LOG: Sisters of Merciful Fate

===> COH <===> 4/10/2020, 8:29:27 PM <===

Home, is where I want to be
But I guess I'm already there
I come home, she lifted up her wings
I guess that this must be the place
I can't tell one from the other
I find you, or you find me?
There was a time before we were born
If someone asks, this is where I'll be, where I'll be oh!

:: This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody), Talking Heads


The Eminence of Blades, Don Ferdinand de la Luna, known also as the Moonmaus, Eshu kinain, has been away from the County of Lion's Reach for some time, tending to matters in his homeland, the Arcadian Gateway. Recently returned, he brings dire news: The Gateway has been overrun by Outlanders from the Land the Gods Refuse To See, The Place of Unreason - Isten Vak. Their insidious presence threatens to irrevocably change the fundamental underpinnings of the Gateway's Dream.

The Eminence of Blades has formed a band of maquis, to spark and support a resistance, pushing back on the ever growing soft occupation of the Gateway by the Outlanders! Now, our band of maquis meets with the Sisters of Merciful Fate, trying to incubate an alliance, before continuing South, towards the Red King and Lord Lysander in Castle Poenari, which increasingly supplants the Gateway Castle as a center of power.


	(This room needs a Fae desc. @mail building staff if you want to provide one.)

Contents:
Ethan
Whispers in the Dark
Hop
Lance
Conn
Wick
Yarden
Obvious Exits:
  Lobby <LO>

	When last we left our heroes:

Once the melee is over, and the bodies of the dire wolf pack litter the snow covered ground, staining it crimson? The party will have time to come together and catch their breath. It's only then that they will notice three slight and silent figures, watching from outside the circle, dressed in cowled cloaks of white. Enter - the Sisters of Merciful Fate!

Ethan rrrghs, flounders out from underneath the headless mass of dead direwolf, spitting blooded fur out of his mouth. "Damn, Wick!" he says, getting to his feet and scooping up snow to wash his mouth off with. "You almost took MY head off. Appreciate the assist, though..." trailing off as he spies the Sisters, waiting for the reaction of the others.

Lance looks like he doesn't quite know what to do with his bloodied sword, and tries to wipe it off on the fur of one of the wolves, trying to both not get even more blood on it and appear like he absolutely knows what he's doing.

That terrifying sabre-cat beast? It's gone now. Now there's just a black wildcat, the size of a big chonky bobcat, making his way back to his ride, and reaching up to climb back up Ferdinand and retake his perch. Walk? In this snow? His paws will get cold! No *thank you*.

Hop looks around at the state of everything and asks loudly for the group to hear, "Anyone have wounds they need tending?" he moves towards Ethan as the redcap did get bit and after getting there notices the new figures and pausing a bit by Ethans side.

	The Eminence of Blades (EoB) takes a look around, "Everyone alright? Is anyone injured?! Is anyone injured?!" The wererat gives the air a sniff, then levels his gaze on the incoming trio dressed in white.

Yarden hesitates a moment - she isn't all that familiar with etiquette among the fae and other creatures of the Dreaming - but then decides to just go with instinct. The kinain sorceress offers the women in white cloaks a solemn bow.

	The Sisters will slowly, very carefully, step forward and make their way into the clearing. There's three of them, each of varying height. As they draw near? The heroes will notice that their faces are obscured with masks reminiscent of an owl! "Greetings, strangers," they say in unison. All three voices are pitched differently - one younger, one older, and one just plain wyrd.

Wick steps aside as Hop approaches Ethan to tend to his wounds. He doesn't even seem winded from that attack of his a moment ago. Catching the trio dressed in white, he pauses before stepping in between them and Ethan and Hop.

Conn flicks the worst of the ichor off the sword he borrowed from Emrick and then wipes the rest of it off with a cloth he'd brought for just this purpose. His first time in actual action and he's alive. "Okay. I'm alive. It's ...dead? I guess? Taken care of with extreme sanction?" A chuckle starts and becomes hysterical laughter for a moment. "I'm fine, I'm fine, it's just nerves. That was my first actual fight."

"My vest is stained," Lance says, by way of answering whether or not he's hurt. He sheaths his rapier, having gotten it mostly clean, and turns to face the Sisters. "Why, hello. Lance Keller, renowned adventurer, at your service." He makes a big point of bowing.

	EoB puts his blade away. Best not to make enemies where none yet exist, right? "I am the Eminence of Blades, son of el Mouro Encantado, eshu smith of the Gateway Castle. I was - I was champion of the Last Garrison." A pause as his shoulders slump, "Before everything changed."

