Hi,
Ahappi stealthily climbed the stairs and opened the door at the top, hearing a guard there and conversation nearby. He put the door-guard to sleep and cracked the door open to see Ytor the Zzaburi standing, speaking to a seated Gulos who also spoke to a shadowy figure at a far end of the meeting room's table. The figure was in nice black robes with gold trim, and was a handsome middle-aged Pithdaran man of medium-dark skin-then it dawned on Ahappi, this is Baron Ron, but without the Heretic rune brand and in fine spirits! Ahappi threw another sleep spell and it dropped Ytor but amazingly (08 spell crit vs. rolls of 11 and 10 for crit resists!) Gulos and Ron stove off the urge to nod off, and both looked his way— indeed, quickly Ron noticed Ahappi through the narrow door opening (an 06 crit Perception!) and called out for Ahappi Pellinores to enter. And so he did…
The ensuing conversation was tense! Gulos became red-faced in fury, demanding to know why and how Ahappi was here; shocked at his apparent perfidy. Ron just sat and laughed casually, and when drunken Ahappi accused the town of being complicit in/tolerant of the Ouori-trade and Gulos and Ron of being up to no good, Ron suggested to Gulos that they let Ahappi in on their “secret”, but Gulos declined, saying that he could not be trusted. Finally Ahappi agreed to leave peacefully as Gulos called for his guards, and as he left the captain pissed on the floor of the staircase. Outside, he confronted Miguel's captor who insisted that he arrest Miguel for interrogation about what seemed to be a conspiracy to do something illicit, but the guard, who knew Ahappi was in on whatever was going on did not try to do the same with him.
As other guards finally rushed in from around town and Miguel was escorted away to a cell in the guardhouse, Ahappi stumbled off to Excelsi Inn. There, he met Boamund and Fraud and loudly explained the situation to all drinking in the barroom: he had entered the barracks on a drunken dare from Miguel to take a piss inside, and he had done so and even confronted Gulos there, seeing some suspicious meeting going on with Big Ron. The small crowd, who'd been bought a small round of drinks from the very uncomfortable bartender, found the tale interesting and it seemed to generate some gossip. Soon enough the three heroes retired to sober up, with a substantial guard having gathered outside with the clear purpose of keeping an eye on them.
The next day, a bit fuzzy-headed but unrepentant, Ahappi and the others awoke and broke their fast to find Lt. Heloise come to speak to them in the dining room. She explained that Miguel would be kept for questioning for a couple of days and that the Baronet and Gulos insisted that the rest of you must leave New Arv today, to return and retrieve him when they had a better understanding of the situation. You argued but she was firm that you must leave, and that this was best for all; she refused to agree that he would be unharmed as she found the very thought of that suspicion disagreeable. Heloise claimed that Jett had passed a message on that he wanted to meet you, and her claim seemed oddly muddled and convenient (did she even believe it?), but it probably was about time to meet him and the roundtrip should only take 2 days, so you finally consented and left.
Miguel was interrogated by Heloise, fairly intensely, but he maintained his cool and stuck to his story that they'd just been fooling around drunk and upset about the Ouori/Vadeli. She countered that aspects of his story did not match Ahappi's, that she was sure there was some agenda at play here (did she suspect the real answer or not?), but the discussion reached a clear dead-end with neither party seeing eye-to-eye so it ended soon enough and Miguel was left alone for the remainder of his imprisonment; and treated fairly (but still felt he'd been arrested unjustly; Heloise had been emphasizing that the Law of New Arv must be respected and your conduct had violated it with disorder).
