Havak pipes up, "Havak also noticed the flowers that began to grow when Jerem called his One's magic were narcotic in nature. Havak advises caution on any new substances finding their way into town."
Amara, who was about to slip out the door, stopped at Elarya's challenge. She was receiving surprise after surprise this day! She listened to the exchanges and looked at Samel. It seemed as if he was looking for her as she easily caught his eye; the look she gave him clearly indicated she was not happy or satisfied with the announcement of the council and she tried to read his expression.
"It didn't kill anyone, though it got me pretty good. An' fer all we know it coulda thought the stone pretty. An' by yer reasoning, Sansa an' Dante should be run outta town. Are ye gonna do that too?"
Elarya glares at the elder. Her temper threatens to get the best of her, but the petite girl manages to keep it in check. Though she gets a peculiar feeling, she just shrugs it off.
"There is no reason for concern here, Elarya." Abram says with a calm expression.
"We are not expelling random folk just because they are different. We are simply asking Corvina to leave because she has brought a danger here."The crowd seems somewhat torn, as they mumble and whisper about, some seem to share similar fears as the young woman warrior, and others are more upon the side of the council.
When Amara searches the expression of Samel, she finds him strangely hard to read. His face shows no emotion, he eyes seem lost in the middle of the room.
Abram speaks again, shaking his head.
"People, people. My utmost concern is for your safety. The council has never steered you wrong before. We just need to remove this threat. Corvina will simply go on her way. She will find a life elsewhere. To use an old saying, "We cannot allow bad fruit to spoil our crop.""
They crowd slowly quiets, and as Garrett watches his father, he notices him persistently tapping his belt buckle.
Amara is dismayed at Samel's distance and is determined to track him down after the meeting.
She slips out of the building and just catches Garrett's words to Elarya.
Garrett is so hide-bound. He would never even entertain the possiblility the council could make a mistake.
Maybe Corivina is responsible and should leave, but she has had many years to bring doom to us and we have never had any kind of poblem before. Why would she now try to harm the town??
And no one even asked her! This just doesn't seem right!
She looks around again for Rook and decides to wait for Elarya, the only one to openly share some of Amara's thoughts on the matter.
When Amara sees her exit she tries to get the other girl's attention, "Elarya! Over here."
"So ye throw e'erone that don't know any better out?"
Elarya's words come through gritted teeth and her glare is now fixed on Garrett. A wild fire rages behind her eyes. and it's obvious to anyone paying attention the young northerner is barely restraining her temper.
"If yer too lazy or too much o' a coward ta git Corvina's half o' tha story then I will."
With that Elarya storms out of hall and heads for Corvina's hut. She doesn't even look back at Amara when she replies back.
"If ye wanna talk ta me ye'd better be hustlin'!"
Amara falls in quickly beside Elarya and attempts to get the girl to listen to her.
"Hold a moment will you!" she tries to get the angry girl to stop and talk, "I don't necessarily agree with the council's decision but if you think you will get much out of Corvina you will be sorely disappointed; I think it very unlikely that she will even acknowledge you and if you run over there like a acting like a mama bear with a missing cub you definitely won't get anything useful."
Amara takes a breath and continues, not about to go easy on Elarya. "You have spent most of your time here hidden away in the smithy and while the events of last day seem to have brought you out into the community somewhat, frankly I don't think you have the right to disrespect our leaders like you did. That said.. she rounds on Garrett who had been listening, "As for you, someone who has lived here all their life, I would think that you would see that something here is NOT RIGHT! What has Corvina ever done that would suggest she wished the people here ill will? She has been here all her life and NEVER have we had any problems. At least Elarya seems to be able to see the obvious even though she's going about things all the wrong way."
She searches the area again for Rook then seems to only just realize she has been berating Elarya and Garrett and abruptly changes her tack.
"Let's all just think for a moment. We need to get some more information. I have a friend who knows Corvina probably better than anyone else. Let me see what he has to say first before anyone tries to interrogate Corvina and put her into an even more cryptic state.
