Kithayn - 03 Pursuit

It was quickly apparent that Connu's wound looked a lot worse than it actually was and he was rapidly carried into the Wardenhome's compound.

Connu's warriors - Colme & Decha - were returning when ambushed by Varou. Colme was wounded but Decha got him home & gate shut.

Connu sends Decha on his horse to warn Lady Caelia. Kithayn refuses to go as has sworn to find her mother. Connu accepts without demur (friend). His servants have stripped the Varou corpses and Connu gifts a mail hauberk and fine steel sword to Kithayn - she is flattered

Replace OUTCAST asset with SWORDMASTER
Heal - 10,4 : 3 + 2 iron; WEAK; +2 health (3), -1 momentum (4)
Sojourn - 6,6 : 6 + 1 heart, +1 [bond w. Connu]; STRONG; Recuperate +2 health (5), Provision +2 supply (4), Consort +2 spirit (max 5)
Sojourn match: Action 86 Locate, Theme 15 Secret; Want to do a 'Delve' so Varou have found a lost site.

Regain war-darts, couple more from Connu. Don mail, tight, but will do

Per Ironclad asset, Kithayn is 'Geared for War', check Encumbered condition; max momentum 9, reset is now 1
Gather Information - from Varou bodies - 5,4 : 6 + 3 wits; STRONG; +2 momentum (6)

Prepared now, Kithayn leaves to find Mother's fate.

Milestone - Iron Vow - Learn Mother's Fate - 2/10

As the Varou were following the river - presumably to return home - Kithayn believes she can head north-west from Connu's Wardenhome, rather than west to the river and follow it north. She should find their tracks as she did at yesterday's dawn

Undertake a Journey - Find Varou (troublesome) - 1st segment
  9,1 : 2 + 3 wits; WEAK; -1 supply (3); progress 3/10

Stops early to forage and camp<

Resupply - 6,5 : 6 + 3 wits; STRONG; +2 supply (5)
Make Camp - 7,1 : 2 + 5 supply; WEAK; Recuperate +1 health (5)

Refreshed, resumes in morning

Undertake a Journey - Find Varou (troublesome) - 2nd segment
  6,1 : 5 + 3 wits; STRONG; progress 6/10
Waypoint - oracle - Corrupted Steading

Varou had strayed from River and seemingly stumbled over the farm. Dran, the farmer, killed trying to protect farm, no sign of Lenne, wife, or their children. Search

Gather Information - 2,2 : 4 + 3 wits; STRONG; +2 momentum (8)

Find children in their bolt-hole; Innach the eldest will take them to next farm. Kithayn solemnly vows to Boddua to find where their mummy has gone ...

Swear Iron Vow - Return Lenne to her children - troublesome 3,1 : 4 + 1 heart; STRONG; +2 momentum (max 9)

Starts to follow Varou trail

Undertake a Journey - Find Varou (troublesome) - 3rd segment
  5,5 : 4 + 3 wits; STRONG; progress 9/10
Reach Your Destination - 4,2 : 9 progress; STRONG; +1 momentum (max 9)

Find Varou - there are 2 outside a small cave that has a stream running out of it.

Milestone - Iron Vow - Return Lenne to her children - 3/10
Milestone - Iron Vow - Learn Mother's Fate - 3/10

04 - the cave

Having found the Varou - 2 of them - Kithayn finds a hide and watches as the tracks had indicated at least 8 or 9 of them ...

Gather Information - 8,1 : 6 + 1sh; WEAK; +1m (max 9)

Watches for rest of day and most of night, but no sign of others.  As night comes to close, one of the Varou is sleeping by their small fire and Kithayn determines to act ...

Face Danger - 7,5 : 3 + 1sh; MISS, BURN (9 -> 1), STRONG; +1m (2)

sneaks up on the Varou unnoticed ...

Secure an Advantage - 6,1 : 6 + 1sh; STRONG; +2m (4)

Leaps at the sentry from behind

Enter the Fray - 2 Varou (1 asleep) = dangerous  3,1 : 6 + 1sh; STRONG; +2m (6), +INITStrike - 4,4 : 1 + 2i; MISS, BURN (6 -> 1), STRONG; 2hm +1hm [STR] +2hm [swordmaster]  Progess - 2 Varou (1 asleep) - 10/10End the Fight - 6,1 : 10p; STRONG

Decapitating it as she passes and finishing her leap with her sword in the skull of the sleeper.

