Nation Building Dawn of Man (Results)

[Pat]

Spoiler: Details

Leaders of the valley receive the results of their ordered actions here, along with any news of significant events pertaining to the tribes.

The journey to the valley is nearly complete. Though it remains to be seen whether this new home for the One People will be a cradle or a grave for humanity; despite it's promised abundance of game, plants to gather, and secrets to unravel... The mysterious Fallen Scion's gift, the magical Great Flint that has lit the first fires which have kept the monsters of the night from devouring mankind whole, has birthed the beginning of dreams aspiring to more than a pitiful existence as prey that the nightmarish Scraol will extinguish by tooth and claw if man cannot overcome the challenges ahead.

 

[Beckoncall]

THE GREAT HUNT HAD BEGUN!

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Heterological AngelCloud Kent

Zian's Fires out on the mud-plains had put the giant sloths on the move -- slow as that was, driving many of them high into the jungle canopy where the One people were unable to follow. But Zian's hunters were well-honed and vigilant, and found one of the sloths that had still gone to ground and had yet to climb to safety.

Zian's wild brush fires on the clay flats scared game in the entire vicinity, putting Baatar and Matri Midwi's hunters on the run to capitalize on the situation heading off the converging herd lest all the horned gazelles escape!

Strygwyr and Zian lead the hunting party against the single sloth they could find (they were surprisingly well camoflaged with the algae and moss that grew in their fur) And Strygwyr and his people engaged the sloth first, screaming "BLOOD!" as they stormed from the jungle swinging their clubs on the slow and ponderous but still dangerous prey.

It rapidly became clear they needed better tools, clubs alone in melee put tribals at risk against the otherwise slow and easily outmaneuvered beast -- Two of Zian's Tribesmen were injured in the first phase of the attack, one twisting an ankle getting out of the grips of the giant sloth and another raked viciously by a slow but unpredictable swing of it's giant tree-climbing talons.

"BLOOD!" Strygwyr's people shouted as the tribals injury ran red on the ground -- "Blood for Blood!" -- Zian used his friction fighting to create a great blast of heat that wound the sloth up on it's hind legs, only to crash to the ground with a rumble that threw Zian to the fern-covered jungle floor -- But the startling of the giant sloth was enough for Viper's tribeswomen to capitalize on it exposing itself so openly and they threw rocks and unleashed their slings with deadly precision on the chest and face of their quarry... putting it on the run.

Zian scrambled for cover and his kinsmen moved the injured to the back of the hunting party. Strygwyr's hunters, more numerous than Zian's and as numerous as Viper's -- went truly wild upon the staggering creature and climbed on the back of the sloth bringing their clubs down again and again.

It was hard fought, and for a moment it was feared the sloth would drag the hunters into the canopy with them, but a tactical fire spell prevented the sloth's bid for escape. Long after the creature lie dead Strygwyr and his tribe continued to beat at the creature. It was not enough for it to relent, it had to die, and BLEED for the hunt to be auspicious.

At first it was feared that the sloth was sick, and that the meat was tainted, but it was quickly determined that is was just the filthy, matted and wet fur of the creature carried pests and malaise. This made the hunters leery of taking the fur from the animal, but Zian and VIper's people quickly harvested the long talons of the sloth -- they could make good weapons or tools, the tribesmen all agreed...



...and they cut deep into the meat of the animal harvesting much flesh, Viper's and Zian's people both discovered they were people of the shore, and worked together to build a litter out of sticks and reeds to carry the choicest and largest cuts of the animal back to the camp of the one people. Strygwyr's people simply slung huge heaps of flesh over their shoulders and got good and messy in the blood of their prey. The blood Tribe INSISTED that the Viper Clan and Zian's Fire tribe drink a cocktail of "life-blood" from the head of the creature so as to be joined as friends, or allies at least in the hunt...

Viper's people were eager to participate in the blood-rite and drank deeply of the sloths lifeblood, Zian's people were respectful of the blood tribes traditions, and did their part as well not to offend.

Suddenly the tribe sensed a silence of the birds and other animals in the area -- not knowing if it was their own actions or the flushing of game by some other animal, they quickly packed what they could and returned, joyfully successful, to the great camp.

ACQUIRED: Sloth Talons (Zian and VIper), Sloth bones (Viper), an extra 5 meat (above starting 10) for Strygwyr, Viper, and Zian.

Of the tribe not hunting:

Strygwyr's people had difficulty gathering wood without tools, but found 3 units of wood fallen in the jungle which would serve, albeit poorly, for firewood and other purposes.

Viper's people not involved in the hunt tracked a different sort of game -- the strongest men of the one people. While much social mixing was done with the other bone tribe (+1 temporary morale for Viper) the greatest gain in tribe spirit came from selecting, isolating and capturing many of the best males of the one people for an impromptu "fertility ritual" -- some men ran, others played at escaping to prove their strength and endurance, but all were in the end caught that the Vipers wanted.

Zian's non-hunters took to the clay-flats to find fruits, herbs, and other plants. Though their wanton fire-making was enough to scare the herd-animals, it was not enough to spread too greatly or purge the area of plants they sought. They gathered an additional +2 food in berries and gourds -- (making note that such foods could be found potentially in any clay (brown) map space) a giant prize of a huge bitter yam was found near a clay pit, but the tribe lacked the tools to extract it safely. They learned quickly that the mud of the clay flat did great work repulsing insects and keeping off the heat of the day, as well as giving themselves limited protection from their own fire spells. (Zian may adopt "Mud Camoflage" as a cultural trait... giving them a bonus to stealth (when stated using mud/have access within 2 spaces) and gain +1 permanent morale if you choose to make wearing mud a sign of your people for "clothing/paint" and/or "adornment". Besides the little food, small amounts of medicinal plants were found on the clay-flat -- but really just enough to treat the wounds their tribe sustained in the hunt... they would mark and remember these types of plants for larger-scale gathering in the future, preferably with tools...

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Heyitsjiwon Twist :

For the great hunt, Baatar and Matri Midwi both found themselves on the clay-flats looking for horned gazelle. It was then that suddenly they saw the brush-fires of Zian's Fire people startling animals and clearing the terrain that sent them all into a great run! The whole of the herds were converging into one and stampeding into the cover of the deeper brush and wood.

They would need to act quickly...

Matri Midwi was clever and cunning, despite her age and used the water of the clay-flat and her water magic to put out flames tactically in a way that would channel the herd mostly through one particular path. Baatar and his tribesmen, with the help of their "Mighty Blood" ran themselves almost sick, but were JUST able to head off almost the entire herd before it could escape the clay flats!!

Zian had almost unintentionally ruined their hunt, but with quick reactions and intelligence and cunning Matri Midwi and Baatar's people capitalized on the situation. Too tired to CATCH any of the animals they had headed off, Baatar's people instead herded the panicking animals into a giant clay-pit, where the water and mud at the bottom kept them trapped with little effort until the crowd of animals themselves made movement impossible. The Tribes merely waited for the animals to tire themselves out trying to escape and drown themselves before gathering a great boon in meat.

Heyitsjiwon and Twist both gain +5 food over their starting 10, and 2 "units" of "Gazelle Horns" -- tough and solid, these horns were also nonetheless sharp, giving ideas for spears and other stabbing weapons! (with additional labor to make these tools)

of the peoples of these tribes that did not hunt:

Baatar's people saw a clump of dead trees they could harvest for quick lumber without tools, as well as a chance glimpse of shining gold in a deep part of the river. The Tribe chose to gain 1 unit of gold rather than gather wood, and it took every drop of their breath and effort to obtain it!

Matri Midwi sent off the larger amount of the tribe to gather resources, but did specify a great many things... wood, clay, AND stone. As such, the large and capable labor force broke into little pieces each convinced of what Matri wanted the most, making their efforts considerably more difficult and divided. In the end, they divided into 3 groups -- the first group sought wood and was very successful, obtaining 3 units of "Darkwood" (of unfamiliar type and properties!) despite not having much in the way of tools. The clay group did not get much of anything done, what with the fire and stampede on the clay-flats and shortage of workers... zero clay gained. The stone gatherers thought they had chosen a good type of rock to make tools, only to find out the rock was "soft" and "Crumbly" after hauling the a heavy unit of it back to the camp. The stone was utterly unfit for making tools, but maybe the tribe could come up with another use for it? Matri gains 1 unit of "Soapstone."

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Eliasdagood Prince Vaethorion Karcen :

These tribes together had chosen to hunt the mighty mammoth -- The bonereapers held back in support, a smaller contingent of hunters lead by River runs deep, and the entire excited tribe of Cavara showed up to the person amped and ready to bring the fight to the great beast... They had nothing but slings and clubs (with the exception of River's Trident and Cavara's giant Ocelot) So they knew they had a challenge ahead of them...

having a huge number of people for the hunt (over 50 hunters in all!) they decided to lay a giant ambush for the creature -- Gathering smelly, overripened melons rotting in the sun to a great pile. There were ripe melons too, but all were possessed of gathering the lure, and not secondary food. The rotting melons themselves had to be tasted, and they were indeed impalatable and tasted strange... almost "Fiery" going down. Bleh. An Elder said fruit that turns could have odd effects on the spirit, so it was rapidly put aside and instead used to attract the animal...

And Attract the Mammoth it did! Despite the size of their group the lumbering animal was distracted by the smell of the melons and went to gorge upon them. Many wished to attack the creature immediately, but Cavara stayed the hand of the majority -- arguing that they would see if the spirit of the mammoth would be effected as well. Many minutes passed as the mammoth ate all the melons, and appeared suddenly clumsy, and sleepy. It was time to attack!

Little did they know the "spirits" in the fruit also made the mammoth irritable and especially dangerous! A massive Volley of the entire warband's slings flung forth, with River and his hunters and Cavara and riding her Ocelot the only ones to charge. The mammoth was slow and the slings accurate and fast -- the thing was blinded before the rest of the hunters could close, which is lucky as the slings seemed to do little else overall to the hulking beast. With Deyas' bonereapers constantly hailing down rocks and keeping the blinded creature confused, the whole of Cavara's Water tribe stormed from the grass just as the lead hunters engaged.

