RPG setting content based on the real sunken subcontinent of Sundaland. Imagine a land where the progenitors of the ancient Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Indus Valley and American cultures came from. I also post about ancient history topics that can serve as inspiration.
The overall tone is Bronze Age to Classical Antiquity type civilisations with a touch of Sword & Sorcery.
Recap: I've been recruited into a diplomatic and trade mission from the City of Pearls to Nanbeg Gakwha, the city of the Longheads a fearsome war-like people that are known for their practice of skull-binding. After two weeks our boats reached their city where we unloaded our mysterious cargo.
During our stay we discovered that an idol has gone missing and that our group has been accused of stealing it. The ambassadors (3 from each boat) were held captive as well as 4 mariners (including myself). There is no evidence of us being involved and it seems that we are being used as pawns in political game between rival factions within the city of the Longheads. After being searched and questioned we are taken back to a holding cell, unsure of our fate.
We are held in our cell all day with no explanation and eventually all go to sleep, not sure what the future holds. Together our group consists of 9 ambassadors and 4 mariners (including myself).
Will we get more clarity in the morning about our fate? Ask the Oracle.
Action: Investigate
Theme: Ruin
Major Plot Twist: A trap is sprung
I wake up in the middle of the night, there is only the faint moon light from small windows high up in the room. I notice a figure skulking nearby, moving to the centre of the room. There is something gleaming in his hands. I think it's the idol. A small golden statue.
I decide to get up quietly and see if I can manoeuvre to a position that will give me and advantage to pounce on him.
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.
In the last episode I was attempting to smuggle Areca Nuts into he City of Pearls in exchange for the right to live in the city. However my companion and I were captured by Balzar, who seems to be a head guard or military leader of the city. We have 'volunteered' or press-ganged into being part of a trade and diplomatic mission to Nanbeg Gakwha a city of the Longhead people.
Early in the morning we are jolted awake as guards drag us up to our feet and march us out of the room where we have been held for several days. We gather in the hallway together with dozens of others and then through further halls and courtyards until we are out onto a large plaza where we are again joined by more captives led by guards. All in all there must be a hundred people. We are led through streets along canals and over bridges towards the edge of the city to a great port where many large ships and boats are moored. This is where the great trading vessels embark for the spice islands in the East or to procure Jade on the Northern coasts.
There is a throng of people on the quay. People are loading and unloading goods from the water vessels and carts with various wares bound for the markets in the city or further afield. Craftsmen in docks are making repairs to the decks and hulls while women mend sails and weave and twist rope.
The guards push through the crowds leading us along a stone quay where 3 galleys are moored. They each have double layered deck, there are what seems to be about 25 oars coming down from the lower deck and towering above, each boat has two masts from which hang massive triangular sails made of matted fibres.
There are priests making animal offerings while chanting, the smoke of incense is in the air and bells are ringing all seemingly to bless the voyage ahead. However we are unceremoniously bundled up a wooden walk way onto the boat and below deck and to one of the benches where we are expected to take up an oar in pairs.
We wait several hours until finally we hear the beat of a drum somewhere behind us, we are shouted at by some senior mariners to deploy our oars and push off the quay and start rowing to the steady beat of the drum. The boats make their way out on to the river and at this time of year the monsoon winds are blowing inland from the sea allowing us to make our way into the hinterland.
I will treat the journey up the river as a Formidable Journey (1 Progress per Success) and will roll for the navigators giving them a +3 for Wits to add to the Action die. I will also track the supplies of the expedition as usual, starting at 5.
Move: Undertake a Journey (Formidable Rank)
Action Die: Roll 1d6 + Wits(3), 5 + 3 = 7
Challenge Dice: Roll 2d10 = 9 and 7
A weak hit: Reach a waypoint and mark progress, -1 supply.
The initial part of the journey is uneventful. The river is wide and slow and the combination of sails and oars allow us to make progress up the river. I can see out from a gap in the hull that we are within the hinterland of the City of Pearls, the villages, farms and gardens that we encounter along the river are under its sphere of control. In the late afternoon we reach a village and trading outpost that has several large jetties where we moor. We are allowed to prepare food from the supplies and then sleep on the benches or on the deck. Incense is burned to keep us safe from the bites and stings of insects.
Move: Undertake a Journey (Formidable Rank)
Action Die: Roll 1d6 + Wits(3), 5 + 3 = 8
Challenge Dice: Roll 2d10 = 9 and 3
A weak hit: Reach a waypoint and mark progress, -1 supply.
We've made further progress (2 out of 10) and lost more supply (3 out of 5).
We are awoken as dawn breaks and after some preparations we cast off once again. Despite the hard work we've been treated quite well so far. It seems that the captains and mariners want to keep us in good health and good spirits. As we journey up the river I notice that villages and huts on the shore become fewer in number and the vegetation growing up to the water becomes more dense.