The others hiked through the swamp with an unhappy Micaela and Baelulam in tow. You came across a raven that cried out a few phrases in Seshnelan; a Malkioni invocation, a demand for beer, and two bawdy limericks (about women and Dronari/broo), and screamed bloody murder when it seemed stressed. Boamund was kind to it so it took a shine to him; Ahappi felt it would only lead to bad things. You brought it to Jett's camp where the scouts informed you of Captain Bertramn Farsight, whose marine unit had been seeking you, sometimes in concert with other Humbertsville/Toadhaven units such as the Zzaburi of the Order of Iron Blood named Master Akerbus (a war-wizard!). The Rokari noose was tightening, in search of your necks…
Jett gave Fraud Shaven grim news that he related to the others. “My sources inside St Thosos have given me information on your mother Cyroosta. She was imprisoned by the Inquisition for some time, in the castle dungeons. Now she has been seen about the grounds, although under guard. I suspect she has been broken by being Put to the Question. Maybe this other news is unrelated, but I have learned that the Rokari Watcher from the Chapel and his Paragon spent some time in Aria's Well lately, and inspected the tower among other things. They now have it under watch by mounted sentries, and the Night Channel is patrolled by the St Thosos naval forces from Seshnela. Maybe they learned something from your mother. What is the worst they could learn?” You discussed various things, finding none of them certainly disastrous but plenty of opportunity for trouble (e.g. the Library?). Then Jett mentioned he was in touch with Aym Alamyn… and your answer from Fraud and Boamund was no (Ahappi kept silent), and he respected that and expressed his relief.
Jhurte was out hunting undead, of which there were plenty, and Prior Mujahid was helping him, and Jett was still alert to trouble from that monk, but for now he was holding back on action as the prior had talents and Jzhurte found him a good “pet” if nothing else. Boamund met with Narak, who was angry that her sounder had not been moved yet; he promised he'd get that done soon with Miguel. You returned to New Arv the next day and Lt. Heloise turned Miguel over to you but you were now forbidden from entering the gates this year- the implication being that while the colonists needed your help, they didn't want it here, and you'd best go elsewhere while the situation in New Arv cools down. She said she would speak to you about this situation in the new year (1623 Solarum Temporum).
You returned to Jett, collected Narak, and Miguel tried to console the miserable Micaela but she'd largely closed herself off to him, turning instead to bond with Baelulam and tossing Miguel's crafted gift into the mud in disdain. Fraud saw this risky clique forming and pressed to maintain his bond with Baelulam and succeeded, so there was still active communication with the two girls but time was clearly running out-trouble would arise sooner or later. Narak, too, was not willing to wait longer so you brought her southeast into the Big Gunge.
First, though, not far outside of camp Miguel came across eight dead colonist soldiers marked with arrow/sword/spear/burning magic wounds. One turned out to be alive and spoke of a “flying wizard” before she died; Miguel tried in vain to save her from mortal wounds. Boamund burned them while you kept the girls away and you moved on. In the swamps, Miguel spotted a strange stack of three white stones atop a rocky promontory. Narak saw no spirits there but did not want to investigate further. Boamund did, as you saw runes on the stones, and Miguel saw Giranois warning-totems around them. You felt sorcerous magic as you approached them, and could see that the large runes, 1 per stone, were (bottom to top) Darkness, Man and Fire. Touching them, Boamund found that the bottom stone dealt nasty necrotic wounds that would take days to heal; the middle stone gave insights into one's own nature; and the top stone gave him a fire magic to use once. Some others partook; their runic affiliations did not appear to make much difference but the magic at play here was strange, and surely old-at least Godlearner. You moved on, noting the location.
That night you arrived at the Cjed family's cave on the shores of the swamps and reefs. Frogs crowded around outside, and coming into it, welcomed by a surprised Cjaek, you saw the witch Apatune of Toadhaven (the albino woman; once a lover of Ahappi; guardian/friend of Quick Sister) was there, and they invited you to spend the night and chat. Cjaek was unusually forthcoming and full of information-evidently, he and Apatune had realized much in common, and he was beginning to see his role in unravelling the web of myths and relationships on Giraine, which centred on Granno and the Old Gods. He and Apatune told you a lot; Narak eyed the latter suspiciously but it was clear they all had plenty of common ground-Cjaek even calmly admitted that he was no Malkioni unlike other Giranois; he was an animist, respecting the spirits of Giraine. Some of the information you gleaned included:
Deep Mother and the Waertagi have ties via Magasta/ocean; and thus Ahappi does too. He liked that. The Giranois do not understand these things, except Cjaek does-the ocean is not a foe, but an ancestor of Deep Mother. (What that genealogy is, no one knows)
Loidar, as you know, is the second Old God and blessed Miguel's bow to aid the island folk against the enemy-Yomil/Gbaji/whomever.
