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====== Summary 326: Snatching Victory from the Beak of Defeat (2023-09-01) ======
[[giraine|Giraine]] [[summaries-2023|Summaries]]
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Well well well… you sure surprised me again and again!
 
All at once, in the Spirit World and the Middle World, spectral sharks appeared; their cartilaginous skeletons propelling them through aether or air equally easily, and their jaws looking just as formidable in both worlds. They circled in rapidly; immediately converging on Shrett, Ahappi and Boamund; and manifesting as rotting, dripping, stinking forms around Bog and Fraud back on the Stone Dock. You handled them well at first – Ahappi tricked one into biting itself badly (twice!), and then destroyed that one, went to help Shrett and then Boamund and they took theirs out; although Shrett barely escaped intact.
 
Bog had a hard time, but it could have been much worse. Fraud took his shark-spirit down soon enough, but two more of them came in and so Bog was double-teamed! Luckily Fraud quickly dispatched his new foe and ran to help, defending Bog while they ground down those two remaining shark-wraiths. It was all over in less than 30 seconds, but you felt lucky that the sharks hadn’t tasted your spirit-essence or real blood.
 
Just Tului remained in discussion with Stone Dock for an hour, then turned back to the others and said it was time to go. She was frustrated that she didn’t get much out of Stone Dock – the spirit was upset, and something from the seas had stimulated this change of mood, and so the spirit had sent dreams to Heidelvest, hoping to encourage him to act, but Stone Dock did not say much more than this. You weren’t too pleased by this, either. Just Tului guided you back to your bodies and you exchanged tales of what had happened. Sundown had come.
 
Ahappi turned back to the ocean, thinking to try to gather more information, when a deep, harsh, gargling voice spoke out, crashing over the waves like surf. (Ahappi thought it was a Piscoi; which would mean either a Malasp or Yssabau-- https://glorantha.fandom.com/wiki/Piscoi -- either of which was exceptional, as these northern waters off Genertela are too cold normally for Piscoi; only the Cetoi (mammal-merfolk) frequent them; here of course the Ludoch; and those species are mortal enemies. Maybe Fire Season’s warmer waters made it easier for them to come north from whatever dark depths they called home. )
 
The voice said in Tradetalk:
“Children of Gata, how dare you! You plunder the oceans and give nothing back. You take his children, you ride on his body, you walk on Fingelsulvesti. How dare you! Now you must give something back. Give us one of you, in penance for abusing the Ocean-Daughter. We come tomorrow, when the Bright God dies. Trade Life for Death, or we will kill all of you!” And there was a distal splash; it had left, whatever it was.
 
The onlooking townsfolk and chief Heidelvest were much disturbed by this, and the Chief called everyone back to town, away from the dangers of the waters. Boamund saw that Just Tului had gone rather quiet and contemplative; troubled. He suspected her of some ill deeds and let the others know. Just Tului headed back to the chief’s house with the others, and you, for a discussion. It was frustrating to hear the two leaders, as they were paralysed by indecision. Both agreed that the villagers must be kept safe. The chief was juggling various ideas, but not the sacrifice. Just Tului started to push the idea of abandoning the village. You soon entered the conversation, with Boamund and Fraud urging them to flee through the New Fens with Just Tului’s guidance to her people. You reminded them of the Ramalian onslaught and danger of broos, too. Heidelvest was unsure of this plan, as he knew it would bring more hardship to his people; and he hoped there was another way, citing wisdom of Ernalda (which Orlanth often ignored in favour of violence). Maybe the merfolk could be negotiated with? Or something else? Bog and Ahappi were more interested in fighting the monster-to-come, and said as much, and this impressed the people even though they were more focused on their fear. Shrett noticed Heidelvest looking over at someone, concerned, and it was his daughter Yuva, but Shrett could not see her reaction. 
 
Just Tului confessed she is troubled because of the name the merperson used: Fingelsulvesti. This is the true name of Stone Dock. It is a secret name—she thought— known only to herself and Heidelvest, as Stone Dock’s priest. That a stranger knew Stone Dock’s name, used it casually, and was outraged on the spirit’s behalf worried Just Tului greatly. She feared that she had made a grave mistake in creating Harmony between the villagers and Stone Dock. Worse yet, her Harmony might cost an innocent their life!
 
This discussion went around and around well into the night. You gave some speeches urging your points. Finally this and other things convinced Heidelvest. He proclaimed that, yes, starting tomorrow at dawn, Stone Dock would be evacuated, and the people would go into the New Fens, but not to remain there. The chief remembered hearing of Orlanthi folk (the Aulorings; people of the rain god Heler) in the forested hills of Caratan to the northwest; lands that sounded much like Sartar in some ways; and he thought this would be a good choice to head for, especially as it was far inland and away from Ramalia. People thought this was a grand enough plan. He then admitted he was tired and needed some wine and then quiet, and rest, for the busy day tomorrow. You joined him, but Ahappi headed down to the shore to try something else. He rode his mosasaur out into the Mournsea, looking for the Piscoi, and spotted one far off in the waves but it left and eluded him. He sought the merfolk for an hour, with only the vaguest clues of their presence, and then returned, disappointed. You slept discomfited, hearing the chief’s moans of fear…
 
Dawn came and the Dockers were very active packing what they could for their arduous voyage. Just Tului had left but returned late in the day. The younger children followed you around, dancing and singing and laughing with joy to behold you heroes (although some of you were too fearsome for them to be near). The Vingan duck Maladdon said he’d watch your fight with the monster from a safe distance atop the bluff by the village, so that he could compose a tale of your glorious battle and bring it to the Dockers in the New Fens. You talked over plans, looked for positions to take on the beachfront or dock, and waited. As Yelm descended toward the Gates of the West, turning the skies blood orange, you prepared magics.
 
