—Episode 2—
Threshing 2nd
Pleasant, Clear Skies, Heavy Wind-
-Immersion-Make a Deal with Myself-
Ep 2: Scene 5: Threshing 2nd-Assembly Yard-Interrupt-Advance Thread-Make a friend
Chaos Factor: 4
Leading my mule through town to join Therault’s caravan, I realize it is really a skittish little thing. Tugging away every time a loud noise is heard, or a dog barks. I tell myself, “First thing…better mule,” as I tug the animal after me in frustration.
I soon reach the Blackened Hearth Inn where oxen have been yoked to half a dozen wagons and Therault’s men and drovers are getting ready to head out. I approach Rou, “Can I tether the mule behind the rear wagon?”
His face lights up on seeing me, “Glad you made it! Always glad for a tested blade. Yeah, go ahead and lash him up for quick release. I’ll tell the drover. ” Rou leads me back to the fifth wagon and talks to the driver while I lash up the mule. Then I look around to get a sense of the company I’ll be travelling alongside.
Q: Are the pilgrims from last night travelling with us? 50/50 Exceptional No Q: Is anyone else travelling with us? 50/50 No Q: Does Therault ride? Likely No Q: Do any of the men look experienced? Unlikely No
Besides Rou, there are nine other guards and five drovers, but all of the soldiers look young, and a bit nervous. Before I can ask Rou about it, Therault climbs up beside the driver of the lead wagon, “Head out!” he calls.
I watch the wagons get underway, then I trot up alongside Rou. “These men of yours, any seen combat before?”
Rou smirks as he shakes his head, “Therault lost the best earlier this week, hiring on with free companies heading east. Refused to pay enough to keep them. We’ve got several who have done the route before, but none have actually…fought. Maybe a barroom brawl. But not a real fight. That’s why I suggested we hire you.”
“I’m not exactly well blooded myself,” I scowl.
Rou shrugs, “But you’ll hold. That’s key. Now, I saw that spear and shield on your mule, go fetch it. I’ll want that crossbow of yours loaded and ready in the highlands, but for now, spear and shield. Just tag along, eyes sharp, mouth shut. Got it?”
“Yeah. I can do that,” I nod, then go and collect the weapons he wants me to carry, and fall in on the left side of the caravan, so my shield is towards an attacker. I’d rather guard the left than the right. Rou looks back, realizes what I’ve done, and grins, shaking his head.
-Minor Event-Druid protest-
We follow the cobblestone road out from Kiddimir, heading generally southwest past cultivated fields. I notice a man wearing furs and leathers standing out in a field, shouting at the farmers. Something about the First Father’s ways, abandoning the plow and trusting in Krenax’s bounty.
Q: Is the local priest confronting him? 50/50 Exceptional No Q: Are the peasants ignoring him? 50/50 Exceptional No
Several of the peasants are yelling at the man to leave. A few brandish threshing flails and one of the men starts towards him.
I sigh and consider getting involved, but instead, I trot up alongside Rou, “Who is that man?”
Rou glances over, “Some Craglander priest or something. Strange folk. Live far to the west beyond the Lone Fields. Sometimes come east to fight, or trade. Good trackers. Good in a scrap. But not farmers.”
I nod, “Good to know.”
Q: Are we stopped at the gate? Unlikely
-Immersion, I see something forgotten/discarded that saddens me-
Ep 2: Scene 6: Good Road Village-reduce one activity, increase another
Chaos Factor: 4
Our small company rolls through the wooden gate of a modest farming village and halts in front of a small inn for lunch. The sign above the door depicts a two headed man with a mug of ale and a leg of lamb, eating and drinking simultaneously. A couple of men are assigned to watch over the cargo while the others head inside for lunch.
Letting one of the drovers water my mule, I notice a small gravemarker in the garden beside the inn, half hidden by weeds at the edge of the fence. I walk over, kneel down and scrape away the dirt that has built up over the engraving.
“Anfre Bouchard. Beloved wife and mother. Vingrow 8, 1376 to Gathering 12, 1392,” I mutter as I read the faded words. I finish cleaning up the gravestone, offer up a prayer for her soul, then stand and look around, wondering if she had any children, and if any still remain in this village a hundred years later to care that she once drew breath.
Q: Does anyone disturb me? Unlikely Yes (A threatening, loyal person) Generate—a leper! (Random Ambiguous Event-Completion, Lure) (Perception 5, I don’t notice the disease itself, nor her approach)
That’s when I realize there is a woman standing nearby, watching me. Her dress ragged and patched. Her hands wrapped in linen, her face half obscured by a scarf in spite of the warmth of the day, I start at first, but then realize, she means no harm.
“Pardon me, good man. I did not wish to disturb your prayers,” she says, her voice, soft and melodic.
“Oh, I’m done. Did you know her?” I ask.
