Plot was mostly just making stuff up based on who might be around in the area, and possibly talking to my other gaming group about what to throw at people.

IC Play

The group continued to scout ahead for the caravan. Kosa and Saronil came across some rather odd baboon tracks. They were surprised a few minutes later to see a naked man burst from the bushes. Saronil tried to follow him, casting Detect Enemies, but he just ran away.

Then there were naked men and women everywhere. Saronil thought he could see an elephant-human hybrid in the distance.¹ Everyone else counted naked people and rather odd-looking bipeds. They went to report this to the caravan master, who knew what it was - a Morokanth herd. They went past carefully, not disturbing the slavers.

Soon they reached a caravan where the usual band declaring arrivals would have to fight for water had been replaced by a group of just four people, some wearing heavy-duty iron. They negotiated; the leader, a man dressed in an iron breastplate that incorporated a large Moon Rune, was Duke Raus, a border land-holder. Kosa recognised him from her time in New Pavis. He asked the group to help him get back a man of his who had been taken as a slave, and then reduced to a herd animal by the Black Claw clan of the Morokanth, who were nearby. Raus said the man would prefer to be dead than to be an animal, but was wanted back very badly.

With the agreement of the caravan master, who would get water out of the deal, and with 100 L for expenses, they went to find the morokanth. There were impala riders following the herd, but nobody challenged them. The Morokanth were good hosts, and offered them food, including what was obviously (to the non-Praxian observer) human meat. While they were cooking, the group worked out that the bipedal posture was for show - the Morokanth were happier on four feet. Aria pretended to eat, successfully, while others ate, or politely refused.

The price they had for Daine the herdman was 125 L, and for another 100 L they were prepared to sell the information on who had sold him to the group. They paid this, with Saronil footing the bill, and then set off. On the way away, they were held up by Impala riders, who took another 50 L in 'tribute' but warned them about rhino riders who were in the area.

Raus was happy to see his man again, and Saronil got re-imbursed. Raus offered hospitality if they were ever in Sun County, and the group travelled on, reaching New Pavis.

Fargast passed a message from Eril to Roneer, High Sword of the Temple of Humakt.

Kerentha went to visit the Argan Argar Temple, where after she talked about the Morokanth, she was blindfolded and taken to speak to a Mistress Troll. This time, night vision magic was cast on her, and she could see the troll - it was vaguely crocodilian, with drooping ears made droopier by lead earrings, and clothing that was probably made of the skin of trollkins and humans. Kerentha told her everything about the Morokanth and Daine, and was told not to say anything.

Aria did her usual sort of trading.

Kosa, after training in the Humakti Temple for a while, went to her own Temple. She was told to watch herself around the White Bull, and that trolls might be making people go missing.

Other Things

It was nice to have a completely non-Praxian group, so that basically everyone went 'ew' at the slave-eating and didn't get that the naked humans were just animals.

by Amber Game

The plot was taken from a mix of getting the PCs together and the Chaosiumn 2018 Dragonmeet free scenario https://chaosium.itch.io/the-whispering-ruins .

IC Play

Fargast, a Humakti in the service of Lord Eril, was sent with a message to the Temple of Humakt at the Shaker Temple. Eril said that if he met up with anyone returning to Boldhome, it would be advisable to stay with them. Lord Heenith had some advice on the path to take, through Runegate, and up through Tarsh.

He went off that way, finding that the Temple of Humakt was painted very red, and decorated in unusual fashion. This was where Grandfather Mortal's blood was spilt and he was killed. Here he met the others, recognising Saronil and being introduced to the rest. Karentha in the mean time had been told by Amara to stay with the group and explore, now that the Shaker Temple plans for Androus had fallen through with his death.

The group headed to Wintertop together, taking Andros' remains, now ashy bone, tied to his golden horse. They stayed with Kerentha's family, and to the general dismay of the party she picked up another mount, this one a stag beetle. Her father was a very political person, asking all sorts of questions.

They left, heading down towards the Dragon Pass itself. A couple of days out, they were followed by bandits, or at least, people on foot and in the treetops. They ran away when waved at. Kerentha tried to speak to them as a noble, and this did not do anything.

In the night they tried to sneak up, twice, but were thwarted, and gave up. The group crossed the river by duck ferry, getting to Boldhome without resistance. There were no problems, and they arrived in the afternoon of water day, in stasis week. All was peaceful, even after they reported to their temples.¹ Saronil informed the Sun Dome Temple of Andros' death. Aria talked to the trader lord Feshin abbuot what had happened, and he advised her not to go North again. Kosa was told to stick around Aria, and given travel money. Karentha talked to both the Argan Argar and Maran Gor temples - Maran Gor's priestesses told her to investigate the trollkin if she was around that area again. Fargast reported to Heenith about the journey, and then later, Saronil reported directly to Lord Eril.

Eril suggested that Saronil volunteer to take Androus' horse back to the Praxian Sun Dome Temple. The Temple invested a lot in Androus, but considered him tainted by failure and wished non-Yelmalians to take him as a result. After Saronil had suggested this to Fargast, Eril gave Fargast a letter to take to Lord Roneer at the Temple of Humakt in New Pavis. He was not allowed to tell even Saronil, but was not ordered to defend the letter unto Death. Everyone else had politely-worded notes suggesting that they talk to Saronil, so they arrived to do that, working out that Lord Eril also expected them to volunteer. Entertainment was provided when the Sun Dome Temple arrived to ask for an escort for a body and a horse. Lord Eril was absolutely charming, in public, with the Sundomer obviously feeling trolled.

The group set off through the North Gate, which now had a bridge over the crater. They headed to Swenstown, after an argument with Karentha, who wanted to paint the golden horse to look less horselike, and the others, who insisted it was wrong because that was Androus' horse and he would never have done it. Eventually Kosa's smile shut Karentha up.

Aria managed to find a group of Issarians and arrange getting paid as guards, while escorting the golden horse in the middle. She forgot to mention a suggestion that they could find the Pol Joni, horse-riding Praxians. The group set off, primarily used as scouts.

WHile they were ahead of the caravan, the animals started to get nervous, and some of them started towards a hill - effectively a giant dune. They could see that wind had blown earth clear, and exposed part of a hidden ziggurat, in no style they could comprehend. It was beautiful and ornate, but alien. The animals stayed to graze, amid lush grass with many piles of bones in it. They were all animal bones, and showed no signs of trauma. Kosa was sure she could hear human voices. Karentha was sure she could hear beetles. amd evem saw one inside. Aria, whose mount was unaffected, headed back to tell the caravan and halt it. Fargast and Saronil charged into the ziggurat, with Kosa not far behind. There was no movement within, but they could see what looked like coffin niches lining the wall.

Fargast felt out for the present of the undead, and found there was one thing, half buried under rubble, and a few others. As they made their way towards the undead thing, it rose up from the rubble. Fargast cast Turn Undead on in, and if fled in terror. The warriors gave chase, but Kosa fell behind while the dead drifted in to fight. The ghosts surrounded Fargast, and while he destroyed or banished two of them, a third got past his defenses and he collapsed for a moment, then ran off without his sword. Saronil managed to fight so hard that he hurt himself. However, he was redeemed by fighting the revanant, which he slew, releasing all of the ghosts.

Kosa was chasing after Fargast when Saronil killed the revenant, which released the Humakti. Aria returned at that point, having missed all of the action. They gathered up the monster's old armour and its chain, which was marked with darkness and undeath runes, like those on the chains worn by the cannibal virgins. They decided to take it to a Humakti Temple to be destroyed.

