REFUGEVILLE

...Well, after the... whatever the ever-loving fuck is dealt with/successfully evaded, it'd definitely be best to get back to that train of thought about improving the sleeping area. At the moment, I'm split between either having someone go out in wolf form, or putting our daily use of Call of the Wild to call forth an animal buddy, but... I'm not sure what'd be best for this particular situation, though. If I were feeling more aggressive, I'd be tempted to summon, like... a bear or... hell, a hippo, maybe. Not sure what'd be good for scoutin' things out.

Maybe a rabbit? Hrm. Either way... Even if we did have an animal try and tell us what the hell, would we be able to understand them as-is, or would we need to have someone turn into a wolf and serve as an animal interpreter? ...Actually, would that even work with other animals, or just canines, for that matter?

From the descrption of the ability, it says it works onany animal, no matter whator wher they were, and that they would obey about any command, owever there is no mention whatsoever of bing able to undertand them, wolf form or not.

We could use call of the wild later to get some burrowing animals (i doubt our villagers know what a wombat is sowe'll haveto do with a badger or a wolverine) to help make the underground era bigger and more emediatly, dig a small exit tunnel.
( Too small to be used in human form untill it's made bigger lter with shovels, likely, but someone in wold form could use to get out discreetly. Unless y'knowthere are giant version of said burrowing animals that'd be even better. Kri spider people seems to hve dug a hoe network of tunnels s if anyone know about that it'd be her.)

There is also a lot that could be done to improve,dig more, make the form more regular, smooth the floor, reinfrce the walls and floor with wooden boards, putting some dried herbs as isolation... assumng the signet leave us two seconds without sending a monster that is.

As for the current crisis,I think the best thing is to send the stealthier villager in wolf form while the rest hunker down there.

I agree with sending someone out in wolf form for reconnaissance. Check it out, and flee the very moment they get a passing understanding of what they're up against. Never tarry for too long with what the Signet can do to people.

At the same time, like above, it would be a good idea to summon a digging animal to expand the underground quarters. I'd say some of the villagers can go wolf form to increase the size of the place, but one could also try summoning badgers to help out, either that or a female dog, both for more help and as a companion for Relief.

We should probably hold off on summoning anything until we know what we're up against. A burrowing animal is certainly an option, but we might find something else more immediately useful depending on what the Signet's sent out.

would we need to have someone turn into a wolf and serve as an animal interpreter? ...Actually, would that even work with other animals, or just canines, for that matter?

Dogs and wolves only. The world of animals has countless languages.

I agree with sending someone out in wolf form for reconnaissance. Check it out, and flee the very moment they get a passing understanding of what they're up against. Never tarry for too long with what the Signet can do to people.

One of the villagers musters the courage to go into wolf-form and run upstairs. He looks out from inside the house.



It’s a pillar made of heads. Seven pale, porcelain heads, all of them balanced on top of each other. They are intently observing the Shrunken Head of Asimuth, still yelling. The seven heads are talking amongst themselves.

Top head: “This head is not one of our kin. This one is made of flesh.”

4th head from top: “I wish it would stop shouting.”

The top head regurgitates some sort of towel, dripping wet with spit. The bottom head deftly jams it into the artifact’s mouth. It’s still screaming, but muffled now.

Top head: “That’s better.”

2nd head from top: “This isn’t responsible for killing the Galgom, is it?”

Top head: “Extremely unlikely. Whoever did it has already left.”

3rd head from top: “This place, it looks like someone’s lived here. There is a palisade, a shrine, and other things.”

The top head then turns, and looks straight at the wolf-villager.

Top head: “We should investigate the house. There’s some kind of giant dog in it.”

2nd head from the top: “That’s a wolf.”

Bottom head: “We don’t have time for an inspection. We’re here to retrieve the Galgom’s soul, and we have about twelve more souls to collect before our boss grinds us into paste.”

Top head: “I suppose you’re right. Damn the miscreants.”

3rd head from the top: “Been a lot of these, lately. The slaves are getting braver.”