Q: Is she familar with the gravemarker? Likely Yes Q: Related? Unlikely Exceptional No
“Anfre Bouchard? No, but her marker has always been here. Sometimes, I sit beside it, two forgotten souls, side by side,” the woman shrugs.
“You’re a forgotten soul?” I raise an eyebrow.
-Insight 20-
She moves a bit, and I hear the tinkle of bells, “I…would that it were true.”
-Persuasion 7-
“Let me see your face,” I ask. She recoils and steps away, the bells tinkle again.
Q: Is someone coming to evict her? Likely No
“Forgive me, good man. I…dare not show my face,” she looks around, clearly nervous, “But good man?” she asks hopefully, “Could I beg some bread of you?”
“Ah! That’s it,” I glance towards the bakery across the market square, then pull out four pennies, and hold my hand out towards hers.
She hesitates…”Could you…could you buy the bread for me?”
-No encounter crossing the square-
I raise an eyebrow, “Alright..” I reply, hesitantly and walk across the square, glancing back at her, only to see that she has withdrawn, half obscured, towards the side wall of the tavern. I shake my head, purchase two barley loaves, then walk back over to her. I hold out a loaf.
“You can…please…just drop it on the ground for me. So our hands dare not touch? Please master?” she half whimpers.
I shake my head, “A terrible curse you carry.” I set the two pieces of bread on the gravestone I had just cleaned, then place two tenpiece beside them. “May Freia watch over you.”
Q: Does she ask my name? Likely No
“Thank you, master,” she bows her head.
“What is your name? So it is not forgotten,” I ask.
“Giselle,” she responds, picking up the bread and the coins after I step away. “Twas Giselle.”
“Fare well, Giselle,” I reply, then I leave her to retreat behind the side of the building where she must surely go to eat in peace. But it occurs to me, no village watch would ever allow a leper to come and go from within the village walls, so I decide to follow her.
-Survival 23- My stealth 3, her perception 13-
She weaves her way, through the back yards of cottages, somehow managing to avoid being spotted, and I watch as she approaches a pile of refuse near the edge of the palisade. Suddenly, she turns towards me, “Why do you follow me?”
-Persuasion 16-
“I know the guards would not allow a leper to come and go, so I wondered how you manage it,” I reply. “Curiosity, no desire to cause you harm.”
“I’ll show you,” she bows her head, and moves aside an old table leaned up against the palisade, and I can see where she has dug down below, a gap she can just shimmy through.
“Clever,” I nod, and then climb through after her, and come out the other side where there is thick brush. I wait behind her, and then…she makes a quick dash into a patch of woods where people most surely gather branches for their hearth. I follow after her.
-Persuasion 23-
“You live here, in these woods?” I ask.
“Yes! Would you like to see?” she asks, seeming to be genuinely grateful as I nod. She leads me some half mile in, to a small lean-to where she has a small pile of old blankets, a bowl, a cup, and a bucket outside to catch rainwater.
-Persuasion 16-
“A….nice home,” I nod, trying not to sound condescending.
She laughs, “No, it is not. But thank you. You are a kind soul.”
I shrug, “Perhaps not as kind as I should be. I need to return to my caravan, lest I be left behind, and my mule escorted away.” I sling down my pack, and pull out some dried meat, fruit, and nuts.
“I…I can’t really eat any of that but the fruit. My teeth…my teeth have rotted away,” she laments.
I nod, and leave only the fruit. “Freia bless you child.”
I see the tears in her eyes, but dare not linger any further, returning to the village by the southern gate, in case the caravan is already heading out.
Q: Has the caravan finished its break? Unlikely No Q: Am I stopped at the gate? Unlikely No
I pass through the southern gate unchallenged, and return to the village square. I quickly enter the tavern, and a tankard and bowl are poured for me. I wolf down the meal, then join the rest of the company as travel resumes.
-Encounter-rabbit burrows- Q: Does a man fire? Likely Exceptional yes
Rejoining the company, we continue travelling through rolling countryside and pastures. I spot some rabbits in a meadow some distance away, but with my crossbow on the mule, I can’t take a shot, but two men do! One bolt catches a hare straight through the eye, the other goes wide. Rou calls back, “Who hit that thing?”
“I did,” I replies the man nearest me, heading out to fetch the animal.
“Loncha, right? You walk up here beside me,” Rou grins.
Q: Is Therault annoyed? 50/50 No
Master Therault looks at the other man who shot, “If you spend a bolt on game, best hit the target. They aren’t free, you know.”
-Perception 18 to find the bolt-
The man nods, then goes to search for his bolt. Thankfully, he finds it quickly and falls back in at the rear of our formation as the company didn’t really slow down for either man.
