"Indeed, I do!" Father Kyte slips a hand into the front pocket of his smock and withdraws a steel rod inscribed with runes.
"The way underneath the Black Hill involves traversing the Weeping Pond on the northwest edge of town. This rod right here is enchanted to allow me to extend the duration of spells I cast upon people." The priest waves the rod around and taps it against the palm of his hand. "Brigh's favour also allows me to cast a spell upon expeditionary parties that allows them to breathe underwater."
"However, I would caution you against entering the Pond without some protection." Sarona speaks up, neatly folding her hands. "There is a large quantity of chemicals and toxins present in the Weeping Pond's water. Most of them have been diluted by a significant enough margin that they will cause mild sickness & nausea if you come into contact with or ingest it."
"... joy."
He opened his mouth to speak but then paused thinking for a moment.
I dont suppose you have any potion of remove sickness about? Perhaps a few accolytes who need practice casting it? I would do so myself but I have already prepared spells today, and time is of the essence.
He asked simply as one man of faith to another.
"Unfortunately, I do not." Sarona sighs and shakes her head. "However, I do have a cantrip that will bolster your body's natural defences against the pollutants in the Weeping Pond's water."
"I will need to accompany you to the Pond if you wish for me to cast it before you depart--it only lasts for a minute."
"That will have to do." Edynn says
"As you wish." Sarona bows and motions for Father Kyte to step forward.
"Alrighty then..." The old priest clutches the rod in one hand while cradling his holy symbol with the other.
"Lady Brigh, Whisper in the Bronze, grant these four souls the means to traverse the unknown, so that they may embark upon a journey to save our town." He prays, and in response his hand glows. After running it along the length of his metal rod, he taps each party member on the shoulder with it. You all glow briefly before it fades.
"That should last you for a few hours."
Sialea always found the temple a place she was never comfortable. She never could explain why but any temple or shrine made her very uncomfortable. Still, she wasn't one to turn away the assistance when it was available, and the access to something to help resist the poisons in the water. "My thanks for your assistance in finding Papa, I accept your goddess' magic."
Inlé was mostly indifferent about... pretty much all of the gods and their workings, though that didn't deter him when they offered assistance. "Thank you, and Brigh." he says along with a bow.
"Thank you. " Edynn says with a nod. She wasn't quite sure what she thought of Brigh though she knew some who revered her.
Father Kyte puts his metal rod back into the pockets of his smock and turns to Sarona. "Sarona, would you kindly?"
"I would." The redheaded android starts walking out the temple's main doors. "Please follow me."
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Sarona leads the party out of the temple and through the streets of Torch, remaining in step with the team as they walk along. Though her eyes appear to be free of emotion, they are not free of curiosity--she seemingly can't help but look the party over as they approach the Weeping Pond.
"How long have you been in Torch?" She asks the android fighter, her eyes lingering on her fists. "I have not seen many others of my kind in this town."
My kind? Inlé thinks as he looks between Edynn and Sarona before speaking up. "Can you punch robots to death too?"
Sarona gives Inlé a quizzical look. "...no. I do not believe I possess the upper arm strength to do so. By the grace of Brigh, I can disassemble them to determine their functions, but I cannot physically damage them without tools."
"... oh." he lets out, disappointed, before pointing at Edynn. "She can!"
Sarona blinks in surprise and looks back at Edynn. "Is that true?"
"I just said she can."
"Yes, apparently." Edynn says blinking at the rapid back and forth between Inlé and Sarona, neither allowing her the moment to answer a question.
"My primary talents lie in hand to hand combat." she says turning to face the other android as they walk. "I have only been in town a week. Have you lived here long?"
Sarona's eyebrows arch. "Interesting."
"I have only been in town a week. Have you lived here long?"
"I have lived here for five years." The android acolyte replies as the party passes by a couple of houses near the bridges. "I do not venture out into town often--I usually only do so with the intent of replenishing the temple's stores of mechanical parts, food items or other such supplies."
The party passes by the Foundry when Sarona turns to Sialea and gives her state of dress an appraising look. "I recognize you--Councillor Baine spoke highly of your skills with machinery. May I ask why you dress like that?"
I'd been wondering about that myself. Inlé thinks to himself as he follows Sarona's look.
