My Life Among the Barbarians

My body is a furnace hot enough to rival the storied depths of the underworld, yet I shiver. Every bit of me aches as though I had performed some herculean feat. The littlest barbarian seems to be fairing somewhat better than I in that her fever is controllable and the tincture the shamans provided seems to be keeping her from getting any worse. My partner is only just on the mend and the burden of the settlement had fallen on his shoulders. Winter and its evil spirits seems to be crowing in triumph.

I begin to think that the illness that has attacked our settlement is in truth an evil and vengeful spirit. It followed my partner home from the hunt three days ago and since then it has been ruthlessly attacking our settlement. My partner has begun a long uphill battle to health, but two of the barbarians and I are in a reckless downhill slalom. The eldest barbarian spiked a fever overnight and had a visit to the shaman this morning. The shaman has given us tinctures to help the little barbarians fight the evil plague spirits. With luck, it will help them to quickly gain the upper hand. The elder pair of barbarians have convinced the Most Honoured Elders to allow them to stay at that settlement, so it is just the three of us here. I am thankful for the generosity of the Elders and I pray that our ill spirits do not plague them.

Winter continues to attempt to bury is in snow or freeze is with icy winds. My partner's condition has improved somewhat since yesterday, but he's still valiantly fighting off the ill humours. The littlest barbarian slept well last night and has been in quite good spirits throughout the day. She's frustrated that my partner can't interact with her, but it's for the best. It wouldn't be a day in our settlement without some calamity or another so I find myself waiting for it, watching for the sky to fall.

I keep thinking that this winter can't get worse. I need to stop thinking that. My partner has been possessed by one of the worst plagues circling the settlements. The shamans have suggested that we isolate him. The Most Honoured Elders have taken the elder barbarians to their settlement for the next couple of days, but the littlest barbarian and I are still in the settlement with my partner. We have isolated him in one of the older barbarians' huts and cleansed the hut we usually share with the littlest barbarian. I hope that this is enough to keep the littlest barbarian and I healthy.

The situation in the settlement is becoming dire. The littlest barbarian seems to have come to the conclusion that sleep is for mere mortals and she has ascended far beyond that. Her refusal led to a late night and very early morning for me. Since she is also pulling at her ear and screaming, I believe she may be possessed by ill spirits. Since my partner is also ill, I have made an agreement with one of the shamans to see them later today. My partner is brutally ill, I hope it is not too serious. The Halls of Learning delayed opening their doors this morning and the elder barbarians were convinced that they would not have to go. As though not wanting to were an excuse not to. They have become spoiled by the poor weather and frequent closings. May there be no more.

I have just received word that the Most Honoured Elders are coming for the little barbarians today, despite the poor trails! If nothing else, the littlest barbarian and I can have a delightful afternoon nap. My partner is seriously ill and is napping now. Tomorrow he will visit a shaman at the Halls of Medicine in the hopes that his illness can be treated and end quickly. He is not scheduled to hunt tomorrow or the next day, with luck he will be better by then.

Winter continues to bury us in snow and ice. The wind howls wickedly through the settlement driving ice and snow before it. Inside the settlement, it is cold. Even near the fires, the chill pervades. The barbarians are wild and unreasonable today, which has become terribly normal lately. Serbear, the littlest, slept very well last night and took a good nap this morning. She demands attention and stories, which the elder barbarians refuse to provide while I do chores around the settlement. Our Day of Gaming has been cancelled for my partner has come down with a plague. It is so severe that he has returned early from the hunt, which he very rarely does. With the roads so icy, I suspect the Most Honoured Elders will not be making the journey to our settlement to collect the older barbarians. I have not yet heard any word. I pray the storm passes yet today and the trails are repaired before tomorrow or we will have yet another day with no Halls of Learning.

I have joked frequently this winter season that there is a curse upon our settlement. I begin to believe there is something more than a mere joke to it. My partner rose early, before dawn, to begin his trek to the hunting grounds. He'll be there the majority of the day and return near dusk. Until then, it's just that barbarians and I at the settlement. The littlest barbarian never naps well when the older barbarians are in the settlement. Mostly because quiet is not a concept they seem to understand. Noise follows their every waking moment. Gir and Rar are, as ever, at odds today. Their arguments are loud, irrational, and constant. I have separated them, confining them to their huts with instructions to perform the weekly chores. I suspect that despite the promise of rewards, they will do little around the settlement today. Rar is still under the weather, his cough echoes through the settlement. Despite his illness he is filled with a manic energy that the confines of our s...

If it is not this monstrous winter weather besieging our settlement, it's one of the winter plagues. The middle barbarian is ill, again, and cannot attend the Halls of Learning. The eldest barbarian feels that this is most unfair and believes that he should be allowed to remain at the settlement as well. As if I would let him. His attitude this morning is titanic and awful. He's at war with both of the other barbarians, but especially with me. Every moment is a battle. One of the Most Honorable Elders is picking him up to convey him to the Halls of Learning so that I can keep the other barbarians inside the confines of our settlement. I begin to believe that winter will best us. The littlest barbarian slept poorly and it is difficult to tell if it is due to cutting teeth or coming down with whatever the middle barbarian brought back to the settlement. I am preparing myself for a difficult day at the settlement, especially difficult on little sleep.

