REFUGEVILLE

Ah, a little problem. Seems we're missing some of the stuff from our second trip to Mosstown. There should be a pot of crude oil and 9 iron ingots in our stockpile as well, shouldn't there?

Your people check inventory once again, and confirm the stuff’s still there. They just forgot to check somehow.

As for what else to buy... I'd say get Dermilyu Horizon and read it posthaste. Hildevert's findings should prove to be useful, especially given that we have Artimen and the two guards to help for the purposes of cross-referencing, should we elect to make a trip to their home after assassinating King Vondar. I also recommend getting the Smithing Manual, so as to keep a resource handy and an egg, so as to get another chicken for ourselves.

The former slaves tell your Eldest they were once berry farmers. There may not be any berries, but they still have useful knowledge and instruct your people how to encourage crops to grow.

(All crops now grow faster!)

You purchase the Smithing Manual and Dermilyu Horizon.

The Eldest opens Dermilyu Horizon and reads the journal out loud…

===
Hildevert’s Journal:

Dermilyu Horizon

There are few people in the world who have not heard of the Dermilyu Kingdom. The kingdom was once inhabited by blue giants, infamous for their practice of enslaving people from other nations. Believing themselves superior because they were larger than anybody else, they held great pride in fending off every single invasion from other countries angered by their slave raids.

Six times, the home nations of their victims attacked, and six times they were repulsed. After that kind of history, it would be understandable why they thought they were invincible.

Then The Signet’s Ziggurat came.

Now there is no Dermilyu Kingdom. There is only the Dermilyu Horizon.

Why is it called a ‘horizon’? Because that’s all that’s left there.

It’s completely flat.

A barren, featureless land. Nothing to see but smooth white flooring everywhere. The floor? It’s made of bones. The bones of every single person inside Dermilyu who were not able to flee before The Signet brought their Ziggurat.

Before the Ziggurat, the Dermilyu had already encountered the Signet’s forces, and the giants never won a single battle against the invaders. In every single skirmish against the otherworldly military might of The Signet, the Dermilians found themselves completely outmatched. Fifty-eight battles, not a single victory. Nothing but humiliating losses.

Accounts vary, but according to border patrollers and observers, the Ziggurat arrived at dawn, and some kind of beam of light shone from the Ziggurat’s bottom and struck Dermilyu, accompanied with a noise that was described as ’the sound of a million children laughing’.

The Signet’s minions called that weapon ’The Last Laugh’.

Arrows and cannonballs flew, some even hit the Ziggurat, but none of it scratched The Signet’s gigantic flying vessel. The beam consumed everything within Dermilyu’s borders, and after an hour of anguish, all that was left was bone. Nothing could defend against the beam’s power.

I’ve been there myself. In the name of all the gods I swear true: There is nothing there anymore but a horizon, sunlight gleaming off of the bones of the dead. Their entire past has been erased.

This was the power of The Signet. They could erase a nation whenever they wanted.

Many ask, why didn’t The Signet do this to every other country that opposed them? Why was Dermilyu the only Kingdom that suffered this incredibly cruel fate?

I have a theory. On the day before the Ziggurat’s arrival, King Vondar made a declaration to his subjects. He stood on Mount Parapen, the tallest summit in the kingdom, and shouted to his people:

“We are invincible! We will repel The Signet, just as we have driven back all our foes! We will never be their slaves!”

Now, The Signet have been known to go after the most boastful people. Despite their chaotic, bewildering behavior, there is one clear pattern: they are most aggressive against anyone who claims they are ‘invincible’ or ‘immortal’. Even more so if they mention The Signet by name.

I personally believe… that King Vondar’s speech unintentionally summoned the Ziggurat.

His voice was said to carry far and wide, as the mountain he stood one was known to amplify echoes through the unique crystals found there. It is not so far-fetched to believe that the Ziggurat, which was flying nearby, heard his speech and responded.

I have no love for the Dermilyu Kingdom. Many of my friends were enslaved by them.

But even I think this was too cruel for them. There were Dermilians who left the kingdom and met me, and they were among the kindest souls I’ve ever met. I imagine some of the people killed by The Last Laugh were kind as well, just never left.

May The Signet pay for their atrocities.

====

Count Artimen is crying in anguish. You can see his fists clenched and shaking. Your people cannot hear him whisper to himself, but you can:

“Vondar… The Signet… I will kill you both.”

He regains his composure, and reiterates his promise of supporting your people and never allowing slavery ever again. Your people already know this, but are reassured nonetheless. He then mentions that he had forgotten about the Dermilians who migrated over the years. Many of them formed isolated enclaves, due to the unfortunate reputation of their country, but this means there might be more giants still alive in the world than he first thought.

The possibility gives him hope, and he is ever more determined to help you.

