12:09 Ken (GM): HOW YOU GENTS

12:10 P.P. A.: \o

12:10 Ken (GM): \0/

12:11 Doc: yo

12:11 Ken (GM): Y’all ready to cause the next apocalypse

12:12 Joush M.: Always accidentally

12:12 Doc: yeah and also ready to play some GURPS

12:12 Ken (GM): Woot; Fiss is off, Kev is incoming, maybe. Looks like we’re all here!

Ken (GM) Where last we left our heroes…

Ken (GM) The day has been hot, and the seething masses around you stink of dereliction. The scorned are a motley crew of demi-humans; Half elf Ro-Haern, demon touched tieflings, ogre-kin, lupin, and the just damn ugly mill about. The crowd keeps its distance from you and your guard retinue.

The Dwarf captain is eager to put pike to ruffians, (much like Bomrek) but your orders have been clear here. You are on a mission of peace and recruitment. The sun wanes but bakes the dirty mud around you. The reek is strong

Ken (GM) At the front of the crowd you have been greeted by the Yellow Prince himself! He has seen some wear in the last month though, it seems, and his ruby red rovers silks flutter about him, a bit threadbare. A large scar over his heart is marred twice by a large magic looking lime colored rune. His rakish smile is still present as he addresses you lot “You’ll need to meet the Witch Queen then, wont you?”

Gray nods as the towering man shifts his weight. “Yes. Take us to her.” The lupine Scorned stands with one hand resting at the reins of the horse that draws their cart.

12:21 Yellow Prince: “Well, first, I think you better get to provin’ your in’ten’ns mate.” His hand moves to his belt, where his long rapier sits, a bright green gem on the hilt. “She wont want to see jus’ any rabble”

12:22 (To Roderick): You feel a sharp pang of some kind of jealousy, or hunger, from your sword at the sight of the man’s sword

12:23 Gray: “You wish to challenge me?” Gray sounds surprised, and perhaps quite reasonably so given how the Yellow Prince’s last encounter with them went down.

12:24 (To Gray): Spirit Vision He has no spirits about him, though you can see them eagerly flitting about the crowd. They seem to latch onto the odd ones in the crowd. Tieflings with horns or golden eyes mostly. Hanging off their shadows like lampreys on a shark

12:25 Yellow Prince: “Not yours fuzzy; his” and he points at Roderick in his regalia “Scuttlebutt from my men says ther’s some kind of Lordship in question now, in’nt there?”

Suðri Skornbrekker turns to Syviis and says, deliberately loud enough for Mr. Bigmouth to hear it: “If you had not blown up Geofferson entirely, we could have presented his head on a pike. …oh well, ’tis his fault for conspiring with Elves and playing with magic he could not control.”

Syviis seems to be scanning the crowd, and absentmindedly remarks back “I didnt blow him up directly. It just…kind of happened“

12:28 Roderick: “Word travels quickly. We come offering a great opportunity to any with the courage to take it.”

Gray frowns, looking past him, watching something others can’t see then looking to a horned trifling in the crowd around them. Watching one with golden eyes before his attention returns to the half elf. “Aye. You address Lord Roderick”

12:30 Yellow Prince: “Oh well! Lord Roderick is it” He removes his hat, and swoops a deep bow, never removing his hand from the sword on his belt… “I should pay proper respects to one so vaunted and respectable as he!”

12:32 Roderick: “Proper respect would be to bring us to your leader. I assume that would be this ‘Witch Queen?'”

12:34 Yellow Prince: “Lord Rod” he redoffs his cap “It’s gonna take more than words to convince me to take you to her. There have been too many ‘Lord Marshalls’ and ‘High Lords’ with cheap proclamations that haven’t put food in a mouth or coin in the hand. The Lady has far too much to do making sure we all see t’marra”

12:35 Roderick: “If all she wishes is for tomorrow to be the same as today and yesterday, then I suppose she doesn’t need our help for that.”

12:39 Gray: “If words aren’t to be our remedy then tell us what you would have. Or I’ll simply go past you and find the witch queen without your help” Gray nods to Roderick in mute apology for replying for him. The brute annoyed by the Yellow Prince, and on edge as his eyes track the fluttering shadows of Dark Spirits.

12:41 Ken (GM): [easy to read is always so helpful for Gray to RP with :P]

12:46 Roderick: “We’re not here to offer food or coin, but a way forward, up and out of the mud. But if your Witch Queen isn’t interested in such an opportunity, I suppose we will have to take it elsewhere.”

