Cut me loose

[Deleted]

Ikram - Chardda - Oned

Maosim was a mute. His heritage was Half-Drokagr, and I could never hope to learn of his past, or those things he had seen what he could not teach. Maosim taught those things what could be taught with hands alone. I had always been an absolute hideous student. At fourteen, I had shown no signs of improvement. At fourteen, either between Maosim or my father's thoughts it was determined that I ought learn to hunt.

I certainly did not know the first thing about hunting.

My cousin, Chardda was along, and Oned his elder brother. Oned was a worthy scholar and fine huntsman six years older than I. For his part, he was there to keep Chardda and I safe. For Maosim's part, he was there for me. Chardda was simply one of those ones who would never be satisfied being uninvolved in the smallest matters.

Oned and Chardda were lucky youths, when compared to me. Their figures were lean, and tall where I was stocky and fat, as my father frequently reminded my mentor and I. Oned always kept a quiet disposition, while Chardda was loud and energetic. The younger sibling did not have the patience to be entertained by, or focus, on one thing at a time. They were cousins on my father's side, to my uncle Ian.

We set out at the bleakest hours of the morning, when the sky was still very much an inky black shadow of a promised dawn to come. Our quarry was to be found in the wild country near the estate. There were a great many hills and cliffs, with dense trees and wild beasts. Even with the four of us, I was not confident. To compound the difficulty of matters, Chardda was not following the example set by Maosim.

"Where are we gonna go? Are we gonna look for wolves? What about wildcats? Can I make a necklace outta teeth?" his questions bordered on insanity, and worse they would surely ruin any sport we may find. I didn't exactly mind if he scared the animals away, but his brother had other plans.

"Be quiet, Chardda, while we're out here. You'll scare away anything worth hunting." Oned said.

Maosim smiled in his private way as Chardda immediately disregarded his brother's suggestion, "But what if I have to stop, or what if I fall in a hole, or what if Ikram gets killed by a demon, and none of you hear it and the only thing I can do is—"

Oned stops to turn on his brother and holds up a hand. His brows raise and he smiles falsely: "If any of those things happen, you can speak of it. Otherwise, please be quiet until after we've found something worth bringing home."

Maosim covers his mouth. It's his way of laughing.

"This is stupid." I say, plainly.

Oned shrugs, "I think it's exciting."

"How come you two can talk?" Chardda asks.

"Because we know how to stop talking." I answer.

"Hey!" Chardda shrieks.

"Please stop talking, both of you." Oned groans.

Maosim holds up a finger to his mouth. One did not disregard Maosim's seldom requests. We kept our peace.

When Maosim stopped us, he brought me near and pointed to the ground. I knew this meant he wanted me to look, to tell him what I thought. I hadn't thought anything in particular, but I look at the spot.

---

Identifying Tracks
Knowledge 10, unaided [Train: Hunting] | Failure

SPOILER: Click to show

UGqUomZt

I shrugged my shoulders to Maosim. "I don't know." I said, giving after not recognizing what it was I was supposed to be looking at. Maosim shook his head, and pointed again, stooping down.

---

Identifying Tracks
Knowledge 10, unaided [Train: Hunting] | Failure

SPOILER: Click to show

"Oh." I said as I realized I was looking at some kind of animal tracks. Though what, or in which direction they were heading, I had no means of telling. "They're tracks, right?" Maosim nodded. He looked back, continuing to point—meaning I hadn't gotten what he wanted me to get.

I groaned in dismay

---

Identifying Tracks
Knowledge 10, unaided [Train: Hunting] | Failure

SPOILER: Click to show

"I really don't know, and I don't care." I insisted. Maosim shook his head. I knew that we wouldn't move from this spot until I'd learned something about animal tracks via the most difficult way possible. By figuring it out on my own.

---

Actions:
Identifying Tracks | -5 SM
Identifying Tracks | -5 SM
Identifying Tracks | -5 SM
Passive: Abrasive Personality | -5 MP

36/51 SM - 105/110 MP ··

[Deleted]

Maosim wouldn't relent until satisfied. I considered standing with my arms crossed, doing nothing for a time. It would be a futile effort, as I had learned long ago, and would only serve to distract Charda and Oned. Besides, what difficulty would this task have? Maosim often couched simple concepts in situations which obscured the easiest resolution. That could have, however, been a symptom caused by his muteness. I looked down at the particular plod in the dirt. It didn't seem unusual. There were leaves covering, and a depression. A depression?

"What are we doooing~?" Charda whined.

"We're waiting. Practice some patience." Oned chided.

"I need to piss!" Charda complained.

"Do it over there." Oned pointed to a bush.