River stabbed the mammoth in the neck with his trident, draing gouts of blood from the wound, Cavara and the giant Ocelot wrestled with the mammoth but were flung into the tall grass a distance away. The mammoth stumbled to one side, and then another -- it was then that Cavara's tribe, acting in unison, PUSHED on the great beast as one when the mammoth swayed away from them. This almost crushed river and his hunters, but they managed to scramble to safety and River himself was able to have the full weight of the mammoth fall upon his mighty weapon, impaling it's head and trunk. Rapidly the numerous hunters set to work -- each player gains +5 food over their starting amount of 10 -- and may choose whether to take three units of fur OR 1 unit of ivory from the tusks, or 2 units of bones. It was getting near dark before the practically tool-less tribesmen had even begun to exploit the animal fully, and other predators in the grass began to edge in on their kill... most of it would go to waste it seemed... but the tribe would be well fed and they could take what they needed most.

Of these tribesmen that did not Hunt:

The Lost people of the waters sought a handy place away from the rest of the one people to make a secondary camp and began to build a watercraft. Without the right tools a dug-out canoe was just too labor intensive but with the added strength of a water elemental they coordinatedly and efficiently downed some healthy younger trees and built a large, crude raft. Dug out canoes would have to wait until they had stone tools or exceptionally hard wood for carving... but the raft was riverworthy.

The bonereapers ignored The lost people of the waters as they worked on the riverside and instead did some exploring. At the bend in the river the Bonereapers found a stepped pyramid, covered with thick thorny vines with inviting purple and reddish flowers seemingly full of nectar. But the bonereapers were not fooled. The dead whispered all around this place, and it was not long before the bonereaper scouts could see the skeletons of various humanoids -- some of people, some far big to be human -- lay hidden by the vines all over the pyramid. "Ssssttaaaaaayy Awwwwaaayyyyy" was all the dead from the pyramid howled... and without thinking further on this and without discussion with the Deyas and the elders, they did give the structure a tremendously wide berth.

It was later they discovered two grey-skinned Giants... standing nearly twelve feet tall, in the middle of the river.



Wearing very little but fish-scale loincloths and shell necklaces, these giant beasts were hunting alligators in the shallows of the river until they spotting the bonereapers observing them.
Loud grunts and long bubbling noises emanated from the giants in the water as they waved whole trees with sharpened ends at the bonestalkers... there would be no attempt to parley. Deyas' people fled from the riverside to report their findings... Hostile Hippo people... The elders would call them "The Popotam"...

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THE GREAT FEAST: (EVERYONE)

All of the one people gathered at the great fire to enjoy the great feast, and a good time was set to be had by all... night fell and the great fire seemed to keep the Scraol and any other enemies at bay... until a giant shadow passed over the celebrating tribals... it was as if the entire moon was replaced with the silhouette of a giant crimson bat -- A chiropteran behemoth -- that flung a giant muddy boulder into the center of the great campfire -- Plunging all into darkness as small flames fell everywhere -- people were hurt, but there was not a fire large enough to protect them from the Scraol... everyone knew this at once. The Great Bat-Creature made one more pass -- Snapping Tundug in half at the waist just as he SCREAMED for the tribes to flee into the night. The great flint, the greatest relic of the one people, was swept into the air with Tundug, leaving only the sparks of your individual devotions to draw magic from...

The rule of Tundug ended that second, and all the subtribes, unless they worked together, were on their own to flee into the darkness.

Children and the elderly were to vanish first -- and people on the fringes. The Scraol wasted no time opportunistically grabbing prey... They were huge and terrifying in the broken light of the scattered fires... Each tribe would have to think fast if they had any hope of survival -- a moment of half-peace descended as the scraol leaped upon the mass of flesh piled from the kills -- for a moment the humans were not the hunted, they could react, they could run!

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR HALF TURN (NIGHT) :

YOU HAVE TWO ORDERS AGAIN. ONE MUST BE WHERE YOUR TRIBE (within 4 spaces) Flees -- preferably to the east away from the desert and the swamps.

YOUR SECOND ORDER, IF YOU CHOOSE: Can be anything you can think of that might help you or other people's survive. REMEMBER -- fighting the scraol, especially in the darkness, without morale, and without mighty weapons, is literally SUICIDE, but clever acts could save many lives and enable the escape of you and others. Think carefully, and state where on the map you will be moving your tribe ( Pat will update the map with the scattered tribes) and what, if anything, besides fleeing into the darkness with all your possessions you decide to do.

Once this second "half-turn" is processed we will begin a normal day turn with 5 orders, but we'll get to that. At the moment RUN FOR YOUR LIVES and see if anything you can do will buy time or rescue your kinsmen!!!

 

[Beckoncall]

THE GREAT MASSACRE:

First there was terror, then the grabbing of objects and the fleeing for dear life -- but many among the one people distinguished themselves, though many were never to be seen again.

Baatar's healers tended to those wounded or fatigued in the hunt, giving Zian's people every chance to escape as good as any other tribe.

Matri Midwi Grabbed up children from all clans of the one people and spirited them away into the darkness as they made their light away from, and into the dark.

The torches of the Cavara flagged numerous among the lost back to the riverside where many fled following the water downstream.

The bonereapers sacraficed many elders -- that gave a head start to the rest of the hunted ( Karcen takes -2 temporary morale points) but this sacrifice helped all the tribes, and the Bonereapers in particular to flee...

The Tribe of Zian left fires in their wake as they fled, which slowed the pursuit of runners to the east, but damaged some of the woods behind them, fortune smiled upon them perhaps, as a soft rain fell behind them and promised to limit the damage the fires would do, but those running through the fires behind the people of Zian were slowed... and some became trapped in the fire or found themselves cut off, and thus food for the scraol.

The rearguard of Strygwyr were one such group that found their escape cut off and paid a price. The tribe would make it through the flames, but Zian's covering their retreat, cutting them off, Cost them 1 unit of people.

Matri Midwi saw the perils of running east into the burning wood, and instead passed north. The markers on the clay flats worked splendidly to note the places her people might cross, and the fires, avoided by the scraol, send many a hunter of them howling and splashing into the muddy pits below. Their moving in an utterly different direction also split the scraol from a unified force headed in one direction and into relative chaos as individual packs picked their own ways after the humans. Matri Midwi stood at the back of her clan, almost suicidaly brave as their hunters closed in -- Banish after banish FLASHED and turned the scraol, horrifying in the brief plumes of light they could be seen -- they were truly devils, taloned and toothed -- terrifying to behold. But the banishment blasted some back into the dark from whence they came, and in a critical moment Matri Midwi, her sons pulling her in terror out of the clay flats and into their native territory of the stones -- saw something truly horrific -- A scraol so massive her mind defied to process it as real. In the light of her mage fire the eyes must play tricks. How could something so large hunt so stealthfully and move so quick?! Matri dismissed it as an illusion of terror and once her people were amid the stones and beneath the cliffs, they hid as supremely as any time they had ever hid, casting down the long-burning darkwood that generated hiding smoke and long, hot-burning shadows that seemed to frustrate the night vision of the scraol. They had escaped -- and while many had fallen, their attempts to rescue the young had reaped benefits -- they indeed came out the next morning a stronger tribe than before, for they now had many children, many of which events had matured some quickly. (Matri Midwi gains 1 unit of people) -- That said, the great crimson bat, the "Chiropteran Behemoth", continued to glide in the air above the stony territory. It's screeching unnerved and disoriented Matri's blood tribe, but the dark smoke seemed to keep the thing at bay, It skimmed the land hunting for stragglers, but the tribals were quick to keep on the opposite sides of rocks, in deepest shadow, and where the smoke was thickest. Long before dawn, the Crimson bat and scraol alike had ceased to hunt them...

In addition to having Matri to thank for dividing the scraol, River runs deep and his water tribe throwing up walls of fog did a great service to all the tribes as they made their escape as well. It would be likely many more would be found, many more would have died, had the fog not rolled over the terrain behind the fleeing tribes and hid their scent and heat. It was to these two facts that more people were not grabbed on the run, and only Strygwyr's people, caught in the wildfires, were the true casualties among those who did not die before leaving the camp, the shattering of "the one people"... In all River's people had an almost practiced flight about them as they fell back to their secondary campsite and when the tribe had assembled, took to the water on their raft.

Where the tribes found themselves after their run for life had settled to shivering in fear on trembling legs was a different story.

The survivors of Strygwyr's clan had hastily built a fire at the foot of a great intact structure surrounded by ruins -- And there were shortly followed by Viper Snakeheart's tribe that in the chaos wound up in the same place. They huddled in the shadow of the ruin and in the light of their fire, when they saw strange Slime-like creatures -- wearing rags and carrying sticks and spears, loom about their campfire. The scraol had gone, but these new creatures, more fearful of them and seemingly cautious by nature, attempted to parley with them.

The creatures seemed to have melting bones of humanoids inside them, and bled profusely from where their eyes should be, the "blood" reabsorbed disturbingly into their clothes and their bodies evenly. For hours into the night the GELRAKES attempted communication with the peoples of Strygwyr and Viper -- finally only coming to demonstrate a knowledge of two shared words -- "No." in reference to weapons, they repeatedly said No in reference to the clubs and slings of the people and gesturing towards the weapons they themselves had. Their other word -- "Barter" -- an ancient version of the word, from a time before when men were not on the verge of extinction through the hunting of the scraol -- but the elders knew the word.... and knew the gelrakes were seeking trade, having gathered all manner of trinkets, adornments, and items from the valley, for long had they inhabited it before the one people arrived... though seemingly not before another human culture existed here perhaps, to teach them the words of man...
An even greater mystery was the great structure they had found, great doors on two sides with no visible means of operating them. Barred windows high in the structure likewise taunted them at guess of entry. but it's shadow enough was shelter.
Viper snakeheart Produced Bone Claws and Spears for their tribe, hardened and done quickly with boneshaping. These superior weapons would inspire Strygwyr's blood clan to make better weapons, and make the gelrakes eager to trade with Snakeheart's people...

