Night falls…
As darkness descends, we make camp and gather around the fire.
Words by the fire
In the black heart of the Thicket, the campfire blazes like a protest to the sky. Far above, the moon drifts, healthy and round. It is full tonight.
As we gaze up at its pearlescent majesty, we are enveloped by a deep sense of peace. A question springs unbidden to our minds — a voice, feminine and loving. Comforting.
“Mortals perish. It is their way. How would you die, mortals?”
Spurred by the questioning of the full moon, the party has a special discussion.
Clockwise starting with the Reader, without discussion or comment, each traveller takes it in turns to describe their character’s ideal death.
When everyone has had their turn, continue.
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When all travellers have spoken, the party takes a vote.
Counting down together, each traveller points simultaneously at the traveller who gave their personal favourite answer. Travellers cannot vote for themselves.
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————HELP FROM AN ITEM
If any traveller carries a LANTERN, they now gain two extra votes.
Counting for the lantern rule, the traveller who won a majority of the votes wins the Bargain of the Moon.
Any split votes are decided by the Reader.
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Blessings and Bargains symbolise the support of a spirit of the Elder Wood. Both offer protection against death for the traveller who wins them.
Blessings: When a spirit is pleased, it might grant its special protection to a particular traveller. Spirits who have bestowed a member of the party with their Blessing travel invisibly with them and will help to protect them when they reach the Heart of the Wood.
Travellers who win a Blessing should place the Blessing behind their Character Card so that the spirit's name and number are still visible.
Bargains: Sometimes, instead of granting its Blessing to a traveller, a spirit might instead offer a conditional protection called a Bargain. Bargains symbolise a trade between spirit and traveller; the spirit protects the traveller, but its influence affects the traveller's behaviour. The traveller must obey the Bargain rules written on the spirit's card so long as they possess the Bargain. In return, the spirit will convert its Bargain to a Blessing in the Heart of the Wood, thus helping the traveller survive.
Travellers who win a Bargain should place the Bargain card face-up to one side of their Character Card, so that they can read the card's Bargain rules.
When the Moon’s Bargain has been bestowed, all travellers go to sleep.
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————The new day dawns. We walk on.
⇐ 📖
The new Reader should turn over the next card in the Path.