So I didn’t want to say anything at first, but I’ve been having weird dreams. Like WEIRD dreams. Vivid, weird, and in them, I’m not me. The thing is, I’ve been having them ever since Woolie was last in the office and I tried to console him. When I fell asleep beside him, and he disappeared.
I don’t know how ghosts work, but…
Backing up, I keep a dream journal. I have ever since I lost a chunk of my memories way back in the 90s (you know the story, blah blah blah, living storm, magic coin, etc.) I figured back then that maybe I couldn’t remember things, but sometimes memories become part of dreams, and if I kept track of them, maybe I could put some of those pieces together. That never really happened (well, sort of, but that’s another story) but I kept the habit, and I have tons of journals full of dreams. From detailed accounts to sketches, to single phrases, or even individual words… I don’t ever really go back and read them; it’s just become a habit. If I remember something when I wake up from a dream, I write it down.
The thing is, since Woolie disappeared, I’ve been having dreams that feel like they’re through his eyes. Not necessarily like he’s showing me things, but more like he’s dreaming inside me, and I’m along for the ride, but I can’t remember the details for longer than a couple of seconds when I wake up, so there hasn’t been a point in pulling out my journal. I can’t remember anything to write down. I know the dreams don’t… feel like they’re mine. They’re his, or someone’s, and I’m mentally piggybacking.
My family says I’m not myself lately. I’m distracted, in a sort of mental fog, and I have this constant feeling of what I can only describe as a mix of longing and dread. Like I’m not doing something I’m supposed to, but also fear
I mean, you know that picture of me that I didn’t take? What is that in my hand?
Anyway, last night I decided to pull out my dream journal and a pen and went to sleep with them in my hands. Thinking, if I’m not myself, then maybe I’m someone else right now. Or at least someone is visiting. I might not remember the dreams, but maybe Woolie does? And maybe he can write something down that would help?
I know. I’ve gone off the rails. But come on, we’ve experienced weirder. And also, you know probably know where this is going.
Yeah. It worked.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m possessed, but part of whatever’s left of Woolie has taken up residence in my head and I’m feeling his feels and dreaming his dreams. And this morning a ghost wrote his dream down, through my hands, into my dream journal.
You know, like you do on Sunday. This is Woolie’s nightmare.
“My memories are lies. As I fall to pieces, the lies fall away as well.
The man we saved from the boat, the one who began me on the path to Neithernor, he did not lead me down the path of wool like my memories tell me. I can see that now. He set me on a journey to the island across the great sea. To those who called themselves the Silver. That is how I first found Neithernor. I learned of the other houses from them, yearned for their community and sense of wonder. I never felt like I belonged with the Silver and in time they became suspicious of me and rejected me.
They made me forget them and set me back into the world with only an inkling, a need, to return to a place I couldn’t remember. And that’s how I found Neithernor a second time, though until these dreams I believed it was my first. That is how I joined All Ebgorad, how I found my Molly there on that shore that looked onto the sea that stretched between the Silver and us. How I found my home and heart.
In time, when a meeting was to be held on that same shore, a parley for peace that would begin on Assembler’s Day, I fought, despite my inexperience, to be
watch on that night. To be the first sight. And Molly fought for me to have the honor, the responsibility. But it was not me who asked to be the first sight. It was the Silver. It had all been their plan. They sowed a seed in my mind before sending me back to the mundane world. A seed that would grow into a need for me to return as one of the six guilds, and to ignore their seabound betrayal until it was too late to stop them. The Silver lied, lied to us all, but it was I who was the betrayer.When I saw them approach, their blood-black sails raised, the wave tall enough to wash us all away, I did not warn my kin, my family. My Molly. I watched, unable to speak. The seed they had planted in me had grown into a choking vine, and there I died in silence, beneath the waves, forsaking all I ever wanted. All I ever loved.
My every waking thought has been about returning to Neithernor to find my Molly’s spirit and hold her again. But I don’t deserve her. I don’t deserve the world I handed to our enemy.”
That was the end of what he wrote. But, sitting there with the journal in the dark, I was thinking about A.G.’s journal and how she said it helped her work through things.
I felt compelled to keep writing, for her. For Woolie. For everything they’ve sacrificed, and honestly, this could be nonsense, or it could be clues…
Fall below the five waterfalls and trade a whip-crack for whiskey.
In her city of the dukes, find the fifteen creatures standing guard.
Coyotes drink in the place of wells where the black stars lie.
The father of gazelles hides a phantasmic collection in a minuscule place.
The proclamation tree casts shadows on the heads of the beautiful island.
