Men of Stone

[Malcolm Green]

Green moved through the balmy night, hands thrust into his pockets with his boots scuffing on cracked concrete and hard packed, dusty, earth. A bag with a shoulder strap bounced lightly at his hip. The lights of the city blossomed around him, but in this abandoned part of the city, the darkness was an oasis: open ground scoured clean in preparation for new building work. The mountain suspected, rather than felt or saw, the huddled homeless and other transients. He trusted his size and girth to keep the overly curious at bay and he was certain his Gargoyle friend could sneak through the open space with ease.

Times like this he enjoyed the darkness. There was a sense of peace that he liked and the shadows seemed to make what he saw crisper and sharper. The night obscured what was unimportant and bought out the few things of importance. The darkness gave him and his associate cover - out here, they would be perceived as na'er do wells sealing a deal rather than motley mates catching up. Out here among the ruins, a stranger would have no reason to draw near, as they could in a bar or out in a park. They were anonymous night folk and nothing more. And if Gregory didn't want to stand around all they had to do was walk...

Finding a spot suitable to his purpose, the mountain stopped and did a lazy 360, moving ponderously from one foot to the next as he turned.

Heat radiated from the shattered concrete that had once been a floor. Looking down at the bone dry ground, Green grunted. When would the endless summer end?

Vassagon Gregory

[Gregory]

The Gargoyle scurries through the shadows, at home in the streets and alleys of the city. There are some among the homeless that know him, an aging hunched man with ashen skin and elongated nose. They pay him little mind if they see him at all. Despite his appearance he is light in his step as he makes his way across the pavement towards the agreed-upon meeting place. They had spoken in private some time ago, sharing news of the Freehold. Gregory assumed they would do so again, or perhaps the cold weathered giant wishes for updates to matters already told.

The giant is not difficult to spot, his figure an impressive silhouette set against the abandoned buildings that surround him. Gregory comes into the light of the street lamps, allowing himself to be seen rather than spook the large Lost. He then creeps closer before speaking his greeting. "Good evening, Malcolm Green. I've come as requested. I had plans to send a message of my own though I was not sure how best to reach you," he says in his familiar raspy voice, as if he were more a night creature than a simple homeless man.

[Malcolm Green]

Green turns and looks down, a slight, friendly smile creasing the hard planes of his face. Without his beard, it is much easier to see.

"How you doing, man? Good to see you. I was kinda worried my message wouldn't reach you, yeah?" He fumbled with his bag, extricating a bottle of distilled water. It was lukewarm from his journey. "Got you some water. Sorry its not cool." He handed the bottle over.

"I'll get you one of those cheap cell phones, yeah? They call 'em burners of something. Save the skulking around a bit, like. Maybe." He was digging in his bag again; a drink for himself. Tepid water with a hint of plastic. Out here in the lonely city, water of any stripe was like liquid gold.

"Thought we could catch up. You know. Chat. Share stories. Its been a while." The mountain continued after drinking deep from his bottle. "How have you been doing with Nathan and that watch? It was a watch, right?"

[Gregory]

Gregory looks perplexed by the generosity, though accepts the bottle nonetheless. "My thanks," he says slowly, one eye squinting as the other bulges. "I have been meaning to acquire a cell phone. I be still waiting to hear back on my interviews for employment but I would appreciate the assistance."

He sits on the hot ground, opening the bottle to drink to wet his dry throat. "Hrm," he says, wiping his lips on the back of his sleeve. "Yes, a watch. Nathan. And Ava too. I've spoken to them both. Nathan be willing to show the watch to Ava, and Ava be willing to examine it. I did wish to tell you when we were to get together. I've yet to show you the Charity Shop where we found the thing, so I planned for us to meet there. It shall be soon if you wish to attend."

Gregory takes another sip and considers what else has been happening as of late. "I did journey to the Hedge not long ago with an entourage of Lost. There I found a gardener with many vines all tangled into a single tree which grew high and dangled many fruits from its branches. Its caretaker was named Billy Gruff and he did claim to have fertilized it with memories to aid its growth. That be an interesting thing I think."

"And there be a strange man visiting Dave's bar on the western bank of the Sacramento River. A patron of his employ did whisper concerns that folks at his place of work be exhibiting strange behaviors after meeting this man. I do wonder if there be any more to it, but it requires more sniffing around before I dare speculate further."

Gregory continues, adding more stories and news with each breath. "And you must have seen, but I did do well at the Summer games of late. They did invite me to provide instruction at their next event, though I wonder if I should be any good at it. It be quite another matter to teach a thing."

"So," he says pointedly, stopping his tongue to look at Malcolm. "What news have you to share?"

[Malcolm Green]

"Yeah. I"d be interested in seeing this charity shop. Yeah." Green carefully lowered himself to the floor.

"You did good at the games, man. Real good." The mountain took another swig of his drink, the bottle creaking and cracking.

Setting it down, he continued. "You been busy. Much more than me, I gotta say. I've been spending time with the Onyx mostly. You know, maintenance and all that. Not very exciting, yeah. Doing some odd jobs for Harvey, yeah* Serious stuff, really. Apart from that..." The mountain paused as if running a calculation in his head. "Yeah - bumped into Tessa** which was really a surprise, right? And I did some work with Marcus and Ava... More like, they did some work with me. See I got this old almanac of plant lore relating to the Other Place but it took some working out, yeah. Ava and Marcus leant a hand. And in return they got copies of the book. Say - if you into the old forrest gardening, maybe you'd like a peek too."

