A Curse in the Woods

W01: Wayfarer's Inn

It's Eliday, Aestry 15 23:29:59 1020. The full moon isn't up. The tide is high and ebbing. The deep blue night sky is clear and cloudless, and the stars glitter. A cool breeze blows from the west.

---

This is a cozy inn and tavern located in a village which lay a good day or more north of Alexandria, almost to the end of civilization. The village of Wilderness Pointe has a fair number of lumberjacks and the people here are both accustomed to the proximity of wild forests and at the same time superstitious about what dwells therein. On this beautiful summer evening, the pub's windows are open, some of its patrons relaxing on its ample porch, and a bard finishing his song in the common room. One of those on the porch is a hooded figure of slight build. He seems to be keeping largely to the shadows.

Munch wanders in from the woods as the light starts to fade. Not that being in the woods in the darkness would bother the metal man. peering around a few moments, he heads for the porch, nodding politely to a few sort of familiar faces. (Not to be racist, but all you meat-people tend to look alike)

A newcomer arrives, wearing clothes that have seen better days. Given the human looks but pointed ears, he's half-sil. His hair's wild, but his beard and mustache are well-trimmed. This would be Isilwen. He approaches from an angle where he passes near Ga'Elian as he nears the place. As such, he offers a polite nod of his head. He'll enter the establishment and look around, pausing a moment to look at the bard. As there's already someone here entertaining the patrons, he won't ask. Instead he places and order for an ale and then takes it out to the porch again. Of course, he catches sight of Munch, and blinks a bit. But offers a nod of his head in return to the greeting.

Morgan comes in slowly shoulders shruged as it looks like the day was long for her, she orders a mead and takes a seat to listen to the preformance and hopes the music will be relaxing of enertaining.

As the bard finishes to grab some food, the din of conversation rises to fill the silence. The folk here are sociable and see plenty of travelers, but new faces are still noticed. As Isilwen returns to the porch, the hooded figure lowers his hood, revealing the timeless face of a wild elf... wearing a woven leather headband and sleek goggles with purple lenses. It can also be seen that a small, blue stone flies in endless circles around abd around his head. He offers the newcomer a smile, then "Hello" in Sildanyari.

Munch glances to Ga'Elian, and perks slightly, his magicite eyes watching the circeling stone. "...I don't recall seeing those goggles before. Something new?"

Isilwen looks to Ga'Elian at the greeting. "<Hello,>" he greets in return, also in Sildanyari. He has a soft-sounding voice that doesn't seem to carry very far. As he's not aware of what is or isn't new about Ga'Elian, never having met him before, he cannot comment on Munch's observation. However he does offer a polite nod of greeting to Morgan.

Morgan gives the fellow half elf a nod back "Are they dark seeing goggles?"

Ga'Elian nods to Morgan and Munch, and replies, "They, but they are more also. They alao enhance all of my senses and my ability to follow tracks." His voice is a mild tenor, youthful perhaps, if such can be properly said of an elf, but with a melodic quality to his exotic accent. Some might describe it as sing-songy.

Munch nods. "Wouldn't it be easier to just get new eyes?" asks the golem, his own eyes still locked on the circling stone.

Morgan chuckles to Munches question "Not for us fleshy people, its just better to enchant things like that."

Ga'Elian looks horrified at the metal man's question, then nodding at Morgan's response, adds, "I'm only so comfortable with artifice. Nature is my life, and while my eyes function adequately, the idea of plucking them out to make room for the installation of artifice contraptions unnerves me." Changing the subject, he again addresses the new acquaintance. "I am Ga'Elian, a protector of the wilds and touched of the Great Stag."

Munch buzzes thoughtfully, and shrugs. "I guess. Just seems you'd be less likely to lose them." Turning slightly towards the newcommer, he offers his own introduction. "Munch TerrorMaw, the Golem Who Eats." His gaze, however, never leaves the hovering stone.

Isilwen heads back into the tavern to see if he can arrange a place to sleep for the night -- it's getting a bit too late to travel further for the time being. He probably has enough for a bed, even if he has to share.

Isilwen has left.

Ga'Elian watches as the new face departs then something off in the darkness catches his attention. He turns to look and rises from his seat, saying, "This close to a village?" and hops the rail, heading toward the treeline.

Munch blinks a few times, clicking rapidly, and turns to see what Elian noticed. "Anything tastey?"

Morgan thinks "is it good season for dear, I would love some dear meat."

