The Wheel Weaves... [IC]

[Indeed It Is]

The ogier shakes his head at Lukas with a gesture towards the dead and wounded, "There has been enough slaying already. I do not know what this creature is, but I do not believe it to be of the Shadow. Those were men riding it and I have never read or heard of a Shadowspawn that would take men as riders. If you have ropes we should restrain it and let the Aes Sedai decide what to do with it." And he adds on, with obvious reluctance, "If need be we can give it a clean death once it is tied down."

[al'Lan Mandrag]

All:
Although you manage to lower the rider to the ground, the shock (and the lack of sufficient treatment he received) causes his last strength to leave him in a short fit.

As the man dies a woman staggers out of the inn behind you. She looks old, and seems weak and can barely stand.

Anyanna & Leilanna:

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You both sense that she can channel, although very weakly- you can tell she is far below you in strength.

As she approaches you she reaches out her hand towards the women.
"The Light," she groans "Bless the Light!" She seems near delirious.
"I can't f-fight it" she stutters, her head sagging.

Suddenly, her head springs up and stares blankly ahead, and when she speaks, her voice rings within an otherworldly note, resounding with the strength of conviction.

"Tell her, the slave who traded silk for silver,
Tell her; four men will seek her, and they will be her doom,
and they are cloaked in mist.
But worse, I see them,
such anger and such death:
For they are returning
And He has returned
And they will return
And the Horn will sound on Toman Head
And light will fall on blood long shed."

[Starbin]

With everyone gathered, Luran frowned slightly at Ossipye's comments. He respected the Ogier's comments, and was somewhat ashamed that he had become so used to bloodshed in the past few weeks that he assumed the beast must be killed. Putting a hand the Ogier's arm, he nodded. "It is as you say ... a single killing should be too many for any life."

When the older woman staggered out, he turned to try and assist her, concerned that the attack had perhaps ravaged her aged heart. "Relax, mother. What is troubles you?"

As the woman approached, she muttered something about not being able to fight, then suddenly stiffened. Her head sprang up and her eyes stared blankly ahead. When she spoke next, the voice seemed odd - alien, and with a strength and conviction that bellied her body.

"Tell her, the slave who traded silk for silver,
Tell her; four men will seek her, and they will be her doom,
and they are cloaked in mist.
But worse, I see them,
such anger and such death:
For they are returning
And He has returned
And they will return
And the Horn will sound on Toman Head
And light will fall on blood long shed."

Blinking, Luran looked around at the others, then to the two women who seemed more in touch with such things ... even if they proclaimed they were not Aes Sedai. This talk of Toman Head, however, struck an even deeper chord, for had he not had dreams recently, tied to Lizbet?

"Ladies, do you know what this means?"

[Holice]

Berin

With the excitement of battle clearly settled down, Berin looses his grip on his bow which he had apparently been squeezing so tight, he cramped his hand.

Trying to recount everything he had just witnessed he thought to himself, I really need to stop drinking.

Approaching the gathered woman and rather large Ogier, if he remembered right, he asks, "Anyone mind filling me in on what exactly just happened?", and turning to look at the old woman, "And what exactly she is talking about?"

[Kittenwolf]

Leilanna moves quickly forward to the woman's side, face showing concern. "Are.. are you ok? What was that? That.. almost sounded like prophesy.."

[al'Lan Mandrag]

The woman collapses, and you can tell from her swaying and her vacant expression that she is only narrowly on the edge of consciousness.
No other people leave the inn: they seem to terrified of the floating Raken.

[Havelock]

"Ardent"

"That was...interesting" the event seemed to only cause curiosity in the Illianer, or he was good at hiding any other feelings. "Where are these creatures from? Or the riders for that matter?"

[Starbin]

Luran watched the woman collapse into the arms of the two ladies, then noticed the small crowd gathering around. A man with a bow approached from the inn, looking around carefully before speaking. "Anyone mind filling me in on what exactly just happened?", and turning to look at the old woman, "And what exactly she is talking about?"

Luran shrugged, pointing towards the beast. "Two of those were attacking people. These ladies stopped one, but the other flew away. The rider didn't make it. As for the woman, I'm not sure ..."

As he spoke, he noticed another man, this one wearing a floppy hat. The man looked around with mild curiosity, even given the dead men, collapsed woman and strange beast. "That was...interesting. Where are these creatures from? Or the riders for that matter?"

Luran shrugged again, glancing at the two Power-wielding women. "You probably know as much as we do, which is very little. Perhaps these ladies can make sense out of it ..."

Looking back at the beast, Luran tightened his hands on his spear. "We had better find answers quickly before the crowds return and wonder why only we remain. Or before the second rider returns for his friends ..."

