Category: World of the Everflow

My homebrew world where tales of animal companionship, forgotten magic, and the question of who controls information are told.

  • Session 6: Safety in stone, signs in the sky

    Session 6: Safety in stone, signs in the sky

    This session was different. Up to this point there’s been some rather standard role-play. All that three tiers stuff – exploration, combat and social interaction in some balance. Each session’s balance was different, but most followed a particular pattern.

    • Recap
    • Introduce problem in the episode
    • Try to solve the problem
    • End in a place of sanctuary

    That’s basic episodic style and necessary because the group of players has a core and others that drop-in for sessions when they can. Having a sanctuary enables simple entry points and doesn’t have to include a drop-in riding an axebeak from the horizon.

    In session five timing prevented an adequate sanctuary. Four characters raided the village of Nak and they were still there when we ran out of time. In order to create some permanency of play and not skip three or more weeks due to soccer schedules session six took place in just 90 minutes.

    And because of real-life schedules one of the four raiders was not present. One of the two more regular characters was going to be at this session. Again, the group of three-four is inside a town with multiple patrols and maybe other obstacles preventing them from leaving. We have 90 minutes of play.

    The solution was a co-operative narrative montage.

    Session six did not start in Nak. It starts with an out-of-game recap of situation as stands for each character after session five and then begines in the Glass Tower’s basement about 16 hours later. Cortez asks Behn how they got the Lorebook from the Cult of Nak.

    Behn described the battles and conflicts of session five when Cortez interupts, “But how did you get away?”

    Maurice responds that they had to sneak around the patrols that were between them. The discussion continues as Aamar describes an encounter with a bear at night. Shonie thanks them for returning and asks why Samul the Barbarian is exhausted. Another explains how fierce the barbarian fought, and Behn brings up that the two were shot with some kind of magic missile.

    Cortez no longer cares for the tale of escape and asks for the Lorebook. He sees a few pages that are mere remnants of themselves. “You found Chorl?”

    This ends the montage portion.

    The mostly confused group say “no.”

    “You said there were three patrols, but you only needed to avoid the two. Where did the other go?”

    “To the North, up the mountain,” Mo answers.

    The Five do not know if Chorl is present in that group, but Cortez seems confident that he was and he will be coming back to them. Chorl is a halfling and former student. He seems to have taught Anderson something as well. Anderson no longer breathes and cannot answer if this is true.

    Shonie interrupts, “they are coming to us. Should we stay or attempt to get back to Telse. Kellamon never sent a receipt message back to us.”

    Behn asks Aamar if he can use his Stone to talk to Telse. “The Stone does not connect to Telse. It’s messages are vague, but certainly not from Telse.”

    A basic map of the small mostly wood tower.
    A basic map of the small mostly wood tower.

    Cortez and The Five start to discuss the options of defense in place, noting that Shonie repaired some of the damage to the observatory windows. It would be better than running, since Cortez would need help and does not want to abandon his books. As the group is discussing a trap involving a flanking operation with missile support from the observatory Aamar heads to that highest of floors. Maurice followed closely and asked the wise cleric of Quar if he could read the book that Mo took earlier. Aamar says it is “The Creation and Use of Transmutation Stones During the First Age.”

    All but Samul follow. He is on the first floor in the guest room recovering from his exhaustion. From the windows on the 3rd floor of the observatory they look out at the skies. Towards Nak they see three giant eagles in the air. They seem to be circling and searching rather than heading straight to the Glass Tower. Just beyond those eagles the volcano appears more active than typical.

    Aamar asks Cortez “is the volcano normal?”

    “It is more active than in my lifetime.”

    To the southwest past the Cliffs of Gallinor is a storm with that sickly greenish-grey. To the east is a thin trickle of smoke out over the Bay of Sheljar. Nature looks ominous and the Five, with their allies, believe that soon the rest of the Cult of Nak with their leader Chorl will be coming.

    Chorl and his followers are willing to destroy the Lorebook. The group know Chorl had 10-16 people with their bonds of wolves and eagles on patrol. The Five don’t know when they are coming, just that they took the Lorebook once and will almost certainly try again.

    This 90 minute or so session moved the story along while regrouping the various participants inside their “homebase.” Using a small amount of available time assured that the tale will still be told, even if in smaller chunks than are typical.

  • Piyu returns to a hut

    Piyu returns to a hut

    The clouds overhead are dark and gloomy. Winds have picked up enough that Fani is staying close to Piyu. She’d rather not fly and that bird certainly isn’t made for walking. As hail falls Piyu knows that he must stop running and find shelter. His escape didn’t include clothing for a run through the mountains and this type of storm.

    * * * * *

    He took the opportunity to escapte when he earned his weekly hour with Fani. The Scoques were kinder than most other halflings, in that they allowed their goliaths to visit their companions on occasion. Most of the birds on the ranch didn’t even have their wings clipped. The treatment of bonds like Fani, the quality of life for Piyu and his friends and the lack of aggression in enforcing Azsel policies meant that most accepted their place.

    Scoques Ranch became the new tribe. Most of the others considered the Scoques themselves the new tribal leadership and went about their business. It was the better of awful situations with which the border tribes along River Crinth dealt. Many were in fact settled. They were going to get sold or forcibly bred. They could choose their own family and even occasionally would be allowed to participate in local festivals celebrating the Everflow, or Harvest, or Migration.

