-Nighttime-No encounter (Refugees are common right now)-
Wayday, 18th of Greenthaw-Clear Skies, pleasant weather
Scene #16:
Properly armed and eager to leave the frontier behind, with all of its orcs, and unrest. I prepare to travel west into the Empire.
E: Progress on ‘Travel west towards the empire’: a Struggle for a Dispute
(Logical Chieftain vs Conformist Politician) Q: Fjalandr? YES
As I approach the gate, I spot a well dressed official arguing with a group of Fjalandr. The foreigners are attempting to leave, but the officer and his guards refuse to let them. Something about unpaid rent at the inn. I ignore the dispute as it has nothing to do with me.
Morning Encounter-Dressing-
I travel quickly west, following the road. Confident, but still somewhat wary. As I pass deserted farmsteads, I notice a barn whose door appears to have been broken out from the inside. As though the cattle stored within grew wild and battered their way out!
Afternoon Encounter-Interloper-
Immersion-Smell of Fish-
As I cross narrow creek, I notice the hoofprints of a great elk. The prints are as long as my feet! The beast must have been huge! I can tell where it paused to drink, and then suddenly bolted off to the south.
Evening Encounter-Event-
As the light begins to wane, I am worried to spot a bear in the road! Nocking an arrow and pausing to watch, I realize the animal is staggering a bit. It keeps on getting back up on its hind legs, walking for a bit, then collapsing back down on all fours. I watch for several minutes until the bear eventually wanders off the trail and deeper into the woods. I warily pass by where it disappeared, hoping it does not return!
Scene #3 (Negative Alteration):
I arrive at West Watch, but find that the gates are barred as it is already after dark.
Immersion: Skin to skin contact between two enemies
Reaction: Bad
The towers of West Watch, but arriving late, I am disappointed to see the gate is already closed. I hail the guards on the wall, “Open up! I have just arrived from East Watch and need shelter!”
The guard looks down at me. I can see a woman standing next to him. He yells down, “The gate is sealed by orders of Tribune Tharanis. None may enter.”
I look around at the empty fields and the forest beyond, and repeat my request, “There’s no one with me! A simple matter to open the gate and let me in real quick”
“Piss off!” the guard yells down. The woman leaning up against him giggles.
I shake my head, and start the long walk around the perimeter to the far gate.
Q: Do other guards hail me? NO
-Encounter-Dressing-Freshly painted barn-
As I walk the perimeter, I spot a barn outside the walls. I walk over to it, break in, and sleep in the loft overnight. The livestock ignore me.
Thornsday, 19th of Greenthaw-Clear Skies, cool weather
Scene #4:
The next morning, I sneak out of the barn at first light, hoping to avoid the owner and continue my journey.
Immersion-Spy a strangely lit shadow-
-Stealth fail by 6-
-Reaction Neutral-Diplomacy pass 1-
As I exit the barn, a man calls to me, “What are you doing there?”
“This your barn?” I ask, “I got stuck outside the walls overnight, and needed shelter. I thank you for building it outside the walls”
The man regards me warily, but decides I am harmless and sees I haven’t stolen any of his livestock. “Yeah, just…don’t break in again.”
I nod and continue on my trek westward. There is nobody in West Watch I care to visit.
-Morning, Afternoon and Evening encounters, nothing consequential-Fail at hiking-25 miles only-
I walk throughout the day, spotting the occasional animal in the fields, farm workers about their tasks, passing through Tharnwick and then on to the village of Velmorin by nightfall.
Scene #5 (Negative Alteration):
I arrive at the village of Velmorin as night falls, and seek lodging that the Three Stone inn. Unfortunately, the place is fully occupied and there are no rooms to rent nor space on the floor.
-Smell-Excrement-
Q: caravans? YES
I enter the unwalled village and head straight to the inn, hoping for a warm meal and some lodging. I notice large numbers of wagons and draft animals, as a number of caravans have stopped here, and the inn is already full. I step in some ox dung, which is never pleasant, and end up having to wipe my boots off in the mud.
I am able to get a bowl of porridge and some bread, elbowing my way onto a crowded table in the inn.
-Taproom Events-Rival adventurers, randomly generate an adventure-Reaction check on crowd-My Diplomacy check fails by 6-
Seated at the table, I hear some nearby men boasting of having stolen some gems from an ancient ruined palace nearby. They boast of having defeated the goblins who infested the place and having stolen the loot out from under them. While the story is interesting, the crowd seems not to believe a word of it.
I ask if there are any other ruins nearby, but the braggarts guffaw at my question, “That’s for us to explore, not some foreigner!”
I return to my meal, then leave to curl up under a porch until morning.
-Encounter-I ask Chat GPT since I don’t have a village encounter list-
I am awakened in the night to the crash of pottery nearby, falling from a window sill. I notice the earth is trembling. A few minutes later, it stops, and I try to return to my sleep.
