The Necessity of Travel

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Mar 29, 2024 3:31 pm
You all have your own reasons for leaving. They aren't reasons that just suddenly happened. They've been at the back of your minds for a while now, but last night, when the village elders called everyone out to discuss the food situation, it sort of pulled everything to a head. Even with as bad as things had been going, it hadn't really occurred to you - or to anyone else - how dire the situation had really gotten.

Winter was three months away, and the harvest was half what it had been the previous year. And last year had been bad. Last week, the head cleric of the church packed up and left. His pack was found on the side of the road a couple days later. Where he went, no one knows. There were many complaints from villagers that they had nothing left after last year. Many of the villagers relied on the traders for coin, even though they came only once a year.

For a month, the inn would be bursting at the seams, and that money would be used to pay taxes and used to fill up stores before the traders left. The Blacksmith too, made good coin, repairing the traders wagons. Oxana was often able to use the scraps to craft smaller pieces that she could sell. Now, with no traders, there was no coin, and people hoarded what little they did have. The village elders discussed how to pool resources, but not everyone was enthusiastic about sharing what little they had.

Even what used to be considered the easy things - food from wildlife and herbs for healing - were not as plentiful. The village used to have the younger girls help out in collecting herbs, but it's now almost a day's travel to find anything, and they can't be sent that far. Even the wildlife seems to have left for somewhere better, leaving the hunters to travel further and further. So at the meeting last night, the elders encouraged the younger ones, the ones in good health, to assist in the exploration to find new hunting grounds and more prolific forests. There was no arrangement, no organization, just a request.

And so, on the following morning, once the sun was high enough in the sky not to be in your eyes, each of you decided to go - though your reasons for going all varied from what the elders asked.
OOC:
This is your chance to figure out the interplay between characters and to figure out where to go first. Do you want to follow the elders' request? Even if you do, no one back home will know if you wander off to visit your own areas of interest. Is there something more important that you want to do?

Here's the map of the area around you that you know about or have at least heard enough about that it's not strange to you.
Immenost's Surroundings Mostly it'll be one hex per day, or two if you're on a road. If you go into the hills or mountains, or swamp, it's half a hex per day.

Also, the Great Oak is NOT to scale. I only had one tree.
Mar 29, 2024 6:43 pm
Jorgen looks around at the small group that has come out. He is afraid of what lays ahead, and is not having much luck at hiding it with his fidgeting, wild-eyed looks about him, shuffling from foot to foot. He tries to settle the pack on his back. As empty and light as it is, he still feels the weight of the beer cask. He taps his staff on the ground in a discordant rhythm as he tries to control his anxiety and fear.

"I hope someone knows which way to go", he mumbles under his breath.
Mar 30, 2024 2:02 am
Brother Irwin hides his arms in his sleeves. Though the sun is out, the air still stings with last night's chill. The scribe knows he probably looks out of place in his monastery robes, hardly fitting for travel, yet he had nothing better. The best he could do was to draw and tie the garment higher about his waist, leaving his scrawny legs bare.

Leaving home is supposed to be an eventful thing, but standing at the settlement's border and looking back, Immenost looks the same. No new insight comes to the scribe. It could be a day like any other.

Before the abbot made the request, he'd already nursed the thought of striking out on his own. The sense of purpose that once filled him, bent over parchment to be painstakingly inked with holy scripture, had never come back. Now that he'd been asked, there really was no reason not to go. He would do his duty and send word back if they came across a place of plenty, but... perhaps not in person.

The monastery didn't really need him. With how carefully ink and parchment were rationed out, there were days where he had the sense that it held more people than there were things for them to do.

"God, keep us in health on the road." The traditional words make him feel better. He hopes the prayer eases the others as well, at least a little.
Last edited March 30, 2024 2:02 am
Mar 30, 2024 2:40 am
https://i.imgur.com/ODXWh03.jpegOxana closes the door to the cottage she lives in with her family and looks about the village. There was a loaf of fresh bread on the table and a pot of stew above the embers of the fire. She'd thrown some fresh kindling and dried moss into the forge before grabbing her bag and making her way to the village square and then east towards the main road. She hoped her family would be alright, she hoped she would be alright and she hoped to find a solution to whatever ill wind there was that had blown across their village for the last few years.

With her bag slung over her shoulder she made her way through the dirt square where once a week markets used to be held and traders from out of town would come to sell their wares. The markets now were more like once a month and it seems like ages had passed since a trader had arrived from down the road. At the crest of the first hill on the road out of town she saw several familiar looking figures staring back at the village.

Oxana waved and continued walking towards them.
Last edited March 30, 2024 2:46 am
Mar 30, 2024 4:39 pm
Tatianna walked back into the shop. She kneeled in front of a few flowers and an altar. "I don’t know if you can hear me grandmother. If you can please watch over me and those I will travel with."

She stood and walked out giving a last look into the little place. There were a few plants still growing, and she hated that leaving them would mean they would probably die but, she had seeds for them and they were still common enough. She shut the door and walked onwards, not north like her vision quest but, instead east. She made her way to the exit of town and stood a few moments with Brother Irwin and Jorgen.

She didn’t say much for those few moments, letting the wind blow and listening to the sounds of the day. Brother Irwin whispered a prayer and she nodded in acceptance of the short blessing. She noticed Oxana walking up and saw the smith giving a wave. She waved back and then waited for her to come closer. Once Oxana was close enough Tatianna asked, "Do we head to the next town first? If they do have things we need then how can we even afford to purchase them?"
Last edited March 30, 2024 4:39 pm
Mar 30, 2024 6:06 pm
Johnsan pulled his pack closer to his body. He had not had a large hunt in weeks, and had been surviving off what small game he had managed to track. When the Elders had asked for volunteers to explore the nearby area in search of better living conditions, Johnsan was eager to join the adventuring party. He was ready to set out, hoping to ignore any distractions and focus on finding a better life.
Mar 30, 2024 8:56 pm
Oxana shrugs at Tatianna uncertain of what to do next. Her face is, for once in her life not streaked with soot and sweat and her clothes are similarly clean.

"I don't quite know." she replies glancing over at Brother Irwin and grinning wickedly, "Have we tried sacrificing Brother Irwin to the fae spirits of the woods yet?" There's a smirk on her face and teasing the Abbot and his staff has become something of a favorite pastime for Oxana. "The ones that make dangerous women such as ourselves dance naked under the light of the full moon." She pulls Tatianna in close and twirls the two of them about for a moment before breaking away and giggling.

"When was the last time we heard news from the village of Agnon's Wood?" Oxana asks looking at the others, "It's been a while but they're often hungry for our fish, maybe we could see if they're interested in trading."

She ponders this a moment pushing her back a few strands of hair that escaped her braid following the twirl. "Oh, I have a gift for you." Oxana says to Tatianna, reaching behind her back. "I'm practicing so I can make a masterwork for the guild and I thought I could make something for the best herbalist in the north."

Oxana pulls out a leather wrapped package and hands it to Tatianna. "Open it," she says with an excited grin, "I hope you like it."
[ +- ] The gift.
Mar 31, 2024 3:01 am
Brother Irwin blinks, then smiles a little awkwardly at the young woman's jest. Since his early lessons in the monastery, he was well aware that faith did not have so strong a hold in some others as it did him. The abbot had told him that things are different closer to the heart of Empire, but that is a long way off from here.

They just want to get a rise out of you, he tells himself, but that doesn't stop a flush from spreading on his round cheeks. "I am certain the, ah, spirits, won't have anything to do with us if we keep to the road. Not that they exist, as such..." He looks over the four others, their faces not exactly familiar to him, but no one could truly avoid knowing each other in a settlement the size of Immenost. "A chance for trade can't be what we're after, can it?" he adds. "Not when the fishermen's nets come back empty half the time. If we had fish in plenty, we would have eaten them ourselves."
Mar 31, 2024 2:38 pm
Tatianna giggles as Oxana spins her in a dance adding to the teasing with a stated, "Well I am a witch you know." She’s been called such a time or two as she and Grandmother still worship the old ways but, none have troubled them much beyond some name calling.

She feels her skirts twirl in the dance and a warmth deep in her stomach. Her friend, maybe even best friend, has always been there for her and, oh how Tatianna would love to dance in the wood like that. Still she best keep those feelings secret, it would hurt far too much to have Oxana push her away.

The beautiful scythe just adds to Tatianna’s determination to keep her secret. "I hardly know what to say. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever been given. I will treasure it always and hope that it will be used in my craft." She gives Oxana a hug.

When Brother Irwin asks she says, "I need to find more herbs. Foxglove, Nightshade, turmeric, lavender, and so many more seem to have just stopped growing wild nearby. I can grow some things but, those and even chamomile are difficult to grow in the garden. Still, a trip to the town will, at the least, give us an idea of how things are beyond our own backyard."
Apr 1, 2024 3:41 am
Oxana sighs, "I know we've naught to trade, I doubt they have much to trade either what with them being so much closer to the ice."

She shrugs, "We haven't heard from them in a bit and the last cleric left and disappeared." Oxana looks about anxiously, "Hopefully four of us are enough to discourage whatever it was that happened to him."

She spins her hammer in her hand dexterously before returning it to her belt, "Did anyone bring an axe?" She asks suddenly, "Something to chop wood and make a fire with?"
Apr 1, 2024 11:10 pm
"Which way then?" He looks around the group, before stopping at Johnsan. "You know out here, so where do you think we should travel too Johnsan?"

Jorgen is impatient to be moving. He feels the eyes of the villagers on them, although there is no one in sight. But he is sure they are there, and judging them for hesitating in their quest.

"We must go somewhere other than this ditch," he now turns to Brother Irwin. "What would your gods advise Brother, and is there a prayer you would say to bring us safety on this journey?"
Apr 2, 2024 1:52 am
"God," Brother Irwin says in reply to Jorgen, "and He is not mine. We, all of us, are in His care." On the young man's behalf, the scribe presses his palms together and murmurs a quick prayer.

From the way the others are glancing at the road, it's clear that they want to set off. Brother Irwin shifts his pack and feels the lightness there. He hadn't packed for a long journey, not that he had the means to do so.

His eyes look too at Johnsan, the one who'd spent the most time beyond the settlement, for the direction they would head toward.
Apr 2, 2024 2:24 am
Oxana nodded looking back at their village on the edge of the ocean from the dirt road that ran through barren fields.

"We can make up our minds when we get to the cross roads." Oxana said.

They'd been walking for only a short while when Oxana spoke up again, "The world feels as if she is dying." She said pushing a stray lock of hair back from her face, "In our valley the sun bakes the fields and the rain does not come, streams have dried up and the snow that does fall upon the great ice never seems to melt."

The young smith glances about at the horizon looking for signs of life, "It is as if the spirits of the world have forsaken us."
Apr 2, 2024 2:22 pm
The road you set out on stretches far ahead, further than even the horizon you can see. Those of you that have traveled before know that it stretches out even further than you've gone, though in reality you know you haven't really ever been very far at all. You travel between patches of scrub and half-dead grass that looks much the same as it did when the last snows melted a couple months ago, along a road that is starkly different in its pristine condition. Whoever built this road built it so that the rains - even as paltry as they come now - wash it clean, and the workmanship is something to marvel at. It's been here longer than the elder's grandfathers, but even it is showing signs of wear - a small crack here, the symbol of the Imperial Forge worn halfway away there.

There's not much new to look at for a couple hours, and then around late morning, a smaller road forks off to the northwest. A small wooden sign which can only be read from the other direction proclaims it to be the road to Agnon's Wood. It's a day's travel there, some of you know, but it could be worth it. On the other hand, as Oxana says, they may not have much to trade either. The blight upon the ground doesn't give much clue how far it spreads, and they are very near the Great Ice.

Do you stay on the main road, or go to visit Agnon's Wood?
OOC:
I do plan to post about three times a week, but that's as needed, so please don't feel like you need to cut off RP to move on a particular day. I'll be checking regularly and moving ahead when it seems consensus is reached.

I also don't plan to split you guys up much, but if there is reason to do so, we can. When and if it happens, however, the goal will be to resolve whatever caused the split as quickly as possible to get you guys back together, so whichever group is moving faster will be setting the pace for the other.
Apr 2, 2024 6:00 pm
She knows the old ways her Grandmother taught them to her. There is a name for what is happening now, and she can't help herself as she replies to Oxana. "Part of why I can't find herbs is because of the cold. Dare I say this is Fimbulvetr, the final winter before..." She stops herself, "No, I must have hope, we must have hope even if the spirits have abandoned us." She refuses to say the word, refuses to let herself think about Ragnarök and the end of all things. This is just a blight, some strange thing, not the final winter before the end of all things.

When they reach the crossroads she looks north and then east. "Agnon's Wood, I've never been, it feels like it is too close to the ice. Maybe it is better to check south, Ourward is close to the river, even if we can't trade much we could, at the very least, fish. We could bring people from the village, and they could fish. If you all wish to go north, I will come with you but, my preference is to push onward."
Last edited April 2, 2024 6:01 pm
Apr 2, 2024 10:28 pm
OOC:
Can we or would we normally be able to see smoke from the village from the cross roads or no?
Apr 5, 2024 2:03 am
Oxana nods, "I doubt Agnon's Wood has anything of help for home." She looks down the road in the direction of the other town.
OOC:
Is the path much over grown? or does it look still used?
"I worry we have perhaps waited to long hoping for a better harvest when we should have gone in search of help weeks or even months ago." The red head frowns looking back along the imperial road, "At least the tax man didn't come this year."

In the back of your mind you all remember the fight Oxana put up last year over taxation and the half dozen or so lashes she'd earned from the tax man for her arguments.
Apr 5, 2024 2:34 am
"Probably better he didn’t come. I might have been with you arguing this year." or worse, she had nearly given the tax collector a cup of tea laced with quite a bit of nightshade after they had hurt Oxana last year. Luckily grandmother had still been alive and able to caution her granddaughter.
Apr 5, 2024 3:38 am
"What do you lads think?" Oxana asks looking again at the dirt track, "You're a tracker Johnsan, has anyone been down this road recently?"
Apr 5, 2024 10:25 pm
Brother Irwin scuffs the grass with the toe of his sandals. With not a single visitor to the village in his recent memory, who would be travelling this road? He keeps the thought to himself while the young woman waits for Johnsan's answer.
Apr 6, 2024 10:57 am
Johnson takes a look at the trail to the Agnon Woods. "I typically hunt to the South, not the North, but I have been around these parts once or twice. I have never been in the Agnon's Woods, although I have always wanted to see what game lies inside."

Bending down, he inspects the dirt and grass beside the Imperial Highway for signs of tracks. "It is clear that no game has been here recently, maybe scared off by people traveling along this road, much as we are. As for the men, they would have been walking along the road and passed without leaving a track. I think the only way of knowing what lies within these woods is to venture there ourselves."

With that, Johnson turns towards the trail to the Woods and says, "I've heard strange tales about the beasts and men of these Woods. Most do not bear repeating, but perhaps we will find something of note in this place."
Last edited April 6, 2024 10:58 am
Apr 7, 2024 10:34 am
"I care not, as we will make our own tales and I trust your judgement Johnsan." Jorgen claps his hands together.
Apr 8, 2024 12:27 am
"I guess that settles it- let's be off then!"

With that, Johnsan heads off on the road to the Agnon Woods at a decent pace, spirits high.
Apr 8, 2024 8:51 pm
You could see smoke from the village by now, normally. There is none at the moment. You're not exactly sure what this means. You know that back home, things are bad enough that everything is being rationed for winter, even firewood. It might be that bad in Agnon's Wood as well. The road to the village hasn't ever been a well-traveled one, and nothing is growing well, not even the weeds that would normally cover up an unused road. That makes it hard to tell if people just aren't using it, or if the weeds are dying. Small blessing, perhaps.

The road to Agnon's Wood is mostly dirt and rock, and grows rockier as you go, so that by the time the tiny village is in sight in the middle of what was probably at one time a plentiful and sprawling fruit grove, it feels like the rocks have decided to cut out the middleman and simply stab you in the feet directly. The village is still there in front of you, a series of small, simple dwellings circled around one central circle of grass. But still, there's no smoke. And no people. Nothing is moving in the entire village. There's also a lack of any detritus that would normally accompany desertion, and there's no visible signs of violence.
Apr 8, 2024 11:03 pm
The hair on the back of her neck stands up. She finds herself knocking on one door and then the next. Without an answer she frowns. "Did they all leave?"

She heads towards a door and tries to open it, she wants to see what is inside. At the very least maybe something here can be brought back home even if it’s just wood from the houses.

Rolls

Not sure what stat - (1d20)

(12) = 12

Apr 9, 2024 1:04 am
OOC:
Now seems like a good time to ask. Since this is a Powered by the Apocalypse game, I assumed we'd be rolling 2d6 with the typical 6- for failure, 7-9 for partial success and 10+ for full success. Do correct me if I'm wrong @Falconloft!
The stillness in the village is eerie. It almost seems to press them in, the only people present wandering among the lonely houses. Brother Irwin sticks close to the others as they explore. Tatianna's suggestion brings relief and sheepishness all at once. "Yes, that must be it," the scribe says. "It's not so far from here to Immenost. Times must have been just as hard for them."
Apr 9, 2024 3:03 am
Oxana looks about then looks at the sky, "We should check a couple of the houses. Perhaps there's some clues inside and maybe we can find an axe or something else useful before it's to late in the day."

The redhead shivers, "I don't like this, not one bit. We were close by, why didn't they come to us for help?"

As she looks about to see if the town has a forge, there might be something of use there, she tries to figure out what happened here.

Rolls

Wits / - (1d20+1)

(17) + 1 = 18

Apr 9, 2024 1:44 pm
OOC:
Yes, that's correct. You'll roll 2d6 and add anything that the move tells you to add. And since this seems like it's a good time to address it, here's how moves work!

A move is activated when you do the thing it says it does. Let's take Hack & Slash for example.
https://i.imgur.com/si42oBy.png
In the bold, you see that it says, "attack an enemy in melee who can defend themselves and who you have a chance of actually damaging". That's the trigger for the move. So if you threaten to attack an enemy, this move doesn't trigger. If you attack an enemy and it can't defend, this move doesn't trigger (you probably just down him immediately). If you attack a tank with a slingshot, this move doesn't trigger, because no amount of marbles is going to matter.

The section immediately after the bold tell you what to add. Then you match your result to the options below the trigger. If there is no "6 or less" option, the default is 'fail and mark XP'. A failure lets me make a GM move as well, which is more or less a plot twist, or something that you have to react to quickly.
Apr 9, 2024 1:51 pm
OOC:
@Ysolde - All that being said, Tatianna does probably trigger Discern Realities, because its trigger is, 'spend significant time to closely study a situation or person', and peering into buildings seems to be doing that. So you'll roll 2d6+Wits. On a 10+, ask three of the following questions. On a 7-9, ask one. Please note, these are not sample questions, you do need to select them specifically.
-- What happened here recently?
-- What is about to happen?
-- What should I be on the lookout for?
-- What here is useful or valuable to me?
-- Who’s really in control here?
-- What here is not what it appears to be?

Take +1 forward when acting on the answers. (Take forward means add that number to any rolls as long as the conditions last.)

@Emberskyes - Same for Oxana. Generally once someone triggers a move, it doesn't get triggered again, but just so we get used to the way it works.
Apr 9, 2024 2:30 pm
What weirdness is happening?
OOC:
Apologies so used to D20 that I forgot it was 2d6. Thanks for the reminder
Looks like Fail and Mark XP...
Last edited April 9, 2024 2:31 pm

Rolls

Discern Realities (Wits) - (2d6+1)

(22) + 1 = 5

Apr 9, 2024 2:40 pm
Oxana heads down the main dirt road of town towards the village well and square, such as it was. She peers in through the shuttered windows of the few thatched roof houses she passes give the doors a tentative shove so as to glance inside. In the square she looks for the pub, every village has a pub and the blacksmiths.

"What happened here?" She wonders out loud, "Where is everyone?"
OOC:
Oxana's questions in this order depending on what I roll and I have to run out the door right now because I'm really behind time.
1-What happened here recently.
2-What's valuable to me.
3-What here is not as it appears to be.
Last edited April 9, 2024 3:53 pm

Rolls

Wits / 2d6+1 - (2d6+1)

(26) + 1 = 9

Apr 9, 2024 8:28 pm
Tatiana and Oxana explore several houses and come up with the following info.

