IC - Axis Umbra Malthus

[Curren]

'Thats a capital idea mate, a guide will be very helpful in this venture' He answers with a smile as he pats Toblin comradely on his shoulder.

'As for my friends, I'm going to have to bring them to me in a special way.' he explains. 'It will take a while to do, but I assure you theres no cause for alarm.'

'Could I beg a boon, and ask if anyone could put me up in lodgings? My credit is good. A place to myself would be even better' he asks as he looks around absorbing the peace and tranquility of the valley.

Looking at his watch, what time is it?

[arcanus]

Looking down at one of his watches, Curren suddenly realised how hungry he was, in fact starving.
'That'll be the fresh air and clean living he thought to himself', another smile crossed his face, a curiosity in that all of his half dozen watches had probably for the first time all told the same time. Blake smiled, beckoning his daughter to follow and then waiting for Malthalamus Curren to join them.
The stroll back took them on a curved trail past lush green fields of ripening corn and beside that golden wheat, both Blake and his daughter had to stop and patiently wait for their wonder struck visitor.

Eventually the trio reached the Hamlet, a thought that this was simply to good crossed his mind for near enough the fourth time.
A theory compounded by the smell of roast chicken and freshly cooked bread, 'Damn this place' he smiled to himself.

Malthalamus Curren was treated like a lord, Blake would have none of staying in lodgings, Curren would stay and no more would be said about it. Sat down at the opposite end of the farmhouse table, a large roast bird surrounded by vegetables and tankards of ale.
Soft lanterns and a half built fire, brought an orange illuminance and shadow puppet show to the cedarwood beams of the homestead.

It was later in the evening that 'Blake' took Curren for a walk, the Hamlet consisted of only a dozen houses, never the less they strolled right the way up through the settlement to a lone cabin upon the hill.

[Curren]

Are there any lights on in the cabin? Is it inhabited?

[arcanus]

Are there any lights on in the cabin? Is it inhabited?

Yes you can see that much of the cabin is illuminated by soft yellow lantern light!

[Curren]

'Where are you taking me mate?' he asks Blake as they trudged up the hill.

The evening was warm, with the crickets chirping in the tall grass. The stars had come out and were numerous and bright, a sure sign of being out in the country. 'It must be about eight thirty now.' Curren guessed without looking at his watches as he breathed in the sweet smelling woodsmoke from the hamlets now extinguished cooking fires. The occasional bat would ghost silently past their heads seeking the pockets of flying insects that were still very active late into the dusk.

The moon was in its crescent phase, and it seemed unnaturally large as it made its way across the heavens on its ancient course. It was waxing or waning depending on where you were in the world; and this gave the englishman thought as to where he actually was geograpically on the astral plane in relation to the physical world.

He dismissed the question with a shrug of his shoulders, he wasn't going to burden himself this evening with an 'ice cream cosmology headache'.

[arcanus]

As the pair hiked up the hill, the deep woodland framing the cabin loomed over them.
The yellow light flooded out through the four panel windows onto the veranda, crickets hid from the swift bats, and fiddled in the long grass,
stalks bowed gently by the evening breeze.

“To see the guide” replied Toblin, jovially

Stepping upon on the veranda, Toblin knocked upon the sturdy wooden door.
Curren frowned with curiousity as Toblin seemed to gain some acknowledgement that he hadn’t heard and the pair stepped across the threshold.
The cabin was surprisingly cavernous inside, an older building than the dwellings of the hamlet, the wood older and telling a far longer story, wooden sculptures and paintings dotted the walls. The porch opened into an enclosed atrium, stood within its centre was a small carved wooden dias, upon which lay an old stone, markings scribed into its surface.

Toblin moved into the large living area, stood beside an enormous table was a large troll, an older man with a heavy beard, a warm smile crossed his lips as Toblin and Curren entered. As it seemed customary Curren frowned once again, ‘This place is a mystery he thought’ yet again a vague feeling of recognition crossed his mind.

[Curren]

'Good evening Sir.' Curren removes his bowler and introduces himself by name to the Troll. 'And a fine one it is too!' he smiles to hide his slight unease.

'Er, Mr Blake wanted to introduce me to you?' he adds as an explanation for his presence at the large metahumans home.

[arcanus]

The troll turned and a large hand was offered, a smile upon his face.
Curren turned and looked at the large table, he see's a huge collection of stones of all descriptions.

"Welcome Mr Curren, welcome to my home, my name is Barof, please take a seat" and with a sweep of his large arm he gestures to an old comfortable leather chair.

[Curren]

He shook the trolls large hand as well as he physically could as he briefly looked around the room again and wracked his brain to remember why this was all was so familiar to him.

His vision locked on the stone that rested in a place of reverence in Barof's household; and he likened it to the 'milestone' he had seen in the village earlier that day.

'What is going on with my mind here?' The familiarity or kinship he had with these people, and the strange memories about this place he likened to the portent that had tormented him for as long as he could remember.

The diary.

He shook his head to blot out the thought of it, and met the eyes of Barof.

'Remember, this incarnation of the metaplanes will only be stable as long as you are stable in yourself!' Curren thought angrily. 'Order and tranquility can easily fall into chaos in this place if your mind lets it.' his self control slapped his cloudy reasoning into an accord and this dangerous enigma was contained for now.

'Your welcome and hospitality honours me Barof.' he said warmly as he bowed with respect and sat down in the the seat that had been profferred.

He exhaled audibly, and hoped he had managed to pass it off as a sign of of pleasure on sinking into the comforting upholstery of the chair.

'Better!' He thought with satisfaction. 'Learn to control yourself, or by god someone else will!'

[arcanus]

Barof seats himself in a well worn brown leather chair
"So Malthalamus what brings you too our little town?" he asks