Ga'Elian stops and says to Munch, "Do you even have a sense of taste? Anyway, I saw a pair of treants. It just seems curious to me why they would approach so close to a logger village.

Munch buzzes and shrugs. "I have roughly ten thousand more sensory points upon my tongue than you do. As for ents, maybe they're suicidal?" Either way, the metal man with the massive axe departs the porch as well, his glowing eyes peering towards the trees, looking for ones that walk.

Morgan shrugs "or they are going to attack loggers."

To one for whom the darkness is not an obstacle, and who knows where to look, the treants aren't hard to spot. One looks like a mature maple, the other a white-barked birch. They aren't moving fast, so it's not hard to catch them up. Ga'Elian point-blank asks them, "Why do you venture so close to this human village?" <sylvan>

Morgan waits for the response of the trees

Munch isn't positive this counts as a village, nor that it's inhabitants are all human. But taht's not the point, so he keeps quiet and watches, waiting for an answer.

The maple ent says, "How lucky. We were hoping to maje contact with someone friendly. Deep in the woods there is a curse afflicting some of those in our care. A nymph tried her magic to heal them, but was unable. Know you of others who might wield the power of Dana or such? Someone who can remove a powerful curse?" <sylvan>

Morgan ; shakes her head "No, but could you please explain what the problem is please? I can see if we have any records of anything like that in the city." <sylvan>

Munch speaks the langauage of violence, and not much else. Leaning slightly towards Morgan, he says quietly. "If they make a funny move, you take the one of the left." Well, he thinks he's being quiet. He's not shouting. "...how do they usually move, so I can tell if they make a funny move?'

Morgan chuckles to munch "they are here to ask for help, something is cursed in the deep woods."

Munch considers a moment. "-I- didn't do it."

Ga'Elian listens with growing wonder. At long last, once the ent has finished speaking, he looks at Morgan, raising an eyebrow, then at Munch. To the golem, he says, "They are come seeking assistance about some sort of curse." Then to the ents, "I am touched of Gilead and a greenwarden of the Ygdrassil Union. I can get help in a couple hours. What are the effects of this curse?? <sylvan>

The birch ent says, "Their branches are brittle and their fruit is bitter.." <sylvan>

Morgan ; hmmms "has the ground water change?" she then says to Munch 'I doubt you could do that.' <sylvan>

Munch shrugs. "I've been called a curse and a blight before. Couple of other impolite sounding things with lots of syllables. But I havn't been to the deep wood for a while, not since that ettercap business."

"The water is good, and the curse seems to not affect the shrubbery oy lesser flora - only the trees. And one of them manifests a dryad. She is ill." <sylvan>

Ga'Elian says, "That was a good guess, Morgan. At first I wondered it this might not be related to this mysterious planter of corrupted plant creatures, but now I doubt it. I figure it best to get a priest of the Green to treat them and go investigate thd surroundings to find the source of this curse."

Morgan nods with a smile "It could be a magic item tied in to necromancy. but I have a feeling nothing in any books will not have anything about this."

Munch shrugs. "I got good eyes," installed even, "but magic isn't my thing. If you need wanton acts of violence though, let me know."

Ga'Elian grins at Munch. "I'll remember that." Says, "Well, this sounds like something that I shouldn't waste time with. I'll let you know how it turns out, especially if there is more to do that needs your talents." Then to the enta he says, "Give me two hours and I'll return with help, then you can lead us to the place." <sylvan>

Morgan nods "I will fly home and see what I can find and if I find some thing I wll send a sending spell, but if its a arcane magic item let me know where and I wll be there to help destroy it."

Munch nods. "Dealt with stuff in the Felwood plenty, figure this can't be any worse or weirder."

Ga'Elian nods. "Oh, I'm sure you're right about that."

Munch nods, and heads back towards the porch. "I sorta hope it's an evil ent. I never ate an ent before."

Ga'Elian shakes his head. "From you? I get it, but that's not something I ever imagined I'd hear someone say. Then again, I don't know anyone else with adamantine teeth."

Munch shrugs. "I know a couple. Dwarf who got tired of replacing his ivory teeth every few decades. A sith with golden scales." He considers a moment. "There was a demon once, but I think he was trying to make fun of me."

Ga'Elian nods. "It's a good thing you're a friend. Otherwise, you'd be more than a little scary, Munch."

Munch blinks, ever so slightly offended. "I -am- scary..."

Ga'Elian responds. "Of course you are; I merely meant to me." *wary grin*