“Should… I be worried?” Laoise asked with no small amount of trepidation. “This form is more or less just a magical one, and as a familiar I’m conscious because of magic.”
“At most I’d imagine you’d just become a bird again,” Ruarc offered. His thoughts went to the mention of cell phones, and realized he’d left his on the counter back home. Laoise probably had her’s, but it sounded like they had gone dark for the time being.
“Your patron’s got quite a sense of timing. Seconded on calling him a bastard,” the Irishman added as he looked out on the dimly lit valley. “But if we were chosen, that means we just need ta complete what we were chosen ta do, righ’? Besides, silver lining, get ta see where ya grew up.”
[Texas] Chapter 2.1: You Shouldn't Have Come Back
Re: [Texas] Chapter 2.1: You Shouldn't Have Come Back
Eryl stared off on the horizon, gathering the size of the place they were at.
"At worst, Ruarc and I both know arts of magic that can exploit the well of power in blood and souls."
Realizing her words, she snapped her head back around, holding up her hands, "A-As a last resort, of course. Ah... Um..."
The triclops began weaving her thin fingers in and out, trying to think of a way to make that sound just a touch better. Nothing really came to mind, so she pushed to try to change the subject. As she often did, her nerves made her fidget, and quickly over-think the matter at hand. She brought her hands to her temples and tried to keep in step with them.
"That begs the question. Why were we chosen? The only things Ruarc and I share are an affection for silence, books and you," Eryl formed her staff in her hand while she still had the power to do so, "That, and perhaps the Maw Incident. No... We were all together in Cairo during our counter-terrorism tasking, but Laoise wasn't there..."
Inside, there was something gnawing at Eryl, she thought it was the bad memories or a feeling of being a fourth wheel, but now it kept persisting. She tugged her staff to her chest, "Perhaps we could all do with a good cup of tea and a few moments to rest to think. Does your mother keep tea?"
Eryl, being a fierce romantic, was steadfastly suppressing the memory of every romance plot and novel that involved the use of someone's family to get closer to them.
"At worst, Ruarc and I both know arts of magic that can exploit the well of power in blood and souls."
Realizing her words, she snapped her head back around, holding up her hands, "A-As a last resort, of course. Ah... Um..."
The triclops began weaving her thin fingers in and out, trying to think of a way to make that sound just a touch better. Nothing really came to mind, so she pushed to try to change the subject. As she often did, her nerves made her fidget, and quickly over-think the matter at hand. She brought her hands to her temples and tried to keep in step with them.
"That begs the question. Why were we chosen? The only things Ruarc and I share are an affection for silence, books and you," Eryl formed her staff in her hand while she still had the power to do so, "That, and perhaps the Maw Incident. No... We were all together in Cairo during our counter-terrorism tasking, but Laoise wasn't there..."
Inside, there was something gnawing at Eryl, she thought it was the bad memories or a feeling of being a fourth wheel, but now it kept persisting. She tugged her staff to her chest, "Perhaps we could all do with a good cup of tea and a few moments to rest to think. Does your mother keep tea?"
Eryl, being a fierce romantic, was steadfastly suppressing the memory of every romance plot and novel that involved the use of someone's family to get closer to them.
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Mr. Blackbird Lore
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Re: [Texas] Chapter 2.1: You Shouldn't Have Come Back
Jane didn't break stride, but there came a stiffness in her shoulders and back at Eryl's comments. The gunslinger waited until Eryl had completed her barrage of thoughts and questions before remarking, "Aye, coffee n tea. As fer blood magic, I don think it'll make a lick o difference. He done made it clear as glass: he wants me here-- wants y'all here." She glanced at Laoise curiously. "Though I ain't sure bout ye, Mizz Flynn. I get the impression yer an acceptable improv."
She lapsed into another thoughtful silence. She was having a lot of those lately. Lots to think about, apparently.
"About home... I cain't rightly say what's gon happen. I kinda... disappeared when I was younger. So jus... let it play."
The stiffness-- easily read now as apprehension-- lingered. Jane was discomfited by little, and rarely suffered a surprise, but whatever lay ahead had her uneasy. Her hands frequently brushed over her sandalwood grips as if to reassure herself they were ready and available. Otherwise, she was the picture of an alert hunter: eyes roaming, head on a swivel, scrutinizing every inch of the landscape for something amiss. Just like Cairo.
She lapsed into another thoughtful silence. She was having a lot of those lately. Lots to think about, apparently.
"About home... I cain't rightly say what's gon happen. I kinda... disappeared when I was younger. So jus... let it play."
