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>>140816

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ignoble_dark
Questions: http://ask.fm/Ignoble_dark
Archive: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=laughing+dog

>Voting

Most posts will be narrative, with the player and QM working together to create a worthy story. Every post will provide at least one might-based, nobility-based, and artifice-based avenue if applicable to the situation, and write-ins are both permitted and encouraged. Players vote for their preferred option, with majority determining the final choice. However, in the case of especially critical events, called “trials,” fate will be given its due through the roll of dice.

>Trials

During trials, after the majority have chosen a course of action, the QM will then roll 1d10, add the player’s relevant Aspect (Might, Nobility, or Artifice), and add any relevant bonuses from items or context. If the resulting sum meets the trial’s threshold, the player succeeds. If the sum falls short of the threshold, the player fails. For each margin of 3 the player exceeds or fails the threshold by, the outcome will be more severe (either positive or negative). Poor rolls by players in combat trials are assigned as enemy hits.

The thresholds for each trial are known only by the QM, and are different for every option. Depending on the situation, one option or another will probably be easier than the others. Sneaking past the elite palace guard will be easier than fighting all of them. Killing the feral tribe of cannibals is probably easier than talking them down diplomatically. This could change, of course, if the player is particularly proficient with one Aspect and deficient in another. Perhaps your Artifice is so bad that Might is the better option for getting past those palace guard, after all. Players should consider which approach is most likely to succeed given both the context of the trial and the character’s own skillset.

>Criticals

A trial roll of 10 that passes the threshold is a critical success, and reaps additional benefits. Conversely, a 1 that fails the threshold is a critical failure, and has additional consequences. A 10 that fails to beat the threshold still fails, but the player receives some accommodation, insight, or unforeseen benefit in the attempt. Likewise, a 1 that passes the threshold succeeds, but with a minor hiccup or unforeseen complication.

>Damage
Damage dealt by an enemy is equal to half its Might score (rounding down), and is applied to a character’s weapons and armor first. Once all weapons and armor are damaged, excess damage is assigned to a random Aspect (M, N, or A) by rolling 1d3. That Aspect is permanently reduced by this damage until it is repurchased with XP. Should any Aspect reach 0, the character is crippled and incapacitated until 1 week of medical attention restores the first dot of each Aspect. If any Aspect falls below 0, the character suffers death.

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>>140816

The fable pours from your memory like water from a burst dam. It is the first complete recollection you have had since awakening in the tomb, blessed hope that perhaps all of your memories are not lost to you forever. This woman and her three sons – their story had been imprinted in your memory so deeply that even the embrace of death was not enough to wipe them away completely. Your eyes linger on the statue’s eroded features, familiar to you even rendered in stone.

“Aruset,” you say her name.

“Yes, I remember, as well,” Kirari says beside you. “Kor, her second son – he was the father of our tribe.” She steps forward and places a hand on the stone woman’s cheek, almost reverent as she struggles to recall more.

Dorje seems less convinced. “I remember this fable, but I remembering it being just that: a fable. It does not help us learn why we were buried under that monastery, or who killed us, or why they did.”

Just a fable? Probably. Your eyes pass over Kirari and the statue opposite her, noting the similarities in their features. Your thoughts turn to the four-legged shadow.

--------------------

>Tell your kindred about the shadow you saw in the tomb and in the sand
>Keep that to yourself for now, you don’t know what that was
>Discuss something else (write-in)
>Stay a day or two, recuperate more before travelling again
>Pack up and leave soon. You need to find medicine for Dorje’s wounds quickly.
>Divide the party. Let Dorje rest here with Kirari while you find medicine youself.
>Write-in

>>140822
>Tell your kindred about the shadow
>Pack up and leave soon

>>140838

Waiting for a few more people to hopefully show up

>>140838
I'll back it. If we found nothing to help him we should head out.

Probably see about making a waterskin if we haven't.

>>140822
>Tell your kindred about the shadow you saw in the tomb and in the sand
>Pack up and leave soon. You need to find medicine for Dorje’s wounds quickly.

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>>140838

"There's something else," you say, drawing their attention as you try to decide how best to explain without sounding delusional. "When we were in the tomb, I saw something...a shadow with eyes."

They exchange glances with each other. "We all saw vile things down there, brother," Dorje says.

"No, this one was different. I think..."

You are interrupted by the sound of cackling laughter outside, the wild noise echoing through the small cavern you are all standing in. You recognize it immediately...a laughing dog's call.

