Hedge Patrol I

[Ram]

Ram could feel the rage growing again as they came across the enemy again. He gritted his teeth trying not to get lost in it like last time.

He took a step forward and to one side of the path. Leaving a way forward for the swarm. However, it also brought him closer to the trunk the Autumn trees near the footpath. They hadn’t attacked yet. One last chance at ‘diplomacy’. Tis the season after all.

“Make a move towards us,” he growled low before giving a roar and rending his claws across and through the wood. “and I’ll… disperse you,” he finished with a wicked smile. Oh, happy rage that would be.

Ram takes one point of Bashing from unarmed attack to break an object.

Breaking tree for effect 3 successes, ignore 3 durability

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2020-12-07 21:16:44	Ram rolls 12 to Str+Brawl+Breaking Objects (10 Again)	8, 9, 3, 9, 2, 4, 1, 4, 5, 4, 2, 2	3 successes

Intimidation 5 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2020-12-07 21:17:50	Ram rolls 10 to Str+Intim+Physical threats (10 Again)	10, 4, 5, 4, 8, 7, 10, 2, 10, 3, 9, 2, 2	5 successes

[Saber Sloth]

Ram's words echo through the brambles, casting of each and every carapace, In that instant, not a wing, or leg, nor mandible twitches. Then, as one, the swarm moves. Shrieking, crying, rushing against each other, clawing and gnashing the swarm now, nothing but individual incest's, screaming and crying and flaying, away.

Eventually the incest's cries fade off into noting, and once more the Hedge falls silent. Leaving the Lost alone.

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2020-12-11 13:32:57	Swarm rolls 4 to running scurred? (10 Again)	6, 6, 10, 2, 2	1 success

You can keep rolling, once per post if you want!

[Gerrit]

If Gerrit wasn't so tired he'd be actually very scared of Ram's display of diplomacy. He was still impressed and grateful though. He noticed the meager amount of adrenaline he could muster leaving his bloodstream again and prayed that they won't get into more dangerous situations from here on. "Thank you Ram. Good job."

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2020-12-11 16:09:00	Gerrit rolls 4 to find the way (Int 3 + Surv 1) (10 Again)	9, 6, 9, 6	2 successes

Luckily, the repeated attack of the swarm hadn't made Gerrit lose track of the path. He thought he could carry Cassandra for a bit more and made a step towards what he assumed was the way back. "Come on, who knows what'll happen once it returns. I don't want to push our luck." The thought of letting the other Ogre carry the Artist didn't occur to Gerrit - he was used to bearing things on his own and besides: he made a promise to get her out.

[Cassandra Reeding]

Cassandra shivers in the cold, darkness of what feels like an endless oubliette. Pure emptiness, no sound or music? She closes her eyes and lays down, so tired. How can one feel this tired in a dream? She balls herself up and cries again, nothingness and yet she feels bubbling emotion begging to be let out.

What does this remind her of? That damn Icon. Why did she ever view that thing in the first place? Because it brought you closer together. For a moment, she thinks hears the first few bars of a violin playing Oblivion, but as soon as it was there, it was gone. She's left in emptiness again.

"I can make it stop." His voice seems to echo in her mind. "All you have to do is come with me."

Not real. This is a memory. It has to be.

"Wouldn't it be easier? No people to worry about pleasing. No sorrow about that silly Draconic. Just playing like we used to - creating. My sweet muse, wouldn't that be better?"

She scurries back and cries out, "No!" Her voice rings out in what felt like emptiness, but now feels more like a walled in cave. "Leave me alone," That strength she had just turns into another sob. She knows that this is just a terrifying, dream altered memory, but she can't deal with it. And she can't break out of the endless string of nightmares.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2020-12-11 16:15:17	Cassandra Reeding rolls 1 to Wits + Composure - 3 (10 Again)	2	failure

[Ram]

The Render grimaced and Ram focused on the pain of his hand, trying to ignore the resurgent disappointment. His upper lip curled into a brief snarl at the swarms retreat. But no! He had to stay here. Had to stay present. He to keep thinking.

“Yeah,” he replied to Jameson’s praise with a smile that twitched slightly with effort from keeping it from being a growl “Thanks.”

He nodded at the suggestion “Yeah, keeping moving,” he replied simply taking position at the front again while taking the Stonebone’s direction on where they were going.

Ram’s breathing remained very deliberate and he did his best to not fall back into siege thinking.

“Go figure we’d lose our Hedge navigator, huh/” he said with forced joking tone, more to just keep talking than anything else. Didn’t want fall back into silence. He almost instantly regretted it. “Not that you aren’t doing enough. I mean…,” Ram glanced back to give his fellow a reassuring smile “Glad you’re here,” he finished a bit lamely before turning attention back to the Hedge and the Path.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2020-12-11 17:18:39	Ram rolls 4 to Wits2+Comp2 (10 Again)	5, 2, 4, 5	failure

[Saber Sloth]

Gerrit might not have been a Woodwalker, as the missing Ethan, but he was a Winter and he knew how to keep an eye out. Even among the twisting Thorns. Unerring he continues to walk, they're getting closer to where they entered the Hedge. Cassandra, easily carried, and obviously still lost to nightmares.

To the Fairest, as one of the Lost she knows her dreams and nightmares intimately, she should be able to free herself, she should force herself to waking, but there's just something....there. Preventing her from crossing the threshold.

To Ram's senses, the Swarm is gone, and there's nothing else to release his simmering rage.

Though to the Ogres it is abundantly clear that the Wizened is very much gone. Abandoning them, or swallowed up by the Hedge they didn't know.

