Bear with me here: I’m trying a new thing, dumping the expansive chat logs we have for the GrimWyrd campaign straight into the blog itself. There’s bound to be a few hiccups, and the text is a bit…excessive, but I’m reproducing it here in an attempt to expedite the whole process of just getting it in front of you all. Let me know in the dumps if I can improve it, but hopefully its legible.
Many times, the players will be talking in character under their PC’s name, and (out of character) with the ellipses around their text. Ulm does this a bunch
[Various introductions starting the session, some personal bits trimmed out; All players in attendance except the usual on-and-off Adolf/Bomrek; Gandalf G/Falkirk, Brothermanhyll/Ulm, Stellers J/Master Horsa, and P.P.A/Suðri ]
Ken (GM) Where last we had left our heroes; The Weatherman’s tower lay in a smoking ruin, as the bound elemental atop had been freed by the party wizards. The group had contained the plague-ridden beastmen within, scavenged what they could from the late mage’s belongings, and now rode the apprentice to an uncertain future among The Scorned. As the day falls soon to night, the group now speaks with the elder of a remote farming village. The sounds of strange janky music creep from the Ro-Haern camp alongside.
12:19 Ken (GM): OOC; any major things you guys need to address immediately? Where we left off, Aachen the Outlander was speaking with the village elder, asking him for you guys to make camp with the farmers. also assuaging fears of savagery by making introductions for the entire militia group. The elder was concerned you guys may have been EEEEVIIIIL
12:20 Gandalf G.: I, for one, am happy to let the elf do the talking.
12:20 Brothermanhyll: Who would look at Ulm and think he’s evil
12:21 Stellers J.: How many rations do we have and how many miles are we from Helms Deep?
Gray stalks beside the others on the horses, following the elf closer to the remote village, eyes falling on the people as the beast scents the air considers a moment while waiting for the Outlander to smooth things over. That done, he asks in that growling voice. “Where should we set up our camp?” With direction, he starts unloading the horses and following the familiar routine of checking their hooves for stones and back for sores, brushing them down.
12:21 Ken (GM): [How many stacking social negatives does ulm have again? :P]
12:21 Brothermanhyll: let me check
12:21 Ken (GM): lulz
12:22 Brothermanhyll: I’d wager that roughly -24 reaction penalty
12:22 Ken (GM): hahah wat
Falkirk sits quietly, looking up at the stars absent-mindedly. He jangles slightly every time his horse shifts.
12:22 Brothermanhyll: It ain’t easy being Hideous
Suðri Skornbrekker always keeps a suspicious eye on the gypsyelves’ campsite
12:22 Stellers J.: Gray gets by
12:22 Ken (GM): hahah
okay to clarify; you paid -16 points for hideous, which is ITSELF only a -8 reaction penalty
but yeah, thats redonkulous bad
12:23 Brothermanhyll: Still not great
Ken (GM) the Elf and elder speak for a few moments, a short laugh or two as the Outlander joke sin his usual tone.
12:24 Horsa: Joke sin? Blasphemous.
12:24 Ken (GM): “Men, we’ll need to setup camp out of the way of the Rovers, it seems the elder has secured some…mercenaries to protect the village
12:25 Joush M.: Gray is rocking -2 for Ugly and -2 for Social Stigma. He dose okay
Ulm stays well away from the village proper, looking at the surrounding nature and animals rather absently while watching a small stream of blood run down from his fingertip to his scar-riddled palm.
12:25 Ken (GM): contemplates blood
12:25 Ulm: (craaaaawling iiin my skiiin)
12:25 Ken (GM): “did I leave the campfire on back home?”
12:26 Falkirk: (why are you crying?)
(thinking of blood)
Gray looks to the elf thoughtfully a moment and nods, making sure the place he works is well out of the way and curious about these mercenaries.
12:26 Ulm: (we are made men by blood, undone by blood)
12:26 Falkirk: “Aye, mercenaries is it? Well I’ve no qualms with camping.”
12:26 Ulm: (how long are we camping?)
12:27 Ken (GM): Aachen directs you all to make camp up on the North side of the town; a bit of a walk to the well, but he seems to be direct you all to be out of the way of the villagers
12:27 Suðri Skornbrekker: “I have my doubts that these ‘mercenaries’ will leave with only the pay they agreed upon, but that’s the villagers’ decision.”
12:27 Ken (GM): “hopefully no more than a night, we should make haste to the Ruins now, with the Beastmen so far inland.”
12:28 Horsa: “We
12:28 Ken (GM): “I cant understand how they got so far without any warning…” wonders Aachen
12:28 Ulm: (built this city on rock and roll)
12:28 Horsa: “We’re not mercenaries.”
Gray considers a moment. “The outlanders patrol this place. They should have seen the beastmen, even if they are working only in small scattered bands.”
12:29 Suðri Skornbrekker: “I was was referring to these upstanding examples of knightly chivalry.”, Suthri says while pointing his thumb in the direction of the Ro-Haern with an expression of mild disgust on his face.
12:30 Falkirk: “There’s no point in worrying about the concerns of the locals. We have bigger goals to accomplish.”
Ken (GM) the whimsical sound of a squeezebox accordion and the droning thrum of a herdy gerdy wander through the air, as the sun sets red on the horizon. The sounds of merry-making a sharp contrast to the toiling villagers you see in the rest of the village
12:30 Ulm: (what phase is the moon in?)
12:31 Horsa: (awoo)
12:31 Falkirk: (goth phase)
(its wearing cut up jeans and eyeliner)
12:31 Ken (GM): (waxing, I believe you’re in a jovial bent for a while)
12:32 Gandalf G.: so like, I didn’t ask for expediency’s sake before
12:32 Ulm: (gibbous or crescent?)
12:32 Gandalf G.: what do we have in terms of camping supplies?
12:33 Ken (GM): G: you’ve been issued a bedroll and wet-tarp if you didn’t have one. otherwise very basic. Dry rations and water.
12:33 Gandalf G.: alright
12:33 P.P. A.: > if you didn’t have one
I paid for my bedroll ;_;
12:33 Gandalf G.: same
Suðri Skornbrekker erects his one-man tent and rolls out his bedroll that he paid dear money for
12:34 Ken (GM): hey! it’s yours! and not standard army issue!
12:34 Ulm: (i assume it’s gibbous since i’m going jolly)
12:34 Ken (GM): dear dwarven coin, paid to darling dwarven craftsmen, for the finest dwarven sleeping apparatus known
[tent crashes into a heap, catches fire]
Falkirk unrolls his bedroll, noting the significantly higher quality than those of his comrades, before lying down and opening up one of the recently ‘acquired’ books from the weatherman’s tower.
12:34 Ken (GM): ulm; yes, gibbous
Ulm sits in front of a fire in a meditative pose, pouring some blood droplets in the fire and making the fire flicker for some reason.
Gray finds the music aggravating at first, but soon gets used to it as he goes about the task and unloads supplies. Cannon, powder, rations and supplies put where they will be secure and dry, horses brushed down, walked, watered and stakes out, then his blanket and own personal supplies piled. “Who cares to stand first watch this night?”
12:36 Falkirk: “I barely slept a wink last night before the tower went up. I’m not taking a watch tonight.”
12:36 Ulm: “We move under the embrace of the screaming moon.” He says like it’s a relief of some sort.
12:36 Horsa: already asleep
Suðri Skornbrekker takes his backpack off his horse and stores it in his tent, just in case.
12:37 Suðri Skornbrekker: “I can take up the first shift,” Suðri volunteers
Ulm stares at the moon before seemingly falling asleep straight in his position.
12:39 Ulm: He seems to enjoy the smell of blood vaporizing in the fire.
Gray nods to Suori. “Wake me when you tire.. I trust the people but..” The beast shrugs and leaves unsaid that he doesn’t trust them that much. the scent of burning blood dose little to settle his nerves.
Suðri Skornbrekker nods.
Falkirk begins quietly murmuring under his breath as he reads, repeating a quiet chant perhaps
Ken (GM) as the sun sets and the heat of the day is replaced by the cool twilight, you all make for the comforts of the night to surround you. Unfortunately, the music from the Rovers plays on and on, and seems to grow less skillfully played as time passes. Some angry shouts in a foreign tongue are heard occasionally, and the musicians seem to lurch forward unheeding of the tone
Suðri Skornbrekker wishes he’d rather be asleep, but the music—or what hipsters many centuries on would deem to pass for music—makes it difficult to relax anyway.
