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Curses, Foiled Again (Whim)

Started by Willard, January 25, 2016, 05:30:42 PM

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Willard

Aréharis never slept too long. A few decades ago he had gone through a lethargic phase of spending most days drifting from one shady napping spot to another, trying to let the world pass by in his dreams. It had been pleasant for a time, but an immortal being can hardly stand to act the same way forever, lest boredom drive him mad. Now his nights were a mess of fitful naps and rolling over into his back to gaze up at the stars. Sometimes, if the moon was bright, he would like to wander in the light, and watch the nocturnal creatures come out of hiding from the day.

The skies were clear by the time Kai awoke. Aréharis raised his head; he had been grazing quietly on the scruffy grass growing on the hillside, pondering the day's troubles, and the trouble that was yet to come. La'marri was almost entirely asleep by now; the routine of most villagers began at the crack of dawn. Yet there were a few night owls in that strange little hamlet that would be most curious if they caught sight of a unicorn in the moonlight.

"It's time," Aréharis murmured.

The way to the village was long an circuitous. it was difficult for anyone to find La'marri, since its residents knew enough spells to turn any careless wanderer down the wrong paths, or make them lose interest altogether. The lay of the land prevented most humanoids from stumbling across the village by accident; sheer cliff, mountain ranges, ravines and the ever-present threat of large predators made a trek through the countryside unappealing to anyone but the hardiest of rangers. A unicorn could pass relatively freely through such obstacles, however, at least when travelling alone.

"Watch your footing, and use your head. Don't follow me if you know you'll slip," Aréharis warned, as he leapt down a particularly steep slope, alighting from one boulder to another, his cloven hooves taking each precarious step with practiced precision. "It will be easier when we cross into La'marri's farmsteads."

In truth, Aréharis did not want Kai too close by his side while they were in the village. One loose donkey was an oddity, and the unicorn could easily be mistaken for a short, stocky horse in the dark. Two equines trotting around on a mission would attract attention, especially from excitable stargazers and divinators that saw every passing curiosity as an omen.

"There is no need to stay tethered to my side. It's not a safe village, so be cautious." Aréharis paused, pondering a growing list of what could possibly go wrong. "Just... be a donkey. Most humans like things to be what they seem."

The land was leveling out as the two equines passed the worst of the slope, crossing a shallow stream before the treeless plains of farming land stretched out before them. The field were separated by low, uneven stone walls, and in the distance, the tiles of the village rooftops glittered in the moonlight. A few chimneys were still smoking, a few of them issuing jets of violet and blue that coiled and twisted into fanciful shapes. Aréharis snorted. Show-off magicians.

Whim

Aren't mules suppoed to be sure-footed? Kai coordinated his hooves with surprising ease, but did almost take a tumble down a steep hill. He never thought he'd be so grateful as when the pair left the forested hills and found La'marri. The thick woodland put him on edge enough as a man with a sword, let alone an animal. And insects were everywhere. His tail and fur kept them at bay. Nonetheless, being unable to scratch an itch or touch your nose was quite disconcerting.

In the distance he saw the silhouettes of several grazing animals, dark against blue-orange haze of the rising sun. The thought of real equines made him feel strange. "I came this way on foot. I had a roan called Sojourner. I wonder what he'd make of me now?" asked aloud, after some moments of silence.

As the sun rose the village took on a cheerier countenance. It looked mostly like any hamlet, and yet it didn't. Everything was just a bit too bright and too saccharine, as though though something from a dream or gaudy painting: the slate roofs were colorful and many-hued, eldritch ornaments hung from doorways, and the flower gardens were just a bit too lush. A bleary-eyed boy trudged from a nearby cottage toward a chicken coup.

"I think you're underestimating humanity a bit. I'd wager most people would afford a bit more consideration and dignity for a sapient beast than a dumb one. And donkey without a brand just seems free for the taking. Or have you seen otherwise?" The thought of grazing in a field while Areharis tended his business wasn't too pleasant. He'd nipped at some grass on the way. Bland.

"And where are you going exactly?"

