Year 19 hunt & showdown
Sanorad, Cratera, Spiress and Halyran start to hunt the mightiest White Lion settlement has seen skulking nearby since Beast of Sorrow. Soon the part realizes that the lion in question is in heat. This is a minor nuisance to everyone but Spiress, who has no protective barrier of insanity.
Second space is White Lion Cub, and by slaying the little ball of fur survivors anger the mother lion, which attacks immediately. Hunters were caught without Sonorous Rest or Herb Gathering.
I was scared.
And after the first turn I was doubly so. Though White Lion just stood there menacingly, but how menacingly! Smart Cat along with the hunt event result had the White Lion start with Enraged, Bloodthirsty and Alert in play.
Spiress hits with Hollowpoint Arrow, but is then picked as a target for Vicious Claw. But she can dash out of reach.
Halyran uses block and lures White Lion into tall grass, where it continues to scratch and claw him. Despite having impressive evasion +7, White Lion still scores three enraged hits. Halyran survives the attacks without being knocked down.
Sanorad gives the lion a scare by striking it's tail, which is a boon for survivors. Now triggering Bloodthirsty doesn't equal a dead survivor.
Power Swat targets Halyran, but only one hit assures safety in terms of being able to dash from the beast.
When the opportunity arises, Sanorad slays the White Lion.
Scared witless, the survivors make fun of each other in nervous laughter when they walk back to safety of settlement. They call each other names that stick to them.
Year 21
And when survivors were back, Sanurinn Pool greeted Halyran Sunearr, Wise Sneak of the Phoenix and Spiress Brightsilk, Foolish Savior of the Lantern and Cratera, Dingle Sneak of the Lantern and Sanorad, Dingle Fool of the Lion.
This foolishness has settlement innovate Storytelling
Frohlagodhen dies when playing Heart Flute. This gives Unar Bulvans an idea - a chance to have the spotlight turn to him instead of his brother. Unar plays the flute, summoning The Hand.
Falves, Klenovar, Lyrna and Parkara confront The Hand - none have ever been on a hunt, and are drawn by Falves' charisma. The Hand could have been coming with peaceful purposes, but this splinter sect immediately attack the immortal creature.
Showdowns
And a full idiot I was, taking survivor with Hellfire against a nemesis you can't finish off quickly. The Hand was just softly chuckling at my misery of having to watch Falves to slowly cook herself alive. Otherwise The Hand was not amused at having to come to Sanurinn Pool again. It had heard the Heart Flute melody first time, and Grissewan was still playing in it's court. There were no permanent injuries inflicted and the showdown went relatively fine - but compared to the joke of a fight level 1 hand had given, this was a scary one. No permanent injury rolls had to be made, but a couple of Dried Acanthus gears did get burned.
Even Falves did not die. She had the Undeathable charm, which saved her life but took away her once-per-lifetime reroll. Settlement has survival limit of 15, so it was just enough to struggle through the showdown with having to roll undeathable only once. But this would have been completely avoidable.
Applauding Hand also triggered another Undeathable roll for Falves, which she passed without incident.
As the Hand leaves settlement, rather than heard, the word "useless" is felt by everyone at the Pool. The Hand punts a lantern straight to Sanorad, who loses her jaw to this casual toss.
The Hand was not alone, though. This time it left someone behind. A cursed knight, King's Man, is about to execute everyone on sight.
Spenaccio, Halyran, Ghorum and Falves fend off this new threat. Falves dons God Mask, which agitates Chiloresc into a spree of something unintelligible.
Wisdom potion reveals how the creature is hissing and pulsating with acidic fluids in a most trap-like manner. All survivors have a shield, though.
Spenaccio gains King's Step on first try. Falves triggers trap. Silent Hymn affects everyone and makes positioning very difficult. Often survivors fall asleep right to King's Man's halberd blade. However, the drowsiness caused a fit of funniness in survivors. At least Falves and Halyran were laughing maniacally. Spenaccio starts to think himself as immortal, and Ghorum is lulled into sleep by this song. He forgets how to feel vengeful over fallen comrades.
