As Brock and the others are moving away, Garin stays behind for the briefest of moments. He doesn't know why, but he feels that simply touching the cage will have significance. As he touches it, he closes his eyes, and concentrates. All the while, going off of instinct, not truly knowing where the impetus of the idea had come from.
Sense Impression (Garin) = 100 (+36 Luck) = 136
Brock Random Roll = 65
If you need another roll for Garin = 97 (+15 Luck) = 112 WOW
My dice are HOT today
Bellaria volunteers Green Jay and herself, to hide and watch the river. Not really knowing what to expect and being little experienced in adventure, the two make no special preparation. They simply find a comfortable spot wait. Once they can wait no longer, Jay will go to collect one of the others to take their place.
The other members of the party look at the primary action of Garindell with an expression of curiosity and confusion, all, except Brenda, who rubs her forehead and shakes her head. When she speaks, she seems to be in mid-thought. It does not, at first, make sense. “We are too young, Garin. You have no rapport, and none of us has reputation, yet. You are looking for Divine answers, but you have paid no homage. I heard about the ritual that is done each Cycle in Bridgetown. The three leaders of the village all stand on the bridge and throw a coin over their shoulders into the water. I do not know Fortune, nor do I really hold much faith in that regard. Green Jay respects the wind. Being Maldrog, I am beholden to the Earth; but if ones such as us are to garner any favor, we must make a sacrifice. Time, wealth, or blood, the gods expect their due.”
Brenda stops speaking and takes a step back, taking a deep breath. The fine hairs on her body stand on end. Though these are too small to be seen by anyone else, her skin pocks over like a freshly plucked bird. Her eyes go wide and she shakes her head, evidently somewhat fearful of her own words. This moment quickly forgotten, Brock, Garin, and Brenda, leave Bellaria and Gaio Verde to their watch while they spread out to set snares and investigate the area for possible signs of a culprit.
While Garindell does not have the possibility of garner answers from any mystical residue that might have been left in the passage of the fish thief, he does find, himself, a more deductive with regard to looking for natural signs. Animals are creatures of habit. They tend to follow a fixed pattern of movement and behavior until something causes them to change that pattern. This is why game trails can be noted and used to hunt game. Smaller animals will often use the paths established by larger animals, even if those paths are made by people. The lack of any evidence of a slick or muddy place along the bank where something would be regularly entering the river gives the conclusion that the sought creature must be crossing the stream.
Paying more attention to one another rather than the task at hand, as would be typical for a couple of adolescents of the opposite gender, Gaio and Bellaria waste the day away, seeing nothing. However, in the early pre-dawn light of the following morning, Bellaria startles as she sees a pair of black animals enter the river from the other side. Once the creatures surface and snort near the baited traps, she recognizes that it is a pair of otters. Identified as a fowler because it will kill and eat waterfowl, an otter primarily eats fish. A baited trap is simply caged food for such a varmint.
When Bellaria moves, the otters snort and grunt at her, not particularly afraid, but definitely cautious. As she wakes Gaio to bring them to his attention, the pair back across the river, continuing their vocal complaints. They exit the river where they had entered.
Garindell: full wellness Brock: full wellness Belaria: full wellness Gaio Verde: full wellness Brenda: full wellness
OOC:
Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions and provide a random roll.
Bellaria and Jay make sure that the others are aware of the otters and suggest that the party cross the river to see if they can find where the two are hiding.
Brock and Garin are on-board with this idea; both of them carry their makeshift spears in front of them, staying alert, while both of them try to move as silently as possible.
Random rolls = 39, 50
Brock silent move = 91(+90 Luck) = 181
Garin silent move = 100(+67 Luck) = 167
The dice gods are with me today!!
Being early in the Chilling Season, the river was about at its lowest stage, and the water felt warm compared to the morning air. The river being coldest during the Shifting Season, which started each Cycle, and fullest during the Drenching Season. Carried supplies had been suspended from a tree and left back at camp, as this was a very specific hunting expedition.
Spreading out to maximize their efficiency, the five youths all walked back to the river bank where they and the otters had exited, disappointed. Brenda offered, “We are not very good at this. We need to figure out a way to bolster our effectiveness.”
GM:
HINT:
If they wish to make use of it, Brock needs to incorporate some ritual of garnering luck (favor of Fortune). Garindell, Belaria, and Gaio need a patterned ritual for calling on or honoring the Wind. Make up something simple that is repeatable or message me for suggestions. Religion is an integral part of the lives of ancient peoples, but not the complex extroversions of modern times.
Garindell: full wellness Brock: full wellness Belaria: full wellness Gaio Verde: full wellness Brenda: full wellness
OOC:
Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions and provide a random roll.
Jay motions for Belaria to follow him, as the two head back to the place where they had seen the otters exit the river. Jay reaches down and picks up a couple of leaves from the ground. He faces inland, closes his eyes and tosses the leaves above his head, saying, "May The Wind point us in the right direction."
Garin nods upwards, seemingly no one, and mumbles a few sentences beneath his breath. His whispers do not carry very far, although people (party members) in the immediate area can hear him.
May The Wind lift my feet, silence my steps, and speed me on my journey.
Brock takes a similar action, also whispering, so as not to alarm the otters.
Fortune, favor fools like me, as long as they dance with you, and never let another suitor cut-in.
Brenda shrugged at seeing the various attempts, by her friends, to garner Divine attention. She said, “I know that I, yet, have no kinship with Earth or Air that I may use to my advantage, but soon I may develop some insight of my own making. I feel I am on the right path for it.”
Neither Brock nor Garindell sensed any response to their attempt at homage. There were plenty of logical reasons to hear and feel nothing. Most people never got a response, so neither lost faith. Perhaps they needed to try something different.
The two leaves that Gaio released fluttered and fell to the ground, as any leaves would do. Being mostly elongate in shape, their ends might be used to indicate direction; however, the two ends did not point along the same line. Belaria frowned at them, feeling that the venture had become hopeless, but Gaio was more pragmatic in his faith and suggested to his friends that everyone should move away from the river, searching diligently in between two direction that he indicated with his hands, pointing as he felt the leaves were pointing.
Having no other options, the party followed the suggestion. No definitive sign of the otters could be located but a particularly dense and thorny bush, its foliage low to the ground, drew attention. This shrub flowered in its season exuding a particularly pleasant aroma, its fruit used to make the fermented beverage called Rose Water. It was not the time of the Cycle for flower or fruit. No one could say for certain, but it seemed likely that the otters had taken to bedding under this bush, protected from view and larger predators.
Garindell: full wellness Brock: full wellness Belaria: full wellness Gaio Verde: full wellness Brenda: full wellness
OOC:
Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions and provide a random roll.
WOW
