Phillips Harbour
Monday, October 26. Very Early Morning.
It's hard to get sense out of Yotee on the best of days, and in Randall's experience, this Saturday would be the coyote's worst. So the archaeologist endeavors to be patient in questioning his Companion, and eventually pieces together recent events.
The meeting with St. John did not go well -- in fact, as far as Randall can tell, it didn't happen at all. Yotee ran afoul of the white hart, said the wrong thing, and the buck very nearly killed him. Yotee has apparently spent the couple of days since lying in a ditch and not-quite-dying. During this time, he overheard the woman they'd met early in the month -- a Closer? Yotee thinks so but isn't certain -- investigating the area where St. John had laired, and talking to her horse, Slate, and an unnamed crow. The coyote did not hear the woman's name mentioned. 'Slaughtering the forest animals and tearing a rift between worlds' is apparently something he heard them discussing; being mostly dead at the time, his recollection of the conversation includes little context and no details on hows or whys. The woman also entioned something about 'catching up with the lads'; Yotee guesses this referred to other Closers, probably the Englishman and his chimpanzee.
Yotee has no first-hand information on what's happened to Miss Pau, and his second-hand information is scanty. Pau's Companion, Lei, said her mistress and Mrs. Stephenson had both been missing for some hours, and that the farmhands remaining were behaving strangely. She did not detail what she meant by "behaving strangely". She said that the Old Forest had withdrawn its protection from St. John and both woman and hart had left. Later, some people -- Yotee doesn't know how much later, or who -- brought the dead bodies of the stag and St. John back to the Old Forest. Lei believes they were killed by Closers, and she suspects that Pau has also been captured -- perhaps killed -- by the same Closers. The bird had no idea where Pau was, and had come to Randall and Yotee because they are the only other Openers in the Game and she knew of no one else to turn to. When she left, she said she'd continue to look for Pau herself.
It's not clear to Yotee why the bird was sure something had happened to her mistress, beyond the fact that Pau normally leaves a sign for Lei if she's going to be gone for long. For all he could tell, Lei might have been panicking over nothing. Lei seemed insulted when Randall questioned their motives in Opening, saying, Doesn't he know the Rules? I'm an Opener! Opener! Opener! Which says nothing about her motives but does confirm which side she's on.
Not knowing where Pau was, or what could be done for her, Randall opted to remain at home after all. Yotee spent the rest of Saturday and most of Sunday lying on the kitchen floor and looking pitiful. But either he healed quickly, or the coyote's pitiful appearance was an act (or, knowing Yotee, both) because on Sunday evening he popped up, said, Going to the Harbour, and left.
In his free time, Randall has been doing more research -- of course. He's been examining the rock/statue he found in the basement, as he has a hunch it's important. The object is a common enough icon, an earth-mother statue; Randall guesses it's thousands, if not tens of thousands, years old. He's seen a number of such figures in his time, but this one feels /different/. Holding it is oddly comfortable -- so comfortable that Randall is inclined to mistrust the sensation.
It takes some digging, but after considerably time he produces some Game-related connections for the idol. One source mentions it as a "pagan idol" used in a Closing; another as a "misshapen rock" wielded by Openers. Both sources note the same sensation of life about the artifact that Randall has observed.
He goes to bed Sunday night thinking about it, and wakes in the wee hours of the morning to the creaking of his bedroom door. Alarm turns to annoyance as the unmistakable odor of wet dog reaches Randall's nose. Yotee's back. Randall is about to tell him to go away when the coyote leaps onto his bed, dripping everywhere. He's learned a new trick: Fetch. He drops the stick on top of Randall.
It's a very long shaft of wood, almost man-height, and capped on either end by brass. Randall's tired and half-asleep, and it's dark in the bedroom, but even so he senses something ... familiar about it.
This makes the fourth time, roughly, that Yotee has managed to get Randall to swear like a drunken sailor. But, again, given the provocation, its understandable. Randall's outburst isn't aimed so much at the wet courier, but at the package, as he stares unbelieving at the staff. "THE Staff?" he finally sputters when he runs out of steam.
I hope it's worth it. Yotee replies, standing stiff legged on the bed and lacking all playfulness. It seemed important enough to them.
"Its one of a bare handful of artifacts I've found mention made of, researching the game. Its normally in the hands of an ancient Closer, the Old Man." Randall runs his hands slowly up and down the length of the Staff, fingers hovering just over it. "Like the Flame, and maybe Mother, its may be older than....well, everything."