Second time survivors start napping in the thick of combat it suddenly is not all that funny any more. Halyran and Falves wake up by slapping themselves in danger seizures, while Ghorum and Spenaccio are frightened to the point of flight.
Just as survivors are about to fall to the charm for third time, I deem it too risky. King's Man is on the verge of dying. Ghorum who would have been immune to curses is much too far, so Halyran has to make the ultimate sacrifice and tear the knight to pieces with his bare hands. Perhaps he should have done something else, as pieces of armor don't come off from his skin. They start to move on their own closer to Halyran's heart, and start forming a coat of plates. Halyran has fallen under King's Curse.
Year 22
Survivors are no longer the hunters. They have become the hunted. Something draws these human-like creatures to assault Sanurinn Pool. Was it the reckless playing of the Heart Flute, or perhaps there was a reason whe a particular dance pattern had been forbidden?
Whatever the cause, it doesn't only call nemesis attackers. There's a stranger in the dark - an ally, perhaps?
Sacrala considers it her duty to walk up to this man and greet him.
Stranger introduces himself as the Horizon Man, and warns Sacrala that the Sun is about to waken, and that there are people that should stop it. A threat is arriving, but even greater doom looms in the vicinity, and Sacrala would do well to bid her time. After telling this, the man crumbles to dust.
Settlement starts to prepare for the upcoming challenges. It's been a while since Sauna Shrine had been performed, so it goes a little awry and offers only insanity. But a little insane insight allows to craft a life elixir after final element - Rubedo - had been innovated.
Purified Spidunta and Klenovar drink a Love Juice and nearly die from the poisonous brew - it takes away the re-rolls of both. But they do get a Child of the Sun, Spinovar Who?
Chilons drills Spenaccio's delusions of immortality away.
Spenaccio, Parkara, Daress and Falves spend their time in rigorous training. Three latter learn Rhythm Chaser, while the first one mentioned has a Nightmare Training session.
Horizon Man's warning did not go unnoticed. And it pains Sacrala to not confront her somewhat of a personal nemesis, the Manhunter, she knows that even greater enemy is still to come.
Falves, Parkara, Spenaccio and Chiloresc attack the last body harvester to come to Sanurinn Pool.
Chiloresc is visibly distressed by Falves' acquisition of rights to wear God Mask.
Showdowns
And Manhunter knows. He offers a Murderous Gaze to Chiloresc, who just babbles nonsense. He know's he's going to die.
Falves attacks Manhunter with Prism Mace. Four attack rolls and hitting on 3+. Only one is a hit, but does strike two wounds to knotted back.
Spenaccio dextrously King's Steps aside a stake trap and wounds ossified knee guards.
Chiloresc critically injures Grimacing Jaw, which infuriates Manhunter who destroys Chiloresc's genitals once again with a kick. Chiloresc is traumatized by this, yet unable to talk about it. Then comes the killing blow. This was the moment Manhunter promised just a few seconds ago. Chiloresc can see his heart getting pierced by his own bone splinter - but just a Manhunter draws it's blade off from him, the wounds knit back. Life Elixir had made it's magic.
Falves dodges a stake trap and fails to wound gritty groin, but strikes four prayed wounds together in to rippling abs and exposed forearm.
Manhunter turns to Falves and prepares a point blank shot, but Falves dashes out of the field of view, so Manhunter shoots a round into the air.
Spenaccio tries to strike at Manhunter's boot, but this only triggers him to move where Spenaccio stands. Amber Poleaxe failed to wound. Spenaccio dashed adjacent to Manhunter, and then Parkara slammed himself to Manhunter. This time Manhunter impaled itself to Amber Poleaxe, but attack scored only one hit. Which was enough to draw Death Pit, but not enough to draw trap. Parkara fell to the spikes, miraculously unharmed but forever afraid of sharp objects. So he's out when it comes to fighting capability - he can't activate his axe.
Falves comes to take Manhunter's tombstone attack and whatever AI deck could throw at him.
