Session Sartar Arc 13
1628, Dark Season, Disorder Week, Freezeday
Dramatis Personae
PCs
Berra
Finarvi
Maalira
Serala
Varanis
NPCs
Devolin the Dastardly
Beneva
The Healing Dragon
The Iron Lord
Ikadz (Eril!1But don’t tell Varanis)
A pair of Telmori making wild accusations
A significant number of healers
Events2As recorded by Serala’s player
We are heading for Boldholme. Berra is still being a big wuss and maintaining armour is heavy. Poor ickle Berra. She is suffering from the aftereffects of the wraith attack, but declines any healing as that is going to make matters more difficult with what is coming.
She explains what will be coming next, and what everyone needs to do; Varanis-Silor needs to ‘betray’ Berril to the Lunars, AKA Sanra, so she can go and arrest everyone. Devolin-as-Eurmal will likely escape. Finarvi will go and fetch the Humakti Blacksmith, and also hand him some items to hold for Berra..Maalira will go and fetch another White Lady… this could all get messy.
There may be a demon to fight…
Berra hands the iron sword she has been carrying around to Finarvi to take to the Blacksmith, along with a small bag of ‘stuff in the event of my death’. Let’s make sure we don’t need to open it then…
On the way back into the city, Maalira is asked to report to her Temple by the guards on the gate. She stops at the hospital on the way in, and then they bump into Devolin, who tries to pick Berris’s pocket, before she chases him off into the city. The remaining three split up to their required posts.
Back at the Chalana Arroy Temple, Beneva greets Maalira, with words reminding her that it is always good that the White Ladies manage to stay out of politics. And then a white dragon arrives at the door. Errrrrrrrk. It seems pleased to see Maalira, and licks her. Gently. Well, gently for a dragon. Maalira falls over.
Beneva seems very pleased to see the dragon. The dragon seems very pleased to see Maalira. Maalira is told it is an honoured White Lady, and the dragon very *very* gently hugs Maalira. Maalira does happen to mention that she needs another White Lady and the dragon very happily heads off with Maalira, much to Beneva’s discomfiture.
Back with Finarvi and Varanis, they head towards the Humakti Temple together, Varanis waiting to make sure that Finarvi gets in okay. Greeted by an initiate, Finarvi makes his way in while Varanis goes to find Ser-ra.
Finarvi is taken to a dark, silent room with the sword on asking for the Blacksmith. He stirs the fire, and looks Finarvi up and down.. With his eyes closed. Finarvi hands over the sword, which he also studies. Still with his eyes closed. His eyelids are tattooed, it should be noted, one with a Death rune and one with a Truth rune. He confirms it is Time, a statement to which Finarvi agrees. The tattooed and scarified, loincloth clad Blacksmith hands Finarvi two hammerstones and takes his own steel hammer before leaving. Finarvi follows. Which may be a questionable decision, who knows.
Back at the Sun Dome Temple, Serala is watching the drill practice. She also notices an Ernaldan-runed posh chariot. Possibly for someone like Kalis? An initiate comes up to her and informs her that Lord Yarantor will see her now. Serala respectfully declines as she has very important matters to handle right where she is.
Meanwhile, Finarvi and the Blacksmith get stopped by a pair of dark clad figures. Well, Finarvi does, the Blacksmith ignores them and keeps walking. The figures accuse Finarvi of being a grave robber; he replies they must have mistaken him for someone else and dodges past. They follow.
Varanis, meanwhile, IS Silor. Serala is not being particularly Sanra. She is in fact being Commandant Jerrist. The Commandant co-opts four soldiers and when Silor asks if he expects an escort, he agrees that would be useful. The two head on together.
Finarvi arrives at the House where he is greeted by a Duck who promptly tries to pickpocket him and requests that Finarvi buys him a drink. Only to be distracted by the arrival of a white dragon. And Maalira of course, but the dragon does tend to steal attention.
Finarvi and dragons don’t mix all that well and when the dragon licks him, Finarvi is sure he’s going to be eaten and screams and rolls into a ball. The Dragon promptly wraps up around him to make him feel better. Oddly, Finarvi doesn’t feel better.
Serala and Varanis arrive as well. Serala sends her ‘Lunars’ to arrest Devolin, who promptly legs it.
Finarvi’s admirers go to visit Varanis and loom intimidatingly at her. In the Battle of the Intimidates however, Silor/Varanis wins hands down.
Serala/Sanra goes into the building and finds a secret panel. Going upstairs, she finds a figure tied down, with another figure leaning over it. She orders them to stop, and is ignored. She goes to stab the torturer.
