Dramatis Personae

PC

Berra, playing Humakt (and herself)
Dormal, playing Eurmal (and himself)
Irillo, playing Issaries (and himself)
Mellia, playing Chalana Arroy (and herself)
Nala, playing Ginna Jar (and herself)
Salid Troll-Killer, looking very like Rajar’s player, playing Flesh Man (and himself)
Varanis, playing Orlanth (and herself)
Xenofos, playing Lhankor Mhy (and himself)

The common room of the White Grape Inn once again hosted our host of heroes. A sweaty messenger arrived from the Temple of Humakt to say, “Lord Eril suggests, now.”

Armoured and robed appropriately, they set out for the Temple. En route, some of the party noticed the scent of sandalwood smoke in the air. A funeral pyre had been lit at the palace.

Upon arrival at the Temple, Eril confronted Varanis. Humakt confronted Orlanth, who agreed that he would put things right. As he began to say, “Y-”. Humakt guided Truth into the heart of Orlanth, with a little bit of help from Berra, as Eril was struggling against his wound. Varanis fell. There was a moment of nothing happening, and then the quest began.

Orlanth came to himself on a dark path, accompanied by Chalana Arroy, Lanhkor Mhy, Issaries, Eurmal, Flesh Man, and Ginna Jar. Behind them, a large gate stood closed. Before them, a path wandered down into the darkness, lit by the trail of Yelm’s blood. Eurmal dipped a twig from his bag into Yelm’s blood, and it burned without consuming the wood. They followed the trail until they came to the River of Swords.

The ferryman told them that no man may pass, but cunning Issaries bargained well. They were gods (and an enlo) and not men at all, and the ferryman accepted their fee and carried them across the river. Eurmal attempted to steal some of the water, but the blades pierced his cup, thereby creating the first sieve and so Eurmal came to be known as the God of Sieves.¹This effect will end on Eurmal’s High Holy Day, or Sacred Time, or whenever Eurmal gets bored and forgets.

Safely across, they continued down the path, only to find their way blocked by Zorak Zoran, in semblance of his Rune Lord Draznk Backbreaker. Zorak Zoran summoned a spirit, which Flesh Man turned against him. The rest of the Gods prepared to attack, but it was as if Flesh Man was filled by the spirit of Argan Argar himself. He thrust into the face of the troll god and drove him out of the path and out of the quest.

The Gods and Flesh Man found their way to Obsidian Castle, beyond the River of Swords, seeking to take back the light that was lost. Alas! Yelm was not there, but they were welcomed by Ezkankekko, son of Argan Argar, who greeted them as host. They ate and rested for a time, but Issaries wandered away and was lost, and Eurmal proved light-fingered. As the party tried to leave, Ezkankekko accused Orlanth of breaking hospitality through Eurmal, and thus Eurmal betrayed Orlanth. Lhankor Mhy called upon Eurmal to speak Truth, but when Orlanth turned to find him, the Sage had gone. Indeed, all had gone save Ezkankekko, Orlanth, and Eurmal. Orlanth grabbed Eurmal by the scruff of the neck as Ezkankekko threw Orlanth from the path. The two Gods tumbled together, astray in the darkness.

Chalana Arroy encountered many who were sick and dying in this place of death. She brought love, healing, and comfort as she could. Even the monster Greater Ungoron permitted her passage because of the depth of her self-sacrifice. She followed the path of Yelm’s bright blood until at last she found a man who asked if she was the change for the better that he had heard about. He barred her way, demanding healing, but when he showed her the wound, his heart was missing, and she could not heal it. He called her a fraud, and hit her and by some foul magic he shared his blight with her and Chalana Arroy was taken by the wound she could not heal.

Lhankor Mhy too was lost along his own path in the darkness. He who knows and understands all, observed the details of the Underworld until he found himself on the back of what he knew must be, but could not be, a dragon. His mind rebelled and could not accept such a thought.

Flesh Man found himself facing trolls he knew – an overseer and his old master, killed along with his mates – and first he tried to creep past them. When they followed he fought with the fury and desperation of a free Enlo. That is, with slings, while running away. Unfortunately, he fell into a pit and as they tried to bury him, he danced and dodged the dirt and debris until one looked over the edge to see if he was alive. At last he was able to strike back, with the Pike that Argan Argar had shown the Enlo how to use. He was still a long way down when, a massive maul crashed down on the side of the pit and he could start to scramble out on the debris, avoiding Death for a brief moment. Then the mace crashed on the side of his skull and he dropped dead.

