Anatoly reaches lamquee and helps her pull the guy up to the raft.
finn helps them pull the body out and hurridly checks the body. His first check reveals nothing, except clothing and a face. taking a deep breath and calming down, he begins to throughly search the body.
thinking to himself...pulse? check. Breathing? barely. wounds?
OY! finn exclaims as he pulls back the shirt to reveal 3 arrows embedded into the mans chest. They look like they missed the important heart and lungs, but still, the man is pale. He looks like he could die at any moment.
further up stream, william, james, saul, and isabella strike out and reach the struggling person. William stays behind, securing a rope to a tree while the rest swim out. within 30 seconds, the three of them are grasping at the man and swimming back.
coughing and sputtering, the man thanks the three of you.
looking at him, you see why he was struggling, as a large arrow seems to have gone through his chest and out his back.
"Maledizione!" Isabella curses. "Get bandages and herbs ready, this poor soul's stuck clear through the body!"
Relieved, Finnegan tells the others, "This one is still breathing, for now. Bring them together. I'm not sure how...but I think I can remove their wounds."
Finnegan looks at the dying man laying on the raft. OK. I can do this. he thinks as he glances up to the heavens. I'm not sure why you gave me this strength, but, if this is what you want, then give me the power to heal him. Let him live and cleanse the wilderness from this land
For a moment, nothing happens. Discouraged, Finnegan starts to pull his hand away when, suddenly, it begins to glow. Amazed, Finnegan quickly reaches out to touch the injured man and he too begins to glow and the wounds begin to disappear; seemingly engulfed by the faint light.
[ooc]Haha...I hope these rolls keep up[/dice]
the glowing light surrounds the unconscious man, the bleeding wounds begin to close, and those nearby also feel a healing rush fill their bodies. Looking down, the unconscious man mummers and blinks, then sits upright, a look of shock and startlement upon his face.
"Whaa..where am i? Who are you?
James looks at Finn, a somewhat shocked look on his face.
You practice healing magic? I thought only shamans and priests could do that! You mind explaining that?
William climbs into the boat as Finn causes the man's wounds to glow and heal. "What the hell Finn? Why didn't ya do that back at the camp? And for that matter maybe I shouldn't use that language if your a Padre. Are you a Padre? Damn sure don't act like one?"
Isabella's eyes widen as she stares at Finn.
"You're not like Granny Nigrelli, are you?" she asks, suspiciously. "Only I'm not too sure I'd like to travel with a witch."
Becoming defensive, Finnegan quibbles "I...I'm not sure how I did that. Honest. All I know is that I could heal. And I did."
Then, realizing his misplaced words, he takes a deep breath and begins again, "Look. I was lost back there, with the ungodly plant. I gave up. I literally gave up. Then, I prayed. I got strength from somewhere beyond. And, well, and now I know how to do things. Magical things. I'm not entirely sure how I know these things, but, I do know that I am not a priest. I never took such a vow."
"I understand if you are distrustful, but, please believe me that my new abilities come from a power that is true and good. And that power wants us to survive and succeed in our mission here, to tame this terrible wilderness, for whatever reason."
And with that, Finnegan steps back from the previously injured man, awaiting the response from his companions.
Anatoly shrugs, "HA! You still same man as before. Only now, you make hurt people not hurt. This good thing." Clapping Finn on the shoulder, Anatoly turns his attention back to the enourmous face in the water, "What I want to know, what we do with that?"
"That, Anatoly, is a man. A nearly drowned one at that. He was saved by the power that guides us, but, we have yet to see if he will turn his back on those who gave him a hand. But, if he was healed, my guess is that he is on our side and doesn't know it yet."
Knowledge to give Finn a clue about the new guy from his clothing, skin tone, etc. I've got all knowledges now. All at +5.
"Terrible?" Isabella repeats, one eyebrow raised. "What's so terrible about it? The wild holds power, yes. You walk the edge of a blade every day you step out of the circle of fire and stone. But that does not make the wilderness terrible, it simply . You treat it with respect and you stand strong, you don't try to demonize it."
