Darlene Moawan's page

Wait, Darlene finally moves away from the cart, where she has been keeping a close eye on Cicily, and says, We have a name, Wanthgreame. Now, as Calex said, Wiscara’s mother goes by the name of Geralda, and even though I do not know her personally, I know of her. She is a hard woman, some in Woodbridge say, but not unkind to her neighbors. She was unpleased when Wiscara began showing interest in learning of the ways of the Maetaur druids. Maybe with this name we can get her to reveal herself for who she really is, and what she knows.

Darlene helps Cicily to her feet once again, and announces

Let’s not spend too much longer here. I want to get Madame Cicily back to Gowan’s Crossing before nightfall, and as soon as she and Auria are well enough, return them safely back to Woodbridge.

I know those words. They are in an old druidic language of my people. Holnamod, is a blessing, it means, ‘be well’ and fithnoal is an onomatopoeia, it is a word that a druid would say when summoning a small spark to start a fire. Let me see that scimitar.

Darlene examines the scimitar and her face brightens with glee

I am sure this is Mynoralunor, the Moon Striker, a magic weapon that once belonged to a Maetaur druid who lived hundreds of years ago. Her name was Saintharwan.

She holds the scimitar reverently and then says in a quiet voice, I would be honored of you would take this Stolos, it might bring you luck

Darlene nods along with everything Robert says, and then asks Stolos to show her the tracks made by the larger creatures

She then gets an idea of her own

Or maybe the one large creature wasn't wounded at all, but burdened with some sort of load, like it was carrying something large, something that was struggling to get free.

And her eyes go wide

They brought Cicily here. I know it.

She moves forward to edge of the light, and looks back at the others

Come on, we have to find her before they do something terrible to her.

Afraid to raise her voice, Darlene says quietly, I don’t think so. I remember that ranger saying something about the tafganor have a pair of trolls in their number. It may be that one of the trolls was injured by Auria more seriously than she thought. I think the giant who is their slave is the one sitting on the ground at the camp down the hill, by the shrine.

The other one is getting away, stop him!

Darlene rushes toward the mouth of the cave

I'll go with youDarlene says as she lifts her pack.

The sun is low on the western horizon, the journey to the ruins should be less than a mile, and the locals give you good markers to follow.

I don't know how much more light we'll have but if you can learn what you need tonight, we shouldn't have to camp out there alone. If we do, we'll just take turns sitting a watch by a small fire

My father seemed to remember that Otter’s Lake was more southern, and due west from the southern border of the green Wood. If what Ket has told us Auria and Cicily told him is true, we have two choices. Either head back south out of the Green Wood, then head west across the hills till we find the Worran river, then follow it north. This might take longer, but we are more likely to pass small hamlets or isolated farms in the hills and that could mean we could pick up any news about the tafganor in this area. On the other hand it means we might not reach Otter’s Lake before Cicily and Auria move on from there. I Don’t know anything about this Gowan’s Crossing. If we stay in the Green Wood, travel due west from here I don’t know what dangers we might come across, but we might reach the Worran faster that way.

He’s probably just having fun at my expense. I’m sure his brother, Poseus, has told him many outrageous stories about me. I know his brother well. Poseus spent a lot of his time in Woodbridge. I remember seeing him there most of the time I visited, well either him or that Alinda Carpenter, who I think has a crush on Marcus. She follows him around like a puppy.

Oh, there are so many of you, Calamity? I’m glad to see you.

Well, I’m ready, and my father gave me a map. Here it is

Darlene unrolls a heavy velum sheet with an inked map of the area north of Woodbridge. It shows the river, Castletown, and other features, but what you immediately see is that there are no roads.

My father, Cannic, said that this is the best he can remember, as it has been a while since he travelled to Otter’s Lake, and he is pretty sure it is not to scale. There are no roads, exactly, but we should find plenty of trails that lead us in the right direction, and if we are lucky we will meet farmers or hunters who can help us stay on the right path. With any luck we will reach Otter’s Lake in two to three days at the most.

I know Calamity, and I’ve met Calex and Robert before, but I don’t think I was properly introduce to you, Darlene says as she holds out her hand to Marwan.

After she meets Marwan properly, she turns to Stolos and says You must be from MacNorra house, pleased to meet you.

She then turns to Ravena and seems to catch her breath before saying, Um, I don’t, I don’t think I’ve, met, seen, been, seen, um sorry. I think we haven’t met. My name is Darlene Maowan, and I am, I am, well, I am ready to go, okay, let’s go.

Thank you, all of you. I'll try to do my best to be of help on the journey. I don't know the way, but my father gave me a map, to the Maetaur Village of Durrywain, which is north and west of Woodbridge, and it is there that I think Cicily would have gone, to warn them. I've never been there but both of my parents were born there. I've been to Kinamay Brawnoor, the lyph village that is along the way, and the Lyph people here in Woodbridge want to know if it is safe to return to their homes, and if they can follow us at least that far.

I would like to join you, if you’ll accept me, in your search for Cicily.

Cicily has gone off to warn others, and I believe she took Auria with her, as well as Dominic. Dominic and Cicily are our most powerful druids, those who know the craft who remained behind cannot do such magic.

Marwan finds himself crouched near a young female maetaur

Five, I think, Darlene says. There were two maetaur with spears at the far end of the bridge, and they fell back when the attack started. Then, three of the people of Woodbridge, or maybe two and one of those rangers, arrived and pressed the attack back for a moment. I can't tell what is happening now.

I think that would be crazy, and very dangerous, but if you really want to try it, I’ll go with you. I know some simple magic, it isn’t especial helpful, but it might keep us from getting caught if, say we accidently got to close to any of these Orcs* or Sashi-anhain. My name is Darleen, Darleen Maowan. If you really think we should scout the area around Woodbridge, I think we should start in Mingary Bend. I know some trails that we can follow that leave the settlement and go east. Even in the dark we shouldn’t get lost but I don’t think we should stray very far from the village.

Send for Marcus, Patricia has returned

"What is it? That smoke, what could it be? That’s further away than Woodbridge, further south it looks like" she says and then steps back one step. "No, you go ahead, I’ll summon the Tambree Moawan, and find Cicily. We’ll follow as fast as we can. Do you think it’s a forest fire?"

Welcome home Alomar, wild walker, she laughs. I am glad to see you didn’t get lost. I couldn’t help but overhear you talking to Aunt Cicily. Is it true you spoke to a wolf? Weren’t you afraid? I don’t know why you do these things.

She smiles as she talks, and walks in a slow circle around you looking up and down as if she is seeing something she cannot explain.