Warhammer Tribe Quest
- Thread starter Carlowrie
- Start date
- Fantasy
[X] Yes Elder
[X] Swimming
[X] Fighting
[X] Swimming
[X] Fighting
- Location
- UK
- Pronouns
- He/Him/They
[X] Yes Elder
[X] Swimming
[X] Fighting
[X] Swimming
[X] Fighting
[X] Not A Single One
[X] Riding
[X] Fighting
I want goat cavalry.
[X] Riding
[X] Fighting
I want goat cavalry.
- Location
- yorkshire
[X] Not A Single One
[X] Riding
[X] Fighting
[X] Riding
[X] Fighting
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[X] Not A Single One
[X] Swimming
[X] Fighting
[X] Swimming
[X] Fighting
First Free Week
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Not A Single One
Swimming
Fighting
First Free Week
Volkhard woke up early to set off in search of a good place to learn to swim. Clan Tumbleberry's new home had a number of small brooks and streams that wove down from the hills and enjoyed the meadows. None of them were terribly big, which helped with keeping children from trouble, but for a Halfling trying to get into them on purpose… The babbling brooks and steady streams were about good enough for washing his feet and nothing more.
Volkhard sighed as he went over to the western river. It was a particularly nice shade of blue today. Perhaps it was the way the sun hit it, perhaps it was trying to beckon him in. Either way, he knew well enough that he needed to find a safe place to practice if he didn't want to be washed away again. A sandwich later and he set off south, he'd walked much of the river up to the north, so it was better to get exploring someplace he hadn't already been.
It didn't take long to come across the small pool where water eddied and spun outside of the tug of the greater river. He tested the water with one foot, found it relatively warm, and begin to strip down to practice his swimming. That first day went poorly. The water kept splashing into his face, he couldn't stop kicking errant stones and as hard as he tried he simply couldn't make himself float.
The second day was about one quarter in the pool and three-quarters begging to Quinsberry to help him learn how to do this. The first time he'd slipped over the ridge of the pool and into the pull of the river had been terrifying, the fifth had been irritating. His swimming was really just walking in the water, a charitably named wade. And unfortunately, the pool was deeper at the far edge so he couldn't go very far out with his wading-walking-swim before he'd be dragged by the current into banging his knee on the edge of the pool and out into the river proper.
Perhaps Quinsberry took pity on him that third day because he didn't get dragged out into the river once. His swimming didn't exactly improve, he was still bouncing across the pool bottom as he swam and if he tried to swim across a river again he'd probably just drown. Sat in a muddy wet puddle and looking over at his clothes on the rock beside him he flopped onto his back and looked up at the clouds. One of them did rather look like a goat. He'd had two things in mind for his free week, this and getting some practice swinging that stick of his. Perhaps it was time to start on the latter.
Of course, swinging a stick around was hardly going to teach him how to win a fight. He'd need to swing his stick at someone. Cousin Sophie Tallowman was excited for the chance to swing her stick when Volkhard mentioned it to her. That should have been his first warning. She took him up to the top of the hill where she was supposed to be tending the family aurochs and after giving them a quick headcount proceed to give him a stern talking to like she was some sort of Elder. "Your posture's all wrong, spread your feet out. No, you Dolt," A whack on the leg with a stick, "not that far out."
Volkhard grumbled and mumbled under his breath that he was still in bandages, and he had a very good posture normally and he most certainly was not a Dolt. "Now try and whack me with your stick." Volkhard waved it softly in a slow whoosh before stepping forward and bringing it down in a quick crack. It bounced off of Cousin Sophie's stick, out of his hand and he was summarily rewarded with a whack on his arm.
"Oy, I'm injured you know." Cousin Sophie simply smiled, turned her head to gaze over at the aurochs and mouth some quick numbers, and then crossed her arms.
"Pick it up then, I'm doing you a favour you know." Volkhard trudged over to his stick, flourished it like he'd seen an Ashfield do once and leapt. Which had resulted in another whack and some choice remarks about copying 'Show-Off Ashfields'. The first day with Cousin Sophie had continued much the same way and he returned to his wagon, after another clanling came to tend the herd, with more bruises than he'd had before. But that was fine, he was going to get Cousin Sophie tomorrow.
