Oreo's Journal - Numenera

All that follows is written in Oreo's own script, in a notebook given to him by the Nano Haro, in a written language that he has created that only he understands. The characters of his words range from simple scratch like marks to animal paw prints, facial expressions, pictograms and other abstract markings. The flow of the writing starts a the top left corner of the page and proceeds left to top in a diagonal fashion. ( '//, )

I thought I was the only animal like me left. My parent, who came before and named me is long gone. They showed me the way of the wild spaces and taught me how to live and grow strong, to jump and climb and swim. They also taught me to make speech sounds, to make myself known and to know them in turn. And, they game me my name sound. They told me my sound was the same as a delicious food from the first world. They taught me what it meant to be pack, that I was them and they were me and when we shared food we stored it in each others bodies, to be used as power to not only get more food, but to be free. To taste the wind and drink the rain and feel the earth. And we were a pack of two and my heart was full. They taught me much and when they lay down in the earth for the final time I thought there was no other like me. I was alone until Ambrose came. 

Ambrose came and he was powerful. He showed me his power and I was amazed. Much meat is stored in his bones so that he is strong. He told me that he killed other animals like him and me that were not pack. He killed them for bad reasons and he wanted to change. Ambrose shows very little kindness to others but he showed a friendship to me. He said he would protect me and so he was the first of my new pack and my heart was full once more. He told me that there we more animals like me and him and that I should see them.

In time I met Ilo and Haro and they too are now pack. Ilo is strange, they are both metal and animal. How is such a thing possible? Ilo is mighty and I think he is good pack. Haro is very clever, they can harm with their mind and use their mind to know things in a moment. Haro says that these things are esoteries. Haro game me this book and my heart is full.

We as pack traveled through the cold white blanket to a place of many animals like us. Haro says they are called people and we are also people but they are their own pack. The noise in here is unsettling. These people sound like many wing analogues squawking all at once. Their faces seem sour and their hearts seem empty. Their den is called a village.

Inside this big room it is very warm and I am amazed at how much food there is in one place. I take some food and eat it and one of the animals foolishly tells me to eat some other piece of food. I ask Ambrose why this stupid animal talks to me in this foolish way. Ambrose explains to me about its habits. The animal twitches idiotically and moves away now. I am learning that these village places are not like the wild spaces. 

One of the animal people is the pack leader. Its name is Bliss and it does much bleating. I understand its word sounds but its meaning is hidden. It seems to me that its word sounds do not match its mind thoughts. I think it cares about its pack though which is something. 

Just as I start to understand a little of its bleat-meanings, three more of these village animals crash into the room. They very stupidly have no furs on. I am amazed at how these people could grow from cubs to full growns without being eaten by something or simply dying of stupidity. These three are not true animals somehow, they are off sync in some way and I am cautious. Still I try to help one of them but putting a fur on them. 

Bliss has more bleatings about the newcomers. It says that the young one is called Pescar the mighty. It says that this one once saved many of the village from a beast that squeezed people with an iron fist. It said that this happened two hundred season cycles ago. I cant believe such a thing could be true. To this Pescar spoke and said it was not. 

One of the others is thin and older and was a user of plants and was missing from the pack village a cycle ago. The other looks like Bliss and I know they are pack somehow. I find it incredible that by some fantastic means they have their pack members returned to them yet they somehow cant accept it. Such a thing is unnatural and I am becoming upset. Haro comes to me and is kind and I think I have made some mistake with my speech sounds. 

I am thinking about this when Villia, one of the fur-less ones, attacks Haro with its head. It then runs off though the door again. My confusion turns to surprise and anger as this happens. Ilo is quick to respond and slashes at it legs. Ambrose is also in pursuit. I help Haro up and we follow. I notice that its blood does not look right and I stop to examine it. It burns and smokes the snow and I do not touch it. The unnatural people thing is still running and yapping about its daughter and it runs into another room. Later Haro tells me that this thing is not animal at all but a Flesh Ghost. A crafted animal thing made to look and sound like one that has passed into the ground. 

We follow Villia into the new room. It is a vile and unnatural mess. Metal tools and weapons that were once sound have been left here to rot away to no use. This place is wrong and also fascinating. Ambrose once told me that the world is full of such disused places and I have a strong desire to see and understand them. The Villia thing is wailing now about its daughter and how this place is not how it was before. We see that it has not attacked again and we hold back our spears and claws. It seems a thing to be pitied now more that harmed. 

