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Episode 18: Diggy Diggy Trench - 28 Jun 2020 17:22
Setting
Notes provided by Androus. Thanks, Androus
Plot was created by adding a few seeds - the Broo and the wild dwarf - and letting the adventurers deal with them or not.
IC Play
The party enters the mine. Androus and Aria give their reports. Saronil reports via the medium of interpretive dance.
T'Dwarf sends a scouting party of his own to Snake-Pipe Hollow.
In the rec room, the party has an unfamiliar arrival. Kosa Everlaughing - Babeester Gor. Dark eyes, dark hair. Red hands. Axe. They meet. Kosa is looking for Saronil to tell him that the Earth Temple in Clearwine wants to talk to him.
At the Snake-Pipe Hollow road, the party finds what appear to be remnants of dwarfs. They return with them to the Dwarf, who says there should have been five, but there are the remains of only four.
"That means there's a wild dwarf. They do not do well on their own. I would like it back."
"Dead or alive?"
"Alive, preferably."
In the morning, Androus asks the Dwarf how to deal with his errant colleague. "Normal human methods should work. If those fail, destroy it as defective, and return the parts to me."
Back to the path to Chaos they go. Varaema heads up the path, towards a trollkin at a turn in the path. It's wounded, hence her interest.
Except, when Androus challenges it to first blood, and does a pulled attack, it morphs into a broo and attacks. It managed to miss him and hit itself, and when it is crippled Androus drops it. Three others pop up at the same time Saronil tries to fall into the spike pit trap. After a bit of a punch-up, the party kill the broos without further harm to themselves.
A small troop of Storm Bulls is coming back from Snake-Pipe Hollow. Androus manages to annoy them by telling them the party sorted out the broos for them1. Once the situation is calmed down, and the two are being kept apart, the rest of the Storm Bulls help the group to burn the bodies. The party returns to the Alda-Chur path, but encounters the errant dwarf, digging. Party members do everything they can to stop it digging, but it's unstoppable. Saronil grapples its waist, Androus its legs and someone binds the legs, freeing Androus to try to knock it out. Unfortunately, he's too successful and the dwarf dies. The party takes its remains back to the Dwarf, receiving 25W ransom for their troubles.
The group returns to Alda-Chur, tarries a short while for worships, then onwards to Clearwine and Boldhome.
Other Things
The trollkin broo who fumbled and struck himself hard enough to be crippled was the most Runequesty thing that ever Runequested. It was perfect.
Tags: 1626 androus aria broo dwarf kosa mostali saronil sea varaema
Episode 13: Lucky for Some - 21 Mar 2020 00:22
Setting
Everyone was in Boldhome. It was early Storm Season.
Plot was largely made up to move things into the next plot arc.
IC Play
Everyone was in Boldhome.
Aria was happily trading and got threatened by an offended Malani, who first of all looked for her in the market, and then at the inn where she was staying, finally stepping out in front of her in an alley as she left her inn hurriedly. He explained, while being large and irritated2, that she had offended both by returning the alynxfish skin in a bad condition, and by having it sent by courier instead of coming in person, despite it being the remains of a holy animal. He called on her to come talk to him, with or without her champions. He would be staying at the Tribal Mansion for two weeks, and then would be back in his lands.
Quite naturally, Aria called on the others who had been involved3. Androuranos was particularly irritated. He and Saronil both offered to stand as her champion, and they explained what the word ‘champion’ meant in tradetalk. They all went up to the Malani mansion, where they were welcomed to Tribal Lands as guests - each of them accepted this hospitality. Those who had met him recognised Donalf ‘Elkshagger’ Malani, the man greatly insulted by Varaema’s fumbled trade talk.
Aria, as the person who had initiated the insult, talked to Graslian about the matter, after Varaema had failed to persuade him to be entirely peaceful, despite her lovely personality. Aria managed to persuade Graslian to accept a public apology in the Prince’s court (with Saronil speaking for Rastar and Laika, mostly to ensure that Rastar wouldn’t blurt out something rude) and a cash payment for the damage to the fish skin.
On their way out to arrange these things, Donalf Malani stepped in front of Saronil to challenge him for his sword. They walked out to deal with it right away. Donalf and Saronil both called on their Sword Trances, and Donalf used less magic, and his began first; he struck Saronil, who was still preparing, and won the sword, which he had wrapped carefully and taken away. He then went back to the Temple to admit what had happened, first to D’Val and then, at his suggestion, to Lord Eril. Eril was less than pleased, deploying the full finger-steepled stare.4
Varaema took the money for the fish skin to the Malani lands, as negotiated - in this case, the Malani Tribal Mansion. That being dealt with, she donated the rest of her money to her Temple, clearing her tithe, and giving rather more than 50% of her income.
