1223.1a The Chronicles of Ridicule

When he sees the group, the pale man tenses, his hands going up while he begins to move as if putting himself between the woman and the grogs, all to stop when he realizes they are not a danger. It is clear to the grogs that he would not hesitate to stab them in the back if he thought them something other than negligible, though*

Hearing somnifer, he raises a brow o_O but say nothing, instead turning to the grogs. Speaking in Provencal (so this should be equal to French 3, so adjusting), he adresses them, the contempt apparent in his voice.
You're from Dragon's Rest? We... go there. Me Hiems Ex MIscellanea, she Cygna Bjornaer and Attravere Merceris. You... lead us there?

*First time I get to write the gift from this POW, yes!

((IMO, you shouldn't write the negative effects of the Gift. It actually makes it more difficult to color your intentions.))

"Sure, I'll lead you there. When I feel like it, magician. The large and swarthy dark skinned man says to him in good French. He then promptly sits down on whatever dry patch he can find and motions for his companions to do the same.

((Are we at Crintera, looking toward the mainland, the other way around, or someplace else entirely?))

((You mean Dragon's Rest?)) You're on the mainland, in this marshy area, the landscape shouldn't be altogether different from Gallus Florensis, there is a large mound that is partially submerged in brackish water.

((sorry, missed that we were going to Dragon's Rest from Gallus Florensis.))

Cygna puts her hand gently on Hiems's arm. [color=red]"We're at Dragon's Rest, Moja Ljubov'," she almost whispers. [color=red]"We need to find passage to Phoenix from here...unless our sodalis has already done so?" She looks at Attravere (assuming that's who the gentleman is).

It is Attravere (his description is quite blank). Attravere's agreement was bringing you here and escorting you safely inside the covenant. After that, passage to wherever you wish to go is on your own.
Oh, Heims and Cygna do gain a point of warping.

A interior shiver when she whispers to him. This is delicious.

Hiems looks around o_O
This is Dragon's Rest? I don't know where the idea came, but I expected a covenant and a portal to Iberia, not... Well, not marshes.
Looking at cygna, still not believing what he sees, and then Attravere
Unless appearances are deceiving and I am making a fool of myself?

"This is indeed the covenant of Dragon's Rest. Most traffic here is through Portals. To my recollection they do not have a portal to Iberia. Harco, Confluensis, maybe another Mercere House, it's been so long since I've been here. He appears to stare intently at Heims, or at least it would be staring if his eyes were actually open. "However, that is not your next destination, is it?" He regards Cygna, "Young loves, to be so soon separated after the blossom of love. Will the dream of love endure your separation? And which of you will make the choice? Aren't you looking for someone? Didn't an old friend ask for your help?"

Cygna looks at the strange pseudo-prophet, surprised (if not stunned) by what he's saying. How does he know about us? she wonders, and what does he mean, "to be so soon separated"? And who does he think I'm...we're supposed to be looking for? ((Does she have any idea who this magus is? Int 4 + Order of Hermes Lore 1 + die roll of 6 = 11.))

Cygna turns to Attravere. [color=red]"I take it we can find redcaps or Mercere who can aid us on the rest of our journey in Dragon's Rest?"

Attravere nods. It's plain that he'd rather be somewhere else.
"Your friend has burdens. I think he'd rather be somewhere else."
Cygna wracks her brain trying to remember the name Somnifer of Merinita, but cannot. Although he seems friendly enough and obviously knows a fair bit about her. As she thinks that he knows something about here he says, "Your journey is about to take an unexpected turn."

The water level is receding rapidly and the cave mouth is about halfway open. Their is a hint of a landbridge leading into the mound forming as the receding water swirls and eddies around the edges of the bridge.

This is the only thing Hiems is able to hear, and it leaves him stunned, and frightened, mind reeling
No no no no no!!! No!!! I knew it I knew it I knew it! Shouldn't have been fool enough to open up and dream and hope! No no no no, I can't!

Nails biting into his hands, making an effort to retain his composure, he looks at cygna as if wondering Somnifer's words, while being in fact fearful to see in her eyes the confirmation of the man's words

As Heims looks into Cygna's eyes, he sees his fears mirrored in hers...if anything, she looks almost panic-stricken as she mouths "no." Her hands reach for his and she kisses them tenderly as she looks up at him.

[color=red]"I gave you my word that I would never leave you. And nothing he says can sway my heart."

She steps into his arms and rests her head on his shoulder. [color=red]"I love you too much to leave your side, Moja Ljubov'," she whispers into his ear, and she will stay in his arms as long as he lets her.

When he finally lets her go, she turns to Attravere and/or Somnivere (if they're still there) and verify that it is Dragon's Rest on the other end of the temporary causeway.

"It's not a matter of what I say, it's a matter of duty to friendship. You have an amica in need of your help, don't you Cygna doctrinae Bjornaeris. But you think she is in one place, while I know she is in another."

[color=red]"Who?"

"Why my Viscaria, of course." His tone is one of affection and pride, and there is a sense of the bittersweet in his words. The land bridge is fully visible.
"She has a need for one, and only one of you. She is not at Mons Electi, she is at my covenant, Lapus Crudus, and I doubt that even the Redcaps could find it now since it's been forgotten and hidden from the world for more than 70 years."

[color=red]"'Your' Viscaria?" Cygna says with a raised brow. [color=red]"What's wrong with her? Why does she need our help?" Cygna's hand seeks Hiems's as she speaks, as though trying to silently reassure him that where she goes, he goes.

((I assume she's never heard of Lapus Crudus, either?))

The land bridge is now fully visible and the cave entrance to the mound is open. A Redcap comes darting out, waves at the gathered magi and retainers but moves on quickly. Somnifer, ignoring Cygna's plea for more information says, "Well, I must be off. These three know how to get to Lapis Crudus[1]. I have so much to do. I have to re-register our covenant at Confluensis, notify our vassals of our return and demand our feudal rents and a Wizard's War to plan. I'm simply too busy for anymore friendly chit-chat" He then heads into the cave.
Attravere departs, and there are five people standing about in total and utter confusion.

[1] Truthfully, Wen, Vin and Mufarjj have no clue how to get back to Lapus Crudus.

Cygna huffs in frustration as Somnifer ignores her and takes his leave. She turns to the grogs that he brought with him. [color=red]"Was he telling the truth about Viscaria? And if so, how long will it take us to get to this...Lapus Crudus?"

Wen shrugs. "Could be," she says in Welsh, since everyone seemed to understand her the last day or two. "She's in a regio, and I think you have to trade places with someone to get out again. But she seemed like she wanted to go there, something about her mother, I think?"

"And I have no idea how to get there. Every time we turned around, something was wrong with the way we were going."

(Unless she doesn't understand latin anymore, in which case she has no idea what Cygna says, and will ask what she said in Welsh and French, neither of which Cygna speaks.)

No, she doesn't understand Latin anymore.
We have Mufarjj's French, and Vin's Latin... And Mufarjj is annoyed with Heims... :smiley:

[color=red]"Great," she grumbles to Hiems. [color=red]"None if them speak Latin."

She will then cycle through the languages she knows, asking them "Do you speak _____?" in English (5), Spanish (3), Arabic (2), Hebrew (2), and Russian (5).