Crudely Drawn Swords - A Dungeon World Actual Play Podcast

This slender knowledge is most of what I was able to ascertain from the records in our library, however I did speak about the topic briefly with Blessed Pelwar recently, asking obliquely whether any records of the Diabolist’s life survived. The Blessed has some significant scholarship in addition to her formidable organisational abilities and although this sadly proved to be a dead end, it did lead to her talking about the Quesitors, who have clearly been a thorn in her side, acting outside the law in their pursuit of anyone they believe to have any relationship to the Diabolist’s power. This may relate to the trouble that master Cleft was tangled up in as apparently they captured somebody in Aru-sha who - as far as I could gather - died in their custody. I got the impression that the Blessed felt the entire situation to be a mess and was very angry to have been involved with it. Our conversation did indicate that the Quesitors’ avenues of study are primarily genealogical- although they have some magical tools that will indicate the proximity of somebody they are hunting, they do not appear to have any way of tracking them down over a distance. I don’t know whether this information is of any use to you, but it is at least another fragment of the picture.

So, we know that the lineages precede our histories, they seem to be hereditary as does the aptitude for magic - in the latter case we do see rogue talents appear but I have found no evidence of anyone spontaneously developing an elemental lineage. The lack of scholarly information here is profoundly frustrating, but it is plausible that wherever these originated, there must be a continuous line from parent to child for them to have survived into the present. If so we might conjecture that either not every lineage that has existed still survives or that they protect themselves and consequently their heirs tend to survive long enough to propagate the bloodline. In the stories I have found, there are many abilities attributed to those with elemental affinities - being able to move and manipulate their element is by far the most common, along with being able to move freely through it. Several stories mention characters being able to speak to sentient manifestations of their element or to summon it into forms that mimic people or living creatures. This is in accord with the account of the Diabolist’s army of demons, of course, and seems entirely plausible. Often the elementally attuned seem vulnerable to elements that might be considered to oppose their own and are described as avoiding them obsessively. Other abilities that only get a single mention or barely seem worthy of notice include: Flight, travel between two pools, digging very rapidly, being carried along on a wave, building roads from fire, hiding knowledge in the element(?), drawing or writing with the element, a welcome in the courts of the low fey, friendship with talking animals(?), ability to sail rivers on a lily pad, travel by candlelight, freedom from hunger or thirst, being accompanied by a distinctive odour.

Unfortunately most of what I have managed to find is not from works on natural philosophy or magical theory - those seem to be the ones that were targeted - instead it comes from folkloric and mythic contexts. The texts tend to be opaque, whimsical and whatever truth they contain is often buried under layers of storytelling. There are however consistencies across stories and ballads and even the inconsistencies can provide us with information. For example “The Man Who Fell In Love With The Sun” and “Seaheart And The Westering Waters” both give accounts of people falling in love with elemental powers and having offspring who inherit both power and humanity but “Silver Handed Poko” describes elemental affinity being won in a bet and although“Turnabout Feng And The Windmill” is closer to an extended joke the titular character’s mastery of air is the consequence of being trapped in a windmill at a troll’s bidding for at least a year, presumably having little else to study. This lack of correlation or even unifying theme across these and other accounts I have found suggests to me that the origins of the bloodlines are lost to time. The earliest historical fragments we have refer to the founding of the Stone Empire by Zeres Stonefoot and these include some references to the power of the empire’s “Landwielder” magicians - I conjecture this power may well reflect the lineage of earth. If so, whatever created the lineages lies far beyond the reach of our records.

