Travels amongst the Border Princes (WFRP 2e) IC

[rax]

"I'm guessing my friends are on the other side of the pass by now," Severin addresses the posse, ignoring the tensions for now. "Are any of you familiar with the terrain ahead and what's on the other side? How long do you think it'll take us to cross over and what might we find over there?"

[Ionbound]

Alyssa is distinctly unhappy with sleeping outdoors, but she shakes her head and settles in for the night, biting back a snarky comment.

The next morning, though, she's early to rise with Gabrielle, but without hunting experience she has little to do but sit around looking antsy and wanting to get back to the tracking.

[rs2excelsior]

Torendil is showing signs of disgruntledness from the hard march the day before and the rough sleeping conditions--privately, he wonders if the soft bed in the academy would have been worth staying. But he tries to hide it nonetheless, and stretches his sore muscles for another difficult trek. He grumbles a bit at the hardtack, though. Still, better than starving. Marginally.

"Surely there will be food and water up ahead. These bandits would not have set off into a barren land to starve to death themselves. I am certain when we locate where they camped, there will be supplies that we can find." Unless they were better supplied than we were setting out, that is. No point in voicing that thought, though.

[dojango]

There is a lot of uncertainty when Severin asks about the lands on the other side of the mountains. "Bad lands," one of the village lads says. "That's where the evil demons fought." "My dad said it used to be farmland, until the rain of ash." None of them have ever been there. The soldiers are dismissive of the peasants, but they don't know what's on the other side of the mountains either. The next morning, the eagerness of the village lads seems to have faded, replaced by skittishness. Eventually, Severin manages to get them moving again, and they follow the clear trail left by the trackers up the pass. They clear the pass about mid-morning and look out over the barren hills.

Back up at the pass, Gabriele spots a large rattler basking on a rock in the cool of the morning. It eyes her warily, up until she shoots it with her bow. It's pretty trivial to skin and clean, but if you want to cook it, it might take time. Time and a fire. While game is fairly scarce in the desert, as compared to the grassy plains of the Igerang valley, throughout the day, every once in a while Gabriele is able to bring down a small bird or a basking lizard. Once everyone is awake, you can see the rolling, barren hills stretch out in front of you. In the distance, you can see several plumes of smoke rising. Not from where you remember where you saw their camp. Once everyone is ready to march out, the party follows the trail to the east. The trail is still easy to follow, with heavy bootprints making deep marks in the dry dirt. The trail winds its way across the rolling hills. As the day winds on, the dirt turns to hard-packed ash. With every step, a thin puff of ash is raised, coating everyone's clothes and gear gets covered with it. The ground turns harder, with sharp rocks protruding from the ground. Towards the evening, the trail reaches the lake they saw in the distance. Warm, almost hot water seeps out of the sand of the beach. You can see steam and smoke rising out of the shattered ground to the east. There is the glow of a campfire on the opposite end of the lake from you.

Spoiler

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We'll cut to the chase soon enough, but the question is, do you want to wait for Severin and reinforcements to catch up, and do you want to start a fire to cook the game that Gabriele has caught?

[Haval]

Gabriele is happier now that she's managed to find something even though she's never eaten reptile before. 'The nice thing about animals is they don't tend to cover their tracks.' Either the others would pick it up or they wouldn't.

'If we can see their fire then they can probably see ours if we built it. That said, they wouldn't know who we are or what we're doing here so would they care enough to come investigate?' She'll sit down on a rock as it had been a busy day. 'Assuming they don't come over here first I suppose I could go take a look once it gets dark.'

Spoiler

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In favour of avoiding a fair fight at all costs so in favour of waiting for Severin, but Gabriele can scout in the meantime unless splitting up seems like a bad idea.

[Ionbound]

Alyssa raises her eyebrow at the offered game but eventually nods and swallows her pride, eating what she can stomach.

She gazes across the lake at the smouldering campfire, then sighs as she nods to Gabrielle, "You're right, waiting until nightfall is probably the right thing to do. But I can hardly bear the thought of what must be happening to that poor girl."

[rax]

"A nasty looking place indeed," Severin agrees with the village lads, "and somewhere out there, Elodie is going through gods knows what," he reminds them.

"The trail is still clear, and I don't want to spend a moment longer here than necessary. We're going to need to pick up the pace if we're to catch up with Gabriele's party soon. Everyone step lively, and we'll take turns riding Bertrand here when we need to catch our breath."

