Tolenn nods , understanding Croft's meaning, "Indeed, Field Marshall. In times such as these, good leadership can mean the difference between success and failure."
She pauses, then continues "In that vein, co-ordination between faiths, mine, Terri's and Ishani's and your office, is vital to combatting this plague, notwithstanding whatever role the Grey Maidens' have. "
Ishani jumps at that, "Exactly! Which is why we need to coordinate with everyone, Field Marshall. And Dr. Davaulus. I'd be pleased to sit in on your meeting and add my opinions. Then I shall spread my arms out to the other Faiths, to gain their acceptance of our plan. Even those of Asmodeus."
The Field Marshall and Davaulus both nod. Davaulus responds, "Excellent! Let us be off, then, so we can get a proper plan laid!"
Methinks Wednesday is just a little off about the Field Marshal, Terri thinks to herself when she notices what Croft leaves unsaid.
"There is one thing I'd like to mention. I think the illness is being carried on coins somehow. I mentioned this to Ishani, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to let you and Dr. Davaulus know. Perhaps if we scour the coins as they pass through Abadar's vaults we can keep slow its spread."
Doctor Davaulus nods gravely. "That is indeed worth noting. Thank you, Daughter of Shelyn." With that, Davaulus, Ishani, and Croft and her aides begin walking into the Citadel to plan how they shall contain and combat the disease known as Blood Veil.
Dr. Davaulus' eyes narrow almost imperceptibly at Terri's words.
"Um, Dr. Davaulus, Are you talking to Tolenn or to me? I'm not a Sarenrite," Terri holds up the silver holy symbol on the chain around her neck, "I follow Shelyn, not the Dawnflower, though I admire her teachings."
Considering she's technically wanted, Cassandra has stayed in the back and quiet the entire time. Well, first she was doing it to avoid attention. Then she just got bored listening to people talk about logistics and isolation and disease and besides she's tired from being a plague carrier, alright?
So, she and her monkey start a small juggling routine with some tangerines she snagged somewhere along the way.
The entourage makes its way into the Citadel to discuss things, leaving the group of five in the Courtyard as the guards start to leave on their assignments, Physicians in their wake helping to organize. The red-plumed woman still barks out the occasional order, but now that things are flowing, her direction is needed much less.
Cassandra pops a tangerine piece into her mouth.
"If we can get one of the plague coins, maybe we can go to the Acadamae. One of my instructors there might be able to figure out how to track the disease."
"That could work. Or at least find some what to neutralize the coins so that we're only dealing with a natural spread of infection rather than the coin transmission as well." Amira adds.
"Any ideas on how to do that though?" Daud adds as well while scratching his head.
"Well, like I said, we've got a whole college full of mages to talk to. One I'm a graduate from..." Cassandra points out.
Who'd you sleep with to get the passing grades--dammit, stop that! She's not Croft. "Couldn't hurt." Daud listlessly responds.
"So how do we get those coins? Brienna said there were silver, so I guess we could try hoarding a pile of shields and seeing if any of them carry it," Terri suggests timidly.
"It is an admirable idea, Cassandra." Tolenn says watching the Field Marshall and other walk away.
Turning back, "However, I think Terri has hit on the dilemma, how do we acquire tainted coins. ."
She frowns at the seemingly unsurmountable problem, then sighs, "I need to visit the Temple to ensure they know of new measures to combat the disease and the plan to work with all faiths. "
Daud can only hunch his shoulders as the coin plan is discussed, the planning far above his thoughts. "Hopefully they haven't gotten too swarmed with the plagued."
"I can't do it but someone in one of the temples or the Acadamae must have a spell for detecting diseases." Cassandra points out.
"I can cast that spell again, we could go into the main thoroughfare and see if I can identify a coin rather than just those infected." Amira suggests.
"I think there's a bigger problem than just finding a tainted coin. How many of those coins are there? We'd probably be better off going to the churches and get them working together. I'll see about the Church of Shelyn and the Church of Asmodeus if no one else wants to talk with them. Does anyone want to come with me?" Terri looks to the others, hoping that someone would volunteer to talk to the Asmodeans.
"I'll go with you." Daud offers along with a shrug. "Unless we can think of something better to do, concerning a citywide epidemic I believe all the churches have already or will be informed. Well maybe not the Urgathoans..."
"Wait, what about the ship? I doubt anyone's checked it out yet."
"It's at the bottom of the Jeggare. I don't know about you, but I don't have a way to breath underwater. If we did, that would be the best place to start." Terri says, "I think you're right. It is connected somehow, but how?"
"We should go visit the Acadamae, then. Talk to some of my old teachers. One of them can make us potions to breathe under water and they might have ideas on how to handle the plague." Cassandra says, already perking up.
"You really want to go visit your old alum, neh?" Wednesday muses with a grin.
