Tiding 05: Entanglements

## Content Warnings

Powerlessness, mind control, loss of self, small dark spaces, being trapped, mould/rot/infestation, fungi

*"When the world was new, there was only concept; thought without form. Only everything at once, and yet nothing at all. The First-last Remnant, Um-Simi, saw that there should be more. And so it took the threads for the Beginning and it spun them with the other ideas, right through until the Last. When the work was done, they took the thread and dove downward into the world, waiting to be where they crashed into the ground. Where they hit, the impact was so great they sunk a whole region, and were torn apart."*

 *Show more/less*

*The soul still held the thread, and so it burrowed deep underground to anchor the Beginning in the world, from where it stretched high up into the sky towards the End. Deep under the earth, it curled up around the start, and slept. High above, split from the sleeping knowing, the being body walked in circles around the world thread; and from its being and its witnessing, the world was born. Everywhere it passed, the thought of things solidified, and wound another thread around the world’s string. And so it wanders still, gathering the tales of life until the rope is thick and strong. Until the Sleeper awakens. Until they pull down the end of things.*"

―Belka

## Summary

The world reveals dark omens. The scouting party finds something worrying growing under Carn Veskl – the mountain the caravan approaches. On the surface, a storm’s name is revealed, and its intent. Belka swaps stories, Challa fights a storm, Venz eases doubts and Bris draws her sword.

## Synopsis

Madi, the person behind the barricade in the cave, listens to Belka's story *[see full narration above]* with rapt attention. She says she's never heard of those Remnants before, and introduces herself. Bris asks her if there is anyone else living behind the barricade. She replies that there are three of them- four if Lief is included. Bris says that the party is looking for somewhere to shelter half a village of people from a deadly storm, but that she doesn't want to bring them here without the permission of the inhabitants. Mari replies that they're welcome, but that the caves are no sanctuary. That there used to be around a hundred of them here, but that something came from below them, in the depths of the mountain, and now there are only two of them left (discounting Cast and Lief, who came from the outside).

When Bris asks why they're still in the caves, Madi replies that she didn't even know of the tunnel the party took, and that the thing is hunting everywhere in the caves, giving them no way out. As Bris turns to Kallan, concerned at this news, they hear a gust of wind behind them, and Bris draws her sword. Madi says she'll find a way to let them in, and that the ominous sound is at least far away at this point. Bris mutters to the others that the caves sound worse than the storm in terms of body count- she certainly doesn't want to bring Korrin here.

Out in the storm, Challa approaches Ayof, who is sitting with his head in his hands as Ven and Ailen dance happily next to him. At this point, Venren and Savel, and even Korrin, join them in the dance. Ayof admits that he feels the pull too, and that they need to keep moving. Challa asks him if he has any ideas that are better than just trying to dance the group back towards the caravan, and Ayof says he does- but that he doesn't like it. He raises his hands and a little animal like a short, stubby weasel weasel (his pet) runs from his jacket into his hand. He hands it to Challa, and asks her to keep it safe while he tries to mind-control the dancers (part of his magic)- but only two of them. Challa is dismayed, as she wants to save all of them. She suggests convincing them first, and then using the mind-control on those that weren't convinced by other means.

Challa is shouting and screaming at them as the dance circle flows, crying and begging them to regain control over themselves, that the caravan is just this way... As Challa circles around, the movements of the dancers draw her in, and she finds herself giving in and joining them. As she takes Korrin's hand, she hears something under the winds, the laughter, the screams and the yawning silence of the storm. A whispered, rhythmic drumbeat, just repeating the word "*Welcome*". Challa now knows and feels that the storm is driven by a Remnant called Strael, and the purpose for which it is claiming people as dancers is to claim the Sharrow for its own.

Venz and Shu are skirting around the west side of Carn Veskl and heading north along the river Assulc *(sp?)* towards Mishijk. As they reach the river and take a break, Shu asks more about Venz' connection with Sharrow. When Venz says it speaks to him, Shu is surprised, saying he had never believed that folklore. He asks what kinds of conversations one might have with a Remnant- the answer is that it's not quite like small talk. He says the elders call them gods, and though he's not sure about that, why do they choose to speak with humans? Venz replies that even gods have things they can't do for themselves, and that followers will help them. Shu then asks if Venz is an Envoy, and asks if he's human (many are not). Venz merely says that there are many people like him, and that some people are just born with gifts that can be honed by serving a Remnant.

