1629, Sea Season, Disorder Week, Clayday Eve
Context
Overnighting at Janastan, the group was robbed. Session S4.1.
Events
After spending a while snarling at Salid, Berra stops abruptly and goes for a walk in the darkness.1Insight: She seems either shocked, or upset.
Varanis, who has been bellowing curses after the bandits, including calling for Manasa to kick them in the head and bite off their fingers, finally winds down.
She stares in the direction the Humakti has gone. “I wonder if I should follow her?”
After a few slow breaths, she does.
None of the guards are volunteering.
As it turns out, Berra is doing a quick round of the area, nothing more.2What Varanis sees: Berra She looks absolutely murderous, like she hates the ground and wants to punch it personally, like every tree here has offended her.
Varanis silently falls into step beside the Humakti.
After a couple of rounds of the area, Berra sighs, and looks into the dark sky. “Sorry. I thought this place would be more secure.”
“We all did, Berra. I rather thought that demon horse of mine would tell us if trouble was coming too. I’m frankly surprised she went without a fight.”
“I want to kill a lot of people. I haven’t felt like this since the walls of Nochet.” Berra smiles in a way that does not reach her eyes, as they get back to where they might more easily be heard.
Varanis growls her agreement. “They won’t have time for regrets,” she says fiercely.
The Humakti shakes her head. “No. Really bad idea. I’m not just thinking of a band of thieves. I want to take on the whole damned tribe.”
“Mathiording,” Varanis says. “The current king is from the Mathiording. Carasai the Bloody, or something like that.” She scowls, thinking hard. “But, I think they’re southwest of here. Closest clan… well, the bridge was down on Blue Spruce Tula, I think. And we passed through… Two Pines? Jottering? Something like that.”3Pass on Homeland lore and hey look, I still have my notes about the Culbrea!
“I ended up at Fox Hollow,” Berra says. “I remember it was tall. But I was pretty short.” Her expression leaves it open whether she should be teased over this. “The cherries were really good.”
“Fox Hollow! That’s the king’s seat. So… if the king is from the Mathiording, does he move to Fox Hollow? Or does the seat move to him?” Varanis asks. Before Berra can answer, she says, “I think he moves to the seat if I remember the lessons. Like Leika in Clearwine.”
“He’d move there. You couldn’t move from where Hofstaring was and still be King. Even Ranulf couldn’t, with the Lunars backing him.” Berra grins slightly. “You know, they put him in place and he rebelled? Threw the … oh, the spear Regiment out of here, off the Hill. Doesn’t make up for how he came to power, but he definitely died free.”
“I’m afraid I don’t know much about the new king. His queen is Ana… something.” Varanis struggles to remember the lessons from Boldhome but eventually shakes her head. “Maybe more will come back to me.”
“I hadn’t actually thought of going to the King,” Berra says. “I was figuring just to follow the horses and that’s probably a local clan.”
Varanis glances at Berra, then stares into the darkness more. “Well, you’d mentioned being ready to go after the whole tribe, so I figured we might want to make a battle plan.”
“Yeah. Talk first. Feud later.” Berra gives Varanis a nod. “The longer we leave it, the harder it’ll be to get our horses – our mounts – back.”
“We can’t go after them now, not on foot in the dark. But I don’t know that I’m likely to get any more sleep,” Varanis says.
“I know. But if we go to the King first, the clan has time to move the horses on. We do that if we want to let him know why one of his clans is in a fight it can’t win.”
“I’m not arguing with you, Berra. Just saying we need to wait until Yelmrise. Vinga will forgive me if I’m hunting bandits instead of stepping through rituals this time.” Varanis begins replaiting her hair. The look she directs at the darkness beyond the ruined walls is uncharacteristically vindictive. “I might feed bits of them to Manasa if she hasn’t helped herself already.”
“Issaries may know where my property is to be found,” notes Irillo from nearby.
Berra looks a bit confused. “I wasn’t saying set off early either,” she points out. Irillo gets a look, and a slightly odd smile. “Yes. Good point.” Something about her at least remembers how to be a captain. She looks like that went in.
Varanis misses it, too busy thinking about the demon horse. “You know, she was getting better. And… she may have been a gift intended to embarrass me from a brother who took a bit too much joy in doing so, but… he’s gone now and Manasa and Doqeia are the only thing I have left from him.”
Berra nods slowly. “We’ll get them back, or make them regret it. But our first idea is Irillo, not me.”
Varanis turns to stare at the Issarian. Her eyes have taken on the stormy cast of unspent rage, though she’s mostly managing to appear calm. “Can you do it, cousin? Can you find them and secure their return?”4Insight or maybe INT: Varanis has put a lot of effort into animals that have given her significant grief. She could have replaced them many times over, but kept choosing to ride them. For all the swearing and name-calling over the years, those horses mean something to her and she’s not taking their loss well.
Berra gives Irillo a bright smile.5Insight: Berra has a plan. It is not a pleasant one for some people. She is not any of those people.
“We’ve got a few ways we can do it,” Berra says. If she were talking directly to Varanis it might be soothing. Because she chooses to look at Irillo it comes out as a reminder she is a warrior.
The Merchant nods, “Of course. But lets use the messy ones as leverage to avoid them if we can.” He doesn’t even wince. The man has a serious Swords-and-boards face.
“The one I am thinking of is not very messy at all, now. I think I found a better way.” Berra does not elucidate. Or explain. Or say what she means.
“Berra,” Varanis says, “could you please explain? If you have something planned, we need to know what it is.”
Berra shakes her head. “Nah. I… let my Runes be the threat. I can hurt them more than they can hurt me, is all. It won’t be a thing that happens immediately anyhow.”6Insight: That last bit feels really personal, like Berra is comparing this to other experiences.
Varanis glowers, then turns to Irillo. “I’m willing to let you try to work things out your way. To start.”
Berra’s smile twists into the darkness. She stares out at where her next enemy might be.
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- 1Insight: She seems either shocked, or upset.
- 2What Varanis sees: Berra She looks absolutely murderous, like she hates the ground and wants to punch it personally, like every tree here has offended her.
- 3Pass on Homeland lore and hey look, I still have my notes about the Culbrea!
- 4Insight or maybe INT: Varanis has put a lot of effort into animals that have given her significant grief. She could have replaced them many times over, but kept choosing to ride them. For all the swearing and name-calling over the years, those horses mean something to her and she’s not taking their loss well.
- 5Insight: Berra has a plan. It is not a pleasant one for some people. She is not any of those people.
- 6Insight: That last bit feels really personal, like Berra is comparing this to other experiences.
