Too Young to Retire

Tellerian Hawke · Sep 15, 2021

Merin will accelerate healing first on himself, then on Sheldon. He will also look through the handler's belongings, to see if anything has any proclivities.

67 = Accelerated Healing on himself
83 = Accelerated Healing on Sheldon

MacConnell · Sep 15, 2021

Tellerian Hawke said:
Merin will accelerate healing... look through...

Merindell: 30(medicine) + 65(restore) + 83(d100) = 178
Sheldon: 59 + 52 + 83 = 194

Merindell walks over to his prone friend. The wolf takes a step back and lays down. When Merin lays his hands on Sheldon, the bent waylines fluctuate synergistically between the both of them, accelerating their natural recovery simultaneously.

Looking at the Handler, Merin is fairly certain that the man is a Kinamin, and thinks it strange to find one of such age and semblance of sanity, though malevolent he was. He is heavily adorned with all sorts of trinkets. He has two small belt pouches containing some tiny seeds and two others, one with a black stone containing translucent purple streaks, the other with a dark red stone. He has a talisman of some dark red feathers tied in his hair, another of three long blue feathers and a third of large black feathers.

Merindell: 30(alchemy) + 42(analysis) + 67(d100) = 139, fail

It seems ridiculous that the man would have adorned himself with such items if they were of no mystical use to him, having such talent to control the mind of a wolf, but Merin can sense nothing from them.

When Sheldon can sit up, he beckons the wolf to him, removing its collar. The collar looks more like a belt with several cinched pouches. Each pouch contains a stone. The wolf looks from Sheldon to the way out a few times, then runs off, free to return to its own nature and habitat.

Merindell: Body: 2, injured.
Time: 80 days/ (178 + 194) = 5 hours, 10 minutes
Surcoat: 79 - 2 = 77
Tunic: 56
Sheldon: Body: -1, incapacitated.
Time: 110 days / (178 + 194) = 7 hours, 6 minutes
A-tunic: 59

Animal:
Cockatrice feathers: 1 pair, (Motility & Cohesion +3)
Cockatrice venom: 2 measures, (toxicity x4)
Jackal Canines: 8 pair: (Strength +3)
Jackal Dew Claws: 7 pair: (Strength +3)
Jackal Hearts: 8: {+strength x 3, +athleticism x 3}
Quillion Quills: 1: (Health +3), {toxicity x4}
Lizard Claws: (Motility & Strength +3)
Ram's Horn: 1, (Will +3)
Boar Tusk: 1, (Strength & Confluence +3)

Mineral:
Amber: 1, (Persona +3)
Nebulastone: 1, (Confluence +3)
Nightstone: 1, (Adhesion +3)
Ruddystone: 1, (Health +3)
Slickstone: 1: {- heat x2}
Sulfur: 1 brick, {heat or acidity x4}
Waterstone: 1, (Motility +3)

Ores:
Copper: 1, (Persona +3), {shock or -Mind x4}
Manganese: 2, {any Mind x4}

Plant:
Mend Leaves: 10 measures, {Mend x2}

OOC:

Each character receives 5 DP. State actions and intentions. Provided a random roll.

Tellerian Hawke · Sep 28, 2021

Merin will examine each of the stones that was in the Wolf's collar, making note of each type, and its position and numerical order in relation to the other stones, as they are arranged on the collar. (In case there is some significance to it.)

Merin says, "I wonder if these stones, arranged on the collar in such a way, could have enabled the bender to exert a greater-than-normal level of control upon the wolf? In the same way that various stones and trinkets increase our power and focus, I wonder if, since the Wolf wouldn't be able to use the stones himself, this bender places stones in the Wolf's collar that would give HIM an advantage, especially when dealing with the Wolf...? What are your thoughts?"

96(+51) = 147

MacConnell · Oct 6, 2021

Tellerian Hawke said:
Merin will examine... stones...

Merin says...

Sheldon shakes his head and says, "No, I do not think so. Like the stones we carry in belt belt pouches. I do not think there is any synergy. They only need to be close to the bearer, but it does mean that that wolf had some semblance of sentience or the stones would do nothing for it."

"Let me take a look at those items. I have a little more talent in such matters."

Merindell: 30(alchemy) + 42(analysis) + 147(d100) = 219, success
Sheldon: 59 + 42 + 147 = 248, success

Having a bit of luck to bolster the analysis, Merin can sense that all the stones from the collar are tuned to various proclivities. Sheldon adds that all of the items taken from the Handler do as well.

It takes a little over an hour's time before Sheldon can get up and move around. He convinces Merindell that leaving the cave and camping down by the river is advisable until the two can heal.

