Stephen's Game History Part 9

The adventurers had been settled in Pavis for nearly a year when, unannounced and unexpected, Garrath Sharpsword returned from The Wastes.

            During a lazy afternoon sipping wine and eating dates at Garrath’s villa, it was let slip that Garrath saw the four of them as a ‘sacrifice’, which took the party by surprise since they had never thought of themselves as such.

            Garrath immediately apologised, realising he had said the wrong thing. He thought they knew more than they did.

            But Garrath Sharpsword is a good man and he knew that he could not leave them so confused. He had given an oath that he would say no more than he was allowed so, bound by oath, he could say no more. Though he could send them to talk to someone who would be able to talk. He told them to make for The Paps – a massive Earth/Beast temple amid the Eiritha Hills, where they should talk to Egajia the Chewer. He told them that Egajia would know nothing of any mysteries involving dragons and what events were taking place, though she would know of past history and ceremonies that may help them understand a bit more if they asked the right questions.

            And so, after a year of rest, relaxation and living a comfortable city life, it was time once more to don armour and set off on the trail, looking for adventure!

They decided to head down the River of Cradles for Ronegarth, where they would cut across to Hornsgate and employ a tracker to lead them into the hills and The Paps.

            The journey to Ronegarth took just four days and was uneventful enough. At Ronegarth they were told to beware Morocanth who had been seen around Bilos Gap and who were spoiling for a fight! No Morocanth were seen but Darkos, scouting ahead of the party, did discover fresh Tusker tracks. Luckily they were avoided also.

            At Hornsgate they asked around for a tracker who knew the route across the Eiritha Hills and the way to The Paps. They were recommended to a pygmy called Pipsqueak, who knew the area well and would be able to take them where they wanted to go. But they refused to pay Pipsqueak’s price (two sables for his paddockl) and chose to follow their own noses across the rugged hills.

            The journey did not start well. Leaving at the same time as them was a large impala caravan – obviously headed for The Paps – and they made the wise decision to follow the impala folk. Though not so wise after all. The impala scouts saw the party following them, and there was a brief stand-off as the impala riders told them to back off and not travel so close.

            Left to their own devices, the rest of the journey was to prove more difficult. The terrain proved to be the most difficult – steep ravines in the hills and loose stones and gravel proving the most hazardous and slowing their pace. Signs of the nomad way of life abounded – ropes with knots and feathers hanging from trees at junctions, and a bush with strips of white cloth tied to it.

            Inevitably, though, they got lost and found themselves coming out into the plains of western Prax to the west of the hills – the pillar-like silhouette of The Block clearly visible on the horizon. Damn. They decided to make their way north, along the edge of the hills, hoping to find a better route back in to the hills and the Paps.

            Then misfortune struck, as Darkos’ mount was bit by a skull-bush snake and was taken lame. This would only slow them down even further. Their luck changed as they saw a line of distant riders clearly making for the Eiritha Hills. They followed the route they took and this lead them back up into the hills and on to The Paps!

            There at last.

            The great temple of The Paps was built into the very mountains – a natural bowl had been expanded and enlarged with many shrines and temples to a myriad deities and spirits revered by the nomads. It was said that The Paps was home to a thousand priestesses – so large and extensive was the site. It was not left unguarded though. The warrior maids of Babeester Gor stood guard with their ceremonial axes. As the adventurers approached they were immediately derided for being men, and the Babeester Gor warriors boasted how they had bested many men and taken their arms and armour from them.

            Darkos was in no mood to tolerate such a goading. He was easily provoked into a duel. It didn’t take long. The Babeester Gor guardian charged him with her axe, but Darkos dropped to one knew, drew his bow and let fly an arrow. The shaft sunk deep into the leg of the female warrior, who stumbled and fell and the contest was given to Darkos!

            Having proved themselves, they were allowed to enter The Paps.

            ‘The White Bull! The White Bull! The White Bull returns!’ clamoured and called the priestesses of Eiritha.

            Darkos looked confused and unsure. Egajia herself prostrated in front of him, telling of the omens and prophesies that predicted the coming of the White Bull. He had been taken as such on account of the white skybull cloak he wore. He was quickly hurried into a private chamber, where it was imperative that he take the part of the Storm Bull, and the aged Egajia would take the part of Eiritha, in a holy ritual that would signify the union of the Bull and the Cow. Shortly afterwards they returned to the main chamber where Darkos’ friends looked on with bemused smirks.

            Egajia told them how during the Darkness Orlanth’s Stead was beset by chaos and how, to destroy this chaos, Orlanth called upon the help of a dragon. She also told how the stars in the nights sky also show this connection between Orlanth and dragons in the constellation of Orlanth’s Ring – where to bright green star is thought to represent the dragon as the constellation spirals across the sky toward the Pole Star.

            And she also told them that if they wanted to know more about the Orlanthis and dragons then they should consult the ghost of a dead Orlanthi scribe that haunted some ruins in the southern parts of the hills. She warned them that though he may be mad and cantankerous he was not an evil or chaotic being.

            So off they went, in search of these ruins and the ghost that haunted them.

            There are plenty of paths and trackways in the hills, and a good number near the site of The Paps. And these roads can be busy and frequently travelled by all manner of pilgrims making their way to the holiest of holy sites for the inhabitants of Prax.

            And this would include morocanth.

            As the party sought to find a suitable place to camp for the night they came across a large party of morocanth, who revered Eiritha, Waha and the Foundchild no less than their human followers. The morocanth scouts told the adventurers to go away and that they should submit to the wishes of the morocanth khan.

            Several days in the saddle had clearly got to the party, who were in an aggressive mood and decided they would make way for no one! A brief skirmish followed. Arrows were let loose, as were spells, from both sides. At the end of it, two of the morocanth lay dead – but the other two had fled back to the morocanth camp and would obviously return with many more. Knowing not to bite off more than they can chew, the party decided to head off the path and flee the area!

The ruins had long since subsided and lay down a deep and vertical gorge. The mounts would have to be left on top and the party lowered themselves down one at a time. There was some decision on who should lead – Gramper knew about how to appease and work with the spirits more than anyone else, though if things turned ugly it was acknowledged that Grant stood most chance with his protection from the Wyrd Woad. So these two led into the ruined chamber and it was lucky for them that they did, since it was protected by spectres and ghouls who meant them nothing but harm. The ghost of the ancient scribe was found to be so full of rage and anger that it would not listen to the entreaties the party made to it. With the full protection of the Wyrd Woad, Grant tried to calm and appeal to its better side, but the ghost would not listen and launched attack after attack upon Grant. It was only when Grant had finally managed to subdue it and control it that the ghost finally relented and told them what he knew of Orlanthi dealings with dragons.

            The ghost of Septimius the Scribe reiterated the story of Orlanth’s Stead and the dragon, but he added more information. He told them how the dragon is an elemental creature of the sky (Orlanth’s element is the air) and how the ceremony to call upon the dragon must be led by someone associated with the sky (objects of the sky include the sun, moon and stars, and the party wondered about the role of the Pole Star mentioned by Egajia). He also told them that the most holy number to the Orlanthi is the number seven (there are seven stars in Orlanth’s Ring, and there had been the seven Lightbringers who had travelled to the underworld to resurrect Yelm). And he told them how the number seven was divided between the number four (the number of sides to the Earth rune) and the number three. The four would always be the bedrock and foundation of any Orlanthi meeting – representing the solidity and foundations of the Earth. The other three would be more amorphous and made up of whatever was necessary. This may include using them as a sacrifice. Though it was left unclear whether this sacrifice was meant literally or symbolically.

            All this, of course, created many more questions for the party…