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 Blood on the Snow Featuring: Crow[Mugrim], Ollain[Beardless], Sif[Ambivalent], Jeph[TychoBrahesNose], and Makieh[Aeolius] The howling winds of the night are unrelenting, having blown away the cloud cover to reveal a sky almost as blue as Sif's eyes. Back at the hall there's a heroes breakfast waiting for the party, much diminished in pomp and cheer than the last two. The first breakfast had drinking games and music, while the highlight of today's feast is fresh baked bread. Still, the food is free and it may be the last civilized meal you eat for weeks... or ever. Talk to the sparsely attended gathering, tweak any character sheet or inventory stuff, and gather the party to venture forth. Daylight is burning. 
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Apr 15, 2014 04:11
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| # ? Apr 25, 2024 12:21 |
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Crow Crow as always eats far more than his diminutive frame can handle and cleans his plate several times over. He kindly tucks several rolls into the massive bag hidden under his feather laden cloak. He checks his gear one time over and is content. Out of the corner of his eye he sees a dog and makes a real connection. He hands the dog one of the rolls and pats it on the head. His nose twitches, smells like there will be some fresh snow today. All the attention for the journey go to the more attractive folk, but that is of no concern to Crow, as he is more curious to what the future holds. He will move quietly and often until he finds what the Elders are guiding him towards.  quote:Character Name: "Crow" mugrim fucked around with this message at 15:08 on Apr 18, 2014 |
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Apr 15, 2014 04:49
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Sif She wants to eat, and knows she should but her stomach disagrees. The appetite isn’t there – nerves maybe. Valda’d tried to talk to her but her friend hadn’t much to say. So Valda watches the table, and Sif attempts to burn a hole in the wall with her eyes. With the other two parties gone – parties of hardened hunters and brave men, she can’t help but think of this as more of a ritual sacrifice. Cast them into the wilds and pray for better days. She doesn’t spare a glance to the broad-shouldered, dark-haired young man and his new wife, sniveling coward he may be – the scorn is saved for Elder Adela. The sanctimonious hag. She pushes away from the table and moves for the door. Her hand catches on the frame and she stops. If it is ritual sacrifice – and it is – then the people of the Brae warrant at least one last look. She lingers just a little longer indoors, looking over her shoulder before turning to face the gathering properly.  pre:Sif
Not Actually A Witch
49/50
Attributes [30]
ST: 9 [-10]
DX: 11 [+20]
IQ: 11 [+20]
HT: 10 [+0]
HP: 10
Will: 11
Per: 11
FP: 10
Basic Speed: 5.25
Basic Move: 5
Social Background [0]
TL: 4 (?) [0]
Languages:
Cultural Familiarity:
Reputation:
Advantages [32]
Fit [5]
Magery 1 [15]
Beautiful [12]
Disadvantages [-31]
Impulsiveness/2 [-5]
Magic Susceptibility 2 [-6]
Social Stigma [-5] 'Cast out', Slept with a groom on the eve of his wedding
Nightmares [-5] Days Gone By
(Destiny, maybe) [-10]
Perks & Quirks [-2]
[+1] Stands Out In A Crowd
[-1] Stands Out In A Crowd
[-1] A Bit Bitter
[-1] Upsets Animals
[-1] Likes: Swimming & Bathing Regularly, You Barbarians
[-1] A Little Vain
Skills [22]
Area Knowledge IQ/E 10 [1] 'Brandon's Brae'
Climbing DX/A 10 [1]
Cooking IQ/A 11 [2]
Dancing DX/A 10 [1]
Detect Lies Per/H 10 [2]
Diplomacy IQ/H 9 [1]
First Aid IQ/E 12 [2]
Gardening IQ/E 11 [1]
Hiking HT/A 9 [1]
Housekeeping IQ/E 11 [1]
Knife DX/E 11 [1]
Naturalist IQ/H 9 [2]
Sex Appeal HT/A 11 [2]
Stealth DX/A 11 [2]
Survival Per/A 11 [2]
Inventory $290
Large Knife (sw-2 cut, thr imp) $40
Leather Jacket, DR 1, torso, arms $50
Heavy Leather Leggings, DR 2, legs $60
Cloth Gloves, DR 1, hands $15
Boots, DR2, feet $80
Personal Basics $ 5
Pouch $10
Group Basics (Cooking Gear) $20
Wineskin $10
Travelers Rations x20 $40
Tent $50
Small Silver Mirror $10
Beaten Metal Wristband $--
So on, so forth, all rational things... $...Ambivalent fucked around with this message at 14:37 on Apr 15, 2014 |
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Apr 15, 2014 09:30
