Hello, this is Why Stephen from Table Story. If you'd like this podcast,
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slash discord. Thank you, Joy Piper. I'd like to ask you a
question to start things on today. You experienced quite a lot in the last
session. There is a mechanic that's available to you, but I think is
very appropriate. Right now, you have a lot of shadow points. Would
you like to take a scar and to advance your shadow path to get rid
of your current shadow points? Yes, I would, Okay. The way
that scars work, so you understand it's essentially a permanent shadow point, okay,
And this is a scar that has affected you. There are ways to
clear it, ways that we probably won't experience in this campaign. It is
possible, but I think after what happened, it feels appropriate to me.
I agree. Your calling is that you are a wanderer, and your weakness
is that there is no road home? What do you think the next step
is on the shadow path? For you? Give you some examples you have
if your shadow path was wandering madness, there's four sort of stops on your
path which would give you a flaw and wandering madness. For example, first
one would be idle, the next one would be forgetful, following would be
uncaring, and the last would be cowardly. What do you flaw? Do
we think you take here on your shadow path of no road home? Are
these are these flaws that are in the system? Is there like a massive
list of system flaws? You can look at age in the book. That's
where the shadow paths are. For the normal shadow paths. You have created
your own here right. Normally these late when your shadow matches your hope and
you can only reset it by having about of madness. But I feel like
we've almost already had one in the last session, which is why I'm bringing
this up. Hmmm, I think so. I think the first thing that
comes to mind is, honestly, it's forgetful, because it's this idea of
being there being no road home, forgetting the place where you come from losing
yourself as a result of that. Okay, so I think forgetful makes the
most to me. Very well, you can add that as a flaw,
And flaws work much the way that the distinguishing features do. So there's a
little section there. You have one that's already that you've already given yourself.
Yeah, that's right. But I can sort of tag in with your flaws
to give you a penalty on your roles, okay, sort of like a
negative bonus whenever I feel like it's appropriate. So then yeah, and reset
your shadow to zero all the way to zero. Oh wow, So okay,
then I think we start the session today as you all are moving through
this dense wood of the troll showers trying to find a good spot to rest.
Do you find a place on Darwin the east side? The terrain is
too rough. I'll circle around and look back to the west. Very well,
but perhaps north of the river. I don't know. I need a
little bit more time understood what I did find. That what I did find,
though, was a good little fishing spot we can use. Well.
I'm sure our hobbit friends will will not say no to food. Hey,
no, never, Oh they could use it too well. Once I feel
like I could, I could eat like a hobbit. Okay, how much
food will you have to eat for you to eat like a hobbit? All
of it? Oh sounds about right. How are you doing, London?
Oh, I'm fine. Doubt everything heals, I'm fine. Mind me.
I'm just rubbing the stone here that's got an X scratched into it, my
thinking stone, my doubt in stone. You might see. I'm probably very
pale. I was thinking about this. Yeah, considering the injuries that I
took, blood loss seemed to be the most likely culpriative of how I got
to the point I did. So, pallid is my color. Why don't
we do some rolls here? Let's fall into our normal roles that we have
in the group for a journey. As you look to find camp, I
assume that the old is the guide in this case. Oh okay, please
make a travel real funny travel roll commencing okay, a weary failure? Is
this the following day after we've rested, or where we're searching for a camp?
Down camp? Right now? Yeah? Okay, okay, and then
uh real, please roll a D six one D six. I shall roll
mediocre, nope, one extreme Piper. Are you still remaining as the scout?
Ah? Yeah, they make an explorer Paddles and London please make awareness
rolls, and and one please make a hunting role, assuming you were all
remaining in your same roles, Yeah for sure. I did have a question
though, and I've not used this, but I've got a distinctive fixture called
keen eyed. I don't know how that affects this sort of stuff right now.
I'm in a poor state, so I'm not really arguing for it,
but I'm wondering if that is something that would be used in the situation or
I use an awareness roller, is that for a different situation where I may
roll for it because I know I'll get disadvantage for this or ill favored or
not. So I also have keen eyed, but I think it's specifically for
like using the bowl. And so the way that the distinguished features work is
if you spend hope on yourself, you you can essentially get a two d
as bonus. Oh it's a shame. I should have been using that with
things that are related to that trait right I won't be using it right now,
but I was curious, thank you? Okay, sure, weary failure
for me? Okay, well I have a great feed success. I don't
think that means it's an extra one though. I don't think I can cancel
yours out it does you? So this is kind of a group role you.
There are two people that failed. We had Piper that failed and Lanton.
How would you like to spend your extra success? Well, I think
London is awareness as well. So it makes sense that I would just be
walking with him and I'd look at something maybe, oh, look at that
lovely flower, and it causes London to be like, well hold on,
yeah, okay, okay, or enough you can't sler Lawton's piper, please
roll me a D twelve okay yeah, five O Kidoki m hm hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Alrighty, you have some trouble finding a good spot to camp, uh,
Piper. I think as the rest of you begin to try and fall into
your roles, you are, you know, sort of practice to traveling to
get there. By this point, a Piper, you are understandably a little
preoccupied as you look for a good place to camp. You don't find anything
ideal, find something that is off of the road, but it is sort
of uncomfortable. There's sort of a fair amount of rocks, and towards the
towards the north you see a bit of ruins up on a hill, old
stone. There's evidence of of some kind of old well. It must have
been some kind of fortress or something. You can see that. There is
a watch tower that has been completely brought down to the ground. There's only
the base that is left and sort of sprawling stone debris where the tower fell.
There is a series of windows that have sort of fallen along with the
wall, and it's overgrown with moss and age. And that's probably the best
place that you can find right now. It is ruined. There isn't a
roof, but it might break some of the wind. There's not really a
close water source that you can tell. It's the best that you've seen,
and you're frankly very tired. Okay mm hmm, Yeah, I I go
back to everyone. I found a place. Come strider. Oh moves up
to the to your side and it says m M. One of the many
old fortresses. Yeah, and lens of Rousdoir. You will find many like
that in this area. There is no water nearby? How is everyone's water
skins? I would love to roll for that one. Considering the journey we've
been on for the few days, What do you think you'd like to roll?
How many days has it been since we since we were at weather Top?
Oh? Probably three? Three days? Okay? I would like to
roll a one D four one for empty and then like two for the third,
three for two thirds, and it wouldn't make any sense to be full,
so I don't know. So then you want to roll a D three,
Yeah, twenty three or three B in the two thirty four. I
like that. I'll do that too, right, Yeah, it should probably
still be a one DY four because you may roll a one which makes its
empty. Yeah, probably it could be empty twenty five, fifty or seventy
five. That's really unfortunate because I think that's maximum there. Mine is empty.
Oh are you're running a lot, aren't you? I was? I
was on foot quite a bit. It makes sense question do we have hobbit
sized water skins? Does it come in tints? So that that'll leave up
to you primarily because I think most of the places you would buy would have
regular ones, but it also be a lot more Harry. You know,
it's just a heavier thing that you have to carry. Yeah, i'd say,
ye, I've got a smaller one. I'd say for our size,
this is a good a good pole from the from the skin, but for
a human it would be a mouthful if that so? Yeah, at two
where I'm at, Okay, Yeah, I'll also have a smaller one.
Yeah. Not not a lot, mister Schroder. Not not a lot.
That is something to concern yourselves about. We have traveled far. It is
important to make sure you drink whenever we can. Good news, I caught
fish. Oh, I'll get to cook in it right away. News in
water by any chance? Well, yes, so getting to that bad news.
So water that I caught the fish from is salty? Oh oh okay,
it's not good for drinking. I wish tried. I was quite thirsty.
