Hello guys,
The two sharks called back from their coastal hunting by Jamar, you head under way from Gothalos harbour. The great wide ocean of the cold Banthe Sea stretches ahead across the horizon. But your thoughts are drawn to the upcoming danger of the Doom Current, not far northwards. Jamar seems to feel this, too, and soon voices his views: “Many times did I cross the Denestlazam in my Age. Magasta coldly judges me each time. I have proven myself then, and shall again. But there are dangers along with the Killer Current. Like the Hell Fount, those waters are tied to the Underworld, and sinister things can find their way up. The waters of the Killer Current also known as the Dark Cold One are northern in origin, from the frigid edges and depths of Glorantha, and things that like that cold prosper in the upper reaches of the Current; some can be a threat. Each voyage is different. I cannot advise you further except to be watchful, and keep yourselves bound to the ship once we attempt our crossing of Denestlazam.”
You have a quiet voyage with fine weather as you leave the Jrustelan archipelago out into the Banthe Sea. Now and then you see other Waertagi Fastships and Jamar hails them. It is a little time where you can relax. But the Doom Current is not far. Peace is short-lived near the Killer Currents. You first see evidence of it as rougher seas in the Banthe, with cold breezes, and Jamar comments that the waters are colder too, with sea life that is no longer like the subtropical bounty of Jrustela. Next, wisps of low, dark clouds and frigid mist clinging to the ocean surface. Then the Dark Cold One comes into view through the clouds and mist. She is like dark water formed into a mountain range, dwarfing even that which you rode in on at the Hell Fount, and stretching as far northwest and southeast as your vision through the haze permits. There is no reckoning as to her height or breadth. Denestlazam groans and rolls like a fitfully sleeping giant, churning up and hurling down chunks of ice or less savoury, more ambiguous things.
Jamar stares intently at her, his hands firm on the tiller while he Seaspeeches instructions to his sharks, interspersed now and then with an incantation. [he augments his Seamanship with his Loyalty to the Waertagi passion, aiming to prove his heroism again so his people can reunite; and he throws every useful spell he's got at himself, the ship and the sharks] His skills come on great display as the Miswar approaches. The ship leaps over the heaving waters on the outskirts of the giant current, faster than ever before. The Miswar doesn't even creak from the strain. The seas foam from the vigorous swimming of the sharks. Jamar remains solid and focused as icy winds whip across the deck, carrying lashing hail. You approach the terrible bulk of the Dark Cold One and Jamar eyes up his course. Inwards you go. Clouds, mist and frenzied waters all seem to merge as you ascend, the ship now tossing, pitching and yawing. Patches of frost coat Jamar and the ship. After the warmth of Jrustela, the furious cold of the Doom Current comes as a shock. Even most of the Underworld you experienced feels mild in comparison. However, you all bear the cold fine; indeed, Bog is downright comfortable and Shrett doesn't mind.
Now you climb up the wall of howling waves, sea spray rasping at you and now the Miswar violently shifting to and fro. Jamar does everything he can to keep it stable. He seems one with his ship and sharks, responding to their every move while anticipating the threats of the waters. The ship's motions, though, toss you about. You remain stable, bracing yourselves.
The climb continues so far into the clouds that you lose sight of the ocean below. The Miswar, impressively, is holding up well, with nary a sign of major damage. Jamar breathes heavily from his efforts. How long have you been ascending? Time feels like it is being stretched by the current. You feel weariness creeping in from the cold and the strain of holding still, but none of you suffer too much from that.
Maybe you're at the top of the current now, as the Miswar doesn't appear to be climbing further; it levels out. The chill here is like little else you've known. The mists and clouds take on threatening features as they swirl, some with cruel, monstrous visages, but none venturing too close to you; just leering down with contempt. Yet soon out of the mists come silvery-scaled shapes with blue fins, diving in and out of the current. Their fishy mouths sport fierce long fangs and they are quick, bringing them immediately upon the Miswar. Jamar shouts over the roar of the ocean: “Protect me and the ship! These are Magasta's holy beasts and our crew will not battle them!”
A series of eight “ice fish” leaps out of the water, arcing over the deck and slashing at you with their fierce teeth, four at a time; turning back and leaping again as they go from starboard to port and back. You block them with shields, buying time, and Fraud knocks one onto the deck then kills it before it can flop off. One at a time, you use this tactic against more of them until one more is dead and some others have slipped off the deck successfully. Now none return. You keep the two remaining fish for food; Jamar says Magasta does not care what is dead and not in his sea anymore. Shrett casts a Preserve spell to keep the fish fresh.
The last ice fish disappear into the depths and Jamar calls out quick thanks to you for your aid, then turns his focus back to navigating the top of the Doom Current. The prow starts pitching down more and more steeply, so you must be descending, and this is proven true as the thick haze begins to thin. But the frigid air has been a lot to bear; not too much though.
As you make your descent, from out of nowhere a large wave rears up from the port side of the ship and crashes over the deck with a shudder and clattering of ice chunks. The water washes over you harmlessly, although startling you with its cold, but ice tumbling across the decks poses a real danger. All of you roll clear or make the ice glance off your shields, except Bog who is smacked in the leg by a block and takes a little painful bruising. You smash up some of the ice to use to keep the dead fish cool.
But at last Jamar gets the Miswar down off the Doom Current and even the tormented waters around it now feel placid after what you experienced. He sighs in relief, then calls out to Magasta, “Again it was not my time to be dragged into Drospoly's lair, Sea Lord. The Cold Death of Zaramaka will find me, but not today. For I am a champion of my people, descendants of Ordelvis and Triolina, and you will witness my glory again!” And he smiles at you.
