Ascending Legends

[Dragongal]

Arryn glanced to Dayn, then back to Rasrik. "It's been good. It was very nice to see my mother and friends again. The journey back South was nice too. Relaxing."

 

[BookWyrm]

There were glances cast about the table, though none were at Dayn or Arryn. "Father, is something amiss?" Rasrik raised a hand. "We will have time to catch up later." Dayn knew then that something truly was amiss, and that his feelings had been correct. He slid his hand under the table and let it rest on Arryn's knee before giving a light squeeze. Then, on a whim, he brushed the back of his fingers across her thigh as he pulled his hand away.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn had caught the meaning of his squeezing her knee, though the brush along her thigh had an entirely different tone to it. She gave him a glance with one eyebrow raised, then returned her attention back to her soup.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn glanced over at Arryn and gave her a smirk, the kind that said, "Wait until we're alone." After supper Dayn and Arryn settled into a private room with Rasrik and Japhet. "I wasn't going to talk around the table with the girls around. Gods only know that they shouldn't hear what we needed to say."


"Something has been attacking people in the fief."


Both Rasrik and Japhet looked at Dayn with some surprise. "I have connections. Besides, you don't expect me to be completely blind to the going ons in this region do you?" Rasrik shook his head. "No. Your connections are correct. We've had a multitude of attacks since the winter began. Before you ask, no, its not the beast that attacked you last Samhein. This is something far fouler."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn looked from Dayn to Rasrik. "How much fouler could it be? Who does it attack, anyone? Is there a pattern of attacks? Any evidence or suspects...?" She didn't want to be pushy, but she wanted this figured out as soon as possible, and if she could be of any help, then she would do her best. Dayn and herself had dealt with enough beasts in the past months, she knew they could at the least help.

 

[BookWyrm]

Rasrik looked weary about sharing information, though Dayn almost thought he looked scared. "It has been attacking the outer settlements mostly. We've had to double the guard and put them on full time duty until further notice. If it had been a wyvern or a cockatrice we wouldn't have had issue, a few people dead yes, but this thing is worse. For all rights it should be a wendigo, but it is blighted. Everything it kills comes back to life shortly after, like some kind of plague."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn paused to take in the information. "As in, undead...? Does this plague... spread?" If this wasn't controlled, it could potentially become a pandemic.... Arryn's first thought was beheading the afflicted then burning their corpses, but she felt that she was missing some information....

 

[BookWyrm]

Rasrik stared off out of the window as he packed tobacco into his pipe. In the distance more storm clouds were rolling in, and lightning streaked the far horizon. "Fear gorta." Dayn took a deep breath, seeming to pale slightly. "Really? Here?"

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn looked from Dayn to Rasrik and back. Normally she knew all legends and beasts, but this one she didn't. Noting that Dayn seemed upset by the news, she reached out and put her hand over his. "I'm just a Northern valley girl, can I have some explanation here...?"

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn turned to Arryn and smiled as he took her hand in his. "Fear gorta spawn from a plague. Reports are vague on the source of the plague, but once it has a host it can destroy entire fiefs or kingdoms if left unchecked. The infected corpses rise again and start growing this weird fungus, and once they burst the spores spread the infection. Some develop a nasty ooze that spreads it as well. The only cure is to burn the bodies and kill and burn the source. Which, apparently, the source is the wendigo, which means someone somewhere has had to have done some kind of dark magic. Wendigos are skinchangers that have been completely consumed by the wild, but if one died and was corrupt by the fear gorta it could be the host."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn looked at Dayn for a few seconds, then squeezed his hand. "Well... I guess we have to burn the corpses soon then. Before they... burst...." That word was so.... disgusting to her. They were talking about people, admittedly dead, but nonetheless! "I guess we'll need to have a wendigo hunt soon as well."

 

[BookWyrm]

"So far we have been able to contain the plague. All of the bodies have been burnt before they could turn, but we've lost track of the wendigo." Dayn sighed, running a hand through his hair as he mulled over the situation. "Best thing we can do is go to where it was last seen and track it from there."


