1629, Fire Season, Fertility Week, Freezeday evening
Context
Whitewall on the eve of a Wolf Pirate attack. After Session Sartar 5 (South) #8, Payer 1 Ready and before #9 Gate Pass. Followed by Like a Vingan.
Events
It is after midnight. Somewhere in the darkness, Serala rides. Somewhere, armies march. Adnew has sent out scouts to watch the road from a distance, paring down his Humakti force with the coldness of a man who does not fear Death. Haralast is walking over the holy ground of his city, where most of his ragtag army is encamped.
Vareena joins Haralast. She has not yet slept, but neither has she painted on her woad. She is likely going to attempt sleep before Yelm’s rise. “How’s their morale?” she asks him softly.
“Shaky, but it exists,” he says quietly, with a confident smile. “They are talking themselves up. We’ll try to have them sleep by units, which Adnew says will give them a little rest even if they do not sleep. When we are closer to dawn he will perk them up.”
“He’s wise and he knows what he’s doing,” Vareena agrees.1Going into this fight as Vareena, Kallyr’s cousin.
“I’ll be doing the same soon. I want to be up early enough to pray to Vinga and Sartar, then salute Yelm. I’ll be asking Sartar’s wisdom for you, but this far from the Flame…” She shrugs and her lips quirk up in a wry grin. “I don’t know how good my great grandfather’s hearing is or how loud my voice is.”
Haralast nods. “Walk around a little with me?” he says. “Be seen?”
“I am,” she points out. She’s wearing the bronze, which glitters in the light of the torches and fires. “I’m here for them as much as I am to check in with you.” She nods at a young Vingan who watches the pair of them pass. “When the pirates are at the gates tomorrow, I will be where you need me most. And if we survive what is to come, all I ask is that you remember that the Starbrow’s cousin stands ready in the name of King Kallyr. You will need to decide what is best for your people in the aftermath of all of this and I respect whatever choices you make.” She strides along beside him, her voice low but determined. “I came here at the King’s behest and while I thought it was to negotiate; I am nothing if not adaptable.” She gives him that wry smile again.
Haralast looks around at where Varanis must have been, to join him, and nods. “We’re Orlanthi. Change suits us. I think we’ll come out of it well.” He speaks loud enough to be overheard, and he sounds confident. “Adnew may wish you as a roving force, depending on the disposition of the foe.” He does not name them, although rumour has spread ahead of him.
“Adnew is a very capable warrior. I will be honoured to follow his commands tomorrow,” Vareena replies, matching his volume. “I’ll be sure to let him know my strengths so he can use them as he deems appropriate.”
“He knows most of them already. We’ll have to have a word with you about holding back.” Haralast reaches a quieter spot and drops his voice slightly. “We’re grateful for Kallyr’s help, both in sending you, and in the generosity you show to friends. We’ll remember.”
She clasps his shoulder briefly. “We’ll manage. Neither of us is Broyan, but we’re capable and determined. The gods are watching and Heroes walk among us.”
Haralast gives her the side-eye. “I’d settle for Harst son of Issaries right now,” he notes. One of those who is not as talented at negotiating, but still, a son of Issaries. “Have you fought in the air before?”
“Yes. But I’m not sure I’m strong enough to do so tomorrow. My spirit might help me, mind you. But, while I think I could fly, I’m not sure I could also shield myself at the same time.”
“I’m not asking you to. Rather, if you have anything to add, I should hear it. I’ve never done more than sparring, and that not for long.”
Her eyes widen a fraction, then she nods. “You need a good shield on you or you’ll find yourself falling fast,” she warns him. “And you won’t be high enough to call on Orlanth again, except to seek his intervention. There’s no one guarding your flanks if you’re not part of a trained flying unit. So, think of it a bit like wading into melee on your own. You need to keep an eye on your peripheries.”
Haralast looks like he is taking that in without giving the outward impression of taking advice. He steers down a line of small fires, where men are camped. “Fire season is a good time for it,” he says for the public, and a little more quietly he adds, “The prisoner – I have been thinking about timing. They do not know we have him.”
“They might suspect. They’d have missed him by now.”
“Good point.” Haralast takes a moment to say it and sounds embarrassed. “We should show him as early as possible.”
“Agreed. It will confirm what they suspect but should also tell them that we are prepared. They have lost their element of surprise. Maybe that will make us look stronger. He can’t be allowed to signal them, but we want it to be clear that he is unharmed.”
“Yes. One way to do it is to show his arms and armour, and see if they ask, but I think we should keep this simple. They see him alive; they know what attacking will cost him.”
“Let’s hope he’s important to them, then.”
“He’s one man. Ninety-nine to go,” Haralast almost-jokes.
Vareena snorts. “Ten for you, ten for me… Rajar will take at least the same… we ought to leave some for Adnew to train his warriors on. And the wasp riders and Praxians are going to want a few each.” She sobers up. “You’ve got the resources to pay the wasp riders?”
“Yes. We have cattle, and we can drive them, once this is over. A lot of the sacred herd is in.” He nods to the far end of the big central city. “Fertility week. If we keep them out, we will be surprisingly fortunate. Everything of value within half a day is protected here.” He does not say the other part, that they are ruined if Whitewall falls.2V: No pressure or anything. B: He did not mean for this to happen.
She clasps his shoulder again. “We’ll see the other side of this. And we’ll drink to the survival of Whitewall.” She sighs a little, letting her hand fall. “I wish we had Berra, mind you. She’s a force to be reckoned with all by herself.” Vareena stares North for a long moment. “There’s another thing to consider. If we settle this without a fight, as we hope to… Rajar’s Praxians may be disappointed. They’ll need paying, which I’ll help with if need be. But they’ll likely need to be pointed towards a fight somewhere. That’s trouble for later, but something to consider anyway.”
