Ep 4: Scene 17: Battles End-Heyday 32nd
Chaos Factor: 5 -Expected Scene
-warm, clear skies, good steady wind-
-See something written or carved distinctly and vividly-
-Exhaustion removed- Q: Is it gold? 50/50 No
I wake early in the morning, and pull open my satchel. I pry open the bottom and find a silver tablet. It is etched with images of an ancient man, other men and women, birds, fish beasts and a tree. Then the ancient man again with a man and a woman. And I wonder at its meaning, but then…feeling its weight, I know I must share it with the rest of the company for that is the rule. I set it with the rest of the camp’s provisions, then head outside to start the cooking fire. For that seems a valuable thing for me to do. There is plenty of cut firewood near the homes that were not burned as we were all provisioning for winter, even now before the fall.
Q: Have wagons arrived? Likely Yes
As I step out from the cellar, I see that several wagons have arrived, and the bodies of the dead are being piled onto the backs of them. Karalk shakes his head as four of his company join the others. I walk over and ask Daralk, “I thought…it was only three”.
He shakes his head, “I couldn’t save Margak. But with the first father’s blessings, Brugan’s bleeding has stopped. But all need time to heal.”
Karalk turns to me, “Woman! Fetch the bags. Load them into the last wagon.” Then he turns to the man from the alley, “Argak, help her.”
He sighs, but follows me. I feel Pasuth’s eyes following us. Arriving at the cellar, I show Argak the silver tablet I had added to the pile and gesture that I don’t know where to put it.
Q: Is Argak pleased? Likely No
He angrily snatches it from my hands as though I was trying to steal something, and stashes it inside one of the bags. Then the two of us start carrying the company provision and plunder out to the wagon. After we load them up, the four wounded men of Karalk’s company are carried out and set in the back of the wagon. Daralk climbs in with them to keep an eye on them and help ensure their comfort among the blankets and such.
Q: Does Karalk return with his wounded men? Very Likely Exceptional yes (random event, current context Decrease Defense)
Karalk and his few remaining able bodied men are the only escorts for the four wagons of dead and wounded. The men that escorted them here, head off into the Lonefields, while the remaining wagons seem to waiting here for now.
-Morning encounter-sheep-
As we follow the road east towards Allsfair, I become increasingly angry. We are heading towards what Archibold thought was safety, and to where I was robbed of my freedom! I spot a number of wild sheep in the distance, gorging themselves on unguarded grain, no farmers left to drive them off. I shake my head. The orcs have robbed us of so much! I walk up to the head of the column to join Pasuth, “We’re heading towards Allsfair. I don’t want to enter that village. Or be seen by the guards there.”
“Criminal? Is that where you were told you were a slave?” he raises an eyebrow.
“Yes,” I reply. He nods.
Then I hear Karalk’s voice, “Watch the rear!”
Pasuth glances back at his brother, then at me, “Back to the rear of the column with you. He’s heard you have a good eye.”
I glance back at Karalk, nod, and race back to the end of the formation to keep watch.
Ep 4: Scene 18: Allsfair (32nd)
Chaos Factor: 5-Expected Scene
Arriving at the village of Allsfair, I tense up, but follow our wagons through the village, trusting Pasuth to help if anything should happen, and dreading the thought of being recognized by the men on watch.
(10% chance of a guard having seen me before, yes, one of the two men at watch did see me a week ago.
Q: Does the guard recognize me? Unlikely No
As we enter the village, I spot the man who shot Archibold standing watch at the village gate. He doesn’t seem to notice me as I walk past him. The wagons stop in front of the Giggling Goat, and several of the drovers head inside for a hot meal while others water the oxen. A couple of Karalk’s men start to head inside, but he stops them. “No ale! Bring out food for your cousins. Stew, bread.” Argak makes a sour face, and he and the man with him head inside.
Daralk calls down to me, “Go inside, fetch some wine for the wounded,” and he tosses me a crown. Then he glances back at Karalk who glares at him. He grins and calls to the warchief, “The First Father commands this.” Pasuth laughs.
I head inside the tavern and walk over to the counter where Argak and the other are trying to collect bowls of stew to carry outside. “Good master,” I call to the bartender, “Can your servant carry empty bowls out and the stewpot? We have many wounded, and it will be easier to ladel for them outside then carry out the bowls.”
“Why didn’t they say so?” he nods to Argak and the other man.
