Over the course of the week that they were finalising the details of the rising, Berra had been talking to the various leaders, trying to instill in them a sense of Not Looting, but for some reason it had been coming over as some very specific things that were possible and should not be done. Highly, suspiciously specific. Some of those nearby were convinced that she meant the opposite. Others thought her heart was not in it. Varanis patched up some of the damage that Berra was doing, and at least the Humakti managed to talk more generally about honourable behaviour.

Rajar woke, hung over, naked and with an axe¹Berra had said he was very drunk last session, so this was the aftermath.. He relieved himself on the remains of a statue of a lizard-person, and set off. After walking for a couple of hours he spotted Kero Fin and realised he was going the wrong way. He turned around and started walking back, having figured he was somewhere close to Dwarf Mine. After some time, he heard singing out in the wilderness, and came across Koraki enjoying a goblet of wine.

He was able to piece together a little of what had happened; Koraki said that a lot of Storm Bulls had become very drunk and decided to drink more then invade Snakepipe Hollow. Everyone else had passed out in the ‘drink more’ phase. Koraki then volunteered to get Rajar a bison and clothes, and even managed to get him clothes that already belonged to him.

Rajar returned to the camp and went to the Storm Bull tent where he found his armour had been put up as an offering to Storm Bull in thanks for his glorious death. He made a donation to the Temple to replace the glorious thing, buying his armour back for 50L. Then he went to see Venna to find out what was likely to be going on; he met Nala, who was suspicious-innocently hanging around there, and they went in to see Venna. Rajar gave her beer.

Venna took a little time to vent about how hard it was to find a Eurmali in the camp, which confused Rajar, although he readily admitted being sorry for having suggested it. However, it turned out that Nala did already know what Venna was talking about. While Nala was talking about the other part of the plan, and her sisters – presumably the women of Maran Gor – she saw someone sneaking out from under the table and lifting Rajar’s purse. She giggled a bit, and then asked the thief, whom she recognised²There should be a comma here to come out. Nothing happened, and then Venna lifted up the table and swung it through the air. It hit Rajar, but Rajar had worked out something of what was going on, and he swung his axe, using it as a club. It impacted on the thief, and he grabbed her. Nala healed her, and she healed herself as well, and Rajar got his purse back, tucking it into his armour this time.

Griselda the thief and Venna negotiated about price and plan, and the Esrolians received orders. There was an initial planning session with a few higher-ups, where the basic plan was put; The Esrolians would sneak in towards the gate by night. It would be blown apart at dawn, and they would charge and hold it until reinforcements arrived. Varanis suggested that Berra would use a Morale spell, and Berra asked for the timing to be moved so that they could fight before dawn, allowing them to attack some time before the spell ended. Various people made their preparations, and they marched off down the road as they had a couple of times before. Nala suggested that she try to break the walls with Maran Gor’s magic, but it was decided that the walls were too strong, or at least, Berra had a better thought for her than that – she wanted to keep Nala as a mobile maker of surprise defensive ditches.

This time, rather than moving on to Glasswall, they marched off the road to brief the troops and make sure they all had a good meal, then the marched a bit more. After evening came, Berra started the Morale ritual, and was happily surprised to find that once more, Koraki was part of the Regiment. Everyone got to talk to everyone else about why they were here, and why they were following Varanis; the Vingan was the focus of the ritual, as the head of the Regiment. Koraki gave some small gifts to the poorly-equiped slingers; some people could see that it was woad. Berra thought it was strong drink. Berra cast her Shield spell early, indicating that it was an extended one.

Berra elected to go in with the cavalry, and asked Rajar to look after her. He suggested that she ride behind him on Vengeance, which she agreed was a good idea. Varanis would go in with the infantry, on foot. Varanis took the time to tell the healers about various people’s attitudes to resurrection; that Xenofos wanted to be left to rest, and that Berra would likely try to stop any resurrection, so avoiding her would be important. After that, they marched in the dark, getting close to the city, and creeping up slowly.

The signal went at the appointed hour, when the gates splintered suddenly, and those with good eyes could see a woman appearing in a half dug-out that was suddenly unhidden. Everyone charged, with Suuraki and Xenofos taking point on the cavalry, and Varanis leading the infantry from the front. The healers went on their mounts, but without riding too fast, so that they would not be in danger. One of the Greens who worshipped Yelmalio cast Sunbright, allowing everyone to charge as fast as they could.

The attacking group could see there were only small numbers of people rushing to fill the gate, and it quickly became apparent that they were unarmoured, with spears and wicker shields only. The attack was successfully surprising.

