Elephant Queens & Tiger Kings - 8: Arriving at the City of the Longheads

In the last episode I was press-ganged into becoming a rower on a galley that's part of a trade and diplomatic mission to Nanbeg Gakwha, a city of the Longhead people. We are slowly travelling up the river occasionally stoping to stock up on food and dealing with the dangers of the environment. I was instrumental both in finding food and in dealing with a giant pangolin which has put me in good standing with the members of the expedition.

We are almost a week and a half into our journey, the 3 galleys are making good progress and rowing isn't as strenuous as it could otherwise be, thanks to the monsoon winds blowing inland at this time of the year. There is a light misty rain falling and the air is filled with the cacophony of jungle wildlife. We haven't passed any villages in days and likely won't see any for a while yet.

The journey progress trackers is currently at 5 out of 10. I want to get to at least a 7 or 8 out of 10 before I risk making a progress roll. Remember I am using 3 Wits for these Undertake a Journey moves since the expedition is being lead by navigators and helmsmen of the galleys.

Move: Undertake a Journey (Formidable Rank)

Action Die: Roll 1d6 + Wits(3), 2 + 3 = 5

Challenge Dice: Roll 2d10 = 2 and 7

A Weak Hit: Reach a waypoint and mark progress.

We've made further progress (6 out of 10), -1 supply (3 out of 5 left).

Nothing remarkable happens, we make steady progress up the river. No signs of human activity. Just the dark jungle and the sound of birds and monkeys in the air. We set anchour just before dark and sleep until dawn for the next leg of our journey.

Move: Undertake a Journey (Formidable Rank)

Action Die: Roll 1d6 + Wits(3), 3 + 3 = 6

Challenge Dice: Roll 2d10 = 6 and 7

A Miss: You are waylaid by a perilous event. Pay the price.

Ask the Oracle: It is stressful.

Action: Overwhelm

Theme: World

Over the course of the following morning we continue our journey and then the first signs of humans. We start seeing the occasional carved stone pillar along the shoreline. They seem to be the height of two or three people and we can see that they are adorned with decaying flowers and surrounded by what looks like rotting fruit, if the clouds flies are anything to go by. And what's more, the macabre sight of human skulls. It's not clear to us what the purpose is of these pillars. Are they places of worship and offering, boundary markers or warning signs?

There are mutterings amongst the other rowers. Some of them have heard rumours about the Longheads and their vicious ways, in battle, towards prisoners and sometimes each other. The chatter increases, stories are passed around and then the arguing starts. Some of the rowers stop, guards start beating people. The rhythm of the rowing has been thrown off and the helmsman orders everyone to raise their oars out of the water.

While I sympathise with the nervousness of the crew I believe it's better to continue rather than let ourselves drift listlessly in the river. We shouldn't get separated from the other galleys as we don't know who might be watching us from hidden vantage points amongst the trees.

I'm going to try and speak to the crew to calm their nerves. I've gained respect amongst the crew due to being successful at finding food and defending against the giant pangolin, so I hope they will consider what I have to say.

I will give myself a one off +1 on a Compel move for the aforementioned reason. 

Move: Compel +1

Action Die: Roll 1d6 + Wits(3), 1 + 3 + 1= 5

Challenge Dice: Roll 2d10 = 5 and 2

It's a Weak Hit but I burn momentum to turn it into a strong hit. The momentum drops to +2 but I get +1 for the Strong Hit putting me back at +3 momentum.

Strong Hit: They do what I want.

I raise my voice to grab everyone's attention and explain that it is better to keep moving than to stay still. And that to turn back now, on our own, is even more dangerous. This seems to satisfy the crew, for now. The mariners in charge of the boat don't usually allow rowers to speak out of turn, but make an allowance for me this time when they notice the crew calm down and agree to continue. Everyone on the boat is once again aligned in a common purpose, to continue on. But in the process I've used up my favour with everyone on the boat. They'll have someone to blame now if anything goes wrong.

Move: Undertake a Journey (Formidable Rank)

Action Die: Roll 1d6 + Wits(3), 4 + 3 = 7

Challenge Dice: Roll 2d10 = 9 and 5

A Weak Hit: Reach a waypoint and mark progress (7 out of 10). -1 Supply (+2 Supply).

We all get back to work and row hard in order to catch up with the other galleys. A message is shouted over by one of the mariners to explain what has happened, which seems to satisfy everyone concerned. Mutinies can happen. We continue on and in the latter part of the evening we once again start encountering signs of human life. Huts by the water, then small villages. But the people we see fishing from their canoes, playing by the rivers edge or returning from a forest hunt are different from what we have encountered further down the river.

Their skulls are unmistakably elongated. A result of the the bindings that are applied to their heads as soon as they are born. We are amongst Longheads. They watch us suspiciously, occasionally pointing and shouting incomprehensibly at us. But not daring to venture towards our galleys. We also keep our distance and set anchour only once we are at a sufficient distance from any dwellings. At night there is a double watch and we are awakened earlier than normal to start rowing again.

Move: Undertake a Journey (Formidable Rank)

Action Die: Roll 1d6 + Wits(3), 6 + 3 = 9

Challenge Dice: Roll 2d10 = 7 and 3

A Strong Hit: Reach a waypoint and mark progress. +1 on the Journey Progress Tracker now takes to 8 out of 10.

I'm going to attempt the Reach Your Destination move.

Challenge Dice: 10 and 4 against 8.

Weak Hit: On a Weak Hit you face an unforeseen hazard or complication. Envision what you find or Ask the Oracle.

We make good progress over the next couple of days. This stage of the journey could be described as uneventful save for the fact that we are clearly being watched. Every time we pass a village there seem to be more people watching us from the river side or out on canoes. They still maintain a distance but it's we can tell that the word of our arrival is spreading ahead of us. Also we now notice the presence of groups of warriors, bearing spears, clubs and bows. Decorated with feathered headdresses and tattoos and body paint different to what we are used to seeing. 

Finally, almost 15 days after we left the City of Pearls, we navigate around a bend in the river to find ourselves at our destination. Out of the mist appears the light of burning fires, high up on stepped pyramids. Then pillars lining the river bank, as before with flowers and various skulls hanging from woven vines. Also more huts, gardens and pig pens amongst the trees. Occasionally a stone tower from which we are likely being watched.

I wonder what our reception will be like?