Year 2947: Theft of the Moon

[Vladim]

As the path continued its strange, winding course, there was some strangeness to it - the woods... Breathed here. It wasnt like Mirkwood, where the canopy threatened to choke the air from your lungs, the trees of limbs scratching at anything they could reach, the very air hostile and threatening - the trees were green, and the air was cool and calm. Squirrels could be seen on the path, utterly unafraid of the travelers, but never had even one left the path they traveled, except for in the uppermost reaches of the trees. Here and there, flowers sprouted along the path, though now, some of them seemed to have been stomped on. Just ahead, beyond the bend, there was a small grove with a ringing, clear sound of running water - a small waterfall, and a house beside it. The house itself had been somewhat of a marvel of construction in how it continued standing - more of a hut, than anything. Clay slapped atop tree trucks used as walls, a straw roof with a nice chimney with a thin line of smoke coming from it. Several dried bouquets of flowers and herbs hung from under the roof's edge, drying. An old woman sat on the veranda in a rocking chair, smoking a pipe, and engrossing herself in a large book yellowed with time.

There were... a few things off with the picture, however.

A large crow sat perched on the chair's armrest - any who looked at it could easily tell this was the same one that followed the company. Then there was the door... it was half-open, so it was difficult to see, but anyone who came forward would be able to tell that there was a large dried spider nailed to the door with what looked like a spear's tip. Granted, it was not quite the size of Mirkwood spiders the company fought before - no door would endure the weight of that monstrosity - but it was... sizable - at least as big as Uthred. The crow cawed loudly as the company walked into the clearing; the old woman winced, shushing at it, then shutting the book with a loud 'click', and turning to the company, gave a friendly little wave and a smile. "Hello hello! Welcome to Old Mab's place. Not often I get visitors, but nowadays, whole crowds, hmm? Well... You seem more polite than the last bunch, anyway." She HMPHed loudly.

[Vladim]

As the hut came into view - seemingly out of nowhere - Nori slowed his progression along the path to stop and examine the shack. He places his thumbs under the straps of his sack to relieve a bit of the pressure on his shoulders while his eyes searched the near-crumbling facade. It's then he catches a glimpse of the smoke from the pipe of the woman in the chair. Setting his jaw firm, he looks towards his companions as if to see if any of them were overly wary about approaching. It's the old crone's statement about the prior group, however, that brings his attention back to her and seems to firm his resolve about approaching her.

Cautiously moving towards the house, stopping about ten feet out - most likely a comfortable and safe distance in his mind - he calls out to the woman with a bit of jest in his voice, "We've been known to use our pleases and thank yous." The right corner of his mouth moves upwards on his face, but is completely hidden behind that woolly beard of his. To most observers, it just looks like the hairs on his face shifted briefly. "You mentioned some others? About how long ago did they pass?" Nori intently watches the old woman's reaction to his question, judging her response and trying to garner some impressions about her insight on the prior group.

[Vladim]

When they arrive in front of that wood hut, Fundor is relieved : not another dark tree ! But when he sees the spider hanging on the door, Fundor wonders if the woman would be able to do that herself. If not, it means that somebody else's living here, for sure. The dwarf keeps himself aware and try to catch anything abnormal. He lets Nori doing the talking,, he'll speak only if needed.

[Vladim]

Idunn observed the old woman with a mixture of caution and curiosity. The Beornings at the Old Ford had said nothing of her, and finding one so old leaving so far from safety was suspicious to say the least. The hideous carapace of the dead spider only added to the huntress’ concerns. Slowly, and trying to be as stealthy as she could, she placed her hand on her axe’s handle, but she dared not ready the weapon. Then, leaning towards Gramtyng, she whispered to her companion: ’Odo did not speak of this woman. Be careful!’ she said, betraying the superstitious nature of her folk. ’She may put us under some spell!’

[Vladim]

The woman put away the book and took out a large pair of knitting needles and some kind of scarf-like thing. "Then you've been brought up right and proper by your ma, good for you!" She tapped her finger on her lips thoughtfully, furrowing her eyebrows: "How long, dear? Well... Certainly longer than a half-day... Vesna, that silly little girl just brought me tea - and I usually have my tea towards late evening, when the stars are out... but it could have been morning, I suppose? Maybe. Unless it was a Thursday - then it was definitely midday tea - cant just have your tea at night on a Thursday! Either way, they were quite rude!" She shrugged, returning to her knitting as if nobody was there.