12:47 Yellow Prince: “More words Rod, just more words! How can you be such a Lord if all you do it talk? Proof of deed! Showmanship! A FLOURISH” He draws his sword, the TSING of the blade leaving the scabbard ringing out in the crowd. The metal shines in the hot sun, and the onlookers mill back another few steps, giving the sword room to breathe

Your guards tighten their grips on their pikes, but hold back. Discipline

12:48 Bomrek: “Want I should just shoot him?”

12:49 Gray: “Easy. Lord Roderick can easily defeat this man in a duel without killing the Kin of an old friend of ours.”

Roderick raises a hand to hold the guards and Bomrek back. “My last flourish destroyed two armies.”

Suðri Skornbrekker looks away, true and tragic as Rod’s words are.

Roderick looks at Gray and the others. “Who is this man?”

12:52 Yellow Prince: “Boasts! Hah!” he swings the blade in a twist, the air singing a bit as the blade slices. The crowd parts to a wide ring, and a few cheers rise up from the Rovers in audience for ‘the Prince!’

12:52 Gray: “Aachen’s brother, leader of a band of Rovers in the South. He challenges you. Can you defeat him without killing him, Roderick?”

12:53 Suðri Skornbrekker: “He once before challenged one of our group to a duel. Falkirk had to bring him back from near-certain death a few moments later. I can’t tell whether it’s his mouth or his ego that’s bigger.”

Roderick sighs and dismounts his horse. “I suppose it wouldn’t do to simply kill him, then, no matter how his disrespect may warrant it.”

12:56 Suðri Skornbrekker: “We have no magic doctor with us this time either.”

12:56 Gray: “Horsa wasn’t used to dueling with people unready to defend themselves. I think Roderick knows well enough to slash with the tip to give attractive scars but little risk of death.”

12:58 Roderick: “Name your terms,” he says to the ‘Prince.’

1:00 Yellow Prince: “Terms? Simple! Bend your knee to me and offer up your spirit, so I may sup from it!” He flashes his teeth, the wicked fangs quite visible “If you cannot, then face me on the ground. ” He readies in a mock stance for a moment, thrusting and jabbing with the sword at the air, eliciting a few jeers from the crowd “If you think you can best me?”

1:01 Gray: rolling 3d6 vs 14 Perception [with Night Vision 5, +4 to Scent, Detect (Spirits, Precise) (6+3+5)= 14

Gray frowns, looking around again and watching for those dark, hungry shadows.

1:02 (To Gray): The things flit about like excited monkeys, but they seem to be stuck in the crowd. The fat ones clinging to the odd crowd member don’t seem to notice the excitement much at all

1:02 Roderick: rolling 3d6 vs Bad Temper(4+2+6)= 12

1:03 Doc: This guy is just wearing clothes, not armor, right?

1:06 Ken (GM): [yeah, red flowy shirt and pants, belted with the sword sheathe, big ring jewelry, thats it]

Roderick removes his helmet and gauntlets, gesturing to whoever’s closest to help him remove the rest of his armor

Gray frowns a touch at this and helps Roderick, strong fingers undoing buckles then lifting the brigantine over the man’s head. “Careful. There’s darkness around him.”

Roderick nods as he readies his sword and cloak

1:11 Yellow Prince: “Ho Ho! He undresses to surrender!” He jostles the crowd, a few voices cheering up, many looking on with interest now. Many Half elves about, making the ring of the crowd.

1:13 Roderick: rolling 3d6 vs Bad Temper(3+6+6)= 15

Suðri Skornbrekker shakes his head and mutters some complaints under his breath. It is still hot, it still stinks, and now they have to waste time with this buffoon.

Roderick announces “Enough talk!” and lashes out with a slash of his sword

1:18 Roderick: rolling 3d6 vs 19, Telegraphic, Defensive Attack at “whatever presents itself”( 4+6+6)= 16

1:20 Ken (GM): [awesome, fighting the map]

1:20 Joush M.: Roderick’s battle music starts to play [Youtube link]

Ken (GM) the crowd startles and gasps at the flourish, and your men step aside at the duel begins abruptly!

1:21 Ken (GM): [please excuse the crudeness of this map]

1:22 Joush M.: No problem. It works just fine

1:23 Doc: (if I have to take two steps I guess I could switch Defensive Attack with Committed Attack)

1:23 Ken (GM): [not to worry, there was a bit of narrative bluster there by me]

Yellow Prince brings his sword to bear on the open blow, attempting a parry!

rolling 3d6(2+2+6)= 10

success!

