The old blind fisherman converses with Talius and Kray on the back deck of the first house (most north). Though not a native of the Drakkenmire and southeast Danneinkiff, Talius is from the northeastern Dannein regions. He is generally familiar with the fisherman's deep riac (swamp) way of talking, so Talius is able to make some quick headway on information that the old-timer has to offer with a quick interchange.
The old blind fisherman's gives his name as Mac Ru. It is what Yuorics think of more as a last name, but this is often a habit of elder Danneins, shifting title back to their relation with the memory of their father when they are late in life.
OOC:
Writing some of this entry in info download style for the sake of time. Keep in mind that it is gathered by quick back and forth question, answers, comments mostly between Talius and the old man, with Kray helping submit the questions. To Kray, the way of talking seems fast and more confusing now, and he can see his friend Talius adopting a different style, pace, and content of speaking than his norm, but Kray sees clearly that Talius is making the shift to maximize a quick info gather session and make progress and rapport in the moment of opportunity.
Danneins are blunt people. In fact most are notably bad at lying and are not known for hiding their true meaning. Mac Ru seems true to Dannein form. He knows what is going on. He is giving information. Talius and the rest of the team are out of their environment and need a lead. So this is an exchange. Mac Ru expects to be paid in good supplies, especially with bread grains and liquor, and at least a few coins or jewelry items. Gold only. Talius is equally blunt and quickly makes a deal. The price is MINIMAL, almost negligible, from the party's resource prospective.
Background About Old Island and Rutcrana's Association With It
This is an old Bat Hannoc settlement located on an island out in the large lake/heavy flood zone that stretches as far as the eye can see to the east and south. Again, for the right picture this is a lake of varying depth. Sometimes it is so shallow that there are muddy islands and also many trees that seem to be growing out of the water as the floor is only just underneath the water surface. It takes a boat or raft to get out to Old Island. Distance is a little unclear. Old-timer says "about 8 or 10 Mule Fields", a local measurement that is hard to translate. But apparently it is about a 1 hour or less paddle time. This place is where most of the Bat Hannocs of this particular area of Borgh Riac used to live up until about 70 years ago when they relocated here to Driftwood because of the old settlement's gradual erosion of ground and incremental increase in flooding problems. However, it has always been the place where Rutcranna remained. She never made the move to Driftwood to live; she would only travel across the lake to visit, speak, make demands, give prophecy, offer council, healing, cast hexes, etc. Also sometimes people who needed witchery would paddle out to Old Island to see Rutcrana. This included even the Norach and the elder councilors from time to time. Long ago the settlement on Old Island was called Clocha Lamhar, seems like a rough translation of Gem Sanctuary but the wording isn't quite direct. The lake we are referring to is called An Tulacheo, means roughly The Burial Murk.
On Investigating Old Island for Clues of Rutcrana's Fate
Mac Ru says there are some canoes he can sell, for a couple more coins.
On Recent Conflict
Most of the people (Bat Hannocs) were beaten by "the neighbors" last fall. Many men and fighting women were slain. There were also some collaborators who supported joining the neighbors. That faction spoke out and got most of the rest of the survivors to acquiesce and join with the neighbors, the last of which left during the tough and desperate winter. Defectors would paddle away across An Tulacheo under the direction and guidance of other Bat Hannoc defectors. Not sure where they went. He thinks maybe to Old Island, but maybe even further out to the hill settlements on the south shore of the lake.
On The Hive and "Getting Stronger"
One of the promises of The Neighbors is that they can somehow make everyone who joins them stronger and healthier. They have ancient powers or religion of some sort. Claim that people can be free of sickness and become empowered with great strength and fortitude. There seems to be something to it. Some of the men and boys who became devoted collaborators with The Neighbors are extraordinarily strong now. The Hive is the biggest example. This is a set of ex-Bat Hannoc warriors, hunters, and scouts who switched sides to become champions for The Neighbors. Now these guys dress up like The Neighbors do, in body wraps and sometimes in elaborate masks. They have strange abilities to move quickly around the swamp and have heightened senses. They are all very strong, often able to kill a resistor with one blow of a weapon or pick men up overhead and slam them on the ground or against trees. Mac Ru is not sure how many members of The Hive exists. Slevin thinks there are 100. Mac Ru says no way, not that many. Both Slevin and Mac Ru know several of The Hive by name. Though they are covered in masks and wraps now, they used to be Bat Hannocs of the local community here at Driftwood.