I can feel my throat getting dry already. Well I have I have
a lot left in mind. It's almost almost a full. Okay, Trider,
do you know of any water near here that is not salted? We
will find the errant ponds and such, and there may be some small streams
that we may pass throughout the troll chores. There are other things that we
must concern ourselves with. Right for now, I think the most urgent thing
is that we must rest. Ah, Yes, I know, I am.
You are all weary. I try to turn my mind to other matters.
Yes, but my legs will give out soon, regardless whether I think
about them or not. The horses struggle as well. You'll rest here for
the night, for the day rather, Strider sort of looks up. Day
has sort of sprung upon you. He sounds good to me, and the
sooner the better. After a journey as our duss ours, I am quite
confident I can sleep even another full light of the sun. Yes, we
should do while to hide ourselves. How far is this ruins? So there's
probably a bit of a switchback leading up to the ruins. There's a fair
amount of hills here, and it's a very forested area, thick dense forest,
and it is well covered in varieties of different kinds of trees. The
road has been left long behind you. Strip has recommended that you stay away
from the road and has advised you that the troll shaws are far from safe.
But you need rest and it will be difficult to travel through the troll
shaws. No matter what. Okay, I think that as soon as we
I mean, if we're essentially just walking towards it, and we're if we
are there at this point, because I was assuming that we'd essentially just sort
of talked as we were walking towards these ruins. I'm not quite sure how
I'm riding or walking with anyone. But as soon as we get there,
I think I grab whatever is akin to a bedroll that I can grab,
immedia and just put it down. I'm not not wasting any time. As
soon as I do, I do this, achey grown as I get low
to the ground and sort of slowly walk hands and knees out to lay down
injuredly and immediately just pass out. Oh, law Master, Yes, London
was shot by a black arrow? I yes, what does that mean?
It means that he doesn't look so good? Okay, we can oh sorry
for some other bits, but because I know what it means in the books,
but I wasn't sure London would definitely not look fantastic. That would be
something that Toddles has noticed for sure. All Right, we should keep watching
over young Master Lawton. I fear he's not out of the woods yet.
Hmm. Perhaps I can take a look. I was wielding one of their
poisoned spears for some time. I've seen what it does now, law Master,
never mind, given that I've been using one, or I had been
for a long time on this journey using a poisoned spear stolen from the ORX.
Can I compare Lawton's wound and see if it's the same kind of poison.
Does it look like the same coloration, veins, et cetera. It
certainly does mechanically this poison. If Lawton had taken a wound, it would
immediately be escalated, which is what did happen in the previous session, and
Toddles was able to help Lawton stave off death. However, wanton does not
look good still, and it will definitely require some more tending. Okay,
so that's something I can do now while he's relaxing. You can certainly try,
Okay, I will definitely do that. Sorry, Yeah, I have
to get rid of the poison, okay. Ah, So I'm gonna go
ahead and roll my medicine and I have a bonus die from my item.
I mean what, I'll use a hope as well. Oh, the thing
I did that is an extra success. What do you have on that?
How would you like to spend your extra success getting getting the poison out?
Okay, so if I can, Yeah, we have our list of special
successes. How would you like to go about doing that? What do you
think you use here? Well, I don't really know too much about the
type of poison that it is, and I actually don't know how how I
would go about doing that because it's probably in him already and moving around.
It's not like it's a venom of a snake where you can, you know,
kind of draw it out. But I imagine that I kind of have
to. Maybe I get him to sweat it out. I cover him in
in as much like blankets as I can, And I think that means I
don't really sleep that well because I'm watching them unless somebody would like to take
turns with me keep them an eye on him with you. Yeah, so
yeah, I kind of I'm just watching them and making sure and you know,
I use what knowledge I have. I take information from a three you
Rnando, and and yeah, I don't really know much personally. Peeb doesn't
know much about this poison specifically, So if anybody wants to jump in and
aid. I think Tottels might know what to do, but I don't.
This is nasty business. What is that? It is the poison from a
black arrow. We're lucky that young Master Lanton here is built of hobbit stock
and not that of man, because I have seen greater men. Fool,
I don't know about that. London's pretty great in stature, oh right,
in stature, not of heart. Yeah, well, what I mean,
this heart? What should I do? All I all I can do is
flush it out and and you know, clean it, And I would say
it is too late to remedy it from the start. It's this similar to
the orc poison used by the Gunda bed orcs near my home. Our usual
answer was drink lots of water and sweat it out, as you suggested,
already keep them in a hot room under blankets. But the extra water is
key to this process. And since we do not have excess water for him
to drink, I do not know that that will work. I'm I can
go to the river and perhaps try to boil the salt from it, but
even still that is a long and slow process, and we do we even
have cooking pans. I know you threw many things that the pursuers are bedrolls
and cooking pans. Of course, I do I have, I do I
do have. Surely I have something a pan of some sort. I can.
I can go back to the fishing hole and boil some water and give
him the excess the drink and hopefully plunge this poison from him. That's a
good idea, I do, I do. I would take a clothes eye.
You want me to apply the honey before we flush the wound or after
after? Okay, all right, and Darwin, I will take this pot,
go to the river. I'll be back. It is thirty minutes at
least for me to get there and get the water and get back. It's
not a short walk, so I appreciate it. And to win. I
will be back. Be safe. I'll start a fire. Get them close
to it so that hits extra heat. That would be good, Thank you.
We'll need to bury the fire. I will show you how. All
right, thing in there, London, I've got you. As you begin
to build the fire, which I don't know if you know, if you
are actually aware of this, but there's a way you can build a fire
kind of like dig a hole and kind of make a hole for the fire
in a way so that it will really not produce very much smoke. Strider
sort of helps you through that process. Yes, as you're doing this,
Piper, you'll notice many times that Schrider glances over towards you. He's been
staying reasonably close ever since the chase. How do you do you think I'm
a danger to them? Oh? Sorry? How do you feel? Fine?
I feel I feel fine, tired? What happened to you? Back
there? I put my hand on the scabbard of Apple. My blade was
cursed as well. I believe part of the curse resides in it. I
cannot touch it, or at least I haven't. I had and it went
wrong, and so I swore not to do it. But back there,
London was hurt and everything was dangerous, and I thought maybe we weren't going
to make it out HM, So I thought perhaps I could be of use.
I am sorry I was not able to protect you. No, no,
don't don't do that. It's a lot for one man. Do you
really think that they can do something about this? And Revendell, I do
not know if I If I can't do anything about it, we make sure
they're okay. Make sure they get home, take care of them. I
don't know that you're I know that you have other things to do, but
could I impose upon you? I will do my best. Thank you,
mister Struder. You're most welcome. I fear this journey with the trolls shorts
may yet further test us. You must not draw that sword. I won't.
Yeah, I won't. Let's try to put a hand on your shoulder,
and says I will try my best. I will keep watch for now.
You should get some rest, Okay, I get up an I am,
yes, I lay down, but I'm I'm not sleeping. I have
an eye on lantern a half hour. An hour passes and one returns for
the rest of you asleep and returns. I think I would be asleep but
alert in this journey. My sleeping position is kind of just sitting down with
my legs as crossed as a dwarf's legs could be, so feet touching.
I suppose arms crossed, head down, but you know, the slightest rustle
and I think i'd be up a short sleeper. Thought elsewear about you.
If I'm taking the first shift, then yeah, I think I'll be up
and let pay for sleep and then and we'll switch unless you wanted to take
the first sleep, Piper, I feel like you might be a little bit
more exhausted than I am, so in sleep first. Yeah, okay,
yeah, I'll do that. I think I would try to avoid making too
much noise to disturb people who are resting, but ultimately my efforts to be
quiet are probably useless, as I am incredibly fatigued looking at by both my
character sheet like the fatigue number is starting to get out of control, but
also just the story so far. I was on foot for the beginning of
this chase, like sprinting, and my legs are shot at this point.
