Chandra, the leader of the village and Zahn’s bondswoman asks him to honour his vow as the Scourge and hunt down the Mother Wolf, Hhurn and bring back whatever remains of the messenger, so that their family can pay them to rest. He agrees.
[Make A Vow (Strong Hit)]
Zahn waits until dusk and draws the ancient runes in the damp soil, to summon the Crows. Some children watch on in fascination at this ritual, until their mothers pull them away, fearful of the strange magic from a land long forgotten.
[Augur (Weak Hit – the crows are uninterested in the quest for dead meat. However… They are interested in the fate of a mercenary and want them protected…] [Oracle: Kayu, obsessed mercenary, seeking to harm a rival. The crows want them protected.]
Zahn thanks the crows for their counsel and swears another vow, to them, to find and protect Kayu, whoever they may be.
[Make a vow to the crows, protect Kayu, Weak Hit: Why now? Need to find out who Kayu is?!]
The following morning, Zahn leaves the village and heads off in the direction the horse came from – the settlement of Stone Moor.
[Undertake a Journey to Stone Moor (Ancient fort in the hinterland mountains where the rider was heading) +1 for starting at a settlement, +1 for a place where they are bonded. (Strong hit: Move at speed)]
Zahn starts his quest at a dash, moving quickly through the familiar woods and rocky roads around the village. This has been his home for some time now and he knows the short cuts. And he also knows this weather could break any time soon. He heads for the familiar resting spot of Bleak Brook.
[Waypoint: Bleak Brook, an isolated spring]
He rests at the spring and takes a few mouthfuls of the freezing run off water from the Hinterland mountains behind him. It will be a restless night here, but it’s the best place before he pushes on.
[Undertake a Journey. (Weak Hit – White Stead is protected, have to sleep outside, -1 Supply)]
Travelling hard, Zahn reaches the settlement of White Stead, named after the chalky cliffs surrounding it. He parleys with the guards, but they refuse him entry, unconvinced that he is not a brigand, or worse, a carrier of the Plague. Resigned to his damp fate, and noting the dark clouds coming from the West, he makes camp as best he can outside the settlement, resenting every whiff of cooked meat from within
[Undertake a Journey: (Weak Hit – travels on the Storm Road, bleak and wintery)]
The weather breaks and progress is slow. Rain and sleet lash down and even Old One Eye the Raven is loathe to fly in this misery. Zahn makes little progress and then things get worse…
[Undertake A Journey: (Miss! Waylaid. Pay the Price: a new danger to us is revealed)]
An arrow embeds itself in the road, signalling an attack by desperate bandits! They outnumber him, and have the drop from their ambush, but he is a Scourge and not so easily felled…
[Bandits: Troublesome Progress Track
Enter the Fray (Ambushed, rolling with Wits: Strong Hit, +2m)
STRIKE! Strong hit, 6/6 match, spear attack by Zahn, 4 harm to the bandits
STRIKE! Weak hit, the bandits surge and fight back but Zahn is too strong, 3 harm to the bandits, but lose initiative
CLASH! Strong Hit with 1/1 match, +1m, +3 harm to the bandits
End the Battle vs 10 progress: Strong Hit]
The bandits lie dead at Zahn’s feet. His spear has done good work today. (Use matches to put an item of Kayu’s on them) Zahn picks up a broach from the body of the man he supposes is the leader. He wipes the blood away and reads the inscription – ‘Kayu’ – whoever these people are, they have clearly met the person he must protect, assuming the dead man is not Kayu!
[Undertake A Journey: {Miss (Burn 8 momentum) Weak Hit)]
[Reach Destination vs 8 progress , (Strong hit: immediate move (Secure an Advantage with Shadow, and Raven: (Strong Hit, +2M))]
Knowing he is near Stone Moor, Zahn pushes on through the night, calling on all of his reserves to get him within sight of the fort as the sun rises. He needs to rest, but he also needs to check that this place – a place he knows – has not fallen to the same paranoia as White Stead. Calling to Old One Eye to take to the sky, he sneaks within site of the fort – vision from above and below – and is certain that the place will be open to him…
CHARACTER NAME
Zahn the Scourge
EXPERIENCE: 0
MOMENTUM:6 (Max 10)
BONDS: 3
HEALTH: 5
SPIRIT: 5
SUPPLY: 2
EDGE: 1
HEART: 1
IRON: 3
SHADOW: 2
WITS: 2
DEBILITIES
Wounded:
Shaken:
Unprepared:
Encumbered:
BANES
Maimed:
Corrupted:
BURDENS
Cursed:
Tormented:
PATH
Slayer: When you Gather Information by tracking a beast or horror, or when you Secure an Advantage by readying yourself for a fight against them, add +1 and take +1 momentum on a hit.
RITUAL
Augur: When you summon a flock of crows and ask a single question, roll+wits. On a strong hit, you interpret their calls as a helpful omen. Envision the response (Ask the Oracle if unsure) and take +2 momentum. On a weak hit, the crows ignore your question and offer a clue to an unrelated problem or opportunity in this area. Envision what you learn (Ask the Oracle if unsure), and take +1 momentum
COMPANION
Raven (Name: Old One Eye): When you Secure an Advantage or Face Danger +shadow using your raven to perform trickery (such as creating a distraction or stealing a small object) add +1 and take +1 momentum on a hit.
VOW
Rank: Dangerous
Progress: 0/10
VOW
Rank: Dangerous
Progress: 2/10
VOW
Rank: Dangerous
Progress: 2/10
To serve the people of Bleakfrost for a year and a day as their Scourge, in return for them opening their doors to a stranger on a winter’s night.
Defeat the Mother Wolf, Hhurn and return the remains of the Messenger
Protect Kayu, the desperate Mercenary, for the Crows