The village definitely ran out of food. There's nothing in any of the pantries, and no meat hanging out behind the butchers, not even scraps. However, there's a working kiln and a small pile (1d6+1) iron ingots near it. Those should be usable somehow. The strange thing is, and you've found this in more than one house, are notes left, some to loved ones, some to children, some to 'whoever might find this' that all speak of going north into the mountains, where apparently according to these various people, 'a bounteous feast awaits.'
OOC:
Tatianna gets 1XP, so don't forget to mark that down.
Apr 9, 2024 8:53 pm
"Well this is not bloody ominous." Oxana says showing one of the notes to Tatianna.

As she searches the forge and collects the usable ingots she looks at the young men and Tatianna.

"We should definitely let the elders know about this." Oxana says, "Walking north from here," she pauses and looks at the glaciers not far away and shivers in the cold winds, "is madness."

Oxana looks about quickly for anything the others can use as weapons. Make shift or otherwise, pitch forks, axes, knives. Etc.
OOC:
How long till sundown?

Rolls

Iron 1d6+1 - (1d6+1)

(6) + 1 = 7

Apr 9, 2024 9:41 pm
"At least we know where they went," Brother Irwin says. He rubs his arms, though he suspects the chill he feels has nothing to do with cold. "But..." He picks up one of the letters, staring at it. "It can't have been all of the villagers going to the mountains. Where are the people these were addressed to?"
Apr 9, 2024 11:11 pm
"I think, well maybe, they were left for those who departed. Like we did, to find help for our village. See, they are addressed to young folk and all, just like us."

Jorgen looks at the Brother, "Maybe here is a sign of the fsith of our village?"
Apr 9, 2024 11:31 pm
She reads the note. "The people it’s addressed to are us. I won’t travel any further north even if these people claim a bounteous feast awaits us." She looks North and shivers, the frozen lands that way do not, in any way, look like a place where any sort of feast might occur.
Apr 10, 2024 12:26 am
"No, not just that," Brother Irwin says to the dark-haired woman. He reads aloud the letter's heading again. "To my darling daughter. Did they want their family to follow them there if they found the village empty like us?"

"God's will is not always clear, and there are such things said to happen in the days of the saints, but..." He trails off, shaking his head.
Apr 10, 2024 1:43 am
"I think they were just writing to whoever would find the letters." Oxana says with a sigh, "The were at their end and they wanted people to know where they had gone and where there thoughts were at the time."

"This does not sound like the work of your god." Oxana says with a sigh as she examines the quality of the iron bars, mentally she's already turning them into billets and forging them into something useful. "This sounds like the work of evil spirts or the fae."
Apr 10, 2024 5:01 am
There's not much daytime left now. Shadows are already starting to stretch out into the central plaza. If you don't stay here, you'll end up camping on the road. That might not be safe, but then... neither might staying be.

What will you do?
Apr 10, 2024 9:52 am
"Let us find a dwelling that is easy to secure, and rest there tonight. We will as like spend enough days sleeping rough, so a night in comfort is welcome." Jorgen looks around at the abandoned homes, gauging which is safest.

"We can sleep and decide in the morning which direction; north to the sanctuary, home with this news, or onwards to further places."
Apr 10, 2024 12:32 pm
OOC:
Are there any stories or legends about the glaciers that might seem pertinent?
Apr 10, 2024 3:20 pm
"I'll get dinner ready on one of the stoves." Tatianna gets the provisions out and manages them in order to provide dinner for everyone. It is, perhaps, not an excellent meal but, it does the job of filling stomachs.
OOC:
Took the Manage Provisions action. I think we still need someone to take watch and I'm not sure how many provisions total we have?
Last edited April 10, 2024 3:22 pm

Rolls

Manage Provisions (Wits +1) - (2d6+1)

(51) + 1 = 7

Apr 10, 2024 3:36 pm
After the meal Jorgen settles down on some bedding they have gathered together from the surrounding homes. He is confused when Tatianna mentions needing to keep watch.

"Watch? What does that mean? Does one of us do it?" Again, he is reminded of how unprepared he is for a journey
Apr 10, 2024 3:56 pm
"She wants one of us to stay up and keep an eye out." Oxana says with a grin, "Something foul has happened here and we should be prepared for the worst."

Oxana drags the kitchen table over to the door and blocks it from the inside before checking the latches on the windows.
OOC:
Is there a mayor or village big man's house? It might be more defendable than a hovel.
Apr 10, 2024 11:06 pm
Brother Irwin says a few words of grace over the meal, doing his best to ignore the exchange of looks between Tatianna and Oxana. It is simple fare, but any food at all is to be grateful for these days.

"Let me. I am used to late hours," the scribe offers when the others discuss a watch. "If anything happens, I can wake you up." He doesn't quite see the need for such a measure, but well, it is a way for him to be useful.
Apr 11, 2024 2:49 am
Oxana offers Brother Irwin the choice of her hammer or her knife both of which look sufficient to do a fair amount of damage to any manner of wild creature determined to get into their makeshift fortress.

"Your choice Brother Irwin," Oxana says flipping the weapons over one at a time so as to offer him their handle, "I've more faith in the iron and bronze I've forged than I have in the words of any gods. Yours or mine."

The hammer is simply a hammer with a small amount decoration near the handle, the knife is clearly the work of someone more accomplished.
Last edited April 11, 2024 3:26 am
Apr 11, 2024 4:17 am
Brother Irwin shakes his head at first, but a look at Oxana's expression tells him the apprentice smith will not budge on this front. He accepts the offered knife, handling the hilt somewhat gingerly. "Thank you. I will pray for a quiet night for all our sakes," he tells her. "See you in the morning."
Apr 11, 2024 6:22 pm
Oxana nods, "When you get tired wake one of us and we'll keep an eye out for a while."

Something felt weird about spending a night in a strange house with a bunch of other people her own age. Boys especially, her far had always warned her about the dangers of sleeping with boys and nothing about getting pregnant while trying to sleep sounded fun at all.

She pulled her mat closer to Tatianna's to be safe. No telling how close to a boy was to close.
Apr 11, 2024 7:17 pm
Johnsan will offer to keep a more distanced watch in addition. He wants to poke around more of the homes, look at the surrounding areas, maybe see if any of the familiar game he is used to is around. His hope is to find something useful, either something for breakfast so they can preserve their supplies, or some items that were left behind that might help him. He will not go too far from the camp, so he can be around if something happens. He is used to sleeping less, so he will only grab a few hours of sleep later in the night.
OOC:
This seems to be another discern realities roll? I will roll that and you can correct me if I am wrong.

Rolls

Looking for wild game and other items - (2d6+1)

(13) + 1 = 5

Apr 11, 2024 11:51 pm
She agrees with Oxana, "Yes, we can help. Don’t stay up so late that you’re tired tomorrow."

She pulls her bedding close to a wall away from any windows. Oxana puts her bed close and Tatianna blushes in the darkness so no one sees.
Apr 12, 2024 3:17 am
Oxana covers her mouth and yawns before pulling her cloak over top herself like a blanket and closing her eyes.

"Night Tatianna, night boys." She mutters snuggling herself up as best as possible.
Last edited April 12, 2024 3:18 am
Apr 12, 2024 3:38 am
Brother Irwin stays up while the others drift off one by one to sleep. All but Johnsan, who sets out from the rest of the group without a word. Exploring, no doubt. Probably the young hunter was safer taking care of himself out there than they were here inside, not that Brother Irwin could foresee any danger. The scribe sits cross-legged on the floor, looking out the window at the stars.

Rolls

Keep Watch - (2d6)

(63) = 9

Apr 12, 2024 5:38 pm
As the sun dips low over the western horizon, you hunker down in the best house you can find. The dwelling had stood many years and been enlarged more than once. There's not a lot of personal belongings left now, but whoever owned this house had been - up until recently at least - very well off. Tatianna takes a few minutes to make dinner as Johnsan leaves to go look for more food.

After dinner, you realize Johnsan is still not back. Where could he be? It's probably not a good idea to go looking for him at night, but what will happen to him if you wait until morning?
OOC:
We didn't discuss rations when I meant to so let's take a moment here. I'm going to start each of you with a week's worth of rations. That's 35 to begin with. We'll just handle it as a group, so it won't matter who's carrying what - unless you run out. Then you'll have to decide who eats. You've used 5 tonight, so you'll have 30 left.

@GameMaster - Your move is probably Forage since you're specifically looking for food.

Also, as an aside, the more I read Stay Sharp, the less I like it. It works backwards (you roll when I do something rather than when you do something) and it makes any RP related to watching camp sort of irrelevant. So we'll just skip it if it comes up.
Falconloft sent a note to GameMaster
OOC:
@testlum - We'll handle the watch if everyone stays put.

Rolls

Secret Roll - (1d2)

(1) = 1

Secret Roll - (1d12, 1d12, 1d12)

1d12 : (8) = 8

1d12 : (12) = 12

1d12 : (12) = 12

Apr 12, 2024 9:41 pm
Before going to bed Oxana sticks her head outside of the house. "Johnsan?" She calls staying close to her place of shelter as she's more than a little freaked out by this place. "Johnsan."
OOC:
Why couldn't it have been follow the butterflies?
Apr 12, 2024 10:13 pm
"It hasn't been so long," Brother Irwin says. "Johnsan's likely on the way back now from, um, whatever he's doing. Don't worry. He spend days out hunting, doesn't he?" The scribe is rambling a little, and he can't quite tell whether he is speaking for the others' benefit or to reassure himself.
Apr 13, 2024 2:13 am
Since it seems I'm lost, I think the best thing to do would be to make camp where I am. I'll strike up a small fire and try to spend the night here, hoping to head back in the morning when the sun is up. I should be able to make it back to town at first light without too much difficulty. I should be able to see the smoke from my party's campfire, and hopefully I can be back before they wake up and realize I am missing.
Apr 13, 2024 3:07 am
"He does," Oxana admits, "but he's a friend and we've never spent the night in a creepy abandoned town before."

She makes a face closing and locking the door again, "I hope he's alright." Oxana says sitting down on her matress, "He's a friend and having him disappear on our first night away from town is not a good start."
Apr 13, 2024 3:44 am
She takes a look out the door and then backs away. This town makes her feel frightened, she remembers tales of spirits and dark things of the earth. She wants to help Johnsan and yet maybe it makes more sense to wait? Or is that just cowardice masquerading as logic?

She decides not to say anything and see what the others decide. She walks back to her blanket and wraps up.
Apr 15, 2024 2:48 am
OOC:
Do we need to do something overnight? Can time just pass until morning?
Apr 15, 2024 2:50 am
Johnsan makes his camp and settles in for the night. He is sure someone noticed he is not back yet, but there is little he can do until first light. He will just have to wait it out, getting rest while he can.
Apr 15, 2024 3:40 am
OOC:
That depends on how hungry the spirits of the glacier are tonight.
Apr 15, 2024 4:58 pm
As the night wears on, everyone takes a turn at watch. It's not until the late hours of night, with the stars starting to slowly fade in the east, that Brother Irwin sees Johnsan at a distance, struggling back up the trail, dragging the carcass of a ten-point buck.
Apr 16, 2024 2:15 am
Oxana scowled at Johnsan when he returned with the buck before slapping him hard across the back of the head.

"What kind of numbskull wanders off at the end of the day in a creepy abandoned village and says to themselves, You know what? I'm going to go deer hunting? Why didn't you tell us?"

Oxana huffs, "It's a nice deer by the way you big dumb dumb."
Apr 16, 2024 10:21 am
"I thought I mentioned it on my way out. Either way, let's eat up. Some of this can be dried, some can be salted, and we should eat it fresh while we can. Hopefully this will make our rations go a bit further."

Johnsan has a look about him as though something else happened out there, but he offers no further detail at the moment.
Apr 16, 2024 2:06 pm
Now that Johnsan's back, and has food, what's the plan? Is there anything else to be learned here? Probably. Is it safe to stick your nose into the weirdness? That's up to you. What do you do now?
Apr 16, 2024 4:38 pm
She shakes her head, "I think I have some salt and we can smoke a good amount of this thing. After that, I think we should go. We already pushed our luck with this cursed town."

She's more than ready to push on and start heading south.
Apr 16, 2024 8:21 pm
OOC:
this is a test to see if Emberskyes' forum fixes itself.
Apr 16, 2024 9:32 pm
Oxana frowned, she didn't like this, didn't like anything about this. It felt like a trap, like the tax collector's iron shackles closing about her wrists as they dragged her to the square to be made an example of.

Maybe the old gods has finally taken pity upon them, heard their prayers and were delivering them some kind of salvation. The hangman's whip cracked in her ears and she felt the sting of his weapon on her flesh.

"Lets do what we can and be gone from this place long before the sun sets." Oxana said, "I do not like this accursed place and I do not wish to spend another night here."

"Let's see if we can't find a cart so we can do be moving as soon as possible." She took her knife, rolled up her sleeves and set to work skinning and butchering the animal with Johnsan as quickly as possible leaving the preservation work to the others.

"It feels strange that in a place with no food for months you find this magnificent stag." Oxana mutters handing some of the meat off to Tatiana, "Perhaps it is a gift from the gods, perhaps it is a trap set by the fae, who can truly say?"
Apr 16, 2024 11:26 pm
Brother Irwin hovers around the hunter's prize, not exactly squeamish, but uncertain of how he could help either. He settles for packaging the readied chunks of venison handed to him. "God provides to those in need," he recites to Oxana's question, though he suspects she isn't really asking.
Apr 17, 2024 2:25 am
GameMaster sent a note to Falconloft
Apr 17, 2024 2:31 am
Johnson helps butcher the deer and is mostly silent as he does this. When he thinks no one is looking, he sneaks a few bites of raw deer meat into his mouth and tries to hide his enjoyment.

He also helps with the preservation and the cooking of the deer. He asks Tatiana if they can make a large fire for smoking, and he stresses that the fire much be very large and burn hot for many hours. "It's important for the meal." As he says this, his mouth moves in weird ways, as if it is out of sync. He ignores this and continues prepping the fire and the meat, occasionally sneaking a few more bites when he walks by.
Apr 17, 2024 3:51 pm
She helps Johnsan agreeing with the big fire plan or, more accurately, lots of smoke plan so that the deer is well preserved, and the smoky flavor gets into the jerked meat. This one deer might actually make a few days meals and yet it's nothing on what the village will really need if everyone is to survive this winter.
Apr 17, 2024 4:35 pm
The smoking process is fairly straightforward, but it will mean spending at least another day in this empty village, and closer to two if you want to smoke all the meat it contains. That means a day of downtime. What's everyone else doing during this time?
Apr 17, 2024 9:26 pm
Oxana is silent as she butchers the deer watching Johnsan and his increasingly odd behaviour. When she's done she wipes her hands clean in some fairly fresh hay and heads off to clean up properly.

As she walks to the stream she passes the smoke house and nods for Tatianna to follow her. "Brother Irwin," she says, "you can watch the smoke house for a moment or two please? Do not let Johnsan add any more wood." Oxana adds undoing the ties on her blood splattered smiths apron.

Her arms are stained in blood to her elbows and she has some small splats on her skirts and sleeves.
Last edited April 17, 2024 9:29 pm
Apr 17, 2024 9:46 pm
"How did you come by this deer, Johnsan?" Brother Irwin asks after a while passes in silence. The scribe's stomach flips as he sees the other man place a gobbet of bloody meat into his mouth. Did he simply imagine it? He did stay up the night before without much sleep. "If there is a good spot for hunting around here, those back home would be glad to hear of it."
Apr 18, 2024 4:02 am
Tatianna is not willing to stay in the empty village that long. She will smoke what she can and then depart mid day. The rest can be eaten the next evening by the group with some of that being cured or smoked over night. What is left after may spoil but, she’d rather it spoil than spend even one more night in the accursed village.
Apr 18, 2024 4:19 am
OOC:
Are there any carts or wagons in town?

I'm wondering if we could make a mobile drying rack? Or smoker perhaps.
Apr 18, 2024 2:28 pm
OOC:
There are. There are not, however, any draught animals. You'd be pulling it yourself.
Apr 18, 2024 3:11 pm
OOC:
How much could we prepare with Tatianna's plan? Could we divide it up and backpack it back to our town?

"It" being the unprepared meat.

I also like Tatianna have very little desire to spend another night here.
Last edited April 18, 2024 4:52 pm
Apr 19, 2024 12:37 am
GameMaster sent a note to Falconloft
Apr 19, 2024 12:38 am
"Guys, this is a lot of meat we would be leaving behind. Last night wasn't so bad here- maybe we should stay another night. It's actually kinda home-like here."
Apr 19, 2024 1:16 am
Johnsan's insistence on staying begins to sound strange to Brother Irwin's ears. "Johnsan," he says cautiously. "Would you tell us what happened last night when you were out in the wild? How did you come by the deer?" he repeats the question.
Apr 19, 2024 1:24 pm
Falconloft sent a note to GameMaster
OOC:
Eight hours of smoking would give you approx. 15 rations.
Apr 19, 2024 1:41 pm
OOC:
Also, as an aside. I'm not going to PUSH you to move or stay. I'm okay with the RP extending out if it's actually interesting to everyone. If you feel that it starts getting stagnant, say so. I will as well. But I'm not going to put a limit on it at any time.
Apr 19, 2024 5:51 pm
"We can bring it to our village. The people there will appreciate the food and we can continue on our way after. It will assuredly last that long." A gift for the home town was better than staying here, indeed, if pressed she’d rather it spoil than stay here and Johnsan was starting to sound strange.

"Think about it Johnsan, the people here left for a so called feast and now you want us to stay and for what? A feast? Or is there something else here, some spirit, or ancient evil? I don’t trust it and neither should you. So, everyone else are we agreed to leaving, taking the deer meat we can’t keep back home, then heading out or do we stay here in this haunted and abandoned place?
Last edited April 19, 2024 5:53 pm
Apr 19, 2024 9:45 pm
https://i.imgur.com/ij21Sj9.jpeg"I agree." Oxana says returning from the creek where she's just finished washing up.

She takes Tatianna's hand and gives it a squeeze of solidarity before looking at the young men opposite and nodding firmly. "This village is cursed and remaining here longer than is absolutely necessary will certainly bring the misfortune of the gods or the fae down upon us."

Oxana looks at Tatianna still holding her hand, "We should pack up what we can and leave, taking the deer and the news of this place back home."

"The elders will most certainly want to know what happened here."
Last edited April 20, 2024 4:43 am
Apr 20, 2024 11:48 am
Jorgen silently watches the group prepare the meat, discussing the plans. He keeps his opinions to himself, observing how everyone is pushing Johnsan to speak about his time alone last night.

It all seems strange to him, and he worries about the distrust that has already crept into the group
Apr 21, 2024 1:28 am
GameMaster sent a note to Falconloft

Rolls

defy danger- edge - (2d6+1)

(64) + 1 = 11

Apr 21, 2024 1:48 am
"You'll never guess where I found this deer! The was a small watering hole out in the woods near the town, and there were so many animals at it! This was just the one I brought back, but we should go grab a few more if we are going back to the town. Follow me!"

With that, Johnsan sets off in the direction he went yesterday, not looking back to see if anyone followed. His words are still slightly out of sync with his mouth, but he seems genuinely excited.
Last edited April 21, 2024 1:49 am
Apr 21, 2024 2:49 am
Brother Irwin gapes as the hunter strides out the door without a further word, the half-butchered deer seemingly no longer a concern to him. What has gotten into the man? A glance at the others show the two women looking as discomfited as Brother Irwin feels, though Jorgen remains unfazed. Muttering a prayer, the scribe heads towards the door after Johnsan's retreating back. He waves for the trio to hurry.
Apr 21, 2024 6:26 pm
"That was odd right? Maybe we should stop him…" She hesitated at the door unsure if she was ready for a confrontation with Johnsan or, whatever was controlling him.
Apr 21, 2024 8:00 pm
"Johnsan!" Oxana shouts as he rushes off, "Hells." She curses, "We should definitely not let him rush off alone."

Gathering up her skirts she chases after her friend. "Let's see if we can't save him from his own madness Tatianna."
Last edited April 21, 2024 8:09 pm
Apr 22, 2024 9:29 am
Seeing Brother Irwin set off to follow he feels the urgent need to protect him, and doesn’t hesitate in rushing after him.

"Brother, have a care. Johnsan is use to the outdoors and…and, I think, strange. Let us be cautious."
Apr 22, 2024 10:13 am
"Thank you," Brother Irwin says to Jorgen. The gratitude is heartfelt - he has no wish to wander after Johnsan on his lonesome, let alone when the man seems taken by such a mood. "Going our separate ways here would not be a wise idea, I think."

