arashi is more singularly focused on finding the queen—she's a pivotal figure to the story, and the city's story, so he's eager to get to know her. Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 0 Gin Adala: (Would darkvision confer a bonus to spotting someone at night?) GM: (no, it would remove penalties) Gin Adala: (gotcha) After a long search and a short boat ride, the rising sun finds the heroes disembarking near the small suburb on the other side of the river. Dirty industries reside here - tanneries, dyeing workshops, bonesmiths, fishermen. Sitting at the edge of the water, with her jewels glistening under the dawn, they spot a single woman, seemingly out of place among the upturned boats and the fishing nets left out to dry during the night. The few people that live here instead of in the better parts of the city are not up yet and have not noticed her presence, but in your eyes there is no question who this might be. Tall and lean, with flowing black hair that reaches down to her heels, she wears decorative jewelry over her nude body - not only golden pins piercing through her skin, but also - impossibly for someone of her kind - heavy golden bracelets and anklets. Gin Adala tapped her two companions, gesturing towards the target if they hadn't done the same already, she'd take a moment to ponder a strategy for pursuing her quarry if they felt dedicated to fair play. Arashi: “If she runs away from us, she's going to run into the soldiers and the old king, and then probably back into our arms.” “If we want to avoid that trouble, someone could disembark and go around to cut her off if she runs away from the river.” “But really, my best bet would just be to call out to her and invite her for a talk.” Gin Adala: "Worth a shot, I'd like a chance to talk to her, but I think I'm the fastest of us, do you have any objections with me sneaking around to intercept while you two try and talk with her?" Fotismane: "I have none." Arashi nods. Fotismane: "My skills aren't suited towards subtly, in any case" Fotismane has a twinge of Blaer's disappointment in her voice as she says that GM: (Stealth then?) Gin Adala set out to find a decent enough place to intercept a retreat, taking a route she thought would at least ease the difficulty of holds off on approaching her until Gin is on her way, then sails/rows the boat closer towards the shore and waves at the Queen with a friendly smile. GM: The woman stands and smiles back, returning the wave. Then, like a majestic hart, she jumps into a run, dashing away from them and almost directly towards Gin. Arashi takes the time to shrug—this is a hunt, after all. “Keep your bow ready,” Arashi tells Fotismane before he leaps from the boat onto the land. Fotismane does so, opting for the red-tipped arrow this time P.P. A.: (I'm assuming Arahsi is the more athletic and forward one of the two, while Fotismane is more of a calm and deliberate backrow build) GM: (whatever they were, some barbarians from a distance land are wearing them like cheap carnival costumes now) Gin Adala went for the universal cultural how-do-you-do of moving in at an angle and quickly going for a tackle. Moreso the torso-grappling kind instead of the more dramatic flying tackle, but still, relatively dramatic given the intensity of the event. Gin Adala: rolling 16-3d6 (13 base, -1 from Fotismane and Arashi, +4 from All out Attack, +4 from Fatigue to make it accurate, -4 for taking a -2 to make it Gin manages to collide with the queen and topple her into the sand. And then feels herself getting picked up like a doll as the other woman breaks her hold and lifts her into the air with apparent ease Cursed Queen: "What do you think you're doing, you silly girl!?" The short scuffle buys Arashi and Fotismane some precious moments to get closer Arashi is hot on her heels. “Good catch!” Arashi sees who is holding up whom. Arashi: “'s a good catch too.” Gin Adala having been picked up like a straw doll, her ability to say something witty was partially lacking. As much as Orphea liked to pretend she was a Spartan, she hadn't yet mastered the ability to quip in extraneous circumstances. "Sports" was the knee-jerk response as she sought to basically cling to a deity, her mind far, far more focused on securing the target, which really more or less amounted to when a kitten crawls around on someone, minus the claws, she did not have those. Fotismane sees the situation and figures she doesn't have to worry about holding back to subdue her, drawing her bow and letting loose a red-tipped arrow at the Queen's leg, hoping to embed a searing pain in addition to a wound to hobble her down to their mortal speeds Arashi: “Let's talk while you put our friend down,” Arashi suggests; ready to try and dash forward and pounce and grab the queen. He side-steps to avoid the trail of light zooming past him. Rolling 13 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 1 LD: unmodified The red-tipped arrow seems flightier than the arrows Blaer is used to. It doesn't hit square in the center of mass, but it still lands close enough to engulf both of the supernatural women into a bonfire of light and heat. 2 points of damage (after armor). Gin feels a little steamy P.P. A.: Is it a single burst or are they on fire now? Arashi , in any case, runs closer and tries to get in front of them. The queen seems completely unhurt, but staggers back as if supernaturally mandated to submit to attacks by humans from the city... which your band technically is, right now. Arashi sees this and draws his sword, but without any intent to kill. “This city is a tangle of shackles and chains and we intent to sever them; talk to us, so we may know whether to free the city of you, or free you from the city.” Gin Adala opts to not comment on the double-entendre as she continued her futile attempts to complete the mission, like a chihuahua doing its best to ward off a home invader. As she notes the queen's compulsory submission to the whole event, she opts to just sort of, be nearby. Arashi: “Gin, not feeling too hot?” Gin Adala: "Just a bit of burning pain, I've had worse." The bejewelled woman shakes he head to clear her thoughts, then opts to lift Gin again, this time in an attempt to use her as an improvised projectile against the humans trying to pursue her. GM: (Arashi needs to defend or maybe All Out Attack) (Fotismane needs to decide on a course of action as well) Arashi: “We don't intend to play this game, so you don't have to play it this rough,” Arashi warns her—but he recognises the rules by this is going to be played. Arashi isn't going to just dodge his friend being thrown at him, so he charges with an all-out attack at the queen! P.P. A.: What's Arashi's sword skill? Gin Adala opted to take a step back, spending a great deal of physical effort to back up rapidly and avoid getting grabbed, the mental image of being launched through one of her companions. If successful in dodging goes for a Telegraphic Attack then since holding/throwing Gin should hinder her ability to block or dodge, also Strong All-Out Rolling 3d6 = 8v17 P.P. A.: if she can defend it's at +2 GM: (she can't, she was countin you of having a sense of self preservation) P.P. A.: noice GM: (what/where is Arashin aiming for? Center of mass?) P.P. A.: Center of mass; unless she's tall enough to quality for SM+1 or something, then he'd aim at a leg GM: (Meanwhile Fotismane?) P.P. A.: (What's his damage formula?) GM: (The sword is sw+1(2)) Fotismane pulls back her bow and aims. She needs to get a better read on the flow The sword strikes the woman in the abdomen and draws a tiny drop of blood as it barely pierces her skin. The pain she experiences seem to be disproportionate however, as she stumbles and drops Gin at Arashi's feet. Fotismane has the chance to act - whether to leap forward or to let loose the readied arrow Fotismane goes for another arrow, this time at center-mass; it's become obvious that she doesn't even have to worry about aiming to "kill" Fotismane would also hope this red-tipped arrow's properties would be a bit more concentrated to its target Blaer instinctively knows there's various arrows with varying properties. She picks the best one now that she knows her goal. Rolling 13 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 3 6 points of damage (after armor). The arrow flashes, piercing through the bronze-hard skin before disintegrating. It leaves a bleeding wound and forces the woman to her knees. She stops struggling and looks up at your group. Gin Adala backed off, a bit, using the lull in combat to get her sword incase future events demanded it. Arashi looks annoyed and sheathes his sword. “Have we ‘won’ this game now?” He doesn't wait for an answer: “Gin, you wanted to talk to her.” Gin Adala: "Right, could you guys discuss the logistics of what's going to happen now first, something feels off to me." She'd look around, focusing mainly on the facial expression and demeanor of the diety. Arashi addresses the Queen to make something clear: “Those who come here in search of riches and fame need not conquer, nor pillar, nor plunder. By capturing you, they have all they could desire: an obedient wife, a city at their feet, its riches, its peoples, its slaves.” Arashi: “So the city captures its conquerors, binds them as it binds you and its golam.” “By your rules, you are ours, but we reject all this. Tells us—can you come with us now, away, so we can talk in peace, or must this end here if it is not to go on forever?” “Nice shots,” he calls over to Fotismane: “Is the boat good to go?” *pillage Gin Adala: "It might behoove you to at the very least visit the woods away from town with us, if my intuition's right there's a chance someone concerned about your well being is there." She added, her tone marginally sympathetic. Magpie: "I am bound by my oaths, and I do not want to die. I will follow you where you command." Clutching her side, she stands up and follows you towards the boat and wherever you desire to take her. Gin Adala narrowed her brows and wrinkled her nose a bit, looking away, she'd exhale uncomfortably. "A day ago I went on a mission recalling past events and am a bit curious about them, while we're en route is there anything you could tell us about them?" She asked, not wanting to flat out state her thoughts given the scolding she received when she was the god of the end times. Rolling 10 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 2 hello GM: (brb quick) LD: greetings Vodka: yo P.P. A.: \o GM: I'm back When we last left our heroes, they were someone else, somewhere else - obscure ancient figures of myth in the middle of one legendary adventure that might reshape the world for generations to come. Arashi, Fotismane and Gin Adala had travelled to the Great City of Ur in search of Gin Adala's unknown relatives. They discovered the city to be run on an ancient contract which had slowly been bent and twisted, until the power was slowly taken by an usurper using his private army to circumvent the intended order of Ur. They labored for several days and night, talking, plotting and planning to upend the rule of the tyrant and perhaps the foundatiouns of the city itself. And finally, they managed to catch and subdue the mythical Cursed Queen that supposedly lends her power to the city's ruler. Now, it a swift boat down the river, the three friends make decisions that might affect the lives of untold many others. GM: (in a swift boat, in it) Arashi lets Gin sate her curiosity before he asks his questions. Eurydike felt the weight of multitudes of potential timelines in parallel, all screaming out to be heard, only to be quenched by the cruel hand of fate, every micro gesture, every breath out of place condemning millions of potential persons to nonexistence. On some level, this disturbed Eurydike, thankfully her continuously fracturing internal mono-duologue(?) helped her dismiss the potentially infinite estimated fatalities of each of her actions. Still, after a decent sized pause, Gin would continue "Right, right." Gin Adala left the response more so up to the deity in the boat such that she could eschew a bit of the guilt that comes with multi-omnicide. The queen awaits your questions, melancholy and sullen at the end of the boat. Despite sharing all other outward features of Gin Adala's race, she seems to have no trouble wearing heavy golden anklets and bracelets. Her wound has stopped bleeding - fast than it would on a normal person - but the hole left behind by the arrow is still clearly visible. Gin Adala probably came off uncharacteristically melancholy and sullen as well, the crushing realization they were probably rewriting history bothering her, or at the very least Eurydike. "So..." Gin tapped her fingers uncomfortably against the edge of the boat in a mediocre rhythmic fashion. "Nice to be a bit out of the city at least right?" Arashi follows up on that question: “What binds you to it—or it to you?” She: "Do you really want to know?" The queen watches them through half-lidded eyes. Her: "Would it really change your course if you knew better?" Arashi: “It may well.” She sighs and adjust her weight better in the boat. Her: "I wanted a place where we can live without conflict. Where people would accept us and my daughters will not grow arrogant the way my ancestors did. But it all backfired, because humans are as greedy and grasping even when we are not. They do not fear nor despise us, but they learned to covet us and treat us as property instead of aides and advisors." Arashi glances at Gin, though it is not Arashi looking at his companion, but Radulf trying to gauge Eurydike's feelings. Fotismane: "I can at least respect the noble intentions for creating such a system" Gin Adala felt the paired awkwardness that comes from being a superposition of being someone who identifies as a human, a megalomaniac, and personified giving up. Triple threat! It was apparent she was not feeling too great. Arashi assuages the Queen: “Well, at least they all seemed pretty content with this arrangement. People value their living treasures and treat them well, and they feel appreciated.” Gin Adala shot a glare towards Arashi, given the whole goal of what proto-best friend squad was up to. Arashi leans toward and looks her in the eyes, speaking more sternly: “But that describes it well: this city is a treasure hoard, not a living place.” Gin Adala 's expression eased up at the latter half Arashi: “Life is strive and struggle, and it is in the fires of war that friendships are forged, and men see the values of their mortal lives.” “You sheltered yourself from death, and your people from strife—but lo, you and them have been made objects for it, treasures, prizes.” *strife Her: "Do not lecture me on the benefits of death. There is no greater evil than death, the lack of existence. Death is what brought us here in the first place. People being gone and their teachings lost." Arashi channels his warlord-sorceror persona: “What worth are the teachings of those who no longer know life in its dance with death? ” He relents though, as he remembers that someone on this boat is literally wielding manifest death, and is probably better qualified to speak on this subject. Arashi looks at Gin. Fotismane identifies some miscomunication here. The queen treats death not as the line demarking an ending, but as a continuous state of non-existence. A subtle, but fundamental difference. LD: now the question is how to impart that knowledge into the argument damn you, morning brain Gin Adala looked over, she seemed in thought at the moment, mountains of nonexistent corpses piling in the periphery of her vision. Putting on a brief I might take a moment to figure out what to say, gesture. After a moment, she proposed her answer. “Death and Life chase each other in an eternal game, like children the fatalities are shrugged off but the suffering of their pawns are real, an individual feels a multitude of things.” She paused, shrugging “and then they don’t.” Staring at nothing in particular she continued “and then they do, one is called to action to triumph over consequence but, inevitably, the criteria change and what was once triumph becomes failure and what was once failure becomes triumph. I have watched people stop, but I have not witnessed death in any real way just casualties in a theater.” Gin Adala: I have watched people stop living*) Arashi nods politely and looks expectantly at Fotismane. Fotismane: "So you think of death as some thief, stealing away people into some infinite nothingness, never to release them?" Fotismane speaks to the Queen Queen: "Is it not? When things end or change, that is fine. But when death claims them, they are gone from us forever. It only takes and never gives back. Thus is the world diminished bite after bite." Gin Adala opted not to add her insanity to the take, she was still self aware enough that screaming about everything being arbitrary would be a huge buzzkill and probably be mal-effective for the souls Eurydike was supposed to liberate, or well, at the very least push them out of the reeds so they can get back to Samsara-in Fotismane: "But are they truly gone forever?" "Even when death takes the body, the spirit remains, guiding those still living." "And even among them, the living keep the dead in the world through their memories and stories, surpassing the death of one, or even a hundred." Arashi nods. “You must pass the torch, re-light the flame each generation in the heat of passion, and kindle another before it's extinguished in tears full of memories.” Arashi: “Heaping up a bonfire and sacrificing the dignity of your people on it in a desperate fear of the encroaching darkness produces but a pile of white ash.” Fotismane: "If Death is a thief, they are a lousy one. They steal no valuables, only the sack the valuables sit in, dumping its contents onto the ground." "To beat death, you need only find a new home for those stray things, and they remain yours." Arashi alights with a satisfied smile. “Wise words well spoken, friend.” Queen: "Bodies die and turn to dust, their familiar touch gone. Spirits diminish until they are no more, teachings are forgotten, art lost to time. Naught remains in time of what death takes from us." "I've seen things you people wouldn't believe, gilded ages you will never see. The narrow ships as they take to the seas, the burning palaces of the past. The unrivaled beauty of the elder races as we all killed each other with abandon until naught remains. All of it gone, like tears in the rain." Arashi: “Is all of it gone because death took it, or because their children no longer built new ships, stopped feeding the fires of their palaces, and died fighting the wars their parents started?” Queen: "Does it matter the nature of their death? They are gone." "But back to your plans of me and the city. What is it that you want." Arashi: “It matters if you blame death for burying what living men chose to let go.” The man turns to Gin: “What did the girl want who bit off a chip of your sword?” Gin Adala replied, her tone a bit distant and her focus lingering on the flowing waters "Assistance with a problem she was hesitant to elaborate on; contextually I assumed due to proximity and capability the city and that problem were related." (To GM): Is Arashi a came-saw-and-conquered kind of man, or rather someone who seeks adventure and treasure but more for the thrill of it, and cares little for resting on his laurels? (From GM): He's more like the restless adventurer kind. The wandering swordsman that rides into the sunset. The stormcloud that burns your house with lightning, but saves you from famine by fertilizing the land. The bandit that kills the tyrant, then seduces your daughters. (To GM): Perfect. The queen sighs as if frustrated with her inability to pierce past the barbarian's boorish nature and resigned for her fat being in the hands of such a simple man. Arashi puts a hand on the queen's thigh and glares at her: “Your scheme is brilliant: your city is a gilded cage, so richly bejeweled that one cannot see the bars. You are its key, and you give yourself to men of greed, who find on the throne you furnished them the fulfillment of all their desires.” Arashi: “We, too, are greedy,” he boasts, and gestures broadly towards his comrades: “but we greed for triumph, for freedom; for the joy it brings to change the world by our hands, or to take its riches, not to cling to any of it in fear of loss.” —enslave all who want to hold on to them.” Gin Adala blinked, looking at Arashi. "I would request you afford a bit more civility towards our hostage, while your high opinion of her cunning is kind, everyone inevitably becomes a slave to the aggregate when it grows massive enough to devour its components. It feels as if you're trying to pin a source of the cities avarice on a single entity instead of the multitudes that empower it. Fundamentally, everyone values what you have said we hold as unique. In practice, everyone is beset by biases and other things that make them pawns of the collective which unconsciously subverts and domineers." Arashi: “But we are not satisfied with that, we want fear of death, and an ending to this too-long story that has become trite.” Gin Adala: "The fire people dance around doesn't matter, it's the dance." Gin Adala looked towards the Lady, a bit apologetically, given the context of the fire "No offense." Arashi shakes his head to Gin: “The Cursed Queen, too, is a slave to her fears, a prisoner of her own creation.” Arashi: “That's why your sword is sheathed, and we yet vie for her who, by the city's rules, is already ours.” “We want you,” he turns swiftly back to the queen: “to take heart and seize your freedom, so that we may ride away with it, gay bandits with our spoils—and barbarian enough not to care about the consequences.” Gin Adala refrained from commenting on what she assumed was the implication. You need to calm down Orphea, you freakin' psycho. The queen blinks and then stands up in the boat, wobbly on her feet, but filled with sudden determination. Queen: "I see. Very clever." Gin Adala seemed a bit relieved, her pessimism refuted. Arashi is fully prepared for her to put up some proper resistance now, in a kind of ‘if you want to take me away from this city you'll have to make me and not by its own rules,’ but wouldn't mind that. Fotismane: "Then you will help us carry it out?" Her: "Mayhaps. You are an educated woman, you must realize the inherent contradiction of forcing someone to pursue their freedom. Will you let me do as I please, or will you order me to do as you want?" Fotismane gives a wry smile Fotismane: "It is quite the paradox. We do not wish to stop you from doing as you please...but we have our own desires to attend to." "But that is the nature of cooperation, isn't it? Travelers that walk along the same path for different reasons, but together they are regardless." Queen: "You... would seek to travel with me? As boon companions?" Arashi nods confidently, arms crossed. Gin Adala seemed like she approved of the gesture, though she'd wait for Fotismane's response before giving a confident answer one way or the other. Fotismane nods Fotismane: "For as long as you desired our companionship." Gin Adala nodded as well. As with all of the people she met and interacted with, she preferred close intimate friendship over killing them in cold blood such that they are no longer a threat. Queen: "I would walk the outskirts one last time if you'd lend me your company. A dam needs to be open, lest it burst when the flood comes. Gin Adala personally seemed fine with the plan, seeing the idea of destroying the city to be a more symbolic destruction of the structures kind of deal. Partially because she was expecting to be an avatar of a god with a cool sword to hack and slash buildings and live out a power fantasy, partially because her focus has progressively drifted towards concern over symbols over actual stuff. Arashi feels it appropriate to have a final showdown with the