	The Sisters nod in unison, and then motion for everyone to gather close. "Shhhh, there are eyes and ears in these woods," they say, before pointing to the dead wolves. "Burn the bodies, lest they rise as manwolves. The Outlanders from Isten Vak have cursed the land itself and brought many unwholesome changes."

The cat looks up at the sisters and grooms his paw. Lick lick lick. Cats don't have to answer, not even to goddesses. It's a RULE.

Wick keeps his attention on the owl-masked trio as EoB steps forward to address them. But as Conn's chuckle turns hysterical, he can't help but glance over. He offers Conn a soft nod of assurance, but soon returns his attention to the potential threat - still half-shielding Ethan as Hop tends to his wounds. But the tension in his stance eases as they advise burning the bodies.

Ethan almost shooes at Hop and Wick both. "Would you both quit nannying me?! Save your resources and go make sure Conn doesn't faint from the shock." In a louder tone, "Seems smart to me, light 'em up, people! If they're not wholesome, we don't wanna be carrying bits of 'em around."

Hop ignores the sisters for now, theres a bunch of his friends around to protect him and he knows what he's good at after all. He fishes a flower crown out of his bag and puts it on his head, then he spins around in a circle three times while making bird call whistles. It's odd, but whatever, Hop is odd. He does take a moment to say at the masked figures, "Just gonna heal up some hurts, no harm, I swear."

The Far Dreaming being a surreal place divorced from the "normal rules" of reality, at the best of times, has a different memory of who Conn is and is supposed to be. A spontaneous influx of Glamour shapes around him, granting him the Troll Mien that is his birthright, even if just temporarily. Nodding, remembering well that this is Right and Proper, Conn merely accepts this as The Way.

	EoB nods to the mysterious trio of women, then growls at the wolf bodies after they've been piled up. Focusing his Rage? The pile of corpses suddenly catches fire! Soon, its blazing away!

Wick glances off at Conn as Ethan insists they focus on the enchanted mortal instead. Or... Troll? He blinks, staring as Conn's shape changes and he takes on his true appearance. With a hesitant glance off at the trio of women, and then over his shoulder at Hop and Ethan, before heading over to Conn. He murmurs something to him quietly.

Lance looks surprised at Conn. "I like your outfit," he remarks, though in deference to the women, he does keep his voice down.

	The Sisters relax a little once the wolf bodies are set alight. They talk amongst themselves in a strange tongue, then look back to the party. "You, all of you, none of you are from Isten Vak." A pause. "Do you come to help, then? Or are you mercenaries for the new lord and lady of the lands?"

The cat flicks his whiskers. Okay, you can start a fire with the power of your hate Mr. Maus, but do you have this impeccable shiny black coat? I think not. This all comes out as 'purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr'. Then he yawns, for he is cat, the most mercenary of creatures.

	The Sisters then titter, adding, "Our apologies - we are the Sisters of Merciful Fate. We have been doing our best to defend the lands from the unwanted ... changes."

Hop after his odd display is done Hop wanders over to lean over and put the flower crown on Conns head and to give him a quick kiss, Conn was already prepped this might happen cuz Hop is a planner! So hopefully it doesn't surprise him too much.

"Don Ferdinand is my captain," answers Yarden quietly. "I must therefore let him speak for my purpose in being here.

	EoB looks away from the mesmerizing bonfire consuming the dire wolves. They had been vicious as wolves, who knows how bad they'd be as manwolves! He looks back to the Sisters, "This is my home. These are my friends. We're here to try and help ... help set things right." He looks to Ethan, than to the rest for confirmation. "They are cousins from the Other Side."

Conn says, “My bladearm is, likewise, in service to my friend Ethan here and on loan to Don Ferdinand in whatever manner as will violate no promise or oath I have taken.”

	The Sisters listen as everyone who speaks, speaks. Their eyes are unblinking behind their white porcelain masks. Their cloaks, up close? Seem to be made of feathers. Beautiful white feathers.

Wick smiles up at Conn with warmth and nods. And he laughs with Lance's quiet compliment, grinning at the peacock pooka. But as Hop comes up to kiss the troll, it rather distracts him. With a quirk of a grin, he can't help but watch a moment, before he manages to glance off to the sisters. His soft voice lifts. "Yes. We're here to help. To help set things as they should be."

Perhaps they're birds! Perhaps they're delicious! The black cat licks his chops. But he keeps his own council. Why is he here? ...To tell you the truth, he's here because he fell asleep on the boat. But he doesn't have to admit to it!