And he did not. She must have had a particularly good night's sleep, for she was far more energetic than the day before. Dodging out of the way of Volkhard's stumbling swings with a giggle and whacking him on arm and leg with her stick while commenting on the latest gossip, Cousin Sophie was certainly enjoying herself. "Did you hear that Cousin Ellinrat got a stern talking to from Elder Tumbleberry yesterday?" Volkhard tried to make use of her distraction gossiping to swing under her arm and catch a rib.
A solid whack on the bottom later and he was disabused of the notion that Cousin Sophie has been distracted by her gossiping. "I saw her crying afterwards you know. I bet it was because she was making eyes at that Littlefoot lad the other day. You know the one. He's married but he's got a wandering eye." Volkhard nodded and paid for his distraction with a stick bouncing off his ribs. "Well, he's married to a Tumbleberry and Elder Tumbleberry doesn't like the idea of him being tempted too much. Wandering eyes are one thing, but a married Halfling with wandering hands is bit more bother."
They sparred for the remainder of the day with some gossip added in. Had Cousin Sophie been an Elder she'd probably have taught him something by now. Being another clanling like himself however, she seemed to be more interested in these spars as a chance to avoid herdling's boredom.
The third day could have gone better. "I'm thinking this year'll be my last Hyacinth's festival as a free lass. You know what I mean? I'm getting too old not to have a husband to enjoy it with." She parried Volkhard's wild swing. It was never going to land; he'd gone far too wide and almost dropped it. "Course Esmerelda's first. We'll need to make some pies for that." She paused to consider herself. "I hope my husband makes good pie".
"You could pick one out during Pie Week and then start something with him the next month?" Volkhard tilted his head. Cousin Sophie tilted hers to one side as well.
"I knew it would be a good idea to take you up here with me". She grinned and then her eyes went wide, and she sprinted across the hill to where Volkhard could just about see an aurochs making a break for freedom. He plopped down onto his bottom and watched Cousin Sophie chase the aurochs. If she didn't catch it she'd be in for a stern talking to.
Unfortunately, much like his swimming, he didn't seem to have made much progress with his stick swinging. Maybe he'd get back to it when he was next given a free week. Maybe he'd get someone less whack-happy than Cousin Sophie to help him out next time. Still, he could go have a lie down and sleep and eat off some of these bruises.
Month 2
With his free week at an end and the second month beginning, Volkhard was again in the press of Halflings listening for Elder Tumbleberry to call out an interesting job to assign themselves to. There was time enough for two jobs, but with Pie Week only next month many Halflings were wondering if they'd even be able to celebrate it. Fortunately, the field that Volkhard had brought the ploughs for was already seeing shoots and there was some hope that Pie Week would go ahead.
[] Plowing Farms
[] Foraging the Northern Forest
-[] For Food
-[] For Wood
[] Digging Out Burrows
-[] Family Tallowman's Houses
-[] A Kitchen
[] Getting Some Hollyfoot Tools
-[] Borrowing
-[] Buying
[] Cooking the Meals
[] Herding the Aurochs and Goats
[] Butchering Duty
[] Exploring
-[] West of the Western River
-[] East of the Eastern River
-[] South into the Mountains
-[] Into the Northern Forest
-[] Friedbert Kriesel's Village
-[] A Styrigen Village
Not A Single One
Swimming
Fighting
First Free Week
Volkhard woke up early to set off in search of a good place to learn to swim. Clan Tumbleberry's new home had a number of small brooks and streams that wove down from the hills and enjoyed the meadows. None of them were terribly big, which helped with keeping children from trouble, but for a Halfling trying to get into them on purpose… The babbling brooks and steady streams were about good enough for washing his feet and nothing more.
Volkhard sighed as he went over to the western river. It was a particularly nice shade of blue today. Perhaps it was the way the sun hit it, perhaps it was trying to beckon him in. Either way, he knew well enough that he needed to find a safe place to practice if he didn't want to be washed away again. A sandwich later and he set off south, he'd walked much of the river up to the north, so it was better to get exploring someplace he hadn't already been.
It didn't take long to come across the small pool where water eddied and spun outside of the tug of the greater river. He tested the water with one foot, found it relatively warm, and begin to strip down to practice his swimming. That first day went poorly. The water kept splashing into his face, he couldn't stop kicking errant stones and as hard as he tried he simply couldn't make himself float.