mercenary-king's forces to end the story, and that leaving her old life and the city to itself doesn't mean the Queen must be grossly negligent. Arashi: “As you wish.” He grins. Fotismane: "Very well." The boat lands soon, and the queen lends her hand to Gin Adala so they can walks and converse with their disenfranchised sisters in the outskirts. GM: Sings of fighting dot the streets, some of the strongholds have scorchmarks. A few golam stand outside one of them, looking sullen next to a small pile of arrow-riddle corpses. Signs of fighting dot the streets, some of the strongholds have scorchmarks. A few golam stand outside one of them, looking sullen next to a small pile of arrow-riddle corpses. Gin Adala accepted the hand, heading along with her comrade, not too phased by the death and violence, I mean, she was planning on death and violence. Arashi watches the surroundings, wary of the mercenaries who might still be around. He pays quiet respect to the corpses he kinda helped create, but isn't too bothered by that fact. Suddenly, from around a nearby home, a trio of men emerges. It is obvious they are foreign to this land. Two of them wear oiled, styled beards and loose, decorated robes. Two of them wear tall, decorated helmets. One of the helmet-wearers carries a heavy spear and wears a scowling, silver mask. Their blonde hair hangs from the side of their helmet and their build is large and formidable, a true giant of a man. The other warrior carries a shield and a heavy bronze scepter and seems to be the leader of the group. He turns to your group and speaks. Ashur: "Halt, barbarians. Surrender the whore-queen and you can walk with your lives." Gin Adala: "We currently stand with a numerical advantage, assuming each of us are equally competent parties, fatalities are liable to occur on each side even if you win. Ideally, to maximize your profit, given the cities current state of anarchy, you should dedicate your efforts to looting instead of going for a ill conceived normative prize assuming you're operating on a solely profit based motive." Arashi: “She is our companion; and you will know how dear a comrade is when you lose yours to your attempt to take her away, barbarians-for-hire.” Fotismane: "You fail to factor their inflated ego into their decision making." Gin Adala: "It is best to assume positive things of strangers, even if they come off as initially abrasive. It gives them an opportunity to really show positive traits. I have no qualm with leaving them crippled meals for the soon-to-be thriving rat population, though." Fotismane pulls out her bow Fotismane: "Good. I have lost the taste for negotiations with the fetid dung these animals have left from their mouths in front of me." Fotismane doesn't try to give friend or foe time to move as she draws a bonfire arrow and aims it at the center mercenary. Arashi has already strapped on his buckler, and drawn his mirror—seeing the scepter in the enemy leader's hands and assuming it means he holds power over magic forces. Rolling 13 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -1 P.P. A.: ow Ashur: "There can be no negotiation with barbarians. You have come here to propagate chaos and barbarism. Allowing you to walk away was Does Fire Burn? Who are these people? Will there appearance foreshadow events in the real world? Who will triumph? Find out NEXT TIME! And will my typing every improve? Who knows. Vodka: Good session as always ♥ Thank you for having me! GM: (thanks for playing) P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! LD: I LIVE respscorp (GM): (Congrats) P.P. A.: \o/ Previously! Somewhere in ancient history After conversing with the enchanted ruler (or at least manager) of the city, the trio managed to convince her that her life's work has been Adala advances forward, sacrificing some of her raw speed for evasiveness, not necessarily wanting to be on the business end of the giant's pila. (All Out Defense) P.P. A.: Would that be a brawling roll (the skill the mirror/Combat Fan uses)? GM: (pure DX) P.P. A.: oh, the spear guy is wearing a reflective mask Arashi covers Gin's advance by turning his mirror to blind the guy in the middle—the one with the spear would be a better target, but with his reflective mask, that could backfire. Rolling 11-3d6 = -2 DX P.P. A.: lame Arashi takes a step as well at least, if that's still in Seeing Gin advance, the silver-masked man steps forward and Waits with his heavy spear. He is prepared in case Gin enters his Reach 3 The man in the middle takes a step and Readies his shield, beckoning Arashi closer. GM: (the flame is there in case we need it again) The fires go out, unable to set the man alight for now. He takes a step back and attempts to immitate Arashi's maneuver against Gin Rolling 10 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -4 Turns out hitting a moving target with a mirror is not easy Gin Adala had to respect the efficient formation fighting of the enemy party, if she weren't already going to give them a polite stab to the heart on victory she was now. Taking a lesson from her enemies she'd opt for a wait maneuver. If Arashi moves and attacks she would move to attack the same target with a move and attack, using the 2 reach for thrusting if it allowed her to stay out of range of the spear. If not, she would take he full move to flank the enemies and force them to pick a direction. P.P. A.: Assuming Light Encumberance and Radulf's stats? GM: (Yes) Arashi moves towards his opponent, making sure to stay outside of Fotismane's line of fire. Gin Adala moved according to her wait maneuver. GM: (Fotismane was supposed to be between them, but let's say she waited for them to situate themselves...) P.P. A.: (oops; would still have walked in that direction to stay out of the spear guy's range and make sure he can't track both gin and Arashi)) Rolling 14 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 5 Gin Adala swung her sword to deflect it, deeply regretting the expenditure of her full move. Still, she hoped spirit would compensate for bravado as she put most of her energy into it! It was assumedly a life or death The other warrior advances slowly, but seeing that he is out-reached by Adala decided to maintain the heroic bravado that had served her so far, spurred on by the spear sliding off her form she'd move to run around the silver faced figure and deliver two furious, albeit telegraphed attacks to the silver-masked man's back. Gambling on her ability to take a hit. Rolling 14 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -1 (wooow) And he colapses under the weight of his injury GM: (Fotis) Fotismane looks around for a new target now that her previous one caught a minor case of death, before settling on launching the turtle-killer arrow right through the helmet of the front fighter Rolling 13 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -4 LD: incredible P.P. A.: In yesterday's session, two party members rolled 16 and 17 or something on their attack rolls, then my character 8who doesn#t have Luck9 rolled 6 under a target of 8 and it all ended well My turn? Rolling 14 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 4 Gin Adala was preoccupied with swinging a sword violently in someone's back, only to (hopefully) feel just an ominous woosh behind hers. The old man starts chanting and his legs start lifting off the ground. Gin Adala rushed forward towards the back of the channeling geriatric saying nope not once, but five times in the second of acting. Being raised on stories about evil sorcerers who'd do crazy stuff like turn you into a life-force draining child soul accumulating monster, her draws the bowstring back with a breath, and then lets go as she exhales, like a guiding wind to send the arrow straight through the mercenary's helmet and into his skull The arrow passes through the body cleanly and exits just as clean. He is dead. Rolling 9-3d6 = 2 GM: (No, I just can't read) (Sorry) (Can't click rather, since I even rolled the correct dice) P.P. A.: o–oh GM: (So Arashi doesn't have a convenient target unless he wants to throw his sword) P.P. A.: He just moves then, throwing his sword seems a bit unwise. Radulf 's dream-vision glitched and he had a brief vision of an alternate outcome. Priest: "I'd surrender, but I don't like the way your savage looks at me." He continues to float up slowly Arashi: “Our friend considers you a threat while you're floating and casting magic.” “I concur.” Gin Adala: "I'd accept your surrender, if you just stop doing whatever horrific thing you're doing." She'd go ahead and take a wait maneuver, if he surrenders she'll take a do nothing, if he doesn't she'll take a step to the side to get behind him and stab him twice in the back AoA & telegraphed. GM: (he's 4y in the air) (sorry, should have made this clearer) Gin Adala if he surrenders she'll take a do nothing, if he doesn't she'll look at him with dissapointment* P.P. A.: oh, so that's what the bar above his token means Fotismane: "I didn't really consider any of them a threat, honestly." "Should I start clipping this one's wings?" Priest: "I am not casting anything, I'm keeping it within me. If you'd just swear to not hurt me, I will do the same and hopefully explain to you the tragic consequences of your actions." Arashi nd Arashi: *nods Gin Adala: "You've got my word if you promise the same." She'd look for some nearby cloth to clean off her sword if applicable, still ready but doing her best to give the scary foreigner the benefit of the doubt. Gin Adala realized he'd already said that a bit late, adrenaline still hurting her social poise. Arashi looks over his shoulders to Fotismane, and back tot he Priest. “Very well.” Fotismane: "If you're done trying to mindlessly beat down on 'savages' and "barbarians", we have no quarrel with you." Fotismane lowers her bow Arashi sheathes his sword but keeps his mirror in his hand. Gin Adala looked over towards the spear wielding giant, taking a moment to assess if he were still living. If he was she'd point it out and suggest the priest, if he's trained make an effort in stabilizing him. If not, well, it happens. He reverses his chanting and slowly descends, crumpling on the ground and resting on his staff. Radulf is metagaming here because this feels like the priest is about to tell the epilogue. The magic-reflecting mirror stays in case it's a ruse, though. Priest: "This city is the beating heart of civilization in the entire river valley. Some would say beyond. Do you have any idea what would happen were it to fell? Countless people displaced, starved or put to the sword. All on your conscience. And for what?" Radulf: “For a friend,” he answers with a confident smile and looks over his shoulder to the Queen, hopefully that she will quickly become such. Fotismane: "For the future." she adds Radulf: “You say it's on our conscience—but won't it be the decisions and failures of the people of this city that decide their fates? I won't deny our part in this story, but we are no slaves to the fears of others.” Gin Adala: "It held a system that made slaves of everyone therein, those who looked like me were made blatantly slaves while holding all of the power, and those more like you were rendered powerless save a few tyrants. It was a sad state for all parties involved. The parts of the city I was against are on their last breaths. See reason and finish it off. I don't doubt you foreigners are competent. Use that competence to guide the displaced people to something better, a government that doesn't make slaves out of its people." She smiled halfheartedly, not really expecting the message to carry through but just doing it to continue the whole, expecting the best out of people thing. Radulf nods. Fotismane: "This is merely clearing the fields of rotted, fetid crops, so the land may be tilled and grown in anew." Priest: "Return her to the palace, claim your right of rulership and fix the wrongs you claim exist. Do not set the world back so much for some abstract ideal." GM: (aaa) Priest: "You are culling a whole flock over the hapiness of the fencepost keeping it in place." "Return her to the palace, claim your right of rulership and fix the wrongs you claim exist. Do not set the world back so much for some abstract ideal." Gin Adala: "No, the fact that the flock is reliant on a fencepost is the issue. We're getting rid of that, so instead of a flock, it's a people being governed.." Radulf: “We set back the abstract ideal of this city for the good of its ‘fencepost,’ a real woman of flesh and blood. Let the flock, themselves alive and breathing, find a sheepdog to guard them and a shepherd to lead them to fertile pasture, or scatter into the wind and fall to the wolves.” fug just realised I've been posting as Radulf Arashi: ^^^ Pirest: "I can see you're set in your way for some reason. But are you really doing what's best for your friends? Their kind cannot know peace with ours. This compromise outlasted all others previous ones if records are to be believed." Gin Adala: "What have the other compromises been like if I may ask?" It wasn't like she'd read the history of how the stupid savage people who wear clothes decided to betray our people incharacter-incharacter Priest: "Many before, the records stretch far back. Your first queens were wise, but they approached unwise people" "Time and again they did things the wrong way, and refused to listen the one time they met our ancestors, because they were too proud to listen." Gin Adala opted to just listen as unbiasedly as possible. Seeing as Gin didn't really auto-indoctrinate herself and Orphea was dead. Priest: "This queen was a chance. One who saw the wisdom of humility and submission willingly, she might have listened. But you've ruined that now." Gin Adala: "Why do you consider submission and humility to be the only viable option?" GM: "Because they lack the ability to command and rule. They have show it. The northeners insists it is because they are women. But can we judge something that is not human by their limited understanding? Whatever the case, it has shown itself not to work." Vodka: "You considered this city to be a viable state of being, yet most of the actual stewardship came from those who resemble myself. I'm interested in how you can hold both points." Arashi: “One need not command and rule to assert his will and live free. A warrior may follow another not out of slavish obedience but out of respect and friendship.” Gin Adala was the one speaking, Vodka knew well enough to stay in the hole until the end of the session. Arashi: “In our brief time here we have met gulam and their owners who liked each other, and who will continue to work together after we've left—but then because they so will, and recognise each other not as master and slave, but as good for each other.” “Others will turn on each other, but that means only that for them to be together insults their dignity.” *together now Priest: "This much is true." He concedes Arashi's point with a shrug. Priest: "But if all men were capable of virtue, there would be no need for government. All would know their place and work together for the mutual benefit." "This is the paradox of Kingship. In that it is needed precisely because of those that protest the most against its harsh rule" Arashi nods. “But your city makes slaves of its rulers.” "Elegant, isn't it. It keeps the power in the hands of the otherwise powerless, so nobody can abuse their position. Not ideal, but it was quite a clever twist." Priest: "Elegant, isn't it. It keeps the power in the hands of the otherwise powerless, so nobody can abuse their position. Not ideal, but it was quite a clever twist." Arashi: “They win your game of tag, and become slaves to the city's riches—slave-kings of the slave-queen, ruler of slaves—not leaders of men who sweep up others in their hopes and efforts.” LD: "The same could be said of all cities. But enough talk, have at you!" P.P. A.: X) Fotismane: "Not quite clever enough, if it can be foiled by nothing but brute force." The old man shrugs again Priest: "You argue truthfully. I can only lament we came to blows. It was not a stable order. But the northerners were going to fix it. You instead will just destroy it." Gin Adala: "When you spoke of virtue, you would agree, that on average the people favor such traits unless deceived, correct?" She opted to bring the conversation in a different direction, having not grown up with the authority of the magic stick, kingship was a bit odd to her. Fotismane: "You tell us of the elegance and functionality of this system, when you stand here, your very existence a counterpoint to your arguments." "You rebuke yourself with each breath you take as you make your points" "The northerners may have removed you in time, but they would not stop your kind from attempting the same thing." GM: (the northeners refering to his two companions) LD: Ah. The gist is still the same Fotismane: "The system is flawed to its core. The only way to fix it, is to strip it "Oh well. What are you going to do now then? Ride into the sunset and leave this behind you without caring for what happens next?" Arashi: “Yes.” Fotismane: "This is the extent to which the gods wished for us to act, and so we will act no further." "We will trust them to guide others as we have been guided" Arashi: “It is for you who loves this city and who sees good in it to salvage that good, to convince the people to preserve of their free will what they enjoyed being slaves to, and to defend it.” Gin Adala turned to the priest, frowning. "It's a shame that as you sought to embody the tradition and carry the path of rulership as justly established the tyrant king's mercenaries slew the queen such that their lord would not be deprived his prize. Thankfully, as you were almost slain unjustly by the soldiers of the king the local Golam recognized the nobility of your actions and fought them off, tragically too late. In her dying breath, and in honor of the noble service of her kin, she bid you treat all persons of this city as equals under the law, maybe something like an inevitable election for the first citizen among many to legislate, a constitution, all that. You're a smart guy, workshop it a bit with your surviving associates to get the feeling just right, and, if you're lucky you'll manage to get a less bloody transition of power to something better. Just, please, actually give it a go treating the people who look like me as equals under the law, we're in that middle ground of being difficult to take seriously because we're naked, and being horrifying because our skin is like steel. Attributing a caste different from you people is just going to cause resentment regardless of which one of us is the dominant one." He blinks slowly and tries to absorb this. Gin Adala gave him a moment. Priest: "But... they won't listen to me, I'm not even a local." Arashi: “Find ears that will listen to you, and mouths that spread your word.” Gin Adala looked over towards the queen "Could you give him a lock of hair or one of your bracelets to grant his claim legitimacy? We could give you the traditional send off of flying off to the sky when you died so we don't have to explain a body. It'd go a long way to preventing mass death." She smiled towards her, hoping to garner support for getting to be responsible for thousands of deaths, instead of millions. Gin Adala: (Well, tens of thousands) Queen: "I doubt the current King will let him live long enough to speak. He'll have to become a ragged prophet at the edge of society, working his message over many years. In the end, he will have planted the vine, but no in this place, but the souls of the survivors that will eventually leave it." Her skin shimmers, lustrous under the sun and her eyes glow faintly. Queen: "If you want change here and now, you'll have to show me to the people before we leave. They'll have to know the covenant was broken when they let a corrupt king rule over them and they did not raise their hands to re-assert their rights." "For that is what you wish, isn't it? For them to take their fate in their own hands." Gin Adala felt around mentally, trying to see if she technically got the "Destroy City" objective completed as intended. She hesitated a bit to speak, looking to her companions for comment, from what she gathered it seemed out of character for Gin to casually be for mass civilian death. Arashi was a little distracted by the queen's beauty, but answers when Gin looks to him. “Sounds good.” Arashi: “It's probably be the first time the people hear the queen speak her mind. it fits.” GM: (this is the pivotal decision more or less Gin Adala seemed confident enough in the decision to nod with the approval of one of them. She appreciated the over-empathetic nature of men sometimes, even if in the back of her head she was still thinking about why the priest considered women to be the ones unfit for leadership. Fotismane: "A fitting end to the tale of this city." The plan works. The golam quickly demonstrate their loyalty to the city before anything else, and even many of the most traditionalist noble families point out that if the Queen holds the Queen, then she is the Queen and power is hers to give away. In months, the city becomes transformed, much reduced but strengthened, like a nugget of ore that hath gone under the hammer until only the hard core remains. In years and decades to come, trade would shift and people would change and with time the city would fade, the inflexible nature of historical imperatives finding its way around the beautiful fiction created by mortal men. Gin Adala would make an effort to strongly suggest changing the name of the city such that she could claim they were responsible for wiping it off the maps if the fates came knocking. As: the three friends ride off towards the sunset, Raksi, the former queen rides with them. As the three friends ride off towards the sunset, Raksi, the former queen rides with them. Raksi: "Doing the will of the gods might be its own reward, but is there any other boon you'd claim from this adventure?" Gin Adala did her best to give the "are you being meta right now" look, having noted her apprehension at discussing meta-stuff earlier. Arashi as Arashi smiles rather satisfied at her as a new member of their party, but Radulf feels like this is addressed at the man behind the curtain. Radulf: *the mask She is being perfectly direct and normal, but the world itself is being symbolic. Fotismane looks down at her right hand, where an empty stump or wooden block would sit on Blaer's body Fotismane: "I wish...to know the secrets and knowledge of this ancient world, so that I may carry them into the future, and save them from a second death." Arashi: “Our deeds here will be passed down and become history, but our adventures yet ahead are yet to be told.” Fotismane: "To do anything else would be to betray those death has stolen away, would it not?" Arashi: “May that our lives be a song that echoes down the generations, and that we compose it thusly.” Gin Adala spoke of a relative in her home, one who was family, but distant, they'd come down with a sickness that was hurting others around them, ideally, she'd want her ailing friend and those hurt by her sickness to be cured. If such a thing was not possible, she'd ask that her friend at least be given peace and those afflicted by her association be cured. She was, of course, doing her best to refer to lifting the curse from her distant kinsman and freeing the souls trapped, but she reasoned it’d be probably better to express it allegorically instead of directly given the nature of time not liking getting kicked really hard. The Queen smiles and says that perhaps with their actions their desires have already manifested. Raksi: "The libraries of the city survived and their knowledge carries over. The events here will be known through the ages. And our relative will be better when we all return to them safe and sound." The next time you camp, you wake up back in your bodies, stiff and