5th head from the top: “You mean more stupid.”

All of the heads laugh.

The pillar of heads sprouts several insect-like legs and skitters away. That explains how they got past the palisade.



However, just before it finishes climbing the wooden walls, it suddenly runs back to the house.

Top head: “Just a quick search and we’ll go.”

Bottom head: “Fine.”

What should the wolf-villager do?

- Dash out of the house, distracting the pillar of heads.

- Make growling noises.

- Run back down to the basement and tell everyone to block the entrance with rocks.

- Attack the head-pillar.

- Vigorously lick the head-pillar.

- Vigorously lick the head-pillars…. and then gouge its eyes out.

- Pee on the head-pillar.

- Remove towel from the head of Asimuth to annoy the head-pillar.

- Something else.

>_

Population: 12 out of 18 shelter spaces

Wealth: 4 crumbits

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

Plants:
12 tapioca (sapling)
10 mangould (sapling)

Weapons:
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)

Guards:
Two Chain-Hook Users

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

Stockpile:
323 branches (1 crumbit for 4 branches)
7 beef jerky (5 crumbits each)
1 deer meat (7 crumbits each)
9 rabbit meat (2 crumbits each)
8 fish meat (2 crumbits each)
2 jar of milk (4 crumbits each)
4 loincloths (1 crumbit each)
30 pieces of clay (2 crumbits each)
191 stones

Buildings:
1 stone house (with basement)
1 shrine
1 palisade

Items:
Leather Bag
2 Treated Bandages
Construction Manual

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.

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.

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.

Curses:

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

This place, it looks like someone’s lived here. There is a palisade, a shrine, and other things.”

(See ? that's why I'm warry of building too much stuff on the surface and would prefer extend underground.

That said, as we extend underground, I think we should install a series of easily defensible narrow passages and secret 'doors', just wooden planks big enough to block passage but each recovered with dirt and rocks and rubble, that way the entrance underground doesn't look obvious if someone inspect inside the house.)

- Pee on the head-pillar.

(... I'd be lying if I said it isn't kind of tempting but it would look kind of supsicious, not really what a normal wolf would do in this situation

Sadly that also preclude removing the towel unless they can make it look unintentional because that would clearly blow our villager cover)

Fuighting the thing inn anyway should be the last ressort because even if we can kill ikt (we have no idea what it's capapble off) or don't suffer massive casulaty, you can bet another stronger or sneakier signet agent would be sent to investigate it's dispearance and soon enough we'd be found.

Going to the basement and telling everyone to block the entrance with rocks /then either making growling sounds or dashing out as a distraction to gain time (maybe kill one of the rabbits to make it look like hunting (which is what a normal wolf would do) seems the best choice.

Agreeing with the above sentiment. If possible, the wolf villager should also run as far away as possible after killing the rabbit and wait for sunrise before coming back home.

Yeah, we have 2 options: fight or trick.

If we were to go the fight route, we could use the discord between the heads to our advantage. But we would need to ensure that none of the heads escape.

The trick route seems to be the most likely to succeed, as some of the heads already assume that the place is abandoned and the golem killer has already left.

Some things we know about these heads:

• They are not made of flesh.
  
• They look(are?) made of porcelain
  
• They have a threatening boss
  
• They communicate verbally, but have the ability to maintain their balance and coordinate with each other
  
• The head on top makes most of their decisions.
  
• They can produce objects from their openings (limit unknown)
  
• They can harvest "souls"
  

The plan smuchmuch mentioned seems sound. It traps the heads into the hut and makes it look abandoned. If something goes wrong, the wolf on the outside can slam the door shut and trap the existing heads for a fight. Porcelain is not an indestructible material, possibly why they are worried about being "ground to dust."

I worry we might lose the chance to learn more about these heads. Here is an agent of the Signet that we can talk to, that knows a lot about the outside world. They are dangerous but could contain valuable information.

So another option: we use Call of the Wild to summon a bull inside of our hut.

When the heads enter: we have a bull in a china shop.

