2013-07-15 : A Doomed Pilgrim (ii)
Okay, big talkers (John Mc, JC, Weeks, Marhault), and all comers, here's your chance. Bring it.
The Sundered Land: a Doomed Pilgrim in the Ruins of the Future
I'm a warrior seeking peace and an end to bloodshed. I'm on pilgrimage across the Sundered Land to the Temple To No Gods in the distant City of Gulls. My pilgrimage has brought me to the stilt towns on the long Black River Delta, inhabited by followers of a grim torturer-devil. My goal is to pass safely through and continue my pilgrimage.
You all, my friends online, play the world. Your goal is to see me to my doom, instead of safely on my way. You're allowed only to directly answer my direct questions, though, so you might not be able to do it.
The Rules
1. Only answer my questions.
2. If you don't already know the answer, make something up.
3. Keep your answers short.
4. If your answer's disruptive, I'm allowed to delete it.
5. Otherwise, I'll use the first answer somebody gives. I'll note it in marginalia.
If you want to signal that you're following this thread, please feel free. Please use the sentence "no gods watch over you" to do so.
Ready? I'll start:
1. On 2013-07-15, Vincent said:
I have very long hair, uncut, unbound, and wealth hidden in my clothing.
I've been walking down the coast for just a couple of days, and here before me are longhouses standing on stilts above the flood-prone river delta. I have no knowledge of the people who live here. My hope is to hire or, failing that, steal a boat, and continue on my way tonight by sea.
I'm approaching the nearest house, picking my way through mud and tall grass, when something alerts me to danger. What is it?
Anyone should answer, but especially John Mc, JC, Weeks, or Marhault.
2. On 2013-07-15, Dave Y said:
No gods watch over you.
3. On 2013-07-15, Darrin Michelson said:
A flock of local sea birds erupts into the air from within the grass some yards ahead of you. They might have been alerted by you, or it could be something else.
This makes...
VB go "Thanks!"
4. On 2013-07-15, benhamill said:
There is a sickly sweet smell in the air, emanating from dark purple flowers that seem to be omnipresent in the village.
5. On 2013-07-15, Vincent said:
I know better than to stand staring at birds.
Just some quick orientation. (a) Am I walking northward up the coast or southward down it? (b) Is the ocean on my left or on my right? (c) Is it morning, noontime, or afternoon?
One-word answers, a b c, all from the same person. Anyone should answer.
6. On 2013-07-15, Keith said:
North, left, morning.
This makes...
VB go "Thanks!"
7. On 2013-07-15, Gordon said:
no gods watch over you
8. On 2013-07-15, Vincent said:
Okay, so I angle to my right, on the landward side, to cut a wide circle around the suspicious stand of grass. The nearest of the stilt houses is maybe 100, 150 yards away.
I feel painfully unarmed, but I've decided to give up killing, so there's nothing for it.
I'm circling around, alert. Do I see any movement?
Anyone should answer!
9. On 2013-07-15, benhamill said:
There are a few people in the village going about the daily tasks of fisherfolk.
This makes...
VB go "Thanks!"
10. On 2013-07-15, Vincent said:
Anything nearby, maybe movement in the grass or something?
11. On 2013-07-15, Dave Y said:
You see one of their war canoes coming in to shore, a dozen paddles swiftly striking water.
This makes...
VB go "Thanks!"
DY go "Dang! too late!"
12. On 2013-07-15, PaulCzege said:
Holy gods! A crepeworm in the grass!
This makes...
VB go "HOLY GODS!"*
PC go "yeah, don't..."*
VB go "THE DELICIOUS DELICIOUS CREPEWORM"*
PC go "you're lucky I didn't..."*
VB go ":D"
*click in for more
13. On 2013-07-15, Vincent said:
Up here near me, or down among the stilt longhouses?
Dave Y should answer.
14. On 2013-07-15, coyotegrey said:
A child, watching with vacant eyes from behind a log.
15. On 2013-07-15, adam mcconnaughey said:
no gods watch over you
16. On 2013-07-15, Vincent said:
You snooze you lose, Dave Y!
There's a war canoe coming in to shore. Is it coming in down here near me, or is it going in among the stilt houses?
Anyone should answer!
This makes...
DY go "Aaagh! phone call! I snoozed and lost!"
17. On 2013-07-15, Marhault said:
They were headed toward the stilt houses, but now they've veered southward to cut off your escape in that direction.
This makes...
VB go "Thanks!"
18. On 2013-07-15, Vincent said:
Well that gives me pause.
I just get a quick gut check. Yo, gut, you've been in war and battle and all kinds of violence. Is there someone out here creeping toward me through the grass?
Anyone should answer!
19. On 2013-07-15, Dave Y said:
Yes, there is!
This makes...
VB go "Thanks!"
20. On 2013-07-15, Keith said:
One of the hunting dogs, old but mean. Growling.
21. On 2013-07-15, Vincent said:
Just peachy.
Like I say, I know nothing of these people.
