LOG: Hy-Brasil: The Grim Fortress

===> COH <===> 4/11/2019, 7:08:58 PM <===
<---======##=====[ Event 761 - Hy-Brasil: The Grim Fortress ]=====##======--->
The Story So Far:

The Eminence of Blades had long been one of the wyldest and wyrdest residents in the County of Lion's Reach. Subject to various powerful geasa (or so he claimed) that kept him in exile from his beloved homeland of the Arcadian Gates in the realm of Hy-Brasil, he had all but given up hope of ever going home again. But then the geasa were suddenly lifted, and he gathered a small band of intrepid protagonists to sail the astral seas and journey home to investigate the lifting of the geasa.

But as the saying goes, you can't go home again! All was not well in Hy-Brasil. Some mysterious and unknown force is attacking the balefire at the Last Garrison at the Arcadian Gates, and threatening the Garrison's ability to maintain the peace between the Gateway Castle of Lord Lysander and the Grim Fortress of Lady mariana. Soothsay suggested interference by Outlanders, and the trail seemed to lead towards the Grim Fortress. Our protagonists must now venture towards the Fortress to begin the investigation!

OOC: The latest episode in the long-form Hy-Brasil plot, this will be a wilderness "dungeon" style trek from the Last Garrison to the Grim Fortress, consisting of a mix of Physical, Social, and Mental challenges.

Estimated run time: +/- 4 hours

NOTE: If you're new to the plot and want background, or old to the plot and want a refresher, etc, feel free to @mail/page Ferdinand for a scene.

Date: Thu Apr 11 15:30:00 2019 PST
Storyteller: Ferdinand
Genre: Fae
Signups: Sterling, Ethan, Ferdinand, Abigail, and Erin
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	Ferdinand had sent word for those accompanying him on the return journey to Hy-Brasil to meet at one of the smaller of the Lodestone Islands. It was there that the Perilous was docked, obscured by shadows and moss hanging from tall long branches in the brackish waters. The feral youth paces up and down the gangplank to his longship as he waits to see who will show up!

	Lord Sterling comes lumbering along, his cloak billowing dramatically behind him. Head up, chest out, shoulders back, one hand behind his back, the other resting on the pommel of his broadsword. "What ho, Master Ferdinand," he calls as he approaches. "I hope the day finds you well. Perfect weather for some proper adventuring, nay?"

	A thin figure approaches the longship, a bit of purple and black hair hangs out from under the hood that shadow the young womans face. She hugs arms around her thin frame and steps one foot on the plank then pauses but this has to be the right place...right?

Cody walks towards the location, dressed with all his focci at easy access and close to his hands. He pauses and raises a hand in Ferdinands direction, and bows his head slightly to Lord Sterling. There is no warmth in Cody's eyes or voice. Just mostly seemingly to exist with sadness and pain lingering. "Gentlemen." he says softly. He glances to the woman, a slight incline of his head.

Ethan comes walking up, a satchel slung cross-body over his bare chest. He's not to the gangplank yet but says "All aboard who's going aboard," loudly and BOY does his voice carry. "I was last on /last/ time, commit or get outta the way." Volume but no real malice there. Although he gives Cody a raised eyebrow and "Dude, you look like they already keelhauled you."

	Ferdinand looks over a shoulder as someone arrives. Something (or someone) lordly and avuncular comes! Ferdi smiles grimly and gives the sidhe from house Fiona a salute. "One can always hope." The usually irrepressible youth seems weighed down by the gravity of the situation, but for him? It was impossibly personal. Then something or someone else catches his eye and his nose twitches - a sniff of the air before his beady eyes go towards the thin figure in the cloak. His mouth opens as if to say something but then - hey look! Its a Cody! The kin gets a nod and Ferdi leaps off the plank with unpracticed ease to allow the redcap that arrives to lead the way up into the ship. The sight of a redcap isn't usually something to be at ease about, but Ferdi takes obvious solace in the brute's arrival and presence. "What the First Mate said! All aboard!"

	Abigail raises a hand in greeting to the captain of the the ship as she makes her way up the gangplank and finds a place out of the way to stand. She leans against the rail of the ship as she leans toward the waters as if drawn to them. The smell of the water such as it is brings a little smile to her lips then she turns to watch the others.

Cody grunts in reply to Ethan, "Accurate, but not literally." he replies softly. "I'll recover in time." He moves to follow the lemmings to board the ship.

