[Brygun] Tuukka

[Brygun]

Chores were being done. Most to deal with the dried retted flax. A few birds and a skiing trip to Badger Landing, reseting the bear trap naked once again. On the way back Tuukka met foreign traders, lacking furs he went home. They, and competitors, have been moving around these lands for winter furs. A few days later he decides to search for them to see if the most recent elk fur might be the bulk of a purchase.

That’s when he ran into robbers…

<Tuukka robbers Hallowin cliff>>>

[Brygun]

OOC:

In the beginning this was one of my writing excercises.


So first time I thought something was buggy but nope it was right. They can sprint run in the snow faster than Tuukka can ski.

Its looking like a roughed up fight is likely. The tests came out at ~ 70% wounds which sounds bad but with food in the cabin cellar and knowns sages reachable its likely just a long heal. The kicker for me the player was the likely loss of most of his tools. I, the player, am a bit stunned if thats what comes out. Its legit if it happens. Its a bit numbing to me though. 

Christmas is over and I might take a break before taking the recovery from this robbery. If I do I will write that one of the 'canon' event.

[JP_Finn]

Robbers are the most annoying feature in the game for me. With group of ~6, with archers and they move faster than my character with 7km/h base speed.
Always get “start again from beginning and forget about doing anything progressive when skills have malus and all your clothes, armor and weapons were taken. And your dog(s) got killed”

I force quit when robbers are involved. Not worth the CPU cycles to zoom in.

[Brygun]

Thank you for your view.

I may not have mentioned but I enjoy reading the occasional feedback or opinion on the writing of these characters. These characters have also lead to the series of "fast updates" of the BAC.

Each time I finish a writing section the the end comment such as <Tuukka robbers Hallowin cliff>>> is also the name of the zip file of the character directory. That means each posted story segment is a potential point to reverse-save to. While definitely not pure-rogue like it allows a restoration point to the story should a major problem or bug be encountered. At least once this frequent saving has helped Saami identify issues in the base game code.


 I am trying a few things with Tuukka's robbery and so far it is not going well.

I'm over some of the initial shock as the writer-player which surely would be more intense yet the character.

edit:
In one go I managed to back up and hide, swerving through various trees. Perhaps they were tracking me but  the one seemed to be on target with me.

edit 2:

What do you mean by malus on the skills? Is their a temporary skill penalty?

[Brygun]

^___^

I lamed one with an arrow into the calf and he STILL caught up to me!

[JP_Finn]

Yes ‘malus’ is opposite of ‘bonus’. A malign effect.
Meeting with robbers ends up in malus every time as I don’t surrender my hard earned wealth away to ruffians.

But since fully given up hope of balanced robbers, I simply reload from an earlier backup than waste my time on even attempting to deal with “bump-in on Wilderness map robbers with zero evasion chance given these guys move skiless on snow faster than grandmaster can ski”

[Brygun]

The two scruffy robbers snarled throwing their arms wide with weapons in hand. A gesture of intimidation that made Tuukka’s heart race. He spun pushing off on his skis. With two of them there is the risk they might get behind him. Swerving for a tight cluster of skis he turns to look.
One has a two handed woodsman’s axe and the other a bow. Both have other weapons and what appears to be a skramasaki foreign knife. Is this a foreign robber or a local robber who had some success. Both look cold lacking layers of clothes. Tuukka is double or triple layered giving him an advantage in armor.
Snow puffs as they run toward Tuukka. Run. They are running not skiing!

Tuukka switches out to the masterwork juniper bow and a fine broad head arrow, one traded for months ago. The robbers yell back and forth, Tuukka partially shielded by the bowman by a tree. The axeman insisting he shoot. The other complaining of the angle. Tuukka fires, the slash cleaving just behind the ankle of the axeman. He stumbles as the vital tendon as been cut. In truth it was sloppy shot which Tuukka had meant for higher.
Tuukka’s heart is pounding, the weight of gear weighing on him, the spirits of Leaper the broad axe screaming not to be taken by these foul men. Tuukka loads again, fires, and the woodsman’s turned to yell at the archer. The broad arrow cleaving the front flesh open on his throat, he falls dead.
The archer howls a foreign curse.
Tuukka turns and runs, praying the shield on his back will help him. His lips already turning dry from fear. He loops his ski stick on his arrow hand. Pushing hard he slips away to hide, then moments later breaks into a hard ski north.
The archer banding wailing at the corpse of his friend. The sound growing distant as the spruce and spirits swerve to hide Tuukka. A swirl of of snow-devil tornado dances over the path behind him.