The scribe cups his hands around his mouth. "Johnsan! Slow down, please!"
Last edited April 22, 2024 10:13 am
Apr 22, 2024 5:24 pm
Suddenly, as you're all trying to keep up with Johnsan ahead of you, he comes crashing through a line of trees to your left, dragging along a young woman with him. She seems to be in a stupor, not responding to anything. Meanwhile, up ahead of you, the figure you've been following is suddenly less distinct, and if you try to look directly at him, he vanishes from your view. This fact alone makes it hard for you to chase him, but his clothes have also changed, and he blends in with the forest better than he did a few moments ago.

Falconloft sent a note to GameMaster
Apr 23, 2024 2:07 am
GameMaster sent a note to Falconloft
"Quick, we gotta go! They might be following me! Help me with her, I'm not strong enough. We have to leave now, grab what you can! I'll explain more once we're out of this town."

Johnson passes the semi-conscious girl he is carrying to the nearest person and tries to get everyone to leave immediately. His voice is in sync this time, and he seems terrified.
Last edited April 23, 2024 2:08 am
Apr 23, 2024 3:27 am
"What the hells?" Oxana asks pulling the girl's arm around her neck, "What is going on Johnsan? Was it the fae? Who was that we were following? A tree spirit?"

She heads back to the house they were smoking the meat in. "Is this meat even," she makes a face, "gods I really hope it was a deer."
Apr 23, 2024 10:17 am
"I know not who you were following, only that I was lured and chased by savage ice men with hypnotizing magic. I managed to escape and bring one of their prisoners with me- we may get more information from her in time."

Johnson looks over at the smoke house. "You say you caught a deer? Where did you find it?"
Last edited April 23, 2024 10:17 am
Apr 23, 2024 2:29 pm
You get back to the lodge you were staying at and quickly gather your gear. When you go to take a look at the deer, though... Well. It was meat. But now you're glad you didn't get it smoked all the way to be able to eat it, for what is hanging above the smoker is an old, fat, man. You're not sure what reviles your senses more, the way the man looks after being half-smoked, or the fact that it still smells good enough to eat.

Do you take time to cut him down or is it simply time to flee?
Apr 23, 2024 2:35 pm
Oxana rushes outside and vomits looking at her hands and begins to shake and cry.

"Oh gods what have I done?" She asks before throwing up again.
Apr 23, 2024 4:37 pm
OOC:
To be fair, the 'deer' was dead when not-Johnsan brought him to you. I think this reaction precludes leaving in an organized manner, though, so someone who's kept their head here decide whether you're going back to the village to worn them, or trying to get even further away from the area as quickly as possible.
Apr 23, 2024 5:36 pm
OOC:
I also cut this person up and turned him into the preparation parts for spareribs and pot pie. Now we should all be rightfully horrified at what we've done but the desire to flee is overwhelming. I just need a reminder.
Apr 23, 2024 10:35 pm
OOC:
I did not see that coming.
Brother Irwin gags upon stepping past the front door and seeing the butchered man. The man they butchered. Behind him, he hears the sound of retching. He cannot tear his eyes away from the gruesome sight in front of him. "O God... O Mercies..." he begins, mouth moving of its own volition, but the words do not come. Each prayer ends unfinished before he loses track and has to start all over.

There's no solace to be found in prayer here. "We need..." He presses a hand hard against his mouth to keep from throwing up mid-sentence. It takes a moment before he can continue. "We have to get him down and... And bury him. It's the right thing to do. Oh, God, forgive us."
Apr 24, 2024 12:27 am
Johnsan looks at the half smoked man tied up. "Oh, God. It's not your fault, but what have you done? No one ate any did they?"

Johnsan regains his composure before the others, having not been involved in the butchering. He cuts the dead man down and sets about making a sling to move the body. "I need someone to dig. Unless we think it would be easier to make a funeral pyre?"
Apr 24, 2024 2:50 am
"Burning the building might be easier." Oxana says wiping her mouth and standing up. "We can't afford the time to bury him properly."

She wipes tears from her eyes, "We could put him in a cart with firewood and light that I suppose so we don't burn the village to the ground but given that they can look like any of us and ensorcell our minds we should leave sooner rather than later." She looks ill again for a moment, "We do not want to be in this forest after nightfall."
Apr 24, 2024 4:10 am
"No," Brother Irwin says. "It's not right to leave him here or... Or burn him." The image of the butchered man having his remains burned, cooked, makes the scribe clench his teeth. He shakes his head firmly. "No. He should be buried. I'll do the task myself and join you later, if you don't wish to help."

Decision made, Brother Irwin hunts for something to use as a shovel. Standing around arguing would only delay them further. His stomach twists as the thought of being found by whatever did this to the poor dead man, but some things you had to do. He would see to the burial and go, whether the others left first or not.
Apr 24, 2024 11:27 am
Johnsan doesn't like it, but he'll grab a shovel and help too.
Last edited April 24, 2024 11:27 am
Apr 24, 2024 1:17 pm
Tatianna has worked in the herbalism shop for years; she has helped her grandmother birth babies and heal the worst injuries. She hasn't seen the likes of this but, she has iron in her veins. The first thing she does is attempt to comfort Oxana, "The spirits tricked us, we did not know what we did. You are innocent in this Oxana as are we all. It is a reminder to keep our eyes open and to see the world for what it truly is."

She looks to the two men and says, "Bury the body, we will warn our people about this. Meet us at our village when you are done, when you meet with us tell us the Deer deed is done and we will know it is you. Do not tarry and do not do anything else alone. If you see us return ask us which way the wind blows if we do not say it blows ill winds from the north then you know it is not us."


She takes Oxana's hand and leads her away, she wants nothing more to do with this place and her people need to be warned. What they can do about it though, she has no answer, maybe they will all have to leave.
OOC:
Defy Danger - Iron
Last edited April 24, 2024 1:26 pm

Rolls

Iron - (2d6+2)

(46) + 2 = 12

Apr 24, 2024 2:24 pm
https://i.imgur.com/XL1HNNX.jpegOxana lets Tatianna lead her away continuing to cry and mutter about what she's done.

"I cut that poor man up." She sniffs wiping her eyes. "I cut him up and ... why would the fae or the eldar make me do that?"

Oxana looks a her hands and trembles continuing to walk with Tatianna, "His blood was all over my hands, my apron and I washed it away as if nothing had happened."

"Why would they torment us like that?" Oxana asks, "Why would they put such horrors in our minds?"
OOC:
I think I'm using the roll right there, if I'm not let me know. Sorry you don't look quite right @Ysolde, I thought the image was cute and poignant when the AI generated it.
Last edited April 24, 2024 2:34 pm

Rolls

Iron / Helped by Tatianna / Leave this place and its memories behind. - (2d20h1+0)

(710) = 10

2d6+0 / 2d6+0 Iron / Helped by Tatianna / Leave this place and its memories behind. - (2d6+0, 2d6+0)

2d6+0 : (64) = 10

2d6+0 : (56) = 11

Apr 24, 2024 5:31 pm
testlum says:
OOC:
I did not see that coming.
OOC:
To be fair neither did I. I usually work off of off-hand comments for twists. Hope it wasn't too upsetting OOC; if so I'll remember to tone it down a bit more.
The women leave, relinquishing the job of burying the man - whoever he was - to the men. There's no other sightings of anyone at all, save the stranger who's still mostly in a fugue state. She wanders around the village while you dig, and by the time you're done she's come back with a small puzzle box and a teddy bear. She clutches both of them tightly to her chest, but doesn't say anything about where she found them or why they're apparently so important to her.

But the job is soon done nonetheless. Jorgen, Johnsan, and Brother Irwin follow in Tatianna's and Oxana's footsteps, and are back at the village by dusk. You're met by friends and relatives, but it's clear that the village can't support you for long.
OOC:
You all trigger Reaching Safety, since this is Home. Take a look at your Bonds. Are any of them completed? Probably not yet, but it's part of the process. Then consider:
-- Did you learn something new and important about the world? I'd say yes, you did, even if you don't know what it means yet. What do you think? If yes, gain an XP.
-- Did you overcome a notable monster or enemy? I'm not sure escaping is the same as overcoming. Probably wiser, though.

Last, choose another player who RP'd thier flaw well, and award them an XP. For the record:
-- Jorgen feels that no one cares for him because his life is so unimportant.
-- Oxana looks down on herself and feels she'll never be good enough.
-- Johnsan acts without thinking.
-- Irwin has a constant urge to correct others.
-- Tatianna feels useless when no one else needs her.

You can only get 1XP this way even if more than one player names you.
Apr 24, 2024 11:18 pm
OOC:
Oh, I hope I didn't give the wrong impression. OOC I really liked the sudden turn. Brother Irwin, obviously, doesn't.

Clarification, is the young woman Johnsan rescued about our age, or is she more of a child?

I'll mark XP for discovering something, and award XP to Jorgen for keeping to himself while the others discuss how to prepare the "deer".
Apr 25, 2024 2:06 am
OOC:
Thanks, I had a moment of horror in my brain and suddenly we've gone all Donner Party Homestyle BBQ on some poor guy.

I'll agree with definitely learned something new about the world. New and terrible.

Johnsan clearly acted without thinking by trucking off into the forest at sunset alone. Take your XP.

I want to give a point to Tatianna for being there for me too...
Last edited April 25, 2024 4:03 am
Apr 25, 2024 2:35 am
OOC:
I agree we learned a ton here, and I'll give an XP to Irwin for correcting people consistently.
Apr 25, 2024 5:54 pm
OOC:
@Drakis2,@Ysolde
Tatianna, Jorgen, what about you guys?
Apr 25, 2024 10:26 pm
OOC:
Tatianna learned that things were far more dangerous than she thought so definitely an xp there.

I’ll give an so to Oxana since she definitely looked down on herself.
Apr 26, 2024 6:47 pm
Quote:
but it's clear that the village can't support you for long.
OOC:
Is this us specifically or the village as a whole. IE will our leaving make that much of a difference.
Apr 27, 2024 2:23 am
Someone game me xps!https://i.imgur.com/wdOjVMc.jpeg
Apr 27, 2024 10:00 pm
Tatianna does her best to comfort Oxana as they make their way to the village. When the men arrive later she uses the phrases established earlier to ensure it is them. She then tries her best to let the village know the threat out there but, it seems, the most concerning thing is limited food and so she and the others will need to travel out once more.

"May I stay at your place Oxana, it is closer in to town and I don’t want to spend the night alone." She blushes as she speaks trying not to imagine inappropriately about the situation.
Apr 28, 2024 7:08 am
https://i.imgur.com/cbSONFU.jpeg"I ah," Oxana replies stumbling over her words as her neck and ears flush as red as her hair, "that would be nice but I warn you, my far snores and my systrar talk in their sleep."

Oxana leads Tatianna back to her home, a small thatched roof cottage attached to the forge. As the eldest she has a room of her own at the top of a worn set of cramped stairs that lead to the attic, her systrar sleep in the living area and her far has a room of his own next to the door to the smithy.

"Thanks for," Oxana begins sitting down on the bed, "thanks for taking me by the hand and leading me out of that place." She smiles and looks around, "It’s not much," she says, "I can sleep in the chair by the window so you don’t have to worry."
Apr 30, 2024 2:08 pm
Emberskyes says:
Quote:
but it's clear that the village can't support you for long.
OOC:
Is this us specifically or the village as a whole. IE will our leaving make that much of a difference.
OOC:
You're not the only ones that have left, but before you did, there wasn't enough food to go around. They'll feed you as best they can, but there was a reason that the elders were encouraging those who could travel or explore to do so.
Apr 30, 2024 2:25 pm
There's various small signs that the village is trying to stay positive in the face of hardship. The old widow at the southern end of the village, Editha, still plants her flowers around her cottage, though Tatianna knows for a fact she's walking nearly a mile each way to get new ones when those wither. On your way in you passed a new house being built - they're trying to replace one of the ones that fell last winter, and let Alden and Ravenel have their own place again. They were married last year but have been staying with her parents again since snow collapsed their roof. Several other families were moved in to the old monastery when the head priest left, so Brother Irwin has to stay at the inn along with Jorgen. There's no one else using those rooms. The woman you brought back with you is put in the room next to you, but you can tell from the looks you get that no one really wanted you to bring an extra mouth to feed back with you.

After what is almost a full night's sleep, you're awoken by a large crash and shouts of dismay. The bell in the village square begins ringing not even a minute later. Rousing yourselves, you arrive outside to see the frame of the new house collapsed. Ravenel is beside herself. "Alden was working on the flooring for the bedroom! Someone get him out of there!"

Your new companion is roused too, but waits at the door of the inn, not exactly sure where she is or what she should do.
Apr 30, 2024 3:27 pm
She had assured Oxana, "Hey, you are my best friend. I would do anything for you." She tried not to blush and, once again, she wished she could say more. But, she was a coward there, leaving it at that.

Afterward, she had protested taking the bed and assured Oxana she could sleep on the floor. Whether she was entirely capable in that task is unclear. Either way waking up to the bell had her rushing outside. If someone was hurt she had to help them.

She rushes out and begins trying to assist.

Rolls

Defy Danger - (2d6+1)

(24) + 1 = 7

Apr 30, 2024 4:30 pm
Tatianna joins the group of villagers trying to clear the rubble. Throwing wood off of the pile is probably a good idea, but you need to do it in the right order. Tatianna isn't experienced at clearing rubble, though, so it's not surprising that one of the pieces she moves causes a few more to slip. She's either going to get hurt, or make it harder for someone else to finish clearing the mess.
Apr 30, 2024 5:19 pm
https://i.imgur.com/9VIKyCE.jpegAfter negotiations and discussions about the sleeping arrangements that last well into the wee hours of the morning. Both young women are overwhelmed by the effects of exhaustion and drift off to sleep in the room's lone bed.

Oxana tosses and turns nervously for what feels like hours, her heart racing with fear and excitement until she at last falls into a deep slumber next to her friend. She immediately begins to dream about gathering firewood and fresh herbs with Tatianna on the cliffs to the south overlooking the ruined fortress in the sea when the town bell begins to ring.

Oxana grumbles and tosses annoyed in her dreams by the unwelcome bell and it isn't until Tatianna gives her a shove that Oxana finally returns to the land of the living. "Huh? What?" The continued ringing finally brings Oxana to senses.

"Oh hells." She curses chasing Tatianna out of her house and racing across the town to the wreckage of Ravenel and Alden's home.

She looks quickly at the wreck to see if it's safe to go in and maybe what could have caused this to happen.

Rolls

Wits / Discern Reality - (2d6+1)

(33) + 1 = 7

May 1, 2024 12:56 pm
On his return to the settlement, mixed feelings well up inside Brother Irwin. He'd told himself that he would not come back here, yet it has taken no more than a couple of days before his promise to himself was broken. Immenost means safety and familiarity, the old scenery filling him with a sense of relief in stark contrast to the disquiet they found in Agnon's Wood.

The villagers who'd stayed greet them with little enthusiasm. Clearly they had not expected such a quick return. He leaves it to Johnsan to explain to the elders what dark tidings happened to their neighbors. It is a memory he has little wish to revisit, and less confidence in his ability to recount. The night in the abandoned inn he spends tormented by nightmares. In the moments Brother Irwin stirs awake and shaken, Jorgen, faced against the wall, has nothing to say.

More ill news comes with the morning. With the rest of those who'd been roused by the clanging bell, Brother Irwin staggers half-awake to the collapsed house. "Wait," he calls out when Tatianna begins to wrestle the rubble aside, afraid that careless movement would only bring down what's still standing from the house's frame. He stands helpless for a moment, then unable to think of anything better, joins the dark-haired woman's efforts contrary to his own advice.
OOC:
I'm interpreting clearing rubble as Defy Danger with Iron. @Ysolde you can reroll with Brother Irwin using the Help move!
Last edited May 1, 2024 4:02 pm
May 1, 2024 4:00 pm
She'd slept in more clothes than normal and now the work was hot and sweaty. She was sure she smelled like a dirty sheep and her sweat was dripping along her hands making the wood slippery. If not for help from the Brother Irwin, she would have surely dropped one piece and made the job more difficult for others. "Thank you Brother. I may not share your faith but, your heart is clearly in the right place."

"Can anyone hear us? We're trying to get you out."
Last edited May 1, 2024 4:05 pm

Rolls

Defy Danger with Help + Iron - (2d6+2)

(36) + 2 = 11

May 1, 2024 5:54 pm
Johnsan was relaying the horrors of their previous adventure to the city elders when the roof collapsed, causing a lot of noise and commotion outside of the meeting hall. "We can finish this once the emergency is settled," Johnsan calls over his shoulder as he runs over to try to look for survivors.

Rolls

Defy Danger - wits - (2d6+1)

(44) + 1 = 9

May 1, 2024 7:38 pm
Oxana works shoulder to shoulder with Tatianna and Brother Irwin clearing rubble from the collapsed house. While she is strong the work is hard and tiring and she's lived in these clothes for three days now.

Sweat pools in the small of her back and rolls down across her chest and stomach as she continues to world.

"Alden?" She shouts, "Alden can you hear us?"

Rolls

Defy Danger - Wits - (2d6)

(21) = 3

May 1, 2024 9:03 pm
Jorgen goes over to the stranger and stands by her at the doorway.

Since returning he has struggled with his conscience. Part of him wants to go out into the wilds again, and try to make a name for himself. Of course, also to bring aide back to his village. But the experience has left him very unsettled, and now there is this strange woman. Who will look after them, for they will find it hard in this village as a stranger. Harder still with the lack of food.

As the others rush around the fallen house, trying to rescue anyone inside, he spends his time thinking about his choices; leave again with others to search for aide, or stay and help this stranger find a place in the village.

Listening to the shouts of the others as they dig, and call for help, he comes to his decision. He will stay and help her. Protect her if the need arises. This is his task.

"Do not worry, they will search for Alden," he says to the strange woman. "Just as...just as you have no need to worry if you stay here. I will be staying here to help you."
May 2, 2024 3:34 am
OOC:
Really, there should just be one Defy Danger, and the rest should be Help or Hinder. So with that in mind, Tatianna would get to roll twice and take the better result. Since she's already rolled twice, that's all we need.
The whole rescue attempt becomes a mad scramble as you try to get to Alden before he's crushed by the house. Fortunately, though some of the debris starts to slide, it slides away from where Alden is, partially uncovering him. After that, you're able to make quick work of the rest of the pile, and soon have him pulled free. He's unconscious, but breathing.

Oxana takes a moment to examine the remains of the house. It doesn't take her long to discover why the thing fell down. The wood that was used, probably out of desperation, is old and dry, and would never hold the weight of a roof like young, strong timber would. It's just another sign that things are going badly for the village.

Do you feel as if there's more you can or should accomplish here, or does it seem like it's a better idea for everyone if you head out again?
May 2, 2024 1:47 pm
"I think it's best if we head out. Things will only get worse here if we stay."
May 2, 2024 2:38 pm
Oxana nods wiping sweat from her brow, "I would tend to agree."

She lets out a long breath and looks at the others, "We should visit the springs and washup before we get back on the road, I'm feeling particularly foul and it will give us a chance to think about or next steps."
May 2, 2024 2:39 pm
She makes sure the man is okay, thankfully it seems none of her poultices or herbal remedies are necessary. She does hand Editha a bit of willow bark saying, "Put this in a tea is his head starts to hurt. Other than that, keep an eye on his head, if it begins to swell get it in some cold water and make another cup of tea with this. Wish I had more to give you but, the closest willows are dead or dying."

Once the others are gathered she says, "Okay, we need to head out again. This time we should try and make a plan. I am thinking east and then south where another town might be. We haven't been to it but, if it's empty too I think we trek back north a few miles before we make camp."
OOC:
Tatianna gets a +1 on any role to do with being a healer.
Last edited May 2, 2024 2:40 pm

Rolls

Plan Ahead (wits) - (2d6+1)

(61) + 1 = 8

May 2, 2024 8:06 pm
Oxana nods, "That sounds good to me but I smell like a feral hog after three days and nights in the same clothes."
May 2, 2024 11:52 pm
Brother Irwin shakes his head. "I made use of the inn's tub last night. If you're all visiting the spring, I will meet you again at the same place we left last time." Truth be told, he wants to be on his own for a while, try to make sure of the horrors of yesterday.
May 3, 2024 7:57 pm
Absently, "Not so bad, your hair still has the scent of iron and charcoal it usually has. I have some lavender infused soap left though if you want to use that?"

