"Delamater, thank you for everything you have done for us. If you wouldn't have taken the chance and brought us together this would never have been possible. I will do my best to make you and Crispell proud." Kiranov looks like he is almost about to cry himself at the prospect of leaving everything he has known, but he takes a deep breath, pulls himself together and turns to take one last look over the equipment to see if there is anything missing that he thinks they might need.
Delamater before you go, I just want to say it has been a great honor sharing stories with you. You have been my inspiration. I hope to one day share more stories with you. You have shown me there is more to this world than I ever dreamed. As my mother would say, may your spirit have wings to bring you home safely.
= result 11
Xyanna looks at Delamater and a wave of sadness washes over her. All the preparation coupled with her own excitement to "stretch her legs" has served to distract her from the negative side of all this.
She gives the tiny little dwarf a warm hug and thanks him for all he has done for the group at no small risk to himself... Even though he started it.
That was frightening... and exhilirating. I feel like a fog has cleared. I always knew somehow the connection between things, but the Master made it so clear.
With this knowledge I could... help. I could predict the weather and aid the crops to grow. Surely the village will see I could be useful. And my father... No, he'll never understand. He'd be the first one to denounce me as a freak. Still everything I've ever known is here. And soon, I'll be travelling with these monsters, er, other Adepts, and they'll be the only ones I know in the whole world. I-I don't want to go. But I can't stay.
She gives Delamater a quick hug, and whispers Thank you before running off embarrassed.
In the time leading to their planned departure date, Valsera works hard not to change his behavior. It's difficult - so much is new, so many things want answering, and so many new answers want exploring. Valsera keeps his nose in his work - when he's not doing his normal work, he works on his 'side project' - warm clothes for everyone Dlamater has indicated will be going away with them.
Valsera's dreams continue. If anything, they grow in intensity and vividness, often shocking him awake at night in terror. Valsera is both relieved and deeply troubled. Now he knows these dreams are a manifestation of something real. They are an aspect of his Pattern as an Adept - a nethermancer Delamater called it. The fact that these visions have some objective reality is horrifying. At the same time, Valsera is sleeping easier and feeling less anxious overall. He is not actively losing his mind. His dreams are real, and are a part of the larger world. The occasional glimpses Valsera gets of otherworldly connections and patterns are not hallucinations, but actual glimpses of a magical reality - an imperfect perception enabled by his talents as a nethermancer.
With this internal roiling, and churning, and Valsera also realizes he is seeing his village for the last time. He actively spends time visiting the places he wants to hold memories of. He seeks out his older relatives for a chat. Without speaking them, Valsera said his goodbyes, and lagered up his memories for many tomorrows to come.
At night, in his small sleeeping niche, Valsera sits shivering. He has woken abruptly, swallowing a terrified cry. He fumbles the lamp slightly brighter, and wills himself to greater wakefulness. Valsera reaches for the cloak by his bedside, and the embroidering needle. He clears his head by searching the cloth for the place where he has left off his embroidering. Valsera summons to his mind's eye the view upriver from the bridge over the Esopus, and uses that scene to guide his hand and inspire the patterning he sews into the cloak. After several moments' diligent work, Valsera puts aside the travel cloak. He takes up his own traveling cloak, and finds where he left off in that patterning. He resumes his stitching, but now allows the terrible visions to guide his hands - Valsera tries to drain the horrible visions from his mind by giving them outlet in the decorative artwork. He alternates these two tasks for over an hour, ceasing mainly because the lamp is beginning to dim and gutter. Before he retires again, Valsera compares the two pieces.
The travel cloak for Maizi is soft, flowing, with edging and patterning that bring to mind the gentle flow of the Esopus River, with groundings and panels that somehow evoke the orderly fields surrounding the river. In contrast, the cloak Valsera keeps for himself is almost stiff with the volume and density of the embroidery work. Panels in the shoulders and down the front sway like armored plates, rather than hanging with a soft drapery of fabric. The panels, the embroidery, the patterns in them, the contain elements that are terrible. They are ugly in places, but ugly as an expression of terrible power. In other places the embroidery is beautiful, even delicate. But beautiful in a manner that comehow conveys the blade behind the smile. Both cloaks are beautiful pieces in their own way. Valsera has been meticulously careful to retain the joyful for the cloaks and sacks of the other Adepts who will be fleeing the Valley with him. But Valsera's own cloak - without explicit depiction, Valsera has given vent to those things frightful and terrible that inflict themselves on him in the night.
At last the great day arrived. Valser packed all of the supplies he had been amassing into two great sacks, and slid off, by a roundabout route, to join the others at the Kaer, and to take the definitive steps off of the track his lfe had been on, and onto a new track - a new Pattern to his life.
