==== Summary 270: The Rise of Granno and the Red Vadeli (2020-12-19) ==== [[Giraine]] [[summaries-2020|Summaries]] ---- Hello, It was an epic night and I'm pleased how it turned out! From the top of the pile of bones rose a translucent, dark, tall skeletal figure in ancient Zzaburi robes, bearing rune-carved bronze mask-plates on a necklace about its chest, and a skull-topped headdress with an Arkati third-eye rune in the forehead. Its face was indistinct except for blazing orange eyes whose glow like hellish coals matched that of its many runes. The look of the being was distinctly old Pithdaran. Landslides of bones cascaded down the pile, disturbed by its rise even though it looked not fully material. It intoned deeply in old Seshnegi, "Flesh crawls to its death, for only traitors come to the Anguished Bones to die. Die, then, traitors. Die." The whirlwinds spun forwards malevolently, picking up bone dust and fragments as they came scattering skeletons in their wake, and the sinister ember hue of magic began to flare on the floating figure's finger tips... Fraud rushed partway up the pile of bones but then was felled by his whirlwind's soul-draining attack; soon to be followed by Ahappi. Shrett cast a Sense Life, hoping to see what the nature of the figure was, but he saw no life anywhere here at all. Boamund surmounted the pile eventually, beleaguered by his whirlwind but holding steady. He swung at the figure but his silver blade encountered strong resistance from its spectral form, doing nothing. Moreso, Shrett's normal arrow passed entirely through the thing, and so did his black Law-arrow although that at least caused some minor damage to it; although it did not show any notice except to throw one of its numerous blasts of hellfire at Shrett, who avoided being barbecued (it was 1d10 damage to all locations, no armour!). The figure rasped at you, "Lie down and join the anguished bones; let the scouring winds of Tanosh do their work on your mortal flesh." Shrett didn't like the sound of that... [an option you didn't try: attacking the whirlwinds of Tanosh would have worked, with magic weapons; they didn't have many AP or HP] Boamund, now facing the figure alone atop the pile, and feeling his emotions return there, had a sudden realization. The situation matched that you'd been foretold: "Ye must ask him as he rises from his Prisonne to look for his children and kingdom only to find but bones and dust. That Prisonne sets him free to gaze forlorn on the shattered world at the end of every year, then he returns to his solitude and estrangement." With this, the Arkati rune (and more he could see on the being's body: Law, Man and then minor runes of Magic, Truth and Mastery) and the old Pithdaran style matched what few descriptions of Granno you knew! And so Boamund recalled he should ask, "Who is the Stranger?", so he did. This left the figure in contemplation, holding off its deadly spellcasting while it spoke. "But where are the children?", to which Boamund replied that the Giranois were on Giraine, not far away across the strait; and then as Boamund continued to press the discussion, "But where is the kingdom?", which Boamund explained was shattered Giraine, much of which had sunken, but some remained. As the discussion proceeded, the formidable will of the being weakened; its arguments and counterpoints became less robust, and Boamund had the upper hand. Shrett kept healing his wounds as the conversation continued, and Boamund's soul held up well against the whirlwind's assault. He pushed the argument with a strong logical point, and the piece of Granno said calmly, "You speak of the Stranger? But there are two strangers; estranged to each other. Look to the one who has denied his true flesh and apparel. I am but the Mind." And so now it was clear. The Mind pointed down into the skeletons, and Boamund saw the one indistinct one he pointed to; Miguel had no idea. The whirlwinds ceased their churning and departed to their wanderings as Boamund descended the pile of bones, followed by the Mind of Granno, and he pushed his way forcefully through the crowd of skeletons, who now groped blindly around as if they knew something had changed and they wanted something. "Ask." Said the Mind. And Boamund asked, "Who is the stranger?" to that skeleton. The skeleton, the Body of Granno, turned and reached out its left hand's fingertip to Boamund, trying to touch his face. It was evident that there was great power in this moment: will he allow the touch, or step back, or what? He allowed it, and the skeleton touched to the middle of his forehead above his brow, between his eyes. Boamund forever was changed! [He gained 1 INT, 1 POW, and 1 CHA, and a Hero Power of 'Know Granno', skill/passion (it is both) at 100% (cannot change), and a Mindlink to Granno (on/near Giraine; cannot share MP but can communicate)] AND (haha!) he gained Arkati Illumination! Emotions came flooding back: he was staggered, deeply and emotionally affected by what he felt; no longer hating the Arkati but rather trusting them! He understood why they'd done what they'd done, and why Granno became one of them. Boamund knew this: At once, the life of Granno flashes through your mind. From His birth and childhood in far-off Pamalelta, rising through the matriarchy to become a prominent male leader in His tribe, well known in the ways of the spirits of nature. Thence to joining their departure, in the Army of Justice that crossed the seas in search of the Bad God Bolongo. On that great voyage, then meeting with their Old Gods who followed that Army, and learning their ways, becoming a potent priest of dark magics. On arrival, finding no Bolongo to fight at the