"A sword is soo much better than axe!" Kithayn thonks as she boots the Varou's head from her sword.

Inside cave are 4 human captives including a dead Lenne

Milestone - Iron Vow - Return Lenne to her children - 6/10

Cingi, Innkeeper of Northbridge is alive. Tells Kithayn that Varou found a door hidden at back of cave and all but the 2 outside (6) went in, taking some of their captives - including Mother

Milestone - Iron Vow - Learn Mother's Fate - 4/10

The 3 survivors are too tired to move now. Will wait in cave for at least day and then make way to nearest Steading - Kithayn gives them directions.. They loot Varou for weapons - Kithayn gives axe to Congi - it was his anyway!

Discover a Site - troublesome, Ancient Ruin - Nekun's Hole

Kithayn carefully explores the cave & checks with captives what Varou were carrying

Secure an Advantage - 5,2 : 4 + 3w; STRONG; prepare +2m (3)

and passes through the doorway discovered by the Varou ...

05 - Nekun's Hole

As short corridor entered a room, pit trap has Varou dead on spikes at bottom.

Delve the Depths - 3,1 : 1 + 3 wits; STRONG: progress, opportunity
Progress - Nekun's Hole - 3/10
Find an Opportunity - 18; terrain favours / hidden path; +1 mom (4)

Stairs down, impaled human on spikes up from stairs. Standing at head of stairs, feels air-current to side; quick search reveals a hidden door that reveals sloping passage parallel to stairs.

Delve the Depths - 6,3 : 6 + 1 shadow; STRONG: progress, opportunity
Progress - Nekun's Hole - 6/10
Find an Opportunity - 28; history / nature revealed; +1 mom (5)

Writing on wall has some of the same letters that are on her father's gauntlets. Kithayn had thought them just decorative, but the way they appear on the wall, they're clearly letters .. what alphabet? what language? not the time now - press on

Delve the Depths - 9,6 : 4 + 3 wits; WEAK: Wits: 24 progress, reveal danger
Progress - Nekun's Hole - 9/10
Reveal a Danger - Kithayn realises the obvious ...

From her secret passage, Kithayn can see torchlight through one of the spyholes ahead. Hang on ... how could she see the writing just now? she wasn't carrying a torch ... there was no light at all, but she could still see ... she'd always known she could see well at night compared to others, but to see with no light? what is this?

Endure Stress - dangerous : -2 spirit (3); 4,2 : 4 + 3 spirit; STRONG; embrace +1 mom (6)

Focus! Find Mother! She must know the answers!

Milestone - Iron Vow - Learn Mother's Fate - 5/10

blah

Kithayn - 02 Connu the Brave

Connu had not been the Warden for long. Tinau, the previous Warden, had been a fat, jolly, lazy man who had allowed the defences of the Wardenhome - its main reason for existence - to fall into disrepair. Connu's first step on taking up the Wardenship had been to repair the palisade and the wisdom of his decision was now there for all to see.

The palisade's gate was closed and at the base of the Wardenhome's rise, 5 Varou milled about, obviously confused and uncertain what to do - they must not have expected the palisade ...

As they yipped to each other in their strange language, Kithayn saw Connu risk a look over the palisade from the fighting platform inside the palisade next to the gate. As she watched, one of the Varou seeing Connu, launched one of their war-darts at him, but Connu had disappeared long before the missile had reached the palisade.

Uncertain how to proceed, Kithayn climbed a stout tree and looked over the area, assessing her options ...

Gather Information - 6,3 : 2 + 3 wits; MISS; Pay the Price: Stressful -2 spirit (3)

It looked hopeless ... she couldn't single-handedly defeat 5 Varou .. how could she possibly get through to Connu?

Endure Stress - 7,4 : 6 + 2 spirit; STRONG; Shake it off, -1 momentum (4), +1 spirit (4)

But as Kithayn despaired, it dawned upon her that the Varou at the gate were probably all that were left of the group that had left Northbridge for the Wardenhome ... which meant she could reach the palisade on the other side unobserved.

Backing away a piece, Kithayn circled around the Wardenhome and found that its other side did, indeed, have no Varou. She quickly scribbled a note and tied it to one of her war-darts. Checking yet again that there were no Varou visible, Kithayn swiftly ran up to the palisade and lobbed the war-dart over it sideways - the last thing she wanted was for someone to be hurt by it!