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Jeph, the Tanner's Son Jeph spends a great deal of the evening regaling any who would listen (and quite a few who would not) with stories of all those he expects to meet on their travels. He remembers bits and pieces about those few traders who visited his family's shop over the years, and he simply embellishes the details whenever he doesn't know for sure. Easterners were all seven feet tall? Why not? Those from the south wore clothing made entirely of spun silver and gold? For all he knew, that could in fact be true. During the few breaks in his relentless tale-telling, he fills his plate, and his flagon, with whatever is on offer. He tries speaking to the other men who would be journeying with him, but neither Crow nor Ollain are particularly talkative. Once he sees that Sif is about to leave, however, he interrupts his story about the enormously fat traveling merchant who needed his saddle repaired, gathers his courage, and proceeds to the door. "Um, Sif?" he says. "I made something for you. That is, it was my mother's, and it broke a long time ago, but I fixed it, and added a few bits to it that I hope you like." he holds out a strip of leather with intricate beadwork, adding, "It's for your hair, if you want to wear it. For luck, and all." He waits hopefully, his hand extended with his gift. pre:Jeph, The Tanner's Son Attributes [35]: ST: 10 DX: 12 [40] IQ: 10 HT: 10 HP: 10 WI: 9 [-5] PE: 10 FP: 10 Damage: Th: 1d-2 Sw: 1d Basic Lift: 20 Basic Speed: 5.5 Basic Move: 5 Dodge: 8 Height: 5'8" Weight: 145 Size Modifier: - Age: 18 Appearance: Attractive TL: 3 Language: Common (Spoken: Native /Written: Illiterate) Advantages & Perks [31]: Ambidexterity [5] Attractive Appearance [4] (+1 to Reaction rolls) Charisma +2 [10] (+2 to Reaction rolls, Influence rolls, Public Speaking, etc.) High Manual Dexterity +2 [10] (+2 to DX for tasks that require a delicate touch -- Leatherworking, Sewing, etc.) Honest Face [1] Signature Gear: Fine Quality Leather Armor [1] Disadvantages & Quirks [-41]: Easy to Read [-10] (Opponents get +4 to discern intentions, and to Quick Contests vs. Fast Talk or similar skills) Gullibility* [-10] (Self-control roll to see through lies, -3 to Merchant) Honesty* [-10] (Self-control to break law; must keep word) Illiteracy [-3] Sense of Duty (to family -- especially elder brother -- and to the rest of the village) [-5] Dislikes: Being ignored in social situations (needs to be the center of attention) [-1] Dislikes: Swimming (worried about drowning) [-1] Hands smell like tanning chemicals [-1] (* Self-Control: 12) Skills [25]: Camouflage-10 [1] IQ/Easy Carousing-11 [2] HT/Easy Diplomacy-8 [1] IQ/Hard Fast Draw-12 (Knife) [1] DX/Easy Fast Talk-9 [1] IQ/Average Leatherworking-14 [4] DX/Easy Melee Weapon: Knife-13 [2] DX/Easy Melee Weapon: Spear-12 [2] DX/Average Merchant-11 (Leather/Fabric) [2] IQ/Average Observation-9 [1] PER/Average Packing-9 [1] IQ/Average Professional Skill: Tanner-10 [2] IQ/Average Public Speaking-11 (Storytelling) [2] IQ/Average Sewing/TL-13 [2] DX/Easy Teamster-9 (Equines) [1] IQ/Average Equipment ($202 remaining of $1000): Knife, Large Spear Fine Quality Leather Armor (DR3) Heavy L. Leggings, Heavy L. Sleeves, L. Gloves, Boots (All DR2), L. Cap (DR 1) Backpack, small Blanket Personal Basics Pouch Sleeping Fur Torch x 3 Traveler's Rations x 16 Wineskin, full Whetstone Leatherworker's Kit Tailor's Kit Tent, 2 man + 6' Pole Travois Weight Carried: 91 -- 24 weapons & armor, 67 equipment in travois (x 0.5 on snow) = 57.5 effective weight Encumbrance: Medium = 0.6 x Basic Move, Dodge -2 (with travois) OR Light = 0.8 x Basic Move, Dodge -1 (weapons & armor only) Point Cost: Attributes [35] + Advantages [31] + Skills [25] + Disadvantages [-41] = 50
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Apr 15, 2014 11:32
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Sif She wants to hold on to her anger even while it eats at her, but she can’t put any of it on Jeph, so it breaks like a fever. Her posture slackens and she hears him out and takes the tie in her hand. Her thumb rubs over the beadwork thoughtfully as the last of her fuming anger runs out of her. “It’s… It’s lovely.” She's sincere in that. I can’t take this. It’ll be lost out there. She can’t help that her smile comes across as sad, “Not that we don’t need the luck but… are you sure?” Well, who would he leave it with? She squeezes it in her hand, "Thank you."