Maosim walked over and tugged on Charda's shoulder, shaking his head.

"What is it?" Oned asks. Maosim shook his head in an emphatic warning. "Is there something dangerous?" Oned asks, drawing his blade. Maosim stared at the young man in confusion.

As my companions were distracted with the poison ivy, I knelt down and brushed the leaves away from the dirt, observing it closer.

---

Identifying Tracks
Knowledge 10, unaided [Trains: Hunting]
332r4lMV

"What is there?" Oned asked, advancing on the danger with his sword drawn. Maosim just shook his head.

"Some kind of dog or something?!" Charda openly fretted. Maosim rolled his eyes.

Oned crept up and observed the bush closer. He then looked back to the other two. "There's nothing there... just... poison ivy?" he asks. Maosim slapped his forehead.

I considered the impression for a long time. It was clearly made by an animal of some kind, but the direction eluded me.

---

Identifying Tracks
Knowledge 10, unaided [Trains: Hunting]

---

Identifying Tracks
Knowledge 10, unaided [Trains: Hunting]

---

Actions:
Identifying Tracks | -5 SM
Identifying Tracks | -5 SM
Identifying Tracks | -5 SM

Passive: Abrasive Personality | -5 MP

20/51 SM - 100/110 MP ···

[Deleted]

I couldn't find that which Maosim had tasked me to. I stand, my frustration rising while my companions went on about the local flora.

"Why did you make it seem like there was something there?" Oned asks, sheathing his blade still curious.

"He was pointing out the ivy." I say. To me, it was obvious. I look at Chardda, "Go find someplace to go." I furrow my brow. Why was this a difficult concept for them? Chardda trotted in a safe direction to relieve himself. Maybe it was just Chardda who; as I knew it, rarely left his home that couldn't understand. Or perhaps Oned was expecting too much excitement. I hated to think of what his usual hunting outings must've been like for him to jump at someone merely pointing at a bush.

It could have been something else. Not many others understood Maosim as I did. Maybe they thought him unapproachable, or even dangerous. I knew him to be much like anyone else, save a heightened sense of curiosity and perhaps more endurance than a man ought to have. That, and his unrelenting sense of 'humor' which more often than not put me in danger than it made anyone laugh.

"I can't see it, Maosim. Can we move on?" I ask. The Half-Drokagr man shook his head. It was in disappointment, not disagreement I knew.

Oned shook his head. "I'm sure you're fine." he smiles, and proceeds to the impressions Maosim had pointed out for me. Looking down, he shook his head slightly "Looks like boar. Heading due south-west. It's not the game we're looking for—too dangerous for you and Chardda."

"Oh." I say.

Oned smiles in a sympathetic way. "We'll move on. Relax some, hrm?" he asks.

I nod, and see to doing just that.

---

Actions:
The Storm's Calm | +10 SM, +10 MP

29/51 SM - 110/110 MP

---

We proceed along the rugged terrain, weaving our way through thin trees and brush. Chardda amuses himself by picking out rocks and feigning interest in them. He goes so far as to put one away, saying "That will look nice in my collection." Oned smiles.

I shake my head. "You don't even have a collection, do you?" I accuse of him. The forest floor drops off alongside our route, forming a steep cliff.

Chardda shrugs. "I can start one." I groan in exasperation. Layered rocky shelves line a depression in the land here, just inches away from where we walk. Maosim keeps behind me. One of my steps feels as though it doesn't fully connect to ground, and I briefly lose my balance. Maosim grips my arm as I stand again, and I jerk it out of his grip.

"What are you doing?" I ask. He looks confused, then shakes his head before walking around me. He must've thought I was slipping, I think to myself. It was then, that I heard the sharp crack of stone breaking. Earth tumbled around me, and I began to fall down the ledge of a cliff.

I screamed in that moment.

---

[Deleted]

The tumble was long, and painfully such. I was not quite conscious the entire time. I recall flipping and doing so multiple times. I hit the ground—hard, and felt a sharp pain in my chest before an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. Falling seemed like such hard work. Getting up seemed more difficult. My pain, radiating from both head and ribs and limbs seemed to blur, and the sun seemed to sink below the horizon as all things became black.

* * *

I woke, unsure of how long I'd been down. I found myself surrounded in wet, moldy and rotten vegetable grime. A small trickle of water came from someplace. It seemed to be sliding down the side of the rock face—much like I had done previously. When I looked up the trunks of the trees and through the canopies, I saw that the sky was a blazing red hue. My spear, I found nearby. Reaching for it; infact breathing too hard, set off a striking pain through my chest.

