SWT: Mörk Borg - Chapter Ten
And Then There Was Silence
Hello, and welcome back to Solum’s Weird Tales - Mörk Borg. Last time, we saw our increasingly irate mercenary Börda fail to find the cure for his impending doom, as well as fail to find any treasure in a locked vault. He did, however, find a cool new Zweihander longsword, a useless crown and a renewed hatred of the walking dead. With just 2 rooms left to find, we are in the final stretch of this story. Let’s jump back in.
Börda - Classless Mercenary HP = 12/13 Omens = 0/2
Agility +3
Presence +3
Strength +2
Toughness -2
Traits: Loud Mouthed, Nihilist
Sack (10 Inventory Spaces) With
- One dose of Red Poison(DR 12 TOU test or d10 DMG)
- 60 Silver
- 4 Rations
- Waterskin [] [] [] [] (4 days of water left)
- Tent
- Flint and Tinder
- Chainmail (Agility Test have +2 DR. Amor Rating = d4) [Damaged]
- Sack of Pearls
- Bundle of Silk
- Wraith Skull
Equipped
- The Warstarter Shield [] []
- Longsword - D6 Damage
- Iron Crown with Silver Highlights (No stats, it just makes me feel better)
- Scroll - Heal 2 Creatures d10 (Currently used by NPC Companion)
Quest - Find out what happened to the 13 missing priests from Schleswig
3 Milestones [+] [+] []
Journey is 5 days - Complete
[+] [+] [+] [+] [+]
Dungeon Crawl - The Charnel Catacombs - Complete
[+] [+] [+] [+]
Dungeon Crawl - The Tenebrous Thicket 1/4 + Final Room
[+] [+] [+] [] + []The Tenebrous Thicket - Time until undeath? 1 day
Dungeon Move DC 5 +3 Special rooms - Strong Hit
Locked Sarcophagi with 5 vials of life elixir on a podium
Busy. Human NPC - Pretentious Warden - Helpful
No ExitsBörda led the priests along the bridge and into a clearing filled with low hanging fog. A small shrine was in the center of the clearing, the details long since lost to time, but beyond it was a ancient, stone grave wrapped in thick, rusted chains.
“Don’t touch that now.” A voice said from the fog. Börda whirled, his hand going to the blade on his back. A small man in fine clothes leaned almost casually against a long, wooden counter. Something glittered in the thin light behind him, and the man grinned.
“Fascinating.” He crooned. “4 benighted beings, one of which is at deaths door. If you are seeking ancient graves to rob, I suggest you try elsewhere. This one is locked for good reason, and I wouldn’t see it disturbed.” Börda glanced at his companions, although which of the three were closest to death was a fools guess, as all 3 could barely stand.
“We search for a cure for our prediciemnet.” Börda said, removing his hand from the hilt of his blade. The man nodded in understanding, and when Börda blinked, the stranger had moved to the other side of the counter, his hands on the wooden counter.
“Well now.” He said ponderously. “Something like that can be arranged. But for now, I can see you have a need, and I require some funds.” He held up a hand and crooked a finger. Thera let out an offended squawk and was jerked forward by unseen hands. “Nasty wound you’ve got there. Fortunately for you, I have some of these going spare.” He held up a hand with a flourish a small bottle with blood red liquid appeared in his palm. Börda recognized it. Life Elixir. A strong enough dose could clear Thera’s infection..
“How much?” Börda asked, stpping up beside his companion.
“For you? 50 Silver. I’ve needs that require attending to, stuck here as I am.” Börda grumbled, but he supposed the silver was just burning a hole in his pocket as it was. He emptied his coin purse and glowered at the measly 10 silver that remained.
“Excellent.” The man said. “Now, let us discuss the rest of your plight.”
Life Elixer 2d6 X 5 Silver = 50
Thera now cured of infection!
Does the man know about the cure? Yes, but he wants something
An Item? No, and it is something we won’t want to give.“You know of it?” Börda asked
“Oh yes.” The man said dismissively. “You’re kind are common enough here. Why don’t I make you a deal? I’ll give you some advice and you give me some help.”
“What kind of help?” Börda asked, suddenly wary.
“Nothing you’ll miss. See that fella there? He’s not long for this world.” He pointed at Kutz, the fingerless priest, who gestured at themselves in shock. “Oh don’t look so surpised there fella.” The man scolded. “When did you get bitten? I would say you and she,” He pointed at Börda and Thera “were bit about a day ago, but you my friend? You’re time can be counted in minutes. Trust me.”