Worst case- they kill the bull. At least we get some meat.

Best case - the bull breaks all of the heads except for one, that we contain with rocks and threats of smashing we get info and smash it if things look bad. Oh also we now have a bull to mate with our cows.

The bull taking shelter in the hut wouldn't raise too much suspicion, as there's no tags or harnesses on it. And why is it so angry? It just saw a freaking wolf in there!

It would also be nice for our settlers to find out that now, sometimes a random friendly animal just shows up to help.

Agreeing with the above sentiment. If possible, the wolf villager should also run as far away as possible after killing the rabbit and wait for sunrise before coming back home.

The villager dashes out of the house, and catches the Head-Pillar’s interest. He then stalks the rabbits across the river.

Top head: Ooooh.

3rd head from top: Yea yea yea yea yea!

Is the creature actually enjoying this? How strange… but fortuitous. The wolf-villager stalls for time as he pretends to hunt the rabbit.

Top head: Wager?

Bottom head: No. We have no money.

6th head from top: Silence!

The villager pounces, and (deliberately) misses, causing the rabbits to scatter.

5th head from top: Blood! Blood! Blood!

2nd head from top: WE WANT BLOOD!

4th head from top: And guts!

Then all of the heads chant.

All heads: Blood and guts! Blood and guts! Blood and guts!

The wolf-villager hesitates, disturbed by the creature’s taste for violence. However, you silently urge him to continue the hunt and kill a rabbit. He does so, and the Head-Pillar cheers.

All of the heads are laughing with unbridled glee. They clearly love the slaughter. Your wolf-villager is sickened but maintains the facade.

Top head: That was fun.

5th head from top: But now we really have to rush. No time to check this house now.

4th head from top: It’s probably empty anyway. It’s a wolf’s den. Slaves may be idiots but they’re not stupid enough to sleep in a wolf den.

Top head: Oh, I suppose you’re right. I can sense the Mark of the Signet, though.

3rd head from top: Maybe the wolf ate someone who had the Mark. The Mark keeps working forever, after all.

Top head: Possible. Seems like such a waste to keep sending scouts to this place.

6th head from top: Does not matter to our Bosses. They have resources to spare. Enough to keep sending scouts here for a hundred years. Or a thousand.

Bottom head: HEY! Are we moving on or what?

The heads agree to finally leave. The wolf-villager is relieved, but that conversation confirms that the Mark of the Signet, branded onto all of them when they were captured earlier, will never stop being a problem for Refugeville.

The Mark calls out to the Signet’s agents. Though it can only give a vague location, it nonetheless acts as a beacon. It is a curse that cannot be broken… yet. None of the gods is powerful enough to erase it.

With blood in his mouth, the wolf-villager removes the cloth from the head of Asimuth and returns to the basement. He tells the others what transpired, and after a short discussion about the Head-Pillar, they sleep with the surface still smattered with rain.

Dawn arrives. Your people check the fish trap, and they find 11 fish. 2 jars of milk are also gained from the two cows. They also tie the Yaranga woman’s raft to a secure stake in the ground.

Kori and Ogot open shop. Kori has new things to sell, brought to her through the secret Merchants’ Tunnels.



The Morning Market:

- Yaranga Phrasebook (4 crumbits)
A book with simple phrases for communicating with a member of the Yaranga Tribe, two of whom have joined your community. Includes useful phrases such as “Hello”, “Goodbye”, “Thank You” and “Run Away”.

- Fishblood Lantern (5 crumbits)
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 (3 crumbits)
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.

- Mycah Wizard Robe (10 crumbits)
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.

- Fishing Trap (10 crumbits): Requires a piece of meat as bait, but can catch up to 10 fish every day in the river.

- 2 Treated Bandages (1 crumbit each): Bandages that have been soaked with medicine to speed up heals from cuts.

- Acid Jar (7 crumbits): A jar full of liquid that will melt anything metal. Extremely useful against armored opponents and locks.