Peering out at the oasis, you see creatures approaching from the south...

--------------------

>Hide
>Lay an ambush
>Go out and speak with whatever it is
>Write-in

>>140915
>Hide

>>140915
>Lay an ambush

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>140932
>>140950

1 = hide
2 = ambush

Rolled 2, 9, 5 = 16 (3d10)

>>140970

All three of you hear the approaching noise, and you can almost feel you kin steeling themselves as they ready for combat. Without a word being uttered, all three of you have moves away from the open archway and into the shadows, weapons held close and tight.

"We don't know what that is, but we do know we can't allow ourselves to be trapped here if they are hostile." You look around the Oasis, finding the most advantageous position. "There, those rocks will offer concealment, and high ground should we need it," you saw, pointing to a craggy outcropping on a more neglected side of the oasis. "We watch, and if I give the signal, we strike."

Kirari and Dorje both nod, and the three of you hunker low and rush to cover.

(trial roll in order)
Kejeral: +3
Kirari: +3
Dorje: +2

>>140988
Apologies, it's really late. I have to head to bed. Hopefully another anon takes my place.

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>>140988

Kirari makes hardly a sound as she skirts past the water's edge and around the tall grasses, slipping into the mountain's shadow and disappearing into the rocks beyond. Dorje follows, his larger size making his footfalls heavier, but still sufficiently muffled to avoid notice. You take up the rear, but suddenly remember...the horse. You left it reined at your camp...

The distracting thought makes you rustle the tall grass, making undue noise...though you aren't sure if you were seen. Kirari peeks over the rocks and whispers to you what she sees.

"Three of them, and two beasts...dogs," she tells you.

"Soldiers?"

"Armor and spears...hunters, perhaps. They...they are not men."

You peek over the edge and look for yourself, and see three figures, walking upright as men. Their faces, their legs...even from this distance, you can see they are not human. Whatever they are, they are about to find your camp, and the horse you left there.

--------------------

>Spring the ambush now
>Wait for a better moment
>Wait to see if they are actually hostile - we don't know yet
>Try to communicate
>Write-in

>>141025
>Wait for a better moment
The other anon left us. Should we wait for someone else to show up?

>>141055

Yes, I feel like going off 1 vote is kind of weak. Game's having some trouble taking off, it seems

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>>141055

Gnolls . The word comes to you as you watch them investigate the oasis. Your recollection is more instinctual than anything, but you are certain you knew of these creatures before. The pieces slowly fall together one word at a time.

Scavengers. Carrion-eaters. Traders. Slavers....

They were not necessarily monsters, but they were opportunists. If they saw you and recognized a challenge, they would leave you be. However, if the Gnolls decided you were easy game, they might see a profit motive in capturing you.

They soon enough find your camp, the laughing dogs cackling as they find the leftover carcass from your sandcat kill. The horse you found whinnies loudly, rearing up defensively but restrained by its reins wrapped about one of the scrubby trees.

--------------------

>Strike now, before they might harm the horse or take it away
>Wait longer, let their guards fall
>Approach them fearlessly and confidently
>Write-in

>>141263
>Approach them fearlessly and confidently
Let's solve this peacefully.
You should try running quest on saturday or sunday. There should be more anons around at that time.

>>141302

This, but get ready to ambush with our two friends if shit goes south.

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Rolled 9 + 5 (1d10 + 5)

>>141302

"With dogs and their tracking skills, they will find us eventually. Follow my lead, and don't show the slightest weakness," you tell Kirari and Dorje. Steeling yourself for whatever may happen, you stand and walk towards you camp as if you owned the oasis personally.

Kirari hesitates only slightly, but Dorje follows you close behind, standing tall despite his injuries. Kirari joins you on your other side, sling in hand.

The Gnolls, taller than their dogs, see you first and gesture to each other, letting out a stream of growls and yips you assume to be their language. Their grips tighten on their weapons, but they do not immediately begin to circle you, instead choosing to bunch together.

"Not the slightest hint of fear," you remind you kin as you step into earshot.

"That's my horse!" you say in a loud voice, pointing to the stallion. "And that is my kill," you say, kicking some sand at a laughing dog and sending it scurrying from the sandcat's corpse.

(Nobility trial: 1d10+4 N +2 allies -1 primitive armor)

>>141337

Nice

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>>141337

The Gnolls clench their weapons more tightly, yipping excitedly as your step into your camp and plant your spear's haft in the sand. They sniff the air, you hope not smelling your kinsman's wounds. They were still deciding what to do, waffling in indecisively as the prospect of slaves vied with the risk of combat.