Yellow Prince ‘s blade swings up to meet Rod’s, and sparks of magic spray in all directions, lime green and bright! The rune on Yellow prince’s chest glows and Roderick’s Fae-blade hums like a struck harp-string!

1:26 Yellow Prince: “Ahah! You DO have the Power, don’t ‘cha?!” He yells, excited!

He swings back, a heavy chop at Rod’s arm in return!

rolling 3d6(5+6+5)=16

Yellow Prince swings wide, but his grin remains on his face

1:27 Doc: Rolling initiative or just taking turns?

1:28 Ken (GM): [taking turns, I think, unless someone gets antsy and shoots one of ya]

Gray moves tensely to the edge of the crowd, nodding to Suori and Bomrek to be ready for whatever might come. The duel might keep things from escalating…or set off the Powderkeg.

1:29 Ken (GM): roll credits!

Roderick regains his composure and slashes defensively again, keeping his guard up

rolling 3d6 vs 15 (4+1+2)= 7

1:30 (To Roderick): GET ME HIS HEART the voice sings in your mind

Yellow Prince brings up his sword again to parry!

rolling 3d6(4+6+6)= 16

1:31 Ken (GM): OH SHIT

1:31 P.P. A.: History repeats itself

1:31 Ken (GM): ROD hit location? You have succeeded in a flaily hit!

1:32 Roderick: rolling 3d6(5+2+4)= 11 Random hit location(groin)

1:32 Doc: oosh

1:32 Ken (GM): hahahaha

POINK right in the codpiece

damorge

1:33 Roderick: rolling 1d6+1 cut(4)1= 5 Cut

1:33 Doc: fug

1:33 Ken (GM): tip slash has a whole new meaning now

1:33 Joush M.: Dear God

Yellow Prince ‘s eyes go wide as he parries high and the sword goes low. Rod rakes the man’s nethers and a gout of red flies out through the opened pants.

1:34 Doc: Three rods enter, two rods leave

Suðri Skornbrekker looks down on himself, feeling a certain sense of safety from the angry Dreugar face staring back at him.

Ken (GM) the crowd collectively GASPs and Winces simultaneously

1:35 Yellow Prince: “DIRTY BUGGERS” he yells as he drops to his knees, releasing his sword and clutching reflexively at his bits. Blood gushes from between his hands

Roderick steps to the side as he makes his attack

Yellow Prince reels at the damage “Oh…you…” he barely manages to wince out

Gray nods. “I’d say the duel is decided. Would any dispute the victor?”

Ken (GM) a chorus of laughter at that one from the Rovers. The crowd seems to disperse a bit, many seeming quite disappointed at their Rover champion.

The Dorf Captain is beside himself, laughing. He and Bomrek are quite happy at the outcome. “Fitting!” as they put it

Gray takes a bit of bandages from supplies. Walking closer, he tosses it to the yellow prince. “Keep pressure on that.”

Yellow Prince takes the bandage, and attempts to tends to his wound, wincing

Roderick cleans and sheathes his sword and begins to don his armor once again

Suðri Skornbrekker shakes his head once more, this time with a guilty smirk underneath his helmet.

1:45 (To Roderick): I WANT HIS HEART!

1:45 Roderick: “Before you take us to the Witch Queen, tell me about your sword.”

1:47 Yellow Prince: “Oh you! You muddy blooded noble FUCK” he packs the wound angrily, pointing a bloody hand at Rod “My sword was a gift from Her, and don’t you DARE lay claim to it!”

Dorf Captain directs your men to politely dispersing the crowd, pikes up, and making a ring about you all and the downed Rover

Gray walks closer to the sword, looking down to it with a frown. Trying to tell if it’s possessed by a spirit.

1:49 Roderick: “Are you sure? You might lose something more important the next time you try to wield it.”

1:50 (To Gray): You feel a tingle in your own sword. The feeling of excitement of the hunt pulling at your heart. The mad dash of the kill. The rovers sword is tinged a brassy color at the hilt and blade…

Gray frowns, touching the blade at his belt a moment then kneeling down, looking closely at the Rover’s sword. “This looks quite like mine. It might be of the Old Kingdom.”

1:51 (To Roderick): DO NOT OPPOSE ME MORTAL, THE KILL MUST BE MADE! FOR THE HONOR OF THE GREEN!

