Ironsworn RPG, Session 6

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Previous Session

Kori passed out from exertion, and fell into the cold embrace of the earth.

Nia held the gathering crowd from Kori. She pleaded with her friends from the community; she did not look at those that marched behind Abram as he drug her through her home, but to those curious people who heard the commotion. The few that witnessed him hurl a spear through Abram had questions she couldn’t answer in the swarm. Nia had to act fast. She looked to Kori, bleeding out in the rain, and grabbed the cord around his neck. She felt for the sharp piece of iron she noticed there earlier, and twisted it around itself to cut the necklace free. Nia winced, and dug the point of the iron into her palm, cutting across it. She held her hand up, outstretched, and called out “This man does not deserve your ire. I call a trial for his fate, by my life. Let the sins of our brothers, sisters, husbands, and wives come to light. This I swear in sight of gods and men.”

She dropped her arm, the significance of her vow taking her. There were protestations from Abram’s people, but too many innocent people had collected. Kori would get his trial for his life, and now for hers. The soft rain washed her blood toward his.

Some time later, Kori woke in an unfamiliar place. He laid in a comfortable bed; the worst of his wounds were sewn and bound. A variety of herbs hung drying from strings around the walls. Kori could not contain a groan as he sat up. Rythane ruffled her feathers perched on a truss above him.

The door to his chamber creaked, and Kori’s eyes searched for anything he could use as a weapon. Nia’s head peeked through, and he relaxed a bit. She swung the door open, and another approached behind her. “You are safe, for now,” spoke Nia. The frail herbalist joined the room, saying “No thanks to you, woman. I didn’t know if this one wanted you dead or alive with how much she was sticking her nose in my work. Like having a hand tied behind my back, it was.”

Nia gave a scowl, “I didn’t know if I could trust you. If only I’d known, I would have gagged you before you started.” The man grunted. Kori flinched defensively as the elder’s hands reached towards his bindings.   The man said, “My name is Glynn, hold still.  You were almost that jumpy when you were out too. I’ve had better times patching up younglings.”  Kori relented and let him inspect his wounds, saying “I get nightmares. Thank you for seeing to me, and I am sorry for any trouble I have caused you.” He turned to Nia and asked, “How long has it been? What happened?”

Nia explained what she could. Kori learned that it has been about a day since he lost consciousness, and of Nia’s vow which kept the crowd from tearing him apart. It was not a custom Kori was familiar with, so he pressed deeper until she explained, “I stayed your execution by staking my life.” Kori started, “I can’t offer enough thanks. I know you’ve suffered already because of me-” before Nia interrupted, “Because of Abram, and Kiah. What’s done is done.”

“Where is my spear? My things?” The old man answered while finishing up, “Your spear is what got you into this mess. Every Ironsworn thinks with flint and iron first. When we lived in the Havens I cleaned as many wounds caused by your like than by beast.”
“I did not start this, it was them. I only -”

Nia cut Kori off again and said, “You don’t have to defend yourself to him, or anyone. Shekhar and I choose to take you in from the storm. I don’t think either of us wanted to admit that we hoped the curse might take you rather than someone from our circle. If you lasted the night, we thought maybe an Ironsworn may have some information or a lead that could finally end our curse. We knew exactly what we were getting into, and you did exactly what we expected. We just did not understand the stakes.  The blame is not yours.”

Nia handed him his necklace, with a new knot in it, and a dagger. His leathers had been washed and patched. She then gave over Kiah’s journal while saying, “Your spear and anything else they picked up will be held until after the trial.”
“How long do I have?”
“Now that you’re awake, we have until midnight, under the full moon.”
“Then, how do we start?”
Glynn chided, “Where you should start is a better question, and it’s not here.  Get out of here and leave me be, I want no part in this.”

Nia spoke as Kori secured his things, “I had plenty of time with that diary while you were unconscious. I didn’t want to leave this place without knowing who wants me dead. It’s not much on its own, but it includes a couple of names I didn’t see in the courtyard. Do they know you have it?” Kori nodded, “Unfortunately, yes. They may not have a good idea of what it contains, but they can probably guess the worst. Any names are good though. With how tight they kept everything, there may be ignorant partners or such that could have noticed something.”  Then Nia continued “I think I’ve found a code within her diary, directions to a hiding spot of hers in the swamp. They’ll have a day’s head start on cleaning up any loose ends. We will see what there is left to find.”