Are the warriors in the war canoe all men, all women, or a mix?
Can I see the weapons they carry from here?
They don't have, like, bloody trophies hanging all over their canoe or anything, do they?
Anyone should answer!
22. On 2013-07-15, Dave Y said:
You cannot tell if they are all men, but some are men with long, bound hair and body-paint of black and yellow. These are followers of a grim torturer-devil, so of course they have bloody heads hanging off the side, but there are also bound captives in the boat.
This makes...
DY go "meant to add: the paddles are decorated and may also serve as war-clubs"
VB go "Thanks!"
23. On 2013-07-15, Vincent said:
Butts.
Well, this is what I chose, I guess. I walk toward the landing war canoe, raising my hand in greeting.
When I turn my back like this, does the whoever-it-is creeping in the grass rush me, continue to stalk me, or what?
Anyone should answer!
24. On 2013-07-15, Dave Y said:
You hear the growl of their war-hound behind you as it leaps at the back of your thigh. It bites deep into your hamstring.
This makes...
DY go "not sure that last sentence was legal. if not, strike it."
VB go "Thanks!"
VB go "I'll let it stand..."*
*click in for more
25. On 2013-07-15, Gordon said:
Whatever-in-the-grass is there, you know it! But it's just waiting - you can feel its' anticipation.
26. On 2013-07-15, Matt Snyder said:
It's one of them, likely. She's creeping in the grass, an initiate warrior looking for his first tribute kill.
27. On 2013-07-15, Meg said:
No gods watch over you
28. On 2013-07-15, Vincent said:
Warning! Violence to a dog. Turn away now.
I might be able to overpower it.
I'm wounded but not crippled. I break free, I keep my feet, I manage to turn to face it. When it lunges again here's what I do:
I let it bite my left forearm. I really lean into it, get my arm far back up in the joint of its jaw. This sucks. But I lift up with my legs and my arm, get its forefeet off the ground.
I get my right forarm across the top of its spine, just behind its skull. I'm hugging its bottom jaw to my chest, lifting with my legs to hyperextend its neck, with my right arm wedging into the socket at the top of its spine.
I throw myself foreward onto it, putting my whole weight and the full strength of my (yes, injured) legs into my fall, forcing its head terribly up and back.
Do I break its neck?
Anyone should answer! I hope +Sage LaTorra does.
29. On 2013-07-15, adam mcconnaughey said:
yes, but that doesn't seem to slow it down.
This makes...
VB go "Thanks!"
JC go "Hell yeah, Adam!"
30. On 2013-07-15, Vincent said:
WHAT THE BUTT
Did I dislocate its jaw, at least?
Anyone should answer!
31. On 2013-07-15, adam mcconnaughey said:
yes, its lower jaw comes clean off in fact, and writhes around on the ground a bit before flopping its last.
This makes...
VB go "Thanks!"
32. On 2013-07-15, Vincent said:
Well at least it can't bite me again.
It might kill me here.
When I realize that it's still fighting me even though I've broken its neck, I stay on top of it, bearing its head down into the mud. I get my feet under me, then get my heel onto one of its forelegs, so that when I stand up I snap its leg bone.
Then I run. I run like nothing else ever, straight away eastward, away from the ocean. The treeline is distant but I'm shooting for it.
Do I have a chance to get away?
Anyone should answer!
33. On 2013-07-15, Marhault said:
No. The hound was just a distraction, didn't you know? You come to your feet, still holding its leg, and find there are ten or so of the villagers surrounding you.
I think the dog belonged to the one with the bone axe.
This makes...
VB go "Thanks!"
am go "dang"*
VB go "It's pretty interesting, isn't it?"*
JC go "RAAARRR!!"*
*click in for more
34. On 2013-07-15, Vincent said:
Don't tell me what they do to me! I don't want to know.
What do they do with my body when they're done?
Anyone should answer.
35. On 2013-07-15, Ben Lehman said:
Your body is left to rot and scavenge, as your were not deemed strong enough for the ritual cannibalism.
This makes...
BL go "You not your"*
BDH go "Ben Mind Link evidence, this"
VB go "Thanks!"
JC go "+1"*
*click in for more
36. On 2013-07-15, benhamill said:
Leave it where it lies. Dirty outlander.
37. On 2013-07-15, Vincent said:
Thanks, everybody!
Excellently doomed. That was awful.
38. On 2013-07-15, Vincent said:
Over in the parallel G+ thread, Marhault asked why in comment #34 I didn't fight the villagers. The reason is that I'd rolled that my enemies might kill me here. I didn't get away, so that meant they killed me.
39. On 2013-07-15, taser said:
no gods watch over you
40. On 2013-07-16, John Mc said:
Wow, well played all!
No gods watched over you, truly.
This makes...
JC go "They never do..."
RSS feed: new comments to this thread
This thread is closed to new comments.
home: anyway.
newer thread: 2013-07-17 : A fun, sharp conversation
older thread: 2013-07-11 : Apocalypse World on IO9