She suddenly realizes that she’s basically stated that she knows exactly what her friend’s hair smells like. She tries to shove the blush down and pretend that everything is normal. "I will do the same. I’m surprised I didn’t keep you awake smelling as bad as I do."
May 4, 2024 3:41 am
"Does it?" Oxana says making a face. She grabs her hair and sniffs. After years of working around her far's forge her nose and lungs had become so clogged with soot and ash and she could hardly smell at all most days.

She sniffed her hair again then lent in and inhaled next to Tatianna's neck just below her ear. "You smell so good, thats the smell I was dreaming about last night."

Oxana flushes backing up, "I'm sorry I smell like soot and iron, it's not terribly lady like is it?"

"We'll meet you at the hill top in a bit Brother Irwin." She says to his rapidly retreating back. "Come on lets gather our things and not keep the lads waiting too long."

A short while later they're on the trail to the hot-springs lye soap in a bag and fresh linens in their packs.

"I'm really worried." Oxana confesses as they head along the path, "That not Johnsan got next to all of us and," she trails off, "imagine what could have happened had we not moved on when we did."
May 6, 2024 5:31 pm
OOC:
Don't want to interrupt RP, so will give this today to continue, if there's not been any posts, I'll assume that what needed to be said was said and we can move on.
As Brother Irwin waits at the hill...
Falconloft sent a note to testlum
May 7, 2024 1:19 am
Tatianna shrugged, "You’re a smith. I think it suits you. Not that anyone was really buying much at all these days. There were families in town who had a ledger pretty long with her that she probably wouldn’t ever get back.

Before they head to clean up she shrugs, "I don’t know, people have accused my grandmother and I of being witches but, I don’t know anything about that sort of magic. We’re going to have to be more careful about checking what we see is real maybe?"

Later, clean and in a new outfit she waited for her friend to finish.
Last edited May 7, 2024 1:19 am
May 7, 2024 4:27 am
"I was thinking." Oxana says facing away from Tatianna as she pulls on a fresh set of linen underwear. "Maybe we should each get a tattoo or something that we could use to identify one another that can't be seen easily."

The scars from the tax mans whip are still visible on Oxana's pale skin.

"Maybe parts of a thing that make up a whole item." She says lacing up the front of her undershirt and turning about. "What do you think?" Oxana asks before pulling her skirt up and lacing that in place. "We can think about it." She finishes pulling on her top and lacing up her corset.

"Brother Irwin and Johnsan will likely be beside themselves with worry by the time we get to them so lets hurry."
May 7, 2024 6:10 am
OOC:
Where is Johnsan? I thought he'd gone to the springs too.
Brother Irwin stands under the barren boughs of an old tree where the imperial road starts, waiting to leave. The sky is bright and a warm breeze tousles his pale hair, but his thoughts turn inward despite what looked to be a beautiful day. Being alone, away from the others he'd shared the disturbing day in Agnon's Wood with, did little to calm his unease. For a good while the scribe stares at nothing before he registers something strange in the air. A burning smell.

He shakes his head and rubs at his eyes, surveying the horizon for the source. In the distance, from the mountains, smoke furls into the air. The rest of them would want to know about this.
May 7, 2024 3:29 pm
Johnsan spends his down time outside the town limits, walking his usual game trails. He is rather perturbed about what happened to him last time he went out hunting, and it is good for him to walk familiar ground where he can be safe.

Next time, I will take a buddy with me when I head out. This land seems much more dangerous than I initially thought.

As expected, he does not find any game, but spends his time drawing energy from his favorite creeks and clearings. When he returns to town, Johnsan is a little less on edge and is ready to take on the great unknown outside the village again.
May 7, 2024 3:31 pm
"Tattoo? Probably a good idea. Maybe some time when we have more time and, in the meantime, some easy phrase of confirmation. One all four of us can use, I'll think on it while we walk."

When they get to Brother Irwin, she greets him saying, "Hello Brother Irwin. Which way does the wind blow?" She wonders if he even remembers that this was her original code phrase and that he should say it blows ill from the north. They would really need to get everyone on board with something for sure.
May 7, 2024 5:32 pm
"What if we each had a phrase?" Oxana ponders as they approach Brother Irwin and Johnsan.

She grins at the young men as she waits for the Brother to respond.
May 7, 2024 5:51 pm
"Hey gals, you are looking fine and refreshed! Ready to be off?"
May 7, 2024 11:57 pm
Oxana nods a smile on her face, "To the crossroads and then South to Dürward," she looks thoughtful for a moment, "should we check out the Saint’s tomb before heading south. It’s not far from the crossroads."
May 8, 2024 12:02 am
Brother Irwin sees the approach of the group. He greets them with a quick nod, and rather than words, directs their attention southward where smoke climbs into the sky. "That's coming from somewhere close to the mountains," he says. "People, maybe. I'm not sure. If we hurry, we might find out what is going on."
May 8, 2024 12:12 am
OOC:
@Falconloft, the North - frozen mountains or the South - Ghost Cliffs.
Brother Irwin does not answer the phrase correctly so Oxana clears her throat and asks, "Which way does the wind blow Brother Irwin?"
May 8, 2024 12:35 am
OOC:
Hmm, I think Falconloft might mean the mountains leading to the cliffs?
The scribe blinks. "I... What?"
May 8, 2024 1:19 am
OOC:
I think so too but I want to make sure.
May 8, 2024 3:49 am
OOC:
I did mean south. The cliffs are where the southern mountains hit the water!
May 8, 2024 4:05 am
"He doesn't know the phrase." Oxana says to Tatianna, she pats her hammer, "Do I bonk him or give him an iron bar?"

She looks at her friends, "Fae are repulsed by iron. Everyone knows this."

"We thought after the woods maybe we should each have a secret phrase." Oxana adds, "So we know who we're dealing with." She grins, "Pretty smart huh? It was Tatianna's idea, I wanted tattoos."
May 8, 2024 4:11 am
Brother Irwin shrugs. "If you mean the smoke, it's blowing from the south. As far as I can tell at least. And..." He frowns. "You keep mentioning these fae. I didn't, don't know what we saw in the abandoned village. The one that wore Johnsan's appearance." Something he didn't ever want to meet again. "What makes you think it's one of your fae?"
Last edited May 8, 2024 8:01 am
May 8, 2024 1:21 pm
"Because the fae are shapeshifters and tricksters," Oxana replies confidently, "they steal peoples babies from time to time and replace them with odd children."

"My far thought I was a fae child for a while." She says with a hint of pride, "I was odd and didn't talk till I was almost four but then I did and now I work iron so I can't be a fae right?"
Last edited May 8, 2024 1:21 pm
May 8, 2024 1:28 pm
"No, ah, I suppose not." The scriptures never made mention of fae, but it didn't say anything about face-robbers either. Not quite knowing what to say in reply to Oxana, he turns and nods at the road instead. "We should be off. It'll be harder to see the smoke when it gets dark."
May 8, 2024 5:53 pm
She shakes her head, "Well best not bonk him. He sounds far too much like Brother Irwin to be fae. In the meantime we need to try and remember a code word or phrase everyone can use to let each other know it’s the real us. We don’t want another fake Johnsan incident."
May 8, 2024 7:48 pm
"We really don't want that." Oxana says her stomach doing flips at the memory, "Are we investigating the smoke or?"

"What should be my secret phrase?" Oxana asks, "Perhaps something about how I slept and what my dreams were about."
May 9, 2024 7:13 pm
OOC:
It sounds as though you're off. The conversation can continue on the way. I just need a destination. I've seen polls work good here in another game I'm in, so let's do it that way this time and then if anyone objects, we can figure out something else next time.

Where are we headed?

The Ghost Cliffs
Vote to view results.
Durward
Vote to view results.
St. Elbert's Tomb
Vote to view results.

May 15, 2024 7:25 pm
OOC:
I must have posted too close to the daily shutdown or something. Three games I'm in or running are missing posts I know I typed out. Sorry guys. I should have double-checked sooner than this.
You set off in the direction of the smoke. There's smaller roads that you can follow for a while, and then trails for a while longer. You pass the remnants of what used to be far-flung farms where the village's crops would be grown and then sold in the village market, but the crops that grow on these farms now are twisted and wizened, a paltry shadow of their former glory. You might be able to spend all day here and find enough food for one person.

As the farms fall behind, you find the forest growing taller around you, starting with the occasional shrub or bush a ways off, to more and more growing right up against the paths, and then as the paths get narrower, it becomes hard to tell if you're on one at all. Fortunately the smoke is a ready marker, so high above you, but even it becomes obscures are the trees close in and the older, taller growth covers the sky except for bit and pieces of sun stabbing through.
OOC:
We need two moves resolved. One move should have already happened: Plan Ahead. You set out in an orderly manner, so you'll ALL roll+Wits. On a 10+, hold 3, on a 7-9, hold 1. You can spend 1 hold to gain a +1 on a roll that you're making because of your Want. In other words, you don't just get the bonus unless you give us a bit of a story about why whatever you're doing is relevant to your Want.

Secondly, you're heading out to a place no one of you has ever been, and there's no roads straight there. So you'll need a Scout and a Navigator. Both of these people (and they shouldn't be the same) need to roll+Wits - after you figure out who's who of course.
[ +- ] Scout
[ +- ] Navigate
May 15, 2024 7:33 pm
OOC:
I was wondering what had happened. Wits Roll. Johanson is our hunter / trapper so I'd suggest him being our scout.

Rolls

Wits 2d6+1 - (2d6+1)

(61) + 1 = 8

May 16, 2024 1:28 am
Sure, I can be the Scout.

Rolls

Plan Ahead - (2d6+1)

(41) + 1 = 6

Scout - (2d6+1)

(23) + 1 = 6

May 16, 2024 1:43 am
She did her best to navigate their travel. The maps were really all she had but, they were decent and a bit of math wasn’t beyond her capabilities when needed to calculate their location and where they should go next.
Last edited May 16, 2024 1:44 am

Rolls

Plan ahead - (2d6+1)

(46) + 1 = 11

Navigate - (2d6+1)

(52) + 1 = 8

May 16, 2024 2:45 am
OOC:
So Johnsan marks an XP.
It's late afternoon and the shadows from the trees are starting to slowly overcome the glimmers of light from above. The paths are starting to become harder to follow and the combination of the two proves to be a dangerous - almost deadly - one. The ground beneath your feet is a bit spongy and... weird. Almost as if it's... wet?

Johnsan didn't notice it in time to warn anyone, so before you know it, all of you, barring Johnsan, are standing in the middle of a bog, and one wrong step could mean that you sink into what might otherwise look like solid ground. How are you going to get out of this bog without drowning in the earth?

Rolls

Secret Roll

Secret Roll

May 16, 2024 3:17 pm
"Back back," Oxana says looking over her shoulder for her foot steps, "follow your tracks back out."

She sticks a hand out for Tatianna and Brother Irwin to take.
OOC:
Good thought on Defy Danger GM.
Last edited May 16, 2024 9:48 pm

Rolls

Defy Danger / Wits - (2d6+1)

(63) + 1 = 10

May 16, 2024 6:27 pm
Johnsan didn't notice the bog before it was too late, so now he will take a moment to look around. He is looking for a nearby tree with an overhanging branch, a close non-swampy spot he can pull himself onto, or even just something he can use to slowly push himself out. While he looks, he is careful to only move his head, because panicking and flailing will only make him sink deeper.

Rolls

defy danger- wits - (2d6+1)

(44) + 1 = 9

May 16, 2024 6:28 pm
"Is there anyway I can get a little help?"
OOC:
Is there a help action that can bump this roll up to a 10?
May 17, 2024 12:35 am
Brother Irwin doesn't realize anything is wrong before the cries of alarm sound from the others. By then, he's already surrounded by treacherous ground. Each grey-green patch looks the same to him, with no indication whether solid ground or sucking mud lay beneath the surface. The scribe stays put, heart beating fast inside his chest.
OOC:
Are our characters able to help while they're occupied with saving themselves at the moment?

I think Johnsan might qualify for a Spout Lore roll, by the way. Being a hunter would probably mean he's encountered such things before. Perhaps @Falconloft can confirm.
May 17, 2024 3:37 pm
OOC:
Johnsan, you looking around isn't Defy Danger, it's either Discern Realities or Spout Lore. Both are +Wits, so we'll use that roll.

If you go with Discern, you get to ask one question. The ones that might be relevant are:
-- What here is useful or valuable to me?
-- What here is not what it appears to be?

If you go with Spout, I will tell you something interesting, but it's up to you to make it useful.
@GameMaster
May 17, 2024 4:07 pm
OOC:
Thank you for the correction. I'll go with Spout Lore.
May 17, 2024 4:40 pm
I think the most interesting thing I could tell you is that a lot of the trees right here are dead. Very dead. There's also a termite mound about fifty feet away.
May 17, 2024 11:04 pm
She does her best to follow her own trail back and out of the bog. A foot splooshes deep into muck and she gets turned around. Suddenly nothing looks like it did and she’s now wet and muddy without any way to go. "I think I need some help. I can’t remember where I stepped and where I didn’t"
Last edited May 17, 2024 11:06 pm

Rolls

Defy Danger (wits] - (2d6+1)

(21) + 1 = 4

May 18, 2024 12:23 am
OOC:
Am I alright or am I screwed with that 10 I rolled? Or should I do something else?
May 18, 2024 1:48 am
OOC:
10 is a strong hit, so you're probably the opposite of screwed lol.
May 18, 2024 3:58 am
OOC:
My fingers are crossed that I can help get Tatianna out because with that roll she's really screwed.
May 20, 2024 5:36 pm
OOC:
Sorry, couldn't get in front of a computer this weekend at all. Weekends are usually when I'm working on family/house stuff. @Emberskyes - YOu're definitely not screwed, but I was going to wait to see what @GameMaster did before I finalized any outcomes. I'll post tomorrow if nothing further happens today.
May 20, 2024 7:22 pm
Oxana reaches out a hand towards Tatianna, "Take my hand," she says reaching up with her other hand to unpin her cloak just in case, "the ground feels solid here and I can still see my steps from before."
May 20, 2024 9:33 pm
Johnsan is going to look around to see nearby dead trees, wondering if he could use them to his advantage. He reaches out, trying to snap off a big dead branch, then plunges it into the mud in an attempt to help himself lift out of the mire.
OOC:
Would this be a Defy Danger roll?
May 22, 2024 9:59 pm
OOC:
@GameMaster - That would be the 'make it useful' part of your Spout Lore outcome. It would be a bit churlish of me to require another roll.
Oxana manages to pull Tatiana out of the mire, and with Johnsan's quick thinking, a nearby tree is buoyant enough to let him and Irwin climb out. You're all a bit worse for the wear and extremely muddy. There's not really anywhere convenient to stop to rest, but once you're back on solid ground you realise just how much weight you're carrying in mud, so you're going to have to make a choice - camp here and let the mud dry so you can scrape it off, or press on, hoping not to run into more of the same in the gathering darkness.

It's as you're discussing this that you notice the small opening in the nearby hillside. It's only big enough to crawl into, but perhaps it opens up more on the other side.
May 23, 2024 4:40 am
Oxana lets out a breath, "That was a close one." She whispers in the ever darkening gloom. "We definitely need to be more cautious. Everyone alright?"

She bends down and scrapes as much of the muck off her boots and skirt as possible.

"I don't much like the idea of spending the night here but I like the idea of tramping through this bog in the dark even less."

"Do you suppose that's a burrow of sorts Johnsan?" Oxana asks, "Might we be safe in there if it's abandoned?"

A thought pops into her mind, "Wait, what if it's a barrow?" Oxana looks at Brother Irwin, "Are there barrows out here?"
May 23, 2024 6:37 am
"Barrows?" Brother Irwin shakes his head, looking at the recess at the side of the hill. It looks cramped and dark. "Not that I have heard of... Going inside doesn't feel like a good idea regardless. If it's not going to rain, I'd rather we stay out."
May 23, 2024 5:54 pm
"I agree with Oxana. As much as I hate to set up camp again are what happened last time, I'm not going to make it too much further with all this mud on me, and i haven't seen a place to wash it off either. I'll check out the opening and see what I can learn. Maybe the extra knowledge will help us decide."

Johnsan bends down to get a better look at the small opening. He checks the dirt for signs of animals moving through. He listens for the sound of wind moving through the tunnel. He gazes as deeply int he darkness as he can, and even lets out a sharp "whoop" to listen for an echo. After a long minute, he finishes his investigation...
Last edited May 23, 2024 5:55 pm

Rolls

Discern Realities - (2d6+1)

(61) + 1 = 8

Advantage due to my occupation - (2d6+1)

(23) + 1 = 6

May 23, 2024 8:37 pm
She took Oxana's hand and somehow the smith led her out of that mud. She would have hugged the other woman but she was full of mud, she settled for clasping Oxana's hand again and saying, "Thank you Oxana! If I had been alone I might never have gotten out."

They begin to discuss Burrows and Barrows so Tatianna attempts to provide some lore on the subject. Sadly all she has is myth and legend nothing real. "I know some old stories about Bernice Bunny and the Barrow Blight. But I'm pretty sure that was just a children's story."
Last edited May 23, 2024 8:40 pm

Rolls

Spout Lore - (2d6+1)

(12) + 1 = 4

May 24, 2024 4:52 am
OOC:
Do we have lanterns or candles? I assume we have fire starting flint and steel.
"My mamma use to tell us about barrows and the ruins on the island." Oxana says, "She said there were huge barrows to the east, on the great steppes beyond the forest."

She moves over and looks about to see if there are any other options for shelter before it turns dark.
May 24, 2024 3:00 pm
OOC:
@GameMaster - You've got one question (from the list, please).

https://i.imgur.com/4qPUn13.png
May 24, 2024 4:18 pm
Emberskyes says:
OOC:
Do we have lanterns or candles? I assume we have fire starting flint and steel.
This is something I did not think about personally when I was having you start off, although I did place them in the rules. So here's what we'll do. You do, somewhere in the group, have a tinderbox. You'll have to forage for wood, normally, although there are lots of dead trees around as already stated, so it'll be easy to find wood for the fire tonight.
Beyond the small opening, there's nothing else that would really serve as shelter, but at least it's not raining, right?
OOC:
Once we get a question, I'll describe what you see in the opening.
May 24, 2024 6:40 pm
OOC:
I pick "What here should I be on the lookout for?"
May 29, 2024 3:53 pm
Ideally, if you're going to make a cave your shelter, you'd probably want to ensure that no one - or nothing - else was trying to do the same. Fur clumps or shed skin could indicate that there was a beast that made this cave its home. Leftover, worn tools, or paintings could indicate that a man lived here. Thankfully you find neither. There's a curtain of moss and ivy that hangs along the rear of the cave, where the rock is close to the ground before it rears up, making nearly enough space to stand - but not quite. There are old scorch marks on the ceiling. Someone must have been stupid enough to start a fire under the arcing overhang at some point long ago. They would have smoked themselves out, no matter who they were, and there's none of the wood left, so it had to have been ages ago.

So you have a choice.

How to Spend the Night Multi

Sleep in the open.
Vote to view results.
Sleep in the cave.
Vote to view results.
Keep moving.
Vote to view results.
OOC:
As an aside, since we didn't explicitly cover it... You do have the basics for travel. A tinderbox, a blanket which you can wear as a cloak - or is it the other way round, rations (currently 30; will be 26 after tonight), a waterskin, and a few torches, maybe 10 between the 4 of you (I'm assuming you grabbed Jorgen's).
May 29, 2024 5:41 pm
If we can confirm there isn't a bear or a zombie in the cave I'm good with having a nap on there.
May 29, 2024 6:41 pm
"Guys, this place seems empty for now. There are no fur clumps or shed skin that could indicate that there was a beast that made this cave its home. There are no leftover, worn tools, or paintings that could indicate that a man lived here. There are old scorch marks on the ceiling, where someone must have been stupid enough to start a fire under the arcing overhang at some point long ago. However, they would have smoked themselves out, no matter who they were, and there's none of the wood left, so it had to have been ages ago. I think this place is empty enough for us to stay here, and we can work out a two guard system for overnight security if you guys want."
OOC:
I'm repeating everything just to be cheeky :)
May 30, 2024 12:09 am
Brother Irwin looks uncomfortable at the prospect of delving inside the unexplored cave, but the others seem to prefer the thought to sleeping outdoors. The sky is getting darker, true, but that is a result of the coming dusk rather than a sign of rain. At least, that's what he thinks. He frets for a moment before saying, "We should stay near the entrance. At least where we can see the way out."

