Before the resistance can debate, the striped traveler snatches up her broken sigil and strides through the tavern door. The chosen four follow her into the bitter street.
The Striped Traveler
My homeland lies beneath an eternal blizzard. Something is driving south from beyond it, and every delay gives that danger another mile.
The four chosen patrons leave the remaining patrons behind to guard the tavern and watch the summons. Outside, the traveler turns north, following a sharp scent of scorched iron.
The Striped Traveler
Stay close. I know this trail. It passes the northern waystations, and whatever made that scent wanted its passage noticed.
Beyond the last houses, the road bears blackened flecks across the frost. An emptied waystation stands ahead with its shutters hanging open and its fire long dead.
At the threshold, abandoned packs and overturned benches show a hurried flight. Farther north, frightened travelers’ tracks scatter from the road, all fleeing before something unseen.
The Striped Traveler
This is the herald’s wake. If the trail continues toward the blizzard, we have found the greater threat’s road. I am not stopping now.
✓ Quest Accepted
Rescue the fleeing northern travelers
“I search the abandoned waystation for signs of where the travelers went.”
SUCCESS (Good Perception, rolled +1)
Yuko enters the abandoned waystation, moving past overturned benches and cold ash. The dust holds layered impressions where frightened travelers hurried through, some barefoot, some burdened.
Yuko Valera
The travelers split after leaving the road, but their tracks converge again beyond the northern marker.
Behind the service counter, Yuko finds the waystation keeper’s ledger pinned beneath a fallen cup. Its final entry records six travelers seeking shelter, then a hurried arrow toward the old snow road.
The Striped Traveler
They were driven out before the fire died. The old snow road leads toward the blizzard, and the scorched iron passed that way.
In the stable yard, Yuko finds deep narrow gouges crossing the frost beside the travelers’ footprints. A torn blue scarf is caught on a northern milestone, its fabric dusted with black ash.
The Striped Traveler
Now we know their road. They reached the milestone, then continued north. We can follow before the storm buries it.
“"Right, let's go. In case they somehow come back, I trust you four patrons to remain here. This lady and I will investigate. It's best to travel with fewer people to lose anyway." Yuko hummed softly, waving goodbye to the four and expecting the tigress to follow him as he began to follow the trail.”
SUCCESS (Good Perception, rolled +0)
Yuko Valera
Right, let's go. In case they somehow come back, I trust you four patrons to remain here. This lady and I will investigate. It is best to travel with fewer people to lose anyway.
Chosen Patrons
Understood. We will hold the waystation and keep watch for anyone returning from the road.
Yuko hums softly and waves goodbye to the four patrons. The striped traveler gives them one brisk nod, then turns north as he steps onto the old snow road.
Yuko follows the scattered footprints beyond the milestone. His perception separates the frightened travelers’ hurried trail from the deeper gouges and black ash marking the scorched iron’s passage.
The Striped Traveler
There. The travelers kept north, but the herald’s trail bends east for a while before returning to the snow road.
They leave the waystation behind and follow the joined trail into whitening wind. Yuko identifies the route clearly, though checking each crossing costs them valuable daylight and leaves the farther tracks uncertain.
The Striped Traveler
We have their road. Stay close, and we will reach the next waystation before the storm buries the signs.
The striped traveler leads onward while Yuko keeps the travelers’ trail and the scorched passage aligned in his mind. Behind them, the four patrons remain at the waystation as trusted guardians.