Session 43 - To Red Hope

Picture from here: https://www.oldbookillustrations.com/illustrations/gorge-royat/

Our party strikes out to Red Hope. Along the way, they run into scouts and awkwardness.

Fire Bridge's Great Hall was wide and built with solid stone. It held multiple rooms separated by stone dividers. Kiah and her party met in a back corner to share breakfast and discuss.

[Compel: Weak Hit ]

"And that's where we are." Kiah finished. The remains of her eggs and hash were before her. She scooped this under her mask and finished off her breakfast quickly.

"So, first we help Fire Bridge steal a sword back from Red Hope", Morter surmised.

"Yes," answered the bright woman.

"Then we find the mystical Shield River and steal back Neda Frosthide's paw bone." "I'll accept trading for it as well," Kiah offered.

"Then, after all that, we'll start our journey to the Veiled Mountains," Far Stride finished.

"If possible, I'd like one more stop along the way to fix my face." Kiah requested meekly.

"Of course!" Morter laughed, "I'm in. What say the rest of you?"

Gruff nodded evenly.

[Oracle: Does Beltran Ask For Something - Likely: Yes]

Tio Pridemother took Kiah's hand and answered, "I'm with you till the end, dear."

Beltran the Watcher held Kiah's gaze for a moment and then said, "May I make a request?" "Please do," responded Song Hood.

[Oracle: What Does Beltran Want? Uphold Mysticism. ]

"Teach me magic," he stated boldly.

Silence fell upon the room.

"That's a large ask," Morter stated.

"You don't ask a witch, out of the blue, to teach you her spells!" Tio hissed.

Gruff glared at him.

Beltran's gaze did not waver.

After a moment, Kiah answered, "Morter's right, that is a big ask. Would you give me until I fulfill my vow with Fire Bridge to give my answer?"

The grey man considered and said cordially, "Of course."

"Thank you," answered Kiah warmly.

-----

[Sorjurn - Strong Hit]

The party spent three days in Fire Bridge and did not find their hospitality wanting. Their benches in the Great Hall were comfortable. They were gifted fine new clothes, and their old garb was washed and mended. They ate well at the overseer's table.

Kiah asked to meet the thieves who would steal back Fate Render. Aida introduced her to Sayer Smile Axe and Setara Stone Foot. They were warrior twins who grew up in Red Hope but swore themselves to Fire Bridge. Sayer was a handsome, agreeable fellow. Setara had a disturbing quiet about her, like a hound you couldn't read.

[Oracle: Does Nicus Keep the Sword In The Same Place (Unlikely)? No]

Kiah spent the next evening with them discussing the comming task. The twins discussed their lives in Red Hope. It seemed like a dismal, frightful place. Unfortunately, Rat Tooth did not wear Fate Render or keep it in a prominent place.

"If he sold it, our quest will be lost," laughed Sayer. Setara looked mortified.

"I have a way of finding out," Kiah stated with a grin.

"Oh?" The two asked.

-----

[Secure Advantage: Strong Hit ]

Kiah sat outside, but beside the hall, a twin on each side. She sang a soft hymn to Leucia Nighdottir, about the twin warriors who did her work. She felt a gentle hand caress her cheek and knew her prayer had been heard.

[Augur: Strong Hit With Momentum]

Turning up her head to the heavens, she asked, "Where is Fate Render?"

A heavy silence hung in the air, then a sharp caw caught Song Hood and her friend's attention. A raven sat on the wall, a single rose in its beak. He dropped it and then flew south.

Kiah smiled, "It's still in Red Hope."

"Are you sure?" Asked Sayer.

Setara elbowed him in the ribs. "The red flower, flying south. What else could it mean?"

Sayer laughed.

Kiah giggled.

-----

[Undertake Journey: Weak Hit]

The next day, Kiah, Gruff, Morter, Shush, and the twins headed out. Tio and Beltran stayed behind to watch for any of Cadigan's minions.

A light spring rain pelted them along the way. Shush pulled up above the clouds to avoid it.

[Gather Information: Miss]

Along the way, Kiah asked Morter, "Have you known Beltran long?"

"Indeed, we've been friends for ages," he answered grandly.