Androus reported to his temple to say what had happened. Farenor himself spoke to the Initiate, asking him to return a week before Sacred Time for a secret mission. Those who had no reason to stay in Boldhome left for Apple Lane, agreeing to come back to Androus if possible. Laika was unsure whether her husband would want her to leave so soon before Sacred Time, and how her pigs would do in her absence.
On Humakt’s High Holy Day, Saronil got the taint of failure from Alda Chur removed from him, by dancing, prayer, worship, and meditation. He also had the power of the Challenge Sword returned to his second weapon5.
Varaema Divined to work out how to bring Granshi around, and took the advice from her High Healer, Beneva. Laika went back to Apple Lane as her pig (Stif) was homesick. And also to visit her husband. Varaema, Aria & Rastar went too, so that they could attempt to wake the Storm Bull, Granshi, clearing Aria and Pellia of the possibility of being Chaos Tainted. They woke up the storm bull and got him to proclaim the traders as chaos free.
They came back to Boldhome with pigs to sell, and Durggi to help sell them. Aria did her best, but was not a pig expert, and didn’t get the prices she could have for ten of the forty Durggi hoped to sell. Kalis, however, was delighted to meet Durggi and the pigs, and talked to him for a long time about porcine care. Knowing that Laika was going to be away, she suggested standing in as a proxy wife for him. Durggi sighed and looked at Laika and refused6, which Kalis told them was very sweet. She had her nails painted to match Stif’s trotters.
Andoranous was asked by Farenor to go to a lake by Jonstown, and take with him a group of people, and act casual. He was to bring back water from a pool there, in his gold amphora, without invoking the name of Orgovale Summer. Right outside, he was spotted by Helver, who advised him to take care, suggesting that people would already be aware that Kallyr was planning a Lightbringers’ Heroquest, and the Lunars or others might be attempting to stop them.
The water collection was a complete success, but on the way back, they spotted a stead with several animals lying down. It was the last before the run-in to Boldhome itself, and the North Gate.
Other Things
Log by Androus: episode-13-logged-notes
I am SO happy the elk-shagger trade-talk fumble finally saw the light of day again.
Tags: 1625 androus aria donalf eril farenor granshi graslian helver kallyr laika malani rastar saronil storm varaema
Episode 12: Dam Them - 12 Mar 2020 15:20
Setting
The PCs were all in one place within an hour and a half of game start, which confused the GM mightily. But at least they began in three different places. Most of the group had traffic or life hold-ups, so RP started pretty slowly.
Plot was largely created by sewing up plot threads from recent times.
IC Play
Saronil got VERY lost trying to avoid the effects of wet weather as a storm came down as he travelled from Jonstown to Apple Lane, after taking a message there and staying a few days. He went too far North, and ended up in Malani lands instead of going through Birne's Squeeze. This meant he was availing himself of the hospitality of a Malani farmer who really did NOT like his Colymar accent, but there were no fatalities. The farmer's wife, at least, was highly hospitable. He left in the morning.
The others got back into town, or were already there, such that people could meet up in Apple Lane. Laika met her husband again, and stayed at home overnight, then he gave her a small pig to look after, and she went to meet her friends. Varaema had been rained in for a couple of days, but it was finally decent weather for travelling, or so they thought.
Dagryr suggested to Aria that she go with the others, who were setting off to escort and protect Varaema. This would allow her to trade, which was forbidden in Apple Lane until Granshi awoke. She might be able to find some way of waking Granshi, or some hint about the missing bracelet, also.
The journey to Boldhome was not without event. First of all, nobody native to the Hiordling clan was present, meaning they were taken by surprise by the extent of the floods. This led to them crossing a flat field that was in fact a knee-high lake at this point, when the alynxfish they had been after decided to visit. Laika put her basket (complete with pig, which she was taking with her) into the water as bait, and the fish started heading that way. Saronil got off his zebra, preparing to fight. Aria got off her horse, found she was in a deep bit, and wisely got back on again. Androus popped off an arrow, which bounced off a stone under the water, failing to hit. He cast Firespear instead. Saronil struck at the fish at it launched itself from the water, and then Androus managed to pretty much cut it in half with his fiery spear.
Laika performed the Peaceful Cut, and then once she had released the head, caught it again to take with her. They did their best to get the skin off it, despite the damage, but found that the flesh was so old and tough as to be inedible. They went on their way, with the giant fish head and the heavy skin on Laika's bison. Thus, they entered Birne's Squeeze.
After an hour or two of travel uphill, gently, they spotted a dam ahead, with three people standing up on it, or at the edges. One called out that there was a charge to pass, of ten Lunars each. After consideration of their options, and the big lever-stick in the hands of the man on top, they decided they should pay, and sent Aria forward to negotiate. She argued the men down to five Lunars apiece. They paid this by leaving it in a small pile, while they were far enough back to avoid sudden catastrophic bathing. The self-proclaimed tax officials left, via a rocky mountain path too steep for most mounts, and they could go on.