Ogot’s Materials:

10 clay bricks = 2 crumbits
30 branches = 1 crumbit
10 stones = 1 crumbit
1 iron ingot = 5 crumbits

Construction Projects List:

Show Content

Spoiler
Stake Trap = 1 branch
A trap that can be hidden in the ground, it will seriously ruin the leg of anyone unfortunate enough to step on it.

Stone Wall = 300 stones
An eight-foot stone wall surrounding the settlement, with stairs.

Brick Wall = 300 clay bricks
An eight-foot brick wall surrounding the stone house, with stairs. Stronger than the stone wall.

Watch Tower = 50 branches
A ten-foot tower with a roof, helpful for seeing incoming threats.

Stone Tower = A more defensible watch-tower, resistant to fire.
Requires 60 stones.

(Underground)

Defensible Tunnel Door = 40 branches

Tunnel Trap = 1 branch
A sharp stick pointing straight up. Stepping on this will ruin someone’s foot.

Basement Flooring = 100 branches
Covers entire basement with proper floors.

(Furniture)

Table = 20 branches
Chair = 10 branches
Torch = 2 branches

(Tools)

Stone Hammer = 1 stone, 1 branch
Stone Shovel = 1 stone, 1 branch
Stone Axe = 1 stone, 1 branch

Blacksmith’s Workshop: Can be used to make metal tools, armor and weapons.
Requires Fire, 30 stones, 5 iron ingots, 1 table, 1 chair.

Laboratory: Necessary for research and testing new inventions.
Requires Fire, 30 Stones, 20 branches, 8 iron ingots.

Explosive Decoy: A person-sized doll that explodes when struck with a blunt or sharp object.
Requires 8 branches, 1 jar of oil, clothing, 1 sparkflower.

Catapult: Artillery capable of throwing heavy objects.
Requires 100 branches, 20 stones.

What should they purchase? You can also summon an animal and then harvest it for things to sell. Kori doesn’t buy living things.

>_

Population: 12 out of 18 shelter spaces

Wealth: 4 crumbits

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

Plants:
12 tapioca (sapling, 20 days left)
10 mangould (sapling, 16 days left)

Weapons:
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)

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

Guards:
Two Chain-Hook Users

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

Stockpile:
323 branches (1 crumbit for 4 branches)
7 beef jerky (5 crumbits each)
1 deer meat (7 crumbits each)
9 rabbit meat (2 crumbits each)
19 fish meat (2 crumbits each)
4 jar of milk (4 crumbits each)
4 loincloths (1 crumbit each)
30 pieces of clay (2 crumbits each)
191 stones

Buildings:
1 stone house (with basement)
1 shrine
1 palisade

Items:
Leather Bag
2 Treated Bandages
Construction Manual

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.

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.

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.

Curses:

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

Dang. Certainly some useful new stuff. I'm thinkin'... maybe sell a piece of jerky, three pieces of fish meat, then buy the Yaranga phrase book, fish blood lantern, and a copy of Hildevert's Journal. Afterwards, let's... get to work on actually installing some damned flooring in our basement. Also, I'm thinking of summoning an animal buddy via Call of the Wild. A horse for one of our hookmen, maybe? Or perhaps a chicken? Could also maybe get a mule in case we want to head further out and try to head further out for scavenging purposes.

We start with 4 crumbits

Sell

3 Stone axes (6 crumbits)
2 Jars of Milk (8 crumbits)
1 deer meat (7 crumbits)
1 beef jerky (5 crumbits)
6 fish meat (12 crumbits)

which gives us 42 crumbits

With which we can buy... everything Kori has in stock if we wanted since her total adds up to 41 crumbits.

That said do we need another fish trap ? I think we could build our owns with some of the wood we have, now that we have on to imitate. (and even if we can a single trap is good enough for now, we dodn't want to overfish. It's a miracle there are fish in this rver at all given what the signet is doing to the land.)

So I say let's buy everything Kori has except the fishing trap.
That leave us with 11 crumbits (a benefit of 7 crumbits total). yes we has to tap in our food reserve but mostly in easily renewable foods (milk and fish) and one luxury food we coud easily replace with call of the wild.