The second day was about one quarter in the pool and three-quarters begging to Quinsberry to help him learn how to do this. The first time he'd slipped over the ridge of the pool and into the pull of the river had been terrifying, the fifth had been irritating. His swimming was really just walking in the water, a charitably named wade. And unfortunately, the pool was deeper at the far edge so he couldn't go very far out with his wading-walking-swim before he'd be dragged by the current into banging his knee on the edge of the pool and out into the river proper.
Perhaps Quinsberry took pity on him that third day because he didn't get dragged out into the river once. His swimming didn't exactly improve, he was still bouncing across the pool bottom as he swam and if he tried to swim across a river again he'd probably just drown. Sat in a muddy wet puddle and looking over at his clothes on the rock beside him he flopped onto his back and looked up at the clouds. One of them did rather look like a goat. He'd had two things in mind for his free week, this and getting some practice swinging that stick of his. Perhaps it was time to start on the latter.
Of course, swinging a stick around was hardly going to teach him how to win a fight. He'd need to swing his stick at someone. Cousin Sophie Tallowman was excited for the chance to swing her stick when Volkhard mentioned it to her. That should have been his first warning. She took him up to the top of the hill where she was supposed to be tending the family aurochs and after giving them a quick headcount proceed to give him a stern talking to like she was some sort of Elder. "Your posture's all wrong, spread your feet out. No, you Dolt," A whack on the leg with a stick, "not that far out."
Volkhard grumbled and mumbled under his breath that he was still in bandages, and he had a very good posture normally and he most certainly was not a Dolt. "Now try and whack me with your stick." Volkhard waved it softly in a slow whoosh before stepping forward and bringing it down in a quick crack. It bounced off of Cousin Sophie's stick, out of his hand and he was summarily rewarded with a whack on his arm.
"Oy, I'm injured you know." Cousin Sophie simply smiled, turned her head to gaze over at the aurochs and mouth some quick numbers, and then crossed her arms.
"Pick it up then, I'm doing you a favour you know." Volkhard trudged over to his stick, flourished it like he'd seen an Ashfield do once and leapt. Which had resulted in another whack and some choice remarks about copying 'Show-Off Ashfields'. The first day with Cousin Sophie had continued much the same way and he returned to his wagon, after another clanling came to tend the herd, with more bruises than he'd had before. But that was fine, he was going to get Cousin Sophie tomorrow.
And he did not. She must have had a particularly good night's sleep, for she was far more energetic than the day before. Dodging out of the way of Volkhard's stumbling swings with a giggle and whacking him on arm and leg with her stick while commenting on the latest gossip, Cousin Sophie was certainly enjoying herself. "Did you hear that Cousin Ellinrat got a stern talking to from Elder Tumbleberry yesterday?" Volkhard tried to make use of her distraction gossiping to swing under her arm and catch a rib.
A solid whack on the bottom later and he was disabused of the notion that Cousin Sophie has been distracted by her gossiping. "I saw her crying afterwards you know. I bet it was because she was making eyes at that Littlefoot lad the other day. You know the one. He's married but he's got a wandering eye." Volkhard nodded and paid for his distraction with a stick bouncing off his ribs. "Well, he's married to a Tumbleberry and Elder Tumbleberry doesn't like the idea of him being tempted too much. Wandering eyes are one thing, but a married Halfling with wandering hands is bit more bother."
They sparred for the remainder of the day with some gossip added in. Had Cousin Sophie been an Elder she'd probably have taught him something by now. Being another clanling like himself however, she seemed to be more interested in these spars as a chance to avoid herdling's boredom.
The third day could have gone better. "I'm thinking this year'll be my last Hyacinth's festival as a free lass. You know what I mean? I'm getting too old not to have a husband to enjoy it with." She parried Volkhard's wild swing. It was never going to land; he'd gone far too wide and almost dropped it. "Course Esmerelda's first. We'll need to make some pies for that." She paused to consider herself. "I hope my husband makes good pie".
"You could pick one out during Pie Week and then start something with him the next month?" Volkhard tilted his head. Cousin Sophie tilted hers to one side as well.
"I knew it would be a good idea to take you up here with me". She grinned and then her eyes went wide, and she sprinted across the hill to where Volkhard could just about see an aurochs making a break for freedom. He plopped down onto his bottom and watched Cousin Sophie chase the aurochs. If she didn't catch it she'd be in for a stern talking to.
