S01 — Session 21
1626, Sea Season
1626, Sea Season, Harmony week, Fireday
Dramatis Personae
Dramatis Personae
PC
Berra
Rajar
Serala
Dormal
Mellia
Nala
Varanis daughter of Serzeen, of House Saiciae
Tiwr- Played en Troupe
NPC
Serzeen, Lieutenant of the Guard of House Saiciae
Irillo Goldentongue
Sid
One of the Chief Priests of the Great Hospital
Two Assassins (unfortunate and unnamed)
A startled homeowner of Nochet
A Dead Body
Events
As before, the log will be recounted with extracts from Berra JarangsdottiHumaktisaga, from The Sonnets to Mellia, Sweetest of Healers, White Lady of Esrolia, The Lay of Serala, Lance of the Cold Sun , The Death of Rajar, and NalaTiwrSaga. As with last time there will be extracts from the Sonnets to Varanis. Editorial commentary will be recorded [thus]. Both the {“D”} and “T” voice appear in this selection of extracts, and there is one brief excerpt from The Accounts of the Travels of Irillo Goldentongue.
[Greetings, everyone, to this, the penultimate lecture of this calendar year. I trust you have already begun your winter break reading? Excellent. Your groans are like a sort of music to my ears! Now, we move into an area in which there are surprisingly few extracts. Why is that? It may, of course, be due to limited survival, but even in intact and old manuscripts they rather skate over this ‘installment’. Why is this? What was the poet trying to avoid telling us? I think that will be a topic for discussion at the end of the lecture. Let us begin though, with the Sonnets to Varanis, and take it from there.]
It was on that midnight, dark and dreary
Varanis guarded her friends most weary
When as from nowhere1 See Wiermonken on this ‘as from nowhere’, implying it was an entirely manufactured alarm. As usual, I feel he is pushing the evidence to its breaking point, but it is still a subject for sometimes very heated discussion in the literature. something caught her eye
In the chamber, Irillo dead did lie!
Thus to action noble Saiciae lept
Who could slay members whilst they softly slept?
The word from Thane to Guardian woman sped
And in the search for danger then, she led!
{“And would a single one of them have appreciated how the trick was done? They would not!”}
[It would appear that Mellia was out of the palazzo by this time, for Nala was sent out, or went of her own accord, or possibly Tiwr’s]
When a road is rode
And attackers aloft burn
Does the flame burn rött?2 I have chosen to translate this word into German, as it matches both the meaning of the Praxian original, as meaning red, whilst also sharing its sound similarity to road and rode.
When Unicorn comes
To place of Fertile Healing
Who is luckier?
“THEM. Obviously.”
[Now, let us move on to where there is considerably more written from this timeframe. Various academics have suggested that this is due to the role of Serala being far more significant at this point, and her heroism greater. Alternatively, it may be due to more survival from The Lay of Serala, Lance of the Cold Sun than from the other sources, although cynics have suggested that there is clearly a degree of hyperbole on the part of the author of the Lays.]
Alone, as heroes do, the Lance rode forth, to guard the helpless weak
For she knew all too well what terrors might ‘gainst them sneak
Serala went to guard them, ‘gainst the evil works of the dread Lunar horde
Who sought to see their blood like fastest waters poured!
Serala doubtless, dauntless was, midst the canyons of the Town
For twas here she’d next go win a golden heroes crown!
For when a dozen Lunar knights beset her in an alley fell
She disarmed one, with swordplay bright, the others left no tales to tell
And thus, her pris’ner before her walked, towards her friend
But as we know the Lunar Beast serves many an evil end.
So as she trod her noble path back to her Nochet home
It chanced that ‘gainst her other, num’rous foes did roam.
And thus it was, in a nameless cobbled field of war
(Which the Lance would decorate with many a life’s blood’s gore)
An ambush came, against her noble valiant heart
And she struck back a blow, as is a heroes part.
A hundred foes, against her came, for such was all her fame
That less than that no longer’d face her name
And she struck once, four hundred yards or so
And their Captain sunk, transfixed with might blow!
At that, the others turned and helpless ‘gainst her fled
And she scorned to hunt the paths they’d led.
And companions to her aid did straightway hurry
Arriving then, to aid, with all un-needed fury
[It is possible this major battle was less extensive than suggested here, judging by the analogous point in Berra JarangsdottiHumaktisaga]
Seeing Serala Striking
Said Sword Swiftly,
“Fly Fearless Friend
Forth to Foes Fetch!”