As we are looking around this new place I find a substance all around that is not right. I am just thinking that this is a dangerous room when Ilo is attacked by what seems to be a bear analogue. This thing leaps onto him and and rips some of his metal flesh away. I am angry and worried and I pull Ambrose from under this thing and prop him upright. Only for it to topple him over again. Ambrose deals it heavy blows with his mace and Haro is blasting it with her mind! Haro tells me later that she delved into its brain while in battle and discovered its nature! She says it is an Esculant. Haro is truly great pack! Meanwhile I step back and shoot towards it with my bow but cunningly miss the beast and  create great stupidity for its small mind. I tell Ambrose of my prowess and his words are kind and my heart sings! Ilo is underneath the beast and raining blows upon it but still I am concerned for his metal-flesh. It seems to feed on metals and my mind creates an idea. I pull out one of my precious cyphers that my parent game me. I use it to make myself into a metal analogue and amazingly it works. It bounds off Ilo and toward me in confusion. Then as a pack we finish it off. We take the last of its life and it becomes still. 

As this thing lies still and broken we marvel that such a thing can exist! Looking at its innards we see that it has several strange metal things inside. Haro retrieves a thing that she thinks might be useful. I find something inside the beast but I squeeze it the wrong way and I take a snootful of something strange. Suddenly I am in awe of Ambrose and I think he is great pack! I speak to him and his words have much dignity and directness but I know that his mind thoughts towards me are kind and my heart fills up. Ambrose finds a thing that makes him float and I catch his foot and tie a rope to it so that he does not float away. I feel like a cub again! Ilo finds a thing and is very sick. So much to happen in one day-cycle we decide that we must rest and recover ourselves.

My mind is racing with new ideas and my thoughts turn towards wondering what new marvels we might discover.

"Starfall at the dam"

Thorgrum's Gift

"If a warrior vanquishes a tusked beast and the tusk makes a full circle, some magic can become trapped within."

Callista's Chronicles - Pain, Epiphany and Growth

Pain, Epiphany and Growth

Every part of Callista's being was telling her find out more about the force headed to Bugman's, to help all dwarf kind, to save her best friend and his people and in their journey in the here and now, to stop the evil Horde at the bottom of the dam. How can she balance this passion and drive whilst respecting her new companions and friends and their own beliefs and decisions?

Had Callista really managed her power well? Maybe she got to over-confident with the boar. Time to stop second guessing...

"Now only pain ... and darkness. Wow my head hurts. Then the dreams came. My dreams are always so full of colour and give me power back. Master says not too much dreaming at once or you won't come back... maybe a little to get my strength up. Pleasant flashes of my childhood and wonders of the gift of sight and the winds. I see it in every part of nature, in the sun and sea, in the horizon where the sea meets the sky, in the earth where the bright autumn leaves mix with the dirt and death becomes life again.
Fire, water, earth, wind and life itself.

Fire...orange, red, and the bright blue where the heat is at its strongest. Images of a young girl in the great library of Altdorf - blonde hair or red? What was her name? Oh yes! Daidolos. Blonde hair that slowly went orange and then red as her bright wizard powers became stronger. I was so instantly drawn to the teenage figure in a dark corner, leaning back in her chair with her feet slightly rebelliously on the desk piled down with books. Her nose buried in the dusty tome, the first snap of her fingers that brought flame immediately (and carelessly) caught my attention.

I remember thinking...'A bright wizard! She has the sight like me. Oh thank Azyr, someone that might understand me.' Many encounters later, I was always glad I did.

More flashes... all the fun... the study sessions... all the experiments, not always successful, but always fun... singed eyebrows. And oh, those crazy hunts for aged scrolls in dusty caves and strange abandoned houses. The trouble we got into! Would I have made it through the beginning of learning the lore of the heavens without her? Maybe, but I don't want to know. Where is Daidolos now?

Must come back now.... Master says not to dream to long.

Am I waking up now? Oh owwwwww, yes that is real pain."

Immediately comforted by being surrounded by dwarves that she senses as likely company of Eyvind, Callista thanks Azyr that she is being healed by a rune priest. She later takes some broth and meat from the foe that she had a large hand in besting. Thank god Dundas and Ombra tried to take the attention of my foes while we were in battle...

She is thankful for such a meaningful gift that matches not only her childhood sentiment, but also could lend to creating her own enchanted item. She cannot wait to present this to the Supreme Astromancer when it comes time.

