The Endless Hunt, Season 3: "Snakes! Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?"

[Ravana]

The Endless Hunt, Season Three: “Snakes! Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?”

•••

To Whom It May Prove of Interest:

His Highness, Heverik, Baron of Marnau and Prince of the Line of Maritsa, wishes to proclaim an Expedition, the purposes of which shall be to advance the noble Science of Herpetology, concerning which he holds an abiding interest. This expedition shall be made into certain lands to the west of the Empire which have, until recently, been difficult of access, owing to the hostility of the former Kingdom of Vaesthegnar; with the happy accession of the Prince’s noble cousin Teover, sometimes Duke of Rek, to the throne of the newly-constituted Kingdom of Althegnar, political conditions now permit these more peaceful pursuits to be conducted beyond their borders without the need of first winning passage through to them.

This Expedition shall assemble in the Imperial Free City of Daarmuth on the 20th inst., whence it shall set out by ship to the Archduchy of Thanding, afterward proceeding upriver to a point not too distant from the seldom-crossed Pass of Three Rigors in the Turighard Mountains. Upon descent from this pass, civilized lands shall be left behind and the little-known realms of the western barbarians shall be entered. Also, the self-styled “Kingdom” of Turinga lies immediately to the south of the areas to be explored, and there is little love between these rude peoples and our civilized cousins of Althegnar.

For these reasons, only Hunters sturdy of body and steady of courage need apply, along with any staff, retainers, or other assistants the Hunters consider most likely to be of aid in their pursuits. It is also to be noted that the eternal handmaiden of expeditions to faraway lands, Dame Rumor, has populated these realms with a variety of creatures not known to be found within the borders of the Empire, so it may be hoped that even those Hunters not well-versed in the collection of serpentine specimens shall find opportunities suited to their individual predilections. Diverse Rewards shall be bestowed both for the intended objects of the expedition and for such other Curiosities as might impress His Highness.

His Highness shall at his own expense provide the expedition with a caravan to serve as a base of operations, supply, refuge and communication, which His Highness shall himself facilitate by various means. His Highness’ wife, Sigrelyn Drachteving, Baroness of Riedvin and Duchess-Elect of Sjaermund, shall coordinate the disposition of the hunters, and shall also supervise such medical, rescue, evacuation and resuscitation services as are necessitated by events arising from the expedition.

Mindful of the hazards of the road—and the no doubt greater ones once roads are left behind in the distance—all reasonable efforts shall be made to ensure the safety and well-being, in addition to the success, of the expedition. It should be noted, however, that His Highness cannot anticipate all such hazards, and therefore cannot warrant said safety and well-being. In particular, he wishes it to be known that this support does not extend to misadventures involving personal dentition. Generous pensions shall be paid if and as needed in the event of loss of significant bodily parts, and standard funereal benefits are provided.

Heverik, Baron of Marnau and Prince of the Line of Maritsa
[his hand and seal]

•••

Or, for those less interested in the convoluted syntax of Imperial court:

"Y'all come down now, y' heah? We's gonna go ketch us some snakes!"

Rewards, rumors, additional assignments and quests, and other information will appear in the next post as they are announced. The prince, being even more than usually eccentric for a nobleman , will be prone to bestow rewards on impulse as often as by prior arrangement, so expect to be surprised. If that makes sense.

"Rules," such as they are, appear here:

The Endless Hunt: Info Thread

I'm aiming for a start date on or after June 20, depending on how quickly participants gather. The Hunt will run until the end of July, or until you exhaust the target region of resources, whichever comes first.

[Ravana]

Bounties

• pelts: standard rates
• claws, teeth, etc.: ditto
• complete specimen suitable for stuffing: bonus pay, possibly other reward based on how exotic
• meat: better eating that night

[Stay tuned for more specifics as they arise.]

[Legendary Sidekick]

Jade walks into the tavern. Heads turn at the sight of her outfit. She is wearing a scarlet top with shoulder straps, and a scarlet and earth-tone skirt with a hem that is almost as low as mid-thigh. She wears bands that wrap around the balls of her feet, and the tight bun in her hair is laced with green and purple jade.

"A bit overdressed, aren't you?" asks Rose, who like the other Huntresses, is wearing nothing but flowers.

"My husband and I are headed north," Jade says. "I hear the climate is cooler over there."

Bouldergut adds, "We're headed to Daarmuth, my homeland."

