Introduction:
Having travelled to Torkani lands and successfully negotiated for the hand of Thorgunna
Brynhildsdaughter, as well as having had a gay old time visiting the Torkani (this is
pretty much the only way young people get to have premarital sex without breaking any
taboos after all, and yes even Ashart managed to find at least one partner) it’s now
time to get back to the Amber tula. Soon the weather will start to turn and the Torkani
are increasingly dropping heavy hints about your helping them with their harvest. If you
wanted to work you could have stayed at home for crying out loud.
Well you feel that you’ve cemented Amber-Torkani relations even more and Blunt should
be thrilled. Your hosts have gifted you as well. Booth the Hunchback even gave each of you
a gift, a dagger. At first you didn’t think much of this but on closer inspection the
daggers appeared to be exceptional work (fine +1^ daggers in fact).
The Chiefs Regin both gave you all gifts as well. The fyrdmen now proudly wear silver
armbands while each of you sports a new gold one. Chief Regin Maniskison gave Skerri
instead a fine gold torc and spoke with her privately at some length. One last feast was
given last night and now it is time to leave. Strangely enough the fyrdmen were absent
at the feast all except for Lismelder. The next morning at the going away sacrifice you
find out where they were. All four of them show up with young women in tow. One of them
even has a baby with her. An old man is along with them and you discover (as they
sheepishly tell you) that these young women are their wives, well at least the Torkani
consider them their wives. These young women are the youngest daughters of poor cottars
and have no real future among the Torkani so their spakeman has agreed to let them go to
Amberi lands with the fyrdmen. (None of whom you notice is still wearing their armbands).
Lismelder and Arene are smiling so you know they were in on it. Well, the lads need
wives and they look healthy enough so what's the harm? The baby is the young woman's by a
wandering traveller, not Age by the way.
Well the chiefs Regin watch as the sacrifices are performed and then wish you well on
your travels. They tell you that they have lots of work to do so they'll say goodbye now.
What do you do? |
|
| Speaker |
Action |
| Dagbjartr |
The Torkani have shown us splendid
hospitality. This shows their great virtue and dedication to the ways of Orlanth. Thank
you, Chief Regin Maniskison, Chief Regin the Cottar, and Booth for your generous gifts. In
addition, we are honoured to have Thorgunna Brynhildsdaughter and these four women join
the Amber clan. I hope for a long and prosperous friendship between our people. Please
remember -- we welcome additional members to our clan. If there are other people
travelling through Torkani lands, we would be interested in having them join our clan.
Aside: I try to personally meet and briefly talk to each of the heads of the cottar
families to whom the four young women belong. Also, the old man with them -- is he their
spakeman, or will he also be joining us?
Now, as I recall, our plan is to head east and travel down following the edge of Prax,
and try to contact other neighbours. |
| Narrator |
The
old man is their spakeman and he is not going to be traveling with them. The young
women’s household heads are quite some distance off but the spakeman, Eric the Blue
is the authority for their leaving. He wishes them well and their families are
thrilled that girls with such limited options have gotten married (which they were last
night). This might cause problems as the fyrdmen did not have their bloodlines
permission to marry. Your instructions from Blunt
were to head east into Prax and then south along the foothills until you reach the Sounder
River when you will head west again until you reach the stead. He didn’t get
any more specific than that. |
| Salinar |
Well, let's head out then, although I
have admit that while I was a little nervous going on a scouting mission with Blunt's
bride-to-be I'm even more apprehensive with four MORE brides joining us. Let's move
cautiously, with a few of us riding ahead as an advance picket. My followers and I will go
first. |
| Skerri |
Let's get going then. I've prayed
to Vinga for protection on the trail and thrown up already so let's get moving already. |
| Thorgunna |
Yes, let's. I grow impatient to
meet my new husband. |
| Skerri |
Giving Thorgunna a sour look. That's
husband to be, he's still my husband for the time being.
Thorgunna looks annoyed but Skerri's smug look is spoiled by her having to throw up
again. |
| Age Swiftshanks |
arrives as the group is preparing to
leave ... Greetings once again Skerri. And to you others, allow me to
name myself. I am Age Swiftshanks and the Chiefs Regins have requested that I aid you as
long as you remain in the Torkani lands. They also gave me leave to continue with you as
long as you have need of my services.
I hope that we can have a safe journey together. |
| Occasional Narrator's Note: |
Age is a Torkani scout that Skerri and the
other met on their last journey through Torkani lands. He is armed with a bow and is
wearing leather armor but strangely enough no boots or other footwear. |
| Skerri |
Wiping vomit from her face. Whose
cows are these? I thought we were done with bloody cows for a while at least. |
| Thorgunna |
Drawing herself up to her full 4'8"
height. Mine of course, these are my dowry. They're coming with us of
course.
A quick count indicates that there are 20 cows all together. Two of them are oxen
which are wearing packs that Thorgunna seems very protective of. |
| Skerri |
Rolling her eyes. Wonderful.
Well fearless leader where to next?
Looks to Ashart. |
| Dagbjartr |
Well, yes, cattle take some work to care
for. On the other hand, valuable goods are valuable goods. At least we don't have to carry
these particular goods around on our backs. I like merchandise that walks on its own. Do
you have any idea how heavy a full pack can be? Why, I remember when I was an apprentice,
and we were hired to transport an entire blacksmith's shop... As the party
stands there Dagbjartr goes into a long and rambling story involving a flash flood, deeply
disgusted cutpurses, and a most curious encounter with three Barntar initiates. |
| Ashart |
Interrupting. Perhaps our
Torkani friend can advise us of the nature of the lands some are proposing we cross. I,
for one, do not think it wise to take a party slowed down by livestock and noncombatants
on foot into an area possibly frequented by mounted adversaries.
The original plan was for a mounted party to scout east on the way
back to the tula. However, a plan should be reviewed when one or more of the
assumptions upon which it is based no longer apply. Given the current makeup of our group
I propose gathering all the information on the surrounding areas that we can from our
Torkani friends and then returning to the tula by the same route we arrived. It would be
irresponsible to risk the lives of these noncombatants and other valuables in a scouting
foray.
