[Brygun] The Story of Calle (long story style)

[Brygun]

Real world its April 2023 and I've decided to go another round of Unreal World play with story writing. Those familiar with my early ones know this thread will be growing journal style.

The next few posts are the preamples setups

Character for 2023 April

Links to my other stories:

Calle
https://www.unrealworld.fi/forums/index.php?topic=6953.0

Tuukka
https://www.unrealworld.fi/forums/index.php?topic=6082.0

Kylpymies
https://www.unrealworld.fi/forums/index.php?topic=6076.0

Pekka
https://www.unrealworld.fi/forums/index.php?topic=6016.0

Iltros
The island challenge
http://www.unrealworld.fi/forums/index.php?topic=6007.0

Cornan
An adventure to emulate Conan
http://www.unrealworld.fi/forums/index.php?topic=5461.0

Novrus
A long adventure establishing a first winter house
https://www.unrealworld.fi/forums/index.php?topic=4640.0

[Brygun]

Calle

Character for 2023 April

Game version 3.72-1 patch
Mods: BAC-Rudy, Norse portraits

Long story rule: My goal is to encourage my own writing. Thus glitch or early deaths may be reloaded to avoid the ‘yet another beginning’ writing.

In the journal is < file name > entries of when I backup the game. If things go bad yet I decided to continue the writing those are break points to upload to. For example if he dies silly amid with 2 hours since the last save and its reloaded the journal for that time no longer exists. Thus those are my “confirmed journal” points such as when I log off for the night. For purists who only want an iron-man mode with no reloads well this isn’t it and blogging the same “character starts his first shelter” many times doesn’t interest me.

Culture: Reemilaiset

Reemiläiset (Those Who Live In The Reemi) live in the south-east part of the UnReal World. They have prosperous villages and they earn their daily living mainly by means of agriculture. Regular fishing, passive hunting and trading adds a steady flow of wealth.

Reemiläiset like to build big, protected houses. They have a deep respect for the spiritworld and their ancestors.

-Game Encyclopedia


Name: Calle

Calle   
A man who is free
https://www.momjunction.com/baby-names/finnish/

Start: Winter

Completed the fall harvest with the family and preparing for his journey.

Reroll: Yes

looking to avoid the low endurance problem and with good dexterity for crafting

Came across a very high stat set though endurance a little above average isn’t ideal

Starting Rituals:
General sacrifice
Bear skull Rite
Setting snares for hares
Mittens for bear hunting

Wear mittens: wool for setting hare snares, dog fur for hunting bears

Skills:
High skills 60%+ in:
Building, Textile craft, Carpentry, Stealth, Axe, Bow


Start scenario:
Abandoned camp = gift goods from village


Course: The Unreal World

Starting at: Pyhareitti “Sacred trail”

Starting gear:

Weapons
hunting knife
fine hand axe
splitting axe

Armours and clothes
masterwork leather shoes
wollen trousers
fur shirt
nettle tunic

Food
2 rye breads
2 smoked bear cuts
2 smoke forest reindeer cuts

Starting:

In the rain

[Brygun]

reserved for possible starting pics.

[Brygun]

reserved spare.

[Brygun]

Day 4 of the 11th week before midwinter point

Reaching spruce and leafless birch chattered with the cooling rain of the fall. Calle’s work for the harvest was done. His hand picked off the head of a yarrow flower. Growing to the start of his manhood family and village both had led made him ready. It is time now for his path to begin.

His mother had traded for shoes with a double soul and stacked heel. Rare was such quality leather work seen. Wool trousers, nettle tunic and fur shirt were sufficient for the current fall weather.

The hunting knife was his companion of several years while the splitting axe was new for this year’s chores. A great pride matched the gleam on the fine hand axe that was the village’s gift for his coming of age.

Food was in a small bundle with grandmother’s breads and uncle’s smoked meats.

As a spiritual people their sage had a vision that he was to take on a great journey far away, perhaps never to be seen again. Mother cried for a day then began sewing not for him but to trade for the best shoes she could find.

In the sage’s vision he had to start by wintering outside to prove his readiness to the spirits. It was a fading lean to the sage led him. In the rain the sage left Calle.

“Search in a circle then as the spokes of wagon wheel,” Calle said.

An old wisdom to oeritnate in a new place. First finds were large stones, a few rocks, the stash of firewood and two nestled boulders. Those boulders seemed a far better place to shelter.

“Mark your routes with three and three,” Calle said.

He cut off branches setting into the ground three singles then a group of three. To those so trained these pointed the direction to go. These were placed north, west, south and east of the two boulders.

It seemed the old shelter had its own spirit. Respecting that spirit Calle let it stand. Instead he took his hand axe and knife to bring down trunks and spruce branches. Notching two uprights braced the ridge pole. Onto that was leaned the weave of spruce for a roof with more roof to separate him from the ground.

Snow had begun to fall. This winter would be challenging.

The sage’s words came to mind, “You may come to the villages to trade but stay only briefly. This challenge is tying you to the spirits. You must live with them as much as possible.”

Calle set out the yarrow flower as offering.

“Bless this new home. Keep me safe. Teach me the way,” prayed Calle.

Calle now began his first expansion of the circle. A few hundred yards across he could see where the Sage had brought him. Spruce mires, heathland, a clearing to the north west and pine mire to the south west. Those might still have berries and he needed a good source of water.

Sadly it wasn’t the season for gathering birch or adler bark. Birch could make containers and guarding outer clothing. Adler has the sap for tanning to let you eat the fats more often. A straight young spruce soon became a hiking staff.

In the heathland Calle began collecting lingonberries and heather. A basic non-sustainable diet but it was food other than uncle’s smoked meats. Those he could save now for emergency. Berries have moisture aiding his strength to explore. A greater use is to use berries as to bait traps. Traps his axes and knives would let him make.

What had he said his clothes? That it was enough. Well he was cold now. It was just noon amid the berry and flower gathering.

