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Post by Ursula on Mar 12, 2004 2:33:48 GMT
[ModNote: Continued from Time To Rest.] *A large grizzly bear steps out of the tributart of the Wolftrack River it has been immersed in for the last hour, shaking water from its thick coat. Ursula has been spending the time passed since the defeat of the Bloodfang in meditation, reflecting on her actions and what she has learned. Marking a large circle in the ground with one claw, she makes grooves across it at the four compass points, then inscribes a smaller circle within it and marks the five moon phases upon that. Finally, she makes yet another circle within the two already marked, and scores small circles at each compass point. Rising on her hind feet to observe her work, she shrinks down into her human form, her staff appearing in her hand* "Yes... that seems acceptable..." *Reaching into one of the leather pouches at her belt, she takes out a small beeswax candle and a fish skull. She places each in one of the points marked in the innermost circle, then places a pebble in another and a feather from her staff in the last. Lighting the candle with flint and tinder, she faces north and sits cross-legged with her staf across her knees* "Three circles for the three great powers, Wyld, Weaver and Wyrm. Four unchanging points, ever strong and true. Five faces of sister Moon, shifting from darknes to light. Four symbols of the elements, Gaia's will made manifest. By your power may my soul be cleansed, by your strength may I control my rage, by your wisdom may I learn, by your mercy may I show compassion." *Closing her eyes, Ursula remains completely still, oblivious to everything except the whisper of the wind through the trees and the sound of running water. She remains like this for another hour, until a vagrant breeze lifts the feather from its place in the circle and blows it into her lap as the candle goes out. As if she is aware of this, Ursula opens her eyes and looks down at the feather curiously.* "Hmmm... an omen perhaps? Or a message... yes... I think I know what you wish of me Ursa." *Picking up the candle and fish skull, she returns them to the pouch, and returns the feather to her staff. Then she sets off deeper into the forest, towards where she saw the Pegathor fly...*
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Post by Young Grimwold on Mar 16, 2004 20:31:43 GMT
*Pegathors, despite their awesome size, are innately graceful and surprisingly light-footed, so Ursula is unlikely to find a set of hoofprints. There are, however, some fine white-grey hairs scattered across the Forest floor, that do not appear to match any of the native Dunn wildlife...*
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Post by Ursula on Mar 16, 2004 23:46:28 GMT
*Although finding the Pegathor would no doubt be easier with the heightened senses of her bear form, Ursula remains in her human shape as she has no wish to appear threatening should she find it. Noticing the hairs, the gathers a few, rolling them between her fingers*
"Hmmm. Not from any native beast of this forest I think..."
*She sniffs at them to get an idea of the scent; although her sense of smell is blunted in her current form, it is still far more sensitive than that of a normal human. Continuing on her way, she keeps a sharp eye out for any more hairs, and tries to catch a trace of the scent in the air*
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Post by Young Grimwold on Mar 19, 2004 0:49:06 GMT
*Ursula enters a small clearing, and sees something surprising: a pool of fresh, clear water. It has no obvious source, but adds a kind of relaxing mystique to the Forest, like the smile of daybreak. Ursula ponders the find for some time, and eventually draws a theory:*
*Pegathors are creatures of mystery; much of what is understood of them comes from the mythology surrounding their legendary progenitor, Pegasus. Shortly after Pegasus was born, he (or is it she?) flew up into the mountains, and stamped his hoof; and immediately, a spring gushed forth. It was named Hippocrene - the Horse-Spring. And so, this pool in the Forest; could it have been spawned by the Pegathor in the same way? And to what extent is the water worth investigating?*
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Post by Ursula on Mar 19, 2004 0:58:38 GMT
*With a look of curiosity and surprise, Ursula goes to crouch by the pool, and runs her fingers through the crystal-clear water*
"Hmmm.... interesting..."
*Scooping up a hanful of the water, she sniffs at it, then takes a cautious sip*
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Post by Young Grimwold on Mar 19, 2004 14:23:12 GMT
*The water is slightly sweet, and warm, almost in defiance of the Forest's ambient menacing chill. It has no immediate effect on Ursula; but it is obviously mystical, and she wonders whether it would have any long-term effect on her, in any of her forms. Drinking more, or bottling some for later are two possibilities.*
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Post by Ursula on Apr 4, 2004 0:52:23 GMT
(OOC: Apologies for the long absence, I BLAME WINDOWS ME!!!)