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Apr 15, 2014 14:37
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Makieh "Not that I don't appreciate the gesture, 'course — seems like lovely wine," Makieh says, "but I figure this is the sorta thing I'm meant to take seriously. ...No, no, it's fine, really. None taken. Of course. My love to Zaina; I hope she feels better soon." She spoke over a mouthful of bread, which soon made its way into cheeks that might as well belong to an arboreal rodent. The meal was more a somber affair than she might have hoped. But then, currently the track record for the ebullient sendoffs is '0 returned.' Perhaps this more funereal approach would trick the gods into looking the other way while they saw to those missing. Her da had certainly been beside himself, and doing a wretched job of disguising it. She'd pitied him with a polite and upbeat dismissal. She sighs as her last well-wisher departs. She ought to be doing the same herself, soon. Grabbing a loaf for the road, she steps out into the chill air and tosses a piece to Fedg. "We all good and fed? Body and spirit, I'll bet. Call me Tiseo, I guess," she says, referring to the children's story of a man nourished by his faith in a tree spirit. Kids always get the less ambiguous versions of things; the 'authentic' tale variously gave the spirit as a demon, villagers playing a prank, or even Tiseo's own madness. But maybe that fit the situation even better. Her eyes drift down to the leather in Sif's hand. She starts to inquire about it, but something else occurs first. "Oh! Do they have that legend in the hills, Ollie?"   pre:Makieh Rizk (50 pts / 0 unspent) ------------- Attributes: [20] ST 10 [0] DX 10 [0] IQ 11 [20] HT 10 [0] Secondary attributes: [0] Base Damage: 1d-2/1d HP 10/10 [0] FP 10/10 [0] Will 11 [0] Per 11 [0] Basic Speed 5 [0] Dodge 8 Basic Move 5 Basic Lift 20 Advantages: [28] Ally: Fedg [3] (25% point total, roll of 15 or less) Animal Empathy [5] Animal Friend 1 [5] Fit [5] Eidetic Memory [5] Charisma 1 [5] Disadvantages: [-25] Pacifism (Reluctant Killer) [-5] Gluttony [-5] Klutz [-5] Stubbornness [-5] Quirk: Daydreaming [-1] Quirk: Likes: Archery [-1] Quirk: Incompetence: Bows [-1] Quirk: Aspiring skald [-1] Quirk: Lousy at deciphering accents [-1] Skills: [27] Animal Handling (Raptors) IQ/A 11 [1] +1 Astronomy (Observational) IQ/H 9 [1] Boating DX/A 10 [2] Climbing DX/A 9 [1] Cooking IQ/A 10 [1] Diplomacy IQ/H 10 [1] +1 Falconry IQ/A 11 [1] +1 Fast-Talk IQ/A 11 [1] +1 Fishing Per/E 12 [2] Hiking HT/A 9 [1] Knot-tying DX/E 10 [1] Naturalist IQ/H 10 [1] +1 Net DX/H 9 [2] Occultism IQ/A 10 [1] Public Speaking IQ/A 11 [1] +1 Riding DX/A 10 [1] +1 Singing HT/E 10 [1] Spear DX/A 10 [2] Stealth DX/A 9 [1] Swimming HT/E 11 [2] Veterinary IQ/H 10 [1] +1 Weather Sense IQ/A 10 [1] (+2 in home region) Gear: Spear, 4 lbs. Melee net, 5 lbs. Small Knife, .5 lbs Winter Outfit, 4 lbs. Cloth Cap Cloth Gloves Leather jacket, 4 lbs. Shoes, 2 lbs. Short Bow, 2 lbs Quiver, 10 arrows, 1 lb Backpack, 3 lbs. [~36 lbs w/contents] Blanket, 4 lbs Fishing Gear Personal Basics, 1 lb Rope, 3/8", 10 yards, 1.5 lbs. Wineskin (gal of water), 8.25 lbs. 18 Traveler's Rations, 9 lbs. 2 Torch, 2 lbs. First aid kit, 2 lbs. Tent, 5 lbs. Pouch Total Encumbrance: 22.5 lbs. (light) Total Encumbrance w/pack: 58.5 lbs. (medium) Money: $50 pre:Fedg (13 CP / 0 unspent) Attributes: [-90] ST 3 [-70] DX 12 [40] IQ 6 [-80] HT 12 [20] Secondary: [70] HP 8/8 [10] FP 12/12 [0] Will 10 [20] Per 14 [40] Basic Speed 6 [0] Dodge 9 Move (air): 12/18 [0] Move (ground): 6 [0] SM -3 Bite (14): 1d-3 crushing Advantages [60] Amphibious [10] Breath-Holding 1 [2] Enhanced Move 0.5 (Air) [10] Flight (Winged, -25%) [30] Striking ST 4 (Bite only, -60%) [8] Disadvantages [-47] Cannot Speak [-15] One Arm (Tongue; No Physical Attack*; Short*) [-30] Sense of Duty: Makieh [-2] Skills [20] Aerobatics (H) DX+0 [4]-12 Brawling (E) DX+2 [4]-14 Filch (A) DX+0 [2]-12 Fishing (E) Per+0 [1]-14 Flight (A) HT [2]-12 Lifting (A) HT-1 [1]-11 Stealth (A) DX+0 [2]-12 Survival (River/stream) (A) Per+0 [2]-14 Swimming (E) HT+1 [2]-13 Aeolius fucked around with this message at 04:12 on Apr 20, 2014 |
