Bjarne's Pause

I thought it was time Simson had an explorer plotline for his character Bjarne. When he couldn't make it for a week I saw an oppotunity to drop something in. This also allowed me to give the party a reason to move on to another place as they'd been in San Arrant for a while.

You wake in the morning knowing the day holds little but the funerals of people you don't know. The group you have fallen in with seem very preoccupied. But for now they seem to make good travelling companions. You decide to leave the day to them, and go for a walk on the docks. You miss the sea, and the sight of the ocean reminds you a little of the view from your hometown.

As you walk, your thoughts turn again to Meg. You wonder if the restless maiden would ever find peace from just looking at the sea as you do now. If not, then maybe she will find it in your arms one day. But that will never happen unless you can find her! So you decide to ask at the docks again to see if any of the sailors have heard news of Meg, or even Angus.
A few drinks later you are a little wiser about your companions. It seems that an Avalonian woman and a Highlander sailed with one of the crews on a recent journey to Montaigne. It is possible they are still there.

But another conversation gets your interest. A Vodacce captain called Virago is talking about a device that was stolen from him. It seems that recently his ship blew up for no good reason after a voyage to Avalon. He had an item he was going to sell to Caligari on his return to Vodacce. When he went to save it as the ship sank, it seems that one of the crew had already 'retrieved' it before him. But Captain Virago figured out who the culprit was, the only man from his crew unaccounted for. The ship exploded near here. So this is where most of the crew washed up, alive or dead. But there was no sign of Stephano, so the captain thinks he must be the thief. He must have been washed up here, so he can't be far. He and his men have been searching the area, but found nothing yet. He offers a reward to anyone who can help.

You toy with the idea of offering your services. But you are aware of the cutthroat nature of the Vodacce. This captain looks no better than the worst you've met. As the explorer's rather than Caligari would be better keepers of his item, you decide to find it yourself. This Stephano may be glad to get rid of it.

The question of course, is where to begin looking. Gathering your equipment you make for the fields and forests away from the town. Out there among the trees and tall Castillian grasses you find a quiet place to ask the gods for help. Gathering your rune stones in your hands and offering a short prayer, you throw the stones onto the ground. To anyone else, the stones would make no sense, but your trained eye can see the patterns in their chaos. You asked for directions, so you look for the compass points in the casting. To the north is the rune Villskap – fury. That path leads to Montaigne, perhaps it warns of the unrest brewing there. To the south fell the rune Sinne – anger. Perhaps it is telling you about the rage of the Castillians at war with the Montaigne. Westward shows Reise – journey. But you know this as that way lies the sea and the town. So you stare more carefully at the east and find Uvitenhet – mystery. You take this as an omen of the Syrneth and set off east.

You walk for most of the day, and find no sign of your quarry. But then your attention is called to a strange humming sound. It begins softly, and grows in intensity. Despite the fact it is only sound, there is a feeling of power that is carried with it. You make your way towards the sound, just as it abruptly stops. But you carry on up the hillside until you come across a small cave. You take cover to observe just in time. A thin mean looking man comes out and looks around. He seems to be checking the coast is still clear before returning to the cave.

This must be Stephano. If the sound was something to do with the artefact, he is obviously experimenting with it. You may have got here just in time, as he is obviously no scientist. Readying your fighting staff you follow him into the cave.

It is very dark in the cave, but ahead through a crack in the ceiling a shaft of light pierces through. Stephano crouches by a box lifting a device out covered in a heavy black cloth. He puts it in the shaft of sunlight and removes the cloth. The object resembles the devices the Vendal use in their astrology. It is a silver sphere covered in markings surrounded by several rings of gold. It has no stand and seems to float above the ground slightly. Once the cover is removed the rings begin to move around the sphere. The sound begins again, as well as a throbbing as the sphere slowly begins to beat like a heart. The rings spin faster and the sound becomes louder. With each beat of the sphere you can almost feel the walls of the cave resonate. Stephano is intent on the object, and you seize your chance. You rush him from behind and smash your staff into his head. He drops to the floor unconscious. The object is building to a piercing pitch, but how to shut it down. You try to poke at it with your staff. The rings catch and gouge a piece from the iron bindings, the force throws you and the artefact in opposite directions. It lands on the other side of the cave, still moving but slower. You realise that is must be light that powers it, as it rests outside the shaft of light. Gathering the heavy cloth you cast it over the item and it abruptly stops.

It is surprisingly light for an apparently metal object. You place it in the wooden box and close the lid. Stephano is alive but unconscious. You reason that if he never saw you he will assume the pirates found him. So you leave him there and head back to town.

You return to the inn as the evening wears on. You have trouble getting a late dinner as the innkeeper is out somewhere. But one of his serving girls manages to find you something. The others are nowhere to be found. All the better, as you hide the box in your room. You aren’t sure if you should tell them about it. They seem trustworthy, but who can tell. You think carefully about how to get this to the Explorers. They have a safe house in Montaigne, maybe that is the nearest and best place to aim for. Perhaps you can think of a story to get the others to join you, just in case the pirates come after you.