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Dark Age (playtest): The Lands of Pendragon

Collapsing unconscious is a bit different to going into meditation. Normally his first response would be to recline her, raise her head. Check for fever. This is strange and hostile terrain though - right now his assumption is poisoning or another attack through subterfuge. He takes a cloth pouch that had trail mix in it, earlier in the day, and pulls it over his nose and mouth like a horse's feedbag, looping its strings behind his ears. It might still be foul air, close to the ground.

Tristan slings Nin against his back, parallel to his quiver. He draws his knife and gets ready to bushwhack - this is obviously what could scare the badger.

He had assumed it was human encroachment. How confused must the spirits be, to fight themselves like this?

He'll rely on instinct and intuition to guide him out. Sense and reason have no place here.

[I rolled a 5, 6 +1 = [b]12[/b] on Weird, with my question to the world being "which way to escape?" I think that much success gives me followups which, uh, I'll probably need.]

Fellowship: The Heart

Is it the mushrooms, or the Station that's doing this? Lucien sees himself just three twists of the multiverse away - like looking down a kaleidoscope with a family portrait at the end of it, the branches along the Mandelbrot set. There are so many, but this one catches his eye.

She's a courtier, there too, with the same keen eye for people. But no petty empire building and statemaking, the real work is matchmaking and rumourmongering - that's where the real stories are. She sits at the empty fountain of an unfinished palace, reclining in a red silk dress, discussing the practicalities of flirting with astral bodies. A philosopher - the Jackdaw of this place? Or maybe the Ailee? There is both and neither in them - seeks the Lucien in the red dress's advice. She smokes, lighting a cigarette with an engraved pearl lighter.

Their eyes meet, across infinity, for just a moment. They smile at each other. They are both up to mischief. They know the secret: The fool is the most powerful role in court. Speak any truth to any power, just make them laugh.

This Lucien unbuttons their shirt, rolls their sleeves up tight. You can see the scar that runs across his right hip, another along his left collarbone. Neither naked nor clothed: A state of undress. I am not indecent, but to look upon me is.

They draw their pearl-handled pistol, and pocket the useless bullets. Neither armed nor unarmed. Lucien has long resigned themself to the idea it's a prop. Even the pearl handling... it's always been a cream pie in a silver plate, hasn't it? They'll be as shocked as anyone if it ever hurts anything.

Neither servant nor master? Who imposes their will on the tourist? Who does the tourist impose their will upon? The notion is absurd.

But the tourist follows the spectacle, the sensational. The Fool creates it.

Another twist. Lucien follows in their own wake, now.

Heturns. The Lucien in the red dress - what is her name? - runs from the burning palace, dragging the wide-eyed philosopher by the wrist. The lighter disappears in her pocket again, and she's laughing. Where is she going? Anywhere. Anywhere she goes is where the story is, and the story is anywhere she goes. And she's going to help this nerd seduce the bloody moon.

The whole world's a stage, and the man and woman both have been exceptional players who have played many parts. More than most. They step into the roles of their respective lifetimes.

Where's Lucien going now?

Everywhere.

They pick the right direction to go first. They run.

Fellowship: The Heart

A terrible idea, but too tempting to pass up. There are ways to see which mushrooms are the bad kind, which are the yummy kind, and which are the fun kind, if you have some experience and a sensitive set of gums. None of them particularly safe but today's a fun day, isn't it?

There's a sensible reason for the nonsensical, here. Mushrooms like these have long had connotations with angels and religious visions, prophetic insights. If he's in a place of shifting realities, and he's found mushrooms feeding on angels here, he's got strong suspicions this might help him see things how they really are.

Well. That and they might be a culinary spectacular. How often do you get angel mushrooms?

Avoid the ones with bright colours. Don't even go near ones with pretty speckles and polka dots. Or the gilled ones. What does that leave?

Alright, this one's either going to kill him, or ascend him to a higher plane of consciousness. Let's find out. Allons Y!

[Let's call this a Wisdom roll, for fun: 7. Talking to our fabulous GM in private, we're pulling "Parley with a toxic power" from TSL; I damage a stat to ask a question.]

Alright. Not dead. A fantastic start. Let's just keep ourselves in the out-of-sight and see what we can see, see, see.

Ah. Feeling a touch Wonderland, are we? Six impossible things, and now breakfast. Let's hold it together. There's such a thing as too much whimsy, and it wouldn't do to die insufferable.

A toothsome idea strikes him, though. Maybe Lucien does want to go among mad people. Why else would he have come here? A positively cheshire grin: How best might he go among the madness of the station?

He hasn't found his friends, yet. It would be a lot easier if the whole experience wasn't just trying to kill him on sight. But it's always better to act like you belong than to hide - so long as you can step into a role.

Dark Age (playtest): The Lands of Pendragon

[6+2+1 = 9]

Tristan holds Nin's shoulder - gentle, reassuring, and making sure they don't get seperated when he closes his eyes. He breathes through his mouth, deep and with his stomach muscles. He holds the air in his lungs and feels for changes in his thoughts as he absorbs it, if it blunts his mind. He listens. He feels the flow of air on his exposed skin for it intensity and direction. He opens his eyes again.

What is this?

Dark Age (playtest): The Lands of Pendragon

Tristan's happy enough to go in the forest at this point, just not alone. Eyes and ears open.

Dark Age (playtest): The Lands of Pendragon

Curiouser and curiouser. There's no doubt that what he feared is what would have happened - they needed height.

"Honey, venom and a bow." He repeats. Maybe some tools to make a simple hunter's blind with, at least rope for lashing a platform. Ask whoever they take the bow from. "We go together. You lead, and I will follow. If we are swift, we should have what we need within the hour." He's firm on that one. Whatever safety he felt in splitting up disappeared when the badger stayed out of the forest, even while burrowing.

Still...

"It helps that I can think of none swifter."

Caution is not the same as doubt.

Dark Age (playtest): The Lands of Pendragon

What would I write to reflect Tristan going back for this shopping list: His polearm, some badger-appropriate bait, some poison or venom, and... what, a crossbow for Nin? I'm keeping one eye on the badger's harm output, here. Bumping into Constance I think I have an easier time navigating.

Dark Age (playtest): The Lands of Pendragon

I'm legitimately happy to not attack it right away. As much as I want to advance action, I do see our position here as being way too disadvantageous right now - I keep glancing between the badger's stats and ours and grimacing. I'd be happy to go and do more prep work in that case, especially if Nin's willing to stay behind.

Also, yeah, that information does help.

Dark Age (playtest): The Lands of Pendragon

Tristan is momentarily flustered by the lack of trees - he's been too focused again. He could have sworn... but no. He had only seen it in his mind's eye. "This is a tunneling creature, and large enough that I suspect it can dig as fast as I can run. I fear it would go under you, not over. Then there would be nothing to stop it from coming beneath me while you hide. And I cannot shoot it while it is underground. It holds all the advantage here." His voice catches in his throat. "I made mistakes in haste."

He's not hiding his frustration - had he learned nothing from his communion, so obvious in hindsight? No, he had learned something. "We should ask Constance about rain, to sodden the soil and draw it out. Find a suitable venom in the meantime, and maybe a barrel of honey to use as bait."

Tristan is about to suggest seeing if he can't fell it in one shot, but the thing is huge. Normal badgers have hides thick enough to soak bee stings. He doesn't like his chances with arrowheads against that hide. "I do not like to leave it, but it is fed for today. This is not a failed hunt, but a successful scouting."

Dark Age (playtest): The Lands of Pendragon

Chalk it up to Tristan getting lost in his own head. Honestly, it's a very in-character mistake.