If the others start to bed down, the scribe heeds his own advice and picks a spot closest to the cave mouth.
May 30, 2024 3:40 am
Oxana heads in through the low opening a lit candle in her hand, one of the two or three she has and she heads to the back of the cave where the moss and ivy is. She checks behind the ivy and along the bottom to ensure there's no opening where something can come in behind them unaware. If and when she's satisfied that there's no danger from the back she sits down breaking her candle in half to preserve part of it for later.

"It's going to be dark in here." She says with a sigh, "I wish we could have a small fire to give us some kind of light and a little bit of warmth but I think we're probably better off not attracting any attention."
May 30, 2024 2:20 pm
She looks up at the ceiling and the remains of the previous attempt at a fire and says. "Agreed, let’s add some sticks and branches at the entrance though. That way anyone trying to sneak in will be heard. Plus, of course, we should all take a watch again."
May 30, 2024 5:55 pm
Agreed. And I won't wander off this time.
May 30, 2024 7:19 pm
"If we can find a branch we could make the ends into spikes." Oxana says, "that should deter most of the bigger stuff."

"I like the idea of crunchy little sticks outside."
May 31, 2024 11:58 am
Johnsan will get to work sharpening sticks and setting up minor defenses.
OOC:
Does this require a roll? It's not interesting or dangerous.
May 31, 2024 10:34 pm
Brother Irwin watches Johnsan whittle for a while, the pieces of wood in the woodsman's hands gradually turning into crude spikes. It's not a very quick process. The scribe wonders if the work will be finished before the sky's fully dark, and goes to squat beside Johnsan.

"Teach me?" Brother Irwin offers. "It'll go faster with two pairs of hands." He pauses. "I mean, if you have a spare knife, I can help."
Last edited May 31, 2024 10:35 pm
Jun 1, 2024 5:16 am
Oxana reaches into her pouch and pulls out a small bronze lamp, she adjusts the wick coiling it about inside the bowl carefully and adjusting it before adding a small amount of oil to the bowl and lighting it creating a low amount of illumination in their shelter before pulling out her own knife and lending her hands to help with the production of spikes for the entrance.

"Many hands, light something, something." She says with a smile.
Jun 1, 2024 10:28 pm
Tatianna assists with the task as well. Their last encounter out in the wilderness has her spooked.
Jun 4, 2024 2:20 pm
The cave is indeed, just a small hole in the side of the hill. There's no openings in the rock, and all the poking that Oxana does makes that very clear. It might not be the most comfortable, but it's going to be safe at least. There's not, however, a lot of option other than close to the entrance though. This hole is not that deep. There's room for the four of you to lie down in a row, and for you to put your packs at your feet, or perhaps on the side, and that's it. You're not all bunched up on each other, but you're not more than a couple feet apart.

Johnsan and Irwin make a ramshackle line of pointy sticks that will surprise anyone that comes close. By that time everyone's hungry, so you eat what little you have and settle in for the night. Each of you agrees to take a watch, and then you're asleep, save for the watcher.
OOC:
4 rations are consumed. Whose they are is up to you. Nothing happens during the night, save for the snuffling of a smaller animal around the defenses you've put up, but it goes away before too long.
In fact, you haven't slept this good for days, not even in the village. You awaken refreshed, but still in the dark. By the time the sun hits the entrance to the cave, it's mid-morning for everything that wasn't in the shadow of a high hill. By that time, you've all managed to have breakfast, and you can't help but notice that there are plants growing here. Probably not enough to support a whole village, but enough to replenish your supplies. So you have a decision to make. Do you want to push ahead with your journey, or should you pause here to try to collect more food for rations?

Next steps...

Keep going toward the mountains.
Vote to view results.
Stay here for a bit to restock.
Vote to view results.
Jun 5, 2024 1:45 pm
The morning finds Tatianna up early collecting berries and edible fungus. She knows which ones are edible and which ones are poisonous.
Last edited June 5, 2024 1:45 pm

Rolls

Forage - (2d6+1)

(21) + 1 = 4

Forage w/help - (2d6+1)

(65) + 1 = 12

Jun 5, 2024 2:00 pm
Brother Irwin tries to look for the same signs of forage that the others do, though his attention is only half-focused on the task. He belatedly remembers not praying the night before, thinks about doing so now but decides to put it off until the coming evening. Ah, if only this was how the first night they set off had passed. He catches himself before he shakes his head in front of the others.
OOC:
Brother Irwin will use Help for Tatianna, assuming she makes a move to Forage.
Jun 5, 2024 3:31 pm
OOC:
@testlum - Waiting on that help move before I say what, if anything, is found.
Jun 5, 2024 3:32 pm
Oxana, Johnsan, what are you guys doing while the other two are foraging?
OOC:
@Emberskyes,@GameMaster
Jun 5, 2024 10:24 pm
Johnsan will take the opportunity to try his have at hunting again. He is still afraid after how the last time turned out, but he is going in the day this time and will stay close to the rest of the group. In addition to the hunting, he will also put out traps to catch small game.

Rolls

Foraging - (2d6+1)

(32) + 1 = 6

Jun 6, 2024 2:04 am
Oxana will assist the others with foraging. The ability to eat seems vitally important to her and it’s a good bonding exercise af a night in a cramped hole in the ground.

Rolls

Wits / Foraging - (2d6+1)

(41) + 1 = 6

Jun 6, 2024 7:22 pm
Everyone spreads out to search. At first, it doesn't seem like there's much around that's edible, despite the overwhelming greenery that you see around you. It's not until Tatianna points out a small group of three bushes nearby that you find something really good. The trees are smaller, but their leaves are familiar to her as plum leaves, so you go to check out the trees and find there are small plums hanging from the branches of the bushes. They're much smaller than you're used to seeing, but they seem good to eat.

You gain 5 rations' worth of fruit. Unfortunately, it's not until you have all the available fruit picked off the trees that you realize that one of the trees is a vale plum. While the birds and other animals live vale plums, they are potentially - though not always - poisonous to humans. They're also identical to the other fruit.
OOC:
I did go ahead and roll the second roll for help. Technically, it should be the helped person that rolls the second dice, but if you guys are okay with it, I'd like to adjust it to be that the person helping makes a second identical roll, or if they don't, I will. This should speed things up for pbp.

Helper rolls for Help?

This is the best idea ever.
Vote to view results.
This is the worst idea ever.
Vote to view results.
I like cake.
Vote to view results.

Rolls

Rations - (2d4)

(14) = 5

Jun 9, 2024 4:26 am
Oxana groans looking at the their freshly collected supplies, "Ugh, they all look the same." She looks at the others, "Do they taste different? Or maybe turn our fingers different colors?"

"I really don't want to throw them all out but I don't want to die either. Any thoughts?"

Oxana wracks her brain for any kind of difference between Vale Plum and the Willow Plum they've found perhaps an old children's rhyme.

"Willow Plum is sweet and clear but Vale Plum ... something something ... you should fear."

Rolls

Wits (Spout Lore) - (2d6+1)

(51) + 1 = 7

Jun 10, 2024 7:29 pm
OOC:
My original intent with this was that you'd just have to make a choice to keep or leave them, buuuuut, you're right, this is something they'd be taught if it were a known species. SO.
The interesting thing is that you've all probably had the purple runs before. When someone inadvertently uses Vale Plums in a pie or something, everyone who eats it gets sick, but it doesn't really hurt you. On the other hand, those who have eaten the fruit directly off the trees or, at least raw, have had a far worse time, fever, delusions, etc.
OOC:
This turns the question to...

The Matter of the Plums

Keep them and take the time to cook them. It'll only be another day here.
Vote to view results.
Leave them and carry on, we have unknown places to be.
Vote to view results.
OOC:
If you'd rather talk through it that's fine, this is just here in case the purple runs aren't a conversation topic we need more detail on.
Jun 10, 2024 10:07 pm
"Tatianna? What do you think?" Brother Irwin asks the dark-haired girl. They would need to take what they could find, if they didn't want to go hungry eventually, but perhaps that is preferable still to falling sick in an unfamiliar place. "Is there a way we can prepare the plums, so they're not going to do any harm?"
Jun 11, 2024 1:08 am
She shrugs, "If we cook them they will still be edible with a few issues. I’m not sure we want to be dealing with those issues out in the wild though. If we had poppies we could handle that but as it is we need to decide if we want to cook them and still deal with the issues or if we cut our losses."
Jun 11, 2024 2:09 pm
Seems like it's leaning toward leaving them and continuing on. Oxana, Johnsan, what do you guys think?
OOC:
@Emberskyes,@GameMaster - Don't want to cut off RP, but don't want to get bogged down on plums of all things either.
Jun 11, 2024 9:15 pm
"The purple runs are no joking matter, but it feels like a shame to leave so much good food behind. Maybe we could take the berries and spend time cooking them later when we have a rest?"
Jun 12, 2024 1:13 am
She nods, "A good option. We bring them and cook them later. I will also look through grandmother’s notes and maybe I’ll find an answer."
Jun 12, 2024 3:02 am
Oxana nods, "I think that's probably our best bet," she says, "food is, well it's going to be hard to come by and passing up this much feels like a waste when we know there's a way to deal with it."

"I kind of which I had my mamma's old preserves recipes, I'm sure she had something in there for this."

She looks south towards the mountains to see if there's still smoke visible. "We should make note of this bog." Oxana says, "Bogs have peat and dried peat burns almost as well as charcoal. It would definitely help to keep the village warm through the winter."
Jun 12, 2024 3:20 am
Brother Irwin says nothing more. He hopes that it won't come down to risking the plums. An empty stomach is one thing, but being unable to keep food down when they are already lacking in supplies sounds like a very bad idea. When the plums are packed away, he goes with the group toward the smoke's direction.
Jun 12, 2024 2:35 pm
Who's leading this time? And who's scouting?
Jun 12, 2024 4:25 pm
Johnsan is happy to participate if that is what the group wants.
Jun 12, 2024 4:37 pm
Oxana volunteers to scout ahead this time. Do we still see the smoke in the mountains or is it gone?

Oxana is going to try to keep a low profile, particularly as she gets closer to the smoke.
OOC:
Oh for fudge sakes...
Last edited June 12, 2024 4:38 pm

Rolls

Shadow (Sneaky Sneaky) - (2d6+0)

(22) = 4

Jun 14, 2024 3:12 pm
Emberskyes says:
OOC:
Oh for fudge sakes...
OOC:
You are marking down your XP for all these sub-6 rolls, yes?
Jun 14, 2024 3:13 pm
OOC:
Johnsan can Navigate. Will roll to keep things moving.

Rolls

Navigate (Johnsan) - (2d6+1)

(34) + 1 = 8

Jun 14, 2024 3:18 pm
The fact that the trees are growing denser and the way the land rises soon means that the smoke is lost from sight. You continue in the way you think you were going originally, but then the trees suddenly part and you come out onto a narrow strip of grassland, about 100 feet wide. At the other end of the grass is a high, sharp cliff that drops off precipitously into the sea.

On a normal day, that view of the water so far below and the sea that stretches to the horizon would command your attention for a good while. But today is not a normal day, for just a few feet from the edge of the cliff is a black stone gateway. The stone is so black you can barely even see it in the full light of day. It's clearly been there for quite some time. Some of the stonework that surrounds it has fallen off into the sea as the ground was eroded away from under it. It was definitely of some import once upon a time, though, because someone took the time to carve intricate inscriptions across every face of it's surface - and inlay it with silver.

Rolls

Secret Roll

Jun 14, 2024 3:58 pm
OOC:
Is this the source of smoke?
Jun 14, 2024 4:12 pm
Emberskyes says:
OOC:
Is this the source of smoke?
OOC:
No. I adjusted my last post to be more clear.
Jun 14, 2024 5:17 pm
"It's a fae gate." Oxana whispers moving carefully towards the forest edge of the cliff so she can survey the gate and the cliff below it from the side. Do not wish to step out on to an undercut and be dashed on the rocks below.

"At least it looks like a fae gate." She says, "That silver must be worth a fortune. Unfortunately it's probably cursed."
Jun 15, 2024 2:52 am
"Do you think everything has something to do with fae?" Brother Irwin asks, exasperated. He has trouble taking his eyes off the uncanny structure as well, a gate that leads nowhere but toward a rapid plummet to the bottom of the cliff. The hair at the back of his neck rises up.

As the wind whistles, an impulse comes across him to approach the gate. He takes one step forward, then two, until he is standing just at its threshold. Up close, the inscriptions fill his vision, until he can almost see nothing else.
OOC:
Discern Realities:
What is about to happen?
What here is useful or valuable to me?
What here is not what it appears to be?
Last edited June 15, 2024 2:55 am

Rolls

Discern Reality (Wits) - (2d6)

(46) = 10

Jun 15, 2024 5:07 am
"Not everything." Oxana says with a smile as she checks the cliff face to make sure it's safe.

"But we do live on the edge of the world Brother Irwin and the ways of the elder things are stronger here than they are in the heart of the empire." She shrugs and moves back towards the archway, "You don't have to believe if you don't want to but it doesn't make the thinning of the veil out here on the edges any less real."
Last edited June 15, 2024 5:15 am

Rolls

Wits (Spout Lore about the Fae and the Old Ways) - (2d6+1)

(36) + 1 = 10

Jun 17, 2024 3:59 pm
Oxana checks around the gate as it lays dormant, and everything appears to be safe - as long as you, you know, don't step off the edge of the cliff. I'm not sure I can be 100% helpful here, Oxana, but I'll give you some info anyway. One of the reasons the village resisted having the abbey at first was because of a deep-seated belief that writing things down locked them in and didn't let them change. ((OOC: There's a similar thing in real life, which I'm only mentioning as a touchstone for understanding the depth of this. Some cultures do NOT want their photograph taken, believing it steals their soul.)) It's much the same with writing here. If you write THINGS down, they are locked in whatever state you wrote about them. If you wanted to be free, you couldn't have written records. That was several generations ago, and the abbey doesn't write about local people anyway, so people stopped caring so much. But they still remembered and passed it down. But perhaps that belief didn't come from nowhere. Because as you can see here, the ONLY thing that hasn't withered away or eroded or broken down is this gate with ALL THE WORDS. How is this useful? Perhaps it's not immediately. Perhaps it's just a piece of information to hold on to. But you do know now that because if all the words, it won't fall off the cliff. In fact, it might not even fall when the cliff finally does.

Falconloft sent a note to testlum
Jun 17, 2024 4:00 pm
@Ysolde,@GameMaster - Are you sure it's safe to let them just wander around the cliff and the gate like that?
Jun 17, 2024 9:00 pm
Tatianna comes over and looks at the gate. She’s far from happy with the way things are going right now. "Maybe we should leave the gate be and just go on our way."

Rolls

Discern Reality - (2d6+1)

(23) + 1 = 6

Jun 17, 2024 11:56 pm
"Wait," Brother Irwin calls out. "Just... wait a moment." Is it only his imagination at work, or does the whorls and curls of the inscription of the gate stir up something in his memory?

His fingers brush against the etchings, black stone cool underneath his touch. He catches a whiff of strange air, alien air, like it had come through a newly open crack in the gate. But he can't go just yet, not before he understands what that writing says. Rummaging in his belongings, Brother Irwin retrieves a piece of parchment. He presses it down against the etchings, imprinting it onto the page.
OOC:
Gonna go with Defy Danger here. Edge seems appropriate for how quickly and accurately the imprinting goes.

Rolls

Defy Danger (Edge) - (2d6+0)

(66) = 12

Jun 18, 2024 5:39 pm
OOC:
@Ysolde - Tatianna, don't forget to mark XP.
Irwin, that would be the right move, if it got that far, but your fingers brush against the etchings and the silver flares to life like the edge of a cloud after a summer rainshower. The effect spreads from where you touch it until every letter around the entire gate is glowing softly. As the last rune begins to glow, the seascape that you could see through the gate is replaced by land. And what land. Green as far as you can see, tall lush grass, a flowery meadow, and a thick forest that borders it on both sides.
OOC:
@testlum - See discord DM.
Jun 18, 2024 6:10 pm
"You shouldn't touch the fae," Oxana begins to say as the runes start to glow, she winces, "nevermind."
Jun 18, 2024 9:01 pm
Johnsan seems a little apprehensive about everyone causually meandering about the cliff and the gate, but everyone here is an adult and it's not his place to tell them not to fall. For his part, he is going to pass a stick, and then, if there are no major events, his hand, through the gate, hoping to enter the world beyond.
Jun 19, 2024 12:29 am
So intent is Brother Irwin on his tracery that he doesn't realize at first that anything major has changed. When he looks up, sunlight from elsewhere falls on his face. "Oh," he says. The vision through the magic gate is beautiful.

By then, the others have caught up with him. Brother Irwin gets back up from his knees. His hands by rote find the shape of a prayer sign. "O God, what is this door that you have shown me?" he murmurs. "Are we to go through?"
OOC:
Brother Irwin is truly asking God a question, so I'll make my subsequent post based on whether he gets an answer (or not). I don't think any Move fits exactly though.
Jun 19, 2024 12:36 am
OOC:
Is not the fact that it opened at all a sign? I don't think anything I could provide would be better.
Jun 19, 2024 12:45 am
OOC:
Hah, sure I can work with that, but Brother Irwin would prefer a message he more clearly understood. I'll let the others resolve their actions first before I continue.
Jun 19, 2024 3:14 am
"A gate to the fae realm." Oxana gasps as she marvels at the world beyond the door before looking at Brother Irwin. It was, as he had noted before always something to do with the fae with Oxana but maybe this time she was right.

"Committing the magics to paper is," She shakes her head, "just be careful with that. It could be dangerous."
Jun 19, 2024 2:30 pm
testlum says:
OOC:
Brother Irwin would prefer a message he more clearly understood.
OOC:
God doesn't send personal messages anymore. That's why the monasteries exist, so you can teach others what God's message is.
Jun 20, 2024 10:44 am
At times back at the monastery after prayer, Brother Irwin would feel a serene inner peace settle over him like a warm cloak, as though all was right with the world. That feeling was the closest he'd come to hearing God's speech. It fed his faith throughout the years. Finding that peace became harder these days, but the night before brought with it a similar sense of calm.

A world shines through the portal, almost in wait. He is aware of Johnsan's cautious testing of the door, and Oxana's declaration causes a familiar twinge of irritation in his mind, but this doesn't feel like the right moment to speak. He would close his eyes, but he wants to witness what happens next. Brother Irwin steps through the door.
Jun 20, 2024 2:59 pm
OOC:
@testlum - I believe you have a move for this.
Jun 20, 2024 3:03 pm
OOC:
Whoops. Brother Irwin wants to reach the lush meadow. In his mind it's probably still in the same world, just... idealized a bit seen through his eyes.

Rolls

Secret Paths and Ways (Shadow) - (2d6+1)

(66) + 1 = 13

Jun 20, 2024 3:10 pm
As you step through the gate, you feel an odd sensation run through him. It's hard to explain, but if you ask someone to put their palm up against yours and then take your thumb and forefinger and run them down the backs of both hands at once, that should get pretty close. Is it because the air is different? Perhaps the sunshine is ever so slightly brighter. Whatever it is, the tiny jolt you experience from the ground being a couple inches lower here removes it from your mind before you can dwell too much on it.

It's just as beautiful here as when you saw it from the other side. You can look back and see the others sort of hanging there in the air, a couple inches off the ground but you do not see a gate.
Jun 21, 2024 3:45 am
"Johansen wait!" Oxana blurts out as he steps through the doorway, she moves in a way so she can see through the door and looks to see if she can still see her friend.

"Oh gods," she says, "I hope he's alright."
Jun 21, 2024 5:42 pm
He's fine. There's nothing in the way of seeing back and forth or of communicating. That specific piece of air just goes somewhere it's not really meant to go.
Jun 24, 2024 3:10 am
"So Irwin went through- should we follow him?"

Johnsan looks through the gate at Brother Irwin, now a bit beneath him.

"Everything alright down there?"
Jun 24, 2024 4:12 am
"I'm... I'm fine," Brother Irwin says after he's had a moment to parse the fact that he'd actually crossed through the portal. He belatedly checks whether he is indeed, fine. He's still in one piece, as far as he can tell.

Brother Irwin tilts his face upward, feeling the sunlight warm his cheeks. There's not a cloud in the blue sky. He breathes deep before addressing the others again.

