Session Sartar Arc 05

1628, Earth Season, Fertility Week, Fireday

Dramatis Personae

Events

Berra and Serala had a nice little chat about the Humakti’s irritable mood. It was decided that there probably wasn’t much to do about it. Berra also explained that Varanis is likely to have some difficulties once they cross the Glowline as there is some promise she made to the…  one of the… Lunar Emperors.¹Essentially that he wouldn’t mess around in Sartar if she didn’t mess around in his land. This is not the Emperor that Jar-Eel does not support, which is why she was cheerfully eating the souls of his supporters.,²…why does politics have to be so complicated?  Get a lance, stab the bad one in the guys, move on, thinks Serala.

Maalira passed along a message from Venna inviting the group that Maalira was travelling with to visit with Argrath. Varanis got offended by Venna’s name, while Finarvi asked whether or not we should be worried about receiving an invitation from Argrath. 

There was a discussion around whether the two Lunar deserters looked too much like Lunar deserters and whether it would be a good idea to make them stick out like normal thumbs rather than sore thumbs.  A mix of offered clothing was provided for them.  

As the party travelled north, they saw evidence of the remains of the Incompetent Emperor’s army being steadily reduced in number due to attacks from someone; probably the competing Kings of Tarsh.  They decided that likely meant Varanis would be okay to be in the area as the Lunar Emperor apparently did not have armies in the fields here or control over the area.

Having arrived at Grizzly Peak, there was a short debate about where the fallen were likely to have been felled and Serala was very definitely told that she was wrong by everyone, as she thought it was at the bottom.  Even Giland rather disapprovingly pointed out all the spirits were at the top and she should’ve paid better attention.

As they climbed (leaving the mounts at the bottom), they saw six figures, warriors, dressed in bronze, heading towards them.  Berra took one look and stated they were zombies.³Or moved like them – the exact working is debated. Everyone drew swords, except Finarvi, who strung his bow instead.

For some reason, Berra didn’t take the lead, so Serala stepped in.  She and Finarvi cast spells for seeking enemies and checked their magical defences, while Berra and Varanis prepared for incoming enemies.  Grandfather Giland took on the circling spirits and Maalira readied herself for serious healing.  Finarvi’s bowshots damaged one, Varanis attacked a second, Berra took the head off a third.  Serala appeared to just be playing with hers; no-one got damaged at any rate.

 And so it continued.  Serala first-blooded the sword Finarvi made for her by taking down an opponent with a leg-blow.  It didn’t stop him from hitting back, but she blocked the attacks.  Berra did lots of sword flailing but didn’t actually hit anyone, Varanis parried as well.  Finarvi and Maalira were keeping an eye on the area, the ebb and flow of the magics.

Serala hit her second one solidly in the chest this time, everyone still parrying or dodging all the incoming attacks.  Berra was now playing around with hers, while Varanis took the head off hers.  The flailing continued. Serala clanged her sword off her opponents’ armour, and he in turn glanced off her armour, while Berra sliced one of hers in the abdomen while dodging any and all incoming attacks.  Varanis finished Serala’s off and then the rest all fell down, likely courtesy of Giland, who was looking just a little smug about the whole thing.  

Berra identifies the fallen corpses as Fazzur’s people, while Varanis systematically removed all their heads in order to ensure they stayed dead.

The group, led by Varanis, went to look for the appropriate place on the mountain.  As she went, she felt a pull on her armour.  The group continued on to (even) higher ground.  Giland had an animated interaction with a spirit.⁴He slapped one  Varanis got a bit offended in case it was her grandmother and Giland was his usual charming self.  He did go ahead and volunteer Finarvi to be the host for Varanis’s Grandmother, Berra Colymar.  There was a certain amount of dancing and painting of Finarvi’s naked body, all for the spectators before Finarvi found himself thrown out of his body to make way for a female form.  Finarvi was given the advice by Grandfather Wyvern of ‘Cheat’.⁵This was entirely meaningless to him.

And then Berra Colymar was there.

Berra Colymar wanted to know where the rest of the armour was and Varanis said that this was all she inherited.  There was something of a clash of wills between two strong minded individuals.  Berra Colymar said the remains of the helmet were on the field, but her backboy, Derenyr, took the rest of it and vanished back into the Grazelands.  

Berra Colymar sang her death song, including the tale of the armour being forged from a nail of Orlanth’s (armour?), and Varanis promised that she will sing it.

Berra Colymar and Berra Jarang’s Daughter had a bit of a staring contest, which Berra Colymar ‘won’, but perhaps not as easily as she might have expected.

Finarvi got to look at the spirits of his friends, which seems to have been a fascinating experience.  A broken sword.  A centaur that glows with the sun.  A storm on the edge of breaking.  And a figure that is always slightly misplaced; always caught out of the corner of his vision.  

Finarvi got himself some clothes and then the heroes started digging for the helmet.  Varanis and Maalira managed to find some fragments which contain the crest pieces that could be reattached to a reworked helmet with some skill.  Luckily they have plenty of skill in the form of Finarvi.  

The group gathered the remaining bones and made a pyre for them.

Berra Jarang’s Daughter also remembered a saga of Derenyr which she sang; it implies that the armour was returned to the Colymar in honour of the person he loved, and given to a younger person of the same name.⁶ANOTHER BERRA???!? Maybe after all of this, Varanis isn’t actually descended from Sartar… 

• 1
  Essentially that he wouldn’t mess around in Sartar if she didn’t mess around in his land. This is not the Emperor that Jar-Eel does not support, which is why she was cheerfully eating the souls of his supporters.
• 2
  …why does politics have to be so complicated?  Get a lance, stab the bad one in the guys, move on, thinks Serala.
• 3
  Or moved like them – the exact working is debated.
• 4
  He slapped one
• 5
  This was entirely meaningless to him.
• 6
  ANOTHER BERRA???!? Maybe after all of this, Varanis isn’t actually descended from Sartar…