Included page "clone:sartarite-scum" does not exist (create it now)
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.1 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.2 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.3 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 Impala4, 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.5Fortunately Varaema intervened6 and calmed him, and he tried again and admitted maybe it was not Androus. He asked7 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.8There, 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.9
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 9: Moon Unit - 15 Feb 2020 20:28
Setting
Androus the Yelmalian was still away, but the others were all present in Apple Lane.
Plot was a list of things that needed to be done for winter, but with an understanding that the adventurers might have their own ideas. They did, and it was entertainingly terrible. Plot enemy was provided by Tom McKinnell, who has deployed him against innocents.
IC Play
After a little time spent attending to such things as the cutting of trees and the dragging of wood, the adventurers gathered, their Rune points replenished, to decide how to deal with the great boar, Red-eye. Led by Ethrava, they concluded they were going to have to Heroquest to weaken the boar and strengthen themselves. They considered Orlanth and Aroka, but settled on a Yinkin quest, with Rastar to play Yinkin, and Laika to be Odayla, a huge figure out in the wilds.
Aileena did not offer to help, but Kareena the god-talker was happy to help them into the Heroplane, in the hope of seeing more of the great things they had previously done. Laika set off to the wilderness, carrying her crossbow just in case of trouble. Kareena danced a spiral in the snow for some time, and then the adventurers found themselves outlined by a longhouse, and Ethrava began to lament how her people were being attacked. She sang about it, and unfortunately did so without reference to the correct song.10 At that point, the enemy of the house - tusk riders - rode through the ritual. Laika, who was at a bit of a distance, noticed them, but everyone else was surprised as they burst out of the snow. One went for a farmer with a lance attack. Three went for Varaema, the softest-looking target.
Saronil snapped up a shield spell for Varaema, which undoubtedly saved her life, and she was hit twice, hard. However, it used up all of his Rune points. The tusk riders got away, with Ethrava failing to Befuddle a tusker.11 Laika tried to shoot, but missed, and the tusk riders got away into the snow. The adventurers turned out to be bad at tracking, and could not work out where they had come from or where going to.12 Varaema healed herself, first with magic and then with First Aid.
That evening, Rastar was earwormed by the music Ethrava had been singing. There was something wrong about it, and for a while he could not work it out. When it finally hit him, he realised there had been someone else singing too. Ethrava had made mistakes, but the other voice, also a woman's, had been malevolent, and taken advantage of Ethrava's errors to invite disaster in. When Rastar told his friends this, they managed to decide on another Heroquest to go after the voice and defeat their enemy, so they could get on with defeating Red-eye, without the previous defeat and the tusk rider enemies hanging over them.
Kareena was still happy to help, and Ethrava managed to cajole and persuade the farmers into enthusiasm, based on their cachet in the town13. They set off into another Heroquest, this one started inside where they could not be attacked, with lookouts posted. As they started to move into the Hero Plane to look for a thing, the Durulz cook from the Tin Inn came running to say their trophy had been stolen.
This time, they set out from Ernalda's longhouse. Ethrava found herself playing Uralda, the cattle mother, an Eirithan aspect. Ernalda was Laika. Rastar was Yinkin, but inside he was sure he was Eurmal really. They tried to set off, but Yinkin could not find any tracks, no matter how hard he cast spells or tried.
Ernalda, however, could feel something lying on the Earth that did not belong there, and they set off towards it. Soon, at the edge of the Storm Tula, they came across a longhouse in a round enclosure. Reddish smoke was issuing from a chimney, of all things. Humakt, or Saronil, recognised the shape of house, path, and wall as making up the Moon Rune. Ernalda, annoyed by the newfangled chimney or the Rune itself, ignited the thatch, which caught nicely but did not all burn away. In fact, the fire just stayed where it was, tame.
Yanafil Tarnils came out of the house to invite everyone in.14 Uralda accepted, and Ernalda hinted to Yinkin to go around the back, not through the door of hospitality. Saronil told Yanafil Tarnils he had nothing to talk about, and drew his sword.
