Finding Wrath

A report from the Orlmarthings who were there.

gce Windsday, Stasis Week, Earth Season 1617

The Duel at Willow Beach

The young Cinsina tribesman, Alehelm the Quick, demanded a duel with Dinestan, but Sarlanth agreed to duel on Dinestan’s behalf. Although Alehelm was, indeed, quick, he was no match for Sarlanth, who beat him soundly. Injured, but not killed, the priestesses healed Alehelm’s wounds and sent him on his way.

ese Harvest Day, Clayday, Movement Week, Earth Season 1617

Only the women of the community celebrated this holy day. In the rite, Ernalda revealed the secret of Esrola, explaining how she returned from the clutches of Angdartha despite her being cut into many pieces. At dawn, the priestesses revealed the straw figure of Esrola cut from the first sheaf of the harvest. They spent the day singing songs in the Loom House, in the fields, and in the wilds. At dusk, the women wrapped the straw figure in blankets, put it into a basket, and hid it from view. They mourned the goddess and stated their hope that someone would take responsibility for the act, express genuine grief, and promise atonement. Finally, they burned the discarded body of Esrola so that she could be reborn again at the turning of the cycle. The men performed the same ritual the next day Reaping Day.*

gse Reaping Day, Windsday, Movement Week, Earth Season 1617

Orlanth lead the reapers to the fields on this day. At night the men gathered in secret, drank the bitter drink, and wept and lamented over the slaughter they must do to the Goddess. At dawn the priests brought out the second sheaf cut in the harvest (knotted into human shape) and gave it a sacrifice of sheep. The men then worked all day while they fasted. They paused at certain times to pray to the straw figure and spilled libations of water, beer, or blood onto the ground, then went back to work.

At sunset, the end of Windsday, the men buried the straw figure to carry their prayers to Ernalda. They admitted their responsibility, expressed genuine grief, and promised atonement so that the goddess would not curse them for cutting her. The men prayed all night. The sun rose the next day, so they knew Ernalda had forgiven them.

eie Clayday, Illusion Week, Earth Season 1617

Overovash the Slaver who runs the Slave Farm down the vale arrived, accompanied by several dozen provincial soldiers, slaves, and a witch named Obeba, to demand our clan’s yearly tribute to the Empire: 100 cows or the equivalent in thralls. An emissary from the Empire had already demanded tribute earlier in the season for the Eye of the Half-Bird, putting a great strain on our clan’s wealth. We paid it.

Overovash then announced that the Empire had proclaimed a new Duck Hunt. Each duck, dead or alive, that the clan brings Overovash would reduce next year’s tribute. Some of our clansmen thought maybe this time we should hunt some ducks.

It was beginning to get cold.

Rumors of War

A trader brought news that a large Lunar Camp had been built just outside Wilmskirk. The camp is larger than Wilmskirk itself, with several thousand Lunar soldiers bivouacked in tents and hastily erected wooden buildings.

gye Windsday, Truth Week, Earth Season 1617

Late in the evening, as the first light snow of the coming Winter began to fall, a knock came on the stead door. It was Killer Branduan and his Uncle Padau, traveling in disguise. Branduan told us that there is kinstrife brewing in the Greydogs: the Greydog chieftain, Kornos, wants Indrodar’s sword, Wrath, back in the hands of the Greydogs, not handed over to Greenstone Temple for some “fool’s love-errand”. This placed Branduan in an awful position of disobeying his clan or honoring his oaths. He and his uncle stole away from their tula to inform us and honor his oath to find and give Wrath to Ernalsulva with Sarlanth.

We quickly made ready to leave for Duck Point.

wjo Waterday, Disorder Week, Dark Season 1617

The snows came earlier this year. We left the tula with Branduan and Padau for Duck Point. It took a little over three days along the Royal Road because of the new snowfall.

When we entered Duck Vale near Stone Nest, we saw another large Lunar encampment like the one we heard about near Wilmskirk. We skirted it and the Lunars did not bother us.