A longer walk took him to the pine mires. There cloud berries sprouted in small stands. A quick meal of them to aide him. Calle smilled seeing a pool of water. It would freeze in the weeks ahead. For now it means having that good drink.
Scouting found cranberries and nestled amid spruce a boulder. Calle set a new shelter there making a fire. Access to water would be vital. A lucky spot too. Nearby two trees had fallen which he could use to make materials without having to fell new trees.

Calle let heather petals fall into the fire.

“Bless this new home. Keep me safe. Teach me the way,” prayed Calle.

He slept.

Awakening in the dark Calle felt comfortably warm. Lean to shelter’s kept off rain and snow while collecting the fires heat. The boulder was also starting to warm. In the dim he gathered up spruce twigs to make a mat for this shelter. Saplings he had gathered in his hike he parted to make crude cordage.

<Calle 002 loop snare = mod edit to restore making loop snares of things other than yarn>

[Brygun]

With limited visibility exploring was wasteful. Stumbling about didn’t even find those fallen trees.

Flapping swooping past him was a bird! Nothing he could shoot or throw. This Calle set out to remedy. Bringing down a straight young spruce two javelins were made with fire hardened ends from a fire from parts of the same spruce.

Smiling Calle enjoyed gathering in this new place. This is a place he had chosen. Water was here, berries, heather and perhaps he might soon get a bird. Gathering in the dim came to have the sun touch his face. With that light the fallen trees were found and rolled over to the camp.

By noon he had fire wood split. With a ring of stones and rock he started another fire. This one he used to start burning the top of tree block. Digging it out with the axe would make a hollow. It might take a day or two to keep the cycle of burning going. When deep enough he could use it to hold water to carry. Hot rocks could be put in for a way to heat water to make soups too.

After sleeping another night the chores continued. The pots were coming along. Perhaps carving some trade goods would be good. Its not that he couldn’t ever meet others. A few bits of leather or yarn would make snares. Your first catches become leather for more snares. Unless he cut up his clothing that cycle wouldn’t start.

As cycles go the coming winter was assured as the mire water had a thin cover of ice! Bashes with the hiking staff made quick work of that.

Between working on the stump pots Calle used a rock to dig into the mire ground. Before it froze he could get at the roots. With several in hand a stone gave weight for tension. Twisting them together he managed a length of root rope. Lesser than a leather or hemp it would work for traps or as a belt.

As this day came to an end three major additions were in Calle’s gear. That root rope as a belt with split sapling cords to hang things, a hollowed block holding water and another hollowed block with rocks for heating. With the water block in the shelter near the fire it would be easier to get water to drink.
On his rising Calle though of making a basic bow. This would take a thin yet flexing cord that he hand’t made yet. Perhaps scrunching spruce could be woven up again. Seeking materials he pulled a spruce sapling out of the moist ground. That’s when Calle’s eyes went wide.

Reindeer tracks.

A half day old but still. Could he hunt it with his javelins? That wasn’t to be. In the search more berries and heather were gathered. It was a good amount of time spending energy not gaining much. Calle was part way through this uncle’s meats now.

Calle’s thought turned to trapping methods. For a reindeer a trap pit is possible. For this he spent hours carving a tree section into a shovel. He spent more time starting on the pit. Thats when it occurred to him that there are bird traps that aren’t snares. A slender trunk or large branch balanced on a branch with a stone for pushing could trap these birds. Now he was becoming a trapper. He had been so focused on the snare that the other methods had been forgotten.

It took to the next day and last of uncle’s meat to finish the pit. Covered with a triangle of slender trunks woven with branches and twigs. More bird traps would takes stones. Searching for these Calle found only a few but another fallen tree. Heaving he got it near the camp.

Then he started on another trap pit. This would flank the first one to catch those on a nearby track. Partway into the dig there was a snort. Turning Calle saw a reindeer only a few man heights away!


<CALLE 003 reindeer came>

[Brygun]

Exhausted his clumsy throw was pathetic.

It was a day or two more of slow malnourishment on berries and heather when finally a bird was caught! A great turn of luck.

It was day 4 of the 10 th week before winter making it by Calle’s thoughts nine days since the sage left him. With his first fresh meat since this began Calle slept well fed. It would take more to cleanse him of the weakening.

Calle’s heart filled with pride the next day. As he was about setting fences and traps for his little nest a bawl filled the air. The fear cry of a reindeer! Hurrying over there in his second pit trap with its long guiding fence line was a reindeer! So much meat and fur! Then while organizing a place for working the large hide three more birds!

A few days of processing had most of the reindeer on him as a hood, cap, mask, niska neck, mittens and foot wraps. The bird hides had become the leather cords those needed. With a large surplus of food it was time to visit a town to deliver the items for trade. This would be a triumphant return not a failed starving survivor staggering in.

Late afternoon of the Day 1 of the 9th week before midwinter Calle in his reindeer fur additions arrived at a settlement. For trade large amount of reindeer meat and some carpentry.

<CALLE 004 first settlement visit>
In the small Reemi settlement a boy runs up to look at Calle. Pleasantries exchanged Calle sits on a bench he brought to eat roast reindeer. A local man named Martti came to find about this visitor.

“Are you here for the wounded man?” asked Martti.

“No, I’m Calle in my test of winter,” said Calle.

Calle though was curious about this man. First they traded with Calle turning over the bench, boards, his fur neck niska and most of the roast reindeer. In exchange Martti gave him a bag of peas, a bag of broad beans, a basket of hemp seeds, a box of turnip seeds, a few turnips and some dried pike. The turnips and pike being able to be stored a long time restored Calle’s reserve food. He still had a good amount of roast reindeer to eat before it spoiled. Calle was quick to make a new niska for his own neck. Aged Martti was happy for the one now warming his own sore.

As for the wounded man he was being tended to by Parti in the store house. A bear had ambushed his man while he was gathering away from his shelter. It was to the north west a couple of miles at a spruce mire with a pine mire to the east. Calle thinks that is almost everywhere in these parts. He hopes to get his handaxe back.

A bit more trading was done to get two spools of yarn and a basket of hemp seeds. Those for the rest of the reindeer fur.

