Things Betwixt: A Journey Beyond [IC]

by **Talchyon** » Sat May 20, 2023 5:39 am

En route from the strange hut
Goblins?!

Richer by some but wounded by more, the pack of goblins made their way southwest. Each step was one more away from their abuser. Each step, though pained, was worth it. The old man they had robbed deserved it. He had been a classic example of the worst kind of humanity - the kind that thought gems, crystals, and shiny objects were somehow his to keep. Each of the goblins knew he deserved being poorer, especially after what he had done to them. Grnak's back hurt from the toxic explosion that the man had previously brewed up and hurtled at him. The back of Nak's head screamed with agony - that must have been some rock their tormentor had thrown, to leave a welt that size. Ak too hadn't walked with the same vigor he had before after falling into that hole back in the Oracle's graveyard. As the sky began to hum a frankly annoying note and then began to shift into a weird shade of light purple, the goblins noticed their wounds even more. Breathing was harder. Steps took more effort. Frak, out of concern for their wounded members, insisted they stop for the night (late evening? Since it never got all the way black when it should have?). Everyone else but Mrtak was too tired to argue. At least their hovels were warm that night.

Waking up, the goblins noted the same shade of sky as the evening before. Though rested, they felt just as heavy as they had when the shade had shifted. Though, for whatever reason, their minds also felt clearer - as if they could now piece together mysteries that had long eluded them. Or at least parts of those mysteries.

Breaking out some of the recently slain wolfmeat they carried, the goblins ate with not as much gusto as with need. Mrtak said, "We still haven't found this treasure." With his head pounding, Nak replied, "I... I can try to check the map again, but... Argh! Every time I try to think, my head hurts!" Frak and Mrtak exchanged glances. Grnak muttered under his breath, no doubt about the shame to their species that Nak actually could read and even worse, chose to do it sometimes. Ak, well, Ak was his usual self, lost in his own world and making occasional nonsensical comments.

Taking off down the road, not long after they encountered what looked like a faun dressed in fine red silk, wearing panpipes around his neck and carrying the largest pack ever on his back! What gives?

Lazarian wrote:EVENT: TRAVELING MERCHANT

As the Goblins traverse the woods, they run into another traveler heading in the opposite direction. He is a thin man with the legs of a goat, draped in robes of fine crimson silk-thread. Atop his shoulders is a truly enormous pack. Small horns poke from above his ears, and a curly beard adorns his face. Panpipes hang from his neck on another thread of silk.

"Ah, fair travelers!" he bleats, beckoning them over. "Just what I've been looking for! Customers!"

He introduces himself as Dieb der Bertruger, a resident of a village known as Frielute. He is on the way to deliver fine cloth goods to the Oracle's lands, but he carries all sorts of fine wares!

[FREEFORM: Inquire about a specific item. What would you like to buy? Or, alternatively...what would you like to sell?]

The faun was a merchant! Mrtak complimented the faun on his might. Carrying a pack that size was impressive. Grnak was about to refuse, when Frak pulled rank. "Hey. Dieb - do you mind if I call you Dieb? You got any medicines or bandages? These grodes got banged up. Especially that one," Frak pointed at Nak. "Hit a rock with his head."

Dieb smiled, and said, "Indeed! I have some things!" Putting down his large pack - away from the direction of the goblins just in case as any businessman would do - Dieb brought out his wares. He indeed had bandages of various kinds. Some salves. Some disgusting looking drinks. It was perfect.

Grnak looked at Frak, puzzled. "Are we giving up some of our treasure for these things?" Frak and Mrtak stared at him and both called him a grode. "Look, we're hobblin' here. We need you grodes to get healthy again. Then we can get going to find our treasure! What we pay out here, we'll find more to replace anyway," Frak said. Mrtak slowly grinned and said, "Maybe the faun wants to buy some mushrooms." And then, glancing with a sneer at Nak, Mrtak continued, "Oh, if only we had a feathered fane we could sell!" Nak conveniently ignored Mrtak.

Dieb smiled even wider when he saw the mushrooms. "I'll buy those. I'll give you 2 gold coins." Before he could even finish his sentence, Frak shouted "Deal!" and thrust the mushrooms into the faun's hands. The gold coins were great! A nice sale!

After some discussion, the goblins decided to buy some simple cloth bandages for 2 gold, some sacred dew harvested from the Old Forest pools for 3 gold, and a purging stone for 2 gold. The grand total with sold mushrooms included was 5 wealth. "But needed," Frak told the others. As Dieb was listing his other products, Grnak got that funny feeling in his mind that he got when someone lied. Dieb's eyes kept shifting. So he stepped up, "What else do you have, merchant? I think you got more in the way of medicines that you're not telling us."

After leaving the merchant, the goblins kept making their way southwest, deeper into the forest. The thick trees prevented the sun from shining it's purplish hues, until they got to a strange and ominous clearing. There, in the center of the clearing, was a large, smooth, circular black stone. Atop the stone stood a strange gateway with a limp curtain. The whole place gave off a strange vibe. Mrtak was absorbed with the unusual masks hanging from the top of the portal. One laughing, one crying. They looked strangely familiar to him.

Grnak was the first to give his assessment. "It's a gateway. In fact, it looks like that same gateway we first came through! This leads somewhere else! Or back home, I guess."

Nak scowled. "But we haven't found the treasure here yet! Why would we want to go somewhere else?"

Grnak nodded. "Something doesn't feel right about this place. Mrtak, your thoughts?"

Mrtak pointed at the masks. "I've seen those before. Not those exact ones, but those faces. One laughing, one weeping. It was at a human encampment once. I was out searching for treasures and came across a bunch of" (spitting) "humans. Smelly humans! But they had this sign! I think... I think it was in a place where the humans did something they called... 'acking'."

Frak's face was a mixture of confusion and revulsion. "Ak-king? Like, they went around like Ak?"

Mrtak shook his head vigorously. "No, not like him. This 'acking' was where the humans put on strange clothes, talked in voices, pretended to be gods, heroes, villains, or just ordinary people. They made it seem like wars were going on. Or marriages. Or plots of revenge. But it wasn't real. They were just... storytelling I guess. 'Acking.' Don't ask me why they put those signs up. But that's where I've seen 'em."

With all this in their minds and with some newly acquired medicines, the goblins felt it best to try and recuperate some strength. The portal could wait.

ACTION: Ignore this place and recuperate (using new medicines).

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Mon May 22, 2023 9:32 am

The Grave-Tenders

A forbidding structure, to be sure. There was something odd in the air, almost a charging, like before a storm. But aside from the strange and slightly grotesque nature of the edifice itself, nothing concrete. Nikolai squatted, watching the figures that moved near the monolith pile of granite and marble while his men talked quietly amongst themselves.

Well, they were hunting a disturber of the dead. And there was no obvious stink of sorcery about the place - or at least, no feeling of dread like that ancient bunker, which Zakharov now associated with sorcery. If the denizens of this complex were interested in keeping the dead in their graves and those graves kempt and clean, perhaps they would be foes of anyone dedicated to disturbing that order.

It was logical enough for the Lost Patrol to eventually trot forward, heads on the swivel, and approach the immense hall of the dead.

[INTERACT: Enter the Complex]

by **Lazarian** » Wed May 24, 2023 1:46 pm

G-Tech Corporation wrote:
The Grave-Tenders

A forbidding structure, to be sure. There was something odd in the air, almost a charging, like before a storm. But aside from the strange and slightly grotesque nature of the edifice itself, nothing concrete. Nikolai squatted, watching the figures that moved near the monolith pile of granite and marble while his men talked quietly amongst themselves.

Well, they were hunting a disturber of the dead. And there was no obvious stink of sorcery about the place - or at least, no feeling of dread like that ancient bunker, which Zakharov now associated with sorcery. If the denizens of this complex were interested in keeping the dead in their graves and those graves kempt and clean, perhaps they would be foes of anyone dedicated to disturbing that order.

It was logical enough for the Lost Patrol to eventually trot forward, heads on the swivel, and approach the immense hall of the dead.

[INTERACT: Enter the Complex]

As Nikolai and the others enter the crumbling compound, the skittering and clattering sounds inside slowly grind to a halt. Within the largest building are more of these black-robed gravetenders, walking here and there. But these ones - well. They are at home in this sanctuary, it seems. For they stand unveiled and unmasked, showing their true faces to any who would dare trespass into this place.

The sight is an unpleasant one. A withered creature stares back at them, with ancient weathered pallid skin as worn and dry as leather plastered and wrapped around its skull. Others lack skin entirely, their visages locked in dreadful rictus grins, with hollow eye sockets staring back. There are dozens of these creatures amidst this place in varying states of decay, with some resting in sarcophagi nestled inside hollows in the wall. Okchen is particularly revolted by the sight. [-1 Stability!]

They do not stare in a particularly hostile manner, despite their foul appearance. After a few tense moments, one approaches, bearing a metal sheet with a layer of wax melted atop. He presents a stylus to Nikolai, opening a mouth to reveal aged bones and no tongue.

#1) FIGHT: Consort with the living dead? A waste of time. These old bones must have something of import. Smash their minders! Loot their shrines! Earthly treasures belong to the living, anyway.

#2) TALK (FREEFORM): That bony patriarch there, with clawed hands and skin like old parchment, regards you with a gaze not entirely unkind. What wisdom might these keepers offer? And what warnings?

#3) REST: In the lee of a well-tended hedgerow stands a trio of benches. Water gurgles from a fountain. Is that distant birdsong in the air? Perhaps you might stay a while - just to rest and recuperate? This is a place of peace, perhaps...

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Thu May 25, 2023 7:27 am

A bonewalker. A terrible facsimile of humanity given life. For a moment the patrol grasped their weapons, but the Lieutenant gestured them down. The creatures, whatever they were, showed no signs of hostile intent. At least, not immediately. And the air here was not foul, did not offend whatever strange mystic sensibilities he had... developed?

"Hold."

Only begrudgingly did the squad lower their weapons, and not entirely. The mute bony figures stood watching, then one slowly approached. Nikolai thought quickly as it presented him with pad, indicating a desire to communicate. If these revenants cared for the dead, maintaining and tending the graves, they might be enemies of a necromancer, one who desecrated the bodies of those who should be at rest. And whatever mystic binding held them here, their powers of perception and clairvoyance, it could be, would exceed the humble Mark I eyeballs with which nature had seen fit to issue his men.

He dipped his head respectfully, awkwardly, before addressing the skeletal adjutant.

"We apologize for intruding upon your sanctum. I seek a man of evil, a disturber of the dead, a necromancer - his profane activities must be ended. Do you have news of him? Know where he practices his dark craft?"

[INTERACT: Talk]

by **Lazarian** » Tue May 30, 2023 9:22 am

G-Tech Corporation wrote:"We apologize for intruding upon your sanctum. I seek a man of evil, a disturber of the dead, a necromancer - his profane activities must be ended. Do you have news of him? Know where he practices his dark craft?"

[INTERACT: Talk]

The foremost of the adjutants scribbles on the pad of wax, providing answers…in the form of hieroglyphs.

A man’s face in a funerary mask. A flute. A skull peeking up from what may be a grave. A wall with parapets. Yes, they know of this necromancer, it seems. And his fortress as well.

The bishop clicks his fingers at one of the others, who leaves their resting place and heads down a flight of stairs, into some dusty chambers below. They have some bizarre language of hand signals and bone rattling, which does not automatically translate in their minds as the tongue of the Kevvut players and the Shrine-Town did.

More hieroglyphs. An unknown insignia, followed by outstretched hands, holding a box. The box opening. A bloody sickle. A grave. A skull, peeking up from the grave. A symbol, the same as one painted on the banners which flap quietly over this complex. The grave again, with nothing peeking out of it.

Though this creature’s artistry is truly impressive, this is not particularly helpful.

Thankfully, the servant returns, carrying a scroll bearing a map of the region. It depicts a vibrant city, filled with houses and farms. He taps on a particular place on the map, with the depiction of a church of some sort, and gestures upwards. They are here. He then taps the Southwest - a castle on the map, and gestures at the first sentence of hieroglyphs. Yes. His fortress is there.

To the West on the map lies a village of some sort. To the South, a farmland of some sort, as it does the North of this place. To the East, a strange emblem of two faces.

They also hand Nikolai what appears to be a long written treatise, and tap at the fortress again. A message of some sort, to be delivered. Interesting.

#1) [ACCEPT] - It wouldn’t hurt to deliver a message.
#2) [DECLINE] - No, you’re not going to put yourself in harm’s way.

ADDITIONAL:
#3) [LISTEN] - As you leave, a quiet whistle gets your attention. You look, and spot a robed member of this foul clergy beckoning at you with two fingers. Hidden in the lee of a mossy old monument, out of sight from the others.

by **Lazarian** » Tue May 30, 2023 12:07 pm

TURN FIVE: A QUIET SKY

No strange events transpire amongst the earth or heavens in this turn.

THE PSYCHE

[EVENT OUTCOME]

As they leave the preacher behind, he shakes his head slowly at them.

“My god will remember that you have turned your backs upon him.” he warns, before turning back to enter the tent.

Ominous. Hopefully just the mere ramblings of a fanatic. Doubt sets in on some of the members of the Psyche, stressing them out over the course of the walk - but not enough to truly inflict any harm.

[RESULT: RECUPERATE - 4]

Unfortunately, Cruelty is sullen and quiet. Perhaps the pain from his wounds overtakes him, perhaps he is simply annoyed - regardless, he is abrasive towards the others during this time of rest. And alas, Curiosity’s stories are long rambles which lead nowhere. Courage sleeps poorly, a twinge of suspicion towards her doppleganger keeping her from truly resting. And Confusion has a nightmare, waking up in a panic.

That is not to say that their rest does not benefit them at all, of course. The landscape is beautiful and the warmth of the fire is soothing. A rest from their travels allows a few to calm their minds, despite all the irritations that present themselves. [+1 Stability to two chosen party members.]

[SCOUTING REPORT: SOUTH]

Curiosity departs to the South of where they were, or Southwest to the town. It is not long before he returns, excitable and cheerful as ever. Evidently, this is more farmland like they had previously encountered. However, he does note that there is a week-long festival celebration going on - plenty of delicious food, good music, spirits to dull the senses, and happy couples-to-be. They would surely be invited, should they choose to head this way!

[LOCATION EVENT: WEST - THE SHRINE TOWN]

As Courage and her companions head West, the density of the population further increases. No longer are they in lands with a single house dotting vast acreages of wildness, nor even the lands filled with small hamlets. Here is a near-constant presence of farms and farmland - a real civilization, if rather spread out and rural here. Simple gardens of vegetables grow in raised beds in front yards, fields of crops surround the village, and the homes are simple constructions of timber and thatch.

After a short while longer, they come upon the heart of this civilization - the town Curiosity spoke of.

It is not a grand thing, by any means - there is no wall surrounding it, nor any grand castle towering over it, nor even paved roads crossing throughout the whole of it. But it is a place in the middle of growth, a village in the midst of sprawling its way into a city. Dozens of half-raised houses poke up above the horizon, laborers heading this way and that. A real blacksmith lies here, with chimney smoke and the clanging of hammers indicating the start of industry. Another one of those strange priests wanders, giving sermons to any who lend an ear.

A small sign dangles in front of what is presumably an inn. A larger building, perhaps a church, sits at the far end of the settlement - a large spire pokes towards the sky.

And, to Curiosity’s delight, there is much to do here! (Select as many as you would like of the following options.)

#1) [BLACKSMITH] - An elderly man pounds away at a thick anvil, shirtless and weathered. Most of his implements are simple farming tools, but there are a few wares which the Psyche may find more useful.

He also offers to purchase the Buckner Tower-Shield for 8 Wealth - it is of fine craftsmanship indeed.

#2) [FARMER’S MARKET] - A small market sits to the East of the town. Small bronze coins are traded for sacks of the corn-mush and other assorted foods here. (Exchange Rations for Wealth, or vice versa, at a 1:1 ratio.)

#3) [LOCAL HERBALIST] - A shack to the outskirts of town offers medical services, with a dangling sign emblazoned with a pair of clasped hands and the omnipresent symbol of the cog in front. (1 Vitality can be recovered for 1.5 Wealth.)

#4) [VISIT THE MAYOR] - There is a large residence near the church. Curiosity states that the Mayor and his clergymen live here, or so he overhead from some random passersby. Perhaps a local authority would know the area.

#5) [THE MUSICIANS] - In an inn to the North of the city, a band of traveling musicians offer to sing and dance and entertain any passersby who provide an offering. Some say that their songs are magnificent, and ease the burdens of life. Others say that they are purveyors of loud, senseless noise. (Pay 2 Wealth for a performance. Outcomes are variable.)

#6) [FREEFORM: INQUIRE] - Ask the locals anything - surely there is a tucked away gambling hall, or a quest to be had, or any other such thing.

[CHECKS]

Contempt, once again, finds the right words to say - as callous or blunt as they may be. [+1 Stability to chosen party member.]

Unfortunately, the sight of the great church spire seems to set off Confusion.

“Seven tongues of seven spires. Seven eyes and seven smiles. Seven storms with seven pieces. Seven profane holy places.” they whisper, pointing at the steeple. [Confusion: -1 Stability!]

Curiosity, as they travel through the town, notifies Courage that they should begin traveling Southeast, in his opinion. In his vision from the Oracle, the Highlands were not too much further east from here. Of course, she is the leader, so this is merely a suggestion.

THE GOBLINS!

[EVENT OUTCOME: DIEP]

Strangely, at the mention of the “Feathered Fane”, Dieb flinches nervously. Should they ask about it, he denies knowing anything about “a feathered fane”, though Grnak observes that this is a lie. Alas - there is no information to be dredged out of him about the subject, regardless of what they may try.

“No, no!” protests Dieb, when Grnak prods for additional healing items to purchase. “These are all the medicines I have.”

As far as Grnak can tell, he isn’t lying. Well. Who knows what that shifty smile was hiding? Regardless, Diep and the Goblins both part ways pleased with the exchange - no more mushrooms to carry around, and with an extra two coins and a whole bunch of goodies to boot!

[RESULT: RECUPERATE - 18]

The goblins, for better or worse, decide not to interact with the gate. The air thrums with power and promise, mystery and potential…and is left alone for someone else to mess with. Perhaps it is for the best.

As they rest in the shade of the trees, the Goblins kick back and relax. Despite their earlier disagreements, and the lack of a Feathered Fane to trade, they are rather pleased with the amount of treasure they have acquired so far. They feast magnificently on their rations and sleep quite well, with both injured members feeling quite better in the “morning”.

Nak recovers 2 Vitality. (8/10 Vitality)

Ak recovers 2 Vitality and 1 Stability. (9/10 Vitality, 10/10 Stability)

In addition, Nak tells a particularly funny tale or jest around the campfire. It has the entire group cackling and jeering about whatever it is - in fact, the banter is so good that they shall think of it fondly in the future. It will surely calm their rattled nerves, should they think upon it. [Obtained: Memory of Banter (consumable x1)]

Grnak grips the Purging Stone. It…doesn’t make him feel any better. Perhaps next time, it’ll do something?