	Lord Sterling nods his head to Ethan as the redcap arrives. "Friend Ethan. Glad to see you again, friend." The newcomer in the cloak is given a glance and a tilt of the head. But it's Cody who draws his ocean-blue gaze. Silver brows furrow in concern as he approaches the younger man. "I say, friend Cody. Such a long face. Is there aught amiss? Anything I can do to lift that sadness from you?" He turns to head for the gangplank, his focus still on cody for the time being.

Ethan shrugs to Cody, saying "A'ight, leave it on the dock and let's go," walking up. Sterling gets a nod of acknowledgement. He then says with a reverse nod to the ratkinain, "Nice," and holds up a fist for Ferdinand to presumably bump, smirking.

	Ferdi makes sure everyone is safely aboard, and then gives Cousin Ethan a fistbump before the youth draws up the gangplank with a strength that belies his lithe frame. Anchor is similarly pulled up and secured, then he motions everyone over to an altar near the ship's bow. The Sanguine Drive. "Everyone must make an offering, lest you end up lost as we sail into the Far and Deep." He draws a knife, slashes his hand, and drops blood onto the Drive. "Blood and spirit," he recites quietly efore passing the knife to is left, passing his heart in the process of the ritual.

Cody follows the ritual and cuts his hand for moment fascinated by the sensation and the trickle of his blood. "Blood and Spirit." he intones.

	Taking the blade when it is passed to her Abigail cuts the palm of one hand and offers the blood up to the drive. There is only a faint face made when blade cuts flesh then she passes the blade on and steps back to tend the cut.
Ethan scowls slightly and makes a point of being the next to receive the knife. Cutting in for cuts, as it were. Honestly, he frowns WAY more at being further down the queue than when slicing into his palm. "Right, blood, spirit," and foisting the blade to his left.

	Lord Sterling takes up the blade and lifts his hand, drawing the blade across the palm. "Blood and Spirit," he says, grandiosely passing his bloodied hand over the drive. Noble blood patters onto the chimerical device, imparting the sidhe's own contribution to the mix.

	Ferdinand takes the knife back from Sterling and wipes it cleanbefore tucking it safely away for later. With each offering of Blood and Mystic Essence, the ship grows lighter, warmer, and the sails soon begin to billow despite the lack of wind. THIS IS FAERIE MAGICK!

	Once everyone has paid the price in Blood and Spirit to the Sanguine Engine, the Perilous sets sail upon the astral seas. She'll speed along quietly, cloaked in shadows and mist to avoid any nnecessary encounters as the crew sails out into the Deep and Far. It provides an eerily silent backdrop to anything transpiring on or below deck.

	Eventually the Astral Seas give way to the River of Time, one of the few lost paths by which the realm of Hy-Brasil remains accessible. The River of Time is wide enough for maybe two longships to pass by one another without their hulls scraping, but only barely. Surrounded on either side by dense seemingly impenetrable and inscrutable woods, a slow creeping dread rises up from the river waters and tugs at the edges of the ship and anyone who might linger there too long.

	Having been given leave to journey to and from the realm, the Perilous and her crew will not have to face the psyche-rending puzzles of the Goblin Lochsmiths from before, nor the test of will administered by the Knight of Sorrow. No, none of that to contend with! Instead, all they'll have to do is navigate the Path of Brambles that runs from the Last Garrison to the Grim Fortress. The Bramble Path is never the same journey twice, but as this is all but Ferdinand's first time making the trek, no one is likely to notice.

	The Perilous finally sails silently up the river into a tributary shallows, dropping anchor and laying down gangplanks so that the crew can disembark. And its is here and now that our story REALLY begins!

Ethan does take a moment during that time to say, "Alright, official First Mate business... who're you?" about as conversationally as he can, pointing a finger at Abigail.

	Ferdi stays near the bow and the Sanguine Engine, "steering" the vessel along the river, such as it were. A weight sits on his shoulders, and he leaves the patter and such to the First Mate. You know things are grim business when its up to the redcap to play host!

And he's only going to get worse passing from Near to Far, to say nothing of the Deep.

	Looks up at Ethan as she is addressed, "I am Abigail, a sorcerous and Kin to the Selkies." It's simple and short as he doesn't seem to be in the mood to exchange whole life details.

