Pariah Session 3 - Play Report

Use the tags to find previous and for some more details. Hex fills used this session:

• Learned shamanic baboon + 14 captives. Flint Mine.
• River Rapids. 42, fishing village - salmon spawning.

Having resolved to approach the situation diplomatically, Idle Quiet One and Golden Other approached the settlement, immediately challenged by the spear-fishers and surprised to be able to understand them. They raised an alarm as they demanded to know the purpose of these visitors. The delegation from the band explained they were traders, showing the bear claws and teeth they had harvested. During the panic in the camp, the chief of this group, Dismal Fortune, strode up to them, brow furrowed with worries. He asked if they were killers to so openly flash the viscera of a powerful animal like a bear. Golden Other replied that they killed when the situation required it. The chief asked what they wished to trade for, leading them to explain they had witnessed the fire-warding the night before and wished to learn it against the spirits of the night. For such tutelage, Dismal Fortune asked that they rescue members of their band from the “small red-faced mockery of a man who opened the head of a shaman and ate his brains” down-river. Running this message back to camp, the group agreed. They instructed the adults of their Band to maintain their camp, continuing to work the bear and yak hides they had accumulated. As the party left, the falcon that had been following the band landed nearby to watch over their camp. Golden Other fed it scraps of meat.

A bad reaction roll followed by a very good one led to the openness of the chief. Their problems made sense due to the proximity to the baboon shaman, even though not originally present in the hex-fills. The falcon getting closer was a random encounter result (Hawk) which I took as their semi-pet the Falcon.

Setting off downriver, moving somewhat stealthily, the band found their way back to the site where they had watched a figure tip out soil. Night was falling, limiting vision but highlighting the fire within the hill. The sounds of barking, laughter, and pained moans echoed up and out from the hollowed out hill, and several holes bored into the top of the hill vomited smoke. Half the band split off, moving around to the side to investigate. Behind the hill, they saw wooden cages set inside large pits. From a hidden entrance, a human figure emerged and passed something into one of the cages, revealing a humanoid captive. Watching through the entrance, Purple Point spied at least 6 humanoid figures moving around the central fire within the hill. He and Blue-Grove crept up the hill, planning to peer down the smoke-holes. Blue-Grove, having a bound elemental of the wind, asked his spirit to gently push the smoke down the holes, allowing them clearer visibility. With this clear sight-line, they saw waxen-fleshed humans dancing around a fire for the amusement of a baboon wearing a golden amulet and wearing a belt laden with pouches.

Some extremely fun use of a bound spirit - the stipulation of 5 word commands gives a lot of texture to how they can be used.

Golden Other painted the word “DEATH” across each face before the band stormed into the hill, using the element of surprise. The baboon was hacked to death after screeching for its captives to “destroy the intruders”. With the death of this creature, the humans stood still, faces blank and empty. The band issues commands to free the others before following them back to the people upon the river. Amongst the captives unbroken to the will of the baboon was Eager Grave, who gave them some details of how they were made to mine flint for the baboon. From the near-unrecognisable corpse of the baboon the Band took the golden medallion, a jaw, a paw and miscellaneous viscera (for Idle Quiet One’s tattoos, naturally).

Some extremely good rolls and a failure by Gorefingers Manbrain to hear them approaching. If they’d not rushed at night, this fight would’ve been interesting - trying to avoid killing 14 minions whilst Gorefingers tried to use mind-control magic.

Leading this group back home, the party encountered a large hollow log washed downriver since they left. Apart from this, nothing of note occurred. Upon returning, Dismal Fortune welcomed them gladly, many families overjoyed to see their loved ones returned - although the DEATH markings on their faces gave him some consternation. As promised, the shaman begrudgingly taught the Band to ward their fires, explaining that a tea of Desert Rue must be drunk. He noticed that Golden Other was writing this down - although she wiped it off her arm, he was still displeased. The settlement threw a feast for the return of the captives, inviting the Band to join. They played their instruments and told tales, indulging in the fermented fish-drink of these river people. Cunning Mountain succumbed to this, allowing Idle Quiet One to convince him that getting the word DEATH tattooed across his face was a great idea. Finally, as the party wound down, Purple Point, Golden Other and Blue-Grove slept with members of the settlement.

This mostly consisted of music checks to impress the settlement followed by some Drinking checks to stay in control of their drink. I gave Cunning Mountain an X for getting such a great tattoo. Allowing the group to form some social bonds with settlement has been great and will hopefully give them some context for future wanderings. Most pertinently for them (and something they’ve not considered) - someone was trading with the baboon for that flint. I think I’m going to have to start giving more X’s in play as only 3 are required to improve something. One to consider on my end.

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