So I'm not in the stake yet Finnegan thinks as he exhales slowly."There is power in the wild, yes, and that power itself is neither good nor evil. An animal is neither good nor evil. But, animals can be controlled by terrible masters. The wild is being controlled by an evil. The vampires - or whatever they were - that nearly killed us were evidence of that. I have a bad feeling that they make up only an ounce of the trouble here."
"Our task is good, Isabella, for it requires the purge of the evil that has taken hold of this land. And, through the purge of that evil, we will bring others to this land so that the evil may remain at bay."
Anatoly is looking not at the man who was dragged from the river, but at the huge stone face that is half submerged.
"Shoot, sounds like a sermon there Padre. Well I ain't to big on all that good vs evil stuff but I try to do right every day, just like my mama tough me. Doing good every day, well that's another thing. As for nature well I was always taught God made that too.
Now lets not forget our new friend here. Looks like you ran afoul of some body that didn't take to kindly to you."
Finnegan pauses, and then looks abashed I wasn't sermoning...was I?
"That, Anatoly, is a man. A nearly drowned one at that. He was saved by the power that guides us, but, we have yet to see if he will turn his back on those who gave him a hand. But, if he was healed, my guess is that he is on our side and doesn't know it yet."
Knowledge to give Finn a clue about the new guy from his clothing, skin tone, etc. I've got all knowledges now. All at +5.
1d20+5
" Um excuse me ladies and gentlemen, first of all thank you all very much for saving me. Well the last thing i remember is being ambushed as i crossed the river in my wagon. Didn't even see the archer! Secondly, just coming into this discussion here, can healing ever be a bad thing? And surely a kind god would only ever support healing someone, after all didn't Jesus heal the sick. And lastly is my pack around at all? It contained my patented elixir which could help me heal further. It was on the wagon seat next to me and may have fallen off to.
Oh I do apologise, I have a habit of rabbiting on, Professor Henry Bradley from Bristol England, at your service"
Well glad to meet ya Professor. I ain't seen no wagon or a pack, maybe its up river a ways. Luckily we were here lookin at that ugly fella over there." William points over at the stone face sticking out of the water.
"Ah damn it, could you give me a hand up, i wouldn't want to undo the healing that our friendly preacher has done. Then maybe i can take a look." Henry says all this with a wink and a smile at Finnegan
"I am NOT a preacher!" Finnegan says, exasperated, as he reaches down to give the professor a hand.
"You might want to learn to keep that under your hat," Isabella says in a warning tone. "You're a solid man, so we won't set you on fire, stone you or throw you in a pit with starving dogs, but others might."
Spending the next hour clearing away the moss and shrubs, you finally reveal a strange face to be seen. It looks human, but not. If this is a factual representation of a human, then the proportions are all wrong. but that isnt what keeps drawing your attention to the face. its the hair, just massive amounts of it, on the face, the head. Large braids run through this strangers hair and down the sideburns to below the waterline.
As if the face isnt striking enough, the stonework adds to it. The square cuts of the blocks on the walls are surprising enough, but the solid slab of stone that the face is carved upon is a strange type of rock. Red in color, dark, glinting with embedded crystalins, the rock looks solid and resolute, having rebuffed the attempts at erosion from the river and sand for long periods of time.
Even the grand master builders in Italy, france, and england couldnt come up with something this perfect. Something else did this.
"I say we light a fire and dry out before we do anything else," Isabella says as she eyes the face up and down, her eyebrows lowering in thought. "Tss. I wonder, I wonder. Who - or what - could have made such a thing...?"
"My apologies, i was only joking with you, perhaps rather ill timed. Whom do i have the honour of thanking for my rescue? and what brings you out here? Oh and mademoiselle, i like your suggestion!"
Henry wonders if he knows anything about the statue.
William glances over at james as he checks his gear. "Didn't ya say you had found somethin before tha professor here floated by?"
Finnegan looks to where everyone has gathered, and as he walks closer, he sees the statue for the first time. For a moment, he stares in wonder, his mouth agape. Then, slowly he moves towards the statue to get a better look.
...as Finnegan moves towards the statue, his senses become alive and he can feel the pulse of the world.
Saul finally remembered to close his mouth, his jaw having dropped at the revelation that Finn seemed able to work... miracles? Yes, best to think of it as a miracle. The other possibilities didn't bear thinking about. He shook his head and, perhaps more out of superstition than anything, made the sign of the cross.
