𓆰  An account of Ferrante; and Pettiere, his steed ①

11 Aug, 2025

A Mythic Bastionland run

Ferrante, a war knight wounded and weary, travels the hills with his squire Bonaventura, horse Pettiere, and donkey Gobba after a ruinous lost battle. The Suèr - the wind of betrayals - drives them to a fortified lit beacon where Bonaventura seeks aid, but those within refuse, sending them on toward the closest Holding (H2) named Castiglione. Smoke thick in their lungs, they turn away, make camp, and pass the night under clear stars.

𓆱 next session

PREVAILING WIND ¤ Suèr

The Suèr - the wind which brings betrayals, knives in the back and throats cut open by hands that flee - howls.

PHASE ¤ Afternoon
SEASON ¤ Spring
HEX ¤ Hills

The sky is clear, bright and hurts the eyes that remain too open. Billow clouds extend far until the horizon, covering the firmament with an almost exact reproduction of the hills Ferrante and Bonaventura, his squire, lead Pettiere and Gobba, their steeds. The clouds are of every shade of white and gray. If Ferrante didn't know any better, he'd think the hills in the sky were made of fresh, soft snow. He had seen snow for the first time that past winter, but he didn't say that to Bonaventura: it was before the ruinous battle, anyway, when he still ignored the existence of his squire. Pettiere, his magnificent steed, remembers to not put tongue on frozen metal ever again. Ferrante and Pettiere share a good number of memories.

The cold Suèr cuts the skin: any exposed flesh feels the tips of dozens frozen needles. The only spot the Suèr doesn't seem to hurt is the open wound on Ferrante's right leg. Bonaventura had to fashion a couple of sticks and some rope into a splint. It was crude, that much is true, but got the knight to be able to move and get on his horse when that was needed the most.

None of them talks: Ferrante opens the way, with Gobba following at a small distance. Gobba is a good donkey with a passion for nettles. He must make two steps for every step of Pettiere, but she tires half as fast.

WILDERNESS ROLL ¤ Landmark
SPARK ¤ CIVILIZATION ¤ Holding
SPARK ¤ HOLDING ¤ Fortified Beacon
ORACLE ¤ Is the beacon lit? ¤ Yes

The Suèr pushes the sappy smoke of something burning not too far away towards the four and enters through the eyeholes of the knight's full heavy bucket helm. The horse and the donkey are gently invited to hasten their steps. They oblige without protest. The origin of the sweet smoke appears to be a sort of tall pyre, enclosed in a tight square of thick walls built with purpose.

Bonaventura suggests to stop, rest, find healing for the open wound. Ferrante declines: the fire at the top of the pyre wouldn't be illuminated without a pressing need for communication. These hills are under the influence of the Gonzaga, which seems have been sympathisers of the adversaries who won the battle that led Ferrante and Bonaventura to their peregrination. It is quite inconvenient that the Lost Seer receives her Knights in areas of friends of our enemies.

The squire, by worry or ill intent, gallops towards the structure, calling for the doors to be opened and for the need of a healer.

ORACLE ¤ Does anyone respond? ¤ Yes, but
SPARK ¤ PEOPLE ¤ Voice
SPARK ¤ VOICE ¤ Flat detached

Instants pass before someone responds without enthusiasm from the other side of the walls that there is no medic, that time is short, that there are more pressing matters at hand, and that the best bet is to reach Castiglione, the holding (H2) at no more than 4 days of travel.
Bonaventura protests and the monotone voice concludes that this is the word of the Gonzaga, and it is final. The squire, deaf from one ear since the days of the battle, mumbles some insults. Ferrante remains behind, almost tempted to leave the disgraced man to the hands of his own stupidity, before remembering that, after all, if he was alive, it had been also due to the squire's resourcefulness.

Pettiere lets out a call which grabs Gobba's attention, which moves now to ignore the squire's commands and returns to follow the magnificent steed. The dense white smoke brought by the Suèr starts penetrating the knight's lungs, who now leaves the beacon behind. The pyre burns and the sky darkens, relieving the eyes of the squinters.

As the sky turns day into night, the four stop and make camp.

WILDERNESS ROLL ¤ All clear

The night falls and Gobba stargazes.

𓆱 next session

Character sheets

Ferrante

The War Knight

• Low spirit
• Has a wound and a splint
• Owns a whelbone chess set
• Appearance ¤ haggard, crude
• Voice ¤ smooth, terse
• Personality ¤ righteous, cookery
• Desire ¤ security, duty
• Task ¤ conceal, holding
• Background ¤ insular, sickness
• Ailment ¤ unexplained, shaking
• Heraldry ¤ metallic, flower

Pettiere

The stocky steed

Bonaventura

The squire

• Low vigour
• Relationship ¤ tumultuous, rival
• Appearance ¤ haggard, drab
• Voice ¤ weak, blunt
• Personality ¤ melancholic, fashion
• Desire ¤ forgiveness, duty
• Task ¤ mend, dwelling
• Background ¤ drudgery, study
• Ailment ¤ obvious, deafness

Gobba

The donkey

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