Maybe everything will be all right, but she sure does miss Brahlmar. Is he okay?

Some quick bookkeeping.

I have fast tracked the recovery a little of our little band of misfits. I hope this is ok with you guys. I did not want our next session to just be endless sleep and fortitude rolls to recover wounds.

As of now and due to this Dundas has normal wounds of 6 and one critical and Callista has 9 normal wounds and 2 criticals. Ombra is fully healed but wakes up each morning with 2 stress due to his bad dreams. Ooops on rolling that chaos star Dylan!

I have also taken some thought and rewarded you appropriately.

Dundas now has an ivory charm that will add one fortune dice to all haggling attmepts
Callista has an ivory staff handle with runes saying "Dwarf Friend". This in itself carries no bonuses but can be combined with other staff items to perhaps make something rather fine in the future.
Ombra has picked up some healing salve that has six charges. It is specially designed to assist the healing of critical wounds.

you also have acquired 90 silver from the greenskins which you can divide equally or  as you wish.

Feel free to add anything or ask questions

The Aftermath of Boulder Dam

Ombra, Callista and Dundas, accompanied by the young dwarf ranger Eyvind withdraw from their bloody skirmish at Boulder Dam.

Bruised and battered they stagger doggedly on to a camp several miles away, carrying the unconscious Callista.

As they roll exhausted into their blankets, Eyvind says to Dundas "Dont worry about a thing, I saw everything and help is on its way." Nursing his broken nose Dundas rests his back against a tree. As Ombra collapses into a restless sleep he sees other shadowy dwarf figures moving stealthily on the edge of the campsite.

Ombra wakes early the next morning. His head is pounding and he feels like he has not slept. Yet he no longer feels demoralized, instead he feels a strange inspiration. With sudden purpose, he sets about doing his best to care for his injured comrades

A company of a dozen or so dwarfs are in camp. Most are sleeping still but four are on watch. Ombra notes that they are armed with crossbow and axe for the most part.

He looks at the unconscious Callista and smiles ruefully at the memory of the young mage calling forth shooting stars and magic darts to crash down on their enemies. She is in a serious state, the wound she received from the charging orc has resulted in a very serious head wound. With a determined air Ombra sets about changing her bandages.

Dundas is woken by Ombra an hour or so later and together they set about doing what they can for Dundas' injuries. By the time the sun has been up for an hour the camp is astir with dwarf activity. One dwarf ranger has taken charge of the large boar and is baking large chunks of it underground in a makeshift smokeless camp oven. Another older dwarf with white whiskers and gnarled fingers by the name of Thorgrm has cut away the boar tusks and spends the majority of the day whittling them with a carving knife.

By mid morning our party see some familiar faces. Dusty and travel worn that party of dwarf silver miners enter camp. Dundas can tell they have marched all night. With typical dwarf stoicism and complete disregard for the cares of the road they confer with Eyvind briefly while taking a meal on their feet. Then, before half an hour passes they are gone again, accompanied by several Dwarf rangers including Eyvind.

Focused on recovery Dundas and Ombra set about the business of healing themselves and Callista. They are joined soon after mid day by a austere looking dwarf dressed in fine purple cloth underneath his travel cloak

He introduces himself as Malric and he says he is a Rune priest. Dedicated to the Dwarf goddess Valaya. He specializes in healing and magical enchantment. He offers his assistance in caring for the injured Callista. Gratefully the adventurers accept.

By evening Callista has recovered consciousness. She is severely concussed and her vision is swimming but she is alive. She is able to take some broth and a little boar meat with the others.

Dwarfs have been coming and going all day. Finally just as the sun is about to set. Eyvind returns with the miners. Dundas notes that a few are missing. He sits with the Grey Wolf companions and tells them of the events of the day.

"Well my friends" he says. "A fine business you have started here." His wrinkled complexion wrinkles even further with amusement. He turns to Dundas. "So now young beardling, when I spied you on the road and when you tried to win me with that ridiculous smile of yours, I admit, I didn't think much of you. Dressed up like a dwarf clan warrior but with your Reiklander ways.... However, that business at the dam... the way you charged in and bowled over that orc! The way the two of you took down that boar!" Eyvind takes a moment to gnaw on the pork bone in his hands as if reaching a deeper appreciation for how it came to be there.