"With a day to prepare I can call forth the magic to breathe while underwater, and increase my swimming ability as well." so we can go check out the Acadamae today if you think it will yield resilts."[/b] Amira weighs in.
"If we don't I doubt she'll ever let us hear the end of it." Daud chuckles.
Cassandra makes a very rude gesture at Wednesday.
"Yeah. How dare I want to go talk to an entire building full of magical experts who may be able to help us solve this problem."
Cassandra turns and stalks off. She's not quite feeling up to running the rooftops yet, it seems.
Making a circle with his fingers he returns the gesture. "Yes, how dare you drag us to magic school and introduce us to all the special people you know, who are much more important than the common rabble. I wonder if we'd even be worthy?" Daud can't help but grin as he responds to the traceur.
The group makes its way to Korvosa's fabled Acadamae. The imposing structure stands before you, but a couple of lazy-looking guards block your path.
"Halt! Ummmm...who goes there?" This is spoken by the less dim-seeming of the two. The other one grins at his partner's obvious mental acuity, then turns his grin to your group, pleased to share his mirth with new friends, it seems.
At being stopped Wednesday unceremoniously points at Cassandra without a thought.
Cassandra marches right up.
"Hey there! We're needing to get inside. I'm a former student. These are my companions. We've got business with the faculty."
"Ummm...well, uh, do former students get inside?"
The other guard, grin still in place, shrugs, "I dunno, but if she's a former student I'm not going to try and stop her."
The other thinks on it a moment, then bows deeply, extending a hand to the door, "Please enter, ma'am."
"Thanks, guys!" Cassandra tips each man a silver and then walks through, leading the others inside the Acadamae.
"Wait, what about the ship? I doubt anyone's checked it out yet."
Tolenn was about ready to set out to the Temple of Saranae, when Daud's comment brought her up short, "Of course, the ship! Perhaps we can find some clue to stopping this plague there."
Realizing also that , the Field Marsall and Ishane will do all of the leg work to bring the various faiths together, she abandons her plan to go to the Temple.
"Yes, the Acadamae... a magic means of staying underwater would be essential. Lead on , Cassandra."
At the gate, Tolenn also allows Cassandra to take charge....
'These are the worst guards I've ever seen.'
Cassandra leads the way through the halls. It isn't exactly moving corridors and living paintings but there's certainly signs of magic here and there. Everburning torches permanently affixed to the walls and scorch marks on the ceiling, for example.
She stops in front of a door that was once purely wood but has since become an odd amalgam of metals, fur, scales, stone and bark.
"Professor Gynax." Cassandra explains to the other. "She taught my transmutation classes. If anyone can help us get underwater, she can. For a price, anyway. She's a little grumpy. Umm... someone else may want to do the negotiating."
The group knocks upon the door, and a severe-looking woman in late middle-age answers the door. She is tall, rivaling Wednesday in height, and her broad shoulders almost fill up the entire door. She looks upon you all with mild curiosity, her gaze falling upon Cassandra.
"Cassandra Wagner. I thought I'd seen the last of you." The woman's tone indicates she had been hopeful, at least.
Amira snickers. "Funny she's not the first person to say that." she says grinning at Cassandra. "You really know how to leave an impression don't you Cass?"
"Shut up." Cassandra mutters to Amira.
"Prof, we've got a problem. Have you heard about the plague?" Cassandra just launches into it. "We think it came here two nights ago. There was a ship that sailed in dark up the river. The guard sank it but a chest of coins washed ashore. Some kids found it and used the coins to buy candy. The coins had the plague on them."
Cassandra wrinkles her nose, shivering. It wasn't more than a few hours ago that she had the plague herself.
"We'd like to explore the ship. See if we can get some clues about the plague so it can be cured. But, seeing how it is underwater we'll need transmutation magic for that and, since I suck at transmutation magic..."
The woman looks disdainfully down her nose at Cassandra. "Perhaps if you had spent more time studying and less goofing off, you'd know transmutation magic, wouldn't you?" She shakes her head, scoffing.
"What's done is done, I suppose. You did have your strengths, I recall. Spread by coins in boxes, did you say? Do you have proof of this?"
Regardless of the answer given, the professor nods her assent. "I can cast such a spell, yes. You must be careful, though. Being underwater is much different than on land. There are three dimensions, and things can get disorienting. Be sure not to dawdle. The spell, should I cast it, will give each of you the ability to breathe water for 2 hours."
She looks slyly at Cassandra and the rest of you, "Now, there is the matter of the Acadamae's...ahem, standard fee. 150 pieces of gold. But for you," she looks at Cassandra with a smirk, "I'll only charge 145."
"We helped cure the first plague victim. Based on her story and collaboration by the banking priests the coins seem the most reasonable vector." Cassandra says.
"I can contribute 60 of that." She turns to the others. "That's about all I have."