Kjo Wildday, Disorder Week, Dark Season 1617

We arrived in Duck Point, a weird little town straddling the Stream on the very southern edge of the Upland Marsh. The town was a mix of Orlanthi-fashioned wooden and stone buildings mixed with woven straw huts on stilts: duck “nests”. The durulz were clearly in distress over the new duck hunt and eyed us suspiciously.

We made our way to the local Geo’s - the Just Duck Inn. We were met (again, with strange familiarity) by the proprietor, Cando Appleburr, a fat duck with a peg-leg and a broken bill. When we mentioned that we wanted to find Polgo Hoarfoot, he told us the “mayor” was in the private backroom, holding “court” with his companion and bodyguard, Nicholas Wisemustard. He was trying to calm down many panicked durulz.

We told Polgo of our quest to find Wrath in the Upland Marsh. Polgo excitedly agreed to lead us personally into the Marsh. We could leave as soon as the ducks of Duck Point evacuated to Yellow Flower Isle, a highly defensible refuge within the southern Marsh where the ducks had waited-out the previous hunt successfully. We agreed to escort the scared durulz in return for Polgo and Nicolas’ aid.

As we waited, Sarlanth visited the local temple of Durorlanth, where he met an stinking, crazed, axe-carrying duck named Tobo: a Stormbill berserker. Tobo agreed to enter the Marsh with us (just for the pleasure of killing evil things).

Meanwhile, Dinestan seduced and fucked a duck and Desrik managed to secure additional food and clothing to aid us on our journey in the Marsh. Thereafter, Dinestan was known as Duckfucker.

Xjo Godsday, Disorder Week, Dark Season 1617

With a caravan of fleeing durulz, we headed northward into the Upland Marsh. It was only about 10 miles to Yellow Flower Isle, mostly by a frozen trail, and then by the odd little woven-reed durulz boats. Halfway there, Varmandi mercenaries ambushed us, attempting to kill or kidnap some ducks. We killed a few and ran the others off with no casualties.

We arrived at Yellow Flower Isle before nightfall.

olo Freezeday, Harmony Week, Dark Season 1617

We loaded ourselves and our provisions into three durulz dugouts and headed into the Marsh. Each boat was poled by one of ducks accompanying us: Polgo, Nick, and Tobo.

The Upland Marsh is an ever-changing physical environment. Islands drift, ruins slowly sink or rise and Walking Corpses shamble around. The place is a collection of mucky islands and rocky outcroppings surrounded by a slow moving murky sludge. Old-water swamp cypresses, weeping willows, and hateful Blackthorn trees make the maze of channels and sloughs nearly impassable except to the little durulz folk and those they guide. The water is slimy and putrescent, filled with unhealthy sewage and decay, and at times, the stench of decay can be choking.

Polgo and the other ducks drank constantly from a clay jar of “burnt wine” to keep their feathers warm and their spirits up. They were drunk most of the time. So was Desrik, of course.

Corpses from beneath the waters attacked our boats, but we beat them back.

We “camped” by tying the boats together and dropping anchor. We were cold, wet, and miserable.

wlo Sacrifice Day, Waterday, Harmony Week, Dark Season 1617

Sacrifice Day asks for the protection of Voriof the Shepherd from the forces of winter. Animals selected the previous day are named for the gods. As the god-talkers slaughter each animal for the winter, they sacrifice it to Voriof. As each animal dies, so to do the gods. Ernalda and Orlanth are the last two sacrificed; with their deaths, winter truly begins. Finally, only Voriof remains to lead the few remaining beasts to protection from the forces of darkness.

We made our own “sacrifice” on Sacrifice Day. As we poled deeper into the Marsh, a great, undead “marsh-dragon” erupted from the water and snatched Uncle Padau out of the boat, dragging him to his death underwater. Branduan was dismayed with grief and Sarlanth comforted him.

Once again, we “camped” by tying the boats together. We were colder than the night before.

During the night, we heard a great metal thing flying above us.

elo Clayday, Harmony Week, Dark Season 1617

Polgo had lead us northward deep into the Marsh towards Cyclops Mountain, the home of the Trimmer. From there, we turned westward.

