Tonight we played a game based on Dragon Age, run by my bestie Gus in their inaugural foray into the GM's chair! Very exciting. We used the Fate Accelerated system, since that's what Gus is most familiar with. Meet the characters!
Kalendra is a Tempest! She's a mercenary working for a company called the "Azure Thorns." She loves a good cup of tea.
Nakkim is a dwarf warrior, working his way back to the city of Seere and the lovely lady he left behind. This doesn't stop him flirting with any other pretty face on the way, of course.
Sinda "Red Hands" is...well, he was training to be an Antivan Crow, and washed out. Sinda is friendly, chatty, and perhaps the unluckiest human being on the planet.
Veddi is a Qunari mage specializing in ice magic. Up until recently, he was a slave in Saharan, but was rescued by the other three characters (this was 100% not their intent, but it was a nice bonus).
And now the four of them are heading to Rivain and the promise of freedom. Veddi has heard of a Qunari settlement where he'll be free and welcome. Kalendra is from Llomerryn in the south of Rivain, and ultimately wants to go home. Nakkim, as we've said, is looking to get to Seere, and Sinda is just going where the wind takes him.
Our heroes take a boat to the northern coast of Antiva, near White Spire, and travel overland to the town of Brynnlaw. Sinda greets everyone they pass on the road - it feels rude not to - which has Kalendra kinda gritting her teeth by the time they hit town. Nakkim and Veddi find them an inn while Kalendra goes to check in with her company. Sinda tags along for moral support.
They arrive at the warehouse that serves as a front for the Azure Thorns, which is being used to house lots of wool. This is rather unfortunate, as Sinda is very allergic to sheep. His face gets puffy and he sneezes continually, but the Azure Thorn in charge, one Barv, is very understanding ("happens all the time"). He informs Kalendra that she may have attracted some attention from folks who aren't thrilled about losing a Qunari. She takes note, and decides that they'll get some rest, resupply, and head out.
Meanwhile, Nakkim and Veddi settle down for a drinking in the Princess Nug, a bar on the edge of town. Nakkim gets a small room for resting purposes, and they chat a bit about alcohol and the imbibing thereof, and then a dwarf starts running his mouth about "the Breastplate of Beregrand." Supposedly it's in the coastal house of a rich dude, and this guy knows its there because there was a job involving someone called Hollix and he steals from rich people...anyway, if these big strong folks could get it, perhaps that'd be worth a finder's fee?
"I said I'd buy you a drink for your story," says Nakkim, and leaves it at that. Neither of them really believe this guy, anyway.
Kalendra and Sinda find the Princess Nug (because Sinda asks everyone "Hey, you seen a dwarf and a Qunari?"). Kalendra calls for hot water, and explains the best way to drink tea and that only children drink it with sugar (Nakkim stirs in sugar and says "I don't want to hear it"). Sinda is fascinated by the idea that hot water reviving tea leaves is like necromancy. Kalendra also explains the danger and that they'll need to head out. Sinda and Veddi go upstairs to rest, and Nakkim and Kalendra go out to resupply.
While out, they see gossip spreading (it's pretty easy; people get chatty and then kids run off to spread the word). Nakkim snags a kid and asks for the news. It turns out that a local Lord of Fortune, one Lucanis Della Morte, is coming to town and might well be looking for someone. That's almost certainly Veddi, so the characters head back to the Nug.
Nakkim heads upstairs and opens the door, which gets his feet frozen to the floor (Veddi) and a knife in the door above his head (Sinda). ("Next time I'll knock!") He gets them moving and the characters head out into the woods, trying to stay ahead of the Crows. Kalendra mentions Lucanis, and Sinda confirms that he is, in fact, a dick. But he's a dick with an enthusiasm for stabbing, so yeah, better to keep moving.
They head out into the wilds, stay off the main roads, and put some distance between themselves and Brynnlaw. They camp at the base of a hill, and Sinda takes first watch (Veddi stays awake, too, since he doesn't fully trust Sinda not to fall asleep or get distracted by something shiny, which, like, fair enough). They hear some rustling in the bushes, and Sinda flings a dagger at the tree above the bushes, breaking the bark and sending a cascade of beetles tumbling down onto the intruder. They hear a muffled "shit!" and Veddi wakes up Nakkim and Kalendra.
A man steps out of the bushes and introduces himself as Hollix. He informs the characters that there are mercenaries and Crows after them - folks are looking for a team of four people, one a cheerful and friendly klutz, one a dwarf with a mace, and one a Qunari (Sinda: "Aw, they didn't say anything about you, Kalendra." Kalendra: "Yes, that's what I'm going for." Sinda: "ohhhhhh, I get it").
They put out their fire and get some sleep, rising before dawn as they hear commotion on the road. They avoid the main roads and the people traveling them during the day, but as the early morning light fades they head up a rise they hear someone hiding in the trees. They stop, bracing for battle, and two Crow apprentices step out of the trees.
Sinda hurls a dagger at one and misses; it sticks in a tree near his head. The Crow scoffs, but Kalendra throws down a Fire Flask and conjures up a smoke screen. Nakkim and Veddi both burst from the smoke - Nakkim bonks one in the head with the hilt of his mace, and Veddi conjures a chain of ice around the other's neck and slams his face into the ground. Both apprentices incapacitated, Kalendra urges them to move on - just because they spotted these guys doesn't mean there aren't other, less incompetent pursuers near.
Veddi expresses concern at leaving behind living witnesses, but none of the characters are really comfortable killing helpless foes. Sinda steals the Crows' daggers and cuts their clothes off, though, just to slow them down.
And with that, the strange company moves on toward Ayesleigh.
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