( closed; quest ) the long and winding road

[sorser]

WHO: Stephen, Thancred, & Yennefer
WHAT: Three individuals go on a quest to help perpetuate better magical monitoring of the Singularity!
WHERE: ALL OVER THORNE
WHEN: End of March into mid-April.
WARNINGS: Some eventual monster-related violence and injury! But nothing else for now; will add as needed.



(( quest info here ))

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SECOND (4)

[sorser]

[The road southwest of Thorne, hugging the northern tip of Lake Circinus, is not exactly perilous, per se. Their next destination is close to the main road, according to the map, and that should technically make it one of the more straightforward ones to reach. On paper, it's simple. Too bad reality itself laughs at the very concept of simple, silly mortal construct that it is.

He considers this, tiredly, as he cranes his neck up to glare at an obstacle barring their path to the next spot. A high bluff looms well above their heads, the top of which the castle's mages have decided is where they should place the next thaumametor. Because of course they have. And of course the main road does not pass over it so much as beside it, leaving them with one terrible revelation: they'll have to backtrack and go all the way around, taking an incline upwards if they want to reach that very specific spot.

Well, it's a terrible revelation for Stephen, at any rate, who has become certain that riding a horse for an extended period of time must be a punishment in some circle of hell. His back and hips protest just by considering it, a dull throb that his brain translates as, Oh, hell no.]

No. We are not backtracking. It's just-

[He points at the top of the bluff accusingly. It has offended him]

Up there.

[With that very helpful assessment of their situation, Stephen twists his body to rifle through the large bag he had kept slung over a shoulder. He is absolutely digging around for a thaumametor, thank you.]

[funbreaker]

[ The concept of backtracking is not one that's nearly so horrifying to Thancred. Given the long journeys he's had to make back home, this sort of setback is to be expected and it's also something that should have been factored into their itinerary. It won't take them too long to circle back and find an incline that the horses can manage to get them to the correct spot for placing the thaumametor.

Stephen, on the other hand, seems to be vehemently opposed to such an idea. All of this horseback riding must have gotten to him.

As he begins digging through one of his packs, Thancred cranes his head to one side, then assesses the sheer rockface that's between them and their destination. ]

What, did you pack climbing gear?

[ Surely not. Call it a lucky guess, but if Stephen isn't used to travel by horseback, chances are that he's not practiced in rock-climbing either. Thancred might be able to manage it with the correct gear, but they hadn't been told that such a thing was required.

Either way, he's intrigued to see what Stephen has in mind. The man seems to always turn back to magick when he finds himself facing down an obstacle, meaning there's a good chance he's got a trick up his sleeve — or in his pack, as the case may be. ]

[vixening]

[ it does seem a bit like destiny spitting in stephen's face, all things considered. yennefer stands beside thancred and stephen at the bottom of the large bluff, the cliffside, and what has to be their next spot up at the top of it. she isn't nearly as upset over the idea of having to backtrack, as she's used to traveling as well, but she probably sits somewhere in the middle of the two of them - the idea of adding days onto their trip honestly disgusts her. but it isn't the worst thing that could happen.

no, the worst of it is that as yennefer looks up at the bluff - at their next location - she feels the loss of her magic like a punch to the gut. how easily it would be to get up there if she just had her chaos. that she could just get up there, herself. even with how much this place had messed with portals. how much it shifted her magic.

this feeling translates into a tension between her brows, a light edge to her jaw as she turns her attention back to stephen, who is now rifling through the bags. ]

Yes. [ she says, incredulous, as she crosses her arms across her chest. ] And you have to get up there. What are you thinking, Stephen?

[sorser]

[He doesn't bother to glance up until he's fished out what he's looking for, unearthing a cloth-bundled thaumametor and tucking it beneath his opposite arm. Stephen then shrugs off the bag, walking over to Thancred--simply because he happens to be standing closest--and shoves it into his arms for safekeeping.

Then, turning on his heel, looking back up at the bluff-]

The cloak's not for show.