end of the First Age in the year 719, with His people being tricked by the Seshnelans that the foe was Arkat's Dark Empire. Yet deciding to join that Dark Empire instead and learning the ways of Malkion and Arkat, to understand his Seshnelan foes and compete with them. And then recognizing mysterious kinship with the local swamp Hsunchen, and questing to prove their distant common blood, and so becoming one of them, now called the Giranois of the Seshnelan region of Giraine, and so being accepted as a prophesized outsider called a Saviour; but also being known as one of their own kind. And then conducting great Arkati heroquests to tie His people to the land's spirits and the Old Gods and the truth of the Invisible God and Malkion, becoming a true immortal Hero by discovering a new power, of the true self. His truth showing Him how to cross contradictory boundaries between magics; that the barriers between them lay within Him. His truth guiding Him to further wisdom, and thereby leading His people through the hard times at the end of the Second Age in the year 1049, and showing Him the true foe too, behind the mask of Yomil the Necromancer. And so revealing that He could stop the insidious power of the Blue Vadeli by sacrificing Himself for His people, breaking His self into a triad, thus cleansing himself, until the world was ready for His aid again as that enemy clawed its way back to power. And so leaving the hand of His enemy with His friends amongst the swamp-spiders ensuring that its key to the home of the enemy at Yomilstor could be found in the future, opening that path to His return, He was ready to die for an Age, and so He died. Like his body, mind and soul, the shattered land of Giraine; a vessel of sin; shall be cleansed and purged to become paradise again, via the unity of its peoples. ****[Boamund will now be wondering, and Granno gives no answer, leaving him to ponder this in his new Illuminated state: did the Vadeli scheme for you to get the dragonbone key and get their Tower of Goode Menne back, or did Granno? Or is there any difference? This is very reminiscent of Gbaji and Arkat! Are you just pawns in their power play? Or do you still have agency in your struggle? Granno does not call you Thralls or such. Boamund feels gratitude from him, but otherwise is not sure how Granno sees you all. Luckily, Boamund's Illumination now enables him to think about these things without going starkly mad--- or he has become insane?]**** And then the voice of the Mind and Body in his head said: "We are all strangers to our true selves, but we can find our way. Thank you. I am Granno, that I know. I am no stranger anymore. I am broken, as I chose to be. You have come because it is time for me to be forged back together. No longer imprisoned, no longer a traitor; I see the true signs. I may be taken from this place where misery is love and decay is life. The people have been good; the gods have been appeased. Time has come for injustice to be punished. We are strangers no more. We are Giranois; we are Giraine; we are one, the true elect. Return us to the Sorb and the triad shall be restored, and I shall lead again as saviour to our people, guiding us through the mysteries that have been hidden, and into deep conflict with the enemy, and thence to paradise." Granno's Body collapsed, the Mind glided into him, and a physical body formed matching the image of the Mind. Granno was two-thirds reborn, and Boamund knew he lay in a trance, awaiting the reunification with his soul/spirit/Sorb! Boamund gained knowledge of many things. Granno explained his "See True Self" secret: to perceive one's own strengths and weaknesses in stark objectivity-a dangerous power as may cause suicide (as it did for him!), and not taught lightly; he would and could not teach it to anyone right now, or soon. He learned, too, of Granno's knowledge of an ancient grimoire to fight the Vadeli: sorceries to resist cold and melt ice, cool blood, neutralize odour and deny filth, repulse undead and sense and curse Vadeli-- but these sorceries would only become available in time, as he regained his form and power. Granno told, too, that the powers of Arkat, St Gerlant Flamesword (Seshnelan saint, #1 military saint of the Rokari, and once-maybe-Arkati: Gerlant ) and others were useful against Vadeli. There was much Granno could tell you now! Boamund retrieved Granno's body from the crowd of skeletons to Shrett's care, explaining the situation, then returned the unconscious forms of Ahappi and Fraud; and with some effort found the black arrow, too. And so you left the Anguished Bones safely, and while carrying 3 bodies among 2 of you was very hard, you successfully crossed the lengthy stretch of dead, colourless lands back east. The journey seemed far shorter than it was coming out here, and quickly you were back within sight of the Shadow, having seen no sign of the Theophobe or his home. Amur hailed you-the Shadow had been drawn off the rocks by strange currents and winds, and was ready for departure. Your feelings returned in greater force, emotions welling up as the gloom of the landscape weakened from your vantage point at the Shadow. Soon enough, Ahappi and Fraud awoke and felt different, too. The quest had changed you all. But the voyage back to New Arv was no simple affair. Your success had ramifications that no one expected, or coincided with others' evil plans... As you passed Squid Point, night fell and dim lights of St Thosos were seen through the mists as you passed. But then you passed a sickly red glow just east of the port, and terrible words echoed across the waters from the mouth of the Night-Channel:

"Good men come, and good men go.