    While much of the Azsel/Crinth relationship is about a quest for power through slavery versus freedom for the Scoques family it may be something more like servitude, though none earn their freedom. It is supposedly possible. Piyu doesn’t want possible. He wants his bird on wing and his feet sitting in a cool mountain pond while the two of them fish together. Piyu wants to be free, even if that means less well off.

    So Piyu left. He ordered Fani away and followed. Just walking off Scoques Ranch Piyu heads towards the hills. He does not break into a run until he crosses the fence on the ranch. Then his huge stride opens and he runs and runs and runs.

    It is the worst escape plan. At this point he’s committed. He runs through the afternoon and the night not resting until the next morning. Fani brings him back some fish. The two find a crevice and nestle in for a short rest. Goliath and bird will need to get up soon and keep running.

    * * * * *

    Piyu heads back to the hut he’d passed a while ago. It’s the only cover he’s seen since he escaped the settled lands. He thinks he’s still far enough ahead that shelter makes more sense than pushing through this type of storm. Hail is starting to fall, even though it is the Summer. There is also a wicked green tint to the clouds back over River Crinth.

    There’s just one problem. Someone is in the hut.

    Correction there are two problems. A small group is climbing up the slope behind that hut. They are about a half mile away. Three small halflings and too many dogs to bother counting now.

    Three problems – there are tiny sparks flashing back and forth across the river. They are red and gold. Smoke starts to billow out from a ranch near Scoques. Even smaller are the hints of blues and greens in the distance. What is this?

    The storm opens in full. Hail and winds and a tornado off in the distance. It does not matter now that the tiny building is occupied. Fani needs shelter. So they open the door and stare at Master Kellamon Scoques Lady Harsop and Bastos. Piyu can’t see Latarza, but that may not matter. He’s face-to-face with someone who though friendly will be taking him back to the Ranch.

    Lightning splits the tree behind him. Fani gives a soft cry. The peel of thunder shakes their souls.

    “I can’t run through this.”

    “Come in,” Kell says. Moving back. “You don’t have weapons?”

    “No. I just wanted to get away,” Piyu, despite having a huge size advantage speaks with a hint of fear. The Scoques don’t use whips, and rarely even nets, but the natural order is that halflings are in charge, even when alone.

    “I’ll start a fire.” Kellamon begins to gather some dry hay into the fire pit.

    “No!” Piyu shouts quietly. The little halfling raises an eyebrow and looks back. “There’s someone else coming Master Kellamon.”

    “Slavers? We wouldn’t hire slavers!”

    “They almost certainly are, but I didn’t get a close look. Master Kellamon today is going to change our lives.”

    “Yours will be worse for it.”

    “No, this isn’t about me and trying to leave. This storm is different. It will last through the day, maybe the next.” And in front of Piyu’s hands a greenish cloud, hail and a tiny tornado appear.

    Kellamon’s jaw drops. Bastos whimpers. Fani tucks her head under wing. Piyu just stares in wonderment at the model of the weather that somehow appeared in front of him. He’s never done this before today.

    “Close the door.” Kellamon’s authority is slightly weakened. The door closes, untouched by goliath hands.

    Piyu is startled. Maybe it was the wind, acting in concert with the words? The visual model of the storm disappears.

    “Let’s settle in and hope that those slavers pass don’t notice the hut. If they do I will try to pay them off.”

    It is the night when things change for Piyu, Kellamon and all of Kin.

  • The Meta-Game: Hows and whys of adventure creation

    The Meta-Game: Hows and whys of adventure creation

    Every few weeks, by the time the players can’t act on spoilers contained within, I’ll review the gaming sessions. These reviews will not be a review of the performance of the PCs, but a explanations as to what hooks were given, how the flavor of Kin leaked into the gaming conversation and attempts to give an impression of a larger world.

    Prelude to a discovery

    Most of this is a stock opener that can be used for two other concurrent adventures that could be run in the future. That ends at “You, you, those two, that one, her and her see Elder Sealm when we are done.” During the opener the establishment of Telse as a place that has religious powers in influential positions, as well as an elder non-political/religious leader is inserted into the storyline. And, there is a bare mention of Nils.

    There the three groups break out. With The Five, who were supposed to be a seven, and eventually are, we immediately get a snapshot that there is tension in the area among the people of Telse. All tension creates potential hooks.

    Notice, that the establishment of a “party” is hand waved. They are there because they want to be there. Shonie and Aamar know of each other, but are not friends. Each is working towards personal goals, but the quest for the Lorebook is just a path towards those more personal desires.

    Sealm hands Aamar a Stone. It is a minor magical item. His directions are bare-boned. At this point the group could follow those vague instructions, though the behavior of Nils intrigues them. As the DM I also prepared a couple concepts if they went totally off the Western path or following Nils. Those sketches included mapping a swath of area outside of where they were “supposed” to go, ready descriptions of a few locales and creating a few custom random encounter tables, empowering sandbox play.

    All of those details are also relevant when considering the possibility of expanding The Everflow into a robust campaign setting or writing fiction within the same setting like Chasing Piyu.

    There was a concentrated effort in this melding of our zero session and session one in talking about how every person of Kin (goliath, halfling, human) has a companion. These are mentioned as often as that bonded animal is within sight. Domesticated animals and the bond developed with them is a key part of this tale. Repetition of themes makes it feel important.

