[Glorantha] Lagerwater Tales: Stead Trollkin

Stead Trollkin

The Yelmalians hated it of course, and drew the palisade closed, and cut a high new fence around their lodges, a stead within a stead. The Elmali didn't like it one bit, and stormed within the moot as though truly born to the thunder. Yet Climbtree the enlo had saved our stead, or so it seemed in the retelling, and the gift he asked was shelter for his mewling band. And the oaths of our binding are sacred, for all the muttering about the hearths.

We had our reasons, and at the time they seemed good. Conla our king had demanded harsh tribute: all kinds of biting beasts and giant insects of the gors. He did this to shame us, to goad us to rebellion. Let the enlo do it.

There were plagues of rats that season, and strange furry bats about the byrnes. Let the enlo eat them.

Was there not the need for shifting of night-soil to the fields, for patrol in the sunless hours, any number of odious tasks? Let the enlo do it! Now the Uz of the north have always been our enemies, even as they welcomed our trade. Each Dark Season brought them ravaging across our tulas in terrible and sacred rite, raiding and slaughtering, often riding upon giant bees or caterpillars.

And Climbtree, it is true, killed a Death Lord. Gersnark DarkFlame was a Zorak Zoran warrior of the Korazanti, and his kind hate the Tresdarnii, and have sworn terrible oaths to drive us from the hunting lands of their ancestral mothers. Gersnark's leaden weapon loomed tall as any man, and his wrath burned as famous as his killing club. Three times in three seasons he had destroyed an outling lodge or hunting camp. And now he looked upon Lagerwater itself.

Watching the snows gather upon our midnight valley, Gersnark planned his assault, seeking to draw our fyrd to false battle, and burn our sacred lodges in the night. A sniveling enlo attracted his anger, and Gersnark swung his mighty club.

The dread maul missed its mark! Scurrying in terror up a birch tree (sacred white birch of our bloodline!), the nameless value dared defy the darking lord! Scrambling after his victim, the lead-clad warrior found a birch bough that would not bear his weight, and fell screaming, snapping his neck in the fall.

In the tumult that followed, leaderless zorani raged after screaming enlo, and so our fyrd found them, and our own flyers struck, and dark ran trollish blood on the drifting snow.

So by bravery did Climbtree, who climbed a sacred birch to kill a death lord, come to the holy stead of our ancestors. Flushed with victory, Orlstein our chief was generous that night, and sealed his generosity with sacred oath.

And now we count the cost. We have let Darkness within our sacred bound. Last Sacred Time the bee-ling Uz appeared in great force midst the rituals; and we know that the enemy draws close. So we live with our mistakes.

The enlo - how we all hate them now - increase in number each season, and feral bands roam the outer meadows untamed, preying upon our herds. We crutch the stead enlo now with the lambs, despite their screams, to little avail. Their numbers swell.

Our alynx pounce upon the smallest, and snarl at the largest, but still their numbers swell.

Their presence binds Darkness to our tula, it thickens about us as they breed and breathe, its power increases. The shadows grow darker upon Lagerwater, the chill of night increases. The Elmali and the Yelmalians watch, and know, and wait again for the bright day they know will come, patiently sharpening their gold-tipped spears.

And Climbtree is king of the dung heap.

Climbtree Zorakbane
Relationship (Oath) Tresdarnii 5w, Put on Airs 2w, Demand Hospitality 1w, Fast Talk 19, Cringe 16, Intimidate Enlo 15.

Trollkin Stead Labourer
Eat 5w, Hide 3w, Mewl 19, Raid Alynx 12, Follow Orders 5.

Zorak Zoran Korazanti Raider
Ride Giant Caterpillar 2w, Raid 15w, Close Combat 2w5.

Uz Bee Rider
Ride Giant Bee 10w, Aerial Combat 19.

Touch Earth Rip Wind, Uz shaman of the Wolf Spider Clan Righteous Wind 3w3, Dark Wind Mythology 12w2.

Cheers

John Received on Tue 18 Jul 2006 - 06:19:46 EEST