The upstarts of the Red Pit gallop across the rough hills of Koth, savoring freedom from the saddle as they follow guide Ayan who imparts that he is a chief of a small village in Khoraja, the small desert kingdom to the West separating Koth from Shem.  His men have raided Kothic and Shemitish caravans for years until their king grew to suspect that his people held back more than the agreed upon portion of the spoils.  Ousted from their land Ayan eventually bargained to surrender and suffer the punishment their ruler had unfairly laid down.  Yet he spits in the memory of watching as twenty of his men were put to the sword and the meager belongings of his people taken.  Then, much as yourselves, Ayan found himself swinging a pick at the bowels of the Red Pit.

By nightfall you are leagues away from the Pit and finally able to halt for the night but Ayan cautions that there will be no safety for days yet.  He urges only a few hours rest before pressing on by night.  The horses have allowed you greater range than the slaves forced to flee on foot but there will be no true safety while you remain within the kingdom of Koth.  The hills you travel through will give way to gentler terrain in another 2 days.

Camped in a steep vale between two of the land's hills, you give over your lives as slaves to those of fugitives!

You are in the barren Kothian Hills with only the supplies you managed to scavenge before fleeing the Red Pit, possibly pursued by enemy forces.

Each character may make 1 roll to describe their focus for the day as you travel (Survival, Herbalism, PER, Animal Handling, Stealth, etc...).

Each character may make 1 roll to describe their focus during your rest hours (Survival, Herbalism, PER, Healing (Paramedics), Animal Handling, etc...)

Injured characters are unable to recover BODY unless they are able to rest for at least 8 hours.   Healing is able to reduce this time by 2 hours.  Herbalism can reduce this further and may even restore 1 BODY per wound if beneficial herbs can be located or purchased.

Let us see what the fates bring to your ragged band:  Describe your travel and rest actions for the 1st day of your freedom!
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:55, Tue 01 Oct 2019.

Once the animals were ready for travel, Niamh does her best to find good healing herbs and plants along their path with little success.

20:22, Today: Secret Roll: Niamh rolled 12 using 3d6 with rolls of 3,3,6.  Herbalism (11-).

As the sun drew down toward the horizon, she had grown frustrated at her inability to find anything to assist in their recovery. Still, she had wounds that needed tending...as did some of the others. She made sure to take care of herself first, before moving on to the others. She seemed to have some success, despite lack of significant materials.

20:29, Today: Secret Roll: Niamh rolled 12 using 3d6 with rolls of 4,2,6.  Healing (Paramedics) (12-).

It was clear that Tiberio was concerned about the horses; welfare and readiness for long travel. Water in the early days.

The horse dung itself was a sign of their passing.

During the rest hours, it was rest and being aware of what may be out there, looking at a hill slope down into valleys, waiting for riders, or the sounds of to often calling bird or ground animals. That, and talk. learning Kothic, as everyone else seemed to be in agreement, Kothic was best and most known in their numbers.

20:42, Today: Tiberio rolled 12,12 using 3d6,3d6 with rolls of 6,4,2,5,4,3.
Day, Animal Handle 12-, 12
Rest, PER 12-, 12

This message was last edited by the player at 03:43, Tue 01 Oct 2019.

The canny barbarian fills his time during travel with trying to find water and much needed food, even if it be fruit, for this group of survivors. Although he has little success he is not discouraged. Time enough to properly hunt once pursuit was thrown off. Once in camp, Marduke continues to learn Kothian as he sweeps the perimeter, seeking signs of danger or opportunity.



00:00, Today: Marduke the Red rolled 14 using 3d6 with rolls of 6,6,2.  Travel Activity, Survival 12-.

23:59, Yesterday: Marduke the Red rolled 3 using 3d6 with rolls of 1,1,1.  Rest Activity, Per 13-. Critically made by 10!!

As the group rode Chang Jun spoke to the others as he tried to learn another barbaric tongue. He scanned the route they followed also trying to find any herbs that would be of use. Unfortunately his luck was much the same as Niamh's.

09:24, Today: Chang Jun rolled 13 using 3d6 with rolls of 4,3,6.  Herbalism 11-.

During their brief rest stop he scouted the area for possible herbs as the others rested or wounds were ministered to.

09:25, Today: Chang Jun rolled 10 using 3d6 with rolls of 3,6,1.  Herbalism 11- (night).

