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[thequestgiver]

Where: The Two Faced Forest
When: Starting Dusk on the 20th of Rebirth's Height and ending in the morning
What: The Forest reacts to the New Moon




Even the natives to the Kingdom who had been out and about during the day closed up shop early as it started to get dusk. Windows were shuttered, doors barred and an eerie hush fell over the down. Dark clouds had started to roll in, obscuring the few stars that were trying in vane to fill the void that the moon's absence had left, the land laying utterly still in the darkness.

Those who were in a position to see the Forest just outside the boundaries of the city would notice something strange: or rather a strange lack. The magical thorns that nightly grew to cover the edge of the forest, keeping intruders out and horrors with in had not grown. With no moonlight to trigger their transformation from harmless shrubs to formidable wall, there was no barrier between those who ruled the night and those who feared it.

Dare you walk the streets tonight, heroes? Will you stand guard at the walls and watch the shadows bleed out of the woods like ink across a pond? Or will you hide inside where it is safe, where the wards and spells so diligently held up month after month would protect you from the creatures that roam the land forsaken by the light?

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[consultmybooks]

Giles was already lingering at the edge of the Two Faced Forest when the sun began to set. He'd made plans with Olindra yesterday to investigate tonight, and - given the strangeness of the land and the increasing, suffocating tension that seemed to have gripped the town all day - the need seemed to be even greater now than it had been then.

The ghost waits under the trees that mark the edge of the woods, waiting as the sun slowly sinks out of sight and covers the world in darkness. When night has finally fallen, he turns and stares into the shadowy depths of the trees behind him.

He had not ventured near the forest last night, and so did not expect the change that did not come. Giles had heard enough about the thorns to inspire a good deal of wariness as it was, to say nothing of the people he's met that make him just as wary of being out alone, even like this. He wasn't expecting them this close to town, not yet.

"Olindra, for god's sake..."

Finally, with a deep breath, Giles makes to ease his way a little further into the woods.

[shorterinperson]

Alanna could never resist a good challenge. She stood guard at the walls, a crossbow in hand and her sword at her hip. She was ready for whatever might dare to come within range of her arrows.

[wanderwonder]

Olinda had come prepared. Giles knew her as a woman and for now, it would remain that way. To compensate, she'd purchased a few enchanted scrolls from the shop of a magician. The magician had been reluctant to take what little coin she had to offer, but a stern look and sharp words about whisking folks away from their homes had caused in him a change of heart.

She'd paused outside of the forest, startled that there were no oversized thorns encasing it from outsiders tonight. She waited. When it seemed like they had no plans of sprouting, she lit her torch and, curiosity overriding manners (hello, what about waiting for Giles?), edged inside.

She hadn't gone far, though. There was something especially eerie about the forest, and even she had just enough sense to realize continuing alone would be pretty stupid. So she backtracks, and in her path casts light on Giles' figure.

"Oh," is her greeting, because she is quite honestly surprised. "You are a spirit."

[consultmybooks]

Giles winces at the sudden brightness of her light, averting his gaze and tugging off his glasses for good measure. The bright, direct glow shows him for what he is, properly, thin and ragged around the edges and with a pale, washed out color to him that isn't found in the living.

"Yes," he grumbles. "Spirit, ghost, whatever word you prefer. That's, um, what this place has seen fit to, to leave me as. Even so." Here he moves to step out of the light, although he'll take care to remain visible to her. "I thought, um, that my present state might be somewhat helpful in this endeavor."

Or else what's the point? It has to be helpful to someone. It's certainly proving no help to him, beyond dodging pissed off gods. "Glad you could make it."

[wanderwonder]

There is the faintest trace of relief within her. A ghost could do her no harm. Not, at least, directly.

"This is strange," she says, casting a glance around the area. Silent, cold, but unmistakably alive. "It should be overgrown with large thorns, like the east." Her eyes return to Giles. "Have you spoken with the townsfolk?"

[consultmybooks]

Not directly. In so far as Giles has figured out what he can do over the last couple of days, not without permission, either.

