Chapter 6: Two Lovers Hunt

Imagine, for a little time, that you were not born to the wood.

You are part of a small squad. Not gifted with the training, weaponry, and armour given to the infantry, and asked to help organise the movement of the rest of your allies.

There are two of your, wandering in the dark forest.

This is ground at the edge of known territory. Land that neighbours the most terrifying place.

A town that refused to submit to the Tower. A town that beat back the soldiers meant to subjugate it. A town the Speaker's don't seem to know what happened inside.

You hear rumours about this town.

The only squad which has been out this far since the team which meant to subjugate it were killed found the prints of wolves in a once-destroyed town. You hear that the captain which slept in that town never woke up- they'd trapped everything they got close to.

The winter was harsh, it killed more than you knew winter's could. Food froze and rotted away, people perished when they left the fires. But now you're making headway again, the frost has mostly cleared, and the worse is the slide of earth as you take cautious steps on unfamiliar ground.

You're on watch one night, with you buddy.

You smell a strange herb, perhaps a hint of fish, and a spear is pressed against the back of your neck.

Your friend's head and neck are engulfed in the maw of a giant wolf, holding him still, ready to bite him in half.

These are your enemies.

This is who you are Hunting.

What will you fight for?

Interrogation Ob4 (Will)
Beginner's Luck

Vasil talks cordially in earshot of the prisoners. He asks questions with the implication that the wolves will eat them if they're unhelpful.

Ob 3

4 Brawling, Savage attack, Ancestral jaw, Pack Hunting, Help.

The wolves jaws tear through flesh and bone. The prisoner's skulls crush and pop sickeningly. Though Vasil had seen executions before, the monstrous nature of this killing affects him. Shadow, his friend, blood and gore around their muzzle. Vasil turns from the scene, and goes to sit alone for a time.

Vasil lies to the giant wolf. This is not how we make friends.

Beginner's Luck Falsehood. Will B6 + 3 Persona. Ob5 (10)
9d6 vs 10

With Taft close behind, Shadow sneaks forwards to try to work out what's ahead.

Vasil believes this will be just the same as building a forge fire. He's confident.

Firebuilding (Beginner's Luck) Perception 4d +1d from Taft's help.

Ob1 doubled to Ob2

Taft setting out fake tracks. FoRK Hunting +1D, +2D 'Glacial' taking time, +1D from Shadow helping

2 Linked TEsts, 1 success+, 1 success.

+1D to the Speed roll.

Shadow picks up the banner and high-tails it outta there, fast.

Ob 1 Ancestral Jaw Test (whatever it's called in the book)

Vasil climbs a tree, (like an idiot)

Ob 2 tree, doubles to ob4. Speed of 3. + 1d for Persona.

Shadow and Taft surge forward underneath the bulk of the lame Craftsman, as he comes crashing down.

B5 (Light) wounds for everyone. Roll Steel!

Roll against Ob 5 Hesitation.

Taft Steel Test: B7 -1D Wound

Vasil falls out of a tree like a fool, landing upon his two companions, injuring them.
Taking a B5 wound.

Vasil stifles a scream of pain and alarm.

Rolling Steel B8 -1D against Hesitation of 4.

7d6 against Ob4

Health Ob 2 for W3B

Taft Health to recover from Light Wounds.

Health test to recover from injury

Ob2 to recover from light wound. B4 Health.

Idea for bird help - the birds settle in a spot on the other side of the settlement from us. At some point, they create a large commotion, and fly away as though spooked.

In the forests, several days West of Kalbacken, the Tower's forward base is a fortified position of several buildings surrounded by a wooden palisade. Taft and Vasil wish cripple this position, and interrogate a Speaker. Winter's Third Bite wishes to taste a spirit banner, and learn from it. To taste the flesh of one who bends spirits to its will, like Vasil does with hot metal.

Having scouted the village, the enemy's numbers were are large for a head-on assault.
The group settled upon a plan; create a distraction to draw their attention, then grab the banner in a hit-and-run, using the great wolf's superior speed to run in and out before the distracted humans could react.

Circling around the encampment, Taft and Vasil made a false camp - Vasil building a smokey campfire, and Taft faking the tracks and trail of a group far larger than their own. Disinformation is a powerful tool to the guerilla warrior.

With the distraction set, the group crept - Taft covering their tracks - back toward the entrance of the fort. At an opportune moment, Shadow dashed in, through the gate. Its powerful legs propelled it up, onto a building, and into the air.

On the flagpole flew the banner. The air thick with its spiritual influence. Its protective magics, no match for the wolf's powerful jaws, Shadow made a fast exit by jumping over the wall, and disappearing into the forest once more.

Summoning the great powers bestowed by Grandfather, Shadow sundered the foul article, tasting the salt, ash and misery of its creation. Wiser, but not as wise as it wished, Shadow left the tattered remains on the ground.

Wishing to gain a better view of their enemies' movements, Vasil scrambled up a nearby tree - vastly overestimating his own capacity. A brief glimpse of the top was paid for with a painful fall, thankfully broken by his stalwart companions. His stupidity insulated by his friends' loyalty.

Bruised and battered, the group made camp nearby. Though Taft and Shadow were recovered by the next morning, Vasil still enjoys the bruised fruits of his harvest.

Shadow and Taft called forth their Raven friends for further information.
The speaker it seems is undertaking some great project - drawing a circle in the dirt. They know not what it means, only that it is probably not in their best interests to allow it to be completed.
With a promise of fresh eyes to pluck, the group request the kindness of their feathered allies - another distraction for their next run at the fortress...

Vasil creeps through the underbrush, trying not to step on the loud sticks and leaves.

Stealthy, beginner's luck: Speed B3 -1D for Light Wound. +3D from Help (Instruction) from Taft and Shadow.

Taft tries to convince the Tower patrol that Shadow and Summer's Fourth Howl are mindless beasts that shouldn't enter the town.

Persuasion Ob3

Shadow unleashes its Primal Bark upon the group.

Even with familiarity, with friendship, the noise still pierces Vasil's very bones.
He grits his teeth against the chilling sound.

Rolling Steel B8-1 for wound

Try to grab / restrain Stone's Unyielding Defiance (the speaker of the tower)

Ob 1 Power, Learning Brawling so up to Ob2

Panic fills the speaker's eyes. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Vasil steps in on the speaker, aiming his fist at his open jaw.
Unarmed fighting, B2 -1D from wound. +2D from Persona

Speaker in its jaws, Winter's Third Bite hears and smells sap in the air; Twisted Flowers Murmur Ultimatums.

Ancient Ways; B5 +1D carefully, +3D Spirit Marks +1 Nature of All Things (final), +1 Forest-Wise, +2 Persona, (+1 Fate, assuming a failure)

Vasil clings wide-eyed to the wolf's muscular back. He grips to his friend with arms - fistfuls of fur, and with legs. His face pressed against their back, taking shoulderblades to the face with each lope of the great wolf's gait. This is not about comfort, but keeping his mass as close and tight to their frame as he can.

Taft directs them up a seemingly hidden path, the three rush down into a gully, hoping to lose their pursuers.

Rolling Speed.

Speed B3 - 1D for wound. (2) + 8 from Help - Taft, Shadow.

+1 for Persona.

11D Speed - vs Pursuers

Interrogation of The Speaker:

Learning Interrogation - Will B6, Ob2

Vasil uses his hands to cauterise the bleeding wounds in the dying man's back.

Vasil attempts to convince the intense wolf that we are in fact allies.

Pack Etiquette. Help from Shadow, help from Taft.

4d6 -1 for wound.

+2 for help.