Mörk Borg - session 4

Last Fool Standing

Recap of last week’s session

Welcome to session 4 of my Solo Mörk Borg campaign, featuring Reclvse.

Last week, we left off with Felban finally finding his way to the Valley of the Unfortunate Dead. He has yet to find the Silfverhjelm mausoleum, but I still think he has earned an advancement for making it there alive, right? So that’s where this session will start.

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Last Fool Standing

Pursuit of Growth (+Toughness)
18+3 | 10+3 vs 12 => Strong Hit
+1 Presence = 0

Felban has been struggling quite a bit with the Presence rolls and it’s his weakest stat, so it makes sense to me to raise it. This can only be done twice in a characters life, so only once more.

Day 9

Calendar of Nechrubel (d10): 2 => No misery

Weather (+Presence)
8+0 | 2+0 vs 12 => Miss
Severe weather, travel rolls at disadvantage

3d20
Precipitation: 10 => Downpour
Temperature: 4 => Cold
Wind: 1 => Still air

This fucking rain just won’t stop. I’d give my left arm for a dry set of clothes. But at least I’ve made it here. I walked slowly through the cemetery fields, looking for mausoleums bearing that cursed name: Silfverhjelm. The roads were a mixture of mud and water, and I had to be extra careful to not slip.

Tracking (+Presence)
8+0 | 4+0 vs 12 => Miss
Your search exposes you

Encounter context (d12): 7 => Resting group, camped, vulnerable or eating
Initial disposition (d10): 7 => Manipulative (false friendliness)
Immediate goal (d10): 7 => Seek your aid

I thought I’d been careful enough, slipping betwixt the ruined mausoleums and grave stones, when someone tapped my shoulder, startling me. I turned around, my hand reaching for my sword.

NPC summary (d20): 7 => Dazed survivor
NPC gender (d4): 3 => Non-binary / androgynous
NPC appearance (d100): 78 => Dirt-worn hands
NPC trait (d100): 11 => Melancholic

”Whoa, stranger,” the thing behind me said as I turned. “I’m just looking for help, and you look like you can handle yourself.”

I studied the cloaked face of the stranger. Crazed eyes, rotten teeth, a tuft of black hair plastered onto their skull by the relentless rain. An evil looking gash marred one of their cheeks, oozing blood and pus. I shuddered when I realized I could see their gums and teeth straight through it. That must’ve hurt.

”I wouldn’t sneak up on people in a place like this if I were you,” I said. “What do you want?”

”See, my group and me, we got jumped out of nowhere. They killed Irvon and Kessil. Only me and Unel left, now, and he’s in bad shape.”

”You’ve a fucking see-through hole in your cheek and you’re concerned with your friend’s condition. Nechrubel’s balls, what do you think I might do, then?”

”If you could keep watch for us, if that thing comes back. Just until Unel has recovered enough to be able to move on his own.”

I don’t know whether to trust this person, but they might have information the information I seek...

”Have you been here before? Do you know where I can find the Silfverhjelm mausoleum?”

”Sorry, this is my first visit to these parts. But Unel might know. I can take you to him.”

I’m sure you can, I thought. And mayhaps this Unel, if he even exists, has weapons at the ready with your “dead” friends.

”Well, alright then,” I said against my better judgement. If there is something roaming here, it might not be a good idea to have company, even untrustworthy. “Show me the way.”

The person, who introduced themselves as Parn, led me through the cemetery. They told me that their group was here to search for some kind of artifact. Reading between the lines, I decided they were graverobbers. Not that I voiced that thought out aloud.

After fifteen minutes of walking, they turned left at a half fallen humongous gravestone. Ahead of us was a mausoleum with it’s doors open. The name above the doors was barely legible, and I could only make out ‘Y’ and ‘bel’. Not the one I was looking for, then. Inside, Unel was lying on the floor, bandages wrapped around his waist. The coppery stench of blood mixed with rot filled my nostrils.

Parn kneeled next to Unel and shook him gently to rouse him. With seemingly great effort, he opened his eyes. ”I found someone to help you,” Parn said to him.

I didn’t have the heart to tell him the truth: Unel would pass within the hour. ”Do you know of the Silfverhjelm mausoleum?” I asked him.

Collect Information (+Presence)
1+0 | 15+0 vs 12 => Weak Hit

He looked at me, and tried to rise up, prop himself up against his elbows. As he opened his mouth to speak, a bloody bubble formed on his lips, and as it burst, more blood was trickling from the corner of his mouth.

”North...” was all he managed to say before he slumped back down, clutching his through-soaked bandages.

”Do something!” Parn screamed at me in desperation.

”Do I look like a fucking miracle worker to you? He’s too far gone. I’m leaving, and I suggest you do the same before whatever tore you guys up returns to finish the job.”

Frustrated, I exited from the mausoleum. That was only the vaguest of directions, and I didn’t even have a fucking compass anyway. There was only one way forward—I’d have to look for it in the pouring rain, hoping to avoid any complications.

Find a Location (+Presence)
12+0 | 4+0 vs 12 => Weak Hit
Monstrous signs (d20): 6 => Symbols carved by claws

I spent the next two hours walking back and forth among the tombstones and mausoleums, avoiding the one Parn and Unel had been squatting in. I felt like Parn wasn’t too happy with my decision, but out here, everyone looks out for themselves.