    The mostly Halfling group does not have a pack mastiff, so they purchase a mule to carry supplies on their journey.

    Now, that’s kind of a lie. Behn’s companion is technically a pack mastiff, but he does not use Mitzie in that manner. That’s also part of the flavor. A bonded animal that is merely wheelbarrow isn’t interesting. A wheelbarrow that becomes a key companion in life is.

    Day wolves, night wolves

    This opens with them being part of the Born Generation. Each is a character born with small magical abilities. This makes them late teens. A typical age for coming-of-age stories told through gaming. It is also a reminder that their parents grew up in times before the Awakening, when social and political systems were stable for many centuries.

    As they leave Telse they encounter but do not engage followers of Obscon. This was not designed as a random encounter, and if they left Telse through any gate, but not Upper Telse, they would have met that group. This allowed me to describe the political maneuvering of ghetto control.

    The rest of this first day of travel mostly involves descriptive narrative of the Western Wilde. They pass a tower complex being built as an early warning and defense system for the growing community. As they move along the road they leave civilization.

    When the wolves attack them at night this is actually a random encounter, but since it is custom built it fills some knowledge about what’s happening in Kin. There is a huge wolf as one of the five that attack the group. Animals of that size are new to every member of that group.

    That’s a seed of information planted. Even random encounters should plant information about the world space, if not the actual adventure.

    Finding and Defending the Tower of Glass

    Maurice’s entry into the group is the first time the nature of playing an episodic series of adventures comes into play. Unfortunately due to real life it doesn’t happen in a village or base, but on the road. That could have been handled better, but was necessary for real life. We meet almost every Sunday (Sounders games permitting) and those who can come do. Saffron’s operator couldn’t make this session so she came down ill. The group put here on mule and they made way.

    They also learn of something disastrous off towards Telse. They choose to not investigate. Using the few words to describe the smoke near where they passed the being-constructed tower let’s them know that there is a breathing world beyond just their quest. Always make the world breathe. This can leads to future hooks.

    In the upcoming battle at the Glass Tower three players were unavailable. Saffron remained ill, Mo was knocked out while alone when the attack started, Shonie guarded the companions as a reserve force. All are things that could happen. New entry Mansaray comes to the Tower in a wary fashion, not knowing which side is his enemy until he’s just missed by an arrow.

    The spider attack is something from the random encounters table. It is the mildest of attacks and done just to remind the players that there is not safety.

    When The Five get to the Tower of Glass there is a role-played interrogation that gets interrupted. The interrogation is actually the break point for our 3 hour real world session.

    The session with the attack is also only to be about three hours, it opens with conflict. The pace is a mix of fast and slow as the group learns/relearns combat. It is complex and in waves. Having four different waves forces the players to manage their resources. They know they will not have time to rest. Waves also provides both sides the opportunity to retreat, which one does.

    Retreat should always be an option. Just as a total party kill is wrong to do to the players, it is something that a group of NPCs will actively avoid. In this case the leader and two sub-bosses get away. Their minions and their minions’ companions all perish.

    Side Mission

    Only two players could make the next session. This was handled by creating two possible side missions. They picked one through role-play, rushing off to track down the raider who fled on foot. The other choice was to send a message to Telse, past that area that had been spewing smoke a few days prior.

    There are two encounters in this session. Both earned experience, even though only one involved death. During the second encounter when Saffron and Aamar escape from a patrol searching for them they won.

    They were rewarded with xp for doing so. The reward was not quite as large as if they had killed the patrol, but that was because they were not fully successful. The patrol knew that someone was nearby. The partial success resulted in half xp given.

    If xp is only given out for killings you create a game that is all about death. To this point every character earned xp for finding the Lorebook (a storypoint) and every character earned xp for winning a battle even if some of the enemy retreated. Saffron and Aamar also earned full xp for the man they captured and sent into servitude. Creating rewards for the type of play you want to see encourages that play in the future.

    We’re in middle of the battle of Nak right now, so I’m not going to dive into how the first few waves were used.

    Instead I’ll end pointing out that we are using the variant rule Gritty Realism (267 of the DnD5e DMG). That change was made during the play sessions and has had no effect on play. What it did was create a more narrative style of game that paced to one or two hard/deadly encounters on a typical day. The long rest will need to be in a place of sanctuary (say the Glass Tower, or semi-permanent encampment build with help of an outdoors specialist).

    Since we are doing just a 3-4 hour session averaging every other weeks this less video-game like pace suits the group. It also means that they worry about the death a bit more. Having players worry that characters die is good. It encourages play that is both cautious and courageous. Knowing that you won’t die means you have no courage, something the DM does will save you. Most of the group already know what they want their next character to be.

  • Session 5 Raiding the Cult of Nak

    Session 5 Raiding the Cult of Nak

    Returning from their scouting trip Saffron and Aamar share their findings. The group left behind tells a quick tale about how Cortez trained other scholars, including a man named Chorl. Cortez expected the Cult of Nak to have Chorl at its head, but as of now, Chorl’s whereabouts are unknown.

    In side voices the rest of The Five tell the scouts that in the past Cortez wipes the minds clean of those that find the Tower, the Lorebook and himself. Only those judged worthy of carrying on knowledge of ancient ways can know what they’ve found. None know if they are worthy, but their quest is to get the Book. Maybe they don’t need to bring it back to Cortez.

