#rivervale_lodge

Connor gets to the trod entrance... why does the trod smell like decayed magnolias?

She notes the smell, and frowns. "Connor, change so you can tell me." She closes her eyes.

"Arf arf arf...." "...and then Olgar and Dagmar ran off to drown in a flood!"

And that's when something in the shadows lunges for Connor. Not all Chimera made it, most did not, But enough to decide to dine a pooka? Brekke sees something that looks like a fanged Slug, if it were the size of a dauchaund, and the slime a sickly green

"...and the Hearth- ARGFHhghhh..."

His voice is cut off suddenly!

She attacks it, hopefully before it can get a grip on Connor!

And it's dead. It was a small sneaky thing, not meant for combat and it made a mistake thinking it could touch a troll's charge

(Not that we're delivering a message to Symon here. There're no metaphor here. It's just dead)

Connor fell on his rump out of the way, unharmed, but he whines again.

"A flood of those? I do not LIKE it."

"Get back!" she says to Connor, ready for anything else that seems about to come through. "Is the Hearth at the Lodge?"

He sneezes at the magnolia scent, strong and cloying. "Of course, otherwise where would the fire live?"

She nods. "Go back there. Tell her where I have gone, and make sure she informs the Mountain and Frank."

And the scent of decay clears, and a silver light emminates from the rath

Of course, Kerri is already doing these things.

then out of it...steps Olgar looking scratched. Then there is Dagmar, who looks nearly dead if not for her armor holding her together. Then, there's a satyr she carries. Dear god... broken shoulder, horn twisted by brrute force until it's facing the wrong way

Brekke is about to barrel onto the trod when the scene clears, and she blinks at the sudden light. "Hm." And then out come the warriors.

Dagmar emerges after Olgar, carrying the bloodied satyr. "Was it just you, or were there others?"

Connor THUDS into Dagmar's legs.

"two others.. I tried to listen to Tavi... I really did.."

"You didn't die!"

Her eyes go wide, and she sets aside her weapon. "What has happened?"

It actually hurts. That thump. taht's how wounded Dagmar is

A blink and a frown. Why was she asking that? A whump and a faint grimace. "Connor. Hey kiddo."

"Told you I wouldn't."

"Who is THIS? They look dead. Mostly. Ouch."

"Dame, hand him to me," she indicates the wounded satyr. "We must get you to the 'Fire." Whom she means by "you" is ambiguous.

"Two others, Tavi. Okay." She's sorting it out.

"Chief, I think we might have a rescue to do?"

"Rover, Squire, assist Dame Dagmar?"

Connor is tugging at flyswatter, insistently, until she lets him carry the weapon for her.

Olgar says to the Chief "Chief, the trods of willows, particvularly around Georgia, have gone crazy.. the latice working there destroyed. The guidestones are supposed to prevent that. Not my favorite anchor but they 've been working since 1979. It caused a surge up the trod lines"

Dagmar finds herself divested of satyr AND halberd.

How did that happen?

"Chief, Dagmar is leaking."

Olgar says "Dame Dagmar saved the damn day. I wouldn't have been able to stop the horde of nightmare AND cast so effectively. Trod is silver again, and straight"

"No, Tavi wasn't one of the two... she..stayed. Had to stay. She and the balor... they fought the tide"

The satyr rambles . Even though he's in constant pain

Brekke is about to lead them all up to the Lodge until Dagmar points out the further rescues and Connor points out the leaking. Instead, she frowns. "Help her to sit. Connor, fetch the Hearth, a her healing. I will begin."

"WHere AM I ?" the Satyr asks

Blink BLINK. "You better heal that poor satyr, He's talking nonsense!" Connor remarks before he runs off to obey in Hearth-fetching.

"I'm okay..." She insists. It pings.

"The trod is secured?" she checks with Olgar as she sets the satyr down on the green grass.

"You are in Rivervale, in Apples. Rest."

A scowl at the mention of Balor.

Olgar frowns "Yes. It is. Somethings may have squeezed through, one or two nightmare chimera, but compared to the dozens and dozens we had coming, that's pretty damned good." A frown "Chief? You can't rescue the dead. And Tavi and this Balor.. if they stayed at the crux of this? THey're dead. Best hope is they have a nice next life"

It is said not with defeat, but simple ruthless unseelie practicality

At that news the satyr cries freely and unashmed

"Perhaps, Olgar. Dame, sit down."