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Apr 16, 2014 08:20
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Ollain Faebar The notherner opens the door and steps quickly inside, shutting it behind him. "Ta me sorry. some of the caorach, the ship beasties ha' wandered off into the foraise. They did give me some meat for to share with tu though." He unwraps a cooked joint of mutton and places it on the table, before cutting off a piece for himself and tearing off a piece of bread. he hadn't known any of the men and women who had been sent out before, but if this place was his home, then he would have to do right by it, and it's inhabitants. And he was no stranger to the woods. pre:Ollain Faebar 5'6” 130 lbs 50 points, Attributes: [39] ST 11 [10] HP 11 DX 11 [20] Will 10 IQ 10 Per 11 [5] HT 11 [10] FP 11 Dmg: 1d-1 Thrust, 1d+1 Swing Basic Speed: 5.5 Basic Move: 5 Basic Lift: 20 TL 2 [-5] Languages: Ogham (Native/Illiterate) [-3] Common (Accented/Illiterate) [2] Advantages: [10] Absolute Direction [5] Fit [5] Disadvantages: [-34] Missing Digits [4] (two fingers on left hand, -2 to DX with that hand only) Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10] Struggling [-10] Status -1 [-5] Superstitious [-1] Careful [-1] Doesn't like to eat fish or birds[-1] Heavy Oggham accent [-1] Dislikes dogs [-1] Skills: [35] Animal Handling (Ruminants) IQ-1 [1] Area Knowledge IQ+1 11 [2] (Brandon's Brae and Environs) Bow DX+1 12 [4] Brawling DX 11 [1] First-Aid/TL2 IQ 10 [1] Hiking HT 11 [2] Axe/Mace DX 11 [2] Staff DX+1 12 [4] Knife DX 11 [1] Naturalist IQ 10 [4] Scrounging Per 11 [1] Skiing HT-1 10 [2] Stealth DX+1 12 [4] Survival (Mountains) Per+1 12 [4] Tracking Per 11 [2] Equipment: Weapons: [$200, 11 lbs) Axe (1d+3 cut; Reach 1; Parry 0U; ST 11) $50, 4 lbs Large Knife (1d-1 cut or 1d-1 imp; Reach C, 1 or C; Parry -1; ST 6) $40, 1 lb Quarterstaff (1d+3 cr or 1d+1 cr; Reach 1,2; Parry +2; 7t) $10, 4 lbs Bow (1d imp; Acc 2; Range 165/220; RoF 1; Shots 1 (2); ST 10t;Bulk -7) $100, 2 lbs Armor: [$85, 8 lbs] Fur Tunic, DR 1* on Torso, $25, 2 lbs Cloth sleeves and leggings, DR 1* on Arms, Legs, $60, 6 lbs Other Gear: [$105, 18.5 lbs] Gloves, Boots, Hat; $20, 2 lbs Copper Torc, $8, 0.5 lbs Personal Basics, $5, 1 lb Small Backpack, $60, 3 lbs (15 lbs full) Blanket $20, 4 lbs Tallow Candle, $5, 1 lb 6 Traveler's Rations, $12, 3 lbs 10 Arrows, $20, 1 lb Quiver, $15, 1 lb 20 Arrows, $40, 2 lbs $9 36.5 lbs, Light Encumbrance.
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Apr 16, 2014 23:13
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Makieh "Mm, I guess not. Well, probably plenty of time to get into it on the road. The Tiseo thing, I mean." Makieh shrugs. He seemed to have his own superstitions, so a new take on an old standard might be interesting. "Beasties into four wh- oh, forest. Right good of them to spot us that meat, though. Great bloody hub we are, to share meat with the second rescue party," she mutters, sighing. "You know, the one they were clear won't rate a third. Really the least they could do, figure."
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Apr 17, 2014 04:29
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Jeph, the Tanner's Son After listening to Makieh, discuss the earlier scouting and rescue parties, Jeph adds some of his own baselessly optimistic thoughts on the matter. "At least, with some more folks away from the village and all, then maybe they won't be as hard-pressed to ensure there's enough to go around. "Now then, I was just about to continue my story about the traveler who was so heavy he kept breaking his saddle. Had to reinforce the straps three times, I did. He paid us in good coin every time too. I think he was just too embarrassed to make a fuss. But like my paw always said, he said...", and then Jeph is off again, spinning yet another tale from Brandon's Brae, where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average.
