Difference between revisions of "Log:Autumn Court Meeting: April 2017"

2017.04.12

The Autumn Court meets for April. And an old legend is brought up The Beast That Haunts

Caretaker's Home

It's almost sundown when the Autumn Court meeting is set to begin. Currently they are gathering at a property that is for Autumn's no matter if they are in the Freehold or not. One of the known places for them to gather. There's a few pieces of business on the agenda this evening, so that seems promising. Or terrifying. There's a long antique table that is decorated in black, red and deep orange. There's also snacks and drinks for those that would like refreshments.

Ashe is quietly going through notes at her seat, making sure she's got the information needed for the meeting together. The Shadowsoul is dressed all in black this evening, the shadows showing only parts of her face at times. Uvall, her bat, is currently snoozing on her shoulder while they wait to start the meeting.

Ashe has left the head of the table open for August.

"But why?" Comes a feminine voice with the tone when one looses an argument time and time again.

"There are some things I will and won't do, Sasha," comes the whispery voice of Aaron Fletcher, Speaker for the Dead. "This just happens to be one of those things I won't."

The young man comes in dressed in casual attire of wool coat, black turtleneck sweater, and denim jeans. His hands are tucked behind his back as he talks. The mantle of his court represented as shadowy tendrils that train behind him, and the fading in and out of phantasmal moans that also follow behind him. There is a young woman who has more of an ephemeral haze about her, looking like she might be part of another realm altogether.

"Aaron. I don't ask for much. This is just one--"

"I'm not killing a dog for you so you can have a pet across the Shroud. End of story," Aaron says with a definite tone that suggests dropping the subject. "Now, I have some important business. Stay close by?"

The ghost nods, still glowering at Aaron before departing elsewhere. Aaron looks to the others present, giving them a nod and light smile in greeting to faces familiar and soon-to-be familiar.

Boyd arrives with a slightly distracted air, but that might not be completely unbelievable given that he is one of the Viziers. And thus, high-Wyrd and two twists of a screw before snapping. Autumn's black hound is clad in something a little more formal than even his usual attire. No, today, he's in a robe of black velvet with orange stitching forming occult symbols running down the arms. Subtlety is not necessarily his forte as of late. Projecting an aura of 'I know magics that would make your grandmother sit up screaming and she died ten years ago'? That might just be it. Little whisps of glamour flutter around his feet like a groundfog, spooling off of him in tatters. He takes a seat at the table, steepling blunt-clawed fingers.

August Bordeaux, Autumn Councillor within the Freehold, that-Autumn-dude-who-has-an-important-Freehold-job to those outside of it, has been unreachable the past few days. Away on business, as those attentive to the Court would know. He stands beside the hearth while waiting for the meeting to begin, a poker in his hand, prodding a log into a better position, though the Romancer, different to all who see him, lifts his head as others begin to file into the room. Nodding to Ashe, he sets the poker down and strides toward the table to take his seat, a brisk, yet graceful gesture indicating for her to begin when ready.

Recently arrived in town, Professor Tristan Darrow, who just took a position at the nearest college, attends his very first meeting of his fellow courtiers dressed in a finely pressed suit, the darkling in a dove grey suit with a white shirt, strange black eyes taking in those gathered for a moment. With him, he brought Grey. The briefest of introductions had been made, and then he had simply stepped out of the way to await the procedings to begin, finding himself a seat at the table and settling wordlessly. The faint scent of burning leaves accompanies his presence, black eyes watching those around him.

Doll remains sitting quietly, eyeing all those who arrive with her glass eyes. Its always a shade darker where she sits as her Shadowsoul consumes the light. She looks over the darkling that shes pretty much a cousin to and curls her lips into a brief, half smile before letting it fade again as she focuses.

Grey's not dressed nearly as dapperly as Tristan is, but he smiles real pretty when introducing himself by Grey, and then he settles in near him companion to watch the rest of the court.

"Good evening all." Ashe states as she rises, giving a nod to those gathered. August gets a small bow at the waist given he is her councilor. She then straightens, "We have a few things on the agenda this evening, one being general check in. We've got new arrivals and it's always good to meet your fellow Ashen Court members." she gives a nod. "As you will see, this is not a Freehold Court meeting, but one for everyone." she adds. "For those that don't know me, I'm Ashe Whelan, Custodian Elect, Legate of the Legacy of the Black Apple and Lady Scrivner to the court at the moment. But just call me Ashe." she tells them.

Ashe then gives everyone a serious look, "First on the agenda is reminding everyone that if you are going into the Hedge, to please remember to take a pal or go in a group. We found a member of the Spring Court dead recently not too far from Stoneheart, so we'd like everyone to be careful." she tells them.

"Dead of what," Boyd asks, raising a voice that's halfway between that of a dreamer still-asleep and the growl of a hound. "The Spring courtier, I mean." Almost as an afterthought, he amends his words. "Boyd Garreau, head of the Watchers and the Viziereal Counsel to the Crown for the freehold." Introduction given, he looks back to Ashe after his question.

