~~~ Halfway Lookout ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Unknown ~~~

As the road winds up the mountain or down toward the valley, it passes this little spot of quiet. Judging by the height of the mountain, this overlook should be roughly half-way up the mountain's side. Standing here, vistas of beauty and majesty should lead the eye down the mountain's side, spreading out in a carpet of changing landscapes and color leading from Kolvir over Arden's shoulder to the sparkling expanse of the sea.There is nothing visible but deep black fog. If you try hard, it seems maybe there's something visible through the fog.

The Day is cool and the threat of a seasonal change looms large, at least to Gaval's mind. "To long stuck here and we'll be in trouble when Winter sets in." He mutters to himself as he studies the fog from a ten foot distance. He tries a few silly things. Blowing at it. Waving a hand at it rapidly. Even going so far as to take a stick and try to stur it.

Gaval gives Amy an intense sort of look when hearing about foes emerging from the fog. "What sort of monsters? What did they look like or appear to be and did their bodies stay around? I ask this last because I deem we'd be dead if they were not overpowered in some way."

Amy nods. "Black fur, four legged, huge, with red eyes. I think Lord Dirk killed one, Kyrie killed one, and Danielle killed the third, with her staff. I honestly just screamed."

"And the bodies?" he asks. "For some strange reason I'm one of the few that has.. I reluctantly say 'kept' his memmories. For like dreams memmories can be made and unmade all too easily. But if those memmoiries can identify the beasts then we may gain an answer or perhaps even the right question to ask."

"It was round here that the fight happened," Amy says softly. "And Kyrie was chopping them up to see if there was anything in them that could be used. The meat was - not edible. But for alchemical experiments, I don't know." She thinks for a bit. "I didn't recognize them. Monsters, that's all." To her anyway.

Gaval says, "And they bled?" He asks while poking at the stick in front of him with a finger. "Then they are not what I thought they might be. Not if the bodies stayed about to be sliced into." He sits lotus style on a patch of grass about twenty feet from the place where the black fog seems to tbe thickest...or thinest? A sword length stick lays on the ground in front of him. "So that's four things the fog does."

"They - yes, I think so," Amy says, thoughtfully. "At least if they have since vanished, I don't know about it." She shrugs a bit, and nods. "Yes, that seems right. Four things the fog does."

Maggie meanders up to the Switchback from belowish. Spotting the new person talking with Amy, she draws a hand from her pants pocket and waves. When she gets closer, she overhears part of the conversation and slows, "Uh. Hello. What are the four things? Sorry, but that is probably good information."

Dirk walks along to listen.

Danielle comes in with a wave to the others as she turns toward gaval to hear his thoughts

Gavin had wonderd up with the others from the Switchback. The knight seeming be keeping his own council at the moment. He moves to stand near Amethyst. He offers Gaval a nod in the way of greeting. "Lord Gavel."

Gaval's face lights up with a smile as Maggie arrives. He gives her a seated bow. "Captian Flame. It is good to see you here." He says simply to the woman Another bow to Danielle as folk begin to trickle into the area. Each given a bow. "Simple things really. Things we already know. One.. The color of the fog is opposite what it should be. Black instead of white. Two.. The fog does not react as true fog does. It acts like another material all together. Three.. It can reach out a grab people and transport them to other places. Like it brought us all here. And I hear it grabbed you, Gavin along with Amy. Four.. Like it drags people about it drags creatures about as well. Thus the creatures.. monsters that attacked folk here on this very spot. And thinking about it there is a fifth thing we know. It can be navigated. Gavin and Amy returned to this spot from wherever they were."

Maggie's smile warms as she hears the voice and gets a better look at the seated person, "Hello, Gaval. I am glad that you are here as well. And, it is just Maggie now. I..." Her smile faulters and she glances toward where they should be able to see the sea, "I gave my ship to my first mate a while back. I have seen neither him, the ship nor the crew since." Her head lowers briefly, "I hope that they are fine." Lifting her head, she considers the rest of Gaval's report. Slowly, she nods, "I wonder if the fog is some kind of... Tenebrious effect. It is certainly not natural fog. And, yes... Though I have not experienced the monsters, or being snatched, Kyrie, Danielle and I were transported to another place. They recognized it as Amber. The city. Or part of it. The Church of the Unicorn was there. Then we forced our way back to here. So... Yes. Five things known." She looks over at the fog, "And... magic does work in the fog, albeit weakly."

Dirk says "Sounds like someone or something unwrote the pattern. "

Danielle hms "The fog also produces other things, it produced a box with weapons including a sword a staff and a dagger. and it has rained coins. Though we were inside when it "rained" in the others instances when it "did" somerhing it sparkled first. it reminded me of someone casting something"

Dirk looks out into the abyss.

