24 Jun 2021 14:34
Setting
The PCs, having failed to keep Kallyr alive, were set to guarding her body. Kosa was ICly out of action, so her player took over Korol Serpent-tongue, Chief of the Varmandi. Aria and Androus were not present OOC.
Plot was based on previous actions and their consequences.
IC Play
Karentha & Saronil met Korol, Chief of the Varmandi and loyal Thane of Leika, on the way back with the body. Even going back it was clear there were tensions, as Nameless and other Colymar were trying to get control of Kallyr's corpse, and guard it, while others were not letting them.
At the foot of the palace stairs, in Boldhome, Tennebris took charge of the body, taking Saronil and Karentha and a few others as guards, and leaving Nameless below, with thanks. Once they were at the top, he sent Saronil back down with thanks and gifts, but no invitation for the Honour Guard to share hospitality.
Korol dis not take the message well and ordered a guard to stay at the base of the stairs, which he had been entrusted with, but he himself tried to go up to the palace with his bodyguard. Saronil challenged him to fight. After some flurries of blows and magic, an already wounded Korol befuddled Saronil, but then tried to punch him with his remaining hand, and Saronil got his sword in the way, thus defeating Korol. Nameless was allowed to go up, on the promise of good behaviour, to talk to Tennebris.
Karentha, meanwhile, to check in with the Maran Gor temple about what to do when her escortee is dead. They essentially wished her good luck with that. She sent back a message to this effect, to the Shaker Temple, anyhow. Karentha then went to the Temple of Argan Argar, who were also less than helpful, but in a rather nicer way.
Saronil talked to the Issarians about Aria’s body & family, and how to break the news to them.
Saronil and Karentha were sent to guard the body (possibly by Eril. It sounds like the sort of thing he would do. Possibly by Tennebris), and settled in for the night. Meanwhile, Nameless gave an unlit torch to Koral, and sent him to the Palace. This time, he was able to get up the stairs, and in, but then multiple palace guards got in his way. There was a lot of posturing.
Outside, Saronil and Karentha noticed that there were people in the streets with torches; Colymar, as far as they could tell.
Korol ordered his guards forward, and tried to burst through the lines of the bodyguards, but they kept their spears online, and the situation escalated. However, the body-count was low, because many more guards arrived, surprisingly quickly, and Korol was hemmed in, unable to move, and not wishing to cause slaughter.
Out by her pyre, in the brazier of the flame, Kallyr burst into flames and relit the flame of Sartar, surprising just about everyone, and making Tennebris weep because he knew he had lost her forever.
A few days later, Saronil was given news from Dunstop; Aria was alive.
Other Things
At some point, Korol swore that Saronil would be in serious trouble if he came through Varmandi lands. This did indeed come up later…
"It's not like it's your fault?" - Korol
"You will remember-" - GM
"Some of them will. Most of us were unconscious." - Hendira
"I have one sentence!" - S
"Is it a Death Sentence?" - GM
"I haven't turned his polite thanks into here is your money, fuck off." - Saronil
"Lord Tennebris sends deep thanks for the service done for Prince Kallyr by the Colymar and gives these gifts in recognition." - Tennebris
"If you would pass, fight me. I'll not have you interrupt the sleep of the dead for petty political problems." - Saronil
"Make Lord Eril proud. Or at least make him slightly amused." - Hendira
"This is a very Gloranthan way to sort out a political disagreement." - Hendira
"I miss home. At least there I only get into political squabbles that are mine." - Hendira
"I like dragonewts. They don’t do this sort of stupid thing. Mind you, they are really weird." - Hendira
"Oh, her brains had dribbled out of her ears, hadn't they?" - GM
"Yeah, lunar madness magic." - Saronil
"Good times." - Ethrava