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UnReal World => Stories => Topic started by: JEB Davis on August 19, 2017, 01:27:46 PM

Title: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on August 19, 2017, 01:27:46 PM
Mik left home with few possessions after his mother and father caught a sickness and died.

They had been poor and barely survived the previous winter, during which a pack of wolves
had chased away and then eaten their only remaining reindeer. For you see, as many of the
tribe of the Owl, they had herded the deer. Unlike his friends' parents, Mik's father was not
very skilled and his mother was not an Owl tribe member, so they were never well accepted.

He buried them and mourned until hunger drove him away from their tiny kota.

He wandered until coming to another Owl settlement where he did not recognize anyone.
There he built a small shelter on the edge of the gathering and tried to make friends.

(https://image.ibb.co/bye1z5/340_Mik_00_stats.png)
v3.40
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on August 19, 2017, 04:09:36 PM
Mik had always considered himself a good hunter for his age.
He set off for the wilderness again looking for prey and was rewarded.

(https://image.ibb.co/g1tTe5/340_Mik_01_First_Deer.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on August 19, 2017, 04:17:10 PM
So far, Mik has been hunting with only a Juniper bow and a stone-tipped spear.
On other trips, he has seen a glutton and killed a badger.
This day he encounters a bear...

(https://image.ibb.co/ctHzmk/340_Mik_03_First_Bear.png)

And manages with some luck to kill it with his spear.
Mik is becoming quite the hunter, and has made many friends in the settlement.
The Owl people enjoy trading goods with Mik for all the meat he provides them.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on August 19, 2017, 04:42:24 PM
After some weeks, Mik has acquired a Northern bow and gained a good reputation.
However, the need to wander has been in his mind. He wants to see more of the world.

Mik sets off southward with most of his possessions to find a new place to settle.
He explores for some time and finds himself out of food as game is scarce in the area.
The gnawing in his belly is strong.
Finally he finds a stag and his skills provide him with a kill.

(https://image.ibb.co/i3O5Rk/340_Mik_06_Stag_1.png)

(https://image.ibb.co/eRZqsQ/340_Mik_07_Skills_after.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on August 19, 2017, 06:11:28 PM
His need for food satisfied by the stag, and it's hide tanned, he continues his explorations.
On the north shore of a large lake he makes a shelter after observing a goshawk and it's prey.

(https://image.ibb.co/gnMEK5/340_Mik_08_observed_kill.png)

He then sets several snare traps and spends a few days there. Success!!!

(https://image.ibb.co/h2eZK5/340_Mik_09_trapping_birds.png)

Mik decides to stay here a while.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on August 21, 2017, 03:17:02 AM
Much time has passed and Mik has settled just across the narrow part of the lake on the tip of a penninsula. He is constructing a kota but it is not complete yet... he needs more furs.

His snare traps have been catching many birds and he's been fishing from a raft and has even
traded for a net. Mik has not been storing up food, but rather roasting and trading the meat he
get from hunting many deer and elk.

Mik has also encountered and killed several Njerpezit scouts. He relies on a mace and shield in
combat, hopefully after putting an arrow or two into his enemies first. The dedication of these
corpses to Kalma has enabled him to receive her blessing to increase his skill with the mace.

Some recent adventures were hitting 3 goshawks with arrows ...

(https://image.ibb.co/eXnMj5/340_Mik_11_goshawk.png)

(https://image.ibb.co/eqCyWk/340_Mik_13_goshawk.png)

and encountering a Njerpezit, avoiding the risk of further injury by letting him run away.

(https://image.ibb.co/hrSyWk/340_Mik_14_Njerp_let_go.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on August 23, 2017, 04:08:55 AM
Only a month until winter.
Mik hopes the spirits will be pleased.

(https://image.ibb.co/mw2d1k/340_Mik_15_Eagle_Owl_freed.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on August 26, 2017, 04:00:03 AM
Many weeks have passed and Mik has made many hunting trips and continued working around his homestead, but he is still passing nights in the shelter because his kota is not complete yet. Winter has begun but there is no snow yet and nights are not too cold for his shelter because he still has the precious, warm stag fur.

He decides to go trading to obtain the last 3 furs he needs to finish his kota. So he packs up some of the equipment he has taken from his vanquished enemies and sets off toward a village.

It is early morning and the air is crisply cold, but the light is still dim. Mik is fortunate that he is alert because he sees a sleeping figure. He quietly puts down his load and draws an arrow to his bow, then begins sneaking forward. An easy kill, surely, and he can make out the foreign costume of the Njerpezit.

Mik's first arrow bounces off the man's leg armor and the man cries out, jumping up and draws a knife.

(https://image.ibb.co/h3CRrk/340_Mik_16_Sleeping_Njerp.png)

Mik quickly drops his bow and clutches his shield and mace. The fight commences and Mik's confidence soon wanes as he realizes this enemy is an expert fighter. Both score multiple hits and Mik is grateful for his shield's protection, but he has taken many knife wounds by the time he finally knocks the Njerpez unconscious with a blow from his mace, then smashes his skull. Mik is close to death himself and can no longer walk.

(https://image.ibb.co/g1P6rk/340_Mik_18_After_Sleeping_Njerp.png)

Mik is very lucky that none of the wounds struck deep or hit any vital organs or major blood vessels. He manages to crawl to the safety of home.