Letting Lady Leap,
Led loyal lad
To where doughty door divided
Daylight from deadly deathdealing
[A clarification about the ‘Loyal Lad’ is made in reference to The Death of Rajar]
When Bison bashes
Doors divide like whether we
Wash with land water!
[Whilst Sonnets to Varanis says]
Called by Swordmaid, Lady of Wind Soaring
The power of the Air Lord in-pouring
Her flight was then to heal a deadly foe
And from him seek what ’twas she wish’d to know!
[This ‘What ’twas she wish’d to know’ is the only indication in these heroic poems at this time of what was almost inevitably some form of torture. That it was barely mentioned implies it was seen as necessary, but not the sort of thing that ‘heroes’ did, even in this age of barbarism, around the Hero Wars. We pick up with NalaTiwrSaga.]
When kept in the dark
What is best in life? Ask Sid!
He will lead you there.
[There is only one entry in The Accounts at this point, and it is unusually vague.]
Transaction with Serzeen
Mutually profitable.
Maturation of investment not yet known
[Clearly, I have left the most significant element until last, with this segment of the The Sonnets to Mellia, Sweetest of Healers, White Lady of Esrolia]
Wisely seeing past Onjur’s wilder schemes,
Sweet Mellia sought truth in her magic dreams .
With Goddess guiding, she went to her Priest
Who said, “You seek the ways? They are near least.
First to heal the questers soul as it strives.
To do what they tried, and return to lives.
Then to quest quite likewise the Hero plane
To gently, and kindly open a vein3 Clearly, a Chalana Arroy couldn’t do this themselves. .
[Now that we have heard these extracts, what conclusions may we make on the subject? What thoughts do people have? Lets open this to one of the ‘floor discussions’ the Dean loves so much.]
Chunky guy with rings on every finger: Do we have to have thoughts here? We’re clearly being asked not to by the surprising lack of discussion. Who are we to refuse?
Thin guy, also with many rings: We’re academics.
Chunky guy: Does that mean we should launch forth into folly? We can’t enforce our understanding here. We can only be instructed when there is instruction.
Thin guy, in sulky undertone: Or inference.
[Sir, You appear to mistake this for School. The purpose of University is to teach you to think for yourself, not to hang on my words. pause Although you should do so also.]
Spotty kid who has been voted out of the second row: Addressing the context for the poem, do we know that the thin spot, as it were, is not a deliberate attempt at suppression, rather than a niceness on the part of the author?
[An excellent question. And both of those opinions have been stated. Derzinsky is more of a fan of the conspiracy theory, rather than merely the politics of courtesy approach. ]
Young woman in black eyeliner: Why leap to the conclusion of there being violence in questioning, when Lhankor Mhy spells and the Truth Rune are so common? Isn’t coercion enough?
Older woman, identical black eyeliner: eyeroll
[I suspect because if honourable magic had been used, they would have said so.]
Girl with more plaits than clothes: Can we close the window here? And… uh… isn’t it the case that Varanis was in charge here, as a noble? Could the extra work given to other poems indicate an attempt to have their heroes escape from that yoke, rather than a negative in the Varanis corpus?
Visiting professor in black, feet up on table: *writes in notebook, absorbed*
[You must understand, Miss, that I have selected excerpts which are representative. I do expect you to have read more widely however. Might I propose you do so?]
Woman poured into dress: Sometimes you just don’t have evidence. This poem is said by the Sage Llewun to be an, and I quote, unholy union of three bastard parents, meaning that it’s made up of several poems by the same voice, or else three voices. Why can’t it just be that this bit’s not covered by any of the parts, or only covered by one?
Visiting professor in black: *smirks*
[Which poem? Remember, these are all extracts from longer different poems.]
Woman poured into dress: The Varanis. We’re asking why that’s short on detail, aren’t we? I thought that was the question.
Woman poured into dress: *looks confused*
[No… no, the question is why all of the poems are light in this area. We have indications in several poems of prisoners. But it gets terribly skated over, doesn’t it?]
Woman poured into dress: But you said Serala had more. I mean, a lot more.
Chunky guy in too many rings: Yes, but not about this part. We have a lot of heroism, and then a stop.
Visiting professor in black: *turns over page, thoughtfully*
[Precisely. A suspicious silence, into which we are entitled to read things.]