Q: Does Loncha quickly catch up? Unlikely. Exceptional Yes
Loncha is apparently quick with a knife, as he catches up fast after gutting and pre-dressing the hare he shot. He is soon keeping pace with Rou near the front, apparently quite happy to be appreciated.
-Immersion: Loss of Balance- (Dex roll 14, stay on my feet!)
Ep 2: Scene 7: Shoalwatch (2nd)-Altered, remove a character
Chaos Factor: 4
As we are nearing another village and I nearly stumble when my foot slips into a gap in the cobblestone road.
Looking around, I see that the cobblestones are uneven here, missing in some places and sliding into the sand on the left side of the road, towards the shore. On my left, I see the ocean. The surf is pretty rough, whiteheads everywhere, which isn’t surprising given how windy it is today. There are little fishing boats bobbing in the waves, and I can smell the salty air.
Then we come to the village, right up on the shore. Its fields upslope and inland.
Q: Do the guards stop us? Unlikely Yes Q: Deny us entry? Very Unlikely No Q: Anyone question me? Unlikely No
At the village gate, the company comes to a halt, while Therault exchanges words with the sergeant on watch. I see a few coins exchanged, and then we enter the village and trundle into the square. We stop in front of a good sized inn where a single eel slips out of a net full of fish on the sign.
“We’re staying here tonight!”, calls out Therault. “Get the wagons into the warehouse, Oxen to the stables.”
I head into the tavern to inquire about lodging while Rou starts assigning watch duty over the warehouse.
Q: Is it busy? 50/50 Yes (Entertainment-Acrobats, generate them) Q: Is a northbound caravan here? Likely Yes (Generate, it’s a 7 person company) Q: Other Travellers present? Likely Yes (Roll on strange travelers, thugs! 3d4=7)
The inn is pretty crowded already with men and drovers from another caravan company, a pair of women performing some sort of contortion act, and half a dozen rough looking armed men. “How many rooms do you have left? We’ve got twelve men with us,” I ask the innkeeper.
Q: Does he have enough rooms for us? Likely Yes
“I’ve got six rooms for you,” the innkeeper replies.
“Seven rooms? I need one of my own, and…it’s up to the master how many rooms he wants for his company. I’m just travelling alongside,” I reply.
Q: Does he have a seventh room? 50/50 No
“I said I had six rooms free,” the innkeeper replies.
“Alright, give me one,” I respond, “I have a mule as well.” I add as I slide him some coin and he passes me a key. He nods, and I go outside to untether my mule and lead it to the stables. Then carry my pack and saddle inside for safekeeping.
Q: Does Therault ask about my renting a room on my own? Likely No
By this time, Therault and Rou are inside, renting out the remaining rooms. They don’t say anything, but if they are posting watches, they’ll never have all of the beds occupied at any one time anyway.
Q: Is the service prompt? 50/50 Exceptional No Q: Does anyone approach me? Unlikely No
I load my gear up into my room, then go downstairs to the tap room and take a seat at one of the tables farther from the performers, as the ones nearby are full. And I wait for the pudgy little tavern wench who is serving the other patrons to break away and come over.
-Topic, current scene-
Eventually, I get up and go to the bar, “I need a tankard of ale and a plate of whatever you’re cooking today,” I tell the man. And a few minutes later, he hands me both.
“They’re good ain’t they?” the innkeeper asks.
“Who?” I ask.
“The girls! Ada and Nina! Always a hit when they come around,” he beams.
“Oh,yeah. I suppose they are,” I reply, looking over at the performers. “Who are…some of these men look like caravaners. The others?”
Q: Does he know? Very likely Exceptional yes Q: Will he say? Unlikely Yes
“Ah. Trouble. Not here mind you, but on the road. Watch yourself. Don’t show a lot of coin and stick with the caravan. You’ll be fine,” he shrugs.
“Huh,” I reply, puzzled at how casually he admits there are bandits in his lodging house. “Well…thanks for the warning.”
“I didn’t say anything,” he shrugs as one of the men approaches the bar while I take my food.
Q: Does the thug talk to me? Unlikely Exceptional No
The man glances at me, then turns his attention to the barkeep. “Amira’s too slow! Hire someone that can actually move! We need two more bottles, we’ll pour ’em ourselves.”
“They’re from a cask!” the innkeeper replies, “Bring your tankards and I’ll pour fresh.”
-Con save 9 vs DC 10-
The man rolls his eyes, but I return to my seat, take a bite of the grilled fish and…wish that I hadn’t. I spit it out onto the plate, scrape it to the side and eat the spiced barley, onion, carro and mushroom mix on which it sits. Then, given the taste of the fish, I have second thoughts and pick out the mushrooms for good measure. Thankfully, the ale is fine.