(https://image.ibb.co/eRZHxQ/340_Mik_17_Wounds.png)


(I've never had a character wounded to 98% before... this was scary!)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on August 30, 2017, 03:27:08 AM
A few days later, Mik is healing quickly and staying around home, checking traps and making stuff.
Here are his current skills:

(https://image.ibb.co/bFNBCQ/340_Mik_19_Skills.png)

And here is home at "Pain Summit" (which Mik understands very well now):

(https://image.ibb.co/nkP2K5/340_Mik_20_healing_at_home.png)

And here is the lake... the lower yellow X is the kota and across the lake is a shelter on the other yellow X. The red X is where he cast his net, and the white X's are dead Njerpezits.

(https://image.ibb.co/hCAWCQ/340_Mik_21_home_lake.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on September 09, 2017, 11:47:43 PM
None of Mik's wounds were deep or serious and so he's feeling better each day.
He has finished building the kota and is crafting items & practicing his weapon skills.

In the meantime, let me share Mik's world in pictures.

(https://image.ibb.co/dv6SYa/340_Mik_22_Territory.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: koteko on September 10, 2017, 12:16:14 AM
Seems like you removed all pictures from the stories.. it was better before, IMHO :)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on September 10, 2017, 04:00:50 AM
Seems like you removed all pictures from the stories.. it was better before, IMHO :)
I still see the pictures in this story. Don't know what could be wrong.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: koteko on September 10, 2017, 03:42:08 PM
Seems like you removed all pictures from the stories.. it was better before, IMHO :)
I still see the pictures in this story. Don't know what could be wrong.

I see them now. Not sure if it was a glitch on my side or the forums, but it's all good :D
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on September 23, 2017, 05:49:16 PM
Another week of healing and training his mace and sword skills passes by. Nothing exciting has happened, and Mik is grateful for that.
He's also used his net to catch some lavarets and pike-perch, duly sacrificing to appease the spirits as his parents taught him.

(https://image.ibb.co/hwvkm5/340_Mik_23_healing.png) (https://ibb.co/m3pZeQ)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on October 01, 2017, 08:30:24 PM
Feeling completely recovered from his knife wounds, Mik decides to travel south with his 3 best hides to do some exploring and trading. Snow is falling and the weather is making him wish he had dressed a bit warmer, but it is bearable and he's optimistic.

He wanders south and finds large lakes, now with some ice on their surfaces. There are some peaks to climb that give good vantage points to spot game, someone to trade with, or enemies. Exhausted, he builds a shelter to sleep without ending up covered with snow in the morning.

Next day he continues his travels and finds a herd of deer. He drops most of his equipment, selects a fine broadhead arrow and sneaks forward... he looses and the arrow wings toward a large deer, burying itself deep in it's haunch. The deer is startled and tries to run off, but is limping. Mike runs to the chase and eventually catches it.

He carries the skin and meat to a lakeshore several hundred yards away, builds a shelter, and proceeds to tan the skin and hang the meat up to dry using split spruce twigs.

(https://image.ibb.co/gGXABG/340_Mik_24_exploring.png) (https://ibb.co/metvdw)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on October 07, 2017, 06:04:37 PM
His southern exploration continues... while roasting a pike and hanging the deer meat up to dry at the lakeshore shelter, he spots a lynx in the trees. He remains alert while finishing his task and then waits a long while to make sure the lynx will keep a good distance away before spending the night in the shelter.

Fortunately, the lynx must not have been hungry because it did not visit during the night.

(https://image.ibb.co/cd74bG/340_Mik_25a_map.png) (https://ibb.co/gGujbG)

Mik heads westward in the morning and finds an Owl village, where he trades his heavy stag fur and 4 deer furs of varying quality for two smaller but precious glutton furs and some dried bear meat. This is a big relief as he traded over 50 pounds of fur for about 5 pounds of highly valuable fur.

He then heads north and finds a strange thing... a village with three shamans who seem to have met to share their secrets. Mik finds this mysterious and ponders what it would be like to be a shaman.

(https://image.ibb.co/eM0CVb/340_Mik_25b_status.png) (https://ibb.co/n4yzAb)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on October 19, 2017, 04:20:25 AM
It is now about 2 1/2 months until the middle of winter and the weather is around the freezing point. But Mik is still comfortable exploring the wilderness and he finds a village in the eastern part of Owl territory. In the village, an adventurer lies wounded in one of the kotas... he tells of an encounter with a bear and promises a reward if Mik will return the spear his father gave to him long ago.

After a long search, Mik finds the tracks of a bear and some blood in the thin snow. He follows the tracks and hears a roar! The bear has found him. Mik draws an arrow and hits the bear with the broadhead in it's shoulder. The bear charges, limping, and a thrown axe further slows the beast, but it closes the distance and they fight claw and mace.

Mik is wounded by a swipe to his elbow, but prevails and kills the bear with his mace. He thanks the spirits, binds his wound, skins the bear, and begins tanning & drying meat after building a shelter at the edge of a mire nearby. Then he returns the adventurer's spear and receives his reward of expert instruction in the use of bows, for which Mik is very grateful.

He returns to the shelter feeling proud of himself and marvels at the size of the bear teeth he has won.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on October 19, 2017, 05:23:21 PM
The bear hide is rinsed and ready for beating, but Mik is anxious to return home to Pain Summit.
As he travels the penninsula to his home, he finds one of his traps has caught a beautiful arctic fox!

After killing the fox by kicking it to hopefully preserve it's fur, he notices old badger tracks running by the trap, and he sets the trap again a short distance away.

(https://image.ibb.co/nkXhrR/340_Mik_26_Fox.png) (https://ibb.co/gisRJ6)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on October 21, 2017, 12:13:08 AM
He spends a great deal of time finishing the bear fur, beating and stretching it until he is exhausted, but
the best he can do looks pretty rough. He turns in for the night... at least the fur is very warm to sleep  on.