—Fast Forward—
Q: Does anything interfere with my trek to Zarathen? NO
I continue my journey towards the city of Zarathan, arriving at the City of Zarathan in the early evening, the 23rd day of Greenthwaw, Moonday.
-Immersion, Smell, damp decay-
Scene #6 (Negative Alteration):
I arrive at the fortress City of Zarathen. It’s bleak grey walls tower overhead. I see that the river banks have receded, leaving reeds exposed and undoubtedly many fish stranded as the smell of rot and decay mingles with the usual stench from the bloody slaughter yards. I hear the sound of drums and horns from the drill yards. But I notice, there is a long line at the gate, as people are being refused entry into the city.
Rather than wait in the long line of caravans, I step off the road to go up to the gate and see what is happening.
-Reaction 10-Neutral-
Some of the drovers look at me with annoyance, but others are hoping to hear news of what the hold up is as well. A single man takes no time to search compared to a wagon of trade goods.
Q: Are they searching people with unusual diligence? NO Q: Have they banned entry? YES
I soon arrive at the gate, and discover the sergeant on watch is not allowing anyone to enter. He is arguing with several caravan captains telling them to leave. That they may not enter.
I stand by and listen for an explanation.
Q: A plague? YES Q: Inside the walls? NO
“None may enter! By order of Governor Rassene and High Flame Keeper Thavros!” The sergeant insists. The caravan captains demand entry so they can sell their goods and collect more, but the guards do not relent. And when a captain gets too close, the guards back off, almost in fear, and lower spears to the ready. “Stay back! Or I’ll kill you where you stand!” The sergeant threatens.
“Why has this order been issued?” I ask.
Q: Will they say? NO
“Be gone!” the sergeant insists. “It is a command! The gates must remain sealed and none may enter until the Flame Keeper says otherwise.”
This seems very strange to me, so I start looking around for anyone who might know what’s going on.
Q: Can I find a local to talk to? YES -Reaction-Poor-
I wander away from the gate, figuring I will probably have to bypass the city, or maybe try another entrance, when I spot a group of farmers working in their fields. As I approach, they swear at me, “Stay back, stranger!”
“What’s wrong? What’s going on here?” I stop and ask.
-Diplomacy 8-
“Plague! There’s a plague coming! Prophecy foretold it. Nobody is allowed in or out if they’ve been in contact with strangers. We don’t know who might bear the disease. Stay back!” They explain and insist.
I hold my hands up, “I carry no plague. And I’ve seen no sign of it.”
They shake their heads, “It’s coming. Any day now. We have to finish our work, then we’ll go back inside, where we will be safe!”
I shake my head, “Is this what the Flamekeepers command?” They nod.
I start my long walk around the city to continue my journey westward.
-Survival pass 6- Q: Are other travellers nearby? NO
I find a place along the Tarnic River, south of the city away from the slaughter yards, to curl up under my cloak and blanket for the night. Since most other travelers are attached to their caravans and wagons, I am alone by the riverbank. The city’s gates control the roads, and wagons have a hard time through fresh sown fields.
Scene #7:
I bed down for the night along the riverbank, knowing I must continue my journey in the morning if I want to reach Fjarlandr land and a new beginning.
24th Greenthaw, Twiseday-Comfortable, cloudy, no rain
Immersion-See something forgotten/discarded, dusty and faded with age (I put the keywords into midjourney for grins and giggles, it shows a chair, but I decide something else instead)
-Survival-Pass 3-
After waking and eating breakfast, I start fording my way across the river, finding a path shallow enough to cross with little difficulty, though I have to hold my pack up over my head and dry everything off on the other side. As I do so, I notice an old boat stuck in the reeds. It is rotted out with broken planks, and was probably submerged entirely before the river receded from its banks. The river seems…strange. There is an ill tiding in the air, and it makes me wonder if the worries about a coming plague may be true?
-At this point, I have switched to a 1X per day encounter check instead of a 3X per day, and 1X per night table, to cut down on rolls and let me move faster- No Encounter today-
Q: Is the next village friendly? NO Q: The second one? YES Q: Does Kethmere know? NO
I soon reach the village of Kethmere, where I see warning poles staked outside the village, and a makeshift barricade across the road. The farmers in the fields yell at me to go away. I demand to know why, but they don’t answer. They just shout at me to go away and begin throwing stones my way.
I give their lands a wide berth, and then come back to the road.
-Reaction-Good-
By midafternoon, I reach the village of Branstead. Built on a low rise, it is a large village of perhaps a hundred families, and as I approach, some of the men in the fields pause in their work to watch me, but they don’t shout or flee. I wave and they wave back. “What news from the west?” They holler out as a couple of the laborers approach me.
I smile, “Good to see a friendly face in these strange times. Zarathen and Halvric’s Cross are closed to travelers. Caravans can’t get through city gates. They say they fear a plague, but I’ve seen no such signs in my travels. In the Kovori Marches, orcs have been growing restless. They hit the East Watch towers, but then were driven away. What news do you have?”