* * *

As Bouldergut escorts his wife onto the ship, she asks, "How will they see you? As a hero for saving me and all of my sisters? Or are you under suspicion for being the sole survivor of the army that failed to overtake my island?"

"I've done enough hunting on the mainland to know I still have a stellar reputation as a warrior and a hunter, but... I haven't been to Daarmuth in ten years. People will wonder why I haven't returned, and why I kept silent about what happened on Roku-Roku Island."

"Why do you choose now to come back?"

"Chief Targhan is dead. It was he who united the tribes and sent ships south of the mainland in search of new lands to conquer. I don't know what he was thinking, or why so many of my people listened to this fool."

"If not for his crazy orders, I would have been sacrificed to the Lava Demon and you would be a lonely bachelor."

"A what? Lonely?"

Jade silences her husband with a kiss. "Pay your respects to the late chief first thing when you arrive."

"Second thing," he replies. "My first order of business is to visit Tusk, if he's still alive. He was a messenger boy, but even at he age of ten I saw the warrior in him. I trained him for a couple years before I was sent to your island. I don't know what's become of him since then."





My characters for this season:

• Bouldergut [Brute, age 41] - a mountain of a man who loves a good steak
• Jade [Ranger, age 29] - an exotic young lady who knows a lot about plants
• Tusk [Brute, age 22] - a gung-ho errand-boy inspired by tales of Bouldergut rescuing damsels in distress ten years ago

[Ravana]

Bouldergut and Jade

"This is your homeland? You always struck me as a bit more… rural."

The ship they're departing is one of perhaps forty or so at the docks. The Free City of Daarmuth, crowded though it is within the defensive walls that kept it free from the kingdom of Vaesthegnar the past sixty years, might be as large as all of Roku-Roku, for all Jade can tell from where they stand.

"Well… this is connected to my homeland. I actually come from—" he checks his bearings—"thataway." Bouldergut points a bit north of west. "About fifty leagues, I'd guess. Or two duchies, depending on how you like to count these things. Most people in this region would think of the second. Getting permission to bring our army to the coast was complicated."

Jade suspects this is an understatement. "Why did they let you through?"

Boulder shrugs. "I seem to recall 'voluntary contributions to the improvement of civic welfare' being involved—"

"Bribes."

"Yeah. That, plus fewer barbarians left for them to fight on their borders." He scowls.

"Is that how they see you?"

"It was."

"And now?"

"Now, they will see me as a man-at-arms escorting a rich, bored fop prince into lands they would as soon forget exist."

Bouldergut points to a banner. One half bears a device nearly impossible to make out, given the distance: the first and fourth quarters appear to be a blue three-petaled flower on a white field, while the second and third have a tawny background sporting what you might get if you crossed a gazelle with a cuttlefish, then crossed both with a heavy wagon two or three times; it involves at least three colors not approved by the Imperial College of Heralds, not counting any that might be present in more subtle detailing. The other half bears a white wyvern rampant on green, with a gold border. No question where the Prince's "scientific expedition" is assembling. The banner flies from a pole of considerable height, perhaps a quarter mile along the docks to the west, over an open space in front of some warehouses.

A similar flag drapes from the masts of—Bouldergut groans—four ships.

"Or," he continues, "they might see me as the vanguard of a counter-invasion."

Jade is puzzled. "I thought this was going to be a hunt?"

"You met the prince."

"He intends to travel with a retinue?"

"That, too."

A stooped, shrouded crone hobbles past, muttering either to herself or something she carries. The only thing Jade makes out clearly is "A circle of pain, a circle of suffering." Bouldergut seems not to notice her at all, but he's from this land: perhaps such things are not unusual here.

[Sheilawisz]

Silver Whitestar was down on her luck since months ago, as she had lost her house in a fire and then, thanks to her habits of heavy wine drinking, she had been expelled from her wood-cutter job as well two weeks ago. For some time she had no idea what to do with her life: at just 22, her harsh living conditions at the forests and her drinking made her look like she was thirty years old, but now she had heard about an expedition to mysterious lands and she had decided to join them as a Hunter.

Silver's life had never been easy: she had to work as a wood-cutter for a living since she was twelve, started drinking at thirteen and was abandoned by her family at fifteen. Poor Silver then lived inside a little wooden cottage that she built with her own hands, and really, despite her name all she had known in her life was starvation and poverty.

