Mists Over the Musarde, Chapter Three

[Adam]

Bennedict, his chest burning from the effort of holding his breath, goes hand over hand to the bottom or the rope as quickly as possible. He's going to hold out as long as he can, but if he needs to let go and drop he will do so.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Before they head off to the trail, Dorgio turns to Jon. "My friend, will you be waiting here for Benn when he is coming through the portal?" <i><b>If</b> he comes through the portal,</i> he thinks but does not say.

With that, he follows Buckman to the cabin. When the door swings open, Dorgio stands to greet whomever stands on the other side. "Hold, my friend. We mean you no harm. We might be having a moment of your time?" His spear is lowered, tip facing the ground, in a gesture of friendliness. But his eyes watch, looking for any sign of some new trap.

[ewancummins]

Bennedict, his chest burning from the effort of holding his breath, goes hand over hand to the bottom or the rope as quickly as possible. He's going to hold out as long as he can, but if he needs to let go and drop he will do so.

Benn descends all the way to the end of the rope, but still he finds himself surrounded by the terrible darkness, and with no air to breathe. He can feel consciousness slipping away from him, and it is then that he lets go of the rope...

THUMP!


Benn regains full cognizance of his surroundings after an indeterminate interlude of disorientation. He's laying flaft on his back in a grassy little vale. All about the open space stands a mixed forest [broadleafs and conifers both]. It is mid-morning.

[ewancummins]

In the woods, away from the vale and down the trail by the cabin

Before they head off to the trail, Dorgio turns to Jon. "My friend, will you be waiting here for Benn when he is coming through the portal?" <i><b>If</b> he comes through the portal,</i> he thinks but does not say.

With that, he follows Buckman to the cabin. When the door swings open, Dorgio stands to greet whomever stands on the other side. "Hold, my friend. We mean you no harm. We might be having a moment of your time?" His spear is lowered, tip facing the ground, in a gesture of friendliness. But his eyes watch, looking for any sign of some new trap.

Jon heads back down the trail toward the little vale where you had all first appeared upon exiting the portal, to wait there for Benn.

Buckman stands a little ways off as Dorgio approaches the cabin door.

[OOC- Presumably, Alain and Cirdan are also present at at cabin, or rather outside of it. If they are elsewhere, let me know.]

The door opens partway and a big bearded man clad in buckskins looks out at Dorgio. The man has a hatchet gripped in his right hand, which he holds at the ready.

The bearded cabin-dweller speaks slowly, in a very old fashioned sort of Darkonese.

''Eh! Estranger-man.....How....how com'st thee here, estranger? ''

The rustic's blue eyes are wide with fear- or perhaps astonishment.


The dog barking from within the fenced area is joined in its noise-making by another within the cabin.

[steveflam]

"We's a be a bit lost, sir. Maybe ya kin tell us where we is an tha closest town or city is? I be Norzak Darkender an these be me friends. We mean ye no harm." He holds his hand out to the man.

[ewancummins]

"We's a be a bit lost, sir. Maybe ya kin tell us where we is an tha closest town or city is? I be Norzak Darkender an these be me friends. We mean ye no harm." He holds his hand out to the man.

The man opens the door all the way and lowers his hatchet- a little.
He looks down at Norzak's hand, then reaches out to touch it. His fingers make contact, then draw back immediately.

''Lost? Ah......you found my cabin. I....do you come from she, then...from the Castle?''

[steveflam]

Norzak raises his shoulders at the question. "I dunno no she or castle, pal. Mebbe ya kin help us. Where is we. Like I said we's lost. We'd appreciate yer help."

[Adam]

Bennedict gasps for air, black spots still swirling in front of his vision. He rolls over onto his stomach and then pushes himself up to a knee, scrambling to get his crossbow readied. He swings it around in all directions, panicked, looking for any sign of his companions.

"Hello?" he shouts into the woods. "Anyone there?"

[Le Noir Faineant]

Cirdan will remain in the back of the party, as always,
so he hopefully does not frighten their new host.

[ewancummins]

in the vale

Bennedict gasps for air, black spots still swirling in front of his vision. He rolls over onto his stomach and then pushes himself up to a knee, scrambling to get his crossbow readied. He swings it around in all directions, panicked, looking for any sign of his companions.

"Hello?" he shouts into the woods. "Anyone there?"

A familiar voice answers from somewhere in the surrounding woods.

''Yes.''

After a moment, Jon steps out of the trees and approaches Benn, holding his silver knife in his right hand, down by his side. Calmly, the boy speaks-


''Hello Benn. They sent me to find you. ''

Jon flips the knife back and forth in his hand, in an absent-minded sort of way.

'' Well, you'd better come along with me, I suppose.''

Jon turns about and heads back into the woods.

[ewancummins]

Norzak raises his shoulders at the question. "I dunno no she or castle, pal. Mebbe ya kin help us. Where is we. Like I said we's lost. We'd appreciate yer help."

The woodsmen replies in his archaic dialect-


''Ah...lost in the woods? Ah....you have a cabin in some farther part pf the forest, yes? Have you gone astray hunting? I don't know you, so I don't know where your home is to be found. ''

The dogs have ceased to bark, but both animals can be heard to growl, and seem to increase these hostile sounds whenever Norzak speaks.

[steveflam]

"Lemme talk with me pals a moment, pal." Norzak removes some dried meat from his pouch and tosses it to the dogs before turning and moving towards the others.

"Awright he's asked where's we from. This be an ole dialect of Darkon. He thinks we's mebbe from a cabin around here. I dun wanna tell 'im where we're from cuz maybe he might get spooked if this is some place before we was e'en born. How else could he be speakin this 'ere language.?"

[Adam]

Bennedict stands up, dusting off his trousers and looking around in confusion. He follows the young man, puzzled. "Where are we?"

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Dorgio raises an eyebrow at Norzak. "You are thinking we have journeyed to a time before? Perhaps we are only finding ourselves in some remote part of Darkon, or a colony?" He shakes his head. "No matter. If Van Deicks passed through this way, maybe our friend here has seen him. Maybe if you are explaining that we are seeking justice for a murderer, and maybe you will be describing Van Deicks to our friend as well."

[ewancummins]

Bennedict stands up, dusting off his trousers and looking around in confusion. He follows the young man, puzzled. "Where are we?"

Jon explains as he walks with Benn through the woods, toward the cabin along the trail.

''I don't know where we are, but I know where we are going. Norzak found a cabin in the woods. There's a man there, and the others were talking with him when I left to wait for you in the clearing.''

Jon and Benn soon reach the clearcut but overgrown trail through the woods, and head north along the path.

''It won't be long now- we are getting close.''