As I have been very remiss in updating the session log, this will be a bit of a whirlwind.
ot.
Freezeday, Death Week, Fire Season 1627
A Murder Solved
Using our wits and the magic of Lhankor Mhy, we determined that Esrolsin, the wife of Amad Chieftain Broangian, had orchestrated her husband’s murder in revenge for his affair with the serving girl, Hermilla, relying on an ancient Dinacoli tradition called a red divorce. This murder drove a wedge between Broangian and Esrolsin’s children, Garinfin (the younger, who supported his mother and Argrath) and Finkos (the elder, who supported his father and the Lunars). Rather than engage in kinstrife, Esrolsin accepted banishment from the tribe. Garinfin went with her. Along with a small contingent of loyal fyrdmen and thanes (thirty and three), they joined us in our journey back to Herongreen to report to Argrath.
.t.
Fireday, Death Week, Fire Season 1627
Return to Herongreen
Arriving in Herongreen, it is clear that Argrath’s Host has grown while we were away. Over twelve-hundred Praxian nomads formed the loyal core of his army; mostly White Bull Society Bison followers of Argrath, but also Impala and High Llama warriors loyal to the King of Pavis. His personal bodyguard made up of ex-Wolf Pirates, 25 blood-thirsty warriors from all over the world, patrolled his pavilion. There was century of spearmen, mostly former Imperial Expeditionary soldiers who were stationed in Pavis who pledged themselves to Argrath’s mercy. A phalanx of Sun Dome Templars had arrived in our absence, compliments of the new Count Vega Goldbreath. Some of these men we recognized from the True Golden Phalanx we fought alongside at Harpoon. A century of horse-riding Pol-Joni had heeded Argrath’s summons, lead by Idri Bronzemane, and they constantly patrolled and scouted the outskirts of Herongreen for Lunar spies. And a few hundred Torkani and Cinsina fyrd and thanes had joined Argrath.
Another force, singularly large and obviously battle-hardened, was bivouacked with Argrath’s Host: several hundred Hendrikiland warriors flying a banner of a white wall on a blue field, Air and Mastery runes ascending.
Minaryth Blue met us and brought us to see Argrath. In council with the King of Pavis was another man, a mysterious and regal warrior who kept his face hidden beneath a blue cloak trimmed with ram’s wool.
Argrath was keenly interested in how our mission to secure allies among the Alone Tribes fared. He was happy to receive news that the Tres and Bachad would send significant support (from the Tres, 225 fyrd and 15 thanes, and from the Bachard 150 fyrd and 9 thanes). He was less than thrilled with the underwhelming show of thirty-three Amad warriors. The Amad, he said sourly, possessed strong trollish ways, something he had been counting on and he was clearly irritated at not getting he wanted. The Regal Man was more phlegmatic: “Arkat thought the same”, he advised Argrath, “and the world suffered Gbaji for it”.
Minaryth Blue presented intelligence to Argrath’s Council. He has learned that Belvani is alive and well, hiding somewhere in Balazar. Argrath gritted his teeth: “One traitor at a time…”
Argrath presented us with something of a reward: the last tattered remnants of the Red Cow Eleven Lights. Scattered by the Lunars at Dangerford and ravaged by clan kinstrife, the Red Cows came to Argrath’s camp to lend their aid to us. Though exhausted and suspicious of us for having usurped their magic and replaced their gods, the thirst for revenge against the Empire simmered in their hearts and trumped those misgivings. After declaring us as the inheritors of the Eleven Lights to the magicians, Argrath sent them away to rest and recover.
Matters then turned to us and the said Eleven Lights. The Regal Man had had a prophetic dream that the Moon had stolen the Eleventh Star, kidnapping the godling Baroshi. The Red Emperor has kept punching at Orlanth’s seeping wound, never letting it heal, to keep him weak and on his heels while the Empire regathered its strength to reassert itself in Sartar. Jar-Eel, the Regal Man sensed, was behind this latest attack; he recognized her handiwork all to well he said. Baroshi is the key, hidden away in Snakepipe Hollow. Freeing him from the clutches of the Red Moon, once and for all, will restore and heal Orlanth.
“The Argrath must finish what Broyan and Samastina started at the Battle of Pennel Ford.”, said the Regal Man.
“We must unfetter Orlanth completely and end the Windstop utterly, once and for all.”, finished Argrath.
Xt.
Godday, Death Week, Fire Season 1627
Preparations Made
To prepare us to enter Snakepipe Hollow, we went to Snakedance Temple to speak with the priestesses. They blessed us and performed divinations:
In Ancient Giniji once, there was a fabulous place called Rich Home. But there was an invasion of chaos and it was ruined. We no longer know the temple layout nor which gods were worshipped there nor what rites were used.
There are many paths into Ancient Giniji, but only one leads to Rich Home. Follow the trail of giants, for those footsteps are true.
Beware the Cacodemon, for his followers seek to confound and consume you, and they are everywhere, always, nearby.
…stalked he. Copper Shield Vengeance, upon the trail of the maggot and master…
Oh, terrible omens! There are some snakes nearby that are killers! Beware!
The place is crawling with the Spawn of Thed, but they are only in the way.
Take water for the fast route but beware hungry snakes and turtles in the river, though lost memories of ancient deeds could be reawakened.
The Dancing Moon reawakens the long-dead worm, white is now red, but it is all the same chaos. The Dancing Moon seek to have the Red Mother of Maggots devour the godling in his crib.
