Session 45 - The Eve of Noya-Kupalo

General Summary

The party found respite in the village of Potustoronka, taking advantage of a chance to rest before the upcoming solstice festival of Noya-Kupalo. Ivan Aleksandrovich, in exchange for lodging, spent his time plowing fields for the cossack Piotr Bulatovich, who had left the village to travel to the Sich, where he planned to lead a band to try to capture a giant who was reputedly terrorizing the countryside. Meanwhile Marina, ever the vigilant caretaker, tried to keep Nadia out of mischief. She also offered her matchmaking services, spreading rumors about Ivan's preference for fruit pies to inform potential suitors.
Agnessa, for her part, inspected her old haunts where she collected herbs on the most magically potent night of the year and helped take care of her newborn nephew and engaged in secretive conversations with Piotr's sister Anna Bulatovna, who was effectively left in charge of the village after her brother rode off. From their conversations, Agnessa uncovered what she thought was a plot involving some mysetrious visitors from an encampment of volkhvy several days away. The two volkhvy claimed to have come to help the villagers celebrate the solstice in the old way, and also to whisper promises of a buried treasure outside the village. While seeking Nadia, she also discovered that the ball of yarn given to her by the old woman possessed the power to roll toward a chosen person or place.
During a walk in the woods to collect firewood, Ivan encountered a Volot named Groump, who seemed interested in Ivan's talk about Dukh, and asked the man to bring the traveler from the North to speak to him. Despite initial apprehensions, Dukh and the giant forged an unlikely friendship. However, the presence of the giant stirred concern among the party, fearing the villagers might drive it away or worse, try to enlist their help to kill it.
As preparations for the festival unfolded, the party gathered flowers, with Nadia sneaking away to spy on the giant and Dukh. Meanwhile, local girls showered Ivan with an abundance of fruit pies, which he, unaware of their intentions, shared food and drink with Agnessa's family and Marina.
As the festival commenced, bringing villagers out of the village and into the forest, toward the place where Dukh and Groump had been working on a super-plow (to improve the perception of the giant by the villagers). Quickly, panic ensued, and many villagers fled back to the settlement.
As Ivan, Marina and Agnessa joined the merrymakers, things took an unexpected terms, and Ivan met the leader of the volkhv embassy, who turned out to be his old nemesis Khoma. Khoma, seemingly unsurprised by Ivan's presence, also followed the merrymakers into the woods, where they soon heard about the presence of a giant. Soon, they came upon Groump, Dukh, and their plow.

Report Date

18 Feb 2024

Primary Location

Potustoronka