The next day he skins the arctic fox and actually does a fine job of it... he's optimistic about this potentially very valuable prize.
Mik checks 3 breams he has been drying and finds they are ready to put in the cellar.

While the fox fur is tanning, he looks over his clothing and armor. His lamellar cuirass needs to be repaired, and he has enough lamellar pieces salvaged from Njerpezit enemies to do the job. But his elbow is still bothering him and is a distraction so he will wait for it to feel better.

In the meantime, he makes arrows for practice shooting, even though he seldom makes a nice arrow.

Finally, the finished arctic fox fur is high-quality!

(https://image.ibb.co/nKP30m/340_Mik_27_Fine_Fox_Fur.png) (https://ibb.co/iLCCt6)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on October 22, 2017, 11:37:05 PM
His scraped elbow still not fully back to normal, he spends his time practicing with weapons and making fowling arrows.

Mik decides to check all the traps on the penninsula and finds he has caught two willow grouse and a small hare, which has already died in a loop snare but was still fresh.

(https://image.ibb.co/jHRprR/340_Mik_28_Caught_3.png) (https://ibb.co/dNUW5m)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on October 27, 2017, 08:05:25 PM
Two days later, his freshly roasted food is gone. Mik needs to go out hunting, but doesn't want to go without the protection of his best piece of armor. He has waited long enough for his elbow to heal, so he undertakes the task of repairing the cuirass.

Using his best-quality cords, and the salvaged lamellar plates, he fixes it to the best of his ability. It turns out looking very nice!

(https://image.ibb.co/me6pVm/340_Mik_29_Repaired_Cuirass.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on November 04, 2017, 02:31:53 AM
He heads north of Pain Summit lake and from a hill spots the wolves seen a while back near his loop snares. With them still in the area he definitely needs to be careful to avoid an encounter. So he checks the snares and then turns west and then south-west. No game is in sight except a squirrel, which he knocks out of a tree and chases down.

The squirrel hide looks very nice, so Mik decides to tan it right there, using the water in his skin and the fat. He does so, and night falls along with snow that keeps him from sleeping. Finally the snow stops and he catches some sleep next to a good fire. The squirrel hide turns out very nice quality.

Mik travels further west than he has ever explored and finds only a tiny settlement... no big game animals whatsoever... only another squirrel and lingonberries to supplement the 2 dried breams he brought. This has become a hungry expedition. He picked some mushrooms and identifed them as redleggers, which are poisonous.

So Mik arrives back at Pain Summit with only 2 squirrel hides to show for his trip.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on November 07, 2017, 03:07:20 AM
Mik eats sparingly from his tiny stock of dried bear meat and has only a dozen pieces left in his cellar. He reckons there is about a week remaining until the deer meat he hung to dry at his furthest-south shelter will be ready. In the meantime, he breaks some ice and sets his net, check his traps (all are empty), and fish for a few days before heading south.

The fishing is slim the first day... only 3 roaches after fishing from afternoon 'till dark. He knows his fishing skills are not very good and his fishing pole is a poor homemade one, so this isn't surprising.

Next morning... the spirit of the lake provides like never before, and Mik offers up the pike in thanks.
Tomorrow he will pull up the net.

(https://image.ibb.co/jYTfhb/340_Mik_30_fishing.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on November 08, 2017, 06:59:41 PM
The roasted fish is delicious, and after practicing with mace and shortsword, he wraps himself in his bear fur. Morning dawns cold and he heads to the raft and chops the ice out to the net.

There are no fish in the net. Mik certainly can't hold this against the lake spirit after yesterday's catch. It's time for a short trip to a village to trade for a week's worth of food.

On the way he sees a strange man from a hilltop, lightens his load and goes to investigate with longbow at the ready. The man, armed with spear & axe, tries to evade and Mik follows at a distance until he has a clear shot and the man is obviously one of the foreign raiding scouts. Mik's fine broadhead tears a wound in the man's arm and he runs. Mik is faster and the next arrow slices into his thigh from 18 paces. The Njerpezit decides he can't escape and limps forward with spear raised. Mik aims and kills him with a 3rd  broadhead to the chest. There is little of worth other than the spear and the man's head, so Mik burns the body.

(https://image.ibb.co/eXzL0w/340_Mik_31_Njerp.png)

By afternoon he reaches Summerfront village, trades the Njerp's axe for a fox fur, old Rautia wants him to deliver a message to Antti. Mik says his goodbyes and heads north east.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on November 10, 2017, 01:24:52 PM
Mik renews his aquaintances in Antti's village, gives him the message, and shows the children the Njerpezit head he carries. He stays the night in one of their kotas, trading stories with the adventurers. He wakes well before dawn and makes cords & repairs his belt & arm guards with material from the Njerpezit's clothing while waiting for the others to wake.

Returning back towards Rautia's village with a message from Antti, Mik avoids a bear seen about 400 paces away. A sudden encounter with traders yields 14 fine arrows for fox & arctic fox furs. The message is delivered to Rautia and Mik heads back home with enough food to last a week.

Interesting how a short trip to a nearby village turns into quite an adventure. In the distance he sees the lake at Pain Summit... Arriving home, he is greeted by a hare in a snare and his shoe is it's last scare.

It's late afternoon, the Njerpezit head is placed as a warning, the tanning is started, the meat hung to dry, and it's time for sleep.

Next day is spent in weapons practice, finishing tanning the fine hare fur, and repairing his leather  clothing in preparation for tomorrow's trip south.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on November 12, 2017, 07:48:20 PM
It takes an entire day to walk south to the shelter and the drying meat. About 500 paces away from the shelter Mik encounters a bear! Hiding, Mik tries to get a clear shot but the bear moves into the spruce trees. He stealthily tracks it for a while but can't see it, and then hears a "Roar!" and decides maybe today isn't a good day to be surprised by an angry bear in the close confines of the spruces.

