Dramatis Personae

PC

Berra Daughter of Jarang
Nala of the Unicorn Ladies
Tiwr (played en-troupe)
Rajar son of Ranulph
Serala
Vestra
Mellia
Dormal

NPC

Irillo Jasilsson- Initiate of Issaries Goldentongue, and Merchant Adventurer
Salid the Sniveller (Sid)- Trollkin Guardstrollkin
Koraki- Wind Lord of Orlanth
A selection of Lunar Soldiers
Likewise a selection of Lunar Horses
Separately, a selection of Grazelander Horses, and their loyal riders
A Lune

The approach to the cloudline was much as before, although there was considerably more whine involved once the sub-tropical Dormal was present in the non-tropical scene. Once they entered the cloud, Serala found herself walking, somewhat confusedly, away from her dead horse.

She saw the Steppe scattered with dead bodies- both people and horses. It’s hard to be sure which upset her more. She saw banners of her Clan burning, and recognised her father’s best horse lying dead. Beyond it, dying was her Father, who blamed the Storm Tribe, before expiring in best Italian Opera fashion (albeit a bit faster).

Naturally enraged, Serala looked around, and saw Orlanth, with Ernalda, her father’s ex-wife cuddling up to him, and Orlanth’s brother Humakt, and a few other followers. She understandably tried to shoot Orlanth.

Back in normal reality, an arrow hit Koraki, and he yelled ‘Archer!’, whilst everyone tried to find the shooter in the cloud. Back in her own personal Grazelands, Serala kept shooting him, even though the drops of blood from this inter-divine struggle released the forces of Chaos on the world.

Meanwhile, Berra tried to push back to find the shooter, hampered by the ropes that tied the group together, and Dormal freed himself from his rope, and tried to climb up and around using the cliff wall as a road, about as successfully as might be expected.

Eventually, Koraki/Orlanth persuaded Serala/Yelmalio to stop shooting, and fight Chaos, just before Berra/Humakt arrived, dagger out to ask her to please stop. And Serala rejoined the world.

Meanwhile, Dormal found himself clambering up a beautifully dressed stone palace wall, rather than the cliff he had been on. Just as he crested the top, someone kicked him in the head, and he was stuck with the situation of trying to go up or down. The ‘Someone’ seemed to be the God of the North Wind, Humakt. After a struggle, Dormal managed to get free, and started climbing down, only to find himself wind-blasted off the wall, and carried back up. After Humakt grabbed his sword (from his pocket), Dormal found himself subject once more to gravity, and plummeting downwards.

Fortunately he managed to cling, limpetlike to the rockface, and spying Humakt beneath with Dormal’s broadsword, heaved a brick at him! (Meanwhile, Berra got a massive helm dent!)
Then he clambered down, and found himself facing Chaos, with only a near-frenzy Urox between them. Urox was trying to break free from Ernalda and Erithea, before being stunned by Argan Argar, who called on Dormal to face chaos. Dormal cited his lack of a sword for his inability to help, and Argan Argar traded him one back in return for a favour. And at this point, Dormal returned to the world.

The rest of the interlude happened much as previously described, although Dormal’s response to the Ur-Serala in the cave vision resulted in him repeatedly sticking his head out to check if real-Serala was still standing guard.

And so, with much whining about the cold, they returned to the Shaker Temple.

Our heroes left the Shaker Temple, and planned to pick up the river that led out west onto the Grazelands, and then turn north, largely as they had gone on the way. This plan almost survived contact with Rajar who had a navigational malfunction with Berra abetting. Nonetheless they managed to find the Grazelands (hundreds of miles wide. Flat. How hard can it be?).

As they considered stopping, they spied smoke on the horizon, and decided to press on to check it out. Arriving they found a set of burning yurts of Serala’s Tribe, but not clan. The arrows in the bodies were Grazelander, but their position was very precise, and one javelin left behind showed Lunar manufacture. Dormal checked the burned out Yurts, but declared they had already been looted. Deciding the attack was a plot to set Grazelander against Grazelander by the Lunars, the warriors set out in pursuit, leaving Dormal with Sid and Irillo to protect the caravan. Mellia, despite being a non-combatant reluctantly rode on Billy behind Rajar to provide healing support.

After some time riding by catseye and luck, they found a Wadi which let them cut a corner, find where the Lunar force was resting up, and approach it under cover. They were able to achieve complete tactical surprise, although one guard managed to shout before dying under a hail of arrows. Sadly, only one of the sleepers woke, and the second guard started summoning a Lune. The team rushed in, with Serala being routed in a catatonic heap on her panicked horse by the Lune, and Koraki killing the magician, whilst Nala, Tiwr, Billy, Rajar and (eventually) Berra made mincemeat of the sleepers as they tried to get up.