-Event-Innkeeper asks PC for help with a minor problem- (Perception 11)
While I relax, observing the people and trying to watch the show, the Innkeeper approaches. “Excuse me. I was wondering…since you hired a room by yourself, and it has too beds, if you wouldn’t mind sharing with another guest,” the innkeeper gestures towards a scruffy looking young man standing at the bar, watching us.
“He can’t sleep in the hayloft or something? I’ve already paid for a room and moved my things in,” I shake my head. “Oh, and the fish is…inedible.”
Q: Does he offer anything in exchange? Likely Exceptional Yes
“I’m sorry about the fish, and I’ll knock half off the cost of the lodging if you let him lodge with you.
-Persuasion 15-
“Half off the cost of the lodging, and as I already paid for one meal that is half inedible, I want my dinner for free,” I reply.
“Alright, fair enough,” he agrees, and counts out two tenpiece and five pennies from his purse. Then he returns to the scruffy man and gestures towards me. The man approaches.
-My insight 7, I notice nothing, Perception 22, I smell enough-
“Hey! Thank you for sharing a room,” he begins, then looks me up and down. “My name’s Chinot”
“You’re a tanner, aren’t you?” I ask.
He chuckles, “Yeah, I am. You’re a…sellsword?”
I nod, “That’s the gist of it. Come on up, I’ll show you the room and you can set your bags down. What brings you this way?”
“On the road to Faithstone. My master received a letter that a shop needed an assistant, so…now is a good time opportunity to move up in the trade,” Chinot explains.
“A man willing to take a gamble? You’ll go far,” I nod.
He grins, “I hope so. Are you…heading south, by chance?”
“Yes, the caravan I’m with also bound for Faithstone. I’m on my way to Oldenfall, so I’ve got a few more days with them,” I shrug.
“So…we can travel together?” his face lights up.
Q: Are other people disgusted by the fish? Likely No
I nod and gesture towards Therault and Rou, “Talk to Master Therault about that, but I don’t see why not.”
I show Chinot our room, and he sets his bags down. After he does so, I lock it back up, then go outside for a breath of fresh air while he talks to Therault.
-Encounter-None- Q: Does he have a mule? Likely Exceptional No
I decide to take a walk around the village as it is only late afternoon. Walking around, there is a blacksmith, shoemaker, chandler, herbalist and general goods store on the village square along with the village shrine and the manor house. Down by the shore is a ropemaker, a fishmonger, a boat maker, and a net mender. There is a livestock dealer near the south gate, so I take a look at his stock. Unfortunately, he has no mules, so I head back over to the general goods store.
-Reaction Very Positive- (Generate merchant)
The man behind the counter smiles up at me when I enter his shop. “How may I help you today?”
“I’m just looking around, really,” I confess, “Caravan stopped here early for some reason.”
“From Kiddimir? Or from Gateway? No matter, we are halfway between. No point in pushing through as a caravan will stop at either one, and we’ve got a bigger inn than either Stenchbog or Goodroad.”
“Stenchbog? The next town south is named Stenchbog?” I ask incredously.
The man nods, “And that is why smart travelers, and those with noses, stay here in Shoalwatch instead of pushing on until dusk.”
I laugh, “Thank you for that. Hey, do you happen to have a map?”
Q: Does he have a map? Unlikely No
“No, good man. For something like that, you should have visited Red Vellum in Kiddimir,” he laughs.
Q: Does he have a Freian pendant? Likely Exceptional Yes
I nod my head, “I’ll remember that when I return.” Then my eyes are drawn to some pendants hanging from the wall behind him. “The pendant, the silver falcon. How much?”
“This one? Or this with the gold trim?” the man asks, showing me the two pieces.
“Hmmm…gold trim,” I suggest.
The man smiles and shows me the piece, “Two crowns.” I put it around my neck, and draw out the two gold coins. “Thank you, good man. May you find favor with the goddess.”
“How much for the silver one?” I ask, curious.
“Five tenpiece,” he suggests.
“That one as well,” I agree, and hand him the coin. “For a friend.”
He nods and hands me the piece, which I carefully fold in a small cloth bag he gives me for it.
-Persuasion 15-
“What can you tell me about the lord of this village?” I ask.
“Sir Ivel? A decent enough lord. Keeps the peace. Can’t complain about that. He needs a wife and son though. He’s not much older than you. Maybe younger. Just came into the manor last year when his father died,” the merchant explains.
I nod, “Sir Ivel? And your name?”
“Neil,” he replies slowly.
“Nice talking to you. And thanks for the pendants,” I smile. He nods slowly as I leave his shop, and walk around the village a bit longer.
-Encounter-Generate Melanie Garan-
“Hey handsome,” a rather voluptuous woman greets me.
I glance her way, “I’m not interested.”
“You say that, but your eyes say otherwise. It’s always okay to look, at least when my husband’s not around,” she winks.
I shake my head, and continue on my way back to the inn.
