TUW: The Outpost
- Thread starter MacConnell
- Start date
Tellerian Hawke
Defender of Oerth
Maka nods, "I've never known them to be territorial, except when defending their food stores. As long as we stay out of their personal space, we should just be able to skirt wide around them, without too much bother."
MacConnell
Creator of The Untamed Wilds
No Quilled Rodent for Dinner
Ignoring the porcupines or rather giving them a wide berth, the men move on some distance before making camp. Four more hours of walking, the next day, brings the party to the burned remains of the Pelimonra Village. Having been here before, there is no reason to add further insult to the already bruised memory of the place.
Another day and a half of easy travel brings the Outcasts to a suitable distance from the outer farms of West Cove in order to observe travel activity by the road without much risk of being noticed. It having been a rather short time since the war party that destroyed the passed village met its demise, the sight of soldiers roving about, periodically speaking with residents seems in order.
The following day something seems odd about a single woman walking the road northward. She is dressed in a nondescript brown cloak covering her body, with her buried hands holding it closed against the slight chill and dampness of the season. She sways as she walks like and elder woman might but even at the observed distance, she looks much younger. She walks on out of sight.
The woman is pondered and discussed, but nothing definitive can be decided. The next day, about mid morning, the same woman is seen returning to town. She does not sway and is moving at a much faster pace. A Kingdom Regular, who was speaking with a goat herder peels away from the crude fence line to accost the woman. He commands her to stop, which is obvious, but any exact words cannot be understood from such distance.
Observing the soldier's gestures, it appears that he is becoming irritated and is attempting to make demands of the woman, who has been standing still looking at her own feet. At the moment that the party members think that they may risk getting involved, the woman looks the soldier in the eyes. Her right hand darts from her cloak at lightning speed and jabs the man in the throat. The soldier goes down on one knee, coughing, and draws his short sword.
The woman doffs her cloak, revealing herself to be clad in fitted leather armor, including pants, an almost unknown leg garment, especially for a female, that has all been dyed black. The glint of metal about her person indicates that she is well armed with multiple weaponry. Before the sword of the soldier can clear its scabbard, the left hand of the woman flicks forward, this time with a small knife that cuts a fine line across the man's cheek.
At that instant, everyone else who was in the area, kneels to the ground, instantly, looking to the ground as well. The soldier releases his sword and appears to be pleading. There is a distinct symbol on the woman's back in bright red. It looks like concentric, horizontal, half circles. The soldier crawls backward and lays flat on the ground. The woman continues on. After she leaves the area, the people stand and go back to what they were doing, except the soldier, who presses his hand to his cheek as he sits on the ground. It begins to rain a light drizzle.
Vittero whispers to the others. "That is not the symbol for Dawn. It is the symbol for Dusk. What is going on here?"
The others know that the question is, of course, rhetorical.
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Acolyte Avery's Ledger
Slate Boulder: 76 stones worth, East Pass
Tin Vein: 43 stones worth, East Pass
Zinc Vein: 61 ingots worth, 7 days north East Pass
Keep of the Rising Sun
Slate Boulder: 76 stones worth, East Pass
Tin Vein: 43 stones worth, East Pass
Zinc Vein: 61 ingots worth, 7 days north East Pass
Keep of the Rising Sun
Another day and a half of easy travel brings the Outcasts to a suitable distance from the outer farms of West Cove in order to observe travel activity by the road without much risk of being noticed. It having been a rather short time since the war party that destroyed the passed village met its demise, the sight of soldiers roving about, periodically speaking with residents seems in order.
The following day something seems odd about a single woman walking the road northward. She is dressed in a nondescript brown cloak covering her body, with her buried hands holding it closed against the slight chill and dampness of the season. She sways as she walks like and elder woman might but even at the observed distance, she looks much younger. She walks on out of sight.
The woman is pondered and discussed, but nothing definitive can be decided. The next day, about mid morning, the same woman is seen returning to town. She does not sway and is moving at a much faster pace. A Kingdom Regular, who was speaking with a goat herder peels away from the crude fence line to accost the woman. He commands her to stop, which is obvious, but any exact words cannot be understood from such distance.