I just come stumble into the camp with the water and just immediately PLoP down
next to the fire and hold the pot over it, waiting for the water
to boil. Watched pot and all that, I will hold it without watching
it. Then you know, we can we can prop it up using like
something else so that you don't have to hold it. Sure if you have
something to and I'll get you know, something out And I've done this a
million times before, so let's set it up there you are. That's a
shame. The pot is not so big but it should be. It'll be
enough enough for lots, and perhaps not much to share for the rest of
us. No, that's all right, he needs it the most, are
you okay me? Yeah? You need to be looked at her anything or
tended to. I think I've nothing that a good night's rest wants solve.
And a few cuts and bruises for the goblins hit me a few times,
but nothing I've not felt before. Did you see that? Did I see
what Piper on the field there? I'm sorry I have not been as alert
as usual. I did not. No, in the fight, you didn't?
Oh of that? I saw? At first, I thought it was
her connection with me, perhaps letting out perhaps a more feral side of her,
as my people sometimes do. But when my people strike out, it
is like a wild wolf. What overcame her was darker. It's a part
of the curse or something else. I wish I could say. I would
guess as much. But my people have endured this curse for generations, but
it has never affected us the way it affects her. Perhaps it's different with
outsiders to my tribe. For us, the curse simply meant cowardice and temptation.
The tendency to let our worst nature take control. But with her,
perhaps that is her worst nature, perhaps a more violent side of her that
you would never have seen. Back in the Shire. My people are no
stranger to violence, so for us it is nothing out of the ordinary.
We have fought many times, but you shire folk are different, and maybe
never having been in a war before, cursus drawing out some nature of hers
that you have never seen, or polluting her nature. I do not think
she is violent, but I think the cursed dos perhaps affect her that way.
I do not know. I wish I had a better answer for you,
but we are plumbing the depths of things I have never seen. I
have to think our nature is shaped by our environment. I've seen Lonton and
I get I'm more violent and I'm not cursed. I think it's just the
world around us that shapes us. That we it's what we have to deal
with out here, and so we do. But I don't know where it
starts with Piper and where the curse takes over. I don't know what part
of that is is whatever this is, and I don't know what that is.
I've never seen like that before, And I gestured to Lonton. Is
he going to be all right? If it did not kill him already,
then yes, he should be Okay, I need you to tell me the
truth and the when am I going to lose them both? Because I think
I know now I have already spoken the truth. If it did not kill
him right away, then he will likely live. My tribe has lost people
to orc poison before, and it acts very quickly. The worst of it
is done immediately. He's probably past the worst of it, but he still
needs to rest to recover. As for Piper different. As for Piper,
I will not lie to you. I do not know. I think she
suffers a poison of a different sort now, one that infects her soul rather
than her body, and it will be up to her strength of character to
resist it. Well, she's got enough for four protagonists in a novel,
so she'll be fine. This is good. Hopefully she proves stronger than my
father's have. Oh she will hopefully. You're right. We are different,
But Lonton and Piper, they're the best in the whole shire. They'll be
okay. I believe you. Are you still going to be awake for a
little while? Yeah, I'm yeah, you rest. I'll watch the pot
because I fear I will fall asleep standing up soon if I do not rest.
Here, do you want some pocket cheese? I had plenty of fish.
Well, fish is really good with cheese. You're probably right here,
and I fully expect to see him like sit down and fall asleep before he's
even had the cheese, because he's so tired. I manage one small nibble
before I just crawl up by the fire and pass out. Strider will probably
come on by just to check and make sure and one returned. All right,
oh yeah, yeah, yeah, and he'll see you sort of administering
to uh London tottles. Hello, mister Strider in needy thing like food?
Pocket cheese? Very good. There are many things in this world that I
look forward and that cheese sounds delightful. Oh it's the best to look forward
to, I tell you, And I mean I'm digging through my pockets to
get some cheese and then I'll get out some honey. All right, all
right, try not to wake everyone. Okay, sorry, sorry, here,
you need to try the cheese with the honey. It's very good.
It's very good. I believe you. People keep saying that mm hmm.
It is good. I told you. Are you all right? I think
so? Yes, Now tell me you believe me. I'm all right,
I'm all right. It is important that you rest as well. Oh I
will. I'm just the first shift. I will be the first shift.
Are you sure? Yes, I am much more accustomed to this way of
living. Okay, well, but you have to change the cloth in about
twenty minutes, and then you have to make sure that you're re putting it
in the boiling water and having sip it once is cooled. But you have
to let it cool for probably another forty five minutes before you start administering that.
And in the meantime you can give him stuff out of my canteen.
We're trying to get him to sweat out whatever this is. Can you do
that? Yes? Normally such a wound would be quite fatal. You are
a most skilled healer there are, I believe you, there are many amongst
the elves and the people's of Gondor. I would sing your praises. I
think it's the serb you caught some for Piper's birthday from the youth. This
is yes, you would know. This is king's foil. It is an
old remedy, A good one. Good well, I'll I'll sleep now,
enjoy the pocket cheese and don't forget twenty minutes, twenty minutes and then forty
five. That's right, thank you, mister Strider. Rest and now that
a ranger watches over you this night, So you rest. Those of you
that think that you do, those that think that you don't, You're not
Strider will watch over you regardless, change bandage, check on Lanton periodically you
rest. This is a full rest. Your endurance is returned. Oh boy,
and I believe your hope is based off of your It's just cover all
lost endurance clients. If you are wounded and you regain only your strength score,
Oh oh I think I'm wounded. No, so I don't get my
endurance back. Are you still wounded? When I do the healing and succeed?
Okay? So what doesn't remove the wound itself? It just lowers the
time? Yeah? Okay? Am I able to like do another healing roll
each night? You are? Okay? So can we say that I would
have also tended to reuse. I can try to roll heal in for you.
See if I success or less one more day okay. So I've gone
from three days now to two I believe, Yeah, okay, And then
would I do another one for London? Yes you can? Okay. Is
anybody else wounded? Ah? Okay, London, yours goes down by two
days. I don't think anyone else was wounded, both and wanton. Regardless,
Strider takes the first watch and will probably also take the second watch.
I would get up and try, at least for the second watch. I'd
like him to rest I had. I'm full of endurance. I didn't get
hit at all, so I feel like I'm just whethering it better, maybe
because I have to. Okay, I'll tell you what make a role for
this? Because Strider knows how tired you all are and is by far the
most accustomed to this. Can I do a courtesy role? Sure? Okay?
You I will say that you all clear. Sorry, I gotta do
a little bit of math one fatigue, But did you say we're removing or
adding? Removing? Removing? Thank goodness? And everyone else is worried about
shadows score and I'm over here eyeballing, my fatigue counter going getting out of
control. So uh, you will wake up? Then, Toddles, Okay,
yeah, you can see Strider is kind of like hidden behind some of
the ruins of this fallen tower. There's like a ah, there's probably like
a ledge that's built up on some debris that overseas part of the the I
imagine it's a like a cliff here that is looking down over over like a
small valley, and you make your way up to him. Well, it's
my turn. Very well, rest, Well, do you have any of
that pocket she's left over? I was saving it? Oh, you might
be a hobbit after all, mister Strider. I just know that when you
are able on the road, it is important to keep your strength up whenever
you can. Eating all of your food at once is a quick way to
a stomach ache. I think that's how I live my whole life until this.
A series of stomach aches. Yeah, either because I haven't eaten enough,
or maybe I've eaten a little too much. I haven't found the middle
ground yet, if I'm honest. Happily the name of my book a series
of stomach aches. My tuttles thread good. That's right. There's a small
belly laugh that comes from Strider. And it is a good book. I
would read and it'll have a happy ending. Mark my words. I'm sure
it will. We are all exhausted and I am no exception. Go sleep
well, rest well this forest, the troll shows, I must warn you
and want to look out for Ooh okay, I won't blink. What am
I looking for? I just blinked. Damn it, I did it again.
