Kaelaah watches grimly on as Sister Tera puts on her act... the thought of being convivial with this vermin sticks in the Shoanti's throat and it is all he can do to stop flames pouring from his wrists... He won't join in this conversation, he can't bring himself to do so... but he understands the importance of getting Tsuto to talk...
"Yeah, you understand, don't you?" Tsuto asks with a cruel grin, "they look at you like they used to look at her, don't they? You know what a curse it is for everyone else to think you're blessed. She's figured out a way to get revenge, against this whole town. You can join her, help her do it... she would show you the way."
"Hmm, I am intrigued, but just going for simple revenge is unsatisfying. Something with more panache and style would be more to my liking," Tera replies, returning Tsuto's cruel smile with a wicked grin of her own. "Maybe if you show me the way, I can help both of you make this plan so much more spectacular! I am a mage of no mean skill after all," she purrs as she leans in, closer to Tsuto. Her faces just inches from his.
Noting Tera's willingness to try to bluff the man, Kaede is more then willing to stay quiet for the most part. However, Tsuto's words to bring up one point that she would want verified from his mouth. "Her? Which her is this? Calistria?"
Despite himself, a sneer curls across Kaelaah's face at Sister Tera's talk of revenge.
...a glorious display or a simple revenge? Brother Roakkad's blood is upon your hands Tsuto... and if redemption is beyond you then I will gladly show you the meaning of vengeance.
"Calistria?!?" Tsuto echoes with a look of shock, "What're you talking about? Nualia. These people used to look at her like they do you now- expected her to heal their kids and save their farms, used to yank hairs from her head for their Varisian rituals... superstitious fools. Well, she's going to get her revenge, and you could too..."
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"Oh yes, I know very much how she feels," Tera says, her voice growing startlingly cold and her grin disappearing into a glower as her eyes danced and glittered dangerously. "They haven't started plucking the hairs from my head yet, but the expectations, the ceaseless nagging, and the ever bitter disappointment as we can't meet their unreasonable, unreachable, demands I know all too well, Tsuto."
The mage leaned in, pressing against the bars as one hand reaches out to caress his face.
"I want in," she said in a low voice between a purr and a growl, "Tell me what your plans are and I'll improve them, I'll make our vengeance all the sweeter and more fulfilling, for when we're through, all those that have wronged us will weep. They will beg for mercy, and then they will die as we life and dance on their broken and bleeding bodies."
"Tell me Tsuto. I promise that the others will join us or die. The guard is under my spell and is blind and dumb," she whispers to him, her other hand coming up and cradling his head as she gently turns it to look into her eyes now wide, inviting, and pleading.
"Tell me," she begs him as if she was a lover begging him to ravish her, "Tell me her plans and I'll make them succeed beyond both your wildest dreams! Tell me where I can find her and present myself to her. Tell me Tsuto! Tell me please!"
Tsuto pulls back as Tera caresses his cheek and looks longingly at him. His eyes narrow as he scrutinizes her. "She will be my reward, not you. And she doesn't need your help to succeed- your participation would merely allow you the satisfaction of joining in her vengeance..."
"Stop her?!?" he scoffs when Sal's comment distracts him, "she started that fire to get revenge on that overbearing 'father' of hers!*"
"Don't take my word for it though... she's on Thistletop**, go and hear it from her own mouth: she'll tell you how satisfying it was to get revenge once--and now that I've tasted it I can tell you she was right--and she'll tell you how she'll get revenge against this whole city!"
"Well then, I see where I stand. My apologies, Tsuto. I did not mean to offer offense. If I do go to Thistletop, are there any, ah, potential stumbling blocks I should be aware of? After all, I'd hate to make an enemy of the very people I am trying to befriend," Tera says, switching to a less salacious tactic.
"The goblins don't know you," Tsuto answers with nod, "so you'll probably have to sneak past them or kill them. Also, the bridge is trapped- cross it carefully..."
"Duly noted, now, is there anything else? Any one of Nualia's closest allies that I should be wary of, or any pitfalls that might cause me to come to harm? You wouldn't want that to happen to a friend would you," Tera asks in her sweetest voice.
Already, as Tsuto mentions Thistletop, Kaelaah is mentally picturing the coastline to the north of Sandpoint... it seemed that the marked would next have to fight their foes distant from the town - and, for that, Kaelaah was momentarily relieved...
...the Shoanti stays quiet throughout, his distaste for Tsuto now being outstripped by the revelation that it was Nualia who set the fire.
Can such a person be redeemed? That threw Father Tobyn's generosity back in his face, that started a fire that they surely knew would result in people losing their lives, that - even now - is plotting a vengeance upon the town...
"Ripnugget, the Thistletop chieftain, is loyal to her but he's vicious and jealous..." Tsuto replies, "be careful of him even after you talk to her. And, Gogmurt--their shaman--doesn't trust any humans. Barrk, is dumb even for a goblin but he's strong and he won't let anyone at all anywhere near her little experiment..."