Sia turned her gaze to the acolyte and eyed her speculatively a moment as she considered the question. Evidently she decided the question was an honest one and she finally responded, "I...when I first appeared here in town I brought only two things with me, a garment like the one I wear now and a big egg. I didn't know anything about who I am or where I came from other than that I had those and shortly after that I was a psychic. I don't know what my race is, or where I was from before I appeared here a few years ago." As she talked she cocked one hip to the side and had her arms crossed below her chest, a stance which did interesting things to her cleavage, "I continue to dress as I was then because it is a touchstone to the past I can't remember, a way to remind myself that, someday, I might learn the truth of my origins. I know the egg isn't mine," she arched one eyebrow, "study of my own anatomy shows my people give live birth like humans do, I keep the egg I'm sure you've heard of because it too is a touchstone and because the hatchling growing inside is still alive, I can feel his nascent mind and I hope that, somehow, he will have some answers for me one day."
Inlé watches on as Sialea talks about her past, though he has to catch himself when she crosses her arms so as to not fixate on certain prominent parts of her anatomy. He was also glad to have more confirmation that he wasn't traveling with any humans. "You're nice, and pretty, whatever you are." he says.
Edynn listens with curiosity as Sialea tells her tale. Nodding and smiling in agreement with Inlé's compliment. "I'm not sure what a ....psychic... is but it sounds like your bond with your egg is something very special."
Though like Edynn herself she seemed relatively human on the surface, the woman's height and very unusual beauty definitely stood out.
"You're nice and pretty too." Inlé says as he turns to Edynn, not wanting to leave her out.
Sialea spoke again as she smiled at the both of them, "Thank you I appreciate the compliment Inle." She looked to Edynn and said, "As for what a psychic is," She ceased speaking words as she continued to look at Edynn, her antennae quivering a bit more than normal.
Inlé's smiled back under his mask, but his eyes couldn't help but glance at the quivering antenna. ... is she trying for better reception?
Edynn cocks her head to the side slightly, her eyes widening very slightly. Tentatively she tries to .....think back to Sialea.
Looking down at Inle she smiles. "Thank you Inlé, you are very imposing with your mask.....it is a mask yes?"
Sia nodded at Edynn, still not saying anything, but obviously responding to some form of communication. After a moment she said, "That was an example Edynn, that was telepathy. I have other talents as well, I can daze a weak mind at will, I can move small things with my thoughts, I can attempt to divine the future by way of automatic writing, hypnotize people, read their psyche via the bumps on their heads, read aura's on sight, and attempt to read an object's past by psychometry.I've also learned to duplicate somemagical effects, like bolts of force, charming some one magically, and sometimes other strange abilities as well. Unfortunately the magic isn't always reliable, there are somethings that just slip through my mind and I can't do them more than once."
Inlé really, REALLY, wanted to say no. Really, really, really wanted to. "You're welcome, and yes,' he replied, very happily. "It lets the other wolves know not to try and eat me or I'll get another cool mask. Granted since I'll have to take it off anyway when we go swimming..."
He stops and scratches his head before continuing. "I'll take it off once we get away from town, you'll see why then."
Sia nodded at Edynn, still not saying anything, but obviously responding to some form of communication. After a moment she said, "That was an example Edynn, that was telepathy. I have other talents as well, I can daze a weak mind at will, I can move small things with my thoughts, I can attempt to divine the future by way of automatic writing, hypnotize people, read their psyche via the bumps on their heads, read aura's on sight, and attempt to read an object's past by psychometry.I've also learned to duplicate somemagical effects, like bolts of force, charming some one magically, and sometimes other strange abilities as well. Unfortunately the magic isn't always reliable, there are somethings that just slip through my mind and I can't do them more than once."
Inlé stares at Sialea as she explains her powers before throwing a hand up and pointing at Edynn. "She can punch robots to death with her bare fists!"
Edynn chuckles."She was there remember?"
"That is very impressive Sialea. Your abilities will be a big help finding your father." she says.
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"... oh... right... doesn't make it any less awesome though!"
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He was silent merely watching the interplay between the group he was here to protect. He was very curious about Them of course, but he thought it a bit rude at the moment to bluntly ask about them... not that it seemed to matter, they were quick to explain.... well not the little one, though he certainly wouldnt call him? Her? it? that aloud. That greatsword it carried was impressive... and Inle seemed quick to use it.