Sarajen understood the need for secrecy, for hiding. If the soldiers were in pursuit, they would need to cover their tracks, hide their passage, conceal their presence. He spent most of his time making sure his and his companion's spoors were not detectable. At least not at first glance. A group this large was bound to leave some sort of marking. The best he could hope for was to delay any competent scout enough to keep them within a few days' distance, not allowing them to catch up. He did this day and night.

Day Activity: Subterfuge - Keeping the team's tracks hidden, the team out of sight, 13-
09:14, Today: Sarajen rolled 10 using 3d6 with rolls of 4,1,5.

Night Activity: Subterfuge - Concealing any evidence of the team's camp and resting place, 13-
09:15, Today: Sarajen rolled 8 using 3d6 with rolls of 4,2,2.

After months of bad treatment and defilineg, Syssiah wanted nothing more than freedom and care. She'd ride with the small group, and realized how filthy they all looked. She encouraged each of them to talk about their stories, to let this cement the group more than the fight did. And she looked for small villages, or isolated house and huts, where they could find help, food, baths, anything to help them survive.

And get alot of Rest, while been alert and vigilant.


08:33, Today: Syssiah rolled 7 (with 2 body) using 3 with the Hero (Champions) system.  Stealth Roll 13-.


08:34, Today: Syssiah rolled 13 (with 3 body) using 3 with the Hero (Champions) system.  PER Roll 12-.

Your party breaks camp after a mere 6 hours of rest, no more can be chanced so close to the Red Pit.  Once more hooves thundered upon the limestone hills of Koth as Ayan directed the path South then Southwest.  The hot Kothic sun bakes the hills around them as the group makes slow but steady progress.

The princess and thief point the group toward rockier ground, the better to limit their mounts' hoof-prints.  It is a trick each has employed in the past for similar reasons and appears to work well.  Both Pict and Khitai attempt to keep watch for sighs of herbs which might be used to heal the wounded during the flight but neither spies a single useful plant in the rough, rocky area.  Perhaps this land so far from their homelands familiar plants are not found?  Chang in particular is distracted by holding tight to the saddle to simply remain upon his unfamiliar mount.  Meanwhile Tiberio touches the neck of his steed periodically, feeling the stress of the animal.  All seems well to the horsemaster yet once the group halts for rest he worries that the horses have strained themselves more than he anticipated.  Not a cause for concern...yet.  The Vanir's eyes rove for game throughout the day yet no opportunity presents itself by the time the day's light grows faint.  Fortunately each saddlebag hold rations...for now.  The waterskins will require filling soon.  The sad truth is the meal is better than any have enjoyed since they were cast into the Pit.

The act of riding and attempting to perform another task has been difficult for most.  Perhaps tomorrow will bring more success.

Remove 1 days ration from your sheet
Horses have light exhaustion

Once camp is set in a cleft Sarajen finds each are exhausted but busy themselves with purpose.  Niamh tends to the wounded, searching for signs of infection, worried at the swelling she sees.  Meanwhile Chang examines the scrub nearby, searching for signs to indicate a medicinal nature but none appear promising.  The watch is set and the group drifts off to sleep.  Tiberio's is without incident but Marduke is certain he hears the sound of hoofbeats during the wee hours of the morning somewhere off to the North.

Marduke earns the group 2d6 of Luck for his critical success.  I will maintain this pool and anyone may draw from it, as many dice at a time as they wish up to the pool's total.  Once a die of Luck is used it is gone.

As Niamh has Survival & KS: Flora & Fauna which can apply to this region she might find better luck searching for herbs than Chang (not to say that he cannot find useful plants, only that she has skills which complement her search).

Dawn is barely a thought before Ayan is up and urging haste.  Those experienced in Survival know that such a pace will wear on the body of both man and beast in time but there is a good argument to press on.

You have 6 hours of rest, again not enough to count as a day towards wound recovery.
1) Will you press on or wait the extra 2 hours?
2) When you ride, what will you focus on?  If you have the Riding skill, make a roll to negate any penalties while trying to focus on a separate task as you travel?
3) When you stop, what will you strive to do before bedding down.
4) For each time period (day & night), if you have a skill which might assist your main focus then please also roll it as Complementary skills.  For every 2 points you roll under your Complementary skill you reduce the difficulty of your main roll by 1.  NOTE: characters may assist each other

Group Luck Pool: 2d6
Group Unluck Pool: 0d6

Niamh is willing to push for an early start today for fear of pursuit, but warns against doing so the following morning. "We need to take of both ourselves and the animals if we are to make this journey. I understand we might be pursued, but if we're not careful, we'll die from exhaustion or exposure," she says, her concerns apparent in her expression and tone.

