80: Crisis over, come out pretty girls

[Ebiris]

[12:14] <@Ebiris> The Mistress lies dead, the machinations of Thess LeHugh are over. Other followers of her mad plans may dot the region, but without her guiding hand and powerful will, who can say what they'll do with their lives now? Liamae walks over to the head-pulped corpse after Lady VanGaunt spat on it, holding her side and wincing but nonetheless managing a smile as she offers, "Want me to burn her away?" Receiving a terse nod in turn, the wounded sorceress is only too happy to cast a spray of flames over the cadaver and light her up to remove even the memory of her presence from the world!
[12:16] <@Lucie> "Pretty sure I should be dead right now," Lucie concludes with a grunt. "But I guess we've had worse days."
[12:17] <@Henrietta> "It makes me terribly depressed to agree with that statement," Henrietta mutters. "We must really do something about that."
[12:18] <@Ebiris> "I don't even want to think about what I'd be if you hadn't come after me," Jellica admits with a shudder. "I'm not sure I'll ever be able to properly repay you all."
[12:20] <@Rudy> "We want to have days that were even worse than this one?... ah, don't worry much about that," voices Rudy. "This is our job, right? And going through that must've left you weary. Come, let's head back."
[12:22] <@Henrietta> "No, we should stop having such days in the first place!" Henrietta insists. She joins Rudy after that, however, offering Lady VanGaunt her arm. "Yes, we really should return before your absence leads to a panic, My Lady."
[12:23] <@Lucie> "I don't know what line of business you think you're in, Henri," Lucie says as they start back, "but this is pretty much it."
[12:25] <@Ebiris> Thus the group heads back towards the manor, Jellica clasping Henrietta's hand numbly as they proceed, the village on the other side of the dwelling seemingly ignorant of the disaster that nearly occured. The Lady looks up at the shattered windows above the back door and shakes her head as the group heads in. "Darnel will have to fix that..." she mutters softly as they enter the kitchen.
[12:27] <@Rudy> "I'll give him a hand," muses Rudy. "But first, we should go tell the villagers that everything's sorted, should we not?"
[12:29] <@Lucie> "Is it?" Lucie asks. "Could still be a few of her goons we haven't found out in the woods. There's also, you know--" she gestures in the general direction of the woodsman's hut where they'd left Alred.
[12:30] <@Ebiris> Nodding, she seems to draw strength from those words, or at least force herself to give the illusion of strength for the sake of her people, despite her bedraggled state and the wet wolf saliva staining her midsection. "You're right. Very right indeed. With the threat passed we can send word to Inveholt, purchase badly needed supplies... perhaps even see some new faces come to stay here." Thus she starts heading through the house and back out the front door.
[12:32] <@Lucie> "Think they dammed up the river a ways past the road," Lucie remembers. "Have to break that down before anyone can get here regular. There's a swamp in the way right now."
[12:32] <@Henrietta> "We should be able to deal with that sort of thing," Henrietta voices.
[12:33] <@Ebiris> "The North Road's clear now," Liamae puts in, "Since we cleared out the goons breeding their creepy animals at the old fort there."
[12:33] <@Rudy> "Just need to send word up that way and we should get some traders in," voices Rudy.
[12:41] <@Ebiris> Seeming buoyed by that news, Jellica heads down the hill towards the rest of the village, the few faces nearby that ask after her health told to go and gather their friends and family for an important announcement. Soon it seems like the entire population is gathered, even larger than the mob that was broken up when someone had the idea of breaking down her manor to build a wall. Luckily this group seems far more inclined to listen, as, "People of Lessmuss... my people," the Lady smiles, a weary but relieved look, "In recent days you've seen these four heroes bring hope back to our village, making it safe for us to go out again, making the dark a less fearful thing. It's my great pleasure to tell you all, now, that thanks to these four - Rudy Giacamo, Henrietta Ul Copt, Liamae Tesakaria, and Lucie Dolan, that the curse has been broken!" There's a lot of gasps at that, "The demon wolf came for me this day, to finish what it started with my great great great great great grandfather Alred the first. But these four heroes not only stopped it, they slew it and unmasked the villain who has plagued our village for near two centuries!"