He also drinks the Sacred Dew (1 use consumed), but the spirits of the trees must not like his thoughts. Because this doesn’t do anything either. How strange!

[CHECKS]

There are no dreams for Nak and Grnak. They sleep peacefully in the shade of the giant trees, unassailed by visions and nightmares alike.

[COMBAT: SPIDERS!]

About halfway through the simulation - but to describe the long and the short of it, Ak provokes a den of Goblin-sized spiders.

[LOCATION EVENT: SOUTH - SPIDER NEST]

As the Goblins continue into the deep forest, the light fades. The air is thick with a sense of foreboding, and the canopy overhead blocks out much of the sunlight, casting the forest floor in deep shadows.

As they move deeper into the woods, the adventurers begin to notice signs. Signs of life. And unfortunately, not the welcoming type. At first, these signs are easily ignored. A few webs - small and fragile, weaving across thin gaps in the branches. But within the hour, the size and number of the evidence is undeniable. Ropes of spider-silk, thick as a man’s forearm, stretch across entire paths. Dangling bones rattle in the breeze like perverse wind-chimes, clattering in a disturbing way. Some are from beasts - and some the remnants of unlucky travelers. The rustling of the leaves in the wind takes on a sinister tone - they are not alone here.

As they proceed further, they encounter notice wrapped cocoons nestled in one particularly large web. The cocoons are the size of a man, perhaps six feet in height. And they are wriggling - frantically. Could these be victims? Or, worse - a brood of spider pups from the beastly creature that lives here?

#1) [Burn the Webs] - These are more of the beastly gits that attacked earlier! Set the nests alight and teach ‘em a lesson.

#2) [Cut the Cocoons] - Perhaps there are tasty, tasty deer to eat inside. Or maybe even a trapped wanderer, who will surely give you treasure for the rescue!

#3) [Get out of here!] - Best not to raise the ire of the spiders, whether through sword or through flame.

by **Lunas Legion** » Tue May 30, 2023 1:39 pm

The Psyche - Turn 5

None of them paid the preacher any mind as they passed. The ominous ramblings of a fanatic. If there was a higher power, then they could prove their own existence. Not rely on whatever followers they may have. They walked on in silence, eventually camping by the side of the road. Cruelty glared at the back of False Courage's head as she kept watch, marinating in his own quiet sulleness. Curiosity rambled by the fire, poking it occasionally. Courage slept a short distance from the fire, tossing from side to side in her sleep. Confusion screamed at some point, waking up a half-asleep False Courage who gave them an annoyed glare.

Curiosity left before breakfast, and returned as the others were eating.

"There's a festival to the south." He reported, mock-saluting. "Mostly it's more farmland, but the festival's the important part. Food, music, spirits..." He had an almost longing look in his eye."Can we take a detour? Please? It isn't far..."

"No." Cruelty growled. "I think I can speak for the others."

""West." Courage agreed. "We know where we're going, after all. I won't brook a diversion."

"Fine." Curiosity sighed. "At least the town's pretty nice."

The town was, indeed, 'pretty nice'. As they made their way west civilisation made its presence known, with the road constantly lined by fields and farms, proper villages built of timber and thatch with vegetable gardens. The town was more of the same, simply larger. There was no wall nor castle, not even paving on the road, but it was nonetheless the largest place they had seen the whole time they were here. People bustled throughout the streets, another strange priest wandered through the masses, preaching to the air. A column of black smoke rose into the air, the clang of hammers echoing. A small sign signalled an inn. A larger building with a spire stood at the far end of the settlement.

"That's what I saw earlier." Curiosity explained. "The spire. There's so much to do here! There's a blacksmith, there's a herbalist-"

"Cruelty, go get yourself treated." Contempt ordered, fishing out a number of questionable coins. "No complaining. Otherwise how else are you going to keep up with the rest of us?"

Cruelty, to his credit, did not complain vocally. But his displeasure was clear in his sullen expression and slow, tired walk.

"Market, I overheard that the mayor and some clergy live in a big residence near the church-" Curiosity continued.

"We're just passing through, right?" False Courage looked to Courage, who nodded.

"Right. I don't like dealing with these..." Courage sighed. "Priests. They put me on edge."

“Seven tongues of seven spires. Seven eyes and seven smiles. Seven storms with seven pieces. Seven profane holy places.” Confusion whispered, pointing at the steeple.

"Even more reason not to be dealing with the priests." Contempt remarked. "Confusion has a good instinct for these things."

"Oh, I almost forgot." Curiosity said. "We're East enough, I think. We should probably start turning Southeast, if the vision I saw is anything to go by."

"Then Southeast we go." Courage nodded. "I don't want to stay here long. Contempt, Confusion, wait here. Curiosity, go on ahead."

"Aw." Curiosity pouted. "I wanted to see the musicians..."

"Go." Courage ordered, and Curiosity obediently scampered off.

"And me?" False Courage asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We." Courage said. "Are going to the blacksmith, to get some weapons.

"Does that mean I get the hammer?" False Courage asked, eyes lighting up.

"No." Courage said, leading her doppelganger away. "You are not getting the hammer. But I'll see if I can't get you some armour."

"Yes." False Courage let out a small cheer.

Actions:
+2 Stability (Curiosity)
+1 Stability (Confusion)
Move: South-East
Scout: South-East [South-East]
Purchase: Common Sword, Short Spear, Thick Vest (-10 Wealth)
Herbalist: -3 Wealth, +2 Vitality (Cruelty) (1 Wealth remains)

by **Talchyon** » Wed May 31, 2023 7:33 pm

To the Spider's Webs! - Turn 5
Goblins?!

Rest that night was helpful. As they sat near the strange, pulsating gateway that had a power best left untouched, the goblins sat back to mend some wounds and get some strength. Mrtak built a fire in the clearing. While goblins didn't need the light to see, the strange overcast sun and the purple sky made them feel a little colder. The heat was welcome. Even if fires can sometimes attract unwanted company, none bothered them that night.

Clutching the mystic stone they had bought earlier that day, Grnak leaned back and hoped that the older mushroom man's potion would wear off. So far, the rock was doing squat. But maybe he was doing it wrong. Who knew? Goblins have little use for most rocks, except maybe to smash some creature's skull in with. No goblin had ever had a mystic healing rock like this. Maybe it took time. Maybe it had to get acquainted with the user. But whatever was happening, Grnak was content to wait and see. The healing dew likewise had no effect. Grnak wondered what the reason was. Never did it cross his mind that they might have been swindled by a shady merchant.

Frak took one of the dead rats they had brought with them and chewed on a leg. The bones had a nice crunch to them, and the fur was soft and appetizing. Lounging back, Frak asked, "So, we haven't found the treasure yet, but we're better off gold-wise than when we started." That brought a grin to most of the goblins' faces. Everyone but Ak, that is.

Ak chose that moment to impart his 'wisdom'. Without expression, he simply said, "Metal men are not treasures." To which Frak, without even having to think, went to his old stand-by reaction. "Shut up, Ak."

Grnak chose to ignore Ak, and went back to the real topic at hand. "With things we've picked up here and there, even buying from the faun, we're still richer than we were."

Mrtak grinned big, and said, "What was up with that faun anyway? I mentioned the words 'feathered fane' and the grode looked like he suddenly was going to be sick in his loins. He took off quick after that."

Frak just shrugged. "He was a grode." That was enough of an explanation for them.

There was really nothing to say to that. Grnak wondered how the faun had lied - it was pretty clear that he had. But it apparently wasn't for withholding medicines. Well, that was then and not now. They had a little less gold, but they'd be better off with the bandages and other local remedies. Who knew when they'd need them?

The fire crackled into the night. As the gateway on the rock thrummed with an underlying current of untouched power, the sounds one might expect at night were around but muted. As if rats, bats, woodchucks and other creatures were keeping away from the clearing, but not so far away that they had completely gone. Into the silence of rest and thinking what the next day might bring, Nak spoke up.

"There was a clan who had the dumbest two grodes. Their names were Sven and Oley..." The goblins all grinned, as Nak launched into the old, familiar accounts of the legendary goblin grodes, who made even normal grodes look smart. It was an instant hit. Making fun of Sven and Oley always brought down the house. And as Nak told more and more, sometimes with Sven and Oley building the worst hovels, or borrowing the dumbest items, or trying to steal things that nobody would ever want to steal, the other goblins howled until their sides ached with the laughs. It was a good night all things considered. It made it hard for the goblins to want to go to sleep - but when they did, each had a huge, goblin grin on his green face.

The next "morning" (which, wasn't necessarily morning since the sky still looked the same mauve color it had all night), the goblins got up and headed their way south. Leaving behind the powerful gateway in the forest clearing, the goblins found themselves getting deeper and deeper into the woods. Few travelers seemed to go here. What there was of sunlight was dimmed more than normal as the goblins trudged feeling heavier than normal.

And then, Ak provoked a den of Goblin-sized spiders! And a fight was on!

After the fight, the tired goblins kept going south... only to find what looked like the spiders had been there first. Thick webs surrounded the place. No spiders were in sight... But what was that in the middle of that web? A cocoon, wriggling? Something was alive there...

Looking at the others who were unsure of what they should do, Frak said, "Ah, frazz. It could be someone trapped up there." Grabbing a sharp rock, he climbed up into the web to start cutting open the wriggling cocoon, in the hopes that it was a fellow traveler who hadn't had the same success against the spiders they had just had. Nak called out to him as Frak climbed, "Spider webs get sticky though, Frak!" But it was too late. The goblin had hopped up somehow to the squirming cocoon and was cutting it open with the rock...

INTERACT #2 - CUT THE COCOONS

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Sat Jun 03, 2023 6:59 am

The Lost Patrol

The sequence of odd hieroglyphics and gestures was not the most straightforward to follow, but after a couple more gesticulations and a few moments of a furrowed brow Nikolai felt that he had at least a conception of what the bonewalkers were requesting - and the information they had conveyed. It was something, a sight of their quarry.

Of course, there was no particular reason, save direction in this moorless world, that they should hunt this necromancer. Still, with few other leads on a method of translating the arcane ritual and acquiring the knowledge to end the blight, that was all for it.

With a dip of his head Lieutenant Zakharov accepted the missive. It would do reading later, before it was delivered, but that would be better done away from these creatures in case they took offense at the action. They had been polite enough... he was pretty sure?... and it would be a shame to have to turn to conflict. If they could even be killed.

As the Patrol departed, bearing south and west, a solitary figure gestured for their attention a solid distance away from the other beings. With a few muttered words under his breath Nikolai sent the rest of the squad continuing on their way, to not make it obvious that he was consulting with the hidden figure, then he casually strolled over to the shadowed monument's lee as a man might if he saw something of curiosity, not importance.

A quizzical look he aimed at the whistling clergyman, and he squatted down, concealing himself further from any prying eyes while waiting for the creature to make its purpose known.

[Missive: ACCEPTed]

[LISTEN: Listening]

by **Elerian** » Sun Jun 11, 2023 12:34 pm

The Mediums

What. The. Fuck.

That was all Boakes could think as he blinked and was suddenly in another reality. It took the Madame a good ten minutes of screaming to wear out her vocal cords and lungs before she could calm down.

The other man kept swearing that he was having a bad trip like two summers ago at Coachella. By the time the Madame had calmed down he was in a fetal position pleading that he’d lay off the acid at Burning Man if only he'd wake up from this nightmare.

The other two women didn’t seem to quite know what to make of the situation, but were taking it better than the other two at least. The bookish looking one kept asking him to radio the station for backup, but at least she wasn’t screaming.

The third woman . . . well she seemed to almost be enjoying whatever this was. She was scared sure, but she appeared to have a knowing look, almost like this was exciting to her. He pegged her as a real freak.

He should have just stayed at home and let whatever the hell this was, happen. After everyone was a hair more calm he’d been able to assess the situation a bit more. Whatever had happened that brought them here, he really didn’t want to know. Whether it be a sick prank his coworkers had planned before his retirement, some strain of new street drug, or even some kind of divine act of God. It didn’t matter. He. Didn’t. Want. To. Know.

He just wanted to get home, go to bed, and then have an existential crisis in the morning over a cup of coffee. Unfortunately nobody knew where home was, or where this was for that matter.

Their best bet in that case would be to make their way to the closest gas station so they could hitch a ride or find a phone and get someone out here to drive them home. None of them came to with their cell phones on them, so their best bet was to find someone with a phone. So after everyone got themselves put together, that’s just what they did…

[PROCEED TO THE SHRINE-TOWN]

by **Lazarian** » Mon Jun 12, 2023 9:25 am

G-Tech Corporation wrote:
The Lost Patrol

The sequence of odd hieroglyphics and gestures was not the most straightforward to follow, but after a couple more gesticulations and a few moments of a furrowed brow Nikolai felt that he had at least a conception of what the bonewalkers were requesting - and the information they had conveyed. It was something, a sight of their quarry.

Of course, there was no particular reason, save direction in this moorless world, that they should hunt this necromancer. Still, with few other leads on a method of translating the arcane ritual and acquiring the knowledge to end the blight, that was all for it.

With a dip of his head Lieutenant Zakharov accepted the missive. It would do reading later, before it was delivered, but that would be better done away from these creatures in case they took offense at the action. They had been polite enough... he was pretty sure?... and it would be a shame to have to turn to conflict. If they could even be killed.

As the Patrol departed, bearing south and west, a solitary figure gestured for their attention a solid distance away from the other beings. With a few muttered words under his breath Nikolai sent the rest of the squad continuing on their way, to not make it obvious that he was consulting with the hidden figure, then he casually strolled over to the shadowed monument's lee as a man might if he saw something of curiosity, not importance.

A quizzical look he aimed at the whistling clergyman, and he squatted down, concealing himself further from any prying eyes while waiting for the creature to make its purpose known.

[Missive: ACCEPTed]

[LISTEN: Listening]

As Nikolai approaches and hides, the ghoulish creature nods in approval. This one is not as quite as withered as the others - it still has patches of fleshy skin along the arms and face, rather than dried flesh and dusty bones. Perhaps it is merely an acolyte, perhaps it was preserved better.

And, evidently, remaining vocal chords.

“Please.” the clergyman rasps in some strange tongue, pointing at Nikolai. “Please…take me away from this place. I beg you.”

It looks off into the endless rows of graves, clutching the wooden beads that it bears.

“We are bound by duty to relieve the sufferings of our brethren, and it is a good and holy work - but I have been here far too long, wasting away into nothing. I will lose myself like so many of the others, naught but a mindless servant to the Order. Every moment I wish to escape - but the journey is too unsafe to depart alone. Take me to the Grand Campaign of the Golden Lord, to dance to the song of the fife and march to the beat of the drums. Please take me away. Please. Please. Please.” he continues, clearly dancing along the very edges of sanity.

Well. Evidently, this priest wishes for an escort away from this place - although this thing shall surely perturb the superiors of the place, and he speaks of no reward other than his company.

#1) [YES] - You’re already heading to the Leper-Lord’s lair. You may as well take this poor creature.

#2) [NO] - The Order will likely not look fondly upon helping one of their members depart, and this miserable bag of bones has nothing to offer.

[Either option will end the chain. All movement options are available.]

by **Lazarian** » Mon Jun 12, 2023 10:07 am

Talchyon wrote:To the Spider's Webs! - Turn 5
Goblins?!
Rest that night was helpful. As they sat near the strange, pulsating gateway that had a power best left untouched, the goblins sat back to mend some wounds and get some strength. Mrtak built a fire in the clearing. While goblins didn't need the light to see, the strange overcast sun and the purple sky made them feel a little colder. The heat was welcome. Even if fires can sometimes attract unwanted company, none bothered them that night.

Clutching the mystic stone they had bought earlier that day, Grnak leaned back and hoped that the older mushroom man's potion would wear off. So far, the rock was doing squat. But maybe he was doing it wrong. Who knew? Goblins have little use for most rocks, except maybe to smash some creature's skull in with. No goblin had ever had a mystic healing rock like this. Maybe it took time. Maybe it had to get acquainted with the user. But whatever was happening, Grnak was content to wait and see. The healing dew likewise had no effect. Grnak wondered what the reason was. Never did it cross his mind that they might have been swindled by a shady merchant.

Frak took one of the dead rats they had brought with them and chewed on a leg. The bones had a nice crunch to them, and the fur was soft and appetizing. Lounging back, Frak asked, "So, we haven't found the treasure yet, but we're better off gold-wise than when we started." That brought a grin to most of the goblins' faces. Everyone but Ak, that is.

Ak chose that moment to impart his 'wisdom'. Without expression, he simply said, "Metal men are not treasures." To which Frak, without even having to think, went to his old stand-by reaction. "Shut up, Ak."

Grnak chose to ignore Ak, and went back to the real topic at hand. "With things we've picked up here and there, even buying from the faun, we're still richer than we were."

Mrtak grinned big, and said, "What was up with that faun anyway? I mentioned the words 'feathered fane' and the grode looked like he suddenly was going to be sick in his loins. He took off quick after that."

Frak just shrugged. "He was a grode." That was enough of an explanation for them.

There was really nothing to say to that. Grnak wondered how the faun had lied - it was pretty clear that he had. But it apparently wasn't for withholding medicines. Well, that was then and not now. They had a little less gold, but they'd be better off with the bandages and other local remedies. Who knew when they'd need them?

The fire crackled into the night. As the gateway on the rock thrummed with an underlying current of untouched power, the sounds one might expect at night were around but muted. As if rats, bats, woodchucks and other creatures were keeping away from the clearing, but not so far away that they had completely gone. Into the silence of rest and thinking what the next day might bring, Nak spoke up.

"There was a clan who had the dumbest two grodes. Their names were Sven and Oley..." The goblins all grinned, as Nak launched into the old, familiar accounts of the legendary goblin grodes, who made even normal grodes look smart. It was an instant hit. Making fun of Sven and Oley always brought down the house. And as Nak told more and more, sometimes with Sven and Oley building the worst hovels, or borrowing the dumbest items, or trying to steal things that nobody would ever want to steal, the other goblins howled until their sides ached with the laughs. It was a good night all things considered. It made it hard for the goblins to want to go to sleep - but when they did, each had a huge, goblin grin on his green face.

The next "morning" (which, wasn't necessarily morning since the sky still looked the same mauve color it had all night), the goblins got up and headed their way south. Leaving behind the powerful gateway in the forest clearing, the goblins found themselves getting deeper and deeper into the woods. Few travelers seemed to go here. What there was of sunlight was dimmed more than normal as the goblins trudged feeling heavier than normal.

And then, Ak provoked a den of Goblin-sized spiders! And a fight was on!

