A Fork in the Road

A Fork in the Road (1x02) is the second episode of the first chapter of the first campaign for Shikar.

The gang has a camping trip and a leisurely stroll that reconnects them with old friends, drowsy Sunflowers, an ancient turtle, and a mystery of disappearing animals.

Sword with an Attitude
The episode opens with a whisper. Ajax hears a voice telling him that they need to talk. We quickly learn that it is Ajax's sword speaking into his mind. Her name is Belinda and she is dead. The rest of the group is very confused as Ajax walks away and his scabbard starts to vibrate.

Ajax draws the sword and sees the glimpse of amethyst eyes and a furrowed brow. Belinda is angry that Ajax has found a new crew. Ajax explains that things have changed since she died. Belinda wonders if he is going to get more people killed and he assures her that isn't the case. He explains that Betsy dropped Nim off and told him to go buy ale. He gave her the rundown of what happened to him in.

Belinda asks what Ajax's plan is, especially since he is running with a kid now. She asks if he wants that blood on his hands again and Ajax says he has to go back and he can't do this. Belinda tells him to grow a spine.

Valym breaks in, asking Ajax if he is okay. Ajax sheathes the sword and rejoins the group. Valym questions him about the sword and Nim steps in to defend him. Valym gets confused and asks Nim if Ajax is his father and they both deny it. Nim says that Ajax is his best friend.

Nim asks Ajax what he talks to his sword about and Ajax explains that they talk about his day and things that have happened. Ajax draws the sword and Valym examines it, discovering nothing useful about the weapon. Valym bluffs the half-orc by saying that he heard a voice that spoke highly of Ajax.

A hand slaps Scorpio across the back and he sees that Brumhilde the Bull, the human monk rival of the half-elf. She pokes fun at Scorpio, but is quickly surprised when Scorpio reveals they won the competition. He tries to find the money, but can't remember where he put it. The Bull snatches the ribbon and puts it on her ponytail, saying she will give it to the Master next time she sees him.

Valym gets a sense that she is going to snitch about the lost money. He quickly lays out the fact that they are all responsible for the circumstances and that they all share in both the success and failure. She orders the other monks to find the money.

Ajax introduces himself and begins to flirt, referring to the Bull as "Thicc-hilde". She looks him up-and-down and blows him off. She infers he looks malnourished. Ajax likes the fight in her and Scorpio says he should not do that. Ajax ignores this advice entirely. They quickly resolve to a sparring match.

Knock-Down-Drag-Out
Scorpio and the Bull team up against Valym and Ajax. Ajax and Valym pull their axes and Scorpio and the Bull enter ready stances. Nim wanders off to find the money pouch, finding it under a table. He discovers that some money is missing and tosses in the silver pieces he received for singing.

Valym pours some alcohol onto his hand and throws an Ice Knife at the Bull. The Bull and Scorpio spring off of one another to dodge out of the way. Valym backs away, putting distance between himself and his opponents.

Brumhilde dashes at Ajax, knocking him to the ground in a headlock. Ajax attempts to stand up, but she maintains the grapple. Scorpio rushes Ajax, cracking his forehead into the half-orc's skull, using the momentum to crack him again. Ajax falls unconscious and the two monks share a high-five.

Scorpio asks if Valym is willing to bow out as Ajax's second. Valym pulls the staff from his back, offering them a chance to call it instead. He unleashes Lorelai, his Giant Constrictor snake with the word "Basilisk". Scorpio's resolve wavers and he looks to the Bull.

Lorelai shoots forward at the woman, biting into the soft flesh. The Bull lashes out at the Druid, hitting him fast and hard. Valym attempts to pull the two apart as Nim jumps in, pleading for them to stop. He spots Lorelai and yells out before Valym turns the snake back into a staff.

The Bull walks over to Ajax and cracks some herbs under his nose. Scorpio gives Valym an apologetic glance as he joins her. They explain that nobody won, but Ajax definitely lost. Scorpio offers to show him some techniques. The Bull is impressed with Scorpio's forms and compliments him. Scorpio is surprised and overcome by the praise.

Nim hands the money to Brumhilde and they all part ways. Scorpio apologizes to Valym and Nim asks if anyone else saw the snake. Valym quickly changes the subject to the task they have been given by Tracy. He wonders if they should use the amethyst they received from the boy to buy something new for the him. Nim convinces him not to, saying that his mother wished him to grow up.

Strangers in the Night
Nim asks if they would like to travel back this evening, offering his mother's hospitality. Ajax says there isn't enough daylight left to get back without a carriage, but says he can't afford anything. Valym realizes that the monks have taken the cart they rode in on back with them and the group quickly realizes that they are better off camping out.

Valym sets out to find a camping site finding a bald hill that overlooks the festival. A field of gold is nestled between two mountain ranges with a monk monastery perched in the peaks. He takes a moment to appreciate the beauty before fetching the group.