"The, um, the same thorns? The same resistant thorns, I mean, that are supposed to be our chief threat? No one mentioned to me that they can come this far, o-or this close." He studies the ground beneath their feet, even more on his guard, now, as if expecting the thorns to creep up out of the shadows and trap them where they stand. "Certainly a complication, that..."

At the mention of the townsfolk, Giles heaves a tired sigh and massages away the memory of a headache.

"A few. No one would, um, would tell me anything useful. Just that the new moon is, i-is supposed to be cause for some alarm. I wasn't able to gather what the precise superstition associated with it was supposed to be."

[folklorist]

And here Helios will be with a glowing orb floating in hand as he makes his way closer and closer to said forest. He's had his trepidations on such things but perhaps this could lead to some clues about the ongoing threat of the thorns. He didn't know though and so...he decided to venture out that night. It was enough to make the townsfolk shut themselves inside and never speak a word, which was alarming, whatever magical powers this forest had was probably potent and possibly dangerous?

He didn't know but it was worth investigating and so he would. Be it by himself or with anyone else who needed assistance. At least he was easy enough to spot, what with the light being cast by his light. A double edge sword in this case but he's hoping the light will push back at least some of the eerily bleeding shadows that seem to have taken on a life of their own.

[wanderwonder]

She watches him massage his head, curious. Solid to himself, despite having no mass. "They were tight-lipped with me also."

There is pause as Olinda wonders what to do. Obviously something grave was expected to occur, but with the forest open like this, tonight was a chance for discovery.

"Shall we venture further or turn back?"

[trappedinatower]

Rapunzel had usually spent her nights out and just stared at the sky, but tonight was different. There was a new moon and this place she was sure seemed a little... different to say the least. She wasn't sure what exactly it was, but she knew she had to keep her trusty frying pan with her right now.

Holding on to her weapon tightly, she had started to make her way, unknowing of where exactly it was she was going to go, but it wasn't long before she potted a light in he distance. Curious about the source, she slowly but surely made her way over, her hands still grasped tightly around the frying pan.

[consultmybooks]

Giles considers their options. Venture further, or turn back? If Olindra was right, and this place was normally overgrown with thorns, they might not get another chance like this. On the other hand, this was suddenly unfamiliar territory for the both of them, which meant that if trouble struck...

"Forward. If this really is such an opportunity, we should, um, take s-some advantage of it, i-if we can. Probably shouldn't venture as deep as, as the heart of it, though. Not with only the two of us. Fairy tale forests after dark can be, well, incredibly dangerous places by design."

Even so, as he scans the way ahead, Giles knows that it's dark enough that there might not be a path to stay on anymore, much less one that could easily be followed out again. It's a gamble...but it might be a gamble that pays off.

[brosif]

"Snow told of this night." Sif came up beside Alanna, sword in hand. One silver lining to being turned into a horse: it seemed to have mended her broken bone. She would need both arms, tonight.

"But none of us knew what she was saying at the time. Premonitions are a very special brand of useless."

[shorterinperson]

Alanna huffed and nodded.

"They are difficult at best. Goddess knows they rarely do much good." Her own premonitions were always much the same: a special brand of useless. Tauntingly so.

[brosif]

"On Asgard, we have some who try at guessing the words of seers. I have never had any talent at it."

A low cry comes from the forest -- a beast, to be sure.

"But I do have talent for this. I will go towards the edge of the forest, this night. See that the homes around it are safe."

[wanderwonder]

For a moment, Olinda smiles, pleased by his choice. Then it fades into a thoughtful expression.

"There was a house of sweets here," she says, walking once more. If Giles was perceptive, he'd notice that there were no sounds of broken twigs or cracking leaves underfoot. "It belonged to a gruesome creature who meant to eat a child. Is that usual, with fairy tale forests?"

[shorterinperson]

She smiled grimly at her friend and ally.

"You won't be alone."

[brosif]

"Do you speak of the beasts or of yourself?"

The latter would certainly be more welcome.

