Hinagiku starts gathering some rags and clear water to clean up the desecrated mural when she walks by Irabeth, Markus, and Ary who are talking about leaving. What surprised her the most was to be called one of Ary's people by the commander. Needing to know where she stands, she approaches the group.
"Commander Irabeth, should I understand that I am now to follow miss Ary?" she asks, looking back and forth between the paladin and fighter.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Ehren is filled with joy when he sees the Children of the First Crusade again, and with amazement at how quickly they had managed to fill out the garrison.
"If this is to be the underfolk's home for the time being, then perhaps it should be cleared of corpses first," Ehren says grimly, the memory of the desecrated scrying pool still fresh in his mind, "There are crusaders that need to be put to rest. The Prelate as well. That... should not be the underfolk's burden to bear."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Isilme remembered almost immediately that Lann had been mentioned in Li'an's journal entries, and so knew Li'an. She ponders whether she should be forthright about the situation or not, briefly. She looks him over once before deciding there really wasn't any benefit in hiding what she was, especially since she'd made no effort to do so so far. She tried to talk quietly and directly to Lann, as she didn't want to drag everyone into another discussion of Li'an's death. "What am I? The simplest explanation would be that I'm the elven equivalent of an Aasimar. The reason you find me familiar, though, and the not-so-simple explanation is that I'm a celestial who was trapped in Li'an's body after she died," she said with a sad smile. "Perhaps we can talk more when we return. I read about your people in Li'an's journal. She had great respect for you all, I think. I would love to learn more about your people, and about her brief time in your village."
Turning quickly to the others, she says "I believe we should all head to Defender's heart. The garrison will be secure enough for the Underfolk, but I'd like to get some rest. And I need to talk to Aravashnial. I don't think I ever apologized for not listening to his advice back then..." she says cryptically, though the others who'd seen the visions would no doubt understand what she was talking about.
"Honestly... I agree with Ehren. Getting the place cleaned up is our responsibility. You know, what with the cultists not being around to do it." she purses her lips, before continuing, "and I don't feel right leaving it as it is. So in the end... if we stay for a few hours, and make our way that way, can you conveniently hold off on talking to that Pharasman til we get there? Or let him know that we're laying bodies to rest? Best yet... send him this way so he can oversee the process!"
"Perhaps Markus, Annabelle, Hinagiku can go ahead..." she suggests as a compromise, "With Valaria along to make sure Liotr behaves," she adds with a wink to the tiefling. "If we can get some of the Eagle's watch to stay here and help, we can get everything sorted out here, and then head back"
"I don't really like the idea of my friends going alone to a location where I won't be there to help them." Ary says, as she leans against the doorframe, arms crossed. "I know they're big kids and can protect themselves, but I'm not about to surrender those under my command right after Irabeth opted to put you there." she grins.
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Commander Irabeth looks to Hinagiku. "Hinagiku, you are not a sworn crusader, so you don't have to do what I tell you to! But I think, at least until we understand better exactly what happened today, that it'd be best if your group stayed together. Ary is a capable leader, so I don't think you'll go wrong following her advice."
The group opts to travel with Commander Irabeth and the Eagle's Watch back to Defender's Heart. The city seems completely abandoned - in contrast the trip here was paused by several small skirmishes against wandering demons. Chief Sull and Lann thank the heroes again before they leave.
The crusaders are in high spirits after their victory today. Irabeth's mood is considerably less bright in comparison, but she tries her best to maintain the morale.
By the time the heroes arrive at Defender's Heart, night has fallen, and the sky is filled with stars. As they approach the guardsmen, Irabeth murmurs to Annabelle,
"Kir. I want you to go to your room, and avoid the rest of the crusaders tonight. At least for a little while. No arguing."
Annabelle frowns, but she doesn't argue. "Yes, Commander." Her voice is cold.
The heroes and their allies are scanned upon entry and ushered into the inn. It is an enormous celebration. Thank the gods for Gwerm's rations, which provide for the majority of the feast. Bards sing to the crusades' victories and spirits are higher than they've been for several days.
Annabelle breaks away from the group and slinks off to the stairs and up to her room. She doesn't pay attention to whether or not she is being followed - likely, she doesn't care.
Anevia rushes forward as soon as the group arrives, throwing herself into her wife's arms. After a long embrace, she moves to Valaria, thrusting a pair of ugly grey socks into her hands.
