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Tamo spends some time with the Two Houses crew. While Steen and Unn pack, Lief and Oluf exchange pleasantries with him. "I know you're new to this, but try to take a moment now and then to take in the scenery. This land is home for us, but it's important to not take it for granted. It is beautiful, and is probably going to be quite the treat for you if you let it."
Two of the tribesfolk take time to study the weather as best they can. Obad'of sees only mutable uncertainty, recognizing that the Wind and Waves makes up their mind when they want. But Ikinyo lets the group know that he's confident there'll be fog and a mild cold in the coming day, but that it should otherwise be manageable.
Isikhulu diligently packs gear and makes ready while Kashkura and Rhizzuk complete their purchases. When the search for scarves commences, Tamo's ask for a sable tip... actually complicates matters.
"Here! I've got a fine scarf! It'll keep your scales warm! No better price this side of Absalom!" A long-haired Ulfen merchant shouts, showing a black scarf to the two lizardfolk.
"You idiot, they asked for sable," Another merchant admonishes. "If you'd ever traveled, you'd know what the colour of sand is! Here, see this sable scarf," he drapes several sand-coloured scarves over an arm. "Two for one! Best deal!"
Furious, the first merchant shouts back, "Black is the colour used for sable in heraldry! And I travel plenty. But your wife travels more. Why, she was at my house just-"
The situation devolves quickly, with a brawl between the two breaking out. Of course, that doesn't stop a clever third merchant from swooping in and selling scarves. "Striped black and tan, so there's no debate," the man says with a smirk and a wink.
The teams are asked to gather at the starting line, which is a thick-braided rope with wooden handholds at either end carved in the shape of a linnorm head. The officials wait until the previous year’s winners, Without Trace or Fail, gives the signal that all teams are ready before dropping the rope and blowing a horn!
DAY 1: Overland Travel Phase
Ikinyo - Go
Isikhulu - Go
Obad'of - Go
Kaskhura - Go
Rhizzuk - Go
Tamo - Go
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Ikinyo shares his prediction of the weather with his tribe-mates, hoping fervently that he's right about relatively mild weather ahead. As the race begins, he takes his first step across the starting line and his foot comes down on a slick patch of ice! With only minor wild gyrations he manages to keep his balance and pick up the pace!
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You set off on foot, making your way along the marked trail. The starts are somewhat staggered, as it's a timed race and the point is not to be tripping over each other. But one thing becomes clear early on, as you trudge through deep snow: Ikinyo definitely got the weather prediction wrong! A snow storm strikes after an hour, visibility drops drastically, and there's simply not enough scarf around you to keep you warm! But eventually it passes, and you begin to see the checkpoint.
The tall pines ahead are heavy with snow, and the forest is quiet. Ahead, officials for the Balgirdtrek stand around a roaring fire. Several campsites have been cleared nearby as clerics stand ready to examine and treat any injured racers. Beyond the fire and campsites, in a small, raised clearing, is a tall, thin pole carved with the intertwining necks of a Tarn Linnorm. Atop the pole rests is a small platform, an oval shape resting within it.
The other teams are all there, and you see the Varki team celebrating as they walk away from a... pole? It's hard to tell from this distance. You're ushered off to a space where you can setup camp, and begin to do so. Eventually a race official fetches you, saying, "It's your turn for the trial."
Collectively you're lead to a dead tree. It's thin and tall, with the base of the tree being about eight inches in diameter and stands about twenty feet high. You can see a small platform at the top. "On that platform is an egg. Your job is to retrieve that egg without breaking it. The trial hearkens back to Balgird's time in the wilderness. While searching for a Linnorm in the frozen reaches of the Saga Lands, Balgird Bluetongue survived by living off the land itself. In particular, Balgird was known to have scaled a great tree and retrieved the egg of a massive bird. He did this so swiftly and carefully that the tree did not bend, and the bird did not notice its egg go missing. Let's find out whether any of you have that same speed."
Other rolls:
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Obad'of puts some clever magic to use. The tangling vine does an effective job at preventing the egg from falling. It does make it harder to retrieve it, but given the limited duration it allows Rhizzuk to get a start.
He begins climbing up, and is reaching the top when it becomes obvious this tree has a lot more bend to it than he expected!
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Rhizzuk surprises the tribe by nimbly holding on to the bending tree. With the momentary cocooning of the egg, Rhizzuk reaches the egg and safely grabs it. Swaying with the bends of the tree, he climbs down, egg in hand!
"Well done!" the race official says, noting the team's ingenuity. "I didn't expect that bend, and you did well. Anyone else want to give it a try?"
