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-====== summary 327: The Black Demon of Ramalia () ======
+====== Summary 327: The Black Demon of Ramalia (2023-09-11) ======
 [[giraine|Giraine]] [[summaries-2023|Summaries]]
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+Stone Dock speaks before she returns into her slab: “I saw you, the scorpion, frog and dragon. Good company to the Just Tului the snake, and good feelings from you. I’d welcome you here as people in my care if you ever wanted to settle down into quiet village life.” You thank her and consider how far off your retirement might be.
+You debate whether to camp at the beach, at the village, or go back to Handra for the night; and opt for the latter. Fraud expertly pilots you back, but Ahappi departs to seek the Piscoi (a little more about that below, Pete).
+That night, most of you retire to rest but Boamund explores the Other Boats docks to check the Brown Vadeli galley. He sees , then goes back to the Heroes Guild and uses Project Darksight to take a closer look. The ship is The Broken Rose (sail with a picture of a wilting brown rose). The Captain is not to be seen. The crew is ragtag refugees, mercenaries, conscripts, slaves and others that appear unexceptional; at least typical Brown Vadeli traders/usurers, maybe pirates too; quite likely both. The hold has some small furs; perhaps Ouori pups but not necessarily; plenty of barrels probably of goods; and then a strange small area at the stern where there is a modest set of torture implements and devices, which look well-used. Boamund informs you of this back at the Heroes’ Guild.
+Bog and Shrett go looking for Old Teelis, multiple nights, and come up with little. One street-food merchant says there is no such person and you press him for info, even try intimidating him, but he eventually has enough and ignores you. Shrett secretly follows him home and finds no clues along the way. Hmph. At least Bog has some time to pray at his ZZ shrine.
+The next day, Fraud and others visit Captain Comito of the Coastfinder ship from Handra/Nolos/Fay Jee; the loverboy-hero from remnants of of the Quinpolic League, and an acquaintance at Gothalos. He greets you warmly if superficially and converses. Leaving Gothalos, he was ambushed by Yssabau and almost sunk but bought them off. He limped away into the open ocean, then as he approached Genertela the ship was chased by the Kogag ship that is docked at Handra too, and the Coastfinder outran them here. They will be drydocked soon, and Comito has hired constant guards. He says that all is forgiven with the Kogags if they leave him alone. The Kogags don’t seem too interested anymore; probably just looking for easy pickings. Comito is happy to be “back home in Handra, where the women are sweet and plentiful and generous, and the wine is the same.” He says he’s joining the defense of Handra, with the Wooden Shields navy. You enjoy a fine dinner with Comito and his faint blue-skinned “girlfriend” near Boat Point, at which Bog is not sure what to think of the unfamiliar fresh seafood, and you part as stronger friends.
+Bog runs into Bradde as you leave dinner, invited down a dark alley, and they talk. Bradde tells of how a spy from Ramalia, called “Giftgiver”, has contacted him and offered great wealth and power if he aids them in their coming assault. He is weighing this option vs. his loyalty to Handra, his dislike of his exile from Valekos, and his new cult affiliation with ZZ – and friendship with Bog. He considers capturing the spy to wring info from her, and Bog talks him into this, with a good argument that Bradde left Ramalia for very good reasons and would surely not find good results from returning to their “embrace” So Bradde goes to North Point, followed by a stealthy Bog. Bradde waits in a dark alley not far from the army defences and water, then Giftgiver appears suddenly. She is a Mraloti in a hooded cloak and scale armour, carries 2 iron daggers and sash-tied iron mace. Bradde whispers with her while Bog Darkwalks in and clobbers her in the head with his mace. She drops with hardly a whimper. They discuss killing her vs. tying her up and stick with the latter plan, so they find a quiet building nearby, Bog tosses her iron in the water, and they wake her up. She groggily comes to, spits blood and curses in defiance, but Bog has some uncouth tactics. He bites off a finger and eats it, she still defies him, he eats another and uses a Fear spell to terrify her with the hell that ZZ has in store for her if she won’t talk. She faints in horror, beholding her Ramalian terror of the cosmos and Forbidden Secret (see below), and wakes up whimpering, confessing. She says that the Hell Helper will reward those who bring about the fall of Handra; trying more smoothly to convince you, but gives in.
