In reply to Togo Took (msg # 10):

PM

"Well hello there" Togo takes a step back nervous about having a female pixie flying about his waist. It was one of those awkward situations for him. "You..um...should..um...not be poking me" he says cautiously both frightened and excited at the same time.

Gathering his wits together he attempts to answer her question while watching her carefully "Um..ah..well I'd imagine if you found a ten leaf clover, the place where it grew would be imbued with special magic...and that magic would be embedded in that place. So sadly, unless you knew of another special magic place, transplanting the clover would most likely end up having it pass away."

"Hearph..epht shnkph sh ryphes eee" says the bag.

Radyul notes to Togo that he has already suggested Khyberon's terrace conservatory as a good place for Mystal's little clover patch.

It is, after all, December, and though there is no snow here, it's not a good time for planting, overall.

He looks around the busy little group.  In the course of a few days, the Elves of Khyberon have gone from a reclusive, introverted lifestyle to hosting guests by the boatload!

Radyul senses he is in over his pointed ears.  He summons help- other Elves of Khyberon, asking questions he has never had to deal with before.

”Do we have room for them all?  How are the furnishings in the unused guest rooms?  Are there any?  How many other visitors do we have?  Let the word go out this is private, now.  It will not do to have boats from the other islands overwhelming us, until we know just how many are here!”

He walks the group back to the main building, past the Elven shops of the harbor.  This time, some of the shopkeepers are eager for the visitors to examine their goods.  They try to tempt Alba and Mia with colorful jewelry made of coral and shell.

* * * * *

Aramil (whose player has vanished mysteriously, bad timing!) doesn’t have a difficult time seeing Morgan again.  They parted friends… despite whatever emotions had bubbled up and then been suppressed, Aramil knew they lived to much in each other’s worlds to be cold to each other.  The experience had made him cautious… and perhaps that hadn’t worn off yet… but not where it came to old friends.

** ** **

Budig, for his part, decides there are tales he needs to hear.  News had reached him of the battle at Namnates, and how the Treants and the Fey had risen to help the people there reclaim their city.

It still strikes many that the Fey would do this.  They had never shown any inclination for war before.  Radyul is equally amazed that such a thing happened.  Fey defend their forests and their beautiful natural realms, yes, but to attack a city?  Even when the cause was just, it was unheard of!

Flitter decides that since she was there, and she is a Fey, she should be spokes-Pixie.  Besides… there is the likelihood that Mystal does not know.  And Mystal should.  Every Fey should.

”We had to,” Flitter says with a small squeaky voice far more serious than any Pixie ever was. “You remember, Morgan.  What they want from us.”

Flitter turns to Mystal.  “They Huns have been after our blood.  They hunted us, in the forest.  It was horrible.  They want our blood because it is magical, and the Fey could not stand them anymore.  It had to be done.”

In reply to Ben (msg # 13):

Mystal swooped down beside her House cousin, slipping a supportive arm around the Pixi's waist. Sweeping the longleggs in the room with as stern a glance as she could, in a bold chimbing voice she mirrored Flitters statement Indeed it hath to be done...

After embracing her other dear friend, the living golem Mia, Morgan had settled in to listen to the rest of the discourse.  And the wizardess was, perhaps, one of a few unsurprised by the Fey's move to war.   Because, as Flitter had suggested, she well knew what the dark and dire Hun priesthood desired to take from them.  She would never forget the pitched battle within the smoke filled woods, when she and others had worked to defend the beleaguered Fey.

"The Huns are the worst of threats," she put in, "because of what leads them. Our truest and most powerful enemies aren't of this world at all. And they goad those who listen to them the most vile of acts. Thankfully, mortalkind and Fey can cooperate. Because, truly, I think it will require us working together, to have any hope of lasting and meaningful victory."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:21, Fri 15 Feb 2013.

A bead of sweat begins to form on Togo's forehead. He nods and gives a short bow to the elven lord. Turning in the direction of the pixie Mystal he says "The elven lord has spoken most wisely. I would strongly recommend following his advice". Togo takes a deep breath having successfully adverted further calamity. His heart was racing as it was.