	The Sisters turn to huddle up. They speak in low, hushed tones, debating. Finally? They turn back to the group. "Come with us," they say, eyeing the pile of ashes that the wolf corpses are quickly being reduced to. "We need to get away from this place before more eyes and ears come in search of the wolves."

	The party might notice:
	0 succs: Its cold out here! And lonely!
	1-2 succs: Was that a rustle underneath some leaves?
	3-4 succs: Indeed somethings moving /very/ slowly underneath the ground cover
	5+ succs: There's a strange faint trail in the snow - its been approaching slowly for the last few minutes

"What - what is that?" Yarden takes a step back, intently scrutinizing the ground. "Something new approaches..." She gestures to where she sees the faint trail in the snow.

	As Yarden indicates, there's indeed some sort of trail. Four little indentations close together. And the slightest movement under groundcover just out of range of the firelight.

"Has anybody heard something?" asks Lance, still keeping his voice. "Because I certainly haven't heard anything," he says, as he backs closer to the rest of the group.

Conn nods "I heard /something/."

Hop as Hop breaks the kiss he begins to glow subtly and the air around his gets warm and fills with the scents of blooming flowers. "Uh, sorry, I wasn't paying attention." he admits and then moves over to place a hand on Ethans shoulder as long as the redcap doesn't stop him.

Wick blinks a bit. He was /certain/ that there wasn't anything to notice. But everyone else seems to be picking up on something. His brows furrow a bit, casting about in confusion.

	The Sisters turn in the direction of the ... whatever ... and then together, the trio emits a keening wail! The soundwaves send groundcover scattering! Revealing ... what looks to be - a - a HAND? With an eyeball perched atop! And an - an ear? Attached below the palm. The severed hand uses its fingers to "walk" and "skitter" on the ground.

"Ummm...Hello!" Yarden does her best to recover from her initial surprise at the sight of something which reminds her of "The Addams Family." "My name is Yarden, nice to meet you...."

	EoB draws his sword, stepping in front of Yarden in case anything looks like it might attack her!

The cat stays right where he is. He assumes that everyone else has got this. Besides, whatever it is, it sure is weird, and they might get upset if he jumped down to bat it around and play with it for awhile... which is probably what he'd do.

Hop waves his hand in a circle towards the weird hand monster, casting the Verdant Reclamation Art.

Wick tenses as the Sisters give that keening wail, wincing at the shrill sound of it. But it certainly helps direct the Satyr's attention to what they uncover. His features twist in revulsion at the sight of that skittering hand. Without hesitation, he leaps forward and tries to smash it down with his staff. Hoping at least to keep it from moving. And with any luck - to destroy it.

Hop points at it and vines shoot out of the ground wrapping around the hand, making it unable to move for the time being.

Wick anticipates the trajectory of the hand and brings his staff down hard. Only those vines have already caught it. So his staff just hits the earth. He grins. "Nice one, Hop."

	The Sisters breathe a sigh of relief. "A spy! One of the Red King's? Or the Heart Queen's?" A pause as they look to the group "Hurry, does anyone have a darkcloth?" Meanwhile, the hand golem squeals /horribly/. But how? It didn't even have a mouth?!

"A 'darkcloth'? What's that?" Yarden asks. Then, looking at the entangled hand golem, she adds, "Should we destroy that...thing...before we leave?"

Ethan says, “Cover it up before it sees anything more!”

	The cat leaps down to the ground, and then proceeds to slowly extend a paw, before poking the hand. Then, he turns and kicks snow over it. Kick kick. Gross.

Wick shudders and covers his ears with a hand and wrist (still holding his staff). Such a horrible sound the golem makes. He draws back to let the others deal with it. "Kill it. Ugh, it's horrible."

	EoB gives an emphatic nod at Ethan's order. "You heard the commander! Cover it, quickly!" A smile as the cat provides temporary cover, and then the EoB is pulling a black silk handkerchief (because of COURSE he carries stuff like that around) and tossing it to Hop, "Cover it, scoop it up and tie the kerchief closed."

Conn keeps his sword at the ready, because those things are fucking creepy and he doesn't want to be taken by surprise again.

Hop makes an 'ugh, no' face as he catches the handkerchief but goes over to do so. Hand, vines, and as much snow can fit in goes into the cloth and he ties it tight, twice. "The snow and vines will muffle its hearing, anyone got more cloth to wrap it in though to do moreso?" he looks to the women in masks then and then adds, "Uh, if you want it alive? Is it useful to you? Or should we just smash it?" and then he leans over to try to scritch the kitty.

Ethan just stood over by the wayside, arms crossed, and shouted when things got complicated. He almost looks smug, but it could be determined he is just proud of the group.

