Careena had begun to detest those words - it was true, 'familiarity does breed contempt'. So she tried again, this time concentrating more on the tone of her Keen, rather than how she held her father's - no her - walking-axe
Move: Ritual - Keen; 5 + 2 [heart] vs 4,6; strong hit; +1 harm when Strike or Clash"That's it - well done!"
Careena had to admit, much as she detested being told she'd got something wrong, the genuine pleasure that her master, Rhuddli, showed when she got things right made up for it.
"Well it's time we were on our way," Rhuddli said as he stood. "Get everything onto Sammay while I gather those herbs I saw last night."
Having had much practice at it, Careena soon had their tent and all the other gear onto Sammay's back. The pony gave Careena one of her much practiced hard stares, before accepting her lot in life and lowering her head to crop some grass in the forest clearing.
As Sammay munched noisily, Careena looked around. Yes, she had everything, but Rhuddli should have been back by now ... something was wrong - Careena could feel it like an itch on her back that she couldn't scratch. Slowly she turned the entire way around surveying the trees that formed the edge of the clearing as she brought up her axe to the high guard her father had said was the best for an unseen danger.
Still only sure that somewhat was wrong, but no idea what it may be, Careena made sure that Sammay was firmly tethered before carefully following the route that Rhuddli had followed from the clearing, looking around all the time, searching for clues ...
Move: Gather Information; 5 + 3 [wits] vs 9,5; weak hit, +1 momentum (mom) (3) & Ask the OracleBarely had Carrena moved out of the clearing before she found Rhuddli sprawled along the deer-trail he had followed. The full pouch he still clutched in his hand showed that he had been returning to Careena when something had happened to him.
Used Ironsworn Chartopia until found intriguing Action & Theme - Follow & Dream. I had thought there'd be a combat here - but this is much more interesting - a real case of "Play to find out"
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| Rhuddli |
Rhuddli continued to snore ... nothing she could do would awaken him. Perplexed, Careena sat back on her heels, trying to puzzle out what had happened to her master.
Gather Information: 5 + 3 [wits] vs 9,2; weak hit; +1 mom (4) & Ask the OracleUnwilling to leave Rhuddli where he had fallen, Careena dragged him back to the clearing and retrieved his bedroll from Sammay before laying him out upon as comfortably as she could.
Again, from Ironsworn Chartopia, I continued until Defeat & Oppotunity came up. An enemy of Rhuddli's has taken an opportunity to defeat him.
Still at a loss, Careena muttered a brief prayer to Wmm, god of knowledge, before whispering Rhuddli's name three times to the wind.
Ritual - Sway; 4 + 3 [wits] vs 6,4; strong hit; already know what the answer will be ..."Protect him - the agent of his enemy comes ..." The answer came back softly in Careena's ear.
Reach A Milestone: Although she doesn't realise it right now, this is the first time that Careena has completed a ritual in a truly stressful situation, so I'm going to mark progress on her formidable vow - I will become a Ritualist (1/10)Whipping up her axe to the high guard again, Careena looked about carefully and saw a figure approaching the clearing from where Rhuddli had fallen and she quickly stepped between it and where Rhuddli lay.
As it slowly stepped into the clearing, its strangeness became clear It stood no taller than Careena's shoulder and had an even bulkier physique than Careena's Dwarf heritage gave to her. It's body looked like no flesh that Careena had ever seen, resembling clay more than meat and it had no features at all!
Staring at it as it continued its slow deliberate approach, Careena desperately searched her memory - she knew that Rhuddli had spoken to her of something like this ...
Gather Information: 3 + 3 [wits] + 1 [arbitrary for Careena's education] vs 4,3; strong hit - +2 mom (6), it's a simulacrum created from the Awakening ritual by an enemy of Rhuddli
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| Careena's axe |
and that, apparently, involved Rhuddli ... Unwilling to risk whatever that might be, Careena stepped forward and swung her axe at it's knee in the boulder-that-tumbles stroke that her father had taught so well,
Enter the Fray: Simulacrum (formidable 0/10); 5 + 3 [wits] vs 10, 6; weak hit; take initiative. Although not ambushed, I'm using Careena's wits as she is using her knowledge of the Simulacrum to delay it - by attacking its legs- long enough to save RhuddliThe first time that Careena had struck a foe in combat and it flowed perfectly, removing both of the Simulacrum's legs at mid-thigh, pitching it onto its 'face'.
Strike: 4 + 2 [iron] vs 4,1; strong hit; +initiative (init), +1 harm; harm = 2 [axe] +1 [keen] +1 [strong]
Progress: Simulacrum (formidable) 4/10
Reach A Milestone: Another first for Careena, the joy of fighting with an axe, part of what it means to be a Dwarf; progress on her extreme vow - I will learn what it means to be a Dwarf (1/20)Undeterred, the thing pushed itself up and tried to continue on its stumps. Although shocked - Careena had known it would strive to complete its mission, but actually seeing it was something else - Careena struck again at where its ribs should have been with the stone-fang-strikes
Strike: 5 + 2 [iron] vs 4,3; strong hit; +init, +1 harm; harm = 2 [axe] +1 [keen] +1 [strong]Another beautiful strike - Careena's axe swept through the thing cutting it into 2 pieces. Even so the upper half used its arms to drag itself toward Rhuddli. Raising her axe, Careena aimed the removes-the-crown stroke firmly at the centre of its head - or what passed for its head ...
Progress: Simulacrum (formidable) 8/10
End the Fight: 8 progress vs 6,6; strong hit; it is dead; a match, will think about that ...Her axe split its 'head' cleanly and - finally - the Simulacrum stopped moving ... Careena had managed to sunder the magic that animated it.