"Are the three of you coming?"
Jun 24, 2024 2:23 pm
Oxana looks at Tatianna and Johnsan before sticking a hand through and pulling it back. "Shall we?"

"Perhaps the whole village could pick up and move to this place." She puts her hand through again and pulls it back. "It's warm in there."
Jun 24, 2024 3:12 pm
OOC:
I'm going to assume that everyone goes through in the order they suggested they do so (Johnsan, Oxana, Tatianna) unless someone has an objection to that.

If you do, make a post for what you'd do instead. I'll hold on this til tomorrow.
Jun 25, 2024 3:01 pm
She looks to Oxana and holds her other hand. "Okay but hold tight I don’t want to get split up." After that she follows behind the other woman.
Last edited June 25, 2024 3:02 pm
Jun 26, 2024 6:10 pm
Johnsan steps through, followed by the two women. The portal stays open behind you, but it's just the opening in the air, there's no stone on this side to hold it. You're not exactly seeing any obvious signs that direct you which might be the best way to go. On the other hand, you're not seeing danger in any specific direction either. Now that you're all together, where do you go from here?

Jun 26, 2024 6:30 pm
OOC:
What do we see around us? Is it a reflection of where we were? Mountains in the same places or is it somewhere entirely different? What do we see in the distance? Do we see any signs of life?
Jun 26, 2024 6:44 pm
OOC:
I thought I'd described it, let me see...
Jun 26, 2024 6:45 pm
OOC:
Had to look for it, was a page back.
Falconloft says:
the seascape ... is replaced by land. And what land. Green as far as you can see, tall lush grass, a flowery meadow, and a thick forest that borders it on both sides.
If you were too look far enough, off in the distance, you might see the ever so fuzzy outline of a mountain obscured by clouds.
Jun 27, 2024 12:41 am
"Where are we?" Oxana asks looking about. She squints at the mist covered mountains in the distance, "Are those our mountains?" She asks peering through the looking glass like lens of the portal and then looking off into the distance again.
Last edited June 27, 2024 12:42 am
Jun 27, 2024 3:40 am
"I don't see any smoke," Brother Irwin says in answer. Looking for the source of the aforementioned smoke doesn't seem nearly so important anymore. The gate had opened to him for a reason. He would find the reason here, not on the other side.
Jun 27, 2024 3:54 pm
It's hard to tell if the mountains are the same. Impossible would be a better word for it, really. The angle is different, and the clouds are in the way. Are there clouds on the other side of your mountains? Hard to say.
OOC:
I'm not going to cut rp short here, if there's going to be any, but you will eventually need to decide where to go from here. Back through the portal? Toward the mountains? Into the forest? It's up to you, but we should steer the RP toward making a decision.
Jun 27, 2024 4:10 pm
OOC:
How different is the weather here? ie. Was it cold and now it's warm? Was it autumn with leaves changing color and now it's not? Anything significant.
Jun 28, 2024 12:08 pm
Johnsan, hearing the idea of bringing the village here, will immediately begin to look around for water sources and for game. This is a different land, but the village requirements will still be the same. The soil seems to support vegetation, which bodes well for community gardens, so this might be a good place after all.

"Maybe we should start looking for a water source, like a spring or river? We can leave a trail so we know how to return to this gate, and maybe we will find a nice spot to set up a new village?"
Jun 28, 2024 2:20 pm
Oxana nods, "That sounds like a good idea." she says giving Tatiana's hand a squeeze looking for a marker that can lead them back to this place, "We'll need to find a safe spot to spend the night and maybe clean up a bit after that night in a muddy cave."

"How about if we circle this glen and go from there?"
Jun 28, 2024 2:31 pm
"It's still early out," Brother Irwin says. He shrugs at Johnsan's suggestion. "Do you have something we could use for making that trail?"
OOC:
Falconloft says:
...and a thick forest that borders it on both sides.
Let me know if I'm picturing this right. From where we're standing in the meadow, there's forest forming two "walls" around a corridor of tall grass. At the end of the corridor is the distant shape of a mountain.
Jun 28, 2024 6:47 pm
She begins to look for the same water, game, and food supplies for the village.
Jul 2, 2024 8:04 pm
testlum says:
Let me know if I'm picturing this right. From where we're standing in the meadow, there's forest forming two "walls" around a corridor of tall grass. At the end of the corridor is the distant shape of a mountain.
OOC:
That's pretty accurate. Probably not exactly straight lines on any of that, but that's the general idea.
Jul 2, 2024 8:09 pm
@GameMaster - Johnsan can search around - with Tatianna helping him, so you can roll twice - I think a Forage roll would be best here. You'll find what you're looking for - or the lack of it either way, but there's a chance you run across something else as well.

Oxana, what kind of marker are you looking for? Do you want something to trail behind you as you go, or more of a landmark to keep an eye on?
Jul 2, 2024 8:22 pm
OOC:
Land mark.
Jul 2, 2024 9:05 pm
Well let's see, there's always the portal itself. The edge of it glows a bit during the day, but would be really bright at night with no other lights around. There's also one pine tree that's taller than most of the others around it. But those will probably only work outside of the forest. Inside you'll have to rely on your ability to work out directions from the sun, probably.
Jul 3, 2024 12:56 am
She helps keep them on track. Mostly she keeps her eyes back on the portal where they came from.
Jul 3, 2024 3:06 am
Oxana points out the large tree at the forests edge. "I'll gather firewood and we can camp near there."

"We're close to the doorway but far enough back if it attracts visitors we won't be right on it." She looks at the others, "Meet before sundown?"
Jul 5, 2024 7:52 pm
OOC:
Rolling for Johnsan.

Rolls

Forage with help - (2d6+1, 2d6+1)

2d6+1 : (16) + 1 = 8

2d6+1 : (53) + 1 = 9

Secret Roll

Secret Roll

Secret Roll

Secret Roll

Jul 5, 2024 8:16 pm
Everyone sets out on their respective tasks. It's only a few minutes though, before you hear Johnsan yelling for you all to come back, quickly. From the sound of his voice, he's not hurt or in danger, but there is an urgency to it, so you all rush back together. Johnsan is running out from the woods, and beckons you to follow him, then heads back in. When you finally catch up to him, he's standing at the gates of a large fortified wooden wall. Inside, you can just see the tops of several buildings, but there's no one at the gate or visible on the wall.

The wall itself isn't in great condition, although it could be if it were taken care of again. Whatever is on the other side of the wall - if anything - is awfully quiet.
Jul 5, 2024 10:04 pm
"Oh look," Oxana says with a smirk, "a pre-made haunted village."

"How long you reckon it's been abandoned for?"
OOC:
Ditch and embankment with a palisade on top and a fortified gate house?
Jul 7, 2024 12:24 pm
OOC:
Quick aside, I found this interesting. So time might move differently on the other side of the portal if it's bright while night has fallen where our characters are.
"That's the second we have come across without a sign of the living," Brother Irwin says. But... this is on the other side of the doorway, possibly on the other side of the world from where they had come. Whatever had befelll the villagers in Agnon's Wood surely couldn't have spread so far.

He goes forward before courage fails, cups his hands around his mouth and calls out to anyone inside. "Hello? Is anybody here?"
Jul 8, 2024 12:36 am
She holds onto the handle of her sickle but, nothing pops out. She really doesn’t like this at all but, at the same time there hadn’t been a settlement here before. "Is it possible that they left long ago? Maybe before anyone was even around here? I really don’t like that we’ve been in two villages and both have been empty. If anyone shows up offers us food we should definitely decline."
Jul 8, 2024 6:26 pm
Emberskyes says:
OOC:
Ditch and embankment with a palisade on top and a fortified gate house?
OOC:
Let's say what you can see is basically... this. Just imagine more trees.
https://i.imgur.com/VuvfQkh.png
Jul 8, 2024 6:32 pm
No one answers Irwin's call, but the gate pushes open easily. You're immediately struck by the state of the buildings. Unlike Agnon's Wood, which seemed to be in pristine condition - simply without people - The abandonment of this village was obviously long, long ago, and not altogether peaceful. A few of the houses suffered from fire before rain collapsed the roofs, and here and there lay scattered old - no, ancient - swords and shields, as if they'd been lost in a pitched battle. Most of the structures though, seem sound, at least on the surface, although the true length of time this place has lay fallow is impossible to determine.
Jul 8, 2024 7:03 pm
Oxana takes Tatianna’s hand, "We’ll search the village this way and you look that way?" She says to the boys, "We can take stock of what we find and figure out how many building there are."

She picks up and ancient sword and looks it over for a moment before putting it back down. "Lets see if we can’t find a well and maybe an over grown vegetable garden."

Rolls

Wits - forage - (2d6+1)

(33) + 1 = 7

Jul 8, 2024 7:21 pm
OOC:
I would like a Forage roll (+Wits) from everyone who's searching the village, and please name one or two things you're looking for, like Oxana did. It's not quite the right setting for Forage, but I'm basically going to use the 'find the thing'/'find something expected'/'don't find the thing' split to build this village.
Jul 8, 2024 11:14 pm
OOC:
I checked the moves page and the Scout move might work instead of Forage:

https://i.imgur.com/HyV1F8u.png
Jul 8, 2024 11:22 pm
The gate slides open easily under Brother Irwin's hand, catching him off-guard and making him stumble. Empty, he soon sees along with the others. Empty and ancient. Weapons strewn apart and damaged houses disturbed what might have been a tranquil scene.

"This must have happened long ago," Brother Irwin says, half in question and half willing it to be so. "Look at the rust. That takes a long time to grow, right, Oxana?"

After the experience in Agnon's Wood, the scribe sticks close to the others as they wander around this ruined place. It's signs of the previous owners that he looks out for the most - especially if they used the same script as that on the gate that brought them over.
Last edited July 8, 2024 11:23 pm

Rolls

Forage or Scout (Wits) - (2d6+0)

(15) = 6

Jul 9, 2024 2:53 am
She heads off with Oxana, "Might check the grain store as well, as long as it is dry and no vermin got in then it will be good maybe not tasty but edible." She’d worked with old grain before she just didn’t have the small mill stone here that she did at home. Well she could use her mortal and pestle for the same purpose it would just take longer.

Now all she had to do was actually find something.

Rolls

Wits - (2d6+1)

(44) + 1 = 9

Jul 9, 2024 2:54 am
"A couple years maybe a decade or more." Oxana says looking at the rust. She runs a fingernail over it to check out just how deep it goes. "These weapons are old though."
Jul 12, 2024 3:15 pm
OOC:
@testlum - It could work as well, so we can go with that one.

That being said, lets see what the dice get us. We have two mids and a 6. Irwin, don't forget to mark XP for that. We may have lost Johnsan, not sure. You should choose either a danger or a discovery, but since the village is deserted, we'll just go with discoveries.
Oxana comes across her well soon enough, but as she examine it to see if it's still usable, she finds that there are tracks of some clawed, four-legged animal, probably about half her size that come up from the well, and return.

There is also a silo, and to Tatianna's surprise, the grain in it is still very good. It's not particularly humid in this place, though, so perhaps that's why. She also finds a millstone and stone oven in good working order, so as long as you're here, rations won't be a problem.

All in all, it does look like a nice place to live. If it weren't for those worrisome tracks...

Rolls

discovery one - (d12, d12)

d12 : (10) = 10

d12 : (2) = 2

discovery two - (d12, d12)

d12 : (4) = 4

d12 : (2) = 2

Jul 12, 2024 8:54 pm
"Johnsan," Oxana says after tracking him down and leading him back to the well, "what do you make of these and do you think we could snare it?"

"I do not wish to move our village to a place with some kind of evil well spirit living in it."
Jul 14, 2024 8:07 am
OOC:
Yep, thanks, I already added XP. I'm also assuming Brother Irwin found no sign of similar writing to the gate inscriptions.
Brother Irwin follows Oxana to the well, peering at the strange tracks. "Well, it could be some kind of lizard. A big one," he adds a touch defensively when the others look at him. "I've copied a book that wrote of such things living in the far south. That might be where we are."

Rolls

Spout Lore (Wits + Reroll) - (2d6+0, 2d6+0)

2d6+0 : (65) = 11

2d6+0 : (12) = 3

Jul 14, 2024 9:21 pm
"What ever it is we don't want it eating children if we move the village." Oxana looks about to see if there's a house that overlooks the well that they might be able to secure. A safe place to watch from.
Jul 15, 2024 4:27 pm
OOC:
Sorry guys, I'm still here, I've just been crazy busy
Johnsan takes a mmoment to study the tracks and then looks around at the surroundings. He is both looking at the tracks as a potential food source and as a danger source.
OOC:
I will make this roll as scout roll.
Last edited July 15, 2024 4:28 pm

Rolls

Scout - (2d6+1)

(54) + 1 = 10

Jul 16, 2024 4:28 pm
There's a sort of outlook tower right up next to the wall that will give you a good view of the well, assuming you want to keep watch. You all climb up the ladder that's on the side and wait. It's a nice shade from the sun and gives you all a chance to rest in relative safety, which is something you've not had in a while.

It's dusk, almost night, when there's movement from the well. A large, winged lizard-looking creature crawls from the well. It's about as large as a medium-sized dog (no metric system here, must use whatever we can to measure things!) and is soon followed by three more. They appear scatter out, probably looking for food. One of them stands up on it's hand legs to look around, and you see that on its front two legs it has long, hooked claws. The creature is obviously very deadly. These things will definitely need to be cleared out if you're going to bring your village here.
Jul 17, 2024 12:48 am
"Dragons?" Brother Irwin mouths to the rest of the group. "Not big lizards. Small dragons," he mutters. "Do you think we can trap them in the well come morning, when they're asleep?"
Jul 17, 2024 2:57 am
"Do you know anything about dragons?" Oxana whispers as they watch the beasts hunting for food. "I mean I expected them to be, bigger maybe?" Her eyes go wide in the moonlight, "What if they're baby dragons and there's a mamma around somewhere?"

She glances about wracking her brains to figure out what she remembers about dragons.

Rolls

Wits (Spout Lore about Dragons) - (2d6+1)

(15) + 1 = 7

Jul 17, 2024 12:19 pm
"I say we just fight them head on. From what I remember, dragons respond to force and fearlessness."

Johnsan pulls out his bow and readies an arrow.
Jul 18, 2024 1:40 am
She sighs, "Dragons? I just found some decent grain. They certainly haven’t been eating that. So, what have they been eating?" She really wants to know too, it wasn’t the people here they were long dead, it wasn’t the grain, so, just what was it?

She tries to remember everything she knows about dragons and then relates it to everyone else. Sadly she can’t remember anything useful about dragons or at least nothing that isn’t fantasy and myth, so she’s quiet.
Last edited July 18, 2024 1:41 am

Rolls

Wits Spout Lore - (2d6+1)

(12) + 1 = 4

Jul 18, 2024 1:52 am
"What if they breath fire?" Oxana says putting a hand on Johnsan’s bow. "Maybe we should watch and see what they hunt and decide in the morning what to do based on that."
Jul 18, 2024 1:57 am
"I agree, we should wait," Brother Irwin says, alarm ebbing a little as he sees the other two caution Johnsan against an immediate attack. "Whatever else, these creatures are dangerous. Just... look at them!"
Jul 18, 2024 4:42 pm
The creatures appear to show no real intelligence beyond what your typical animal would show. They furtively move away, quickly slipping from one hiding place to another, and soon move out of sight. They come back within about an hour, their maws bloodied. They clearly don't store their prey in any way. Whatever these things are, they're not smart in the way that dragons always are in the stories.

Should you go to find what they've hunted to learn more about them before you attack, or should you strike while their bellies and full and their senses dull? Or is there another option that presents itself?
Jul 20, 2024 4:36 pm
"I wonder if they could be domesticated?" Oxana whispers in the darkness of their watch tower, "Wonder how much they need to eat too and how often."
Jul 20, 2024 10:38 pm
Brother Irwin rummages through his belongings. Putting aside their rations, and the vale plums they'd collected earlier, he retrieves the same piece of parchment he'd wanted to use on the gate. In the fading light, he attempts to capture a depiction of the small dragons.

"Toward what purpose, Oxana?" he asks. It sounded like a dangerous task for no apparent reward.
Last edited July 20, 2024 10:40 pm
Jul 21, 2024 6:09 pm
"Imagine having guard dragons instead of dogs?" Oxana says with an excited grin, "How exciting would that be?"
Jul 21, 2024 9:44 pm
"Having to worry about being eaten by their own guards sounds like the last thing the village needs," Brother Irwin grumbles. His quill scratches on parchment. After their hunt, the dragons look more sluggish than they had before.

Finishing his sketch, the scribe's eye falls upon their collected packet of vale plums again. Maybe there could be a use for those here. "Tatianna?" He unwrap the packet and holds up one of the fruit. "Do you think this would work on them?"
Jul 25, 2024 7:24 pm
OOC:
@Ysolde - Seems like the convo is waiting on you.

@testlum - If we don't hear from her by tomorrow, there might be RL things going on, so let's assume the answer is 'it's worth a try' and go from there.
Jul 26, 2024 2:11 pm
If they were squirrels or rabbits then she’d be sure they could eat them without a problem. Most wildlife didn’t have the same problem with the plums that humans did. But, these were dragons. Were the plums deadly to dragons? Maybe, maybe they would be poison or just give them minor indigestion or maybe the dragons could just eat them without any effect.

She shrugs, "I have no idea, but we might as well try."
OOC:
I was on an at home vacation and ended up playing Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora every day.
Last edited July 26, 2024 2:15 pm
Jul 26, 2024 4:58 pm
Oxana nodded, "We'll try your thing first, they're probably way to dangerous for pets."

She wraps her cloak about herself, "We should get some rest so we can search the village properly tomorrow. I might be able to salvage some of those weapons in the morning."
OOC:
Lol, is it any good? I'm looking forward to the StarWars Outlaws game.
Last edited July 26, 2024 4:58 pm
Jul 27, 2024 7:00 am
It's not a firm answer, but Brother Irwin does not relish the thought of trying to get rid of the dragons in a more direct manner. He looks down at the creatures and scratches his ear. "I don't think these are the types to eat fruit... Maybe we can drop them into the well? Where they drink?"
Jul 27, 2024 3:34 pm
"We want the well water for ourselves." Oxana says, "They could be like frogs and sleep under the water."

She stretches a bit, "We'll see in the morning what they ate and maybe we can bring some of the left overs next to the well and hide the plums in with it."
Jul 28, 2024 2:46 am
The next morning is like something out of a storybook. The sun is shining brightly, the dew glistens on the grass that grows in among the abandoned buildings of the settlement, and few clouds that are in the sky are far off and unthreatening. After everyone is up and about, and after checking for any signs of movement from the well and finding none, you determine it's safe to go about your day's activities. Someone is going to check the lizards' meal, yes? Is that person going alone or with company? What is everyone else doing while they're away? Do you think leaving a guard is a good idea or a waste of manpower?
Jul 29, 2024 7:06 am
Without anyone in sight besides the small dragons, Brother Irwin suggests that they venture as a group to where the dragons appear to hunt. "After Agnon's Wood..." He shakes his head, leaving the sentence half said. "If Johnsan can bring down an animal there, we can douse it in juice, maybe, and leave it as bait for the dragons."
OOC:
Gonna mark off 4 rations for the night before.
Jul 30, 2024 2:11 am
Oxana nods as they climb down from their guard tower. "Sounds reasonable to me." She says looking at the tarnished weapons on the ground searching for something in reasonably good shape at a size she could easily wield.
Jul 30, 2024 2:14 pm
"So, you can go with Johnsan and we can see if there's some other food we can find?" She certainly doesn't want anyone going anywhere on their own again.
Jul 31, 2024 2:31 pm
Irwin and Johnsan head off to see if they can create suitable bait for the possibly-not-quite-dragons. They follow the tracks out to a small copse about a quarter of a mile away. There's a small pond here, in the process of being buried by time and falling leaves. Trees have grown out into the middle of it. On the bank is the carcass of a young buck, nearly entirely eaten.
Oxana takes the time to pick through the remains of the battle that happened here long, long ago, and eventually comes away with a small sword that's not too damaged, about the length of her forearm, and a wooden shield. Moss covers the back of the shield, but once she lifts it from the ground, she finds that the front of it is actually iron, or perhaps very old steel. It's barely rusted, and could be cleaned up well.
Jul 31, 2024 2:38 pm
"That's convenient," Brother Irwin says happily. "God must nod on our plan. All we have to do is just smash the plums and that should do the trick."
Aug 2, 2024 4:14 am
Oxana and Tatyanna explore the abandoned village looking for goods and sites they can make use of. Oxana is mostly interested in a forge and a wood workers shop to see if the tools for repairing the walls and the buildings of the village inside the fort are available.