There was also something strange about Samel at the meeting. Maybe the council wasn't telling us all they know. There are lots of possibilities here. The baby dragon we fought put some kind of spell on Abram so I wouldn't even rule out magic. And... she hesitates and looks to make sure Jerem in particular is not nearby and lowers her voice, "I don't know what you think of Jerem but something is a bit off there. He claimed not to know of the dragon's nest but there were footprints near it that could have been his."
Not sure her words have had any effect she lets out her breath,
"You two do whatever you want to; run around bellowing and bawling if you think it will help. I am going to find Samel and then figure out what is going on around here."
She turns to look for Samel and Rook.
Elarya looks like she's about to fire off a hot retort back at Amara before sighing and calming down.
"Yer right, but they don't have a right ta just throw someone out of their home, an' I have a hard time believin' that Wallace wouldna wanted a good reason afore agreein' ta kick Corvina out o' her home. On top o' it all I swore an oath."
The fire in her eyes doesn't go away, but the young woman is considerably calmer.
"Samel is probably in tha meetin' hall still. After losin' my temper a bit, I think they'll be decidin' whether I need ta go too, I guess."
Elarya continues to Corvina's and continues to ignore Garrett.
Sansa, still appalled by Elarya's challenge to the Council, turns to Dante and orders him, "We have to arrive at Corvina's before the Council. You are her closest friend, Dante, she will probably listen to you over me or one of the others", waving her gloved hand in the direction of Elarya, Garrett and Amara, who had recently left the hall. "And with Elarya's thoughtless anger, I am certain Corvina will retaliate more readily, and I would not blame her. Elarya cannot control her rage, it is her millstone to bear."
Facing her adopted mother, she proceeds, "Excuse us, Mother Celeste, but we too must reach Corvina's hut near the Black Tree before the Elders proclaim their verdict and forcibly expel Corvina from Solace."
Sansa grabs hold of her brother's hand and begins to walk with purpose out of the building and in the direction of the cliffs and Corvina's hut.
Under her breath she mutters to no one, "Elarya who has only been here for a short time tells the Council that Dante and I should be evicted from Solace ... we who have been here since babes. Thoughtless minded girl." Sansa was fully aware that Elarya was trying to save Corvina from being banished but the way she went about it left Sansa feeling ire rather than respect. "The girl needs to mind her words!", she declares to the wind. But Sansa hears a strange sound closeby but chooses to put it from her mind. No time for those things now. "Leave us alone!" Sansa notices her brother's anxious look as she talks to the thin air.
To Dante she declares, "I would wager that Jerem had something to do with this decision. He is hiding something, brother, and we better find out what soon. It is too easy for him to influence the Elders with his talk of the "One" god's power."
Sansa's feet move effortlessly along the main path toward the cliffs. Her "glide" makes it hard for Dante to keep up in his usual shuffle but every now and again she orders him to pick up pace. She keeps vigilant on their walk -- with thoughts of dragons still churning in her head and a mysterious One god with an ever-reaching arm. She did not trust every person in town and there were dangers now emerging she had not considered previously.
Several minutes after makes her grand exit and flourish, the council meeting ends. The many townsfolk wait for the elder to leave, as they do, according to season, and out the meeting hall. They slowly filter out, and as the council makes its way slowly (perhaps even sleepily?) towards the black tree and Corvina's hut, the other citizens of Solace fall into a tight group several paces behind them, ignoring their morning chores at least for the moment. Johnas can bee seen at the very back of the crowd, casting a quick glance to and looking a bit confused as Jerem places a hand on his shoulder and speaks a few words to him, a thin smile on his lips.
In the history of Solace, there has been little controversy, but what little there was, seemed to center mostly around Corvina and her family. It was often whispered that her mother spoke to the dead, and for the kindly folk of this region, that was close to blasphemy. A great part of the old beliefs (that were still for the most part observed today), the cycle of nature was honored. The cycle of life and death was part of that, and to inturrupt it was the greatest sin. The dead must be allowed to rest in peace before they return to the cycle, and any magic or disturbance was thought to bring great agony to their spirits. For this reason, although most magic was held with some taboo, necromancy was feared and hated the most.
could be seen overhead, flapping his wings furiously. Using his gifts, he sends a to below.
"Is it true? Are they banishing Corvina? How can this be? She is my friend!"