We can use call of the wild to get an animal we could cut for meat sure but I'd rather we get another cow, I think we might have jsut enough space and greass for one more and that means more jars of mik.
(and if the cow is young enough we could het a bull later and with that we have a sustaining cattle breeding.)

Also lets plant sme of those sapplings we aren't eating, might as well do sometingith them.

Also lets plant sme of those sapplings we aren't eating, might as well do sometingith them.

The saplings in the list are the ones already planted in the ground, and the time indicated is how long before they bear something to harvest

Agreeing with smuchmuch's buying and selling suggestions.

Also, we might want to focus on creating invisible traps and underground defenses for now. So I suggest constructing a few stake traps scattered about the premises (at least as many as can be made before nightfall) as well as a defensible door and covering the entire underground floor with proper flooring (because seriously we need our people to be comfy)

crazy idea: try to cut the brand out of your skin. wrap with bandages.

I doubt the brand is a physical thing. Knowing what we know about the Signet, I wouldn't be surprised if it's something they engraved upon the very souls of those they've branded.

I'm against the selling of things like that. I feel like we're min-maxing and game-ifying things way too much with that. Like, it removes any sense of narrative and just makes it a numbers game. These are people who aren't sure what hellish creature tomorrow would bring... I don't think they'd readily sell food unless it was gonna spoil otherwise. I don't think they'd sell spare tools and equipment that may be necessary, even if they're easy to replace at the moment. I mean, if you want to game the system... sell branches at 4 for 1c then buy 30 for 1c.... then sell 28 branches for 7c. Like.. it just gets silly when you start "breaking the system" that way.

That being said...

> I actually think we should say 28 branches so that we get 7 crumbits so we can get the Phrasebook and the Journal copy.

i just want to curry more favor with rimewulf so we can use call of the wild more than once a day to lead a pack of elephants to stampede all over the Signet

With all due respect, Gloomy I understand your point but disagree because as far as I can tell:

-Thans to the fish trap, We have lots of food, and, I feel it's somewhat important here, as far as I can tell no real way to conserve it. We can't smoke it, salt it or jerky it. Selling part of your food you won't be able to eat before it spoils seems a pretty fairly straightforward behavior

-The villagers do seem to implicitly trust their guardian spirit (that would be us) to tell them the right thing which will lead them to survival even if it's somewhat counter intuitive.
They also know the Signet is as much a threat as running out of food, in fact for most of thm it's much bigger trauma and the regular abomination coming in frequently are alway a angerous reminder, therefore any information on it is a good investment

I don't feel it's really 'gaming the system', at least that's not what I was though I was trying to do here. But the fact is, the way Mayu prsent the adventure is pretty board/video gamey in some ways (that's not a reproach by the way, I enjoy it jsut fine), with comerce in fixed prices, building costing finite and definite amount of rsources, technologies and new having to be bought in the form of books, and do on, so it's kinda hard to escape it, sorry.

(I will however admit to a personal bias. As I enjoy things like writting and lore, I tend to be curious, so yes I will push for the aquisition of more informationw hen we can unless i feel it's really not an option or out of character.)

I'm against the selling of things like that. I feel like we're min-maxing and game-ifying things way too much with that. Like, it removes any sense of narrative and just makes it a numbers game. These are people who aren't sure what hellish creature tomorrow would bring... I don't think they'd readily sell food unless it was gonna spoil otherwise. I don't think they'd sell spare tools and equipment that may be necessary, even if they're easy to replace at the moment. I mean, if you want to game the system... sell branches at 4 for 1c then buy 30 for 1c.... then sell 28 branches for 7c. Like.. it just gets silly when you start "breaking the system" that way.

Kori doesn't have infinite money. How much does she have with her? She won't say. She'll keep buying, but at some point she will have to stop and leave to get more crumbits. For now, the villagers can keep selling what their Guardian Ghost asks them to, but keep in mind that Kori's coffers aren't perpetually full.

