Completed Play-by-Post: In Search of the Sorcerer

[Siveon]

Marcán ponders, "Oily black smoke. Sounds like the work of more magics to me. It may be that your tale still wrings true... and the true Wolf-God might still be sealed." he muses. Then, he unsheathes his blade, presenting it to the two. "And what of the dream of Crone Ymae? What has that have to do with me, and this sword?"

 

[ERYFKRAD]

"More than our good hosts, I wonder what their King is up to." Borric tells Rhenmyr in Illyrian. "I'd be very interested in knowing what their chief and his priest do behind doors closed. Is there any way we can find out?"

 

[nikolokolus]

Marcán ponders, "Oily black smoke. Sounds like the work of more magics to me. It may be that your tale still wrings true... and the true Wolf-God might still be sealed." he muses. Then, he unsheathes his blade, presenting it to the two. "And what of the dream of Crone Ymae? What has that have to do with me, and this sword?"

Brule strokes his chin, "Some say the old witch has the sight. In any case Oona is quite fond of her and had been bringing her bits of bread and stew these last two or three years since her last son died. When Oona came off the hill the first thing she does is start babbling at me that the old woman told her she'd had a dream two nights past about a "blade of flame" cutting at iron shackles and that she believed Oona would somehow be spared and wasn't to fear." He points at the reddish-bronze orichalcum hilt at Márcan's side. "We call that metal flame-steel . . . Maybe it's just coincidence, but I don't believe so."

 

[Siveon]

Marcán sheathes his blade. "Great. Where might we find this soothsayer?"

 

[Helly]

"The sight, hum. This is a great power this woman possess! Can you bring us to her? But first, that magical spear, Gáe Dubh, must still be in the tomb waiting for a chance to strike at the beast, right? Bringing down that beast with this spear might be possible! Have you thought of it?"

 

[nikolokolus]

Marcán sheathes his blade. "Great. Where might we find this soothsayer?"

Fidach replies, "The widow lives in the northwest part of the village. You'll know if for the great murder of crows that always seems to flock to her door."

"The sight, hum. This is a great power this woman possess! Can you bring us to her? But first, that magical spear, Gáe Dubh, must still be in the tomb waiting for a chance to strike at the beast, right? Bringing down that beast with this spear might be possible! Have you thought of it?"

Brule flashes an indignant expression and snaps back at Ker, "The tomb is sealed with more than mere plaster and mortar. To enter that place and disturb the rest of our ancient kings and heroes, is beyond the pale -- To rob the tomb you would call down a curse on your head that would damn you to an eternity of restless wandering, never knowing peace and never entering Mag Mell (paradise). If we are to lift the doom that is upon us, it must be by other means!"

 

[Siveon]

Marcán laughs. "I apologize on behalf of our Druid, he means well. Do you think its possible to leave your home unguarded, or must we sneak through the streets (yet again)?"

 

[Helly]

Ker glowers at Marcan and turns back toward his host. "I meant no disrespect, but I do wonder if people of lesser devoutness could have had those same thoughts. Anyway, we should go talk to her, thank you very much for your help."

Spoiler

What time is it roughly if we can see the sun?

 

[Grimgravy]

"Our Kurgan friend wonders what the King and his feathered one might be doing in secret. Could they be secretly observed?" Rhenmyr passes on Borric's question.

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

"I'm tired. All of this being locked in a tower business, and now wolves and people being sacrificed makes me want to take a nap by this fire. Well maybe after some food? I heard someone say stew? Cormac states as he looks around hoping others agree, including the host.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

"Our Kurgan friend wonders what the King and his feathered one might be doing in secret. Could they be secretly observed?" Rhenmyr passes on Borric's question.

Borric continues in Illyrian, "They may take offense at our suggestion, Stygian. If they forbid us from observing the King, do you think we should do it anyway? If we must, you are the quietest amongst us."

 

[Grimgravy]

"That is a good question. Doing so could cause an incident. And the feathered one could have abilities to discover a watcher no matter how quiet. I am willing to try, if the others think it worthwhile. I do think we should observe the great hall. I want to know if the king or his goons make a move in the night." Rhenmyr replies to Borric in Illyrian.

