Session Season 6, Prax 21
1629, Storm Season, Harmony Week to Death Week
Dramatis Personae
PCs
Berra
Kolyey
Maalira
Varanis
Xenofos
X1138
NPCs
Gorovan (High Priest of Orlanth)
Arada (High Priestess of Uleria)
Hanafa (Acting Storm Khan of Storm Bull)
Varra (Sword/Priest of Humakt)
A lot of lay members of Storm Bull
Events
Varanis got drunk with Goravan and got the full story of Argrath from him.1Critical on Intrigue Goravan spoke of how Argrath bound the White Bull as a fetch, stole the Giant’s cauldron, and protected the Giants’ Cradle when the giants said they were sending out their last cradle. Goravan had been captured and healed there by Maalira. He also described what happened on the journey downriver. When Argrath sailed out past Harpoon, the Lunars took it, the nomads recaptured it, and it sailed to sea and the Pool of Magasta. Then he hooked up with the Wolf Pirates.2Varanis drank Goravan under the table with the best Esrolian wine. Hurrah for the Esrolian constitution.
Harmony Week
Freezeday meant that the Storm Bull Temple needed guarding, as it was a holy day for Kyger Litor. Otherwise, Xenofos had the freedom to go worship at the Ulerian Temple. He tried to learn how the Sun Dome situation was working out, but the High Priestess did not have much to say. He did spend the night with her and later had a vision. Apparently Yelm the Emperor, sitting on his throne on Mount Spike, made a just ruling on the question of two ladies of light. The spells used (with Xenofos’ permission) left Xenofos loving Arada.
Maalira spent a few days hearing the songs about herself and Inora. She sighed a lot. Shortly afterward, the songs were translated into Tradetalk. People also began touching Maalira’s robes in hopes of being healed. There was a song about Berra, and later one about the Bisons, probably concerning Argrath leading people on a crusade into Sartar. While being harassed, Maalira started yelling out cures, and the songs began circulating again. She brought good business to Geo’s.
Kolyey had mostly been ordered to stay out of trouble. On Godday of Harmony Week, she was invited to the Temple of Humakt. There she met a Sword Priest named Varra. He told her that Berra had been assigned to guard the high walls at the beginning of Zorak Zoran’s holy day. He strongly hinted that she should go help Berra. It took her the whole day to finally track Berra down at Geo’s.
There were no difficulties at the Storm Bull Temple on Zorak Zoran’s holy day.
Death Week
X11 was invited to worship Flintnail. He said he was forbidden to participate but was happy to observe. On Fireday at the Temple of Pavis, he went looking for Maalira to ask her to define lay membership. She sent him to Xenofos, who was also at Geo’s, and he was told that lay membership service meant risking participation in Flintnail heresy.
Windsday was Humakt’s High Holy Day, so Kolyey and Varanis both worshipped at the Humakti Temple.3Succesful worshop rolls. Text-based RP to follow.
Maalira was asked to attend Hanafa at the Storm Bull Temple before the minor holy day. Hanafa warned that on the first day she would be beaten up by the Devil and would need healing. On the next day, she would drop a mountain on the Devil. They made their various preparations. Varanis painted Storm Bull’s runes where she would normally have Orlanthi ones. Kolyey napped. Maalira prepared her healing supplies. When Hanafa reminded the adventurers that they had killed the previous herd of Bullies, Xenofos provoked her by reminding her that they had been working to bring a Lunar goddess back to life. Nobody was killed.
Hanafa sent most of them off to round up some lay members. Xenofos started at one bar, bought drinks, and suggested that Hanafa thought they were too cowardly to turn up.4Although in a much more snobbish way. X11 issued a formal invitation on Hanafa’s behalf, offering free drinks and a death-free ceremony. He got kicked out after someone bought him a half-pint.
Kolyey tried the Humakti Temple but was told that they tended to keep away from Storm Bull. She pointed out that there were free drinks. They suggested Waha’s Temple, the meat market.
Varanis pretty much emptied out Geo’s by mentioning Maalira.
Berra also turned up with a boatload of drunk people.
At the Storm Bull Temple, everyone got drunk and danced. Storm Bull saw trouble and headed off to deal with it. A storm started fighting something. The plains were destroyed. The women who were hanging out by the hearth were buried and left the temple. Kolyey saw the face of the Devil and ran screaming. Varanis faced the Devil and was horrified, but stood her ground. She had seen this before.5There would be flashbacks. Worship: V offered 5, Kolyey 1, X11 and Xenofos 0. Berra worked out who to kill first.
