Chapter 1 After a moment, a stool beside you creaked and alerted you to the fact you had been joined at the fire. Garron had moved from one of the tables and benches elsewhere in the room to take a seat nearby. He was one of the eldest Beastbreakers, with cropped graying hair, a face full of scars and wrinkles, and blue eyes that often looked sad and distant. He was dressed in simple furs and pelts, as you and others were--though the dwelling and fire left it quite warm nothing could forever stave off the cold.
"Mmm... " Garron began, "We'll be leaving on a patrol within the hour. I'm afraid it best if you remain here. We haven't quite finished your training. Don't worry, don't worry. Your time will come that you take your first pelt. Do you think you'll be able to handle things here while we're gone?"
It's a ceremony for the Breastbreakers, taking one's first pelt. Never more than one rookie is brought on a hunt, and if they survive, and help, they're granted the honour of skinning the beast and turning its hide into their first set of armour, or robes.
If you agree to remain behind, go to 21 .
To insist you go with them, go to 11 .
It wasn't long after Garron departed that the food was ready, allowing you to fill your belly. It wasn't terrible, the scarcity of food often had you eating worse than tough and stringy meat, but it wasn't great either. It was still early, so you had a moment to rest before you started training for the day.
About a half hour after you'd finished your meal, those who were going on the hunt came out of the armoury, geared in armour and wielding various spears, crossbows and short blades. Garron was amongst them. Just like that group, your village was primarily made up of humans, with the odd rare other race thrown in here and there.
"Don't forget," Garron called to you just before he and the other hunters left, "If there is trouble, light the beacon."
The Beacon was a massive pyre in the center of town. A bit of magic shielded it from the elements so that it could always be lit at a moment's notice--creating a brilliant red flame. It was a signal to the villages' hunters that there was something wrong and they should stay away, while a signal to the Beastbreakers to return.
It had only been lit a dozen times in your lifetime, but each time it had shone so brilliantly it could be seen even amid the fiercest storm from anywhere within, or just outside the village.
After seeing the others off, it was time to return to your training. You couldn't sit on your butt all day even if it would be nice at times--only the very young, and the eldery had that right. You get up, and make for the person you had been training with recently.
For physical training with Endrik, proceed to 12 .
For magical training under Dorika, proceed to 22 .
"Were you out late last night?" you ask Endrik, who lifts his head to peer irritatedly at you for a moment before flopping back down onto his pillow and answering: "Later than we wanted to be. There were some... foot things... "
"Tracks?" you ask, and Endrik gestures at you with his hand.
"Tracks. Some we haven't seen before. We chased them pretty far but lost the trail. They were deep, it was either something really big... or just really, really fat. One of those scares me, the other one just sounds like good eating." After a chuckle, he rolled over and pushed himself up to his knees.
He gave you a look with a big grin, then it faded some. "If you head outside today... keep an eye out. We first found the tracks pretty close to the village." You thank him for the warning, then he motions for the two of you to go ahead and get to that training.
Make a note on your sheet: Endrik's Warning.
It is time to get to the training, conitnue to 23 .
You had spent some time practicing after the lesson, and now had the gestures down--performing them flawlessly much to Dorika's approval. In fact, she even claps her hands together a few times. "Good, good. You've been practicing, haven't you?" she asked, rhetorically, as she dragged her old bones from her chair near the fire.
The woman made her way over to one of the bookshelves in her small hovel, pulling a few down and stacking them in her arms. "Let's try a few others now, and see how quickly you can pick those up."
Continue with your training at 17 .
"I'll take care of the window, Endrik," you offered.
Endrik nodded, and headed for the door while you went into the backroom. Unfortunately, after a cursory glance over everything there, it didn't appear as though there was anything to repair the window with. You'd have to make down the street to see Osric, the village's carpenter. Endrik doesn't seem surprised when he noticed you exit the backroom without anything in your hands.
"It looks like you're going for a walk, then. Hold on, come here," Endrik said before motioing you to follow him to the armoury. "Take a weapon with you. I'm not saying you'll need it, but, better you have one and not need it." Thanking him, you pick out the weapon you've had the most success with and then make for the door to dress in some thicker furs.
Once you were ready, you stepped out the door and climbed the stair into the street. Visibility was poor, the end of the street couldn't be seen. Fortunately, the markers spaced evenly down the street made it possible to navigate without wandering too far off track. Bundling up a bit more and covering your face--you set off for Osric's amid the wind and cold, the combination of the two quickly piercing your clothing and allowing the frost to nip at your skin.