Manhunter swears how survivors will never take him alive. Oh no.
We are looking at a speed 14 attack. Though he's hitting Falves only on 10's, it's still a terrifying attack.
Falves dashes and then Spenaccio dashes to Manhunter's path. Manhunter gets a wound from Amber Poleaxe. So now we're looking at a speed 15 attack. Turns out it sounded more threatening than it was - Manhunter could not get enough of those 10's required.
Chiloresc had been gazing Manhunter all through the fight with Necromancer's eye. It revealed only death and destruction coming up, so Parkara slammed himself to Manhunter, striking the trap off with knuckle shield. So he was able to contribute to fight, after all.
Falves is in trouble, as he is no longer insane for triggering God Mask. She had been losing survival to various reflexes and after attacking Manhunter, had only six survival left. But Manhunter was almost dead.
All it took was Spenaccio's one hit from Amber Poleaxe. And it succeeded.
Chiloresc is wounded and Parkara is emotionally scarred, so they have to take a step back, when the real threat arrives on the scene.
Butcher.
This must be the attacker Horizon Man warned Sacrala, right?
Falves, Sacrala, Spenaccio, Daress arm themselves. Team is almost the best one Sanurinn Pool could gather - perhaps Halyran in place of Spenaccio would'be been the absolute A-team. Chosen field of battle also is bustling with patches of Tall Grass. Should be easy now.
However... suddenly this superior breed of survivors start to fail at everything.
First round was successful when Spenaccio managed to impale Butcher's throat so that Screaming went away. But otherwise every attack missed, or in the case of Falves, drew only traps.
Butcher is only invigorated by the slash at it's throat, so he embraces the pain. Falves, hiding in Tall Grass, would be hit only on 10's so none of this was too bad.
Butcher double hacked at Falves, and scored three hits with Hack City. This was too much - Falves got knocked down, lost rhythm chaser evasion. Daress was Butcher's next pick. He was able to dash away.
Feeling vengeful, Falves tried to attack with Prism Mace but - once again - drew trap.
Sacrala makes far better effort - she scores three hits and succeeds to wound every one of them. But Butcher just doesn't care - he's invincible and passes the 8+ test for every single roll.
Daress desperately launches himself at Butcher's thick cape, and somehow pierces through the invulnerable armor. Round three and first wounds being scored.
Spenaccio receives death sentence in the form of Lantern Frenzy. Slowly Butcher walks next to Spenaccio, who receives +2 understanding from realizing that he WILL die.
During course of single round Spenaccio receives three bleed tokens.
Falves is afraid to attack Butcher with his Prism Mace, but that's what he has to do. It's a huge risk, as he had gained Legendary Lungs. He scored seven hits, but miraculously did not draw a trap. He wounded five times, but there was a reflex that knocked him down.
He had charged himself with a strength token, but had not prayed for Devastating. Plan was to get rid of Lantern Frenzy. Well that succeeded, but as you cannot make other survival actions than to dodge while knocked down, Falves was doomed.
His life hinged on Undeathable once more. But he had pushed his luck too far. Falves was dead.
Sacrala tried to whip Butcher heedless of the terrible danger. Defenders of Sanurinn Pool needed desperate wounds to Butcher now, no matter the cost.
This gambit dealt only two wounds, but at least it did deal wounds.
Finally Butcher had some serious damage inflicted upon him, and this triggered Embracing. Spenaccio dealt one additional collision damage with Ember Poleaxe, and then it began mauling Sacrala. After flailing at her without much of an impact, he gazes to her with the truthful promise of death, and only death. Sacrala remembers White Secret and has become Leyline Walker. But now she is also frenzied.
Butcher hitting only on 10's kept survivors going. Wild Carve that deals automatic damage and bleed tokens was the only real threat there. Only Daress has been able to keep his calm throughout the battle. The remaining two are frenzied.
Five cards left in AI deck by now.
Hacking, Hewing and finally Backhand kills Daress with bleeding tokens.