"If the grain is still good they must have been really good at storing it and there's probably overgrown fields beyond the wall." She says as they wander about. "I wonder who they were."
Aug 3, 2024 2:46 pm
"I wish I knew. Grandmother never spoke of this place before and the few books in the village don’t either. Maybe we can find something to help us know. It seems a shame to just be lost to time." She also tries to see if there are any herbs, or houses of healing. Maybe these people knew things that she didn’t.
Aug 3, 2024 7:28 pm
"Maybe there's a witch's house." Oxana says with an uncharacteristic giggle, "I always wanted to be a witch, or a fae." She holds out an arm and flexes her bicep, "Alas fate had a more practical roll for me."

She winks as she continues to clean the sword, "Not that dancing under the full moon is completely out of the question."
Aug 5, 2024 1:03 pm
With Johnsan's help, Brother Irwin begins to enact his plan, squishing the plums between his hands and slathering the juices on the carcass. It's messy work, and the scribe's expression soon changes into an ill-concealed grimace. When that's done, he goes to wash his hands in the pond.
Last edited August 5, 2024 1:05 pm
Aug 6, 2024 2:38 pm
OOC:
Sorry for the delay. RL beat me over the head for a few days.
While the men are gone, Oxana and Tatianna have plenty of time to look around the village. It's a bit bigger than a village, really. They've walked a while before they realize they're not sure how far they've come. There's any number of interesting buildings, though. No two are built quite the same, as if they weren't added in to the town until they were needed and then just sort of shaped into whatever hole was available.

As you explore the village, you do find buildings that could have been used as a forge or a woodworking shop, but this village, unlike Agnon's Wood, was moved out of rather than abandoned. That means there's very little here in the way of useful tools. You're positive that the building that seems to be a forge was in fact a forge, however, because when they left they did not take the heavier items, like the anvil or the slack tub. You're never able to identify an apothecary or healing hut, or anything like that, probably for the same reason.

There is certainly enough here to house your entire village though. By the time you decide to head back, the men are returning from their task.
Irwin and Johnsan turn the plums into pulp, smearing them across the carcass until the pulp is more or less indistinguishable from the meat. Then, with care not to disturb the scene any more than necessary, they head back to the village, just in time to see the women returning from the other direction.
OOC:
It's just early afternoon, so there's time for more, but if we're in agreement that the important pressing thing is the lizard's reaction to the plums, we will skip there.
Aug 7, 2024 8:16 pm
She chuckles a bit at Oxana and shrugs, "Some people called my grandma a witch. Maybe if she had magic she'd have sent down a curse on them. I've always enjoyed making remedies and helping people. The hardest part was learning how to help with birthing. So many things are happening and sometimes it all just goes poorly. There aren't any herbs for that loss..."

She clears her throat and says, "Hey wasn't that an anvil. It must have been a smith's place, but they took everything that was easy to carry leaving just the old anvil. I bet they took a new one or planned to make a new one."
Aug 8, 2024 12:47 am
OOC:
I don't have anything in mind for Irwin, but if the others have an idea to occupy the afternoon I'm open to it.
Brother Irwin greets the two women after returning to the abandoned settlement. "All we can do now is wait," he says, with a wary glance at the well where the dragons are presumably sleeping. "While you've been exploring, did you find out anything about the people who lived here? A journal, maybe?"
Aug 8, 2024 3:39 am
"It's odd." Oxana says, "My father would never leave the anvil behind unless he had no choice. They're just to valuable."

"This place," she says with a sigh, "they all moved out after the battle but why? Did most of the men die and they had to pack up and leave? If the attackers had won they would have burned this place to the ground, you don't leave a fort behind and this is almost a city there's so much inside these walls."

"I wonder what the lads have discovered." Oxana says as they return to the watch tower.

- - -

"Nothing." Oxana says as they sit in the watch tower watching the well. She's been cleaning and oiling the sword and shield for a while now and they both look more than presentable. "The people who were here moved out after the battle. Took pretty much everything that wasn't nailed down."
Aug 9, 2024 1:20 am
She shrugs, "Maybe the wagon didn’t have room? You would know more than I would there. I just wish they could have left us some message."

She nods along with Oxana, "I couldn’t even attempt to discern where the herbalist or house of healing was. They took everything they could."
Aug 9, 2024 4:10 am
"This place is bigger than we thought too." Oxana says looking around, "It's practically a city."

"Pick a weapon up off the ground if you want and I'll see if I can't clean it up for you." She looks at the area where the forces clashed, "Should probably start picking that stuff up so we can start recycling it."
Aug 9, 2024 5:16 pm
With the trap set, all you have to do is wait. And so wait is what you do. The hours are filled with small talk. Everyone does have time to go through the battleground and pick up a weapon if it doesn't feel weird to take weapons off of the dead. As the sun sets, you hear the creatures start to stir again in their lair.

This night is cloudy, and you dare not light a torch in case they see you and you disrupt your plan - or worse, they see you and attack. The dark is darker than you can remember it being as you sit, still and quiet, at the top of the watchtower. The lizards are gone longer than usual, and when they return, they're moving slowly, almost lethargically. When they climb down into the well again, one of them slips and falls, tumbling out of view. There's a hard thump a few moments later, and you're not sure if it survived the fall or not.

The rest of the night is full of groaning roars and whines echoing up from the well. In the morning, they're still there, just quieter now. The plums definitely hurt them, but it doesn't sound as though they killed them. You have no way of knowing if they'll recover or not. Do you want to explore more while you wait and find out, or do you want to go down there and take care of them while they're weak?
Aug 9, 2024 10:51 pm
Brother Irwin doesn't join the ones who arm themselves with the fallen weapons, but he murmurs a prayer on behalf of their previous owners. While they wait for the dragons to venture out, he goes over the plan again with the rest of the group. "Are you thinking of convincing the village to cross over and live here?" he asks.

The pained sounds of the dragons makes Brother Irwin wince. He was the one responsible for it. Rather than take up a sword, with which he'd most likely cut himself, the scribe looks for a length of wood or iron that can substitute for a truncheon.

Still, he waits for the others to take the lead.
Aug 13, 2024 2:45 pm
Falconloft sent a note to testlum
@Emberskyes,@Ysolde,@GameMaster What's the consensus on your next move? Get down there while they're still under the effects of the plums, or wait to see what happens?
Aug 13, 2024 5:32 pm
OOC:
I say get down there ASAP
Aug 14, 2024 4:07 am
OOC:
I would agree, sorry I've been knee deep in getting my mom into assisted living starting in September.
Aug 16, 2024 1:09 pm
Irwin's makeshift truncheon (close, forceful) is readied and cleaned up a bit before you make your way into the well. You lower yourself down the long, narrow shaft, until finally, your feet manage to touch down on damp, slightly slick, stone. Just below your landing, the shaft ends in water, so the well isn't completely dry, but at some point in the past, this cave either opened up through the well shaft - or more likely, the cave was underwater and only relatively recently dried up enough to show itself.

The two lizards are sprawled rather uncomfortably a few yards away from the shaft, and one of them looks as though it's nursing its hip. As you drop in, they begin to rouse, but you've clearly caught them off guard.
Aug 18, 2024 5:29 pm
Oxana moves to pin one against the ground with her shield and finish it off with a series of stabs from her sword.

Rolls

Iron / Hack and Slash - (2d6+0)

(56) = 11

Damage - (1d10)

(4) = 4

Aug 18, 2024 11:05 pm
Brother Irwin flinches on seeing Oxana's sudden switch to violence. He bites his cheek and makes himself go forward with a clumsy swing.

Rolls

Defy Danger (Heart) - (2d6+1)

(43) + 1 = 8

Aug 19, 2024 5:18 pm
Johnsan pulls out his bow and knocks an arrow, which is still dripping purple. He dipped his arrows in plum juice just before they headed down, hoping that the plum would continue to act as a poison to the dragons. At the sight of Oxana taking on her lizard, he lets out a scream to confuse the remaining lizards and lets loose as many arrows as he can fire in the short time, hoping to take down the other lizard.

Rolls

Volley (+Edge) - (2d6+1)

(63) + 1 = 10

Aug 20, 2024 2:02 pm
Falconloft sent a note to Falconloft
Oxana's blade pierces the beast, but it's not finished off yet. It rears back and tries to twist its head down and around so it can sink its teeth into her side. Irwin slams his club rather ineffectually into the other one, not doing much damage but forcing it back so that Johnsan gets a good shot at it. It hisses and opens its maw defensively, ready to bite Irwin.

Irwin for his part, even though he knows the violence is ultimately necessary, just can't take it. His head spins as his club impacts, and he's forced to drop back, leaving himself open to attack.
OOC:
@testlum - Irwin is Shaky so -1 Edge for a while.
@Ysolde - What's Tatianna doing in the middle of all this?

One note. Some of you may know this already, but PBtA doesn't really use turns. Even in combat. When I narrate results, you can immediately go again. Even though your enemies are fighting, unless they have a special move that triggers, they don't get turns. A character only actually suffers a monster’s attack when:
-- I set up an attack with a soft move, and you ignore it
-- The results of a move (like Hack and Slash) says that they do
-- You roll a 6- on pretty much any move, and I decide to use their attack as my move.

Rolls

Johnsan's damage - (1d4)

(4) = 4

Irwin's damage - (d6)

(1) = 1

Aug 20, 2024 2:38 pm
The scribe trips over himself in his hurry to get away from the monster. Mud splatters all over his clothing. He crawls backward on his elbows and bottom, eyes fixed on the back of the dragon's throat, the wobbling thing there.
Aug 20, 2024 7:47 pm
She pulls her sickle from her side; the sturdy and sharp weapon was crafted well by Oxana. She smiles at that thinking that her friend will appreciate Tatianna using it to come to her aid.

Rolls

Iron/Hack and Slash - (2d6+2)

(56) + 2 = 13

Aug 21, 2024 5:44 pm
Johnsan will continue to fire arrows into the monsters, screaming the whole time and trying hard not to back up or give any ground.

Rolls

Volley (+Edge) - (2d6+1)

(21) + 1 = 4

Aug 21, 2024 9:55 pm
OOC:
Don't forget to roll damage if you succeed (whatever is on your sheet) and mark XP if you fail entirely.
Aug 22, 2024 1:15 pm
@testlum - are you meaning your post to be just the narrative of your roll, or is that meant to be that he's backing out of the fight?

@emberskyes - you've got Tatianna backing you up now, does that change your plan of attack?
Aug 22, 2024 1:31 pm
OOC:
I hadn't really been considering the meta level, I mostly thought It's What My Character Would Do™. If that's disruptive to the game, though, I'm happy to have Irwin act more helpfully in combat.

In character, Irwin definitely wants to back out. OOC I'm good whether the not-quite-a-dragon still wants to take a bite out of him or not.
Aug 22, 2024 2:04 pm
OOC:
I just didn't want to deprive you of a chance to act if you had something in mind.
Aug 22, 2024 2:14 pm
OOC:
All good. GM move time!
Last edited August 22, 2024 2:14 pm
Aug 22, 2024 2:19 pm
Oxana continues to use the shield to pin the lizard as best she can against the wall or the floor. "Just die already!" She shouts at the creature continuing to stab at it with her short sword. Her hammer might feel like a more natural choice in her hand but this was not a place she wanted to be swinging.

Rolls

Iron - (2d6+0)

(64) = 10

Damage - (1d10)

(3) = 3

Aug 22, 2024 3:56 pm
Falconloft sent a note to Falconloft
The first lizard stops moving under Oxana's shield, but the other lunges for Johnsan, sinking its teeth into his hip and ragdolling him to the ground.

Rolls

Tatianna's damage - (d6)

(1) = 1

bite! - (d6)

(5) = 5

Aug 22, 2024 4:03 pm
This may be the end for Johnsan*, but he's got a chance to hang in there IF you guys can take this other one out quick enough!
OOC:
* He had 2 HP which I didn't remember 'til just now.

Also, to explain a bit - which I'm not going to make a habit of because I feel like it takes away from the danger if you always understand exactly why I do things - if I get the chance to make a move because of a character's actions, it doesn't have to be against that character. In this case I had Irwin on the ground, but I also had Johnsan's 4 that I hadn't done anything with yet. I was supposed to put him in danger, so this is it.

He's not dying yet, just unconscious, but you need to get this thing off of him soon.
Aug 22, 2024 4:15 pm
Brother Irwin freezes when he hears the change in pitch in the woodsman's voice. Real terror now in Johnsan's scream. It drowns out his own fear. "O God, give me a sign to help this man," the scribe mumbles through tightly pressed lips.

He pushes himself upright and staggers closer to the dragon savaging Johnsan's leg. With clenched teeth, he swings, praying that faith would let him strike true and daze the monster enough for the other man to pull free.
Last edited August 22, 2024 4:18 pm

Rolls

Dig Deep - (2d6+0)

(62) = 8

Damage (if any) - (1d6)

(6) = 6

Aug 22, 2024 4:27 pm
@testlum - I'll let you kill it with that blow. That might also fulfill your want. However, you've got a cost coming. Freezing doesn't work, and you're already weak, so...

You can save Johnsan but I need you to make a check for me. Roll+nothing.
-- 10+: You're fine, God is good, faith is renewed, etc.
-- 7-9: The voice that answers your prayers isn't the one you expect.
-- 6 or less: You're feverish and lost in a dreamworld until you find your way out or someone manages to cure you.
Aug 22, 2024 4:30 pm
OOC:
I like those options!
Brother Irwin stares numbly at the dragon, now unmoving.
Last edited August 22, 2024 4:31 pm

Rolls

Moment of Truth - (2d6)

(36) = 9

Aug 22, 2024 4:38 pm
Falconloft sent a note to testlum
Johnsan's consciousness returns. Somehow, though he should be a bloody mess, he has only scratches where the lizard grabbed him.
Aug 22, 2024 6:06 pm
"Oh my God, what happened?" Johnsan sits up, feeling dizzy and bruised everywhere. "How did I get here?"
Aug 22, 2024 6:52 pm
The beast was dead! She congratulated Oxana even as she rushed over to Johnsan her words mixed together. "Well done! Are you okay? I swear you were bit pretty bad, I was worried I wouldn’t have enough bandages and herbs. Now, I’m not even sure if you need any…"

She looks him over anyway
Aug 23, 2024 1:46 am
Brother Irwin hisses, then goes mute. He gives Johnsan a hand up, in as much as he can lend someone else support without falling over himself. He lets Tatianna do the talking, letting the conversation wash over him, a distraction from the voice inside his head.

His gaze skitters over the group.
Last edited August 23, 2024 1:55 am
Aug 23, 2024 2:44 am
"Are you all alright?" Oxana asked looking at the others. She half expected to see nasty looking teethmarks and blood all over over Johnsan given the way the lizard had grabbed and tossed him.

"We need to make sure there's no more and we'll have to get them out of here." She grinned at Tatianna, "Nice work clipping the mistletoe."
Aug 23, 2024 2:51 am
"It didn't touch me," Brother Irwin murmurs.
Aug 23, 2024 3:08 am
"Lucky thing too," Oxana days, "they've got some claws and teeth."
Aug 23, 2024 1:22 pm
"Ya, those things are real bastards. Maybe next time we just set a trap and watch from a distance."
Aug 23, 2024 10:13 pm
"Brother Irwin would you like some willow bark? You look like you might have a headache." Maybe, or something else, she's not sure just what was happening with him.

She nods then looks at the body, "After we check for more maybe skin it. Then maybe check if it is edible? I know snakes are as long as you remove the heads."
Aug 24, 2024 5:23 am
Oxana nods, "We can tie a rope to them and pull them out one at a time."

She looks around the small cave, "You sure you're alright Brother Irwin?"

"I wonder if the low water level in here is why they abandoned the village after the battle?"
Aug 26, 2024 4:14 pm
As they recover and look around for more, Johnsan pulls a hunting knife from his pouch and begins to skin the animals, working slowly and exmaining their internals as he opens them. He is hoping to both prep them as a food source and also to get a better understanding of what type of creature they are.
OOC:
Rolling Spout Lore to see if I can learn about these creatures

Rolls

Spout Lore (+Wits) - (2d6+1)

(42) + 1 = 7

Aug 26, 2024 5:22 pm
OOC:
Should we make a roll to search the dragon's lair?
Aug 26, 2024 7:04 pm
The things really do look like they could fit the description of dragons, but they're definitely not big enough to carry off a cow. In fact, they didn't look like they could fly at all. Maybe a long time ago these things ancestors used to be dragons? As you're carving them up you do find vestigal glands near their mouths that are full of a sweet, aromatic, very pungent liquid. There's not much of it, but it's strong, whatever it is. It reminds you of the smell of a campfire without all the smoke.

You're free to wander around and explore more if you like. The cavern down here is bigger than it originally looked, and there's a small tunnel that leads off to the north that's partially hidden between two tightly-spaced ancient stalagmites.

You also have time to rest, and it's quite peaceful down here...
OOC:
Anyone that has no class and 7 XP or a class and 8 XP can Reflect.
https://i.imgur.com/uhi1oEX.png
Aug 27, 2024 1:46 pm
Falconloft sent a note to testlum
Aug 27, 2024 2:00 pm
"God is everywhere," Brother Irwin says aloud. "It was He who led me here."

When Oxana says his name, the scribe blinks at her. "I'm... fine." Suddenly angry, he stretches out his arms to either side, showing his lack of injury. "See? Fine! How could He not be here?"

With the words ringing in his ears, Brother Irwin starts down the passage to the north.
Aug 27, 2024 2:29 pm
She scrambles into the lair of the lizard creatures. By now she's pretty sure they weren't dragons but, maybe they had something valuable? If they got ropes to pull the bodies out later she'd be down in the lair already to help tie the rope to one.
Aug 27, 2024 11:29 pm
OOC:
Failed rolls give us 1 xp right? The red rolls I need to go back and count again.
Last edited August 27, 2024 11:38 pm
Aug 27, 2024 11:49 pm
OOC:
Yep, 6- gives 1 XP.
Aug 28, 2024 3:36 am
OOC:
I need to roll worse more often...
Igniting one of her candles Oxana squeezes behind the stalactite and investigates the opening. She has no intention of going far and uses the spike on the back of her hammer to draw a line on the cave wall.
OOC:
This feels like a SCOUT roll

Rolls

Wits / (Scout) - (2d6+1)

(35) + 1 = 9

Aug 30, 2024 5:01 pm
Johnsan quickly improvises a torch and hurries after the others, assisting in the exploration of the cave. He keeps his senses sharp, looking for signs of more of those tiny dragons...

"We should establish a name for those creatures we slew back there... maybe dragonettes? Dragonelles? Dragodillos?"
Sep 4, 2024 5:22 am
Emberskyes says:
OOC:
This feels like a SCOUT roll
You don't have to roll for just going into another area, but you DO need to take decisive action to explore it, much like you did. In point of fact, when you start exploring there's things I have to do. First of all being...

Let's determine your marching order. Are we good with the posting order, in other words, Irwin, Tatianna, Oxana, Johnsan?

Rolls

primary gen - (10d12)

(1031112121111166) = 83

secondary gen - (3d6+6)

(614) + 6 = 17

new room - (2d6)

(46) = 10

new room - (2d12)

(13) = 4

Sep 4, 2024 5:24 am
OOC:
Irwin just stomped there in a huff right after the kill, so that's good with me!
Sep 4, 2024 1:24 pm
"I like Dragodillos, it suggests a certain amount of armor and dragon like danger without being an actual gigantic, fire breathing, hyper intelligent, razor sharp clawed death monster."
Sep 4, 2024 4:19 pm
"We could just say they were dragons," Oxana grin, "hopefully there's just one room down here I don't much like this cramped feeling."