Calle stayed there over night. They traded the story of Calle’s saga for songs. In the morning Calle went to see what he could do about finding the lost axe with every intention of avoiding the bear!

Along the way he met Unto an adventuring Reemi. With some haggling Calle was able to trade for s shortbow. Sadly Calle gave up more than he wanted. However now he had a bow and arrows for either the bear or any other hunting.  That was a good investment.

<CALLE 005 got bow>

[Brygun]

For the searching Calle setup a shelter in the area. A place he could base from in the searching.

As he moved about he saw bear tracks at the same time he heard the bear!


<CALLE 006 oh crap bear>

Very fearful of this man fighting bear Calle backed away north with an arrow ready. The bear roared again and again. Rather than advance it moved south. There wasn’t a need to fight this bear this time. Calle assembled a shelter near here and some water, in case he had to recover as wounded. As a thanks to the spirits he put out one of the turnips.

Back tracking the bear found a blotch of blood. Pattern searching with markers found what must have been the battle sight with many sprays of blood. It took a while though to use the spoke and wheel from there at a growing distance to find the camp with the hand axe.

Calle was back by the late afternoon.
Cliff in the southern Reemi region at Muttikangas “Block heath”. It is hidden within a deep chasm in the cliff. It is said to have casual wealth from the owl tribe.


<CALLE 007 hear of owl treasure>

On his way back by a different route Calle discovers there is a road leading north to a Reemi town. This is Kahametsa “Quarrel forest”.  It is evening so Calle will stay here. Departing without trading goods, he had little left, Calle was back at his main camp still in the early morning. Traps were reset as he began pondering his next move. First he decided to replace the shovel and bowls traded as well as make some cups. As the next day came Calle decided to make a go of finding the treasure. This camp’s traps were set and baited. It might give time for game to get caught if he spent a few days searching for “Block Heath”.

Moving south finds a river with the village “Luru’s corner” on the north bank. Calle spoke with a few including a sage. The sage reminded Calle he can’t spend too long in towns. No one seemed to know of “Block Heath”. As for crossing the river it was still soft ice.

Scouting south finds the river growing stronger. There are rapids where Calle sets up a shelter for later use. Trying fishing with a javelin failed to catch. Exploring the river northward find it narrows down to where its just a creek. Around the deepening Calle sets up a shelter as a waypoint and fishing station.

Rivers flow in many directions here really cutting off his travel south. To the west the rivers are coming from a lake. Here Calle sets another shelter fishing station. Happily he catches a pike! It is just the one even after fishing across the evening and parts of the morning.

In time Calle circles back to the main camp to find no new game caught. Have the migrations passed on already? On his long walk he had seen a reindeer and an elk. They were though not one he could close on. The elk was across one of the rivers. Those fishing shelters may be useful as base camps for pursuit hunting if he can make skiis. Returning to the main camp Calle sets to having a cellar to stock foods.

The other possibility is that bear. She had left fresh tracks in the same area. Perhaps making a bear trap could be done. A few days later there is a four birds caught. That’s enough to feed Calle well and keep some for predator bait.


<CALLE 008 planning for bear>

[Brygun]

Heading off Calle takes a summary inventory. He has his knife, fine hand axe, splitting axe, the shortbow and quiver from the adventurer. A replacement wooden shovel, bowl and cup. His clothing with essential torso, head, hands and feet under fur. For food a few pounds of berries and a few of heather but only a few roasted cuts. A small amount of the village’s dried pike remained as the reserve.

Arriving at the bear area moving to the shelter of the wounded man and his own does find fresh tracks. Calle’s scouting shelter was on the open mire and that won’t do. The rest of the day and early night struggle to move his to tight knot of trees. Two traps are set on the ways in to the small pocket. The fire spot will go on the entrance as another possible detering though at the risk of being trapped. A tree felled will creates the spot for his shelter with 7/8 wall enclosing. It was risky to do this as his exhaustion had pulled him to sleep a few times. Those traps had given minimal safety though truly an angry bear would have just smashed through them.

Now it was Day 7 of the 8th week before midwinter. With the hunting fort shelter organized he needed to make marker sets to it, the 3-3 method of 3 singles then a stack of 3. Amid the heavy work of bringing the logs Calle took the time to walk around. Gathering a few stones he debates if he should make a cellar here too.

For the decision of where to build the trap Calle decided it should also be part of his nearby defenses. Its a risk of course. Everything is with bears. It a few man lengths from the shelter, in view through branches, in a pass between trees that comes out of the spruce to the mire. An adler stands as one of the bracing. Before raising Calle puts out heather with a prayer.

“Circle of life, bring a living to to me for its death will give life,” said Calle.

Calle sets another lever trap to bait animals that in turn might bait the bear. A second near the shelter would be handy. Looking up from the balancing act the bear has come!

<CALLE 009 there bear>

[Brygun]

Calle slipped back into his little fort. The trap door is reset. Quietly he slips back to the shelter itself. He stays there quiet for tens of minutes with no more sign of the bear. Calming his breath he emerges. He sets that trap to cover a blind spot coming out. It would be noisy and time consuming with the nearby bear to make the cellar. Its time to go.

Looking where to spend some time Calle goes south where the river and small lakes nestle up.

Disaster! He fell through ice!

A creek gave out and as he slipped his bracing foot skidded on a mossy rock. All of him went into the water. He was quickly out of the water.

A scramble found a fallen narrow trunk. In his bundle there is branches that are mostly dry. Amid a nestle of spruce sheltering from the wind he strikes flint for a rescue fire. It doesn’t take. Its cold. This is early winter. The cold is gripping and he shivers. Shivering is getting cold but stopping shivering means near death. Shivering hands strike flint failing to light.

With his knife he scrapes off the outer bits of the branches and log. Feathers of wood made by thin cuts with the knife. Unsteady shivering hands flick off wobbly feathers. This exposed dry parts inside. Striking flint the feathered wood starts. Calle nestles near the fire to warm. His body warms with thoughts of how much worse this could have been. Deeper colder winter or deeper water might have been his end.

