1629, Earth Season, Illusion Week, Windsday
Context
In Prax, after leaving New Pavis. On the hunt for the Straw Weaver Clan. Follows after session 6-9, Mud, Glorious Mud, Thin Air, and The Dark Details. Kolyey talks to her commander about her worries.
Events
That afternoon, Berra rides around the little cavalcade as usual, checking in on people. She draws level with Kolyey and nods. “You’re gonna fall back a bit and stick around Maalira.” It does not seem to be an urgent order so much as a warning.
Kolyey nods. “Before I do that, Priestess, may I ask you something?”
“Erm, sure. What’s up?” Berra is not her usual alert self. She looks tired.
“While you were gone, the Humakti of New Pavis kept attacking me. They never told me why, even when I won the fights. So, I asked Humakt if this was his way of telling me to go worship someone else.”
“Um, why? Because that sounds a lot like people not a god. Gods are a bit more sword-breaking.” Berra has not even let Kolyey get to the question.
“I don’t need to tell you that we’re commanded to keep fellowship with each other. Anyway, the god sent a vision that I don’t understand.”
“You don’t need to tell me that, but the number of times I’ve punched a fellow initiate cannot be counted on the knuckles of one fist. What’us the vision?”
“I saw a sword, surrounded by splinters of metal. I couldn’t tell if the sword was shattering, or if it was being repaired. When I told Humakt that I didn’t understand, the vision vanished.”
“Well, he’s *sending* you a vision. He’s not there for a conversation. But this is pretty easily answered. First of all, dismount.” Berra does that, without strict adherence to protocol. That is, she stands up and walks down the sloping back of her bison, jumping off at the tail end. Followed takes it all in good spirits, or else does not notice, and just plods onwards.
Kolyey dismounts, telling her zebra to stay close.
Berra steps a little away from the zebra. “Draw. Defend yourself. Block left of the neck.” She draws her own sword.
Kolyey draws her sword and prepares to parry.
Berra comes in with a fast chop towards the neck. Without a sword in the way, it would kill someone.
Kolyey does her best to parry, but doesn’t counterattack.
Berra nods as the bronze holds. “You’re trusted by him. A shattered sword’s what happens if you break a geas. So it’s a warning. Don’t bloody tell a god you’re not devoted.”
Kolyey thinks for a moment. “I don’t and didn’t want to leave Him. Getting attacked by your fellows gets old fast, though.”
“Yeah, well. I think you’d annoyed Roneer. I think he wanted to see if you were as tough as you looked? But they had orders not to kill you, just to test you.” Berra shrugs. “If Humakt wants to be rid of you, you’ll probably die pretty swiftly, but there’s nothing you’ve done wrong which would make him want to.”
“I don’t know how I annoyed Roneer. I told him the truth as I knew it to be. Anyway, thank you. I feel much better now.”
“Yeah, that doesn’t usually do it. I… well, we live in fellowship and all, but it’s also completely his duty to keep testing people.” Berra shrugs and checks the blade of her sword Alum. “He was also probably testing me – how do my people go, are you gonna roll over, have I trained you right?”
Kolyey shrugs. “I think I will just avoid New Pavis in the future.”
“No. Stop that. If he’s testing you and you flee, you’re failing.” For the first time, Berra looks annoyed.
“As you command, but there are not enough hours in the day to learn all those weapons.”
“Doesn’t matter. Keep trying. Keep learning. You’ll never be as good as Humakt, but that just means you’ll have room to improve.”
Kolyey nods.
“An’ yeah. Don’t doubt the god. You chose him, but he chose you too.” Berra looks off towards Followed, and then towards Kolyey’s obedient zebra. “You might as well drop back now.”
Kolyey silently nods again. She mounts her zebra and falls back to Maalira.
