1629, Fire Season, Death Week, Fireday
Context
The army of Kallyr is marching to Lunar Tarsh, to take advantage of the weakness of the Lunar Empire. Lord Eril, naturally, is there as Humakt. Session S5-O.4.
Events
Fire Season’s worship is taken in the field. The Regiment is joined by many others. The theme is the Death of Yelm, but the most holy part is something else, a preparation for Orlanth to be complete with his weapon. A Great Temple is marked out just short of the glow line, the blade pointing towards Glamour. The Boldhome Regiment guard that blade, looking outwards, but the part that is the hilt is watched over by Sarostip’s Malani warriors. Humakt enters his hall, Death in his hand, and Orlanth sends a messenger who demands it, and is refused.
The Malani are under the command of a man called Prince-killer. Sarostip Cold-eye is not here as Humakt, despite the power of his tribe, and the patronage of the Death-god. Lord Eril is a Hero, but Sarostip is the closest he has to a rival, and both represent the same force. The negotiations for this night were polite and fraternal, and nobody would say otherwise. The two Regiments, Boldhome and Malani, are the great forces of Death.
Only a few in the Temple, only half a dozen messengers, are aware of how far back the talks began. Just before Sacred Time, Lord Eril visited his estates, where a guest was already in residence. The broad agreement happened then, and the two could plan for the rituals ahead. Sarostip is, Eril was pleased to note, more amenable to suggestions now that a Hero gives them.
If asked, most of the combined force would say that the work was done by Kallyr over the course of several long evenings on the journey. If asked, Eril and Sarostip would refuse to comment.
The work is done. The intricate dance of politics gives way and Orlanth sends to demand, then to cajole, then to ask. Finally she comes in person, her red hair unbound, the light of a star bound into her brow, after she conquered Yelm. Humakt refuses, and those who were once brothers fight until they cannot go on. Then the dead – mostly Lunar prisoners, and some volunteers – are released into the world.
It is Death that deals with them, in his form as a Malani Prince who gave up his kin-claims, and has earned that position and more of his own efforts. Sarostip does not need to touch the dead to send them back to where they belong, for he has taken his first steps along the path to Herodom, and can kill with a look or a gesture.
Some would call this human sacrifice, but any of the dead could throw off that strength. Some do, dying only in the ritual. None are spared, but not all are separated.
Orlanth understands the power of Death, then, and takes back his demand, knowing it is not his path. Humakt offers service freely, and nobody – not Orlanth, not Kallyr, not the combined Regiments – comments at all on how Sarostip killed Temertain, or the one glance he turned on his new commander.
Orlanth leaves with Death, provisional to using it with honour. Kallyr walks out with Sarostip, known for judging a Prince.
The pyres are lit in the morning, and the army crosses the Glowline.