Areharis' business was due to take the unicorn roughly a mile north of La'marri. The Last Hearth. An old farmhouse which served as a dump of a tavern and boarding house. It was an eye-sore of mundanity amidst La'marri's cheer and whimsy. Poacher and rowdies banned from more respectable establishments liked it. One patron was Kaeryn nic Ellis; a girl bannished from Serendipity for her frequent trips to Fell.
Awesome avatar by Eckhart_von_Musel

Guilds:
Wyrdwood Academy of Arcane Science

Events:
The Midnight Harvest
Into the Mouth of Qokagax

Characters:
Ewan ap Rhys - once a great sorcerer, now a small boy
Anwen ferch Rhys - scholar of blood magic
Duke Blackthorn - Duke of Dawn and Dusk, Warden of Weal and Woe, and all-around evil faerie
"Kaliam" - magically conjoined apprentice wizards
Maergath - Magister of Soulshaping, necromancer, angry and hateful wizard
Narlis Thordane - Hero for hire, proud and unrepentant scumlord
Niamh Wayrest - trader in forbidden lore, purveyor of curiosities
OLIVER THE BARBARIAN - a very reluctant hero and monster-slayer
Sage Whitechalk - heir to the Whitechalk Family
Saoirse Nettlefield - Headmistress of Wyrdwood, conniving academic

Willard

Aréharis decided it would be best not to debate the character of humanity with a creature whose life goals now revolved around being human again. It was mildly amusing being lectured about dignity and consideration for others by someone who had specifically been cursed for being inconsiderate. Aréharis wasn't so sure the humans would treat a donkey better if he spoke their language, after all, it wasn't as if they treated each other all that well in the first place. The unicorn brushed his thoughts aside, narrowing his eyes at the winding dirt path that slunk its way between fields and farmhouses. He trotted on the grass beside it, avoiding placing his distinctive cloven hoofprints where any dimwitted farmhand could follow them.

"The less you know about where I am going and what I am doing, the better for both of us," Aréharis said firmly. "To answer your next three stupid questions; yes, what I am doing is probably against some piddling little law or moral code. Yes, it's both risky and very much worth it. And no, I don't care if you want to steal human food or piss on some magician's neatly trimmed hedges."

In truth there were probably a whole range of other things the donkey could have been about to say, all of them far more witty and intelligent than the unasked questions the unicorn had pre-emptively answered. Regardless, his real meaning was clear; the conversation and their midnight stroll together were over for now. Aréharis picked up his pace, and disappeared under the shadows of the village, which seemed that much more uninviting when wandering them alone.

"You're late."

Aréharis rolled his eyes. In over a century of dealing with the criminal classes, the vocabulary had remained the same set of vaguely menacing pass-phrases and posturing. The lookout by the Last Hearth had been leaning against a fence post by the rowdy old farmhouse-turned-tavern, sharpening his knife when the unicorn had come cantering up. The thing about doing shady deals was you wanted to be quiet enough to avoid notice by the authorities, but obvious enough that your contact didn't spook if you snuck up on them. The young lad blew on his knife, admiring the reflection in the moonlight.

"Funny. She said t'look fer a hoss. Y'look more like a liddle pony t'me. Wanna give me a ride, liddle pony?"

Aréharis bowed his head in mock politeness, which in turn lowered his horn pointedly at the youth. The white spiral with its sharpened blade glittered even brighter than the knife. "But of course, dear boy. After all, what virgin doesn't dream of frolicking with a noble unicorn under the moonlight?"

The young lookout furrowed his brow in a look of intense, stupid concentration. "You tellin' some big lies for a liddle hoss. You take that back, or she ain't seein' ya."

"You're right. There's no such thing as a noble unicorn," Aréharis conceded smugly, "and she will be seeing me. Believe me, our mutual exchange is entire orders of magnitude greater worth than your pride."

The youth muttered some other peasant curses under his breath, and slouched off the fence post, guiding the unicorn around the back of the building. "Yer lucky, hoss. If'n it was jes' you an' me, I'd 'ave watered the grass 'ere with yer blood by now."

When Aréharis spoke again, there was grim humour in his voice. "Watch closely then, boy. There's far more uses for unicorn blood than watering grass."

Whim

"Pr-probably get kicked to death trying to kill a horse with that little thing, let alone a unicorn. Let him b-be" came a mousy voice. Kaeryn's studder always spoiled the deliver of her jokes, though she never gave up on them. A tattered black cloak hung from the willowy frame in the doorway. Kaeryn looked to be in her thirties though its always hard to tell with mages; her hair seemed perpetually windblown. She was devoid of the bright colors and saccharine cheer which pervaded La'marri.

"You're done m-menacing guests there's firewood-" the hard look she gave the boy evaporated and she stood in silence for some moments before gesturing to a stable on the edge of the property, "--to be chopped."

The youth mumbled a yes'm and trudged off, looking like a scolded child. He idly tossing his knife in the air and tried to catch it - doing a poor job of the whole affair.

"Wasn't wrong about you being late. Should be more p-punctual. Hard enough to like you as it is," she mumbled, offering a tiny half-smile on realizing how harsh it came off.  She lead Areharis around the back of the Last Hearth to the stable, which was empty save for bales of moist straw.