Dormal and Irillo were interrogated by some passing Grazelanders who had found out about the deaths, but were found if not innocent, then at least innocent of this. Nala discorporated to find a shaman to bring Grazelanders to the place. This she did (although she found his Wyvern fetch a bit of a surprising moment), and we leave our heroes on the steppes, as two groups of Serala’s Tribe close in on them.

“Brb, venting high pressure steam at my freezer.” – Dormal

“So, I’m going to whizz you through-” – GM
“A blender.” – Serala

“I mean not just the steam cleaner, a hammer and wooden chisel will also be deployed.” – Dormal

“The good part about cutting your tongue is your blood disguises the taste of the marmite.” – Dormal

“Marmite’s not soluble in organic fluids.” – Dormal
“Is that a rule for humans?” – Berra
“It’s a rule for Marmite.” – Dormal

“It’s hell up here. I’ll be whining and grumbling constantly.” – Dormal
“I’m not sure we can really tell the difference.” – Serala

“Sorry, did you say ‘one six out of two five?'” – GM
“No, six nine out of two five.” – Dormal

*looks innocent* – Berra
*unrelated facepalm* – GM

“Dormal one. But not Dormal won.” – Berra

“You wouldn’t want to suffer discomfort to go to the wrong place, would you?” – GM
“I mean, that statement is half correct…” – Dormal

“Would you both like to fail survival rolls again?” – GM

“After a few hours of trudging, you enter the cloud line…” – GM
“What fresh hell is this?” – Dormal

“Well, it’s like when the mist rises off the warm, limpid lagoons of Esrolia, but without the warm, limpid, lagoons, or Esrolia.” – GM
“Clearly a magical attack. We should turn back.” – Dormal

“Somewhere close to Irillo, because I do not trust the psycho not to try and kill him.” – Dormal
“Which psycho is this?” – Serala
“Take a wild stab in the dark.” – Dormal

“You’re walking, and walking, and walking away from your dead horse…” – GM
“What? I left my horse behind.” – Serala
“Lucky you did, because it’s dead, filled with arrows…” – GM

Piles of dead horse, dead people all around.
“Anyone I know?” – Serala
“Are you going over?” – GM
“It would seem to be the decent thing to do.” – Serala

“It’s the storm tribe.”- Serala’s Father
“Just for clarity, that’s my dead father?” – Serala
“Well, he’s in the process of dying.” – GM
“Orlanth has sent me arghhhh.” – Serala’s father

“We didn’t start the fire / But the yurts are burning.” – Dormal

“I really rather have to fight.” – Serala
“Who would you like to shoot?” – GM

“There is Orlanth over there. There is his brother. There is your father’s ex wife, who is cuddling up to Orlanth…”

“The rest of you will hear a twang, and ow, and an ‘ARCHER’ yell from Koraki.” – GM

“FINISH HIM.” – Dormal

“Where Orlanth’s blood lands, it sprouts into flames, and shapes…” – GM

“I’m sticking with Orlanth. You know the basic rules of warfare. Cut off the leader’s head.” – Serala

“Could be worse. Unicorns can superglue arms back on.” – Serala AFTER HITTING KORAKI WITH A SPECIAL

“He’s still up, which is impressive.” – GM
“Yes, that’s his first mistake.” – Serala

“Whilst you have been concentrating on shooting Orlanth, the dark shapes have been forming into something more. There’s Broo, there’s Walktapus, there’s Dragon Snails… And there’s at least half a dozen scorpion men again.” – GM

“RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWRRRRRR (oh wait private hallucination)” – Rajar

“You could finish Orlanth. You’re sure you could. Or there’s these Chaos creatures.”

“I think that Orlanth is leading the attack against Serala’s people.” – Serala

“What happens on the mountain stays on the mountain.” – Dormal
“Good!” – Serala
“For one thing, we can’t carry a body down.” – Dormal

“Orlanth says to you, Serala-” – GM
“WTF, BIATCH?” – Serala

“I will go and get your father back. If you will at least stop bloody shooting me.” – Orlanth

“Tom, do you really think that’s an innocent look?” – Serala

“Take the gloves off. Instantly grippy!” – Berra
“I HELPED!” – Berra
“It’s hard to fall off if your hands are superglued to the ice.” – Serala
“YOU’D THINK SO!” – Dormal

“Sorry, I was just cleaning my bow and it went off.” – GM
“Three times.” – Most of the group

Dormal: climbing into the Palace of the Air Gods.
Fails climb roll.
Just hauling himself slowly and easily up onto the roof when someone kicks him in the head…
#TeamDefender

“Or you could let go…” – GM to Dormal being kicked in the head. On top of an Air Palace.

