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

[L'ennui]

After a moment of reflexion, Urash sighs and offers an almost apologetic: "I don't think I know much more than you, to be honest. I wager we will soon know more than we would like!"

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

"Greetings Urash. Mauled by a cave bear you say? Well, at least it wasn't those burrowing grubs." Cormac shivers. "I still can't sleep at night because of those things."

 

[ERYFKRAD]

"So you know as well as we do, Man-of-Kor. 'tis a fair start. I would know what skills have you, that we could plan suchwise." to the group at large he asks, "If this beast cannot be trapped by means mortal, perhaps there is some sort of mystic means for the task." He frowns in thought for a moment. "The shaman of my village claimed that salt on one's doorstep kept evil spirits away, would something of that ilk work here? Perhaps you would know aught of such charms, Bard."

OOC

Sup L'ennui, welcome aboard.

 

[Siveon]

On the way out, "A cleric and druid in the room. And you ask the bard of charms to ward evil spirits?"

Lore Check abuse

Existance of charms for evil spirits?
Lore Check: [1d20] = 5
Lore Check: [1d20] = 13

 

[ERYFKRAD]

OOC

Well slap my face and call me dumbfuck. My mistake

 

[Grimgravy]

"I'd wager the wolf is less than it appears. I don't doubt it's dangerous, but if Fidach's tale is true, it wont be the wolf god's spirit. It will be something meant to be taken as the wolf god's spirit." Rhemnyr pauses in thought. "Fidach, what happened six months ago? Or a few months earlier even? Did something change? Someone new arrive?" Rhenmyr asks our host.

 

[L'ennui]

"My skills?

Well, I have been initiated into the 13th and 12th Voiceless Circles of the Royal Academy of Magi in fabulous Kor! That must count for something, even here..."

Urash grumbles that last part in a low tone that speaks volumes to his appreciation of the fine village.

"If you do not know the Academy, we could say that my masters there have given me a brief glimpse into the very fabric of Creation, and taught me to weave some magic to help shape that fabric into a given effect. The arcane is slowly opening itself to me, though I have so much to learn still...

Beyond that, some would say I have a knack for languages, a way with the lyre, an insight into astrology and a talent for getting stuck in Pictish villages at the worst time."

After Rhenmyr's question, Urash intently awaits Fidach's reply.

OOC

Thanks ERYFKRAD, I'm very glad to be joining you guys.

 

[Grimgravy]

At Urash's reply, Rhenmyr frowns slightly in memory then mutters quietly: "Another Acadian mage, eh? I hope you fare better than the last one we knew."

 

[nikolokolus]

Fidach listens intently to the group as they speak the Illyrian tongue and narrows his eyes, like he's trying to pick meaning out of what is being said.

 

[Grimgravy]

OOC

My question to Fidach was in Keltic. Sorry if I didn't specify that.

 

[nikolokolus]

OOC

My question to Fidach was in Keltic. Sorry if I didn't specify that.

OOC

Whoops. Missed the mention of Fidach above . . . notifications stopped working for new posts so I had to read about 6 or 7 to catch up

Fidach replies to Rhenmyr's question about what preceded the appearance of the beast, "I rightly don't know. The only thing strange that happened is three ne'er-do-wells who used to live down at the flophouse went missing. Can't say anybody was too concerned, since they were nothing but layabouts and I suspect they were thieves. But two nights later we found a farmer by the name of Uen and his household slaughtered, then the next night it was a milkmaid, then the night after that, a guard with his throat ripped out, then another guard, then Utorix's pigs, and so on."

"That's when the beast grew bolder. In the midst of a large crowd during the festival of Imholc the beast materialized and snatched a babe from its mothers breast and stood over it in the middle of the square almost daring anyone to come forth and challenge it, a man called Drust - a warrior of quality and courage - leaped at the thing with his sword, but the hound almost seemed to smile like it had baited him. The beast abandoned the baby and managed to knock Drust to the ground and tore his throat out. It then late out a baleful howl and vaulted into the air and leaped over the wall, disappearing into the gloom. Every two or three nights thereafter it would return to kill until Talorc's solution of a lottery and a sacrifice."

"The King's seer, said Ulfheonar must have offended the natural order of things when he banished the Wolf-God Blaidd Mawr all those years ago and that whatever had freed it, the god was here to reclaim its sacrifices. Then there's Father Boccan who says it's a sign that the Crone of Winter is coming; that old wards are breaking and the veil to Otherworld is thinning." He shrugs noncommittally "Who knows where the truth lies."

 

[Siveon]

OOC

So Marcán should be out the door at this moment. Is that raven place visible?