(Actually this was a zoom in issue from wilderness map to local map when checking on a corner. Decided to leave it in. Had it been even worse this would have been potentially fatal. Its an example of my story-rules for allowing reloading in weird things and why I match the archiving to journal points.)

Exploring this position there are a few jutting strips of land. Calle picked one for a fishing shelter, one where he cold work the water from the moved shelter. It disappointed him when he discovered under the ice the water was far to thin to be worth fishing.

Searches were done of other spots on the lakes, rivers and rapids. This was also giving time for the bear to get caught in the trap and game to wander into the first main camp. A couple of days with a new shelter each night. These were becoming part of the network of survival shelters should he be caught in bad weather or wounded.

At a rapids he found an L shape narrow jet big enough for a shelter and a fire pit. It finally was a spot fishable from within the shelter. Crisp winds made it known this would be windy. With the flow over the rapids the water wouldn’t freeze. This little blessed spot would allow deep winter fishing. For now all he had was a javelin, a pointed fire hardened staff. Hardly a great tool. It was a useful spot. With a few traps it could work out.

Checking the bear trap found it untriggered. The meat was still there even with bear tracks passing right by it. Checking the main “Sacred trail” camp also found it devoid of catches. Calle decided his odds were better moving to the fishing camp at the rapids. At least he could try for fish while hiking out to check the trap clusters every few days. Calle gathered the broad beans, seeds, antlers, bone and better carpentry to move over.

Calle wondered how he came to this. Fishing had been an occasional fun task in well fed times. He was barely competent with a line. Using the javelin in the water was unyielding. How did he catch that pike before? Had the spirits sent it to him. What he did have was skill in carpentry. Accepting a part of himself he began making trade goods. Hopefully he might trade for fishing gear or at least more food. For now the broad beans were sustaining him amid berries and heather. Winter was deepening with the plants at risk of withering.

Calle did think to make a cellar near the fishing shelter. Soon the ground would be too frozen for digging. This lengthy chore had to be done now. He had a cellar here at “Axe rapids” and at the “Sacred trail” camp.

Day 1 of the 6th week before midwinter.

With the bag of broad beans empty Calle set off with his trade goods: a find bone comb, wooden cups and bowls, two stools, a bench and what boards he could carry. With communities in different directions Calle felt guided to go north west. At “Loru’s corner” he found their woodsman needed chores. This was a good sign. Right away Calle traded most his goods for another bag of broad beans and a cut of smoked salmon. How delicious was having the salmon melt in his mouth! His eyes rolled back and forth. Chores soon done Calle left with meats, fish and turnips. There was a net one could trade but he wasn’t going to part with his hunting knife for it! After a night in their hall in songs Calle left in the morning. One of the older man talked about how to shape a fish hook. Perhaps Calle could make his own.

It was a pleasure strolling back with a full belly. Deeper winter may be coming soon but for now his energy was returning. He hadn’t thought of making a fishing rod himself. Again something he had forgotten he new. Being around the village and the elders was reminding himself of himself. He had reindeer bone already and yarn from trading. Rod wood was easy to come by. By the end of the of the next day he had his fishing rod.

For a few days he fished and set new traps. Calle chuckled that he was also bad at rod fishing. It was his carpentry that got him meats and fishes for his diet. He kept trying and soon would check the other trap places again.

Day 4 of the 6th week before midwinter.

Calle scouted around the “Axe Rapids” going inland. A few cranberries were struggling still on the fine. Their value was no longer in feeding him directly. Rather he was now needing this to bait new traps. Circling back Calle let out a happy shout!

“Hooray! Thank you hare!”
A hare had gotten snagged in one of the more recent traps. Calle had started making a crescent of traps around the fishing shelter. A bit back to let curious animals come near. With a cellar the smells tended to draw animals. It wasn’t a complete circle nor did it need to be. A few bunches of nibbles lost became pounds of meat if any of them got caught. It had worked! A hare waiting for Calle on his way back from noon stroll. Perhaps his own walking farther away had startled the rabbit to drive it into the trap line.

A blessing was in this Hare that its fresh meat would now bait the bigger traps. Three portions went to those traps. Calle prepared to roast the last section. His heart sung a different song. He instead put into the fire with a prayer of thanks to the hare. That its spirit had come to the circle of life. A circle that expanded if predators came for the hare’s body in the predator traps. He chanted for several minutes.

<CALLE 010 hare here>

[Brygun]

After the chanting Calle feels a call to the hare cut in the nearer trap. Maybe its the bait he should be using on his fish hook? That didn’t work either. (Calle’s fishing skill 30% novice)

In the morning Calle decides to check on the outlaying traps. It has been several days now. Nothing at the bear trap. Sacred Trail yielded a raven. Calle reset traps while doubting if these would be worth keeping up with. It would be bad to leave the traps armed yet never collect the animals.  For now he still planned on checking them.

Closing out the 6th week before midwinter the ground was now lightly snow covered and starting to crust. It wouldn’t be a time desperate for skiis and their own river pursuit hunting. Given the options Calle decided to start on a small warming shack. A place with better walls and if he can get enough stones a fireplace.

Moving against the fist deep snow was slowing fatiguing. Searching would be difficult until he had skiis. A few days were spent searching the woods then switching to the more productive shorelines. Largerly the sparser trees and no reverse slope made it easier to spot the stones. Preparing the large number of logs was crushing work. Calle’s failure at fishing and low trap yields was spiraling downward again. He changed to making carpentry work like bowls and simple furniture to purchase more food again. In considering this Calle wondered if he has simply headed out without the Sage’s challenge in him people’s home area if he might have perished.

<CALLE 011 play pause>

Day 5 of the 5th week to midwinter

Food shortage continues. Having to eat into reserve broad bead and spare baits like berries. Really holding on eating the last turnip as those could catch a reindeer. Ground frozen means that though the cellar at axe rapids is in no new pits can be done for local traps here or if making a trap fence between lakes. Using the short morning hours a few bowls and shovels are shaped. Will head to trade these. Resetting the “Axe rapids” traps before going. Twenty traps are done though there are few more than this. Taking into early afternoon the daylight is already dwindling.