The forest here is not home only two creatures that you might expect from
a forest. There are. There are evil creatures here and men. He
looks over towards where Andowin sleeps, and he says, and Owen's people them
bay awnings. They are not the only ones that have well history is with
being able to how shall I phrase this? My hand moves unconsciously to my
pocket, protecting my pocket. Chief. They are not the only ones that
are able to. It is only rumor, you understand. But they are
not the only ones that are rouman to change their shape. Ah. There
are there are men here. They are known as the Guardaine means wardine o
woo wo kie. They are They are primitive, They are savage. I
have not seen one for some time, but they are Roman to live here,
some of them, at least, they were once people from Arnor well,
I appreciate you telling me this now after I've already had my sleep time
with the dreaming and the like. They are servants vangma. Okay, what
am I listening for? Just a wolf sound? Yes, okay, okay,
I'm not scared. I didn't ansuggest you were. You were supposed to
say, I believe you, and then it would become real because I'm a
little scared if I'm honest. Puddles Mister's threat good. Oh. I have
seen you fire and arrow from horseback taking down war griders. The strider will
sort of kneel down and put two hands on your shoulders, look you in
the eye. I have seen you save your friends time and time again and
the short time that I have known you. You are trustworthy, you are
fierce. You're not doubt the sharpness of your arrows, or even an elf
would praise your marksmanship. I think I opened my mouth to shout something to
the ooid you know the nature and to be like, I see that,
I'm not afraid of you, but I would want to say that. I
start to do that and I'm losing myself, and Strider notices and maybe stops
me from doing said thing. But I don't know if he actually would.
Okay, you hear that, that's Mistress thread Good. That's right. No,
oh no, all right, oh oh no, I'm so sorry.
I'm sorry. Everything sign go back to sleep if you can. I'm so
sorry. I'm sorry. Oh no, good night, miss Mistress thread Good.
Good night, Mistress thread Good. Was it yep? I'm sorry,
good night. I didn't realize we were handing out new titles today. Sorry,
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Still got a lot of work to
do before you catch up with me, though. Okay, good night,
and Mistress thread Good needs to have twenty words long. I'm doing of the
river of a house on the tribe of the West. What I'm now?
Everyone back to sleep. We have a walg slayer watching over us. It's
try. I'll put a patch of shoulder as it goes to find the humphiest
spot that he can to rest. Sorry, I need a minute to recover.
The night inches closer. Day passes, afternoon passes mid afternoon before people
begin to stir toddles. Nothing out of the ordinary happens on your watch,
because everyone slowly begins to wake m good morning, afternoon, evening, evening,
impending good day. That works, mistress. Yes, that's right,
hm hm. Not a single war man decided to come and bother us,
mostly because I was keeping watch, I think, and I ate all my
pocket cheese. So if you do see anywhere men, make sure it's not
my kin. I don't know how I would do that. That's it's it
is a jest. Very few of my very few of my kin can actually
do that. But if they could have to not none? Mm they're religious,
well, I said, no, not none. I said. Oh,
if we do encounter one of your kid who turned to wolves, what
do we do? Run conversate? H I mean my kin would not attack
you and provoked. But also if they were here on the west side of
the mountains, then something is probably wrong. They would not normally patrol this
far old London. How are you feeling. Ah, that's a wonderful question.
Not great, is the best answer I can give you. Okay,
I'm okay. You're still feeling yes, so that's the feeling. Yeah,
I see you through every blanket you had on me. I did, yeah,
would you like me to remove some? No? Are you feeling quite
cozy? Yeah? I'm good? Good God, thank you mm hmm.
So what is our plan with our immediate danger past? Our plan is walk
to the east and cover as much ground as we can all right. Upon
hearing the word walk, I look for Rusty real quick, because I need
to make sure that he is okay, and that well he's fed and water
and all that too. Sure, and tend to the horses. You can
see that they were very tired. There's probably a few like cramps here and
there. You can see them sort of shaking out legs and such. Russa
is a fine steed. Many of the horses here in the west have trouble
bearing my people to our size. A Rusty kept up though, that's a
good horse. Damn sure. It's a dwarf bearing horse, Rusty, And
I slap Rusty's flank proudly. Bear's both dwarfs and bear men, for damn
sure. Perhaps if we reach close to the mountains spent many years since I've
gone home, but I could perhaps visit my cane and get one of their
yourn Ascar Iron Hills horses from the east. They grow quite much larger than
the horses in the west and bear my people with ease. It would make
my journey much easier until then I suppose you're hoofing it. Well, I
can feel my legs again today, so that's a good start. But there's
strider. The strider is probably just sort of like leaned up against one of
the ruined walls. Head is just kind of slightly pointed down. I assume
he stayed up keeping watch Rangers needs sleep to leave him be for a little
bit. All right, I can try to make one more trip to the
fishing hole, perhaps oil one more sat H murderer slayer, uh killer,
Like if I were to say I'm Tottle's threat good war slayer, that's probably
best, right, I think we can safely. I think we can go
ahead and safely rule out murderer. I don't quite doesn't quite have the best
ring to it. Workslayer sounds pretty good, or work murderer wouldn't sound great
either. No no, no, no, no, okay, work snuffer.
You don't need to tie your name because for a few days of action.
No no no, no no no right, you're more You're more than
that, no more than made mister. But I mean, like, if,
yeah, mister Lawnton, if I were to do instead of miss thread
good, if I wanted to do a whole title like and a Win Scott.
Then work Slayer might be something that I would include in my in my
title. Do you want bees bee cueber Do you want that? I don't
know. I don't know. I'll think on it some more. Sorry,
I didn't mean to interrupt. I believe it's the same as any old title.
You don't have to keep it'll use it. It's like that that barrel
rider from the Shire, you know, mm hmm. Regardless Errol Rider.
You could make your title sound even fancier. Use words from my people's tongue,
like what I nothing fancier than foreign words. Yes, so fancy as
long as you know how to use them. Otherwise you just send up sounded
like an idiot. Warg Slayer in my language would be wolder Bonnie, Bonnie,
volger bonnie. Are you kidding me? Totles through good volder Bonnie.
That sounds great, sounds you woke up, striter. It's okay, Sorry,
Oh sorry, so sorry. Our resident hobbits Marsman is excited again.
That is all. So sorry sorry to like keep a rec of bees.
Yeah, I think it's that's that's a good title. Well, yeah,
all of them. You get all of them at once, Right, you
just add them on or or you use them when you need. Right,
So when you're at the market, the strider is gonna just kind of stand
up and uses he drinks some water and maybe splashes some on his face,
just in the background. Right, So when you're at the market, then
you say hello, I'm mistress Thread Goood keep a rec of bees. And
then when you're murdering people, then you say I am mistress Thread good Walter.
Say it, say it the right way, and even my kin will
recognize it if you say it. Valdeer of his wolf are what we call
the rocks. I do want to be a wolf. I want to be
a I want to be a bear like you. Well, it is wolf
slayer, all right. It is the same word to my people. But
Valdeer is wolf and Bonnie is pain or slayer var Bonnie. If you ever
encounter my people and I am not there, you could claim title of valdeer
Bonnie and they would respect it. Would you know the word except from one
of ours speaking on that mhm, I meant to speak with you yesterday,
but time slipped away from us. And on m hm, Yes, I
suppose it is good to speak to the rest of you as well, especially
since night is approaching once again, I recommend that we stay here for the
night before we set out. Hum hm. This will mean and it will
take us longer to reach driven Down. However, I believe it to be
the safer option. We can't stay here to night, yes, although I
have now slept most of the day, unlikely I will sleep to night.
