Seeing that only he and Cormorant are conscious, Sprthnt slowly gets to his feet and responds to the Da’Roneh, since he tends to be far more talkative than Cormorant. He sees no point in correcting the misidentification, especially since it may be the only thing that has currently spared the Six. Speaking Ansylin, he tells the woman the truth of why they are here, including having switched caravans and being commissioned to explore the Pass, as Cormorant also gets to his feet. Neither man stands in a threatening manner nor holds a weapon at ready.
Season: Rebirth. Day: 4
The woman presses her lips into a flat line, considering the words from Sprthnt, before responding. “So this is a bad coincidence for you, but fortunate you are to work directly for one of the Magisters, so your disappearance might be investigated. When your friends wake, you will leave here and not return. I will not be charitable a second time. But before you go, the tall Ansylin will heal the one he injured.”
The party is being allowed to live, but the charge to Cormorante is a malevolent act that cannot be avoided. Fortunately he knows that she is not injured enough to take his life, only some of it. In the brief time of the conversation, Cormorante had regained enough of his awareness that the siphoning of his essence by the injured Raven did not cause him to lose consciousness, though it almost did. The Da’Roneh all turn and leave, fully expecting the party to do as it was commanded. Without mystical assistance, it will take several more minutes before anyone else in the party wakes.
Once the Da’Roneh had gone, though neither man had much for the specific talent, Cormorant and Sprthnt both attempted to render mental aid to their unconscious friends, knowing that even a little help would dramatically improve their rate of recovery. Once everyone is able to move, the party leaves the mountains by they path they had used to enter and moves northward a little distance before resting. When everyone is fully cognizant, Sprthnt will relay the information that the Da’Roneh had given to discuss this matter, to try to descern its significance. During the discussion the party will continue to move through the Pass toward South Road Fair before making camp. Antapkos and Siofrita will do some hunting. The other four will explore the immediate area to see if anything of interest might be discovered.
Once the entire party was able to engage in the conversation, it takes little time to come to the conclusion that one of the Magisters from Asylim was trying to undermine the trade efforts of the others. Antapkos and Cormorante only knew one other name beside that of Molo Pesce, and neither of those men were Amiradtha. Vyerbluth the master of the first caravan joined could probably tell them other names, if he was ever encountered again, but everyone doubted that he would do so, willingly. He deserved a thorough beating, anyway. It was also agreed that the Da’Roneh had been given descriptions of the banners for each caravan, something the party did not even know, because it had not been important at the time.
Antapkos and Siofrita do not readily notice any game, but the scrub does not offer much in the way of animal habitat at the current location. Deciding to split up to cover more ground, Siofrita ends up shooting a lizard that is almost as long as she is tall. It is edible and will definitely feed the party. Antapkos discovers a geographically small depression in the normal topography of the area, but it is filled with a bramble thicket. Though it is not the season for the berries, he knows that it should be great cover for rodents and successfully sets several snares, catching some. Several days’ worth of meat was captured and would need to be prepared. Britta finds an Azurestone and an ingot of Manganese.
Antapkos: full wellness
Tunic: 58
Siofrita: full wellness
Cormorante: full wellness
Tunic: 59 - 2 = 57
Britta: full wellness
Tunic: 58
Sprthnt: full wellness
Tunic: 47
Kuwaia: full wellness
Tunic: 53
Whatever the truth is about the nefarious actions concerning the Da’Roneh, the caravans, and the Magisters, the Six decide that it is, yet, beyond their abilities to do anything about it. Once they eventually circle back to Asylim, which should be quite some time, they thought about mentioning it to Molo Pesce but could not decide if that is the best course of action. In the meantime, the decided to continue northward through the Pass to continue to look for valuable herbs and flowers.
There is not much for change in the topography for the next six days of slow travel, which bring the party to another location within the Land’s End Pass where caravans are often attacked. The party estimates that this is where Vyerbluth’s was previously ambushed, causing Antapkos and Cormorante to return to South Road Fair, after the caravan abandoned them. A crevasse in the Dragon’s Footprint to the west provided a trickle of water during the right time of the Cycle and a small cluster of stunted, evergreen, acorn trees grew. There was still some water coming down the rocks, as it was only ten days into the season of Rebirth. Unlike wetter parts of the land, it was difficult to see the herbaceous production that gave the season its name.
During those six days, the only usable plants that Siofrita or Kuwaia discover are toxic and not something that the party wanted, anyway. Antapkos is able to point out a cluster of prickly pear cacti, but its fruit is far from ready and would produce a tea that was too sour, if collected now. Britta discovers a bright yellow rock that could easily be pounded into a powder. It has a rather pungent odor. She also discovers a vein of magnesium, but its location is really too distant from civilization to note the location. The party could use the hammer that Cormorante now carries to break much of it free from the surrounding rock, if it so decided.
