Session S5-W.06

1629, Fire Season, Death Week, Waterday to Windsday

Dramatis Personae

Events

Late morning on Waterday, Serala notices the Light Son she met at the banquet angling towards her. (Lightson from nearest and very important Sun Dome temple). She bows to him, and he asks her to take a ride towards the Sun Dome temple. He has clearly sussed what her mission is and suggests that she may find what she seeks in their records.

Rajar wakes up next morning alive, no longer drunk, and with a non-squashed young lady in his bed. He gets up, roars naked at the sky for a while, and waits for chaos to come along. A returning roar from a zebra rider Stormbull. Invites him down to talk to his leader over beer. Rajar gets dressed and goes down into town with Jagdar the zebra rider. Meets with Gemala the sable rider. They’re clearly old comrades. They’ve heard stories of Rajar Chaoskiller and want the chance to follow a brave and generous man. Rajar has an idea. They drink zebra kvass and beer. Rajar notes the group have arranged themselves defensively so they can guard their mounts and ensure they aren’t being overheard. Rajar promises fighting, one way or another, and that generous people want the politics to fall into line the way they want. They may want scouts to find out which way people are leaning, and some groups might need persuading, and if they all go the way they want, there will be Lunars to hit. 

They want Rajar to say they are not raiders looking to raid. He says he’ll give them a letter to that effect once he’s got back in touch with the rest of us. As he can’t find anyone, he pays the band, kits them out and takes them out scouting and introduces them to the local worthies as they go. He figures out they are up to something – stashing stolen goods now they are out of the city. Rajar lets them do their thing. He gets a good picture of the Volsaxi, Bacofi and part of Sylangi tribe in the area. None of the clans are at each other’s throats; everyone is okay or happy with Kallyr, Argrath’s just some Praxian warlord to them. The Bacofi are putting on a good front but they are stretched. A military problem, but they are not sharing. 

Xenofos has 3 days without Varanis, who is out on the road. He has been spending his time in the local archives. The library is tiny – a single room in Haralast’s temple house, and there are two LM initiates there. Xenofos looks for pre-Broyan lineage of kings. They give him the entire recited family tree. He asks for related –  Sylangi, king was born there. Most followed Broyan and the survivors settled in other than their original tribal lands (This is the group that merged and split with the Kultain a few times). 

As he’s finishing up, he is hailed by Serala who invites him on her trip to the Sun Dome. Xenofos admits his reading of fire speech is rudimentary, Serala admits it’s a day’s ride away. They do need information so he agrees. 

The two young horse spotters (Ralden and Ibrik) see her getting her horse ready and ask to join the ride. She wields her influence to get some borrowed horses so they can ride with her, Xenofos and Goluder to the Sun Dome.

Entering Sun County land, it is suddenly militarised with checkpoints, patrols, Sun Domers everywhere.  The Sun Dome is huge. Serala and Xenofos are accompanied by an assistant.

They meet Count Sertarnas, who is in charge of this sun dome. Serala tells him to be blunt because she is a Plain Straightforward Grazelander not a courtier. He wants to know what we want. Serala explains Kallyr wants their support. The Count smiles, and says his temple is for hire. Failure will cost extra.

Xenofos thanks the assistants and asks them where the Ulerian temple is. They go purple and direct him back to Whitewall then usher him out hastily. 

Meanwhile, on the west road back to Whitewall, Varanis spots rather a lot of wasps circling around in the sky above Wasps Nest. Her group make it safely back without incidence, and reunite in Whitewall. Varanis fills Serala in on events with Garant and Silor, capture of Garant’s handler Tarkalar. And there are now Garant’s wife and family in Whitewall. Garant is in protective custody, and his wife and child are in Whitewall and will be living with relations. All that is sorted. The wasps still seem agitated, though. 

Rajar mentions the Bacofi have some sort of problem they are hiding. Maybe it’s the wasps, or something else. An offer of military support might be accepted, anyway they are weak and we should kick them while they are down. He mentions he went scouting with some Praxian lads.

Finarvi notices signs of displaced people in the Sylangi – a lot of things broken and mended, in the wrong place, repaired now – the area is recovered but still fragile. 

Inpira saw signs of too much land allocated to people too quickly, signs of guessing where people should go and where people should go and settle (Sylangi, and West Kultain). Likely simmering problems. 

Sword and helmet of Vingkot – what happened to them when King Broyan and his army were wiped out. The battlefield is now haunted. No-one has dared to loot it or remove bodies. Rajar suggests a heroquest to get Broyan’s blessing.

Finarvi recalls Broyan’s wife was Ernaldan but he was also ritually not always faithful. There could be a surviving heir. One heir is said to have died inside Whitewall. Maybe look where Sylangi used to be. 