	Once the crew leaves the near dreaming behind, everyone distills into their true mythic forms. Or as close to it as the mythic a that gave birth to the modern seemings allow. For the two non ratkinain kin aboard? They'll exhibit stronger ties to whatever kith they call kin - their mortal flesh slightly altering to match their vestigial seemings. For Ferdinand? Well, he's instantly transformed into his crinos form, and the "Eshu sparkle" that surrounds him is indelibly unmissable.

	Sterling rests against the rail of the ship, the wind stirring his silver mane as he gazes out into the Dreaming. Say what you will about the nobility, there's no doubt that they -look- the part. And as the intrepid crew passes into the Far Dreaming, he becomes even more lordly and commanding. His natural radiance brightening, his carriage fair and mighty. He grows slightly taller, his movements carrying an indelible grace. Ocean blue eyes become luminous and piercing, filled with wisdom. He leaves no doubt that his is one of the Dreaming's annointed lords, bright and terrible as the dawn.

Ethan listens to Abigail's terse explanation, idly picking his huge sharp teeth with an (now) equally sharp nail, examining his digits as if having got a manicure. "Well. Are you the kind who's going to want to be up front and set things on fire and whatnot? My brother and girlfriend both enjoy such things, given the chance."

	The ratkinan blinks as the Change takes place, the Wyrd suddenly surging over him and his crewmates, revealing and distilling everyone down to their most mythic of essences. A feral smile as he sees everyone's primal selves. Between a highborn elf of shining light and a fearsome monster of endless hunger and stone, there was nowhere safer or more interesting he could be! "Keep your wits about you. Here, we are what we were meant to be, for ill or good." Yes, the ratkinain has a trick that allows him normal speech even in his warform. He gestures to the gangplanks. "Once we set foot on the soil, our souls and bodies will be replenished, should they have need."

	As they slip into the far dreaming the girl begins to resemble that which blood she shares. Skin turns brown and looks to be covered with short silky fur and webbing grows between her fingers. Whispers twitch from the mass of spots around her nose as if she was caught in a freckle factory explosion. "I can throw flames yes, but my skills lie more with glimpses of the future and seeing what lies ahead one a path."

Cody stays clear of the redcap. His hand rests on the hilt of his dagger. Just in case. He's seen Ethan in action before. Horns begin to form on Cody's head along with his beard getting longer. The look in his eyes get's a bit more feral looking. Though there is a sense of power that eminates from Cody, It's almost like a shifting breeze and smell of rain combined with that sense of euphoria all the while focused on everything and nothing all at once. It's like the entire natural cycle is a part of him and hte dreaming reflects it. The mark/tatoo on his right forearm get's more reflective. He steps forward near Sterling. "I recently met Lord Cash and his partner. They in decent regard within the House?" he asks idly. He looks to Abigail " The sight." he states simply.

	Sterling looks to Cody, and his smile is like the sun breaking through stormclouds. "Lord Cash and Master Phillipe are dear friends of mine," he says, his voice ever so slightly deeper and more melodious. "And glad I am of it. A true son of the Silver Lion, that one."

Ethan was just saying, "Okay, well, good," to Abigail, then gives Cody a riveting look, but moves over towards Ferdinand, you can hear him ask "Are we there yet?" before he's a pace away.

	The moonmaus nods and the ship grows still when the anchor hits bottom. "C'mon. Onto the Path of Brambles. Its a bit of trek from the Last Garrison to the Grim Fortress." He pulls a tattered map free from a belt puch and unfolds it. Then he hands it towards Abigail. "You can hold the map. Let's go!" And with that he scampers down of the ship and onto what may have /once/ been a trail. Ages and ages ago. And it leads into a dark unwelcoming woods.

	Black lips curl in an amused smile as she tucks the map away into her clothing. Standing she moves to follow the rest staying behind the much better armed and fearsome menfolk. The only weapon she seems to possibly be carrying might be a dagger as the hilt of one sticks out of a boot.

Ethan does his level best to keep pace behind Ferdinand, for all intents and purposes unarmed, well. Not /carrying/ a weapon might be a better choice of words.

Cody pauses and looks at the woods and then reaches up and pulls out a few strands of his hair. "One of hte strongest connections, in case we get lost in there. I'll be able to find the boat. by following the connection of myself to my hair." He murmurs softly as he knows this seems like a weird thing to do.

	Sterling nods his head, turning to follow after the moonmaus. "Pray, Master Ferdinand. Once we arrive at the Last Garrison, what's to be afoot?" Cody's actions don't seem to faze the elder sidhe overmuch. Wizards gonna wizard.

