[Godsend IC] The Hall of the Valatta

[Raz_Fox]

It is harsh in the world,
whoredom rife
—an axe age, a sword age
—shields are riven—
a wind age, a wolf age—
before the world goes headlong.

- The Völuspá


Echo Over Mountains

A game of Godsend


The Gods, In The Order Of Their Rank:

Ender Dragon (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23436887&postcount=8), who acts through Kamenwati (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23458287&postcount=66)
Dark Brother (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23432849&postcount=7), who acts through Rus (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23459773&postcount=69)
Ṡalinnis (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23437438&postcount=11), who acts through Atra Runasdottir (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23453220&postcount=47)
The Small God (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23458263&postcount=65), who acts through Helena (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23453729&postcount=50)


The Ribbon Road:

-The Moon
-Wonder: A frozen landscape where the sun never rises, always clouded in darkness and blizzard where the spirits of the dead come answer the questions of the living for a dreadful price.
-Wonder: The Halls of the Mountain Kings: a great series of necropolises, each one grander and full of more traps than the last
-Threat: A giant serpent eating the souls of the dead, preventing them from passing peacefully into the Netherworld.
-The City of Shepherds
-Shrine: The Colosseum of Rokanis
-Wonder: The Bazaar of Firdaus
-Wonder/Shrine: The Gibbet Tree and Schwarzwald
-Shrine: The Castle Of Bones (the skeletal remains of an ancient leviathan beast, with an altar sitting where its heart was).
-Threat: The Shrike
-Shrine: The Guild of Gamblers
-Threat: An insane magician, immortal, plotting to throw down the gods and install himself in their place
-The University of Wygick, where all mages go to be taught to control the fire that burns inside them
-The Imperial Court
-Threat: Foul Wind
-Threat: Road's End

*

The branches of the Gibbet Tree, which the tree-shepherds dub a Fearful Mystery, are large enough for entire cities to sprawl upon them. The Imperial Court could lay itself out one by one, horse by horse, building by building, and still not stretch from trunk to leaf. It is for this reason that the Hall of the Valatta resides upon the branches of the Gibbet Tree, beyond the thrice nine kingdoms of this world, beyond even the deep den where Dark Brother lies dreaming.

If you are keen-eyed and lucky, you might see its lights shining in the night, afar off. The hearthfires there never go out, and as long as the Valatta do not break the bones of the great boar and stag they feast upon, they will spring to life when the moon’s light falls upon them that once more they may be hunted. Their horns never run dry, and the winds run free through the hall, for here the messengers of the gods come to rest from their labors, and nimbly fly from the hall when they are called upon.

They are fortune-friends, deathless, and swift; those who they have not harmed may not harm them in turn. They are sworn to carry only the words given them by their masters, save within the confines of their great hall.

Here we are, then. The fire roars, the music is mournful and merry in turns, and news comes in from every side of the world, even unto the utter darkness that lies beyond the stars.

[Thanqol]

Eukilikos dwells in golden armour and with wings of flame. His eyes close in meditation, pretending he hears the words of his God - though he knows only the quiet voice of her own conscience. In some ways he is much like Wound-Tender - her shifting, mercurial form that changes naturally between either gender as constantly as a man changes his posture. In others she is not - no cotton robe and running shoes for Eukilikos, no humble laughter or self-effacing jokes. He is an Angel Valatta and he is as grim, serious and formal as any of Ender's servants. Some whisper that she once was such.

He clicks his metal-clad fingers together in the sign that he has something True to say.

"Herd-Tender has been secretly at work," she said. "She has tracked paths off the edge of the Ribbon Road, unblessed though they may be. He has spoken to the Entish folk and suffered their spit and unsubtle reminders of her place. He has taken all this in good humour and shared with them her wine, and they drank as Backwards-Walker once drank. No matter how much they drank, Herd-Tender always had more, and so they drank more. Carriages came to pass along the untracked paths bearing more drink with them, and they made their way back heavy with furs and pelts.

"So it is a road has opened between the Road and Backwards-Walker's forest. So it is that trade has begun between the trail and the trailless. And this trade will endure for so long as the Tree Shepherds have a taste for wine."

[Civilization: Salinnis has taught the people of the Road how to bargain and trade with the Tree Shepherds. They no longer have reason to fear war with the forest, and add the quality Woodland Bounty. However, this new trade has aroused envy, someone create a relevant Peril.]

[Raz_Fox]

Stribozh wears the wings of all things that fly, for that is his right as the Storm Voice, messenger over a third of all that is. His nails are caked with skin and clotted blood, and he is, quite unfairly, handsome in the eyes of men, but for his throat, which is lined with teeth. He sees the movements of men and the mustering of armies from his high seat, and he mutters to himself before speaking before the assembly.

"The Emperor is a dead man. Dark Brother has set Rus against his heels. If Rus, who stands in the shadow of KNHN, slays the man upon the Ribbon Road with the sword whose name is Flowering while broad-backed Sormr's bulk blinds the moon, then Come-by-night shall awaken and the Ribbon Road will be thrown askew and strange across the world by the turning of his shoulders. Even now, the master's shadow seeks to ensure that Flowering comes into the hands of Rus, and urges him on by claiming that his nemesis seeks to welcome the Emperor in glory and might into Queen Keeper's trust."

[The Small God is cordially invited to provide two of the following three:
- A requirement: something that must be done first, or something or someone that is needed.
- An opponent: something or someone that will try to prevent it and is well prepared.
- A sacrifice: someone or something that will suffer harm in the process.]