Other Things

I seem to have decided these ghosts were undead. I don't think ghosts are in general, but these were special.

Lord Eril continued to be terrifyingly good at politics, and was therefore able to work out where people would be and what temples would ask of his temple, and get the whole band on the road.

by Amber Game

Include brief summing-up.

Did I get the plot from somewhere? If so, where?

IC Play

The group had settled into the Guest house in the Shaker Temple. Androus had told them that he was going to be doing the Hill of Gold. The Earth temple had been very interested in Zorak Zoran's encounters with the party after Androus' brush with the Dark Troll.

The group was summoned in to see the Priestess Amara once more. The room was dark, lit only by a brazier, and it seemed to be the same room, but it took longer to get there this time. Amara said that they would all be taking part in the Hill of Gold Heroquest, in some way, but that it would have more parts than they knew. The brazier flared, and there was a singer there, who told them of the quest.

At the court of Yelm, Yelmaleo competed with Orlanth because Orlanth wanted attention of Yelm. Yelmaleo decided to see if Orlath was worthwhile, and beat him in a horse race across skies. Yelm was pleased and gave him gifts, including a bow, a spear, and a shield. He lost all of this on the Hill of Gold, and was about to die when his friends found him. Yelmaleo looked in the darkness for his father. Ernalda sent Orlanth away, and told Yelmalio there was a way to get his father’s gift back while Orlanth was gone. Yelmalio traveled as Ernalda sents him to where earthquakes were constant¹. He survived, getting to see Asrelia's treasure room, and taking the gift from where it had been stored.

This HeroQuest had apparently not been performed in full since the Silver Age. This might have been before Time began or the sun was killed; things were unclear. However, it should be understood the gift from his father was some part of Yelm's power.

Amara spoketo Kosa privately. She was given instructions to prevent Orlanth from winning the horse race through cheating, and told to make a note of everything that happened, and come back to Tarsh or Sartar and tell Maran Gor. There was a heavy implication that Androus was expected to die.

Everyone went to their Temple to prepare, and then back to the Guest House. After a while, that evening, they smelled smoke. It grew quickly, and Aria passed out. The rest found that their house was surrounded by flame. After a while, they worked out that with the addition of a roof fire, they were in a giant Fire/Sky Rune. Shortly after that, Androus re-entered the burning house and was in his father's Sky Place. They found themselves on the Hero Plane, with Aria most connected to both of the worlds, and able to see the Middle World as well.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Androus: Yelmalio
Kerentha: Zephyr, a light wind
Kosa: an unnamed Doorkeeper
Aria: Aria ("Air")
Saronil: Humakt, the North Wind

Orlanth, half drunk, decided to visit the realm of the Sky, and change things where Yelm was. His brothers came with him, but Humakt refused to play unfair. On reaching the house they were challenged by the doorkeeper, but invited in by Yelmalio, who feasted Orlanth and challenged him to ride across the sky on horses. Orlanth was sure he could do this, and sent his brother Zephyr off to find some - Zephyr also tried to find out what horses WERE. As it turned out, they were hippogryphs. Orlanth could not persuade his brothers to cheat for him, and was not as good a rider as Yelmalio, who left a golden arrow by a star as proof he had been there, and beat Orlanth back. His father was pleased with the victory, and gave him gifts, but less pleased that Change had been invited into the hall. Orlanth went home to be drunk and disorderly.

They came briefly back to the Middle World, where Androus noted that his breastplate was now a round chest piece of gold, and studded leather abdominal pieces. His horse was unhappy.

Then he found himself at the Hill of Gold. He managed to slip away from Orlanth after losing all of his gifts, but was accosted by a Troll, who broke him in half with a mighty blow. The HeroQuest ended, and the others saw Androus' battered body fall. They had been elves, strange creatures grown to interact with humans. (Kerentha was a black elf.)

They mourned him, with Saronil singing his grief, and set off to take his equipment back to the Sun Dome Temple in Boldhome.

Other Things

I asked Androus player how much risk he wanted to take, so this was not a total surprise - he wanted to do as much good as he could for Yelmalio.

Androus: fumbled Scan.
"Everyone else: the roof is on fire." - GM

Kerentha is stuck inside a recurring nightmare regarding loyalties, earthquakes and Judas goats.

"I say we trust the gods." - Kosa
"I say we trust the Shaker Temple." - Kerentha

Kerentha: "Don't win, Androus. Once is understandable, but twice? Near the Shaker Temple? Bad idea."

by Amber Game

The party had been sent by Fazzur to take a message to the Shaker Temple.

The plot was going to be at the Shaker Temple, but instead was provided by travel, beetles,and arguments.

IC Play

The group travelled, rather nervously, through Lunar Tarsh. They spotted a dust cloud riding, which turned out to be a Lunar patrol that was not very casual at all; possibly even directed. They managed to hide in a culvert off a rocky path, but although they got away from the Lunars, Kerentha's beetle decided to take a chunk out of Kosa's horse. Kerentha tried to bribe the beast, while Saronil tried to smite it, to silence the fight, and came off distinctly better, in that he was alive at the end of the fight, while the beetle was dying.

The group then heard other noises, and on investigating found Trollkin. Androus immediately challenged them, as they were creatures of darkness, but they did not answer. He therefore set out to wound each one, according to his interpretation of his geas. This panicked them, and they split up, trying to lead him off and kill him, while he followed.

Meanwhile, one that had managed to get past him, wounded, crawled up to the beetle and began sobbing openly, comforting the thing in its last moments. It had Darkness and Beast Runes carved on its skin. Karentha failed to communicate with the trollkin, and Androus retreated, wounded, but still calling out his challenges. There was a lot of noise.¹ Aria coaxed the trollkin into leaving, and they did,taking a beetle leg with them - the one that was already mostly hanging off.²

The group pondered routes. Aria remembered a rocky path further back up the road, and they went that way. Aria fell into a very very cold lake while trying to keep her horse safe, although she was rescued quickly. She was nevertheless freezing and miserable for a while. However, it seemed they had lost the Lunars.

They travelled through Old Tarsh, where there were few troops, little food, and a lot of evidence of fires. They reached the Shaker Temple near the end of Disorder week in Earth Season, when there was already a festival happening. Androus was sure he could feel shaking beneath his feet, but when he asked about it, was told he was blessed.³ They were held as honoured guests, with a very simple square guesthouse given over to them, until the Priestess Amara could speak with them. Kosa and Saronil both spent some time at their shrines.⁴

During this time they met several priestesses, and decided not to talk to the women dressed only in bloodied chains.

Amara spoke with them in a room with a single brazier in, below the ground. She said that they were politically interesting to a lot of people because Saronil had failed at keeping Death from Zorak Zoran, but Yelmalio had taken fire back from him; everyone was mystically entwined, but Aria was a weak link because she was only there conceptually, and had not taken part. She was therefore in danger. She let them know about the political situation; some were offended by what Andros did, some Humaktis thought that Saronil had failed. Some who followed Yanafal Tarnils thought they could do better. "Friends should understand there is a lot of politics balanced on them, with the lunars and at boldhome." She said a commander of large lunar unit was interested in them. However, the Priestess was more interested in Androus than anyone else, saying that the group (and possibly the Temple) must be ready when others tried to take Androus power from him. She called on him to talk with her later, alone.