Ulm has woken up feeling rested and is in the process of wolfing down some rations. “Another day begins, we begin our travel with the sun.”
Ulm is seemingly unaware of the music, he is more fixated on the sounds of nature.
Falkirk wraps his ears in the bedroll and attempts to muffle the music. After 4 hours the previous night, he’s not about to cut another night’s sleep short.
12:43 P.P. A.: when does Ulm wake up, circa?
12:44 Ken (GM): [Ulm may be a bit confused on the time of night…]
12:44 Brothermanhyll: [that’s what the moon does to you, also i read everything wrong]
[retcon, retcon, retcon]
Ken (GM) Bomrek mutters angrily to himself about the inhuman elven racket, and wraps his head under his blanket, alongside his flask
12:44 P.P. A.: (oh ok, I assumed he was just being the usual weirdo)
12:44 Brothermanhyll: [we can attribute it to that]
Gray leaves off his armor and sleeps. A deliberate effort to get rest when he can, he has a soldier’s skill to sleep in imperfect conditions. The beast laying on top of a blanket. It was a long fucked up day, after all.
Brothermanhyll is more or less wrapped in his bison pelt, sleeping in the meditative position he fell asleep on.
12:46 Brothermanhyll: Man i am bad at this
Ulm *
Ken (GM) Sometime after the sun has set and the village should be settling off to quiet contemplation, the music continues in the Southern camp. Their bonfire has reached some mad height and throws sparks to the sky in a crackle and roar. The sound of un-halted drinking and not-yet-malicious merriment jangle about the sparkling sky
Falkirk wears the same ragged brown robes as always. He doesn’t seem too concerned with concepts of ‘changing clothes’.
12:47 Ulm: (do i have to roll meditation to stay undisturbed in my sleep)
Suðri Skornbrekker grumbles and mumbles into the camp’s direction through his beard.
Ken (GM) Suddenly, amidst a high warbling note, the music halts. The south camp goes silent almost immediately
Ken (GM) for a brief respite, silence overtakes the countryside
Suðri Skornbrekker is startled by the sudden silence and keeps a firm hold of his bardiche.
Gray is quite used to hearing a distant party and not joining in. In the silence he doesn’t quite wake, but some awareness rises. Silence is surprising, here.
12:50 P.P. A.: How deep into the night is it (i.e. late enough for a shift change)?
12:50 Ken (GM): “YOOOO HOOOOOOOOUUUUUU
“ELLLLLLFY BOOOOOY
“YOU AWAKE OVER THERE?!
12:51 Horsa: Yeah, wake up Aachen
Suðri Skornbrekker pre-emptively sticks his bardiche into the ground and takes aim with his musket
Ken (GM) howling through the night is a warbling drunken voice, indignant to the sanctity of the silent night.
Ulm stays asleep, perhaps his meditation is too effective for his own good. The string-attached jawbone parts of his mask sway in the wind.
Suðri Skornbrekker not because he expects an assault, but just to look sufficiently unpleasant when someone comes here
Falkirk covers his ears harder
Ken (GM) through the evening starlight and campfire, three garishly dressed rovers are at the periphery of your camp. The one in their lead, a tall blonde fellow with gold jangling off his ear
12:52 Horsa: (Oh boy more PCs)
Ken (GM) he is flanked by two beautiful but hard-faced women, who seem positively wolfish
12:53 Ken (GM): [oh hush :P]
“HEY AK-IN! COME OUT N PLAAAY
12:53 Falkirk: how many hours of sleep did we get?
12:53 Ken (GM): [no more than an hour or so, maybe two?]
12:53 Falkirk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwwY9y6O3hw
(oy vey these fatigue penalties)
12:54 Ken (GM): the sudden CRASH of shattering glass startles you all, as the rich scent of sweet wine comes burbling out of a shattered wine bottle, thrown haphazardly into your camp
Gray rises to his feet. Wearing draw string shorts and scars the massive human-hybrid works his jaw a moment and stretches with the look of a man that would rather be asleep as he looks to Suori, then nods and picks up his sword. It’s sheathed, for the moment, but there’s distinct annoyance on his inhuman features.
12:55 Suðri Skornbrekker: “Keep it down,” Suðri yells at them as quietly as one can yell trying not to wake too many people up.
Suðri Skornbrekker , upon hearing the bottle shatter, gets even more hostile: “don’t set a foot in here! What do you want?”
12:56 Ken (GM): “HEY YOU STUPID ELF, WHERE’D YA GO?” His voice seems to have turned to a drunken anger
Suðri Skornbrekker is starting to raise his voice as well
12:57 Ken (GM): The women seem to try to drag him around, back to their camp, but you hear a sharp SLAP and the yelp of surprise from one of them
Ulm slowly raises his head. “A disturbance? A flow, red. Blood? No, less intoxicating.”
12:57 Falkirk: With a growling guttural sound, Falkirk resigns the idea of much-earned sleep and pulls himself into an upright position.
Gray growls and stalks forward, closing on the sound of the slap and leaving aside his sword. Weaponless he advances to confront the drunk. “A wiser man wouldn’t get involved.”
Ulm pries himself to an impressive standing position using his staff. He then stares at the drunkards from behind his mask.
Falkirk loudly lets out a string of profanity, drifting between approximately 5 languages
Suðri Skornbrekker stares at them from behind his musket’s barrel instead.
1:00 Ken (GM): “Whats thish, a buncha furry outcasts huh? Akin collectin you weirdos now?” The man scoffs at you all, leering a toothy grin
“AKIN! GIT YER BUTT OUT HERE YA DAMN DESERTER” he bellows into the night
1:01 Falkirk: “Where IS that damn elf? He can sort his own problems out and let the rest of us sleep.”
1:01 GM (To Suðri Skornbrekker): he seems either unperturbed or unaware of your musket lined up on him)
1:01 Ulm: “Carouser, trail of disappointment, father issues perhaps?”
Gray growls to the man. “I don’t like your tone. Last chance to leave in peace.”
1:02 GM (From Suðri Skornbrekker): I’d fire a warning shot but that would be counterproductive, and then I wouldn’t have a second shot again
Ken (GM) Aachen went to sleep with the rest of you, wrapped in his bedroll. He seems to have disappeared, his bedroll right where he left it 
1:03 Ken (GM): “~OOooohh, that sounds like a THREAT big guy” he slurs, and you hear the sound of steel rasping out of a sheath “Care to put your sword on the line then?” He giggles to himself
Suðri Skornbrekker pulls his bardiche out of the ground, and approaches the revelers with his long big axe on a pole.
1:03 Falkirk: “The elf isn’t here, he’s managed to disappear in the night. And until morning comes, I neither know now care what the situatioin is. Now good NIGHT.” Shouts Falkirk
1:03 Suðri Skornbrekker: “You’re one to talk about outcasts and weirdos,” Suðri bellows at the drunkard.
Suðri Skornbrekker is also pissed that one would waste a perfectly fine bottle of wine
1:04 P.P. A.: absolutely disgusting
1:04 Ulm: “This outcome i did not foresee. That you would come unprepared to a priest.” He says, his calm facade crumbling a bit. “The elf has run off too, but that i already suspected.”
1:04 P.P. A.: t. dwarf
1:05 Ken (GM): “Are you taking the cheek DWARF?” he spits the name like a curse “Are you calling MOI and outcast?! I’m the FINEST blade in the SOUTH” He screams to the night
Gray walks closer to the drunk and looks to the blade he’s drawn, then to the screaming elf’s reddened face. “Remember, you wanted to do this.”
1:06 Suðri Skornbrekker: “Fine but not very sharp,” he taunts back.
Falkirk stands up, stretches, and shuffles over to the makeshift battle-line.
1:07 Horsa: oh my god, shut up you morons, can’t i sleep
Horsa gets up and creaks his neck.
1:07 Ulm: “Perhaps the flow was not entirely wine. This should be entertaining. The screaming moon reaps those who have lost the reins.”
1:08 (To Horsa): ‘The line ‘finest blade in the South’ catches your ear. This is probably the Yellow prince! A famous Rover duelist!
1:08 Horsa: He walks right up to the drunks and asks, “What’s your deal?”
Falkirk rolls up his sleeves
1:08 (To Horsa): He’s known to be a bit of a loudmouth, but he’s got a fine swordarm
1:09 Horsa: “Wait, I think I’ve heard of you.”
Ulm unsheathes his large bone knife and licks it.