The two pouches of seeds are of no real interest to either man but may be to the Botanist back in Boga City. The black stone carried by the Handler is determined to be a Nebulastone. It has the proclivity to augment Confluence and would best benefit Merin. The other is a Ruddystone and would augment the Health of either man.

One of the talismans contains feathers from a Harpy, a very dangerous sentient bird. The three long blue feathers belonged to a type of Heron, and the black feathers are from a turkey vulture. Though the feather talismans are of no real use to either man, they may be of some monetary value. The stones in the wolf's collar are all weak trivialities for such explorers as Merindell and Sheldon and have little monetary value. Merin snorts at them and tosses them into the river. Sheldon shrugs and laughs.

Something about Merin's final assessment of the Handler keeps bugging him.

Looking at the Handler, Merin is fairly certain that the man is a Kinamin, and thinks it strange to find one of such age and semblance of sanity, though malevolent he was.

Merindell: Body: 2, injured.
Time: 80 days/ (178 + 194) = 5 hours, 10 minutes
Surcoat: 79 - 2 = 77
Tunic: 56
Sheldon: Body: -1, incapacitated.
Time: 110 days / (178 + 194) = 7 hours, 6 minutes
A-tunic: 59

Animal:
Cockatrice feathers: 1 pair, (Motility & Cohesion +3)
Cockatrice venom: 2 measures, (toxicity x4)
Jackal Canines: 8 pair: (Strength +3)
Jackal Dew Claws: 7 pair: (Strength +3)
Jackal Hearts: 8: {+strength x 3, +athleticism x 3}
Quillion Quills: 1: (Health +3), {toxicity x4}
Lizard Claws: (Motility & Strength +3)
Ram's Horn: 1, (Will +3)
Boar Tusk: 1, (Strength & Confluence +3)

Mineral:
Amber: 1, (Persona +3)
Nebulastone: 1, (Confluence +4)
Nightstone: 1, (Adhesion +3)
Ruddystone: 1, (Health +4)
Slickstone: 1: {- heat x2}
Sulfur: 1 brick, {heat or acidity x4}
Waterstone: 1, (Motility +3)

Ores:
Copper: 1, (Persona +3), {shock or -Mind x4}
Manganese: 2, {any Mind x4}

Plant:
Mend Leaves: 10 measures, {Mend x2}
Seeds: 2 measures, ??

OOC:

Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Provided a random roll.

Tellerian Hawke · Oct 12, 2021

Merin ponders the matter a moment, before saying: "Isn't The Potter a Kinamin? Perhaps he might know this man. It's a shame we had to kill him. He seems really old; almost too old. I wonder if he didn't try to somehow manipulate waylines to fuel his essence, and keep himself young? If so, it would explain his capriciousness and malevolence. Such things are not natural, and carry grievous side-effects, no doubt."

Merin will attempt to draw a sketch of the man, being careful to include any tattoos, and other distinguishing features. He does not draw the entire body; he draws the face, and a partial sketch of any body part (hand, arm, etc.) that has unique marks.

83, 67, 78

MacConnell · Oct 12, 2021

Tellerian Hawke said:
Merin ponders... saying... will attempt to draw...

Sheldon thinks for a bit, drawing an image to mind of the Potter encountered in Boga City. "No. No, I do not think so. Just based on the height and musculature of the Potter, I think he may be Evipau, not Kinamin. Either way, both of those tribes are known for their psychotic tendencies, and neither is prone to long life. Both men are oddities or anomalies for sure."

Merindell: 30(draw) + 77(clarity) + 83(d100) = 190

Merin is able to scribe a rather accurate image of the face of the Handler. The man did have any distinguishing marks or tattoos.

Sheldon continues expound. "Nothing was mentioned in Boga city concerning attacks along this road, just this mud collecting crew. I am not seeing this as some random act of violence perpetrated by some psychotic animal handler. Could there be some rivalry against the Potter or is something else going on here? We should look into other trains of commerce that require collection labor outside of the city."

