Included page "clone:sartarite-scum" does not exist (create it now)
Episode 19: Air Waves - 24 Jul 2020 19:19
Setting
Early in Sea Season.
The entire plot of Sea Season was the GM attempting to get the adventurers into the correct position to play The Duel at Dangerford while the adventurers blithely ignored IC hints and attempts at political guidance.
IC Play
The group returned to Sartar, and Androranous went towards Boldhome, which was preparing for war, judging by the reinforcements on the wall. Saronil and Kosa went to the Temple of Earth,1 as Daravala wanted to talk to them, and Varaema and Aria went with them, but paused to do trading on the way.2 Daravala wanted to know from Saronil about some people who had fought Zorak Zoran before.
The new Light Priest of Yelmalio had been confirmed as Hardeep. Androus went to see him, but was given Light Son Norang, a Rune Lord, instead. He braindumped, telling everything he knew of what had happened when he was away.
On his return to the training enclosure, Andros found a Humakti at the gate, trying to catch his attention. The Humakti had a message from Lord Eril for Androus with a request he deliver it to Saronil, in person. It was apparently, "To your mutual advantage." There was a slightly tetchy exchange, as Androus explained he is due to do a weeks' temple duty, and could act without the temple's consent. The Humakti expected Androus to go and get consent. Light Son Norang and Androus conspired to agree to the delivery, and arrange for the Humakti to see the Norang and demand a service for a service. Lord Eril was not going to get his man back for a while.
Saronil, in Clearwine, had told all he knew about the meeting with the Troll that had bent his sword, and was meeting his nephew for the first time. He was delighted by the small bundle of snot and big brown eyes that his sister presented him with. He gave her the gifts he had bought on getting the news of the birth, and introduced them to Varaema.
On his way, riding a decent horse, Androus overtook some warriors who looked to be of Kallyr's household, making their way on rather shorter horses to Clearwine. They said nothing to him. Androus reached Clearwine about a day after his friends, who had been travelling slowly.
He delivered the message to Saronil, and then read it out, as Saronil could not. "For your information: Order for detaining of Varaema-all-healer issued. Recommend being absent. Lord Eril Sambar."3 It did not use his Humakti title, so could be construed to be an informal tip-off, either advice to get out of the way and let it happen, or advice to get Varaema out of the way. Daravala ordered Kosa to leave - protecting Varaema - and thus stay away from the High Priestess of Maran Gor, who was still after her as a sacrifice.
They got Varaema out of the way, despite her protestations that she was sure all would be well, and were far enough from Clearwine to watch the warriors arrive to start looking for her. They hoofed it down to the Yelmalian Temple in Sun Dome County. They asked for protection of a patrol they met. Jaynrii, its leader, was not pleased either with Andros telling him how to behave or with the request. However, he agreed to lead the party into the city and Temple.
They told their various stories. The women were put into women's quarters and the men were put into men's quarters, and for that night at least, they were safe. ((There was an attempt by someone to get some information here about Daravala's request, but the GM forgets.))
On the way to Whitewall the following day, the party was eyeballed by centaurs along the Beast Valley road, but when they proved no threat, the demicavalry band moved on. They were observed by a very large alynx from the same direction,4 towards nightfall.
As Yelm ascended the next day, they spotted an Orlanthi flying, landing some distance away. The party moved off, and the Orlanthi, flying again, attempted to levitate Varaema - and would have succeeded, had Kosa not grabbed her and wrested her back down again.
Late in the day, the group arrived in Whitewall, where they rested a week and took political advice from Jaldis, who then carefully wrote to her allies to make sure she knew what was going on. Androus spent the week in prayer and sacrifice, after finding a Yelm Priest who was interested enough in him to sanctify a Temple and let him do that.
Other Things
I am particularly proud of the attempt to steal Varaema, which nearly succeeded, and resulted in people having to be tied to their saddles…
Tags: 1626 andros boldhome eril hardeep jaldis kallyr kaynrii kosa saronil sea varaema whitewall
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 them5. 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 17: Politics and Pedestrians - 13 Jun 2020 21:26
Setting
Plot was created by letting the player characters do things, with a little understanding as to what. Saronil was cut off from the rest, helping Eril to pay reparations to the Dwarf, but this went OK as he was able to explore the problem with the roads himself.
IC Play
Saronil got very very lost on his way out of Boldhome. Something didn’t seem to want to let him go north. He spent an entire day just trying to get out of Dangerford, and even managed to cross the river twice because he turned back halfway. He detoured via Alone while trying to get to Alda Chur from Herongreen.
Androuranos and Varaema went to the library, it was full of people celebrating. After working out that neither of them had any significant amount of money, they went and found their bankroll, Aria.
Issaries (Aria) went to meet Lhankor-Mhy and look for someone, according to their sacred duty at this time. And also, not by coincidence, to pay for the research into what the hell went wrong in Boldhome and how to fix it.
In the library there was line dancing to help teach the stories.6 Androus, as a lay member, joined in. The others got to be bored for some time.
