Posts From a Long Winded Gamer

-I did a lot of base work in chatGPT to set up the coming adventure, and also boosted Njora by 50 points, so she is a 100 point character with Power Investiture, but no spell casting ability yet-

19th Greenthaw, Thornsday,-Fierce Storm, Wind and Heavy Rain-
-Immersions -sidekick whispers a question to an enemy-
Scene #6:
I wake the next morning, to the soothing drumbeat of rain pounding against the roof above. As I sit up, I spy Njora across the room, eyes closed, hands folded in prayer. I get up and walk over to her, and hear her begging Tyrnos, the Storm Bringer, to guide our path through his tempest and lead us to the knowledge we seek.

-Reaction-Good-
Suddenly aware of my presence, she opens her eyes and smiles up at me. “I hope you slept well,” she says. I nod and thank her for praying to the gods on our behalf. She laughs and says that’s what she does.

Q: Does the storm last all day? EXCEPTIONAL YES -Discussion Topic-The Character-
Kaedra and her acolytes allow me to stay with them throughout the day, relaxing in the long house while the storm rages outside. Being a newcomer, they ply me with questions, and I tell them about growing up in Brimholt and learning to cast and clean nets, and how to hunt. A couple had similar upbringings in other nearby villages or homesteads, though a fair number were farmers. Njora’s is also the child of a fisherman.

Q: Are we told to set off? NO
After a long day of relaxation, we eventually turn in to bed.

20th Greenthaw, Fireday- Heavy rain, gale force winds in the afternoon
-Immersion-See something fragile above me-

Scene #7:
After a day being trapped inside by a heavy storm, I wake the next morning to silence once more. Just the crackle of the hearth fire and the sound of acolytes preparing breakfast and performing morning prayers. Sitting up, my eyes are drawn to a number of glass vials on a shelf above me. “What are these?” I ask, intrigued.

Q: Healing vials? Very Unlikely-NO
“Oils, for use in worship,” Njora explains with a laugh. “That one is frankinsence, this one lavender, this one olive, that one myrrh. Each has its purpose and its rituals,” my friend explains.

Q: Does Kaedra have any final words? EXCEPTIONAL NO
“The rain has stopped. It is best we set off after we eat.” I suggest. She nods and we soon join the others for bread and stewed rabbit leftover from the night before. Then we collect our things, and head out.

-Weather Sense-Pass 4-
Looking to the sky, I note, “This is only a break in the storm. We’d best be quick.”

Njora nods, “The sea cave?”

“Yes, it appeared at the same time as the runes. And not far from them. Perhaps, an invitation? A challenge to our courage.” I suggest.

With heavy packs on our shoulders, hers filled with the climbing gear, a lantern and some oil for the lamp, mine with more basic supplies, we head back down towards the docks to hire a boat.

-Encounter-Assassin-Q: Is the target in town? EXCEPTIONAL NO, Q: Countryman? NO (Roll random target-The Flameborn Pretender!-(assassin has a critical success to notice me listening)-85% chance…yes, he will silence me to avoid me warning the mark-
As we are walking through the market, Njora pauses to speak with someone, and I happen to overhear a man near me with a lyrical accent whisper in Vaylan, “The one they call the Pretender? He has a lot of followers. Not an easy mark, but if the gold is good.” I instinctively look to see the men speaking, locking eyes with one of the men. His serpentine eyes narrow, and I quickly look away from the saurian. I am soon pushing Njora through the marketplace as she begs to know the hurry.

Q: Is the assassin Vaylan? EXCEPTIONAL NO-His Shadow Pass 3-My perception pass 2-
As we move through the marketplace, I ask Njora if she has ever heard of someone called The Pretender. She raises an eyebrow, “The false prophet in Vaylan? The one that claims to be a reincarnated emperor? Why?”

I glance behind us, relieved are not being followed, “There was a Saurian back there, and a Vaylan, talking about killing him” Her eyes widen and she looks around, asking if I am certain. I nod, “Yes, and the Saurian knows I overheard.” She asks why he would care, and I confess that I don’t know, but that his look made me nervous. She suggests that its because Saurian look demonic, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are all cold blooded killers.

Q: Does she smile? NO
I chuckle at the seemingly unintended humor. She looks at me in confusion, not having caught the seeming joke.

Scene #8:
On reaching the docks, we start looking for a boat to take us to the Sea Cave. Many boats are already out to sea, eager to earn their wages while the sea is calm, for all can see the storm looms fresh.
-Immersion-See a shadow right in front of me-

As we work our way down the nearly deserted harbor, I notice the shadow of a man drawing steel, and shout, “Look out!” as I pull the axe from my belt to meet our attacker.

The knife comes at me fast, but I jump back, then bring my axe down but he deftly deflects the axehead. I notice his blade is coated in some slick paste, like a goblins!

Having lost the element of surprise, he turns to run, but I hurl my axe, striking him square between the shoulder blades, staggering him. Njora rushes at him with her knife, and he turns, stabbing her. Her eyes go wide in shock, but I am quickly at her side with my knife. In a quick flurry of blows, we strike at each other repeatedly, but with his growing number of injuries, I make short work of him, eventually plunging my blade deep in his gut as he falls backward to the ground.

I lean down over him as he takes shallow breaths, his layered eyelids blinking as his eyes roll back inside his head. He is saying something that I do not understand. I bring my waterskin to his lips, to lend him comfort as he dies on the dock.

Looking over at Njora, I see she is pale, leaning against a fishing shack. I check her wound, and see that some poison has seeped into the wound. I carefully clean and dress it. She smile as I comfort her. “I’ll be okay, it’s just…numb”.

I turn and see the Saurian’s body shudder and grow still. I clean and sheath my knife, and recover my axe.

“Why would it come for us? Just, overhearing something in the market. Anyone could have heard. Why come?” Njora asks.

I shake my head, “I do not know.” Then I kneel down and search the man. His purse contains a mix of local and Imperial coins, plus a few i do not recognize, shaped like scales or fangs, but clearly coins of some sort, silver and bronze. He carries three vials, one matches the substance that still coats part of his dagger. A poison, no doubt. The other two may be antidotes. I carefully start to apply it to Njora’s injury.

“You drink it, silly!” She laughs and takes it from my hand, downing the contents of the vial, hoping I am correct about its nature.

Soon, the numbness in her arm has vanished, and only the wound remains.

Q: Does he have anything else of interest on him? YES E: Action by Goblins of Morgath: the Carrying of Exterior Factors Q: Are the Fjarlandr and Saurian Gods enemies? NO

I find a small ivory statuette of a dragon, whose face is concealed beneath its left wing. “Zaaratha, the Shrouded one. Guardian of that which is hidden. A goddess of the dragon folk,” Njora observes. She shrugs, “In a way, she is kin to Eldros, the bringer of truth.” I nod, and put the relic in my bag. Take his weapons, then looking around, I fold the Saurian’s cloak over his face, then continue down the dock.