Chapter 2: Tiptoe Through The Thorns Part II [The Spurious Sanctuary]

[The Fuzz]

Watson


Watson reaches into his jacket, and produces the hob's weapon. Staring at Micah with distaste, he offers the knife out to the side, to anyone willing to take it. The prey has been slapped down. The prey has been brought back. That is where his job ends, and Watson's no torturer.

 

[Grey]

Mr. Lapwing


Lapwing takes the knife delicately from Watson.


"I miss having a blade. I'll handle it."


He takes the weapon from Watson and sidles up to the Hob, seizing an arm to carve the name.


"This is only going to hurt until you die..."

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Old Man Willow


Mmmmmmmmm... looks like this courtier at least knows about fear. Willow lumbers to his feet, and in a slow calculated series of steps reaches Watson and the hob.


After Mr. Lapwing does the deed, he looks deep into the hob's eyes "Next time, don't try and wiggle out of a promise." He then raises his head, asking the hob"Now, can we have our friend here released?"

 

[Chaka]

Micah Sands


Watching coldly as Mr. Lapwing does the necessary, Micah waits until the writing is complete.


"Excellent. Hold out his hand and let go when I touch him."


Micah reaches out and grabs the hob's hand. "Shake on it."

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

Bronn


Oathbreaker punishment, is there nothing it can't do to bring Lost together? Bronn muses that as the carving begins.

 

[Grey]

Mr. Lapwing


Lapwing flicks the blood spattered on the blade away - little of it fresh, now. The writing of the name was a delicate tracery - like cat-scratches. More painful for it, perhaps, but not really hurting him.


"I'd do it, little Hob."

 

[Hyrune]

To Micah


The hob whimpers and shakes your hand - just like before, there's no sense of movement, you've merely switched places instantly, only this time you've got a Token in your left hand for your troubles.

 

[Chaka]

Micah Sands


Micah pockets the Token. And turns back to the Hob.


"Now then. I believe we had a deal. You broke your end. I keep mine."


If looks could kill... Micah calls on the powers of Autumn, the posession implicit in his name carved on the Hob enough to appease the cost. His gaze strips life, weakening the Hob, stilling his energy....


Activating Withering Glare with the Catch. Roll: Results for 5 dice: 4 successes [ 8 8 0 3 8 ] (TN: 8 ) (damage/extra)


Re-roll 10: Results for 1 dice: 1 success [ 9 ] (TN: 8 ) (damage/extra)


5 successes total. Exceptional success. 5 bashing inflicted.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Old Man Willow


Willow shakes his head at Micah's action. Inspiring fear is one thing, but acting on it, is just bad manners, especially when the hob seems to have suffered already for his actions.

 

[Hyrune]

To Micah


The hobs shudders and...shrinks. The blood on his clothes abruptly dries, his bones move beneath his paling skin as light shivers, gasps and dies in his eyes. With a curious little tumbling motion, the hob's head keels forward, hitting the bars of the shop window/door as a death rattle shakes its throat, exhaling a thick cloud of yellow dust from flaking, drawn lips.


He doesn't even have time to scream, and dies.

 

[Chaka]

Micah Sands


Bitterly, Micah spits at the cage. "And this, children, is why we keep our promises." He turns away.


"If you don't, someone will."


Micah wanders over and picks his pack up again.


"Anyway. We've wasted enough time here, and we have promises to keep. And miles to go before we sleep. And all that jazz. So let us continue."

 

[Grey]

Mr. Lapwing


Toying idly with the knife in his long fingers, Lapwing speaks up.


"Might I take a moment to duck into the Sisters' meadow? I need to grab something..."

 

[The Fuzz]

Watson


"Right. Well, that was...nice."


He glances at Lapwing. "Hang onto the knife."


He picks up his pack, rubs Hugo behind the ears, and continues on to the Sister's gardens.

 

[Chaka]

Micah Sands


Micah shrugs. "I guess a few more minutes won't hurt. Hurry on."

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

Bronn


Shrugging, the ogre shoulders his pack and slips out a small canteen of wine. "The road goes ever on and on..." He smiles and laughs as he begins to sing an old tune that he grew up with.

 

[The Fuzz]

Watson


"Sausage for wine, trade?" Watson offers a chunk of sausage to Bronn, while also slipping some to Hugo.

 

[Hyrune]

You eventually reach the Sister's clearing, without further incident (thankfully).

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

Bronn


"Happy to, Watson. If ye got a canteen or something."

 

[The Fuzz]

Watson


"Nah, some sausage for a swig. Mouth's a bit dry. S'good sausage, it was that thick spicy stuff they were serving at breakfast."


Watson pauses for a moment. "Actually, fancy taking a look into the garden? Lapwing's going in for...something, I'd like to take a look around there again."

 

[Grey]

Mr. Lapwing


Quickly, Lapwing circumvents the gate guardian and slips inside. He delicately drops an open zip-loc bag over a butterfly on a flower, fully expecting it to shear through and fly away - but leaving scales on the bag.

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

Bronn


The ogre smiles, "Aye, have at it, lad." He hands over the canteen. "Oh, pretty garden. How much of it will kill us?"

 

[Chaka]

Micah Sands


Micah glances over. "Don't touch the stream or the butterflies. The bluebells won't kill you but I'm not hauling your rocky arse around when they put you to sleep. Other than that it's reasonably ok."

 

[The Fuzz]

Watson


"Oh, most of it. Try to stay awake, something in here affects your senses and makes you sleepy. Look out for penguins."


Watson sniffs the air, one hand on Hugo's collar. Past the scent of flowers, past the smell of Bronn and Lapwing, what is here...


[Fang and Talon 2, 5 dice, 2 successes. Wits + Composure + 4, 9 dice, 4 successes]

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

Bronn


Snorting, Bronn looks at Micah, "Doubt you alone could, friend."

 

[Hyrune]

To Lapwing


The butterfly lazily slices through the bag, fluttering dangerously close to your face before flying overhead.


"I do not like to be imprisoned, mortal." The voice is just this side of stunning - like nails on a chalkboard...but underwater. And loud. Though the volume is probably because every butterfly in the meadow speaks simultaneously but with one voice - the result is a genuine stereo-effect.


To everyone else


Mr. Lapwing has left the Hollow door open and the meadow looks much as you remember it - those who've seen it previously at least. No signs of decay...yet. The thick band of Arcadian Bluebells neatly bisecting the garden in two is a little bit thicker, perhaps, but otherwise nothing seems different.


To Watson


You detect nothing out of the ordinary - a few new smells, very faint, but these are almost undoubtedly Jasmine's...clean-up crew. You can smell a lot more of those unusual butterflies, if that's anything - they smell of ginger, fresh-cut grass (skimming like a razor blade over the ground, moving down plant-life with every flutter, it's not hard to see why) and just a hint of honey.