After the fight, the tired goblins kept going south... only to find what looked like the spiders had been there first. Thick webs surrounded the place. No spiders were in sight... But what was that in the middle of that web? A cocoon, wriggling? Something was alive there...

Looking at the others who were unsure of what they should do, Frak said, "Ah, frazz. It could be someone trapped up there." Grabbing a sharp rock, he climbed up into the web to start cutting open the wriggling cocoon, in the hopes that it was a fellow traveler who hadn't had the same success against the spiders they had just had. Nak called out to him as Frak climbed, "Spider webs get sticky though, Frak!" But it was too late. The goblin had hopped up somehow to the squirming cocoon and was cutting it open with the rock...

INTERACT #2 - CUT THE COCOONS

Frak (Soldier, Vigorous)
12/12 Vitality, 10/10 Stability, 8/9 Might (8 normal +1 extra due to Vigorous, -1 Mauve sky), 5/4 Insight (+1 Mauve sky), 8 Dexterity

Mrtak (Soldier, Unshakeable Warrior)
12/12 Vitality, 10/10 Stability, 7/8 Might (+2 Might vs. Eldritch, -1 Mauve sky), 5/4 Insight (+1 Mauve sky), 8 Dexterity

Nak (Sage, Language Expert)
8/10 Vitality, 10/10 Stability, 3/4 Might (-1 Mauve sky), 9/8 Insight (+2 in language-based checks, +1 Mauve sky), 4 Dexterity

Ak (Seer, Eye for Treasure - Significantly increased odds of discovering Wealth in certain events AND Mekhanite Slayer.)
9/10 Vitality, 10/10 Stability, 3/4 Might (-1 Mauve sky), 5/4 Insight (+1 Mauve sky), 4 Dexterity

Grnak (Seer, Living Lie Detector - Has a high chance of detecting dishonesty from NPCs.)
10 Vitality, 10 Stability, 2/4 Might (-1 Mauve sky, also see note on Dex.), 5/4 Insight (+1 Mauve sky), 3/4 Dexterity (might and dexterity at -1 until cured)
Also has a Memory of Crystal (consumable)

Inventory:
Scholars studies (relic) - The map that led them here, along with some of the other scribblings that came with it.
A shovel (relic) - The better to dig up buried treasure!
A metal canteen. Basically a bottle.
5 Cloth bandages
Sacred Dew (consumable x2): "Dew, harvested from the sacred pools of the Old Forest. It'll cure any ailment, if the spirits of the trees find your prayers sufficient."
Purging Stone (consumable x1): "Carry this rock upon you, and it shall absorb foul energies in your stead."
Metal ore (worth half a wealth! But not shiny)
A consumable memory of crystal for Grnak (?)
A consumable memory of the banter of jokes about those two legendary goblin grodes, Sven and Oley (+1 consumable. For each goblin?)
Rations: 8 (9 from last round; -1 ration for the turn)
Wealth: 26.5 (31.5 from last round; -5 from buying from the merchant)

To Frak's displeasure, the cocoons do not carry struggling travelers or golden treasures, but rather a clutch of eggs! Some of them have already hatched, already the size of Frak's torso, and they eagerly burst from the hole in the cocoon, pouring out in a great stream of legs and eyes and chittering mandibles. Disgusting!

Not all the eggs have hatched, however. Several still lie unhatched, and Frak grabs one and stuffs it into his mouth. Yellow insect organs squish in his teeth as he chows down on it - absolutely delicious. He encourages the others to go ahead and stuff the packs - the texture is sublime! Supposedly. At least as good as the rats. [+2 Ration]

While they’re harvesting the eggs, one of the goblins has the idea to harvest some of the spider silk as well - this may be useful for something, surely? [Obtained: 1 Length of Spider-Silk]

Thankfully, the giant spiders must be hunting or asleep, for no immediate vengeance falls upon the Goblins for their trespassing. It would be best not to linger here for long, however. The creatures will be back. [End of chain.]

[Movement Options: All directions except Northwest.]

by **Lazarian** » Mon Jun 12, 2023 10:59 am

Lunas Legion wrote:The Psyche - Turn 5
None of them paid the preacher any mind as they passed. The ominous ramblings of a fanatic. If there was a higher power, then they could prove their own existence. Not rely on whatever followers they may have. They walked on in silence, eventually camping by the side of the road. Cruelty glared at the back of False Courage's head as she kept watch, marinating in his own quiet sulleness. Curiosity rambled by the fire, poking it occasionally. Courage slept a short distance from the fire, tossing from side to side in her sleep. Confusion screamed at some point, waking up a half-asleep False Courage who gave them an annoyed glare.

Curiosity left before breakfast, and returned as the others were eating.

"There's a festival to the south." He reported, mock-saluting. "Mostly it's more farmland, but the festival's the important part. Food, music, spirits..." He had an almost longing look in his eye."Can we take a detour? Please? It isn't far..."

"No." Cruelty growled. "I think I can speak for the others."

""West." Courage agreed. "We know where we're going, after all. I won't brook a diversion."

"Fine." Curiosity sighed. "At least the town's pretty nice."

The town was, indeed, 'pretty nice'. As they made their way west civilisation made its presence known, with the road constantly lined by fields and farms, proper villages built of timber and thatch with vegetable gardens. The town was more of the same, simply larger. There was no wall nor castle, not even paving on the road, but it was nonetheless the largest place they had seen the whole time they were here. People bustled throughout the streets, another strange priest wandered through the masses, preaching to the air. A column of black smoke rose into the air, the clang of hammers echoing. A small sign signalled an inn. A larger building with a spire stood at the far end of the settlement.

"That's what I saw earlier." Curiosity explained. "The spire. There's so much to do here! There's a blacksmith, there's a herbalist-"

"Cruelty, go get yourself treated." Contempt ordered, fishing out a number of questionable coins. "No complaining. Otherwise how else are you going to keep up with the rest of us?"

Cruelty, to his credit, did not complain vocally. But his displeasure was clear in his sullen expression and slow, tired walk.

"Market, I overheard that the mayor and some clergy live in a big residence near the church-" Curiosity continued.

"We're just passing through, right?" False Courage looked to Courage, who nodded.

"Right. I don't like dealing with these..." Courage sighed. "Priests. They put me on edge."

“Seven tongues of seven spires. Seven eyes and seven smiles. Seven storms with seven pieces. Seven profane holy places.” Confusion whispered, pointing at the steeple.

"Even more reason not to be dealing with the priests." Contempt remarked. "Confusion has a good instinct for these things."

"Oh, I almost forgot." Curiosity said. "We're East enough, I think. We should probably start turning Southeast, if the vision I saw is anything to go by."

"Then Southeast we go." Courage nodded. "I don't want to stay here long. Contempt, Confusion, wait here. Curiosity, go on ahead."

"Aw." Curiosity pouted. "I wanted to see the musicians..."

"Go." Courage ordered, and Curiosity obediently scampered off.

"And me?" False Courage asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We." Courage said. "Are going to the blacksmith, to get some weapons.

"Does that mean I get the hammer?" False Courage asked, eyes lighting up.

"No." Courage said, leading her doppelganger away. "You are not getting the hammer. But I'll see if I can't get you some armour."

"Yes." False Courage let out a small cheer.

Actions:
+2 Stability (Curiosity)
+1 Stability (Confusion)
Move: South-East
Scout: South-East [South-East]
Purchase: Common Sword, Short Spear, Thick Vest (-10 Wealth)
Herbalist: -3 Wealth, +2 Vitality (Cruelty) (1 Wealth remains)

Courage (Soldier, Unshakable Warrior)
12/12 Vitality, 10/10 Stability, 8 Might, 4 Insight, 8 Dexterity
[EQUIPPED: Sledgehammer]

False Courage (Soldier, Unshakable Warrior)
12/12 Vitality, 10/10 Stability, 8 Might, 4 Insight, 8 Dexterity
[EQUIPPED: Thick Vest, Common Sword]

Cruelty (Soldier, Slugger)
9/12 Vitality, 10/10 Stability, 10 Might, 4 Insight, 6 Dexterity
[EQUIPPED: Buckner Tower-Shield, Short Spear]

Curiosity (Scout, Stealthy)
8/10 Vitality, 6/10 Stability, 6 Might, 6 Insight, 12 Dexterity
[EQUIPPED: Leather Boots (Foot)]

Contempt (Soother, Trained Therapist)
8/10 Vitality, 12/12 Stability, 4 Might, 6 Insight, 4 Dexterity

Confusion (Sufferer, Sees Things How They Truly Are)
10/10 Vitality, 7/8 Stability, 4 Might, 15 Insight, 4 Dexterity
[EQUIPPED: Bottle (Bladder)]

Inventory:
Rations: 10 (-1 for turn)
Wealth: 1

As the Psyche leave the town, new equipment in hand - eyes watch them from the shadows. Whispers pass from lips to ears.

It is not long that Curiosity, keen eyed and alert, notices a group following them, mounted upon oxen - although these mighty beasts seem capable of running at a trot, unlike any cattle that they may have seen before. A large pennant flaps in the wind behind them. There are four of them in number, with three holding long spears.

Alas - the area is a flat plain, and even if Courage and her band would seek to flee, there are few places to hide. Nowhere to run.

“Ah, travelers! Children of the Dais! Do thou know that it is a rude thing indeed to visit a town without paying homage to its lord?” the foremost amongst them bellows loudly as he draws close, a stern frown upon his jowled face.

The speaker is fat, with a noticeable paunch and thick limbs. He sits broad as two men, and a strange sphere of silver rests in the socket where his left eye should be. A large navy surcoat with that damned seven-mouthed gear drapes across his wide chest, and a small silver circlet sits proudly atop the man’s balding head. A local lord of some sort, clearly.

“No matter. I pardon your indiscretion.” the man says pompously from the height of his steed, waving a meaty hand. “But I shall warn thee - every sin has an atonement to pay.”

He clears his throat.

“I am Anakreon, Lord and Law and Light of this Shrine-City. There are two indulgences for which your impropriety against me can be forgiven. The first is that you offer a proper tribute.” he says boredly, his face plain and uninterested. It is clear to Confusion that he does not truly care about the meager wealth they may offer him, but rather his reputation and standing amongst his subjects.

"The second, however, is something that can benefit us both. I see that you all are heading to the southwest, where this winding path shall lead. Into the rocky Highlands and domain of the Singing Stars. It seems that Mekhan indeed smiles upon us, for I have a message which needs to be delivered to the Fuathmhar, who make their homes in the jagged peaks therein.” he continues, holding out a small pouch of jingling coins, a small metal bracer of iron, and a small metal box covered in strange etchings.

“Deliver this message, and I shall both pardon thy sin and reward thee in turn.”

#1) [PAY THE TRIBUTE] - Hand over 1 Wealth and be rid of this blustering noble. (-1 Wealth)

#2) [ACCEPT THE MISSION] - As odious as this would-be-king may be, that is a fine bag of coin indeed…and you are indeed heading to the Southwest already. (Obtain 5 Wealth, Strange Box. Choose a character to wear the Oath Bracer.)

#3) [REJECT THIS FOOL] - There are four of them and six of you. Picking a fight is a risky proposition for them. Who is to say that you shall visit these lands again? Refuse his demand and call his bluff.

#4) [TURN THE TABLES] - Take the wealth from this man - and then go on the attack! The Psyche is not a group to kneel to any lord! Deliver a beatdown and take their wealth. (Three characters of your choice get Advantage in the ensuing combat.)

by **Lunas Legion** » Mon Jun 12, 2023 12:14 pm

The Psyche - Turn 5 Cont.

"We're being followed." Curiosity said.

Courage groaned. "Please tell me you're joking."

False Courage looked back over her shoulder. "Unfortunately, he isn't. We are, indeed, being followed."

Courage looked back over her shoulder, holding a fist up to bring the group to a halt. "Shit." She swore, a rare event. Cruelty smirked. False Courage gave her an offended look.

Four beasts like large oxen, all mounted. Three riders held long spears and a long pennant flapped in the wind behind them, whatever symbol was upon it obscured by the combination of angle and flapping. The lead figure was different, fat and thick-limbed, a silver eye in his left socket. The seven-mouthed gear upon his chest marked his allegiance, and the silver circlet atop his brow made that not allegiance, but lordship.

Courage glanced around. Curse this damnable plain. Nowhere to hide, and on the flat ground, they'd be outrun by the beasts.

“Ah, travelers! Children of the Dais! Do thou know that it is a rude thing indeed to visit a town without paying homage to its lord?” The lord bellowed as he led the band closer, frowning down at them. “No matter. I pardon your indiscretion. But I shall warn thee - every sin has an atonement to pay.” He waved a fat, meaty hand and cleared his throat.

Courage tapped her foot, impatient. Cruelty stepped up next to her.

“I am Anakreon, Lord and Law and Light of this Shrine-City. There are two indulgences for which your impropriety against me can be forgiven. The first is that you offer a proper tribute.”

"He doesn't care." Confusion's voice in her ear was like cold water, shocking and unexpected. "Not for the tribute."

"And we're broke." Cruelty added, voice quiet for once.

"I know that." Courage hissed. She'd spent the money, after all.

"The second, however, is something that can benefit us both. I see that you all are heading to the southwest, where this winding path shall lead. Into the rocky Highlands and domain of the Singing Stars. It seems that Mekhan indeed smiles upon us, for I have a message which needs to be delivered to the Fuathmhar, who make their homes in the jagged peaks therein.” He held out a pouch of coins, a small metal bracer and a metal box covered in strange etchings. “Deliver this message, and I shall both pardon thy sin and reward thee in turn.”

"We're headed that way already." Contempt noted. "What's the... Oh." She glanced over at Curiosity, who was staring intently at the strange box.

"Indeed." Courage said, glancing between False Courage and Cruelty. The former nodded; she was her after all, so they had come to the same thought. Cruelty just grinned.

"Lord Anakreon." Courage began. "As worthy an offer you extend, I must on behalf of our group refuse for the simple reason of I do not believe that if you wish the message to arrive unopened, our group would carry it for long without one in particular of our members succumbing to a desire to do so. If you do not care about such, then before I accept, I must ask what the message is and if you cannot or will not say then again, I must refuse you. I do not wish to bear an order for our execution to the... Fuathmhar?" She attempted to pronounce the unfamiliar word. They could always avoid coming back this way regardless. If they needed to come back at all.

Actions:
[REJECT THIS FOOL]

by **The Epic Notepad of GrangerAirstrike** » Mon Jun 12, 2023 12:44 pm

It took quite some time for the impromptu squad of only minutes ago sieged-out soldiers, civilians and nurses deep in the Kingdom of Galicia-Lodomeria to recover from the shock of being sent through time and space into an almost dreamlike world completely foreign to them to get any grip on what, or how to do... Each of the five individuals reacted in their own way, the Croat joking to himself and his compatriots about the situation, the Pole accompanied by his own manic and strange thoughts, the Austrian nurse focusing her attention on the men to distract herself (even if she didn't consciously think of it as such), the Hungarian Cavalryman and scout using his own rationale on planning and acting instead of becoming crazed by the situation, and the Austrian Zugsführer finding himself a shovel not metres beyond their location, and focusing his mind on the prize instead of the incredibly odd situation before him, at least for now...

For it'd be Joel Fichter von Clary und Aldringen - who though perhaps more dim conceptually than Sławomir, more dim practically than Sofia and more dim socially than Zvonko was naturally inclined towards leadership - who'd issue his command to the rest, and finally get them truly on their feet with a firm, loud

Achtung, alle zusammen!
(At attention, everyone!)

To which would finally give the other four the motivation to focus, if not on the environment surrounding them, then towards him... And almost immediately, conversation would start, primarily about what is on the agenda and where to go.

Wir sind verloren ... Keiner von uns weiß, wo wir sind oder wie wir hierher gekommen sind ... Und ohne eine andere Richtung ist es die richtige Entscheidung, dem Offensichtlichen zu folgen
(We're lost...None of us know where we are or how we got here...And with no other direction, following the obvious is the right decision)

A francba... Zobor, nem bánnád, ha lefordítanál nekem?
(Shit... Zobor, would you mind translating for me?)

Krisztusom... Nézd, megpróbálhatom, de ne várj csodát
(Christ... Look, I can try, but don't expect a miracle)

Of course, everyone would exchange their thoughts on how to proceed, in their own time... It was obvious what Joel was referring to, or as obvious as it could possibly be for Zobor and Zvonko, whom only have a conversational grasp on German between them

Ich werde meine eigenen Gedanken nicht austauschen, bis Sie es alle tun
(I won't share my own thoughts until you all do)

Die Marmorstruktur... Sie ruft uns. Es erfordert unsere Anwesenheit, da bin ich mir sicher
(The marble structure... It calls us. It requires our presence, I'm sure)

Natürlich würde man das denken
(Of course you'd think that)

Komm jetzt, Joel... Es würde uns zumindest Schutz bieten
(Come now, Joel... It would at least give us shelter)

Lehet, hogy van benne valami értékes számunkra... Próbáld meg figyelmen kívül hagyni, hogy hellénnek tűnik
(It might have something of value to us... Try to ignore the fact that it looks Hellenic)

Er sagte, es könnte etwas Wertvolles für uns sein ... Versuchen Sie, die Tatsache zu ignorieren, dass er hellenisch aussieht
(He said it might be something of value to us... Try to ignore the fact that it looks Hellenic)

Verdammter Witzbold
(Fucking Jokester)

Joel finished with, chuckling ever so slightly. He was so drained of care thanks to the brutality and destruction of Przemyśl that even the hinted tease about the Greeks got him, even if only a little...
But, he'd conclude the conversation for them now...

Nun, damit wir hier nicht warten und verschwenden, machen wir uns auf den Weg zur Marmorstruktur. Es sei denn, wir haben irgendwelche Argumente?
(Well, so that we don't wait and waste here, let's make our way to the marble structure. Unless we have any arguments?)

Once the German was translated by Zobor to the best of his ability to Hungarian, a language the Croat was more familiar with, everyone shook their head firmly as to say "nope, no arguments here"...

And so, after all the events from awakening to the current moment had concluded, the five displaced Austro-Hungarians would march across a footpath leading to "The Oracle", unbeknownst to them as of right then...

Option 3) Go forth to the Oracle ✓

by **Lazarian** » Mon Jun 12, 2023 1:30 pm

Lunas Legion wrote:The Psyche - Turn 5 Cont.
"We're being followed." Curiosity said.

Courage groaned. "Please tell me you're joking."

False Courage looked back over her shoulder. "Unfortunately, he isn't. We are, indeed, being followed."

Courage looked back over her shoulder, holding a fist up to bring the group to a halt. "Shit." She swore, a rare event. Cruelty smirked. False Courage gave her an offended look.

