Yesteryear's Sorrow
Jigano Silversmith
the Sage
Provost of the Loreseekers Soul Shepherd
Portal Guardian
Age: 36 | Height: 6'2" | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 30 - Dext: 45 - Endr: 38 - Luck: 42 - Int:
ISUMA - Mythical - Griffin (Venomous)
Played by: Cirago Offline
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Posts: 3,914 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#15
"Honestly I'm grateful the boggarts haven't been found beyond the Labyrinth's walls," the bard admitted, a touch grimly. "Though the squirrels are more nuisance than threat if you're prepared for them." Not that being peppered with thorns and tiny (but ridiculously sharp) crude weapons was particularly pleasant, but it wasn't much threat to a full-grown human with a thick cloak - or better yet, an Attuned with wings! " I don't know why they haven't expanded their territory, unless the Labyrinth keeps them safer from hawks and foxes than the woods outside its walls." Which was a possibility. He hadn't really seen any other animals in the maze before aside from the squirrels; certainly no predators big enough to bother them.

Aside from the boggarts, of course. It was never wise to forget the boggarts.

The bard stretched his legs, using his staff to balance himself when he felt a moment of weakness wash through him. Ianto's small form was swift enough that the human's longer legs had to work to keep up, but Jigano couldn't blame the other man for not wanting to linger. Especially when his thoughts echoed the bard's closely enough to earn a rough chuckle. "So long as it has plenty of Efas Herb, lead on!" But while the red fox kept his nose to the ground, Jigano kept his eyes up, making sure they had a clear escape route handy - and occasionally glancing behind to catch a glimpse of the hedges shifting to close off their path of retreat in that direction.

"Can you tell me about what Deepfrost and Long Night are like in the Greatwood?" he asked to pass the time, ever-curious about the world beyond the barrier.
Ianto Dea Arduinna
Merchant

Age: 30 | Height: 6'0 | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Greatwood
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#16
Snuffling at the ground and thinking broodingly about what it would be like to have yet another monster to be afraid of if the boggarts and their ilk did stray beyond the labyrinth walls, Ianto huffed out a snort and shook out his fur. I don't think I even like to consider it, he said slowly. After all, with the way things work here, we could very well just be giving them ideas, saying things like this inside the maze.

Ears pricking up and nose back to the ground, Ianto gave a yip of triumph. I think I have the scent again. Let's go! Of course he wasn't fool enough to believe that Jigano would be able to keep up with him in his current state, so Ianto excitedly dashed forward and back to check on the other man, leading them in the direction of the scent and hoping it didn't backfire this time.

Hmm...? Deepfrost is... it's a time for rest, for preparation, for reflection. Longnight especially. That was how the Fae saw it, at least. It's nothing like the rumours I've heard about the Hollowed Grounds. It's dark outside, but all is peaceful. It was when I experienced it. It's a time to reconnect with family in friends, catch up on reading... like I said. A time for reflection.
Jigano Silversmith
the Sage
Provost of the Loreseekers Soul Shepherd
Portal Guardian
Age: 36 | Height: 6'2" | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 30 - Dext: 45 - Endr: 38 - Luck: 42 - Int:
ISUMA - Mythical - Griffin (Venomous)
Played by: Cirago Offline
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Posts: 3,914 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#17
Ianto's caution might have been well-meant, but the blighted bard bristled at the implied criticism in the fox's words. A growl tickled the back of his throat, the mood shift abrupt and without warning, and black claws sank into the wood of the staff in his hand as he glared after the fuzzy red butt ahead of him. It was lucky for both of them that Ianto interrupted the growing rage with a yip of good news, and Jigano scowled but felt the anger break against a flare of hope. He grumbled under his breath but stepped up his pace, leaning heavily on his staff to support his swinging step.

"I hope it's the right one..." What did Ianto know of herbs, anyways? It was probably another false trail, maybe one laid deliberately by the Labyrinth to lead foolish foxes astray, but the slimmest chance of 'maybe he's right' brought Jigano along at the rear, giving his best two-legged speed as Ianto dashed back and forth like an excited pup.