I have spent the last week researching into the matter of bloodlines and it has proven very difficult. It is well established that some people are naturally attuned to the latent power of the elements and that this is something that appears to be hereditary. If I include folktales and hearsay there are accounts of people attuned to ice, fire, stone, air and water, possibly even some metals? I do not think this is the same as the Dwarven Hallowfire or the smithcraft such as some priests practice. Much of what I needed to find was in the Archive Vaults, a vast but little-used area of the library only available to highly ranked scholars and members of the church. They are a long way underground and the shelves were mostly deep in dust as the vaults get very few visitors. Yet time and again I found the specific volumes I was seeking were gone. Sometimes documents are misplaced, though more commonly in the student areas, but after a fruitless day searching for the best regarded research on the topic I began to suspect that someone had stolen them from the library, and probably a long time ago. My concerns were vindicated when I found a copy of Teratum’s Encyclopedia of the Metaphysical Realms, a grand and noteworthy tome, only to discover that the entire entry on magical bloodlines had been cut from the book - an act of vandalism as well as theft. I have returned to the Archive Vaults several times now and I think I have some information that eluded our esoteric thief, so I shall endeavour to construct a convenient synopsis for you forthwith.

Now my dear boy, I can understand that you are afraid that this makes you a pariah squared, but think about it this way: Either you are a pariah or you aren’t. If you are one already, how different is it? Hardly at all! People may not like what you are, but they can be persuaded - especially if you have the art of charms at your fingertips. Just remember that a person who dislikes you for what you are before they know who you are can never be entirely relied upon. As for background on the blood of fire, well, that is hard to come by- but what our histories tell us, the accounts that you won’t find in any books in Parieso or Aru-Sha, is that The Diabolist was in the same line of business that many of us in the coven are. I suppose you may have gathered this already, but you are old enough to know that there are powers in the world so dangerous that even to name them invites desperate peril. Those of us at the heart of the coven have been part of a long and careful project of containing them, protecting the world from a return to the disasters of the past, mediating the ancient contracts that hold them and preserve the structure of nature. The story goes that the Diabolist caused the plague that wiped out old Carisona, but our accounts tell us that he was trying to prevent the plague and failed. Perhaps he succeeded in containing something even worse, however. We are safe for now, the borders of the forest are strong and although the rangers have passed south, we have our own devices and the foresters are conscious of the danger. I do not think even these enemies in the south wish to see our work disrupted, our enemies are no friends to them. I am sure we will be safe, for now at least. I am very proud of you Bambari. You have travelled further than I ever have and it sounds as though you have the chance to make quite an impression in the world. Mark my words: There will be people who would treat you as a pariah now but will one day wish they had met you. - Your very proud mother

Well I don't think we’ll be back anytime soon, so it should have died down...or we will have. Writing this real fast as things possibly about to be fairly ropey. There's a caravan or troop of people(?) heading our way on the lands just south of the salt desert. Any idea about their ways or customs? Also still no kitten pics???? How hard is that to source? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maia’s breath, Bambari, I am a scholar not an artist. Do you want me to convey this scroll to someone who specialises in crudely drawn felines or do you want access to the greatest repository of knowledge in the Western Kingdoms? Perhaps you are right about staying away, I don’t think the Quesitori will send anyone east of the mountains, my suspicion is that going east on a suicide mission was the only thing that saved Percy from very serious trouble. When you describe a caravan that sounds as though you mean wagons? If this is so then they are most likely to be the Lunzideren ( sometimes referred to as the Luns, but I would not do so in their hearing, or the Rolling People ) they sail the plains in wagon villages following the wind. Their culture revolves around the quality of their silks and the greatest power lies with the silk houses who control this trade- be very careful around them and their representatives. If the village has dark wagons avoid those and do not even ask about them as this could cause great offence. They are often described as civilised but Bambari you particularly must be careful- all my accounts agree that they have a certain social rigidity and place great value on good manners and appropriate deference.

Yeah I noticed, Percy’s pretty sunburnt and cranky. But thanks for just asking after him. We’re all in trouble. The quill ink evaporated in the desert leaving just black mush, hence I haven't replied. We’ve just found some water, which is great as I was pretty sure we were going to die. Percy's great and all but I really don't think he thought this journey through. I really don't recommend deserts. We’ve gone south and seem to be off the salt flats. Is there anything in the Library about the people or lands south of the Salts? I was chatting on the boat over to a Sailor. We talked about the war and Sudec. He said some Identical twins who ran a cult overthrew the old queen and took power three years ago. I think Ulumbriar was trapped but these twins must have used their connection to the bloodline of ice to empower her and are manipulating her or her followers. Also another sailor said he knew a guy from the Church from years ago, called Hector, he didn't give a last name. He said that Hector was interested in bloodlines and went over to the Ice Watchers side. Maybe he did some research that helped them free Ulumbrairs power. The sailor said he knew Hector from Aru-sha, so whatever he found out must be in your library. Can you look into bloodlines and see what it says? It may be the key to this. Also where are our kitten pics? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No, Bambari, I mean that master Cleft is in trouble with the church, apparently the Quesitors want to talk to him about something to do with hiding a suspect. I don’t follow the details but as far as I can tell Blessed Pelwar sort of snuck him out of the city before they found him and they are kicking up a big fuss here now.