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Up until that point the race official had been impressed by Rhizzuk. Isikhulu takes a second to study the tree, then effortlessly climbs up, retrieves the egg, and brings it down. His balance and weight distribution is so perfect that the tree barely bends. "Wow, well done!"
He then looks to see if there are any other takers.
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Kashkura boldly steps forward, confidence belying her skill modifier as she rapidly climbs the dead tree. With only a slight bend to the conifer she reaches the ground, egg in hand!
"Now that was impressive! You lot are surprisingly good climbers."
Obad'of moves to go, but the race official stops him. "Sorry, but the magic you used to help will have to count as your attempt. Still, I think it made a difference."
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With no other challengers from the Sable Tips stepping up to make the climb, the race official makes some notes on a piece of parchment and then allows you to setup your campsite proper. "Feel free to mingle, but I'd suggest against any late night fun. Rest is more important than anything, especially when it comes to the Balgirdtrek.
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Ikinyo's weather prediction mishap has puzzled and frustrated him, and he decides the matter merits more study. As most of the others talk to members of the competing teams, Ikinyu joins Isikhulu in moving away from the group and staring at the sky, studying the clouds as his tribe-mate looks past them to the stars.
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Tamo and Obad'of team up to talk to the race officials. The official you meet seems a sympathetic sort, especially with him thinking that Iruxi are not meant for this climate. He is vague, but manages to slip a tidbit for you all.
Kashkura spends some time trying to socialize with the Wyrding Wayfinders, but Faegrim Axebinder seems distracted and keeps her own plan for the Balgirdtrek close to the chest.
Rhizzuk makes sure the group has a warm fire to come back to, which Ikinyo and Isikhulu use to keep their blood flowing as they stare at the sky. For Isikhulu, he is troubled by how overcast the night is, with clouds obscuring the starlight. Ikinyo hopes to make sense for the weather, but after how badly he predicted their first day he settles into being uncertain with more comfort than he'd like.
Eventually, you all bed down for the night.
The next morning you are woken by another howling blizzard! Fortunately you did your best to prepare for the day, and when it comes time you push out onto the trail...
DAY 2: Overland Travel Phase
Ikinyo - Go
Isikhulu - Go
Obad'of - Go (add +1)
Kaskhura - Go
Rhizzuk - Go
Tamo - Go (add +1)
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The trek through the howling winds and blowing snow is a difficult one, but the Sable Tip tribe manages well enough, seeming to make up some ground. They aren't the last team to reach the checkpoint, arriving before the Bluetongue Brawlers. Of course, that group was up late the night previously, and are clearly all nursing hangovers.
At the checkpoint you see a small, frigid stream runs between the dense pines, opening onto a frozen pond. To the east, a few small columns of smoke rise above the trees from several small campfires. To the north, a dozen caribou walk along the surface of the ice, snuffling and pawing at the thin grasses poking up from the snowy shoreline. As a race official watches over the small herd, the wind carries the gentle sound of bells.
A race official catches up with you, shows you to where your campsite is, and then leads you closer to the herd. "This trial is meant to recreate the events surrounding the loss of Balgird’s beloved pack horse. When the steed was lost in a terrible blizzard, Balgird tracked a herd of caribou across the tundra, and watched their behavior from a distance, looking for one that he might be able to tame. The legendary Ulfen man spent more than a week trying to get close to the herd, and narrowly escaped death by hundreds of stampeding hooves before he finally managed to sling his saddle bags over the animal's back and lead his new companion out of the herd and into the taiga."
Enjoying his attentive audience, he continues. "Four of the caribou have had small bells tied into their antlers. The goal of this trial is to retrieve a set of the bells without disturbing the caribou. There are a total of twelve caribou currently on the ice. You'll need to find an approach to a beast with bells on, then carefully remove the bells. At least one of you has to make an attempt, but as long as they don't bolt you can try to retrieve them all."
The official looks at you all and asks, "Ready? Who would like to go?"
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The official lets Obad'of go first. The druid listens carefully for the distant sound of a tinkling bell, then wends his way carefully through the caribou as to not scare any. With great empathy for the wild he removes a bell and takes a different route back out.
It is on his return though that Obad'of he comes across the remains of a dead caribou. Having enough distance from the other animals, he takes a moment to study the largely consumed beast. With expert study Obad'of realizes that large claw marks criss-cross the body and came from an animal of immense size and strength.
Finally he returns, triumphant. When he examines the bell though, he finds bits of wool and fur were stuffed in it, making it quieter and thus harder to be heard!