“If they had, do you know their tongue? I need two bottles of wine as well,” I put the gold crown on the bar. The barkeep nods, fetches two bottles and gives me five tenpiece as well, I take this back to Daralk while Argak carries out bowls and a tavern wench carries out the stewpot, the handle wrapped in a towel to protect her hand as she pours each bowl.
Soon, the Black Wolves and the wounded are all enjoying a warm meal seated in and around the wagons while the drovers sit inside, where a minstrel was playing. Daralk fills cups with the wine I brought him, having pocketed the coins I returned to him. He does not drink, no does he offer me a cup, so I content myself with the stew.
Q: Anyone approach us in the village? Unlikely No
While many of the villagers look at us in curiosity, none approach. And I am unsure that I would have either, had I been among them and saw a barbarian host wander into Axdull. But life offers many strange turns.
As meals are finished, I collect the bowls and take them back inside the tavern. Karalk follows me in and bellows at the drovers to get back on the road. They quickly comply.
-Immersion-Feel something slick on myself-
Ep 4: Scene 19: Road to Westhold (32nd)-Altered scene New Character, expected frightening
Chaos Factor: 5
Instead of travelling to Short Trot, like the caravan did when I was being dragged along as a slave, Karalk tells the drovers to follow the road north to Westhold Town, the way I’ve done to visit the great temple or when my father took me to see the grand tournament when his brother fought in the melee one year.
But as we are just leaving the village gate, Lady Alfifa, the lord who condemned me, arrives from the north alongside some of her soldiers. I immediately break out into a sweat. If she should recognize me, what then?
Q: Does Lady Alfifa recognize me? 50/50 Yes Q: Does she question Karalk? Likely Exceptional Yes Q: Does she assume I am his slave? Very Likely Yes
“Hold!” commands Lady Alfifa, on seeing me. “That one! Watch her!” she commands her men, then rides back to the head of our column near Karalk. “Why have you armed your slave?”
-Karalk Insight 2-
“What slave?” Karalk asks.
Q: Does Pasuth intervene? Very Likely Yes
“My slave, brother,” Pasuth calls back, “The noblewoman means to ask why have I armed my slave with a spear to keep wild boar from goring an ox, and a bow to bring down game for she has a good eye, and a hatchet to chop wood so I don’t have to. She asks why I armed my slave.”
-Persuade 7-
Karalk nods, and looks up at the noble woman, “Because a good hound obeys whether leashed or not, but its teeth are more useful unleashed.”
Q: Does she attempt to assert authority? Likely Exceptional Yes
“Strip her!” she commands her men. Then she looks back at Pasuth, “Your kind are as stupid as you are worthless. A slave should never be armed!”
Q: Do things escalate? 50/50 Yes
“One should never touch another’s property without permission,” Daralk chimes in, leaping down from the wagon full of wounded and interposing himself between me and the two soldiers coming towards me.
I quickly shed my weapons and put them in the baggage cart. “No blood,” I start pulling off the orc’s armor.
Q: Does Karalk’s company generally form up around him? Likely Exceptional Yes
Pasuth is tapping the throwing axe in his belt, and I notice the other men who are able to fight shifting, no longer guarding the wagons, but forming up alongside Karalk, and one man who had been walking in silence at the rear with me, even stands behind me, standing near. She has five men in her escort, and another two at the gate behind us. Karalk has six able bodied men with him.
-Deception 21,vs Insight 17- -Karalk Intimidation 6 vs Alfifa’s intimidation 19-
Pasuth interjects, “In a week’s time, we return to our homeland. Mules, our plunder and our slaves. And what does it matter to you what I do with her then? She is mine!”
I hear additional soldiers arriving behind us as more of the village garrison musters to their lady’s defense. The Black Wolves are beginning to seem a bit uneasy as numbers shift decidedly against them.
“No blood!” I call out again. “No weapons!” I rush forward to Pasuth’s feet and grovel before him. “Forgive me master.”
Q: Does she let us go? Likely Exceptional Yes (Random Event, move away from background thread-seeking vengeance)
“Your kind are cowards, but do with your slave as you see fit in your own lands. Not in mine,” she agrees, and nudges her horse forward, spitting at me as she passes. And I realize, I don’t really care. I have been protected.
“Get up, slave,” Pasuth commands, and he shoves me ahead of the caravan as we continue onward towards Westhold town.