[12:47] <@Ebiris> A great cheer goes up from the assembled villagers, many bursting into tears and spontaneously hugging each other. "Hurray for the heroes!" one soul cries, the call passed on as each one of the group is cheered by name in this great outpouring of relief.
[12:49] <@Rudy> It's not quite the same as in the theatre. But as he waves to the crowd, Rudy suspects he wouldn't want the underwear of these people anyway.
[12:49] <@Henrietta> "The North Road is clear now," Henrietta repeats Liamae's earlier words for the sake of the crowd. "It might take a bit more time for things to return to normal, but Lessmuss is no longer cut off from the rest of the land."
[12:49] <@Lucie> Doing dangerous work for pay is one thing, but being praised as a hero worthy of public adulation is a thing Lucie's still not quite used to. She finds it easier to lean against the wall in exhaustion than join in any celebrations.
[12:50] <@Ebiris> "There shall be a feast tonight," the Lady declares, "To celebrate, for we can now call for aid from our neighbours to the North, and I shall require volunteers to pass the word and encourage traders and immigrants to come to us." Despite Rudy's suspicions, the village isn't just full of dirty beggars and wrinkled old men, there's actually a few young and quite pretty girls present, likely having been hidden away by their families during the crisis in which so many just vanished.
[12:54] <@Ebiris> While most of the village prepares the feast, decorations and long tables being set up around a large bonfire by the lake, the group retreat to the manor with the Lady to address another delicate topic...
[12:56] <@Henrietta> "My Lady," Henrietta says hesitantly, deciding to breach the topic rather than dance around it. "While we were originally returning to the manor, we intended to talk to you about two matters. One was that trecherous maid, but the other concerned your grandfather, Sir Alred."
[12:57] <@Ebiris> Now in a clean dress and having bathed, she at least looks a lot more composed and ready to endure further shocks. "My grandfather?" she asks, eyes widening. "What did you discover? He was taken by the demon wolf as well - did you find out what became of him?"
[12:59] <@Rudy> "Well... yes," replies Rudy. "He's still alive, but the wolf- your maid, I suppose- she transformed him. They had him caged up at their pens." He sighs. "He's how we knew it was your maid, in the end, since he told us all about her."
[13:00] <@Henrietta> "Bringing your grandfather into Lessmuss itself would have been folly, but he is waiting for you a short distance away. It is barely an hour's ride from here, if you would like to come talk to him and find out about everything in his own words. He retains his personality and his sense of self, despite all that has transpired."
[13:00] <@Ebiris> "He's still alive?! Then what of my brother?" she asks suddenly, excitement seizing her so much that she forgets to focus on the part about being transformed.
[13:02] * @Henrietta shakes her head. "I'm afraid that your grandfather was the only one who managed to retain his mind through the transformation, My Lady."
[13:03] <@Ebiris> "What transformation?" she asks, slumping back wearily.
[13:04] <@Henrietta> "Into a werewolf, My Lady," Henrietta responds.
[13:06] <@Ebiris> "By Hera!" she gasps, clasping her hands over her mouth. "Then, Jacin is a wild beast, now?"
[13:07] <@Rudy> "He's dead, m'lady," replies Rudy.
[13:09] <@Ebiris> She sighs dismally now, dropping her hands. "He'd been dead to me already, ever since that damnable wolf took him. But Gods, to heap such further indignity upon him? What crime did my ancestor commit to warrant such hateful attention?"
[13:11] <@Henrietta> "Rather than a crime, I suspect it was just misfortune that this dreadful woman decided to pick your family," Henrietta says. "There is nothing we can do to change the past, unfortunately."