Hearing about Long Night outside the Barrier soothed the bard somewhat, his temper subsiding as swiftly as it had come. Jiao had said similar things, though couched in vaguer terms. "That sounds... nice," he acknowledged, even if it was a grudging admisssion with little of his usual grace. "I wouldn't count on it being so peaceful this year though," he warned darkly. "If you see Delah or her Fae, you should get one of them to come to the Atheneum. Jiao might be a good choice, she likes books. I've set aside a shelf near the front full of books that speak of Long Night preparations and the stories around it from within the barrier. From what we've learned, I wouldn't count on the monsters politely staying out of the Woods just because the warchief asks nicely." If it were that easy, Long Night wouldn't be nearly so full of terror and death, after all.
Ianto Dea Arduinna
Merchant

Age: 30 | Height: 6'0 | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Greatwood
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#18
Ianto sent a mental pulse of agreement at Jigano's warning; no, he did not think it would be quite so peaceful this year, though he did hope it would be the case. The Greatwood was more than earth and trees and rivers; it could defend itself against intruders with vicious efficiency, given the chance. But Jigano, of course, was right. I'll be sure to mention it to Arduinna, and Delah if I see her, he told the other fox. If nothing else, it will make the Fae more cautious before taking a Longnight stroll to a neighbour's house...

The fox hoped it was the right one too, his nose back to the ground as they picked up the pace, turning this way and that and around and around until... until...

Ianto sat his fuzzy butt down on a patch of sweet grass protruding from one of the hedges, as if the thing had been trying to hide it from him. Sprouting from it, the herb Jigano had described grew sparsely, but enough to collect. Is this it?
Jigano Silversmith
the Sage
Provost of the Loreseekers Soul Shepherd
Portal Guardian
Age: 36 | Height: 6'2" | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 30 - Dext: 45 - Endr: 38 - Luck: 42 - Int:
ISUMA - Mythical - Griffin (Venomous)
Played by: Cirago Offline
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Posts: 3,914 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#19
"Caution would be well advised. The preparations... well, they wouldn't hurt. Using snow moss to stop homes from creaking and pushing around windows and doors would help keep things warmer even without monsters. Coaxing luxere close to spend Long Night near the village would do no harm, either. And stockpiling food for a week so they don't have to go out in the cold is only sensible in case someone gets sick and doesn't want to or can't go out anyways." He puffed the words out as he tried to keep up. They were things which would make Long Night more comfortable even if no monsters made it into the Greatwood, but might be the difference between life and death if the deadly ghouls found their way to the Village. He hoped he would feel up to singing to the luxere again this year, to coax them close to the farmstead if he couldn't get Rory to shelter in town. They would need to gather snowmoss together, too, if his temper didn't snap and chase his mate away.

Always a danger these days, and a fear he tried not to give in to when his better self still ruled.

The fox stopped abruptly, and the bard almost stumbled over him in surprise. Before he could snarl a comment on taxidermied doorstops, the innocent question drew his attention to the ground and the familiar grass with its brown 'fruit'. "Damn... you've got a pretty good nose on you," he grudgingly admitted, kneeling to gather the Efas Herb, inspecting it carefully before placing it in his bag. "Do you want to take some back to Arduinna? It might make for something the Hollowed Grounds can offer in trade to the Fae, if it doesn't grow in the Greatwood. Arduinna would know if it does... but if it doesn't, maybe she can find a way to use it to ease some of the Blight-scarring. Fae and human, the more people we have working on it, the better."
Ianto Dea Arduinna
Merchant

Age: 30 | Height: 6'0 | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Greatwood
Level: 4 - Strg: 15 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 15 - Luck: 10 - Int:
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#20
Tilting his head, a black tipped ear flicking to show he was listening, Ianto took in Jigano's advice and sent a mental pulse of gratitude to the other fox. I'll tell them everything you've said, he assured him. Arduinna especially might be able to convince Delah, and then hopefully the whole village will be a bit safer for it. Speaking of safe, though, the herb turned out to be the right one, and Ianto sat himself daintily up and puffed out the white fluff on his chest, clearly happy with the compliment.

