Dark Season was unusually harsh this year, with enormous snow drifts and harsh cold. On Ancestor Day, the clan’s ancestors visited Ulfketil’s Stead and appeared to approve of things. One of them offered Gisli Blacksheep a mug of ale, and another placed a wreath of flowers on Yaneg’s head.

A few days later, Bornwulf Bornhelmsson, a member of the Arnoring clan showed up at Ulfketil’s Stead. He said that he was disgusted at Armin Pot-Thrower‘s decision to convert his clan to the Lunar Way. Armin had said that he will pull down the clan’s Orlanth Stones as a way of showing that there is no way back, and Bornwulf said that was the law straw for him.

So he offered a deal. If the Orlmarth would call Orlanth out of the Arnoring clan’s Orlanth Stones, and would take him and his family into the Orlmarth clan, he would show them where one of the Arnoring clan’s treasures was, the Wind Horn, so they could take it.

Yaneg and Blakradit discussed whether this was a trap or not, but decided to trust Bornwulf tentatively. They convinced Savan Thundermaker to come along with them.

Bornwulf led them along the Roofbeam and down into a hidden clearing where the Arnoring clan’s Orlanth Stones were, an ancient burial mound where Kelan the Archer, one of the clan’s ancestors was buried. There, in the middle of the Orlanth Stones, was the Wind Horn.

When Savan started to de-consecrate the Orlanth Stones, the PCs found themselves thrown into the Heroplane and in the middle of Kelan’s Night Battle, in which he defeated three waves of trolls. They successfully defeated the trolls, completed the ritual, took the Wind Horn, and retuned to Ulfketil’s Stead, where Bornwulf’s family, about forty people had arrived.

They were able to persuade a reluctant Gordanger to support Bornwulf’s request to join the clan, but it will have to addressed at the clan moot.

Hrut Ramshead approached Yaneg and Gisli seeking support for removing Aldwulf from the ring in favor of Hrut. He argued that Voriof is angry with the clan for removing him from the ring years ago. Yaneg agreed that it was a good idea. They discussed the matter with Snorri, who was noncommittal.

At the c;lan moot, there was much anger about the decision to outlaw Orlanth. Savan Thundermaker predicted the doom of the gods and men, but said that since the clan worships Orlanth in the Starfire Ridges, which the Lunars cannot safely enter.

Hurt challenged Aldwulf. Urged by Tryggvi, Morganeth prophesied the consequences of returning Hrut to the ring. “I see fine rich flocks and blood in abundance. I see feuds unresolved and blood in abundance. I see great deeds done as wedding gifts.” Eventually, Snorri supported Hrut and Aldwulf was removed from the ring.

Alric Dogsbane opposed ending the feud with the Arnorings, arguing that the clan should raid them instead. Morganeth suggested that the Arnoring would be helpful allies in trying to unseat Kangharl.

Before the issue could be decided, Darsten Black-oak burst into the clan hall, and demanded the return of the skin of the Red Bear, threatening war to get it back. Tryggvi realized that either the Taralings or the Lunars want the skin for something, so the clan refused to give it, arguing that the Bear had been killed on the Orlmarth tula in accordance with the law. After Darsten left, Savan suggested dedicating the skin to Orlanth at the Thunder Stones in the Starfire Ridges, where the Lunars couldn’t easily get it.

A week later, the clan held its market day. Tryggvi had a conversation with Sora Goodseller, who gave him news and then called in the favor he owed her. showing him a an old book with no writing it in. He realized that the book had been ruined by Attar the Eater of Knowledge, part of the chaotic god Thanatar. She gave him the book.

Armin Pot-thrower showed up with other Arnorings and a wagon-load of pots. During the market, Alric quarreled with one of the Arnorings, Dargol Clayhands, whose uncle had killed Alric’s cousin Rangstan. Alric wounded Dargol and demanded blood or compensation. Enderin supported him in this.

Armin offered to end the feud between the two clans, rolling the compensation for Rangstan into the deal, or else tell people that the Orlmarth market is dangerous. It nearly worked until Tryggvi got frustrated that Armin was haggling too much over the price. He blurted out that Armin had orchestrated this whole thing, bringing Dargol to the market to provoke one of the Hengistings in order to create a pressing reason to resolve the feud. Alric and Enderin were outraged, declaring that they would never accept anything other than blood for Rangstan. The Arnorings left quickly.

Word came a few weeks later that the Arnorings had accepted the Lunar Way.

Word spread that Enderin and the Redleafs raided the Greydogs and came away with a dozen cattle. Gordanger was obviously proud of his son and threw a feast to celebrate it. He granted Enderin half the cattle that had been stolen.

Yaneg, Yanioth, and Tryggvi spoken with Asbjorn and Finna about killing the Red Bear, which they had promised to do. Tryggvi worried about the repercussions from Kangharl, but they decided that keeping their promise to kill it mattered more.

They decided that the best option would be to find a way to lure it onto the Orlmarth tula and kill it as vengeance for the slaying of Eoric Cat-master a generation ago. But they didn’t know how to do that. Asbjorn snuck them to see Old Man Willow, a nature spirit that dwells in the Taraling forests. After a blood sacrifice, Old Man Willow told them that the Bear was a spirit made flesh, that it could not be harmed by mundane weapons or elemental magic, and that if it wasn’t killed ‘enough’, it would return. It likes the flesh of pigs.

They went to Orkansakt the Fat, the Enjossi shaman. He agreed to help them in exchange for a favor later on. He told them that because the Bear was connected to the Red Moon, it might return unless they killed it enough. He gave them a charm that would ensure that if they roasted a pig, the Bear would smell it and come to them.

So they roasted a pig on the edge of the tula and when the Bear appear, Yaneg and Yanioth fought it. At first it seemed that the Bear would win, but after several good rolls and hero point expenditures, they killed it and scored a substantial Parting Shot on it, hopefully ensuring that the Bear was dead for good. They skinned the Bear and presented the skin to Gordanger, who hung it in the clan hall.

