Hope at Last

Fitheach Eun looks around the dimly lit tavern suspiciously and loosens her daggers in case they are needed

Savage.Taurus yawns sleepily, worn out from all the traveling, and follows his companions into the tavern

Fitheach Eun nudges Savage to stay alert

Savage.Taurus grumbles at the drood as his tummy rumbles

Talia.Sunsong hides Rorn under her cloak and sniffs for food smells. "I hope they serve food here, with cream"

Fiesty Lotus winces

Fitheach Eun looks around and sees people eating and drinking

Fitheach Eun: "Not sure about cream, Talia, but there is food."

Talia.Sunsong: bellies up the bar. "One mug of cream."

Fitheach Eun stops by the minstrel to hear his song

A Minstrel Plays

The bartender says " Cream, Bugger that, We got rotgut."

Talia.Sunsong: "Is rotgut a cream?"

Fiesty Lotus: Naw- it's good fer what ails yer though

Fitheach Eun follows Talia: " Have you wine or ale?"

Bartender: We got ale and some very good Soliamian wine

Fitheach Eun: “I'll have the wine, please.”

Fitheach Eun pushes some coins at the bartender

Talia.Sunsong: sniffs the nearby alcohol smells disdainfully. "That doesn't smell like cream, or cotton candy."

Savage.Taurus: remembering that he has money now, he sits down at a table and motions to the barmaid, and tells her "Give me some grub, darlin'"

Savage Waits for Food

Fitheach Eun senses a presence close by and turns to look.

The bartender make the coins disappear.

Rorn fusses under Talia's cloak.

Fitheach Eun almost gasps when she sees the fiery aura of the woman beside her; but nods cautiously at her instead

The barmaid says " House special then?"

Savage.Taurus: "Yea, whatever...just make it quick"

The bartender sets down a nice glass of wine for the lady

The fire elemental mage smiles at Fit and looks at her ears...

Savage.Taurus leans back and listens to the minstrel on the stage play his lute

The mage says: "Greetings water sister; you have wandered far from your home."

Fit Meets the Elemental Mage

Sniffing something suspicious, Rorn wiggles out from under Talia's cloak. Rorn snorts and looks upwards, where a small shadowy figure hides.

Fitheach Eun looks over at Fiesty significantly and jerks her head towards the mage

Fiesty Lotus nods and sits still in expectancy

Fitheach Eun smiles back at the mage and says "Is this your homelend then, my lady?"

Unknown to the rest of the people of the tavern, a small winged spy watches from her perch on the shelves.

The mage shakes her head: " No lady, I am a traveler here like you."

Rorn scrambles out of Talia's arms, and onto the shelves. He crawls behind the jars, up to the winged spy.

A Small Winged Spy Watches

The barrmaid brings the gentleman a large bowl of simmering stew and a bread roll. The stew is unidentifiable

Fiesty Lotus watches Roan go after something

Fitheach Eun picks up her wine and salutes the mage: "Let us toast travel then and coming home."

Savage.Taurus: doesnt even bother to ask what’s in the stew and begins to chow down, dipping the roll in the stew as he nods to the barmaid

The small winged gargoyle snarls quietly at the little dragon.
Rorn growls back and boldly goes up to the gargoyle spy.

Sadness moves across the mage's face like a shadow: "I fear my home is no more; I am stranded here for all time."

Fitheach Eun nods sadly back: "I fear our tale is the same; our portal is dead; we cannot go back."

The gargoyle reaches out to slap the little dragon, who snaps at the creature’s hand. Bitten by Rorn's newly grown fangs, the gargoyle snatches its hand back

Rorn Attacks the Spy

The mage nods; "My portal still lives but it will not show a glimpse of home."

Fiesty Lotus listens to the mage’s story - not paying attention to the sound of fighting coming from Rorn and his quarry

Fitheach Eun listens closely; "What sort of lands does your portal still show then?"

Rorn bites down on the gargoyle's nose. The gargoyle turns to run, and Rorn bites its tail.

Fiesty Lotus’ ears perk up

Fiesty Lotus whispers " Oh my golly."

The gargoyle spy scampers out the window, with Rorn snapping at its heels.

Fire Mage: "I have seen glimpses of fair green fields and deep forests but no coastal lands like I came from. One image showed mountains and a large castle.”

Fitheach Eun looks excited: " Is this portal nearby?"

Fiesty Listens Intently

Talia.Sunsong: has been happily munching on nuts at the bar. She turns to feed a nut to Rorn, and suddenly realizes Rorn is no longer on the shelves.