Tuukka escapes.

(For the recored this was attempt number eight-ish, including discovering that the game allows lame robbers to run faster in deep snow than you.
I’ve decided for now to just stay away from the last robber, which also means the dead robber’s stuff and the two fine broad head arrows. A small price to pay for not being shmegged)

<Tuukka escapes robbers 001>>>

[Brygun]

In his fleeing Tuuka had gone north, recalling now he passed an ant hill. It looked like the one he had seen the Gray Man of the Forest at. Now he goes east. The adrenaline surge in his veins calming. The east wind blows upon his face making him look west.
He listens.
Skiing west he readies a bow as he closes on where the fight had been. There lays the slain robber. Of the other there is no sign.
Tuukka’s eyes strain as he leans his arrow then puts it away. In deed the man is dead. Lowering the bow as well Tuukka feels a sadness now. This man lays dead far from home. Alone beneath the stars, skies and spirits. This was how Tuukka had awoke, though breathing, on that distant island.
This man is barely over one hundred pounds, thinned by starvation. Shreds of once fine cloth hang around his wait and a Kuamo hood with tears is all the clothes his companion left him. Four cuts of roasted bird lay on the ground beside him. The man was had a story once. 
A wind rustles the leaves of tree tops. The meaning is clear to one who has seen the Gray Man. This was a living being who should be sent on to their Real World.
Tuukka assembles a trio of tree trunks as a spirit raft along with a slender trunk as a pole. Ceremonial rocks and stones are placed to brace the man’s head and torso as if reclining to sleep. Herbs and turnips are placed as a further offering of peace and healing for a spirit that was suffering before they met.
A branch fire is started that catches to ignite the pyre. As it burns Tuukka takes a meal of foods much like are in the pyre-goods. He waits a while to ensure the pyre burns bright. As the afternoon becomes evening Tuukka leave letting the spirit continue its journey in privacy.

<Tuukka robber pyre 001>>>

[Brygun]

Tuukka skied home having decided this was not the time to try again. Gentle actions taken at the cabin. Tanning a hide a little more, collecting roasted meats and thanking the spirits for their protection. In the night he woke nervous at sounds outside. Looking to the table the spirit of the figurine looked back with a calm smile. Tuukka went back to sleep. His next day was a calm working on the flax.
The next day he continues and onto the next. While spinning flax into yarn he spies a lynx through the window. This seems to be a visitor though perhaps it has come to stay in a trap. Tuukka takes it as a good sign.
On the next day he pokes out of the cabin. A grouse bird flies with wounds upon it. Was it the lynx?
Tuukka touches his hand to his chin stroking where a beard has started to grow. When did that start?
The wounded bird flying free from a battle with a dangerous visitor.
Yes, just as he had fled from the robbers. The animals are repeating the journey. Had he done into the Real World when he met the robber spirits? Or was the animals now showing the Real World here to the Unreal World. The bird flies higher. Tuukka turns back to this world.
A few more days of weaving sees the bulk of the flax turned into sheets of cloth. He kept spools of yarns and lose fibers of both flax and nettle. The yarns are good for sewing and the fibers for crafting. The lynx seems persistent in returning, perhaps a gift.
During one morning he sees the lynx on the ice, strikes it with an arrow and it flees. The lynx tracks are very mixed for it has been here for a few days. Perhaps it symbolizes the robbers. Tuukka sees no blood trail from the normal headed arrow strike. He does like that it may be suffering. Has it been driven off like the robber?

<Tuukka lynx shot escaped>>>

[Brygun]

Day 2 of the 5th week before summer season.

A fence enclosure close to the cabin is complete. That is where it doesn’t come to the flowing rapids nor the river ice. Most of the year this will be a way to have an inner compound. Various fence gates allow easy transfer at various places.
In the center north on the river bank is the cabin extended from the smoke house and thrust of land. East of that is the smithy, the south east is the outdoor stockpiles of wood, tree trunks, blocks, boards, rocks and stones. South is toward the charcoal ring and the two small animal pens, currently empty. West is fairly unused save that it gives easy skiing onto the river ice several lengths away from where the rapids break it up.
Crafting has seen the creation of several shields and a pair of longbows. Decent enough work to aid the hunters of the lands. 