Sacrala and Spenaccio deal a total of four wounds, so now there is just one card in AI deck. And it's backhand. Butcher tears four bleeding tokens to Spenaccio.
Both survivors realize how injured this nemesis beast is. It seems unable to move, but menacing threat gives three Frenzies for Spenaccio right away.
Praying hard, Sacrala walks to Butcher's blind spot and cracks her whip.
The monster falls down, breathless.
Year 23
It's clear how situation has changed at Sanurinn Pool. They are fighting a losing battle. But to improve their chances, settlement arranges a competitive event for self-improvement. It's dubbed Triathlon of Death.
Chiloresc, Ghorum, Parkara and Sanorad are the contestants.
First they have a running contest. Sanorad is the winner by a large margin. Parkara is second. Ghorum is third, and becomes a target for practical joke. He is gifted with a new pair of boots - which he can't use, thanks to his crystal skin. Laughter is hollow.
Chiloresc sprains his ankle and tears his achilles tendon.
Then contestants participate in debate challenge.
Sanorad, without her lower jaw and Chiloresc who had lost his ability to speak were the two winners, with Chiloresc somehow gaining the upper hand in heated arguments. I sure would have liked to hear that debate. Or perhaps I already have - in politics.
Chiloresc is the undisputed winner. Which makes me wonder. Sanorad almost grasps what Chiloresc is trying to say and is now a point of Understanding away from remembering the White Secret.
Last half are the Orators of Death. Their speech is a little too depressed for the crowds, which infuriates Ghorum. Chiloresc's endless babble is somehow more meaningful than his revelations about death?
Parkara become apathetic since their gift of speaking is so lowly appreciated, and he was rated the worst speaker.
Last, there is the fight contest.
Chiloresc won the battle, with Ghorum close second. Sanorad, on the other hand, unlocked her darker side when she became Abyssal Sadist after severing Parkara's (who didn't even defend himself) hand.
Curiously, both Orators of Death have now lost one of their hand.
Nenena Bulvans, a newborn, tried to learn from Daress' moment of death. Well. Nenena instantly matured to the point of nearly retiring.
Showdown
The Hand is here once more, this time looking nauseated at the mere sight of human. Sacrala gathers the bravest warriors yet to prove themselves.
... which are Sacrala herself, Unar, Spiress and Resculachu.
Without wasting time The Hand orders everyone to line up. It disembowels Spiress and severs Resculachu's genitals. Then Hand offers King's Palm for Resculachu, killing him. Unar Bulvans is tossed aside as the trash he is - Full-Powered Flick kills him.
Then the god-like nemesis gets bored and offers a casual applause, nearly killing Spiress and elevating Sacrala to new heights.
Then, disgusted, The Hand leaves and punts a lantern right into Lyrna's eye, blinding her. Considering Lyrna had encountered The Hand earlier too, maybe this was a message for Lyrna.
So, survivors have started dying. Only two more years for the official ending of People of the Sun.
Year 24
Unar, still feeling vengeful towards his brother. He had his chance, but failed. This only angered him, and now he's back as a phantom!
Departing survivors must lose 1 armor point from random hit location, settlement gains no benefit from Home endeavors and Unar's incessant accusations have Sacrala lose all her insanity.
Chilons drills Parkara's apathy away.
Sauna Shrine ritual is a success.
Sanorad is purified and wastes all of her survival at Nightmare Training.
And as has been the custom, The Hand leaves his bodyguard to deal with remaining survivors. This means a new encounter with King's Man.
But that's for another update.
Survivors of Sanurinn Pool:
Sacrala Sunearr, Reflecting Warrior of the Sun
Speed +1, Accuracy +4, Strength +8, Evasion +4
Courage 6, Understanding 9, Whip Master
Overprotective, Quixotic
Sun Eater, Purpose, Rhythm Chaser
Destroyed genitals
Leyline Walker
- Grand proclamation to become a savior of Sanurinn Pool. Spiritual descendant of Ralala, the original hero of the settlement.