"Made ya socks! Look!" She holds one up, revealing a pair of large buttons sewn onto one of them. They are lumpy and asymmetrical (one is longer than the other). She holds up the sock with the buttons on them, pushing her hand into it to form a sock puppet. "Look! This one doubles as a toy. I'm a godsdamned genius."
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Val feels a twinge of pity as Annabelle stalks off to be alone. "Hey, Gloomy. Why don't you go and keep her company? She shouldn't have to be alone tonight and you know what she's going through more than anyone else. Just... try not to be too gloomy okay? Be supportive or something. I'll stop up after I the inquisitors are brought in so that I can have a chat with them." She cracks her knuckles. "You know, just in case."
She spins to face Anevia as she joins them. Her mouth actually drops open a bit as she sees the knitted socks. Then she breaks down laughing as Anevia demonstrates her skills with sock puppets, leaning against Irabeth to stay standing. It takes her a full two minutes to stop and she shakily rubs tears from her eyes. "Gods. Anevia, never change." She takes the socks and immediately strips off her boots so she can replace her normal white socks with the lumpy grey ones. With her thigh-high boots back on, no one can see them anyway. "Actually nice and warm too."
Upon returning to Defender's Heart, Markus heaves a little sigh and abstains from the celebration as well. He squares his shoulders and follows after Annabelle.
"Hey." Val catches Markus's shoulder before he leaves. "Don't think that I'm trying to get rid of you or anything. It's just... I don't like seeing people unhappy. And I have no idea how to help Annabelle. So I'm asking you because... you're the only one I can ask that might know what to do. And maybe she can help relieve that little black cloud you've got following you around. She's a nice girl after all."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Markus turns at Valaria's touch with a pretty placid look on his face. "I know. Don't take my behavior for taking offense - I know this is my fault more than anything, and my responsibility to take care of it." He furrows his brow and looks at the ground. "This is just sort of my worst nightmare. I'll see you later." He turns and goes upstairs, then.
Commander Irabeth smiles. "I'm sure you all have a lot of people to connect with. I'll beg your pardon, as do I." She politely excuses herself, moving into the crowd with purpose.
Anevia lights up when Valaria actually wears her socks, and she flings her arms around her for a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay!" She turns to Ary and hugs her as well, followed by Ehren, then Hrut.
"I love you guys so much!" she bawls as she embraces her friends. Her cheeks are flushed - clearly she has already gotten started with the festivities before they arrived. "So much..." She turns to try and hug Markus, but he has already escaped up the stairs. She grins mischievously and whispers to the other heroes. "Was that..... Annabelle? And Markus? Together?" She grins wider. "Really? When did that happen? They're... not much alike!"
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Val's hand drops and her mouth gapes again as he trudges upstairs. "I didn't mean that either," she murmurs as he disappears. Despite her desire to run after him and remind him that Annabelle's condition is an accident above anything else, she can't think of a way to say it that she might actually be able to convince Markus of. "I have to think of something. I am not letting him stew like that any longer than I have to."
She yelps as Anevia catches her in a hug, then eagerly returns it. "I told you we'd make it back. And with some shiny new tricks too. Things at the Garrison were a bit strange."
She pauses again and laughs. "I wish. They'd probably do each other a lot of good." Wheels immediately begin to turn in her head. Maybe once they got things sorted out... Something to think on later. "It's... complicated. Annabelle's... well... promise you won't panic or anything." At a surprising loss for words, Val isn't quite sure how to break the news gently. "She's..." She hesitates again, looking around to see if anyone is listening in before leaning in close so she can whisper. "She was turned into a good vampire be some mix of wardstone magic, healing spells, and Markus's blood."
Annabelle isn't hard to follow. She stomps up the stairs like a child being sent to time-out. Once there, she tosses her glaive carelessly against the wall, and squirms out of her chain shirt, scabbard and boots. She flops onto the bed, laying on her stomach with her face pressed against the pillow.
She doesn't bother lighting the candle in her room. Not that she needs it anymore.
| 5 people marked this as a favorite. |
Markus doesn't need a light either, so he can see her on the bed. All the same, he knocks. "Annabelle?" he calls. He thinks for a moment to ask whether or not she's okay, but... of course she isn't. "If you're trying to suffocate yourself, it's...not going to work."
Ehren is initially dejected over having to leave for Defender's Heart so soon. Burying the dead and cleaning the temple aside, he had hoped to catch up on things with Lann and the others. Fortunately, the joyousness within the inn proves infectious. He smiles immediately upon entering, glad to see everyone in such high spirits. The contrast to the dour mood the last time they were there was shocking, but very welcome.