Kaeryn folded her arms, each inked with eldritch glyphs. Most of them seemed to be wards against divination and possession, that Areharis could recognize. "T-talking to you's a risk, you know. You're p-probably scryed out already."

"Nothing p-personal but there's weight behind the b-bounty. I can't risk my skin for n-nothing,"

***

Kai couldn't quite think of a retort as Areharis left him. There was no sense in nagging the unicorn at this point. All he could do was wait. And wait he did. The first hour was tolerable. The sun hadn't risen yet and people do all sorts of things in the dark when they think they're alone; an man stole a kiss from his neighbor across the garden fence; an old woman drifted across the road to snip the heads off some roses. Then the sun rose and villagers drifted to the fields and shops. After three hours he had enough of mindlessly eating grass.

The donkey trotted along the village green, trying not to stray too far. Kai realized he was following his nose. He smelled fruit, sugar, and cinnamon. Not too far off was a little cottage surrounded by an orchard. A teenaged boy and aging man were filling a cart with apples. For want of some excitement and some creature comforts he decided to have a chat.

"Oh, hello," Kai sidled up behind the pair, speaking softly, "Bit of an embarrassing story. Gotten myself turned into a donkey here. I, uh, find myself for want of something to eat..."
Awesome avatar by Eckhart_von_Musel

Guilds:
Wyrdwood Academy of Arcane Science

Events:
The Midnight Harvest
Into the Mouth of Qokagax

Characters:
Ewan ap Rhys - once a great sorcerer, now a small boy
Anwen ferch Rhys - scholar of blood magic
Duke Blackthorn - Duke of Dawn and Dusk, Warden of Weal and Woe, and all-around evil faerie
"Kaliam" - magically conjoined apprentice wizards
Maergath - Magister of Soulshaping, necromancer, angry and hateful wizard
Narlis Thordane - Hero for hire, proud and unrepentant scumlord
Niamh Wayrest - trader in forbidden lore, purveyor of curiosities
OLIVER THE BARBARIAN - a very reluctant hero and monster-slayer
Sage Whitechalk - heir to the Whitechalk Family
Saoirse Nettlefield - Headmistress of Wyrdwood, conniving academic

Willard

Aréharis resisted the urge to look around; being scryed wasn't like having disembodied eyes floating around you or anything. Unfortunately, it was one of those magics where it was easier to fool the user than actually block the spell. He had been lucky so far; scrying wasn't much use looking for one unicorn amongst thousands of acres of unidentifiable, uncharted wilderness. Connlaoth had precious few magicians with that skill working for the government anyway, most of whom were presumably busy with the war.

That didn't mean there wasn't some petty, talentless wizard working for the town watch, though. How fast could one snooping scryer creeping around in his basement with a crystal ball find them, then hitch up his filthy robes to run to the nearest guard? How long before they formed a sizable enough troop to try and storm the Last Hearth? Long enough for Aréharis to finish his business and escape, he estimated.

He spotted a few moths hanging around the lantern hanging by the stable door. He didn't so much need to speak to them, their minds were quite limited. He could guide them though, his will like an overwhelming tidal wave against the miniscule, basic motivations they held. Fly. Feel vibrations. Search for bright light, warm light, many lights coming through the dark. It was as good an early warning system as he could devise for now. The moths silently drifted off, their determined flight paths almost eerily unnatural to anyone that cared to watch. Aréharis hoped a druid felt offended somewhere.

"I'll be brief," the unicorn commented drily, "and vague. No need to say what you have for me, and you can take the usual banter about 'Oh-how-difficult-it-was-to-acquire' as read. Pass it along to Miss Mapleleaf if you would, she is rather apt at holding onto... small items."

The large, dust-brown tarantula scuttled from the unicorn's tangled black mane to perch between his ears, raising her front legs up, knowing the task Aréharis had set for her.