- Architect of level 3 Sacred Pool
- Fell in love with a rock
- Took part in killing a god
- Was warned by the Horizon Man of ill tidings.
- Survivor of The Hand level 3
Killing blows:
Gorm level 2
Phoenix level 2
Butcher level 3
Rablirucsen
----
Ghorum
Accuracy +1, Strength +5
Courage 7, Understanding 3, Katar proficiency 3
Hemophobia, Megalophobia, Absent Seizures
Double Dash, Orator of Death
Dismembered arm
Who is mostly interested in the storm. Whenever he is required to make contact with another human being, he speaks only in the language of death. And if there is a dispute, he can and will settle it by practicing what he speaks.
- Voice of "Reason"
- Lost his hand while inside Screaming Antelope's stomach
- Rival's Scar
- Killed his rival, Khantan, on the eve of Khantan's grand victory
- Crystal Skin
- Captured by Spidicules
- Returned from Spidicules with great insight from darkness, bringing news of a Beast of Sorrow.
- Awoke from his crystalized slumber when settlement was besieged by nemesis monsters.
- Survivor of level 2 King's Man - a fight where he realized how detached he is and no longer desires vengeance against monsters killing other human beings.
Killing blows: Khantan.
-----
Spiduka/Spidunta Who?
Accuracy -1, Strength +3, Luck +1
Courage 9 (6) from listening to storm, Dagger proficiency 5
Overprotective
Berserker, Mighty Strike, Infinite Lives
Bitter Frenzy
Deaf
Blinded in one eye
- Season of the Spiderling survivor
- Architect of level 2 Sacred Pool
- Feels rejected by society.
- Has seen the truth and tasted bitter death in a murky fountain.
- Survivor of Manhunter level 2
- Brain cannot form new memories. Infinite Lives.
- Purified
-----
Chilons Sunearr
Accuracy -1, Strength +2, Evasion +2
Understanding 1, Fist proficiency 3
Emotionless, Overprotective
Blind from one eye
- Purified
- Vivisector of infant beasts from sacred pool.
- Trusted trepanner
- Dipped in searing light, partner to Halyran
- Permanently damaged Spiduka's brain, essentially giving her Infinite Lives.
-----
Halyran Sunearr, Wise Sneak of the Phoenix
Speed +1, Accuracy +4, Strength +10, Evasion +4
Courage 9, Understanding 9, Shield Master
Quixotic, Aichmophobia, Binge Eating
King's Step, Ambidextrous, Rhythm Chaser
Bitter Frenzy, Leyline Walker
Blinded in one eye
- Purified
- Thundercaller
- Seen the Truth and tasted bitter death in sea of golden grass.
- Dipped in searing light, partner to Chilons.
- Phoenix traveled in time and killed all Halyran's future children.
- Danced forbidden dance.
- Nightmare training for accuracy
- Killed a god
- Resuscitated future children when hunting another Phoenix
- Tore level 2 King's Man to shreds with his bare hands. Armor pieces got stuck into his skin and grew underneath. Halyran is cursed.
Killing blows:
Killed Screaming Antelope lv1
Manhunter level 2
Beast of Sorrow
Lion God level 1
King's Man level 2
-----
Chiloresc
Accuracy +2, Strength +8, Evasion +3
Courage 9, Understanding 7, Grand weapon master
Quixotic
Otherworldly Luck, Purpose, Double Dash
Blinded in one eye
Endless Babble
Sour Death
- Bastard son of Resculachu and Chilons
- Has failed to dance forbidden dance.
- Wears God Mask whenever no-one is looking
- Been inside Screaming Antelope and Phoenix
- Marked by Cyclopean Knight who lopped off Chiloresc's ear
- Went mad and babbles incoherently
- Plucked out own eye and gave it to Sanorad.
- Purified
- Survivor of Manhunter level 4
- Has a tendency to lose his genitals.
- Lost the racing contest.
- Winner of debate contest. Go figure.
- Winner of fighting contest.