Oh! You met young Otelo did you? And he took our surname after all? How charming for you! Is he still a sweet and shy boy? Did he recognise you? I have often wondered how things worked out for him after he left - it was a good time but I could tell the forest wasn’t the right place for him. He needed more people and I don’t really enjoy human company never mind that I have plenty of work to do here. He left long before you were born of course, once I knew was planning to leave I cast a little charm on him as a farewell gift, to nudge him towards success and then I went on to largely forget about him. There was nothing I could have given him that would equal the gift he gave me. I promise you that I had no idea about anything to do with any fire magic. If he had that when I knew him it must have been buried very deep, but perhaps some deep flowing power might have made him interesting I suppose. No, whatever he is and whatever his history with your friend the knight, I don’t really know. I had the impression that the time before he came to the forest had been hard for him, but he never wanted to talk about it and I didn’t need to know.

Hi Mum, I learnt to make the reaching scrolls in a library in Aru-sha. We’ve gone pretty far away, much further than I thought we’d go. We’re in a desert currently. Its big and bleak and I thought we were going to die. We’ve found water and I’ve rehydrated the ink meaning I can write to you. I’m not going to lie it's going to be a mixed bag this letter. I wanted to say I miss you and the forest. Have the Ice watchers made it further north? Will the coven be able to hide the woods? I hope you are ok. I wanted to talk about something else, and I don't want to come across as angry when we haven't spoken in so long, but I am angry. There was a bard in Aru-sha called Otelo De Lutes. His face looked a lot like mine and his stage name seemed cringingly familiar. To say I don't get it would be an understatement. You’re a powerful, driven, talented individual. I don't see what you saw in him other than maybe power? Why didn't you tell me about the fire bloodline? I’m a social pariah squared. I can't be in the covan, I can't be open as a Witch in the city and now I could, and maybe am, being hunted due to a connection to the bloodline of fire. You could have given me a heads up or at least some background on the subject. I met some fire elementals who told me I was linked to fire. They haven't really given me much more info, just some magic marbles. But the church hunts down people due to this because of links to the Diabolist. That leads me to my next point. Did you set up me ending up with Percy? You acted like you’d never met him when we came to visit, but he’s been investigating this bloodline for years and he saved De Lutez’ life. Is this some long elaborate scheme I've not been party too? I don't want to be angry. I want you to be safe, and proud of me. Love Bambari

As The Hawks realise that Tristan was not, in fact, hallucinating wildly it becomes clear that they need to take the threat posed by The Consumer seriously. Unfortunately, they are congenitally opposed to seriousness in all its forms, so this may prove a challenge far beyond their capacities.

Bambari, some very confused messages, are you alright? What do you need me to do? Did you know your friend the Paladin is in trouble? Saffron

I found this in some correspondence from Teren Galla, a priest of Maia displaced during the Cold Revolution. "I was the village priest in a small village by the name of Calderburn in southern Sudec for a few years and among the children of that village was a pair of twins named Taryu and Lemek- sweet little things they were, plump and black haired. As we sometimes see among young twins, they had their own language shared only between themselves and they were slow to learn to communicate with anyone else, but when they did they showed a striking tendency - rather than stating their own wishes, each would translate for the other. It took a long time for them to find their own voices, and even then they preferred one another's company. They were kind and good natured, but the other children in the village saw there was something different about them and, well, you know how children can be. The twins got more insular and took to wandering away from the others. They took to wandering off and several times they went missing and we had to gather up the whole village to search for them. The last time this happened they were out in the forest overnight and although they were found and brought home, little Taryu got a fever and she was terrible sick. I ministered for them as best I could, but there was something there that resisted the goddess' blessings. I wrote to Merwall at the time, but before I got a reply things came to a head and the family left Calderburn." You must be well under way by now, any interesting observations on the Roil? Saffron