	The moonmaus slows his pace, tail twitching behind him nervously. "We're headed to the Grim Fortress, actually. On behalf of the Garrison." He pulls a roll of parchment from a pouch, sealed with wax. This, he hands to Sterling. "We bear their letter of passage, and the seal of the Watch Commander. Lady Mariana is one of your kind," he says, by way of explaining why he gave the letter to Sterling as the deliverer of such. the woods are eerily quiet. More quiet than haunted woods should be, really.

	The ratkinain adjusts his hat a little. "The Watch Commander suggested that whatever is attacking the Garrison's balefire was coming from the Fortress. But that the magick had the flavor of outlanders."

Ethan says with a smirk, "Eh, not really, she isn't--" but then stops short of the rest of that sentence and glances around.

You paged (Ethan, Cody) with 'ALERTNESS SUCCESS!: The woods are way too still and quiet for normal woods, much less HAUNTED woods. In all that quiet? You can make out TWO things. A soft rustling sound, like something moving through tall grass. And an approaching scent, carried on a slow breeze, of ROSES.'

To (Cody, Eminence_of_Blades), Ethan pages: And I've eaten roses!

	Despite haing AMAZEBALLS powers of perception, Ferdi is engrossed by Lord Sterling's splendoriffic nature and cajoling him into sweet talking Lady Mariana that he and the lord are too distracted to notice anything. What about the others?!

Cody pauses and his eyes narrow "You hear that?" he murmurs "Something is comming." He looks in hte direction he heard the sound. loosening his hands a bit in case.

Ethan says low (and even then you guys can still hear his voice carry) "Ferd! Shut the fuck up for a second!" going from standing casually to an almost hunched-over crouch.

	Sterling is busily listening intently to Ferdinand, nodding his head with a pleasant smile. But when he sees and hears the others tensing up, he slows in his stride. A dour scowl creases his features, and his hand reaches to grip the hilt of his broadsword. "Where's it coming -from-?" he asks, tensing warily.

	The ratkinain suddenly stops when Cousin Ethan growls out, going statue still, like a freeze frame, and reaching out to hold Lord Sterling still as well, lest the highborn elf fall prey to an unseemly end! Something strange is clearly afoot!

	"What is it," whispers the ratkinain ever so quietly.

	Abigail is quiet for several minutes her face looks a little unfocused, "It's coming from the east and it's tall that's all I can see from here."

	The woods, they're haunted, of course. And likely not in the favor of outlanders. The forest canopy seems to shift a little, shifting the Bramble Path out towards a grassy meadow clearing.

Cody draws his obsidian dagger, flipping the blade up to be hidden by the arm, the hilt of which is held between his thumb and forefinger. He watches the environment change, "Natives are restless?" he murmurs in barely more than a whisper.

	The ratkinain drops down into a defensive crouch near Lord Ser Sterling. Out here, who knows what happens to the Shining Host if they shuffle off the immortal coil?!

Ethan says quietly, "It's roses. Something... something.. druidic henchflowers... Nageire?" as if not really sure of what word he's saying. "Mobile thorns, and incoming!"

	Abi wrinkles her nose, "Two more, tall, spindly slow moving. Subtly she shifts position behind the larger men there is brave then there is knowing your limitations. She knows hers and they don't quite match up to armed combat quite yet.

	The sound of a child's laughter can be heard, and everything smells like roses now as the environs shift and the crew find themsleves in a meadow clearing, surrounded by woods.

	FROM THE REDCAP'S LIPS TO THE NARRATOR'S EARS! - ENCOUNTER: NAGEIRE (ROSE)!
This large (30 foot tall) creature has the body of an enormous serpentine flower, with the head of a beautiful elven looking child nestled amidst its petals. Though seemingly anchored to the ground, it drags its coiling body through the forest by means of spindly, clawed-tipped arms. this particular breed is a Rose Nageire, sometimes known as a Thornchild. And it does not look happy!

	So. Much. Rose. Smell. Ferdinand SNEEZES! LOUDLY! A-CHOOOOOOOO! Well, there went any element of surprise. The ratkinain shrugs sheepishly, tail flicking to and fro even as his hackles rise.

Sterling's frown darkens into a scowl. His sword clears the scabbard with a harmonious ring of chimerical steel as he turns to face the Thornchild. "'ware yourselves, friends! That thing does -not- look best pleased!" he growls.

