Moon Goddess: Scene 11

Introduction to this thread: The Moon Goddess Is A Harsh Mistress
Explanation of Mythic elements: What's All This Mythic Stuff?
Previous Scene: Scene 10

SCENE 11
Wherein Katja will be given a horse, crossbow, and spear for a late afternoon hunt; a ritual follows under the full moon.

CHARACTERS
The Silver Huntress (her deity)
Soldiers
Drachen (her old warhorse)
Nina
Nina's Mother
Nina's Father
The Hard Man with the Nasty Scar
Susi
Yuliya
Igor
Deidre
Nina's uncle Ulrich
The target of Nina's hunt
Hamid
Efim Mororov

THREADS
* Escape to freedom
* Solve the mystery of Nina's mother
* Decipher the writing on the menhir
* Deliver antique sword to the target of Nina's hunt

CHAOS FACTOR: 4

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The scene occurs as expected.

About an hour before sunset, Igor parks the car in front of another dacha. Like the previous one, this dacha has an attached stable.

Nina: "We're later than I expected. I hope you will still have time to perform your hunt."

Katja: "I think so. I'll need to get started right away."

Nina: "Come with me and I'll get you equipped."

While Igor moves transfers supplies to another vehicle, Nina leads Katja into the stable. Someone has obviously been here recently as the stable is warm and the horses (there are two) are munching on oats.

Q: The previous scene indicated that Nina would give Katja everything she needed for the hunt. One assumes that this would mean a horse, a modern crossbow (and bolts), and possibly spear/light lance. Is this correct [Very likely]? Yes.

Nina shows Katja the horses and says, "You are free to take either one. The brown one is faster, while the white is more adept at navigating the snow. Just remember that even though we are giving you a horse and a weapon you have no place to go. You are in the middle of the Russian wilderness. You have no friends and you do not speak the language. I hope you will do the smart thing and return to us after a successful hunt."

Katja nods dismissively. "Of course I'm going to return. Thoughts of flight crossed my mind, but it seems to me that the only way for me to do the will of the Goddess is to remain close to you. Your mother and I share some kind of connection. I need to find out what that means, precisely."

Nina: "Good. I'd give you a rifle but I suspect that you wouldn't know what to do with it if I did. I do have a hunting crossbow that's in pretty good shape. It even has a rifle scope on it... here. Look through it to help you aim. He's a quiver of a dozen broadheads. Would you like a hunting spear?"

Katja: "Yes, I think that will do nicely."

Nina: "Good. I'm going to eat something. Igor tells me that larder should be better stocked this time. If you bring back meat then we can cook it up later."

With that, Nina leaves Katja alone. Katja picks up the crossbow and marvels at the design. Back on her own world, she had an exquisite light crossbow that was enchanted for range and accuracy. From the look of it, this crossbow is at least its equal, especially when you considered the "scope". The spear is serviceable, if a little long for her small size. Alone, with weapons and her choice of mounts, Katja feels free. She could run if she wanted to. But where? Nina is right. She has nowhere to go. And she still isn't certain if Nina is working for or against the will of her goddess. She has to stick things out a little longer.

Then there is the language issue. Recalling her initial meeting with the members of Outsider's Aegis [see below], Katja shudders at the thought of having to learn a new language in a hurry. But there seems to be little choice. Tomorrow, she would begin asking Nina for language lessons.

Katja selects the white horse. Pure speed would do her little good in tonight's hunt. She needed white camouflage and sure feet. After securing the horse's saddle, Katja leads it outside, mounts up, and heads down a small path into the forest.

Q (Risus): I'm going to say the TN for finding game will be 7 (halfway between cinch and challenge for a professional of a perfectly applicable cliche). Katja rolls 11 vs. Mistress of the Hunt so she succeeds.

Q: Is it a simple TN roll to conclude the hunt [50/50]? Extreme No. That means that it will be a full Risus combat.
Q: Is the foe better than cliche 3 [Unlikely]? No.
Q: Is the animal a cunning stag that will lead Katja on a dangerous chase through the forest [50/50]? Extreme no. I'm going to say that it is a Half-Starved Bear (3).

Katja follows a trail to clearing and is surprised to come across a large brown bear with a crazed look in its eyes. What it is doing awake when it should be hibernating, Katja can't even guess. She quickly fires her crossbow at the animal and maneuvers the horse to keep her distance. The bear attempts to charge into melee range.

Katja rolls 15 on Mistress of the Hunt. The Bear rolls 12 and takes a crossbow bolt in its haunch. It does press in to melee range, however. It leaps at Katja in an effort to pull her down from the horse. Without time to reload the crossbow, Katja tries to steady the horse and stabs it with a spear.

Katja suffers a penalty for not having proper tools (the horse is not trained for battle and the spear is too heavy). She rolls 4 on two dice, which ties the Bear's roll on its damage-reduced cliche roll. The bear fails to knock Katja off her horse, but Katja fails to inflict any more damage on the Bear.

Wheeling the horse back away from the bear, Katja tries another tactic. She utters a prayer to the Silver Huntress and attempts to conjure a Moon Blade (a scimitar of radiant moonlight). If successful, she'll hack at the Bear as it closes again.

Katja rolls 15 to the bear's 4. Using the optional rules for critical hits [see below], her tactic is wildly successful. She neatly severs one of the bears claws and opens a mortal wound accross its chest. It collapses in a heap and Katja keeps her distance while it dies.

Under the light of the full moon, Katja dismounts and offers up the heart of the bear to the Silver Huntress. Unable to lift the huge animal, she creates a makeshift sledge and drags the carcass back to the dascha.

Q: Does she find Igor smoking a cigarette on the porch, waiting for her [50/50]? Extreme no.

Igor and Nina are in the house, unfazed that Katja has brought down such a huge beast. Wordlessly, Igor does take over for Katja and carries the animal off for butchering. Katja, however, keeps the severed claw as a memento of her first hunt since her release from prison.

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CHARACTERS - No update

UPDATED THREADS
* Escape to freedom
* Solve the mystery of Nina's mother
* Decipher the writing on the menhir
* Deliver antique sword to the target of Nina's hunt

Updated Chaos Factor 3

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BACKSTORY NOTES: When Katja fled her her homeland, she spoke the local equivalent of German, English, and Latin. The language of region she began her adventuring career in was pseudo-Celtic. As a result, she spent several adventures having to speak through translators (usually her fellow adventurers in the Outsiders Aegis).

RISUS HOUSE RULE (Critical Hits): For this game I will use a house rule that allows critical hits in combat if the margin of success is 10 or greater. If a critical hit is achieved, 1d6 dice of damage is applied (rather than a single die).