Tales of the Ironlands

Kalyra Sophisdottir

Episode 08: The Elder Larch

Recap

Previously, on Tales of the Ironlands: Kalyra, having made peace with the spirits of the elves that she slew, and having helped the Skaren tribe to find a new equilibrium, returned her attention to the problem of rescuing her father. She secured fresh supplies, made friends with Belisant, the apprentice Kocari; and finally achieved her goal of learning about primordials.

The Kocari told her that the Vanhimmat — primordials — have many powers; but they are unlike most creatures, in that they cannot reproduce. According to the mythology of the elves, this is because they were created rather than born. Each type was made by a different one of the First (the spirits who came from the world itself). But, like other creatures, they will in time die.

Veris could not say with any certainty what led this specific primordial to try transforming her father; but he was able to tell her that there are two other cases in which this is known to have happened — an elven man who became an air primordial, and an elven woman who turned into a fire primordial. Both made the change voluntarily, as the price for a bargain struck with the primordials. He therefore speculated that her father may have made such a bargain, and that if she wants to save him, she must find out what it was, and see if there is any other price that will satisfy the primordial.

Veris also told her a bit about deathtouched; and becoming deathtouched. That it can change you, and that she will likely find it easier to reach out and speak with the dead now that she has struck a bargain with the Black Lady. He urged her to remember that death is, in its own way, a part of the Mothers’s Balance, and not to let fulfilling her vow to the Black Lady become her whole identity.

Before she left, Kalyra reported that the snapped halves of Raleth’s mask had appeared in her room; and this caused great consternation for Veris. The shattered mask of a murderer is an object of ill omen; but not one to be disposed of lightly. He gave her a length of silk to wrap it in, and cautioned her to keep it safe, but not to dwell on it.

Resupplied, rested, and with a new goal, Kalyra left the tribe of the Skaren and began making her way back to the cave of the primordial to confront it once again.

Session Report

Began by debating whether to go straight to the primordial’s cave, or stop by Aliaanor’s house on the way there. Decided to stop at Aliaanor’s; it’s almost in a straight line and makes a good landmark. Set this journey as Dangerous, because it’s not terribly far and Kalyra passed this way earlier.

Resupplying, and the interview the Kocari, occupied most of the morning. Kalyra ate lunch with the Skaren before she departed, and then set her face to the northeast. Undertake a Journey, with bond thanks to Belisant; 7v6/1, strong hit. Marked progress. 2/10.

Kalyra crosses the river to the east side and begins trotting along it. She knows that the Bantu clan — somewhat north of here — dwells on the west side of the river. She hopes to avoid any further entanglements with them, as she knows she is not welcome there. It is about a day’s travel up, and she has half a day of travel before the nightfall will come.

As she travels she keeps an eye out for edible plants or any medicinal herbs she might harvest. She wants to keep moving, but she also needs to keep an eye on her supplies. She knows that she will be no use to her father she shows up starving and beaten to death. Resupply: 5v4/9, weak hit. -2 Momentum, +2 supply, both at 5.

The Deep Wilds are a lush and verdant area. The trees are enormous and old; and there is enough light coming through the canopy here and there that there are patches of growing things. It’s still fairly early spring, so it’s too early for much of the berries or nuts she might hope to get later in the summer and in the fall after it, but early spring greens are good eating. She finds miner’s lettuce, and variety of other fresh green plants that she can supplement her diet with. She also finds some fresh supplies of willow bark, which she takes a moment to harvest, and a variety of other medicinal herbs.

Towards the end of the day, as the shadows are growing long beneath the trees of the Deep Wilds, she looks for a spot to camp. She decides to step away from the banks of the river a little bit — not terribly far. Just a couple of minutes walk away. Far enough that she will not be immediately obvious to the eye should someone pass by on a boat, for example. She doesn’t know if the elves use boats on this river; but it is possible. Make Camp: natural 1 on the action die for 6v9/9. Miss on doubles. Pay the Price table said: your action has an unintended effect ...

Kalyra had made her way away from the river because she was hoping to avoid attention. The place she settled on for her camp lay at the base of a particularly large tree: a larch, with black and white streaked bark. She makes her camp there, confident that she won’t be seen from the river. She gathers up some dry wood, pushes away the litter of the forest floor: dead leaves; sticks; bracken. She builds a campfire: digs a small pit in the sandy loam of the soil to hold the fire, and sets it alight; makes herself some dinner.