Shu asks Venz what he did to the brown orb, that is now white, and asks what it is. Venz says that it can hold a thought or a feeling, and that it can be used to channel power. They agree that it came from the large white building in Etrys, and Venz says that people hold them in high regard- some people are able to extract and contain feelings in these orbs for safekeeping, and for Venz, they help him Weave without unravelling so much. Shu notes grimly that Etrys was empty of people but that all their belongings were still there, and that there were hundreds of the orbs in that building. He drops the orb in disgust and grief, and Venz pockets it.

In the caves, Bris is waiting, on edge, for Madi to return with her companions. They hear the noise again: it is the sound of tearing, of separating; muffled and rushing. Belka is nervous with anticipation, and Kallan has drawn a knife. Bris hands him her spear, unimpressed with his arsenal. Kallan, in turn, hands his knife to the weaponless Belka. The tearing, separating sound is getting closer and louder. Bris takes a few steps forward to place the torch against the wall, extending their vision a few metres. As she returns, she notices something small, fleshy and plantlike sitting on the edge of a low rock shelf where the path turns right. Bris takes a closer look with the torch. It seems to be yellowish and fibrous, and is straining slightly as if something is pulling at it from over the edge of the shelf.

The others come over, and Bris asks if they noticed it when they came through the tunnel the first time. Kallan isn't sure, and hopes it's a kind of mushroom. The tearing sound is slightly louder. When Bris touches her torch to it, it burns and spits with the smell of burning fat. It burns away from the edge of the shelf, and something behind the shelf is heard dropping and squelching. Bris goes cautiously to the shelf and looks out over it to see what's down there. She is too cautious to see anything. Belka, overcome with curiosity, takes their torch and leans right over the shelf on their hands and knees.

The floor below seems to be wet, and there are brown fungi shaped like clam shells on the floor and walls. Growing upwards are single-stemmed plants with large, fleshy tops surrounded by crowns of spiked leaves (or sepals). Between the plants and fungi are large yellow spheroid growths with protruding arms attached to the floors, walls, and even the plants (some of which have yellow growths erupting from them). As Belka leans out, one of the tendrils from the largest growth (the one burned off the shelf) lashes out and snakes around their arm. As Belka panics, it pulls them into the pit and they fall awkwardly. Bris lies on her front and reaches out to grab Belka. Belka grabs Bris and is hauled from the pit, being scratched by the tendril on the way- but they also manage to damage some of the yellow stuff.

Bris is annoyed at Belka for getting in the way and getting into trouble, and tells them to get out of the way. Kallan asks what they saw, and tends to their injured arm. At that points, three figures come down the corridor. One is Madi, one is another shorter figure, and standing in front of them is a tall thin man aiming a rifle at them. Next to him is a dog-sized animal with a large whipping tail, dark fur, and taloned legs. Its ears are back and it is snarling.

Challa, dancing in the storm, experiences a timeless moment of complete silence, and a complete emptiness of mind. When she comes to, she is back, as herself, on a wooden cart. Next to her is a warm body- Korrin. Above her is Ayof, holding a cold compress to her head. She fades back into blackness.

## Quotes

**Bris**: "We've got half a village worth of people and there's a storm outside that, as far as we know, is going to kill them. We're trying to find somewhere safe, and we found these caves, and you're here, and I don't want to bring them here without your permission. C-can we bring our people here? Please?"
**Madi**: "You can, but you won't find sanctuary here."
**Belka**: "*You* live here"
**Madi**: "We've lived here, yes, but not for much longer. There used to be so many more of us and then... and then it came."

―*Bris and Belka speak with Madi about finding shelter under Carn Veskl.*

**Ayof**: "Are you not dancing?"
**Challa**: "No... I was trying to dance them away from the dancing, but I just danced them away from the dancing to more dancing."

―*Ayof and Challa despair at the storm-dancing of their companions*
## Mechanics

* Challa rolls 5 in Scared with Manipulate to convince the dancers to regain control of themselves. (Fail- mark XP)
* Challa gains a Bond on the storm (Strael)
* Bris rolls 4 in Scared with Pay Attention to the World Around You to look over the cave shelf (Fail- mark XP)
* Belka rolls 4 in Scared with Tempt Fate to look (further) over the cave shelf (Fail- mark XP)
* Belka rolls 6 in Scared with Steel Yourself to avoid falling into the tendril pit (Fail- mark XP)
* Belka takes 1 Harm falling into the tendril pit
* Belka rolls 11 in Powerful with Use Force to grab Bris and get out of the pit, kicking the yellow growths
* Belka takes 1 Harm as the tendril rips their arm

## Notes

### Plot Notes

**Warning! There may be spoilers ahead!**

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