"Ours!" Kirari yells with unexpected gusto, pointing to the sandcat then holding up the sabertooth neckband Dorje made for her. "Our kill."

The display of the hunting trophy is enough to make the Gnolls relax the grips on their spears. They trade more yips and cackles, much like the noises their dogs make, then nod their heads and take a few steps back out of your camp.

The largest one, a male with a thick, sandy mane, still seems fixated on the stallion. It points to it, then gestures strangely, running fingers across its muzzle as if smearing paint on itself.

--------------------

>Try to communicate
>Try to trade (what for what?)
>Follow them to wherever they come from
>Eye them warily until they leave
>Write-in

>>141354
>Try to communicate
hm, they either want to eat the horse or know something about its warpaints

>>141354
>Try to communicate

>>141368
Worth a shot.

(Sorry for popping on and off. I just had to be working while this game goes on.)

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Rolled 1 + 4 (1d10 + 4)

>>141368
>>141384
>>141385

The male points to the stallion's saddle, making a series of growls and yips completely incomprehensible to you. Seeing that it is getting nowhere, the creature instead uses the haft of its own spear to sloppily draw a figure in the sand.

It gestures to the figure, then to the horse.

(Nobility trial to get hints 1d10+4)

--------------------

>Write-in

>>141411

(critical failure, no hint forthcoming)

>>141411
welp

>>141411

"We don't know where the man who had the horse has gone."

That's my best guess as to what they're asking

>>141411
We were searching for food and just found it. No clue on the person the horse belongs to.

I would try drawing, but it seems I can't on my phone.

Just throwing my thoughts out there.
A. They ask about who owns the horse now. Out of the 3 of us. Perhaps to challenge the owner in a duel or to trade for it.
B. They know the real owner of the horse. Or something about it? Did they kill him? Do they help him?
C. They see that the horse is too well fed/trained and equipped to be originally ours and now question about it's previous owner.

Draw horse in the sand. Draw a line to hand of stick figure. Point at drawn horse, point at horse. Point at drawn figure, point at ourselves.

>>141457
Well thought out, backing.

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>>141423
>>141441

"We don't know where the rider is, but it's ours now," you say, sensing its motive. The stallion its getting quite nervous with all the Gnolls and their pets nearby, stomping at the ground and snorting wildly. Kirari walks over to it and places a reassuring hand on its neck, settling it down again.

"These creatures think they have a claim on the horse for some reason," Dorje says. Again, the male drags fingers across its face, emulating tears or warpaint...

"We never found the rider's body, or any signs of a struggle. He did not die here, which means the stallion and he were separated," you piece together.

You use your own spear to draw a horse in the sand, connecting it to the Gnoll's own human drawing. You then point to the stallion, and indicating your drawing, and them yourselves, indicating the owner. "Ours, now."

The Gnoll seems to understand you are not budging on this position, and relents.

--------------------

>Trade (what for what?)
>Wait for them to leave
>Follow them back to wherever they come from
>Leave yourselves
>Write-in

>>141482
duel for the horse's ownership?
maybe we could get them to agree to an unarmed duel to submission...

>>141482
>Trade (what for what?)

Do they have medicinal herbs? We can trade the sandcat (or whats left) for them

>>141528

They seem to have given up trying to get the horse from you. Best you can figure is they know the owner, but aren't willing to fight you over his horse.

>>141482

Point at wound of Dorje. (trade for medical herbs or something to apply on it)
If they show something, ask Kirari to confirm if its legit.
Try to bargain with meat/carcass for it.
They might find that we are weaker because one of us is in bad shape, but still better than losing Dorje or crippling him.

On a scale of 1-10 how mortal are we? 1 is plot armor mode, 10 is "you roll 1, break your ankle, it gets infected, you are dead"

>>141541
my bad, let's go with >>141536

>>141536
Good idea, backing.

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>>141536
>>141545
>>141557

Your gambit to intimidate them seems to have worked. Much as this male obviously wants the stallion, he is unwilling to risk a fight over it while the corpse of a sandcat, lies on the ground with a javelin wound squarely in its eye. Confident tensions are defused, you motion Dorje over.

You point to his wound and bandaging. "Medicine?"

The male looks at the wound, then turns to yip at its companions, setting the two laughing dogs into a similar set of cackles. Bizarre.

This time, instead of drawing another figure in the sand, the Gnolls turns and points into the distance, towards the tower you saw further into the mountains.