Valsera embraces Delamater briefly as the older dwarf bids them farewell. Despite his own trepidation at the new revelations and capabilities the Ghost Master had imparted on him, Valsera sensed the dwarf's emotionality at seeing them off. As the embrace, Valsera hands Delamater a small scrap of note, and says quietly, "Please see that Master Dorran gets this. I didn't want to risk leaving it at the shop when I left. But I think you understand that I want him to know my gratitude, and that I was pursuing something, and not fleeing my master. Please, in your own time, in your own way."
As the band finishes the descent of the cliffs surrounding the Esopus Valley, Valsera casts a gaze around his companions, "Our map shows a way away West to a place called Throal, and a road South to Aral. Those looks like long treks. The map also shows a West/Southwest road to somewhere named 'Uropa'. I don't see large mountains or a sea by that name. Perhaps there was once a town or city in that direction. Shall we investigate such a thing before we set off to far distant lands?"
I think about my time in the kaer and my last night at the Inn. It is so hard for me not to want to show off the acrobatic moves that I learned. The entertainer in me wants to shout 'look at what I can do' but something inside tells me I must be cautious. The moves remind me so much of my parent's moves. I knew them before, but now, it is as if they have been honed to a greater awareness. Can I really use this to defend others and myself? I am doubtful at first, but then something comes to me . . . A vision? An awareness? A memory? It is hard to tell. There is something familiar about these moves as if I had learned them as a child and had forgotten. No matter, it will come to me far more clearly when I am fully rested. My last night in the Inn is approaching. I must come up with a story worthy of remembrance. Who knows how long I will be gone. Then I decided to tell them a tale that my Mother once shared. I grab my juggling balls and I head out to the common room. I am introduced.
Welcome, have I got a story to share for you . . .
At the end of my performance, I decide to leave the full amount that I have earned to my companion. He deserves no less for giving me this opportunity. It is kind of bitter sweet. I may not be able to share my stories for a very long time. In this little group, I hope I am worthy to play my part. At the same time, I am looking forward to finding out what is out there in the wider world.
Sounds good to me, Valsera. Perhaps we will run into some people and they may have some interesting stories to tell.
Kiranov looks at the maps we have available. It might be a good idea to go to the Archpineen Liferock first. It appears to be a fairly high point that we might be able to get a perspective on any immediate dangers before we choose a destination. Beyond that everything is unknown to me. It might be interesting to go to the Aras. I have never seen a body of water larger than the river.
Between excitement and fear, the night in the kaer crawls by almost sleeplessly. By the time first light arrives, you have been standing near the entrance with your packs for what seems like hours.
You cross the river at the upper wide shallows nearby and strike up the hills toward the area where the “road” should be.
Fear of being seen makes you move as quickly as you can over the rocky incline that borders the valley. Even moving as quickly as you can, it takes you almost an hour to traverse the mile of steep hill. Between the heavy packs, the attempt to speed up a barren hillside and the morning sun, you are sweating by the time you reach the shade created by an outcropping of rock at the top of the ridge. After catching your breath, and having a drink, you take a look around.
Make a knowledge “Nature” roll – if you get a 10 or above, it only takes you a few minutes to discover that you did apparently pick the right spot - you can see a game trail that, based on the size of the trees, was a wider road a few centuries ago. If no one makes the roll, it takes over an hour.
You aren’t sure of the map scale, or even if there is one, so you move slowly to ensure you are staying on the trail. After another, you reach the “T” and turn northward. This trail seems a little clearer and you are able to move a little faster – even with another steep incline ahead. You estimate you will reach the road that passes near the Liferock at about lunchtime.
As you travel, you can hear the roar of the falls off to the east – you are almost to the top of where the river enters the valley.
Xyanna looks around vacantly. At least her map is right-side up.
"Nature" roll? Would local geography work?
Perception 8
I don't think anyone would follow us up here, but it is best if we keep moving until we are out of sight of anyone in the valley.
Peering dimly through the trees, and at the randomly strewn dirt and rocks amid the forest floor clutter, Valsera swallows a muttered, "That is a trail? Someone marked that on a map once? If I sneeze the 'trail' will disappear under the jumble from my sneeze. hrmmph. trail my foot."
Okay, I'm getting nervous.
Did you hear anything or was that just my heart beating loudly in my chest.
Maizi is apprehensive, but full of wonder. With her newly-gained understanding of the elemental threads that connect all life, she hears the wind whispering in the trees as a whole new language. And she can, almost, hear what the trees whisper back.
This distracted amazement causes her to stop at odd times to listen. Which in turn causes people to randomly bump into her.
Oh! Er, sorry...
If you don't have Nature or Nature lore as a skill, you can make a perception check. Actually, you can use your tracking skill.
"I wasn't considering the Liferock, somewhat because I'm not sure if I'd recognize if we found the inhabitants. But you're right, it's clearly labeled and obviously the closest. Let's do that then."