After sneaking out of the bear's area, he continues to the shelter and finds fresh lynx tracks nearby. The meat is almost ready, so Mik waits with bow at the ready for the lynx to appear. The sun goes down and Mik sleeps "with one eye open" until morning and there are no new tracks nearby.

In the morning while doing some woodwork, the lynx appears. Mik grabs his bow and misses it with a broadhead arrow. He knocks another and pursues but can't get a close enough shot.

(https://image.ibb.co/kmQ1Cb/340_Mik_32_Lynx.png)

Mik passes the time making javelins and fishing with one of them, keeping an eye out. He spears a pike and roasts it. Now he collects the bounty of dried meat and offers the best cut to the spirits.

It's late afternoon and getting dark so the shelter will be home tonight.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on November 14, 2017, 04:45:20 AM
With no further sign of the lynx, early morning sees Mik heading west with 15 pounds of dried reindeer, exploring until night falls. Nothing of note is seen and he spends the snowy night on a lonely hilltop next to a solitary birch.

(https://image.ibb.co/kzn9iG/340_Mik_33_lonely_birch.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on November 18, 2017, 05:26:12 PM
On the trip back home, Mik sees a large glutton, but misses it with an arrow and it is too fast to chase.

Then he has a brief encounter with 5 or 6 wild sows, which scatter and run. Mik is more interested in getting home and really doesn't need more food anyway. Almost back home, with the sun going down, he surprises a small ermine and kills it with one lucky arrow.

Next morning, snow is falling thin upon the ground on the shore of Pain Summit. Hearing some commotion to the south, he finds 3 black grouse in his loop snares and retrieves them. He also has the ermine skin tanning and then works on some sword and mace practice.

Life is good now for Mik... with a dozen dozen dried meat cuts, plenty of goods and furs.

(https://image.ibb.co/b0JiF6/340_Mik_34_good_life.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on November 20, 2017, 06:17:09 PM
After a couple of days back home...

(https://image.ibb.co/dtHBoR/340_Mik_35_status.png)

It's time to journey east and check the drying meat from the bear that had wounded the adventurer. The weather is colder now and Mik adds a fur overcoat to his regular travelling gear; it's almost as heavy as his lamellar cuirass and will take some getting used to wearing. His other equipment is the same as he usually carries... 

(https://image.ibb.co/jkDO2m/340_Mik_36_gear.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on November 26, 2017, 11:01:36 PM
During the journey, Mik spies a glutton off in the distance in a frozen mire so he drops his gear and sneaks forward with only bow, arrows, and knife. His arrow misses and the beast runs much faster than Mik, out across partially frozen swampland. He dare not follow and break through the ice.

Arriving at the adventurer's shelter by midday, he finds the bear meat is not finished drying. While deciding what to do, a squirrel comes near... and becomes dinner. Mik waits for the drying meat to be ready and passes the time making some wooden bowls. Visiting the nearby Owl village he trades 5 bowls for 1 arrow and some roasted meat.

The trip back home is uneventful and there is a black grouse trapped.

(https://image.ibb.co/gYEx2m/340_Mik_37_back_home.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on November 27, 2017, 07:58:06 PM
Next couple of days see Mik snaring another grouse and observing a badger nearby, so he sets 2 more small deadfall traps. The weather has turned a bit colder and snow covers the ground ankle-deep. Mik remembers how his father taught him to make skis... he will need some good boards, so that's where he starts, using his best woodsman's axe. Now Mik sees that he doesn't have enough furs to use because he doesn't want to waste fine-quality trading furs for the skis... time to go hunting again!

It's late morning but there's still time to do a little hunting before dark. Mik stays close to his home lake but sees no animals. Stopping to check some snares to the north of the lake, here is what Mik finds.

(https://image.ibb.co/jVnMV6/340_Mik_38_Fox_Thief.png)

He should bring a few fox traps here!
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on November 29, 2017, 04:14:03 AM
Continuing the hunt, it's now late afternoon and Mik spots a figure in the distance. He travels down the hill into a heath with scattered trees and finds a lightly-armed Njerpezit scout. Mik pursues with arrow at the ready and then the man turns and charges! At 25 paces, Mik hits his thigh, then he knocks a broadhead as the man continues forward. At 15 paces the arrow flies and hits his arm, sending him to the ground.

Mik readies his shield & mace and approaches, seeing the man's blood pumping into the snow. One strike with the mace and the man perishes.

(https://image.ibb.co/cRM3Ub/340_Mik_39_Njerp_11.png)

This hunt has not turned out as planned, but one less enemy is good for the Owl-tribe. Mik burns the body and dedicates it to Kalma, carves the 11th notch on his mace haft, then returns home.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on December 02, 2017, 04:11:20 PM
Back home, Mik repairs his mittens and next morning sets out early, carrying his small but valuable furs.  He leaves his bow at home and will trust in his spear instead. It's unusual to see foreign traders near his home, but this morning he finds them and makes a good trade... a spear, fine mail cowl, and 12 superior arrows for his fine lynx, glutton, ermine, and 3 fine squirrel furs.

Then he curses under his breath as the last trader comes out of the trees carrying an iron spectacle helm and Mik has only 1 glutton fur left... not enough for that trade. The other trader is not willing to take back his goods.

