2/27/2016
Dreams Betwixt WallsEpisode Five
"T, A Drink with Jam and Bread"
A Red and Pleasant Land
The group continues to travel towards the mountains. The group finds themselves traversing a massive garden as they The hunters that were sent out return lacking in number. The best and second best among them are now missing. Vera has noticed the growing power of her daughter and realizes a harsh direct stance is not the way to go. She starts acting kind and nice to others, showing an unusual side of her personality.
The group soon encounters a rabbit and Vera unleashes her frustrations on it, promising to let it live if it gives information. After getting what she wants, however, she severs its legs ("To keep for luck") and then casts continual light on its eyes to "light and guide it on its way." Ilya is sharpening the sword, bitter for having been lied to. Howls cry in the distance. The group continues on their journey.
They soon find one of the companions bleeding, and Geoff realizes it may be a trap. Mava admits she dislikes these things speaking with posh accents, but there's no denying that Frank is clearly injured gives his intense bleeding. Glowing eyes stare back at them from the shadows. Geoff decides to try bluffing his way out of the situation, telling the the Wolves of how they are more dangerous than they realize given they have defeated others whom the wolves avoid. The Alpha wolf ignores the threat, not realizing the priest had bought time for the others to arrive. Ilya rushes in and with the blade, she easily cleaves the Alpha of its limbs. The other wolves begin to have second thoughts. Geoff now reminds them they are the ones letting the wolves go for, "we do not fear Wolves."
The group returns and finds Vera cheerful, addressing Geoff by name to pray for her daughter. She leaves with the wolf carcass, having plans on what to do with it. She gathers the old book of her Grandmama and the ashes of her mother, but her hopes to talk with them lead to nothing. Instead, Jack responds, emerging from the shadows and talks to her about trading gifts. Vera hands Jack her own choker. Jack gives her tea. Ilya spies on them, listening in on how Jack tells Vera the Lion is the best being to approach for her daughter's safety. She admits she needed the Unicorn horn to gain the Lion's trust.
The group continues to the Orb Loc, The group keeps watch of any stragglers that lag behind and might give the wolves an opening. The group arrives at a field of roses, beautiful and fragrant. But when Ilya tries to pluck one, they discover the roses are sentient and call themselves "Elves." One even slaps Mava for calling it a name. Ilya spins and the roses seemingly allow her through. Geoff recommends to all to spin following her. A violet rose talks about beauty and about humanoids being their fertilizer. As the violence begins, Vera grab the tea given to her by Jack and displays it to the violet rose. She claims to be an entourage of the "Lion" and the priest is even able to silence the violet with his prayers. They buy the intimidation attempt as Vera claims humanoids actually drink them" so how can they be uglier than the flowers, when the very flowers are merely used to feed and refresh humanoids. The flowers are thus intimidated and lets the group pass and continue on to the Orb loc.
When the group finally arrives, Vera realizes that she cannot see it. Geoff and the others discuss planning a hunt but decide it might be best to be done in the morning. During the night, Ilya and Mava find a well and inside a skull. They bring it out of the water and discover it starts to regain marble on its surface. When returned, the marble like skin dissolves once more.
Vera visits Geoff, and confesses having uncertainties and raises her curiosity on his "magic". The removal of the skull down below, however causes the Orb Loc protecting the place to break apart - an unexpected side-effect given the skull is actually the reason the Orb Loc exists. With the Orb Loc suddenly becoming visible, Vera has a moment where she just might start to believe and have faith in greater powers. Vidar takes the skull away from the kids, bothered by its strange craftsmanship. But soon, the group learns that Jack is indeed a vampire, and attacks the residents of the Orb Loc. The people there accuse the group of having brought such misfortune upon them. In a bid to punish them, more so the elder, for such insolence, Vera casts Continual Light upon the man's very eyes to blind him. Ilya and Mava take the skull and return it to the area below, seeing how the marble skin is eroded by the running water. When Vera learns of the skull's role in the existence of Orb Locs, and of the story behind the entities whose skulls are used for the effect, Vera begins to concoct a plan to bring her daughter home safely. The group finally decides to leave, but not before Mava and Vera arguing and the argument ending with false apologies. Geoff takes the skull, forging a promise to deliver it, if not reunite it with its former owner. A number of the children swear allegiance to him. And Vera silently swears that Mava will be made to pay in time.
The group heads straight for the Carpathian Mountains.