Yaneg, Yanioth, and Tryggvi concluded that they needed to perform the Orlanth Forms the Storm Tribe quest to help their Antorling kinsmen, so they spoke to various people seeking information about the quest. Cwenalda agreed to tell them about the clan’s history with the quest, despite her bitterness toward the Antorlings. Freywolf Strongbreath, the chieftain of the Enjossi, was eager to make friends with the Orlmarth because his clan is now half Lunar. He sent Gordanger a salmon as a gift.

Ingund the White and Minaryth Purple both gave them general points about heroquesting.

Skallagrim of the Hiordings sought to negotiate trade and travel rights in exchange for what his clan knew, but the two sides could come to an agreement. The PCs realized that, as a supporter of Kangharl, he might be uncomfortable with the PCs doing this quest, because it could potentially be used to unset Kangharl.

Their kinsman Asbjorn Thrice-born gave them information about the question, and asked them to kill the Red Bear as payment for his help.

Garm the Red, the chieftain of the Enhyli received them with surprising friendliness, declaring that he had dreamed of standing guard at Yaneg’s marriage to Ernalda. The Enhyli agreed to forgo their anger over the raid in exchange for a promise to help weaken Delecti, and Garm gave them information about the quest as well.

Vestorfin Tribute-taker of the Black Spears was impressed that they were seeking to help another clan this way, and told them what he knew of the quest without asking anything in return.

Armed with the wyters of the Orlmarth and the Antorlings, the three of them started the quest, only to discover that the Clan-Making Stone, the traditional spot to start the quest, was also the stone that Rangoon had been sacrificing sheep to his chaotic god. So they start at the clan hall instead. They had trouble entering the quest until Lumpy suddenly died.

During the quest, they were forced to rescue Esra from a chaotic monster and had to recover Ernalda’s Chest of Treasures from Gagarth the Wild Hunter. They triumphed over the Night Clan, although Yaneg chose not to make a hero quest challenge.

When they returned, Maelwynndeclared that she was not a skilled leader and stepped down. The remnant of the ring selected Ragnar the Plowman to lead them.

After telling Snorri and Gordanger that they suspect that Rangdan is a chaos-worshipper, the PCs spoke with Yanioth, who told them that if they wanted to find a worshipper of Ernalda the Earth Cleanser, they should look at the Greenstone Temple in the Orleving lands. They spoke with Vigundis WInedancer, who pressed them to abandon the alliance with the Antorlings and ally with the Konthasos instead. Then they went to the Antorling tula, where they discovered that the ring was quarreling about who to appoint as Lawspeaker. Rangdan’s cousin was the most appropriate candidate, since he worships Lankhor Mhy, but Theomakt wanted his brother, who was clearly unsuitable, and Maelwynn proposed the Plowman’s cousin. The ring asked for their help to resolve the dispute, and the PCS proposed that Sindri would sever the blood ties of whomever was chosen. Rangdan argued that was excessive.

At the Antorling tula, after Sindri made his pronouncement of the Doom of the Antorlings, Theomakt the Clan Champion accused Cwenalda Brown Hare of worshipping chaos. The Brown Hares stormed out. Rangdan left for Clearwing Fort to fetch Howling Aethelmar, a Uroxi of the Narri clan who sits on the tribal ring. Sindri used his Raven spirit to find the recent dead, and the spirit discovered a tunnel into the ground on a remote part of the tula.

Eventually, Sindri, Tryggvi, Asta, and Yanioth went into the tunnel, along with Theomakt and the Antorling thanes, where they discovered a network of tunnels running under the tula. These tunnels were artificially made from strange unnatural stone. As they explored, they were attacked by a swarm of faceless six-legged chaos creatures. They drove the creatures off and decided to exit the tunnels.

They figured out that one of the tunnels led to the Brown Hare tula. Maelwynn wanted to search the Brown Hare stead but everyone waited until Rangdan returned with Aethelmar. At the Brown Hare stead, someone discovered a small shrine to the chaos demons hidden in the rafters of the cowbarn. Aethelmar declared that he could sense chaos and went berserk, killing several Brown Hares before Asta forced him out of his frenzy. Maelwynn declared that there was enough evidence to outlaw the Brown Hares and drive them from the clan permanently.

But Tryggvi figured out that the true source of corruption on the tula was actually Rangdan, whom the PCs now believe to be a chaos worshipper. Lumpy suggested it was because he was ambitious and wanted to rule the clan. She offered to murder him.

Asta and Yaneg also spoke with Maelwynn about the possibility of performing the Orlanth Forms the Storm Tribe quest, in an attempt to overcome the disunity of the clan.

Tryggvi, Asta, and Sindri spoke with Snorri and his wife Morwynn. Morwynn told them that when the Antorlings were formed, it was a union of six separate bloodlines that had lost their clans. The founder, Antorlan, promised each bloodline would always have a seat on the clan ring, something that periodically caused disputes within the clan when someone stepped down from the ring.

She also said that Antorlan performed the Orlanth Forms the Storm Tribe quest to strengthen clan unity. For generations, every new chieftain performed the quest to renew the clan unity. But the quest had not been performed for several generations. Morwynn didn’t know why.

The three of them decided to speak with the Antorling ring. They traveled through the Colymar Wilds, but ran into an enormous boar that attacked. Sindri slew it, but Asta realized that the boar was sacred to Esrola and that to avoid the wrath of the goddess, it would be necessary to sacrifice it at the Esrola shrine on the Konthasos lands. While there, they encountered Vigundis Winedancer, who told them that she would be willing to ally with the Orlmarth if they would end the alliance with the Antorlings.

They also discussed hero questing with Ingund the White. She offered them some advice about the challenges of doing little-performed quests, including advice about preparatory rituals.

Then they traveled to the Antorling lands. They met Rangdan, who asked Tryggvi if he had reconsidered Rangdan’s quest. Tryggvi looked at his motives and saw that Rangdan was ambitious and had some degree of malice but Tryggvi was shocked to realize that he couldn’t see as much of his motive as he expected.

