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Post by The Forgotten God on Sept 21, 2016 15:20:09 GMT -5
A small island with two islands to the exact north and south that are almost exact duplicates of it, giving the chain its name. The coast of the dark continent is visible from the beach.
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Post by The Forgotten God on Sept 21, 2016 15:23:16 GMT -5
//
The rowboats are the only things in any shape to travel as the hot sun beats down, the smashed galleon that Kurtz and his fellow survivors had been enslaved on in pieces all about the island. Parhelion Equinox, the center island, is no more than a half mile wide and long, and sparsely covered with trees. Not even monkeys make it their home, and Kurts sees sharks circling the reefs feasting on the dead as he finished rowing ashore. Pineapples, coconuts, and breadfruit trees dot the small atoll, and the scarred veteran sees other survivors straggling to Parhelion north and south as well. He needs to eat soon; rowing and slavery have sapped what little strength he yet possesses, and the ever present threat of hostile strangers or former slavers is looms large.
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Kurts
Prince
Posts: 3,760
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Post by Kurts on Sept 21, 2016 15:41:06 GMT -5
Kurts was no stranger to hunger. He had made the trip back from North of the Wall after the dragon had burned their food stores in the war against the White Walkers. He had learned the taste of horsemeat and manflesh before the Wall came into sight again.
As he rowed the dinghy onto shore, he scanned the area with his one good eye, looking for a defensible spot to make camp. Food could wait until a perimeter was established. Shelter was the first priority for survival, especially in a strange wild land.
(Observation 50)
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Post by The Forgotten God on Sept 21, 2016 15:51:53 GMT -5
-15 to combat until water and food are secured.
+1 Observation.
The closest to a fortified area he can make are a small stand of rocks. They will protect him from immediate observation and missile attacks but little else. Perhaps a dozen people are headed to the same island from different directions. Some are groups of threes. Kurts has a few weapons but no armor or the like, and as the sharks circle his boat he arrives at the beach. He is the firs tone he sees on the island, so the initiative lies with him.
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Kurts
Prince
Posts: 3,760
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Post by Kurts on Sept 21, 2016 15:58:53 GMT -5
Exhausted, he makes his way to the small stand of rocks. For all he knew, some of those survivors could be the slavers and he did not intend to have words with them weak, hungry, and unarmed. When he reached the area, he set to work fortifying it as best he could, using rocks to form a makeshift barricade if he could. When his base camp was established, he would set off in search of food, water, and supplies; hoping his plate had not been lost at sea.
(Fortifications 50) (Survival 70) (What gear/weapons do I have on me?)
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Post by The Forgotten God on Sept 21, 2016 16:05:43 GMT -5
+2 Fortifiation, survival passed with no bonus.
Kurts manages to stack the stones into a more secure pattern to make it possible for him to get a small edge in a fight. His rowboat has three daggers, a short sword, a grappling hook ad fifty-ish foot of rope, a few extra sets of clothing, a thin cloak that will ward off rain and excessive sun, and a primitive insect repellent. The heavy weapons and armor are likely in the lagoon, being guarded zealously by sharks. Getting to it alone will be impossible. About three hundred yards away he sees another row boat arrive and its two occupants disembark and head for the copse of trees bearing fruits.
Kurts has an orange tree among his stone 'fort' which gives him all the vitamins and water he'll need for the near future, but he will need to make a spear to catch fish for protein.
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Kurts
Prince
Posts: 3,760
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Post by Kurts on Sept 21, 2016 16:19:10 GMT -5
Content with the rudimentary fort, he buries one of the daggers, and the extra sets of clothing in the sand, concealing it with some palm fronds. He applies the inset repellent and the thin cloak, before tying the rope and grappling hook around his waist. Seeing the newcomers make their way towards the fruit trees, he makes his way over to them, peeling and eating an orange as he went. It was time to assert dominance.
"Not another step towards my fruit," he growled, spitting an orange seed, hand dropping to the hilt of his shortsword as he glowered at them with his one good eye.
(Intimidation 70)
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Post by The Forgotten God on Sept 21, 2016 16:24:53 GMT -5
(Marginal success)
The pair look at him, a man and woman, and they shake their heads. "Your fruit?" The woman asked. "Why can't we share it? There's slavers on this island, we should stick together." They have an axe and a sword and seem at least passingly familiar with its use. "I'm Mary of the Honeyholt," the woman offered. "This is m brother Stann." The man looks at Kurts suspiciously.
"We're taking that hill over there. This can be a border if you want to be that way."
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Kurts
Prince
Posts: 3,760
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Post by Kurts on Sept 21, 2016 16:37:21 GMT -5
"Way I see it, I got here first, which makes it all mine," he said simply, drawing his sword, not entirely convinced they weren't slavers themselves. "So you can trade for it, work for it, or die for it."
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Post by The Forgotten God on Sept 21, 2016 16:39:55 GMT -5
Stann nodded understanding. "Makes sense," he said. "We got a half pound of dried beef we can trade for sharing the orchard peacefully," he offered. He pats a pack on his side. "If that appeals to your stomach."
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Kurts
Prince
Posts: 3,760
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Post by Kurts on Sept 21, 2016 16:43:42 GMT -5
"That'll get you all the fruit she can carry," he said gruffly, indicating towards Mary. Judging by their current condition, he doubted that was much. "Seller's market."
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Post by The Forgotten God on Sept 21, 2016 16:46:30 GMT -5
They toss a lump of beef over to him. "Hope to have better relations soon," she said. "We'll end companions to survive. It's a long journey to civilization now...". Stann keeps a watchful but not offensive eye on Kurts while his sister goes to gather the fruit.
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Kurts
Prince
Posts: 3,760
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Post by Kurts on Sept 21, 2016 16:54:15 GMT -5
He grunted at the remark about civilization. In his experience it had been anything but civilized. At least in the wild, you could drop the pretenses. He waited until the woman's arms were full before speaking again.
"That was just the price for the fruit," he said, putting a bit of dried beef in his mouth and leaning against a tree. "We haven't discussed the payment for living on my lands."
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Parhelion
Sept 21, 2016 21:26:59 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by The Forgotten God on Sept 21, 2016 21:26:59 GMT -5
"The payment will be peace," she said, as Stann sighed and adopted a more ready stance. "Unless you think we can fight each other and survive everyone else."
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Kurts
Prince
Posts: 3,760
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Parhelion
Sept 22, 2016 0:37:32 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Kurts on Sept 22, 2016 0:37:32 GMT -5
"Peace is a lie, fool's gold, unworthy payment," Kurts spat, "And I've survived worse than you."
"Carved myself a nice little encampment up by the rocks, could even call it comfortable by military standards," he said simply, twirling one of the daggers in his hand as the other tapped a battle drum tempo upon the hilt of the short sword. "Room for the both of you, but in exchange you'll do what I say when I say it."
(Intimidation 70 if necessary)
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