+She explains that King Pauzal the Impaler has personally sent her. They want help from within to stave holes in Wooden Shields navy ships when a signal comes. The reward will be what you want. She claims not to know when the attack comes, but it will not be long. She has tried with other contacts, too, and says none are yet agreed. Bog kills her, gradually eats her, and then talks to the disgusted but impressed Bradde. Bog reminds him that this is the true power of ZZ and Hell Helper is but a foolish shadow of it. Bradde says that maybe someday he will have that power, but he has much left to do. They leave, and Bog brings the news to the Heroes’ Guild and then to the Priors and military. They have not caught other such spies yet, but now are wary for them and their Guild of Spies will seek them. You’re thanked for your investigation. No one asks questions about the sordid details behind it. The City knows that this is no time for lofty morals.
+Ahappi does not run into Stormswallower, whose location is unclear; apparently she has not left the general area. He doesn’t find sign of the Piscoi, but learns from the local Ludoch that a small band of Yssabau; hateful Piscoi; have been spotted in the Mournsea but eluded any contact. It is thought, though, that maybe they are hanging around.
+A couple of weeks gradually pass. Handra braces for the inevitable onslaught by Ramalia. Days tick by, at first with reports from scouts of just the usual recent broo activity. Then spikes of patrols having more dangerous encounters with broo and other things, but no Ramalians. Then more newtlings and other creatures of the New Fens spread word that they have had to hide or move, that bad things are happening all over. Some of those in Handra with the means to flee do so, but many Devout citizens remain to aid the City how they can.
+Early in this time, you hear that Narak has left town with guides to take her through the New Fens. She left no message.
+Handra Obrana calls you together with the Priors, Heroes Guild and military and religious leaders, at the Cathedral. She spreads her arms wide and calms the audience with radiating Harmony rune magic, then speaks: “I have dreamt of things to come, and they fit a secret prophecy that has been handed down from Handra priest to priest since our founding in 1153. The Hero Wars bring Handra its greatest challenge since the days of Handra Liv himself. He foretold that ‘The seas will Open, then the Boat Planet will rise, but this will call forth the black demon of Ramalia to challenge the City for its existence.’
+Ramalia offers us not pillaging like the Wolf Pirates, but annihilation. They do not seek to occupy anything. Nor would they take slaves or ransoms; all would be put to the sword or sacrificed to demons. Our enemies have an ancient history with us. Before the Fools’ Curse and breaking of Slontos in 1050, the Old Valeki barons of the Ramalian highlands turned away from their Godlearner ways to the prophecy of Valek, and embraced their Apostates, who connected them with the Lords of Damnation. The new Ramalians seized Valekos and outlying areas that they still hold in their oppressive grip, and enserfed the Mraloti savages, to their fury that still boils now. Their current King, Paruzal the Impaler, ruled even then, and preserved their hatred for all in and on the seas. Before Handra came here, there was a war between the newtlings and other New Fens folk against the broos, led by the tail-eating Vankti people from a nearby island. Newtling magics sank that isle despite the summoning of a foul-breathed bat-winged demon, and drowned the broos. Some say that Ramalia was behind the Vankti War.
