Previous: Issue One, Part II
(Content Warning: Pain, Language)
It's only been 7 months or so.
I don't know if I even have the same energy in me but we'll give this Part a go and see what happens.
I awaken again, this time alone in the tent. Aeddon is gone from his chair but he left his book in his place. The bandages have been cleaned away and new ones wrap my hands and torso. A small cup of water sits on the ground next to my cot. I roll over carefully, pick it up, and put it to my dry, chapped lips. As the water moves over my lips and fills my parched mouth, I can feel its native energies working already within me. This has been drawn up from a table. A well, then. It's good.
My time here unconscious on the cot, with someone tending to me, plus the refreshing water (reminder that the waters in this setting carry magic within them and also that I carry a broken Water Elemental in a bauble around my neck) makes me think I can roll again for Sojourn or try for a Heal. I'll look to see which is the better option.
Sojourn
Roll+Heart=5 vs 1, 3
Strong Hit
Recuperate and Consort are the 2 options I take, so I bump Spirit and Health each by 2.
Not going to get greedy this time bc my health is so low.
Health is 3 and Spirit is 4 now
I groan as I sit up and swing my legs over the side of the cot. I notice a fresh shirt has been laid out for me. It falls from my lap and I reach automatically to pick it up. Pain shoots through my hand and I pull it back. Switching to my better hand, I pick up the shirt with my other hand and slip it over my head. I stare at my arm for a minute. The branches of the lightning scar peek out above the fresh bandages onto my upper arm. They are ragged and angry. My hand unconsciously goes to touch the pearl at my neck. I tuck it, and the iron coin that sits along side it, under my new shirt. Long sleeved, blue. Could get hot but thankfully the sleeves are very loose. And blue is my color.
I stand and walk over to the empty chair. I pick up the leatherbound volume and turn it over in my hands. Opening it carefully, I flip through a couple of pages.
Let's see what it's about. I'll roll on the oracle for it.
Action and Theme: Deliver Decay
This is definitely a book of dark magic. Perhaps even the book that helped ensorcell the Wood Spirit.
A book of dark magic? Old magic. Why would someone like Aeddon be reading this? I turn a couple more pages. Runes, sigils, Old Words, a caution against Iron. And then, a drawing of the thing I pulled out of the Primordial. A dark parasite. I snap the book shut. I have no desire to learn its secrets.
I push the tent flap aside and step out onto Thornhill's commons. I am momentarily taken aback by the progress that has been made in clearing the area of debris and ruin as well as starting work on new buildings. Several frames already stand tall and sturdy.
Aeddon approaches from the campfire to my left, having noticed my exit from the tent.
Aeddon: "Ah! There he is! I had almost left you for dead, you layabout! Hahaha!" His laughter rolls across the green as he strides up and claps me on the shoulder. I wince in pain but grin despite myself. The man's humor is infectious.
Me: "Aeddon, I wish to thank you for sitting by my side..."
Aeddon: "Think nothing of it, oh savior of Thornhill." He notices the book in my hand and gestures to it. "I see you found it." His eyes and expression shift to something more troubled.
Me: "Yes," I say cautiously, "The spell to summon that parasite you crushed is within its pages. Where did you get it?"
That's a good question. Where the hell did he get it?
Let's find out.
Major Twist: A Dark Secret is Revealed.
Yeah, well, duh. Let's see if I can get more info out of an Action/Theme: I got Release Creation. Another interpretation might be Withdraw Strength.
I think this means that someone targeted the wood spirit on purpose. This was no accident caused by some bumbling fool who stumbled across a magic book of spells. This was intentional. Meant to harm the community by hurting or controlling its Guardian. We kind of already know this.
So I think we need to simply ask the question, do they know who's book this is and therefore who is likely responsible? I'm going to say it 50/50 since I'm not sure if they found the book in someone's destroyed house or out on the grounds somewhere. Roll: 53, yes on 51 or greater, so Yes, they know.
Who is it? Well, Character role says: Mystic. Goal says: Seize Power.
The village had a Mystic whose goal was to become their leader. That makes sense. I think they were probably set to inherit the mantle of leadership from Keelan's father...until her return fucked that up for them. Name? Temira. Oracle says Temira is a young woman, sociable, obsessed, determined. I think she was probably very ambitious, very focused on mastering magic and ruling her people with it. Though, probably no one knew about that last part.
Aeddon looks down. "I think it's Temira's. She's our Wisewoman." Noting my confusion, he clarifies, "Uh, like a witch, a kind of natural healer. I recognize her handwriting and I found that in the ruins of her hut. She lived just at the edge of the village there." He points. "To make matters worse, she's missing from the survivors."
I nod, understanding the gravity of the situation. This Temira was their spiritual leader and she betrayed them all. "Where's Keelan?" I ask.
"Come, I'll take you to her," Aeddon responds.
As we walk toward the far side of Thornhill, I think of my home. Sea Witches there were quite different by description. Certainly not healers but scary and powerful masters of the elements. They could stride upon the choppiest of seas with serenity and summon the most damaging of storms to drown sailors and swimmers, tear their boats asunder, and consume their souls before they had even sunk to the bottom. I almost shudder to think of them and I worry that these people's wisewomen are comparable in power. After all, theirs did corrupt an actual Primordial.
We come to the "back" of the village, opposite the side I originally entered from. Keelan is there with two others, securing a saddle to her large gray strider. A powerfully built woman sits astride one of the three present horses, dressed in leathers and armed for combat. An older, rugged man holds the reins of the third horse and passes them to Aeddon respectfully when he approaches. Keelan notes my presence, gives me a quick once over, but says nothing and finishes saddling her horse.