When Androus had a talk with Amara at dawn - in the same room, but very brightly lit, and with many women there - she asked him questions about why Yelmalio did not search for Yelm in the Great Darkness, and about loyalty. Amara noted cold-bloodedly that she would be very happy to kill him if he failed her; she had a plan. A trickle of the Father's blood had been held from Yelmalio, for failing to find his father, but if he could go through the Hill of Gold and find the details of Yelmalio's searching, then he could attain knowledge. In effect, by doing a version of the Hill of Gold that they helped him with, they could open up the Shield spell to Yelmalio once more.

Other Things

“I don’t think I even have ride beetle” - Kerentha
“Why are you riding a beetle then?” - Aria?

Androus: I'm looking for the undamaged one
Kosa: At his challenge, Kosa does face palm, as best as possible with a shield in hand.

Hendira: Aria gets full points for sense.

Hendira: "Androus, this is not honour, it is slaughter."

Aria, after rolling on Survival: "Oh no. That's more zeroes than I like to see."

Aria: "I'm not stripping in front of everyone! Does someone have a spare sheet?"
Kosa is impatient. "I've spent years in an Earth Temple. You have nothing I haven't seen. Just change."

Kosa: Kosa is very happy here. Can she wander off to a shrine?
Kosa: She does so.
Kosa: Kosa will make a blood sacrifice at her shrine.
Hendira: Kerentha isn't happy. She is in a middle ground between terror and a feeling of safety.

Androus: I'll go barefoot.
Hendira: I would warn him against this, but I kind of want him to be Shaker-ed.
Hendira: ShAkEr-Ed.

Hendira: So… how come I have Loyalty (Shaker Temple) on my sheet, but not Fear (Shaker Temple)?

Androus: they are capable of great subtlety. Sadly, they are utterly disinterested in exercising it.

Aria: I always thought it would be odd to choose to be a Humakti, but this Temple is making me rethink that.

Hendira: There should be Insight (Earthquake)

‘This priestess does make me feel at home too, it’s just that I had a dysfunctional childhood at home’ - Karentha

"Your POW is now 7." - GM
"I'm rich." - Aria

by Amber Game

Fire Day of Truth Week.

Androus had taken a week at his Temple, who were effectively keeping out of all the politics that others were embroiled in, and had demanded that his service this season was internal, and would happen *now*.

The re-waking of the flame meant that Sartar had a Wyter once more, even if it did not have a Prince to be the Priest of that Wyter.

Saronil's summary: Immediately after all the Yelmalians left, one of the tribal leaders of the Colymar took offense at not getting to go up to the palace & Saronil fought a duel against him to prevent this. Saronil won, but then let the Nameless go up. Then later, Saronil was guarding the Prince's body and there was a lot of shouting and running around with torches in the city, which Saronil doesn't actually know much about, but believes was the Colymar. And then later Kallyr's body, which wasn't rotting by the way, immolated and lit the flame of Sartar
Also, we should send a message to Kosa with the good news.

Plot was created from the mix of things going on at the time and background politics for everyone who was present.

IC Play

Back at the Battlefield of Queens, Kosa woke to be told that Aria was dead. This, along with knowing her mind had been taken from her by Lunar magic once more, shook her badly.

Meanwhile, Saronil arranged for a message to be sent to Kosa, telling her that Aria was alive. The Issarians hired a Humakti to do it; Saronil. The instruction came down via the Temple structure, telling him to take his friends.¹ This would give him the chance to deliver the message and then go look for Aria.²

The group told Kosa the good news, which cheered her up but made her more determined to help Aria. Kerentha was happy because they could meet Aria and finally take her to the Shaker Temple. Everyone was happy!³

Aria, meanwhile, was making her way from Dunstop towards Alda Chur. She successfully avoided some Lunars by making her way to high ground, but was escorted in to Alda Chur by cavalry, who did not at first know who she was. Eventually they worked it out and they gave her a nicer house to be a free-ranging prisoner in. She was allowed around the city, but not out. While looking for things and people she knew, she found that the Lunars had engraved Moons on the Temple of Humakt. Sword Gallem was nowhere to be seen.

The rest of the party went towards Alda Chur by way of Dangerford and Herongreen, where Androus rather upset the locals by saying that Fazzur was not so bad.

The group coming in to Alda Chur were escorted in by Sun Dome Templars, and arrested. Saronil turned out to be not good at keeping secrets, much to Karentha’s annoyance, giving away much of what they were doing. However, they were at least reunited. The Yelmalian with decision-making powers over them turned out to be Weeping Helver. Saronil paid his ransom, while Aria could not quite afford it.

The party could not find a way to escape that they were willing to risk, especially given that Saronil had said he would not use his sword to try to escape. However, they had only been in the city for a few days when Fazzur Wide-read himself arrived, and asked them to take a message for him, to the Shaker Temple. This was handy for everyone, as it got them out of his city without him having to execute his kinswoman's friends.

Other Things

On the way out, they noticed several gibbets, but Saronil failed to see that one of the bodies within was Gallem, surrounded by crows. Thus, nobody died.

GM: *list of people who know Aria is alive, with one major exception*
Androus: I believe Aria is aware she's alive…

Kosa: "You're hired. Please take your friends." = "Go away."

Hendira: This is like a pantomine.
GM: Oh no it's not.

Kosa: "Excuse me, I have to work out whether that was a fumble." A (after rolling charm)

Kosa: Look at you lot, just throwing money at things. You must have lunars to burn.
GM: To melt.

"I talked to Fazzur. Pharandros is the crazy one." - Kosa. Perhaps accurately.

Aria, to Fazzur: Uncle…
Kosa: Uncle?

Saronil: A high truth rune is a blessing, not a disadvantage
Androus: "How can you be Honourable, if not True?"
Saronil: It's like Humakt's wonderful blessing of protection from resurrection

by Amber Game

The PCs, having failed to keep Kallyr alive, were set to guarding her body. Kosa was ICly out of action, so her player took over Korol Serpent-tongue, Chief of the Varmandi. Aria and Androus were not present OOC.

Plot was based on previous actions and their consequences.

IC Play

Karentha & Saronil met Korol, Chief of the Varmandi and loyal Thane of Leika, on the way back with the body. Even going back it was clear there were tensions, as Nameless and other Colymar were trying to get control of Kallyr's corpse, and guard it, while others were not letting them.

At the foot of the palace stairs, in Boldhome, Tennebris took charge of the body, taking Saronil and Karentha and a few others as guards, and leaving Nameless below, with thanks. Once they were at the top, he sent Saronil back down with thanks and gifts, but no invitation for the Honour Guard to share hospitality.

Korol dis not take the message well and ordered a guard to stay at the base of the stairs, which he had been entrusted with, but he himself tried to go up to the palace with his bodyguard. Saronil challenged him to fight. After some flurries of blows and magic, an already wounded Korol befuddled Saronil, but then tried to punch him with his remaining hand, and Saronil got his sword in the way, thus defeating Korol. Nameless was allowed to go up, on the promise of good behaviour, to talk to Tennebris.

Karentha, meanwhile, to check in with the Maran Gor temple about what to do when her escortee is dead. They essentially wished her good luck with that. She sent back a message to this effect, to the Shaker Temple, anyhow. Karentha then went to the Temple of Argan Argar, who were also less than helpful, but in a rather nicer way.