It was then that we saw the Bronze Bone Dragon, which swooped down over our boats, just a dozen feet overhead. We all cowered in terror until it flew away towards the west.

We could hear the Howling Tower long before we could see it. As we got closer, high-pitched horrible wails, sounding like monstrous funeral mourners, tore through the constant, cold wind. The sounds chilled us to the bone: this was a place despised and mourned by the gods. As we came closer, the winds grew ever stronger and we knew that Orlanth was angry.

The Howling Tower was located on a bleak, rocky outcrop: a tall pentagonal obelisk of dark stone more than 150 feet high, and topped by a distinctive crenelated battlement. The only entrance was atop a high stair; higher up are numerous arrow slits. A furious gale blew sleet and hail against the stone walls. The Tower was made out of dark granite stone blocks of inhuman craftsmanship.

Desrik could not bear to set foot on the island, nor could Polgo or Nick. Tobo gamely leapt ashore, double-axe in hand and spoiling for whatever may come. We left Desrik and the two ducks and entered the Tower.

Inside, it was darker and colder than we thought possible. Our torches feebly cast light as waves of darkness ebbed and flowed around us.

We followed the inner stairs downward first, into a charnel room surrounding an inky black bottomless pit from which no sound came and into which the air gently flowed around us. Turning back, we headed up.

Above the entrance hall, we found a grandly decorated Great Hall. It was here we saw the blue Corpse King upon his throne with the sword Wrath laying at his feet. From the boiling darkness around him, we heard laughing, sweet feminine voices: “Nur vesht y nakal’os. Nur vesht y nakal’os.”

Where there were once patches of darkness, there were now three beautiful women, with skin so pale as to be chalk-white. They were dark with dark piercing eyes, great masses of black hair and brilliant white teeth that shone against the ruby of their voluptuous lips: the infamous Dancers of Darkness.

The Dancers stunned us with their inhuman beauty as they descended upon us, saying “Levesh t’os, no burun a t’os eternadas.”

Orsten’s magic sent one Dancer immediately wailing, flying back to her master in the West as a weak shadow. Sarlanth pushed one away, denying her with his love for Ernalsulva. But the last one drove her fangs into Branduan.

The Corpse King, too, leapt into the horrifying action, plunging at us. Sarlanth called Wrath to his hands and the sword responded. We fought for our souls and won, though Branduan was gravely wounded.

We scooped up whatever treasure looked worthwhile and easy to carry and fled the Tower. Polgo and the ducks poled like mad to get us away and out of the marsh before any more of the Necromancer’s servants arrived to stop us. By night fall, we had made it to the tiny village of Marshedge in Lismelder lands. The chieftain, Alfgar the Grim, welcomed us as friends of Polgo, whom he knew well, and offered us meat and blankets.

The events of the day fled our minds as the Marshedglings and their chieftain displayed their generosity. Beer flowed freely, and they kept our plates full of meat, carrots, and barley. Polgo leapt up on a table and began to sing and dance in celebration, telling the Marshedglings of our journey through the Marsh, and let slipping:

Greydog’s avengers returned
Dread Corpse-Maker to Greydog’s heirs.

We had hidden the sword from view until then. Now Alfgar demanded to see it. He and all the Marshedgelings were impressed, congratulated us, and told us to keep the sword: “Don’t care much for them Greydogs, either.”

Unfortunately, we were betrayed that night.

glo Windsday, Harmony Week, Dark Season 1617

We awoke to find the sword gone and duck tracks leading off southward, towards Greydog Tula. Polgo had stolen it. When pressed, Nicholas revealed that Polgo had told us the truth, but only half of it before. Indeed, his ancestors had allied with and lead Indrodar Greydog into the Marsh to help him avenge Queen Lismelder and kill Delecti with Wrath. However, he had failed to mention that his ancestors had betrayed Indrodar at the last moment, leaving him alone to his fate at the Howling Tower. Polgo was a very proud duck. He could not pass up the chance to return the sword to the heirs of Indrodar and cleanse the ancient shame from his family’s name.

