After talking to Nauvi, Leofric brings his donkey Roxie and his cart, filled with his portable forge setup as well as some food.
Thom walks up beside Iago, a bit of a jaunt in his step.
"Nice work there. They seem to take to your leadership."
The six-fingered magus smiles as he strides along, walking up beside Betula and her child.
"Do you need any help? I realized the other day that I don't think I've ever actually held a baby. Not that I can remember, anyway. Isn't it curious that it takes us so long to be able to take care of ourselves on our own? The goats and sheep don't need nearly as long. Or birds for that matter. Takes us years! I suppose there is some relationship between the time it takes for us to mature and our capacity to affect the world about us... "
Thom trails off after a moment.
"Anyway... I hope the baby is ok. If you need anything, I'm happy to help... If I can."
Iago helps the magi get organised and provisions packed. I suppose the old donkey handler comes with too. The journey is uneventful until you arrive. Which copse did you want to visit first? What are you looking for? And what do you intend to do? In short, where do you go and how do you approach?
Thom recommends to the group that they take a reasonably direct route, though steering clear of villages (such as Kendal) as much as possible on their way to the Midsummer Copse. At roughly 120 km distance walking a fairly direct route and assuming 30 km a day, it should take the group four or five days to get to their destination.
As they get closer to the area of the copse, Thom encourages them to see what villages may be established in the area, taking to wing alonside Cath'rinne if needed to scout out the region along the River Ure valley before they arrive at the copse.
Thom will have availed himself of his usual magical spells for traveling: Eyes of the Hawk (MuCo 4 successful Spont Roll: 18 / 2) and Scent of Nearby Vis (InVi 5 successful spont: 13 / 2).
Cath'rinne also stays silent for a moment, unsure what to say. Not quite allowing herself to bring up the Sionach talk either and everything else she was trying to clear her mind from. How do other people do it? As Bartomeus breaks the silence and changes the subject, she answers "Yes, I'm eager to visit it again. Frankly, I'm not that much into faeries, but I'm happy to follow your lead. I'm not sure what he might like."
Add Turold to that list. And Cath'rinne will invite Edwin along "We absolutely need your skills to figure out the local economy and the possibilities to sustain a chapter or covenant on site."
OK. Correction, it should be Gorm, long-term soldier at Ungulus. Glenn was the wounded hunter-brigand who stayed in Clarissa's care.
The chest of Sionag is too heavy / large for her, for sure.
And she will provide the healing needed by Arlainne. That will certainly slow down the group, but are we really stress about time ?
And, as we need a chariot for what we take with us, may we put the wounded captive on it ? That could be a good place to put a circle of recovery to help her to heal without slow to much the group.
You could bring Arlainne on a cart. It would not slow down the travel, but it would normally slow down her healing. On the other hand, with a standard Hermetic recovery spell or something similar, that effect would be rather negligible. It would probably add a botch die to the recover roll.
Clarissa is quite capable, if Sionagh just will agree to leave Arlainne in her care. You decide. Do you bring Gorm or Arlainne? Or both? (Sorry, I did not mean to list Arlainne
The party now counts Cath'rinne, Sionagh, Betula, Thom, Iago, Glenn, Arlainne/Gorm, Edwin, and Turold. (Sorry for every preceding typo.)
You still have to tell me what you seek when you arrive. Midsummer copse? Giant otters? Midwinter copse?
Edwin would like to seek the copse first, and look around the nearby areas to check for suitable places for agriculture (he is tasked with finding ways to earn income for any covenant set here) and for anything magical (he will use his Magic Sensitivity). Not being a swimmer or a keen naturalist, he has little interest in Otters of Unusual Size.
Thom agrees.
"Let's get to the Midsummer Copse first and spend some time there. That will give Edwin time to assess the area, and we can figure out what may need doing to establish a viable chapter house."
Cath'rinne will let a non-blatant gifted make decisions about grogs. They apparently gained names somewhere along the journey and I can't figure out their biography for the life of me. She's not in favor of bringing along someone who's got more than a light wound unless there's a reason we need to walk with wounded soldiers (such as not having non-wounded soldiers available).
Cath'rinne concurs on Midsummer Copse.
Sionag doesn't know who are the wounded, but if someone gave her the responsability to take care of people, she will do it, without ask who they are. She doesn't know who Grom is and what's their stories. Not sure who is Iago and why does he want to take the captives. At least to avoid to let Arlianne without healing if they decide to let the captive at Ungulus, Sionag will cast something to help her.