The council continues their slow march towards Corvina's hut, at a slow pace, barely glancing at each other. It seems for a moment that Samel deep in thought, for his brow furrows but it soon returns to the blank expression of the meeting. Abram marches a bit ahead, one hand behind his back, the other tracing an imaginary line about his collar. Wallace stands stoutly to the side, occasionally glancing to the west towards the waters. Everett Snow walks rigidly, with a military gait, thumbs tucked into his belt, his fingers playing on the steel hilt of his well cared for blade.
Erec Snow dashes pas the group, weaving his way clumsily through the crowd, throwing a worried (pleading?) glance at Sansa as he hurries to his brother .
"I don't...I...what is going on? What is happening? I don't understand this.
Amara sees Samel coming out with the rest of the council and tries to make her way to him. For the first time she notices how wooden the council is acting.
They are behaving so strangely, almost like Abram when the dragon ensorcelled him!
She also realizes that Abram's words didn't make any sense now either.
He said everything as if he believed Corvina would just calmly say, "Okay, I will just be on my way then." and leave without any fuss. They must know that would not be the case!
She is relieved to hear from Rook and responds.
"They appear to be, but something is wrong here Rook! Can you tell if there is any magic being used against the council?"
She had hoped to get Samel alone but that seems impossible now. She continues to try to get to Samel, ignoring the disapproving looks of the townsfolk. She would not normally challenge the will of the council but the events of these days have unerved her and everything is happening so fast! When she reaches him she stands right in front of him as if to bar his path and looks right into his eyes.
"Samel!"
Havak, not particularly attached to or opposed to Corvina, follows the mob over. Havak remains suspicious of Jerem though.
Having a quicker stride than everyone else in town, and having a good headstart, let Elarya get to Corvina's hut before anyone else. She walks up to the door and knocks.
"Corvina! I need to talk to you."
Her anger still simmers under the surface, but her need to know pushed that to the back of her mind.
Corvina slowly slides open the flap of her hut, and waves of strong smelling incense and herbs waft out the door, washing over Elarya.
She half smiles at the girl, almost looking through her, a dullness in her eyes, and her pupils large like a hole in the sky. She brushes several strands from her face and cocks her head to the side.
"fear. anger. they are the same for you, yes?"
She appears to either not be aware of the mass of people moving slowly towards her from a bit off, or not to care.
She moves sleepily towards the river, kneeling to get some water, and her robes dip into the muddy banks.
"there is a snake amoung us, Hvitskala."
"They appear to be, but something is wrong here Rook! Can you tell if there is any magic being used against the council?"
Rook flies lower still, eventually landing at Amara's feet.
In a soft shrill voice, he speaks."I am confused. I cannot say whether there is magic here. It is odd though, because the Elder Snow normally carries an enchanted blade."
She had hoped to get Samel alone but that seems impossible now. She continues to try to get to Samel, ignoring the disapproving looks of the townsfolk. She would not normally challenge the will of the council but the events of these days have unerved her and everything is happening so fast! When she reaches him she stands right in front of him as if to bar his path and looks right into his eyes."Samel!"
The elder hunter pauses only for a moment, and regards the girl. He blinks, his gaze narrow and straight ahead. He scratches his neck absently and his lips purse as he begins to speak, but abruptly stops and begins walking again.
"If you must speak with me, Amara make it quick as we walk, the council has business that must be seen to." his tone is curt, and lacks the familiar warmth that she had been used to.
"I don't...I...what is going on? What is happening? I don't understand this.""Neither do I, little brother, but… We’ll get to the bottom of this. Father wouldn’t steer us wrong. Corvina and her family have been troublesome for years and given yesterday’s incident this shouldn’t cause as much of a shock as the others insist. The council only wants what’s best for the town as a whole,” he assures his brother softly. Then, with a voice echoing his father’s, he adds ”Balance demands sacrifice.”
[dice=Bluff (maintain reaffirming composer)]1d20+3
Erec frowns, but seems to calm after the wise words of his brother.
"I suppose you are right, but I had hoped to learn more about Corvina. Now I will never get to know her. It seems a shame that all this happened. So little we know about magic..."