Alfgar and the Marshedgelings were mortified at the disgrace to their hospitality and swore to aid us as best they could to restore their own honor.

A snowstorm had arisen, making it nearly impossible to catch up to Polgo. Sarlanth dove madly into the storm, careless of danger, to try. We could not keep up with him, as his magic allowed him to run lightly atop the deep snow.

By evening, Sarlanth had arrived at Greydog Village and was quickly captured by their gloating chieftain, Kornos. Polgo was nowhere to be seen. Sarlanth proved that although he was no Greydog he was now the rightful bearer of the sword by summoning it to his hand once again. The Greydogs were incensed and surrounded him, meaning to kill him. And they would have, until Sarlanth demanded the right to duel: he would walk out of Greydog Village with Wrath if he won. The Kornos laughed at him and would have killed him anyway until their clan lawspeaker reminded him that the request was both honorable and legal. Kornos summoned the clan champion, Kornard Greydog.

Sarlanth killed the Greydog champion with Wrath. Kornos kept strictly to his word: he allowed Sarlanth to walk out of Greydog Village with Wrath - and nothing else. He ordered Sarlanth stripped of his clothes and pushed him into the cold night snowstorm.

Sarlanth, blue, almost frozen, but still alive, made it back to Marshedge safely, once again using his magic to run across the snow. The pursuing Greydogs could not keep up.

.lo Fireday, Harmony Week, Dark Season 1617

The Marshedgelings escorted us to the edge of their tula and wished us well. It took us two more days to find our way home. We had to pass through Greydog lands and avoid their angry wyter.

Branduan, wounded and weakened, remained with the Marshedglings under the protection and care of Tobo and Nick.

We arrived back home on Godsday, Harmony Week, Dark Season. Our clan was overjoyed.

About Kto Ancestor Day, Wildday, Death Week, Dark Season

The ancestors receive collateral worship from sacrifices to the gods and the clan wyter. On Ancestor Day their mortal descendants give them their own sacrifice. They come to the Inner World to visit with their living relatives. This is the one day of the year that people might recognize individual ancestors. On this day, the ancestors have great power over their descendants, and even the gods cannot save someone from them.

The ancestral rites begin at sunset two nights before, and no one eats for two days after that. The god-talker contacts the wyter and sacrifices the burnt barley, bull, and beer. The initial rite lasts until midnight. Afterwards, everyone takes home a part of the sacrifice. The next day, they perform a similar rite for their bloodline’s ancestors. On Ancestor Day, the family lays out the family goods for inspection and a sumptuous feast is laid out for the ancestors. The ancestors send signs during the day, and everyone looks for them as they prepare the house.

After nightfall the ancestors appear and travel as a group to each of the steads. The ancestors are welcomed at the door of each stead, and one of them steps forth. The householder leads the ancestor around to view the goods and peoples, and offers it a chance to eat. Often, the ancestor that enters the house is recognizable as an individual, usually (but not always) the most recently deceased member of the household.

The ancestor that enters the house always accepts the offer to eat. If it is pleased with the food and display, it says so in a loud voice. The crowd outside then murmurs its satisfaction (or displeasure) and pronounces any curses or blessings on the stead and its residents. They then travel to the next stead. The ancestors return to the Otherworld at dawn, and the steadholders can finally sit down and finish the feast, which the sacred place, time, and actions have blessed.

Xto Godsday, Death Week, Dark Season 1617

An emissary from the Greydogs brought a single black-feathered arrow to Old Man Village, declaring war upon us.

About exo Loom Blessing Day, Clayday, Fertility Week, Dark Season

Ernalda gathers the women together in the Loom House on this day. There, they perform rites to protect themselves, their families, and the entire community. All of the women collectively make a shroud for their goddess. Afterwards, the women read omens about the coming winter, and then the entire community consumes the feast of meat and bread.

