13 Jun 2020 21:26
Setting
Plot was created by letting the player characters do things, with a little understanding as to what. Saronil was cut off from the rest, helping Eril to pay reparations to the Dwarf, but this went OK as he was able to explore the problem with the roads himself.
IC Play
Saronil got very very lost on his way out of Boldhome. Something didn’t seem to want to let him go north. He spent an entire day just trying to get out of Dangerford, and even managed to cross the river twice because he turned back halfway. He detoured via Alone while trying to get to Alda Chur from Herongreen.
Androuranos and Varaema went to the library, it was full of people celebrating. After working out that neither of them had any significant amount of money, they went and found their bankroll, Aria.
Issaries (Aria) went to meet Lhankor-Mhy and look for someone, according to their sacred duty at this time. And also, not by coincidence, to pay for the research into what the hell went wrong in Boldhome and how to fix it.
In the library there was line dancing to help teach the stories.1 Androus, as a lay member, joined in. The others got to be bored for some time.
When he finally reached Alda Chur after three more days than it should have taken, Saronil went to the Temple of Humakt, where Gallem was just finishing a sacrifice. The worship of Orlanth being forbidden here, he was in no way performing the rites that would send Orlanth into the underworld as a dead god. However, the rabbit he was sacrificing *was* dyed red.
Saronil gave a summary of events to Gallem. He was horrified, mostly at the thought that Saronil might be exiled enough to have to move to Alda Chur. Gallem suspected that the problem with roads was because the Prince of Sartar had been wounded, and was magically part of the Kingdom.
Meanwhile, back in Jonstown, the others finally had an answer from the library, in Fate week.2Eril’s protection of the HeroQuest had been mythologically flawed, as Humakt should not have been asked to help. The solution was not to have Lord Eril any more. This caused some consternation within the group.
As they began to make their way back, they went astray again. Fortunately, they were very close to a Temple of Knowledge, and therefore after a single further day, they were able to understand what had happened. The connections within the Royal Roads had been severed - in this case, the forks and intersections were not doing the job they should have.
Vareama and Aria deliver the information from Jonstown to the Hospital. From there, they take that to Lord Tennebris. He tells a messenger to go down to Androus’s temple RIGHT NOW THIS SECOND to try to stop the news spreading.
Meanwhile, Androuranos is telling lord Farenor all of this… The messenger comes in with a letter from Tennebris. Faremor tells Androus to tell Captain Hardeep and only then reads the letter, thus ensuring he cannot be silenced.
On the last day of sacred season, Lord Farenor challenges Lord Eril over the matter. Lord Eril wins, despite being badly wounded, and is a dickhead about it. Varaema saves Farenor’s life, earning enmity from a number of very powerful people between 0 and 5 inclusive. As Farenor falls to Death, the burden of communicating with the Cold Sun becomes Hardeep's. He rises to the occasion; Lord Hardeep becomes the new Light Son of the Temple.
There is a whole bunch of walking around talking to people. Aria revealed to her High Priest what the problem with the roads was, as far as the Jonstown Temple could work out, and the Issarians prepared to go tell people and help keep the road system working.
Other Things
The politics here was very good fun, and I am exceedingly proud that I managed to keep a straight face despite the Chief Priest of Lhankhor Mhy having fumbled a Library Use roll. Eril's entirely justified anger at all of the accusations he had been sloppy about ensuring Humakt was not damaging to the quest were looked on as a means to make political capital - right up until he proved that he could still defeat the lord of another Temple in combat.