1632 - 10 (Late Dark) - Turn Report

[Puckohue]

Rules
Other Investments: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1X_8 ... 37j24svizn

Title Attempts
King Argrath decided to bestow Afur with the title of Baron. He is invited to receive his title at the Royal Games in week 4, Early Storm Season (1632-11).

Money Matters
Ararg and Baroness Ivarenna were both seen visiting the moneylenders.

Newcomer Selena became a regular at Erinestra’s shop.

Drighten Erik and Grumbold engaged in conspicuous consumption.

Selena became a regular at The Scribbled Scroll andBaroness Ivarenna at The Storm Cloud, while Quatlu stopped going to the Storm Cloud.

Grumbold sold his shop. Rumours said he was looking for something larger.

Ranks
Garoor bought the rank of Lt Warlord in the Snakepipe Dancers.

Appointments
Regimental commanders Afur and Baron Torben appointed their regimental adjutants (NPCs).

Drighten Erik was appointed a member of the City Ring. He will be considered for the title of Lord.

Baroness Ivarenna and Grumbold both applied for the post as Aide to the City Administrator. Both were judged worthy of the position, but in the end the baroness was appointed.

Bvt Warchief Baron Torben, Lt Warlords Garoor and Grumbold, and newly arrived Selena all expressed interest in becoming the Aide to the City Warmaster. The appointment went to Garoor.

Baron Torben was appointed Aide to Jarl Minonast Gargson.

Cult Resignations and Promotions
Ten-thane Ararg managed to convince Assistant Priestess Vinkalntna of the cult of Orlanth to resign in order to spend more time with her family. Influence from Baroness Ivarenna (and her husband) played no small part in Vinkalntna’s decision.

Lt Warlord Grumbold leveraged his connections (and his wife’s) and convinced Rune Lord Kalarer of Issaries to resign, after exposing shockingly poor standards of book keeping at his boutique.

Bvt Warchief Quatlu was, however, unable to persuade Priestess Ivarola of Orlanth to resign, despite calling in some favors to pressure her.

Afur was promoted to rune lord of Ernalda and assistant rune lord of Orlanth. Grumbold was promoted to rune lord of Issaries (partly thanks to his wife’s influence). Baroness Ivarenna was, however, not promoted to assistant priest of Orlanth.

War
Hundred-thane Erinestra left for the front with her battalion of the Free Philosophers. Bvt Warchief Baron Torben volunteered (most of) the Snakepipe Dancers, leaving his 1st Battalion (and Lt Warlord Garoor) in Boldhome.

City Administrator Leikan made it known that the following brigades will be deployed during the summer campaign 1633:

• Magical Union
• Heavy
• 1st
• 3rd
• 4th
• Tribal Levies
• Elite

[Puckohue]

Week 1
Ten-thane Ararg caroused with Morshi at Fantarn’s.

Brystan trained the spear at the temple of Storm Bull. Lt Warlord Garoor did the same at the Snakepipe Dancers barracks, while Hundred-thane Julian trained the battle axe at the Royal Foot Guards barracks.

Rune Lord Afur brought Sod to the temple of Ernalda where they participated in a ceremony.

Bvt Warchief Briadier Quatlu attended the Military Academy.

As expected, Issaries Rune Lord Grumbold bought an Emporium and moved his business there.

Queen Inkarne’s Winter Feast
The Queen’s Winter Feast was a celebration of the Earth Rune and Ernalda. Among the predominantly female attendants were Drighten Erik with Yealla, Baroness Ivarenna, Baron Rufus, and Selena. Baron Harold was conspicuously absent.

Many seeds were presented. Selena brought a rare herb found by a clan member on the plains of Prax.

Drighten Erik Stargazer’s poem about love earnt him the blessings of the Ernalda priestesses:

True love fears not when faced with difficulty
The true lover knows their own real worth
In Winter the seed can be so hard to see
Yet still it’s there, safe cradled in the earth

When great Argrath his bride would woo and win
No easy path was laid before his feet
Great deeds and works demanded were from him
If he his lovely queen could wed and greet.

The fair Yealla was no easy prize to take
Three times her hand I asked with beating heart
Twice refused, yet love would not forsake
The quest that would not see us really part.

So let us now, all raise our glasses high
Give praise to our Great feathered Queen
Give praise to Argrath, King and lover he
The Greatest Couple Boldhome’s ever seen.

Baroness Ivarenna Hainasdaughter’s poem about the rebirth of the world brought her the affection of the Queen herself:

In Dark and snow, with sword in hand
He walks across the frozen land
The icy wind is Umath's bite
The wolves, they howl throughout the night
The trolls, they dance from dusk to dawn
For Gata is from Aether shorn
Elmal laughs and steals the blade
A crime for which he will be flayed
He hands it to the chosen one
Who cuts and thrusts to kill the sun
The world is dark, the gods they fight
The trolls of Hell they hate the light
The trolls of Hell they stamp their feet
Upon their drums they start to beat
With Gore and Gash they climb up high
Their strategy to do or die

Chaos marches on the land
Genert's garden turned to sand
The gods they make a final stand
Panoplies golden, banners unfurled
Desperate bid to save the world
Into the rift their bodies hurled
Seven gods descend to hell
To rescue Yelm and make things well
Out from the darkness do they climb
The spider spins her web of time
The icy winter slowly fades
Into ploughshares turn the blades
Glorantha is once more reborn
With peace at last we plant the corn
The joy we know to greet the spring
Praise the goddess, dance and sing

[Puckohue]

Week 2
Selena visited the temple of Uleria to get some intimate companionship. Brystan was searching for the same at the temple of the Storm Bull, but there were no potential lovers there. There seldom is.