Girl who asks precisely one question each lesson: why can’t it be that the author preferred to dwell on the legendary armour of Varanis, in the passage that everyone knows, and thus skimped on everything else?
Weedy (sic) guy: hey, if I were woken up that far before dawn, I’d not say much, either. laughter
[I don’t think we can really presume that. The famous passage is famous for a good reason, of course, but the rest of the text goes on extensively past that.]
Woman not noticed heretofor, suddenly: So should we consider the Lay of Serala a very early instance of creative non-fiction as a genre?
*silence and lots of head turning*
[We could.]
Redhead with complicated life: Wait, were we supposed to read this before class today? Because I had a test in another class…
Sleepy student; Will we be getting out early today because holidays?
Voice from the back: Don’t ask him that. He’ll set us more reading.
Surprised youth a chair down from the Visiting Professor, after sound of paper ball being thrown: When you say you have saved the most important part – do you mean in respect of the main tale, or the question you have posed? And could it be both?
Visiting Professor: *innocent look*
[For the story, of course. But it’s an intriguing question, isn’t it? All of this is very irrelevant to the greater story, isn’t it? But then, as with Gawain and the Green Knight, if Gawain had hit the Green Knight with the Holly, rather than the axe, it would make a short poem.]
Guy with eyeliner: isn’t it strange how an illiterate and presumably innumerate Grazelander is so good at counting her enemies?
*more headturning and glares*
Long-haired woman with upright posture: Hey! Sure knows how to count horses in a herd. Lunars aren’t so different. Except in more bits.
[I shall not comment here on the fact her poem is called “The Lays of Serala.” by the coarse-minded.]
What Really Happened
Dormal and Serala returned, with their ‘really heavy and body shaped load of hay’, and after a certain amount of squabbling about who was going to do the actual work, they moved a carpet wrapped corpse into Irillo’s room. Dormal then evicted anyone who might have honour, or want plausible deniability, or both, and cast an illusion to make the corpse appear to be that of Irillo, for the next week. There was a slight hitch, as nobody had remembered rigor mortis, but hey, these things happen. Anyway, the corpse was nicely posed, with a poisoned cup spilled next to him, and Irillo was spirited away by Sid and Dormal, wrapped up like –Cleopatra– Elizabeth Taylor. The scene was then set for the discovery, which was done by Varanis, in possibly the best acting performance of her life. Of course, only a few of House Saiciae’s more senior guards had been let in on the plan, so consequently, there was much alarum about an assassination in their midst, and furthermore, the foreigners had been associated with, and guarding, a member of the Household, who had then died. Suspicious much.
Nala set out to fetch Mellia from the Great Hospital, and was briefly diverted by an archer on a nearby rooftop, whom she set on fire en-passant. Tiwr duely admired at the Hospital, they returned together.
Meanwhile, Serala set out solo to keep an eye on the family of the first assassin, who should be being guarded by Dormal’s “friends”, on the grounds that neither she nor Berra felt they could entirely rely on Dormal’s unnamed confederates. When nearly there, she dropped off Pag at an inn, and approached towards the target house. Just shy of her target, she was accosted by a brigand, who turned out to be one of the Lunar team keeping an eye on the same target. He tried for an attack of opportunity, but messed it up, and lost an arm, and then his ransom. Leading him back, she also spotted another assassin, up on the roof where earlier Nala had set fire to someone. She won the ‘quickfire’ contest, and shot him in the abdomen. Berra (who had handed over bodyguarding Irillo to the guard lieutenant, Serzeen), Nala and Rajar had been practicing on the roof, and Berra quickly summoned Varanis, who leapt across the road to the roof, with the aid of Orlanth. There she stabilised the proto assassin who offered ransom, whilst Rajar and Berra charged the long way around. They found the door was locked, but Rajar let them in, using his shoulder. The three moved their new captive, along with the one accompanying Serala back into the Palazzo, and interrogated them. It turned out they were members each of a different Lunar team, set in place by one ‘Onjur Eel’, a Rune Lord of Yanafal Tarnils, with views to keep an eye, but take any chance where they thought they could kill a member of the party. Onjur was keeping an eye with another team, and arranging meetups in a variety of inns.
Sid and Nala set out together to Trolltown, to try and recruit some extra night muscle, while Serala set up hawk based Farsee observation of the first assassin’s family.
