Session V (06/09/01)

• May 18th, 183 2C. The group, which consists of Thurton Gromst, Sperin Tramil, Creyton Crey, Anastasia Zakharov, and Aliana Moonsong wake up in a wigwam, still left wondering their fate. They come out and spot a Grugach sitting in the tree watching them. He hisses at them when they decide to leave the area, so they change their minds and decide to stay. They sit around outside the wigwam on a beautiful spring day and debate just how long they should sit around before they try to leave. They decide to wait it out for the time being. The morning passes slowly by. Grugach children stumble into the clearing and, upon spotting Thurton among the others, flee in terror. The group further discusses what to do when, finally, another Grugach approaches them. He speaks limited "human" and, after much difficulty, explains that his name is Drannyl. Drannyl learns that the group is hungry and departs, returning shortly with some nuts and berries for them to consume and water to drink. He proceeds to interrogate the humans, learning what he can of them. He explains some of the Grugach and that he knows old man Centa, whom he hasn't seen in years. That is how he learned the human tongue. Drannyl tries to learn how and why the group "stirred the land". He listens to what they have to say and tells them that the elder will see them at "hungry time" after Sperin tells Drannyl that Aliana awakened the land. The elder, it is explained, will likely give them the "vision plant". Drannyl leaves the group under the watchful eye of the guard and more conversation flows. Sperin, and reluctantly Creyton, admit that they had a vision in the forest several days ago where an angelic figure that looked like Aliana (and Sperin and Aliana think was her grandmother Ilyndra) came to them and healed them. Thurton confirms that he thought they were goners. Sperin starts interrogating Aliana who relents and confesses that she has elvin blood. She shows her ears, which she always kept covered. Anastasia says that she has a feeling that she belongs here in Akia and with the group. It is something she can't really explain. She just "knows" she is needed. Group makes a pact that they are all tools in the shed together and will stick together to work through all that is happening. They will keep no more secrets from each other but will be very guarded around outsiders. Two Grugach women come and tend the wounds of the wounded with a strange, green paste. The afternoon passes uneventfully after the women depart. Several people read books that Aliana lugs around or nap. Singing starts down in the village at dusk and a group of Grugach women, carrying glow globes, come up to the wigwam that houses the group. They surround the group and lead them back through the wigwams of the Grugach Village to a beautiful place. Cliffs rise about 30 feet out of the Blue Sea and cypress trees cling to the rocks. Surrounded by the trees, a semi-circle of logs is set up and the entire Grugach village is gathered here overlooking the waves. Dinner, which consists of berries, bread, and paste served on a leaf, is shared by all. The group decides on the best path of escape if needed. Drummers set up in the center of the semi-circle. Some Grugach dance for a bit as the nearly full moon rises out of the sea. The elder sets at the center of the circle. He oversees others as they mash up plants in mortars. The plant is identified as mai. The vision plant ritual then begins. Drums take on a solemn rythym and the elder seems to pray to the earth and the vials of plant extract. Each member of the group, as well as the elder, is given a shot. At first, nothing seems to happen, but things deteriorate from there. The group gets high and they start seeing things. The Grugach celebrate around them. Eventually, everyone passes out.
• May 19th. Around noon, the disoriented group awakens in the same wigwam. They feel groggy and have dry mouth. They talk about the vision plant and how they hallucinated from it. Anastasia pries the others to learn what they saw. They share the stories of their visions. Thurton says he never wants to take mai again and explains how he saw his perfect past and it filled him with pain. He spoke with Lilly for most of it, but also heard the whispering of the wind and land awakening around him. Sperin told of sharing questions and answers with a dragon. Aliana spoke of a conversation with a man and then riding a dragon and then watching the dragon sink down into the earth. Creyton had dreams of hunting and of his childhood home of Salabelle. Finally, Anna tells of her visions of the evil in Fort Hancock and how it came from a book. She speaks of possible futures where Sperin was protecting Aliana from darkness and Thurton was leading men to war. She also talks of a man who sounds to be similar to Aliana's dream. Grugach women bring water and berries then depart. The group talks further about what to do and decide that they need to speak with and learn more from the Grugach elder. Drannyl comes in the afternoon and explains that the elder of the village took the vision plant and saw that a test would come that night. It is from this test that the Grugach would decide the fate of the group. Thurton asks about Lars and their equipment and Drannyl says, through the difficult language barrier but he seems to be getting better quickly, that he will check on it for them. He leaves. The lazy afternoon is passed by hung over. Drannyl returns and leads the smelly humans to a nearby pond to bathe. Creyton and Sperin have no qualms about getting naked and into the water. Thurton gets in soon after. Creyton dunks Sperin. The women are modest. They go off into the shrubs, then rush quickly into the water after the men are out. Sperin washes his clothes. Creyton sunbathes naked. Thurton relaxes in the water and playfully hassles the women. Some Grugach children spy on the humans. They finish bathing and are led back to the