Hexplore24 — Day 12
Goster, Belus, and Satis are getting some well-deserved rest.1
I've created a newsfeed using Mythic Magazine 35's system.2
Do I hear news? Exceptional Yes.
Character Negative - Witches Four3
"Imprison Fear" oh snap...
How do we know this? AFTER pulling "deny cooperation" and asking some fate checks I learn someone has come demanding ransom.
However, their rest is soon interrupted by a commotion in the town. A stranger has arrived, demanding a ransom for some captured adventurers.
All are shocked. This is the first time anyone claiming to represent any organized people of the New-Old Lands, of any size, has made contact with Beacon. It's also the first indication that there are threats beyond the beasts and monsters of the lands. Beacon has never considered itself a target. Yet, now, there's an unknown power preying upon them & powerful enough to take the witches four.4
The wooden walls of Beacon suddenly seem more necessary, yet possibly inadequate.
Goster, Satis, and Belus head to the town guard to report about Goster's peddler friends who were killed. However, when they approach, the place is swarmed with concerned people waiting. Inside, the negotiator messenger is talking with the captain of the guard.
"Do we know who was captured?" Satis asks.
"Witches - Four of 'em," a man replies.
Satis and Belus exchange a shocked look. "Could they be?" Satis starts.
"The witches we met?" Belus finishes.
Forgot to roll weather: Snow
Violet Billows
As the day began, the sky had violet-tinged billowing clouds. But as it grows later, the clouds lower and a breeze starts up. Now snow is beginning to fall, and as the three wait, the crowd thins, many retreating to warm taverns to discuss the news in comfort.
The remaining crowd is treated to the sight of the captain of the guard, a half dozen guards, and the hooded messenger leaving and heading to the governor's house, with many following.
This allows Belus, Satis, and Goster to meet with the deputy of the guard to report - and now wondering if it's relevant, they include the sighting of the witches.
By dusk, the snow is falling in a steady and thick swirl. Belus leads Satis and Goster back to their inn for dinner & to hear if any developments from the governor's house are known.
Nothing but rumors. They are getting ready to retire for the night when a young man in very nice clothes and a very serious looking woman arrive and ask for Satis and Belus.
He introduces himself as Blain, the youngest of the house of Zork, a noble. He is accompanied by Aima, his bodyguard.5
"I have been appointed by the governor to lead the expedition to retrieve the kidnapped witches. The deputy captain tells me you met them only a few days ago?"6
This is said just loud enough that in a moment all of the inn grows quiet and comes to listen as Satis and Belus tell their story, including about the lights on the hills they saw & the witches were seeking.
"These hills - could you lead me there?" Blain asks, serious and focused.
"Yes," Satis says, "if you hire us."
Belus blushes, but after a sharp look from Satis says nothing. Blain is happy to bring them on.
"But we leave tomorrow, snow or not," he says.
"This trip—" Belus asks, "Is it to pay the ransom?"
Blain and Aima share a look, and Blain sees the many eavesdropping patrons around them.
"It is to return the witches – any more is not for me to say until the governor has made his official statement."
He then tells them to arrive at the guard house in the morning, before leaving.
"Why does he need us?" Belus asks in a low whisper, “the messenger – Isn't he leading them there?"
"I heard," Goster shares, "The messenger isn't human – not fully at least."7
Belus and Satis had barely seen the messenger as he walked past them, but he had seemed human.
"You know," Goster says, "You don't have to go. You can stay in Beacon with me."8
As tired as Belus and Satis are, and as cold as the world outside Beacon is, they both know they will be ready to leave in the morning.
"These people who took the witches," Belus explains, "They might know a key piece of information – something critical for us both to learn."
"What?" Goster asks, looking between them.
"The location of the old capital city and the sacred artifacts it has," Satis explains.
Belus continues, "I swore an oath to find it, before any others might – so that I can restore a holy book for my sect."
"And I swore a vow to find an artifact that belongs to my order of witches," Satis adds, "both are near or in the capital."
Goster nods, "That must be very far from here... I hope you find it."
And soon they all go to sleep.
Newsfeed gave me quite the twist. I was going to have Blain be a 2nd group & leave a few days before Belus and Satis, but I guess not! This is a really exciting direction, I have no idea what they will find. Or if the messenger will be part of their expedition.
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In Hexplore24 many people are choosing to have more than one party, so while some heroes are enjoying R&R, a different group can go out and adventure. Anticipating this, I came up with a handful of PCs I plan to employ, each one using a different class in Whitehack. I was going to send out this second team today, but as you are about to see, the dice had their own plans.↩
Mythic Magazine #35 has a great article about creating a newsfeed, essentially a way to learn about what’s been going on off-camera in my world. I’ve decided to create one to cover news of other adventureres in the Beacon community. This is my first time using it in the Hexplore24.↩
We don’t have a lot of NPCs currently. The Witches Four are the witches Belus and Satis met last week out in the wilds.↩
I’ve been wondering about where other people are in this setting. The newsfeed has made some strong choices. I have no idea at all who these kidnappers are, but I expect they will tell us a lot about what the rest of my hexplore24 is going to be shaped by.↩
Blain is a Fortunate, a rare class in Whitehack. The Fortunate is the only class that can have a retainer that is able to level up, and Aima, Blain’s bodyguard, is his retainer.↩
Fortunates are able to once a session use their social standing to pull in a favor. Blain was going to go off and adventure while Belus and Satis rested, but as soon as I learned the news of the kidnappings, I knew Blain would want to be the one who got the witches back. He used his social standing to get the governor to appoint him to this mission.↩
I have no idea about the nature of the messenger and the people he represents, or even what species they will turn out to be. We get to discover that together!↩
I’m sure Goster will be a recurring NPC, but at this time I don’t think he has any interest in being promoted to a PC and risking his life. Not after the trauma he’s dealing with.↩