About an hour ago, I received word from the Medicine Woman at the Halls of Learning that Rar, the middle barbarian, was burning with fever and must be brought home. I wrapped the littlest barbarian up in warm furs and made the trek through the deep snows to retrieve the middle barbarian. It's no wonder he's been so agitated these last few days. The Medicine Woman from the Halls of Learning warned us that a dangerous plague that has been wreaking havoc across the lands has had several confirmed cases at the Halls. She recommended that I take Rar to visit one of the Shamans at the Halls of Medicine. I pray that we do not have that plague stalking our settlement. We have had enough illness.

The sky is blessedly clear this morning, I cannot say the same for the spirits of the barbarians on our settlement. The eldest barbarian is surrounded by a great grey cloud today. He is easily angered and difficult to motivate. I hope that they have better luck with him at the Halls of Learning. The middle barbarian was shockingly cooperative today, I worry what he may have planned for later today. I fear that optimism has abandoned me in the last few days. The Oracles warn of another storm coming in a couple of days. This new storm is suspected to begin as rain. At this time of year, rain is very dangerous. My partner will be off at the hunt during the storm and I worry for him. The littlest barbarian and I went to Wayfarer's Market this morning after dropping off the older barbarians. We traded for some provisions for the end of the week. We were running low on several things after the plague that swept through the house. Hopefully, we are all past the plague and the Oracles ...

Once I would have seen the beauty of this morning's soft, snowy landscape outside our settlement with a cup of delicious, hot coffee in my hand and rejoiced that I had nowhere to go. This morning, before I even fully awakened, we received word that the Halls of Learning would be closed. When I emerged from my hut and looked across the snowy landscape, all I felt was an ever growing foreboding. The littlest barbarian slept poorly last night, unsurprisingly. She is still cutting teeth with a rising desperation. Her mood this morning is very volatile and her shrieks are quite grating. The elder barbarians are prepared to make war with anyone who speaks their names. They are demanding, emotional and circling each other like the wild animals they are. There is yet hope, I seem to be triumphing over the plague and my partner arrived safely at his hunt this morning. Additionally, though winter persists, spring must come eventually.

I have just returned from dropping the older barbarians at the Halls of Learning. We were late due to a very long search for the younger's boot and the elder's shoe. Having returned to the settlement, all I desire is to burrow into a pile of furs and hibernate. The littlest barbarian has other plans.

I am deeply embroiled in a war against my own mutinous insides. The plague has claimed its fourth victim in our settlement and it could not come at a worse time. The Halls of Learning are open today, but I can almost guarantee they won't be tomorrow. The Oracles foretell of another massive snow storm tonight which will make my partner's trek to the hunt tomorrow morning treacherous. It is, unfortunately, a trek he cannot avoid. Worse yet, I fear the little barbarians sense my weakness for they are behaving in a most ominous manner. The elder barbarians are circling one another, testing defenses and preparing for war. The littlest barbarian is cutting teeth and gnawing on everything in sight.

I braved the icy trails to visit the Distant Most Honorable Elder. It took the littlest barbarian, the white wolf, and I a long while to reach her settlement, but she was quite glad to see us. We took the Honorable Elder out to secure provisions as the Oracles foretell that we expect another large storm tomorrow night. We arrived home safely after dropping off the provisions. The white wolf is exhausted and sleeping. The littlest barbarian is still cutting teeth with a fury. My partner is late at the hunt today and so I have the three barbarians to myself and the older pair are again at war. Attempting to broker peace between them grows exhausting. Additionally, I fear the plague is coming for me.

The Oracles have again proved accurate. Snow once more blankets our settlement. Our Day of Gaming has been postponed for one of our number is trapped in her settlement by the snows. I fear the Most Honored Elders will be waylaid by the snows as well, but I'm trying to stay positive.  The littlest barbarian and I are planning a pilgrimage to the Distant Honorable Elder tomorrow, but I fear if the weather worsens, we may have to postpone. The barbarians are wild as usual, though they have been helpful with chores around the settlement today.

The Oracles say that we are expecting another storm tonight. The weather will do what it will do, but for now my settlement is at peace. The older barbarians have gone to another settlement just south of ours to visit a friend. The littlest barbarian remains in good spirits and my partner has remained home today. I've had a roast cooking over a low fire all day and the savory scent has filled our settlement. All in all, today is a good day. Gods willing, it shall stay that way.

The settlement seems so quite now. The older barbarians were kept from the Halls of Learning yesterday because they fell victim to the plague the day prior, but yesterday they ate like ravenous animals and fought like wolverines with hydrophobia. At one point I was forced to confine them to their individual huts. This morning, the Halls of Learning are open and the barbarians have gone an entire day without plague symptoms. Rar only suffered one bout. I braved the icy desert to drop them off. The littlest barbarian seems in good spirits today and only wakened once in the night. I begin to feel truly optimistic for the first time in what seems like an eternity. I fear the Oracles will disagree with that optimism and so I will ignore them for one day.