"I don't trust these creatures. They could lead us to their lair, then set upon us with superior numbers," Dorje says.

"Yes, but if we don't find herbs for that wound, rot will set in within the week. We don't know if there is another community closer than that one we could reach in time," Kirari interjects.

"I'd rather take my chances with the rot than these beasts. An extra day on the road to find more trustworthy traders is better."

"If there is one a day further," she counters.

--------------------

>"I agree with Dorje, these Gnolls can't be trusted. I won't lead us into a trap."
>"Trap or not, Kirari is correct. The risk of danger from them is less than leaving that wound untreated for another day."
>"It may be best to find the herbs here, try our luck higher in the mountains."
>Write-in


>>141543
Read "damage" above. When you miss in combat too severely, you take 2-3 points of damage. With your gear, you can take maybe 2 hits before it starts affecting your health, then it's random - could knock you out with one hit or 3.

>>141603
>"I agree with Dorje, these Gnolls can't be trusted. I won't lead us into a trap."

>>141603
>"Trap or not, Kirari is correct. The risk of danger from them is less than leaving that wound untreated for another day."
i don't know, man, we could always try to escape if it really comes to this

>>141603
>"Trap or not, Kirari is correct. The risk of danger from them is less than leaving that wound untreated for another day."

There is no guarantee that we will run into a friendlier trader tomorrow, for now we act on the information we have.

>>141603
>"Trap or not, Kirari is correct. The risk of danger from them is less than leaving that wound untreated for another day."

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>>141661
>>141721

"We can't risk another march through that desert with no idea of what might be out there waiting for us. There is no guarantee another settlement will be close enough, or that it will have what we require. You are right not to trust these Gnolls, brother, but I trust the desert there even less. We go with them, and keep ourselves on guard."

Dorje seems uncomfortable with this decision, looking between you and Kirari. Eventually accepts it with a nod. You realize how hard it must be for him to be wounded, and potentially putting his kindred at risk.

You turn to the male Gnoll and point to the tower as he did, nodding in agreement with him. "We will go with you," you say, mimicking the nodding gesture it makes.

The male confers again with its pack, then points to the leftovers of the sandcat corpse. You have already harvested the choice meat from it, and there is little but organs and bone left on this skinless husk. You give a nod of consent.

All three Gnolls and their two dogs eagerly approach the carcass and begin to tear it apart with their fangs and claws. The masters drop to all fours like their canine pets, and for a time all five of them look like a mass of writhing, mangy fur as they pull tendons and snap bones with their jaws. In an amazingly short time, the body is just scraps, with the Gnolls having torn the bones into pieces and pocketing them for their travels.

The male gives you another nod and yip, his muzzle coated with blood that it starts to lick off with a black tongue.

"We will leave with them at sunset We must craft waterskins for the journey before then. Dorje, you will take the horse," you say, leaving no room for argument.

*****

The sun sets in time, and by then the three of you have crafted three rudimentary waterskins from the animal leftovers. They aren't adequate for long trips, but they should be good enough for this trip at least. If you survived the 20 miles here from the monastery, they six or seven to that tower wouldn't be too difficult.

Dorje attempts to ride the horse, but the stallion immediately rears and forces him off. Even Kirari, with her seemingly stronger connection to the animal, is unable to convince it to accept another rider.

"No matter, I can walk," Dorje says.

--------------------

>Break the horse in, make it accept Dorje and you as riders
>Let Dorje march on foot, he seems fine
>Ride it yourself, you are best in combat on horseback
>Save the horse, let it come riderless
>Write-in

>>141807

>all that word repetition

Christ, I need to proofread these before posting. That's just embarrassing.

>>141807
>Ride it yourself, you are best in combat on horseback
we haven't tried yet, maybe we'll get lucky

>>141807
Try to break it. The less effort Dorje has to put out, the more strength he has to fight off infection

Rolled 8, 2 = 10 (2d10)

>>141826
>>141867

(Trail: 1d10+4 N for you, 1d10+5 N for Kirari)

>>141807
>Break the horse in, make it accept Dorje and you as riders
I'm going to bed now.
Great quest OP.

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>>141896

You take the reins from Kirari hold the animal steady, then mount before it he has a chance to evade you.

You are almost immediately thrown off as the stallion rears and bucks with incredible strength, stamping and snorting furiously as it tries to unseat you. You wrestle with its reins and hold tight with your legs, though, and after what seems like an eternity of dizzying chaos the stallion gives in. He's still not pleased, but is too exhausted to bother trying to fight further. You dismount, and Dorje takes your place in the saddle without further incident.

