Session Sixteen: The Worm's Body

Session Date: March 22, 2008

The Nolah Revived
(Morning, 28 Azura, TR 720)

The session began exactly where the last session had ended. The temple founders, as well as Duglan, were in the ancient barrow surrounding the fresh corpse of H'flokgh'ka, the ophidian snake-man Elder Brood Ivashu. Duglan had just severed its head after it had fought with him Jaroud, Kalrun, and Bowdyn. Judyn had slipped behind it and climbed over its coils to grab the Orb of Souls. Maban was praying on the floor near the unconscious body of the Nolah.

Faced with the orb and body and unconscious Nolah, they now discussed what they wanted to do now. They all agreed that, following Maban's vision, they should take the orb to Araka Kalai— and they also agreed that the Elder Brood's body was itself a holy artifact that they should take with them.

They disagreed about what to do with the Nolah. Judyn felt that, as was their original plan in coming here, they should recruit the Nolah to help them. Maban was unsure of this, and Jaroud quietly held against this, but Kalrun and Bowdyn agreed with Judyn. She convinced Maban to translate her appeals, and Maban then took their advice in convincing the Nolah to work with them. She kept secret from the other founders that the Nolah wanted one of them to stay here and hunt for it. However, she convinced it to come with them and help them kill a person (Analia's uncle), on the condition that it be permitted to eat the whole body.

The founders also were not agreed on how to transport out the orb and body. Several felt they should try to slip it out quietly along the salt route. However, Duglan insisted that they must go back to Taztos with the body of H'flokgh'ka to and show it to the soldiers there. The others had some reservations, but eventually agreed without argument to stay the night at Taztos and reveal the body to the legionnaires at the fort. Kalrun worried that the orb would be discovered. Judyn suggested that they also load the cart up with the Brood's feces. Burying the orb in that would fit the story she had give before to Malaris. She also reasoned that it was unlikely that anyone would want to probe underneath a pile of droppings, especially with the far more interesting body there.

The Tulwyn Ambush
(Afternoon, 30 Azura, TR 720)

Taking the ox-drawn cart, now loaded with body and dug, back through the woods, the founders, Duglan, and the Nolah retraced their route towards Taztos. When they reached the pit trap they had set, they got a nasty surprise. As they reached it, they saw that it had been sprung, and there was drying blood on the stake inside. Just as they saw this, three arrows plunged into the side of the cart— and a barbarian voice (Tulwyn) called out an ultimatum from the woods to surrender.

Accompanied by Black Claw, Jaroud boldly ran straight into the bushes— something the Tuwlyn had not been prepared for, and fired his nocked arrow into the cheek of one of the barbarians.Meanwhile, Judyn, who was also not surprised by the ambush, grabbed up the head of H'flokgh'ka and held it aloft to scream out a warning that Ilvir's vengeance would fall on any who attacked them. The others were too surprised to immediately react, although Maban made herself scarce, as did the Nolah.

The Tulwyn were taken aback both by Jaroud's charge [one Tulwyn hesitated from injury] and Judyn's warning [due to a successful Oratory roll by Judyn]. It seemed for a moment that the Tulwyn were prepared to back off— or at least to talk. Jaroud however, thought it best to press his successful counter charge. His axe drawn, he charged at the location of another Tulwyn, delivering a cutting blow with axe across the fellow's chest. Judyn, in a fit of rash boldness also rushed forward intending to whack one of the Tulwyn with the Worm's head.

One of the wounded Tulwyn ran off, while the remaining two (one still wounded) raised spears to attack. Judyn charged enraged, and missed in a swing at one with the weighty severed head. The Tulwyn coutnered by stabbing at her legs and she was injured... although Judyn called out a curse on the man as she fell, and he was thrown off balance and stunned. At this point, . One was stunned by Jaroud's blow, while the other was momentarily frozen by a curse Judyn called out as she was wounded. Led by Kalrun, the other Ilvirans joined in the fray and the two Tulwyn nearby surrendered. (The third had ran off.)

A Soul Claimed for Ilvir
(Evening and Night, 30 Azura TR 720)

Speaking in broken Hârnic, thecaptured Tulwyn explained that they were a small hunting band, and that their leader— whom they referred to as a [???] had been killed in the pit trap. They had lain in wait by themselves near the trap to catch those responsible when they came back, to avenge his death and restore their honor by killing those who built the trap or capturing the as slaves.

Jaroud was content to let them go, but Judyn demanded they leave the body of their fallen warrior with them. She told them her name and spoke of Ilvir to them ("Ilvir is returning to this land", and with few alternatives open to them other than death, they agreed to reveal the location of their comrade's body while she promised to treat it with respect.

As the two Tulwyn left they told the Ilvirans that, if they came across the fourth of their band ( the fellow who had run away), that "He should be killed for the coward he is. He is now a non-man, to be treated like a dog."

Maban treated the wound in Judyn's leg, which was bandaged and poulticed cleanly successfully.

