READY TO ROLL OUT
That awkward moment when even a brothel won’t have you.Characters will end their sojourn at the House of Dew early morning, helmed by Haltham (and his murderous goat, chomping on his prosthetic wooden hand for splinter nutrients). Courtesans and attendants will send the group away with parting gifts: a few sacs of grains, handfuls of spice, a small barrel of brew, several of water, thin blankets and four fat chickens.
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The decrepit farm stands an hour’s walk east of Sa-Hareth, bordering the forest at the foot of the mountain.
...and it has not wanted for company. Monstrously overgrown wolves prowl the region, with some of the pack settled inside the farm. The wolves are halfway between dead and living, instantly aggressive, sharper, faster, smarter and blue-eyed beyond natural expectation.
The wolves are drawn to heat and fire-bearers. They can be slain, or pushed back into the forest. If the brawl drags on, the wolves may receive reinforcements.
Distantly, characters can observe silhouettes of pale-eyed, humanoid creatures in the forest, covered in animal skins. They seem to speak to the wolves, though it is unclear if they soothe or set them to attack. |
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Once an elaborate woodsmen’s station, the 'farm' is a generous, sprawling outpost built, home to now-barren inner garden.
The farm spreads across kitchens, bathing rooms, hefty storage barns, a handful of isolated rest halls and broader communal areas. A study room has been crammed with accountancy tomes, papers and other books, many torn alongside glass shards on the floor. A shakily furnished barn was coarsely repurposed for banquets.
Set up, inspect, repurpose. There’s enough dust and mildew to go around, and several walls and roof stretches will need reinforcements.
“Ah,” characters say innocently, “Surely the cold will keep away vermin —” You have rats. Large, uncuddly, distinctly violent, prone to swarming once the sun’s downed. Enjoy that first night.
Haltham will provide some base construction supplies over a few deliveries, along with a personal gift: a herding dog, to watch over two fluffy sheep.
Flex those green thumbs: many moons ago, enchantments were set in place to warm the garden to a tolerable level that will allow the expedited harvest of an arctic patch. These spells will need to be activated and periodically recharged every few days by characters donating recoverable amounts of magic or physical stamina, by touching a nearby rune. But, hey: potatoes, turnips, kale, mmmmmmmmm, a balanced diet. |
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“Never open your doors at night,” Haltham says on parting. Lend him an ear — and, once the moon rises, hear the forest whispers. Some voices will beg rescue from the cold, others will tease and taunt, a few will imitate enemies or kin. Some will even disrupt dreams.
The voices will seek to lure characters out of their shelter. Those who heed will find themselves compelled to walk into the forest, entranced and ignorant of the cold that slowly envelops them. They will be vulnerable to the elements, tundra predators and the woodland creatures, growing increasingly feral.
Those who survive the night in the forest will wake to find themselves floating in a chilled, but strangely not-yet frozen lake in the morning. They can have faint recollections, as if they themselves lived any of the following events: a friend taking a dark path, the loss of a dear skill, years in a coffin, a close friend parted, a beloved reunion, a lost brother, a tender romance and rare bliss in poverty.
At the bottom of the lake, they may spot the still corpse of an undead that feels too heavy for anyone to lift. His arm has a tattooed red sleeve.
During the day, characters who visit the forest will find it eerily silent, with some trees showing signs of scratches and lingering rope. The lake can still be found, but entering it during daytime will not allow characters to experience foreign memories. |
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Karsa will reconfigure everyone’s quartz pieces to translate outside of the House of Dew and communicate in a private channel. Still nothing like individual inboxes at this time!
Up to player discretion if Karsa had the time and humour to change their usernames, or stranded them to their House of Dew identities a little longer.
Characters will also be able to access a secondary local fishermen’s network and listen in on their schedules, local gossip and daily weather updates.
Woodsmen, tradesmen and miners will be surprised to see anyone inhabiting the farm, with some men pulling away, calling the place cursed. |
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westwhere2021-05-10 08:56 pm
no subject
[It was Moran's first heist too and he found it very entertaining.]
This is a star chart. I noticed the stars were different when I arrived, so I made some observations and then went to find one of these. The constellations are completely different from what I'm used to. Yet my power still works, even though the constellation I am the Master of doesn't exist here.
no subject
But that thought gets shelved with these new distractions he brings up. ]
They're different. [ He has to sit with that. The math just keeps getting more complicated, and he can already tell he's going to abandon his language project for it once they're done talking. He leans over the chart to examine it more closely, brow furrowed.
This is a lot to take in this late at night. ]
... I don't think you ever explained your power to me. I only remember hearing something about astrology.
no subject
[It's actually weird for Moran to have to keep explaining this to people. he's so used to everyone knowing about it.]
no subject
Have you had any since you've been here?
no subject
[They can be useful at times, but more often than not, it's like an ominous warning.]
I cannot activate the power myself, or choose what I want to look at. The stars make it happen. I don't get context, and I don't get to know how far in the future the vision is. It could be a few seconds ahead, or it could be years ahead.
The only thing I know for certain is that my visions are always accurate. You cannot prevent the events that they show.
[Go on, tell him it's useless like Master Lan did.]
no subject
All that means is he's paying close attention to him. ]
Maybe not the first time around. [ He gives a very brief smile. The chart is forgotten as he turns towards him. ] What kind of events? I'm assuming they would have some major significance.
no subject
It's come in useful to inform certain decisions that I had to make at times. And, interestingly, it sometimes activates in combat, but again not necessarily when I want to.
[It's a bit frustrating sometimes to be the only Star Master with a passive ability.]
On the other hand, I have fewer chances of being drained of energy when that happens because it is quite brief and not as intense as what most other Star Masters can do.
no subject
What was the last one?
no subject
[Sometimes, it's pretty useful in the moment, and not just grand visions of the glorious future.]
Apart from that... a battle of the Undead.
no subject
Has the battle happened yet?
no subject
[So yeah, not super useful this time.]
I also did not see who won.
no subject
Nobody you recognized among them?
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No known faces, unfortunately. That could change if we meet more people, but I didn't see anyone in this group, if that is your question.
no subject
Well, that's something to look out for.