A little over half-way there, you spy something amid the snow. Two sets of tracks, neither of which were human, as well as a few drops of blood. You follow the tracks with your eyes, and it appears to head off the road somewhere.
Add 1 simple or martial weapon of your choice to your sheet.
Ignore the tracks, and continue to the carpenter, go to 35 .
Identifying the tracks requires a Knowledge: Nature check versus DC15.
If you succeed, see: 42 .
Following the tracks requires a Survival check versus DC7, or an animal companion.
If you succeed or have a companion, go to 19 .
If you try and fail, go to 16 .
At the moment the window broke, you glanced over and had spotted a figure retreating into the snowstorm. It may not have been pure happenstance that the window broke, it may have been broken by someone. When you share this fact with Endrik, he seemed rather surprised. "So someone... or something might have broke it? Huh...alright. There's two of us, do you want to take care of the window repairs or try to track down our culprit?"
To repair the window, go to 5 .
To trail the culprit, go to 14 .
Fire crackled and popped in the pit at the center of the lodge, and it filled the moderately-sized space with an all too familiar and pleasant aroma of burning wood. Every so often, you were even able to catch a whiff of the meat cooking in the pot over the fire, as pleasant a thing to your stomach as music was to your ears.
You sat by the fire, though you weren't alone. A good six or seven others--some were moving between rooms--were inside with you at any given time. Some joined near the fire pit, others practiced with blade on the combat dummies, or shot arrows into targets. Despite this, you could still hear the howling winds outside, and could see the raging snowstorm beyond the high windows of the mostly underground dwelling.
You were still, as of yet, one of the youngest present, as someone who had just recently joined the Breastbrakers.
Unlike the guard for your village, the Beastbreakers were a group dedicated to going out into the lands of winter to take a more proactive role in protecting it from beasts and other threats. You had just recently started your training, and thus far it was going well.
Continue to 1 .
Garron took a heavy breath at your insistance on joining the hunt, and shook his head. "We need someone here, to light the beacon should the need arise. More, you need to train, seek out Dorika if you wish to practice your magic, and Endrik will be remaining behind. Once he wakes from his rest, I'm sure he'll help you with blade or bow. If you must join us, do so in spirit, and in your mind, we-"
"Garron? We need your help over here." A dark-haired head popped in from the armoury room off to the side, and waved over by the fire. Garron gave a wave back, and rose to his feet. A few others came from the bunkroom, making for the armoury, mostly humans, though one was a dwarf that had stumbled into town one day, drunk, and screaming about skysharks. Whatever that was supposed to mean.
"Take this." Garron reached into his pocket, and produced a small agate gemstone. "If you encounter a dangerous situation, clasp this stone to your chest, have your options in mind and say: 'Desna, guide me.' Take care." With that, he headed to join the others in the armoury.
Make a note on your sheet: Garron's Stone.
Continue to 2 .
You were ready to begin, but Endrik wasn't yet awake. You gave him a bit longer, but twenty minutes after he was supposed to be up, you headed into the bunkrooms to rouse him from his slumber. Endrik, a middle-aged human man was tall, broad-shouldered, and with a chiseled jaw. Of all those in the Beastbreaker lodge, he was likely the strongest.
For that reason--the slug he gave you thigh with his fist when you shook him awake was rather painful. Grumbling, the dark haired man rose up from his bedroll after. "Agh, can a man not get some sleep around these parts? Oh. Right. We had a thing. Ugh... fine, fine, go... go stand over near the... things, the sharp things! I'll be there in a few minutes." He sounded as a groggy as he looked as he waved you off.Make some small talk with Endrik as he wakes, go to 3 .
Just jump straight into training, go to 23
"No, no, no!" Dorika hisses at you, slapping your hands down as you attempt to perform the gestures. Breathing a heavy sigh, the woman turns to face you and raises her hands. "Watch me, closely." With that, she proceeds to make the same gestures you had been attempting, and then does so once more, and finally a third time before she turned her attention back to you.
"Now, now, follow my movements." Dorika spends some time having you repeat the gestures until, finally, she nods with satisfaction at one of your attempts. She gave a warm smile. "Good. That's better. Here, I've got something that should help you."