	A ways behind the rose nageire? Two more ... nageire types things. They move slow though. Or at a deliberately lesiurely pace. For now. But? Those two do NOT smell like roses.
From afar, Erin waves

	Ferdinand draws his saber, but takes a few steps back to take position next to Abigail. No squishie kin are gonna get merked on his watch!

	The ratinain will hold his action and allow others to engage while he hangs back and defends Abigail! SO. GALLANT.

Cody in one fluid motion he raises his arms and flip the blade to the upright position in his hands, There is no fear in his eyes, only the resolute will as his eyes flash with his craft <arete forces effect t redirect the incomming force around us>, is ready to move out of the way <physical>.

	THORNCHILD lets out a peal of childlike laughter, the sound tinkling merry despite the malice in the chrbic face's eyes. Then those looooong spindly vne-like arms whip out towards the redcap (because it looks the scariest of the bunch!) and the other towards the sidhe (because, well, everyone hates the insufferable sidhe!).

You paged Cody with 'you smell, ever so faint, but getting stronger - the scent of violets. and tiger-lily.'

	Ferdinand sneezes. AGAIN. GROSS! RAT SNOT! Ugh. So many flowers. "Two new varietals incoming!"

As Cody flicks the blade a wave of air rises up out in front of him catching one of the attacking thorny leafy things, but misses the other. Redirecting their incomming attack upwards over Cody Sterling and Abigail.

Ethan is way too busy with the task at hand to bother with like maybe having noticed a thing. Or having heard Ferd. He skids to a stop and full-on takes the nageire's strike; which half doesn't scratch him and half veers off of a sudden Glamourous glint of a bubble momentarily deflecting the blow. In either case, the redcap is uninjured and takes advantage of the extended limb by scrambling up it(!), aided by the taloned claws he has instead of hands.

	Abi draws a dagger if you can call it that from her right boot. The blade is some sort of black metal and once freed flames slowly lick along the metal till it is sheath in shifting flame that run the range from orange to blue. She looks at the rose monster and wrinkles her nose, "This is ruining valentines day for me, I will never accept roses again."

	More wicked childlike laughter burbles past the chrubic face in frustration as the redcap shrigs off the whip of a tendril, and Sterling dances like a butterfly, aided by druidic mojo!

	Sterling narrows his eyes as he leaps to the side, the tendril narrowly avoiding him thanks to Cody's intervention. "My thanks!" he barks to the younger man before he turns his furious gaze upon the Thornchild. "Right! Time to prune some hedges! AMOR VINCIT OMNES!!" Thundering House Fiona's battle cry, he leaps forward, cutting a scintilating silver arc with his broadsword, going right for the main body of the beast.

	SHLLLCK! A thorny tendril goes flying as the elder sidhe completes his stroke. "Hah! Have at you!" he thunders.

	The Thornchild SCREAMS! Like a child had an arm pulled off! Its an AWFUL sound!!! What monster attacks a child?!?!?! In the distance, the VIOLET and the TIGER-LILY slowly draw closer upon hearing the bloodcurdling scream!

	The ratkinain flinches at the scream, and then sniffs the air as Abi lights up her blade. A feral smile, but he holds his action to keep near and defend the squishie selkie kin. Flaming blade or not, she doesn't appear to be wearing any armor, whle his cloak suddenly takes on a life of its own, swirling about him like a living thing, luna's blessing come to sartorial life!

Ethan having presumably claw-climbed up his way up on the Thornchild's 30-foot body, not going to assume that's a grapple, however: he does bite the thing, already enormous mouth about unhinging at the jaw for a tremendous chomp into the thing's... flesh? Vines? Whatever, it gets bit.

Ethan winds up teeth sunk into the Thornchild's vined flesh, worrying like an attack dog having grabbed a hold. That's all he's doing, somewhere up there.

	The Thornchild howls like a child that's getting strangled to death! OMG! SUCH A HORRIBLE SOUND!!!
Cody flips his blade downwards and shoves it into the ground <arete life effect to cause the plants tendrils to be rooted in the ground causing it to full stop.> He is still prepared to move out of the way if he needs to <physical> "Enough!" He roars! "Or Perish!"

	The thornchild flails wildly, madly, nearing its death-throes! While rooted in place, its remaining tendril whips out wildly and slashes out at the ratkinain!

	Ferdinand's mooncloak shifts around his body when the thornchild lashes out with the razor sharp tendril, blocking the tendril from striking the ratkinian! That's some nifty garment!