"I take it you have a suitable jar, or vial with you. I'll hear no complaints from you about being short-changed."

~~~

"Pa?" The boy spoke nervously, as if expecting an quick cuff to the ear for speaking. "There's an ass loose 'ere. Pa?"

"Eh?" The older man stretched his back till the joints popped, and looked at the youth in bemusement. "Speak up, Benjy, ye're quieter'n a mouse."

Benjy pointed at Kai, not entirely willing to start projecting his voice through the village at night. "There's an ass. In t' orchard."

"Well, Oi'll be!" Pa exclaimed as he noticed the donkey softly nickering at him. "Benjy, there's an ass in t' orchard!"

"Tha's what Oi said, Pa..."

The older man was already fumbling around the cart. "'Ere, where's me rope, Benjy? Don't tell me ye left it..."

Benjy was already making soft clicking noises with his tongue, and holding out an apple to the donkey. Pa decided it would be wiser to be quiet than stomp around and scare the creature off. He squinted in the dark at the jack. It didn't have Mr. Cobston's brand on its flank, nor did it have a clipped ear like Miss Hennings', and those were the only jackasses around the village he knew of.

"Where'd 'e come from, eh? Fine lookin' animal, maybe a bit weak around the withers. Soon have 'im fattened up and strong enough to work," Pa muttered to himself. The initial surprise was wearing off, and a smile was creeping on the old man's face. What luck! He thanked whatever gods might be smiling on him (or the evil spirits that had looked the other way for now) and coiled his hands surreptitiously around his rope.

Whim

Kaeryn slipped a scroll from her pocket, neatly bound with red ribbon, and held it out gingerly for Miss Mapleleaf to grasp in her fangs. "And here is the n-name. Seeking it will not end well." And with that she motioned Areharis onward. They stepped out of the rain and into one of the eves of the inn. An old honey-jar and a curved silver knife sat on the bench. The sorceress washed the knife in a gout of flame then turned to the unicorn.

"Haven't b-bled one of you out in some time. Show me where, mm?" it seemed a casual affair for her; no different than twisting a tap for some mead. With the knife cauterized, and Areharis guiding her, she set to work...

***

"The hells are you doing?! Wait!" Kai tried to dance out of the way of the rope but to no avail. His further protests went on answered. All Benji and his father saw as an ass snorting and braying.

"Whoa there! Easy boy!" Benji reached out to touch Kai's mane. It seemed to calm his temper. Had the curse somehow domesticated him? Kai found himself obediently following the following the pair, and crudely roped to an apple-filled cart, as he pondered how to best scratch a message in the dirt.
Awesome avatar by Eckhart_von_Musel

Guilds:
Wyrdwood Academy of Arcane Science

Events:
The Midnight Harvest
Into the Mouth of Qokagax

Characters:
Ewan ap Rhys - once a great sorcerer, now a small boy
Anwen ferch Rhys - scholar of blood magic
Duke Blackthorn - Duke of Dawn and Dusk, Warden of Weal and Woe, and all-around evil faerie
"Kaliam" - magically conjoined apprentice wizards
Maergath - Magister of Soulshaping, necromancer, angry and hateful wizard
Narlis Thordane - Hero for hire, proud and unrepentant scumlord
Niamh Wayrest - trader in forbidden lore, purveyor of curiosities
OLIVER THE BARBARIAN - a very reluctant hero and monster-slayer
Sage Whitechalk - heir to the Whitechalk Family
Saoirse Nettlefield - Headmistress of Wyrdwood, conniving academic

Willard

"It never does," Aréharis agreed, "but I'll take catastrophe over capitulation any day."

Miss Mapleleaf delicately took the scroll in her front legs, and scuttled backwards out of sight into the unicorn's voluminous mane. Aréharis sighed as he lowered himself to the ground, his knees shaking as if he were about to collapse. If anyone had been looking, from a distance the sorceress and the unicorn might have been mistaken for a rider and her horse, tired from travel and taking a quiet moment together. A simple pleasure, but one alien to to the both of them. There was dark business to be done.

"Every time we do this, I feel older. And weaker," he grumbled. "Past my last rib, across the longissimus. Like you're pricking the backfat of a pig to see if he's ready for the slaughter. Don't cut that deep though, you'll be sorely disappointed."

~~~

"Tha's it... tha's the way," Pa muttered, watching his son settle the jack and get the rope on him. "Good, good. Reck'n yer Mam'll be roight pleased t'see 'im on th'morrow."

"Where'd 'e come from though, Pa?" Benjy asked, scratching his head and looking around as if expecting to see the donkey's owner materialise from the shadows.

Pa tutted, though secretly he was delighted to have an opportunity to impart his folk wisdom on his well-meaning but naive boy. "Now listen 'ere, boy, this is a lesson for ye. Fools'n'livestock mix nought. Keep ye quiet about our new ass, and serves right the fool that lost 'im to begin with. Aye?"

"Aye, Pa," Benjy said with little conviction. Taking a donkey, even a lost one, was still sort of... stealing, wasn't it? He petted the jack's ears a bit, then pulled on the rope. "C'mon then. What'll we call ye, eh? Pa, can I name 'im?"

Whim

"When we humans give b-blood that's what it is. Sacrifice. Lost p-pleasure. Faded youth." The warm knife glided along the unicorn's flank until it found its mark. And, without much hesitation, Kaeryn made a quick puncture, holding the grooved knife in place to allow blood to slide down it and into the honey jar.