When Idunn speaks, she looks up, somewhat alarmed, as if she'd forgotten the Company was there, then smiles gently at the huntress: "Ooh, you're friends of that young man's helper." She chuckled, returning to her knitting. "Dont usually go up here, Beornings... Well, most cant even find Old Mab, unless the need is dire. River folk - far more usual visitors. But even then..." She sighed, putting down her knitting. "As I was saying, terrible manner, those men. And you say thieves? Foolish, to steal from a bear. Dumber still, to threaten an old herbalist who weaves clothes for a living." She shook her head ruefully. "They've gone along the path..." Mab nodded at the woods behind her house. "But I dont think they'll be getting to their destination easily. The trees and animals - they dont like rude folks... And the spiders around here..." The old lady's face gets a disgusted grimace. Turning her attention to Idunn, she continues:

"The children of the Ford - well, young Beorn's people - most of them dont know I'm here. Like I said, they find Old mab when there's a need. But other than that, Mab and Vesna are alone, making remedies and my special cordial... Hmhm..." The cawed and she shut her eyes, nodding for a moment: "Yes... Perhaps that is for the best. " A light scraping sound attracted her attention and she turned, gently smiling: A small girl, no older than 10, stood at the door, smiling shyly. The woman beckoned her over and ruffled her hair, causing the girl to giggle, digging her face into the old woman's shawl. "There's my silly little helper! Meet Vesna."

 

Roll results

Aerwyn: There isnt much you can figure out from this old woman.
Nori: She seems very friendly - perhaps happy to have visitors. When she looks at the child, there is a genuine spark of kindness to her eyes.
Idunn: Though she calls Beorn 'young man' and doesnt make any recognition of Merovech, saying their names seems to have gotten her attention when she seemed just about ready to doze off.

[Vladim]

Somewhat confused, Idunn nevertheless knelt by the little girl, and introduced herself, for it would have been rude not to do so. ’Greetings, Vesna. I am Idunn, daughter of Theodwin. I come from far to the South, from Mountain-Hall.’

She pondered their predicament: the old woman appeared genuinely kind, though Idunn had never heard of her. But if wizards were good, like Radagast certainly was, then perhaps forest-witches were also kindly creatures. Idunn was curious, very curious indeed, but they could not linger here much longer: they had thieves to catch.

’We must be off to the Falrock.’ she finally said to the old woman, ’We have thieves to catch! But we are grateful for the information.’

Still, her curiosity would not leave her alone, and she spoke one parting question before following the path. ’You must seen many winters indeed, if you call Beorn young. Do you know much about Wilderland and Mirkwood?’

[Vladim]

Cilderic watches the conversation between the old woman an his companions. Knowing that polite conversation is much more the realm of others, Cilderic nods politely at the woman but then keeps back, letting the others do the talking.

Cilderic spends his time studying their surroundings, trying to figure out what this woman may be about.

[Vladim]

The dwarf seems a bit mystified by the overt kindness the woman seems to display. It's not a usual trait he experiences, especially out in the middle of nowhere and certainly not after dealing with the Beornings. It was quite disarming, which at first put Nori at ease, but soon thereafter put him on edge. Why was he feeling so comfortable about this exchange?

He lets the woman talk, uninterrupted, and then Idunn ask her question. However, before the woman can answer, Nori interjects himself into the conversation, asking her a second question that she might answer both in the same set of breaths. "And!..." the dwarf blurts out. "... excuse me," he then adds with a bit of a cough, remembering the old woman's note about manners. "... but, you said the trees and animals don't take kind of 'rude folk'." Nori glances to his companions briefly, seeing if they may have heard the same words he did before looking back to Old Mab. "... what exactly do they consider rude? We don't intend to cause trouble, but we don't want to find ourselves knee deep in it either."

[Vladim]

Gramtyng nodded slightly when Idunn had voiced her opinion of the woman, but made no other motion to do anything - certainly, it was suspicious, a cabin all the way out here, and an old woman with but a small child - not to mention the traces of spiders and the one hammered into her door but... Was he not the same? Grown up under the cursed mountain teeming with spirits of the dead, and considered cursed for simply being born there? He couldnt resent people who thought so superstitiously of him if his first impulse was to jump to the same conclusions. "Gramtyng son of Fastred, of Rohan, a bard." He gave a bow. He didnt see any malice in the old woman's eyes - especially not when she looked on the child, and found himself relaxing. "Forgive me for being impolite and blunt, but could I ask you, madam, how it is you manage to live out here? There's just so many spider webs a short distance away from this truly beautiful spot..."