The stiffness-- easily read now as apprehension-- lingered. Jane was discomfited by little, and rarely suffered a surprise, but whatever lay ahead had her uneasy. Her hands frequently brushed over her sandalwood grips as if to reassure herself they were ready and available. Otherwise, she was the picture of an alert hunter: eyes roaming, head on a swivel, scrutinizing every inch of the landscape for something amiss. Just like Cairo.
Re: [Texas] Chapter 2.1: You Shouldn't Have Come Back
Eryl's head swiveled as well, but mostly between Ruarc and Jane's back. She seemed to be trying to have a silent conversation with the druid, her angled, tri-eyes emoting some sense of coordination between them. While the three of them could probably easily go on in the next hour in purposeful silence, it didn't seem wise at the moment. Once again, the abjurer was playing the nurse, going back and forth between the two, trying to find what the best solution would be for them. Just like Cairo.
"This place; it may be a spot of ancient divinity," posited Eryl, trying to reflect on her studies instead of the slow transition from pan to fire. "It has been studied that the power of magic can be reduced if a being has enough will in a place. The arcana, however, must manifest in some way, however suppressed, which would explain that sense of... staleness. It could explain the presence of The Traveler, he may be, in a not so complimentary fashion, a fume of the power, what little there is here. When let loose to run wild, the energies can be incredibly dangerous, but I imagine that, in so small an amount, it is almost harmless here."
Feeling like she had a little bit of less charged subject to talk about, she looked back at Ruarc. "You see this in nature, don't you? In so much the realms of the fae, especially, when they are powerful enough to determine the rules of their domains. Although they are typically in the opposite situation, in places where magic is incredibly saturated to the point where what we would consider normal becoming uncommon."
"This place; it may be a spot of ancient divinity," posited Eryl, trying to reflect on her studies instead of the slow transition from pan to fire. "It has been studied that the power of magic can be reduced if a being has enough will in a place. The arcana, however, must manifest in some way, however suppressed, which would explain that sense of... staleness. It could explain the presence of The Traveler, he may be, in a not so complimentary fashion, a fume of the power, what little there is here. When let loose to run wild, the energies can be incredibly dangerous, but I imagine that, in so small an amount, it is almost harmless here."
Feeling like she had a little bit of less charged subject to talk about, she looked back at Ruarc. "You see this in nature, don't you? In so much the realms of the fae, especially, when they are powerful enough to determine the rules of their domains. Although they are typically in the opposite situation, in places where magic is incredibly saturated to the point where what we would consider normal becoming uncommon."
Re: [Texas] Chapter 2.1: You Shouldn't Have Come Back
"I am hardly improve. Ruarc and I are a package deal," Laoise feigned indignation but wore a precocious smile as she trailed behind Jane and near Eryl. Ruarc meanwhile seemed genuinely interested in Eryl's thoughts on the nature of the area, and wasted little time in providing his own input. Unlike Cairo.
"A genius loci," Ruarc's voice carried through the calm dawn air. "Or at least an approximation between an explanation for Traveler, and the bizarre nature of the Valley. Areas of particular power, whether due to native inhabitants attributing power to it similar to gods or some other manner, can acquire a genius loci; or what the Romans called their protective spirits for their houses, cities, and holy sites. Not limited to the Romans, these anomalies can be found on rare occasions all over the world, with a variety of effects depending on the spirit inhabiting the site. Some cataloged effects have included feelings of dread when approaching the site, a premise I've sought to replicate on Safeholme's borders; providing great clarity when reading texts covering certain subjects; and accounting for some haunting incidents. One could make the claim that Sudry Valley is such a site, and it's effect is to disrupt magical conduits. If nothing else disrupted phone signals are a relatively common side effect within such area."
Ruarc felt better as he was able to distract himself with academic talk. For the most part he kept focused straight ahead, but would turn his head to Eryl to punctuate various points. Shifting his attention back to Jane, he asked what he felt was a reasonable question.
"Should we expect any amount of guns pointing our way? How big of a grudge could this end up being?"
"A genius loci," Ruarc's voice carried through the calm dawn air. "Or at least an approximation between an explanation for Traveler, and the bizarre nature of the Valley. Areas of particular power, whether due to native inhabitants attributing power to it similar to gods or some other manner, can acquire a genius loci; or what the Romans called their protective spirits for their houses, cities, and holy sites. Not limited to the Romans, these anomalies can be found on rare occasions all over the world, with a variety of effects depending on the spirit inhabiting the site. Some cataloged effects have included feelings of dread when approaching the site, a premise I've sought to replicate on Safeholme's borders; providing great clarity when reading texts covering certain subjects; and accounting for some haunting incidents. One could make the claim that Sudry Valley is such a site, and it's effect is to disrupt magical conduits. If nothing else disrupted phone signals are a relatively common side effect within such area."