Q: Do they know much? NO
The men are wide eyed at my tale, “We’ve heard little since the traders stopped passing through. After the Black Moon, Flamekeeper Ven gathered everyone to pray for guidance and protection. Afterwards, Reeve Holveth told us to carry on, that the gods would watch over us, and to tend to our fields. We wanted to know more, but Ven told us time will tell, but she will not, and to see to our work, strong backs and full bellies can endure any trial.”
I nod. “Strange tidings. Will I be welcome in the village?” They encourage me to go on in and see for myself, and that Bran Orlov in the Wool and Thorn Tavern will be glad to have a guest.
-Immersion-Shouting-
Scene #8:
I enter the village of Branstead, where I am greeted with a shout, “Welcome traveller! What news of the road?” I look around and see a couple of village watchmen hailing me. There are women at work and children at play or doing their chores, as village life should always be.
E: Ambiguous Significance: An Increase of Death-
Add threads: Farm girl has gone missing (from ChatGPT village description), Sheep have mysteriously died
-Reaction Poor-Diplomacy fail 3-
I approach the village guards, whose smiles fade as I draw closer and they get a better look at my features.
“Well met,” I smile anyway, “I am looking for lodging, and a friendlier welcome than the locked gates of Zarathen and Halvric’s Cross, where they fear some unseen plague they think may soon strike.”
One of the guards snorts, “Maybe they are right to close their gates.” His companion nods. “Only lodging here is at the Wool and Thorn. Stay out of trouble, mutt.”
I glare at the second guard as I head to the center of the village and find the tavern.
Immersion-Sound-Hammering
I enter the tavern and am immediately struck by the sound of heavy tankards being slammed down on the table in rhythm as the man behind the bar recites a tale of a goblin raid to a group of seven young children and a couple of elders.
I smile as I listen to the tale of glorious battle and clever tricks while I wait for the man to finish.
-Reaction Poor-Diplomacy fail 2-
After the tale is done, the barkeep turns towards me and his smile fades quickly. “A tankard and a bowl?” He asks curtly. I nod and set my coins on the counter as he readies my meal. The bread is an end piece, dry and half burnt, but the porridge and ale are a fresh change from what I’ve been eating.
“I understand the roads have been empty lately.” I offer in conversation.
“What of it?” is the terse reply. I suggest it must be hard on an innkeeper, but he replies some company isn’t worth the trouble. Still, after so many nights sleeping under the stars, I rent a room, for he has no guests to speak of.
I spend the rest of the afternoon cleaning my equipment, then relaxing by the fire as a number of villagers come in to share their tales of the day and enjoy a tankard or two before returning to their own hearths.
Q: Do people come and talk to me? NO
As I sit in the common room, only a few people glance my way. Gone is the friendly welcome I received in the fields, everyone keeps to themselves.
Q: Do they talk about the dead livestock? NO Q: The missing girl? NO
They speak of ordinary things, but it seems like forced conversation. As though there is some unspoken fear they don’t wish to mention, and everyone obliges, hoping that leaving it unnamed will not allow it to manifest. After a time, I retire to my room for a rest.
Q: Does anything happen in the night? YES Q: A visitor? NO Q: Can I tell what’s going on? NO
In the middle of the night, I am awakened by an ear splitting scream, something unnatural! I am on my feet in an instant and reach for my knife. But then there is silence. I hear men shouting so I look out the window and see a couple of the watchmen heading towards the northern end of the village. I watch for a time, but nothing else seems to happen. Eventually, I bolt the window shut and lay back down, soon drifting off to sleep.
25th Greenthaw, Waysday-Comfortable, cloudy, no rain
Scene #9:
In the morning, I check my gear and gather my things before opening up the window. Looking out across the street, I see a barn door is hanging loose from its hinges as though struck by a ram. It was not like that the night before.
-Immersion-See something broken that worries me-
Q: Do people talk about what happened in the night? (Unlikely) YES Q: Livestock? EXCEPTIONAL YESE: Positive for The Missing Girl: the Neglect of a Dispute
I go downstairs and eat breakfast. The villagers are speaking in hushed tones, there is fear in their eyes and I soon learn that half a dozen sheep were killed in the night. And something broke into the barn across the street and killed a yoke of oxen!
Just then, a wealthy looking older Vaylan man enters the tavern with a limp, flanked by two watchmen, “You, stranger!” He points towards me. I bow lightly, as it is clear he is the lord of this village, “Come with me!”
I quickly finish my porridge and tankard, then follow him out into the street. “Milord, what is this about?”
-Reaction Poor-
He looks me up and down, and scowls, “Kovori, yes? Half-blood anyway. Your people are scouts, are they not?”
“My father is Vaylan, so you tell me,” I reply tersely.
The Reeve smirks at my reply, but doesn’t call me to answer for it, “You aren’t from this village, and you’ve come a long way with a bow slung over your shoulder and no shield on your back. I’d say you are scout, or at least a hunter. And from your dress, I’d say you are hungry for work.”