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

"Maybe I need to take a look at that tomb to see if anything was disturbed or I can determine anything from it, since that is my area of expertise?"

 

[nikolokolus]

OOC

So Marcán should be out the door at this moment. Is that raven place visible?

Marcán exits the publican and walks northwest across the square, in the direction of the loud cawing. From your vantage here you can see perhaps a dozen or more crows perched on the roof of a hovel about 200 feet away. Three scraggly looking men standing in the doorway of the flophouse on the other side of the square stare at you with not particularly friendly glares as you walk past, but otherwise don't molest you. You walk briskly and find yourself standing outside of a run-down hovel with a conical thatched roof in a poor state of repair. You look up and notice that all of the nearby rooftops are crowded with perched crows and blackbirds - perhaps hundreds. A thin, quavery voice calls out to you from behind the rickety, wicker door, "Come in young man. The shadows grow long and many terrors stalk the night."

 

[Siveon]

Marcán gently opens the door and enters the household, closing the door behind him. "Greetings. Are you the one they call Ymae?"

 

[L'ennui]

Cormac's mention of the tomb raises Urash's eyebrows. Nodding approvingly, he says:

"If you resolve to go there, I should like to accompany you. The Picts here were less enthusiastic about going to the tomb but perhaps something can be learned from it.

If the wolf-beast lets us get there, of course..."

 

[Helly]

"That lottery..." Ker scoffs "We shouldn't stay in the village too long if we don't want to become the next 'winners'. The tomb might indeed be our best bet, although disturbing what lies asleep never ends well. Maybe we ought to ask the flophouse's residents about their disappeared friends? I'll leave that to your muscles, I will catch back with Marcan and check on the crone with him." Ker then leaves and follow the crows to the hut.

Spoiler

Sorry I'm late, I didn't get any topic new post alarm... Bienvenue, L'ennui !

 

[Siveon]

OOC

I stopped relying on the post alarm since they stop giving notifications if you miss like one post. I just pop by the playground every....hour or so.

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

"Urash, maybe after some stew we should go check out the tomb? Then we can meet back here and discuss what we find with what Marcán found with the old woman. I'm a follower of Arawn, and deal with preparing the dead, so I have some knowledge of tombs."

 

[L'ennui]

"As sound a plan as any! Arawan... Yes, I've heard that name before. I believe he is a brother to Nergal. In any case, I am no priest and I will not meddle with the dead if I can help it, but foul magic could be at work. It would not be the first time ill-intended sorcerors cast their plague upon Theia!"

With this thinly veiled allusion to the Hyperboreans, Urash spits in a display of contempt.

"Let us eat, then. If my throat is to be ripped apart by this demon, I would put it to good use one last time."

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

"I agree wholeheartedly! If we find something awful in the tomb, which seems to happen often, I would rather die full." Cormac looks around to see if the stew is ready.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

"Stygian, perhaps you must observe their chieftain's seer. I will set out and see what I can do to make the ground suit our ends. Would I find Pictsmen of a mind to help?" Borric asks in Illyrian.
To the group at large, he says, "We can not stop the Wolf from entering, but given its size, maybe we can control where it enters.
If we can use debris to choke up the streets and leave enough space only in the town center, we shall at least be ready to give it a proper welcome. There we might perforce find a means of trapping it by your magic and mystic ways. What do you make of this?"

ooc

Hey nikolokolus, could I have a marking of places on the map? Like which place is the chief's house, host's place etc.? Plus all those houses that are supposedly in a state of disrepair.

 

[nikolokolus]

OOC

I'll have time tomorrow to respond in full (to everyone's actions) and mark up an image so you can get an idea of how everything is laid out. Tonight I'm stuck on my phone

 

[Grimgravy]

"You may want to speak with Brule about the town's defenses." Rhenmyr responds to Borric. "I am willing to stake out the feathered man, but I don't think we should split up too much. Checking the tomb could be rather dangerous. If Cormac and Urash go, at least one of us should go to provide muscle if needed."

 

[L'ennui]

Urash interjects, a finger darting up:

"For my part, I would certainly welcome such company..."

He then peers outside, looking at the darkening sky.

"... but the celestial fires are dimming, perhaps our investigation would be better conducted by the morrow's daylight? The beast could appear any moment now. I would rather not be the first to cross its path.

I propose we assist Borric in his defensive works for now. If we live, there will be time enough for the tomb tomorrow. What say you, Cormac of Arawan?"

OOC

nikolokolus I have based Urash's reasoning on the idea that it is growing dark outside, given what Ymae had said to Marcán. Is that a correct assumption?