Marriage, Myth and Mystery
in the wild uplands of the Far Place
A system-light Hero Wars scenario for Convulsions 2002.
By John Hughes. Six players, four hours.
Bring along some percussive instruments - rhythm sticks or drums or shakers! And be prepared to boast about your character!
Overview
I'm a talented Finovan poet
And your tale I will share if I know it.
So enough of the banter,
I've bagpipes and chanter,
And if you name a Storm I will blow it!
What could move a Heortling more than matters of the heart? Midst the wild uplands of the Far Place, a chief would wed a chief, and a young cattle raider the woman of his dreams. The champion Karim Wildspear and his stormy offspring must negotiate these matchings to bind peace between two long-feuding clans. They will face courtship and contest, murder and mayhem, romance and riot, a surfeit of boasting, fire-lit feasts, a magic bull, an insatiable goddess, a very sick bear, a Vingan vow, suitors and bad poetry aplenty, plus the mystery and power of the Spear 'Courage', fabulous weapon of Odayla Gorswalker.
The Time: Sea Season, 1621.
The Place: the northern gors of the Tovtaros tribe of the Far Place, directly east of Ginijji, in the wild uplands of the Danlarni clan.
The Scene: Two long-feuding Orlanthi clans seek unity in the face of overwhelming Yelmalian enemies. To end their long feud, a marriage of chiefs is proposed, and so Karim Wildspear and his stormy sons and daughters set out for Bearwatch Stead, there to negotiate a matching and a peace.
More than one marriage is in the air. Karim's youngest son Danwyr, cattle raider and aspiring poet, is besotted with the Danlarni chief's daughter, and he expects the assistance of his kin in winning the fair Nalda.
As the marriage contest unfolds, so does mystery and mayhem centring on the Spear Courage, fabulous treasure of Odayla. The very survival of two clans depends on answers that might only be found in the eternal forests of the Hero plane.
Player Characters
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) character sheets are available below. Please note that the sheets for Karim, Braggi and Olenda contain game-sensitive information which may detract from enjoyment of the game if read by others. Players should also read Taroskarla, the Far Place founding myth.
Karim Wildspear, clan champion of the Tresdarnii, an aging and crafty hero of Daylanus the Conquering Wind, holder of the Spear 'Courage'.
[Download Karim character sheet - 7 pages, 248K PDF (Adobe Acrobat) file. Warning: contains game sensitive information. For Karim players only.]
Braggi Hail-Blast, Karim's eldest son, grim weaponthane of Erantharol the Black Ram. A man of honest violence and great ambition.
[Download Braggi character sheet - 7 pages, 248K PDF (Adobe Acrobat) file. Warning: contains game sensitive information. For Braggi players only.]
Taros Oxback, second son, a deep-hearted Barnatari and god-talker, a plain-speaking man of peace with much to prove.
[Download Taros character sheet - 7 pages, 192K PDF (Adobe Acrobat) file.]
Erissa Silver Herds, first daughter, wise and knowing devotee of Enferalda the Supporter, with an unpredictable Roitina nature. Having married into an enemy clan, Erissa must now balance the interests of both.
[Download Erissa character sheet - 7 pages, 218K PDF (Adobe Acrobat) file.]
Olenda Gorswalker, second daughter, talker-to-birds, a gifted and compassionate huntress of Odayla, torn between her clan and the solitary mystery of the wilds.
[Download Olenda character sheet - 8 pages, 292K PDF (Adobe Acrobat) file. Warning: contains game sensitive information. For Olenda players only.]
Danwyr Can't-Be-Moved!, third son, a young and impulsive raider of Finovan and would-be skald, besotted with a chieftain's daughter and determined to win her at any price. Just don't call him 'bumfluff'.
[Download Danwyr character sheet - 7 pages, 213K PDF (Adobe Acrobat) file.]
The Spear Courage
Then Odayla, god and hunter
Took the great spear carved of courage,
Marked it with three cutting edges
And with Life and Death he bound it.
"With the Unlife now I struggle,
I shall turn the twisted powers
That they slay no more my people
Nor shall fall upon my tribesfolk,
Neither shall destroy my children
Nor the beast tribes cut and injure!"
Then the god a spear constructed
Not a long one, not a short one,
But of middle length he forged it.
On the point an alynx sitting,
On the blade a cloudy hawk wing,
On the edge a bull was standing,
At the joint a white deer trotting,
On the shaft a cloud-pierce running,
At the end a horse called thunder.
Taroskarla: Odayla and the Spear of Courage.
The Ford of Three Weapons
Karim arose on the rocks. His dark hair flew loose in the wind.
He heft high his spear, his glittering spear,
And he moved to the ford, to the harsh-rock ford,
Where the river runs red,
With the blood of the dead,
And his foe they shall pass no more!
Karim rose on the day with songs. He shouldered his
shield to the wind.
He heft high his spear, his glittering spear,
And he rushed, in his joy, to the foe, through the foam,
And his challenge it echoed a third time around,
That his foe they shall pass no more!
The Ford of the Three Weapons.
Gamesmaster Files
Following the running of Everything is Thunder at Convulsions, I am in the process of converting the module for more general campaign use. The password for the zipped files below is
itsagas99
With the exception of a single spreadsheet, each file is either in Rich Text Format (RTF), to be read in any word processor, or an Adobe Acrobat PDF file. If you have any problems with the files, please contact John.
The files are:
ThunderModule.rtf - The convention version of the module, for enterprising GMs and other interested parties. Note: A more general, campaign version of the scenario, with additional notes for play is being prepared. 85K RTF file, last updated 6 August.
ThunderHandouts.pdf - Two formatted PDF handouts describing major personalities and the area surrounding Bearwatch Stead. 103K PDF file, last updated 6 August.
Overview.zip - Module summary, structure, and secrets, in which it is revealed who gits the gal, why Yelm is murdered in reel three, and what Bruce Cockburn song is ze real secret sound. 10K Zip file, last updated 2 July.
Thundercharacters.zip - Character sheets & relationship summary in Microsoft Excel/spreadsheet format. 29K Zip file, last updated 30 June.
SpearCourage.zip - Narrator background on the Spear, its mythology and secrets, some Campfire Wisdom, and Taroskarla, the Far Place founding myth. 11K Zip file. last updated 30 June.
People.zip - The PC and NPC cast of the module. 7K Zip file, last updated 1 July.
Contests.zip - The Marriage Contest in detail (RFT), detailed stats for the suitors (RFT), and player handouts in PDF format. 110K Zip file, last updated 14 July.
You will need Version 3 or above of Adobe Acrobat ReaderTM to view and print the Everything Is Thunder character sheets. The current Reader (Version 5) can be downloaded from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.