Finding the fresh body of the warrior in the bushes shallowly buried, the group uncovered the top of the Orb of Souls in the hopes of bringing his soul into it. When nothing happened on its own, Judyn offered a prayer to Ilvir aided by Maban. She reproduced what Jaroud described he had seen H'flokgh'ka do— she gouging the corpse's eyes out with her fingers while she sucked on his dead lips with her own. Her prayer answered, Judyn felt a warm power move into her lungs, and then exhaled on the top of the orb— sure that the soul had been transfered into the Orb.

Return to Taztos
(Afternoon, 3 Halane, TR 720)

It took three more days of travel to get the cart back to Taztos, but they went without incident. As they come within sight of the fort, they made arrangements for the Nolah to separate from them. He agreed to meet them on the road the next day.

Upon arrival, they saw that a new camp has been set up in the woods to the north. It is buzzing with activity. Kedoran of Moris, a Coranan-born of the arcanist Malaris of Shostim, came to see them as they arrived. The Ilvirans introduced themselves and their mission. Kedoran mentioned that he had seen them in the city before, in the Scroll & Quill— and that he had heard of their trial earlier in the summer. The Ilvirans then reveal the body to Kedoran, who was amazed.

While they were talking, Malaris too came over. He at first appeared to be annoyed at Kedoran, ("I did not tell you to stop working and start gossiping",) but when he saw the botdy, he was intrigued. He commented that such a find would easily qualify one for a Satia-Mavari position, though none of the founders understood what he meant, as none were members of the Guild of Arcane Lore (nor spoke High Azeryani). They discussed potential plans to study and preserve the body.* MIn discussion it soon became clear that he would want the body in his possession to study it. Not wanting to risk that Malaris might learn more than he should about the holy corpose— let a lone that he might discover the Orb of Souls,hey left him abruptly with the flat offer that if he wanted to study the body, he would have to come to their camp and do so on their terms.

*Earlier, Maban had prayed to Ilvir for the body to be preserved (this was actually done as a retcon now)-- but her prayers were not met.

Converts at the Gate
(Afternoon, 3 Halane TR 720)

Crossing the bridge to the gate of Taztos, the guards asked to search the cart. Pulling aside the tarp once again, the guards were taken aback— and Duglan attempted a bold speech despite his inexperience with public oratory. He claimed the sllain monster as a sign of Ilvir's power ("It was not by the stength of Agrik, nor the justice of Larani, not from the endurance of Peoni, nor the desire of Halea that we did this. It was the power of Ilvir!) and called upon the guards to convert. The others all spoke in support of him, and Kalrun called out with a booming voice for the guards to listen to him.

Impressed by his words (especially since they knew him to be a coward in the past) and knowing of the rumors of the creature's horrible past, the guards were convinced and asked how they could worship Ilvir. The founders told them that when their tour was over, they should come to Coranan and the temple there.

The body quickly became a sensation, with all the sodiers and craftsmen the camp wanting to see it. The group moved the body off the cart, and took the cart with the feces (and the Orb of Souls) away to detract attention from it.

Even the commander of the fort arrived, and he was suitably impressed. He remembered Duglan, and said he was amazed when the group reported his bravery in killing the creature. Judyn responded that he had found strength in Ilvir that he had not had before. The commander then invited them to dinner that night. The group agreed but Duglan. He declined and said that he would stay back to guard the carriage and body.

Dinner with the Commander
(Evening, 3 Halane TR 720)

At dinner, the commander Garryl Stopez, chatted politely for a while. He told them of himself— he apparently was the son of a common farmer, who worked himself up through the ranks through skill in persistence. He also asked the missionaries about themselves.

At length, he revealed his true purpose. He wanted their help to scare off the Rethemi Malaris. He was convinced that no good would come of the grave digging. He said that he beleived that Malaris intended to uncover some dark power within the Hill of the Dark Grove, that was covered with numerous barrows. The twisted black trees of the hill are said to ooze blood instead of sap, and the legend was that the trees were once men who raped a witch-woman of noble Jarin blood long ago; in vengeance, she turned them into twisted trees.

Though Commander Stopez emphasized that he did not put much faith in soldiers' superstitions and ancient legends, the fact was that most soldiers did— and the diggings were making them very nervous that the ghosts of Taztos were going to be disturbed and angered.

The Commander would be more than happy to just order the legionnaires to drive Malaris and his men off, but he had received a direct order from the provincial Marshall to let Malaris and his men dig where they wished. To take action against them would be to disobey a direct order from his superiior.

The founders were all united in decrying Malaris' plan (perhaps more because of the idea of violating ancient Jarin barrows than anything else), but they said that there was nothing that they could do about it. Jaroud went so far as to subtlely imply that the commander could induce or fake Tulwyn attacks on them. However, all of the Ilvirns agreed that they were in no position to act on it themselves.

The commander seemed disappointed by their response. ("I had thought that those who could travel deep into Tulwyn territory slay a monster, defeat a Tulwyn hunting band, and return with such a trophy as you have brought would have little problems dealing with a Rethemi scholar.") But he did not seek to persuade them further.

(End of Session)