They left the herbalist’s abode and walked together, with Rythane soaring above in the morning sun. Among the herbs, Kori had forgotten the foulness of the swamp that carried on the breeze.  Kori shared more of the people involved in Shekar’s death, and those who chased him to the ruins, and what was found there.  Nia led them to homes that were not known to be a part of Abram’s alliance, from the diary and Kori’s story. Some doors were shut in their face, and others would not open at all.  Those willing to listen were curious of the story told to them, but none provided any new information. Nothing more could be found at Kiah’s place, so they went to Abram’s house.  Outside was a small assembly. Morien was among them, as well as another from the battle. Nia asked, “What is going on here?”

A kindly-looking man who introduced himself as Hirsham said that a group had prevented anyone from entering, through the night, until they arrived. “So, what happens now?” Kori asked.  “Some of us that guarded it enter with one of you, and one of them,” Hirsham nodded towards Morien and another man.  Nia looked over the group, and pointed at one woman among them, “She stays behind.”  Hirsham frowned, “She was with me in front of his home all night, this was practically her idea.” Taking the cue, Kori stated “She has a connection to Abram. I’m guessing you did this because you care about the truth. This is how it comes out.”

Hirsham’s demeaner soured, “No, I’m here because I saw those two heading here yesterday. I watched you kill Abram; I stand for the sake of trial, not for you.”  Behind Hirsham, the woman gave a knowing smirk.  “Let’s get this over with,” Hirsham said.

Kori moved into Abram’s residence. Hirsham stayed close to Kori, and the suspicious woman followed Morien. Kori knew if they found significant evidence, it would disappear. Kori had only been in the entranceway previously, he scanned it for anything sticking out, before following Morien to try and keep them in check himself.

Annoyed that they were being watched, Morien shifted from pretending to search, to trashing the bedroom, making a bigger mess for Kori to search through. Kori eyed them as he searched around the room. Morien was not as subtle as he thought he was. The franticness of him tearing through Abram’s things changed as Kori neared one specific corner by the tossed dresser. Finally, Kori noticed the discoloration on one panel in the floor and pointed it out to Hirsham before prying it open.  Morien threw a bedside table to the floor before reaching to his side in pain and storming out of the room, to hide or destroy what evidence could be found elsewhere.

Hirsham took the contents from Kori before he could inspect them. It was a ledger, a list of everyone’s name in the circle. Some of the orders of the names had changed over time, being erased and moved around. On one page were names of those disappeared in years past, crossed out. The first name on the rest of the ledger was Avella, not yet moved. “This is…” Hirsham began.  Kori finished his sentence, “The plans of who they were going to sacrifice next, yes. And look, it’s divided in half, these later people may be those who know the truth, or an aspect of it. Morien is near the bottom, and I’d guess your friend is somewhere lower too.” Kori scanned the list for Hirsham’s name while the man was stunned, then pointed it out. “It looked like you had plenty of time left before your execution. But too many innocent people have died. They didn’t give me a choice to end it any other way. I have more work to do, and I doubt I can find anything else here.  Let me take those to keep them safe.” Before he could respond, Kori left him, tucking the papers into his shirt, and rejoined Nia outside.

Before she could ask anything, Kori asked “How is a trial decided? Who decides what is right?”
“Everyone, the whole circle votes.”
“That’s what I was afraid of. There’s more people that knew what was going on than not.”  Nia thought for a moment, “Their leader is dead, and the person who held the knife. We have to turn them. We make it emotional.”  Kori gave a weak smile, then turned back into Abram’s house, and grabbed the obituary Abram wrote for Avella, which Morien had dismissed for not being evidence. Kori whispered to Nia, “Lead the way to that hidden stash you found, we will need anything we can get.”  Along the way, Kori shared more details of Abram’s ledger.  Nia seemed a bit distracted, so Kori asked “Is something wrong? Or just pensive?”   Nia sighed, “I could have gone in.  I mean, I’ve been in Abram’s house before, several times.  He was the leader of our circle.  I might have had insights or had better ideas.  I’m glad you found something, but it should have been me.”  Kori stayed quiet for a bit as they walked.  “You’re right, of course.  I’m just used to working alone.  I’m sorry.”  Nia nodded, and then stopped suddenly, causing Kori to turn around towards her.  “Kori,” Nia started, “I have a bad idea.  Terrible, really. Do you think you can capture one of the bonewalkers?”

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Blue text is my thoughts or meta commentary

Red text is backfilled, added after the fact some time in the future, and was not present when originally written