TUW: South Road Fair (PbP)

[MacConnell]

OOC: This thread is a PbP designed for starting characters, using The Untamed Wilds gaming system. Free Goggle Documents of the first two chapters of the Players' Guide, which describe an overview of the system and how to generate a character, are available for viewing. PM me or Email me for any interest, as this requires the sharing of Email adresses. By consensus of the players, Character Records for this game are being stored as Google Documents with me having editing permission, to assist in development.

South Road Fair is build upon a rivulet in the middle of the the strip of piney woods that run mostly east to west across the Southern Trade Road. It is an open array town with no wall, though it does employ roving guards, some of whom have been trained by the former South Road Seekers, a retired adventuring group. The forest is about 3 or 4 day travel, by foot, in width, north to south. Town buildings are marked by placards designating their function, because knowledge of reading and writing is scarce. The common language is Ansylin, though many residents, especially newer immigrants, speak Centrin. A small clan of Rheini and another of Spiofthests have, also, recently established residence within town, both lending skills to community development, and both recruited by the South Road Seekers. There exists no prejudice to the function of the community and all peoples are welcome to trade.

Growing up in South Road Fair is, in itself, a pretty good life. The river is cool and clear, containing many fish. The forests is serene and full of wildlife, though not all wildlife is simple game, some denizens are quite dangerous. Though trade had been interrupted between Asylim to the south and Boga City to the north, for about a year, everything seems to be back to normal, and new trade was established with the discovered Maldrog community of Bergbaulager, to the east.

With the departure of the only two active members of the Seekers, it falls to someone new to take up the mantle of solving mysteries and eliminating threats. The itch of mystery always tickles a few young adults, when reaching that age of desired independence.

One evening, at the Boar's Head Tavern where all information transpires, Giodavi, the Mayor, expresses a minor concern and asks for volunteers to look into it.

"It is an odd thing, but the level of the river seems to be rising. This is not some seasonal fluctuation. The increase has been steady enough to be noticeable. My bet is that something downstream is blocking the flow. My guess is that the obstruction is some distance due to the slowness of the rise."

 

[MacConnell]

Having spent the last couple of years with the roving guards, Marqus stands to his feet. He holds his chin with the confidence of youth, sets his mug on the table, and with a grand gesture, announces. "I will look into this dilemma for you, Mayor. I do not fear to travel beyond the watchful eye of our rovers. Who will join me?"

Marqus is a tall, muscular, young man of Ansylin parentage, with an oddity of hazel colored eyes. He was born and raised right in South Road Fair. His personality is a little boisterous, like most Ansylins, but he demonstrates a kindness in his actions and a concern for the well-being of others.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

In the corner of the tavern, two youths are sharing a table, each with a mug of pine vine, laughing and joking in a carefree manner. When Giodavi makes his declaration, and Marqus speaks up, one of the youths, an albino with long, white, unkempt hair, stands up and says:

Wrenn Morningsong: "I'll go. This sounds like a worthwhile endeavor. And my buddy here wants to come too, don't you Hiroshi?"

Wrenn nudges the other youth who was sitting with him.

 

[Osthelerin Hawke]

Taken by surprise by his friends comment Hiroshi doesn't know what to say at first. But after a moments thought he decided that it sounds exciting and that he wants to go.

Hiroshi says, "Yeah I'm in sounds exciting "

 

[MacConnell]

OOC: The default language for this game will be Ansylin and is assumed, unless another language is declared. Characters will be fluent in the language of their tribe and 50% proficient in Ansylin if that is not their tribe. Characters of Ansylin decent will be 50% proficient in any one fluent language of another character. Language proficiency can be improved during gameplay.

Giodavi claps his hands together in gesture to indicate his pleasure at the responses. "I do not know what sort of offer to make for such an endeavor, but feel free to provision from the trading post. Lyndha will see to your needs."

Marqus is known to the other two young men but perhaps not so formally. He is known about town by many of the folks, not only because he is part of the rovers but also because he is friendly and tends to speak to everyone encountered.

"Hi. I am Marqus. Good to have you along. We should head out first thing in the morning. Get a fresh start and the day's light. We are following the river so one waterskin each should be enough. I'll get some rope, a carving knife, and a little dry rations. If one of you can shoot or throw, we can probably get game or spear fish."

Marqus is waiting outside the Boar's Head by first light, having provisioned the day before. He is carrying a pair of carving axes that were, obviously, not with him in the tavern. Carving axes are basically short-handled, broad bladed, tomahawks that are not really designed to cut wood. Marqus nods in a friendly manner and jerks his head in the direction of travel. By midday, the journey has been uneventful, and the group stops for lunch.