He frowns after Annabelle and Markus as they skip out on the festivities, but says nothing. Their predicament was one of many he could do nothing about. Does reviving the dead always come with unforeseen consequences? That thought lingers for a moment, but the next thing Ehren knows, he is being grappled by Anevia. Smiling again, he awkwardly returns the hug.
"It's good to see you again, Anevia."
"Come in!" says the vampire.
She tilts her head to peer at him with one crimson eye, her pupils so dilated that they are mostly black.
"Hey, hero. What's wrong, can't handle your liquor?" she jokes, though it is partially muffled by her pillow still.
Markus closes the door behind him and sits on the floor beside the doorframe. "I never liked drinking. It always made me dizzy. Besides that, if you can't have a party, then neither will I."
Annabelle rolls over so that there is actual room on the bed. "You don't gotta sit on the floor. You'll ruin your pants." She sits up and shakes her head. "Aw, no, don't say that. You don't gotta sit here and be all mopey with me in the dark. It's not your fault people stink."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Markus opens his mouth to create a light cantrip, but frowns when the familiar feeling of spellcasting doesn't come to him. His head is too full of formulae, magical script and the layers and weaves of dweomercraft that go into magic and magical items to concentrate enough to complete a full spell.
He dismisses it for the moment - they don't really NEED light. They both have darkvision! "I actually prefer the floor, if you'll believe it. It's very supportive."
He looks side to side, hesitating for a moment before saying the next bit. "And it is my fault. I made you like this."
Anevia's eyes widen at Valaria's explanation.
"The f@%*?" is all she has to say about that.
She frowns as she thinks on that. "Aw, that's a bummer. I'll need to give her a hug, too, when I see her next."
She is suddenly distracted by Isilme. "Ah! I read your note to 'ol elfy. I think he liked it. It's hard to tell with him. Anyway, Aravashnial's been hiding in the library they've got set up next to the meeting room, cause he's not big on festivities... if you're looking for him, that is."
Her message delivered, she grabs Valaria around the arm. "You owe me lots and lots of drinks. And stories! I've saved a whole barrel of juniper mead for us, dammit. Ary, Ehren, do you want some, too? And you? Who are you again? I'm Anevia!" she finishes, realizing she has no idea who Hinagiku is.
"Yeah, that was my response at the time," Val replies dryly. "More or less. She seems alright, but she's kind of down and still adjusting to all the changes. And I really have no idea what to do." She grins. "She'll probably appreciate that. Just keep it quiet until Irabeth has a chance to talk to some people. And until after I smack some inquisitors around if the church of Pharasma decides to be hardasses about this."
She laughs as Anevia grabs her arm. "I believe we do have an appointment to get absolutely blackout drunk, don't we? Well, let's go get wasted and I'll tell you about all the demons we slaughtered to get to the wardstone."
Annabelle sits cross-legged, with her face in her hands. She stares at Markus for a moment.
"Nope, sorry. You said it was an accident. So it's not your fault." She pauses, trying to find the right words. "What you made me was not-dead. And I'm grateful for that."
She hesitates before continuing.
"It was an accident right? You didn't just lie 'cause the Commander was right there?" It's obvious she regrets saying the words as soon as she does.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Markus tries not to let it show that the question hurt his feelings - that she thinks he might lie to save his own skin. It's okay. She doesn't know him very well yet.
"Of course I didn't just lie." he answers smoothly. "It... the spell I wrought had unintended consequences, but powerful magic always does, and I should have known that. And I know you're telling me you'd rather be here, now, than dead but... when you die you're not gone. I denied Heaven to you so that you could come back and I gave you this." He shakes his head. "I don't know. I'm just having trouble accepting that you forgive me."
He looks back up at her. "I'm not really here to throw a pity party, though. I'm here to throw a real party! Because you don't get the one that's downstairs, and I think it's the worst thing to be alone while others are having fun. Would you like me to bring you a drink?"
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Ehren grimaces at Anevia's invitation.
"No, I think I'd better n-" he starts, before cutting himself off abruptly. He looks off to the side, as though he could see the words he was about say written on the wall. What was he afraid of? Hadn't they earned this? And as for his age, well... he was old enough to help save the city, apparently. It wouldn't hurt to enjoy one moment of peace with his friends for once. "I... I suppose I could have a drink. Or two."