[casting score CrCo: 33+10(focus)+2(stress die) = 45 total. base 4 (+9 recovery roll), +1 touch, +3 moon]
And Sionag goes to Iago :
"You know that Arlainne is wounded, why do you want to bring her with her ? Why do not simply let the two captive here at Ungulus ? I gave her magical healing, she can stay here and just rest until her wounds are closed. But you seems to want bring both captives with us..."
Iago replies “It was not my idea to suggest bringing that Arlainne woman, she is injured and so no use to me as a guard until she recovers. Do you take me for an incompetent maga?”
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I am sure the exchange about the grogs to bring was resolved amicably before you departed, with all misunderstanding resolved.
Parting with Nauvi's group, you pass by Cauldron Falls, seing no sign of otters or faerie kings. Without lingering, you arrive at the Oak Circle, which is also known as Midsummer Copse. It deserted, except for mosquitoes and swallows. The surroundong marsh leaves the air humid, and the sun is covered by clouds. The mosquitoes are intense.
Thom steps into the Oak Circle to take a look about the familiar, near perfect circle of oaks. [Second Sight: 6]. He's also curious to see if the pesky mosquitoes enter the Circle or if they adhere to the guidance given to other animals to stay out of the circle.
The Merinita magus looks about, reminding himself of the salient features and dimensions of this place:
-- 200 paces from Cauldron's Fall.
-- The marsh/swamp area around the grove is 150-200 yards in width
-- The Oak Circle is a near perfect circle of about 50 paces across.
-- The aura within the Circle is 7.
Satisfied, he casts Scent of Nearby Vis [InVi 5, Successful Cast] and after recovering for a couple of minutes says to the others: "I'm going to take a fly about to see what I can see. Be back shortly." He then strips off his clothes before going vulture and taking off into the air.
He is fairly methodical in his study of the immediate area: first circling the tops of the Oak Circle before starting to expand a widdershins (counter clockwise) circle outward from the copse. He's not too narrow, expanding by 50 paces or so each rotation until he nears the Falls. He'll take some time at the Falls, studying them for a short time before rising higher to get a better sense of the forest and river. He keeps his eye out in particular for signs of either people or Faeries.
The mosquitoes are busy within the circle, but the swallows stay outside or above the treetops.
It takes the rest of the day and the next one to get the thorough overview that Thom wants.
Each oak tree has a unique look. They are all old, and crooked with character. You remember the one that looks the oldest, which Betula tried to talk to last time, but failed. It is as it was, as if time means nothing.
Behind the Cauldron Falls, it is hilly and rocky, and climbing the hill, Thom can get a good overview. The woods are not dense, and half a mile away it is even sparser and more patchy. It also stops at the foot of the rocky hills from which the water falls into the Cauldron.
Awareness+Perception to spot any details 9+ and every additional +3 helps (until my imagination runs out).
Edwin takes a look around as well, trying to get a feel for the area.
[OOC: Per + awareness 12]
Cath'rinne will fly arround, accompanying Thom. Per+Awa of 10, +1 spotting corpses, keen smell.
Sionag calms Iago, no she doesn't doubt about his competency, she smiled about the misunderstanding and continues to prepare the journey. Journey who, in other hand, are pretty good and without any encounter. An ideal time to pick some flowers and herbs when their group passes near by. They arrived at the oak circle, a good place...
If there isn't a major nuisance : mosquitos... Everywhere in the place, stupid flying and bzzziting mosquitos. No deal for the maga to stay here, eating by some tiny leeches with wings without find a way to escape. First thing : a circle for the camp, inside the oak circle to let all people sleep peacefully.
[Sionag casts ReAn : 8 (casting total) + 7 (aura)+0 (stress dice, no botch with 3 dices). If no more botch dices, it's good enough to cast a "circle of beast warding" .(Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Ring, circle)
The caster inscribes a circle that no normal beast will cross.
Sionag concentration check : 1 (stamina) + 2 (concentration) + 0 (stress dice, no botch), failed.]
The maga grumbles a little... Too big as idea... So, a circle around the camp to keep a place where we can stay...
[Sionag casts ReAn : 8 (casting total) + 7 (aura)+2 (stress dice) = 17. She casts successfully a "circle of beast warding" .(Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Ring, circle)
The caster inscribes a circle that no normal beast will cross.
Sionag concentration check : 1 (stamina) + 2 (concentration) + 7 (stress dice) > EF 6
Sionag concentration check : 1 (stamina) + 2 (concentration) + 6 (stress dice) > EF 6.
So a circle around 30 paces circumferance = around 9 paces diameter. ]