---

The old woman chuckled a bit at the dwarf's questions and smile at Gramtyng's. She ruffled Vesna's hair one more time, and gave her a light clap on the back: "Run along, dear - fetch me some of my cordial, would you? I think three bottles would be good." The girl shyly waves to Idunn, mouthing something like "Hi!" before running back into the house, braid flailing. Old Mab addresses everyone in the order they asked her questions: "Idunn of Mountain Hall, I have been living in these woods for a long time - before the spiders got here. Many winters indeed..." She groaned slightly: "I've seen the Young Bear settle here. We dont chat much, but he and I have different concerns; he doesnt bother me, and me? How I bother him, anyway? Mirkwood..."

She shook her head: "I've seen much before I settled here in this little grove, and I dont care to leave it. I know the lore of this land from my younger days, and I get my news from my little helpers... So if you've questions, I may have answers. Nowadays, I'm content to sell clothes the folk who need them, and act as the local healer. As for Vesna..." She lowered her voice a bit, replying to the unspoken question: "Poor girl is an orphan of the Eafolc - they sent her to me bring her up and teach her remedies and herb-lore. She doesnt seem to like them much, so when she's ready, I'll send her along to Esgaroth." She shook her head scornfully in the direction of the wood, tut-ing at something. "Just because nobody wants to go back to you and yours..."

"Rudeness? Good dwarf, being nice to the trees and the animals is just like being good to anyone else - dont try to light a fire under them, or chop at them with an axe - though I think the good elf over there would give you an earful about that anyway..." Mab smiled at the dwarf's concern, waving her hand as if trying to get rid of his worries: "Hunting in this area... Well, I dont mind it, but I think I contributed to the reason the Young Bear forbade it. I enjoy mushrooms and fish, myself, meat no so much. As for fires, simply be careful where you light them and put them out afterward - ash helps the trees grow if you use the discarded limbs anyway." She at last turned her head to Gramtyng, looking at the bard with mild amusement for a while, studying his features: "One of the Eothed has returned home, I see... Welcome back, horseman. As for your question, there are some tricks still left in these land which even the elves do not know of. And spiders? They are are simple, malicious beasts, tainted by Shadow. They understand fear well enough; and know better than to threaten me or mine." She turned to look at the spider nailed to her door: "Some tricks are better than others for that... Ah, there's Vesna!"

The little girl runs out of the hut, holding three leather skins, with a wooden cork in each, emblazoned with a small image of a crow. She doesnt go to Mab, but to the Company, clearly having trouble carrying all three with her short arms. "Here!" She looks back at Mab after presenting the waterskins to the group, and she nods in approval. "My gift to you, travellers: I do not like those that disturb the peace of these lands any more than the Young Bear does. So, this is my contribution to peace - my Cordial, which should restore your strength should you be wounded in battle with those...Thugs. Stay on the road - it will lead you out of here and to the Falrock. But take care - you've less foes than you think waiting ahead, but more than you expect." Gramtyng's face brightens at these words: "I've heard of this stuff!" He exclaims excitedly: "When I was at the Eafolc's festival, they had let me try just a tinge of it - tastes great! I tried to buy some but it wasnt for sale..."

 

Mab's cordial

You got three leathern flasks containing three sips(each) of an amber liquid, concocted by Mab the Spinner. Sipping from the flask restores a number of Endurance points equal to the drinker’s Wisdom or Valour score (the highest) plus the roll of a Success die.

[Vladim]

Seing that the old woman and her little girl are apparently nothing else than what they look like, Fundor feels more confident that no trap is going on. He bows his head. Well ... hum... I'm Fundor, Dwarf of the Blue Mountains. I thank you deeply for your advices and gift. I'm sorry for my first distrustful attitude, our last encounter in a wood was very unpleasant and I feared another bad surprise.

[Vladim]

"Shadow...what do you know of the Shadow old woman?", averting his gaze from the surrounding forest to the home, to Vesna, to the old woman. Aerwyn knew of Sauron. But the woman; how could she. In disbelief, Aerwyn gritted his teeth, mustered a step forward with outstretched hand. Spoke again." I have seen before the dawn of this age of Middle Earth, Isengard, the Witch-King Angmar stood upon the open fields of Gondor. But of Gilgabad, Angmar and Sauron were defeated. While the Numoreon fled like the bitch he was, Elrond rose to bequeath the seat of Rivendell. "

[Vladim]

Idunn did not wish to interrupt Aerwyn, for despite his lack of courtesy, he was an elf, and also, she knew nothing of what he spoke. Yet when he said his part, she felt the need to express her gratitude, for the old lady had helped them, not only with her advice, but also with her gift.