As the day progresses, she continues to seek promising herbs for treatment of wounds and ailments. She has better luck this day, finding some useful plants that should work.

22:34, Today: Secret Roll: Niamh rolled 9 using 3d6 with rolls of 1,4,4.  Herbalism (11-)(did not use the complimentary skills of Survival:Desert and KS:Flora&Fauna because I read how that worked after I rolled).

That night, she tends to wounds, this time with the herbs to assist in mending their wounds and possibly treat some of the infection that seemed to be setting in with some. With her near insistance on staying a full eight hours of rest, she is hopeful to find some significant improvement in the group.

22:35, Today: Secret Roll: Niamh rolled 11 using 3d6 with rolls of 1,5,5.  Healing (Paramedics) (12-).
This message was last edited by the player at 02:27, Mon 07 Oct 2019.

Sarajen agreed with Niamh. Keeping the pace was important, but not at the cost of their wellfare. In an attempt to expand his learning, he would spend part of his time observing and following her when she searched for suitable flowers and weeds, or at least what he thought were flowers and weeds. It was the beginning of his exploration into herbalism.

The rest of the time he would continue to pay attention to their "silent passage", making sure to cover their tracks as best as he could.

During the second night, though, he realized they needed to pay more attention. He suggested that they spend the following morning in a ruse: travel in a different direction for an hour, then turn away and conceal their tracks. With a measure of luck, and well devised false tracks, they might be able to throw any pursuers into a false path, and gain another day. It might be enough to earn them a full night's rest.


Sarajen will create a series of false tracks after the group would turn away, making it look like his passage was the passage of everyone else in the group. He will use Concealment in a reverse way to make it appear that tracks were concealed, but would still be moderately easy to find. But not too easy, as that might give the ruse away.

Day: Stealth
13:26, Today: Sarajen rolled 10 using 3d6 with rolls of 3,1,6. (13-)

Day: Concealment Complementary Roll
13:27, Today: Sarajen rolled 11 using 3d6 with rolls of 5,4,2. (13-)

Night: Stealth
13:28, Today: Sarajen rolled 11 using 3d6 with rolls of 5,3,3. (13-)

As they travel, Marduke tries to perceive the sights and sounds of potential pursuit. When they make camp, he uses his knowledge of ambush techniques to try to hide evidence of their peesence.


Day activity

01:25, Today: Marduke the Red rolled 11 using 3d6 with rolls of 5,1,5.  Perception 13-.


Night Activity

01:24, Today: Marduke the Red rolled 14 using 3d6 with rolls of 6,5,3.  Tracking 12-, complementary to Concealment.

01:23, Today: Marduke the Red rolled 13 using 3d6 with rolls of 2,6,5.  Concealment 12-.

Sitting at the evening's camp, biting into the slowly dwindling rations, Sarajen moves next to the large red-haired man and sits.

[Language unknown: "Intanytin..."]

Sarajen evaluates the large man with a smile.

[Language unknown: "Enmeno. Ek and ut een a m ck ssrodi? Pe ilut virthaderlar acthu k m ngwhe me oueest lapo. Di ardmo hiplof n elare artla?"]

Sarajen chews away without reservation, spitting out the parts that are too old or too long past their prime. He scratches his hair and pulls out a few insects that managed to get in there while sleeping last night. Travelling through the barren lands is an invitation to be nature's feeding trough.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:05, Sat 05 Oct 2019.

Getting perhaps one word in four, Marduke thinks he gets the jist of what is being asked. In broken words and phrases he says

It was clear that Tiberio wanted to keep exhaustion of the horses to a minimum, suggesting parts of the day where everyone should dismount and walk.

The Aquilonian had traveled a good bit, and his sense of living off the land was sharp, he tried to help as they traveled.

Day Activity
20:41, Today: Tiberio rolled 16 using 3d6 with rolls of 6,5,5.  Riding 13-, to negate -'s to Survival.

That damn thigh injury

20:42, Today: Tiberio rolled 9 using 3d6 with rolls of 5,2,2.  Survival 12-, Complimentary to group Survival.

+1 to Group Survival

At night Tiberio rested and though he spent some time with the horses, he laid down and just tried to wash his wounds and accept any help offered, even if it meant strange smelling herbs and unusual practices from lands he did not know.