The ocean stretches ahead. The sharks swim on, a bit slower now; Jamar lets them take it easier and sometimes divert to hunt prey. You still make amazing progress– no ship could move so quickly across these oceans as a Fastship, without very powerful and long-lasting magical enhancements. You feel fortunate to have such transport. You rest again, with mostly good weather, just a shower now and then. [regain � MP] And before you know it, land dominates the horizon! You are nearing home finally, and it feels like you've been gone for years even though it has not even been two weeks in the mortal realm.
One thing is certain-you have all been changed by your quest. Time relaxing on the Miswar prompts introspection. You wonder, how have you changed ? How do you feel about yourselves and your comrades? Bog feels that “I am Uz” now; he has become one with his kind; and he feels a part of the group, with new loyalty to his friends in this Age. Fraud feels that he is refocused on his destiny, with his personal acheivements on the heroquest proving his heroism. Boamund feels a curiosity about Yelm, and a stronger union with his Star Heart linked to the Young Yelm. Shrett's mind is turned again to his family and his duty now at home to care for them.
And then you see Giraine. So familiar, and it looks the same as when you left it. You close in on the port of New Arvonesse. Jamar looks around in wonder, at the reefs and shattered isles. “This is nothing that I knew in my time. It will take me time to get to know this new world. I have to say, this island looks uninviting to me, but then few lands do have appeal. My mind is on lost Brithos.” He brings you into the harbour and a small crowd gathers to watch, as Waertagi Fastships are quite the rarity here. You anchor, greet the harbourmaster, and set foot again on the docks of Giraine. You are home . Jamar says “My gratitude to you is eternal. You will always find a friend in me, and I will spread word of your heroism to other Waertagi. I will wait for a little while, restocking, before I depart to rejoin my people. May your gods smile upon you.” He remains aboard and watches you leave.
Old friends and allies hear word of your arrival and come to greet you. It is the sixth week of Sea Season, year 1624. Syrr Kogag is nowhere to be seen, and no other St Arvonesse residents of major note, but you meet The Shadow's crew and others. You trade tales.
Everyone is full of talk about rapid changes in the world since the Boat Planet rose. Sailors voice confusion about whether the Dormal cult has died. Across Glorantha, major events of these Hero Wars have been triggered, and you learn of some. Giraine has been in some relative peace during your quest but you learn there are reasons, and they mostly are bad ones. Seshnela has conquered all of Nolos and Pasos using the Power of the Crusade with great effect. Duke Porfain of the Rose, Lord Admiral of the West and Talar of the Arisonids, was captured and now a powerful Seshnelan Talar rules Pasos. Another, large Seshnelan force had moved overland from Nolos to the Pithdaros border. Emissaries were sent, both countries' Zzaburi had a convocation, and Dark Duke Tahiz the Learned surrendered without a fight after making a truce with Seshnela. Pithdaros, in characteristic fashion, were drawn into the struggle too late to make a difference. Many troops were called away from Giraine for this war.
Waertagi, after searching the foggy seas around Brithos, found it as the Boat Planet rose. They brought a Brithini army to their continental land of Arolanit, from whence they sent a strong force to aid Seshnela. The Quinpolic League is utterly destroyed. Worse yet, word has gotten out that the Brithini have started to bear children again for the first time in centuries. Some have learned that the Waertagi sacrificed many of their heroquester passengers as they returned to the Middle World, aiding them to find Brithos.
If there is any good news, it is that there are rumours of tension in the Kingdom between Church and Crown, over the caste system and the increasing wordliness and wealth of urban Dronari. And there is some very vague rumour of a quest about the Serpent Crown, although no one knows what that involves, since King Guilmarn wears that crown. There is no doubt that the Kingdom's eyes now are on neighbouring Ralios and the city-state of Safelster.
Elsewhere, the Wolf Pirates have hit the southern coast of Maniria and the Holy Country, smashing the naval defences including a battle where Harrek's bear-god faced down an avatar of Magasta summoned by the Holy Country and ripped it apart. The Wolf Pirate fleet appeared in the Choralinthor Bay. Harrek's so-called second-in-command, Argrath, agreed to aid High King Broyan against the Lunar Empire. An army led by King Broyan, including the Warm Earth Alliance, and the Wolf Pirates, defeated the Lunars at the Battle of Pennel Ford. Harrek's price for his aid was to loot the City of Wonders, the most gorgeous and famous city in Glorantha, and capital of the Holy Country of southern Dragon Pass. It has now, tragically, vanished.
Some say there is a new cult in the West, which has many names but the Black Sun is one, or Blood Sun, or maybe Shadow of the Storm. Little else is known [Bog smiles at this news]. The Seshnelan Church, of course, says that it is anathema and anyone paying it homage will be burned alive.
And so, we proceed to the campaign's third act! Your plans include: Fix armour- at the Mountainsmith; maybe using Miguel's old iron Seek Boamund's wife/Fraud's mum Cyroosta Visit Giranois (Shrett- Sharde)/Saviour (Boamund) Shrett training etc Shrett's father seeking Bog- goes to the Zorak Zoran shrine: can he become a Priest? Can you find a way to seek Sarvonesis, Fraud suggests? And then there is Good Toad Food- maybe a Lone Eel visit etc?
Next game: to be resolved
Take care and have fun! -John
© Copyright - 2000-2024 - John Hutchinson, Tim Evans, Pete Nash, Colin Driver and Gordon Alford