When he finally reached Alda Chur after three more days than it should have taken, Saronil went to the Temple of Humakt, where Gallem was just finishing a sacrifice. The worship of Orlanth being forbidden here, he was in no way performing the rites that would send Orlanth into the underworld as a dead god. However, the rabbit he was sacrificing *was* dyed red.
Saronil gave a summary of events to Gallem. He was horrified, mostly at the thought that Saronil might be exiled enough to have to move to Alda Chur. Gallem suspected that the problem with roads was because the Prince of Sartar had been wounded, and was magically part of the Kingdom.
Meanwhile, back in Jonstown, the others finally had an answer from the library, in Fate week.7Eril’s protection of the HeroQuest had been mythologically flawed, as Humakt should not have been asked to help. The solution was not to have Lord Eril any more. This caused some consternation within the group.
As they began to make their way back, they went astray again. Fortunately, they were very close to a Temple of Knowledge, and therefore after a single further day, they were able to understand what had happened. The connections within the Royal Roads had been severed - in this case, the forks and intersections were not doing the job they should have.
Vareama and Aria deliver the information from Jonstown to the Hospital. From there, they take that to Lord Tennebris. He tells a messenger to go down to Androus’s temple RIGHT NOW THIS SECOND to try to stop the news spreading.
Meanwhile, Androuranos is telling lord Farenor all of this… The messenger comes in with a letter from Tennebris. Faremor tells Androus to tell Captain Hardeep and only then reads the letter, thus ensuring he cannot be silenced.
On the last day of sacred season, Lord Farenor challenges Lord Eril over the matter. Lord Eril wins, despite being badly wounded, and is a dickhead about it. Varaema saves Farenor’s life, earning enmity from a number of very powerful people between 0 and 5 inclusive. As Farenor falls to Death, the burden of communicating with the Cold Sun becomes Hardeep's. He rises to the occasion; Lord Hardeep becomes the new Light Son of the Temple.
There is a whole bunch of walking around talking to people. Aria revealed to her High Priest what the problem with the roads was, as far as the Jonstown Temple could work out, and the Issarians prepared to go tell people and help keep the road system working.
Other Things
The politics here was very good fun, and I am exceedingly proud that I managed to keep a straight face despite the Chief Priest of Lhankhor Mhy having fumbled a Library Use roll. Eril's entirely justified anger at all of the accusations he had been sloppy about ensuring Humakt was not damaging to the quest were looked on as a means to make political capital - right up until he proved that he could still defeat the lord of another Temple in combat.
Episode 16: There and There Again - 13 Jun 2020 13:15
Setting
The group lacked Saronil, and so was light on combat.
Without Saronil I didn't want to advance the plot too much, so I gave the group the chance to find out something others would not know yet, while also keeping them around the Boldhome area. The breaking of the roads was massive and major, but also something you could not find out about unless you went out of your city in Sacred Time.
IC Play
The group got sent to Jonstown to look into the library and find out what might have gone wrong. They rapidly got onto the wrong road, and continued on towards, apparently, Wilmskirk. Several times they found themselves going to Clearwine instead of Jonstown, even when looking out for it.
Along their way, they decided to step off the path which was misleading them, and so they were walking through the wilderness. They spotted a dead baboon on their trail, with two others hiding nearby: a huge one and a small one. Varaema managed to coax them out, and they had the story from the pair; human bandits had attacked them, and the two, Papa and Gallaf, asked to hire the adventurers for help. The baboons could, fortunately, do the tracking.
They went along for half a day, passing where the bandits had stopped to heal themselves, and where they had gone along a river to cut away from a trail, with Gallaf, the smaller baboon, consistently keeping them on trail. They circled some flat ground, and went into a valley from a pass where they could see a fire's smoke off in the distance. Gallaf went forwards carefully, with Androus a little way back. Shortly there was the sound of fighting and Androus galloped forwards with Papa Baboon following. Aria used magic to speed them up, casting Mobility repeatedly.
Gallaf was up a tree by this point, and being harried by the bandits. Androus killed one with his spear, after they scattered at his arrows. Aria was brought down by their bows and Varaema ran to help her.
Gallaf and Papa hunted bandits, while Androus shot from horseback, but was unfortunately downed by a lucky shot by one of them.
The others were lucky and Gallaf and Papa killed every bandit not already dead. Then Papa offered to pay for Androus being resurrected, and Varaema hurried his body to Boldhome to get it done before Death's touch damaged him too much. Gallaf took Varaema by the shortest route.
~~~~~dream~~~~~
Androus is on a path, walking towards Yelm. He is not Androus, he is Yelmalio, and he is going home. And yet…a white-clad, alluring Lady catches him up, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. She tells him it is not yet his time: his friends would miss him, and he has more to do in the world before he returns to his father.
Yelmalio concedes…for a while. Then realises this Lady is some kind of deceiver, and fends her off with his holy Spear. But…she resists. Overcomes, but without force, only love. His spear passes through her hand, leaving a red circle, a dot in the middle. And…
~~~~~~dream~~~~~
…he woke. In the Chalanna Arroy temple in Boldhome.
The others had to walk back, guided by Papa Baboon.