A war of knives in a city of light follows a path to a star.
148 Comments
Stay safe, @Saberlane, and trust the flow of magiq.
Definitely stay safe. I’m sorry it’s having an impact on your life and family like this. Woolie doesn’t have the right to take you over like that. I’m sure if Leigha or Ms Evans were here they’d recommend lots of salt circles and burning white sage. It’s not my area of expertise but give it a try.
Edit: Although if you ever want to bore Woolie into leaving you with a long lecture I’m sure I could dig up something.
If it comes to it, I’ll definitely hit you up, @Robert.
I can’t explain it, but I don’t think Woolie meant to do this. Maybe it was the ash, maybe it was dozing off in proximity to him when he was fading, but I think this might be magiq at work, trying to save what’s left of him. It’s definitely not optimal, and I’m hoping that we can resolve it, though I’m not sure how we can fix it without destroying what’s left of Woolie in the process.
Help me run a little publishing company, she said.
No big deal, just paperwork, and social media, she said.
Well, I’ll bust out the tinfoil for the dream clues, I suppose.
Unless there are several lesser-known proclamation trees, the only one that seems to come up is in Australia. Not particularly close to @Skylad, but closer than some of our other clues that turned out to be elsewhere (and if the clues are sending us farther now that we have the means to dream travel; even more likely with how these clues have presented themselves)… I’m not sure of that ended up a complete thought.
One other thing I found in a quick-ish search was the Black Star(s) Canyon (I forget if it was singular or plural) close-ish to the corner of California with a couple Mountie dots on it (looked closer than the tree to Sky, anyway).
I’ve tried to poke at the clues a bit, but not seeing much.
The War of Knives was a hatian war in 1799
(Hattii speaks french…city of light is Paris? Okay that’s a stretch.)
Abu Dahbi (in the UAE) literally translates to “Father of Gazelles”? The phantasmic collection may be there.
Also the dream travel proved at least threatening if not outright dangerous to 5 of the 6 people involved. I’m not sure we want to risk more mounties here, but then we tend to do risky stuff so I can’t speak for anyone.
I have to address the elephant in the room though. We have what was once a Silver sleeper agent inside the brain of the operator of AGP… AGP being the single most important place we know of for the plan to bring all the magic back.
I trust you, @Saberlane. No doubt there. Whatever is now in your head that controls your body for periods of time without your knowledge…less so right now.
I think “without destroying what’s left of Woolie” is really, really far down on the priority list. Getting him out of you is much higher.
I’m inclined to say we shouldn’t use the dreaming spell unless we’re in dire straights. I also don’t think that anyone who did the spell before should repeat it, as the beings may recognize us and cause issues within the trip.
The scrying spell seemed to be relatively harmless though? I think we should be okay to use it, so we can at least get an idea of where these places might be.
This Canyon?
Yes, that one, only I didn’t see the AO article that makes it sound super creepy.
That’s one heck of a tagline there…
Now i want one of those “Wish you were here” postcards from there.
Yeah! Maybe one part of each clue refers to a twin/sister/brother city!
EDIT:
I wonder if this is a product of how @Saberlane and Woolie are now “twinned” together.
EDIT 2: @Robert beat me to the punch. What would we do without you? Brisbane looks like an attractive option for @Skylad as the pin-bearer for that clue!
Well the brecon beacons national park in wales, which Nim is near, is known as the waterfall country so that could fit with
But I’m not sure how the whip crack for a whiskey would fit in. That’s seems more Southern state America then Welsh
Don’t American states refer to their cities by their university teams. If so that could mean Duke University in Durham, North Carolina and their are animal statues in North Carolina Zoo, which could be the fifteen creatures. But I’m not sure if the Zoo is in or near the city
Rimor, I don’t really have any waterfalls by me. I do, however, have a place with 15 animals standing guard:
Oh awesome! Just gotta figure how city of the dukes fits in
Okay, final quick post (been just adding stuff as fast as I find it) but here’s a list of other possible places for “city of lights”:
Can’t seem to find anything for “city of dukes”, which is really bugging me. The Animal Wall is on Duke St. but that’s about it.
Oh, Woolie. Let me take a second and tell our sleeping ghost friend in your subconscious that what happened isn’t his fault. Intent matters, and he never wanted to hurt his friends. It’s basically the same thing they did to Itsuki, using his brain to do their work without his consent. He isn’t a traitor.
But he may still be dangerous to you, and AGP, and magiq, if we can’t fix this soon.