I did notice some deep claw marks on one of the overturned grave stones near Parn’s location, and I couldn’t help but think if whatever had hurt them was responsible for carving these symbols. I didn’t recognise them.

Then, I finally found what I was looking for. It was fairly obvious once I saw it. My inviter had placed torches outside to light the place up, and the single door was invitingly open. Whoever it was, they clearly weren’t afraid of random visitors.

I felt tense when I slowly walked closer. The name ‘Silfverhjelm’ was carved into the stone in big blocky letters. There was no sounds emanating from within. I climbed the three stone steps and for a second I thought about knocking on the door, but then thought, what the hell, they’re expecting me so why bother? I pushed my head inside.

”Hello?”

”You took your sweet time, Felban. Or do you prefer Nagl?”

Name (2d100): 30 => Drell, 51 => Yarrek
NPC summary (d20): 6 => Itinerant Priest
NPC motivation (d20): 4 => Wealth
NPC appearance (d100): 1 => Gaunt and hollow-eyed
NPC personality traits (2d100): 62 => Fanatical, 79 => Nihilistic
Body (d20): 20 => Spry
Hair (d20) & color (d12): 3, 12 => Shorn, yellow
Clothing (d20): 6 => Stained
Overall presence (d20): 19 => Serene

The speaker was a robed man of undeterminable age. His hollow eyes and gaunt appearance spoke for ‘older-than-me’, but still, that could mean anything. His brown robes had seen better days, and they were stained by mud, and something else. Blood? Hard to tell in the gloom.

”I ran into some trouble on the way, but I made it, didn’t I?”

”But then you’re a resourceful man, Nagl. I expected as much. Risten was supposed to deliver you here. His death was... inconvenient. But not unexpected.

My stomach dropped. How the hell did he know about that? This man was clearly more dangerous than his appearance gave away.

”Can we cut to the chase already?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant, but knowing full well that my adversary held all the cards and I had yet to even pick up the fucking deck. “Who the hell are you, and why am I here?”

Faction origin (d20): 1 => Ancient cult
Faction purpose (d20): 8 => Protect a relic
Faction attitude towards Felban (d20): 5 => Manipulative
Faction plot hooks (d20): 5 => They track your steps secretly

”Tut tut tut, there, Nagl. All in due time,” the man said, wagging his finger in my face, and I barely suppressed an involuntary need to grab it and twist it until it snapped. “If you help us with a small task, I shall tell you everything.”

”And what’s that?”

”There’s another tomb nearby. Belonged to Yd bel Adrach. Still does, I guess,” he said, and tittered, as if it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard. I wanted to punch him all the way to Galgenbeck.

”Okay, and?” I asked instead.

”Inside it, there’s a sigil. I want you to bring it to me. Untouched. By you and the sun. You need to keep it hidden.”

”Why?”

”You’re asking a whole lot of questions, nosy one. Go now.”

”What if I tell you to shove that sigil up your ass instead?”

”Well, now, Nagl. Let’s behave like the civilised people we are, shall we? It would be a shame if Galgenbeck officials would get to know your exact location...”

Read Intent (+Presence)
17+0 | 15+0 vs 12 => Strong Hit
Learn their true intent or hidden meaning

I had already taken the first steps outside in the rain, when realisation hit like a sledgehammer to the face. ‘Yd bel Adrach’. Surely it was where I met Parn and Ubel. I turned back.

”You miserable fucking worm,” I said through clenched teeth. “You’ve sent other, unfortunate fools to get that damn sigil already, haven’t you?”

The man flinched, as if I’d hit him with something, clearly not expecting me to figure out his little ruse. Tough titties, old man.

The man straightened, composing himself after the flinch, hands folding calmly in front of his robes. “Some truths are like leeches, Nagl. They cling too tightly when offered too soon.”

He tilted his head, that hollow-eyed stare boring into Felban with unsettling calm.

”Yes, I sent others. And they failed. I did not lie. I simply spared you the discouragement of knowing you were not the first. You, however...” He stepped forward, voice a quiet whisper now, almost reverent. “You are the last.”

Unfortunately, I knew he still had the upper hand. He still held the cards.

”You’ll get your trinket. But next time you lie to me I’ll gut you like the pig you are.”

Start a Quest (+Toughness)
12+3 | 17+3 vs 12 => Strong Hit
Advantage on the next quest-related move

New quest: Retrieve the sigil from Yd bel Adrach’s mausoleum
Rank: Simple (4 boxes)
Steps:
  1. Get back to the mausoleum
  2. Delve into it and find the sigil
  3. Retrieve the sigil and escape
  4. Return with it to Drell

Afterthoughts

And there we have it, ladies and gentlemen, session 4 is a wrap. I continued using Reclvse for this, and I am enjoying it a fair bit. Some of the moves I did after arriving in the Valley of the Unfortunate Dead was City Crawl moves, but the other ones did not make sense to me to use, since I was already roughly at the location I needed to be.

Anyway, I thought it’d be cool to have Drell make Felban do a simple fetch quest at first, to establish the power play—Felban is a pawn, to be used as Drell wants. After I decided that, I came up with the idea that the other people I’d already met were sent there before Drell. I’m basically making this up as I play, so I don’t know if it’ll make sense in the long run or not, but time will tell, I guess.

Anyway, I hope you liked the session report, and I’ll see you in the next one!

Until then, have a fantastic day!