“His kick hits the parapet. Then he is reaching down to try to get you.” – GM
“Who is?” – Dormal
“Oh… didn’t I mention that?” – GM
“#TeamHumakt” – Berra

Successful grapple vs successful dodge… And the same again…. and then a climb roll.
“WOOO, actually made that one!” – Dormal

“It’s that guy. One of the suns of Umath. Called Hugh, or something.” – GM
“He’s the worst one.” – Dormal

“He’s the North Wind.” – GM

“You’re most of the way down, you’re climbing, you’re the cleverest… And then there’s a blast of the cold wind and you’re not on the wall any more.” – GM

“You’re in the air. You’re flying.” – GM
“Oh, this seems bad.” – Dormal

“You’re going up now.” – GM
“I don’t suppose I can steer this thing.” – Dormal

“And I can’t dodge because I’m being blown by the wind?” – Dormal
“Indeed.” – GM
“Stabbity!” – Dormal

Resistance roll. “Would you like to roll under 10?” – GM
“I would like to…” – Dormal

“As it happens, he lets go.” – GM
“I’m falling now, aren’t I?” – Dormal
“Yes.” – GM

“Try to make contact to slow myself down.” – Dormal
“Better of Jump or Climb, I think…” – GM
“Made.” – Dormal

“You’re clinging to the edge of the palace. He’s holding onto your broadsword… Then you see him below…” – GM
“How did he get down there? Oh, Wind Lord.”- Dormal

“I don’t suppose there’s a loose brick here, is there?” – Dormal
“Yes, there is…” – GM

“Dormal… shield out of nowhere – but you clocked him but goooood.” – GM

“Things are slightly complicated, as – as you come down at the back of the group – you were climbing down a perfectly reasonable city wall, somewhere civilised… You’ve come down in a barren landscape. There’s a thing over there that is chewing up the landscape, dripping blood…” – GM
“Well, I don’t remember taking any drugs.” – Dormal

“Oh, the thing is not the complication.” – GM
“The complication is there is this massive man with the head of a bull, who is having his arms held back behind him by two pleading women, and he’s starting to wave a big axe around.” – GM
“Is he waving the axe at me?” – Dormal
“Oh, he’s failing it around to get free of these two women.” – GM

“No, Urox. He’s not worth it.” – Wives of Urox.

“Oh, no. He’s really struggling to get free.” – GM
“Weird.” – Dormal
“There’s a strong family resemblance between the two women, which is odd because one of them has the head of a bison.” – GM
“Riiiight.” – Dormal
“And the other is green.” – GM
“I’m going to have a long talk with my subconscious after this.” – Dormal

“They’re apparently on the road between you and your target.” – GM
“So I need to persuade them to let go of him.” – Dormal
“Or you could step off the path and around them.” – GM
“A big guy making a ruckus is a good distraction.” – Dormal

“This seems like one of those private fights.” – Dormal
^^^ Argan Argor just dropped Urox

“What’s the troll doing?” – Dormal
“He’s looking at you.” – GM
“Trying to look non-threatening….” – Dormal

“Hello, do you speak Esrolian?” – Dormal
“Esrola is my wife.” – Troll, very cultured

“One of the husbands of Esrola was the Troll God, Argan Argor.” – GM
“How does he feel about the North Wind?” – Dormal

“Chaos is your foe too, Trickster.” – Argan Argor
“Well yes, but I can’t really fight it if my sword’s been stolen.” – Dormal
Argan Argor – hands over a rapier.
“Oh, well, thank you. Down with Chaos. After you!” – Dormal
“Uh, there will be a trade.” – Argan Argor

“A favour.” – Argan Argor
“Fair enough.” – Dormal
“He nods, and you’re back in the mist.” – GM

“You know what, he’s a troll. Those are his fashion choices, I’m not going to argue.” – Dormal

Dormal ends up with exactly the same rapier as he started with.
“I knew this mountain was a bad idea.” – Dormal
“You do appear to be missing a dagger.” – GM
“Damnit!” – Dormal

“Berra has a huge dent in her helmet.” – GM
“I wish I’d been there to see that happen.” – Dormal

“Rajar has three bruises on his forehead in the harmony rune.” – GM
“That seems thematically bad.” – Dormal

