Act 2: Season of the Wolf

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Vardaen
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Act 2: Season of the Wolf

Post by Vardaen » Fri Jul 24, 2009 5:06 pm

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Even a lone wolf eventually returns to the pack. This is true for the fabled order of the Witchers. Each spring time the dwindling number of Witchers leave the confines of their broken stronghold of Kaer Morhen, "The Sea Fortress", in the northeast mountains of Temeria. Just like migrating birds however, they return each winter from their Path to gather and to train and share their tales. Every winter there are fewer and fewer Witchers who make the return trip.

This tale is of one such Witcher returning now from a year spent slaying monthers, lifting curses, and wooing women. Fall is nearing its end, the red and golden leaves of autumn have long since fallen to the ground covering the roads and forests in a blanket of amber hues. Harvests have been collected from the farmsteads, and fields lay fallow now awaiting the coming of the winter snows. Simple folk prepair for the cold by canning fruits and vegtables, stockpiling firewood, and making any last minute travels from village to village.

The road for our Witcher from the west has been rutted with mud, but few people linger in these northern regions at this time of the year. Still a few weeks out of Kaer Morhen our Witcher turns north along the road, heading toward the River Gwenllech that will eventually lead home.

The sun shrines brightly, the air cool and crisp as we begin the final tale before the peace of home arrives...

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You are at thte Red Dot, heading north then east to Kaer Morhen, several weeks away.
Welcome arkahm to the second running of The Witcher. This New Member Game is designed to get you playing on the site ASAP and to introduce you to how we play here and hopefully to have some fun! Since you'll notice I left your character's appearance, and other personal stats open, please begin with a nice phyiscal description of your character (based on his char sheet) and we will being the game.

arkahm
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Re: Act 2: Season of the Wolf

Post by arkahm » Thu Aug 06, 2009 5:26 pm

Here goes the first post. Tell me what you think.
It's getting colder, James Hexcatcher thought to himself as he stared to the east. He was going home, back to where he spent most of his years training to be a Witcher. Kaer Morhen was not far now considering all the traveling he had done in the past year. His stomach has started to growl now. He should stop at the next town for a bite to eat.

Without another thought He pulled his cloak up around his shoulders and tilted his tall hat's brim forward over his brow to shield the brisk wind. With his unkempt, long and free blond hair blowing out behind the hat, you could see his steely blue eyes in the shade that his hat and cloak made as he covered his face. He was always concerned about how people would react to the scarring on his face. He had a slight disagreement with a creature that decided it wanted James' eye. Instead it got his sword in its gullet in exchange for a nasty cut across James' eye from right forehead to the right corner of his mouth. He denied his enemy of its prize. The eye still remains but still causes a murmur when he walks into a tavern or inn. Or maybe he is just trying to put the blame on the scar and it is really his own demeanor that causes the tension. Witchers are not always greeted with love and affection unless they have a job to do for someone. His appearance is still quite imposing when he is out of the shadows and in the public's full view. With his strong squared lower jaw and thin face standing 6'1' and 210lbs he does make an impression, especially when the scar is seen. He will react like he does any other time he must interact with the mundane. He will take it as it comes and live one day at a time. With that thought, he continues to trudge east down the road towards home.

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Re: Act 2: Season of the Wolf

Post by Vardaen » Thu Aug 06, 2009 10:46 pm

Jame's travels have taken him down many roads, and this final one, still a well deserved rest may not be as easy as he had hoped. The sun stretches out the Witcher's shadow and as he turns to glance behind him the sun glints off the amulet hung around his neck, the same style of amulet that hangs from the neck of every witcher. The snarling wolf's head is dabbled with crimson from the low hanging sun as the witcher senses something out of place.

Turning back to face down the road James spots not far in the distance the trickling rise of smoke. It is not the thread of grey smoke from a camp fire, but the rising pillar of a thick oily smoke. James has seen this sort of smoke before, on the battlefield and in the cities affected by the plauge that ripped through Termenia in the last decades -- the smoke of a funeral pyre.

Yet here on the open road, there are no villages, or even small farmsteds for atleast a few days travel that should produce such a product.

arkahm
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Re: Act 2: Season of the Wolf

Post by arkahm » Fri Aug 07, 2009 6:26 am

"What the ..?" James thought as he viewed what shouldn't be happening out here in the middle of no-where. Well, home will have to wait for this. James' curiosity has gotten the best of him, and he has always been drawn to the things that should not be.