I agree the sleeping spell is not an option for those who performed it the first time, and not a very good option for those who haven’t yet either. I also think we’ve got a decent start on the clues. We will scry if we must, but I feel we are close to resolving them without it.
So what do we have so far?
Is it weird I still want to save Woolie? Yes, Saberlane’s head may not be the safest place to keep him, but I don’t want him destroyed. Whatever’s left of him should be returned to Neithernor, like he wanted.
I agree. I don’t think Woolie has shown us any malintent. If anything, he’s given us a lot of information that we didn’t have before. If we can safely transport his soul to Neithernor, I really think we should.
It isn’t weird. He deserves to be saved.
Edit: @Rimor that is a really interesting possibility. Our only issue is… Sabes has never been able to get into Neithernor
but this might be a good time to workshop that issue.
Could we find away to get Sabs into Neithernor and then release Woolies spirit?
Maybe the solution to that problem is hidden in the old subway station Sabs visited?
So, atm we have the following:
Something about the “whip-crack for whiskey” made me think of Aus as an old prison territory, with those that servered their time staying. I also vaguely remember my mother telling me about a waterfall she saw when she visited, but I can’t remember the name of it for the life of me.
We have an Animal Wall in Cardiff, not far from me. No idea about the city of dukes part.
Black Star canyon seems like a very good guess (anyone near?)
Abu Dabi again seems like a good suggestion, but unless we’re dreaming again I’m not sure it’s an option (unless I’m missing something).
Another possible Australian location
City of Light could be Paris, Anchorage, Birmingham US, Curepipe, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Lyon, Perth, or Tanworth to take a few from the Wiki list.
Plus we have a War of Knives in Haiti.
And to add to the War of Knives thing, there was some link I found earlier between someone involved in it and an occupation of Santo Domingo, which I found is named for a saint linked to astronomy…
Which I think is why I didn’t initially mention it when I found it, lots of tin foil there.
So Father of Gazelles is Abu Dhabi. Abu dhabi is twinned to Brisbane.
Brisbane has a tiny shed with a collection that’s constantly changing. A little bookstore. Is this anywhere near you, @Skylad?
Nice, find @Robert!
Ooooh cheers Rob!!! I’ve gotta wait till 11 to make sure I’m not called out then I’m in my car and driving (it’s 30min from where I live so super easy!!)
I can say without a doubt that I can’t be much help with this search. My only thing is that, as @Nimueh said, Dubai doesn’t really work for an answer unless we’re dreaming it.
It’s the same color as the window above. I think it’s a little piece of wonder, a little piece of magiq. And I think you brought it home with you.
Sounds about right. I tried to enhance the image to see what was in your hand, but all I get is a blob. I then remembered I’m terrible at enhancing images. I figured you were playing with your wedding ring or something like some people do when daydreaming.
I’d go with Augustus’ idea. It’s way better.
There’s something weird going on with the clues, and that’s coming from the guy who wrote them.
Like the city part doesn’t match the location part? We have @Nimueh’s wall of animals which looks like a sure bet, but a clue that doesn’t seem to match where she lives. And a clue that really seems to lead to Abu Dhabi, but as far as I know, we have no pen-holders there. Sure, we could magiq our way there, but these clues always led to a Secret Society pen holder in previous iterations.
I wonder if I messed them up? I mean, I’m not myself lately (
) but I feel like something wonky’s at work.
The animal wall feels right, so maybe we can work backwards from there to try and figure out what’s going on. How is Cardiff connected to “her city of dukes”?
http://www.cardiffnantes.co.uk
Nantes, a city in France, is commonly known as la Cité des Ducs “city of the dukes” and is twinned with Cardiff so could that be a connection?
Maybe we’re looking for two place for each clue like a two key lock?
EDIT: Oh I just found something else! Anne of Brittany was raised in Nantes! She was also the countess of Nantes later on. So that could be who the her is in “Her city of dukes”
Awesome work!!!
The “twinned” angle seems to make sense, great work, @Rimor!
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Abu Dhabi is twinned with:
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Okay, I have tomorrow morning/afternoon mostly off, so I’ll go take a look at the wall (and maybe get some summery shopping done, cause damn it’s starting to warm up here).
Keep an eye out for any unicorns as that could make another connection to Anne of Brittany and Nantes!
One of the problems I’m running into right now with Blackstar Canyon is that the “town” it’s in is an unincorporated territory. Not a lot of those have sister cities given their very, very small size. Maybe there’s another way it could have a twin, though?