Looks at all around him as if daring anyone to say
something disparaging! |
| Narrator's Note |
(None of the five women are mounted and
there's this small herd of cattle milling about). Age Swiftshanks begins to open his
mouth to answer when you hear shouting behind you. You all turn to look and notice
that a man mounted on a mule is racing in your direction. He's yelling something
that sounds like, "Madness, madness, stop the insanity!" Or something like
that. |
| Olli Ollison |
Are you all crazy? Are you all
insane or something? He pulls up his mule with a sharp yank. (Did that
mule really mutter, Hey, not so hard).
You can't take horses and cattle into Prax. I heard about your plans and I
just had to stop you.
Olli is short and shaggy (I believe rugose is the correct term) with wild hair and
beard. He absentmindedly carries a staff and has a big, extremely ugly hat with
Issaries runes on it. |
| Olaf |
Hee haw. |
| Age Swiftshanks |
nods his agreement (with Olli not Olaf)
... He's right you know, Olli I mean. The Praxians hate Storm Followers,
horses and cows and they don't even have to hate you to kill you.
If we were caught out in the open I doubt that many of us would return to tell the
tale. |
| Salinar |
Well, don't I feel silly not noticing
all those cows! adopts a sarcastic tone.. Where could they have
been hiding! getting louder...
OF COURSE we aren't going to ride into Prax looking like a raider's wet dream!
Elmal save me from these fools!
turns his horse around and prepares to head back to the tula, muttering under his
breath... |
| Narrator's Note |
The rest of the Amberi have had absolute no experience
or knowledge of Praxians before the encounter with those among Red Kare's followers and
know next to nothing about the Praxians. Salinar must have learned about them during
his captivity among the Hendrikilanders. Dagbjartr knows a bit about them as well
from his travels. |
| Olli Ollison |
Who pissed in his porridge? I thought you lot
must be as ignorant of Praxians as all new immigrants are. Try and help people,
sheesh. Am I right, or am I right? |
| Olaf |
Tosses head. Hee haw. |
| Age Swiftshanks |
looks around at the Amberi Ahh, so what are
the plans then? Which route do you want to travel? The safest would be along the flank of
the Stormwalks, the quickest along the hills bordering the animal riders lands. |
| Olli |
Shaking his head violently so that all the little gold
and silver ornaments in his hair and beard jingle No, no, no, you can't go so
close to Prax, not on horseback driving cattle. The Praxians will fall upon you like a
hammer on an anvil. They see it as their sacred duty to kill our type as painfully and
permanently as possible. Right? |
| Olaf |
Rolls his eyes. Hee haw. |
| Skerri |
Looking to Ashart again. Well, fearless
leader which's it going to be? |
| Ashart |
As I said before, we take the same route by which we
came. Looking in Salinar's direction, raised voice tinged with sarcasm.
That is, of course, unless someone else has a better idea or more information they
would like to share with us. I would think that Elmali would be anxious to hurry back to
the hearth fires! |
| Age Swiftshanks |
nods agreement Surely would be safer than
most any other thing you could do. |
| Narrator's Note |
Salinar's pretty much exhausted what little he knows
about Prax. He got a really strong opinion of the place from a knight he knew in
Hendrikkiland who had been there but he's never set foot in the place and doesn't know
anything else about it. |
| Olli |
Nodding his head emphatically. Now, that's
sense talking, finally.
He walks over to the grim Humakti grabs his hand and shakes it briskly beaming all the
time.
am so pleased to meet you. My name is Olli Ollison, also known as Olli the Trader,
or Olli the Loon, or Olli the Muchtravelled. And I would be pleased if you would let me
travel with you and share my knowledge of Prax and its people with you. They're a special
interest of mine. |
| Olaf |
Rolls his eyes. |
| Ashart |
Looking at his hand, somewhat bemused... You
are welcome to join us. You and friend Dagbjartr no doubt have much in common. Your
knowledge this area will be of use to our clan. |
| Olli |
Rubbing his hands together gleefully and jumping up and
down Marvellous, bloody marvelleous. I've got tribal business down in your
neck of the woods anyway and there is nothing that I like better than talking about
something I love! |
| Narrator's Note |
Age and Olaf both roll their eyes and manage to look
pained at this gross understatement. |
| Age |
Muttering Maybe the Praxians will attack
and kill me in some hideously painful manner and put me out of my misery. |
| Olaf |
Nodding his head and braying emphatically. HEE
HAW! |
| Salinar |
Salinar's eyes narrow at Ashart's tone, then widen with
shock at his words. He moves his horse in close to Ashart's and whispers a few
words... |
| Ashart |
Ashart leans towards Salinar and whispers a reply. He
then speaks so all can hear... Salinar has taken exception to my remark and is
right to do so! I have no cause to slight our Elmali brethren and do apologize! If this is
not sufficient, then I hereby make myself available to any who would seek other means of
redress.
Looks around... |
| Age |
shakes his head I can see we're off to a
great start here.
Look, if we're going to take the same route back why don't we start moving and we
can talk along the way.
Some of us want to get back before Dark Season.
Hurriedly adds
I'll scout ahead while Olli will probably be glad to give you any details you might
have missed.
An aside to Olaf.