He bids them farewell and continues to hunt. The spirits favor him by revealing an elk a short while later. Sneaking toward it, he's not quiet enough and it spooks and runs, so he begins the chase with spears at the ready. The tracks are easy to follow in the snow and Mki can hear it plunging through the spruces. Then he sees it and it's a long throw at 25 paces, but the spear grazes the elk's shoulder. The limping animal is now subject to a running/walking pursuit intended to tire the beast. The tracks are confusing... this is a smart elk.

After a long time following the tracks, finally Mik gets a chance for another spear throw and hits again, but the elk takes off running! Following at a run, and encumbered by his lamellar cuirasse and fur overcoat, Mik continues...

(https://image.ibb.co/ev98hw/340_Mik_40_elk_chase.png)

After a short time he can't run any longer. The snow is wearing him down but he must recover his valuable spear and can't give up! Forcing himself to doggedly follow the tracks he eventually sees the animal, which appears as exhausted as himself. The hunt is over soon and Mik will have the fur he needs to make skis.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on December 06, 2017, 03:22:33 AM
With 2 trips, Mik carries the elk skin and about 200 cuts of meat back to Pain Summit and collapses in his kota from exhaustion. Most is hung to dry, some is roasted, and the skin is being tanned.

Rummaging in his old shelter, Mik finds an old fur cloak and uses it to try his hand at making skis. They turn out pretty poor, and so does the ski stick he makes. They are useable, though.

Usually, he finishes tanning hides outside, but today when he starts the elk hide it is just too cold so he drags a log inside the kota and finishes up the elk fur.

(https://image.ibb.co/g9oxCw/340_Mik_41_cold.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on December 09, 2017, 12:26:06 AM
That night, his sleep is interrupted by strange noises, but when he gets up the noises stop. He waits, sitting silently in the kota with weapons near to hand. After 10 minutes a snuffling noise is heard but outside it's dark as pitch so Mik stays inside until there is a bit more light. He goes out and finds new badger tracks... nothing to worry about.

Behind the kota he finds a triggered loop snare with a bunch of grouse feathers and badger tracks all around. Now he has a trap thief at home. To pass the time during the dark, Mik makes a couple of blunt arrows, one of which turns out decent... then falls back to sleep.

Waking, he checks all the traps near home, and finds another black grouse that has died in it's snare, but is unharmed and still looks fresh. There are badger tracks everywhere, but no sign of the animal.

(https://image.ibb.co/hC7c0G/340_Mik_42_traps.png)


More evidence the thief is the badger...

(https://image.ibb.co/jZfBub/340_Mik_43_trap_thief.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on December 10, 2017, 05:27:00 PM
The weather has turned cold now, and Mik stayed around home this day. Evening comes and he goes out with an axe to cut a tree for more firewood. And there is the trap-thief badger trying in vain to get the squirrel it has chased up a tree.

Mik goes back to the kota and grabs 3 spears and his mace, then sneaks back... the badger doesn't see him but his first throw misses and it runs off. He quickly makes a 2nd throw but that spear hits a tree. He makes a quick run to the north-east after it, but the badger has run out onto the ice and Mik doesn't want to risk following.

(https://image.ibb.co/gTYTQG/340_Mik_44_badger_squirrel.png)

After cutting the tree and dragging it back near his kota, it's time to sleep.

Next morning, there is no sign of either the badger or the squirrel.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on December 19, 2017, 02:11:59 AM
Mik spends the next 2 days cutting and splitting firewood, making a water skin out of bird leather, making cords from a ratty old overcoat, practicing with mace & sword, eating roasted elk, and keeping warm. The badger is seen out on the ice again. Making arrow shafts in the evening, the badger comes sneaking around, but a hasty grab & throw of a spear misses.

Morning dawns cold & cloudy, and the roasted meat is gone so Mik goes hunting and soon spots an elk. He moves closer and loses sight, but drops his mace, shield, and water skin near the lakeshore and readies his bow & broadhead arrow. Fresh tracks are found, but they are too confusing so Mik waits on high-ground for another sighting.

After some hours with no sign of the elk, snow is falling and Mik is cold. He heads back home emptyhanded.  :(
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on December 23, 2017, 07:42:00 PM
Early next morning, he catches 3 perch with his ugly fishing rod, then fashions a bunch of arrow shafts from a board for the rest of the day. He sleeps without any dreams and wakes in the wee hours.

It's about 5 weeks until the middle of winter. There is still not much snow, so he heads out for a bit of exploring to eastward.

It's still early morning when from a hilltop he spots a man about 800 paces ahead toward the east. Mik drops his fur overcoat, water, and other stuff, then goes to investigate. Sneaking through the forest he sees one of the foreign enemy scouts, well armed with spear, axe, and bow. The man is unaware of Mik and lays down to rest, his head on a tree trunk.

Mik decides to drop his bow and sneak up with mace and shield. The man must be drunk or very confident in his safety because he doesn't wake up as Mik raises his mace to smash his skull. The man dies without waking... the 12th Njerpezit to fall.

(https://image.ibb.co/cHM4h6/340_Mik_45_Njerp_12.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on December 25, 2017, 01:56:33 AM
The weather is bitterly cold now. The fire on which he burns the Njerpezit's body in honor of Kalma keeps him nice and warm. On the trip back home carrying the dead man's equipment, Mik thinks he should wear warmer clothing when venturing out now. Perhaps tomorrow he will do that... now he still has time to go adventuring eastward as originally planned this morning.

Having traveled further east than ever, he meets some traders but makes no trades with them. Then the land becomes a bit mountainous. From a small peak, he sees a figure and descends to see who it might be. Nobody is found in the woods below and no tracks in the snow. Perhaps it was a spirit?

