Looking at Branwhyn, Steiner dragged his thumb across his neck, signalling that they should take the Wardens from Bramblehall by surprise and slay them whilst they were unaware. Branwhyn shook his head though, he knew this woman to be an Warden of her word. If they could work together, it would be better than fighting. Though Branwhyn and his company had the element of surprise on their side, the Bramblelhall Wardens were likely far better rested. Steiner clearly thought it better to kill them outright, but didn’t press the issue.
Standing, Branwhyn called out. “Hello Gunvar. It’s good to see you again. Might my friends and I enjoy the warmth of your campfire?”
There is an element of danger here and so there needs to be a roll. Branwhyn is trying to secure a peaceful dialogue and a place to sleep, so I think this is a Compel w/ Heart (2, 9, 4+2), Weak Hit. +1 Momentum (+3), but Gunvar wants something in return. From the oracle in previous chapter we know that Gunvar is ‘awaiting leadership’ and I take that to mean she doesn’t have orders and is uncertain of her course of action. Accordingly she wants information.
The Bramblehall Wardens sprang into motion immediately, taking up their weapons and shields, but Gunvar motioned them to stillness. She stood – slowly – and looked out into the darkness searching in the direction of where she’d heard his voice. “Branwhyn.” Not greeting or question, just a statement of acknowledgement. “If you are a friend, approach and I will offer you bread and salt from my table, such as it is. In turn, perhaps you can tell us why a horde of Ironlanders is traveling north.”
Stepping into the light, Branwhyn nodded in greeting. “I think we can help with that. We’re following them too.”
As promised, Gunvar shared her campfire, her bread and salt, and also the hot venison stew that they had prepared. The Wardens from the two different Ironholds were not instantly friendly, but the longer their commanders spoke, the more the tension seemed to lessen. In anycase, the Valknut were glad to be off their feat, enjoying a warm meal, and not facing the prospect of being up before dawn. Steiner was reticent about entering the camp and ultimately left after informing Branwhyn he was going to scout. Knowing the monster slayer had no shortage of conflict with Bramblehall, Branwhyn didn’t press the issue and spent the time speaking with Gunvar. They talked well into the night, Gunvar mostly listening to the extended account of the Apostles of the Broken – the Leshens who were degrading humans into the near animal state of the Broken – and misfortune that had befallen Twin Rivers and its people.
“I understand wanting to take the Leshen by surprise, I would not wish to kill the Ironlander under its control unless I was forced to. And the number might be too great in any case.” Gunvar added sagely, she had been tracking the departing horde of Broken Ironlanders and knew their numbers to be great. “Why go to the trouble of not killing the one human the Leshen is possessing though? Surely that only increases your risk.”
“Because there is no guarantee that killing them would have the same effect. I’ve only done this once before and it was successful. Perhaps the death of one will still free the others, or it might drive the Ironlanders into a rage, or they might die with it, or any number of other ends that we can not foresee.” Frowning, Branwhyn poked at the coals of the fire, wishing not for the first time that he had the gift to see faraway images and people and places within the flames. “You should come with us in the morning.”
A disbelieving snort of laughter was Gunvar’s response. When the mystic didn’t respond, she gave voice to her thoughts. “And why would I do that? Better to relay the message of their march to my home and wait for them to pass us by.”
“What if they don’t pass you by? What if they come to the gates of Bramblehall, your liege opens it wide for them because one has entered into him as well?” Not looking up from the coals, Branwhyn shook his head again. “No, you and your Ironhold are better served by coming with me. I seek to do the impossible, again. It will be easier with your aid and when the story is told around campfires like this one, your name will be spoken as well. Or you can do as you say, go home and warn Bramblehall, and every time you them tell of how I did the impossible, you can remember that your name could have been spoken alongside mine.”
This is clearly a Compel, though I’m not sure if it is genuine (heart) or trickery (shadow), though I’m leaning towards the later. In either case it is the same bonus. Compel w/ Shadow (9, 3, 5+2), Weak Hit. +1 Momentum (+4). However, Gunvar wants something in return. I wonder what? Her primary motive is Join legends and that is what Branwhyn is offering. We’ll ask the theme Oracle to give us a hint. Oracle says – 91 – Pride. Hmm, okay. This agreement certainly advances Branwhyn’s Vow to bring the Twin River’s Ironlanders home, Gunvar and her troops will help. So that brings his progress up to 2 of 10. We could count it for Steiner too, more fighters will probably help, but he doesn’t want there help so I think the spirit of the thing prevents him from accepting this as progress on his vow.
