03. No, we need the Fyrbloats

[Corwin]

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[17:52] <Kallen> Around ten in the evening, Phi and Charlie trudge back to the winterwatch's home. Handspan, as always, seems to be puttering about his workshop, tinkering with some kind of maze; a marbel within rolls up hills and stalls once it reaches the top, slapping Newton right in the face. "Ah, Charles! Phi! I'm afraid it's only you two tonight," he reports, peering up and staring down his nose at them.
[17:53] <Phi> "Oh, um. I...I didn't hurt Ivy that bad, did I?" Phi is wearing his glasses again, and looks like he's repenting over his actions last night.
[17:53] <Phi> "What happened to...Alan, wasn't it?"
[17:54] <Kallen> "No, she had something personal to attend to," he replies, squinting down at Phi. "Ah, Alan! I'm afraid he's still asleep, and unnaturally so, by my reckoning."
[17:54] <Charlie> "Recuperating, I bet - ah?  Oh dear."
[17:57] <Phi> "Um. That's...bad. They aren't getting into him through his dreams, are they?"
[17:57] <Kallen> "Gareth- the doctor man, you know him," he continues, referring to a darkling physician who aids the Winterwatch when goblin fruits are not enough. "Was around earlier, you see. The boy's in there, with all these tubes and things to keep him breathing." He rubs his head. "The Jager's work, no doubt. Always had a hand with nightmares, that one- and well, Phi..."
[17:57] <Kallen> "...only one way to find out, isn't there?"
[17:57] <Phi> "They can probably do that. They're watching. Always..." Phi glances off into the distance, fear written onto his face.
[17:58] * Phi gulps. "Just the two of us?"
[17:58] * Charlie just smiles.
[17:59] <Kallen> Handspan laughs, a nasal, cracking sound. "Oh no, no!" With a leg, he reaches for the beams of the basement, and suspends himself in the air, swinging back and forth. "We can't get in his dreams without a pledge, you see. And the poor lad is in no state to make any. Or, should I say, *this* Alan isn't in a state."
[18:00] * Charlie stops smiling.
[18:01] <Phi> "We don't...we aren't meant to make a deal with his fetch, are we?"
[18:01] <Charlie> "Oh, no, Handspan, no.  That doesn't even work.  We're NOT dealing with THAT."
[18:07] <Kallen> "You're not?" replies Handspan, craning his neck. "The boy's trapped in something, make no mistake. I've already been trying the Dreaming Contracts myself- to no effect. Always yanked away, they are, with only the barest glimpses."
[18:10] <Phi> "So, um. How can we help?"
[18:11] <Charlie> "Well, that's a shame.  Maybe we should try the Waking Contracts instead.  Trying to pledge with one of their things will do jack-all to help though!  You might as well name your cat 'Alan' and pledge food to it."
[18:18] <Kallen> "Ah, don't be such a spoilsport, Charles! There's more than one way to skin a cat. That there fetch doesn't need to like what he's swearing, as long as he swears it. Worst comes to worst- well, I know your work, I do." Handspan frowns, though it seems a smile when his head is upside-down.
[18:19] <Phi> "...You've, um, done the ground work, right? We aren't expected to go out and capture him. We can't be. That's crazy."
[18:20] <Charlie> "Crazy part's in expecting this to work at all.  Dolls aren't people."  Charlie's practically glowering.
[18:24] <Kallen> "True enough, Charles. I'd say that the boy in the bed is a person, though, and there's something strong in there that isn't letting us see his dreams- let alone wake up. Unless you'd prefer to ask his keeper directly? Or make enquiries with yon goblins, though the two may have the same end?"
[18:28] <Phi> "H-He's got a point. Do you know the source of the curse?"
[18:29] <Charlie> "Talking to the doll may as well be asking them directly, ever think of that?  Not to mention the implications!  We do this and that's like saying everyone should keep their dolls around, in case it happens to them.  Surely there's some other way.  Call the Autumners, they'll know something."
[18:36] <Phi> "Well, it's, uh, not my specialty. I deal with downloading, not dreaming...
[18:36] <Phi> "
[18:37] <Kallen> "Almost certainly the Jager. He'd not have had time to make entanglements with others during his waking moments, present company excluded," replies Handspan, frowning. "Set the fearful court on it, and we'll soon have a dozen different probables, each less likely than the last! If the boy sleeps, he dreams, and that be the fastest way to learn something more- concrete... bah!"
[18:41] * Charlie growls. "You haven't even asked? You haven't even asked. But you'll ask ME to... oh hell with it. Phi, you're good at the internets, right? Can you look for - I don't know, something, some other way here?"
[18:44] <Phi> "On the net? That's a risk - for every genuine incantation and spell that you find there, there's a thousand that're just random self-help nonsense. If we've got nothing else to do, though...I guess I could try."
[18:44] <Phi> "Though...can we even form a contract across the internet?"
[18:46] <Charlie> "Well, you don't seem interested in holding the duct tape, and I'm not interested in dealing with dolls.  If you've any ideas I'm listening."
[18:47] <Phi> Phi sighs. "...Do you have an internet connection around here?"
[18:50] <Kallen> "I would put anything to be possible with these newfangled devices," mutters Handspan. "Aye, you set to your toil, then. They have all those things upstairs- you'd know your way, I'd say."
[18:53] * Charlie mutters something to the tune of "if it doesn't work give us the address but you will owe me so many expletiving favors" and stalks upstairs with Phi.