"It seems to produce what we need in it's own way. Though the telescope showing different land masses makes me wonder if the City has broken apart and part of it are floating free in the Shadows? If that makes sense?" Gavin says. "Though I am not an expert scientist, alchemist, or wizard." He says with a shrug. He pats his sword, "Aye it produced this sword."

"Maggie it is." He gives a small smile to Dirk then. "Lord Dirk. I see you as well. Welcome...such as it is. And you are correct to my mind at least. It's as if that which was has been broken." He listens to Danielle and raises a brow. "Coins from the cky and it produces items. Add another then." He gets easily up to his feet and snags the stick on the way up. "The telescope is a wonderous thing is it not? Sight into and past the strange fog. As if the fog can not stop it's eye from peering through."

He grins at them and shrugs. "And it has been asked if the fog is alive, scentient. I would posit it is semi so."

Dirk sings into the abyss softly. He's singing a lullaby.

Amy is settled and listening.

Dirk says "I feel disconnected."

Maggie smiles again at Gaval, then listens and nods, "Oh, right. Amy mentioned that it dropped coins. I was not aware of it making weapons. That is very interesting. I wonder... Why." She glances at Dirk as he begins singing. "Sentient. Sort of. That is interesting and somewhat disturbing. I bet you are right, Dirk. Something fundamental broke. The Pattern seems likely. Or... Maybe too many Shadow Paths broke and everything destabilized."

Danielle hms, and nods to both Gaval and Gavin "i thought the same thing about it's being brken and moving, but if that's coreect questions remain "is the switchback moving or is what we see moving? And moving how? Changing location or realityy? As to sentience I've thought about it a great deal. I want to find out whether the fog itself is semi-sentient responding to or words and thoughts or if we're being watched and manipulated by a fully sentient being, but i haven't come up with an experiment i'm satisfied with

Dirk says "Try singing into the fog asnd callung
Dirk says, "For someone."

Gaval steps back towards the fog, glancing over at the speakers in turn and grinning. "That way work, Lord Dirk, but that is not..my way? The place I was before this was almost exactly the same as here. There we focused our will on a spot and 'forced' it to open. It's tiring. It drains you." He shrugs. "It reminds me of facing a foe you know is your equal or better. Rather then be cautious you learn to put everything into a single strike. A last strike or hopefully so. And I can easily see the fog as a foe. Will. Will moves us forward. It moves obsticles from our path. It keeps us apon the path we wish." He raises his stick like a sword and drops down low into a stance. His face hardens as he watches the fog for a moment. And then with a grunt he unleashes a cut as if the stick in his hands could indeed cut the fog.

There is nothing visible but deep black fog. If you try hard, it seems maybe there's something visible through the fog.

Maggie nods, "That is what we had to do as well. To get here from... Uh. The area near the Church." She moves forward to stand within reach of Gaval in case the fog reaches out to try to snag him. She will try to keep him away from it. While he tries to slice a piece of fog from the main mass. She lifts her hands, ready to cast a spell or... Then she changes her mind and shifts into a more alert-seeming warrior's stance.

Dirk stares through the telescope. "Herethereverywhere. Should we sing for Benedict?"

"That and there is something in the fog. It's like a mirage always just beyond reach. Though prehaps we should walk toward it with one will." Gavin says as he stares into the fog.

Danielle hms "My ideas were somewhat similar. Talking or thinking about animals to see if we could make them appear and/or seeing if we could get the telescope to show us our area of choice

Almost belatedly there is a sudden pressing into the surface of the shadow where Gaval's 'strike' would have struck had he been near enough to hit the inky swirling fog. It then slowly seeps back into it's original form.

Dirk says "I wonder if Grandpa is out there."

Gaval looks.. paler. Tired and almost panting for a moment. He obviously put 'oompf' into the swing and he almost looks pleased with the result. "Will. Focus." He grins at Maggie who is closest and motiosn towards the fog. "One will as Gavin says. Tryit from here though." he looks to the others. "Come. Let us /try/ together."

Dirk says "Sure what do you want me to focus ok n?"

Maggie returns the man's smile, though she takes stock of his condition after the effort. Still, it is a good idea so she takes a step closer. "Come on, everyone. Maybe we can push this fog farther away from this spot. It is worth a try." Settling into a relaxed, focused stance, she reaches for her belt at one hip but whatever she seeks is not there. The motion seems reflexive though the result is clearly irritating. Clearing her throat and her mind, she extends her right hand, fingers describing a shape similar to a sigil. "Ready when you all are. Um. Focus on the fog, Dirk. Try to will it away."

Gavin is surprised that anything he said had traction with the 'big brains' of the group. He shakes his head and smiles not pointing out how desperate we are if we're using his ideas on magic. Though locks step with the others. His will being focused to push the fog back, willing it away.

Danielle raises both hands at the fog as if she she is going to shove it away taking a step closer and mentally envisioning the fog retreating

Dirk thinks hard and says "Fog fog go away. Dont come back anyday . Chant it with me."

