Johnzo and I began the second installment of our Beast Lunchers game. We've swapped roles, so that I am now the challenger, and Johnzo's hunter Voss (details here) has taken the field. Johnzo has chosen to hunt the Hektratan, with the basic 20/5 pool.

We dedicated a lunch to fleshing out Voss, and his decadent hidden past. Once again, a mutual brainstorming session seemed to be very helpful in coming up with potential traits and resources. Initially conceived as a heavy metal warrior, Voss is now a family man with a complex past.

I must admit that while I enjoy the act of GMing, I often shrink from the preparation, but in this Beast Hunters was very friendly to me. Last night, I simply took a pass through Voss's traits, and wrote down a few scene ideas that jumped to mind, trusting that they would expand in play. This mornign, one particular scene took seed in my mind, and I fleshed it out with a name and a few images as my opener.

So: Voss awakes in the cool before another blazing day, in a summer that has rendered the Berengad hot and brittle. He speaks with a Beast Hunter elder that is also enjoying the cool of the dawn. They see a rider on a lessyth approach, leading a prisoner. Being the direct sort, Voss goes out to meet them.

The rider is Tokage, niece of the Great Yoppa, and the prisoner is a 15 year old girl. This is Rhystlin, Voss' daughter, who he has not seen since she was a toddler, and he was called Mazu the Mighty. The name of Mazu is now called coward and oath-breaker, and Rhystlin is a non-person, condemned to scrabble at the edge of the nadan, with her sister and brother, in shame at their fathers deeds.

Rhystlin's name is a result of Johnzo mishearing my narration in the babble of the food court. I had not named her. For some reason, I think this is totally awesome

Tokage offers the Beast Hunter elders the lessyth she rides, as well as its cargo of rich furs as a sign of respect from the great Yoppa. She also carries the request of the Yoppa that a Beast Hunter be sent to track down a Hektratan that is harrying their children. As for Rhystlin, she begged to be brought on this journey, so that she could appeal to the Beast Hunters for admission. Her only desire is to be trained as a warrior that she might finally hunt down and slay Mazu, her father, and thus restore her family's honor.

The elders reject her plea, saying that her coming has not been foretold by the Spirit Stone, but Voss intervenes, asking that the girl might be allowed to travel with him, that her mettle might be proved. The elders are not convinced that this is wise, but decide that some latitude can be allowed in this case. Tokage is outraged, not only because she has been assigned a Beast Hunter who is exceptionally old and ugly, but she must continue to travel with an honorless child. Voss takes her to task for her attitude, and after an impressive display with the swords of Fire and Lightening, puts her in her place.

The band of three sets out for the encampment of the Yoppa. During the stop to avoid the heat of the midday, Voss questions Tokage for news of the fate of the nadan, and of his children. Later, as Tokage sleeps in the heat, Rhystlin begins to wonder at the strangely familiarness of the Beast Hunter, and begins an uncomfortable line of questioning. This produced a really good mental challenge which I immediately took to the dice, as Rhystlin sought to discern Voss' true identity beneath his disfiguring scars. I wanted to get in just one solid blow at Voss' composure, but the dice did not love me, and Johnzo build up a huge pile of advantage points. I finally got my one whack, and gave, but not before Johnzo used his huge lead to purchase an awesome secondary goal. Rhystlin has sworn to faithfully follow and serve Voss, and in return he will train her in the Beast Hunter ways, and eventually lead her to Mazu...

Between Katari and Voss, it's quickly becoming clear that at least for us, Beast Hunting is family affair :)