"Thought age was a state of m-mind with your sort?" she gave a sharp laugh which might have been more of a gasp. The limits of her humor certainly.

***

He trotted a good ways down the road listening to Benjy and his father squabble. It felt almost dream-like. This new body did feel strong and powerful and the scents of the meadow were intoxicating. They were half way down the road and Benjy and his father had stopped for a passing horse-cart. Kai shook himself of the stupor and tried, vainly, to write "I AM HUMAN" With a hoof in the dirt. Of course equine forelimbs were hardly as flexible as their human counterparts. He'd written something of a sentence down when the boy tugged him onward.

Kai brayed in protest. Hoping to be noticed...
Awesome avatar by Eckhart_von_Musel

Guilds:
Wyrdwood Academy of Arcane Science

Events:
The Midnight Harvest
Into the Mouth of Qokagax

Characters:
Ewan ap Rhys - once a great sorcerer, now a small boy
Anwen ferch Rhys - scholar of blood magic
Duke Blackthorn - Duke of Dawn and Dusk, Warden of Weal and Woe, and all-around evil faerie
"Kaliam" - magically conjoined apprentice wizards
Maergath - Magister of Soulshaping, necromancer, angry and hateful wizard
Narlis Thordane - Hero for hire, proud and unrepentant scumlord
Niamh Wayrest - trader in forbidden lore, purveyor of curiosities
OLIVER THE BARBARIAN - a very reluctant hero and monster-slayer
Sage Whitechalk - heir to the Whitechalk Family
Saoirse Nettlefield - Headmistress of Wyrdwood, conniving academic

Willard

"Says enough about the state of my mind, then," Aréharis snorted. Too proud to leave the subject on that self-deprecating note, he took a metaphorical jab at Kaeryn. "Then I remember I'll probably outlive you all, and life doesn't seem so desolate. Small pleasures."

The wound stung, but it was strangely reassuring to Aréharis. It was familiar. His name might be on wanted posters, or on the tongues of his enemies as they sought him, but his blood was still just as worthy a bargain. It was rare that he'd spilt any without someone paying for it first, even those that hadn't meant to. Aréharis' thoughts wandered to the hunter that he'd killed. He might joke about mortality to Kaeryn, but he had made a true enough point. Mortals were fragile, and the more of them that dashed their lives to pieces trying to capture him, the less he dwelt on the fragments they left behind.

The unicorn gravely craned his neck around to look with one eye at the blood trickling into the jar. "As usual, you don't need to worry about blessing it. My blood comes with a guarantee that no gods, daemons or spirits will take offence to its use. Keep it safe and only take what you need. You'd be surprised how many supposed master magicians, arch druids and chief cultists splash around blood like they're still in first-year arcane tuition."

~~~

"'Ere! Lookee Pa!" Benjy exclaimed. The boy had almost missed it in the dark, but fortunately he had a habit of staring at the ground when Pa began lecturing. The gangly youth pointed to Kai's hoof-scratchings and beamed. "Ain't 'e smart, Pa? He already knows 'is own name. See?"

"Eh?" Pa blinked, his lecture interrupted mid-stream by the piping of his son. The older man blinked and squinted at the dirt. Being illiterate, it just looked like dirt that the donkey had been scraping. "What're ye babblin' about, Benjy? What's on the ground there?"

Benjy, who had hung around plenty of young scholars, wizards and odd folk around La'marri, was at least able to piece together some letters. "See, Pa! I...A...N. Ian! Maybe a wizard round 'ere taught him 'is name. Tha's a good boy Ian!"

The youth patted 'Ian' down his neck, while Pa's brow grew more furrowed. The older man tugged a little rougher on the rope. Messing in wizard's business was a different matter to just taking in a lost donkey. Wizards were Interesting, and that was something Pa's simple farm routine could do well enough without. Some wizards were even Eccentric. Pa shuddered at the thought.

~~~

"We have lingered here long enough to give our enemies a sporting chance," Aréharis mused. "Also, I left a mentally traumatised youth to wander around an unfamiliar village in the dead of night. I'd better find him before some ludicrous disaster transpires. I don't want to miss out on an evening's entertainment, after all."

The unicorn groaned as he clambered back to all four hooves. His moth spies had reported no disturbances, but there were cleverer foes abroad than local guards with torches and battered old farming gear. "Farewell, mortal, may the night shroud you from unfriendly eyes. That's a nice way of saying don't get caught, in case you didn't get it. I have the heart of a first-rate poet, but I've only a second-rate tongue to give it voice. Ta-ta, my dear."

