Diaries The Saga Of Berra — Fragment 2 40
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Greeting the Uplander Temple of Humakt
Berra bowed head to the Sword of the Temple
Knelt to Geoffri respectfully speaking1As the Sage Llewun has it: Aww, bless their lying socks.
Gave of her magic in worship of Humakt
Staying a season to learn of their magic
Berra with Godfri learned secrets of Humakt
Taught but to ducks and their friends in the marshes
How even swords were no more than an image
Holding the Rune in the mind was as praying
Sacred to Humakt was sword-meditation
Godfri had always a sword held close by him
Doyen of Death who was Duck-point and drake-born
What Really Happened
Berra told Eril that she needed to get his sword remade, and also had to have the blessing put back on it, because it was impressively broken; she asked for the blessing to go on Wind Tooth instead, because it was a better blade, and said she intended to have his sword shortened. He told her to have the spare bronze made into a torc. For some reason, this made her nervous.
Sent to deal with the fact that Mirava Saiciae was apparently getting married – or maybe was married – to Fazzur Wideread, the group traipsed back towards Tarsh. On the way they stopped at Duck Point, where two people came to drop in; one was Geoffri Ringeye, who managed to trip the other – a messenger of Leika – and step on him while walking over to Berra. He asked her about the duck Humakti in Tarsh; she told him about Drakemere. When he said he would send to bring her to the Temple, Berra replied that the duck, Teltra, would probably want to stay with her village, prompting Geoffri to call them both arrogant. She managed to keep her peace.
Geoffri left with a nastily accurate kick to the human messenger, who then talked to Varanis for a while about getting married to Leika. The next morning they were joined by a black-feathered duck who had no sword at all. Berra managed to stop herself from asking if he wanted to borrow one, but did ask why he did not carry one. The drake said he could use a sword without holding one, which Berra felt she could one day learn to do.
While travelling through the land of Tarsh, Berra asked Godfri what being given a feather by a duck meant, to be told it was a form of adoption, as an honorary duck. Berra took some time recovering from this.
A Yelmalian joined the party. He wasn’t a duck.
Session Quotes
“Bread, olives, no veg. Beer. Aaaand relax.” – Berra has time off while other people do diplomacy
“Mmm, raw fish.” – Berra has more food, elsewhere
“So she’s as arrogant as you.” – Geoffri
“I don’t know. I didn’t ask her.” – Berra
“Does your Humakti understand that the birds and the humans doesn’t work like that?” – Ferryduck
“I’m not sure she works like that at all.” – Rajar
“Well, I passed Loyalty (Varanis) so I’ll follow her.” – Xenofos
“I’ll go after him to kill him if he breaks and runs.” – Berra
“Imagine if you would Eril…” – GM
<<violent head-shake>> – Berra
After talking to Godfri on the trail, Berra sits at the fire that evening, and after trying out a few rather confused expressions says, “I’m a duck,” in a puzzled voice.
Rajar looks at the small warrior. “That would explain a few things.”
Berra puts her hand up tentatively to stroke at the feather in her helmet, then takes her helmet off and stares at the crest. The single feather crest. “I mean, a duck…?” Maybe whoever explained to Rajar did not explain things to her.
Rajar gestures ‘small, aggressive, humakti’, waves again at Berra. “What matters the feathers?”
Berra considers that, head on one side. If she only realised, she has picked up that habit from D’Val.
ajar offers her beer. ” best not over think these things”
Berra takes the beer. “Yeah. I guess it just means I have to be really careful not to let ducks down.” She chugs it back and holds out the cup.
Xenofos makes a note on his journal.
- 1As the Sage Llewun has it: Aww, bless their lying socks.