Gutbur’s Grand Adventure: Session #009
The Adventure Continues…
(Lasarian):
Sorry for fermenting your post so long.
[Gutbur]: As I am in the company of the Elk, I would follow their lead. Pillaging two people seems more like just robbing them, which I am ambivalent about. Tempting though … I haven’t had a chance to RP some good old fashioned pillaging.
[DM]:
The Elk are giving them a wide berth.
[Gutbur]:
Wide berth it is then.
(Talolan):
Gutbur the cowardly barbarian.
[Gutbur]:
I am travelling with the Elk as a guest, I’m not dragging them into a fight they clearly don’t want.
[DM]: Well, I was making a half hearted attempt at goading you into doing something dumb
The high chief says, “We were well within it rights to take their food and supplies… I saw you looking at them…
But, while I don’t understand their ‘politics’ and ‘government’ that town, Rivermoot, is part of the much larger city of Silverymoon, and I’m not in the mood to battle some infernal wizard.”
Your tribe wouldn’t have ventured this far east very often, but you’ve heard of Silverymoon in your travels. It is a member of the Lord’s Alliance and is every bit the city Neverwinter and Mirabar are (and even surpassing them), of which you are more familiar.
You’d also know that Silverymoon is the most elven-inspired of the great human city states, and has a heavy half-elf population.
If you’d like to know more, you’d have to make an Intelligence (History) check.
1d20 (11) – 1 = 10
[Gutbur]: To the chief: “I think you are wise not to provoke a city of wizards, chief. But even if you relished that fight – our true purpose takes us north and we should not stray from it.”
[DM]: You don’t know all the specifics, but you do know that Silverymoon for a short while was the capital of an alliance that was more like a nation, Luruar, the Silver Marches. Composed of SIlvermoon, several other human towns, and most of the Dwarf holds in this part of the north. The nation broke apart in 1488 (about 4 years ago) after the War of the Silver Marches with the Many Arrows orcs. The dwarves pulled out of the nation when Alustriel Silverhand stepped down as leader of the nation, and as they felt the humans didn’t provide them with enough support. It is unknown (to you) why Alustriel stepped down, but her name rings a bell, you’ve also heard of her sister Laeral Silverhand, who is the Open Lord of Waterdeep.
While the Red Tiger were not among them, several Uthgardt tribes unofficially joined the war, attacking the Many Arrows Orcs on several fronts. This wasn’t because they cared a lick about the nation of the Silver Marches, as much as it was because… well war with the orcs is pretty normal.
The Red Tiger used this opportunity to raid settlements that were left lightly defended because their troops were off fighting the war, or picking off caravans with fewer than the normal amount of guards.
The Elk tribe didn’t participate in this particular war, as they range further south than the Silver Marches, spending most of their time in the Dessarin Valley.
You also suspect that the Red Hawk tribe, was (many generations ago) the result of the Elk Tribe and the Many Arrows Orcs not having the same general hatred of each other that the northern tribes do.
[Gutbur]: So, I assume my familiarity with the War of the Silver Marches is due largely to being dragged along raiding with the Red Tiger.
They aren’t an honorable or popular tribe.
You gotta ask yourself what kind of an asshole are you that all the other assholes think you’re an asshole.
Isn’t Rivermoot just about the northern edge of Elk territory?
Does the Sky Pony tribe still exist or is it just Red Tiger to the north of us?
-barbarian map-
[DM]: If it were on this map, the Red Hawk would fill the gap between the Gray Wolf and Thunderbeast/Great Worm, and also overlap with the Griffin, bordering with the Elk.
The descriptions are how civilized people view the tribes, inter-tribal views may differ.
It is notable that the Elk don’t seem that way to you.
[Gutbur]:
They do not – at all.
[DM]: Although, they were ready to burn down a farm and murder everybody in it just because they entered a burial mound.
If Oswin’s Spear hadn’t been there, it would likely have been a massacre.
[Gutbur]:
I’m amazed it wasn’t even with us there.
[DM]: Maybe you’ll have to interrogate that.
The next couple of days of travel you are all on high alert, as you pass over Menzobaranzan. Drow raids to the surface aren’t terribly common (especially against Uthgardt war parties), but common enough that you are watchful.
The warriors in the party are literally riding their horses with weapons in hand. They don’t seem afraid in the slightest. In fact, several of them seem positively giddy at the prospect of fighting a drow raiding party.
[Gutbur]: I’ll keep my weapon handy as well. If the chief is nearby I will ask him why he spared the Defilers family.
Or why his people did – if he knows.
[DM]: “I told you when we first met that the other Elk chiefs say I’ve lost my lust for battle. They are right.”
There is a long pause. “Our numbers aren’t growing, but not just the Elk, all the tribes. The Blood Hawk are all but gone. The Black Lion have settled. Half the Sky Pony have settled and the other half tries to kill them for it. The Red Tiger have allied with Giants and Uthgar knows who else. So many tribes have lost their way. When you lead, it can’t just be about strength. You have to see a path forward. We can’t afford to make enemies everywhere we tread without good reason.”
“You’ll discover on your own one day, leadership requires more of you. We venerate Uthgar for his strength, but he was a man. When he slew the Magister overlords of Illusk did the people greet him as a liberator? No. They burned his ships and drove him inland.”
“Uthgar is the God of strength. Not wisdom.” He laughs. “And I’m a rambling old man.”
[Gutbur]: Gutbur thinks about his words for a few moments. “I think there is wisdom in what you say. I have seen for myself how the villages and towns and cities work together, although their way of life is foreign to me – and I prefer to live in the wilds- they were able to repel the darkest magic I have ever seen, in the form of a dreadful dragon.”
“Maybe it is not for me, I have tried to be a devoted follower of Uthgar, but the joy ran out of me when I lost my tribe and my family to enslavement – even battle, which I am supposed to revel in – has been but a means to end. To win back my family and their freedom. I often wonder if Uthgar would approve. How can I know? Nevertheless, I still hope to gain his halls when my time comes; perhaps there I will reclaim the joy I lost.”
[DM]: “I’m not speaking of civilization, of course. Wandering and fighting for survival makes us stronger, but the world is allied against us.” He trails off and continues riding.
The next day you come across a tribe of Sky Pony, one of those that hasn’t settled at One Stone. As you’re all on the way to moot, there is much whooping and rejoicing.
There are some friendly competitions. Duels, caber toss (the most time consuming part of which is finding a downed tree that will suffice, as the Uthgardt do not fell trees), several Sky Pony see who can scare Bertram the most while doing as little as possible. A Sky Pony warrior woman named Bhurthinn wins that competition. She just stares at him for what feels like days, Bertram is looking around at everybody else with a “What is she doing?” look on his face. Eventually she just lunges her face forward a couple inches and Bertram pops up, and runs straight into a tree.
[Gutbur]: See, I missed my chance when I threatened to eat him.
I will gladly participate in any duels, fist fights or caber tossing …
[DM]:
There is a Sky Pony giving you the stink eye. You can get into a “friendly” boxing match.
Credited Sources:
Original Discord and Avrae play sessions were
Images:
- Castle Avatar Art by Lasarian
- Gutbur Avatar Art and Title by
- Shield Art by Lasarian