Finally remembering their actual mission, Mellia headed back to the Great Hospital, and met with one of the Chief Priestesses, who explained the various ways of getting someone back from a failed Heroquest. “There are several ways of dealing with this. The first is by reinforcing the spirit of the questor. The second is to complete the quest, and by doing so to make a path for the spirit back to the body. The third would be a similar quest into the sprit world… and the fourth would be to release the spirit and let it go.”
We leave our heroes doing some serious thinking.
Notable Moments and Quotes
“Child, do not hit my mute button.” -GM
“Ah. She also hit my speaker button.” – GM
“It was night. Dormal was just getting back with the body.” – Berra
“We should gag Irillo, its the only way to be sure” – Rajar
“Gagging Irillo will be so much fun.” – Rajar
“We’re not judging you.” – GM
“Can we judge him more?” – Berra
“And then there’s where the cheese arrives.” – Rajar
“Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese.” – Rajar
“If I poke my spear in that, will it yelp?” – Ganrel
“Nope.” – Dormal
“My room is messier.” – Varanis
*shows room on video* – Berra
“Never mind.” – Varanis
“Hay. Lots of hay.” – Varanis
“Bugs.” – Varanis
“Snack food for Sid.” – Varanis
“Is there anything in there that shouldn’t be in there?” – Ganrel
“Everything that is in there should be in there.” – Dormal
“We didn’t check the hay for – say – mildew…” – Serala
“Fetch a Rug” – Rajar
“SHAVE RAJAR” – Nala
“Dammmmmm.” – Rajar
“It would be handy if the rug could fly.” – Varanis
“(deer eat meat who knew?)” – Rajar
“I’m not sure we should be teaching the bison to like body fluid flavoured hay.”- Dormal
“Just type it down if it’s funny, and we sort it out later.” – Berra
“With no seepage” – Rajar
“I’m sure Irillo here won’t be offended.” – Dormal, of the corpse.
“What heavy hay this seems to be, Grandmother.” – Serala
“Tapestry.” – Dormal
“I thought it was hay.” – Serala
“Wine was downstairs, although more wine isn’t.” – Berra
“Irillo drank wine downstairs, to Berra’s annoyance.” – Berra
“Just hold your hand like this and look distressed! Perfect!” – Dormal
*zombie impression* – Irillo
“BRING IT” – Berra
“Humaktiheart” – Berra
“I should have got more pie.” – Nala
“Rajar is the pie-eater.” – Berra
“Into the tapestry!” – Dormal
“No, go find me a closed helm!” – Irillo
“Whiskey for breakfast.” – Varanis
“Nah, rum works better on cornflakes.” – Dormal
“Do you have hard data on that?” – Nala
“Yes, I’ve tried them both.” – Dormal
“Fortunately for Irillo, his head broke the fall.” – Nala
“He is rather shifty.” – Varanis
“CAPTAIIIIIINNNNNNN LUUUUUNARRRRR.” – Nala
“Rajar is nice and inconspicuous” – GM
“I am indeed, Subtle like.” – Rajar
“Like a brick?” – Varanis
“You are more subtle than I am.” – Nala
“Wraped in bacon and with an axe, yes.” – Rajar
“Do we want to wait until morning to check on Irillo?” – Varanis
“But I’m slightly concerned by the wrapped in bacon comment” – Nala
“Yes, I was just dropping in to my cousin’s bedroom at 3am.” – GM
“… in armour.” – GM
“……. with a sword.” – GM
“I don’t think anyone is in armour except me and Rajar.” – Nala
“I am.” – Berra
“Me. I’m in armour.” – Varanis
“It’s pretty and shiny.” – Varanis
“Varanis is in special armour” – GM
“No trollkin funerals. More of a buffet.” – Rajar
“I’m in a dungeon keeping the assassin hidden, I think.” – Berra