Inside, Uralda was offered food and drink by a red-headed woman. The same red-headed woman simultaneously opened the back door to put out fish scraps and talk to Yinkin, although they did not realise this at the time. Time itself was a little strange in that longhouse, and they spent some hours eating and drinking, with the woman showing off all of her master's things but hardly mentioning the glowing, beautiful arm-ring that was set on a shelf. Yinkin, recalling he was really Eurmal in disguise, snaffled it. They left, and the door was barred behind them.
Outside, there had been all sorts of drama, subjectively fitted into a few seconds. Ernalda had cast Absorption on Humakt, while Yanafil Tarnils failed to cast his own magic. Humakt called on his own godly power, however, and managed to shatter the scimitar. Yanafil Tarnils did not surrender at that point. Instead, he cast Repair. The Moon God was plainly a better warrior, and Humakt was without his magic, but the magic that Yanafil Tarnils cast next went into the spell, and Ernalda felt her spirit refilled from the ignition of the roof. They put almost identical cuts on each other. Finally, Yanafil Tarnils got brought down by Humakt, but then his massively boosted Mindblast went off, punching through Humakt's spell protection. Then Ernalda went for him with an axe, and she'd spent all of her magic but Yanafil Tarnils hadn't, and defended himself successfully, then used Madness on her. Like Humakt a moment before, she fell.
The warrior god healed himself as Uralda and Yinkin stared, and he limped back to his home, and they went and sanctified an area for Ernalda, which gave them a cubic pit to climb out of back in the Middle World. Rastar had the arm-ring, which he excitedly showed off to the others and Kareena. Unfortunately, it now had a Moon Rune on it. They hid it, thanked everyone, and sent for Squinch. He was able to identify its magical properties - people would want it, and it was designed to bring Disorder. Ethrava noted they could use the Dragonnewt Plinth to get rid of the thing. Squinch suggested he look after it just to be safe, and was quickly pushed out of the door with thanks.
Varaema decided to Divine on it, and had a vision in which she could see people arguing, and… fumbled Harmony. And put the arm ring on. To save others from arguing, of course. To everyone else, it disappeared, and most people thought that Rastar had squirrelled it away.
Other Things
Apple Lane is now more likely to be quarrelsome and greedy. All of the worshippers will take a 10% boost to Darkness and Disorder. Those who took part, including Kareena, are immune to that, but may have other effects.
Saronil was imprisoned in his own mind, fighting Kargan Tor and losing every time.
Tags: 1625 apple_lane arm_ring chalana_arroy dark ernalda ethrava eurmal heroquest humakt kareena laika onjur rastar saronil uralda varaema yanafil_tarnils yinkin
Episode 8: Shinty Town - 14 Feb 2020 16:23
Setting
Dark Season in Sartar is a time of snow and gales, and also, I decided ice shinty grudge matches against nearby clans.
What is ice shinty? Well, like ice hockey, but with less armour and more cheating.
Plot devices were provided by other members of my RPG group.
An extra player and a missing player meant Asprag, Ethrava's tenant, was promoted from NPC to PC for the evening.
IC Play
Asprag the Farmer found himself voted in as captain of the Shinty Team for the in-no-way-a-grudge-match against the Varmandings, the clan team from across the river. With so few people living in Apple Land and the clan, and with travel difficult, he appealed to the adventurers for help. Laika, Rastar, and Ethrava were in the village, and agreed to help.
Laika was already a competent skater. The rest were issued with skates and some quick lessons. Rastar turned out to get the hang of it pretty quickly. Ethrava… less so. Asprag sent Laika out to check out the river where it was going to be held, and Laika managed to work out that yes, it was a river, and frozen, and then came back.
Meanwhile, Saronil had been offered a quick bit of escort duty by Graria, the Lay Captain15 of the Temple of Humakt. Escorting a man to Apple Lane was exactly the sort of thing he felt he could do. Graria asked if he knew what Shinty was. When he didn't, he was invited to take a healer along; naturally, he plumped for Varaema.
The journey was not difficult. On the way Saronil worked out that he was with another Humakti, but one he did not recognise. At Apple Lane they met the large group of clan players and hamlet folk on their way out, and quickly followed along.
