Session Season 6, Prax 17

1629, Dark Season, Stasis Week, Windsday (Storm Bull’s Seasonal Holy Day)

Dramatis Personae

Events

Maalira had been carted away by the local White Ladies. Xenofos was also elsewhere, talking to newtlings. He had been expected back in time.

Varanis was soaking in a tub and scrubbing away the cold and dirt.

Berra and Kolyey had discussed asking Varanis’ dead distant cousin, Dorasar, to be a character witness. Kolyey braved the horrible weather to try summoning him.

Dorasar was not impressed by the bellowing and did not deign to respond initially. Kolyey did not realise that he was pretending to be his own servant as he tried to solicit some kind of offering from her.

The shaman spirit Agjaan whacked her in the head and tried to help her work it out. She finally worked out that she needed to worship and offer some magic points — and apparently sing at him too. She successfully persuaded him to come to the Temple, and he suggested he could haunt a rock. (What could possibly go wrong?)

She found a “good” rock, a fragment of his grave-covering, after a couple of tries. Dorasar was content. He droned on a lot. A lot.

Varanis got out of the bath, and after some hesitation — and her hair getting slightly messed up by Lady’s Maid Berra — she put on the arm ring from Kallyr.  Berra was professional, concerned with the possibility of ambush, and wore her metal armour despite the cold.  She and Varanis agreed that the Vingan should not wear armour despite the possibility of attack, but should go as an orlanthi noble.

She and Berra went to the Temple with X1138, and were met by Kolyey carrying a pet rock (with Dorasar in it). Varanis offered her greeting (and 5 mp).

They arrived safely at the temple. There was no attack on the way.

The temple was impressively warm, given its size. They were brought to a chamber within the rock of the great wall. All the important people of the city were present. There were five directly in front of them, who were those hearing the case as city decision-makers.

Present at the hearing:  

Bendrath, Son of Pavis (High Priest)
Harma Daughter of Harla, Daughter of Pavis
Broosta, Daughter of Pavis, widow of the priest Fleeter Nenm
The Flintnail Representative Ginkizzie, a dwarf in a very fetching wig
Gorovan the Magnificent

Audience:  

Ulerian Priestess Arader
Amida, a woman in a green dress and zebra‑skin cloak, Ernaldan of the Pavis Survivors
Count Belvani
Several gold‑ and iron‑wearing honour guard
Meriac var Hucipites, Champion of Pavis (ex‑Marble Phalanx, son of the then‑commander)
Sword Roneer

Decorations in the room included a scimitar that had been ritually killed by being beaten into a straight sword, the rune Death.

Bendrath asked Harma to speak, and she did most of the talking, first of all asking Sword Roneer to ensure Truth.  Roneer passed that down the line to Berra, who used Humakt’s magic.

Varanis was asked to explain why the Temple of Storm Bull had been destroyed. She launched into the story, and the rationale for why Jar‑Eel had to be defeated.

A Storm Bull revealed herself and j’accused at Varanis, saying she had foul magics that had deterred the Uroxi. Both were telling the truth as they believed it, and it looked as though someone might be about to suggest a duel to prove their worth. But Kolyey interrupted to say that she had brought Dorasar to speak on Varanis’ behalf. There was a lot of formal ritual, and Dorasar made himself known. He backed the story told by Varanis, and said that his temporary shaman agreed. Dorasar mentioned that Jar‑Eel had been an Imperial Princess and a Demi‑Goddess.  Gorovan reminded the room about how the Lunar plan had been to marry Pavis to the Red Goddess, talking persuasively.

There was an attempt by Bendrath to wrap up, but then Broosta reminded people that Lord Raven needed to be heard.

Lord Raven appeared and gave a rapid‑fire account from his own perspective, before disappearing back into his sword. Berra summarised it.

There was some bickering between the high‑ups, and then they disappeared to discuss. Varanis decided to offer worship to Pavis, ignoring the Storm Bull who was glaring. When they returned, there was a lot of glaring between others. Bendrath ordered that they must protect the city until new guards were established. Berra would have to work for Count Belvani. Varanis had to sponsor the Storm Bull to re‑found the temple and ensure that no one took it from her. They got to be Storm Bulls for the time being.

