RuneQuest - Cayuga's Tale - Guardians of Highmead [Upd 29th Sept]

[PieAndDragon]

Men Become Wolves

Six humans, clothed in simple garb, and armed only with bastard swords, stood blocking the trail, clearly without peaceful intentions. We approached to within a hundred metres, with myself trailing slightly behind, arrow nocked to by bow. They demanded our valuables, and Hoisin challenged their ability to take it, as although they outnumbered us, we were clearly the more heavily-armed and armoured. With no valuables forthcoming, they resorted to violence instead.

It quickly became clear that they were more than simply men, as they dropped blades and began to metamorphose, taking the shapes of large wolves, sharp fangs bared. Surprised by this turn of events, we prepared several spells and readied weapons as they charged us down. More disturbing than their lupine forms was the way they shook off firstly one of my arrows, which flew true, enchanted by a spell, and then my javelin, which caught a second square in the head. What would normally kill a foe, was shaken off as barely hurting it.

I moved to aid my companions as the wolf-men fell upon them, biting, snarling and seeking any advantage they could get. Two bore Khaki to the ground, as she attempted to fend them off with mace and shield, keeping them away from her most vulnerable areas. Liverpate fended off two more as Drake and Hoisin engaged the last two. Our weapons seemed to have little affect, the spear I plunged into one of the two attacking Khaki was ignored, leaving not a mark. Someone shouted that magic affected them a little, so I resorted to different tactics.

As I backed away, Drake had a torch lit, holding it up to his opponent, trying to set alight it’s fur. Liverpate fell briefly, roused moments later by healing magics from Hoisin. I shouted to Khaki as I drew a javelin and readied it to throw, checking if she wanted my aid. After a muffled shout from her bloodied form, I launched the javelin, and it flew true into one already battered by her mace. Ever defiant, our small companion continued to fend off both of the wolves from the ground.

The battle began to turn, as Hoisin and Liverpate lay about their foes with enchanted blades, causing gashes and cuts which would not kill on their own, but took their toll after three or four such injuries. Drake set alight his foe with the torch, sending it’s flaming form away from the battle. Two more of my enchanted javelins caught the same wolf-man as before, causing it to stagger but not fall. Khaki managed to stave off both pairs of fangs with her shield, As two more wolf-men fell to our companions, and Drake slumped to the ground. I quickly debated on whether to throw one more javelin before casting it, having lit a torch to use in my off hand.

I cast it, but this one did not fly true.

Time slowed as my target rolled at the wrong moment, the javelin piercing Khaki’s armour mid-thigh, stilling her small form. Fearing the worst, I moved up to engage the last of the wolf-men, hearing my heart beat as never before. Within moments, they had been cut down by the other Hoisin’s twin blades and Liverpate’s single one.

Rushing to check the two unmoving forms of our companions, Hoisin found Drake to still live, but Khaki was no longer among the living, and guilt swept over me as I bore my friends’ accusatory stares.

I had killed my own traveling companion.

 

[PieAndDragon]

Saying Goodbyes

Drake would not speak to me for a couple of hours after becoming conscious once more. But something of the manner of my companions struck me as slightly out of place. They seemed more concerned that my weapon had killed an ally in melee, than by the death of Khaki herself. As we laid the tinder for a burial pyre, it became more clear as to why.

The Humakti consider death a holy thing, and also a one time thing. When they die, they have been told of a glorious afterlife awaiting them, filled with revelry and constant celebration, their every desire fulfilled. They are the only cult I know of which will not bring their dead back to life, under any circumstances. Which brings us to the death of our companion.

Or the second death, so I found out.

For Khaki had died in battle against baboons, once before, and been brought back from the dead by her cult. It was the same battle in which Drake lost an arm, and two others who travelled with them perished. A priestess of Savanka had pulled in some favours, and Khaki had risen to fight for her cult once more. We had in fact, repaid her debt by retrieving the helmet all the way from Balazor. And Hoisin, as a more than fervent follower of Humakt, did not approve of his companions’ continued life. Not that that mattered any more.

As we burnt our small companion’s form, we spoke of our adventures and times together. I remembered the breakfasts she had made, the kindnesses she had shown, and the times she had stood stalwart in battle. Liverpate had known her for longer than, having journeyed into the troll lands, alongside my cousin Teal. He recounted battles against boar-riding bandits, inside giant dinosaurs and the many nights drinking both had shared.