“We can hire them or give them what we gave the Wasp Riders. We’ll sort it out later. That sort of money can be found.” He does not know to look North. “If you were a pirate, how much would you want to be paid to leave without a fight such as this?”
The look she directs his way is rueful. “I’ve never imagined being a pirate before. But I’ve led an army… and they weren’t there for the pay.” She chews her lip, an oddly uncertain action that emphasizes how young she is for a Wind Lord. “Enough to make sure my crew felt well rewarded for the march?”
“This is a feint,” he says. “They know they could leave with nothing. They will be eager not to. So, pay for a couple of seasons? For a year?” He explores the numbers like a man with toothache pressing his tongue against a cavity.
She winces.3V: What’s the value of what Kallyr gave them? How far will it stretch and how deeply will he have to dig into Whitewall’s coffers? B: 6000 L – enough for the professional soldiers of a city for a year, if they are far more numerous than here. Spending it all would mean having nothing left for keeping the tribe together. V: Mathing… a bandit’s income is 0 L. If pirates are bandits, anything should be good. But… these seem like somewhat successful pirates. Income for thieves is 30 L. Warriors and fishers (there are no sailors in the occupation list) is 60 L. 30 L would use about half the gifts we brought. That’s either a year’s pay or half a year. But that might leave too little for Haralast. Gah. Plus… I don’t know if V has the knowledge to work this stuff out. I’m just obsessing about it. “Offer to pay for a season and be prepared to pay more?” she suggests.
Haralast considers. “Raldina thinks more and thinks we should hide the rest. I think I know what to do.” He looks over to his house. “The prisoner will make a difference.”
“Shall we walk and smile one more time before I try to get some sleep?” Vareena asks.
“I’ll be up a little longer. Shall I have you woken when I try to get some sleep, so you can pray?” Haralast walks towards a more isolated pair of fires. “Our young vingans are here, if you want to see their faces. They muster together.”
“Yes,” she replies to the first question. And then, “Yes. Who leads them?” She peers towards the fires, trying get a head count.
“I do. They’re fyrd and militia. Some of the militia are with friends, some here.”
There are three women, all young, dressed in light armour, and eight in ordinary work clothes. All of them have spears.
“Dalinya…” Haralast looks around. “You know of Vareena. She wanted to meet you.”
One of the young women stands up. She might be twenty, no more. The working women are older, but this is one with armour and a well-sharpened weapon.
“Vinga’s blessings on you,” Vareena says, offering her arm to clasp.
Dalinya’s grasp is solid, her look confident. “Thunder at our backs, lightning before.” Her voice is raspy, like she has talked a lot already this evening.
Vareena grins at her. “And Ernalda’s bounty to share when the battle’s done.” She glances around at the rest of the Vingans, taking quick stock.4B: Roll Battle. V: Alas. 89. B: Three people trained to fight, and eight who have at least picked up weapons before. The militia look about as nervous as they should be, while the three in armour are looking like they know what they are doing.
“Depends on the Ernalda,” Dalinya says with a wink.5B: Insight, if you like. V: That went better. 37. B: The Vingans are probably excited. The older women among the militia are definitely not.
Haralast is momentarily forgotten as Vinga’s Daughter clasps arms with each of them, collecting their names and committing them to memory.
Haralast coughs a little as he steps away.
Dalinya introduces her battle-sisters, Elsada and Elsana, no relation to each other, it’s just coincidence. She knows most of the names of the group by now, but they have not yet fought together, she explains.
“Tomorrow will forge you into a unit,” Vareena observes. “Though, we might not need to fight. The enemy has lost their element of surprise and Haralast is clever.”
“We’re ready,” Elsana says, a little more eagerly than she has to.
“We are.” The three younger warriors all agree here.
“Ready or not, we’ll be on the walls.” A woman stirring the fire does not look up as she speaks. Astara, maybe? Yes, Astara. “Being ready makes it less likely.”
“I’ll be greeting Yelm. You’re welcome to join me, if you wish.”
Those who wish to join Vareena are told when and where to find her. She checks for Haralast, sees that he’s moved off, and makes the decision to find her bedroll and sleep for a few hours.
- 1Going into this fight as Vareena, Kallyr’s cousin.
- 2V: No pressure or anything. B: He did not mean for this to happen.
- 3V: What’s the value of what Kallyr gave them? How far will it stretch and how deeply will he have to dig into Whitewall’s coffers? B: 6000 L – enough for the professional soldiers of a city for a year, if they are far more numerous than here. Spending it all would mean having nothing left for keeping the tribe together. V: Mathing… a bandit’s income is 0 L. If pirates are bandits, anything should be good. But… these seem like somewhat successful pirates. Income for thieves is 30 L. Warriors and fishers (there are no sailors in the occupation list) is 60 L. 30 L would use about half the gifts we brought. That’s either a year’s pay or half a year. But that might leave too little for Haralast. Gah. Plus… I don’t know if V has the knowledge to work this stuff out. I’m just obsessing about it.
- 4B: Roll Battle. V: Alas. 89. B: Three people trained to fight, and eight who have at least picked up weapons before. The militia look about as nervous as they should be, while the three in armour are looking like they know what they are doing.
- 5B: Insight, if you like. V: That went better. 37. B: The Vingans are probably excited. The older women among the militia are definitely not.
