The Halls of Medeia - Chapter 1

[Ail]

Christine scans her vision around the camp looking for a time before answering Oliver. It did not make any sense to her and clear unease spread over her features and movements. There should have been some sign of movement or even life at the camp. Someone should have been there to answer her call. Did this tribe of her kin truly do things so differently? It made no sense to her. And now that she was here with Oliver they were not exactly silent in their approach. Why hadn't they been spotted by the sentries assigned to watch the school grounds.

"Then we should approach with care. Something feels wrong Oliver. This camp is far too silent and no guard has met us. They would only abandon their camp if they had to. Unless there is some reason still obscure to me, I doubt it is that they are all just heavy sleepers. We should go to the first door and knock. I hope I am wrong and they just sleep in their beds."

"I expected no guards, Christine. As I told you, they seem to leave on full-moon nights. But I don't know what to make of this camp!"


As they approach, they notice that the close limits of the camp have been marked somehow. The wagons form a half-circle that limits part of their camp. The rest of the circle is delimited also, but by stones and wooden placed at intervals that, at a first sight, would not immediately appear to be marking anything. But now, as they approach, they notice they are ornamented with signs drawn in hanging cloths, mixtures of dried leaves, earth, what looks like small rocks or bones and maybe other things. Some of the posts also have perches, which becomes apparent when a bunch of crows suddenly scream disturbed by the students' presence.

In the night, illuminated by the deceiving moonlight, the trees of the forest seem eerily close to the camp.

OOC: Listen roll, Christine.

[A G Thing]

Christine's Listen Check

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[dice]4[/dice]
+3

[A G Thing]

Christine perks her ears up and listens, as her eyes widen a bit. Her realization of what is going on around them and the various signs left by her kin makes her far more nervous than before. She grabs Oliver's sleeve with her free hand and stops him from any further move or action.

"We need to leave the camp Oliver... I think we are trespassing on a sacred time for my kin and we might just have to return once the sun has risen. We need to find a place nearby that is safe until morning. We cannot be here tonight! Trust me!"

The rituals and practices of her adoptive family while mentioned to her in passing were not explained and she was told that it was so for good reason and her safety. That she had forgotten the full moons significance in her want to help stop the death around school would not be an excuse for this if they did not leave.

"Come on. We can find some place I am certain. But we must be away from here now!"

[Ail]

As Christine pulls Oliver back, he says

"Did you hear that?", half alarmed.


A wind picked up from the forest, bringing them sounds that had been muffled up to now, suggesting an odd and primeval combination, as unlikely in this modern age as the gypsies themselves. In briefs spasms of sound brought to them in the breeze, they could hear feral grunts, faint howls, human laughter and whispers that resembled nothing more than pleasure.


"Over there, a shadow passing!"


Oliver says, looking at the forest, on the outside of the camp limits.

OOC: Spot check for Christine.

[Alastor]

"No, there is no rule against that George," Niles replies. Although he matches Georges calm tone, the undercurrent of relief is noticable.

"In fact, ye and your friend are welcome to join the conversation over at our table if you like."

[A G Thing]

Christine hears much of whatever is going on carried by the wind and once again this gives her little comfort or care to listen further or see what else there is to her kins ritual. It was one of the few things that Tamara and her tribe denied her knowledge of and only then because they claimed it was for her own good. Hearing the din pouring through the trees she does not doubt that to be true in the slightest though her mind screams with curiosity it also is filled with fear.

"Oliver, I know your curious but we should not be here! We cannot be here! Please. Let's find somewhere safe until morning. We can return then, but not now! Trust me!"

She tugs far more insistently on Oliver's sleeve hoping to blunt his curiosity as her own fear rises. Her eyes only look in the same direction as Oliver's own because she fears what will emerge from the dark ahead of her.

Christines Spot Check

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[steveflam]

"No, there is no rule against that George," Niles replies. Although he matches Georges calm tone, the undercurrent of relief is noticable.

"In fact, ye and your friend are welcome to join the conversation over at our table if you like."

"No thanks Father, I think we're fine oer here. Besides they'll just be mean or rude to Alma or I anyways. I am rather happy on me own. What about you, Alma?"

[Ail]

"Thank you, Father. We'd rather stay here, we found a common interest. But thank you for the invitation."