But it was Drake and Hoisin who had known her from the beginning. They spoke in turns, bringing to life many times share together, in dens of rubble runners, in the caves of rainbow colours and shepherd’s villages, fighting gigantic rock lizards, desperate bandits, hulking trolls, ravenous wolves, diseased broo, stone gargoyles and worse. They spoke of other, quieter times, of her resilience and grim determination. They gave her a sending off she could be proud of.

When the fire died, we knelt among the ashes, letting the wind carry them away to distant realms. By the end, my tears were spent, and my heart could begin to heal.

It would take my mind far longer to do so, as guilt is a heavy burden.

 

[PieAndDragon]

Plague Town

A week’s uneventful travel brought us to devastated town of Weis, the town we were tasked to save. An armoured rider stopped us before we reached town, hailing Drake by name from the road ahead. My heart started to beat faster as soon as I laid eyes on him, for he is a tall, lithe man, with a face of heroes. His sparkling eyes held a confidence about them, and he bore the symbol of Humakt.

Saxony Rouen stayed behind to wait for Drake, keeping an eye out for the broo and any other developments. He is another warrior of the Cult of Glory, although not an initiate like Hoisin and Drake. Unlike the other two, he carries a mace instead of blades, combined with a small shield. He also shows more strategic awareness, being armed with a crossbow, thus able to take part in battle at range. Saxony also has looks to charm any woman, a calm confidence and a look of competence about him. I gather he hasn’t enjoyed watching over a diseased ruin for the last weeks.

Weis is a wrecked shadow of what it once was. Most of the populace that remain reside in mud huts, desperately trying to find scraps of food on which to survive. In the streets, rotting corpses still lie where they fell, with no-one to tend to the. The people have been hit by various diseases, most of which I know no name for. Weeping sores, rashes of boils, distorted limbs, plague madness, coughing fevers, maladies that kill from the inside and the outside, affecting almost every part of the body. They’ve had it all. Districts of Jonstown were quarantined over a year ago, hit by similar problems.

There was little for Saxony to tell us that we could no see with our own eyes. His main source of information in the remains of Weis was an insane old woman, who tended to her squawking mangy chickens. Things were still bad in the town, and unlikely to get better. There was one sighting of the broo, upriver along the Villnar, the large river which wends its way down the valley and through the town. In this terrain, there are few farmsteads or other outlying pockets of civilisation. Only the wretched people who needed our aid.

I know little of the broo, having never encountered them before. But both Drake and Hoisin have battled a warband of them in the past. They are hideous creatures, perversions of nature which combine aspects of beast and man, walking on two legs like us. Many are horned and mutations are rife among their kind, as are diseases and other maladies. They are beasts of Chaos, to be shown no mercy by us or our kind. I suspect that even the trolls despise them.

Avoiding Weis for the time being, we decided to search upriver for the source of the disease and any more signs of broo activity. I tasted the water without drinking it, and although its odour was pure, there was a tang of something else in the river. Something foul. Orville flew far and wide, but reported little more than rolling hills and a verdant valley. Drake scoured the banks of the Villnar, picking herbs to help heal wounds and combat disease. Our own hunt for tracks or other clues bore no fruit, and we camped several miles upriver from the town, ready to follow the river to its source on the next day.

After a night of double watches, we followed the river to its source, where it burst from a wide cave entrance, as tall as six men, tumbling down small waterfalls before settling into the Villnar. Scouting ahead on my own, I found signs of a single pair of tracks, made by some sort of humanoid coming out of the cave, and wide ledges either side of the water, leading further into darkness. When the others joined my, Saxony’s keen eyes found more tracks, this time returning to the cave, and about a week old.

Preparing for trouble, we made ready to enter the cave.

 

[PieAndDragon]

A Cave of Broo

Keeping ahead by a few metres, close to the rough cave wall, I tried to keep hidden, on the edge of the light provided by the torch affixed to Drake’s stump. The others kept three abreast, with weapons at the ready. Steam and mist kept visibility to a minimum, and the rushing waters beside us drowned out all other noise. When the ledge widened out into the cavern, I barely had moments to warn my companions of the three creatures I saw awaiting us, two with spears and one with a bow. From their bestial features, twisted visages and stubby horns, they could only be broo, attempting to conceal themselves behind large rocks.