"fear. anger. they are the same for you, yes?"
"Wha-? I'm not scared. I just need to know something."
Elarya follows Corvina to the river and does her best to remind herself that losing her temper here could be very, very bad.
"there is a snake amoung us, Hvitskala."
"Another one? I thought after all we went through yesterday they'd leave us alone. Why are they after that stone, the one with the carving of a winged serpent? Please tell me you didn't summon those things here."
The young woman looks about with more than a little fear showing in her expression. She didn't want to face those things unarmed and unarmored.
"Please Corvina, they're gonna through ye out o' yer home!"
Amara realizes things are not as they should be but is at a loss as to what to do to snap Samel out of his current mentality. She thinks if only she could get Samel to halt in his intended path some sort of spell might be broken. She speaks to Samel again, her eyes pleading.
"Just wait Samel! There is something near the nest you need to see NOW!"
The first part of the sentence is whispered for his ears only but the last word she shouts out, startling the people nearby.
Amara runs ahead to catch up with Garrett.
"Garrett! Is your father carrying his usual sword and is it enchanted?"
Elarya's expression changes from worry to confusion as something dawns on her.
"How do you know the language of my home?"
"I have no doubt of your father's prowess." Amara concedes and continues breathlessly,
But a friend of mine has indicated that your father normally carries an enchanted sword and he can not sense it now. If he can not sense it's aura there may be something hiding magic in the area. Samel and Abram at least, do not seem to be acting normally. I fear there is some kind of magical influence responsible here. I know the dragonling we fought in town briefly enchanted Abram.
She looks at him exasperatedly, "This, she indicates the approaching council, is not right! Erec! do you not feel that something is off here?"
She looks pointedly at Erec, as if willing him to come out of the shadow of his family and older brother in particular.
Elarya's expression changes from worry to confusion as something dawns on her.
"How do you know the language of my home?"
Corvina continues to flick her fingers absently in the slow moving water of the river bank, keeping her attention on the drops that fly away from her in various directions.
Without looking up, she speaks in monotone.
"what happens will happen. unless it doesn't."
He seems a little confused at the question but nonetheless peeks over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of his proud father. "I doubt my father would ever need an enchanted sword. That man could cut down a mammoth with a butter knife if he aimed to."
[dice=Perception]1d20+4
Everett Snow is indeed carrying his normal sword, a fine weapon, that always seems sharp and clean. Neither Snow boy has ever seen it tarnished in fact, but that could certainly be due to the care of it's owner. From the tales Everett would tell, that sword has seen him through some tough times, and has had it since he was a teen himself.
She looks at him exasperatedly, "This, she indicates the approaching council, is not right! Erec! do you not feel that something is off here?"
She looks pointedly at Erec, as if willing him to come out of the shadow of his family and older brother in particular.
Erec looks a bit confused at the girl's insistence. He looks worriedly to his brother.
"But...no, they are just bringing order. Right? They're just protecting the town..."
"there is a snake among us, Hvitskala."
Having drawn closer with very little difficulty as her steps rarely left mark or sound, Sansa overhears Corvina's comment about a snake and offers her thoughts based on what she observed back in the Town Hall, "Is the snake Jerem Cor? I believe he is not telling us the entire truth and I do not trust him or this "One" god." Sansa turns a quick minute to see Dante catch up to her/them, giving him a frustrated look. She speaks so forthrightly in the absence of Jerem ...
Havak is back with the mob coming up to the scene.
"That certainly is 'Lucidity'. My father has wielded that blade long since before I was born. However, IF it was enchanted and IF there was something clouding it's aura, I highly suspect that Corvina be at it's root," he declares though he is obviously less convicted to the though than he was previously. He passes another glance to Everette only now he takes a moment to really study his expression and movement.
What if they are right about the council? I admit this seems... odd.
[dice=Sense Motive (Hunch DC 20)]1d20+5
"there is a snake among us, Hvitskala."Having drawn closer with very little difficulty as her steps rarely left mark or sound, Sansa overhears Corvina's comment about a snake and offers her thoughts based on what she observed back in the Town Hall, "Is the snake Jerem Cor? I believe he is not telling us the entire truth and I do not trust him or this "One" god." Sansa turns a quick minute to see Dante catch up to her/them, giving him a frustrated look. She speaks so forthrightly in the absence of Jerem ...