+Handra formed its Solemn Crusade Against Ramalia army, and fought battles over the past three centuries. In 1578 the Ramalians did a surprise attack from the New Fens but we tricked them into crossing Eurmal’s Ford the wrong way and they ended up in Ryzel instead, where to everyone’s surprise the dragonewts did not consume them but let them flee home, bloodied but unbowed. Ramalia has been sulking and scheming since. They now bring their greatest army ever. They are no fools; they will not overcommit; but they come obsessed with wiping Handra off Glorantha, fuelled by some six centuries of pent up hatred. I should warn you that their wizards and other high-ranking people are immortal through the powers of their Church of the Damned. Many remember the Fools’ Curse. Imagine the power they wield. The Ramalians seek to live forever because they fear oblivion. That fear is at the core of their society. They fear the cosmos and the horrific doom that awaits them at death, for their souls are scarred by the Forbidden Secret of the Godlearners; merely thinking of it can bring the Gift Carriers’ curse; and they will see it when they die. They oppress this fear with all of the forbidden magics they use, and this fear is the bedrock of their oppressive society. They hope to live to see the lifting of that curse, but even Chaos cannot destroy that Cosmic Truth or save their souls. Imagine the determination that brings.
+And see now how Handra and Ramalia are each other’s mirror images. Our Temple of Handra preaches freedom, and Harmony with the seas. Ramalia cannot abide this. So when this war reaches us, remember that Ramalia knows our ways well, and is ready for them. They have many ways to deal with Water Rune powers, undines, merfolk, sea monsters and ships and such. So we need surprises for them. We have organised many. Think deeply what surprises you can hatch when the time comes, to protect Handra’s freedom. Now is the time for all Handrans to find any Old Faithful philosophy that might linger in them. If Handra survives, then other ideas like that of a Thousand Handras might become our City’s aim. All of Handra’s Prophecy has come to pass. We have no remaining guidance from Him. The future is ours. Together we can prove that Handra’s Vision of the City was no foolish dream. That is my message from Handra. It may be our last.”
+She finishes and leaves, but much of the crowd of important Handrans and allies remains to discuss “surprises”. You talk with various people and are comforted that Handra’s forces have considered this; they’ve got a wide array of animists, Malkioni and Lightbringer/other theists as citizens or allies. Ramalia is strongest in Fire and Darkness and Air rune magics (and anti-Water; e.g. Air); Handra does have ways to counter these. The Archmagus remains imperiously, arrogantly aloof from you.
+The Priors, Heroes and veteran reserve wing of the military have plenty of discussions with you in these weeks, about defending the city as well as intelligence. The leader and Prefect of the Guards, a stout, hard-drinking, much-cursing, unwaveringly loyal Handran named Vincid Mekta, personally meets with you. But Ramalia’s actions are stealthy; little is learned. Handra has sent some of its heroquesters into the Hero Plane to defend the City and bring aid. The leaders of Handra agree that there are five vital points in the City that need your help during any attack. Three are bridges and land near them; they cannot sacrifice those bridges altogether as they too need them. First, Home-Yard bridge by Brown Brick, where the Bricklayers Guild that will repair structural damages is. Second, Home-Queue bridge by Strong, where there is a robust guard post. Third, Yard-Mooring bridge by Ropes, where the Outcasts’ Guild is. This may seem a strange choice. The guild members are recognisable by wearing grey caps, and have a master warden named Kheeledivo. They are also called the Ropemakers because their prisoners make rope for the city. Yet the Guild of Spies has learned of a plan to attack and spring sympathisers from the Guild’s labourers to aid the attack from within Handra. Fourth, North Point, where there are many finer residences that are ripe for plunder. Fifth, North Wall on Home Isle, which is a major defensive area. The last two are likely to bear the brunt of any attack from the west, and the City expects fierce fighting there. Other needs may arise, but the City asks that their heroes choose a first place to defend, then prioritize other areas as events proceed. Messengers will convey information to coordinate this. You have time to consider your answer, and take that time, asking questions and discussing options.