Sarona listens intently to the banter around her. "Interesting. I have never heard of a 'psychic' before today. Perhaps it is a field of study that I would like to learn more of someday."
"But for now, you have a job to do." The priestess says as the party finally reaches what the locals call the Weeping Pond. The first thing the party notices about the pool of water before them is the sheer, overpowering odour of strange chemicals and sulfur that assaults their noses and threatens to make their eyes water. No vegetation grows on the pond's shores, and the dirt around it is black and hardened, feeling brittle underneath your feet.
There is a dark hole some ten feet underneath the placid waters of the pond.
"Who wishes to receive the spell first?" Sarona asks, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "It will only last for a minute per person, so I would recommend moving swiftly once you have received it."
"... YOU WANT US TO SWIM THROUGH THAT?"
"I am afraid there are no other means of ingress to the Black Hill." Sarona replies, a measure of resignation somehow present in her voice. "That is why I recommend you move swiftly."
After a pause he lets out a sigh and then begins to look around. You can do this. "Okay," he says to the others. "Not. A. Word." he lets outs before taking of the Wolf skull and and hood underneath, letting two long ears spring up and revealing the face of a rabbit underneath.
Ruffling his face as the semi-fresh air hits it he begins smoothing hai plush dark fur down and blinks his bloodshot eyes a few times as they adjust to the light, his whiskers bending and adjusting to the wind as he sniffs the acrid air.
He thin continues by removing his gloves and the rest of his outergear.
Sarona is quite surprised to see Inlé's true face, but has enough tact to respect his wish for silence and keeps any opinions she has to herself.
She patiently waits for Inlé to finish preparing before speaking up again. "Would you like to go first?"
"Sure." he says as he finishes using his robes to wrap up all his former outerwear into a tight bundle.
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Edynn cocks her head slightly to the side in curiosity but remains silent, though after a bit she smiles slightly.
"What?" Inlé lets out when he catches Edynn's smile.
Sarona tentatively extends an ashen, tattooed hand and lays it upon Inlé's furry head.
"Lady Brigh, grant this one the strength to forge a path." She intones, and Inlé's nose feels less irritated by the smell of the tainted water.
"Now, go forth."
Sarona turns to the rest of the party, ready to offer them the same spell.
His eyes widened at the sight of the little fellow being well a talking rabbit man, especially considering the size of the sword and how... concerned he seemed with it. The dark furred ears looked remarkably like his daughters ears . . .
Thank you and yours for the aide.
He said simply accepting the spell and quickly following inle into the muck trying really hard not to think about what it could be. He flounded at first, badly. For a moment he panicked before he recalled the actual principle for swimming.
Taking a deep breath Inlé dives into the water.
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"You are still imposing without the skull." Edynn says before stepping forward to have the spell cast on her. Diving into the water, she begins swimming with smooth powerful strokes, making sure to keep her mouth tightly closes as she cuts through the murky gloom, the visible tattoos on her hand and face seeming to give a mildly iridescent shimmer in the darkness.
"Really? You think so?" Inlé excitedly replies before diving in.
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"Definitely."
Though he's aware enough to not open his mouth underwater, he smiles the entire time. Toxic sludge they're swimming through be damned.
Siallea accepted the blessing from the accolye, made sure to keep her mouth tightly closed, and dove into the water. While she managed to swim safely but as she went her skin began to burn and itch from the contaminates in the water but it vanished as she felt the blessing flow through her.
The party manages to navigate the tainted waters without suffering any ill effects. The concentration of chemicals in the water lessens the deeper they swim, moving along a narrow channel that eventually emerges into a cave.
Dampness hangs in the air of this cave, condensing into heavy moisture on the slick, stone walls. The calm, dark waters wind around to the east up north, along a stony, soot-scarred beach. A five-foot-high ledge sporting several stalagmites rises to the east, beyond which a low-ceilinged cave beckons.
The air in here smells foul.
Bursting the surface of the water Inlé lets out a gasp of air. "Bwa-WHAT IS THIS HELL?" he screams as he begins trudging out of the water while trying to wipe the sludge from his fur.
"I mean seriously what the-tracks?" he stops mid rant as he notices something up on the ledge. "I think they went this way." he says to the others once their out of the water, pointing up past the ledge into the stalagmite-choked cavern.