I nod, “And I’d say, if livestock are being taken in the night, and your people whisper in fear, you might have need of someone who can hunt.”
He smirks, “When the Black Moon blotted out the sun, Flamekeeper Ven warned me that an ancient evil was waking, and danger might soon come. That night, Iscera Mallor, a shepherdess, did not return home with her flock. We found some of the animals scattered at the forest’s edge, and a couple of carcasses that had been butchered by goblins, but we found no sign of her. In the morning, we found her tracks and goblin footprints leading into the woods, but then…something else before we lost the trail over rocky ground. Then there was a screech like the one we heard last night. It made our blood run cold, and we broke off the search. Flamekeeper Ven warned me to keep my men here, for when it comes. I don’t want to wait on an unknown adversary. I want you to find out what took the girl, whether it was goblins or something else, and what now dares to prey on the animals in our very sheepfolds and barns.”
“You and your men are afraid to face it?” The man pulls up his pant leg to reveal the wooden stump. I nod in understanding, “Two hundred shillings and I’ll risk my neck tracking this thing down for you, bring it down if I can.”
“Done,” he readily agrees. “We lost the trail in the woods north of the fields. Be careful, be quick. There is something out there, lurking. Kill it.”
I nod, and accept the purse of coins he gives me.
Scene #10:
I head over to the small, timber framed village shrine to speak with Flamekeeper Ven.
-Immersion-I see something decorated, and I want it-
Q: Are the girl’s parents there? NO
I enter the small shrine, the smell of incense washes over me as I enter and I see a woman in priestly raiment praying before icons of the four gods of the Vaylan people. The Eternal Emperor, the Earth Mother, the Iron Guardian, and the Silent Watcher. I kneel, and stumble my way through the prayers behind her. They are uncomfortable on my tongue, for I am not of these gods.
-Reaction-Poor- Diplomacy-fail 8-I can’t catch a break!-
When she is done, she turns and glares at me. “You don’t belong here, but you are welcome nonetheless. I sense you have questions. That perhaps the Reeve has sent you.”
I nod, “He says you know something of the Black Moon, and that it bears ill tidings. What do you know of the beast that kills your flocks, and of the girl who has gone missing.”
She looks at me, frowning, “I fear she has embarked on her next life. I pray that she accomplished what was needed in this one to ascend to a better one. As for the creature now plaguing us, it is not of our world. Not for a very long time, but is a harbinger of worse things to come.”
I notice a set of vials on the mantle behind the statues, ointments and salves of the sort rumored to mend wounds in an instant. Her eyes follow mine, “Those are not for you. A stranger to us. May the Iron Guardian guide your hand, and your wits keep you safe.”
I smirk. “A mail shirt would be better.” Then I turn and leave.
I walk over to the sheepfold to study the carnage.
Q: Are people still at the sheep fold? EXCEPTIONAL NO Q: Blood everywhere? EXCEPTIONAL YES
I look at the pen where the carcasses of nearly a dozen dismembered sheep are scattered about. Not just inside the pen, but draped over its fencing.
-First Aid Roll-Fail 2-fail to notice anything about the killing-
I start looking for tracks to see if I can figure out what caused the carnage. Goblins or something worse.
-Tracking pass-3- (I feed in the clues thus far to generate an adversary in ChatGPT, then run visualize)
It is something worse. The tracks are almost birdlike, but as big as a human foot, and they sink deep into the earth, as deep as a heavy set man or a soldier in mail. The strike is long, the creature is taller than a man, or long legged.
I head back into the village, “I’m going to hunt down the creature killing your animals. Will anyone come with me?”
-Neutral Reaction–Diplomacy pass 1, so I can shift it to good? Nope, just read diplomacy, it is a contest vs Will, Villagers Pass 3, so, just a Neutral reaction-
The people of the village shy away from me. Some wish me luck, but none try to dissuade me. None will join me.
I shake my head in dismay, then return to the sheepfold and begin tracking the creature towards the woods.
-Tracking-Fail by 10
-Immersion-Whining-
Scene #11:
I leave the village of Branstead following the deep tracks of the midnight terror, but soon lose them in the fresh sown fields. The soil is so badly churned that I lose sight of the prints in it! Then I hear a whining sound, and spot an injured dog at the edge of the fields.
-Animal Handling fail by 7-
I cautiously approach the wounded animal, but it becomes increasingly agitated as I draw near. It is a large sheep dog of the kind used to keep wolves at bay, undoubtedly attached to the flock that had been slaughtered. It has been badly cut, and is lying partially disemboweled at by a field marker. How it is still alive is beyond me!
It cannot be saved. I put a spear through its heart and put the animal out of its misery.
Q: Does anything strange happen when I kill the dog? YES Q: hatchling? YES
As I draw my spear from the dog’s chest, I see a black hand gripping it, and pull free a small humanoid creature from the animal’s corpse. It is an inky black creature, no bigger than a toddler, with luminescent eyes, but no other discernable features.
