And There Are Many Paths To Tread

Dec 8th, 2018 06:05 AM

Open only to storytellers. Yumyumcrow , you may reply if you want, as we discussed.

2 successes

The Autumn King had told her that all had something to fear. If his House of Horrors wasn't enough to shake her, then there would be something else. Undoubtedly he or his Courtiers would discover it one day, scenting its trail and following her until they found the source of Fear. Lydia would deny them that pleasure as long as she could - she had her secrets, and she kept them well. It was the nature of the Onyx Court to hide in shadow, sheltering in the dark, cold spaces that Winter cast for them through brick and tree.

One such thing she feared was the Hedge. The Gates of the Hedge, to be precise, for they were as innocuous as a pair of tall-standing trees. In a place far from Sacramento - but not too far, uncomfortably so - she had become the little lost girl in the woods. The bushes and briars had tangled around her until, stumbling and bleeding, she'd fallen into a ice-clad hell that froze her soul and shattered it to pieces. She drowned in the snowy air she dared to breath, her essence stolen of her, her body twisted into the breeze. Such visceral agony still stung in her mind, all those years later and whatever had passed for time in Arcadia.

Being nomadic meant never staying close to anything Gatelike. No, Lydia's wandering feet had brought her to many safe, comfortable places where the agents of Faerie dared not tread. Now dread paranoia wrapped around her heart, for she had committed to helping the Freehold in exchange for work and shelter. Without a second thought, she'd pledged herself to this place, even if it wasn't a true pledge spoken. The Wyrd would punish her if she fled.

Damn them, however, if they didn't stop her from making sure something didn't come through to grab her. Not just her, either, but all of them or the vulnerable homeless the Banisher had mentioned. If there was one thing Lydia could do here and now, it was making sure there were no Hedge Gates left open and astray. If there were? She was coming back tomorrow night - maybe a bit later, if she had to - with an axe, some hairspray, and a lighter. For now, she slunk around in the dark, trying not to be too nervous.

1 success

It was time to focus. She breathed in, then out, and looked around one more time for trouble. She lifted her black-veined fingers, straightened them out, and imagined a line spreading from them to the nearest Gate. The Airtouched imagined the Fates pulling a string of the Wyrd, yanking and tying it to the "post" of a Gate, like a marker.

5 successes

**Yumyumcrow** · Dec 9th, 2018 12:33 AM

The Airtouched Wanderer finds one all right.

There is a tree by the road, vital and strong but bent terribly out of shape by a scything cut in its form. The cut is about the size of an adult but only a child could even hope to squeeze into it.

Of course, that doesn't mean much. Right now, the Gate is closed.

Lydia can tell that much.

Dec 9th, 2018 02:20 AM

There came the telltale tug, the subconscious jolt up her arm and spine as if something yanked back on the Wyrd. Moonish eyes snapping open, she marched over to the tree, kneeling down to inspect it. Closed. Inert. Good. This one could be sealed with a heavy enough rock in front of it. Lydia got up and looked around, trying to think. Probably Hob-made, though thissae nae knows what Hob could do it.

1 success

So that was one gate near Funderland she had to think about. A rock wouldn't stop a determined Lost, no, but it would at least slow them down. There had to be others if there was one here. Lydia shuffled away, picking through the dark carefully. If she was stealthy enough, she'd leave no tracks, but the moment she had attention, she'd pull a trick. Glamour was precious, and she wasn't fond of feeding on her Court's emotion.

2 successes

She closed her eyes again. She breathed in, then breathed out. Lydia had to be far enough from the Hedge Gate by now that she could pick up another one, if it was there. The park was no forest, but there were still many trees, some standing side by side like rows of sentinels. That in itself was enough to form a Gate. Lifting her hand, she imagined the silver strand of Fate's web once more, weaving and warping around anything mundane. Fates guide swift thissae's stretchin' hand.

failure

**Yumyumcrow** · Dec 9th, 2018 10:40 PM

Lydia finds nothing else as she passes quietly through the trees of the forested park.

Dec 15th, 2018 09:10 AM

The Fates did not pull back. The strings of her Wyrd fell limply from her fingertips, disappearing in her mind's eye, returning swiftly to the ether. Lydia opened her eyes again, a whisper of a sigh breezing into the night. It was never that simple. There were more here, she was sure of it.

The Elemental circled on her heel, moonish eyes taking in the dark forest. A quiet debate went on in her head: should she inform the others of this? Should she work alone? Both had their benefits, and both made her uneasy. She was determined to seal off the closed gate, but where and how could she find and carry a rock large enough to cover it? What if something larger was found, or more complex? Perhaps it would be good to let her Monarch know. But would the Leaden Folk be questioning where she was tonight, if anyone heard her leave or saw that her room was empty?

Ae more a doorway tonight. She'd try one more time, and then, she'd sneak back. Lydia guessed that she'd been wandering about the park for an hour now, searching for Gates. Once more she reached forward, closing her yellow-white eyes. Silver strands of Wyrd wrapped about her fingertips, reaching out like the silken strands of a web. Just ae more.

2 successes

**Yumyumcrow** · Dec 15th, 2018 11:03 PM

Lydia finds that while there are many spots that could become Hedge Gates, there are no functioning Gates in the park other than the one she found.

One spot in particular deserves watching due to its close proximity to a base ball diamond. It might be a Gate. However is is a) closed right now and b) has not been used sufficiently to become a proper Gate just yet. But if the spot sees much further use it could become one very easily.

**Yumyumcrow** · Dec 22nd, 2018 05:49 PM

Its been about a week so I'm wrapping this thread. It was fun

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-12-08 05:53:25		Lydia Gehring rolls 6 to To Sneak Into William Land Regional Park Unseen (10 Again)		9, 2, 2, 1, 5, 8		2 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-12-08 06:02:04		Lydia Gehring rolls 3 to Looks Around For Trouble (Wits+Composure-3 For Darkness?) (10 Again)		3, 8, 3		1 success

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-12-08 06:04:18		Lydia Gehring rolls 5 to Rolls To Sense A Hedge Gate (Wits+Investigation+Wyrd) (10 Again)		10, 9, 10, 2, 9, 5, 8		5 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-12-09 02:14:09		Lydia Gehring rolls 3 to To Look Around In the Dark For Anything (10 Again)		5, 9, 7		1 success

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-12-09 02:12:44		Lydia Gehring rolls 6 to Sneak Through The Park (10 Again)		5, 10, 6, 2, 6, 8, 3		2 successes

And There Are Many Paths To Tread

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