Syviis walks up, peering at the sword and downed Rover with keep interest. “You might be wary all, I’m seeing powerful magic in that blade; the aura was hidden until he dropped it… very old magic in there”

Ken (GM) the rovers blade is indeed of an old make; the bright green jewel in the pommel sits in a fine geometric knot of metalwork, brass twisted like a straight edged braid through the handle, rising to a katana-like curved chisel tipped sword

Suðri Skornbrekker grumbles to Bomrek: “I remember when a sword could just be a sword. Better days, they were.”

1:54 Bomrek: “I fear that time is passing lad; nothing to do but allow the wheel of progress to turn, and we all get fancy guns in the process” he pat’s his heavy rifle in respect

1:54 Gray: “Better to stick with a reliable Glaive, ah?” He says to Suðri with a faint smile, nodding to the bladed musket rest.

1:56 (From Doc): Let me know if I have to start rolling stuff, but it goes against Rod’s Pacifism to attack this guy while he’s down

1:57 (To Doc): No worries; this insistent voice in your head is certainly foreign…and loud….

1:58 Suðri Skornbrekker: “Aye, I cannot complain about that trade. I do hope we can eventually shoot magic, though. …by which I mean: fire bullets at magic, and kill the magic.” He tries to pantomime the analogy with his hands, gets flustered and gives up “Though we are at least doing well just shooting the magic-wielders, so far.” shrugs

Gray doesn’t touch the bronze magic sword that rests in the dirt beside the Yellow Prince. His attention turns back to the man. “Ready to take us to the Witch Queen now? Perhaps she will have a medic with gentle hands that can stitch you up.”

2:02 Yellow Prince: “Ugh, fine, yes. Youve proven at least I cant stop you. Get me onto your wagon and I can point the way to her redoubt” He offers a hand up, to Gray

2:03 (To Roderick): NO! NO QUARTER! FINISH HIM! WEAKNESS CANNOT BE TOLERATED! THE STRONG PREVAIL!

2:04 Roderick: “My sword wants to kill you. Explain.”

Gray catches the man’s arm and helps lift him, then with some reluctance lifts the fallen sword. He moves the pair of them to the wagon, setting the half elf on the cart and his sword beside him.

2:05 Yellow Prince: “Simple Lord Rod; you’ve gone mad, haven’t you?” he says with a smirk and wince, Gray leading him to the cart

Suðri Skornbrekker climbs on the wagon to keep an eye on him. He asks Roderick: “Has it ever reacted in such a way outside of the Dreugar keep before?”

Roderick shakes his head. “Be on your guards around this Witch Queen, and don’t turn your back on that one.”

Gray walks the half elf back to the wagon and takes the horse’s reins. “Tell us where the Witch Queen holds court, jester.” His tone gruff to the Yellow Prince.

2:12 (To Gray): You notice now, the hungry spirits scramble back and forth for the Yellow Prince’s shadow. when he’s in your grasp though, they back the hell off, fearful of you. But he seems to be a more lucrative target now…

The Rover tries to get comfortable in the seat, but looks like he just resigns to being in pain, and moves little “Send your horses along the road here, not even you folk could miss it. And I swear, if any of your men cause trouble here, know that they are woefully outnumbered”

2:15 Suðri Skornbrekker: “Who is causing trouble here, huh?”

2:15 Gray: “Aye.” He says firmly ad he starts to lead the horses, frowning a touch, thoughtful as he watches the hungry shadows. He scatters them with a rough gesture. “Be gone” he commands things others can’t see.

2:16 Ken (GM): [anyone doing anything about the sword?]

2:16 Joush M.: Gray will risk touching it to move it to the cart

2:17 Doc: Yeah I thought Gray already did that

Suðri Skornbrekker keeps a hand on his sword.

2:17 P.P. A.: [I’m not sure if I ever used this throughout this entire campaign. I think I drew it once but didn’t do anything with it.]

2:17 (To Gray): Holding the blade, you feel a malice in the air. Not against you, but a righteous thing. A hatred. A bane. The sword seeks out something. There is a tangible feeling to it, and the feeling doubles, coming from your sword as well. They are ‘brothers’ you think. Of a kind.

Ken (GM) Gray picks up the sword, and he seems to be in a bit of a reverie for a moment. Like he wants to hunt. Nothing untoward happens, otherwise. He gives a long look to his own sword in kind

2:20 Gray: “The blade has a Will. The same sort of malevolence as the Ogre blade… though I imagine a weapon would have a dark and bloody sort of self. They… hunger? They want to hunt. They Hate.” He muses as he walks to the cart. Predatory, prowling steps until he sets the sword down near the Yellow Prince and relaxes a touch. Taking the horse he starts to lead them down the path.