Saronil talked to the Issarians about Aria’s body & family, and how to break the news to them.

Saronil and Karentha were sent to guard the body (possibly by Eril. It sounds like the sort of thing he would do. Possibly by Tennebris), and settled in for the night. Meanwhile, Nameless gave an unlit torch to Koral, and sent him to the Palace. This time, he was able to get up the stairs, and in, but then multiple palace guards got in his way. There was a lot of posturing.

Outside, Saronil and Karentha noticed that there were people in the streets with torches; Colymar, as far as they could tell.

Korol ordered his guards forward, and tried to burst through the lines of the bodyguards, but they kept their spears online, and the situation escalated. However, the body-count was low, because many more guards arrived, surprisingly quickly, and Korol was hemmed in, unable to move, and not wishing to cause slaughter.

Out by her pyre, in the brazier of the flame, Kallyr burst into flames and relit the flame of Sartar, surprising just about everyone, and making Tennebris weep because he knew he had lost her forever.

A few days later, Saronil was given news from Dunstop; Aria was alive.

Other Things

At some point, Korol swore that Saronil would be in serious trouble if he came through Varmandi lands. This did indeed come up later…

"It's not like it's your fault?" - Korol

"You will remember-" - GM
"Some of them will. Most of us were unconscious." - Hendira

"I have one sentence!" - S
"Is it a Death Sentence?" - GM

"I haven't turned his polite thanks into here is your money, fuck off." - Saronil

"Lord Tennebris sends deep thanks for the service done for Prince Kallyr by the Colymar and gives these gifts in recognition." - Tennebris

"If you would pass, fight me. I'll not have you interrupt the sleep of the dead for petty political problems." - Saronil

"Make Lord Eril proud. Or at least make him slightly amused." - Hendira

"This is a very Gloranthan way to sort out a political disagreement." - Hendira

"I miss home. At least there I only get into political squabbles that are mine." - Hendira

"I like dragonewts. They don’t do this sort of stupid thing. Mind you, they are really weird." - Hendira

"Oh, her brains had dribbled out of her ears, hadn't they?" - GM
"Yeah, lunar madness magic." - Saronil
"Good times." - Ethrava

by Amber Game

The PCs had been told to go deliver a message to Kallyr from Leika that was at best borderline insulting. They went to do it, and then found out that dragonewts were really weird.

Plot was an extension of what had been happening over the past few weeks, following (as best as the GM knew it) the Official Line of Facts.

IC Play

As the group travelled to Boldhome, they worked out that all of the Fyrds seemed to have been called up - there was a lot of marching, mostly away from where the adventurers were going. They noted as they came into Boldhome that people had been warned in advance; the place was mustering.

After getting up the steps, they delivered their message. It seemed that Kallyr was ready, and while irritated, she did not blow her top. Instead, she rewarded the group by inviting them to join her honour guard. Kallyr also had words for Eril about him sending Saronil off to Dangerford against her orders, but he was able to say, entirely truthfully, that he had sent Saronil to Alda Chur. Kallyr did not push it, given that the end result had been a lack of invasion.

Gratefully, Saronil returned to Black Sword to the Temple of Humakt, noting the care with which it was treated. Runelord Heenith seemed to be cautiously worshipful.

Kallyr led her army out and turned the wrong way, as far as the PCs could tell, going to High Wyrm and a nearby altar. There, she called in a favour that allowed the entire army the chance to walk along the Dragonewt road, arriving at Oldtop before Leika, and in good time to greet the Queen of the Colymar.

There was a great battle; Saronil and Karentha were knocked unconscious by magic. Aria was almost killed in a terrified but determined defence of Kallyr, who was killed by assassins. Aria only escaped by having Issaries return her to a market, a place of peace that left her in Dunstop, without any weapons. Androuranos was magnificent in battle, but Kosa was attacked by a Mindblast and left gibbering.

Other Things

Saronil's player wrote a death-song for Aria, after he could not find her body and she failed to appear.

Life is ended, dim thy eyes,
a journey long, behind thee lies
Farewell friend, in honour slain
And never shall we meet again

This was enough to put Loyalty Aria on his sheet, given she was not in fact dead.

'A rough translation would be, "I am doing this. Keep out, or come deal with it personally."' - Hendira
'My notes from last week summarise the message as "We’re going to go fight the Lunars, you can join us if you really want, but we’re in charge because we’re going to get there first."' - Saronil

'"A disorder" is now the official group noun for Storm Bulls.' - Androus

"About that favour." - Kallyr
"Oppression is the slave of duty!" - Dragonewt

Hendira: So that's why we took the dragonnewt road - to win a petty race between queens.
Saronil: yep
Saronil: a very important petty race

Androus: It is not bad for shit to go down. The alternative is worse.

Saronil: Probably going to look for Aria, this is not likely to work well.

Androus: OK, that's fresh. Androus actually passes Intrigue.
Hendira: Oh look. They're fighting over a corpse.

Hendira: Between a pair of diplomats. One of the most dangerous places to be.
Hendira: I don't think Androus is the "rock" in this scenario.

Taking Saronil aside: "How are you with politics?" - Androus
"Mostly oblivious." - Saronil

by Amber Game

The PCs could not get to Alda Chur and therefore safely through to the Shaker Temple, so they got embroiled in Sartarite politics instead.

Plot was about the GM working out what would be interesting in getting the adventurers to the Battle of Queens.

IC Play

Kosa had followed along with Fazzur's army to be sure that Orontes was treated well. She did not gain any new *news* but she did have assurances that he would be treated as a prisoner should be treated, with honour. There was the understanding, however, that when he was executed it would be quick - and certain. She did reaffirm things he had said before; that Pharandros was likely to invade by Runegate, and that he was possibly possessed by the ghost of Moirades. She had a few more details on the civil war that was likely about to burst out in Tarsh.

Saronil sheathed Skaal, although a little of his spirit was trapped on the Hero Plane when he did so. They all set out for Clearwine. Karentha lost control of her beetle, which tried to eat a mule, with hilarious¹ consequences. It had Light cast on its eyes, and Saronil beat it off with a sword. They stopped off in Jonstown to tell the news to various temples, and then arrived in Clearwine and did the same. Androus went to help the Ulerians with the seasonal holy day, after telling everything to a somewhat drunk Light Son who had thought he was going to have a day off.

Queen Laika summoned everyone early the next morning, and called on Aria to be her herald. The message was, "The people of Colymar stand ready and the Colymar are at muster. Feel free to meet us at Runegate." Leika then entertained the group all day, meaning they could not set off until her hospitality was done with them.

Other Things

by Amber Game

Karentha was trying to get Aria moving towards the Shaker Temple. Certain other political forces, chiefly but not only Lord Eril, were trying to protect Aria.

Plot was chiefly from https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/307504/The-Duel-at-Dangerford?affiliate_id=205935 with some start/end points added.

IC Play

Karentha attempted to have Aria ride at night on beetles to the Shaker Temple, despite Aria having mules. Karentha also wanted to leave behind the day-time bodyguards and go alone for speed. Aria was unconvinced, as was Kosa and everyone else, but Karentha set out to arrange it anyhow, as travelling at night was, to her mind, safer. However, she found out that there were no troll bodyguards available, despite having been assured there would be, a few hours before¹.