They met with the Antorling ring, and Asta formally apologized for the offense Tryggvi had caused earlier. Maelwynn accepted the apology and offered them a feast. During the feast, Tryggvi spoke with Cwenalda, the clan’s law speaker and headwoman of the Lunar bloodline. She told him that about 60 years ago, when a Vingan attempted to perform the Orlanth Forms the Storm Tribe quest, she was ambushed by Gagarth the Wild Hunter and lost an eye. Since then, Gagarth has plagued the clan whenever someone attempts that quest. As a result, the clan has ceased to perform it, and their unity has suffered.

Then Sindri decided to use his Sense Doom ability to see if the Antorlings’ doom was close at hand. He stood up in the hall and loudly declared “I see the Doom of the Antorlings. I see corruption from within and evil from below. Beware the Faceless Maw!”

Early in 1617, word reached the Orlmarth that the Greydogs have been having trouble with Dragonewts raiding their herds. Also, the Holy Country seems to be descending into political chaos after the apparent destruction of the Pharaoh.

Tryggvi, Yaneg, and Yanioth took a trip for peace-making purposes. They stopped at Clearwine Temple where they met with Yanioth Brandgorsdottir. Tryggvi told her the myth of Ernalda and the Cleansing Earth, and they learned that it had a couple of important differences from the version of the myth that the Temple knew. Yanioth said that the quest had always been regarded as quite dangerous because many questers had failed to return from it, but Tryggvi’s version offered details that might make it safer to perform.

They discovered that Balthid, a member of the Antorling clan was spying on the Temple, because her bloodline had converted to the Lunar Way several years previously. They warned the Temple about this.

They continued on to the Konthasos lands, where they briefly met with Vigundis Winedancer and then had a more substantial talk with Ingund the White.

During that second conversation, the PCs were drawn into a hero quest being performed by Killer Branduan, whom Tryggvi theorized was trying to gain power over dragons to protect his clan from the Dragonewts. Brandaun was performing the How Orlanth Conquered the Stars quest, and the PCs wound up playing the role of Jagrekriand the Red and his companions. Rather than resist the situation, they chose to fight Orlanth/Branduan exactly as the myth said. They were soundly defeated and fell out of the quest.

Then they went to the Antorlings, and learned how poorly united the clan was. Maelwynn Treemother demanded that the Konthasos be excluded from the Orlmarth seasonal market because of their feud, and became upset when Yaneg refused to countenance that. In separate conversations, Rangdan suggested that Gisli Blacksheep could help the clan by murdering Maelwynn. The clan Champion openly mocked her. Lumpy apparently taught Gisli some Eurmali magic by skinning an alynx with him. Eventually, when Tryggvi bluntly confronted Maelwynn about her leadership failures, she revoked her hospitality and threw the PCs out of the hall.

In 1616, after Sindri and Tryggvi returned to the Six Stones Temple, having successfully completed the Humakt, Raven and Wolf Quest, there were only four days left before Mahomravrand, when Orane’s Spindle was needed to help hold the clan together. So the two of them set out with Yaneg and Yanioth to find the place where the draugr were buried.

They traveled to the Marshedge tula, where they met with Alfgar the Grim, the clan chieftain. After some discussion of their plans to try to cleanse Horalin and destroy the Blackthorn trees, he agreed to provide them with guides to the Marsh in exchange for a small payment.

Using Sindri’s new Raven spirit, they found the location of the battlefield and confronted the draugr, as well as the spirit of the Blackthorn tree. Although Sindri was defeated, Tryggvi was able to use his Know Weakness ability to learn how to permanently slay the three draugr, and they were able to do so. After Yanioth chopped down the tree, they found Orane’s Spindle tangled in its roots. They returned home and the clan was able to perform the proper rituals just in time.

Then they went to Swan and negotiated with the clan ring of the Hiordings to bring an end to the feud with between their two clans.

Tryggvi discovered the myth of Ernalda and the Cleansing Earth in his Book of Myths.

Early in Fire Season, 1616, Yaneg encountered a dragonewt on Illuvan’s Roofbeam. The dragonewt insisted that “you have me” and it wanted itself back. Yaneg was unable to understand what it was demanding. It entered the tula and went to Old Man Village, where Sindri realized that it was the dragonewt whose skin he had made into armor. The two of them fought and during the fight Sindri used the Eye of the Half-bird to look into the Otherworld, where it saw the dragonewt with a chain of other dragonewts behind it. He used his sword to sever the dragonewt in the Otherworld, at which point the dragonewt stopped fight, thanked him, and slit its own throat.

A few days later a clan moot got off to a contentious start. Then Morganeth Whiteye entered, saying that Orane’s Spindle had been stolen from the Loom House. A trio of draugr (independent undead) and crowd of zombies entered the hall and had to be violently repulsed. Snorri recognized them as Heodan, an Orlmarthing warrior from a generation ago, Kirnan, a Hiording chieftain, and Dorasa, Kiran’s daughter. Hoedan and Dorasa had an ill-fated love that had led Heodan and Kirnan and their supporters to fight to the death in the Upland Marsh. Their fight triggered the feud between the Orlmarthins and the Hiordings. The clear implication was that draugr had stolen the Spindle, which was badly needed for the upcoming Mahomravrand ritual, without which the peace of the clan is jeopardized.

Yaneg, Sindri and Tryggvi traveled to Swan and spoke to the Hiording clan ring, including Skallagrim Grimsson and his Trickster bondsman Cerdic the Liar. The PCs suspected that perhaps the Hiordings had somehow redirected the draugr assault from their clan to the Orlmarthings. The Hiordings agreed to provide warriors to fight the draugrs, if the PCs could find where the draugrs lay.

Snorri suggested that the PCs do the Humakt, Raven, and Wolf hero quest. They learned the myth from Farangelder the Honest, but had to promise to support them in a raid into the Marsh (adding the suggestion that it be a raid to destroy Horalin, the corrupted dryad who is the mother of the blackthorn trees).