	Rooted in place, the thornchild is in rough shape, what with the 'cap biting and gnawing the **** out of it. The scent of roses and chlorophyll fills the air with strong stench!

	Sterling narrows his eyes as he sees the Thornchild on its last... fronds? He whirls his sword around and slams it point first into the ground. He lifts his hands and slams his palm into his fist. "Green of garland, red so choice! Power come and heed my voice! Thorn and briar, holly grow! Heed my call and smite my foe!"

	Sterling sweeps his hands out, a cyclone of crimson-and-silver Glamour whirling around his feet, making his cloak billow back and his hair ruffle, lighting him up from beneath. One hand rises to point imperiously over his head, and then he brings that hand slashing down. The glamour swirls into a single mote of blazing red that lances out to slam into the Thornchild. Eat your heart out, Ryu Hayabusa.

	WHAT A CRUEL WORLD! There's a final bloodcurdling shriek from the thornchild, held in place by Cody's druidic spell, gnawed half to death by the redcap's ferocious jaws, and put out of its misery by the sidhe's majestic Fiery Doom!!! The smell of burning vegetation fills the air and the two approaching nageire's think twice, turning away to disappear back into the woods! BYE BYE Violet and Tiger-Lily!

	The thornchild collapses and smolders. Its cherubic face/head is singed, eyes rolling back into its skull.

	Abi fans her face at the smell of burning roses, "Very impresive your Lordship." she offers as her eyes move to the retreating plants.

Cody frown a bit " Shame that it came to this." he murmurs softly. "I had hoped it would yield."

Ethan picks his way out of the singed viney mess that used to be a big rose monster, pausing only to spit green-tinged off to the side and try and rub liquid chlorophyll off of his face. It just gets all over his forearms instead. "What IS it with flowers recently?" he asks, appropos of nothing, not expecting an answer.

Cody moves to the head, and pries open it's mouth. He takes a look.

	Ferdi relaxes a bit once the threat is over, looking to Abi to make sure she was ok, then bounding over to help clean Cousin Ethan off with a handkerchief. Yes, he carries a kerchief with him for just these occasions!

Sterling nods his head. "Hmph." He picks up his sword and flourishes it, before sliding it back into its scabbard with a soft metallic clink. "The old Holly Strike never fails, eh?" He looks up and around. "Everyone all right? Nobody injured?"

Ethan pffts dismissively at the question posed to all, and says "Yeah right. What was that, a salad as appetizer? Not even AT the main course yet. Thanks," that last part to Ferdinand as he accepts the kerchief and works on looking less horrible. Well, less plant-juice-covered.

Cody pulls out a scroll with a wax seal from it's mouth. He walks towards Sterling, Offering the scroll to the Sidhe Lord. "You want the honors My Lord or do you relent it to Ferdi?" He asks, but he doesn't sheath his dagger just yet.

	Ferdi helps tidy the redcap up a bit, then looks over towards Cody and the item the druid fished out of the thornchild's ... mouth. Ewwwwww. Silence of the Lambs, much?!

	"Why don't we let the seer open it," says the ratkinain, jerking a thumb in Abi's direction. "or as a druid, maybe you ought to. We need the highborn for Lady Mariana." Oh right, spare the sidhe from any booby traps but every one else is up for grabs!

	Abi rolls her eyes a little, "Why is it chivalry comes into play when openning missives." She appears to be teasing though as she takes it and uses a nail to break the wax seal.

Cody shrugs a bit " I'm a witch not a herald."

	Ferdi watches with bated breath as Abi steps up and takes a crack at the item in question. Will she go up in flames? Melt in a puddle? "Well? What is it? What does it say?"

	Abi neither melts or puddles it's not a missive from Justin Beiber or anything. "To my most clever and unfortunate Threel Highly, Red Knight of the Highest Order. I send greetings from the tower behind the well. This past season has been dense with the breeding of unexpected events. I trust that news of recent events here has reached you, and I likewise trust you received the unusual device I sent earlier, for otherwise you would be entirely unable to read the words I now set down. Though I am indeed made weary by the strain of maintaining this deception, I see the necessity in it, as I am certain, do you. It is vital that you investigate the Blind Mirror. To do otherwise is to risk what little you have left. Your most humble servant, Ozwick. PS - Othros incara ex'na glarr amnata!" She reads out the missive so the others can hear it and perhaps figure it out.

