Chapter Two: Into the Mountain

The ancient fort of Stone Moor looks weak from Zahn’s observations. Their people are miserable, thin and drawn. They have not rationed their food well this winter. Hungry people can be vicious. today will be a day to fight fire with fire.

Zahn calls upon the people of Stone Moor to let him enter. They look at him suspiciously, searching for a sign of infection. He bellows that should they not let him in, they will have earned the resentment of a Scourge! They acquiesce…

[Compel Stone Moor to allow me to enter by Threatening the revenge of a Scourge should they refuse me. (Weak hit: I can enter, but without my spear.)]

Zahn speaks with the Leader of Stone Moor

[Oracle: Emelyn, Old, Ironsworn, Jealous, Demanding]

Emelyn is reluctant to speak to the harsh tongued Scourge, but after being pressed and reminded of the bond between Stone Moor and Bleak Frost, he confides in Zahn.

[Gather information on Hjorn. (Weak hit. Hjorn is not alone, she has a litter of cubs, which also implies a mate)]

There have been more wolves sighted on the mountain – the offspring of Hhurn. She must have mated and spawn a little. Emelyn wants one of the cubs to train as a hunting animal for his son. That is the price he demands for safe haven in Stone Moor and the secret of Hhurn. Zahn agrees, but is curious as to why the man does not ask him to swear the Iron Vow on the matter… Emelyn reveals that Hhurn does not dwell on the mountain, but rather under it, in a cave. Climb the mountain, find the entrance and then descend to your fate…

Thanking Emelyn, Zahn takes a day or so to prepare for his ascent and to restock after the long journey from Bleak Frost.

[Resupply in Stone Moor: (Strong Hit, +2 Supply)]

After retrieving his spear, and leaving the fort to little fanfare, he finds a quiet spot and calls to the Lord of Crows once more for aid, seeking his wisdom. Old One Eye, his raven companion, squawks a challenge, one corvid to another, but to no avail…

[Augur: Why do the people of Stone Moor not kill the wolf themselves? (Strong Hit: (Oracle: Revenge) – the Mother Wolf will haunt the people who kill it forever… they save the mountain, but condemn their immortal soul to torment.)]

So he has pledged his spear to a cause that will cause a life of torment. Zahn laughs. It would not be the first time and it would not be the last. He begins the ascent of the mountain

[This will be the next milestone in his Vow to capture Hhurn. Create a troublesome progress track for the mountain. That should be easy, right?]

The climb was hard and Zahn’s limbs burned, even in the biting cold of the mountain wind. Finally though, he got to the wolf’s cave!

[Delve the Depths: (Weak Hit, make progress) – I wanted to shake things up a little and stole the Delve the Depths move from ‘Delve’ as it seemed to fit the moment better than Face Danger]

The rank stench of the cave hits his nose like a sledgehammer and in the darkness he feels the unmistakable crunch of bone under foot. Releasing Old One Eye to fly ahead and be his eyes, he moves down the winding tunnels carved by who-knows-what, long before the Ironsworn fled the plague to come to this land. He steps again on a bone, but it is no – it is a fragile layer of shale, that splinters and cracks, bringing down an entire wall of the tunnel onto him!

[Delve the Depths using shadow: (Miss! Reveal a danger: a discovery undermines/complicates your quest. Landslide)]

Chaos erupts as Zahn is battered by rocks and sharp shale. His footing disappears beneath him and the ground opens up, sending him plummetting.

[Face danger!: Miss! (Pay the Price, 2 Harm and the current situation worsens)]

SPLASH! He lands in an icy cold river, the shock of the sudden immersion blowing the air from his lungs. He flounders in the water as he is swept along an underground river. The leathers and furs he wears for protection now drag him under the water.

[Endure Harm: (Strong Hit! Endure the Pain, +1m)]

Somehow, he gathers himself and sets himself to float, letting the river take him wherever it is going. His fate is with the water now, or so he thinks, not seeing the driftwood heading towards him,

[Face Danger with Shadow: (Miss with a match! Choose the most obvious outcome – setback) plus 2 Harm and Shaken]

SMASH! The wood crashes into his skull, and he drifts under the water, consumed by darkness… And in the distance, the shadow of a wolf looks down from a rocky outcrop and howls, as if in victory

[Endure Harm: (Miss! (You are unconscious and out of action. If left alone, you come back to your senses in an hour or two.)]

Peck. Peck Peck. PECK!! Zahn wakes with a start as Old One Eye stabs his beak into his forehead. The aged bird hops down as Zahn pulls his sodden body up the bank and out of the water. He is so cold and so wet and knows he will die if he doesn’t act quickly. He rips off his furs, cutting a ridiculous naked figure in the cold evening air. Scrabbling around for something dry to burn, he fumbles with numb fingers for the flint and iron in his belt pouch and with steel determination, builds the fire that will save his life

[Make Camp: (Weak Hit +1 Health)]

One week later, Zahn is ready to leave. He has suffered for his brush with death, but time in a nearby cave and the blessings of the fire have saved him. Berries and roots have been his sustenance, and soon he would have to hunt, but his strength is there, and he has a plan.

[Heal: (Weak Hit: lose Shaken, -1 supply, +2 Health)]

He cannot return to Stone Moor, in shame, and he cannot ascend the mountain again like that … but he has another way of attracting Hhurn’s attention. He will hunt her mate!