*Ursula is somewhat surprised by the warmth and taste of the water, and nods slightly to herself as her suspicions are confirmed*
"Yes, certainly not natural. Bur hardly malevolent."
*Cupping water in both hands she takes a long draught of it, then rises to her feet. Taking up her staff, she marks a rune into the ground beside the pool, then slowly paces around it, trying to pick up the Pegathor's scent*
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Post by Young Grimwold on Apr 4, 2004 17:59:54 GMT
[OOC: It's always ME, ME, ME with you, isn't it? Not to worry!] *Ursula paces for some time, working to filter out the more familiar smells of the Forest in order to fix upon the Pegathor's scent, much as a human might do with voices in a crowded room. Still, it is difficult to know which route out of the clearing is the most direct - the Pegathor (or someone else) could be masking her scent for some reason. So Ursula moves away from the pool, to scour the perimeter of the clearing for more hairs.* *...And she finds some. They are the same texture and length as the previous hairs, but they have a notable difference. They are coated in blood.* *Ursula's mind is drawn through confusion back to mythology. Pegasus was born not from a horse, nor from a god: he sprang from the blood of Medusa as she lay dying, her killer Perseus fleeing with her head - a head that many claim ended up in the Dunshelm Dungeons. So it could be that the blood on the hairs is natural for a Pegathor - like a form of occasional perspiration - or it could indicate injury and danger...*
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Post by Ursula on Apr 4, 2004 19:04:42 GMT
*Ursula draws in her breath sharply at the sight of the blood. Mythology be damned, in her experience this is never a good sign."
"...well... at least it makes things a bit easier..."
*Her form becomes slightly larger and considerably harier as she shifts to her near-human form, gaining sharper senses while still remaining in a form that can pass for a human. Sinking down onto her hands and knees, she sniffs at the blood, which to her has a far stronger scent. Remaining on all fours, she prowls forward, muttering in some annoyance at the ungainly nature of the human physique for this kind of movement*
"...hmph... no wonder they can't smell anything until it slaps them in the face..."
*She continues her rather comical progress, looking almost like a (hairy) human impersonating a hunting bear*
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Post by Young Grimwold on Apr 4, 2004 20:28:26 GMT
*Ursula remains vexed at her altered physique's inability to keep pace with her enhanced senses. She finds herself on an increasingly salient trail of blood-soaked hairs and strong odours, but has to keep stopping to ease twinges in her back. If the horse-spring-water does have healing properties, it has yet to take effect.*
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Post by Ursula on Apr 4, 2004 20:49:45 GMT
*Straightening with a grunt of frustration, Ursula rubs at the small of her back, biting her lip in concern as she views the trail of blood-soaked hairs*
"Not good. Not good at all. But even a human could follow this trail now...."
*She shrinks back to her fully human form, though has suspicions that the Pegathor will know exactly what she is, and thus concealing her true nature is futile. But she decides the best action is to approach the creature in a form that is as unthreatening as possible, and continues following the trail on two legs*
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Post by Young Grimwold on Apr 5, 2004 0:19:30 GMT
*Ursula comes across more pools. A chain of three, smaller and shallower than the previous one she encountered, and tinted with blood. Not exactly drinking water.*
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Post by Ursula on Apr 5, 2004 0:24:51 GMT
*Ursula's face grows grimmer as she sees the pools. Not waiting to investigate, she continues on her way, faster now, until she is almost jogging*
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Post by Young Grimwold on Apr 5, 2004 0:36:33 GMT
*The scent becomes stronger, the blood trail becomes thicker, and a new sensory dimension is added, with the quiet, plangent sound of a creature in pain. If pressed, one would say it's a horse; and yet, it sounds unlike any horse. Ursula feels her muscles aching, and frustrated at the lack of resilience of the human form, pushes it onwards at speed.*
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Post by Ursula on Apr 5, 2004 0:53:17 GMT
*Ursula gasps sharply as she hears the sound, her brow creasing as she shivers involuntarily, as if in pain herself. In an instant she has forgotten her weariness and is sprinting towards the source of the noise as fast as she can*
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