(https://image.ibb.co/chfcKm/340_Mik_46_figure.png)

The light is failing so Mik makes a shelter for the night. He sacrifices one of his dried bear cuts to appease the spirit, if it was one, and also mouths rituals requesting the forest spirit to allow him to sleep there and to keep him safe through the night.

Mik wakes early, having slept well in the shelter.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: Blxz on December 26, 2017, 02:48:54 AM
You seem to be pretty successful with the loop snares. I don't recall ever having any success with them. Any hints and/or tips?
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on December 26, 2017, 05:18:47 AM
I don't really have much advice worth giving you on the snares. Usually my characters' snares seem to work pretty well, and they usually have under 25 skill. The snares vary in quality from normal to poor.

1. The traps are set in areas where birds have been observed, but mostly in random locations.
2. Some are baited with berries and some are not baited at all.
3. Some are placed in berry bush tiles and these seem to work best when the berries are ready for picking.
4. Typically, they kick & reset their traps every week or so, and I think that helps.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on December 26, 2017, 04:58:01 PM
Moving on back toward the west in the morning, Mik shoots a squirrel out of a tree with a blunt arrow. After walking all day, he has seen no other animals or persons. A fallen tree in a frozen mire will be his heat for the night after he begins tanning the squirrel hide.

Still a bit uneasy after yesterday's "spirit" sighting, Mik decides to sacrifice the squirrel meat rather than eat it.

(https://image.ibb.co/kLVPZm/340_Mik_47_squirrel.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on December 27, 2017, 10:35:09 PM
Another day of travel brings him back home, and he checks all his traps, which are empty.

While eating and looking out the kota door flap, Mik sees the badger. This is a good time to venture onto the ice and maybe get a shot at the little trap thief. Carrying only light gear, he's halfway across the ice and it seems safe, so he goes to check on his north-shore shelter.

No more sign of the sneaky badger, only lots of fresh tracks. This is starting to dig at Mik's pride as a hunter.

(https://image.ibb.co/bGP44w/340_Mik_48_across_the_ice.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: Helldiver on December 28, 2017, 07:36:26 AM
Those badgers really have a knack for making you feel ineffectual. One of them once led me on a merry chase starting north of Driik territory and circling all around Sartola territory. After five days, I almost had it cornered, but then my character passed out from lack of sleep and food, and I lost it again.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on December 31, 2017, 04:31:53 PM
The badger is too wary for Mik to sneak very close, so next day he tries hiding in the kota while looking out the doorway. He has two chances and misses both times.

(https://image.ibb.co/gzfiKw/340_Mik_49_badger.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on January 03, 2018, 03:56:03 AM
Mik has now begun making another sacrifice to Kalma in the form of a spear target, and has the frame finished. He then sets his net out in the frozen lake. Fresh fish will be a nice change. It's a little warmer this morning, and he's wearing a fur overcoat now and is comfortable.

Yes, the badger has been seen again but is still elusive.

(https://image.ibb.co/dxednG/340_Mik_50_net.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on January 13, 2018, 12:26:22 PM
Mik's expert bow skill finally pays off... the badger falls!
A short chase across the ice and the critter becomes his next meal.

(https://image.ibb.co/n9sJK6/340_Mik_51_badger.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: Blxz on January 14, 2018, 04:56:14 AM
I like the way this story is told.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on January 14, 2018, 07:25:20 PM
Thanks Blxz, I appreciate it. I'm trying to use a minimum of words because pictures are so much better.
--------------------

Missing his mother's hot soups and stews, Mik decides he could try some simple cooking... if only he had a metal pot. There is not much snow yet to make travel difficult, so he starts off to visit the villages he knows of. But he's not sure if any of them will have a metal pot to trade.

Before leaving, he checks all his traps and then remembers to pulls up his net, which has caught a single bream, which he brings along.

The first Owl village to the south warns him about robbers nearby in the forest. In the 2nd, he trades a hunting bow for a nicer handaxe than what he owns. Weary, he sees the 3rd village from a hilltop in the distance, they will give him a place to sleep. No metal pot yet.

Next morning, heading north-west, he spots a small bear and hits it with a broadhead. It charges and he dons shield and mace (a bit late).

(https://image.ibb.co/i7PMsR/340_Mik_52_pot_bear.png)

The bear hits him in the chest and flees, with Mik in pursuit.

(https://image.ibb.co/iE836m/340_Mik_53_bear.png)

The wound and fatigue are troublesome so he slows to a walk and keeps the bear in sight while he pauses for a rest when possible. The bear escapes into thick spruces and Mik must follow it's tracks warily. The tracks lead him in all directions through spruces, pines, heath. He has another opportunity with his bow, but misses.

(https://image.ibb.co/ipXfmm/340_Mik_54_bear_lost.png)

The tracks lead all the way back to where his 2 fine broadheads lay in the snow. In this area, the tracks become too numerous and confused, and Mik gives up the chase because he just can't keep up with the bear well enough trudging through the snow. At least his best arrows are recovered.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on January 20, 2018, 09:03:16 PM
Climbing back to the hill where he dropped his extra goods to hunt the bear, he scans the trees and sees movement... yes, it's a bear. Mik decides to give this hunt another try, but can not find the bear after going back into the woods. Back on the hilltop, he gathers his gear and watches until late morning and gives up.

The extra weight of his lamellar is a burden on long journeys but he shudders to think what that bear's paw and teeth would have done to him without it.

He continues traveling north-west and he's pretty sure to be in unexplored territory. The sun is going lower and he heads back east to one of the villages he has visited. It's a small family with only one kota, and Mik trades a squirrel fur for 8 roasted deer cuts, then sleeps until the small hours of the night.