Cormorante and Sprthnt get the others' attention toward a mob of strange and larger rodents. They look similar to jack rabbits but stand about half as tall as a person, far too large to be jacks. Antapkos is able to shoot one, which allows the party to discover that they are good to eat, and the hide is large enough to make a decent satchel.
Antapkos: full wellness
Tunic: 58
Siofrita: full wellness
Cormorante: full wellness
Tunic: 59 - 2 = 57
Britta: full wellness
Tunic: 58
Sprthnt: full wellness
Tunic: 47
Kuwaia: full wellness
Tunic: 53
Once the party returns to South Road Fair, I intend to park Antapkos and Siofrita and change them out for a different style of character.
Having the luxury of not being on anyone else’s time schedule and having a fresh water supply, the Six plan to spend a few days preparing game and hides. Snares will be set about the cluster of trees and any other place that looks to be productive. A few short trips will be made climbing into the mountains to see if any curious stones or metal ingots might be found. After the previous detrimental results of discovering a hostile clan that lives within the mountains, the Six do not plan to delve very far into the heights.
At this point in their development, Antapkos has become the best at finding things by benefit of his sense of smell. Sprthnt now exceeds Cormorante in finding game, based upon his ability to hear. Britta is the only one dedicated to locating minerals and ores. Sprthnt is still slightly more skilled at identifying mystical potential and preparing game, but the mystical talent of Britta is improving.
The yellow rock that was discovered while walking is identified as sulfur. It is pounded into 7 usable measures, which brings the total carried to 15. The previously discovered vein of magnesium was ignored, as having little commercial value. Nothing useful, of a vegetative manner, other than the acorn trees is discovered, and it is far to early in the Cycle for the trees to have their acorns. With regard to minerals and ores, the climbing trips are unproductive.
During the time spent hunting and checking snares, Cormorante and Antapkos are both pleased to collect several running birds, which are excellent eating, and their skulls, feet, and tail feathers harbor a potential for enhancing the impetus of resilience and vitality (Confluence +2). Sprthnt, at one point is ambushed by a phase spider, though its attempt is unsuccessful. Sprthnt is able to kill it and collect its fangs, which harbor a potential for enhancing the impetus for the physical function and intellectual cognizance, as well as physical motility (Cohesion & Motility +2).
Toward the end of the peaceable respite, late in the afternoon, the party recognizes that its camp is being approached by another party of people. A group of younger, adult Deviards is apparently exploring the area. Members of each party are able to recognize one another at about 50 strides. The Deviards immediately take aggressive action to attack.
Antapkos: full wellness
Tunic: 58
Siofrita: full wellness
Cormorante: full wellness
Tunic: 59 - 2 = 57
Britta: full wellness
Tunic: 58
Sprthnt: full wellness
Tunic: 47
Kuwaia: full wellness
Tunic: 53
If any of the newly discovered items harbor a greater mystical proclivity than those already possessed, each will exchange old items with new, beginning with Cormorant and Britta, then Sprthnt and Kuwaia, and Antapkos and Siofrita will choose last.
Since Antapkos and Sprthnt have switched combat tactics, the party changes its usual approach to an enemy. Antapkos and Siofrita will lag back in the center to make use of their bows. Antapkos will initially enhance his athleticism. Siofrita will camouflage her appearance. The other four will separate just enough to leave a narrow alley through which the two archers can fire. Cormorant and Britta will rush forward on the left flank, each preparing for melee combat with Cormorant enhancing his physical strength while Britta obscures her presence. Sprthnt and Kuwaia will rush forward on the right flank, each preparing for melee combat with Sprthnt obscuring his presence and Kuwaia enhancing her motility.
Comparing the newly discovered items to those already possessed, the party is pleased to note that none of the new items is needed.
As the party prepares for combat, a ripple runs over the skin of Antapkos, Cormorante, and Kuwaia. The physical images of Siofrita, Britta, and Sprthnt momentarily shake. In the same manner as Britta’s does, the image of the six Deviard Prospectors blurs as they charge forward. They seem incredibly fast for their bulky build. The distance of about 50 strides separating the parties is too great to allow for any effective assault, whether mystical or projectile in nature. Though Antapkos and Siofrita could fire, it is not in their best interest, yet. The Deviards wield hammers similar to the one Cormorante now carries, and each is equipped with a buckler, protecting the left arm.
Antapkos: full wellness
Tunic: 58
Siofrita: full wellness
Cormorante: full wellness
Tunic: 59 - 2 = 57
Britta: full wellness
Tunic: 58
Sprthnt: full wellness
Tunic: 47
Kuwaia: full wellness
Tunic: 53