"Soonest started, soonest done."
Hiking his pack, and resettling the sack slung over his shoulder, Valsera begins to move vaguely in the direction of the 'path' down from the hills, and vaguely towards the Liferock.
Tracking
With a roar, a huge animal crashes out of the trees, stands on the path in front of you and roars. It is almost 9 feet tall and ursine in nature, but huge horns wrap around its ears, protruding about 6 inches past the front of its face.
Roll initiative.
Kiranov - you can use your wild animals knowledge skill to see if you know anything about it - if you want to, go ahead and make a roll.
Initiative:
If I have an opportunity I'll use what I know to help take this creature down. . .
Acrobatic Strike
Addition role for the exploded die
Knowledge Wild Animals
exploded die total 14
Initiative
Initiative
Meg (Debbie)
Eriene:
Animal:
Round 1:
Maizi
Grayson
Xyanna
Kiranov
Valsera
Creature
Dwee
Brithans are territorial and will stand on their hind legs and roar a
challenge to anything that enters their domain. If a single character
answers the challenge, the brithan enters into ritual combat with him,
and the two fight until one submits. Brithans submit after taking their
first Wound; battering a brithan to unconsciousness is also a victory. A
character need not kill the brithan in order to win the combat. A brithan's submission lasts for about 72 hours, after which the creature tends to forget who beat him. Any character who submits to a
brithan must move himself and his team at least half a mile (800
meters) away from the victorious creature, or the brithan will attack the character in an attempt to kill him. If more than one character attacks a brithan, the animal fights back savagely.
Of course, by the time you realize it, several of your compatriots have already done things, so this may be a "file away for next time" factoid.
Maizi is nervous, but excited as she gets to try out her new abilities for the first time. She begins weaving a thread, so that she can try throwing Earth Darts at the creature next round.
Xyanna yells at the thing trying to get its attention while moving into better position.
Total= 20 for Maneuver
If no one has struck the creature by the time Kiranov reacts, he will yell to his companions, Back off, I know how to end this without having to kill this Brithan. He will then step forward and roar back at the creature and strike it with his battle axe using his melee weapon talent (he will spend 2 karma to try to make sure he strikes true with his first blow). If someone else has already struck the creature he will still attack the same way, but shake his head knowing that if he could have reacted more quickly this creature would not have to die.
Hearing Kiranov calling for some space, Valsera backs off, preparing a spell to cast at the rampaging creature.
Grayson spins agilely and brings his short sword around. The blade connects with the beast's left arm. The animal flinches slightly, but does not appear unduly concerned.
damage
Kiranov - Grayson has already attacked by the time you get to speak, but he's the only one.
GM questions:
Seeing that Grayson has accepted the challenge, he will call out to the party No one attack the Brithan since Grayson has accepted its challenge. He'll call out to Grayson, If you can hurt it enough it will submit to you, or if you get hurt you may also submit to it. If you submit it will let us leave its territory. Kiranov will take a step back and let the two resolve the challenge.
Oops, I think I just made the thing mad, Grayson thinks to himself.
. . . Sure, hum . . . I . . . wouldn't mind submitting to it . . . . how do I go about doing that? Preferably before my head is separated from my shoulders. I'd like to keep that. I'm rather fond of it.
You have to let it hit you once and then you can submit to it. I haven't actually done this before but usually if you duck down and get lower than it, most animals get the idea. Just don't let it kill you with the first blow...
Xyanna looks cranky and maneuvers behind a tree.
One minor point - to leave its territory, you have to know what its territory encompasses - which apparently includes the road you want to travel on.
. . . so I let it hit me . . .
Holy punching bag . . . why did I have to attack it before . . . Well, my parents didn't nickname me fearless for nothing . . . but that was before . . .
Okay . . . Here goes nothing.
I stand low in front of it, my legs out stretched as if I were going to leap to the side, hopefully getting its attention. I keep my short sword ready, but less threatening. My natural instinct is to leap . . . use whatever acrobatic talent to get out of it's way, but I stand my ground. I'm hoping that when I am hit, I can roll with the strike. I just hope the thing gives me a love tap and I'm not taking Valsera up on his offer. Let's just hope this works.
The beast roars deafeningly into Grayson's face and brings a massive claw down on him. Since Grayson isn't attempting to dodge, he takes the full force of the blow to his head. He drops to the ground like a rock, blinking blood from his eyes and barely conscious.
The creature steps back and watches for everyone's next move.
Grayson has 1 wound.
Damage: (with the exploded die included)
Knockdown test: (fail)
Dwee puts her hands to her mouth to stifle a cry as she sees the creature beat Grayson. She is trying to be as still and non-threatening as possible as she was told, but the wound is troubling.