1:09 Ken (GM): [squirmy “oh god no” in reaction to ulm]
1:09 Horsa: Horsa turns around as ‘tssts’ all the angry men with weapons.
1:09 Ulm: (good thing i didn’t poison it)
1:10 Horsa: “Yellow Prince?”
1:10 Ken (GM): “OH FINALLY someone who knows WHO I AM” He says, lifting his voice as if addressing an unseen crowd
“YES! That would be MOI”
1:11 Suðri Skornbrekker: “The prince of taking the piss? I believe it,” the dwarf sneers.
1:11 (From Horsa): what else do I know about him?
1:11 Ken (GM): “Just where are you and mister BIG here hiding my good friend AKKIN?”
1:12 Ulm: “He has run off. I suspected this, his part in the events to come is different somehow.”
1:12 (To Horsa): by reputation, he’s a deadly duelist, made his coin taking young inexperienced noble sons to lopsided duels. He made off with quite a bit of coin before being run out of the North
1:12 Ken (GM): “OH I meant mister no-shirt here” He points a rather large crooked sabre at Gray, gesticulating rather evenly for being so drunk
1:13 (To Gray): and hes being quite rude, pointing that hooked blade right at your nose like that
1:14 Horsa: “Aachen?”
Gray looks to Horsa and lets him do the talking a moment, then looking to the saber a moment, then to the man. “No one hides from you. He isn’t here, perhaps because he doesn’t wish to speak with you.” He takes a long step forward, closing in, the saber nearly brushing his body as he towers above the man. “Stop. That.”
1:15 Ken (GM): The rover backs up, quite perceptibly shaken by Gray advancing. Directly back into one of his entourage
Suðri Skornbrekker occasionally looks back at the camp and his tent to make sure nobody’s stealing from it while Price Piss here is distracting the party.
Falkirk puts his hands together and mutters the same incantation he was repeating the previous night, and with the GM’s blessing and maybe a quick look at his sheet, creates a point of dim light
1:16 (To Suðri Skornbrekker): the camp seems fine; everything still on the ground where you guys left it. Aachen has disappeared, and the villagers look as if they are watching with some interest from their huts
1:16 Horsa: looks somber “Aachen isn’t here… that’s true…”
1:17 Horsa: looks away tensely
“It’s because… Aachen is fucking dead.” 10
1:17 Horsa: (that’s v acting 15)
1:18 Horsa: turns around and winks
Gray fights to still his expression and keep from giving away Horsa’s deception, odd amber eyes blinking in the light.
1:18 Gandalf G.: 12v12 pls work
ayy
Ken (GM) with a whisper of power and the intoning of words, Falkirk calls up a glow form the land itself. Everything is outlined in a soft glow, casting fell shadows in all directions. As Horsa drops his dramatic proclamation on the rover
1:20 Ken (GM): The half-elf seems to be startled at this revelation
shocked even
1:20 Falkirk: “Aye that’s a bit better isn’t it? Those scrolls had some useful secrets inside.”
1:21 Suðri Skornbrekker: “The big guy,” Suðri points at Ulm “ate him because he was making too much of a racket and didn’t let us sleep, so you better bugger off before you become his dessert.”
1:21 Horsa: oh shit
1:21 Ken (GM): The Rover stops, staring. And then falls over laughing, loud and long and nearly manic in intensity
Ulm does feel his stomach gurgling. Funny elf boys are a new culinary experience for Ulm. He fiddles around with the knife in his hands.
Suðri Skornbrekker wasn’t trying to seem convincing or serious, but just threatened them using the context.
1:22 Ken (GM): the girls flanking him titter between themselves, hiding their laughter behind veiled arms and slapping the rolling duelist on the ground playfully
“HAHAHAhahahahah FUCKin Akin” he yells, finally, trying to compose more giggles
“Goddman coward. And his silly bastard friends”
Gray shakes his head and looks to the others, then around. Eyes searching past the light, hunting for something sneaking up on them. This could be a distraction from a real threat, after all.
1:24 Ken (GM): The ‘Yellow prince’ composes himself, stands up, and dusts himself off. His sword, he slips back into his sheathe at his hip, it’s yellow-bronze metal glinting in the weird magic light
“You fuckos better tell Aachen to see me when he’s done pissing himself. His Brother wants to see him” He says with a vulpine grin, the liquor on his voice seemingly evaporated
he kicks out a foot, turns on his other heel, and sweeps the ladies between his arms, turning back for the Rover camp
Falkirk returns to his bedroll without missing a beat, leaving the tiny arcane ball of incandescence floating in the air
Gray nods a touch. “Family” The brother of their commander. Likely for the best there was no violence then. The towering brute nodding to Horsa as he turns and starts back, pausing to look curiously at the magic light that gently illuminates the area.
Suðri Skornbrekker picks up his musket and returns to his position, grumbling to himself for the next five minutes or so
Ulm wanders back to sleep in his meditative position. “Odd people. The elf Aachen has left. His part in our journey is unclear to me, i must contemplate on this.”
1:28 Gandalf G.: nah man, it’s coo
I like what you’ve done
1:29 Horsa: “Good riddance.”
Ken (GM) Aachen appears to be sleeping soundly in his bedroll
Suðri Skornbrekker glances over the bedrolls (guard duty and all) and finds Aachen in his
Suðri Skornbrekker won’t wake everyone up to inquire about that though, that can wait until the next day
Ken (GM) the elf seems to be sound asleep, snoring lightly
1:30 Falkirk: After a minute, the little magic orb presumably flitters out into darkness
Gray walks back to where he’d been sleeping after taking a walk around their camp to check for anything that snuck up on them in all the excitement. “No business of mine” He says to no one, trying to get back to sleep for a while.
1:32 GM (To Gray): the camp seems secure enough. The drunk threw a bottle of wine near the camp, but the glass broke cleanly enough and is easily managed.
Ken (GM) With the retreat of the Yellow Prince, the night falls swiftly back to quiet order. No more raucous merry making is heard from the Rover camp, and the night crawls deeply to darkness around you
Ken (GM) the eve creeps on steadily, the watch is uneventful, and the morning rises with a fine glow. You are all rested well
1:35 Ken (GM): When day returns, the villagers head about their day quick as the dawn. You hear chopping wood, a pick on stone, and the whine of the OX as a millstone is put to use before teh day grows hot.
Aachen rises with little word. Only going about his business is a slightly aloof way
1:36 P.P. A.: gud seson 4 crops
1:36 Gandalf G.: swerve
1:36 Brothermanhyll: but its almost harvesting season!
Ken (GM) bomrek continues to snore through the morn, clutching a whiskey flask
Gray is reticent and doesn’t ask about the man’s brother. He starts the morning getting fed and washed up then looks to the village. “We should ask them what they’ve seen. If anyone’s sick.”
1:37 Ulm: “The screaming moon is laid in the hands of the dark, the sun begins it’s journey. We should too.”
1:37 Falkirk: “I’m not even bothering with what happened last night. We’ve got bigger goals to do, so let’s not dally.”
1:37 Ken (GM): “Get to it then Gray, if you could. And if someone could see about topping off our water while we’re here?” Aachen tends to his horse blankets…
Suðri Skornbrekker doesn’t press the matter either, no point in getting involved in other people’s family affairs, nor with people like that.
Falkirk begins quietly loading books onto his horse
1:40 Suðri Skornbrekker: “Aye, I’ll do it,” Suðri says—but pauses for a moment and turns to Falkirk: “Is there a chance that the water here might be… bad, what with all these festering creatures around?”
Ulm caresses his beast-horse and mounts it, sitting in a meditative position.
Gray considers a moment, then shrugs and adjust his armor before pulling on the surcoat and slipping his mask on over rough features. The beast walking to the village and looking around a moment, picking someone to question and walking closer. “A moment of your time.”
1:40 Falkirk: “If there’s a community surviving on it, I’d be surprised if anything’s awry. I’ll check it if you’re concerned though.”
1:42 (To Gray): The man is gathering large plants into a heap beside the wet garden-pit; He seems unafraid of you, but probably because of your courtesy with the mask “Yes outlander; something our village can do for you?”
Suðri Skornbrekker shrugs. “Guess we’d have noticed by now if there was something wrong. …with the local villagers at least.” Thus, he goes to refill everyone’s wineskins, canteens, and the likes.
