Session S.5-W-14

1629, Fire Season, Stasis Week, Clayday

Dramatis Personae

Events

Finarvi and Xenofos are keeping ears sharp for rumours. Xenofos doesn’t catch much useful gossip, but Finarvi notices people are treating him the way they did when they were expecting him to talk to the Bacofi trader-prince Gerid. He’s an interesting chap. Finarvi gathers he is now in Whitewall – he wasn’t there yesterday. Fin learns he arrived without fanfare and without his caravan late on Stormbull’s day (a little before the last rush before the gates closed). He goes to find Varanis to make sure she knows.

Varanis is schmoozing with the candidates making themselves known to Haralast.

Serala notices that no-one is in charge of making sure the civilians don’t get harmed. The main temples – Orlanth and Ernalda – will need to be called on. Someone with more diplomacy should remind them.

Silstom of Malkonwal is the only one who has most ostentatiously arrived, having arrived impressively early and nabbed the most prestigious camping spot.

Varanis is faced with a young Volsaxi Vingan, Addya, who invites her to visit the Volsaxi Ring of Three – Tarakar, Honrid and Belfora, who live in one of the big houses high in Whitewall. She accompanies Varanis there. The three are playing dice. The two men stand first to greet her, and Belfora, the Vingan, stands last and bows and offers her a seat beside her. 

They are expectant. Honrid says they have decided between them to put one of them forward, but they do not know which would be the best choice. The Volsaxi aren’t typically clannish and too large and also rather urban. The Volsaxi try to speak with one voice. Belfora best in battle, Honrid is wise in law and Tarakar is even-tempered. They feel a Volsaxi should try – for Whitewall is Volsaxi. And a Volsaxi king would be best for Whitewall.

Finarvi finds no sign of Varanis so finds Serala meditating. Serala wants him to be diplomatic at Haralast and Raldina about looking after the populace while the king tests happen. They find no hint of where Varanis was taken off to, despite asking around, so Serala marches her cousin to find Haralast and Raldina. Finarvi surreptitiously loses the fine beetle he had been hoping to drop down the back of Serala’s meditating neck. 

Meanwhile, Varanis asks the Three who would take the king candidate’s place in the circle. They are all willing to hand over their place but need to think about who that would be and how it would change the ring. She leaves them to think and heads to Haralast’s house. 

On the way she passes Rajar, who is painting a fellow stormbull passed out naked and drunk on top of a house, and waves to him to join her.

Xenofos tries to make his way back to lodgings but someone has rearranged the city since he last looked. He finds the Ulerian temple instead and has dinner with Grignos, who points out from his odor of cheap beer that he has been looking for rumours in the wrong places. He also seems surprised that we’re all inside the gates – the people who are trouble will be arriving as one big argument tomorrow morning. Grignos is planning to be there early in the morning to defuse the bad blood between tribal kings. He hints it might be smart to sneak them in individually over the course of the night, letting them each think they were getting let in early as a special treatment. Don’t let them get ahead of their greeter! Or set them a challenge of breaking in undetected overnight. Grignos sends him off with a guide, a fresh tunic and some mint to chew.

Rajar jumps off the roof in a dramatic plummet, and greets Xenofos (the painted stormbull is still hung over the roof, just less than before).

Varanis, Serala and Finarvi meet up at Haralast’s house. He’s avoiding giving anyone a greeting feast by eating alone. Varanis asks if he has any preference out of the three. He does, and suggests Tarakar. He’s going to have to work with Kallyr so the king needs to not be easily provoke.¹Unlike Leika, he absolutely does not say.

Finarvi tells the news of Gerid slipping in earlier, Haralast says he’s meeting with his wife currently.

Serala comes out with telling Haralast someone needs to look after the populace. Haralast says it will be a great test to the leaders that no-one comes to harm while they are making magical changes. Haralast confirms this will be part of the conditions of judging and he and Raldina will be doing their best, but between that and the judging it is a lot of responsibility. Finarvi suggests independent judges too. Well volunteered!

Xenofos relates the ideas Grignos had for bringing contenders in and maybe make a competition of it. Haralast is surprised Xenofos knows.

Haralast thinks Kallyr’s people need to choose who is brave, wise and powerful along with Haralast, as we know what Kallyr wants/needs.To greet the guests, he thinks that should be us as he’s too close to these people. 

Tomorrow morning we greet them, invite them in Haralast’s name, and give their first test. Feast them, then the tests laid out. We get the info out – bribe, sell the info, whatever. He hopes people will show cunning. 

We head off to plan.

Varanis is committed to be at the Volsaxi house immediately after greeting Yelm.

Xenofos heads to the Volsaxi house and is invited in. This time the Vingan is at the head of the table, and greets him. He sings Varanis’s message – to greet guests at dawn. The Vingan accepts. The Three are excited, raring to go. 

We sleep.

Next day Varanis and the Volsaxi are out to greet the sun. We detect three groups jockeying to be first – racing for the gates. They’re going to be arriving at speed. Varanis positions herself at the gate for the ritual. She focuses on singing the prayers welcoming her foe and friend, Yelm. Serala stands as stone-faced barbarian bodyguard. Rajar intimidates too. Finarvi whistles for the horses to try to slow the racing idiots and keep them from plunging straight through the gate. 

One group from the North looks dedicated to riding right in. The group from the east in the lead look the same, and have good horses. They pull up, but the north riders in the lead look to try to get in through the gates. 

Varanis shouts a greeting at them to remind them of their manners. They don’t recognise us, and glower, and then Hendrick of the Solangi smiles and calls, “Who greets me?”

Varaena of Sartar answers for Haralast, and he answers loudly his delight at being greeted first. Varanis corrects him as others have come before. He doesn’t like this. Tarakar takes her hint and backs up her greeting. By the time we’ve all expressed niceties, the other groups have caught up. Varaena sings the welcome to the city on behalf of the host, and the trials have begun. The first of the competitions is to demonstrate the decorum appropriate for leadership and a harmonious kingdom.

The Olontongi have sent 3 of their tribal chiefs – Hendaffa’s group arrives first, on fine horses.

Another group arrives then, led by a woman who rides up to the gate. She left time for the scrum to clear. She waits to be addressed. Kurtali tats – Queen Gidala. Her Kurtali are not joining the trials, but she is here to visit Raldina. She looks at Serala with a touch of worry – perhaps seeing a Yelmalian here at this time concerns her? Varanis and Finarvi accompany her to the palace, and then she gets called on to get people settled in, and is not back by the time the next group arrive. 

Xenofos and Rajar see dust and the glint of spears. Marchers. Xenofos sends a runner to fetch Thane Varaena. It’s a double file of Yelmalians singing marching songs and carrying 16ft pikes, led by a Lightson on a horse. Xenofos greets them on Varaena’s behalf. 

Mellinor from Sundome County here to marry Ernalda. And bears the greetings of Count Sertanas. (He’s here to attend a marriage contest to become king. Legitimate to make this a Yelm/Orlanth grudge match, but Ernalda can set her own challenges.)

He is the last arrival. 

The contestants are:

• Silstom of Malkonwal
• Tarakar of the Volsaxi
• Astforth, Hendaffa and Oralost of the Olontongi (arguing)²The Ring of Three is relieved when Varanis singles out Tarakar. She gets the impression they are good friends and didn’t want to have to make the decision themselves.
• Hendrick of the Sylangi vs Ribfanth of the Kultain
• Mellinor of Sun Dome County

• 1
  Unlike Leika, he absolutely does not say.
• 2
  The Ring of Three is relieved when Varanis singles out Tarakar. She gets the impression they are good friends and didn’t want to have to make the decision themselves.