She won't say how much money she has with her because she doesn't want to risk tempting a villager into robbing her, and also because she doesn't want your people to raise prices if they find something she really wants. Peeking into her sack of goods and cash is always an option, but she will be upset.

i don't want to look at kori's purse, she's nice :<

crazy idea: try to cut the brand out of your skin. wrap with bandages.

The villagers tried doing this before they escaped the slave camp, but it only caused the Mark to appear elsewhere. Flaying oneself only causes the Mark to appear on your organs. Whatever this curse is, it's persistent and requires immense power to remove.

Unfortunately, Rimewulf is nowhere near strong enough to pull it off. Perhaps a Paradise Gem could work, but no one has seen one in years since The Signet banned them. Paradise Gems are alive, and they hate the Signet so strongly they will immediately exorcise curses without being asked. There are even stories about Paradise Gems growing limbs to fight Signet monsters, but those tales sound like nonsense.

Also, I'm thinking of summoning an animal buddy via Call of the Wild. A horse for one of our hookmen, maybe?

You activate Call of the Wild.

A mare materializes in the middle of the village. Everyone is absolutely confused, until they find Rimewulf’s rune on its body. They understand that this horse is a gift from above, though they remain unaware of your presence.



One of the hook-users climbs on top of the horse, and the mare gallops with energy. Traversing the land and chasing foes should be easier now. Your people collectively name the horse “Comet”, in the hopes that it will encourage the animal to go ever faster.

Sometimes you wish you could just possess a villager and make them do things for you instead of nudging them in subtle ways, but the ritual that turned you into a Guardian Ghost will not allow it.

Sell

3 Stone axes (6 crumbits)
2 Jars of Milk (8 crumbits)
1 deer meat (7 crumbits)
1 beef jerky (5 crumbits)
6 fish meat (12 crumbits)

which gives us 42 crumbits
With which we can buy... everything Kori has in stock if we wanted since her total adds up to 41 crumbits.
So I say let's buy everything Kori has except the fishing trap.

The people make their purchase, and the items are added to the stockpile.

Before everyone can get to work on making spears and axes, a visitor arrives from the south.



She looks very strange. Her hat is so large it might as well be touching the sky, and you yourself do not understand how it has not destroyed its wearer’s neck. However, the Shrunken Head of Asimuth is not screaming, so she is at least not an agent of the Signet.

The stranger introduces herself as Valen, ‘from down south’. Her hat is constantly changing in size, as if it’s in an ongoing argument with the cosmos over what the maximum height for hats should be. Her eyes are perpetually shifting as well, darting in every direction as if she wanted to dash everywhere at once.

Your villagers are deeply unsettled by Valen’s presence. She seems friendly enough, but her behavior and hat are just… strange. Ignoring their concerns, Valen goes straight into conversation.

Valen: Good morning! Is good to see people! Very happy that you all are safe! Once again, I am Valen, and I would like to tell you about important things!

The eldest of your people, musters the courage to talk.

Eldest: Well met, Valen. What do you wish to talk about?

Valen’s eyes continue to dart around in random directions.

Valen: Ghouls! Ghouls down south, they come from enormous box, yes? My village down south, Preeray, was attacked by ghouls and we want to fight them down to the last cadaver, but we lack the raw people-power.

Eldest: You would like us to assist you?

Valen: Goodness, yes, but not necessarily! You can donate some money to our cause so we can hire mercenaries too if you’d like! You can give food too. Food is very valuable these days, what with them Signet controlling every big farm in the world. Some people care more for food and drink than silver!

Kori warns your people this Valen person could be a liar. She has never heard of Preeray before, and Valen might be just trying to get free money or food.

Valen: Are you all scared of my eyes? Sorry, but I’m just checking for ghouls. When the ghouls attacked Preeray, they were all hidden at first. In the grass, behind walls, trees, bushes. They were just bits and pieces but they could still bite. I’m scared of ghouls. Afraid of them. So sorry for my constant vigilance.