I thought it was interesting that the Atlas Obscura page mentions “La Llorona,” which is a Latin folk tale that arose out of the early colonial era. For those who don’t know about the story, you can learn a bit more here. However, almost every source I had heard of before this, as well as this source, state that the myth is linked to the modern-day region of Mexico. While there was certainly a lot of movement between that space and the American southwest (including where Blackstar is), I’m curious why Atlas Obscura specifically links La Llorona to this site. Thoughts? Is this even related?
Edit: Oops, I realized I didn’t want to double-post, so here we are. I moved from the Proclamation Tree, which @Nimueh pointed out might be a clue. The tree is closest to the city of Adelaide (the city of churches), which has a small list of sibling cities:
Of those, only @Echo is in one of those cities! However, I’m not sure how the rest of the clue relates to it.
oh god, christchurch, huh…
Okay guys, I’m at the wall! No notification yet either, but I’m gonna walk a little further along just in case.
Edit: We got it one!
Well done Nim!!
From what I know of the world wars a lot of soldiers took photos of their beloved to war for good luck
Yo, @SpiritSeer… i dont suppose a solo person can attempt scrying figuration? Do you know of any way i could do it? I can write a song and perform it in meditation, perhaps? I have a place i want to check.
Random stab #2
Coyotes drink in water in a fountain in Mexico City
Mexio City is Twinned with Los Angeles (@CameronP and @Helios according to the map).
Where Dark Stars lie… a museum to serial killers? Too macabre maybe?
Okay, revised “summery” thingy with the new info:
Fort Whoop-Up, Lethbridge (Ginger/Sel) – “All that’s left of Ackerly printing House”
Animal Wall in Cardiff (Nim) – “A good luck charm taken to war”
This place in Brisbane (Sky) – “Lost as a family and company grew”
The Elisabet Ney Museum, Austin (Echo)
Solar Walk, Gainesville (Ash) – “A keepsake to a remarkable life.”
WAR OF KNIVES IS ME
Jacmel is also sistered with my city, and if it’s not some point on the solar walk I will scream.
Edit to add:
I won’t be home until late today, but will try tomorrow before work.I missed my bus, so I’ll have to try another day.
From my quick search of “proclamation tree”; it is in Fremantle, which is a port city in the metropolitan area of Perth. Sister cities include San Diego, CA; Grenoble, France; Houston, Texas; Kagoshima, Japan; Nanjing, China; Rhodes, Greece; Seocho City, South Korea; Taipei, Taiwan; Vasto, Italy
We have @Smurfette in Houston within 50 miles of Galveston Island, and @annabloem in Japan (although I don’t know her proximity to Kagoshima).
Then there is Coronado Island in San Diego.
Alternately, there is another Proclamation Tree in Australia. In Adelaide, which has several sister cities as well: Christchurch (NZ), Austin (US), Himeji (Japan), and Georgetown (Penang, Malaysia).
So far, we’ve two options in Texas. One is Rock Island in Zilker Park in Austin. @Echo is in Austin.
There is one other tangent that leads to @Remus’ current location but I’ll save it for… in case none of the more reasonable options work out.
Very late reply, but Kagoshima is pretty much the opposite side of Japan, Himeji is far as well. (to give you an idea, I live in Iwate prefecture.)
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I figured as much. So we’ve essentially, for sure, narrowed our options down to Austin, TX. Right?
Echo is there. But they haven’t answered our @s. So that means… maybe we don’t have a choice. I don’t want to jump the gun and say we need to dream this one, but… we don’t have much time.
And if we do dream it, do we want to have someone scry just to make sure our dream-walker goes to the right part of Austin? Or are we sure enough with one of our guesses? (Some of them are a bit of a trek between, and even if we’re certain it’s in/near Zilker Park, that’s pretty big too; I’d hate for someone to end up running a marathon in their sleep with some not-so-friendlies on their tail.)
All of the other clues were at least relatively obvious locations, so I’m not sure if scrying is called for. But let’s say that, if we don’t get the location by tonight, someone can scry since it’ll be the right time of day for that spell.
Awesome work guys! We seem to at least have the places, now we either need @Viviane and @Echo to go check them out, or we need to send dreamers. (Had to seriously scroll to remember that we had 2 places to go still, and not one)
If we need to send a dreamer, I can do Austin.
Also, is Smurfette a member of the society? Cause she could go there too
I believe she is, just not sure how far out of the way is too far for her.
@Smurfette, is Austin too far of a trek for you to check someplace out?
Yeah that’s a 2.5hour commute.
You take Austin, I’ll take Dark Star Park?
Incredible work, everyone!
