Late Night Encounter

[caius]

Paimen Sartolainen couldn't ignore the spirits prompting anymore.  He had spent 2 summers mostly near his settlement hunting, minding his growing flock of sheep, farming his fields, and tending his snares, traps, and trap fences.  He certainly wasn't a warrior, but had become a master at hunting (stealth and bow) and a grandmaster working with hides.  So, when the spirits told him to seek furs at the Kaumo, he couldn't put off the impression anymore...

[caius]

...
So he packed up his gear, bundled in furs, loaded his 2 bulls, and set out once the lakes froze hard.  He was going to winter in the unexplored Kaumo and trap and hunt until the spirits were pacified.  After several days of slow skiing across the land, he was exhaused one morning after travel through the night.  So he wrapped himself in furs and slept well until he awoke refreshed late one night.  After only a short time traveling, he stumbled across a band of foreigners.  Normally, he had traded with these visitors in the past, but these new ones were strangers.  Even more, he had little to trade.  But, the foreigners were loaded with goods and seemed unaware of Paimen as he stumbled out of the forest near their camp. 

It was then that the guardian spirits showed Paimen that these foreigners were evil.  Paimen knew he had to remove them from the forest and take their goods for the good of the land.  Paimen knew he had no hope to fight these traders, but he could stalk them like filthy foreigners they were.  So with his bow and with his spear, Paimen stalked them through the trees and killed them one at a time...

[caius]

... After Paimen eliminated 5 of the foreigners, he waited for the sun to rise to collect the bodies and gather their gear...
 

[caius]

...There was too much to carry or load on his bulls with all his other provisions.  So Paimen shredded their clothes to cords and bandages and set back into the unknown wilderness toward Kaumo.

Later that same day, Paimen realized he misintrepreted the spirits and gave great offense.  He started to sneeze and was cursed with the influenza.  It worsened for 2 days until he stumbled into a Kiesse village who thankfully had a sage.  After resting for 2 more days in that village, and frequent interventions by the sage on his behalf, Paimen was able to appease the local spirits and was healed.  He traded some of the foreigner's goods for some pots and a masterfully made handaxe in that village.  Rested, rejuvinated, and equipped, Paimen then headed east into the unexplored region of the Kaumo in search of furs.

[koteko]

Nice story! By the way, where did you get that alternative character sprite?

EDIT: it's probably this.. I can't believe I never noticed it. It's awesome!