Observing the soldier's gestures, it appears that he is becoming irritated and is attempting to make demands of the woman, who has been standing still looking at her own feet. At the moment that the party members think that they may risk getting involved, the woman looks the soldier in the eyes. Her right hand darts from her cloak at lightning speed and jabs the man in the throat. The soldier goes down on one knee, coughing, and draws his short sword.
The woman doffs her cloak, revealing herself to be clad in fitted leather armor, including pants, an almost unknown leg garment, especially for a female, that has all been dyed black. The glint of metal about her person indicates that she is well armed with multiple weaponry. Before the sword of the soldier can clear its scabbard, the left hand of the woman flicks forward, this time with a small knife that cuts a fine line across the man's cheek.
At that instant, everyone else who was in the area, kneels to the ground, instantly, looking to the ground as well. The soldier releases his sword and appears to be pleading. There is a distinct symbol on the woman's back in bright red. It looks like concentric, horizontal, half circles. The soldier crawls backward and lays flat on the ground. The woman continues on. After she leaves the area, the people stand and go back to what they were doing, except the soldier, who presses his hand to his cheek as he sits on the ground. It begins to rain a light drizzle.
Vittero whispers to the others. "That is not the symbol for Dawn. It is the symbol for Dusk. What is going on here?"
The others know that the question is, of course, rhetorical.
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Kwargrow
Gamer Extraordinaire
Taylar says to the group, "Let's go question that soldier. I'll pretend to be a friendly traveler." He walks boldly over to the man, hands off weapons, with a sympathetic smile, and asks, "Soldier, are you all right? I have never seen such a sight before."
He will attempt to use charm and persuasion to coax information about the woman and the incident out of the soldier, as opposed to intimidation.
He will attempt to use charm and persuasion to coax information about the woman and the incident out of the soldier, as opposed to intimidation.
72, 54
Tellerian Hawke
Defender of Oerth
Maka stays near Taylar, just to his right, and about 2 strides behind. His demeanor is non-chalant, as if he is just following his friend.
MacConnell
Creator of The Untamed Wilds
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Acolyte Avery's Ledger
Slate Boulder: 76 stones worth, East Pass
Tin Vein: 43 stones worth, East Pass
Zinc Vein: 61 ingots worth, 7 days north East Pass
Keep of the Rising Sun
Slate Boulder: 76 stones worth, East Pass
Tin Vein: 43 stones worth, East Pass
Zinc Vein: 61 ingots worth, 7 days north East Pass
Keep of the Rising Sun
Vittero walks in side-by-side with Taylar. Adi hangs back and keeps an eye on Raven Elk.
Effectiveness: Coerce + Clarity + d100
Coerce: Mind + Commercial + Knowledge + Persona + Mercantile
Clarity: Essence + Collegiate + Cohesion + post-Collegiate
Taylar: 36 + 25 + 72 = 133
Raven Elk: 21 + 25 + 88 = 134
Vittero: 35 + 32 + 79 = 146
Coerce: Mind + Commercial + Knowledge + Persona + Mercantile
Clarity: Essence + Collegiate + Cohesion + post-Collegiate
Taylar: 36 + 25 + 72 = 133
Raven Elk: 21 + 25 + 88 = 134
Vittero: 35 + 32 + 79 = 146
Skepticism + Clarity + d100 + Prejudice + fear
Soldier: 25 + 17 + 84 + 100 + 0 = 216
Others: 14 + 12 + 84 + 100 + 100 = 310
Soldier: 25 + 17 + 84 + 100 + 0 = 216
Others: 14 + 12 + 84 + 100 + 100 = 310
The soldier rights himself, but balks at the words from Taylar. Before trying the option of attempting to charm the man or muddle his thoughts, Vittero reaches out and touches Taylar's arm, speaking to the soldier. His choice of information surprises the others, the words do more than calm the environment.
"You think the best smiths are Markidian? Of course not. This is Taylar this smith's son from Outpost. I am Vittero. My father is the Priest of Dawn. He is expecting students from a promise of the Divine Praetor. We have come from the mines and passed through a burned village. We find this strange. We find that a black clad woman is assaulting a Kingdom Regular."