It wouldn't hurt to take some back, I suppose, he agreed, rising on all four paws before shifting, shrinking down into a small, crimson cardinal. Hopping about the grasses, with beak and feet he managed to gather a few sprigs of Efas, ready to take wing whenever the other Attuned was ready.
Jigano Silversmith
the Sage
Provost of the Loreseekers Soul Shepherd
Portal Guardian
Age: 36 | Height: 6'2" | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 30 - Dext: 45 - Endr: 38 - Luck: 42 - Int:
ISUMA - Mythical - Griffin (Venomous)
Played by: Cirago Offline
Change author:
Posts: 3,914 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#21
"That's the goal," the bard agreed, trying to find a weary smile for the sly fox at his feet. "Trying to protect as many as we can. Hopefully it won't be necessary for the Fae but..." He sighed as he knelt to gather the herbs, his smile finally escaping at Ianto's obvious pride. "Well. We can't rely on hope alone." That way lay far too much potential for lost lives and lost souls, and Jigano had no intention of being responsible for that being visited upon his friends among the Fae. Or even Delah. No one deserved the horrors of Long Night within the barrier.

The bard harvested carefully, leaving a few of the herbs behind to repopulate the little patch for next year but taking as many as he felt he could safely carry in his raven form. "A gift from the Hollowed Grounds to the Lady of the Wood," Jigano said, his wry smile coming a little easier now that they had succeeded in their mission and his temper had faded. "Since I would rather be on her good side than her bad one. Ah, if you see her, could you pass a message on for me? I wasn't able to find any information on the Blight in the books within the Atheneum, as she probably knows by now. And given that I'm now... affected by it... I am reluctant to enter the Greatwood and risk spreading it further," he admitted, reluctance and unhappiness clear in his voice as he tied the bag shut.

Ianto's cardinal shape, a bright and bold red against the green of the Labyrinth around them, was strangely cheering shift and Jigano focused on that to steady himself and gather his courage past his innate reluctance to shift within sight of others. It just felt wrong to do so, even after a year on Caido, but with the Labyrinth's tricks there was no easy privacy to be found. Stealing himself against the discomfort, the bard drew himself inwards, shrinking abruptly as he shifted to his raven form, the sack gripped in his heavy beak.

Shall we? he asked his companion with a wink as the rustling in the hedges around them started to increase with the Speaking Squirrels realizing the humans weren't going to keep walking. A few small thorns were launched at them as Jigano took off, wings flapping with graceless strength to lift him and his burden up and out of the leafy embrace of the hungry hedge maze.
Ianto Dea Arduinna
Merchant

Age: 30 | Height: 6'0 | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Greatwood
Level: 4 - Strg: 15 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 15 - Luck: 10 - Int:
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#22
Ianto chirped an agreement for Jigano - relying on hope alone seemed to be the only thing they could do lately, but it was good to know there were other options than simple, blind faith. Gathering as many herbs as he could carry in this form, he clicked his beak and prepared to take off, waiting for the raven. (Having no such reservations himself about shifting, it was all relatively normal for him in the moment).

I will be sure to let her know, he assured the other Attuned, waiting for the pale raven to hop about and finish its business, meanwhile admiring the way that it could blend in even as a bird. A dove would seem more fitting for the usually mild-mannered bard, but Ianto could see the sly mischief in a raven, too.

We shall, he confirmed, spreading his wings and taking off as the speaking squirrels and the hedges made their irritation known. Narrowly avoiding the thorns, Ianto's feathers ruffled as he beat his wings and rose high up above the labyrinth with Jigano.

Once clear of the hedges, it was a straight route for the birds, and Ianto only parted for the Greatwood once they were well clear of the maze. With messages and herbs to deliver, he thanked the other man and careened away, back into the forest to deliver the goods.

~FIN


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