	The Sisters shake their head, "Alive - we have uses for it." Then they turn and gesture for the group to follow. "Hurry, before more arrive." And with that, they're rushing through the snow, leading the party out of the woods!

Conn nods, eagerly wanting to get away from *more* of those .... things.

	As the Sisters lead the party through the woods, some might notice:
	0-2 succs: Its dark!
	3+ succs: DECAPITATED PETRIFIED KINGS/QUEENS GUARD!
	Off to the side of the path, is a group of headless royal guard. They sit petrified, headless, unmoving and deposed. A mystery to be solved, an enigma to be pondered. AT A LATER DATE.
Wick glances back over as the cloth, snow and vines manage to muffle the sound. "Thanks Hop." He glances off after the sisters and is quick to follow. He notices nothing in the darkness.

"Well done, my friend," Yarden says to Hop, echoing the praise from Wick, before setting off behind the Sisters along with the rest of the group.

	The cat looks up at them, and then casually strolls over to the Maus. He sits, and grooms his paw, and then points at them with it. Point point.

Ethan wanders off the path with a 'go on' wave at any curious looks: can be heard saying "Now there's something you don't see everyday," along with a slight shuffling sound, before he eventually rejoins the party.

	EoB looks over as The Cat tries to get his attention. What a sight! No, not the petrified headless warriors - the cat atop a giant faerie wererat! But the petrified headless guard, they were attention-getting too. "What the blue blazes?!"

	If the cat could talk, he would say 'Good boy! You've mastered turning to look at things I point at. For that, I shall demonstrate my affection by grooming your ear. I may bite you... but probably not. But I might!' But he can't talk, so instead the black cat just grooms EoB's rat ear with a sandpapery tongue.

Ethan says, “Yeah, if you guys thought the hand was gross, don't come over here. Keep going, I'll be right behind you.”
Conn grimaces at the statues/corpses "Yeah. That's not weird and creepy at all. Decapitated statues and creepy hand eye golem things that mouthlessly scream. Note to self: check in with my therapist.... addendum to previous note: get a therapist who knows all this shit is real and check in with them."

	Eventually, the Sisters lead the party to a small village.

DESTINATION: ORB LOC!
The Orb Loc (or “Blind Spots”) is a Gateway settlement deep in the Forest, hidden by occult ritual from the warring Houses. The village consists of dusty paths through clusters of arch-linked, angled roofed stone homes organized around fortified temples. The Orb Loc contains at least three bold youths whose erratically shaven faces seem to cling to the skulls beneath with a certain inebriated nonchalance unknown West of the Terrible Goblin Wood and one bent woman in black with sinkhole eyes, graveyard teeth and an alarmingly thorough knowledge of that which is likely best forgotten. They are all that remains of the "welcome wagon".

Hop follows along with the group, does /not/ look at the heads, and tries to pass the hand-kerchief to someone else. He also takes a few moments to put his hand on everyones shoulder, that lets him, as they travel the woods, ensuring everyone is fully healed.

	The Sisters give the villagers a nod, "They're with us." And then they usher everyone into one of the small stone homes, shutting the door behind them. Now? They remove their owl masks, revealing them to be a trio of maiden, mother, and crone. "Please, sit," they say, gesturing to chairs by the hearth.

	Oh good, we're at a village. It's time to feed the cat! The cat lashes his tail, and starts making 'feed the cat' noises, which are less cute 'meer' and more akin to a bobcat going 'ROWRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR'. Now, Cris is entirely capable of hunting for his own food or just turning into a human and eating whatever rations are available but there are other people around and quite honestly he doesn't feel like it. So he just goes 'ROWRRRROOWRRRRROOOWRRRROORRROWRRRR'.

Wick seems as repulsed by the handkerchief as Hop, but as he notices him looking for someone to take it, he offers the end of his staff so that he can help carry it at a distance. He slows as they come to that settlement deep in the forest and offers a small nod to those they pass as the Sisters greet them. He can't help but burst out with a laugh as the cat starts begging for food.

	The maiden will set out a saucer of milk for the cat. "handsome familiar," she says.

Conn looks up in wonder, everything is both new and old to him, but that's what dreams are for so he just rolls with it. His wonder and awe quickly fades at the extent of devestation, which he attempts to mask out of respect. He sheathes his sword, willing to bring no violence to this place. Looknig at the cat, he takes out two portions of his rations and offers first pick to the cat. They are good luck after all. Particularly black ones.

Maiden, Mother and Crone: archetypes of mythology! Yarden, ever a keen student of such lore, sits down in one of the indicated chairs, alert and eager to hear what these three wise women of the Deep Dreaming have to say.