1:43 (To Suðri Skornbrekker): the well is well-built and lined with well cut stones. The villagers point you to the bucket and allow you to your work, but dont seem to spare you a moment. Everyone is working at their chores
1:44 (To Suðri Skornbrekker): you notice that even the children are hauling wood, and tending to the work. They seem all right, no open sores from sickness, no black welts
Gray speaks to a man that works in a wet garden pit. “Has your village had any trouble with beastmen? Any trouble with raiders? We’ve seen black rot among them, if anyone here is sick we have a physican of some skill that could tend to them.”
Suðri Skornbrekker appreciates the masonry of the well. Though he is surprised to find such a nice well in a shoddy village like this and wonders if something else might once have occupied the place, he doesn’t dwell on it for long.
1:46 Ken (GM): “Ah well, no, nothing so much Outlander. The village has been safe so far. We got call of the King’s war, some of the folk moved to out of the way places at that, but we’re all fine so far. Haven’t seen a touch of the dark ones her’tall” He seems worried, and a bit sad at his description
1:47 Ken (GM): “I wonder though, if someone like yourselves could speak to the Rovers? We’re grateful n ‘all theyre here. Jus…they take to carrying on so much. And theyre burning quite a bit o’ good building timbers for their bonfires. Seems a bit wasteful?”
Gray nods to the man. “Aye. I’ll speak with them.” He says, stretching a moment and inclining his head to the man in the pit. “Thank you for your help.” Before he turns to start in the direction of the rovers, pausing after a few steps and calling over. “I’m off to speak with the Rovers. Anyone care to come with me?” He knows enough to know he isn’t clever. This might require a delicate touch.
1:49 Falkirk: “You’re going alone?”
1:50 Ulm: “I vouch for moving along. Best heading on for the journey rather than waiting for it to come to us. He who cannot decide will have his decision made by circumstance.”
Gray speaks to Falkirk “You are welcome to come, physician.”
1:51 Falkirk: “I don’t see what’s to gain in dealing with petty disputes of a local nature. We’ve got an important job to do.”
1:51 Ken (GM): [hah, I take it thats a no from falkirk and Ulm then; Horsa? Sudri? you game? Bomrek is making semi-hungover motions to pack and Aachen is again, aloof]
1:52 Horsa: I guess
Falkirk sighs
Suðri Skornbrekker comes carrying the water and overhears the others.
Gray shrugs. “Shouldn’t take more than a moment. The rovers might know something.” Before he starts again in the direction of the Rovers. Trying to get this done quickly.
1:52 Falkirk: “But if I’m not going to convince you, I’ll go along with you. They might not take too kindly to a savage such as yourself in their camp.
“no offence intended, of course.”
1:53 Suðri Skornbrekker: “Sorry, I don’t think anything good can come from getting involved with such people…” He pauses and looks around.
“…but without our commander, we can’t move on anyway…?”
1:53 Ulm: “Their fate is a trail of disappointment, yet they look at the trail they have left behind rather than the trail ahead they follow.”
1:54 Ken (GM): “Go ahead boys, just don’t be long. I’ll pack for you” Aachen replies
Suðri Skornbrekker keeps talking as he loads some of the water onto the horses. “If you could use another angry face to stare them down I’ll tag along, but I’d rather not.”
1:55 Ulm: “How long until our next stop?”
1:55 P.P. A.: oh sorry
misread that, I thought Aachen was gone again rather than here but aloof
Suðri Skornbrekker will be tending to pack up in that case
1:55 Ken (GM): luls, no worries. Hes being kinda quiet and distant
1:55 P.P. A.: (so year, retcon “…but without our commander, we can’t move on anyway…?” then)
1:56 Ken (GM): So! Falkirk, Horsa and Gray head over to the half-elves. Their brightly painted homes and carts are arranged in a half crescent on the south of the village
1:56 Ulm: (i will use this time to activate Oracle)
1:57 Ken (GM): their horses are penned, munching on stray hay and feed in their pen. The camp is a mess, and looks well lived in.
The sharp sickly sweet tang of wine hangs in the air about the camp
Gray calls to them as he approaches the wagons. “Good morning. We would care to talk.” He wonders at the chance of finding anyone sober, frowning at the camp and it’s state.
1:58 Ulm: “If we have time… ” He speaks to the rest. “I must be away for an hour.” He swings out his knife and slits his palm, pouring the resulting stuff into his other palm to minimize waste.
1:59 Ken (GM): [Red communion; fatespeaking?]
1:59 Ulm: “Elsewhere . . . ” He says and begins painting small eye-patterns along his limbs and body in a ritualistic manner.
Suðri Skornbrekker looks on with a blank expression, and stoically turns around to continue packing up.
2:00 Ken (GM): The Rover camp is quiet, and as you reach the edge, you see only one person stirring; a young woman, wrapped in a warm colorful blanket, stirs at a large pot by the bonfire. It’s smoking contents don’t seem to meet her approval, and she frowns at the spoon that comes up with a black sticky substance. “Come and talk then, just do it quieter Wolf-Man” She calls out
“And bring your actor friend by too” She says with a kind of wink
Ulm then sits in a meditative position after his body is covered in eyes, facing forward. He will remain in this position for an hour if not critically disturbed.
2:02 P.P. A.: >black sticky substance
Joush M. walks into the camp quitely and nods to the woman. “I am Gray. This is the Physican, Falkrik and Horsa, the Son of Horsa”
2:04 Horsa: “My name’s– whatever. Does Yellow always drink that much?”
2:04 Ulm: (pls dont kill Ulm when he is trying to peer into the far future)
2:05 Ken (GM): She has a long smile cross her face at your words “Dirk drink like that when he’s bored, or when he’s horny and getting nothing. Don’t worry, he should be much more manageable now”
“pleasure to meet you all” She bows, with a small half curtsey in the blanket “I didnt think your father would let you out and about joining the Militia Master Horsa “She says “Whatever will it do for your family name and career?”
Falkirk raises an eyebrow
2:06 Falkirk: “You know this woman, Horsa?”
2:07 Ken (GM): She laughs loudly at the question
2:07 Horsa: “I’m famous.” He smiles.
2:07 Ken (GM): “I should think not!” she says, blushing” But Ive seen him act and I’ve read his father’s stories”
Gray bows in return, leaning forward from the waist and holding a moment, then rising again to his full towering height. He looks between the woman and the attractive young actor, listening curiously to the conversation without interrupting.
2:08 Horsa: “It’s good to get out once in a while. Need some time away from acting, but I’ll get back to it soon as I can.”
“Dirk’s lucky I didn’t actually fight him.”
2:11 Ken (GM): “Oh I’m sure; he’s quick to grab his sword sometimes but not nearly as apt at its use as he cares to think” She drops a heavy lid on the pot to stop it’s belching of black smoke. “And he’s a fucking idiot trying to cook when drunk, in a bonfire. Ruined an entire barrel of syrup in the fire trying to make bloody candies” She seems lively, this one.
“so,. how can our merry band help you today? Offering us the big one to replace one of the horses? The smelly one here wants to paint my picture?” she says coyly
Falkirk frowns
2:13 Falkirk: “I’m only here to make sure we don’t get a repeat of last night. I think the beast here has something to pass on.”
Gray steps back away from the smoke, nodding and listening quitely while standing by. “The locals think you burn too much wood and make too much noise. They want you to treat them with more consideration. I wanted to know if you’ve seen hostile beastmen or signs of the Black Rot.”
2:16 Ken (GM): “Oh is that all then?” She says” Well, Dirk does seem to be keeping better company when sober and not just perpetually drunk or hung over. I doubt he’d need to party as much as he feels he must if the fool had more to do with himself. ”
“We’re out here in this dirty little hole, because he has it in his mind to make his fortune adventuring! He and his friends will just stick their silly swords in any bandits from the beastmen, and they’ll spill gold all about the ground!”
“I dont know anything about the Black Rot, and we haven’t seen a beastman yet. Just these poor folks what sold us their timber and lets us ‘protect’ their simple lives.
Gray considers that. “He should take up with the militia then. Better that then being guardian to a single small village and doing a poor job at that.”
2:20 Ken (GM): “You might have better luck asking a river to kindly move around the other side of a mountain. He’s a stubborn streak in him, Dirk. But do talk to him. He’s in the big wagon yonder “She points to the largest one behind you “If he’ll be convinced, youll do it to his face, not mine”
2:22 Falkirk: “If we’re going to do it, let’s do it. We should get this done so we can move on.”
2:22 Ken (GM): [Bang bang bang on the duelists house?]