The coyote relaxes somewhat, settling into an explanation of unusual length for him. The Closers, first they thought I was dead. They used their machine to call spirits. I could have played such a trick pretending to be one! Then, when they saw I wasn't, they thought I was a Closer because of what happened with the Stag. They were nice, they asked me to forgive them. They were telling me things. They offered me food. I didn't eat for this! Marseilles...
He just stops speaking for a moment, then continues as if he hadn't mentionned her at all. I know where Miss Pau is. I know some more names. The Closers seemed to think I should know something about this.
Randall grins at Yotee's tale of woe, as he slides out of bed. Picking up the Staff, he asks "So they think you are a Closer? Did you say so? And do they know you took the Staff?"
I didn't say anything, other than I met the Stag and he took a disliking to me. They saw me steal it, almost stopped me. The ape Caliban seemed sympathetic, I told him he should have listened to the shamans, and they believe I'm an Opener now. They thought I might know the Old Man, or how to use the staff. The coyote yawns a bit.
Randall nods, listening as he continues to examine the Staff.
The staff looks much as Randall expected it to look: stained and shellacked, with signs of wear and scorching beneath the finish. It has a palpable aura of power in his hands, and of danger. This isn't an artifact to be wielded carelessly.
They have no idea you're my companion. I don't think they know you're in the game at all. I'm not sure who they think I'm with. They haven't found the Old Man either, they thought I might know. Yotee continues, gnawing at the wrist of one of his paws. There might be teeth marks on the shaft, and if not the coyote still remembers its cap grinding in his mouth. They acted like I could tell them how the game had been played, as if I'd been in it before.
There are, in fact, a few long scrapes down one end of the staff, with the indentations of tooth marks near the middle.
Laying the Staff back on his bed, Randall begins getting dressed. "Hhmm, that's interesting, and good to hear the Old Man hasn't made an appearence. Which is odd in itself. Go on, please, what else?" he says while changing.
Yotee curls up on the bed. They're organized. They believe some Other influence lies beyond, and that they're protecting this world from it. I know that's not true. We're trapped here with the Darkness that swallows all. They know St. John and the Stag are dead, they know where Miss Pau is being kept. Bernice had some doctor intervene, to prevent the townsfolk from burning her as a witch. They wanted me to make a distraction, to help get her free.
Stomping into a boot, Randall pauses at that last comment, and stares into space for a moment. "Oh, that has potential." He says, softly, then motions for Yotee to continue as he fumbles under his bed for the other boot.
Herbert has a machine that traps animal spirits, he has repaired it and was running to attract my ghost. He might have a way of making spirits go away. The coyote pauses again, oddly unhappy in his body language. There isn't much more to tell. They left the staff unguarded, I bit it and ran. I think I should have stayed, pretended longer, they might have told me more. I know where Miss Pau is, but I didn't linger to find out why the Old Man is significant or why they thought I knew him. Maybe I should have, I wasted a lot of luck getting that staff.
"Luck well spent." Randalls praises, as he carries the Staff into the kitchen, obviously reluctant to let it out of arm's reach. "The Old Man has been involved in nearly every game, at least the ones my research has turned up any mention of." He leans the Staff against the counter for a moment as he pokes into a barely warm stewpot, then ladles some into a bowl. "Don't need to ask if you want this." he mutters while placing the bowl down for Yotee.
The coyote follows into the kitchen. Thanks, he looks at the bowl, but doesn't eat. Instead, he lies listlessly beside it, willing to guard it until perhaps he does desire some. How do you recognize the Old Man? If it was Bernice's grandfather, why wouldn't she know. If it was the Old Indian, why didn't we?
Randall settles down at the table, waiting for the kettle to boil. "Bernice?" He glances up at the name, new to him. "Which is/was she? And I doubt the trapper was the Old Man, given how easy he died. I mean, he's ancient, older than dirt, the stuff of legend. I rather doubt he'd have fallen without giving a good account of himself."
Bernice Townes. We met her in the forest early on. It didn't like her much. You left, I tried to steal the staff then and bit her companion horse, Slate. Yotee works his jaw. She said she was just trying to scare me. Oh, she asked if I'd seen the unicorn, so they know of her. I don't think they've seen her though.
"They claimed this Townes woman...a Closer? Wait, I need to make note of that, scrye her and that horse of hers, Slate was it? Calculations, oh bother, where are my notes" Randall patpats his pockets, then charges off to the den, returning immediately with some pieces of paper covered in his cryptic, darn near glyphic notes. "This will take a bit, or will when I do it. You said you had names, any other names?"