Move: Undertake a Journey (Formidable Rank)
Action Die: Roll 1d6 + Wits(3), 6 + 3 = 9
Challenge Dice: Roll 2d10 = 7 and 6
A strong hit: Reach a waypoint and mark progress.
We've made further progress (3 out of 10) supply remains (3 out of 5).
A couple more days pass and we are fortunate to come across some wild pigs on the shore which means we don't have to use as much of the supplies we've taken with us.
Move: Undertake a Journey (Formidable Rank)
Action Die: Roll 1d6 + Wits(3), 6 + 3 = 9
Challenge Dice: Roll 2d10 = 8 and 1
A strong hit: Reach a waypoint and mark progress.
We've made further progress (4 out of 10) supply remains (3 out of 5).
We have been travelling for almost a week, which has been uneventful so far. But I'm noticing only the occasional small village and more often there is thick forest growth overhanging the shore. I believe we are venturing deep into the jungle.
Move: Undertake a Journey (Formidable Rank)
Action Die: Roll 1d6 + Wits(3), 4 + 3 = 7
Challenge Dice: Roll 2d10 = 10 and 1
A weak hit: Reach a waypoint and mark progress.
We've made further progress (5 out of 10) - 1 supply (2 out of 5 left).
We are just over a week into our expedition and it seems that we are running low on food and supplies so we take the opportunity to set anchour. We are tasked to take some canoes to a pebbled shore to see what we can gather nearby.
I'll roll for myself as well as the others.
First I'll roll for myself.
Move: Resupply
Action Die: Roll 1d6 + Wits(2), 2 + 3 = 4
Challenge Dice: Roll 2d10 = 2 and 1
A strong hit: Take +2 supply
For my companions I'll roll with Wits = +1 since the average rower will not be skilled at finding food in the jungle.
We spread out and make our way amongst the trees, bushes and ferns. This isn't a dense part of the forest so there is plenty of light. I quickly find some fruit and pull down what I can, wrapping them in large leaves, but then I recognise a particular patch of plants. I drop to my knees and starting digging in the ground with my hands, sure enough I've discovered some yams. Just as I'm about to call the others to help I notice a rustling amongst the bushes ahead. I freeze and remain as still as I can. There's further movement and I realise it's a Banteng. I then notice another, and another. I slowly move backwards and then jog to find crew with spears so that they can capture the wild cows. I leave them to it while myself and some of the others start digging up the Yams. Some of the others have also gathered various fruits but I've been the most successful by far. There is enough space on the boats for the Banteng which we'll keep alive until we need them.
We now have 4 Supply.
I wonder if the new danger is an Animal 0 - 45, Humans 46 - 90 or a Monstrosity 91 - 100.
44: Animal
As we're loading our bounty on to the canoes we suddenly hear screams from beyond the trees, then several of the crew come running out of the undergrowth. A large scaled beast burst out into the open. It's about twice as long as a man is tall and reaches up to the waist, but when it rears up on its hind legs, propping itself up with a long tail it towers above us. It screeches and brandishes sharp talons with which it lashes out at us. I attempt to duck out of the way and get to the canoes.
Move: Face Danger with Speed, Agility or Precision.
Action Die: Roll 1d6 + Edge (3), 5 + 3 = 8
Challenge Dice: Roll 2d10 = 8 and 4
A weak hit: You succeed but face a troubling cost. Choose: You are delayed, lose advantage or face a new danger. -1 momentum (now at +2 momentum).
I duck and roll out of the reach of the creature's claws. But it seems I've found myself separated from the others. Some crewmen are attempting to drive the scaled monster away with their spears but in doing so they're pushing me it towards me. I need to get past it in order to get to the river.
I need to figure out what to do.
Move: Gather Information
Action Die: Roll 1d6 + Edge (3), 3 + 4 = 7
Challenge Dice: Roll 2d10 = 5 and 3
Strong hit: You discover something helpful and specific, take +2 momentum (+4).
I keep calm and realise that the creature seems to be in a state of panic rather than having a particular aggressive or ill intent towards us. It's scared of the spears being jabbed at it and by being to it's rear I'm adding to its anxiousness.
Move: Face Danger with Speed, Agility or Precision.
Action Die: Roll 1d6 + Edge (3), 3 + 3 = 3
Challenge Dice: Roll 2d10 = 5 and 2
Strong hit: You are successful, take +1 momentum (+5).
It's splitting its attention between two perceived threats and when I see it's distracted by the others I dash towards the canoes. The spearmen start to back away and the creature now seeing a clear route to escape returns to all four legs and scampers off into the jungle.
Thanks to finding all the food and my close encounter with the jungle animal the crews believe I've been blessed in some way by the gods and spirits of this land. Whether true or not, it will help me stand out from the regular crew and might be something I can turn to my advantage later.