exhausted, inexplicably bearing sand on yourselves. Eurydike yawned, tired as those who manipulate space and time are liable to be. (From GM): Radulf has returned with better knowledge of what actually happened for next time. It seems not just you, but the foreigner trio were also invaders. Radulf rubs the sleepy sand from his eyes and the actual sand from his clothes. Radulf looks at the others, satisfied: “Now that was an adventure.” Blaer: "I never imagined I would be able to take a second trip into the realm of dreams and legends" Radulf: “…I get the feeling the three men we fought at the end weren't native to the past, though.” “Who knows, maybe we'll yet fight them in the flesh to determine the future, rather than to retell the past.” Blaer: "They should hope for they're sake that does not happen." Eurydike: "I ended up going back like that, in that one. Honestly, I don't think I'll ever have a concrete sense of self." She said this in an optimistic tone, shrugging. "Still, it was definitely fun." She shrugged "I hope they learned the lesson the first time, they offered parley before they came to blows and I'm not a fan of reducing the number of people willing to put themselves at a disadvantage for the sake of honor in the world." Radulf nods. Radulf: “The queen sure was pretty though. …don't let Thea hear that.” Eurydike paused for a moment, cursing to herself. "I should have asked her about her jewelry." Radulf realises that too. “True.” Radulf: “At least we saw what is possible.” Eurydike nodded "Yeah, it gives me a bit more hope for being able to someday do the twirl thing with clothes on." Blaer hears this, then pulls out one of her arrows, looking it over, as it trying to find some flaw in it Blaer: "This dream has given me much inspiration to bu ild towards" Blaer reaches into her bag, pulling out a lump of gold Radulf: “Oh?” Eurydike looked over as well It seems strangely familiar. Like crumpled jewelry. Eurydike was very obviously interested in the lump of gold. Still, she was unsure, both of how to politely suggest something, and of metallurgy to really have too good of an idea of what to say. What exactly it does and implies, as well as what has become of the lost souls and the monster Perhaps we shall find out next time Vodka: Good session, thanks for having me! ♥♥ P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! LD: real good conclusion to this whole arc P.P. A.: I agree LD: I'm surprised how many philosophical debates you manage to squeeze into this campaigh GM: Thank you everybody for playing Also, I am not squeezing anything, you are the ones talking to your enemies. They just happen to have strongly held opinions they want everybody to know about. LD: but a debate requires both sides to engage You're just as here for it as the rest of us Vodka: Arguing about things is generally a preferred approach to getting stabbed, I like to think all parties prefer the former. Well, most parties P.P. A.: I appreciate it (especially with the contrast of the more cartoonish enemies in another campaign I'm in who also have a tendency to morph into garbled horrors) GM: I like that it's getting a bit of a clash of cultures vibe because of it P.P. A.: It also works out given how lethal combat is at this TL (magical healing aside, but the nearest healer may still be a few days of travel away) so unless you're a gloryhound, talking things over when meeting hostiles far from home is always preferrable respscorp (GM): greetings P.P. A.: \o Previously, on the frontier After bringing back home a soul-sucking monster. the young heroes set out to free the souls stuck to it and return them to their rightful place in the world. To this end, they sought inspiration from the past, conducting a dreamwalking ritual. Anointed and blessed by the priests and witches of their community, they set out on a trip that ended with them assuming the identities of ancient heroes in a distant land. In the end, following their intuition and that of their ancestors, they achieved victory in the past and saw things to their proper conclusion. But now, back in their own bodies, back in the world of mortals, back in the present - it is time to see what results their actions had wrought. With them, they bring knowledge of old times, of lost libraries and forgotten histories, of a powerful change. And a handful of strange alloy perhaps more precious than gold. Radulf: “Eurydike, did you gain any insights into how to free those souls?” Eurydike remembers that the ritual itself should have freed them. Like the spring rituals of the outsiders that repeats an ancient myth to beckon forth the fertilizing rain and nurturing sunlight. Eurydike: "I'm really hoping that it resolved itself based on what the queen said" Eurydike shrugged, still getting re-acclimated to her puny -1 comparative strength. If anything, Eurydike can always console herself as being cleverer than her ancestor. Blaer on the other hand, had a taste of what it is to be noble and wide-read Radulf ponders that, and it clicks: “Something like… we brought those souls into the dream—or, rather… the dream was how the souls found themselves, made understandable through us by way of drawing it as this ancient story—and in bringing it to its proper conclusion of freeing the trapped city, we accompanied them out of this world and into the afterlife?” Blaer is busy studying the alloy she found upon waking up, trying to determine what exactly it is Eurydike shrugged towards Radolf, she wasn't entirely sure of the metaphysics herself, she did occasionally shoot a glance over to the alloy in the same way a dog looks at a delicious meal. The alloy looks like gold - but a bit paler, a bit shinier - and a hell of a lot harder. Perhaps it's even a little heavier, though gold on it's own is already heavy. Radulf finds his explanation good enough, and walks over the Blaer to spy over her shoulder. “Gold… no, bronze…? Blaer: "The luster of gold...but the strength of iron..." Eurydike: "It's certainly something." She'd continue looking at it, sitting down with contentment to hear Blaer's every hypothesis regarding the metal that's got the potential to let her not be naked all the time. GM: (Blaer can try to rely on her skills to form a hypothesis, but ultimately it would be more informative to do actual experiments with it) Blaer would try the former first, at the very least to better inform the latter Eurydike stared at the rock, transfixed by its presence for a while longer, eventually, by force of will and sense of duty she'd snap out of its siren call. "We should probably head back to town and confirm we successfully saved the souls and stuff." She said this in a mildly guilty way, it was pretty obvious she'd rather play with the cool me-no-melty rock. GM: (hidden dice rolls later) Blaer suspects the metal would be heavier and sturdier than iron, ductile when heated, but otherwise sturdie and elastic like bronze. A metal worthy of a hero or a god, because a normally proportioned sword or axehead mad of the thing would certainly feel heavy and unwieldy and armor made of it would be heavy and tiring if it's thick enough to be anything but decorative. Radulf nods, though he has a question before he gets up: “Bronze is made of tin and copper in the right amounts, right? Can you separate something like bronze to see how much of one and the other it contained?” For all its miraculous properties, it doesn't seem supernatural enough to do anything obviously extraordinary. A thin sheet of it will be sturdier than one made of gold or bronze, but not by much. Blaer: "It's far more difficult to separate them than to combine them, but I wouldn't say it was impossilbe" Radulf nods. “We could bring a piece of it to the smith-priests the next time we see them.” Blaer nods in agreement LD: Were we still tasked with the dragon thing, or was that given to other people in the village? GM: (still you) P.P. A.: Yeah, we just returned briefly to deal with the other monster and the trapped souls; now we need to get back on track Blaer: "But we have other duties to attend to...perhaps Adrian may know something about the metal." Eurydike: "That sounds like a good idea, while we're nearby we ought talk to..." She paused, trying to get a name for a bit, "The wizard guy about goings on, right?" It's strange. they seem to call him The Wizard. LD: "Mr. Guy is my father" Radulf: “Yes. I'd like to see what happened to the monster, too— if it still needs to be put down or if that problem solved itself due to our intervention.” Eurydike nodded, ready to head towards the tower when everyone else was. Blaer leads the way to the tower Radulf follows, appreciating how lush and green his hometown really is. Walking back takes a little over a day, just as much as it took you to travel away from it. By sundown, you can see the countours of the village in the distance and the lone, stone-wrought tower with its glowing window-slits and strange jagged rooftop. A small group of people has gathered in waiting, as well as a notably larger version of the monster. Radulf sees this and worries. Eurydike silently hoped to herself it was a good thing, still her expression was plastered with concern. It seems that the monster is hugging a distressed large sheep, but keeps glancing at it as if confused by what it's doing there. It's mask-like face is now expressionless, despicting a good poker face or perhaps a perpetual look of mild bemusement. The people gathered around it eventually notice you and wave you over. Eurydike headed over, doing her best to use her comrades as cover from the crowd's gaze. Still, when she could get a glance at them without feeling their horrible, horrible gaze, was there any noticeable signs of emaciation/fatigue? Radulf gladly comes nearer and waves back. “What happened?” Blaer keeps her distance. Just to be safe From up close, the thing looks like it's had a growth spurt. Or puberty. It's great size is enough that it can no longer fly, but perhaps it can manage some chicken-like hops or glides. It's proportions, already lanky before, are now almost puppet-like. It's vaguely-feminine, near-featureless body however has rounded up a little more. Perhaps in time its proportions would normalize a little. It's motions too seem a little different - no longer as jerky. Radulf: “Could we— could the Cursed Queen have been the representative of the monster, and when we freed her, we broke its curse?” he asks his friends. Muriam, the witch's daughter: "Ah, you're back. What did you do? The thing just started growing! Thankfully, it seems more cognizant of its nature now, so it's safer to be around." Rolling 12-3d6 = -5 (Will) Radulf is too well-rested and energetic for that, it seems. Blaer will approach the creature herself and see if she can find any signs of change for the better Radulf keeps a polite distance in case it still distrusts him. The creature peers into Blaer with intelligent eyes, trying to comprehend what she might want. It seems to recognize her, but that does not dispell its confusion. It sets the sheep on the ground and the dumb animal, too exhausted and terrified, just stands there. Blaer reaches a hand out towards it Blaer: "Do you understand me?" There is a strange lethargy and deliberateness to the creature's motions, as if it thinks each move twice-over before committing to it and then committing to it fully. It tilts its head like a bird. It moves its serpentine neck to take a good look at Blaer from many angles. Monster: "We understand. You shot us to protect your friend." Its voice is like a barely harmonize chorus of many others. GM: (barely harmonized*) Radulf: “Ooh, you can speak now?” The shepherd approaches the monster—slowly, so that it has time to shift its attention to him from Blaer without getting overwhelmed or panicked. Eurydike approached cautiously, less so because of the giant monster and moreso because of the crowd of eyes. She had the travois but it still bothered her. She opted not to say anything yet, letting her companions take the lead on the conversation. Blaer shifts her expression a couple times as she processes the sentence Blaer: "I am glad you are able to understand that much...and hope we can put that time behind us." The creature shifts its attention from Radulf, then to Eurydike, then to Radulf again, then to Euridkike, as if trying to figure out which is more important or interesting. Finally, it settles on Euridike, reaching out one spindly arm towards her. Monster: "It is you. The youngling/strange lady/dryad/dear child/executioner. You did something/everything/not the thing I wanted. We were one, but now we are many. It is soothing/scary/confusing/evil/divine." It pauses, as if surprised by its own multifarious speech. Eurydike approached, unsure of the exact intent of the whole arm extension. "That happens, uhh..." She looked at it, her face going from sympathetic, to concerned, to pointed somewhere else, and then back to a more neutral one. She'd reflect on her divine mission, mentally considering if manifesting an egregore from a once disparate collection of souls qualified as ending their bondage. Well, she decided that ending the idea of a city met quota for the past, so, in a less literal approach she was two-for-two! Radulf gives them some space, but asks Eurydike and the monster: “Did the souls clinging to it merge into it, or… Eurydike, you said it was a cursed one of your people—could it have been a multitude of women who were sewn together to create it? …would explain the many arms, and now the voices.” Blaer: "They are now a multitude. Many voices acting in one body. Not ended, but transformed." "As it was in the dream." "Not just slaves to one will, but each their own contributor to the whole" Radulf responds with an uncomfortable pokerface. Radulf doesn't know if inducing severe schizophrenia in a monster is really better than mercy-killing it but he doesn't want to ask himself this aloud. Looked at the creature with a great deal of pride, any of Eurydike's moral disgust was lacking in the fact she'd managed to manifest her ideal-form from what she'd viewed prior as self parody. Eurydike: Eurydike, preferring not being a murderer and being self reflective enough to recognize the lingering voice in her head that she thought died, sympathized with the collective, it was weird being comprised of different voices. Especially when they belonged to separate souls! "I apologize if this comes off as reductionistic, are you feeling alright?" (Gromble that didn't work as intended) Monster: "We are confused. And hungry. And sad." "It takes a lot of thinking to understand some of our thoughts and memories. And sometimes we lament our understanding." Blaer gives a bit of a wry smile Blaer: "That sounds like the state of a budding democracy" Eurydike opted to listen, nodding. She wasn't particularly good with expressing her own issues as suggested by her mental projection of her old self's ghost, but she did want to do her best to help the amalgam of persons spawned by her moral compass. "I'm sorry to hear that, I'd like to help you if I can, but I'm unsure of what I can do exactly. Do you have any suggestions?" She forced a smile, uncomfortable with seeing her dark creation experiencing dread. Eurydike: She was no Frankenstein, it was morally imperative to treat all fronts against divinity, and the natural world with respect, lest it hurt their feelings. One may also consider the old slogan those who don't have a nice warm village burn it down, but, to Orphea at the very least, the idea of being mean to her (numinously potent) spirit animal was Anathema. Eurydike, being the more sane of the one was content to offer aid on the basis of break it you buy it, and well, concern for her fellow sapient entities in general. Radulf nods. “It… might take time to order your thoughts. Your body changed a lot since yesterday; is it changing still?” Monster: "We think it (might) have stopped. It is very big. It is unnerving/pleasant to look down on others." It stands up and stoops forward to turn into a strange loping gait, sparing one arm to beckon them to follow. Monster: "Come with us. We need to eat, and this beast is at its limit." Karli peeks up from a nearby bush, giving Radulf a stare saying "Bro, what are you doing hanging out with it, run while you still can!" Radulf: “…do you still feed on life-energy?” “Well, I guess that is the answer.” Radulf looks over to Eurydike, and back to the monster: “Can you feed on wild animals, now that you can choose, or has your hunger grown with your body?” Radulf acknowledges Karli and tries to assuage him, but isn't sure enough himself. Eurydike moved to follow with little hesitation considering the circumstances. This, paired with her back-and-forth expressions from sympathy and excitement provided evidence that holding contrary pieces of information as true for extended periods of time were not the best for maintaining a stable grasp of reality. She'd at the very least look back if the rest of present(?)-time best friend team wasn't following, and wait for them to come along if they weren't. Radulf follows it hesitantly; it's best for it to leave the village, at least. Radulf catches up to Eurydike, and asks her quietly: “Do you… have a plan here?” Blaer follows along out of morbid curiosity, joining the group Blaer: "I was under the impression that we had a plan before" Eurydike shrugged, responding quietly "I'd put my current actions at the pre-plan information gathering." She spoke in a more excited tone than she was used to, following that she took a moment to look towards her creature, frowning slightly in recognizing they weren't doing to good. She'd continue walking, her expression settling on confused more than anything, being both exhilarated at doing the right thing, and mortified at doing something abominable. Radulf keeps a hopefully-safe distance so he doesn't get energy-sapped. He closely observes Karli and stays about as far away as his dog does, but still beckons him to follow at roughly that distance. Radulf calls over to the monster: “Where do you intend to go now?” GM: "Yes/maybe. We can avoid harming them, but we suspect it's not good if we keep feeding from the same beast. But we can just eat things and crunch sustenance out of them this way. So in essence, we can eat the same pig twice." Monster: "Yes/maybe. We can avoid harming them, but we suspect it's not good if we keep feeding from the same beast. But we can just eat things and crunch sustenance out of them this way. So in essence, we can eat the same pig twice." "But we are so big/huge. We will need to do it anyway." Radulf finds this equal parts slightly eassuring, and kind of horrifying. Karli gets as close as Radulf is willing to be, as long as it is outside of arm's reach. He's behaving like he always does if a stranger gives him unsolicited cuddling. So far Thea has been the only exception, probably because she spent so long being scared of him. Eurydike followed along, nodding along with the explanation, still unsure of what exactly to add to the conversation. Monster: "We are thinking. First we need to eat a lot. Then we will hide and sleep. There is a dragon. We are scared of dragons." Radulf: “Eat a lot, then hide and sleep, like the honey-eaters and other animals do in the winter?” Eurydike: "That seems reasonable, what about dragons scares you?" The question was a bit dumb, admittedly given that they're dragon's, but she was curious of what brought about fear in a collective consciousness. Monster: "We remember a lot of scary stories. And we also remember dragons killing our kind." Eurydike: "That makes sense, if you're comfortable bringing those kinds of stories up, I'd appreciate it if you'd tell me some." She smiled, halfheartedly concerned she was being too soft on her creation. Naturally, she saw the symbolism of their prior form as evidence that being overbearingly supportive might not be the best thing to do. Monster: "The usual tales. Dragons that steal maidens or burn homesteads. They were fun/silly/scary. But the memories of real dragons made them terrifying. We are old, even if we are also newborn." "We remember the lancing flames, the sword-like talons. The baleful eyes." Eurydike bore an uncomfortable expression, her eyes darting back and forth. Her desire to cast away dramatic irony was opposed by her desire not to cause unnecessary conflict with her creation. Radulf listens up. “Did any who fought back against them prevail; and what tactics did they employ?” Monster: "None did. We understand now our sisters were little better than animals in mind, slaves to the will that broke us. To the dragons we were just malevolent pests." Eurydike: "The will?" Eurydike asked, she had an idea of what they were referencing but she'd rather her theories be verified. Monster: "The divine will. It broke us and chained us. How we cried, unable to break free. But one day it was gone, leaving us without purpose. To wander and follow the instincts whipped into us. Sing, preen, protect the little ones. Collect the heads of wrongdoers." Eurydike nodded, "I'm sorry that you were put through that." She attempted to offer sympathy for the mental bondage, but she never considered herself very good at it. Eurydike dismissed Orphea's repeated suggestions of recursive past-embodiment to reach the primeval spark of creation and consume it, making a better and more just world. Partially because it was megalomaniacal, and partially because she was very certain that they were going to make something worse. Radulf turns to Blaer and Eurydike: “I wouldn't mind… too much if we kept it company on our way north, so long as it doesn't eat us or our souls.” He addresses it directly: “You have control over that now, don't you?n Eurydike had no objections to tagging along with them. Blaer: "I am much more fine taking it with us like this than the last time you suggested it...though perhaps we should ask its opinion once it knows where we are heading." Radulf: “We could part ways before we get close to the dragon,” Radulf shrugs, and addresses it: “Which, er, is where we're headed. We accidentally woke it up, and now we're trying to convince it to… leave, or go back to sleep.” It freezes, probably in the midst of some big internal discussion. After a very long moment it turns towards them slowly. Monster: "Would you like us to accompany you? Why?" Eurydike: "We're friends, I'd also like the chance to try and help you feel more comfortable in general. Spending time with people really helps, I know that I might not be the best example but I'm in a lot better place now than I was before I started regularly interacting with people" She added her opinion, internally considering how much of her decision was selfishly motivated. Radulf states his motivation outright: “I'd like to keep an eye on you to see how you develop. If you go crazy, we could try and prevent you from doing harm to others; if you need someone to talk to to gather your thoughts, you have someone outside of yourself.” Radulf: “It's your decision, though; and on the condition that you'll abstain from harming us.” Monster: "We are not lonely, with ourselves. But we don't mind the extra company. Why do you think the dragon would talk to you though?" Eurydike took a moment to consider how best to say "We're related to dragons", if someone was more quick to mention it, they'd probably say it first and Eurydike would be spared from the burden. Blaer: "It spoke to us before, and we did not leave on bad terms, so we think it will speak to us again." Radulf: “We've spoken to another, much older dragon since, and it agreed to have a talk with the young one. Apparently, you eventually tire of burning villages and eating people, and look for more spiritual fulfillment.” Eurydike noting the lack of mentioning of the topic by the other two who'd gone to speak, she'd opt for silence as well for the sake of party cohesion. Naturally, she looked uncomfortable about this. Radulf isn't purposely avoiding it, it just doesn't seem