( 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 ))

Comments

[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. ]