Her plan proposed, Kithayn waited for it to come to fruition ...

Secure an Advantage - 3,1 : 5 + 3 wits; STRONG; Prepare, +2 momentum (6)
Milestone - Warn Warden Connu - 8/10

As she waited, Kithayn prepared herself and before long the palisade gate opened and Connu rode out on a horse! Kithayn was nearly as surprised as the Varou, Connu must be very favoured by Lady Caelia to have a horse! Dismissing the distraction, Kithayn launched a ward-dart at the closest of the Varou, as Connu thundered toward them ...

Enter the Fray - Ambushing 5 Varou = Formidable
  6,2 : 6 + 1 shadow; STRONG; +2 momentum (8), +INIT
Strike - 7,7 : 6 + 2 edge; STRONG; 2 harm + 1 harm [STR], +INIT
Progress - Ambushing 5 Varou - 3/10

As Connu burst through the Varou, a downswing from his sword killed one of them outright, while Kithayn's war-dart struck her target in the thigh knocking it down. Now through the Varou, Connu wheeled his horse and charged back through the stunned Varou as Kithayn threw her last dart

Strike - 10,6 : 2 + 2 edge; MISS, BURN (8 -> 2), WEAK; 2 harm, -INIT
Progress - Ambushing 5 Varou - 5/10

This time, Connu wounded his foe and Kithayn killed hers - her dart lodging in the manbeast's throat.

But now, the Varou recovered their wits and the 2 of them that were uninjured chased down Connu, while the wounded one stumbled toward Kithayn. Her war-darts all gone, Kithayn ran towards a downed tree between her and the approaching Varou. As she approached the tree, she leapt on to it, turning the Varou slightly as it followed her movement, and pushed off the tree straight at her foe

Secure an Advantage - 9,4 : 3 + 2 edge; WEAK; +1 momentum (3)
Clash - 10,3 : 5 + 2 iron; WEAK; 2 harm, -INIT, Pay the Price: 3 harm (2)
Endure Harm - 3,2 : 6 + 2 iron; STRONG; Shake it off, -1 momentum (2), +1 health (3), +1 momentum [ironclad] (3)
Progress - Ambushing 5 Varou - 7/10

Kithayn followed her axe into her foe, bowling it over as she killed it, but even as it died the Varou managed to strike Kithayn in the hip. As she struggled to her feet, Kithayn saw the last 2 Varou pulling Connu off his horse. Even so, Connu managed to wound one with his sword, but the other stabbed the brave Warden in the back.

Kithayn charged the remaining Varou, screaming incoherently as she did trying to draw their attention from Connu.

Secure an Advantage - 6,3 : 3 + 3 wits; WEAK; +1 momentum (4)
Clash - 10,1 : 2 + 2 iron; WEAK; 2 harm, -INIT, Pay the Price: 3 harm (0)
Progress - Ambushing 5 Varou - 9/10
Endure Harm - 6,3 : 5 + 2 iron; STRONG; Shake it off, -1 momentum (3), +1 health (1), +1 momentum [ironclad] (4)

Kithayn's axe struck down the last unwounded Varou and brave Connu slew the last, even as he collapsed himself.

Turn the Tide - +INIT
Strike - 5,4 : 6 + 2 iron; STRONG; 2 harm, +1 harm [STR], +1 momentum (5)
Progress - Ambushing 5 Varou - 10/10
End the Fight - 8,5 : 10 progress; STRONG

Milestone - Iron Vow - Warn Warden Connu - 10/10
Fulfil Your Vow - Warn Warden Connu - 9,2 : 10 progress; STRONG; 2xp

Kithayn dropped her axe and bent over Connu wanting to help desperately, while the gate in the palisade swung wide and Connu's household came running to help their master ...

Kithayn - 01 Home Burns

"This is not good," Kithayn mused to herself as she knelt beside the last trail of her journey home. She could clearly see that a band of Varou had - judging by the freshness of their tracks - followed the trail within the last watches of the night. Although rare, it was not completely unknown for Varou to pass through her home steading of Northbridge - after all  it was the site of the most northerly bridge over the river Anfyn - but they sometimes caused trouble over the toll and it would be best if she were there to help old Glami, the warrior that manned the toll station for Lady Caelia.