“Do I have any marks on my hand where I was grabbed?” – Dormal
“No.” – GM
“Nobody can prove a thing!” – Serala

“Wow, so many quotes since I left!” – Berra

“Lick it!” – Serala
“That was a joke!” – Serala

“I was oblivious.” – Serala
“That means cold, right?” – Berra

“She knows about horse breeding and lineage. If she was going to have a child, she’d want to have checked out the stallion’s line!” – Serala
GM: “So, I’ve checked and your breeding standards aren’t up to my requirements” -Serala
GM: “….?!?!” – Red Emperor

“Handfastings are good. You get to have people join in your clan and then you find out if you like them and then you can always decide to stay married.” – Berra
“And if you don’t like them its not long to wait till you can kill them.” – Rajar

“What was that Rune Spell called again?” – GM
“THERE IS NO RUNE SPELL”
“NOTHING”
“NEVER”
“IT DID NOT HAPPEN”
“(Eroto-comatose lucidity.)” – Berra
“Ahah. Thanks. Id have had to look it up otherwise, Berra.” – GM

“Right. I’ll just play the game where I pretend I read the two hundred messages that arrived whilst I slept.” – Nala

“GM is probably putting Child to bed.” – parent
“But he won’t do mine at the same time, the selfish bugger.” – same parent

“I’m still on mic.” – Rajar
“Poor Mike.” – GM

“Berra likes the middle watch.” – Berra
“It’s quiet. Like the tomb.” – Berra

“Are you sharing this information?” – GM
“Loudly, vociferously, and repeatedly.” – Serala

“We’re not exactly forest specialised in this group, are we?” – GM
“We have specialised forest-clearing equipment!” – Dormal

“I’m already going your way.” – Berra
“I’m going THAT WAY.” – Rajar
“NOW.” – Rajar
“FAST.” – Rajar

“Ryleh?” – GM
“Ya r’lyeh.” – Dormal

“I have also fumbled, but I think following Rajar is a splendid idea!” – Berra

“Oh dear… Can I buff that first?” – Rajar, without other context

“So Rajar at this point has attacked a tree, a mountain, and now a river…” – Serala

“My way was perfectly good. It was just a bit… vertical.” – Rajar
“Longer.” – Nala

“It’s like Mongolia, but not on fire!” – Rajar
“You say that.” – GM
“Do you want us to make Scan rolls? It’s really bad if he doesn’t want us to make scan rolls.” – Nala

“We get there in the end, me and Billy.” – Rajar
“In the sharp, pointy end.” – Nala

“It’s a small collection of yurts. Correction. It was a small collection of yurts….” – GM

“Friendly stab.” – Dormal

“Only lunar maniples are this accurate.” – Dormal
“I thank you :)” – GM

“This was done by Lunars, I believe. Professionals, paid to kill.” – Berra
“#!%&!$£” – Rajar

“Serala will be trying to sort out dealing with the dead, in whatever manner her people use.” – Serala
“If that’s cremation, she’s halfway there already, of course…” – Serala

“This is sloppy work to let the javelin through, but the marks on it are subtle. You might not realise unless you’d checked properly. In the excitement of battle, or approach? Probably not.” – Berra

“Do we stay and bury the dead? Or do we chase them down and kill the Lunars.” – Rajar
“They will probably be sleeping overnight. We should give chase.” – Berra

“Once we get out of the fire, we’re not going to have any dark vision for a while.” – Rajar
“But we know someone who has.” – Rajar
*looks at Sid* – Everyone
“No, Berra, now you are confusing me with Rajar. Well done.” – Nala, whose voice Berra cannot reliably hear OOC

“I know this is hard for you, but this is the right thing to do.” – Berra
“Byeeeeee!” – Dormal (paraphrased)

“I don’t hate Lunars that much, but they’re obviously of Chaos…” – Rajar
“Just roll that back a bit. You don’t hate Lunars that much, but they’re OBVIOUSLY OF CHAOS?” – GM

“Is Mellia coming with us?” – Berra
“You’re really going to need me.” – Mellia
“Thank f*ck for that.” – Berra

“Technically, you have to be quite hardcore to think of the Lunars as Chaos.” – GM
*points to big red moon* – Rajar

“Bison tipping has to become a sport.” – Nala
*tears* – GM

“So, if I die here… Well, the temple at Alda Chur can have my stuff.” – Berra

Koraki: falls off horse.
“I meant to do that, you know.” – Koraki
“If you meant to do that, you did it very well.” -Nala

“Round the edge of the wadi…” – GM
“Boom sh-waddy waddy…” – Nala

“So, my plan was to get closer, and then wait…” – Serala
“Yes, but Rajar.” – Nala
“RAR!” – Rajar