-Combat begins
Black Moon Hordling-Dread Chirp, I fail my Will save by 3, Suffer -1 Dex for 6 seconds
Kaelen-spear is already in hand and ready, so I stab the thing! Hit by 2, it dodges!
Round 2
BMH lunges at me, clawing and would hit, but I stepped back, dodging successfully.
Kaelen-I thrust my spear again. It tries to leap back, but I catch it midchest and skewer it.
It lets out a high pitched, keening wail that chills me to the core, then lunges at me as my spear misses the first time, but not the second. I quickly skewer the thing like a rat on a spit, and observe as it hangs limp on the end of my weapon. It smells foul.
I gingerly reach out to touch the thing. Its flesh is smooth and slick, like an eel’s. I’ve not seen anything like this before. I fling it away and poke at the dog’s carcass once more. Nothing else emerges.
Q: Birdlike feet? NO
I gather my nerves, and try to force the echo of that thing’s cry out of my mind, then proceed into the forest looking for the creature that attacked last night. It’s something different than this, of that I am certain, both in size and features.
-Immersion-See something dusty and forgotten that cheers me up-
Scene #12:
After killing the thing, I venture into the woods and am surprised to spot a small overgrown shrine to Sarani, the goddess farmers and families. I mutter a quick prayer for her protection for myself and the village.
-IQ pass 0, no special piety, so no a blessing is very unlikely-
Q: Am I granted a blessing? YES (Let’s say, can reroll a failed fright check, I’ll need it!)
I stow my spear in my quiver and nock an arrow as I begin stalking through the woods. They are unusually silent now for this time of day. And I feel the hair standing on the back of my neck. Something unnatural is near, as my own eyes have seen!
I begin seeking where things are the least normal, where I hear no natural sounds, thinking that will draw me closer to my quarry.
-Survival Pass 5- Very likely to find my quarry-
Q: Do I find the source of the disturbance? NO Q: Animals? EXCEPTIONAL NO Q: Goblins? YES Q: The girl? YES
Q: on the ground? YES Q: Arranged? YES Q: A pattern I’ve seen before? NO
I come to a small clearing where a ghastly scene lays before me. A pile of goblin corpses, and that of a young Vaylan woman, lay bloody and gutted on the ground. They seem to have been carefully arranged, head to toe and arms pointing towards the center in a great circle, then guts strung out and into the tree branches like…the rays from the sun!
-Health check-fail by 3-
I feel the bile rise up in my throat and start retching at the edge of the clearing. Nothing should be killed like that, or displayed in such a gruesome way!
Q: Are hatchlings here? NO
After a few minutes, I stop and regain my feet. I rinse my mouth out with water and spit on the ground, then take a swig, reluctant to look at the scene any longer. Instead, I circle the perimeter, shocked not to hear the sound of flies or chatter of crows that would normally be thick at such carnage. But I focus on seeking tracks for the villain that did this.
Tracking Pass 0
I find the birdlike prints once more, and begin following them into the woods, arrow at the ready.
Q: Do they lead me to my quarry? YES Q: In the open? NO Q: Ancient structure? YES
I start following the trail uphill and then reach an area where some sort of mudslide must have occured in conjunction with the recent tremors. And there, I see what appears to be worked stone, exposed on the side of what had been an overgrown mound, before the vegetation was nearly “peeled” off of one side. The air is still, and cold. The tracks lead towards the stonework.
Q: Are any guardians nearby? NO
I move slowly and quietly towards the structure, hoping not to be discovered by whatever it is that I hunt.
-Stealth-Fail 1- Midnight Screamer Passes Perception by 2, but being inside, it is unlikely to hear me-
Q: Does it hear me? NO
As I draw closer to the entrance, it occurs to me that I do not want to face whatever this is in close quarters, without armor or proper arms. It is a hunter. A stalker. And I am too! I find myself a good place to hide, wait and observe.
-Camoflage Pass 5, not be noticed with the creature emerges!-
Q: Does the thing emerge before dusk? EXCEPTIONAL NO Q: Does it come out after the sun sets? YES
It passes perception by 8!
I see this tall, hideous shadow creature emerge from the exposed ruin. It’s body is an elongated shadow of a giant, and its head is like a wolf’s skull. It immediately turns to look at me and lets out a horrifying scream that nearly chills me to the bone!
Combat
Round 1
Midnight Screamer-Failed its IQ and used paralyzing howl on spotting an ambush as it left its layer, I am just out of range
Kaelen-Aim
Round 2
Midnight Screamer moves towards me at full speed
Kaelen-Fire, all out attack-+4 to hit, range 8, -4 to hit, I hit by 0!, it dodges!
Round 3
Midnight Screamer moves at me full speed, Move and Attack, Critical hit! I drop whatever I am carrying, it does 6 points of damage (6 Cutting, -2 DR, X 1.5=6 damage!)
