Session Season 6, Prax 14

1629, Dark Season, Stasis Week, Waterday

Dramatis Personae

Events

Maalira had been dealing with people fighting who had actually been covered with something like fish guts. She was searched out by a man serving Pavis, who informed her that she was needed to give evidence in the case of the wounding of a dwarf and the killing of a Stormbull. It would be heard on Fireday at the Pavis temple.

They had a clay cadaver mostly completed. Only Kolyey would be wanted for the next part. The others were not needed…

Berra had been in the Big Rubble, but had gone back to the city.

They met Maalira when she arrived at the cemetery. Maalira briefly mentioned the fish‑guts oddness, and Varanis decided to test whether there was something strange about Maalira. The healer smelled nice.¹not fishy at all She could be touched.²no repellent force Varanis smeared some dirt on her.³it left a streak

Berra turned up, and Varanis tried to convince her to take them with her into the Big Rubble, but Berra did not cooperate.

A philosophical discussion evolved between Berra and X1138. She still did not accept help and ran off alone.

The party remained to guard Kolyey, despite Varanis’ unhappiness with Berra going off alone.

About an hour before dusk, they spotted a palanquin carried by zebras and a well‑dressed, middle‑aged, veiled woman. She introduced herself as Harma, Daughter of Harla, but also Daughter of Pavis. She asked why there had been violence in the city since they arrived. Varanis explained what had been happening.⁴I.e., various others had attacked them Harma said they could not wear metal armour in the city and were not to kill anyone else. If they were attacked, she expected them to pacify their attackers with no fatalities, and to report any attacks.

Watch shifts were Xenofos, X1138, then Varanis. On X11’s shift, he observed a group of people approaching with light and weird singing. X11 woke Maalira. The voices were singing a Humakti Death Song.

They went looking to see if Berra was in the group of warriors. It turned out that she was leading the Humakti.⁵There were also Sun Dome Templars They were transporting some bodies and looked beaten up. Maalira offered some healing before camp was set up.

Illaden exchanged some very minimal but polite words in Dwarvish. X11 took over setting up the camp and kept watch for the night, once the warriors received confirmation from their commanders.

In the morning, they discussed going to the Flintnails and decided to return to the city long enough to prepare for a trip into the Big Rubble.

The party entered the Big Rubble through the People’s Gate and armoured up once they were out of New Pavis. Berra gave them some directions about where they wanted to go.

They began walking parallel to the river, guided by a Flintnail dwarf. After a while, they turned onto a road that had been somewhat maintained. Originally, it had been paved with hexagonal stones. They approached a bridge. The guide warned of a bridge toll, not to be paid by Flintnail. A double charge was attempted; X11 refused it. Most of the others paid a tip anyway, shocking X11. Maalira disliked the rickety bridge immensely. Berra enjoyed the view down.

After crossing the bridge, the party followed instructions to find their way to a dry canal and then to a quarry. This began to reassure X11. Finally, they entered a square anteroom and received an explanation from the guide about what would follow.

The anteroom was a cube, but also probably a crush room.

“State your business?” X11 said it was to retrieve a package for the Dwarf. He named it when asked. They waited for a dwarf to return with another dwarf who wore human apparel. Humans were also allowed to take part in the briefing in Stone Tongue and Tradetalk.

They went through several cubic rooms and eventually reached a tunnel sloping downward. At last, they reached a room with five other dwarves waiting. A stone door descended and sealed the room.

Argrath had been active in the Big Rubble for several years and had established a Temple in which he performed forbidden and human rituals to negotiate with the Storm, known within Pavic circles as “worshipping Orlanth illegally.” The Flintnail Dwarves had come to an accord with him over strengthening the fortifications. These could be shown to them as part of Aid Package Rurik Enodma but were not to leave the area. The human Gorovan had been his contact for much of this. Argrath was believed with great confidence to be a theóchrononaut, or in Pavic terms a voyager into the God Time. Best‑known example: he stole a giant’s cauldron as part of an established systemachinos, or Hero’s Quest, but then returned it and promised to guard the child of giants down‑river. The cradle was understood to have entered the Void Funnel, as apparently planned. Pause. Argrath was next seen at Pennel Ford. Aid had been rendered to Argrath in the form of eaters of stone and clay which weakened the walls of Pavis Project, and in the form of fillers which repaired the walls and added internal structures. Maps of the restructured walls were available to dwarves only, as per previous agreements. Aid had been paid for at the usual rates.

Things were little changed with Pavis Project under his rulership‑guidance, except that White Bull members and some of their followers were allowed into the city with their weapons. Yakurzai Blue‑Llama was his greatest supporter, but the bison‑eating humans were most numerous.

Subject Argrath had alliances with dragonewts, trolls, water spirits, air spirits, and worshippers of the third part of the Sun, known within Pavis as Yelmalio. He had called the White Bull to call warriors out of Prax, according to their own pre‑written part of Mostal’s plan for restoring a broken Machine, or as Pavics knew it, destiny or Fate. He also headed the Eaglebrown Warlocks, which had no translation except “Eaglebrown Warlocks.” They used the natural variances in the strength of the Life Field in combination, or in Pavic words, they Combined Magics. They had been used at Falling Ruins, against the Red Moon Risen forces, known otherwise as the Lunar Empire. Isdilian of undisclosed heretic‑nature would know more about this battle, in which the Red Moon’s Proboscis had been forced to flee. Briefing ended. Questions could be asked.

On the walk out, Varanis tripped some kind of trap and twisted her ankle. There was a brief moment of concern before she managed to pull herself free. They crossed the bridge again, paying fees.

Once back in New Pavis, X11 dictated a report to Xenofos.

Xenofos learned things about Ogre Island. The inhabitants were remnants from Godlearner sorcerers. There must have been at least 50 trained sorcerers there and about 2,000 more people, all underground. Maybe 500 of them were warriors. The stuff under that island was probably capable of overrunning New Pavis.

Evening trumpets turned into very beautiful harp music.

• 1
  not fishy at all
• 2
  no repellent force
• 3
  it left a streak
• 4
  I.e., various others had attacked them
• 5
  There were also Sun Dome Templars