Maalira observed the battle and, when Storm Bull collapsed at her feet, she was ready to treat him.
There were six Storm Bulls from the Block who helped keep people moving through the ritual. Because rival bars were present, a brawl broke out. Varanis and Berra kept dancing. Xenofos kept the fire going. Maalira slept by the fire. Kolyey also opted to sleep. The new fuel Xenofos brought was mysteriously diminished when he returned.
In the evening, Storm Bull and the Devil returned. Both had been through hell. One seemed to be ruling it, and that was not Storm Bull.
Storm Bull seemed to be on his last hooves. He was getting beaten, until the Block saved him and allowed him to defeat the Devil with the Opportunity-Passing Mountain. X11 felt it was part of Mostal6Truestone but it looked wrong. He managed to resist the temptation to pinch it.
After dismissing everyone, Hanafa insulted Xenofos for his question. Varanis sent everyone outside and then essentially invited Hanafa to have a go. It went badly for the Vingan, who ended up gored and impaled. Maalira rushed back in and healed her. Xenofos looked ready to continue the fight but was forbidden from doing so by Maalira. X11 helped ensure there was no further violence.
X11 reported that he was unable to attend the Flintnail rituals.
Xenofos accompanied Varanis to the Ulerian Temple so she could clean up. They talked him off the ledge while he was there.
Xenofos and Varanis argued about her staying in New Pavis while he went to meet the Straw Weavers. She eventually out-stubborned him, and he, Maalira, Kolyey, and Berra went north to find the Bisons. Varanis and X11 remained in New Pavis so Varanis could be certain of being near a major temple for the High Holy Day.
Session Quotes
“Ah, but at least X1138 will be pleasantly clean.” – Berra/GM
“General rule for this session, no sniffing?” – Berra/GM
“She is… well, I won’t say tightlipped…” – GM
Varanis blushes.
“I once got flattened by a Zorak Zorani. Lord D’Val gave me some really good advice. I should have chopped his head off sooner.” Berra
“Just one tassel from the sash. You can boil it up and it will cure anything.” – GM, of Maalira’s magical powers
“Maalira takes to drink.” – Varanis
“The repair unit is in isolation.” – GM
“Oh. Is this due to some kind of faulty mechanism?” – X11
“Not on my behalf.” – Maalira
“Berra’s the Hero. I just hang around.” – Maalira
“This indicates a lack of respect for your own abilities.” – X1138
“Yes! I’m alright with that!” – Maalira
“Your service is commended, Great Hero.” – X11
deadly glare – Maalira
“So technically, if looks can kill, Maalira has just broken her vows.” – GM
“What was that you lanky streak of ink?” – Hanafa
“My prep is getting extra sleep.” – Kolyey
“Now there’s a soldier.” – GM
“There will be consequences.” – Maalira when Varanis tells people of her heroics
“You don’t know!” – Varanis
“I will find out and then there will be consequences.” – Maalira
“Malus… anti-bonus… penalty!” – GM
“Is this to do with the mortar and pestle?” – X1138
“Yes, but I wasn’t mentioning that to save your blushes.” – GM
“I’ve had it up to here with these (*&^%%% shapes on this && plain.” – X11
“Ritual (n): A stupid human thing” – X11
“There’s never enough bullshit when you need it.” – Xenofos, who is tending the fire.
“The light of Stormbull’s wisdom is illuminating this place.” – Xenofos
“So am I needing to rely on Earthsense then?” – X11
What will I say?” (to Hanafa) – Varanis
“Stop insulting my liegemen!” – Kolyey
“Shut the fuck up?” – Maalira, at the same time
“You can’t provoke a fight inside when you have sent me out, it is unfair.” – Xenofos
“I’m shocked, that was a pass.” – Xenofos
“That’s because there’s no architecture for you to look at.” – Varanis
“Trying to decide if Varanis complaining about people underfoot is a dwarf joke.” – X11
- 1Critical on Intrigue
- 2Varanis drank Goravan under the table with the best Esrolian wine. Hurrah for the Esrolian constitution.
- 3Succesful worshop rolls. Text-based RP to follow.
- 4Although in a much more snobbish way.
- 5There would be flashbacks. Worship: V offered 5, Kolyey 1, X11 and Xenofos 0.
- 6Truestone