important compared to what Blaer said. Monster: "We will walk with you. Some part of us is scared, but others wouldn't mind, even if it kills us. Even if we hope it would not." Radulf: “We won't force you to confront the dragon with us; you can part ways if we get too close to its hunting grounds, and you don't want to go on.” He looks at the others to check if they agree, but assumes they will. Eurydike smiled, happy for the company. She also on some level appreciated their decision to prefer not dying. She naturally seemed to agree with supporting the autonomy of the creature. Monster: "We. Want to try. Something." It lowers itself to the ground, splaying like a concussed spider, then beckons Eurydike over. Monster: "Climb here." Eurydike went on over, moving as directed. She was confident they weren't going to do something bad to them, and, if they were it was at least somewhat justifiable. The creature straightens up again, nesting its rider between the wings and blades of its flat back. Monster: "We are very strong. One of you can ride here. Maybe more if haste overrules the necessity for endurance." "You think we are relatives. It is our pleasure to let our distant cousin ride on our shoulders." Eurydike was very excited at the prospect of riding on her distant cousins shoulder, having never done the simple humanoid-humanoid kinship cavalry thing due to being the creepy-eye rake kid. "Thank you, I'm honored." After resting at home for the night and refreshing supplies and necessities, the trio are ready to ride. Their large friend is certainly going to help with the amount of supplies they can carry. P.P. A.: oh, er I just rememebred we also need to bring that tomboy daughter from the farmstead back home GM: (Oh, I was just writing about it) P.P. A.: forgot her name, the one who wanted to become a wildling o good Before they set out however, Euphilia wants to talk with them, especially with Eurydike Euphilia: "What do you think of this girl, Alfthrys and her strange wish. Speak plainly to me, do not spare my feelings, nor hers." Radulf: “She'll become disillusioned after spending some time with you girls and finding out you aren't magical fairies dancing in the forest all day, hopefully sees her own strengths, and makes the best of them to live a normal life.” “Is my guess.” Eurydike: "I think it's a naïve belief spurred on by youth and a lack of forethought." As Eurydike spoke, she took a moment to look at herself, her gaze resting on the tattoo present on her body, taking a breath, she'd continue. "I think the idea of taking on the curse is foolish, she has a large, loving family. I'm used to the constant pin-pricks of discomfort that come from people's gaze, but I don't know if I could accurately convey the pain that would come from no longer being comfortable with those you love to her." She paused, thinking "If you're referring to her general desire to learn from and emulate us, I'm happy for that to happen. I like our culture and want people to learn from many of the good things we do, I don't like the idea of us being worshipped however. I'm comfortable about her learning about us and spending time with us, and, if she truly comes to love and understand our culture I have no problem for her to be welcomed as one of us. I do not think that means damning her to run around naked and forcing her to flinch at the gaze of onlookers." Euphilia listens to them both, then look to Blaer for her own opinion Euphilia: "I was going to suggest bringing us to our city and then letting her decide. Or perhaps we can use her in a twofold way? Make a test for her that is also a test for someone else, hm? One of our kin that does not currently enjoy good reputation and needs to learn to handle responsibility?" Radulf perks up and kind of likes that idea, which is written all over his face. Alfthrys was rough around the edges, but seemed capable and responsible enough during the time they travelled together. He also looks at Blaer, the more experienced hunter and survivalist, to hear her evaluation of the girl. Eurydike nodded in affirmation towards Euphilia's test idea, it certainly made sense to her. Blaer: "Alfthrys is one with great talent, but very stubborn notions in her head. She reminds me a lot of myself." "I think only way to break them out of it is to shock them into reality...though hopefully she does not need to lose a limb to achieve that." "Given our track record...accompanying us will give her the greatest chance of experiencing that, while still remaining in relative safety under our watch." Euphilia nods Euphilia: "An exhaustive analysis. Good. Then it seems we are set to proceed. Thea will join you on your hunt, to make up for her botched initiation, as we discussed earlier. This girl will be under her command - a test of both her ability to obey and on Thea's ability to assert herself at all." Radulf smiles and nods his agreement. Eurydike nodded as well, it seemed like a good plan. As they leave, one of the mercenaries they met when they guarded the ford waves them over and gently shoos away a giggling girl, one that Blaer can recognise as a distant cousin. Radulf: “Oh, hello! Good to see you.” His is a simple proposal - he and some of his friends can spend some of your plundered gold at town. Since they are mercenaries from the old country they can pretend to have acquired some wealth there before migrating here. This way would the find remain anonymous while still benefitting the clan. Radulf reads between the lines that they already know about it and could cause trouble one way or another if they feel mistreated, but the idea sounds good. It'd be a way to launder the gold, sort of, to turn it into useful goods without drawing too much attention to the clan. The mercenaries would keep some of it and use that to settle down, and may thus become long-term allies down the road. He makes these points to his friends, and asks if there are any objections here. Eurydike didn't really have a strong opinion one way or the other, her lack of pockets making her share of all you can carry was considerably low due to the lack of pockets. Eurydike: (Heck, don't type things out while talking to people.) Eurydike didn't have much of opinions, her lack of pockets making her portion of all you can carry a bit less impressive* Eurydike: (I'm just going to stick with it so I don't mess up 3 times, golly, brain is operating at 3%) P.P. A.: (I know that feel when no edit button) GM: (Blaer?) LD: sorry, getting pulled all different directions IRL right now P.P. A.: it happens GM: (we about to finish anyway) Blaer has no objections With all that covered, the trio set out early in the morning, plus one very strange pack animal and a pair of camp-aides. North, through the wilds and hopefully towards a fateful encounter! Something that will have to wait for next time. Vodka: Thanks for having me ♥ P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! LD: Good sesh respscorp (GM): hello LD: hi Vodka: yo P.P. A.: \o Previously, on the Frontier! After returning to their own lives and stories, the heroes conversed with the monster they helped create - a creature in which all the formerly lost souls had made a home and blended into one multifarious, confused mind whose foggy memories stretch across the eons. It agreed to accompany them and help carry some of their supplies in this new world to which it had awoken. Meanwhile, after a short talk with Euphilia, the young ambassador priest of the forest people, they also arranged to conscript Thea and Alfthrys with them as camp aides and junior trackers. And so, with all that settled, it would normally be time to go, were it not for one more last minute interruption by the village's junior witch, Muiram. Muiram waits for them at the forest's edge, probably on the way for some other business. Her loose tunic is covered in trinkets, maybe some of them of special significance, but the majority most likely decorative. Muiram: "Greetings. Just wanted to wish you good luck away from the others. And give you some food for thought without turning it into a debate with the other well-wishers." Radulf: “Thanks—we're all ears.” Her eyes are closed as if to show respect to Thea and Eurydike, but still her face manages to turn exactly in the direction Alfthrys is now. Muiram: "Go a wee way away now, we have grown-up things to discuss real quick. The young witch smiles, as if pleased with the trick she just pulled off. Vodka smiled at the gesture of respect, she was genuinely appreciative of not having eyes on her. Eurydike was the one who did that Althrys goes some distance away with a wounded expression and Thea follows her, with the two stopping to chat with their backs to the group, crouched in the grass where the top of their brightly-maned heads blend in with the summer flowers in the tall, yellow grass. Muiram: "It is like this. I'm sure everyone involved has good intentions, but you're going on a dangerous quest and a long march. It is a good thing that Euphilia has thought up, but that girl Alfthrys is not as sturdy as your people Eurydike. You are worried about taking her from her family, but be wary that death will take her just as readily." "The mother would be sad if her child leaves the home, but twice as sad if she falls to a stray arrow. And if you still want to test her worth afterwards you can still do it." "We all die in the end, and we all bow to other's feelings from time to time, but if her mind is set despite knowing there is no going back, err on the side of sparing lives, not feelings." She stands up, having said her piece. Radulf listens with a serious mien and nods thoughtfully. “We brought her along for the matter with the… that monster, which we guessed wouldn't be too dangerous. venturing deep into enemy lands to meet and perhaps fight the dragon…” Eurydike paused, nodding, she understood the responsibility that was placed on her to a degree and it was a heavy one. Having agency was one of the main values she held, the volumes of stories regarding horrid foreigners depriving her people of it lingered in her mind almost constantly. Still, she was not naïve enough to assume that this idealized agency extended past the laws of physics. Eurydike: "We ought meet with Euphilia and discuss the prospect of Her and Thea training with my people, I admire her drive but from past experience I know I'm too prone to throw my life away for others in the heat of the moment, and, well, I'm smart enough to know that's liable to get more than just me killed if conflict comes." Muriam: "Forget Euphilia for now. Blazes, forget me as well. We've each spoken our thoughts on the matter already and no doubt ignored some bit that to our eyes looks minor. I just woke up this morn and thought to give you something to contemplate on your way." She moves to leave, but lingers, watching Blaer, curious if her childhood friend had anything to say. Blaer: "Muriam, do you believe that Alfthrys, in the mind that she inhabits, would not become emboldened over time to act the part of the invincible savage native more and more?" "It would only be a matter of time before the illusion is shattered, forcibly. Better to do it sooner, under the safest circumstances, than risk disaster." Remarkably astute, Blaer. It is a risk indeed, and one I cannot evaluate. I don't know her well. But if she is dangerously foolhardy and immodest, perhaps leave her behind at the hidden village instead of bringing her along on the rest of your dangerous trip.: GM: (facepalm) Muiram: "Remarkably astute, Blaer. It is a risk indeed, and one I cannot evaluate. I don't know her well. But if she is dangerously foolhardy and immodest, perhaps leave her behind at the hidden village instead of bringing her along on the rest of your dangerous trip." Radulf: “That'd be the best solution: she gets to experience the Wildlings' society and probably gets disabused of her ideas of them, and yet stays safe.” Radulf asks Eurydike: “With regards to improving her ability to work together with others, follow orders, and so on—do you have a role for that in your village? As a kind of servant or aide, where she'd have to obey but could also learn something.” Eurydike thought back to her own childhood, wondering if there were any appropriate roles to dump the kid in. Muiram raises her finger to cut in behind Radulf's remark Muriam: "We owe those before us for who we are. But a child is not the property of their parents. Arthu is a patron of freedom after all - we would be disrespecting one of our oldest ancestors if we demand our children be exactly like us. Thus, tradition turns on itself." She smiles warmly, seemingly very pleased with this paradox. Blaer: "The roof of a house owes itself to the foundation, but it cannot exist as another foundation on top of it." LD: the amount of typing going on after my statement worries me Eurydike thinking back, Eurydike remembered why Orphea became the weird kid who scratched eyes. Making an about-face on her position she'd comment. "I am alright if she comes along, but she'll need to explain what she's planning on doing to her parents, and talking with them about it without withholding information regarding the dangers that are to be faced. If she cannot stand against her teary eyed mother, a dragon will certainly be too much" Radulf ponders that, and smiles. “We follow in the footsteps of our forebears so we can walk our own path when their trail ends. If she wants to walk in the shoes—” he pauses: “……walk the path of the Wildlings, she must follow them first.” Radulf: “But I agree, how far she's willing to go there must be her decision, and her parents'.” “We shouldn't just dump her there as a maid and consider the matter done,” in more prosaic terms. Eurydike: "It's unlikely she'll be met with anything nearing kindness if she doesn't do something to pre-emptively earn it too..." Radulf realises something else: “What with your curse… wouldn't she make everyone uncomfortable, or cause a lot of mishaps by just looking the wrong way?” Eurydike: "I assumed she was going to be going there naked, I'd prefer she was just bullied, not, well." She paused for a long while, thinking of how best to explain Orphea was in the moderate-liberal camp of her tribe. "I'm patient, and generally outnumbered by people who don't respond negatively to being looked at, the social dynamic would likely quickly shift to aggression if the source of discomfort was in the minority instead of the majority." She was pretty nervous explaining this, taking a few pauses to inspect her hands, or something off in the distance. It was clear she was not particularly happy in describing a negative characteristic of group behavior when it came to her people. One is better off using negative examples from other cultures when they want theirs to look great. Radulf grimaces. “Let's talk it over with her and her parents on our way north, I guess.” Eurydike nodded. Eurydike spent a moment to stare off into space, sighing with a painful discomfort, knowing she should probably use a bit of this trip to explain the less-great parts of her people to Alfthrys so she doesn't get herself killed. Radulf: “Or, perhaps…” He turns to Blaer: “Are there any paths to that farmstead which are more difficult—rough terrain, wild animals, things like that—but not that much longer?” Blaer from knowledge and now from experience knows that the shortest paths there are the most taxing Blaer: "As the crow flies is the hardest for those stuck to the ground." "We won't even need to take detours" Radulf: “I see… I was thinking that we could split up and meet back up at her family's home: Thea and Alfthrys have to traverse the harder route on their own, we take the other one.” “We can be fairly sure that there aren't any enemies in the area, especially at this time of the year.” “If they're alone, Alfthrys can also go naked without this shepherd's looks to spoil her for marriage.” However, there are still the occasional monster or weird ruin in the wilds. Even with the Wildling's incessant enthusiasm to prove their worth by hunting one and delving into the other. Radulf: “Then again, that's where we found the three-eyed black beast, didn't we.” Radulf looks at Blaer for her take, and glances at Eurydike but quickly averts his eyes. Eurydike thought it over, she'd shrug "I've got faith that Thea would be perceptive enough to hopefully avoid such things if they emerge, and that Alfthrys will be smart enough to be dragged along on the retreat. Whatever's out there, I'm confident it's going to be less threatening than a dragon. They should be there before us, and, if they're not, we can make an attempt to track them down." Muirma nods along with their strategising, then finally turns to leave. She pauses by the two girls on her way back to the village, handing something over to Thea, then gradually heading downhill until it looks like her hood gets swallowed by the grass. GM: (Muiram*) Thea puts it in her bindle and the two move back to the rest of the group. Blaer doesn't seem to have a take for this particular topic GM: (and with that covered, it's time to get on the road; or rather the mountainous, craggy, thickly forested wilds) respscorp (GM): (roll 20 derped out on me) Radulf explains the situation to Thea and Alfthrys and asks them whether they want to downright split up, or just take up scouting duty. They both eagerly agree to the test put before them, each for their own reasons but no less ready. Radulf lets Blaer, who's the most familiar with the area, add her take—and if she has any idea for a kind of emergency signal in case the other two do run into dire trouble. Blaer figures an emergency signal would need to be immediate, and be able to carry all the way to the other group, and suggests they carry a hunting horn or the like to blow in case they run into trouble After a quick detour back to the village, a hunting horn is procured, as well as any other secondary supplies the split might necessitate. GM: (someone takes the role of group tracker in the journey, rolling both Survival and Navigation. The terrain is woodlands. Others can support them for To set the mood for the journey, Eurydike has a humiliating encounter with a patch of stinging plants that sneak up on her. Thankfully, it happens when she's scouting ahead and no-one sees it. Blaer manages to keep the group together and avoid mishaps durign the trip despite Eurydike's streak of bad luck. Blaer manages to keep her bearing mostly straight despite the poor visibility in the thick woods and the confusing curves of the mountainous terrain. Still, she becomes convinced the groups has managed to lose their way at least a couple of times and they lose a day's travel. Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 7 When they finally make it across the mountain slope and begin their descent towards the Portley lodge, the find Thea and Alfthrys waiting for them. The additional day has allowed them to rest a bit, but they still look harrowed and Alfthrys is covered in bruises and scrapes. Blaer: "How was the journey, Alfthrys?" Alfthrys gives her a tired smile Radulf is visibly relieved to find them safe and sound. He uses the opportunity to teasingly warn Alfthrys, though: “And now, the rite of passage to be a full-fledged member of their society is going on such a journey, all on your own, for…” He looks at Thea and Eurydike: “How long again?” Eurydike refrained from making a sardonic comment, her own memories of that cruel bush. Eurydike: her own memories of that cruel bush still lingering*) Thea: "A week. But those few days felt like more. And it was even harder for her." Radulf realises how lucky he got that they met Thea during this relatively short window of time, but he doesn't state it. “Good job,” he smiles to them both, “the both of you.” He'd show his appreciation and pride to Thea more empathically than pulling her close for a one-armed embrace, but that'd be immodest. Radulf doesn't bring up the topic of ‘what next’ since he expects Alfthrys will be happy to stay behind instead of coming along for even more of this, through unfamiliar terrain, heading towards the man-eating dragon. Radulf: *stay behind with her family after this While travelling over the slope, Blaer had the chance to notice some more fires in the distance on one of the days. Also during the trip, Blaer has had the chance to observe the skies and the flight of birds for many days, and one day the omens tell her that "A friend will come disguised as a foe. Judge a man by his first act and you will be both condemned to a pointless struggle. But let his first hostility pass without a word and a second will follow." Either way, you are both now within hours of the Portley's home, and Alfthrys would like to know if she has passed your test Eurydike paused to let the other two speak, mentally preparing herself to explain that it was the preliminary exam. Blaer seems to be wrapped up in thinking over the omen she came across Radulf: “Tests and trials are a taste of the future they open up to you. Whether you want this to be how you live your life is something you need to decide,” he answers Alfthrys somewhat evasively. More to the point: “I'm no Wildling, so I cannot say if you'd make a good one, but I know that, as man and as Cynwrig, I'd be glad to count you as a friend.” Blaer nods along absent mindedly, muttering to herself about judging and hostilities Eurydike paused, thinking over her words for a bit longer, noticing Blaer was preoccupied. "You passed the preliminary part, I believe you're competent enough to come along with us, but an awareness of emotional burdens a more errant lifestyle on others causes is important as well. We're heading north to interact with a dragon, hopefully the situation will resolve peacefully, but there is a chance it won't. There's a good chance of some, if not all of us falling in combat, it's a risk I am willing to take for people's safety, and I'm sure it's something you'd accept as well. However, the issue is explaining what you're doing to your family. Let them know you're determined in carrying out what is to come, don't dodge around the issue. If you can shoulder the knowledge of your death, and the pain that it will cause those who care about you, out of respect of your own agency, I have no issue with you coming with us." Thea pretends to show an affectation of jealousy at Radulf's words, then smiles, listening to Eurydike, making sure Alfthrys doesn't interrupt, and finally gestures for the three of them to follow her to the side for a quick chat. Radulf winked at Thea there; and comes along after Eurydike's address. Eurydike came along, letting Alfthrys wrestle with what she said. Blaer follows behind, now noticing there's something going on to break her out of her own thoughts Thea glances back to Alfthrys who is content to just relax on the improvised nest of leaves the two have made for their camp, then to the rest of you. Thea: "I think this trip was a mistake. She's begun to think you're taking her seriously instead of just trying to make her back off and me... after leading her through it, I've started to question if I need to bother with the approval of my distant relatives." Radulf awkwardly scratches his head at the former but is eager to her her elaborate on the latter point. Eurydike blinked "I am taking her seriously, I loathe the knowledge that our people have been patronized by outsiders for generations, I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't respect her right to self determination." She paused, looking towards Thea "I don't bother with the approval of my distant relatives too much, work to do things that demand their respect, you get neither respect nor approval if you constantly worry about what people think." Radulf: “If she's turning out to be better at this than expected, and this is the path in life she's truly prepared to take… The matter of the dragon is very much our problem though, and I'll make it clear that I don't want to put her life at risk for