wigwam by Drannyl. All of their weapons, as well as Lars, are there waiting for them. The only thing missing is Aliana's stone. Thurton takes care of Lars and the group reunited with their weapons. The afternoon drifts into evening and, eventually, the singing of the Grugach women can be heard again. As before, the women lead the group to the dinner place overlooking the Blue Sea. It is even more beautiful than the previous night as the full moon rises out of the ocean. Dinner is more relaxed and enjoyable. The Grugach dance and eat and drum. Drannyl leads the group back to the wigwam after dinner. Not long after, a black, inky fog can be seen, drifting over the forest floor. The night gets slightly chilly. Creyton warns that riders are coming and, sure enough, 4 riders eventually emerge out of the darkness. The oily mist seems to cling to them. They are hunting something. It is revealed to be Ahib. There is a chase through the darkened Verde Woods. Ahib is captured, but he is freaking out. He complains that the fog takes him every night. He keeps screaming in Tiscot as the fog gathers around him. Creyton goes off and stalks and snipers the other riders. The fourth rider is fended off by Thurton on Lars and Sperin. Aliana tries to console Ahib. The fog starts flowing into him, all of it sucking into Ahib, and Sperin hacks him to death. The bodies are equipment are dragged back to the wigwam by the group. They ask Drannyl if they've passed the test and he has no idea. He leads them back to the pond where they quietly bathe and ponder what the heck is going on. Weapons are stolen from the riders who are wearing Threforfar Army uniforms. Will their families ever know what happened to them? Thurton takes care of Lars and then the group tries to get some sleep, but it is fitful with the memories of the fog and the possessed riders.
• May 20th. The group is roused and taken before the Grugach elder at the dinner place by Drannyl. It seems they have been deemed worthy of going on a quest to get Drannyl to the "high place where the cold comes from" so he might stop it. They are each given a gift by the Elder to reward them for this. Aliana's stone is returned to her. Sperin is given a cloak. Thurton gets a staff. An arrow goes to Creyton. Anastasia receives two gifts: a vial of mai extract and some Grugach rune stones. Drannyl gathers a few things then they pass through the oddly silent village of the Grugach, heading west. Once they leave the village, sad drums can be heard announcing their departure. The travel most of the day through the Verde woods, coming out of them north of Moonsong Winery. The vineyards can be spotted stretching off to the south. They camp in the foothills of the Westworld Mountains in a small gulley. All they have for food is Drannyl's bag of nuts, which he shares with everyone, and his small water skin, which he also shares. There are many attempts of conversation with Drannyl and it is doubtful that he understands most of it, but he does his best to be patient with the humans. Watch is decided upon and then people sleep.
• May 21st. With water in short supply, Creyton leads the group southwest. They cross the ancient road and come to a small stream. They drink all they can and fill Drannyl's waterskin. They then head north along the ancient road and start up into the mountains. The going is tough with many switch backs. It grows dark and they set up camp. A fire is started and, again, Drannyl shares his nuts, which he thinks is enough to get them to the high place. Sadly, the Grugach has no idea how much humans eat. Anastasia starts questioning Drannyl, which leads to a long conversation by firelight late into the night. Drannyl does his best to explain that the land is alive, but asleep. People do things that stir or awaken it. For example, the group did something that stirred the land and that is why the elder sent Drannyl to seek out the group and spy on them (he was the one Ana saw in her dream?). The gifts of the Grugach elder are things that can be used to talk to the land. They are compared to translators. Drannyl demonstrates that Sperin's cloak helps one to hide and that Thurton's staff can be used to make plants grow. He compares the land to a sleeping pond and talking to the land will cause ripples. Explaining further, he mentions the cold that comes down from the mountains is like the land, but different. Something has stirred it. Finally, with watch set, people drift to sleep.
• May 22nd. The group starts early and hikes hard. It is noted that it isn't as rough going as last time. They must be getting into shape. They can see the twin needles up ahead of them and soon pass them into the first of the high valleys. Being they have no food save for the nuts, which will soon run out, they stop well before dark at the lake in the valley. Creyton goes off and hunts. Forgetting how cold the water is, Sperin decides to go for a swim. Aliana laughs at his foolishness and is rewarded by getting dunked in by the farmer. Thurton provides Aliana with some baggy clothes of his while hers dry off. Creyton returns near dusk with a small doe. The venison is cooked over the fire and shared by all until bellies are full. Some conversation is had, but everyone is tired after the hard day of hiking and soon watch is decided upon and people drift to sleep. By the light of the gibbous moon, Thurton seems what looks like black water slowly flowing across the valley toward the group. It is the fog, drifting toward them. He arouses everyone. They watch by the light of the moon as the blackness slowly flows over everything. The flowing stops and eventually reverses, clinging to grass, shrubs and rocks before finally letting go. It flows back up the mountain. Thurton wants to take Drannyl ahead on Lars and get him to Fort Hancock. The rest of the group outrules him, deciding it is much wiser to stick together. Freaked, the group tries to sleep out the rest of the night.