Unfortunately, much like his swimming, he didn't seem to have made much progress with his stick swinging. Maybe he'd get back to it when he was next given a free week. Maybe he'd get someone less whack-happy than Cousin Sophie to help him out next time. Still, he could go have a lie down and sleep and eat off some of these bruises.
Month 2
With his free week at an end and the second month beginning, Volkhard was again in the press of Halflings listening for Elder Tumbleberry to call out an interesting job to assign themselves to. There was time enough for two jobs, but with Pie Week only next month many Halflings were wondering if they'd even be able to celebrate it. Fortunately, the field that Volkhard had brought the ploughs for was already seeing shoots and there was some hope that Pie Week would go ahead.
[] Plowing Farms
[] Foraging the Northern Forest
-[] For Food
-[] For Wood
[] Digging Out Burrows
-[] Family Tallowman's Houses
-[] A Kitchen
[] Getting Some Hollyfoot Tools
-[] Borrowing
-[] Buying
[] Cooking the Meals
[] Herding the Aurochs and Goats
[] Butchering Duty
[] Exploring
-[] West of the Western River
-[] East of the Eastern River
-[] South into the Mountains
-[] Into the Northern Forest
-[] Friedbert Kriesel's Village
-[] A Styrigen Village
Last edited:
Sir LagsAlot
Yandere Dice Magnet
- Location
- In the fridge
...Wow our rolls must have been pretty bad to learn nothing from both actions damn.
[x] Cooking the Meals
[X] Exploring
-[X] West of the Western River
[X] Exploring
-[X] West of the Western River
Sir LagsAlot
Yandere Dice Magnet
- Location
- In the fridge
[x] Cooking the Meals
[X] Exploring
-[X] West of the Western River
Bit more time off to recover from our injuries before heading out again seems like a good idea.
[X] Exploring
-[X] West of the Western River
Bit more time off to recover from our injuries before heading out again seems like a good idea.
Second Month
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Cooking the Meals
Exploring
- West of the Western River
Second Month
Volkhard worked his way around the wheel of Clan Tumbleberry's wagons looking over the ingredients on hand. The aurochs hadn't yet been butchered so he wouldn't be able to do any steak pie. He hummed thoughtfully as he picked up an apple and tossed it lightly in hand. He could do a crumble maybe. It had been a long time since he'd done a good crumble. Fastening the lid onto the barrel of apples and rolling it ahead of him while he gathered up the rest of the ingredients he needed, Volkhard soon found himself in one of the cookwagons.
The queue was beginning to snake out of sight as soon as he got in through the door and the other cooks were busying themselves away with their duties. The Master Cook looked over his ingredients, nodded when he said he was planning to do some crumbles and pushed him over to his workstation. It was hard work to produce enough crumbles to start shortening that queue, over the course of that first day he only had time to stop for a short break to eat one of his worse crumbles before the Master Cook put their head out the door and gave Volkhard a stern talking to for slacking off. "There's hungry Halflings at the window and if they haven't got a crumble in their belly soon…" Volkhard's eyes followed the cleaver as it waved around in time with the Master Cooks words.
The week continued in much the same fashion. Occasionally he had a break at the window gossiping with whoever got one of his crumbles, 'Did you know that Amaranth and Emme are getting married? Apparently they were planning to do it before we all left but you know Emme. Lazy sot.' 'I heard Cottar was sent to get some wood to make doors for the burrows. He can't get more than ten steps into the forest before he comes right back out. Says its some sort of curse. I reckon he's just a little scaredling.'
Volkhard nodded along and absorbed the latest news and kept an eye out for the Master Cook and their cleaver, always careful to have a crumble in hand at the window or be back at his workstation whenever the Master Cook was looking. At least his crumbles were being well received. Oh, it didn't quite match some of the pies that were going out the window, but Volkhard couldn't just give away his pies this close to Pie Week anyway. Else no one would be impressed on Pie Week when he did bring out his pies.
With his shift in the cookwagons done and many Halflings fed, Volkhard was again ready to set off exploring. His backpack was full of rations, his stick was in hand, and he'd double checked the pouch with the chewing tobacco in it. The Western River was where he'd done his swimming practice and it ran right past the camp. That was enough familiarity to know there weren't any nearby crossing points, so he set off south towards Clan Brambledown. Either he'd come across a crossing on the way, or he'd see if they had any rafts left from the Great Migration. They may have turned them into doors and windows for burrows by now though.