Talia.Sunsong sees Rorn disappearing out the window.

Fiesty Lotus nearly jumps out of her Victorian bloomers

Meanwhile Rorn chases the small gargoyle outside and into the air.

Fiesty Lotus: Oh please Lady Mage - can you give us a directions to this portal?

Fire Mage: "Indeed, my sisters; let me draw you a map."

Talia.Sunsong stands in the doorway, and looks for Rorn.

Fiesty Lotus practically weeps

Out of Talia's sight, the gargoyle lands on the tavern roof.

The mage pulls out a piece of parchment and calls a salamander to burn a map into it while Fit and Fiesty watch intently, oblivious to Talia and Rorn

 Rorn follows the gargoyle, who growls menacingly. Rorn opens his mouth and manifests a small blast of fire.

Talia Realizes Rorn is Gone

The fire mage hands the finished map to Fit and smiles: “I wish you luck, sister in power."

Rorn aims the fire at the gargoyle, who flees as fast as his wings can take him.

Talia.Sunsong steps outside, looking left and right for Rorn.

Talia.Sunsong: "Rorn?"

Pleased with having chased off the spying gargoyle, Rorn returns to Talia's arms.

Talia.Sunsong: Pets Rorn. "What were you up to, little one?"

Fitheach Eun takes the map and smiles gratefully at the mage; "We cannot thank you enough sister of fire. I hope your situation improves. I am called Fitheach and this is my druid sister Fiesty. We are ever in your debt.”

Fiesty Lotus nods and smiles

Talia Sunsong tucks Rorn back under her cloak and rejoins her friends at the bar.

Fiesty Lotus: Well (Fiesty - ever the Hobbit says) Shall we get sumtin ter eat?

The Young Mage

Nicholai at the Farm

After his parents died, Nicholai farmed his father’s allotment at the young age of 13. He hated the landowner, a local Baron who squeezed all the tenants and expected the same tithes from Nicholai as the other tenants. He tilled and planted until his hands were swollen. Nicholai had thought of running away but town near him had no apprentice opportunities. He felt trapped and distrustful.

One day he was so hungry he took his bow into the woods to poach game. Nicholai was good with the bow and snuck there often. He saw a partridge and let loose his bow. The arrow flew true and he snaked through the grass to retrieve it. When he found the bird he also noticed a crevice in the rock. Nicholai saw that it was large enough to enter. Cool air came from the hole so he peered into the space. He was startled to see a hewn corridor. He was curious. He left a subtle marker for himself and came back at dusk armed with his bow and a candle.

Nicholai Finds the Book in the Cave

He squeezed into the hole and walked through the corridor. There were strange carvings in the walls of the corridor. Nicholai’s parents had sent him to an old tutor in the town when he was younger, so he could read a little. But these markings he had never seen before. He went on and came to a wide cavern. Suddenly the torchlight illuminated a high table with unlit black candles and a book. He looked at the book and realized it was a mage's book of magic. Nicholai took the book home with him and started on his fate.

Nicholai studied the book at night wasting candle after candle. He learned some spells and was experimenting on local animals. He could bind them with a word and then he would kill them. He could also cause pain on someone from afar. Nicholai was planning on using this spell on the landowner and was gathering the materials needed when the plague hit his area. 

Nicholai Sick

Nicholai became very sick and had a pustules on his face and body that kept getting bigger. Nicholai drug out his book and learned that he could become well by taking the life from another and doing a spell that would suck their life power. So Nicholai tried it on one of his chickens. The life power of the bird was very small but brought down his fever. Nicholai then went to his neighbor’s house and strangled a girl who was in the barn. He became much better and continued in this way in secret. But the ravages of his plague and the resultant warping of his features made him very ugly.

Nicholai Strangles a Young Girl

Nicholai could no longer go to town. People shunned him and derided him. The landowner banished him but, of course the landowner was found dead by unknown circumstances a little later.

Nicholai Shunned

And then Nicholai went out into the world looking for a master Mage to teach him more.

Samhain Ceremony in Ravenheart Grove

Talia.Sunsong: almost sets fire to the corn stack

Fitheach Eun: sighs and rolls her eyes at the fae's antics

Talia.Sunsong: when do we get to eat?

Fiesty Lotus: After Silly

Fitheach Eun looks sternly at the errant fae

Talia.Sunsong: is that sweet buns?

Talia.Sunsong: and pumpkin pie?

Talia.Sunsong: Rorn likes pumpkin pie

Everyone Gathers for the Ceremony

Fitheach Eun: Welcome all to our Samhain ceremony

Fitheach Eun: This is the night when the gateway between

our world and the spirit world is thinnest.