And then Kalyra goes to sleep. But she does not stay that way for long. As she sleeps, she dreams. She dreams of an old woman cackling in the darkness; she dreams of long, spindly, withered hands emerging from the blackness, reaching for her. And she wakes suddenly in the dark of the night to discover that the tree she has bedded down against is leaning down towards her. The bark that she leaned up against has begun to grasp at her. Decided this creature is an Elder Larch. Marked it as a Dangerous fight, not one that can be readily fought with weapons.

There in the darkness of the clearing, Kalyra can hear the branches of the larch rubbing together, raspy in the darkness. This is the cackling that she heard in her sleep, and it is strangely hypnotic; strangely soothing in some ways. Enter the Fray +wits (2) because she was ambushed: 6v3/9, weak hit. Took +2 momentum, because that was more interesting. Up to 7.

The tree leans; it leans ... it is strangely unnerving to see wood twisting and bending this way, and she can almost hear a voice in the rubbing and the crackling of the bark and the branches. And as she listens to what it says in its strange, crackling whispery voice, she can’t understand it; but she listens. Face Danger +heart to resist the call of the voice. Considered rolling +shadow for this because it’s magical, but decided that that’s more for performing magic rather than resisting it. 6v6/8: miss; and pay the price ...

Kalyra listens a little too long, and a little too deeply. “What is it ...” she says.

The raspy branches creak in darkness.

“I hear ... yes ...” says Kalyra. “What ... do you ... want of me?”

Kalyra lost this fight on one roll; but the tree doesn’t want her death. Asked the Oracle: what sort of service does the Elder Larch want? Rolled on Theme first: 60, weakness. Then rolled on Action: 39 destroy. Paused the recording for a few minutes to ponder that.

The larch leans down over Kalyra, its branches rasping and creaking, and she listens to it.

“Oh ... I see ... you’re diseased ... yes, I am a healer. Of course ... of course ... I will help you. How ... how can I help you overcome this weakness in yourself?”

The branches creak and rasp.

“Oh ... you are hungry. You want me to bring you ... nourishment. What ... what kind of nourishment do you need?” But she doesn’t really need to ask. She knows. It wants her to water its roots with blood; and it’s not especially particular as to where she gets it. It could be hers. It could be an animal’s, of the forest. It could be one of the elves who lives in the area.

“I ... I ...” she reaches a hand up and touches her sword blade. “I swear ... I will bring you ... what you need ...” she says. Swear an Iron Vow (while under the mental control of an Elder Larch!). 3+3 = 6v6/6. Miss on doubles! Forswearing her vow is not an option here, as the larch will not allow it, so instead she loses 2 momentum (to 5). And now for the twist ...

Moving like a sleepwalker, or person in a dream, Kalyra stands and gathers her supplies. “I will return with what you need,” she says.

She strides out into the darkness of the Deep Wilds night, looking for a source of blood to feed the Elder Larch. It is not long before she finds one. She wanders in a slow, meandering spiral out from larch, alert for movement, listening for any prey. The first thing that she spots is: light in the forest. She draws her sword and advances stealthily on this campsite. Face Danger +shadow to approach undetected. 3v4/9, miss.

Kalyra is — it must be said — not terribly stealthy. As she makes her way through the darkened forest, anyone paying even a little bit of attention is likely to notice her. As she comes to the camp, she finds there is a single figure there, who has stood up. He looks out into the darkness, the light gleaming from his brown mask and calls out “Who’s there?” He has a spear in his hand.

Kalyra emerges from the bushes, unspeaking.

“Oh, it’s you!” says the man. And in a distant way, she recognizes: Einari, the failed leadership candidate from the Skaren tribe. The one who had to leave.

“I wondered if you might be coming up this w ... whoa, what are you doing?!” And she lunges out at him, sword raised. Enter the Fray +shadow because he was not expecting that. 6v1/10, weak hit. Took +2 momentum. Declared Einari a Formidable opponent.

She lunges forward, and he manages to jink to the side. As established earlier, Einari is a fast man. He is light on his feet. As she lunges forward he spins out of the way, leaping over his own fire and skidding to a halt on the other side. He turns and points his spear. “Now what’s going on ...” Clash, as Kalyra is not in full control of her faculties. I hope I don’t roll well! ... crap, I rolled well. 7v3/4, strong hit. Inflicted 3 harm (sword was still keen).