Upon hearing King Budig was interested in the fey battle Togo smiles big "Indeed the fey battle was truly something to behold.." then frowning "too bad I wasn't conscious for all of it."

Alba comes forward. The leaders want to know the gist of the occurrence at Namnates. She provides a brief run down of the battle. "We used multiple ploys against the Hun at Namnates. We knew that they were using fey blood to power their spells, so we enticed some out with an offer of some fey. That left the gates open and we had a team of brownies infiltrate the city and sabotage certain key items.

When the group of huns figured out that it was a ploy, we started the attack. We made a feint for the gate, but then attacked at a tower that was weak. The huns fell for the feint and concentrated their forces at the gate. It allowed us to gain a foot hold and spread out from there.

Many of the huns were killed, but the leader escaped. We believe that he is holed up in a village with the remnants of his forces, maybe a hundred or so orcs. It seems that one of the huns there has found some kind of magic ring that grants one an alternate form of some power. He is the one keeping the huns in the village from panicking and falling upon each other in a frenzy."

Somewhere along the way between hugging Onigriss after being tackled she also gently hugs Morgan. "I agree it had to be done. That's why we led the Fey in battle against the huns. Alba is right the battle was won however Longtusk I think his name was got away. We still have his spear and I think he wants it back. Perhaps we could use it as bait? It might make the task of driving them out of this part of the land once and for all a little easier."

She turns her attention towards the plants knowing that they were making some sort of trouble for Togo. He was actually sweating a little. "Togo is everything all right you seem a bit nervous. Perhaps Mystal would like to travel with us. I think flitter could use some fey company. Your welcome to help us against the Huns Mystal we will do our best to make the forest safe for the fey. That and of course the land safe for people who live in towns and cities as well."

She thought flitter might be happier if she had someone like herself for company. Plus she thought Mystal might want to do something about the huns. Perhaps they could help each other.

In reply to Mia (msg # 18):

Mystal stepped forward curtsying elegantly to the long legged One deemeth such a course of action ast not only a necessity but an honour. One hopes our meagre skill worthy of such an heroic enterprise with that she took to wing flying closer to the one called Mia, lifting her small hand and holding it infront of her chin Wouldst Thee be willing to partake of Pixi accord

Flitter has for a while been the only Fey with the group.  Well… briefly, Vinto the Brownie had joined him, but he retired from Adventures not long after the Battle of Namnates, and besides… he’s a Brownie, and therefore… well, you know.  Brownies.  But Flitter had become comfortable in the role of Spoke-Pixie, the little flying companion you could turn to if you need a somewhat reliable Fey take on things.  And she had proved herself a Very Important Pixie- Aramil had said so- by taking valuable messages back and forth.

Could she share the spotlight with another?

Pixies do not, as a rule, consider the consequences to things.  Not even Flitter.  She twirls around in the air.

”That’ll be Fun!  Maybe we’ll be back in the forest, and we can find the other Pixies again, and I can introduce you to  Hazelpuff and Twinkleberry  Bluebottle Horkleberry and Buttercup… not the plants, the Pixies.  Although there are also plants called Bluebottle and Horkleberry and Buttercup, and even Twinkleberry but only Pixies know about that, and… I don’t think there’s any such thing as a Hazelpuff.  That’s strange…  umm... that's accord, right?”

* * * * *

Alba, Aramil, and Morgan are drawn into more serious discussions.  Most of the others around, Elves and guests, would rather not sully the joy of the solstice celebration with talk of Huns and wars and strategies and the plotting of dark enemies, but Budig is a king… it’s kind of in the job description.  And Radyul is not a king, but he has a lead position among the Elven nobility.  Budig is aware that what is shared with Radyul will sooner or later be shared with all the Atlantic Elves.

They speak on and off, in between servings of Elven holiday delicacies  (lots of fish, various recipes) in the dining room of Khyberon.