So the three of them went to Indrodar’s Necklace at the Six Stones Temple and entered the hero plane. The fought a group of dog-headed men and struggled through a smothering fog. Then they found an inviting shelter where the spirit Sartalla offered them comfort; Sindri and Tryggvi refused the offer, but Yaneg accepted and fell out of the quest (he appeared at the Ernalda temple in Runegate, where he had a long conversation with Kallvale the Sow before returning to the Orlmarthings.) Then Tryggvi and Sindri found Raven. Tryggvi fought Wolf, won a Great Leap ability from him, and acquired Raven as a follower.

Asta was contacted by Armin Pot-Thrower, who told the PCs that he had information to trade, in exchange for a promise to attend the Arnoring Pot-Making Festival. They agreed, and Armin’s foster-daughter Godfreya Spacklewing told them that the elves of Yellowflower Isle wanted to meet them for some reason.

Godfreya helped the PCs get to the Marsh, aided by Oswald Bluedrake, a Humakti duck, who helped them fight past a group of zombies. On the island, an elf spoke with them and told them not to reforge the Summer Sword. He said his lady Hawise would tell them more if they killed the Bronze Skeleton that Delecti had sent to cut down the trees on the island.

Sindri and Tryggvi found the skeleton, armed with an axe enchanted to kill plants. They fought it, and Sindri was forced to invoke the Sword God feat to defeat it. Afterwards, he melted down the bones to keep Delecti from re-creating it. Then Hawise met with them and told them that Delecti wishes the Summer Sword reforged because he is immune to its curse of betrayal, since as an Undead being, he exists in a state of betrayal already. So to him, it would simply be a very powerful weapon. She also said that her mother Horalin was corrupted by Delecti and is now the source of the Blackthorn trees that Delecti uses to expand the Marsh. Sindri said that he would like to learn how to destroy the trees and perhaps free Horalin, and Hawise agreed that if that could be accomplished, she would be grateful.

After returning to Orlmarth, the three of them went to the Pot-Making Festival. Tryggvi saw a vision of Pella the Pot-maker with six intact pots and six broken pots. He speculated that this might be a bad omen for the tribe. Asta spoke with a member of the Konthasos clan. She learned that Ingund the White, the clan’s Chalanan, wishes to end the feud the clan has with the Antorling clan. The Antorlings recently cursed the clan’s vineyards. She also learned that generations ago, the Orlmarthings cursed the Konthasos clan lands as well.

Redleaf: I didn’t like that market Gordanger allowed. That godless sorcerer and those useless Arnorings selling their wares side by side? What is the clan coming to these days?
Grettiring: Yeah, I wasn’t happy about that either, but there were some Ernaldori and Enhyli who came to trade, and they bought some of my wool. So it wasn’t all bad.
Redleaf: Hmmphf! We don’t need a sorcerer or a bunch of potters to sell our wool. Snorri predicted that we’d be dealing with bad guests, and this is what he meant.
Grettiring: Yeah, I’ve wondered about that too.
Redleaf: And did you hear that Lunar missionaries have been active among them? I’ve heard that Armin is considering converting to the Lunar way!

“Have you seen the way that Vaninna has been carrying on with Rangoon! It’s shameless! Everyone knows they’re trysting together. It’s a wonder that Ernalda hasn’t cursed us yet.

The PCs decided to approach Armin Pot-Thrower of the Arnorings to find ways to end the feud between the two clans. After considerable back and forth, he eventually agreed to a deal by which the Arnorings and the Orlmarthings would hold a joint market day each season at which pots, wool, and iron would be sold. The Arnorings were also granted the right to cross the Orlmarthing tula by its paths. If any violence broke out, it would be adjudicated by Yanioth Brandigorsdottir. He also warned the PCs that Erianda the Red was planning on stealing an Orlmarthing clan treasure from them.

This deal does not, in itself, terminate the feud. But it does lay the groundwork for it, making a permanent resolution much easier. If the markets and safe passage go well, it will gradually reduce the difficulty to negotiate a permanent end to the feud. Ending the feud is not the same thing as making an alliance, but doing that will also slowly get easier, assuming that violence does not break out between the clans.

Armed with that knowledge, Sindri and Yaneg plotted a trap for Erianda. They concluded that she was planning on stealing the Eye of the Half-bird, so Sindri decided to put it into his head, cutting out his own eye to do so. When the attack came, the PCs ambushed her, defeated her and her darkness demons, and forced her to swear that she would not attempt to steal the Eye again and that she would owe Sindri a favor.

“”/characters/sora-goodseller" class=“wiki-content-link”>Sora Goodseller says that Lunars crushed the Fire Bull rebellion late last year. Chief Leikan was killed and many of the members of the clan were forced to join the Enstalos clan".
“How terrible to lose your clan and have to live with strangers!”
“I wish Sora would bring some good news for once.”

“The omens for the year are very bad. When the women wove Ernalda’s shroud, they predicted that a great leader would die. Snorri foresaw that Fire Season would be a time of great danger and bad guests.”

The Goodswords escorted Salyn Thanosdottir to the Orlmarth tula for her wedding to Enderin. During the blessing ceremony in the Loom House, a mysterious entity attacked Salyn, but was defeated by Yanioth. The various assembled priestesses, including Morganeth, Cassiandra, Asdis Sharptongue, and Asta had no knowledge of what this being was, and there was a debate about whether to continue with the wedding or not, but finally it was agreed to go ahead.

Gisli Blacksheep was reluctant to bless the wedding, until Yaneg forced him to.

During the feast, Cassiandra told Sindri that she thought the entity was a spirit, perhaps one that had been sent by enemies to disrupt the wedding. Also, the new Lunar tax collector, Overovash Assiday showed up, announced a tax on dowries, and claimed 1/10 of the cattle Thanos had given to the Orlmarths, much to everyone’s irritation.

Gordanger spoke with the PCs and told them that the clan needed allies and resources, and asked them to devote some of their energies to finding them. He discussed the possibility of bringing the long-running feud with the Arnorings to an end, and suggested that finding a way to undermine Kangharl’s support among the Antorlings and the Konthasos would also be good. There was also discussion of doing quests, though no agreement on which quest should be performed.

