Interim 2

Thorn & Abaaka - can I assume there is linguistic Venn diagram overlap here, and if so, Abaaka will be Thorn's translator for hiring the mercenaries once they arrive in Jalajrah? What language is spoken there?

Required Action, Kray, Ryhim, Thorn: Transition to 9th Level

And on that, two other things administratively that I want to get out now.

They are both focused grants. Another (and final) round of DM Fiat Awards.

These aren't for everyone this time though. They are Survivability Grants. In this moment going exclusively to Thorn and Kray. Those characters have survived through 2 Episodes of DT:ROTA. Players X and Ez have kept them alive and actively managed for more than 2 YEARS. They are just going to get a little extra. Pays to stick with it and make it out alive.

These, like before, will be based on interpretation of the character as played, mainly an option to fill a gap or make an improvement in an area that seems reasonable for the character win a gain based on past performance.

As always, there's no arguing these. I don't know if they are fair or not. Not sure if they are wanted or not. Not going to worry about it or debate it at all after they are issued. If you get them and don't want them, don't take them. If you want them and didn't get any, keep current and future characters alive and hit the lucky numbers a little more often. What can I say, fellas?

Kray
Kray plays as a team leader and strategist, doing his best to organize a squad attack against any challenge. I think that he might choose to fully develop his leadership skills during this time.
Also, Kray has seen first hand very clearly how you can really be behind the eight ball if you don't speak the language of the natives in your Area of Operation (AO). Foreign Language Studies: I think Kray might hit the practical exercises and private lessons.

Kray, choose between 2 Feats: Linguist or Inspiring Leader


Thorn

Thorn is one tough character. He knows that sometimes no matter how bad it gets, you just have to drink water and keep marching, even when you're bleeding. A brief Short Halt should be all anyone needs to soldier on.
Also though, Thorn has always been more than a muscle-head. High INT, improving CHA, and RP that always seems like Thorn is on the brink of becoming a different kind of guy...I think maybe Thorn uses the time to learn new things, pick up now hobbies, practice on other things besides just sword fighting. You know.

Thorn, choose between 2 Feats: Durable or Skilled

I need to write more about languages later.

I'll wait to decide until you write more about languages. Loving the Survivability Grants, J. A really cool touch that accentuates natural and believable character development.

This entry from the past still serves as the baseline way we accommodate the idea of learning languages.

Still, learning languages is tough in real life. Getting fluency in one or two extra languages is doable, but not extremely widespread. If someone goes beyond that, learning a large set of languages, they are exceptional - either they have put in a lot of time studying languages as a priority or they are just geniuses or maybe both.

So there is going to be some limitations on how much one can expand normally. To frame this out, we are going old school. Reaching back to the 1990s.
2nd Edition.
INT charts.
Max number of languages.
Comprende? Andale!
Oui Oui!
SCHNELL!



So those are the numbers that you can learn Fluency.

After that, I'll say you can learn one additional language to Intermediate level. (If you already have more than that in Intermediate, we'll deal with it. Nothing is going to be taken away. Might be an obligation if you have Intermediates extra, then those will be the only ones you can elevate to fluency. IOW, you can't keep 2 or 3 Intermediate bonus languages and then learn a brand new fluency. We'll work it out in talk through if there is any issue and come up with something that makes sense to the circumstance of the setting.)

After that, if you want to keep going, it will take a spend on the Linguist Feat.

Languages in the Bishtaan/Sekeri Region

Zutaran: Old Empire. The Desert Tongue. Desert Speech. This is a really really widespread language. It is spoken as the primary language in Bishtaan, Sekeri, Sarcera, Jbail. It is spoken as a strong second language or healthy third in Heshba, Otessa, Arkkad, Paktia. It's the closest thing to the "Yuoric of the South and East". It has some variants, accents that are regional - general east and west. Sarcera is thought to speak a very high and proper version of the language. Jbail uses more of a blend and slang with Alornic languages, and has developed more streamlined grammar with less verb conjugation and more generalized descriptive conjugation. Sekeri Zutaran leans more towards Arkkadi vocabulary and has a distinct accentuation.

Arkkadi: This is a language that dominates in its origin land in Arkkad (one of the least language diverse locales), but was also carried long ago into Sekeri, remaining very pervasive there to this day.

The Thorn and Abaaka Road Show

Thorn takes Abaaka with him to Jalajrah. The two are riding camels and doing there best to speak Heshbaan between one another, a basic to intermediate language for them both. They talked it through with the rest of the group in advance, so Abaaka has a good understanding of what his role is as Thorn's support.Jalarah is a community like most in Seker, based around an ancient Zutaran fortress.