“Agh!” he cries. “What are you doing!? And ... I’m ... it’s not you, is it?” And as she raises her sword to strike at him once again, he tries to flee. Strike on Kalyra’s part. 6v4/8. Weak hit. Inflicts more harm (3), loses the initiative. Also retroactively gave her +1 momentum for the strong hit on the clash.

“Agh!” he cries as she lunges forward, leaping over the fire to stab at him once again.

“Good night, sweet maiden; I am not sticking around!” And he turns tail and runs into the forest. Mulled over how to resolve this and settled on Secure Advantage +edge, because this is about speed. 1 on the die, for 2v2/5: miss. He gets away. Considered whether or not to burn momentum to make this a strong hit, but decided Kalyra retained just enough control not to.

Einari turns and spins away from her. As he does so, he rips off his mask and hurls it in her face, not having anything else to throw at her. It collides with her face and falls to the forest floor. By the time she recovers from this, he has pelted away into the darkness. For a few minutes she runs after him, her blue eyes glowing in the darkness of the forest — the eyes of a deathtouched. But she has lost him. He has slipped away.

She comes to a halt, standing, looking around the dark trees and then resumes her long slow spiral around the Elder Larch looking for anything, any large creature she might kill and bring to sate the Elder Larch’s thirst for blood. Marked progress on Vow to Serve the Elder Larch, because she tried really hard there. 2 progress. Rolled a Resupply check to go find something else to kill. 8v2/6: strong hit.

She is successful in locating a deer. She does have a bow and arrow, and she is moderately proficient with it. It takes most of the night, but she eventually locates a doe and her fawn. The doe raises her head and looks in Kalyra’s direction — Kalyra is maybe 40 yards away — but she brings down the doe. It takes a little while for the deer to die, and then Kalyra hunts down the fawn as well and hauls both of them back to the Elder Larch, where she cuts their throats open and sets them to drain on the roots that twist into the ground. Marked progress again, 4/10.

Kalyra leans up against the trunk and dozes off, resting a little as the tree feeds on the blood of these animals. But in time, the rustling, the creaking, wakes her again, and she dully stands and resumes her hunting. Resupply again. 8v5/8, weak hit. -2 Momentum, traded for supplies for the larch.

In the course of exploring the woods Kalyra passes by the smoldering remains of the fire where Einari was last night. He must have come back, because his gear is gone, as is his mask. Passing by it she once again spirals outwards from the Elder Larch, hunting. She’s not lucky enough to find another deer and fawn. This time she locates a raccoon. It’s a much larger raccoon than usual, because these are the Deep Wilds, and it raises a face to look at her as she approaches. But an arrow brings it down just as well.

Her mind is hazy: filled with the creaking and the twisting of branches, the sipping of roots deep in the earth. Almost without realizing it she finds herself back at the Elder Larch, opening the throat of the raccoon to feed the tree once more. Marked progress, 6/10.

Once again, Kalyra takes rest, leaning against the bark of her current ... master. Once again it wakes her, this time around dusk and she goes looking once more to find blood: blood for the Elder Larch. Resupply: 6v1/9, weak hit.

In the fog that is her current mind, Kalyra wanders. She knows what she’s doing, but it feels as though it is being done by someone else. She sees the forest as she walks among it, but inside of her own mind she is walking through the fog which parts before her and closes up again behind.

In the course of her travels, looking for anything that might serve the Master’s thirst, she fails to notice something: she fails to notice the elves.

“There she is!”

And when she looks up there are three elves there: Einari, Veris and Belisant. She turns to them and draws her blade, expression dull, and Veris nods and says “It’s just as you said, Einari. She must have run into one of the elder trees.” Declared it an Extreme fight on the grounds that Einari was Formidable by himself. Enter the Fray +wits. 1 on the die, for 3v6/6. Miss on doubles.

Kalyra draws her sword and lunges forward. Part of her inside of her head is screaming “No, no, no!”, but her body is moving forward, ready to kill these and take them back to the larch. She doesn’t see her friend Belisant. She doesn’t see Belisant’s mentor Veris. She doesn’t see Einari. She sees: blood for the larch.

But as she lunges forward, she has failed to realize that Einari has fought her before, and knows what she is going to do in these circumstances. As she lunges forward he reaches out with the butt end of his spear and cracks it against her wrist, sending her sword flying and herself spinning. Paid the price: disarmed, and 1 damage and Endure Harm. 6v7/8, miss. -1 Momentum to 5.