Kat makes a face at this warning, or maybe at the report of the dead changeling. At something. She makes a face, anyway! "Hollows excluded, of course?" Seems obvious, but! She does also look over at Boyd and then back at the question raised, curious if not willing to ask more herself. Though, since they're doing introductions: "Katherine Garreau. Soothsayer of the College of Worms." She's in a couple of the groups, too, but doesn't seem inclined to list off lots of moderately unimpressive titles and positions!

"August Bordeaux," the Councillor allows, pronunciation French Canadian, though his English is without noticeable accent beyond, you know, Canadian. "Autumn Councillor to Fate's Harvest, Legate of the Black Apple." The man loosely steeples his fingers before him on the table, posture confident, yet relaxed, despite the glimmerings of bloody moonlight on the wizened, inexorably coiling vines which twine ever more prominently about his chair the longer he is seated in it. He seems content to listen to Ashe's agenda for the time being.

"She was tortured before being murdered. That is all I know of how she died for the moment." Ashe tells Boyd after he asks that question. "Not how I'd like any of my fellow Courtiers to go." she adds. "So, use caution when going back and forth." she tells them with a nod. "The next bit of business is going to be something that I hope all of you will help in. I've found a text that talks about a legendary beast. It doesn't state whether or not if it's a hedge beast or something not of this world." she tells them. "There are some pages missing though. So for the moment we are with half of the information to uncover this mystery. I think once we have the rest of the pages that we'd have a good change of seeing whether this beastie is just from someone's imagination or an actual old hedge beast." she tells them. "If you want to go on the first trip to collect the first set of pages, we've tracked them down to a place near Echoes Lament." she explains.

"I second that question...dead of what?" Grey wonders, his arms crossing over his chest as he leans back, offering a bit of a smile, "Not questioning the warning, mind you, just curious if there was any determination about the cause.

"Tristan Darrow," he introduces himself, making no claim of title, "Recently arrived in the area under a change of employ and seeking to make myself acquainted with the local Court and Freehold with an eye toward joining, as I have plans to take up residence." He then falls silent as the talk turns toward the death and the beast. "As fond as I am of a good mystery, the first is unfortunate, the second, intriguing."

Aaron is quiet as he takes a seat once the meeting starts. He places his hands in his lap. At the mention of murder, "Remind me again, was there any motive behind this?" He then pauses and looks to everyone else. "Dr. Aaron Fletcher. Speaker for the Dead, and recently recruited Custodian." He adds after a beat, "And I would have to agree with Mister Darrow. The second does indeed sound intruiging."

Boyd considers for a time, his blank white eyes staring off into space. But it seems he's listening, because his ears cock this way and that, listening. "Tortured?" He frowns. "Interesting. That's usually something personal. Or sending a message. Close enough to the same thing, really." But it's the talk of some legendary beasty that has him perking his ears up in both literal and metaphorical fashion. "Oh. I'd be quite interested in seeing that."

Kat bobs her head in a small agreement about the text. "Can we... see what there is available, already? It might not tell the whole story, but I'm curious." As for bold trips to retrieve things, she's not quite so quick to volunteer herself, though she at least seems interested in the facts surrounding the expedition. "What is this place and... is there some reason to suspect them guarded or held by others? Or is this more a matter of mere finding?"

Ashe shakes her head, "No, no motive so far, Aaron." she tells him. "And yes, very personal or sending a message. Given it was close to the Freehold, I think it was directed towards the Freehold, but better safe than sorry." she nods to this. "I'll get a time to get everyone that wants to go to Echoes Lament and investigate. I'm glad to see that there is so much interest in it. I think it will be good exercise for us as a Court." she tells them with a smile that pulls the stitches in her face almost painfully.

Ashe then bends to bring a cloth wrapped book from her bag and places it on the table where she unwraps it. It's a very old looking book. The leather is old and showing the signs of distress. The pages are yellowed and some of them look as if someone attempted to burn it. "I am trying to piece it together still. The book is unfinished, but one of the pages before a few of the lost one mentions Echoes Lament. I do not know if it's guarded or not. If it seems to be something that is too dangerous, we'll back off until we have a better plan." she tells them.

Then there is a look to August, "Do you have anything to share with us?" she asks him.

August Bordeaux remains silent, pensive gaze studying each courtier in turn as Ashe describes the murder and the quest to find the beast. The book, too, is examined with intelligent interest, then dismissed in favour of the other Legate when she addresses him by name, a glance cast up in her direction.

"Small news, and unrelated." He looks to those unpledged to Fate's Harvest before others, cautioning, "Be wary. You haven't the Freehold's protection. That may be all to the best." Attention shifting from face to face, he states, "There has been news from the Mayor--" and pauses, glancing again to Tristan to explain, "He is ensorcelled, and has been for many years. You will learn that many of the townsfolk are. Treat them kindly. Our people bring them fear and sorrow."

The Romancer shakes his head, short hair brushing the tips of pointed ears, before concluding, "Mayor Jack spoke with some of the town elders on our behalf. Nothing is confirmed, but they spoke of a second Freehold formed shortly after the Troubles sixty years ago, a hidden land, secretive, protected. Family who joined it was never heard from again."