I don't think I can go back to sleep. My mind races with other
things. But I can spend some time boiling more water, perhaps since we
need it. Yes, I must sworn you all that this place is the
troll Shaws. They are far from safe. I mentioned this to Toddles before
we rested, but I thought it would be especially my dear Bonny. Sorry,
I thought this was a master. Yes. Sorry, I was going
to ask if I may, since I have passed through this area and I
have a pretty high score and lore i'd like to roll to know where he's
about to go with this. Yes, if I may, just barely Okay,
even with the miserable, I still be Oh wait, we also need
to hand out our points in a second. But I did succeed the role
regardless. Oh yeah, So think on your fellowship on doing this. But
yes, annuine, I think you have a vague sense of what Strider is
about to mention. Mm hmm. There are others that are that are like
the bay ownings. Do you know of them? M hm, I believe
I do. I have heard tale of our ancient kin that ventured west long
ago and we lost contact. We not heard from them in many years.
Some of my kin that hold the top of the mountain have said that rumors
to the west, but met them. No, I never have. I
avoided the troll shows on my way in. That is wise, but for
now it is one of the safer places that we can be. Going back
to the road might very well allow our enemies to spot us with ease.
I've had enough of being harried along the road. Would do best to keep
our presence quiet. Yes, so stop shouting from the roof tuffts about how
I'm up right got it? I can do that. Pet would certainly help.
Well, you never know, maybe they'll be intimidated and they won't even
come near. One can hope. When I took the high pass and crossed
here six years ago, I went south around the troll shores instead of into
them because I was traveling alone and I have heard the dangers within. But
we are six. Hopefully we can take on whatever looks here if we can.
I'm a little stiff after that run yesterday, however, I will do
my best. You are a little bit You are a little bit stiff,
and you also still have a giant spear wound in your side. Oh that's
nothing for a dwarf. I just some makeup from the courtesy of an oak,
I suppose. But we would still do best not to fight until everyone
is at full strength again, if we can help it. Since I have
already rested and I don't think I can go back to sleep anyway, I
will make a few trips to the fishing hole and try to boil as much
water as I can, because I don't think there's any clear water here.
Is there a strider not nearby? I'll help very good. Perhaps you could
tend to the water after I bring it back and load it into pour it
into water skins as I go back with a different pot. We'll make as
many trips as we can. Of course, of course, I would suggest
that you do not make such trips nightfall. I could wait till morning.
But that would mean many hours of me sitting here doing nothing. If this
watering hole is thirty minutes, you might be able to make two trips.
It took me about fifteen minutes to get there and teen back, so pretty
much, Yes, very well, if there is something out there that worries
you, I will see it before it sees me. You're king. I
would not call them you're king anymore. I do not know everything about them,
but I have heard tail from the owls of Rivendell and other of my
kind Guardaine Wolfman. Hmm, how strange a nickname given to me long ago
turns out to be the name of our enemies. They were people of honor.
They were driven out by the new Menorians in the Second Age. How
many years ago? Was this many? More than five hundred? Yes?
Perhaps not my kid after all? Then, the shape changers who headed west
from my tribe did so about six hundred years ago over the mountains, never
to be seen again. Perhaps related here, perhaps not. There are some
that reside here in the troll shores, and others that lie yet further north,
the southern forward Weight. They are nomadic hunters and trappers, and unlike
what I have seen from you in the beyond beywnings. They have a much
more worshipful view of wolves, and they are cannibals. Hm hm, there
is a word I did not expect to hear you say. No, my
my tribe never eat stuff like of other men, even when in the guise
of a bear or a wolf or anything else. But I will be careful.
We should all be careful. If they are as large as you,
then I think they may well be quite ferocious. M hm. I have
only seen them a few times, and I have never seen one turn into
a wolf. But they are feared. We should be conscious. Tis they
should? Who should fear they would turn into wolf? We have all,
dear body. Wolf slayer is with us, that's right. I have nothing
to fear with this hobbit with you. That's not as good as say a
dwarf, But that's all right. I'll work on it. I'll work shop
it. Mmm. So how best now do we proceed towards Rivendell? Then
we will travel through the troll shores. It is not safe, but I
think it will be harder for the enemy to find us. One enemy.
I suppose a name like troll shows I feel indicates perhaps something we may already
have experience with something not clearly fond of dwarves. Yes, amongst many things,
there are trolls that live in this place. No, not again,
I was a troll once. Hey, as you were, sorry, did
you just I'm something of a troll myself. I'm something of a troll myself.
She speaks the truth. That's true. Magic gave her the I know
well the voice of one. I didn't look like one, but I sounded
like one, was all I. Should we encounter trolls, rioth, and
I have already slain more than one. But if they hunt in packs here,
that could be very much a problem. Hey. There are, of
course goblins then make their way down into the troll shores sometimes, and other
creatures. But when I spoke upon the enemy, I must make clear to
whom I speak of you, I have an idea of this now, iiber,
and from what you have said and Awin, I think you know of
which I speak. Great eye has seen us. Yeah, we must remain
out of sight as much as we can, or far worse things will find
us, if I may, mister Strider, how best do you suggest we
do such a thing with horses? You'll move slowly and carefully. Okay,
all right, then sly sounds good, really good. Through our care,
we will endeavor to move quicker, being patient, and choose the right path.
Looks towards Piper, and he says, whispers, do not draw your
so on. I won't be a good show once that was, but perhaps
it's for the best. I look over at the three of them with a
blank. Not understand the look on my face. I think if I catch
his eye, I kind of recoil to the look, confused and a shamed.
It's a strange emotion. We rest, we take care. I fear
the throll shaws hold a dark secret. There are rumors amongst my people,
dreams I have seen something here. I think something very ancient lives here,
something that will something that will find us. We must take care for Now.
We prepare fine water, food, and any other supplies. We may
need kindling and any herbs, but you can before dark. You'll set out
at first light. Okay, very well. I would like to look for
kindling. However, the first sort of comes to mind is to strip the
bark off trees. However, doing so would most likely alert the walk set
of our position. So I look for small twigs and dry rushes on the
ground, and I'd try and collect it into my travel sack. That is
all I can do, really, I think very well with the rest of
you doing aside from and and filling water. Ah well, I'm going through
the list of what mister Stryder just asked us to do, and so somebody
needs to be doing like some rolling right, like gathering and the like.
Mm hmm. Okay, have you decided on your fellowship point? Yes,
exactly. We should do that as well. Okay, I at least two
myself, if possible. I'm nine out of eleven myself, so I need
I don't know, just maybe well my shadows nine. My hope is nine
as well. So yeah, I'm at ten out of seventeen and I'm usually
the battery, so I'll take whatever's left. Yeah, I'm two out of
seventeen. Yeah, or you should perhaps we should once again simply type the
number into the game chat to see it all at a glance. Oh sorry,
I am at three out of nine, but shadow a shadow is also
three, so I'm currently miserable. I need at least one to get out
of y'all should just split it the three of you. Well, my needs
at least one, right, potentially need at least one. I don't need
to. I just won't spend any hope. Once I get it the same,
then daw and I suppose I'll take just the one and then we have
seven left for you to just split it between each other. I trust me,
you need to split it. I'll be fine. I feel like you
can take one and then they can split the seven between them like three each
in four for one take all three? Yeah, three, and the best
we can you take two and then we'll take three. I don't need any.
I'll be fine. I would take two three if we can manage it,
but two is all I need. So I am no longer miserable,
and I want the extra one spare in case I have to invoke my magic
again. It cost me hope every time I do it. Yeah, and
that is and that is not something you can just give me a point on.
I have to use my own. Yeah, yeah, I'll be free
for both of us. Yeah, both of us? Is me and you?
Or is that? Yeah? Yeah? You and I? Three?
And then it's two. It is great. You got no shadow. I'm
sure it's wonderful. How does it feel, Piper, how does it feel
being scarred for life when your hands are blackened? Well, that's right,
I forgot about that. What's so cool? Which I would say at some
point i'd look over and notice that as well. I wonder why you hadn't
claimed your hands. They're permanently black right, so they look stained as opposed
to make ink and playing with col incredible. It's not quite barbecue season anymore.