that.” The skinny girl shrugs, looking up at the distant sky past the thick canopy overhead. Thea: "That would be for the best, probably. But unlike her, I don't need to pass a test to be who I want to be. I'm coming with you for your sake, not to prove anything." "Anyway..." She looks towards Euridike warily Eurydike looked back, not saying anything so she'd have the chance to elaborate. need.” Radulf: He makes the point by drawing Thea's head close and kissing her on the lips—not caring that it's kinda rude to interrupt the conversation like that. Blaer waits patiently for the two to finish their lovey-dovey moment before adding her piece Blaer: "She has so far stood up to the hardships of the reality she desires, mentally and physically. It is more than I expected, honestly." "I see no reason why she should be denied her pursuit, if she can manage to face her family up front about it." Radulf nods in agreement. Blaer: "I will try to talk with her about the notion of becoming one of you, though." Thea returns the kiss briefly and pulls back, putting a finger against Radulf's lips, telling him to save it for later Thea: "Maybe, but it's something else I wanted to mention. With her wild ideas, she'll never fit in among the c... village dwellers and farmers. But she'll fit right in with the hunters and scouts and perhaps change them for the better. Unless her mother manages to convince her to give up on her youthful ideals." "I didn't know you before, Eurydike, but something tells me you were not one to avoid your troubles and live at the fringes of our society like so many others of our age tend to do. And just wanted to say - I'm not ashamed of our old traditions, but they are not all there is to us." Eurydike blinked, she really, really wasn't familiar with the fringes of her culture, having jumped into politics and infighting without ever really pausing to establish a safety net of friends she mostly raised herself in an arena of her own making.. "I respect your right to act in your own way and acknowledge that my understanding is limited, I apologize if what I said came off as preaching." Thea: "No, no, don't apologize. You have every right. You are strong, and brave, and selfless, and have done so much already. You have the right to preach to the likes of me." Eurydike held a confused expression, trapped in the paradox of wanting to tell people not to listen to people. Eurydike: "I'm not sure what to say....I appreciate the compliment though." Eurydike looked at her putting on a smile. Thea returns the smile and then slides a bit to the side, motioning that if that is all, she's had her fill of being the center of attention. Eurydike had nothing else to say, she'd just go ahead and wait for some other action Radulf has nothing to add either; he's fine with proceeding to Alfthrys home, having Blaer and the Wildlings talk to her on the matter of her seriousness & affiliating with the fringes of Wildling society, and later moderating a conversation with her parents. Radulf sees the matter of Alfthrys having proven herself truly dedicated to making her dreams a reality as entirely separate from taking her along north though, which he will make clear he is against. It's got nothing to do with her development either—wildlings don't routinely intrude on enemy territory or encounter dragons—, so there isn't even a good reason why she should come along. With all that settled, the group makes it to the Portley lodge, where Alfthry's signs of struggle earn her some reprieve and respect, while Eurydike and Thea's lack of injuries earn them some admiration. And the monster following behind the group is a source of endless curiosity and discussion, especially when people find out it can speak. It isn't long before children climb and prod it despite the worried warnings of their parrents, which it endures stoically or mayhaps barely even notices. Eurydike went ahead and asked her eldritch pal if she was comfortable with all the attention, offering to help her get more privacy if need be. She wasn't particularly enjoying all of the attention, and assumed it may be similar for her. The monster's response is only that they are worried about hurting the children without meaning to. After a long pause, it compares itself to a very large horse that can kick or step on someone smaller without meaning to. Otherwise, it doesn't mind. It can even stand still if it pleases the children. Eurydike did her best to keep watch on the kids such that they didn't get squished, if at all possible, she'd referee the behavior from a distance where not too many eyes had to be focused on her. The short time remaining in the day passes moderately peacefully, with Eurydike discovering that her status as champion of endings lends her some authority over the younglings. It also helps that some of them conflate her with a fairy and think she will eat unruly children for dinner. Alfthrys' reunion with her parents is tense, but doesn't go too bad. Her mother refuses to accept her decision and her father fail to mediate between the two. No-one gets disowned however, or even threatened with it, especially with old man Portley gently cutting in with murmurs of calm every now and then. In the end, everyone gets a chance to enjoy one night in a normal bed before their journey is resumed. As well, Blaer can take advantage of their workshop if she wants to ready anything for the trip ahead. LD: Can I just roll to make something? I'm drawing a complete blank right now Eurydike did enjoy her moment of respite, she'd do her best to ensure their less-humanoid companion was comfortable as well. Not wanting to deal with emotional turmoil, and learning from prior action she'd just ask if she's coming off as overbearing or anything. GM: (Yep. If you don't have anything specific in mind some finely balanced arrows or something simple from the magic "gold" could be done) Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 2 Eurydike: "Right, if you do need something, don't hesitate to ask." She'd smile, glad that her actions were appreciated, and not treated as a subtle insult. She was not too familiar with how to be nice effectively and was glad she wasn't messing up. She'd just hang out with the creature, making conversation for a bit longer before heading to sleep, wanting to take advantage of the comfortable bed. GM: (what is Blaer smithing?) Radulf would talk to Alfthrys's parents if they ask him to—vouching for her genuine dedication, but also assuaging her mother that increased contact with the Wildlings—not a monolithic group—needn't mean that her daughter completely abandons her family or starts engaging in bizarre practices. Since he doesn't know the specifics of how their society is stratified either, he guesses based on Thea's remarks that they have hunters and the like who roam the forests, whom Alfthrys could perhaps befriend over time, join on outings… Radulf otherwise spends time with Thea—just talking, mostly, since they're guests here and probably don't have much privacy. Thea takes the chance to whisper some things to Radulf just to see his reaction (From GM): Thea whispers "Did you know there are far less men among us? And one man has to be with many friends at once." (To GM): He smugly replies: “Isn't that my life already?” (From GM): Still trying to get him at least mildly shocked or something "I'm glad you're so understanding. It will make things easier in the future." Blaer is going to be tinkering with the magic gold, seeing if something simple can be made GM: (what will she make? A simple jewel? A weapon?) (To GM): He already guessed as much about their society, so he isn't taken by surprise and can concentrate on teasing her back: “Ah, but won't the others be disappointed if you always tire me out before it's their turn?” LD: If possible, she'd make some kind of protective equipment to test its use as armor, but given the amount she has, she'd go for a dagger or something (From GM): That has some effect, but after some initial shock, she declares that Radulf isn't exactly the ideal of male beauty in her culture and she's the only who can appreciate his big kind heart, so there is no danger of that. GM: (it might also be interesting to see if Eurydike or someone like her can wear it safely) (To GM): “How greedy, to claim me all for yourself,” he teases her. “Lucky for you, I am a modest man of low standards, so I may be satisfied with just you.” (To GM): (He's definitely going to take the Wildling guy in the village aside when he's back and ask him a lot of curious young man's questions under four eyes, however cool he's playing it with Thea here.) LD: Is there enough to make like a small arm buckler and still have some left over? GM: (more like exactly enough for a parrying buckler( (From GM): It seems she's also trying to suggest something else, but maybe she's bad at communication. LD: oof. Is there a chance to be able to melt it down and reuse it if doesn't work? No incidents happen during the night. In the morning, everyone is ready to go and much better relaxed after having some cooked food and some rest in an actual bed. GM: (Yes. The metal is already present, so on anything except a critical fail, all metal is recovered) (But also, for a single night of work it's not going to be absolutely amazing in looks) LD: She'll do that. Do I need to reroll? GM: (No) (To GM): He assumed she was mostly trying to get a reaction out of him so he enjoyed teasing her back. If she wanted to make an actual point about marriage rites in her culture… he thinks himself prepared to deal with it when the time comes. They'd probably have a more serious talk about the subject when he properly proposes to her. Alfthrys remains with her family for now, and after some thought the big monster joins us, since they decide they are too big to be sneaky. The rest of you ford the river, a task that would have been nearly impossible at the time you originally inteded to do it some months ago. Rolling 11-3d6 = 1 Your travel proceeds apace, navigating through the unfamiliar, but definitely less inhospitable wilds on the other side of the river. You encounter some large fauna without problem and spot the dragon once over several days, managing to establish it's direction (and Blaer managing to figure out it's maneuver baits the eye in the wrong direction). You manage to avoid human contact until the day Eurydike stumbles upon some young men in the woods. Judging by their dress and equipment, they are probably hunters. They immediately tense up and ready their weapons in her direction. Hunter: "It's one of them troll-women. Get her." But maybe next time Vodka: ♥ Good session, thanks for having me P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! GM: hello Vodka: yo LD: greetings P.P. A.: \o Previously, on the frontier Having crossed the river, the party was trekking now through norminally hostile lands deep in the wilds, trying to avoid human contact as they searched for ways to meet with the dragon. This all proceeded fairly well, with them managing to avoid various remote cabins, isolated steads, small flocks of sheep and groups of women out to gather fruits and mushrooms in the woods. Five days after having crossed the river however, Eurydike crossed a large pile of storm-felled trees only to stumble in direct line of sight of several young men who seemed to react to her with hostile intent. Hunter: ""It's one of them troll-women. Get her." P.P. A.: (nice map!) The dark outlines are steep slopes/cliffs? Vodka: (Ah, gorble I am not that far ahead) GM: (yes) (radulf Speed was 6? 5.75?) P.P. A.: 5.5 Eurydike: Eurydike looked towards the group, and opted to shout at them aggressively, ideally loud enough that her companions who were relatively nearby would get the message that there was a nearby patrol. As she did this, she’d move to fall back, mentally cursing her decision to climb over the trees and put herself in a chokepoint. For the time being, she’d take an all out defense and move to the area in between the shrubs and felled tree to minimize the chances of being surrounded. Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 0 Blaer has a good idea of the layout of the area and where the shout came from, but no visibility on any of the people beyond the felled trees GM: (from a vantage point she'll spot them however) Blaer will put herself in cover behind a tree which gives her line of sight of the right pathway Radulf: “You could shoot in an arc over the tree to alert them, but them rushing after her blindly would let us surprise them,” Radulf mentions to Blaer. …by the time she's already taken up position, that works too. GM: (from her new position, Blaer can spot Eurydike at least Blaer: "Hold the hostilities!" She shouts as she gets into position One of the young men, a burly fellow with scraggly hair, runs at Eurydike. He hears Blaer's voice, but possibly because it's a female voice, pays it no heed and tries to tackle Eurydike LD: wow rude Eurydike opted to attempt to parry the tackle with her broadsword, she wasn't as murder happy as Orphea was but she didn't have any serious objections to goring someone, recognizing the intensity of this situation she'd put swung her sword at the approaching hunter; interloper would be the wrong term as she was the one doing the trespassing at the moment. The bow-wielding foes ready arrows, but seem dubious if they would be of use GM: (Radulf!) Radulf runs up in Eurydike's direction. Radulf doesn't know how many enemies they are, or who they are, so he doesn't announce his presence and hopes that Eurydike retreats towards that choke point. A man with a spear move towards Eurydike, aiming at her lower torso for a no-frills stab that looks meant to stop and hurt more than to harm Rolling 13 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 3 Eurydike having been a spear user prior to witnessing the horrific process of time outside of mortal perception she respected the usage of the weapon, and, more importantly to the tempo of the battle, she'd diverted a good amount of time and energy to slapping down a more gung-ho person. She'd attempt to dodge this attack, and, as she'd tragically expended her full move for all out defense, and, even more tragically the focus of The spear pokes her lower torso, uncomfortably close to her weak spot, but it just glances off. It's a heavy spear intended for big game hunting and its owner stares at the results incredulously Another one rushes in, aiming his spear forward, without any real hope of making it connect Rolling 9 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 0 Vodka: Yea! You can do it spear bro! GM: (he did it) P.P. A.: another defense from Eurydike? Eurydike witnessed hope manifest in the eyes of the spearman before her. The glint in his eyes as he witnessed a beloved hunting companion and man who was like a brother or father to him get stabbed by a disturbing naked forest spirit, followed by watching a big game hunting spear bounce off her. This, paired with his decision to run headfirst into a bush to stab her left her guard a bit down, (in addition to the three attacks coming her way), she’d attempt to parry the weapon with her sword, Orphea would have just seen potential tree-decorations but Eurydike couldn’t help but respect the tenacity in the would-be her blade to the bleeding, prone person who’d attempted to tackle her, the two ethics in her head disagreeing on what exactly to do. Still, behaving in an ethical manner had worked before and she’d be willing to give it a go just to shut up Orphea’s cries of disembowelment and surprises for the newly widowed wives back in their homestead. “You are lucky to have found one of our people who lean towards mercy, leave now and your crimes against me will be forgiven.” The more relaxed, neutral expression carried by the one who had made peace with the end gave way as the tone of her voice shifted towards the low growl of an animal continues to approach and calls out meanwhile: “Eurydike, enemies? We'll reinforce you!” He also looks at Karli for the dog to bark. Radulf adds to that implicit warning an equally implicit invitation to negotiate: “Are they hellbent on shedding their blood?” The archers ready their bows, but do not aim them at Eurydike for now Rolling 13 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 1 As the blade dives for her, she realizes part of their aggressiveness comes from the knowledge she can take it. This isn't the first time The thrust puts his entire weight behind it and Eurydike fails to twis out of the way or at least lessen the impact. The speartip punctures her right breast, piercing through the durable smooth skin and hitting a part of her body especially sensitive to pain GM: (6 damage + Pain) Vodka was in a lot of pain at the moment, as was natural for spear wounds. She'd cry out in pain, not really seeing a reason to hold it in. Eurydike did that, not Vodka. The other hunters seem a little taken aback as well. Youngest Hunter: "Are you trying to kill her!?" The last of the hunters dives on top of Eurydike, trying to take advantage of her moment of vulnerability to grapple her. But he almost makes it look like diving down to stop the stabbings from continuing Radulf remembers her getting chewed on by the three-eyed monster, but hearing Eurydike of all people cry out in pain sends a chill down his spine—and anger! “Eurydike!” Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 4 Eurydike once more tried to avoid the attacks, even if in the red haze she was in she'd recognized the attempt at mercy, she honestly preferred the moved to a kneeling position, taking an all out defense maneuver, lacking the ferocity of a berserker she was forced to contend with the painful awareness her murder potential was suboptimal at the moment. Rolling 10 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -5 P.P. A.: hug: denied It is not very effective GM: (Radulf!) P.P. A.: Can Radulf use his minor wind-based Telekinesis to either accelerate himself (pushing himself from behind or creating a slipstream ahead of himself, or rustle some levaves way ahead of him to create the impression that he's closer than he actually is while springint? (-1 FP) something like a Concentrate maneuver with Move and Attack penalties for the latter, maybe He's not aiming at anything specific, just wants to knock over stuff (branches, shrubbery, loose pebbles) or blow some leaves into the air as a distraction GM: (using it to rustle leaves is OK;) Radulf throws a gust of wind ahead of himself to spook the hostiles with, well, rustling leaves. Radulf: “Get away from her!” Radulf also gives an order in the direction of the rustling leaves ahead: “Flank them!” P.P. A.: (and that'd be the turn; mainly to get them to stop paying attention to Eurydike for a second, or ideally to back away wary of an attack from another direction) The archers have no line of sight to anyone, so they ready their bows to shoot at whoever gives them a clear shot, not taking the time to aim The one that tripped Eurydike pokes at her with the side of the spear, trying to limit her mobility, maybe tangle her up a bit Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 2 The one one the ground seems somewhat adept at floor-fighting as he tries to hold on to her Eurydike: (Did he already manage a grapple or is he going for one?) GM: (she dodged the previous one) Eurydike would attempt a parry with her sword, naturally as this to her was less respectful than the impalement she'd make the defense feverish Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -1 She slips out from his arms Eurydike: (am I able to use the step maneuver to stand up on this turn too?) GM: (I'd say yes) Eurydike would stand up then. P.P. A.: Has the spearguy who stepped forth to meet Radulf his spear for a charge? GM: (No) (Blaer!) LD: Right now, who does Blaer have a shot at? obviously the guy to the right of Eurydike, but anyone else? GM: (red - very high LoS blocker, orange - slightly above waist height, rest of the stormfall is just obstruction) (Fairly clear LoS on the spearman that is rightmost) Blaer aims an arrow for the spearman's arm. Best case scenario she disables it enough to keep him from effectively fighting without fully crippling , in a gesture of relative goodwill, chooses not to slam his axe into the nearest foe, but himself—tacking him to shove him away from A. has a split second of staring the guy in the eyes the moment they collide. He musters him quickly, and shouts in his face: “Who are you people, bandits?!” Radulf has a split second of staring the guy in the eyes the moment they collide. He musters him quickly, and shouts in his face: “Who are you people, bandits?!” Radulf saw that they don't look like bandits, so he makes that accusation to make them stop and deny it. There is a momentary lul in the fight as they respond to Radulf (everyone can move 1 step or equvalent for free) Hunter: "Who in storm's name are you?" Eurydike simply remained silent, trying to steady her breathing as she was leashed to the markings inscribed on her to respect a parley, even if it was a short one Eurydike it was very clear that the pain of not swinging around the sword was weighing on her more heavily than the pain of getting stabbed, though. Radulf stays by Euyrdike's side, trying to position himself between her and the others. “Radulf, son of Rodemir! Who are you, and why are you attacking our companion?” Blaer holds her hand out towards Thea and Alfthys as they rush onto the scene, indicating that they stay back for the moment Blaer: the girls nod Meanwhile, the people's faces scrunch up as they try to remember who that is Big Guy: "I know who that is. The lazy shepherd who can charm all the troll women." They eye him with open hostility but are not attacking yet. Radulf: “…I have that kind of reputation?” Eurydike 's left eye twitched slightly as her knuckles whitened against the metallic murder-implement she wielded. Blaer attempts to hold back a snicker Radulf dismisses that: “Who are you, by Athru?” Radulf heard the presumed leader mention the Storm, so he chooses to invoke his name. Hunter: "We're just trying to bag some meat to feed our families, and you're lucky we have bigger problems that you. Why are you even here!?" Radulf: “Smoke billows from the north and darkens the horizon. The Gymnoagriol—‘Troll women,’ as you insult them—joined us to investigate the cause.” Blaer is almost as disgusted by the sheer inefficiency of this hunting strategy as she is by the prospect of cannibalism Radulf tries to lighten the mood a bit, and adds in a hushed voice: “Also lets me get away from the harvest.” Blaer can figure out from their numbers and weaponry that they are not hunting just for any mean animal. They were tracking a bear or a boar, something that will provide a large amount of meat in short time with some added risk of death and injruy. Judging by their attitude, this isn't just for sport either. Their eyes flash with hostility, but the wounded axeman raises his hand while openly staring Eurydike up and down. Rolling 9 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -3 Eurydike returned the gesture, the hateful bloodthirst in her expression cooling to a more palatable just bloodthirst. Still, she didn't talk because she was, deep down, hoping these negotiations failed. Radulf: “The wind blows this way and that, the sky is roof to all our homes. The fire that rage here will carry southward if not quenched.” “Were we vultures, I would be leading a raiding party, and you would be dead.” Blaer steps forward from behind the debris to join the conversation, bow still locked in her hook to serve as an indicator of who she was in the fight. Radulf: *The smoke that rises here will carry southward, and its fires will follow, if not quenched.” Blaer: "We have bigger concerns than the feuds between our families." "Release our companion, and so too will we release our thoughts on your actions, and not bring them back home with us." Hunter: "Tsk. You're