Calle decides not to leave today, instead eating cooking a bit of the raven and one of the two deep emergency smoked pike cuts. He’ll leave early tomorrow. Getting stuck in the winter at night without shelter could go very badly. With light there is a slim chance of spotting a good sized animal and tracking it in the snow. The evening is spent assembling a bench for trade.

Dawn creeping up in the small hours Calle started out. He chose to go north west to check the bear trap at “Damn Passage” then trade near “Sacred trail”. A few catches would make a difference. Approaching “Damn Passage” he spots an elk on the edge of mire! This is time to try bow hunting.

One, two, three arrows loosed. Only the third scratches its leg. Two more no hits. Of the five only four arrows recovered. Tracking is tiring due to the drag of snow on his feet. The elk can move so much more easily. At least there are cranberries here. Picking and eating as he goes lets Calle catch his breath. Though it is giving the elk time to move. The trial goes into the spruce woods. Between footprints in the snow and brushed off spruce tracking isn’t too hard. The challenge is to get close enough for a meaningful hit.

Over an hour tracking. Tricky are the animals. This elk doubled back to the open pine mire. Resting, picking and nibbling Calle was able to get to fresher tracks. He chuckled finding the missing arrow! Truly it had doubled back!

A few minutes later the elk was in sight on the open mire. Calle held back shooting. Instead he now hoped to drive it into closer woods. Nibbling on berries Calle let the elk move south. Then following crouched the elk came circling a tree. A shot at seven man lengths was made. A miss, though the bull elk ran that way making it simply to recover the arrow. This snow was just enough to cushion arrows landing without being so deep as to swallow them up.

More stalking, resting and a sip of water from the water skin traded for. The elk does get into the spruce again, then out and then in. Now at six man lengths a shot if made with a bloody strike to the abdomen!The elk runs though now bloody. Calle gives thanks putting cranberries on a spruce limb with a silent prayer. Notching another arrow Calle resumed stalking.

With blood pools the trail was easier and then harder! Cunning elk went back to a circle of its own tracks. Now it was all muddled again. It took a few wheel-spoke searches to get back on what should be the right. Blood pools had stopped. Noon came. Calle realized he was short of breath with tiring legs. He sat for a few tens of minutes. If he was going to shoot straight he needed standing hands and easy breathing.

Resuming from there he did a hub and rim search. It took a bit to find the elk tracks though they were fresh. Stepping along he paused. There was another set of tracks. Bear. Big bear tracks at that. Now it was a competition! Had the bear smelled the blood from the arrow wound? Would the bear attack while Calle was quartering the elk? Would the bear be the one to take the elk and then Calle have to fight the bear for it?

A few minutes of tracking with a wheel rim search set Calle at ease. The bear was going north while the elk was going south-east. He guessed the elk sensed the bear and ran. At least the trail was taking Calle away from the bear. Continuing along Calle rested by studying mushrooms.

“Never eat a secret mushroom,” said Calle.

It you weren’t sure don’t risk mushrooms. Resuming the tracking Calle took a few steps before realizing these were reindeer. Back walking his own path confirmed there was both an elk and a reindeer about. Working along Calle spotted on a rise spruce twigs stuck 3 then 3. One of his own markers? A the bear trap area… and there the bear!

Calle bleated a curse.

<CALLE  012 bear area bear>

[Brygun]

Calle stood up tall to be clearly seen by the bear. Calle walked strongly though silently. Hoping his strong showing would let the bear know to seek easier food. Tracking got closer to the woods. Between the spruce Calle saw a flapping from one of the lesser traps. A bird was caught, a very small grouse. Clubbing it then pulling it out Calle put the whole carcass on the triple log bear trap’s point. Calle hoped the bear would be caught if not to at least to have a full belly to not risk fighting Calle.

Tracking, sliding among trees, resting and listening Calle heard the elk cough. It was close. Yet it was still eluding him when Calle turned to again see the bear. It was 10 man-lengths away and surely must be tracking one of them, Calle or the elk.

<Calle 013 bear tracking us>

Calle mad himself big again. Looking toward the bear, the sky, the bear, the trees as if there was something other than the bear to be looking at. The bear sniffed then waddled away with a warning grunt. Into the afternoon this continued. Calle tracking and the bear being seen at times. As the later afternoon called the sun downward the light was dimming. Encounters with elk or bear were more likely to be closer. Calle worried about needing to sleep. He could make for the shelter near the bear trap but that would mean likely never getting the elk. Sleeping near the elk trail risked an attack from the bear.

As twilight grew Calle cut and bundled some spruce and birch branches. Later he could use these for a shelter. He grabbed a large stone to make a trap with, more as a noisemaker against the bear. It became darker and darker. Onto the open mire the trail lead. This elk didn’t seem to be lingering anywhere for long. A snarl broke the twilight as the bear rushed at Calle.

Arrow away was a panic shot well wide of the bear. Dodging a swipe Calle got out his village’s gift hand axe. Its first swing in anger struck the bear. Swings and swipes. Each hitting and missing. Calle stumbled the bear loomed slipping a little on the ice. Swings and swipes. The bear flopped but slipped its head away from Calle’s inspired head chop. Both up again trading swings and swipes.

Backing up Calle really wished the bear would go for the elk!

Shallow tears in his right upper arm only drip of blood. His right hip and thigh swell with bruising. Axe bites in the bear are more telling. One leg working poorly. One then a second heavy bleeders. Stumbling on both bear and Calle warn that it could go either way.

On a bear stumble Calle takes a few steps back. Enough to belt his axe, slap an arrow and fire at this short range. A hit. The bear lays briefly before rushing again. Swipe and slash. Calle gets backed up and fires more arrows. He doesn’s care how damage the pelt is! He has to live! Finally the bear is to drained to stay up. An axe chop and knife stabs to the neck pour out streams of blood.

As it passes Calle’s first though is to wash the cuts on his arm.