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'Lan, in his dreams, Luran has seen bits and pieces of the Seanchan ... does the beast look like anything he remembers?

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Starbin:

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Yes, that would make sense, also, he would recognise the clothing of the riders.

[Starbin]

As the others stood around, Luran stared at the beast distractedly, an image from one of his dreams coming unbidden to his mind.

Wings flapped, riders lurking overhead on giant bats ... insect-men shouted, bringing death with their unusual weapons as women in chains brought fire down upon scattered soldiers ...

Blinking, he shook his head, glancing between the dead riders, the others, then back to the beast, somewhat unsure of himself.

[Indeed It Is]

"Light, what is going on here?" the Ogier says as the old woman comes out of the Inn and has her... fit. He looks from the woman to the capture beast and then up t othe sky where the other creature flew off. Strange times were upon them.

"... We must see to this creature" Oss says again, leaving the woman to the care of the others. He'll set about gathering some ropes and chains and, hopefully working with the Power wielders and anyone else willing to help will bind the creature and secure it to whatever is available.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

The woman slumps next to Leilanna, still conscious but barely coherent.

[Kittenwolf]

Leilanna let the semi-conscious woman down slowly, letting her rest seated against a nearby wall.
"What was that?" she muttered under her breath, not quite whispering but evidently somewhat shocked. "That.. that sounded like a prophesy, like in Dad's stories, but.. that doesn't happen anymore, not since the Age of Legends or maybe a little after. But what else could it be? Speaking clearly took everything out of her, what if it's a trick? No, not even Dad was that good an actor. Prophesy? Foretelling? Does Foretelling work this way?"

Leilanna looked up at Anyanna, looking somewhat wild "Does... does foretelling work like this? Aes Sedai are draconian but the Library is wonderous, did they teach you about this?"

[al'Lan Mandrag]

NPC Anyanna responds, looking confused. "Yes... that sounded like, like a Foretelling, but it is a very rare Talent, I have only heard of one sister who has it, and another who died a few years ago."

She tries to calm the woman.

Vayl (tinker wilder) exits the tavern, drawn obviously by the use of the power and stares open mouthed at the creature and the bodies in the square.

[Havelock]

Foretelling? Now that would make living by the dice and card a lot easier. How might one learn such a skill?

[al'Lan Mandrag]

NPC Anyanna glances at Ardent, looking slightly puzzled. "It is a thing of the Power sir. They don't control it. If this woman truly has the Foretelling, then she is rare indeed, even if her strength is meager."

[Starbin]

As the discussion turned to talk of Powers and Foretellings, Luran kept his counsel to himself. Turning to see Ossipye working to tie up the beasts, Luran stepped over to help the Ogier with his task.

"Master Ossipye, your people have long memories, yes? Have you heard of such things before?"

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Sorry it took a bit to post ... Work, life and travel messed up my posting schedule!

[Holice]

Legends? Foretelling? Prophecies?, Berin thinks to himself. This is has to be utter nonsense or a practical joke. Surely someone can relate this incident in layman terms.

Overhearing someone asking the large fellow a direct question about what exactly these creatures are, Berin moves into a better position, nearer the two, to overhear what they are saying.

[Tylerb7]

Lukas watches the proceedings quietly, somewhat disturbed at the conversation's turn toward the Power and increasingly wary of the winged beast.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

"Ok, so there are two things we need to sought out right now," says Anyanna, trying to take on the role of bossy Aes Sedai, though she feels less than confident about doing so. "This beast won't remain tied up forever, and we need to record that foretelling and bring it to the nearest Aes Sedai. Renaile Sedai's letter said that she had moved to Falme..."

At this same point, the innkeeper ventured to look out of his doors, and though he seemed near terrified of the beast floating there, he remained to watch the proceedings.

[Kittenwolf]

Leilanna continues to kneel beside the exhausted woman, shaking her head back and forth and talking in a slightly stunned tone. However when she recites the woman's apparent Foretelling lines, she adopts a slightly singsong tone as though she were performing.

"But.. it's like one of Dad's stories. Foretelling just doesn't happen to normal people.
What on earth could all this mean?

'Tell her, the slave who traded silk for silver,
Tell her; four men will seek her, and they will be her doom,
and they are cloaked in mist.'

So.. what? A slave who got free and became a trader maybe? Or who stole her master's silks and sold them?... But who is being sought by four men who will bring her doom, and who are cloaked in mists? What does cloaked in mists even mean?

'But worse, I see them,
such anger and such death:
For they are returning
And He has returned
And they will return'

So.. there are people worse than killers coming, they're angry and killing many people. They used to be here and left but are coming back. And some big "He" is also returning, someone important by the sounds, and there are others with him? Are there any exiled princes or something that could be returning to their homeland?