Syviis watches this all with that tell-tale curiosity

Ken (GM) the cart rolls, and the the Dorf captian calls his men into rank, marching behind you all in file. As your troupe head into the refugee camps, the roadway clears for you. Many folks still having a laugh at the Yellow Prince’s ridiculous defeat, others simply not wanting to be in the way of so many armed men.

On the far horizon, to the southwest, black clouds crawl across the sky, heading toward you. A storm brews out of the wastes. You think a tinge of green might be on the dark forms in the sky…

Gray looks to the sky with a touch of a frown. Remembering the emerald lightning in Gorgoth…

Suðri Skornbrekker looks at the sky with worry, wishing that there won’t be wailing wraiths raining from the sky again.

Syviis shivers at the sight of the incoming tempest

The Yellow Prince directs you along the road, and as you move deeper into camp, the shabby tents and lean to’s give way to hovels and shacks. Felled trees and raw lumber have been thrown together making a kind of small mirror town on Oakway’s border. Here people seem to be working toward some kind of subsistence, though the cook-fires and tables all seem bare, or preparing terrible looking meals of rats and weeds…

Gray looks to the people’s food and scents the air. The rats won’t last long with so many hungry people, nor will the dandelions and mustard greens. The brute looking around them.. he expects he will recognize the Witch Queen’s court when he sees it.

Ken (GM) ahead, an unassuming squat stone building with a waterwheel sits on a rise along the road. The place is cobbled together from dark field-stones, and timber walls rise up for a second floor. It’s remarkable in that it’s probably the only building that was here two weeks ago. The squeaky water wheel turns from the refuse-laden squirm of a creek, greasy stains of unmentionable things floating downstream toward Oakway behind you.

Yellow Prince shifts uncomfortably in the seat beside Gray, the wagon jostling him, eliciting a wince at every bad bounce “She won’t tolerate insolence. Don’t give ‘er attitude and she won’t need to reduce you to ashes. Hear me?”

2:36 Doc: sounds like he’s learned to respect women in the passed time

2:37 Gray: “My respect for nobility is boundless.” He assures the Yellow Prince, reaching out to help the man down from the cart’s seat and speaking to the Dwarf Captain. “Please watch our supplies and remain here. We will return shortly.” The towering Scorned turning to the old building, starting to the door.

2:38 (To Gray): The spirits are nowhere to be seen, anywhere on the house. Every roof tile and every wall stone is clean of their presence

2:39 Dorf Captain: “Aye sir! We’ll keep the savages at bay for you. MEN FORM UP” he barks and salutes, turning on heel to rank up he men around him

2:40 Syviis: “There is an odd aura to this place; I cannot describe it. It is as if… it is not actually here? Or that the building is an illusion? There are too many things not-right about it.” The elf turns to the academy-trained wizard, in his regalia. “Roderick, what is the word, for when magic makes a place….larger on the inside than out?”

2:41 Gray: None of the hungry shadows linger here. A sign.” He says.. ” though not clear if it is a good or bad one.”

Suðri Skornbrekker frowns at Syvii’s words. “Such magic exists? Fie! Depriving good carpenters and masons of their honest work like that. If you want more space, you build a bigger building, or construct an annex.”

2:43 Bomrek: “stupid magic bullshit, breaking the laws of the universe. Again”

2:43 Roderick: (To GM) rolling 3d6 thaumatology, do I know the word? (5+1+2)= 8

2:45 (To Roderick): She’s describing either an illusion, or some bit of transmutation maybe. Though, you notice, a working like that should be quite large. And large workings should be more tangible, unless they were crafted in such a way to be entirely invisible. Which implies…you’re dealing with an incredibly powerful wizard…

2:45 (To Roderick): Either way, the witch queen seems to have chops

2:48 Roderick: “It would seem the title of Witch Queen is well-deserved.”

Ken (GM) the house seems quite mundane; a one story wall runs around a garden, with a wrought iron gate toward the road. The walls seem to have been tarred this spring, and the roof has only a handful of missing fir shingles. An old dead tree, covered in rosy vine, sits inside the corner of the courtyard

Gray walks to the house slowly, a thoughtful look on his face as he comes to the door and lifts a hand to knock.