Ruarc felt better as he was able to distract himself with academic talk. For the most part he kept focused straight ahead, but would turn his head to Eryl to punctuate various points. Shifting his attention back to Jane, he asked what he felt was a reasonable question.
"Should we expect any amount of guns pointing our way? How big of a grudge could this end up being?"
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Mr. Blackbird Lore
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Re: [Texas] Chapter 2.1: You Shouldn't Have Come Back
Jane listened and nodded along and gradually the tension in her eased as her companions distracted her with academia. "There certainly some kinda devilry goin on. The valley itself is a part, no doubt, an in light o recent events, I'm sure as water's wet that my patron has some influence too."
She shot Ruarc a quizzical look over her shoulder when asked about a grudge. "What kinda family ye think I come from?" She shook her head. "Mama ain't gon draw on me."
Reaching the base of the mountain merely revealed how truly dead the area seemed. Sundry Valley was an ugly landscape of brown and grey and brown-grey. The mountains intersected to form a large V that encompassed the inhabitants like an overprotective mother, slowly suffocating her children. They could recall that the most populous area they had seen from the upper reaches was to their southeast, toward the bottom of the V, but Jane had angled them due north. A farmhouse gradually came into view as they climbed one of the gentle slopes of the valley floor. There was a certain aesthetic to it that might remind the travelers of Jane's cabin back in Japan, but it was larger, with a full wraparound porch. "Thas it," she said, pointing.
She shot Ruarc a quizzical look over her shoulder when asked about a grudge. "What kinda family ye think I come from?" She shook her head. "Mama ain't gon draw on me."
Reaching the base of the mountain merely revealed how truly dead the area seemed. Sundry Valley was an ugly landscape of brown and grey and brown-grey. The mountains intersected to form a large V that encompassed the inhabitants like an overprotective mother, slowly suffocating her children. They could recall that the most populous area they had seen from the upper reaches was to their southeast, toward the bottom of the V, but Jane had angled them due north. A farmhouse gradually came into view as they climbed one of the gentle slopes of the valley floor. There was a certain aesthetic to it that might remind the travelers of Jane's cabin back in Japan, but it was larger, with a full wraparound porch. "Thas it," she said, pointing.
Re: [Texas] Chapter 2.1: You Shouldn't Have Come Back
"All I know about Texas is you, and a handful of movies," Ruarc held his free hand defensively. As the group made their way further into the valley, the Irishman took in the surrounding as the visibility improved and he could clearly see for quite a way. It was, to put it nicely, an abrasive looking landscape. There was something to be said about drab color schemes that added to a sense of rustic antiquity. It was a similar motif to Carneath Keep and the valley in which it sat; a key difference being the ambient levels of dampness. Once the farmhouse came into view, Ruarc had enough to conclude that liked the view more than he disliked it. It had a solitary robustness to it that Ruarc imagined would feel quite comfortable.
"I would argue that water is not wet," Laoise started, sounding like she was trying to distract herself. "If you pour water on a stone, it becomes wet. If you pour water on an already wet stone, it gets wetter. If you pour water on water, you don't make it wet nor wetter. It's an adhesion between a solid and liquid."
"Pedantic semantics," Ruarc responded. "Everyone, meet the familiar that lives inside head."
"I would argue that water is not wet," Laoise started, sounding like she was trying to distract herself. "If you pour water on a stone, it becomes wet. If you pour water on an already wet stone, it gets wetter. If you pour water on water, you don't make it wet nor wetter. It's an adhesion between a solid and liquid."
"Pedantic semantics," Ruarc responded. "Everyone, meet the familiar that lives inside head."
Re: [Texas] Chapter 2.1: You Shouldn't Have Come Back
"At the risk of echoing Ruarc's statement," Eryl offered, raising a hand and looking a little glum that the conversation stopped about the genius loci. "I've only ever met... three Americans. You, Coco Leetenbaum, and the Traveler. And Ms. Leetenbaum's brother is also a gun-wielding mage. Your mother would be the fourth American I would know, and I've seen how you deal with strangers first-hand."
Granted, most times she had met Americans it was under dire circumstances. Coco had tried to kill her for trying to break off a piece of Percival's soul, and Jane had found her trespassing. While it left it her with no overly positive imagination for Americans overall, she did deserve her treatments in most of those situations.