"He has a great deal of spirit, this one," Kirari says, patting its flank to reassure it. "And a deep connection to its owner, whoever he many be. I wonder what could have separated them."

You have a few guesses, but leave them unspoken.

*****

The march is not very long. At first the Gnolls lead you along the edge of the rocky cliffs, but as you turn southwards the path they follow begins to wind upwards, switchbacking along the mountain's slope as giving you a better view of the surroundings.

To the east, there is nothing but desert as far as you can see - a great waste of nothingness, with a blanket of stars and the moon casting the swirling sands in a pale white glow. There were no landmarks, no way to determine your precise location except the heavens above. You are glad you chose not to go that way.

Your consider your Gnollish guides, examining their gear. Spears with metal heads, quite simple but not shoddy. A bow with a quiver of oversized arrows suspended from the archer's hip. Simple hide armor from the skins of wild beasts...You are not sure if the beasts made the weapons themselves, or merely traded for them.

Dorje is quiet the entire journey. The day you spent recovering at the oasis has done him some good, and he looks far better that the walking wounded he was only the two days ago. Kirari is trying in vain to communicate with another of the Gnolls...it seems their language is too alien for human tongues to replicate, and they are also unfamiliar with your own native tongue.

"Kejeral, ahead," Dorje calls, gesturing forward. Above you, commanding a respectable fortified position sits a stone fort surrounded by walls perhaps 15 feet high, with three towers overlooking the approach. Dark silhouettes can be seen pacing the ramparts, no doubt watching you with shortbows such as the one carried by these scavengers with you.

You approach a large wooden gate, which is opened by two Gnollish sentries with spears. Inside the fort's interior, you hear the cackles and yipping noises of perhaps ten of the creatures, no doubt reacting to the arrival of strangers.

As you approach the threshold, you realize this is your last chance to reconsider entering their fortification...

--------------------

>Stay outside
>Go inside confidently
>Write-in

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>>141990

(updated map)

>>141990
>Stay outside
try to get them to bring their healer here

>>141990
>Go inside confidently

Heads high

>>141990
>>Stay outside
We're just here to trade

>>141990
>>Stay outside
See if they will wave us in.

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>>142029
>>142146

Your guides step through the gates without pause, but before Dorje and Kirari can follow them you raise your arm and indicate you should all wait. "Let's see if we can't get them to come outside instead," you say.

"We are just here to trade," you say to the gathered Gnolls on the ramparts. Black, furry heads with glowing eyes and perked ears look over the edge at you curiously, though none of them seem to comprehend your meaning.

The male scavenger sees you hesitate and lets you remain outside while he and his two companions take their dogs through the gates. There is some unintelligible yipping, and a short time later he returns with another, larger Gnoll in tow. This one, a female.

She stands a full head higher than the others, with darker fur and more finely-crafted leather armor than the patchwork hide the others wear. A dagger in an ornate metal sheathe sits on her belt, onyx black with a silver trim.

The sandy-maned male points to Dorje's shoulder and makes a series of growling, cooing noises while its ears flick about atop its head.

Suddenly, you hear another voice from inside...a human girl's. "...touch...filthy...!" You can't be certain, but you might have actually recognized a couple of those words. The accent was thick and alien to you, but they are the most familiar sounds you have heard yet since awakening.

Without warning, the stallion rears up and tries to trot in through the gates, Dorje only barely managing to arrest it by yanking back on the reins and forcing him to change direction.

--------------------

>Continue trading for the medicine outside
>Investigate the voice
>Write-in

>>142233
>Investigate the voice
looks like we found the rider...

>>142233
Awww snap the original rider's been taken as a slave!

>>142233
>>Investigate the voice
It must be the horse owner.

>>142264
>>142272
Backing,
also
Bring Kirari, this is probably gonna take some serious nobility, whatever happens.

>>142283
I'll support this

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>>142264
>>142268
>>142272
>>142283

The Gnolls confer amongst themselves as they see the stallion rile itself up, but none of them ready their weapons threateningly. Dorje, for his part, promptly dismounts the horse and keeps the reins held tightly in one hand. As infantry, he probably feels more comfortable on the ground in a potential fight, you realize.

"Did you hear that?" he asks you and Kirari.

"I did, but I do not recognize all the words," you reply. "Still, that is the closest to understandable language we have heard since waking in this place. Perhaps we can find some answers."