[The one hanging at his back, long and patchwork and a deep, vibrant red. On its own, perhaps it's a strange article of clothing, certainly providing him warmth in its own way, but not particularly looking like part of a proper ensemble. But its oddity implies that it's kept close for a reason, even during a long trip like this one.

He steps forward. No breeze brushes past, but the edges of his cloak flutter like it has a mind of its own -- which isn't terribly far from the truth.]

I figured it would have a practical use, eventually.

[And that "practical use" becomes evident the moment Stephen rises from the ground, lifting himself up, up, up, towards the top of the bluff. It's a gentle ascent, contrasted against his annoyance, or his fixed, determined look towards his goal. The Cloak of Levitation flares outward in a distinctive shape until he disappears over the edge of the ridge above.]

[funbreaker]

[ The pack is unceremoniously shoved into his arms. Thancred takes it without much protest, but he does raise an eyebrow at Stephen and his newfound determination. Clearly he has a plan, which means that now Thancred's simply curious to see what it will be. For a moment he is reminded of Urianger, who had chosen to study an incantation to walk on water rather than learn how to swim. What is it with these mages and their insistence on not simply taking the simpler solution? Hopefully this does not end in disaster as Urianger's plan had.

Thancred isn't expecting the cloak to come into the conversation, however. He's taken note of the garment before, as Stephen's had it on him in all of their interactions thus far, even inside the Horizon. Thancred had viewed it as some sort of precious piece of clothing, perhaps one with a certain significance, and nothing more. Apparently that is not the case.

Then he watches as the cloak seems to come to life, moving against laws of nature and gravity to flutter up and then slowly lift Stephen off of the ground. From there, he floats up as if he weighs nothing, ascending to the top of the bluff with ease.

This isn't such a shock for Thancred to witness. Black mages in particular have an ability to teleport, and many healers have learned how to rescue others to their side, even from long distances. It is interesting that the cloak seems to be part of the spell, however. ]

Hmm. [ Thancred's neck is now craned up to watch as Stephen's feet touch down overhead. He takes a glance around, confirming that there are no other living beings around them that he might alert, before calling up: ] Where do I get one of those for myself?

[ Despite his focus being on Stephen, he has not missed the fact that Yennefer's feet have remained firmly on the ground. Can she not follow him? She's an accomplished magick-user herself, or so everyone says. Thancred has yet to see her in action, and this is yet another piece of evidence added to the theory he hatched back at the summit. He won't bring it up now, but it is something to file away, mayhap for later in the trip. ]

[vixening]

[ yennefer watches stephen search for the thaumometer with vague enough interest, still not entirely sure what it is he's up to. it's not until the bag is shoved into thancred's arms and stephen's comment of the cloak's not for show and yennefer thinks she gets it.

her eyes then go to the cloak itself, a strange item that she has certain been curious enough about leading up to now, but had assumed it was just some strange...she wasn't sure. perhaps fashion statement? stephen never struck her as the particularly-worried-about-fashion type, but even he could have had an exception.

except for now, as he states rather explicitly that isn't the case, yennefer catches the corners of the cloak. ]

It's enchanted. [ which, yes, okay. she is stating the obvious as soon as stephen is lifting from the ground. it's impressive enough magic, but yennefer - because it is her and the whole show of it is something a bit heavy-handed, crosses her arms over her chest as she watches him ascend slowly. gently. she and thancred stay, feet firmly planted, watching as stephen disappears over the edge of the bluff itself.

show off she very nearly says, but instead sighs and turns back to climb back onto the wagon. if thancred gives her any sort of questioning look or curious glance, she'll just shrug. ] It's not as though we're going to be able to help him from here.

[ stephen can handle himself. and if he runs into any issues, well...they'll have to figure that out then. ]

[sorser]

[Stephen isn't not one for showing off, usually choosing to do so when it falls along the spectrum of putting someone in their place, all the way to humoring them for the amusement of it. This moment counts as neither, however; he floats up in a flare of his red, billowing cloak not because he wishes to flex the usefulness of an enchanted relic hanging at his back (Yennefer is right about that, at least), but simply because he wants this over and done with. So that they may move on instead of looping back, which would only add more time to their already lengthy itinerary.

