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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.1 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 Temple2 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 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.3 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.4 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, Androus5 (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 Berenvenos6 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
Episode 3: Dragon yer Heels - 07 Jan 2020 18:09
Setting
Ethrava, Saronil and Varaema were in Boldhome, where Ethrava was the newest Initiate in the Temple.
Plot is taken from the Chaosium Gamemaster Screen Pack adventure book.
IC Play
High Earth (or maybe Low Earth) Priestess Kalis asked her dear Ethrava to deliver a letter to Apple Lane, and to take a guard or two with her. Ethrava grabbed Saronil and Varaema and took them that way. Varaema also agreed to get some Red-root powder from the Horsemaster there.
On the way, however, they saw7 a dragon flying overhead. The dragon scared their mounts as it flew off into the distance, meaning Varaema had to put the Sun Elk to sleep to let Ethrava catch it again. They then woke it up and hurried onward, reaching a steading with dead cattle and dead people. The poisonous breath of the dragon had killed much of what had not been killed by the beast itself, including one of the farmers. The survivors, helped by Varaema's knowledge of how to treat poison, burned their dead. The adventurers then gave them an escort to Clearwine, to see the Queen.
Queen Leika was concerned about the report, and asked them to look into whether it was in the Thunder Hills, and also ask the Dryad Tarndisil8 for what knowledge she had. Dunorl, Storm Voice of Orlanth, gave them the run-down on how to deal with dragons, and after that Hastur the Law-speaker told them about the history of dragon-killers in the area, and an old grave or two where he thought they might be buried. Dunorl also gave them a bag that would command the wind inside it, just in case they happened to run into the dragon while investigating. They lodged the letter and the message for the Horsemaster with the Lawspeaker.
Then, they dutifully went off to see the Dryad9, and she did them the honour of coming to the edge of her grove10 so that Saronil did not have to leave his sword behind. She spoke mainly to Ethrava, who was a Priestess-in-training of Ernalda. Tarndisil was generous with information about the dragon known as Yezerum Storn, whom she remembered from the time of the Empire of the Wyrms Friends. She probably wished for worship once more, and was likely in or by the Queen's Tomb - both of the Sartarite Natives knew where that was.
She also said that if Leika wished for a lasting peace, she could create it by bringing Tarndisil the tusks of Red-eye the boar.
They came back to Clearwine11 with the message to find that Leika was away, searching the Starfire Ridge for the dragon. Dunorl bored them for a while until Hastur moved him gently aside to explain a point of law, and suggested that while the Queen was away they could go to Apple Lane with their message, and take the chance to go past the Old Grave he had mentioned, on Malani lands.
This, they did.12 They found their way towards the grave site, pausing along the way only long enough to insult a group of Malani hugely when a trade-talk conversation went wrong13. Fortunately, the person doing the talking was a White Lady and therefore not immediately a target. Thus, they blundered around for a few days, until they found hospitality at a hearth where the farmer knew which old grave they meant, and sent them there with his boy.
They found that the place had already been opened some time ago, but on crawling in - Ethrava first as she was of the Earth14 they found themselves in an offering chamber. There was a body there, a corpse holding a silver cup as if he had died in the act of theft. There were also bowls and cups that might once have held offerings. Saronil put the cup back where it looked like it went, and then filled the cups and bowls a little before Ethrava led the way into the next room. There was a pile of grave goods and the ghost of a big man who appeared to be angry at them that he was forgotten. Ethrava talked him around quickly, and he agreed to let his equipage be used for this single task as long as the Colymar came to make offerings once a year, at his grave.
With this managed, they borrowed his kit, hauled the dead corpse outside to make sure its spirit had gone on, and set off for Clearwine. On the way they saw the dragon flying overhead again, probably heading to the Tomb, and certainly for that area.
Other Things
The group paused a little early to allow other adventurers to join the group next week.
The GM would like a medal for not calling this episode 'enter the dragon'. For one, that might be next week when she kills them all.
Tags: 1625 apple_lane dunorl earth ethrava hastur kalis leika red_eye saronil tarndisil varaema yerezum_storn
Episode 2: Fearing the Reaper - 22 Dec 2019 23:28
Setting
Late in Fire Season, as Ethrava returns to her Clan to live a dull life again, accompanied by Saronil, who ransomed her, and Varaema, her Praxian Guide.
Plot taken from Journey of the Heroes episode 2, episode 3 and episode 5 - significant NPCs are the same, although there is no overarching 'go Westfaring, young man'.
Brief Flashback
Saronil had a run-in with a Duck who declared he was running a Customs Post for the new Prince, Kallyr. Saronil happily paid 5 Clacks to help defend the Kingdom, despite being a bit puzzled by the fact there was only one person at the roadblock.
IC Play
As the group were riding down towards Wilmskirk, or in Ethrava's case attempting to control her Sun Elk on the way to Wilmskirk, they were caught up by a Duck on foot, who noticed Saronil and ordered him to follow, saying he should bring his friends, as they might be needed. All he would say was that there was a problem with the Undead in Whitewall. It was not until they had reached the city that the Duck even stopped to introduce himself; his name was D'Val the Sword, and he was travelling to Wilmskirk because there had been a call for a Humakti Hero. His Temple had sent him. As a Duck with absolutely nothing to prove, when he bought them all drinks it was pints all round, including for him.