On Fingol and His Efforts to Overtake Rutcrana's Position and Prestige
Fingol is a Bat Hannoc that also practices medicine and magic. Mac Ru calls him a
asarlai, means something like shaman, a male herbalist or doctor. He has always wanted people to listen to him instead of Rutcrana. Tried to get the Norach's ear for many years. He was a sure candidate to switch loyalties to The Neighbors, and he did so early on. Often spoke out against Rutcrana. Turned some against her and recruited for the neighbors. Made a show of his power last spring when he summoned a huge snake out of the lake and it slithered around the community fire and then out into the bushes to disappear. Later that night the snake killed Fingol's opponent Cedraigh who had spoken harshly against him in the council meeting. Now Fingol probably got the neighbor's to kill Rutcrana or did it himself. Mac Ru thinks it likely that Fingol probably has all of Rutcrana's magic (draichta) now at Old Island. That is a Dannein or at least Bat Hannoc idea apparently, that one magic-user can try to take over the other one's hexes as one must become stronger as another becomes weaker. Talius knows that this is a generally common idea, that there is usually only one druid, witch, shaman, medicine man, etc. in a community or region. If there are two, then there is usually a conflict between them. And there are never really more than two around one another.
On The Neighbors
This group is shrouded in mystery. They are rarely seen at all. Obviously Mac Ru has never "seen" them, but he has been around them a couple of times. Most notably, the only time they came in great number, at the fateful raid against Driftwood last fall. Slevin says they are completely wrapped in strange cloth and leaves and strange masks. They walked right up out of the swamp apparently in the middle of the night. They came out of the darkness in every direction. They are usually about 7 feet tall, lean and fast. They kill with their long spears that have thin but extremely sharp and strong barbs at the end. They make no noise and never speak. They only send messages through their collaborator mouthpieces like Fingol and the big champion Gorolach Mac Daolach, who was a great Bat Hannoc but became a monstrous enforcer for The Neighbor faction within Driftwood.
Mac Ru says that the most notable thing about The Neighbors is their terrible stench. They smell like the rot and sludge of the swamp itself. It is sickening to the old blind man.
More on the Final Raid, On Bat Hannoc Leadership and Resistance to the Neighbors, and On the Results of the Last Stand at Driftwood
Norach Onchu was swarmed by Neighbors during the autumn raid. He and his champions killed many of the Neighbors in a valiant stand in the center fire circle of Driftwood that night. But the Neighbors could not be beaten. The Norach was stabbed and beaten to within and inch of his life. He was broken and immobilized, wrapped in some sort of net, and then placed on a raft and taken out across The Burial Murk (the big lake), never seen again. The Neighbors, still in their fearsome shrouds, dragged all of the bodies of the fallen Bat Hannocs into the shallow shore of the lake. Moments later, a huge group of alligators swam up and ate all of the bodies. The alligator congregation included the great dragon known as Titan, a true monster of the riac who is known to be centuries old. It was a completely horrifying scene of shocking gore for the women, children, and elderly survivors.
Many of The Neighbors paddled off in rafts that night. Others walked away into the darkness of the forest. Those Neighbors on the rafts carried away many captives, mostly women and young girls. They killed many youth males and even boy toddlers before departing as well.
Note: much of this account is given by Slevin. Mac Ru did not see all of this. Blindness obviously, but also he was stabbed in the neck and stomach and almost bled to death. An old woman named Biel (who later left to join The Neighbors during the winter) kept Mac Ru alive by dragging him into the bushes to hide, applying bandaging and pressure dressings that barely saved him. Slevin was knocked from his cart, off of this deck they are on now, and into the water during the event. He swam up to land just as alligators were approaching to feast on the bodies of the dead. He saw Titan approaching off in the distance and saw the monster swallow bodies of great men in single chomps.
Mac Ru has his fish buckets and fish cleaning tools ready. He says he and Slevin are going to shift over to the prep tables and the fire now to cook. He wants to get paid his full fee and he can point out where the boats are if the group needs them.
Over the course of the conversation, Thorn has returned from the other house and has come up onto the first house deck to join Talius, Kray, Mac Ru, and Slevin. Thorn is able to listen in on the later part of the conversation, the greater detail recount of the fateful raid by The Neighbors on Driftwood.
DMJ sent a note to Xorthan