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Ok, Third times a charm. Herman and I bundled up in the car together and went off on bit of a road trip. When I parked out front Herman was positively buzzing with excitement!! Got the notification before I could even park the car properly
didn’t stop me hopping out and having a look
Awesome work!
Awesome work Sky! That place looks so cool!
This clue sounds like it’s about the beginning of Ackerly Green
Great Falls, Montana is named after the five waterfalls along the upper Missouri River basin.
Great Falls has one sister city. Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.
I believe this is where @Ginger is on the map.
I can’t fully grasp the ‘whip-crack for whiskey’ part. But Lethbridge is home to the Black Velvet Whiskey Distillery.
Maybe the whip crack is do do with the linked location?
Both Ginger and I frequent Lethbridge. Somewhere more specific than the city in general would be nice though.
Bah, you don’t want to wander the entire city?! Fine, we’ll keep looking to narrow it down.
Aha found it
I was typing up a response, but I think you’ve got it, @Sellalellen! Great job, both to you and to @Nimueh for finding the link between the two!
Nice find! That looks like it.
@Ginger you up for an expedition?
Had to back into this one.
This looked like ‘where Black Stars lie’ to me.
It’s in Arlington Virginia. Arlington is a sister city of Coyoacán, Mexico, which is a municipality of Mexico City where the fountain with the drinking coyotoes is. The name of the town literally translates to ‘place of coyotes’.
I seem to recall someone here being near Alington, Virginia?
Edit: I believe that means the only place we don’t have a solid lead on is.
And we’re feeling like it’s in Austin, Texas…somewhere.
Replying to myself cause I’m THAT person.
@Viviane , our ultra talented Magiqal Systems Engineer, is in the Washington DC/ Alrington Virginia area.
Viv, you up for a trip to the Dark Star Park ?
I’m feeling Austin, TX pretty hard for this one (Perth seems too far from Fremantle for it to count as the same thing, especially if our Coyote clue ends up referencing a specific part of Mexico City)
Other options I’ve found poking about the city (aside from Rock Island), are South Austin Island/South Congress Island, and The Sometimes Islands.
SAI/SCI is a little triangular park in the middle of an intersection that has a little bandstand thing at the widest end. There’s also a cool-looking art piece called “Your Essential Magnificence” in an adjacent median. http://www.publicartarchive.org/work/your-essential-magnificence#date
The Sometimes Islands are a bit further out of town, now that I look at where that lake is situated, but
. They are also currently very much underwater.
Even with all these potential options, “heads” and “beautiful island” are still making me second guess everything…
Hello, yes, I’ve been summoned.
Sooooo I have The Best™️ luck and I’m the wrong city once again. I had to jet to Calgary because someone in my family is undergoing a whopper of an operation. Which is also why I’ve been a little absent the past couple days, so my apologies.
So I’m not back in Lethbridge until Saturday or Sunday, but I’m down for an adventure. You’re all correct in that Fort Whoop-Up started because of a whiskey train, and whiskey trading. I can check it out this weekend for sure, but internally I’m panicking about whether we have that much time.
hides until he reads up and cant seem to make it in time for anything nowadays.
Hm. I guess I’ll just see how it goes. If we need other ideas for maybe helping woolie out of Sabes’ head, i could brainstorm some poem spells or maybe a small ritual.
Maybe a casting Grim’s Convergence might be of help when the time comes?
I’m honestly jsut spitballing here.
I’m sooo far behind too grim
I just got tagged and told to go somewhere so I went 
Okay, barring any serious mishaps, I’m going to check out the Solar Walk sometime in the next four hours (hopefully in the first half).
Will report back later!
!!!
“A keepsake to a remarkable life.”
Didn’t even get all the way around the corner before it hit.
Well done Ash!
Half way there!
Now its up to Ginger this weekend, Viv and do we know where to go in Austin yet?
That would be Rock Island in Zilker Park, according to the wonderful @Deyavi. Do we have someone who can get there, in the nearish future?
Did we figure out what the “on the heads” part of that clue referred to?
Not to my knowledge no. So far no luck.
So assuming that the proclamation tree is the one in Fremantle, Australia then out of her 5 sister cities Yokosuka, Japan looks the most likely. However two small snags, first I know we have a mounty in Japan but I don’t know if they’re SS or anywhere near Yokosuka. Second I can’t work out what the “heads” is referring to, it could be the art museum but I’m not sure.
EDIT; okay so this is a bit of a stretch but what if the heads means beach heads. That could mean that money island is what were looking for
Since I was in town today anyway, I decided to check out Fort Whoop-up. It’s closed for the season but as I approached the gates this showed up.