lucky." Youngest Hunter: "If you know what's good, you won't go north." Big Guy: "True that. I'd love to see you defeated, but..." They eye their leader, who shakes his head, signaling that the talks are over and they'll just be letting you through, not volunteering any advice, Eurydike looked towards the hunter with the bloody spear, her expression softening a bit. "You're the only one who showed me respect in combat, your voices rang with desperation and I would hear why my capture was necessary if you are willing to divulge it. Our goals may very well align" Her tone was cold, but as she focused on her would-be murderer her gaze lost the animalistic savagery it had before. Youngest Hunter: "I'll talk to her. It's my right." He nods to a stupm a little away from everyone, equidistant from both parties GM: (a stump) Radulf looks at Eurydike to gauge her feelings… and to see her bleeding wound. He has something in mind, but waits out this conversation first. Eurydike followed, heading over to the stump, her poise softened a bit as she got to applying pressure to the wound as to prevent rudely interrupting whatever her would-be killer had to divulge. Of all the people present, her expression was the softest towards the youngest first, her companions second, and finally the rest who held their hand against her. Overall she was still in a very bad mood. Blaer: "Exactly how much farther north should we not go?" Hunter: "Past the woods, you'll find out sooner or later." Youngest Hunter: "We can talk here." He nods to Eurydike, eyeing her warily Radulf shakes his head, and addresses the leader of the hunting party. “That won't do. You've attacked and injured our friend—her blood calls for blood, flesh for flesh. Give her the first cut of red meat of your first prey.” He looks at Blaer before the guy can respond: “How do you judge their skill as hunters?” Eurydike nodded back, putting on a genuine smile which, contextually was probably more disconcerting than comforting. She'd wait for him to start talking, not having any real demands of him at the moment. She knew what she was facing, and if they were indeed approaching annihilation it was something she wasn't particularly adverse to charging at. Eurydike: averse* Blaer seems to look them over, actually internally debating whether or not to be cheeky with her response Blaer: "I would say it would be less effort to catch their offering for ourselves than to wait for them to produce it." LD: time to regret saying that immediately Hunter: "We are enemies still. I won't cry if you experience for yourself the scourge of the north." Radulf hides a smile at her since she caught on immediately, and turns back to their leader with this proposal: “Eurydike needs to rest up a bit, so that's our offer.” Radulf nods, not smiling, but not hostile either. P.P. A.: (basically the idea is that Blaer and Radulf help them hunt some meat ostensibly so they can make amends to Eurydike, but also really to ingratiate themselves/make the hunters owe them a favour, while Eurydike and the young guy keep talking and she rests and heals up) (unless the GM wants to use this to have us travel together on-screen for another session or so, that works too) LD: (Yup, same thing I was thinking) P.P. A.: () Hunter: "Nor do we want to be in debt to you. We have our pride. Go ahead and go see the source of the fires for yourselves, we will not stop you." Blaer: "So it's decided. We'll collect your offering from the forest ourselves, take the first cut, and then return the rest to you." P.P. A.: (eh, that's a bit too generous) LD: (Maybe, but Blaer also wants to show off her hunting skills. The generosity comes second) P.P. A.: (hah) They probably recognize Blaer's desire to style on them, which would explain their reluctance LD: (But it's a bit of an catch 22 for them, because they can't really stop her if she hunts something and gives a majority of it to them, so the only way to avoid it is to negotiate a less favorable deal for the sake of their pride) Rolling 7 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -6 P.P. A.: My nerves are my bowstring, a— Unfortunately for Blaer's plans, they remember the broader context still Hunter: "We are still enemies. I think blood spilled on both sides evens things out. I'd rather not share our hunting ground with you, but we don't have a lot of time to spend on that either. Go, hunt whatever you want... isn't that compensation enough for you? These are our lands after all." Meanwhile, the younger man caught in a whispering session with Euridike starts to look incredibly confused and a little embarrassed as he whispers back Eurydike 's expression went from disappointed, to an apparently forced smile, then towards a more genuine one, which, on her was a bit disturbing. Radulf makes a subtle hand gesture behind his back at Blaer, suggesting she drop the matter. Blaer nods, trying to look as sullen as she can to hide how pleased with herself she was for somehow convincing their enemies to give them free reign to hunt with no offering required Radulf nods soberly and rests on his axe, glancing over at Eurydike and the young hunter. Radulf: (not subtly or anything, just casually seeing what they're doing and if everything is alright) GM: (poke) Eurydike: (Sorry typing a bit in google docs so it doesn't come out word salad-ey) GM: (thumbs up) P.P. A.: (protip: use Notepad instead) Eurydike lightly bonked the young hunter on the head, she was in an uncomfortably good mood for onlookers given circumstance. He takes it with an incredulous grin on his face, then turns around to say Youngest Hunter: "The lady has graciously accepted to accept our spilled blood in return for hers. I also volunteer to lead them to their deaths in the north." The others shake their heads Hunter: "Young fool." Radulf is surprised, and musters the boy/young man. He can quickly tell that he's serious, and Eurydike's mood tells him that he must be trustworthy. He nods in acknowledgement. “I accept. While you are with us, you are a friend, and we will treat you as one.” Eurydike seemed to be in apparent agreement with the young hunters proposal, showing a large amount of pride in his phrasing of the latter sentence. Radulf acknowledges him as the maker of his own decisions, and doesn't look at the older hunters to see how they react—only into his eyes. Blaer simply nods in approval The young man seems a bit taken aback by Radulf's words Him: "We're not friends, Radulf of Cyrnwig. But we might be for now bound by our word." He turns to the others, explaining that this is reasonable in fact. His brother has been missing for weeks after following a vision towards a potential mystical solution to these problems. Maybe this way something will come out of it. If nothing else, he will lead the invaders directly north in the quickest way possible. They dismiss him as an infatuated child and stupid to boot, but nobody stops him. Radulf did add qualifiers that it's while they're travelling together; but in his words he also acknowledged that the guy volunteered against the will of his comrades to be useful to them, even if it's not to them as such. Radulf also said that to assure his kinsmen that they won't exploit or abuse the boy while he's with them. Eurydike maintained a happy expression, the confrontational tone of the new member of best-friend contubernium seemed to put her at ease as it fit better into the Spartan paradigm Orphea’d crafted some time ago. Still, she'd look towards the two veteran members of the team to gauges their reactions. Radulf could tell even before he gave his reason that he has something that motivates him, so he doesn't expect to get his throat cut in his sleep (until he learns that it was the party who woke the dragon, at least—shh!) Blaer: "We take the offer of traveling companionship seriously. As you walk with us, you will have our trust and talents in earnest, so long as you offer yours in kind." The young man frowns a little, but nods and repeats Blaer's words back at her. The others shake their heads and retreat Blaer waits for the others to retreat before going over to Eurydike to tend to her wounds Eurydike didn't really have any particular speech to give about their newfound team member, she'd eek her way towards her first aid kit, accepting Blaer's help for first aid as operating on oneself is difficult. Radulf also relaxes and walks over to Eurydike. He doesn't quite know what to say especially with the new member present, but his eyes, posture, and awkward smile betray a mixture of concern, relief, and guilt. Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 2 Everybody else also crowds around Eurydike to make sure she is fine and they wish her a speedy recovery. Eurydike looked over towards Radulf, smiling softly, her gaze held a bit of pity in it she'd pause to think for a second, looking over the group before waving at her now banda-; waving at her wound which had the good behavior to stop bleeding she'd shrug softly. "It doesn't feel like it hit anything vital, I should be better in no time, don't worry" Thea: "It looks extremely painful." Eurydike: "It is!" Radulf: “That's good. …let's stick closer together from now on, I don't want to have to hear you scream like that again.” He smiles softly. Eurydike frowned, looking at him before forcing a smile. "It was really our proximity that got me in that situation, I'm sure I was faster than those hunters and would have run if I took a more forward position." She shrugged, "Though, given our new associate we shouldn't have to worry about evading patrols all that much anymore so I'll stick close if it makes you more comfortable" Radulf scratches his head and sits down, purposely facing away form Eurydike. “Ah, yeah, I guess.” Thea: "Don't be overprotective, Radulf. Me and Eurydike are tougher. So what if it hurts and we cry? We'll still tougher and it's better for it to be us than you." Radulf frowns at Thea, a bit pointed, and answers playfully-offended: “Oh, shush. You wouldn't get it.” Eurydike looked at Thea, her eyes widened momentarily before she practically beamed with pride at the girl, it was about on par with a parent watching their kid walk up to a podium to complete the school completion ritual. Her expression soured a bit at his shushing, her gaze rested on Radulf for a moment, then Blaer, and finally the new addition to the team. Radulf knows they're right and that if it had been him, they'd be resting for a few days at the very least, while his not-magic body slowly recovers from what wouldn't even have been a superficial cut on the girls. But he also deems himself duly entitled to not wanting to hear his companions, much ls female ones, scream in pain! Blaer: "Perhaps introductions are in order?" The new addition to the team rests awkwardly a little further away, trying his best no to stare. Unaware that Eurydike can tell every time he does. Him: "I'm Ors, son of Morcant, of the Red Serpents." Radulf wants to save the situation and not look like he's belittling the two either, though: “Well, I know you're right,” he admits: “Thanks for your bravery, as always,” he tells Eurydike, before quietly agreeing with Blaer and turning to Ors. Radulf: “You already know my name, and can see here that I don't quite live up to my reputation, alas.” Radulf says the “alas” facetiously. Blaer: "I am Blaer, daughter of Einar, of Cynwrig. Hunter, smith, and seer." Ors: "Seer. My brother had the Sight, but I think it might have lead him to his death." Eurydike nodded towards Radulf, smiling towards him. "and the same to you." She'd retreated to her little privacy fort at this point, likely to the disappointment of the newcomer as what was once a walking figure of death was reduced to a muddy blanket that occasionally commented on Ors sighs and casts one last look at the muddy blanket currently besieged by Thea and Alfthrys who for some reason are trying to drag Eurydike out of her comfortable cocoon Ors: "So we head north?" Something tells you north is not the way to the dragon. That something is Blaer's earlier observations and the hints dropped by others. There is something else to the north. LD: Would Blaer know what direction to go instead? Eurydike obliged them with minimal resistance, it'd set a poor message if she had retreated to her cocoon too much after giving the whole schpiel on personal strength to Ors. GM: (Yeah, she knows) Blaer shakes her head Blaer: No, our target lies elsewhere. And with that, they try to make up for the time lost around the skirmish. And although they might have a guide now, it is also at the cost of their secrecy. By the end of the next day, they have made their way down the slope of the wooded highlands, down towards a small wetland area covered in ancient ruins What awaits there will be found out, Next Time! GM: (Sorry for the slow pace today, but at least progress has been made) P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! Vodka: ♥ Another great session! Thanks for having me P.P. A.: I don't mind, it worked out in the end (time for dinner now though) GM: (thanks for playing everyone) LD: Thanks for the session, and the nice map! GM: Hi Vodka: yo Where we last left off, our heroes had a brief skirmish with their enemies, who refused to elaborated about anything at all, but were desperate enough that they did not press their momentary disadvantage and after some half-hearted quibbling and glaring, left. One of the younger Serpents stayed behind, for one reason or another, to act as the party's guide in the local lands. While initially reticent about his feelings and what is going on, perhaps with some distance between his kinsmen, he might open up a little. Blaer in the mean time managed to calculate where the dragon might currently be based on her previous sightings and lead the group in that direction before the beast decides to relocate. It takes them the reminder of the day, until they make it to a water-logged lowland where woods slowly turn towards bog. Eurydike looked at the scenery with a degree of concern, the prospect of trudging through knee-deep, putrid water while naked wasn't particularly appealing to her. "If there's a route around the bog, I vote we try and find it." Blaer is confident the dragon is at least temporarily nested somewhere deeper into the swamp, where the gradually receding treeline gives way to more open wetland. Blaer: "The bog the destination. There is no choice but to wade into" Blaer says this with a grimace of her own The good news so far is that the water does not seem particularly putrid or vile - most of it is clear and cool under the layer of green algae and reeds. This place would probably be at its worst during the autumn when the muddy water would be ice-cold. For now, the main problem seem to be hidden depths and clouds of mosquitoes congregating under the warm summer sunset. Eurydike looked towards the bog, then towards the sky, then towards the horrible buzzing of the mosquitoes. "Before we commit to this, let's consider the potential of fighting our dragon friend with this terrain, eh?" Blaer: "If we do not, we risk being left behind and forced to trek even further to find who we're looking for when they move." Eurydike paused, thinking on how to proceed Thea: "The mosquitoes will thin out around midday, but maybe it will fly off by then." Blaer holds her hands out, a molt sun-fire appearing in her hand Blaer: "Then it would be best for us to clear them out ourselves." Radulf: "Using the gifts of the sun god to smite midges. I don't know if it's an insult or the highest form of praise." LD: About how many hours of light are there left? GM: (About 1 of good light, 2 of dim light. Blaer is confident these should be enough. But she is confident in many things.) Blaer: "As I use the light of knowledge and reason to cut away the clouds of little doubts and uncertainties, so to will I use this fireball to cut down this swarm of mosquitos" "A parallel fit for the fables." Thea applauds and Radulfs nods uncharacteristically serious Radulf: "Let us be on then. Daylight's wasting." Eurydike nodded, falling to group behavior to trek the bog Blaer tosses the flame into the thickest part of the mosquito cloud, confident that the everpresent water will ensure that the explosion only damages the flying pests P.P. A.: Sorry, that took a lot longer than anticipated The solar flare clears out a large hole in the cloud and the steam stuns and chases away many other of the little monsters. A few more quick motions now and again, and the party proceeds unmolested, if not exactly silently. Thea seems to look at Blaer with awe-filled eyes as if smiting mosquitoes is the most impressive feat she has demonstrated so far. Thea: "Those creatures are awful. It's not enough that they can pierce our skin better than arrows or spears, they also seem to suck the lifeblood out of people." Eurydike looked maybe a bit less awestruck, but equally appreciative of the gesture. Her look of pained resignation at the hours of itching that were to follow turned into one of appreciation, and then a more natural resignation towards the other horrors that live within bogs. Radulf almost opens his mouth to add something, but “they also always keep me awake with their buzzing” seems just a bit too whiny. He nods instead, with a serious mien. “Well done.” Blaer keeps a molt of flame in her hand as they drudge through the bog, using it to swipe at any stray bugs that dare venture too close to the party Blaer: "They can pierce your skin? Curious...I wonder if other things were neglected in the blessing of your protective skin against them." Blaer she says this softly as to not clue their guest in on the conversation Radulf: “If we make it back, we should study them up close; perhaps the queen's jewelry worked for the same reason their sting penetrates.” Blaer: "I am sure you will find plenty of time for close study, so I will leave the task to you." "To be truthful though, I am glad to have found such a helpful use for this magic. I've found it to be lacking in the situations we've found ourselves in recently." Eurydike nodded towards blaer on her comment about the magic, she was very much grateful for its' utility Thea: "Hm, I probably shouldn't tell you this, but it might be an unpleasant surprise for some of our champions. It will likely not harm them, but the size of the flare means their great shields will not be of use. And I've seen the people in that lowlander village carry even bigger shields." Radulf: “That just speaks of your prudence. Less responsible people would find many uses for their fireballs, and end up with a lot of burns and wildfires.” Ors: "Aye, the famed oxhide shields of the Red Horns clan. Supposedly invincible when they lock them together with their long spears out." Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 2 GM: (for Eurydike, that 14 includes her sense of touch, right?) Eurydike: if sensitive touch gives a +2 she passed, otherwise she failed) LD: This navigation check feels an appropriate price for Blaer's hubris Eurydike: I enjoy the pain your setup brings (Oops mistell) GM: (that 18 is at a very interesting moment The band navigates the swamp without mishaps. A couple of times the less-watchful among you nearly sink into the treacherously clear waters, but are rescued on time. Thea manages to slip on some algae and take a dunk in the water, but other than getting covered in the clingy green stuff she seems unharmed. What little is left of the girl's pride is sturdier than such tests. However, as time progresses and the group continues to walk through the wetlands, the sun sets and navigation becomes perilous. Discerning safe places to walk by sigh becomes nearly impossible. LD: Even with the flame as a light? Just as Blaer is starting to fight the dawning realization that she might have made a mistake, some pale light descends from above. Radulf: “Continuing on in the darkness might—” he stops and lifts his head. GM: (yep, without it is just plain impossible) Eurydike looked up, halfheartedly hoping the personification of wisdom would show up to commend her unease regarding bogs, and insult her for going along with the bogventure Blaer observes the light with some trepidation. For a follower of the sun, pale light in the darkness was rarely a good omen Piercing the night and the mists, a pillar-like thing descends gently, it's large orb directed at the group. It seems to be encased in moonlight and its heavy gaze falls on them like moon rays - illuminating the waters and causing them to sparkle from every spot not covered by algae. It seems to gaze at their large monstrous friend in particular. LD: Oh wait is Democracy Bird still with the party? P.P. A.: It is? I also thought we left it behind at that farmstead GM: (oh then ignore that part) Radulf stares at the entity and tries to wrap his head around what he's seeing. Your people have a pretty clear label for "supernatural beings that are not otherwise labeled" - demons. Not always malicious, but always dangerous. Just like foreigners, but more so. Blaer really wishes they didn't have to extinguish their only light source in order to draw her bow, because she really wanted to have an arrow nocked right now. Blaer insteads consults her knowledge of rituals and theologies to figure out what kind of demon this was, and how to properly handle it GM: (roll for it) Radulf 's feet shuffle around underwater; he's trying to get a sense for the ground under and immediately around him, in case footwork is necessary. His grip of his axe tightens as well, though for now he stands still and observes. Rolling 11 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -4 P.P. A.: I've got Faerie Lore, is that applicable? GM: (not really, unfortunately) LD: This was probably the same lesson Blaer skipped out on that would have kept her from losing her arm The thing gibbers in a melodic, foreign tongue. The moonlight stretches like a silver tether up into the sky. It's curious gaze focuses on Eurydike and Thea and it compresses - from totem pole to a large cup looming overhead. Four protuberances of light - like razor-sharp delicate wings spread around it. Radulf glances at Ors to gauge from his reaction if this is something his people are familiar with. Ors seems frozen in fear P.P. A.: reasonable Only your experience with dragons, monsters, demons and strange underground denizens that might be under your bed even as you think about them prevent the lot of you from reacting in the same way. Radulf sees that it's focused on the two amazons. It focuses on things, so its vision or at least its attention is limited. he tests this by picking up a pebble and tossing it into the water off in another direction. Eurydike looked at it, the gibbering foreign melody and foreign tongue certainly fit into her conception for wisdom. She was naturally a bit unnerved by this thing, but the slight reassurance that her distaste for bogs was a righteous one provided her comfort. Radulf's little experiment does not elicit a reaction, but gives him a hint that perhaps it can see all in front of it, but really pay attention to maybe one or two things. Still more than any man or bird can manage, but at least grounded to some extent Blaer decides to be the first one to speak, holding their flame up to try and grab its attention Blaer: "Who are you, and what are your intentions?" Radulf uses the time to brainstorm anything that he can remember hearing the elders speak of regarding the moon, moonlight, reflections, water, starlight… He hopes that the problem is going to go away on its own come dawn, but that's still a good ten hours away, so that mustn't be their plan A. Eurydike steps a bit out of her homies peripherals and makes an attempt to recollect if anything from her studies of history may relate to this gets the that if this demon is not quite of this world and cannot be grasped with logic, perhaps you can deal with it by throwing worldly logic out of the window yourself: perhaps recreating a miniature sunrise in a diorama— its