They did - and found out that the dam was a bluff, holding very little water, and with a strem diverted to run through it. Rastar started destroying it, and then Laika added her bison's head to the effort, but they could not get rid of all the rocks. They did send bits of wood downstream to make it harder to rebuild.
They got back to Jonstown, and from there sent the alynxfish skin and head with a herald, rather than going in person. Rastar was the only person who knew exactly how insulting this was, and he beamed a lot and kept quiet.
They went on to Boldhome. Varaema went to see her High Healer, who suggested taking the arm ring - for the good of all, of course. Varaema refused.7 After a little discussion, she was told to leave the Temple until she saw sense.
Laika went to the Earth Temple, where Kalis was delighted to see her, and her pig, which was put with the holy swine to make friends. Laika and Rastar both went, separately, to see D'Val and tell him about Laika's marriage and the latest news. D'Val listened patiently while Laika talked about pigs, and was apparently pleased to find out she was married and happy.
Laika's pig, Stif, was gilded and decorated at the temple, and she showed it off to people. Kalis told her that Varaema was walking up and down outside her own temple, and had been for some time, and could she please go be sure her friend was alright? About the time Laika got there, Varaema plucked up courage to go back into the Temple8 and hand over the arm ring.
Rastar was contacted by a 'friend' at his Temple, who showed him a small shrine area where he could sacrifice for the Trespass Rune Spell. Naturally, this included breaking into the shrine, which was in the palace. It went badly, but the Eurmalite was able to point out that this was a Eurmal thing, and fast-talked the guards very successfully indeed. Rastar also had his pocket picked for the tithe he owed so far. The reason for learning this spell, of course, was that the Eurmalite wanted Rastar to know there was a certain arm-ring in the Temple of Chalana Arroy, which needed to be liberated.
Just about everyone spent a week learning a new spell - Eril kindly assigned D'Val to help Saronil learn Bladesharp.
Other Things
Tags: 1625 androus boldhome colymar dval kalis laika malani rastar saronil storm varaema
Episode 11: Bull in the Marketplace - 05 Mar 2020 23:20
Setting
Aria joined the campaign. Several people could not make the session, so it was small.
The GM made stuff up based on which NPCs were around in Apple Lane.
IC Play
Aria had overwintered in Tarsh, with her family, but some family spat or argument led to one of her uncles essentially showing her the door, and then the city gate. She went via Alda Chur and Dangerford to Jonstown, meeting with a wet duck9 roadblock10 on the way. From there, she was invited to join a caravan going to Jonstown by a merchant there, Dagryr. Dagryr asked her to look out for a thing, an arm ring that had gone missing from there, and might still be in the area. The loss of it, Dagryr said, was likely to be causing disharmony. She described it as having Harmony and Movement Runes, and the Rune of Sartar.
Dagryr was putting together a caravan with two other people, Pallia and Sangen. Pallia had 4 mules and Sengen only had one, and specialised in taking orders for metals and high-value goods, and in passing orders on. Aria added her mules, and they agreed to meet the next morning.
When morning came, Dagryr was held up by something and said to go ahead, according to Pallia, so they went through Birne's Squeeze and came safely to Apple Lane. Just as they were setting up, and people were flocking round, they heard the sound of breaking furniture from the Tin Inn, and Varaema apologised for the Storm Bill. Then she went in to calm Granshi. The visitor had drawn a human-shaped target on the wall in charcoal, and was practicing throwing furniture at it, while Gooseberry cowered behind his rock-built serving counter. Varaema managed to talk him down11 but could not extract a promise he would not do it again. However, as the conversation was ending, he suddenly began to sniff the air, and said there was Chaos about, and he needed to deal with it. He got back to the market, trailing Varaema.
Androus had been talking with the merchants, getting to know them, but did not see Sangen go missing immediately after Varaema left. However, Aria spotted a figure escaping very fast on a horse. Shortly thereafter Granshi arrived, found out who was missing, and went and violently stole a horse from Hendroste, punching him out of the way. Hendroste, who had just had a horse taken by Sangen thought it was the same robbery and came to report it to the village square, as he did not want to chase after a Storm Bull in full flood.
Androus and Varaema gave chase. Androus managed to catch up with them first. Granshi had just thrown himself from his horse onto the merchant's and they were grappling while they fell, with Granshi already having been stabbed. Androus managed, after a little time, to grab the reins of the merchant's horse, and get it away. Granshi stabbed and slashed at the merchant but some magic kept his weapons from harming Sangen. The merchant was mostly defending himself and backing off. Varaema repeatedly tried to get between the two who were fighting, and repeatedly failed as she bounced off Granshi, who was almost twice her size.