<CALLE 014 got the bear>

[Brygun]

Skinning the bear was next. Along with pulling out the guts would let the meat cool. With the stocks of branches he had with him Calle made enough of fire to roast meat. While they were cooking he ate the last of the broad beans with him. He struggled to get all this to a settlement, passing out in the woods along the way. In the morning his arm wound was checked, and was healing up well. It had only been a light graze.

Arriving at the homestead of Middle Corner he laid out the materials and bear meats.  Hearing of how this bear had once mauled a traveler it was good news to them. Calle’s young face had a proud smile. He hadn’t want to fight the bear. When it was truly upon him he had prevailed.

Trading debates many things. Calle wants their masterwork hunting bow but it is a great price. Though eating bear pleases them they don’t need the whole bear worth. Calle does trade bowls, the bench and bear meat to get a masterwork small knife, turnips and a half dozen arrows. This to him is an investment into crafting more goods later.

Going to the village of “Quarrel forrest” its a good trade of bear meat for 5 broad head arrows. Those are good at making bleeding wounds. Most of the uncooked bear meat left goes for a bag of barley grains. Looking around they have a masterwork longbow, also beyond Calle’s means to trade for.

From there Calle makes back to his fishing camp. Bruises strain him. At least those cant get infected. Food is stored in the cellar with a lesser portion still carried. Do avoid losing the hide, as mangled as it is, Calle starts the tanning. To honor the bear’s spirit he walks inland to a find a lonely pine in a mire. The bear skull is hung with a prayer song followed by telling a few stories. Calle hopes the once angry man attacking bear will pass to the spirits and back in harmony now that itself was honored.

As a celebration Calle rested in his shelter whittling a bear figurine. It was now a twice woven part of his story. He laughed again. The elk had gotten away with one of the arrows. Calle decided to also carve an elk. With both he could tell the story of “The elk that became a bear”. Afternoon turned into  pleasant stroll in the frosty mire east of his camp. Cranberries could still be found. He gathered casually to have them to mix in for taste amid the meats he now had. Stones came back as well for future traps or building.

Next day the bear hide preparation was complete. Now he had enough fur to make skis! Fine boards had been set aside for this long ago. A ski stick with a stopper and lanyard of grouse leather. In the evening Calle glided about on a set that was performed quite decently. Now in deep winter he could pursuit hunt large game in deep snows.

<CALLE 015 skiing>

Day 4 of the 4th week before midwinter.

Calle layed down on the bear fur. Taking charcoal he drew an outline past his legs with extra for rolling up half way. Doubling this up that masterwork small knife clipped out the shape. Small holes poke through let trade yarn be woven through. With the this leggings on Calle was very well protected from cold. Odd shaped bits of bear fur were cut up to make bandages. Similiar work manged a pair of leather paws which when combined with the reindeer fur mittens would be handy in the deeper winter to come.

Calle wondered about how the traps were doing poorly here. There were two flanking the approach the the shelter on the L of land, one for small animals and one small predators. There was traps around the cellar as its mix scents often draw in animals. At the edges of view from the shelter were pockets of traps. Calle decided with the extra stones about to set up an outer ring beyond view. That way animals attracted by smells but fearful of sight might stumble into them. He did make sure to leave enough stones for a fireplace chimney though that construction was far off.

Day 5 of the 4th week of winter.

Now was a time to check the “Sacred trail” traps. With the skiis he could make a good distance in the mounting snow. He could carry several days of meats, turnips and berries knowing the cellar had a few weeks worth in it. Along the way he stopped by “Damn passage” for the bear trap.

After resetting them all Calle found fresh reindeer tracks on the mire. There must have been a small herd as the size of tracks changed. With the bear and elk tracks from before it wasn’t the easiest to track. The work took him near the shelter again. Luck provided a small grouse in a trap. Calle began processing the bird. As well he added four more light lever traps near here for catching this small game.

He stopped overnight at a mire shelter. Working a tree trunk over next to the shelter and its pool gave him a work space for stretching out the grouse hide he just caught.

Next day he completed the trip to “Sacred trail”. For a while he had planned on bringing turnips. After clearing snow and balancing fresh branches on the two pit traps each was given a turnip for bait. With the ground frozen these two pits were the only ones he had to use for this winter. Other than resetting traps all he could here was recover boards and stones from the stockpile.

Over a few days the challenge was back to the balancing act. He had a week or two of food. The big projects were to hunt a large animal near a cellar, build a hut for the deep winter and perhaps a raft to aid both fishing and gathering logs. With his axes tree trunks were easy enough. The challenge for the raft was making a strong rope like material to hold them together. Calle wished now he had stocked up on more roots before the ground froze.

Perhaps he needed to respect the water spirit? For this he spoke softly over cranberries then tossed them into the water.

Puttering on project Calle splits spruce twigs. While those would do well enough to hang meats to dry in cold winter air they don’t seem suitable for braiding into a rope. Calle does use the nettle yarn he has to make a dip net by combining it with bear fur and a Y shaped section of tree.

Working on cordage Calle notices he dumped some of his stocks on the shore not near the cellar. Moving those over there is birch roots there but they don’t look like they’ll work. He is able to take spruce sapling, warm them, scrunch them them braid the inner bark, bast, into a bit of decent looking rope. Now its possible. He will need to gather a lot of spruce saplings. With the skiing gear that is doable.

Starting out movement catches his eye. A weasel is caught! Ha! Pretty small though anything helps.

Day 4 of the 3rd week before midwinter.

Cold temperatures penetrate Calle’s layers to make him cool while working. What he works on is lashing the tree logs together with a woodsman’s rope made of repeatable spun together spruce bast from saplings. A first little paddle takes the raft from its assembly point the bow shot length to the camp center.

<CALLE 016 rafted>

[Brygun]

Day 5 of the 3rd week before midwinter point

Calle eats roast bear to break his fast. He wanted his strength to be good today. This is the day he paddles the raft into the rapids. That first passage was quite close to shore for testing. Getting a good ways out Calle takes out heather petals.

“Mighty river, kind provider, Calle has lived on your shore. With respect to your greatness Calle offers these petals that you might have all you need and not pull Calle into grasp. These are from the land. Considered a thing of beautiful and of nourishment. May this please you.”