In fact, what day is it, lord master? So it's in
Uh, you'd be in the fall? Now? Oh? What day exactly?
Because I do have a birthday coming up. That's a good question.
I'll have to get the exact day for you. I don't have that handy.
I'll have to do a little bit of figuring on it. So I
don't. I don't have that handy at the moment. Pretty well, all
right? So and the one is going to get water? You split your
fellowship points? What is everybody else doing? H I would be doing awareness
if I can. If we've got somebody doing foraging, do we even need
awareness? Or is awareness looking out for berries and stuff? What is that?
So? Awareness is more along the lines looking for imminent danger. That's
what I thought. So I'll be doing that. Okay, you can do
it. You can be on lookout dude if you'd like. Yeah, okay,
does anybody doing any foraging? O? I can starve in to death
in my mind, so I'm distracted. I can do some origin. Oh
sorry, no, you're fine. I interrupted you. Uh what what role
would that be? Uh? That will be I will take a scan,
I will take a h um. Yeah, alets I think scan is the
most appropriate here. Okay, Oh nope, I think I would like to
do one of the two as well. What did you do titles? What
are you rolling for? Awareness? Am I failing down me? I'm sitting
me, I'm sitting up with Yeah, I'm sitting up with blankets on me
right now. But you know I don't want to sit around and being completely
useless. So just for the sake literally poisoned almost to death, I think
you can. I have no idea. You all said that while I was
asleep. I don't even know I had some sort of curse episode. All
I know is I got hurt in went down, and I won't be telling
you about the curse episode. You know that's ink on her hands? That
Yeah, so I want to Oh, you know what I want to do.
We're far from water, I know that, and there's there's ways of
dealing with that. There's a way of keeping a stone in your moutain.
But one better is there are succulent plants that have a moisture with them.
You can actually cut them and half put them in your mouth and it just
keeps us sell, you know, saliva going and and and makes you feel
a little less parched. So I'd like to look for succulents in this forest
close by so I don't have to go far, just to help with sin
the water issue. Scan Oh, gandalf is on my side, okay,
so wanton, Yeah, you're able to find some some succulents just to kind
of, you know, keep you mildly hydrated. Yeah. It's a more
of a trick for the mind than anything else. I like to I think
that sitting up, I literally look around and they're right next to me,
and I'm like, oh, oh great, pick them up and just sort
of show them at everybody and be like you can if you just cut off
the ends of these and you put them in your mouth, it's gotta it's
gotta a bit of a sweet flavor to it not not very sweet, but
it should. Just don't chew it up and don't swallow it. Just keep
it in your mouth and sock on it a little bit. It will help
us. You won't feel as parched. And then I start cutting little bits
off of the succulents. Yeah, there's not too much that you find.
It's just just a little bit. Really, it's enough for yourself, maybe
for myself. Ah oh okay, so pull Yeah, I'd say that I
get the plant. I'm very excited. I explain this to everybody. I
pick it up and realize that a fair amount of it is rotten. Ah,
oh, all right, I'm not that thirsty anyway. You take it,
well, I'm not good to take It's no, I mean no,
you're just gonna take it. You look at you, among I love you.
Well, it doesn't matter who among us is the most thirsty. You're
the most near dead. So you're going to take it, and you're gonna
not argue. I'll only do it so you're not today. We're not to
be arguing. But you're dead where you go. Yeah, it is not
a matter of thirst. The more water goes through your body, the faster
you can flush the poison from you and we can move again. They shot
you with a poison Harrow, London. But did you not what? All
right? Whatever, I'm not shot with very traumaticulous shot through the heart.
You're to blame too, you know. And I don't even look at my
wound. I immediately well insight to see because it sounds like they're bantering for
jokes right now. You you could tell from the confusion face. Yeah,
I actually I think, like I think you recognize that I'm doing the best
I usually do with you, or I've always done, but I I'm doing
it a little bit more than normal, and so you can tell that I'm
quite virtually terrified. Yeah, I'm quite terrified. Yeah, I think.
I I lift my shirt up and look at the wound. My face goes
white, and then I just sort of put it away and I just sit
there for a minute. I'm not going to If it were going to kill
you, it already would have. So you are fortunate. But still drink
much water, wash the poison from your body as quickly as you can.
That you cannot travel in that condition. Okay, Uh, yeah, I
tend to drink my way. I'll probably drink a lot of my water,
drink it down quite easily. Yeah, you can have my canteen as well.
And sorry, go ahead, Well I was just saying, and he
can have my canteen as well. It's mostly full. And now on that
note, I will walk to the pond with the salty water and bring some
backs clean. Thank you. I imagine eating while I'm gone. I imagine
by the way, it's probably like not salt, it's probably something like algae
or something. Yeah, it's a heavy brine to water from. Yeah,
yeah, yeah, whatever whatever. I had to make something up because I
had already said I found a fishing hole, and you're like, there's no
water nearby. I got fish, but there's no water. I like that
salty brine from algae. No, that makes sense. Yeah, you get
some some water that things can live in. So if it's like briny algae
water with boiling it even help it too great, But you can boil the
bacteria out of it, depending on all, right, how science he do
we want? Depending on you know what the question? Well, and I've
walked into the river. You need to create a still like the surface for
the boiling to get to the and then drip off of whatever The steam gets
to In order to get that out, you'd be killing the bacteria. You'd
be removing some of the saltiness if it is salty, and it would still
taste like ship. Now it wouldn't be very good, but it'd be all
right for him. All right, yeah, yeah, regardless, you're gonna
probably get two trips before night falls. And we're not traveling at night,
are we, Strider suggested not. Okay, So then we get to sleep
and we get another bit of hope. Is that right? Potentially? Oh,
and nothing comes for us in the middle of the night. I ate
all my pocket cheese. Don't worry. They can't smell nothing. Mm hmm.
I think they can if you ate all the pocket cheese. Oh likeodles?
Oh yeah, when I was a young word dog, uh so uh
tottles? Uh huh, you were on lookout? Yeah, please make an
awareness role. Mm okay, sorry, night falls, I fall asleep.
You made the night fall? You think? What do you think I'm doing?
Because I'm distracted. I don't think I would fall asleep. Yeah,
I don't think I would fall asleep. I think I just can it be
something I don't recognize the sound of. So I'm thinking like, oh,
that's a lovely bird song. Yeah, it's like the most horrible fucking bird
call. And I'm like, oh, look at that, that's one I
haven't heard before. I wouldn't watched. I suggest I still have some paper
and a coil. It's possible that I would have given that to you so
you could write down different naming conventions for yourself. So you're just sitting there,
so I'm trying to write and you're writing them down, and just just
so everyone can see, I struggle with lettering, like I don't think I
when I started this journey, I definitely didn't know really how to read very
well. And Lonton's been teaching me that. So I think throughout this journey
you've seen me sort of maybe sit down and struggle to write stuff. But
now you're seeing that I'm getting fairly good at it. I think we've been
on this journey for a while and now I know how to You know exactly
what I'm doing. I don't ask Lonton for help at all. I just
show him when I'm done. So this is probably the coldest night that you
have experienced since you've set out from the Shire on your trip. Here there
is a patter of rain that begins to fall, and it's just hair above
freezing after night falls tonight. So it's that super cold rain that when it
hits your skin, makes you immediately want to grab twelve blankets that I have.
Think I'm huddled by my horse and kind of protecting him with my coat.
I think the sounds of this barking in the distance, Guest, your
attention, toddles. You don't see anything, but you hear something. You
hear this barking. Wait, is that a dog or wolf who's awake?