[13:12] <@Lucie> "Crime wasn't yours, it was hers," Lucie agrees. "Sometimes fate just frowns on a person. We retrieved his body for burial, at least."
[13:13] <@Ebiris> "I thank you," she nods to Lucie, "But my grandfather, he was taken when I was just a baby," she goes back to the original topic at hand. "I would like to see him. He's the only family I have left in this world."
[13:14] <@Rudy> "He's not far out the village. We couldn't take him with us, unfortunately," notes Rudy. "But we'd be happy to show you to him."
[13:15] <@Ebiris> "Lets go now, then. We have time before the feast," she nods, rising.
[13:18] <@Ebiris> It's a quick ride out of the village to the shack in the pass heading West, it seeming undisturbed from before, no sign of any occupants visible from outside.
[13:18] <@Henrietta> "Lord Alred?" Henrietta asks, knocking the door to the shack. "Are you in?"
[13:22] <@Ebiris> "I am," comes the weathered growl from inside, creaking noises heard before the door swings inwards to reveal the stooped grey-furred werewolf, exuding more the weariness of a hound gone to age than a savage beast of the wilds. Nonetheless Jellica still pales at the sight. "Grandfather?"
[13:23] * @Henrietta remains by Lady VanGaunt's side for support, but otherwise remains silent at this meeting.
[13:24] <@Rudy> Solemnity is hard for Rudy to cope with! If he says anything, it'll be some smartass comment, so instead he says nothing. Safety in silence!
[13:29] <@Ebiris> "Lady VanGaunt... Jellica," he pulls back his black lips in a wolfish smile, baring worn but still sharp teeth, "I remember when you were born... Jacin was so jealous, until he first set eyes on you and started blubbering about how he really would be a good brother. I hope he was, I couldn't ask him when I saw him I'm afraid..." he shakes his great muzzle from side to side, casting off the memory and growling in his throat, "But I did not come to reminisce, nor pretend to be a grandfather I'm unfit to be. No, I came to warn you of a viper hidden in your own home."
[13:30] <@Ebiris> "No," Jellica shakes her own head, "The demon wolf - Thess LeHugh. She's dead. I came to see *you* grandfather," she insists, mastering her unease and stepping forward.
[13:32] * @Henrietta gives the werewolf a tiny nod of confirmation at that.
[13:37] <@Ebiris> "I see... I'm glad. Thank you, all of you," Alred bows towards the group before addressing Jellica. "You know I can't return to Lessmus. I'm a monster, and you are its steward now, not I. But come, indulge an old man in nostalgia for a time, and tell me of how life has treated my descendants," he invites her in, backing from the doorway and going to sit on a stool by the fireplace. Jellica nods and turns to the others, "Would you wait here until we're done?" she asks, "I think we both have many questions for each other."
[13:38] <@Lucie> "Of course," Lucie says, backing a decent distance from the shack.
[13:38] <@Rudy> "Certainly." Rudy keeps pace with Lucie. "Loving family. Ain't it sweet?" he mutters.
[13:38] <@Henrietta> "As My Lady wishes," Henrietta agrees with the others.
[13:40] <@Lucie> "Jealous, Rudy?" Lucie asks. "Odd circumstances for it."
[13:40] <@Ebiris> "Yeah if my grandad I'd never seen showed up as a giant wolf and asked for a hug, I'd be a bit leery," Liamae remarks quietly as the two disappear into the hut, stepping away herself.
[13:41] <@Rudy> "He's probably not going to bite her?" suggests Rudy, after a moment.
[13:42] <@Lucie> "Don't know why he would," Lucie says.
[13:42] <@Ebiris> "He didn't bite us," Liamae shrugs. "Still weird situation. I mean, technically he *is* the steward of Lessmus - he never died, after all. Imagine how that would go down."
[13:43] <@Henrietta> "Quite awkward," Henrietta agrees with a wince.