Four beasts like large oxen, all mounted. Three riders held long spears and a long pennant flapped in the wind behind them, whatever symbol was upon it obscured by the combination of angle and flapping. The lead figure was different, fat and thick-limbed, a silver eye in his left socket. The seven-mouthed gear upon his chest marked his allegiance, and the silver circlet atop his brow made that not allegiance, but lordship.

Courage glanced around. Curse this damnable plain. Nowhere to hide, and on the flat ground, they'd be outrun by the beasts.

“Ah, travelers! Children of the Dais! Do thou know that it is a rude thing indeed to visit a town without paying homage to its lord?” The lord bellowed as he led the band closer, frowning down at them. “No matter. I pardon your indiscretion. But I shall warn thee - every sin has an atonement to pay.” He waved a fat, meaty hand and cleared his throat.

Courage tapped her foot, impatient. Cruelty stepped up next to her.

“I am Anakreon, Lord and Law and Light of this Shrine-City. There are two indulgences for which your impropriety against me can be forgiven. The first is that you offer a proper tribute.”

"He doesn't care." Confusion's voice in her ear was like cold water, shocking and unexpected. "Not for the tribute."

"And we're broke." Cruelty added, voice quiet for once.

"I know that." Courage hissed. She'd spent the money, after all.

"The second, however, is something that can benefit us both. I see that you all are heading to the southwest, where this winding path shall lead. Into the rocky Highlands and domain of the Singing Stars. It seems that Mekhan indeed smiles upon us, for I have a message which needs to be delivered to the Fuathmhar, who make their homes in the jagged peaks therein.” He held out a pouch of coins, a small metal bracer and a metal box covered in strange etchings. “Deliver this message, and I shall both pardon thy sin and reward thee in turn.”

"We're headed that way already." Contempt noted. "What's the... Oh." She glanced over at Curiosity, who was staring intently at the strange box.

"Indeed." Courage said, glancing between False Courage and Cruelty. The former nodded; she was her after all, so they had come to the same thought. Cruelty just grinned.

"Lord Anakreon." Courage began. "As worthy an offer you extend, I must on behalf of our group refuse for the simple reason of I do not believe that if you wish the message to arrive unopened, our group would carry it for long without one in particular of our members succumbing to a desire to do so. If you do not care about such, then before I accept, I must ask what the message is and if you cannot or will not say then again, I must refuse you. I do not wish to bear an order for our execution to the... Fuathmhar?" She attempted to pronounce the unfamiliar word. They could always avoid coming back this way regardless. If they needed to come back at all.

Actions:
[REJECT THIS FOOL]

Courage (Soldier, Unshakable Warrior)
12/12 Vitality, 10/10 Stability, 8 Might, 4 Insight, 8 Dexterity
[EQUIPPED: Sledgehammer]

False Courage (Soldier, Unshakable Warrior)
12/12 Vitality, 10/10 Stability, 8 Might, 4 Insight, 8 Dexterity
[EQUIPPED: Thick Vest, Common Sword]

Cruelty (Soldier, Slugger)
9/12 Vitality, 10/10 Stability, 10 Might, 4 Insight, 6 Dexterity
[EQUIPPED: Buckner Tower-Shield, Short Spear]

Curiosity (Scout, Stealthy)
8/10 Vitality, 6/10 Stability, 6 Might, 6 Insight, 12 Dexterity
[EQUIPPED: Leather Boots (Foot)]

Contempt (Soother, Trained Therapist)
8/10 Vitality, 12/12 Stability, 4 Might, 6 Insight, 4 Dexterity

Confusion (Sufferer, Sees Things How They Truly Are)
10/10 Vitality, 7/8 Stability, 4 Might, 15 Insight, 4 Dexterity
[EQUIPPED: Bottle (Bladder)]

Inventory:
Rations: 10 (-1 for turn)
Wealth: 1

Anakreon huffs, visibly irritated. It is clear he is a man who is not used to being refused - or, at least, he is in the process of becoming that sort.

"Tch. If I wished for thy deaths, I'd do the wicked deed here and now by the strength of mine own hands. Not through some underhanded trick." he scoffs, crossing his meaty arms.

After a few moments, he takes a deep breath.

"However, I understand your reluctance. These are dangerous lands and dangerous times. But no, this is not a writ of execution. It is simply a request to the chief of the Fuathmhar to abide by his promise to me."

Courage evidently is not convinced by this. Reluctantly, Anakreon fiddles with the box for a few moments, and then it opens. To her surprise, his voice emanates from the device. Somehow, his voice - or a mimicry of it - has been sealed within.

"Greetings, Righ Daegan, noble ruler of the Fuathmhar, protector of the sacred vales of the Beinn, Favored Son of the Stars, Bane of the Grenskyn. It is I, Anakreon, Lord and Law and Light of the Shrine-City. I once again beseech thee to provide your long-promised aid against the charlatan Haggert, whose ill intent spreads now across lands both near and far." the voice echoes, sounding oddly metallic. "Do you not remember our promise? Do not forget what I did for y-"

Anakreon snaps the box shut quickly.

"See? No writ of execution." he says calmly, extending it back to Courage once more.

[All previous options are available.]

by **Lunas Legion** » Mon Jun 12, 2023 1:48 pm

The Psyche - Turn 5 Cont.

Curiosity's shoulders slumped. How boring. Such a fancy box for just... Carrying a voice. He'd expected something mysterious not something that felt... Surprisingly mundane to him.

"Like I said." Contempt said, flicking an annoyed glare at Courage. "We're going that way anyways. There's no harm in carrying a package we know the contents of. Someone spent all our coin, and our good lord here offers us good reward for such a light load."

"You know we should take it." False Courage added, elbowing Courage gently in the side. "C'mon. Be a friend. And not an ass like someone." She left the statement open, not clarifying who exactly she was referring to.

Courage said nothing, not wanting to give Contempt or her doppelganger the satisfaction of victory as she reached out and took the box, the action as much a sign of acceptance as speaking would be.

"I'll take the bracer." Courage said, holding the box under one arm. "You've got a shield, Cruelty, don't complain."

"I'm not." Cruelty said. "I'm just laughing at you taking orders like a horse."

Courage glared at him, but that only made him laugh aloud.

Actions:
[ACCEPT THE MISSION]
+5 Wealth
Gained Strange Box
Courage equipped Oath Bracer

by **Lazarian** » Tue Jun 13, 2023 11:18 am

TURN SIX: FRESH FUEL TO THE FIRE

The Dais thrums with power, pulling two new bands of adventurers into the fray. May fate smile upon them!

THE PSYCHE

[EVENT: A RIDDLE BETWEEN]

As the Psyche wanders along the road, they see a small gathering in the distance. There is a warm fire - the sound of laughter - and a circle of staked tents. Herdsmen, wanderers, a shady couple of brotherly-looking bandits - and a green-skinned giant of a man! It's a fascinating bunch, to be sure. They sit around the campfire, passing around a bottle of something viscously black. They're wagering on riddles. Will you join them for a spell?

#1) [IGNORE] - Walk away. Riddles are for children. (No consequences. Nothing gained, nothing lost.)

#2) [A SIMPLE RIDDLE] - Bet a trinket on one of the simpler riddles. The ‘Grenskyn’, as the others call him, is just bursting to try it. (Select a common trinket to bet and a party member to attempt the challenge.)

#3) [A REAL CHALLENGE] - No need for child’s play - why not seek a real challenge, for something substantial? Here's a sardonic woman with a pair of matched knives, a silver hoop earring and a Highland accent. She has a real riddle. (Offer up the Sledgehammer to bet, and select a party member to attempt the challenge.)

#4) [A ROYAL RIDDLE] - At the Mad King's feasts, the guests are said to challenge one another to answer these riddles. You need not pay the dreadful penalty they do. But you will need to stump up something truly grand to challenge the ragged creature that offers it - a humanoid wrapped in thick layers of robes, with beady black eyes staring through a veil. (Offer up Buckner Tower-Shield, Sledgehammer, and two common trinkets to bet, and select a party member to attempt the challenge.)

[SCOUTING REPORT: SOUTHWEST]

The land changes here, rising into a mountainous region filled with steep hills and deep ravines alike. The fertile fields and forests of the Shrine-Lands fall away into sparse taiga. A few spruce trees dot the landscape, but most plants here are short grasses or knobby shrubs. It is much colder here - Curiosity shivers, wrapping his arms around his body to preserve warmth.

There are signs of civilization here - recent footsteps, a herd of thick wooly sheep in the distance, and what appears to be an ancient monument of some sort. But more importantly, Curiosity stumbles upon an interesting thing! A disembodied head lies helplessly in a muddy ditch. It is the head of a man, though the eyes are closed - and it has a strange metal stake extending down where the neck would be, and odd blue plates where hair should be.

As he approaches it, the head’s eyes open sharply!

“Help!” the head cries feebly, voice crackling unnaturally. “Please, traveler, do not leave me here! My body has been stolen! Please, take me with you!”

(Curiosity can either take the head with him when he returns to the group, or leave it be.)

[LOCATION EVENT: SOUTHWEST - WORK-GANG]

As the Psyche continue on, they encounter a large crew of commoners - mostly farmers and laborers - in the midst of clearing out some crumbling ruins. These are rough and tumble men, marked with scars and tattoos alike. Bronze medallions dangle from their necks, with a “J” engraved upon the front.

It is not long before a foreman approaches Curiosity, extending an offer. Evidently, they are a group of settlers, new to these lands - and they plan to rebuild and repurpose these ancient ruins. More hands make the burden light - if the Psyche wish to earn a good day’s wages, the offer stands.

#1) [A HARD DAY’S LABOR] - You may as well aid these men in clearing out this rubble. (Guaranteed 2 Wealth and 2 Rations.)

#2) [SEARCH THE RUINS] - These crumbling stones may hold a hidden cellar, or a rusty weapon. It may be worth ignoring the foreman and combing through the ruins instead.

#3) [IGNORE THEM] - These dusty ruins hold no interest, nor does the prospect of toil. (Scrounge/Recuperate)

[CHECKS]

Contempt speaks words of encouragement - or, at the very least, ones that raise someone’s spirits a little bit through one way or another. [+1 Stability to chosen party member.]

Unfortunately, as the Psyche wander down the road, Confusion stops in their tracks and looks up at the sky again, facing towards the hills and mountains.

“Do you see them? Oh. They’re beautiful.” they say, a single tear trailing down their face. “Oh, to be a part of the dance!” [-1 Stability]

Strangely, as they venture onwards, some of the Psyche cannot help but notice that False Courage is starting to look…off. Pale. Thin. Weak. When they stop for camp, she scarfs down her meal ravenously, tearing into it with her fingers.

When she has the chance, she pulls Courage off to the side and begs for extra rations. False Courage will not elaborate as to why, however. [Optional: Consume an additional ration this turn.]

When Courage wakes up for her shift of the watch, she starts in horror - the Oath Bracer has grown several steel tendrils around her arm, wrapping around it firmly and locking itself shut! [-1 Stability!]

Unfortunately, all attempts to remove it are fruitless. It seems that this bracer was not a benevolent gift. It is not harming Courage in any manner now, but… [The Oath Bracer cannot be removed by the Psyche, but does not cost an item slot.]

THE GOBLINS!

[COMBAT: SPIDERS]

As the Goblins leave the lair of the spiders, delicious eggs in hand, it is not long before they hear the sound of skittering behind them! A dozen spiders nearly the size of the goblins themselves follow, scurrying over roots and stones and trees to catch them! Mrtak and Frak are ready - and they get the jump on the spiders. Grabbing stones in their hands, they deliver crushing blows to the first two spiders, crunching exoskeletons and slaying the beasts instantly.

The other members of the Goblins, however, are not so lucky. The swarm quickly catches up with them, snipping at them with sharp fangs! Nak in particular takes several nasty bites, attempting to shield himself with his arms to stop the creatures. [Nak: -3 Vitality!]

It does not take long before chaos ensues. The fight devolves into a frantic melee, with Mrtak and Frak laying waste to the spiders left and right - and Ak, Nak, and Grnak getting the brunt of the assault, quickly losing ground and taking wounds. [Ak: -3 Vitality!] [Nak: -3 Vitality!] [Grnak: -3 Vitality!]

Suddenly, Nak howls, as fang stabs through his chest from the back! [Nak: -3 Vitality! DEATH’S DOOR!]

Needless to say, this causes the others to panic. Even if Nak is a no-good reading grode, he’s still one of them. [-1 Stability for everyone. -2 Stability for Nak]

Suddenly, Frak leaps in front of Nak, protecting him from further harm. He stands bravely in the onslaught, taking wounds in his injured comrade’s stead. Three spiders rip and tear at him, their beady eyes filled with hate. [-6 Vitality!]

The fight continues, with the four fighting fiercely against the remaining seven spiders. Frak crunches the skull of another spider with his bare hands, headbutting it to finish it off. [NEW TRAIT: Beast Hater (+2 Might against Beasts)]

Alas! Despite Frak’s bravery, the savagery of the spiders is difficult to withstand - and though Ak and Grnak are doing their best, it is truly only Mrtak and Frak who are putting an end to the foes. The two seers are feeble in strength, and their blows merely glance off the carapaces of their enemies.

As Frak wrestles with two spiders at once, poking their beady eyes and chewing and scratching, his wounds rapidly mount. [-3 Vitality!] He gives as well as he gets, sending yet another one skittering off into the dark - but then another spider grabs him by the neck and slams him against a nearby stone! It is a devastating blow! [Frak: -3 Vitality! DEATH’S DOOR!]

Watching their leader take such dreadful wounds is hard to bear - and the rising panic amongst the goblins mounts! [-1 Stability for everyone, -2 for Frak!]

And the spider continues its attack on Frak, leaping upon him and delivering another strike…

[-2 Vitality - DEATH’S DOOR ROLLED…]

[FAILED! Frak is bleeding out!]

It is too much - Frak passes out, blood pouring from his chest. He will surely die if the others are unable to staunch his wounds. It is a good thing that they encountered Diep, scam or no scam - for without the bandages on hand, Frak would have no chance at all. This, of course, causes further panic. Mrtak howls, leaping in front of Frak’s prone figure and protecting their leader from further harm. [-2 Stability for everyone.]

Nak scrambles, despite clinging to life, to wrap the bandages around Frak’s wound. Ak and Mrtak continue to struggle to keep the five remaining spiders from overrunning their small perimeter, swinging stones and shouting taunts and putting up a desperate fight.

Nak’s hands slip. His attempt is not good enough. More blood spills from the opening, soaking the rocks and roots beneath. [NAK HEAL ATTEMPT: FAILURE. -1 Bandage. -1 Stability for everyone!]

Grnak and Ak sustain more injuries - they dodge one spider’s bite only to fall into another’s clutches! [Grnak: -3 Vitality!] [Ak: -3 Vitality!]

Grnak and Nak switch places. Nak’s hands are trembling too much to try again - but Grnak’s attempt is not enough either. [GRNAK HEAL ATTEMPT: FAILURE! -1 Bandage. -1 Stability for everyone!]

Mrtak strikes a lethal blow, putting down another one of the spiders. Ak pushes Grnak out of the way, trading places to attempt to stem the flow of blood. [AK HEAL ATTEMPT: FAILURE! -1 Bandage. -1 Stability for everyone!]

Nak's nerves cool down, and he narrowly avoids another leaping spider, sprints behind Frak, and tries again! It...still isn't good enough. [NAK HEAL ATTEMPT: FAILURE! -1 Bandage. -1 Stability for everyone!]

[GRNAK HEAL ATTEMPT: FAILURE! -1 Bandage. -1 Stability for everyone!]

The stress and the panic gets to poor Nak - watching their brave leader bleeding to death on the rocks is too much!

"GET ME OUT OF HERE!" he screams, and he flees into the woods, sobbing and clutching his head. [NAK: MENTAL BREAKDOWN!] [NEW TRAIT: Fear of Beasts (-2 Might against Beasts)]

Perhaps it was Ak's dream of surgery that allowed his hands to tie it right. Perhaps it was his knack for finding treasure - in this case, the treasure of the right vein to stem to save his fellow's life. Regardless - the wound is stopped. Frak will not die today. [AK HEAL ATTEMPT: SUCCESS! FRAK: Stabilized. -1 Spider Silk. +1 Stability to everyone.]

Ak takes a bite to the back during his lifesaving procedure. [Ak: -1 Vitality!]

Mrtak, snarling, slams one spider into the other, crushing both of them. A third one bites his back as he does so, but Mrtak shrugs it off, biting it right back! [Mrtak: -2 Vitality!]

Grnak has been fighting nobly this entire time to buy time for the others. Alas - he is not a fighter. He sustains another wound... [GRNAK: DEATH’S DOOR! -1 Stability to everyone, -2 Stability to Grnak]

It is too much to bear! He howls in agony and adrenaline, more akin to a wounded animal than a smart-thinking goblin! [GRNAK: MENTAL BREAKDOWN! NEW TRAIT: Thanatophobia (Character will flee a combat upon dropping to 3 or less Vitality)]

But despite their mounting wounds, the Goblins live to see another day. Mrtak is able to put down the last of the spiders - it hits the stones with a thud, cold dead legs curling inwards...and there is finally quiet.

PARTY STATUS:

Frak: 0/12 Vitality, 7/10 Stability
Mrtak: 9/12 Vitality, 1/10 Stability
Nak: 0/10 Vitality, 3/10 Stability
Ak: 1/10 Vitality, 1/10 Stability
Grnak: 0/10 Vitality, 3/10 Stability

LOOT:
10 Spider Silk (can be consumed for +1 Vitality)
10 Rations

[EVENT: TRUTH UNDREAMT OF]

These strange, ever-shifting Lands Between are prowled by dreams. The why of it is likely lost to fools and corpses alike - but so it goes. What do you dream of?

#1) [A DREAM OF SAND]

#2) [A DREAM OF SPIRES]

#3) [A DREAM OF DESCENT]

[LOCATION EVENT: SOUTH - MYSTERIOUS FOUNTAIN]

As the Goblins wander more deeply into the forest, the signs of the spiders slowly fade away. No more webs cover the branches, thankfully. This region of the woods is more alive - vast herds of deer can be spotted in dimly lit clearings, strange winged rodents leap from tree to tree, and birds of all sorts chirp their eerie songs.

There is more than simple nature to admire in this place, however. Nak stumbles upon something curious! Tucked within a small cavern hidden underneath the enormous roots lies a bubbling fountain, surrounded by the remains of what once may have been a building. The stone from which it was formed gleams with a strange luminescence, casting a warm glow upon the surroundings.

Whatever liquid streams from this fountain is not water - it is slick and iridescent, shimmering with many colors. It flows from the fountain delicately and into the circular pool, cascading down sculpted channels that twist and coil like serpents. Well. This is certainly worth investigating!

#1) [DRINK] - It looks delicious. Surely such a beautiful fountain could bring you no harm. (Select which members drink from the fountain. It can be up to everyone - or merely one.)