Finally, realising that he was unlikely to win, the merchant ran off, casting Mobility to get away, and sprinting across broken ground towards cover. Granshi chose that point to ask Varaema to pull the dagger out of his gut, which she did12. He keeled over. Varaema noticed that the edge of the wound she was trying to deal with were coated in something strange, but noticed it too slowly to stop herself getting it all over Granshi's skin as well. The Storm Bull stayed uncharacteristically silent, and indeed limp, as they carried him back to town. They took him to the Ulerian Temple to be looked after.
Meanwhile, Pallia asked Aria if Dagryr had asked her anything odd, which led into a conversation about the arm ring. Dagryr had asked Pallia to look out for it, and even offered money. Pallia said she would give Aria a cut if it was located, but had little connection to her god right now, hinting heavily that Aria could Divine for it. After waiting for a bit, and thinking about it, Aria did, and was told it was 'On the arm of Harmony, and in the Hero Plane', a strange combination. She also had a receipt from Issaries - probably part of the divination process but nevertheless also a holy mystery.
Pallia also asked Androus about the ring, offering a broken Wheel and the bit of gold to mend it, as payment. He said he would have a think about it overnight.
Varaema went to ask her goddess how to deal with a Storm Bull and wake him up peacefully. She received the answer, 'Dispel the magic upon him and cast Tame Bull'.
She later asked how to rid herself of the greed ring, and was told, 'Rid it of the arm, or the arm of greed'.
Other Things
Tags: 1625 androus apple_lane aria chaos dagryr granshi greed haromny hendroste issaries pallia sangen storm varaema
Episode 10: One Wedding and a Funeral - 22 Feb 2020 23:34
Setting
Laika had some of her pigs on someone else's land, although not all of them had been driven from Clearwine.
Androuranos was slightly out of time, having missed a couple of sessions.
Plot was based on working out what would happen in winter, and doing it, plus the scorpion men and scorpionid stat blocks from Stone and Bone on DrivethruRPG.
IC Play
Androuranos returned to his Temple in Boldhome, to silence and then whispering and the direct greeting of the Light Son, Farenor. He was questioned by Farenor and others about the exact circumstances of the change on the Hill of Gold. He spoke of what had happened and demonstrated the ability to create fire on his spear-head. He talked about successful bridge-building, but Farenor reminded him that Yelmalio stood alone, and was strongest that way.
The Temple called on Andros to take up his seasonal service so that they could study the spear, with the warriors falling into a faction - by far the largest - that supported the notion Yelmalio's power had been returned by his bravery, and a faction that supported the idea friendship had helped him. Andros' understanding of the sacred Lore was that it was his own actions and bravery that had pushed Zorak Zoran aside, and nothing to do with the bridges he was building with others.
Helver Swordsman did thank him personally for the Hill of Gold victory, mentioning a lost spear and bow. The thanks came with a warning not to go through Birne's Squeeze alone, if he was travelling to Apple Lane, as there were many bandits reported. Androus went via Clearwine instead.
Laika's pig-landlord - the man with the hide and a half - suggested marriage to her. She considered it, and decided it was time she found out his name.13 She was happy with the notion of a year-marriage. They decided to wait for Saronil to come round, so he could attend.
Thus, some days later, Saronil woke up to find one of the pretty initiates at the Ulerian Temple was flirting with him outrageously. He did not notice that part at all, but listened carefully to her instructions on eating.14 He went over to the Tin Inn to be asked if there was anything he could not eat at the wedding feast, which rather surprised him, but he was happy for Laika.
There was threshing to be done, and everyone took a hand at it. After a while it was decided that Varaema should look after the children instead of trying to move the flail or the sieve, and the threashing got faster. Varaema was very sweet with the children who from the age of about four up swore to defend her with violence if necessary. One of them tried to vanquish Saronil, but was defeated by the man's scabbard. Varaema sent them off to fight oak trees.
Androus got into Apple Lane just in time for the wedding, and to have an emergency gift made. He gave the pair an earring each, a golden pig that Squinch helped him to cast from a Wheel. Saronil gave Laika his best, very expensive, sharpening stone, because her axe frankly needed it. Varaema gave her a little lead pig charm on a necklace. Rastar, as an entertainer, was exempt from gift-giving in an official capacity. Durggi, Laika's new husband, gave everyone gifts of food and drink, and there was a great party.