Fiesty Lotus: Tonight is a night to call out those who came before.

Tonight we honor our ancestors.

Fitheach Eun: The veil is at its thinnest

Fitheach Eun: We walk between the worlds; let us beseech the elements to walk with us

The Ceremony Begins

Fiesty Lotus looks to the North

Fiesty Lotus: I honor and welcome the Earth with an offering of ground wheat:

Fiesty Lotus: Earth, that stands beneath our feet, accept our offering!

You grow all around us, you tower above us

Fiesty Lotus: Spirits of the Earth, we offer you this gift from what you have given us

Fiesty Lotus: Share with us comfort, knowledge and blessing.

Stand together with us and help us be strong

Fitheach Eun looks to the west

Fitheach Eun: I honor and welcome Water with an offering of wine:

Fitheach Eun pours the wine onto the ground

Fitheach Eun: Water that flows and streams beneath all beings accept our offering!

You bring life and growth to all that lives.

Fitheach Eun: Spirits of the Waters, we offer you this gift from what you have given us

Fitheach Eun: Let us know the depths within ourselves; the source of all wisdom

Stand together with us and flow within us!

The Arch Druids of Ravenheart

Fiesty Lotus looks to the South

Fiesty Lotus: I honor and welcome Fire with an offering of ash

Fiesty Lotus scatters the ash on the ground

Fiesty Lotus: Fire that consumes and transforms; accept our offering!

Fiesty Lotus: You bring the light and warmth of all who have gone before

Fiesty Lotus: Spirits of the Fire we offer you this gift from what you have given us

Fiesty Lotus: Let your flames warm our spirits and our lives.

Stand with us and burn within us!

Fitheach Eun turns to the East

Fitheach Eun: I honor and welcome air with an offering of seeds

Fitheach Eun tosses the seeds in the air

Fitheach Eun: Air that gives us breath and spirit; accept our offering!

Talia.Sunsong: Rorn tries to snatch a seed in the air

Fitheach Eun: Carrier of visions; spreader of incipient  life

Spirits of the Air we offer you this gift from what you have given us

Fitheach Eun: Let your pure winds swirl and eddy around us

Stand with us and carry us up!

Fitheach Eun regards the guests

Fitheach Eun: This is the night when the gateway between

our world and the spirit world is thinnest.

Talia.Sunsong: Hail and be welcome

Fitheach Eun: Tonight is a night to call out to those who came before.

Fitheach Eun: Tonight we honor our ancestors and all those who have gone from us.

Fiesty Lotus: "Spirits of our fathers and mothers, I call to you,

and welcome you to join me for this night.

Fiesty Lotus: You watch over us always,

protecting and guiding us.

Fiesty Lotus: Tonight we thank you.

Your blood runs in our veins,

Fiesty Lotus: your spirit is in our hearts,

and your memories are in our soul.

The Old Fire Burns

Fitheach Eun: Tonight we celebrate Samhain.

Fitheach Eun: It is the end of the harvest, the last days of summer,

and the cold nights wait on the other side for us.

Fitheach Eun: The bounty of our labor, the abundance of the harvest,

the success of the hunt, all lies before us.

Fitheach Eun shouts: We thank the earth for all it has given us this season,

Fitheach Eun: and yet we look forward to winter,

a time of sacred darkness.

Fiesty Lotus: Summer is gone, winter is coming. We have cared for our friends and neighbors and have welcomed all good creatures into our community

Fiesty Lotus: We have gathered everyone here to be thankful for our bounty and to welcome the regeneration of the earth. We have gathered the harvest. Now it is at its end.”

Fitheach Eun: Summer is gone, winter is coming. We have raised our livestock and tended the creatures in our care.

Fitheach Eun: We have tended our herbs and made our   potions.  Now it is at its end.

Fiesty Lotus: Summer is gone, winter is coming. We have planted and we have watched the garden grow,

Fiesty Lotus: we have weeded, and we have gathered the harvest. Now it is at its end.”

Fitheach Eun: Summer is gone, winter is coming. We have planned and built our homes.

Fitheach Eun: We have enjoyed all the changes of the seasons of growing. Now it is at its end.”

The Veil is at Its Thinnest

Fiesty Lotus: Now is the time for individual offerings,

Fiesty Lotus: if there are any among us who would like to make a contribution, be it prayer, song, wish, or story, you may do this now.

Talia.Sunsong: May all those here enjoy the rest of the darker months and holiday fun

Fitheach Eun looks around to see if anyone else wants to speak?

