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Message: <blockquote data-quote="hawkeyefan" data-source="post: 8586583" data-attributes="member: 6785785">Here's the recap/summary of our session from Thursday. First Spring, Week Two<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Trys and Cullen agree that, having killed some of the Maneaters, they need to investigate the nearby campfire that night, so they set out. They first have to navigate the heights and the terrain. They need to find a safe passage down from the higher land, down into the ravines where they saw the fire.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">They decide that safety is more important than stealth, and so they approach across the open terrain rather than through a more narrow passage. Before long, they comes across what appear to be bodies that are partially mummified in stalagmite like piles of some strange resin. These appear to be placed here to warn intruders away. Before they can examine things more closely, they realize that one of the bodies encased in the resin appears to be alive, and also that a strange creature is nearby, sniffing at the air. The creature walks on a pair of strong hind legs, and appears to have either feathers or scales. It resembles a cross between a velociraptor and a coyote. It detects Trys and Cullen, and growls.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Letting out a piercing cry, the beast spits resin at the two of them. Cullen steps forward to take the hit and manages to do so, leaving Trys free to rush the creature. It has reach, so she needs to either approach it cautiously or take a hit to get in close. She takes the hit, but then doesn’t manage to score one of her own. She winds up grabbing its jaws and raking her sword across its body. Cullen, recovering from the slowing effect of the resin, then jumps in and distracts the creature, trying to keep its attention on him so that Trys can finish it off, striking its head off with a mighty blow.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> The trilling of the creature has drawn attention, and enemies are heard approaching. Trys rushes to check on the trapped person; it appears to be the elder Garrett. She uses her blanket and bedroll to make the man as comfortable as possible, but he’s in a bad way. Cullen tries to determine how far off the enemies are, and realizes that they’ll arrive in about a half minute. There is a woman riding a larger version of the creature they’d just killed; she wears an ornate headdress and a feathered cloak. Several paces back from her there is a group of five more warriors, armed with spears. They’re scrambling up a steep incline, but they seem to be comfortable doing so.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">-    Trys harnesses her anger, and decides to heave the body of the slain creature down at them, and Cullen runs over to help her. They toss the corpse down and manage to catch the larger creature. It stumbles and the priestess loses her seat and falls off gracefully, landing and raising her iron tipped spear.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cullen goes on the defensive, distracting the creature so that Trys can land a devastating blow that manages to finish the creature off.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cullen then invokes his god, Aratis, and declares the priestess as an agent of chaos. She balks at his words, and appears to recognize the name Aratis. She holds her spear forth and lays it down, seemingly wanting to end hostilities.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cullen demands that the Garretts be freed. He points to the slain bodies of the tribe’s mounts and Trys then tosses the headdresses of the three warriors they killed back at their camp. The priestess does not agree to these terms, and says she will release the Garrett women, but they will keep the young man. Neither Cullen nor Trys are willing to agree to this, and push to renegotiate.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The priestess offers to release the boy if Cullen will agree to consecrate the alliance per their ancient ways, which seem to involve actual consummation. In such agreements made with other tribes, the Maneaters do not consume the male. Cullen considers this for a moment, and decides it is a test put forth to him by Aratis; this will involve a spiritual battle between Aratis and whatever demon the tribe venerates. He realizes that it's the only way of saving the entire Garrett family, and so he agrees.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">In that moment as he considered the offer and had decided to agree, Trys had come to her own decision. And it was clearly a “no”. She charged the priestess, sliding down the hillside, sword raised!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The warriors unleash their spears, doing some damage to Trys, but not enough to stop her. She hits the priestess, but then the woman’s cloak billows outward and she floats back and away from Trys as if flying. Trys tries to grab her, but catches a kick to the face for her troubles, but she simply shrugs it off. The priestess shouts commands in a strange tongue from up high to the Hillfolk back in the camp, and they stir to action.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cullen realizes that the Garretts are likely about to be harmed or killed, so he charges the now weaponless warriors below. He lands amidst them, and with his forceful hammer of office takes out three of the five, and send the other two reeling. He ignores them and dashes off for the campsite.