1230, Spring – Isle of Arran 3

It is still spring in our Ars Magica campaign, and we are still on the Isle of Arran. I am still playing my companion Jack, but I also tend to be the ones playing the grogs. This means that the conversations between Jack and the grogs is usually me talking to myself. Which can be quite fun to do sometimes.

My notes get a bit sketchy towards the end of this session (I have no idea why Maedbh started to do some blood magic) since I was tired and beginning to fall asleep. I eventually had to request we stop so that I could actually get some sleep.

Jack , Spring 1230

We wake in the morning to find that we are still on the Isle of Arran, and still alive. The villagers provide us with porridge in the morning. The villagers had been worried that the same disaster had befallen the mainland, so hadn’t bothered to travel there. Now that they know it is in better shape than their isle, they may head over there to try and restock on supplies.

The magi (well, Maedbh) are interested in going up to the Blue Pools, where fighting is often heard at night. We head off in the morning, and the trip up into the hills doesn’t take too long. The trees here are quite thick – and look they they grew recently.

There are signs of large foot prints. They are not like the tracks of the giants we encountered previously, more like the tracks of very large sheep. I am more concerned about the thought of giant sheep than I am giant people for some reason. And by giant sheep, I mean big enough to knock over trees. Some of the trees that haven’t been knocked over have tufts of wool caught on them. The wool is as thick as rope.

We push further into the glenn. Then we find cow tracks. Very large cow tracks, even bigger than that of the sheep. It looks like whatever is living here has stripped a lot of the foliage from the trees and bushes. Even some of the normal sized animals seems to have suffered.

There is the sound of loud, low, buzzing from ahead. We hope they aren’t enlarged midges, but they probably are since there is a pool of stagnant pool of water visible ahead. Unfortunately, there are huge midges here, but fortunately we are able to avoid them.

In addition to the buzzing, there is another weird noise in the distance. It sounds like a very large animal sleeping. Creeping closer, we see a large brown cow sleeping in a hollow. When I say large, I mean human. A person could probably stand underneath it whilst it was standing. There are also hints of a metallic reflection from its hide, as if it is made from metal. I suggest that Blane creeps up and have a look, but he refuses. I don’t blame him.

Maedbh though casts her floaty spell, rises up to the tree tops and makes her way towards the cow. It does appear to have a metallic hide of some type.

We head back to the village, and explain to the villagers what we’ve discovered. They are surprisingly calm about the idea, and start thinking through the practical concerns about how to sheer giant sheep, or milk gigantic cows.

We spend another night at the village. The next day, the plan is to head to the centre of the forest. 

We head west into the middle of the island. The trees get thicker, and the light level drops as less light pierces the canopy. Something about the forest makes me feel nervous. Maedbh extends her magical defences over me and Blane, and things begin to feel a lot better. Even Allistor seems a lot more likeable.

Apparently the road ahead may lead into Arcadia, but we continue ahead regardless. The magi seem to be concerned about the level of faerie magic in these woods, but to me it doesn’t feel so bad. Eventually we get to the other side of the thick forest.

Then we head back. Maedbh decides to do some faerie ritual stuff, cutting herself and offers a drink of her blood to the forest, saying some words in her language. The forest seems to shift and move in an unnerving fashion as if its accepted the offering.

Eventually we get back to the village to stay the night again.