"Is it worth risking being surrounded in their walls?" Dorje asks.

You ponder this, yet another dangerous decision being thrust upon you. "We don't know where we will find allies, and thus far these Gnolls have demonstrated no malice. I still don't trust them, but I don't want to spend another week in that desert without a guide."

You turn to Kirari, looking for her thoughts. "I agree. The desert almost killed us, these Gnolls did not. I don't trust them either, but I have no idea where to go, where to find herbs, where to find water without native help."

With that, you accept the Gnollish invitation to enter the gates, making certain to be as nonthreatening as possible with your weapons without appearing weak.

There are some fires burning inside, illuminating the inner courtyard with flickering orange light. An open, patio-like structure on the near side sports a large table at which two Gnolls sit with some clutter.

Opposite them by the well are a young woman and a man. Their ankles are shackled to stakes driven deep in the ground, short iron chains snaking across the earth like a pair of rusty snakes.

He is wearing simple, city-dweller's clothing, looking quite scruffy with an unkempt beard and tussled hair. Beside him sits a dark-haired girl of perhaps 17 years, wearing earthen-colored desert clothing. Faded streaks of warpaint are streaked across her face, and she seems quite irritated with her fellow prisoner.

"...shit-eating...." is all your catch in her string of obscenities directed towards him, which only makes him chuckle and shake his head.

As Dorje leads the stallion inside, however, the girl's expression changes completely. "S-Suna!"

The stalltion wrestles itself free from Dorje's grip and trots over to the girl as she sits on the ground, lowering its hear to her face. She begins speaking to it too fast for you to make anything out, but you hear definite distress in her voice.

Both prisoners look up and notice you now, unsure what to make of you.

--------------------

>Write-in

>>142404
Hello, can any of you speak to these Gnolls? Also what year is it?

>>142404
i guess we can start with the basic questions: who are you? where are we? when are we?

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>>142431
>>142434

The Gnolls aren't certain how to react as the three of you approach their prisoners, but you aren't giving off an aura of hostility. For now, at least, they let you be.

"Young woman, can you understand me?" you ask the painted girl. "Do you speak our language?"

She seems arrested by disbelief as she looks at you, like she has seen a ghost. Her eyes fall to the tribal tattoos on your arms, but she has no words to share.

Stepping in, Kirari kneels beside her and tries. "Our words? Do you speak? Do you hear?"

Again, her eyes fixate on Kirari's own markings, not entirely hearing the words spoken to her. "K-Kora-thei."

As she speaks the accented name of your tribe, you can discern the motifs and designs in the faded paint she wears on her skin...you see the similarities with the markings inked into your own flesh.

"Kora-thei? Keh...Keh-hallat jalesei..." the girl stutters.

Kirari is puzzled. "She knows our tribe, but I remember nothing of hers...and her language..."

"It's like it is related to ours, but only distantly. How is that possible?"

Behind you, you hear the Gnolls chattering together, though they don't seem to be making any hostile moves.

"Metei et durei," the young man says to the girl in a hushed voice, gesturing with his head to the Gnolls as they discuss something. He speaks the same tongue as the girl, but does not seem to recognize you as she did.

--------------------

>Interrogate the girl further
>Trade with the Gnolls
>Try speaking with the young man
>Write-in

>>142538
>>Trade with the Gnolls
Lets get the meds before we do something to change the Gnoll's view of us. Maybe that prime meat will go for a fine price.

>>142538
>Trade with the Gnolls
meds first, then maybe we can get their prisonners

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>142566
>>142576

"One or both of these people could have the answers we need, Keje," Kirari says.

"I know, but we have little to trade with for them. At the very least, before we can consider anything else, we need to secure herbs if they have them."

You turn to the Gnollish Alpha Female, pointing to Dorje's wound and motioning as if covering it with a bandage. "Medicine. Have you any?"

She turns her head to the sandy-maned one, dispatching him to the table you now recognize as being cluttered with the former possessions of their two captives. It scoops some things up and puts them into a human-crafted satchel, then offers it to you for examination. You dig through the contents, you realize as the two prisoners are watching.

Flint. Rope. A waterskin. Various tools. Sheaves of paper and some ink...and a small leather pouch. You can smell the scent of herbs in it - healer's kit.

"Will this do?" you ask Kirari.

She take it from you and examines it herself, opening it looking closely at the pouches of leaves inside. "It is for horses, I think...but it will do." She turns back to the Gnolls and gestures that she desires to trade for the pouch. "This. This is what we need...what do you want for it?"

