Tiding 15: Secrets, Loosely Held

## Content Warnings

Grief, arguments, Upsetting scenes

*"Little Brother,
 Before your training, I would have struck then and there as the small group, led by the anathema Venz, split off from the rest of the refugees. I would have held that striking decisively while your enemy showed vulnerability was always the best course. Instead, I held onto your words: "Magic is the death of life's true course"."*

 *Show more/less*

*I knew that the Snarl would have already twisted what was right, and I watched for signs of his corruptions. It did not take me long to find them. First, Korrin. I listened as Venz spoke about his potential; of training the boy to be just like him. Then, Challa. I watched as she brought forth a Remnant that she had somehow ensnared. She begged for Venz' approval by parading it in front of him like an exotic pet. I knew then, if I was to do this right, I would need to get close. I would have to map the full extent of Venz’s influence – find out whether it spread elsewhere, to see whether the two children might be redeemed under the Conclave’s tutelage. And only then would I strike. I'd be assured that I'd not just destroyed the stem of weed, but strike down right to the roots. Yours in faithful service,*"

―Rugate Ullun Bakkal

## Summary

Challa and Bris gather people, ready to go camping. First though there are permissions to be asked and conversations to be had, Secrets unfurl, spreading their shadow over the whole trip. Belka investigates Strael, Challa gets a ghostly surprise, Venz hides behind a secret and Bris loses her temper.

## Synopsis

Belka wants to talk to Ayof about his experience in the storm with Challa. He often goes off on his own, spending less time than usual parenting Fenrir (such that Belka and Nilkat have been taking more of those duties). Belka takes Fenrir with them. Ayof says that The Caravan has been telling stories about them. He also asks Fenrir how he is. Fenrir tells Ayof that he's going camping. Belka explains that Bris will be taking Fenrir with Challa and Korrin on an excursion.

Belka asks Ayof how he is, and when he is reticent, they guilt him into talking. He is ashamed that he got upset with Challa after the experience in the storm, although he is certain that Challa did something very wrong in bargaining with Strael. Belka advises talking further with Challa. He is worried about how to reverse the damage. Belka asks him to tell them more about what happened in the storm, so that they might help. Ayof explains that Challa brought people back from the dead by bargaining with Strael, even after Ayof had saved her and Korrin from the storm. He thinks he could have done more to mitigate the situation (indicating his mind-control powers). He tells Belka that Savel, Venren, and Challa have ice in their eyes, and that Strael has them. Belka concedes that Venz will need to go camping too.

Challa tells Tomil that she's going camping, and she tells him to go and tell her father Sarran too. She find him in an autumnal clearing singing loudly a folksong about lovers, what had been his wife Yani's favourite song. There is inexplicable joy in his voice given that she died only a week ago. Challa has been avoiding her parents generally, as generally she clashes with them due to her impulsiveness, and in the last year she's not known how to help either of her parents as they have tried to cope with Yani's injury now death.

In front of Sarran is Yani, looking almost as she would in life but with some golden threads connecting her with Sarran. It's clear that she is in spirit (ghost) form. Challa breaks down in tears, and both her parents hug her. Yani isn't quite sure how her spirit has lingered and isn't sure if she'll be able to stay, but explains that she and Sarran are now joined. Challa hugs her mum and cries. Eventually she tells her parents about the camping trip, and then she and her father resume singing while Yani dances.

The camping group is assembling and finishing packing: Challa, Korrin, Fenrir, Bris, Venz, and Belka. Ayof runs over and Challa asks how the weasel is. He hands Challa the weasel, and they sort out how they're going to feed it on the trip. Ayof apologies for previously being angry, which confuses Challa more as she's not sure why he was angry in the first place. She says she's not sure what she did wrong, and he explains that he got angry when she got in too deep with Strael rather than helping her. They hug briefly, and Challa tells him that the real weasel and the ice weasel can be friends, one on each shoulder.

Bris checks with Challa that it's OK that all these people are coming camping when it originally was just for her and Challa. The group sets off slightly off from the caravan's direction. When the three children run off to explore something, Bris asks Venz and Belka what they're doing on the trip. Venz lies, saying he prefers the company of a few to many. Bris clocks the lie immediately and drills further. Venz lies again to a degree, and indicates to Bris that Korrin has magical potential. Bris bristles immediately and threatens Venz, but he counters that it's better that Korrin is able to control his latent powers. Bris is having none of it. Belka is shaking their head to jangle their bells, drowning out the argument. The group sets up camp.

## Quotes

**Challa**: "Bri-is"
**Bris**: "What."
**Challa**: "Ah, we're bringing a weasel so we need to pack weasel food. What do weasels eat?"
**Bris**: "Um- I- What?"
**Belka**: "We are *bringing* a weasel, Bris."

―*The campers complicate things.*
## Game Mechanics

The play group decides to move away from the term 'trauma' in the 'wounds and trauma' part of the mechanics (wounds being physical and trauma being spiritual), and call spiritual damage 'wear' instead.

* Belka uses their Bond with Ayof to get him to open up.
* Challa gains a Bond on Ayof for showing vulnerability in front of an adult (Still A Kid).
* Challa rolls 4 in Peaceful with Read A Person to understand Ayof (Fail, mark XP)
* Bris rolls 11 in [emotion not disclosed] with Read Person to see if Venz is lying about his reasons for coming camping.

## Plot Notes

Bris checking with Challa that the camping group is OK is the first time Challa actually approves of Bris.
**Warning! There may be spoilers ahead!**

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