Valym heads to the water and sets a hunting trap as Scorpio prepares some rations. Ajax, seeing that Nim does not have a bedroll, sets his up for the child and wanders off to spend some time alone. Nim plays some soft music in the background, setting a serene mood against the flowing melody of the river.

Scorpio and Valym take turns on watch, needing only 4 hours of rest. Valym notices the local animal life, feeding bits of ration to a passing hedgehog family. He eventually hears footsteps, spotting a figure. He speaks with the figure, asking her to step forward. An olive skinned human woman with freckles introduces herself as  Skylark Song and explains that she got separated from her hunting party.

Valym invites her to join him by the fire. It is Song's first time out on a hunting trip, but she got separated from her hunting party. She spotted the fire and hoped she was close to civilization. Valym offers her the rest of his rations and she scarfs it down. He asks her if she is a bandit and she assures him she isn't. They have an easy conversation, ruminating on her situation.

She is afraid of what her hunting party will say because of her poor performance. She fell behind on the hunt and they left without her and she is going to come back empty handed. Valym asks her to follow him to the river because he wants to check his trap.

She is curious as to why he wants to get her alone, expressing her concern that she isn't comfortable leaving into the dark with a stranger. Valym tells her that it is fine if she stays behind and to do what makes her feel the most safe. He hands her his handaxe and asks her to give him a reason to trust her as he trusts the trees. She hands him the mark of her tribe, a small totem of an eagle.

Valym goes to check his trap, discovering that he has caught two jackrabbits. He travels back to the camp to discover that Song is gone and has left his axe behind. He retrieves the axe to discover a note that reads:

''Thanks for the food. I didn't want to overstay my welcome.''

Scorpio wakes up the next morning to discover that two more of his rations have disappeared. As the rest of the party wakes up, Scorpio offers to help the sore Ajax. He leads the half-orc through a series of stretches to ease the pain and they quickly scarf down a breakfast of rabbit stew and break down camp before setting out on their travels.

Scorpio asks if Nim is familiar with the cemeteries in the area. Nim explains that he and his mom live in a house on the grounds and he does the services there. Valym asks if he wants to deal with the dead and Nim says that he never really chose and that death has always found him. He likes helping others through their grief and meeting the people that come to bury their loved ones starting to say it is how he met Ajax but stops himself.

Drowsy Sunflowers
They comes upon an interconnection of roads that Ajax knows is called Forks. One road heads towards the riverbank in the direction where they were attending the market, the left path heads to Solace, and the path ahead goes to the nearby town of Windhollow. He directs the group to head left for Solace Point.

There is another figure travelling along the group's path. They gain on the slowly moving figure and discover Sunflower asleep on the back of a large moving tortoise. Scorpio calls out, awakening the sleeping gnome. Sunflower calls out to Eloise the turtle before she spots the group and greets them. Nim is curious if she sleeps on the turtle and she explains that Eloise always knows which way to go. Valym casts Speak with Animals and speaks with Eloise as Sunflower prepares rose tea for the party.

Valym asks Eloise if she is happy. Eloise says that is an existential question. Valym says Sunflower is kinda scary and wonders if the gnome has any secrets. He asks if Sunflower is actually a constable. Eloise doesn't know what a constable is. She says that people are hard to read, unlike turtles.

Valym asks the turtle how he can impress Sunflower and Eloise informs him that Sunflower likes people that are smart because she says most of the people she meets are idiots and constantly vents to Eloise.

Valym falls back with the group to overhear Ajax interrupting Sunflower from scaring Nim with talks of the constant dangers and death lurking around every tree and rock. He turns to Valym and asks if Sunflower is his girlfriend. Sunflower is shocked, thinking they were only going on one date, but she looks forward to seeing where it goes. She says he is cute and Valym compares her to a firecracker.

The sudden flirtatious spin causes Sunflower to come clean. She explains that if they are going to date that they need to start on equal footing. She reveals that the ticket she handed them the day before was fake and she is not actually a constable. Valym, having Sunflowers address, asks her if he can come by for tea the next day. Sunflower sarcastically says that that is definitely her address and Valym changes the venue to meet in Windhollow.

Sunflower plays on the group's feelings, saying that she and Eloise are very tired and would probably need to stay at an inn, but she didn't have any money. Valym asks Eloise if Sunflower is actually broke and Eloise says that Sunflower gives her fresh apples every day. Valym disappointedly confronts the gnome but gives her a gold piece.

The Furious Five
The group speeds up, leaving Sunflower and Eloise to plod along. This is when Nim learns that all adults lie. The group agrees not to lie to one another. Nim notices a large board has been nailed to a pitchfork that is stuck in the ground at a fork in the road. It reads:

''Furious Farms seeks help with dire problem. Hefty Reward.''

Sincerely, the famous Furious Five.

Nim recognizes the Furious Five as the band of retired adventurers that handled of a lot of bandits a few years ago. The group decides to stop by on their way to Solace. As they travel along, Nim spots a familiar black carriage and the gang runs across Betsy. Nim fills her in on the details of their travels and Ajax gives her the ale she had ordered from the monastery.

