The Starved
The day wears on…
To think that we ever complained about marching through mud! We trudge our way now through what can only be rivers of manure — at least, judging by the stink. How these foul-smelling streams ever formed we cannot know; such are the mysteries of the Elder Wood.
The time is approaching to take our day meal when we sight a man crouching in the sluggish current. Seeing us, he motions for us to join him. “Come! There is enough for all!” With revulsion, we see that the excrement beneath the man writhes with maggots. As we watch, he spoons a handful of them into his mouth. “Quickly!” he cries. “Eat, before they are gone!”
We are disgusted. And yet… we cannot refuse his command. Our empty bellies seem suddenly cavernous, our hunger overwhelming.
Getting on our hands and knees, we join the man in his revolting meal.
The Challenge
It’s meal time. But can everyone get enough to eat?
Shuffle and spread the deck facedown in the centre of the table, so that all the cards are spaced out.
Set a timer for thirty seconds.
Simultaneously, travellers begin flipping cards face-up at random, checking the number value in the corner of each.
As they go, travellers can attempt to make ‘meals’ by combining cards together. A meal is a stack of cards that has a total number value of fourteen or more. When you make a meal by combining two or more cards, stack them together and place them in front of yourself.
The game ends when the timer runs out.
Success. If the game ends and every traveller has made at least two meals, the Challenge is passed.
Failure. If any traveller has made one or no meals, the Challenge is failed.
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If the Challenge is passed, the traveller with the highest-valued meal wins the Blessing of the Starved. If there is a tie of value, identify the highest value card (factoring in suit) among the two meals. The holder of that card is the winner.
If the Challenge is failed, the party suffers the Curse of the Starved. If this is the party's third Curse, click here.
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When a spirit is displeased by the party, it will lay its Curse upon them. Curses have dire consequences. The more Curses a party gathers, the more lives will be claimed in the Heart of the Wood. Furthermore, if a party incurs three Curses, the Wood's spirits will reject them and they will be forced to flee for their lives, ending the game.
When you incur a Curse, place it in a designated area of the table so that all travellers are aware of it.
As we force down the last of the wriggling maggots, our hunger suddenly abates. Looking up, we see that the man is gone. But our vile meal still fills our bellies.
Re-form the deck before continuing.