Door to Nowhere

[MacConnell]

Spoiler: Wariness

Astarte: 51(perception) + 44(hearing) + 50(d100) = 145
Plumeir: 61(observation + 51(smell) + 58 = 170
Taylar: 46(perception) + 37(hearing) + 65 = 148

Not only do the rains of the Drenching Season make travel unpleasant, they make tracking impossible. Trusting to instinct and logic, the Investigators continue following the game trail along the river, upstream. With the deduced skill of the kidnappers, it stands to reason that they deliberately chose to operate during the Drenching Season, just because of the impediment to being followed. The next two days of travel are a drudgery, but the rain lets up on the third day, and the Daylight even warms the air a bit.

On that third day of walking, the game trail takes the party out of sight of the river. The path did not change direction. It has been relatively straight. The river must have meandered farther to the West. About midday, a discovered, divergent path leads westward and probably back toward the water’s edge. To be thorough, the party quickly checks the other path, suspecting that if it leads to nothing important, they can quickly return to the path they were already following.

The particularly large bend in the river flows around a similar yet larger rise of land that harbors an even larger cherry orchard, cherries being a common fruit found in the region. As the party begins to move from the conifer forest onto the rise that holds the orchard, Plumeir makes a quick clicking noise to get the attention of the other two. He indicates that he can smell a wet animal. Spreading out, a bit, for caution, Astarte and Taylar both hear unidentifiable, frolicking noises of youngling animals.

Still in sight of one another, the three investigators ease forward, careful not to make noise, but wanting to know the source of the sounds. Two bear cubs are wrestling within the grove of smaller trees. While it is a pleasant sight to see, the fact remains that even though Plumeir has enhanced his own sense of smell and the bears are upwind, the mother of those two cubs is likely close at hand and may still be able to smell the party, especially if the breeze shifts.

Spoiler: Character Data

Taylar: full wellness
Astarte: full wellness
Plumeir: full wellness

OOC: Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and provide a random roll.

 

[Kwargrow]

Taylar uses hand motions to indicate to his companions that they should leave without an altercation. When they have regrouped he says, "Fighting a bear could leave us with wounds that would slow down our search, and we are hunting different prey anyway. Let us return to the main path."

Spoiler: Rolls

80

 

[astarte]

Let us return to the main path.

Astarte calmly and quietly walks back to the main path. If the mom-bear notices the party anyway, the woman will use husbandry on her to let her know the people ain't intending to harm her children, but only to peacefully pass through.

---

roll: 93

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

Plumeir could not agree more, with the logic conveyed in the gesture. He has no desire nor can he see any reason to bother the bears. Later, he responds to Taylar, "Our kidnappers seem to have more knowledge of the area than any of our communities. I think they stuck with the main path, anyway. Especially since we have discovered so little, I do not think that we are dealing with opportunists."

OOC: 87

 

[Kwargrow]

I do not think that we are dealing with opportunists.

Taylar nods in agreement. "I came to that conclusion as soon as we discovered they had struck more than one community. The positive side is, no matter what we do to these fiends, we won't feel bad about it."

 

[MacConnell]

Spoiler: Rolls

Not used:
Astarte: 93
Plumeir: 87
Taylar: 80

Leaving the bear cubs to continue their playfulness undisturbed, the Investigators continue northward along the most prominent game trail that loosely follows the river. It had been nine days since the search for the missing children had begun. Of those nine, four more days northward since the cherry orchard with the bear cubs brings an unexpected encounter.

An adolescent Rheini, standing alone, on the path some 20 strides ahead, deliberately waves to garner the party’s attention. He separates his hands, holding his arms wide from his body, his bow in one hand and an arrow in the other. He repeats the gesture for the party then beckons them to follow. All Rheini are known to be sociable and often charitable. It is obvious to the party that the boy is indicating that they should hold their weapons away from their body, as a gesture of peace, and follow.

Spoiler: Character Data

Taylar: full wellness
Astarte: full wellness
Plumeir: full wellness

OOC: Bonus DP for not engaging the bears.

OOC: Each character receives 10 DP. State nominal actions and intentions.

 

[Kwargrow]

Taylar says to the Investigators in Maldrog, "Spread out so that if this is a trap, they will not strike all of us with one attack. I will volunteer to walk in the front."
Taylar smiles and follows the Rheini from a respectable distance. He keeps his hands off his bludgeons and he manipulates waylines to increase his senses. Looking around, he tries to determine if there are anymore strangers around.