[13:44] <@Lucie> "It won't," Lucie says. "Remember what he asked us to do once we're done here."
[13:48] <@Ebiris> "I dunno, he asked that when he was stuck in prison with no hope. Now? I dunno if he'll be so keen to die after meeting his granddaughter," Liamae shakes her head.
[13:49] <@Rudy> "Don't think he's going to try taking back his title, though," replies Rudy. "I mean, he's not a moron."
[13:49] <@Henrietta> "I hope not," Henrietta agrees. "In fact, if he would be willing to wait here until we investigate the chances for a cure upon our return, we may just discover something to allow Sir Alred to live a normal life."
[13:50] <@Lucie> "Maybe," Lucie concedes, leaning against a tree. "Just have to wait and see." She doesn't sound too bothered either way.
[13:54] <@Ebiris> It takes a while, nearly an hour before the door opens and the two VanGaunts emerge. Jellica looks tired but not unhappy, and Alred looks like a giant unholy fusion of man and wolf. "I thank you again for taking care of my granddaughter and avenging me," he growls not unpleasantly at the group. "I have decided, while I may not be welcome in civilised company any longer, that others on the outskirts of society should accept me. I remember a beastman village nearby from my youth, so I will spend my twilight years there."
[13:55] <@Lucie> "Should still be there," Lucie confirms with a nod. "This group we just knocked were having problems with them."
[13:55] <@Rudy> "Be careful. They probably won't be all that friendly to new outsiders," voices Rudy.
[13:58] * @Henrietta nods at Rudy's words. Caution is always preferable. She rather thinks that Lucie would be closer to the truth, however.
[13:59] <@Ebiris> "I will," he nods. "And if there is ever anything I can do to repay your kindness, you will know where to find me." Turning to Jellica he goes on, "Farewell granddaughter. Though we may not see each other again, know that I am near, and you are in my heart."
[13:59] <@Ebiris> She nods stiffly to that, stepping closer to wrap her arms around his furry form in a hug, "Take care of yourself, grandfather. I'll make sure the beastmen never recieve trouble from Lessmus."
[14:05] <@Ebiris> Thus the two seperate and Alred departs North at a shallow incline up the side of the valley nearby while everyone else returns to Lessmus. The sun is setting but the town is well lit by the bonfire as well as lanterns placed around where the feast is to be, a festive atmosphere dominating as people relax and socialise out from under the cloud of constant death and abduction. A cheer goes up as their lady and their heroes are seen to finally arrive. "Looks like we're just in time," Liamae smiles brightly as she dismounts.
[14:06] <@Rudy> "See, guys? This is what makes people coming at us with giant swords all worth it," remarks Rudy, for the benefit of Lucie and Henri alone.
[14:06] <@Henrietta> "It does?"
[14:07] <@Lucie> "My house, that's what makes it all worth it," Lucie says. "But this isn't bad."
[14:10] <@Rudy> "Apart from the money. I mean, risking life and limb just for cash? Who'd do that?"
[14:12] <@Ebiris> The party passes the evening well with everyone in a good mood, always quick to pass a drink or some food or just their thanks to the four who worked so hard to make the area a better place. It's starting to wind down, the fire burning low and letting some of Winter's chill return, Lady VanGaunt long since having retired and now people begin returning to their homes in twos and threes. It's as things quiet down that Rudy has a chance to ask Liamae what's on his mind...
[14:15] <@Rudy> "Liiiiiaaaaaa! They have fed me so full of rum that just about anything is possible!" proclaims Rudy, as he approaches her. "Let's talk about getting disgustingly rich!"
[14:17] <@Ebiris> "Haha, whaddya want, you lush?" Liamae giggles back, patting the bench next to her.
[14:19] <@Rudy> "I wanna know when a giant rock full of money is gonna hit this green earth!" he replies, taking a seat right up next to her.