Even in the haze of the control the larch exercises over her — it’s like roots, twisting into her mind! — she knows that she needs that sword to really stand a chance in any significant fight. She scrambles after it. Secure Advantage +edge: 2v2/10. Miss, and paid the price: Einari grapples her.

Kalyra turns and lunges for her sword, but he has anticipated this move. Einari sticks his foot out and trips her and then leaps down upon her, grabbing one arm and wrenching one arm behind her. “Quickly!” he calls. “Do what you can — clear her mind!” Kalyra tires to escape. Face Danger +iron: 7v5/10, weak hit, needed a strong hit to get free.

The part of her that is Kalyra is screaming inside of her mind. The Kalyra inside of Kalyra frantically pushes away the fog, revealing roots, roots entrapping her, and she tries to claw and tear them away while her body struggles against Einari’s grip outside. Endure Stress +spirit: 10v8/9, strong hit. +1 momentum (to 6).

In the foggy forest that is Kalyra’s mind at the moment she grits her teeth and she rips away at the roots the tangle all around her. They snap under her grip, and leak blood instead of sap. Face Danger to break free from the Larch, +heart. 8v8/8, miss. Pay the price.

The roots grow up around her legs inside of her mind and pull her back. The raspy dry voice that speaks in words without words soothes away her troubles, and she is once again fully under its control. Face Danger +iron to get free of Einari: 7v9/10, miss.

Einari now has one arm around her front and one of her arms up behind her back. “Quickly!” he says, and Veris pulls from his satchel at his side a series of accoutrements and begins to begins to chant in the Elven language. Kalyra has no idea what he’s saying even if she cared about that at the moment. Face Danger +iron to get loose, again. 7v6/2. Strong hit.

She hurls her head backwards into Einari’s mask, and she hears a crack from behind her. He gives a brief curse, and he drops her. She staggers forward, then throws a punch at Veris. Strike. 5v3/9, weak hit. Inflicts harm (2/20).

Kalyra lunges forward and brings her fist round to connect the palm of her hand — she actually opens her hand last moment — and smashes it against Veris’s mask, sending him reeling backwards. Belisant cries out: “Kalyra, no! Listen to your heart. You’re in there. Come out to us. Come out to us!”

Kalyra hears that in the shadows, in the fog, in the roots. Face Danger +heart to break free of the larch. 9v7/4.

“I ... will ... not ... stand for this!” Kalyra cries. She pushes forward, rising up against the roots that tangle and pull against her. They snap as she pushes forward, ripping them aside. And then she is through. She is out. The fog dissipates and she blinks; and she is standing in the forest, slightly bruised and surrounded by three elves. And she says “... Belisant? Veris! Uh ... I am so, so sorry!”

“It’s all right,” Belisant says, and comes forward and wraps an arm around Kalyra’s shoulders. “It’s all right. You’re free now. You’re free.”

“What ... was that?” Kalyra asks.

“Ow,” says Einari, and sits up. “Ow. I think by dose is broked. Ow.”

“Oh! I did that, didn’t I?” says Kalyra.

“Yeah!” he says. “You were right here. I’m sure you should remember that.”

“Now Einari,” says Belisant. “People don’t always remember clearly what they’ve done in these sorts of situations.”

“Indeed,” says Veris. “Thankfully, my nose isn’t broken. But I’m going to have a headache for a while.”

“That,” Veris continues, “Was one of the elder trees. You must have gone to sleep too near it. They are dangerous creatures. Much of the time they sleep. We don’t always know where they are, because they can move. Slowly. Usually only after they have had a solid meal. But you must have found one.”

“I, uh ... there was a larch,” Kalyra says slowly. “I remember ... oh, the roots. And the creaking. I ... think I killed a deer?”

“Do you remember how to get back to it?” asks Veris.

“Let me think,” says Kalyra. Asked the Oracle: does Kalyra remember how to get back to the Elder Larch? 50/50 chance, high is yes: 18.

“No ... I don’t remember. It’s ... uh, I remember I left the river. I don’t think I know where it is, exactly, from here.”

“That’s all right,” Veris says. “Do you think you could recognize the spot where you left the river when you were making camp?”

“Yeah, I think so,” she says. That of course was before she fell under the larch’s influence.

“Could I get this looked at?” Einari says thickly. “I bean, I really think by dose is broked.”

“Oh! May I?” Kalyra says. “I — I’m so sorry.”

“Well, you’ve already seen my face ...”