    They are going to sneak to that small village. Violence is fortunately certain, and so only Bernie the bear cub and Samul’s bearded dragon Boo come along. Bernie can provide help in the realm of violence. Samul and Boo are a pair. It isn’t an issue of trust, for Shonie and Saffron will stay back with the other companions. Behn and Mo round out the group.

    Travel during daylight is easier. The volcano looms, there is less smoke than usual, but still small signs of something happening soon. They come to the first ridge, where Aamar and Saffron killed the escapee and interrogated his rear guard. There is more caution this time.

    Mo heads to the top of the ridge and pokes his eyes over the edge. There is a group, they found one of the arrows. Mo indicates to his companions that they should stop and ready their weapons. This opposing group is masked, includes a goliath and five humans. There are two eagles and four wolves. Mo is a bit tense.

    Good fortune! They follow another path, and head to the Mo’s right. It’s slow, but The Five can wait. That group heads off and is now distant. Another group of five or six, with their bonds, walks along the next ridgeline. They head towards the mountain.

    The Five think they can slip into town now while those two are away. That would roughly be about a third of the populace, and now Mo notices a smaller group of three across the lahar valley and climbing the distant volcano. Maybe they can get into the largest building and snag the Lorebook.

    Working their way through brush, trees and gullies they make their way to the west edge of the two. Two small cottages sit along the entry path that walks towards a stream. There are bits of forest along the hillside. Mo rushes through the underbrush and gets to the edge, leaving the less stealthy group behind him with about 60 feet of path and grassland in between him and the others.

    Another patrol from the Nakists is in Maurice’s sight. Things could get hairy. This group has an eagle as well and a giant eagle too. Three humans, a goliath and two wolves round out the patrol. Mo takes cover, but not quickly enough. The giant eagle spots him. As it swoops down in an attempt to attack, little Maurice ducks underneath a branch. That bird will have to circle back or find a new target.

    Spotted Mo knows that he will need support. He has it, as the rest of the group surges forward. Between blades, bolts (magical and natural), birds, bears and wolves there is blooding flowing quickly. Only one human from the patrol gets away and flees to the largest of the houses, a two story building that can host a few goliath. A single eagle flies off. The Five are slightly wounded, but move forward.

    They are a few dozen feet behind that patrolman. He slams the door shut behind them and the loud noise of door bar is heard. Samul smashes through the door. His pit chain ripping through the soft woods. Just behind him are Aamar, Behn and Bernie. The brawl will continue. They force their way into the building.

    It is a large gathering place. About 45 feet away towards the back of the long house is a stairway. A man in chain mail holds a large book, the Lorebook, in front of him. There are obstacles. A couple more patrolman and a goliath with an eagle mask, but no eagle block the way. It is a pitched battle. The weakened patrolman doesn’t go down first, but the all fall.

    Anderson commands his group forward. They attack and The Five (but there’s only three and the bear cub. We’ll get to Mo in a bit) respond. It is another swirl of violence and chaos. Bolts of magic slice through the air with two hitting both Behn and Samul. It is a new kind of magic. Off to the side of their vision they notice a poof of smoke from the book.

    The people are handling the guards so Aamar releases his bear cub on the leader. Bernie charges Anderson, the man with the book and wrestles him. It is a man in chain, a huge book and a bear cub throwing each other about. A fortunate claw rips into Anderson, he falls unconscious at roughly the same time as his remaining guards.

    As those three charge into the house, Mo decides to try the second floor. He’s had enough of the violence. His first handhold gives out and a spear flies down past his shoulder. The second time he gets every hold, rushing to the window. Stabbing into the window with his rapier he skewers and throws aside that guard.

    Leaping into the window he sees a goliath with bird on shoulder. It’s an unfair fight, but Mo tries. He’s weakened the other, but falls with a blow to the head. An unconscious Mo is becoming a regular occurrence, as is the slightly halfling’s success at using his rapier.

    After taking Mo to the floor the goliath heads down the stairs in time to see Anderson fall victim to Bernie. Casting First Aid on Anderson the two are prepared to fight. Behn rushes the wounded leader. With a quick swing he falls again. Sacred Flame flows from that goliaths hands. The Lorebook and Behn take the holy fires.

    The rest of the group offs the petulant goliath. Action is swift, but he gets another Flame towards the Book. Behn shields it from most of the fires, taking the heat himself.

    There are no noises in the house. The large greeting and eating area has fur, feather, blood and fire about it. No one knows where Mo is. A quick Aamar shouts “UPSTAIRS?!” and heads there. Samul pops his head out the entry. Behn protects the Book.

    Aamar finds Maurice just at death’s door. The priest of Quar casts First Aid and Mo is back among the living.

    They’ve won! They have the Lorebook, as long as no one else is in the town, or discovers them as they head back to the Glass Tower and/or Telse.

  • Side Mission: Aamar and Saffron go on a chase

    Side Mission: Aamar and Saffron go on a chase

    As most of The Five (now at seven) recover from combat and put out fires Aamar and a freshly healed Saffron rush to the rock outcropping where the group of Nak’s followers leadership seemed to be. It is dark, the embers of the burning trees and corpses does not provide much light.