Kxo Wildday, Fertility Week, Dark Season 1617

The moon was full tonight.

Two of our weaponthanes, Garan and Hadur, who guarded the clan’s treasures were killed in the middle of the night. A boy, Hunorl, who is a young cousin of Gordangar our chieftain, witnessed what happened. He was sleeping in the loft with the alynx.

This is what he told us:

There was a gust of wind that blew the door to the hall open. The red light of the full moon poured in. A shadow fell out of the light, then stood up. The shadow drew two of those curved swords from itself and chopped off Garan and Hadur’s heads before they could raise their axes. The shadow took form then, becoming a woman, red on one side and blue on the other. She ran into the place where the treasures are kept and stole something. Then she came back to where Garan and Hadur’s necks still wept blood. She picked up Garan’s head and then melted - and I mean melted - back into that wicked red shadow cast by the moonlight.

The Eye of the Half-Bird was stolen. We have seen a red and blue woman step out of moonshadows to kill someone before: Erianda the Witch has returned.

About gso Protection Day, Windsday, Movement Week, Dark Season

Orlanthi worship all Air on this day, summoning every wind, cloud, storm, and weather deity to come to Dragon Pass. When enough power has accumulated from the sacrifices and all of the deities are present, then the Great Thunder rolls unceasingly across the Pass, chasing away the cold winter. This usually occurs sometime after the winter solstice, and so Orlanth ends the Long Night as well.

About oio Shroud Day - Freezeday, Illusion Week, Dark Season

Tekravand is Ernalda’s funeral day. The women cover their heads and mourn, weeping pitifully for their lost goddess. The men try to prevent Nontraya from finding the body, but they are powerless before the power of death. After a day of fasting and ceremony, the women in the Loom House hear the secret: “She sleeps, she is not dead.” This gives them the strength and hope that they need to survive until the Spring.

.io Fireday, Illusion Week, Dark Season 1617

Today was the winter solstice.

The War With the Greydogs, g Storm Season 1617

With the worst of winter past, the war with the Greydogs come to the forefront.

Desrik and Sarlanth travelled to Asborn’s Stead and successfully hired some of the Black Spear mercenaries to assist with our efforts against the Greydogs. Sarlanth bore the sword Wrath, impressing everyone and raising the clan’s spirits before the war.

Dinestan’s rigorous efforts leading hunting parties all winter paid off, helping immensely and keeping the clan fed and healthy through the difficult Dark season so that we were prepared for the inevitable attacks by the Greydogs.

Orsten assisted the Kolatings, marshaling the fire demons and ghosts to our aid. We would attack the Greydogs with our magic directly, sending an army of ghosts and spirits with our men against them.

The attacks came in the first week of Storm Season. There were just a few minor skirmishes here and there, as the Greydogs probed and tested us. We responded, but held ourselves back from a major engagement, waiting for the Greydogs to strike. As we anticipated, on Death Day the Greydogs attacked in force.

We allowed the Greydogs to overextend themselves into our tula, then enveloped them with our fyrd, ghosts, spirits, and mercenaries. They were taken by surprise, unprepared for our overwhelming resistance. They stood their ground along the Small Starfire Ridge and in Voriof’s Pasture, but we still drove them back.

As Sarlanth planned, we chased them back to Greydog Village, which we pillaged and set fire to. The Greydogs fled with whatever treasures they could carry with them.

The Greydogs, for a second time in as many generations, had to watch while Greydog Inn burned to the ground.

Our Storm season war against the Greydogs was a major victory.

The Doom of the Dundealos

Dinorth’s daughter – how could she not
Lament her fate when morning came
And the light broke on her murdered kin?
And so farewell delight on earth,
War carried away, Jaldonkiller’s heirs
All but a few. The air swallowed up
The smoke - Vargast’s tomb welcomes
More heroic dead.