In the back of her mind she recalled being shoved in a suffocatingly small box as a child by someone she couldn't quite recall anymore. They'd moved away when the hard times began.
Sep 5, 2024 3:43 pm
Johnsan is happy to bring up the rear, keeping an eye behind the party in case something tries to sneak up on them.
Sep 6, 2024 7:28 pm
As you squeeze through the narrow opening, you can see that this cave has been split in two by a great earthquake, but more years ago than you could count, most likely. Is this the same quake that dried up the well? Would there be more of them in the future? These questions die on your lips as you look around this new area. If you thought the battle above ground was horrible, it is but a paltry imitation of this much older scene. Bodies lie everywhere, spear points without hafts driven through ribs without skin, swords rusting away to nothingness shoved into guts that have long done the same. There's several passageways that lead off from this main area, but you can easily tell than unlike the crevice you just came though, these new passageways - indeed, most of the new area in general - is carefully carved in the same intricate patterns you saw on the portal that brought you here.
OOC:
At least one person will want to keep track of these caves. I have a diagram but its MINE, ALL MINE. mwahahahahahaha koffkoff
Sep 6, 2024 9:32 pm
OOC:
I can attempt to, for the sake of my brain and North being the top should I put the well at the top or bottom or left or right and which direction is this room from the well?
Sep 6, 2024 11:31 pm
OOC:
Thank you @Emberskyes.
Brother Irwin stops short at the sight of the mass grave. Involuntarily, his hands move to form a sign for prayer, but they're shaking and he cannot fit his fingers together.
His knees buckle as he pushes himself to approach the dead. No one have sent them on their way here with a burial hymn. It had to be done. Mechanically, the scribe forces his hands into the right shape. His mouth opens to pray.

Rolls

Dig Deep - (2d6+1)

(36) + 1 = 10

Sep 7, 2024 5:59 pm
OOC:
What kind of shape is the room? And how many passages in what direction?
Oxana looks about studying the wreckage of this area. "By the gods what happened here?" She whispers her hushed voice echoing about the cavern.

Oxana begins to explore the cavern trying to determine what happened here, clearly there was a battle but who were these people and why were their remains left to rot instead of properly dealt with. Clearly one side was utterly defeated and the other didn't care about the fallen.
OOC:
Do any of the bits of gear look vastly culturally different? Is anything way better preserved than the rest? Is there a way to bring the water back to the well?
Last edited September 7, 2024 6:12 pm

Rolls

Discern Reality (Wits) - (2d6+1)

(36) + 1 = 10

Sep 9, 2024 4:58 pm
Johnsan will take a moment to examine the weaponry used in this fight. Maybe people here had some new tech that he should be aware of before he encounters it... and maybe he could get his hands on something more effective than a bow?

Rolls

Spout Lore (+Wits) - (2d6+1)

(36) + 1 = 10

Sep 9, 2024 6:49 pm
As Irwin prays over the first fallen soldier, its bones slowly crumble to dust. Irwin, you have absolutely never seen this happen before. Have you heard of it? Is this perhaps why your god sent you here? To give rest to these poor souls after centuries?
OOC:
@Emberskyes - The questions do need to be from the list, so I'm picking the closest questions I can to give you the answers you want.
What here is useful or valuable to me? There are two distinct sides. One fought in great numbers, one in few. Those fewer in number fought the others to a standstill because of their superior armor and weaponry. One side used low-grade iron or bronze... or bone. The other used steel and... is that gold?

What here is not what it appears to be? No, it's not quite gold, although it appears to be. It's an alloy you've never seen before. And it's not just in the weapons and armor. Some of the same alloy is used in the old lighting fixtures and a few other small items that are scattered about.

What should I be on the lookout for? You're going to need to find the original source of the water before you can figure out how to get it back to the well.
OOC:
@GameMaster - That's an interesting use of Spout Lore. I'll allow it. But you got a 10, which means you tell me what you found. I'll give you the mechanics for it afterward.
Sep 9, 2024 10:31 pm
Brother Irwin looks dumbly upon the newly formed mound of dust. The bones were old, but that couldn't be a coincidence. No, it isn't one, as the scribe sees when he goes into a second shaky prayer and sees another corpse fall apart.

His spirits lift. God must be here after all. He would surely give rest to the abandoned dead once Brother Irwin performed the rites.

The scribe glances up, noticing the marks on the wall for the first time. Are they the same ones that the gate bore? In a different time, if his faith had guttered, he might have jumped through to escape these caverns. But right now he had a duty to perform.

Brother Irwin returns to praying for the dead.
Sep 12, 2024 5:12 pm
Irwin, are you praying over these corpses in any particular order? Does anything they're wearing or the position they're in determine which you move to next?

Johnsan, what's the strange new weapon you've found?

Oxana, does anything you see (or something you don't) tell you which way to go next?

Tatianna, what's your take on all this? Does it remind you of anything?
Sep 12, 2024 10:05 pm
OOC:
Simply in order of proximity to Brother Irwin.
Sep 15, 2024 9:55 pm
Oxana points at the right most of the three archways leading out of the room. "Whatever the defenders were protecting was that way." She says examining one of the wicked alien blades before tucking it into her belt. "That's where the fight seems to have been concentrated."
Sep 17, 2024 3:49 pm
She nods, "Okay, then let's see what is in that direction. Maybe it will help solve the mystery around here."
Sep 17, 2024 4:27 pm
You're all about to head over in that direction, when - as Irwin is praying over one of the armored skeletons, one of the few that was this well armoured - it jerks and begins to pull itself up out of the dirt, instead of just decaying to dust like the rest have. It's still gripping it's sword and shield, but it'll be a few moments before its intentions - if it has any - become clear.

If you're going to attack it and want the upper hand, you'd better do it now. There is the chance though that it's not hostile. Attacking it then would definitely cause a problem you don't have to have.

Irwin, you're closest, and your prayer seemingly did this. What's your reaction?
Sep 18, 2024 12:54 am
"What-" Brother Irwin breaks mid-prayer when he sees the dead move. "Get back, closer to the gates," he warns the others.
Sep 19, 2024 5:08 pm
Johnsan takes a moment to further exmaine the weaponry on the corpses. He picks up what looks like a cross bow, but notices that it has multiple srrows knocked into it at the same time- some kind of pre-loading mechanism? If he is correct, you might be able to load several arrows at once, eliminating the time needed to reload.

Wondering how far the arrows can go, he aims one as the far wall and pressed the button on the weapon. An arrow springs out faster than a bow could shoot and smashes into the rock, shattering. With a grin, he says, "I think I like these."
OOC:
Aiming for something that does more damage
Sep 20, 2024 8:09 pm
Oxana pulls out her hammer and readies her shield. She does as she did with the lizards and she slams the undead creature into the ground with the shield and hammers it as hard as she can.
Last edited September 20, 2024 8:30 pm
Sep 20, 2024 8:54 pm
OOC:
Weird. I know I typed out a post for the weapon, but now I don't see it. so here it is again.

Your basic damage is determined by your class, or lack thereof, but weapons can give you new tags or otherwise modify the move that they use. So for this repeating crossbow, you've got a new option for Volley. On a 10+, Volley usually gets you one safe damage with no cost. If you roll a 10+ with the repeater, you can spend 2 ammo to deal damage three times.
Sep 21, 2024 6:13 am
OOC:
Smack and bash the skeleton.

Rolls

Iron - (2d6+0)

(52) = 7

Sep 24, 2024 6:28 pm
"How, how does it move? This should not be possible." She says it even as she pulls out her own weapon and joins Oxana in the fray. It still felt unfair that the dead could rise even as their village was dying. Was the world to become all walking corpses then? Surely this was not what was meant to be?

Rolls

Iron/Hack and Slash - (2d6+2)

(13) + 2 = 6

Sep 26, 2024 12:58 pm
"I don't know," Oxana says trying to tie the skeleton up with her sheild, "right now I'm less concerned by the how and more by the, can we kill it again?"
OOC:
I guess I should have a damage roll huh?

Rolls

Damage 1d10 - (1d10)

(4) = 4

Sep 26, 2024 2:52 pm
Johnsan takes out his weapon and aims at the thing. "I guess now is a good time to try this out!"
OOC:
Edit- I will spend the 2 ammo for the extra damage (am I supposed to be tracking ammo?)
Last edited September 26, 2024 2:53 pm

Rolls

Volley (+Edge) - (2d6+1)

(46) + 1 = 11

Sep 30, 2024 4:50 pm
OOC:
@GameMaster - You are now. No one's needed to before this. You have six to start off with.
Oxana leaps at the skeleton and manages to land a good blow, but she leaves herself open to a counter-swing, and the skeleton's sword rakes across her side. Tatianna tries to get close enough to hit, but the skeleton's sword swings back with preternatural speed, and she's forced to defend herself instead.

As the skeleton swings at Tatianna, though, Johnsan's new crossbow fires a series of bolts, and they knock the skeleton off its feet. Its bones scatter across the floor.
OOC:
@Ysolde - Need a Defy Danger move please, any stat other than Heart, match your action to the stat you use.

Rolls

skeleton vs Oxana - (1d6)

(6) = 6

johnsan's damage - (3d4)

(412) = 7

Oct 2, 2024 4:19 am
Oxana groans pulling herself upright. "That really hurt but not so much any more." She reaches over and touches her side and comes back with a handful of blood. "That can't be good." She groans dropping her shield and doing her best to get a look at her injured side.

"Oh gods that is a lot of blood." She says before whispering off a quick prayer to the spirits that guide fools and the adventuresome.
Oct 2, 2024 9:21 pm
OOC:
That's another thing for Tatianna to worry about, but healing is not easy when you're away from all your resources. In fact, it's near impossible. It might be time to get somewhere safe. On the other hand, maybe that's the easy way out.
Oct 3, 2024 8:14 pm
Her keen mind was her ally today and as the sword came at her and she felt she knew exactly where the skeleton was about to strike. She just needed to move out of the way by a little bit. A step out of line and the sword woodshed past her though it did prevent her from attacking the thing.
Last edited October 3, 2024 8:15 pm

Rolls

Wits - (2d6+1)

(64) + 1 = 11

Oct 6, 2024 1:22 am
"That..." Brother Irwin shakes his head. "I don't know what that was." He takes in the number of dead remaining. So many. "Oxana, Tatianna, Johnsan." The scribe comes to a decision and swallows before he continues. "Be ready to run? I will say a prayer for all of the dead together. Maybe... maybe that won't wake any of them."
Oct 6, 2024 11:42 am
"I'm ready to blast, just give the cue!" Johnson tenses in preparation for sprinting.
Oct 6, 2024 3:30 pm
Oxana winces doing her best to staunch the blood flowing from her side. She nods after bunching up some cloth and tying it off haphazardly.

She nods pulling he sword back out. "Do what you must." Oxana says while whispering her own prayer to the fae and the elder gods that they grant them safe passage.
Oct 6, 2024 3:46 pm
"You're hurt," Brother Irwin says, brow furrowing. He hesitates, uncertain what to do now at the sight of Oxana's blood. "Maybe we should get you out of here first...?"
Oct 6, 2024 4:27 pm
https://i.imgur.com/hx6iyRW.jpegOxana winces and does her best to smile at Brother Irwin, "I'm fine." She says straightening up and instantly regretting it. "You should see the other guy." Oxana says, "He's way worse than me."

"I wouldn't mind a rest in a bit but we're just back through there, through the dragons lair and up the well and we're out." She says pointing at the crack in the wall were the stone was shattered.
Oct 7, 2024 8:37 pm
Brother Irwin, you've never given a mass prayer for the dead, though you've certainly learned it as part of your training; all clerics must know it, but few ever actually need it. Is there any specific stance, position, etc that you must take up? Describe this prayer, and then roll Defy Danger (probably Heart), since if you can't remember it well, there might be consequences.
Falconloft sent a note to testlum
For everyone else, as Irwin prepares this prayer, do you want to flee, stand your ground, prepare otherwise? Go ahead and tell me what you do.
Oct 7, 2024 9:33 pm
Be ready to flee ... just in case this goes utterly sideways.
Oct 7, 2024 11:27 pm
Small villages like Immenost has little call for a mass over the dead, but Brother Irwin still remembers the way it had been described to him by the abbot. He would have to do what he could. Brother Irwin performs as best he can in accordance to the scene playing out in his mind.
Last edited October 11, 2024 1:52 am

Rolls

Defy Danger (Heart) - (2d6+1)

Oct 8, 2024 1:20 pm
She looks over at Oxana and shakes her head. That response is one that suggests bandages and herbs will certainly be needed later. Thankfully it looked like her friend was going to run if this all went wrong. That was good because Tatianna was ready to book it if the prayer didn't work.
Oct 11, 2024 1:35 am
Irwin begins his prayer. One by one, the skeletons turn to dust, collapsing one at a time into nothingness. Being prepared is good, but being done is better. That's the old saying that comes back to your mind as you realize far too late that one of the skeletons was holding it's spear up at an odd angle, wedged into the corner of a slab of stone. As it turns to dust, the spear drops, and the slab of stone slides shut behind you, sealing you in the now-empty tomb. Perhaps there's another way out.
Oct 11, 2024 1:49 am
Brother Irwin sighs, thankful that his mass prayer hadn't awakened more of the skeletons. That would have been a terrible thing indeed. He hopes that the disintegrated dead will find some measure of peace now that they've been sent on their way.

The slam of stone a moment later makes him jump. The way back is gone now, but Brother finds that he doesn't really mind. The scribe approaches the nearest rune-covered passageway, looking for any inscriptions that he recognizes from the first gate that brought them here.

Rolls

Discern Realities (Wits) - (2d6)

(41) = 5

Oct 11, 2024 4:21 am
OOC:
Are we all sealed in a tomb or just Brother Irwin?
Oct 11, 2024 4:41 am
OOC:
I thought it was all of us, haha.
Oct 11, 2024 9:14 pm
OOC:
All. No one actually left.
Oct 11, 2024 11:37 pm
"Well this is inconvenient," Oxana says looking a little pale as the dust settles from the door slamming shut. "I mean I was really impressed with how the new god helped you turn those guys into ash and then you locked us in here and kind of ruined the moment."
Oct 11, 2024 11:41 pm
Brother Irwin crosses his arms. "There is no new God. Just God."
Oct 11, 2024 11:53 pm
https://i.imgur.com/IblXWH4.jpeg"If my gods are the old gods," Oxana says looking about the room holding her side, "I'm pretty sure that makes your god the new god."

She smiles looking about for any sign of another way out.
Last edited October 12, 2024 4:19 am
Oct 15, 2024 3:41 pm
Irwin searches, but to no avail. Nothing really seems to mark any one of the three passageways available as being any better a choice than any other. And so you take the first of the three, heading in the direction you believe to be north.

The passage narrows until you're forced to proceed single file, but you eventually come out into a room that's lit by a small hole in the cavern's roof, far above. The hole looks to be no more than a foot across, and its positioned in the very center of the ceiling. It is probably not there on accident, for the dim shaft of light falls directly on a statue of a voluptuous naked woman, all at once regal, sensual, and grotesque. Something about the curves is wrong, but you're hard pressed to say what exactly it could be. It stands nearly twice as large as life, hip cocked to one side, arms outstretched, and balanced in those arms is a sword, very similarly shaped to the ones held by the less-armored warriors in the previous room.

Falconloft sent a note to testlum
Opposite the statue there is another passage.

Rolls

Secret Roll

Secret Roll

Secret Roll

Oct 15, 2024 3:49 pm
OOC:
There are 3 doors out of this crypt or is that back in the other room?
Oct 15, 2024 3:51 pm
OOC:
There are three doors out of the room with the skeleton dust.
Oct 16, 2024 12:17 am
Brother Irwin stares at the nude statue for a moment before flushing and turning his head. He starts. "This..." Brother Irwin indicates the statue, then pauses. 'Woman' feels like the wrong word to describe the creature the statue portrayed. He settles for 'she'. "She used to have power here."
Last edited October 16, 2024 12:18 am
Oct 16, 2024 1:50 am
OOC:
Oh the one that we came through collapsed.
"This is old," Oxana says still clutching her side and wincing as she looks at the statue, "it's I mean maybe a fertility goddess? But why the sword?"
Oct 16, 2024 8:06 pm
"I think I recognize her.." She closely examines the statue and nods to herself. "That's right now I remember..."

Tatianna spouts lore...
Last edited October 16, 2024 8:07 pm

Rolls

Wits - (2d6+1)

(61) + 1 = 8

Oct 19, 2024 4:33 am
"You think the sword is safe?" Oxana asks pointing towards the blade and instantly regretting it as fiery pain lances through her wounded side.

She looks again at the blade searching her brain for the secrets behind it. Its history, its construction, its origin.
Last edited October 19, 2024 4:34 am

Rolls

Wits - Also spout lore. - (2d6+1)

(26) + 1 = 9

Oct 20, 2024 10:20 pm
The two of you remember different stories, but both center around the same woman - naked in both stories. In one, she is the mother of the older races - mythical races as far as everyone you know is concerned. In the story, she was the goddess who became the willing vessel when the gods wished to create life. All the peoples of the world came forth from her loins. The story gets darker after, as many of the people turned on each other, causing the woman to hide herself away from the world that she'd helped create.

In the other, she was is a murderer on a grand scale, a goddess of wanton war and destruction, decimating populations that no longer pleased her, and prayed to by every army to preserve them and bring her wrath on the other side. She carried monsters within her loins that would burst forth on those that failed to curry her favor.
Oct 21, 2024 10:26 pm
"I kind of recall a myth about a terrible goddess, destruction, death, it would explain the sword." Oxana says looking at the statue, "I'm not sure that going into battle naked is a terribly good idea."

She smirks and winks, then laughs and begins to cough doubling over in pain. "Oh gods, bad idea."

Oxana looks at the arms of the statue carefully to see if they're designed to move it the weight of the sword is removed, some kind of pressure plate trap perhaps. Taking the blade would make her a real warrior, someone to be admired and looked up to. Someone who could bring her village to safety perhaps.

Does the shaft above really lead outside?
Last edited October 21, 2024 10:28 pm
Oct 22, 2024 12:29 am
Brother Irwin shakes his head. "Let's go on. Your wound needs treating, Oxana. If we get outside, Tatianna can tell us what herbs to look for," he adds vaguely. "At least, we'll have cleaner air."
Oct 22, 2024 2:44 pm
"There's no way out of here." Oxana says continuing to study the statue and the sword, "we'll have to look through the two other doors in the main room."

The blade was unlike anything Oxana had never seen before and she'd been working metals in a forge her whole life. It practically called to her.
OOC:
Is it safe to remove the blade from the statue, is it trapped?
Would this unusual sword help us in the long run?
Will it help me bring our people together and to safety?
Last edited October 22, 2024 2:47 pm

Rolls

Wits - Discern Reality - - (2d6+1)

(63) + 1 = 10

Oct 22, 2024 2:49 pm
OOC:
I'm referring to the passage opposite the statue, by the way, not the shaft up!

Also, I think for Discern Realities your questions must be those listed in the move verbatim.
Last edited October 22, 2024 2:50 pm
Oct 22, 2024 5:54 pm
OOC:
Oops missed that.
Oct 23, 2024 3:42 pm
OOC:
@Emberskyes - Yes, when you use Discern Realities, you do have to ask the questions exactly as they are on the page. And this is good for you! For instance, if you ask me, 'Is it safe to remove the blade?' aka 'Is the blade trapped?' I could easily say no.* But the STATUE could be trapped.* On the other hand, if you ask 'What here is not what it appears to be?' then I tell you everything that's hidden. Yeah, the blade looks safe, but there's really a trigger on the hand that will cause the roof to fall in.* There's also a little crevice over there on the side of the cavern that doesn't quite fit. You should check it out.* Go ahead and reask using those questions.

* Those are NOT the real answers, because this is just an example.
[ +- ] Discern Realities
Also, in every room after this one, since I suspect we're preceeding carefully for the moment, I would like everyone to pick ONE Discern Realities question. I'll consider that question asked in every room and include it in the description.
Oct 23, 2024 6:06 pm
OOC:
The problem with verbatim is the questions are very focused and might not be what we want to know.

If I take the sword, what is about to happen?

As a warrior and a smith, what here is useful or valuable to me? Besides Tatianna. 😃

What here is not what it appears to be? - My question going forward.
Oct 23, 2024 7:30 pm
Johnsan will be occupied looking around, so I will ask "what here should I be on the lookout for?"
Oct 23, 2024 10:32 pm
OOC:
Getting a bit into the weeds here, but I actually love the specific questions because they all work to drive rhe game forward. They're more like questions for the GM to answer than what your character wants to know.

This blog helped break it down for me: LINK.
Brother Irwin chooses to put some distance between himself and the statue and starts down the passage leading away from its chamber.
OOC:
What here is useful or valuable to me?
Last edited October 23, 2024 10:34 pm
Oct 23, 2024 10:55 pm
OOC:
The questions are fine, I'd just like a bit of wiggle room on the specifics so I can tailor it to the situation.

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