    Aamar mutters a few words and light emanates from his shield. The rocks don’t reveal much. From Mansaray they learn that a man in chain mail grabbed the book and took flight on one of the massive eagles, but there are tracks. Another man, probably the bowman, fled on foot. There is no light ahead as he scrambles through the rocks and brambles.

    Both chasers and chasee will be slowed for different reasons. There is a chance they can catch him, if they run. And they do. They rush through the night, guided by a bit of Light on that shield the human, halfling, bear cub and sled dog are on chase. They are off in the night, a small group charging after a man with a bow.

    For the most part the trail from the runner goes along the paths of the local deer and elk. At best guess they are roughly maintaining distance. After a couple hours the path crests a small ridge.

    An arrow whistles past Aamar’s shield.

    Just over that ridge are three men. The one with the longbow is familiar. The other two are new. Both have crossbows.

    Aamar, Saffron their companions rush forward. The ambush failed, and they must take advantage. A rapid exchange of blows with the leather clad crossbowmen ensues. The longbow user starts to run. Aamar is off in chase.

    Bernie, Saffron and her dog off one of the two remaining. Aamar’s chase only lasts a few dozen feet. He closes to within a couple feet. The runner takes two swings with a short sword, both miss. Aamar’s small axe cleaves through the runner. There will be no interrogation of that one.

    After Bernie and Saffron take out one of the two that oppose them the other surrenders, begging for his life.

    Here, there will be an interrogation.

    There are a few learnings from this one. He’s poor and willing to soldier for money. He explains that “Anderson asked us to hold here in reserve to protect the retreat.”

    Further along they find that Anderson is not the bowman, but a higher up, perhaps the one in chain that fled on the eagle. Aamar and Saffron discover that just down past this ridge is an encampment of Nak, and Anderson is merely a leader, not the leader. The bandit is sent back to the small village near the Glass Tower to serve Nima, matron of the family that cared for Saffron during the illness.

    They pick through the leavings of the fallen soldiers. Take the money off the one that lives. After creating some distance from the violence Aamar and Saffron finally rest.

    In the morning they trudge along towards the valley and the community of Nak. Now, under the soft light of a partly cloudy day they work towards an active volcano. They move slowly through the cover, not wanting to be ambushed again, and no longer having a reason to hurry. It is close enough to the Glass Tower that they should be able to see the size of the community, its location and still get back to their compatriots. That assumes that everything goes to plan (ha!).

    And now they see the smoke of an active outdoor fire, as well as the thin trickles from household stoves. Saffron, Aamar, and their companions slow the approach even more. Now they creep through scrub, find bushes, scamper in little troughs of land.

    A multi-racial group heads there way. All have companions, eagles and wolves accompany the mixed group of humans, halflings and a loan goliath. Saffron had separated from the Aamar and Bernie. She’s alone with very little cover. The six people of Kin are moving towards the members of The Five.

    Saffron makes a little run to hurry towards another hiding spot. The group of six pause, chat and three return to the hamlet/camp. The other three, including the goliath walk towards where Saffron was. They’ve spotted the heroes.

    A rustle of noise, like a flock of birds comes from a copse of trees off to Saffrons left. The goliath sends his eagle off to investigate. One of the humans, a woman, sends her dog as well. Another rustle and their full attention is drawn.

    Aamar mutters and gestures. The little cantrip did its job. Saffron joins him. And now, thirty seconds later Silence surrounds them. They run, no ears can see and the cover is enough. They’ve managed to escape unharmed, but not unknown.

    The return to the Glass Tower is safe.

    Cortez is surprised to learn that Anderson is a leader, he had expected it to be his former student Chorl. He is also surprised that a semi-permanent settlement would be inside that valley, as it is a lahar. The two saw four small cottages, a medium sized building built to allow goliath entry and a larger structure clearly with a few rooms. There was at least one other building hidden behind a ridge, as there was a trail of smoke coming from that area. Saffron draws a quick map.

    This place probably has the Lorebook. The leadership and most residents (maybe all) are parts of the Cult of Nak, a group that wants the companionship between beast and people to become even stronger, maybe even as one. There is a chance that something within that Lorebook could help that happen.

    Telse is three or four days away. A messenger pigeon was sent, but The Five and Cortez have yet to hear back from the large town.

  • Sessions Two and Three: Finding and Defending the Tower of Glass

    Sessions Two and Three: Finding and Defending the Tower of Glass

    Just a half day from Telse, the group is in a different land.They passed one of the guard towers being built as defense in depth. Five towers are being built. One to the west, one on the road to Sheljar, another to the Ferments and then each river has a tower as well.

    Today, back towards that western tower they see smoke, closer they see a small Halfling riding an axebeak. A fox plays at the feat of the war bird. It closes on them rapidly. It’s heavy head bobbing and the tiny person swaying, holding onto reigns like they are handles.

    The prior evening’s death is behind them. They are a touch wary, but Shonie recognizes young Mo. The rest recall the Telsian as one of those processed to the jail. He is one of them, but not yet blooded. His worth not yet known, he is accepted.

    At the split in the trail, it is certainly not a road, they must make a choice. The trail edging to the south heads towards the Cliffs of Gallinor and a Goliath community. They tend to be ignore Telsian affairs and focus on their dream, the land of Gallinor, where Goliaths are free. Birds large enough to ride thrive and people are respected for their thoughts, their arts and their words, not power.