“Which is… Odd, for a Humakti.” – Berra
“Does everyone know their roles?” – Dormal
“Yes! When we find the body I go on a murderous rampage and kill anyone who might have hurt him.” – Rajar
“RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWR.” – Rajar
“Murderous rampage<<<<<<<<<<<<” – Rajar
“You don’t want to murder yourself out before we get to the Lunars.” – Dormal
“Good point.” – Rajar
“In fact, a few of the guards know. The Humakti guard (captain?) knows and maybe others.” – Berra
“This could get very Shakespeare.” – Rajar
“Oh shit they really killed him” – Rajar
“Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooe is me. Fetch my axe” – Rajar
“So we keep the assassin in manacles, attached to a chair, but a different chair.” – Berra
“RAwrGH.” – Rajar
“Strangely enough she seems to know where the rich bachelor of the house…” – GM
“…Rigor Mortis has set in.” – GM
“MMMMMMMMMMM SNAPPY” – Rajar
“Obviously the poison made him stiffen!” – Berra
“It’s okay. We can bend him. SNAP.” – Rajar
“Now, I have to come running. Which means it is good that the assassin is in a manacle set.” – Berra
“Did she make her Hate Gong roll?” – Dormal
“Ride for Mellia after picking up the word ‘attack’ or ‘death’.” – Nala
“There’s bin a murrrderrrrrr.” – GM
“I want to go down this road, so I can shine in the moonlight.” – Tiwr
“Just ride, Tiwr.” – Nala
“Who swears in Tradetalk? Is it anyone’s mother tongue?” – Varanis
“No, but everyone knows it, just about.” – Berra
“Common second language.” – Berra
“And if you’re thinking in it, you could swear in it.” – Berra
“Don’t most people resort to mother tongue in times of stress? Mind you, I swear in several languages, so I’ll shut up now.” – Varanis
“Sorry. My lungs tried to turn inside out.” – Varanis
“Got the plunger on them in time?” – Berra
“What’s happening?” – Varanis
“People’s reactions – Rajar is checking the place for Chaos.” – Berra
“This has the potential to go…. well.” – GM
“or not” – GM
“It’s normally chaotic…” – Serala
“Berra’s mostly pacing up and down in the corridor outside the dead room.” – Berra
“Inform anyone who inquires about the Lunar Tarsh and his dreadful burns that might be found at the CA temple if someone went right now.” – Nala
“Poison seems too subtle for a Praxian.” – Varanis
“Hello, I’m a herbalist.” – Nala
“Ok, too subtle for Rajar, then.” – Varanis
“It’s also often true to be fair.” – Rajar
“Bed smelled like trollkin.” – Varanis
“Any more crossbow men?” – Varanis
“No, just the one I set off.” – Nala
“This is someone who can act!” – Berra
“No hedges, but some lovely potted plants?” – Varanis
“Check for ghosts” – Nala
“I am horrified! I am also trying to get my character sheet up.” – Mellia
“I only have an acting of 15%”- Mellia
“Do you want me to roll it?”
“Yes. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaa.”- GM
“My act is only 45.” – Nala
“My acting is low – but my cold pure anger is obvious.” – Berra
“The Fevered Violet. It doesn’t shrink in the wash.” – Nala
“Don’t bring him back to life!” – Varanis
“Is there a ghost?” – Nala
“No, there isn’t.” – GM
“So I don’t have to lay it to rest…” – Nala
“I love Mellia all the more.” – Berra
“Ask Serzeen if she wants him laid out?” – Nala
“I do not have the resurrection spell. I would have to seek the White Lady’s mercy – and that would be expensive.” – Mellia
“Well. Men come and go.” – Guard Captain.