Orlanth, lost in the dark with Eurmal, battled with his own fury. While he did not strike a blow against the Trickster (in spite of the voices in his head), forgiveness would not come easily. Eurmal’s betrayal was a blow to Orlanth’s Honour. He (she) who had forgiven so many times before, spent his (her) rage dragging Eurmal towards a path that remained frustratingly distant.

Flesh Man woke in a hall of dead heroes, where he was welcomed by Humakt, who saw the spear and took him to where another of the Fire Tribe – dead Yelm – was seated, still bleeding.

“What if there was a hero quest and no one came?” – Xenofos
“.. Uleria would be disappointed?” – Berra
“Good thing I was only reaching for beer.” – Xenofos

“Humakt does indeed stick the sword into Orlanth where the sun doesn’t shine, because Yelm is dead.” – GM

“Lord Eril suggests, now.” – Humakti initiate

“Would you like to make me Scan rolls?” – GM
“No, I wouldn’t.” – Rajar
“You’ve decided not to.” – Berra
“Yes.” – Rajar

“He looks – well, the word ‘cross’ springs to mind.” – GM
“No pun intended.” – Varanis

“It feels just right, somehow.” – GM to Berra
“Varanis!” – GM
“It doesn’t feel so nice to me!” – Varanis
“It feels so wrong!” – GM

“Was this just? Was this necessary?” – Mellia to Lord Humakt
“Yes. And yes.” – Eril/Humakt

“I’m not criticising you, you understand, Lord Humakt. But how is this helping?” – Dormal
“All will become clear to you.” – Eril/Humakt?

“Besides, I’ve already attacked one Rune Lord lately, and I’m thinking I should leave it.” – Rajar

“Yelm is in deepest Hell.” – Lhankor Mhy
“Then we had better start walking, hadn’t we?” – Chalana Arroy

((we all fail our lore rolls. 40 years later…)) – Dormal

“I’m waiting for Lhankor Mhy to say ‘I wish I had a brain’.” – GM
“Be careful or I’ll sing.” – Lhankor Mhy

Dormal: twocs Yelm’s blood
“Well, we put rocks on sticks and roast them. That’s very much the same thing.” – Salid

“Yeah. Rrriiiiight.” – Lhankor Mhy rolls sarcasm

“If it weren’t for the fact he’s already dead, he’d be dead from blood loss.” – GM
“Oh, it’s alright. I can heal him.” – Chalana Arroy
“Yes, Chalana Arroy can heal all wounds, can’t she?” – GM
“Yes!” – Chalana Arroy

“The flowing, flickering surface of the river seems to be made of bronze, with bits of iron.” – Berra
“Flesh man. It’s made of sodding swords.” – GM
“Aaaaah!” – Flesh Man

“I think we’re going to have to bend the rules a little on this one…” – Eurmal

“Are you sticking your hands into a river of swords?” – GM
“No, of course not. I’m planning on getting someone else to do it!” – Dormal
“Who are you planning to have do that?” – GM
“I’m looking around… It’s not a good crowd.” – Dormal

“Firstly, you appear to have invented the sieve…” – GM
“You also appear to have invented the shower.” – GM

“A Great Troll…” – GM
“In character, I suppose I am thinking ‘a what-what?’ because they haven’t been invented yet.” – Dormal

“‘That’s OK, because THOSE all flee from THIS.’ I shall hold up my lit twig.” – Dormal

“I thought I always stole that, in the Darkness. But I’ll steal it again.” – Troll
“This? You can’t have. Because if you stole it, you’d already have it.” – Dormal
“He lifts a big club in one hand, and a flaming club in the other, from behind his back. And you’re sure he didn’t have that before.” – GM

“Put his head on a pike. It’s customary to sever it first.” – Xenofos

“He is a Death Lord, so he does get divine intervention. ” – Varanis
“Cheater.” – Mellia

“saved by a spear carrying trollkin?” – Xenofos

“Sid Roooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooocks.” – Flesh Man