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Apr 17, 2014 04:57
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Makieh Makieh stares at Jeph for a moment. "...Can't argue with that. Or won't, at least." And just like that, Jeph becomes absorbed in an anecdote that has more in common with her recollections than some of the particularly gussied-up tales she'd heard over the meal. She listens for a while, then sidles over to Sif. "How, uh... everything holding up well? Er. Holding up...? Th-" She quits, letting the more-or-less complete question stand with a clearing of the throat. "Guy didn't seem that heavy, I don't think," she whispers of Jeph's story topic. "And anyway, wasn't he using a child's saddle?"
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Apr 17, 2014 05:49
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Sif She holds the tie in her hands, weighing it thoughtfully as Jeph retreats go to tell a story, “He is not his brother.” Not a terrible thing. “At least he isn’t naïve.” She looks over to the slightly shorter girl, pocketing the piece of leatherwork, “You mean to tell me you don’t believe in polishing off the edges in your stories?”
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Apr 17, 2014 06:06
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Crow A piece of cured meat appears out of nowhere into crows hands. He chews it uninterrupted and spits out "You think the last two bands died by the same cause, or just two completely unrelated fates." He swallows. "I think it's more upsetting to think it might have been different reasons." He pulls out a ham. "Or maybe neither died. Or maybe they simply found someplace better, cleaner, fatter, warmer. Who's to say they didn't just stay once they got there?"
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Apr 17, 2014 06:31
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Makieh "Polish?" Makieh rests a hand on her chest in the universal gesture for who, me? "Are you saying that legends could be anything but gospel truth? Guess it depends on where the edges lie, though I'll stand by every one of the ghost stories." After all, to do otherwise robs them of their power. Crow's less-fatuous remarks draw her attention. "Hey, now. No point figuring anyone's dead until the world removes all doubt. Leastways, I ain't budging my worst-case past 'injured or trapped'; barely taken two steps out, yet." Aeolius fucked around with this message at 15:01 on Apr 17, 2014 |
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Apr 17, 2014 07:44
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The wind screams, clawing its way in through cracks in the timber walls. They'll need some care and attention come summer.
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Apr 18, 2014 07:46
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Sif The ominous wind gets a glance from Sif – she considers it, then seems to agree with Makieh, “Nothing’s settled ‘til it is.” With some sense of finality, she tugs her gloves on and works to fasten them tightly – without the same grace or practice Crow might show. “I’ll not call you a liar, Crow – greener fields’d be a welcome sight.” An alternative to freezing death, or returning to the Brae? She’d be glad for it. “We should leave while there’s light enough to make progress, aye, Crow?” She looks to the older man, the one of them who has more real experience. I assume we have some sort of vague notion of what direction they struck out in, and we know enough about the surrounding area to know of a landmark or outlying farm/residence or something we should be trying to reach by first night? If Area Knowledge – The Brae’ll help, I have that, and I’m sure others have more relevant skills. Ambivalent fucked around with this message at 11:00 on Apr 18, 2014 |
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Apr 18, 2014 10:54
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Makieh "So mote it be." She spares a final glance back at the city before turning at last to task. Holding spear as walking stick, she whistles for Fedg, who flaps a few times before alighting on her pack. "Tsk. Our eye in the sky, everyone," she deadpans. We hike! I got hiking 9, and an effective weather sense (a low-TL version of meteorology) of 12 for this region, but otherwise I will just follow whoever seems to have the best sense of what they're doing.
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Apr 19, 2014 02:19
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There's a minor landmark to the southwest, a rocky outcrop that looks sorta like an ox, that is a frequent stop for travelers. The stone acts as a windbreak, and there's a stream relatively close by for water. Beyond that, the path down into the valley is narrow but clearly defined by a break in vegetation. There are other linking paths in the valley, but they're closer to deer trails than the route to the Brae. Not enough travelers. Or places to travel to. Makieh gets a 12 on weather sense: a blizzard will arrive within days, the wind is its herald.
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Apr 19, 2014 03:42
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Crow "The other groups were checking on the traders, the caravans, looking for what has stopped them. They walk tall and loud, clanking their metal shells all around." Crow begins to spread his arms and apply a dark soot all around his exposed skin. "We keep near the road, able to see it from afar but definitely not on it." He strings his bow. "Something is there and it has been there. It was there for the first two groups, and it will be there for us." He looks at his trip wire and ties a few knots. "We will periodically stop and get a vantage from above. We need to look for smoke, tracks, blood, and keep our noses open and our ears high. Anyone object?"