[14:21] <@Ebiris> "About two weeks," Liamae responds, waggling her palm flat in the air before her. "Been too busy running around fighting to make any observations lately, though! I should narrow it down in a couple of days if we don't go running off again."
[14:23] <@Lucie> Lucie has acquired a chair--she's not sure where it came from possibly someone's house--near enough to hear and participate in this discussion, if perhaps needing to speak rather loudly to do so (though in truth she looks inclined to do that anyway). "We're not going anywhere next couple days," she says, being just sober enough to predict: "Too hungover."
[14:23] <@Rudy> "Yeah I reckon we're mostly done," he replies. "Cut the head of that group so what're the rest gonna do, anyway?"
[14:25] <@Ebiris> "Yeah," Liamae nods agreeably. "Can't do anything tonight after allla this," she leans forward over the table, propping her head up on her elbow. "But tomorrow I'll totally have a look!"
[14:31] <@Rudy> "So... two weeks out here. How're we gonna fill the time?" wonders Rudy.
[14:33] <@Ebiris> "Go fishing?" Liamae suggests lazily.
[14:33] <@Lucie> "She who's still out there in the woods?" Lucie suggests, lit well by the bonfire and looking happy about its proximity, adding hopefully: "Dryads and nymphs, maybe?"
[14:33] <@Lucie> *see
[14:34] <@Rudy> "You want to go hit on weird magic forest things when there are so many girls right here?"
[14:35] * @Henrietta drifts towards Rudy in time to hear that, and frowns. "A dryad is not weird! Or a thing!"
[14:36] <@Lucie> "No, no," Lucie corrects Rudy with a wave. "I figure we look around and make sure there's no goons still making trouble...but if, you know, we happen to find weird magic forest things while we're doing this, well, that's not a bad thing, right? I mean, yeah, there's lots of girls here, but they've got fathers around.""
[14:37] <@Rudy> "So? That's not a big deal for you," points out Rudy. "They ain't got a chance of showing up at your door a year down the track with a wailing brat."
[14:38] <@Ebiris> "Haha, that the voice of experience talking?" Liamae teases.
[14:38] <@Lucie> "No, but it is if he chases me around town with a club."
[14:39] <@Henrietta> "I am of half a mind to chase the two of you with a club!"
[14:40] <@Lucie> "Henri," Lucie says, fixing a lazy eye on the other woman, "you sound like someone who hasn't had enough to drink."
[14:40] <@Rudy> "Or maybe someone who's had too much?"
[14:41] <@Lucie> "There's only one way to find out."
[14:41] <@Henrietta> "There is?" she asks, briefly confused.
[14:41] <@Rudy> "You're not going to kiss her, are you?"
[14:42] <@Lucie> "Drink more. See what happens," Lucie clarifies, shaking her head at Rudy. "Only if she wants me to."
[14:43] <@Henrietta> "Hmph." There is plenty of rum left, and Henrietta is more than happy to drain a mug rather than face any creative alternatives.
[14:44] <@Rudy> Rudy shakes his head. "Anyway, I ain't got no brats. But if I did, I'd raise them right, I would," he decides. "It's easier when you're well off, I'll bet."
[14:45] <@Lucie> "Sure it is," Lucie says, "you can pay someone else to watch 'em for you."
[14:45] <@Ebiris> "That's the ticket," Liamae agrees, pushing herself up and going to get a refill.
[14:46] <@Rudy> "That's genius, that is!"
[15:01] <@Ebiris> A few days past in easy rest with no trouble coming. After making some observations on her telescope, Liamae comes to the conclusion that the meteor is going to strike a region five miles wide on the Eastern side of the lake, with Illie's tree happening to find itself just inside that zone, with impact due around two hours after midnight in ten days. "It matches up pretty well with my initial observations months ago, so I'm pleased by that. Shame about the dryad, though," she opines over breakfast the next day, a rather plain and slightly lumpy porridge. "And if it hits the lake, which there's a very small chance of, the town could end up swamped."