-Afternoon Encounter-Rabbit burrows- Perception 26-
As we continue towards Westhold town, I spot some rabbits peeking out of their burrows and point them out in the distance. Pasuth’s arrow misses, “Go fetch it, slave,” he commands. And I race into the meadow and quickly spot the path of the arrow through the grass beyond the burrows.
Recovering it, I return it to him, “Here master,” I pass it to him as I fall to my knees.
He chuckles, “Get up, slave. Go help Daralk with the wounded.” I nod and climb up into the wagon with Daralk.
Q: Does he opine about my situation? Likely Yes Event-Close background Thread-Discover purpose
We ride for a bit in silence, before I say, “Thank you for standing between my and Lady Alfifa.”
He glances up at me, then replies, “Among a people who wear no marks upon their flesh, you bear one. You are told it makes you a slave. So you stare at trapped kites, envy birds and wonder what will become of you. You are meant to soar, bound to none. Free to go and do as you please.” Then he reaches over and examines the Freian pendant around my neck, “The All Mother’s symbol is the falcon. She soars. You wear her mark. Live her path.”
I touch my hand to his, staring into his yes as we hold the pendant together, “Follow her path.” I repeat, turning the words over in my head, “How? I am Pasuth’s slave.”
Daralk laughs, and knocks a knuckle agaisnt my head, “You are thick as a rock! He saw the mark on your shoulders as we all have, but he knew at once what it meant when you asked if you were Karalk’s slave. He knows what to say to your lords when they start to blather. You are no slave among us unless fairly claimed as one.” Then his eyes, narrow, “So don’t be.”
I nod, and then turn my attention back to his wounded countrymen who do not understand a word of what we said. “What is this called?” I ask as I see him using one of the poultices I made for him the other day. He grins, and begins teaching me his people’s words.
-Immersion: Sense of Anger-
Ep 4: Scene 20: Westhold (32nd)
Chaos Factor: 5
-Sense of Anger-
As we pass through the gates of Westhold, I notice the guards staring at me, in my torn nightshirt, the brand on my shoulder exposed as it slips down momentarily while I work. “Why do let the slave ride?” a guard calls out, laughing.
May face flushes red, but not from embarassment, but from anger. What it is it to them how a slave is used? They get no reply, but on seeing the rage in my eyes, Daralk taps the side of my head with his knuckle once more and says something in his own tongue that I do not understand. Then points back down towards the mortar and pestle where he has me grinding some yarrow root.
-In town-no encounter- Q: Will the priest join us? Likely Yes
The wagons trundle through the busy streets of Westhold up to the temple. Where a priest comes out to meet them. The wounded are carried inside, as are the dead, except for those of the Black Wolves. Daralk leaps down from our wagon, and walks over to the priest. Then he, the priest and a few novices climb up into wagons and our caravan then heads back outside of town to the cemetary where a great number of graves have already been dug and men are steadily digging more.
Karalk belts out an order to his warriors, who carry the four dead of their number over to the graves and carefully set their brethren inside. Each man is laid down upon his shield, his hands are wrapped around his spear and his throwing axe. He is buried in his hides and leather. The priest then begins chanting familiar words, calling upon Freia to bless her fallen children and guide them through the ether towards the eternal paradise that is her home in Celestia.
After the priest is done, and sprinkles holy water upon the dead men’s remains. Daralk steps forward and says his own prayer, loudly, and the rest of the Black Wolves echo his words. And I find myself, the third time a phrase is repeated, doing the same until Gunsrung nudges me to speak louder as I do so. Then he holds his arm up over one of the graves, and draws his blade across the bottom of it, against bone, letting some of his own blood drip down upon the corpse. Then holding the wound, he releases it to let blood drip onto the next, and then each of the others. Then Karalk, Pasuth, and each man in turn follows his example.
Q: Does he want me to? Nearly Certain Yes
I step forward, breathing heavily and I look to Daralk as hold my right arm over the dead man, and extend my left to him. He hands me his knife, and I cut my arm as well, letting drops of my blood join those of the rest of the company on the fallen men.
Afterwards, I give Daralk back his knife and see that others have already bound their wounds with leather cords and such. Daralk pulls some from his satchel, and ties my cut as well.
The Freian priest nods solemnly as Daralk recites some final prayer and then as we lead the wagon full of our supplies and plunder back into the village, the priest and his novices remain to oversee the filling of the graves by his gravediggers.