The two fellows take up a room at a travelers inn and begin a tour through the city to find mercenaries. Thorn learns that mercenary culture is quite extensive and out in the open, so to speak. He does not see great discipline, nor great variety. Most groups are in small bands, called "abenzi", which means something "crew" or "squad". Somewhere between 10 and 30 guys, usually about 12-15. They always have a boss or captain, called a "raiyis", who is the undisputed decision maker and formulates the style and demeanor of the crew.

Thorn spots what he thinks is some talent and lets Abaaka lead the way on the talks. There are no takers. Even after several tries. After a few days, it is clear that word has spread. The crews are talking about the Northerner and his kid. Thorn begins to see that they are being watched and assessed. His senses begin to shift towards vigilance and he warns Abaaka. Abaaka investigates and learns that there is indeed the chance for a problem.

"They say that someone here in Jalajrah should have that sword," Abaaka says, pointing to Thorn's great blade. "The Oreland Steel. They want it. Want to take it from you." Abaaka leans in, putting his hand to the hilt of his own heavy bronze sword, and says seriously, "We will not let them."



Thorn does not want to come up short on the mission, but he realizes that the cultural pressures here might be too difficult to navigate at this point. He is beginning to contemplate the idea that he may have to depart without making a hire. He is thinking that over as he and Abaaka are walking through town to return to their inn for the night. That is when they are confronted.

Kubula, called Warchild, is a local legend. He killed the warlord Kofi Kurish with the hilt of a broken scimitar. He wrestled a Yatamhal to the ground and tied it with ropes. Kubula's crew, the Mumiti Afei (Deadly Vipers), are a team of battle-tested veterans.



The Mumti Afei surround Thorn and Abaaka. Kubula Warchild moves in to put Thorn down and take the sword. When Thorn cuts Warchild's femoral artery with a feint and knocks him to the ground in a follow-on driving thrust, the Mumti Afei swarm in for the kill.

It is an extremely dangerous battle. It has been a long time since Thorn was under such a vicious assault. He has to use every ounce of speed, skill, and battle instinct to pull it off - not just striking down opponents, but also ensuring that Abaaka does not get killed. The two of them are back to back in an onslaught of spears and blades. It is a wonder they are not skewered and sliced apart.

But they are not. Abaaka makes a formidable stand, doing everything he can to compliment Thorn's heroic effort. After a minute on the brink of life and death, 12 Vipers and their Boss lie dead on the stone blocks of the remote courtyard. From periphery, bystanders look on in wonder. From the shadows, watchful eyes assess and withdraw.

Thorn knows it is time to go. He moves back to the inn in a rush, speaking tersely with Abaaka telling him what to do as they withdraw from the city. They get the camels moving after a quick grab of prepacked supplies.

Thorn watches back on the road. It is a dark night, very difficult to see detail, but it is clear now. A troupe of soldiers is coming. At least a couple have camels, maybe a few horses. The others are jogging.

"Get ready," Thorn says to Abaaka, as he draws his blade and turns the camel around.

The young Sekeri does the same, and resets in the saddle with grim determination.

Required Action, 9TH LEVEL FIGHTER Thorn: Roll PERCENTILE DICE on LEGENDARY 2nd Edition AD&D Chart of Dopeness, the Fighter's Follower Table, to determine ELITE UNIT followers.

Required Action, All Characters: Write or at least suggest some ideas for Character Development.

Contribute with responses to both:

1 large accomplishment, success, or meaningful growth

1 setback, disappointment, frustration, failure. (Has to be some sort of cost, not "J, his failure was that he worked so hard building a badass megafortress, which he did and it is totally awesome, but he missed out on spending time with his friends." Ha!)

Contribute 1 or 2 from the following 3 choices:

1 moment of intense danger that was a narrow success, escape, etc.

1 relationship cultivated and some of the detail about it (with NPCs already in play or new ones that we can make up together, might even expand to a small group or faction to be created)

1 mystery that is teased but not solved, something learned but not figured out (possible future story hooks?)

With an INT of 16, that puts Thorn's fluency max to 5 languages. Caramba! Just to keep a feeling of continuity, I've upped Thorn's Heshaan to "approaching fluency" and if it's okay with you, J, I'll keep two slots available for future places we go. Don't want to practice Zutaran conjugation with the kid only to leave the language behind with the desert and never hear it again...

Speaking of which, are we on trajectory to go through Esosan? In that doomed Western Marches game, I was turning it into a bastardized version of Spanish, and god that sounds like it would be fun to revisit.

J, before babysitting the Warchild, could Thorn have picked up a bow and some arrows? What kind would be available?

Here we go.

Just read that we'll spend a year in the area. Will rethink languages later (hopefully today), as well as post Character Development