TUW: The Outpost
MacConnell
Creator of The Untamed Wilds
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Acolyte Avery's Ledger (In Refuge)
GM said:
The man turns at the sound of voice. He does not smile or gesture or offer any sign of friendliness. He nods twice then turns back to walk under the covered structure. He picks up a dark stick and stirs each of the four, large containers before setting the stick aside.
Unsure as how to exactly gauge this behavior, the Outliers separate slightly but wait without approaching closer. The man steps back out in the open and dusts off his hands. He speaks in Markidian with no odd accent and no hint of emotion. "Traders, no? Hmm. I think not. An Aedaman, who is not Markidian, a Faethrin, and a Mhytre, all young men, traveling together and speaking the common language of the Kingdom? Maybe you are explorers or former scouts, but I doubt that West Cove would employ you with their current religious bent. What do you really want?"
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Kwargrow
Gamer Extraordinaire
Taylar shrugs, but does not take his eyes off the man. "Well, we are peaceful when we can manage it. We did just do a bit of trading, so we are traders. We have explored a few places, but not much came of it. I've never scouted anything, but we have been in a few battles, so you could call us warriors too. What we really want is merely information. You mentioned West Cove and their religion. Do you know much about them?"
MacConnell
Creator of The Untamed Wilds
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Acolyte Avery's Ledger (In Refuge)
The man laughs. "Naglyy osel. Most Maldrog think with their fists. Are you not a clever one? And a Shimadow who does not seem a sociopath, watching everything but me. And then you, calm a quiet, a Kinamin, I surmise, yet I have never met a Kinamin who was not a complete lunatic. Hmm.."
"Yes I know something of West Cove. How much? Hard to say. This town here was Markidian too. It was once the seat of their religion, but I guess it did not do to have the office of religion on the opposite side of the bay from the seat of the king. Religion, though, is the pursuit of old men and superstitious fools. You three are young men. Are you superstitious fools?"
Adisakti separates from the others a little further as the man answers. HIs movement seems nonchalant, maybe curiosity at the surroundings, though apparently the man is not fooled.
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Kwargrow
Gamer Extraordinaire
Taylar chuckles and makes sure his hands are close to his bludgeons. "You're pretty clever yourself, old man. Your back handed insults are something I might hear from an adolescent, but you claim you have never meet anyone like us? You must have spent too much time at this smelly tanner station. I'm not surprised to see you here alone. You're about as friendly as a giant badger I once killed, with my fists, of course. No, we are not superstitious fools, but we have run into a few. They were wearing matching leather armor that we took off their corpses. We were wondering if that armor was made around here."
He will look around to make sure that this old man isn't distracting them to set up an ambush.
He will look around to make sure that this old man isn't distracting them to set up an ambush.
98(+46)=144
MacConnell
Creator of The Untamed Wilds
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Acolyte Avery's Ledger (In Refuge)
ecology + clarity + d100
Taylar: 32 + 24 + 144 = 200
Adisakti: 29 + 24 + 97 = 150
Raven Elk: 22 + 26 + 50 = 98
Taylar: 32 + 24 + 144 = 200
Adisakti: 29 + 24 + 97 = 150
Raven Elk: 22 + 26 + 50 = 98
The elder man nods his head and smiles. Even at 10 strides distance, the smile, while showing amusement, does not seem friendly. It is also obvious that the man notices the wariness. "Well I guess that about ends the idle banter. I would say we each have exchanged enough words to gauge the acuity of one another. No, I do not have anyone lurking in the bushes. Even if I could not hurt or kill the lot of you three, I will trust my skill to escape. It is a big forest out there."
"So you killed some soldiers, did you? Just based on your phraseology, it would not be a unit for whom I make armor. You would have said it differently. I am quite the proficient leatherworker, but the fabric ones are made right there in West Cove."
At this point Adisakti decides to get involved. "Okay clever man. You talk a good game, but you are not getting all of these skins by yourself. That is what you are doing in the one used building in town. Why all the subterfuge? Why would making armor need to be a secret?"
The man sneers. "Secret!? Maybe like you big friend here says, I am across the bay because of the stink. I trade with some locals for the hides."
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Kwargrow
Gamer Extraordinaire
It Taylar detects no one near, he drops all pretense, and all friendliness. With hands on his hips, he says, "We didn't just target some soldiers for the fun of it. We killed those that slaughtered a village, and then those that would attack us for that reason. Let's put aside this silly banter. Do you support the efforts of this religious war? If not, we can talk about how to stop it. If you do support it, . . . " He lets his hands rest idly on his bludgeons.
100(+16)=116
MacConnell
Creator of The Untamed Wilds
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Acolyte Avery's Ledger (In Refuge)
Coerce + various Collegiate + d100
Taylar:40 + 24(muddle) + 116 = 180
Man: 50(skepticism) + 30(analysis) + 88(d100) = 138 < 180
Taylar:40 + 24(muddle) + 116 = 180
Man: 50(skepticism) + 30(analysis) + 88(d100) = 138 < 180
He stretches slightly as if in readiness that the continually provocative situation may indeed turn violent. He does not appear concerned. "Of course I support the war. I support any war as long as it is not on my doorstep. War is profitable. Spare me the morality. People die anyway. The how does not matter after they are dead."
"Like the Shimadow surmised, I use the one building in town. A man, usually with an armed unit comes to pay for the armor. I make the armor for women. He comes with men. I have never seen those women. In addition to what he pays me, which is not your concern, he brings trinkets and baubles that I pay the indigenous clan that brings me the hides. He brings specifications for the next batch when he brings me my pay."
"I was a leatherworker here when this village was still occupied. I think the man keeps me a secret because I am Amiradtha not Markidian. It would not do for a pronounced tribalist to be discovered to harbor no tribalism."
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"So you boys want to kill me. Have a go. It will not end this war. He will find another armorer."
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