Kaelen readies his spear
Round 5
Midnight Screamer All out attack, negating its wound penalties. Hit! I dodge back out of the way
Kaelen thrusts with spear, hits, no defense possible, I do 5-2Dr=6 points impaling.
Round 6
Midnight Screamer-All out attack 13+4-4=13 to hit, hits with a 6. I dodge
Kaelen stabs again with spear-and miss!
Round 7
Midnight Screamer-All out attack-13+4=hits! I dodge
Kaelen stabs again with spear, I hit for 8-2=12 points of impaling damage!
The thing moves faster than a man, but I calm my nerves aim, and it jinks clear of my arrow! It is on me a second later, slashing me across the arm and knocking the bow from my hand. I pull my spear free and find myself forced backwards time and again as the creature presses its attack, striking repeatedly seemingly without regard to its own safety. I stab it once, but it is relentless! Then I stab it a second time, driving my spear through its heart…if it ever had one.
Q: Does it dissolve? EXCEPTIONAL NO,
-I fail my Will save against Fright, and my Blessing of Sarani Reroll, I am at -1 vs Fright checks for one week and will be plagued with nightmares-
-First Aid, Pass by 2, roll 3 for hit point recovery!-
I clean my wound and bandage it up my arm as best I can, then clean my spear and retrieve my bow, checking it for damage.
I kneel down and examine the otherworldly creature. Its flesh is like coiled rope, but dark and oily. It’s legs are reverse jointed, like a gazelle’s, but it has birdlike clawed feet. It’s flesh doesn’t cover its skull, which is wolf like but with longer fangs in front. It has thick, course hair along its back and a short tail. It’s hands sport long claws. I shudder at the sight of it. It makes my skin crawl!
I take out my hatchet and cut off the fiend’s head, then clean that weapon as well.
Q: Is anything attracted to the noise? EXCEPTIONAL NO Q: Is the area still silent? YES
After completing my task, I realize that I still don’t hear any animals. No hoots of owls or chirps of crickets. Just an unnatural silence.
I look towards the darkness of its lair. That stony cutout in the exposed hillside, and wonder what may lie within. I walk over towards it, and peer into the gloom.
Q: Does any light come from within? EXCEPTIONAL YES
An eerie green light seems to emanate from deep within the place. Looking around, I see that some sort of stone door had once sealed this entrance, but it is now cracked and has fallen to the side when the earth must have moved. But beyond that, there are stairs down towards this strange green glow. I unshoulder my cloak into my left hand, and gripping my spear in both, proceed into the depths before me.
-Using the Solo Adventure Generator-The Dead Don’t Sleep- by Paul Bimler, and a random map generated online-
Descending down the steps into some sort of antechamber whose roof is supported by heavy stone pillars, I hear the sound of heavy footsteps to the right. There are hallways open to both the left and the right.
Q: Is the source of the light here? EXCEPTIONAL YES Q: A single object? EXCEPTIONAL YES Q: Small and portable? NO I ask Chat GPT about the specifics of the source
On the far wall is the sculpture of a great tree, but gnarled and broken. In the center of the tree is a great green stone that seems to pulse with light. The glow ebbs and flows moment by moment, pulsing like a beating heart. I notice the stone pillars are also carved in the likeness of trees, but that the creatures nesting within their boughs are not normal birds, but strange, twisted interpretations of them…skeletal creatures. And that the etched undergrowth carved into the room’s stone walls also conceal hidden creatures, goblin like, but not goblin…more akin to that thing that I pulled from the dog’s corpse.
-Health check, pass 3-
As I approach the stone, I feal nauseous, but it passes quickly. I step away.
I ready my spear and follow the sound to the right.
-Immersion-Sense of Lucidity-
Scene #13:
Having explored the antechamber, I realize that I am in a place from another time and an ancient peoples. From a world that honored the unnatural. Warily, I seek out the source of the footsteps I hear beyond.
E: Remote Event: the Defeat of Benefits
Q: Is the source of the footsteps in the next room? YES (Roll a Zombie!) Room Contents-Roll Chapel
I see a glowing orb that seems to float in the center of the adjoining room, above an ancient stone altar. There is a goblin corpse on the altar, its chest ripped open and it throat torn out. And, there is movement to my left!
Combat-
Turn 1
Kaelen-I hit with my spear, it fails to dodge. I do 3 points of damage after DR 2.
Zombie-Hits me with, I fail to dodge. 2 points vs my DR 2-no damage!
Turn 2
Kaelen-I hit with my spear, it fails to dodge. I do 3 points of damage after DR 2.
Zombie-Misses me
Turn 3
Kaelen-I hit with my spear, it fails to dodge. I do 6 points of damage after DR 2.
Zombie-It hits, but I dodge by stepping back
Turn 4
Kaelen-I hit with my spear, it fails to dodge. I do 6 points of damage after DR 2.