#2) [IGNORE] - What, drink a random shimmering liquid out of some random pool? You grodes are nuts. (Scrounge/Recuperate)

#3) [OPTIONAL: FILL THE BOTTLE] - Whether you drink or do not drink, it may be worth to bottle this strange substance for later.

[CHECKS]

Neither Ak nor Grnak have any strange dreams during their rest, for better or for worse.

However, Ak stops in the midst of the road, sniffs the air, and points directly south. There is money, mirth, and danger there! Or so he says, in his own strange way.

THE LOST PATROL

The curtains close, and the fate of the Lost Patrol is obscured...

VERDAMMTEN VON PREMISSEL

After a while of discussing and translating and arguing, you (Joel) lead the others away from the dais and the abyss. You stride down the ancient steps, your companions carefully stepping behind you. The path is not too wide, perhaps only six feet in length - and the abyss beckons beneath.

It is a long walk, and time flows strangely on the steps away from the Dais. The hike does not feel like much longer than an hour, but upon reaching the enormous slit in the mountain, Slawomir remarks that, strangely enough, the band has used up a whole day’s rations. Interesting.

Upon crossing through the slit, you and your fellows stare down at a misty mountain vale. Grey clouds loom overhead, obscuring the cool mauve light which lights this place, and a blanket of thick fog wraps over the valley. This place is quiet, and cold - but despite this, not threatening. Grasses and small shrubs dot the landscape, along with a few towering pines. The marble steps fade away into a simple dirt path, which winds its way through the valley.

It is, however, most definitely not Austria-Hungary. Nor is it Croatia, nor any other place these five have seen before. As they travel through the valley, a distant song echoes across the vale from the distance - the sound of pipes. It is a mourning dirge - a wistful remembrance of what once was, perhaps?

This place was magnificent, in the ancient eons of the past. Crumbled pillars dot the landscape, the evident remnants of a thriving civilization. Only one building holds on to a small piece of its glory - a temple, located across the valley. It is indeed, as Zvonko joked, quite Hellenic in its appearance.

THE ORACLE

After a day’s travel or such, you and your comrades clamber up the stairs of the temple, entering into the chamber at the center.

A young woman wrapped in a white robe looks back at you. Or, at the very least, tilts her head in your direction, for a white blindfold of linen covers her eyes. A few of the wooden-masked figures rest on couches nearby, holding scrolls and pens.

“Welcome, lost ones.” she calls, extending out a hand. “New arrivals from the other side. I am the Oracle - and these are my sacred grounds. No harm shall come to thee here.”

Strangely, despite the fact that the Verdammten struggle to understand each other, they all understand the Oracle perfectly well. They each understand her voice in their mind in own preferred language - whether it be Croation, Austrian, Polish, or German. At the same time, they hear her words in a foreign language which none of them recognize. It is a jarring and uncomfortable experience, though they shall grow used to this in time.

“In exchange for a small offering, I shall offer you a blessing, would-be heroes.” she continues, and one of the attendants walks over, holding out a bronze bowl.

“You were brought here for something. A wish. A dream. A hope for a miracle. You are not the first, nor the last. I was raised up here to aid you in your quest. So…hold my hands." she whispers, reaching out with dainty fingers, pale as milk. "Whisper your secrets and greatest desires - and I shall attune my mind to yours. And then, together, to the mindscape of the world. Together, we shall walk the shaded paths of wisdom, and I shall provide an answer that you seek."

If a coin clinks into the offering dish, she offers one last statement.

“Be careful. The deeper you delve, the greater the danger.”

#1) [REJECT THE OFFER] - Expose your mind to horrors beyond your comprehension? No, not today. (Scrounge/Recuperate)

#2) [A GLIMPSE THROUGH THE CRACK] - Just a small peek - enough to determine the right direction to set off in.

#3) [OPEN THE DOOR] - It is worth a little extra risk to obtain greater information. A place, a name, a person - you will plumb the depths for a specific thing to latch onto.

#4) [GAZE INTO ETERNITY] = Forget the danger of the precipice - you intend to dance on the edge! There is no greatness without risk! Who, exactly, holds the keys to your dream?

#5) [PLUNGE INTO THE DEPTHS] = Fortune favors the bold. Endless treasures and secrets are ripe for the taking, if one is brave enough to traverse the depths of the universe.

(Select an option and a character to perform the check.)
(No rations are consumed this turn. The Oracle and her attendants provide food and lodging.)
(A suitable offering is 1 Wealth, or 1 Ration.)

THE MEDIUMS

THE SHRINE-TOWN

You (Boakes) and the others follow the path off the marble platform to the village, watching your steps carefully. The long stairway down to the grassy hills in the distance is not too wide - only perhaps ten feet in width. And on each side, the abyss stares back. There are no supports to these strange bridges, and this incites fear in your hearts - but they do not break. Thankfully, after what feels like about a day of travel, your feet touch dirt, and you land upon the stone of a new continent.

After a few hours of walking through the woods, your uncertainty and fear rises. Is this a bad trip? It’s lasting an awfully long time, if so. Did you get lost in the woods? It’s plausible - the area does seem like a rural backwater…somewhere. Gardens of vegetables grow in raised beds in front yards, fields of crops surround the village, and the homes are simple constructions of timber and thatch. Men toil this way and that, some harvesting in the fields and others hefting timbers on their shoulders. They look at you briefly, some shaking their heads and scowling. If this is a place in the modern world, it’s certainly third-world at best - there are no signs of modern technology. The roads are dirt, there aren’t any gas stations in sight, and nobody has a phone.

And, worse, the sky…it’s a shade of purple. Where the hell are you, exactly?

Thankfully, after what feels like nearly a day of travel (though there is no sun nor moon to judge time by), you come upon a settlement of some sort. Children play with sticks in the street, stopping and looking peculiarly at you as you walk by. A stray dog wanders aimlessly in the streets.

It is not a grand thing, by any means - but it is a place in the middle of growth, a village in the midst of sprawling its way into a city. Dozens of half-raised houses poke up above the horizon, laborers heading this way and that. A real blacksmith lies here, with chimney smoke and the clanging of hammers indicating the start of industry. A strange man with a blue gear emblazoned upon his robes wanders the streets, delivering some sort of sermon.

A small sign dangles in front of what is presumably an inn. A larger building, perhaps a church, sits at the far end of the settlement - a large spire pokes towards the sky.

Well. Someone around here has answers. Where do you visit? What do you do? (Select as many of the following options as you would like.)

#1) [BLACKSMITH] - An elderly man pounds away at a thick anvil, shirtless and weathered. Most of his implements are simple farming tools.

#2) [FARMER’S MARKET] - A small market sits to the East of the town. Small bronze coins are traded for sacks of the corn-mush and other assorted foods here. (Exchange Rations for Wealth, or vice versa, at a 1:1 ratio.)

#3) [LOCAL HERBALIST] - A shack to the outskirts of town offers medical services, with a dangling sign emblazoned with a pair of clasped hands and the omnipresent symbol of the cog in front. (1 Vitality can be recovered for 1.5 Wealth.)

#4) [VISIT THE MAYOR] - There is a large residence near the church. Perhaps a local authority lives here?

#5) [THE MUSICIANS] - In an inn to the North of the city, a band of traveling musicians offer to sing and dance and entertain any passersby who provide an offering. Some say that their songs are magnificent, and ease the burdens of life. Others say that they are purveyors of loud, senseless noise. (Pay 2 Wealth for a performance. Outcomes are variable.)

#6) [FREEFORM: INQUIRE] - Ask the locals anything - surely there is an explanation to all of this!

by **The Epic Notepad of GrangerAirstrike** » Tue Jun 13, 2023 12:50 pm

Lazarian wrote:

VERDAMMTEN VON PREMISSEL

After a while of discussing and translating and arguing, you (Joel) lead the others away from the dais and the abyss. You stride down the ancient steps, your companions carefully stepping behind you. The path is not too wide, perhaps only six feet in length - and the abyss beckons beneath.

It is a long walk, and time flows strangely on the steps away from the Dais. The hike does not feel like much longer than an hour, but upon reaching the enormous slit in the mountain, Slawomir remarks that, strangely enough, the band has used up a whole day’s rations. Interesting.

Upon crossing through the slit, you and your fellows stare down at a misty mountain vale. Grey clouds loom overhead, obscuring the cool mauve light which lights this place, and a blanket of thick fog wraps over the valley. This place is quiet, and cold - but despite this, not threatening. Grasses and small shrubs dot the landscape, along with a few towering pines. The marble steps fade away into a simple dirt path, which winds its way through the valley.

It is, however, most definitely not Austria-Hungary. Nor is it Croatia, nor any other place these five have seen before. As they travel through the valley, a distant song echoes across the vale from the distance - the sound of pipes. It is a mourning dirge - a wistful remembrance of what once was, perhaps?

This place was magnificent, in the ancient eons of the past. Crumbled pillars dot the landscape, the evident remnants of a thriving civilization. Only one building holds on to a small piece of its glory - a temple, located across the valley. It is indeed, as Zvonko joked, quite Hellenic in its appearance.

THE ORACLE

(Image)

After a day’s travel or such, you and your comrades clamber up the stairs of the temple, entering into the chamber at the center.

A young woman wrapped in a white robe looks back at you. Or, at the very least, tilts her head in your direction, for a white blindfold of linen covers her eyes. A few of the wooden-masked figures rest on couches nearby, holding scrolls and pens.

“Welcome, lost ones.” she calls, extending out a hand. “New arrivals from the other side. I am the Oracle - and these are my sacred grounds. No harm shall come to thee here.”

Strangely, despite the fact that the Verdammten struggle to understand each other, they all understand the Oracle perfectly well. They each understand her voice in their mind in own preferred language - whether it be Croation, Austrian, Polish, or German. At the same time, they hear her words in a foreign language which none of them recognize. It is a jarring and uncomfortable experience, though they shall grow used to this in time.

“In exchange for a small offering, I shall offer you a blessing, would-be heroes.” she continues, and one of the attendants walks over, holding out a bronze bowl.

“You were brought here for something. A wish. A dream. A hope for a miracle. You are not the first, nor the last. I was raised up here to aid you in your quest. So…hold my hands." she whispers, reaching out with dainty fingers, pale as milk. "Whisper your secrets and greatest desires - and I shall attune my mind to yours. And then, together, to the mindscape of the world. Together, we shall walk the shaded paths of wisdom, and I shall provide an answer that you seek."

If a coin clinks into the offering dish, she offers one last statement.

“Be careful. The deeper you delve, the greater the danger.”

#1) [REJECT THE OFFER] - Expose your mind to horrors beyond your comprehension? No, not today. (Scrounge/Recuperate)

#2) [A GLIMPSE THROUGH THE CRACK] - Just a small peek - enough to determine the right direction to set off in.

#3) [OPEN THE DOOR] - It is worth a little extra risk to obtain greater information. A place, a name, a person - you will plumb the depths for a specific thing to latch onto.

#4) [GAZE INTO ETERNITY] = Forget the danger of the precipice - you intend to dance on the edge! There is no greatness without risk! Who, exactly, holds the keys to your dream?

#5) [PLUNGE INTO THE DEPTHS] = Fortune favors the bold. Endless treasures and secrets are ripe for the taking, if one is brave enough to traverse the depths of the universe.

(Select an option and a character to perform the check.)
(No rations are consumed this turn. The Oracle and her attendants provide food and lodging.)
(A suitable offering is 1 Wealth, or 1 Ration.)

Eine Tagesration, überflüssig gemacht... Wir sollten mit unserem Essen vorsichtig sein
(A day's ration made redundant... We should be careful with our food)

Zvonko, tisztában vagy az adaghiányunkkal?
(Zvonko, are you aware of our ration deficit?)

Mit? Igen, valójában én. A dagadt idióták közül melyik táplálta magát túl bőségesen?
(What? Yes, actually I am. Which of you bloated idiots fed themselves too much?)

Unser Freund hier sagte: Was? Ja, das bin ich tatsächlich. Welcher von euch aufgeblähten Idioten hat zu viel gegessen?

Ich kann mit Sicherheit sagen, dass ich bei dem, was ich gegessen habe, konservativ war
(Our friend here said: What? Yes, actually I am. Which of you bloated idiots fed themselves too much?

I can safely say that I was conservative in what I ate)

Eine Tagesration fehlt? Ich hätte es bemerken sollen
(A daily ration is missing? I should have noticed)

Zobor, sag dem Kroaten mit den lustigen Kommentaren, er solle aufgeben
(Zobor, tell the Croatian to resign the funny comments)

Dlaczego? Dlaczego warto poświęcić cały dzień?
(Why? Why an entire day's worth?)

Bleiben wir in Bewegung, damit wir nicht noch mehr von den wertvollen Lebensmitteln verlieren, die wir haben
(Let's keep moving, lest we lose more of the precious food we have)

And so the impromptu crew would continue, as of the Zugsführer's commanding request after the back and fourth about the "missing food". Most of the... *ahem*, sane minds would conclude that the day's rations (that they were blessed with the luck of having, alongside plenty more for many days to come) was simply lost during the hour walk towards the Marble Structure, and not that the temporal nature of this dimension they were somehow whisked into was f#&ked beyond measure... Perhaps at least four of five of them would learn to entertain more outlandish conclusions to their problems in due time, but Joel, Sofia, Zobor and even Zvonko weren't quite there yet, and who truly knows what was going on in that blasted brain of Slawomir's...

In time however, the footpath below them would transition into marble as the Hellenic-styled shrine would emerge overhead, and all five of the lost ones from Premissel would breathe a sigh of relief now that they've found safe harbour, at least for the time being... And hopefully, someone or something within the temple that'd even give them a modicum of understanding as to what in God's name is going on.
And indeed, they'd find that someone or something... Namely, a woman draped in white robes with linen covering her eyes standing centre in the central chamber of this shrine, flanked by people in wooden masks seated on couches, whom none of the five who stumbled into their abode could tell where they were looking... And before the lost Austro-Hungarian citizens could even speak up in surprise, relief, curiosity or caution to the sight that lays in front of them, with a slight cock to her head the mysterious lady would direct herself vocally towards the newcomers.

Welcome, lost ones. I am the Oracle - and these are my sacred grounds. No harm shall come to thee here.

In exchange for a small offering, I shall offer you a blessing, would-be heroes... You were brought here for something. A wish. A dream. A hope for a miracle. You are not the first, nor the last. I was raised up here to aid you in your quest. So…hold my hands. Whisper your secrets and greatest desires - and I shall attune my mind to yours. And then, together, to the mindscape of the world. Together, we shall walk the shaded paths of wisdom, and I shall provide an answer that you seek.

Unbeknownst to each other at the very moment, this "Oracle" as she called herself spoke with surprising clarity in their own native languages; Polish, German, Croatian, Hungarian. But this didn't throw the five through a loop, instead it was the dual voices the masked woman spoke with. Each of them exchanged confused and apprehensive looks at eachother, for a foreign, unknowable language came from her mouth as well...

But, Zvonko himself couldn't stop himself from speaking in his conversational knowledge of Hungarian, unbeknownst to him a language the Oracle mysteriously had knowledge on, or at least unconsciously had a familiarity with, in his usual humourous fashion about the situation.

Látod, mondtam neked, hogy ez a hely athéni pírt fog okozni. Lehet, hogy egy hellén eposzban ragadunk
(You see, I told you that this place would cause an Athenian to blush. We may be stuck in a Hellenic epic)

Elég volt, Zvonko... Ne sértődjön meg, asszonyom, a humort használja megküzdési mechanizmusként.
(That's enough, Zvonko... Don't be offended, ma'am, he uses humour as a coping mechanism.)

The cavalryman would respond, attempting to silence Mr. Rakić and apologising for his comment on his behalf... Of course, the other three didn't know a lick of Hungarian, so all Joel and Sofia did in response to the two's speech was stare questioningly, before looking straight on back.

Sławomir was the only one who didn't pay Zvonko or Zobor any mind... Instead, of his own accord, he retrieved one of two coins he and his comrades found upon "spawning" into this topsy-turvy world, and placed it with thoughtful silence into the offering dish. But the Oracle didn't even smile in response, at least not visibly. Neither did she seem to take any offense to the Croat or Magyar, but she did have one additional thing to say after the aging Pole's action

Be careful. The deeper you delve, the greater the danger.

Still silent, and deep in thought, Sławomir would nod to the Oracle, a certain sparkle in his wilted eyes perhaps visible, and he'd reach out his wrinkled hands to grasp the woman's own dainty, pale fingers. But he'd be broken from his trance by a hand being quickly and forcefully placed on his shoulder, and as he spun around to look at the source, a stern Joel Fichter von Clary und Aldringen would meet his gaze. He wasted no time in saying forcefully yet plainly:

Tu, was du musst, verrückter alter Mann. Aber wenn Ihnen Schaden zugefügt wird, werden wir unser eigenes Wohlergehen nicht für Ihres opfern. Verstanden?
(Do what you must, crazy old man. But if harm is done to you, we will not sacrifice our own welfare for yours. Understood?)

Sławomir shook off his grasp with vigour and stared back at the Austrian nobleman turned soldier with his own kind of force. He was used to the man's slights by now, having spent many days stuck with him in Przemyśl, so he did little more... But, a part of him did take his forceful communication into consideration, even if he didn't recognise it. When his hands clasped those of the Oracle, and he began to audibly whisper his fears, his dreams and wishes (though nobody except the Oracle could understand his Polish) to her with closed eyes, he did not prepare himself to plunge so deeply into this occult, magical experience as he perhaps would've without Joel's warning.

The other four looked on with mixed expression and thought, that of apprehension, incredulousness, hopefulness. And perhaps these thoughts would be heightened if your name was "Sofia Vogl", whom though hardly attached to the Pole, still felt responsible for his wellbeing.

Option 4) Gaze into eternity ✓
Sławomir Bielat

by **Lunas Legion** » Wed Jun 14, 2023 11:57 am

The Psyche - Turn 6

The road led them away from the strange cog-worshipping town and its large lord. The road was in better condition than the other one, although whether that was from less use or more was hard to say. They approached a small gathering, whatever wariness they had at a gathering beside the road banished by the sound of laughter and the crackling of fire in the middle of a circle of staked tents.

"Ho, travellers!" One man called out from the fire, passing a bottle of something dark and black and extremely viscous to a giant green-skinned man who took it eagerly and drank. "Join us for a while. The fire's warm and whatever this drink the Grenskyn brought? It's good." He said, tapping the giant man's elbow with his own.

"For a time." Courage said, approaching and sitting down between the man and a woman with a pair of matching knives at her hips, a hoop of silver in her ear. The others joined the circle, finding room where they could among the herdsmen and other travellers and wanderers.

"If you don't mind, I'll go on ahead?" Curiosity asked, glancing at the horizon. "Leave the rest of you to riddles. You can tell me them later, but don't tell me the answers! I want to guess!" He called out as he left.