Ken (GM) inside the gate, a fearful statue of rough hewn stone stands; tall as a man, it’s a visage of an armored clad warrior, on bended knee, holding aloft a bowl. A green light fire burns there. The knight’s face seems to have been shattered, or carved intentionally bare and rough. A small heap of coins, weapons, and tokens sit on the ground under the statue

Suðri Skornbrekker follows to the house on foot, warily eyeing his surroundings.

2:54 Gray: “Who is that?” He ask of the statue, looking to the figure thoughtfully.

2:55 (To Roderick): at the sight of it, you know instinctively what it is: That is intended to be the Verdant King of the Fae, laid low on his knee. A very opaque gesture by whoever made it.

2:56 (To Roderick): Your sword is wallowing in Fear

2:59 Roderick: “The Verdant King of the Fae. My blade is troubled.”

2:59 Suðri Skornbrekker: “…‘Enemies of the Verdant Kingdom’, you once said?”

2:59 Gray: “Dangerous, to offer the Fair Folk tribute.” He says thoughtfully as he looks to the shrine. “We should not keep the Queen waiting.”

Ken (GM) at Gray’s words, the gate swings inwards slowly, metal squealing.

A cold wind begins to rush along from the South. That storm is drawing nearer

3:03 Ken (GM): [heading in?]

Gray nods and starts inside.

Roderick swallows his fear and enters

Suðri Skornbrekker follows, lifting his visor to be able to see what lies in wait for them.

Bomrek and Syviis follow suit. Each looking warily about

Ken (GM) Inside the small garden, the mundane sights and sounds and smells abound, yet… something feels off about it all. On the wall, a door stands, painted a dark black, windows of foggy glass. A heavy iron knocker bolted to the wood

Gray takes the heavy knocker in hand and raps lightly at the door.

3:09 Ken (GM): THOOM

Ken (GM) Thunder explodes in the distance, in time with Gray’s knock. ‘The coincidence’ sends shivers up your backs

…the door creaks inward an inch, unlocked, hinges in desperate need of oil…

Within, a thin voice calls out to you “~come in…”

Gray scents the air and looks inside, then nods and squares his shoulders before he ducks inside the building.

3:12 (To Gray): The smell of death is in this place. And nothing else. It smells like the void between worlds you fell into, back at the Ansible of Spirits…

Ken (GM) inside, the room is dank and dark. Thin light crawls through the dusty and smoke stained windows. The floor boards are thick with dust but bare, all the furniture in the room mashed into a heap in the far corner. A table with rotting things in bowls and plates sits on the other corner, rats scurrying from view as the doer opens. Around the corner, a massive black iron cauldron bubbles, a frail looking crone-woman standing aside it, stirring with a paddle

3:16 Gray: “This is not a place of the light.” He comments as he steps into the shadowed space, looking around a moment as he stands in the deep shadows… frowning at the rot on the tables, then looking to the woman that stands at the cauldron. “You are the Witch Queen. You are… not what I expected.”

3:17 The woman: “I am who I am, and you are who you are. Enter. Shut the door.” Her voice like dry leaves, rasping in a cold wind

Gray looks to see if the others will join him inside.

Bomrek strolls in, weapons down, pipe out

Suðri Skornbrekker comes in as well. The darkness does not faze him, dwarf that he is, but he lack of tidiness of the interior does.

Roderick has been beside Gray since the door opened

Syviis tentatively walks in behind gray

3:22 The woman: “You are all doomed to failure. Every one” Green lightning flashes in the distance, shadows on the windows, thunder crashes in the distance

Gray closes the door once the others are inside. “There will be many more flames when mine is gone.”

3:24 The woman: “Do not speak in riddles Beastman. I have seen the future. I speak truth. You will all die”

3:24 Gray: “I’m mortal. Death was always my fate”

3:26 Suðri Skornbrekker: “We have failed quite spectacularly in the past already, I had hoped that would be enough,” Suðri shrugs.sounds

3:28 The woman: “You have done a terrible thing, all of you. You have broken the veil between worlds, and allowed the Verdant kingdom a foothold in the land.” She continues to stir the pot, green glowing waters bubbling and frothing, though no flame sits below the pot

3:29 Gray: “The Verdant Kingdom? Before we’d been told we let in the empty and hungry darkness between worlds.”

Suðri Skornbrekker perks up, having learned to at least pay /some/ heed to crazy evil ramblers: “Is the Verdant Kingdom from beyond the rift too?”