Budig has Aramil tell the tale of the Battle of Namnates, because no one really grasps Flitter’s description of it.  And he also asks Ongriss and Vincentas to tell of their mission along the coast, how the “Foxtail” ships tangled up several Hun plots.

”Quite much for a king who does not consider himself at war with the Huns,” Radyul observes.

”I think that up to now they were not even aware of our existence,” Budig explains.  I met the Emperor of the Huns once, he had no idea of who I was, or what Brittany is. *

”So now the Emperor must surely know about the far west of Europa and who lives there,” Radyul says.  “The loss of a city is nothing to ignore, not for Huns.  He will react.”

The Elf turns to Aramil and the others that had come from Corbilo.  There are things that have not yet been shared.

”We had spoken of sending a ship upriver to probe the Hun empire,” Radyul says.  “A joint venture, Budig and I.  It would be useful to include those who have been there, I think.”

*Quite understandable.  Until the Bretons started arriving in numbers in the last century, the region was called Armorica.  Most  people other than Bretons would use that term, and they would consider the land some half-settled forest peninsula stuck on to the end of Gaul.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:15, Sat 16 Feb 2013.

 The short walk along the shoreline and finding old friends and new people of fey ancestry was interesting and made him glad that Ongriss was meeting old friends, still he found himself distancing himself and wishing he was once again on his ship feeling the spray of saltwater on his face and the clean air without the scents of city life, even if it was elven air.

Once she's done giving and getting hugs from Mia, Ongriss returns to Vincentas. She has a self satisfied grin on her face. She knows that Mia is made of metal and probably wouldn't budge if Vincentas, King Buddig, and Radyul had jumped her.

When dinner is served, she's a very happy selkie. Fish. Lots of fish. Between bites and around Vincentas' description, she elaborates on what they did and found. She ends with an observation "The huns are going to have their hands full holding the halfling shires. The halfling forces will melt away where the huns turn up in force and strike where they're not. Since they had some time to prepare, it will be much worse for the huns."

She grins when Radyul and Budig mention sailing up the river. Everyone that is included here has seen the ship and know what she's capable of. It will be a great time. "We'll have to get some of the crew back together. Most of them are wintering with the boat, but we should be able to get them together."

She turns to Vincentas and can see the look on his face. He's ready to move on and she certainly has restless flippers."We haven't put down roots anywhere." She giggles at the idea of a selkie with roots. "My husband and I aren't ready to settle down. We go where wind and tide take us. It looks like it will take us up into the fey forest."

Alba discusses the situation as she sees it. Around several courses of dinner she comments "Word that the fighting in the Nethershires is going badly against the hun is good news. That means that they squandered a large contingent of their forces."

Taking a few moments to think things through, she adds "They also weren't expecting the fey to rise up like they did. Do you expect to find more fey to help against the huns on this trip? If so, that would be a good thing."

OOC: Not sure if we're aware that the huns were attacking the Ardennes.

They share the news between courses of Elven solstice festival food.

In the course of things, they talk about the possibilities for "what we should do" in the months ahead.

(this is the part where the gm gets to plan for the characters' next phase of activities.)

Budig has the plan to feel out the Huns, with a trip up the Liger river.  Once, the Liger was one of the major commercial rivers of Europa.  Now, trade has been cut by the Huns.  But they've been driven from Namnates... what is the state of the rest of their holdings?  Still strong, or weakened by the diversion of Orcs to the war in the east?

Of the war in the east, they know little.  Radyul knows that the Elves there are fighting to expel the Orcs from their Ardennes forest.  He doesn't know where that's led.

There still is the matter of the small Hun outpost close to Corbilo.  It's being watched, and last everyone knew, it was too small and too remote for the Huns to hold in great numbers.  But it was on the edge of the Fey Forest, and there was much mischief they could manage if left alone.  Sooner or later, someone would have to check that place out.

And of course, Ongriss and Vincentas had talked of doing of general exploration into the Fey forest.  The land itself is magical there, and there are lost, ancient places of mystery and power.

At least, that's what they say.