    The Five (now six) take the path north. A large shadow drifts overhead. Saffron looks up and sees an eagle so large it is unnatural. They head to Dakhan Thaeeb, the Smolders. These active volcanoes lack wealth. There are communities scattered in these mountains.Some farm a weed, others a seed. It is a land where lava will flow at times.

    The nearest town, hardly a town, acts as a central market for these independent farmers. There the Five learn that there is a mystic nearby. This clue comes from a local boy, who offers to help Saffron. An illness came over her. She stays behind, as the the Five (actually five again) move towards a waterfall and pool inside the darkest of woods.

    Beyond that point will be a tower of glass. It takes them some time to get to the falls, but they see a light with that note that visually declares it is behind glass. Determined, the group pushes on. There are many webs, eventually two stupid, and large, spiders try to stop them.

    They are a mere nuisance.

    After the arachnids, the group breaks out of the trees. Darkness wasn’t too dark. Without the forest there is enough light to continue.

    Like most shared buildings in Kin this Tower of Glass is built with Goliaths in mind. The main entry is a double-door big enough for the huge people. There is also a smaller door for Halflings, with a tiny entry for dogs and an open window for small birds. Each of the three floors is about 12 feet high. Mostly wood, the third floor features huge glass panes and a shake roof.

    A Goliath with grey skin, grey hair and a grey braided thrown over his shoulder opens the doors.

    “Enter”

    He has an ancient axebeak at his side and a raven on his shoulder.

    “Please.”

    His movement is slow. With a straight back he is probably near 11 feet tall, but he is now quite hunched. He walks down a spiral stair to a large cushioned chair. He is weak. He needs the soft space. The basement also has large cushioned spaces for his aged axebeak. On both floors are hundreds of books and scrolls.

    Mo and Samul do not follow the group. Both charge up the stairs, youthful exuberance gives them hope that they can learn the space before they are missed. The second story is a huge bedroom, again there are books on shelves and piled on the floor. Samul starts to search.

    In the basement.

    “What brings you?”

    Aamar answers “We came from Telse and seek the Lorebook. Who are you?”

    “I am Cortez. Why do you seek this book?”

    Mo sprints up the the third floor. A small book intrigues him. It is sized for a Halfling, though there are markings that look as if it was bitten by a bird.

    Below

    “For it’s knowledge, for answers.”

    There is a crashing sound. A second later another crashing noise. It is as if hundreds of wine glasses fall to the floor at once. A thud.

    Below the mood changes, it isn’t the mix between introductions and interrogation. Now it is alertness. There is violence here.

    Samul is the first to the third floor. Two eagles are present. They have riding equipment. Two men are with them. Samul sees Maurice’s body on the floor. One of the men stands over him. The other takes a colossal book from a space of nothingness into his hands. Samul charges, whipping his chain about his head.

    The man that struck Mo is crushed. The other leaps aboard the eagle closest to him.

    Behn’s head pops above the floor. His assessment is quick. His crossbow is in hand.

    Shonie calls out to Aamar, “the doors!” Someone is knocking them down. Shonie grabs the beast companions of all and takes them to safety (?) in the basement. Aamar and Bernie, the bear cub, guard the door. There is a group of men and wolves there.

    Samul’s taken out one of the riders, but the other flies off. Behn rushes the window in time for a single shot – a hit! The other rider and book fall, right to the feet of a man in chain mail. Nearby is another human, this time with a long bow aimed towards the door. They are on a ridge about 70 or feet from Behn at the edge of the window.

    Those two now have the book, and a dead body and a very live giant eagle.

    Rather than leap from the windows Behn and Samul rush down the stairs to the first floor. They want that book back.

    There is a problem. A man and two women, all wearing wolf masks are at the doors. Not too surprisingly they have two wolves with them. Samul, Behn, Aamar and Bernie are engaged. Things are touch and go. Bernie is told to retreat as the small bear is severely wounded. He heads down to the basement with Shonie and the dogs.

    Cortez crests the stairway when the conflict is down to a single wolf and woman. His firebolt blasts the wolf into nothingness. It is not singed, it is a poof of ash. One of the Five drops the woman, as the others exit the Tower.

    Another group is approaching. An arrow just misses Behn. Off to the west a copse of trees burns.

    This group is another three humans with masks. They have just one wolf. Cortez lets off another blast, this one misses, the partially obscured man dodges out of the way. Another tree now burns.

    Clubs, swords, chains, bolts and arrows fly. Combat is fast.

    In the distance more fires are starting, the longbowman is not firing on the Five and the Tower. Something is moving through the woods and drawing his fire. The man in chain mail mounts the eagle of the fallen acolyte and escapes.

    Behn is hit and goes down. Aamar and Samul are what is left. They leave a path of waste behind them, but the book is gone. The movement in the distance is huge; it is a Goliath. He seems to be acting in support.

    The opposing bowman is gone. He’s fled back on the ground, but that Goliath has the sickly body of Saffron with him.

    Tension eases. The Five live, and are reunited. But most are wounded. The Glass Tower is damaged. The forest is afire.

    “What brings you Mansaray Falcon?”

    “The Laksais son left this tiny woman vomiting in their barn. Master Laksai asked me to bring her to you for healing.”

    “Ah, yes,” Cortez answered. “I can help her. Can you and you help put out those fires?” He points to Mansaray and the recently healed by Aamar Behn. “You, bring me the tiny one from the observatory. I can heal him.”

