Diaries The Saga Of Berra — Fragment 2 55
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Resting a season in shade1Assumed to be the shade of her home tree, by Garin. Alleyn gives it as an idyll. by the river
Berra took omens from ravens above her
Seeing that Death came to roost all around her
Berra set forth to protect all her ducklings2The sage Llewun gives this as ‘assets’ in his usual manner.,3Alleyn translates the unusual word as ‘precious things’ meaning both children – in this case assumed or adopted, and thus all children – or land, that most precious thing in Bronze-Age Sartar.
Sweet was her sister in Ernalda’s Temple
Lying to close to the heart of the matter
Berra sought out Lenta Hulta with presents
Gifts for Ernalda to ask for her magic
Cutting herself from the kin that she guarded
Humakt stepped out from the greathouse of Orlanth
Dancing the dance that was made from the swordsman
Cutting out threat that was coming towards it4The protection of the Longhouse by one cut apart is a step in the life of Humakt, which Goldman says marks Berra’s final step as a young Humakti, and her first as one with greater title within the Temple.
Each step she took she was calling the omen
Seeking the Death that was threatening landing
Walked in the footsteps of Umath the Rebel5The Sage Llewun notes that BM-45.42/AsGRY has ‘slicer’, rendering Umath the original Seperator, and Humakt as the imitator. Alleyn rejoins that this may be so, but Llewun’s hypothesis that this makes Humakt the first Heroquester is simply false. This is noted because of the circumstances of the rejoinder, and we understand that the R.A. made a swift recovery.
Finding the edge where the killer was lurking
Clad in a wolf-pelt a poacher was standing
Walked with a deer from the woods she protected
Berra drew sword to chase Telmor-Gbaji
There she shed blood in defense of the plough-lands
What Really Happened
Berra had gone out to see the duck village upstream from Blue Tree, and was followed back by two ducklings, who saw a powerful omen with her – ravens flying in a particular manner. Deciding to ward off the omen (and thus not endanger the ducklings) Berra got as many of her friends as she could scrabble together to come and perform a blessing on the fields, while she went around the outside, ritually cutting it away. The ducklings followed; one6Mifgiy. of them wants to grow up to be a Humakti hero, and was allowed to wear Cross-shaped make-up for the occasion. The other7Ifgiy. will likely be Vingan. Unfortunately, Varanis told a lot of wonderful stories about Berra, so the story of the Dagger of Humakt spread further. Maalira managed to somehow convince the ducklings, by accident, that Praxian White Ladies could eat ducklings.
As she danced, Berra slowly walked along the possible path there there might be danger, cutting inside from outside with her steps. That meant that she piled straight into the danger – a Telmori who used his wolf-hide magic and almost killed her. She was put together by her friends, who arrived at speed. However, the group elected not to chase the Telmori, because there might be more of them. Instead, they took the tenant farmer with them, and delivered the ducklings back home; the next day they went back to Blue Tree, and returned to the house from a different direction. There were wolf prints all around, but nothing dead – the animals had been released, and got rounded up later.
Session Quotes
“Ifgiy and Mifgiy, did you know that Berra is a duck? She is still learning to swim though. Let me tell you about the time that…” – Varanis
“Is about where you put the spear in and lever.” – Argan Argar
“Maalira, do you think that was about sex?” – Humakt
“No, you can’t have the sacred make-up!” – Berra
<<appears in sacred make-up>> – Mifgiy
- 1Assumed to be the shade of her home tree, by Garin. Alleyn gives it as an idyll.
- 2The sage Llewun gives this as ‘assets’ in his usual manner.
- 3Alleyn translates the unusual word as ‘precious things’ meaning both children – in this case assumed or adopted, and thus all children – or land, that most precious thing in Bronze-Age Sartar.
- 4The protection of the Longhouse by one cut apart is a step in the life of Humakt, which Goldman says marks Berra’s final step as a young Humakti, and her first as one with greater title within the Temple.
- 5The Sage Llewun notes that BM-45.42/AsGRY has ‘slicer’, rendering Umath the original Seperator, and Humakt as the imitator. Alleyn rejoins that this may be so, but Llewun’s hypothesis that this makes Humakt the first Heroquester is simply false. This is noted because of the circumstances of the rejoinder, and we understand that the R.A. made a swift recovery.
- 6Mifgiy.
- 7Ifgiy.