In the end, Matri Midwi and her people found a cave and slept the night in it, alarmed and relieved that the scraol did not come for them with finality in the night, their guttering fires layed before the entrance as a deterrent.

The People of Baatar, the Cavara, and people of Zian all wound up in an exhausted heap at the side of the river. Normally gathering in such numbers would have set them for the slaughter, but heavy fog and campfires nearby had saved them... they would never know how close they had come to an early extinction -- had the scraol found them in the night they would have just been a second banquet after the massacre...

Deyas and the bonereapers built a great fire on a massive island in the center of the river -- this island was dominated by a single tree stump hundreds of yards in diameter, but the tribe found a commanding position above a slope and built their fire, casting lifesaving light on the huddled tribes nearby and repelling the scraol at the same time. A thick white cloud seemed to hover unmoving over the top of the great stump, and the whole area seemed to hum with an odd wind that sounded almost of string instruments. Deyas and her tribe felt watched on the island, and not by the scraol -- but as long as there were no hostilities the Bonereapers simply kept up their guard and stoked their fires until morning.

River's tribe took to floating on the raft after they felt the shore was compromised with the shadows of lone and packs of scraol moving in the gloom of their fog. Their plan to have a secondary fall back point served them perfectly, and they were ready to flee further on the raft if necessary -- but the beasts never came.

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All in all, the one people were no more -- instead there were scattered sub tribes, that would or would not trust in the former cohesion of the "one people"... now, it was every tribe for themselves -- and from here, a new day dawned on the struggle of man against nature and it's predators.

There was no time to waste -- the newly independent tribes would have to set to work, to move, to hunt, and to develop into something more... or vanish the world trying.

 

[Beckoncall]

DAY 1

Heyitsjiwon :

1.
Baatar and his closest hunters and scouts ran far, almost farther than they dare back to the site of the massacre of the one people. Using the paths now burned in the wood they saw the footprints of the scraol from the night before imprinted in the ashes... but not on the soil. Strange.

Finally they broke the edge of the wood upon the clearing of the great and ill fated feast. on the wind a strange call echoed on the breeze "kee-kee-kee"

the site of the massacre was surprisingly clean. Just a lone starving coyote lapping at a particularly deep pool of blood, but...

No doubt of what had happened, the tracks running everywhere, splatters of blood -- but not a gobbet of meat lay on the ground, no corpse, no bone. The scraol had taken everything from the clearing, even the guttered out wood from the burnt fire and taken it gods knew where. There were no supplies or items of the one people to be found here, the scraol as they had hunted man seemed almost as bent on erasing them. The only thing that remained in permanence was at the center of the clearing -- the sooty pit of the great campfire, and the giant black-granite boulder that lay within it.

But Baatar's people would not, could not approach to look closer.

Sitting atop this boulder, looking every bit out of place in the sun of the day, was the Chiropteran Behemoth -- the Giant Crimson Bat. Perched upright on the giant stone one could hear louder in the clearing the strange call hissing from the snout of the giant beast...

"Kee Kee Kee"

With a rapid whip of one visibly tired arm it scooped the starving and reckless coyote into it's fur and devoured it. once again returning the clearing to silence. It shifted it's feet, shifted it's WEIGHT, audibly to face Baatar and his people at the edge of the clearing.

"KEE KEE KEE"

It lifted one stumpy leg more talon than foot and as if making a statement, defecated a coffin-sized pellet containing the twisted body of Tundug... the scat sailed across the clearing to land at the feet of Baatar's men who watched in terror from the edge of the clearing. Tundug's half digested face lay twisted in a rictus of horror, the bones of multiple other creatures, many humanoid, twisted among his remains in the giant ejection of the Crimson bat. One could not mistake this as some kind of statement. Baatar's people upped and ran.

The Crimson Bat squinted it's eyes, it was truly blind, at least in the light of day, but it made to make eyes as Baatar.

Bataar clutched tight the origin stone, upon which the glyph of a great bat seemed to glow, shining in the eye of the Chiropteran behemoth.

It hiccuped -- and a shard of the great flint -- the symbol of his once great people -- fell between Baatar and the Crimson bat -- as if daring him to come forward and take it... It cocked it's head, waving it's neck Baatar noticed, in time with Baatar's tail that also twitched nervously.

DECISION POINT: In discord Baatar can choose to flee or otherwise act in the encounter with the crimson bat...

2. The two teams of people sought to create some tools of horn before setting out to gather wood -- but time got away from them. By the time the quality tools were complete, precious little time remained to gather wood. Half the team had gathered a great pile of sticks in anticipation of failure to gather a significant amount of wood, but the tribe had their gathering and cutting tools. Tribe produces 1 unit of quality bone tools, and 1 unit of wood.

3. The tribe at their stone endeavor wished they had taken greater time, and greater care in making containers out of hide, and in their using of raw materials to gather stone. The hides were ruined. minus 1 unit hides. But a humble amount of sharp and heavy rocks were found... maybe enough to make the undertaking worthwhile. Gain 1 unit basic stone.

4-5 : Everyone : The "Coalition" as Baatar's people named it, had but two members thus far, but all tribes were invited to join. Heterological and Heyitsjiwon each gain +1 temporary morale bonus, which can become a permanent +2 if 5 or more tribes join the confederation. You are encouraged to propagate joining of the coalition in discord, anyone joining until the breakpoint of 5 gains +1 morale temporary, after 5 tribes, it becomes +2 morale permanent. Runners reach all tribes to announce invitation...

 

[Beckoncall]

AngelCloud : DAY 1

1. Despite not having tools to gather wood, Raptora proved more than effective at kicking down the odd dried, dead tree, or ramming a fresh sapling down. In the end, Viper and tribe recovered 3 units of basic wood and 1 unit of exotic "Dryad Wood" -- Wet with syrupy sap that seemed to slide like a blood or slime underneath it's bark, the outside wood was a dull white and the core wood was a rich green. The elders encouraged experimentation with this wood, as there was precedent for it in human myth, but long since any had been found.

2. Viper had given one team the job of getting food AND making tools, and this proved unwise. with such a small group, and more than one task to focus on, they group drove itself crazy chasing a giant peacock from forest clearing to forest clearing, and only with the advent of losing light did the group fall back to gathering nuts and berries to at least have something to show for their time. Two units of nuts were acquired, and no tools were made. Time and time again they found signs of strange saboteurs -- frilled winged kobolds that could more often be heard than seen, frustrating their attempts at hunting and laughing at their gathering of nuts and berries. Such mischief was not appreciated, but the Amazons could not strike back at their flying and stealthy tormentors.


3. More successful was the fertility ritual that both increased morale of the tribe and promised to bring new numbers to the Skeletal Amazons in the days to come. +1 temporary morale.

4. Snakeheart's elders and a force of workers sought exotics by the riverside and met with some success. Succulent waterplants and fragrant leaves and blooms were found. The waterplants if researched might yield medicinal applications and a easy-gathering source of food, and the fragrant leaves and blooms still held their secrets, but the elders thought that perfume, tea, or incense were potential applications (PICK ONE)

5. The remaining group of Skeletal amazons did trade with the Gelrakes and many felt they'd come out ahead with what they spent...

 

[Beckoncall]

Day 1 Karcen :

1. The bonereapers hunting band first encountered a GIANT TORTOISE, but looking upon their own tools and weapons thought better of trying to take down such a beast, much less trying to harvest one. They noted where in the rocky greens such animals roamed -- noting that some rocks they saw had been misidentified tortoises! In the end they faced down a small pack of great-horned buffalo who other predators had chased far from their herd and tired them out for them... they gained 8 units of food and 2 units of horns.
In addition, Deyas was granted a vision, and in following it, located a great dead tree surrounded by standing stones... coiled around the dead tree were the bones of some ten-eyed monster, the likes of which Deyas had seen in her dreams. This was a source of Monster Bone -- likely more than they would ever need, but they would have to work, with tools, to get all but the loosest and smallest pieces of the majestic creature. gain 2 units Monster Bone. More monster bone will take quality tools and hard labor to yield additional quantities.

The Bonereapers saw this sacred place as a home of sorts, if only the scraol would leave them to it. they would keep it's location a secret and if other tribes were to have the powerful and potentially magical properties of the great monster bones, it would be because the bonereapers shared them.


2. Among the area of the camp there was plenty of dead and dying wood, and with enough labor sent, a good quantity was gathered. If the group were assigned better tools they would have garnered a great deal of wood indeed, but instead got a generous 4 units of wood.

3. Such tools were on their way, however, for the boneshapers used the day to make tools of hardened and lightweight, well-balanced bone with their shaping magics. Long Polearm Clubs, Wicked Spears, cutting edges, and hammering clubs and gathering rods found their way into the hands of the bonereapers. Bonereapers gain 2 units of quality bone tools, and 1 unit of monster bone tools. indeed some of the great bones of the "Decaoculus" monster were shaped into bone tools of a sparkling but dark appearance, with Deyas and her people wondering if the bones were magical or having additional beneficial properties.

4. On the island, Deyas hunted her observers -- but not in a way that would seem ominous or threatening. In the end, she traced the whistling to a well camoflaged turret of bark and wood built flush against the stump. When Deyas found the turret, nearly forty feet off the ground, the strange string instruments quickly stopped... but there was no way for Deyas to reach them, nor would whomever observed her come down to grant audience.

Shortly after, Deyas found an ancient skull next to a rotted hovel on the east side of the tree... bending over to pick it up, it instead crumbled to dust and flew away on the wind, as if to cast itself over the whole valley.

"I was the Fallen Scion, Deyas -- and your coming here is no coincidence. Man again is in the Valley, and man again will rise. By night, make offering of resources to me, the dearer the better -- and you shall have, all man shall have, their audience with me."

