#bergen_county

----

Symon is by Dagmar's side, as usual, as they walk down the familiar paths of the woods around the Lodge.

A soft sigh - Dagmar can sense a bit of tension leaving his form as they return home.

"Glad we missed any welcoming comittee.' He comments to her as she leads him down the trail that heads to where Klump tends to reside.

As they approach, they hear voices "I do not understand, Laughing Mountain" Klump says "What do you mean you think they are late? Late for what?" His voice can be heard

"It's a beaumayn thing. I worry, Klump. What if I put them in danger?" Vali sounds worried

"...I don't think we did."

Klump considers "Are their legs broken? Do you throw them into the dreaming? Or ... maybe you confuse yourself with a true mountain? you're still a very humble hill after all. Trust Little Thunder and her Shadow of Guile to know what they are doing"

"You're right. You're right. " Vali admits

She has the rock on her shoulder, going at an easy pace.

A soft sigh, this time resigned, but he gives her a thin smile up. "As parties go, this one is... acceptable. They probably won't have streamers or kazoos."

Wryly recalling the last time Dagmar came back from some quest or another, and Connor was on hand to celebrate.

Vali turns, "Hey, did you hear something?"

Klump says "No, but I feel it."

"Oh, Short-stack'll show up eventually."

And the stone sings 🎵 "Harken ye closely to the song of bonnie blue, a more dangerous western troll the world never knew..." 🎵 at least it's not a kazoo

"Oh, hell." Dagmar blushes.

"He's yours." Symon says easily. "Which means he's mine as well. Property of association." A wry smile up at Dagmar. "You did eventually pass that part of set theory, didn’t you? Or are you still confusing unions and intersections?"

"I did, eventually, yeah." Still purple.

"Hi Klump, Hi Vali!"

The music switches 🎵 "Harshal the harried, twice dead three times married, finally came home to rest...." 🎵 The sound is beautiful

"It knows the legend of Harshal? Oh hot damn... let me see" Vali says and moves towards it almost forgetting the heroes

Symon nods to Vali as they arrive. He may notice a blood-stained bandage, now dried, around Dagmar's side. Since healed, though. Perhaps they found a friendly face along the way home. Otherwise, they seem unscathed!

"Treasure acquired, balance restored. Any chance a gaggle of refugees showed up?"

Vali does look over Symon's side "Had some encounters I see .And yes, Dagmar, they did. Apparently they were saved by Scamper and Hauls? Olgar found them at the trod end"

"That's the names that stuck?"

"Nockers, I swear."

Vali chuckles and gives Dagmar a pat on the shoulder "There are worse ones to go by. And yes, quest done. I'm proud of you both. There is a ..."

A ripple flows outward , present, but so gentle as to be like a light breeze as the Dreaming accepts what Vali says... what was taken has been replaced

Dag closes her eyes, feeling the brush of magic.

The little decrepit heartbird flutters it's wings... little chimeric feathers drift off and dissolve into nothingness. It seems to have an endless supply of them.

The tiny beak opens, and - nothing comes out! Though it's exposed-rib chest puffs as though it sings a song.

Symon blinks and looks up at the bird perched on Dagmar's horns, and a smile drifts over his lips.

(All wp spent on quest restored. Temp banality obviously whittled down. Temp Glamour at full yet no Bedlam. )

A soft smile at the song that apparently she can hear just fine.

"OH! Woodwife. Emmitt. The Woodwife."

Klump is admiring the stone with quiet reverence. He strokes it as it sings and... "I am ... leaking."

Indeed, wet pebbles are coming out as tears from Klump

"I said I'd try." Brow furrow, grasping at the foggy memory.

Symon looks up at her, confused. "Woodwife..." He draws a blank on that. Though, something else glints in his eyes, recalling another event that he does not, yet at least, share.

"The Woodwife helped us. Emmitt can help her."

"WOodwsife, Emmit" A nod from Vali "Noted. I'll pass it on"

He looks to Klump, then to Dagmar and Symon "This object is pretty much sacred to glomes. Thank you guys"

"Yes, thank you" Klump says

"I have to tell Olgar about a serpent." Symon suddenly recalls. He looks at the stone. Perhaps he whispered to the thing along the path home? "It was... large enough to eat Dagmar whole. And it's river washed over the Silver. He might want to either put up a warning sign that travelers be ready to trade in kind, or else put in a ford or a bridge further down."

"Noted" Vali says and is actually taking out a note pad "now, as to the stone's location"

"Do you guys want it closer the lodge, or to Klump? We still need to access it so it won't be at his anchor"

Symon considers. "Maybe we can find a clearing of it's own, veiled to keep hikers at bay. It deserves a place of honor." And out of earshot, he doesn't mention.

"Where's a good balance?"

"I know of one, a clearing that was private, but not meant to be closed off, its songs would not carry too far from there" KLump says "it was where The Shackllebreaker would often stay for solace, or with her mate when the winter pull was hard. There is a log, good for sitting on there" Klump says, and Dagmar knows the spot. The Chief showed her that trail

The troll smiles. "Oh, I know it. That'd be perfect."

"Maybe you could carve the log into a bench." Symon offers, a hand lightly resting on Dagmar's arm. "Keep in practice."

"Yes, the log will not mind" Klump smiles

Vali grins "A haven of song. I like it"