*does not elbow Mellia suggestively* – guard lieutenant
Player: sends children to bed
children an hour later: happy gambolling through upper stories
“Remind me to have a private chat with Dormal.” – Mellia
“Don’t forget to have a private chat with Dormal.” – Varanis
“Good luck to anyone who tries to steal Pag.” – Serala
“Can I have that in writing?” – Dormal
“By the night or by the hour?” – Host
“Classy!” – Rajar
“Am full-blown, gonzo confused. Where is Serala going?” – Nala
“Out!” – Berra
“Fair enough” – Nala
“Berra is plotting underhandedly.” – Dormal
“No, I’m just plotting elsewhere.” – Berra
“Without an instructor.” – Berra
“Is Rajar about?” – Nala
“I’m around on the permimiter” – Rajar
“iterterterter.” – Rajar
“You’ll be back once you’ve worked out how to stop saying that.” – Berra
“Do you think switching to axe would be better than sword. I mean, tails rasa and all.” – Nala
*falls into step with Rajar* – Nala
“Well The mother loves her axes.” – Rajar
“You’re still at -20.” – Nala
“Thanks for the reminder….” – Serala
“I think that was a lie. She’s not grateful at all.” – Dormal
“I don’t immediately have to go to lethal force.” – Serala
“Now you’re just confusing Berra.” – Dormal
“Are you on my side tonight, Nala?” – Serala
“I think we’ve established she’s not.” – Dormal
“I made that roll, GM. *Going back to the game for a second.*” – Serala
“Sid. Where do you stand on *lying*?” – Dormal
“Sometimes it important master not be vexed by events.” – Sid
*gapes* – Irillo
“Oh really? We’re doing this?” – Serala
“And then she’s going to draw her broadsword.” – Serala
“What’s your business, Grazelander?” – Cityite
“None of yours!” – Serala
“Intimidate. Storm Bulls have a bonus to that!” – Rajar
“So do Humakti!” – Berra
“We both have form for randomly killing people who don’t get intimidated.” – Rajar
“Sickle sword anaemia?” – Nala
“He doesn’t have a shield!” – GM
“Your turn now!” – Berra
“I don’t see you rolling. I think you are making all this up as you go.” – Serala
“If I get my head cut off, I’m going to sulk.” – Serala
“You’re really not.” – Dormal
“Rajar, maybe training now would make a point?” – Nala
“It would. We could spar now. I’m sure there is a training yard” – Rajar
“Did I tell you about the Lunar I set on fire on the way to the temple?” – Nala
“Magic dice! I need some of those.” – Varanis
“Why don’t we go up to the roof? Good place to see and be seen.” – Nala
“Bonus points – drop your shield, pick up the arm, and slap him with it.” – Rajar
“What do you want to learn, two handed or one handed? I have a few of each” – Rajar
“I honestly don’t know” – Nala
“Or thrown? Well you can use a battle axe one handed or two handed. And the cute ones one handed only but you can thrown them too.” – Rajar
“Berra’s prowling around. Calming Rajar.” – Berra
“Honour wins. GODDAMNIT.” – Serala
“Should I bring his arm?” – Serala
“Oh GOD YES.” – Rajar
“Mellia has Regrow Limb.” – Mellia
“And he might renounce Chaos…” – Berra
“Nala has very little idea what she is doing. This seems to be the point. As a point of honour, she is defaulting to dance,” – Nala
“You can hook a shield with an axe.” – Rajar
“Arm in a bag, bag over the shoulder, and off we go.” – Serala
“Make him carry his own damned arm.” – Varanis
“Nail it to his forehead…….” – Rajar
“He takes a look at you. Takes a look at your companion. ‘By the hour, or by the night?'” – Host
“We will be leaving now.” – Serala
“Some disassembly required.” – GM
“I will be on Pag with his… oh, I can’t tie his hands together.” – Serala
“You can, and that would be hilarious!” – Berra
“I’d just like to register a note of protest at this vile, anti-scumbag prejudice I am hearing.” – Dormal
“He’s a magic user, and they’re tricksy sorts.” – Serala
“You’re a magic user.” – GM
“Your point?” – Serala
“Can I have a tick on battle as well, for remembering we’re under threat of assassination?” – Berra
“Hmmm… I wonder what I’m doing. The guards didn’t need me for anything did they?” – Varanis
“We’re mostly hanging around being useless because we have nobody to look after any more.” – Berra
“Rajar. Duck.” – Berra
“Nala looks exasperated. ‘Devolin’s here?,'” – Nala
“Assassin. Other roof.” – Berra
“Pause.” – Berra
“Alas, no Devolin.” – Berra
“Berra’s unslinging her bow and looking for trouble.” – Berra
“Can I burn the bow so it crumbles to ash scenically?” – Nala
“Whose thumb was it?” – Nala
“Mine.” – Berra
“Man.” – Nala
*pokes the GM* – Nala
