Session Sartar Arc 07

1628, Earth Season, Stasis Week, Freezeday to Wildday

Dramatis Personae

Events

Berra was getting bored waiting at the temple. Waiting has never been a strength for her..

Varanis noticed five people coming down the Marsh road. They looked a bit ragged, in pain. In the wars. Berra warned everyone that the approaching warriors were Humakti – tough. Finarvi cast Farsee to confirm they were warriors not zombies. Maalira immediately set about helping them, so they were distracted when Berra tried to explain that she had come out of  Hell with a new power. 

The most senior looking, a Sword called Kaniath and who bore iron, questioned Varanis for sense. The Vingan explained the HeroQuest at Grizzly Peak. She introduced herself as Vareena who serves Kallyr, and then introduced everyone else. The leader recognized the name of Serala and demanded to know why Colymar were on Lismelder lands. They explained that they’d been spat out from a Heroquest and stayed put rather than wander around Lismelder lands without permission. 

Kaniath sent someone to take the party to Six Stones Village. Varanis promised not to cause trouble on the way. Berra said she wouldn’t cause trouble but if trouble happened, she would happen to it. 

Their guide, a warrior called Rastoris, walked them along the road, which led through the marsh, along a dry finger of land, and through to the other side. Rastoris was polite but distrustful. Berra kept asking too many questions and finally Finarvi suggested she pipe down.

Rastoris kept having to stop to cut away vines that were growing over the otherwise well maintained road.¹Weird. He stopped outside Six Stones village and gestured them all in. Berra looked to Varanis to speak to gate guards. The Vingan asked to speak to the chief, to request passage. The first guard refused, rather bluntly.²The Chief’s son was being an idiot.  The other guard, Ecalor, greeted them and invited them inside. Chief Ranst was in the middle of a meal. He invited them to eat and Varanis explained the events of Grizzly Peak HeroQuest and her hope to head to Jonstown.

Serala argued briefly with Grandfather Centaur and asked to buy a horse. Her ancestor was calling her away for something that required a real rider, apparently. She left Finarvi in charge of anything riding-related.

Varanis asked for horses and gear, as theirs were somewhere back by Grizzly Peak. Chief Ranst’s hospitality was gracious, and Varanis told him of the events of the battle, leaving out Berra’s punching of Koraki and the Harrek link.

The party overheard bits of talk during their brief stay at Six Stones. Many were saying that Kallyr would go to war with the Colymar who were cowards and no-one would protect the Colymar from the angry friends of Kallyr. Varanis thanked their host, who suggested that one of us who wasn’t exiled should report to Queen Leika. The party were sent on their way with horses and Rastoris as escort to the King’s Road, where he made sure that they left Lismelder territory. 

Along the way, they heard more rumours. Leika backed the wrong horse. Koraki and Kallyr get along well.  It is decided that Finarvi should seek out Torograi the bard and let fall the info that the Colymar are being judged harshly.³Serala is going to need to report to the queen eventually. Hopefully, he can also get sagas about the backboy Derenyr from him. Berra gave him a detailed description of Torograi and added that he was aware of the armour quest but may not know about the backboy.

Finarvi headed into Clearwine alone. He walked in without paying tolls, as he had no goods – they were all with Stone! He found the bard at an inn and Torograi sang of a man who fled battle and went east to his own homeland with a treasure.⁴Kheldon tribe Derenyr served another person of the same name⁵doesn’t say name after her death, he helped the loyal thane Dangmar bury her body. The bard then sang a third song, about the last days of Dangmar and where he settled down. At the end, he says that Dangmar is not dead yet.⁶but hurry He’s writing. In return, Finarvi sang the story of Berra and the bear. He tipped Torograi with a jewelled brooch. He let Torograi know of the rumours against the Colymar.

Meanwhile, the others carried on to Wilmskirk. Varanis and Berra and Maliira stayed with Venlar’s family. Varanis gave tidings of the battle then let Silor know things were a mess politically. 

Finarvi travelled to Wilmskirk the next day and was guided to where his companions were. Reunited, but for Serala, they carried on to Boldhome. Varanis tempted Finarvi inside the walls with the promise of Ulerian baths. 

They stopped by the house, where Finarvi got to meet Lenta…⁷Finarvi learns she and Varanis came from Nochet with an army of Esrolian irregulars and helped liberate Alda Chur for Koraki

Flashback to Stasis week: Water day. Lenta.

High Priestess Kalis asked for Lenta to call on her. Kalis says she had a headache called Varanis and sent Lenta to find out whether there was any truth to the rumour that Varanis would challenge Leika. She is asked to be in their company, protect her companions, earn their trust, and listen.

Lenta returned to the house, packed in case of an unexpected journey, and waited.