+As concerns ratchet upwards in Handra, you’re called to the Smoke House of the Magicians’ Guild. You all go, and The Butler directs you inside, by invitation to the Quicksilver Mostali PVNRT. Crouched in a cramped, dark basement full of noxious fumes and fizzing noises and an oily feeling in the air, you look around to see tables, benches, shelves and counters stuffed with all manner of glasswares, tubes, tools, chemicals and grime, occupying most of the room. The heretical Quicksilver Mostali alchemist ‘PVNRT’ presents himself. He is clad in rumpled, stained dark brown leathers from shoulders to toes, and its face is partly covered by a burbling, gurgling, sputtering black mask with hoses, valves, dials and outlets, although a bushy, wiry grey beard and hair still bursts forth all over. He puts down some beakers to look at you as you squeeze in uncomfortably. He doesn’t speak or show any response except to turn away, here and there, to various storage spaces where he clatters about and pulls out some items one by one, setting them on a skinny, exotic bronze pedestal near you. The items become a collection of ceramic and glass bottles and flasks and irregular gourd-shaped things. All have inscriptions in Mostali, and some runes. He then ducks under a counter; having mostly seemed to ignore Fraud’s scrawled attempts to communicate; and tries scrambling down a hidden tunnel but Bog grabs his haunches and PVNRT freezes still. You try communicating, he remains still, and Bog lets him go. You soon hear his bootfalls down a distant little tunnel.
+You get, and each choose, six containers of what the Butler eventually discloses are beverages for Mostali work breaks, or high-priority World Machine instances, or something. The City officials say that these are known things sometimes given to help the City, but they seem to vary in design every time; PVNRT appears to experiment in “clocktails”.
+  - A small, thin-walled tin can with a little tin implement ending in a sharp prong bound to it in thin wire. The can has a ring of Life runes around it.
+  - A plain glass flask with a colorless, translucent, thick, oily liquid inside. There is a cork with a Movement rune painted on it.
+  - A brass flask, shaped like a Law rune in cross-section, that is warm to the touch. It has a simple screw-off top.
+  - A thick, gritty grey-green fluid measured out in a 350ml glass flask marked with volume indicators, and a large Stasis rune.
+  - A thin, syrupy, light green-yellow bubbly fluid in a gourd-shaped ceramic bottle marked by a ring of Mastery runes, with a plug made of some sort of clear greasy matter.
+  - A slimy grey, thin oil in a small, short, plain crystalline cylinder, with just a small Death rune embossed on top of it. There is a pin or bolt stuck into the top.
+You have a little time to train up, so some of you take advantage of it. Fraud is pleased to get his iron “death sword” repaired and returned.
+Of the ships you know at Other Boats, by this time the Kogag and Vadeli ships depart.
+Then, at last, with a long buildup in Fire Season, the terrible signs emerge on in the 29th day of the season; Freezeday of Stasis Week (5th week). The seas calm all too ominously, whereas the winds blow in strange ways from the Fens, bringing foul stenches that sting. The sun’s rays take on a sickly reddish light, but there are few clouds. Handra tenses. Then fire arrows erupt from several spots around the shores, and horrible sounds that surely are the blowing of horns, but tuned to sound more like tortured beasts or even shrieks of insane men, howl from many spots. Screams of fear, and shouts of alarm and orders, call out around the port of Handra. Magics spring to action. The war is here. As expected, broo become visible paddling and swimming in front. A few rather corrupted ones fly, or slide on slicks of filth.
+The Ramalians, to no one’s surprise, have sprung their attack at a low tide. And they’ve used their anti-Water magics to force the tide back further. And Handra was ready for this. But not ready for how well Ramalia does with this. The tide goes back to the east edge of the harbour, leaving the deep central harbour and deep areas of docks on the perimeter isolated, with ships unable to reach the City clockwise from its southern to northern half. A tug-of-war begins between the two forces’ magics and this goes back and forth. Some ships manage to make progress with huge undines, Ludoch magic and more, but others try that and get sunk. Meanwhile, the foul winds of Urain blow a low-hanging brown mist in from the New Fens, and this conceals the approach of the broos, most of whom keep to the many channels of the suppressed Noshain River that still flow by the City. That is how the battle comes to Yard-Mooring Bridge.
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