#odyssey

"They're kinda cute."

And Qetz suddenly hisses in surprise at news in serpent talk... he lays berfore Symon and Dagmar, and with his transluscent body makes a W shape... then unfolds, then makes a W again

Brow.

Symon eyes them, and remarks, "Small, yet deadly. I do respect snakes, I understand them, both of us have bad reputations." He whispers to Dagmar, "Though I admit those narrow fellows are far more attractive than I - see, the shine of their scales?"

He pauses to watch his snake. "West?" He asks, uncertain.

"One more 'w' and I'd worry he wanted us to go online." A murmur under his breath.

A shake of a snake head... and again the W... W... and now it points to one of the snakes in the grass

"Uh. I can Willow Whisper. I'm not great at it..."

At Dagmar's saying Willow WHisper, Qetz bobs a nod almost bouncing. The two legger gets it!

"Okay, Quetz. On you or them?"

The specific snake in the grass cocks her head while Qetz points to her

She bites on her lip and nods.

The female snake closes to the silver but cannot get on

Dropping to sit crosslegged, near the edge of the silver but not over. "Trust in me, just in me
Shut your eyes and trust in me
You can speak safe and sound
Knowing I am around"

This is the dreaming so the whisper takes well

The snake perks up her head, waiting for a question

"What do you most urgently wish to tell us?"

"You are about to enter the next level of the Dreaming, and will gain more of yourselves. Brace for that. Also, there is a great River not far beyond, and there in you will find a river sperent that makes us seems as rain drops to a lake. I tell you this because you have a ghost dancer with you, respected and honored by most snakes... but the great river serpent may instead drink in his power. Be wary"

Symon has also stooped to listen.

He pulls an arm around Qetz, winding the serpent into his grasp protectively. "They can try." He whispers gravely. To the speaking serpent. "Thank you for the warning. May you feast on dreams of many fat, slow mice."

"Oh what a gent" She replies, "Most welcome. If there are no other questions?"

A glance to Dagmar, inquiring.

Qetz winds up Symon's arm and a bit around his neck, playing a favorite game of 'if I were a constrictor you'd be dead'

"Thank you for the warning."

She looks at Sy, and an eyebrow lift. She had her question answered.

"We could ask if there's any advice on how to pass the snake safely..."

While that wasn't said as a question, the lady snake takes it as one "Sneaking is probably safest but the River Serpent has keen senses so it is also hardest. It prizes power, mystic energy...and if you offer up your art or knowledge it will gladly take it forever and spare you. But that is a harsh price. Lastly there IS the stone, but.. to take that from it, you'd have to be very quick or cunning, for within that stone is all the power it has ever taken that was not its own"

Brow, and a look at Symon.

"What happens to the beast if we take it's stone, though?" He muses. "Not fond of the idea of killing it just to get past, even if there is good loot."

"Oh, it is fine, but reduced to its begining ... a dangerous begining"

The snake adds "But there is nothing the River Snake values more"

"I'd prefer not to kill it. But as a team, maybe I could keep it busy while you steal the stone?"

"Stealth is not exactly my strong suite."

And with that, the cantrip fades

"Strong is your strong suit. Among many other things."

A wry grin.

"Okay, let's go. Hey, you think... with the Oath and all? You think we'll remember each other from before?"

He considers. “ To be honest, I don’t really have any memory of my life from before. It would be nice to imagine that we knew each other once.” He says, with a touch of wistfulness. But he smiles up at her and adds, “not that it matters. We know each other now.”

She beams. "We do." She takes his hand, and travels forward!

It is perhaps fitting that the dearth is over and woods have regrown and INTO The woods they go!

For into the woodss they have to go, deeper dreaming's power flows, into the woods to find a treasure, into the woods to take their measure! INTO THE WOODS! INTO THE WOODS!... and... memories rise as they each become a bit less human

(Glamour plus Past Life Background)

/roll 4

For symon memories do stir... not all of them pleasant, but as he latches onto the oathh, he tries to have one that at least includes Dagmar

He hides behind rocks, and waits. The troll knight looks about. She is not alone. Redcaps have been employed, rough thugs, and trackers. One gets too close to him , separating from her fellows. She licks her lips and soon is about to find him. Fortunately, she too is out of sight. The smuggler flips his ring, the needle inside it coated with a sleeping agent, and from the shadows strikes her. The needle is not so magical, but the sedative? Oh it is. She'll sleep for a hundred years, or until someone kisses her on the forehead, which ever comes first. Anyway, that's how it is supposed to work. OF late.. the magic seems less reliable.

And she drops. He drags her body into the rocks, and risks straining himself doing it...she is not light. He needs to find a new place to be. No matter, the others will look for the target, not each other so there is no...