OOC: Severin actually has Move 4, so he's as fast on foot as an average human. I figure if we all march on foot and everyone gets a turn on Bertrand when they get too tired, we should be able to move faster as a group than if the humans all walk/force march and Severin rides. Should be better for morale as well.

[rs2excelsior]

Torendil had thought it couldn't get worse than the semi-barren scrub they'd been travelling through. He was wrong. The ash was unbearable, he was exhausted, and wondering more with each step whether it was even worth it. This little village, how much did it really matter in the grand scheme of things? They'd done their part, if they came back and said they had lost the trail the peasants couldn't say they hadn't done their part and more. But the others still seemed bent on pursuing the girl's kidnappers, so he keeps quiet.

He'd also hoped for some game--the snake and lizard were far from what he'd imagined, though the bird might do. Once the meat is on the fire [OOC: assuming we do light a fire and cook it], his hunger manages to overcome much of the initial revulsion, though.

"Perhaps we should rest here. There is no point in catching up if we are exhausted and incapable of fighting when we get there. Perhaps see what we are up against first, instead of charging in headlong?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Out of character, I'm still all for following these people. But Torendil wants a rest, and a bath, and to get to the castle. But he values not rocking the boat with the group more, so he's not saying anything.

[dojango]

Gabrielle and Alyssa set out during the night to try and find a path around the lake. The land has become shattered and twisted. Hard, unforgiving rock walls loom out of the darkness, twisting watercourses lead away from the lake and away from your quarry. At times the sand and rock underneath your feet becomes unpleasantly hot to the touch.

Spoiler

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The red square on the map is a volcano. Your characters don't know it, but if you've ever seen a lava field, that's the terrain you're traversing. You'll need to make a successful follow trail roll to find the path your quarry took in the dark.

[Haval]

Before moving out, assuming no one objected, Gabriele will get a fire started to cook what she caught. They had to eat and there was no sense in letting the meat go bad. In this place who would notice more smoke. 'I take it the whole of the South doesn't look like this.' Presumably people wouldn't be so keen to come down here if it did.

She'll reply to Torendil, 'Even if I was in any condition to fight it wouldn't be a good idea. Sticking arrows in people when they aren't expecting it is safer. I won't stop anyone from acting as they wish, but I'd hope everyone can be careful.' She'll look significantly at Alyssa.

At night, she'll try to use the land to cover her route as much as possible. It wasn't a forest but the principle was the same.

Spoiler: ooc

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For the record, Gabriele is guilty enough to go along with this because at the moment it's only tracking

Follow Trail
vs. Int 38
(1d100)[91]
FP to reroll if needed
(1d100)[53]

Silent Move for the hell of it
vs. Ag 48 (+10 Rover)
(1d100)[52]

Perception
vs. Int 38 (+20 if Acute Hearing)
(1d100)[56]

[dojango]

Gabriele and Alyssa spend about an hour of fruitless searching for a path through the twisted lands. Although Mannslieb is nearly full, Morrslieb skulks about the edge of the sky, seemingly trying to cast deep shadows over where they are searching. After the third (or maybe fourth) attempt to scramble up a slope scattered with sharp black rock, they are no closer to their destination and are forced to give up. Retracing their steps isn't easy either, but they make it back to camp where Torendril is quietly resting. Morrslieb rises then, casting their campsite in sickly green light. They will have to try again in the morning.

When the sun rises, everyone can look across the lake again. The water is filled with dead wood, and tastes flat and ashen. But it is water, and everyone fills up their waterskins again. In the light, Gabriele can see a hidden trail winding its way through the rocky ground. There are a few scuffed recent bootprints. The party picks their way along the trail around the lake. Every once in a while they pass a bubbling hotspring, water hissing and steaming as it flows out of cracks in the ground. After a few hours they reach the shore of the lake. They can find the remnants of a campfire and some trash from their quarry. The trail leads towards the steaming mountain. Following the trail for a few more hours around the eastern edge of the shattered mountain, they crest a ridge and see a large camp in a small valley. Maybe a dozen tents, a merry throng of people, looking almost for the world like a market fair in the middle of the wasteland. The trail leads right to it.

Severin and his crew wake up early the next morning and keep up their pace. By rotating riders on Bernice (who doesn't seem too happy about it), they make good time through the desert hills. They arrive at the edge of the lake in the early afternoon and quickly pick their way through the obsidian flows around the edge of the lake. By the time the sun is lowering over the far horizon, they have found a nice camping spot on a black sand beach at the far end of the lake. "Someone else has camped here" remarks the archer, sifting ashes from a campfire through her hand.