Isilme watches as the group is greeted by a boisterous Anevia, feeling a tad bit the outsider. When Anevia catches sight of her, she looks briefly away before she realizes Anevia is addressing her. Turning back, Isilme looks at her with a smile. "Thank you Anevia for doing me that favor, I truly appreciate it. I will go find him now," she says, excusing herself. While the others had come to accept her presence, Anevia still seemed rather distant. Though she understood it, it bothered her more than she cared to admit, and she wasn't entirely sure why. "You two have fun," she says over her shoulder to the two as she heads off in search of Aravashnial.
Isilme wanders for a bit before heading up, deciding to grab a bottle of wine and a couple of glasses so she could fulfill her promise to Aravashnial. Picking out the best bottle she could get ahold of under the current circumstances, she heads up to the library alone. Entering the doorway, she knocks at the frame to get Aravashnial's attention."Spending the evening alone, Ai'sintar?" she asks quietly when he responds to the rapping.
Annabelle squirms. "I'm sorry I asked. I already knew the answer. I just had to know...and it's been eating at me.."
She thinks for a moment. "Besides, I can't go dying now. I came here because.... because I wanted to make a difference. And not just waste my life away doing meaningless stuff. But I haven't done that yet, and if I had died in the Garrison then I'd never get a chance to. You know?"
"Besides, my brother needs me to keep him on the straight and narrow path. I mean, he's got Sosiel and all, but he really still needs me, too."
She laughs. "A party sounds nice right now. A drink, particularly! I'm so thirsty."
---------
Anevia grabs Ehren with her other arm when he agrees to drink with the ladies. She hadn't really expected him to say yes - so all the better!
"Yes! We are going to have such a good time. It is destined." She drags them both along through the tavern, hollering, "Make way for the heroes of Kenabres! We are on a holy mission! For Cayden Cailean!"
She arrives at a table and motions for Ehren, Valaria, and anyone who followed them (Ary? Hinagiku?) to sit down.
"Alright. I'll be right back. I'll hook us up! You guys must be famished, so wait 'til you try the Loumis' pies..."
-------------------
Aravashnial is, in fact, alone in the library, though he certainly isn't spending the time reading books. Instead he has a small block of wood, and a sharp knife. He sits at the table, calmly working the wood with his knife, working intricate engravings into it by feel alone. Every now and then he pauses his work, puts the knife down, and runs his hands along his creation.
The wizard is not an artist, so his creation is not that beautiful, but he has successfully engraved a number of names into it in scrawling elven script - his, Li'an's, Elan's, Isilme's. He's working on Ary's, now.
He starts when he hears Isilme's voice. He smiles. "Isilme. I'm glad you're alright."
"Me too," she responds uncharacteristically. Isilme walks in sets the bottled and glasses down next to where he's working, along with the books that Ary had stuffed in her arms when she'd caught her in the hall. "I would love some company right now, and I believe I promised you a night of wine and fond recollections, so I hope you'll forgive the interruption," she says. "It feels like it's been a lifetime since I left," she adds with a sigh. Isilme moves a chair up against Aravashnial's and settles down in it, intertwining her arm with his and resting her head on his shoulder.
Resting against him, she is almost able to forget everything that has happened in the past few days. "Perhaps after few glasses of wine this will truly seem like long before anything had changed" she thinks to herself. But in truth, this days events clung to her strongly. She had fallen apart in that moment when she'd relived the events in the small town where they'd caught up with Minagho. She blushes slightly as she recalls clinging tightly to Valaria in her moment of weakness. Though she had pulled herself together afterwards, the truth is that it was still haunting her even now. The warmth of Aravashnial up against her serves as an anchor, however, like Valaria's embrace had, and she gives his arm a squeeze and focuses herself on the present again. "I will discuss it with him, but not just yet... a happier distraction for now," she thinks.
"So what is this that you're working on?" she asks without lifting her head. She admires the carving he's done, first looking it over by eye, and then closing her eyes and tracing her fingers over the carving to understand how he sees it. "I'm not sure I remember you ever taking up an art before. I've always thought you had the soul of an artist hiding in there somewhere," she adds happily.
Ary pat-pats Anevia on the head as she hugs her. Ary isn't really a hugger. It's not written into her genetics. In fact, the hug makes her feel really awkward. "They actually have a lot more in common than you think." she says with a bit of dark humor, as she mentions them being a couple. "Also, why does everyone automatically assume Markus is in a relationship with every girl he's near. What is it about him that inspires so much... envy?" she tilts her head. "Even in you! You're a married woman!" She grins.