Once he lands, he steps forward and disappears from their sight. He doesn't call back down to them with any affirmation, though there is the faint sound of rustling, or the tinkling of glass and metal -- clearly, he wastes no time in setting up the thaumametor.

A few minutes pass. The noises stop, and there's silence, until there isn't: Stephen reappears at the edge the bluff high above, leaning over to peek down at Yennefer and Thancred. At this odd angle, it looks as though he's poking his head in a comical way.]

We're good to go!

[Weary triumph, thy name is Stephen Strange.]

[funbreaker]

[ As Yennefer retreats, not quite in a huff yet still a bit exasperated, Thancred turns to watch her. That question remains right at the tip of his tongue, but he bites it down. If he's going to broach that subject, it will need to be at the right time in the right place, and that is not now.

The truth is that Stephen likely doesn't need their help at this point. He's made it to the correct point to set up the device and he's done this once already. That hardly makes him an expert, but if he runs into any trouble, he's done this to himself.

Thankfully, Stephen reappears at the top of the bluff, his head poking out, to announce that all is well. Thancred huffs out a laugh to himself and shakes his head. The job has been done, flashy methods aside, and so he has little reason to complain. ]

Do you plan to come back down, then? Do you need me to catch you?

[ That would obviously be a terrible idea and Thancred doubts it's needed, but he feels the need to make a snappy comment all the same. ]

[vixening]

[ yennefer busies herself with settling back atop the cart, rummaging through one of the bags, and completing what could amount to the medieval quest equivalent of looking for snacks to pass the time. she doesn't find any, unfortunately, and ends up pulling out a waterskin and crossing one knee over the other.

she'd almost look bored, if not for the fact that stephen appears just a few moments after, leaning over the edge and confirming the set up had finished. yennefer, with the same expression, lifts the waterskin up to him. a semi-mock cheers before she taks a drink and wishes it were wine instead. ]

Perhaps they'll all be this simple. [ she muses, then snorts once at thancred's snappy comment. because why not. and then loudly enough for stephen to hear as well: ] Does it take you down, too? Or is the cloak singularly purposed?

[ she's ready to get back to hayle. and a bed. the anti-climaticism of all this is making her a little impatient. ]

[sorser]

What good's a levitating cloak if it can't levitate me down?

[He calls out as he steps off the bluff, and floats downwards with the same kind of casual speed that carried him upward. Stephen lands looking at Thancred skeptically--no, he doesn't need someone to catch him; none of them are suited for the damsel in distress role for now thanks--and remarks in a similar manner to Yennefer in the next second.]

And it can do more than that, too. If you happen to find yourself in a particularly sticky situation, then call for it to come swooping in to help. It's... [He moves over to the bag he dropped a few minutes before, stooping low with a strain to pick it back up and sling it over his shoulder.]

It's surprisingly versatile, and I've already told it that it has permission to help either of you if you need it. [Isn't he helpful? Stephen and his bafflingly sentient cloak, apparently.] So don't be shy.

[He shuffles over to his horse, then, not looking forward to riding out once more but glad that it's at least in a direction that earns them progress.]

Ready to go, then?

[funbreaker]

[ As Stephen makes his way back down, Thancred circles back to mount his horse once more, not wanting to feed into the mage's ego too much by watching with rapt attention. The cloak is certainly a curious thing, though how curious he never could have guessed — until Stephen sees fit to explain.

They can call for its help? Stephen seems to mean that quite literally. Thancred blinks a few times, looking between the deep red cloak on Stephen's shoulders and the man's face a number of times. ]

It's... sentient, then? Or able to act under your will, at the least?