Whim

"It should last me a b-b-bit. Though whose to say I won't use it all to open the way Beyond. Barter with a Prince of Winter. Get tricked. Have him c-c-come through. Turn this place to a glacier." Kaeryn gave Arhearis a half-smile and screwed a lid back on the jar, then drew a smear of paste from another jar and plastered it over the cut. Awkward business with the fur though it would stop the pain and keep filth out.

"Fair journey, Areharis. I h-hope your seeking it does not end you."

***

Kai whickered. Having your nose scratchd felt very good, especially when touching your face becomes such a trifle. He tried to at least indiciate the boy had done well. At least Benjy knew he wasn't a run of the mill donkey. That was a start. He tried another phrase. "IM HU-"

"Ey pa! He's writin again!" Benjy exclaimed, gleefully curious. Besides the occasional giant produce this was the closest he came to magic that was truly 'his' after all.

"He can write fer ya at the farm Benjy! What'd I say!" the old man hissed, then tugged Kai along. The Jac snorted in annoyance but kept trotting. His body responded to the guidance. There was always later he supposed. He just... had to be patient.
Awesome avatar by Eckhart_von_Musel

Guilds:
Wyrdwood Academy of Arcane Science

Events:
The Midnight Harvest
Into the Mouth of Qokagax

Characters:
Ewan ap Rhys - once a great sorcerer, now a small boy
Anwen ferch Rhys - scholar of blood magic
Duke Blackthorn - Duke of Dawn and Dusk, Warden of Weal and Woe, and all-around evil faerie
"Kaliam" - magically conjoined apprentice wizards
Maergath - Magister of Soulshaping, necromancer, angry and hateful wizard
Narlis Thordane - Hero for hire, proud and unrepentant scumlord
Niamh Wayrest - trader in forbidden lore, purveyor of curiosities
OLIVER THE BARBARIAN - a very reluctant hero and monster-slayer
Sage Whitechalk - heir to the Whitechalk Family
Saoirse Nettlefield - Headmistress of Wyrdwood, conniving academic

Willard

"I'm looking for someone you might have spotted on your hunt."

"Who?"

"A donkey to your eyes. Small, weak around the withers, probably up to no good."

"Who?"

"Yes, I got the 'Who' joke the first time," Aréharis deadpanned, eyeing the barn owl balefully. "I bet that gets a vacuous laugh out of your other unicorn friends, but trust me, every owl does that joke. I heard it before your grandfather was born, and I didn't laugh then either. Now. The jackass?"

The owl ruffled up its feathers until it appeared to be an indignant ball of bed-stuffing perched on the eaves of the blacksmith's shop. Its yellow eyes glared luminescently down at the rude, stocky little unicorn, and it clicked its beak in disapproval.

"Oh, fine. I saw the penny-pincher and his hatchling scarper back to their nest with a jackass in tow."

The unicorn tilted his head. "Penny-pincher?"

More beak-clicking. Aréharis suspected that was insulting between birds, or at least owls in this particular region. The owl tilted its head to match Aréharis' mockingly. "The dirt-scratchers don't like the penny-pincher. He squawks in the marketplace about prices, picks around middens for scrap, and chases after shiny pebbles in the river in case he finds a trickle of gold. The hatchling lurks around magic-folk and fills his head with stories."

"Hm. Trivial greed," Aréharis sneered. "A nuisance, but a tangle easily unraveled. Where does the penny-pincher nest?"

"There's a farmhouse north of the village. The barn's paint is peeled, the cows are lean, the hens barely lay. He keeps most of his pickings in the barn." The barn owl gave a displeased hoot. "The roof leaks when it rains. Always smells of damp."

"You're being overly forthcoming," Aréharis noted, a smile sneaking about his lips. "Perhaps the thought of the penny-pincher meeting an irate unicorn interests you?"