During Storm Season, we heard news of the brutal destruction of the Dundealos Tribe. To the shock and horror of all Sartarites, Fazzur Wideread ordered the destruction of the entire Dundealos tribe. The Lunar College of Magic summoned terrible demons and sorceries, and countless companies of Tarshites, Dara Happans, and other mercenaries assaulted the walls of Dundealos Fort. The Dundealos thanes fought bravely but were overwhelmed. Many escaped into the wastes of Prax, far more surrendered and were crucified or sold into slavery.

About Kjg Good Winds Day, Wildday, Disorder Week, Storm Season

On this day, the strange and frightening rites of Kolat are held. The good winds are summoned and those touched by Kolat perform whirling dances until they become merged with the winds.

About .lg Lover’s Day, Fireday, Harmony Week, Storm Season

Yinkin’s high holy day celebrates the birth of the world’s greatest lover. All Orlanthi publicly worship Yinkin on this day, offering his sacrifices to the clan alynxes.

About gtg Death Day, Windsday, Death Week, Storm Season

On this day, worshippers celebrate Humakt’s emergence from the Underworld with Death. Although most people equate this day with his fight against Unlife, Humakti also fight ritual battles against those gods who misused Death (such as Zorak Zoran) or perverted it (such as Malia). Warbands of Humakti often raid a local traditional foe on this day. Although the community praises their actions if they are victorious, many clans fear that the Humakti might bring down the wrath of that foe upon them.

About exg Queen Day, Clayday, Fertility Week, Storm Season

These rites celebrate the role of Ernalda as Queen of the Gods. The goddess is brought to the clan assembly and her priestesses preside over the assembly. Her decisions on this day have the force of Ernalda behind then.

About Kcg Bellow Day, Wildday, Stasis Week, Storm Season

This is the day that all Heortlings worship Urox. Bellow Day honors Urox if his worshippers can prove their worth by overcoming a Chaos thing in combat. If the Uroxi champion is successful, the community gives him and his followers food, drink, and almost any amenity desired. If the champion fails, the local king or chieftain casts the Uroxi out for the rest of the season, allowing them back only for the special anti-Chaos rites of Sacred Time.

Worshippers spend the days after Beat Devil Day fighting Chaos monsters and raiding known Chaos nests. Clans and cities near places such as Larnste’s Print in Heortland and Snake Pipe Hollow in Dragon Pass both fear and welcome this influx of Chaos-fighting berserks.

About gsg One Day, Windsday, Movement Week, Storm Season

Orlanth’s birthday is his high holy day. All initiates go to his Great Hall and help their god in one of his mythological battles. Clans who do not celebrate this day will have no wind over their tula for the upcoming year. Priests and devotees carefully sacrifice bulls, rams, and the occasional horse or exotic beast to achieve maximum success and luck.

Orlanthi worship Great Orlanth in all of his 49 names on this day, for he is One God. In the darkness before dawn, he musters out as the Warrior to combat his winter foes. During the day, he gives out from the clan’s stores to the hungry as the Chief. At dusk, unmarried worshippers retire to Orlanth’s Hall as the Thunderer prepares the world for the coming of Spring. Married worshippers join their wives in private celebrations, for Orlanth’s high holy day is also one of Ernalda’s holy days.

This is Orlanth’s high holy day, but Ernalda receives nearly equal time and attention. Ernalda Mother of the Tribe is preeminent here, and she works to support Orlanth on his day in every way possible. She presents him with gifts, and receives his assurances of support. Married couples perform the rites in public, then renew their vows in private before the public feast.

I Sacred Time 1617

We entered Sacred Time stronger than we were the year before. We were becoming famous heroes. Our exploits were becoming known throughout Sartar. We scored a major victory in the war against the Greydogs. We weathered harsh Lunar taxes and magical reprisals.

We celebrated Sacred Time peacefully with our kin as a new year began.

gKX Lightbringer Day, Windsday, Fate Week, Sacred Time 1617

A knock came on the stead’s door that night. There stood an old man, whom Senstaval knew well. It was Dunorl Ring-Guarder.