Reversed the ties that bound them so.
Tower rose from ground so low,
From this site a beacon glows!
From this height the blood now flows!"

And a stream of glowing scarlet slid down from the distant red glow like a volcanic flow, soon casting an ominous crimson pall over the waters of the Night-Channel as it seeped in-thereby illuminating the silhouette of a ship rowing forth, propelled in your direction by the surging red flow. Battle-howls cried from its decks: evocations of the power of Vadel to cleave deep into his foes! A figure stood prominently among others, wreathed in potent crimson sorceries and concealed within a suit of heavy armour, hands on his hips in a proud, taunting pose. And the familiar voice was pure evil, which shook your hearts and conjured up old nightmares. His hollow voice boomed "There is no running from me anymore! I, Erythagulos the Defacer and my Blooddrinkers, am here! Our thirst must be quenched! We are thirsty for the blood of Granno and his thralls! And we Red Vadeli are here! We come to the Hero Wars on a whirlpool of blood! A Tide of Gore! AHAHAHAHAAHAAA! AHAHAHAHAHAAA!" Your old foe was back, after quite some time! But you had changed. No longer his captives, and much greater heroes than you'd been, with new allies and powers. He came in a large ship called The Tide of Gore, propelled by the magics of the Tower, which pushed the ship onwards at tremendous speed and agility. (He had Seamanship boosted to 195%!) Soon, you were within missile range, and traded shots with their ballista (which badly stove in the Shadow's hull), and your scorpions (bouncing off its hull). Shrett's bow felled at least one of the tentacle-faced Blooddrinker pirates. You cast spells and evaded crossbow bolts raining onto the deck, and Ahappi saw red-striped gliding sharks in the waters around the Tide of Gore. He unleashed his powerful Magastan spell of Whirlpool on the ship and sharks; the ship easily avoided its undertow with its own whirlpool-magics, but the sharks were not so lucky, and you saw none of them again. Next, Amur and Erythagulos tried manoeuvring for boarding position, and the Vadeli easily won, ramming fiercely into the Shadow's side which forced its crew to mostly commit to trying to repair the two hull breaches and prevent the Shadow from quickly sinking. So the battle was now up to you, and it was as fierce as anyone would expect! The Red Vadeli left the deck awash in blood-much of it theirs, but they dealt terrible blows too, with the Blooddrinker pirates (demonic "Savage Vadeli" using barbed ball-and-chains that had armour-denying sorceries. Boamund fought a giant tentacle-faced rat that leapt behind you onto the Shadow's deck, but he froze its forequarters in one deft blow. Fraud, Bog and Ahappi kept the front line at the ramming point firm, rapidly knocking pirates into the sea where the mosasaur awaited its treats. Shrett called an undine onto the Tide's deck and it wounded two pirates before four of them ganged up and destroyed it. He joined Bog in melee but was disarmed; fortunately not losing his sword into the waters. Eyrthagulos cast a fast, potent Boiling Blood spell that gradually cooked Bog and Fraud. He could speed his sorceries to be able to cast any in 1 action but at much magical expense. He used that skill to also remove Ahappi's Reflection spell, then he waded into combat. Ahappi faced the Red Vadeli lord and knocked his serrated magic axe into the sea, much to Erythagulos's dismay. But the pirate fought on bravely, bashing away with shield and throwing what magic he could; until he was disarmed of his shield too, as the pirates got slaughtered down to the last few and your victory looked assured-except that by then, the now-berserk Bog had been maimed by a blow to his weapon-arm, and Shrett knocked out by a lucky hit to his head. Fraud rushed in and dealt the killing blow to Erythagulos, lopping his head clean off as it screamed in fury and bounced around the deck in a mess. It was done: you hewed through the last pirates and won the ship! You recalled how you'd lost much of your belongings to this evil lord of the Red Vadeli, and so searched the ship before beginning any plans to send to to Magasta; and indeed you found those belongings in its blood-decorated captain's quarters. [details to be revisited] Victory was yours, and vengeance too! Long had you heard of the return of the Red Vadeli, with this Erythagulos being the most commonly heard name, and