Don't let him go on Olaf. |
| Olaf |
Muttering so quietly no one's sure he actually
spoke. You sure you don't want to ride instead of walking Age? |
| Olli |
Great, I just love meeting new people and talking to
them. I get lots of chances too because Chief Regin Maniskison is always so agreeable
about sending me to talk to other people. Why I had just returned from a trading
expedition and I was telling him all about, how I met this Impala noble with four wives,
imagine that four wives! And he says to me, Olli, he says, we've got some new friends who
are just leaving and look to be planning on traveling through Prax, maybe you could share
your knowledge with them and give them a hand, and I said that's a great idea and I asked
him who they were and he told me they were new Heortling immigrants and then I thought of
the implications of what he said and I jumped on Olaf and we raced over here and you know
what happened then, and I'm sure that we'll be the very best of friends! So what do you
want to know about Praxians first? |
| Narrator's Note |
He keeps talking and talking and talking. Everyone who
knows Branbrig Slayer is sure that by now Olli would be lying in a puddle of blood just so
Branbrig wouldn't have to go mad. The fyrdmen and their new wives get glazed looks in
their eyes and avoid Olli as much as possible. Thorgunna, who had looked horrified at
Olli's arrival puts as much distance as possible between her and him as well. Even the
cattle seem upset. Skerri grits her teeth and listens because within the personal
anecdotes and unfunny jokes there is information of real value. You can all read the
sections on the Glorantha website on Praxian culture : http://www.glorantha.com/hw/tribe_prax.html.
You have the opportunity to get the skill Praxian Culture if you want at 12 for 1 HP. It's
obvious that Olaf has little control over Olli (though there are some marks that look
suspiciously like mule teeth marks on his arms though). |
| Ashart |
Since no one has spoken up
... Well, it appears that my apology is
accepted. On to other matters... Some in our group council me against welcoming a
total stranger into our midst. A good point! Who will vouch for Olli the trader? |
| Age |
Starts... My apologies, I thought you would
have met Olli before now. I will vouch for Olli Ollison, of the Godori Clan of the
Torkani Tribe. He serves our tribe as trade thane. |
| Narrator's Note |
The title of trade thane indicates that Olli is,
unbelievably perhaps, the senior trader/negotiator for the Torkani. Note that he
does not follow Issaries but Argan Argar the Troll God of Trade who the Torkani
worship. The Torkani replace Issaries with Argan Argar, Urox with Zorak Zoran
and Chalana Arroy with Xiola Umbar. All the rest of their deities are the same as
other Heortlings. |
| Olli |
Beaming. That's the singular honour I
possess.
Bows. |
| Dagbjartr |
I am indeed honoured to meet you, Trade Thane Olli
Ollison Ah, so he's a Troll Trader. That explains much of his... well, never mind
that. We can't be rude to any of our new friends. And if he talks for too long, I'll just
break out some of that jerky Old Magnus gave me. Tastes wonderful, but chewing jerky made
from tired, stringy horses will keep his jaws occupied for some time.
As well, one should never turn down information about customers or threats. Sure, it
will take work to draw out useful information from his chatter, but no one knows better
than an Issaries trader that talk is work. I'll learn more about Prax on this trip; with
any luck I'll learn useful information about some of the important individuals who live
there. Never underestimate the value of knowing your customers!
Besides, there's already too much tension in this group already. If I can keep Olli out
of everyone else's hair, maybe we can keep from breaking into a brawl on the way home.
Later, we can find something useful, like a cattle raid, to slake their tempers. |
| Age |
Still recovering from Olli making a statement that is
only a single sentence long. Well, let's hit the trail then. If we start
now we can overnight at Thane Gustav's. I'll run ahead and warn him that you're coming.
Waits for Ashart's approval. |
| Skerri |
Yes let's get moving while my armour still fits me.
Looks at Ashart. |
| Ashart |
Very well! Age - proceed ahead and notify Thane
Gustav's stead. Salinar and his followers will form the advance guard. Skerri, Dagbjartr
and their followers will provide the rear guard. The rest, form into a column with
non-combatants at the front and cattle behind. The fyrdmen will herd the cattle.
Thorgunna, Lismelder Harvar, and Olli will accompany me at the head of the column. Ashart
offers the use of his horse to Thorgunna if she wishes to ride. Lismelder is instructed to
look after Thorgunna's needs. After ensuring that things are properly organized the column
is ordered to advance. During the march Ashart engages Harvar in conversation (tries to
find out more about him). |
| Thorgunna |
Thank you for the kind offer but my bottom and I are
happier off of horses. |
| Age |
Age acknowledges his orders and adds ... Olli
can show the trail to Thane Gustav's as well as any. Once I've alerted the Thane I'll
return to join you.
Age then sets off at an extremely fast pace. He soon disappears from sight. |
| Olli |
Nodding his head almost manically. Yes, yes,
certainly I can. And while we're heading in that direction I can tell you all a most
amusing story about Thane Gustav and some trollkin. Well to do the story full
justice we have to start with Gustav's great, great grandmother's cousin Arne. It
seems...
The story is the most convoluted, confusing mess any of you have ever
heard. You're almost convinced that it makes sense but all the background
information and genealogy makes it incredibly confusing. Who's Cousin Myrtle and
what does that flying dragonsnail have to do with the story. Throughout the whole
story Olaf attempts once again futilely to gnaw his own ears off. Half an hour
later...
...and then the trollkin stole the very same duck, again!
Olli throws his head back and laughs uproariously. The fact that none of you
laugh doesn't seem to perturb him. |
| Skerri |
Quietly. Thanks goodness I'm already nauseous or
this guy would make me sick to my stomach. |
| Narrator's Note |
Harvar spends quite a bit of time talking to Ashart but
reveals nothing about himself. He's very good at redirecting questions away from
himself without giving too much offense. The only things that are clear about him
are that he is a follower of Orlanth and is somewhat devoted to Skerri, though the exact
nature of their relationship is uncertain. |
| Narrator's Note |
Time goes by "pleasantly". The weather
is beautiful and the sky is clear. The heat of Sea and Fire Season are over and the
temperature is quite nice. The traveling is easy and the company is
enjoyable. If only that guy would shut the hell up! While he is present
you can assume the need to speak over him. He seems to take no offense but never
seems to shut up. He has the absolutely amazing ability to stop speaking when
addressed, answer/reply to the question/statement made to him (at great length) and then
pick up exactly where he had been in the previous conversation. Lismelder seems to
take great pleasure in testing this much to everyone else's annoyance. (It makes him
even more annoying to listen to). The day drags on and on and no sign is seen of
Age. (Skerri wonders sarcastically why anyone wouldn't want to rush back to spend
more time with Olli). Finally you reach Thane Gustav's stead. (There you
find Age lounging on a bench before the stead drinking ale out of a wooden mug. He
seems surprised to see you already). The stead seems pretty standard, nothing
exceptional about it other than the sight of some stunted, twisted creatures you recognize
as trollkin. They're all wearing stout leather collars around their necks and
cowering in dark corners and tearing into their evening rations. Thane Gustav moves
forward to greet you and he and Ashart go through an abbreviated version of the Heortling
greeting. |
| Thane Gustav |
A stout man, the very image of a modern Heortling
thane. He is an effusive man (imagine Topol in Fiddler on the Roof)... I
gladly welcome you to my stead Amberi. I offer you food, water and a blanket. |
| Narrator's Note |
This is very generous, he's only obligated to offer you
water. |
| Thane Gustav |
Sighs deeply. Hello Olli.