There was a sparkle in Gunvar’s eyes, something in his words had captured her almost completely. Whatever her desire was it warred against her loyalty to her liege, but Branwhyn did not push. Instead he let their silence and the dying embers of the fire do his work for him.
Raising a hand to cover her mouth, as if to hide that she were speaking the words, Gunvar whispered her request. “My second can lead my Wardens. When we do this, I want to fight at your side and when you tell the tale or hear it told, you will say that I did so.”
Branwhyn nodded. “Ageed.”
Steiner is out hunting and gathering herbs and such, so he will make a Resupply w/ Wits + Outcast, (9, 3, 1+2+1). Weak Hit and near miss. We’ll take the -2 Momentum to pick up +2 Supply. The hit to momentum is probably a good representation of the strained unity with Steiner away from the group and/or him seeing the people he’s been working with associating with an Ironhold that has been trying to kill him. We’ll also make a Camp w/ Supply + Outcast (1, 5, 5+3+1), Strong Hit. Steiner will Relax away from the others, +1 Spirit (+5), Focus on his vows, +1 Momentum (+8), and Prepare for +1 Forward on the next Journey roll, because why not. Branwhyn in turn with Focus, +1 Momentum (+5) and Prepare +1 Forward. The third action is lost.
Note: Outcast has been changed since the writing of this chapter. Accordingly, Steiner’s character has been altered a touch.
The camp woke as the sun pulled itself above the rim of the world. It was the closest thing to a full nights sleep the Valknut had had in many days and they awoke stiff but much refreshed all the same. Steiner had brought in fresh game during the night and they ate well, filling their bellies, which was another first since leaving Twin Rivers. In the light of day, it became clear that not all of the other members of the Bramblehall camp were Wardens from the Ironhold. Of the dozen warriors, just over half were sell-swords. To Branwhyn’s mind, it seemed a mistake to have more mercenaries than loyal Wardens in any given unit, but perhaps casualties had made it a necessity. On the other hand, perhaps it was normal for Bramblehall though, for when Branwhyn had first met Gunvar the same disproportion had been present.
“I cut a bloody swath through their Wardens during my escape.” Steiner pitched his voice low so that only Branwhyn could hear. “So many that I lost count in fact. I don’t think they know my face, but if they recognize me this alliance you’ve put together is going to fall apart quickly.”
“I know.” The mystic had already considered that possibility, but he wasn’t so confident in their success that he was willing to turn away help. More importantly, their small alliance might lead to something greater, perhaps even an accord between Crow’s Perch and Bramblehall. Such an accord would be a strong first step to unifying the Northern reaches of the Havens. “This triples our numbers though and with the pace we set, Thorsten isn’t likely to be able to send help quickly if at all. Unlikely though it is, help from Bramblehall is the only help we’re like to find.”
We are going to make a Journey move, but that is to simply represent the travel. We’re not running a progress track. Either we get there, w/ or w/o supply loss, or we get overtaken by the group that is tracking us (reference the previous chapter). Steiner is going to scout ahead of the group, keeping himself away from the Wardens of Bramblehall and in the process will Aid an Ally w/ Wits + Ranger (8, 7, 4+2+1). Miss. Okay, I think the consequence is clear. The Wardens from Bramblehall have recognized him and at some point are going to try and kill him. Branwhyn will Undertake a Journey w/ Wits + Forward (10, 4, 4+3+1). Weak Hit. -1 Supply (+2) but we catch up with the Twin Rivers Horde before our trackers catch up with us.
The wide trail left by the Horde of Broken Ironlanders from Twin River had once again pressed into a dense wood. A distance from any river, hill, or confluence of trade, there had nevertheless once been a settlement somewhere within. Long gone now, the only visible sign left from habitation were a few carved stone blocks with time worn edges that were no longer stacked upon each other. Now they merely lay in disarray, a mute testament to what had once been a wall.
The company pressed into forest, the densely packed old growth forcing them to break up into small groups of two or three. They tried to keep other groups in view, but the thick shadows and gnarled trees conspired to separate and conceal them from one another. Even their movements seemed muted, the layers of dead leaves decayed upon the ground to a spongy substance that released the sickly sweet scent of decay with their every step also seemed to steal the sound from the world. What animals did move, did so without call or cry. Merely a scratch or scurry heard on their flanks or from behind them with nary any glimpse of the animal. It was only rarely that they caught sight of the glint of paired glowing eyes watching their passing.
The unnatural quiet, the ruins of an ancient city, the rampant decay of vegetation; it all put Branwhyn in the mind that this was a place meant for the dead. A place where the living were intruders. If there had been any doubt that they were unwelcome, it disappeared when they began to find the skeletal corpses. Long now decayed, they were mounted to crude metal spears in the ground, having been impaled upon them long ago, their bodies sliding further down as they decayed.