In the early hours, Mik wakes and heads north-east. The morning is briskly cold and the snow is less than knee-deep. Just as he was stopping for a short rest, there is a man who looks dressed as an owl tribesman ahead among the spruces.

(https://image.ibb.co/kj1Ygw/340_Mik_55_Robbers_A.png)

The man doesn't see Mik as he puts down some of his items and readies his longbow to be safe. Stealthily turning to his left, Mik sees another man with a bow and takes a few steps back toward trees. Then another bow-armed man comes in view... these must be renegades!

So far Mik has not been seen. Heart pounding, he backs away and moves behind trees, checking in all directions. Then disaster! He can not find a way through the trees and the robbers are just out of sight.

(https://image.ibb.co/b5pEob/340_Mik_55_Robbers_B.png)

The renegade chases after the arctic fox. Then Mik tries to crawl south out of the dead-end, but is spotted and the robber demand his possessions. Mik refuses and a fight ensues against the first robber wielding a northern spear. A second robber joins the fight with a big axe and things start going bad for Mik when he takes a nasty cut to his knee!

Then Mik hears the skull crack as he downs the second robber with a mace blow to the eye.
His mace and shield are damaged now from blocking so many attacks.

(https://image.ibb.co/ffQtgw/340_Mik_55_Robbers_C.png)


Mik drops his shield and his mace breaks!

The 3rd robber comes into the fight with a staff and hits Mik several times, but inflicts little if any injury. Mik disables the spear wielding man with two axe blows to his hip and begins backing away, blocking with his shield as robber #3 drops his staff and wields first an axe, then a knife.

(https://image.ibb.co/cmem1w/340_Mik_55_Robbers_D.png)

Mik manages to stumble backward between two trees and continues to fight but isn't landing any blows with his axe... he's too injured and fatigued.

(https://image.ibb.co/b2zrZG/340_Mik_55_Robbers_E.png)

The injuries he has sustained become too much and Mik falls, unable to do anything but feebly defend himself against the two renegades.

(https://image.ibb.co/nBCdEG/340_Mik_55_Robbers_F.png)

The fight ends and Mik wakes... where is he?
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on January 22, 2018, 02:45:55 AM
The robbers must have dragged him away from their territory so he could
not tell any local villagers about their threat.

(https://image.ibb.co/eBWPOb/340_Mik_56_After_A.png)

Mik is too wounded to stand up, but fortunately he still has clothing.
He knew the fight would not end well before it began, but he gave the
outlaws a good pounding before falling.

(https://image.ibb.co/jiSg3b/340_Mik_56_After_B.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: Blxz on January 28, 2018, 08:04:14 AM
You've lost some valuable items in the mugging. Shame. You should have known that going out searching for pot would lead to bad things  :P
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on January 28, 2018, 01:08:18 PM
As you can imagine, it's a long, thirsty, cold way back home for Mik in the frigid weather and a seriously injured leg, so I won't bore you with details.

So far, Mik has made the journey home and has been resting in his kota for several days.

Perhaps he should have searched for magic mushrooms rather than the pot  ;)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on February 10, 2018, 10:27:38 PM
Mik has spent about 18 days recovering from his wounds, sometimes crafting parts for arrows and other stuff.

Lamenting the loss of his best gear (especially the lamellar cuirass and longbow) to the bandits, Mik repaired his leather clothing, boots, and armor. He does have another mace, a couple of shields, helm, and a good Northern bow.

Yesterday, Mik offered to Kalma the redshirt's head that was mounted on a tree as a warning so he could finish the target for training with his spear. As he watched the grim trophy burn he thanked the goddess for her protective hand and reflects on his past fights.

Today, with the snow about calf-deep, he puts on his homemade skis and practices on the frozen lake, quickly getting used to them since he had learned to ski quite well back when living at home with his parents.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on February 11, 2018, 06:58:58 PM
He feels ready to continue on his dangerous search for a metal pot! This time he heads north before the sun comes up. In the 2nd village at Suviotsa he is tempted by a northern bow of better quality than the one he is carrying, and trades the 2 shirts and dress he had.

Time to go back home... he won't have enough goods to trade for a pot if he finds one.

After checking a nearby cave with broadhead on bowstring and finding no inhabitant, he continues homeward and passes through a grove sparkling beautifully with ice crystals in the pale, low, noon sunlight.

Rustling branches attract his attention and there's a large squirrel in a pine tree. Well content with his own food supply, Mik leave it alone.

Snow begins falling and both Mik and the squirrel go about their business.

(https://image.ibb.co/bRJ9MS/340_Mik_57_Grove.png)
v3.50b2
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on February 14, 2018, 04:47:52 AM
Next morning Mik gathers some extra knives, axes, dried meat, and his old northern bow as trade goods, along with a bear skull that needs to be properly hung on a tree so the bear's spirit can be free. He also takes his skis and his heavy northern spear, which doubles as a ski-stick.

He sets off northward again, this time for a longer trip, and the first three villages have no pots.
The next four villages have no pots...
Mik heads toward the west a bit further than he has explored before and then turns back toward home.

(https://image.ibb.co/nQWKan/340_Mik_58_Robbers_A.png)

There is a new cave to explore, it's early morning and still dark and Mik is gathering branches to make a torch. Suddenly, a man moves into view quickly approaching and he doesn't seem friendly! Mik begins running away but he was already somewhat fatigued because of the nearly knee-deep snow and can't outrun the man, who was joined by another carrying a bow.

He turns at bay and readies his shield, keeping his northern spear in his right hand and dropping most of his gear for better fighting.

(https://image.ibb.co/hPDbMS/340_Mik_58_Robbers_B.png)

Then two more men come into view and Mik knows he is in desperate trouble. The first robber demands some of his possessions and Mik sees no choice but to give up. The first robber takes his demanded items.