Shakes his head.
The man for whom it can be said that his only virtue, beside his skills as a trader,
Phony aside to the Amberi.
though there are those who say that he's so good because most people will do
anything to get rid of him,
To Olli again.
is that he cannot be insulted. Isn't that correct you broo buggering bastard? |
| Olli |
Smiling almost inanely broadly. Then something
odd seems to flit behind his eyes and the smile fades briefly from his face. Well
that's true though of course at least broos aren't kin of mine like your children and
nieces and nephews are for you.
The smile returns and he grins broadly. |
| Thane Gustav |
Tilting his head back laughing uproariously. He
claps one of his beefy arms around Olli's shoulders. That's the Olli I know
and love. We must split a keg tonight and you shall tell me all about your travels
among the beast riders. Come, let us eat, the harvest has been good to us!
Turns to go inside. |
| Narrator's Note |
Insults like Gustav and Olli have just exchanged would
normally result in one or both parties lying dead on the ground. Treating people or
animals like broos and incest are two big no no's in Heortling society. |
| Age |
disapproves of these insults but otherwise looks ready
to stay outside on his bench, in the evening sun, with his cup of mead [in the peace and
quiet ...] |
| Thorgunna |
Flashing Gustav a brilliant smile. Thank
you for your generous hospitality. I am most grateful. |
| Skerri |
Scowling at Thorgunna. I, also am
grateful. Thank you. |
| Narrator's Note |
A wonderful smelling and looking feast has been
prepared. Ernalda has obviously smiled upon this stead at least of the
Torkani. Anyone who wants to can wash up a bit before eating. Pretty
much everyone does and a lot of good natured teasing passes between the fyrdmen and their
wives. Lismelder and Arene also join in, Lismelder lustily and Arene quietly
and shyly. After washing up everyone gathers around the feast, Ernalda and Orlanth are
thanked and everyone digs in. Amazingly Olli does not stop talking when he's eating
and he goes on non-stop. Everyone tries to ignore him and enjoy themselves.
Olaf is also present at the feast which is eccentric to say the least. He is very
well behaved, eats vegetarian and goes outside to go to the bathroom. At one point
Gustav seems to hold a conversation with him that consists of Gustav doing all the talking
and Olaf nodding or shaking his head.
After the feast everyone is shown where they can sleep. Everyone beds down
and those of you who are single gaze enviously at the fyrdmen.
Late that night everyone is woken by a woman screaming. |
| Ashart |
Looking around to orient himself and let his eyes
adjust to the darkness(?), he listens (acutely) to determine where the scream came from.
Grabbing his greatsword (conveniently stashed beside him) Ashart calls for light and
cautiously proceeds in the most likely direction (preparing his Great Blow feat on the
way). |
| Narrator's Note |
Ashart, of course, is sleeping outside under the stars
about 100 feet from the longhouse where the rest of you are sleeping. The scream
came from within the longhouse. A watchman runs over to you carrying a torch for the
pair of them (him and Ashart) to see by. The pair head towards the longhouse. |
| Age |
Age (who also likes to sleep outside when the weather
is fine) grabs his bow and invokes his Starsight Scout Feat and then goes over to help
Ashart find out what the trouble is (all the while musing on how appropriate it is that a
Humakti would sleep with his sword but forgoing the 'it's not such a great sword'
joke). Age stops momentarily when passing Olli to see if he also talks while
sleeping. |
| Narrator's Note |
Olli in his status of honoured guest is sleeping inside
with the rest of the party. (And yes he does talk in his sleep, constantly). The
source of the screaming turns out to be Thorgunna. A quick search and some judicious
questioning reassures everyone that there is no physical threat present. You all sit
down around the newly stoked fire pit. Thorgunna is quite shaken by her experience
and Skerri finds herself in the annoying position of providing comfort to her by sitting
beside her and putting her arm around her shoulders. As soon as Thorgunna recovers
her poise they quickly move apart. It turns out that Thorgunna has had a
dream. After quite a bit of prompting she speaks about her dream... |
| Thorgunna |
I have never had such a vivid dream before. I
was very happy playing and laughing with my...sisters? Well they were kin of some
sort. Sometimes we raced through the waves, leaping and splashing. Leaping and
splashing? Were we animals? No, somehow I don't think so. We raced
wherever we wanted to but then it got scary and our father told us to attack the
earth. We ran inwards ever farther from the shore laughing at our prowess and
leaping over all obstacles. The puny land things tried to stand in our way but we
went over or through them. Nothing could oppose us. I had raced high into the
hills not far from my brother when the call came. Something terrible had
happened. We had to rush back to our father to save him from something. So we
all raced back as fast as we could go and we reached him just in time. Then a time
of trouble was upon us and we all had to fight some terrible things. It was horrible
and we learned that the earth people and the air people were more friends to us than the
new people were. I fought as well as I could and did my best to fight the new.
