Undertake a Journey: Travel to Gamana's new home (dangerous) 2/10; 6 +3 [wits] vs 6,5; strong hit, prog 4/10As the sun reached its highest, Careena reached the ford that Kenda had described and knew that she was both on the right track and making very good progress - the amazement at how fast she could travel without Rhuddli was beginning to become a resentment that he was holding back.
When Careena realised this, she was honestly shocked at herself for thinking of her master in that way, and examined her resentment for all sides testing its veracity and seeking its source. But she never stopped moving as she contemplated her feeling.
Undertake a Journey: Travel to Gamana's new home (dangerous) 4/10; 1 +3 [wits] vs 10,3; weak hit, prog 6/10, -1 supply -> 4As evening drew on, Careena found the foul hovel that Kenda had described, its rotten overgrown timbers made the place look and smell foul indeed. Careena carried on until she found a thicket that she could crawl into. As she lay waiting for sleep to claim her, she reflected that travelling when you knew the landmarks that you wanted to see was a cursed sight easier and more enjoyable than when you didn't and that if she continued to crawl into thickets to sleep, she needed to get herself a mail shirt like one of Lady Mertree's warriors wore.
End of the second day's travel seems like its time to ...Careena's journey through the forest the next day ...
Reach a Milestone: I will deliver the Chief's reply to Gamana, -> 2/10
Make Camp: 4 +4 [supply] vs 9,2; weak hit, choose Prepare (+1 to next UaJ)
Undertake a Journey: Travel to Gamana's new home (dangerous) 6/10; 2 +3 [wits] vs 8,6; miss -> Pay the Price... but Careena was distracted. She had reached the conclusion that Rhuddli should no longer be her master - she would ask Gamana to become her master, but how would she do this? She doubted, knowing Rhuddli's petty nature that he would be happy about it ... Perhaps she should kill him?
She was seriously considering this idle thought that had somehow become a serious thought, when she rounded a corner of the deer trail that she followed when suddenly there was a bear on the trail in front her.
Acting quickly, Careena slipped out of her backpack to make her more agile if it came to a fight.
Careena is trying to Secure an Advantage for a fight, but we don't know how the bear will react? Ask the Oracle will tell us, but the chance will be based on how the SaA move results ...But it seemed that the bear did not want to interrupt its day, so after a short, but VERY loud roar at Careena for her temerity, it meandered off the trail and into the trees.
Secure an Advantage: 6 +1 [edge] vs 7,4; weak hit, +1 mom -> 3
... ok, weak hit is going to be 50/50, 51 or more it attacks ... 47
It took Careena several hundred heartbeats for her to collect herself - not that long given how fast her heart was pounding ... and then she realised what had happened. She had been sent a warning - her treacherous thoughts about killing her master had lead the gods to warn her ... Careena offered up a prayer of thanks to them and dismissed the murderous concept from her mind.
She shouldered her pack once more and, suitably chastened continued onward.
Undertake a Journey: Travel to Gamana's new home (dangerous) 6/10; 4 +3 [wits] vs 6,5; strong hit, prog -> 8/10, choose Move at Speed (+1 mom -> 4, -1 supply -> 3)Careena reached another expected landmark and soon after made her camp.
Time for another ...Careena expected to reach the area where Gamana had said she would locate her new home on the morrow, but she still had to actually find where it was - something she was not looking forward to. Given the way that Elves built their tree-houses, it could take days to find it ... Still that was tomorrow's task and losing sleep over it tonight would help no-one.
Reach a Milestone: I will deliver the Chief's reply to Gamana, -> 4/10
Make Camp: 1 +3 [supply] vs 2,1; strong hit, choose Focus (+1 mom -> 5) & Prepare (+1 to next UaJ)
The morning dawned grey and wet. Careena was not surprised, the fair weather that had just ended was, after all, unusual for the time of year - the winter would soon be upon them and she fervently hoped that Gamana's new home would be ready before the first snows fell ...
