1628, Earth Season, Stasis Week, Clayday (ish)
Context
Having returned from Grizzly Peak by way of the Upland Marsh, the party has temporarily split up. Varanis, Berra, and Maalira stay with the Cinderfox Clan in the city of Wilmskirk. Varanis goes to talk with Thenaya for a while.
Takes place during Bed Ridden (Session SA07)
Events
It is evening in Wilmskirk. Varanis has the choice of keeping her host company, of talking to Thenaya, or of buttonholing Berra. The gates of the house are closed but not barred, so she could go out. She could also explore the big place, in case adventure arrived between the last time she visited and now.
Varanis decides to go looking for Thenaya.
The woman is close to being the matron here – without Habela in residence her place is by the loom. She is sitting there, spinning by lamplight, as the evening draws in.
This is a hall off the large one where Jengharl and his father hold court. It is probably half of the ground floor of the other house, given the big place is two residences knocked together.
Varanis hovers by the entrance to the hall, watching from a safe distance for a time.1Insight Human please. V: 78. Fail
Thenaya is drawing out the thread skilfully, her attention apparently all on it. She does not see Varanis, although the house is busy enough that several people slip past the Vingan while she watches.
Finally Varanis steps into the hall fully and makes her way to the loom. “Thenaya, may I watch you work?”
Thenaya looks up as she approaches, and smiles. “Of course. Do you want a spindle?” She is spinning wool, soft and squishy.
“Only if you have something you don’t mind being spun by a child. I haven’t used a spindle since then,” Varanis admits with a light blush.
“Let us keep your fingers busy, then.” Thenaya has a bag beside her, and from it draws a spindle with a clump of combed wool attached. “It can always be a cloak for someone I dislike.” There is a brief smile, an offer to share the humour, as she passes her burden over.
Varanis laughs and accepts the tools.2V: Ok, thinking about this… I feel like dex*5 could boost a generic craft roll? B: DEX is factored into crafting already. I think Earth could, but stats don’t do boosts in the same way. V: Yes, but as a spinner, DEX is really important in learning. B: Still, stats do not work that way, I think? But do a DEXx3 instead for drawing out something that does not break? And a craft for making it pretty. V: Oh! Not sure about the DEX without calling up my sheet, but 03 on craft.
Thenaya has several stools around the bench where she is working, but she stands up nevertheless. “Let us see what you recall, then.”
She’s clumsy at first, but eventually Varanis’ fingers seem to find their way and her whorl spins smoothly. Her draw grows more consistent and before long, she’s spinning competently. “Huh. I didn’t think I’d remember.”
Thenaya has a pleased smile throughout. “Sometimes it’s just easy,” she says. “You have good fingers for it.”
Varanis smiles, pleased with herself.
“I keep thinking I should go meet my children,” Thenaya says. “Yamia will want to go back to Venlar, and I would like to see her.”
“And meet little Tamakt again. He’s quite the character. Would you go as far as Blue Tree?”
“It depends on how Hengrast is,” Thenaya admits. “But Tamakt is adorable, and I have clothes for him.”
“He seemed in good spirits, despite his missing limb,” Varanis admits. “I think it helped having his sister and her son there.”3B: Do me an Insight? V: Definite pass
“He loves his family. They all do.” Thenaya smiles at her work, but nobody who really knows how to spin would have to concentrate that hard. She is trying not to ask advice. “If he wanted to come this way, at least he would have my company.”
“I’m sure he’d be very happy for your company, Thenaya. He’s a sweet boy.”
The Ernaldan smiles. “He’s good-natured even though he feels the breath of Storm Bull now, but I worry for him. More even than the others. He’s so eager to do right.”
Varanis nearly drops her spindle and grumbles a little about it. Once she has things working again, she asks, “Storm Bull?”
Thenaya sighs, like a mother with wayward children might well do. “He played Storm Bull in a Heroquest and did very well. I worry for him, but he’s happier now.”
“Has he joined the cult then?” the Vingan asks, looking surprised.