As the others return to inspecting the stone, Saul keeps watch and sees if he can salvage any of the powder in his powder-horn.
"How long ago would you guess you were ambushed professor?" He floated downstream, so that means whoever attacked him could still be ahead of us. Or headed this way."
What is the saying? If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. I must be safer sticking with this lot and it might be worth staying under the radar for a while.
"I'm not sure, but it was early morning last i remember.. What day is it?... Oh look is that a pack, can you help me get it? If i can find my elixir i can help out a bit more."
"Elixer, you ain't one of them snake oil salesmen are ya? I don't take to kindly to all that, them fellas just out to make a quick dollar off of peoples need for help. Cure alls, well don't that just beat all. I remember one time this lady bought a bottle of some such stuff to heal her little girl. Was told it was guaranteed. Made the little girl sick as a Dickens. Nope I don't take kindly to that sort at all."
Well, there are some men who can make cures for all sorts of ailments. Not all are fakes.
"Oh no, not at all, it certainly doesn't cure everything. It is a herbal combination that takes ancient qualinesti herbal medicine and mixes it with modern science techniques. The resultant panacea helps to boost the human immune system, reducing infections and helping the body to heal itself. Unfortunately there are a lot of rogues out there profiting from the desperate and their concoctions generally are just alcohol and unrefined cocaine. Obviously a small quantity of alcohol is needed, but then only the best quality herbs. Boy do those rogues make it hard for an honest trader, people expect miracles from my elixir which it seldom gives, normally when taken with good food and exercise it just makes people healthier."
Finnegan chuckles to himself, Hehe...now whose giving speaches?
Where are you from originally, Professor? And, please, don't say "the river". I think we have all had enough mysticism for one day, myself included."
I sure hope he is not affiliated with Tammany Hall. Even though I am not that person anymore, things could still get messy and I don't want anyone else to get hurt.
"Bristol, England originally. Son of a cartographer. I came west to see the new territories for myself and I fell into travelling sales instead. How about you gentlemen and lady? What brings you out here?"
Oh crap, someone in the know, time to refresh those map making skills. I need to heal up, maybe now is the time to risk it after their guy did it. Here goes!
On getting to his pack, Henry pulls out a bottle of his panacea, takes a big swig and starts talking quietly. For those close enough to hear him it sounds like reciting a list of ingredients and counting against his fingers.
Standing up and grimacing.
"Why does medicine always taste so bad"
"Hey Professor, what do you have there?"
" What this, oh this is my elixir. I find it helps to list the ingredients when i use it, it helps me remember the recipe so i don't have to write it down"
Finnegan takes a glance at the bottle held by the Professor, What are those? Are those leaves floating in there? I think I might actually see some dirt. That looks absolutely revolting. How can he drink that swill?
"Uh...yes...what a fine elixir that is, Professor" Then, turning away from the alchemist and consciously trying to prevent himself from shuddering "Now what do we want to do about the big rock face?"
Isabella glances away from the rock-face to look at the Professor -- and her eyes narrow.
"Maledizione, the spell-slingers are crawling out of the woodwork now!" she growls. "Or the river, in your case. I know you're no witch though, Englishman, 'cause you weren't all that buoyant."
"I think he is safe as long as he doesn't make any of us drink that thing" Finnegan says with a wry smile. Though, in truth, he shares Isabella's concerns. It may be true that he casts some sort of 'spells' to create that vial looking liquid. But, I do the same, don't I? Besides, it wouldn't be right just to throw him back in the river.
Anatoly ignores what spellcasting may or may not be going on. He simply doesn't care if someone uses magic. After all, don't the shaman's of his tribe use magic? As long as his companions do not turn against him, he does not care what skills they use.
Carefully unstringing his bow and storing the string so it will not get wet, he hops out onto the sandbar and begins making his way through the water towards the stone head.
William watches as Anatomy moves towards the face and jumps in the water, following the orc.
Finnegan gives a friendly smile "If you are with us, professor, then gather your gear and meet us by the giant stature over there"
Finnegan then follows William and Anatoly to the statue.
Otherwise, Finnegan waits for one of the others to make a move.