“All that’s left of Ackerly printing House”
Good thing too, because there’s a big gap between the doors and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t locked. I’m not saying I would have forced my way into the fort, but if it’s unlocked…
Awesome work @Sellalellen!
Okay, there are loads of statues all over Austin. If we’re pretty set on Zilker Park, there are two that might be promising.
One is Philosophers’ Rock, which has multiple heads present and looks island-esque.
https://www.publicartarchive.org/work/philosophers-rock
Then there’s the statue of Stevie Ray Vaughn, which has only one head (obviously), but does incorporate a shadow.
http://www.publicartarchive.org/work/stevie-ray-vaughan
I’m taking another look to see if anything else fits better.
I think yours might be a better connection ash as Australia has already been used and it’d be weird of if it was another connection to a clue.
EDIT: Philosophers’ Rock also has a tree behind it so that might be our best option
Thanks @Augustus_Octavian I appreciate it ^-^
@Sellalellen glad one of us got to adventure ~ Nice work.
If we do, it should be someone who didn’t go in the first batch, just in case those people are watched/followed again…
I’ll put some more time looking in this afternoon. But otherwise I agree, maybe if we can’t find it by tonight we should consider scrying.
Edit: I got nothing. Went down some pretty weird paths. I feel like getting to Austin is solid, but can’t figure out what ‘on the heads of the beautiful island’ means. Sorry.
It’s difficult, too, because there aren’t any permanent islands in Austin, if we’re talking about the physical feature. There are, however, a set of formations called the Sometimes Islands in Texas, which only appear when the water level of Lake Travis is lower than normal. I’m not sure if one of them is the beautiful island we’re supposed to be looking for, but I want to add this as an option!
Okay, here are some things I’ve been thinking about, regarding the Secret Society and “The Last Figuration.”
First, what if this, all this, the events surrounding the Secret Society pins, was The Last Figuration?
Avis said the changes happened too fast in the BotW for the tripwire to work, so all their preparation, the objects, the safe, the powerful item Sullivan gave Avis, and Avis sending the safe away, seemed to all be for naught. But what if it wasn’t?
Avis said herself that the spell would trigger when magic was at a dangerously low point (we’ve been told over and over that that’s happening now, here), and that it was meant to bring together the people, places, and objects that could help cast the spell. (The pins, Woolie, the office, all of you, me…) A spell that would help someone find the objects that would open the safe and help fight the destruction/erasure of magiq with something powerful hidden inside.
Could we be in the middle of The Last Figuration?
Well, how could we be casting a spell that was destroyed along with the Book of The Wild, you might be asking…
We created some sort of connection between the two “Books.” Whether the Book of The Wild is some other timeline, or just the ruins that our book is built on, we unlocked The Book of Briars and in doing somehow made a connection, however faint. We know that’s true. All the weird stuff in the AGP offices, the echoes of the other age…
Did the Council somehow know about The Last Figuration and help to protect the little bit that’s left of magic?
We only know two members of the Council of The 18 Gates, the group trying to help us from The Fray, some kind of in-between place: That’s Brandon Lachmann/The Last Traveler, and King Rabbit, who was more of a work-for-hire than a member of the Council, based on what we know…
But could someone else on the Council have known about the spell Sullivan and his aunt created?
I have no answer, no solution, beyond a bunch of rambling…
But the idea that we’re actually in the middle of the spell that the Greens and their coven created feels right. At least to the guy possessed by a ghost.
It lines up with everything we know from her journal. I just don’t know if I’m right, what we’re supposed to do if I am, how we’re supposed to unlock this safe, and what we’re supposed to do with whatever we might find inside.
Oh wow when you step back and realise the imense magistery of this beautiful system, all it’s intricate networks and amazing failsafes. Man it just fills me with such a strong sense of euphoria.
If this is The Last Figuration, and we’re in the middle of helping to cast it, then I think we need to do what we do best: go with the flow of magiq. But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves, we still need to finish this “poem” thing, find the places, and then see where it takes us. Maybe we’ll get another word? Maybe we need to wait for the #searchformagiq countdown that’s about to happen?
I feel like the most critical thing we need to do is find the locations. Ideally, it’d probably be good if we can find them before this countdown, but either way… it’s something we can accomplish while we figure out tackling the 30 day spell.
I will cast the dream spell, tonight or tomorrow night, if we can find the location. I’m not afraid.
Uh…same. I volunteer. Maybe even try out a few new wards.
I tried searching again, doing austin, tx “beautiful island” to see if anything else popped up.
I don’t know how promising it is, but it came up with Red Bud Isle.
…I’ll keep poking around until someone decides to scry for the answer.