Savage.Taurus: I wish for good health for all my friends and family

Fitheach Eun turns back to the altar

Fitheach Eun: The time of light is ending; the time of darkness begins now.

Fitheach Eun: The fire that has sustained us through the light cannot hold against the dark to come.

Fitheach Eun: We honor the fire of the seasons past and light our torches from it to brighten our way in the dark days.

Fitheach Eun: please light your torches

Talia.Sunsong: walks to the fire and places her torch within

Fiesty Lotus lights her torch

Fitheach Eun lights her torch and turns again

Savage.Taurus: lights the torch

Fitheach Eun: I will now extinguish the fire of this year that we may welcome the next

Fiesty Lotus: Let us kindle a new flame to see us through until the light comes again.

Fiesty Lotus:lights the new fire

Fitheach Eun turns to face the guests

Fitheach Eun: The circle is closed; the season of light has ended and the dark holds sway.

Fitheach Eun: Go all in peace and light until we meet again.

Talia.Sunsong: May the love of the Goddess be ever in your heart. Merry meet, and merry part and merry meet again

Fitheach Eun smiles at everyone

Fitheach Eun: Thank you all for coming

Talia.Sunsong: thanks you for the ritual

Rorn Likes Pumpkin Pie

Talia.Sunsong: Rorn hops on the altar and begins licking the pumpkin pie

Savage.Taurus: Merry Samhain

Fitheach Eun: Shall we dance or does the fae need to eat first? ;)

Talia.Sunsong: dance

Fiesty Lotus: ok

Savage.Taurus: mmm pie

Fiesty Lotus: Lets

Fitheach Eun giggles

Talia.Sunsong: Rorn is in the pie

Fiesty Lotus: Come all who wish to dance

Drumming and Dancing

The Mage Gives Chase

Fiesty Lotus: “Oh Druid Fit, we went down there.” (points down to the ground)

Fitheach Eun: Fit talks softly with one of the ravens...

Talia Sunsong:”I needed food. Real food, not canned food.”

Fiesty Lotus: “Savage gave a show and this creepy guy gave us money.”

Fitheach Eun shakes her head; “There is real food in the pantry. You just wanted cream.”

Talia Sunsong:  “I ate a sweet bun and some vendor complained I didn't pay.”

Talia Sunsong:  “Who wouldn't want cream?”

Can Wobbit listens with amusement

Fiesty Lotus: “Then he wanted to cozy up to Savage and we ran away.”

Back on the Ship

Savage Taurus: “Yea, the guy gave me the willies.”

Rorn fusses.

Talia Sunsong: "What is it, baby Rorn?"

Fiesty Lotus: “He was really ugly and dressed funny.”

Rorn flies over to the wooden railing and gnaws on it.

Fitheach Eun: “That sounds alarming.”

Fiesty Lotus: How much coin did he give you Savage?

Talia Sunsong follows Rorn to the railing. "Oh, you're growing your fangs in, Rorn." She looks around. "Lucky the woman with bad eyesight gave me baby pacifiers when she saw Rorn in the baby carriage. She said he'd be teething soon at his size."

A Pacifier for Rorn

Savage Taurus: “I don't know. I didn't count. It was a pretty good haul for an easy show.”

Talia Sunsong: goes to the cabin and rummages about, looking for the baby things given to her by the kind stranger. She tosses things on the floor. "Eureka. I found two pacifiers."

Fiesty Lotus looks at Rorn gnawing the railing.

Fitheach Eun sits in the pilot's chair: “Perhaps we should be on our way?"

Talia Sunsong emerging from the cabin, she holds out a rubber pacifier to Rorn. He bites on it. "There that should help."

Fiesty Lotus: “Hope yer kin fix that - the ship is already getting a lot of wear.”

Fitheach Eun: "Might this person follow you?”

Talia Sunsong: "Let's go before the creepy guy follows us."

Fiesty Lotus: “Yes, good idea.”

Fitheach Eun: "Can has been working on the repairs."

Talia Sunsong: "See Can will fix the railing the Rorn chewed on, instead of me doing it."

Backing up the Ship

Fitheach Eun releases the lock and backs the ship slowly away from the dock.

Rorn chews on the rubber pacifier like its gum.

Talia Sunsong: "No, Rorn, don't chew it like that."

Fitheach Eun: "Which way shall we go?"

Talia Sunsong: "Go towards more cream, and desserts."

Fitheach Eun: "Yes, I imagine you have a homing instinct for those, Talia."

Talia Sunsong nods proudly.