Spoiler: Rolls

80

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

Plumeir nods his head to himself and then says to Taylar in Maldrog, "Er wirkt wirklich freundlich, aber keine Notwendigkeit, Risiken einzugehen. Ich werde mich nach rechts bewegen," which is to say, "He seems genuinely friendly but no need to take chances. I will move right." Plumeir follows, holding his hands away from his body. He drifts to the right as he walks forward, intently scanning the area.

OOC: 87

 

[astarte]

Astarte does what Taylar asked and in the meanwhile tries to recognize if Rheini lad's intentions are as friendly as his behavior. She'll then inform in Maldrog her comrades what she sensed about the boy.

---

roll: 93

 

[MacConnell]

Taylar...

Plumeir...

Astarte...

Spoiler: Active Search

Astarte: 47(observation) + 32(tuning) + 93(d100) = 172
Plumeir: 61 + 41(smell) + 87 = 189
Taylar: 46 + 37(hearing) + 80 = 163

Nothing about the young man gives Astarte any reason to doubt his demeanor is genuine. Not realizing that he can be understood, the Rheini youth turns his head back in a gesture of courtesy, as he is walking, and says to Taylar, “Fique à vontade. Se você não pretende prejudicar, ninguém virá a você. Eu me chamo Pardal. Como você é chamado?” Taylar understands, “… If you… no punish, nothing… to you. I am called Pardal. How are you called?”

There are other scouts in the forest. Taylar notes someone quietly following along at about medium bow range to the left. Plumeir sees similar action off to the right. Stationary sentries are noted ahead about the same time that living structures of a small community can be recognized. For Taylar, knowing something of the Rheini people due to his former friendship, as a boy, with one his own age and because a clan once served as roving scouts for Outpost during his youth.

Like some invisible line of demarcation, as the party is a few steps from entering, what could be called, the village proper, other Rheini of various ages, from elderly to children, can be seen going about their normal activity. Several children come running toward the party, as is typical for the curiosity of such age, to see the strangers for themselves. These children do not demonstrate a fear of the unknown and several adults call and motion them away from the arrival group.

An elderly man, who seems familiar to Taylar, comes up to greet the party. He waves and looks directly at each party member, holding up his left hand in a gesture that is probably done, unconsciously, when the man is thinking. Upon seeing Plumeir he begins to speak in, fairly good, Markidian, politely looking at each of the three as he speaks some regular courtesies that one might expect when traveling to any civilized community, but he suddenly stops as he looks at Taylar for the second time.

“The boy has grown into a man, a very big man. I did not recognize you, at first. I do not recall your name but you were once friends with my grandson. You grew up in Outpost. We were there as roving scouts to provide meat and extra protection for the community. When that craziness of ethnic cleansing started in the Religion of Light, we all left, to return here to our own village, as it was unknown to the Kingdom seat.”

“You and your friends are welcome here. What brings you this far north?”

Spoiler: Character Data

Taylar: full wellness
Astarte: full wellness
Plumeir: full wellness

OOC: Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions.

 

[Kwargrow]

I am called Pardal

Still smiling, Taylar puts a hand to his chest and replies, "Taylar."

I do not recall your name but you were once friends with my grandson.

Taylar repeats his name for the old man and nods solemnly in respect before responding in Markidian. "Yes, my good friend Maka, who I had many adventures with. We fought against the ethnic cleansing, and he fought at the battle of Refuge. Astarte was also there, and our combined efforts put an end to that evil. We are here seeking to right another wrong. Young people have been taken from communities to the south, and we are trying to find them. Do you know of what I speak? Has anyone been taken from your village, or do you know of anyone traveling through this area with captives?"

Spoiler: Rolls

85

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

Plumeir does not need to see the elder man to listen to his conversation, but he stands respectfully during its course. As the man and Taylar talk, he looks about town, trying to absorb as much information as possible. There is no way of knowing, at this juncture, if any of it will be important. During their time with the Rheini people, he will try to glean some of their language.

OOC: 68

 

[astarte]

Astarte will scan the surrounding of the settlement. At this point, she'd be surprised if none pretty kids disappeared from here as well. Imagining that she's thinking about catching somebody from the village, she's searching for the best spot to do this without being noticed. And then the best way from the riverside to get there and then run away with the freshly caught victims. In the meantime she'll also seek for any traces, clues and other abnormalities, as well as for some edible plants and herbs.

---

roll: 22

 

[MacConnell]

... Taylar...

Plumeir...

Astarte...

GM: The elder man is the grandfather of Maka, not Raven Elk. Raven Elk was Kinamin not Rheini, but the characters would know this even if it is difficult, as players, to remember, due to gaps in posting time.