Ethan comments "Pain in the ass," as the feline gets attention.

	The mother puts away everyone's cloaks, then goes to set out food and drink for the guests. The crone? She steps forward. A bucket is set forth. "Throw the hand of Rutor in the bucket."

	The cat obligingly hops down, and laps up the milk. And then licks the saucer clean. And then he eats both portions of Conn's rations. *All* of them. And then nudges the empty saucer the maiden. And then he sits, and goes 'ROWRRRROOWRRROOOWR'. He's being cute, and a bit of an asshole, but hey. He's a cat.

Wick is quick to dump that hand off the end of his staff into the bucket. "He nods to the crone. "Thanks."

	The crone cackles! (isn't that so crone-like?) Then she dumps a shovelful of ashes over the hand in the bucket, and the things grows quiescent! Now, then! She turns to the group. "Welcome to Orb Loc. We are Sisters of Merciful Fate, dedicated to taking back the realm from its recently arrived parasitic lords. We hide among the common folk of the Orb Loc."

Conn shakes his head at the cat, giving it scritches on the brow, even if it is being an asshole, and takes out one of his tomorrow rations and eats it, mock-glaring at the cat.

Hop tries to scritches the cat as he sits next to Conn. He takes out an amazingly tasty homemade pastrie and passes it to Conn while smirking at the cat, and then pays attention to the women speaking.

	The mother makes sure to set out plates of food for everyone. "Please, eat. You need your strength." The maiden looks over, "We are masters of FORECLUSIONS. And we will do our best to help you, help us."

	The petting is nice. But food's better. Somewhere between Hop and Conn the black cat *leaps* into the air to snatch that pastry and then springboards off the table and into the rafters with his prize.

Ethan finally has a seat, and says with a nod, "Well, we are but part of the resistance dedicated /against/ said parasitic lords. And thank you for your hospitality." He has a plate of food: tips the edge of the plate into his lower jaw, dumps all the food into one mouthful, chews once and swallows. It's a miracle the plate was spared.

	SUDDENLY? A SOUND! A quick moist crackling sound, as of batter frying!

Wick offers the mother an appreciative nod as he accepts his place. Resting back in his chair, he can't help but grin over at Hop and Conn as they each offer the cat both food and attention. But he bursts out with a laugh as the cat springs off into the rafters with his food. He smiles at the sound of batter frying. Shifting his attention to the maiden, he nods with Ethan's words. "We're here to help set things as they should be."

Yarden knows what happened to Persephone when she ate pomegranate seeds while in Hades. The kinain sorceress wonders if eating the food offered by her hostess will similarly chain her to the Deep Dreaming. She glances at Ferdinand to see whether he partakes.

	People's awareness (or kenning!) goes off!
	0 succs: Everything's fine!
	1-2 succs: Magic just happened!
	3+ succs: Time magic! Chronos Art!

Hop chuckles and gets out another pastrie for Conn, and then eats some of the offered food. After a taste he'll get out a small bundle of little pastries to place on the table, "For everyone." he adds with a nod and then blinks as he feels magic happen.

	EoB blinks at the sound of ... batter frying? Then he digs into the vittles, looking over as suddenly half the party seems to have been caught in some rain? "What in the blue blazes?"

Ethan blinks as he is suddenly soaking wet. "I didn't even get anything anywhere, a moist towelette would have sufficed," shaking off his hands and wiping his eyes.

	The maiden makes her way over to offer the lord redcap a towel, smiling and giggling. "Like we said, forclusions!"
Wick smiles with delight at the sight of Hop's pastries. He leans over across Conn to snag one, already taking a bite as he says, "Phanks." But then he flinches with a scrape of his chair as he finds himself soaking wet. "Ah! Cold, cold, fucking cold..." He rises, shivering as he looks down at himself.

	The mother sighs, "We should explain - Foreclusions are temporal distortions in the realm which very occasionally result in situations where outcomes precede the actions that caused them by several days." A pause. "For example, a Dragoon Lieutenant may find herself in command of mercenaries that have not yet been hired, or a man may be sick on account of a custard he has not yet eaten. These premature events are known as foreclusions and can be immediately identified as such because they are accompanied by a quick moist crackling sound, as of batter frying."

	The crone helps take towels to everyone who was caught in a storm that has yet to develop! Then he stokes the embers in the hearth to turn of the warmth in the room.

	Uh-oh. There's a pair of angry green cat's eyes catching the light up in the rafters. And the sound of an *angry* wet cat. Fortunately Cris has always had a VERY good control on his Shifter temper... but a sudden dousing with icy-cold water is a surefire way to *piss a cat off*.