There was a terrible battle and the worst of the worst fell and was crushed beneath a
great weight. I hoped that we would finally find peace but then he came, the
feathered one. He ripped a great gouge in his mother and ordered me... Thorgunna's
voice rises and her eyes flash.
...me, he ordered my creatures and I to...to, eat the worst of the
worst! ME, HE FORCED ME TO EAT THAT MONSTROUSITY! AND HE DESTROYED MY
PATH SO I COULDN'T REACH MY FATHER ANY MORE!
She stands and clenches her fists. Even in the dim fire light you can see that
her eyes are solid blue.
IF HE WERE HERE I WOULD, I WOULD...
Her mouth opens and a powerful gush of water issues forth. Fortunately no one was
standing directly in front of her as the stream of water blows a gaping hole in the side
of the longhouse. The stream of water stops and she falls down unconscious. |
| Age |
stunned... Well, looks like Amber Clan has an
interesting situation on their hand. |
| Narrator's Note |
No one's quite sure what to do about Thorgunna so
eventually the consensus arrived at is that everyone should just go back to sleep so
that's what you do. Lismelder crawls in with Thorgunna to keep her
company. The rest of the night passes uneventfully to the accompaniment of the
gentle murmur of Olli talking to himself. The next morning you're all a little tired
from your trip and not feeling much like traveling but after breaking your fast and
thanking Thane Gustav for his hospitality you set off once again. You offer to pay
for the repairs to the longhouse but Thane Gustav waves off your offer and cheerfully
refuses your help or money saying, "It'll give my son the carpenter something
different to do." |
| Skerri |
Grumbling. I finally start sleeping a bit better
again and I get woken up by someone's overactive imagination. |
| Thorgunna |
Snaps back. Next time I'll try and have a quieter
nightmare! And I wouldn't talk about waking people up until I manage to get up to go
to the outhouse for the twelfth time in the middle of the night without stumbling over
other people! |
| Skerri |
She looks like she is about to retaliate in kind when
she bursts into tears instead. She turns her horse and rides it to the very back of
the party. Everyone is shocked by this uncharacteristic display of
emotion. Arene rides back to be with her. |
| Age |
err right then. I'll scout up ahead then shall
I? Another day will bring you to Thane Olaf's stead (no relation to our
Olaf) and after that we start heading into wilder territory. |
| Narrator's Note |
It is a fairly subdued party that heads
south. Well, except for Olli who seems incapable of being subdued. He
continues to babble as you head south. Halfway through the morning Thorgunna WALKS
back and has a talk with Skerri that no one else is party to. At lunch nears they
seem to have come to some sort of a truce. As lunchtime comes up you near the camping
spot Age suggested at a small spring surrounded by large rocks. As you near the
rocks you hear a familiar sounding voice singing drunkenly at the top of his lungs. |
| Aski Askison |
There was a chief his name was Blunt
Blunt by name, Blunt by deed
He was a man with a plan
He was a man with a passion
Loved a girl named Skerri
But loved being chief much more
The women they did come to him
To nag, demand and scold
You must discard this Vingan girl
And get a wife more proper
Well mighty Blunt he hemmed and hawed
And spluttered mightily
But said he finally
It’s right you are
To be a chief most proper
An Ernaldi wife I have to take
And Skerri, brave Skerri
To her I say goodbye.
Well the women took him by the nose
And led him to the people
And made him give up Skerri
Well Skerri she raged
And Skerri she shouted
And spat her love right out
Took she a mighty sword
And drove it through
The standing stone
And made Skerri’s Needle
So any man who faithless is
Remember this
If you have faithless thoughts
Remember Skerri and her needle
And be thankful you’re a man
And not a stone. |
| Ashart |
Somewhat confused Ashart
rides forward... Scald Askison! How is it that
we find you drunk and alone in this wilderness? And why do you shame your chief with your
words? |
| Narrator's Note |
By moving forward and past the large rocks Ashart sees
more of the scene (which the rest of you quickly do as well). There sitting at a
small campfire near the spring (which wells up from the rocks) sits Aski Askison and Age
Swiftshanks. Age looks sheepishly over at you and Aski staggers to his feet and
draws himself up to his full weedy height which leaves him weaving back and
forth. When he turns around some of you gasp at what you see. His face
is covered by ugly yellow and purple bruises and one eye stares blindly. His hair is
ragged and uneven and what skin you can see on his body is similarily bruised. His
hands are twisted and crippled and covered in rotten bandages. Without the familiar
voice none of you would have recognized him. |
| Aski |
In a tone of drunken, righteous indignation. I am
a free bard Ashart Bolison and I go where I will. I owe no allegiance to any man who
allows such as this to happen to a bard!
He holds his hands out to you. He holds them out for a while then they start
trembling and he crumples to the ground before you and sobs into his ruined hands. |
| Ashart |
Shocked, Ashart dismounts and approaches Aski. In
the name of Humakt man, tell us what happened to you!?
He then calls out for medical aid (if we have any) and water to be brought forward. |
| Narrator's Note |
Thorgunna comes forward and kneels beside Aski. Skerri,
Age and the fyrdmen get tangled up in trying to get water from the spring until Age gets
untangled first and carries water to Aski who after some coaxing drinks from the
cup. Thorgunna checks the bandages and gasps at what she sees once she unwinds
them. It looks like every single one of his fingers has been broken. She
cleans them gently and dresses them again with fresh bandages from her healer's kit.
Aski lies down on Thorgunna's bedroll and is soon snoring. It looks like you will be
making camp here for a while. Thorgunna comes over to speak with Ashart and anyone else
who wants to listen. |
| Thorgunna |
It is better if he sleeps. The bruises and cuts are
all at least two weeks old and must have been truly hideous when they were
fresher. They will heal. But not the eye. And the hands... She
shakes her head.
The wounds on the hands are more recent, within the past week or so. It will
take strong magic to heal those hands, if they can be healed at all. It will require
a heroquest of some sort done preferably by a follower of Chalana Arroy.
Shudders.