In the morning, Rastar took a couple of the older boys of the village out ice-fishing, and they showed him how to hook and cast, and then one, Arlan, of them spotted a monster fish below the ice. One massive yank later, and Arlan had been pulled into the water. Rastar wisely decided not to go in, but his friend Duli started stripping off to swim and Rastar tied a rope to his ankle, so he could be pulled back if need be. There was a disturbance beneath the water and a lot of blood, and the rope went limp. When Rastar pulled it back it had only the leg attached. He stabbed down through the ice hole with a spear and got the fish, which swam away. Arlan managed to get back up, gasping, and dressed in Duli's clothes to survive the trip back.
Back at Apple Lane, Duli's parents were informed and Varaema used White Lady magic to heal Duli's body so there was enough to bury.15 They discussed what to do. Rastar recognised the sort of fish as a Malani Alynxfish and Saronil (was it Saronil) remembered where the Alynxfish Clan were, out on the edges of the Malani-Colymar land argument.
After some discussion the young man's blood price was fixed at 60 Lunars, and the group set off to to Malani lands to tell them a holy catfish had killed a Colymar boy. This involved going through Birne's Squeeze, which was fair enough, as they were in a group. They set off between snow falls, as the God-talker of Orlanth said that the weather would be good for a day.
They set off, with only light snow, which soon stopped. On the way through Birne's Squeeze to Jonstown, they encountered strange footsteps which Varaema confidently pronounced to be Impala16, although they seemed a little pointier than that. After about an hour, they came across a man standing alone in the rocky valley, and he asked them about Chaos he was hunting. He had Air and Beast and Death signs very prominent. However, as he sniffed the air something went wrong, and he decided that Androus was Chaotic.17Fortunately Varaema intervened18 and calmed him, and he tried again and admitted maybe it was not Androus. He asked19 them to come with him to fight it. They turned back, and soon found the pointy tracks again.
These tracks were followed, and turned out to belong to some scorpion men and a set of strange carapaced humanoids with stinging tails. The beasts went under the snow and emerged from a tunnel. Fortunately, no stings managed to hit the adventurers, and they made short work of the problem. One surviving scorpion man fled down his tunnel, as Granshi the Storm Bull gave chase, losing both of his weapons in his berserk frenzy, and punching it hard enough to break carapace. Androus caught up with them and unwisely but nobly finished off the scorpion man, resulting in a berserk storm bull with no obvious foes turning on him. Fortunately Granshi had lost both of his weapons already, but he managed to do damage to himself, Androus, Saronil, and Saronil's shield before Varaema caught up. After this he thanked them, and they told him about Apple Lane needing a hero. He said he had heard, and was heading that way if nothing else got in the way.
The bodies of the scorpion things were burned, and they parted ways with Granshi, with him going to Apple Lane and them on to the Malani lands and the clan of the Alynxfish.20There, the chief of the clan, also confusingly called Saronil, listened to the complaint, and said it was not his problem, and he would not be paying the blood money. He also refused to deal with the fish, but said that the skin belonged to the Malani.21
The group returned to Apple Lane with this news.
Other Things
Tags: 1625 alynx_fish androus apple_lane colymar dark granshi laika malani rastar saronil varaema
Episode 7: Death Becomes Him. And Him. - 01 Feb 2020 15:42
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.22 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 Heroquest23, 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.24
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.25 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.26
Saronil dutifully trotted along to the Temple of Humakt alone, to meet Eril two hours after dusk.27 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.28
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 sword29 but the edge soon bent back into its broken shape again30.
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 severe31 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.32
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.33 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.34 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.
Tags: 1625 alda_chur androus boldhome dark eril faronor gallem helver humakt saronil varaema yelmalio zorak_zoran
Episode 6: There's a Moose Loose - 27 Jan 2020 00:18
Setting
Mostly on Fireday of Disorder Week.
Earlier in the day there had been an attack on a farm outside Apple Lane, by two Tusk Riders, who had kidnapped a farmer. He had been rescued, and the group repaired to the Tin Inn. Saronil, who had not been there, was escorting a group from Clearwine.
Plot taken from Chaosium GM Pack. This was the actual Defending Apple Lane plot as written, with last week's used as an expanded preamble.
IC Play
Saronil, Laika Pigwife (no close relation to the famous Leika) and Rastar the Entertainer were on their way from Clearwine to Apple Lane when the weather came down hard, and they had to force their way through the snow. About an hour away they saw shapes in the trees, and Saronil made the decision that they should not investigate, but press on despite the weather. They met a horseman coming the other way in the dark, and he had met Saronil before - he was Hendroste from Apple Lane. He took them via routes that were mostly clear of snow, and they got into the Tin Inn safely, if a little cold. Hendroste reported to those who were there that he could not get through - the shapes in the trees were probably Tusk Riders. Instead, he had brought back Saronil the warrior, and some famed members of the Ernaldori.
