Session S5.O-19
1629, Fire Season, Probably Truth Week, with at least one group experiencing Fireday
Dramatis Personae
PCs
Berra
Dormal
Maalira
Rajar
Serala
NPCs
A horsehoof statue
Some humourless centaurs
Some even more humourless people
The Earth
Events
Serala and Rajar had split away from Wilmskirk, with Serala going to go take the good news of her motherhood to the Grazelands, but not actually take the child, because she had no idea how to be a mother. They rode1Note-taker wrote ‘road’ twice, which was exactly the opposite of what they did. west, accidentally cutting through Beast Valley, where they were challenged by centaurs. After some discussion they turned back and went towards Sun County, where there were roads. They found out a festival was about to happen.
Meanwhile, the group investigating the white horse on the hillside was leaving Richberry. They passed over more surprisingly well-laid road bed, this time towards the West. After some time, the road dipped down into a tunnel, obviously Dwarf-made, with Runic decorations. The week-Runes progressed back and forth in a set of mixes2“Sort of like… bell changes.” – GM
“Yeah, I was thinking that.” – Berra, who has that one book where Peter Wimsey is a campanologist and is therefore basically an expert. They emerged from the tunnel on the far side of the Zethnoring, which apparently had missed out on having the road. They spent some time calculating just how many kings’ ransoms were tied up in that amazing bit of pettiness, and decided that it had to be calculated in terms of Queens of Nochet. Berra kept Lord Raven informed of what was going on throughout.
Arriving at the Pegasus Plateau, they were greeted immediately by an initiate, and then had a Priestess step in, presumably because they looked rich and powerful. Berra spend some time mentioning what she could and could not eat, so that they could all accept hospitality. They explained the oddity in the hill, and asked about available shamans, having been told there was an Earth Witch nearby. Dormal made the question more palatable by nudging a wheel towards the lage.
Serala and Rajar, riding up towards the Sun Dome, could see the white horse cut into the hillside. They were impressed by the scale of it, as well as the awkward positioning. It was visible all the way up the road towards the city, where they made no mention of it at all when challenged at the gate. The guards eyed up Pag’s ironmongery, but decided not to say anything about that, and let Serala and Rajar into the city, directing them to an inn in the lower quarters, rather than the officers’ barracks. They were better dressed than everyone else there. Serala was rather on edge, possibly because she was in a Sun Dome town. Rajar was happy because he had found something that looked like water but seemed to be very strong alcohol. Rajar spent some time wandering around the city, being charming and making sure nobody smelled of Chaos.
The underground group was swiftly taken by a very nervous initiate to a low cave under the Temple, where they met the Earth Witch at the end of a long, low tunnel down which they had to crawl. The initiate left the light for them so they could get back. The Earth Witch was every age of Ernalda and all of the other Earth Goddesses, all changing from moment to moment, and she started off as Ty Kora Tek. Maalira was briefly too shocked or suprised to speak, but Berra introduced her and Maalira touched the hand she was offered by the Earth Witch. It was soft and warm and small, and the woman was Voria. Maalira gave a gift and explained the problem with a potential large spirit cult nearby, and the fertile Ernalda spoke in all her voices, including that of Babeester Gor, to say she would come with the group. The rock and earth moved out of her way so that she could leave.
Session Quotes
“Think of Prax as Norwich. A flat wasteland filled with strange creatures.” – GM
“And Rajar.” – Serala
“See aforementioned comment.” – Rajar
“Has the thought of actual success crossed their minds?” – Maalira. Could be about anything.
“You’ve foaled, you’re back in the saddle. You’re getting used to your weight distributing. What’s your plan?” – GM
“Ride to the grazelands! Go through as fast as possible so I don’t have to talk to Grandfather.” – Serala
“So how have you induced Finarvi to lactate?” – GM
“I think Finarvi will be doing what aunties do, which is get a wetnurse and possibly tell them they are doing it wrong. Is that not the rule?” – Serala
“I no longer have the version of the Darya map NOT marked up with where my last group was banned.” – Berra
“I’m going to have a ride roll.” – GM
“And I’ve just wasted my only crit of the evening.” – Rajar
“Now we’ve established you’re both going really fast, let’s’ work out if you know where you’re going. Roll Survival.” – GM
“I’ve got the wind at my back. Let’s stay quiet about what we ate to get there.” – Rajar
“Centaurs! Yay! Hang on wait, they’re not all nice like grandfather.” – Serala
“I’m sure we’re not intruders.” – Serala
“What are you doing in Beast Valley?” – centaur
“Passing through!” – Serala
“No. Humans do not pass through Beast Valley.” – centaur
“I think they do.” – Serala
“Not twice.” – centaur
“I think they do.” – Serala
“Aren’t you a newtling anyway?” – Dormal
“The humans have entered the neutral zone.” – GM doing Star Trek impression
“There must be some centaurs somewhere, that actually have a sense of humour, and some day I shall find them. It may be my newest quest.” – Serala
“I’m always a fan of swimming in RuneQuest.” – Serala
“They are very regular farmlands. VERY regular.” – GM
“Sun dome.” – Serala, re anally retentive field layout.