'And the Horn will sound on Toman Head
And light will fall on blood long shed.'

Ok, well, Toman Head is a coastal area isn't it? The horn will sound.. do they have a horn that sounds when ships come in or something?
Light will fall on blood long shed.. so, some kind of murder that's been covered up will come to light...

So.. what could it all add up to? Some kind of person killed someone and then left, or was sent away. Or maybe the person who knew about it ran away to protect themselves, and the killing was kept secret. But now that person is returning and the murder is going to be brought to light?

But then how does the slave fit in?
Aargh, I hate riddles!"

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Anyanna takes out quill and ink and copies it down as you repeat it, though she asks you to say it once more so she can get it down fully.

When Leilanna mentions Toman Head, the innkeeper raises his head and butts in:
Toman Head is west, 'cross Almoth Plain. And, I'm sorry for overhearing, but, ah, the main city there is Falme, if that is where you are heading." He seems unsure whether to name you Aes Sedai, or what to call you.

[Starbin]

Luran hears Leilanna and the innkeeper mention Toman Head, and he stops what he's doing to glance at them both. Waving to the Ogier to stop for a moment, he approaches the women and the innkeeper, a frown evident on his face.

"Toman Head, eh? That's curious, because I was headed that very way. My, my sister, she's gone ... missing. I know she was headed north from my home, but I'm sure she is somewhere on Toman Head." Shaking his head, his eyes furrowed in distant confusion, he spoke, almost to himself. "I ... I don't know how I know. But I know it to be true. I've had ... dreams ... and I'm sure she's somewhere there."

Looking up at the woman, he blushed somewhat. "Does that make any sense? Or am I a wool-headed idiot?"

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Luran: Anyanna gives you a look that says 'Yes, yes you are', but is too polite to actually speak the words. The innkeeper is simply bemused. Vayl, the tinker however, gives you a sideways glance, then plucking up her courage asks: "You're dreams, sir? You saw her in your dreams?"

[Starbin]

Anyanna's look made Luran blush even more, and with the innkeeper staring at him like a fool, the hunter turned to go help the Ogier. However, the tinker broke the embarrassing silence with a question.

"You're dreams, sir? You saw her in your dreams?"

Stopping, he turned slowly, glancing back at Anyanna and the innkeeper before nodding slowly. "Yes, ma'am, almost every not. Well, at least things that feel related to her. At first, I thought it was just worry. But after a bit I started to think they were guiding me."

Luran pointed at the strange beast and motioned to the dead rider after a moment's pause. "'Sides, with these things," Luran pointed at the strange beast and motioned to the dead rider, "I know there's truth to them."

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Vayl nods at your words, but seems a little intimidated and backs off.

Ossipye the Ogier has now finished tying the beast with various bits of rope brought forth by the people. Congratulations, you now have a Raken that is tied up and restrained by the power.

Vayl suddenly puts her hand out and mumbles something quietly, then repeats herself with a bit more force.
"I was wondering, sirs, why we needed to tie the poor creature up. It looks scared now, not angry."

[Kittenwolf]

Leilanna remained kneeling, and after a moment started shaking slightly. Soon enough people can hear what sounds like a cross between laughter and tears, and she raises her head, eyes shining. "A chance meeting in a nowhere town, a foretelling, an Ogier, two Channellers, a man with prophetic dreams of a lost sister, and attacks by unknown creatures. Oh Light help me the pattern is out to make fools or heroes of us all.
I say we go to Toman Head and investigate. Either we follow the way the pattern tugs us and risk everything, or we fight it and regret everything. I know which I'd prefer."

[al'Lan Mandrag]

"The wheel weaves..." Anyanna muters in response to your bemusement. Then nods and adds, "Yes, all indicators point that way. Who shall accompany me?"

[Starbin]

Luran stares at the sudden change in attitude from Anyanna. After a moment, his face softens. If she can change her mind and admit to a different line of thinking, I can too.

Stepping forward, he cleared his throat. "I was planning on going that way regardless. Traveling together should be safer for the lot of us. I will go."

[Holice]

Berin

Hearing that the woman is looking for companions Berin has a few thoughts run through his head.

I have always wanted to travel further than this town. But if the outside world is as dangerous as these creatures seem, is it worth it? But than again, if two can make it this far, what's going to stop more?

...After several minutes of deliberating with himself, Berin steps forward.

"I have always wanted to travel to Toman Head," he says with a slight uneasiness. "I may not be a well traveled person, but I am sure my bow will shoot just as straight in any land as it does here."

Hoping his brashness of his archery skills does not come across too cocky, he takes a step back and awaits their response.