Zombie-Misses me
Turn 5
Kaelen-Miss
Zombie-Miss
Turn 6
Kaelen-Miss
Zombie-Miss
Turn 7
Kaelen-Critical Hit (double shock, so…no effect) I do 6 points of damage after DR 2.
Zombie-Miss
Turn 8
Kaelen-Critical Hit (double shock, so…no effect) I do 5 points of damage after DR 2.
Zombie-Miss
Turn 9
Kaelen-I hit with my spear, it fails to dodge. I do 6 points of damage after DR 2.
Zombie-collapses
I see a human like figure with glowing green eyes, half decomposed but dried out like it had been left in the sun instead of to rot, shambling towards me. I stab it several times with my spear as the thing tries to club me with its fist. Though it takes a lot of punishment, it is too clumsy to cause me any real harm and I eventually stab it so many times that it collapses in a heap and the light fades from its empty sockets.
I pause to catch my breath before looking around some more.
Q: Do I hear any more noises? NO Q: Does the Zed look human? YES Q: Modern era? EXCEPTIONAL YES Q: A purse on him? NO
Hearing nothing other than the sound of my own breathing, I clean my weapon and examine the corpse. In spite of its decayed state, the corpse’s clothing looks relatively undamaged by age. If I had to guess, I’d say the man had actually been dead less than a week, and his body not exposed to the elements at all, except that the state of the corpse indicates a longer span.
I then go over to the altar where the goblin is laid out beneath a floating orb. I gaze up at the orb, glowing with a pale green light, with no apparent threads holding it in place, no feeling of warmth as though there were a fire burning within. There is clearly some sort of witchcraft at work!
I prod the dead goblin with the butt of my spear.
Q: Does the corpse respond? YES Q: Hatchling? NO Q: zed? YES
Combat-
Turn 1
Kaelen-I hit with my spear, it is not in a position to dodge. I do 6 points of damage after DR 2.
Zombie-Zombie climbs down from the altar.
Turn 2
Kaelen-Drop spear, ready hatchet
Zombie-Zombie would have it, but I dodged, stepping back
Turn 3
Kaelen-hit with hatchet, zed fails to dodge, 4-2=3 cutting damage
Zombie-Zombie would have it, but I dodged, stepping back
Turn 4
Kaelen-hit with hatchet, zed fails to dodge, 9-2=10 cutting damage
Zombie-Zombie hits, I step back, failing to dodge, am hit for 4-2=2 points crushing damage
Turn 5
Kaelen-hit with hatchet, zed fails to dodge, 9-2=10 cutting damage
Zombie-Zombie would have it, but I dodged, stepping back
Turn 5
Kaelen-hit with hatchet, zed fails to dodge, 10-2=12 cutting damage
It sits upright and turns to look towards me as I stab it with my spear! Then I step back, dropping my spear and drawing the hatchet from my belt as the thing climbs down after me. I begin chopping the thing apart, but not before it manages to punch me hard in the arm once. Fortunately, my conditioning has trained me to ignore pain in the fight, and I stay focused on bringing the undead monstrosity down!
Eventually, I have hacked the goblin corpse to pieces, and soon my weapons are cleaned and properly stowed once more. I then examine the altar and the orb, spear in hand again.
Q: Does the altar share the leaf motif? YES
The altar shares the leaf motive that was present in the engravings that adorned the previous room, though here, dried blood stains passages through the leaves and branches down to the roots of the altar, feeding the stone work below. As in the other room, strange creatures peek out from the carved foliage, there is an eeriness and evil to the imagery.
I look up at the glowing orb and push it with the tip of my spear
Q: Does something bad happen when I push the orb? YES Q: Explosive magical arc of green helfire? YES Q: Can it be dodged? YES -Fail dodge roll, 2d6 fire damage, 6 points-2 DR=4 points of damage Q: does the orb still float there unscathed? YES
The orb explodes in a ball of green fire! I dive beneath the altar but feel a seering pain as the heat washes over me!
I roll away from the altar, the fire having receded and look back up at the orb, still glowing, still floating above the altar.
Badly burnt, I retreat back to the entry vault. I cannot really reach my back to apply any sort of salve or ointment. Instead, my eyes are drawn back towards the girl’s corpse, her head resting on the feet one goblin, her feet beneath the head of another.
Q: Does desecrating the sigil awaken anything? NO
I cut away her intestines that are drawn from her body to decorate the rest of the room. Then I wrap her remains in my cloak, hoist her body over my shoulder, and carry her out of the ancient shrine, picking up the severed head of the screaming fiend as I go.
Q: Is the journey back to the village uneventful? YES
-Immersion-See something written or carved, it is dusty and faded with age
Scene #14 (Negative Alteration):
I return to Branstead with the dead girl slung over my shoulder and the severed head of the night fiend hanging from my belt. As I approach the village, I notice that the field marker near where the dead dog lies has the faded etchings of a tree carved into it, reminiscent of what I saw in the ancient shrine. I hear the sounds of fighting up ahead.