What sort of man is this that I have agreed to marry? |
| Skerri |
Shaking her head. This is not the man I married
but they say power corrupts people. But to cripple a bard.
Shakes her head some more. She hugs Thorgunna. |
| Narrator's Note |
A very somber group camps and wiles away the afternoon
speaking quietly to each other. Olli sits far away from the rest of the group just
within sight and seems to be in a quiet, but none the less non-stop conversation with
Olaf. Towards supper Aski wakes up and asks for liquor. Thorgunna nods and a
small cup of mead is passed to him. He drinks and asks for more. |
| Thorgunna |
It would be better for you if you ate
something. |
| Aski |
I am not hungry. I have nothing to live for do
I? |
| Age |
Who had been listening to Thorgunna's assessment
earlier queries Aski as to who was responsible for each attack (the earlier bruises and
the later hand crippling). Specifically, did both happen at the hands of Blunt? Or did the
second happen after he left the tribe? Did he wish to lodge a lawsuit? |
| Ashart |
Angrily stalks over to Aski... I
am no stranger to loss - far greater loss than you can imagine!!! Of course you have
something to live for!What about honour, justice, vengeance...(Freudian
slip)!? There are people here who are trying to help you.They cannot, unless you choose
to help yourself.Now pull yourself together and tell us what happened to you! |
| Narrator's Note |
This tirade seems to stiffen Aski resolve. With a
little prodding (he is a bard after all) a long story comes out. The story is
interrupted by Aski's sobs. Olli comes forward to hear and keeps up a surprisingly
muted running commentary throuhgout. |
| Aski |
After the meeting where Blunt discarded Skerri for
Thorgunna I was outraged. To me Skerri seemed to be a much better wife than some
bland Ernaldi. Thorgunna starts at this gibe and Skerri smiles but Aski
ignores them caught up as he is in his story.
I know full well that I am not the greatest skald to ever live but as I sat on my
rock seething inside Donander's inspiration struck me. I sat there strumming my harp
and it seemed to me that the song was born full fledged. I played it through once
and thought it my best born ever.
He pauses.
But I played it aloud just that once! I know better than to sing a satire on
my own chief. But a few days later as I was walking past the field where the fyrd
were training I heard them singing my song! I was horrified and I ran over to ask
them where they had heard that tune. They laughed, told me it was a great song but
no one could remember where they had first heard it. I begged them to stop for
respect of Blunt and they laughed and agreed but wherever I went I kept hearing it sung by
the young men. The older men and the women disapproved but no one could stop
it. The inner ring and Blunt summoned me before them and took me to task for
the song but I told them that while I had written it I had sung it to no one. Blunt
especially was furious, the truth always bites the hardest doesn't it? They didn't
believe me and Blunt fined me three cattle! Which of course I didn't
have. Fortunately a friend lent me the fine so that I could pay it.
I thought everything would be fine after that and it was for a week or
two. But the younger men didn't stop singing and in frustration the ring
demanded that they stop. They didn't of course, "for no one can make you do
anything" and the tension just got uglier. I tried to write a flattering song
for Blunt but inspiration failed me. Well one night I was returning to our stead
from an outlying camp when I was set upon by four hooded men. They beat me all over
and left me near dead. I wouldn't have recognized them at all if one of them hadn't
spoken up warning me not to sing any more songs ever! It was one of Blunt's weaponstorms,
Ole Fourscar!
When I was able I crawled back and someone found me. There was quite an uproar
over the beating and accusations flew everywhere but Blunt wouldn't do anything about it. |
| Skerri |
What? Nothing? |
| Aski |
Well that unfortunately was partly my fault, well as
much fault as I am willing to take for making up a song that no one could have
heard. You see the women insisted that Blunt exile all his weaponstorms but
they wouldn't confess to the crime and no truthsayer was present to make them swear an
oath. Blunt didn't want to be seen listening to the women again after my song so
what he did was offer wergeld. Shakes his head.
Well my pride was hurt and I was a fool and I refused. I swore that I would
leave the Amberi rather than stay under such a chief. Blunt, being stubborn wouldn't
bend so he let me go. After I had somewhat recovered from my beating I vowed that I
would travel to the Torkani. The morning I left many of the Amberi begged me to stay
and work things out with Blunt. I refused and left. On the trail I was once
again attacked. My hands were smashed as was my harp. They left me with all my
goods and after tieing up my wounds as well as I could I traveled as far as here all by
myself. Some god must have been watching over me for me to have gotten this far.
Shake his head again.
Here I met this good Torkani and I had just finished telling him my story and
singing my song to him when you arrived.
Sighs deeply. |
| Skerri |
If you wish to return with us you will have my
protection. I swear this by Vinga and I will do all I can to aid you. |
| Thorgunna |
I too will aid as I can. |
| Aski |
Visibly moved by all this. I will do it, you've
decided it for me! Thank you. |
| Ashart |
We will get to the
bottom of this! If you will swear an oath before all assembled that what you claim is
true, then I too offer my protection and aid. When we return to the tula dire oaths
will be sworn and the truth be known! The cravens who did this will be brought to
justice! Begins to prepare Humakt's feats
of 'Empower Oath' and 'Know Truth"... |
| Age |
Aski, can I just ask one thing? When you were
attacked the second time are you sure who your attackers were? Was it four? Did you
recognise any of them the second time? And are you sure? Turns to Olli
Olli, he comes to the Torkani seeking protection. Would it be possible for you
to take him into your household? Your position within the Torkani may ensure that further
accidents to not land on Aski's hands or feet. |
| Aski |
Shaking his head. I said nothing about the number
or even the nature of my attackers at my second beating. I was walking along feeling
morally superior to all and ignoring my surroundings when I was assailed.
Unfortunately someone threw a bag over my head and tied it on so I saw nothing during my
second beating. My attackers must have loosened the ties after my beating because I
got it off easily enough, well easily enough with smashed hands that is, after I recovered
enough to think about moving again.
Sighs deeply.