Then the PCs went to speak with Bofrost, the shaman-chieftain of the Hillhavens, in hopes that he could help them figure out what the mysterious entity was. He told them that it was Ushanka, a spirit who mostly plagues shamans in the spirit world; it’s appearance in the Middle World was highly unusual. After a good deal of discussion, he led them to the realization that the true problem was that Tryggvi had agreed to sacrifice to Karjakan the Monster Shaman in exchange for a charm; this opened the door to Karjakan’s presence on their tula and the result was that spirits had been plaguing the clan for several seasons. They paid him to perform a ritual to banish Karjakan, and did so, with the PCs providing support during the ritual. Gordanger was angry that Tryggvi had been the cause of so much trouble.

.

“Do you suppose that Enderin is really going to go through with this marriage to Salyn?”
“After he came back from Runegate, he sure seemed serious about it. I think he learned his lesson. Being a man means responsibilities.”
“Well, those Ulerian sluts are troublemakers, if you ask me. There’s a reason we don’t worship that good-for-nothing goddess. Makes you wonder why Gordanger even allowed them on the tula.”
“Uleria might not be one of our goddesses, but she’s still a goddess. No sense offending the gods when you don’t have to.”

(Men) “Sora Goodseller came through the village yesterday. I got some good ribbons from her for my wife.”
“She have any interesting news to tell?”
“The Firebull clan—they’re part of the Sambari—they’re rebelling against the Lunars.”
“Good for them! I’ve been saying that we need to rebel and get these damn Lunars out of our lands for good.”
“Yeah, well, you remember what happened during Starbrow’s Rebellion. That was a disaster I don’t care to repeat. Sora doesn’t think the Firebulls are having much success.”
“She also said that Temertain has taken up with some whore.”
“No surprise there. He’s not man enough to marry.”

“”/characters/old-nanny-tova" class=“wiki-content-link”>Old Nanny Tova has been talking in her sleep again."
“What’s new about that? That’s all she does these days. And can you blame her? If I live to be a hundred, I’ll want to sleep all the time too.”
“She says the clan is under some sort of curse”.
“And last week she was saying that she’s the Queen of the Horseriders. Pay her no never mind. If the clan had been cursed, we wouldn’t need a senile old woman to tell us. We’d all know it.”

“The feud between the ”/wikis/enhyl-clan" class=“wiki-page-link”> Enhyli and the Marshedge is heating up. The Marshedge are still furious at them for killing ducks."
“Maybe the ring should order another raid on them. That worked pretty well last time.”
“Gordanger says the clan has enough enemies without starting a feud with another clan.”
“The ancestors like it when we raid other clans. That’s the way we’ve always done things. If it was good enough for our grandfathers, I say its’ good enough for us.”
“Yeah, well, our grandfathers didn’t have to deal with the Lunars. Gordanger says we need to be more prudent about things these days, and I have to agree with him.”
“(Sighs) That’s true enough. The ancestors want us being prudent too.”

(Men) “That godless smith still hasn’t gotten rid of his goats. When’s the ring going to do something about him? I say we need to run him off the tula and just kill the damn things.”
“Yeah, it makes me uncomfortable too. But the ring made a deal with him, and we swore oaths to accept him. We can’t just back out on those oaths. The gods won’t take too kindly to that.
Sure, but the ancestors aren’t too happy about goats on the tula neither. Something needs to happen.”

Players may take IBT actions if they wish before the next game, for the usual 1 Hero Point reward.

During Sea Season, Sindri spoke with Gordanger and persuaded him to accept Sindri as a weapon thane, now that Finn was dead. Then he traveled to the Six Stones Temple in Swordvale, where he become a devotee of Humakt.

Not long after that, Asta went to Clearwine Temple and passed the tests of Yanioth Brandigorsdottir, the high priestess, wove a peace rug, and became a devotee of Orventili.

During that period, a representative of the Lunar Slave Farm arrived, announcing that King Kangharl had granted the farm a portion of the Orlmarth tula, People assumed it was a punishment for defying Kaggharl’s effort to outlaw Gringle. Yaneg realized that when Yanioth killed a couple of Lunar soldiers, he buried the bodies in the area that the Slave Farm was annexing, so he and Yanioth went to dig them up. But the dead soldiers were now ghosts, and they drove Yang and Yanioth off. The PCs returned later with Asta, Sindri, and Tryggvi and successfully overcame the ghosts, burned the remains, and threw them in the river.

A few weeks later, a trio of Uleria priestesses led by Muirwynn Lovejoy came to Old Man Village from the Greydog tula, explaining that they were performing a Ulerian ritual that involved giving as much pleasure and enjoyment to as many people as possible over a set period. So they entertained the Orlmarthings for an evening. Yaneg, Enderin, and Gisli all had sex with them. But the next evening, after the Ulerians had left, it was discovered that Enderin had disappeared.

Eventually, the PCs figured out that he had gone to Runegate Runegate to meet up with Magda, the priestess he had sex with. Sindri set out overnight, but when he passed through Swordvale, the Six Stones temple demanded his support for a ritual they were performing to bless an expedition into the Upland Marshes, so he was unable to help find Enderin.

But Tryggvi, Yanioth, and Yang all got to Runegate and found the Ulerians and Enderin at the Last Chance Inn. Enderin explained that he had fallen in love with Magda and didn’t want to marry Salyn because he didn’t love her. The PCs reasoned with him and eventually Tryggvi forced Magda to admit that the Greydog Eurmali, Brigpice, had bribed her to use Ulerian magic on Enderin. This forced Enderin to accept that he was being foolish, and he agreed to return to the clan for the marriage. But the PCs were spotted by a couple worshippers of Doburdan, a Lunar storm god, and supporters of Darsten Black Oak. They sought refuge at Geo’s Runegate Inn, where the Doburdan worshippers were too afraid to go. Eventually Geo’s Bouncer showed up and escorted them out of town.

.

I can’t believe the Ring granted permission for that sorcerer to settle in our village. Gods preserve us from his evil!
—For me the worst part is all the goats he has. Filthy creatures! He was supposed to kill them all, but he’s insisting on killing them one at a time so as not to “waste the meat!” How can he even think of eating that crap?