Conn blinks at the magic and wraps his arm around Wick to warm him up, nibbling on his pastry grateful to whatever whim of fate that he's still dry.

Ethan gives damp side-eye at The Maiden, but says 'thank you' anyway. "I've heard of better ways to predict the weather," he says as he stands up and dries off. Good thing he doesn't wear much to get sodden. "Either that or we fall in a lake at some point, Wick."

"Well...I hope this doesn't mean I wind up overboard once we're back at sea," Yarden remarks dryly, accepting a towel from the Crone.

	The crone nods, "You are quick studies! You came in on a ship! Make sure you take care when you depart."

	...But there's no feline whirlwind of destruction. But he does leap down onto the table, raise his hackles, arch his back, and look miserable. At least he's a short-haired cat.

	The mother looks to the crone and maiden, then back to the group. "Once a foreclusion occurs, the foreclusion itself cannot usually be undone, but the presumed cause of the foreclusion (which will not yet have happened) can be prevented by making it impossible for the original presumed cause to occur and organizing a new causal event which would result in the same foreclusion - or at least one matching every observed property of the foreclusion." A pause. "In case, you know, you want to try and avoid the fate."

Conn nods "Very Doctor Who. Fixed point in time, causal nexus, tinkering with preestablished events can have dire ramifications."

Wick accepts the towel with an appreciative nod and starts with drying his hair. He peeks out from under it at Ethan with a grin. "Yeah, feels like it." Drying off his bare chest, all he's got after that is the fur of his legs. He pauses, realizing something. "Wait. Does this means we're going to get separated? Since... only some of us have gotten wet?" He glances to Hop and Conn - troubled.

Hop says "Right so, lets all take a shower and we'll be fine." he smirks a bit and then offers the cat a towel he snags, holding it out to rub him if the kitty wants.

	The crone gives Hop a smile, "The lad has it!!!"

	The maiden nods, "Maybe they can be helpful after all!"

	The mother sighs, "Easy, ladies. We should walk them through some of the other changes afflicting the lands."

Wick smiles, relieved as Hop hits on the solution. He glances to Ethan. "Guess it's buckets of water over our heads for us." He nods. Then glancing to the mother, he pauses to listen.

	The cat consents to being toweled dry -- and then he goes to lie on his side in front of the fire and meticulously groom his fur back into position. Hmf!

	The mother gives everyone a matronly look. As if she was about to remind them to wash behind their ears, or brush their teeth, or eat all of their vegetables. Then she speaks. "In general, remember: because everyone from Isten Vak is so petty, the smallest actions have consequences." Her brow furrows, and she says the next part very slowly for emphasis. "Dropping a plum pit on the Croquet Grounds at Castle Cachtice can ruin your whole year. Oftentime, the mountain you will face was built from the molehill you made in times past."

	The crone cackles and nods her head. "It makes revolution --- difficult to say the least."

Ethan says, “Yeah, some of us have a real problem thinking fourth-dimensionally.”

Conn nods "I can just about conceive of tesseracts, but don't ask me to plot a course along the surface of one."

	The maiden brings Ethan another plate of food, this one larger and heavier. Word to the wise? ALWAYS FEED A REDCAP.

	Once the maiden delivers MOAR FOOD for the mythic redcap, she pulls up another bucket and flips it over to take a seat, "I've had the most experience with the Outlanders. I used to work at Castle Poenari ..."

Yarden combs out her now-tangled wet hair and listens thoughtfully. "I possess a type of fate magic. Is it possible that it might counter such drastic consequences for minor actions?"

Ethan says promptly "Thank you," and goes for the 'shovel with bare hands into open mouth' strategy. But he can do two things at once, listen and eat.

	The cat is eyeing Ethan's food. Would he dare? WOULD HE DARE? That's a very tasty-looking hunk of mystery meat with a bone sticking out of it on Ethan's plate. The cat gets up, and affects nonchalance.

Hop just listens, quietly, since he's sorta the biggest beacon in the room for 'guy who does stuff without thinking' and their getting a motherly talking down.

	The crone eyes Yarden, then leans in her direction and gives a sniff. "I thought I smelled the scent of kismet on someone." A pause. "Perhaps. The magic here in this land has been altered. The rules have been twisted. But ... it couldn't hurt to try...much."

Wick stands with his back to the fire, warming and drying the rest of his fur. There's only so much a towel can do. He does his best to understand the mother's words. "So. You're saying... we need to be careful? Of even little slights?"