Killing blows:
Phoenix level 2
-----
Spenaccio Bulvans
Accuracy +1, Strength +8, Evasion +3
Courage 2, Understanding 5, Spear proficiency 5
Quixotic
King's Step, Otherworldly Luck, Trick Attack
- Twins found from a spider's nest
- Ran bellowing madly into acid storm
- Took part in killing a god. Afterwards, climbed the staircase to find Knowledge Worm and has had a spectral follower ever since...
- Dipped in searing light with his sister.
- Survivor of level 2 King's Man
- Survivor of level 3 Butcher
Killing blows: Manhunter level 4
-----
Spiounas Bulvans
Accuracy +2, Strength +3, Evasion +2
Courage 2 Understanding 2
- Twins found from a spider's nest
- Purified
- Dipped in searing light with her brother.
-----
Lavias Sunearr
Movement +1, Accuracy +1, Strength +6, Evasion +3
Courage 7, Understanding 8, Bow master
Quixotic
Necromancer, Rhythm Chaser, Crossarm Block, Legendary Lungs
- Was the first to dance Forbidden Dance successfully - as a baby.
- Has the worst games.
- Became the Necromancer when confronting The Hand
- Retrieved God's String
Killing blows:
Manhunter level 3
-----
Spiress Brightsilk, Foolish Savior of the Lantern
Accuracy +1, Strength +3, Evasion +2
Courage 2, Understanding 3
Overprotective, Stark Raving
Unrelenting
- Is purified.
- (was) Partner to Resculachu Brightsilk
- Survivor of level 3 the Hand
- Lost her partner in a fight against The Hand. Went Stark Raving as a consequence.
-----
Sanorad the Nameless, Dingle Fool of the Lion
Movement +1, Accuracy +2, Strength +6, Evasion +3
Courage 2, Understanding 8, axe proficiency 5
Timeless Eye, Abyssal Sadist
Shattered Jaw
- Former Daronas but lost her name against Phoenix
- Gained Timeless Eye fighting art when Chiloresc gifted her with his eye.
- The Hand tossed a broken lantern at her, crushing her jaw.
- Winner of racing contest
- Severed Parkara's arm.
- The last survivor to become purified.
Killing blows:
White Lion level 3
-----
Klenovar Who?
Accuracy +2, Strength +4, Evasion +2
Courage 2, Understanding 3
- Purified
- Survivor of The Hand level 2
- Father of Spinovar, a Child of the Sun. Mother, Spidunta, doesn't probably remember.
-----
Lyrna Bulvans
Accuracy +1, Strength +4, Evasion +2
Courage 2, Understanding 3
Overprotective
Combo Master
Blinded from one eye
- Purified
- Survivor of The Hand level 2
- The Hand remembered Lyrna after coming back on year 23, and threw a lantern into her eye socket.
-----
Parkara Bulvans
Accuracy +2, Strength +5, Evasion +4
Courage 3, Understanding 3, Axe Proficiency 1
Overprotective, Quixotic
Orator of Death, Otherworldly Luck, Rhythm Chaser
- Orator of Death from the birth, which awakes Ghorum from his slumber.
- Purified
- Survivor of The Hand level 2
- Survivor of Manhunter level 4, fell into the death pits.
- Lost debate contest to Ghorum, the original Orator of Death.
- Had his hand severed by Sanorad during fight contest. Also Ghorum has a severed hand.
-----
Cratera, Dingle Sneak of the Lantern
Accuracy +1, Strength +3, Evasion +2
Strategist
- Rescued by Daress from settlement ruins.
Killing blows:
White Lion cub
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Spinovar Who?
Speed +1, Accuracy +1, Strength +4, Evasion +2
Courage 3, Understanding 3
Tenacious
- Child of the Sun, not that of Klenovar and Spidunta.
-----
*Nenena Bulvans
Accuracy +1, Strength +5, Evasion +2
Courage 2, understanding 3, Spear proficiency 1
Mammoth Hunting, Defender
- Spent some time in Momento Mori as a newborn. Came back three hunt xp away from retirement.
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