"I'll pass for now." she says with a smile as she's offered drink. "I think I've had maybe... three glasses in my lifetime. All in the same night. That was more than enough for a lifetime. I like being Ary... not being mopey Ary." she offers her a consolation smile. "Besides, I have a lot of things to get done before I come join you. Save me something tasty. Preferably unstale bread if that's a thing, still."
"I'll go ahead and do that, so I can lead you back to your rooms in a few hours." She grins... but she doesn't really feel very jovial on the inside; her lady had given her magic today, and she hadn't used it... and then she'd given her a new spell through the Wardstone, that she intended to use.
She moved quickly through the building, asking people where she could find Liotr, before heading for that place, slipping through the festivities like a small dark cloud.
Anevia laughs at Ary. "No, it's not like that. I have the greatest wife in all of Golarion!" she exclaims, a touch too loudly. Then, more softly, "I just like seeing my friends happy. Markus deserves some sunshine in his life, I think."
--------------------
Aravashnial chuckles. "I'm investigating possibly using my staff as a sort of tactile spell book. You don't need sight for all spells, after all. Though I worry that it would not be.... space efficient. I would need to determine the exact surface area of the staff to be certain how many spells I could fit onto it at all."
He is calm and relaxed in Isilme's presence, even without the help of wine (though he certainly doesn't turn it down).
After a moment of silence, he suddenly says, "I'm sorry. I know you didn't come here to talk about it, but I need to know what happened. The crusaders are behaving as if we've recaptured the city.....but how is that possible?"
---------
Ary finds Inquisitor Liotr close to the bar, sipping on some dark liquor in a glass garnished with mint leaves. He is surrounded by fellow inquisitors of Iomedae. Most of his comrades are in high spirits, and while he is not as as outwardly cheerful as most of the other crusaders, he is noticeably relaxed compared to the past times Ary has interacted with him.
Hinagiku watched Annabelle leave soon after their arrival, empathetic to her pain. She was about to follow the cavalier when Markus also left.
I will be there soon Annabelle, I just need to tend to some things before I join the two of you. she thinks, as she starts to look around for any of the martial artists that had come with her from Tian-Xia. That is when Anevia introduces herself to her.
With a deep bow, Hinagiku presents herself:
"I am Hinagiku, please to meet you. Mrs Anevia, please forgive me for not introducing myself earlier. It was rude." she pauses, lets the discussion resume its course, and with another bow leaves the group to mix in with the crowd.
After walking through the crowd for a while, and still unsuccessful at finding her fellow monks from Tian-Xia, she starts asking people around to know whether they have any news from them.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Ary moves out of the way of any traffic, and then concentrates on that little kernel gifted to her by her goddess.
Ary places her shield arm across her body, so that her hand is over her face, palm splayed. Her middle finger to her forehead, ring and index covering her eyes, and her thumb and pinky to either cheek bone. She closes her eyes for a moment, 'גם במחשבה ובמעשה'. She closes her eyes, and when she opens them, her irises are flecked with gold. As she looks amongst the inquisitors, focusing on her spell, she can feel her senses pressing outwards, to determine first if there are faithful, then how many... and then precisely who.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
At his explanation, Isilme lights up. "And never ceasing to be brilliantly clever!" she says in response. "But Elven isn't the best choice of script for this task," she says, her excitement evident as she reaches out and traces the carvings with her fingers again. "No, while the curves are truly beautiful--one of my favorite scripts really--they are too fluid and close in appearance to be able to be packed tightly to represent spells to be read by touch," she adds. "What we need..." she thinks for a moment, envisioning scripts in her head. "What we need is a script that minimizes space taken, while enhancing the difference in feel between the characters," she says excitedly. She starts to think about the various scripts she's seen before, and how they might feel, becoming quiet as she does.
When he broaches the topic of what had happened that day, she ceases her linguistic daydreaming and lifts her head. She takes a moment to pour the wine, guiding his hand to one of the glasses. She grabs her own glass and takes a sip, pausing to swirl it around a bit before talking. In a significantly more somber tone, she begins. "The wardstone field is gone now. The destruction of the remaining fragment caused all of the energy within the field to be released all at once. A portion of it was apparently channeled through us, but the remainder seems to have banished all the demons from Kenabres." It was a simple explanation, but she knew his keen mind would piece together more from it than she would likely have. "Some measure of the energy of the stone resides within each of us now, or so Ehren says. I think he was changed most by the experience, his eyes look more like those of an old soul now than those of a young man."