Eldest: I see. What about your hat? Why does it keep changing its shape?

Valen: It’s a curse! Signet cursed me! They wanted my hat to get so long it could reach the sky, but they weren’t sure how to make it stay that way so it keeps getting longer and shorter! Don’t ask me WHY they did it. Nobody can make sense of them.

She points to the Sigil of Courage stitched on her hat.

Valen: Though maybe this thing is why. They hate it. Anyway, do you have food or money to spare? If not, maybe you can let me borrow a few warriors to kill some ghouls. We want to wipe them out once and for all. The box just keeps spewing out ghouls and we hate it. We want to kill it.

Eldest: Are you certain it can be done?

Valen: Of course! It’s an abomination, an affront to gods, but it’s just a big box full of dead people and if we can burn its insides, we win! We just need oil, fire, and more oil. Oh, and fire arrows maybe. Or bombs? Anything fire! Ghouls bad, fire good.

Eldest: I see. So where is your village? Preeray?

Valen: It’s inside a thick swamp. There’s only one trail leading in. We don’t let visitors in, normally. No traders. We go out of the swamp if we want to trade, and we never tell people where we’re from. Security, you see. Didn’t do much good against ghouls, though, so we thought we should stop isolating ourselves. Old chief, he’s a dead ghoul now. New chief, he’s smarter. Said we should go and find other people and ask for help. Maybe move somewhere else too, because the swamp has so many body parts it’s hard to ever feel safe anymore.

You notice Valen is carrying several weapons, partially hidden under her cloak. Clubs, blades, metal balls. She’s definitely the cautious sort. You also see something moving underneath, a small rat or a bird maybe.

Valen: So would you like to help us? Please say yes? Yes?

What should your people do?

- Send some people to accompany Valen.

- Donate crumbits.

- Donate food.

- Donate weapons.

- Donate Mycah Robe, which is perfect for ghoul-fighting.

- Donate the horse.

- Something else.

>_


Population: 12 out of 18 shelter spaces

Wealth: 1 crumbit

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

Plants:
12 tapioca (sapling, 20 days left)
10 mangould (sapling, 16 days left)

Weapons:
Iron Knife x 1 (4 crumbits)
Stone Axe x 2 (2 crumbits)
Stone Shovel x 1 (2 crumbits)
Steel Hooked Chains x 2 (Equipped by Guards, 8 crumbits each)

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

Guards:
Two Chain-Hook Users

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

Stockpile:
323 branches (1 crumbit for 4 branches)
6 beef jerky (5 crumbits each)
9 rabbit meat (2 crumbits each)
13 fish meat (2 crumbits each)
2 jar of milk (4 crumbits each)
4 loincloths (1 crumbit each)
30 pieces of clay (2 crumbits each)
191 stones

Buildings:
1 stone house (with basement)
1 shrine
1 palisade

Items:
Leather Bag
4 Treated Bandages
Construction Manual
Yaranga Phrasebook

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Curses:

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

Y'know, I was pretty confused for a moment when I just saw that streak of white cutting through the right side of the picture. Then I scrolled down, and just started laughing. I think I'm gonna like Valen, honestly. Anyways, I'm thinkin' to give her a donation in food. Three fish meat, three rabbit meat, and a jar of milk. Maybe ask her if she wants some a few bundles of branches to make torches with? If I recall right, fire's good against ghouls, though, well... it also attracts their attention. Could use the torchlight as a way to corral the ghouls around and distract them, though. Depends on how fast they are when they're actually active, really.

Well if she's honnest, surely she won't mind of two of our strapping young lads acompagny her back to her village' with our donation (and 'Mycah wizard robe'. I mean to fight ghould what woud come more in handy then a robe that repel undeath ?)
Also let's not mention to her we have the benediction of rimwulf... just in case.

I've got very little to add, but I think it's also a good time to start considering building and/or expanding the underground living quarters in order to give our ever growing population some elbow room. Perhaps some of the remaining able-bodied folk should help dig and we should probably consider putting wooden floors so that their feet don't get cold.