Glickly picks up the weapon dropped by Knight 1 and uses it to defend himself. He swings it at Knight 4.
A charge of energy erupts from the radioactive zone to the west and makes a loud boom sending your enemies fleeing in disarray. Ral and Rosslyn seem to have been vaporized by the burst leaving you on the ground crying.
Combat Over
"What was that!?!?"
Glickly shakes himself off, and assesses the damage. "Is anyone else hurt?"
Deyemi telepathically communicates that this was like before and killedmany before
Lets get out of here and go around the town quickly
Still shaken by the vaporization of two of his childhood friends, Glicky is eager to move on and finish this nightmarish passage to adulthood.
"Come on, let's get around this are as quickly as we can and get to our destination."
You leave the site of the battle as quickly as possible, fearing some other sort of blast that may injure you. You continue southward passing the turn off to go to the town of Fax. Following what the elders had warned you, you continue southward making great time. It starts to become dark and as you setup camp you see, someone or something come in your direction.
A tall humanoid woman approaches, she looks like she is about your own age. Hail the camp! the red headed woman shouts as she stops some 15 meters away, one hand holding the long shaft of a halbred as it rests against her boot. A light crossbow dangles from one shoulder, easily at reach while the handle of a knife strapped to the other thigh is visible. Her pack has a quiver of bolts sticking over one shoulder while the other looks to have the handle to a long sword sticking up.
"We're in no mood for trouble, stranger. What is your business?."
Bugsby's grief and fear have worn away some of his normal cheerful nature, but he makes no threats nor move to ready weapons.
The shock of loss has not yet set into Adney's bones until as they set camp his friends are not there and grief like a thief at night steals his heart. He steps out away from the camp a bit and at sunset does the villages ceremony for his two lost friends. When he returns it still weighs heavy on him but he feels at least he gave them a proper ceremony. When the stranger approaches he puts his hand to his bow but waits to heaer response
Deyemi cares little for camp sites so climbs a tree to rest above the camp. He is still holding his powerful mental attack from earlier now at maximum he will hold it til there is a fight and he must use it. He licks his paw as the new soul approaches and telepathically tells Bugsby that he is in the tree above and has him covered.
"We are a kind people, but know that we will defend ourselves if necessary. Who are you?"
"I am known as Glickly, but I feel we must know each other. I was a shy and quiet one, though. What brings you out to travel the Oad?"
My village has been suffering from an unknown malady. Several of us were sent off in different directions. My companions and I were ambushed two days ago.
our village too has these issues, come up to the fire and join us in talk Adney says plainly
"We have to watch out. There are mutant hunters around. Are you from Fax? We are from Far-go. What kind of game animals are common around here?"
Maeve nods in appreciation to the older human guy, thank you.
She turns to the four-legged bug guy, yes, as I said, Maeve, of Fax. I would expect that normally the game animals are about the same as what you find in Far-go, our towns being neighbors and all.
Settling her pack on the ground, next to Glickly she pulls out a small packet of nuts and dried fruit for her dinner. Glickly, was it? Introduce your companions, would you?
My name is Adney of Far Go. We have been directed to have as little contact with others as possible on our journey, and we recently lost two of our childhood friends who were spontaneously combusted and turned into dust instantly so you will have to forgive my manners Adney says with a energy lacking shrug
Deyemi contacts Maeve from the tree limb above telepathically and says "I am Deyemi, do not betray my new friends or you will pay the price. Be a friend or be nothing. and then the telepathic link vanishes
"Well... We were told to avoid strange towns and stuff, but to accept help from strangers, and welcome anyone who might help on our quest."
"As far as names go, people call me Bugsby. That's not my real name, though. Adny and Glickly and I have to find our real names. That's part of our quest, too. Usually that would be our whole quest, but the famine needs a solution."
Bugsby will spend some time trying to summon small game animals and birds he knows.
Ah yes, Far-go. Our villages usually trade during the fall harvest. We trade with Kin during the spring festival. It is a pleasure to meet you Adney, and whoever Deyemi is. So you are on your naming quest? Where are you headed then? I am going towards the forest to the south. We were to look for game within.
Having finished her humble dinner Maeve pulls a bedroll from her pack and shuffles her pack around to rest against, facing out from the fire. I will take first watch with one of you.
Glickly, a little shy still, starts to introduce the others, but then they step in and take care of it themselves. He happily just fades back.
Still a bit suspicious of their new fast friend, he offers to keep first watch as well.
"I don't feel like sleeping just yet, anyway, so I will join you."