/End flashback

Eventually, Varanis and Finarvi turned up. She met them outside the house on the way back from the baths. She gave Finarvi a tour. Finarvi picked up that Lenta was fixated on Varanis but Varanis was very awkward about the whole thing. She tried to talk Finarvi into staying in her bed tonight so Lenta won’t.⁸For the record, this is Finarvi’s misunderstanding of things. Lenta has never put herself in Varanis’ bed and the Vingan would have no reason to expect her to. However, having Finarvi in the room would mean that there was no doubt for anyone about it. Finarvi was confused but helped Varanis carry Berra’s pallet into the Vingan’s over-sized room. 

Finarvi explored the kitchen so Lenta could have a frank talk with Varanis. Lenta reports that Kalis sent her to ‘catch’ Varanis and so she needed to come with her. Varanis was okay with Lenta joining the group, but was frustrated and angry with Kalis.

The cook packed food for the road and the next day they headed off. They met Berra a few minutes outside the city of Boldhome, as she had chosen to sleep rough instead of returning to the house where she might be noticed by the powers that be. Lenta quietly observed that none of these horses were Varanis or Berra’s usual mounts. 

Riding down the path Berra and Varanis spotted dust in the distance. Berra tried to stand up on her horse and fell off. She then went to climb a tree to get a better look. Varanis decided to race her, not managing horse-riding very well, but nailing the flying dismount. Berra won, after swinging Varanis round the tree and getting her hands on it first.

Meanwhile, Finarvi cast Farsee. It was the vanguard of the returning army. Kallyr and the great and good of her court were at the head. The party wisely chose to get off the road. 

Kallyr gave Varanis a polite nod and wave. Eril stopped and spoke to Berra, which seemed to give Berra a lot to think about. Varanis managed a brief word with the High Sword.⁹Varanis: “You know, High Sword, I like you.  Sometimes you’re an absolute arse, but I like you.”

Eril: “I will let you know when your opinion of me matters to me.”

Once the army was clear, the party made plans. Dangmar was retired in the arse end of nowhere, but on Colymar lands. Varanis asked Finarvi and Lenta to go find Thane Dangmar, while Varanis and Berra stayed on the Kings Road and headed to Jonstown. 

Finarvi and Lenta headed North in case Leika’s allies wanted to mug them. It took the two of them two days to find the place he retired. It was old-fashioned steading, but everything was well looked-after. Workers were bringing in the wheat. The house looked well kept too, if fading. Thane Dangmar was a venerable old man. Very courteous and traditional. He invited them indoors and when Finarvi brought out the vambrace he began to weep. He told them that the cuirass was split in two as she died. He sent Derenyr to steal armour from body and he put it into a cave. 

Berra was interred at Salanarg’s Cairn and might be contactable there. The armour was hidden in a cave near the Saddle in Boldhome.¹⁰Cave hidden under stones, armour hidden in cave. Saddle, down to bridge, 100 ft up ledge covered in scree, behind ledge, there is a cave. Much rock pushed into place. Helmet repaired and cuirass stashed there. If it is not there, we would have to speak to the ghost of Berra the younger. The Boldhome saddle. He charged them to go to Salanarg’s Cairn and tell his lord that he can not come again.

**Redsmith asked by descendent of armour bearer to find the bronze and reconstruct something. He has bit of helmet and the left vambrace from Varanis.**

Meanwhile,  Varanis and Berra arrived in Jonstown and hired a scribe to look for information on the two Vingans named Berra Colymar from the era of Grizzly Peak – the one who died in the battle and one who died in Boldhome. She received a parchment back that included a genealogy.¹¹Grizzly Peak Berra descended from Saronil Goodstone (son of Sartar) known issue – Varanis’s mother. Berra of Boldhome daughter of (Kostajor wolfchampion king of Telmori) foster of Salanarg.

Berra pointed out that the Boldhome Berra must have been Telmori. The Humakti was bursting to tell Varanis something but couldn’t, so she invited her climbing instead.

• 1
  Weird.
• 2
  The Chief’s son was being an idiot.
• 3
  Serala is going to need to report to the queen eventually.
• 4
  Kheldon tribe
• 5
  doesn’t say name
• 6
  but hurry
• 7
  Finarvi learns she and Varanis came from Nochet with an army of Esrolian irregulars and helped liberate Alda Chur for Koraki
• 8
  For the record, this is Finarvi’s misunderstanding of things. Lenta has never put herself in Varanis’ bed and the Vingan would have no reason to expect her to. However, having Finarvi in the room would mean that there was no doubt for anyone about it.
• 9
  Varanis: “You know, High Sword, I like you.  Sometimes you’re an absolute arse, but I like you.”
  
  Eril: “I will let you know when your opinion of me matters to me.”
• 10
  Cave hidden under stones, armour hidden in cave. Saddle, down to bridge, 100 ft up ledge covered in scree, behind ledge, there is a cave. Much rock pushed into place. Helmet repaired and cuirass stashed there. If it is not there, we would have to speak to the ghost of Berra the younger. The Boldhome saddle.
• 11
  Grizzly Peak Berra descended from Saronil Goodstone (son of Sartar) known issue – Varanis’s mother. Berra of Boldhome daughter of (Kostajor wolfchampion king of Telmori) foster of Salanarg.