Garoor spent another week at his barracks practicing the spear, and Quatlu another week at the Military Academy.

Grumbold was busy managing his new emporium.

The ceremonies at the temple of Orlanth were attended by Afur, Ararg, and Julian, who all showed conspicuous piety. Afur and Julian also brought their lovers.

The Queen’s Palace was the scene for another royal feast. Among the attendants were Drighten Erik with Yealla, Baroness Ivarenna, and Baron Rufus with Daraea. Baron Harold was again conspicuously absent.

Week 3
Selena initiated into the trader cult of Issaries.

Harold brought Yeoth to The Scribbled Scroll where they partied hard. Brystan wanted to carouse at The Red Beaver but was denied entry.

Garoor trained the spear and Julian the battle axe at their barracks.

Ararg did his second week of cult duties by practicing the spear at the temple of Orlanth. Inside, Assistant Priest Drighten Erik led a ceremony in which he gave thanks to Orlanth for all of his blessings he has granted Boldhome this year. Baroness Ivarenna with her husband Silast and Baron Rufus were among the participants, the former showing conspicuous piety.

Afur studied the Harmony Rune at the temple of Ernalda. Quatlu had some of his worst duel injuries healed at the Hospital of Chalana Arroy, and gave a donation as thanks.

[Puckohue]

Week 4
Lt Warlord Garoor brought Sorayar to The Scribbled Scroll for some carousing.

Brystan and Ten-thane Ararg trained their spear skills, Brystan at the temple of the Storm Bull and Ararg at his barracks.

Bvt Warchief Afur brought Sod to the temple of Issaries where they participated in a ceremony toadying to the high priest. Rune Lord Grumbold with his very pregnant wife and new Initiate Selena did the same, showing conspicuous piety. The noble Selena was provoked by the status of the commoner Grumbold, and she now has cause to challenge him.

The ceremony at the temple of Orlanth was attended by Julian, Quatlu with Darra, and Baron Harold, the latter two showing conspicuous piety. Baron Harold was so provoked by the status shown the commoner Quatlu that he challenged him to a duel.

Duel between Baron Harold and Quatlu
The two closed cautiously, circling like wolves. Harold feinted with his longsword, but Quatlu read the movement, pivoted low, and brought up his blade to parry. Their weapons sang upon contact, and the Baron stumbled a half-step, off-balance. Quatlu grinned but did not press the advantage. The duel was still young.

Bronze flashed. Quatlu launched a rising strike from below. Harold tried to bat it aside, but Quatlu twisted mid-motion and drove the hilt into the Baron’s ribs with bruising force. The crowd gasped as Harold staggered back, his breath caught.

Harold recovered quickly and lunged. Quatlu danced backward, letting the tip whistle harmlessly past before stepping inside the arc and slicing a shallow line across the Baron’s thigh. Blood welled, but it was not deep. Still, it was a hit. The crowd murmured again.

With a roar, Harold surged forward. This time his blade connected, hard. Quatlu’s parry was a moment too slow, and the Baron’s edge struck true across his midsection. Armor buckled, blood flew. Quatlu reeled, winded, his stance broken.

But Quatlu did not fall. Instead, he raised his weapon with calm precision and met Harold’s next strike with one of his own. Sparks flew as bronze clashed on bronze. Quatlu’s superior form forced Harold onto the defensive, his footing awkward, his rhythm disrupted.

They circled once more. Each waiting, calculating. A step. A pivot. A feint. And then nothing, neither man overcommitted.

The pause was brief. Harold roared and charged like a battering ram, and this time his blow landed with shattering force. Quatlu barely raised his blade in time before Harold’s edge slammed into his shoulder, sending him spinning. A deep wound, crimson soaking the hide. The crowd erupted.

Quatlu answered savagely. Though injured, he moved like a serpent, slipping beneath Harold’s guard and slashing across the Baron's side. The blow wasn’t deep, but it unbalanced Harold again.

Sensing his opponent was teetering, Quatlu pressed the attack. Another cut. Another stagger. The Baron gritted his teeth as blood ran freely down his arm.

Now it was Quatlu's moment. He struck with brutal finality, a two-handed blow that nearly felled the other man. Harold’s shield arm dropped, and he stumbled backward, blood pattering on the ground.

But still, Harold endured. Quatlu lunged once more, but the Baron met him with a parry born of sheer instinct. The younger man recoiled as Harold countered, driving him back and regaining space.

The Baron’s blade darted like a serpent, catching Quatlu off-guard. The slash hit true with another score across his flank. Quatlu dropped to a knee, gasping, blood pouring through his fingers.

The crowd rose.

Silence reigned as Quatlu looked up at the sky, then to his foe. He dropped his weapon.

“I yield,” he rasped.

Baron Harold stood tall, sword raised, blood running down his armor, eyes aflame with grim triumph.

The temple erupted with cheers. The duel was over.

Royal Horse Race
At the third royal feast the main spectacle was the horse race. Drighten Erik, Baroness Ivarenna and Baron Rufus all participated. Baron Harold did not, it was noticed.

Erik was first around the first checkpoint, but Ivarenna outmaneuvered him and sped past. Baroness Ivarenna won the race (and a mention in battlesongs) with Mularik Ironeye and Baron Rufus at a shared second place.

[Puckohue]

The Front
Lunar Tarsh
The Snakepipe Dancers regiment was tasked to conduct field operations and led by Baron Torben they crushed the enemy. Bvt Warchief Baron Torben will be considered for the title of Drighten.

Hundred-thane Erinestra’s battalion was attached to the Sambari Tribal Levy tasked with laying siege to several minor Lunar settlements, but the outcome was inconclusive, as was Erinestra’s leadership.