"Excuse him." Contempt shrugged. "He's always wanting to see what's over the horizon."

"A good answer for a riddle that has yet to be made." A ragged creature buried in layers of thick black robes between Contempt and Confusion asked, staring intently at the latter. Confusion shuffled uncomfortably.

"But how about riddles, hm?" The Grenskyn laughed, thumping his chest. "I've a good one if you want a bet."

"Pah." The woman with the knives laughed. "I've been running circles around you for hours, Grenskyn. If you want a proper riddle and a proper bet, stake up."

"Please." The ragged figure rasped, staring intently at Confusion. "I was a guest at a feast of the Mad King. The penalty should they get one wrong is... Unspeakable. For a suitable wager, however?" They leaned forwards. "I shall tell it."

"Arrogant, aren't you?" Contempt sneered. "Your wager?"

"The shield. The hammer." The figure gestured. "I think I shall have that bottle as well, and the vest."

Confusion hugged the bottle tightly to their chest and whimpered.

"You know so much." Contempt whispered to Confusion. "This riddle will be nothing to you. You know this. We wager."

"We what-" Cruelty started to rise, but was shut down by a pair of identical angry looks from Courage and False Courage.

"We wager." Courage repeated. "If you fail, I will not hold it against you, Confusion. But do as you do."

They left the camp of the riddlers in the morning. Beyond the usual interruption from Confusion stopping shortly after they left to look at the sky and the distant mountains, a tear running down their face. “Do you see them? Oh. They’re beautiful. Oh, to be a part of the dance!”

"Keep moving." Contempt said from behind Confusion, giving them a gentle push forwards. "If you want to dance with the invisible things, we need to get there first."

Confusion scampered forwards, seemingly urged on by the prospect.

The road was largely empty, but similar to the lands they had passed through before; well-ordered fenced fields, small villages, hamlets and farmhouses. The shrine town was almost certainly the center of civilisation around here, it seemed.

They found Curiosity later that day among crumbling ruins. He was not alone. Rough-looking men, marked with scars and tattoos and both, all bearing bronze medallions with a 'J' upon them laboured with pickaxe and shovel, clearing out rubble and laying out the shapes of houses.

"See, I said they'd show up." Curiosity said smugly, the metal head tucked under one arm. He waved. Courage waved back.

"Then you're good for your word, and the offer stands." A gruff-looking man next to him said. "Pay, food and shelter for some good honest labour."

"A deal taken." Courage said, nodding. "I see you've been negotiating in advance."

"What can I say?" Curiosity shrugged. "It was offered to me as I passed, I said I'd return and that the rest of my party would be along and they'd be willing to take the terms."

"Picks and shovels and the like are in that tent." The foreman said, pointing a fat finger at one weather-beaten tent. "Get to it."

They worked until what passed for night around here came. A day of hard labour had left them all tired as they gathered around the fire to eat. They ate, all hungry from a day's work, but False Courage ate more ravenously than most, digging in with her fingers to the bread and meat and cheese offered as payment. One by one they retired, Confusion and Curiosity first, Contempt following. Eventually, Cruelty reluctantly went to sleep, leaving just Courage and her doppleganger on watch.

"You might have noticed I was... Hungry." False Courage said, breaking the silence that had settled over the camp of theirs and the settlers and labourers.

"We all were." Courage pointed out. "You are looking a little pale though. You're thinner than me, now. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." False Courage insisted. "I... I just need some more food. Please. You let me join you all and I'm grateful for it but..."

"You don't seem alright." Courage continued. "If you're that desperate, you can eat the rest of what we got as payment. But-"

"Thank you." False Courage said, nodding. "I won't repeat this unless I absolutely have to. Promise."

"I'll hold you to it." Courage said. "I'm retiring. Wake me for the next shift."

"Least I can do is first watch." False Courage smiled. "Thank you."

False Courage shook Courage awake.

"Look. I don't mean to alarm you, but..." False Courage pointed to Courage's wrist, where the Oath Bracer had wrapped several steel tendrils around her arm, locking it on. She grabbed it with one hand and tried to pull it off, grunting with exertion. Nothing.

"Help me." She ordered, and the pair of them tried to pull it off, to no avail.

"...Fuck." Courage swore, a slightly desperate look in her eyes. "Looks like this is our lord's insurance for speedy delivery of the message. It's not harmful now, but..."

"It could be later." False Courage finished. "Don't worry. We'll find where we're delivering the message to and get it off."

Actions:
+1 Stability, Confusion (Contempt)
[A ROYAL RIDDLE] Wager: (Bottle, Thick Vest, Sledgehammer, Buckner Tower Shield) [Confusion]
[Curiosity takes the head]
[A HARD DAY’S LABOR]
[Give False Courage an extra ration]
MOVE [South-West]
SCOUT [South-West]

by **Lazarian** » Thu Jun 15, 2023 2:39 pm

Lunas Legion wrote:The Psyche - Turn 6
The road led them away from the strange cog-worshipping town and its large lord. The road was in better condition than the other one, although whether that was from less use or more was hard to say. They approached a small gathering, whatever wariness they had at a gathering beside the road banished by the sound of laughter and the crackling of fire in the middle of a circle of staked tents.

"Ho, travellers!" One man called out from the fire, passing a bottle of something dark and black and extremely viscous to a giant green-skinned man who took it eagerly and drank. "Join us for a while. The fire's warm and whatever this drink the Grenskyn brought? It's good." He said, tapping the giant man's elbow with his own.

"For a time." Courage said, approaching and sitting down between the man and a woman with a pair of matching knives at her hips, a hoop of silver in her ear. The others joined the circle, finding room where they could among the herdsmen and other travellers and wanderers.

"If you don't mind, I'll go on ahead?" Curiosity asked, glancing at the horizon. "Leave the rest of you to riddles. You can tell me them later, but don't tell me the answers! I want to guess!" He called out as he left.

"Excuse him." Contempt shrugged. "He's always wanting to see what's over the horizon."

"A good answer for a riddle that has yet to be made." A ragged creature buried in layers of thick black robes between Contempt and Confusion asked, staring intently at the latter. Confusion shuffled uncomfortably.

"But how about riddles, hm?" The Grenskyn laughed, thumping his chest. "I've a good one if you want a bet."

"Pah." The woman with the knives laughed. "I've been running circles around you for hours, Grenskyn. If you want a proper riddle and a proper bet, stake up."

"Please." The ragged figure rasped, staring intently at Confusion. "I was a guest at a feast of the Mad King. The penalty should they get one wrong is... Unspeakable. For a suitable wager, however?" They leaned forwards. "I shall tell it."

"Arrogant, aren't you?" Contempt sneered. "Your wager?"

"The shield. The hammer." The figure gestured. "I think I shall have that bottle as well, and the vest."

Confusion hugged the bottle tightly to their chest and whimpered.

"You know so much." Contempt whispered to Confusion. "This riddle will be nothing to you. You know this. We wager."

"We what-" Cruelty started to rise, but was shut down by a pair of identical angry looks from Courage and False Courage.

"We wager." Courage repeated. "If you fail, I will not hold it against you, Confusion. But do as you do."

They left the camp of the riddlers in the morning. Beyond the usual interruption from Confusion stopping shortly after they left to look at the sky and the distant mountains, a tear running down their face. “Do you see them? Oh. They’re beautiful. Oh, to be a part of the dance!”

"Keep moving." Contempt said from behind Confusion, giving them a gentle push forwards. "If you want to dance with the invisible things, we need to get there first."

Confusion scampered forwards, seemingly urged on by the prospect.

The road was largely empty, but similar to the lands they had passed through before; well-ordered fenced fields, small villages, hamlets and farmhouses. The shrine town was almost certainly the center of civilisation around here, it seemed.

They found Curiosity later that day among crumbling ruins. He was not alone. Rough-looking men, marked with scars and tattoos and both, all bearing bronze medallions with a 'J' upon them laboured with pickaxe and shovel, clearing out rubble and laying out the shapes of houses.

"See, I said they'd show up." Curiosity said smugly, the metal head tucked under one arm. He waved. Courage waved back.

"Then you're good for your word, and the offer stands." A gruff-looking man next to him said. "Pay, food and shelter for some good honest labour."

"A deal taken." Courage said, nodding. "I see you've been negotiating in advance."

"What can I say?" Curiosity shrugged. "It was offered to me as I passed, I said I'd return and that the rest of my party would be along and they'd be willing to take the terms."

"Picks and shovels and the like are in that tent." The foreman said, pointing a fat finger at one weather-beaten tent. "Get to it."

They worked until what passed for night around here came. A day of hard labour had left them all tired as they gathered around the fire to eat. They ate, all hungry from a day's work, but False Courage ate more ravenously than most, digging in with her fingers to the bread and meat and cheese offered as payment. One by one they retired, Confusion and Curiosity first, Contempt following. Eventually, Cruelty reluctantly went to sleep, leaving just Courage and her doppleganger on watch.

"You might have noticed I was... Hungry." False Courage said, breaking the silence that had settled over the camp of theirs and the settlers and labourers.

"We all were." Courage pointed out. "You are looking a little pale though. You're thinner than me, now. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." False Courage insisted. "I... I just need some more food. Please. You let me join you all and I'm grateful for it but..."

"You don't seem alright." Courage continued. "If you're that desperate, you can eat the rest of what we got as payment. But-"

"Thank you." False Courage said, nodding. "I won't repeat this unless I absolutely have to. Promise."

"I'll hold you to it." Courage said. "I'm retiring. Wake me for the next shift."

"Least I can do is first watch." False Courage smiled. "Thank you."

False Courage shook Courage awake.

"Look. I don't mean to alarm you, but..." False Courage pointed to Courage's wrist, where the Oath Bracer had wrapped several steel tendrils around her arm, locking it on. She grabbed it with one hand and tried to pull it off, grunting with exertion. Nothing.

"Help me." She ordered, and the pair of them tried to pull it off, to no avail.

"...Fuck." Courage swore, a slightly desperate look in her eyes. "Looks like this is our lord's insurance for speedy delivery of the message. It's not harmful now, but..."

"It could be later." False Courage finished. "Don't worry. We'll find where we're delivering the message to and get it off."

Actions:
+1 Stability, Confusion (Contempt)
[A ROYAL RIDDLE] Wager: (Bottle, Thick Vest, Sledgehammer, Buckner Tower Shield) [Confusion]
[Curiosity takes the head]
[A HARD DAY’S LABOR]
[Give False Courage an extra ration]

Courage (Soldier, Unshakable Warrior)
12/12 Vitality, 9/10 Stability, 8 Might, 4 Insight, 8 Dexterity
[EQUIPPED: Sledgehammer] ] [EQUIPPED, NO SLOT: Oath Bracer]

False Courage (Soldier, Unshakable Warrior)
12/12 Vitality, 10/10 Stability, 8 Might, 4 Insight, 8 Dexterity
[EQUIPPED: Thick Vest, Common Sword]

Cruelty (Soldier, Slugger)
9/12 Vitality, 10/10 Stability, 10 Might, 4 Insight, 6 Dexterity
[EQUIPPED: Buckner Tower-Shield, Short Spear]

Curiosity (Scout, Stealthy)
8/10 Vitality, 6/10 Stability, 6 Might, 6 Insight, 12 Dexterity
[EQUIPPED: Leather Boots (Foot)]

Contempt (Soother, Trained Therapist)
8/10 Vitality, 12/12 Stability, 4 Might, 6 Insight, 4 Dexterity

Confusion (Sufferer, Sees Things How They Truly Are)
10/10 Vitality, 7/8 Stability, 4 Might, 15 Insight, 4 Dexterity
[EQUIPPED: Bottle (Bladder)]

Inventory:
Rations: 10 (-1 for turn, -1 for False Courage, +2 for Event)
Wealth: 8

[A ROYAL RIDDLE: SUCCESS!]

The figure’s eyes gleam, and it pulls back the veil with feathered hands. The reveal is shocking - what Courage presumed was a strange sort of mask is revealed to be…a beak, dark as midnight. No wonder why Confusion had stared so curiously at it. The crow-faced creature clicks its beak happily, locking eyes with Confusion.

“Very well.” it says in its raspy voice, clearly pleased. “Good luck.”

It makes a low cawing sound, clearing its throat.

“You and nine others have been captured by the Sanguine Court, the Adherents of the Hungyr’d.” it says, as if Confusion knows what on earth those things are.

“For their cruel amusement, they give you a test. You will be placed in a single file line, facing forwards, and ordered by height. Each of you can see everyone ahead of you - however, should you step out of line or look behind you, they shall kill you. Each of you will wear a crown of silver or a crown of gold, assigned randomly - and it is unknown how many of each crown there are. They demand that you and your fellow captives state whether you wear a gold or silver crown, starting with you, in the back. If your group correctly guesses at least nine of ten crowns, they shall let you free. If you do not...your fate will be horrific.”

It cannot smile - but if it could, it would. It’s quite confident about this one.

“If you speak a word other than silver or gold, or attempt to give a signal through intonation or volume, you shall be tortured to death. You can speak with your companions for five minutes to come up with a way to escape this plight. How shall you do it?”

The Grenskyn scratches his head, clearly lost before the end of the riddle, and the woman with the earring inhales through clenched teeth, shaking her head.

“Tlamatki must really want that shield, for him to pull out that one. Good luck.” she remarks shrilly, looking at Confusion, who is hunched over with their hands upon their head, attempting to puzzle it out.

“Take your time.” Tlamatki says, taking a handful of squirming worms from a dirt-filled pouch and gingerly dropping them into its maw. It eagerly stares with those beady onyx orbs, rubbing feathered fingers together with anticipation as it chews.

Confusion does indeed take their time - they pace back and forth for five minutes, attempting to figure it out. They shiver and shake and mutter. Suddenly, however, they stand up tall, eyes wide open behind their tangled mess of hair.

“You have two words to use, so you can give information to your companions. But you can’t communicate the number of gold or silver crowns. What you can do, though, is decide that ‘silver’ means ‘an even number of gold crowns is in front of me’ and ‘gold’ means ‘an odd number of gold crowns are in front of me’.” they say confidently. “Since you’re standing in the back, you can see everyone’s crowns. So if you see three, you state ‘gold’. It doesn’t matter if your own crown is silver - you’re allowed to make one error. The person in front of you, if they see three gold crowns, then knows that they are wearing a silver one, and they say ‘silver’. This continues until the end of the line - and this is how you escape!”

The crowd around the campfire goes wild, slapping Confusion on the back and applauding and shouting. Tlamatki performs a curious bobbing bow, and produces something from the shadows - a serpentine bundle bound with weeds. It rolls towards you. “Well done! Well done! A souvenir from the Feathered Fane,” he crows, “and well earned indeed.” [OBTAINED: Mysterious Talisman]

Courage cannot puzzle out what the thing even is, nor what it does, and when they ask, Tlamatki claims that their wager was for the trinkets - and nothing more. He seems to derive satisfaction from being cryptic - or perhaps is simply a sore loser. It is difficult to tell, with his inhuman facial expressions. Nevertheless, the other travelers strongly vouch for his honor - so it must indeed be worth something. Perhaps the Psyche could get this appraised at a settlement - for a cost, of course.

The ‘night’ goes long, and many other tales are told, jokes are exchanged, and riddles pondered. The bottle of black liquor is soon empty, and even Cruelty smiles - if ever so slightly. [+1 Stability - partywide.]

In the morning, the travelers bid the Psyche a warm farewell and well wishes. They are heading North, to the lands of Haggart, where all ambitious and enterprising individuals seek to make their fortunes. Your paths are unlikely to cross again - but should it happen, you shall always find warmth around their fire.

[SO, NO ~~HEAD~~ BODY?]

Curiosity’s strange find, by the time he brings it back, seems to be dormant. Its eyes are closed, its lips motionless, and Cruelty makes a nasty remark about Curiosity bringing home a nasty piece of a corpse. But Curiosity refuses to part with it, and as they travel further down the road, the head suddenly speaks!

“Oh, praise Mekhane!” it cries, looking up at Courage and the others. “I’ve been saved!”

It seems to have difficulty speaking - evidently, missing one’s torso makes it hard to talk.

“I am Hypatios, a Spathi of the Mekhan Glebe. My fellows and I were sent on a mission to spread the Word of the Broken, and to find what has been lost. Alas - the expedition was scattered and destroyed by the Grenskyns, our wagons looted and our forces decimated. I survived where the others did not, for they foolishly held to their flesh.” he continues, sounding both contemptuous and mournful simultaneously. “As I traveled down the road, I was ambushed by a gang of thieves bearing the insignia of a ‘J’ upon their chests. They beat me down and stole my body, for what purposes I know not.”

It stops, closing its eyes once more. Courage and her fellows stare at it for a while, rather confused - but after about ten minutes, it starts up once more.

“I straddle the line between life and death. I must conserve energy.” Hypatios says bluntly, as an explanation. “I beg you - please find my lost body, or take me to someone who can! It cannot have gone beyond the Highlands. The ransom for a lost Spathi shall truly be worth your trouble. And in the meantime, I can provide the wisdom of the Glebe. That is surely worth something.”

It stutters, before closing its eyes with a whirring sound and falling silent. It does not open again for the remainder of the cycle.

(Hypatios can be consulted on any matter once per turn.)

[MOVEMENT OPTIONS: All directions.]

by **Talchyon** » Thu Jun 15, 2023 5:09 pm

In critical need at the strange fountain
Goblins?!

Lazarian wrote:
THE GOBLINS!

[COMBAT: SPIDERS]

As the Goblins leave the lair of the spiders, delicious eggs in hand, it is not long before they hear the sound of skittering behind them! A dozen spiders nearly the size of the goblins themselves follow, scurrying over roots and stones and trees to catch them! Mrtak and Frak are ready - and they get the jump on the spiders. Grabbing stones in their hands, they deliver crushing blows to the first two spiders, crunching exoskeletons and slaying the beasts instantly.

The other members of the Goblins, however, are not so lucky. The swarm quickly catches up with them, snipping at them with sharp fangs! Nak in particular takes several nasty bites, attempting to shield himself with his arms to stop the creatures. [Nak: -3 Vitality!]

It does not take long before chaos ensues. The fight devolves into a frantic melee, with Mrtak and Frak laying waste to the spiders left and right - and Ak, Nak, and Grnak getting the brunt of the assault, quickly losing ground and taking wounds. [Ak: -3 Vitality!] [Nak: -3 Vitality!] [Grnak: -3 Vitality!]

Suddenly, Nak howls, as fang stabs through his chest from the back! [Nak: -3 Vitality! DEATH’S DOOR!]

Needless to say, this causes the others to panic. Even if Nak is a no-good reading grode, he’s still one of them. [-1 Stability for everyone. -2 Stability for Nak]

Suddenly, Frak leaps in front of Nak, protecting him from further harm. He stands bravely in the onslaught, taking wounds in his injured comrade’s stead. Three spiders rip and tear at him, their beady eyes filled with hate. [-6 Vitality!]