Clan Brambledown had lashed the rafts to the shore of the Western River and were using them as some sort of foundation for their camp. There were some burrows being dug out and of course a few farms were beginning to grow along the river, but Volkhard couldn't quite imagine living on something that floated. The rafts during the Great Migration were bad enough. Brambledowns were a strange bunch, even stranger than Lowhavens.
Having found no crossings, Volkhard was going to have to do with getting a ferry across the river. There was a raft that wasn't lashed to the bank, a Halfling aboard it was using a long pole to move it through the water while other Halflings were using poles to pull fish from the water. Volkhard tilted his head to one side. Would fish pie be a good choice for Pie Week? "Ho there Brambledowns!" Volkhard called out to the Halflings on the river. "Any chance you'll help me across the river?"
They turned to mutter amongst themselves. "Any chance you've got some coin?" The one who was moving the raft around called back. Volkhard squinted.
"How much coin?" They went back to muttering and having seemingly decided on one coin for each of them for bothering their fishing trip called back that five coins would do. Volkhard sighed, nodded, and soon found himself across the water. As with the north, the west was home to wide open plains with the odd hill dotted here and there.
Progress west was fair but boring. There were only so many times he could climb a hill and look down on open nothingness. And so, he was rather far from home when he came upon a walled town in the shade of a small wood. The gates were sealed and the walls tall and Volkhard was a little too tired to bother with sneaking in. "Ho there!" A head popped up over the wall in response.
"Who are you?"
"I am Volkhard Tallowman of Clan Tumbleberry. I'm a Halfling sent out to meet the neighbours." He waved generally at the town ahead.
"No outsiders allowed today." And the head popped back down. Regardless of how much Volkhard called up at them they wouldn't show themselves again. Volkhard shrugged, muttered about how he didn't want to make friends with such a rude fellow anyway and turned back east to head home and tell everyone about how rude the Tall Folk were who lived out west.
Alas, he must have taken a more circuitous route than he'd thought for on the way home he bumped into a village that was bustling with activity. "Ho there?" Volkhard cleared his throat. "Ho there!" And a man looked out from one of the longhouses.
"Volkhard?" And the Halfling recognised this horsemaster as one of the Brigundians that he had ridden with during the Great Migration.
"Hartmann! What are you doing here?" The Tall Folk shook his head and strode over.
"Why I live here master Halfling." And the two set into a steady, comfortable conversation. Catching up was simple enough, the Brigundians had decided to follow much the same path as the Halflings. The windswept north had been too trollish for them and the woods infested with dark creatures and in the end they had found the plains here and settled. Now though they were called to arms by the Dwarfs against the Greenskins that threatened to cross the southern mountains. A favour owed apparently; the Dwarfs had helped to build the Brigundians a new home further to the west. Not that walled town he'd come across but something a bit bigger and better.
That was why the town had so swiftly sent him away, their warriors were probably already on their way to join up with the Dwarf Throng. Hartmann would soon be following them; his village and a few others nearby were going to be riding to join them. "Perhaps your folk should come as well Volkhard. The Dwarfs have firm memories for that which is owed, in both directions." Volkhard told him that he'd tell Elder Tumbleberry and Hartmann had seemed satisfied enough. The pair parted ways soon after with Hartmann and his warband travelling to another nearby village to gather warriors and Volkhard turning east again for home.
Or maybe just trying to. The Western River was no easier to cross coming the other way. He still couldn't find a good crossing and wasn't sure which way he'd need to go to get to Clan Brambledown to try and pay his way across. But he had 'swam' in this river before. And even when it was washing him away from that pool he'd never gotten too badly beaten up by it. So, with a deep breath he leapt in and began to fight his way across the river.
A few miles downstream, thoroughly soaked and with the certainty that he'd breathed more river water than air, Volkhard was fortunate enough to wash up on the correct side of the river. He was still rather damp when he walked into Clan Tumbleberry. Elder Tumbleberry watched him approach with a towel in hand and patted Volkhard face twice before telling him to dry off before giving his report.
Hartmann's suggestion met a raised brow. "I'll inform the other Elders of this matter. It is like that Elders Ashfield and Lowhaven will take the opportunity to stretch their legs. And any number of Halflings bored with the very important work around camp too." He gave Volkhard a look that implied a stern talking to, which felt rather unfair. He did help around camp. "I'll not deny any Halflings the chance to enjoy a youthful adventure." And Elder Tumbleberry went away with his hand in his tobacco pouch and a hand on his pipe.