I sat, scowling at nothing. This pain would prove to be a distraction I did not need. I felt at my ribs, and found one that seemed to bend too easily. The pain was immense upon just brushing my chest and the flesh all around was hideously swollen and bruised. My scowl deepened.

"Broken..." I whispered to myself. Turning around, I faced that which I hadn't wanted to see. The cliff-face. It was immense and insurmountable, surely. I growled in a rumbling way in my throat. I could taste blood from my gums.

I used my spear for support and got to my feet. I bent my head then and closed my eyes, working to find my center.

---

Action:
Storm's Calm | +10 SM, +10 M

38/51 SM - 110/110 MP

---

I peered about, and took in what I could. Where the land was less moist moss, lichen, and even some hardy grasses grew. More moss trailed up along the base of the trunks. This place seemed deep, as there was a pervading darkness about the trees before me. I groaned, in exasperation... and then pain. This would not be pleasant.

[Deleted]

My bag had been tossed free of me, and crashed open against the foot of a nearby tree. I collected it, and took a blanket from my bedding. This I used to try to haphazardly bind my chest with. If I could hardly breath, I certainly wouldn't be making it out of this forest anytime soon. If ever.

---

Attempting to Bind Ribs
Unaided Knowledge 10 [Trains: First-Aid]
geNXmU12

---

Attempting to Bind Ribs
Unaided Knowledge 10 [Trains: First-Aid]

---

Attempting to Bind Ribs
Unaided Knowledge 10 [Trains: First-Aid]

---

Action:
Bind Ribs | -5 SM
Bind Ribs | -5 SM
Bind Ribs | -5 SM
Passive: Abrasive Personality | -5 MP

22/51 SM - 105/110 MP··

[Deleted]

I grunted in exasperation. This was getting me no-where fast. The blanket was wet from laying on the ground. This caused it to cling to itself in uncomfortable ways, and my clothing was also disturbing my attempts. It pinched in odd places. I unwrapped the thing, frustrated. I needed to keep trying, at the very least, and so I did.

I took off my jerkin and my shirt and tore apart the blanket with my spear, making it more adequately sized for a binding.

---

Attempting to Bind Ribs
Unaided Knowledge 10 [Trains: First-Aid]
E44NlJJV

The blanket dropped and coiled around my feet. I howled in frustration; bending to pick it up sent sharp tendrils of pain through my entire abdomen.

---

Attempting to Bind Ribs
Unaided Knowledge 10 [Trains: First-Aid]


I couldn't tie it off properly this try, so I tried to lean over and fetch my jerkin in order to use that to close the binding. Doing this allowed the binds to unravel. Tears began to brim my eyes. I hung the jerkin near by.

---

Attempting to Bind Ribs
Unaided Knowledge 10 [Trains: First-Aid]


This time, everything seemed to work fine. The binding stayed, and the jerkin fit over nicely. As I took two steps, however, the binds unravelled underneath my clothes. I spat, and swore to the silent forest and whomever wasn't listening.

---

Action:
Bind Ribs | -5 SM
Bind Ribs | -5 SM
Bind Ribs | -5 SM
Passive: Abrasive Personality | -5 MP

6/51 SM - 100/110 MP··

[Deleted]

At this point, I was ready to give up and try to climb the cliff-face with untended ribs. The frustration made me near cry, tears welling up unbidden. I was reminded of the extended string of failures which was my life and my depression deepened. It was during this spiral that I took pause.

I carefully kneeled, and sat against the tree. If I'm going to leave here, I need to keep calm. My anger would be fatal here, if I let it get to me.

I worked to calm myself. Once again, I sought center. Balance. A return to what should have been.

I heard a rustling breeze play through the treetops above. I listened to the sounds of the forest. The chirruping bird calls, the cackling insects and the gentle sounds of distant water. They were a smaller expression of a larger creature that was this land. I did not mean this in a spiritual sense, but a more direct meaning came to mind. The forest was just one creature to overcome. Falling from this cliff was like being thrown from a horse. Nothing more. No worse failure than being thrown.

One only had to climb back on.

---

Turn 1:
Actions:
Storm's Calm | +10 SM, +10 MP

15/51 SM - 110/110 MP

---

Turn 2:
Actions:
Storm's Calm | +10 SM, +10 MP

24/51 SM - 110/110 MP

---

Turn 3:
Actions:
Storm's Calm | +10 SM, +10 MP

33/51 SM - 110/110 MP

---

Turn 4:
Actions:
Storm's Calm | +10 SM, +10 MP

42/51 SM - 110/110 MP

---

Turn 5:
Actions:
Storm's Calm | +10 SM, +10 MP

51/51 SM - 110/110 MP

[Deleted]

I stood once again, bare-chested and sore all over. I began trying to bind one more my chest using the blanket. This time, I would tuck the edge in and cinch it with my belt. It would not stay long, but perhaps long enough to get me to where I needed to be. I tucked one end of it underneath my armpit, and began folding it across my chest, then around my back—holding the thing in place with my free hand.