You remember that you have another one Hildevert’s Journals, the one about the Hate Box. You were distracted by Valen at the time, the visitor from Preeray. You suggest to the Refugeville Eldest to read it, and he does so:

====

Hildevert’s Journal:

The Hate Box

I was stranded on Barnacle Island for three days after my boat was struck by a javelin the size of a horse. It was there on that island I saw the Hate Box, a cube-shaped building covered entirely in spikes, tiny misshapen eyes and rotten meat. Flies swarmed its exterior, making it look black as coal.

There were no guards, for the Hate Box needed none. The javelin that struck my boat, it was one of the spikes from that very same building. It hated me, and I hated it.

The Hate Box had little legs on the underside, like little awful sausages that learned how to crawl. It was slow, but persistent as it chased after me. Exhaustion took me after a day’s worth of walking and running, and the Hate Box took me inside it.

Inside, I saw other people, bound to the rotten flesh within. Their bodies were slowly peeled away by tiny steel claws. If they bled, their blood was sucked out and then put back into their bodies. It was impossible to die until the very last bit of you was gone.

All of it was designed for the sake of cruel torture. A nightmare given form.

I recognized two of the twenty victims trapped within. Margareta, a raider who attacked Signet supply lines. Geroh, a knight who distracted their minions while refugees fled. They were still alive, but a quarter of their bodies were gone.

I was ready to accept my horrid fate, when the pendant in my pocket started to hum. It was a pendant given to me by the Hamamao, a tribe I visited a week earlier. Imbued with the power of the Goddess of Justice, it repelled the claws and fleshy hands that tried to trap me.

My resolve renewed, I ran for the one exit the Hate Box had, and dove into the sea. The Hate Box could not enter water, as it turned out, and I did my best to hide behind the remains of other ships that were wrecked here.

I managed to find a big ship that would serve as shelter, and so I swam to it and climbed inside. There were enough supplies to last me a week, so I spent that time using parts of the ship to build a crude raft.

Using the big ship as cover, I escaped Barnacle Island as the Hate Box threw spikes in my direction.

One day, I will come back, and I will destroy that wretched creation.

====

Another abomination. You’ll have to remember Barnacle Island, maybe one day you’ll find a way there.

A crossbow has a value of 200 crumbits, and we have four? Selling one seems like a good idea to me, then. That would easily let us buy both shrines and still have plenty left over. Buying the journal and smithing manual with the rest seems good.
…
I suppose Bidabog and Tanggara are the most interesting options from a narrative perspective, Zalana aligns with our principles, and Alstalti is just generally useful. Personally I'm inclined to go for Bidabog and Alstalti at the moment.

A crossbow is sold off, and the two shrines are purchased. Alstalti and Bidabog’s names are invoked.

A tiny purple flower manifests in your village!



The goddess Alstalti speaks through the flower:

“People of Refugeville, you are now under my protection. My blessing will keep your food from rot, and no disease can spread within the walls of this village. If you sacrifice to me, I will also reveal the mysteries of medicine to you.”

New Blessing acquired:

[Healer’s Ward]
No disease can spread within your village and your food will never spoil. However, infected people will remain infected even after entering Refugeville.

It is not perfect protection, but at least this means a single plague won’t wipe out your entire community.

Bidabog swoops into your village!



The Dragon Deity speaks:

“Friends of Rimewulf, honorable worshippers, Kin of Dragons. I will come to you when your village is threatened, and I give you a gift: blow into this horn and your hide will be armored like a dragon’s body. May your enemies roast in your battles.”

[Dragonscale Horn]
Whoever blows into the horn gains Dragonscale, which can combine with Devoted Wolfpack blessing. Twelve animals must be sacrificed for it to work again.

Your people are happy to see Bidabog, but after a few minutes, it becomes apparent she is not leaving.

The head of Azimuth screams.

Oh no.

She looks at your Eldest, and says:

“Your guess is correct. An enemy is coming. Those who have strength, wits and courage, fight alongside me.”

Your people tremble and ask, what is coming?

She looks towards the west, and replies:

“Signet knights. Thirty of them. All of them are humans in full plate armor and they carry Glacier-spears. ”

Glacier-spears! They’re magical weapons that act like wands, and can freeze opponents at a distance. Even Bidabog can find difficulty fighting against foes armed with such weapons, for if one hits one of her wings, for example, it would be frozen and she would not be able to fly!

You look at your armory:

5 Steel Maces
1 Iron Knife
5 Stone Axes
1 Stone Shovel
2 Steel Hooked Chains
1 Ceramic Dagger
1 Wheeled Dermilyu Cannon (5 Cannonballs, 5 Bags of Gunpowder)
3 Dermilyu Crossbows (with 16 crossbow bolts)
1 Jar of Acid

20 villagers are willing and able to fight. This includes Aello the winged woman, emboldened by Bidabog’s presence.

“May victory be in our grasp.”

The Signet’s 30 warriors are coming. They are all flesh-and-blood knights in steel armor, carrying spears, sworn to obey the orders of their cruel masters. Heavy blunt weapons, gunpowder, fire, crossbows and acid will come in handy. Bidabog will attack the knights once they get within the walls, as their Glacier-spears can cast magic from far away.

