So, Ask the Oracle, has something happened? Well, I'll say yes as that's more interesting, but what? As I assumed above that it would be something happening to Rhuddli, let's go with that - but what?When Careena rejoined him, Rhuddli showed her his completed Talisman before putting it under his robe. Nothing seemed out of place, so Careena decided her spine-shiver had been just that and not a warning ...
Inspiration strikes! The attack has changed his immediate goal - not unlikely - so I'll ask the Character Goal Oracle which tells me 'Collect a Debt' - cool. What is the debt and who owes it? As the game says "Play to find out" ...
The rest of the day passed quietly and when dusk arrived, Rhuddli began his Ward ritual to protect their camp, showing Careena each stage of the ritual as he completed it.
The night passed without incident, although every noise seemed to wrench Careena from her sleep - and Rhuddli judging from his puffy eyes in the morning,
Still, that didn't stop Rhuddli from using the Sight and confirming that no spirits had been inadvertently trapped by his Ward. Activating her own Sight was something that Careena was gradually becoming able to do.
Getting Sighted would suit Careena I think, so I threw in a bit of foreshadowing for its acquisition. Not subtle I know, but its my story. Anyway, onto the change of goal ...After they had breakfasted and packed up their camp, Rhuddli turned to Careena.
"Pay attention my dear - I have decided to conduct the Augur ritual to help me decide what I should do now."
Careena watched carefully, memorising each step in the ritual and then watched as the crows swirled around Rhuddli, but as she had known, she couldn't make out any words in their multitudinous cries.
As the crows dispersed - the ritual over - a puzzled Rhuddli said, "Well, I didn't expect that! They told me I should collect a debt long owed to me ..."
"By whom, master?" asked Careena
"Gamana," Rhuddli, "You've not met her - she's an Elven wise-woman who lives not far from here in the Deep Wilds." He paused and looked consideringly at Careena before continuing, "And before you ask, the debt is a matter between her and I."
He looked around once more before stepping out towards the west and then stopped and turned to Careena. "I think me that you'll find Gamana very interesting Careena. She is one of the Marked - have I mentioned them to you before?"
"You said that they tattooed themselves, master, but not why."
"They have a lore that I have not learned - in fact, Gamana once told me that I wouldn't have been able to if I tried, so I never did. Apparently, I have the wrong kind of mind for it. But I think me that maybe you do, so we'll ask her when we get there."
With that, Rhuddli started walking westwards and Careena knew better than to ask more questions now ...
Having written all that I think it's time for something to keep me going ...
Reach A Milestone: Careena's learned even more, so time for progress on her formidable vow - I will become a Ritualist (3/10)
Time for a move, let's ...As the day drew to a close, they reached the Fertile Grove (a place they had camped before), an area of abundant plant life nestled in a bowl-like formation in an otherwise unremarkable moor. As hey descended into the Grove, it was obvious that someone had already camped there as they could see a wagon ahead through the trees.
Undertake a Journey: Troublesome (they are near their destination) 0/10; 3 +3 [wits] vs 4,3; strong hit, mark progress (3/10), reach a waypoint
I used Ironsworn Chartopia to generate a waypoint and got 'Fertile Grove' and 'you meet a fellow traveller' but ditched the generated traveller, as it's time Careena's 3rd bond was included in the fiction
"Hail the camp!" called Careena, after all 'politeness costs nothing, but can still get things for you,' as her father said occasionally.
"Is that Careena and Rhuddli?" came a reply - both of hem recognised the voice as Llangol, a travelling merchant they had met several times before.
Unfortunately, my previous enthusiasm for introducing Llangol has evaporated, so a large lump of "handwavium" will zap us through to the morning and the resumption of their journey ... I might come back and write something here if I get the inspiration ...
Wanting to make a deal of progress that day, Careena & Rhuddli were leaving their camp with the dawn and continued their westward trek.
Undertake a Journey: Reach Gamana (troublesome) 3/10; 3 +3 [wits] vs 2,1; strong hit, mark progress, now 6/10, reach a waypoint - a river that marks the border of the Havens and the Deep WildAs dusk drew down, the travellers reached the banks of the river Arthedd that, in this part of the Ironlands marked the end of the Havens and, on the other bank, the beginning of the Deep Wild.
After they had eaten and made their camp, Rhuddli spoke to Careena.
"There is a ritual I would show you, but I need a boar-pelt for it. Once I would have been able to get the pelt for myself, but those days are past, so I need you to find the boar and slay it for me. Will you do this task for me?"
Something in the way that Rhuddli spoke made Careena uneasy and she considered him carefully ...
"Of course I will master, though I know not where I would find one."
"Worry not," Rhuddli said, "I will ask the crows."
Again, Careena watched carefully as Rhuddli performed his Augur ritual and she was pleased to confirm that she had memorised it correctly. This time he got the answer he sought - there was an old boar in a small copse not far from where they stood. He had no sows and to be slain would be a mercy for him - better by far than starving in the coming winter ...
"Before you leave," Rhuddli said, "I need your vow that you bring the pelt to me - I would not ask, but as I am not slaying the beast myself, the slaying needs to be a sworn-task for the ritual."
Careena reached under the neck of her shirt and fished out the iron coin her father had given her long ago. Extending the leather thong that held it so that Rhuddli could see it, she spoke, "I Careena of Hillbarrow, daughter of Tuage, do swear on the iron in my hand and the iron in my Dwarven soul that I will slay this boar and bring it you, my master Rhuddli, as soon as ever I may."
Swear an Iron Vow: I will kill the boar and take its pelt to Rhuddli (Dangerous 0/10)Rhuddli nodded and Careena strode away from him and Sammay toward the copse of trees before she realised what she had said, "the iron in my Dwarven soul" ...
I'll be honest here; I was getting fed up with all this writing and no action, so manufactured the fight & vow to get some xp. It may seem an 'easy' way to get xp, but it should be fun - well so I can hope ...
Where had that come from? Iron in my Dwarven soul? but as she pondered the thought, turning it round and round in her mind, trying to see it from all possible angles, just as Rhuddli had taught her, she knew that it was true. She was a Dwarf. She did have iron in her soul. And one day, it would save her ...
Reach A Milestone: The first Iron Vow sworn by Careena since her vow to 'learn what it means to be a Dwarf' has triggered a revelation in her soul; I'd call that progress on her extreme vow - I will learn what it means to be a Dwarf (2/20)
I hadn't thought of the 'iron soul' when I created the new vow, but it seemed too good an opportunity to miss, so I've grabbed it, and I think it sits in the fiction nicely.
Seems like a natural break point, so we'll pick in the next post - I just hope the boar doesn't win!