Here it is, this update was hard to write XD
52 – On the road again
You decide to ask for permission to investigate the village. It's doubtful whether or not there's some information to be found there, but if there is, you want to find it. You have never heard of anything like this, and this event shakes the very foundations of your vision of the world. A slim chance may be, but you can't simply ignore it, and it certainly beats treating some villagers or securing some carts. And nobody else here seems to have ever heard about anything like this before.
Alternatively, you could try to look into books, but there's none here about strange events. You think about the book you left at Bitak, there might be some clues there. Or maybe even more knowledgeable people... but you're here now, you will try to make the best of it.
As for the metal artifact, you will keep it wrapped in cloth and on your person. A safe, deep pocket is a good way to do that. You want to be able to feel if it does heat up, and keep it close just in case, but you do not trust it enough to put it in contact with your skin.
And so, for the next three days you search the village, ask the villagers what they saw, and generally try to discover more. But you come up almost empty handed. You learn nothing of the shadows, nor you find any traces. The only things you can confirm is that nobody died due to the shadows, they simply lost consciousness and were extremely drained for the next couple of days. And also, that some people that were outside were not attacked at all. But no matter how much you try, you can't find any reason for that, they have nothing in common that you can see.
At least, this investigation allows you to take a much needed break. Intense work it may be, but it's not as tiring as treating villagers or working for the caravan. You also use the opportunity to sincerely thank the servant who might have saved your life. It is a bit humbling to be honest, but you're really grateful for what he did, he could have just fled.
And so comes the dawn of the fourth day. The caravan is ready once again, everything has been double-checked. You and Kalz are sure that everything has been accounted for, and a semblance of normality has returned in the village. There have been no unusual events, no hints of trouble and no messengers. It is time to depart at last. You say your goodbyes to this village and to the lord before the caravan leaves. It feels good to be on the road again.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Excerpt 8: Rethoric – The right volume to use in your speeches
... one should always keep in mind that different situations require to speak with a different volume. Speaking loudly is good for speeches when you try to incite strong emotions, or when feigning anger. When explaining things one should instead keep a composed voice, quieter and firm.
Also sometimes there are other variables that need to be kept in mind. For example, Dabil diplomats seem to like using rather loud tones, while Werag nobles consider it most offensive....
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A few days pass as you travel southwest. You do not meet anyone, the climate is warm but comfortable, the road is easy and pleasant. The mood of the caravan lifts, and you gradually start relaxing. Your frayed nerves really needed this. You continue your sword training, and studying the book of rethorics. You also feel that you have finally learned the basics of riding. It's still very uncomfortable, but you can at least manage it.
(You have gained skills: Riding (Horse) 1 (Very basic) , Rethorics 1 (Very basic))
After six days of travel you reach the bridge over the Volay river, and there you meet someone at last. It's a messenger of the Royal Courier Service, galloping fast on the paved road. He stops and hails you, and you learn he's bringing a message from the Lord of Vegan to Lord Medah. He tells you that the unnatural darkness manifested itself everywhere as far as he knows, though of course he's limited to the knowledge of the places he passed and of those that sent news. It was not something limited to Nokos. This information makes the men afraid, you can hear the murmurs as they talk about this. As the messenger leaves, you and Kalz do your best to reassure the men.
(By the way, as always the map is in the third post of the thread if you need it)
You travel for another three days northwest, you're now very close to Bitak. Just another couple of days and you will reach it. You set camp in a cozy place near the road for the night. It is rather warm and you feel sleepy, so you retire for the night soon. A nice place near a campfire, a blanket, and you immediately fall into a deep slumber. And in your sleep, you dream. It is a strange dream, you feel.... not alone. As if there was someone else there, together with you. It's a strange sensation, and you feel like you're shaking.... as if someone was... shaking you...
You wake up with a start as a scream tears through the night
"TO ARMS, TO ARMS, PREPARE FOR- ARRRGGGGHHHHH"
Suddenly awake, you jump up grabbing you sword. Not a moment too soon, a couple of arrows embed themselves near to where you were sleeping. They might have hit you had you not moved.
It's chaos around you, as men are fighting. You hear the sound of hooves, screams of pain and rage, and many conflicting orders in the night. Men are fighting against other men, men are fighting against mounted opponents, arrows are streaking through the dark and you see a man to your left sinking his sword in a centipede longer than your arm. Another man, on the edge of the light to your right, goes down under many centipedes of that size.
You have no time for anything else than a quick glance around, you have to move, fast! You are wearing your leather armor, luckily you were too tired to disrobe last night. You also have your sword with you. You were sleeping on the left side of the encampment, and most of the fighting seems to be concentrated to your right where most of the campfires and people are. You can't estimate how many enemies there are but from the sound of it, they are at least a credible opponent.
You see a few man fighting right ahead of you against a couple of horsemen. A few centipedes are on your far right, seemingly circling around the caravan. To your left, a lone man is fighting against another opponent, all the while trying to avoid a smaller centipede. The arrows seem to streak from somewhere in the dark before you. This is all you see at first glance, you can't wait any longer, you're just a stationary target like this!
What do you want to do Kyoss? Feel free to go plan more than one move, if anything happens I will stop the narration and ask for more input.