Casting a javelin at the slightly concealed broo archer, the battle began, catching my target in the chest but not bringing it down. Saxony’s bolt flew over the head of the same target, and the return fire caught Hoisin in his unprotected gut. The two with spears charged toward us, where Hoisin and Liverpate were waiting for them. A bout of sneezing overcame Liverpate, as another spear-armed broo stood from behind the rock he’d been hiding behind. Drawing a spear, I lunged at one broo two-handed, only to impale my weapon through it’s shield and into its arm. Falling back a little, I let Drake take up the fight. Behind our battle line, Saxony reloaded his crossbow for another shot.

Liverpate’s sneezing abated, and he joined with Hoisin to drive one of our foes back a little. Drake cut our foe down with his broadsword, the beast looking surprised to be bested by a one-armed warrior, and leaving a gap for me. Moving into the cave proper, I readied another javelin, seeing the priest and archer as the main threats to us. I lost control of myself as the broo spellcaster turned his attention toward us, sneezing and spluttering in the midst of battle. To my right Liverpate’s luck turned for the worst, as his axe stuck in his opponent’s shield, almost splintering it, but leaving him unable to parry the spear which caught him through the jaw and cheek, dropping him, stilled, to the cold cavern floor.

The broo’s roar of triumph was short lived, as Drake cut down his second broo in moments, and Hoisin rushed to engage the archer. The broo priest charged toward me with spear lowered as I coughed in the midst of his sneezing. Fortune was with me as I regained control, disappearing from view as he readied his spear, leaving him to a one-armed swordsman instead. Unseen and unheard, I drew a spear and rushed to cut off the retreat of the archer fending off the attentions of Hoisin’s twin blades. Becoming visible, I plunged the point through it’s head, ending its existence.

The priest soon found himself surrounded by four warriors, as Hoisin joined Drake, Saxony abandoned his crossbow for his mace, and I completed the quartet. His spells of no avail, he quickly fell before our combined skills, cut down without mercy. Checking that no others were approaching from a side tunnel, we tended to our wounds and made sure our foes stayed dead.

 

[PieAndDragon]

Embedded Blade

Liverpate was up and his wounds cured by magic within minutes, treated during the battle already by our newest, handsome companion. Standing so he could see all of the fallen, Hoisin searched for magical trinkets, shouting with surprise as an object across the rushing waters started to glow from a large sandbank. We clustered for a closer look, seeing a hilt jutting from the sand. A second glow came from the fallen priest’s body, although we were unsure of its source.

Seeing my companions were unwilling to risk the waters, I stripped off armour and heavy clothing in preparation for the plunge, Taking only a spear with me, several strides and good dive plunged me into the frothing waters, a rope secured around my waist and held by the men. The river was surprising warm, but also too powerful for me, although I managed to hold my breath as I was swept downstream. Struggling with arms and legs, I broke the surface and was pulled by the rope to the shore, breathing heavily from the exertion.

For my second attempt to gain the magical sword, we moved slightly upriver, and this time I had no trouble making it to the sandbank. Pausing a moment to search around for anything else on the bank, I found nothing and pulled the blade from the sand, to find a shortsword. My companions were disappointed, having hoping for a larger sword instead. Swimming back aided by the rope, I gave the sword over to Drake, the most likely of my allies to use it.

The next few hours I watched for any more signs of broo in the cave, as the others burnt broo bodies in a pyre, ridding the world of their diseased flesh and possessions. Saxony guarded Drake as he found some more healing herbs near to the river and Hoisin pulled out a magical crystal from the priests burnt remains, identifying it as a power storage crystal. After a brief debate we handed this to Saxony to use for the moment.

Keen to continue, we made our way deeper into the caves, navigating around a crude pit trap and taking a short time to cross over a slippery stone bridge. Below was the churning river, and I crossed by foot without any problems, roped once more just in case. After Hoisin slipped and almost plunged into the depths, my companions crawled across on their stomachs, pride taking second place to safety.

As they finished crossing, I moved to investigate a fire visible at the end of the tunnel, finding four more broo gathered among the rocks of another cavern, conversing around the flames and oblivious to us. Unfortunately one of them was also alert, catching sight of me, at which time I shouted back to my allies of the four broo that awaited them.