	The landscape shifts around the crew once more, placing them back on the Bramble Path, again deep in the thick and dark woods. When Abi speaks the magic words aloud? The ones at the end of the note? FAERIE MAGICK HAPPENS! (perception + awareness or kenning checks!)

Ethan listens but does echo "'Red Knight'?" wonderingly, he frowns and obviously is not expecting an answer as more is read. Then stuff happens.

	Those who's spidey-sense successfully triggered get a sudden tingle on the back of their necks. Time and Space arts are at work nearby! And they might explain why there's suddenly the sound of a wearly little tune being sung from a ways up the road.

	Eventually? The source of the song will come into view, meeting up with the crew on the Bramble Path!

	ENCOUNTER! THE RED ROOK!
The red rook is a hulking 15' tall grotesque. From a distance, it might seem that it lies inert. The rook possesses a gruesomely frowning domelike face, and spindly arms and legs like afterthoughts. The rook sits atop a palanquin, held up at each of the four corners by an invisible unseen force.

The rook opens is eyes and mouth, looks the crew over, and a riddle comes tumbling out past its lips:
	Sterling rubs his beard thoughtfully as he takes in the message's contents. But there's little time to ponder, as magic is afoot. He boggles a bit as the crew finds themselves back on the Bramble Path. "Dear me. I shall -never- get used to that," he mutters. His pointed ears perk up at the sound of music, and he leans forward to get a better look.

	Leveling its gaze on Abigail, the rook's riddle comes. "I sail a misted sea, my face ever-changing, examining a silver world. WHO. AM. I?"

Ethan's wide mouth grimaces, saying under his breath (or what passes for it with his loud voice) "Ooooooh, spoiler alert: don't answer wrong! Riddles, not my strong suit."

	In many ways, the rook looks like some macabre Humpty-Dumpty. All pale porcelain skin, but with slashes of crimson for eyes and an overly wide mouth.

	Abi shrugs but what can one expect in the deep dreaming. "Your the Moon." Still it beats the night shift at Walgreens.

	An unsettling smile from the rook's wider-than-a-redcap's mouth as he nods to Abi. "Very. Good." He turns to Ethan next. "I press my face to the wet walls in the dark, seeking salt and sugar. WHO. AM. I?"

Ethan raises an eyebrow, saying "Uhh, a tongue? What is this, you secretly a racist or something? Kith=ist? Is that a word?" the last said to the group. He's probably joking.

	Another even more unsettling smile from the rook's wider-than-a-redcap's mouth as he nods to Ethan. "Very. Good!" He turns to Sterling next. "You appear when I break. WHO. AM. I?"

Sterling settles his hands upon his hips with a chuckle. "The dawn," he responds, almost immediately.

	Another even MORE unsettling smile from the rook's wider-than-a-redcap's mouth as he nods to Sterling. "Very! Good!" The red rook beams broadly, revealing large flat teeth made for crushing things. "Three riddles answered. No one ever gets three in a row. And now? A reward!" FAERIE MAGICK HAPPENS! And then? The crew is suddenly in the central chamber of the legendary Grim Fortress! THAT WAS STRANGE!!! BUT HELPFUL?

	The chamber is empty! And cold. The balefire that burns here flickers strangely. Whatever glamour is emanating from the hearth? is nothing anyone here has ever felt before.

	Sterling boggles at the sudden shift. "I say, I -do- wish they'd spread those out a bit more," he grouses. "All this random popping about is upsetting my innards."

	Abigail is a little green around the gills after that last pull and finds a wall to lean on. "Well we are here right? Almost done." She looks over at the Sidhe who has the last message to be delivered if there is anyone here to take it.

	The balefire flickers and flares, sending a wave of coppery glamour surging across the chamber. it feels slippery to the touch. Warm. Salty. Tangy.

	ENCOUNTER: SAGE AT THE GRIM FORTRESS!
The sage to Lady Mariana of the Grim Fortress makes their way into the room, dressed in a cowled cloak, and wearing a plague mask. A PLAGUE MASK?! The sage eyes the crew from behind the mask, then sighs softly. She gestures for everyone to be seated. And begins to speak.

Ethan looks around. "I have not thrown up in almost nine years, I am not breaking my record NOW." He catches sight of Lady Plague and frowns slightly.

	It could /might/ be surmised that something sluagh-like lurked in the cowled cloak and behind the plague mask. From the way she moves. the way she sibilantly whispers in a strained voice.