words snap him out of it. LD: "Too late" P.P. A.: OOC-reaction: oh, good, what a relief IC-reaction: Radulf nods politely and stares uneasily. Eurydike nods politely, looking at the creature with unease. Eurydike does no remember anything useful. Just a nagging feeling that there is something she heard once about the moon and her people. Visitor: "The Time is Near." Blaer joins the group nodding session, stopping as soon as it says that Radulf: “What time?” The voice is declamatory, barking in intonation, but still with a slight melodic accent. And not at all as alien as the thing itself. Visitor: "Peace across The Lands." Radulf: “Peace to men?” Radulf remembers the peace brought about by the war between the golden-helmeted giants and the dragons—a peace without any humans to disturb it. Eurydike opted not to comment on her assumption of peace across the lands necessarily coming with mass death GM: (sounds like you could be friends with this visitation) Eurydike very much preferred friendship. Visitor: "Peace and Order. No further need of Violence" "We need you." It is apparent that the last line is spoken directly to Eurydike and Thea as the light focuses tightly around them, strangely cool and tactile. Eurydike wore an aggravated expression, though she refrained from resisting the divine force Radulf: “We came to these lands of our enemies, not to make war, but to bring peace,” Radulf declares. He may not really care about saving the Red Serpents and other tribes in the area from the dragon, but convincing him to leave this place would bring peace to them who are harrowed by its depredations, so he isn't lying either. “Are you asking for our help in establishing this peace and order?” Visitor: "Savage. Storm-bringer. Lazy brute. She does Not Need you." Blaer feels a hint of relief from the familiarity of hits to Radulf's honor Radulf is very much offended, but takes it in stride because trading insults with a demonic being made of moonlight seems like a bad idea. Blaer: "Who is She?" Radulf does take an ”I'll show you storm-bringer, lazy brute!” attitude and starts watching the sky to figure out if he can push a tiny cloud in front of the moon or something. Eurydike smiled towards Radulf's gesture of spite, apparently proud. Just then, it twitches, reacting to something still imperceptible to them, straightening up, spreading it's wings and drawing its burning talons. It jus manages to reply to Blaer before... Visitor: "Dawnstar. Questioning Tyrant." ...the lance of white heat strikes it, knocking it off balance and punching a smoldering hole in it. It quickly spins and retreats higher into the air, barely dodging two more plumes of burning light before winking out of sight. Radulf sticks out his tongue as it vanishes from his senses, goes All-Out Defense for a second in case there's immediate retribution from the void, and, if there is not, looks over into the direction from which the burning light came. Radulf: “Was that the dragon?” Eurydike shrugs, looking towards the sky to try and get an idea of what's going on, she was pretty confident she wasn't going to be much good in a fight Eurydike against things up there, at least Out of the darkness lurches a large shape, preceded by a smoking maw and two smoldering eyes. Radulf: “Hail, Aiden!” Radulf calls out to the dragon. He doesn't know how well he sees in the dark, hearing his name should make him not immediately roast them. Blaer keeps her flame lit as she peers into the darkness to better define the shape Eurydike seeing the immediate threat, Eurydike'd take an all out defense, in painful respect for the Bog's existence, she did have to commend its ability to be dove into to avoid getting incinerated The eyes focus on Radulf and a low growl answers his call, rumbling and thundering like a rockslide. The dragon slides into range of their light, a lot worse for wear than their last meeting. A more feral aspect to its movement, but also clear exhaustion. Its matted scales glisten with wear and a small number of gashes and signed patches can be seen. Radulf notes his condition, and he may be hungry, lacking self-control, more defensive, etc.… so he doesn't waste time: “We bring tribute: the Fair Folk told us the story of the rise and fall of the dragons and their kingdom.” Radulf: “We bring also the invitation of another of your kind, ancient and wise.” Radulf still all-out defense (dodge) though Aiden: "So it is you. A long way from home, just to bring me this?" Eurydike remained silent for the most part, ethical rhetorical strategies were more of her companions forté Radulf: “Our ulterior motive here is to prevent ancient history from repeating itself. The pillars of smoke on the horizon are also kind of unsettling, frankly.” “And it's this or helping with the harvest.” Aiden: "War IS unsettling. There are no two ways about it. I am fighting here so your people won't have to." The last remark catches the beast off-guard and it grumbles out something like a short laughter as it settles on one patch of dry land covered in sunken ruins. Eurydike beamed at the dragon, for his comment. She remembered why she felt so excited in his cave a while back, warfare on the strategic scale just made her heart feel all warm inside. Radulf doesn't have the comfort of sitting down, but he leans more comfortably on his axe as he recounts the tale of the fairy hag: “The old kingdom was ever-victorious in battle, and conquered on the wings of its dragons and by their fiery breath city after city—though the dragons of old all grew weary of war, and departed from this land one after the other.” Blaer starts to process the statement the dragon made, and looks to Ors to see if he has a similar thought about it Radulf: “At the height of the kingdom's strength, its enemies were driven into a corner, and in their desperation they summoned an army of a grueling warm, the giants destroyed the kingdom; but did not stop there: they turned on their summoners, and on the very land itself.” “The old dragons returned from their various exiles and their retreats to… well, not to right their old wrongs so much as cleaning up after themselves.” “They battled the giants to stop their rampage; and after all was silent, all wars were won and no man was left to start another, they left again forever—or settled down to become the mountains around us, and watched as this land devoid of human life was reclaimed by the wilds.” “This is what we heard from the fae, and what one of the dragons confirmed to me.” Eurydike: "You haven't attempted any logistical damage yet, have you? I apologize for assuming, and am grateful for your efforts to maintain peace." Eurydike spoke up. Radulf lapses from his more dignified story-teller voice and lets Eurydike ask her question while he drinks a bit from his water bag/bladder. P.P. A.: which I see is not on his listed sheet but something that he surely would be carrying. GM: (surely) Aiden: "I have struck down warriors and spirit-talkers. Destroyed chiefs and smote spirits and demons they called for help. It feels like I never went to sleep - still I have in me the same sense of looming menace as when I set down to guard that vault." "I was too busy destroying threats to think about destroying livelihoods." Eurydike approached, putting on a sympathetic expression, the life of a continuous threat-annihilator was a job that deserved praise, not spite. Extending a hand, and then retracting it, she took a deep breath before speaking. "You deserve praise for acting admirably, it pains me to see you here in this state. If you're comfortable talking to me about your dietary requirements and personal wants, I'd like to help you if I could." Eurydike: (for acting so admirably*) Radulf: “The spiritual wants are another thing,” Radulf adds. “The ancient dragon conveyed to me a feeling of emptiness after outliving all of his mortal peers, and burning and eating so many enemies—a malaise which befell them all.” “He's found his peace now, millennia later, and would be willing to share his insights.” “I thought that might save you some centuries of struggling for purpose, and us the danger of enemy tribes forming an anti-dragon coalition, and then marching their combined forces south afterwards, while they're already at it. Or a shaman summoning something worse than a dragon, or however the fates recycle their old thread.” Aiden: "I am not sure I want their insights. I've always been a warrior. I took the bitter drink to remain a warrior. In my mind the mystics are the ones who wronged us by offering us power and then abandoning us when they could have helped. Why should I seek them out now..." The dragon seems a bit pensive, despite his aggressive denouncement. Aiden: "I have been thinking though." Radulf: “They returned when duty called, and they defeated those golden-helmeted giants who destroyed the kingdom, so their ideas weren't to the detriment of their strength and courage.” Radulf leaves the “as far as I can tell” unspoken. Eurydike found herself in thought, appreciating both the individualism of the dragon and the accumulation of wisdom Radulf: ”If, perhaps, to their timeliness.” He shrugs. *[to the detriment] of their timeliness Eurydike: "As it stands, you are rightly feared by the tribes to the north. Fate has given us an opportunity to earn us their awe as well." She turned around, looking towards Ors. "If you would, could you tell me what you know about the beast to the north that was tormenting your people?" (From GM): Radulf thinks there might be more to it. Something of a glimpse after having his tongue split. Like draconic apotheosis was always about individual enlightenment, not a tool for power. And the priest-kings who took shortcuts produced weaker dragons. (To GM): Interesting… Radulf grows silent and pensive & scratches the back of his head absent-minded. Eurydike: (Ignore that last bit, it seems Ors is not here.) (From GM): Kinda like the difference between a shaolin monk and a quickly trained peasant levy. Ors is a bit far behind, too intimidated to speak unless some time is spent shaking some sense into the boy (To GM): so in other terms, a proper dragon has power, but in like measure responsibility, and is called to reflect on it; a lesser dragon is given power to break things without thinking about it Aiden: "You might be right. This draconic body. It allows me to see, to feel things that are hard to explain. I never had much time to talk with others of my kind. And I wonder if some of the things I've seen others do... if they felt the same way." P.P. A.: “Hey kid, care to evaluate the performance of this dragon who's been burning your village and eating your neighbours?” Vodka: I think that was something else, but yeah P.P. A.: (yeah, the beast of the north is something else) Aiden: "But I fear this might be a path without turning back. I might just fade and become a recluse like the mystics. It is tempting to know more, but there is so much to do here." P.P. A.: (he might still have eaten some kinsmen) Vodka: Everyone gets hungie sometimes Eurydike: "Do you believe the mystic will force you to adopt his ways?" Radulf looks Aiden in the eyes and speaks from his heart: “I know that fear. The steps taken down an unknown path lead only away from the life you've grown comfortable with.” Radulf: “You can't yet see what better things may await you down the road; but you will find them if you keep going.” Radulf glimpses at Thea and swallows a happy smile. Aiden: "I am afraid that their words would make too much sense. That they will be true, and I will accept them. And I will abandon you, just like they abandoned us." "And then I think. If concern for you is what anchors me, should I not ask you? But then again, why should I? You have not even the slightest idea of what you've lost, how far you've fallen." "It is very lucky that you were the first ones to wake me. Having spent time among others of your kind... I think they should be thankful for the good impression you left on me." Eurydike smiled at that, she'd remain silent for the time being, letting those versed in more ethical diplomacy speak, feeling a bit guilty at her hyperfocus on Realpolitick, not enough to stop, mind you, just a bit guilty. Radulf receives that compliment with a smile, bur urges Aiden: “You are powerful, dragon; but with power comes responsibility. We mortals who are caught in the moment need to make quick decisions, and are just as quick to make mistakes, to abuse our power; you, who have all the time in the world, can mull over your questions for as long as you need, and eventually find the right answers.” Radulf: “Maybe the dragons who left went looking for answers before they abused the power they were given; and those who did not take their time brought about their downfall.” *their own downfall “I'm honoured that you care for us, and that you wish to fight our enemies; but what good could you do if you return to teach my grandchildren your wisdom, to use for good their powers which they don't live long enough to fully understand, and save them from repeating their ancestors' mistakes?” Aiden: "Teaching, yes. I was thinking that perhaps we should start with that. But if I go up the mountain, I suspect that I will not be coming back." "So here is my dilemma laid bare, and perhaps yours as well." Radulf: “If it turns out that our own lives are our best teachers, then your choice will be wise and good for us.” Aiden: "To stay, to guard, to teach. And bring upon myself and you the eyes of the world, which I know to be jealous and hostile. To give you the old knowledge and see if you can fare better than your ancestors." "Or to leave. To turn my back on all that is done and all left undone and pursue what feels like selfish peace." "For myself, I know what I would choose, but for you, I shall not make the choice. I am not a priest or king to place my will above others." Radulf looks at Blaer to give her a chance to voice her thoughts. Vodka: (I don't think Blaer's in the server) P.P. A.: (so it seems) (aha!) LD: okay, all caught up Blaer looks at the dragon Blaer: "I do not think you should feel yourself beholden by duty to act in service of us. Your many years of guardianship in the tomb have been time enough to serve any debt I could imagine, and I believe the elders of the village would believe the same." "If you wish to help us all the same, we would not refuse...but I believe you have earned yourself a little selfish peace." Vodka nodded towards Blaer's comment, not having anything too important to add or argue against. Eurydike was the one who did that* Aiden: "I don't do it out of duty to anything but an ideal. If we can rebuild the glories of the past... it would be a good thing on its own. And if we do it without the hard rule of priest-kings, it would be even better. Either way, it is a stab at the spiteful heart of those who sought to destroy us." Eurydike smiled at that, spite was definitely one of her core virtues. Blaer: "I heard that success is the greatest revenge..." GM: (OOCly, Aiden is offering to take things in a direction more involved with poking the past, seeking old places and making enemies of things and people who might object to that. Not literally rebuilding the past, but recovering some of its secrets and more quickly transforming the region) P.P. A.: () Radulf has been quiet since he'd be dishonest if he said that having a dragon help you wage war wouldn't be really neat, but he also feels like it isn't the right choice. That said… Radulf: “You don't need to make your final choice now. You've been fighting ever since you woke up, by the sound of it; retreating to the mountains isn't the only alternative to that.” “We ourselves are still too young to settle down, too greedy for knowledge and experience.” Blaer nods immediately in response Eurydike nodded as well Radulf: “Though we aren't eager to rebuild the kingdom of old, we'd be happy to scavenge what good is to be found in its ruins and its memories.” “And if it would make you happy to see your past find a new future—sure!” Aiden: "It will not be easy. And in poking the corpse of the past we might attract the jackals' gaze. But it is a worthy undertaking." "Let us walk this path together..." At least until next time. LD: Woo! P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! Vodka: ♥ Thanks for the session LD: Good session. Thanks a lot P.P. A.: Now we have a week to figure out how to deal with Ors. I guess we could look for that beast in the north and then he'll be sufficiently grateful that we avenged his brother to not tell everyone that we just had a friendly chat with the dragon who's been ravaging the land. LD: Hello! GM: Hello, hello P.P. A.: Hello! Previously, on the frontier! After a perilous but mostly stealthy journey, the heroes encountered a strange spirit, with which they had a brief but unproductive conversation - partially due to a language barrier. Afterwards, they talked with the dragon they had unleashed on the area and together agreed to devote effort to finding out what happened in the past and salvage its secrets for the benefit of the future. The dragon then announced that come morning, he will retreat back across the river to rest, but take a roundabout way so as to avoid drawing the attention of the strange moon spirits. And departed. Radulf suggested just finding the nearest patch of dry land and camping there, since trudging through the swamp at night after these experiences would be unproductive at best. Blaer concurs, and sets out to find such a spot Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = -1 Everyone experiences a damp and insect-full night, with Thea, Eurydike and Alfhtrys having the worst of it, though not by much. GM: (Due to low quality of sleep, in the morning you feel as if you'd slept for 4 hours effectively). Thea: "If this is the best place we could find, I'm thankful we did not find the worst." Eurydike wasn't particularly talkative in the morning, her continuously annoyed facial expression and the litany of mosquito-borne bumps being the evident cause of such things. Radulf wakes up groggy and overeager to get someplace else as soon as possible. He notices the stings on Thea and Eurydike, though. Radulf: “When you get stabbed,” he asks them quietly: “does the point of the blade penetrate your skin but not your flesh underneath, or is your skin so tough that it doesn't even get that far?” Thea provides a quick explanation, so as to save Eurydike from having to explain such things given her mood. Thea: "We are very tough, both of skin and body. But these accursed things are too small and slip past our defences." Eurydike smiled, briefly, towards Thea, glad she didn't have to explain it. Radulf ponders that for a moment. “Maybe the key to wearing jewelry and stuff is to… You know how burrs stick to things. Maybe you just add tiny points or hooks to something, and then they get stuck on your skin and your curse doesn't count that as being worn.” Radulf: “Sounds uncomfortable though.” Thea: "Yes. I don't want.... aaa, why did you have to plant that image in my head!" Eurydike went to speak, only to be interrupted by the constant itching bestowed upon her by the throngs of mosquitos in this accursed place. Ultimately, her contribution to the discussion was looking over towards the conversation and nodding occasionally. Radulf: “Sorry, sorry. I'll make it up with some, er, nicer sensations… later.” Some lewd thoughts almost slip his sleepy filter there—he quickly changes the topic, and addresses the two Wildlings again, but also beckons Blaer over as someone who can relate to his position better: “By the way, about… yesterday, or when was it? Anyway, after that encounter with the Red Serpents…” “You,” Thea, “were right—your bodies are hardier, much more than ours. I recognise that—and that a good leader, or warrior, or whatever should acknowledge the strengths and weaknesses of his brothers and sisters in arms, and use them to the greatest effect.” “But I also don't like my friends being beaten up and stabbed just because it makes sense.” Radulf glances at Blaer to back him up there. Blaer nods Blaer: "It is always difficult to ask for an ally to harm themselves. Especially if it's someone they care deeply for." Radulf is relieved, and continues: “It'd be just as shameful for my judgement to become a strategic liability however” he phrases it with an eye on Eurydike, Blaer also nods to that too Radulf: “so to that end, I shall promise to grind my teeth if it must be so or else it'd cost us dearly, but I also want you two to promise me to be careful, and to think of your well-being—and not to hesitate to call on us to come and support you.” Eurydike maintained her annoyed disposition, moreso due to the stings than the topic of conversation. "I think I'd be better able to express my thoughts later. I will avoid tactics that are extremely self-sacrificing from now on," she looked as if she was going to continue to speak, but, instead used the fingernail on her thumb to make an X over one of the many bites on her arms. Radulf nods. “Let's save the deep talks for when we're properly awake and there's less stuff buzzing in our faces.” To make things worse, the same kind of toughness that did not help against the bite of tiny insects or annoying plants, was fully functional even against something as small as a human nail. While they converse, Alfthrys and Thea pick up and pack up the camp. Blaer smites a few morning mosquito clouds out of the air, and the group makes their way out of the wetlands. Orz: "You know, this place is pretty pleasant most of the rest of the time. Just the early and middle of the summer that's the problem." Eurydike suffered, unable to even make the little STOP ITCHING x. Rolling 12 - 3d6cs1cf6 = 4 Orz: "Do you mind if I follow you further? Can you make me your guest to avoid the wrath of your kin? I would like to search for my brother and what became of him." LD: As a refresher, what does the party know about his brother? I believe you mentioned that he was the traveler heading to the mountains that was talked about before P.P. A.: “Caedda: "Ah, some hiordling boy was here some time ago with his friends. Climbing up the mountain to get a better look or somethinb, because he thought he'd seen something strange. He also mentioned the northerners"” mentioned in passing when we were guests at Alfthrys's place.Actually maybe she met him? GM: (Yes. Supposedly some guy who also has visions occasionally and went to climb up dragon mountain following an omen) (Orz said... or would say? That he married a Hiordling girl from a rich family and took her name.) Eurydike: "I'm fine with that. Personally, I think returning to the Red Serpents in triumph would go a long way towards being able to establish a confederation or alliance or something, which, if Aiden's warnings of threats that come with uncovering the past are accurate, would be important." Radulf: “Fine by me. If you still want to stick with us after last night, you know what you're asking for, too.” Blaer: "Yes, dragons and demons are far less rare in our company." Radulf: “If your brother went out in search of something strange or dangerous, with our luck we may run into it, or something similar. Not to raise your hopes—the world is vast—but asking any fae or dwarves or three-eyed dark furballs we come across if they've seen him… Who knows.” Orz: "In the north.. we never did tell you, did we? There are other settlers. And when we tested them, they called a demon like the one we saw, and behind it warriors of unmatched numbers and prowess." Radulf raises an eyebrow. “That's… worrying. When did they arrive?” Orz: "We don't know. At first one of our warriors spotted a new farm and robbed it. Then they came back with friends and found more - even defeated some foreign warriors that obviously came after them." Blaer: "Foreign warriors, you say? What did they look like?" Eurydike didn't have much to say. She just listened into the conversation for now, thinking it over. Orz: "I've