Q: Does the local lord have things under control? YES
Hearing the blast of a horn, and men yelling, I strain my eyes and see two villagers pursuing a tiny black figure through the fields towards me. It is one of those things like what came out of the dog! I drop the girl’s body to the ground and ready my bow, taking aim at the small figure. As it draws close, I loose an arrow and strike the creature in the arm, which drops uselessly. It is quickly overtaken and killed by the farmers.
I nock another arrow and watch for bit, checking to see if the threat had passed. Seeing no further threats, I stow my bow, pick the girl back up and continue towards the village.
-Reaction-Neutral- Q: Was anyone killed? YES (Roll a d6, 1 person was killed by the fiends)
As I walk into the village, nobody is eager to greet me, they simply nod or look curiously at the skull dangling from my belt, or the cloaked corpse over my shoulder. There are no smiles, no words of greeting.
I see a number of people gathered around the body of a dead woman. It looks like she had been savaged by tiny claws. I pause and look at her. “The black fiends got her?” I ask.
Q: Do the people answer me? YES E: Negative for Hordlings: the Beginning of Balance
One of the men nods at me, “Yeah. We heard her screaming, and then saw her trying to fight off two of them. Then three more crawled out of the dead sheep.”
Q: Is my advice well received? EXCEPTIONAL YES
I nod. “Best to burn any animal carcasses slain by these things.” I advise. The man readily agrees, and mutters about strange witchcraft brewing.
I then walk towards the reeve’s manor house, but the reeve and Flame Keeper Ven are both heading my way.
“Kovori!” the Reeve calls to me.
I nod my head and respond, “Milord”, for I don’t know his name either.
Q: Is he frightened of the head? NO
“What did you…is that?” His eyes fall to the skull on my belt.
I nod, “Yes. It came from an ancient shrine uncovered by a recent mudslide or tremor. It let out a fearsome cry, like the one we heard last night. It was taller and faster than a man. Vicious claws as well. I am lucky to have survived the fight. Half a dozen goblins, and your girl, were not so fortunate.” I hoist the cloaked corpse a bit higher on my shoulder, to indicate I brought her back.
Q: Are they grateful? YES Q: Curious? NO Q: Do people cringe or cry out in horror? EXCEPTIONAL YES
“That’s her?” The reeve asks, I reply that it’s what’s left of her. He cringes at the statement but thanks me anyway, “You’ve done well then.” I nod and set the corpse down where he indicates, unrolling it from my cloak to the shock and horror of several bystanders who see the mutilated state of her remains. What must of been her mother screams out in shock and dismay. The girl’s father is angry and horrified, demanding that I cover her back up. I drop my cloak back down over her for the moment.
Q: Do they react positively to that? NO Q: Am I kicked out? NO
“I’ll need my cloak back, or a fresh one.” I say matter of factly. The man snaps back that his daughter is dead, but as much as I would pity him in normal circumstances, these people have not done anything to earn my sympathy.
“Go get some rest!” the Reeve commands me, and I retire to the Wool and Thorn Tavern.
Q: Does Flamekeeper Ven have questions for me? YES
“Kovori, wait!” Flamekeeper Ven calls to me. I look at her. “What did you find there? Tell me about the shrine.”
I wince at the memory. “It appeared to be some sort of ancient temple. Perhaps dedicated to some forest lord. In the antechamber, there were four great pillars, and the pillars and walls were carved in relief of a great forest, with strange creatures lurking bout, like the ones we’ve slain today, and other…more disturbing things. There was a great glowing green crystal in the heart of once of the trees opposite the entrance. The girl and half a dozen goblins were laying dead in a circle, head to foot, arms stretched towards the center, entrails spread out across the floor, like a sun and its rays. There were passages to the left and the right. To the right, there was an altar with a glowing green orb floating in the air above it. Touching it caused it to burst into flame, scorching me as I ducked away, but the orb remained floating above. On the altar was a dead goblin, but when I touched his remains, he got up and attacked me. Another dead man also attacked me. He too looked recently murdered. There was more to the shrine, but after being burned, and from the cuts and bruising from the other fights, I decided to return to the village.”
-I pass a diplomacy check, so it is very likely…Q: Is she pleased with the intel? EXCEPTIONAL NO-Q: Does she press farther? YES
“Did you seal it back up! Such places are cursed with foul magic and must be destroyed!” She demands.
I shake my head, “I hadn’t the means. None of your village came with. I am tired. I need to rest and let my wounds heal.”
“Coward! You should lead the reeve and his men back there and destroy this evil!” I hold up the demon’s head and toss it on the ground at her feet, then repeat that I am tired, and walk away. “We need your help!” I tell her I gave it. She calls out once more, “Kovori! Finish this fight!”
I stop, turn and glare at her, “What’s my name?”
Q: Does that shut her up? YES
She stammers. Then sheepishly cast her eyes downward in shame. I go to the tavern.
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