Trial after Trial [LA7]

[Kannon]

Ahmina had exhausted the worm. She had no choice, but it created its own dangers. When it started slowing still kilometres away from the face of the thorny spikes of the False Wall West, she thought she might not make it; she was herself exhausted, and her stillsuit was underperforming due to the sediments it had absorbed at the Depression and needed to be cleaned. Usually she could save herself by setting up a stilltent, even in the middle of nowhere, but she no longer had one. She had to reach the rock.

The Maker, fortunately, came to a full stop and showed signs that it could burrow regardless of the exposure via maker hooks, just several hundred metres away from the wall. The rest of the distance had to be crossed on foot, but this much Ahmina could manage, allowing her muscle memory to take over. She no longer felt the distortion to her sand movements.

However, her Tahaddi al-Burhan didn't seem to be at its end. There was a cliff to climb, as there seemed to be no cave anywhere close to the ground level. Maker hooks and rope could be repurposed for this, but her fatigue and strain constituted a serious handicap, amplified by hours of ride in the scorching sun. And yet, there was no other way.

[Climb is Move 4, hooks lower it, fatigue increases it, so still 4. Complication at 18, success at a cost possible.]

[Ahmina]

The fremen girl tumbled down the maker...and took a second to stand up again.

She was truly at the end of her rope but she had to push further.

She willed herself forward for this was also His Will. Hooks still in hand she dug them into the rock to climb.

Climbing the false walk, D7, move+Faith (15) nimble (reduce diff to two) two threats for two dice: 4#1d20 3 3 12 10
4 successes, +2 momentum

[Kannon]

Crack by crack, ledge by ledge, Ahmina was ascending, a lone patch of movement on an black-brown canvass, until she would reach a sharp edge beyond which the labyrinth of rock formations opened to her. They were hiding places out there, but perhaps too many; amid the opportunities the terrain presented, which shielded a sietch?

The hooks hadn't been enough. The fingers of her hands bled. She couldn't have climbed in the stillsuit gloves, and she'd lost some moisture through her palms. Now that the faint scent of exposed blood was travelling on the wind, scavenger birds left their perches and began circling high above her.

[2 Threat: Marked by Blood]

[Understand 2 or Discipline 3 - either with foci for desert Survival, Fremen trait applies.]

[Ahmina]

Her trial were not over but she was driven to succeed. Weary be those who stands in the way of one driven by zeal.

Marked by blood, discipline+faith (14), Survival, fremen, diff 2: 3#1d20 11 9 5

6 successes, +4 momentum (6 total)

[Kannon]

She would know that if there were Fremen around, they would eventually come, seeing circling birds. They always investigated such things. She would have to find some shelter until then, and water. At least long shadows cast by the sharp rocks offered reprieve from al-Lat.

There was of course life around there, nestled in specific spots, and where there was life, there was water, in fruit, in root, or in blood. She needed to forage, or hunt.

[Ahmina]

She looked at the birds and then at her hands. Since she can't hunt with her stillsuit gloves she'll need to find a creozote bush to coat her hands with it's sap...

She did not think, she simply acted. Survival was ingrained in her.

Now she would seek prey

[Kannon]

It took her a moment but a creosote bush could be found and it's sap extracted for protection. It itched when it got into wounds but Ahmina knew it was but an irritant unless consumed in larger amount. Her water source must be something else. Where there any tubers around?

[Understand 3, Fremen applies]

[Ahmina]

She observed the rock formation. She could'nt be sure of it but if there was water to be taken it would be found deeper, away from the sun's arid gaze

Thus she began looking for entrances, cracks, anything that might get her deeper

Finding water, understand+Faith (12), Fremen, momentum, diff 3: 4#1d20 8 9 7 15

[Kannon]

In one of the cracks, she found a bird's best. After a short fight with a desert hawk who guarded it beak and talon she had access to some meat, blood, and eggs. While there were caveats in the rock deep enough to grant her reprieve, a larger cave was hard to come by. Weird. She could expect some old lava tubes.

[Ahmina]

She devoured her prey without greed nor waste for such things was anathema to the desert. Nothing was left on or within the bones and no drop of
blood dripped on the stones of her temporary refuge.

Still it was true that a lack of a greater cavern was odd...what about lava tubes? Later. Now she needed to rest and digest. She would explore when ready.

[Kannon]

That ledge would do.

Her rest would be fitful but regenerating enough. Her ultra-fast coagulation would close the bruises even before she'd fall asleep.

/scene