    Samul heads up the stairs.

    Cortez pours a concoction down Saffron’s throat.

    Repairing the group and the Tower takes some amount of time. They put out the fires. Not all can heal fully. They need rest. Only Aamar and Saffron are capable of moving on, so under Cortez’ instruction they chase the one that left on foot.

    It is the deepest of night, in unfamiliar territory, but the group needs information. They go.

  • Session One: day wolves, night wolves

    Session One: day wolves, night wolves

    These simple five are part of the born generation. They know they have powers that are unusual, but their parents learned. The all know of an idyllic time that seems naturally unattainable, forgotten. None are lost. They just know that by growing up on Kin in a post-Awakening world violence and turmoil are normal.

    Questing is just a path. For Aamar and Shonie the well-being of Telse matters. Others are searching for money, relatives, purpose. The initial five with their dogs, iguana and bear cub make their way through the streets of Telse for the West Gate where they will collect foodstuffs. A short pause when Aamar and Behn buy a mule to carry their things is all their time in this city of kin and beasts. Passing doorways with varied openings that span sizes for Goliaths down to small dogs the journey starts.

    On the Telse side of the West Gate is authority, civilization. On the western side is one of the many ghettos growing as various others try to jockey for power and influence in the once minor town. Which power controls a gate changes regularly. As the Five leave Telse’ simple life they weave through a crowd of Obscon’s followers.

    A cult that believes the Awakening signals the end times, followers of Obscon take what they want. They do not worry about punishment in the current world, because it is a failing world. One of the faster growing powers on Kin the Obsconders are dangerous in that they want only joy of self, not political power.

    Carefully the Five work their way past this assortment of people. There is no violence, just worry.

    Keeping a standard pace the Five walk along a path through the hills of the Wilde. To the northwest they see Dakhan Thaeeb’s active volcanoes. The rough land of commodity farming where any day could end in fire. To the south is the Ferments, a land of liquors both natural and Kin-made.

    As the afternoon passes fewer caravans pass. This western road is fading to trail as it winds through these hills. With sunset coming our Five hopeful heroes settle into the night. A warm fire with a mix of gathered and brought wood starts quickly. Watches are set. The mule is staked off in the dim light, but still within this common camp clearing.

    Samul’s iguana sneaks inside the warm nook of an armpit. The Western Wildes aren’t the warm lands of Mehmd.

    A watch is planned. Still just over a half day from Telse the idea of an attack feels absurd to the group. The rotation is about preparedness for an unknown future.

    Until late, during the witching hours, when dogs’ hackles rise. Something is near. Eyes glint in the darkness.

    By Night Vision original here https://flic.kr/p/bPpZTe
    By Night Vision original here https://flic.kr/p/bPpZTe

    It is a pack. Four standard wolves and one that looks like it could take down an Goliath roams slightly behind two to the north.

    A battle ensues. Behn sets fire to a tree when his fire bolt misses. Samul’s chain smashes the great wolf across the shoulder and face. Shonie and her retriever take one down. Aamar and his cub take a couple down. This is a winnable event.

    Blood flows. An initial confrontation pushes the group, but not to the edge. Behn fells the final wolf at a couple dozen feet. His crossbow is more effective than his spell.

    After the battle is a time for recovery, relaxation. Samul takes the ear of that massive wolf. His first souvenir.

    Wakefullness comes late. Midmorning after some gathered roots and berries, along with a small portion of the purchased rations is a meal. The wolf bodies are set aside, none of the Five’s animals dine on the flesh of wild beasts.

    They’ve survived. They’ve learned something about each other. They may have learned more.

    As they return to the trail two things come apparent. There is a small dust cloud of speedy rider headed their way, and the dark smoke of a fire back towards Telse.

  • Prelude to a discovery

    Prelude to a discovery

    The recent empowerment of cantrips sparked the greatest interest in the Font of Two Paths out in Western Kin. This place is holy, clearly something unnatural creates the Everflow. Each day a new group shows up in worship, or to search the lands for a clue as to why this Awakening occurred.

    A generation ago Telse was just a merchant town that connected upcountry villages to the great port city-states of Mira and Qin. Now it is overwhelmed with newbs. They are taxing the ability of the town to feed everyone. The villages in the area cannot provide enough. Food is now being brought into the area by barge.

    Formerly a pastoral town and region Telse is the new frontier. Cultures are mixing in ways that are unexpected. Due to Telse’s history as a faith retreat and shipping region the language is commonly known, but new tongues enter the town constantly. Outside the walls, which enclose the Font, there are districts of the Five Kingdoms, as well as the guilds, clans, tribes, faiths and ways. They have their normal conflicts and worries, but in much closer proximity.

    The town guard and militia are overwhelmed. When dustups between the ghettos flare to a great enough level they are ignored. Violence, robbery, assassination, forced conversion, slave trading and other evils disgust the people whose families called Telse home for generations.

    Mayor Kellamon (Halfling) is losing control. His guard is needed to have some semblance of peace.

    He formulates an idea. Find the greatest scholar in all of Kin. Find the Lorebook. Use its immense power to set things back to normal. Rid the outsiders from Telse. The last Mayor tried creating a rumor that the Lorebook was in Aszel, held by the Emperor. Adventurers ran off to Aszel to take the Book. They were slaughtered or enslaved. Aszel stepped up its involvement in Telse-ian affairs and Kellamon because mayor by freeing a significant number of slaves. Prior to that he was a shepherd with three dogs and even earlier he had a dark past.