Edit: Maybe one of these street lights?
http://www.austintexas.gov/news/austin-cultural-arts-division-presents-shadowing
I really don’t want to give the shadows any more targets. What if they’re waiting for someone to try it again? If they catch you before the dream ends? I know I can’t talk you out of it, but please, be careful. You should be afraid.
I can be afraid and still willing. But the scry split should be last resort.
Having learned from the last time, I think we ought to lend support to whomever does this spell. Let’s concoct a warding spell, to give assistance to the projector. Maybe we could do something similar to the Mountain’s shroud, some kind of concealing ritual to hide them from the eyes of the malevolent spirits?
A wise man (well, fictional character) once said ” fear leads to anger…anger leads to hate…hate leads to suffering.“. This has gone on long enough. It’s time to bring closure.
I’m not letting them do this without additional help, that’s for sure. At this point my thoughts are “Don’t do this, but if I can’t stop you, I’ll do everything I can to keep you safe.”
I just don’t want to see any of you hurt.
Ritual warding spell woven in to the scrying spell itself?
maybe we can include some items of protection. Like something made of Cold Iron, or something that can either conceal the user or ward off spirits. or both.
have the two extra items, and then add a few lines to the scrying spell in the first place.
If someone can quote the spell over, i can try to come up with some lines to it.
as well as add in my shield sigil along with concealment and warding sigils.
I thinhk i’ve built out a rune for warding and protection, and i’ve modified a previous sigil i created to be used for cconcealment, now to place them with my shield sigil.
i’ll draw them out again and place them together to give the basis should it be needed.
The scrying spell isn’t dangerous, but keep those on hand for the dreaming spell.
I’m willing to do whatever I can to help everyone stay safe as well
Jokes/awesome Star Wars quotes aside, I’m not afraid of getting lost among the shades, because I have three of the best anchors to this world I could ever possibly imagine right here with me. They need their dad, I need them, and not even the darkest, most dangerous magiq could keep us apart.
I’m home for a week before away from cell/wifi and was deep-diving the term “beautiful island.” I found this on wikipedia…
(Ilha) Formosa means “beautiful island”. The word is Portuguese and referred to a place in Taiwan? I don’t know how that connects to Austin, maybe something Portuguese, Taiwanese… not sure.
I mention it only because it might start some lateral thinking about the clue
since we’re kinda stymied on it. Hope that’s cool.
I feel like I saw that a week or two ago, but don’t recall if it was just trying to translate things or if it was attached to something.
Back down the hole I go…
Edit: The Elisabet Ney Museum was once her studio, which she called Formosa. She sculpted busts of people, so lots of heads.
The one museum I saw and didn’t click on.
It’s a huge help collecting this info together in one place, Nimeuh. Thanks!
Welcome to the ordered side of my mind. We have spreadsheets and graphs in here!
No, seriously, this side of me is like, super OCD. You either get chaotic me or OCD me, there’s no in between.
I’m ready. Yes, I know it’s before 9 pm. The gym comes early, alright? Gimme a break.
Here’s my totem for under my pillow, filled with things from far-off places:
We have a wine cork from Monforte d’Alba, Italy (Barolo wine country, for you fellow wine enthusiasts), matches from Oia, Santorini, Greece, a bone charm from Oahu, Hawaii, a bee charm from Durango, Colorado, 10 kronur from Reykjavik, Iceland, and the most magiqal item of all: a prayer card for my favorite Catholic saint that literally just appeared in my pocket on a trip to NYC this past autumn.
My anchor to home:
A family ring I gave my wife for Christmas, with each of our sons’ birthstones, and the requisite nail, in the box my wedding band came in.
Off to Dark Star Park I go. Wish me luck, Mounties.
Oh gosh that was fast… @grimangel53 are those safety wards still at hand?
Well, that was… unsettling. I met the same spectres as the others, who tried to convince me to abandon my tether to my body and home. They couldn’t, but I’ve learned my lesson about mixing magiq and bravado. Anyway:
“Traveled the world in a pocket.”
@grimangel53, how did you fare?
I still need to do the spell. I was a bit…pre-occupied last night.
I’ll get the items prepared when i get home from work.
Edit:
I will also be posting the safety wards, for the spell and spells ongoing.
Okay, so here’s what I got.
Our Shield Ward, a concealment ward, and protection ward in order.
And here’s my items for the scrying spell.