Corvina stands slowly, first looking at her glistening hands in the cool morning and noting the drops of water fall from her fingers. They have become red from the cold and she looks quizically back at the two young women before her.
"Steady yourself little creature, snakes see with their tongues, and words are their children."
Looking back at the mob of folk slowly moving towards her hut she stands still for several seconds shaking her hands dry and then rubbing them on her dirty dress.
She puts her hand on the shoulders of each of the girls and speaks in a whisper
"The past whispers to me, and the future has yet to tell, but it's words may be of gold or of red. I know not yet."
"Red? Red as in blood?"
Looking back at the mob of folk slowly moving towards her hut she stands still for several seconds shaking her hands dry and then rubbing them on her dirty dress.
She puts her hand on the shoulders of each of the girls and speaks in a whisper
"The past whispers to me, and the future has yet to tell, but it's words may be of gold or of red. I know not yet."
Remaining mute as Corvina's disclosure sinks in, Sansa tries to interpret the meaning of her statement and what Corvina could mean by words being gold or red.
She looks over her shoulder at the fast approaching townsfolk and the elders leading them.
Returning her mismatch gaze to Corvina, "What will you do? Will you stand and fight or allow them to remove you from Solace?"
"Just wait Samel! There is something near the nest you need to see NOW!"
The first part of the sentence is whispered for his ears only but the last word she shouts out, startling the people nearby.If somehow Samel actually agrees to drop everything and do this she will tell him to meet her at the nest and they must leave here and arrive there seperately. Her immediate action will be as follows regardless of his response.
"Red? Red as in blood?"
Corvina remains silent, but looks directly into Elarya's eyes, something akin to a grin passes briefly on her face, but like a quick wind, it is soon gone. She begins to scratch at her neck, digging absently just above her collarbone.
Remaining mute as Corvina's disclosure sinks in, Sansa tries to interpret the meaning of her statement and what Corvina could mean by words being gold or red.She looks over her shoulder at the fast approaching townsfolk and the elders leading them.
Returning her mismatch gaze to Corvina, "What will you do? Will you stand and fight or allow them to remove you from Solace?"
Her gaze then turns back to the smaller girl, her eyes seemingly mirroring the little Sansa's own for a flicker of time. She takes the girl's gloved hand in hers, pressing her fingers roughly down through the fabric, so that she can feel the thick nails beneath.
"I will do what one does in these times. I will do what I must when I must."
Samel only pauses for a moment, grim in his attitude, but Amara can see a distance in his eyes, a shimmering the he only had in the early days, when she would ask of his lost wife or child.
Garrett stops mid-stride as he continues to watch his father. "Go on ahead. I'll catch up with you in a moment," he tells Amara and Erec without looking at them.
He walks apprehensively through the crowd to meet Everett at the other side. "Father, sir, I... Do you think it's right to uproot Corvina like this? I don't find it appropriate to make this some sort of public event of this. All these people... It feels cruel. Shouldn't this have been held with a bit more discretion?"
Everett coldly regards the questioning youth before him, not pausing in his slow march towards the outcast. His stride is purposeful, and his muscles tense, his right hand resting, no, gripped white knuckled about the handle of his blade. Through gritted teeth he speaks to the younger Snow,
"Do you not think we have considered this, boy? The woman is a danger to us all. We cannot abide dissension in the ranks. The hangers on must be shown that we are unflinching in our duties, that we put the safety of Solace before our feelings. The practical must come before the cordial sometimes."
Her gaze then turns back to the smaller girl, her eyes seemingly mirroring the little Sansa's own for a flicker of time. She takes the girl's gloved hand in hers, pressing her fingers roughly down through the fabric, so that she can feel the thick nails beneath.
"I will do what one does in these times. I will do what I must when I must."
Sansa remained motionless as Corvina pressed down firmly on her fingers to feel her long, hard nails beneath the gloves. She had noticed Corvina's eyes change hue and appear as mismatched as Sansa's own.