“I suppose I should do the friendly thing and ask if there’s any news.” – Serala
“They look at your Runes, and your pet Bison… Rider
‘Well missus, we’re heading up to town to the festival.'” – GM
“Rajar’s eyes brighten.” – Rajar
“Remember the tree.” – Serala
“Obviously Chaotic.” – Rajar
“This is a tunnel. You can see a light at the other end.” – GM
“Is it a Sunspear?” – Dormal
“It’s probably for ritual purposes.” – Berra
“You can hear the pegasi calling above you in the same delightful way as Dawnsquawk.” – GM
“That was a hippogriff, wasn’t it?” – Dormal
“Yep.” – GM
“This is what we call ecumenically interesting.” – GM
“Hill-sized et filoque.” – Dormal
“Et caballum tuum.” – Berra
“Someone has carved a hillside-sized fuck-you into the hill where the Yelmalians can see it.” – GM
“It could be a zebra!” – Serala
“I’m just waiting for Rajar to nip up there with a pot of black paint.” – GM
“We’ve been sent to the working stiffs joint, instead of the nobs’ place, which is better for us…” – Rajar
“I don’t think she’s going to make a fuss, but she thinks the horse on the hill is fucking hilarious now.” – Serala
“Give me another Insight Own Species.” – GM
“Everybody hates me… 92.” – Serala
“Everybody loves you!” – Dormal
“Horse? What horse?” – party line for the Sundomers
“I think they’re Sundomers, and so they’re very good at ignoring the blindingly obvious…” – Rajar
“You’re going to sniff things, aren’t you?” – Serala
“Yes.” – Rajar
“I didn’t steal this iron, I got it off a corpse after killing the previous owner!” – Serala, as per Dormal
Peanut Gallery: “That’s not the legal loophole you think it is.” – Dormal
“I’m starting to think the ones in the towers are the ones that are sane.” – Serala
“Newp.” – Dormal
“Let’s have a chat with them. What could possibly go wrong?” – Rajar
“Oh Rajar. My sweet fire-season child.” – Serala
“Isn’t that how everyone gets their iron?” – Serala
“Not me.” – Berra
“No, you stole it from a dead demigod and burned down his city.” – Berra
“I didn’t actually burn it down, it sank.” – Berra
Peanut Gallery: “That’s not…” – Maalira
“It’s more Gaude than a Spanish cathedral.” – GM
“They’re only embarrassing themselves…” – Serala
“Rajar’s taking notes of landmarks to get here.” – Rajar
“88 is probably a failure from the trader.” – GM, with Irillo’s spirit looking sad nearby.
“Perhaps, if I may make a suggestion…. I glance over at Maalira as if I’m asking for permission.” – Dormal
“I nod as if I’m giving it” – Maalira
“That sounds a bit Maran Gorish,” Berra mutters to Dormal
“When you say Reverend Mother, is there anything I need to worry about as a bodyguard?” – Berra
“I really couldn’t say.” – Priestess
bleysrex: The light gets worse, and we have to crawl after a while, following the guide.
bleysrex: The initiate with us lights a lamp, or will light a lamp, so we can find our way back.
“Welcome,” says a young voice. “Come in,” says a matronly voice. “Don’t keep me waiting,” says an older voice.
“Are you announcing yourself?” – GM
“I was just rolling Truth. Berra Jarang’s Daughter.” – Berra
thinks “Dormal Saiciae.” – Dormal
“Who comes to the Realm of Death?” – Priestess
shocked look – Maalira
“Everyone in the end, but it’s my honour to introduce the lady Maalira.” – Berra
“We are not here to fuck spiders.” – Dormal
“You do that in your own time.” – Berra
“There is a spark and the initiate is lighting a lamp. There is a shake on both hands.” – GM
“She should have said, I could have illuminated the subject.” – Dormal
“Rajar, what are you doing unsupervised for the day?” – GM
“Oh god.” – Serala
- 1Note-taker wrote ‘road’ twice, which was exactly the opposite of what they did.
- 2“Sort of like… bell changes.” – GM
“Yeah, I was thinking that.” – Berra, who has that one book where Peter Wimsey is a campanologist and is therefore basically an expert