RolePlay onLine RPoL Logo

, welcome to All Men Are Brothers - The Prequel

08:41, 29th March 2024 (GMT+0)

The Blackguard of Arcania.

Posted by GMFor group 0
GM
GM, 211 posts
Sun 16 Jun 2019
at 00:16
  • msg #1

ACT 1: Awakening; Chapter 1: Signs and Portents

It all started on the 3rd day after we left the soaring mountains of the Wingheld kingdom and entered the Great Aranian desert with our Sandskimmer.

It was very difficult navigating it up and down the narrow, winding mountain paths. Clearly it was not made for traversing my land and it didn't help that none of us had ever ridden one, much less piloted such a vehicle. But once big brother Loki got a hang of it and we were out in the flat open wasteland...we were soaring faster than the sparrowhawks back home. If I spread my wings and closed my eyes I could almost believe I was back home, free falling from the mountain before pulling out of the dive. But such daydreams were short lived as the troubling weight of our quest strayed not far from my thoughts, eager to drag me back to wakefulness.

We were heading to the city of Cruilla, the last known location of my sister Helen before she disappeared. We had a local with us by the name of Irfan to make sure we don't get lost or ride right into trouble. But I feel like it was his eagerness and enthusiasm that we needed the most because brother's worry over Helen was sapping the life out of him...and us. In the event we did get into trouble, we brought in a hired blade with us to get us out of it. He was a kitsune and claimed he was from the Grasslands, but also wasn't. Acknowledged brother Loki as a chieftain, but also didn't. His name also seemed to change every day. I liked him, he made me laugh and I don't even know if he was doing it on purpose.

Cruilla was far to the south, deep into the desert. All we had to do was cross it...


2nd week of Lamashan, Oathday, 485 IR (Ironian Reckoning)


-Exert from the journal of Princess Hana Pintherastus


It was mid-afternoon. The skimmer was cruising through the desert. So far, knock on wood, no problems. Loki was steering the skimmer, Irfan standing next to him, the kitsune laid back, feet propped up, dozing off. Hana was all the way up in the front, standing on tip toes, head cranked back, arms spread wide (like in that scene in Titanic).


She was still like that for a while then she jerked her head, "Oh look nii-san, a shooting star!" she exclaimed but it was fleeting. Her mood had been progressively dour with each passing day. She walked back from the tip of the skimmer towards Loki, standing on the opposite side of the steering wheel, face to face with him, "We're ganna find Helen, nii-san...won't we?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:54, Tue 18 June 2019.
Loki Karnak
player, 42 posts
Arcanist Fires of Passion
Tue 18 Jun 2019
at 02:26
  • msg #2

ACT 1: Awakening; Chapter 1: Signs and Portents

Loki smiled at her pleased to see her, but he takes a moment to consider her question before responding to it. "You have made an adult decision in forcing me to choose between letting you go off alone and letting you come along. But adult decisions have adult consequences. So, maybe you aren't old enough to understand that you are about to grow up faster than you needed to, or what that means. But it is too late to change things. Unless you choose to go back, you need the whole truth. You are smart enough to get what you want, so it seems you will need the truth more than you need comfort." he says with a sad sigh, regretfully, as a man beginning an unpleasant task.

"And the truth is I don't know. She may be dead already, in which case I will avenge her or die in the attempt. We may not find her at all, no matter how long we search. I will die before I stop searching for her, but that is not what she would want for either of us. She would be mad at me, but she would hate me if she learned that I let you throw away your life too. So, if I think it's hopeless, you are going home, or I will have to stop searching for her because of you. But there are no guarantees Imotsu. If there were, you would be safely at home, because I would have been able to tell you that if you came with me you would slow me down. But I didn't, did I? Because I don't know how long this will take, or how dangerous this will be. All I know is that if she is in trouble, I am the trouble that will soon follow, and only her safety will inspire my mercy."