Ulm sits in tranquility, his bone charms swaying in the wind.
2:23 Falkirk: “Princeling, you’re doing the talking.”
2:24 Falkirk: Sure
I’m not going to be the one to knock though
2:24 Ken (GM): The Yellow Prince’s rover carriage is a motley assortment of banners, flags and ribbons, tied haphazardly about a wooden rover-home. The timber walls are painted golden yellow and striped with red, and the whole place reeks of wine and wet tobacco
Ken (GM) Gray hammers on the door, loudly
2:25 Ken (GM): Drunken stumbling and cursing can be heard within
A moment passes…
2:26 Horsa: “Falkirk do you have any anti-alcohol serums or something?”
2:27 Falkirk: “Drunkenness is a wee bit out of my medical reach. I’ll look into it in the future though.”
2:28 Ken (GM): After a moment more, you hear more stumbling and mumbled curses, and then the top half of the wagon door swings inward. A man in a silken shirt covered in wine stains looks at you blearily, his hair in his eyes
“Ey wot?” he manages
2:29 Horsa: “Good morning, Yellow. I was wondering– are you really a prince?”
2:29 Ken (GM): “Wahazzat. Prinzzzz” he mutters, still apparently quite groggy
“Yeah, Imma prinz. Thats me all righty”
2:30 Horsa: “Huh. Strangely enough you remind me of my mother.”
2:31 Ken (GM): “heh, yer mudder” he chuckles to some unknown joke to himself”
2:32 Horsa: “Well buddy we think you should join our army.” Nudges Falkirk.
Falkirk sighs quietly
2:34 Horsa: “Of course, the army has standards.”
“You either have to be as crack-smart as this guy or as huge as that guy.” Points to the Beastman
2:35 Ken (GM): “I got standards!” He chimes in, looking a touch more alert” I got enough standards to hold up a whole army mi’self!”
“I got a whole SWORDFUL of standards” he says, fumbling about in the wagon with what sounds to be a sword and scabbard
2:36 Horsa: Looks at Falkirk and Gray and shakes his head
“You know, sooner or later there’s going to be no demand for swordsmen like us. It’ll just all be magic and guns. Magic guns…?”
2:37 Falkirk: “Alchemy can be thought of as magical, so I suppose so…”
2:37 Horsa: “Regular guns, magical bullets.”
2:37 Ken (GM): “Hey, arent you the fancy guy from lassnite?”
“Hurda….horsey….”
he trails off
2:38 Horsa: “Do we have coffee, or…”
2:38 Ken (GM): “HORSA!” he blurts out “Yeah I know you! Youre that kid Horsa! Your dad does all that writing!”
“Whats a kid like you doing in a shittown like this? Running around with the militia?”
2:40 Horsa: “Yeah basically. You should come with us.”
2:40 P.P. A.: (Please, this village produces only the finest dirt. The one that grows shit is two miles east from here. )
2:40 Ken (GM): [midden heaps in all directions]
“Come with you? Wahhht? The Yellow Prince, come with you?” He seems incredulous
2:41 Horsa: “Want to make a wager?”
2:41 Ken (GM): “Oh? A wager? That some kinda fancy bet?”
2:43 Horsa: “…we fight. If I win you have to join our militia. If you win, I’ll join your… corps.”
2:44 Ken (GM): “Oh, you’ll have a corpse all right” he says” ITS A DEAL!” and he sticks out his hand like a flash
2:44 Horsa: “Swords or bare-knuckle?”
Gray seems surprised at this development. Also, that Horsa is going for a brawl with the odd man.
2:45 Ken (GM): “SWAORDS” he bellows enthusiastically “A duel of swords like none other!” He rambles about in his den, throwing on a vest and apparently, pants
he pops out of his cabin, half dressed and half shambles, but with a gleam in his eye. In one hand, he holds his weird crooked sword by the scabbard “Wheres the Judge?!” he says excitedly
2:47 Falkirk: “I’ll judge if that’s acceptable. We’re fighting to first blood?”
2:48 Horsa: “Yup.”
2:48 Ken (GM): “Very good! “he yells out to the half-asleep village “Then take me to the field of battle!”
Gray gestures mutely to the space beyond the wagons. “Let’s go then. Plenty of space to fight there”
2:50 Horsa: “Get Suthri, I want him to see this…”
2:50 Ken (GM): “HUZZAH” he yells to the skies, throwing his scabbard away and hefting his blade, swishing it about as he follows
Gray nods to Horsa and goes back to the others, walking though the village to the other’s work at packing up. He speaks to the dwarf Suori. “Horsa’s going to fight the drunk from last night. A duel. He would like you to watch.”
2:53 (To Ulm): the fates portent; A doom is coming. A doom of black blood, hooked blades and darkness slithering
2:54 Ken (GM): so! a duel is called; the Half-elf rover with a golden ring in his ear calls out to the village, and the news spreads the hundred yards in but a moment
Ulm wakes up from his tranquility, breathing heavily and looking around. The eye marks have disappeared from his body one by one as time has went on.
2:55 GM (To Ulm): you feel it was rather well understood. There should be something bad coming your way in the next short while at least. The specifics elude you beyond the imagery presented
2:55 (From Ulm): Gotcha
2:56 Ulm: “Where are the others?” He says with distress.
Gray looks suspiciously to the hideous and massive creature. Studying a moment, then speaking. “Past the wagons. Horsa readies to fight the fool”
2:57 Ken (GM): The duelists gather on the far end of town, just some distance from the midden heap. The rotting garbage blossoms with a rubbery red bush and various vines, alongside rotting vegetables and useless things
2:57 Ulm: “The fool . . . the. . . ” He is trying to find words. “We have to prepare, i have seen it!” He raves to Gray.
2:57 Ken (GM): The rover camp awakes, somewhat blearily and half-clothed, but they gather to watch the festivities at their leaders call
Gray nods to the ranting beast. “What have you seen?” Before he turns to start back to the duel and the rovers.
2:59 Ulm: “It approaches. Doom, with dark blood in it’s veins. It crawls forward with it’s hooks, slithering.” He says with exhaustion and distance.
3:00 Ken (GM): “Come and see the greatest show of manly might in ALLL THE LAAAAAAND” calls out the half elf, flourishing his blade hither and yon. The crooked hook end gleaming in the morning sun
Suðri Skornbrekker came as well
3:00 Falkirk: “Are we ready?”
Suðri Skornbrekker thinks that this is all a bad idea and keeps throwing slightly accusatory glances at Horsa, but also hopes he’ll win.
3:01 Ken (GM): “I stand ready good sir!” Calls out the rover, his sword held down and to the side
3:02 Horsa: “Hey, hey, HEY. Let’s put this fraud down.”
3:02 Ulm: “Doom approaches with great haste, seeking to devour us all, weaken our blood!” He raves.
Ulm draws out his rather large bow and looks around.
3:03 Horsa: Unsheathes with flare
3:03 Falkirk: “The fight’s to first blood. You land a hit, stop the fighting and I’ll inspect and decide if blood’s been drawn. If you don’t stop when I signal, you lose by default.”
“Aside from that, no holds barred.”
3:04 Ken (GM): “Agreed!” Dirk calls out, so the group can hear” I shall fight to my very best!”
Gray nods to the ranting beast and looks around as if expecting little to come from Ulm’s madness. The towering brute prowling a moment, then walking closer to watch the pair of duelists.
3:04 Horsa: “No magic, no hidden weapons.”
3:04 Falkirk: “Do you agree to these terms, rover?”
3:04 Ulm: “Great hatred approaches this place, prepare you fools!” He says and limps around with a barbed arrow readied.
3:05 Ken (GM): “No magic, no shanking; Agreed!”
3:05 Falkirk: “Then on my mark, we’ll begin.”
3:05 Horsa: Let’s rock.
Ken (GM) the rover crowd seems excited to see a fight, and scared of an ogre loosing an arrow
3:05 Falkirk: “And…”
“May the best swordsman win”
Falkirk steps back with a slight motion of his arm
3:06 Ken (GM): INITIATIVE
3:06 Horsa: What’s the formula, again?
[we piss about with the roll20 dice, and Dirk the Yellow Prince wins first go]
Ulm then seemingly calms down. “Fate has led us to the edge of oblivion. The dark blood is intent on devouring us, it crawls forth. The scream prolongs . . . ”
Ken (GM) the rovers eye Ulm nervously
3:09 Ken (GM): So! Dirk takes the initiative, and shuffles his stance a bit, shoving his sword forward in a defensive guard
turn passes to horsa!
