#earthrunes

So news is out that Earth Runes has a Rusalka, this drew the attention of all local seers and academics. Now, it seems to have guests from further afield yet.

Finding a Rusalka shouldn't be that hard. yet, of late, it seems gguests who come here uninvited to question her are having trouble FINDING her

Who can explain it?

Not Adam! He has reported what he knows to who he knows, and spends his time doing good elsewhere.

Velvet comes out once the guest is gone "it's clear now, Veronica"

"Thank you"

"Feh. Lookie-loos."

"No respect for privacy."

"I feel like a side show of late" Veronica wrinkles her nose

"Fear not, Miss Zara tells me your kith are close cousins to ours. We shall provide security"

"Thank you again, Velvet" Veronica says

"Mayhaps... mayhaps a visit to the River is in order."

"Velvet, could you go to Delores to fetch a lunch basket? Fare for us and Veronica."

"Of course," She nods and moves

"Squire Velvet's a good kid, if I may say that now that she's hopefully out of earshot?" Veronica asks

Zara nods and smiles.

"She speaks highly of her liege too. Baron August" A pause "I found him a bit naïve, but a good man"

"August is an old friend. From arcadian days when I lived in a river..."

"You lived in a River? I though sluaggh prefered victorian houses or the like?"

"Well, this was in Arcadia - recall, I told you of the Sundering and Shattering? When I was a pure Dream."

"In those days, I was the River Witch. Sluagh are... well, in the Dreaming, we lean rather amphibian."

"You really our our cousins then.. or perhaps.. perhaps we were more likely to cross over then?"

"I wonder if we were so narrowly defined, before."

"The kilmoulis were like us, once, before they were lost."

"And we sluagh did not always eat spoiled food - not before the middle ages, when Dreamers made it so. We are shaped by mortal beliefs, and ignore them at our peril."

"Then..why are Rusalka back? I mean.. do any dream of us? We can't be that common"

"That was unexpected. It seems the Yule Star opened pathways which had been closed."

"So far, I know of only two - you, and one other. I know more will come." She places a hand on her stomach.

The gesture eludes Veronica - she is lost in thought.

Then she says "There's a need for justice in this world. That's why I've returned"

"Possibly, yes."

"Sluagh are teachers - we seek those who are coarse and cruel and teach them manners."

Velvet returns with the food required for the river

"Thank you, Velvet. You are quite smart. Shall we go?"

"Indeed," The Squire says "if I am welcome to join you both?"

"But of course. You did get enough for yourself, too, aye?"

"Please do" Veronica answers

"I did" Velvet says and goes out with her

Veronica speaks softly as zara leads on "Teaching... yes, it's close to what I think we are"

"But you, I fear, are oft destined for worse things than naughty children."

"I am..willing to accept that now that I have the power to make a difference" She says

She nods. "There are magics which can aid you."

"Yes, cantrips" She says "I'm very curious about those, the ones that let me judge. " The Rusalka says " Iwas told soothsay has something called omen? That lets you judge the nature of a person?"

"Omens are limited and you don't always learn what you want" Velvet whispers then looks to Zara as if to have confirmation from an elder

"Not always what you want, but often what you need."

"Da'an is a tricky thing."

"I want to be as certain as possible" Veronica frowns

"Understandable. And Soothsay is powerful for this."

"But there is not one foolproof act nor spell."

They approach the river