“Berra’s running down the stairs to go climb the building.” – Berra
*keeps watch for more Lunar idiots* – Nala
#TeamVaranis – Berra
“….so tired of Lunars….” – Nala
“Run for a rope and a grappling iron from the house.” – Berra
“I’m going to shoulder barge the door.” – Rajar
“I want another pie” – Nala
“It was an entire bijou pie-ette with custard” – Nala
“The Humakti gets to be the good cop!” – Berra
“man with porridge: Oh no! It’s Nochet 1624 all over again!” – Nala
“We could! Have got! A grappling iron!” – Berra
“I even have one of those!” – Rajar
“No you don’t. You have a grappling bronze.” – GM
“It is Rajar and Berra. That is about the tall and the short of it.” – Nala
“Happy Smiling Humakti.” – Berra
“Shiny happy people” – Nala
“This guy is afraid of me!” – Berra
“-1 Lunar for the door, plus some others for Serala.” – Berra
“It’s adoorable” – Nala
“Berra is looking very happy indeed.” – Berra
“Look around. There have been three, and they seem to come in six-packs. – Nala” – Nala
“And smiling at the assassin with two hands.” – Berra
“A loving, Humakti smile.” – Berra
“Here is a saying amongst my people ‘She smiled benignly, like a shark'” – Nala
“Quit getting blood all over gran’s house!” – Varanis
“You’ve all accepted the ransom… so if you all want to leave the room?” – Rajar
“Blonde Humakti – Eranda” – Berra
“Eranda Humakti” – GM
“Eranda ’bout what? -Nala
“Look, I can shake this one untill his eyes fall out….” – Rajar
“No you can’t.” – GM
“If they come in sets of six, does this mean we are halfway there?” – Varanis
“It is why I’m still on the roof” – Nala
“Go tell the guards that there are multiple teams of lunars out there. Red Alert” – Rajar
“Well done!” – Berra
“Crap. So, at least 9 more?” – Varanis
“Yeah. Plus Plus Double bad” – Rajar
“Rune Lord of Yanafal Tarnils, scar just there…” – GM
“Iron Breastplate? Moon, Truth, Death runes?” – Berra
“I take it this description is familiar.” – Varanis
“Goat Interfering smelly butted turd pot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” – Rajar
“Who we are going to kill.” – Rajar
“Crap. The family.” – Varanis
“Someone should head back out for the family.” – Varanis
“Dormal had his ‘people’ watching them.” – Serala
“I can go if you tell me where.” – Nala
“Serala was just going out there because she has bird-spy-backup.” – Serala
“I am going to cut his head off and shove it up his bottom” – Rajar
“Rajar was hiding in the corner.” – Varanis
“Super stealthy like.” – Varanis
“The grazelander… you… the storm bull, a grey sage, and he asked if any of us were willing to ice a white lady…” – Prisoner
“Damnit! I always end up playing Dormal. This time I just gave myself a significant lack of headstart.” – Berra
“No, Ari” – GM
“Damn. sulk” – Nala
“So. Eranda. Can we go out and look for him, and can we get the House Guards from here if we do?” – Berra
“We’re short in numbers but there’s a Lunar Bastard on the loose.” – Berra
“Sneezing fit. Fun times.” – Varanis
“Achoo!” – Berra
“Be really helpful and I’ll regrow that arm.” – Mellia
“No, I cut that off on purpose! He doesn’t get that grown back.” – Serala
“Onjur-Eel.” – Prisoner
“Eel? What does that mean?” – Berra
“It’s a name that we’ve sort of heard before.” – Berra
“Jar-Eel…” – Prisoner
“Dormal tries to teach Irillo how to cheat at dice.” – Berra
“What if you were playing dice with people who were also trying to cheat?” – Dormal
“Enough of the talky talky, let’s find some Lunars and make them Kiss my Axe.” – Rajar
“Oh. Do the prisoners know where Onjar is likely to be?” – Berra
“No, I mean, we had RVs with him every so often in inns.” – GM
“Tricksy mageses.” – Varanis
“Trust me. They know.” – Dormal
“I’m sorry. The words ‘trust me’ out of your mouth…” – Berra
“I could have sworn I had money. But now I can’t find it.” – Varanis
“I didn’t write the money down.” – Berra
“We had lots.” – Serala
“Remember what we had, triple it, run it by the GM, all good.” – Serala
“Maybe as much as… ten lunars.” – Sid
“Well, sod that. I’ll give him twenty.” – Nala
“Do you want anyone to go with you.” – Nala
“In nicest way, mistress, your face not fit in trolltown.” – Sid
“You can come. Leave pointy horse behind.” – Sid
“Much mane tossing and tail swishing.” – Varanis
“He puts on a poncho.” – GM
“We have to get him a cigar!” – Dormal
“Long thin cockroach…” – Berra
“She has done it enough that she can do it with one eye open. Or both eyes.” – Serala
“All Serala’s base are belong to us.” – Nala