Vaninna has continued being sweet on Rangdan. It’s absolutely shameless. No married woman should be doing the things she does.
—She told me that Alfstan beats her, and she’s only turned to Rangdan for comfort.
Well, Ragnar isn’t no gentle lover, that’s for sure. But it still doesn’t justify sullying the marriage bed. Ernalda will punish her for that.

I swear there’s a ghost down by the river! I saw it a few days ago as I was catching fish. He looked all bloody with half his head gone. Sure wasn’t no living man! I nearly fell out of me boat!
—Ah, you just need to stop drinking so much when you fish. It’s a wonder you haven’t drowned yourself already.

The PCs escorted Gringle and Piku to Old Man Village. After some debate, the ring decided to allow Piku to stay in Old Man Village, in exchange for a payment of one iron weapon and one iron tool every year. He was also required to exchange his goats for sheep.

The PCs escorted Gringle to Quackford, where he found a barge to take him and Quackjohn to Nochet in the Holy Country. In exchange, he gave them the Eye of the Halfbird as a payment for their efforts and gave them the Lead Grimoire to take to Minaryth Purple in Jonstown.

When the PCs walked past Sartar’s Bridge, the stone bowls burst into flame. Yaneg.prayed at the Ernalda temple and in response his mysterious tattoo began to throb. The priestess of the temple sent them to talk to Ralf Silktongue, who showed them that he keeps a small shrine to Orlanth and Sartar in the basement of the King’s Head Inn.

On the way to Jonstown, they were approached by a mysterious man named Redbird, who said he was a client of a powerful man (later revealed to be Prince Temertain) and who offered to purchase the Lead Grimoire. The PCs refused and took it to Jonstown as quickly as possible.

At Jonstown, Minaryth Purple was excited to receive the Lead Grimoire and told the PCs that he was deeply in their debt. In the ensuing conversation, he helped them realize that their great-grandmother Cwenthryth, wife of Ulfilas the Wanderer, was the daughter of Eonislara Cat-Dancer, who was herself a member of the Royal House of Sartar. Therefore the PCs and the other members of Ulfiling bloodline are among the last descendants of Sartar and thus have a claim on the throne of Sartar. He emphasized that this is very dangerous knowledge.

The PCs decided to give the Eye of the Halfbird to the clan. Thus it currently belongs to the clan regalia.

The winter of Storm Season 1614 stretched into Sea Season 1615. On Plow Day, it began to snow and a group of Hollri ice demons attacked the tula, but were forced off. On Sword Day, the clan re-enacted Orlanth defeating Vadrus, to force Valind to submit to the proper cycle of seasons. This too was disrupted by Hollri and a manifestation of Valind, but the clan was able to complete the ritual successfully, with the result that the weather immediately began to warm.

Then Gordanger returned from a meeting of the Tribal Ring and said that King Kangharl had declared Gringle Goodsell of Apple Lane an outlaw and ordered him killed. Gordanger ordered Sindri, Asta, Tryggvi, Yaneg, and Yanioth to go to Apple Lane immediately and warn and protect Gringle.

Stopping over at Asbjorn’s Stead, they learned that the Red Bear was growing stronger and that more of the Taralings were converting to the Lunar Way.

At Apple Lane, they found Gringle early in the morning. He was baffled by the news that he was being outlawed, but theorized that perhaps Kangharl was hoping to take one of his few remaining great treasures: the Iron Cardinal’s Egg, the Eye of the Half-bird, and the Lead Scroll of Arkat.

Then a group of Taralings arrived, led by Darsten Black Oak and a Lunar sorceress, Erianda the Red. The PCs fought them off and captured the sorceress, rendering her unconscious. Gringle decided to hire the characters to escort him and his duck servant to Quackford, where he could hire a barge that would get him to Esrolia, far away from the Lunars.

The wagon train was accompanied by Piku of the Third Eye Blue Tribe, a sorcerous blacksmith. They returned to Asbjorn’s Stead.

The omens during the Sacred Time weren’t very good this year. Snorri said he saw a shadow fall across the tula, like a great dark figure walking over the hills. It took the children way longer to find Voria on Voria’s Day than is normal, and one girl got lost.

Finna Finnsdottir came to visit before the Sacred Time. She said that the Lunar Way is spreading among the Taralings, since Kangharl Blackmoor has become king. At least two of their five bloodlines have fully embraced the Shepelkirt. Kangharl’s household regularly hosts Lunar missionaries. And many of the clan’s members say that the Red Bear is proof that the Red Goddess is more powerful than Orlanth. Only Asbjorn and his bloodline have remained entirely loyal to Orlanth. He worries about violence within the clan, which would be a great disaster.

“Old Nanny Tova is talking in her sleep a lot.”
“No surprise that. The old biddy hasn’t been right in her head for a long time.”
“Yeah, but she leads the rituals of Ty Kora Tek. What if the Goddess is speaking through her.”
“[Laughs] Most days it’s a miracle if Nanny Tova speaks through Nanny Tova. She barely knows what she’s saying on her good days, much less when she drowses.”
“Oh, show a little more respect for the woman. She’s older than you will ever be and she’s lived through a lot. And she used to be the Ernalda priestess.”

Redleafs—What are Sindri and Rahl and Tryggvi up to in the woods all the time? I swear I see them there almost every week! Whatever it is, it’s definitely no good. Those Ulfilings are nothing but trouble!

Players can submit an IBT that represents what they were doing over the end of Storm Season, the Sacred Time, and early Sea Season.

Sindri, Tryggvi, and Asta, went back to Osric Spark-and-Fire with the information from Nymie and, in exchange, Osric initiated Sindri into the sub cult of Ingenew Redson. Sindri also made the dragonewt skin he had into Dragonewt Skin Armor.

The three of them then decided to journey to Fire Top to collect Vestkarthen’s Fire, so that they could reforge the Summer Sword. They went to Jonstown, where Sindri bought a lump of iron and Tryggvi sought information about Maran’s Maw.

Then they went to Dangerford, where they stayed at Geo’s Creek Inn. Upon entering Sindri was once against asked if he was a Friend of Sartar, although Asta and Tryggvi were not. Sindri spoke with Broyan No-Son, gifted him with the lump of iron, and received some guidance on reforging the Summer Sword.

