Far from the actively known hub of civilization toward the northwest corner of The Untamed Wilds, are several tribal communities that have forged an existence along the Windy Coast, on the face of the Dragon's Wing and in the Towering Pines below the Bakka'taerm Desert. All formed by tribes naturally disposed to a more peaceable existence.
These small communities would live and trade, unaware of the world outside their isolation if it were not for the regular arrival in the southern-most village of the Storyteller. This village was developed and is mostly populated by the Spiofthest. The Storyteller is Spiofthest, though he is the oldest that anyone has ever seen, so the more skeptical of villagers think of him as a local hermit with some hidden hovel out in the trees.
He brings news of other peoples that seems plausible, but he also tells fantastic stories of heroes and monsters, creatures large and ferocious, of headhunters and benders, and of an ancient race called the Yahdram. He claims to arrive each year by a portal dolmen, hidden within the forest, that allows him to travel a distance of many days with but a single step.
The Storyteller has a kindly way about him and a good speaking voice. He is good with the children and even the tamed wolves seem to like him, when they are normally very particular to their owners. Sometimes he espouses prophesy.
Some three cycles back, one of the elder men of the Spiofthest Village was staring out at the sea, late in the evening. Out farther than the wave break, there appeared to be a person clinging to some broken remains of seagoing vessel. Only the Norkadians had such vessels, and they occasionally made the two day trip to trade with the Spiofthest. Norikadians greatly resemble the Spiofthest in appearance but being Aedaman instead of Faethrin, they tend to be much larger people.
The ship wreck victim was a Norikadian child. When the man saw her, all the fine hairs on his body stood on end. He remembered a small piece of a comment that the Storyteller had made about the balance of power that held society in stability was shifting toward destruction and that salvation would come from strangers...
He could not remember the exact words in sequence but what came to him was a part about a promise on the waves of a storm in the form of a child who could see into two world. This girl, barely alive, floating on the remains of a ship had two differently colored eyes.
Having remained with the Spiofthest, her prophetic arrival had all but been forgotten. It had been three cycles. She had integrated with the community, having lost her father and all the crew to a particularly aggressive whale that had managed to wreck the ship by dragging it through the Crags to free itself from the harpoon line.
Children, being rather energetic and impetuous, often played games that took them running throughout the community and a little beyond. The favorite games were Hide and Seek, Family Chase, and Kill your Killer. The parents did not care for the last one and rules had been made for areas and times that were off limites to not irritate the adults.
During one of the big games of family chase, Oorvid, who could run faster than it looked like he should be able, had stopped and was staring over a falling tree into a small divot, possibly made by a wallowing pig some time past. Astrid, the Norikadian girl, ran by and tagged him, laughing, but noted that he did not move.
The behavior caused a few other friends to stop. "Look at that beetle. I did not really believe the Storyteller, but that thing is as big as my thigh."
Making the very bad decision to poke it with a stick, several children were rewarded with being sprayed in the face by the noxious liquid emitted from its abdomen. A valuable lesson was learned. On a different day, the same children happened upon a trail of ants, larger than a man's forearm. A few of the ants were killed and their trail marred, less they encroach upon the village.
"I wonder if any of the other stories are true. I do not want to meet any headhunters, but what about this travel dolmen or birds that can talk or people with dark skin? I want to take an expedition."
OOC:
This thread is a PbP designed for starting characters of an adolescent age, using The Untamed Wilds gaming system. Free Goggle Documents of the first two chapters of the Players' Guide, which describe an overview of the system and how to generate a character, are available for viewing. PM or Email me for any interest, as this requires the sharing of your Email addresses.
By consensus of the current players, Character Records for this game are being stored as Google Documents with my having editing permission, to assist in development and record keeping.
Astrid stands back shaking her head at the mire idea of the whole notion and chuckles. Standing taller than most of the kids, she scans over them. "And what shall you do if we do meet headhunters Oorvid? Run from them, we all know you are the best at running. No our parents....." A painful expression crosses over Astrid's face, if only for a moment. "Your parents have us play instead of train. My tribe taught us to fish, whale, and hunt. I mean no offense, but we can't take pups out into the wild. I have already faced death and managed to live, I wish to return to my tribe someday, but to return without stories to tell, without reclaiming the honor that was lost. Neh, so who has the power in them to forge our own destiny?"
Wrenn, the only Faethrin of the group, though Shimadow instead of Spiofthest, and Hiroshi, the other Aedaman, being Centrin, both seem preoccupied with inner thoughts of their own. Both are yet more interested in the very activity that Astrid had just admonished.
Hiroshi
Oorvid laughs. He is naturally good tempered and easy going. "Such biting wit, Zusje."
(Zusje is the Orngaddrin term for little sister, What Oorvid usually calls Astrid.)
Though she has surpassed him in height by maybe the breadth of a hand, she will likely become much taller. Being Mhytre, Oorvid is already starting to put on heavy musculature and fill out. His mass is probably twice that of Hiroshi, the closest to him in girth. Oorvid flexes his torso muscles, which do not yet have the size of his father's but are much more pronounced.
"Ha! You know my father has me work in the smithy. I can swing a hammer just fine. I made these carving axes, myself... well with father's help. If I meet a headhunter, I will not simply poke it like I did that beetle, one time."
Everyone laughs at that.
