1629, Sea Season, Disorder Week, Fireday
Context
Returning from meeting the trolls of Sazdorf. Session SA4.3.
Events
Berra is, of course, an alert little warrior as the group returns from Battle Valley. Not entirely chirpy – she is still very alert – the Humakti is nevertheless in a mood that is… very her. Determined. What determines her is to be determined, however.
Varanis is tired and dozes in her saddle. If she were a caravan guard, she’d likely be let go at the next opportunity.
Berra rides up next to her, clattering over the stones, and then dismounting to let her horse walk. It makes enough noise that a warrior is unlikely to be surprised by it.
Nevertheless, the Vingan jerks awake, hand fumbling for her hilt before she remembers where she is. “Berra. Hello. Is it walking day today?” Varanis’ light tone fails to mask the sudden tension in her.1Varanis rolls, and fails, Act.
“Bad dreams again?” Berra asks. She probably heard the question.
“I don’t think I was dreaming,” Varanis replies. “Just resting a bit. Manasa and I are working things out so that she doesn’t take every opportunity to throw me off.” The mare gets a pat on the neck as she flicks an ear at her rider.
Berra looks perplexed, and then says, “Last night. You look like you’ve slept badly.” Her unnamed horse resolutely refuses to spook at Manasa’s ear-flicking or Berra’s noisy pathfinding over rocks.
“Oh. Right. Yes. More nights than not, I suppose,” Varanis admits with a yawn. Her eyes are beginning to take on the bruised look of the chronically under slept.
She swings down from her horse to walk beside Berra, managing it with surprising grace.2Critical Ride.
Berra winces. “Alright. Talk to Mellia or Maalira?” She makes room, and her horse patiently follows. “It’s starting to affect you and that affects us all.”
“Jenr gave me some herbs. I just didn’t want to brew them while we were camped out because I don’t know how deeply they’ll make me sleep.”
“Fine. I’m holding a service tonight – we’ll go outside the Temple for it. Just be there for a bit and I’ll do the rest.” Berra takes Varanis at her own word, having just spoken it. “And rest as much as you can.”
The Vingan nods. “Maybe I’ll just stick to riding close to the mules today. Let the guards do the guarding for a change.”
“Yeah. We’re pretty close. Try to get some sleep this afternoon.” Little Berra – larger little Berra – scowls around the valley. “I gotta do some thinking.”
“We’re staying at Beasts Gather tonight?”
Berra nods, then pauses. Then nods again. “I thought we … yeah. Yeah, we are.” There’s a brief grin from her. “I’m keeping a lot of thinking in my head right now and for a minute I thought we’d be back at the Nunnery.”
“We could stay at the Nunnery. I’m sure Mellia wouldn’t mind. But we’d need to be well clear of it for worship and… I thought that if the Orlamani had any Humakti, they might appreciate the service.”
“Yeah. I wanna think about that and find out as well. Those trolls need help.” Berra scowls thoughtfully.
“Troll Humakti… have you ever met any others? And with a chief…”
“In Nochet you get all kinds of things, but… I’ve never talked to one that I know.” Berra’s expression shifts and changes. “Getting them safely to the two regiments – how in hell do you have two regiments? – could be tricky. It’s about trust.”
Varanis yawns again, jaw cracking with it. “Good challenge for a Wyter priest,” she says.
“Ugh. Yeah. Hadn’t though of it like that. I’ve got a few things I could do. Make them a Temple room myself, find one of the Regiments’ll do it, find out why the Aranwyth don’t always let them near. Maybe we could make it a two-way thing, with some service as night watch.”
“Mmhmm. Good idea.” Ideas. There were several.3Berra rolls Insight. Varanis is mostly paying attention, but it’s taking effort.
Berra makes a thoughtful noise, and then a happy one. “Oh. I think I know who and how. Yeah, thanks.” She looks up at her friend and nods. “Mount up again. Doze, but inside the caravan. Later we talk to a Hero from a long distance.”
Varanis doesn’t argue and instead simply follows orders for once.
- 1Varanis rolls, and fails, Act.
- 2Critical Ride.
- 3Berra rolls Insight. Varanis is mostly paying attention, but it’s taking effort.