’I too thank you for this,’ she said. Clearly, the old woman was more than she seemed: an ancient creature, perhaps, but a benevolent one.

’Please,’ she continued, ’there is one more matter where the knowledge of one so learned could help me. I am a huntress, and I have tracked these thieves for many days, but I also seek another quarry: the Beast of Mirkwood. Like you, the creature is ancient, and it has plagued my people, the Woodmen, for many centuries. And…’ she added, ’it has done me a great injustice, for the creature took the life of my betrothed and of my friends. I seek the Beast, but neither my elders nor the elvenking will help me, so I stand alone, with no-one else but my companions.’

By this point, the huntress was visibly shaking. She had not planned on disclosing so much, but the words came flowing like the Great River itself, as if unleashed by the collapse of a dam that held it for years. Her eyes shimmered with the tears she was trying to hold back, for the memories were too painful, yet she was strong, and she would not cry. ’I beg you,’ she said, concluding her emotional plea, ’tell me what you know of the Werewolf. I only know precious little, not even where the Beast makes its lair. I am alone, and I have no place to start.’

[Vladim]

As Vesna presents them with the waterskins, Nori takes one of the three. Holding it with both hands, he hoists it in the air a bit above his head as he locks eyes with Old Mab. It's a quiet, respectful 'salute' and show of thanks for what she has presented them. However, the dwarf says nothing at this moment, allowing the others to speak so as not to ruin the flow of thought for anyone. Instead, he goes about securing it in his pack while allowing another two in their party to secure the remaining waterskins - protecting the precious and valuable gift as it would most likely be needed soon. Once the waterskin is safe, he turns to look at Idunn as she inquires about the werewolf - displaying a great deal of emotion as she does so, which is uncommon for her, especially around a stranger. The show of desperation and painful memories seems to draw the dwarf towards her, Nori taking a step in her direction, but then stopping himself for a moment, unsure how the huntress would take it. He then just looks towards Old Mab, uncertainty and expectation washing across his face as he waits to hear her response of the beast.

[Vladim]

Cilderic nods towards the woman in thanks and prepares to leave. Living in the wild of Mirkwood and the mountains, these things shake him less. But he still is cautious. "We must be on." Cilderic does a small bow, ,knowing it is awkward, but he is anxious to move on. This quest has already taken several days longer than he intended and with news of Berengar, Cilderic is motivated towards haste. "Our quarry will be to their destination soon, and there is no guarantee they will stay. Thank you for your hospitality, but we should move on."

[Vladim]

The old woman's eyes light up for a brief second as Aerwyn speaks, but she merely sighs as he continues, and goes back to her knitting. When he is done, she learns over to give Vesna another pat on the head and then shoos her along back into the hut, then shutting her eyes and leans back in her chair. When she talks, her voice is very different from when she spoke to the girl, far more serious and colder: "The Shadow's reach is very long, Noldo. And while the elves are old indeed, there are, even in this Age, some that are older still... Who still remember the awakening of the Elven Fathers, who walked beneath the light of the Lamps..." Towards the end, her voice takes on a daydream-like tone, as if she'd not been speaking to him, and is silent and still until Idunn choose to come forward.

The woman's eyes snapped open when the words 'Beast of Mirkwood' were uttered, but she did not do anything until the Huntress' voice visibly changed and tears welled in her eyes. Mab had already been on her feet, her step having nothing of the age she should have had based on her appearence. She quietly waited for her to finish what she was saying, then lifting a small vial to Idunn's nose. "Smell this, dear... And then try a sip of this. Its only lavender and chamomile." She smiled sadly at The Bride and patted her arm, continuing: "If you wish to discuss that monstrosity... That is a very lengthy conversation. Go, catch your prey." She leaned on her walking stick heavily and limped back to the chair, holding her back with the back of her hand, her age seems to have come back. Settling in her chair, she left the cup of tea to Idunn: "Come back and visit me when your journey is over, with whomever wishes to learn of the beast. I will do my best to answer your questions."