Thanks to her hunting skills she had managed to survive eating a variety of small prey, and now, at 22, she was a 5'10'' slender woman that was quite stronger than she looked. Silver was quite a brute fighter and she was a skilled survivalist, but her life was always getting ruined because of The flask is half empty and she was constantly seeking ways to get more wine.

Silver had long and sleek black hair that was long to her waist, and powerful, dazzling blue eyes- she would have been a stunningly good-looking woman if her cruel and harsh life had not ruined it all, and she would always wear a long black cloak and wood-cutter clothing that used to be full of all kinds of dirt.

So, that day Silver Whitestar arrived at the Imperial Free City of Daarmuth with her battle axe and her longsword, hoping that somebody would guide her to join the expedition that His Highness, Heverik, Baron of Marnau and Prince of the Line of Maritsa wanted to start...

[Legendary Sidekick]

(In a forest somewhere...)



​"Aah... ain't this the life," I say to myself. "Livin' off the fat o' the land..."

The wild boar is just about ready to eat. I'll eat the unsalted portion for now. The salted portion should be preserved for a while... but still, it's a shame I have no one to share this with. Some of this meat's sure to go to waste.

...

Who's making all that racket? Oh... a girl!

Oh... she's a bit old for me. Gotta be at least thirty. Still, the way she's staggering like that... she must be weak from hunger.

"Hey, lady!"

Is that any way to address a lady? Aw, hell... she's not a proper lady. If she were, she'd have ignored me.

"You look like you could use a bite to eat."

Crap... all that's left is the salted meat. I know my tribe would be disappointed in my being a gentlemen, but screw them. She's my guest. Chivalry's not dead. The plate I'm fixing is hers.

The lady actually looks at me, just standing and staring with those dazzling blue eyes. Hopefully, she's not attracted to me. That would make things easier.

"You're lucky. I just took the last unsalted cut off the fire. You can have it. I have to cook another one anyway and I can't eat this one while I cook another."

Y'know what would make things really easier? Telling her your name, dummy!

"They call me Tusk," I tell the lady as I offer her a plate, "because that's my name."

I wish I knew when to shut up.

[Sheilawisz]

Silver Whitestar walked straight towards this young man that had arrived at the forest, intrigued by him but happy to finally meet someone... and she was also very happy to see that this man was offering some good food to eat that day! Silver took the plate that Tusk was handing over to her, and then, so hungry after her long travel, she devoured the food in less than two minutes.

"Hello" Silver said with her hoarse, throaty voice- "Thanks for that, I was starving!! Do you happen to know anything about the Expedition to mysterious lands that His Highness, Heverik, Baron of Marnau and Prince of the Line of Maritsa wants to start soon? I want to join them in this great adventure."

[Ravana]

Geographically Challenged…?

[Either Silver has manifested previously unsuspected powers of teleportation, or Tusk is badly mistaken about where he is at the moment. Think you're the one stuck with hitting the rewind button on that one, LS.]

•

Silver Whitestar

…requires little time to determine where the expedition is forming. She requires a bit longer to actually reach that point, as she gets lost several times in the tightly-packed streets of the unfamiliar city, and gets waylaid by a tavern or two along the way, but every time she asks directions, a helpful native points toward the docks and says "Look for the ugly banner."

She doesn't quite understand that advice until she nears the docks. Eventually, however, one of the times she looks up.… One half is a noble-looking silver wyvern on green with a golden border. The other half… well, the two parts of it that have a blue trillium on white are quite fetching; the two parts with the orangish background have what might be a very surprised stag copulating with an even more surprised chicken—though the profusion of interlacing ornaments makes it hard to tell—done up in no fewer than a half-dozen colors, three of which Silver doesn't know names for and at least two of which she's never even seen in vomit. Hers or anyone else's. There are also neatly-done silver coronets near the top of those two panels. She wonders if those mightn't be mistakes.

Silver spends a moment taking deep breaths; unfortunately, the air, with its unfamiliar but pleasant salt tang, does nothing to dispel or even alter what she sees. She reluctantly concludes that she is not suffering from hallucinations. It really is that ugly.

At least she no longer has problems finding her way.