---

Bind Ribs
Unaided Knowledge 10 [Trains: First-Aid]
iXlra8bc
I found as much luck as I had expected, as the blanket simply came loose. I began considering just using my belt and being done with it—however I just tried again.

---

Bind Ribs
Unaided Knowledge 10 [Trains: First-Aid]

My hands slipped this time, but I could admit that it was no fault of my own. I took up the blanket again and tried to pin it between my back and the tree as I worked.

---

Bind Ribs
Unaided Knowledge 10 [Trains: First-Aid]

I came away from the tree, and found myself sticking. Yack! Some goo had clung to my back. My concentration was broken, and the binding began to fall away. With a sigh, I cleaned the 'bandage' as best as could be hoped for and prepared to start again.

---

Actions:
Bind Ribs | -5 SM
Bind Ribs | -5 SM
Bind Ribs | -5 SM
Passive: Abrasive Personality | -5 MP

35/51 SM - 105/110 MP··

[Deleted]

This is getting me nowhere. I thought. I rolled my eyes at my own melodramaticism—that's what father always called it. I was being melodramatic. I needed to be free of such thoughts, and so I tried to shake it from my head. a small totem idea that would, perhaps, make me stop thinking about the penalties of failure. My stomach began to growl with hunger. I did not enjoy the idea of spending a night beneath these trees.

I set to binding myself once more.

---

Bind Ribs
Unaided Knowledge 10 [Trains: First-Aid]
MpZBh24C
This was a sloppy attempt, and I knew it. I should have known better, as well. I just unfurled the blanket-bandage part way through and flicked it out.

---

Bind Ribs
Unaided Knowledge 10 [Trains: First-Aid]

This was a better attempt. I had nearly gotten it when a fray in the blanket distracted me. I would need to re-wrap it if it were to stay while I attempted to climb.

---

Bind Ribs
Unaided Knowledge 10 [Trains: First-Aid]

I had nearly managed, until a fold in the bandage pinched my ribs so hard that all of the breath was forced from my lungs. I gasped and loosed the bandage. The pain had taken me by surprise, although I did not know why. It would not do so a second time.

---

Actions:
Bind Ribs | -5 SM
Bind Ribs | -5 SM
Bind Ribs | -5 SM
Passive: Abrasive Personality | -5 MP

19/51 SM - 100/110 MP··

[Deleted]

The sun climbed lower in the sky. I could tell by the darkening about the trees. I looked up at the cliff. It was tall, and it would be difficult to climb in the dark unless I had a path I knew by heart. I took in its contours and its features, finding a chimney that didn't look too imposing rather quickly. I kept an eye on that, imagining myself crawling up it while I tried to bind my ribs once more.

---

Bind Ribs
Unaided Knowledge 10 [Trains: First-Aid]
Iv8QUEai

It was now (finally!) that I realized I still had a cloak pin in my things. I took it up and found that fastening the wrap was simple. I would take it. I began clothing myself, and gathered my bag. It was rather split open. I tied two straps together, and hoped that would hold. It would have to.

I made my way up to the rock face. I doubted I could climb it all at once. Observing along the chimney, there seemed a place with a decent curve. I may be able to seat myself there, and rest when the time came. For now, I would need to gather my strength. My breath had been dragging for the last minutes. The pain in my chest was a perpetual burn—I pushed that aside.
I took a seat at the foot of the cliff.

---

Turn 1
Actions:
Bind Ribs | -5 SM
Passive: Abrasive Personality | -5 MP

13/51 SM - 90/110 MP

---

Turn 2
Actions:
Storm's Calm | +10 SM, +10 MP

22/51 SM - 100/110 MP

---

Turn 3
Actions:
Storm's Calm | +10 SM, +10 MP

31/51 SM - 110/110 MP

---

Turn 4
Actions:
Storm's Calm | +10 SM, +10 MP

40/51 SM - 110/110 MP

---

Turn 5
Actions:
Storm's Calm | +10 SM, +10 MP

50/51 SM - 110/110 MP··

[Deleted]

The Climb

I made one final check to ensure that my pack was secure, my bindings were tight and good, and that the chimney was dry enough for me to find purchase with my hands. Blessedly, it was. I found a foothold with my right leg, and pushed myself up.

