1629, Fire Season, Illusion Week, Godday Eve
Context
During down time, Berra finally gets a long talk with Lord Raven. Session S5.O-16.
Events
“Anyhow, I can tell you more, but how’s things up here? Is his Excellency gonna send… sorry, going to send… me to the Locaem?” Berra is making an effort to improve her accent, it seems. It makes little overall difference.
Probably.
“Uh?”
He expects you to survive overnight, in which case, almost certainly.
“Right. He’s really under a lot of… anyhow, I was going to tell him about that stuff I told you, but just make sure he finds out whenever he’s got time? And you didn’t answer what had happened.”
I would need a map for most of it, but so far it has been a highly qualified success. Some victories, most strategic. Now all depends on the last weeks of war, and the first weeks of harvest. And, as a note, Kallyr killed Gunda.
“….”
Ah, you can be silenced.
“Does Harre… no, he doesn’t know yet, or doesn’t know where she is. Um. Wow.”
Peasant… you are letting my weight drop.
“Oh, right. Sorry. Um, was just trying to catch up. Uh, what else?”
Was that not enough for you? Not to be mentioned, then: the supply chain has a higher rate of loss than usual, and Lord Heenith thinks the attrition is happening after Alda Chur. Should you learn anything of it, let us know. Tell nobody else, not even your myrmidons.
“What’s a myrmidon?”
Never mind.
“Alright. So. That happened. Where? Was it here?”
Wilmskirk.
“Oh. Um… is-“
Yes. To my knowledge. The Wolf Pirates sent a portion of their fleet on a swift raid. Kallyr was able to get there overnight, using her own magic, I understand.
“And nobody explains stuff to a sword, even if they know it.”
A myrmidon is an ant.
“Huh?”
If you must have a word to think on when you are gone, try ‘silence’.
“Yeah, you’ve not been getting out enough.”
…
…
“There was some weird stuff happening at Alda Chur. Madness. An’ probably some people who were being bribed by the Lunars to look the other way when stuff went through. We let Koraki know. He was there when we went through. Ask him about it.”
Perhaps not directly. I shall inform the Hero. Now, if I might continue my telling?
“Sure, but do you want to eat? I ordered food sent and I think I just heard it arriving.”
Such things are beneath me. What is it?
“Horsemeat, from the smell, and camp bread.”
Such things are beneath me. You eat, fleshling.
“Mhm. And you don’t want the beer?”
I have tried the camp beer. I advise you to stick to self-denial.
…
“Kay, my mouth’s about to be full. Tell me about the Locaem.”
About Wilmskirk?
“That too.”
Then, the full briefing, as I have pieced it together. The Lunar invader damaged Wilmskirk’s original walls in the conquest, and used the stone from the rest to build their own houses, replacing it with a palisade as well as ruining the civic architecture. The walls used to be painted all around the inside, but of course finer things are lost on you.
“I gonnga haf to use you to cu’ bregg?”
I shall go on. On Wildday of Death Week, the Wolf Pirates landed at Zatern Lake, having sailed and rowed. For those of us who are unlettered and ignorant, that is Kitori lands. And for Lady Berra, the Kitori lands are just South of the Balmyr, and adjacent to my fa… my brother’s wildlands
“Mhm.”
It was-
“Just so you know, you were doing really well for most of that.”
…
So, Sartar had the warning around midnight on Freezeday Eve. No doubt you are keeping track, and this was during Ernaldaweek. Upon hearing this, presumably from Sartar himself, Kallyr called for volunteers, taking only Wind Lords, and her private household, and they set off along a road sent by Polaris.
“Right.”
Her Star.
“Right.”
They arrived a day later, and the King slew Gunda in single combat.
“How the hell? I mean, I’ve seen Gunda and I’ve seen Kallyr…”
Please imagine my withering stare. You have forgotten the star I just made sure to mention twice.
“Oh. Right. Spear-star?”
Indeed. After that, I regret to say, King Kallyr had the body… displayed. In motion.
“‘Kay. Imagine I’m staring at you now.”
All too well. The spear was still in her, and the King had it attached to her chariot.
“Oh for fuck’s sa-“
SILENCE! Peasant, … do not demonstrate that aptitude for rudeness to monarchs you too often display. Not out loud, anyhow.
“Yeah, but I might-gonna say some things. Later.”
Need I have the Hero advised he should send you tonight, or will you be sensible?
