Session 8 - A Feast in Kabanovka Goes Awry
General Summary
Hrefna settles things around the estate. She then speaks with the steward about the trip and its reasons, stating she means to investigate the Volkvy threat and how far the alliance goes. She decides to leave the provisioning of the trip to the others. She speaks to the prisoner, Miro, reminding him of the murder of Rurik's child not 40 days past; he tells her he had nothing to do with that, and reminds her she initiated the attack on the secret cave.
Vasilii spends most of his time making the linen he was contracted for and doing quite well. He also spends much of his free time making a kerchief with a red and white stylized tree of life.
Vadim and Vladimir help with the planning of the provisions. Vasilii tells them not to worry too much as “The Mother always provides”. Vladimir spends some time working on jewel crafting with amber creating what he believes is not good enough and takes it apart. Borislav, the merchant who is accompanying them to Ladan', asks for the finished piece, but Vladimir puts him off. Vasilii takes what little time he has and helps Vadim’s leg injuries with a poultice which heals his limp.
The party heads off with Vasilii and Vladimir sharing the weight of the beer keg. Vadim has a tough time on the second day coming across brambles. Vasilii notices the brambles continue onward. A clay lamp with the mark of the potters guild of Staraya Sloboda on it is stuck in the thicket of brambles. The group decides to backtrack and find their way back to the Valui River, which they had been following.
The group comes to a confluence of two river and sees the Kabanovka village across the water. Vasilii lights a signal fire trying to entice a craft to come across to pick them up. As they wait the group notices a skull in a crevice with iron teeth. After some investigating they come up with no information, except maybe Vladimir, who keeps his thoughts to himself. There is some thought the skull and lamp in the brambles are related.
A boat finally arrives and brings the party over for a kopek and some beer. In the village there is a feast and offering to the old gods happening, the party donates the rest of their keg.
Inside the feast hall, Vladimir sets up his jewelers tools and sets to work, unbeknownst to him, Vasilii invokes the Moist Mother Earth to grant him success in his endeavor. Hrefna speaks with a servant girl, Klava, and attempts to persuade her to find her a place to sleep at the headman's house. Vasilii speaks with followers of the old gods and learns of the presence of a mysterious family that helps with the harvest. They are recommended as servants of Svarozhich, the sun god.
At the edge of the village stand straw effigies with braided beards - a tribute to the family. Suddenly, the effigies start burning and the people are outraged. Vasilii and Vadim go help and notice a man looking concerned. As they approach him, he bolts. Vasilii calls upon the wheat stalks to slow the man and between the two of them they apprehend him and drag him back to the village.
Meanwhile, Hrefna returns to the village and finds a sleeping Vladimir whose jewelry is missing. Vladimir becomes a cat and tries to find the thief but can’t. As Vadim and Vasilii arrive with their prisoner, cat Vladimir looks for his missing jewelry in the prisoner’s pockets, finding nothing.
Vadim and Vasili question Igor the prisoner who at Vadim’s shaking points to Klava as the one who made him set it on fire so she can steal the jewel. A scuffle ensues between them and the party in which the jewelry is found.
The headman arrives and as Klava and Igor attempt to accuse the party of impropriety, Vadim convinces the headman of the truth. Vasilii suggests the sacrifices are increased to appease the tunnel-dwelling spirits, and he and the headman talk about the possibility of giving Klava and Igor to the spirits. During the night the fields are lit on fire.
In the morning the fires continue to burn. The party goes to the field to inspect the damage, and just then, hail begins to rain down hitting many in the party as they run for cover under some trees between them and the village.
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