---

Climbing
Unaided Strength 17 [Trains: Climbing] [Difficulty: +15 (Chimney in Cliff)] [Threshold: 32]
SIdZF0bP
I began the climb, expecting some difficulty from my wounds. I was not made to wait long as the hurt in my ribs flared I came back down from the holds and stood, breathing for a time. I glared back up at my obstacle while it was still visible in the dying light.

---

Climbing
Unaided Strength 17 [Trains: Climbing] [Difficulty: +15] [Threshold: 32]

The pain made for a difficult start to the climb, and to compound matters my foot slipped, and broke the foothold I had had. I would need to find another. I lift my leg higher to a new foothold.

---

Climbing
Unaided Strength 17 [Trains: Climbing] [Difficulty: +15] [Threshold: 32]

I had nearly managed. Nearly. I tried to use the strength of my legs and momentum to use my arms to swing up to the higher positions. This did not go as I had planned. I nearly fell on my back, before slipping down and landing on my feet. The shocks climbed up my legs painfully and reverberated in my chest. I wanted to hit something.

---

Actions:
Climbing | -5 SM
Climbing | -5 SM
Climbing | -5 SM
Passive: Abrasive Personality | -5 MP

34/51 SM - 105/110 MP
··

[Deleted]

I stared up at the imposing cliff. I had no idea if I would be able to manage this. My confidence was shaken, and my stomach panged at me for my attention. I grit my teeth and wanted to howl.

---

Climbing
Unaided Strength 17 [Trains: Climbing] [Difficulty: +15] [Threshold: 32]
E0Nk1F47
As I reached the middle of the first shaft of the chimney, I lost my grip on my leg. I pushed hard against my arm, and that set off the pain in my ribs. I swore, loudly, and dropped on my back, winded. Maybe, if I couldn't manage to climb up, my party would hear me swearing to death and use the echoes to locate my stupid corpse!

---

Climbing
Unaided Strength 17 [Trains: Climbing] [Difficulty: +15] [Threshold: 32]

I breathed deeply in a vain effort to relieve my frustration. I set my nose to it and gripped hard on my hand holds. I dug deep, trying to use everything I could to get through the initial shaft. I would just clear through it as quickly as possible—or so I was determined. It was this impatience that broke the integrity of one of my footholds. I lost my place, and nearly dropped.

---

Climbing
Unaided Strength 17 [Trains: Climbing] [Difficulty: +15] [Threshold: 32]

Gritting my teeth, I set to it once more. As I climbed half-way up the first shaft I rested briefly. There's no way. I thought. I saw Maosim shaking his head at me in my mind's eye. I needed to press on.

---

Actions:
Climbing | -5 SM
Climbing | -5 SM
Climbing | -5 SM
Passive: Abrasive Personality | -5 MP

18/51 SM - 100/110 MP··

[Deleted]

This was a struggle. It was nothing short of a fistfight. More accurately, perhaps, it was a struggle against a wild dog full of energy and damnable persistence. Given time; against someone who had never fended off a dog intent on making a kill, the dog would sink its teeth into the soft and vital flesh of its prey.

As I set to climbing once more, I had hoped that in the struggle with this damned cliff face that I was the dog.

---

Climbing - Failure
Unaided Strength 17 [Trains: Climbing] [Difficulty: +15] [Threshold: 32]
dczhVr32

---

The stones dug hard into my fingers. There was dirt caulked in my nails and a pain that wouldn't quit. The stones were becoming slippery from blood as I tried angrily and desperately for a hand-hold that would bring me up. My chest was a furnace with a roaring fire of pain glowing in it. I worked to pull my chest up, to reach a new height perhaps. Anything to give way to progress.

Climbing - Failure
Unaided Strength 17 [Trains: Climbing] [Difficulty: +15] [Threshold: 32]


It was denied to me.

---

I paused to breathe. The pain and the cliff wanted me to quit. By this point, I'm sure that I wasn't thinking clearly I had been ready to blame my father of all things for this turn of events. I was practically frothing, and certain that if I weren't able to climb just that much higher that my fate would be sealed.

Climbing - Failure
Climbing I + Strength 17 [Difficulty: +15] [Threshold: 37]

---

Seeing the hopelessness of all things before me, I slumped down and stared at the stone. It was futile, ultimately. In my mind, there was naught I could do but wait for pain and the chill to take me.

I was somewhat of a melodramatic child, you understand.

Then I heard the growling...

---

(Introducing a new NPC briefly, this is not a wild animal or some such)

Actions:
Climbing | -5 SM
Climbing | -5 SM
Climbing | -5 SM
Passive: Abrasive Personality | -5 MP

3/51 SM - 95/110 MP··