Day 4 of the 5th week before summer season

The warming yet still frozen day finds Tuukka skiing to the north east. He is searching a possible Owl village. This would be the area he had been heading for when he brought down an unexpected winter elk. This time trade goods are shields and longbows.
Many are the lakes frozen over. The ice and snow make it possible to efficiently ski in straight lines of search patterns. Though there aren’t much if any hills there are many mires feeding these lakes. It would be possible, when the ice is gone, to scoop up lake ores in many places. Not as efficient as bogging but the spirits that form the lumps will have laid their eggs.
His search discovers the Owl-tribe villae of “Bowbog”. Wimme an adventurer shares a tale of another adventurer now here recovering. This tribe keeps reindeer with a few for sale. They stomp around in an enclosure outside the kuuta sheltering the wounded man. He speaks of a wolf attack, wanting a woodsman’s axe back at a spruce mire and pine mire.
Which Tuukka laughs, “Is about everywhere here!”

Searching the area Tuuka made a shelter of his own on an island in roughly the middle of the best guess. The next day he began scouting to try and figure this out. In the early evening he found wolf tracks, crossed by many other animals: ermine, fox and a few grouse. The criss crossing was making it hard to determine if this was the right place. The wolf was alone, prowling and growling, from a under ten man lengths away. Tuukka notched a broad head arrow.

Looking down the arrow Tuukka put his thoughts toward the wolf.

“I’m here for the man things that were left behind,” Tuukka said, “I do not know how he wronged you. I am not here to fight you. It is not my wish for us to fight. If I do not take them the stink of the bad man things will linger here. I will leave a sacrifice of respect to you. To apologies for the rest of mankind for whatever wrong was done.”

The wolf’s growl asserted its strength.

Then it started to trot away.

Tuukka took a deep breath. He returned the arrow to his quiver. Skiing on he searched the mix of trails. Making a shelter amid the spruce he slept nervous. Both the wolf and the warm rain were dangers. The warm rain meaning the snow then ice were melting.

Fox then ermine show themselves. Tuukka is tempted but keeps to his promise to the wolf. He will not hunt them. He is here for the bad man things left by the adventurer. The tale of the battle could mean the adventurer was paying for some bad deed. This is what Tuukka hopes. It does not mean the man is forever bad. He can be taught to respect the spirits. The spirits are also being seen that there are those, like Tuukka, who respect them.

On the next dawn  rains confound sight. It drains off his many furs. Onto the morning Tuukka has started back tracing the wolf tracks to now find a blood scrape. This is a few bow shots from where he first met the wolf. It must be close. More sets of trail markers are put out. This time 3-1-1-1 of spruce pointing to the blood scrape. Now if the rain melts the dried clots away he could still know where to center his search. A second blood scrape is found yet it is surrounded by fox tracks. Perhaps the fox was hunting? Or the fox spirit is playing its own game with Tuukka.

These two points give a line of movement but which way? Tuukka’s first guess is wrong. Able to return to his trail markers he goes the other way and finds the camp. There is the axe and very little else. Still this is a promise. As a sign to the spirits Tuukka dismantles the bad-man’s shelter then burns the materials.

<Tuukka found camp 001>>>

[Brygun]

On the way back a cluster of forest reindeer are seen. Perhaps a reward for having fulfilled his task. After efforts of maneuvering a shot is tried, missed and the arrow recovered across the open mire. Tuukka decides not to pursue. These could be spirit beasts and he was given a fair chance. The miss was his own doing.

The axe is returned to Ahkemiella. The survivor teaches Tuukka about sword fighting. The measuring of range and the slight twists of the wrist changing the blade’s path so much more. Tuukka in turn teaches him of making sacrifices, almost daily, of herbs or berries to show respect. Tuukka also explain how to better place his shelter to be less vulnerable to attack.

Among the villagers Tuukka provides split boards, mostly likely for firewood or sled repairs, plus the shields and longbows. In exchange they give him the leash to a big reindeer doe. Tuukka hopes this will be a good beast of burden when it comes to hauling ores in the spring. As the rain comes down Tuukka choses the name Relka for his new reindeer.

Staying the night in training and story telling with Ahkemiella feels most friendly. It is nice to share time with people. In the morning Tuukka desires to go home though will explore a different path. Relka proves a calm reliable follower, well trained by the Owl tribe at Bogbow.

A board is sited in the distance. It might be worth a hunt. Tuukka thinks he could carry the extra meat on Relka.

<Tuukka got Relka the big doe>>>

[Brygun]

Of course trying to sneak with a big reindeer doe isn’t so easy.

Tuukka laughs.