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Apr 19, 2014 06:27
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Makieh "That sounds like sense. No argument from me," she says, tone distant and eyes off somewhere along the horizon. "Stealth seems wise, but we shouldn't neglect due haste, or an eye to shelter," she says finally. "Feel that wind? The way it cuts straight to the bone? D'ya smell it? I remember that smell from before we had that roof-caver of a blizzard, few years back. Might be a day or two, but I'd stake anything that a bad one's on the way." She gives Fedg a nudge, clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth to send the bird scouting. Though smart as birds went, he mostly just knows to look for fishable water or occasional exceptional things — plumes of smoke or the like — and return directly; she'd but have note the direction of his arrival. Her hope, however, is that one of these days he'll be sighted by one of her friends. They know how to whistle for his attention, and he knows their faces well enough for a greeting. It could work. Gotta try everything, anyway. Aeolius fucked around with this message at 17:55 on Apr 19, 2014 |
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Apr 19, 2014 09:15
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Jeph, the Tanner's Son Since he's not much of an outdoorsman himself, Jeph agrees with the plan that the others have come up with. Wishing that they could have continued the party a bit longer, he nevertheless picks up the harness to his travois and sets out with the others. He's glad he packed all those extra provisions, along with the extra large tent -- after all, when they find Jeosh and the others, they might be cold and hungry. So it never hurts to be extra-prepared, especially with a blizzard on the way, like Makieh says. Jeph had, of course, been to The Ox before, usually trailing along after Jeosh, but up until now he had only looked at the rest of the world beyond. He wonders idly how far Jeosh had gotten, and what they'd find in the meantime between The Ox and wherever his brother was.
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Apr 19, 2014 10:14
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Sif There’s a sense of relief to be under way – odd, considering the road ahead. Put the village and Adela and Vidar and the mess of the Brae behind her. Find those green places Crow spoke of. Funny man, that one. Sif takes a moment to draw her hood back and fasten the tie she’d been given, getting that taken care of. She settles in with Jeph and making sure all the provisions are in order, having about the same amount of experience he has. The least she can do is prepare meals, help carry the provisions – she’d gone with her father when he hunted a handful of times but he had hunted and she’d been only moral support. Maybe this would be a time to learn a new craft.
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Apr 19, 2014 15:40
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Ollain Faebar Ollain follows the others out of the building and into the forest. He strings his own bow, and checks that his arrows are near to hand before speaking. "It's eagna to stay off the botha, the road. We should move through the foraise like wolves, stick to the fianna-tracks." At this, he reaches into a pouch around his neck and pulls out a small wolf figurine, and begins to chant under his breath. It would be a while before they got to ground that he wasn't familiar with, but it still paid to be cautious. I've got Area Knowledge 11, and Hiking 11, do you want me to roll for them myself, or do you want to roll for us? I've seen it done both ways. Hell with it, I'm gonna go ahead and roll'em. Area knowledge 11: 3d6 12 Hiking 11: 3d6 10 Also, all y'all should use Orokos, it's wicked handy. Beardless fucked around with this message at 17:04 on Apr 19, 2014 |
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Apr 19, 2014 16:54
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Makieh "Oi, Ollie. S'that you got, there? Ain't seen it before."
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Apr 20, 2014 03:53
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Ollain Faebar Ollain hands the carving to Makieh. It is some 3 inches long, not overly detailed, but it captures the essence of a wolf. "It is a dealbh, in the image of Naofa Mac Tire, the Great Wolf. Among my people, he is called on to aid in hunting and the like. If we were simply traveling, I would more likely call on Ban Airt, the White Hart."
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Apr 20, 2014 04:54
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Makieh Makieh nods, blinking. Now and then she mouths the words Ollain uses, making sure she's heard them correctly. "'Dealbh,' did I say that right? This is a common thing? Kinda funny, how few of these things we know of in the city. 'Naofa Mac Tire,'" she repeats, feeling out the words. She reflects for a moment. "I do love those words. Maybe it's just 'cause I don't recognize 'em, though — lends mystery. Da says the only perfect beauty is the one we can't ken. Always figured he just said that 'cause he spent his days covered in fish guts, yeah? But maybe that's what he meant. "Actually, that's what got me interested in the old songs. That's what she called 'em, anyway. Um, that is, a lady who passed through maybe ten years ago, Sileas Eld. Everyone said she was from the hills, too, but I dunno if they're the same ones. Did you know her? White hair down to her thighs, and could barely see better than two feet in front of 'er — she was travelin' with a younger couple, — but she sang some of the most beautiful music. Stories and song, she'd trade for food and such. Only stayed a few days, but I mostly just followed her around the whole time, listenin'. "I, um, I actually memorized a few of 'em. But I don't for the life of me know what they mean." Makieh walks on in silence following the admission, grappling with something. Finally, she settles it: They'd be hunkered down in the woods soon enough, stalking dangers and keeping warm through a blizzard; may as well enjoy a song while things are still halfway sensible. She clears her throat and, without looking up, sings a tune, learned phonetically to some degree or other, from her childhood encounter with the strange songstress. "See, beautiful gibberish, to my ears," she concludes. "But then, might be gibberish to those of the tongue, too; I expect I fairly butchered those pretty words." After a moment: "Plus, a couple parts I kinda just... made up. Sorry, been ages." Eidetic memory will help justify a great many such things before this game is through, I expect. 