X11 seemed to have some difficulties with pronouns and with accepting the replacement armour that was being offered to him in lieu of the steel armour he was wearing. It was confusing. He finally agreed and got some kind of chit, allowing him to wear metal armour in the city. It was all a bit convoluted, and Ginkizzie, rather less feminine without the wig, did also seem slightly confused by it.

The Green Lady, Amida, was flirting with Varanis politely.

Kolyey and Berra talked briefly before Count Belvani came at them to sweep Berra into his ranks. He then talked to Kolyey for a moment, asking if she wanted to insult any of his people. She said no, not that day, and then he sent her to arrange meetings between him, Dorasar, and Varanis. Dorasar was fine with it, as was Varanis, but Belvani wanted one at a time, and clammed up rather.

As they approached Belvani, he seemed to be trying to avoid Roneer. So of course, Varanis managed to summon Roneer with a glance. This meant that Belvani did not get into whatever he had been about to say.

The Storm Bull approached, and Varanis finally realised that she was the one who had been knocked out of the sky when they fought. The Storm Bull issued orders about setting up temporary walls, shelter, fire, and then guarding against looters. Belvani let Varanis leave, but first told the Storm Bull to ensure that Varanis was freed up for a meeting (or else the Humakti would get it).  Roneer warned Kolyey that Belvani was up to no good.

Varanis dispatched X11 to the Storm Bull temple to try to guard it. She headed back to Geo’s to collect armour and more layers. Kolyey took Dorasar back to the cemetery.

Where the temple had been, X11 found himself exposed to the cold. There was a dearth of rocks. He found some timber and began to assemble a cross. He used it to create a focal point for Storm Bull worship. He then tried to bait any nearby trolls. None came.

In the cemetery, Kolyey returned Dorasar with no issues.

A small unit of Yelmalians arrived at the Rubble of Storm Bull with some shelter. X11 made things harder than needed by being dwarfish at them, but eventually they managed to sort out putting up a tent where the altar had been. It was a decent‑sized campaign tent. Varanis broke the news to the Yelmalians that Berra was now theirs to play with.

Varanis arranged a brazier from the Air Temple. Gorovan slipped her some coin in case she needed it for riddles (she ended up owing him a wheel). At the Sun Dome Temple, the Count made it clear that he expected her support against Count Vega. Berra was punished for Varanis’ lack of commitment by being sent out as a scout to a very exposed location so she could freeze to death. Captain Illaden made sure Varanis knew.

At the Storm Bull temple, they dug for artifacts and human remains within the tent. X11 was not hugely impressed by the human digging skills.

“OK, Maalira has been taken away by some White Ladies. I’ve decided the group noun for them is a Concern.” – GM
“A clot of white ladies. Possibly a leukocytosis.” – X11
“Flutter?” – GM
“See also an argument of Orlanthi.” – X11
“… one Orlanthi?” – GM

“I shall have to see if his Highness is available.” – Definitely not Dorasar

“Great Prince, are you aware of recent events?” – Kolyey
“You will have to be more specific…” – Dorasar as himself

facepalm in background – Vizier Agjaan

“Our thoughts and prayers… oh wait, you said they were Storm Bulls, right?” Dorasar

“What are you wearing… to attend the Temple?” – GM
“I was going to say, a towel…” – Varanis

“If you punish us, you let Jar-Eel win!” – Varanis, paraphrased by X11

“The Storm Bull is mostly eyeballing you.” – GM
“Well, I’ll look her straight in the bellybutton.” – X1138

“The Head of the Yelmaians wants to see you.” – Kolyey
“He’s called a Count, I believe”- Dorasar
(Within 1 letter, anyway.) O o . Berra (probably)
“No, a King is in charge of a Kingdom. What you have is a country.” – Berra

“In order to create an apple pie, it is first necessary to create the universe.” – X11

“Yelmalians. I’m beginning to like them only a little more than Lunars.” – Kolyey