"It doesn't seem to move during the storms, and with the rainy season being on us we will have the advantage there. But you two just arrived. I am not going to ask you to join the hunt until after you've rested some."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn looked to Dayn and squeezed his hand. "Seems fair. I mean, the biggest issue I could foresee is fighting the wendigo. But if we keep to long-range weaponry we should be okay." Arryn couldn't help but think, If Dayn could shift, he could track the wendigo easily. After a moment, she said, "I can call in some favors up North, get some dwarven crossbows. I've seen the arrows shatter ancient, solid oaks. And I can get some... um... lámhaigh tine, it's like a kind of firey liquid that can be thrown when it's in glass bottles. It can be applied to arrows as well."

 

[BookWyrm]

Rasrik scratched at his chin as he thought over the logistics. "By the time those items arrived the rains should have let up enough that we could move without there being a downpour. It should work." "We'll send out notice as soon as we can." Dayn yawned and stretched out, though he snuck a glance at Arryn and gave her a wink. "Thank you for supper and for filling us in, but I think it is time we retired to our room." But when they were finally alone Dayn locked and barred his door before scooping Arryn into his arms and flopping onto the bed.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn smiled a bit and nuzzled against his chest. "How can you be so... not upset after what we heard...?" She wasn't mad at him, but more in awe that he was so carefree after the news they'd gotten. She knew she felt rather shaken. The very description of the affliction had been enough to turn her stomach. But now they were both potentially at risk if they fought?

 

[BookWyrm]

"It isn't that I'm not upset, its that I'm not sure what to feel." Dayn propped himself up on his side as he reached out to cup Arryn's cheek. "The fear gorta is an ancient blight from ages ago. We've learned how to fight it and keep the protective gear, but the fact that the wendigo is the source is what bothers me. I can't help but feel that this wendigo is the skinchanger that attacked me. If he has been claimed by the wild and died that means a necromancer is controlling him and has infected him with the fear gorta. That is why I wanted to speak with Siochana. I think the man that has been after you has something to do with this."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn paused, then buried her head against Dayn's neck. "Please don't talk about him...." As upsetting as it was that the skinchanger who had attacked Dayn might be involved, bringing O'Rourke into the mess made it worse, at the least when they were in bed and supposed to be relaxing. "It's an accurate concern, but please don't bring him up, not right now...."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn paused, his arms out before he wrapped them around Arryn comfortingly. "I promise, I won't say another word." This hadn't been his intentions when they had retired to the bedchamber. So he started playing with Arryn's hair as he hummed, hoping to help her relax.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn sighed and kissed his neck lightly to show her appreciation. She quietly mumbled, "Sorry if my reaction upset you...." Arryn closed her eyes."I know we could defeat the wendigo, especially with the equipment I'm going to order. But... it's the thought of you catching this disease, it's... I can't stand it.... And if it is O'Rourke... then he'll aim for you. And all the deaths already, they've been my fault, if it was him."

 

[BookWyrm]

"Don't take blame for something you cannot control. If this is O'Rourke then he is making more enemies than he'll know what to do with. Just because of being connected to you doesn't mean you are responsible for any of this." Dayn lifted Arryn's head so they could look eye to eye. "You are a Braelgand, nobility. If this is O'Rourke he isn't just attacking you or me, he is attacking the family." Dayn kissed her before pushing her over onto her back. "Let's save this talk for later.", he said as he started to kiss along her neck.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn gasped a bit immediately before shivering. That was a sudden change. Arryn hadn't completely shaken off the concerns of earlier, but this was a pleasant little distraction.

 

[BookWyrm]

"Sorry, got a bit ahead of myself." Dayn laid beside Arryn after one last kiss on the neck. "Sometimes I get a little carried away. All or nothing I suppose."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn smiled and propped herself up on one elbow, facing Dayn. "Well we seemed to have had plans for tonight, but the unnerving topic of a.. plague of some form... got to me a bit." Arryn gave him a kiss on the cheek, then a kiss on the jaw, then a kiss on the neck before pulling away. "Who doesn't need a distraction, though?"

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn took in every detail of those three kisses with a smile on his face. He reached out to gently lay his hand on Arryn's hip as he said, "We still have plans, if you want. I'm not one to force anyone into anything." Dayn flashed a confident and cocky grin before scooting closer to Arryn. "But I get the feeling you have something on your mind."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn smiled a bit and pulled him into a kiss, then pulled away and rolled over so her back was to him. Playing a bit of a game would help get her mind off of the disease and it would be fun. "Not really, what were your plans?"