<<does a little jig>> – Flesh Man

“Oh. Black architecture.” – Xenofos

“Rajar plans to spend plenty of time in the temple boning up on Storm Bull lore.” – Rajar
“You mean, drinking.” – Dormal
“Yes, I do.” – Rajar

“What’s it like here?” – Eurmal
“Well, opulent.” – GM
“Keep talking.” – Eurmal

“Uh, vegetables please, and no elves?” – Chalana Arroy

“Eyeballing the place for any small, moveable items that might want to be somewhere else. Movement is important.” – Dormal

“And it’ll go into the bag? Well, everything goes into the bag. I’m pretty sure I’ve got a bridge in there, but I can never find it.” – Dormal

“Nom nom nom nom nom. Ham beetles just like mum use to make!” – Salid
“No, she never used to make ham beetles for you.” – GM
“She used to make them, but Salid never got any.” – Berra

“It’s not exactly an epic sacrifice, is it? Got lost in host’s halls.” – Dormal

“What’s the implication on losing Flesh Man?” – Orlanth
“Oh we need him for the horrible tor… uh, the trials later.” – Eurmaml

“So, you take a step over the threshold…” – GM
“WOOP, WOOP, WOOP!” – Dormal

“That’s not yours!” – Orlanth
“It’s totally mine, I found it!” – Eurmal

“He believes that to be true. Beat him anyway.” – Lhankor Mhy

“My plan if ever caught in Lhankor Mhy truth spells is to meditate on that time I saw Harrek tear someone in half.” – Berra
“Because if I can’t give a scribe horror flashbacks, I have lost.” – Berra

“Oh good. I will go in that direction. I am sure the others will catch up.” – Chalana Arroy

“Don’t worry. I’m just rolling some dice. Nothing to worry about.” – GM

“Lhankor Mhy. You’re on a dark desert highway. Cool wind in your beard.” – GM

“Orlanth. You get a soft landing.” – GM
“Cult of Eurmal Cushion.” – Berra

“Did you do this?” – Greater Ungoron
“Heal the villages? I certainly did!” – Chalana Arroy
“Bring comfort to the hopeless?” – Greater Ungoron
“I am Chalana Arroy, daughter of Glorantha. This is what I do.” – Chalana Arroy
“Comfort is a rare currency here. Go on with my blessing.” – Greater Ungoron

“I’m just going to do the math.” – Rajar
( s) o . group
“You left off a letter….” – Varanis

“This is the point where the first shovelful of earth gets added to the pit.” – GM

“This is the point where someone hits the lip of the pit with a crush-enhanced maul.” – GM
@@*@@whimpers@@*@@ – Salid

“That means I’m dead!” – Salid
“We’ll leave you there.” – GM
“That’s a good place to leave me. Dead.” – Salid

“Xenofos rolls Fear Dragon…” – Berra
“His heart is weighed in the scales.” – Berra

“I’m dragging him down to the path.” – Orlanth
“You know, this is a lot less relaxing than it looks.” – Eurmal

“Hello. Are you the change for the better I’ve been hearing about?” – Man
“Maybe. I’m Chalana Arroy.” – Chalana Arroy

“Well, heal this, then.” – Man
“And he pulls up his shirt and shows a gaping hole where his heart is.” – GM
“Uh-ohhh…. I don’t know if I can pull this one off.” – Chalana Arroy

“You’re a fraud. The world is wounded and you can’t help.” – Man
“He snorts. And punches you in the kidney.” – GM

“Traditionally, fists just cause bruising. Traditionally, that is.” – GM
“Is this not a traditional fist?” – Chalana Arroy
“Well, it seems to have gone in further than a traditional fist would.” – GM
@@*@@IS VERY RESTRAINED@@*@@ – Berra

“We are going to draw a delicate veil over that, as he basically beats you to unconsciousness.” – GM
“Ow. Ow. Ow.” – Chalana Arroy

“You shouldn’t do that to Chalana Arroy.” – Xenofos
“Oh, we’re against beating now?” – Dormal

“The one on your kidney. It’s not going away.” – GM
“Uh… oh…” – Chalana Arroy

“Flesh Man. You wake up.” – GM
“That was unexpected.” – Flesh Man

“Do I need to do a lot more betrayal? A little more? Am I under quota?” – Dormal