Greterfest 1665

Oman to complete

How to use this forum

This is the first of the play forums for Greternesh, which is using a mixture of forum and table play to tell its stories!

Please only post in this forum if you've got a completely finished and GM approved Greternesh character. Currently, this list of players is as follows;
antiman
hustle
fierysword
mugenman
supersam317
fennec3
rideon
rxlr
busofdoom
honigdachs
zombiesgetu
edward
thehunter123
dramaticque
funnio987

When using the forum, please write posts as you normally would on a table chat. With regular text being spoken and dashes symbolising emotes.

Please only write another post on the forum if the GM or another player has said something in response to your previous post.

I will be doing my best to check the forum and reply to all new posts at least once a day - hopefully more often than that. Occasionally it may be a few days in between replies that I can type.

Forums play will usually have vaguer narrations, spanning longer periods of time, with Table play being used to look at specific scenes in more detail. E.g. a player may write in the forum that they begin a three-day ride from Goldburrow to Crowcity.

This is my first time as a GM using forums for roleplay, so it'll be a bit of learning curb for everyone. Have patients with we, call me out on poor Gming, and hopefully we'll all have fun!

Greterfest: 1665.

The year is drawing to a close, and across the world end of year celebrations are taking place in almost all cultures. This ten day end of year festival is known as Greterfest, celebrating the high god Greter and the creation of the world. It is a time to be with family, exchange gifts and reflect on the year that has been and is to come.

Common folk gather in their communities, to feast upon and share left over food stores and home brewed ales. Nobles of the empire return to their family castles for ten days of lavish feasting and celebration. Large cities find their streets flooded with jolly, and often very drunk, people of all social classes, stumbling from one feast to the next with a jug of wine in each hand.

Even in the Orc Hovels of Old Vorlidia and the depths of the Cursed Forest, this festival is observed, with its customs varying somewhat in these strange cultures.

Brian

A young man sits in a carriage with his father, who has fallen asleep. He has spent most of today's journey trying to tackle a difficult problem of natural law on a piece of slate and chalk he had taken with him. Settling the slate down for a moment, to allow his mind to rest temporarily from the complex mathematics, he catches sight of his family home out of the window for the first time in a year.

The Redwater keep rises majestically from the top of a nearby hill, its towers and turrets silhouetted against the setting sun. The red light of the sunset catches the surrounding lakes and moats, creating the deep blood-red colour from which the castle gets its name.

This is the seat of power of house Laurence, where ten days of the finest food Beaksburg has to offer awaits the young scholar, as well as time to catch up with his family, ride horses through the beautiful landscapes with his cousins, and relax at the end of a busy year of intense study under his father's tutorage at Crow City university.

By nightfall, Brian and his father have reached the castle. Several servants take their belongings to their rooms, and the two are shown into the main dining hall where the rest of the family are standing around, enjoying a pre meal glass of wine. Conversation fills the room, and a fire crackles merrily in the grate.

It's good to be home.

--Brian splits up with his father, for the time being, adjusts to the comfort of his own home. While he is fairly reserved, he goes around giving short greetings to family members and servants he hasn't seen in a long while. He then observes conversations of others, like he usually does whenever he's in the House of Laurence. Used to the constant years of working in Crow City and returning home for Greterfest, he thinks to himself that life will just continue as it has.--

Aldus and Osric

Out in the country side of south western Petersland, a day's ride from the nearest village, are two farmsteads belonging to two families. As the only people around for miles, it is fortunate that these two families get along so well - and there are no closer friends than Aldus and Osric, two boys of similar age from each family.

Over the course of Greterfest, there will be numerous feasts, some held with each family on its own, and some all together. Aldus and Osric are looking forward to the feast their mothers are preparing together for the final day of the festival - the harvest has been kind to their families this year, and it has been decided that they will pool their money and buy a goose to roast! Just thinking of this fatty, once-a-year treat has their mouths watering...

Though of course, there is also the small matter of telling their families of their plans. How will they explain to their relatives that come the new year, they plan to depart the homesteads, and seek truth and adventure out in the wider world.

Aramil and Cathros

deep within the savannah of Dragoncroft, three day's journey from the ancient city of Somakeed, in an oasis.

From the north walks a man. After three days without water his body is nearly at the point of failure, but his spirit burns bright. Aramil did not spend years seeking enlightenment only to die in the middle of nowhere. He knows he can make it through this. His god has raised him from the depths of despair, and reforged him in the fires of the divine. This is not where his story ends. Reaching the top of a hill, he spots the oasis, and breaks into a desperate sprint. He collapses on its banks and begins to pool handfuls of cool, crisp water into his mouth.

