Peace Weaving

Broddi tells the council that he will send the women to make peace with the Emerald Sword Clan. “There is always another way,” he tells the assembled Red Cow Inner Ring and heroes.

Salissa and Kangharl react with anger, shouting at Broddi and urging him not to “betray the ancestors by paying off the Emerald Sword.”

Broddi shrugs and simply says, “We cannot win this fight."

“I have asked Griselda to weave a peace rug with the Emerald Sword women,” he continues. “Ernalda’s god-talkers and priestesses will accompany them.”

Everyone expects Darna to be spitting with rage at such an insult, for as the high priestess of Ernalda she should lead the peace weaving. But she seems calm, as if she expected this development.

When Broddi assigns Kernalda to provide protection for the peace weavers, Darna steps forward, “I know these people,” she points to the heroes, “would dearly like to win approval from you Broddi, and make up for any past mistakes. They have petitioned me to join this mission, as guardians and helpers of the Earth, and I would like the ring to agree to send them along to help.”

Broddi snorts, “They are Trouble People, more likely to cause pain than stop it.”

Darna and Salissa, but perhaps surprisingly also Farandar and Kullina speak up in their favor.

Broddi relents.

“Don’t worry,” Darna tells the heroes, “I’ll give you an opportunity to repay your debt to me in the future.”

The expedition sets out crossing the Creek at Dangerford and then following it north towards Lake Aroka. Kernalda rides out in front of the party, blowing her horn regularly to alert the Emerald Sword to the expedition’s presence. 

The Red Cow party meets an Emerald Sword patrol led by Korlmhyor. Korlmhyor is hostile to the presence of Red Cow clan folk on his lands. He is aggressive. He will happily duel with a anyone and does not back down from a challenge.

Griselda intervenes: “We have come to weave peace, not more violence. There is always another way.”

In confidence, Salissa goads Adar who looks likely to duel with Korlmhyor: “That men who have done the Red Cow such harm should freely walk the land and she should not feel shame! Will you dishonor your ancestors by refusing to show that the Cinsina will not be cowed into submission? If you don’t I fear we will always be victims of 
their aggression.”

Darna Longcoat says “This Korlmhyor is touchy with his honor, fight him and we can be sure this peace weaving will not end in our submission to the Emerald Sword.”

The heroes keep their cool, and Korlmhyor mocks them as “hiding behind the women’s skirts.”

The party hears shouts and screams from the other side of a copse by the side of the river. Korlmhyor orders the group to press on — he wants to see what is happening.

Kernalda flanks Griselda, Salissa, and Darna closely watching nervously for trouble. She orders the heroes to ride ahead and find out what is happening.

As they break through the tree line, the heroes see four men and women fighting a large River Dragon. The creature has its jaws around one of the four and is thrashing him about. The others stick the river dragon with spears, trying to get it to release its hold on their companion, before it can retreat into the water.

The river dragon is a huge beast, five metres long and weighing some 1.000 kg. Korlmhyor and his patrol join the fight against the river monster. Such a large group is able to force the River Dragon to release its victim and slink back into the water.

The heroes survive without injury and acquit themselves well.

After the fight, everyone quickly realizes that the victim and his friends are some of Orstalor's guerillas. With that discovery, Korlmhyor binds them and announces that he will take them to his chieftain, to decide what is to be done.

The victim of the River Dragon’s jaws is badly wounded and needs a healer. The Red Cow priestesses offer to do what they can, but Korlmhyor warns them off. He orders the three less badly injured guerrillas to carry their friend to Blue Dragon village, from where they can be turned over to the authorities.

When none of the Red Cow speaks about freeing the rebels, Salissa and Kullina complain, muttering about: “Broddi's policy of appeasement.”

When the heroes arrive at Blue Dragon, it is obvious how much their delegation is despised. People stop what they are doing to stare as the Red Cow party proceeds down the track through the village to the chieftain’s hall. Mothers call their children, alynxes hiss, men spit on the ground and make the sign to ward off evil.

A young man shouts at the Red Cow: “I am Jarlar son of Garath. Do you hear me Red Cow? You killed my father! No wergild can pay that debt. I will have blood vengeance.”

Away from the braying of the mob outside, Duruvan the Fat's hall seems quiet and safe. Duruvan is polite and welcoming, restraining much of the bile his clan directs at the Red Cow. He looks for peace, if the women can find a solution. He introduces them to the priestesses on the Emerald Sword Ring: Kallesra , Tamara Little-Mouse, and Olinara Ravenhead, wishing them well on finding a solution.

The women retire to the Loom House. Duruvan invites the men in the Red Cow party to stay in his hall.

The escort enjoys comfortable but wary hospitality in the chieftain’s hall. Duruvan, Korlmhyor and their men always keep them company.

Boredom is the enemy, and to prevent quarreling Duruvan suggests that the two sides contest in games of skill instead of war. He proposes swimming in Lake Aroka, and horse racing. He tries to keep people busy and give their aggression an outlet to prevent violence. 

The water of Lake Aroka has a red tint. It wasformed from the gushing of Aroka's blood when Orlanth killed it. Duruvan recites the myth of Orlanth and Aroka.

The women come together in the Loom House to weave peace, intertwining their anger for the crimes committed by each side, exposing their hopes and dreams for the future.

Salissa dwells far more on hurt and injury than solutions, Kullina argues over religion, and Darna refuses to speak up. Griselda speaks of the cost of war in blood and treasure.

Kallesra works far harder to achieve peace than the Red Cow priestesses do.

Maklami makes a half-hearted attempt to speak for peace, but in the end no agreement is reached.