But, never having been one to let her heart rule her head, Kithayn decided to search around to see if anything more could be learned ...

Gather Information - 4,1 : 3 + 3 wits; STRONG

Back down the trail Kithayn saw some of the small bushes at the trail's edge crushed as if a large animal had forced its way off the trail - or someone had crawled that way. Intrigued, Kithayn went over and crouched down to get a better look. She saw a Varou on the ground with its back to the trail. At first she thought it was asleep, but then noticed the stumps of arrows in its back and flies crawling around the wounds - it was dead.

Kithayn reached under the bushes towards the Varou with one of her war-darts and dragged the body to the edge of the trail. Seeing the paleness of its skin and the not quite stiffness of it limbs, Kithayn knew it had died since the sun's rise - it must have been straggling behind the rest of the band when it gave up the fight for life and crawled away to die. But as she rolled the body over and saw its face, the blood drained from her own ...

Shock of the revelation : -2 spirit (3)
Endure Stress - 5,4 : 4 + 3 spirit; STRONG; Embrace +1 momentum (3)

Kithayn had never seen Varou with red facepaint - all the other colours under the sun, but not red! She knew the stories - red is the colour of war to the Varou, only worn by them at war. This was no trading or secretive hunting band - these were raiders headed for her home!

The corpse in front of her must have been wounded in an attack, fallen behind and then left to die by the others.  Kithayn dropped the buck she had been bringing home and started her mile-eating fast jog along the trail toward Northbridge, seeing as she did that there were boot-prints interspersed with the Varou tracks - they had captives!

Face Danger - 10,7 : 4 + 2 iron; MISS; most obvious result - too slow

Cresting the last ridge before Northbridge, Kithayn could see a thick plume of smoke rising from where she knew Northbridge to be - she was too late! With a heavy heart, she continued without a pause knowing that she could no longer change what happened at the only home she had ever known.

As Northbridge came slowly into sight, she could see that the toll station and the Inn were burning fiercely; Glami lay dead in the yard atop a dead Varou and there was Sula, Mother's best friend, with her back opened from shoulder to hip ... There were no wounded - only corpses ... and no sign on Kithayn's Mother.

As she looked around and drank in the devastation, Kithayn's innately practical mind took over and she found herself at the log store where she hid her gear when away from home - she had learnt the hard way that some people would take anything they could find. She thanked the Gods that the Varou had not found her store and retrieved the gauntlets and helm that had once been her Father's along with the padded coat she wore when learning from Glami. Putting them all on, she began to feel her spirit strengthen and her spine stiffen.

Per Ironclad asset, Kithayn is now Lightly Armored [sic] 

Searching around the still burning buildings, a strange tale began to tell itself to Kithayn ...

Gather Information - 9,7 : 1 + 3 wits; MISS; unearths dire threat & unwelcome truth

The Varou had obviously fought amongst themselves about something and two separate groups had left the steading.  One (with all the captives) had gone north along the riverbank in the direction of the Varou tribal lands, while the other had followed the road toward the Wardenhome of Connu.

Kithan did not know what to do - she knew that her duty to Lady Caelia required her to warn the Warden, but her heart yearned to follow the captives in the hope that she could find her Mother alive amongst them ... but Mother could be lying dead, burnt to ash in the ruins of the inn ...

Indecision gripped her, but then Kithayn drew her Father's Iron Dagger, his mark of eternal shame, that she always kept inside her shirt where its leather sheath nestled next to her skin.

Gripping it tightly in her left hand so that its blade cut into her palm, she swore, "On my Father's badge of shame, I swear that I will find you Mother and learn your fate."

Swear Iron Vow - Learn Mother's Fate - formidable
  9,2 : 3 + 1 heart; WEAK; +1 momentum (5)

Gripping it again, so that it cut new lines of blood in her hand, she swore another solemn vow, "I swear that I will get to Warden Connu and tell him what has happened here, though my heart tells me to find Mother, I will do my duty first."

Swear Iron Vow - Warn Warden Connu - dangerous
  6,2 : 6 + 1 heart + 1 [bond w. Connu]; STRONG; +2 momentum (4)

Taking up her, Kithayn followed the Varou that had headed toward the Wardenhome. She knew a shortcut that would take her over the big ridge that lay between Northbridge and Connu's Wardenhome, while the road ran round the end of the ridge - luck might see at the Wardenhome before the Varou .. it was unlikely to be sure, but Kithayn felt that she had to try ...

