Last time, we tried to offer peace to those that offered us harm but dice wouldn’t let us. Now onto the game.
So we’ve still got out preparations from our last tangle with the Raven-Drake, but since we’re changing tactics I think that we should try to Secure an Advantage. Althus is going to try and craft a potion that will heighten his focus and speed his limbs. We’ll roll +wits and get a strong hit (9 vs. 2, 5). We’ll prepare to act and take the +2 momentum (now up to +3).
Next, since we’re already delving into the herbs, we’ll attempt to Heal. We’ll take the +2 bonus from our Herbalist asset and roll +wits, but only get a weak hit (10 vs. 10, 5). Unfortunate, but we’ll still recover +2 health (up to +5), though at the cost of -1 supply (down to +4).
Finally, since our task is to secure the aid of Sommersbrooke to Wyvern’s Rest, I think a bit of flying the flag is needed. To that end, we’re going to publicly Swear an Iron Vow to see Sibila healed of her curse (which also is probably worth another milestone on our quest, since we’re giving the people of Sommersbrooke some hope, so 6/10 on that progress track). Since it seems fairly simple (though certainly not easy) I think making it only a Troublesome quest is not out of the question. We roll +iron and get a weak hit (6 vs. 6, 4) which is fine. We get another +1 momentum (up to +4) and head out to the spring (marking progress on our vow to cure Sibila, 3/10).
I think we should use another Scene Challenge for this, so we make a progress track for “collect the water of the spring” (0/4) and a countdown track (0/4). First let’s try sneaking as close as possible. We Face Danger with +shadow and get a miss (3 vs. 3, 7). While early, we’ll burn our momentum (back down to +2) to make it a weak hit. We mark progress (2/10) but also mark the countdown (1/4); I think the beast is aware of us.
Now that the beast can see us, I think we just book it towards the springs. We’re running flat out (with the help of our Hot Meadow concoction, though that doesn’t give us any mechanical benefit other than the momentum we generated) so we Face Danger again, but this time +edge. We get another weak hit (4 vs. 3, 8) so we mark further progress (4/10) but also mark the countdown track (2/4). I imagine the beast, with its supernatural speed, has gotten ahead of us and now blocks our path. Let’s see how it like iron.
We’re going to try and rush our way past the beast, leaping at it with Kiah’s cleaver. We roll +iron another weak hit (9 vs. 10, 5). I am imagining Althus leaping at the beast and getting a couple cuts in before it bats him away with one of its massive wings. Perhaps closer to one of the pools? Regardless, we mark our progress (6/10) and mark countdown (3/4).
The beast is bearing down on us, toothy maw on its stomach flapping and talons tearing. Althus takes a quick moment to dump out the last of his water over his face wrappings and dunks his waterskin into the waters. The beast crashes into him and Althus counts on his barbed wire to make the beast regret it. We roll +iron to Face Danger and get a strong hit (8 vs. 5, 1). I feel like the beast kicks him over with one of its talons and starts to stomp at him, only to cut itself on the barbed wire. The beast flaps away in confusion and pain. Luckily, Althus has only some minor bruises to show for the exchange. We mark progress (8/10) and I think it is time to vamoose.
We roll the Challenge Dice and get a strong hit (8 vs. 5, 4). We’re able to escape, most likely with the beast howling in pain behind us, wanting to give chase but the iron cuts (and perhaps its bond to this location) not allowing it to. With water in hand, we mark progress on our Vow (6/10) and rush back to town.
Once back, it’s time to see Sibila. We administer the healing waters to her and Ask the Oracle “can the waters break the curse” (almost certainly). They can (86), and while it’ll still be a while until Sibila will be back on her feet, we’ve saved her life. We roll the challenge dice to Fulfill Our Vow and get an opportunity (6 vs. 1, 1). We mark xp (6 total, 3 used) and now to imagine what this means. The most obvious answer is that we did not need to use all of the healing water to break the curse. An interesting single-use resource to hold in our back pocket. We’ll mark that on our sheet.
With Sibila saved, we’ll mark progress on that Vow as well and I think we can try to Fulfill that as well. We get a strong hit (7 vs. 2, 4) netting us 3 more XP (9 total, 3 used) which gives us a lot to work with. I’ll need time to figure out what to do with all of it. But wait, we also had a threat on that quest. And since the threat’s menace equaled or exceeded our progress when we completed it (9 menace vs. 7 progress) we get 1 additional progress (a small bonus for excepting a threat on a Vow). That puts us at 10 total XP.
But for now, we’ll attempt to Forge a Bond with Sommersbrooke. We roll +heart and get a strong hit (6 vs. 2, 4) and so we mark the bond and get +1 spirit, bringing us back up to max. With that, I feel this is a good place to leave Althus and crew until his next quest. He’ll spend some time recovering, training, and bonding with the people of Sommersbrooke.
Until next time, I leave you all with a question: What sort of adventures would you like to see Althus go on next?