Betsy shoves the keg inside of the carriage next to a linen wrapped body she is taking to Solace for burial. Ajax explains they are heading that way and she says she is full up and can't give a ride. Nim asks if she has heard anything out of the Furious Five's farm. A lot of livestock has been going missing and nobody knows if they are being taken or killed.

The Furious Five are a group of halflings that travelled into the world. They got sick of the banditry taking place on the road and decided to take it into their own hands. Betsy describes them as very formidable. She names them as Taj, Lucky, Sunny, Lala, and Balvinder.

Valym speaks with Toast, Betsy's horse, and the animal requests a back rub. Valym rubs the horse down, expending a Cure Light Wounds to heal any minor injury to the old animal. Toast reveals that she had to kill a few wolves the other day near the inn because Betsy tied him outside. He tells Betsy to get a stable next time and she is remorseful, having no idea that Toast had to deal with wolves that close to the inn.

Betsy offers to carry a message to Nim's mom and Nim quickly writes a letter letting her know they were stopping by the Furious Farms on their way back. They continue on their way, chatting amongst themselves. They come to a sign directing them to the Furious Farms, showing caricatures of the halflings. They follow the sign past a few animal enclosures and find themselves in a large courtyard with a well in the center.

Nim grabs Ajax's hand and goes to knock on the door. A portly halfling woman, with hair braided back from her face, cheerfully answers the door. She knows that they are there to assist with the farm's problem and Nim guesses that she is Lucky, the Diviner. She invites them in, calling for Taj to bring out a tray of vanilla chai.

As they settle in Nim asks how they can help. A voice from a dark corner comes forth as a fire is summoned, dispelling the shadows to reveal Sunny, a moody halfling with heavy eyeliner. He explains that something is killing the livestock in the middle of the night. Valym is concerned about trusting the strange halflings.

A turbined halfling, Balvinder, shows up and blows out the fire that Sunny had summoned. Nim suggests that they look at the scene of the crime. Balvinder calls his wife, Lala, from a back room and instructs her to show them the farm, but Taj volunteers instead. Balvinder says if the group succeeds he will give them a horse.

They are led to a buffalo of enclosure that is in the process of being mended. There are streak marks of blood mixed amongst the mud. Taj explains that whatever is attacking the livestock attacks a random pen one night, and then moves on to another the next night to avoid the halflings guarding the farm.

Valym investigates the area, seeing that whatever took the buffalo had to be extremely strong and had been dragged away. He determines that there had to be more than one creature or one large creature. Valym asks if they have a dog and Taj calls over Motee, a black riding dog.

The druid casts Speak with Animals and questions the excitable animal. He pulls the eagle totem and asks Motee to sniff it and see if she recognizes it. Motee says she has not smelled that around the farm. Satisfied with her answers, he unleashes the affectionate pup on Scorpio and turns to speak with one of the buffalo. The buffalo was in the pen the night they were attacked and swears it heard baying, like a call of death that claimed the life of Carmella, his friend. Valym ends his spell and rejoins the group and explains that it may be dire wolves or something similar, but doesn't think it was Motee.

Scorpio pulls out his journal and sketches a map of the farm. He approaches Taj and asks if there are any areas he could point to that would make good surveillance points. Taj recommends that they perch upon the silo to get a solid look at everything. He guesses that the horses may be attacked that night.

Nim, riding on Motee, make their way to a nearby shed. This is where Motee's food is kept and she nuzzles her empty bowl. Nim also notices a dusty bowl propped up against a wall. They then head to the chicken coop and see a mess of  feathers where an attack occurred and the fence has been recently mended. The fence looks like it was ripped open.

Nim and Motee rejoin the group as the episode comes to an end.

Player Characters

 * Scorpio - Played by Xander Jeanneret
 * Valym - Played by Gabe Hicks
 * Nim Grimwillow - Played by Josephine McAdam
 * Ajax - Played by Lord Balvin

Non-Player Characters

 * Belinda - A spirit trapped in Ajax's sword
 * Brumhilde the Bull - Scorpio's rival
 * Skylark Song - A lost hunter
 * Sunflower - Valym's girlfriend
 * Eloise - Sunflower's turtle
 * Betsy - A friend of Nim's mom
 * Taj - A member of the Furious Five
 * Lucky - A member of the Furious Five
 * Sunny - A member of the Furious Five
 * Lala - A member of the Furious Five
 * Balvinder - A member of the Furious Five
 * Motee - An excitable riding dog

Locations

 * Moonblush Valley
 * Golden Dale
 * Fork
 * The Furious Five Farms

Quotes
"Ajax gets folded by a woman every episode." - Gabe

"A wolf is always unapologetically a wolf." - Skylark Song

"It's nice to not be alone." - Valym

"People are hard to read. I'm a turtle." -Eloise the turtle

Trivia
Shikar means both Hunger and Prey and came from a rap that Jasmine Bhullar created. She will (hopefully!) release it one day.

Motee means "fat" in Hindi.