His eyes and tone at the end grew cold and distant, and he seemed to retreat inwardly, lost in whatever spectres his own words had conjured within him. After a moment he seems to see her again, and offers a comforting smile as he says, "I am sorry if that seems harsh, but it is true. Do you have other questions?" he says, his eyes sad, almost wounded, and perhaps they glistened a bit more in the light...
Irfan
player, 151 posts
Scholar, Spheres of Might
Tue 18 Jun 2019
at 03:35
  • msg #3

ACT 1: Awakening; Chapter 1: Signs and Portents

Irfan starts edging away from the helm as Loki starts his winded monologue, that was his grave to dig.
...

And the man kept digging deeper.

Jeeze, all she wanted was looking for was a distraction. Why go and make her even more worried.

Sighing, he contemplates kicking the moody half-blood into the girl, but decides against jostling the driver.

"And we will find her, I know all the ways in and out of Cruilla, have friends in every guild. Even if she left, I can find where she went." Moving towards the bow to sit down, "Have you ever heard of a mysterious group of sea creatures called cel-kyse?"


Take 10 on Lore: Sea Tales to distract her.
GM
GM, 215 posts
Tue 18 Jun 2019
at 04:29
  • msg #4

ACT 1: Awakening; Chapter 1: Signs and Portents

The kitsune lowers the bottle, raises his hat to look at Loki.

Hana
quote:
Do you have other questions?

"...No"


She then turned to Irfan, "No I haven't. Who are they?"



Everyone had expected the desert to be hot, but nobody but Irfan had been prepared for the reality of it when it happened. The speed of the skimmer helped, but the more and more you traveled deeper into it the less this helped as it became a near constant wave of hot air, sapping one's strength. And then of course there were the constant mirages on the horizon that were more elaborate than one would think possible. It was like one unending shadow puppet theater play but with color and breathtaking background.

I need everyone to roll fortitude save (-4 penalty if not wearing hot-weather clothing) vs heat or be fatigued. A survival check with a -2 penalty and a will save.
Irfan
player, 152 posts
Scholar, Spheres of Might
Tue 18 Jun 2019
at 05:40
  • msg #5

ACT 1: Awakening; Chapter 1: Signs and Portents


 Irfan rolled 9 using 1d20+4.  Will save.
 Irfan rolled 14 using 1d20+4.  Survival.
 Irfan rolled 7 using 1d20+1.  Fort Save.



Irfan explains away about the mysterious race of friendly sea otters that help guide and save sailors in colder regions but often confuse the sailors needs and wants leading to mischief and trouble. He skims over the bit about shape changing and leaves out the parts about forming families with sailors only to return to the sea. In particular he tells the fable of the often ill fated pirate Beakbrain who spends a month following one around, asking for it to find treasure only to be disappointed each time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the heat really began to ramp up, Irfan began to contemplate camping during the day. Using some of the sails to build make shift tents, and traveling closer to dawn and dusk. He was also taken aback by how unconditioned his body had become in just a month.
GM
GM, 216 posts
Tue 18 Jun 2019
at 22:06
  • msg #6

ACT 1: Awakening; Chapter 1: Signs and Portents

Irfan sees a familiar landmark and advises Loki on a course correction.
Irfan
player, 155 posts
Scholar, Spheres of Might
Thu 20 Jun 2019
at 06:04
  • msg #7

ACT 1: Awakening; Chapter 1: Signs and Portents



Irfan course corrects a bit too much, pointing Loki unknowningly towards a farming settlement they would have skirted on their current path, one well known for supplying the region with textiles(flax) and crops. It had the luxury of being home to numerous small wells and springs, whose water and minerals combined with sufficient irrigation and a bit of shade lead to fertile fields.

He hoped to resupply their food and drink, and perhaps purchase other supplies like clothing and perhaps trade goods depending on who Loki had decided he wanted to be. In the mean time he draw permit for the sand skimmer. It wouldn't fool someone willing to check the books, but it would pass general scrutiny if the mint condition of the vessel didn't draw suspicion.


The landmark it'self was a plateau of redstone commonly refered to as Sister Abbey that stood firm against the abuses of the desert winds. Some said that it moved slowly, but all that was really know about it was that it marked a general boundary between the livable desert areas and the demon sands that actively tried to confuse, swallow, and kill you. (Bermuda sands) No ever returned from there with anything good to say about it or that could be found there, just monsters, death, misery, and misfortune.
Sign In