Introductions happened - Laika was chiefly famous for having negotiated with a Stone Goddess and brought her into an alliance with the Clan, while Rastar claimed to be an entertainer, but had a fine sword with him, and armour to wear as well as his bright clothes. Laika said she was there to try to arrange to buy cattle. Ethrava recognised the story, and knew that Laika was enmeshed in politics. The Colymari knew a little about each other already.35
The group prepared for the coming fight, with a warding in front of the Tin Inn and one at the back gate.36 They spent much of the night pouring water onto the ground where it could freeze under snow. A wagon was pulled into position to help bar the big front gate, and the Sun Elk, Gnasher, was tied just behind the wagon.37
Around dawn, six Tusk Riders came, along the road and then filtering through the trees. They stopped out of spirit magic range to put on their own magic, and then charged. The first one in line slid on the ice38 and came in sideways, and was hit by the fourth in line, also sliding39. The other pigs managed to charge the gate but did not do much damage. Meanwhile, Androus peppered them with arrows40. Saronil leaned down to Repair the gate, using his spirit magic. After one of the tusk riders was left dead the group split up with some going around to the back while others stayed at the front.
Saronil and Ethrava dashed for the back, and Androus stayed up top on the wall. The biggest Tusk Rider took down his shield and he aimed for that man as they charged. Things got a little complicated as the gate took hammering after hammering. At the back a tusker managed to break the gate, but came to a dead halt as it did, only to run itself into Ethrava's befuddle spell, blocking the doorway. Its rider leapt off to face Saronil, and Laika stepped up to be the Humakti's back-up.
Despite Hendroste and Androus' defence at the front, the main gate gave way, but there was only one Tusk Rider there as a second lay dead on the ground with an arrow in his eye. On the ground were Rastar and the Sun Elk, Gnasher. Rastar stepped up and put his sword through the last Tusk Rider's abdomen, but got his sword stuck.41 This made very little difference as no sword could have helped him - the tusker completely mashed his head, destroying his helmet on the way.
Saronil managed to bring the Tusk Rider down, eventually. Laika calmly stepped in and finished the job when the man just refused to die. Ethrava then befuddled one of those who was going back around to the main gate.
Varaema threw herself off the wall where she had been crouching in case the archers were injured, and cast Harmony, making everyone calm. Everyone except Gnasher, who calmly ignored the calm peace offered by Chalana Arroy and threw a tusker into the air, damaging it badly.
The end result was a very dead Rastar, a sleeping Gnasher, and the bodies of several42 of the riders and tuskers. Androus saw one of the Tusk Riders pulling away the body of the leader, dead with a Yelmalian arrow through his eye. His geas to challenge darkness creatures to a first blood duel kicked in. With Saronil alongside and Asprag the farmer as a tracker, they set off into the snow. Pretty soon they saw the body of the leader of the tuskers, but they had to keep following the trail - three of the beasts had left this way.
Laika and Hendroste escorted Varaema and the body of Rastar (with extra bits in a bucket) to Clearwine, as fast as they could, with the body tied onto Varaema's High Llama. As they cut through the forest they found they were being followed by something, or else something huge was going in the same direction as them. Once they were out of the trees they could hurry along, but Hendroste was very apologetic over the danger he had put them in.
In Clearwine, Varaema had the body brought into the Lightbringers' Temple, where she used Heal Body to give Rastar a head back. They asked for their friend to be brought back to life, and on the spirit plane, Rastar met a goddess dressed in white. He recognised her as Chalana Arroy, and took an apple from her and ate it, on her instruction. This reminded him of the world, and it was delicious but strangely heavy.43 He woke with the taste of apples in his mouth.
Meanwhile the group had successfully followed the trail of the Tusk Rider who got away, but only Androus could keep up, so he ended up pulling ahead of his comrades. He managed to draw blood on his enemy, but the tusker charged him, the rider kept using some sort of spell44, and Androus turned45 and found Saronil again. They did not pursue further.
Back at the inn, Ethrava had calmed people down, helped make sure all was going well, and settled in. Everyone gathered there, and shortly there was a party in their honour. Hastur Lawspeaker arrived the next day to thank them on behalf of the Queen, and ask them as great killers of pigs to deal with Red-eye the boar.
Right at the end of the session, on Godsday, a letter arrived for Saronil. It was from Lord Eril, asking him to call on the Boldhome Temple as a personal favour.46
Other Things
Laika has decided to pick up Command Swine. Rastar has decided that Eurmal stole his Divine Intervention Rune Point, and is sulking. He is also rather poor again, having spent his ransom. He and Laika did some serious talking about wills and property if they should die.
Tags: 1625 androus apple_lane asprag colymar dark eril ethrava gnasher hastur laika leika rastar red_eye saronil varaema
Episode 5: This Little Piggie - 18 Jan 2020 17:16
Setting
The characters had arranged to meet in Apple Lane in early Dark Season, after the harvests, to greet those who would be on their land and formalise the relationships. Saronil, who was not present, was assumed to have been held up.
