#rivervale_lodge

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Bingo the troll had no lodge because they were all full up. TheDeBukes were full, Rivervale was full. No one wanted Bingo...

jk. We're not doing that

((A very, very belated...)) Sylvi gets a return text from Symon, later that evening. -Sry. No signal in t woods. Crisis averted- thx Jaymes. See you Mon. - S'

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Olgar comes in from a patrol and puts down his truly ugly axe in its spot on the wall. there had been a time he would set it down wherever, but his wife nearly tripped over it once and give her legs the closest shaving ever...and well, that was that.

Brekke is at her usual evening spot near the 'Fire, though it seems Frank is out...and there's that arcade game at the side of the hall, a visual shock in this otherwise rustic room.

"Good evening, Olgar...all is well?"

"Yeah, checked out the Browns, doing more patrols about their place. Wife told me about her bug problem. "

A frown, confused. "Which wife, yours or Mrs. Brown? And if Mrs. Brown, how did you speak with her?"

"Kerri," he says, "Mug like mine, I don't normally presume to be our diplomat."

"Something up, Chief?"

She nods understanding, then pauses a moment. "Come and sit. I have a mission for you."

He raises a brow at the mention of sitting down first, "Sure. " He sits , plopping into the chair with all the grace of a Razorback finding a spot he's rooted out comfortably many time, which is to say, it may not look prettty but he can move out of it faster then you'd think, "What's the sitch?"

She nods to the arcade game. "What have you heard about that?"

An amused look, "That I get to smile everytime I think that our boyscout of a mountain actually stole it...then I think about it too long..." Less amused, "And I realize he's got to find it really dangerous since he insisted on that and the man maybe a boyscout at times, but he's no fool." A nod, "Siv rambled on stuff about being in the game. "

A nod. "She and Frank went in, and won a level, after losing one of their three 'lives.' And when they lost that first life, they found some sort of holding room where people waited...they seem to be trapped there, those who did not win."

"Well, that sounds like a special kind of hell," He frowns and looks at the arcade anew, "You want them out."

"Yes. The trick is...how. Frank thinks he knows somebody in Iowa who might help. He is going to find out more, but it is a two player game, and he may find that he gets sent into the game before being able to return here. As a caution...he needs to have his 'second player' with him on the trip to Iowa."

"Iowa? the DeBukes know about videogames?"

"Not a DeBuke, as far as I understand. And so going by the bridge will not help."

"Lovely...two player..." A groan, "I think I know where this is going. How come I get the feeling you're looking for a volunteer to for that second?"

"That would be the kind way to put it, volunteer." A slight grin, which fades. "Siv wants to go back in, but Frank does not want to risk her again immediately. I would go with him, but that leaves Siv at risk of having both parents trapped. Siv and I will be the back-up team if you two get trapped."

"Siv seemed to hold her own and she knows it, It's not banality either... I'm saying that on the purely logical side, she's tested and got an edge in that regard, " A shrug "on the 'to hell with logic' side, that's your daughter and if Sylvi was trying to get in that game I'd probably take away her quarters myself and worry about the glares later."

A heavy sigh. "She has every right to be part of this, yes. But...Frank cannot bear it again, not immediately."

"I hate to tell you this, your girl's a born adventurer... Frank might want to invest in Tums."

"But ah...yeah, I'll go with him on this, sounds like a pocket Dreamrealm, and...yours truly? The only guy in this hold who might be able to do the break out if we don't learn more from the Iowa guy"

A nod. "Exactly. Thank you." Then a look. "Do you want me to tell Kerri, or would you prefer to?"

"My wife will understand, Chief. She knew she was marrying a rover when she said those immortal words 'Why the hell not?'" A smile And the gwydion's boon goes off, but because of the last part, not the first half.

A slight chuckle, regardless of the untruth. "Well, good." She leans back and sips her coffee, the matter settled.

"For a moment I thought you were coming to tell me that Jaymes had made his offer"

"Hm. I get the sense from Kerri that something happened, but...the details are vague, and I think the conclusion is still not reached. Have you seen Dagmar today?"

"Oh, yeah, you guessed right. Jaymes offered to adopt her, she's thinking about it." As to the question, "Nope, but I was around her House more than once on the outside, no signs of nightmare chimera"

She frowns. "I am glad, but also concerned. Why not press the attack? Are their resources depleted?"

"Maybe they're afraid the adults are involved now. Cowards tend to prefer mismatches. Assuming they know we're involved. I didn't exactly TRY to be seen, but..." A shrug

"Both girls reported hearing whispering. You heard nothing like that?"

"Nope."

She nods, thinking. "Good...but at the same time, I would like to know where they are and what they are doing."

"Or who they are?"

"Or he... or she" Mmms

A sigh. "Yes. Too many unknowns. I would ask Vali what he sees, but I never know what his house will consider out-of-bounds."

"Huh, only way to find out is to ask. He'll tell you if something comes up he can share."

"Yes. I will." A sip. "So Dagmar is considering Jaymes's offer? That is encouraging. I was not sure how she would take it."

"I'm not sure How she's taking it is set. She..'had to go home' and went off." A sigh "Maybe I should have offered. Kerri seems to think Frank is right. Says Jaymes iss doing stuff for all the right reasons. But still.'

"Mm. I am trusting Kerri's instincts on this." Looking at her coffee.

"Yup. She's usually right" A pause, "Why she married me."

A slight chuckle. "Well, I cannot argue there. You have been nothing but benefit to the Lodge, so she was right in that. You have a fine daughter, so right again." A shrug.

"Sylvi is a joy. You've got a kid, so you understand..what' it's like to see promises of the best part of you and the one you love distilled into this new being, and yet, she grows in wonderful ways you never imagined, never could yourself, and find yourself caught on a journey no mere quest can match just by being there to show and hope," Thoughtful, "Yeah, somehow, mostly with Kerri's help, I'm an okay dad." A nod, "And thanks, I know I go nose to nose with people, probably too much, but I do appreciate you letting me show what I can do when I joined here."

Brekke grins a bit at his words, then sips her coffee. "You did have the benefit of already being a Rover when you arrived. In my book, that is a strong endorsement."

"Well, the Rovers gave me a chance when... huh, hard to explain. It allowed me a chance to be a part of a legacy that has been around since the before time, and gave me something worth fighting for without asking me my reasons . My joining up was... well, that's a story for another time, pretty sure everyone's heard it anyway" A shrug "Anyway, don't worry about the Mountain. Frank's good at what he does, not that I'd admit it, and I'll have his back."