Your warriors pull out the cannon. There is not much time, they will reach Refugeville in ten minutes. Your people defend the village by…

- Firing a cannon at the enemy from long range to thin their numbers as much as possible.

- Waiting until they get inside the walls, then shoot them at close range with crossbows and the cannon.

- Attaching a cannon to Bidabog’s right front leg, so she can use it like a gun. She can fire it using her breath.

- Having crossbow-users ride Bidabog, so they can shoot from the skies.

- Get Aello the winged woman to drop cannonballs from above while the ones on the ground also attack.

- Something else

>_

Show Content

Spoiler
Population: 25 out of 28 shelter spaces

Allies:
Preeray Village - Gains Guarded Thoughts blessing for Refugeville, traded for 5 hunks of food daily

Padabon Village - Sends daily Care Packages (Temporarily on hold), Arara’s Shade blessing.

Count Artimen - Claimant to the Dermilyu Throne

Wealth: 57 crumbits

Injured:
2 Dermilyu Guards

Animals:
1 Dog (Relief)
2 Cows (Bilin, Daina)
1 Horse (Comet)

Agriculture:
12 tapioca (growing, 8 days left)
10 mangould (growing, 6 days left)
20 underground mushrooms (growing, 4 days left)

Weapons:
Steel Mace x 5 (30 crumbits)
Iron Knife x 1 (4 crumbits)
Stone Axe x 5 (2 crumbits)
Stone Shovel x 1 (2 crumbits)
Steel Hooked Chains x 2 (Equipped by Guards, 8 crumbits each)
Ceramic Dagger x 1 (6 crumbits)
Wheeled Dermilyu Cannon x 1 (4000 crumbits)
Cannonball x 5 (10 crumbits)
Bag of Gunpowder x 5 (6 crumbits)
Dermilyu Crossbow x 3 (200 crumbits, 16 crossbow bolts)

Vehicles:
Crude Wooden Raft (Kori won’t buy it)

Guards:
Two Chain-Hook Users

Merchants:
Kori (Miscellaneous Goods)
Ogot (Building Materials)

Stockpile:
304 branches (1 crumbit for 4 branches)
5 beef jerky (5 crumbits each)
8 rabbit meat (2 crumbits each)
18 rabbit jerky (3 crumbits each)
20 fish meat (2 crumbits each)
5 dried fish filet (3 crumbits each)
9 jars of milk (4 crumbits each)
1 jar of oil (10 crumbits each)
5 loincloths (1 crumbit each)
30 pieces of clay (2 crumbits each)
188 stones
1 Bottle of Wine (40 crumbits each)
2 Bottles of Mead (30 crumbits each)
9 iron ingots (8 crumbits each)

Buildings:
1 stone house (with basement)
1 shrine
1 palisade
1 fishpond
1 rabbit hutch

Items:
2 Steel Hammers
Leather Bag
4 Treated Bandages
Construction Manual
Yaranga Phrasebook
2 Steel Pliers
2 Boxes of matches
1 Steel Chain
1 Compass
1 Cooler Crystal (Refrigerates Food)

Fishblood Lantern - A lantern that uses fish blood as fuel. Provides light and warmth. One adult fish from the river should be enough for one night. Easy to carry, even for a dog or a wolf.

Copy of Hildevert’s Journal: Hate Box - The Signet have been hunting a man named Hildevert for the past month, and he continues to elude capture. This book is about what he saw in a place called the Hate Box, a place where powerful prisoners are tortured for amusement.

Copy of Hildevert’s Journal: Dermilyu Horizon - Hildevert records what he saw at the home of the Dermilyu people.

Mycah Wizard Robe - Doesn’t grant magical powers, but Mycah spells are woven into it that protect the wearer from undeath. The spells repel teeth and rotten meat, so it’s perfect for fighting ghouls.

Acid Jar - A jar full of liquid that will melt anything metal. Extremely useful against armored opponents and locks.

Smithing Manual - Contains instructions on how to make various metal tools and weapons, as well as how to make a good forge.

Divine Artifacts:

Shrunken Head of Asimuth - Screams when an agent of the Signet sees Refugeville.

Blessings:

Devoted Wolfpack: Rimewulf’s followers can transform into wolves at night, granting faster movement, enhanced senses and combat strength.

Call of the Wild: Once per day, you may summon one animal to appear in the village. The animal will always obey your people and never harm them.

Arara’s Shade: Your people can endure heat that would normally cause heatstrokes. A common blessing for desert-dwellers and those who wish to endure drought.

Guarded Thoughts: Your people are protected from mind-altering poisons and curses. They cannot be brainwashed or mind controlled, not even by the Signet.

Healer’s Ward: No disease can spread within your village and your food will never spoil. However, infected people will remain infected even after entering Refugeville.

Dragonscale Horn: Whoever blows into the horn gains Dragonscale, which can combine with Devoted Wolfpack blessing. Twelve animals must be sacrificed for it to work again.

Curses:

Marked By The Signet: The Signet will never stop sending scouts.