Eril ordered Saronil to take the Black Sword, relic of his Temple, to Galen the God-talker in Alda Chur. He added that if that were not possible, Saronil should draw it at Dangerford. Just touching the Black Sword nearly killed Saronil.²

On seeing the sword, Kosa was immediately attracted to its aura, and the feel of it³. Saronil bought some expensive black cloth to wrap the sword up in, so he did not have to wear it, and to keep its aura back. That night, he dreamed of fighting a Holmgang, of glory, bringing death to everyone around him. He was holding an iron sword in his left hand, although he fought with his right.

The group set off for Alda Chur, but only got as far as Dangerford, where they found that the Lunars were building a bridge on the other side. It looked like a very impressive bit of military engineering. Saronil drew the sword⁴, and its spirit, Skaal, emerged, and asked the group to volunteer to fight the army in single combat. Meanwhile, an island coalesced in the ford area, created by the sword enforcing its own reality upon the world. Having made sure to send the word about the army, they stepped onto the island, and challenged the army. Skaal was delighted to have them sitting down and eating and enjoying themselves and accepting his hospitality, and the food from magical cauldrons⁵ was good.

The Lunars sent over boats and tried to take the island by storm, but Skaal proved himself entirely able to dismember a landing force, even cutting down their arrows. After that, volunteers rolled up. The island could enforce waiting for magic to be over or dismissed before the next fight, and thus Saronil went first, fighting a huge warrior, Robustus, and taking him down. Everyone else did put helpful magic on each other, but it was not much needed.

The next man to step up was in iron armour, and he turned out to be rather important. Prince Orontes of Tarsh, nephew of the King, obviously entirely outmatched Androus, and the whole party, but he had come to surrender in the hope of defecting. He just needed to make it look good, and said he would go down at the first blow. Skaal had no ruling on this, and so with some compunctions, Androus fought him; indeed, Orontes surrendered once he had fallen to a head blow, and so the rules of the island were kept, although Orontes was obviously a slimy and unclean thing…

Orontes gave the group some news about what might be going on in the palace of King Moirades, and went to hide on the back of the island and be grateful he was alive.

After that, the Lunars took people who were probably not even volunteers, and made a massive four-armed demon out of them, sending it against the island. Kosa stood up against it. It turned out to breath fire. As she cut off bits of it, ghosts came out and fled, making it marginally less effective. She slew it, and it seemed to die with relief.

A little later, they spotted the Lunar Magicians being arrested on the orders of the general of the army, who was there in person. Fazzur Wideread was Not Pleased, and came out to the island under a flag of truce to apologise, and to have snacks pressed on him by Skaal. His apology include an offer of a two-hour window in which they could leave the island, and a promise that if they did not, he would send one of his bodyguard or a high ranking officer of Yanafil Tarnils every fifteen minutes until they were all dead. He let them talk about it for a while, and retreated to go have food on the shore.

The group decided they had done all they could; they had held up the army for several hours, effectively giving Sartar an extra day, and they were convinced of Fazzur's honour and his intention to destroy them if he got in the way. They decided to accept the offer, and signalled him back to the island to tell him.

Suddenly, as they were in the middle of talking, everyone knew that there was an assassin present, and Fazzur was the target. Kosa got in the way, while others attacked the assassin, and then Fazzur was at least technically in their debt, although he seemed more angry than scared. However, he mastered his emotions quickly and offered Androus 5000 Lunars as ransom for Orontes. Androus agreed to it before he realised what he was doing, and everyone felt that his word was his bond, so a horrified Orontes was handed over.

The group looked at the money for a while, and even considered burying it on the island. They did not want it. Finally Androus decided to lodge it at his Temple to be used when he decided what to do, wishing it to be used for the captive's family or some honourable cause, but not wanting to have any hand in its distribution. Orontes was taken off in chains, and the army marched away towards Alda Chur. The group decided not to walk through a war zone, although Kosa followed Fazzur's army to be sure that Orontes was being treated well.

Other Things

The PCs had been around Dangerford a lot without mention of this island, so the GM decided that the sword would create the island and the conditions in which it could be used. This is a major relic, and it can only be used under certain circumstances, but when it IS used, this sort of thing happens.

"That ritual they did is not a nice situation. If you lose, you die and your ghost gets bound into a demon as a power source. If you win, you turn into a demon." - Saronil
"It was not. It was very not nice." - GM

by Amber Game

Karentha was introduced after Varaema retired.

Plot was made up mostly of people trying to meet up and go to a temple.

IC Play

Notes by Aria's player, and a little of my own writing-up.

Ethlin, senior in [Issarian] temple is talking to Aria
Interesting shipments in Clearwine area. Seems that everyone likes Clearwine right now
Seems hazia (drug) is moving around¹
Might find joy in Whilmskirk
Request has come via him from elsewhere
Pick up a few amphoras for him

(Andros)
Hardeep asks him about Esephorus (Yelmite who approached him)
Says Andr should find out more about it
Torc is connection to Yelm (This was a torc that had the Shield spell on it.)

Flashback:
Andr holding western line in unimportant position with barbarians
Harrek makes his way through barbarians. Attention drawn by Lunar battle wizards
Yelm’s spear hits Harrek. He and his men run through but the Lunar spell casters were singed
(Harrek did a very powerful thing by redirecting the bolt)

Andr told to seek out answers

(Kerentha)
Wet and rainy in Wintertop. Seeing priestess at SHaker temple, Aranga. Earth and disorder tattoos
[Kerentha] addressed as merchant. Says she has news for Yara pertaining to a Lunar
Given gold coins to start a caravan
Heads off to Sartar. Talks to trolls at market
Tries to work out where [Aria] is from trolls, they don’t know
At Boldhome, heads to tent of Argan Argar

Troll approaches Aria asking about Yara

(Andros)
Goes to find Yelmite Esephorus, talks to him for guidance
Needs to look for shield
Given golden necklace

(Kerentha)
Hunting for Aria, Aria convinced to go north to Old Tarsh without friends

(Andros)
Talks to Hardeep

Karentha, a noble of Tarsh was called on by the Shaker Temple, who told her they expected to see Aria arrive there as soon as possible. To disguise the fact that a noble was travelling on such a task, and because she was a worshipper of Argan Argar, they outfitted her as a merchant, and sent her away. Karentha reached Boldhome and told Aria that the Shaker Temple wanted to talk to her, but the rest of the group was not quite ready to go. Still, they began putting the expedition together. Karentha made contact with the Shakers and the Argan Argar temple in Boldhome.

Fargast, in the marketplace (Possibly in Whitewall?), met a Yelmite by the name of Esephenos, who told him to live up to his potential, or words to that effect. He had no idea what that meant.

Other Things

Contextless Quote: "You have loins painted on the floor for the benefit of humans."

Semi-precious stones = Troll Skittles

GM Fiat: a small red car zooms up and dumps the plot out.

"I'm not going anywhere near anything that's coming out of your mouths." - Karentha
*weak sobs of laughter* - GM and Androus

"How urgently?" - Aria
"Consider who is asking." - Karentha, for the Shaker Temple

"I wish to speak with you about a Lunar." - Karentha
"Two Lunars and we can talk." - (What I wished Aria had said)

Kosa criticals intimidate at Karentha. (GM decided to for her, as Kosa was absent RL)
"Oh, don't worry, she does that. It seems to be a hobby of hers." - Aria

by Amber Game

The group was still trying to set up to play a Heroquest in which Kallyr's guilt could be removed. Taflith Eurmali was a prisoner of the Earth Temple, after trying to break in there.