	"Some women, some men, and most children know that dreams leak. A lifetime of thinking it that way in your sleep can make a drawer on a drafting table three or four inches wider on a side. But there are longer lives than ours. And longer dreams."

	The plague mask obscures the sage's expression but she varies her gaze, watching everyone in equal measure.

	"There is a Red King, and he is terrible and he is tall. He wears a red crown. The long red years have made him strange and he hides from the sun, sleeping, his strange dreams making our unseen days stranger. Sleeping, he dreams of ruin and of distortion - of a Grim Fortress /reversed/ and /red/. When he opens his red eyes in the red night there is his red land - inverted, rigid, and wrong."

	The plague masked sage pauses, drawing the cloak more tightly about her slender frame. The balefire offers no warmth, despite its burn.

	"There is a cruel Heart Queen. She is in a different place, on a different mountain, sleeping in a different wooden box but she also is hiding and dreaming. She dreams into being a world unending, unbeginning, with wonder and murder, disruption and unreason. And melancholy green gardens where the light was one always golden on a shining white Gateway Castle. And it is there now. And hers."

	The sage in the plague mask trembles. The words, its as if she MUST speak them. And with each word she speaks, she seems to grow all the more frail.

	"Their realm, their home, it has many names. Voivodja first among them, but now they have come to our woods and our shores, and the name has changed as their dreams spill onto ours, running over them like a river of blood. Zeu orb. Orb Dumnezeu. Isten Vak. Many, many names now take shape, but all of them are the Land the Old Ones Refuse to See. The Place of Unreason. And? They. Have. Come. For. Us."
Ethan says in as quiet a mutter as he can muster, "Um, are you guys getting all this?" without looking away from the grim spectacle.

	The sage in the plague mask clutches at her throat suddenly. And then promptly collapses on the cold, hard floor. Motionless and still.

	The balefire surges forth, another wash of cold, bloody, violent glamour washing acros the room before it blinks out almost /entirely/, leaving but a few embers smoldering in the hearth.

	"It sounds like the plot of a vampire movie." pipes up Abi and then the woman keels over and her eyes widen. "Oh...shit. That can't be good."

	Sterling frowns darkly as he listens to the sage's mutterings. When she starts to choke, he's already in motion, reaching for her. But the balefire is faster. The elder sidhe is left kneeling over nothing, his expression aghast. "Graces be good," he says. "What is it? What does it -mean-? Bah! I have no head for interpreting prodigies." He rises to his feet, shaking his head. "One thing is certain. This is going to get much, -much- worse before it gets better."

Ethan actually goes to the embers in the bale-fire-place, at a much slower pace. And totally eats a dim little cinder, just kind of curiously.

	Ferdi could be knocked over with a feather, so he reaches out to steady himself. "First the balefire at the Garrison was attacked. Now, here, the Fortress. And she - she spoke of someone else settng their sights on the Gateway Castle?" A breath is taken. "No. Lord Lysander mustn't fall!"

	Sterling nods firmly to Ferdinand. "Nor shall he," he says. "Not so long as -we- can do something to stop it."

	Abi is clearly both lost and out of her element at the moment. So she just listens to the conversation and nods when she thinks she should. Other then that she finally sheaths the blade extinguishing it as she offers over the missive they found in the forest. "Wew've heard of a red king, queen and this message was from the red knight or to him."

	Ferdi looks to the sidhe. "Swear it, Lord Sterling. The balance /must/ be defended. Restored. This is - this is one of the last ties we have to the Elder Times." A pause. "This is my home," he offers quietly before Abigail pipes up and reminds everyone of the message she read aloud.
Ethan idly blows a smoke ring and says "So we beat this Red Knight to the Blind Mirror that he wrote about. And then we hit up the tower behind the well, and hope that this further red court is still asleep when we get there."

	Attendants suddenly come into the room. Almost as if they had been expecting to find the plague masked sage on the floor. They go to help her, but. She's vanished. Her body has, anyway. Its just an empty cowled cloak and masque now, lying on the floor. They'll scream! And then the queensguard makes his way in. "Calm yourseves! CALM YOURSELVES!" The dark elf glowers, then looks to the crew. "Apologies for the circumstances. We've quarters prepared." A frown as he looks to the disappeared sage. "She told me this would happen, and that I must have allowed it to proceed /exactly/ as she said."

===> Log ended by user <===> 4/11/2019, 11:23:39 PM <===