[15:03] <@Rudy> "We should take some precautions," notes Rudy. "If you've got the day roughly down, we could move the villagers to a safer place for a while until it pans out."
[15:04] * @Lucie frowns. "Can't she just leave? As for the town, well--" she shrugs. "I don't know, set up a wall of sandbags or something? Just in case. They've got time to build up something."
[15:04] <@Henrietta> "Can we build some sort of... a dam, I suppose, like those villains had?" Henrietta asks Rudy. "Evacuating the town right after what happened just feels terrible."
[15:06] <@Rudy> "If we get them to pitch in, sure," replies Rudy. "I'll talk to Jellica about it." He shrugs. "Not sure about the dryad. We can't just, like, move the tree, can we? Not without killing it."
[15:07] <@Ebiris> Liamae just shrugs. "Don't think so. At best she can move a few hundred feet from her tree, but that doesn't help her since if the tree dies so does she."
[15:07] <@Lucie> "It's a big tree," Lucie recalls. "Maybe some of your rock buddies can sort of lift it up out of the ground and then it gets hauled someplace else?"
[15:08] <@Rudy> "We could dig it out, but won't that kill it?" He sighs. "I guess we should just ask the dryad, right?"
[15:09] <@Lucie> "Don't see any other choice," Lucie says with a nod. "We try it and maybe she dies, we don't try it and surely she dies."
[15:09] <@Henrietta> "What sort of danger will her tree be in if the meteor just hits somewhere nearby?" Henrietta asks.
[15:12] <@Ebiris> "That tree's got to be at least thirty tons," Liamae points out, "There's a reason lumberjacks cut trees apart before moving them." Turning to Henrietta she shrugs, "Hard to say, a lot of earth will be thrown up when it strikes. Not enough to bury the tree, I think, though. The pressure waves could knock it down, on the other hand, or set it on fire from the heat. Plus there's the possibility of monsters being inside of it."
[15:13] <@Henrietta> "If we build some sort of shelter around Illie's tree, might it help?"
[15:13] <@Lucie> "Does that usually happen with these things?" Lucie wonders. "The monsters, I mean."
[15:14] <@Ebiris> "About one in five?" Liamae hazards, "Higher odds the bigger they are, but small meteorites can still have eggs and things in them. This one's on the bigger side."
[15:16] <@Rudy> "It might... but I couldn't do it myself. We'd need men and material," replies Rudy, after a moment. "Stone, ideally."
[15:17] <@Lucie> "Any chance we could find any of the things we need out there in the forest?" Lucie says. "Be easier not having to haul it all out there."
[15:19] <@Ebiris> "I've no idea," Liamae admits with a shrug. "But that's a big tree is all I'm saying."
[15:20] <@Rudy> "Yeah..." Rudy shakes his head. "The dragons might be able to move it? MAybe?"
[15:21] * @Henrietta shudders. "Do you want to ask them? They breathe fire! Real fire! On top of, well, wanting to abduct people!"
[15:22] <@Lucie> "Sure. If we can find them. And talk to them. And they don't want to eat us or take us home and make us pets. You know, that last when we met might not be too happy with us after we pointed somewhere might not have been the right direction." Lucie shrugs. "But I guess it's that or we drag people out of Lessmus to do it. And I don't see that happening."
[15:22] <@Rudy> "It makes more sense than shooting it from your hands," mutters Rudy.
[15:22] <@Ebiris> "Hey!" Liamae frowns.
[15:23] <@Henrietta> "Hey!" Henrietta joins her.
[15:27] <@Lucie> "I'm not happy about seeing one of those again," Lucie says. "But I'm not hearing any other ideas."
[15:28] <@Rudy> "Maybe there's some weird dryad magic that she can do! I'm hoping on that one," voices Rudy.
[15:28] <@Lucie> "Only way to know's asking," Lucie says with a shrug.