The Green-Skin on the southern bank of the oasis pulls a bandanna up over his face. It is never clear how a human like this will react to him. But, there is no immediate danger - the human is on the other side of the oasis, and quite dehydrated. If Cathros needs to flee from here he can, or his chances of over powering the human are quite high. But, hopefully it will not come to this, and Cathros gets the feeling that this is no ordinary man.

Avagon and Oscar

The headquarters of the Order of the Crow are filled with chatter and flowing with ale. It is the first day of Greterfest, and the celebrations have begun for the Knights and Paladins. Some of the order have gone home already, and more shall leave after this first day of festivity, to be with their family for the end of the holidays.

Whilst they have never quested together before, Avagon and Oscar have seen each other around the headquarters before, and with the narrow tunnels of the underground base so filled with Knights there aren't many choices of where to sit. The two knights end up at the same table together in the corner of a room. A squire comes by to refill their flagons with wine or ale.

Ferna

The hunt was good today, and Ferna's pack sit around the fire, cooking their kills and telling stories. Life for a werewolf goes on much the same during Greterfest, as half the pack are in no state to comprehend the idea of a festival.

Over the last few days, her father, Aaron has been leading the pack further and further East. This, Aaron says, is to be the plan for tomorrow as well, but they are already so close to the Cursed Forest border... if this keeps up they will be leaving the forest entirely.

Firner

Greterfest sure isn't what it used to be...

Firner wanders the streets of Ravenhill's Capital city, Ile Foress. They are filled with drunk humans, stumbling from feast to feast, filling their gullets with as much food and meed as they can. They pay little attention to a simple fox...

Long gone are the days when Greter would sing to Its children and grant them the desires of their hearts during this festival. As nice as it is for the tradition to endure, it cannot help but leave a slightly bitter taste in an elven mouth.

As an incarnate, Firner is very popular in Ravenhill, and has been invited to numerous feasts throughout the city and has his choice of which, if any, to attend.

Maxim

From atop a tree that grows on a hill, above a valley in Petersland where two families have settled, a cat watched. The humans below were scurrying back and forth, preparing for the feasts to come. And amongst them... was the boy.

Maxim had been keeping an eye on Osric for some time, since he was reborn into the body of a barn cat of the human's farm. He had resumed the wandering of an Incarnate in the meantime, but came back as often as he could to check on him... there was something about Osric that intrigued him. A powerful potential not yet unlocked.

And something what going to happen soon, Maxim felt it in his gut.

Urik

Another year of hunting was drawing to a close, and Urik reflected on what had been an all together successful year. He had removed many foul Vampires and Werewolves from this world, and made a tidy profit in the process. It was time for some well earned rest.

The Free City of Northhollow is home to all manner of different peoples from across the world, each celebrating the holiday in their own unique way. There is no shortage of things to see or do.

Abe, another Dark Hunter of the city, has asked Urik it he would like to go for a drink later at The Black Sun tavern.

Gol'Thn'Sh

The Zioux tribe once contained many Elven members, and the tradition of Greterfest is strong here. Gol'Thn'Sh is woken up before dawn by a much larger wolf rider, to make his way to the banks of the Troutbow river. The effect of the sunrise hitting the water is quite beautiful as the entire tribe gathers here to watch a procession of small wooden boats carry important members of the tribe down the river in this ceremony. The Savage does his best to remember the words of the prayer the tribe are saying, but still finds the high tongue difficult to speak.

As the sun rises fully over the horizon, Elrud, chief of the Zioux, speaks in high tongue. "Greterfest begins. Glory to the Zioux - now and forever!"

Session Log: 17th December

fabletop.com/chatlog/view/oman1666/20181217

In our first session, we checked in one three of our currently solo characters.

Gun-Dar feasted with the other Orc Captains of the town he is currently staying in, talking of the current plight of the orcs, and what hope there is for the future. Captain Silug seems to have faith in the Shadow Lord returning, and suggested that Gun-Dar visit a church, to see if that rekindles his faith.

Brian went home to Beaksburg to spend the holidays with his family. If he can survive these ten days of awkward small talk, he can survive anything!

Alastair is sheltering in an abandoned cottage in Landing. A peasant man came to his door, seeking shelter from the rain. The vampire showed great kindness by inviting the man in, and didn't drink his blood despite numerous opportunities. Alastair is thirty, and must drink soon!

--The night would pass dreadfully for Alastair, having gotten very little sleep due to his immense hunger, so little that he abruptly awoke in the twilight hours of the night, and took off for the nearest dirt crossroads in search of quarry, his armaments alongside him.--

--Cathros has spotted Aramil on the other side of the oasis. Holding tight his scimitar on one hand, leaving his camel back, he hides behind the dunes, checking on the human for a sudden movement--

Session Log: 19th of December

fabletop.com/chatlog/view/oman1666/20181219

Greterfest continued, with different characters doing their own things across the world.