“I have?”

“Yeah, I threw my mask at you to distract you when you attacked me the other night.”

“I attacked you the other night?”

“Boy, you really don’t remeber anythig, do you?” he says.

“Noooo.”

“Well you’re going to remember ... you’re goig to see it again anybay, so nebermide.” He takes off his mask. He’s a fairly plain-looking guy, as these things go. I mean he’s not ugly, but he’s not exactly handsome. And it doesn’t help that his nose is in fact broken at the moment and bleeding. Nobody ever looks their best with a bleeding nose.

“All right. let me take a look,” she says. “Oh! My supplies!” They’re back with the larch.

“I brought some,” says Veris. “In case someone was wounded during the fight.” He passes over his satchel. Within it Kalyra finds some familiar bandages and herbal supplies, including rubywort which is good for stanching bleeding. Heal, at +1 from Herbalist thanks to Veris’ supplies. 5v4/6.

“Hold still,” Kalyra says as Einari jerks his head away from her hands. “I have to straighten your nose.”

“Do you really have to ... graaagh!” he says.

“There. Don’t be such a baby,” she says, and rolls up some linen and tucks it into his nose to absorb the blood.

“That will have to do,” she says. “I don’t think there’s a whole lot else to be done for it other than give it time. You probably shouldn’t wear your mask until it’s healed.”

“Oh, great,” he says. “All right, let’s go,” he says; and Veris, Belisant and Kalyra make their way towards the river. Also Einari, I forgot to list him in the audio.

Meeting up with it, they find they’re not too far downstream from where Kalyra turned off during her travels. “It was here,” she says as they come to a spot. “I remember this large boulder at the side of the stream. I thought that would be a good landmark. I turned right and I went into the woods just a couple of minutes. That way.”

“All right. It is not terribly difficult to exorcise an elder tree once you know where it is. In fact, you two should stay here. Belisant and I will take care of this.” Veris says.

“Really?” says Kalyra.

“Oh yes. I don’t want you anywhere near that tree again,” says Veris. “You’ve fallen under its control once already. Have a seat. We’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“We’ll run if be hear screaming,” says Einari.

“No, we won’t ... we’ll run to help!”

“I was thinkig the other thig, but sure.”

Belisant and Veris disappear into the woods, leaving Kalyra and Einari at the edge of the river. Einari leans down by the river and washes the blood off his face, while Kalyra sits on the boulder and looks at him.

“Would you bind lookig elsewhere? I feel daked wibout by bask,” he says through his, broken clogged nose.

“Oh, sorry,” she says and averts her gaze.

After a few minutes Belisant and Veris return. Belisant has Kalyra’s gear, and passes the satchel to her. “Well?” says Kalyra.

Veris shakes his head. “I told you they could move. Especially after they’ve had a good meal. It’s gone.”

“Oh,” says Kalyra.

“Do you remember anything about it?” Veris asks.

“It was a larch. It had white bark was black marks on it. And I fell asleep under it. I remember ... I remember swearing to serve it. To bring it blood.”

“That would’ve been me. You’re really dangerous berson, by the way,” Einari says, and Kalyra looks extraordinarily embarrassed.

“How can I make it up to you?” she asks.

“By not doing it again!” says Einari.

“Of course not,” she says. “It wanted blood.”

“Well you gave it that,” says Veris. “We found two dead deer, a raccoon, and I think there may have been a few birds in there as well.”

“I don’t remember anything about birds ...”

“You wouldn’t. But it’s possible they just landed on it at the wrong time. In any case, it’s gone now.”

“I guess I ... fulfilled my vow,” Kalyra says. “That really sucks!” Moved to Fulfill her Vow to Serve the Elder Larch, which she got to six progress. 6v3/8, so a weak hit. Gained 1 XP. Under the circumstances, I didn’t think she’d feel like taking the time to hunt down the Elder Larch.

“How long was I out?” Kalyra asks.

“Couple of days,” Veris says. “We thought you were gone until Einari showed up, bleeding from a couple of stab wounds and wanted to know if we could help get you free of the elder tree. How did you recognize that as the cause, Einari?” says Veris.

“Well some of us pay attention when we we’re learnig thigs as children. I’m not dumb!” says Einari. “Even dough I soud like it wid by dose broked.”

“Well, glad to hear that one of my students was paying attention, anyway. I always assumed you were busy daydreaming.”