That's one of the reasons why I didn't return to the stead. It could have been
anyone, even a bunch of women or children for all I know.
Bitterly.
It doesn't take much to cripple someone like me after all.
Stiffens his resolve.
I will swear whatever oaths I have to about the first incident but I cannot swear to
anything other than that the incident occurred, in the case of the second
attack. Not that I need to since I bear all the evidence I need right here.
Holds up his crippled hands. |
| Olli |
Certainly, certainly I can take this brave young
bard into my household. Why it will be just like... Starting into a long
drawn out anecdote, history or mythology lesson. |
| Olaf |
Chomp! Biting down on Olli's arm. |
| Olli |
Nursing his arm. Certainly Olaf, thank you for
reminding me that brevity is next to godliness. Why that reminds me... |
| Olaf |
Bares teeth and Olli's volume decreases into incoherent
muttering. |
| Narrator's Note |
Ashart calls upon Humatk's feats of oaths and truth
knowing. Aski willingly swears the oath the god reveals that he speaks the truth as
he knows it. |
| Aski |
I swear that I did not repeat the song known as
Skerri's Needle more than once or knowingly recite it in earshot of anyone. I swear
that a group of four men one of whom was Ole Fourscar beat me and crippled my eye.
I also swear that a group of unknown assailants attacked me and crippled my hands. |
| Narrator's Note |
Humakt reveals that this statement is the truth as Aski
knows it. His feat also powers the oath so that dire consequences would have fallen
upon Aski if he had lied. |
| Skerri |
Why don't we spend the rest of the day here and set
out again on our travels tomorrow? Looks to Ashart. |
| Ashart |
Agreed! Turns to Aski...
Aski, as long as you remain true to us you will have my protection and aid. This I
swear by Humakt...(holding his sword to the front, he bows his head briefly)
Tell us how long ago the second attack took place? If the cowards could still be in
the area I will send out scouts to look for them. |
| Aski |
Overcome by emotion. Thank you all for your
assistance and aid, I do appreciate it.
Shakes his head.
No I'm afraid that I've been wandering for at least two weeks since the attack,
there wouldn't be anyone there any more. |
| Narrator's Note |
You spend the rest of the day camped by the spring and
relax a bit (not that you've been working all that hard lately). Aski is exhausted
and sleeps most of the afternoon. You spend the afternoon mending gear, swapping lies
and telling stories. Olli launches into a surprisingly coherent and enjoyable tale
of a Praxian Storm Kahn, his six wives and their lovers. As night falls you set watches
and go to sleep.
Later that night Thorgunna is awakened by the exact same dream she had the previous
night. No one is hurt by the geyser of water she shoots out as you're all
forewarned. After sometime you settle in again but no one gets a decent night's
sleep.
The next morning you set off once again for the last Torkani stead. By noon you
reach Thane Olaf's stead where you find all the inhabitants out in the fields getting in
the crops. The elderly and infirm people invite you to stay for lunch, you stop and
eat your lunch and then head out again.
When you camp again that night Thorgunna has the exact same dream. You're all
getting tired of this and Thorgunna looks horrible. She says that if she had the
knowledge she would drug herself. Unfortunately she's not knowledgeable in that way
so she has to suffer.
The next morning you set off again and pass an uneventful day traveling south. You
camp and though no on really wants to go to sleep you all do. That night Thorgunna
has a different dream... |
| Thorgunna's Second Dream |
The feathered one was there shaking some kind of
stick at me and demanding that I clean the mess. I raged and threatened him but he
was stronger than me. He enslaved me and forced me to labour away. I wore away
at the monster but it kept coming back and I had no place to spit the bits I had bitten
off. They started whispering to me and telling me to carry them away from the stone
and put them back together again. She covers her face with her hands and
sobs.
Oh, the things they whispered to me, the horrible, horrible dreams and promises they
made. But I wouldn't do it, I couldn't. No, no. I ripped the pieces as small as I
could and spit them into the swamp. And there they grew and grew into
monsters. And some of the monsters swam in me and some of them laughed when I
tried to kill them.
She looks briefly up and there is a crazed gleam in her eyes.
Oh, but they didn't laugh when I smashed them into the rock.
Laughs maniacally then starts sobbing again.
The others, though, the strong ones, they mocked my former purity and laughed at my
attempts to cleanse myself. I couldn't do anything to clean myself. If it
wasn't for the fresh water my parents..no my children, no, both gave me I would surely be
completely fouled by now!
She sobs some more.
Oh, for a rain that would wash me clean. And the worst are the whispers from
the corpse.
She shudders.
Oh, the horrible things the corpse whispers...
She goes rigid and then screams in a horrible high pitched voice.
IT IS WHISPERING TO ME RIGHT NOW!!!! NO, I CANNOT, I WILL NOT, YOU CANNOT MAKE
ME DO THESE THINGS!!!!!!
Her head arches back unnaturally and her mouth opens emitting a torrent of water that
shoots over 100 feet into the air. Suddenly the geyser stops and she drops like a
puppet whose strings have been cut. |
| Ashart |
After Thorgunna is taken care of,
Ashart ponders outloud...