With that leaves are let go from the raft and other tossed with the wind.

Paddling on Calle makes his first crossing. Treating it as new area he scouts only a short way in on the land. As the sun rises he paddles around the rapids. Frozen water ices up north and south. Among the rapid area there are large projecting rocks. There are places he can sideways brace the raft across rocks. From here he feels safer fishing. His attempts so far unsuccessful. Cold winds and dampness soaking in begin to make ice on his clothes. This drives Calle off the waters. Its not just the water spirit to be worried out there.

This wicked cold seeps into the flesh, the bones and his thoughts. Its a deep drop in the temperature. Even on shore Calle struggles to prep large wood volumes. A tree is felled near the camp. Vision itself strains as the body’s shivering isn’t enough. The fire ring recieves a good foot of the tree. Shaking hands guided by fainting thoughts fails to light the fire. More strikes on flint catch on bark shavings. Huffs turn glows to flickers. Flickers to flame around a large chunk of tree going in a blaze circled by the stones. Calle finally gets that deep warmth back into his body. He collapses inside the shelter on top of spruce.

Eyes flicker still in this world. Morning has come. It is slightly warmer. That deep cold bite has passed. Truly a demon to fear!

Calle takes his raft out again. Cranberries offered to the river. He tries fishing with grouse meat for bait. Still no luck. Across the shore he begins gathering for an emergency fire and shelter for that side. His return brings over three trees for the shed. Next day that emergency shelter with wood stocks is setup, just in case of another super cold snap. More trees moved over. Its the last of the roasted bear meat. That sets the task for tomorrow.

Day 1 of the 2nd week before midwinter

Calle sets out to check the other trap sights or ski hunt. His trap sets are at:
“Axe rapids” = the current primary site, with rapids for water and fishing, though so far poor fishing results. Numerous traps though rare animal catches. Has a cellar.
“Damn passage” = the bear site, with the bear log trap, where the elk became a bear. Wounded an elk and saw reindeer tracks. No cellar.
“Sacred Trail” = first camp, near where the sage released Calle on his first winter quest. Short fence line with the only pit traps Calle has this winter. Various other traps. Has a cellar.

At Damn passage there are hour old reindeer tracks. If only Calle had been able to make a pit trap in this area. Alas, that would have meant doing it when the angry bear was alive. Skiing around he can’t get a sight of them. There must be a small herd judging by the numbers and different sizes. It does make tracking them harder when they cluster graze making tracks go all sorts of different directions. Calle decides for now to go check Sacred Trail.

Sacred Trail has a bird caught in a trap. At least its something.  Ah, then a raven in another trap. Working the skins gives time for another day and another bird. By the time Calle leaves he is still out of roasted meat and has to start on dried meat he had traded for. The traps were reset. A few more fences were raised in hopes of catching a reindeer. Sadly he wishes these pit traps were at Damn Passage where the reindeer are now active.

Spare stones from Sacred Trail are brought over to Damn Passage. He’ll set a few more traps. While prepping for that Calle hears the snap of a trap going off. Another small bird is another bit of meat. This time Calle will sleep here amid his defended shelter. It seems safer with the angry bear slain but one never knows if something else is here. Perhaps a bad thing was done that made the bear angry.

4th day of the 2nd week before midwinter

In bag foods depleted Calle makes back for Axe Rapids. Its frozen season. This time Calle circles wide around even crossing rives to see what is around. He can see a distant elk.  Though weak he climbs up hills. There are hills and mountains on this side of the river. Those are great vantage points for stalk hunting. Calle will make back to Ace Rapids for its cellar stocks to fuel a hunt.

Exploring to the top Calle arrived in dim morning. With risk of cold Calle thinks to setup a shelter for hunting. Exploring for a spot and building though has already taken him into the afternoon. With short days this was a big consumption of light. 

Day 6 of the 2nd week before midwinter

Calle woke up in the south hunting shelter. It was using a spruce tree as a wind break along with less effective pines. Stones of fire pit had lengthened the time the fires heat had come into the spruce covered shelter. He lay on a thick spruce mat. With his furs, the heat trapping, separation from the ground, wind block and precipitation shielding he had slept well. Lever traps were out in a partial arc for now as noise makers.

Though this took two days he had this hunting shelter down the east slope of mountain. It this early morning he could climb up knowing he could rush here if a cold snap came. Watching dawn rise Calle gave an offering to the spirits. Over the peak a caperaille flew, as if bearing the answer.

Crouched on the peak Calle kept looking around. Patience and planning were rewarded with the sighting of a distant elk in the late morning. Moving that way takes several minutes. Unfortunately he couldn’t find the trail. Checking hill tops several settlements are spotted.

Calle decides he should bring in basic materials for trade for food to use in hunting. “Murder steep” is an alarming name. Village folk tell of a tale of in old times an elder was pushed off a cliff by an jealous man who was denied marrying the elder’s daughter. Now the elder was one of their guiding spirits.

Seeking food to trade a hunter comes asking for Calle’s masterwork knife. Calle blinked in surprised.

“Why would I just give this to you? I use it. Together we make things to trade for food,” said Calle.

“The elder spirit said you could give that to me if I taught you the fishing rituals. He thinks you lack them,” said the hunter.

Calle had to think. Those words were true. If it had been just about anything else he would refuse. If Calle could tie into the spirits at the rapids he could get food. How did the old saying go?

The Hunter spoke, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach how to live with the water spirits and you feed him for a lifetime.”

The ritual is about launching a punt backwards. A punt. A leather skin boat around a frame. This Calle doesn’t yet have. His wooden raft isn’t the same. Maybe though it would still ease the spirit’s heart to yield fish at the rapids.

Between the villages of Murder Steep and the Oreland Calle gets meats, turnips and a new fishing rod with an iron hook. Calle hopes that will do better than his bone hook. The hunter in Oreland spent some time explained about changing the depth between float and hook for different fish.