“Well, a lot ob the tibe I was. But, you know, anythig with blood and guts in it was just awesobe, so I paid attention to dose bits.”

“We should go,” Belisant says. “Back to the tribe. It is getting late. Kalyra — you should be more careful, my friend!”

“I didn’t know they were a thing!” says Kalyra.

“Well, lisden,” says Einari. “I can’t go back wib dem anyway, and I know at least a little bit about the dangers of the Deep Wilds. I’m coming wib you.”

“Oh! All right,” says Kalyra. “Thanks?”

And so she thanks Veris and Belisant once again and waves goodbye as they turn and walk back downstream towards the encampment of the Skaren.

“Hey, I owe you one adyway,” says Einari. “Although after you attacked me I think we might be even.”

“What do you mean you owe me one?” asks Kalyra as they set off to the north.

“Oh, well,” Einari says. “What do you dow about Elendi?”

“Ehh .. err ... the, uh ... I think ...”

“Ruling castes of de tribes of elves. Yeah. I’m one of ‘em. You may have seen the duel? I remeber seeing you at the duel.”

“Ah, yes. The Elendi are the leaders of the elves, and you are of that caste.”

“That’s right. And let be tell you it is such a drag! You sped your entire life getting prepared — ahh, man, by dose, agh — you sped your entire life getting prepared to ... most of us don’t actually get to lead, because there is generally only one leader per tribe. So you spend your entire life getting drilled on duty and honor and ritual, and then wind up just being another hunter. So you came along, and then Raleth got killed by the Hollow and I saw my opportunity!”

“You mean, you saw your opportunity to take leadership?” Kalyra asks.

“Hell no!” says Einari. “I saw my opportunity to get out! I challenged Calla for the leadership — and then I threw the fight!”

Kalyra laughs out loud. “Seriously? You challenged her just so you would get kicked out of the tribe?”

“You heard be! Anyway, I have you to thank for that opportunity. So I might as well see you safely out of the Deep Wilds.”

“Considering I broke your nose today, that’s awfully good of you.” And the two of them undertake a journey. Rolled with a +1 for leaving a bonded community because Belisant was there when she left. 6v1/5, strong hit. Marked progress: 4/10.

With Einari’s guidance they make good time. They pass by the settlement of the Bantu on the other side of the river, but Einari knows just where it is and how to adjust their path so that they’re less likely to encounter any of that tribe on their way.

They travel most of the day, and when it comes time to camp Kalyra says “Well, we should find some place to settle in for the night. Preferably without any elder trees there! I’ve had quite enough of those. How common are they?”

“Oh, not bery, really.” Einari says. “They’re dangerous as anythig, especially if you encounter them alone, but they don’t pop up all that often.” Make Camp: 7v2/8, weak hit.+1 momentum, -1 supply (to 7 and 4).

“Here, let me look at your nose again,” says Kalyra.

“All right.” Einari submits himself to Kalyra’s healing hands. Heal check. 7v6/3, but for some reason I interpreted this as a weak hit when it was actually strong.

“Oh, that’s coming along,” she says. “I think you will be just as handsome as you were before.”

“Ha! I know just how hadsub I was before. It’s a good thing that we elves wear masks.”

“Oh, you’re not so bad,” she says.

“Thags? I think?” he says. “Adyway, it was an honorably gained wound ... ban, I hope I can talk more dormally soon!”

“Hopefully in the morning your nasal passages will have cleared a little bit.”

“I hope so, because ban, I sound like an idiot right now!” And Kalyra laughs. Advance: spending 2 XP in order to check off the second Herbalist ability: when you heal a companion, ally or other character and you score a hit take +1 spirit or +1 momentum. I have now spent 5 XP (3 on Deathtouched, 2 on Herbalist). Gave her the benefit immediately, gaining +1 momentum.

In the morning Kalyra and Einari wake up, having spent the night in their bedrolls on opposite sides of the campfire. Einari is up first and heads down the river, where he bathes his face again, and snorts some water into his nose to help clear it.

“Ah ... that’s a little better,” he says. “A little bedder ... oh, nope. Nope, nope.”

“Give it time,” Kalyra says as she wakes up, stretches and rolls her bedroll together. “In another few days you’ll be good as new.”

“I hope we don’t encounter any other elves,” he says. “I wish it would be one or the other! I keep clogging up halfway through a sentence.” And he goes and blows his nose, off to the side as a little. “That’s a little better, I think.”

“Come on, I’ve got places to go.”