Me: "Keelan..."
Keelan: "No, Ironsworn."
Me: "Listen..."
Keelan: "I said no." Her hard eyes turn gentle for but a moment. "You have done enough, you have saved this village and prevented the death of my kin. I cannot allow further harm to come to you, we will find Temira and return her here for judgement."
Me, a little surprised: "Judgement?"
Keelan: "I will hear her side of the story before I pass it. The village will know of her deeds. She will be treated fairly until we can determine her guilt."
Me: "She tried to kill you. She tried to kill you all."
Keelan, her eyes hardening once more: "We will see. I have known the girl since childhood. I will not condemn her before I have even looked into her eyes. Now, go. Rest. We will return shortly."
Me: "I can't. I made a Vow." I lift the necklace from beneath my shirt and hold it slightly aloft, a look of fierce defiance upon my features.
Keelan: "...Amara. She's safe then. Got to you." Her expression betrays a swell of pride for the brave little girl who ran through the dark all the way to Blackwick. She focuses her gaze back on me. "Evening Constitutional, indeed."
I grin and shrug.
Keelan: "Fine, but you ride behind." She hops up on the horse and extends her arm. I take it and she swings me up behind her.
Without further ado, we ride down the narrow path that leads away from Thornhill.
I'm going to go ahead and mark progress on my Vow. I'm not changing the wording because 1) I'm not sure you're supposed to and 2) I've only solved a part of the problem. Cured the symptoms so to speak. But now, I've gained vital support for the quest, as well as important knowledge that may help lead me to the villain. That's 4 total boxes marked now.
I'm going to make a Gather Information to try to track her as we ride from the village. While they focus on the physical tracks, I focus on the lingering traces of magic on the air. That dark magic is within me now so I feel I have a strong enough connection to try. Since I'm using Gather Info to trace magic, I can use my Sighted Ability which gives me +1 on the roll and +1 momentum on a hit. I need it because my Wits is only +1.
GatherInfo roll+wits+1=6 vs 3, 9, Weak Hit, hit gives +1 momentum
Introduces complication or new danger, +1 momentum
Momentum increased to 5.
I truly don't know off the top of my head so I'ma turn to the Action Theme Oracles again: Leave Portent.
Hmm. Got it.
As we ride, attempting to pick up the trail, I leave the physical tracking to the villagers while I focus in on the dark magic inside me. I use it to seek out its like kind in the wild, searching for any lingering traces of a dark magician's passage. I see it a moment before the burly woman rides toward it. A great web of energy spread between the trees. A trapped ward. I yell out in warning, "No! Stop!"
Am I in time?
I think it's likely, actually, since I had my senses going before we found the ward. I'm in time on a 26 or greater, roll: 74
The woman pulls her horse up short, startled.
Me: "Do not pass between those trees. Whoever we follow has left us a nasty little surprise." I raise my hands toward the ward and try to drain away its efficacy.
I use my Invoke Ability to consume the magic. Roll+Wits=3 vs 2, 9, Weak Hit.
I consume the magic, gain 2 Essence from the Action Die (takes me to 5) but I suffer 2 stress and Endure Stress.
Spirit drops to 2. Endure Stress: Roll+Spirit or Heart, both 2=3 vs 2, 3, Weak Hit, I press on.
Then, I use the magic I siphoned to convert the trail to the visible spectrum for everyone to see. Secure an Advantage with Invoke's magic effect, Roll+Essence=8 vs 9, 1, Weak Hit, gain +1 momentum on hit (up to 6 now), lose 1 Essence (down to 4 now), Advantage is short lived and I get another momentum (7 now).
Reality wobbles as the space between the trees seems to bend, twist and fold in on itself. As it stabilizes, the inky black strands of the magic web ward become visible. In moments the web begins to dissipate and flow as formless energy into my outstretched hands. I wince in pain as the dark magic fills me. I know I cannot continue to hold this darkness within. My very spirit cries out for relief. So I summon what little power I have to reshape this energy and I send it back out into the world as a pulse. Suddenly, the magic trail I had been following begins to appear, flowing into the air like floating oil. As quickly as it appears, the tail begins to disappear. I launch myself back onto Keelan's horse. "Quickly now, or we'll lose the trail!"
The ride is a dangerous one as the roots of the overgrown trees and the prevalence of the thorny Jasha make the route treacherous. We have to push the horses hard as the trail begins to appear and immediately evaporate with greater and greater quickness. I hold on for dear life, my arm thrumming with pain.
Time for a Face Danger, I think. Roll+Iron=4 vs 6, 9, Miss. Progress is undermined by a dramatic and costly turn of events.
That one's obvious. I am thrown from the horse.
Endure Harm (1): Roll+health(2) or Iron(3)=7 vs 2, 10, Weak Hit, I press on.
The horse takes a sharp leap over some brambles just as my arm gives out. I fly from the back of the horse and slam into a wide oak. I see Keelan starting to slow as I pull myself up.
"Go!" I say, "or you'll lose the trail. I can catch up."
She nods curtly, wheels, and disappears into the thicket.
As their hoofbeats recede into the distance, I stand and pluck splintered bark from my skin. My ribs hurt. I hit the tree with my shoulder but I must have taken more damage to my middle in the fight with the Primordial than I realized. I have a direction, at least, so I pop my neck and begin walking that way. I don't make it more than a couple of steps before I hear a young woman's voice from behind me say, "Wow, I thought they'd never leave."
Next: Issue One, Part IV
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