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

[L'ennui]

"Mayhap that hammer would do what your crow cannot, friend Borric."

 

[Wayward Son]

Mab goes to find the others, hoping the witch's ire does not extend to him.

 

[nikolokolus]

Mab descends the stairs, looking for Marcán or Ker. The bard is leaned up against the wall outside of the great-hall resting and informs Mab that Ker is sleeping soundly in Fidach's hostelry.

Meanwhile, people are cutting down the bodies of the three hanged personal guards of Talorc and have loaded the deceased chieftain's body into a cart. People keep their distance from the wolfish corpse that may or may not be the real Syelle Ru.

Mab looks out over the village and sees a stooped figure walking slowly down the hill that can only be Ymae.

 

[nikolokolus]

Helly Ker stirs after an hour of sleep alone in a bed and a room he does not immediately recognize. A small black-haired girl is asleep on a stool in the corner of the room.

 

[Helly]

Using what strength he has recovered, Ker silently gathers his belongings and looks outside the window to ascertain where he ended up sleeping.
He then tries to slip past his guardian without disturbing her sleep.

 

[nikolokolus]

The shuttered window overlooks the village square, from the second story of Fidach's hosterly. The girl does not stir as you exit.

 

[Helly]

Ker looks around the village for his comrades, following the villagers' flow.

 

[nikolokolus]

After all of the drama earlier the village is positively surreal in how "unlively" it is now. You can still see a small group of people on the hill where the great-hall's entrance overlooks the village, but the village square is practically deserted. a decrepit old man is perched on a wooden bench under the eaves of a building across the street and he raises his hand feebly in a greeting. Your companions don't appear to be close by.

As Ker stands and watches the old crone Ymae can be seen coming down the long switch-backed ramp from the great-hall. When she gets to the bottom of the ramp she spares a glance this way and that and hoists the hem of her skirts up a bit and dashes up the street toward her hovel, looking surprisingly spry and lithe given her generally stooped and ancient appearance.

 

[Helly]

Ker waves at the man then follows Ymae into her hovel.
"I hope the wolfman have started talking already. I wonder how they do their morphing..."

 

[nikolokolus]

Ker follows Ymae down the narrow street, trailing her by about 50 meters when she gets to her hut and quickly pushes the door open and shuts it behind her.

 

[Siveon]

Marcán goes to find Ker (in the hostelry), trying his best to avoid the deathtrap that would be Syrelle Ru's room.

 

[Helly]

Ker tries to open the door to Ymae's hut and ask her for the facts while proposing his help.
If the door is locked or Ymae not receptive, Ker will go back to the old man resting on his bench and ask him about his version.

 

[nikolokolus]

Marcán strolls down the hill to go rest at the hosterly and sees Ker "skulking" across the village square (you can intercept him before he's into the narrow side path that heads for Ymae's hut.

 

[Siveon]

Marcán, curious to see Ker awake, intercepts him before he enters the hut. "Ker, why in the world are you up and about? You nearly fainted back there."

Spoiler

Lore check: It's an alternate Earth, but do we call it Earth, or is it like Terra or something?

 

[nikolokolus]

Marcán, curious to see Ker awake, intercepts him before he enters the hut. "Ker, why on Earth are you up and about? You nearly fainted back there."

Spoiler

Lore check: It's an alternate Earth, but do we call it Earth, or is it like Terra or something?

Spoiler

Most people don't call it anything, but scholars refer to the known world as Theia. "Why in the world" would be a common expression.

EDIT: (additional information that a bard would know)
Depending on the mythic tradition (Illyrian mostly) Theia is thought to be the actual dead body of the Titaness of the same name. Struck dead by a green glowing God of the Outer Dark that fell from the heavens in a time out of mind.

 

[Siveon]

Spoiler

Fixed, thanks. On a higher level, I'll make him say Theia to show he's more "learned".

Er, if he survives.

 

[nikolokolus]

Spoiler

Siveon I added some extra information you might have missed

 

[nikolokolus]

Marcán catches up to Ker just as he opens the door to Ymae's hut.

The old crone shrieks in surprise and appears quite changed. She is stil dressed in the rough, black shift, but her features are completely different and she is tall, slim and straight-backed. Her face is in a state of disarray. A false nose hangs from her cheek and she holds a rag in one hand smeared with makeup and a stringy gray wig in the other.

Her mouth is agape and she is completely speechless. She finally sputters after a few moments, "I can explain!"

 

[Siveon]

Marcán laughs in disbelief, looking quite relieved. "Go ahead."

 

[nikolokolus]

She bolts past Ker and Marcán and glances outside the door fearfully, shoos both of them inside and slams the door shut. When she turns around her face is ridiculous with the half-on half-off disguise, but very grim, "Now listen up you two, I have some very important things to say and you're both going to sit quietly and keep your mouths shut. I know you have questions, but hold your tongues until I'm done. Agreed?" She holds her gaze firm and steady, mostly on Marcán.

 

[Siveon]

Marcán, with a dumb grin, and a wince of a chuckle in his voice nods. "Agreed." He composes himself afterward.

 

[Helly]

Ker sits on the closest thing he sees and look at both Marcan and Ymae, flabbergasted.
"By Cernunnos, I..."
He then stops and shrugs, then nods towards the "witch".

 

[nikolokolus]

"Good." She nods seeming satisfied. "Now then. I suppose I owe you a bit of an explanation. My name is not 'The Widow Ymae.' Peace of Annwn be upon her. However, I was her close friend and she hid me here in Crannógmere for many years when she didn't have to." She pauses for a moment trying to read Ker's and Marcán's expressions, "When she passed on she bid me to continue her work here in the village. She said she'd seen a vision of dark times coming and that the village would need my help." She pauses again, "Before she died she played a rather nasty trick on me. She bound me here until her vision had come to pass. That was ten years ago."

 

[Siveon]

Marcán glances at Ker and then mouths "Done?" silently at the 'disguised' witch.

 

[Helly]

"I have many questions, but do finish your story first."