**** BEGIN LOGGING AT Tue May 24 00:21:07 2022 May 24 00:21:07 * MollyK (~igloo@CrystabllesiPad.lan) has joined May 24 00:26:02 * MollyK has quit (Read error: EOF from client) May 24 10:40:27 * Morgan has quit (Quit: Leaving) May 24 13:57:20 * MollyK (~igloo@CrystabllesiPad.lan) has joined May 24 14:00:43 * MollyK has quit (Read error: EOF from client) May 24 20:16:23 * MollyK (~igloo@CrystabllesiPad.lan) has joined May 24 20:21:15 * MollyK has quit (Read error: EOF from client) May 24 22:21:00 * Morgan (~mads@news-iMac.lan) has joined May 24 22:24:24 * MollyK (~igloo@CrystabllesiPad.lan) has joined May 24 22:24:37 [21:54:56] MollyK: ((AIM for pace or to preserve the horse's strength?)j May 24 22:24:52 ((the latter)) May 24 22:26:12 *it is slow, very dark, and starts to lightly snow after he's been riding about four hours. He hasn't seen anyone for a long time now May 24 22:26:44 * Morgan half dozes in the saddle May 24 22:27:54 *he starts to feel like he is being watched, maybe even tailed* May 24 22:28:37 * Morgan checks his surroundings May 24 22:29:31 *there are some dancing lights in the forest* May 24 22:30:42 * Morgan watches them for a minute May 24 22:31:36 *they aren't getting closer, but they move almost like moths would, flying around each other* May 24 22:32:46 * Morgan frowns, nudging his horse into movement again, keeping an eye on the lights May 24 22:34:01 *they stay roughly parallel to him as he travels May 24 22:35:08 * Morgan sighs, muttering May 24 22:35:13 alright, what do you want? May 24 22:35:34 *there's no answer May 24 22:36:07 * Morgan turns the horse towards them May 24 22:36:13 I don't have time for this May 24 22:37:31 *he will have to pick his way through some trees to reach them May 24 22:37:54 * Morgan climbs down, grumbling as he ties the horse May 24 22:38:44 *they move around, but don't progress further along the road May 24 22:39:25 * Morgan moves through the trees May 24 22:40:17 *the lights are close now. He can hear the rustling of wings May 24 22:41:19 * Morgan stops, leaning against a tree May 24 22:42:42 *about five of the lights come closer May 24 22:43:03 * Morgan watches them May 24 22:45:26 *he starts to make out that they appear to be little human-like creatures, perhaps six or eight inches high, with delicate wings most like transparent butterflies. They radiate light from their bodies May 24 22:45:53 now what on Theah are you May 24 22:46:23 *they don't answer, but they come closer May 24 22:46:52 Not big talkers, huh May 24 22:48:13 *three come right up to him. They're beautiful in an androgynous way, impossible to tell the males and females apart May 24 22:48:49 * Morgan slowly holds out a hand, palm up May 24 22:49:16 *one lands on it, looking unafraid May 24 22:49:40 * Morgan looks it over May 24 22:50:38 *it is very pretty, and much like a perfectly made person, just tiny. It watches Morgan back May 24 22:51:07 now who are you, hmmm? May 24 22:52:04 *it smiles, then flies off his hand. It and the two others fly just out of reach, as if waiting for him to follow May 24 22:52:17 * Morgan nods slightly, moving towards them May 24 22:52:45 *they lead him into the woods deeper May 24 22:53:22 * Morgan repeatedly checks his surroundings as he follows May 24 22:54:36 *its just trees. The whole group of them seems to be following along to a clearing May 24 22:56:34 * Morgan steps into the clearing May 24 23:00:17 *time seems to slow, and several things seem to happen at the same time. The forest lights up. An owl shrieks at it. His horse makes a sound of alarm at the sudden noise. Morgan's automatic glance towards his mount makes him trip over something and hit the ground just as the strange miniature light folk all fly towards him. He sees from his vantage May 24 23:00:18 point on the floor that he has tripped over a half covered bone, and there are others around the clearing forming a circle. May 24 23:00:57 * Morgan scrambles to his feet May 24 23:01:55 *the winged creatures swarm him. He feels a couple of sharp bites on his