As they closed, Berra dismounted by jumping, trusting to her Shield spell and her reflexes to keep her from getting hurt. This put her behind the group, meaning that others impacted first. Rajar’s lance failed to hit someone, who nearly managed to hit him, but then his opponent got folded in half around Vengeance’s horns. Xenofos struck someone, killing him instantly, and Suuraki had a fine try at someone else’s chest. Nala set someone’s clothes on fire, but the man had the presence of mind to stop, drop, and roll. Things then went badly for Xenofos, as he was struck by a spear that left his right leg useless. He managed a dismount from his horse that also damaged his left ankle, and was left on the ground. Berra arrived, and left the man who had struck him in two pieces, appositely cutting off a leg.

The infantry were running in, taking arrow fire, with Varanis still leading, and looking good doing so. She was also casting Lightning at the archers on the walls. The run was long enough that she was able to blast three people and even kill one of them, who toppled from the walls after having had the temerity to wound her. The slingers behind Varanis had some surprisingly powerful magic, and were naked, covered in woad. Varanis had been one of those who saw what Koraki gave, so was not surprised.

Rajar cast Fear at the man who had been burning and was getting to his feet, and Nala cast Demoralize a few moments later, then Berra cut down the last of the standing men, as she defended the spot where Xenofos lay. Both of the people she had wounded so badly surrendered, and she accepted it. Xenofos began to heal himself, and the trained healers arrived; one of the wounded men appealed to Maalira, saying he had offered his ransom, and Maalira used Rune magic to heal his leg, because while her friends might be wounded later, this man was wounded NOW. She then tried to stabilise the other, possibly because she was preparing her spirit for more magic.

Nala looked at the spirit world and was pretty sure she could see a Wyter close by. Rajar decided not to bother slowing down, but rode into the city. He went around a curve and could see twenty horsemen in two lines in front of him. Nala, knowing there was a Wyter about, followed him, but was some way behind when Rajar elected to charge the force³Well, make a feint at them to get them to follow..

“Why would you put a dead person in the ground? That’s just crazy talk.” – Suuraki

“I have a question or two about Rajar.” – Rajar
“Go on.” – GM
“Where do I wake up?” – Rajar

“What’s the Praxian for ‘Ozymandias Can See Ur House From Here’?” – Maalira

“Where is my listen skill? It should be near scan, surely.” – Rajar

“Rajar walks towards the song, naked and unafraid, axe held high.” – Rajar

“I’m glad the plan to drop everything and charge through Snakepipe Hollow got shelved…” – Koraki
“You’ve certainly done the drop everything part.” – Suuraki

“A quick nip of the alynx that bit you.” – Koraki

“Do you want me to go get you a bison, and/or your clothes?” – Koraki
“That would be amazing!” – Rajar

“Rajar smiles as though he remembers any of this. He doesn’t.” – Rajar
“The others passed out before they could leave.” – Koraki

“Frankly, it doesn’t get much better than waking up alive…” – Rajar

“He has someone else riding the bison, on the grounds that if he wanted to kick a big, hairy smelly thing into faster movement, he needn’t have left you in the first place.” – GM

“Bring me a beer! And him!…. Fetch HIM a beer, not bring me him…” – Rajar

“Xenofos is just playing sadder and sadder songs.” – Xenofos

“Bits of last night are coming back to me!” – Rajar
“The bucket’s in the corner.” – Suuraki

“Because of Berra the Esrolians have been given the sneaky part as vanguard…” – Xenofos?

Xenofos: Varanis – Aranda at the temple has my last wishes if they are needed.
Varanis: And you still wish me to let you stay dead if Ty Kora Tek takes you?
Xenofos: Yes just bury me in the ground.
Varanis: As you wish.

“I’m going to be the most charismatic invisible person EVER.” – Nala

“Are you saying I should not bang my rapier on my shield?” – Xenofos

“It’s burning from just licking a bit.” – Maalira

“That’s a regular success on the pita bread. I mean the intimidate.” – Rajar

“Rajar with the lance, vs the first available idiot.” – Rajar

“GM, when I’m in range, can I chuck a lightning bolt?” – Varanis
“Maybe at someone on a wall or something. Preferably not into the back of my cavalry.” – Varanis

“We are playing Praxian polo with the dagger axe.” – Suuraki

“Thanks for coming, look what you could have won.” – Xenofos
“WAAAH!” – Xenofos internal monologue, per Berra

Nala: Ankle-biter
Nala: Duckling honour name
Nala: …or Berra’s honour name
Berra: Ankle Slicer

“Healing it back as it was. Talking logic to it.” – Xenofos
“When you look at it later, you will find an anatomical map of the area tattooed onto the skin.” – GM
“I hope I was awake during the anatomy lessons…” – Xenofos

“Can I have my leg back?” – Mook
“Where is your leg now?” – Maalira

“I don’t know that any of these people will get wounded in the future, but these people are wounded NOW.” – Maalira

Nala: Shut up Berra.
Berra: But I’m helping!
Nala: No. No, you’re not.
Berra: Halping.

“He’s casting flight. He just vaults out of the saddle and keeps going.” – GM
“Someone on the other side cast Dispel Magic, or I will do it myself.” – Xenofos