Plot was largely a continuation of the last week, with twists I added for good fun. Mostly GM fun.

IC Play

Kosa woke up in a comfortable bed, and not on an altar, and therefore worked out that the Maran Gor sect had not taken her prisoner.

The Earth Temple asked the group to persuade Taflith to stop making trouble. They went along, Aria already with a look of defeat on her face. Kosa threatened him, but all he did was make suggestive comments and leer at her.

Inkala attempted to divine things that might go wrong with the Hero quest. Results were inconclusive, with the question probably being valid but too wide.

They set up for the quest.

Inkala headed out to be a traveller from a distant land, and the others began the dances.

Kosa was a member of the bodyguard
Aria was the Host
Varaema was a friend, Chalana Arroy
Androus was Elmal (the bouncer)…

Inkala was tapped by the GM to be the secret traitor, playing Yinkin. Meanwhile, as the play began, Eurmal was very well behaved indeed. Yinkin insulted the other guest quite a lot.
Eurmal did not, but did secretly steal (and hide) a crown. Yinkin's behaviour got worse and worse, and Eurmal was still the soul of courtesy.

Eurmal got grabbed and searched when it turned out that the crown they were after was missing. He had a lot of other crowns, but not the one that was stolen. He then pointed out he had been falsely accused of theft, by the group - the heroes - that did it. This was rather awkward. In the end, Yinkin *nearly* found the Eurmali's trail, and Androus checked the privy for the crown. It was in fact out in the snow, having been thrown there. Ah well. At least there had been a betrayal that involved it, meaning that it was no longer binding Kallyr so hard.

The Eurmali ran off back to Boldhome with the crown, which he picked up out of the snow when he left the party, and he crowned Prince Kallyr; the combination of it being a Satrap's crown and it being marked with betrayal was enough to let her slide out from under the weight of honour, and throw out the Lunar influence that had been invited in.

All was good. Kallyr gave gifts.

Other Things

"Invite everyone to share in a sauna? is that a thing? I'm guessing that it would be super rude to accuse a guest of being a thief?" - Inkala

by Amber Game

The PCs were getting back to the Earth Temple. All was safe, all was good!

Plot was mostly to do with the Eurmali who was trying to get a Heroquest happening, but also based on the fallout of Kosa getting massively captured.

IC Play

Aria talked to the High Priestess of Ernalda, Ereneva Chan, about the Hero Quest they were considering. Sensing the chance to have a Prince of Sartar in her debt, Ereneva agreed to put the considerable resources of the Temple behind them.

However, people were still worried about the mysterious group that had been following them, so Inkala and Kosa set out to look into that. Androuranos stayed at the Temple, and Aria went to the market to trade; Varaema followed her, to heal people.

A man by the name of Taflith showed up at the market, saying The Eurmali in Boldhomewas bringing a court case because Aria stole something from him. "But I’m sure it’s a total coincidence and if you give me a few Lunars then I’ll go away."

Aria allowed herself to be blackmailed, and then fled. Varaema remained behind, and Taflith asked where Aria was staying, claiming that he was in love. Varaema fell for this hook, line, and sinker, and threw in a free riverside bothy to fish from.

Androus attempted to borrow some armour to go incognito, but instead horribly offended an axe lady at the Earth Temple.

Kosa and Inkala, meanwhile, tried to sneak up on a camp of people. It did not go brilliantly. Kosa was rendered unconscious by some form of magic and captured. Inkala was able to tell what had happened, but not effect any rescue. Instead, she followed the man who took back a ransom request to the Earth Temple.

Inkala attempted to get everyone to ambush the ransom requester, but everyone else was too honourable. Kosa was ransomed by her temple.

Varaema ended up convinced that Aria wanted to avoid Taflith because she was in love with Saronil, to the amusement of all as she attempted matchmaking.

Androus and Aria went shopping for armour that was not bright gold.

God-Emperor Kallyr Starbrow - the Eurmali from Boldhome - invaded the temple and was captured. He may of may not have been Taflith all along. He agreed to help in the hero quest.

Other Things

Fumble count: 4
Inkala survival - she fell in a river
Inkala swim - she started drowning
Androus talking - he offended an axe lady
Varaema Insight Human - she believed the Eurmali about him being in love with Aria

"Do we need to disguise Kosa?" - Inkala
"Kosa's not worried about disguise." - Kosa
"That would be a yes." - Varaema

"Varaema's following Kosa. Partly to keep her safe and partly in revenge." - Varaema

"Oh no! I said a bad thing!" - Aria
"There are no good things you can say. Just to reassure you." - GM

"When an axe-wielding woman in bronze tells you you're conspicuous, you might want to listen." - Andros

"What if we lure ALL of them into following us? That wouldn't be so good." - Inkala

"The cogs in Aria's brain turn, trying to comprehend the Eurmali point of view." - Aria

"You lot need to deal with the healer yourselves. How did you manage before me?" - Kosa
"'Manage'. A new word for it." - GM

"I was wondering if you were talking to each other." - GM
"Oh, that's a good idea, I'd probably have done that." - Aria

"At least you owe your life debt to your Temple, and not some disgraced rich guy." - Aria

"And those Lunar crucifixions - they're civilised too, right?" - Fargast
"Yeah, I mean the Praxians would just murder you and dump the body in a ditch." - Inkala
"The proper legalities of murder are important." - GM

by Amber Game

The group were holed up with an assassin and needed to find out some things.

Plot continued to be built from the Journey of the Heroes work.

Inkala's Log

Library fines

Androus and Inkala go to the library.
Androus speaks to a grey bearded lady who says “oops, you spilled a whole lot of info to everyone, now everyone wants to kill you, but I can help”.
Inkala speaks to a library fine person (Argonet the Prolector) who says “Androus spilled a whole lot of info to everyone, now everyone wants to kill him, he (and everyone who knows him should stay away from the library) so that no mess happens nearby”.

The assassin nearly got assassinated, her life is saved and she is released into the wild.

Everyone leaves.
(No-one liked my idea of camping out in the library and refusing to leave until they solved our problem)

Back in Whitewall, the party decides to trick the chaos that was invited in, into breaking hospitality by failing to reciprocate in a gift and to travel to Clearwine to do this.
The plan for the gift is to give a great sacrifice to the Hero Sartar in the name of this chaos/lunar thing.

On the way to Clearwine, there are some suspicious warriors on horseback looking for someone. The party sneaks off into the hills and avoids them. Kosa spies on them.
The warriors are suspiciously lacking in identifying marks and are very obviously searching for someone.
The suspicious warriors either headed off to clearwine, or to the sundome temple.

IC Play as the GM remembers it

Kosa got lost in the city while looking for her Temple (unless that was the week before; there was a LOT of Nochet to be lost in).

Several of the group went to the Knowledge Temple to try to find out what they could about Quests and actions that might help Kallyr. The assassin work enough to be questioned, and cast a massively multispelled Disruption on herself. At least one other outside the room was trying to kill either them, or the assassin, with bolts from afar.

The library had a few interesting details and ideas - Kallyr could either break hospitality, or invite the problem in and then get IT to break hospitality, effectively. They decided to get a Lunar, or someone else, and to perform some kind of quest that required hospitality breaking, to that Kallyr could get out from under her curse. With that, they fled North. They were, of course, followed. They got to Clearwine safely, although the party was a bit split, with Kosa not there.

