Session 35 - Return to Zmiihorod

General Summary

Ivan was pulled back into the boat, defeated, and sent to the other side of the river. Munkh and Wojciech were quickly find an unattended boat at a nearby dock, and used it to try to get closer to Alena and Ivan. However, as they approached in the raft, Kochmaki in other boats watched with amusement as another boat tried to ram them, hoping to destroy the boat and/or throw Munkh and Wojciech into the river. With Wojciech a much weaker swimmer than Munkh, they decide to retreat, crossing the river safely and continuing to track the Kochmaki.
Alena and Ivan were talking about a possible night escape, but one of the other prisoners, an old prisoner told them to consider what would happen to the other prisoners. Using the same logic Ivan used on Alena before, the old man convinced them that the small chance of escape was not worth causing the Kochmaki to kill the rest of the prisoners.
After five days of travel, the Kochmaki arrived at the city of Zmiihorod, and brought Alena and Ivan before the Kochmak interpreter. He made them an offer "Open the gates of Zmiihorod for us, and we'll take the money and leave the people of the city alone. Fail, and we'll siege the city, and take our spoils in both money and blood. Also, your 'friend' Lada's life depends on it".
Alena was unwilling to agree without knowing Lada was safe. The translator allowed it, and showed that Lada was alive, but her face was bruised. Alena hugged Lada, giving her comfort. Then, she turned to the Kochmak translator and agreed to open the gate in 4 days, and swore it by kissing the cross. The translator turned to Ivan next, but Ivan had been ignoring him.
When the translator got angry, Ivan simply said "Lada face was bruised," and continued to ignore him. When Alena pleaded with Ivan to help her open the gate, Ivan said "I don't care about opening the gate, but I'll make no promises with him. Not after what he has done."
The translator, realizing Ivan's conviction, sent them both away. In order to enter the city, Alena managed to convince the guard to let her and other refugees from outside the city into the walls with a large sum of money. The commotion was noticed by Munkh and Wojciech, who had managed to quietly follow the Kochmaki army, went towards the crowd and found Alena among them. It was at this point that the situation was explained to them, and the three of them started planning what to do next.
However, Ivan was not so lucky. He had split from Alena, doubting whatever plan they would come up with, and perhaps more importantly, himself. However, he did have a small responsibility he needed to resolve first; he need to find Munkh and Wojciech. They had probably left when the Kochmaki kidnapped Alena, Lada, and himself, but if they had stuck around, they would deserve an explanation. Not seeing an signs of them, he asked the local squirrels and wildlife if it had seen them, after collecting some pine nuts for them.
The wildlife had seen them...and they were quite distictive. So, Ivan stayed by the river, fishing and keeping an eye out for them, not knowing they had already met up with Alena inside the city of Zmiihorod.

Report Date

20 Aug 2023

Secondary Location

Zmiihorod