“You couldn’t stop me if I wanted to talk to her.”
No, but the High Sword could.
“Yeah, alright. And I’d probably listen to him. Hell, Lord, that sounds like it was a mess.”
The city came off remarkably lightly, save the property damage. Very few deaths. And then, of course, Kallyr rode back here, rather faster than I would have thought possible. A fortnight later, Lord Tennebris arrived. But that is how Kallyr saw off an army of two-thousand by herself. Decapitation.
“Did the body get burned?”
Were you not still eating?
“Want me to say it with my mouth full?”
I do not know. I suspect, from the stories, not.
“I never got on with her, mind.”
So, on to the Locaem, if you can persuade your attention to move?
“My attention moves all of the time.”
I am aware. The Locaem are a tribe who would have splintered but for a charismatic King, and the King is busy.
“F…arinst?”
Well done, little one. Farinst. He is of the Richberry Clan, which is notable for being led by a White Lady. Other clan are the Owl, who feuded with the Raven clan until the latter left the Tribe to join the Kultain, the Yalmoring, Zethnoring… I find from your demeanour that this is not news to you.
“Uh, and the Salvi? And those bandits ones…”
Ulanding. Now, the Zethnoring were once Colymar. This may come up. Are you concentrating?
“Thinking about Sun Dome County. This is gonna be about emotions, not facts.”
Then you will want to speak to Count Sertanas, who will have sent the message, and is presumably exhausted by the emotion.
“Uh…”
Looking forward to squeezing Sartar for everything he can.
“I was going to ask if I could take you to Prax. To meet another Humakti.”
Are we not still taking the vital briefing?
“I’m letting that sink in. If I go to Prax and Harrek turns up, I won’t be there.”
Some would consider that a fine outcome.
“I’d be leaving like a coward.”
You would not be. You know it. Still, we will have to ask the High Sword. His word at least should be enough for you.
“Uhuh. So, anyhow, I think Ornkarth needs to … I want to write to him. To keep in touch.”
That might be misunderstood.
“I asked him where to send it. Do you think the High Sword will mind?”
Better not to bother him right now.
“Did Gunda get burned, in the end?”
You have asked that already. Not to my knowledge. I understand any attempt would have angered a King.
“Uhuh. Well, that’s not new.”
Of course, if you planned to do so, you should not do it against orders.
“Wasn’t asking permission. I’m just thinking.”
Unaccustomed exercise can hurt.
“So, Sertanas. Count.”
Always the proper title. He does not have Lord Eril’s forgiving nature.
“Wowwwww…”
A fine political ruler, who played Lunar Sartar against many other places while still accepting their coin.
“Mmm. Catch him in the pride and make it happen in public, then?”
A fine conceit, but not in itself a plan. He will be trying to do the same to you.
“Not sure I got any pride on the line here.”
Yet.
“Alright. So no getting him to be getting me angry. Letting him be… Will I be speaking as Sartar?”
We will find out. Certainly as a representative of Lord Eril, whom I believe has the King’s imprimatur.
“Uh…”
The High Sword will always be backed up by the King, unless it is the last time he pushes his luck.
“And the same for me an’ him, because if he backs me, then that makes things official. And this’ll be official. I think you can’t come.”
As has been noted, there is a war on.
“That and if you go back to Boldhome, I can ask for Thane Varanis to bring you to me… sorry, escort you to me… in Wilksmirk.”
Wilmskirk.
“Did I not say that?”
No. Do you use your mispronunciations to put me off?
“Li’l bit. Not much. I thought I said Wilmskirk.”
And then you can take her into Prax?
“Maybe check out the Vivamort problem there. I’ll leave through Sambari Gap, and check on my lands. Nayale says someone was pushing in.”
It is possible that an entire Vivamort complex will be a little much for you, alone.
“Sword Roneer needs a visit anyhow. You need to meet him.”
Great Hero of our day, your Priest intends to do at least one more than usually dangerous thing.
Is anything currently on fire?
The flames will take a week to start, once she returns to Sartar.
Ah, so?
She is very carefully not asking permission to burn the body of the Wolf Pirate Maiden.
If she does not ask, we will not have to judge on the matter. Is there anything I need to know now?
Do not send me with her to the Locaem, even if she asks.
Very well. I expect a fuller explanation when time does not press me so. Are we done?
Yes, Great Hero.
