Session 21, Northern Sartar/Oslir Arc

1629, Early Earth Season

Dramatis Personae

Events

The group set out from Sun Dome County, discussing how to get Andrin to agree to the suggestion of a marriage contest each year, and the possibility of Eurmali magic being at work, including ways they might circumvent magical lies that could convince the listener. Dormal was dismissive of the intelligence of most of those involved, but understood the size of the problem. On arrival they spoke to Vanasa first, a thing that she made sure of by inviting the women into the loom house. Berra put on a skirt for the occasion, although it made her nervous, which made her look aggressive. Serala did not go to weave.

Dormal wandered around being quietly unobtrusive and talking to the locals.

Within the loom house, Vanasa asked what was likely to happen, and Oriana and Maalira told her about the suggestion of a competition. Vanasa was not against it. Berra changed the subject, asking if there was a trickster on the clan ring, but Vanasa did not think there was.

Rajar and Serala wandered around looking for trouble. They spotted a woman sneaking out of an outbuilding in a rather suspicious manner, and recognised Lena, the chief’s slave. Rajar asked if he could help, and they spotted straw in her hair. She left, and Rajar and Serala withdrew to a distance and watched to see who else emerged. It was one of the younger warriors, and they decided that was none of their business.

Dormal wandered into a conversation that was so yokelish he nearly paved the area spontaneously, but started trying to persuade the old men present they needed a competition to prove to people how tough they were. They looked rather shifty at being asked to put their non-existent money where their rural-accented mouths were. While tangentially related to the idea of a marriage competition, he was not attempting to be helpful so much as examining the depths of non-civilisation.

Vanasa finished up in the loom house and went to talk to her husband. Berra took advantage of the lull to change back into trousers, and then had a quick talk with Dormal, sending him with a message to Jonstown. This allowed him to be out of the way for whatever would happen, and thus not hear any magical words if there were any.

A little while later, Andrin gladhanded his way across the room and greeted Maalira happily. Serala told the chief Sertanas’ words for the record, and the chief called everyone in and got up onto the table to give a decent summary of all that had happened.

“Andrin calls everyone in, gets up onto a table, and does a reasonable oratory summary of how “… despite their noble devotion to the spirit that has by the grace of the gods been given to them, this has angered their narrow-minded neighbours and let all know that in addition to being a great warrior and a master of horses he is at heart a peaceful man unless he’s forced to war….” It was not a bad speech, although they had heard better. He then called Maalira up; he and Berra both helped her onto the table with their sword hands, demonstrating that her words would bind them.

Maalira began to speak, and found that she was saying there could be no peace, and the King would permit private feud. While they were puzzled by this, everyone who heard it, believed it.

There was a lot of cheering, and people went to make ready for war. Berra started drilling the fyrd and rapidly realised they needed a lot of help, so began to make them into a militia. Fortunately this meant that they did not run off instantly to go do battle. Meanwhile, the group planned various possible methods of attacking the Sun Dome.

Serala spotted that one of the warriors had a helmet with an ancient piece of decoration, a chunk of a crest that matched Varanis’ armour. She set out to try to buy it, but even with Berra looking terrifying nearby, the man would not part with it – it was part of his family’s story.

In the midst of the preparations, Dormal returned, and managed to persuade the group they had been deceived, reminding them of the Eurmali magic.

Rajar did not do much thinking, but took a deep breath and announced what had really happened. There was a kerfuffle, and important people hurried into the longhouse to hear what was going on. Several people noticed that Vanasa was not turned out as well as normal. Serala asked her straight-up what was happening, and she said that Andrin had done her hair today. Lena had run off with her young warrior lover. There was a wrangle over whether to pursue, but Berra and Dormal were aligned on No, and proved impossible to persuade.

The clan accepted the explanation and persuasion that Rajar and the others gave, and peace was declared. A red boat was seen in the air a day after Lena disappeared, and couple of days later the lover came back with a crude picture on his forehead. Serala cleaned him up and debriefed him; it seemed he was both innocent and duped.

“We don’t want to know your fantasies, GM.” – Serala
“I do.” – Berra

“Where rural blood makes rural hands unclean?” – GM
“Rural chalk. They were digging.” – Berra
“Indeed. Can you dig it?” – GM

“COMPANY, ADVANCE BY STEALTH” – Sun-domer according to Dormal

“The important thing is that he should feel his ego’s on the line.” – Dormal

“Whatcherdoin?” – GM
“Hardly looking terrifying at all.” – Berra
“Do you want to make a roll for that?” – GM

“I am the were-kitten of Humakt.” – Berra
“I thought you were a duck?!” – Dormal
“It’s complicated.” – Berra

“I just like to know where people are.” – Serala
“Don’t you prefer plausible deniability?” – Dormal
“No, I prefer to be able to make plans when people do something bizarre.” – Serala
“Ah, a challenge.” – Dormal

“Entry to the loom house does not depend on the dangly bits you have.” – GM
“Otherwise Babeester Gori would be in trouble.” – Berra

“Eurmali are whatever gender they want to be.” – GM
“But there are no Eurmali here, so that doesn’t apply.” – Dormal

“Berra’s got a skirt on. She kind of walks like she’s ready to kill someone.” – Berra
“So no change there, then.” – GM/Dormal