It seems that the dam has been collapsed by the miners and that much of the greenskin horde has been flooded and washed away. On top of this the miners managed to jimmy loose several of the boulders on the cliff and roll them done amidst the greenskins. Much damage and chaos has been caused. Eyvind warns that the threat is still there. The overall result is that of a bee sting, nothing more. Still thanks to our three adventurers and their unlikely dwarf associates, some time has been bought. The old ranger Thorgrm estimates several days or maybe a week before the orc warbosses restore order.

With gruff gestures Thorgrm passes a small item to Callista and to Dundas. To Callista he gifts a finely crafted ivory staff hilt. There is a dwarf rune on it. Thorgrim explains that it means "Dwarf-Friend" To Dundas he gifts an ivory charm fashioned in the shape of a hand with a coin in it's palm. He claps the younger dwarf on the shoulder and without any further word leaves to his bedroll.

As the old dwarf withdraws, Eyvind glances at the adventurers and says. "In the morning you should head west. The greenskins have been delayed but they will be on the march soon enough. Whatever your business is to the west you should attend to it." His countenance deepens, as if to say he know's full well what our party has in store for them. He then withdraws to his own blankets.

Malric is the last to leave the fire. He talks at some length with Callista about magical matters but can see that she is struggling with her injuries and eventually he too withdraws. Before he does so he points to Ombra and says. "That salve you have, use it tomorrow to help reduce the severity of your companions injuries." He then turns finally to Callista and says. "Take heart young maid, you are a dwarf friend now. But I think you were a true friend of one dwarf before. I know of him. I have seen him in my runecrafting. Danger threatens him, he is mixed up in things beyond his control." He sighs with frustration. "That's all I know"


*  *  *  *  *


OMBRA'S NIGHTMARES

The first night

Ombra walks through a shadowy world of unreality. He sees himself being dragged to safety by the armoured figure of Karl Jacobs at Redbark. He then sees himself stabbing Jacobs in the throat....He sees a beautiful woman, white blond hair blowing, She smiles then she snarls, she says his name.

"I have a gift for you Ombra. I can set aside your doubts....Before he can think things through Ombra nods in acceptance."

Ombra's spend's the next day in a surreal state... In terms of game mechanics he has acquired the 'inspired' condition, the opposite of his previous 'demoralised' conditon. The demoralised condition is not gone but it has no affect while Ombra is inspired.

The Inspired condition grants a fortune dice to every test Ombra makes. Along with this Ombra wakes with two (2) stress each morning due to his nightmares and restless sleep.

The second night

Ombra walks through the same shadowy world. Except this time there is no Jacobs. Instead Callista and Dundas are with him.

"She" is there again. "Well now Ombra, how do you like my gift?"

Ombra hesitates and turns to his companions.

What advice do shadowy dream Callista and Dundas have to give?

The Best of Friends

The Best of Friends
Callista L'Arcenciel grew up in the wealthy trading hub of Marienburg. As the daughter of a well-established merchant (Balthasar) in a fourishing sea port, she spent much time amusing herself as a child and exploring every corner of the thriving city. Constantly testing her boundaries, she would often find herself in mischief one way or another. It was in one of the worst of these mishaps that she made a friend for life, Brahlmar.

Callista loved the ships and the sea the most. She loved the way the water met the sky on the horizon. She loved the stories that the travelers would tell about their experiences in far away places. One warm summer evening while star-gazing, she fell in the company of a band of traders who lured her on their ship with the intent of kidnap. Brahlmar was on the docks in search of a good price for a barrel of mead for an upcoming celebration when he saw them taking her aboard.Thinking quickly and moving unseen, he created a diversion by igniting a barrel of gunpowder on the landing. Callista had just enough time to get away, but Brahlmar was not so lucky.

Brought up on charges by the Seaman's guild and being held at the watch post, Brahlmar's future was uncertain. Drawing on all her courage, she confessed the events of the entire evening to her father. Whilst reluctant to interfere in the law for the likes of a dwarf stranger, he could not ignore the fact that this man had saved his daughter's life. Luckily, by telling the truth and swearing on his respectable name, the authorities believed the story and agreed to release Brahlmar if the damages were paid. Callista spent quite some time earning the money to pay her father back for the troubles her mischief had caused.

From then on, Brahlmar and Callista's paths continued to cross. The saw each other many times in the city, day to day. Callista in her explorations of nature, sky and light and Brahlmar on his business with his various business contracts and merriment. From the beginning, he knew she was different and she knew he was a warrior. Brahlmar would bring maps and trinkets to Callista along with tales of grand battles and great battle wizards of old. She gained great respect for his people and he peaked her interest in the sight.