At the Maran Gor temple, Asta negotiated with Arlensul the Dark, priestess of Maran Gor, and got permission to Maran’s Maw. After they went into the Fire Top volcano, they fought a fish that swam in the lava. Sindri killed it and took it out, along with a bucketful of Vestkarthen’s Fire.

When they exited the Maw, they were confronted with a patrol of Fire Top Yelmalions, but Asta skillfully negotiated with them and wound up laying the foundations for a good relationship between the Orlmarth and the Fire Tops. Then the characters returned home. They chose to not reforge the Summer Sword yet, deciding that they might want to reforge it as part of a hero quest.

In Earth Season of 1614, the clan ring debated whether to support the Duck Hunt. Godric argued that the clan needed more wealth and that hunting ducks might be way to get some. But the ring was skeptical of that, and eventually decided to launch a raid on the Enhyli, who were hunting ducks. Gordanger suggested that this might be presented to the Arnorings as active support for the ducks. The raid itself, which happened in Storm Season, was successful and netted a small profit.

In Dark Season,Finn Ulfilingsson died. He talked with Rahl and made him swear to become a greater man than he currently was. Then he dismissed Rahl and talked with Fintan Finnson, although Fintan has not said what they discussed. Finn died afterwards.

In the Sacred Time, Tryggvi traveled to Jonstown and became a devotee of Lhankor Mhy. He briefly met Minaryth Purple.

During the Mahomrevrand festival in 1615, the women of the clan undertook the Spindle Ritual, and after some debate, decided to make a tapestry of Ernalda Returning from the Underworld.

Asta, Tryggvi, Sindri, and Rahl decided to travel to Dangerford to find someone who could reforge the Summer Sword, but after stopping at the Namolding tula, they were asked by Ragnar Two-Tongues to help negotiate peace with the Orleving clan, which they did successfully, although they got the feeling that Ragnar might have been manipulating them and the Orlevings.

While at the Orleving tula, Sindri met Osric Spark-and-Fire, a Humakti smith and member of the Ingenew Redson sub cult. He agreed to teach Sindri the secrets of the sub cult if Sindri performed the Hero and the Grove quest to get information for the Orlevings about what their clan has been plagued by ogres.

So Sindri, Tryggvi, and Rahl went to Clearwine Fort, initiated the quest, and traveled to the Colymar Wilds. Tryggvi agreed to worship a Fox Spirit in order to get help finding Tarndisi’s Grove. Tarndisi asked them to confront the chaos that was poisoning her woods, and they fought and killed a group of ogres.

Sindri asked Nymie why ogres plagued the Orlevings, and received the answer that a skull was still hidden on their tula and was hungering. Tryggvi asked how he could use his Sunflower, and got the answer “If you sacrifice it to the gods it is aligned to, they will be pleased. If you converse with it, its spirit will give you aid. If you meditate on it, it will show you the world’s power. If you evoke the first principles, it will respond.” Rahl asked how he could become greater than he is, and Nymie responded “At Ernalda’s feast, you will receive your answer. You must complete the trials you are given.”

—Someone must have bribed Henkist Coin-in-the-Hand to speak against Leika Ballista. You really can’t trust those Issarions. They’ll do anything to make money, and Henkist is worse than most.
—I heard a rumor that he had secretly converted to the worship of the Shepelkirt. Why else would he help a Lunar become king?
—What I want to know is why Gordanger didn’t do something. If the Orlmarth had rallied to the Black Spear right away, other clans would have supported us. Do you suppose the Lunars could have bribed Gordanger?

—The Enhyli have embraced the Duck Hunt. They raided the Marshedge last week and killed more than a dozen ducks! It will be a wonder of Ernalda herself if that doesn’t lead to a feud.
—Well, good riddance to those feathered pests. I can’t imagine why the Marshedge shelter them.
—It’s not that strange. You know that the Arnorings used to have ducks too, until the Lunars forced them to let Quackford become an independent town.
—Wait, you’re using the Arnorings as an example of the right way to do something? Those pot-making fools couldn’t follow Orlanth’s ways if Vinga herself gave them a map.
—They’re refusing to hunt ducks, even though they’re desperate for money. I don’t like the ducks, but I can admire the Arnorings for supporting their old allies.
—Hhmpf! You’re only saying that because your mother’s sister married one.

—The Lunars actually turned control of Sartar over to Prince Temertain! That governor, Euglyctus or whatever he’s called, had been summoned back to the Empire.
—Maybe Temertain will unify us and throw out the Lunars!

Players may submit a between-time action. Also, what do players want to do at the next session, which will be set in 1614?

Rahl, Dagmar, and Tryggvi were asked by Fintan Finnsson to investigate the disappearance of some sheep from Voriof’s Sheep-pen. Up at the Sheep-pen, they were told that 7 or 8 sheep had vanished, apparently overnight. Tryggvi noticed a woodpecker perched on a tree on the Hillhaven side of the Roofbeam and decided it was a sign from the Orlmarth clan wyter. They found some irregular sheep-hoof prints and followed them into the woods.

They encountered a shaman whom they eventually learned was Bofrost, the clan chieftain of the Hillhaven clan. He cryptically gave them directions and a stick carved with runes. Deeper in the woods, they found a ravine with a number of distressed animals, including a Orlmarth sheep, and eventually concluded that the creatures were the victims of Broos, chaotic creatures that impregnate their victims.

After killing the animals and burning the carcasses, they explored a cave and found a group of Broos performing a ritual to summon a spirit of Malia, the spirit/goddess of disease. They used the stick to kill most of the broos and stop the summoning, but the lead broo, who was hairless and diseased, was able to flee.

Bofrost explained that the cave had been used a long time ago to summon a great evil. (Snorri later explained that this was probably Mad Ovad, a long-ago chieftain of the Hillhavens). He asked them to participate in a ritual in which they gambled with spirits. They won a number of spirit charms. He told them that they would meet first as friends, then as clients, and then as enemies.

