Secure an Advantage: 3 +3 [wits] vs 9,2; weak hit; +1 mom -> now 8Careena swung her walking axe in a low arc - the sweep-that-slows attack - across the boar's path as it charged her ...
Enter the Fray: vs Boar (dangerous); 6 +3 [wits] vs 9,8; weak hit; +init
Sunderer: take -1 mom to get +1 harm, mom -> now 7... and was incredibly surprised to see the boar lower its head into the path of her axe. She had hoped to take out a foreleg and slow the creature - instead her axe was now wedged in the side of its head and the animal was dead at her feet. Careena was ... well, shocked. She had head that boars were dangerous animals.
Strike: 5 +2 [iron] vs 7,6; weak hit -> BURN mom = strong hit, mom reset to 2
harm = 2 +1 [strong] +1 [keen] +1 [sunderer] = 5; progress = 10/10
Well ... that was anti-climatic ...
Reach a Milestone: Careena's killed the boar, that's progress on dangerous vow - I will kill the boar and take its pelt to Rhuddli (8/10); I've set it to 8 as Careena has to return the pelt to Rhuddli - not that that is any great chore ...
Blessing her luck and thanking the gods, Careena set about the odious task of skinning and cleaning her kill - at least they'd have fresh meat for the foreseeable future.
whoops! forgot a move ...Her task finished, Careena gathered the skin and as much meat as she could manage and returned to Rhuddli
End the Fight: progress 10 vs 7,1; strong hit - it's dead alright
"Master, I have the skin," She called as she reached the firelight that marked the camp.
"Let me see," Rhuddli called, standing up as he did, reaching for and taking the skin from Careena. "Hmm, that was an old boar wasn't it? Still the skin will do. Usually, one would dry and tan the pelt before using it, but we don't have the time."
Reach a Milestone: Rhuddli has his boar-pelt, progress on dangerous vow - I will kill the boar and take its pelt to Rhuddli (10/10)Rhuddli prepared the pelt for the ritual, with Careena watching carefully. When Rhuddli had finished his preparations, he swung the pelt onto his shoulders and began the ritual dance under the moon, with Careena doing her best to memorise the steps ...
Fulfil my Vow: progress 10 vs 8,7; strong hit -> 2xp
Feels cheaply got, but I'm going to take it anyway. I made a mistook & I'll not do it again
Going to add Bind to the list of rituals Careena knows, but hasn't spent xp for, which is on her character sheet, but only as 'half-learnt' - those are some complicated steps!The ritual completed, and both of them exhausted, they went to sleep. It was only as she drifted off that Careena realised Rhuddli had not created his Ward ... unfortunately, when she awoke, she had completely forgotten that (as it was to prove) very important fact.
Learning how to take the pelt, its preparation and observing a new ritual all feels like progress on Careena's formidable vow - I will become a Ritualist (4/10)
In no time, they had packed up and set out, crossing the Arthedd ...
Undertake a Journey: Reach Gamana (troublesome) 6/10; 6 +3 [wits] vs 10,8; weak hit, mark progress now 9/10, -1 supply (supp) now 4... without incident - well, except for the bag of oatmeal that fell from Sammay at some point; they only realised it had gone as they climbed up the bank.
Reach Your Destination: progress 9 vs 3,1; strong hit, +1 mom -> 3
But before the sun had marched much further across the sky, they reached their destination.
"Come on," said Rhuddli as he strode into the small clearing, "We're expected- I scried Gamana last night and told her we would be here."
Note: If the subject has Sighted, they know if they are being scried. If they know the scrier and have Scry themselves, they can 'scry the scrier' and have a conversation"But where is she master? There's no-one here, no sign of a camp or home of any sort," Careena said as she followed Rhuddli and pulled Sammay into the clearing.
As if it had been waiting for her words to end, as Careena finished speaking a rope-ladder dropped into the clearing, unrolling as it did.
Another Note: I have been reading Tales of the Ironlands and love how the author has defined Elves, so a lot of my treatment of them is entirely derivative of their'sGaping like a fool, Careena looked up into the branches on the far side of the clearing to see a robed figure standing on the balcony of a tree-house, and shut her mouth with an audible click.
Shaking his head and trying to suppress his laughter, Rhuddli started climbing the ladder, saying as he did so, "Wait in the clearing Careena. Make yourself comfortable, I may be a while ..." and he disappeared over the edge of the balcony.
It's just occurred to me that I've not been making any Make Camp moves ... oops! Well better late than never, I guess ...When it became obvious that Rhuddli would not be descending for a while, Careena set about preparing their camp and hobbled Sammy so that she could wander, but not far. There was quite a bit of fresh grass for her in the clearing after all. As she did this, she did her best to ignore the strident angry voices that she could hear drifting down to her from the tree-house ...
Make Camp: 5 +4 [supp] vs 6,1; strong hit, focus -> +1 mom -> now 4
Before long, both Careena's master and the robed figure - assumed to be Gamana - descended the ladder and joined Careena in the clearing.
"Careena, this is Gamana. Gamana, this is Careena," Rhuddli made the rudely brief introduction - he was obviously angry about something.
The robed figure pulled back their hood to reveal a mane of shockingly black hair and a head fronted by a wooden mask. The eyes that looked out of that mask were a cold grey with pupils like a cats' - vertical slits. The owner had such an intense stare that Careena felt the owner was staring at her soul, examining it and measuring its worth ...
"My lady," Careena said as she bowed - able to move once the stare had released her.
"Well aren't you the polite one," the mask replied, a laugh in her voice, "I think that your 'master' could learn some lessons from his apprentice!" Rhuddli made no answer but scowled at Gamana's back.
"I think me that you have what it takes to be one of the marked, but there will need to be a testing to be sure ... hmmm ... I will work upon that while you are gone."
Careena looked at Ruddli, "Gone?" she asked
"Gamana has her own troubles my dear," replied Rhuddli. "She needs a message taken to the nearest Elven village and you are the one who will have to carry it."
Gamana's melodious voice rose in a strident tone, "Rhuddli, that is not right!" Turning back to face Careena, she said, "Your master is a fool and unworthy of you. What he should have said is that I need a message taken to the nearest village. I cannot take it and he will not. So, I wish to ASK you, Careena - would you be kind enough to carry this message for me?"
Unused to being asked her opinion and only now recognising Rhuddli's imperious ways, Careena's immediate reaction burst forth, "Of course my lady, I swear that I will deliver your message, if only you tell me the way!"
Swear an Iron Vow: I will deliver Gamana's message; dangerous; 3 +2 [heart] vs 6,3; weak hit, +1 mom -> now 5
Why is it dangerous? you'll see in the next post ...