The Yule Log RPG

[Envinyatar]

Stamo shook off the residual leavings of those words and actions they had done to protect themselves and their two furred companions. An echo of some few words which had but barely pierced through to him as they strove against the creature now came more clearly to the fore. ‘Did you hear?’ he asked as Mori and he strode quickly after White Paw.

Mori nodded his head, his long legs eating up the distance between them and the dog. ‘Someone remembers the old tales and ways, and called on him to come to their aid. Will he hear it on the wind or will it be lost, do you think?’

‘It matters not, I think,’ Stamo answered hurriedly. ‘Since he has sent us, we must step in as needed . . .’

An urgent voice rang out behind them. ‘What happened? I was almost certain that if it failed here it would try for the inn and the shape shifter?’ The two men stopped, waiting for Arato to catch up.

‘It was too weak to overcome us,’ Mori returned. ‘I think it will not go back toward the Inn, at least not at present. The fëar there are too little to nourish it as it needs. But I’m sure it has gone after Wenda now.’ He paused, his brow wrinkling. ‘You did not know, did you? Wenda has left the Inn, changed into her deer form and gone far into these woods. And the other woman, Maranwe, she has followed after. We were hoping to stand between them and the creature . . . to do away with the foul thing. But it would not stay to battle since the win was not assured for it.’

He looked into the thick darkness beneath the trees’ branches. ‘The two women can not stand against it. The creature will suck them dry.’ He pushed Stamo forward with his staff and motioned for Arato to come along. ‘We must find them, and soon.’

[Child of the 7th Age]

After he had finished telling the others of the danger they were in, Owl had quickly tendered his goodbyes and, stretching out his snowy wings, lept into the heavens, making his way back towards the Inn. He could do little to battle the shadow creature. Owl was under no delusions. He had neither the wits or power for such a monumental task. There was no use remaining with the Green Man or even going back to where Mori and Stamo were waiting. He had done what he could for the little wren, but duty beckoned him elsewhere.

Owl had brought the creatures to the back courtyard of the Inn on the eve of Yule to witness the burning of the Log as had been their custom for countless years. Only this time, things had played out differently. He could not help feeling some regret. In a real sense, these creatures were his responsibility. Shadow creature or no, he must make sure that his charges were safe. Owl could never have put these feelings into words, but he felt compelled to fly steadilysouthward in order to revisit the Inn and check to see if all the birds and beasts were safe.

Without the two-leggeds holding him back, Owl covered the ground quickly and soon reached the countryside where the Green Man Free House was located. His first impulse was to drop down to the roof of the Inn and call upon the animals to gather in the courtyard that he might speak with them and know that they were alright. But, as any bird of prey might do, Owl decided to make a short flight first to spy out the land and be sure that there were no unknown dangers lurking on their doorstep. Owl climbed into the air and circled the Inn two times. It was on his second round that he glimpsed a dark shadow spilling over the ground, one some ways distant; he could barely make out its grey outline, but he was sure the shadow was relentlessly advancing in the direction of the Inn. Unike the great creature of shadow that he had glimpsed earlier, this threat was at least somewhat familiar: a pack of ravenous wolves. Why they would be moving during the day and what impelled them to speed forward so quickly, Owl had no idea.

Darting in for a closer look, Owl was overwhelmed by the relentless rage and snarling jaws of the lean grey beasts. These were no ordinary wolves. He could not account for their behavior, but it was unquestionably clear that they were on a collision course with the Green Free Man Inn. His heart thumping furiously in his chest, Owl turned back to the Inn and hooted loudly, trying to convey to the men inside what he had seen. His animals had no trouble understanding what was going on. Immediately, they began crying and braying and bellowing loudly, much to the surprise of the hobbits and the others who were sheltered inside the Inn. Owl was at a loss to know what to do. None of the men seemed to understand him, yet it was imperative that he tell them how much danger they were in.....

[piosenniel]

Wren skittered up and down a low-lying branch of the old apple tree. He flapped his wings and added his piping little voice to the general melee. And yes it was partly from fear, but also from his excitement at a solution that had just come to him.

Frustrated that he could not get owl’s attention, the little bird flew to where the great bird was perched. Owl was tapping furiously at the Green Man’s shutters, trying to get the attention of those inside.

‘Owl! Owl!’ wren cried. ‘Even if they come to look at what’s making so much noise, they won’t understand you. I know where the two tall men have gone. Let me fly quickly and bring them back. Otherwise, the wolves will be upon us before the two-leggeds know what is happening.’

Owl nodded and shooed him off. He would see to the safety of the animals here while wren fetched the men.

~*~

Wren flew as fast as his little brown wings would take him. He shut his mind as best he could to the frightful feeling that crept from beneath the shadows of the trees.

When he at last found the two tall men they were with a third fellow. Wren landed on Mori's shoulder made haste to tell them what was happening. Anxious for his friends back at the Inn and anxious, too, to be out from under the shadows of the trees, he grabbed a few strands of the man's hair and began to fly off, pulling at them as he did so.

[Rose]

The old Inn hound had raised up to a sitting position from his bed of soft rags and straw, awakened by the noise of the other animals and the feeling of fear and apprehension that roiled in the air about him.

Wolves! He shook himself fully awake at the word. And they were bent on attacking The Green Man! The old fellow gave a few low barks just to warm up his throat. Then leveraging his old bones up so that he stood, he raised up his grizzled head and began to bay. Long and deep the keening sound came from him, traveling far afield.

-------

White Paw was hard on the trail of the creature. His strong legs had carried him a ways from his two companions. A sound crept its way into his focused hunt, bringing his head round to the direction from which it came. His eyes glittered in the dim light beneath the trees as he recognized it.

‘Father!’

There was danger at the Inn; his father had given the warning call.

He could not simply run back to the Inn, though, abandoning his two companions to the creature. White Paw wheeled about and ran back to where they now stood with a third man. Legs set stiffly beneath him, he barked out a warning.

[Arry]

Willem drew his chair closer to Granny, nearly huddling right up against her. He knew she was a frail old woman, but there was some sort of strength in her that gave him comfort and eased his fears.

Outside, the animals seemed in a frenzy, and one of the dogs was giving full throat to the problem. ‘What if the creature had turned toward The Green Man?’ he thought to himself, shivering on his chair. His eyes flicked to the fire, and he drew a deep breath seeing that it burned steadily.

‘Granny,’ he whispered, giving voice to his rising alarm. ‘Now what is happening?’