Is there anybody awake ers that trust me? Mm hmmmm mm hmm. Would
you say that that's would you say that that's like a dog or a wolf?
Man or a wolf? Kind of leaning towards option number three? Just
a plain old wolf. Doormaster, What I did it? Sorry? Go
ahead, I was just asking the lower Master if he would happen to open
my brain up to to know if I know what I'm hearing. Okay,
you do that and then I'll continue, all right, word Master, would
I happen to know what the sound of that barking was? You can make
an insight or a laurel. I'm gonna give you a minus one minus one?
Okay, Oh sounds to me like it could be two dogs. Do
you think like? Well I was. I was going to say, do
you think we'd know for sure if we called back, if we just started
barking? Or is that a bad idea? You reckon they'd come this way,
we'd kind of. I think they just bark back and they think all
those are dogs over there. We shouldn't bother going over there. I wouldn't
do something like that. I don't speak dog. What if you but do
you speak wolf? Not really? You know, like maybe handle windows.
I know there are more bears and not wolves. And that was a mistake
we made in the very beginning thinking he was a wolf man. I'm sure
he does this conversational wolf, you know, like, how do you do
it? All that? Oh? Like that? I'm sure it's mostly sniffing,
though I don't know how to sniff. How do you do? Okay?
I wake him up? I wake him up? Right? The bad
man's a sniff without, you know, getting the right message. And Antoin
is not in his bed, and you don't suppose and it's not here,
you don't suppose he's the wolf barking right now. I don't think so.
I don't think he would lead think of it. Have you ever seen Dao
in sleep? Yes? All the time. Okay, never mind, then
okay, hold on, now this is concerning I. I oh, hey,
how are you? It says raining. Do you hear the dog?
Wolf? Men? Wolf things? And do you know wolf? Do I?
What? Do I know a man named wolf? Or do you know
how to speak wolf? What? There's not a language that they do?
Then I shoot, reuse a look of absolute betrayal, and then cross my
arms. Trust me being a silly hobbit. I guess that's okay. I've
gotten quite used to it. It's fine. But yes, I was off
to go get water, and you were supposed to do that at night,
right Strider told me not to, But I see better at night than anyone
else. It made more sense to me to do it. Now. Well,
have you seen anything, because we're hearing this weird sound out there?
Okay, perhaps let's hold that thought and catch this water. It's cleaner than
that it is in the pond. That's why I rushed back. Take all
of our cooking pots out and set them up. I can't pick up a
cooking pot while I'm holding this thought very well. Released the thought. Okay,
it's gone now. Well, then you weren't holding it very well,
were you? I got it? Will you told me to release it?
I just let it go. I don't even know what it was anymore.
But now I'm holding two pots and my canteen. Oh and I can't.
I feel that has lost my thoughts too. Well. I guess you weren't
holding it very well either. Just going to set these pots out there,
we go. This rain water will be much cleaner than a nasty pond water,
and it will be easier to boil it. This is good, good
flash and smiles honest that it rains tonight. Ah, and I'm using the
leaves to funnel water into the canteens because we would know that, Aaron is
telling me. Right now, we're doing that. I'm filling everybody's up,
by the way, even the people sleeping MHM. Strider sort of rush into
the scene here, oh okay, lightly stepping on and some of the some
of the not so noisy steps the ruins approaching you on and says I heard
the sounds some creatures I believe to be wolves. Oh maybe them, Yes,
that was the okay, so not dogs, but of course yes,
do you know wolf, mister Strider, excuse me? Is it not a
language like wolf? Not one that I know? Oh? What is that?
Look? Well, it's like how are they communicating? Then? If
they're not using a language, of course they just making sound. Hm.
Perhaps it is best that we do not make much sound of ourselves. Fine,
for now, we must keep our eyes open, remain resting. But
I want more lookouts. We shall make sure that every point of entry into
this camp is overlooked. Yes, okay. If this is in fact these
wolf men, or even if it is normal wolves, they already know exactly
where we are. They will have smelled us some miles away. Well,
we can keep watch to ensure they do not attack us. But there's no
point trying to remain hidden. If they move like wolves, they will come
in a pack and they will be smart. So we must keep a vigil.
Right, Okay, we're keeping vigil wolves, that's what you're talking about.
Yeah, it's all right, though I speak wolf lord master. Is
this area forested? Trees? Here? Heavy forest? Yes? Right?
Wolves cannot climb trees. And again, if you are this, this is
the ruins of what appears to be like a fortress. So there's a lot
of debris. There's a lot of weathered stone, and a lot of like
collapsed walls. There's lots of stuff around here. There's walls with windows and
some windows that are you know, just partially there, that have walls that
have collapsed, and there's a lot of mud. Now since the rain is
starting right well. Wolves are clever, but they do have weaknesses. They
cannot climb. For example, if we have our hobbits with bows up in
the trees, they should be mostly safe. And a pack of wolves will
not often attack a pack of humans. They prefer to take down isolated prey.
I do not think they will bother us. But who knows. This
is the troll shots. Perhaps they're more aggressive here, or perhaps they're not.
Perhaps they're very friendly and they'll invite us to tea. And that's the
secret of the mountain. One can only hope. Since I slept during the
day, I am wide awake. Now I will find a vettage point and
keep an eye out. You're not stray too far, always within sight of
each other. Does everyone understand? I? Yeah, understood. I think
that I won't be following on Darwin, but under thride is a word.
I shall also be patrolling, but in such a way that I can see
where I'm Darwin is going, but you know, trying to extend his field
of view. I would likely climb up onto the ruins of this fortress,
where I can get a wide sweeping view of the area. And sure I
will stay at the bottom, because climbing is not what I do. Let's
have a roll and see how high you can get. It is a ruined
fortress, so I don't know how high up it will go, and I
also roll to climb, and hopefully I don't fall on pants myself. So
I want to roll to see how much of this fortress is left. How
high? All right? To see how high you can get, and I
can climb up. So let's have a one person roll to see how high
up the fortresses And this will probably just be I will take a few different
options. I will say either battle, I will say explore or scan.
I won't be doing any of those. Well somebody wants. I am not
half bad at scan and explore as options, but if anybody excels at these,
perhaps they would rather roll it. I'm weary, but I could do
a battle roll. I've got four pips in it, so it's it's a
gamble. Is it a favorite skill for you? No, I've about three
and explore and it's favored, and it's yes by all means, I think
you're the best candidate. I agree. Okay, okay, well, okay,
there's really not a fantastic vantage point here. There is a lot of
ruins, there's a lot of places to kind of hide in the nearby area.
You were all just so exhausted that this was the best camping spot that
you could find before you passed out, essentially. Now, does that mean
that it is easy to attack? Probably not, but it's also probably easy
to hide or be stealthy. In either case, there's a lot of places
to sort of hide amongst these ruins and things, which is a worry.
So there's not a great vantage point, is what I'm getting at. I'm
going to say that awareness roles in this case will be at a minus one.
Very well, sorry, which role is a minus one? Awareness?
Awareness? I think, even even with the penalty, awareness is still my
cultural specialty. I can hopefully splot anything in coming anyway. All right,
you need me to roll that now? Uh, yeah, let's have everybody
that is taking a vigil and let's just get before we do that, before
we roll, I just wanna kind of get the idea of where everybody is
situated in this situation. Oh no, oh okay, so we have to
fight, which strid. What Schreider has suggested is that everyone should be within
sight of each other. Okay, I think that's for the awareness role.
