Session 5.O-11
1629, Fire Season, Stasis Week, Godday to Movement Week, Freezeday
Dramatis Personae
PCs
Berra
Irillo
Kolyey
Maalira
Nayale
Oriana
NPCs
Some merchants
Some ‘authorities’
Some shouting
Events
The group was travelling out towards a caravan which might have had a box full of madness. They were certain it was the furthest South, after Oriana had performed magic to find the closest. Nayale was sure she had seen an ambush to the roadside, and let people know, volunteering to hurry forward. Berra refused to let her go die alone, and said they would move together. They soon drew close to the caravan, and Irillo tried to persuade them that there might be a big problem with a thing they were carrying. Nayale stayed back a little on orders, and kept an eye out for the ambush. Berra let Irillo get a little further ahead than her, and also looked for the ambushers Nayale had spotted, but listened in.
Irillo failed to convince them that they were carrying anything dangerous, but they did let people know there had been no madness or attacks on them, which was a hint this was the box in question. Irillo did not warn them about the deal he had made with the probably-Eurmali, which he had not mentioned to the others, and the group traipsed back to town. Berra did consider leaving Valadon to go guard the caravan, but decided there was no need to, as the box could get picked up later. Irillo said that the local authorities had been informed.
Nayale was worried that the caravan was not warned about the ambush. Once she learned that, she talked to Berra about the honour of the situation and accepted her Commander’s explanation; if there had been troops out there, they were going to be from Valadon, with authority to be there. Berra was by this point unconvinced that there had been any. The group speculated that this might be the real box with the artefact in, as it had not caused any madness.
The next morning, the group set out to find the caravan once more, only to find out it had disappeared. Searching around where they were sure it had been camped, Berra found a set of half-obscured prints that indicated it had gone off towards the Shadow Plateau, and there had been a good attempt to wipe the trail. They followed it for some time, with Irillo going back to town to see if this was anything known about there.
After about half an hour of followed, the ground started to get rougher and stonier as it rose up towards the plateau. The trail was likely lost. Oriana attempted to Divine for it, but was simply sure it did not exist, and maybe had never existed, which was exceedingly puzzling. Berra made the call to go back to town.
Meanwhile, Irillo had returned to the inn, and in his room was a message with an address in town. It turned out to be a bathhouse, and after staying there a little over-long just in case, he went to look at what had been left in his clothes. He was now the proud owner of a leather bag with an iron box inside. He returned to the inn and waited for the others, who eventually joined him. They set off towards the North, and met Maalira on the way, as she was dropped off by boat. Berra managed to keep her cool, and Nayale politely engaged Maalira in conversation, finding out that there were excess crocodiles in the river.
Stopping a way off the road to try to open the box, the group found that it was bound up in a strange wire that made Oriana’s eyes light up. It was apparently a complicated metallic spell that would cause people to be unable to scry for whatever was within. They decided that this was a good thing not to open, for all they were a little unsure that they had the right box.
As they rode towards the likely position of the next box, Berra somehow worked out that Irillo had not talked to the city authorities, but to the Eurmali, who were their own authority within Valadon. This led to a blazing row over the proper way of doing things, with Irillo defending his position as being the most likely to keep a civil war away, and Berra excoriating it as honourless, and giving up a caravan on the road to thieves. After a lot of shouting, some of which was from Irillo, Berra quit the caravan, with the other Humakti joining her.
Maalira suggested that Berra could work for her, which Berra agreed to for money, negotiating a fee of a bolg.
Session Quotes
“And it’s not like I don’t have enough pettiness to use for other things.” – Berra
“Zoom Link?” – Irillo
“Nochet.” – GM
“One sec, got to finish my annual self appraisal…” – GM
“You’re married now. You have to use a different euphemism.” – Berra
“For example, I was just finishing up a render.” – Berra
“And Varanis often ‘gets a cup of tea’.” – Berra
“Usually twice daily. Sometimes more.” – Varanis
“But Berra, I can get there fast enough to…” – Nayale
“To die alone.” – Berra
“You do learn more from failure than success.” – Irillo
“Mostly you just die horribly.” – GM
“The caravan leader is raising a hand in greeting.” – GM
“I will stick three fingers up at him.” – Irillo
“I believe someone may have done you a mischief in Lunar Tarsh of the Empire and sent you here with something of danger to you or others.” – Irillo
fails Charm – Irillo
“I am pleased to inform you that we have not sparked plague or insanity, except for our prices.” – Merchant
“I would have done it a different way.” – Berra, about the ‘ambush’
“Nayale is looking perplexed by the conversation about Grandmothers and their grip on men…” – Nayale
“Irillo, I think your mule has been eating strange stuff. The gas…” – Nayale
“Berra demands a tanning session.” – (Nayale failed Listen OOC.)