Finally she reaches an open space near the shore—or it would be open, and was obviously chosen because it was open: at the moment, it's somewhat crowded with people, wagons, a pavilion, horses, dogs, barrels, crates, several tall ornate boxes on wheels, and a pair of what appear to be fencing dummies or dress forms. All of which is roped off, evidently with the purpose of forestalling its further spread rather than preventing access. Several ships are in the process of being loaded with various bits of the clutter, and there seems to be an intense discussion taking place among a cluster of longshoremen as to how to best organize the lading of each ship in order to best fit everything in. Or perhaps in order to determine if everything will fit in.

A stooped, shrouded crone hobbles past, muttering either to herself or something she carries. The only words Silver makes out clearly are "The answer is within the question." Then the crone is absorbed into the anonymity of the crowd of onlookers.

By an opening in the rope, a young lady—perhaps near Silver's own age, or a bit younger—perches on a stool, arms crossed and chin lowered to her chest, presenting an outward appearance of supreme boredom. She is dressed entirely in shades of green—it takes Silver a moment to realize that most of this is probably leather, since she also has a bow case on her back and a sword on her belt. In fact, it was only by her stature and the honey-colored braid between her shoulders that Silver registered her gender in the first place. Bored or not, she is not inattentive: she looks up before Silver is ten paces away, quirks an eyebrow at her.

"Come for the Hunt?" she inquires casually.

[Sheilawisz]

(sorry, it's the first time that I play in the Machiavel world or anything like this- please guide me a little.)

.

Silver Whitestar

Silver was very impressed by the mere view of the great ships, the sea and all the necessary gear and equipments that were in the process of being loaded into the ships. After all, she was just a wood-cutter forest girl that had rarely visited the coast before in her life, and now she started to realize the magnitude of the adventure that she was just about to join.

"Hello" Silver said casually to this young lady with a honey-coloured braid, a sword and a bow case- "My name is Silver Whitestar, it took me so long to find my way across the city to finally reach this place- Yes, I am here for the Hunt... Are these the ships that are departing for the Expedition of His Highness, Heverik, Baron of Marnau and Prince of the Line of Maritsa? They must be, everything is so... majestic."

Silver was starting to wonder whether she really knew what she was getting into, maybe it was a bad idea as she was dirty, and a savage forest girl, and she smelled of vomit and wine but it was already too late...

[Ravana]

[Not a problem. LS moved you; that's why he gets to fix it. ]

Silver Whitestar

The lady she addresses laughs—quietly; Silver gets the impression this is likely the only way she ever laughs. "Majestic?" She sweeps the commotion with a glance. "Hmm. I suppose that's one way of putting it. One of the more polite ones." She appears to begin assembling a mental catalog of alternatives, but then thinks better of it. Or perhaps the list got too long too quickly.

She stands. A bit taller than average for a woman, perhaps, but still inches shorter than Silver. Why, then, does Silver feel like she's the small one? The other woman's gaze flicks across Silver. Then she cocks her head sideways, raises that eyebrow again.

"Let's see. You know how to use that axe. You at least know which end of that sword goes where. Never ridden a horse in your life, and if you've ridden a pony, it hasn't been for years. Can find your way around in a forest without difficulty. Twenty… three? Give or take a year? Prefer wine to ale, have a slight preference for red over white. Can you shoot? We can find you a bow if so."

Silver… is stunned. Is she wearing a sign or something?

While she's waiting for her jaw to remember how to close again, a man wearing blue and white livery comes hustling through the enclosure to where they stand, stops two paces away… and bows.

"Your Excellency, His Highness would solicit your advice on a matter of urgency."

The lady quirks one corner of her mouth in a brief grimace. "That makes six." Looks to the sun. "But the day's still young."

Ignoring the messenger for the moment, she addresses Silver once more: "You're in. As of now, you have two jobs. One is to get your gear stowed on that ship." She points to the leftmost one of the four flying the banner that marks the expedition's varied appurtenances and impedimentia. "Specifically that one. I've posted guards at the gangway to prevent anybody from trying to load anything other than personal belongings, and themselves, on it."

She rolls her eyes. "As it is, they've already sent four dockworkers to the physickers. I think everyone remaining has gotten the message."

Looking back at Silver, she continues: "Two. Call me Sigrelyn. Everyone else around here"—she glances sourly at the still-waiting messenger—"insists on calling me other things. I need someone to follow me around and remind me what my name is."

Turning to the messenger, she says "All right, Meindar. Where is he now?"

"This way, if you please, Baroness."

Over her shoulder, Sigrelyn flashes a grin to Silver: "See what I mean?"

They head off into the hustle.