The prospector's account continues thus: "I was a little spooked by that and it gave me no inclination to return for some time, in fact I did find myself some sizeable copper ingots that would sell for good money if I could get 'em back to Merwall but I put off travelling back that way for a while and went further east a ways. Even spent some time around the Sleidlar and let me tell you them is good people once you get the hang of their manner of talking and way of living. Learned a lot there I most certainly did! Well anyways eventually I loaded up my mules and set out for Merwall which was a pretty travel but I knew it would reward me if I could get there with my goods intact and by the time I passed that glacier well I was in a hurry to be by it but things had changed a lot in those few years let me tell you. Those shacks and igloos were gone and instead there was a town of log houses and cabins all in neat lines and looking civilised like. I stopped though as briefly as I could for I had no inclination to involve myself far in their affairs. The people that had been there before still seemed to be around but there was something like an organisation now. They had some kind of mine of their own, right into the glacier and there was some kind of central building made of ice. I found a place to sleep the night, but I barely got a wink because I noticed that there was something like big glowing flames atop the glacier, but they burned green and lilac like the southern lights, but all bundled up and brighter for it. I asked my host about it and she observed that they had got brighter as they dug their way into the ice. She said that the light of those fires showed them the true way and that they could discover their true purpose now. She said her mind used to be confused and fuzzy but now everything was clear to her and I believe that she truly felt happy in that light. Well I suspected that singing would be clearer if I slept there that night, so I sat by the fire and didn't close my eyes. The next morning I left early, so tired I was stumbling even on that good road they had made, and never looked back." "That was before all this recent nonsense started happening - but seeing how much that place had changed in a few years between one visit and the next, and remembering that voice in my dreams, I ain’t surprised something strange came of it. Not at all." That is the whole of that report, save some superfluous mineralogical detail, but context for recent activity near SP. Hope the sea journey is comfortable and trouble free. Saffron.

Season 3 of Crudely Drawn Swords begins - if you haven't listened before, we hope that this will provide an excellent jumping-on point. If you have, then buckle in- The Hawks are back and they have a whole new set of problems to contend with... --------------------------------- Bambari, this is interesting - from a source related to Enigma's network, an agent with the codename of "Mist" the account of a prospector who had travelled extensively through the southern forest. "First time I passed by Sankastra Palov must be ten years gone, I had an idea about maybe mining some copper down in the southern barrier range there [...] well anyhows I struck this little settlement down near the glacier and it weren't like any place you ever saw - they had igloos and tents and a few shacks- weren't hardly none of them looked like it would hold up if a gust of wind went by but there they were and there was folks crowding in there. A lot of them was a little bit loose-minded if you take what I mean, they weren't bad people but they didn't seem well fitted to conversation or they would talk to you endlessly but not much of it would make any sense. Well I was passing through but I stopped by there and made a few Schmeckels ( I was headed east of the mountains ) by selling them game I had hunted. Seemed to me there weren't anybody bringing much trade that way and they weren't all the most practical folks. In fact seemed to me the main thing they had in common was that they all said that they had been called there by some voice in their dreams. All considered the place was surprisingly orderly for all that they was mostly folks with trouble in their minds. Well I helped out there a little time but one night while I was sleeping I heard a voice in my dreams too, it felt real far off and I couldn't make out any words, but sure I could tell it was a voice that wanted me to stay there at the edge of that ice. Well I packed out the next morning and I didn't come back in a good long time I can tell you." [ continues ... ]

The journey along the North Coast got off to a somewhat unfortunate start, but surely the crew of The Ghost will be more than able to get everything back on an even keel ready to handle whatever challenges their quest should present to them. This follows closely from "The North Coast, Part 1" and if you haven't listened to that episode, it provides a valuable preface to the events contained herein.