-Iron Wheel Inn- Q: Are there 7 rooms available at the Iron Wheel? Unlikely No (1d6=4 rooms)
Ep 4: Scene 21: Iron Wheel Inn (32nd)-Interupt, move way from escape slavery, overthrow defense
Chaos Factor: 5
Our plunder wagon stops in front of an Inn with a wheel that seems to be made of solid iron hanging over the door. Pasuth says, “Slave! Get up there and start unloading”, and I hop up onto the back of the wagon, and start passing things down to the warrior while Karalk and Pasuth head inside.
A few minutes later, he comes out and passes keys to Daralk, Argak, and Gunsrung. Daralk says something to Pasuth and seems to be offering him his key, but I am unsure what is being said.
They continue their discussion as we all head inside the inn and the wagon departs. Then a wench, on seeing me and noticing the brand on my shoulder says, “You should put a collar on that one, so if her shoulder is covered, its still obvious what she is.”
Pasuth turns to look at her, and nods, “Good idea. The kennels, yes?” The woman nods, “First, draw us some baths. We are fresh from campaign, and I don’t want this one to smell so foul tonight.”
Q: Does Pasuth trade rooms with Daralk? Likely Yes
The wench smirks and orders another one and a kitchen boy to go and start fetching water and warming it up for baths. Then Pasuth nods at Daralk and accepts the key he was offered. Then looking at me, he says, “Come slave!” and I follow him upstairs, where he unlocks one of the doors and puts his things upon the large bed in the center of the room. He gestures that I am to put the things I was carrying up there as well, but he stops me from putting the orc garments on the bed, and he tucks the axe that he had loaned me back into his belt. “These clothes. Their filth. They belong on a dung heap.” Then he leads me back outside and he thrusts the orcish garments into the hands of the stable boy outside, “Dispose of this filth!” he commands and leads me through the city’s streets and bare feet on the cobblestones I follow close behind.
-Evening street encounter-drunk harassed by urchins-
As we walk through the street, we spot a clearly inebriated man being shouted at by children who mock the way he staggers about. They yell and tease, and as troubled as he is by them, he cannot chase them away and they ignore his shouts to be left alone. Pasuth glances back at me, and shakes his head, “Fools.”
Q: Add spikes? Unlikely No
We soon arrive at the kennels, and Pasuth calls upon the proprietor, “I need a collar for this slave. A good loop in the back, thick and sturdy.”
The man helps find one the right size and then tightens it around my neck. Pasuth gives it a good tug, throwing me off balance a bit, and then fits a finger between it against my throat to ensure I can breath well. “Good!” he nods and gives the man a few coins. “Come slave,” he commands. I obediently follow to one store after another.
He has me fitted with some soft leather boots, and also some sandals, telling the cobbler it is a long road home and he doesn’t want my feet badly damaged by rocks and brambles. Then he takes me to a tailor, where he buys what I can only describe as clothing for the road, and…something whorish. Then he leads me back to the Iron Wheel Inn where we go out back. Some of the Black Wolves are bathing, and it is clear that others already have.
“Our turn!” Pasuth commands, and the youths get out and dry off. He removes my new collar, then commands, “Strip and get in.” Then he disrobes and gets in the other tub.
After we bathe, he dresses, then puts the collar back on me and commands that I don the whore’s outfit and the sandals. “Come along, slave.” I follow him inside, where we join the rest of the company now eating dinner in the tap room. The tavern wench nods approvingly. As do many in the company.
Q: Is Daralk amused? 50/50 No
On seeing me dressed this way, Daralk scowls, but says nothing.
“Sit there,” Pasuth commands, gesturing to the floor beside his seat. I obediently do so as food is brought for him. Then he tells the wench to bring some for me as well, “I need her strong for the road home…and for tonight.” She laughs and brings me a meal as well.
-Taproom event-customer spills-
Halfway through my meal, another patron trips over me, spilling his ale all over me, “What are you doing down there?” he protests loudly.
“You got my slave wet!” Pasuth answers back, rising to his feet. On seeing the tattooed warrior, the man quickly steps away, apologetically. I try to dry myself, but Pasuth commands me to leave it, so I return to my meal.