“Yes. The wildness in him finally has a home.” Thenaya’s hands work steadily. She, at least, is hard to surprise – or unaffected by this conversation.
“Is there anything you aren’t saying that maybe you want to?” Varanis asks at last.
Thenaya looks at her. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea to get in the way of an army coming home. And of course, now I think of it – I hadn’t before – I might see someone who does not want to see me, riding with Kallyr.”
With a reluctant sigh, Varanis concedes the point. “He’s hard to read. I have no idea how he’d react.”
“I could avoid him. The cavalcades are slow. Still, an army is a terrible strain where it passes.” Thenaya’s hands still do not betray her.
The house is perhaps too quiet. Berra said something about going out earlier.
“Is there anything I can do for you, Thenaya?”
There is a smile. “You ask Jengharl that, not me. He’s your host.” Then she looks down. There is a struggle going on there.
Varanis replies, “I will ask my host. If I can help, mother, please say so.” The word she uses is the Stormspeech term for Ernalda as Vinga’s mother.
“If you’re passing, a few days from now, I might want an escort. I’ll talk to Jengharl first.” From her expression it is not a hint, and Thenaya is not asking to be asked anywhere.
“Of course! If I can, I most definitely will. Only, I can’t cross into Colymar territory. Or Alda Chur.” Varanis winces. “And… you don’t need an escort to the Paps, do you?”4B: You can totally go into Tarsh! Only Berra got banned, and only from Alda Chur. V: Oh, I was thinking it was all of Tarsh. And if Berra can’t go, I don’t wanna! B: Koraki is only in charge of the Alda Chur part. V: And??? That would stop him? Checks Air rune. B: Oh god yes. If he says he owns more of Tarsh, that’s immediate war. V: With whom? Fazzur? Argrath? B: All of the above. The reason he’s King there is so that nobody else claims it (and with it, Tarsh) which would start a war. So Argrath and Kallyr don’t have to say it is theirs. V: Better him than Varanis!
Thenaya manages to look shocked for only the briefest of moments. “Just up to Dangerford, I think. That is where the forces will stretch out.” And where her children might part company.
Varanis laughs, but looks a bit self-conscious. “Sometimes we say or do things that need doing in the moment, but don’t make us popular with local rulers.”
“Orlanthi should bluster like the wind,” Thenaya says. “If you are not, and if the local rulers are not shouting too, then are you really Orlanthi?”
“Exactly! Only, sometimes they tell us to go away for a while instead of letting the bluster blow past as it should.” Varanis shrugs. “It makes travel awkward at times. I do rather understand why the Priestesses at the Paps banned me though.” The Vingan regales Thenaya with the story of the Goddess of Teeth and Salt and their unwise decision to offer her worship at one of the most sacred of Praxian places.
Thenaya listens, and looks appropriately alarmed and impressed. “Crocodiles must be tricky beasts. Is it true that they have stones on their backs, as armour?”
- 1Insight Human please. V: 78. Fail
- 2V: Ok, thinking about this… I feel like dex*5 could boost a generic craft roll? B: DEX is factored into crafting already. I think Earth could, but stats don’t do boosts in the same way. V: Yes, but as a spinner, DEX is really important in learning. B: Still, stats do not work that way, I think? But do a DEXx3 instead for drawing out something that does not break? And a craft for making it pretty. V: Oh! Not sure about the DEX without calling up my sheet, but 03 on craft.
- 3B: Do me an Insight? V: Definite pass
- 4B: You can totally go into Tarsh! Only Berra got banned, and only from Alda Chur. V: Oh, I was thinking it was all of Tarsh. And if Berra can’t go, I don’t wanna! B: Koraki is only in charge of the Alda Chur part. V: And??? That would stop him? Checks Air rune. B: Oh god yes. If he says he owns more of Tarsh, that’s immediate war. V: With whom? Fazzur? Argrath? B: All of the above. The reason he’s King there is so that nobody else claims it (and with it, Tarsh) which would start a war. So Argrath and Kallyr don’t have to say it is theirs. V: Better him than Varanis!