Aeolius fucked around with this message at 09:59 on Apr 20, 2014 |
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Apr 20, 2014 07:07
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Ollain Faebar The notherner nods along as Makieh sings, a faint smile on his face. "I know that one, more or less. Originally it's about a maiden whose lover has gone away to war. They say that it was written during the Great Sundering." He ponders for a minute, and then his face lights up. "I didn't know her myself. She was the wise woman of the Fine Gruaig Rua, one of the neighboring tribes. I am of the Fine Cuar Abhainn, but my uncle married a woman from the Gruaig Rua." Ollain begins to sing himself, a simple tune without recognizable words. His culture is now a mish mash of Zuni for the religion, irish for the Language, and Sami for the music. 
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Apr 20, 2014 13:18
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Makieh "Well that just figures." It's something of a favorite subject of songs and lore, though thankfully something her own home had been spared — assuming that the five of them were not at this moment marching off to some unconsidered war. She wonders which words would have to be changed to add a verse about when the maiden herself strides to the front. Makieh absorbs the mention of unrecognized tribe names and song of indiscernible phonemes, then tucks her spear into the crook of her arm and applauds. "I trust that one's about something happier?" She glances around, gauging the interest of the other three. "Maybe next should be one everyone knows, eh? Or anyone else got one they don't?"
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Apr 20, 2014 16:33
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Sif She looks away from Makieh’s question, offering up a short response, “My da never sang much. We were more for stories.” She squints a little now that she’s turned into the wind. In truth, she doesn’t have the heart for it just now. “It was a good story – Ollain’s one, what I could tell, anyway.”
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Apr 21, 2014 18:00
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Beardless posted:Ollain Faebar Ollain leads the group off the path into the woods. The forests around the Brae are ancient and mostly undisturbed by felling axe or fire. The village has grown slow enough that outside of firewood, demand for timber is met by the small patches of forest cleared for new buildings and fields. The demand for firewood is directed towards preserving healthy trees and making the area more enticing for game. This was not always the case. The stones of the oldest buildings in the South East corner of Brandon's Brae are burned black. Fools living in clear cut land abutting a drought stricken dense forest, but the Great Summer Fire is a story for another time. The group is making good pace through the beautiful glittering spruce trees that make up the majority of this part of the forest. The dusting of snow on the needles melts in the mid-day sun, adorning each brand with diamonds. Oh, and Jeph is gone. When did that happen? The natural beauty was too distracting! Jeph is no longer among you. Thankfully, everyone else has enough base knowledge in hiking or related skills to guess at what could have happened: http://vimeo.com/51002306 Jeph will be found whenever TychoBraesNose posts, but the amount of trouble he's in could be contingent on your search and rescue efforts until then. Maarak fucked around with this message at 06:35 on Apr 22, 2014 |
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Apr 22, 2014 06:32
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Jeph, the Tanner's Son For a time, Jeph is content to listen to the songs and stories of the others as he trudges along behind them. But eventually, his desire to share his own words, to be more a part of this (admittedly small) social circle reasserts itself. He is just about to launch into a long-winded story about his great-grandpaw and the Great Summer Fire when he suddenly discovers that none of the others are visible to him anymore. "Hello?" he calls out uncertainly. Not receiving an immediate response, he casts about for their tracks, but manages only to find his own. "Hello! Where have you all gone?" he calls out again, much louder this time.
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Apr 22, 2014 08:14
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Makieh There is a rustle in the brush behind Jeph. "Oi," Makieh says, emerging all nonchalant-like. "Glad for the ruckus, so's I know I ain't about to catch you relievin' yourself or any such." She snickers. "Everything okay?" She gives the side of his boot a friendly rap with the butt of her walking spear, tip still resting on her shoulder. Aeolius fucked around with this message at 16:37 on Apr 22, 2014 |
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Apr 22, 2014 16:26
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Sif She’s turning over a piece of crumbled stone the size of an apple, the rock still sporting a blackened smooth face where char had worked its way into the pores. Sif clutches it in her hand as they mill about. She liked the old things people’d made – she liked to imagine the Brae when it still claimed ancient heroes as residents, rather than… well, Jeph, the Tanner’s Son. Adela the… whatever. “Did you find him, Maki?” No harm in being Jeph, the Tanner’s Son, she supposes. Or Sif, Erik’s daughter. She makes a hand gesture in the affirmative to the two of them and heads back to the base of the tree where she’d set her pack. “Crow.” She speaks his name softly - the man didn’t seem the sort you wanted to inadvertently sneak up on. “He was just back there, Makieh’s with him now.” Sif peers at the man questioningly, “What did you see?” A pause, and then she motions with her eyes, “Out there, that is.”