After awhile, the company turns to drinking, and the warriors seem to be boasting and sharing stories and songs. I don’t understand any of it, but sit quietly at Pasuth’s side until eventually, he says, “Come!” and leads me up to his room. There we clear the bed, setting everything on the floor. Then he undresses and nods for me to do the same. “Lay down.” He commands. and I climb into bed alongside him. Then he says, “We return to our homeland in two weeks time. Sleep well.”
I take a deep breath, then exhale and laying naked beside Pasuth, I am grateful that, like his brother, he does not lay a hand on me.
Heyday 33rd thru Great Harvest 9th:
-warm, clear skies, negligible breeze-
-Weekly event, offend family over religion, 20% chance of disinheritance, rolled a 95!-
The next week and a half I spend serving as a servant to Pasuth. Publicly, he gives orders without a second thought, never calling me by name, but he and the others, except for Daralk, always refer to me as slave, a word that even the young warriors quickly learn. Daralk calls me Kite. I am often sent to the market alongside one of the other warriors to fetch this thing or that, or I accompany Daralk to the temple to check on the wounded men under hospital care. I also learn that the company has three mules in the stables, and that inside Karalk’s room is a great stash of plunder that the company has taken over the last year, a bag of goods for each man, plus spoils yet to be sorted from the campaign against the orcs.
The day after we reached Westhold, many other wounded arrived and we learn of a tremendous battle in the Lone Fields where it is said that hundreds of orcs were slain. The men seem to resent having missed the fight, but Karalk and Pasuth seem to have no envy against those who fought.
Daralk has an apprentice, of sorts, a man called Thorek, who seems to resent the time Daralk spends teaching me his words. He tugs at my pendant, and Daralk chastises him for it a time or two.
One day, Karalk and Pasuth disappear for the afternoon, then return the next morning, seemingly hungover and bleary eyed. I prepare some hair of dog for the two men while the younger warriors mock their leaders.
Eventually, the last of the injured warriors, Korvak, recovers from his wounds and joins us at the inn.
Q: Was Karalk given a sword? 50/50 No (but all wages and bounties owed are collected)
-10th Great Harvest-
-Warm, clear skies, steady breeze-
-Smell Breath-
Ep 4: Scene 22: Great Harvest 10th-altered scene, remove character intensify activity
Chaos Factor: 5
When I wake, I am alone in the bed. I don’t smell Pasuth’s foul breath in my ear, nor is his arm draped across me. As I rise from bed, my clothing is missing as well…the whorish clothing he’s had me wearing these last many days. Instead, the travel garb and boots are laid out for me. I quickly dress and head downstairs where one of the men, Drash, is waiting for me.
“Slave! Come!” he calls to me, which may be the only Norgard words he knows, well, aside from the various names of drinks he has tried over the last several days. He hands me a loaf of bread and I follow him out to the stables where the others are already gathered. Three mules are loaded up and ready for travel. Pasuth smiles on seeing me and Daralk nods approvingly. Several of the men seem a little disappointed, and one questions Pasuth only to get a teasing rebuke as his fellows laugh at his question, some nodding agreement.
“Karalk and Pasuth each hand me their packs to carry. Packs that could easily be put onto the backs of the mules, and then Karalk says, “Follow,” before bellowing an order to his men. The company begins walking towards city’s gate. I slowly chew my bread as we walk.
-Encounter-Barbarian insulting the town watch-
As we approach the gate, we spot another Craglander, a slim man far older than any in our company, berating the guards in our tongue “You are blind as cave fish, and smell as foul,” the Craglander says. “You couldn’t catch a pickpocket if he fell asleep in your barracks!”
“Get out of here! Go back to your master and let us be!” the guard responds.
Q: Does our company talk to him? Unlikely No Q: Do the guards respond poorly? Very Unlikely No
“The captain wants to know how much the local thieves pay you to always keep your eyes closed!” the Craglander continues hassling the guards as our company walks past unimpeded.
-Morning Road- Rabbits-Perception 24- Q: Does he leash me? Likely Yes
We pass by the same rabbit warren as two weeks ago, and once more Pasuth’s shot goes long. He lets me hand him the bags as I run out, quickly find his arrow, and return it to him. In short order, we reach Allsfair, but before we are quite in sight of the tower, Pasuth stops me. He pulls a black strip of leather from his satchel, and ties it through he hoop in my collar. “Come slave,” he smirks. I close my eyes and he gives the leash a slight tug, causing me to step forward after him.