“That’s not possible!” Krator stuttered. “We will find the cure, if you stop wasting our time, we can save him!”
“I can save him.” The man said nonplussed. “I need someone to cover my desk here, for a spell. Like I said, things to do, silver to spend, wrongs to right.” He snapped his fingers and Kutz doubled over in pain. “I’m being theatrical, but the change will take him soon. You’ve still an hour of hiking ahead of you. He wont make it.” The man gestured at the pitiable figure. “Give him to me, and he’ll live. We’ll swap every now and then. This duty is dreadfully dull, and while this man seems poor company, even poor company is better than nothing.” The man smiled expectantly while Kutz continued to dry heave onto the ground, flecks of blood visible through the fog. Börda shurgged. The man had been dead weight and he truly seeemed to be in pain. Hell, if the man had offered him the deal while he was on deaths door, he would probably take it. The man’s shadow flickered, warping from the usual, small framed human to a large, multilimbed and horned creature, with eyes that glowed like hot coals. Börda blinked, and the man’s shadow was normal again. Perhaps he wouldn’t be so keen, at that.
“We aren’t leaving him.” Thera said firmly.
“We will surivive. We will carry him if we must!” Krator said. Börda had little doubt who would be doing the carrying, and who would be the first person with their throat torn out when the old bastard finally turned. The man cocked an eyebrow at Börda and he turned to the others.
General Adventure Move PRE DC 14 - Strong Hit“He’s dying.” Börda said bluntly. “Look at him. Haven’t you two lost enough? Fuck, I’d be happy enough with a gig like this. Guard duty, rather than wandering the forest as an abomination? If he could speak for himself, I’m sure he’d care more about the two of you living through this than extending his suffering.” Börda had no idea if the man felt that way, but fortunately he was in too much pain to argue. Thera was wavering, and Krator’s shoulder’s had slumped, so he drove the last knife in. “Haven’t you lost enough?”
The man snapped his fingers, and Krator disappeared.
“He’ll be fine. I’ll let him sleep off my ministrations, and then I can get him to work.” He said cheerfully. “You’re going to want to go back across the ridge and follow a ravine further south. Once you hit the ravine, trust me, you can’t miss it. You’ll find you’re cure there.”
“And it’s real?” Börda said softly, the others too lost in grief to overhear.
“It is.” He nodded. “There will be a price, of course, as there is for everything. But I can tell you’ll be good for the payment.
General Adventure Move - Backtrack - PRE - Strong Hit - no Trouble
Dungeon Move DC 5+4 Special Rooms = Strong Hit. Final Room Found
Generate the passage that leads there
Corridor - Common Encounter - Loot - Corpse Plunder
A bottle of liquid that shifts between red and green
They found the ravine after half an hour of trekking in silence. The other two looked pale, especially Krator, but Börda ignored them mostly, now that the end was in sight. He felt something against his boot and crouched down to inspect it, finding a small, glass bottle. Lifting it up, a skeletal hand and forearm came with it, which he shook off in disgust.
“The fuck is this?” He muttered. The bottle was unlabeled and almost full. A vibrant, green liquid sloshed around within, but as he watched, the liquid shifted to a deep, blood red scarlet. He placed it in his pack, and tried not to think too much about it.
“We’re nearly there.” He said softly.
Religious Order name - The Sisters of Infinite Darkness
Flayed Skin Everywhere, Gargoyles. Carved with Death Cult Sigils
Contents: Ancient Warden
Love all of this, it writes itself!Final Room - The Lair of the Death Witch - Kymoril
The path led to a large, cavernous pit at the bottom of the ravine. Large rocks and dead trees filled the pit, and despite going deeper and deeper, there was an ethereal light that lit the way from a half dozen braziers filled with ghostly green flame.
“I do not like this.” Thera whispered.
“I can’t imagine why.” Börda muttered. The walls of the pit were marked with blood red sigils, and while Börda didn’t recognize them, blood on the walls was rarely a good sign, not when there were large, stone gargoyles scattered about the place, their immobile, carved gaze all directed towards them. Shapes hung on the branches of the dead trees, and Börda felt bile rise when he saw the coats and cloaks of flayed skin, still wet with fresh blood.
“This is a cursed place.” Krator said darkly.