"Time to go to work" he thought to himself, and heads towards the source of the plume.
As he approaches the source he will approach cautiously. Being wary of any ambushes with his Silvered Longsword at the ready. Also ready to use combat expertise at +/-3 if ambushed.

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Re: Act 2: Season of the Wolf

Post by Vardaen » Fri Aug 07, 2009 8:48 pm

So far so good arkahm, the only thing I would suggest at this point is your word tense. We tend to use Present Tense for all actions, not past tense. Let me give you an example reusing your post.

We would want more something like this:

****
"What the ..?" James thinks as he views what shouldn't be happening out here in the middle of no-where. Well, home will have to wait for this. James' curiosity has gotten the best of him, and he has always been drawn to the things that should not be.

"Time to go to work" he thinks to himself, and heads towards the source of the plume.

***
It shows more intention, not complettion of things.

One other convention we like to use is Italics for internal monologue. So something like this might come up in the future.

James thinks to himself, Man this weather sucks, oh well.

That shows what he's thinking, in the italics.
James views the smoke and begins his approach toward it, the distance isn't that great between him and the oily smoke. Crossing a small stream, into the mud, the Witcher draws his silvered sword just in case trouble is ahead. Moving down the road he pauses, warrily approaching. He notices parked off the side of the road a collection of gypsy caravans.

Up ahead on either side of the road are gypsy wagons. The wagons are covered wooden wagons that are more like moving houses than simple carts. A half dozen of the brightly painted wagons are parked on the side of the road. Some show signs of damage, broken doors, busted wheel, and plenty of debris scattered about out side the doors. Noticeably there are no horses or other draft animals in the area to pull the wagons and in fact there are little signs of life from the gypsy camp.

A dozen yards away is a heap of bodies, a pile of old men and woman, and also young children some hardly old enough to even walk. Kneeling in front of the smoking mass funeral pyre is a young woman, the lone survivor of whatever tragedy befell these traveling people. Her head is sagging to her chest, and she is weeping visibly. There before her on the ground, between her and the fire, is a small bundled object. She does not look up, nor make any signs that he is aware of James' approach.
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Welcome Cattpwumpus to the game as the Gypsy woman kneeling on the ground! Catty you can post your appearance and such. Welcome to the game!
The Witcher
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The Gypsy
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arkahm
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Re: Act 2: Season of the Wolf

Post by arkahm » Sat Aug 08, 2009 2:21 am

"Ahem, Excuse me Ma'am, Do not be alarmed", James says in a calm voice, "My name is James, James Hexcatcher. What has happened here? Who or what would cause such an atrocity as this?" He patiently waits for her reply.

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Re: Act 2: Season of the Wolf

Post by Cattywumpus » Sat Aug 08, 2009 3:20 am

Black hair conceals this young woman's face as she weeps. Her clothing is covered in black smokey stains. At the sound of James' voice she turns glorious jewel like violet eyes set in olive skin upon the witcher. "Tsura" says the girl softly. She appears to be in shock.

"T'were bandits and they were fearsome cruel to us. All my Kin and Kith kilt and they didn't have ta do that." Tsura says with thick sobs choking her words.
Thanks for the welcome! I shall do my best.

arkahm
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Re: Act 2: Season of the Wolf

Post by arkahm » Sat Aug 08, 2009 4:26 am

"Bandits, eh?", This could be taken care of quickly James thinks to himself as he sheaths his sword. "Let me look around a bit and I will be in pursuit. Hopefully they won't be too far ahead. No one deserves this kind of death." James offers her a swig of water from his skin and begins his approach to look around the "funeral pyre".
As he approaches, James gets a closer look at the bundle, inspecting it as he would in any other investigation. He also looks for any information on what way they may have gone and their numbers.
"Did you notice which way they went?"

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Re: Act 2: Season of the Wolf

Post by Cattywumpus » Sat Aug 08, 2009 6:29 pm

Tsura gulps and says, "No Mister James, Sir, I was hidin'. T'is why I am safe."
Do I know what the bundle is?

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Vardaen
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Re: Act 2: Season of the Wolf

Post by Vardaen » Tue Aug 11, 2009 5:09 pm

Yeah, sorry I was going to send you a PM about the bundle, but I started having conection issues Friday then we crashed.
The Witcher eases his way closer to the gypsy woman, the only survivor so it would seem. That is until he draws in closer and inspects the bundle. As if on cue the tiny infant in the swaddling wraps belts out a wailing cry! The small bundle is a baby! Part of its wrappings are bloody, a sure sign that even the infant wasn't immune to the attack on the caravan by the bandits.
I'll do up a search check after a bite of reaction. Catty look for a PM for more info

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