 

[nikolokolus]

Ker glowers at Marcan and turns back toward his host. "I meant no disrespect, but I do wonder if people of lesser devoutness could have had those same thoughts. Anyway, we should go talk to her, thank you very much for your help."

Spoiler

What time is it roughly if we can see the sun?

OOC

When you entered Fidach's house/pub the sun was probably 15 to 20 minutes away from sunset.

Brule nods, "If you wish to see Ymae you'd best be quick about it. With darkness coming on I fear unwelcome guest will be paying us a visit."

"Our Kurgan friend wonders what the King and his feathered one might be doing in secret. Could they be secretly observed?" Rhenmyr passes on Borric's question.

Fidach tilts his head to the side with a slightly confused look on his face and speaks in an an uncertain tone of voice, "Secretly observed? I don't know . . . Talorc is an auroch's bunghole, but I'm not sure I approve? It would be impossible for Brule and I to extend our protection to you if you broke into his longhouse. Is it that what you are thinking to do?" Brule frowns deeply, "Syelle Ru has a poisoned tongue, but he reads the entrails well so Talorc esteems his counsel above all else. No doubt, that rat-faced bootlicker is bending the King's ear about you lot. Freeing Oona was a noble deed, but I know him and his pride is deeply wounded that his orders weren't carried out. I fear there will be a price to pay -- perhaps doubly so if the wolf returns."

Borric continues in Illyrian, "They may take offense at our suggestion, Stygian. If they forbid us from observing the King, do you think we should do it anyway? If we must, you are the quietest amongst us."

"That is a good question. Doing so could cause an incident. And the feathered one could have abilities to discover a watcher no matter how quiet. I am willing to try, if the others think it worthwhile. I do think we should observe the great hall. I want to know if the king or his goons make a move in the night." Rhenmyr replies to Borric in Illyrian.

Fidach and Brule observe you speaking in Illyrian, but don't appear to comprehend what you are saying.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Borric, noticing his hosts observing his conversation with Rhenmyr, attempts to mime for a drink and some stew for Cormac.

 

[nikolokolus]

Fidach nods at Borric and snaps his fingers. Moments later Oona emerges from a back room. Fidach murmurs something at her and somewhat shyly bows her head, spares a furtive glance at Márcan and quickly looks away before scurrying into the kitchen. Brule seems to notice Oona's "look" arches his eyebrow and the corner of his mouth curls a bit with the hint of a smile.

 

[nikolokolus]

OOC

Hey guys, I just wanted to let you know that a new player is going to join us "shortly" L'ennui. When he's ready to jump in I'll work him into the mix

 

[ERYFKRAD]

"If we are expecting a Wolf, we'd best prepare a worthy welcome." Borric says to his companions. "Perhaps I shall go and see what traps we can set around the village, while the Bard visits this shaman-woman. Can our hosts tell us how the wolf attacks and where it comes from?"

 

[Grimgravy]

"What can you tell us of the wolf? Where does it come from?" Rhenmyr translates Borric's question.

 

[nikolokolus]

Brule listens with rapt attention and nods before replying, "A great black beast with feet, eyes and mouth wreathed and green eldritch fire. There's never any warning and no matter how many men we've put on the walls it seems to materialize out of thin air. You say you wish to trap it, but I tell you neither water nor walls seems to impede it. The best we've done was after a month of nightly attacks it attacked one of our large men who was patrolling the wall. Before it could rip his throat out, the the man lodged a dagger in its mouth and wrestled the beast to the ground. When we came upon it, it broke free after a flurry of fangs, claw, and spears I cleaved its skull with my sword. It fell to the ground and within seconds began to dissolve into an oily mist that rose quickly and "fled" towards the shore. It was the next day that King Talorc made the lottery."

"I don't know how much Ymae can help you, but I suppose there's no harm in it . . . tell your friend to be wary. She's harmless enough, but she can be 'prickly' and difficult."

