Capture and Escape

Our captors begin to take us (Asbjorn) to the South with 2 guards, the driver and a Dream Master.  The cart is pulled by an Elder Bear who’s flak is marked with a rune.  We lose track of time.  Several weeks?  Two Months?  We just don’t know.  We look for possible ways to escape, but the is just no options for us here.

We adventures come to a grove of trees and a field of flowers.  It’s amazingly beautiful and for a moment it does not feel as if we’re in the Ironlands anymore.  As we move through the forest the trees begin to thicken and very little light makes it to us.  Suddenly the Elder Bear rears up and we hear the thunk of arrows hitting armor and our actors, one by one are eliminated.  The bear is freed and out cage is opened.  I try to step out, but I’ve never recovered from my injuries and being locked in the cage for so long I don’t even have the energy to free myself.

I’m a carried along with Asbjorn to a glade in which we are brought back to health.  The people who are helping us are wearing wooden masks.  Some are simple some are decorative.  Could these be the Firstborn Elves of the Ironlands?  No one hardly says a word to us as we are mended back to health.  As we become more mobile, we begin to try and help out around the camp as we can.  There are no permanent structures and only tents.  

Several weeks pass and we try to bond with these people and while they are open to our help, they make no effort to engage us.  Eventually we are brought to a large tent in which sits someone who is wearing a large decorative mask and sitting behind a fine carved wooden desk.  The voice of a man comes from behind the mask, “We have done what we can to bring you back to health.  This glade will remain protected for a few more days (can make 3 moves in safety here) but then it will be gone.”  We ask what we can do to repay him and he only states, “If you see an Elder Beast in trouble, do what you can to help,, this is all we ask.”

I attempt to swear an Iron Vow to this effect, but we receive no indication from the man of approval or disapproval.  The light in the room slowly grows until we are blinded.  When we’re able to see again, the encampment is gone.

We take the time to gain some supplies and heal up and we venture into this unknown region.  We travel for weeks through the wilds (many failed Journey rolls) and slowly our supplies and spirits run low.  Thorlin has taken to talking to himself and as more time passes he begins to curse the wooden masked people.  Soon he falls into a deep despair and after a month of this begins to demand the heads of any masked man he ever comes across (Corrupted/Forsake Iron Vow).

We soon come to a settlement which is atop a hill and walled off.  The settlement consists of only one large two story building, but the people here welcome us.