Plot came from Chaosium GM's guide.
IC Play
The various farmers met up with the group in the Tin Inn, a large place with a ridiculously expensive roof that had hammered tin tiles on it. They were Asprag, Farnona, Ellinya, and Drostos, on the hides of Ethrava, Androuranos, Varaema and Saronil respectively. Everyone seemed to be competent. Varaema gave up the share of the Royal herd she had to her companions on proviso the tithe to her Temple was paid. Asprag was worried, which Ethrava and Varaema both noticed. He had had a minor argument with his husband, who should have arrived but had not. Varaema standing on her High Llama could not see anyone coming along the roads, so they headed out to the farmers' house with the last of the light. They could see smoke as they approached. Ethrava managed to get the Sun Elk to move at speed for once, and even in the right direction. She was the first there, and Asprag was close behind.
There was blood on the snow and evidence of someone having been dragged away. The thatch was smouldering but not burning properly, it being Dark Season and everything being wet. Inside Ethrava and Asprag found his spear was missing, and so was his money. However, Androus found a bill hook that had been used as a weapon, and pulled off the part of the thatch that was burning. They found the trail of large trotters leading away.47 The group wanted to send Asprag back to the hamlet to warn people, but his husband was missing and he was having none of it. He demanded they burn the house as a warning, so he could come with them, and after a quick round of discussion48 they agreed to this plan.
In the near darkness they were able to follow the trail until it went into a copse of trees and did not come out of them. Asprag blurted out his fear that it was tusk riders who had taken his man, and he and Ethrava explained a bit about what was known of the Bloody Cult. As they were making up their minds how to approach, they heard a thin, wailing scream. Asprag ran for the woods and Ethrava managed to wrestle him down. With Androuranos still on his horse, they crept, loudly, into the forest.49 Ethrava had Spirit Sight to see what was up ahead in the darkness, which gave them warning there were five spirits up there, two moving like people, one not moving like a person who was tied up, and two moving like pigs. In short order, they were charged. Androus drew one away on horseback while shooting. To his annoyance several good shots were blocked by the rider's shield. Meanwhile Ethrava and Asprag fought the other, with Asprag putting his bill hook through the man's abdomen and getting it stuck there. Varaema ran around to see to the tortured man, who had been burned. She dealt with that by casting Sleep and then tending to the problems mundanely.
Androus out-rode his opponent in the woods, and finally managed to do enough damage the rider turned tail and fled. He put an arrow through his opponent's spine and chased down the tusker as well. Meanwhile, Ethrava had had a disaster with the tusker, which had broken her arm so badly it was shattered, and she had passed out from shock. Asprag managed to get his bill hook back, and killed the giant pig, and Varaema arrived and set the arm by using magic, and then Androus got back as well. They rescued the farmer Saraskos and put him onto a travois to take him back to town.50 Ethrava tried to heal him by Spirit Magic and then Rune Magic, but found that neither worked. They were met partway out by Hendroste, on horseback.
A quick planning session happened. Hendroste volunteered to go overnight to the Black Spear clan, to fetch warriors, and the others settled to make decisions, fortify the Tin Inn, and prepare in case more Tusk Riders attacked. Aileena and the god-talker of the Temple of All Gods, and Squinch, all had a few ideas. The villagers were moved into the inn for safe keeping for the night. Ethrava set up wardings across the front gate and Squinch across the back gate.
Other Things
A modest amount of loot from the Tusk Riders included two signalling horns, two broadswords, and the spear from Asprag's house, but the armour the riders wore was left, as they were in a hurry.
Tags: 1625 aileena androus asprag dark drostos ellinya ethrava farnona god_talker hendroste saraskos varaema
Episode 4: Hide and Seek - 16 Jan 2020 21:46
Setting
The adventurers were on their way to deal with the dragon, having obtained the loan of magical arms and armour from the ghost of a King.
Plot is from the Chaosium Game Master Adventure Book from the screen pack.
IC Play
The game opened with the adventurers on the road to the Thunder Hills, on their way to fight a dragon. Ahead of them on the path Saronil noticed fighting. Up ahead was a spearman backed up against a rock by a trio of rough-looking men, obviously bandits. They rode up to help, making enough noise that the spearman at least noticed them. Saronil dismounted at speed but could not get the bandits to take notice of him until he finally tapped one and got his attention, meaning that the fight was honourable. Shortly thereafter, with the spearman bloodied and the bandits outnumbered, they fled. Varaema bandaged the man, and he introduced himself as Androuranos, or Hawk-eye. Rather surprising Varaema, he was from the Praxian Sun County temple, but did not speak Praxian, nor did he look blond-haired. Nevetheless he made it known who he was and they introduced themselves.