"Any others that are sharing in her vengeance upon Sandpoint? Others like us that want to watch the town burn," Tera asks, "besides the goblins, I mean."
Kaede is more then grateful that Tera has taken the lead in this plan, keeping silent so that the Abadaran can continue her sweet-talking.
Tera's quite the actress when she wishes. I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to get half of this information out of him. Wish I bought paper though.... There are so many names, and I don't know most of them...
"Anything to worry about?" Tsuto replies to Sal, "No, he's been tied up since she found him; he's no threat to anyone. Honestly, some of her experiments are a bit rough... he might not even be alive by the time you get there."
"And besides him and Nualia there are no other people there... at least until you lot and I get back. So, when are you going to get me out of here?"
Tera smirks at Tsuto's question then snaps her fingers, releasing the spell.
"Oh Tsuto, I have to say it's been enlightening listening to you. Not pleasant by any means, but enlightening," she says in the same voice she'd been using. Her eyes grow cold and her expression turns into a glare that is full of hate.
"I hope you rot in here knowing that you just told where to find your precious Nualia. I just pray that when they haul you out to kill you that I'm the one that will exact vengeance for Roakkad's murder," she tells him in a cold, flat voice honed by her anger and grief. She holds his gaze for only a moment longer before turning to walk out of the garrison's gaol.
===
Shortly after she leaves Tsuto behind, Tera's legs give out and she slides down the wall, her shoulders shaking as the emotions that she'd repressed come back all at once. One hand reaches up to cover her mouth as her breathing comes fast and shallow.
Tsuto looks first confused and then offended at Tera's sudden change in demeanor. "That's not funny," he grumbles. When she and her companions begin to leave he calls out, "Hey, where are you going?!? Get back here and get me out!"
Sal finds Tera not too far from the stairs leading down to where Tsuto is being held. Hearing Sal come up behind the young mage turns to where she's sitting against the wall rather than leaning against it while on her knees.
"I know I did the right thing. I know we needed the information he had, but... but why do I feel like I'll never be clean again," she asks as tears brighten her eyes.
An unnaturally warm hand rests upon Sister Tera's shoulder and when she looks up Kaelaah stands there with an understanding smile. His words are, as ever, slow and considered, "You did what was right and it was more than I could have done... in time, Tsuto will pay for what he did but, for now, the tales that you drew from his vile tongue may save Sandpoint from yet more horrors".
There is a look of concern in the Shoanti's eyes, "We should keep what we have heard to ourselves until we have told those in the Cathedral who need to hear this... are you able to walk now?"
The watchman who escorted the group down to Tsuto is waiting at the top of the stairs. He awkwardly pretends not to notice Tera's breakdown. When the others arrive at the top of the stairs he nods and says, "Uh... this way, please... you, um, still need to report back to Sheriff Hemlock..."
Kaede smiles at Tsuto and formally bows. "Thank you for telling us all about yours and Nualia's plans," she finally says with hint of glee in her voice before she turns and leaves after the others.
Part of me wishes I could be down here when those spells fade to hear him scream in anger for giving so much away. But we have more important things to do....
The Shelynite catches up with the others, and almost immediately, she reaches for Tera to give her a hug. "Thank you for that superb acting job, and I'm sorry for not assisting. I didn't know how much this would hurt you...." She pauses to lean back a little and look over Tera. "Shall we share the bounty of information with the good Sheriff?
After hearing the confessions and revelations, Zache gives a deep sigh. Looking appreciatively at Sal and Tera, he nods to the guard. "Let's report back to Hemlock," he says gently. "We have a lot to do."
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"I know," Tera tells the others before standing back up and returning Kaede's hug. "Well, let's do as we said we would and tell the sheriff what we found," she adds, her voice a little stronger, but still with that core of hollowness, as if how she'd played Tsuto had sapped the life from her.
"We are happy to talk with the Sheriff first?" Kaelaah instinctively defers to his elders at the Cathedral over any other authority, "Then let us do that now".
The guard dutifully escorts the marked back up to Sheriff Hemlock's office. He gives a quick bow to them as they file in and then turns and marches back to whatever other work he had been pulled from.
Once his office door is closed, the sheriff listens intently as the marked begin relaying what they learned. "Nualia Tobyn?!?" the large man exclaims in shock, "you sure he wasn't playing you? Nualia died in the fire..."
"The spell that we used made him thinks of us as old and loyal friends for the duration, so I think he would want for us to go help. He also said that she set the Cathedral fire even, as revenge against her father."Kaede adds. "This is talking about things that I know very little about, since I've been in Sandpoint for only about a year and half. But there is a way to confirm his statements: We go to Thistletop and investigate. It's where the goblins are if his statements are to be believed."