    Mayor Kellamon gathered a group of about twenty at the base of the Everflow Falls. He stands on a dias that preachers typically use. At his side are Captain Piyu, Corporal Allison, Elder Sealm and Bishop of Quar Ollium. Nils is in the rear with a doubtful scowl on his face.

    His amplified voice booms over the selectees and the other crowds.
    “Thank you for coming. Telse is changing. It is not the simple place of pleasure and pilgrims, but now boom town. After the various wars and quests of the Awakening, Telse doubled in size. I am trying to get a handle on things here, and am getting help. Bishop Ollium is working with other faiths about shared access to the Font of Two Paths, this should go a long way to soothing the needs of the religious. Piyu and Allison are continuing their efforts to train the guard and militia, as well as leading an effort to build a new wall. The towers are helping provide early warnings about those that would raid our lands.

    “These, here before us are on a different mission. They are to search for the Lorebook. If our small village is to become a city, we must know the cause. Maybe then Telse can use the knowledge to build something great together, rather than have outsiders define our future.

    “Piyu and I talked with all, and have grouped them together. They are not criminals beings sent on a fools errand as Mayor Benson sent those souls to Aszel.  Some will stay behind to reinforce others that near success.

    “You, you, those two, that one, her and her see Elder Sealm when we are done.”
    A fight breaks out between two of that group. A sergeant of the guard and his squad pull apart a Halfling and Goliath about to go at it. They are taken to the overcrowded town jail.

    With a broad gesture, “those to my right see the Bishop. Those to my left will talk to Allison. Piyu will join you after he  jails the idiots. Thank you for volunteering.”

    Kellamon walks away followed by his three herd dogs. Nils starts climbing the Cliffs of the Everflow.

    Sealm’s advice for the group is simple. Do not assume the myths are lies. Go West, away from troubled times, because what scholar would seek violence while trying to learn? He hands Aamar a smooth stone and indicates the group should leave on the western trail to the Cliffs of Gallinor and Dakhan Thaeeb.

    Samul, Shonie, Saffron, Behn and Aamar lack direction, but not hopes. They have their own reasons for participating in this foolish errand. Heading through the boom town and its multitude of neighborhoods with their menagerie they do not get odd looks, except for Samul due to the rare iguana and Aamar’s bear cub.

    The mostly Halfling group does not have a pack mastiff, so they purchase a mule to carry supplies on their journey. They head to the western gate. They look to the hills of the Western Wildes not knowing what their future is.

  • Chasing Piyu

    Chasing Piyu

    Finding this one was going to be trouble. The rough lands towards Telse along the Bell’an Range is a good place to hide. Getting into the unclaimed hills is a way to avoid the Crinth-Aszel war and, probably more importantly, a way to find evade capture. Some rush to the front, where the number of Aszel soldiers and their dogs make hiding harder. But, those that rush to the front also stand a chance of finding their tribe.

    Piyu took the other route towards sharp crags, forests, brambles, and streams. The goliath’s massive frames make hiding hard, in the Range and Upper Telse there is hope.

    Kellamon does not care for Piyu’s hope. He doesn’t care for his ability to hide. This hunt already cost him Latarza. It wasn’t even violence, just a horrendous accident away from any help. A stupidly rushed river crossing so as to not lose the scent. Lat had the lead, a little slip and Bastos’ littermate is gone.

    Pain had ripped through Kell. A companion of several years torn from his little pack. Losing the food, other traveling goods and time meant little. Latarza is gone. He was a damn fine dog. He’s gone.

    That was two days ago.

    Now Bastos cannot find the scent. There’s a narrow path, and it is likely that Piyu followed it. An abandoned homestead sits off to the west. Recent rains weigh down tall grasses, they may be some kind of grain gone wild.

    A shadow passes over Kellamon as he’s bent to the ground inspecting trail sign. He glances to the sky and sees a massive eagle. It is circling. Bastos is several dozen feet away, and could be the center of that circle. Kell gave the whistle for come. Losing a second dog just trying to catch an escapee would be foolish.

    The wingspan and that grand beast could cover a cloud. As it drifts off away, Kell wonders about the kind of place he’s in where a bird that large would be free. Kell, also thanked As that Piyu’s bond is just a heron. Piyu wouldn’t run out of food, but there’s nothing to scare Kell and Bastos. Impracticality would be Piyu’s downfall.

    Dark clouds roll overhead, chasing the giant eagle to the mountains. The storm would be massive. Since the escaping goliath’s trail had stopped here recently, the abandoned shed could be shelter again. He’d lose little time to this soon-to-rage storm. Piyu could try to keep running, but these rains would slow him, the winds would threaten his bird.

    Another night with no fire, but at least he’d be warm with Bastos curled next to him. Dinner is nuts, tack bread and some dried roots paired with a bit of fresh water. It was the best night of the chase, even if both he and Bastos were lonely.

    Maybe tomorrow he’d catch Piyu or that damn bird. One would lead to the other. Maybe tomorrow he could start a journey home and grieve properly. For now, he could sleep. Tomorrow he’d recapture the massive goliath.