The fight continues, with the four fighting fiercely against the remaining seven spiders. Frak crunches the skull of another spider with his bare hands, headbutting it to finish it off. [NEW TRAIT: Beast Hater (+2 Might against Beasts)]

Alas! Despite Frak’s bravery, the savagery of the spiders is difficult to withstand - and though Ak and Grnak are doing their best, it is truly only Mrtak and Frak who are putting an end to the foes. The two seers are feeble in strength, and their blows merely glance off the carapaces of their enemies.

As Frak wrestles with two spiders at once, poking their beady eyes and chewing and scratching, his wounds rapidly mount. [-3 Vitality!] He gives as well as he gets, sending yet another one skittering off into the dark - but then another spider grabs him by the neck and slams him against a nearby stone! It is a devastating blow! [Frak: -3 Vitality! DEATH’S DOOR!]

Watching their leader take such dreadful wounds is hard to bear - and the rising panic amongst the goblins mounts! [-1 Stability for everyone, -2 for Frak!]

And the spider continues its attack on Frak, leaping upon him and delivering another strike…

[-2 Vitality - DEATH’S DOOR ROLLED…]

[FAILED! Frak is bleeding out!]

It is too much - Frak passes out, blood pouring from his chest. He will surely die if the others are unable to staunch his wounds. It is a good thing that they encountered Diep, scam or no scam - for without the bandages on hand, Frak would have no chance at all. This, of course, causes further panic. Mrtak howls, leaping in front of Frak’s prone figure and protecting their leader from further harm. [-2 Stability for everyone.]

Nak scrambles, despite clinging to life, to wrap the bandages around Frak’s wound. Ak and Mrtak continue to struggle to keep the five remaining spiders from overrunning their small perimeter, swinging stones and shouting taunts and putting up a desperate fight.

Nak’s hands slip. His attempt is not good enough. More blood spills from the opening, soaking the rocks and roots beneath. [NAK HEAL ATTEMPT: FAILURE. -1 Bandage. -1 Stability for everyone!]

Grnak and Ak sustain more injuries - they dodge one spider’s bite only to fall into another’s clutches! [Grnak: -3 Vitality!] [Ak: -3 Vitality!]

Grnak and Nak switch places. Nak’s hands are trembling too much to try again - but Grnak’s attempt is not enough either. [GRNAK HEAL ATTEMPT: FAILURE! -1 Bandage. -1 Stability for everyone!]

Mrtak strikes a lethal blow, putting down another one of the spiders. Ak pushes Grnak out of the way, trading places to attempt to stem the flow of blood. [AK HEAL ATTEMPT: FAILURE! -1 Bandage. -1 Stability for everyone!]

Nak's nerves cool down, and he narrowly avoids another leaping spider, sprints behind Frak, and tries again! It...still isn't good enough. [NAK HEAL ATTEMPT: FAILURE! -1 Bandage. -1 Stability for everyone!]

[GRNAK HEAL ATTEMPT: FAILURE! -1 Bandage. -1 Stability for everyone!]

The stress and the panic gets to poor Nak - watching their brave leader bleeding to death on the rocks is too much!

"GET ME OUT OF HERE!" he screams, and he flees into the woods, sobbing and clutching his head. [NAK: MENTAL BREAKDOWN!] [NEW TRAIT: Fear of Beasts (-2 Might against Beasts)]

Perhaps it was Ak's dream of surgery that allowed his hands to tie it right. Perhaps it was his knack for finding treasure - in this case, the treasure of the right vein to stem to save his fellow's life. Regardless - the wound is stopped. Frak will not die today. [AK HEAL ATTEMPT: SUCCESS! FRAK: Stabilized. -1 Spider Silk. +1 Stability to everyone.]

Ak takes a bite to the back during his lifesaving procedure. [Ak: -1 Vitality!]

Mrtak, snarling, slams one spider into the other, crushing both of them. A third one bites his back as he does so, but Mrtak shrugs it off, biting it right back! [Mrtak: -2 Vitality!]

Grnak has been fighting nobly this entire time to buy time for the others. Alas - he is not a fighter. He sustains another wound... [GRNAK: DEATH’S DOOR! -1 Stability to everyone, -2 Stability to Grnak]

It is too much to bear! He howls in agony and adrenaline, more akin to a wounded animal than a smart-thinking goblin! [GRNAK: MENTAL BREAKDOWN! NEW TRAIT: Thanatophobia (Character will flee a combat upon dropping to 3 or less Vitality)]

But despite their mounting wounds, the Goblins live to see another day. Mrtak is able to put down the last of the spiders - it hits the stones with a thud, cold dead legs curling inwards...and there is finally quiet.

PARTY STATUS:

Frak: 0/12 Vitality, 7/10 Stability
Mrtak: 9/12 Vitality, 1/10 Stability
Nak: 0/10 Vitality, 3/10 Stability
Ak: 1/10 Vitality, 1/10 Stability
Grnak: 0/10 Vitality, 3/10 Stability

LOOT:
10 Spider Silk (can be consumed for +1 Vitality)
10 Rations

Mrtak breathed heavily. Every muscle felt like someone had torched him. His head ached with a severe pounding. Even breathing hurt. Sitting beside a small fire, every fiber of his being wanted nothing else than to curl up into a heap for a month. The only sound around the fire was the whimpering of Ak, the only other member of their treasure hunting party still conscious.

The spiders had nearly destroyed them. All but Mrtak had taken a beating. Frak, Nak and Grnak were unconscious, thrashed to the point of leaving this terranic body and life. Ak was practically there himself. The goblin group had almost met an untimely end. If there had been one more spider fighting them, there was a chance the end would be here already. As it was, Mrtak had done his best to apply bandages, stop the bleeding, and get his group of unlucky grodes to safety. Because three of the goblins were out cold and since Ak was limping, weak, and had no strength left, that left Mrtak with the task of getting everybody out before more giant spiders returned home.

He had made a transportation device out of some downed, thick tree limbs and some of the spider silk they had picked up. The idea was to lift a downed goblin and put him in the creche supported by the silk, and then drag him out of harm's way. Then, he'd come back, and repeat the process. Twice more after the first time. And then he'd have to help Ak hobble to that spot. That was the plan, anyway. It was just that halfway through dragging Grnak, Mrtak's muscles screamed and his breathing got harder. He misstepped and fell, gashing his leg in the process. And then, a few times, the spider silk on the creche loosened and he had to stop, take Frak off, tie it tighter, put Frak back on, and then go the rest of the way.

At the end of the ordeal, Mrtak was spent like he hadn't been in his life. The fire was dying out, Ak's whimperings were droning off, and his freshly dug hovel registered in his tired mind - somehow - as the only thing that mattered. He collapsed, not caring that the night refused to actually be night for the first time since they had gotten to this place.

While he slept, he dreamed. Of a desert.
EVENT: #1 - A DREAM OF SAND.

Waking up the next "morning," the sky still the same purplish shade it had been before, Mrtak felt like one goblin-sized pulled muscle. Sitting up was a chore. He had no clue how long he'd been out dreaming of strange deserts, but it had to have been more than normal. Pulling his stiff, hurting body to his scaly feet, Mrtak breathed in - still heavily - and just tried to gather his thoughts.

Ak was up. With wide eyes, he stood staring at the road that continued south, away from the direction of the spiders. There was evident smoke rising from that direction. Something was on fire, more than just Mrtak's muscles from the night before. Though still whimpering and clearly favoring one leg over the other, Ak said something encouraging. In a soft voice, the wounded goblin simply said, "Treasure."

Mrtak breathed out heavily and responded, "We're not going anywhere right now. We need to rest and heal. Three of us almost lost it yesterday, and if we press on right now, we will lose it. And we haven't come all this far to die by spiders." Though as he said that, he looked around at where he was sure he had laid the three unconscious goblins the "night" before. Only Frak's large body lay there. Grnak was off by a new fire, shivering and slumped over. Nak was nowhere to be seen. But not far from where Mrtak stood, he heard Nak's voice weakly calling out. Somewhere he didn't quite see.

"Mrtak! Come look at this!"

There was a small cavern! And going down into its shallow depths to fetch Nak, that was when he saw it. A strange fountain, with ruins around it! The stones gave off a brightness. There was some mystic liquid running in the fountain!

He said all that came to his mind. "Uh, good find, Nak. We're going to stay here awhile so you guys can get to feeling better. Maybe we'll see what this gronk tastes like before we leave. But as for now? Let's join the rest." Hesitantly, the battered Nak nodded, and slowly limped his way behind Mrtak up the cavern's gentle slope. They had some spider silk that looked like it would bring some stability back to these grodes, and with as badly as they were wounded, they needed everything they could get.

(Reminder: EVENT earlier - DREAM OF SAND)
AND
ACTION: RECUPERATE (using 10 consumable spider-silk for +10 vitality, divided up 3 for Frak, Grnak and Nak equally, and 1 for Ak); Also using the consumable memories of Grnak's crystal dream and the consumable memory of Sven and Ole jokes for +1 stability to the lowest who need it; and what the heck, why not drink some of the merchant's dew and see if that helps.)

by **Lazarian** » Fri Jun 16, 2023 9:49 am

Talchyon wrote:In critical need at the strange fountain
Goblins?!
Mrtak breathed heavily. Every muscle felt like someone had torched him. His head ached with a severe pounding. Even breathing hurt. Sitting beside a small fire, every fiber of his being wanted nothing else than to curl up into a heap for a month. The only sound around the fire was the whimpering of Ak, the only other member of their treasure hunting party still conscious.

The spiders had nearly destroyed them. All but Mrtak had taken a beating. Frak, Nak and Grnak were unconscious, thrashed to the point of leaving this terranic body and life. Ak was practically there himself. The goblin group had almost met an untimely end. If there had been one more spider fighting them, there was a chance the end would be here already. As it was, Mrtak had done his best to apply bandages, stop the bleeding, and get his group of unlucky grodes to safety. Because three of the goblins were out cold and since Ak was limping, weak, and had no strength left, that left Mrtak with the task of getting everybody out before more giant spiders returned home.

He had made a transportation device out of some downed, thick tree limbs and some of the spider silk they had picked up. The idea was to lift a downed goblin and put him in the creche supported by the silk, and then drag him out of harm's way. Then, he'd come back, and repeat the process. Twice more after the first time. And then he'd have to help Ak hobble to that spot. That was the plan, anyway. It was just that halfway through dragging Grnak, Mrtak's muscles screamed and his breathing got harder. He misstepped and fell, gashing his leg in the process. And then, a few times, the spider silk on the creche loosened and he had to stop, take Frak off, tie it tighter, put Frak back on, and then go the rest of the way.

At the end of the ordeal, Mrtak was spent like he hadn't been in his life. The fire was dying out, Ak's whimperings were droning off, and his freshly dug hovel registered in his tired mind - somehow - as the only thing that mattered. He collapsed, not caring that the night refused to actually be night for the first time since they had gotten to this place.

While he slept, he dreamed. Of a desert.
EVENT: #1 - A DREAM OF SAND.

Waking up the next "morning," the sky still the same purplish shade it had been before, Mrtak felt like one goblin-sized pulled muscle. Sitting up was a chore. He had no clue how long he'd been out dreaming of strange deserts, but it had to have been more than normal. Pulling his stiff, hurting body to his scaly feet, Mrtak breathed in - still heavily - and just tried to gather his thoughts.

Ak was up. With wide eyes, he stood staring at the road that continued south, away from the direction of the spiders. There was evident smoke rising from that direction. Something was on fire, more than just Mrtak's muscles from the night before. Though still whimpering and clearly favoring one leg over the other, Ak said something encouraging. In a soft voice, the wounded goblin simply said, "Treasure."

Mrtak breathed out heavily and responded, "We're not going anywhere right now. We need to rest and heal. Three of us almost lost it yesterday, and if we press on right now, we will lose it. And we haven't come all this far to die by spiders." Though as he said that, he looked around at where he was sure he had laid the three unconscious goblins the "night" before. Only Frak's large body lay there. Grnak was off by a new fire, shivering and slumped over. Nak was nowhere to be seen. But not far from where Mrtak stood, he heard Nak's voice weakly calling out. Somewhere he didn't quite see.

"Mrtak! Come look at this!"

There was a small cavern! And going down into its shallow depths to fetch Nak, that was when he saw it. A strange fountain, with ruins around it! The stones gave off a brightness. There was some mystic liquid running in the fountain!

He said all that came to his mind. "Uh, good find, Nak. We're going to stay here awhile so you guys can get to feeling better. Maybe we'll see what this gronk tastes like before we leave. But as for now? Let's join the rest." Hesitantly, the battered Nak nodded, and slowly limped his way behind Mrtak up the cavern's gentle slope. They had some spider silk that looked like it would bring some stability back to these grodes, and with as badly as they were wounded, they needed everything they could get.

(Reminder: EVENT earlier - DREAM OF SAND)
AND
ACTION: RECUPERATE (using 10 consumable spider-silk for +10 vitality, divided up 3 for Frak, Grnak and Nak equally, and 1 for Ak); Also using the consumable memories of Grnak's crystal dream and the consumable memory of Sven and Ole jokes for +1 stability to the lowest who need it; and what the heck, why not drink some of the merchant's dew and see if that helps.)

Frak (Soldier, Vigorous AND Beast Hater: +2 Might against Beasts)
0/12 Vitality, 7/10 Stability, 8/9 Might (8 normal +1 extra due to Vigorous, -1 Mauve sky, +2 vs. Beasts), 5/4 Insight (+1 Mauve sky), 8 Dexterity

Mrtak (Soldier, Unshakeable Warrior)
9/12 Vitality, 1/10 Stability, 7/8 Might (+2 Might vs. Eldritch, -1 Mauve sky), 5/4 Insight (+1 Mauve sky), 8 Dexterity

Nak (Sage, Language Expert AND Fear of Beasts: - 2 Might against Beasts)
0/10 Vitality, 3/10 Stability, 3/4 Might (-1 Mauve sky, -2 extra vs. Beasts), 9/8 Insight (+2 in language-based checks, +1 Mauve sky), 4 Dexterity

Ak (Seer, Eye for Treasure - Significantly increased odds of discovering Wealth in certain events AND Mekhanite Slayer.)
1/10 Vitality, 1/10 Stability, 3/4 Might (-1 Mauve sky), 5/4 Insight (+1 Mauve sky), 4 Dexterity

Grnak (Seer, Living Lie Detector - Has a high chance of detecting dishonesty from NPCs.)
0 Vitality, 3 Stability, 2/4 Might (-1 Mauve sky, also see note on Dex.), 5/4 Insight (+1 Mauve sky), 3/4 Dexterity (might and dexterity at -1 until cured)
~~Also has a Memory of Crystal (consumable)~~

Inventory:
Scholars studies (relic) - The map that led them here, along with some of the other scribblings that came with it.
A shovel (relic) - The better to dig up buried treasure!
A metal canteen. Basically a bottle.
5 Cloth bandages
Sacred Dew (consumable x2): "Dew, harvested from the sacred pools of the Old Forest. It'll cure any ailment, if the spirits of the trees find your prayers sufficient."
Purging Stone (consumable x1): "Carry this rock upon you, and it shall absorb foul energies in your stead."
Metal ore (worth half a wealth! But not shiny)
A consumable memory of crystal for Grnak (?)
A consumable memory of the banter of jokes about those two legendary goblin grodes, Sven and Oley (+1 consumable. For each goblin?)
10 Spider Silk (can be consumed for +1 Vitality)
An extra length of spider-silk obtained from the eggs
Rations: 9 (8 from last round, - 1 eating, +12 from spider eggs / dead spiders)
Wealth: 26.5

[A DREAM OF SAND]

Mrtak closes his eyes. He and his boys are crossing a desert, a vast expanse that fills the whole horizon. Black sand whispers beneath his feet - sand like grains of glittering night. They traverse for miles in silence, walking along the path of a pilgrimage - to where, he knows not. They stop to rest - and suddenly, he and the others are sitting at a long table lined with candles, eating a rich, red feast. Men and women dine alongside them, their faces obscured and warped.

“A reckoning,” one remarks, as she spears a gobbet of meat with her fork, “is not to be postponed indefinitely.” To the far East, a light bulges above the horizon: a searing green sun, alien and strange…

The Sleeper stirs.

Mrtak wakes up rather unsettled. A reckoning? That’s the last thing they need.

[RECUPERATE: 16]

Thankfully, despite their mounting wounds, none are so deep that time cannot heal them. By the time Mrtak and Ak finish binding up the cuts and bites, the other goblins look like mummies - wrapped in lengths and lengths of spider-silk. By the end of the cycle, the others are speaking and standing once more - though perhaps not as cheerfully as they were before.

[+1 Vitality (Partywide), +1 Stability (Partywide)]

[+1 Vitality to two chosen party members. +1 Stability to two chosen party members.]

Nak tells the stories of Sven and Oley - and though their moods are dampened, the old stories still earn a few chuckles and smiles. He’ll have to get new material next time, though. [+1 Stability (Partywide)]

Grnak focuses on the odd dream he had a few cycles back. The music of the bells was both eerie and haunting, yet beautiful in its strange harmonies. It is a calming memory, and he wistfully stares off far into the East until the song fades from his mind. [+2 Stability]

The sacred dew does not seem to heal their wounds - but Grnak’s feebleness from whatever the alchemist threw at him vanishes. Perhaps Diep’s draught did something after all - or maybe the potion wore off. Regardless, Grnak feels much better. (Weakness: Cured)

(Consumed: Memory of Crystal, 10 Spider Silk, Memory of Banter, 1 Sacred Dew)

Party Status:
Frak: 4/12 Vitality, 9/10 Stability
Mrtak: 10/12 Vitality, 3/10 Stability
Nak: 4/10 Vitality, 5/10 Stability
Ak: 2/10 Vitality, 3/10 Stability
Grnak: 4/10 Vitality, 7/10 Stability

(You have 2 Vitality and 2 Stability to allocate at your discretion.)

by **Lazarian** » Fri Jun 16, 2023 10:20 am

The Epic Notepad of GrangerAirstrike wrote:
Lazarian wrote:

VERDAMMTEN VON PREMISSEL

After a while of discussing and translating and arguing, you (Joel) lead the others away from the dais and the abyss. You stride down the ancient steps, your companions carefully stepping behind you. The path is not too wide, perhaps only six feet in length - and the abyss beckons beneath.

It is a long walk, and time flows strangely on the steps away from the Dais. The hike does not feel like much longer than an hour, but upon reaching the enormous slit in the mountain, Slawomir remarks that, strangely enough, the band has used up a whole day’s rations. Interesting.

