Britta keeps the Jade and attempt to identify the other one when she is able. Even though swine can be dangerous, they are known to have a sense of self-preservation. Britta and Cina agree to target the same pig with arrows. Sprthnt hopes to aid them mystically. Cormorant and Kuwaia take defensive postures just in case the pigs decide to charge instead of run.
Later, Britta is able to determine that the other stone is called Firestone and it can be used by anyone in the party to augment physical wellness (Health +3) and the impetus for resilience and vitality (Confluence +3).
Britta and Cina release arrows simultaneously on Britta’s signal. At the same instant she and Sprthnt also manipulate waylines to cause additional mystical damage. The shot swine falls without a twitch or a sound. The other pigs do not even flinch but go one rooting for last cycle’s acorns. A couple of them eventually move over and push on the fallen herd member, but it is not going to be moving again. After waiting for so long, something else must be done to make the remainder of the herd move on. Rather than try to hurt any of the others, Sprthnt stands up so that he can be seen and claps his hands together. The clap sounds like thunder, and the other pigs run away, allowing the party to process their kill.
Cormorante: full wellness
Tunic: 57
Britta: full wellness
Tunic: 58
Arrows: 20 - 1 - 1 = 18: ularin
Sprthnt: full wellness
Tunic: 60
Kuwaia: full wellness
Tunic: 53
Cina: full wellness
Tunic: 60
Arrows: 20: ularin
Coins: 3113 clams
wallaby hide: 40 cover: 32 value
bliss: 1: ??
tranquility: 9: 2 per measure
coal: 6: {heat x3}
amberstone: 1: {compulsion x3}: 20 clams
azurestone: 3: 20 clams
emberstone: 4: {compulsion x2}: 10 clams each
firestone: 1: (Health & Confluence +3): 50 clams
grapestone: 3: 20 clams each
ruddystone: 2: 10 clams each
shadestone: 1: 20 clams
sulfur: 8: {heat x 4}{Ionize x 4}
aluminum: 1: {electrocute x3}: 5 clams
chromium: 1: {compulsion x3}: 10 clams each
manganese: 1: {leech x3}
nickel: 2: {electrocute x4}: 10 clams each
molybdenum: 11: {compulsion or electrocute x4}: 15 clams each
zinc: 1: {restore x3}
Da’Roneh Village
Land’s End Pass: Tranquility Cluster
Artisan Caravan: Vyerbluth: Caravan Master
Salt Caravan: Mishka: Caravan Master
OOC:
Each of the characters receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions and provide 2 random rolls.
Cormorant looks over at Sprthnt. “Oh, I am glad that worked… I will make a fire. At least we have water, here.”
With a pig this large, Britta, Sprthnt, and Cina work together to clean it and save the hide. Kuwaia, who never has much to say, goes about gathering wood for the fire.
With Britta taking the lead, since her skill now exceeded that of Sprthnt, those two and Cina have no difficulty in expertly butchering the swine and conserving its hide. The tusks of swine are already known to harbor mystical proclivity and this pair are of benefit to Kuwaia, as the others already have equally powerful items.
A day is taken to prepare the extra meat and the hide and then the party departs again moving southward. In one day another cluster of trees is reached, but this one is smaller than from the day before, and nothing of significance is discovered. Two more days brings the party to a deeper indention into the Dragon’s Spine and a larger cluster of trees.
It is already late in the day when the party prepares to enter the trees to look for its source of water. Only a few steps behind but coming from the west is another group of people. Once close enough to recognize, the other individuals appear a bit short, the color of sand, and athletically built, with long hair but very little facial or body hair. Purple and black designs are drawn upon their arms, torsos, and faces, and they are all males. Though they have never before been encountered, the appearance matches the known description of a psychotic peoples called Katalians, who are feared because of their natural talent to manipulate waylines. When they see the party, the six of them begin howling like coyotes and spread out. It is obvious that they are looking for trouble.