In the city of North Hollow, Urik the dark hunter has heard about a high paying job that might be coming up, and plans to steal details of the contract before it's revealed to all the dark hunters.

In Landing, Alastair approached a local village in the small hours of the morning, and found himself something to drink.

In Petersland, Osric was awoken for an early start to Greterfest, and helped round up some rebellious live stock with a little help from his recently discovered magical abilities.

Cathros rolls for stealth;
[ ] [ ]

Cathros ducks into some tall grass around the oasis, trying to hide from Aramil's sight. As the mage finishes drinking the cool crisp water, he easy spots the bright purple cloak of the Wanderer amongst the green grass.

Tusk'a

Greterfest passes for an ogre much like the rest of the year. These creatures have little in way of society and tradition anyway, and being a lone hunter only alienates Tusk'a further from religious festival.

Who cares what time of year it is?

Tusk'a is hungry.

--Brian continues to spend Greterfest with his family and his new in-laws while trying to minimize attention towards him. Usually, he would observe the conversation of others but become more introspective on the idea of adventuring outside of his school, something he has never done before, as what the outside world is like is an unknown variable for him.--

Weekly XP: 24th December

Alastair gains +5xp (now 5xp)
Brian gains +2xp (now 7xp)
Cathros gains +1xp (now 1xp)
Osric gains +1xp (now 6xp)
Urik gains +1xp (now 11xp)

Brian

As the young scholar's holiday continues at his family's castle. He is invited one morning to go hunting with the men of the household. His father and uncle are going, as well as Lord Eller. Viktor claps Brian on the back.
"You are coming with us, aren't you cousin?" the young heir says, as Sir Kyle appears in the doorway with a crossbow slung over his shoulder.
"Thought you could borrow this."

Does Brian wish to go on the hunt, or remain at the castle?

--Cathros maintains eye contact with the human, as he knows he's been already spotted. Maybe he should have left his robe to the camel. He makes his way up to the dune, keeping his hands raised, scimitar ready behind his back. He tries to speak, but Aramil won't probably understand.-- Peace. Peace. No harm.

Cathros rolls for intelligence, gaining a cultural knowledge bonus from his custom trait.
[ ] [ ] [ * ]

This specific phrase 'peace' is easy to communicate across a language barrier. The names of the gods stay consistent across all languages and Cathros speaks the name of the goddess of peace; "Terrox." the green-skin says in a calm voice, and the man seems to understand him.

Aramil rolls for perception as the Green-Skin gets closer
[ ] [ ] [ * ]

Even with his robe to disguise him, the keen eyed fire mage spots that his companion at the oasis is a Green-Skin.

Session Log: 26th of December

fabletop.com/chatlog/view/oman1666/20181226

Following his recent feast at the small farming village, Alastair flees east across Landing, successfully evading the forces that hunt him.

Tusk'a was indeed hungry.

For the shortest of moments, the orc entertained a thought that didn't relate to another one of his grand hunts. That thought quickly passed, however, as he soon came to realise that he could get food *and* trophies if he were to simply pursue something he could eat.

Rising from his idle march, he instead turned his eyes to the ground and skies before him. There was food here. He could smell it. It was just a matter of finding it.

===

Tusk'a attempts to search for food, either through tracking based on his intimate knowledge of creatures, preternatural senses or smell (or all of the above).

Session Log: 29th of December

fabletop.com/chatlog/view/oman1666/20181229

Urik, the Darkhunter got the long awaited signal from his friend Abe and went to conduct their raid! On the way, they were attacked by a demonic rat and its minions, and Urik has unable to save his friend... he'll have to carry on the mission solo.

Meanwhile, Joan - a young woman hoping to make it as a mercenary in this world, heard of a valuable contract posted by House Laurence - a local noble family, who are recruiting a body guard.

Tusk'a rolls for senses;

[ ] [ ] [ ]

Tusk'a is unable to find any trails of nearby creature... the wasteland around him seemingly even more barren than usual, and he is forced to eat the few rations remaining on his person. Tusk'a spots the dwelling of another Ogre in the distance as he crosses another barren dune of ash and bone.

Curious, (and certainly not above the idea of taking something shiny from the Ogre) Tusk'a decides to approach the camp himself. Hefting his club atop his shoulder, he remains on guard as he nears the camp.

===

In the meanwhile, Tusk'a will be rolling another senses roll for any traps or dangers that are not immediately apparent.