Other Things

"Can you even swim, Varaema?" - Inkala
"I expect so. I've never tried before." - Varaema

"Varaema has concocted an even worse plan than the water pilot one." - Varaema
"It's lacking quite a lot of details, Varaema." - Inkala

"This is such a spectacularly bad idea that she won't agree." - Varaema
"And the GM is grinning." - Varaema
"I'm always grinning. It's just sometimes you can't see it." - GM

"What could go wrong?" - Varaema
"Have you got a day?" - Andros
"Depends how much you talk." - Kosa

"And when we get back, you'll be out, riding other people." - Andros
"Out-riding. OBVIOUSLY." - GM

by Amber Game

The group had found that Kallyr had invited in an item and something had to be done about it.

Plot was largely based on the adventures in Journey of the Heroes - the PCs there had faced the same problem in Nochet, and I was testing it here as a GM.

Summing up by Androranous, which may or may not be accurate:
Kallyr attempted the Short Lightbringers' Quest during Sacred Time. She needed a Lunar-tainted item, which had been provided by Varaema. Unfortunately, and unknown to Varaema, the taint was far vaster than it appeared. Additionally, Lord Eril had involved himself in the ritual, which was not part of it, and appears to have adversely affected it. Consequently, some form of Lunar demon was summoned in the middle of the ritual, causing devastation. Those affected were cursed, and not healable with normal magicks. Kallyr has placed some of the blame on Varaema, who had also been tainted by that item, with a greed curse, for the ritual's failure. Kallyr has told her to make the damage good, or accept exile. We are here to discover how to purge Varaema of that curse. When she is ready - she is presently Healing in the city - we will bring her to this Temple and consult your wisdom.

IC Play

The PCs decided that they had to go to Nochet to find out about Kallyr's curse. It was not a hugely eventful journey, although Varaema did get the chance to talk to Jaldis again, which pleased her. Saronil was not available. Inkala, cousin to Varaema and just as enthusiastic but rather more adventuous, met with the crew. Both of them had to leave their High Llamas behind. In Nochet, they found an inn, and Androranous went off to the Temple of Knowledge to see all of his friends and tell them - in great detail - about what they were doing and their mission. Within half a day, everyone of importance in the city knew, and assassins attacked the group.

They managed to capture an assassin - an archer - after cutting off one of her arms, while they were all separated as Androus was in a semi-impatient sulk over wanting to get information, and Kosa was very protective of Varaema. There were other attempts on them as they holed up in their room trying to question her. Varaema absolutely refused to allow her to be harmed and reassured her against threats.

Other Things

I was ASTOUNDED that Andros told everything to half a dozen of his friends, but on the other hand, that did make planning easier. Varaema protecting the assassin was massively on-brand. I didn't get to penalise apparently honourable people who wanted to commit acts of torture, but I had decided to if they did that. A pass on Honour would mean they had to damage their score just to start, and then damage inflicted would have meant extra losses.

Quotes and Notable Things:

Kosa attempts sign language, with an axe.

"Should we Scan?" - Kosa
"No?" - GM

by Amber Game

Saronil was still apart from everyone else. The rest of the PCs were still investigating the crown given to them by the Eurmali.

Plot was a mix of PC actions and underlying cosmological knowledge. Thanks to Saronil for the write-up notes..

IC Play

Saronil interrogated the prisoner he kept longest, and found out they had probably been hired by the Lunar 'Merchant' Dagryr who had crossed their path before, most notably just outside Boldhome before Sacred Time.

The rest of the group tried to work out their options for ridding Varaema of a taint of Lunarism. There was a Heroquest which involved swimming the length of the Zola Fel, but possibly the best option was visiting Esrolia and the Great Library there to look up more. They went to the local library in Boldhome itself, to try to get the Eurmali Crown identified, and traded knowledge about the Dwarf of Dwarf Mine, and the story of the North Gate; Aria was understandable nervous of telling everyone how she got people into Dunstop. Aria and Varaema got into a bargain-off as they both tried to pay.

The crown was, apparently, designed to be worn on a Heroquest, and would be very useful to Kings. It bestowed Satrapy rights on the wearer, and could enforce a right of existence. Everyone decided to avoid the Stormbull method of cutting out Chaos.

Androus had an interesting encounter with a Yelm person who made a cryptic comment about his shield torc, and about reaching 'his' potential in that context. His temple refused to help him interpret this until he has helped Varaema.

Saronil got lost in the Donalf Flats and lost his left arm to a teleporting sabretooth lion thing. He was not happy about this. However, he reached the dwarf safely, and gave him the package from Eril - it turned out to be a lump of Truestone. The Dwarf said that Eril's debt was paid, and talked a little about Pharandros and Fazzur. One of them would take Aldachur bloodlessly, he reckoned, and the other would go into Sartar through Runegate. They were currently maneuvering around Aldachur.

The rest of the group went to Whitewall on the way to Esrolia. Jaldis told Varaema that the problem really was not hers to solve, that Kallyr ought to be solving it, that everyone in Sartar ouldl be making bad decisions and that Kallyr probably needed to make friends with the lunars she invited in, or break hospitality with them (presumably tricking them into breaching hospitality would also work).

Somehow Varaema thought that she ought to go back and tell High Healer Beneva this…

Other Things

I really do like monsters that are from the bestiary but have one extra weird thing about them. Sabrecats that move through patches of moonlight are not massively over powered, but they can be surprising. If you get lost by fumbling survival, you're likely to meet something hostile.

"The armring was destroyed, by which we mean, turned into a six armed red demon." - GM

by Amber Game

The group were trying to work out what the hell to do.

Plot was created from a mix of PC action and underlying cosmology knowledge.

IC Play

Varaema was visited by Tennebris to organise a meeting with Kallyr Starbrow, in the Temple of the White Ladies. Varaema had the others present as friends, and Aria did some of the talking. Kallyr was in a bad way, only able to move because of the Flight spell. She told the group that they were not exiled, but only because they were linked to her, and needed to solve the problem they had helped to create. She wanted the problem dealt with by the end of Sea Season, however. They discussed various ways they could do this, as it was essentially a Lunar taint on the Heroquest which had effectively invited the Lunars into the kingdom.

"It could be dealt with by dealing with the symptoms.
If you choose to treat it as chaos there is the Praxian cleansing of the river.
You could possibly cut it away - but exile is cleaner
You could chase out the Lunar parts with some form of quest." - GM or possibly a White Lady…

Having agreed to this, the group went off to watch Androuranos fight the Great Troll he had challenged. The terms of the duel, as Yelmalio understood it, would be that he would not need to challenge any further Darkness Creatures while present - it was understood that the duel itself was a holy time-out. The great troll, Vragjak, was waiting along with an Argan Argar minder and her bodyguards. Saronil, knowing trolls to be untrustworthy, kept an eye on them. Aria worked the crowd, making a small profit.

After a couple of exchanges of blows, Androus wounded Vragjak, and the great troll got called off by the merchant priest who had brought him. The group went to research how Lunar effects might be cleaned away. Saronil got sent to Alda Chur by Eril to do the usual message-running up to Gallem there. He was followed by four bandits, and managed to find a ravine he could slither into where they could only come down one at a time.¹ He managed to cripple a couple, force them all to surrender, and take them prisoner. The horses they were on had cancelled owners' marks from the Culbrea tribe. He went cross-country to Herongreen after that, to avoid more attempts on him.