Herbert. He has a boat, a machine that he straps his ape into so it can speak to him and spirits. His ape is Caliban, and should know better. I didn't get his last name. There is a Dr. Greene, who has Miss Pau at his office. Yotee huffs, I'd like to get her out.
Dr. Greene is not in the game. I thought there was a white cat who was, but I haven't heard any more of it. Yotee adds.
"Herbert Shaft. I've met him, those two came by the farm a few weeks ago, near the start of the month." Randall runs a finger down a page, and nods. "I think the cat you mentioned was the companion to the deceased Closer, Mrs. Everchild." After staring out into space a moment, he asks "Can you pull it off? Getting Pau free, with the help of the Closers, and do they mean free on her own or out of one cage into their hands?"
"If we can keep them unsure as to who you work with, who I work with, that could be invaluable. Confusion to the enemy, eh?" Randall adds quickly.
They seemed to think she could get free on her own. I'm not sure why they wanted my help, maybe so she wouldn't seem like a witch. They are pretty certain I'm an Opener now, I think they would only change their mind if I brought the staff back. I can still try, alone or with possible help. I don't know if Miss Pau is an Opener, but her nightengale is. Yotee looks despondent.
"No, returning the Staff is about the last thing we'd want to do." Randall glances at the object in question, then shakes his head. "Outnumbered, it wouldn't be prudent to pass up a chance to free her. If you need me helping, well, lets try to avoid running into these Closers when out and about."
It's still dark outside the kitchen window, and the room is dimly lit mainly by the light of the stove. It's probably around 4AM.
They were really, really angry I took that. I think they're still searching. It could be hard to avoid them. Humans usually only call on each other when it's light. If you were going to talk Dr. Greene into letting her go, it would be better to wait. Yotee stands, paces around his bowl. What happens to Human spirits when they go away?
"I don't think talking to this Greene fellow is what we should do. A night raid with a bit of brute force, and vanishing into the dark seems more in order." Randall shrugs, and adds "I don't know. Its s subject debated on for centuries, I'll find out some day, I think, but not in time to pass on any word about."
The coyote slumps out on the floor again. Okay. He seems at a loss to say anything further. Bring Mother?
Randall glances toward the den, then back to Yotee. "'Mother' bothers me. I can't say why, but..." He shrugs, pauses for a moment then continues. "If you feel strongly about that, I would, but if we do run into trouble I'd hate to end up trading her for the Staff, as it were."
She's always been nice to me. She can stay here; I just want to talk to her before we go. The coyote continues to lie beside his bowl of ignored food.
Randall collects his notes, and returns them to the pile of papers he's been most recently wading through. After a moment of shuffling paperwork, he reappears in the kitchen, and sets the stone figure on a chair facing the coyote.
The stone stands on its narrow feet, leaning against the chair back. It looks ... comfortable. Perhaps sleepy.
Yotee gets up, putting his front paws on the edge and stretching across the seat to nose the figure. He licks, tongue rapidly flicking out. Mother? Mother? I...
The hair at the nape of Randall's neck stirs, as if he could sense something stirring in the idol. Or around it. The kitchen feels warmer suddenly, cozier.
I told Marseilles about you. She said you sounded very nice, and that she wanted to meet you. He licks faster, bumping the figure against the back of the chair. She went away, because... because I asked her to help me, and they did something, and she went away... and I didn't want her to get hurt. But she's gone, but you can find her? She'll be okay? You can find her? Protect her? I can find her? It's not... forever. She can still meet you?
She... she was making them see things, be afraid, so I could get away. She got really big, and then she was gone. They did something, with machines. I don't know, I couldn't see, just felt nothing. He whines at the small idol. I asked her to... I, thought I had to take it. They wouldn't listen. I told them about the darkness, how all the animal spirits are trapped and how the gate has to be opened so we can go home. They wouldn't listen, and she helped me take the stick but she's gone.
To Randall, the idol doesn't appear to be talking back. But it seems a little bit smaller now.
Yotee looks up, ears low, his head bobbing as if stroked by an unseen hand. I do want to see her again. I can be cleverer. I'm good with traps. I'll find her then, so you can meet her. It can't have been for good, not for a stick. He tries to convince himself.
Randall says softly "That 'stick' may well be the difference between opening the Gate, or not."
Yotee closes his eyes, and the tension that has been evident in him since his return melts away. I will Mother, I will. I'll keep all my promises. Sleep soundly, I'll do it.