 

[PieAndDragon]

Swift Justice

Battle was quickly engaged, as Hoisin and Liverpate lead the way, followed by Drake and Saxony. Three broo met them, as the fourth, an archer, was taken down by one of my thrown darts. Seeking to outflank them, I circled around a massive intervening rock, drawing my spear to attack their line from the rear. My effect was almost immediate, as the point of my spear drove into the arm of a broo already injured by Hoisin, taking it out of the fight.

A second broo was overcome by a spell of Liverpate’s, moving to mimic the large Humakti’s actions and limiting their usefulness in the fight. The last broo was another shaman of some sort, who defended herself with a knife, but appeared to be a veteran of combat, moving with confidence and speed. There was something about her which was repellent to the eye, as if she did not quite belong, parts of her body merging with others in ways which could not be physically possible.

Skilled she was, and tough too as we she fended off our weapons and took several heavy blows. But outnumbered five to one, it was inevitable that she would fall to our combined skills. With the fighting over, Hoisin insisted that we subdue the last broo, which made no resistance under Liverpate’s guidance, tied up to deal with at our leisure.

A quick search of the cave and bodies turned up a chest, a magical crystal, a potion and another exit. Saxony failed to notice a foul slime on the chest, some sort of contact poison which made her sick. Eventually we got the chest open, revealing a green encrusted dagger and two vials of some magical liquid. Throwing the bodies on the fire, we held a brief discussion on the fate of our prisoner, followed by a quick execution ceremony a short time later. Low on magical power, we left the caves, using a wooden platform to re-cross the bridge.

Dusk found us two hours travel away from the caves, having made our best efforts to cover our tracks and find somewhere defensible. Organising double watches, we ate a brief evening meal before dropping into slumber.

In the dark of night, I awoke to Drake’s screams, to find Hoisin struggling against a familiar creature of flowing darkness, alike to the one which we fought in Balazor. This one had enveloped the two-bladed warrior, only to fade away moments later as Saxony drove her mace into its strangely solid form. Liverpate and I had managed to draw weapons and get up close, only for it to dissipate into the night. Drake returned a short while later, but we knew one thing for certain.

The broo, or one of their allies, were still about.

 

[PieAndDragon]

Rope Crossing

We rested the next morning and a little into after midday, returning to the broo cave in the early afternoon. As our one-armed warrior companion had been struck down by a broo fever, suffering from constant shivers and sneezing fits, we left him to guard the horses. Or possibly for the horses to guard him, I wasn’t entirely sure. My hawk Orville was the more reliable sentry in any case.

Hoisin found fresh tracks of four broo at the entrance, no doubt one of which was responsible for our night-time visitor. On the alert for a surprise attack, we found the wooden plank removed from the narrow stone ledge, navigating it with rope and care as we did the first time around. Finding the cave with the fire much as we had left it the day before, I lead the way down the one unexplored tunnel left to us, keeping in the shadow of Saxony’s lantern.

The roar of the rushing river met us after a minute or so, a raging torrent eight metres wide blocking our path. No bridge, ferry or raft was apparent, the only available method of transportation being ropes hanging from iron hoops in the cavern roof. When I pulled on them to test their strength, they felt fairly secure. Saxony suggested tying a knot at the end of the rope to help the grip. Brains and good looks! With no other volunteers, I was the first one to attempt the crossing.

A short time later I plunged into the surging waters, my grip slipping from the rope as my arms failed me. I thrashed around for a few seconds before I was pulled back to safety by the rope tied to me for such an event, and took the offered hands of my allies to haul myself back to shore. Once we retrieved the rope, Hoisin was the next to try, swinging over with ease, followed by Saxony. I fell in on my second attempt, to be pulled to the other side by my two companions over there. Liverpate soon repeated this feat, making me feel slightly less of a fool.

As the cavern narrowed ahead, I took the lead once more, hiding on the edge of our lantern-light. Alert for broo, I nocked an arrow to my bow, trying hard not to jump at every shadow. As the noise of the river receded, I grew aware of the cacophony we must make together, alerting all but the deafest occupants of our approach. Eventually the passage widened again, and a larger cavern became visible, maybe fifty paces across. My examination was cut short by the twang of a bowstring, the whoosh of an arrow, and a stabbing pain in my arm. I shouted in pain, and felt a toxin spread through my arm as I stumbled from the wall.