The book's appearance, like a cup (bowl? saucer?) of milk, is enough to lure Kat from her position on the outer orbit of the meeting and bring her hopping from her perch and hurrying to the table to get a look. Though she's quick to leap on the opportunity, no doubt others are keen on it as well, and she may back up again as they all move in. But she's sure to get a look, and then maybe try reading over the shoulders of others as they go through it in more detail. Book! The only thing to draw her from it is August's report, which has her looking back over her own shoulder, wide-eyed.

Boyd looks over at the book with interest, a peculiar and avaricious glint in his eye as he observes the tome. But then he gives the full weight of his regard to August's news regarding a second freehold. "Nothing is confrimed. But is there any information about where this land might have been? How could we not have heard from them at all since our founding?"

Tristan looks over at the book with some curiosity, studying it, though from a distance for there is still discussion going on and he waits his turn for others to take theirs. When August addresses him in particular, the Darkling inclines his head to the man for the advice and says, "Information that is good to have, and will be taken to heart." The word of a second Freehold seems to intrigue him though, the fate of those who joined it even more so as one eyebrow creeps up even higher at this information. "Curious.. Roanoke Freeholders." He glances over in Grey's direction for a moment, as though gauging his thoughts.

The book that Ashe settles in the middle of the table is delicate to the touch and written on old vellum or some type of paper. The burned pages are almost unlegible, but they also realize that there's different languages spread through the book along with long forgotten symbols. There is something that becomes apparent. It takes a lot of work to understand the pages without the others being attached, which would be a reason enough to want to get the other pages back.

Ashe gives a bit of a nod to August when he speaks, "We're looking into that Custodian side. Hopefully we'll have something on that soon." she tells everyone. "Hopefully." she adds. Then she gives a look back around the table, "Does anyone have any business to bring up while we are here?" she asks with a smile.

"You mean like the Lost Colony?" Grey's brows inch upwards at that, glancing towards Tristan to give a one shouldered shrug before turning back towards the book, regarding it quietly for a moment, "So just up and vanished?"

Boyd shakes his head at Ashe's question, belatedly. He looks too wrapped up in his own thoughts to do it at first. "Lost Colony having rather a different meaning for us than it does for some," he adds with a bit of a toothy grin toward Grey. "But no, nothing to add at the moment. Only that if you know of any of our family with experience in dream-riding or gleaning the future, please send them my way? I would be ever so grateful for new bodies to help with the Watchers."

Aaron motions with a couple of fingers in the air, signalling that he has something. "It's nothing too important. If any are in need or desire to speak to the departed dead, or need the services of a Maker of tokens or other such things," his voice still carries even though it's above a whisper, "I'm of service to my brothers and sisters of the Court."

August Bordeaux unsteeples the digits of one hand, a graceful gesture of dismissal eloquent with ambivalence and ignorance as regards the 'lost' colony Grey speaks of, gesture extended with a glance toward Ashe as well. He leaves the reading of the book to others, for the time being, remaining seated rather than crowding close.

Kat looks very uncomfortable with the continued discussion of events past, this other Freehold and the implications of just who may be a part of it. "If it's really any of them... It's not good." Once she's had enough of the book, she slinks back to her corner. Boyd's question does draw a glance, though he should know she's among his potential lackeys where that sort of thing is considered, Ms. Wormy Witchcat.

The comment from Kat about these people being one of a nebulous "them" catches Tristan's attention and he studies her for a moment before looking back over toward August and the others. Once he is able to take a space near the book, he examines it with curiosity, letting his hand rest very lightly on the cover at one point, before reading over a bit of a passage or two before he too withdraws, at least for the time being.

"I think August is referring to the Soundless that we currently have in town. Or last I checked they were. Apparently we're on their land. I guess others that have went to talk to them from reports from a year ago were met with aggression." Ashe tells them with a frown. "We'll have more on that later." she states.

Then she gives a look from August to the others, "For anyone that couldn't make it to the meeting, I'll post minutes here or to a secure location. For now, I think all of the business that I wanted to get discussed has been." she states with a smile. "Please be sure to get a snack or a drink before heading out. Coffee might keep the snow at bay." she offers before she puts her bag on the table to carefully collect the book.

"That is my best estimate," August confirms, nodding to Ashe. "We know that they are west, hidden, large, and trying our strength. I would be very interested to meet others of -our- Court from the Soundless..." Long digits tap twice, slowly, in thought upon the tabletop. "Summer is not known for its diplomacy, yet both Martin and Samantha are indisputably of the Iron Spear. It could be a statement, or it could be something more." Shaking his head, he rises from his seat with a quiet scrape of chair legs over the floor, requesting of Ashe, "Keep us informed. Thank you, all, for your hard work." The Romancer stoops to pick up a leather briefcase from beside the hearth, suit blazer gaping to reveal more of the white button-down worn beneath, then straightens his cuffs and nods to all and sundry on his way out the front door.