“The longest you can keep it up is a day.” – GM
“There’s pills to help with that, right?” – Serala
“Did we query the second assassin?” – Varanis
“Still think Mellia should have healed the arrow inside him for giggles” – Nala
“And talk to Mellia. ‘Can you go to the temple and get information?'” – Berra
“Quietly, so that Varanis doesn’t overhear.” – Berra
“Oh, yes, I need to go and talk to the library, too. See? I forgot. I told you I was better at subplots” – Nala
“The Great Hospital? Yes, I do need to do that consult.” – Mellia
“Indeed. We’re getting distracted. The main thing is that.” – Berra
“He’s a cold-blooded killer. No offense.” – Prisoner to Berra
“Well, if Eril won’t fall for me, maybe Onjur will.” – Nala
“He shoots an arrow onto the roof with a note. It doesn’t matter what’s on the note. We can’t read.” – Prisoner
“Sid, what should I call the people we are going to talk with?” – Nala
“Uzko.” – Salid
“Does that mean Grandfather?” – Nala
“No. Trollkin.” – Salid
“Want them to know they will be respected.” – Nala
“And I would like to tell them, if you think you can speed teach me.” – Nala
“Will not be easy. You do not have right neck for Darktongue, and cannot make some noises or smells.” – Sid
“I’m not afraid of hard work. I’m from Prax. Living is hard.” – Nala
“Berra only has a reputation for sweetness and light, surely?” – Serala
“Mellia is going to the Great Hospital to consult in private with the experts on comas and failed heroquests.” – Mellia
“Well, I can bring Sid to my rooms and we’ll have nights again.” – Nala. Speaking about learning Darktongue.
“You are doing what to Sid in your rooms?!” – Varanis
“Best not to enquire too closely.” – Serala
“Well, these Ernaldan fertility types…” – GM
“Berra’s look when she talks about Onjur is pretty close to fury.” – Berra
“She wears her emotions openly.” – Berra
“No one would give Sid a room elsewhere . Nala slept in the stables because they wouldn’t give Tiwr a room, either. So she slept with Sid, Tiwr, and Zinat, in descending spoons.” – Nala
“Clearly, Nala is trying to break the Trollkin curse.” – GM
“One night at a time.” – Berra
“Only 3pm for me.” – Varanis
“Ah, you’re living in the past, Varanis. Your ways are quaint to us.” – GM
“Why is it my best rolls seem to be honour?” – Varanis
“BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT!” – Berra
“Keeps me from murdering people.” – Varanis
“Yes.” – Berra
“Which is good, if you were wondering.” – Berra
“Grapple them to death!” – Berra
“That’s an interesting question and I’m pleased that you’ve asked it.” – Berra
“That’s an interesting question, Mellia, and I’m pleased that you’ve brought it to me.” – Chief Priestess.
“There are several ways of dealing with this. The first is by reinforcing the spirit of the questor. The second is to complete the quest, and by doing so to make a path for the spirit back to the body. The third would be a similar quest into the sprit world… and the fourth would be to release the spirit and let it go.” – Priestess
“Option 4 sounds bad.” – Varanis
“The first or second are the best options, but the third is an option if you can find a hero quest that leads to the right plane.” – Priestess
“I don’t even know the Stationary Lightbringers Quest.” – Mellia
“But that’s lost!” – Priestess
“How would we go about reinforcing the spirit?” – Mellia
“The right herbs. The right sacrifices… A lot of luck.” – Priestess
“Chalana Arroy, Lhankor Mhy…” – Priestess reels off the Lightbringers.
“Flesh men wear red jumpers” – Nala
“Mind’s gone blank…. mind’s gone blank…. who have I forgotten?” – GM
“Eurmal.” – People
“Wasn’t there! Can’t prove anything!” – Dormal
“Hardly even tried to slot Dormal at ALL.” – Berra
“Pants. I have to be up to work tomorrow too.” – Berra
“Crap. I wonder if there was blood on my armour after healing that assassin. Must clean it.” – Varanis
“Servant will do that” – GM
“Or Sid. Possibly with his tongue.” – Rajar
Related Logs
- 1See Wiermonken on this ‘as from nowhere’, implying it was an entirely manufactured alarm. As usual, I feel he is pushing the evidence to its breaking point, but it is still a subject for sometimes very heated discussion in the literature.
- 2I have chosen to translate this word into German, as it matches both the meaning of the Praxian original, as meaning red, whilst also sharing its sound similarity to road and rode.
- 3Clearly, a Chalana Arroy couldn’t do this themselves.