Upon crossing through the slit, you and your fellows stare down at a misty mountain vale. Grey clouds loom overhead, obscuring the cool mauve light which lights this place, and a blanket of thick fog wraps over the valley. This place is quiet, and cold - but despite this, not threatening. Grasses and small shrubs dot the landscape, along with a few towering pines. The marble steps fade away into a simple dirt path, which winds its way through the valley.

It is, however, most definitely not Austria-Hungary. Nor is it Croatia, nor any other place these five have seen before. As they travel through the valley, a distant song echoes across the vale from the distance - the sound of pipes. It is a mourning dirge - a wistful remembrance of what once was, perhaps?

This place was magnificent, in the ancient eons of the past. Crumbled pillars dot the landscape, the evident remnants of a thriving civilization. Only one building holds on to a small piece of its glory - a temple, located across the valley. It is indeed, as Zvonko joked, quite Hellenic in its appearance.

THE ORACLE

(Image)

After a day’s travel or such, you and your comrades clamber up the stairs of the temple, entering into the chamber at the center.

A young woman wrapped in a white robe looks back at you. Or, at the very least, tilts her head in your direction, for a white blindfold of linen covers her eyes. A few of the wooden-masked figures rest on couches nearby, holding scrolls and pens.

“Welcome, lost ones.” she calls, extending out a hand. “New arrivals from the other side. I am the Oracle - and these are my sacred grounds. No harm shall come to thee here.”

Strangely, despite the fact that the Verdammten struggle to understand each other, they all understand the Oracle perfectly well. They each understand her voice in their mind in own preferred language - whether it be Croation, Austrian, Polish, or German. At the same time, they hear her words in a foreign language which none of them recognize. It is a jarring and uncomfortable experience, though they shall grow used to this in time.

“In exchange for a small offering, I shall offer you a blessing, would-be heroes.” she continues, and one of the attendants walks over, holding out a bronze bowl.

“You were brought here for something. A wish. A dream. A hope for a miracle. You are not the first, nor the last. I was raised up here to aid you in your quest. So…hold my hands." she whispers, reaching out with dainty fingers, pale as milk. "Whisper your secrets and greatest desires - and I shall attune my mind to yours. And then, together, to the mindscape of the world. Together, we shall walk the shaded paths of wisdom, and I shall provide an answer that you seek."

If a coin clinks into the offering dish, she offers one last statement.

“Be careful. The deeper you delve, the greater the danger.”

#1) [REJECT THE OFFER] - Expose your mind to horrors beyond your comprehension? No, not today. (Scrounge/Recuperate)

#2) [A GLIMPSE THROUGH THE CRACK] - Just a small peek - enough to determine the right direction to set off in.

#3) [OPEN THE DOOR] - It is worth a little extra risk to obtain greater information. A place, a name, a person - you will plumb the depths for a specific thing to latch onto.

#4) [GAZE INTO ETERNITY] = Forget the danger of the precipice - you intend to dance on the edge! There is no greatness without risk! Who, exactly, holds the keys to your dream?

#5) [PLUNGE INTO THE DEPTHS] = Fortune favors the bold. Endless treasures and secrets are ripe for the taking, if one is brave enough to traverse the depths of the universe.

(Select an option and a character to perform the check.)
(No rations are consumed this turn. The Oracle and her attendants provide food and lodging.)
(A suitable offering is 1 Wealth, or 1 Ration.)

[ 20(-1) ] Ration(s) | [ 10(-1) ] Wealth

Joel Fichter von Clary und Aldringen
[ Soldier ] ( Keen Wit )

12/12 Vitality | 10/10 Stability | 8 Might | 5 Insight | 8 Dexterity

[ Item 01 ] Shovel
Zobor Károly
[ Scout ] ( Quick )

10/10 Vitality | 10/10 Stability | 6 Might | 6 Insight | 12 Dexterity

[ Item 01 ] N/A
Sławomir Bielat
[ Sufferer ] ( Substance Abuser )

10/10 Vitality | 8/8 Stability | 4 Might | 12 Insight | 4 Dexterity

[ Item 01 ] N/A
Sofia Vogl
[ Surgeon ] ( Unyielding )

10/10 Vitality | 10/10 Stability | 4 Might | 6 Insight | 4 Dexterity

[ Item 01 ] Lucky Dice
Zvonko Rakić
[ Soother ] ( Motivational Speaker )

10/10 Vitality | 12/12 Stability | 4 Might | 6 Insight | 4 Dexterity

[ Item 01 ] N/A

Eine Tagesration, überflüssig gemacht... Wir sollten mit unserem Essen vorsichtig sein
(A day's ration made redundant... We should be careful with our food)
Zvonko, tisztában vagy az adaghiányunkkal?
(Zvonko, are you aware of our ration deficit?)
Mit? Igen, valójában én. A dagadt idióták közül melyik táplálta magát túl bőségesen?
(What? Yes, actually I am. Which of you bloated idiots fed themselves too much?)
Unser Freund hier sagte: Was? Ja, das bin ich tatsächlich. Welcher von euch aufgeblähten Idioten hat zu viel gegessen?

Ich kann mit Sicherheit sagen, dass ich bei dem, was ich gegessen habe, konservativ war
(Our friend here said: What? Yes, actually I am. Which of you bloated idiots fed themselves too much?

I can safely say that I was conservative in what I ate)
Eine Tagesration fehlt? Ich hätte es bemerken sollen
(A daily ration is missing? I should have noticed)
Zobor, sag dem Kroaten mit den lustigen Kommentaren, er solle aufgeben
(Zobor, tell the Croatian to resign the funny comments)
Dlaczego? Dlaczego warto poświęcić cały dzień?
(Why? Why an entire day's worth?)
Bleiben wir in Bewegung, damit wir nicht noch mehr von den wertvollen Lebensmitteln verlieren, die wir haben
(Let's keep moving, lest we lose more of the precious food we have)

And so the impromptu crew would continue, as of the Zugsführer's commanding request after the back and fourth about the "missing food". Most of the... *ahem*, sane minds would conclude that the day's rations (that they were blessed with the luck of having, alongside plenty more for many days to come) was simply lost during the hour walk towards the Marble Structure, and not that the temporal nature of this dimension they were somehow whisked into was f#&ked beyond measure... Perhaps at least four of five of them would learn to entertain more outlandish conclusions to their problems in due time, but Joel, Sofia, Zobor and even Zvonko weren't quite there yet, and who truly knows what was going on in that blasted brain of Slawomir's...

In time however, the footpath below them would transition into marble as the Hellenic-styled shrine would emerge overhead, and all five of the lost ones from Premissel would breathe a sigh of relief now that they've found safe harbour, at least for the time being... And hopefully, someone or something within the temple that'd even give them a modicum of understanding as to what in God's name is going on.
And indeed, they'd find that someone or something... Namely, a woman draped in white robes with linen covering her eyes standing centre in the central chamber of this shrine, flanked by people in wooden masks seated on couches, whom none of the five who stumbled into their abode could tell where they were looking... And before the lost Austro-Hungarian citizens could even speak up in surprise, relief, curiosity or caution to the sight that lays in front of them, with a slight cock to her head the mysterious lady would direct herself vocally towards the newcomers.

Welcome, lost ones. I am the Oracle - and these are my sacred grounds. No harm shall come to thee here.

In exchange for a small offering, I shall offer you a blessing, would-be heroes... You were brought here for something. A wish. A dream. A hope for a miracle. You are not the first, nor the last. I was raised up here to aid you in your quest. So…hold my hands. Whisper your secrets and greatest desires - and I shall attune my mind to yours. And then, together, to the mindscape of the world. Together, we shall walk the shaded paths of wisdom, and I shall provide an answer that you seek.

Unbeknownst to each other at the very moment, this "Oracle" as she called herself spoke with surprising clarity in their own native languages; Polish, German, Croatian, Hungarian. But this didn't throw the five through a loop, instead it was the dual voices the masked woman spoke with. Each of them exchanged confused and apprehensive looks at eachother, for a foreign, unknowable language came from her mouth as well...

But, Zvonko himself couldn't stop himself from speaking in his conversational knowledge of Hungarian, unbeknownst to him a language the Oracle mysteriously had knowledge on, or at least unconsciously had a familiarity with, in his usual humourous fashion about the situation.

Látod, mondtam neked, hogy ez a hely athéni pírt fog okozni. Lehet, hogy egy hellén eposzban ragadunk
(You see, I told you that this place would cause an Athenian to blush. We may be stuck in a Hellenic epic)
Elég volt, Zvonko... Ne sértődjön meg, asszonyom, a humort használja megküzdési mechanizmusként.
(That's enough, Zvonko... Don't be offended, ma'am, he uses humour as a coping mechanism.)

The cavalryman would respond, attempting to silence Mr. Rakić and apologising for his comment on his behalf... Of course, the other three didn't know a lick of Hungarian, so all Joel and Sofia did in response to the two's speech was stare questioningly, before looking straight on back.

Sławomir was the only one who didn't pay Zvonko or Zobor any mind... Instead, of his own accord, he retrieved one of two coins he and his comrades found upon "spawning" into this topsy-turvy world, and placed it with thoughtful silence into the offering dish. But the Oracle didn't even smile in response, at least not visibly. Neither did she seem to take any offense to the Croat or Magyar, but she did have one additional thing to say after the aging Pole's action

Be careful. The deeper you delve, the greater the danger.

Still silent, and deep in thought, Sławomir would nod to the Oracle, a certain sparkle in his wilted eyes perhaps visible, and he'd reach out his wrinkled hands to grasp the woman's own dainty, pale fingers. But he'd be broken from his trance by a hand being quickly and forcefully placed on his shoulder, and as he spun around to look at the source, a stern Joel Fichter von Clary und Aldringen would meet his gaze. He wasted no time in saying forcefully yet plainly:

Tu, was du musst, verrückter alter Mann. Aber wenn Ihnen Schaden zugefügt wird, werden wir unser eigenes Wohlergehen nicht für Ihres opfern. Verstanden?
(Do what you must, crazy old man. But if harm is done to you, we will not sacrifice our own welfare for yours. Understood?)

Sławomir shook off his grasp with vigour and stared back at the Austrian nobleman turned soldier with his own kind of force. He was used to the man's slights by now, having spent many days stuck with him in Przemyśl, so he did little more... But, a part of him did take his forceful communication into consideration, even if he didn't recognise it. When his hands clasped those of the Oracle, and he began to audibly whisper his fears, his dreams and wishes (though nobody except the Oracle could understand his Polish) to her with closed eyes, he did not prepare himself to plunge so deeply into this occult, magical experience as he perhaps would've without Joel's warning.

The other four looked on with mixed expression and thought, that of apprehension, incredulousness, hopefulness. And perhaps these thoughts would be heightened if your name was "Sofia Vogl", whom though hardly attached to the Pole, still felt responsible for his wellbeing.

Option 4) Gaze into eternity ✓
Sławomir Bielat

THE MINDSCAPE

She nods.

"Very well, traveler." she whispers, and their hands lock. Slowly, reluctantly, Slawomir closes his eyes.

...

...

...

They stand amidst a black void. There is nothing except a single door - a slab of stone, illuminated by a faint cerulean glow at the edges. The Oracle raises her hand, and the door smoothly slides open, ascending upwards. The marble hangs weightlessly in the air, hovering above the entrance. Nothing can be seen through the aperture - just blackness.

“Enter the doorway and search for what you seek.” she whispers, pointing towards at. “But do not go beyond the path - beyond lies madness.”

Slawomir approaches it carefully.

“A way home.” he thinks...and then pokes his head through the doorway. As if there is a compass in his mind, he senses a direction. Southeast. That is where they must go.

This information is not enough for him. No, he seeks more - and thus he persists, stepping fully into the doorway. His mind adjusts, and his vision clears. Before him lies a vast landscape. He sees a small village, surrounded by fields. A tower with dangling banners. A great forest with trees that tower above the landscape, stretching towards the heavens themselves. Hundreds of graveyards sprawled around a ruined city. A landscape of rocky mountain highlands, broken by green fields dotted with sheep.

And somehow, he knows - they must head to that ruined city, where the broken fortress looms over the graves, casting dark shadows across these misty fields. Equal distances South and East. There - there lies the first step towards home.

But he persists. He wants more. He steps beyond the doorframe, and the feeling of being submerged within water comes upon him. Ahead lies a stone pathway - and at the end of it, a great pit. A roaring chasm of knowledge. Everything that is, was, and will be is there.

He steps onto the stone pathway. A hundred different thoughts run through his mind, concerns and worries, desires and emotions - none of them are his. It is an overwhelming cacophony of sound - he cannot dredge out anything useful. It echoes in his ears uncontrollably. Thousands of whispers, cries, secrets, laughs - all the voices in the world at once. He does his best to focus, to grab onto something valuable to remember, but he cannot! [-3 Stability!]

The chasm beckons, and Slawomir takes a trembling step towards it, staring into the inky blackness.

No. He shall not plunge any further. He turns around to return - but there is nothing but pitch dark all around. The pathway is gone, the door is missing. His eyes are useless - he is blind, lost in the abyss! He begins to panic, his heart thundering.

The Oracle’s voice suddenly echoes softly, almost coming from inside his own mind.

“Follow the sound of my voice.”

Slowly, carefully, Slawomir takes a step forward. Then another, and another, and another still.

“Long ago,” she sings quietly, “far away,”

Another step.

“A thousand kings, one fateful day.”

Another step.

“A land once whole, now shattered ruin,”

Another step.

“Cast into darkness from the ill-pursued boon.”

Another step.

“A curse was cast, to draw them in,”

Another step.

“Men from beyond, to solve this sin.”

With a final step, the darkness melts away, Slawomir finds himself back in the ruins, his hands trembling. The Oracle smiles softly, kissing his rough hand.

“I hope you find what you seek.” she says reassuringly. “May Justice smile upon you.”

Slawomir: 10/10 Vitality, 7/10 Stability

[Movement Options: Southwest, South, Southeast, East]

by **Talchyon** » Sat Jun 17, 2023 9:20 pm

Healing again at the strange fountain
Goblins?!

The next "day" came, though it was hard to distinguish since it never changed brightness, or rather, unsettling purple dimness in this case. Mrtak rose feeling better. Less achy anyway. As he got up to his scaly feet, his muscles hurt less than they had the day before. Which was good. He went around to check on the other goblins who somehow had met Death and yet, Death had turned away from taking them. Perhaps Death had good taste. Checking on the others, it was clear that the time spent healing was helpful. Everyone was feeling somewhat better. Frak was conscious, though still about half a goblin all things considered. He, Nak and Grnak were all patched up with lengths of spider silk and bought bandages. They would still be needing healing, that was for sure. Another day would have to be spent here - maybe two more, just to get these grodes back on their feet.

The strange dream, however, bothered him. Why he had dreamed of a desert, he had no idea. Grnak had dreamed of weird crystal stalactites before. Ak, well, they thought Ak had had a bad dream of metal men. It was always hard to tell with him and besides, Mrtak had no patience for their once-damaged member. The only reason Ak was here was because he had a great sense of detecting gold - such as the gold from the south where the smoke was still rising.

Sitting down at the camp, Mrtak summoned the recovering members of his posse to the remnants of last night's fire. Grnak was already there, looking better than the day before. All of them looked better than the day before, but that wasn't saying much. A badly battered, half-dead goat would have looked better than they had.

As they sat, Mrtak explained his strange dream. "I don't put a lot of stock in dreams. Dreams mean nothing most times. But this... this was not a typical dream." Detailing about the whole trip, Mrtak hid nothing about the black sands like midnight, the pilgrimage trek that ended at a rich feast with red colors and warped diners. He spoke slowly about the one who had spoken of a reckoning - at which, a blinding, unusually green light shone from the East. "And then," Mrtak concluded, "I got the sense that something or someone powerful was waking up from a long hibernation. And it didn't seem good at all."

Grnak put his hand to his chin. Leaning carefully, so as not to upset pulled muscles and healing wounds, he said, "What is it about this place and its dreams? But I don't like the sound of this. Not that some food wouldn't do us all good today. But, whatever that reckoning is, it's the last thing from getting the treasure we came for." Though when Mrtak mentioned the East, Grnak remembered the pleasant though unusual dream he'd had of the crystals, which seemed to be eastward. Maybe it was nothing.

Frak just smiled as he thought of getting treasures. He was just happy to not be dead. Mrtak continued and said, "Ok you grodes, while you guys were out, Ak thinks there's gold south of us. Where the smoke is still rising. Normally, I'd be one to charge in and find this loot, but right now, you grodes have got to heal. We run into anything else like those spiders and we may not be around to get this treasure."

Nak shivered at the mention of spiders. Taking a few deep breaths, he steeled himself and willed himself to stay under control. Ak simply said, "Smoke is not treasure." And Frak, as usual, said, "Shut up, Ak." But with a smile, not that Ak noticed. Or ever would notice such subtleties, such as what others around him were saying.

Mrtak continued. "Ok, here's the sitch, though. We are going to need some armor and weapons. As much as I would normally sneer at those who had to cower behind such, here I think we're going to need some. With some kind of shield or leather armor or something, we might not have been so bad off. And I know - we're probably going to have to buy some. As much as I hate having to part with any of our loot we've picked up so far, I think we have to. I'd rather us be protected and armed next time we have to fight." The rest of the goblins gradually agreed. Hard as it was to let go of their riches, they were in danger of losing it all and losing out on finding the treasure if they didn't. Grnak sighed. "I guess we'll just have to make up our losses for whatever we spend when we find the treasure." And then, looking at Nak, he asked, "So, any luck with the treasure map or those scribbles that came with it?"

Nak shrugged. "I've been pulling it out, trying to read more of it at various times. These scribblings are starting to make sense. I think some of these symbols here are the same ones I saw on that gravestone. I should have used these then. Maybe we would have learned something." Mrtak sneered and Grnak frowned at the shame of a goblin reading, but neither said anything. Nak brightened up. "Besides! Since you guys were healing, there's something you have to see!" And gingerly getting up, Nak led them to the shallow cavern and the underground, mystic fountain.

Frak's jaw dropped. "What the frazz is this?" Grnak, puzzled, responded with a chuckle. "That ain't water. What kind of drink is this? Liquid courage maybe?"

Mrtak only raised his hands up in the universal gesture that means, "Who knows." He glanced around, and then went over to Frak and fished out the bottle they had gotten from the strange old man. "We got one dose of that dewdrop medicine. Maybe we can try it again tonight and see if that helps... and then, tomorrow, we fill the bottle with this drink. If we're healthier, I'd be curious to see what it tastes like. But, only once we're better."

The other goblins agreed. Still being weak, they knew they had to rest more and recover strength. Then they could try drinking from the curious underground fountain. And then? Then they would head south, and hopefully find armor, weapons, and most importantly, a treasure.

INTERACTION: RECUPERATE
MOVE: NONE - They're staying put here again until they heal.

Things Betwixt: A Journey Beyond [IC]

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