Asprag went out to help the opposing captain cut the centre line, as tradition dictated. His opposing number asked why there was a White Lady present, complaining that he wanted to get home that day. It was agreed that if someone had been healed of a major injury, they would not go back on the ice.
Rastar, as the person in the brightest clothing, was sent to choose a sapling for a puck. After the tree had been chosen and looked at for a bit, Laika was sent to help him choose a better shaped tree, and it was cut down and the puck made.
Asprag chose to put Ethrava and himself on the ice first, with Rastar and a few others. He got himself in control of the puck pretty quickly, and Ethrava fell over and got stamped on pretty heavily. Apple Lane drew ahead in the game, but the Varmandings were definitely more violent.
While sitting on the sidelines and cheering, having had her ribs put back in place by Varaema, Ethrava noticed blood on the snow, and rather more than she remembered anyone spilling. She called over Laika and they investigated - the ground was bleeding. Varaema's patient noticed and the WHite Lady came over, to say she could not do First Aid on the ground. Ethrava called up an earth spirit to find out what was under there. It was prepared to talk to her and to Laika - Laika even understood from its habits of speech that it was the sort of spirit that wanted blood. It said there was a dead thing under the ground.
Laika, Ethrava, and a couple of farmers began to dig.16 They got to a bit of a body, and a ghost began to form, and this was not the talkative kind - it attacked them instantly, and they had to destroy it, which caused the game of shinty to be paused. Laika got covered in the physical touch of the ghost, a layer of frozen gunk.17
Afterwards, they were able to ascertain that the bit of body they had pulled up was just that - a bit. A quartered corpse had been buried, with pig teeth embedded in the skin here and there. Reluctantly they asked for a longer pause in the game and began searching for the other bits. They found more, and fought another ghost, while the Varmanding team did nothing to help, but did at least agree to the game being paused. This was fortunate, as Asprag was rendered unconscious in the fight, and had to be put somewhere warm for a bit. Laika got gunked again. It was just as unpleasant the second time around.
While Rastar built a snow-corpse to help with the preparation of someone who was missing a lot of himself, one of the Hiordling team turned out to be a hunter who went out to get his alynx. Using her skills, he found two more spots under the snow, and one where he was sure there would be… something. Asprag was just about awake enough to decide to use all of his Rune Points to protect himself in spirit block… and they fought two small ghosts and then a huge angry pig-ghost. Asprag ended up unconscious again, and so Saronil was put in charge.
Then, leaving Varaema to put the spirit of the corpse safely to rest, the others went back to finish the shinty match. The other side were not prepared for the tactical Humakti's instructions to his team, and could not keep up with the skill and ferocity of Laika and the other farmers. With the healer occupied, it was over before dark, and the Hiordlings won, taking the trophy, an arm ring with some history. Asprag came round again in time to take the trophy home.
There was a lot of celebration, and the Humakti who had been escorted to Apple Lane seemed entirely unmoved by it.18
Other Things
A man with a hide and a half of land including some oak trees made an agreement with Laika to have her pigs on his land.
Shinty is hilarious because extra rules keep cropping up. Yes, you DO have to be conscious AND holding the stick, in a hand that IS still connected to your body… and there is precedent for every single ruling.
Tags: 1625 apple_lane arm_ring asprag dark ethrava hiordling humakti laika malani rastar saronil shinty varmanding
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.19 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 Heroquest20, 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.21
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.22 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.23
Saronil dutifully trotted along to the Temple of Humakt alone, to meet Eril two hours after dusk.24 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.25
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 sword26 but the edge soon bent back into its broken shape again27.
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 severe28 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.29
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.30 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.31 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.32
The group prepared for the coming fight, with a warding in front of the Tin Inn and one at the back gate.33 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.34
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 ice35 and came in sideways, and was hit by the fourth in line, also sliding36. The other pigs managed to charge the gate but did not do much damage. Meanwhile, Androus peppered them with arrows37. 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.38 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 several39 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.40 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 spell41, and Androus turned42 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.43
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.44 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 discussion45 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.46 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.47 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