Rumour suggested that pipe had come from an adventure, of course no one agreed just what the adventure had been.
With the second month coming to an end, Volkhard had a free week again. He would have time to do two things, unless he decided it was time for an adventure.
[] Swimming
Learn to swim. You've had it up to here with these rivers.
[] Fighting
Learn to fight. Cousin Sophie didn't teach you all that much.
[] Riding
Learn to ride a goat. You'd need to borrow one from the Clan, but the Tall Folk ride animals all the time.
[] Languages
Spend some time learning one of the tongues of the people around you.
- [] Dwarfen
You didn't get much time to learn Dwarfen beyond the basics, find another Halfling to teach you some more.
[] Meet with someone
- [] Clan Elder Tumbleberry
- [] A Tumbleberry Clanling
- [] Family Elder Tallowman
- [] A Tallowman Cousin
- [] Friedbert Kriesel
- [] Someone visits you
[] The Gods
Go around the Shrinewagons and offer prayers to the Pantheon, talk to some shrinetenders.
[] Rest Up
You're injured, you could do with spending some time resting, relaxing and definitely eating.
[] Explore
- [] Go find the big birds again
- [] The eastern wood
- [] Visit the rest of the Clans
[] An Adventure
Join Elders Ashfield and Lowhaven as they gather together some Halflings to help the Brigundians and Dwarfs keep Greenskins on the far side of the mountains.
Cooking the Meals
Exploring
- West of the Western River
Second Month
Volkhard worked his way around the wheel of Clan Tumbleberry's wagons looking over the ingredients on hand. The aurochs hadn't yet been butchered so he wouldn't be able to do any steak pie. He hummed thoughtfully as he picked up an apple and tossed it lightly in hand. He could do a crumble maybe. It had been a long time since he'd done a good crumble. Fastening the lid onto the barrel of apples and rolling it ahead of him while he gathered up the rest of the ingredients he needed, Volkhard soon found himself in one of the cookwagons.
The queue was beginning to snake out of sight as soon as he got in through the door and the other cooks were busying themselves away with their duties. The Master Cook looked over his ingredients, nodded when he said he was planning to do some crumbles and pushed him over to his workstation. It was hard work to produce enough crumbles to start shortening that queue, over the course of that first day he only had time to stop for a short break to eat one of his worse crumbles before the Master Cook put their head out the door and gave Volkhard a stern talking to for slacking off. "There's hungry Halflings at the window and if they haven't got a crumble in their belly soon…" Volkhard's eyes followed the cleaver as it waved around in time with the Master Cooks words.
The week continued in much the same fashion. Occasionally he had a break at the window gossiping with whoever got one of his crumbles, 'Did you know that Amaranth and Emme are getting married? Apparently they were planning to do it before we all left but you know Emme. Lazy sot.' 'I heard Cottar was sent to get some wood to make doors for the burrows. He can't get more than ten steps into the forest before he comes right back out. Says its some sort of curse. I reckon he's just a little scaredling.'
Volkhard nodded along and absorbed the latest news and kept an eye out for the Master Cook and their cleaver, always careful to have a crumble in hand at the window or be back at his workstation whenever the Master Cook was looking. At least his crumbles were being well received. Oh, it didn't quite match some of the pies that were going out the window, but Volkhard couldn't just give away his pies this close to Pie Week anyway. Else no one would be impressed on Pie Week when he did bring out his pies.
With his shift in the cookwagons done and many Halflings fed, Volkhard was again ready to set off exploring. His backpack was full of rations, his stick was in hand, and he'd double checked the pouch with the chewing tobacco in it. The Western River was where he'd done his swimming practice and it ran right past the camp. That was enough familiarity to know there weren't any nearby crossing points, so he set off south towards Clan Brambledown. Either he'd come across a crossing on the way, or he'd see if they had any rafts left from the Great Migration. They may have turned them into doors and windows for burrows by now though.
Clan Brambledown had lashed the rafts to the shore of the Western River and were using them as some sort of foundation for their camp. There were some burrows being dug out and of course a few farms were beginning to grow along the river, but Volkhard couldn't quite imagine living on something that floated. The rafts during the Great Migration were bad enough. Brambledowns were a strange bunch, even stranger than Lowhavens.