"Now if you will excuse me, I must make preparations. I don't know how the beast will react to a missing sacrifice ..." With that he inclines his head and turns on his boot heel and exits the publican.

When Brule opens the door another man is just outside the door; a swarthy-skinned man in exotic dress who looks nothing like the Picts in their furs and woolen plaids. His lean, thin face and neatly trimmed beard look Acadian. He seems rather surprised to see you.

OOC

Alright L'ennui this is where you make your entrance.

 

[L'ennui]

The stranger, seeing Brule appear through the opened door, hails him in a heavily accented Pictish:

"Ah! Brule! Truly we must do something, the villagers are on the verge of hysteria. Some are sure to blame you for the beast's return, we must calm..."

The stranger then sees all of you through the doorway and his eyes widen for an instant.

"Oh, um, I see you have interesting guests."

Switching to the more common Illyrian tongue (but still with a very peculiar accent and an oddly formal cadence of speech), the stranger says to you all:

"Well meet, fellow travelers! I am Urash of Kor. I can sense you are no truer Picts than I; if we live, we may share our tales... But now a calamity is upon us! You would do well to help us save the village, if only to save yourselves!"

Urash then bows deeply and, looking at Brule:

"Well? What are we to do? Will these people help?"

 

[Grimgravy]

"Be assured, we will help as best we can. Well met, Urash. Rhenmyr of Stygia. The Kurgan is called Borric. The Kelts are Cormac, Ker, and Marcán. I must say I'm surprised to see another traveler here. Perhaps you can shed more light on the troubles plaguing Crannógmere." Rhenmyr offers his hand.

 

[nikolokolus]

Brule motions to the newcomer, "Ah yes. This is Urash, another foreigner. Men found him down river badly mauled by a cave bear and brought him back here a couple of months ago." He then addresses Urash directly, "I leave you to make ready the guard and begin our vigil. Do what you will, I leave you to it." He then brushes past the Stygian and closes the door behind him.

 

[Siveon]

"Well met." He nods at Urash. "While I hate to cut our greetings short, but I should make haste to Ymae for the time being. I pray this will help solve our little wolf situation." Marcán adjusts himself as he makes his way to the door. "I'll be back in no time at all, don't get 'urselves in more trouble."

If there is no interruption, Marcán quickly leaves the house and tries to find the crone's home to the northwest.

 

[L'ennui]

With Brule gone, Urash seizes Rhenmyr's extended hand and shakes it firmly.

"Stygia! We are a long way from home, hmm?"

Urash's face darkens for a moment as he removes his hand from Rhenmyr's clasp. He mutters to himself, in Acadian: "Oh, to die beneath the mighty walls of Kor..."

Urash snaps back to it and proceeds to shake hands with each newcomer, saluting Marcán as he leaves and speaking to Rhenmyr:

"Yes! Troubles. Quite an apt word for our predicament, Stygian. I myself have not seen the beast in the flesh, so to speak, but the villagers, especially the drunkards, were quite forthcoming about the curse of the wolf-god. From the flophouse, I also overheard your encounter with the... esteemed King Tallorc, and so I believe you must have been briefed on the situation by our mutual friends here. Beyond that, hmm... Let me see..."

Urash strokes his long black beard and seems to be trying to recollect something.

Spoiler

nikolokolus, does Urash know more about the curse, aside from what the party already knows? Either as a result of the time he has spent here or due to his training and knowledge.

 

[nikolokolus]

OOC

L'ennui You frankly don't know much. You weren't here during the nightly attacks and it took about a month for you to master the Pictish dialect of Keltic and it took some time for people to warm up to you enough to really engage you in conversation. What you do know is that there is a general feeling of doom and helplessness that seems to have gripped people. The local village priest of the moon goddess (Arianrhod who is also a Keltic goddess) has been ranting at people to repent their sins and faithlessness. You briefly spoke with Ymae a local "seeress" but found her overt sexual advances off-putting and unsettling. As for the wolf that plagues the village you've never seen it, since sacrifices started at the new and full moon nearly four months ago.