[consultmybooks]

Eventually, it's something Giles probably will notice, if only because no such sounds are being made by him, and so any sounds of leaves disturbed or twigs broken should be all the more noticeable from her. But, as it stands, her question distracts him. He smiles grimly, despite himself. Here's a question he can answer, and here's a subject he does know about.

"Oh, yes. We, um, we don't have fairy tale forests back home, you understand, not as such, not unless someone's, um, m-made one with magic. We, we only have stories, taking place within them. But th-that one in particular is, um, very popular. They're, um, they're meant to teach lessons. The stories, I mean. Especially to children."

[consultmybooks]

"Hello?"

The orb of light guiding Helios' way will soon show a familiar phantom at the very edge of the trees, lingering at the entrance to the forest. Giles winces as the light grows brighter at Helios' approach, raising a hand to shield his eyes until they can adjust.

Once they have, he walks over to the other. Giles finally sees who else has come to investigate, and looks faintly surprised...less to see him there, and more for what he's carrying.

"I'm not sure I can remember the last time I saw you carrying a sword."

He's...also not at all sure if he was ever certain that Helios could fight.

[shorterinperson]

"Myself, of course." The beasts would be there too, but they weren't very good company.

[brosif]

“Excellent. You are certainly a better conversationalist.”

At least, as far as Sif is aware. She has never had an actual conversation with any of the beasts she has slain. There was an incident with a Banshee, but that was less a dialogue and more of a torture.

“I will lead a small group towards the forest within the hour. I would have you assist me in command.”

[shorterinperson]

"I should hope so," she replied with a snort, "though I've been told otherwise." By people she would argue are much worse conversationalists and care far too much about silly things.

"I would gladly help you," she confirmed with a nod.

[ladysarmour]

She slips between wooden dens of men and into the woods, following this strange new scent that's been growing stronger on the wind all day. Here is woodland she hasn't explored yet, and the dark of night serves no obstacle to her sharp eyes. Something in the forest sets her fur to bristling, her hackles to rising, but it has a lure to it even so: a wildness she can taste on the air and hear in the howl of the wind through the trees.

One moment Sansa is slumped over in the little chair in her room, head pillowed in her arms; the next she wakes cold and stiff in a bed of leaves on the forest floor with no idea of how she got there. Terror surges up within her immediately; her stomach churns, and she stares wildly about, her body gripped by immobility. It's dark as pitch, with no moon or stars to see by. Somewhere nearby, a wolf howls, and rather than unsettling Sansa the sound sets her at ease. A deep breath, a summon of calm, then: the bark is rough beneath her hands as she pulls herself to her feet, clutching the tree for support.

"Hello?" she calls, keeping her voice hushed. "Lady?"

[ooc: Italics are Sansa's direwolf Lady ]

Time Skip!

[brosif]

“Good men! You are not the finest that this kingdom has to offer. You have been left behind at the castle while those swifter, stronger, and smarter than you have been sent forth to combat the thorns. But by this night’s end, that well may change! Perhaps you will grow from this. You will hold your heads up higher, no longer a shame to your family.”

Her speech did not seem to be rousing the troops like it would have on Asgard. Odd. With equal fervor, she carried on.

“Or perhaps you will be granted a glorious death! Songs will be written of the small men who threw themselves at the giant, flaming, limb-rending beasts in sacrifice!”

Still nothing. Not even a single cheer. Sif looked over the crowd as if they emitted a foul stench – which some of them truly did. She turned towards Alanna.

“Do they understand the common tongue?”

[shorterinperson]

Alanna was short to begin with. By the end of Sif's 'inspiring' speech, she wished she could shrink into the earth itself. No such luck. She turned to Sif, flushing slightly, and gave her an odd look.

"Perhaps they would be more enthusiastic if you weren't insulting their strength and telling them they will die."

[brosif]

“Really? I mean no offense.”

She sounded genuinely surprised. That sort of thing normally did the trick for the reserve troops on Asgard. The promise of honor and a good death!

“What else should I say?”