Zion: Light of the New Moon, Ch 1.1. Doen
Zion - Light of the New Moon Chapter 1.1
Doen A First Taste
Doen's most recent Event Arc provided the group an extra Story Seed for Path of the Dawn. All characters also gained +1 willpower.
Having spent the last hours in Doen saying farewell to their loved ones, the laborers, guards, and overseers were ready to start on the road. By my estimation, we made excellent progress and morale was high. Our first day out in the Wild Lands wasn't nearly as bad as some made it sound, but Zeke and Jasper kept encouraging everyone to keep their guard up. As our resident experts of the Wild Lands, they were worth listening to.
Some of the caravan leaders tried to write them off but whenever the option arose I made certain that they were given the respect they were do. Thinking back to the temple's teachings it seemed strange to be putting so much faith in heathens but, then again, if I had paid attention to all of the dogma I would have never put together the caravan. I had made a promised to myself, to my family, and to Doen that I would see the envoy to Zion and discover the reason the last delegates didn't return, and if that meant thinking outside the teachings of the Temple... so be it. A great priest once wrote that failing to think for oneself was one of the greatest sins possible.
It was strange to consider, but I'd spent two days with that same great priest hanging off the grip-bar of a carriage barely twenty feet from me. My older brother told me once that life would give me many strange gems and that learning how to make jewelery out of them is what would finally prove that I was an adult. I had attempted to talk to Brother Bronderson, now calling himself "Lord Rust". He seemed distant... not the great thinker and profound speaker that I had come to expect after reading his work. Did life beyond the temple truly beat men down so greatly... or was the temple itself the cause of his hard fall?
"Priest Zachary! Priest Zachary!" my thoughts ended when I heard my name called. Jasper and Zeke were riding beside my carriage. They rarely bothered to speak up, most often keeping to themselves and calling attention only when there was a problem. Based on the expression Jasper wore, I haf a feeling that was going to be the issue.
"Yes, Mr Jasper?" I asked.
"The head wagon refused to leave the road." the rat noted.
I thought about the comment for a moment, "Um... why would the caravan want to leave the protection of the Doenian Highway?"
"Because..." the Wild Lander's expression went blank with confusion, as if I'd bothered asking him what color the sky was.
"It's dangerous." Zeke spoke up. It was the fist time I'd heard him speak directly to me. I'm not sure what the Fox had endured in the past, but he seemed to avoid all of the clergy like the plague. The fact that he was facing me, and actually speaking to me really drove the point home.
"Alright." I nodded, "Thank you for letting me know. What's our best alternate path?" I asked.
"More north, less West." Jasper answered, "We can head west back to the road after the danger is passed."
"Okay." I confirmed and hit my paw against the top of the carriage, "Driver! Stop the wagon and send a rider up to the front of the line!"
It took almost twenty minutes for the caravan to come to a complete stop, which meant the Wild Lander was fretting the entire time, and the Red Fox with him was obviously agitated. Ten minutes later the wagon leaders converged on my carriage. They'd be wanting answers... they always did.
"Why'd we stop?" the lead wagoner asked, "We were makin' good time." He was an imposing ox, grizzled and scarred from what I was told was a half dozen trips between Temple Cities. His gaze turned to Jasper and Zeke, "Brother Zachary... don't tell me you're listenin' to these two... mooks?"
"The Goddess has seen a reason to deliver them to us for this journey." I explained. I really ddin't want a confrontation, but I knew I couldn't let him walk all over me.
"I've traveled these roads before, boy, and--" his voice became condescending, and that was not acceptable.
"I am a Priest of Doen, not some young rabbit to be casually told off." I interrupted him, "If you are loyal to Doen, to the Temple, and to Tah'aveen, you need to remember that."
I saw the ox grit his teeth and bow stiffly, "I will return to my wagon and await the directions." he bit each word. About-facing, he stormed off.
After he left I let out a deep breath; I've never been much for confrontation-- it's always left me with a deep pit of unease in my gut, and that isn't good for anyone. The two guides departed as well, heading off to inform the caravan of the new route.
"And this is why I never became a priest." said a dog seated on the side of the road. I recognized him as the same dog that was in service to Dillan.
"Why is that, Taggart?" I asked curiously. I leaned back against my carriage.
"If I had a big lumbering ox staring me down like that I'd probably piss myself." he grinned, large ears up as his tail flailed from one side to the other.
Despite myself, I smiled back, "Well... those kind of encounters are ones I'd rather avoid, but when you're trying to lead a caravan you can't have people second-guessing you all the time." I'm not sure why I was discussing it with him; priests usually heard the problems of their congregation, not the other way around.
"You stuck with what you thought was right." he shrugged, hopping off the rock. He trotted over to me and leaned back against the carriage next to me, "So what happens next?"
"Next," I explained, "The Wild Landers are going to choose a safe route around the problem they discovered."
A new voice spoke up from further back in the wagon train, "What problem?" it was Dillan, "Taggart?" he paused, "I'm not paying you to sit around. Back to the wagon and make sure the sudden stop didn't break anything. If you want to spend time with the esteemed Brother Zachary then perhaps he'd be willing to part with a few coins in the future for the pleasure." Despite the ferret's profession and open demeanor, I couldn't help but somehow feel a little insulted by the comment.
"Mr. Flynn, it's nothing to worry about, I assure you." I offered, hoping to put the merchant at ease, "The guides have reason to believe that a section of the highway isn't a safe option so they're making some minor changes to our route."
