Session Season 6, Prax 4

1629, Earth Season, Harmony Week, Waterday + a couple more

Dramatis Personae

Events

We were eating breakfast and starting to think about what to do next, when Berra spotted a group of Telmori herding our mounts back toward us. When Varanis greeted them and offered thanks, they indicated that she owed them once again. This led to a discussion about food and hunting and Berra offered some sheep.[nfb]One for each mount.[/mfn] Xenofos’ zebra needed healing.

We made our way up to Salt & Teeth’s cave where Minstar was entering into a trance. He said that the spirits were angry and asked what we had done this time. Minstar allowed himself to sink into the smoke-induced trance. Varanis decided to join him in the smoke to talk to Dezar. Minstar revealed that the spirits in the area were disrupted by Rushes to Battle’s death. Varanis was a bit high. The new group of Telmori had settled in and seemed to be getting on with the local pack thanks to Varanis.

After a couple of days of rest, we travelled to Prax. We had to camp out one night and during Varanis’ watch she spotted a couple of sabretooth cats. She made a huge noise with shouting and clanging of sword against shield, thereby waking everyone. When everyone else woke up and made more noise, and Xenofos cast Lantern on his shield, the sabretooth cats decided to leave.

As we approached the oasis at Day’s Rest, a group of Impala riders surrounded us prepared to attack, but Maalira introduced us and they recognized Varanis’ name. They became very friendly and invited us back to the oasis. On the way, Xenofos made a bet with one of the riders who proved that he could jump over a pair of Impala riders jumping each other. It was spectacular and the top rider was rewarded with a bronze knife, which seemed to kick off a massive round of gift-giving.

We were welcomed by the Impala leader, Aklaroo, who was pleased that Rushes to Battle was dead, though his words said otherwise.¹Maalira fumbled Insight and thought we were in real trouble. The leader said that Varanis owed a blood debt of 900 L which was insulting to the dead khan. Once it was sorted out, he brought us in for salt and drink and gave gifts of Praxian stuff that probably totalled about 900 L.

They asked for a song about the slaying of Rushes to Battle. Maalira sang a fantastic song and the Impala riders, their children, their aunties and uncles, their grey beards, and even their impalas loved it. Maalira had to sing it again.

We decided to stay to worship and rest for a few days. In the meantime, Aklaroo offered to send some Impalas along with us, including warriors, hunters, cooks, and aunties, etc. After some discussion with the others, Varanis thanked Aklaroo and agreed to travel with those he chose.

We worshipped, first Humakt and Eril, then Storm Bull, and finally Orlanth and the Lightbringers.

Xenofos asked Maalira for help with sleep while travelling.²He had been having nightmares. She agreed to provide him with a herbal concoction and strict instructions about dosage.

On Freezeday of Death Week, Kolyey asked Berra about her sparkly stone, but when Berra couldn’t identify it, she decided not to ask anyone else but to wait until getting to Tourney Altar, since it wasn’t far.

En route, not far out of the Altar, we spied a Walktapus. We prepared to fight it and Berra noticed that it was holey. Kolyey realised that it was undead and attempted to Turn Undead. It stumbled, collapsed, but soon began to twitch again. We made an attempt to charge it in hope of killing it before it got up again. Xenofos charged and specifically targeted its chest with his javelin. Kolyey followed with a cavalry charge, attacking with her lance, briefly pinning its arm, but she pulled it out, allowing the creature to rise in time to face Berra. Berra stabbed it, chopping off a tentacle. It retaliated.³And fumbled Varanis attacked it. The others noticed that it was bleeding, which seemed wrong. Berra stabbed it again.

Xenofos attempted to dispel the magic, but failed to call on Lhankor Mhy. Berra stabbed it again. Kolyey cast Disruption, chopping off a bit of leg. Varanis attempted to decapitate it, but without significant success. However, it was dead enough for us to build a fire over it to purify it and keep it dead-dead. Berra performed a rite of Humakt over it, killing it further. We realised that Kolyey’s Turn Undead spell had probably broken the connection between the zombie Walktapus and whatever had been controlling it, thereby allowing us to kill it.

• 1
  Maalira fumbled Insight and thought we were in real trouble.
• 2
  He had been having nightmares.
• 3
  And fumbled