EVERYONE: You may now during night phases sacrafice resources to commune with the "FALLEN SCION" -- a strange entity that is not indifferent to the plight of humans in the valley and indeed operates in the hopes that men flourish. Karcen gains +1 permanent morale for discovering the fallen scion and is hertofore declared (as a tribe) the heralds of the scion.

 

[Beckoncall]

Prince Vaethorion :

1. The first team had too much on their hands hunting for both wood and rocks, and needed to get help from folk designated to be toolmakers to effectively gather. They retrieved 3 normal wood and 1 unit of basic stone.

2. Some crude nets and fiber materials were made with tendons and vines. the latter would improve the quality of tools made.

3. This group had to be disbanded in order to let group 1 gather two materials (wood and stone)

4. The Team going back for the mammoth had to be split so that there was actually labor to make tools. In the end the tribe had nets, spears, hammers and knives that were of fine quality. Tribe gains two units of fine basic tools. (these tools are of good quality, but made of poorer materials)

5. When River so Deep and his unit reached the rest of the abandoned mammoth kill, they were both surprised and horrified to see it being pulled into the earth by some subterranian worm that had scared off the rest of the scavengers and kill-jumpers. With only a flank and the chest cavity still sticking out of the ground and rapidly sinking, they DARED to cut what they could from the animal carcass before it was pulled almost invisibly down into the dirt and gravel with all signs of plants in the footprint of the carcass. The team Salvaged 2 units of bone and 2 units of fur OR 10 units of food. (Choice) - please state on discord which you chose before updating your resources.

 

[Beckoncall]

Kent :

Strygwyr and the rest of the blood clan did little to mourn the loss of their dead, but they carried it heavy on their hearts -- but brushed aside so as to not slow them down. Trading was hard-work with the Gelrakes but the tribe believed they got very interesting acquisitions for what was spent.

The ruins about the great temple were a good place to search for stones, even without tools. The Tribe finds glassy rocks of a dark black and purple texture, and stripped and blotted stones made of various shades of green. there was also plenty of basic rocks suitable to tools to be found, but they only had time to choose to pick special rocks or gather a surfeit of common ones. Clan gains 1 unit of Obsidian and 1 unit of Malachite OR 3 units of common stone. (state choice on discord)

The other team, large as it was, was perpetually distracted with examining about for extra resources. Consulting the elders slowed them down but they did find leads to new resources.
3 units of wood are found... and a number of resources are catalogued but there is not enough time/labor to gather them. You may use a further order to investigate blue mushrooms, red mushrooms, Rope Vines, or "berry-bugs" in a future order (Large, hanging insects fat with some kind of dew drawn from plants) knowledge of these resources is not acquired, but TWO of these resources can be investigated in a later/night order.

 

[Beckoncall]

Heterological :

1. confusion reigned in the first group -- was there a clam in a yam pit? or a yam in a clay pit? Certainly there was no clam to be found, but a giant bitter yam was a food-find enough. Along with fruits and nuts gathered on the clay flats, a total of 8 food was harvested, including the giant yam. The group was too divided in objective to find many medicinal plants, but felt if they had a designated group to hunt for them they would soon find which were valuable and which were worthless. In addition, the tribe gathers 2 clay.

2. The wood gatherers did a good job of gathering newly dead and falling trees and piles of coal wood for burning. they gathered 4 units of common wood. In addition, they found a tree that while apparently killed in the blaze, the wood did not burn -- all the leaves had burned away, and the roots were dried dead by the heat, but the trunk itself seemed fire-retardant. the bark did not burn nor did the heartwood. The tribe called this strange red barked-tree with white heartwood "Sacred Wood" and saw that it cut, bended, and chopped with the same properties as other wood, only did not burn. 1 unit of "Sacred Wood" is found.

3. Two "Sloth lances" were made under the unrelenting and dedicated labor of the tribe. these weapons, with wooden handles, would be dangerous against larger prey and fierce charging weapons against human-sized foes. with a whole unit working together the lance could be thrown like a javelin, but it's accuracy as such was questionable.

 

[Beckoncall]

Twist :

Matri Midwi and her tribe sought survival in the familiar, in the crags and scree of the rocks. No bird egg was too high, No goat too agile or crafty, no rock grub too well hidden. The tribe gains 8 food.

The Rituals of fertility were performed, and spirits were raised as these rites were very sacred to the tribe. Morale went up temporarily by +1, and there was likelihood in the wake of the next feast to be a bumper-crop of babies, many twins were predicted, and children soon to be born.

The trees of the forests near the rocks did not lend themselves to sap -- but there were vines that were suitable to fibers. six wood was gathered by the tribe, and two units of vines.

With the wood, horns and vines, The entire tribe was armed with strong bone spears.

Soon the night would come. But every stone was a friend where the tribe lay it's head. They would have to make a fire soon... already the scraol moved in the lengthening shadows...

 

[Beckoncall]

Eliasdagood :

The Cavara were no strangers to the water, and the bounties of the river. Though their overall luck was poor, they still managed to reap 8 units of food fishing in the river.

With such a large task force, even without tools, gathering wood by the riverside was easy. 6 units of common wood were found, and 2 units of darkwood.

But fate did not smile at them come the night -- the Cavara found themselves camping right on top of the Tribe of Rion Heterological -- making them the "biggest herd" of humans in the valley. Immediately as night fell they realized the mistake of not camping farther apart as the scraol the would have spread evenly throughout the camps seemed to all concentrate around these two tribes forced closer and closer together, until they were sharing the same fire...

And it would have to be a big fire, if they were going to keep the scraol away...

 

[Beckoncall]

Everyone :

EVERYONE IN THE COALITION GETS +2 PERMANENT MORALE instead of +1 temporary morale for forming a confederation of more than half the tribes.

All members of the coalition can have an extra "6th" order this night phase focused on research, culture, or discovery.

 

[Beckoncall]

Night 1 AngelCloud :

1: The first night fell upon the scattered tribes and darkness moved beyond the campfire -- only a bit, but the scraol were there, yellow and red eyes squinted at the end of the firelight it was only a few, or a couple circling the camp to seem like many.

The elders and the tribe examined the dryad wood -- it was so well camoflaged among other trees that it would they could tell it would be hard to find more without searching for it. The sap seemed to bleed from the wood, oozing in viscous clots, while seemingly freeflowing under the bark. many elders came forward with theories as to how the strange resource could be used, but only two applications could be chosen:

An Elder noticed that the solidified sap seemed to liquidate when held near the heartwood -- suggesting that the wood could be pulped for sap that would help them find more dryad wood if the specifically sought for it. If they intended to find more except by luck, this would be one of the discoveries that would need to be taken.

An Elder noted the processed wood and sap completely hid the scent of women and animals with the fresh scent of the forest. This could potentially increase morale and advance culture if it could become a renewable resource, and also had applications as a hunting camoflage -- for animals would never smell the Amazons coming with the scent of dryad wood and sap on their skin.

Another elder experimented with burning some of the wood, and strange energies and spirits were released. The fire burned hotter than a normal wood fire -- too hot for any simple tools or common bone to stand up to the heat -- but the elder speculated that better materials, with their own secrets, could be unlocked and harnessed with a dryad wood fire -- making better or even magical tools proved in the flame. Ancient tales spoke of "the flesh and bone of the earth" (metals) that a fire like this would be needed for. But this elder was ridiculed by the others, and soon quieted at becoming a mockery.

One elder said that killing the dryad tree was a mistake, and the spirits of nature might have been offended. That tomorrow the dryad wood would have to be buried back among the trees and apologies and requests for guidance be made of the nature spirits on what to do. This elder too was scolded, as the devotion of the tribe was bone -- and to seek counsel with the nature spirits might offend their patrons and guides of their devotion.

Lastly, the beautiful heartwood could be made into small figurines and idols to circle the fire and hopefully bless it. The sap, dried, shimmered like amber jewels of green -- making covetous adornments and jewelry. This was one of the most popularly supported ideas -- that a small amount of jewelry and a fire circle be made of the wood, and then forget about finding more...

2: Gathering food by the river by fishing and catching was hard by night, but the Amazons were lucky. tiny shellfish were easily gathered in the firelight, and tiny crabs that were nearly invisible by day turned out to be active, and made crunchy and easily collected snacks that wandered into the firelight. Fishing was hard in the dark -- but overall 5 units of food were generated -- enough to feed the tribe for a day. They doubted they would do this well again without more specialized tools, but boneshaping had made improvised solutions viable. The gathering abruptly stopped when amazons began to see a couple of scraol wading in the river, creeping ever closer to the lines and clubbing holes. The elders advised that gathering by night was daring the gods, and the scraol for misfortune.
But the results spoke for themselves. The gathering bag assured that the good yield would not escape or spoil or bruise during the endeavor, though many amazons cut their feet in the darkness of the water on sharp rocks... these wounds were easily tended.

3: "Seeking" male raptors by night just wasn't going to happen -- the tribe was penned in by the farthest spread of the firelight. But Raptora gave mating cries deep into the night, and the amazons sung with her to amplify her voice. Raptora scent-marked the camp heavily, and the tribe knew that by day, if they assigned a group to track and mind the signs raptora left, they could likely find attracted males. In fact, one likely large and strong male could be heard roaring to raptora in the night, but was one too many times silenced by fighting with scraol that began to hunt it. It was uncertain if "Bellow" as the children began to call him was safe, whether he defeated the scroal or survived the night proving his strength by calling to Raptora as loud as he could -- but eventually he fell silent when attempting the approach the camp, and the tribe feared bellows might have died seeking his mate. Come morning they would find blood trails of a great male raptor and signs of bitter fighting with the scroal. A task force could be sent tomorrow in the day to find bellows, but many feared they would only find a dying or dead raptor, however mighty he was...

4: A fire of 3 wood was large and sufficient for the danger the scroal presented that night. The "devils" could be seen here and there, as mentioned, but they never came too close, and the fire was easy enough to control.