The items for my totem are my jade from china, given to me by a friend; my Celtic ring from here and my Celtic ring from Glastonbury England; a mala themed around my fire from Hawaii; some Palo Santo, my fave wood, that appeared at my house; a Gaia Memory Toy from kamen rider; a zippo I found whilst out in nature; and my silver fleur de Lis necklace from a ren faire.
My grounding items are Ferris, my Iron bird Familiar; a pocket watch, given to me from my future wife, inscribed with lines about finding each other from Howls moving Castle; the requisite nails (they’re small so I did my normal rule of 3); and all in a box that held the ring box for my fiancee’s engagement ring.
Let’s see how this goes. Off to Austin.
Good luck, @grimangel53
After each item/information arrived Woolie would then sends down a new path. I’m not sure he’s up to that now or there are any more paths.
Although, I do notice a lot of things here come in 6’s. So a 6th “round” may not be out of the question.
Avis knows (knew?) the word we needed to get to the mystery item in the vault. Maybe her journal has anything else inside?
Edit: That you are using it as a printer stand is hilarious…and practical.
Space is at a premium here in NYC.
Did you try (moving the printer
) and placing the printing press block on the vault?
EDIT: or maybe the ticket, the proof, the journal and the block?
Yes. Nothing opens. Nothing happens.
Good luck you guys, please please stay safe. Those things come out of nowhere, and totally messed up my sleeping schedule.
Trust in the flow of magiq and get out of there as soon as you can.
Welp. That was an experience. The spectres came, and i woke up earlier than normal. They were definitely not like the spirits of the dead, or the psychopomps. their voices spoke with a buzzing, like on a black signal. I’m still a little disturbed by their buzzing noise. It’s gonna be following me for a minute.
No way they could tear me away from my tether, but im still a little shook. Here’s what I heard out in Texas:
“Found by a curious son.”
The object being described by the completed lines reminds me of two things. The Traveler’s Coin, and our Herman Pins.
“All that’s left of Ackerly printing House”
“A good luck charm taken to war”
“Lost as a family and company grew”
“A keepsake to a remarkable life.”
“Traveled the world in a pocket.”
“Found by a curious son.”
I’m thinking Sullivan’s pocket watch, that was taken then lost by King Rabbit.
that could also be it as well, though, “Lost as a family and company grew” has me a little shaky.
I figure that referred to us, “a family,” and the new iteration of AGP.
King Rabbit took the pocket watch as Deirdre was just starting to grow AG, so it makes sense. I suppose the family thing is a little less straightforward, but there’s the basecamp and also Deirdre growing to understand the family that she didn’t remember.
agreed. after reading back through it and the evidence presented, the watch makes the most sense.
I like the pocket watch idea.
I assumed it was describing whatever is in Warners Vault. Although could it maybe both? Could the BoW pocketwatch be in there? Maybe King Rabbit had to remove the BoK one to prevent some paradox.
Or maybe I am just making up crazy stuff as usual.
That was my line of thinking, too – the Book of the Wild version.
Great work, @grimangel53.
Would that it were the pocket watch. It’s not.
It’s warmer today. Not warm, but warmer than it has been, and I put my winter coat away and pulled an old cardigan out of the back of the closet. I know the two front pockets were empty, because it’s been cleaned since last fall.
When I got to the office, I went to hang the sweater on the back of the door but missed the hook, and the sweater landed with a thunk on the floor. There was something in the pocket.
I know from microfiche research at the library that Ackerly Printing House’s “mascot” was a man’s face with leaves for hair and moustache. A traditional “Green Man”.
I guess it’s fitting that Warner would have kept a letterpress block from his time at the company. The place where me met his once best friend, Grey, and the place that began his career in publishing.
This was in my pocket, with “for WG” etched in the back:
It’s beautiful omg. A relic from a lost era, kind of heartbreaking if you think about it.
“Traveled the world in a pocket”, that line has me curious because it somehow ended up in Sabers pocket, when he’s certain it wasn’t there before. Pocket magiq?
To recap what we’ve received at the end of each of these rounds:
now all thats left is to open the vault right?
You mean our printer stand?
It hasn’t done anything since it’s been here and I have no idea how to use this stuff to open it.
Sorry if I seem short or irritated. Not sleeping much.
its completely fine. given you’re sharing the headspace, im sure sleeping is a bit difficult.
Hm… maybe we’ll get a final clue. like our magiq word.
Has anyone tried putting the journal and the printing press block together? maybe ink the block and press it into the journal?
I can’t believe you used the magiqual, potentially dangerous, mystery box as a printer stand
Tin foiling here, but maybe you could stamp something with it? The journal? Or write a message to the book of the wild and stamp that?
I gave that a shot this morning. Nothing happened.
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