3:31 The woman: “The Darkness has always been here. It will come when IT desires the end of things. The Verdant kingdom had no purchase, save a few small trinkets of power and agents of their realm. Like Roderick’s sword. And his patron Oath. He is not quite their agent, yet, but he has done work in their name”

3:32 Roderick: “Against the Darkness,” Roderick adds.

The woman shrugs

3:33 Suðri Skornbrekker: “So the Verdant Kingdom is the enemy of the Darkness, and by doing what we did, we opened up a gate for it into this our world?”

Gray nods in agreement with Suðri , waiting for the crone to explain.

3:35 The woman: “Suðri You shattered the Veil with the Ansible. You drew in untold multitudes of power, pointed them nowhere, and cut a hole in reality. With that hole, the Verdant kingdom is unchecked now. Every creature from their realm can now pass between the two dimensions as if they were walking across a room. You’re people are not ready for this.”

3:37 Suðri Skornbrekker: “…hold on—these creatures that Grey keeps seeing, are they spawn of the Darkness, or do they come from the Verdant Kingdom?” He trails off as he remembers that stormy night a few weeks ago: “…and those terrible souls in that storm…”

3:37 The woman: “I see you come to understand; all the things not of this world are of the others. They run roughshod over the populace. It will destroy you all”

3:38 Gray: “They have chosen the wrong world to invade.”

Suðri Skornbrekker looks troubled, and strokes his beard. “We only saw it tear open during the incident, and thought it closed up again. …you say that the hole is still open—is there a way to seal it again?” He smiles at Grey’s words, and nods confidently.

3:41 The woman: “It is not an invasion, it is a flood. These creatures are not choosing to displace you, take your homes. They are no army. They are Fae, creatures of passion and unthinking unreasoning emotion. They DO because they MUST. You see what you want when you say they are interlopers. They simply have new territory. New lands to walk upon” She stir, the pot bubbles, the surface lime as the moon “The veil might be repaired, but it is beyond your capabilities, fearsome as they are. The veil cannot be burned back into place by a wizards touch, or shot with an arrow, or gun”

Suðri Skornbrekker looks down at his gun, disappointed.

3:44 The woman: “But, I do not say, ‘this cannot be done’. I only say ‘you cannot do it yourselves, yet’ ”

3:45 Suðri Skornbrekker: “‘Yet’? I thought you said we were doomed to fail,” the dwarf grumpily replies.

3:45 Gray: “You want us to do something.” He observes with a thoughtful frown. He doesn’t know if he can trust the crone’s words.

3:48 The woman: “You will fail. You will each and every one of you die to claw and tooth and raw magic. Torn piece from fleshy piece until your spirits pass on to the next world without you. And then those spirits will be consumed by The Darkness…

Unless, you fight.

If you rise up, and go forth into the world. There, that is a way”

The woman puts down her paddle, the strange green brew spinning away, misty bubbles popping in the dark, shimmering light from inside the well of fluid. She turns and steps to you, hands outstretched “The Veil was broken by Man. Elves. Dwarf. Beastmen. Mortal hands working mortal tools, turned against the universe. The Veil is eternal; it cannot be destroyed forever, and can be healed again. The same mortal hands can work different tools, different ways, and push the Veil back toward whole. Back to being one. Healing”

Gray nods, listening closely to the woman.

3:52 The woman: “You will need fuel for the fires you wish to build. Power for the engines you will drive and direct toward your goal. You will need the things wrought by the hands of Men and Elf and Dwarf and Beastmen. You will need batteries of power so deep their wellsprings will rush up like the explosions of a star” Her hands fly up to the roof, thunder rumbles, and she looks to you each, pointing fingers

“Gather these things, take them to the Weapon, and rebuild. Use the knowledge of the great ones before you; the engineers of the universe, the makers and unmakers of life itself. Bend reality back. Reshape it, and the Veil will return.”

3:54 Suðri Skornbrekker: “[What things have Beastmen hands ever wrought?]” Suðri whispers to Bomrek if he’s around.

3:56 Bomrek: “[The fuck should I know]?” he says, stroking golden treasure in his pockets

Roderick struggles to think of something as powerful as an exploding star. He doubts that “lots of gunpowder” would suffice.

3:57 Gray: “Not easy things to find. Deep into the wasted and ruined South with the wealth of a nation and all manner of magic to power an undertaking. But a question remains… Can we trust you, Crone?”