5: 1 unit of quality basic tools was made with boneshaping, which helped tremendously with the gathering of food despite the darkness. Boneshaping made ossified material compact and compounded, several bones could be folded into one tool, making it light but strong, and supple enough to endure stress on the items.

 

[Beckoncall]

Karcen NIGHT 1

1: the fire was great and bright, and whether the scraol were out there in the darkness the bonereapers took no chances. Were they really gone? or just too stealthy to be seen? In any case, the reapers felt safe at their fire, and were emboldened by the words of Deyas.

2: Before night truly fell, the great fire was erected and the feast and song had already begun. before nightfall a few people from strange tribes and even survivors from the one people had followed the smell, noise, and celebration. These people had no devotion, so would need to be educated in the ways of the bonereapers -- but a handful of them would make very capable labor -- they were mixed among the other units so that they would be immersed in bonereaper culture... they talked of other tribes upstream that exiled people from their own tribes as a way of culling population and sating the scraol. They could be interrogated/questioned about where these tribes might be. Bonereapers gain 1 unit of people (converted to bone devotion)

3. The elders had a great breakthrough with boneshaping -- crafting strong grips and fiendish spikes out of the smooth surfaces of the bone. One solid piece was used in the crafting, and rapidly the elders approached Deyas -- they thought they could make one mighty weapon for her, or quality weapons for one unit -- A great wicked double-edged staff-spear seemed to form in the bending mass of bone -- but it shattered into separate pieces and the decision was made, each fragment of the great weapon was made into a vicious tool of death for each member of a single unit. 1 unit of Cruel Magic Bone weapons is generated, or if the chief prefers, 3 units of quality bone weapons to arm more of the tribe, but these are far lesser to the cruel ones that could be made.

4: (processed in discord)

5. The elders consulted the bones and the immaterial and darkness around and beyond them... they found different wisps of runes in the dust searching for soul magic: Frighten, Peace of Graves, Soul Bolt, Darkness, and Curse. these were the most crude expressions, starting spells they were -- and the elders could only choose one such spell and perfect it during the night. The rest are known of, but would have to be researched later.

 

[Beckoncall]

Kent Night 1:

1: The elders, with a full unit of warriors examined and experimented with the gem in a variety of ways. It responded most when pointed towards a pulse, or pressure was applied to it, or when two individuals held it together. The elders let sacred blood in divination of the item and saw three applications for it's unique energy:

Focused inward, it would shield the wearer from all harm... up to a point. The thresh-hold for the gem was great, but uncertain -- what was certain was that when this threshhold was reached, the wearer would die -- and once bound to the gem there was no severing the connection.

Focused outward, the gem had a chance (roughly half the time) to duplicate the force subjected to the wearer and strike the deliverer of the blow back to the offender. This did not protect the wearer in any way, but made attacking the wearer risky and potentially equally lethal in kind to the offender as the offended.

When two individuals held it together it beat with two pulses that would synchronize to relative combined strength. Henceforth, when one pulse weakened, it would share some of the pulse of the other -- basically allowing a two mortals to share the constitution of each other as if they were one entity. Even when one warrior was horribly bled when his comrade was uninjured the wounded warrior could still stand and fight -- though none dares find out what would happen if one of the bonded pair were to die...

Decision point: Kent chooses how to attune the item and with/to whom.

2: The small amount of Obsidian nonetheless made a great number of small sharp chips and blades, enough for spears for the entire tribe. the tribe is all considered armed/equipped with Basic Obsidian Spears. larger pieces of the stone flaked and cracked easily, but honed into smaller tips they proved strong when braced with fiber and notched into a spear.

3. The experiment with the wood and torches was telling. At first the second ring of fire cast a great glow, like the main bonfire was a stadium and the ring of torches a second tier of light -- the outermost torch being watched for duration and casting the farthest light, the dancing glow making the stone temple and ruins around them wave and jump with the wind...

But the scraol were not afraid of small fires. Hours after nightfall a distorted shadow sprung from the darkness and grabbed the farthest torch, and for a moment a distorted image of a hideous abberation cast in light and shadow, with claws and talons and a mouth full of hideous bulging teeth ripped the torch apart and stamped it out. It howled as the oil burned it, but quickly silenced.

Then the Scraol came for the other torches. One by one, something would lope into the light and rip the torch-post from the ground. one was snuffed by a great taloned-foot much larger than the first... or was it a trick of the light?

One was knocked over and pissed on from the darkness. three cackling voices with matching streams finally put the single torch out.

Then... the Scraol pulled the torches up, one by one and threw them at the tribesmen huddling around their relatively small fire. there was no peace or rest for the moment one person nodded off or looked in the wrong direction a burning spear was vaulted at them. One tribesman was struck in the arm and horribly wounded, another tribesman was hit directly behind the head and knocked into the fire, to the jubilant howls of what seemed to be many scraol. Others were merely injured and added the torch-wood to the fire, building it to a 3 wood fire that finally kept the scraol at bay -- causing them to recede and no longer play with, and like the shadows. No units lost, but 1 unit is considered injured unless/until healed. Rest for the tribe suffers, Kent can take -1 morale (temporary) or have only 3 orders for day 2. (decision point)

4. The dance could not take place during the night, with the terrorism of the scraol. Some in the tribe wept for they knew it's power and raising of spirits was needed by the tribe... but it was not to be -- the moment a dancer would dare, a torch would be flung for them, vicious and accurate. By the time the terror was over -- the stars had passed under the clouds and daybreak was on it's way...

5. (processed in discord)

6. Despite the predations and intimidations of the scraol the elders focused on tending to the fire, and their magic -- Though the atmosphere of fear affected the winds of magic somewhat and took the elder shamans to dark places. One spell discovered was Unholy Stupor -- A literal drunken-ness on blood that both quickened and clouded the mind, blocked pain, and granted strength... it felt wonderful... so much so elders cautioned that using the unholy stupor could become addictive or lead to dependency. One application was a strength of sinew spell, taken as a broth which made tribesmen agile and stronger. The last secret to be studied was performed on the casualty to the spear flung by the scraol and it was the spell of Ancestral Puppet -- the body's head was horribly burned and disfigured so it could not speak, but for the short time it worked it attempted to communicate that it was from generations before. It could only be performed on the dead, but the elders wondered what potential raising ancestors to fight or guide the tribe could mean. Decision point: Learn one spell, (though you of course learn OF the others should you focus research on them)

Time had not been kind to the Blood Tribe of Strygwyr -- and wakening exhausted made them wonder if staying in the same place was daring the scraol to taunt them. They would have to consult other tribes and see how the Scraol behaved towards others... but this night, they were glad for the coming of the day -- for they had invoked the anger and mockery of the Devils that only left them with the parting of the clouds and the coming of the sun...

 

[Beckoncall]

Heyitsjiwon : Night 1

1: Baatar spent the night with an elder pondering over the flint. The original great flint was shaped almost like a dagger, and Tundug held it with a hilt made of an ancient husked beach-nut. The tiny pieces all the tribes had were flecks of stone given to the chieftains of the subtribes long ago when the great flint was given it's shape. The pieces did not fit together, but when struck against each other, the winds of magic warped around Baatar, and sparks of various colors would be struck from the fragment. Sometimes the sparks were Red, Blue, White or Brown, other times stranger colors like green, purple, grey and silver were produced. These sparks did not light anything but seemed to be motes of magical essence that quickly dissolved. A mystery. At least for now.

2: The fire around the Niislel camp was profoundly dim with only one wood. Danger was with them that night -- the smell of the guano was hideous, awful even, creating a fog around the campsite that made the entire area stink. The tribe was horrified, as the heavy smoke seemed either immune or there was too light of a wind that night to move it. The smoke further ensconced the light of the fire, hiding it. The lack of light would seal their doom, the tribe thought, huddling ever closer, uncomfortably so, to the tiny blaze of wood they had constructed. The Niislel grew frantic is the seeking of more fuel -- all the guano was burned before the tribe realized it was snuffing their light completely from a distance, and every stick and leaf in the range of the fire was gathered and stuffed into the small firepit to make what fire there was substantial. But still, only feet from the fire it was dark, and choking fog.
They did not know that they had completely hidden their scent and the presence of their fire, that the gods spared them, or a great blaze elsewhere in the valley drew the devils away from them -- but the scraol never came that night. They went through their orders in silence and in the unpleasantness of the mephitic smoke, but no-one was dragged into the darkness -- no tribal was challenged by the devils who seemingly were far away from their campsite.

3: Tundug's remains had been corrupted by traveling the digestive tract of the ancient one -- and the elders forbid the ritual of blood to be performed on it despite baatar's strident protestations. His body was feces now, the elders argued quietly, and to commit a blood rite on such a corruption would invite disease and miasma upon the tribe and more to the point would be a very unholy rite, inviting for demons and devils of the planes to take advantage of the powers released. Instead Tundug was hastily burned both to fuel the fire and purify his corpse. Blood oaths and prayers were exchanged between the people conducting the ceremony, but it was not to be mixed with the fouled blood of the one chief. Still, they had a feeling that what they were doing was right for the chief's spirit, not a conventional blood rite or burial, more in lines with the people of the fire devotion, but acceptable to bring Tundug peace and into the growing presence of all ancestors.

4: The tribe did not let fear, nor lack of light get in the way of productivity -- 1 unit of heavy, sharp, quality tools was made with the simpler tools they had. The construction of the tools could convey a bonus to the gathering of specific resources -- there was:

Focus of the Axe: (Bonus to wood)
Focus of the Shovel: (bonus to clay)
Focus of the Pick: (Bonus to stone)
Focus of the Pan: (Bonus to Gold)
Focus of the Knife: (Bonus to Fur/Meat)

Only one bonus could be chosen, a eureka, the other options never imagined so could not be researched later.