Savage Taurus: grumbles, "It's not natural for a dragon pup to be raised around hominids. Kids chew. That's what they do. What can you do?"

Fitheach Eun Fit points the bow to the north

Fitheach Eun: Let's continue this way?

Talia Sunsong: Rorn makes a face like the pacifier tastes bad. He spits out the mangled rubber pacifier onto the deck.

Fitheach Eun: “Maybe he needs a bone one?”

Talia Sunsong: reaches for part of the railing that Rorn broke off. "Here Rorn, chew on the wooden railing for a pacifier."

Fiesty Lotus: “That there be a good idea.”

Rorn bites into the bit of wood. He scrunches up his face and blows out a puff of fire, burning up the wood.

Talia Sunsong: "Rorn, no!"

Fiesty Lotus goes into the cabin and emerges with a bone from their supper.

Fiesty Lotus: “Here - try this Talia.”

Talia Sunsong: takes the bone from Fiesty. "Rorn, here's a nice bone for you to teethe on."

Fitheach Eun watches as another airship approaches rapidly

The Dragon Ship Approaches

Rorn grabs the bone enthusiastically.

Talia Sunsong turns to look at a familiar airship. "Didn't we see that dragon masthead airship before?"

Rorn gallops happily around the deck, the bone in his mouth.

Fiesty Lotus looks at the ship.

Fiesty Lotus: “It was parked by us at the place we were just at.  I wonder..”

Out of sight of the refugee crew, a small dark winged creature flies off the strange airship. It lands quietly on the cabin roof, and peers down at the crew.

A Strange Creature Lands on the Ship

Baby Rorn stops chewing and stares at the creature, which quickly backs away from the edge of the roof, and hides behind a chest.

Savage Taurus notices Rorn's strange expression, "Whatcha starin' at, pup?" Looks up but doesn't see anything.

Fitheach Eun looks towards the dragon headed ship and see a dark figure at the pilot wheel.

Fitheach Eun: "What did the creepy person look like?”

Talia Sunsong: "I was eating.. let's see what did he look like?"

Fiesty Lotus squints at the airship “It looks like that person."

The Fae tilts her head in thought, but the image of the sweet bun fills her head instead of remembering the creepy man.

Fit's elven eyes see the pilot clearly: "A short human looking one in a dark hood?"

The Mage on the Dragon Ship

Talia Sunsong leans over the railing to look for the man on the dragon airship.

Fitheach Eun: “I think we need to gain some speed.”

Fitheach Eun: “Fiesty, let us call up some wind?”

Talia Sunsong: "His airship is getting closer."

Fiesty Lotus: “Sounds good ter me.” (Grabs her staff.)

Fitheach Eun: Dragon could you drive please?

Savage Taurus: peers across the void to the other ship with the dragon masthead, his keen draconian eyes focusing on figure standing, on the bow, "Yeah, that looks like the guy at the gypsy camp..."

Fitheach Eun raises her staff and calls to the air spirits.

Talia Sunsong: "That creepy guy sure has a creepy crew."

Fitheach Eun: "Spirits of the air come to our aid; raise strong winds to blow us on"

Fiesty Lotus begins an air chant.

Fit and Fiesty Call up the Wind

Savage Taurus hops into the pilot's seat and pushes the lever forward and steers them away from the approaching vessel.

The ship picks up speed as the wind increases

Fiesty Lotus: “Oh Spirit of wind, grant us swift winds.”

Fitheach Eun: "Sisters of the air make the winds stronger."

Fiesty Lotus: “Spirit of wind, give us speed.”

The ships dashes forward in response to the gale being raised.

They go at a good clip- leaving the airship behind.

Talia Sunsong shivers from the strong wind. She picks up Rorn and cuddles him close.

The dark ship soon fades from sight

The Refugees Ship Pulls Away from the Mage

Talia Sunsong: "I feel better without that ship in our sight."

Fitheach Eun: "Turn east Dragon, we do not want to keep the same course.”

Fiesty Lotus: “I think we otter mebby change course.”

Fitheach Eun smiles at her druid sister.

Fiesty Lotus nods at Druid Fit.

Savage Taurus: nods and looks at the position of the sun and steers the ship eastward.

Fiesty Lotus: “We might even see about makin us invisible- that is iffn that ship comes around again.”

Talia Sunsong: "Well, I hope that's the last we'll see of the creepy man."

Fitheach Eun: “Me, too, Talia.”

Fitheach Eun: “We could at least raise a mist around us.”

Fitheach Eun raises a concealing mist around the airship

Fiesty Lotus: Yes, good idea iffn we need it.