The words eliminate the prejudice of the soldier, who becomes cordial and answers Taylar's question without the need for him to attempt any mind bending.
"Her armor is blue, dark blue. If the sun were brighter you would see it. Yes, I serve the king. She is a Daughter of the Dawn or more specifically her rank makes her a Seeker for Truth. She could have killed me and I would be thrown in a ditch somewhere."
He spits.
"Killers are what those women are, but you never heard that from me. They have no heart. Anyway, way up in Outpost, you probably haven't seen the other soldiers, yet. Let me shorten this. Kingdom soldiers serve the king. The king seeks favor from the Divine Praetor. The Divine Praetor is chosen by the Ministers of Light. The Acolytes of Faith, Daughters of Dawn, and the Hand of Justice serve the Ministry. Acolytes of Faith are regular soldiers who have taken vows to the Ministry. They where tabards over their armor to designate. There are no women soldiers. The Daughters are selected by the Hand. The Hands are promoted by the Ministry. It is a good thing that Daughter did not see all of you. She can put anyone to question, especially if they are not Markidian or associate with those who are not. I know that Outpost and the mines still employ others, but that may be changing. Be careful about here."
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Kwargrow
Gamer Extraordinaire
Taylar is insulted by the soldiers attitude towards him. His friendly demeanor dissolves into a sneer. When this fool of a soldier stops talking, Taylar says to him in Maldrog, "You seem remarkably well informed for someone that almost ended up dead in a ditch."
After they leave the soldier Taylar says to those with him, "I'm not certain that Seeker of Truth did not notice us. It could be she put on that show to get our attention. She might want us to follow her, but I don't know if that's a good idea or not."
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Tellerian Hawke
Defender of Oerth
Maka snorts, "There seems to be dissension within the main religion itself. This Ministry of Light seems to be the source of it. The more I think about it, the more I believe that the Divine Praetor is a figurehead, and the Ministry is the true source of authority. We should make them, and their minions, our primary concern from now on. I do not like the way they are shunning and excising peoples from tribes different than their own. That it is not the way of the open heart. That smacks of cruelty and self-importance."
MacConnell
Creator of The Untamed Wilds
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Acolyte Avery's Ledger
Slate Boulder: 76 stones worth, East Pass
Tin Vein: 43 stones worth, East Pass
Zinc Vein: 61 ingots worth, 7 days north East Pass
Keep of the Rising Sun
Slate Boulder: 76 stones worth, East Pass
Tin Vein: 43 stones worth, East Pass
Zinc Vein: 61 ingots worth, 7 days north East Pass
Keep of the Rising Sun
The soldier steps back. He refrains from putting a hand on his weapon. Unable to understand the words spoken to him, he is unsure if he has been insulted or threatened. He risks a furtive glance around. Even if he had the stomach to draw on the big Maldrog and his two close friends, he sees that no other Regulars are even as close as Taylar's other two friends. He thinks to himself, ~I hate this post. Everybody is a blighted bad ass.~
Vittero snickers at the indecision of the soldier. He says in Maldrog as best he can, "Hang on a second, Taylar." Then to the soldier in Markidian, "What are you supposed to be doing here? How is it you know so much about these other soldiers?"
The soldier composes himself a bit. "I am supposed to ask anyone approaching town their business, and direct them to either the Castle or the Cathedral. Everybody knows about the Daughters of Dawn. as a soldier I have to know all that stuff. I have to know who outranks whom and who can give me orders."
Adisakti, who has now joined the others with Raven Elk, agrees. "She may have. Did you see how fast she moved? Anyway, she walked right through the farms here. She looked to be headed for that fancy stone building up there."
Vittero shakes his head. "From a religious standpoint, as my father would see it, I do not think it dissension, but I agree that we should focus on those soldiers serving the Ministry. Those ones that destroyed the Pelimonra were all wearing tabards over their armor."
Adisakti asks the obvious. "So what now? If we wander around this community we are obviously going to be bothered by soldiers, and the townsfolk are all scared of us, except for you, Gray Face."
"Oh, Ha. Ha."
"Do we want to walk right up to that fancy building or do we want to walk back into the trees and try something a little more sneaky?"
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