5. The constellations did not coincide with any pattern in the sky, or trance attempted, or dream interpreted, or blood read, What they did see was a hierarchy among certain symbols -- and how if the tablet was inverted, and incanted with blood magic, the new runes and patterns formed a kind of timeline, with humans in the center. This "chart" would argue that man shared a common ancestor with the ape, the birds, the reptiles, the fish, and on to simpler creatures of the water. At places the tree forked and creatures that were more distant, the worm, the octopus, the insect -- they were on their own stems of the tree -- even plants were cousins it could be argued, though they shifted to their own branches near the bottom of the tree -- but the origin stone told a tale of all life coming from water, and that not only every man was brother, but every beast and every plant.

At the base of the tablet were magical words only the elders could read:

"Remember that we are all brothers.
All people, beasts, tree, and stone and wind
we all escend from the one great being
that was always there
before people lived and named it
before the first seed sprouted"

There was much more that could be learned from the tablet, inverted again it seemed to promise a map of magical creatures, a tree of ancient ones, and the suggestion of stranger connections -- vague hints at people with tails, or wings, or fins.... like they had opened only the first chapter of a story... but the deeper chapters would require more blood, more magic, more intent, more devotion, more spirit than any or all the elders had...

6. The feast had to wait until almost sun-up -- but with the survival of the night a glorious celebration was had. The oldest of the youngsters were inducted into the tribe and even a few strangers from the wilds were attracted and joined. -- they were distributed amoung the units so they might learn the devotions of blood. 1 unit of people gained.

 

[Beckoncall]

Twist : Night 1

A healthy fire was built before Matri Midwi and her sons and daughters had the sacred duty of lighting it for her and the tribe. With the tribe in repose, Matri was swarmed with attendants and the questions of elders -- about custom and how things must be or might be changed in this new land. Children massaged her feet and young warriors rubbed her considerable bulk as she sat and pondered and ran her clan -- her comfort as important as ants to their queen. and from what comforted could be had, she would reign from... The fire was more than sufficient -- though some swear they saw the movement or spying of the scraol, no-one could agree on one event and the events were few... though the fire-folk who tended the fire with their spears remained ever vigilant.

The Elders guided with Matri Midwi's blessings the shapes and the designs of the tools. Her children competed as they always did to create or oversee the best project -- Matri watched her children carefully -- most rivalry was healthy and mirthful, but she saw some resentment for her most gifted daughter in the eyes of her youngest sons. One's ire smouldered, the other ranted and furied at his repeated losses to her. The tribe saw the competition and sport among the children of Matri an entertaining distraction and not a source of discord... but one elder wondered if such would stay the case forever, especially as her children got older.

With competition for designs and specific objectives in mind the Kin tribe did magnificently -- they unlocked the Focus of Axe, and Focus of Pick (Bonus to gathering wood and stone *when mentioned*) And the tribe gained two units of quality specialized tools. The Kin tribe were excited to put the new tools to work with the coming day.

Researching Darkwood was a heady task -- it seemed handling the slick wood along cut-lines got the oils on one's skin, and made elders tired or even silly! with greater care taken to study the wood, it's properties of longer burning were already proven, also, when burned wet it made spectacular smokescreens for scent and vision. They did come to new discoveries however -- they began to see a pattern in the type of mosses and plants that grew on and around the bark and rootwood they had -- which could help in finding darkwood easier. As an alternative they could try concentrating the sap and making it into a drug or drink, with water... The tribe can pick FINDING DARKWOOD as a discovery or DARKWOOD SPIRIT DRINK. one could be taken now, and the other could be researched later, and of course more secrets could be searched for, as this mysterious material still seemed to hold promises.

The soapstone had let the tribe down with respect to tools... but the Kin Tribe saw more than one application for a resource. If Soapstone could not work other materials, perhaps it was to be worked. Beautiful shapes in the rock could be made... and with shapes came images and effigies. The tribe could pick one application of three, and research others later:

Adornment -- +1 temporary morale (until more lustrous materials were found)
Effigy -- with the gathering of more soapstone an idol could be made that could be carried with the tribe, the woman elders thought a god-reflection of Matri was the best idea for a first idol, an opulent woman swarming with infants and plenty. Soapstone was light, and as long as a unit was designated to move it when the tribe relocated it would not be a burden, unless the tribe needed to flee. (Cultural value)
Images -- on thick tablets of soapstone pictures could be engraved. With pictures would come tallies, and symbols, messages, and records.
(pick one can research others)

Matri and her children slept well that night, exhausted and accomplished. A new day would soon come that would bring opportunity and hopefully continued safety for her people...

 

[Beckoncall]

Prince Vaethorion : Night 1

1. The fire was well tended and guarded from growing unruly by the attendant water elemental and the fire tender guards. The flames were kept concentrated and high, and though the devils moved in the shadows, they showed no aggression and revealed themselves only once to grab a boar that wandered into the edge of the firelight perhaps for it's own defense. It was a hateful creature, more than 7 feet tall, grey and brown it's legs slick with moss. It's head looked like a mass of teeth and horns, it's eyes squinted as it raked the the boar into the dark with one motion. The tribe was safe, the tribe knew it, and the scraol seemed to know as well...

2. The Lost tribe of the waters worked hard making tools for their tribe and their chieftain and elders. With mighty effort, and fine tools they crafted simple spears for the entire tribe. With larger rocks, after smaller axes were made (Focus of Axe -- Bonus to gathering wood when mentioned) With the larger stones that were harder to break down massive two-handed stone axes, double tied with fibers and double staved with bone were crafted. They asked the chieftains how the new weapons would take shape -- would a modest slashing axe be added to the piercing bite of the spear, or would the strongest of the tribe wield truly great axes of crushing stone? (Decision point: Chieftain picks sophisticated Axe/spears OR Heavy Two Handed Axes and receives one unit of these special weapons) the other idea/prototype will be abandoned.

3. Fate smiled on the Lost Water clan when they set their nets -- they saw the river by the falls was teaming with great fish! It was a spring spawning taking place under the dark of the river it seemed, and only the strongest and largest fish, more than could be caught, made their way up the falls. Swollen with Caviar that poured so thick as to be a scum on the water, the nets were full and the bend in the river with the nets set was awash with caviar. 18 units of food could be gathered with the eggs, or the chief could decide that the eggs be left for future spawnings, and instead take 12 units of food.

4. Lilly of the Lake, the priestess and other elders discussed poisons deep into the night. Many if not all of the poisons they knew were native to lands far away. Still, questions were plied to the hunters of the day and what plants they had seen, and they were pressed harshly to describe their qualities. The mammoth gatherers said that the further west they went, the darker and more brackish the water became -- and the far-scouts saw that the west waters did indeed come from a deep and dark swamp. The swamps were often home to the most deadly poisons -- beautiful plants that advertised their danger, their bravery and spite to them that would eat them. But scouting into the swamp was almost suicidality dangerous. The priestess said that poisons of the sea are many-fold more powerful than the poisons of the land. By heading east to the shores of the bay, they might find fish or crustaceans that had poison fit for killing large water beasts -- even the smallest amount of such a poison should be more than enough for a beast of the land. From grilling the scavengers of the mammoth carcass they mentioned that by the river they saw a "Corpse Plant" -- great pitchers that stink of dead men, to attract insects into their soporific poison stomachs. It would be hard to find a corpse plant without looking for it specifically -- but if they searched along the river the hunters were confident they'd eventually find a huge and bountiful specimen. It would be up to them to decide what course to pursue.

5. The workers fashioned 2 units of light armor from mammoth fur for the warriors and hunters of the tribe. The tribe asked if next fur could be found to make blankets, for the warmth of the weak and the old, but understood that first came survival, then the aspirations of comfort. (tribe gets idea of rugs and comfort clothes) - can develop later.

6. The chieftain trained with his warriors best casters and the terse and aggressive council of the elders. They developed possible applications for their relatively weak magic, seated primarily in manipulation of the environment. The Tribe learns ONE of the following three spells and can research the others later if desired: Blinding rain, Muddy Earth, Earthspike.

As a eureka, a small number of dug out canoes, were converted from the wood of the crude raft. Burning the wood and scraping it out had been begun in the day, but extra labor was put towards the task. If more labor was put into the endeavor, the tribe would have enough canoes for all their units, and could move the tribe by water if needed.

 

[Beckoncall]

Eliasdagood : Night 1

2 units tend to the fire (4 wood consumed)
3 units stand watch
The elders of the tribe research a way to cook fish to make it last longer.

The Rion Heterological and the Cavara of the shore found themselves camped in the only suitable place in the vicinity, almost on top of each other. This was a mistake, and as the people knew it, the scraol knew doubly so -- even before the fire was built the woods around them were PREGNANT with the devils. They obviously saw the two tribes together as some kind of herd to devour, a rare opportunity they would not pass up -- That was until the gigantic fire was built by the two tribes. Nearly impossible to control, it took all the fire tenders of the Cavara and the fire magic of the Rion to keep the blaze from spreading to the surrounding woods and killing them all. However, a fire this large was fearsome to the scraol as well, and it kept them at bay.

The Cavara stood watch for an attack that would never come. They had so many sightings of the creatures in the pulsing and great firelight... they observed the scraol as they had never been seen before. Great grey beasts covered with scars and horns stood menacingly on the edge of the perimeter -- these the Cavara called hunters... Moving around in stealth and circling the camp were hunched but nonetheless large more unruly haired, mossy scraol that moved more on all fours... these packs were named "Skulkers" by the Cavara -- and it seemed they were lower in heirarchy to the warriors as the greys snapped and kicked at them to speed their circling or keep their distance. Cavara gain +1 insight into Scraol. (note this perk when examining scraol behavior)

When it became clear the scraol would not attack in the face of such a large and controlled blaze, the more comely and adventurous of the Cavara consorted with idle Rion tribesmen and mixed with them... so handsome and strange some of the Rion were, the fertility rituals were unofficial, but many caressed, laughed, and lay together in the great heat of the fire. The magic of the great Rion Fire infused the people of Cavara, and a generation of children came up quickly with their own fire talents. (Cavara gain 1 unit of people WITH FIRE DEVOTION -- they can dismiss these talents and teachings and embrace water for this unit, or keep it's unique talents for it's own tribe.) (Decision point to be decided in discord and may have far-reaching effects)

 

[Beckoncall]

Heterological Night 1

1. The fire of the combined tribes danced like a mighty idol of Rion power. It took large numbers of Cavara fire tenders and even the attention of the best rion tenders and fire mages to keep the blaze from becoming a forest fire. Still, the result was just short of magical -- a mighty circle of flame and light, casting a veritable WALL against the devils that were most certainly there -- squinting, averting their gaze as they sniffed towards the camp, circling and snapping at each other. They SAW was a scraol looked like truly, and they were every bit as fierce and terrifying as the most seemingly exhaggerated stories. At one point, a great boulder walked, or stumbled... a giant devil? The Rion shuttered.