Q: Is dinner decent? Unlikely Exceptional No Q: Can I sit by Rou? Likely Exceptional Yes Q: Good view? Likely No
I take a bowl of stew and realize it smells even worse than the fish tasted earlier in the day. I leave it on the counter, and take a second tankard of ale instead. Then I sit beside Rou, but unfortunately, still can’t see the acrobats.
-Topic Allies-
“So that roommate of yours, that Chinot fellow. What do you think of him?” Rou asks.
“Nothing. I only met him an hour ago. What about your man, Loncha?” I reply.
“Kid’s a good shot! And that hare, spitted up, better than anything this place serves,” Rou laughs.
“Cow dung is better than what this place serves,” I shake my head.
Rou laughs, “I think I’ll take the fish instead.”
-Event-insult contest-
Our conversation is cut short by two of the rough looking men hurling insults at each other. One calls the other a clumsy oaf, the other an idiot. And before long, they are insulting each other’s mothers and parentage. I pay it no mind.
“So where from here?” I ask.
“Tomorrow, we push through Stenchbog, to Gateway. Wait there until an escort takes us to Fort Norgard. Then the following day, on to Truestone. That’s where we head west to Faithstone, and I guess you go east, right?”
“Sounds right,” I agree.
“With any luck, nothing happens on the trip. But if we run into gnolls crossing the highlands, let the escorts deal with it if they can. We hang back and support them. Keep the animals calm and the cargo safe,” he advise.
I nod, “Gnolls, huh?”
“Gnolls. Packs are usually pretty small. Keep away from escorted companies. Really only dangerous to lone travelers,” he yawns. “Anyway, it’s an easy road tomorrow. But get some rest anyway.”
Q: Does Chinot retire as well? Likely Yes
I nod, “Alright, I think I’ll do that.” I look around for Chinot, and tell him I am going up to the room. He follows me up, and soon we have doused the lamp and are each lying in our own bed. I’m glad I had a room with two! And I really wish he had bathed…he smells of a tannery.
-Threshing 3rd-
-Warm, Clear Skies, No wind-
-Immersion-Smell of Beeswax-
Ep 2: Scene 8: Threshing 3rd
Chaos Factor: 4
I get up, and light the oil lamp in the room. The scent of burning wax on the wick hits me before the oil starts to catch. I then start getting dressed. Chinot groans in his bed, “Why so early?”
“I’d rather not travel south alone,” I reply, strapping on my armor, belting my weapons and hoising my saddle and pack over my shoulder to take downstairs. I leave him to his own devices and wonder if the caravaners are equally lax in their discipline.
Q: Are the caravan guards up? 50/50 Exceptional No Q: Is Therault up? Unlikely No Q: Is Rou up? Likely Yes Q: Is he welcoming? Likely Exceptional Yes
Downstairs, I see Rou sitting alone at a table eating some bread and cheese. Looking around, I come over, set my gear down and join him. He grins, “The bread and cheese are alright. That and the ale are the only good things at this place.”
I chuckle, and call the wench over for a plate, then turn to Rou, “So…does the company always sleep in?”
“Only twenty miles today. No need to hurry. Nor tomorrow morning. But from Fort Norgard we’ll leave at the crack of dawn and hope to reach Northwatch by dusk. I don’t want to spend a night in the highlands.”
“Think your men will wake early enough then? Without being in the habit?” I raise an eyebrow.
Q: Is he skeptical? Likely Exceptional Yes Q: Are they kin? Likely No
“It separates men from boys, which I’d rather do sooner, but Master Therault prefers to sleep in,” Rou shrugs.
“Why do you work for him? If you don’t mind my asking,” I lean back to listen.
Q: For the money? Likely Exceptional Yes
“He pays well. Or rather, he pays me well,” Rou shrugs his shoulders. “I get a standard wage, but also a share of profits when we get back from each run. In exchange, I pick the men we hire, with what he agrees to pay. Which isn’t much, and sometimes, the pickings are slim, but it works.”
“Couldn’t you hire better men by using your share to boost their wage?” I offer.
Rou nods, “I could. But then…it would take a lot longer to round up 5,000 crowns.”
I spit out my ale, “Five thousand crowns? What do you need five thousand crowns for?”
“Rou’s Roost!” he grins. “It will be the finest inn and tavern in Faithstone.” He frame the image with his hands, “I can see it now! Three stories tall, a garden in the back, twenty rooms, stables. A good cook, a couple of buxom wenches, and merchants and pilgrims arriving day and night from across the continent!” He sighs, “Yeah, this route is safe enough given the armed escorts that amateurs will do. So…maximize the profit from each run. What about you? You carry a sword and have the air of an educated man. What’s your dream?”
-Persuasion 17-
I laugh, “Well, I need at least 20,000 crowns and a lordship, of course!”
