Episode 7: Death Becomes Him. And Him.

01 Feb 2020 15:42

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Setting

Saronil had had a letter from Lord Eril asking for a personal favour.

Plot was taken mostly from character and NPC personality and actions, with the troll opposition taken from Rocks Fall, a scenario written by Beer With Teeth, the GM's RP collective, for the Jonstown Compendium community content line. Click here to view it.

IC Play

The group set off for Boldhome, taking the path that avoided Clearwine and also avoided the most likely pockets of surviving Tusk Riders. They arrived safely in early Harmony week, in time for Saronil and Androus to go to the Temple to see Eril; After about half an hour Eril sent a message to say that he was at the palace, and with an apology for the inconvenience.1 After a brief bit of consideration, Saronil introduced Androus to the Thousand Stairs, by walking him up them. Androus, used to the plains of Prax, did not take well to these. They were shown to the Humakti Chapel, a cross-shaped room hewn into the mountain rock, where Eril was in prayer. He asked Saronil to take blood money to the family of someone he had killed in a Heroquest2, and to call on the Temple later. He gave Androus a look in which death was very, very clear, and they were both polite to each other. Afterwards, Saronil wiped sweat off.3

Varaema, meanwhile, had been to her own temple. After helping out for a little she was approached by an older, tired-looking Initiate who asked why Lord Eril might have donated her ransom to the Temple ahead of a journey.4 She went off to find Saronil and ask if he would ask Eril about that, and about how dangerous the journey would be.

Meanwhile Androuranos had been to his own temple, where he met a rather interesting man called Helver, who had an iron sword, but no spear, and a Death Rune as well as Fire and Truth, and a lot of scars. He was one of the more liberal members of the Sun Dome Temple, probably the leader of the outward-looking faction. His spear, also iron, he said he had lost in Crabtown. They talked for a bit and then Androranous went to introduce himself to the Light Son there, Faronor. The same sort of discussion happened as with Helver, but without so much humour. Androus left his Shield Matrix there to be recharged.5

Saronil dutifully trotted along to the Temple of Humakt alone, to meet Eril two hours after dusk.6 Eril told Saronil the name of the mother of the woman he had killed, and gave him a warrior's ransom, as well as cash for travel. The mother, Kollana Crabapple, lived in Alda Chur. Her daughter's name was Gastara Earthblood. He also added a personal message to be taken to the Dwarf of Dwarf Mine, with any reply to be brought back. That part was to be considered secret. Saronil asked about Varaema's ransom, but was very effectively stone-walled.7

Saronil explained this to his friends, and they asked the innkeeper where they were for advice on getting to Alda Chur. Androus went to his Temple, even though it was late at night, to talk to the Light Son, and said what Eril had asked. On asking what Faronor thought of Eril, he was told Eril was a man of great power and unimpeachable honour, and a politician. Absolutely nothing that could not have been guessed. Faronor mentioned that of course Eril could not send one of his own people, but left Androus to work out why.

and on the way out met Helver, who took him to the Temple of Uleria, as a suitable place for a quiet chat - they went in through the door reserved for those who wished for meals. Androus gave a bit of his own history, and told Helver where he was going. Helver explained to Androus that Eril was not sending one of his own people because he could not be seen sending one of his Regiment into Lunar Territory, and because if he did, that person might be called on to fight for him. It was a good meal.

Varaema found out at her own Temple about the woman she was going to help pay. Kollana had often travelled to battlefields. She had a husband, Filbar the Bald, who was troublesome in temper.

The next day they set out, reaching Jonstown after a long day, taking a short day up to Dangerford, and then resting there until morning so they could be sure of getting across the waist-deep ford and dry and on to Herongreen before dark. In Herongreen, Androus wanted to wait for the day so he could worship, so they paused for Fireday and Saronil worshipped on Wildday Eve and overnight.

Unfortunately, Saronil did not perform the rites correctly, or was insufficiently devoted, and he found that towards the end of the night, his sword had gone missing. He heard a cold-blooded laugh from the other side of the palisade, and clambered over it to see what he could find. His sword was there, lying on the snow, with troll tracks around it. It was completely blunted, and when he tried the Repair spell, it did not make any difference. His other sword was also blunted, and his dagger only had one edge left. In the morning, he showed the others. Androus managed to repair the spare sword8 but the edge soon bent back into its broken shape again9.

They pressed on to Alda Chur, where their business was, and where Saronil knew there was a shrine to Humakt. First they went to find Kollana Crabapple, who said she had to consider before replying to Lord Eril, and then Saronil went to the Shrine of Humakt. He was greeted there by an iron-bearing warrior of about thirty or thirtyfive, who shouted, "WHAT IN HELL DID YOU DO?"

It transpired that all Humakti swords within three days of Alda Chur, save those made of iron, had become blunted. The warrior, Gallem the God-talker, told Saronil that he had to deal with the matter, and recommended going West, to give him advantage as a Sartarite, while seeking out the Death that had been stolen from him. This meant going into the wild as it approached the Holy Day of Zorak Zoran.

Varaema was told by Kollana that her answer to Eril was yes, she would accept the ransom as her daughter's life-worth. Varaema went to tell Saronil, who took the money to her. Then he explained his problem to his friends, and the next morning they set off, going towards Dwarf Mine. Saronil said he had to go there anyhow, on an errand.