As they had saved him, it was clear he owed them a life debt, and they found themselves with a spearman, while in possession of a magical dragon-killing spear.51 They repaired to the hills, interrupted on the way only by a strange meeting.
Coming along a path they encountered some dragonnewts. Several were dancing. One was sitting, crosslegged and in a meditational posture, on a bird at least six feet tall, with thick, strong legs and a sharp beak. The dancing dragonnewts froze save for one who made his way towards them with elegant and sacred but above all very strange steps, and introduced himself to the here-and-now-meat-things as the Mouthpiece of Yanah Yaqal. Every time he mentioned his master's name the other dragonnewts took up a different tableau pose and waited again. He told them a dragon was imprisoned and asked them to help free it, offering a sword made of what he haltingly translated as 'flint' and the adventurers failed to recognise as obsidian. However, they had heard stories of enchanted flint, and decided this was the black blade stuff. The dragonnewt told them to cut off the imprisoned thing's head and take it to the place of holy travel, or as they called it, 'plinth'.
They went on to the tomb, while making plans. Soon, they found the place, a carved cave in a hillside.52 They went in, and the Yelmalian spotted tracks in the floor like a huge long weight had been dragged, and claws a half cubit long had scratched the ground. Cautiously, they advanced, with Varaema and Ethrava going first and supporting the great shield, and Ethrava also holding the bag of winds given to them by Dunorl.
They advanced into a chamber which had a sacrifice pit, and discussed fishing out the klanth and the gold they could see there, but decided against it. Then, in the next room, Androus53 (and then others) spotted the dragon they were after, wrapped around a cuboid altar there. On noticing that it had been spotted, it raised itself and with the logic of dreams became a woman who commanded them to worship their once and future goddess. After a resounding round of 'no', she took on her draconic form once more and attacked, and they attacked her. Yerezum Storn breathed toxic fumes, but the air elemental that Ethrava let out of the bag was enough to keep the air clean. Androus was able to stab her in the tail, crippling it, as she concentrated on Saronil initially. He overcame his fear of Dragons to step up to her, only to be met with the Demoralise spell. He ran to hide behind the shield. Seeing him run towards her, Varaema got the wrong idea and cowered away, leaving Ethrava in an exposed position as she had just cast Earth Shield for Androus, and was in the middle of casting Befuddle. Amazingly, this made the dragon pull up, confused. Yerezum Storm failed to cast a spell at the Yelmalian, who stabbed her through a wing, breaking the spell. She ran for it, trampling over the shield and flattening the three under it. Varaema, unarmoured, was hurt - the others were protected by their armour.
Androus was falling behind the dragon but she stopped to breathe fire at him, killing the air elemental but failing to make contact with him fully - the gouts of flame splashed off his shield. He managed to bring his spear to bear and struck his third, killing blow. Yerezum Storn died blocking a doorway.
They soon found a treasure room, where Androus claimed the many golden goblets there in the name of Yelmalio, despite the calls of others. However, as they came out of the room the goddess statue on the cubic altar woke, and declared she was free, and this was her Temple. Her name was Orgovale Summer. For their help she gave Androus a golden amphora, but not the goblets - he relinquished his claim on them. Varaema was given some earrings that were a spell matrix, and Ethrava was given an arm ring and the offer of establishing a Temple. Saronil was given a flat look.
They went out, having cut off the dragon's head and squeezed past its corpse, and soon found a plinth where dragonnewts were waiting, dancing an entirely different dance. This time they were all painted half black and half white, save one who was painted half green and half a slightly different green, and the one on the demi-bird, who was not painted.
The same one as before approached them, and said that Sanah Yaqal was in their debt and would come if they placed purple nardus flowers on the plinth. This was not the same name as it had used before, but it seemed to be the same dragonnewt being indicated.
The news was taken to Queen Leika, who celebrated by giving them land, a hide each, and twenty cattle from her royal herd for Ethrava to divide. Ethrava asked Kalis to provide a new priestess for the Temple, and asked her mother to help oversee it, effectively sharing out her pat on the head from the Queen.
The weapons and armour were returned to King Berenvenos54 and all was well.
Other Things
There was some magical loot. which should probably be recorded. There was some Temple and Magical training, then it was the end of Fire Season. While Saronil was training at the Temple of Humakt in Boldhome, he was challenged for his sword, and won, and his opponent's sword was almost broken in trying. Later, Saronil learned that Eril had personally noted he would be displeased if anyone more tried to challenge that season. Saronil also found out that the Boldhome Humakti had a blacksmith.
Tags: 1625 androus boldhome clearwine colymar earth eril ethrava kalis leika orgovale_summer saronil thunder_hills varaema yerezum_storn