-Rou’s insight 7-
“A lordship? You mock me!” Rou scowls.
I shake my head, unfasten my armor and fish my signet ring out to show him, “No. I don’t. My family lost its lands generations ago, and I aim to carve out a new name for House Talbot.”
-Rou’s insight 8-
He looks at me skeptically, “Right.”
I shrug, tuck the ring back in place and fasten up my armor once more. “Anyway, we both have dreams. I wish you good fortune pursuing yours.”
Q: Does he toast mine as well? Likely Yes
“And you your…lordship, I guess,” he raises his cup, skeptically.
Q: Does anyone approach me outside? Unlikely No
We finish our breakfast, and I head out to the barn to saddle up my mule while he rouses his master and men. “Stay calm today, stupid mule.” I whisper into my animal’s ear, scratching down his mane.
Eventually, the rest of the company shows up, the oxen and wagons readied, and the company gets underway.
-Morning Encounter-Red Deer calls- Q: Did Chinot join us? Very Likely Yes -Persuasion 11-
As we travel through farmland and pasture, we hear the warning calls of deer from some woods some distance from the road. “Wolves or something,” I mutter when the man in front of me looks back in confusion. Then I notice Chinot carrying a rather heavy looking pack. “You can load that onto my mule, if you’d like.” I suggest.
“Oh, yeah? Thank you,” he responds and I help him secure his sack to the pack saddle. Then we fall back in line with the rest of the company.
Q: Is he armed? 50/50 No
“So…no spear from levy service?” I ask Chinot.
“No. I didn’t want to carry it. I’ll be issued a new one when I get to Faithstone,” he shrugs.
I look at him incredulously. “You do realize…bandits will cut your throat for a few coins if you can’t defend yourself.”
“Well, not many coins. I’m a poor man to rob, and I’d surrender anything they ask without a fight,” he shrugs.
“What about gnolls?” I ask.
He points to my sword, “You’ve got a blade. They’ve all got spears. I’ve got two legs!” I shake my head, and he protests, “I’m a tanner! Not a warrior. I just want to get to a better life, not die on the road.”
“Life isn’t always so simple,” I mutter, as I turn my attention back to the road.
-Immersion-Sidekick barks and order at another NPC-
Ep 2: Scene 9: Stenchbog (Th 3rd)
Chaos Factor: 4
“Alright lads! Hold up here!” bellows out Rou as we stop inside a small village where the air smells as foul as the nearby swamp. “Don’t worry, the kitchen smells just fine!” He gestures towards an inn on the village square emblazoned with the image of a crow spewing green liquid from its beak.
“Right,” I shake my head, then untether and water my mule.
“My things safe on your mule?” Chinot asks.
“Rou keeps guards posted. The kind with spears,” I add. Chinot scowls, but heads inside the inn for lunch along with everyone not tending animals or on watch.
-No Village encounter- Q: Can I sit by Rou? 50/50 No Q: Loncha? 50/50 Yes (PC Negative, representative ambush)
I tend my animal, then head inside and find a place at one of the tables alongside others from our company, and end up near Loncha. “That was a good shot you made yesterday. Where’d you learn to shoot like that?”
“Watch out Loncha, that man’s a noble!” Rou jokes from the table nearby. All eyes hone in on me.
“Is that right?” Loncha asks.
Chinot chimes in, “That explains the sword, the quality clothes and his gold inlaid Freian charm.”
-Persuasion 18-
I shrug, “What of it? Landless, unknighted, what’s it matter my birth when I earn my living by steel, like every guard here?”
Loncha and the other men stammer a bit, then shut up about it.
-Topic family-Persuasion 22-
“I told you I learned steel from my family, so where’d you learn to shoot?” I press Loncha.
“Well, my father taught me. He’s a hunter. Figured I should be too. And, I probably will be, but I wanted to see a bit of the world first, and Master Therault was hiring,” Loncha replies.
“Good idea. Best do it before you settle down with a wife and kids of your own,” I reply.
“So, you’re a noble. Like…son of a baron or something?” Loncha asks.
I laugh, “No, nothing like that. Great, great, great, great, grandson of a duke! Which means…a near penniless house where my brother is a knight errant in the household guard of a baron and I…am wandering the western continent hoping to earn my spurs, and either secure a post under another baron, or perhaps even become a landed vassal. Everything I own is either on my person or on that mule outside.” I shrug with a grin. “So, in spite of my family name, I’m not much different than anyone else here. Perhaps a bit wealthier. Perhaps less. Who’s to say? And what does it really matter?”
“Yeah, but…why are you on the road?” Loncha asks.
“Seeking my fortune. I’d rather my name carry a bit of weight, and my purse as well,” I shrug. “I’m running an errand for a wealthy man, and our paths align for a few days. That’s all.”