Having found no crossings, Volkhard was going to have to do with getting a ferry across the river. There was a raft that wasn't lashed to the bank, a Halfling aboard it was using a long pole to move it through the water while other Halflings were using poles to pull fish from the water. Volkhard tilted his head to one side. Would fish pie be a good choice for Pie Week? "Ho there Brambledowns!" Volkhard called out to the Halflings on the river. "Any chance you'll help me across the river?"
They turned to mutter amongst themselves. "Any chance you've got some coin?" The one who was moving the raft around called back. Volkhard squinted.
"How much coin?" They went back to muttering and having seemingly decided on one coin for each of them for bothering their fishing trip called back that five coins would do. Volkhard sighed, nodded, and soon found himself across the water. As with the north, the west was home to wide open plains with the odd hill dotted here and there.
Progress west was fair but boring. There were only so many times he could climb a hill and look down on open nothingness. And so, he was rather far from home when he came upon a walled town in the shade of a small wood. The gates were sealed and the walls tall and Volkhard was a little too tired to bother with sneaking in. "Ho there!" A head popped up over the wall in response.
"Who are you?"
"I am Volkhard Tallowman of Clan Tumbleberry. I'm a Halfling sent out to meet the neighbours." He waved generally at the town ahead.
"No outsiders allowed today." And the head popped back down. Regardless of how much Volkhard called up at them they wouldn't show themselves again. Volkhard shrugged, muttered about how he didn't want to make friends with such a rude fellow anyway and turned back east to head home and tell everyone about how rude the Tall Folk were who lived out west.
Alas, he must have taken a more circuitous route than he'd thought for on the way home he bumped into a village that was bustling with activity. "Ho there?" Volkhard cleared his throat. "Ho there!" And a man looked out from one of the longhouses.
"Volkhard?" And the Halfling recognised this horsemaster as one of the Brigundians that he had ridden with during the Great Migration.
"Hartmann! What are you doing here?" The Tall Folk shook his head and strode over.
"Why I live here master Halfling." And the two set into a steady, comfortable conversation. Catching up was simple enough, the Brigundians had decided to follow much the same path as the Halflings. The windswept north had been too trollish for them and the woods infested with dark creatures and in the end they had found the plains here and settled. Now though they were called to arms by the Dwarfs against the Greenskins that threatened to cross the southern mountains. A favour owed apparently; the Dwarfs had helped to build the Brigundians a new home further to the west. Not that walled town he'd come across but something a bit bigger and better.
That was why the town had so swiftly sent him away, their warriors were probably already on their way to join up with the Dwarf Throng. Hartmann would soon be following them; his village and a few others nearby were going to be riding to join them. "Perhaps your folk should come as well Volkhard. The Dwarfs have firm memories for that which is owed, in both directions." Volkhard told him that he'd tell Elder Tumbleberry and Hartmann had seemed satisfied enough. The pair parted ways soon after with Hartmann and his warband travelling to another nearby village to gather warriors and Volkhard turning east again for home.
Or maybe just trying to. The Western River was no easier to cross coming the other way. He still couldn't find a good crossing and wasn't sure which way he'd need to go to get to Clan Brambledown to try and pay his way across. But he had 'swam' in this river before. And even when it was washing him away from that pool he'd never gotten too badly beaten up by it. So, with a deep breath he leapt in and began to fight his way across the river.
A few miles downstream, thoroughly soaked and with the certainty that he'd breathed more river water than air, Volkhard was fortunate enough to wash up on the correct side of the river. He was still rather damp when he walked into Clan Tumbleberry. Elder Tumbleberry watched him approach with a towel in hand and patted Volkhard face twice before telling him to dry off before giving his report.
Hartmann's suggestion met a raised brow. "I'll inform the other Elders of this matter. It is like that Elders Ashfield and Lowhaven will take the opportunity to stretch their legs. And any number of Halflings bored with the very important work around camp too." He gave Volkhard a look that implied a stern talking to, which felt rather unfair. He did help around camp. "I'll not deny any Halflings the chance to enjoy a youthful adventure." And Elder Tumbleberry went away with his hand in his tobacco pouch and a hand on his pipe.
Rumour suggested that pipe had come from an adventure, of course no one agreed just what the adventure had been.