Coming homeward they pass through the Hand Cliff fields and by the Badger Landing bear trap, still empty. At the cabin Relka is coralled in one of the prepared fenced areas. Before going to sleep a reindeer figurine is carved and placed as a spirit-house in Relka’s coral. This will let Relka still be part of a herd and be protected. A stack of turnips is provided should Relka wish to eat of them.

The next morning the middle sized traps are moved to outside the fence perimeter. Once they had been to guard the cabin. Now they are to guard Relka. Being a carpenter a new wooden tub is fashioned. This becomes how rapid’s water will be provided into Relka’s coral. A thud is heard and a moved trap has caught a bird.

Over a few days the trees for a triple log bear trap are assembled and tied with a fresh rope. This is also near Relka’s pen. The ritual of naked baiting the bear trap is followed. Tuuka is wondering now that all his changes may well mean the pit traps will no longer have animals coming to them. Relka’s presence may actually help calm their fears. It could also be it is a seasonal path and it isn’t the season now.

As if to tease Tuukka the Badger Landing has old elk tracks passing by the pits. Tuukka doesn’t think he led Relka there. So the animals are coming back. Tuukka resets the traps here and at Hand Cliff’s fields. While circling the fields the elk itself is seen. It is quick into a dip then out somewhere. Tuukka skis after it. The chase this time is not productive.

Day 4 of the 4th week before summer season

Tuukka woke up in a panic. Warm rain was falling on his face where he had collapsed. Collapsed skiing on top of the river ice! The rain melting snow and ice! How the angry water spirits could have just reached up to him. Yet he had given sacrifice often to the waters, avoided wasting fish and thought well of the water. His heart was racing for minutes before it calmed down. He must not let himself fall asleep on the river ice. Ever! Even worse in the warming season!

Day 6 of the 4th week before summer season

After stocking fire wood at the Hand Cliff field Tuukka passes into Badger Landing. Finally the elk has put itself into the reset pit trap. A few broad head arrows at short range and the elk has passed away. The weather is still cold enough that on average it can be dried rather than smoked. After bringing in the hide and first load Tuukka brings Relka to pack carry the rest back. The hide, lacking the thicker winter coat, will be de-hair in hopes of better leather. Perhaps as backing for armor once he can gather lake ore again.

<Tuukka almost spring elk 002>>>

[Brygun]

Day 2 of the 3rd week before summer season

Today saw a preparation for spring planting. The long overdue threshing of plants for seeds. The biggest was a selection of flax, which means he could grow his own linen sources. As well a bit of rye though by now he had already traded for rye grains. The next day the reserve of nettle is committed to threshing, again for seeds. With the various traded for seeds there can be quite the diversity of crops.

The question is where?

The Hand Cliff fields will be used. The ash turned soil is good for years. Yet it is also quite a few hours away.

He enjoys the roasted pike for its different taste and different nutrients. His fur overcoat and clothing is slightly reduced with the warmer weather.

With the snow sill calf deep now is still a good time to use the sledwagon on its runners. Relka can now haul it making it possible to gather many trunks for charcoaling or prepping fields. A restful memory filled time of fishing brings in a pike to roast. Eating it recalls to Tuukka the times of his youth as a fisherman on the south west islands and coast.

Going street west a few archer lengths the spruce forest gives way to heathland. After scouting, loading wind felled trees on Relka’s sled and considering Tuukka makes his decision. The spruce forest is hard to see making inspection of the fields awkward. The heathland with its narrow pine is rather visible. Crops here would be easy to inspect. Other hills to the west could be used but they are nearing the distance from the cabin of the Hand Cliff field. This heathland would be a good place for fields, easy to find and far enough away to avoid stirring bad spirits.*

Relka might not understand the back and forth of the scouting with a loaded sled. She manages well enough. A shelter is raised as workers rest. Pockets for fields are selected for the minimum clearance. These felled trees will see their way back to the cabin for charcoal, carpentry or building. Later, when the snows are thinned, will fell trees for ashing the plots here. Staying out one then a second night work is progressing.
Then Tuukka wakes to a bawl shriek from Relka!
A lynx on top of Relka! Its claws and teeth already sunk in!
Tuukka had seen the tracks for the last few days but thought nothing of it. Relka is bloodied.
Tuuka rises roaring at the lynx. An axe swing and a second scare it off. Had it attacked when he was exhausted from logging they might have died.**

Doing what he can for Relka the two make their way back to the cabin. Relka can’t be risked for some time now.



