1626 in the Desert of Prax
Context
On the way to New Pavis, but after meeting Raus and Daine. Session 3.15.
Events
Berra does this in a place out in the desert while someone else is on watch, in a sanctified area. A place where she cannot be observed. She builds a small fire for purity and eats a pinch of dust from the desert’s hard floor, and a fragment of a nut bought in Boldhome. She is in her armour, but might consider herself naked, because she has left behind the black feather that is the mark of D’Val’s respect.
She takes her chalk and charcoal and marks the rocks with black Death runes and many, many black and white Truth signs. Finally, she draws her own sign, the combination of the two, on each of her hands, and draws both of her swords, entering a meditational trance to push herself towards the god. She concentrates on the notions of the High Sword as she knew him, and the Wyter, and the Wyter Priest as he is now, and in a low mumble chants his name to be sure that she has the right person to ask about. Not loud enough to be overheard. This is secret. She concentrates on that question as she reaches out for the god and the truth that he bears. Her question is, “Is it appropriate to start a Hero Cult for Eril?”1Worship Humakt: boosted to 95%. Fail. Not a fumble, however. 99%.
Inspiration with Truth: successful. That plus an hour of ritual gets meditation to pass. 47% out of 27 + 35 + 20%.
Broadsword, pass. 27%.
Divination spell, that is also a pass.
CON 5 also a pass.
She starts the katas. She keeps going. Hour after hour. Movement after movement. She enters a fugue state.
Whilst she goes on, the fire burns low, until only two embers glow. Like eyes in a dark face.
Somewhere along the line, Berra has begun to sing. It is the song and the sound of the Wyter, a call to battle.2Special on Sing.
As she does so, the fire starts nodding along. A thoughtful look. An interested face. Dark with only those glowing eyes. The face looks familiar, now she thinks about it… The Iron Lord. But the eyes are open and glowing. They don’t normally do that.
They do. I just can’t normally see them.
Berra asks the question quietly, unsure if she has asked it already, and how many times. “Is it appropriate to start a Hero Cult for Eril.” She blinks as his name fits into the music.
The figure moves. Okay, there’s a figure there now. A body. Ash on lean almost naked form. Or ash on the wind? Hammering something. Making it.
Berra’s body continues to move, patrolling in a dance around the fire, keeping the place safe for the making to happen.
There is solid hammering. Thumping. Shaping. A thing starts to appear, from the ether, or the smoke, or the depths of her mind. Something tells her she should be able to recall it.
The shape tweaks at her memory, but she cannot quite make it out.3POW x 5 Fail Then it starts to form into a more familiar shape. A death rune. But echoes of the Wyter Sword
Berra asks herself the question again. “Is it appropriate to start a Hero Cult for Eril.” The answer might be being made before her, but she came to ask the question, not to get distracted.
The sword, for such it clearly is, is battered into form. A shape imposed upon shapelessness by sheer force of sweat and effort. A broadsword. Almost a replica of the Wyter sword.
Berra falls to her knees then, offering up her own magic.4Pass on Movement for wanting this thing, but critical on Loyalty (Temple), identical to Loyalty (Eril) to Berra.
The being turns to Berra. Nods. Hands it to her. He seems satisfied.
Berra kneels up, back upright, holding the thing in two hands, feeding it.
She falls asleep. On waking, she has a sword in her hand. It is the one she has often dreamed of. The iron sword, with the Truth Rune for a pommel.
- 1Worship Humakt: boosted to 95%. Fail. Not a fumble, however. 99%.
Inspiration with Truth: successful. That plus an hour of ritual gets meditation to pass. 47% out of 27 + 35 + 20%.
Broadsword, pass. 27%.
Divination spell, that is also a pass.
CON 5 also a pass. - 2Special on Sing.
- 3POW x 5 Fail
- 4Pass on Movement for wanting this thing, but critical on Loyalty (Temple), identical to Loyalty (Eril) to Berra.