-Immersion-sidekicks threaten each other-
Ep 4: Scene 23: Allsfair (GH 10th)
Chaos Factor: 5
Entering Allsfair, I hear two of the men in our company squabbling about something. Glancing back, I notice Argak nodding towards me and making a crude gesture to go along with whatever he is saying. I think it’s the whore, as the word comes up a lot. Belsh, his equally large companion who adorns himself in an array of copper and silver jewelry, shakes his head at him and replies with a different word, causing Argak to roll his eyes. Belsh shoves him, and Argak shoves back.
Karalk turns and snaps at both of the men, who glare at each other and move to different parts of our train.
-Guard recognition, I spot a familiar one-Q: Do the guards say anything as we pass through? 50/50 No Q: Do we stop for food? Likely Yes Q: Does Daralk wait with me? Likely Yes (randomize Blackwolf)
We pass through the village gates, and then stop outside the inn, where I am lashed to the horse post alongside the mules while everyone but Daralk goes inside. A few minutes later, Bargun comes outside with a bottle of ale under one arm and two bowls of stew for us. Daralk thanks him, and Bargun pauses, taking the falcon pendant around my neck in his hand to examine it, as he has a time or two before. He asks Daralk a question that includes the word Freia. Daralk answers, causing Bargun to nod, then return inside.
“What was he asking?” I inquire.
“How a kite can speak and how winds carry words to ears that should not hear,” he replies. I fall silent.
Q: Does anyone approach us? Unlikely Yes Also, introduce New NPC-Beautiful, Playful (generate two NPC’s) Q: Do I know him? Likely Q: Does he recognize me? 50/50 Yes Q: Does he let on? Very Unlikely Exceptional No (My Insighte beats his deception)
“Sharpen your blades? Shackles for your slave lest she run away at night when there’s no place good to tether her?” a peddlar offers. It is Ostreg! I’ve bought sewing needles and nails from him, had axes and knives sharpened. His mismatched face is a familiar site as he would pass through our village every season with his wares.
As Daralk pulls his axes from his belt to be sharpened, Ostreg happens to glance up at my face. I spot the recognition in his eyes before he quickly glances away. “You are a sellsword?” Ostreg asks Daralk.
Q: Does Daralk want to talk to him? Unlikely Yes
“Yes. From the west, as you might guess. It has been a profitable journey. We return home soon,” Daralk explains, placing the axes back in his belt and handing over a dagger to be sharpened.
“Lots of plunder and slaves?” Ostreg asks, seemingly uneasy suddenly.
“Not many slaves. That is not why we come. Just this one,” he explains.
Suddenly, a young dog comes over and starts barking at me. Daralk barks back. The dog looks at him in confusion, whimpers and growls, Daralk replies in kind, then laughs. He pulls open his pack and holds out a piece of dried meat. The dog lunges forward and eats from his hand while Daralk scratches behind its ears.
“Your dog?” Ostreg asks.
Q: Does the dog follow? Nearly Certain Yes
“A dog cannot be owned. It is not a slave. A dog follows who it wishes,” Daralk explains then passes a few pennies to the man for his work. As other Blackwolves come outside, most brush the man off, but a few have blades sharpened for the road. I shoulder the packs once more as we finally depart. The dog follows us out of town. It yips and yaps walking alongside Daralk, and he makes similar sounds in response.
Pasuth glances back at the shaman, “Found a new friend?”
“More pleasant than most,” Daralk retorts.
-Afternoon-Red Deer-Pasuth misses, Perception 26-
As we approach the village of Goodwill, we spot deer in the half burnt fields. Pasuth looses an arrow, the deer flee, and I am unleashed and sent to retrieve the arrow. The dog races after me, then races back to the group when I retrieve it.
Ep 4: Scene 24: Goodwill
Chaos Factor: 5
Goodwill is in shambles. The palisades are scorched and broken in many places. As a guard watches us pass through what’s left of the gate, we can see that the manor house collapsed, every shop on the square is in ruins, but…people are starting to rebuild under the direction of their lord.
Karalk approaches the well dressed young noble. “My lord, ” Karalk bellows, “My company wishes to camp in your square for the night, as there is no inn.”
Q: Does he welcome us? Likely No
“There is plenty of room outside the palisades,” the noble responds. “I’ve my own people looking for places to sleep within.”
