[ArM: BtB] IC: In Which We Begin

momothefiddler · Post by **momothefiddler** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 3:50 am

25 March 1220. New Years Day. Winter. Seventeen days east of Kiev

"I don't doubt it would be possible to use Ignem. I certainly couldn't, but if you can, all the better! And keeping vermin away would definitely be appreciated."

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 3:57 am

25 March 1220. New Years Day. Winter. Seventeen days east of Kiev
"I'm not particularly trained with Ignem, but I might be able to work a low level effect. On the vermin, I am registering it as my opinion that if we are preventing them from eating our food, we should make some form of... offer, a share, it can be small, that they are allowed to eat."

momothefiddler · Post by **momothefiddler** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 4:01 am

25 March 1220. New Years Day. Winter. Seventeen days east of Kiev

Camille looks a bit puzzled.

"I, ah... well I certainly desire to take your opinion into account. Uh, but doesn't preventing them from eating our food leave them in the same position they were in when we weren't here at all? We're not doing them any harm, are we?"

Korgan0 · Post by **Korgan0** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 4:24 am

25 March 1220. New Years Day. Winter. Seventeen days east of Kiev

"I'm guessing any kind of long-term Ignem spell would consume vis, and that's a substance we have in precious short supply. As for offering some of our food to vermin, I would suggest that we have precious little as it is, and until we secure a source of provisions we should neglect our small, furry friends. Other than yourself, Nidratr.

If we go to offer our craft-grogs' services to the nearby village, I think we should give some thought to who we send. I would suggest Ariel and Giovanni as the craftspeople, our steward as someone who speaks the language, and perhaps two bodyguards. Sending any overtly gifted mage seems unwise, to say the least, and Percival's talents, I would hazard, lie outside of bargaining for sheep. I would also like to go along, and scout the village, surrounding areas, and the rest of the landscape we cross for vis sources and magical auras. I would bring Nicolo and Francesco with me for protection, and stay well away from the village, so as to not... alienate them."

Leetkeis · Post by **Leetkeis** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 10:09 pm

14 February 1219. Winter. Orsha Portage.

Starting the transformation process, Orsen speaks to the pack, not knowing on whom to focus, hoping for the best. "Truce. Be calm. We have meat, shelter, warmth, and safety. If this attack was territorial, we promise to leave without causing any more harm. If your aggression comes from hunger, let us help you. Come with us and we will provide for you."

Laertes · Post by **Laertes** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 10:21 pm

14 February 1219. Winter. Orsha Portage.

Leetkeis wrote:Starting the transformation process, Orsen speaks to the pack, not knowing on whom to focus, hoping for the best. "Truce. Be calm. We have meat, shelter, warmth, and safety. If this attack was territorial, we promise to leave without causing any more harm. If your aggression comes from hunger, let us help you. Come with us and we will provide for you."

The wolf grows but replies in thickly-accented Russian. "We wish to devour your animals. We try scare you off. Why you not flee? Winter is harsh. Not all of our pack can survive. Not all of your pack can survive. Why you not give us your animals and weak so we may eat?"

Leetkeis · Post by **Leetkeis** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 10:42 pm

14 February 1219. Winter. Orsha Portage.

"Our pack wishes to help the weak rather than let the strong consume. We wish to help your pack in this situation. It is of my utmost concern that this situation be settled peacefully, but are also willing to fight if need be."

Laertes · Post by **Laertes** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 11:04 pm

14 February 1219. Winter. Orsha Portage.

Leetkeis wrote:"Our pack wishes to help the weak rather than let the strong consume. We wish to help your pack in this situation. It is of my utmost concern that this situation be settled peacefully, but are also willing to fight if need be."

The Wolf looks puzzled, tilting all four of its heads. "Help the weak? But it's winter. Not all survive the winter. We must find enough food for the strong so that they survive. We are willing to sacrifice the lives of those who would not survive the winter anyway. Are you thick or something that you don't understand this?"

Leetkeis · Post by **Leetkeis** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 11:17 pm

14 February 1219. Winter. Orsha Portage.

"I'm giving you the choice of survival for your whole pack. Please excuse my friends for the damage already caused. The long winters will be less of a burden from this point on. We also have problems of our own, but we can share, and all will benefit."

Laertes · Post by **Laertes** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 11:28 pm

14 February 1219. Winter. Orsha Portage.

Leetkeis wrote: "I'm giving you the choice of survival for your whole pack. Please excuse my friends for the damage already caused. The long winters will be less of a burden from this point on. We also have problems of our own, but we can share, and all will benefit."

The Wolf of Virtue looks very suspicious. "How you do this? Humans do not always speak the truth. I have never heard of bear speaking lies but you are clearly both human and bear. Perhaps you lie with human mouth. What food do you have that you can give?"

Leetkeis · Post by **Leetkeis** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 11:44 pm

14 February 1219. Winter. Orsha Portage.

"Though I confess we are low on food at the moment, we can buy more at the next town. We were given a healthy sum of coin for our venture. We may even be able to use our abilities to pull game from this barren forest. Our pack is tired, and it would be quite helpful if you were willing to help carry the supplies."