(1d10+5N)

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>>142656

She is able to haggle the creatures down to two of your rations of choice sandcat meat. You take inventory of what you still have of value:

>4 more rations of choice meat
>the girl's horse
>the fine saddle
>2 sandcat sabertooth neckbands
>some practically worthless bone weapons
>the sandcat furs which comprise the entirety of your clothing

-------------------

>Attempt to trade (what for what?)
>Cut your losses
>Resort to violence
>Write-in

>>142656
Try to ask what those two "slaves" did. We will not be able to take a whole camp. Yet I think we can make some kind of deal if we can talk this out.

>>142675
i guess this can work somehow >>142707

it's weird how they wanted the horse back if it belongs to her... why would they care?

Rolled 8, 10, 8 = 26 (3d10)

>>142707
"Who are these prisoners of yours?" you ask the alpha female, pointing to the two captives. "What did they do?"

You pantomime as best you can to try to get your question across, but the language barrier seems insurmountable.

(Rolling Nobility for Kejeral, Kirari, and Dorje in that order)

>>142741
because they expended the effort to capture her. They knew she had a horse, and went to the only water in the near area to find it

>>142808
ding a ling! we got a crit!
and it makes sense, yeah

>>142808
Dam girl you have a way with words.

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>>142808

(Kirari critical hit 10+5)

You and Dorje motion with you wrists and gesture to the chains about the slaves' ankles, trying to communicate the nature of your question and really only succeeding in making fools of yourselves.

"Wait, I think..." Kirari says, asking you to be quiet a moment. She kneels beside the girl and parses some words slowly with her. "Ask him," she says, pointing to the young man. "Ask why," she says, shaking the girl's chain. Recognizing Kirari's intentions, she turns to the young man she is imprisoned with and asks him in her own tongue, then gestures to the Gnolls. Finally, the young man speaks aloud to his captors in a language you don't recognize, which they growl back in response to.

It is an awkward, frustrating chain of communication, but it works in a way.

"The young man understands the Gnollish language and the girl's, while the girl knows a mutated form of our own. At least the very simplest ideas can be shared with some effort," she explains. "But going through that many languages will limit what we can ask clearly."

She continues to use the two prisoners, extracting the answers you want. "Her tribe is at war with the Gnollish tribes. He...I am not sure...he says he is a merchant from the capital."

--------------------

>Write-in

>>142864
I doubt we could stop a war at the moment. Yet talking has worked so far.

Dam if he's a merchant why enslave him, that's bad business. If they want to improve the crap they can get. They need trade running into their faction. We have much to learn about what's going on.

I guess we should ask about the war and what it started over, if it's okay to do so.

>>142864

Use our weird chain of communication to see what it would cost for the slaves

>>142864
Maybe we can try figuring out where the girl's tribe is. They're probably friendlier then gnolls

>>142864
try to see if we can buy their freedom (as slaves or something)

>>142887
they probably just stole his stuff and decided to keep him

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Rolled 9 + 5 (1d10 + 5)

>>142887

Asking about the causes of the war is beyond what you can communicate right now, unfortunately.

>>142898
(rolling Nobility again to try to bargain for them, but it will be a stretch...you are quite poor)

"We need at least one of them, if possible. Can you try to barter with them?" you ask Kirari, who has had the most success communicating so far.

"Barter with what? We have little of value, Keje," she says despondently. She doesn't want to leave the two of them here to a fate that will certainly be quite poor. "I will try, though."

Kirari speaks with the alpha female as best she can, counting off your provisions and equipment with her fingers. It becomes clear that if the Gnolls are willing to give up wither of them at all, it will be the young man first. The girl, probably because of the spilled blood between them, is a war trophy.

While Kirari negotiates, you try to learn where this girl's tribe is. "Where?" you ask, pointing to her person and her tribal markings. "Where? Home?"

"Home? North...East..." she mutters, daring to hope.

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>>143000

"The merchant will cost us all of our meat. The girl...they want the saddle, and the horse," Kirari reports.

"She won't want to give up that horse," Dorje observes.

You agree. As a cavalryman yourself, you recognize a bond even deeper than your own between the animal and its owner. The distress in the girls voice upon their reunion was because the girl had hoped her stallion had escaped, and now here you had delivered it right to her enemies.

"They might give up the girl without the horse, but in its place..." Kirari says, stopping to clarify with them to be sure. "They want our clothes. The pelts are valuable."

You can't help but sigh.