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Apr 22, 2014 17:35
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Makieh "Yeah, no worries, Siffy! Just got chased by a snow hare, like." She winks at Jeph, then points up; on a high branch, Fedg keeps vigil. "With Fedg around, anything like that ever happens again, you don't have to do anything. Not a thing. Oh, maybe just whistle. You know how to whistle, don'tcha, Jeph? You just put your- nah, I'll just-" waving her own thought aside, Makieh jams her pinkies into her cheeks and, with eyes scrunched shut, emits an ear-piercing tone that goes on for just a few seconds past the threshold of comfort. Fedg shifts around the branch, then lands nearby. "See? He's a sharp lil' guy." Fedg gives a single, puzzled warble. Aeolius fucked around with this message at 20:43 on Apr 25, 2014 |
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Apr 22, 2014 19:02
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Jeph, the Tanner's Son Now that he was back with the others, Jeph finally takes the time to stop and take the stone out of his boot, the one that had been hampering him for quite some time now. "You all keep up quite a fast pace. I don't mind pulling all that gear, though -- just make sure you don't lose me again. There was one time that Jeosh took me out into the woods," he waves back toward the village, "and then he went off to hunt some rabbits. I got so turned around, I couldn't find the village, and I ended up being out on my own for almost two days. It's a good thing that was summer -- though it was hot and all, at least I wasn't going to freeze to death! At the end of it though, Jeosh felt bad, and gave me an extra helping of what he caught, so I guess it all worked out in the end. "I hope we find the others soon. When do you reckon that will be, Crow? Tomorrow? The next day?"
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Apr 23, 2014 01:15
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Crow "It'll be as soon as it is." Crow rolls around a lot of smells to mask himself and mute his colors and lose himself in the sense of the world. With his feathered cloak the mad man takes a quick break to climb a birch tree but finds himself slipping on the it's frozen bark. Crow needs to get a vantage point, and wants to climb a tree to get a good look up high, but fails miserably. He uses his rope as always.
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Apr 23, 2014 04:03
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Jeph, the Tanner's Son "Oh," Jeph says as he notices Crow's unusual behavior. "Is there something we should be hiding from?" He sets about camouflaging himself as well, but somehow he succeeds only in making the earth tones of his burnished leather clash with the earth tones of nature all around him. Maybe it's the snow, he thinks. Maybe I should try to look white. When that fails as well, he sighs, reassuring himself, at least if the others get lost again they'll be able to find me right quick. Camouflage: 3d6 15
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Apr 23, 2014 04:28
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Sif For her part, she makes no effort to disguise herself, certainly not by rolling about in the dirt. She stands beside Jeph, reading his face with a glance, then returning to watching Crow. Deadpan, “I wouldn’t worry about it.”
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Apr 23, 2014 14:32
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Makieh Makieh munches on a bit of smoked fish jerky. She tosses a bit to Fedg, giving her faithful companion a pat. Meanwhile, her thoughts drift to the sorts of conversations she'll have with Iriel at day's end. Interacting with Jeosh would no doubt put her older friend in a foul mood, but perhaps the outing would afford the chance for reconciliation. Not like there's any more cause for tension, these days. But then, no accounting for bad blood over bad romance. Anyway, more interesting will be what manner of souvenirs she'd found abroad... She is finally roused from her reverie as Crow starts his ascent and Jeph his subterfuge. "Huh? "...Oh, good idea, I guess. I'd expect they'd have gotten a fair bit further than this, but never hurts to check."
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Apr 23, 2014 20:24
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Ollain Faebar Ollain looks around as Jeph pops up, seemingly out of nowhere, and nods to the younger man. it woudn't be good to lose a member of their band, even if he was a little wet behind the ears. He looks on, bemused, as Crow rolls around in the dirt like a dog, and then falls out of a tree. "You might have more luck with a pine tree. Not many branches on a birch."
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Apr 24, 2014 18:06
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Sif “If we find trouble before the Ox, we were never in for much of a journey any way. I doubt we’ll be finding any sign of the others just yet.” She pulls her hood back, getting what warmth she can from the sun on her hair, “Come, enough rest. I want to have our fire ready before the sun sinks past the ridge.” Sif motions to the crest of the mountain. She reaches down and hefts her pack over her shoulder and sets off, not looking back to see if the others are coming.
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Apr 27, 2014 08:57
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