(*: it is game issue of having too many stacks at once. Fields generate many of those. It is a gamers recommendation to make fields at least a few tiles away from your main homestead.

**: which sadly is exactly what happened. Rogue-like purists are again offered to stop reading as I reload the save.)


<Tuukka logging lynx>>>

[Brygun]

A spruce hiding squirrel gets the first of Tuukka’s venting. Several rock throws with no hits. This anger starts to pass. Perhaps best he didn’t strike the squirrel like this.

Now Tuukka realizes when he began the logging he had not done any sort of a sacrifice. Perhaps he had angered the spirits. Though the lynx had already been there. It probably hadn’t helped. If the lynx was already hungry from late winter a spirit might have warned Tuukka and chosen not to do so.

This was now his problem. The lynx was out there. Relka with her hurt shoulder was at risk. The predator traps farther out might catch the lynx if it went for the easy hanging meats. Now Tuukka puts on his fur overcoat back on. This isn’t for warmth but as extra armor. Frozen meats surplus at other traps are collected. Tuukka will also be setting lynx traps as he tries to hunt it.

Arriving back at the new “Death top” field the lynx tracks are immensely convoluted. The scouting for the most recent tracks also lead to spotting stones heavy enough for traps. A few rocks are collected for a tiny ritual circle with a turnip, Relka’s favorite food, placed as the offering. Setting them around the area of the attack amid the track Tuukka is growing in confidence the can deal with this lynx. The frozen meats are put in them as bait. An extra light lever is placed near others by the shelter. It is now that Tuukka is sure the tracks he is looking at are fresh.


<Tuukka avenging Relka>>>

[Brygun]

These tracks lead to a trap tilted down by the stone. Tuukka is hopeful. Then he sees the spray of black feathers and blood splattered on the snow. It was a black bird that had been caught. Then the lynx had come upon it to eat it. This though will be they lynx’s undoing. This trap was set just a short time ago. These are fresh tracks to follow. The lynx now well fed might take to nap. Napping means not moving. The bird carcass itself is put into a tree near a deadfall trap.

Alas the jumbled snow of lynx, bird, reindeer Relka and Tuukka’s skis is a jumbled mass of paths. He moves off in a new search patten. A spoke and hub search. Where like the wheels on a cart you go out on a spoke then search to left and/or right. South finds old lynx tracks and stones for traps. Then on another spoke he finds fresh lynx tracks. A minute later he has eyes on the lynx. It already has a trace of blood from a wound on one leg. Seems the bird had gotten a desperate peck in already.

Stalking gets off one arrow which is a miss. The lynx is quite cunning in its loops. After hours the trail loops back into itself then seems to never exit. How this was done Tuukka can not puzzle out. He wonders if the lynx will look at the trapped bird as enough of a gift or whether it will keep stalking this area, near the cabin, for food.

Tuukka resumes to felling trees. Felled now they can be collected once Relka has healed. For safety Tuukka sleeps in the prepared shelter with a guard trap. Into the afternoon the need for skis has become pointless. He truly hopes Relka will be able to haul while the ground is still frozen. While the sled does have wheel attachments for the warm seasons it is the slippery low-friction winter that is easiest to move heavy trunks.

He returned to sleep in the cabin’s safe wall. The numerous guardian spirits floating around their figurine homes. Awaking Tuukka inspects Relka. She is still too hurt to risk in pulling in the new trees. This will have to be Tuukka hauling the sled-wagon.
Pulling the sled he manages less than half what Relka can manage. This is still the best time. Though the snow is thinned the ground itself is still frozen. That is still helping the sled make its way under load.

Day 7 of the 3rd week before summer season

Finishing a tree fell around noon Tuukka looks about. Now there are bits of moss showing. The snows have receded enough to release them. The season of mud is now coming. This will be the last of the trunks sled hauled to the cabin. That will make nineteen by the charcoal area with four more in the production stores.
River ice is looking thinned. A punt trip across the rapids is done to check on the far shore pit traps. No change there. A long walk, as you can’t paddle up the ice, is taken to Badger Landing. A bird has been caught there. The Hand Cliff fields have no captures in the two pit traps and the few others that are set. The whole array will only go up once the seeding is done. At the cabin the elk hide de-hair into leather needs four more days with two and a half weeks for the drying elk meat.
The major chores looming ahead are:
= Turning ash into new fields
= Planting the existing fields
= Charcoaling many mounds

Then later he can see to seeking out ores.

<Tuuka planning 2nd spring>>>