Laertes · Post by **Laertes** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 11:51 pm

14 February 1219. Winter. Orsha Portage.

Leetkeis wrote:"Though I confess we are low on food at the moment, we can buy more at the next town. We were given a healthy sum of coin for our venture. We may even be able to use our abilities to pull game from this barren forest. Our pack is tired, and it would be quite helpful if you were willing to help carry the supplies."

"You... want us... to carry your supplies?" The Wolf looks at you, deeply puzzled now. This has gone beyond strange and well into the realms of the bizarre. It stops and thinks for a moment, discarding the notion of wolves becoming pack mules so it can concentrate on what it considers important. "Next village has many cattle. People do not like us there. Have built high fence to stop us taking cattle. You can use small-shiny-metal-objects to trick them into giving cattle?"

Leetkeis · Post by **Leetkeis** » Sat Jul 12, 2014 12:04 am

14 February 1219. Winter. Orsha Portage.

Orsen perks up as the conversation turns his way "An excellent plan. We'll go to the next village and trick them into giving us cattle. Maybe they'll have some pack mules over there as well."

momothefiddler · Post by **momothefiddler** » Sat Jul 12, 2014 12:09 am

14 February 1219. Winter. Orsha Portage.

Camille grabs a cloak or something and drapes it over Orsen's shoulders. "For goodness' sake, it's cold!"

Laertes · Post by **Laertes** » Sat Jul 12, 2014 12:25 am

14 February 1219. Winter. The next village along the Orsha Portage.

Your Bulgar steward haggles the Russian villagers out of a few of their cattle. It's late winter and animal feed is running out, so there's always a few beasts which were going to get slaughtered. Pack mules are a thornier issue, however. They're going to be expensive. Do you absolutely need them or can you make do with some other form of animal. Sheep, for example. They've got loads of sheep. We can probably get a really good deal on sheep from these people?

Meanwhile, the Norman soldier savaged by the Wolf of Virtue is bleeding heavily, and looking quite poorly. People are worried about him. They have no way of keeping him warm except for filthy travel-stained blankets, which risk infecting the wound.

Korgan0 · Post by **Korgan0** » Sat Jul 12, 2014 2:00 am

14 February 1219. Winter. The next village along the Orsha Portage.

"I'm afraid I've never heard of pack sheep."

momothefiddler · Post by **momothefiddler** » Sat Jul 12, 2014 2:02 am

14 February 1219. Winter. The next village along the Orsha Portage.

"I can't say I quite get why we need pack animals... Aren't the wagons enough? We can get sheep for the wolves, though."

Korgan0 · Post by **Korgan0** » Sun Jul 13, 2014 5:54 pm

14 February 1219. Winter. The next village along the Orsha Portage.

"Well, I suppose we have several options. The first: we buy these sheep and use them as food once we arrive at the covenant site. The second: we buy the sheep and give them to the wolf, whether to secure its friendship or merely to buy it off. The third: we simply leave."

Leetkeis · Post by **Leetkeis** » Sun Jul 13, 2014 6:11 pm

14 February 1219. Winter. The next village along the Orsha Portage.

"Buy it off? How is that supposed to help anything? I say we buy a herd of sheep, lead them to the covenant, and the wolves can eat on the way. It'll be nice to have a reliable food source, we can get some growth rings going."

Korgan0 · Post by **Korgan0** » Sun Jul 13, 2014 6:33 pm

14 February 1219. Winter. The next village along the Orsha Portage.

"Secure its friendship, then. I approve, regardless"

Laertes · Post by **Laertes** » Sun Jul 13, 2014 6:38 pm

14 February 1219. Winter. The next village along the Orsha Portage.

Two pounds of silver changes hands and forty sheep, emaciated from the winter but coated in thick wool against the northern cold, become possessions of the covenant. There is some bickering over who's going to drive them; nobody really relishes the extra work but having access to the animals makes everybody happier.

The Wolf of Virtue looks at you expectantly. "So now what? You send them into the forest, we hunt them down and eat them as and when we hunger, yes?"

Korgan0 · Post by **Korgan0** » Sun Jul 13, 2014 7:03 pm

14 February 1219. Winter. The next village along the Orsha Portage.

"And what will you do for us in return? We will be hungry in the future as well, you know."

Laertes · Post by **Laertes** » Sun Jul 13, 2014 7:18 pm

14 February 1219. Winter. The next village along the Orsha Portage.

The Wolf hesitates. Among wolves it is a social master, able to intricately dance around and make sure that everybody's happy, but here, amongst humans, it really only has two tools: violence, and the threat of violence. Since neither of them seem to work against you, it's nervous and unsure as to what it has that it can offer you.

"Uh," it begins, "We can not kill you... again? Spare your lives many times?"

Leetkeis · Post by **Leetkeis** » Sun Jul 13, 2014 7:33 pm

14 February 1219. Winter. The next village along the Orsha Portage.

Speaking in Latin, Orsen turns to Petrus, "I don't know what you're trying to get at, but may be best to not get on his bad side for now."

He turns back to the Wolf, "It appears we may have had some miscommunication. We plan to herd these sheep to our settlement, and you'll be well fed on the trek over."

Laertes · Post by **Laertes** » Sun Jul 13, 2014 7:42 pm

14 February 1219. Winter. The next village along the Orsha Portage.

"The trek over to your settle - " the wolf stops, flabbergasted as it realises the suggestion you're making. "Are you... hiring us?"