• May 23rd. Tired from late nights and uneasiness which makes sleep hard, our heroes press on. Moaning can be heard in the distance. Around midday, they pass through Whistling Pass. The going isn't easy on the legs or the lungs. They can see the Mountain Roses growing on the mountain sides to their right as they head west, winding through this even higher valley. They come to the end of the world as the trail runs along the cliff that drops hundreds of feet into another valley further down. They cross where the mountain river flows over the flat rocks and dumps over the edge in a thundering waterfall. The trail comes back to the end of the world, moving further up and the group decides to camp before pushing up into the hardest switch backs of all. Anastasia consults her Grugach runes and pulls one out which she says thinks means protection. Protection within if one stays calm as well. Somewhat reassured by this, the group tries to sleep. Drannyl goes off and sings softly to the land then plays a small dual pipe he has. Watches are set. Sure enough, the fog comes again. This time, riders can be seen in the black inkiness. They, again, seem to be chasing something. Two of the riders are Markson and Dom Gindim. The third is a soldier of Threforfar. They are chasing Cook. Cook is cautiously taken in by the group and the riders converge on everyone, pressing them back against the cliff. Creyton manages to shoot and kill Dom and the soldier. Markson, however, with the fog flowing about him, presses his horse forward. Aliana panics and slits Cook's throat. Thurton and Sperin, distracted by Cook's gurgling scream, allow the Gindim brother by them. Markson, Markson's horse, and Cook fall off the edge of the world into the forest hundreds of feet below. The fog retreats, slowly pulling back. Aliana is soaked in Cook's blood. Thurton angrily tells her to not wash it off. She can't wash Cook's blood from her hands so easily. They decide that the steepest switch backs, which lie just ahead, are too dangerous to take at night. They wait, trying to get some sleep, until morning.

May 24th. The horses are left to graze and maybe be picked up on the way back. They tackle the hardest part of the climb up to Fort Hancock and by midday reach the pine forest where their cart still sits, mostly undisturbed. The yams are finished off and other food consumed. Drannyl explains that the cold must be met when it is stirring. They decide to wait a bit and head into Fort Hancock a bit before sunset since the fog seems to only come at night. Drannyl sits down and sings to the earth, green sparks occasionally flickering around his oddly long fingers as they press to the ground. About two hours before dusk, they depart for Fort Hancock, passing the lake. The keep still seems deserted. They head down into the basement toward the room that filled Creyton and Sperin with dread. Drannyl kneels down before the door to the room, pressing his hands against it. Creyton fetches some torches. Aliana asks Drannyl is they should kill him if he comes back out of the room. Of course, Drannyl says no to that idea. Everyone prepares, not knowing what they are preparing for. As the sun sets, the black, inky fog starts coming out from under the crack in the door. Suddenly, the door opens and an Imperial Guard steps forth, fog flowing all about him. They guess it is Eker and he is possessed, so they attack. Sperin and Thurton engage the skilled warrior while Creyton tries to get a shot on him. Aliana tries to grab Drannyl to toss him through the combatants into the blackness but when Drannyl tries to avoid her grasp, she falls flat onto the cold ground. The Imperial Guard ruins Sperin's chainmail and breaks Thurton's left arm entirely as he smacks it with the flat of his blade. Creyton gets in a few shots. Sperin gets in a few slashes. Thurton gets in several good punches. Finally, the soldier drops. The fog seeps out of the room. Drannyl marches into it, vanishing into the darkness. It swirls blacker than midnight in the doorway, then pulls back, retreating into nothingness. Aliana and Anastasia are first into the room. Creyton tends Thurton's arm. Sperin recovers. Dried blood has been smeared on the wall in some sort of cryptic writing. Drannyl's body lies on the floor in a small heap. Partially covered by his form is what an ancient leather-bound book. Anastasia takes the book and Aliana carries out Drannyl. They head back to the cart, which they left in the pines. They build a fire and talk about what had just happened. They debate what to do with Drannyl's body. They debate going back into Fort Hancock and either hiding evidence or gathering supplies. Creyton refuses to go back. Anastasia considers the book. Aliana prays to her "landstone" and a green light comes from the rock. It washes over the entire camp. Wounds heal. Drannyl's body melts into the earth, leaving a small pile of his things, including his bag of assorted nuts. People are pensive. They debate where to go from here and what to tell people. Anastasia wisely tosses the book that caused all of this "cold" into the fire and let's it burn while the others look on. Finally, people are able to get a good night sleep.