[18:53] * Phi sits down at a the first computer he can find, accessing every trustworthy site about the occult he knows for advice.
[18:55] <Kallen> OOC: Make an occult+intelligence check?
[18:56] <Phi> roll 3d10
[18:56] * Hatbot --> "Phi rolls 3d10 and gets 17." [3d10=2, 10, 5]
[18:56] <Phi> roll 1d10
[18:56] * Hatbot --> "Phi rolls 1d10 and gets 7." [1d10=7]
[19:03] <Kallen> Phi does manage to locate a large assortment of trash in his meanderings through the more dubious side of the internet, though he does come across some suggestions within some sites relating to folk cures, and the like, speaking of princes and paupers alike who fell into deep sleeps upon returning from the woods. In a few stories, strange incenses and herbs were used to drive them awake-
[19:03] <Kallen> -but none are mentioned by name or source.
[19:04] <Phi> "Gah. Can I get a little more time on this one?" Phi feels like he's on the verge of figuring something out...
[19:05] * Charlie nods, tapping his fingers on the desk. "Progress?"
[19:06] <Phi> "There's a common theme in these stories - it's always some spice or incense that wakes people up. I just need a name..."
[19:08] <Charlie> 5d10
[19:08] * Hatbot --> "Charlie rolls 5d10 and gets 32." [5d10=1, 10, 3, 8, 10]
[19:08] <Charlie> 2d10
[19:08] * Hatbot --> "Charlie rolls 2d10 and gets 13." [2d10=6, 7]
[19:15] <Kallen> Charlie does recall that there is a particular goblin fruit- Fyrbloats, a kind of oversized, sagging red berry- that can be either eaten or smoked, and made into a potent caffiene. It is quite strong, and can leave people unable to keep up with their own bodies- but perhaps it can also be used to awaken a sleeping man. (More)
[19:19] <Kallen> As with all such fruits, however, it can only be found within the Hedge. Exactly where, he is not sure- asking the native denizens of the hedge could provide a clue, and it may also be for sale at a goblin market (although the price at such affairs could be near-anything.)
[19:21] <Charlie> "Name, name.  Fyrbloats?  Sound familiar?  Might work, anyway, if we can get some.  Probably we'll have to deal with goblins, but hmmm..."  Charlie muses.  "Check anyhow, and then let's call Ivy, she might know an imp that knows an imp..."
[19:22] <Phi> "Oh, yeah, that one. Think I tried it once when I went to a LAN party...never again."
[19:23] <Charlie> "Tried it?  Where'd you get it?"
[19:25] <Phi> "Well, I was sort of on duty the next morning, so the Court wanted me wide awake and offered me it. It worked - I don't think I slept for the next three days or so. Dunno if I could get one on short notice, though."
[19:26] <Charlie> "Try anyway!  Worth asking!"
[19:27] <Phi> "Hmm. Lemme see if my local contact's online..."
[19:37] <Kallen> Most of the autumn court is significantly older than Phi, but there's a couple of other young changelings who are always up around this time. 'Fyrbloat? We're fresh out! If you wanted Marrowroot or Fenixdawn, that'd be something else, but we can't get that to you, even if we wanted. Weren't going to go plucking until spring...'
[19:39] <Phi> "Gah, no luck. Looks like we need to get someone to lurk around the hedge...unless we have to do it ourselves, but I'd rather not..."
[19:43] <Charlie> "Course we have to do it ourselves.  You'd rather not, eh?"
[19:45] <Phi> "Of course not. If she can see me anywhere, it'll be there...but if it's that or getting thrown on the streets, I guess I don't have a choice, do I?"
[19:46] <Charlie> "We were in just the other day and it wasn't that bad, now was it?  Come on, Phi, you can do this, no need to be scared.  Confidence is half the battle."
[19:49] * Phi takes a few deep breaths. "O...Okay. Sorry."
[19:49] <Phi> "It's just...last night...she saw me. Not with her eyes, but through him."
[19:51] <Charlie> "Eh?  What are you talking about?"
[19:54] <Phi> "You know. Better than any of us. Your face, your eyes, but it isn't you."
[19:54] <Phi> "He's not just aware, he's working with her."
[19:55] <Charlie> "... yours is still around?  Shit, son.  I'm sorry.  I didn't know.  Another thing to do, then..."
[19:57] <Phi> "...Is it that easy?"
[20:00] <Charlie> "Yes." Charlie replies, perhaps a bit too emphatically for comfort.  "Anyway, that actually makes things easy.  I thought they were working through the dolls, and if you're sure, then I'm right.  I don't know what Handspan was thinking.  'Go pledge with Alan's' my ass.  No, we need the Fyrbloats."
[20:00] <Phi> "So...the Hedge, then?"
[20:00] <Phi> Phi is squirming in his seat...
[20:01] <Charlie> "Yes.  Not without backup, though.  Look..." Charlie fishes out his phone.  "Here's Ivy's number, call her up."
[20:03] <Phi> "S-Sure." Phi pulls out a cellphone, quickly typing in Ivy's number and waiting for a response...
[20:39] * Ivy answers on the third ring with a "Yes?"
[20:48] <Phi> "Uh, hey, Ivy? It's Phi. Just wondering, could you make it to the library any time soon? We've got business..."
[20:50] <Ivy> "Not another runner, I hope? I'm afraid I'm tapped out, if so."
[20:50] <Phi> "No, not a runner. But it's the Hedge...picking some fruit, if you know what I mean."
[20:52] * Ivy pauses briefly, considering. "If it's just that, I can contribute. Would you like me to pick you up at the library with a cab?"
[20:53] * Charlie coughs from behind Phi. "We can take my car this time."
[20:53] <Ivy> "Ah, then I am reassured!" Ivy chirps. "I will arrive as soon as I can manage it."
[20:54] <Phi> "...Yeah, maybe we should let Charlie drive this time. And sorry about yesterday. When the glasses come off, I sort of lose it..."
[20:54] <Ivy> "It's quite alright. My paralysis was not a permanent one."

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