Ethrava had heard of D'Val, and talked about his tales - he was eight feet tall with eyes of fire, she said. D'Val corrected her, first about his height and second about the number of eyes he had. D'Val did not know much about what he was going to be facing.
That evening being Wildday, D'Val took Saronil to a private room for worship. The Duck's Rune Magic failed him, but Saronil stepped in to Sanctify the place, and then D'Val led him through the night's worship. During that time, Saronil noticed the sword he was using was iron. D'Val was not just a Duck, but a Rune Lord.
In the morning, Varaema had to worship, but it was deemed a White Lady would be safe when travelling overnight, and D'Val told her to do that. The others travelled to Whitewall over the course of the next day, and found a shanty town around an empty, destroyed hill fort. D'Val bought them rooms at the only 'inn' in town, a tiny place that sold food, drink, and floor space. Saronil and Ethrava did some evening rounds to talk to guards, finding out that there were shambling undead beyond the gates up into the White City itself, and booking a conversation with the local Orlanthi, Gostin. Unbeknownst to them, D'Val was Divining on what they would face, and found out that there were servants of Delecti about. He spent part of the night searching for vampires, and slept the rest. In the morning, he sent the pair off to speak to Gostin, and had another nap. Varaema arrived in the 'city', having not asked at Wilmskirk about what was known about the situation in Whitewall.
Gostin and his bard had also heard of D'Val the Sword, although they were rather disappointed when Ethrava told them how he was 4'7" with a single metaphorical eye of fire. Saronil changed the subject. Gostin offered to raise the militia, but, as Ethrava noticed, he did not use the word 'fyrd', which indicated he did not have the right to call men up under him. Nevertheless he said he could get twenty men in to fight. The numbers in the hill fort were estimated around 50 undead.
Varaema arrived reported to the guards and then the inn to find out where people were, and then to the makeshift Temple of Chalana Arroy where she met and impressed the High Healer, Jaldis. Jaldis was able to tell her that the inner city probably held 30-50 undead.
Ethrava and Saronil checked with the guards again, and called for ladders once they were sure the zombies could not climb. Saronil spotted that, incredibly, some of the bodies were wearing Lismeldan wave-pattern cloth, a marker of the Tribe from West of Colymar lands. They seemed to have been dead for under a year, although Saronil was not sure if that was the magic of undeath keeping them. When they checked later, D'Val indicated that was possible. He also told Saronil to take command. On the way around the city, they noticed the near-drought conditions. There was a river nearby but there had been no rains for a while. Ethrava checked in with the local Ernaldan Initiate (no Priestess here) and was told it had been at least six weeks since rain.
The next day, the militia mustered around dawn. Saronil failed to impress them, but D'Val suddenly turned into a shouty sergeant-major sort, and terrified them into believing in their new leader.15 Saronil lead the group up through the gates, but found that he was losing control as the zombies hit his front line. D'Val asked him for permission to command, which he gave, as zombies were all up in the everything.
With Ethrava in the back row with Varaema, most of the group got up the hill unscathed.16 However, Saronil's arm was broken by a zombie and he was about to be killed by another when it flew to pieces as D'Val used Turn Undead.17 In the final charge, Ethrava was badly hit in the head and then trampled by D'Val running over her to get zombies, while the other two were also injured.18 Saronil healed himself enough to look around for his charges, and found that Ethrava was dying near to him, so he saved her. Varaema tried to fix Ethrava's head wound with first aid and made it worse19, and one of the militia had to use magic. They traipsed up to where D'Val was finding out, much to his displeasure, that he hated being hoisted shoulder-high by the victorious men he had just led.
At the top of the hill, all slightly worse for wear, they found that only four buildings still stood in the centre, although there were no undead things here. The buildings were temples to Humakt, Chalana Arroy, Ernalda, and Orlanth. Saronil detected the undead near them, and found that three - Orlanth's, Ernalda's, and Humakt's had undead in. Up close the temples had all been defaced. Those of Orlanth and Chalana Arroy were thatched, and the thatch was in bad condition on Chalana Arroy's Temple.
While he was planning how to deal with the Temple of Humakt, Saronil realised that the thatch on the Temple of Orlanth was on fire20, and ordered the men to form up outside it. A beautiful-looking woman emerged, and looked D'Val in his remaining eye. The Duck froze21,but Saronil ordered his men to charge, and led them, and the woman turned into smoke and fled. They were unable to work out where she had gone, but when D'Val started being able to move again22, he looked pointedly at the smoke of the burning thatch.
There were now, to Saronil's senses, two undead in the Temple of Humakt. However, once he had formed up his men to go in, with him and D'Val at the front, he could sense no more. D'Val, Saronil and Ethrava went into the Temple of Humakt to find there was a rip in the air there, and they could see some sort of swamp through it. Varaema went to her own temple, and found a White Lady had been killed there, nailed to the ground. Ethrava's Temple had had the lower half filled in, desecrating that, too.