With the second month coming to an end, Volkhard had a free week again. He would have time to do two things, unless he decided it was time for an adventure.
[] Swimming
Learn to swim. You've had it up to here with these rivers.
[] Fighting
Learn to fight. Cousin Sophie didn't teach you all that much.
[] Riding
Learn to ride a goat. You'd need to borrow one from the Clan, but the Tall Folk ride animals all the time.
[] Languages
Spend some time learning one of the tongues of the people around you.
- [] Dwarfen
You didn't get much time to learn Dwarfen beyond the basics, find another Halfling to teach you some more.
[] Meet with someone
- [] Clan Elder Tumbleberry
- [] A Tumbleberry Clanling
- [] Family Elder Tallowman
- [] A Tallowman Cousin
- [] Friedbert Kriesel
- [] Someone visits you
[] The Gods
Go around the Shrinewagons and offer prayers to the Pantheon, talk to some shrinetenders.
[] Rest Up
You're injured, you could do with spending some time resting, relaxing and definitely eating.
[] Explore
- [] Go find the big birds again
- [] The eastern wood
- [] Visit the rest of the Clans
[] An Adventure
Join Elders Ashfield and Lowhaven as they gather together some Halflings to help the Brigundians and Dwarfs keep Greenskins on the far side of the mountains.
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Clan Brambledown
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Clan Brambledown
Clan Elder: Odger Brambledown of Clan Brambledown
Master Carpenter, capable of whipping up a good raft in a matter of minutes or even a boat given a few days Elder Odger is at ease with saw and hammer.
Master Sailor, sometimes Clan Tumbleberry watch as Elder Odger sails past them going up and down the river. He's never had an accident yet.
Cookwagons/kitchens:
8 cookwagons/1 kitchens.
Shrines:
Esmerelda – 3 shrinewagons/2 restaurants (Pie Week is in month 3 each year)
Hyacinth – 1 shrinewagons/0 nurseries (Flower Week is in month 4 each year)
Phineas – 1 shrinewagons/1 item vaults (The Wad-Spitting contest is in month 6 each year)
Quinsberry – 2 shrinewagons/0 libraries (The Big Read is in month 8 each year)
Josias – 1 shrinewagons/0 granaries (Harvest Festival is in month 10 each year)
Resources:
Halfling Coin – 5,000 coins
Timber – 20 logs
Stone – 5 tons
Food – 3 months (On only seconds)
Tobacco – 7 months
Iron – 2 tons
Tools:
Axes - 40
Ploughs - 5
Shovels - 60
Hammers - 55
Population:
30 Families – 3,000 Halflings
3,500 aurochs, 300 goats
Diplomacy:
All Halfling clans are allied.
Clan Brambledown has no enemies.
The Halflings have been separated from the Tall Folk from the Great Migration.
Clan Elder: Odger Brambledown of Clan Brambledown
Master Carpenter, capable of whipping up a good raft in a matter of minutes or even a boat given a few days Elder Odger is at ease with saw and hammer.
Master Sailor, sometimes Clan Tumbleberry watch as Elder Odger sails past them going up and down the river. He's never had an accident yet.
Cookwagons/kitchens:
8 cookwagons/1 kitchens.
Shrines:
Esmerelda – 3 shrinewagons/2 restaurants (Pie Week is in month 3 each year)
Hyacinth – 1 shrinewagons/0 nurseries (Flower Week is in month 4 each year)
Phineas – 1 shrinewagons/1 item vaults (The Wad-Spitting contest is in month 6 each year)
Quinsberry – 2 shrinewagons/0 libraries (The Big Read is in month 8 each year)
Josias – 1 shrinewagons/0 granaries (Harvest Festival is in month 10 each year)
Resources:
Halfling Coin – 5,000 coins
Timber – 20 logs
Stone – 5 tons
Food – 3 months (On only seconds)
Tobacco – 7 months
Iron – 2 tons
Tools:
Axes - 40
Ploughs - 5
Shovels - 60
Hammers - 55
Population:
30 Families – 3,000 Halflings
3,500 aurochs, 300 goats
Diplomacy:
All Halfling clans are allied.
Clan Brambledown has no enemies.
The Halflings have been separated from the Tall Folk from the Great Migration.
- Location
- yorkshire
[X] Fighting
[X] An Adventure
[X] An Adventure