Undertake Journey - Northbridge to Wardenhome of Connu : dangerous
5,4 : 5 + 3 wits; STRONG; move at speed +1 momentum (6), -1 supply (4);
Milestone - Warn Warden Connu - 2/10

Kithayn made good time, climbing the ridge without mishap until she reached the edge of the scree slopes that she had to cross before she could make her descent. She had crossed the treacherous scree many times, but never at the speed that she had to use now ...

Undertake Journey - Northbridge to Wardenhome of Connu; 2nd segment
  4,2 : 5 + 3 wits; STRONG; move at speed +1 momentum (7), -1 supply (3)

Luck? the Gods? her Father's spirit? something was Kithayn; she seemed to float across the scree with nary a problem and began her descent to the Wardenhome

Undertake Journey - Northbridge to Wardenhome of Connu; 3rd segment
  9,9 : 5 + 3 wits; MISS w. TWIST

What- or whom-ever had been with Kithayn on the scree, left her as ran her determined jog down the slope of the ridge toward the Wardenhome. As she rounded a boulder, she saw Clover, Connu's old milk cow, running across the path and away to her left. Distracted by the incongruous sight, Kithayn completely failed to see the 2 Varou that had been chasing the cow, spot her and change their target to the running woman.

Enter the Fray - Ambushed, 2 slightly wounded Varou = dangerous
  7,2 : 6 + 3 wits; STRONG; +2 momentum (9), +INIT

As they leapt out though, some sixth sense of Kithayn's warned her and her axe leapt up toward the first Varou.

Strike - 4,2 : 6 + 2 iron; STRONG; 2 harm + 1 harm [STR)]
  Progress - 2 Varou - 6/10 ; +INIT

Catching it in the thigh, the creature's artery sprayed its life out across the path and its compatriot. Not giving the remaining Varou time to recover, Kithayn's axe swept towards its head.

Strike - 8,8 : 4 + 2 iron; MISS, BURN (9 -> 2), STRONG; 2 harm + 1 harm [STR]
  Progress - 2 Varou - 10/10 ; +INIT

Striking deep down into its skull, Kithayn had put her boot on the Varou before she could tug her axe free.

End the Fight - 10,3 : 10 progress; WEAK
Endure Harm - 9,4 - 1 + 3 health + 1 ironclad; WEAK; -2 health (3), + 1 momentum [ironclad] (3)

The fight over, Kithayn realised that the first Varou had caught arm a nasty slice as it fell. Removing her pack, she found one of her bandages and bound her arm tight - stitching the wound would have to wait.

Heal - 7,2 : 3 + 2 iron; WEAK; -1 supply (2), +2 health (5)
Milestone - Warn Warden Connu - 4/10

Replacing her gear and restoring her pack to her back, Kithayn took stock. She was almost at the Wardenhome, but meeting the Varou here meant they almost certainly were there themselves.

Reach Your Destination - 8,3 : 6 progress; WEAK; unforeseen hazard ...

As Kithayn stepped out toward the Wardenhome, another Varou stepped onto the trail ahead of her - murder in its eyes ...

Enter the Fray - ambushed by a Varou = dangerous
7,4 : 6 + 3 wits; STRONG; +2 momentum (5), +INIT

Dodging the manbeast's first lunge, Kithayn brought her axe up in an underarm swing, intent on slicing open the ceature's groin

Strike - 10,4 : 6 + 2 iron; WEAK; 2 harm
  Progress - A Varou - 2/10; -INIT

Her blow almost ineffective, the Varou flowed from its own parry to a strike

Clash - 5,2 : 6 + 2 iron; STRONG; 2 harm + 1 harm [opening]
  Progress - A Varou - 10/10; +INIT

But Kithayn's own riposte opened the Varou up from throat to sternum and, as disbelief filled its eyes, it sank slowly to its knees ...

End the Fight - 6,6 : 10 progress; STRONG

... and Kithayn decapitated it with a double handed swing of her axe.

Milestone - Warn Warden Connu - 6/10
Milestone - Learn Mother's Fate - 1/10 

Looking up, there was the Wardenhome of Connu, on a small rise at the base of the valley