Gaval chuckles and offers Maggie the stick he was using if she cares to have it. He pulls one of the blades from his back and falls back into his stance. he looks about to makes sure all are getting ready for their varrious will/focus pushes and grins at Dirk. "On three everyone. One....two.......Three!" He cuts as he did the first time, swinging at a spot in the fog.

There is nothing visible but deep black fog. If you try hard, it seems maybe there's something visible through the fog.

Dirk pushes his will into the fog.

Maggie glances down and accepts the stick from Gaval, "Thanks." She looks back to see that they are joined by the others. Dirk is given a grin, "Fog, fog, go away..." She does continue the chant, but softly. When the count reaches three, she lunges forward to strike at the fog at the same moment Gaval does and Dirk focuses his will. She looks entirely determined, her will; once considerable, focused on the task at hand.

Dirk is being Cainespawn aka too stubborn for words.

Danielle focuses on the fog and mouths the words to dirk's song

Gavin continues to psh back with the others. His voice not carrying much as he mostly mouths Dirks singing too.

The fog sturs as if punched. It falls back and turns from black to grey, almost see through. In this new state it remains for perhaps a double handful of heartbeats and then more slowly then the first time it reverts back to its inky black form.

Gaval pants and eases himself down to the ground. He is paler then before and sweating now. Not a normal reaction for a person who just swung their sword twice at nothing. "Ok.. I think I'm done for the day. But I think that was progress."

Kyrie comes down, towards what happens to be quite a few of their slowly-growing band. She pauses to take in what's going on.

Maggie holds her stance, defiant and weary. But game, still. Her arm lowers the stick she held slowly. It falls to a natural seeming fencing 'rest' with the tip of the stick angled toward the ground. Inhaling, she looks back at Dirk and Gavin and Danielle. "That... felt strange. Aye? Like... trying to push a soft dough out of the way. Sort of." Spotting Kyrie, she lifts her head in greeting. "Hello. We are trying to push the fog away. Want to lend an arm? Or your will?"

There is nothing visible but deep black fog. If you try hard, it seems maybe there's something visible through the fog.

Dirk says "Should we all hold hands?"

Push the fog away? One of Kyrie's eyebrows rises as she starts again towards them. "What's that, now? Push it away?" she asks, her hand coming to rest on the hilt of her rapier. The other eyebrow rises to join the others. "Hold hands?"

Gavin continues to stare for several moments. Then he stops looking tired and reaching up to rub his temples. "I don't know if I can push any further." He lets out a yawn. "I'm tired and need a drink."

Maggie is breathing a touch faster than earlier, though that steadies fairly quickly. She flexes her fingers around the stick she is using as though it was a rapier. NOdding to Gaval and Gavin, "No problem. I'm going to try again. It seemed as though we did something that time." Turning to Dirk, she shrugs, "If you can concentrate more by holding hands, I don't think it will hurt." Lifting the stick again, she points it toward the fog, "Come on, Kyrie. Let's give it a go. Just... Concentrate and imagine that the fog is being pushed back. Maybe swept away. Okay?"

Kyrie ohhhs as Maggie explains. "Like when insisting the fog let us out again. I get it." she says, and draws her sword to point it at the fog. "Okay, we've had it with you. Get lost." She uses that same feeling she uses to push her way out of it.

Dirk keeps singing his song...

The fog is deep and black, but occasionally it seems to thin, providing glimpses of something in the distance.

Dirk thinks hard and says "Fog fog go away. Dont come back anyday . Chant it with me."

Maggie's expression turns quiet, then steady, eyes flashing emerald with the force of her will. She nods, "Three... two... one... Go!" She whispers Dirk's song, then thrusts against the fog with a mighty effort of will.

The fog is deep and black, but occasionally it seems to thin, providing glimpses of something in the distance.

Dirk chants louder.

If Kyrie's singing Dirk's song, it isn't obvious. She just stays focused on the fog falling away before them and steps towards it with blade out and ready to strike.

The fog is deep and black, but occasionally it seems to thin, providing glimpses of something in the distance.

Dirk tries...

Sweat beads Maggie's brow and her eyes lower, "Well..." A gasp, a flidker of consideration toward the fog and she shakes her head, "I think... That is better." Slowly, she eases down to one knee, the stick used to steady her decent. "But... That... is enough for now. I'm going to head to the Inn. After catching my breath..."

Dirk sits down quietly

~~~ Halfway Lookout ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Unknown ~~~

As the road winds up the mountain or down toward the valley, it passes this little spot of quiet. Judging by the height of the mountain, this overlook should be roughly half-way up the mountain's side. Standing here, vistas of beauty and majesty should lead the eye down the mountain's side, spreading out in a carpet of changing landscapes and color leading from Kolvir over Arden's shoulder to the sparkling expanse of the sea.

The fog is deep and black, but occasionally it seems to thin, providing glimpses of something in the distance.

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