The world around me plunged into darkness as the floor came to meet me.

 

[PieAndDragon]

Desperate Times

I came to with a throbbing arm, after what could have only been a few moments. Saxony stood holding my arm, but before I could thank him for what must have been his healing magic, two more arrows struck him in the leg and he fell to the ground, wracked by convulsions, face contorted in pain. Among the shadows on the far side of the cavern, partially hidden by rocks in between, a broo was visible, nocking another arrow to his bow. As Liverpate and Hoisin rushed past, I retrieved my bow and reloaded, hunching to avoid more arrows as I ran forward.

My allies covered the ground quickly, finding cover where they could, unfazed by arrows skittering from helms and legs. My javelin found its mark, gaining only a grunt in response from the creature. More broo came forward into the light, abandoning bows in favour of shields and spears. As I reached for another arrow, the strap on my quiver gave way, sending arrows scattering across the cavern floor. Seeing my companions outnumbered four to two, I reached for my spear and moved to aid them.

Things grew from bad to worse as Liverpate seemed to lose the will to fight, looking around in confusion, overcome by some fell magic, although I knew not from where. As Hoisin fended off the attentions of four broo, Summoning mental spears from the Sky Lord to stab at him, I tried to bring my companion out of his malaise. It worked, but not in the way intended, as my axe-wielding friend, turned to me instead, murder apparent in his gaze. Things had gone from worse to downright grim.

Backing quickly away from the approaching axeman, I avoided him by summoning a veil of light around me, appearing invisible to his vision. He glared at where I had stood, only to turn once more, and head with obvious intent toward our embattled companion, already beset by too many foes. Shouting at Hoisin to retreat I ran back toward the cavern entrance, where Saxony still flailed around, wracked by some unknown toxin. Putting his trust in me, the initiate of Humakt, bleeding from arm and thigh, gave ground as quickly as possible, ducking beneath Liverpate’s axe-blade as he did so. Several paces short of our writhing friend, I summoned my magic once again, this time to shield a twin bladed form from view.

With no other dangers to hand, the broo turned their attentions to their enspelled ally, who met their spears with axe and steely gaze, returned to himself by their apparent betrayal. Taking a brief moment to study my foes, one appeared in command, shouting orders in an unknown tongue, whist toting a spear with both hands. Sensing that Hoisin would not let his friend fight alone for long, I clutched my spear at the ready, waiting for the inevitable.

My instincts were rewarded as Hoisin’s blade appeared in a surprised broo, followed by the reappearance of my ally. I joined him moments later, spear finding the same target, and when our combined efforts brought down the broo, our numbers were evened, three against three. My efforts to relieve our axeman proved in vain, as the spear of their leader sent him crumpling to the ground. Panic almost overcame me as I stood toe to toe with two foes, one broo butting at me with his horned head, and the other their leader, a spear-wielding priest of some kind.

I fended them off for a few moments, but our battle was brief and I knew it was bad as I felt the force of a spear enter high in my shield arm, sending me hurtling into the realm of dreams.

Leaving Hoisin alone to our foes.

 

[PieAndDragon]

Cayuga One-Arm

Fiery agony in my shield arm greeted me when I re-entered the world, the sight of my three bruised and bloodied companions enough to tell me that I was not in the aftermath. There were three broo bodies on the ground, and no sign of a fourth. The fourth would have been their priest, the one who forced his spear into my arm.

“My arm” I gasped, “it needs healing magics”, but the others turned away their gazes as I clutched the mangled ruins hanging from my shoulder in my sword hand. Saxony, capable of such healing magic, merely shook his head, his handsome faced marred by a creased frown.
“Kay” Hoisin spoke, pausing briefly, wracked by a deafening sneeze, “we have no way of fixing your arm. Our power is spent, and it is too late. You will need to learn to fight as Drake does”

I turned so my allies would not see my tears, and answered with my face away from them “what happened while I was out? Where is the other broo?”
“Gone” came the reply from Liverpate, “He fled from us, disappearing through some magic his spear, the one that..”.
He didn’t finish his sentence. I knew the spear he meant. All too well.