"I don't think he was. I think he believes it's her that's preparing to sack Sandpoint," Tera adds.
"Well, there are certainly goblins at Thistletop..." Sheriff Hemlock answers with some apparent anxiety, "the thistletop tribe takes their name from those ruins; they've been there for years... I can't afford to send any men with you--I need them here in case the goblins do try to attack again--but if you're serious about investigating out there this city would be even deeper in your debt..."
"I agree with Sal. We should look there, and if there is something, this may be our best chance to hit them and ruin their plans," Tera adds, "we should prepare for this today and leave tomorrow. That would give those of us who need it time to prepare the right spells for this mission."
Tera had been looking at a spot on Belor's desk, her hand holding her chin in thought. She looks up at the sheriff now, and a slight tension in her shoulders and expression giving away her attempts to keep herself from suddenly squirming in her seat.
"I know you said you couldn't spare anyone, but would you allow Orin to come with us, please? He was a big help in the catacombs under the Glassworks."
"Orin's a good fighter, and he has more real combat experience than most of my men," the Sheriff answers shaking his head, "I'm sorry but that's out of the question."
Kaelaah fixes the sheriff with his eyes, fires burning gently within the naturally amber colour of his irisses, and says... nothing.
Orin would, beyond any doubt, be of help to us... but Hemlock needs to ensure the safety of the town over all else.
"O-okay," Tera says, a little embarrassed by the over-eager tone her question had taken, "thank you for considering the request. Is there anything else you need from us, sir?"
"No, all the information you've dug up will be really helpful." the Sheriff answers, "I've been looking over the ideas in Tsuto's journal for a larger scale goblin invasion and I'm already working up a plan for how best to defend the city if that does happen. Go and do whatever you need to at the Cathedral and I'll look forward to hearing your report when you get back."
gods, I hope you kids make it back...
"Just us, then," Zache grins. "The pride and joy of Sandpoint cathedral, trekking into the wilderness alone." He drums his fingers against his arm, wondering what he might need for such a journey.
"We will," Tera promises, even as the worry she sees in him causes her belly to to turn icy in fear. Zache's seemingly indomitable spirit eases some of it, but she'd seen what only a few goblins had done to humans they managed to get ahold of. She could see what would happen if an entire tribe managed the same thing with them all to easily.
"By you leave then," she says, hoping her trepidation didn't show.
Worries about goblins and long dead priest's daughters fades for a moment as Tera feels the warmth of the cloak she'd been gifted cover her and shield her from the chilly wind. She hides a smile in the fur of the cowl as it tickles her nose. She forces herself to push the simple pleasure aside and focus on the task at hand.
"We will need supplies and gear for the trek out. I don't know how long it will take to look over the area, but we should have plenty of food and water as well as tents to make a camp we can fall back to if we need it. I'll ask Brother Faustwick if knows of anything we might not have thought of, but before I ask, it'd be good to have a list ready," she says, her voice crisp and calm, "so, any ideas on what we should take?"
Tera begins her search with the Abadarian's office and goes from there, looking in the library, the mess hall, the sanctuary, and everywhere else that she think she might find him. She does want to ask him about the list of items they will need for their excursion, but she has an ulterior motive. She wants to be the first to tell him that she could use divine magic now.
After finding him and asking him if they could speak in private, she waits until they find some place where they can. Once she's sure anyone isn't eavesdropping, she hugs him with all of her strength, which isn't that much, honestly.
"I did it," she tells him excitedly, "I finally found out how to use Abadar's gift!"
She steps back, hold her holy symbol in both hands. A brief prayer later, the symbol glows with golden light.
"I did it! I did it, and it's because you helped me and mentored me," she tells him, beaming like a child that's just done something special for their father or mother.
After that bit of news was delivered, she pulls out the parchment that the list of items the Godmarked needed was written on so that they could go over it.
Kaede formally bows to the Sheriff. "Sandpoint has done much for us and the Cathedral; it's only fair for us to return that favor." And with that, she heads toward the cathedral, listening to the planning that's occuring in front of her.
"Before we get to involved with plans and large amounts of gear,"Kaede says as Tera and Sal begin seriously planning,"We need to make sure we can carry it all, without beast of burden. Bringing horses near a site that is supposedly swarming with goblins sounds like we're just asking for them to find us at the worst moment."
"I think we can handle two tents between us, the food might be more of a problem," Tera says, "and Sal has a point about the climbing gear. We might want to look into taking some items that can help mend our wounds and anything else we can think of that'd be useful, maybe something that'd be able to thin their numbers quickly if they try to gang up on us," the mage pauses then looks at Kaede then holds up her hands and waves them in a uncharacteristically fretful gesture. "I'm sorry I know we need to watch how much we're carrying, but even if all of it's a little heavy, we'd be leaving most of it at the camp we set up, right," Tera asks, suddenly realizing that she has never had a reason to be thinking about or planning something like this before know.