Session Season 6, Prax 19

1629, Dark Season, Stasis Week, Godday to Movement Week, Fireday

Dramatis Personae

Events

As the day progressed, the temperature sat just above freezing. The warmer weather made continued digging possible. By the end of the day, the corpses had all been laid out and prepared for their rites, despite X11’s opinion of human digging skills, and with his input (and his entrenching tool). 

Varanis worshipped at the Air Temple, but Hanatha did not give Xenofos permission to report to the Library, so he recorded what he could between tasks.

Later, on Clayday when it was warmer, Xenofos went to the Library to report. As before, a small crowd of scribes gathered and followed him (albeit a smaller crowd than before). He made a basic record of the events, then visited the Ulerian temple on his way back to the Stormbull temple. (Xenofos even noticed that fewer people are looking on.) 

At the Stormbull Temple, Kolyey and X11 were on guard duty when several people on bison-back approached. The leader, Sengaromm Bull’s-horn, was wearing a helmet with bull horns, without any self-consciousness whatsoever. X11 warned Hanatha, who came out to greet the newcomers. The leader attempted to establish seniority and thus they had a duel.¹No one was surprised.  They were also not surprised by it being a bit of a brawl. Hanatha came out on top, or at least close enough to impress Sengaromm. Sengaromm claimed the spot closest to the fire after declaring that the warriors who came with him had to answer to Hanatha.

Now that she had Storm Bulls present, Hanatha called the party together to ask for a recap about the eggs. She suggested that they should try to find the eggs. After a brief discussion, they decided to go to the Temple of Zola Fel, but first spent a night at Geo’s so they could prepare. Windsday eve was exceedingly cold.

On Windsday morning, Varanis was eager to move.

The Zola Fel temple was of course both the building and the boat.  When they arrived, the reed boat was absent. Xenofos recognised one of the Durulz, but none of the newtlings. Meanwhile, a newtling sneaked up behind X11, licked him, and got its tongue stuck.

Varanis asked the newtling about the Goddess of Salt and Teeth, once it had been detached. It told her to go down-river to the Five Eyes temple. She made the mistake of asking the newtling about its tongue and nearly lost an eyeball to its temper. The creature vanished into the water. Xenofos asked a Durulz about the location of the Five Eyes temple and was given directions. They made arrangements for a wooden raft to carry them and their mounts.

Fireday was a bit warmer, befitting the name. The trip downstream was reasonably gentle and they arrived safely near the temple, where the Zola Fel reed boat was docked. Their instructions let to the middle of the five earth fissures, which looked disturbingly like maws or eyes. They headed that direction. X11 said that they felt like proper rock, but failed to sing any songs about it.

The care within was lit with glowing mushrooms.  A newtling guard was poking one of the mushrooms, but stood uprightish on seeing them, and demanded their business, then let them through.  They came in to an inner chamber that definitely flooded to the level of the ceiling some of the time, but was also significantly over the level of the water, such that the flooding would be a slope.  X11 noted that it was very well formed, but not Dwarfish in nature.

They came to another room where they were greeted by Cherry Blossom Dances on the Waters, the Salt and Teeth shaman. When discussing the missing eggs, Cherry Blossom made it clear that if the eggs were red they must be destroyed.  However, they were not in the Temple.  They had been stolen by a ‘bearded male Sable Rider’. The trail ran dry after it crossed a river. When Varanis asked about the recent GoTaS thing, the shaman gave them all the most side-eye that ever side-eyed.

They were shown the crate-cum-cage from which the eggs had been stolen and also a tunnel leading to a cave with a dragon skeleton, which was likely the escape route for the thief. The cage itself was just adorably badly done. They did their best… There ensued a brief conversation about where the eggs might be now, but Cherry Blossom could not be more specific than “river”. 

Varanis tried to formulate a proper question for Divination, but failed. Cherry Blossom Dances on Water went through the divination ritual. Her prep included eating fish and lying in a pool. When she emerged from it, she climbed X11 and yelled, “Headwaters of Kitoi!” and “Feroda!” Feroda was a town close to where Corflu is now, and Kitoi flowed there, Cherry Blossom told them.

“Maalira will be cooking and house-keeping for Berra while Berra goes out to do warrior things. So domestic!” – Berra
“The only fly in the ointment is a raven.” – Berra

“Ok, I’ve got Kolyey open now. All it required was the right knife.” – X11

“I’m more wondering is anyone goes to attack Belvani.” GM
“That’s tempting!” Kolyey

“This ink is too thin and freezing…” – unknown scribe in marginalia (Xenofos)

“Her balls are bigger than his bison’s and they’re chest mounted to avoided chafing.” – Hanafa/GM

“Somehow Xenofos’ player manages to admit to having licked metal in winter.” – Xenofos, who is from a very cold place

“And all the Vingans say He’s pretty fly for a newt guy!” – X11

“Do these things sink, often?” – X11
“No, only oneth!” – X11

“It is basically diabetes in a small bundle. They come in three flavours: lemon, chocolate, and pink.” – Brit player explaining French Fancies

“Just as a matter of interest, does the middle one feel right?” – X11

“Face-stab marks of the Sable: Moon, Harmony, Truth.” – Newtling

“Xenofos has Homeland Lore Red Empire??????” – Varanis
“At 71.” – Xenofos

“Raus’s place? Yeah, it’s not gonna be easy, but we can take it.” – Imaginary Bisons
“Uh, where’s he gone?” – Same Bisons

“There’s a sign here with an arrow.” – Same Bisons
“Let’s go check out the hill over there and see what we can see from there.” – Same Bisons
“Well, let’s see where it…. oh my Gods.” – Same Bisons
“Uh, boss, we got a problem.” – Same Bisons
“What?” – Same Bisons
“Uh… I uh…. he’s bent Ernalda to make a fort.” – Same Bisons
“Alrrrrright. We’re going to tiptoe away very carefully. Someone teach the bisons to tiptoe right now!” – Same Bisons

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  No one was surprised.  They were also not surprised by it being a bit of a brawl.