Or... there are probably other things characters can do as well.  This is the time to figure out who is going where.  And of course, if we know who, when, and where we'll know how, and why.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:46, Mon 18 Feb 2013.

In reply to Ben (msg # 24):

Mystal listens to word of the Hun outpost close to Corbilo. Methinks such a den of iniquity be ideal ast a target to test such capacites ast we hath; What Thinkest Thee she glances around the table

 Knowing that a voyage up into the fey lands would take several weeks or months depending if what he heard about enchantments within the strange woods were accurate. Of a truth he was not sure he was up to such exploration, even if his mind was trying to convince him to explore virgin land,where few humans or even elves had traveled.

 Sitting down he contracted with the elves to deliver a message to his first mate, when he got back to the ship in the spring. In short official terms he authorized his first mate to make the ship ready and to contract for cargo locally to make some money if he was not back by then. Ongriss and he were going to do some exploration of possible new markets to carry back and trade.

 Sitting by the fire with his wife, just enjoying being by her side and being warm. He felt it was time to make a choice for their restless feet to move onward. "So, my love. Where shall we be off to this time?, do we set feet into the fey lands or seek out the stranger who watched the disappearing island?. then again we could just do one of the military scouting choices that was needed to be done but he was a little hesitant on that direction. I mean one can only challange the fates so many times before the seas demand payment in blood. What does your heart say.?"

Togo glances in the newly met pixies direction and answer's Mia carefully. "Yeah, I think so." Certain that coming forward with any further details would only sink him into more trouble. Fortunately, the one who went by Mystal seemed to be interested more in Mia at the moment which suited him just fine. It took a while before he felt comfortable opening up to people. Mostly he just sat quietly and observed what was going on between courses of seafood. At least his stomach was quite satisfied and a full stomach made for a happy hobbit.

Mia returns the Curtsy with natural grace that dancers often possessed. she was surprised when asked about a Pixi accord. Glancing for a moment at flitter then back to Mystal Mia smiles. "I would be honored to partake of a Pixi accord Mystal. Though I might need you to teach me what is required if there is a ceremony involved."

Mia laughs and smiles seeing Flitters enthusiasm she was quite sure her friend would be happy. "I must say if given the chance I would be very happy to meet your friends flitter."

Mia is happy to socialize with the elvish people here. As well as various friends old and new. Though she pays attention to a certain degree to the talks of Huns and the war. She wasn't a soldier still she could and would help her friends if there is need.

"I am willing to help push the Huns out of Corbolio. I think they shouldn't be allowed to cause trouble. Once they are gone from there the fey can rest a little easier as well as the other peoples settlements in the area. Though I admit I would like to help the Haflings as well. The food they trade to everyone is precious. To many will suffer if it is lost. Can we go there as soon as we take care of things in Corbolio?"

In reply to Mia (msg # 28):

Mystal smiled spat into her hand and held it out palm forward. Pixi accord involveth lubricating ones hand anst a shake or clap of each others in accord. Being Thee hath such disadvantage One doth suggest if Thee wouldst moistened Thy finger, such wouldst suffice. Mystal glances towards Flitter.
Cousin Flitter Wouldst Thee standeth witness unto tis anst determine if such be relevant anst in accord. she both informs Mia and asks Flitter
This message was last edited by the player at 12:28, Tue 19 Feb 2013.

Alba listens quietly to the talk of going into the fey forest. For some, perhaps most of those present here it may be their calling. While she has played some small part in coordinating the fey, it seems to her that her work here is almost done. "I will help deal with the hun near Corbilio, but once that's done I feel a calling else where."

Minerva has granted her a blessing and she wants to make sure that she uses it where it will be most effective. Besides, her father visited Lutetia Parisiorum to get demonic help; maybe she should visit Arras and offer what help she can. "I feel I need to go to Arras."

She was startled when Mystal spits on her hand not something she expected at all. Did the fey do that on a regular basis? She thought it would be something very different. Still it was important so she moistens her lips then kisses her fingertip Transferring a bit of moister to it.  Then she holds out her finger tip letting Mystal make the contact. That would be safest to ensure Mystal's safety.