"I remember the Storyteller saying something about the four corners of Destiny being supported by four strangers who were known. Maybe he meant us. We live with the Spiofthest, yet none of us is one of them. I know that you and Wrenn can both do weird things that you hide from the villagers. It's like my skin tingles when either of you are doing something. Being different, if we do not become saviors we will likely become outcasts, unwanted and unwelcome."
"The Storyteller always comes into town from the south. I'm sure our folks, including your adoptive parents, will let us go exploring for a day or two. What say you?"
Wrenn considers Oorvid's words for a long moment of silence, before a wry grin breaks across his countenance.
Wrenn grins, "Sure, why not?"
Wrenn nudges Hiroshi, breaking him from his reverie. Hiroshi had heard just fine, but his mind was already wandering ahead in time and space, wondering what they might find.
Hiroshi nods, "Yes, of course. I'm always game. I like the idea of becoming a savior, of all of us becoming Young Heroes, admired by all of the four villages."
Astrid leans back against a tree and lets out a sigh at the mention of being called Oorvids's little sister. "I don't care much for destiny, t is something the Storytellers speak of all the time, but I believe we make our own paths through life. I remember nights after I arrived the elders spoke of stories they thought me part of, but I never put much stock into it. And now they have all but given up on it. We can speak of weird things when we are in less"
Astrid clears her throat while attempting to think of the proper word "Eh in more private company. As for my caretakers they should be okay with me doing a bit of exploring. I have managed to regain their favor after the accident ...." Astrid clears her throat.
"But we shall see. We will need to gather rations and I will need my sling"Astrid pats her dagger that is on her hip the last remaining piece of her past life that she had. "I prefer to only use this when I must".
GM NOTE:
I will try to keep track of party items that have been collected and may be used by any party member upon declaration of the character. It is irrelevant who specifically carries each item. If used during combat, it is granted that the character possessed the item at that time.
If a particular item is desired specifically by a character, such as the ant pinchers already listed on your character records, the item will be removed from the party collections list.
Astrid... "I don't care much for destiny... I believe we make our own paths through life... I have managed to regain their favor after the accident ..."
Excellent addition of roleplay to introduce an 'accident.' Bonus DP for all characters.
There is not really any certainty in the future of said decision, but the decision was made, nonetheless; and as typical for adolescents, it is considered to be the absolute correct decision.
Oorvid purses his lips and grinds his knuckles. He is not the least bit angry. In fact, none of the others have ever seen him angry. It is an involuntary action he does when he is thinking. "I have seen the way the Norikadians defer to you when they come to trade. It is a combination of respect and aloofness. They are somewhat afraid of you because you were the sole surviver of that wreck, but they respect you."
Astrid gathers her sling. Oorvid's father suggests that each carry two water skins. If nothing has been gained when the first runs out, the second will provide enough for the return trip. It is sound advice, and everyone does so. Each takes some trail food.
There are four known communities in the characters' area of the northwest. The Norikadian Village is the farthest out, being on the outside of the Dragon's Wing. The Norikadians are primarily fishermen, having more than competent skill in carpentry. They trade fish and whale oil for goods from the others communities. As a tribe, they are the most superstition, always referring to luck and probability and looking for signs and omens.
The Orngaddrin Village is on the inside cusp of the Dragon's Wing. The Orngaddrin are primarily miners. They trade metal tools for goods from the other communities. They are the least superstitious, seemingly always grounded in the moment. When the parents of Oorvid immigrated to the Spiofthest village, it gave the community a competent smith.
The Centrin Village is north along the Windy Coast, but not quite to the desert. The Centrins are primarily herders and excel in the manufacture of textiles. They trade fabric for goods from the other communities. As a tribe, they are moderately superstitious and prone to ritual for luck. The parents of Hiroshi exchanged places with a family of Spiofthest as a sign of goodwill for both communities, become the local weavers.
The parents of Wrenn are an anomaly of the Shimadow people, who are sparsely distributed nomads of the area, being generally hostile. Not harboring the natural animosity for others like the rest of their people, they improved the game stalking skills of the locals.
The Spiofthest Village is the farthest south along the Windy Coast, just inside the northern edge of the Towering Pines. The Spiofthests are primarily farmers but have excellent leather working skill. They trade clothing and fruits for goods from the other communities. As a tribe, they are mildly religious with regard to the environment but not particularly superstitious. The Storyteller is regarded more as a form of entertainment.
Raring to go, the young, would-be heroes sleep little that night, rising to get an early start. The journey begins quickly as the four meander in a generally southernly direction through the Towering Pines but slows significantly as new and unfamiliar sights and sound are discovered, often stopping just to listen and look around.
At one of these intermittent stops during the mid-morning, a distinctly odd sound similar to a quietly crying baby can be heard from up in the distance. The sound may be coming from the canopy, but it seems more like it is from ground level.
Astrid cocks a suspicious eye at the rest of the party and quickly pulling her sling out and readying a stone she moves closer to Oorvid and whispers softly to the others nearby "Do the Storytellers mention any creatures that cry like babes? Or is there chance that some .... caravan? Could be coming through here"
Astrid's eyes are darting to and fro looking for danger, but thinking they are far enough away to not have their whispers heard. Ever on edge for the past 3 years. Memories before she blacked out at the whale attack. It's large eye forever burned into her darkest memories. "I can circle around if you like. Better to flank an enemy than all met it head on if their is one."