A few minutes later, there is a scream. A cat that has been winding its way around Maalira’s ankles heads into the house, with Maalira in hot pursuit. And the dragon also heads in. Maalira reaches the hidden room, meeting the figure leaving on the way. She finds Berra in a sorry state, and Serala dead. Apparently trying to stab the dark figure was not a good plan. Maalira decides to start by helping the living person rather than the dead one, but her attempt at first aid actually makes things worse.3A timely fumble on First Aid
Varanis meets Eril on the way out and demands he stop, which he doesn’t react well to. He informs her that he doesn’t feel the need to listen to people telling him what to do and leaves. Varanis follows him, trying to persuade him to stay and talk to Berra. In the end, she convinces him.4Which is probably part of why he resents her so much later.
Back at the house, Berra wakes up, Maalira helps her free and she charges off down the stairs. She catches up with Eril and Varanis and challenges Varanis to a duel. Varanis trusts that Berra knows what she is doing and heads after the fleeing Finarvi. Oh yes, Finarvi saw the dragon in the house and ran away.
The dragon helps Maalira by taking Serala’s body out of the house and carrying her towards the Chalana Arroy Temple.
Finarvi manages to come back to his senses and he and Varanis head back to the house, where they find the Blacksmith doing Shamanlike things with the spirit-Eril. Presumably all is working as intended, as the spirit figure vanishes.
Varanis goes into the house, finds the torture chamber, comes downstairs, is frantic. She and Finarvi demand from the bruisers to know where Serala is. Apparently ‘the corpse’ went ‘in pointed direction’. Varanis punches him in the face. She asks the other bruiser where people went. Gets the same answer. Punches him in the face as well. Well, the arm, good enough.
Well, it was good enough until the bruiser turns into a wolf…
The ensuing fight is rather tilted in favour of the wolf, although Varanis puts up a spirited defence, and tries to call on his loyalty to Sartar. It rather ends in a draw as the wolf leaves. Leaving his friend behind on the floor.
Varanis and Finarvi catch up with the Serala-carrying dragon. Maalira agrees that Serala is not good. Varanis feels that ‘dead’ is somewhat less optimal than ‘not good’.
Varanis then proceeds to berate the White Ladies for MOAR HEALERS until they gently put her to sleep. When she wakes up, she is told Serala is with the White Lady. An initiate is sent to the Humakti Temple to check on/care for Berra.
Meanwhile Maalira completes the ritual to bring Serala back. Yay.
Varanis gets a message from the Humakti saying ‘The Wyter Priest Berra lives’. Nothing else. It has Eril’s seal on it.
Back at the house, we are greeted by Yehna, Berra’s sister. We can reassure her that Berra is at the Temple and okay.
Everyone sits down with wine and hugs and exchanges notes. There is much discussion about the Telmori and the accusations of grave robbing. Varanis takes it on herself to deal with that in due course.
And then a letter arrives from Tennebris. It says there will be a hearing in front of Kallyr regarding the accusation of grave robbery. Which means Varanis doesn’t need to go and speak to the Telmori. But she does need to attend said hearing…
Session Quotes
“One day I may be competenat.” – Serala
“Or something with a similar slepping.” – Serala
“I’m glad I chose to do arcs and not just grab people for some plot I was making up.” – Berra
“I like arcs. Arcs are cool” – Serala
“And I’ve drunk enough cider to say ‘I’ll run the next one, shall I?'” – Serala
glares at cider – Serala
“White Lady to the Naughty Step… check.” – Serala
“Vingan to the Naughty Step too – but only because she likes it there.” – Serala
“Special Fear of OUCH, critical on Loyalty Eril…” – Berra
“This will be far more amusing if no one knows what’s going on.” – GM
Maalira mutters something under her breath and the GM giggles.
“Jesus Christ…” – GM, looking at own notes
“Wtf did a dragon come from???” – Varanis
“That is an excellent question…” – Serala
In the background. on someone else’s microphone, Rajar yells, “What could possibly go wrong?”
“Can we all be honorary Humakti at the end of this? 😄” – Serala
“I have been wondering about Maalira, there…” – Berra
“The Humakti White Lady. What a beautiful dichotomy.” – Serala
“I’m not really qualified to handle it,” – Finarvi, sounding remarkably Welsh.
“I assume you are going inside, but tell me if you brick it.” GM to Finarvi.
“sCan, not SAN.” – GM
“Varanis knows Kalis.” – Varanis
“When Kalis squeezes something between her thighs, it moves.” – GM. Talking of horses. Wash your mind.
“WAS THAT A FUMBLE, VARANIS?” – GM
“His name is Jerrist. Commandant Jerrist, to friends.” – GM
“Good thing I keep my money pouch much higher than that. Can’t steal those jewels.” – Finarvi
“I know better than to take my eyes off Devolin.” – Finarvi, well after being pick-pocketed by Devolin.
“So I have an ADHDragon.” – Maalira
Finarvi makes some comment about a “my newt” dragon. GM swears.
“How’s Finarvi holding up?” – Varanis
“I’m assuming silent sobbing in his white stone grave.” – GM
Mentally, Varanis corrects the GM. “Sarcophagus.”