Thinking back to those times gave her chills, and made her want for more appetizing conversation. While she wanted to politely comment on Laoise's observation on the philosophy of water, she less-politely wanted to get Ruarc's attention and speak to him. Finding someone with even a smattering of interest in arcanozoology excited her, and it only made her warm to Ruarc more.
"Er... Mr. Flynn-- Ruarc... Um...," the triclops tried to also press her will back on to the conversation. "About... About the Genius Lo--... I was actually thi--... I thought was terribly astu---... Ah... I wanted--..."
Suddenly, she felt embarrassed, stumbling through her hammy attempt at getting back to their discussion before. Eryl put a hand over her face as it reddened, "... Nevermind... I was just-- OUGH MY STARS."
Her staff went clattering to the ground as both of her hands slapped over her top eye. "My enchantment! Without magic -- it-- it will expose my top eye! I won't be able to hide it, your mother will end up seeing it!"
Granted, most times she had met Americans it was under dire circumstances. Coco had tried to kill her for trying to break off a piece of Percival's soul, and Jane had found her trespassing. While it left it her with no overly positive imagination for Americans overall, she did deserve her treatments in most of those situations.
Thinking back to those times gave her chills, and made her want for more appetizing conversation. While she wanted to politely comment on Laoise's observation on the philosophy of water, she less-politely wanted to get Ruarc's attention and speak to him. Finding someone with even a smattering of interest in arcanozoology excited her, and it only made her warm to Ruarc more.
"Er... Mr. Flynn-- Ruarc... Um...," the triclops tried to also press her will back on to the conversation. "About... About the Genius Lo--... I was actually thi--... I thought was terribly astu---... Ah... I wanted--..."
Suddenly, she felt embarrassed, stumbling through her hammy attempt at getting back to their discussion before. Eryl put a hand over her face as it reddened, "... Nevermind... I was just-- OUGH MY STARS."
Her staff went clattering to the ground as both of her hands slapped over her top eye. "My enchantment! Without magic -- it-- it will expose my top eye! I won't be able to hide it, your mother will end up seeing it!"
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Mr. Blackbird Lore
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Re: [Texas] Chapter 2.1: You Shouldn't Have Come Back
Jane scoffed and shot him a crooked smile that said, You c'n do better n that. Then she slowed to match pace with Laoise. "An bout the magic... I wouldn worry over much. Like I said, it's... stale. Doesn flow proper, damn near the opposite o them leylines. But it's still here-- somehow. Ye'll be arright."
Then she paused to-- very briefly-- consider the concept of wetness as Laoise explained. "I dunno, I ain't a scientist. I'll leave it to the smart folk."
It was around the word folk that their boots and shoes met a dusty path wide enough for a car that led them toward the front of the farmhouse. Closer now, they could see a barn and shed behind it, as weary and smudged as the rest of the valley. None of it was in disrepair, but even the wind seemed to weigh heavily on the eaves, gentle though it was.
Jane was smiling and about to dismiss Eryl's little panic, but did a double-take when Eryl dropped her staff. She was at once very serious, until--
"...your mother will end up seeing it!"
"Thas no--"
WHOOM CRACK!
Jane spun toward the farmhouse. The screen door had slammed so hard into the wall, wood had splintered and the door wobbled tenuously. Standing in the door way was an incredible woman, tall, broad, and thick. Amazonian was the easiest way to describe her. Frizzy brown hair streaked with steel gray was tied back, which made the angry furrows in her brow plain for everyone to see. Less obvious was the hurt in the creases around her nose and mouth. And there was a fire in those big brown eyes, like the fire that lit Jane when she was on the war path. They were staring down the sights of a pump-action shotgun. Then there came recognition and she straightened to her full, intimidating height.
"Mama, I'm home."
The smile that came was wry. "Well, well, lookit the cat dragged in. Don'tchu mama me, girl." She pointed a thick finger at Jane. "Ye done run off with that miscreant and left us all t rot-- left yer poor mama grievin! Not t mention those damned demons in Gravebottom! Ye don get t mama me no more after whatcha done t me!"
Jane walked closer. "Mama, I'm sorry, but--"
"But nothin! Ye up n left. Ye forgot me. Forgot yer brother. Ye forgot the face o yer father." Jane flinched, as if struck.
"Mama," the steel in Jane's voice was shaky, "I'm sorry, but I had to go. What happened t us... it was happenin t other folk too. Other folk what couldn fend fer themselves. Folks like ours. An you taught me- you taught me what's right ain't always easy. An leavin was one o the hardest things I e'er did."