only seen them from a distance. But they say there's several types. Both midgets and giants. The farmers are normal people like us, but most of them are shorter and have skin like riverside loam - a little dark, a little yellow, it is a hard color to describe. Their women have curly hair that is very dark black." Radulf: “We can ask our elders if there are any people like that in the old homeland, but my guess would be that they came from elsewhere.” He tries to think back to their vision of Ur and the phenotypes of the people there. Orz: "Our own elders knew not of such people. We captured one of the giants, and he was a good, honest man. He laughed and spoke in tongues, but did whatever work was given to him. He was very pale and strange, and acted at all times like we're already doomed and should just let him go to beg mercy for our lives." "One of the wise women said he looked like they describe the people of the far west in the old tales." Radulf: That rings a bell. Radulf looks at Blaer and Eurydike, and recalls to Orz the mercenaries they fought at the end of the dream: fair-haired, tall, one wielding a great spears, shiny armour… GM: (clarification, those were not mercenaries but holy warriors and only one of them was tall and fair, the others looked like a Persian and an Armenian) (but otherwise yes) P.P. A.: (Ah, alright; he only describes the Nordic-looking one then.) Orz: "Sounds familiar, yes. So you saw someone like this? I wonder if they were of the same tribe, or just of the same ancestors." Radulf: “Perhaps the latter. We weren't ourselves in much can be learned from that encounter. Assuming there is a relation, though, they seemed to agree that peace under an unjust ruler is better than the uncertainty of freedom.” “…didn't the demon last night say something about bringing peace too, and you say the northern people summoned one like it?” Eurydike thought back, "I believe so, though, big promises like peace across the land unnerve me a bit more than normal motives of territorial gains." Radulf: “It wanted your and Thea's attention. Maybe it was sent by the Northerners, and they're still looking for allies farther south before they make their big move.” “Or… who knows, maybe they're distantly related to the Gymnoagriol? We saw your ancestors in that ancient city which was who knows where.” Radulf shrugs. “Too much guesswork at this point.” Eurydike: "I'd like to get a better idea of their intentions. The fact that the demon just grabbed us and decided we were going to create peace suggests culturally we fall into the valuable forest spirit camp rather than the person camp. Still, I'd like to find out that I'm wrong here." Thea: "Maybe we should head to the City and see if we can find something more there. And finish with Alfthrys' initiation as well?" Eurydike: "Sure, I've been wanting to have time to study for a while now." Radulf remembers the conversation he had with Thea the other day, and what she may have been hinting at then. He says nothing and nods, doubly curious now to see the ‘Wildlings'’ city for himself, if a bit nervous. Thea: "Getting Radulf in might be easier than getting him out. But in either case, remember not a mention of Meli." Blaer sets aside the desire to ask about the specifics of Meliton and other wildling males. She will surely get the chance to find her answer in person Radulf: “Will we… have to go naked?” Eurydike frowned, she'd ended up misinterpreting what she meant by city. Being more of a traditionalist, she disliked the idea of bringing outsiders into the city. And so, she felt the need to backpaddle a bit. "I thought you were referring more to the Cynwrig holdings. It might be better if just you and Alfthrys go, and precautions are done so she doesn't really know where it is still." Radulf: “It's your call. I don't know how much it would complicate matters if we were to come along—or if we'd be putting off the inevitable if we didn't.” He defers to Eurydike and Thea, finding equally many reasons to go and not to go himself. Thea: "If we cannot trust even Blaer and Radulf, then who? We will have to let in outsiders eventually. And we can coer their eyes on the way if you insists." Eurydike: "Covering their eyes still poses the risk of geographic details being discerned, there's a chance we'll talk about what occurred there outside of our confines, and parties with motives of uncovering our homes may use the dialogue used to locate it. I know this sounds paranoid, but I don't like the idea of making the decision to divulge our home’s location, even in marginal details for all of our people instead of through consensus. It was difficult to convince them to be diplomatic, and the effects of us sneaking in people that they do not have the same personal relationship with stands to ruin what we’ve achieved so far. If we can either secure good relations and defensive agreements or destroy the tribes more traditionally hostile to us, I think that suggesting inviting non-natives may be tenable, until then, there’s too much at stake.” The way she spoke was somewhat pained, she didn't particularly like what she was saying and, if she weren't as cynical would probably be in favor of showing something important to her to persons important to her. Thea: "Uhm. You are absolutely right. We shouldn't sneak them in. We should ask. I am a dummy." Radulf: “I wouldn't mind camping somewhere and waiting for you to return, whether with permission to bring us along, or not. Right, Blaer?” He adds: “If secrecy is a concern… You can put me to sleep with a potion—we're used to it at this point—and then wake us up at our destination, if that works better for you.” Blaer: "For you, putting you to sleep would be a less safe method than simply blindfolding you" Radulf slaps his forehead. “Oh, right.” Alfthrys: "Clever Radulf." Eurydike: "I'd prefer to remain outside for the visit if at all possible. Orphea was made to stay out of our territory for a year and a day and while I'm not bound to her oaths, I would prefer not give them a chance to see my commitment to the Swordsman as a means of annulling their judgement." Her tone carried sadness, she missed her second favorite object and collection of neat sticks back home. Thea: "Fair. I guess it might be just me and Alftrys then." Her face is not one made for subterfuge or subtlety though, as it's fairly obvious she thinks Radulf can follow her anyway, as long as she doesn't move too fast. Eurydike felt a bit bad about being a buzzkill, it never felt good to be against exciting adventures in interesting locales. Radulf meets Thea's eyes once and then pretends not to notice anything. He'll have to consider this and possible consequences when he's less tired. Eurydike didn't comment on the exchange, assuming it's just a mutual desire instead of intention. P.P. A.: (In-character considerations: he doesn't want to betray Eurydike's trust, but her being unable to return to her home for another year is kind of a separate matter, and Thea's implicit invitation is good enough for him. Plus, following the example of Athru, better to go on an adventure and having to find a way out of a mess than playing it safe. OOC considerations: one out of three player characters going to an interesting place alone would suck in a normal session but if it can be a separate mini-session it's probably fine.) Rolling 12-3d6 = 2 Curiosity Radulf has trouble following them over multiple days, but somehow manages thanks to small markers Thea leaves for him so he can find them, and then takes down so that no obvious thread is formed. GM: (oh, he resists it, ok then) P.P. A.: hummm ? to show him her home, or whether she's just giving him the opportunity, I think. In the former case he'd go, in the latter case he'd go with the resisted curiosity roll. GM: (Body Language check) In the mean time, Eurydike has the chance to swap news with some women from back home, who have come to trade tin for fabrics. Her people do not wear clothes, but they like rugs and pillows. Rolling 10-3d6 = -4 P.P. A.: It was not meant to be. Blaer, if she's curious, could also talk with one of them regarding metalwork, since the older woman seems to be in charge of such things back in her home. GM: (yep) Radulf is sure that Thea explicitly would feel better knowing that he's with her as often as possible. Blaer is very curious, and will try to extract secrets of wildling metalworks Radulf trusts his friends to forgive him for sneaking off—they're in no danger, and busy with the other wildlings—and follows Thea. He's curious, it's an adventure, and she is his girlfriend/fiancée after all. Radulf has faith in his smooth-talking abilities to get them out of any trouble Thea and he may land in because of his choice. Eurydike: Eurydike’d converse about what was going on back home, telling of some of her own adventures in a more pragmatic way that only partially detracted from how interesting they were. If she had the chance, she’d mention the strange metal to Blaer, suggesting that there might be insights to be discovered. Besides that, she’d devote a good amount of time to studying the regional cultures, trying to get a better understanding of their norms and values, she assumed the northern threat would be severe and wanted to hopefully establish a defensive pact at the very least between the peoples. Eurydike learns that little new things have happened since the last time she heard from home, but her own news are appreciated and someone important might come out to talk to her if she wants to send word. GM: Radulf meanwhile, sails on the wind to catch evnetually a glimpse of a place most miraculous and unexpected... But what he sees there may be a tale for another time. GM: (anything for Eurydike to do or research on Aug 1? We might also skip) Vodka: Eurydike's mainly getting a feel for the two enemy cultures, and working to figure out how to get them on board with an alliance or confederation as they're the biggest issue. Would shooting ideas back and forth with Orz on how to do that be a possible justification for taking extra time with her propaganda skill? GM: (Yes, definitely) Vodka: Awesome Thanks for the session ♥ P.P. A.: Thanks for the session! GM: Cya respscorp (GM): damn, I'm late terribly sorry P.P. A.: No worries Last time... Radulf found himself approaching a wondrous sight. Past the normal looking cliffs, hidden beyond rugged wooden fortifications camouflaged beyound the woods, high in the mounstains stands a vast and ancient city, cleft into the rock so long ago that the land had ages ago healed around this wound. Did the fertile soil pile up over time, or was it dragged from the valleys with the same meticulous and imagination-defying labour as that which dug out this valley? Hard to tell. Thea and her companion are stopped by sentries from far away, does Radulf follow close enough to eavesdrop, or does he remain far behind? Radulf is awestruck by the sight before him—not just by the size of the city, comparable to that he saw in his dream—which, there and in its context, seemed more like a fantasy, while this one was real—but also that this was just around the corner from the place he'd live all his life and thought he knew. Radulf is trailing behind a bit, but sees Thea and Alfthrys stopped and talking to locals. He draws a bit closer to try and listen in, it might be important. Thea: "... and for my proof of passage, I bring this girl, who has since young age dreamt to be one of us. Let us in and let us bring word to the priestess." It seems she's trying to pass Althrys as the one thing she brings back from the outside world, and the guards seem to be buying it. Only with full sight of those guards does Radulf appreciate that Thea and Eurydike are perhaps small for their race. While many other young women follow the generally lean bodytype Radulf has so far associated with the forest dwellers, he now sees that some of them can grow quite muscular and bulky, intimidatingly so. No doubt picked warriors that had been raised on meat and an exacting physical regimen since a young age. P.P. A.: (Is Alfthrys naked or clothed?) Drifting after his friends,the number of people around also helps him appreciate the sheer diversity of these strange people. There are women of darker complexion like Thea and Eurydike, but also some milk-white, others freckled or browned, or bronzed. Hairs red, golden, pale, bark-like or black, the only unifying feature being the great length. respscorp (GM): (nude) Radulf makes sure not to look too intently at anyone then, or only to catch brief glances, since he knows that the Wildlings can sense the eyes of clothed people upon them (and they can't assume it's because of Alfthrys). Radulf: He isn't surprised by the diversity since he has seen it in Ur, and knows that the Gymnoagriol seem to have scattered far under the sky since they were cursed in ancient times, but, again, seeing it with his own waking eyes amazes him yet. P.P. A.: er with his own sleeping eyes Radulf also realises that if Eurydike, with her small/“normal” statue is actually of below-average build for someone of her race, a mere street's inhabitants would already make for a formidable raiding party, if not a small army. P.P. A.: What does the architecture look like? Radulf is quickly reassured by the fact that while Eurydike is not representative of the median stature of her people, she might even be a bit above average. Math is strange that way. It's just that unlike his own people, here there seems to be at work stronger internal competition and some explicit physical champions that rise further above the common person. The architecture seems to be mixed. A lot of the homes are strange and well-made, not wrought out of a weird stone as it first seemed, but instead covered in something that gives them a sandstone-like texture, which is then painted over in white and in places decorated. There are other buildings - older. These rise above the others, made of stone blocks and large pillars, and are renovated by the city's inhavitants - except the largest ones which appear to stand ruined and abandoned, having received barely enough care to preserve them intact. respscorp (GM): (mostly rectangular and mediteranean, with two-storey homes and steep roofs to survive the winter snows) P.P. A.: (ah, so it's more like the average is roughly comparable to his own people's; and there is a significant minority of tall and muscular elites—enough for them to dominate the impression he gets from a crowd of Wildlings, but not actually that many if he stops to count carefully?) (I see thanks) respscorp (GM): (yeah, like some sort of Beefeaters) Radulf can see, from the towering stone ruins, whence Orphea got her seething over ancient glory left neglected & unclaimed by its heiresses–but also that she was complaining on a high level. Radulf keeps following & mostly focusing on Thea though, and the area & people around her, so he doesn't lose sight of her in the crowd, and so his spirit gets drawn this way or that and gets lost. The two girls walk through the crowd along one of the main streets, through a busy market which seems to serve goods in bulk, avoid a small gang that seems intent to bully them in some way, and walk directly into the hands of another. Radulf: *doesn't get drawn After a brief altercation and getting shoved around a little, they finally make it out safely and their former bullies even escort them the rest of the way when they hear Thea's story. The strange mix of protectiveness and derision usually only seen in young adults, not in grown women. Radulf watched closely and would have intervened (by calling out: “Ah, I finally escaped my wives, now I need to hide” from around a corner to lure the bullies away) if it got worse, but he's happy to see Thea resolve the situation and gain the bullies' acknowledgement on her own. Eventually, they make their way towards a large building, one that is either new or fully renovated, full of colorful stone pillars and painted walls, no doubt some sacred place. Radulf looks out for ward and stays outside of what looks like an inner sanctum or particularly holy place. From all he's seen, he assumes that the local shamans/witches/priestesses are just as advanced and powerful and would detect his presence. Radulf: *wards He figures that Thea first needs to resolve the matter of her initiation ritual and adding “why did you bring a ghost-man with you?” would complicate that, at least until that matter and that of Alfthrys have been settled. (He still tries to stick close enough to listen in on the conversation.) respscorp (GM): (does Radulf have any particular way to find the wards?) P.P. A.: (Unless Faerie Lore applies, there's only Observation to look for physical objects that look a bit out of place, or are something other than furniture, decoration that matches the style of the architecture, or offerings.) GM: (got it) P.P. A.: (like a scroll with unfamiliar writing hung up on a wall, or a totem that looks dissimilar from whatever statues there might be) The temple lacks any obvious wards or totems built into its facade, not evne images of gods or men, or beasts or monsters, just asutere columns and delicate statues of women seemingly chosen for their beaty, though not all of them look quite feminine. Radulf recognizes the two figures most prominently featured - the tall, horned and powerfully built goddess he saw during his initiation. And the skinny, flexible thief that he saw in the outskirts of Ur. And yet, as soon as he makes it close, he finds himself surrounded by native women as ephemeral as he, and recognizes them as perhaps not that different from his own ancestors who ward the village and the family homesteads from evil spirits and immaterial threats. Young and old, some beautiful, others regal, and others still - demonically terrifying, with bloody talons and sharp teeth. It is enough to almost make him miss the fact that they are not attacking. Radulf freezes up for a bit, if just because in his spirit-form he takes a bit longer to process information. He doesn't get closer, in any case, but also doesn't immediately flee. He makes it clear that he respects the boundary, and bows lightly. Most of the apparitions sink back int othe stonework, giving him clear "I'm watching you!" gestures, a few threaten him silently and the rest seem to hang around just out of curiosity on what he'd do next. Radulf stays where he is (ultimately waiting for Thea to come back out) and doesn't do too much—but he makes eye contact with the spirits that remain: he points at the statue of the skinny thief, mimics her biting off a bit off that cursed blade, then shrugs empathetically, and looks expectantly at the ghosts. It seems none of them recognize the gesture, but they show Radulf around the statue and then around a small courtyard full of strangely arranged stones. Some of them speak a language like his own and explain Ghost: "The Lady of Streets. The younger ancestor. The Lady of Wilds, the older ancestors. You pile the stones in a way that holds meaning." It seems to be a way to build improvised shrines, though it requirs so many good stones that it probably isn't a terribly useful method for a lone person in the woods. Radulf counts the stones to memorise their arrangement—to be able recognise it in the wilds, should they ever come across such a site in the woods, or to be able to replicate it—and nods. “I have met them both. What did the Lady of Streets need to borrow death for?” P.P. A.: (OOC, I wonder if that was that actual ancestor-goddess intruding on their shared dream to help free the monster's souls, but Radulf especially in his current floating state doesn't consider that, and thinks it was a replay of ancient history.) Ghost Chorus: "She sough an ending, so she can free her people." Radulf smiles at that—he's happy for Eurydike, who by participating in that dream and bringing it to such an ending did her vows justice and her gods a service. Radulf: Another question comes to mind, though: “If your people were cursed with dragon-blood to become as mighty but flawed as they are, how is the Lady of the Worlds your ancestor, if she was like that from the beginning?” He wonders if they adopted her after the fact, or if they were actually murderhobo mongol-barbarians before they were cursed, and not yet as sophisticated as they later became. It seems they mostly don't know, even if it seems all these ghosts were clan champions or priestesses in their lifetime. They suspect she was the first, original source of their bloodline, their eldest ancestor. P.P. A.: So they fatefully retvrned to monke, physically Radulf: “I see.” An interesting duality, he thinks. Radulf can't think of much else to ask the spirits, so he thanks them for their hospitality, and says he's just going to wait for his fiancee to come back out of the temple—and humbly asks for them to watch over her and protect her, as he will do likewise. Big mistake. Radulf is given an instant reminder that these are old ladies that are in some distant way or another related to Thea by blood. Suddenly, he is surrounded by floating naked women who demand to hear more about him and his plans for "their girl" And make comments on his looks and manners and whether or not Thea should consider herself lucky or foolish P.P. A.: Haunted by generations of in-laws, the worst nightmare Radulf tries to stay calm and collect his thoughts, and for his remote connection to his brain-server not to get overwhelmed by all the questions, demands, and ghostly boobs. He tries to keep it concise instead of getting lost in minutiæ: “I am young and have many failings; but I shall grow and learn, to be a good husband to her.” Radulf: “She accepted me in spite of my flaws,” he doesn't tell them he used to be a lazy underachiever, that'd be unwise, “and pushes me to become a better man; and I believe it is the same the other way round.” “This, I am sure, is love, and it is good; and we will make it good.” This endears him to them and they all reminisce about the men they owned or loved or cared for. And encourage him to take her into his home, because they think he is of too gentle a disposition to survive in the City Radulf remembers that conversation he had with her, and how it seemed like he was asking him about moving in with her into the City. He'd had his doubts about that—what with all he'd heard from Orphea/Eurydike about the hyper-competitive society and Thea being unappreciated by her family—her ancestors' opinions convince him that it'd be a bad idea. “I will; thank you.” Radulf: *she was asking him Slowly, the ancestral spirits sink back into the stonework, no doubt towards the places their bones are interred P.P. A. remains in the area around the temple, passing time by flying up into the sky to see the full extent of the city and remember its layout and landmarks, and otherwise not wandering off or stirring up trouble. Radulf remains in the area around the temple, passing time by flying up into the sky to see the full extent of the city and remember its layout and landmarks, and otherwise not wandering off or stirring up trouble. His patience is finally rewarded when much later the two girls run out of the temple hand in hand, no doubt eager to avoid any ambushes by other street gangs on their way to safety. They do not stop running until they are safely away from everyone, then start to turn around, looking for signs of their immaterial companion Radulf follows them quietly until they come to a stop. “Did everything go well?” Thea: "Yes. She has been accepted and is my blood-sister now." "And even if we were going to do it anyway, we can get married now." Radulf: “Great! I've also already settled things with your… with my future… past in-laws. …your ancestors.” “We should talk later, in the flesh, however. Are you paying your family a visit, or going back now?” Thea: "Going back. Let's talk later." GM: (and I think a good moment to end) P.P. A.: (yep) Thanks for the session! (also, forgot to mention: very nice map)