3:09 Horsa: Step and feint
3:10 Ken (GM): contest of weapon skill! margin becomes a bonus/penalty to Dirk’s defenses versus Horsas next attack
Ulm walks over to one of the stagecoaches and keeps lookout of the perimeter. “This place will be the stage of it’s hatred. A great force will perish in this ground today.”
Gray looks to Ulm a moment, wondering if there might be anything to the ranting, then turning his attention back to the duel.
3:11 Horsa: 14v15
3:11 Ken (GM): beat by 1
rolling 3d6 (4+6+5) = 15
hah! and a failure on Dirk!
You shuffle and he flinches hard!
press the all-out attack? giving up your defenses for the ‘Double’?
or pass?
3:17 Horsa: I attack! 12
3:19 Ken (GM): very good! He will defend with the feint penalty
Ulm stands vigil and watches the skies and the grounds, looking around with an arrow ready to launch.
3:19 Ken (GM): rolling 3d6 (4+5+4) = 13 versus dodge 3 (8-1[drunk]-4[feint])
and Dirk has failed on his defenses! Critically
Horsa! 3d6 for your critical hit result!
3:20 Horsa: 14
3:21 Brothermanhyll:
3:21 Ken (GM): hahahah
Major wound!
What is your shank damage!
3:21 Horsa: rolling 1d6+1 (6)+1 = 7
3:22 Ken (GM): luls
3:22 Horsa: oh fuck
3:22 Falkirk: do bear in mind you can freely revise damage dow-
3:22 Ken (GM): hahahahhHAHAHAHAH
3:22 Falkirk: well okay
3:22 Horsa: I think i stabbed too hard
3:22 Ken (GM): you can always “pull” a blow down to minimum
you do at least 1 damage though
3:22 Falkirk: make it a little more than that
in case DR
3:22 Joush M.: Or just stab this guy. That’s okay too. I mean, it’s only 14 damage..
3:22 Ken (GM): hahahahah
3:23 Horsa: Right, I do my best to pull it out before it goes too deep (wink)
3:23 Ulm: (only)
(he fucking explodes into gore)
3:23 Ken (GM): cringe
VERY good
3:23 Horsa: o fuck dont die
3:23 Ken (GM): so, you thrust, he steps RIGHT IN THE WAY and your sword goes straight in between two ribs
you yank back, and an obvious spurt of blood follows
rolling 3d6 (1+5+1) vs HT 10 major wound = 7
3:24 Joush M.: Just a flesh wound
3:24 Horsa: o god is he unconcious
Falkirk raises a hand and quickly steps over
3:24 Ken (GM): he remains standing, but looks surprised to see a stream of blood shooting straight out his chest area, out his shirt
THE CROWD IS SILENT
3:25 Falkirk: “Someone get my medical bag from the horse. Quickly.”
3:25 Ken (GM): FALKIRK INVESTIGATES THE MANS NIPPLE
THE NIPPLE IS BLEEDING A LOT
3:25 Suðri Skornbrekker: “Oww, that must hurt” Sudri the Spectator comments, somewhat gleefully.
3:25 Ulm: (thats what happens with me an women)
Falkirk produces a roll of bandages and rolls for first aid to stabilize
3:25 Horsa: (bloody nips, bloody nips)
Gray nods. Dueling with live steel is dangerous, and the man’s suffered as a person might expect. He goes to get the doctor’s bag without comment.
3:26 Falkirk: rolls (3+3+1) = 7 v 15
3:26 Horsa: Good
3:27 Ken (GM): Short bloody moments pass as the man’s life blood threatens to seep out of your fingers. You clamp down on the wound hard, and stem the tide, and when bandages are handed you immediately tie the wound shut as best possible
3:27 Ulm: (this feels to me like you’re trying to bait a certain blood-savvy individual into sucking a man’s nipple)
3:27 Ken (GM): the crowd is laughing, heartily
[THE GM IS NOT ENCOURAGING BLOOD SUCKLING]
3:27 Falkirk: “Where’s my MEDICAL BAG?”
3:27 Ken (GM): [OH LAWDY]
Ulm sniffs. “Ah, it flows. Spilled, the patterns are clear. Swirling, slithering.”
Falkirk works unshakingly, blood all over his nice brown robe.
3:28 Horsa: “Uhh, uhhh, uhhhh.”
3:28 Ken (GM): A SHRIEK TEARS ACCROSS THE WIND, KEENING IN YOUR EARS
3:28 Ulm: “Approaching, screaming, frothing. Or is it already among us? Dark blood hazing the soil?”
Suðri Skornbrekker claps. “I must say, Horsa, your performance in stage combat is lousy! But if you act like that on the battlefield, that’d make up for it.”
3:28 Ken (GM): A RENDING SCREECH, LIKE MIGHTY THEWS OF IRON RENDING
The painful noise echoes, and as briefly as it came, it is gone. the silence that follows ringing with the noise in your heads
Gray winces at the sound, shaking it off as he returns with the doctor’s bag, putting it in Falkirk’s reach. “Get ready.”
Horsa spies two perfectly good sticks lying a few yards away.
3:29 Ken (GM): the Rovers look baffled, hands on their ears, pained and startled looks on their faces
Falkirk doesn’t notice due to his absent mindedness attribute
3:29 Ken (GM): somewhere in the distance, you hear a horse, screaming
Ulm suddenly perks up to the skies. “It has come to us now! The vileblood, frothing with hate!”
3:30 Ulm: (Ulm now gains the status of being the Ron Paul of the party)
3:30 Ken (GM): [its habbening?!]
3:30 Falkirk: “I swear to the light and all gods and deities of somebody doesn’t fetch my bag I’m going to violate some laws of man, dwarf and elf.”
3:30 Horsa: Quickly wipes off blood from rapier
Ken (GM) one of the rover men tosses falkirk his bag
3:31 Suðri Skornbrekker: “I would rather avoid joining your troupe of actors should you ever form one, no offense.” Suðri looks at Ulm. “Looks more like normal blood, frothing with alcohol, to me.”
3:31 Ulm: “I foresaw this, the fates are clear, a great battle ensues. A great force will fall on this earth.”
Falkirk opens up his full crash kit and begins more significant treatment
3:31 Falkirk: I’d like to make a physician roll
Gray draws the blade. “Horses.” Before he starts in the direction of the equine scream.
3:31 Horsa: “What, did you want me to sandbag? What is it, Gray?”
3:31 Ken (GM): falk: please do, the man has a split artery most likely
3:31 Falkirk: surgery?
3:32 Ken (GM): Diagnonsis first to check
3:32 Falkirk: rolls (4+3+3) 10 v 13
Ulm jumps down from the carriage and bolts to the horses.
3:32 Ken (GM): based on the location? and how far you can get your finger in? He’ll be fine with a tight bandage and some small stitching or a brand
the party makes for the horses!
Suðri Skornbrekker gets serious again and grasps his musket
3:33 Ken (GM): they seem okay! They’re being reined in by Aachen and Bomrek, all of them slightly panicked, but calming by the moment
Falkirk curses quietly under his breath
3:33 Horsa: “Sorry buddy but when you heal, remember our deal.”
3:33 Ken (GM): the villagers seem spooked, and are huddling in their huts
Falkirk produces a needle and thread, setting to work on the wound
Gray speaks to Horsa. “I heard a horse scream after that howl. Something’s coming.”
3:34 Falkirk: rolling (3+3+3) 9 vs 12 first aid
3:34 Horsa: Let’s prep
3:34 Ulm: “I tried to warn you.” He says. “Our fate is to face a terrible force. Screaming. Howling.”
Suðri Skornbrekker knocks on a door and asks the villagers inside what happened, if they saw anything
3:34 Ken (GM): falkirk!: a quick sew and hes good. It takes only a moment, and should stay fine if he doesnt touch it
3:35 Falkirk: “Aye, that’ll do for now.”
3:35 Ken (GM): sudri: the villagers are okay, just afraid. They heard the howl and the scream, but saw nothing specific. a shape, moving by the hill maybe? just out of town?
Falkirk looks up from his patient, exiting the little world he created for himself and looks around
3:35 Falkirk: “What’s all the noise about?”
3:36 Ulm: “Prepare yourselves. I foresaw it, and now it has come. A fell beast approaches, prepare for a battle.” He says with a calm, somber tone while he starts fiddling with his large knife.