Oh, and... good luck
52 – On the road again
You decide to ask for permission to investigate the village. It's doubtful whether or not there's some information to be found there, but if there is, you want to find it. You have never heard of anything like this, and this event shakes the very foundations of your vision of the world. A slim chance may be, but you can't simply ignore it, and it certainly beats treating some villagers or securing some carts. And nobody else here seems to have ever heard about anything like this before.
Alternatively, you could try to look into books, but there's none here about strange events. You think about the book you left at Bitak, there might be some clues there. Or maybe even more knowledgeable people... but you're here now, you will try to make the best of it.
As for the metal artifact, you will keep it wrapped in cloth and on your person. A safe, deep pocket is a good way to do that. You want to be able to feel if it does heat up, and keep it close just in case, but you do not trust it enough to put it in contact with your skin.
And so, for the next three days you search the village, ask the villagers what they saw, and generally try to discover more. But you come up almost empty handed. You learn nothing of the shadows, nor you find any traces. The only things you can confirm is that nobody died due to the shadows, they simply lost consciousness and were extremely drained for the next couple of days. And also, that some people that were outside were not attacked at all. But no matter how much you try, you can't find any reason for that, they have nothing in common that you can see.
At least, this investigation allows you to take a much needed break. Intense work it may be, but it's not as tiring as treating villagers or working for the caravan. You also use the opportunity to sincerely thank the servant who might have saved your life. It is a bit humbling to be honest, but you're really grateful for what he did, he could have just fled.
And so comes the dawn of the fourth day. The caravan is ready once again, everything has been double-checked. You and Kalz are sure that everything has been accounted for, and a semblance of normality has returned in the village. There have been no unusual events, no hints of trouble and no messengers. It is time to depart at last. You say your goodbyes to this village and to the lord before the caravan leaves. It feels good to be on the road again.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Excerpt 8: Rethoric – The right volume to use in your speeches
... one should always keep in mind that different situations require to speak with a different volume. Speaking loudly is good for speeches when you try to incite strong emotions, or when feigning anger. When explaining things one should instead keep a composed voice, quieter and firm.
Also sometimes there are other variables that need to be kept in mind. For example, Dabil diplomats seem to like using rather loud tones, while Werag nobles consider it most offensive....
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A few days pass as you travel southwest. You do not meet anyone, the climate is warm but comfortable, the road is easy and pleasant. The mood of the caravan lifts, and you gradually start relaxing. Your frayed nerves really needed this. You continue your sword training, and studying the book of rethorics. You also feel that you have finally learned the basics of riding. It's still very uncomfortable, but you can at least manage it.
(You have gained skills: Riding (Horse) 1 (Very basic) , Rethorics 1 (Very basic))
After six days of travel you reach the bridge over the Volay river, and there you meet someone at last. It's a messenger of the Royal Courier Service, galloping fast on the paved road. He stops and hails you, and you learn he's bringing a message from the Lord of Vegan to Lord Medah. He tells you that the unnatural darkness manifested itself everywhere as far as he knows, though of course he's limited to the knowledge of the places he passed and of those that sent news. It was not something limited to Nokos. This information makes the men afraid, you can hear the murmurs as they talk about this. As the messenger leaves, you and Kalz do your best to reassure the men.
(By the way, as always the map is in the third post of the thread if you need it)
You travel for another three days northwest, you're now very close to Bitak. Just another couple of days and you will reach it. You set camp in a cozy place near the road for the night. It is rather warm and you feel sleepy, so you retire for the night soon. A nice place near a campfire, a blanket, and you immediately fall into a deep slumber. And in your sleep, you dream. It is a strange dream, you feel.... not alone. As if there was someone else there, together with you. It's a strange sensation, and you feel like you're shaking.... as if someone was... shaking you...
You wake up with a start as a scream tears through the night
"TO ARMS, TO ARMS, PREPARE FOR- ARRRGGGGHHHHH"
Suddenly awake, you jump up grabbing you sword. Not a moment too soon, a couple of arrows embed themselves near to where you were sleeping. They might have hit you had you not moved.
It's chaos around you, as men are fighting. You hear the sound of hooves, screams of pain and rage, and many conflicting orders in the night. Men are fighting against other men, men are fighting against mounted opponents, arrows are streaking through the dark and you see a man to your left sinking his sword in a centipede longer than your arm. Another man, on the edge of the light to your right, goes down under many centipedes of that size.
You have no time for anything else than a quick glance around, you have to move, fast! You are wearing your leather armor, luckily you were too tired to disrobe last night. You also have your sword with you. You were sleeping on the left side of the encampment, and most of the fighting seems to be concentrated to your right where most of the campfires and people are. You can't estimate how many enemies there are but from the sound of it, they are at least a credible opponent.
You see a few man fighting right ahead of you against a couple of horsemen. A few centipedes are on your far right, seemingly circling around the caravan. To your left, a lone man is fighting against another opponent, all the while trying to avoid a smaller centipede. The arrows seem to streak from somewhere in the dark before you. This is all you see at first glance, you can't wait any longer, you're just a stationary target like this!
What do you want to do Kyoss? Feel free to go plan more than one move, if anything happens I will stop the narration and ask for more input.
Oh, and... good luck