	Then the cat... moves so freakin' fast it's like he *teleports* across the room to snatch that chunk of meat off of Ethan's plate by the bone and bound away. Yyyyyyoink. Perhaps this time the cat has bitten off more than he can chew. Pun intended.

"So, experiment with caution?" Yarden replies to the Crone. "Alright," she nods. "I'll remember that. Thank you." She glances around at the others, interested in their thoughts about the advice given.

Conn looks to the cat "Ser cat. This is perhaps a time to adopt the manners for which your kind are known to be capable of. Our gracious guests have just given us Oedipean warning that ill manners can be costly where we are about to go."

Ethan pauses in eating with a sigh, saying "Well, we're going to have to at least try whatever we can do to make things right. If that's working with OR against the flow of time, then we pull out all the stops. And nobody drop anything! We don't know what will come around to bite us in the ass," and after saying this he leans back in his chair and gives The Cat a fwapping-great pop with the rolled-up wet towel from earlier.

	The maiden looks to the men and the woman gathered by the hearth. Then she stands up, and paces. "My time at Castle Poenari taught me the following. I have noticed certain... patterns... to the conversation of creatures of Isten Vak." A pause as she sighs, looking to Yarden, then to Ethan. Its hard not to be constantly aware of a redcap and its appetite! "A caricaturist might say:
1. Offense taken is inversely proportional to offense meant.
2. (Corollary of 1) Real violence, oppression, and injustice are ignored or purposefully misunderstood (though inhabitants do fight back when directly attacked). Minor, accidental or imagined breaches of etiquette are met with violence, oppression, and injustice.
3. In all situations (including trials), tangents are treated as more important than the purported purpose of the conversation.
4. Everyone is difficult.
5. No-one is unalterably hostile.
6. No-one can be made to understand anything." Another pause, this one for EMPHASIS, "And finally,
7. Information creatures provide is usually accurate."

Hop blinks at all that, "Well that sounds like the /worst/ place ever yo." he says with a nod.

	The snap with the towel makes the cat leap -- but he's done what few would dare to do, he's snatched food off the plate of a Redcap. For he is also a big eater. He proceeds to daintily pick the meat off the bone. Then crack the bone in powerful cat-jaws and eat the marrow out of it. Nomf nomf nomf nomf nomf. Then he crunches up the bone and eats *that*.

"I wonder if that means instead of giving us all a powerful blessing, I should give us all a powerful curse?" Yarden once again looks around, hoping someone else has something to add. "It would be terrible to perform a ritual of fortune, believing that I am doing good, and instead be heaping us all with doom....."

	EoB's shoulders slump a little. "We sure could stand to have with us a master of dream logic. Lucid dreaming." A hand comes up to rub at the back of his neck, one can see the tension in the wererat's muscles. His tail swishes back and forth behind him in agitation.

	The cat looks around, and then he actually indulges in briefly shifting into his scarifying Crinos form. "It makes perfect sense to me. They play by cat rules. Just be a complete prick and you'll be fine."

Ethan frowns at the cat "Some of us will be more fine than others," and nods at what Yarden says, "At the very least, when we go there they are more likely to try and throttle us for 'stepping on a crack' out of nowhere than just be around to put up a fight." He looks to EoB, "I wish John had caught the boat for here. Between him and Yarden we could have the ebb and flow mapped out, or at least a guideline for how to surf it."

Hop looks to Yarden, "She said the creatures there are like that, not the magic, uh unless I missed something along the way which is totally possible. But either way if you end up accidentally cursing us I can undo it." he nods and then eats some veggies, and tilts the meat on his plate onto Ethans plate with a fork, and then scoots the fork away from himself, and then uses a cloth to wipe the meat juice off the plate and toss that away as well. He blinks at the cat words of wisdom.

	Having said his piece, the cat shifts back into his wildcat form, and then proceeds to climb into Ethan's lap. Hey Ethan. Let's play the cat's favorite game! Hey! Scratch my belly. Too few scratches, and I bite you! Too many, and I CLAW YOU. Come on, no scratches counts as too few!

Wick stares a bit at the cat's Crinos form. But then he grins at the advice he offers. And he can't help but laugh as he hops into Ethan's lap. He shakes his head at the pure nerve of it.

Conn shakes his head "Uh... I've read fairy lore from Ireland. Dream logic and lucid dreaming have not come to me with this," he says as he flexes his hands, "but I /believe/ I can manufacture insult where none is intended in their interactions, the joy of being too English for the Irish and too Irish for the English. And I can /always/ find a tangent. Like that one time at the bar, when myself and Wick and Hop were talking about going for dinner and I described the three course meal we had at my aunt Lily's wedding but the third course was secretly just a reflection of the first course, which is a closed loop like in Terminator one. The question is do we think we can leverage this to our advantage?"