3:36 Ken (GM): falk: the rovers help you take their leader dirk to cover. Some panicked joking about his situation, and they remind you of the terrible noise and screaming just heard by all?
Suðri Skornbrekker thanks them and tells them to stay inside for now. He takes an uneasy look at the hill, and rejoins with the others.
3:36 Ken (GM): dread moments pass further
the rovers make for their covered wagons, as slightly more formidable then tents
Falkirk draws a blank, insisting he didn’t hear anything
3:37 Ken (GM): the villagers batten down their windows, peering from between reed thatch curtains
Suðri Skornbrekker approaches Ulm and Grey, assuming they are still with the horses.
3:38 Suðri Skornbrekker: “The villages say that they saw something move near the hill out of town,” he relays to the group, pointing towards said hill.
3:38 Ken (GM): AND THEN
SUDDENLY
THE NOISE COMES AGAIN
Ulm just stands there silently, waiting for the inevitable.
Suðri Skornbrekker !
3:38 Ken (GM): SWOOPING OUT FROM THE HILLS COMES A GREAT AND SWEEPING BLACK FORM
3:39 Horsa: What the
3:39 Falkirk: “Oh aye? So that’s what the fuss was about.”
3:39 Ken (GM): The air trembles as it takes flight over the village
Ulm now fully swings out his large knife, having tried to warn everyone. “Doom.”
3:39 Ken (GM): It sweeps almost faster than your eyes can follow, but you witness a dark and sleek black form. all sinew and scale, wings outstretched and thrashing against the skies
Gray winces at the sound and braces himself for combat, looking to the dark and flying figure. “Dragon.”
3:40 Ken (GM): it’s claws gleam, long as swords, and it drops a black shape into your midst in the village, sweeping across the sky
3:40 Horsa: How big?
3:40 Falkirk: “Now I suppose I’ve seen everything.”
3:40 Ken (GM): with a wet THUMP, a horse carcass plows into the earth nearby
gore rains down in droplets as well, as the drake continues its flight overhead
Suðri Skornbrekker is aghast, but clutches his musket with determination. If that monster wants a battle, it’ll get one and get to taste a load of alchemical fire to best its own.
Gray only had the vaguest idea what dragons are, beyond very dangerous. This seems like a poor place to fight one, and he can’t help but think they may not be up to the task. His eyes fall a moment to the dead horse. “Blight” He swears in a heartfelt way.
3:41 Ken (GM): It swoops with its mighty wings, and disappears over the forest glen to the west, with a shriek. Nearly as soon as it appeared, it is gone
the village panics
3:42 Horsa: “Whoa.”
Suðri Skornbrekker remains tense, but calms down once the beast is out sight and its shriek falls silent.
Gray stands as a stone amid the panicked village, watching the direction the dragon went and trying to commit the details of the monster to memory.
3:42 Suðri Skornbrekker: “I concur.”
3:42 Ken (GM): men, women and children are screaming, and the townsfolk are in an uproar
3:43 Ulm: “A vileblood beast that has travelled far for the sake of it’s hatred. Darkness flows within it, a leviathan of malice.”
3:44 Falkirk: “Aye well. It didn’t seem interested with us so I’m not worried about it. We should go calm the horses.”
3:44 Ken (GM): [actions?]
3:44 Horsa: “I want one.”
Gray nods to Falkirk and turns to start in the direction of the horses. Careful o f the panicked villagers.
Suðri Skornbrekker does just that, and possibly to console Bomrek in case he complains about all that noise making his headache worse.
Falkirk also heads over to the horses, eager to continue south.
3:46 Ken (GM): Very good! Your camp is mostly packed, and some of it is on the horses. Some of the rest of it is spilled on the ground where it fell form the startled beasts (mostly just some food, nothing much more)
Bomrek and Aachen are standing aghast at the passage of the Dragon, looking West, holding the reins of the steeds. Aachen seems to have them all under control, rubbing the nose of the closest one, speaking in hushed tones
“Did you see it?! ” he says quietly, excitedly
Gray nods to the elf. “What do we do about it?”
3:48 Ulm: “Yes, i saw it before all of you.”
3:49 Ken (GM): “We….get the hell out of here, I think” Aachen looks stricken. Worried. “We get these people in this village the hell out of this town. We tell them to get their things, put them in the rover wagons, and we tell them all to get North as best they can . And we do it now”
3:50 Falkirk: “Aye, if you think that’s the best action then let’s do it.”
3:51 Suðri Skornbrekker: “Behind some proper walls!” the dwarf adds enthusiastically.
3:51 Ulm: “The scream prolongs, spiraling towards the howl. Our journey continues to ward off the dark blood.”
Suðri Skornbrekker is pretty much treating Ulm’s ramblings as background noise at this point
3:51 Ken (GM): “Right get your shit together men. ”
3:52 Falkirk: “Light above, does this beast ever talk sense?”
3:52 Ulm: “Talk? No, i perceive.”
3:52 Ken (GM): Aachen hands off reins of horses, then breaks off at nearly a sprint into the village. He gets the elders attention, then passes off the plan.
Suðri Skornbrekker follows Aachen to help inform the villagers and help them evacuate if the elder agrees.
Gray holds the horses and watches the elf work while he considers the dangerous possbilites here, looking around the humble village and the terrified people, ready to help if needed.
Ulm patrols the perimeter, scouting signs of the beast and danger in general.
3:53 Ken (GM): Between Aachen and Suðri, the villagers get organized. They gather their belongings, what they can carry, some food, and you lead them to the rovers.
Aachen presents his plan; the rovers are quite convinced they should leave as well, and considering the outcome of the duel, they accept Aachens offer to deputize them all into the militia
Falkirk heads down to the rovers, attempting to locate the injured prince
3:55 Ken (GM): He hands them a Militia token from his pack, writes out a quick script for them to present if needed, and leaves them to get organized and out of town
The injured prince, you find, is being packed into his bed by the woman you spoke to earlier. She has answered his protests of being bed ridden by threatening to brain him with a large cooking pan
Falkirk addresses the bedridden princeling
3:56 Falkirk: “I’d suggest you don’t resist too much. Those stitches aren’t made of iron.”
“Take it easy for a few days. You lost some blood, so drink warm water and apply boiled cloth poultices.”
3:57 Ken (GM): “AND IF YOU GET UP AGAIN ILL KILL YA” The woman chimes in, as she lashes their belongings away in storage around you
Dirk takes your advice well “Ill try to stay out of trouble” he says quietly
Gray looks to the rovers and villagers, watching them work and assisting where he can with the villager’s things, then turning back to the work of getting moving again. “I hope they will be safe going north.”
3:58 Falkirk: “Aye. You’re in the militia now, so your job is going to be keeping these people alive and moving. Stay safe and avoid cold meats.”
Falkirk turns to leave
3:59 Falkirk: “And mutton. Avoid mutton.” He adds at the door.
3:59 Ken (GM): Dirk quietly swears to himself to avoid mutton
So! With your help, the village organizes quickly, galvanized by fear and an urgent need to vacate immediately
Horsa is pacing around Shortturn(his horse) while thinking about all the different ways the duel could have gone.
4:00 Ken (GM): all told, the rovers had plenty of room for stuff, and there were only a dozen or so villagers to worry about. They over-horse their carriages anyway
[all told, an immediate shank to the heart was pretty perfect]
[stopped the fight immediately]
4:01 Ulm: “An exodus. The dark blood paves way for it’s armies and the meek make way.”
4:01 Joush M.: Got stabby. Next time go for a tip slash to the face. Give him something to show off.
4:02 Gandalf G.: pretty sure rapiers dont have a slash by default
probably something in MA tho
4:02 Ken (GM): take a -4 to hit, deal swing-1 cut, i think
something like that
ANYWHO the village has a plan, you guys are packed. Anything major to do other than set out?
4:03 Falkirk: I think we’re good
4:04 Joush M.: I can’t think of anything, as long as we are all resupplied.
4:04 Ken (GM): kk
4:04 (From Horsa): while on my own, I create a sort of cowl/cloak from my bandages, cloak, and sewing kit, removing the militia emblem.
4:04 (From Horsa): The bandage mask hides my identity….
4:04 Suðri Skornbrekker: Once on horseback and once the group gets going, Suðri muses aloud: “This was the first time I’ve seen a flying creature bigger than a bird—and so much bigger! Dreadful. I’ve erected walls for much of my life, but any wall would be worthless against something that can swoop down from the clouds and nonchalantly something the size of a horse.”