“And you are cursed beings, so you should feel right at home.” said a melodious voice from the shadows. “I welcome you to my home, although I can guess why you have come. Approach.”
“Börda, be careful.” Thera whispered, grabbing his arm. He had started to move forward, but the priest shook her head. “There is a great darkness here.”
“I have a name, muscular one.” The voice said, amused. “You may call my Kymoril.”
A figure emerged from the shadows and laid a delicate pale hand upon the brow of one of the gargoyles. Clad in long, ink black robes with a mane of raven hair struck with red, Kymoril’s large, dark eyes watched them in amusement. As she stepped forward, the cut of her robe revealed her legs, and Börda shuddered at the sight. Bleached bone calves and skeletal feet were visible, at odds with the full bodied frame beneath the voluminous robes.
“Begone Foul Witch!” Thera cursed, throwing back the cloth from her shield and throwing herself forward, her brother at her side with his scroll ready, although he looked far from enthusiatic. He looked positively ill, in fact.
Does the shield work on her? No, and she is completely immuneThe woman cocked her head and let out a tinkling laugh.
“How amusing.” She said warmly. Her eyes turned away from the two priests and turned to Börda. “Tell me, reasonable one. What is it you wish for?”
“A Cure.” he said faintly. “For me and my friends here.”
Reaction - 14 - Friendly
Does she ask me to off the priests? No, but she does take care of one“Are you sure?” she whispered. "“You would make a good thrall, I think.”
“I’m sure, Lady.” He said cautiously. She shurgged and tossed her hair.
“Well, I can help, of course, seeing as you came all this way. Of course, for one of you it is too late.” She pointed at Krator and the man’s colour somehow turned even worse. He crumbled and she lifted her finger away. “The rot was too far in, so I’ve sped up the process. Don’t worry, he’ll be quite docile. Now, for the two of you.” Krator was up again immediately, his eyes blank and jaws open, as dead as the other creatures they had encountered. It had happened so quickly, Börda hardly knew how to react. Unfortunately for Börda, Thera did.
PRE to reign Thera in - Miss “Die!” Thera yelled, her long sword flashing. Kymoril laughed, her eyes sparkling as she ducked out of the way.
“Oh how amusing!” She trilled. “reasonable one. Kill this one for me, and I’ll give the cure you seek.” Her dark eyes met Börda’s over Thera’s large frame, and he felt like a horrid, dark understanding passed between them. He couldn’t stand against her. Which left him with only one option.
“Börda, stand with me and we will defeat this witch! For my order. For the trail of corpses she has left in her wake!”
Initiative - Thera First
Thera Attack - 7 - Miss Kymoril
Börda Attack - 9 - MissThera’s sword flashed, and the witch laughed again and moved backwards, the sounds of bone on stone echoing around the clearing. Thera snarled, and twitched backwards, the shield raised and blocked Börda’s swing. He eyes went wide and she seemed at a loss for words. Had her training been any less, she would have died blessedly ignorant.
“You would stand for the Witch?” She whispered. “After all we have been through?”
“We need that cure, Thera.” Börda said, moving back and holding out a hand. “We can still go home.”
Does she attack me? Yes
Defend - 13 - Success“You bastard.” She snarled. Her sword thrust forward, and he dodged out of the way. “You fucking bastard Börda!”
Attack - 10 - Miss
Defend - 14 - Success
Attack - 13 - Success - (2-1)=1 Damage (8/9)Thera was clearly an expert at using the heavy shield, and she kept him at bay easily while he tried to find his rhythm. That was part of the reason, anyway. He could give two shits about the two dead weight priests, but he had fought shoulder to shoulder with Thera, and hell, part of him and even liked the young woman, self righteous piety and all. He didn’t want to kill her, but as he begged her to stand down, she just seemed to get more angry. His blade nicked her cheek, and blood ran down her face.
“You traitorous scum! I should have killed you the moment we left catacombs!”
“Then you would have died hours ago, instead of in minutes!” He yelled back, feeling his self preservation instincts finally kick in as her blade narrowly missed his face.
Defend - 8 - Miss - 3 DMG (13/16)
Attack - 17 - Success - 7 DMG (1/9)Thera’s next attack sunk deep into his shoulder and he gasped in pain. She was going to kill him, and the cure was so close. For the first time since that damned bite, he could see a future. But she couldn’t be in it. The pair of dark, fathomless eyes watched him from just beyond, and he needed the witch alive to give him the damned cure. He took the Zweihander in both hands and swung as Thera repositioned, carving a deep furrow in her chest and causing blood to spray onto the stone.