2. But the scraol were not a threat this night, they were a display. The Rion threw a Feast, and invited their Cavara cousins to join them. There was -- affection -- shared between the tribes during the feast, mostly initiated by the Cavara who had little to do but tend the fire and watch the scraol. The feast came with a dessert of much fraternization between the tribes, and the great fire served as a beacon for lost tribe members and alien tribesmen native to the valley as well! The Rion gained 2 units of people -- one from rites of passage in the feast (and rights of adulthood with the Cavara, as well as an extra unit of alien tribesmen who came from far upriver. (people gained are of fire devotion only -- but the alien tribespeople might have information about things up the river and to the west...

3. 2 units of mighty sloth lances were made by the tribe suitable for war or hunting equally. the great fire proved the wood and bone and they were masterfully carved and sharpened by the elders. The lances were unsuitable for use as missiles, but could be charged with like battering rams carried by multiple warriors, viciously impaling enemies, or used singularly as heavy foot lances.

4. Despite the size of the fire, gathering stone during the night proved to be nigh impossible. the stones in the campsite were not of good quality for the making of tools or adornment, they were sandy and crumbly. The group could not range far nor see well with the long shadows to make gathering viable. The elders reminded that Day was the time for Gathering, and Night the time of Using what was gathered....

5. The sacred wood had SYMBOLS under the bark -- strange impossibly complex patterns around one ring of the wood -- an language -- and not one of men. The elders predicted that if more sacred wood was to be found, it would likely be found near the great tree stump... but would such a promising resource be allowed to be harvested? would it not be defended if the guardians marked it so?
This was just a passing thought among the elders, getting more sacred wood was a distant second to what could actually be done with it. The elders came up with several ideas, though only one could be chosen:

- The wood could be made into amulets for spellcasters, enabling 5 spells cast by the tribe have the "empowered" prefix modifier.
- The sacred wood could be burned in the runes of an existing spell the tribe knew, creating a similar but far more powerful spell
- The sacred wood could be carved into an idol, covered with the alien runes and would glow with an inner fire. This Idol would give the tribe Permanent +1 morale, but could be devastating if lost.
- It could be fashioned into a Sacred Club, or two sacred knives. It was postulated foes not harmed by normal weapons could be viciously wounded with weapon(s) made of holy wood.
- One elder, not popular in her idea, asked that the sacred wood be brought back to the great stump -- that it did not belong to the tribe, and whoever wrote those runes on it might be assuaged if the wood was returned, or offended if not...

 

[Beckoncall]

Karcen Heyitsjiwon Pat Eliasdagood Twist Heterological Prince Vaethorion AngelCloud Kent :

On the way through the cliff territories an odd encounter is had by a scout of Matri Midwi, but tales of the sighting soon spread throughout all the tribes:

On the way through the base of the cliffs a strange being is encountered! Shorter than a human it may very well be one of the elusive "stoutmen", also called in ancient times as the dwarves.

A stoutman in strange clothing was seen in the flesh, working under a rock overhang in the cliffs where the rock wall met the ground. The stoutman (Dwarf) seemed wild eyed and possibly drunk, but he gesticulated wildly to the group as he seemed to pump air through some strange device into the mouth of a hole in the rock burning white hot with fire... He draped a strange harness over his ears and mouth and spoke in ancient and broken human trade dialect -- "Oi! Oi! Lanky ones! speak to a lone and friendly stranger?" the words were trade talk, but did not seem to line up with his lips or the gutteral sounds he was making behind the device. (Decision point: If you are within 3 squares of a north cliff space, you may initiate contact with a dwarf.) -- conversation to be handled in the discord.

 

[Beckoncall]

Kent DAY 2

1. Strygwyr and his close hunting companions, along with left and right -- the magically bonded siblings -- went absolutely magic drunk and raging into the forest. The first thing the group encountered was a group of Axe-beaks, giant land birds, guarding their nests and unwilling to retreat. The hunt quickly became a melee, and a vicious one at that -- The blood tribe startled the creatures with their exuberance and rage, which played to their advantage, still -- even with surprise on their side the axe-beaks were vicious defenders. Two hunters were quickly raked to the ground and almost killed if not for the leeching and healing powers they had prepared. Spears set, the weight of the attacking birds was used against them as they snapped their jaws at the obsidian blades the blood clan would use such opportunities to run the heads of the axe-beaks through. Two hunters almost died of their wounds if not for prodigious amounts of blood healing from the prey, and they gathered 9 units of food in eggs, and 4 units (13 total) from the axe-beaks themselves. That said, it could be argued that hunting the forests in a berserk rage left much to be desired. Without finding additional prey that was rooted to the spot, they time and time again chased game away long before they saw it... Berserk was a spell for warring, at least in the long term it seemed, and unfit for the tasks of tracking and ambush. On top of it all, the massive spell use tired the chieftain and his fellow caster. If there was to be a hunt tomorrow, at least two units would be needed for it to be successful. there was just nothing left when the party returned, laden heavy with food, but depleted of mana and breath, and nursing great wounds.

2. also returning tired were the lumber-gatherers, who used all their skill and knowledge to yield the greatest product : they had options -- they found two great green mossy trees they could proceed to fell for special wood, or focus themselves on barrelling over, pulling and undermining as much standard wood as possible: Choice: 3 units of common wood and two units of "elvenwood" or 8 units of common wood. The green wood was called by elders elvenwood not only for it's camouflaged-green stippled patterns, but also ancient tales told of wood prized more highly among the "elusive ones" -- Elvenwood was said to be poisonous, but in the right hands with the right techniques could make great things. Alternatively, they could take almost more common wood than they could carry.

3. The weakened unit, despite being buoyed by magic, could not find the blue and red mushrooms they had encountered before. some blamed fatigue, but bad luck most of all was the culprit -- they simply could not find a mushroom while looking for one. They DID however run the gobbet of unnatural flesh from the scion to the river and slipped the quivering mass into the water -- the blob sank, bubbling as if boiling the water around it and arose as a 12-foot long hideous serpent with a mockery of human arms and a head. This was the "abominable" -- and the Blood Clan, for worse or better, loosed it into the ecosystem as the fallen scion's manifestation. They could call on it... but none who saw it wanted to. It was a hideous thing that should not be... and yet it was, and free.

4. The stone task force, so strengthened, brought a heap of (1 unit) of common stone back to camp. With tools the task could maybe have been easier -- but strength prevailed and the group was not empty handed.

5. Between the Blood Clan and the Cavara Eliasdagood a new spell was created -- (both tribes gain "Red Haze" as a spell) -- Red haze not only cut line of sight but disrupted balance in the worst effected cases, causing foes to sometimes because disoriented or inaccurate, as if the object of their focus was always 90 degrees to one's side. The spell was costly in mana however, and two casters would be needed to invoke a red haze, unless all other casting be forsook.

Discord: Please report to me if Heyitsjiwon or Twist attend your blood-unity ritual -- Based on attandence bonuses or malus may be applied.

Movement: The Blood clan moves into a harsh area, unwelcoming of life. Hewn into the rockface are both natural and unnatural caves, and on the wind to the east, gurgling and smoking from among the dead trees can be seen and heard...

 

[Beckoncall]

Heyitsjiwon : DAY 2

1. Were there not so many in the food gathering group -- the hunt would have been a disaster. So much to do and so many variables. But the Niislel were wise in assigning a great group to a large and important task. It seemed the riverbanks around the great tree were glutted with rotting fish and a layer of insects and corruption lay thick over the water. It seems a great spawning had been happening further downstream, and here, the many fat rainbow fish were in their death throes or already bloated in the sun. This did not deter the tribe however, they merely cast their tools deeper and congregated the rotting fish into "trap-piles" that larger, bottom feeders, would come to feed from. Three great Catfish were captured in this way, pulled from the mud as they retreated back to their lairs. Mighty men and women wrestled with the fish, and drew them out by mouth and tail. 12 fish with 3 units of scales were acquired in this manner. When not fishing, the elders guided the hunters to sort the good from the bad plants on the riverside. 2 units of "Hag's hair" were found -- these would make potent brews and mediums for more complex mixtures, but truly would taste disgusting. still, it was something to experiment with "drinks of Spirit." Of River-berries they found few. but Viper nettles -- wound in numbing poisonous thorns, these bunches hanging high above the river were filled with calming and tasty berries, if they could be rendered as such. The dwarven tools were unwieldy, but suited for these purposes and 2 units of "Viper Nettles" were acquired -- though it would have to be chosen if each unit was converted into 3 units of food or 1 unit of numbing poison. (Discord choice)
Tired animals DID come to the riverbank, but not easy prey. A great black panther, seemingly shot with several arrows, came to drink at the river. With already plenty on their hands, none dared challenge it and let it drink. Two odd tentacles arched from it's back and pulled dead fish from the water into it's mouth. The elders called it a "Notwher" -- for supposedly such beasts were never truly where they appeared to be. Indeed it disturbed the water several feet from where it drank, and the Niislel gave it a wide berth... if a tired beast came to water here, it would be the Notwher's, not the tribes...

