Fulfil Your Vow: prog 8 vs 3,4; strong hit, was formidable, so 3xp gainedPer the vow, I'm going to buy the Ritualist asset with those xp
Advance: 3xp to buy the Ritualist assetNow, back to the story; Careena and Gamana had arrived at the Dark Rapids, to await her 'visitors' ...
Careena felt that she had made an enormous leap forward, "Am I now a Ritualist, Gamana?"
"Well, do you know any rituals Careena?" she replied, and when Careena nodded, Gamana continued, "Then I believe that you are," she said with a smile and then replaced her mask. "I do not know when the visitors will arrive."
Looking around and seeing their surroundings for the first time, Careena realised that the Dark Rapids had got their name from being at the bottom of a deep ravine - where they now stood. The path that they had descended was obvious behind them - it looked like a long dry stream had cut through the ravine's side.
"Can you tell me anything about the visitors?" Careena asked.
"Of course," Gamana replied, "they are Muku and Druku - Varou twins, both of whom are, like us, students of the Dweomer," Careena must have looked shocked at this, as Gamana hurried on, "There is no need for alarm, they have no ties to the migrating Varou tribe - they have renounced all tribal ties and hold only to the Dweomer of Light, much as I have done."
To explain further, Gamana continued, "None of the peoples in the Ironlands are completely united. Just as the humans that you grew up amongst are divided and ruled by nobles with their petty jealousies and quarrels, so are the Elves and Varou splintered into Tribes that war upon each other."
Careena felt hugely naive - she had thought that all Varou would want to punish her for killing their kind and, in the same manner, that all Elves would be her friends ... But no, the world was bigger than she had thought and not as clear-cut ...
The mention of the migrating Varou brought the mysterious figure she had seen speaking to the Varou Lord to the front of her mind, so Careena told Gamana what she had seen as completely as she could. Gamana was deeply concerned by Careena's news, and they agreed to tell the Varou twins when they arrived - Gamana expected them early the next day.
"Actually," Gamana said, "Why don't you conduct the Sway ritual and see if you can learn anything about what the twins might want? I'll conduct the ritual first for Muku so that you can observe my method and then you for Druku and we can compare results."
Careena readily agreed to the suggestion and then watched Gamana's actions, taking careful note of how the Elf prepared beforehand and then, when Gamana had finished, Careena began her own working.
First, Careena took care to ensure that she stood in the breeze that came through the ravine, and then focused her mind upon the ritual and how the wind would whisper the answer into her ears.
Secure an Advantage (per Ritualist asset): 5 +3 [wits] +1 [Ritualist] vs 9,7; weak hit, +1 mom -> 4, +1 mom [Ritualist] -> 5And then she performed the ritual itself
Ritual - Sway: 2 +3 [wits] vs 7,1; weak hit, person’s need creates a troubling dilemma or complication, Endure Stress, -1 spirit -> 4The answer came whispered on the wind to Careena's ears - "Remake ... the ... broken ... bond ..."
I was going to Ask the Oracle for the twins' need, but I've had an idea for that. But first Careena must ...
Endure Stress: 3 +4 [spirit] vs 9,2; weak hit, press on
My idea was to have the twins ask Careena to deliver a message to the ruler of Hillbarrow - Lady Mertree - but upon much reflection I decided that Careena has had enough delivery quests for now. So, instead I rolled on the Character Goal Oracle - well, I did roll but none of the answers seemed right, so I looked at the entries and saw 'Restore a relationship' which leapt out
As the Sway ritual gave its answers only to the ritual's performer, Careena told Gamana what she had heard who confirmed a similar response to hers regarding Muku.
With nothing further to do but await the twins' arrival, Careena and Gamana made camp for the night.
Make Camp: 6 +4 [supply] vs 7,8; strong hit, choose Relax (+1 spirit -> 5) Focus (+11 mom -> 6)A restful, undisturbed night passed, but with the rising of the sun came rain and a chill breeze down the ravine. As they would be leaving the Dark Rapids that day, Careena and Gamana packed all their belongings and as they worked, Careena mulled over a question until, finally, not knowing how best to ask it, she just blurted it out - "Gamana, why do Elves wear masks, and why did you take yours off yesterday?"
"I did wonder when you'd ask that second question," said Gamana, "and I thought that you knew the answer to the first already - my apologies."
She paused, as if gathering her thoughts, but then continued, "We Elves - as you know, or should, anyway - are Children of Air, just as your Dwarven blood marks you as a Child of Earth and the Varou are the Children of Fire. These heritages are shown in our natures. Most Elves are flighty and find it difficult to concentrate upon a single task for a long time, just as most Dwarves are grasping and find it hard to part with things - surely your father spoke to you of this?"
So, this marks another fact in Careena's quest to complete her vow"No he didn't - he committed some great sacrilege and was cast out. He never spoke to me about my Dwarven heritage," Careena replied
Reach a Milestone: I will learn what it means to be a Dwarf, -> 6/20
Gamana's pose indicated shock, and it was a moment or two before she seemed able to continue.
"Had he been born an Elf, sending his child out in the world without that knowledge would be a crime - I do not know if it is such for the Dwarves," she said. "When you are able, you must go to him and make him tell you the secrets that as a Child of Earth it is your bloodright to know."
"But we were talking abut my people not yours," Gamana continued, "As I said,we Elves are flighty and lack self-discipline - what we feel shows on our faces before we can stop it - and most of us wouldn't want to stop it anyway. As you can imagine, instant emotional display, combined with little self-discipline among viewers, often means heated arguments escalating very quickly!"
"The masks are our way of living with each other without killing each other," Gamana laughed and then continued, "I took mine off to show you my face. It shows that I trust you. That I know that if I offend you, you will tell me and allow me to explain. That I do not want to hide how I feel from you. Also, were we different people, it could mark intimacy," she finished.
Careena thought about this for a while, and then did the only thing that she felt she could. She took both of Gamana's hands in hers and said, "Gamana, I thank you for the gift of your trust and want you to know that I treasure it and will never willingly do anything to harm it."
After a moment's awkward silence, they returned to packing and soon had it finished. As they worked, Careena swore to herself that she would learn what she should know as a Child of Earth.
Swear an Iron Vow - I will learn what I should know as a Child of Earth (Dangerous): 5 +2 [heart] vs 3,6; strong hit, +2 mom -> 8Now they waited.But it was not long before they heard voices coming down the ravine towards them and the two Varou were soon with them. From the short barking noises that the Varou & Gamana were making, Careena guessed that they were speaking the Varou language, but she couldn't understand a word of it. Noticing her look of incomprehension, Gamana interrupted the conversation to introduce Muku, Druku and Careena to each other, and then resumed speaking in the human language so that Careena would not be left out.
It seemed that although Muku and Druku were part of a particular tribe, they had been welcome at all the tribes until the Lord of the Otaan, Alekkan, had forbidden them to visit his tribe on pain of death and the Otaan tribe was the tribe migrating towards Thornfall. The twins knew that Alekkan had a mysterious new advisor, and had been toldt by friends in the Otaan, that Alekkan had ordered the tribe's move because his adviser wanted to get into the ruins to the south of Thornfall (known to the Elves as Zorkon's Stone), but no-one knew what he wanted ...
And time to pause once again; more soon!