The High Llama was fine with the snow fall in the area, as it had a furry coat and long legs, but the horses made heavy weather of the track, and it was Freezeday Eve of Death Week as they approached the Dwarf Fortress. Saronil noticed the troll ambush suddenly, as if he was destined to know about it. There was a tripwire and several trollkin, and to his left a big, dark shape. He called out to his friends and ran at the big troll he knew was there. The trollkin attacked with slings, hurting Saronil's horse, and mostly pinging stones off armour. Relgor the Zorak Zorani laughed in the darkness and stepped out to greet Saronil.

The trollkin were behind a Darkwall, but Androus could work out approximately where they were. He shot towards them and the gaps in the rock he could infer, but could not hit anything save rocks, despite his skill. More rocks hit him, Saronil, and even Varmaema! He managed to get a killing shot in on a trollkin by luck.

Saronil arrived in combat with the Troll, as the slingshot bounced off his shield and his magic. He struck twice, crippling the Zorak Zorani's left arm, and thus stopping him from using half of his weapons - Relger refused to bear a shield. However, despite the advantage of a Sword Trance, Saronil was struck by a mace, which shattered his right arm. Humakt had been defeated by Zorak Zoran.

At the same time, Varaema was trying to heal herself, and Androus used the Sunbright spell, successfully terrifying the trollkin and allowing him to squint through the Darkwall. Varaema ran to try to help the trollkin, and Androus turned towards the Troll, releasing one more arrow before it reached him. Androus cast aside his bow and readied his spear.

Relger failed to cast Crush, and Androus managed to cast light into the Troll's eyes, after being missed by a couple of wild shots. He put his spear through one of the eyes, and Relger failed to call on Zorak Zoran. In fact, his failure was so severe10 that when Androus drew back the spear, hot fire came with it, and he felt a change happen at the Hill of Gold. His bronze spearhead was burning like the sun.

Varaema managed to stop the trollkin from eating her by surviving until they ran away, but one that had been wounded by a yellow-fletched arrow stopped to have her help him. She patched him up, and then went and set Saronil's arm and healed him. Saronil's sword was still blunt. Varaema tried to give the trollkin clothes. He ate them, and followed her around as if hoping for more. He was confused by the idea of being given things.

They went on to the Dwarf's Mine, down the road they were on - it was not much further. The trollkin stayed some distance away. They reached the end of a road, but a section of smooth rock face moved away. It was several times higher than the horses, higher by far even than the High Llama, and surrounded by deep Earth and Stasis Runes like portholes. From her vantage point, Varaema could see that inside the Runes was the gleam of some sort of metal.

Inside the mountain there were bays to put their animals in a huge trading area that even had wagons inside, neatly lined up. Lights came up, not fires, and not looking like any magic they knew, but strange purple and blue globes set on pillars. At the far end of the huge room a short, stout figure walked into view. It was shorter even than Varaema.

They exchanged greetings, and noticed that its beard, neatly trimmed, seemed to be metallic. Dwarf opined that they wanted to talk to 'the Dwarf' and lead them into its maze. They passed many niches containing statues of other dwarfs, which did not move or even blink, until Androus asked if it was possible to have a pitcher of water and two beakers. The dwarf stopped, tapped one of the statues, and in a heavy, strange accent, gave it instructions. It seemed to just come alive, going to do as it was bid without complaint and without jerkiness - it now seemed to be a person.

The Dwarf took them into a room with a large throne at one end, walked up there, and sat down on it, announcing that the Dwarf was now seeing them. Androus gave him water from his golden amphora, and offered the greetings of Orgovale Summer; the Dwarf said that it had been some time since she had last greeted him.11

Saronil gave over the letter he had for the Dwarf, who did not open it at that point. They were sent to eat - dwarf food was potted vegetables, potted meat, potted bread, and potted water. It was incredibly bland. Then they slept on soft mattresses that went 'clink' and 'gloing' when they moved.12 In the morning the Dwarf talked to them all privately. Saronil was just told that the answer was, 'Indeed', but the dwarf noted as an aside that he might be able to sharpen the swords now. It turned out he could - the power changing them back had been destroyed. Androus was told that he should 'enjoy it in the daytime'. His spear was, at least for the moment, capable of using the Fireblade spell, and had become a focus for it, or else Androus had learned it temporarily. The spear *seemed* unchanged to the outer eye. Varaema was advised not to bring trollkin too close to dwarf places, and when she wondered why, told to find out about the history of trolls and dwarfs.

They returned to Alda Chur, with the trollkin following them. After a bit of discussion, Varaema waited outside with it while the others went to find Kollana and check what trouble a trollkin would be. Kollana told Varaema to go in and take the trollkin, and they found it a place at the hospital.13 Androus researched troll and dwarf history, to find that the favourite food of trolls was dwarfs…

They returned to Boldhome. Eril accepted the message from Saronil with his usual cold courtesy, and that was that. Politics at the Yelmalian Temple became interesting for a while.

Other Things

Varaema's player thinks Eril just paid the ransom to mess with people's heads. She may be right.

Androus has a Fireblade at double cost, until Zorak Zoran's next seasonal holy day. It is personal to him and the spear with which he struck a blow in the light.

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