2. The Wood gathering group, so close to the elders and so many other helpful eyes found exactly what they were looking for -- willow trees. They knew what to look for and were magically strong, and geared with instruments to achieve their tasks - 8 units of willow-wood was harvested in the wet riverbanks, driving monkeys and birds away from the area. At the end of the harvest of wood, a great arrow seemed to fall among Niislel painted red with black spots. It seemed to have fallen high from the great trunk in the center of the river -- they were being warned not to despoil the woods around the great stump... but by whom or what? The great arrow was made of Elvenwood, and could be adopted as a spear if the tribe wished to take it. at first it was thought this was an act of pure aggression, and that the tribe should take cover... but the elder noted the spear had fallen in between a unit of people, equidistant to them all. It was a threat -- an advertisement of how accurate the next shot could be. The gathering stopped early...

3. Baatar and his group travelled to the ruins by the light of day and saw details they had not seen before in the carvings and faded paint. Comparing runes from the origin stone and the ruin, they found several near matches and even a couple of convincing possible substitutions... though any translation would be unreliable and guesswork on the part of the chieftain and elders.
They found one particular story that seemed to be of a race of beings chased from their homelands (beyond the sun) -- these beings were driven to the brink of extinction by the dwarves, but adopted by humans so that their species would not die out. For a time, these two peoples interbred, and became some of the mightiest "humans" to live in the valley. The ones from beyond the sun began to thrive with "breeding?" "Mixing?" with humans... and turned on their mentors. throughout the story, dwarf symbols and icons stood by and watched, nonplussed. But there was no mistaking by baatar some of the symbols... the hybrids of the humans and the beyond-star people had tails, tails like he did... and for a time they were a minority that tried to broker peace between the human mentors and the "sun-tresspassers" when relations began to break down. Neither side would fight with the tailed ones, but none would breed with them either. The tailed ones died out, and a great war errupted between the people beyond the sun and the humans of the valley... though there was not enough information to tell of this conflict, the overgrown wild of the valley seemed to speak of annihilation and the fall of the great civilization that built the temple...

4. The research of blood magic revealed new paths -- an unholy rite called "6 red seconds" -- a willing target would be chosen who would be given the power of a demon for six seconds, before dropping dead where they stood. Could be used as a weapon of desperate measures or, if at peace with losses, a terror weapon. The other branch of research was "Blood thoughts" -- messages or memories of a certain individual could be distilled into blood, and if rubbed in the hands the message could be psychically heard, or if the blood was drank -- knowledge could not just be heard, but conveyed -- perhaps even taught. Interesting avenues indeed...

5. Research with Heterological Zian's elders on a purifying flame went as best as could be hoped... The banish magic and the flame magic produced a white blaze conducted from the hands or blown from the mouth -- this fire did not light normal fires, but dispelled corruption, disease, and would likely have an effect on unholy beings. Spell "Purefire" was learned by both clans. there might be other applications for purefire, but further research or experimentation would be required.

Twist - recieves formal implorings and arguments to join the coalition of sub-tribes -- this should be affirmed or denied in discord.

With increasing regularity the Niislel felt they were being watched, not by the scraol, but by someone, or something else. they felt profoundly unwelcome, and the elders encouraged movement from the great stump in the near future...

 

[Beckoncall]

Karcen Day 2:

1. A great hunting party, using much mana, called upon the longdead to gather game for a great hunt. Arriving at the beach they incanted their spells and from the dunes themselves watched the ancient dead, mostly stripped of adornment, clothing and regalia they nonetheless looked like the literal bones of a mighty and fallen culture. Giant crabs were attracted to the longdead because of their awful smell of rot, which made the gathering and slaying of them easier. 10 units of crabmeat and 2 units of chitin were harvested. an additional 4 units of food from birds and 1 unit of feathers was gathered by smashing every nest of sea-birds they could find. Such bounties would not last long, but the bonereapers saw the calcified shells of the eggs as an offering of bone to them, so they showed no restraint (14 foot total) though the longdead stank of the grave, their bones were clean from seeming centuries if not milennia of being picked clean by time and nature.

2.The bonereapers found themselves in need of wood, so given options decided to plow down a standing copse of common wood -- with the help of the longdead is was easily felled and transported. gain 8 units common wood.

3. Calling upon more longdead who scambled to the sandy surface buried for ages under the sediment, the bones of the great monster were harvested in earnest. 4 units of monster bone, great ribs and a jawbone, were gathered by the tribe and hauled by the tribe back to camp.

4. Much mana had been used in the empowering of the longdead and what precious little was left would be used for research and the chieftain's meditation. NO SPELLS CAN BE CAST ON NIGHT 2 by the bonereapers. However, 1 unit of longdead, seemingly mindless, remained to do the work of the tribe. +1 unit of longdead, these units do not need to be fed, but without offering, have a chance of disincorporating every new phase. while the elder could not make a solid darkness, the spell was developed to have lashing tentacles of darkness emerge from the clouds. these tentacles did small amounts of damage, could snare weapons and sometimes people passing through it.

5. Deyas' meditation with the elders did not go well -- the elders were fading. They would need a pact, offerings, or both to be kept tethered to the tribe. the entire elder generation of knowledge was at risk of fading out if Deyas and the last remaining elder failed to act... and soon. The solution of erasing the children's minds and overwriting them with the lost elders was still an option... but at present it seemed to be the only substantive one. If a solution was not reached by night 3, the voices of the elders would go silent.

Movement: The bonereapers avoided a great sinkhole in the clay flats near the beach and settled among the many dunes of the beach -- great winds blew off the sea-water of the bay, erasing some dunes and moving them elsewhere... but strangely, some dunes did not move despite the harshest winds... a mystery?

 

[Beckoncall]

Twist : Day 2:

1. The large group started early, before true sunrise to make sure they ascended and explored the most and best they could. Due to their zeal many cuts and a couple of short falls were endured, but the recklessness quickly stopped due to the discipline demonstrated by the tribe. lower in the cliffs there were cracks in the rock -- some of them quite deep. many of the shallow ones were old animal lairs and contained debris and cracked bones, old nests and the like, but one crevice, so narrow only the smallest could reach it, lead to a sunlit grotto deep within the rock. Great and tireless labor would have to be made to clear a suitable path, but the smallest searchers reported what they found -- a cylindrical vertical "pipe" in the rock that was ever cast in shadow except at the highest point in the day. Despite being dark many paintings and etchings were discovered, but unable to truly be studied... and the floor, though of sandstone, was hewn in the formation of circles of footsteps, as if hundreds of people walked or danced in a circle in this place, unceasingly in one direction. There was a hole in the middle of the chamber, but it was full of petrified wood debris.
And so they searched more. Cliffs with splendid vistas, a ledge where unique purple flowers grew (gain one unit of unqiue purple flowers) and at last almost right above but very high in the cliffs above the camp of the tribe was a crystalline cave lined in Quartz. mostly glassy quartz with blazes of rose and bursts of purple. Inside the cave were three ancient witches -- all blind, all sharing a ruby that served as their collective eye. constantly they squabbled over it, hissing through sharpened black teeth. When visitors came, the eye was thrown to the central and farthest, oldest, most powerful witch. who narrated everything objectively from her position of view.

One witch, with a cauldron on the left, said they held the challenge of the clever --
One witch, with a cauldron on the right, said they held the challenge of the mighty --
The third witch, who sat in what seemed to be a huge birdsnest decorated with items of wonder would not speak at all, unless one of her sisters let one pass.
Discord quest: Word spreads of the witches, and anyone may risk 1 unit of people to undergo either of the challenges of the witches. With a winner able to seek audience with the ancient crone, the woman of wonders...

Besides this, two great mouths were found in the mountain -- one natural, and full of bats, and one unnatural, with clean lines and a strange ramping depression that lead ever downward into the mountain... Neither were explored yet. but they were marked not far above the camp...

2. one unit searched for food in the dry forest and clearings near the rock. There were gazelles, but they seemed to be survivors of the first great hunt, and were terribly skittish of humans, and while the hunters chased them again and again -- they eventually let them go when easier prey presented itself. A fat grub covered with needle like spines lay half buried in a pit of fine sand.. the elders called these creatures "ant lions" -- for they grew into large predatory insects in the fall seasons, though their pupae ate small animals that fell into their pits in the spring. The decision to hunt it was two fold -- A succulent meal could be made of these creatures with minimal risk, and it was removing a potential predator come later in the year when these things took flight, and did not often hunt man, but would not exclude them. 7 units of Needle-Grub (with one unit of needles) were harvested by the hunters, killing every ant-lion they could so that not so many would be faced in the later seasons. The hunters thought perhaps a great hunts of several tribes could be orchestrated to cull these creatures before they became a threat in the fall -- but it would take much labor and organization...

3-4. Knowing where to look and with tools specialized to do the job, six units of darkwood were harvested in the dry forest at the foot of the rock. Passing back through the ruined structures, the hunters and woodcutters met a unit of warriors expressly assigned to search the village and brought the potential of gifts in the goods they bore with them. The structures were silent -- and the Kin tribe began to search the structures when suddenly two dozen Winged Kobolds leaped out of their hiding places.

"TRI-BUTE!" barked and crowed one of the kobolds, obviously a leader for being covered with adornments and having a waist-belt of strange misshapen heads.
Decision point: the Kin tribe must surrender 2 darkwood or 3 food to leave in peace or play out a combat in discord. (3 units of Tribe vs. 5 units of winged kobolds)

5. The face in the cliff looked further down than it actually was... when the bravest, and only the bravest, caught close sight of it, freezing clouds and howling winds bedeviled them -- they were not equipped to explore this high without furs or some other form of protection. They had to turn back before even getting close to the head, whos eyes shined with an inward amber hue, it's teeth made of fine white limestone, it's face carved from living sandstone embedded with a natural-skin's imperfections with obsidian and malachite. Even the pores of the face were rendered into the rock -- it was a wonder -- but the explorers barely returned alive, shivering with their tales of the man who breathed in the mountain...