The barn owl gave an indignant hoot and turned its back on the unicorn. Aréharis laughed, and took off at a canter through the dirt paths of La'marri northward, to the overgrown fields and tumbledown farmhouse. Though Aréharis was determined not to get overly sidetracked, it was in his nature-loving instinct to wonder about the lean cows and nervous hens in the care of the penny-pincher.

~~~

Benjy's Mam barely passed a word to him as she eyed the jackass up and down, her meaty fingers reaching to pinch and prod him as if she were bargaining for him in the marketplace.

"Barn's crowded enough as is," she grumbled to herself. "'Ow much did ye get 'im fer?"

"Nought, Mam," Benjy replied dutifully. "He came to us, like 'e was lost."

"Only not lost now," Pa interjected swiftly. "'E's ours now fair'n'square, 'es not from round 'ere tha's fer sure."

"And 'e's roight smart too, 'e is," Benjy continued, "Can write 'is own na-..."

"Tha's enough boy, go put 'im in th'barn," Pa growled. No need to mention the donkey's peculiar intelligence. Whilst Pa's greed would let him overlook the possible wizardly origins of the donkey's writing talent, Mam would sooner turn a perfectly good jackass out into the cold if she got wind of magic.

"C'mon Ian," Benjy murmured as he led Kai to the barn. "I 'spect nobody's been feedin' ye proper. Wizards are s'posed to be smart, but ain't nothin' about keepin' livestock in magic books, eh?" He hooked his lantern on the barn wall, and squinted back at the farmhouse to check Mam had gone back inside with Pa. "Go on Ian, while they ain't lookin'. Can ye write fer me some more?"

Whim

Areharis' path took him down one of the poorer parts of La'marri. It was overgrown and scrubby; home to the sort who wanted nothing to do with magic and farmed to live, or less fortunate second and third children who deigned to make it on their own. Fences needed mending, brush clearing, and hens lived in fear of vulpine intruders. Even the fields were a little less lush. In Connlaoth or Serendipity no one would bat an eye.

As the unicorn trotted down the dusted road he saw a burly figure coming his way. As the traveller came into view Areharis might have surmised he was a hunter. The man was tall and bearded man with a green cloak, bow slung over his shoulder, and a big knife. He managed a grunt as the unicorn passed, but then stopped outright. "Oy! You the talkin sort of horse?

"Reckon I've seen you before..."

***

The pinch-penny's farm wasn't a very reassuring sight. After catching sight of a rusty plow and dry, weedy field Kai quickly got the idea of why the farmer might want him. Judging by mam's thick build the former was prosperous enough. He was certainly grateful he hadn't become a more edible creature. Somehow the donkey managed to stay calm during mam's enthusiastic prodding. Was it the spell? He was certainly following the routine of any old domestic animal.

Benjy's promise of oats made his mouth water as they neared the barn. It was a ricketty hing which surely leaked and let the cold in. The barn was empty now but it held cows and goats. His nose told him that much. If he couldn't speak to humans could he speak to other animals? Or was it only faeries and magical beasts that could understand him? It was a curious thought but he had to get down to business.

Benjy grabbed a rake and parted some of the straw from the dirt floor then turned to Kai excited, "Okay Ian! Ya can write now!" the boy was practically brimming with excitement, and then looked suddenly self-conscious. "Oh. Sorry. I'll get you some oats, huh?" the boy shuffled to a sack of grain and filled a feed bin near a water trough. Whether he was doing a chore or offering a guest a meal was uncertain. Maybe both.

Kai immediately got to work. The barn wasn't quite as moist as the muck so he had to be careful. The message was meant to be "IM HUMAN WAS CURSED."
Awesome avatar by Eckhart_von_Musel

Guilds:
Wyrdwood Academy of Arcane Science

Events:
The Midnight Harvest
Into the Mouth of Qokagax

Characters:
Ewan ap Rhys - once a great sorcerer, now a small boy
Anwen ferch Rhys - scholar of blood magic
Duke Blackthorn - Duke of Dawn and Dusk, Warden of Weal and Woe, and all-around evil faerie
"Kaliam" - magically conjoined apprentice wizards
Maergath - Magister of Soulshaping, necromancer, angry and hateful wizard
Narlis Thordane - Hero for hire, proud and unrepentant scumlord
Niamh Wayrest - trader in forbidden lore, purveyor of curiosities
OLIVER THE BARBARIAN - a very reluctant hero and monster-slayer
Sage Whitechalk - heir to the Whitechalk Family
Saoirse Nettlefield - Headmistress of Wyrdwood, conniving academic

Willard

Aréharis hesitated just a bit too long to pass for a mindless beast. In truth, such a ruse would not have worked for long anyway, both because of the clearly purposeful way he had been travelling by himself, and the fact that on closer inspection he didn't look too much like a horse at all. Besides, he had no riding tack to wear, and a wild horse wouldn't dare come so near to civil habitation. Aréharis winced and turned his head to flash the hunter a big, horsey grin.

"Shoot, it's been years since I've been on the show-pony circuit, but thanks for knowin' mah work! They use'ta call me Red-Ribbon Silver, on 'ccount of my unfortunate habit of not quite makin' first place. Heh, boy was I a mean one at dressage though, back when Ah could lift mah knees proper." Aréharis lifted a foreleg limply. He was starting to feel butterflies in his stomach as his 'farm pony' accent was slipping faster than an oiled seal on ice. "Ah'd sign you an autograph'n'all, but where'd Ah find a hoof-sized ink-pad at this hour? Well, happy trails, partner."

The hunter's face could have been carved from granite. "That was the dumbest lie I have heard that ain't come out the mouth of my six year old son. First off, you ain't a pony, not with that horn on you. And I reckon I know a wanted poster with that sneaky looking face o' yours all over it. Only show you're winning a ribbon in is a taxidermy exhibition!"

Aréharis scoffed. "Oh please, my horn alone could buy the whole venue for such an exhi- Woah!"

The mouthy unicorn jerked back as a knife flashed in the dark, nearly slitting his throat in one neat blow. Some hunters liked to do more banter before the chase was on. This was obviously a more practical man. Aréharis ran.

No time to play anymore, he thought as he galloped for the farm, thick overgrown grass and weeds lashing at his fetlocks as he barreled through the moonlit fields. Get Kai, then get lost!

Something whistled past the unicorn's ear, and he jerked instinctively, though the arrow had already buried itself into the ground. The hunter was not a slouch when it came to the bow, that was nearly on the mark, and at night too. Was that the farmhouse ahead? Aréharis put on an extra burst of speed, zig-zagging his way up the hill. Already his muscles were starting to burn at the sudden exertion.