exposed skin May 24 23:02:19 * Morgan concentrates, trying to heat the air around him May 24 23:02:57 *this makes it harder to breathe, but does cause them to back off a little May 24 23:03:49 * Morgan watches them, before glancing round to look for a small branch May 24 23:04:34 *he spots one at a forty five degree angle from the ground May 24 23:05:00 * Morgan moves towards it, picking it up May 24 23:05:43 *the creatures try to get closer again. The other end of the stick is resting in the picked-clean eye socket of a smooth, shiny human skull May 24 23:06:10 * Morgan pulls the stick, holding it up May 24 23:06:58 Unfortunately, little ones, there are more dangerous things than you in the woods tonight May 24 23:07:33 *a few of the very bravest come to within a foot of him* May 24 23:07:50 * Morgan concentrates on the far tip of the branch, hard May 24 23:08:43 *it erupts into flame. The owl shrieks again, and even the creatures shy away from it May 24 23:10:18 * Morgan starts to pick his way back towards the horse, slowly May 24 23:11:04 *the torch keeps them at bay, and closer to the road they stop following him May 24 23:11:40 * Morgan hurls the branch back into the trees, concentrating on the creatures May 24 23:14:41 *they catch alight, zig zagging through the dark night, making an awful shrieking noise that should like tiny screams. A few fly past him, an awful smell of burning human flesh, a smell that he knows too well May 24 23:15:26 * Morgan nods to himself, untying the horse and climbing back into the saddle May 24 23:16:08 *one by one they drop to the forest floor, and little fires are started by their immolation May 24 23:16:40 * Morgan concentrates on putting them out before going to look at one of the little bodies May 24 23:17:43 *he manages to find one that is not very burnt but still dead May 24 23:18:19 * Morgan puts it in a pouch on his belt before checking the fires are all out May 24 23:18:58 *they are* May 24 23:19:18 * Morgan gets on his horse, nudging it into motion once more May 24 23:21:22 *the horse is skittish now, and much harder to control for the next hour. There are no more lights, and the odd dwelling they pass on the way is dark. It's easily eleven o'clock now,another hour or two until he will arrive in Seeufer. The trees are thinning now, and soon the open, ruined fields where the War had come will be around him May 24 23:22:09 * Morgan sings quietly to himself, rubbing the horses neck as he rides May 24 23:24:32 *he realises the last time he travelled alone like this must have been back in April, riding back from Londinium to the cottage he was about to start living in with his mistress, only to have an epiphany a few days later and propose. Since then he has always done such journeys with Molly, his Father, or one of his friends. May 24 23:25:13 cant say I like this much...\ May 24 23:26:43 *an owl hoots unexpectedly, but unlike in the clearing, there is no sense of things slowing down or happening at once. That had been very similar to when Molly got injured accidentally during Pott's duel* May 24 23:27:08 * Morgan frowns May 24 23:27:11 thats... odd May 24 23:29:18 *Nothing odd happens the rest of the way, and it is around half after one when he arrives exhausted In Seeufer. The town does looks slightly better in the Objectionist areas than before, clearly Faulk's intervention to stop the religious prejudice of Isiah has helped May 24 23:30:31 * Morgan sets about finding a room May 24 23:32:43 *he goes to the Drachen's Eye tavern where he and Molly stayed on honeymoon. The stable has an empty stall but all the grooms must be in bed. He has to bed the horse down himself, the stall is probably big enough for him to sleep in it too, the hay not too dirty May 24 23:35:12 * Morgan tries to get comfortable May 24 23:37:12 *he just about manages, but it is a very far cry from a soft warm bed with Molly beside hims and singing him to sleep* May 24 23:40:07 * Morgan tries to get to sleep May 24 23:43:19 * MollyK has quit (Read error: EOF from client)