“Bastard.” Thera said around a mouthful of blood. “I’ll gut you.”
Defend - Natural 20 - Critical - 5 DMGThera leapt forward, her shield high and her blade quick, but she was too slow. Börda moved to the side and swung up, underneath her shield and lopped off her arm. With a smooth motion, not wanting to prolong the woman’s suffering, he removed her head on the backswing. Her body collapsed silently to the ground, blood pooling around his feet. He felt icey cold hands upon his shoulders, and a cold breath on his neck
“Masterfully done, Resonable One. Let us bargin.”
Complete Quest DC 12 - 9 and 9 - Miss
So, to complete a quest, you add omens to a roll, and on a miss or weakhit, you add more milestone. I feel like it makes more sense to add the milestones to the roll? That way, each time you roll you have a great chance. Otherwise it doesn't really make sense to up the DC for longer quests. So 9 +3 milestones is 12, turning this into a strong hit.He felt Kymoril reach into his back, but was too terrified to do anything. One hand, icy and hard as bone, held his throat in a vice grip. Perhaps the witch had forced him to kill his friend for his amusement, and now she would kill him. That was, he reasoned, probably the fate he deserved.
“Ah yes. You’ve done half the work for me, Reasonable One.” The Witch murmured. The grip released on his throat and the woman turned him around. She held up the vial he had found, the Red/Green liquid within pulsing with light. Her eyes flashed and it fizzled.
“Drink up.” She said, passing it to him. “You’ve not much time.” Börda took and unstopped it. Her eyes watched him intently as he drank the liquid. It was thick and tasted like iron, and she laughed again as he grimaced around the drink. He took a step back, feeling energy course through him. He looked at his hand, at the bite mark that had been his curse, to find unblemished skin.
“As agreed.” Kymoril murmured. She placed a pale hand upon his cheek and smiled, filling his stomach with dread and fear. “When the end comes, and it will, you may return here, if you like. The fear that sings within you when you look upon me is like a pleasant hum.”
Calendar of Nechrubial
4, 1, 12, 11
And the Depths of the underworld shall bring forth flying specters and growling beasts in their passing, the worms grow fat and vultures wearyGalgenback, 4 Days Later
Börda barley remembered the journey north to Galgenback, apart from a storm of ghostly figures and howling beasts on the 2nd day out from Kymoril’s lair. He was still too relieved to be breathing to really take it in. When he arrived at the city, corpses littered the streets. The carrion birds in the rafters were fat from plentiful meat, and squawked at him half heartedly as he trudged through filthy city streets. He didn’t haggle for his pearls or silks or trophies. Whatever price was offered, he accepted with mute apathy. He sold his armor and bought fresh leathers, having gained more comfort and freedom of movement while being lightly armored. 4 days after his curse was lifted, he was in a tavern, on his third mug of ale with enough silver to see him through the end times. For this was the End Times, as the Death Witch had said. The End of Days were just around the corner, and he had enough silver to greet the end with the drunken indifference this world deserved. He looked into the amber liquid, and saw a pair of lovely, inviting eyes looking back, like two black pools of nothingness. He shuddered, and finished off the ale. He picked up his evening meal, a peice of bread, a hunk of cheese and a distressed apple. Something moved within the apple, and a moment alter, a small, fleshy head revealed itself as a worm burrowed forth from the apple’s skin. The worm was fat and well fed, as worms went and they shared a look as the worm, predictable, began to sing
Oh, Fire
here on my own
I’ve wasted life
so weak
a dark sword
a black soul
Börda, Börda
Deceiver, Deceiver
Börda crushed the fat worm in his fingers before it could continue and threw the apple away. Another voice picked up the tune from elsewhere in the tavern, likely another cursed apple
Into the Void, this journey ends!
Börda laid his head back on the wall and closed his eyes. There wasn’t enough ale in Galgenback to make the damned worms stop.
And so, we reach the end of Börda’s journey. He’s richer, more experienced and likely half the man he was when he left, but hey! He’s alive, an outcome I wouldn’t have predicted for him for most of this adventure. I hope you enjoyed this run through the end times! Thanks for reading!
That was a most satisfying journey for Borda. I also was not expecting him to live!
It's a nice finale. Cheers to Börda!