In Fire Season, the clan journeyed to Clearwine Fort for the coronation of Leika Ballista as Queen of the Colymar. Rahl impressed a group of poets with his own poetry, and Tryggvi met Elmulf the Walker, a Lhankor Mhy Wild Sage.

At the inauguration, the tribal Goodvoice, Henkist Coin-in-the-Hand, demanded that Leika show the tribal the Ring of Friendship, part of the tribal regalia, and Leika confessed that it had been stolen from her. Snorri reluctantly declared that according to clan law, she had harmed the tribe, was no longer an acceptable ruler, and would have to go into exile. In the ensuing uproar, Kangharl Kagradusson declared that he was the new king, and that he had negotiated with the Lunar governor for a reduction of the tribal taxes. The Black Spears declared that he was King Blackmor (an ancient insult meaning that he had behaved without honor), and left the tribal hall, taking the sacred Black Spear with them, saying that he should come take it if he could.

Several days later, at an Orlmarth clan moot, Gordanger explained that a hurried meeting of various tribal leaders had agreed to not oppose Kangharl, for the following reasons:

1) Kangharl is one of the most powerful warriors in the tribe, and he and his clan are willing to fight for his claim to the throne. In particular, the Varmandi and the Konthasos refused to oppose Kangharl because it would lead to war.
2) Several clans, include the Arnorings, the Enhyli, and the Konthasos, supported Kangharl because of the promise of lower taxes.
3) The Hiordings supported him because their clan is closely allied with the Taralings.
4) The Narri refused to commit to either side.
5) Only the Black Spears were willing to explicitly oppose him, while the Ernaldori and Gordanger discretely opposed him. Gordanger, Snorri, and Morganeth agreed that in such a situation, prudence dictated that they not openly provoke violence.

Tryggvi, Sindri, and Asta were asked by Gordanger to escort his son Enderin to Swordvale to woo Thanos’ daughter Salyn, since Thanos had indicated that he might be open to such an alliance.

The PCs and Enderin started across the Roofbeam, but discovered that the Dragonewt Plinth was glowing and making a strange sound. Asta tried to influence it with her Earth magic, but only succeeded in causing two dragonewts to suddenly appear (prompting characters to speculate that perhaps the dragonnewts use the plinths to travel). A fight ensued during which Enderin killed the smaller dragonewt and Sindri the larger one. Remember that he had heard something about making armor from dragonewts, Sindri skinned both of them and gave the heads to Enderin. Tryggi acquired a living sunflower from the smaller newt.

At Swordvale they helped Enderin court Salyn, who seemed disinterested in him. That evening, she disappeared from the hall. An investigation eventually revealed that she might have fled to a forgotten temple of Babeester Gor. Asta went into the old temple and found Arda Wombguard attempted to initiate Salyn into the worship of Babeester Gor. Asta was able to persuade Salyn to not intervene and the two left, with Arda swearing her hatred of Asta.

Back at Swordvale, Salyn underwent her adulthood rituals and emerged a confident young woman, who seemed to accept the possibility of her betrothal to Enderin.

Back at Old Man Village, one dragonewt skull was placed in the shrine to Orlanth, while the other was placed in the clan hall.

—Did you hear that King Thanos is planning to attack the Greydogs to punish Killer Branduan for breaching Thanos’ hospitality?
—Nonsense! The two clans are closely allied. There’s no way that Thanos would do that.
—Then why is he so interested in making nice with us all of sudden.
—It’s probably just those damn Ulfilings exaggerating things again. You can’t trust most of them, you know.

—I’m always glad when I’m done patrolling Voriof’s Sheepfold. All the mist up there is a little creepy. And they lost a couple sheep this week.
—Probably stolen by the Greydogs, damn their eyes.

—The Lunars have declared that the ducks are the reason that Starbrow rebelled. They’re offering a bounty on every duck brought in, dead or alive!

—Everyone is wondering if Vininna isn’t getting a little too friendly with Rangdan. It’s shameless the way she flirts with him!
—She’s a married woman! Ernalda will punish them both if they violate the marriage bed!

At Runegate, the PCs went to Geo’s Runegate Inn, where they were welcomed as Friends of Geo, except for Sindri, who was made to swear an oath of friendship to Geo. They spoke to Gunnflaeda, one of the only survivors of Runegate, who survived the assault of the Crimson Bat by hiding under the Luck Gate. She told the PCs that the bat ate all those it killed. But she also told them that the night before the battle, an army of zombies attacked from the Marsh, and those who died outside the walls were taken away by the zombies. So if their ancestors remain unburied, it must be because they are in the Marsh somewhere, and therefore probably zombies.

Sindri spoke to Atli the Grim, the leader of the House of Death at Runegate. Atli told him about two men who might be able to reforge the Summer Sword, Osric Spark-and-Fire of the Orlevings, and Broyan No-Son, a smith at Geo’s Creek Inn at Dangerford.

Tryggvi spoke to Arnmod Brokenquill and bartered with him for lore about the Summer Sword. Arnmod told him the story about how Vestkarthen forged the sword, and told him that in order to reforge it, it would be necessary to find some of Vestkarthen’s Fire. He suggested four ways it might be found: heroquesting for it (which he didn’t recommend), journeying to Fire Top near Alda Chur, going to the Sun Dome Temple in Sun County, or going to Vestkarthen’s Temple in Nochet.

The PCs also met Magra of Wilms Kirk and Green Alda, who are part of two Sartarite groups that have had a falling out. Green Alda asked them to kill Orlkarth Thrainsson, which they refused to do. Magra asked for help with the Defeat of the Whispering Dark heroquest, which they gave her support with by carrying a magical rock to the Narri tula. The quest was a narrow success, but it helped forestall violence within the Narri clan.

Afterward they returned home through Swordvale. They heard that Branduan had killed a man outside Thanos’ hall, and been banished from the hall for it. Thanos greeted the PCs warmly and dropped broad hints that he would like to ally with the Orlmarths. Sindri spoke with Farangelder the Honest, who told him that he did know the myth of Humakt, Raven, and Wolf, but that he was not willing at that time to teach it to Sindri.