I would definitely like to do this as well. And I would like to
ask if I could use keen eyed as a distinctive feature to help op in
this situation. If you have keen eyed, yeah, definitely does that and
that get what does that do? Again? You can spend hope on yourself
and you get two bonus dice instead of one. Oh yeah, but I'm
still weary. It's still such a gamble. No, no, I won't
use it then, But yeah, I'll also use awareness. I think I've
gotten up and I've gone to a big crack in the wall and I'm looking
out. Okay, so Lawton is kind of staying near the ruins, just
kind of looking through a wall, and when what about you? I think
we probably keep our injured people towards the center and then are healthier people out
on watch. I would be situated on the opposite side from whatever Strider is
because I know he has keen senses, and I'll move to the opposite side
to maximize our coverage very well. I wanted to climb up top, but
it sounds like this fortress is too crumbled and not safe to climb. Yeah,
so I'll just be down on ground level opposite Strider instead. Okay,
realed, where do you think you are? I said, I was following
and now into the tower, So if he's around there, then I'm not
too far from him. There was mention of having the injured close to the
center. So with my less than half endurance, I think I'm going to
probably be not so far ahead this time around, but we'll see. It
really depends on what's coming our way, but close enough to the front line
that I will be able to be useful very well. Toddles, Ah,
I would like to be as high as possible with my ball. Okay,
so Strider is probably positioning himself like there is a watch tower that has been
collapsed and really only like the bottom of it remains, and there's kind of
like a wall and it has a like a murder hole in the in the
bottom of the wall. That's what they're called murder Is that really what they're
called? Yeah? Yeah. It's made to like fire out and be really
hard to aim into. Mm hmmm. It's a whole that's made for murdering
through. Yep. It's quite literally the hole through which you murder the invaders
when I try to get into your castle. Great that it's more manslaughter than
marger, isn't it. It's very intentional, Actually I'm being literal. Oh
right, a homicide resicue. So that's probably the area that's highest up and
striders there right now? Okay, well, can I be second highest up?
Sure? Let's have you do an athletics check. Okay, I really
shouldn't use hope for this, but I kind of want to. I'm not
going to do it. I'm going to be the sensible one and not do
it. Did I fail? You did? Oh? It's raining and slippery
and I couldn't get up there. You all maybe hear some like drafts fall.
There's some chunks of ruin that like fall down the cliff across the switch
back and like the make some humbling noises to the ground. Down below.
What about you, hyper, I think reuse us with Andwin correct not so
far from Andwin not too far ah. In that case, I think I
might be not too far from Strider to kind of even out the spread of
potential. Oh yeah, protectors. Okay, now, each of you please
make an awareness role and again. Oh wait a minute, minus one bonus?
I did Okay, I did my finger on the trigger. I was
ready. I figured I'm going to fail. Oh I fail. For London's
role was pretty incredible. To succeed that there was I forgot again, Dolpher,
and we're very lucky. There was two successes, two extra successes from
London. Oh, if I failed this, we might still be okay,
Hi, even with a minus one, I still got a great success.
I'm sorry I didn't do a minus one. Please hold okay, sorry,
Rio is the only one that has failed. There are two extra successes from
London and one extra success from Andowin. How would you like to spend your
extra successes? It don't help me out, No, No, I think
it's important only gate ri oaths. I think that narratively, he's he's staying
a little bit back behind where Andowin is and I was definitely approaching the wall.
I'm probably next to him, and I'm looking in the similar direction as
for re oaths, so I'm able to point his attention in a direction one
way or the other as I see things. So just helping the other one
is just extra insight. If I could all of you in the darkness see
the reflection of glowing eyes looking from bushes. There's this sense of predators watching
you, waiting for a moment that you might not see, moment where someone
leaves the group a newborn that they can snatch away. You notice this in
the bushes and trees around you. In the rain, you hear Strider's voice,
just quietly and forcefully say, there are many and watch us. How
many? I am unsure, but this pack has found us. Fiddlesticks,
they will do. Oh, we will wait until they see some sort of
opening. When one of us looks away, that is when they will strike.
So you just look in that direction, I know, blinking totals.
It is a test of endurance. Now I steal your nerve, the center
fear. They are attracted to it. They are likely here in the first
place because they smell Rio's blood. Oh yeah, come now, my blood
doesn't leak that bad mm hmm. Not to read scare them. They are
hungry. I suppose I am a tasty morsel. I am sure they will
scare of them. I have a question in this rain. No, I
don't think so with my with my extraordinary success being what it is, and
this is going to be entirely selfish. I had one that you spent on
reals mm hmm, and the other was for insight. I'm curious if I
can see where their eyes are tracking at all, if they are looking at
each one of us specifically. My wondering is because I'm poisoned and I know
animals have keen senses. I'm actually curious how much danger I'm in because I'm
still incredibly hurt and close to death. Everybody's in a lot of danger right
now, especially you and the other habits. Okay, I will say out
well, actually no, I don't want to say anything. First. I
like to row stealth if I could. What are you rolling for? I'm
attempting to not be a problem for everyone else. I know that I'm not
going to be much help for much use, and I don't want to be
a liability either, so I'm attempting to use my habitabilities to almost disappear into
the stone and the rubble and whatnot. Please make a stealth roll? Who
was success? Okay, now I have a virtue or no? Well,
yeah, it's a virtue art of disappearing, which says, if a location
or situation offers even the smallest opportunity to hide or sneak silently away, make
a stealth role. If you get one or more successes, you can spend
one to simply disappear. Now, I don't know if that means extra on
top or just the original of themselves, the original success. This is your
special hobbled bullshit. Yeah. I think hobbits throughout their existence are used to
being the prey. This is your defense mechanism. Oh okay, I quietly
say to everyone that I know I'm very much in danger. I will be
here even if you don't see me, and I take the blankets, roll
them in the mud and the dart and I sink into everything and you wouldn't
know anything was there. Okay, whatever you said, where'd he go?
I'm still here. It's just hiding. Yeah, I see, of course,
I see over there. Yeah you got it? Mmm. Now everyone
is very tense right now, anticipating a moment of weakness on either side.
This is kind of a battle of wits and endurance. It's pushing your senses
to the max and seeing who breaks first. What I'd like for each of
you, it's to make a role for me. Oh what role? Do
we think that this is courtesy? Okay, that's a jokes. I'm thinking
it's probably either awareness or battle. That's my thought here. This is kind
of like endurance and how long you're able to withstand the pressure of this mental
fatigue. I take your awareness and I pause it. Oh not from what
I've seen thus far, I'm gonna say now on that one, no offense
taken. Does this include me as well sunking into the mud as I am
Now you have made a different choice? All right, all right? Awareness
battle? Is this all of us rolling? Or is this one? Well?
I will say awareness, No, it's very bad. It's not one's
mm hmm. I need to roll very well here to compensate or some not
so great roles. I need to great successes. I am going to invoke
my distinctive feature of just being very abnormally tall. I am very imposing that
combined with the battle of wheels with these creatures, and I want to stare
back at them with my own nighttime glowing eyes. Actually can I? You
can get two bonus time if you spend your hope. I will spend a
point of hope for this and hopefully that is enough. Oh yes, that's
a role. Two extra successes on top of a Gandalf room in Toddles,
an awareness or a battle room. Ah, definitely going to be awareness.
One of us has to fail, all of us because Darwin has the two
successes, so two can get reverted, right, How would you like to
spend your extra two successes? And it if I can cancel out the other's
failures. There's that option. But I guess it's three failures and two extra
successes. I see that. Is it possible that I can scare the wolves
off on my own? I wonder? I Well, if just one of
us out of many fails, hopefully that's not immediately going to lead to a
terrible outcome here. So I will cancel two of the failures, okay,
and who's I will make up for the other ones? Rio and Piper.
That's the right call, okay, Given my role, I will I'll describe
it as I simply mirror their posture and stand there as motionless as they are,
staring right back at them for basically as long as they want to stay.
I slept during the day, I am wide awake now at night,
and I will just fold my arms and stare back at them with the same
yellow glowing eyes that they have, scaring them to make a move, and
move they do on tottles creeping up behind you. Tuttles you don't notice wolf
heading along before you hear a growl cept my stomach. Hello, this is
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