D'Val sent Saronil to fine Ethrava and tell her to keep quiet about the rip for a bit, but to send for Gostin, and get ready to go for help23. Varaema sent down the hill for Jaldis, and then started to prepare the dead body for a proper pyre and burial.24
Jaldis came up the hill with Gostin, and met Varaema. The young White Lady had just found a medallion that the body had been wearing, which Jaldis took and put on. D'Val arranged with Gostin for supplies to be made ready and sent with the group, and then sent them to Boldhome to explain the situation and ask for help. Jaldis noted to Varaema there was no need to ask the White Ladies there.
The journey, which was uneventful, took two days, first up to Wilmskirk and then a short day's ride up to Boldhome. Ethrava was riding on a borrowed bison rather than risk her Sun Elk misbehaving, but it turned out she could not make those work properly either25
In Boldhome, Ethrava made straight for the Earth Temple to make nice with Kalis, the High Priestess there, while Varaema went to the Temple of Chalana Arroy to help out. There, she was quickly spotted as having troubles in her mind and put into the area of the hospital that had women in childbirth, and bad wounds. This was also, not by coincidence, where an Initiate was singing the Comfort Song.
Saronil thought a bit about Lord Eril Humakti, and whether he should go straight to the Prince, or whether he should go via Eril. He decided his duty was to avoid telling the High Sword of Humakt about what was going on, but to do as D'Val had indicated and talk to Kallyr directly. He climbed up the thousand steps to the palace, and asked for an audience. When it was granted, Kallyr Starbrow saw him in a small room with a couple of attendants. She named herself over his stammers26, and also introduced her Chief Priest Tennebris and Lord Eril. Saronil explained the problem including the rift in the Humakti Temple. Kallyr looked at Eril, who admitted grudgingly that he did indeed know how to dedicate a Temple. She told Tennebris and Eril to deal with it, and Saronil was dismissed.
Saronil walked down the stairs with Eril27 and met Kalis28 and Ethrava29 coming up. Eril sent them up to the palace30 to find out what was going on. At the bottom of the stairs he informed Saronil that they would travel to Whitewall together.
The next day they set off for Whitewall as a group.31 and spent two days getting there. As they came in towards the city there was a decision to be made on whether to push on into darkness32 Eril was not in favour of doing so, but Ethrava pointed out to Tennebris that there were Initiates of Ernalda who might be in danger, and this was enough to hurry them on. At the top of Whitewall, Tennebris looked glumly at the remains of his Temple and then he and Kalis had a cheat-off for whose Temple would be rededicated first, resulting in Tennebris looking smug, and being given first go.
Eril went to examine the Temple of Humakt, where D'Val was still meditating where he had been left. There was a rather tense handover from the Duck, who then went straight to sleep, snoring in the corner. Eril sat down to guard the hole rift. Saronil guarded the temple itself. In the small hours, he heard Eril speak a word that meant Death, and for a brief moment he understood Separation from the soul.33 This also gave him an understanding of the High Sword's power.
In the morning, Orlanth's temple was rededicated, and then in turn, each of the adventurers were called on to help with theirs.34 Ethrava picked up a healthy respect for Kalis, and Varaema learned that Jaldis had a mind like a scalpel, and was capable of great concentration. Saronil found out that Eril was not only powerful, but that his power was wide-ranging and deep, as he had the most difficult task of all, being backed only by a Rune Lord and an Initiate, and with a magical construct trying to keep the place from rededication. After that, Eril left immediately, handing over the Temple to D'Val, who put Saronil in charge and crawled back to sleep.
Pretty much immediately, the rain began to fall. Tennebris got absolutely soaked in his roofless Temple, but Kalis kindly invited him into Ernalda's house to take advantage of her hospitality. There, he got to sleep on the floor. It was better than the storm.
Afterwards the group stayed in Whitewall for a short time. Ethrava lamented to Kalis about her problems with ransom, and Kalis offered to have the money sent, if Ethrava would move to Boldhome. Ethrava agreed to this enthusiastically. Meanwhile Saronil heard that D'Val was denying having been in command and saying that had been Saronil. He asked D'Val to stop lying about this, which the Duck took with a frozen moment Saronil did not notice, followed by a quiet explanation that he was not in fact lying. Saronil agreed this was the case, but said D'Val was pushing a narrative that did him too much credit. D'Val pointed out that Saronil needed to tell the truth to others, then, which was a thing that happened.
D'Val offered to fight Saronil for the challenge sword (See Episode 1) if Saronil wanted it to be guarded by the Temple. Saronil decided against this.
Outcomes
D'Val's legend has spread. He is, at least in Wilmskirk, no longer known as an 8' tall hero, but by his true height, 4'7". He is also celebrated there as a great Humakti hero.
Saronil picked up a D6 on his Death Rune and Fear (Eril).
End of Season happened, with some reputational gains for their fine work.
Tags: 1625 d'val eril ethrava fire kalis kallyr saronil tennebris varaema