[rax]

"With any luck it was our friends or the kidnappers, which would mean we're on the right track," Severin says. "Let's eat and rest, then try for an early start in the morning. Bertrand needs the rest after carrying all you strapping big 'uns all day," he jokes. "If we don't manage to meet up with Gabriele's party or the kidnappers tomorrow, well...we'll munch that pie when we come to it."

OOC: I'm getting the impression that Severin's posse is about half a day behind Gabriele and co now?

[Haval]

To Alyssa, 'I don't see any permenent buildings. What are they even doing out here.' No one seemed to have noticed them. 'We could get closer.'

[Ionbound]

Alyssa yawns, then nods to Gabriele as she replies, "Let's go. It doesn't look like they're openly hostile at the moment...I hope it stays that way."

[Haval]

Gabriele notes the yawn, 'Once we get out of here we can find somewhere with actual beds.' She'll try and get close enough to the camp to see if they have sentries, and if no one stops her she'll try and get close enough to the camp to work out what everyone was doing here.

Spoiler: ooc

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Silent Move vs. Ag 48 (+10 Rover)
(1d100)[23]

Perception vs. Int 38 (+20 if Acute Hearing)
(1d100)[34]

If Conrad and Torendil aren't with us then we would have told them where we were going.

[dojango]

The presence of the unknown camp concentrates Gabriele's mind wonderfully, and she silently drifts as close to the camp as she feels safe. There don't appear to be sentries posted, but people are coming and going around the camp. In the center of the camp are a few goats roasting merrily on a spit, while a communal kitchen is serving up bowls of stew as people come and go. There are a few tables with people selling trinkets and other goods. Children run around the camp, playing. Of course, they did arrive at the hottest part of the day, when only fools and Brettonians are abroad in the noonday sun. After a few minutes of watching the camp, a man comes out and climbs up on a rock near the center of the camp. "Welcome, brethren!" he shouts out. Men and women trickle out from the tents, from the shade where they've been resting. Even the children stop their games to watch. "Ah, my friends. It has been another glorious year. Our lord, Azariah, the sacred mountain has again blessed us. We are honored. Tomorrow night, when the twin moons rise together, when the winds of mystery blow, our lord will come for his due. And we gladly will serve! More of our brethren will join us tomorrow from the outer homesteads for the sacrifice. And we welcome them! But they will miss out on the games! Some traders made the long trek to our village some time ago bearing gifts." There is a cheer of appreciation. The man raises up his hand. "For the winners of the footrace, the stone toss, and the archery shoot, great prizes will be theirs!" There are more cheers. A dozen young men and women come forward. The man points to a distant ridge. "The first to wave a banner from yon ridge and return is the winner!"

[Ionbound]

Alyssa follows Gabriele's lead into the camp once she sees it's safe, but purses her lips and frowns as she hears the word 'sacrifice'. She shakes her head quickly, deciding to confirm her suspicions before acting, and asks, "Ah, yes, um...What is this 'sacrifice'?"

[Haval]

To Alyssa, 'I really hope they're talking about a cow?'

Confident that no one is likely to see her Gabriele returns to the others, 'They look like they're having a party, all for some God I've never heard of called Azariah. Tomorrow there will be a sacrifice, which makes me think we've found out why Elodie was taken.'

[rax]

Severin leads his small posse through the treacherous terrain, finally coming upon his companions' camp site.

OOC: Sorry, no time for anything more tonight. Train home was seriously delayed - off to bed now.

[rs2excelsior]

Torendil's mouth narrows. Sacrifices--possibly human sacrifice, even. Messy. Gives other proper wizards a bad name.

Spoiler: OOC

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Can I roll Academic Knowledge (Magic) to see if I know anything about rituals for said god involving sacrifices? Religion would be a better fit, but if there's a deity going around granting magical powers perhaps Torendil's run across it. Regardless, can't hurt to roll at least:

vs Int (52): (1d100)[28]

[dojango]

The name Azariah sounds familiar to Torendril, and he thinks back. Not in the magic journal, but in the more mundane records of the Red Temple. Mount Azariah was reported to be in the center of a broad, fertile valley. At least in the Magos's day. A far cry from this blasted wasteland of twisted rock and dry hills. As far as human sacrifice is concerned... the Magos himself was proof enough of its magical power. Magos Valens had described a number of gruesome rituals that he claimed would grant great power using 'the very life essence of victim' as fuel for the ritual. In theory a ritual performed by illiterate peasants shouldn't have any result at all, save for the death of the unfortunate victim, but if some untrained magical talent tried it... well, the results could be interesting, to say the least.