Merindell: full wellness
Surcoat: 79 - 2 = 77
Tunic: 56
Sheldon: full wellness
A-tunic: 59

Animal:
Cockatrice feathers: 1 pair, (Motility & Cohesion +3)
Cockatrice venom: 2 measures, (toxicity x4)
Jackal Canines: 8 pair: (Strength +3)
Jackal Dew Claws: 7 pair: (Strength +3)
Jackal Hearts: 8: {+strength x 3, +athleticism x 3}
Quillion Quills: 1: (Health +3), {toxicity x4}
Lizard Claws: (Motility & Strength +3)
Ram's Horn: 1, (Will +3)
Boar Tusk: 1, (Strength & Confluence +3)

Mineral:
Amber: 1, (Persona +3)
Nebulastone: 1, (Confluence +4)
Nightstone: 1, (Adhesion +3)
Ruddystone: 1, (Health +4)
Slickstone: 1: {- heat x2}
Sulfur: 1 brick, {heat or acidity x4}
Waterstone: 1, (Motility +3)

Ores:
Copper: 1, (Persona +3), {shock or -Mind x4}
Manganese: 2, {any Mind x4}

Plant:
Mend Leaves: 10 measures, {Mend x2}
Seeds: 2 measures, ??

OOC:

Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Provided a random roll.

Tellerian Hawke · Oct 12, 2021

Merin nods in agreement, "Perhaps we should show my drawing to The Potter and see if he knows who this man is? If he doesn't know, then maybe he was with some new faction trying to force its way into the hierarchy of local interests. This guy seems like a middle man to me. I think others are involved, ones who do not wish to dirty their hands."

25.... Bleh.
Maybe some more rolls, just in case: 32, 85
Meh.

MacConnell · Oct 19, 2021

Tellerian Hawke said:
Merin nods...

Sheldon agrees with the idea. "Make a note of this location on your map. I think there is more to that modified cave than we were able to discover. We may want to return here."

It is a simple matter for Merindell to make such a note, drawing a symbol on his map at his best estimate of the location. The two men immediately begin following the river upstream until the forest is cleared and then northward across the Clay Flats Oxbow to leave word with the workers of their success. The workers are elated to know that the wolf is gone.

Back in Boga City, visiting with the potter gives the same ominous impression. The man is certainly more than a simple potter. He seems older than he looks, or at least wiser, and is still quite physically fit and muscular. Despite such impression, the man speaks slowly and distinctly, his gestures are slow and his manners are polite. He invites the two to have a seat while he looks at the drawing.

"The drawing is good, but I do not know this man. You think he was Kinamin. Hmm. I know of no specific enemies that I have made. I am a potter, the only potter. I am teaching two children. No one has ever approached me with opposition or competition. I cannot compete with the quality of fine craft that comes from Asylim and I know nothing of making glass. If you suspect some nefarious economic plot, perhaps it is against the Masons and my clay collectors were convenient casualty. I hire labor through the Masons Guild, though my need is trivial when compared to construction."

"On the other hand, there may be nothing to it at all, and this Kinamin was testing his skill near his location. As I understand it, the talent of Bending preferred by Kinamins is related to controlling animals. Most just die young because of their aggression and only develop minor skill."

Merindell: full wellness
Surcoat: 79 - 2 = 77
Tunic: 56
Sheldon: full wellness
A-tunic: 59

Animal:
Cockatrice feathers: 1 pair, (Motility & Cohesion +3)
Cockatrice venom: 2 measures, (toxicity x4)
Jackal Canines: 8 pair: (Strength +3)
Jackal Dew Claws: 7 pair: (Strength +3)
Jackal Hearts: 8: {+strength x 3, +athleticism x 3}
Quillion Quills: 1: (Health +3), {toxicity x4}
Lizard Claws: (Motility & Strength +3)
Ram's Horn: 1, (Will +3)
Boar Tusk: 1, (Strength & Confluence +3)

Mineral:
Amber: 1, (Persona +3)
Nebulastone: 1, (Confluence +4)
Nightstone: 1, (Adhesion +3)
Ruddystone: 1, (Health +4)
Slickstone: 1: {- heat x2}
Sulfur: 1 brick, {heat or acidity x4}
Waterstone: 1, (Motility +3)

Ores:
Copper: 1, (Persona +3), {shock or -Mind x4}
Manganese: 2, {any Mind x4}

Plant:
Mend Leaves: 10 measures, {Mend x2}
Seeds: 2 measures, ??

Discoveries:
modified cave west of Boga City

OOC:

Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Provided a random roll.

Tellerian Hawke · Oct 19, 2021

Merin nods, "This was NOT minor skill; the man showed a high degree of prowess. Sheldon confused the wolf when we first met it, and it wandered away. When we caught up to it, a few moments later, its master had already found it, and restored its senses. That's when he attacked us for daring to hurt his pet. He very nearly killed both of us. Luckily, we've both been in tight situations before, and we remained calm. Doing so saved our lives, and allowed us to defeat him."

60

Tellerian Hawke · Oct 20, 2021

Merin pauses, then adds, "Who in their right mind would challenge the Mason's guild? Or do you believe that such intrigue might be indicative of in-fighting amongst its leadership?"