Session 38 - An Unexpected Stowaway

General Summary

As the spring wind brings an unseasonable heat into Zmiihorod, the party waits for the bewitched man from the tavern, but he never shows. Without the escort, Ivan is the one who helps Marina and a disguised Yael bat Yehuda gain an audience at the citadel with majordomo Tikhon.
Tikhon immediately doubts the matchmaker and the proposed union between his daughter Nadia and the son of Boyar Dubravin . He is not impressed by the offer, nor the location the boyar's town, Yarogda, which Marina claims is far enough north that the Kochmaki seldom visit it. Nonetheless, he allows her to speak with Nadia about the match so long as he chaperones.
Meanwhile, Ivan and Alena talk to the citadel soldiers at the gate. Ivan tells them he ended up in Zmiihorod only to warn the Prince of the Kochmaki that rode in recently, and that he was going west to the monastery at Dubno. The soldiers assume the aged Ivan means to retire there, but he says he wants to die honorably, and not of old age. The soldiers are puzzled why such a weathered warrior would go to Dubno either way. They say the monks too are forced to pay tribute to the Kochmaki, and face attacks by Galindy heathens from the north. They say the prince needs more soldiers, and that Alena and Ivan are welcome to join, they only need to speak to the commander of the guard. Ivan politely declines for the time being, and so does Alena, thinking privately that she does not hold the prince in high regard and that she'd already fought one of the soldiers.
Inside the citadel, Nadia grows bored with yet another matchmaker come to read her the same spiel about a perfect suitor. Marina unwisely tries to sell Nadia that boyar Dubravin's son has an exciting quality--his explosive temper, though this fact seemed as incomplete as the rest of Marina's story. As Nadia is ready to dismiss them, Marina uses the tip she picked up at the tavern. She tells them that Nadia better marry soon if she doesn't want to wear out the prince's goodwill, since he had to send his own daughter as tribute to the Kochmak beg, yet Nadia remains safe at home. Nadia appears unmoved, but Tikhon changes his tune upon hearing this and offers an exchange: he will convince Nadia to accept the proposal if Marina serves as his eyes, surveilling the prince. This deal would take effect only once Nadia goes north to Yarogda to be wed, and she can't until the Kochmaki have returned to the steppe.
The party reconvenes for a meal, and after some discussion decide to try heading to the monastery at Dubno again. Alena and Ivan believe his curse may be cured there. Yael needs to travel for her mysterious goals. Dukh v Dymu wishes to stay with Light-Heart's companions and to visit the gravesite. And Marina doesn't want to wait alone while the marriage is arranged.
They buy provisions and prepare for the road. Alena secures the party paid work guarding a merchant's river boat, as bandits are expected in the wake of the horde. Before leaving, Yael writes a letter to boyar Dubravin on Marina's behalf, but they can't afford a messenger and Yael's hawk is too risky.
Aboard the merchant boat, Zmiihorod fades from view and soon enough the river will turn westward, taking them partways to Dubno. One of the passengers, a young nun, suddenly invites the party to take over the boat and become river pirates. Only Dukh shares her enthusiasm. Yael and Marina recognize her as Nadia, who reveals that she escaped an untennable situation at the citadel that Marina caused. Nadia remembers Ivan, though now she takes him for his own grandfather. She plans to stick with the party until she finds somewhere to settle and contact her father. Inspired by Amadeo's travels to different courts, Nadia argues against anyone persuading her to abandon this foolish idea.
The next day sails by: Dukh finds tools to work his craft, Nadia stays unconvinced, everyone tolerates the close quarters and oppressive heat, and so on, until the boat runs aground in a muddy stretch of the river. Try as they might, the crew and Alena can't push the boat out of the slick muck.
On the river bank, Ivan suspects the unseasonably hot weather to be unnatural. He investigates using some sort of holy ritual involving his shield and the muddy water, which boils as if in a hot pan. When asked, Marina has the reassuring sense that it will all pass by morning.
As Alena pushes the boat again, the mud grips to her legs pulling her in knee-deep, it forms limbs that slip up to grab more of her. Alena fights the living mud with Nadia's help, and shouts a warning to the others. Quickly, people scramble away from the mud and the oarsmen beat at any stirrings on the surface. Dukh emerges from the depth of the boat to its mast, but doesn't spot anything below that he can put an arrow through. Yael calls her hawk to bring rope, as Alena sinks up to her shoulders. Ivan runs to Alena, slicing through the mud-limbs around her. Alena breaks herself free with a roar of rage and climbs onto the boat. The mud stills, finally subdued, and the boat captain calls for the nun's wisdom on the matter. Nadia bids her followers answer, so Ivan declares the thing a servant of the evil one, and that it can't be exorcised with the resources on hand. With the last of her rage, Alena helps to free the grounded boat into the current ahead.

Report Date

01 Oct 2023