into the woods

[do_what_thou_wilt]

Auryn takes a few days to settle in. To get a roof, however fleeting, over his head; unpack, cast some basic wards over the space he's claimed as his own. To soak up the feel and the history in even the timber and architecture of this town. But it's been an intent road that led him here, unlike some of the other places he's visited in his life.

It doesn't take him a long time to start hearing names he recognizes, to start hearing the way they're said by one or another person. It doesn't take much effort to inquire -- tourist-like and all naivete and wide eyes -- as to the rumors about this town, to drop names he's had pressed into his mind by witches that sent him on his way here. Names like Coombs and Grimhilde, to say things like "curses" and "evil" and to see what people say when they're asked about the truth. It takes even less effort to let them talk, wind stories and tales and histories that build on each other. A question here, an encouragement there. There isn't a trick to it except saying very little about himself.

Some tense at the question, or blow the whole thing off, and he notes that too.

The truth is, as usual, what you make of it. But there are overlaps, and directions that repeat themselves. And it's that, and needing some solitude, that finds Auryn wandering purposefully into the woods north by northeast.

It's been unseasonably warm, grey and damp these last few days, and the gabardine jacket he's wearing over a hoodie, dark jeans tucked into boots is almost too warm as he carefully traces his way up following the trace of trees. He lets himself adjust as the lack of town noise gives in to dense, more subtle cues: birds taking off from trees, the whisper of bare branches against a gray sky, or the shuffle of evergreen: the subtle presence of a fox or stray dog alerting itself in the back of his mind and the dense feel of the magic in the air around here.

He's wandering without thinking, intentionally putting thought out of his head, so much so that when he realizes it's gotten colder, darker, he can't tell how quickly that happened. He raises his head at the sudden distinct silence and stills himself for a moment. A murder of crows -- or ravens? -- takes off from a far off tree and circles, and he turns toward their watching place, holding his right hand open and passive to them before following curiously.

[Open! Auryn's in search of Grimhilde Manor, but choose your own adventure. Does he find it? Does someone else find him first? Feel free to bump into him in the woods, or maybe he get s turned around in a giant circle by the ravens and ends up back in town. A great time to meet him.]

Comments

[neriumoleander]

Siren Cove has been quiet for some time now. Since the great power and disturbance of the cave, the winds have been relatively tranquil. Nothing of great significance or great power, and ever approaching the humans' time of festivities, she has entered a sort of hibernation typical of Winter creatures. She spends her days toiling over the most complex of potions - some of which require the newly decayed fallen fauna of winter, others merely necessitate the time to spend days of focus on nothing but the swirling concoction and subtly brewing powers - and studying thick and dusty tomes.

But that all changed a few days before. It was her ravens who first brought to Nerium the crackling energy carried in the wind, sign of a new power - one that is far less restrained than most here. Nerium summons a new vision orb, and it takes only a matter of moments and a few locator spells to find Auryn within it. She keeps a close eye on him in the days following, particularly amused as she hears hints of 'Grimhilde' upon his lips.

It takes only a matter of days for him to venture into her woods, but she is unwilling to simply let him come to her. If his interest lies in powers, in great witches, let him demonstrate his own.

She summons her ravens to keep watch of him, to lead him in the right direction. When he arrives on the lands on the manor, if he finds it in the maze of trails, he will need cross a thicket of brambles and thorns, high as the manor itself and enchanted to fight back. She is particularly proud of the spell as they grow and twist before her. It was a favorite of her great great great grandmother's and she has no doubt its power. If he makes it through, perhaps then she will be willing to speak.

[lesparker]

Les literally escapes into the woods that night after that evening's developments between himself and Caden and April, he finds himself tossing a bag over his shoulder and heading to outskirts of town. There has never been anything to drive him away from Siren Cove, but he is tempted. Definitely tempted. In the end, what he needs is simply to find a way to be himself again, to be whole. That drama and complicated relationship stuff had run its course, it had chewed him up and spit him back out again, confused and floundering, but he's determined to move past it.

Magic is the only way he knows how to do that. It's what he loves. It's the only thing that truly brings a balance to his life. He knows magic. He understands it. It's simple and beautiful and awesome and it brings him the connections he seeks to his mother and his place in the world. He has never had to question it, and he finds himself wandering for over an hour deep into the dark, mystical woods out near Old Attwater Chapel. It's past midnight. It's stupid to be out here, but he doesn't care.

He stands there looking at the deserted chapel for a long time, staring at the tattered, corroded wood. The building looks ready to collapse in on itself, and yet it's stood in these woods for over a hundred years, even after that Thornton witch torched the place. From certain angles, the fog makes it look like there's still smoke rising from the rafters. He turns the door handle and creeps inside. During that episode with the evil mist, he and Riley had come to this chapel. There's a tunnel system that runs beneath it, and Les has a wild hair to go exploring its secrets.

Hell, what else is he doing tonight? Why not have a little adventure?