I could barely pay attention as my friends described the battle while I was unconscious, gritting my teeth against the pain, wondering how a one-armed scout would fare, denied the use of bow, shield or two-handed spears.
But we had no healing magic powerful enough to restore me, nor even any healing potions. At the thought of potions, an idea came to me, and I interrupted Hoisin in midflow, describing his thrusts and cuts against the broo.
“Those potions”
The three men stared at me uncomprehendingly.
“The ones we found on the broo. Have we still got them?”
They looked at one-another, as if concerned. Saxony spoke up “We do, but no one knows what they do”
“What do you want them for?” Hoisin asked
“My arm”

Ignoring incredulous looks, I took the potions as they were found, and examined each briefly to see if I could identify them my texture, smell and taste. One I was familiar with, being some sort of spell-granting elixir to do with objects. The other, I had no idea. It could do nearly anything.

Breathing deeply, I calmed myself, taking the potion and making my first earnest prayer to the Sun Lord in a long time. I gulped down the liquid quickly, ignoring the rancid taste, like months-old butter, and almost choked at the same time. At first I felt nothing, but then a spell came briefly into my head before I released it into my arm. There was a warm tingling up as the pain stopped and the flesh healed over, leaving only a scar where the spear had entered and exited near the shoulder.

It was not yet time to become Cayuga One-Arm.

 

[PieAndDragon]

Clearing Up

We did what we could in the next hour, finding the latrines where the broo had been fouling the river, and no doubt causing the plague downstream. We waited to go over the spoils of the battle and cave at a later, more concerned over the continued spasms Saxony was suffering and the sneezes which threatened to overcome Hoisin. Even Liverpate was ill, feeling the effects of another unnamed disease.

The healing packs given to us in Johnstown of no use, we retreated from the cave, found Drake and the horses, and started back toward civilisation as quickly as we could. Keeled over in the saddle, Hoisin felt himself nearly torn apart by the sneezing, and required what meagre healing prayers we could muster between us.

After a few hours, we bedded down, but spent a restless night tending to our companions. Neither the sneezing Initiate of Humakt nor our handsome spasm-wracked companion could sleep, leaving Liverpate and myself to provide a tired watch and act as bedside attendants. As our magic was restored to us, we spent most of it on Hosin, and he was almost lost to us several times that night. We spent much of our time covering our ears and hoping no creatures of the night would find us.

No creatures did find us, and by dawn both of my companions were slightly better. By midday it was evident that they were over the worst of it. In the weeks to come we made our way back to a temple of Lankar Mhy, who made sure we had no plagues or worst about us still. From what we told them of our encounters with the broo, they suspected Mallea cultists to be involved. She is the chaos goddess of disease, a cell of which created havoc in Jonstown a while ago. We took the time to return to Weis and bring what help and comfort we could, checking that no broo or other creatures had returned to the river caverns upstream from the town.

There are still too few people here, and many houses lie empty. The scarred faces and haunted eyes of the townsfolk suggest that Weis will take a long time to be healed. They will need faith and courage. The most important thing they require is years of peace. Otherwise this will become another ruin on the landscape, abandoned to the ravages of chaos.

We were rewarded by the Cult of Humakt when we returned, and it was agreed that they would work on our physical training, improving our strength and stamina through strict training regimes. Over the month following my companions fared well, Hoisin becoming a Sword-Brother of Humakt, initiated as a priest in the mysteries of Rune Magic. Liverpate impressed the priests enough to become an initiate, taking on the gifts and geasan which go with the position. We celebrated both of these events with an excess of drinking, feasting and merriment. The mornings after were not ones spent in prayer to the Sun Lord. Drake disappeared into the inner precincts of the Humakt temple and Saxony spent his time bedding pretty girls and working on his muscles.

For myself, I worked on my swordsmanship, scouting skills and learnt a new spell, which sets fire a dart, arrow or javelin. It was a favourite trick of my cousin Teal’s, giving him the name Flameshot. I also oversaw the division and selling of our spoils, which most of us spent before time of the Humakti tithe came around. My husband was nowhere to be found and the priests of Yelmalio paid little attention to me. A visit to my family yielded news of the Yalmalio expedition into Balazor, following the map we had found from the troll there. The griffyn riders had faced greater dangers than expected, suffering losses to a dream dragon’s ghost and other perils. We would never have survived the dangers, so selling the map was most definitely in our favour.

For a short time, we had peace in Jonstown.