Karalk nods, “Very well.” He gestures for the company to refill their waterskins from the village well and water the mules.
I look around and study the people trying to rebuild their homes, and I shake my head. “At least, they are free,” I mutter to myself as I water the mules. Then I realize, the leash was never put back on me.
Q: Does anyone ask for provisions? Likely No Q: Does anyone approach at all? Unlikely No
We briefly eat, and though some of the villagers look at us with hunger in their eyes, none approach. I am certain most still have provisions in their root cellars, or their neighbors who do could provide. Once we are done with our meal, we head farther south.
“I was really hoping to spend another night behind walls before we started the crossing,” Pasuth observes.
Karalk answers, “We weren’t welcome. That lord is a fool. A dozen extra fighters in his village, and he turns us away.” Then he glances at me, “Take off the woman’s collar. Baron Alestor’s laws no longer rule.”
Pasuth reaches over but I am already working to unfasten the buckle. I can’t reach it as well as he though. He tosses it to the ground. Daralk then picks it up, “Good for protecting a dog’s neck. Right pup?” he asks the dog that has been following us since Allsfair, and then kneels down, and fastens it around the animal. “Good against lions. But not as good as avoiding them.” He scratches the dog behind the ears. I smile and the company carries on.
-Evening encounter-Wild sheep-Perception 14-
As we continue our journey, I spot sheep in the distance and this time, Pasuth hands me his bow and an arrow, “Your shot.” I miss. He laughs, “Retrieve my arrow.” I pass him back his bow, and am unable to find the missed shot in the waning light.
A short time later, passing beyond cultivated lands and beside some sort of boundary stones that Pasuth says marks the end of my lord’s lands, Karsath calls us to stop and set camp. “No fires! Four men to the watch. Woman! Watch with Daralk,” he commands.
-Conversation topic-Knowledge-
Tents are pitched, dried fruit, meat, hard cheese, and bread purchased from the inn this morning are passed around. The men around me are talking about something. The conversation is apparently pretty deep as several pause as they think how best to answer questions posed to them. Pasuth begins an extended discussion about something, but I am not sure what, until Daralk tells me, “He is explaining how best to hunt lions in the open prairie. It is different than in the hill country as you must watch out for the rest of the pack. In hill country, lions travel alone or with a mate. In the prairie, they form packs like wolves.”
Q: Had Lions ever troubled Axdull? Unlikely Yes (Random Event, Positive-Cassandra Ambush Home)
“We had lions stealing hogs one year. Our lord hired a couple of tracker to help him and his men hunt them down. There was a great feast afterwards. Lion meat tastes a lot gamier than pork. I’d have rather we not lost the hogs,” I shrug.
Pasuth suddenly looks at me, then he gets up, and pulls the orcish weapons I had taken in battle and passes them over to me. “It’s time!” he says.
Daralk nods, “It’s time.”
Karalk looks between them, “Go! Find a wolf, kill it, return before dawn.”
I blink at them in surprise, “A wolf?”
Karalk nods, “Yes. A wolf.”
“Watch out for the rest of the pack,” Daralk grins, his fangs showing.
Q: Did we pass a stream a few miles back? Very Likely Yes
I nod, then I look around and consider things, and then turn back north to find the stream we passed an hour earlier, I will start looking for tracks there.
-Immersion-see something forgetten or discarded and it worries me-
Ep 4: Scene 25: The Hunt
Chaos Factor: 5
I follow the stream generally westerly, as hunters shy away from farmland, and the only village to the west, Bold Claim, was razed alongside my home at the same time. So…wolves may be loose and hunting stray farm animals. Easy pickings! I sigh. I have never really hunted wolves. And only rarely, hare or deer and then long before I had children. I nock an arrow and pray that Freia lead me to my quarry.
-Survival with advantage 17 to spot wolf tracks-Encounter-Wild Cattle-Well, if wild cattle are here, that’s prey for wolves, so it goes from DC 20 very hard, to DC 15 Hard, because a herd of cattle is likely being shadowed by wolves- Stealth 15-
I follow the stream anyway, and eventually hear the sound of cows lowing up ahead. I slip away from the stream and begin to skirt the herd, careful to stay downwind lest they catch my scent, and…wolves would be downwind as well.