The old woman rose from her seat and moved to the bookshelf against the wall, taking down several books and piling them in her arms. From inside one, she produced a scrap of parchment, and handed it to you as she came back over. It showed several different series of hand motions and gestures. "You haven't been practicing as much in that lodge of yours. Practice more. Get all those down, and I'll... find some suitable reward. Now, let's move on to some other things and see how well you pick those up."
Make a note on your sheet: Dorika's Homework.
Continue your training at 17 .
Garron smiled and nodded his head. "You should train while we are away. Seek out Dorika to work on your magic, and I believe Endrik will be awake soon to help you with blade or bow. Light the beacon should you need to call us back to the village. We-"
"Garron? We need your help over here." A dark-haired head popped in from the armoury room off to the side, and waved over by the fire. Garron gave a wave back, and rose to his feet. A few others came from the bunkroom, making for the armoury, mostly humans, though one was a dwarf that had stumbled into town one day, drunk, and screaming about skysharks. Whatever that was supposed to mean.
"... If there is an emergency while we are gone, here." Garron reached into his pocket and produced a small key, handing it to you; it was a plain copper key. "It opens a case in the armoury. Use what is there if the need arises."
"Garron!" The voice shouted through the wall.
With pursed lips, he gave a quiet farewell and headed to join the others.
Make a note on your sheet: Garron's Key.
Continue to 2 .
Dorika didn't stay in the Beastbreaker lodge, in fact, she wasn't a member of the group. She was the town's healer, oracle, soothsayer, or whatever else you wished to call her.
That forced you to head outside and into the cold, and biting winds which seemed to pierce all the way through your furs, despite the fact you were bundled from head to toe. Worse, visibility was minimal, but markers helped keep you on the correct path until you arrived at the old woman's small home. Beads dangled from the ceiling of the circular room, there was a small kitchen, a fireplace and hearth, a bed, and several images of wooden butterflies on the wall as well as a silver holy symbol of a butterfly on one of the bedposts.
"Close it, close it!" she hissed as you entered, a gust of wind and snow coming in with you. Sat by the fire, combing her long, white hair, the scrawny and wrinkled woman turned to watch you kick off the snow from your short walk and dump off your heavy jacket. "Let's see, let's see... what lessons do I have for you today... hmm... Ah. Yes. Let's practice your somatic gestures. They had been sloppy last time, and that simply will not do, will not do at all."
You're motioned over to stand next to the old woman, and she gives you a stern look. "The gestures for the spell we were working on yesterday. Go on, do them, do them now."
Make a Sleight of Hand or Dexterity check versus DC 10.
On a success, continue to 4 .
For a failure, instead continue to 13 .
Back in the main part of the lodge, Endrik goes over some basic weapon drills with you. Strikes, and parries, and some practice on the combat dummies. After, he moved on to some ranged weapon training--refining your arm with a bow and pushing you to reload a crossbow as quickly as you could.
His methods are... a little rough. A swat upside the head here and there, a punch to a soldier, and even some swats with the flat of his blade during melee drills. You don't walk away from training unscathed, but a few bruises were no real harm. As things were winding down some hours after you had began, some of the windows rattled in answer to a few hefty breezes, and a moment later--SMASH!
One of the windows suddenly smashed inward, sending small pieces of glass scattering all over the floor near the lodge's entrance. Endrik brought a hand to his face, and slowly rubbed while grumbling under his breath. "And that marks the end of training for the day... as now I've got a window to board up until we can replace it," he muttered in irritation.
You are dealt 1 nonlethal damage.
Make a Perception check versus DC10, advance to 9 on success.
Offer to repair the window, go to 5 .
Tell Endrik you'll hold down the fort, go to 15 .
After spending a few minutes examing the tracks, you become pretty certain that one set of tracks belongs to that of a wolfpup--some people of your village have a wolf for a pet, and the hunters of the village make frequent use of them. The other tracks appear to be that of an ice mite--a fey of about two feet, and often seen more of a nuisance than a threat. They have been known to attack small animals and pets, and when desperate, even lone children or adults though they tend to only come out at night or during storms. From the looks of things, the wolfpup, and two or three frost mites, went in the same direction.
Knowing what they are gives you a slight edge if you decide to pursue.If you follow and engage the mites, +4 to initiative for that encounter.
Ignore the tracks, and continue to the carpenter, go to 35 .
Following the tracks requires a Survival check versus DC5, or an animal companion.
If you succeed or have a companion, go to 19 .
If you try and fail, go to 16 .
Last edited by Captain Devonin; Jun 2nd, 2019 at 08:00 PM .