Marqus does not travel in a straight line. Time is not imperative. He wanders away from and back toward the river, sometimes wading into the water. It is obvious he is looking around at things. He does not appear to be looking for anything in particular, just looking.

OOC: Each character receives 3 DP. Include desired preparation and travel intentions in the next post.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Wrenn stops by his family's dwelling before setting out. He asks his father if he can borrow his bow, some arrows, his skinning knife, and a waterskin. He tells him about the task that Giodavi has set for the three boys.

Wrenn says, "We'll be back soon. We just need to figure out what's blocking the river. My money is on varmints. On the way back, I will try and bag a few hares so Mom can make a stew. Hiroshi and Marqus are coming with me."

Wrenn will also grab a small bag of dried rations from the trading post, just in case the hunting proves to be slim.

While traveling, Wrenn will look for medicinal herbs, plants, and roots along the path. He will also keep an eye out for any interesting-looking stones to add to his rock collection. And of course, he will keep an eye out for game, especially hares, turkey, and small deer.

OOC: He doesn't yet realize it, but the rocks he collects fascinate him because of their proclivities. Most of the ones in his jar at home are too small to be of use as augmentations, but the pull of their connectedness to waylines is nonetheless present. He instinctively knows how to manipulate waylines, and is already adept at doing so, but the usefulness of augmentations is still new to him.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

OOC: Posting on behalf of Hiroshi

Besides Javelins, Hiroshi will also grab one of his mother's kitchen knives, his father's dagger, and his father's waterskin. Like Wrenn, he will also grab some dried rations.

Hiroshi says, "Hey Wrenn, check this out. I can balance this dagger on my index finger! I've been practicing that for two weeks and I finally got it! And look, my finger's all scabby from where it poked me!"

Along the way, Hiroshi "entertains" (i.e., annoys) his companions by doing tricks with his dagger. Finally, Wrenn cuffs him playfully on the back of the head, and tells him to stop the nonsense and help him forage.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

When Marqus looks like he might be about to wade into the water, Wrenn nudges Hiroshi.

Wrenn suggests, "Why don't you give Marqus one of your javelins to fish with?"

 

[MacConnell]

Marqus... wanders... sometimes wading... looking...

Wrenn... look for medicinal herbs... stones... game...

OOC: Posting on behalf of Osthelerin.

... Hiroshi... help him forage.

OOC: As active searches were indicated, it would have been good to supply some random rolls; otherwise, the mulligan default of 50 will be used.

Spoiler: Active Search

ecology + clarity + d100
Wrenn: 16 + 13 + 50 = 79
Hiroshi: 14 + 13 + 50 = 77
Marqus: 14 + 15 + 50 = 79

The weather of the season is a little cool and damp in the mornings but warming during the day. It usually rains at night. Nothing but small game is noticed but fresh meat is always better than dry rations. The fresh meat acquired includes rodents and fish.

During the break, Marqus bluntly states, "Well, we are away from town. I can make fire. I get the feeling that you can, too. We should keep this among us."

With that, he gathers some kindling, holds some in his hand until the other end ignites, spontaneously, then makes a fire to cook.

During the random searches, some edible herbs are discovered but nothing of more note. While dabbling in the river, each man finds a piece of slate and a piece of flint. All of which seem important for some reason, but no one knows why they wish to hold onto them.

Spoiler: Alchemical Sensitivity

ecology + analysis + d100 => 80
all failed

OOC: Collections: flint: 3 stones: ?? slate: 3 stones: ??

After lunch, when continuing on, Marqus calls to the others. "Look at this beetle tearing into that dead log. You ever see one that big?"


The beetle is a reddish brown color and about the size of a man's head. It appears to be eating the rotting log. It is known to each man that a couple of years back Maeli, the town herbalist, discovered that boiling the wing coverings of insects would produce a substance that could be added to leather to make it more protective and durable. It occurs to each that rather than some fist-sized bug, a beetle of this size should be more useful. After all, how dangerous could a beetle be?

OOC: State intentions and provide a random roll for a reaction and any action taken toward the insect. Each character receives 3 DP.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Spoiler: Base Rolls

Reaction: 83
Heat: 78

Wrenn will try to get close enough to the beetle to lay a hand on it. He knows that his arrows would probably bounce right off the carapace, but he wonders if he could heat the creature, and boil its insides...?