Cormorante: full wellness
Tunic: 57
Britta: full wellness
Tunic: 58
Arrows: 20 - 1 - 1 = 18: ularin
Sprthnt: full wellness
Tunic: 60
Kuwaia: full wellness
Tunic: 53
Cina: full wellness
Tunic: 60
Arrows: 20: ularin
Coins: 3113 clams
wallaby hide: 40 cover: 32 value
bliss: 1: ??
tranquility: 9: 2 per measure
coal: 6: {heat x3}
amberstone: 1: {compulsion x3}: 20 clams
azurestone: 3: 20 clams
emberstone: 4: {compulsion x2}: 10 clams each
firestone: 1: (Health & Confluence +3): 50 clams
grapestone: 3: 20 clams each
ruddystone: 2: 10 clams each
shadestone: 1: 20 clams
sulfur: 8: {heat x 4}{Ionize x 4}
aluminum: 1: {electrocute x3}: 5 clams
chromium: 1: {compulsion x3}: 10 clams each
manganese: 1: {leech x3}
nickel: 2: {electrocute x4}: 10 clams each
molybdenum: 11: {compulsion or electrocute x4}: 15 clams each
zinc: 1: {restore x3}
Da’Roneh Village
Land’s End Pass: Tranquility Cluster
Artisan Caravan: Vyerbluth: Caravan Master
Salt Caravan: Mishka: Caravan Master
OOC:
Each of the characters receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions and provide 2 random rolls.
Being from an isolated community like Asylim, Cormorant did not know much of the outside world, aside from what he was just beginning to learn. Having traveled so extensively, Sprthnt and Kuwaia both understood what they were facing. Being from Bergbaulager, Britta had more knowledge of dangerous peoples, as well. She was the one to announce first, “These are Blighters! I will move to our left.”
Hearing her words, Cina added, “I will move to our right.” Both she and Britta intended to fire arrows and manipulate waylines. Cormorant, Sprthnt, and Kuwaia separated a few strides apart, but all went straight at the enemies wanting to close to melee as quickly as possible. Cormorant intends to augment his strength, Kuwaia her athleticism, but Sprthnt would mystically make his appearance more difficult to track.
The Katalians prove to move much faster than anyone in the party, but surprisingly they are not trying to keep their distance, as might be expected for Blighters. They draw carving knives as they encroach upon the party members. Being physically the largest two choose Cormorante. Each of the others single each other party member. It appears that Britta and Cina will be reached before they can fire. The Katalians are going to close the 20 strides very quickly.
Even though she is shorter, Kuwaia is now faster than Cormorante and will reach the enemy first. Sprthnt is the slowest and lags a step behind the other two. It becomes more difficult to focus on Sprthnt as he moves. The image of Britta blurs, and the image of Cina tries to match the surroundings. A ripple runs over the skin of Cormorante, Kuwaia, and all of the Katalians.
Cormorante: full wellness
Tunic: 57
Britta: full wellness
Tunic: 58
Arrows: 20 - 1 - 1 = 18: ularin
Sprthnt: full wellness
Tunic: 60
Kuwaia: full wellness
Tunic: 53
Cina: full wellness
Tunic: 60
Arrows: 20: ularin
Coins: 3113 clams
wallaby hide: 40 cover: 32 value
bliss: 1: ??
tranquility: 9: 2 per measure
coal: 6: {heat x3}
amberstone: 1: {compulsion x3}: 20 clams
azurestone: 3: 20 clams
emberstone: 4: {compulsion x2}: 10 clams each
firestone: 1: (Health & Confluence +3): 50 clams
grapestone: 3: 20 clams each
ruddystone: 2: 10 clams each
shadestone: 1: 20 clams
sulfur: 8: {heat x 4}{Ionize x 4}
aluminum: 1: {electrocute x3}: 5 clams
chromium: 1: {compulsion x3}: 10 clams each
manganese: 1: {leech x3}
nickel: 2: {electrocute x4}: 10 clams each
molybdenum: 11: {compulsion or electrocute x4}: 15 clams each
zinc: 1: {restore x3}
Da’Roneh Village
Land’s End Pass: Tranquility Cluster
Artisan Caravan: Vyerbluth: Caravan Master
Salt Caravan: Mishka: Caravan Master
OOC:
Each of the characters receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions and provide 2 random rolls.
