039 - Old Lossoth Tales to keep the children awake

Session 14 - Frost Wedging part 1 of 3. 

After an eventful day in the Lossoth village of Mulkan, the company headed back to the shore to beat the terror of the night and quickly update elder Taaso on their success in stirring the hornet's nest among the keepers of the Palantirs. 

Act 39 - Lossoth Tales...
Act 40 - We're not in Kansas anymore
Act 41 - Five wraiths in Mulkan 

Act 39, Scene 1 - Returning to Hlechui

The company walked the 10km back on the frozen water of the fjord. The mood was good because interesting points were scored during the day. They headed to the fisherman village of Helchui to report to Elder Taaso. Taaso took their news coldly, and reiterated that he would step in only if Shapithui (the demon) was to be let loose. He stressed that his responsibility as an elder was the welfare of the Lossoth people, and that he would not condone harm to his kind. He expressed doubt that the Southrons had fared half as well as they claimed. This irritated Arnadil who forcefully reminded the elder that the company was capable to take the Palantirs out of the great white north.

Thannolf cooked up a plan to get Reitu (their Lossoth guide) to go back to Hlechui and spread the rumor that the witchcraft done by the Southrons was bound to get Farathui (The drake hatchling) enraged. It would follow from this that the Lossoths should brace for a new onslaught. Reitu agreed to drop this misinformation on the account that if the rumor gets to Mulkan, it may sway the more moderate elements to surrender the Southron stones to the company and get rid of the threat.

Act 39, Scene 2 - Old Lossoth Tales

On the following day, the company visited Taaso to keep an eye on the progress on the tribal amulets. The company was told that the amulets would be ready on the following day. The company then pressed Taaso to explain about to Imenstone. Reluctantly, Taaso told them that the Imenstone was a standing stone existing in between the world of the living and the world of shadows. The lore is that whoever touches the Imenstone passes into the world of the shadow, most of the time never come back. Thannolf wanted more specific details. The company was particularly interested in knowing whether it was possible to chip away from the Imenstone and carry the shards in bags or containers. Tasso told them that no one of living memory had seen such thing happen. He, however, told them two legends that seemed to be relevant.

The first legend is that of Amreo Tiani, a legendary warrior and wise man who chipped a shard from the obsidian spire and passed into the shadows. He carried with him an ivory club and an amulet of the Tiani tribe. The legend claims that Amreo seeked a demon called Shapithui, struck its heart and forced into it the amulet of his tribe. Since that day, the demon belongs to the Tianiis and can communicate with elders in their line. Amreo never came back from the land of the shadows and vanished from knowledge. This tale is a little younger than a thousand years old.

The second legend is that of a Mulkan chieftain called Saimi who, after taking possession of a shard from the Imenstone, vanished into the highlands. At the time, Mulkan was fighting off an invasion of Ice-Trolls from the blue mountains and was on the brink of defeat. He was found a few days later among the lifeless bodies of trolls in a wood to the west. The shard was found beside him and buried deep under the permafrost. Saimi told the tale of defeating the trolls during the night by drawing their life force. Saimi ordered to erect a tall wall of standing stones to enclose the Imenstone. He further decreed that no Lossoths were to touch the spire. Saimi lived a long life after this, but it is said that when he died, his lamenting soul left his body and returned to the Imenstone.

Taaso advised the Southrons to forget about the Imenstone. Arnadil replied that the company wasn't afraid of the stone. Furthermore, that they planned to explore the possibility to use its power to get their hands on the Palantirs. Taaso begged them to consider alternative plans. Arnadil and Taaso's disagreement turned sour as they parted.  The company spent the rest of the day drinking like Gondorian in the lower deck of the Raven. The North was starting to cramp their style: a little inebriation was in order.

Act 39, Scene 3 - The tribification of the untribificable

The finely carved tribal amulet
of the Palantir commission.

The gloomy morning of Gwirith 29th arrived with the calls from the shore of a young Lossoth hunter. He beconned the company to follow him to meet with Elder Taaso. The company, a bit rough around the edges from a full day of drinking, debarked on the ice bank and proceeded to Hlechui.

Taaso, keeping in mind the discussion with the Southron leader the previous day, emphasized that no Southrons were ever made into tribes in the past. That, this privilege was a great one and that it must be taken seriously. Taaso had prepared a tribal ceremony where each of the company members received an amulet. The amulets, shaped like orbs, were carved from the ivory of the a giant walrus. Nine had been prepared, one for each member and two extras. A strange bond was made between the company members after the amulets were granted as each character inherited a mental disadvantage from a random company member [ Araliniel got bad temper from Halin, Thannolf now Dislikes(statues) like Finbert, Sir Galdor acquired greed from Thannolf, Irina is now curious because of Arnadil, Arnadil acquired laziness from Kasper, Halin now dislike the supernatural from Galdor and Kasper inherited nightmares from Araliniel. ] [+]. 

Taaso also presented them with three totems. Each was made of a slender 3 m pole with an orb-like amulet fastened to the tip with leather strips. These three totems, he explained, were to be used as warding amulets to keep the terror away. The company was interested in tactical specifications, but Taaso remained vague as to how the totem actually worked.

Act 39, Scene 4 - Setting out to find the Imenstone

All in all, the ceremony involved drumming and Lossoth signing and lasted for two hours. It was mid-morning by the time that it was over. The company returned to the Raven and asked Vacros (the captain) to set out for the other side of the Fjord's entrance. Reitu, their Lossoth guide, provided with instructions as to where to find the Imenstone, but firmly refused to accompany the Southrons. About one hour later, the Raven lowered the gangway to the ice bank and let down the Palantir commission. Things will never be the same, but no one could tell as the eight figures labored into the gloom towards the frozen shore.