--------------------

>Employ violence
>Leave for now, try to sneak in later and maybe free them stealthily
>Buy the merchant for the meat you have collected, or the saddle, or the horse
>Buy the girl for the horse, meat AND the saddle
>Buy both for the horse, meat, saddle, and your pelts
>Write-in

>>143017
i have a plan, but it's risky...
negociate to buy both for some big game (pelt included) tomorrow
leave Dorje here to recover and guard the two, and go back to the oasis to hunt with Kirari and the horse(if we can rear it)

>>143054
We did run into the alpha sand cat earlier. If we could hunt that down it'd probably be enough for at least one of captives.

>>143054
We got the healing items. So I'm down to hunt for more. Use some meat work to buy us time.

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>>143054
>>143069
>>143080

"If the pelts are valuable, we can hunt more of them and return to purchase these prisoners in full without stripping ourselves to poverty again. We already know where a suitable target is," you say, remembering the alpha sandcat and its mate still lurking about by the oasis.

Dorje agrees. "Water is scarce, so the beasts will not have roamed far. We can track and hunt them, then return with the kills and use them to barter."

"We can, but I'm not sure we should tax you until your wound heals completely, brother. Kirari and I can hunt them ourselves I am sure.'

"Keje, you don't know what else is out there. You would split us up, and confront the dangers out there alone? I am not so weak that I cannot come with you," he protests.

--------------------

>Order Dorje to stay and fully recover
>Take him along, but do most of the lifting with Kirari
>Write-in

>>143129
>Write-in

Dorje you're not just staying here to recover, this girl is our best chance at learning what is going on right now, I need eyes back here to make sure that they don't do anything to the captives or sell them off before we get back.

>>143129
this: >>143144

>>143144
Seconding.

Surprised to see this running after 8+ hours.

>>143129
>>143144
>Take him along, but do most of the lifting with Kirari
>Also communicate to the gnolls that we'll pay in pelts, including an alpha pelt

There's not much Dorje could do on his own to stop them from harming or selling their prisoners if they decide to. Plus, they might decide to harm/enslave him.

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>>143144
>>143149

"It's not your strength I doubt, brother, it's the integrity of these Gnolls. Without a pair of eyes here, they may get impatient or fickle, and sell or eat these slaves before we can return. I need you here to keep them honest."

You realize you are leaving him alone with an entire camp of creatures you barely know, but so far the Gnolls had not been aggressive to you. It was a risk, but then again, so was everything you had been compelled to decide for the last three days.

Dorje knew it, as well, but he does not question you. "Very well. I will do this," he says with conviction.

You place a hand on his shoulder share a moment of camaraderie, wordlessly expressing your confidence in him and thanking him for supporting your decision.

Kirari explains their proposal to the Gnolls, who seem to agree as much as is possible through the language barrier.

"Kirari and I will try to hunt that alpha sandcat down and bring it back in one day, perhaps two. If we cannot succeed by then, we will return and think of a new plan."

You reach for the reins of the horse, but it resists you immediately, not wanting to part with its rider. Kirari lowers herself down to the girl and whispers some assurances, speaking slowly and simply. Even if her words are too alien, her tone is enough to give the girl hope. "We need your horse. Return, soon," she says, locking eyes with her. The tribal girl nods, fighting back tears. "Kirari. My name, Kirari. You? Name?"

"Kiyya. Kiyya et Amarsei," she replies.

"We will get you out, as well," she says to the merchant, placing a hand on his shoulder. Return soon." He seems less convinced.

Kiyya whispers something to the stallion, and you are surprised that when you attempt to mount it this time the beast does not resist you. "We have to be fast...the night is already half past, and we can't wait another day," you say, holding a hand out for Kirari.

She takes it and climbs up on the horse with you.

-------------------

(Going to call it there for tonight, thanks for playing, every one)

Feedback welcome
Twitter for announcements
ask.fm for questions

I will try to run again in 2-3 days.

>>143205
Later.

>>143205
thanks for running

>>143205
Keep on running OP, your campaign is seriously engaging. Sucks I wasn't around for this one.

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this some good fuckin shit man
nice teamwork anons

>>143205
Good shit, OP. Thanks for runnan.

>>143276

Thanks, I'm enjoying running it. I've put a lot of effort into the world, and letting players loose in it helps me flesh it out better

>>143319
Holy shit this is exactly why I started writing my own campaign. This board is a real powerful worldbuilding tool. You inspire me OP.

new thread:
>>145671