(https://image.ibb.co/jcbfgS/340_Mik_58_Robbers_C.png)

As Mik is picking his other gear up so he can run away, the other robbers have a different idea and yell at him then attack!  Is there no honor among thieves? The first robber joins in the attack.

(https://image.ibb.co/n5YAgS/340_Mik_58_Robbers_D.png)

Mik is too exhausted to put up much resistance so he drops the gear again and begs them to stop but they knock him unconscious.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: koteko on February 14, 2018, 10:40:15 AM
Ach, bad luck!

Might be the spirits are telling Mik not to buy a pot? :P
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on February 15, 2018, 01:06:57 AM
Yeah... maybe a bit of soup isn't worth all that pain and loss!  :o
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on February 20, 2018, 05:04:21 AM
Mik keeps busy while recouperating from the robber's nasty hit between the eyes that knocked him out. Weapons practice, net fishing (with scanty result), making a leather hood and gloves, a fur overcoat, and a new pair of skis.

It has snowed and is now knee-deep and the days are colder than ever.

It's just past mid-winter and Mik's wound is almost healed. He's not confident about finding a metal pot in Owl-tribe villages anymore, but it's time to get out of the kota and ski into the deep snow in search of some fresh meat to roast.

He is now without a shield or mace, and using his last handaxe... and not looking forward to meeting any more robbers!

(https://image.ibb.co/et5aax/340_Mik_61_Hunt_A.png)

The skis make traveling much easier, but he's finding it's too cold to go far without a fire to warm up. Mik sees a bear and some deer... which will he go after?

(https://image.ibb.co/daSA8H/340_Mik_61_Hunt_B.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on February 20, 2018, 06:09:42 AM
Remembering that the bear skull he was carrying when he was robbed makes the decision for Mik. The spirit of that bear may not find rest, but he hopes to appease the spirits with another bear's skull.

(https://image.ibb.co/eNpkax/340_Mik_62_Hunt_bear_A.png)

It turned out to be his last bad decision. The spirits did not favor him. He failed every spear attempt.

(https://image.ibb.co/b4DiTH/340_Mik_62_Hunt_bear_B.png)

Mik was one of my favorites.

(https://image.ibb.co/kXpkax/340_Mik_63_DEATH.png)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: koteko on February 20, 2018, 09:07:03 AM
RIP Mik, it's been a fun ride!

Waiting for your next character now.. :)
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: Blxz on March 05, 2018, 08:36:47 AM
Oh dear.

I was only away for a short while and I've come back to hear of the death of a friend. Poor Mik, we shall mourn you and your terrible luck.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: trento007 on March 05, 2018, 11:07:11 AM
RIP. Was an interesting story, good storytelling.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: Dungeon Smash on March 07, 2018, 10:48:29 PM
RIP to Mik!  really enjoyed this story, your style of storytelling is very evocative and entertaining.  Inspires me to play a little more adventurously ;)  Definitely appreciate all the hard work that went into this and looking forward to more stories!
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on March 08, 2018, 01:09:42 AM
Thanks all for your encouraging remarks  :)
Yes, there will be more stories, but right now I have a problem  :(

I started several fun characters when 3.50 beta came out "just for testing purposes".
Unfortunately I've become attached to at least a half-dozen of them, and they all became
too well established while playing Mik and were "undocumented" for storytelling. I want to,
but can't just give them up to start a new story.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: koteko on March 08, 2018, 10:10:19 AM
You could do something that's never been done here, I think: document an older character. Wait for something big/strange to happen, and then play it from there. Losing everything to robbers? Revenge! Getting mauled by a bear? Document the recovery and transformation into a character more respectful of the Great Man of the Forest. Etc etc.

Otherwise, we'll just wait for your next new creation :D
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: MrMotorhead on March 13, 2018, 06:26:38 PM
I see what you mean about encountering enemies on the zoomed in map.  That's a really bad situation and it seems like skiing wasn't working properly, as I guess that's what made Mik so fatigued. 

I take it this is from an older version, I have only ever played 3.5b2 and I'm curious about what the scarecrows/target dummies that we can see near the edge of the water in reply #8 are.  Also it seems that arrows work a bit differently here.

Thanks for sharing Mik's story!
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: Dungeon Smash on March 13, 2018, 09:52:24 PM
those target dummies were from an older mod that allowed you to take heads and limbs from dead Njerpez, and build them into a gruesome scarecrow to honor Kalma, goddess of bloodshed.  You could then attack the dummies to train your weapon skills, and the game would treat it like "real" combat for the purposes of skill increases.  Unfortunately I can't remember the name of the mod, i'm sure JEB Davis can point you in the right direction.
Title: Re: Mik
Post by: JEB Davis on March 13, 2018, 10:16:27 PM
No, the skiing was working properly, it was my carelessness that was at fault. I didn't stop for Mik to rest often enough. Mik began in version 3.40 and was migrated to 3.50b2 so most of his equipment was created in 3.40. I like the new ski fatigue changes for 3.50 too.

The Kalma mod is one of Privateer's, and I love it. Kudos to Privateer!
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/urwforum/combat-training-dummys-t7288.html

I use a ton of different mods and spent a bit of time fitting them all together in my personal "master mod" as I call it, with many of the mods tweaked how I like them. But I can't take credit for most of it so I'm hesitant to post anything.

P.S.  Don't forget to browse that old tapatalk forum because there's a HUGE wealth of info there, as well as many cool stories... Privateer did a great series of them about "Winter" which were an inspiration to me. There are many other cool stories by many writers there that are worth reading.