“Anyway,” I begin picking at my food, “This…is actually pretty good!” I nod appreciatively as the meal here in Stenchbog is a far cry from anything else I’ve eaten since I’ve arrived in the west. And the herbs and flowers at the windows more than mask the smell of the bog outside. “Quite a pleasant place, really.” I nod appreciatively. The rest of the men also tuck into their meals.
-Immersion-feel something spongy-
Ep 2: Scene 10: To Gateway (Th 3rd)
Chaos Factor: 4
We leave Stenchbog and continue our way south. The cobblestone gives way to raw earth, which is a bit…soft and loamy right as we continue passing by the swamp. “What’s that swamp called?” I ask the man ahead of me.
“Quickmud,” comes the reply, “I hear it’s haunted. That at night, you’ll see ghost lanterns that will lead you do your doom, where the mud just swallows you up. If you’re lucky.”
“Lucky?” I ask.
“Yes, worse things than quickmud in that swamp. So I hear,” he replies.
-No Encounter-
We travel for a couple more hours until we arrive at a much more heavily fortified village than the others I’ve seen before. A thick double tiered palisade, a heavily staked earthen ditch, and an actual stone watch gate. The guards look down at us as we approach, and the gate swings open…which strikes me as odd since there are farmers in the field, yet…the gate is kept closed.
Q: Do they stop us? 50/50 Exceptional Yes
“Hold up there, Master Therault,” calls out a young soldier at the gate. “Let’s see what you are carrying.” The rest of us relax and stretch a bit, eager to get on inside the village, though the soldier, and his fellow start looking through the wagons to see what is aboard.
Q: Does he question me? Unlikely Yes
“Whose mule is this?” the soldier demands as he reaches the end of the line.
-Persuasion 24-
“Mine. One of the bags is his,” I point to Chinot. “That one!” I gesture towards Chinot’s bag, which the soldier immediately inspects, losing interest in the mule and the other cargo.
-Chinot Persuasion 4- Q: Does Chinot have any contraband? Very Unlikely No
Chinot comes over, “Just my personal effects. Things I can’t leave home without, you know?” The guard scowls, and starts going through everything in the bag. Finding nothing of interest, he then demands to inspect the other back still slung over Chinot’s soldier, finding coins and some tools of his trade, but nothing problematic.
The guard sighs, “Alright then,” and returns to the head of the column where he collects a wagon fee from Therault and waves us inside.
“What was that about?” I ask Chinot.
“No idea,” the tanner replies and we head inside, this time, he slings both bags over his shoulders as we are just about to stop for the night anyway.
Inside the village, we head to the square and I see a large inn with a key on the sign. “Put away the mule,” I tell Chinot and head inside to ask about lodging.
Q: Is a northbound caravan here? 50/50 No Q: Is the Inn crowded? Unlikely Exceptional Yes Q: Is any lodging available? 50/50 Exceptional No (Johann the Hoarse’s company-4 traders with 6 drovers and mules-4 guards, 3 local garrison, 4 local farmers, 5 bandits, 4 more merchants, Mayfair’s company, with 4 drovers and wagons and 5 guards-40 people right now!)
I observe the crowded inn, with its mix of well dressed merchants, a few members of the local garrison, some caravan guards and a few armed locals, drovers or whatnot. There is a long haired woman about ten years older than me behind the bar. “I am looking for lodging,” I tell her.
“Look elsewhere. Full up!” she replies.
“How so? A bunch of merchants just arrive?” I ask, confused.
Q: Did an escort arrive today? 50/50 No
She shakes her head, “Nope, heading south. Escort is overdue, so everyone is just waiting here.”
“How overdue?” I raise an eyebrow.
“Three days,” she shrugs.
“Isn’t that unusual? I thought the fort was one day away,” I ask.
She nods, “It is. Long as there’s no trouble. Sometimes, there’s trouble.”
“As in?” I raise an eyebrow.
“Well…I’d rather not think about what could keep twenty men from making a twenty mile march. But I’m grateful for the village walls and our lord’s men,” she replies. “Food and drink?”
“Yes,” I let her fill my bowl and cup, then having no place to sit, head outside and sit on the porch while the rest of the company starts to crowd into the inn. As Chinot walks by, I suggest, “It’s full up. There’s a tent on my mule. We can use that.”
Q: Is he grateful? Likely Yes
“Oh! Um…thank you,” he stammers.
I shrug, “Don’t mention it. Best eat while they still have anything.”
Q: Is my mule loaded? Unlikely No
He heads inside and I finish my meal, then rinse the bowl at the village well before heading into the stables where my gear sits beside the mule’s stable. I shake my head, and pick everything up, checking my inventory, “Next time, he checks lodging.” I then start walking through the village with my burden.
“Hey, have some space for a man to sleep?” I ask a villager.
(Generate villager)
“Pah! Sell your sword and go rent a room or something,” the scrawny farmer retorts.
