Hexplore24 — Day 13
Light Snow & Rusted Whisps
Snow, fresh and still falling, covers the ground, roofs, tree branches, and fills the air. Dawn light breaks through the clouds in slivers, casting whisps of rusty light that quickly fade in the cold and silent flurry.
Belus and Satis arrive at the town guard, finding Blain, Aima, and a few others loading up four mules by the side of the building.
Soon the loading is done and to Belus and Satis’ surprise, they learn the mules are not mounts but pack animals, and the expedition will be entirely on foot.
Blain brings everyone aside for instructions and a last hot cup of cider.
In addition to Blain, Aima, Belus, and Satis, the expedition is led by Malla1, a woman with curly grey hair that contrasts with her young face. She is boisterous and friendly but also very focused on the task at hand. Under her command are two teamsters, who oversee the mules and camp, and two guards who help keep the camp safe2. Malla makes it clear to Blain that she can join him, Aima, Belus & Satis in combat and excursions, but the other four are strictly there to keep the mules – and anyone else mule-adjacent, safe. Beacon has a low number of draft animals.
Then, with well-wishing from the captain of the guard, they set off.
The mules do not change the speed/travel points. Because it is snowing, it costs 3 points per grasslands hex.
Hazard roll: 4, local effect. Roll sun weather change. Rolled an 8, so it stops snowing.
As the nine travelers and four mules make their way across the white and grey grasslands, the snow thins, then stops, and soon they can see the snow-covered hills that line the valley.
Next hazard: 6, nothing.
They proceed, working their way across a landscape Belus and Satis had only just traversed, yet it was now unrecognizable with the snowfall.
Rainbow Fords
“Look!” Satis calls out, pointing, and all turn to see a patch of blue sky, unveiled by clouds that have pulled back like a curtain. Within the sky, a rainbow can be seen, glistening with crystals of ice.
“I hope this is a fair omen,” Belus says.
“The snow stopping certainly is,” Malla says before whistling to get the group moving again.
As the day darkens, Malla finds them a campsite and, as she and the Teamsters/guards (hirelings) work on setting up camp, Satis, Belus, Blain, and Aima forage for wood.
15 hrs of wood
“This is easier with more hands,” Belus remarks to Satis as they add their logs to the pile Blain and Aima gathered.
That evening, around the fire, Blain tells a story about one of his brothers getting stuck in his armor due to a jousting dent, and having to wear it to a fancy ball.
Malla then assigns them all watches, teams of two to guard, and they settle in for the night.
Satis turns to Belus, “Do you think those shapes that followed us are near?” Belus frowns, “I don’t know, but I’d much rather face them with this group.”
“Yes,” Satis agrees, “They seem okay - Malla is nice and Blain is not what I expected a noble to act like,” she says.
“Yes, -though...” Belus whispers, looking around to make sure no one is listening, “I heard Blain pulled rank and all but forced the governor to let him be on this expedition. He is a hard worker, but with a chip on his shoulder to prove himself it seems.”
“I hope he listens to Malla if we get into trouble," Satis says.
"Me too," Belus replies.
All sleep well.
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Malla is another new PC, she is a Deft Hunter, the Deft is one of the common Whitehack classes. She is exceptionally gifted with her bow, and in generally is much more competent in the wilds than the other characters.↩
These four NPCs are hirelings. They’ll work hard and keep the group safe, but they are not willing to go into danger or fight on behalf of the PCs.↩