The doors to the Halls of Learning yawn wide this day, almost in mockery of our settlement's plight. The littlest barbarian seems to be getting better at long last. This gives me hope for the rest of the settlement. Neither of the older barbarians were sick in the night, which gives further hope. Unfortunately, their barbarous attitudes this morning foretell a difficult day ahead. The Oracles foretell of a warmer day with no snow and an almost toothless wind. May the weather hold until tomorrow, when perhaps the barbarians can venture outside.

The curse upon our settlement grows worse. The last of the barbarians has fallen victim to the plague. I am beginning to feel nauseated and fear I may be the next victim. Luckily when my partner returned from the hunt, I was able to venture to Mart's Wall and trade for provisions. At least, provided we can keep anything down, none of us will starve.

The situation in our settlement has worsened in the night. The littlest barbarian is still fighting off an ever worsening plague and as of today the eldest barbarian has succumbed as well. My partner has already ventured into the icy darkness and I await word that he has arrived safely at his destination. The wind has regained its teeth an dis blowing yesterday's snow everywhere. Yesterday evening, we received word that the Halls of Learning would be opening late today, but I fear that they may yet close. Even if it does not, only Rar can attend. Worse yet, I suspect I may soon succumb to the plague.

The littlest barbarian has been brought low by the plague. She hungers so, but we must wait until the sickness has loosened its grip to feed her more than the bare minimum. As if the stricken barbarian were not tragedy enough to befall our settlement, the Halls of Learning are closed again today. In the night, the skies have again deposited a large bank of snow upon us. In truth, it is still snowing. I begin to fear that this winter may never end. At least the wind is mostly toothless today and the older barbarians can venture forth to wreak havoc out of doors and perhaps leave the settlement intact. Winter persists, and so must I.

My optimism was short lived and grossly misguided. The littlest barbarian seems to have finally fallen victim to the ruthless illness that laid waste to the other barbarians and I a couple of weeks ago. The gods can be cruel, offering hope and delivering despair. I pity the little barbarian and I shall spend the day offering her what comfort that I may.

Winter persists. This morning, I bundled the barbarians in their warmest furs and conveyed them through the icy desert to the Halls of Learning. I celebrate that the doors of that august institution are open this day. It feels almost warm outside, compared to the weather we have been having lately. However, the Oracle foretells of yet another winter storm coming this afternoon. I fear the Halls of Learning may yet close today. The littlest barbarian is still cutting teeth and is quite disgruntled. I must hope that she naps well this morning, for her afternoon nap may be difficult to obtain.

The winter-white sky has unleashed upon our settlement another snowstorm. Though at the moment it doesn't seem particularly intense, I begin to fear that the Halls of Learning will be closed again tomorrow. The older pair of barbarians are again restless and bored trapped within the confines of the settlement. Even the youngest barbarian seems to crave escape. Luckily the Most Honorable Elders will soon brave the storm to rescue us and take the warring factions to their settlement for a visit. The youngest, Serbear, will remain with us for the Day of Gaming. I fear she is still cutting teeth and is quite fussy and irritable. For now, I will put her down for a nap in the hopes it soothes her angry spirit.

Winter's icy grasp has loosened slightly, the temperatures rose above zero and the wind, while still possessing teeth, has perhaps not filed them quite as sharply. The youngest of the barbarians slept poorly last night, keeping my partner and I up with her. Thankfully, the ritual birthing day celebrations will provide the three of us with ample napping opportunities. After a light lunch, which the wild barbarians barely consumed before declaring themselves full and then promptly requesting dessert, we ventured into the icy desert on a road to adventure. The middle barbarian, who calls himself Rar, was safely dropped off at his ritual, with the appropraite gifts. After counting his gold pieces, the eldest barbarian (Gir) requested that I deliver him to Mart's Wall that he may spend it. My partner and I attempted to council frugality, but he was determined to spend his hard earned coin. Afterwards, I dropped him off at his first ritual, he will rejoin the middle barbarian...

When my partner arrived, I brokered a temporary peace between the warring factions and together we ventured deep into the frozen wastes to Mart's Wall. Tomorrow there will be two ritual birthing day celebrations and suitable gifts were necessary. While my companions were not terribly behaved, they were filled with impossible and exhausting amounts of energy. By the time we returned from Mart's Wall, they had entirely exhausted my reserves.

Winter is unyielding. Chaos rules the settlement. It has been long since we have ventured outside. The barbarians are restless and are warring amongst themselves. A most bitter animosity has developed between two of the factions and while the third remains neutral, its leader has become quite volatile. We believe she may be cutting teeth. We are in desperate need of supplies, but I am awaiting reinforcements before venturing into the frozen wastes to obtain them. With luck, my partner should return in a few hours and I can leave the settlement in his care.