“And we think we want to trample the horses over them.” – Berra

“Twaaaaang!” – Berra

“CHARGE!!!!” – Rajar

“But I’m Runing up my Shield now, using Truth. Phew. 80/80.” – Berra

“Make a LOT of noise !!!!! I’m aiming to sound like a Horde.” – Rajar
“You do, you do, Rajar.” – Berra

“I feel vaguely sorry for him. Oh wait he tortured my people.” – Serala

“One of them appears to be in the process of waking up. The other seven bastards are doing Rajars.” – GM

“Nobody look like a tree/nobody look like Sid.” – Nala

“Casting rolls from Serala and Billy… Rajar!” – GM

“He is now an air-powered flying Bison of doom.” – Rajar

“And Movement. This is how I fight. 70/95 for inspiration, whenever it’s my turn to do that.” – Berra

“Genus hoc erat pugnae quo se Lunari exercuerant…” – Mr Chips

“It’s a good plan but here’s where it meets the big bison bottom of fate.” – Rajar

*GM drops camera, everything does wrong.* – GM
“Are you OK, there?” – Berra
“I mean, I need to know if we should say ‘ha ha’.” – Berra

“I’m fumbling my get pickle roll.” – Nala

“I was clicking on things, trying to get Berra, and I think I killed the chat.” – Serala
“At least you came back, UNLIKE OUR DISLOYAL GM.” – Berra

“My father doesn’t think it’s worth owning books because you can ‘just go to the library.'” – Dormal
“I have disowned him.” – Dormal

“That thump – I wonder if it was Tom, just very off-camera.” – Berra

“Updates. Now?!?!” – GM
“Well, if you must use Windows.” – Berra
“Pthhpt.” – GM

“I’m heading for the guy who is up, but I’m a bit behind. Although not much as they stopped to twang. AND THEN RAN OFF WITH MOBILITY THE BASTARDS.” – Berra

“Plus Billy’s damage… Which is a d100ish.” – Berra

“One D10, plus Billy. Plus 1.” – Rajar

“Moving forward.” *sigh* – Mellia
“This is why we love Mellia.” – Berra

“Kill them all!” – Red light guy
“Jar-Eel will know her own.” – Berra

“BAM red moon to the face.” – Dormal
“ALL OF IT.” – Berra
“An entire moon. Damage Bonus of LOTS.” – Rajar

*sneezes* – Berra
“Bless you.” – Serala
“Bless me sure – but which god?” – Berra
“Because Humakt might be a bit much.” – Berra

“FFS. Leave some for me!” – Berra

“Second attack on him. Dear god.” – Rajar

“This is where it might go a bit wrong.” – Rajar

“Goodnight Vienna.” – GM
….
“Goodnight Gracie.” – Nala

“I’m so glad. You know, it all comes apart when people start hitting me.” – Rajar

“That leaves me with two points left in that leg…. that’s plenty of hitpoints.” – Rajar

“He’s not starting to foam, is he?” – Berra
“There are no trollkin?” – Berra
“No scorpions?” – Berra

“It strikes me that igniting someone’s gambeson under their armour would be a great idea.” – Nala
“Grate idea.” – Berra

“That sounds very much like a Fast Talk. Or possibly a Charm.” – GM
“Let’s play to our strengths.” – Dormal

“We should take the weapons and armour back to the yurts.” Berra gives a quick glance at > Mellia. “I’d take the heads as well, to point out who did it, but leaving some of the armour > there should be enough of a message.”
“LOOT THE BODIES FOR TREASURE” – Nala

“Sorry, Rajar. Meant to set him on fire,” – Nala

“Quick laying-out of corpses under Humakti rules. ‘Dead? Good. Bury him.'” – Berra

“My character sheet is in a folder which has a cat on it.” – Rajar
*facepalm* – GM

“LOOT!” – Berra
“Looty looty loot.” – Berra
“Looooooooooooot.” – Nala

“The first thing the bird notices is the other two birds.” – GM
“If he’s brought a potential husband in tow there is going to be trouble.” – Serala

“Look at me being all helpful.” – Tiwr, dancing and spattered in blood.

“This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you.” – Tiwr.

“I got to trample AND disorporate. Best game EVER.” – Nala

Tiwr, putting his horn on a grievous wound: hush. It’ll feel better afterwards.

“it’s bad enough when members of the tribe sleep with each other, but this one likes BOYS!” – GM/Tiwr

“It’s Weasily done.” – GM
“That’stoatily terrible.” – Berra