[ He thinks of Master Matoya and her self-moving broomsticks, her frogs that could speak and carry out basic tasks, and all her other familiars. This feels similar, even if a familiar taking the shape of an article of clothing is quite the new concept for him. ]

Might we think of it as a familiar? [ Even as he peppers Stephen with questions, Thancred grips the reins of his horse and nudges it with his knees, urging it forward. They can talk while they ride, there's no reason to linger here any longer. ]

[vixening]

[ yennefer can't help but smile a little to herself at the indignant (skeptical) way stephen looks at thancred at the joke, her brows lifting curiously at the further explanation. ]

It'll come 'swooping in'? [ her eyes turn to the cloak instead, the look more dissecting, curious, academic. she wonders what its limits could be, how much weight, if speed has anything to do with it. she is in the midst of this internal study when thancred asks if its sentient and that pull her attention more directly to stephen himself.

a...familiar? she finds the idea a bit entertaining, specifically because that does make her think of more situations where the cloak might simply choose not to listen than anything else. they all start moving off back down the path, the most direct route to the city, though they do still have a few days ahead of them. ]

And how'd you procure such a versatile garment?

[ it's equal parts small talk and curiosity at this point. ]

[sorser]

[His voice is strained as he tries to speak mid-mounting, but manages to even out once he's properly settled onto his horse. At least he's getting used to the motion at this point -- somewhat.]

I guess you could call it a familiar. Back on Earth, sorcerers can be chosen by certain ancient relics. This is the one that picked me.

[During a particularly tense moment, in which he had to fight somewhat stumblingly for his life. But he'll not diverge down that conversational path just to keep things simple.

He also realizes that, given they are summoned with no possessions from home, this also requires a bit of explanation.]

And yes, it swoops, and pretty quickly, too. Though it's obviously not the original. Back at the castle, when I was newly-arrived, Ronan dreamt it up for me.

[He assumes that they've both met the young man. Yennefer, simply because she no doubt is familiar with many of the faces at Thorne castle, given her influence in those halls. Thancred, because he assumes his gunblade indeed had to come from somewhere.]

[funbreaker]

It just decides it fancies you?

[ Thancred could find a sharp comment to include with that assumption, but he has to admit that he'd taken to Stephen quite quickly himself. This cloak must have seen something of interest in him, to choose him in such a way. Or so he assumes, as familiars likely function under their own whims. It doesn't explain where the coat came from, as "ancient relic" is rather vague, but it's quite possible Stephen doesn't know himself.

Yennefer asks the next question he'd had, which is how Stephen could have such a thing here, and the explanation comes quickly. Yes, that makes sense. Ronan's promises had turned out to be entirely genuine, and thus far there hasn't been a downside. Thancred's still concerned that agreeing to that deal might end up coming back to bite him at some point, but he's heard of no such thing happening to any other Summoned.

He nods, glancing over his shoulder to look at the gunblade on his back. ]

His ability to dream things up is quite impressive. I've seen that sort of magick only rarely myself.

[ Creation magicks. It was something only the Ancients could do, an ability lost when the sundering happened. ]

WRAPPED!

[vixening]

[ the strained edge to stephen's voice does not go unnoticed, though yennefer is at the very least nice enough not to snicker - feeling as though perhaps he's recieved enough barbs at his horse-back riding capabilities for today, and instead she shoots him a look at the mention of being chosen by ancient relics. ]

That sounds absurd. [ she says simply, before turning her horse and starting off in the direction back to the city. they have a couple days ride left until they make it, and she's more inclined towards the bed than anything else.

it's the mention of ronan lynch that has her tensing slightly, thinking back on the castle. on the way the summoned's magic had gone off. it's not the first time she's had a moment of tension on this trip, and truthfully she feels a bit like her care to keep it from being seen is slipping, but she pushes through it all the same. ]

He's incredibly powerful. [ she says with a nod, thinking back on their conversations of his dreams, how he'd procured geralt's pendant for her what feels like lifetimes before now. the shadows which threaten to come back with him, each time. yennefer's hands tighten ever so slightly around the reins of her horse as she resettles. sits up. ] And an ass, more often than not. Now- can we go?

[ which, really, before any of them can give a real answer - she's going to turn and lead her horse off at a bit faster pace. they're backtracking, at this point, and the horse has had plenty of rest to be able to push at least least for an hour or so before they lose the light. ]