<CALLE 017 learning fishing>

[Brygun]

Spending the night at Oreland Calle told them of his First Winter challenge. He could only stay the one night, unless in a grievous, way. The town sage knew of this.

“What are things you’ve learned so far?” asked the sage.

“That its hard to live alone in the forest. That we each have different skills. Using my best skills to village lets me trade. The woods can give life but you are closer to death. If things go poorly having a village keeps you well. The woods will task a person in ways they don’t expect. It is a life though full of heart. Among the woods you are among the spirits. Its hard to hear them but when you are happy with each it is great joy.”

“Those are good lessons,” said the Sage, “What if you had gone far out on your own right away?”

“I may have died at any of at least three times,” said Calle.

“Are you open to learning more?”

“Yes,” Calle said, “My struggles humble me. I can be strong and cunning but without wisdom many mistakes are made that the ancient ways would have had me avoid.”

The Sage then had the villagers tell Calle stories they knew. Calle would think on these as he resumed his efforts to hunt. The treasure of “Block heath” also came to mind. Calle didn’t speak of it though, as they might get to it first and none of them had eluded then slain the angry bear nor gave it’s skull a new home to find peace.

Day 1 of the last week before midwinter

From hill top seeing nothing, nothing caught at the Axe Rapids camp nor at the Damn Passage and on the way to Sacred Trail a sneeze burst out of Calle. A new challenge from the spirits or perhaps from one of the village folk?

Sacred Trail itself is bountiful bringing to Calle five birds! That’s a decent catch. Being sick Calle visits the nearest village of Quarrel Forrest. However they have no sage to treat Calle. The southern branch of the settlement doesn’t have a sage either. Nor does Middle Corner. Calle makes for Damn Passage where he can at least bait the new traps there with berries from the Axe Rapids cellar. When he wakes he was breathing clearly again. His sickness had passed.

Returning calmly to Axe Rapids Calle had various foods on hand. There was the trade foods from the south west, birds from Sacred Trail to the north east and a few things still in the cellar here. While doing chores here a squirrel and large hare were caught as well. What really worried him was the deepest cold to come. His cabin plan needed over many more logs and he had only 12 shaped so far. Another 6 had come across the river awaiting shaping.

Taking a break from tanning the hare Calle went out fishing. He did the backwards walk of launching the raft, though it isn’t a punt. This time he caught a trout! Over seven pounds of fish came up. For thanks he launched heather petals as little boats to adrift through the rapids. The next day taking a break from work Calle backwards pushed and backwards paddled the raft. He caught another trout! Now the plan for basing here was looking good.

Calle also debated on his cabin. This place would be left after he moved on. Rather than a full cabin perhaps he could make a heatable space with an L of walls. Then have the slope come down like a lean too. Midwinter would pass with a routine of chores fed by fish.

<CALLE 018 past midwinter>

Day 4 of the 13th week before summer.

Having been at work for many days and hunting south before that Calle makes for the northern trap sets at Damn Passage and Sacred Trail. A long track streams from his long ski accompanied by the waddle pushes of the short. Dotting alongside is the pokes of the ski stick. Calf deep snow would be beyond his ability to transit far for long. Smiling at his progress he remembers the years with his father, grand father and village working wood.

Damn Passage had no catches. Calle would reset their traps on the way back from Sacred Trial. The old reindeer tracks a history of the game that had come through. Game he hadn’t caught.

Skiing east he sees one of the reindeer! Rather than take the first long shot Calle calmly eats and drinks. If the snow would trouble the reindeer an endurance hunt would work. Shooting with panting at a longer range wouldn’t end the hunt either.

The four legged animals do cross the snow easier than a walking person. Its a question of skiing on calf deep snow vs the four legged walking through it. Skiing along the reindeer has soon taking to the woods. Calle smiles, as he sees the reindeer seems slightly fatigued. Skiing on this snow was his advantage. Now the challenge of the reindeer’s tricks in doubling about on its trails against Calle’s tracking.

This one is a smart one. It circled at least twice on the pine moor. It really confused Calle. Calle put down a hunt marker of 1-2-1 markers of branches, or 1-3-1. It shows a path or point of interest without pointing a direction. These let Calle avoid overly sweeping the same area in his hub and rim style searches. It was over an hour to pickup the trail again. Another hour or two still no new sighting. Calle heard it several times. Though frustrating it is best to remain calm. Today that reindeer would get away. Calle wanted to get to the Sacred Trail camp while there was still light.

Circling a cluster of pine Calle spots a hare. He moves, fires and lames a leg. Its running though. Calle tries running after it. That was such a mistake. Huffing from exhaustion Calle lost sight of it when forced to rest. Growling Calle wonders if he will ever see that arrow again. An hour or more of searching on the loop backs, making 1-2-1 markers and the annoyance of squirrel tracks intermingling. Calle was thinking of giving up when emerging onto heathland he found rabbit tracks. It did lead him to the hare snuggling among tree. No clear shot this time. More hours of searching to cease when the hare’s fresh trail doubles back onto an hour old section already marked by 1-2-1. An arrow lost.

Calle makes for Sacred Trail getting into the dark so soon. He even collapsed mid transit to sleep. His warm layers were enough to bring him out safely. At Sacred Trail he finds two birds trapped.

“Better to have two birds in hand than a rabbit lose amid the trees!” laughs Calle.

Its soon joined by a third bird then a fourth.

Calle heads out by way of Quarrel Forest. For them Calle fells a tree and makes two tables for a hefty bag of rye grains. A few arrows and torches traded for a thin bag of peas, turnips and nettle yarn. Back to Axe Rapids with a trapped hare.

Day 7 of the 13th week before summer season

This marks the start of Calle’s partial cabin. A week and a half of carpentry and fishing brings the joy of a fireplace fire glowing on Calle’s face. The L cabin is finished with enough room for the fireplace, sleeping bunk and storing areas. It has an access door to the cellar. Similar boards eased the needed logs. In time this could be made into a proper square cabin. For now the sloped roof does what it needs to deal with the deep winter better than the spruce shelter. It is Day 3 of the 11th week before summer season.

<CALLE 019 Made L Cabin>