Just as the Sun Disk of Yelm touches the western horizon, the sea north of Stone Dock begins to froth and churn. A horrible, tentacled monster emerges from the waves, accompanied by a deep, bone-shaking QUACK!!!!!!! Latching onto the stone with its arms, the giant Quacken crawls onto Stone Dock, spraying saltwater over everywhere in the process. Ahappi is there, riding a huge undine, to challenge it from the base of the dock. But it is not alone. Three others; juvenile quickens but still huge; surface along the beachfront and make their way toward shore. The sight of the Quacken terrifies the Monstrous Toad that Ahappi had called using Deep Mother’s magic, and it hops backwards and avoids the whole fight. The rest of you are steadfast. Bog, Shrett, Fraud and Boamund have positions spread along the shore near the dock. They split up a bit, and the smaller quackens converge on them as they wait. Ahappi’s undine is turned back into its waters by a powerful spell from the Quacken. He throws his Stinging Spear at it and wounds it sorely in the head; but its pain angers it (although it feels a rare sense of fear, too…). Ahappi calls another undine to join him, and the seas begin stirring behind the Stone Dock. 
 
The Quacken then charges across the Dock in a few lumbering steps of its giant duck legs and webbed toes, and it grabs Ahappi around the chest in one of its giant suckered arms. He fortunately keeps his arms free, but he is helpless. The others are distracted by their oncoming trouble and don’t see him raised to the Quacken’s massive beak and tossed in, to be repeatedly chewed, which crushes his leg and badly hurts his belly. It looks very bad. That’s enough for Ahappi. He hurls a powerful Fear spell of Magasta at the Quacken, and it spits him out as it squawks in abject horror at the vision that Magasta gave it. It then flees off the end of the dock with a huge splash… right into where the undine is forming, and that elemental grabs it and crushes it to death. Victory! Ahappi kneels on the Dock, calling out to Magasta to witness his heroics.
 
Just as things look bad for Ahappi, the small quackens move in, cornering you by the Dock. Boamund faces one down in single combat and his sword is grabbed, but his scorpion arm wields another. Shrett faces one, too, and his shield and then neck get ensnared. Fraud and Bog come to help, but Shrett is inspired to try Magasta’s Fear spell on his quacken, and it works fabulously – the monster falls unconscious with a shriek of fright! Now you only face one by Boamund, as the furthest one down the beach swims away. You summarily dispatch it with a flurry of blows; and ensure that the unconscious one is dead.
 
What a victory indeed! Maladdon comes running down from the hillside, crying out in amazement! What heroes these truly are! What a story he has to tell; to sing of; to carve rune-stones to commemorate! You’re sorely wounded and Ahappi suggests you go inland to heal. Just then a gentle, burbling voice calls from the Dock. The large spirit-head of Stone Dock has formed above its home; Bog and Fraud finally see what she is like; and she says she will tend to Ahappi’s wound for his brave defence of her (his leg is healed w/Heal Wound). She says that beings from the ocean had been contacting her and she was worried about what they might make her do, but also as conversation goes on she admits she is curious about the blood sacrifice they wanted. What would it do? What power could it offer her and Ahappi? She had been buried here for centuries (surely since the Closing and the flooding of Slontos) and did not recall what she did before, but she knows she moves around the seas sometimes and was not always here. Yet she sees the Dockers as being under her care, and did not want ill to befall them. You warn her of the Ramalians and she says that she will bury herself again, until it is safe and the Dockers return (if they do!). Then she says she almost forgot, you deserve her gracious gifts of Magasta, and she summons you to touch her body and gain them! You get 1-use rune spells of Heal Wound/Dismiss Magic/Dismiss Undine/Fireshield/Mindlink. Ahappi gets to keep Dismiss Magic as his permanent new Magasta spell. 
 
In thanks, Shrett gives her a little magic and Ahappi draws on almost all of his and his mosasaur mount’s mana reserves to give her a huge (30 MP!) donation. She is so impressed by this generosity, which she can’t recall last time she got, that she gifts him back with some of her own spiritual energy (1 POW) and this links her to him forever; they will remain friends. Indeed, she tells you all you are her friends. What a nice spirit… but there’s plenty unnerving about her, too. She’s not just a happy dock. This is a being of Magasta, and has the mighty fearsomeness of the sea to her, too. Interestingly as well, the Quacken had used Magasta magics very well, as if it were a priest, and those Piscoi mermen surely were of Magasta’s faith. Much is going on here, all of it relating to Magasta. And Ahappi has waded right into it, and plucked victory from the beak of defeat.
 
Three Quackens lie dead around the Dock; the waters run red with their blood, and feathers wash around in the surf.
 
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