Adney and Bugsy second watch, and Deyemi third? Adney says
GM Rolls
You keep the fire going all night and you get acquainted with each other namely, Deyemi and Maeve. You make yourself breakfast. Bugsy figures whatever is making the famine might be driving away the game.
You pack up your gear and you start heading south along the Oad as before. You make your way south and the weather seems nice for a day in the summertime.
Gm Rolls
You continue on southward and stop shortly for a quick lunch and in the distance you can see the forest of knowledge is close enough that the ritual will be able to be performed this evening.
without delay Adney will spur the group on to the ritual site so that they may learn their true names and hopefully be granted a path to cure the blight on their area of the world!
About two hours later further along the Oad, you hear someone groaning in pain, "Hellllllpppp"
You follow the noises because they sound genuine and lying off The Oad just a few meters to the east is an old man. He is not moving and appears to have a number of wounds on his body. The old man groans quietly as the party draws closer.
The old-timer wears ragged, dirty clothing and has a small
leather satchel strapped over his shoulder. Around his neck,
he wears a medallion.
Bugsby runs forward to the man and crouches on all four legs.
Are you okay sir? What happened to you? Was it those stupid purists?
He looks the man over, unsure what to do.
The old says to you "Will you not give a dying old man
some food and water?"
He then says meekly, "I was set upon by some hoopsies."
Adney will kneel next to the man and slide him slowly up his knees until he can give him small sips of water
Maeve pulls out some of her food, and a waterskin. She hadns them over before asking How long ago did the hoopsies attack? Did you have anyone with you?
He says, "My name is Rold, thank you kindly."
He then with much effort gives you the medallion he is wearing and
says the following. "Thank you, my kind, young ones for your
generosity. If ever you are in trouble and things seem bleak,
this medallion will help you...behind the stone in back. Wear it
well and peace be with you."
At this point, Rold dies from his injuries.
Adney will put the amulet on Bugsy for his friendship as they are childhood friends and then move the man off the road and dig a grave for him
We but knew him for but a moment, he will be missed, as long.
Maeve assists with the grave by collecting stones for a marker.
As you gather stones and start to dig a sufficient hole for Rold who you have just met, this takes most of the afternoon and this also gives you some time to reflect upon the friends you have lost so far on this journey of becoming adult. By the time everything is done you decide it prudent to sleep the night nearby and to be fully refreshed for the ritual in the morning.
GM rolls
So Maeve tell us more about your village
Glickly looks sad, and keeps mostly too himself, occasionally muttering "so much death..."
Not much to tell, few hundred individuals. Most are farmers or herders. Our smith died two months ago and his apprentice is having a hard time with the backlog. Some strange lights were seen by a few old coots, and now many think that was the cause of the blight. There's been talk of a sacrifice to appease the ancients. But as usual, that idea will just simmer for a while.
Maebh sighs with longing, I was apprenticed as an herbalist. This journey is my test to become a journeyman.
You wake the next morning after a long night with no averse problems and you continue south along the Oad. You eat your breakfast with great excitement seeing your goal.
The warmth of the sun can be felt on this partly cloudy summer's morning. After entering the forest, you walk 3 kilometers to the south upon The Oad. Suddenly you see a giant oak tree with multi-colored leaves standing 50 meters to the east of your position. This is the "One Tree."
Heading east, the characters will notice a number of bushes full of ripe berries growing all around the Tree.
Adney says our elder said to come here to these berries and each choose one bush and pick twelve berries from that one bush, each at a different bush and then find a clearing and build a fire and meditate to the moon rose and when it did eat the twelve berries one at a time quickly thinking of our future in the village and in the morning we will wake with our adult name and purpose and return to the village adults. Our elder hopes we see a cure for the blight. We have lost two destinies so I ask our two new members to partake as I have said
Any bush? Really? That's your right of passage to adulthood?
Maeve mumbles quietly, and here I have to go find a cure for blight...
"Some tests are more difficult than others, I suppose."
Glickly picks up a stick and looks at it. "Nothing out here seems safe."
A closer inspection of this area reveals that there are four kinds of
bushes, each producing one different colored berry. There are
bushes with black berries, purple berries, blue berries, and
finally ones with red berries.
Also visible from this location is a circular dirt clearing approximately 25 meters north of
where the group is standing. Plenty of dead wood is available
for building fires.
Glickly is partial to blackberries, so he collects 12 of those and sits down to eat them.
Glicky we eat them after we set up a fire in the clearing, meditate, and the moon comes up into the sky
What about if there are more than four of you? They give you any ideas about which berries to eat? Maeve helps collect some firewood before walking around the bushes studying them closely.
Does she recognize any of the berry types?