The rest of the group went to the Lightbringers' Temple to look for help, where they were met by a Eurmali who called himself God-Emperor Kallyr. In greeting Varaema he embraced her, and stole all her money, which was noticed by some of the others; Kosa grabbed him and put his leg into a lock hold.

His leg fell off. Kosa's immediate reaction was to hit him with it, although it was a terrible weapon. However, He then disappeared, leaving them with only a leg, and proceeded to complain about assault and theft. After they had argued for a while he agreed to give them some of the money back, which he did, including a circlet that looked a bit like a battered crown.

Other Things

"Staying within the magical confines [of the market] may be a good idea, and indeed you have been doing that religiously…" - GM

"Kallyr is a very good monarch and a very sensible person!" - Varaema's reality distortion field

"I managed not to die, and it looks like you made a small profit." - Androus
"We each did as our gods pleased." - Aria

"We need to find someone we can trust." - Aria
"I can find someone I trust very easily." - Varaema

Someone's leg coming off was the funniest way of introducing a new Eurmali that I could have come up with. Also this session I revealed that blaming Eril for the Sacred Time disaster had happened because the High Priest of Lhankor Mhy in Jonstown had fumbled his Library Use. People laughed. Mostly. Some wept.

by Amber Game

Sea Season 1626.

Saronil was away OOC for a portion of last session, and therefore sent off with a message IC. I think. This was folded into the current session.

Did I get the plot from somewhere? If so, where?

IC Play

Saronil had been sent off to Boldhome with a note from Jaldis.

In Whitewall, Varaema Divined on the question, "How can the trouble that the arm-ring caused to the heroquest be fixed?"¹ She did not get an answer she could understand.

Jaldis took the liberty of making a few enquiries of Chalana Arroy herself:
"Who means harm to Varaema?"
~Orlanthi, in his madness, strikes out.~
"What is the biggest danger to Varaema?"
~That the polluted idol claims her.~
"How can the danger of the polluted idol be removed?"
~Lunar Magic is strongest when they are waxing.~

She interpreted this to mean that Varaema should take her advice, and go back to Boldhome rather than be hunted - Kallyr was not the biggest threat to Varaema, but needed healing.²

Saronil, in Boldhome, went bravely up to the palace to be arrested merely for turning up. Kallyr was in horrific pain, only able to move because she was using the Flight spell, and was accusing Varaema of causing this. Eril and Tennebris moved swiftly to have Saronil arrested, with Kallyr refusing to let Saronil be taken from the palace. Most of this was, of course, lost on Saronil.

The others, travelling back, saw an airborne duel in which one of the participants fell from the sky. They had to scrape him together to prepare the corpse, as they passed by where he had landed. They recognised him as being dressed in the clothing of the Culbrea Tribe. Varaema remained firmly tied to her high llama through all of this. The group approached the border of Sartar, and found there were two sets of people there; one Culbreans in Kallyr's colours, and one under the local Thane, Lord Silor Cracksrock. One of Silor's two sons was incredibly similar in looks to Lord Eril, the High Sword of Boldhome. There were a lot of storm clouds around, and people had obviously been pushing Orlanthi magic around. Rain happened. The Culbreans were unhappy and were trying to make everyone uncomfortable.

While it rained on them, Varaema stood under the llama, with Kosa next to it. Silor explained happily that he was here to make sure that the peace of Sartar's roads was enforced. Eventually the Culbreans stopped making it rain and agreed not to kidnap Varaema, who would be under Silor's protection.³

Saronil, in his cell, had a couple of visitors. First, Eril came to say that Saronil's life was in danger, and by serving Eril's temple, it would be easier to save him. Saronil agreed to this, and Eril left to go do politics. After that, Tennebris came to make sure Saronil could leave the Palace - and Boldhome - by casting Flight on him. Saronil was to take an invitation to Varaema to talk with Tennebris at the Temple of Orlanth.⁴

The group minus Saronil spent the night at Silor's house in Wilmskirk, a large place in a walled compound. Silor's wife was there, and Aria sold her a surprising amount, which Silor wincingly paid.⁵ They planned how to get Varaema into Boldhome safely, not getting too far.⁶

Saronil went to the Sun Dome Temple and sent a message to Whitewall with the words of Tennebris, but did not manage to catch up with the group.

Silor suggested that his Trickster could disguise Varaema to get her into the city.⁷ Meanwhile, other groups could distract guards at the gate. This was agreed on as a plan. Naturally, the trickster then made Varaema invisible and walked her away from Kosa, helping her over the wall with some magical paint. Androuranos, on the other hand, noticed a giant troll at the gate and had to challenge it, while the others were scooped up pretty easily and sent towards the Palace. Androuranous was flown there by a capturing Orlanthi.

Varaema got over the wall, although it set off an alarm, and the trickster then claimed to be her. She found herself able to walk to the Temple of Chalana Arroy with no problems save the trickster's obscene grafitti on her face turning out to be tattooed on. Nobody ended up very arrested at all.

Other Things

Tricksters are awesome. Tricksters who lie to you for your own good are even better.

by Amber Game

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…

by Amber Game

Notes provided by Androus. Thanks, Androus

Plot was created by adding a few seeds - the Broo and the wild dwarf - and letting the adventurers deal with them or not.

IC Play

The party enters the mine. Androus and Aria give their reports. Saronil reports via the medium of interpretive dance.

T'Dwarf sends a scouting party of his own to Snake-Pipe Hollow.

In the rec room, the party has an unfamiliar arrival. Kosa Everlaughing - Babeester Gor. Dark eyes, dark hair. Red hands. Axe. They meet. Kosa is looking for Saronil to tell him that the Earth Temple in Clearwine wants to talk to him.

At the Snake-Pipe Hollow road, the party finds what appear to be remnants of dwarfs. They return with them to the Dwarf, who says there should have been five, but there are the remains of only four.

"That means there's a wild dwarf. They do not do well on their own. I would like it back."
"Dead or alive?"
"Alive, preferably."

In the morning, Androus asks the Dwarf how to deal with his errant colleague. "Normal human methods should work. If those fail, destroy it as defective, and return the parts to me."

Back to the path to Chaos they go. Varaema heads up the path, towards a trollkin at a turn in the path. It's wounded, hence her interest.

Except, when Androus challenges it to first blood, and does a pulled attack, it morphs into a broo and attacks. It managed to miss him and hit itself, and when it is crippled Androus drops it. Three others pop up at the same time Saronil tries to fall into the spike pit trap. After a bit of a punch-up, the party kill the broos without further harm to themselves.

A small troop of Storm Bulls is coming back from Snake-Pipe Hollow. Androus manages to annoy them by telling them the party sorted out the broos for them¹. Once the situation is calmed down, and the two are being kept apart, the rest of the Storm Bulls help the group to burn the bodies. The party returns to the Alda-Chur path, but encounters the errant dwarf, digging. Party members do everything they can to stop it digging, but it's unstoppable. Saronil grapples its waist, Androus its legs and someone binds the legs, freeing Androus to try to knock it out. Unfortunately, he's too successful and the dwarf dies. The party takes its remains back to the Dwarf, receiving 25W ransom for their troubles.

The group returns to Alda-Chur, tarries a short while for worships, then onwards to Clearwine and Boldhome.

Other Things

The trollkin broo who fumbled and struck himself hard enough to be crippled was the most Runequesty thing that ever Runequested. It was perfect.

by Amber Game

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.¹ 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.²Eril’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.

by Amber Game