Other Things
This was a stacked encounter so I gave the adventurers some help in the form of a tracker who was competent with weapons, and a warrior who was a competent tracker. The bandits were under-armoured, and thus went down relatively easily, and they did not have much magic. However, they were lucky to kill Androus - Papa was an honourable baboon and we treated the donation to the Temple as a thing that could be part of a contract, rather than a life debt.
Tags: 1625 andros baboons gallaf kosa papa sacred_time varaema
Episode 15: Most things go quite badly wrong - 06 Apr 2020 20:05
Setting
Most of the adventurers were in Clearwine.
Plot was created from a known item, and working out how the adventurers interacted with it and other items.
Thanks to Saronil for the notes.
IC Play
Hero quest started off.
Orlanth said tearful goodbyes to Ernalda and went off to do the thing.
Sneaky god followed him.
Issaries? And some other god did a sidequest. And traded a trinket to Varaema
Humakt stabbed Orlanth to provide a shortcut to the underworld
Chalana Arroy was there too
Then the air tore, a red woman with six arms came through and stabbed orlanth quite a lot.
Humakt and that other god that the storm bull was representing fought the red demon
The air was red and a red moon was in the sky (Lunars!)
Varaema stepped into the circle and healed Yelmalio
Then Humakt was injured and she tried to heal death. At this point she passed out.
When she came round, everyone was dead or dying, but the red moon was gone.
Her high priestess did what she could for Kallyr Starbrow, but the wounds could not be healed with magic, the same was true for everyone else injured, or at least, those closely related to Kallyr - most people, given the worship.
Varaema helped to save people all night.
Saronil, Aria and Androuranos (and Helver):
Went off through the north gate and along the road. There were a number of annoying Lunar traps that exploded when prodded. They saw something in the distance, possibly some Lunars.
They went back to northgate and found an enemy disguised as a rock. Saronil poked it and it bit his hand, then he killed it and they eventually managed to pry it off his arm. It was an armadillo with a huge bitey mouth.8
Then they discovered a cannon9 and muskets pointed along the road, they dived off the road and got shot at a bit. I will note that Aria’s pathfinding Rune spell identified them as enemies.
Then some Lunars appeared and were obliterated by the cannon.
More lunars appeared and were attacked by the PCs, the gate sounded the retreat, PCs left and got back to the gate. As soon as they were not in contact with the Lunars, a magical attack started from the gate, on the Moon worshippers. They did not seem to be very popular at ALL at the gate.
They noticed a big red Moon Rune in the sky and ran towards it; then part way down the stairs, the gate behind them exploded.
They went down and found many, many people dead or dying. Every Orlanthi related to Kallyr or worshipping in support of her was wounded. Urox was recovering from his wounds, and Lord Eril was wounded but refusing magical healing.
They helped with first aid and/or running messages.
In the morning, one of Aria’s friends advised her and her companions to get out of town because people were angry about the north gate.
So they left. Helver had already been Banned, cast out from his Temple.
Saronil has a letter to deliver to the Dwarf of Dwarf mine
Varaema has some investigation to do into why no-one can be healed.
Other Things
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!!!!! Aaaand breathe.
I had provided Helver as a one-time escape with potential Divine Intervention, but as it turned out he was not needed. However, he did genuinely mess up, by getting in other people's plans. It was possible to save the cannon - but difficult.
Tags: 1625 andros aria cannon eril feshin helver kallyr lightbringers sacred_time saronil varaema
Episode 14: Happy Fun Hugging Time - 27 Mar 2020 18:36
Setting
Kindly written up by Saronil's player with a few extra bits of grammar thrown in by the GM.
Plot was made up by the GM putting stuff together from the past few weeks.
IC Play
Happy Fun Hugging Time
The fame building with the dead animals around it was a trap! Filled with Lunars!
There was a lot of fighting and hugging, in which the Lunars mostly hid inside a building and made us fight each other, and to counteract this, Varaema made us hug each other.
Then the Lunars got bored and captured everyone.
They asked a lot about what we were doing and where we were going and special things that were happening.
The merchant lady, Dagryr, who gave Aria a mission was there, and probably in charge.
They were very clear that they wouldn’t let anyone go to Boldhome to warn people about their presence and would route the ransom request through far away places. At least for a couple more days. They also claimed to be protecting us, although did not say what from.
Then they agreed to accept all Androuranos’s stuff as ransom and let him and Varaema go with a promise that they wouldn’t send anyone against them.
(And to stay on the road)
Then Androuranos told his temple bosses basically everything and Helver turned up to ransom Saronil and Aria. Lord Farenor sent a letter to Eril, probably with all of that in.
They discussed all the things they knew on the way back to Boldhome, while passing dugouts that might contain hidden lunars.
Other Things
Androuranos had a philosophical moment in which he didn't want to send anyone against the Lunars but did want to warn people.
Tags: 1625 andros aria boldhome dagryr lunar saronil storm 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 irritated10, 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 involved11. 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.12
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 weapon13.
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 refused14, 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.15 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 Temple16 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 duck17 roadblock18 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 down19 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 did20. 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.21 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.22 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.23 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 Impala24, 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.25Fortunately Varaema intervened26 and calmed him, and he tried again and admitted maybe it was not Androus. He asked27 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.28There, 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.29
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