Mama Smith stormed down the porch steps, shotgun clutched in one bear-like hand. Face to face, Jane was dwarfed by a solid half foot; but as always, she was undaunted by a display of intimidation. If anything, she had rediscovered her resolve as the pair stared at each other intensely.
Without warning, Mama Smith dumped the gun on the ground and swept Jane into a bonecrushing bear hug. "Oh you stupid little girl!" She rocked side to side. "Ye done had me worried sick! Worried sick, girl! Don'tchu ever do that t me again, or I'll kill you!" Only then did she set her daughter down.
Shaken, but smiling Jane turned to her friends for introductions: "Ruarc. Laoise. Eryl. This is Eleanor Smith, my mama."
Then she paused to-- very briefly-- consider the concept of wetness as Laoise explained. "I dunno, I ain't a scientist. I'll leave it to the smart folk."
It was around the word folk that their boots and shoes met a dusty path wide enough for a car that led them toward the front of the farmhouse. Closer now, they could see a barn and shed behind it, as weary and smudged as the rest of the valley. None of it was in disrepair, but even the wind seemed to weigh heavily on the eaves, gentle though it was.
Jane was smiling and about to dismiss Eryl's little panic, but did a double-take when Eryl dropped her staff. She was at once very serious, until--
"...your mother will end up seeing it!"
"Thas no--"
WHOOM CRACK!
Jane spun toward the farmhouse. The screen door had slammed so hard into the wall, wood had splintered and the door wobbled tenuously. Standing in the door way was an incredible woman, tall, broad, and thick. Amazonian was the easiest way to describe her. Frizzy brown hair streaked with steel gray was tied back, which made the angry furrows in her brow plain for everyone to see. Less obvious was the hurt in the creases around her nose and mouth. And there was a fire in those big brown eyes, like the fire that lit Jane when she was on the war path. They were staring down the sights of a pump-action shotgun. Then there came recognition and she straightened to her full, intimidating height.
"Mama, I'm home."
The smile that came was wry. "Well, well, lookit the cat dragged in. Don'tchu mama me, girl." She pointed a thick finger at Jane. "Ye done run off with that miscreant and left us all t rot-- left yer poor mama grievin! Not t mention those damned demons in Gravebottom! Ye don get t mama me no more after whatcha done t me!"
Jane walked closer. "Mama, I'm sorry, but--"
"But nothin! Ye up n left. Ye forgot me. Forgot yer brother. Ye forgot the face o yer father." Jane flinched, as if struck.
"Mama," the steel in Jane's voice was shaky, "I'm sorry, but I had to go. What happened t us... it was happenin t other folk too. Other folk what couldn fend fer themselves. Folks like ours. An you taught me- you taught me what's right ain't always easy. An leavin was one o the hardest things I e'er did."
Mama Smith stormed down the porch steps, shotgun clutched in one bear-like hand. Face to face, Jane was dwarfed by a solid half foot; but as always, she was undaunted by a display of intimidation. If anything, she had rediscovered her resolve as the pair stared at each other intensely.
Without warning, Mama Smith dumped the gun on the ground and swept Jane into a bonecrushing bear hug. "Oh you stupid little girl!" She rocked side to side. "Ye done had me worried sick! Worried sick, girl! Don'tchu ever do that t me again, or I'll kill you!" Only then did she set her daughter down.
Shaken, but smiling Jane turned to her friends for introductions: "Ruarc. Laoise. Eryl. This is Eleanor Smith, my mama."
Re: [Texas] Chapter 2.1: You Shouldn't Have Come Back
“Miss Eleanor, it’s a pleasure,” Ruarc said cordially as he extended his right hand for a hand shake. It had taken a moment to bounce back from the shock of the whole scenario, and an extra moment or two once he realized Eleanor was quite near his own height, and it had been some time since he’d not needed to angle his neck downward during an introduction. After the worry of the gun had been set aside, the woman even seemed plenty pleasant; all the while in the back of his mind wondering what would happen if his own five-foot-four mother were present. “I’m Ruarc Flynn, and this’s my sister Laoise. I’ll accept part of the blame. I’ve known your daughter for ten years now, and she’s been helping out with a school I run. I don’t know where I’d be without her.”
Off to the side, Laoise had been preparing to also introduce, but now gave Ruarc a sidelong look before backing away ever so slightly.
Off to the side, Laoise had been preparing to also introduce, but now gave Ruarc a sidelong look before backing away ever so slightly.