(Tanok is the 3rd Old God but Cjaek doesn't know much about him; the Sottogh have exclusivity)
Quick Sister may be a daughter of Froalar, Apatune said, and so maybe it's best if (or fated that) the wedding failed? But she worries that now QS is in trouble, because the Seshnelans posted a garrison w/the traitorous Baronet in Toadhaven, and while QS went dormant in the mud, they were sure to seek her. Apatune had fled, turned into a frog by QS and hopped all the way here; following hints that Cjaek might provide safety- which he did.
Cjaek thinks that Granno/Giranois are directly related to the Serpent Kings (Froalar etc.). Apatune doesn't believe that, but neither knows enough about the lineages that might link them or not.
Cjaek doesn't use Malkioni sorcery but knows enough lore to pretend and keep Giranois away. He is well connected with Old Gods (animist ways; like Apatune dabbles in) and thinks Unsighted One is (i.e. Saviours are) the conduit that links them with Granno and the people. These saviours are better linked to First/Dawn Age myths/magic/land; as the Old Gods are. He had been sure that Aym Alamyn was the Sharde's saviour, and maybe Cjed's/Granno's too, but now he was not sure. Wulbu was clearly the Huru's savior, but the Sottogh refused to buy into the whole saviour idea. The Sharde had much dispute over the topic. An undertone in your discussions is that maybe one or more of you Thralls of Granno might be a saviour… in a roundabout way, Cjaek noted that the saviours need not be Giranois!
Cjed/Vowka family differences: they are friends; and like the Cjeds the Vowka family is on good terms with all Giranois clans; Cjaek thinks Verker is a saviour? Cjaek knows that Verker-Vowka are the closest living lineage to Granno's. The elders of other clans have lost this knowledge. Cjed family's lineage goes deeper, but parallel to Granno's; not close relatives.
Arkat is tied into all of this somehow. Some Giranois blame him for chaining the Old Gods in Hell, but Cjaek and Apatune don't buy that (and she hints that she knows Arkati stuff!). They think that actually Arkat was a protector of the Old Gods, hiding them from Godlearner depredations. Someone needs to figure that out!
Fraud asked about the Mud Eel/Long Toad/whatever it is called (Cjaek has heard of it by many names). It is a mystery, he was told; knowledge is lost to Giranois, but it is linked to the Old Gods.
Seeing the two girls get along fine with Cjaek's small family, and noting the remote location of this place and its apparent security (Cjaek never seemed to have trouble? Hmm), Miguel suggested that Micael and Baelulam stay here for now-and Cjaek quickly agreed! Phew. They seemed OK with that, for the shorter term… but this is no place for two such girls to grow up; and neither was the type to tolerate it for long.
You drank unusually refreshing Giranois tea and ate fine fish that Cjaek had caught that day, and talk turned to what you'd do next. You mentioned going to the mysterious part of the island to the northeast, and Cjaek got very interested. He explained that it is called “Good Toad Food”: a wilderness where all Giranois youths must endure a rite-of-passage into adulthood by spending a night within it. He'd gone years ago, and recalled a dreamlike place full of ruins, and “all kinds” of creatures, and a giant mushroom, and so much more… GTF lies between the swamps and cliffs, Huru-Sharde-spider lands and the Library/bad place. All inhabitants of Giraine mix there. Cjaek called it the “Land of the Old Gods”: clans only hunt there, never settle. It is all shrouded in perpetual mist because, at the Shattering, Magasta sent his demon-daughter Iphara there to curse the land with fogs, which hid the terrible sea-monsters that swam ashore during the flooding and ate anyone they could catch. But, Cjaek said, some of them did not want to leave after the Shattering, so it is a forbidding land of hidden monsters and the spirits of the dead, and who knows what else? Cjaek went over your map and outlined where it was (new map coming to Dropbox later today). But no one, he thought, knew its layout inside. Iphara's curse meant for it to be a mystery to men and a reminder of the folly of the Godlearners. Just the right place to spend Sacred Time, you thought?
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