“Where are you going anyway?” he asks.

“I ... I have some business, up north.” She’s tired of explaining this to people.

“What kind of business?” he says.

“Oh, all right ...” And as they undertake the day’s journey she’s going to explain the whole situation to him again. 4v4/3, weak hit. Marked progress, -1 supply.

Towards the end of the day they come to the edge of the Deep Wilds, looking at the hogback, the stone ridge which marks the border of the Hinterlands.

“Not terribly far to Aliaanor’s house now. We should press on and stay the night there.”

“Who is this Aliaanor?” says Einari.

“She’s a wisewoman. She is the oldest human woman that I’ve ever met. She was one of the first settlers who came from the Old World. She was the one who told me to go and find a Kocari to ask about this.”

“Well, by all means,” he says. “Off to Aliaanor’s house.”

Asked the Oracle: is Aliaanor still alive? She was quite old. Decided it was Likely, considering Kalyra’s excellent Heal check last time they met. The oracle says: 54. Yes. A couple of times in this passage I accidentally said “Aliaanor” when I meant “Kalyra”. Whoops.

As Einari and Kalyra emerge from the Deep Wilds into the thinner pine forest of the Hinterlands and make their way up over the stone ridge and down and up and down through the valleys beyond, they soon come to the hut of Aliaanor, pine-thatched and sitting at the base of the enormous mesa. Smoke still trails through the top of the hut, and as they approach Kalyra calls out “Hello! Hello the hut! It’s Kalyra.”

There is a rustling and Tegan — Aliaanor’s grandson — pops his head out of the hut. He doesn’t frown exactly, but his lips press together firmly. “Back, are you?”

“Yes, just briefly. Could we stay the night, please?”

Tegan glances back over his shoulder and evidently hears someone speaking within. He says “Yes, come in. Who’s your friend?”

And Kalyra says “This is Einari of the Skaren ...”

“Not of the Skaren,,” says Einari. “Not any more.”

“This is Einari,” says Kalyra. “Of no clan any longer.”

Tegan raises an eyebrow. “Well, come on in then. Leave your weapons outside.”

Kalyra and Einari leave their sword and spear outside of the door and entered the hut. There they find that Aliaanor is sitting up: in good spirits and good health.

“Ahhhh ... the young girl Kalyra returns. Tell me, did you find a Kocari?”

“Yes,” says Kalyra. “I found two clans of elves. The first wanted nothing to do with me on account of ...” she gestures at her eyes. Aliaanor nods. “The second one ... oh, it’s quite a story!” And she recounts the tales of everything that happened amongst the Skaren clan. Aliaanor listens with interest.

Turning to Einari, Aliaanor says something in the language of the elves. He looks a little surprised and responds in the same language. Kalyra looks over at Tegan, who is looking as blank as she is.

“Yes, I can see how that would be an inconvenience,” says Aliaanor. “I was just curious as to why he wasn’t wearing his mask,” she tells Kalyra and Tegan.

“How do you know Elven?” says Kalyra.

“Well, I did tell you that I lived among them, for a while, many years ago. I am a bit rusty but I still remember how to speak the language, a little.”

“Which clan did you stay with?” asks Einari.

“Oh, I stayed with the Hartu. It was only for a year or so.”

“The Hartu! Interesting. They are a long way from here. How did you come to know them?” asks Einari. And they settle in and trade tales over the course of the evening.

Aliaanor has led a long and rich life, and is able to tell them many things, many stories about what she has seen and done. There has been so much of it! Towards the end of the evening, before they go to bed she speaks to Kalyra — slightly more privately when Tegan and Einari have stepped out for a moment to lay in a fresh supply of firewood for the next day.

“And what of your quest to save your father?” Aliaanor says.

Kalyra says “Well, Veris told me that he thinks my father must have struck some sort of bargain with the primordial. That becoming a primordial is the price that he has to pay for whatever that bargain was. He said that I should talk to the primordial — find out what it wants. See if there is some other price I could offer it.”

“This is good advice,” says Aliaanor.

“Will it even talk to me?” Kalyra says. “The last time I was there it did, but ... then I tried to free my father and we fought. Why should it talk to me again?”

“You can only try,” says Aliaaanor. “You can only try. If it refuses to talk to you, well ... I don’t think there’s much that either you or I can do about that. But if you never try to talk to it, then you will certainly fail in your quest.”