The ferret nodded, smoothing out a ruffle in his traveling coat, "Very well." he nodded, and then offered a formal bow, "Thank you for the explanation, Brother Zachary. I will pass the information along to anyone else who asks. We're blessed for having you."
"Thank you, Mr. Flynn."
"Oh," he added, pausing before walking away, "And what I meant about Taggart... I can tell he likes you... hasn't wagged his tail for anybody since me." the ferret winked, "Don't worry about coin, your worship... just let me know if he can be of use to you."
Despite (or perhaps because of the kind offer) I found a further dislike of the ferret, "Thank you for your generosity, Mr. Flynn. Blessings of the Moon Mother be upon you." I gave him the dismissal with as much finality as I could muster.
Thankfully he appeared to understand. Heading back to his wagon, he added, "Oh... it is, Brother... it is."
As the guides met with the caravan leaders to explain the new route, I took the time to, as my father had once put it "minister to the flock". A number of travelers were concerned over our stop and, with the aid of several guards and some temple workers, I spent the next ten or fifteen minutes calming them. Things were going well right up until the shouts and cries began rising up from the front of the caravan.
"What's going on?" I demanded from one of the laborers running toward the back of the wagon train.
"Beasts! There're beasts!" the horse shouted, running past me.
I could feel my heart start pounding against my ribs; I knew the Wild Lands were not a safe place, and now it was time to see just how bad it would be. I was just about to start running toward the front of the wagon train when Hearthsinger jumped down from the back of a wagon, "Brother Zachary!" she called.
"I need to bring the Divine Shield to the front of the caravan." I told her quickly, "The guards will need me."
"I'm coming with you." she announced and moved to join my stride, "I've seen most of what the Wild Lands have to offer... maybe I can be of help." She brandished her mandolin.
"Thank you, Hearthsinger." I really was thankful for her help, "I'm just thinking that we may need more blades."
"Fair enough." she nodded, and one of her paws compressed one of the many artistic relief carvings on her instrument, causing a broad blade to emerge from the neck of the mandolin, "No traveler who knows what to expect ever goes into the Wild Lands unarmed."
I felt a little foolish when she said it-- unlike her all I had was the staff, the Divine Shield that would hopefully channel Tah'aveen's will and banish the creatures that meant harm for her followers. I had heard how they worked, but, to be honest, I had never used one. It left me more than a little worried.
"They're either Stab Bills or Snap Jaws." Narissa called my attention to her. She began to explain how she came to the conclusion. Traveling toward imminent danger hardly seemed like the right time for a learning lesson, but she knew what she was doing; despite my fear, I found her casual, almost sage-like approach to the situation comforting.
"Where are you going?" Brother Bronderson interrupted the lesson, stepping in front of me.
"We're going to help." I explained.
"You weren't actually thinking of taking him into combat, were you?" the echidna asked the tigress beside me.
"He wants to help, and he is the driving force behind this caravan." she explained, "It's his right and responsibility, Lord Rust."
"You're going to get him killed." the echidna challenged. I took a step back despite myself.
"It will do the warriors some good to see him on the battlefield." she countered.
"Not if he runs away." Rust stated flatly before looking at me, "You're not going to run away, are you, kid?"
"No." I said with finality, "And it's 'Brother Zachary'." I stated with as much authority as I could muster.
He just chuckled in response, "Whatever you say... Zach." and he turned around double stepping to match our pace as we continued onward. Several more members of the caravan joined us as we rushed forward toward what looked like a developing dust cloud.
"Snap Jaws." Narissa announced, "no fliers so it has to be."
"That's good... right?" I asked, glancing to her.
"They don't swoop down on you, but they can take off your leg with a single bite." the tigress announced.
"I'm not sure that's good then." I concluded.
Beside me, Rust laughed, "Welcome to the real world, Zach." he pounded the metal block at the end of his arm into the palm of his hand, "This is just your first taste of life outside the temple."
* * * * *
The Doen Caravan is on its way to Zion!
The first part of Chapter 1 presents the group's first of many decisions.
Contributing readers now get to choose the way the party will face this situation. Doenian Contributing Readers each get 1 vote on how to proceed. Anyone may spend 1 Willpower to get a second vote (with a successful social roll, Target number of 20). The following options are available:
1) The party will help fight off the snap-jaws. Contributing Reader characters will be involved in combat and may risk injury or death but will earn additional full Event Arc bonuses. SUCCESS.
2) Send the caravan guards in to deal with the snap jaws. Caravan guards will be sent enmass to rescue the front wagons without any risk to Contributing Reader characters. Story Seeds will be provided in full but only half of the Event Arc bonuses will be provided. SUCCESS
3) Try to repel the beasts with the Divine Shield. Zahary will expend 1 Willpower and gain 1 Major Fatigue and 1 Minor Fatigue. If he can figure out how to access the full power of the Divine Shield the party will receive full bonuses for completing the Event Arc (and gain 1 extra Favor!). SUCCESS
4) Cut the losses and avoid combat by traveling around the snap jaw lair. The Event Arc is considered failed. Full Story Seeds will be provided but the party will gain no bonuses and suffer from the failure of an Event Arc. No experience is awarded. FAILURE.
Contributing Readers, make sure you make your vote before midnight (pst) on Friday, June 3rd.