"Would you tell me a little about him?" she nudged.

Far Stride gave her a side-eye. "Keeping him back so you can dig for information, huh?"

Kiah shrugged meekly.

Morter frowned, "Forget it. Going around behind his back is beneath you. You want to get to know the man, talk to him." With that, he marched faster so his back was to her.

Song Hood winced behind her mask. That could have gone better.

-----

[Journey: Miss - New Danger or Foe Revieled (Secure Advantage)]

[Face Danger: Strong hit]

At camp that night Morter had a jolly conversation with the twins.

Gruff sat beside Kiah as she used the darkness to cover her face so she could eat in peace. Shush was curled up beside her.

Suddenly, the wyvern shifted and let out a low growl. Kiah glanced at her and then beyond the camp, where she could see, just out of the firelight, humanoid figures slinking in the long grasses.

[Secure Advantage: Weak Hit]

Kiah turned to her Wyvern and made soothing sounds. "It's nothing, just the shadows."

[Face Danger: Weak Hit]

[Companion Suffers Harm]

She finished her rabbit and fixed her mask on her face. She paused and tapped Shush's head once. Then suddenly yelled, "Attack!" pointing at the figures.

Shush was on one of them in a flash. They let out a shriek of fear. The wyvern let out a snarl as a knife chipped off her hide. Shush's prey then let out a gurgle as the wyvern tore out their throat.

[Face Danger: Weak Hit]

[Endure Stress: Weak Hit]

Song Hood stood and waved her hand. The two remaining figures let out shrieks and fell to the ground. Hexing them both drained her, and the witch staggered.

Gruff steadied her. The others looked at her in concern.

"I'm fine," she insisted. "Capture the other two, we need to talk."

-----

[Compel: Miss]

When Kiah's prisoners fell out of their waking terrors, they found the witch before them. She had cast glowing lines on her mask. Her voice echoed when she asked, "What brought you to our camp?"

All she got were screams. The two men fell faint.

Morter let out a brusque laugh at that.

-----

[Journey: Strong Hit With A Match]

They made brisk progress the next morning, leaving their surviving prisoners trussed up in the planes.

"They'll get free eventually," assured Sayer, "and then head back to wherever the Mists they came from."

They walked a few more miles and ran into a tall apple tree standing in the middle of the rolling fields.

Morter climbed up, plucked a few apples, and dropped down. He threw the reddest one of the batch to Kiah.

"T-thanks," she stuttered.

He considered her for a moment and said, "I've thought about it, and I can't say I would have done anything different in your situation."

"You mean driving those men into nightmares?" Kiah chided

"Hah! No, I mean going around Beltran to ask me about him. His request was like asking a smith for their secret metal-working technique."

"Yes, it's a little like that," Kiah answered. "Nothing's stopping me from teaching whoever I want. It's just that my magic is deeply personal."

"Like a tryst?" the handsome rogue asked.

"No."

"I can tell you're blushing behind that mask."

The entire party laughed at that. Even Shush let out a cry from above.

"Let me simply share this. Beltran is a brother to me; I trust him with my life. I won't share his reasons for wanting magic, you'll need to ask him, but I will vouch for him."

"Thank you Morter. I'll keep that in mind," answered the bright woman.

They continued their journey, Sayer and Setara throwing apples for Shush to catch. Gruff stopped them once they ran out of that and started throwing their provisions.

[Journey: Weak Hit ]

[Resupply: Strong Hit]

[Secure Advantage: Strong Hit]

That night at camp, before she went to bed, Kiah sang a soft prayer to Leucia Nighdottir. When she had finished, the stars seemed to shine a little brighter.

[Invoke: Strong Hit ]

She blew out a long breath and breathed in the starlight, refilling her magic.

The next morning, the twins woke early, went on the hunt, and came back with a couple of rabbits. Setara grinned as she tossed one to a happy Shush, who gulped it down whole.

[Journey: Weak Hit ]

[Reach Your Destination: Strong Hit (+1)]

The party broke camp and continued their march for most of the day. Another spring rain had fallen the night before, so their footsteps squelched. A thin fog rose around them.

The fog fell as the sun set. In the orange light, they spotted the walls of Red Hope in the distance.