“He turns to you, and gestures, and that’s it. You’re dead.” – GM, after a couple of rolls
“Serala!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” – Varanis
“But what a way to go!” – GM
“We have a Maalira, I have faith!” – Serala
“I don’t like this game anymore.” – Varanis
“At least she didn’t lose her head this time.” – Finarvi
“If I don’t get more Damn Fine Scars from this, I will be cross.” – Serala
“Also some panic” – Varanis
“Last time I choose a dragon as a companion…” – Maalira
“Oh god, the plan, the plan!” – Finarvi
“I’ve got to trust Berra.” – Varanis. (It might not sound like a quote, but after all that’s happened while we’ve been busy trusting Berra…)
“Can we have Benny Hill music?” – Serala
“Pass Air earlier” – Varanis
“Pass fist now” – Varanis
“I didn’t know we did fisting rolls….” waits for Varanis-blush – Serala
“You’re dead, have some dignity! Work on your rigor mortis.” – Varanis? GM?
“He failed to hit you anyhow, I was just hoping for a fumble.” GM, having let Varanis roll to dodge.
“Bruiser, what big teeth you have….” – Serala
“I wanna be there to help!!” – Serala
“GAAAAAAAH! :-p” – Serala
“Serala is looking less than not good.” – GM” – Varanis
“The dragon’s carrying Serala to the hospital. She’s… not good.” – Maalira
“She looks FUCKING DEAD!” – Varanis
“THAT’S ONE WAY OF PUTTING IT!” – Maalira
“She’s dragon the entire hospital into it” – Maalira
“I think I’d prefer to be known as life challenged, not the corpse,” – Serala.
“The ex-human resources…” – Finarvi.
“We’ll take her to returns.” – Beneva
“Are you saying you think Serala would go to hell?” – Serala
“We all do, in Glorantha.” – Varanis
“That feels harsh.” – Serala
“It’s just the Underworld. Our various afterlives are there.” – Varanis
“That’s perhaps acceptable. I may take it up with the Gods later.” – Serala
“Varanis does not wait well. She is likely climbing the walls.” – Varanis
“She’ll pester the healer. “Where is Finarvi?” – Varanis
“Let me out of this room. I need to find my people.” – Varanis
“How long will this take, anyway? Shouldn’t we have news by now?” – Varanis
“Ok, but how about now?” – Varanis
“Has there been word from Berra?” – Varanis
“I’m not sure how good Serala is at comforting people… pat her like a horse. Get a curry comb out…” – Serala
“I would like to state for the record right now that it’s not just Varanis that gets curry combed, it’s all of you. She loves you all and wants you to know that.” – Serala
“We switched Serala off and turned her back on again.” – Finarvi
“Is he going to apologise to me for killing me?” – Serala
“… Run that one past me again?” – GM
“So that happened because Finarvi asked, ‘who would the torturer be? Could it be Eril’?” – GM
facepalm – Finarvi
GM’s note to Serala:
OK, you have run into Lord Eril, who has Sever Spirit.
I’m pretty sure they can bring you back to life.
“Naturally, Devolin will turn up for a drink at the house.” – GM
“And be allowed in. But he’ll be searched before he can leave again.” – Varanis
“THIS IS SLANDER!” – GM
“*THITH ITH THHHHLANDER!” – Other GM
“Varanis has been drinking heavily and also running around checking for Devolin’s hiding places. Eventually, she gives up and suggests that her bed is big enough for all of them to fall into.” – Varanis
“And if they are mostly together, maybe there will be fewer nightmares.” – Varanis
“I am now picturing a drunken Finarvi sleeping cuddling Devolin like a feathery teddy bear.” – Finarvi
“Varanis attempts to hold onto everyone at once, ending up with her in the middle of the bed and her limbs contorted to put her in contact with all three of her companions.” – Varanis
“Devolin snores. Who invited him anyhow? Why is there a duck nesting at the foot of the bed?” – GM
“So sad. Humakti don’t get cuddles.” – Finarvi
“Their team-building days are weird. ” – Berra
“I can imagine.” – Finarvi
“At least Eril can curl around his awesomeness, purring like a particularly smug cat.” – Finarvi
“You think Serala is sleeping near Devolin? You think she’d even let him in the house without standing over him with a dagger in her hand at all times..?” – Serala
“Can she pluck some of his tail feathers? Seems only fair, a little exchange for all the times he’s robbed her friends.” – Serala
“Serala is chasing tail?” – Other GM
“She certainly can. There is shouting. He appeals to Orlanth to do something about this golden bully.” – GM
“Maalira threatens to heal both of their mouths shut if they don’t stop shouting. She cannot in fact do this.” – Maalira
“That is inszsenszitive! Do I call your mouth a beakk?” – Devolin
- 1But don’t tell Varanis
- 2As recorded by Serala’s player
- 3A timely fumble on First Aid
- 4Which is probably part of why he resents her so much later.