	Maiden, Mother and Crone will all share a glance then, and smiles will light up their faces. "We are the Sisters of Merciful Fate, and we find you worth your salt. We accept your assistance." Then the maiden makes her way to a desk, grabs a rolled up scroll, and takes it to Yarden. "This is a map, as best as I can reckon, of the altered landscape." She looks apologetically to EoB, "Much has changed since you were here."

Ethan naturally has a fit at the cat. "Oh come ON, you already had my food, now you are blocking further food! You could at least wait until we're THERE to be a COMPLETE prick. Get off me," and further complaints.

	The cat just gives Ethan a liquid blink and rumbles like a well-oiled engine.

Hop chuckles at Ethan and the cat, he'd pet the kitty, but if you let the kitty know that he'll just ignore you, so instead he sits there and finishes up his veggies, and then goes for a pastrie of his own. "So..." he says looking around, "..we got a map, and we know how to act and not act, what's the plan man?" he asks that last bit to Ethan, being the captain.

	EoB looks to the crone. "But - is there still /time/. Is there still a /chance/?" There's desperation in his voice. And when you have Rage 9? Desperation is not something you want to see in such a manbeast!

	"Can we set things /right/," pleads the Eminence of Blades, tail swishing back and forth like an asp striking out at unseen foes.

Ethan says exasperatedly, "Go there, do this not that, save the cheerleader save the world. As long as we're still breathing, there is a chance."

	The Mother was about to speak, but Ethan beats her to the punch. "What the lord of winter's hunger said." A pause. "But ... there is one last ... little ... tiny ... thing."

Wick looks to Eminence of Blades and nods with Ethan's words. "Right. And we can make the time. Or at least, find ways to work around it. Alter the causes of the effects."

Ethan mutters "I am only so well-spoken... get /off/ you throw rug."

	The cat lashes his tail. You know you love it, you big Grouch.

"/Believe/, Captain!" Yarden urges the Eshu wererat. "Aren't we in the heart of the place of dreams? Let's harness the power of our combined belief that we /will/ be in time, we /will/ set things right!"

Conn looks like he was about to say something before the Mother started speaking and bides his time.

	The Eminence of Blades relaxes a little, buoyed by the force of Yarden's words. "Home again, home again, jiggity jig," he says.

	The mother than looks to each and every one gathered. "Find yourself an Alice." A pause, "Or better yet? Figure out which one of you can BE an Alice." And then she turns, making her way to begin tidying up. "You can rest here for the night. The roads aren't safe after dark."

	Though... eventually, the cat does wiggle off of Ethan's lap, to change back into his man-cat form. "...Being what I am, and coming from where I come from, and knowing what I know -- sometimes what has been is beyond all hope of revival. The festivals of Bubastis will never be again." His tail lashes, and then the black cat goes on. "*But*... does that invalidate your quest? Even if you cannot restore what has been lost, don't you owe it to what *was* to bring about something better than what *is*?"

Wick's head tilts as the mother mentions an Alice. He nods, glancing to the others. "This is very Through the Looking Glass." He grins at Hop. "Complete with the white rabbit." He pauses. "But... how can we be an Alice here?"

Hop nods to the group though he's still not sure of the plan. He looks to the cat-man then, "Nah, you're wrong cat-bro, anything can be reawoken, anything can be revitalized, anything can be regrown, the Spring way teaches us that, and more importantly teaches us /how/." he nods

Conn nods "Who are you. What do you want. I have /always/ been here. A moment of perfect beauty. A stroke of the brush does not guarantee art from the bristles."

	"Better to dream a brighter future into reality than to reach longingly for a past that might be gone." The cat says, with a shrug.

"Your hospitality is much appreciated," says Yarden, then sets about helping to tidy up and do whatever else is necessary to prepare places for so many guests to sleep.

Conn nods "Do you wish help cleaning up, venerable hosts. I don't know the rules of your hospitality and you have been gracious in it to us, I would return the favour."

Wick smiles at the poetry of Hop and Conn's words. He nods and gazes across the group. "We'll figure something out. But perhaps the best thing we could do now is sleep? Tomorrow we can figure out the course of things. Maybe in our dreams, the possibilities will become clear?"

	The mother shakes her head, but then? A quick moist crackling sound, as of batter frying.

	"Get some rest. Castle Poenari is best approached during the day. Lord Lysander brings some of the power of the dawn with him still, even if he is under the Red King's spell," said the maiden.

===> Log ended by user <===> 4/10/2020, 11:21:29 PM <===