” Mmm, naked and oiled Berra. And no Maalira.” – Berra
“The caravan is awol… Clearly the ambush struck!” – Nayale
“Shall I take one of the Humakti?” – Irillo
“Like fuck you can.” – Berra
“Don’t talk and dip your thingy at the same time.” – Nayale
“But I could go with Lord Irillo.” – Nayale, helpfully
“You remember one of the possibilities was maddened trolls?” – Berra
“All the more reason why we shouldn’t let Lord Irillo go alone.” – Nalaye
“The trolls are where we’re going.” – Berra
“In that case, I will hit it until I succeed. Oh no! I fumbled!” – Oriana
“Nayale, can you do me an INTx5?” – Berra
“Pass.” – Nayale
– Berra
“I now return the GMing to you.” – Berra to GM
“Meanwhile, back in Valadon. You’ve shaken your bodyguard. What are you doing next?” – GM
“The innkeeper says there’s been no message for you.” – GM
“Fine, let’s go ask them.” – Irillo
“Without going back to your room to check for a message?” – Berra
“Just roll it and see if you fumble. If you fumble, hilarity will occur.” – GM
“Eurmal’s scabbard.” – Irillo
“I will get changed. Into the appropriate lack of attire.” – Irillo
“Scrapy things, you mean slaves?” – Irillo
“I meant the strigils, but sure, there are slaves too.” – GM
“I have my rapier with me.” – Irillo
“Yeah, you probably could take me with that, if I was asleep.” – Berra
“Do I know who it is?” – Irillo
“I do clap rather than knock on doors.” – Berra
“Peasant.” – Eril as channelled by Varanis
“Lady Berra, I don’t mean to question you…” – Nayala
“Ooooh, roll Truth!” – GM
“Pass Scan.” – Nayale
“Fail Scan. Nothing up there worth spotting.” – Berra
“Good news, Maalira. It’s your known associates.” – GM
arrives – Maalira
“Berra hugs the bison, when it’s put ashore, but not the Maalira.” – Berra
“Berra, what are your orders?” – Nayale
“Waiting for GM to quieten down…” – Berra
“I don’t like this place.” – Irillo
“Neither do I. It’s Esrolia.” – Berra
“Maalira, how are you doing? Was your journey smooth?” – Nayale
“It was watery.” – Maalira
“A sorceror sounds far too much like an academic. I play one of those in real life. It’d be too much to play one in a game!” – Nayale
“Did you tell the local Eurmalis about that caravan?” – Berra
“You can think whatever you want to think.” – Irillo
“I don’t have to get all superior, I am superior!” Berra
“Maalira looks like she can’t decide whether to laugh or intervene.” – Maalira
“Nayale gets between Maalira and the two who are arguing.” – Nayale
“You’re supposed to be the smart one here.” – Berra to Irillo
“I think that would be me.” – Oriana
“So, Nayale. Union question. Your shop steward has just walked off the job. Are you walking with them?” – GM
“I assume you don’t want me to discuss the restitution for her not completing her contract.” – Irillo
“Don’t push your luck.” – Maalira
“I’m being reasonable here!” – Irillo
“So am I.” – Maalira
“Oh no, he used Eurmal’s Scabbard! I don’t want my sword back!” – Berra
“Lord Eril, I lost your sword…” – GM
“He who draws this sword from this Eurmal…” – Irillo
“So do I get anything else for it being a critical?” – Oriana
“Smugness.” – Berra
After having had a sit-down and a talk with Maalira, Berra seemed calmer. The evening’s adventures with Nayale sent away and Kolyey informed of a new situation passed without her passions being raised again, but she did roster Irillo on to watch from late until midnight, a rare thing for her.
He stood the watch without complaining, and she joined him for some of it.
