Play@YSDC

While relieved to have escaped without further bloodshed, Lila bemoans the loss of her daggers, particularly the blessed weapon. At least she still has her silver dagger but will visit a blacksmith in Rochester at the earliest opportunity in order to replace the iron one. "Ivan, I hope you will be able to drive our coach the rest of the way."

Ivan nods.

"Yes, Ivan can drive the coach," says Henry. "Thank you for stopping her. I might otherwise have ended up like our poor erstwhile coachman."

"Until this pilgrimmage is over, we should always make sure you are not alone," says Ines. "Both guardians chose you as their target."

OOC:   The Gypsy girl has no way of knowing that this is mere coincidence, and her supersitious heart would see a pattern that may well repeat.

A replacement for the iron dagger is obtained, not without some peculiar glances from the blacksmith.

While resting for a time in Rochester, the party hears Tom make this odd pronouncement.

"Two's greater than one, a-hey, but lesser than three. Four's most of all."

What might be the meaning of this statement, other than its obvious arithmetical accuracy, is difficult to say. Further questioning does not yield any clarification.

After a peaceful night's sleep, the party proceeds to Ospringe. The day is warm, with not a cloud to be seen nor a breeze to be felt. Such, at least, is the case until the adventurers reach a grassy area not far from their destination. Then, seemingly from nowhere, a mighty wind shakes the coach to the point where caution dictates that it be brought to a halt. Loud thunderclaps crash; curiously, there are still no clouds to be seen. One is reminded of Lear's speech upon the heath.

Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow!
You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout
Till you have drench’d our steeples, drown’d the cocks!
You sulphurous and thought-executing fires,
Vaunt-couriers to oak-cleaving thunderbolts,
Singe my white head! And thou, all-shaking thunder,
Strike flat the thick rotundity o’ the world!
Crack nature’s moulds, all germens spill at once
That make ingrateful man!

It is an inconvenient fact that there is no obvious shelter to be found in this open area. As if the impending storm, if such it be, were not enough of a problem, the horses neigh nervously and threaten to bolt.

"You're good with horses," Henry says to Ines. "Perhaps you can keep them calm. We may need to abandon the coach and ride the horses. It's the only way we can get somewhere we might find shelter quickly."

Ines attempts to do as Dr North suggests.

OOC:   Rolling separately for each horse: Charisma 10 +1 Animal Husbandry SunlessNick rolled 1D20: 12, failure SunlessNick rolled 1D20: 1, success

OOC:   If there are four horses: SunlessNick rolled 1D20: 6, success SunlessNick rolled 1D20: 10, success

One of the horses is panicked beyond Ines's ability, but she manages to exert a calming influence on the remainder.

Lila looks around the grassy area warily, these events portending some sinister unseen supernatural presence. Like a spirit of air, perhaps...

"We do have the bellows, in case the guardian of Air should show itself," adds Henry.

The party will need to quickly decide which two among them will share a single horse among the three available, before the approaching windstorm renders them incapable of mounting the steeds.

"Ivan's too big to share a horse," says Henry as they mount up, "but I have a small frame and can share with one of the ladies."

It seems logical that Ines, with her skill dealing with animals, should ride with the passive Tom behind her, leading the others to safety, whilst Doctor North and Miss Davenport ride together (propriety not being a primary concern at this juncture.)

As the three steeds and their riders head for shelter, the extraordinary wind follows, as if pursuing them. It pushes hard, directly against the horses, no matter which way they may be turned, as if possessed of intelligence.
Perhaps because it bears an extra burden, the horse bearing Doctor North and Miss Davenport becomes recalcitrant when faced with the wind it cannot escape. The two riders attempt to regain control of the beast.
Through sheer force of will, Doctor North is barely able to force the animal forward. The wind continues to blast away, sending leaves soaring through the air, and even knocking down small trees. The party is able to make its way to Ospringe and find shelter for themselves and the horses at a small inn.

The storm grows stronger. Soon people are knocked down if they dare to leave their houses. Windows -- an expensive luxury! -- are destroyed, and the dust of the street blows everywhere, causing much coughing and blindness.

"The end of the world," remarks the innkeeper gloomily, as a particularly powerful blast of air bashes the door of his establishment wide open, even though it be barred against such.

A whirlwind enters the inn, for all the world as if it were a human being seeking victuals and company. As it swirls in a mad dance, like the fabled Dervishes, small objects in the room are tossed about, causing many of the assembled guests to duck their heads in terror. Even chairs and tables are moved about the room in a chaotic manner, leading to no little injury to those unfortunate enough to be in their way. It blocks the only exit to the inn, those attempting to bypass it being thrown to the ground by its force.

"I am not sure a pair of bellows will be of use against this," Lila remarks. She backs away toward the fireplace.

Henry and Ivan follow hastily. "We could try to reason with it," says Henry. "The other guardians could communicate, so presumably this one can too. They don't always listen to reason, though. If that's the case here, the bellows is the only idea I can think of at the moment." He gets it ready, just in case.

Dr North's suggestion can but be attempted. "Will you speak you us?" Ines asks the whirlwind directly. Perhaps we can right any wrong done to you."

Among the persons within the inn there is an elderly fellow, with the look of a scholar, who had been perusing a large and heavy book before the entry of the whirlwind. Apparently aware of the preternatural nature of the phenomenon, he shouts out to the others "One of Faery cannot bear to hear its name spoken! This being's name must be--"

At that moment the whirlwind picks up the book and dashes it at the man's head, knocking him senseless. It makes no response to any attempt to communicate with it, although this action indicates that it is aware of what is said. It seems likely that in a moment it will make a similar kind of attack upon the party.

"Protect us, Ivan!" says Henry, handing his servant the bellows. He then rushes over to the fallen scholar and tries to revive him in the hopes that he will tell them the being's name.

As if it were no more than a plaything, the whirlwind snatches the bellows from Ivan's mighty grip and tosses it against the wall. Clearly this being is of great strength!

The injured man is restored, but only to a half-sensible state, unable to communicate with words. He feebly points to the fallen book, which proves to be -- oh, tragic irony! -- an edition of The Tempest by William Shakespeare.

"Ariel!" shouts Henry, reasoning that that could be the whirlwind's name, as there is a similar being by that name in the play.

With a sound halfway between a human shriek and a howling wind, the whirlwind vanishes, leaving a room much disturbed but at peace. After some effort, the scholarly gentleman is returned to a normal state of health. When the necessary cleaning up is completed, the landlord and his guests retire for the evening, to enjoy a well-deserved rest.

The next day's journey is a short one. If the past be any guide, it appears likely that the final encounter with a so-called guardian will be even more hazardous than the first three. The party may make such arrangements as seem necessary, taking into consideration the fact that the coach was left behind during the encounter with the windstorm.

"Few would have dared the night of such a storm," says Ines. "There is a small chance the coach is as we left it."