“You told me that it was easier to damage them with a club or a maul,” says Kalyra. “Do you think I should ... I don’t know, make a club before I go? Just in case?

“That depends,” says Aliaanor. “Do you want to talk with it? Or do you want to fight it? Because if you approach it with a weapon that has clearly been made to harm it, I think you will find it more difficult to get it to talk.”

Kalyra just breathes out. “Yes, I suppose that’s right.”

“And what will you offer it?”

“I don’t know!” Kalyra says. “What can I offer it?” And then a thought occurs to her, and she says “I could ... offer to take his place.”

“I suppose you could,” says Aliaanor thoughtfully. “Do you think it would accept?”

“I don’t know,” Kalyra bursts out. “Veris said that they’re just as smart as people. Maybe it doesn’t really care — who — as long as it gets what it wants. Which is, apparently, another earth primordial.”

“I cannot say. Such fascinating creatures; but so hard to find any reliable information about them. I told you about meeting that water primordial, or seeing it anyway, didn’t I?”

“Yes, you did.”

“I have always been fascinated with them, ever since I saw the water primordial. I saw an air primordial once, passing by. I’ve never seen a fire primordial; nor have I seen an earth primordial. There are not so very many of them out there, I think. What I would give to see that!” Completely forgot that in a previous episode she actually said she’d seen a warrior fight an earth primordial. Also absent-mindedly said “elemental” instead of “primordial” a couple times. Whoops!

“It’s not so far,” says Kalyra.

“Maybe not for you,” says Aliaanor. “But I have old bones. I think it is doubtful that I will be making any more long journeys.”

“Let me look at you,” Kalyra says. “I want to check on you. See how you’re doing. Have you been recovering from your illness well?”

“Oh yes, very well,” says Aliaanor. “In fact I feel somewhat better than I have in some time.”

“Let me look at you anyway, says Kalyra,” and examines her, listening to her chest for signs of lingering breathing trouble.

“Ah, you remind me of my own daughter,” says Aliaanor.

“Where does she live?” asks Kalyra.

But Aliaanor just shakes her head. “She passed away, in childbirth, many years ago.”

“Oh. I’m so sorry to hear it,” says Kalyra, sitting back.

“It ... is one of the great griefs of my life. No parent should have to live through the death of their own child. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”

Kalyra doesn’t really know what to say to that; but about that time Einari and Tegan return having laid in a supply of firewood.

“It has grown late, and I am tired,” says Aliaanor. “Let us go to sleep.”

And so they unroll their bedrolls and take their rest. Sojourn: 7v7/10. Miss. Considered burning momentum, but chose not to. Paid the Price. Rolled a 16.

In the morning Kalyra opens her eyes. She is the first to wake, it seems. She sits up and stretches; gets dressed; fetches water, to begin making tea. As she returns to the hut, sets the tea to boil, her gaze falls over at Aliaanor — and she stops.

“Oh. Oh, no!” she says, and drops the kettle to the floor with a clatter.

Tegan and Einari wake up. “What is it?” says Einari.

“Look!” She points at Aliaanor: who lies still on her bed ... not breathing.

“Grandam? Grandam!” says Tegan, and he rushes over to her. “No ... no!” he cries.

But there is nothing to be done. Some time during the night, Aliaanor the wisewoman — possibly the last of the generation to settle the Ironlands — slipped away, peacefully, in her bed.

“I’m so sorry, Tegan,” says Kalyra.

“Get out,” snarls Tegan. “You’re not welcome here any longer. Just ... get out!”

Kalyra backs up.

“OUT!” he says.

And so she gathers her things and leaves, Einari along with her. They stop a little ways out into the woods. “Shouldn’t we do something?” Kalyra says. “Help to bury her?”

“I do not think you’re welcome here any longer,” says Einari. “And your father is waiting.”

Kalyra weeps a little for the woman that she knew so briefly. Moved to Forge a Bond, with Aliaanor, belated though it might be. 5+3 is 8 ... versus double tens.

Kalyra, weeping, looks back at the hut, and whispers “I was glad to know you ... for however little it was.”

And from somewhere — from nowhere — she hears a whisper back that says: “My time is done ... and yours ... grows ... short ...” -2 Spirit. Endure Stress: 3+3 = 6 ... versus double 8. -1 momentum. And -1 more Spirit, for the doubles.

“He said I would hear them ... he said I would hear them more easily. Come on, if you’re coming, Einari — I have to go!”

And Kalyra turns and rushes — rushes towards her father.