now it was clear that they were back in great numbers that would only grow. A disturbing realization came to some of your minds, though: Erythagulos, while powerful, was really just an average Red Vadeli captain. Not that different in deadliness from those you'd fought on the Orninior quest. There was another name you'd heard long ago, and seldom since then, associated with the Red Vadeli: the name of Sangvoc. That memory crept back to you, and you wondered just how fearsome this new Red Vadeli menace would become. The Browns were bad enough, and you knew too that there was at least one Blue; by far the worst, a godlike being; behind events on Giraine, returning to the Hero Wars much as Granno had. The cycle of Ages kept turning, dredging up old conflicts from the depth of Time to add to the new, and you were in the middle of it all. Next: return to New Arv, reuniting of Granno, and recovery post-Sacred Time, plus the first news of the Boat Planet/Waertag the Reaver's coming in the new year! Back to Erythagulos, who held you captive right after you killed the Vomiter and were flushed out in late 1621; almost exactly 2 years ago: Ahappi has learned through his religious teachings that this series of disasters you faced was "Magasta's Fury": Magasta was angered by the death of his spawn, but also was impressed; as helpers you had to face this fury and must suffer or die. If you survived, you'd earn his respect. The test was reminiscent of the Closing; the oceans turning against you in the Churner and washing you to doom, with the Red Vadeli as the first agents of that doom (but by Magasta's cruel logic, if you survived the Red Vadeli you'd earn some useful foes that he doesn't care for). That escape episode then brought you, via another shipwreck (of the Muraenus), to Skeleton Isle... full circle with this quest. And then via another shipwreck (of the Eelsmirk) by Pellinoresbane, washed to the Kanthor Isles region to the far west before you finally got home in 1622. Omen had told you then: "Lo, my good human friends, you have gained the attention of the great sea lord himself and face the curse of his terrible fury! (sigh) I am sorry to see such good humans become the playthings of his cruel whims. You may not know good dry ground or safe seas for some time, I am sorry to tell you. But I am watching out for you while I can. You must find a way home- you are not far but it won't be easy! You know this island-- it is none other than Skeleton Isle, just off the coast of Giraine; you could almost swim there but you should not dare it. For some reason you have been returned here, but linger not long and watch out for that horrible sorcerer, he's not kind to us fish!" [referring to The Theophobe] Ahh, good times. Anyway: regained loot - One living magic crystal/godsblood "snake egg": called a Snake-Drum (not liked by Serpent Kings/Seshna; brings hostility from snakes; but gives +20% to skill when casting offensive spells, thrumming deeply as they are evoked. To attune them (can only be attuned to 1 living crystal at a time!) their Willpower of 50 must be beat; fail = lose d6 Willpower). Oblong egg shapes, 15cm long, translucent, always cool; slight vibrations now and then as if inhabited. Locale/similar Lore Critical success required to ID them (but you know them by now). Attuned person becomes fascinated with snakes and develops a sibillant lisp. ** On Illumination: ** (you all noticed Boamund's behavioural change, some of you more than others) Illumination While Illumination is associated with Light/Sky rune cults, Arkat took a Darkness perspective on it; and Stygianism (partly reconciling some theism and Malkionism/sorcery) is one outcome. This fits loosely with ???Awakened Arkati???, with a touch of ???Meeting Oneself???: Some Thoughts on Esoteric Arkatism. And nicely with how Black Arkati see it per this: The House of Black Arkat Boamund's mind would reconcile this new philosophy (gnosis/wisdom) best via the notion that Arkat was a great foe of Chaos, and so is Boamund via St Vangoludru's blessings, so Boamund has seen a previously overlooked connection between his ancient Pamaleltan-derived Malkioni faith and dark Arkati ideas. So they're not so bad after all, those Arkati; pursuing a common foe makes the enemy of your enemy a friend. He also has managed to master some powers of Fire and Cold, opposed elements, so he sees elemental conflicts differently now; harmony can exist amidst opposition. -John ----