Dawnshore (solo)

Arlo

Gambling debts

What shall we do with the drunken sailor?
What shall we do with the drunken sailor?
Early in the morning!

I know what you shouldn’t do… try to cheat them at cards. Damn it, one of them was pretending to be drunk (the cheater!) and noticed the extra cards I played. Someone started a fight (it wasn’t me, I can assure you) and I managed to inflict enough damage to escape.

Unfortunately we were at sea: sailing along the Ragged Coast and I had to jump overboard only with the things I had on me. My weapons and gear left back on the ship.

Luckily we were close to the shore and it wasn’t a difficult swim, except for the shouts and curses coming from the ship as it sailed away. As I leapt off the ship I noticed a large fire just behind us on top of a hill, I think it was at the entrance to a small harbour – could this be a lighthouse for the locals fishing at night?

I made it ashore and rested for a while. A narrow path lead up from the beach to the hill and I started walking up to the top of the hill towards the fire.

I crept up the path and stopped just before the top to scout out the area.

 
Gather Information: action(6)+wits(4) vs. 4,9 = Strong Hit
ASK THE ORACLE: action = Surrender (13), Ruin (74)
 

A the top of the hill was the ruins of an old tower that’s being used as the makeshift lighthouse. Piles of wood lay around the old courtyard and I could not see any sign of life. I moved closer and they ruins were empty: no one was around. The warmth of the fire was very welcome after my swim to shore. Once I’d thawed out, I searched the tower to see what I can find.

 
Resupply: action(3)+wits(4) vs. 4,6 = Strong Hit [+2 supply = 2]
ASK THE ORACLE: action = Seize (45), Opinion (40)
 

Oh, I got lucky. It looks like a small room at the bottom of the tower was used as accommodation for whoever looks after the fire. There was a small amount f food and drink store in a cupboard, as well as a simple spear. I grabbed everything I could and searched the rest of the ruins. There was nothing else of use, and I decided to spend the night in a smaller room upstairs: it was easy to block off the door and there was a large enough gap in the wall to allow be to escape if it was necessary. I fell asleep with the glow of the fire lighting the room.

Nothing disturbed me that night and I awoke just before dawn. The fire had burnt itself out and I hope that it was not necessary for the lighthouse keeper to shop up in the morning: i assume that they would be here later in the afternoon to restart the fire. I walked out to the edge of the hill and looked out into the land below me. This hill was situated on one side of an entrance into a small secluded harbour. A small village was at my right (north-west) almost occupying one side of the harbour. It seemed to be separated into two districts? - a handful of houses situated along the harbour edge and a similar number further inland.

I gathered my supplies and headed back down the hill towards the town.

 
Undertake a Journey: action(6)+wits(4) vs. 6,3 = Strong Hit [Troublesome 3/waypoint; progress = 3]
ASK THE ORACLE: action = Bolster (44), Path (94)
 

It was a well-worn path to the bottom of the hill, for some reason the path was paved, but it had seen better days. Clearly it had been maintained for a while, but still very useable. The path continues along the coast line towards the village and a second branch heading west into the wilderness. I thought it might be prudent to say out of sight as I approached the village, so I moved further inland into the forest.

 
Undertake a Journey: action(2)+wits(4) vs. 5,1 = Strong Hit [progress = 6]
 

As I move through the forest I can smell smoke and slow down, trying to be quiet as I can. Just off to my left there’s a clearing that looks like a campsite sitting a hundred-or-so paces from the coastal path; the campfire still burns and camping gear litters the area. I’ve been watching for a while and I’ve seen no one around, I suspect that the camp is abandoned. Wonder if there’s anything I can liberate?

 
Resupply: action(4)+wits(4) vs. 1,5 = Strong Hit [+2 supply = 4]
ASK THE ORACLE: action = Uncover (31), Survival (7)

Is there a better weapon (spear) in the camp? unlikely
ASK THE ORACLE: 19 = NO
 

I snatch up a backpack and fill it with whatever food I can find. Unfortunately I could not find a better weapon to replace the one from the lighthouse. Once the backpack is full, I continue heading towards the village a little warily now that I know there may be others wandering around the forest.

 
Undertake a Journey: action(1)+wits(4) vs. 6,9 = Miss
ASK THE ORACLE: action = Restore (68), Vengeance (42)
Pay the price: 82 (complication)

Is it someone I know? unlikely
ASK THE ORACLE: 77 = Yes
 

Some time later I skirt around some trees and come face to face with a big ugly bastard. He looks a little puzzled for a few seconds and asks:

Is that my backpack?

Oops.