The high priestess also gave us a secret: should we find Baroshi, we must incant the words: August Sir, excuse me, but I am taking you home.
To aid us further, they gave us a handful of blessed quartz arrowheads to kill the spawn of Thed.
The Lost White Lady
Two young and destitute acolytes of Chalana Arroy pleaded with us to find their priestess, Erissa Marn. An itinerant priestess, she had recently travelled to Ironspike and then vanished. Chalana Arroy told them in a dream we could save her. For Erissa Marn’s safe return they promised us all the gifts of the goddess for a year.
wx.
Waterday, Fertility Week, Fire Season 1627
We arrived at the Caves of Chaos. In the first great chamber we found a lake and a giant turtle named Stoneshell who spoke to us and asked a favor: if we were going that way anyway, could we bring him the head of Termain Osboropo?
Wandering deeper into the caves we found an ancient shrine to Babeestor Gor surrounded by statues of men and women fleeing in fear. We found a giant named Big Club who tricked us and died with a single arrow through his eye for his perfidy. We found more-or-less friendly talking snakes and a hidden clutch of cannibal-worshippers of Cacodemon. We fought said ogres, scorpion men, and broo. We were beset by spirits of disease and vile gorp.
We found an ancient temple to the Unholy Trio, and the prisoners the broo intended to sacrifice to them, including Erissa Marn. One of the prisoners, an elf, we could not save. He was sacrificed to make a pain ghost to attack us. Aeson freed him, and the elf ghost gave him a powerful healing magic.
We found a secret way into the Temple of Jade, trapped with magic-biting curses. We stumbled into Baroshi’s Lost Shrine and relit the ancient fires. We spoke the proper words to the godling and retrieved his statue. We found our way to the Great Chamber, where the spirit Nurse rocked Baroshi’s empty cradle. We laid the statue back in the empty crib. Nurse gave us three golden barley stalks from his crib and the last Veralzi, the blind and mute remnants of the people of Giniji from Before Time, appeared.
We met the Blue Ghost of Humakt who stood guard over the Tomb of Veralz. We left him to his eternal duty.
We found and healed the spirit of Baroshi’s sister, Princess Serisha, allowing her to finally find Karulinoran.
We followed the Maggot’s Trail and found the skull of Termain Osboropo. We forded the slime pools, formed from the Maggot and filled with disease ridden worms, to find the Mother of Maggots, wounded by Baroshi in her lair. We turned aside, got lost, found a White Mouse from Nochet in a Golden Cage worth a king’s ransom and more treasures beyond our wildest dreams, then found our way back to the Mother of Maggots to face her.
Aeson asked Yelmalio for help. Yelmalio was silent. We tickled the great maggot harmlessly with our weapons. Garinfin lost his leg and would have died had Aeson not asked Korolful for help. Korolful sent comets that obliterated the maggot and opened the Way.
We found the Lost Gift of Kallyr to Leika.
We crawled into the Maggot’s Corpse. Pushing aside tissue and viscera, we emerged into a still world of snow and a star-starved sky, in to the Greater Darkness. We stumbled towards a distant fire which promised safey and warmth.
We found the Troll Witch stirring her Pot of Parts. She asked us to dine with her upon the stewed remains of all kinds of creatures. We refused. She asked us if we would prefer a bow instead. We accepted.
We found the Handless Hunter, who had gambled with the Troll Witch and lost his hand to her Pot of Parts - and his bow with it. Now powerless, he sat looking at a distant green star in the sky, where the Sky Stag he hunted was. We returned his bow and Barterim restored Siwend’s hand. With Siwend’s help, Berrik shot an arrow into the sky towards the Sky Stag, forming stairs of clouds and lightning. We ascended.
We found the Fallen Star Captain, the Night Goddess, and Argan Argar upon the Hill of Gold. Argan Argar was taking the Star Captain’s Spear of Comets. The Night Goddess begged us to choose. We choose the Star Captain and gave him back his spear. Argan Argar said that something new was made here and departed for Wonderhome. Korolful used his spear to pry open the path Argan Argar had taken. We descended.
For days, in darkness and cold, we spiraled downward on massive stairs of basalt. Hunger and thirst pained us, and nothing we could eat or drink could bring us relief. Firebats from Hell came up from below, looking for us. Obrast hid us with his cloak so that the firebats, thousands of them, passed over us. Then we ran, pell-mell down into Hell.
Through a crack in the staircase, we stepped out on to a cliff overlooking a ruined city that stretched to the horizon. The firebats did not see us and continued down. In the distance, a green star flickered atop a ruined tower. All around were the wrecked machines of war, but no bodies and no ghosts. We made our way to the tower and carefully cleared the way. Had we failed, enemies from Hell would have found us.
Inside, we found more Veralzi. These were different than before, for they were not blind and could speak. They lead us up to the throne room at the top of the ruined tower.
There, we meet Baroshi, crowned by the Eleven Stars of Orlanth’s Ring.
Enter, and approach me.
I am Baroshi. I am the Avenger.
My father was Veralz, King of Rich Home, son of Orlanth.
My mother was Enori, the Earth Queen, daughter of Ernalda.
When I was born, the demon Termain Osboropo murdered my parents and destroyed my home. To avenge them, I leapt from my nurse’s arms and destroyed the demon. Though avenged, my parents are forever lost and forgotten.
I have waited since Time began for you to come to me, to come here.
Welcome to Rich Home.
Welcome to the Kingdom of Ruin.
Baroshi gifted us with magic to bring back to the Middle World and we feasted with the gods amidst the ruins of Giniji.