The questions began then. It began among the wardens of Bramblehall and then spread to the Vulknut. What kind of place was this? Why were they still going deeper? Surely the Broken Ironlanders from Twin Rivers were not facing whatever lay deeper in. Fear was setting in and it might well break them before they ever faced their enemy.
Branwhyn found what remained of a building, little more than a stone floor broken by vines and roots, then covered with decaying leaves and creeping underbrush. But it was clear enough for their entire company to gather. He gave the signal for them all to gather and with difficulty the message was passed down the haphazard and broken line.
“I know that many believe it would be best to leave this place. For us it may be.” The admission sent an unpleasant rumble through the groups. Gunvar gave Branwhyn a stern look but didn’t interrupt. “For those we protect, for those that we have sworn an iron vow to, turning back now is to allow a terror to come for them one dark night in the not too distant future. And it will come. It will take your friends and it will take your families. It will bring them to this place or one very much like it. Or we can press on, we can press forward into danger, and take it upon ourselves to face this terror, this evil. That honor and glory can be yours, or your loved ones can face this horror if you are afraid to.”
Trying to bolster the courage of the troops, Branwhyn is Facing Danger w/ Heart (4, 2, 3+2), Strong Hit. The speech works and Branwhyn picks up +1 Momentum (+6) as well. We’re close to our quarry at this point so Branwhyn is also going to prep Visage. Visage w/ Wits + Rituals (2, 7, 5+3), Strong Hit. Finally we’re going to take this moment to continue forming our bond with Corinna since Branwhyn has been making more use of her magic, specifically in the previous chapter. Forge a Bond w/ Heart (6, 2, 4+2). Weak hit. She used her magic, now she wants to fight. Progress for Mentoring Corinna, 5 of 20. Finally, we’ve basically found our quarry, so that is Progress for both Branwhyn and Steiner on their vows. Return Ironlanders to Twin River 2 of 10. Slay the Horror that Stalks Twin Rivers 6 of 10.
The speech worked, he could see it in their eyes. They were stealing their hearts to task at hand. Even Gunvar seemed moved and she gave him a small nod of acknowledgement and perhaps with a touch of appreciation as well. “Take an hour to rest and prepare yourselves. Then we press deeper into these woods.” Taking his own advice, Branwhyn and the Valknut prepared for battle with the mixing of ash and blood. It had become a ritual for them on the eve of battle, painting their faces with the mixture in imitation of Branwhyn’s own ritual of painting the wooden mask of the Horned Hunter. What the Valknut did not know, was that their ritual was without magic. Which is not to say that it was without power, for the practice gave them confidence and courage and that is no small thing. The guilt of that lie still wore on Branwhyn though, but it also trapped him because the truth could only harm his company. It was made all the worse when after the last of the Valknut had been marked, Corinna too stood waiting to receive of the faux-blessing. Looking into her mismatched eyes, he couldn’t help but see a girl with far too few winters, yet she had proven herself capable time and again. In unison they released their collectively held breaths as he dipped two fingers into the bowl of blood and ash and painted the right half of her face red.
Branwhyn ap Hugh Bonds: 6
Health +5 Spirit +5 Supply +1 Momentum +2
Iron: 1+1 Edge: 1 Heart: 2 Shadow: 2 Wits: 3 XP: 11/14
Assets:
[Paths]: Sighted, Ritualist+; [Rituals]: Augur, Bind, Sway, Visage,
Active Vows:
Kingmaker [Epic] 2/40
Break the Power of the Broken’s Apostle [Extreme] – 4/20
Mentor Corinna [Extreme] – 5/20
Return the Ironlanders of Twin Rivers to their home. [Formidable] – 2/10
Steiner Bonds 3
Health +5 Spirit +4 Supply +1 Momentum +9
Iron: 3 Edge: 2 Heart: 1 Shadow: 1 Wits: 2 XP: 4/5
Assets:
[Paths]: Slayer+, Wildblood+; [Ritual]: Decoctions & Potions
Active Vows:
Develop a Process to make Mutations Permanent [Epic] – 0/40
Find the shards of the black-iron blade Maelgwyn and reforge the blade. [Formidable] – 0/10
Justice for the Adelaide & her Victims [Dangerous] – 4/10
Vengeance upon Vraji [Formidable] – 0/10
Slayer the Horror that Stalks Twin Rivers [Formidable] – 6/10
Wayfarer Stories 