A slight pause. "Oh yeah. And I got an offer to join the Wardens. At least, I think it was an offer. Came from Marcus - out of that almanac thing. Kind of. We got talking. Several talks, in fact. It kind of built up from there. I be thinking I'll take him up on his offer in the end, but the last Court shook everything up. You know what I mean, right?"

He stopped, his voice rumbling into silence like restrained thunder. Gem stone eyes locked onto the Gargoyle and remained there.

"You been in the 'hold a while now, right? What do you know about... Dragon problems?"

*referring to the Borrowed Blue thread which has been going on for ages. Have a hunch it might be drawing to a close but can't say for certain. Hopefully this isn't too meta.

**Again - very slow thread.

[Gregory]

Gregory smiles again at the praise. "A Court be a commitment, I imagine. No doubt you have earned the role. Marcus be a clever man and would not offer it without good reason. But this plant lore...I would be most interested to read it. There be much to gain for a man such as me with so little. I be surprised to hear that Tessa be still about. That be good that she be well."

On the subject of the Summer Feast he says, "Mmm, indeed. A great change, more branches to the hierarchy. For the Freehold's safety I gather. Perhaps we will all be asked to do our part. As for the Dragon you speak of, I know of it. Last seen over a year ago, from what I've heard. Only now through whispers and rumors and speculation. Perhaps he's moved on, perhaps he waits. I've no longer the habit of looking to the skies. It hurts my neck to try."

[Malcolm Green]

Green listened in silence.

"Yeah. Perhaps..." His voice rumbled but with a far off quality as the mountain mused.

Turning slightly, he continued. "Umm. Huh. What if I was to, like, say... that the Dragon is still about. Not in the skies, like. Laying low. Plotting. Scheming. That sort of thing. Gone and got himself a cult following. They're his tool of choice now, right? You... uh... You wont see him in the skies."

The gemstone eyes locked on the Gargoyle.

"You will see the Dragon's hand in what hobs do. Break ins, yeah. Gathering tokens and other magic shit. A couple of us walked right into one of this... ah... cult's schemes a while back. They were looking for magic books and making a nice little crime wave to cover their tracks. But we found 'em out. They made a mistake see - they lashed out at the goblin market. Tried to burn it out but - ha! - the local's got their own security, see. They fought back and drove 'em off. Left a prisoner behind and we - that is to say, old Malory, Rick Pereg and I, yeah - we managed to convince the hobs to hand the cult guy over to us. Naturally, um, we put him to the question."

A pause.

"We learned some troubling stuff, man. And this was only, like, two of the Dragon cult's schemes, yeah? We don't know what else they're up to. Some of us are going to have to look into that." Green lifted his bottle and looked at it forlornly, mourning how little liquid was left. "Would you be interested in keeping watch with me? It would be hush hush, like. You know, on the quiet. Watch. Wait. Strike if we can."

[Gregory]

Gregory's eyes bulge at the muttering of a certain word Malcolm speaks, his expression becoming one of shock and panic before hardening into chagrin as Malcolm continues.

"A cult among Hobs, you say?" he asks, clarifying his understanding of Malcolm's words. There seems to be some relief in this, though it hardly seems good news. "If it would aid against the Dragon's return then I would of course keep watch with you. If there be whispers among the hobs then I would go and hear it while remaining silent. Be that your plan, to scout among the Markets for such words? If so, you should know I've a talent for eavesdropping."

[Malcolm Green]

Green nodded.

"Yeah. To start with. Heck that sounds a better idea than what I had, which was to, like, watch the trods and shit." Green smiled.

"See... we learned from the captured cult hob that the lizard and his head guys keep their distance from the cult at large, yeah. And in some ways, its not like a cult see... more like a mixed band of loyalists, thieves, raiders and shit. I dunno, but I reckon that the cult's head guys keep the other... err... parts of the cult separate from one another. What do they call it? Compartmentalised. Yeah. Thats it. And they're running about doing different tasks... Probably don't know what each other's doing, yeah?"

He looked appraisingly at the Gargoyle.

"So. Yeah. If you can find out anything. I mean anything yeah... Anything so we can put faces or names or whatever to this Dragon's guys - then maybe we can start accounting for this cult's reach. And, like, start strategising some plan or whatnot to close 'em down and freeze 'em out. It would be a great help if you pitch in and do what you do best, yeah. And I know management would be glad of the help - though of course, they probably can't show it right now. Who knows if he has eyes on us. Uh... And I bet he'll try and get eyes soon, you know... once he learns of the changes to the 'hold."

A pause.

"You a good man, Gregory. Real good." Green meant it.

[Gregory]

Gregory looks to the ground at the praise, occupying his hands by rolling the lukewarm water bottle between them. "I be not all that good, but you again have my thanks all the same. I did swear an oath and I see to fulfill it. I will put my ears and tongue to the test in the Hedge Markets and spy for the Freehold. I may ask Morgan for help since she seems a light-footed and perceptive woman..."

Gregory trails off, distracted by these new thoughts and concerns. He pauses, the night's distant sounds filtering through the silence. "We be simple sentries, don't you agree? No complications in our purpose," remarks the Gargoyle to the Mountain in idle conversation, their news shared and plans made in as many words as it required.