4:05 (To Horsa): the mystery deepens! Sounds good. The stitching comes out easily enough on the emblem. The cloak is plain otherwise
4:05 P.P. A.: +drop
4:05 Falkirk: “That, master dwarf, is why you build a roof.”
Falkirk swings himself onto his loaded horse.
4:05 Ulm: “The small artisans wall themselves in to protect themselves from the threats of the sky, but can’t anticipate the threat from below.”
Gray considers that as well. “I’d never seen a dragon before.”
4:06 Ulm: “I have perceived some, but only seen a few.”
4:07 Ken (GM): [It’s a bit like meeting a lion in the wild; luck it was a brief encounter, and that it didn’t care you were there]
Suðri Skornbrekker chuckles at Falkirk’s comment. “And a graceful vault to support it!”
4:08 Falkirk: “I’ve read enough about them to know they’re not worth chasing. We’re wasting valuable time.”
Ken (GM) And so, the party moves on, fear at their heels and a village safely on its way to hope up North.
4:09 Ulm: “There was a time when they were more prevalent. Their blood has grown cold, bitter. It’s spirit festers, boils, waits for something.”
4:10 Ken (GM): And so you set out Southwest again, on the old road to the Glardenfen Ruins.
Here, along the lane, some villages do come up. The scorned make their homes here, mingling with the few men outside the kingdoms.
Aachen doesn’t stop your group long. When you come into one of the few thorps, or up to a small cottage, Aachen makes quick work to warn the villagers there to make travel North.
Ulm makes his blood cleric status prominent, pulling the bison pelt back to reveal the blood tattoos.
4:12 Ken (GM): Any who doubt the veracity of his claims heed the ill omens of a blood cleric, and your prominence convinces them
4:12 Horsa: “You should have Falkirk take a look at that.”
4:13 Ken (GM): They are a somewhat superstitious people to start with. A giant blood-soaked man on a Clydesdale tends to convince
[hahah. Get the healer to stop all the bleeding he does?
4:13 Horsa: Adolf!
4:14 Adolf S.: Ayy. Sorry, some shit happened and my trip out to town took about4 or 5 hours longer than intended.
4:14 Ulm: (he has an inexplicably large amount of spare blood to spill, spirits ain’t no joke)
4:14 Adolf S.: What’d I miss.
4:14 Ulm: (kill yoself Adolf)
4:14 Adolf S.: (:-DD fug)
4:14 Horsa: I fucked up a Prince in a duel
4:14 P.P. A.: Not that much, I’d say
4:14 Joush M.: Welcome back. Horsa stabbed a guy
4:14 P.P. A.: There was a dragon, but it only flew by and dropped a horse without actually interacting with us
and Horsa stabbed the dunken elfgypsy prince who is also Achen’s brother
4:15 Ken (GM): hahahah
4:15 Horsa: I think the horse was for Gray, we merely failed to catch it
Ulm addresses the villagers. “Conflict will soon follow, head north. The dark blood flows, swirls, slithers. The howling will soon ensue.”
4:15 P.P. A.: Oh yeah, and you missed more of Ulm’s shamanic ramblings
4:15 Ken (GM): [“Aw shit, the blood cleric is here. Time to move honey”]
4:16 Ulm: (I have a lot of moon-phase related gimmicks in store so keep me updated on that)
4:16 Horsa: (Were-ogre)
4:16 Ulm: (not quite yet)
[Adolf/Bomrek reappears online, but apologizes for a 5 hour miscarry of time.]
4:19 Ken (GM): Any of you seeking to do anything major with the settlements on the side of the road? We’re talking sheep herders, potato farmers, and the like. COttage dwellers
4:19 Ulm: (i might try my hand at hunting local fauna)
4:19 Joush M.: Naw, I think Gray dosn’t have any reason to bother them. Just warn them to move
4:20 Falkirk: I’m good to keep rolling
4:20 Ken (GM): cool cool; Aachen isnt pushing the horses too hard, so no need to check there. Maintenance time then!
Gray! rolling versus overland travel for your non-horse-ness
Ulm! Relevant hunting/food supplementation?
4:21 Ulm: 10 vs. 14 (Survival/Plains)
4:22 Ken (GM): bam! foraged
there are various delightful tasty cacti and small game in the plains here.
and only SOME of the cacti contain hallucinogenics!
4:23 Ulm: (Dangit, no herd animals. Time to catch wabbits and cacti.)
4:23 Falkirk: I dont have any relevant skills so I’m good
4:23 Ulm: (Blood is the best hallucinogenic)
(Do i need to roll against my bow skill to hunt down those cacti?)
4:24 Ken (GM): hahah, nah, they are very easily stalkable
4:25 Ulm: (just like my ex)
4:25 Horsa: (Harvest their needles)
4:25 Gray:
rolling 3d6 (4+5+3)= 12
Ah, failed by 1. Not bad though
4:26 Ulm: (I assume i manage to harvest some wabbits and cacti)
4:26 Ken (GM): gray! you are slightly fatigued from forgoing a horse, however, its nothing some light rest cant cure
4:27 Gray: Gotcha
4:27 Ken (GM): rabbit skin footies for gray!
(turns rabbit inside out)
(inserts foot)
Ulm returns to the road with some wabbits and cacti. “No bison here, shame. I caught some rabbits and anointed plants though.”
4:29 Ken (GM): [thats code for drugs]
4:29 Ulm: “The milk of the earth that is blessed by spirits. Ingest it to commune with the unseen.”
4:29 Ken (GM): [hard drugs]
4:29 Falkirk: “Ingest it to unbalance your systems something terrible.”
4:31 Ulm: “Perhaps for the unaccustomed. Channeling the spirits with your system strains your essence. With proper training you learn to mimic the flow.”
4:31 Falkirk: “Perhaps in your case, your dispositions are already unbalanced beyond repair.”
“If you drop dead between here and our destination, I’m not going to be the one to transport your corpse.”
4:32 Ken (GM): Okay then; so you have all travelled a bunch of miles on horseback. The land is allowing for nice travel, light rests. Aachen is sending the people back to civilization and the army and y’all are making good time. By the end of the daylight, youre in sight of the great burned forests on the horizon, and the black hills of Gorgoth beyond. When you make camp by the roadside, it is in the lee of a dry ravine edge, with a spring of clear water.
4 xp for the lot of ya, and I think tossing 1 at Bomrek is fair for trying to be on time and being hilariously late.
again, thank you all for allowing me to have the most retarded schedule this week
4:33 Ulm: “Ah, the sun is now let into the embrace of the long dark. The moon is delivered unto prominence yet again.”
4:33 Gandalf G.: woopwoop
4:33 Suðri Skornbrekker: “Just like every evening.”
4:33 Horsa: Cool beans
4:34 Ken (GM): hahahah
4:34 Ulm: “The ritual continues, the cycle has almost reached it’s apex.”
4:34 Ken (GM): dwarf-sass
Any immediate purchases outside of the Wizard’s new light spell?
4:34 Brothermanhyll: How much XP do we have now? 8?
4:34 Gandalf G.: Nah
I’m gonna save to upgrade my healing talents
because 12s and 13s aren’t sufficient
but a light cantrip is infinitely useful
4:35 Brothermanhyll: I think i am going to get the cantrip of inflicting ebola upon my enemies.
Affliction attacks are fun
4:36 Ken (GM): hahahah
Wait
wut
4:36 Gray: Thanks for the game Ken. Intersting stuff. And if you give anyone ebola, it gets on everyone
4:36 Brothermanhyll: Not really if i am in control of it
Innate Affliction-based Attacks mofugga
4:36 Gandalf G.: afflictions are pretty stronk
once I’m satisfied with my healing rolls I’m picking up a wide selection
using some clever tricks, I could make a positive affliction to regrow limbs for example
4:37 Brothermanhyll: Middle-Aged man regrows limbs with a simple trick. Clerics hate him!
4:38 Ken (GM): hahah oh god
internet meme magic
I gtg; kraft dinner time
4:38 Gandalf G.: A SINGULAR METHOD TO EFFECTIVELY SHED CORPULENCE
PHYSICIANS BEAR NOUGHT BUT CONTEMPT FOR HIM
4:39 Brothermanhyll: THIS MAN IS healing corpses EVERY DAY AND BASICALLY YOU’RE FUCKING STUPID
[end session]
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