~~~

"Im h-human... was... cursed?" Benjy stuttered out the words. The boys face seemed to crumple from the strain of concentration. Then his eyes went wide open. "Cursed? Hey, that ain't catchin' is it?"

The boy skittered back, as if he thought dark magic would start pouring out of the donkey. When no such malicious apparition presented itself, he shuffled forward again, a little sheepishly.

"S-sorry, Ian. It's jus'... in all them stories, about the fair folk'n' ought, they like turnin' boys what are rude to 'em into animals. Or as punishment for bein' lazy," Benjy's gaze was fixed on the floor. Clearly the accusation of laziness came his way often enough from both Mam and Pa, despite all evidence to the contrary. Then he looked up, realisation dawning on him. "Hey, is that wot 'appened to ye? Ye met a fairy and didn't tip yer hat or offer 'im wine or somethin'? Oh, um, I guess I should ask short questions, ones wot ye can jes' write yes or no to. Uhh... Did you get cursed by a fairy, yes or no?"

Perhaps it was all the excitement, but Benjy though he could hear the gallop of hooves drawing nearer.

Whim

The hunter snarled in surprise, but no arrows flew after Areharis as he galloped off. There were no angry shouts. Perhaps the hunter knew better than to tangle with such a magical creature? Perhaps he was biding his time? Perhaps he cared not for bounties or the edicts of druids...

***

Punishment for a rude and lazy boy. That was basically it. Benjy's cleverness and enthusiasm was no doubt wasted at a farm. The donkey snorted and tried to nod his head though the gesture felt a bit unnatural as a donkey. Rather, it didn't quite feel quite the same as nodding yes. Kai settled for scratching out an emphatic "YES" in the dust.

"Golly! How we cure ya? Do ya gotta drink dog's milk under the full moon or get kissed by a fair maiden? Bet pa will want ya pullin' a plow in the mean time." The youth, already forgetting his promise, continued to rattle off questions until he realized Kai was staring rather than answering any queries.

"DOKNO"

"ESCPE"

Kai was beginning to grow impatient. Hooves were hardly made for such precise movements and his was beginning to ache. Talking 'back' to the boy was frustrating but progress was made... but his nose caught a familiar scent. Then he heard footfalls. Had Areharis tracked him? He supposed if the unicorn had come there was no need to plot his escape with poor Benjy...
Awesome avatar by Eckhart_von_Musel

Guilds:
Wyrdwood Academy of Arcane Science

Events:
The Midnight Harvest
Into the Mouth of Qokagax

Characters:
Ewan ap Rhys - once a great sorcerer, now a small boy
Anwen ferch Rhys - scholar of blood magic
Duke Blackthorn - Duke of Dawn and Dusk, Warden of Weal and Woe, and all-around evil faerie
"Kaliam" - magically conjoined apprentice wizards
Maergath - Magister of Soulshaping, necromancer, angry and hateful wizard
Narlis Thordane - Hero for hire, proud and unrepentant scumlord
Niamh Wayrest - trader in forbidden lore, purveyor of curiosities
OLIVER THE BARBARIAN - a very reluctant hero and monster-slayer
Sage Whitechalk - heir to the Whitechalk Family
Saoirse Nettlefield - Headmistress of Wyrdwood, conniving academic