3:59 The woman: “What I speak is the truth. What you do is your choice. The future can be seen, but is not yet written until the deed is done”

4:02 Suðri Skornbrekker: “So: collect all kinds of ancient bullshit artifacts, use them to try and repair the Ansible, and then either make everything even worse, or manage to heal the rift… That all sounds quite logical, as far as these magic bullshit matters go.”

4:02 Gray: “You speak of Fae invaders, yet it’s the cultist of the IT that seem to threaten most. There’s a shrine to a Fae lord outside your hut”

4:03 Suðri Skornbrekker: “In the meantime, what of the Fae and other creatures? You describe them more like animals, like vermin—can they be hunted, and perhaps in some way eaten or processed?”

4:04 P.P. A.: [>Freshly-squeezed Fae Juice! Comes in different flavors, like Wrath, Passion, and Despair!

>Bad vibes at home? A few spritz of Eau de Fae, and those old dusty grudges will feel fresh and fae again!]

4:05 The woman: “Beastman that is no shrine. The Scorned followed me from the wastes and in my teachings they erected that statue in testament against the Fae. They leave me offerings that I do not require.” She waves a hand, dismissing the refugees surrounding the hut with a feh “The bodies of the Fae are like any other; if tangible they are meat and bone like any other. If you should eat them, they would provide nutrition”

Suðri Skornbrekker strokes his beard and nods. “I shan’t ask how you come to know all of this.” He turns to Roderick: “Oh, my apologies—we talked and talked, I almost forgot what we came here for.” He steps back, symbolically, so that Roderick can discuss the army idea.

Gray considers a moment, the brute watching her, scenting the air and scowling a touch as a rat scurries in the corner. “You are unwholesome and dark. The sort of witch in dark tales.” He observes… then looks to Roderick.

4:13 Roderick: “The refugees look to you for leadership. You say they leave you offerings that you do not require. What do you require? Why do you lead them?”

4:16 The woman: “I lead no one. I tell of the futures, possible and not, and speak to men of what they can see in them. Lessons learned and words spoken in idle passings. These people are of little consequence to the passage of the universe, despite their participation in the grand procession of happenings. They will be useful to you and your cause. To recover the relics of men, you will need those which have the most resonance within the faith-consciousness. The greater power drawn from collective emotion and ambient mana flow. You will need the devices built to overcome great turmoil, terrible wars, horrible lives overturned to fruition.

You will need the Grey blade of the King of Greyhold”

4:17 Ken (GM): DUN DUN DUN

4:17 P.P. A.: wait, this isn’t the title it’s GrimWyrd

4:18 Doc: wait I thought this chapter was “powderkeg”

>Roderick struggles to think of something as powerful as an exploding star. He doubts that “lots of gunpowder” would suffice.

4:18 Joush M.: “So you can see the future? I bet you didn’t see THIS coming”

Kicks witch in the area 11

[>Kev/Bomrek comes online]

4:18 Ken (GM): KEV! WHAT TIMING! You just missed the mad prophecies of a GM jumping the shark hardcore!

4:19 P.P. A.: “But know this: the situation have created, the world as you have made it—it is a giant Powderkeg(TM)”

4:19 Adolf S.: w-what

4:19 Ken (GM): also: hits to the 11s are hilarious and apparently, inevitable 😀

4:19 Joush M.: The witch is like, RE 7 creepy

4:22 Ken (GM): so, 4 XP each, and vague retellings for Kev only please its funnier that way

I’ma go do birthday things now with the fam

4:25 Gray: We talked to the Yellow Prince/Aachen’s dick ass brother. He wanted PROOF OF TOUGHNESS from Rod. So he was stabbed in the dick

4:25 Doc: Have gun, thanks for the game

4:25 Gray: Happy birthday! Thanks for the game man. Have fun

4:25 Doc: >gun

shifty_eyes_emoji.jpg

4:25 Joush M.: Doc’s idea of birthday celebration

4:26 Doc: not even gonna deny it tbh

4:26 Adolf S.: annnd back again keep having to jump afk for fucking every for innane bullshit

>creepy witch

sounds neat

4:28 Joush M.: She told us we broke the world and need to fix it by stealing magical artifacts of great power. This sounds like something we wanted to do anyway. Also, she can’t command people to join us, being a mega creepy norn

4:29 P.P. A.: We have no idea how she knows all this shit and she may or may not be evil and actually leading us down a path to tear open the border between the worlds even more, but this is our only lead, and we might as well just roll with it.