Cormorant will shift to his left and swing his his right mallet at that Katalian. He will obscure his existence as he does. Kuwaia will leap through the air to cover the remaining distance between her and her opponent, swinging overhand with her right sword. She will camouflage her appearance as she swings. Sprthnt slides to his right and stabs forward with his left javelin. SInce he no longer need to even touch a target to affect it with bending, he will enhance his assault with heat augmented by a measure of sulfur. Britta and Cina will draw and fire on their chosen aggressors. Britta will enhance her shot with electrocution.
Before Kuwaia lands from her leap, as she is swinging her sword, the Katalian slides to her left and slashes his carving knife across her abdomen. The cut burns despite her instinctive talent to buffer against the corrosion. As she lands, she slashes her sword down but the man manages to get his light leather bracer in the way, which deflects the blow. Kuwaia seems a little over matched.
The Katalians farthest to the party’s right closes with Cina, pushes aside her bow, and slashes his knife across her abdomen, but it is mostly deflected by her tunic. The corrosive nature of the attack is mostly buffered. She steps back and fires the arrow that she had drawn. The arrow does far more damage to the Katalian than his knife does to her. The viscious man howls like a stuck canine and bares his teeth.
At almost the same instant the Katalian farthest to the party’s left reaches Britta. Moving to her left, he makes a nasty cut to her side, which festers even more. She releases her arrow as she falls to the ground, but it misses its mark. Britta is incapacitated and her opponent is unharmed.
The two katalians that attack Cormorante coordinate together well. One cuts at his left as the other cuts at his right. The cuts alone draw enough blood to incapacitate the big Ansylin, and the corrosion adds a little more. With everyone already in motion, Cormorante connects with the Katalian on his right even as he goes down, himself. The hammer cracks hard against his body, but the enemy does not go down.
Sprthnt almost dodges the knife cutting across his body, but almost is not enough. It still draws blood and the wound festers. The corrosion does more harm than the blade. Sprthnt is unable to to stab his opponent but it is irrelevant to his mystical assault. The measure of sulfur disintegrates as the Katalian is partially cooked. The heat damage is intense and crippling. Sprthnt is hurt, but he is the only one free of an opponent.
Unable to move but still being conscious, Cormorant and Britta mystically enhance their natural recovery, hoping that the other can save them. Injured but functional, Kuwaia lowers her body and slashes laterally with her left sword, hoping to take out her opponents legs. Cina will continue to mave from side to side, hoping to avoid being cut again. She draws another arrow to fire, not even needing to aim at this distance, working solely by muscle memory. She wishes she had remained hidden as she used to do when hunting alone. Even though his first mystical assault was successful, Sprthnt is beginning to think that he has been developing the wrong skill. He does not like having to depend upon the proclivity of othet items; but at this juncture he knows that he must. He will again make use of a pinch of sulfur, targeting one of the two on Cormorant. He yells, “Hey! Your friend is already cooked or do you only like raw meat?”
Not that they have any concept of sympathy, but they prefer the conflict of a combat situation. Hearing Sprthnt yell but not understanding the words and seeing that he was free of an opponent, the two Katalians that had been focused on Cormorante turn their attention to him. They do not close, as their knives are secondary, but they manipulate chemical waylines to corrode the insides of Sprthnt, without having to move. They fully expected him to fall. A little luck or perhaps Fortune favored Sprthnt and the sustained damage is trivial when compared to the first. In response, Sprthnt uses another measure of sulfur to significantly cook the insides of one of those Katalians. Sprthnt has no need to get closer, either.
The Katalian facing Kuwaia is still a little faster than she and nicks her shoulder with his carving knife. The one who had dropped Britta also changes his attention to Kuwaia, but neither is able to further affect her with corrosion, and Kuwaia is still functional. She swings her left sword as intended, but the enemy manages to lift his left and deflect the blade with his shin guard.
Cina, being less hurt, is faster to fire than her opponent is to swing his knife. Her second arrow punches deeper into the abdomen, taking the Katalian to the ground. Now unable to physically attack, his mystical assault also fails, as the natural talent of Cina unravels the weave. Katalians are psychotic. Even though it is now three facing three, they continue to yipe like coyotes and press the three standing of the Sojourn Five.