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Trys snatches up one of the spears that had been thrown at her, and hurls it into the priestess, killing her and dropping her to the ground. Trys retrieves the cloak, hoping to somehow use its power to make it to the camp before the Garretts are harmed. There is a very strange sensation she feels as she grabs the cloak, as if she has communed with something otherworldly.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cullen sees that the Hillfolk women in camp have drawn knives and are going to kill the Garrett women. He recalls the way his god’s name had affected the priestess, and so he shouts out to Aratis again, telling the Hillfolk that he would destroy them all if they harmed the Garretts. The remaining Hillfolk, realizing that their creatures and their priestess, as well as most of their warriors were gone, decided to flee rather than stay.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Trys and Cullen enter the camp and collect the Garrett women. The Garrett boy is found in a nearby hut. Although he has been traumatized, he is physically unharmed. Their second horse is also here and unharmed. Trys heads back up the hill to collect father Garrett. The man is still breathing, and she brings him back to the camp, reuniting him with his family. They salvage some small amount of supplies from the camp, and they feed the Garretts and keep them warm.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cullen investigates the effigies that are on display in the camp, and recalling what he read in Follux’s Guide to the Hillfolk, determines that this tribe venerates a demon of gluttony, consumption, and hedonism known as Ovan, the Twisted Horns, a ram-like figure and an enemy of harmony that seeks to destroy all bonds and laws.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">After regrouping, Trys decides to go out and save the other horse, a stallion named Tempest, and she brings the Garrett boy, Lief (ha!) with her. They manage to coax the sickly horse back to the camp. After a short rest, the group decides to head out at daybreak. They manage to get back to the Garretts’ original campsite, where they were taken and where their wagon was left behind. Given the condition of the horses, it’s decided to hide the wagon as best as possible, and to return for it later.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The group presses on toward Titan Bones. There are only enough supplies to keep the Garretts and the horses fed; both Cullen and Trys go hungry for the two day journey. He attempts to appeal to the sense of charity of the merchants at Titan Bones to help provide the Garretts with food and water, but his pleas fall on deaf ears. After the ordeal of the battle and the exhausting journey back, Cullen is left disheartened by their callousness. One peddler offers to feed the Garretts for the two day trip back to Stonetop, but he says he wants the horse, Tempest, as payment.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Trys however, points out that the Garretts were victims of the Maneater tribe and that she and Cullen had killed their leader and scattered those that remain. She shows them the headdress of the priestess. At this news, the merchants change their tune. They offer some supplies for the journey as thanks for ridding the area of a threat. Cullen then spends some time foraging for some more supplies, and they soon have enough to feed everyone in the party but him, but he accepts that. They depart and make their way back to Stonetop.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Trys and Cullen Return Triumphantly to Stonetop, having saved the Garrett family and their pair of horses.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">During the celebration that followed, Trys and Cullen impress upon the town publicans, Sawyl and Sianna, the need to recover the wagon. It will be a helpful asset to the town. They decide to send the blacksmith apprentice and the Garrett boy out with the watch member Grunhilda. The publicans agree to this and so the expedition heads out and manages to recover the wagon.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Trys returns home to find a new, beautiful hammer laying on her bed, a gift from her father, though he pretends to be asleep as she comes in to find it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The next day, Gavin is discussing with Demi, the steading’s best engineer who is in charge of the cistern, that they need to improve their ability to collect rainwater. He talks about slate tiles and gutters that may allow for greater collection of water. Demi says that such a job is beyond her, and that the only engineer she knows of who could do that is a master she studied under years ago. Supposedly, he is out at Gordin’s Delve, a mining community that actually has an aqueduct.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The two decide to consult with Cullen to see what he knows about the aqueduct. They head to the Chronicle and find Cullen talking to someone who is not there. Demi feels uncomfortable in the ancient hold, and she makes an excuse to leave. Gavin then talks to Cullen about Gordin’s Delve, and Cullen says he’ll consult one of the books in the Chronicle. Unfortunately, they learn that the aqueduct in Gordin’s Delve is not the product of technology, but of the binding of an Elder Primal Spirit known as the Raging Torrent to the great water wheel in the community. Worse, that any who learn of this captured water spirit who do nothing to free it will be cursed to face constant rains and floods in their own home….</li> </ul></blockquote>

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