Retracting her hands from Corvina's grip, Sansa vexedly replies, "You are always cryptic, Corvina. Speak plain! And why were you scratching your collarbone thusly?"
Turning her focus on the blonde Elarya, "It seems we must defend Corvina from the townsfolk."
"Aye, but how are we gonna do that? Next thing you know you, Dante, and me are going to be run out by them, what's right be damned."
Elarya leans against one of the sturdier walls of Corvina's hut and slids down until her arms are resting on her knees.
"What do we do, Sansa? We're two against many."
Amara reaches Corvina'a hut in time to hear Elarya's remarks to Sansa. "Three at least" She looks grim, but then giggles, "They will think the girls of the town have gone mad! What says Corvina about her predicament anyway?"
Learning that she seems unconcerned and as cryptic as ever Amara furrows her brow, "Maybe we should just see what she does, she doesn't seem too bothered by it all."
Approaching Corvina she asks her directly, "Greetings Corvina, what will your response be to the coming of the elders?"
Sansa remained motionless as Corvina pressed down firmly on her fingers to feel her long, hard nails beneath the gloves. She had noticed Corvina's eyes change hue and appear as mismatched as Sansa's own.Retracting her hands from Corvina's grip, Sansa vexedly replies, "You are always cryptic, Corvina. Speak plain! And why were you scratching your collarbone thusly?"
This time Corvina grins wildly and Sansa can see that her gums are particularly red, as a trickle of blood winds its way out of her mouth and down her chin.
"I scratch, little creature, because I have an itch."Amara reaches Corvina'a hut in time to hear Elarya's remarks to Sansa. "Three at least" She looks grim, but then giggles, "They will think the girls of the town have gone mad! What says Corvina about her predicament anyway?"
Learning that she seems unconcerned and as cryptic as ever Amara furrows her brow, "Maybe we should just see what she does, she doesn't seem too bothered by it all."
Approaching Corvina she asks her directly, "Greetings Corvina, what will your response be to the coming of the elders?"
She turns her gaze from Sansa and looks to Amara cocking her head slightly to the side, looking the girl up and down, seemingly sizing her up.
"We will see soon enough, I suppose."The blood continues to roll out of her mouth in a thin line and it is apparent to all present that she has bitten off the very tip of her tongue.
She digs her feet deeply into the clay and wrings her fingers together, quietly muttering to herself.
When Garrett catches sight of his father's hand about his sword fear grips him at the apple of his throat. "What exactly are you preparing to do?" he aks in a hushed and hurried voice. "I understand she must leave but she shouldn't be driven by the point of a sword or ushered out by a lynch mob. Since when has it been our way - the council's way - to prohibit such behavior? Is is not the reason you came to Solace to avoid such displays? I beg you, father, at least give the woman a chance to speak her piece before we cut her bonds from the only home she's ever known."
[dice=Diplomacy]1d20+9
He scans his Everett's eyes desperately with hope that his plea affected him in some way.
[dice=Sense Motive]1d20+5
[dice=Perception]1d20+4
His stride broken for a moment, Garrett's father seems to reflect on his son's words. His eyes seem lost and confused, his fingers tight around his blade, white with tension. When he speaks, his voice is strained,
"She...will...speak..."Then with a half glance back towards the thick of the crowd, he finishes his walk.
As the whole of the council and the majority of the town of Solace come upon Corvina's hut (with the latter group some 40 feet or so behind) the very air seems to still.
The council members themselves seem rather wooden in their stance and demeanor now,and stand almost shoulder to shoulder as they take the few last steps towards the dark willowy woman that is before them.
A light rain begins to fall, and the townsfolk are hushed, their previous whispers and comments quickly silenced by the palpable tension the pervades the whole scene.
Dante and Erec, caught off to the side in their respective states of unease, cast worried glances back and forth from their young contemporaries to the Council to the crowd.
Rook the crow flies in circles overhead, and his brothers in wing, who some know had left him many years ago mimic his movements, gathering momentum and casting out baleful cries that seem to echo over the top of the great Black Tree and out over the cliff.
From the back of the crowd, and his vantage there, can see Jerem take several steps back, all the while fiddling with the odd medallion about his neck.
Havak will keep a suspicious eye on Jerem.