Spoiler: Negotiate

Taylar: 67(coerce) + 34(muddle) + 85(d100) = 186

Spoiler: Wariness

Astarte: 51(perception) + 46(hearing) + 22(d100) = 119

Even with an open array, small villages such as this one are difficult to approach because everything within the town proper can be seen and heard from any other given point within. The Rheini people seem active and alert. They have also, obviously made use of any beneficial plants near the village; and it seems callous to take anything, so Astarte does not.

The fine hairs on the man’s arm stood on end. “Yes, yes we have suffered such a loss; and being so few in number as we are, the loss is terribly felt. We thought this to be an isolated incident.”

The man moves around and gestures eastward. “If you move around some you can see the top of the rock cairn, east of here. When the salmon are not running, we often acquire various caprinae around that rise. A hunting expedition, with some children along for the teaching, was attacked. We discovered that the adults were killed but the children were taken.”

GM: Caprinae is a term that refers to both goats and sheep.

“We sent a small party of rangers to look into the matter. We discovered that our enemy seemed to have come down from somewhere up in the cairn but departed, northward to cross the stream to the north of us where the main river splits. After reporting this, the rangers continued to track them. They never returned. We cannot afford the loss of more people; so rather than send more, we have fortified our homeguard.”

“We have never known of anyone living up in the rocks and figure that the headhunters camped up there and used the height to observe the surrounding forest.”

Spoiler: Character Data

Taylar: full wellness
Astarte: full wellness
Plumeir: full wellness

OOC: Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions.

 

[Kwargrow]

OOC: Oops. I've edited my post to say Maka instead of Raven Elk.

Taylar listens intently and then replies. "This is exactly the matter we are here to resolve. I am sorry this has happened to your village as well. Tell us exactly where your people were attacked, and we will attempt to track the killers from there." He tells Maka's grandfather how to reach Refuge. "We don't know how long this quest will take, but we will bring back the children if we can. If you are inclined to move your community to a safer place, you are welcome at Refuge."

Spoiler: Rolls

91(+93)=184

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

Plumeir remains silent for the moment but appears more than ready to be back on the trail. He is very keen on the Rheini showing the party where the local attack occurred.

OOC: 71

 

[MacConnell]

Taylar...

Plumeir...

Spoiler: Active Search

Taylar: 67(observe) + 24(tuning) + 184(d100) = 275

Despite all of the rain, which has started to fall again, two of the local rangers not only show the party where the previous hunters were killed and the children taken, but they also show where the enemy was believed to have crossed the tributary to the north. It is no longer possible to see any evidence of such occurrences, due to anything having been washed away, and the party must rely upon the word of the Rheini people, alone, but there is no reason to doubt the validity. This did not happen quickly, but required many hours. Whatever the party decides they are offered a place within the village to make camp and rest for the night.

To add a bit to the party’s ire and the overall trepidation derived from such a situation, without knowing of the party’s previous findings, the Rheini talk about having found boot prints instead of footprints and the lack of stray arrows, other than those belonging to the Rheini, indicated that the hunters had been taken by force not by surprise.

Spoiler: Character Data

Taylar: full wellness
Astarte: full wellness
Plumeir: full wellness

OOC: Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Provide a random roll.

 

[Kwargrow]

After examining the abduction site Taylar says, "I think we should follow the enemy and cross the stream to the north of us where the main river splits. We can try and find the trail from there."

Spoiler: Rolls

75

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

Plumeir, when the Investigators are gathered together, addresses the other two. "All that I have to say will likely be a redundancy, but saying it aloud will help me remember."

He pauses, looking up to his right, as if trying to see into his own head. "The kidnappers at the Mining Operation appeared to have come from the north and departed to the west, crossing the main river. We chose to determine the origin of the kidnappers instead of their destination."

He draws the crude semblance of a path in the dirt with a stick. "This brought us to a Centrin Village where kidnappers had, once again, come from the north but departed to the west, crossing the main river. We again chose to determine the origin rather than the destination."

He gestures from his seated position with the twig he was using to draw in the dirt. "Now here, at a Rheini Village, kidnappers came from the east and departed to the north, crossing a branch of the river. What is it about them crossing the rivers? Correct me if I am wrong, but the idea is to track the destination from here, which is different than the previous two?"

OOC: 63

 

[Kwargrow]

Taylar responds to Plumeir, "I'm trying to find where the kidnappers are now. I've put aside any notion of a peaceful resolution. Maka's grandfather said their scouts tracked them across the river and never returned, so that's why I chose that direction."