It sounds like Thorgunna is possessed.Could these dreams be those of some sort of
spirit, water perhaps, whose physical form is befouled by the fragments an evil entity
that seeks to become whole again?Could the spirit be that of a river, with the
parents/children streams or lakes connected to the river?She speaks of purity, being
fouled, spitting things into a swamp (at the mouth of the river?), monsters swimming
‘in’ her, fresh water parents/children are giving her, wishing for rain to wash
her clean... (he
continues rambling, addressing no one in particular).And these fits of possession
always end with a jet of water issuing from her body.I must admit that this is beyond
me.Is there anyone here who can shed some light on these events, or knows of others who
can? |
| Salinar |
Olli, didn’t you have
something in last night’s story about the Devil being buried under a rock on the
plains of Prax? |
| Narrator's Note |
Indeed Olli was going on and on about how some of the
beliefs of the Praxians and your own are the same. As an example he told you how
their great spirit, Storm Bull, is actually the same god as Urox despite the fact that the
Praxians do not worship gods but spirits. You were all wondering how Urox could be
both a god and a spirit (since you've always been told that spirits are alien to your
traditions) and vowed to ask Branbrig some questions when you got back. Olli was
telling you that the place the Devil was buried is actually somewhere on the Plains of
Prax. Aski pitched in to remind you of some of Urox's central myths. Why you
can remember it like it was just yesterday.... |
| Flashback |
"But when the darkness was at its worst, and
chaos entered the world from cracks in reality, Urox rose to the challenge, fighting the
hordes of chaos. He fought the Devil and was nearly defeated, but buried it under a chunk
of the First Mountain. Unfortunately, Urox was too drained by his fight to properly
dispose of the Devil and he left it, pinned under the Block, in the wastelands to the east
of Dragon Pass." |
| Narrator's Note |
But that's all you know about this part of Urox's myths
because it's not really central to Heortling beliefs. Neither Olli nor Dag know that
much more about Praxian beliefs though they can confirm this story. |
| Dagbjartr |
Well, I don't think that we have to look to
possessing spirits for this event. It does sound like a reliving of an event involving the
gods. Perhaps the god or hero involved is speaking to her through her dreams. This could
be triggered by her moving to our new home in river lands that are infested with chaos. We
really need to discuss this with a priest. I would like to know more about the stories
of her subcult. They might shed some light on what we're seeing.
Thorgunna, you are bearing a heavy pack, on a difficult journey. But always remember --
you are not alone. You are joining us, and our clan will stay by your side. |
| Thorgunna |
Visibly moved by this gesture of support and sobbing.. Thank
you so much, a part of me wishes that I had stayed in Torkani lands where I did not have
these terrible dreams. But the other part of me is glad that I am traveling to a
place where I will get such loyal and noble support. |
| Narrator's Note |
Most people are upset by all this business and this
latest dream certainly doesn't help matters any. There doesn't seem to be anything
more that can be done tonight so you all resolve to make more speed the next morning so
you can get somewhere with magical aid. The rest of the night passes uneventfully.
Thorgunna sleeps very poorly but she doesn't scream and wake anyone else at least. You
estimate that there are still at least three days and nights of travel ahead of you.
Fortunately you haven't encountered any broos or bandits so far. That morning
Thorgunna has to be put on a horse as she is too exhausted to walk. She is helped up
in front of Salinar, who is the best rider and has the strongest horse.
Unfortunately this means he has to forgo his usual armour as that would be too much for
the poor horse. She has to be tied on as well as an additional safety
precaution. She quickly falls into a fitful sleep and mumbles and mutters all day
long. Salinar cannot make out anything she is muttering about though the volume
lowers and rises all day long. At the end of the day you make camp again.
Thorgunna looks terrible with dark rings under her eyes and a haunted look to them. |
| Narrator's Note |
That night Thorgunna experiences the second dream
again. After she settles down again you all go back to sleep (except the watch of
course) and sleep until dawn. The next day you ride (and walk) some more. You
make the best speed you can and travel without incident all day. You camp again,
eat, set watches and get brace yourselves for yet another unpleasant night. Sure enough
Thorgunna has the second dream again. After the excitement settles down you all go
back to sleep. (Except the watch for the most part). The next morning
Thorgunna is like a sleepwalker. She goes where she is directed but doesn't have the
energy to do much else. You figure one more day's travel will put you within reach
of the stead. Unfortunately you still have one more night on the trail. Everyone's
mood is bad and all nerves are on edge, (except Olli who natters away cheerfully. He
stays away from everyone though and engages Olaf in long private conversations).
Ashart has to yell and badger people to do things but they do get done. |
| Narrator's Note |
Another days travel places you within reach of the
stead. Unfortunately it's still half a day away and in your tired state there is no
way you could possibly reach it so you reach the hard decision to camp one more night on
the trail. Thorgunna is a nervous wreck, exhausted and tired who doesn't even seem
to know who or where she is most of the time. You make camp and wait for the
inevitable dream. Sure enough in the middle of the night... |
| Thorgunna's Third Dream |
She lets out a
inarticulate howl of despair and sits stock up right. Where are my father and mother? Why am I stuck
here? Why cannot I go home? I am tired of this place and this task. Only
the rock keeps this monster down. I pluck bits away and try and destroy them but the
power is not in me. I cannot, cannot do this any more. Why won't the feathered
one set me free. Doesn't he realize that there is no finishing this task?
Please, please let me go free...
Trails off into heartbreaking sobbing and collapses back
into unconsciousness. |
| Narrator's Note |
Eventually you get back to sleep and the rest of the
night passes uneventfully, if not very restfully. Thorgunna sobs throughout the
night and no one seems able to comfort her. The next morning you get going again
and after a very long day during which Thorgunna seems to be getting more and more
distressed, tossing and screaming and mumbling (finally you have to tie her up to prevent
her from hurting herself or anyone else, rigging a crude travois to tie her to) you
encounter the outer patrol. They send a rider back to find Enerin the Kind, the
White Lady. Sometime soon after that you come within sight of the stead. A
ways off in the distance you can see the River. It roils and tosses like an ocean in
a storm with a huge wave traveling back and forth with and against the current. You
can see where trees have been broken off and pulled into the torrent and land has been
torn away from the bank. You all stand there in shock as Enerin, Blunt and most of the
Ring rush up. |
| Enerin the Kind |
Dismounts and rushes over to the travois. She
places a hand on each side of her head. Sleep child, sleep deeply. |
| Narrator's Note |
As soon as Enerin says this Thorgunna stops thrashing
about and the River calms. |
| Blunt |
Blunt has dark rings under his eyes. He shakes
his head. Welcome home.
His eyes widen as he spots Aski.
You! |
| Narrator's Note |
This is the end of the scene. Please do not add
anything more to this scene. |
End of Scene 1 |
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