Night Activity
00:46, Today: Tiberio rolled 11 using 3d6 with rolls of 4,2,5.
Animal Handler 12-, 11

Chang Jun spent the next day just trying to stay put on the horse, more than happy to get off and walk when needed.[Language unknown: "Of rea N ilerha ilil ofalth i ent ain Un us ratoutsan."]

During the evening when they made camp he checked those that were wounded. Though with little helpful to offer.

20:17, Today: Chang Jun rolled 14 using 3d6 with rolls of 6,6,2.  Khitai Healing 11-.

[Language unknown: Tinoerion der houinghou Peekai'prev?] [Language unknown: Il Ioudereenven?]

[Language unknown: Neart Esofmo on p.

For Ac dietofanof whfo ersun not t illstrave o ss a. Nd mapa t ck ioli mila riesti! Latamelarout! Ave Ul il ei ec ee whnt. Ec usth omet en et e n nde isou mameom ch. She Pe tho comca ilonll caan st, fited.]

Sarajen smiled to himself, evaluating his present partners of the opposite gender. They were fine women. But this was neither the time nor the place for such ... niceties. They had to get away from the slavers first. Run first. Fun second.

Been not very skilled in outdoors survival or such, Syssiah would just do her parts, withut complaining, as much as it was possible. At least she was a decent rider, and had no wounds except on her feet. She'd tend to those and try to get as clean as possible, when possible, looking for any opportunity to bath herself in a river or lake.

The day passes in the increasing heat as the company moves West.  Chang is forced to give up his reigns to Tiberio so that the party's speed can be maintained.  In fact it improves slightly.  Sarajen spends time obscuring the groups passage, even laying a false trail or two, but it forces him to ride hard to catch up and he can tell it is taking a toll on his mount.

The members ride in a loose formation, attentive for opportunities in the land they pass through, and this day they find some success.  Near midday Tiberio follows a dip in the land which rewards him with a small trickle of water from a cliff face near the bottom.  Once the group is gathered they are able to refresh their waterskins and provide the horses with two hour's respite.  Sarajen's horse, in particular, enjoys the extra rest.  Near this same wellspring Niamh locates a small stand of yarrow and strips the plant of its leaves and flowers.  Once the last waterskin is filled and each have sated their thirst from the source directly the drum-beat of hooves continues.

Marduke keeps a watchful eye for signs of the riders heard the previous evening but neither they nor any other threat presents itself.

As daylight wanes a suitable campsite is located beneath worn away by an ancient stream which as long since dried up and vanished.  The sun winks away between the hilltops on your second days of freedom and though you gather beside the warmth of a small fire you take comfort that the jut of rock above limits the glow of your fire and the rations are filling if not ideal.  The horses are well tended by Tiberio while beside the fire Niamh shows Chang the herbs of this region and their uses.  The Khitai is accustomed to purchasing his ingredients in the market and he does not immediately grasp the differences required for wild, undried agents.  It is unnerving to watch the savage Pict chew the plants into a paste before rubbing it upon wounds and binding strips of cloth to hold them in place.

The horses are no longer exhausted.

There is enough herbs for the 3 wounded, each recovers 1 BODY.  Niamh has enough for 1 more day of treatment.  It will not immediately heal BODY but will allow the recipient to get by with only 6 hours of rest instead of 8 to count for a 1 toward recovery.

Again the night is quiet and without incident.

Before dawn's light has reached the group's hidden camp Ayan again urges them to their saddles.  He warns that today they will pass within sight of a small community to the South; the inhabitants are loyal to King Strabonus and should be avoided at all cost.  They will offer no shelter or trade to refugees from the Red Pit.

Day 3 begins.  Declare your day-time & night-time actions.

Sarajen continues to observe essential precautions for unobserved passage. With the village nearby, it was important they not be spotted. Although he did not believe news of their escape would have reached this far this quickly, it was still a good thing to not present any reason for the inhabitants to point at them to any hunters on their trail.

During the open moments, when things were easier, Sarajen approaches Chang Jun for conversation.

[Language unknown: "Wilerewas Ivnt. Wheon avecomwhe est m areureany her enos whi hasshefor arles ove. Mourck lite terck avebutble m onenteome et ac?"]


Day Time: Stealth 13-
19:33, Today: Sarajen rolled 9 using 3d6 with rolls of 1,2,6.

Night Time: Stealth 13-
19:34, Today: Sarajen rolled 8 using 3d6 with rolls of 4,3,1.