"Once this accord is made is there anything I should know about what you might expect of me Mystal?"

Ongriss looked lovingly up at Vincentas. "For now I think that we should look inland. I don't want to risk you and anyone else in the seas this time of year. I could survive them easily enough if the boat we were on had problems, but I'm not sure of anyone else."

She looks on with interest as Mia and Mystral do some kind of arcane fey rite. Alba does get a surprised look. "You don't want to go see new things? Things that nobody else has?"

In reply to Mia (msg # 31):

Mystal clapped Mia's outstretched finger which to any listening made a quiet smacking sound glancing at Flitter who she assumed would approve of the accord to seek out the Huns who wreak havoc on the Fey. Mystal considers for a moment, she was about to suggest they should each weave a wreath of posies to adorn their golden tresses when Alba's comment prompted her to ask One doth seek Thy council ast to a suitable course of action to pursue

The Elves of Khyberon go all out for their guests on the Solstice Eve.  They bring out the best of their food, flavored with rare spices, and apparently, hints of magic.  They have fresh shellfish, pristine from the ocean  (including uncooked, which is how Selkies normally eat them, and cooked, which Selkies regard as Exotic Human Cookery.)  They have baked salmon and pickled eel and assorted fruits and vegetables, and when they finally get to dessert, it is a delicate custard which is served.. on fire?  Yes, it is burning when it reaches the table.  From the point of view of a small Fey being, a simple dessert being served au flambé is a frightening fiery inferno…

A tasty inferno, perhaps, but Flitter shrieks and flies behind Aramil anyway.

It takes a little convincing for the Pixie to see that dessert is, when approached carefully, harmless.

”It’s like a Pixie trick,” Flitter decides.  “It looks scary but it’s not!  Like a chipmunk!”

Gradually, the discussions of who is going where settle into firmer plans.

While most of the group heads for Corbilo, Ongriss and Vincentas, at least, will challenge one of the rivers of Armorica, venturing into the Fey Forest.

They are surprised to hear that none of the Elves can offer real advice on directions, beyond noting the mouths of the rivers.  And the agree with the plan for the Odet River.

Elaine thinks that it is a little strange.  “In all the time you have been here, you have not charted the rivers and surveyed the Fey Forest?” she asks of Radyul.

”Madam,” the Elf Lord replies.  “Some places do not wish to be charted.  In the heart of the Fey Forest.. which is a very big place, mind you, one hundred and fifty miles from one end to another.  Deep within Armorica’s Fey Forest, geography is not as absolute as it is elsewhere.”

”That sounds like such a strange place!” Flitter says excitedly.

Mia is a bit sad to hear Alba will be going to Arras soon. "I will miss you Alba. I hope we can get together again after you do whatever you need to do in Arras. Who  knows maybe we will come with you."

With Ongriss she realizes she didn't realizes the fey forest and Corbolio were not directly related. Silly perhaps, however non the less she had misunderstood. "Why are you going into the fey forest Ongriss? What do you expect to find there? Have the Huns dared to go into the forest again?"

Looking to Mystal she continues softly to answer her question. Well sort of! "I don't know Mystal I thought Corbolio would be the best place to start. However if something is going on inside the fey forest itself that could be a big problem."

During the celebration she only nibbles here and there. One unfortunate disadvantage of her condition was that food might be a bad idea. So she's very careful not to overdo it. Mia looks a bit concerned when Flitter shrieks hiding behind aramil. Then giggles when it's obvious that flitter is fine and happy. "A chipmunk? I guess if I were your size flitter a chipmunk might be scary at first. Enjoy the desert flitter! Mystal you should have some too!"

Listening to the elf lord she looks to flitter. "It's magic flitter. I suspect the very tree's themselves will move. Maybe all the plants do and perhaps even the river will change it's banks. Onygriss were you hopping that Togo, Alba and I would go with you and Vincentas?" She's definitly willing to consider it if there is need.