I roll my eyes, then look at the stone manor house, and consider another approach.
-Perception 16-
And I also notice the empty troop barracks type structure behind the inn. I return to the inn, “Hey!” I ask the long haired innkeeper, after struggling inside with my saddle and gear, “that building out back? Who can rent that out?”
“Oh, that’s for the Norgard patrols,” she responds.
“And they aren’t here, so…empty, right?” I ask.
“Yeah, but when they arrive, they’ll want it,” she argues.
“The lord of the village governs it?” I ask. She nods. “His name?”
“Sir Cortens,” she raises an eyebrow.
I nod, “Thank you.”
Q: Has Therault worked out a deal with another caravan master? Likely No
“Hey, where are you going?” Therault asks me, “There’s no lodging.”
“Looking for a place to rest,” I reply. “Hey, can I leave most of this in one of your wagons?”
Q: Does he agree? Very Likely Yes
“Well, under the circumstances…” he scowls.
I nod and he has a man show me where I can stow most of the gear, then I pull out and don my signet ring, brush up as best I can, and head over to the manor house.
Q: Is Cortens home? Likely Exceptional Yes -No Encounter in the village-
I walk up to the door and knock on it for entry.
A well dressed man a couple of years older than me opens the door, “What do you want? Here to join the garrison?” the man asks.
-Persuasion 18-
I bow my head lightly, “I seek an audience with Sir Cortens, lord of this village.”
“And you are?” the man asks, slightly taken aback.
“Lord Senfry Talbot. From Norgard,” I withdraw the letter of introduction I carry from the High Chancellor. “I seek the use of the empty barracks building for the merchant company I am travelling with until the Fort Norgard patrol arrives to escort everyone south.”
Reviewing the letter, he agrees, “Follow me,” which I do.
He leads me to Sir Cortens’ study where he is reviewing some books. “Lord Senfry Talbot,” the man from the door announces.
-Reaction Neutral-
Sir Cortens looks up, hardly the image of a noble scion. He has a scruffy beard and his clothes are out of date, well worn. He regards me with some disinterest, and does not rise, “Lord Senfry Talbot? Lord of what?”
-Persuasion 14-
“Nothing. Absolutely nothing, but my blade, a mule, and I would not presume to even bother you, except, there is a company of eighteen in the caravan I travel with, an overcrowded inn, and an empty patrol barracks. I am here to request you allow us to lodge there overnight,” I reply, as the doorman passes the letter of introduction over to his master.
He glances at the letter, then sends it back to me with a yawn, “What’s wrong with sleeping outdoors?”
“Absolutely nothing. If that is your reply, I’ll not resent it,” I shrug.
Q: Does he let me use the barracks? 50/50 No
“That is my answer,” he replies, studying my reaction.
“Thank you for your consideration,” I bow lightly, “If you will excuse me. I’ll find a place to pitch my tent.”
Q: Does he forbid the tent inside the village? Unlikely No Q: Is Therault angry? Likely No Q: Does Chinot have a bedroll? 50/50 No
He nods and I turn and leave. I return to the village square where off to one side of the stables the company is pitching their tents. I find a spot to set up mine, and soon roll out my bedroll, and then loan Chinot my blanket so he doesn’t have to sleep on the bare earth beneath us either.
“Where’d you go?” Chinot asks.
Q: Does Chinot sleep well? Unlikely No (move away from thread: Build Wealth, vulnerability, escape)
“No place useful,” I yawn, and drift off to sleep. Chinot sleeps restlessly.
-Perception 20- Q: Is the village gate open? Unlikely No
In the middle of the night, I hear the braying of horses and mules, and get up, only to see that someone has left the barn door open. I strap on my blade, walk over, and…my mule, and several others are missing!
“Hey!” I call to the guard, “what happened?”
“Oh, umm…” the guard stammers and I realize the kid had fallen asleep.
-Survival 9-
I start looking round the village, but I cannot figure out where the mules went off to. Every house has a barn, and if a thief is among the residents, there’s no telling where the missing animals might be!
I stop one of the town watch, “Someone stole my mule from the inn’s barn!”
Q: Will he help? Likely Exceptional Yes Q: Do we find the animal? Very Likely Yes Q: Do they arrest the owner of that barn? Nearly Certain Yes
Soon, several of the Lord’s men are helping me search barns until we eventually find it inside a barn far from the inn, and the soldiers then arrest the tenant living in the attached house. He protests his innocence, claiming not to know how the animals got there, but they take him to their lord anyway, and I lead my mule, back to the inn’s barn, and tell the other travelers where the rest are located, so they can recover their own animals. I secure my useless mule once more, and then return to my tent to rest more before morning.
Q: Does the escort arrive at night? 50/50 No
Posts From a Long Winded Gamer 