[Gerrit]

Deeper inside the Hedge, it had been just Gerrit and the more brutal urges inside of him. Well, and that precious thing he hauled around. The more he retraced his way, the more clearheaded he became, noticing the Render again and seeing Cassandra without a doubt as the friend she was. How could I ever think I was in here alone?

Ram's remark made him stop for a second. Navigator? Was he talking about Cassandra or- No, there had been someone else. Gerrit looked around, his tired mind looking for a memory, a name. Ethan. Had there been an Ethan with them? Fear and confusion began to lace his sluggish thoughts. Had the insects messed with his memory too? He was about to ask Ram about it, but stopped himself. Would he think I was going crazy? His strained muscles burned and he almost lost grip of the Fairest. He heard his roommate from far away and quickly looked up. No, the other Ogre was right there.

We have to get out of here. Yes, and if they made it he would be able to think clearly again. Gathering what felt like the last bit of strength he shook his head and readjusted his burden. "Thanks. I'm glad you're here, too." Then, a bit shaky. "Ram, what do we do? I think we're close but I'm not really sure anymore."

[Cassandra Reeding]

Something appears in light in front of her: a music stand. She blinks, not understanding how in the pure blackness, she can see this. But then again, it is a dream. ...It is a dream. Why can’t I wake up? I should be able to wake myself up. What is keeping me from waking up?

She steps closer to it, but pauses. For some reason, she feels a sense of dread. Upon the music stand she knows that there is a copy of Jupiter by Holst. She doesn't have to look, she just knows it's there, but she doesn't know why that is important. She musters some courage and pushes herself to walk toward it. She places her hand gently on the music stand and suddenly her surroundings change.

She is the first chair cellist in All-State Band and is sitting in a chair, practicing. She had been playing the chorale section of Jupiter, but stops as she feels eyes staring at her from afar. She looks across the stage, but there is no one around aside from the tech crew working on the lights. She feels as though part of this is wrong. Something is missing.

Just then, figures appear in the brightly lit house. Other teenagers like her are sitting and chatting with their friends. Some of them are partaking in a snack break. There is one other person on the stage, sitting right next to her. She doesn't turn to look at the figure, but their smooth tenor voice begins speaking, "This is the tricky measure. The syncopation feels kind of odd, doesn't it?"

She doesn't know the context, but she begins speaking as if the words had already been put there, "Yeah, but in context with the brass and percussion it will sound more correct. That is, assuming the percussionists actually follow the conductor."

The male voice chuckles a bit, "You know that won't happen."

She chuckles back in response, "Well, don't forget that your section has a problem with speeding up instead of listening and moving with the music."

This time his voice is more of a laugh, "I may be first chair, but that doesn't mean my section will follow me."

"Ah, such is the soprano complex of the violin section," she sighs in a somewhat dramatic manner. Finally, she turns to look at him. Her vision becomes blurry, but she can just barely make out his eyes, perfect orbs of onyx abyss with ever changing flecks of prismatic color. Her heart skips a beat and she begins to talk when they suddenly disappear.

Once more, she is left in darkness. Why am I having all of these nightmares now? Because you always wake up before they can finish. You always wake yourself up so you don’t have to keep living them. You take melatonin, drink tea, or whatever you can find to make them stop, so you don’t have to dream.

That’s when I met him. I was just barely 18, just about to graduate. I did get to graduate… She’s too focused on trying to understand the nightmares to wake herself up. Stop. Stop. You need to figure out what is stopping you from waking up. We need to find the source. What happened? Bit by those insects, right? Some kind of venom, maybe? It can't be dream poisoning, right? "Damn it. Just let me wake up!"

Can I do an intelligence + Occult next turn to figure out why she can't wake?

Failed to Wake

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2020-12-13 10:20:46	Cassandra Reeding rolls 1 to Wake up! resolve + composure - 3 (10 Again)	5	failure

[Ram]

Ram finally noticed the Stonebones seemed to be struggling. With the burden of carrying Cassandra, and with the mental stress of the patrol, and was looking to him for leadership and support.

Ram stopped briefly, glancing around again to check surroundings before addressing scarred man. It seemed safe enough for a very short break.

“We’re going to keep heading to the Park, find a gate, get out, and get Cassandra help. It's okay if you're not sure. The important thing is to keep going. I’m going to carry Cassandra, so you can focus on getting us there.” He smiled and held out his hands, which seemed to contrast slightly more with the Hedge than normal as he offered to carry at least some of Gerrit’s burdens. “And you’re going to get some food and water out of my back pack.” He said with gentle force. "Then we keep moving, eh?" Together it would last them only a day but if they weren’t out by then, they would be in bigger trouble than food and water if they needed to camp in the Hedge while the Fairest still slept.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2020-12-13 20:57:00	Ram rolls 4 to Wits2+Comp2 (10 Again)	4, 1, 4, 2	failure

[Saber Sloth]

To move towards the park they would need to turn around once more....or...wait. Did they have to? Forwards or backwards....the Thorns stretch out around them, spinning, spiralling, the Ogres could swear they could see them moving....no. That was a shudder, a rustling of barren brambles!

Within the dream, Cassandra tries and fails, there's a wall. A cotton cloud, inextensible and inexplicably solid preventing her from taking her nightmares in hand and forcing them to behave, and let her wake up.

INT + Survival to figure out where you are and where you're going. Please tell me if you want to head to the Park or back to the Funderland 'Gate

Cassandra can roll INT + Occult to try and figure out what's preventing her from waking, but it will be at the cost of attempting to wake herself for the round.