“Berra’s eyeing up the weaving sword.” – Berra
“Ho-hum.” – Oriana

“Has the goddess shown you another way?” – Vanasa
“Yes, we think so.” – Maalira

“And what will this involve?” – Vanasa
“Think of this as a chance to have the light shine upon you.” – Berra

“Maalira gets her tortymorons and oxymologies mixed up.” – Maalira

“Great Hall. The Saiciae have lavatories bigger than this.” – GM

“Do you have a trickster on the ring? A clan trickster?” – Berra
“Not as far as I know…” – Vanasa

“I really REALLY need to find out what Chaos smells like to a Storm Bull…” – Dormal

“Go over.” – Rajar
“To the outhouse, or the woman?” – GM

“Not that kind of outhouse. An actual…” – GM
“Outhouse.” – Serala

“Wait, is it a privy or not?” – Rajar
discussion – group
“Wait, was that a privy council?” – Berra

conversation on farming and herding – Yalmoring
“I have a very strong urge to pave this area.” – Dormal

“Harsh winter.” – Dormal
“Arrrh.” – yokel
“Caught the wasting sickness. I nearly died.” – Dormal
“Wasting sickness? You were lucky!” – yokel

“So, what I’m saying is, if you can really prove how tough you are, that means something. Not like those soft places down south where they don’t have to work…” – Dormal
“Don’t have nothing to prove.” – yokel

“Perhaps the youngsters-” – yokel
“Don’t show enough respect!” – Dormal
“-need showing.” – yokel

“There are three unwise monkeys drinking with Dormal.” – GM
“Uh-oh, they’re in trouble.” – Rajar

“They’re going to be talking for a while. I’m going to get out of this skirt and into some trousers with a bit of light armour.” – Berra

“Do you want to take a message to Wilmskirk for me?” – Berra
“… sure.” – Dormal

“Hey, Serala, you wanna say the words of Sertanas?” – Berra
headshake – Serala
“But do you think it’s your duty?” – Berra
glares – Serala

“Yeah, I did just walk you into a wall there. Sorry.” – Berra
“I have a very long memory.” – Serala

“It’s a simple pass.” – GM
“And simple is good for him.” – Berra

“Sartar has sent their brightest and best…” – GM
“Oh really? Where are they?” – Serala

“Good news!” – Maalira
“And explain what the plan is.” – Maalira
“And that’s what you think you’re doing…” – GM

“Despite their best efforts, it has been impossible to find a peaceful solution and sadly the King will permit private feud.” – Maalira’s voice

“Now I wanna good clean fight…” – Berra

“I guess I could challenge Venna. Or go to Snakepipe Hollow.” – Rajar
“Venna might fumble. Snakepipe Hollow won’t.” – Dormal

“Yes, you are deeply familiar with Varanis’ helmet?” – GM
“What can I say? It needs a bit of spit and polish on a regular basis.” – Serala
“That was too much information, people.” – Oriana
“Well, if you can’t lick it into shape.” – GM

He inherited the bit of crest from his father, who was gifted it.
“From whom.” – Serala
“A great warlord.” – yokel
“I think that’s my girlfriend’s armour.” – Serala
“Do you mean a LUNAR warlord?” – Berra

“I want to see how many people can beat me, or this lady here, with a spear.” – Berra
“Special offer, I won’t use a shield!” – Berra

“Take the Humakti’s training. She’ll make men of you.” – Andrin
“I’m thinking that training scene in Mulan.” – Serala
“I’m thinking Rocky Horror Picture Show.” – Berra
“The two genders.” – Maalira

“Sharp end goes into enemy. If you fail you’re allowed another try.” – Berra

“I am going to deploy Fast Talk…” – Dormal

“There was Eurmali magic, wasn’t there?” – Berra
“Yes, we were worried about that, weren’t we? Good thing nothing like that happened.” – Maalira
wince – Dormal

“Are you asking?” – GM
“Yeah.” – Serala
“What are you saying?” – GM
“You look like shit… no.” – Serala

“Well, yes I’m fine. I’m worried about this war thing.” – Vanasa
“I can plait my horse’s tail better than your hair’s plaited today.” – Serala
“… war were declared.” – Dormal

“Hey, Dormal. Lena the slave’s gone missing.” – Berra, who has had suspicions.

“The lover pitches up a few days later, having been robbed. Someone has painted a … how would you phrase this?” – GM
“A Storm Bull ritual item?” – Berra
“Yes. On his forehead.” – GM
“He is apparently completely unaware.” – GM
“I see no problem with this.” – Dormal
“I’m not telling him either. I just failed Truth.” – Berra

“Oh well. Somebody else to remember and kill on sight.” – Rajar

“Is there anything else anyone else was going to do?” – GM
“Hell yes. I want that crest back for Varanis!” – Serala

“I could chop his head off. I’m much better at that than orating, but it doesn’t seem fair.” – Serala

“Berra is usually quite safe in most places.” – Maalira
“No, Berra is usually dangerous in most places.” – GM

“Maalira is usually safe except from anyone without intelligence…” – GM
perks up – Berra

“How are we defining civilisation?” – Serala
“Nochet.” – Dormal