The war camp banners whip ahead, close enough to see, but the road is clogged with stone and splintered timber. The air feels wrong, hushed under the Archivist's grip.
Unrok plants his boots and hauls the first slab aside. The broken road shudders, then yields as the slackening magic lets the stones stop sliding.
The Scout
There, see it? The path is opening. But this is where they want us cornered.
The Stranger
At the camp gates, maybe. Out here, it's a clean killing ground.
The Archivist steps from the stillness at the road's edge, fingers lifted like a conductor. The debris stirs again, grinding sideways to narrow the gap around Unrok.
The Archivist
You move forward, and I remember the shape you make. Step once more, giant, and the road learns your weight.
Unrok keeps clearing, forcing a lane through the choke point as the camp banners snap louder in the wind, one hard push closer to the gate.
“unrok push with everything he has the 100 wars survived the beast that he is his iron skin evry bit of experience into get his comrades to the camp safe uncaring of the cost to his old body”
SUCCESS (Legendary Strength, rolled +1)
Unrok drives his weight into the debris, and the narrowed lane gives way. Stones lurch aside, timber snaps, and a clear run opens straight toward the war camp.
The force of it sends dust rolling low over the road. The Archivist’s grip on the choke point slips, their fingers hanging in the air as the stones stop obeying.
The Archivist
So. That is how you move a road.
The Scout stares at the opened passage, then at Unrok, relief hardening into urgency as the camp gates loom unobstructed ahead.
The Stranger
It’s open. Move before they reset it.
Wind snaps the war camp banners in full view now, and the last scraps of rubble skitter harmlessly aside from the path.
The Archivist
Remembered.
“I urge the others through and keep watch behind my massive body acting as wall between them and danger”
SUCCESS (Legendary Intimidation, rolled -3)
Unrok plants himself in the open lane and lifts an arm, forcing the others through with the wordless pressure of a wall that walks. The Scout moves first, then the Stranger follows, both taking the cleared road before the stones can settle back into place.
The Scout
He’s making the gap hold. Go.
The Archivist watches the line of them with cool approval, one hand lowered at last as the dust thins around their boots. The path stays open.
The Archivist
Good. Remembered paths are safer when someone heavy enough to trust them walks first.
The Stranger
I don’t like that they’re still there. Keep moving.
A loose stone skids under Unrok’s heel, and a hot sting bites through a seam in his armor where the earlier strain catches up. He takes it and does not yield, holding the rear while the camp gate fills the road ahead.
The war camp entrance stands plainly in front of them now, banners snapping above the threshold as the last rubble clears from the approach. Behind, the Archivist remains at the road edge, satisfied and still watching.
Quest Complete
Reach the main war camp
New Gift: Battle Hardened Resolve