Q: Are wolves nearby? Likely Yes (pack or pair-pair, pair or solo-pair) (My perception on who is following me beats Daralk’s stealth)(Wolves spot me, and I don’t spot them) Q: Do the wolves attempt to approach me? 50/50 No
I continue to follow the tracks, and realize there is only a pair of the animals, but I lose them, and I am upwind of them, so they are catching my scent. I continue on, hoping to find another set of tracks. I notice that a bobcat seems to be stalking me, but it keeps its distance and is not my quarry, so i let it be.
-Midnight Encounter-Bee’s nest-(Survival, nothing over a 14, but Perception is 20 on this test) (Nature 15) (Survival 19)
As I continue through the night, I am unable to find anymore tracks, but I do hear the low hum of a bee’s nest. Not that they are particularly active at night. I shrug. There is no chance I will find a wolf tonight, but I have flint and steal from the orc’s satchel that was given back to me. I carefully set a fire to smoke the bees to sleep, then, as they grow docile, break into their hive, taking a quarter of their fresh honeycomb while they are too sluggish to resist, and then I easily make my way back to the camp.
(Quick check, no camp encounter to note) (Con Save passed, long hours, low exertion)
I am tired when I return to the camp, no wolf carcass in hand. The others in the camp have slept most of the night, but I am tired. Thankfully, I wasn’t running all night. “Found tracks, but the wolves caught wind of me and fled. I found some honey though,” I offer. The dripping honeycomb is placed in an iron pot hanging from one of the mules, and yawning, I follow the company south, no longer forced to carry anyone’s pack.
-Great Harvest 11th-
-Warm, cloudy, no rain, steady breeze-
-Immersion, skittering sounds-
Ep 4: Scene 26: Crossing the Lonefields-increse activity
Chaos Factor: 4
Tired from the long night, I trot alongside the rest of the company south across the great grasslands known as the Lone Fields. Home to orcs and their vast herds of cattle, as well as greater dangers. The chittering sounds of grasshoppers can be heard all around, and though we follow an old, half broken stone road, waves of tiny locusts scatter as we draw near time and again. We keep a fast pace, and it is clear that Karalk wants us to cross these lands quickly.
-Morning Encounter-Wild boar in distance-Fail check, incur one level of Exhaustion-
As we push through the morning, I grow increasingly tired. Pasuth sees my flagging resolve and urges me on, “If you want to be a free woman, you must keep up!”
“Keep up,” I wheeze back at him nodding. Then I gesture, “Boar!”
He nods, “Keep running,” and we continue on.
-Midday-abandoned campsite-(pass exhaustion check, advantage from encouragement)
Around midday, I notice that we are passing by yet another old fire ring from where someone set camp along the road, and I wonder at the wisdom of doing so, but…as tired as I am, I am certain that many had through to cross in a single day and been unable to make it. Then, I spot riders wearing blue. Karalk calls our company to a halt as the four men approach.
“Good day,” one of them says. His steel plated armor gleams in the sunlight that peeks through the clouds above. “We are looking for two women who may have come this way. One is a tall, slender woman with long red hair. The other is a shorter, lean, woman with curly blonde hair. They are likely dressed as peasants, shepherds.”
-My Insight 10, Daralk’s insight 17-
“Dressed as?” Daralk asks, “Meaning they are not shepherdesses?”
“There is a 500 crown reward for their safe return to Farhold Keep,” the armored man responds. “Unharmed, safe, and delivered to Baron Faust’s hands.”
“We’ll keep an eye out,” Pasuth replies. Then the horsemen continue north towards Westhold, while we continue south towards Farhold.
-Evening Encounter-Bird calls-(Pass exhaustion check)
We press on til after dusk, songbirds slowly quieting and giving way to the hoot of owls, yet we press on. Then grassland gives way to cultivated fields, and white smoke from chimneys curls up into the night sky, and a wooden palisade looms ahead. “Who goes there?” calls out a guard as we approach.
“Black Wolves, on their way to Farhold Town. May we shelter inside the walls tonight?” Pasuth calls up to the men in the watchtower.
Q: Will they let us in this late? Unlikely No
“The gate does not open at night,” comes the reply.
“Go around, set up the tents beyond,” comes Karalk’s command. No longer tired with rest so close, we all circle past the village then follow the road past it’s fields and out of bowshot as Pasuth says. Then we pitch our tents, eat the last of the honey, plus dried meat and fruit. And…I collapse into Karalk’s tent as I had done the first night I was with this company. Tired, but free?
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