Nearly seventy years old, Dunorl was the last of three powerful Ernaldor clansmen called the Brandgorssons. For nearly twenty years, Dunorl and his brothers dominated Colymar politics, and were dedicated supporters of the House of Sartar. After the Fall of Boldhome, Dunorl founded a secret oath-bound cult to struggle for the liberation of Sartar: Sartar’s Band. Dunorl gathered the royal regalia of Sartar and reformed the Iron Ring of Sartar. As the leader of Sartar’s Band and the Iron Ring, Dunorl was a counselor of Sartarite kings and heroes, but after Starbrow’s Rebellion failed he handed leadership of the Iron Ring and Sartar’s Band, along with the responsibility for liberating Sartar, to Kallyr Starbrow. Now an old man, Dunorl is still passionately dedicated to the cause of a free Sartar. He is known and respected by many important people in Dragon Pass; including kings, outlaws and heroes.

Dunorl revealed the secret of Dinestan’s ancestry.

Dartar was Senstaval’s youngest brother who followed his elder brothers into war. He was only 16 during Tarkalor’s War, and by all accounts acquitted himself well. Before Grizzly Peak, however, he was wounded and lost. He had become separated from his warband and would have surely died except he was found and nursed back to health by a wolf-girl named Yerestrana, with whom he fell in love. For ten years, the two lovers wandered Dragon Pass, Esrolia, and Prax together until Dartar convinced Yerestrana to come home to Nymie Vale with him. Upon his return, the clan held a great feast in his honor and he and Yerestrana were wed. Soon after, their first son Dinestan was born. They lived happily with their three children until Yerestrana and her ancient wolf were murdered by Lunar soldiers in 1616. The entire clan mourned her loss. Dartar was now a sad and broken man, cursed by his own love.

Little was know of Yerestrana. She was about 15 when Dartar met her in 1582. She and Dartar adventured together from roughly 1583 to 1593, when they settled in Nymie Vale and married. Their first child, Dinestan, was born in 1595. Yerestrana was later murdered by Lunar soldiers in 1616.

Dunorl knew more, however.

Yerestrana’s mother was Jelanda, who was married to the Telmori warrior, Koljajar. Jelanda’s parents were Ostling, the Telmori King that Prince Sartar created to make peace with the Telmori as one of his great acts. Her mother was Onelisin the Cat-Witch. Jelanda’s brother was Kostajor, the Telmori King who destroyed the Maboder when they broke Sartar’s oaths. Her father was Saronil Goodstone, Prince of Sartar, whos father was Sartar, himself.

Dinestan, son of Yerestrana, daughter of Jelanda, daughter of Onelisin, daughter of Saronil, son of Sartar.

His blood is purple.

About Lightbringer Day

Lightbringer Day commemorates when Orlanth set off to heal the world. The two weeks between his high holy day and this day are full of special celebrations leading up to the day when the Lightbringer’s Quest is re-enacted (or, sometimes, begun for real). Each initiate and devotee takes the part and lives the ordeals of his or her deity. Without these ceremonies, the clan will face Chaos and darkness: the very earth will be infertile, streams will dry up, the wild wind will ravage the tula, and healing will be impossible. At the height of the rite’s first day, seven leaders leave on the Lightbringers’ Quest. They are gone until Return Day, a week later. Various parts of the quest are performed throughout the week, and the clan must continue without their leaders, sending them their support and power so that they do not fail.

wlw The Feast of Beasts, Waterday, Harmony Week, Sea Season 1618

Exactly one year to the day, we returned to Clearwine Temple to present the sword Wrath to Ernalsulva. She came with her mother, Entarios the Supporter, Queen of Greenstone, though Ernalsulva looked more like the queen than her mother.

Branduan was outlawed by the Greydogs, but still came to the festival to honor his pledge to present Wrath to Ernalsulva with Sarlanth. He looked older and grayer now. No longer was he the brash, handsome, boastful “killer” of a year ago. A few other Greydogs were there, but they avoided us, throwing only deadly glances and no words our direction.

Ernalsulva was delighted with the sword. She armed us with magic and gave us our last and final quest:

Rescue her father, Hofstaring Treeleaper, from hell!