Once the rest of the party arrives, there is an impromptu huddle. You can hear the cheer from the camp as the footrace ends. The smell of the roasting food wafts towards you. The soldier who came with you says glumly, "Thought we was chasing a small band, not a whole bloody mob. I know you're wantin' to charge in there and start cracking skulls, but, uh, I dunno if that's such a good idea. This lot," he indicates the peasants from the village "don't seem like the berserking type."

[Haval]

'I'm with you there. If we can find Elodie first maybe we can take her back without them noticing. Can we get away with some of us going down there openly to have a look around. Maybe we just happen to passing through.'

[rax]

"Did I hear you say there are traders down there? That would be a good cover for us...if only we had something resembling trade goods with us," Severin answers Gabriele. "I suppose us irregular-looking people - you, me and Alyssa - might be able to pass ourselves off as itinerant wanderers that just happened to stumble across this camp, but it'll be a harder sell if we have an elf, a priest and some of Lord Bremcote's soldiers tagging along. And no disrespect to you lads, but if there's more people coming in from other villages, it could be there'll be some down there that would recognize you," Severin continues, looking at the village lads that have tagged along.

"It sounds like the sacrifice will be tomorrow night, and that they're expecting their "lord" to show up in person to collect. They're also expecting more of their own to join them. There's no sentries, but I'm guessing that those people are a fairly tight knit community. If we walk in there bold as brass, someone's going to want to chat with us and then we'll be made as outsiders in no time."

"I'm beginning to think our best bet is to wait for a fairly large group, preferably one that turns up later this evening or even tomorrow evening, and just flow in there with the rest of them. If everyone's busy welcoming the new arrivals, we can peel off and start looking around the camp for Elodie. It's either that, or we try and sneak in at night when most of 'em are asleep and hopefully stinking drunk."

[Haval]

'Well Torendil is the only Elf I've ever met. Who are they to say what Elves get up to, but I admit it would probably get us noticed. I'd be willing to try going in there as part of a larger group. Even if I'm noticed maybe I can just claim to have been hunting. Sneaking in at night is all very well as an alternative, but if we do that we should work out what we're going to do if something goes wrong.'

'This lord would be Azariah presumably? Are they expecting an actual god to show up?'

[Ionbound]

Alyssa shakes her head and goes back with Gabriele, looking unhappy all the while. When they get back to the others, she nods and replies, "We need to get into that camp before the sacrifice, one way or another. If a big group shows up today we can slip in with them but I don't want to wait a whole 'nother day to get in there. If no one shows up we need to get in tonight. Anyone have a problem with that?"

[rax]

"That's settled then. We keep an eye open for a likely-looking group and then join them to get in the camp. If that doesn't work, we do a night raid. Next question - do all of us go in at once, or do we leave some men here to cover our retreat if necessary?"

[Haval]

To Alyssa, 'No problem here.' To Severin, 'I can do it. Even if I miss it'll give them a reason to keep their heads down. Assuming everyone's ok with splitting up.'

[dojango]

From their concealed vantage point, the party can see the festival. After the footrace there is a stone toss, where they can see men competing to try and hurl large stones as far as they can. Finally, there is an archery shoot. The archers are... well, mediocre at best, although an older man manages to hit a bullseye on the final shoot, and receives the prize. It appears to be a longbow. After the competitions are over, the party-goers settle in for feast. Kegs of something are rolled out, and toasts are raised. "To the harvest!" "To the mountain!" "To the Lord Azariah!" Every once in a while, you can spot couples sneaking out to find hidden alcoves... fortunately, none of them come towards your hiding spot, although they would probably be too distracted to notice even if they did. As the sun starts to sink lower on the horizon, the party finally spots a small group of travelers picking their way through the wasteland from the south. Torendril's keen eyes spot six figures. On horseback.

[rax]

Severin spits in frustration. "Typical. The only serious party we've spotted all day and it's riders. Nothing we can use for cover and they're probably important folk too, if they can afford to ride horses into this wasteland. Still, the party's started down there. Anyone object to waiting a little longer and then sneaking down there to scout the camp for Elodie? I wouldn't mind finding out who these riders are either..."

[Haval]

Gabriele has been watching the archers with a critical eye. To Severin, 'Be my guest. They don't look like much of a threat, and they're probably good and distracted now.' She'll try to get a better look at the riders. 'Horses can't be cheap, so they're probably important.'