[Ail]

Whatever it was that Oliver saw has already passed when Christine looks. She can see that Oliver is strangely enticed by the sounds, but as she approaches him to try and turn him away, she can feel him trembling as well, although his face tries to hide it resolutely. The strong curiosity in him is battling the fear of the unknown, and for a second Christine is uncertain which one will come out on top.

Then he says:


"Let's go then, Christine. Maybe we should go back to College, they probably have noticed our escapade already anyway, I think we've been here too long. Spending the night outside... doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

[Alastor]

"Ah, carry on with ye'r discussion then, by all means," Niles replies. He sounds pleased that another friendship seems to have formed rather than put out by the refusal of his invitation. "A pleasure meeting you, miss," he adds to the girl George has identified as Alma.

With a nod to the two undergraduates, Niles returns to where Frances and her friends are sitting and appologizes for interrupting their conversation. No further explanation is necessary, since the earlier incident is widely known on campus.

[Ail]

As Frances returns to the table, Frances says

"Can I go talk to you tomorrow after lunch, Father? Since it's Friday and there are no afternoon classes, I am free at any time good for you."

[Ail]

As Niles goes back to his table, Alma says to George.


"He seems to be a nice sort, but maybe we could go somewhere after dinner. It's nearly finished and we could go somewhere. I don't know much about werewolves, but my granny might. Anyway, there's a place I'd like to show you..."

[steveflam]

As Niles goes back to his table, Alma says to George.


"He seems to be a nice sort, but maybe we could go somewhere after dinner. It's nearly finished and we could go somewhere. I don't know much about werewolves, but my granny might. Anyway, there's a place I'd like to show you..."

"Uh, sure, no problems. Alma, there is the previous librarian who has some books we really need to see." He goes on to explain his research and why they need these books. And he gives her his address. He tels her of his adventures thus far with Christine as well.

"So that's pretty much it. Christine is a right sort and me friend. She knows a lot about them gypsies and won't make fun o ya or tease ye. Dun know where she is tonight."

[A G Thing]

Looking to Oliver as he seems to come to his senses she nods slightly as she begins pulling him away from the sound and the gypsy camp with all the haste her injured leg can manage.

"Then lets be away from here for now. Still I worry about returning to the college too soon. Speaking from experience, If they have noticed we left we are already in trouble so coming back a little later won't make that much difference in how were punished. But once we return, we probably won't be able to sneak out again. And honestly I am going to get the worst of it anyways!"

Her tone showing a frustration mixed with some relief is rather fitting, even as she glances about as they enter the tree line. Her face while showing determination does look concerned at every thing around them as she looks through her glasses for any sign of what could be lurking around them.

"Though you are right, we cannot stay out in the wilds either. I still say we need to find shelter somewhere nearby! We can't afford to lose our chance to ask our questions. Lives are on the line and I want an answer to these mysteries. I get the feeling that this might be our only chance to ask, but I can see the danger in this. Can you think of any other safe place that is not the college for tonight? Sacrebleu! After all of this I would hate to give up!"

Christine kept her other arm ahead with the lantern before them hoping to lead them out of the woods, sparing only a questioning glance back to Oliver as she finishes speaking.

Poor timing and poor planning as well as her poor memory of her kins rather personal "customs" leave her angry and somewhat scared about the prospect returning to face possible punishment. She really had been pushing it by sneaking out that night and while she had in mind a very unpolished and improvised plan for herself to perhaps get out of the worst of it, she couldn't guarantee it would have worked for her alone let alone with Oliver there as well. She also didn't know how it would work if they returned midday. Assuming they could sneak back in, in the first place.

Tugging on Oliver's shoulder with each step she wondered what would have became of the boy if she had not been there to warn off his curiosity. She also did not want to give up empty handed. But for better it would seem, he had been just as brave and foolhardy as she that night so if he really thought pushing it any further then she would concede. Though she would rather not.

[Ail]

Heh, AG, need to clarify something.

"Her tone showing a frustration mixed with some relief is rather fitting, even as she glances about as they enter the tree line."

Do you mean to go into the forest? That's where the sounds are coming from.
The camp is at the base of the hills, in a more or less flat surface, just outside the forest.
The fields extend to the north and east, until the road and climb into low hills to the west up to the College wall. These fields, you know from watching from the top, are mainly grassy with very few scattered trees. There are some bushes and hedges, but the area is not very rocky and so those will probably be the best shelter you can find. Of course, walking for about half an hour in normal situations, but about an hour with your injured foot will bring you to Elmsbrook. You'll still find Pubs open at this hour, maybe you can find a room in one of them.