To be honest, I completely forgot about the weather until just now. One of the things clear in Ironsworn's default setting - the Ironlands - is the extreme harshness of the winters, so I wanted to bring that in to the game soon, but have decided to fore-shadow it a bit. Plus its oncoming nature can effect the plot - "winter is coming" anyone?At what Careena guessed was around mid-day - the cloud had thickened during the morning and it was now impossible to see the sun - she came to the area that Gamana's house would be located. Looking around told her that someone had passed that way, two someones in fact with a laden pony.
Undertake a Journey: Travel to Gamana's new home (dangerous) 8/10; 5 +3 [wits] vs 8,5; weak hit, prog -> 10/10, -1 supply -> 2)
Reach Your Destination: The area of Gamana's new home; prog 10 vs 7,2; strong hit, make another move at +1
But before that move, this is another ...
Reach a Milestone: I will deliver the Chief's reply to Gamana, -> 6/10
Gather Information: 3 +3 [wits] +1 [RYD above] vs 8,9; miss - "investigation unearths a dire threat"The tracks that Careena believed were those of Gamana, Rhuddli and Sammay were soon overtrodden by some strange tracks that Carrena neither liked, nor recognised - they looked very strange indeed. They looked like they had been made by human feet, but Carrena had never seen a human foot with only two toes ... Careena followed those of her friends and was very happy when the strange tracks broke off to the south-west.
Careena - for a reason that she could not name - believed that these strange tracks were made by the figure that she had seen with the Varou Lord on the way to Thornfall and was none too eager to meet their owner ...
Gather Information: 5 +3 [wits] vs 7,5; strong hit, +2 mom -> 7Before long, Careena had found Rhuddli, Sammay and Gamana, and as they were when last she saw them, they were arguing bitterly in a small glade by a stream. Neither had noticed her arrival and they continue to harangue each other. Careena said nothing, observing their argument trying to learn what it was about before trying to stop it.
Careena is going to try and Secure an Advantage before stepping in with a Compel move ...Apparently, it was all about Gamana's new home - she had asked Rhuddli if he and Careena would help her build one while Rhuddli was refusing point blank. Careena could not believe Rhuddli's refusals - he was putting his own desires before Gamana's needs and she prepared to wade in on Gamana's side.
Secure an Advantage: 2 +3 [wits] vs 6,4; weak hit, +1 mom -> 8
Compel: 1 +2 [heart] vs 3,6; missDespite Careena's best efforts, Rhuddli would not, as Careena thought of it, see reason. How could they just abandon her to freeze in the coming winter? Rhuddli stormed off in the end - something that Careena had come to realise, he did an awful lot ...
Having ended the argument - entirely unsatisfactorily all round - Careena has an opportunity to deliver the message, so it's time for another ...Rhuddli gone, Careena pulled out the tube and handed it to Gamman, saying "My lady Gamana, I deliver to you the reply from the Chief of the Thornbinders as I swore to do."
Reach a Milestone: I will deliver the Chief's reply to Gamana, -> 8/10
Fulfil Your Vow: prog 8 vs 7,1; strong hit, 2xp"Thank you Careena," Gamana said, bowing over the tube as she took it from Careena. "You are always polite and respectful, if only your master would learn from you ..."
Twisting the end of the tube, Gamana opened it - and as Careena expected - a cloud of silver dust emptied from the tube, then coalesced into a spiral, spinning around Gamana's body before disappearing into her eyes and mouth.
After a few moments, Gamana opened her eyes and said, in a very distracted voice, "Well ... that is a surprise! I will have some visitors before long. But that is for another time, there are many things to resolve first ..."
I'm going to spend some xp here and buy one of the abilities from Dwarf-Blood, that I think that Careena has learnt.
Advance: 2xp to buy the An Immovable Object ability from Dwarf-Blood
And time to pause; more soon!