Eril — 0190 Transcript Of Examination Of Berra Jarangsdottir

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Context

After a Heroquest, it is required to ensure a Hero is not a danger to the temple, and to learn from them any secrets or mysteries that have been hitherto unrevealed. The selflessness of Jarangsdottir in volunteering is noted. Let the record indicate that the apparent tardiness of this may be laid on the length of road she had to travel, and no fault resides in her for this seeming error.

Events

A transcript of examination. Questioned is Berra Jarangsdottir, Initiate of Humakt, Warrior under the blade of D’Val, Sword of Humakt, once of Duck Point. Present: Eril, High Sword of Humakt. Heenith Egilson, Sword of Humakt. D’Val, Sword of Humakt. Iron Lord, name not given, Black Sword of Humakt. Eril leads questioning.

~ Jarangsdottir… Talk.

~ My Lord. Of all things?

~ All things.

~ Excuthe me, your Excellenthy.. I understand from the description there may be thertain private —

~ Yes, yes. As … the Sword says, there are matters within this quest that may remain private.

~ The Price, Lord, is mine alone.

~ Proceed.

Questioned closes her eyes. ~ I swear that these things I say are true, as far as my mind and body can hold them. Let any fault be mine. I was the Wolf Humakt, and the mantle was on me.

~ In order, Initiate, from the first moment you remember.

~ I was a wolf. There was a chain. I was in Humakt’s hands, but the mantle itched. It had been cut, and …

Questioned holds up hand for time to think. Silence. ~ It had tooth marks in. It had been bitten, Either before it was torn from the shoulders of the Death Hater, or after. I don’t know. I do not know if it was torn by trolls. I know I wondered how to repair it.

~ Continue.

~ Yes, Lord. I… padded down the street. I met another wolf. She was not interesting to me. I walked on, on the chain. I began to reali… to remember I had a duty. There was a sacred thing to do.

~ Do you remember that sacred thing?

~ Sort of, but not yet. I’ll remember when I get there, I think. I knew I was going to a place, and there was a thing I had to do. Then I was in a place, although not quite that one. I ate Voria. She was dead.

~ Hold. Describe that place.

~ Uh… Mmmmm….

Questioned takes time to think. ~ It was a boundary fence. There was a fence there. It changed, but mostly it was made of briars. An edge space. I was between a forest I cannot describe and the fence. I knew Voria had come through the gate, although I did not know how. So … I growled and…. no, sorry. The place. There was a field of souls inside the boundary.

~ Of souls?

~ Spirits, Lord. But … after death. Fading. They were not planted there to… uh… forgive me. I don’t have the words. She put them there to … bleach. Sun-whiten. Only without the sun. It felt beautiful and terrible

~ What else?

~ Fence. Edge-space. Gate. The field went on forever, almost. Could not see house.

Questioned is given water. ~ I could not see the house. It was a small one. Once I realised I knew where it was, it had always been there. The roof was in slate, of earth-rune shapes, and the doorway was the gate of the garden, and it was the Rune of Death. It was also a wolf den. I lay down outside an…no wait. I remembered lying down, and waiting. I wanted to talk to her.

~ Her?

~ To Grandmother Death. Ty Kora Tek. It was her house. That was the thing I had to do.

~ What was the subject of your intended conversation?

~ I was going to talk about my guards. My guards! They’d gone missing!

~ Elucidate.

~ Uhh…

~ Exthplain.

~ Sword of Humakt, I believe Jarangsdottir perfectly capable of speaking for herself. Continue, Initiate.

~ My Lord. I had lent her guides, and guards. No, one guide, I think. But it might have been more. It was winter, and she was benighted on the glacier. My Hall is on the Glacier. I mean, it was then. So it is now. Not Sword Hall. Hall-Left-Empty.

~ Mm.

~ And she had not known the way back, but I guested her, and we spoke of many matters, but I could not recall them, Lord. And then, as outside it was Dark, I offered her strong men to guide her back, and a guide who knew the ice, and she thanked me, and in the morning she left. It was morning, but it was still dark.

~ Of course. And what else?

~ Oh. Above my door there is a lump of iron that I never made into a sword. I can’t remember why, but I felt that I should make it into one. But it wasn’t… I hesitated and I can’t remember why, Lord.

~ And what else?

~ Nothing there. I was a wolf, and I travelled in that form. The mantle gave me the power. I could run swiftly and the cold would not hurt me, and I ran from my hall to the house of Ty Kora Tek, to ask for my guards … for my guards back, and why my guide had returned hairless, and not speaking of what she saw. She was not harmed, and was happy, but silent on that thing. And that’s all I recall of thinking back. I had spoken to Voria, and the first thing I really remember within the Quest is eating her.

~ What else of the mantle do you recall? Did you think on it?

~ No, Lord. But… there was something else it could do. Change hunger, or… something to do with blades, because I had cut it, but I can’t remember. Oh. It could grow and shrink, to fit anything, although I think that got lost. But that was – is – how wolf can hold anything in his stomach. That’s all I recall about it.

~ Continue.

Questioned takes water, holds up hand for time and silence. ~ I was there for some time. Voria was crying, but it did not move me. A white thing stirred in the darkness and it was Chalana Arroy. Her robes were shining. I have reported this part already, Lord, in the transcript before D’Val arrived.

Sword of Humakt quacks.

~ No need to go over it, then. I am certain you said nothing that would either shame or surprise your Sword.

~ Thtill —

~ The transcript is available to you, Sword of Humakt, should you wish to peruse it – at your leisure, of course.

~ The final part, Lord – there was a tall glow in the forest, far away, like … its shape was like a reed. Or like something else. Not a spear. Too delicate for a mace. Thin and small, but also very big. Where the Arrow Forest is now. And then I woke. And the Iron Lord hit me.

Questioned bows to Black Sword of Humakt.

~ What is the Arrow Forest?

~ I don’t know Lord. It was the Forest that was where that thing was. Or is the forest. I’m not sure.

~ Do you recall your understanding of how you would greet Ty Kora Tek? Have you any comprehension of further steps for Hero Questing?

~ No, Lord. I am sorry.

~ … Indeed. Now, let us go through that again, in case you recall any further details. A necessary chore.

Questioned bows to High Sword. ~ As you will, Lord.

Further transcript not required.