Rajar also comes up with an idea of a talent contest

Xenofos suggests bringing Grandfather Centaur as a judge. 

Inpira suggests a Humakti to ensure fairness.

Varanis talks to Haralast about throwing a big event for the electing of a tribal king. She suggests a great gathering to select candidates to go with her to seek the blessing of king Broyan, so the decision is in the hands of the gods and ancestors.

Haralast nods and says that would certainly prove bravery.

Varanis tactfully asks to meet all the temple heads to get their approval as the king will need their support.

Rajar and Xenofos go to Humakti temple. It is small, with half a dozen young initiates and an elderly senior initiate in charge. Rajar says there is disorder here because there is no king. He agrees. They propose a sacred competition, under the protection of Humakt and others.

The old warrior mentions the rumour that Broyan’s Heir lives, he doesn’t think it’s true, but if he does not appear there might be disappointment. He suggests no-one mentions the heir at all. Rajar says his folk pick leaders based on merit, not parentage. The warrior says he will judge fairly. He will take oath from those who participate to compete fairly and support whoever the winner is. His charges are young (he says the heir if he lives would be very young) but will be set up as captains of militia, and mentions the militia will likely include people Rajar brought to his heroquest where he got his leg chopped off. He will put the word about.  

Impira goes to see Raldina at the Earth temple. Raldina is working out the steps to a dance. Inpira talks of uniting the tribes behind a king though she would prefer a queen. Raldina frowns, and dances sending out Ernalda’s husband protector to fight. She says that this isn’t Esrolia, they need their Orlanth protector. Inpira explains the plan to take the winner to see Broyan. Raldina reacts. “What if he doesn’t come back?”

“Then we have a problem.” – I

“What if YOU don’t come back?” – R

Then it’ll be someone else’s problem – Rajar

She suggests not to let word get out about what the contests will be.

Suggests Fire season is a good time to go to talk to ghosts. Truth week would be best but a little late in the season. Plan carefully how and when to enter that cursed place. Movement week is Orlanthy.

She suggests Crossline people who understand death, Bacofi who know funeral rites, try Duck Point or Wilmskirk for Ty Kora Tek. 

Varanis and Finarvi visit Jaldis at Chalana Arroy’s temple. Varanis brings her flowers, she blesses them and dedicates them for the altar. She interrupts a meal to see us. 

Varanis explains Haralast has agreed to help them host a crown test to find the new king for this area. We’re hoping to get the support of the various temples to support the king. 

She asks how we will make sure the correct candidate wins. Then instructs her underlings to perform a hearing test on us while she finishes her brunch.

Jaldis is not angry, she’s just disappointed. She’s testy that Varanis patronised her in front of her underlings and that Varanis isn’t being sufficiently Orlanth Rex. Varanis doesn’t hear this because she’s already stormed off by this point. 

Varanis is supposed to have a plan to ensure the winner will bring harmony and order to the region. Aaand we don’t. Or rather, the plan is ’the Gods will decide” which is fine for Varanis who is a religious fanatic, but Jaldis is a firm believer in making sure the gods make the right choice, via their mortal representatives.

Xenofos goes to the Ulerian temple and talks to Moranis? About rumours XXXX(Please fill in, my brain did not catch what happened)XXX

The horse kids ask Serala if it’s true she’s going to bring the heir back. He says the king had a son he didn’t talk about, Errinstas –  he didn’t die, he disappeared from his bed the same night the duck disappeared – Deveval. The night (1620 Storm Season) the last duck out of Whitewall during the siege. When she asks more, they argue and admit they don’t know. Their mother might know. They’ve told her all about Serala!

Raldon’s mother Dreela (Raldon and Ibrik are cousins). They go see her. She asks Dreela about the second child of Broyan, the child of an Ernaldan. He was young, didn’t take part in court, and disappeared early in the siege at the same time as the duck, last messenger out of Whitewall. Must have been 6 when he vanished. He’s probably a man now (initiated). She mentions the mallard’s regiment was run by Eril Linebreaker and he was livid the duck had vanished without orders. There was a lot of complaint. The man was good at complaining. Serala describes the Eril she knows, Dreela confirms it could have been the same person – sounds like. The lack of visible tattoos is a striking feature.

Serala convinces Dreela to talk to her companions, and goes to tell us. Varanis and Finarvi and the others know the story of the last duck out of Whitewall from Berra, and confirm it’s D’Val. 

(The map shows battleground south of Whitewall but Broyan was marching N to  relieve Boldhome when he died). It’s a day north.

Current day 19 – start contest day 39, crowning on day 42 (Orlanth high holy days).