Book Seven, Chapter Ten �We Get Our Bones!�

 

            26/01/2008

 

Trevor says that DM of the Rings is on online comic well worth looking for.

 

We are the magnificent Erana Sir Martyn Yanyez De Barbudo, the majestic Mason Zytsi, the mystical Aruth of the War Wagon, the musical Bard Daniel and the masochistic mug Bowlhead. We decide going Monster hunting is a silly idea and, as Sir Martyn said, we may meet the water nymphs again. So it�s the 3rd of Larane and we are just outside of Shostim after having had routine encounters since last time. And, I note, its 4 game years to the day since this lark started.

 

Apparently we want to go shopping, but Shostim is not ideal for it. So we leave Sedisi here and pick up Crawlie, the porters, the cook and the griffin. It is not really a good idea to get our gems set into items here, especially not Sir Martyn putting the gem stolen from the Temple of Agrik into the sword of Larani. However Bowlhead mounts Gloriana so he has a knob on the end of his staff, which takes half a day. Zytsi wants a shield that does more than a medium bash, which will take some time. It will cost 250d to fix and de-spike Daniel�s armour and take a day and a half, which sounds good to me. Bowlhead wants to buy some armour better than his bog standard AT 9 does nothing armour, which he duly does.

 

And the non-League side are beating Liverpool 1-0 after 8 minutes, and it�s over 20 minutes in to the game. Now I neither like football nor am I interested in the FA Cup results but it would be really great if Havant and Waterloo Ville win.

 

Only two rings per character just like in old style D&D, whoops. There was a slight out break of shopping to sort that out.

 

And the non-League side are drawing Liverpool 2-2 at half time, �Can we play you every week� chant their supporters.

 

Spend 2 days sorting things out and then off to Golotha with a sack full of skulls. So we leave on the 6th of Larane and it takes three days, so we arrive on the 8th of Larane and stay at our usual inn. Bowlhead realises he needs a wolf skin cloak so he buys one at a leather and fur trader for 300d. Apparently it�s a fashion statement, i.e. he has more money than taste.

 

The following morning a messenger boy arrives with a message, our arrival has been noted and we�ll be invited to the Temple in the evening, dress will be smart casual.

 

Someone gave Liverpool a talking to at half time as they are now 4-2 up, boo hiss.

 

So then we bought some clothes, except Zytsi who bought bling � as in cheap rubbish jewellery.

 

And Liverpool won 5-2, shame, shame.

 

So we�re off to see Sula and we are dressed smart casual. As usual there was wonderful food with beautiful female companions. Mostly the same ones as last time, except Zytsi who gets a different Khuzdul woman than last time. This confuses him and he has to spend a long time discussing things with her, family, reason for travel, was she imported especially (no). We withdraw for the secret meeting, and we are given a box each. Daniel gets a plectrum well decorated +25 to playing musical instrument. Sir Martyn presents Sula with the cleaned and fixed dress briefly worn by Bowlhead that we got from the Crimson Dancers, and the ever romantic gift of 50 skulls.

 

Se we are told that the two sets of bones we seek are in the possession of Earl of Tormu, Denil Leanaus. He is effectively an enemy of the King of Rethem. When the King came to power he murdered the earl�s sister in law, who had two children who have a better claim to the throne than the King. The earl has been seeking external assistance for the last 3 years and civil war seems inevitable. She doesn�t know why he�s got them but suspects it�s to get the Church of Larani and the western and southern lands to keep pressure on the southern borders of Rethem, thus tying up the King�s forces. The Earl is trying to form an alliance with the Kaborians, and there are 50 young ones in Tormu. She suspects that alliance may end in the next few days. The Earl of Ithiko hates the Earl of Tormu and may aid us. Killing the Earl would make life very unpleasant for us in Golotha and Rethem in general.

 

Sir Martyn invites Sula into the final battle with Panaga, she needs to think about it obviously. We split and Sir Martyn stays. Much secretive conversation, and just what is Sir Martyn up to? What does he promise Sula? Zytsi doesn�t leave with his new lady friend, but the rest of the party leave with theirs.

 

<<Dinner break, mini fish and chips, except for Stuart who demands a kebab and chips>>

 

We discuss plans and Diplomacy seems to be winning.

 

Now Sir Martyn wants to send us off and then wander off on his own. With a side order of why and what is he up to? Sir Martyn needs to attend some Larani feast day, the Feast of Saint Ambrathas. Oh really? Of course you do oh noble lord. We are going to Winen, which will take 10 days, and it is just short of Tormu. We leave immediately, with Zytsi in charge. We take a barrel of beer as an essential supply. Leaving on the 10th of Larane and arrive in Winen on the 20th of Larne. On the 15th Bowlhead sets up an altar and meditates for evening. Sir Martyn joins us at Winen. Apparently the announcement that the 50 skulls have recovered through the efforts of Sula was made on the 15th, and we are about a day ahead of the news.

 

So Sir Martyn is going into the castle with Daniel as his herald, and the rest are the rescue party. We see the Earl in a quiet moment with only his vizier, and he says he has them and he�ll give them to Sir Martyn of Burzyn for 20,000d. He doesn�t expect him to have the money on him. Luckily Daniel was along as his Inspiring contribution made the difference between yet another �little job� and just buying them from him.

 

Zytsi lends Sir Martyn 3,500d for 4,000d, or 3,500d and a �medal�. And the deal is done and we hand over the money and we get the bones. The Significance spell proves they are the right bones.

 

Now we have to see the Primate of Larani as soon as possible. Boats are discussed. It takes 5 days to get a boat and 33 days travel to get to Thay. We arrive in Thay on 29th of Agrazhar, which is 6 months less 1 day since Sir Martyn had been given the job to get the bones within in 6 months. Apparently the Kaborans arrive just as we are leaving. Apparently Sir Martyn forgot to tell Sula about the Kaborans coming south because we looted the barrows.

 

Sir Martyn sees the Primate and gives edited highlights of the last 6 months, and gets the medal for Zytsi and cross off another quest. She gives Sir Martyn a scroll addressed to his bard.

 

The scroll has one word on it �Tesien�. This turns out to be a marsh south of the mid-point Selvos and Menekod in Tharda. Well the assumption is that the scroll comes from a certain one-eyed man. Research is required in to this place, the place of bones with a bad reputation.

 

There is a presentation after the big religious celebration, the Primate moves down the line shaking hands with us all, giving each a scroll and also gives Zytsi a small medal. The scroll says �Please give the bearer <<name>> all the help and support our Temple can provide as they have been of great service to our Church� and is signed by the Primate. Will carry weight with the Temple and Priests rather than the Military wing of the Church.

 

Sir Martyn also reports to Lorik the head of his order, who doesn�t particularly like him, mostly as the Primate made him the Champion of Larani.

 

12,500ep as we have finally finished two missions this time.

 

We can get gems mounted here. And buy more mirena berries of course.

 

Next time we can catch on to a caravan and take 40 or 50 days and cost nothing, or get a boat for 1,000d.