She pauses for a while to take a sip again and let it all sink in. "While the energy of the stone coursed through us, we shared a vision. It was of various events relating to the worldwound--I can tell you them all if you like--but also of those of us there. It showed us the day we went to track down Minagho in Mossbrad," she says, any hint of cheer long gone. "Seeing it all again from outside myself... Elan and I never took anything seriously did we?" She sets her glass aside places the now freed hand on his far cheek, turning his face towards hers. "I am truly sorry Aravashnial. If I had just listened to you back then, none of us would have suffered through the pain that followed. I was--and likely still am--young and naive for one of my kind. I assumed I was untouchable then, and you and Elan both suffered for it, even if you never admitted it. He and I eventually came to terms with what happened, although we both were changed. My desire to keep things as they were before that day, though, I think prevented you from having the same closure. Please forgive me," she finishes, her voice shaky and her eyes welling up.
Val drops into a seat next to Anevia. "Food, drink, and company. Now I just need someone gorgeous on my arm. Well, someone gorgeous that's not married. I do have standards after all."
She giggles. "I'd be careful putting to much sunlight in Gloomy's life. He might spontaneously combust. He could definitely use a few more smiles though."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I suppose everyone else still has some unfinished business... Ehren thinks as Ary, Isilme and Hinagiku each go their own ways. Not that he blamed them. As for himself... destroying the wardstone fragment had taken a suffocating weight off his chest. The act had given them a new slew of things to worry about, but none that he had to face alone. And for that he was grateful.
Before he could get lost in his own thoughts again, he nearly laughs as he is dragged along by Anevia, wondering what he has gotten himself into.
"Everyone could stand to smile a bit more," he says with a wry grin, glancing at the commotion all around them, "I haven't seen so many people this happy since Armasse."
| 5 people marked this as a favorite. |
"Alright." Markus says, "I'll be back with whatever sustenance I can find." He stands, and turns to open the door. "You can tell me about your brother and Sosiel and all when I get back. I'll be a minute."
He opens the door and goes downstairs into the inn proper. He's looking for a small (ish) barrel of mead and a platter on which to place a few morsels of food.
She had said she was thirsty... but Markus isn't sure that she knows what that means. Once he's procured a suitable amount of food, he'll go upstairs and spend a few moments finding an empty room. When he does so, he goes inside and makes sure to close and lock the door behind him.
He opens up the barrel of mead, and rolls his sleeve up. Drawing his dagger, he takes a deep breath to steel himself before he slices his wrist open, letting blood fall freely into the mead.
He lets that run for a few moments before thinking back to a cure and a restorative spell. Struggling, he finds that he can't find the spells in his head once again - only magical formulae, broken up into pieces. His understanding of magic is what allows him to immediately identify magic like he's done all day, but it also breaks up spells into their littlest components in his own head, which is...difficult to understand.
He concentrates for a few moments, sifting through all of the pieces until he finds the one he's looking for - positive energy. He keeps sifting, and he finds a tiny rune that represents himself. He closes his eyes and whispers, 'ego donum.'
He thinks for a moment before finding the magic of his blood, the spells that he knows because of being exposed to them, or because of a lifetime of being blessed by Pharasman priests. He was Dayborn, after all - something apparently came from that.
He channels restorative energy to replace the lost blood.
He sighs with relief as the wound closes and the weakness from the blood loss subsides. He lids the mead, picks up the food and the barrel, and heads into the room with Annabelle.
Annabelle nods at Markus. When he leaves, she gets up and lights her candle using a lit torch from out in the hallway.
She doesn't need it. But just because she can see in the dark doesn't mean she suddenly prefers it. While she waits on Markus, she carefully unbraids her hair.
Her eyes light up at the food and drink. "Oh, man. Thanks so much! I'm starving."
"Of course," says Markus, though he doesn't smile like he thinks he ought to. He's a little too nervous about the taste of the blood in the mead. He pours her a cup anyway, and divvies up the food between two plates that he's managed to scavenge.
"So! Your brother? What's pulling him away from the straight and narrow?"
Annabelle's hair is a blonde, wavy explosion from having been strewn up in her braids for the past few days. Unleashed, it falls past her shoulder blades in a thick sheet.
"Oh. My brother? Um. Everything, I guess? Drugs. Gangs. Thievery. But he's okay now, though. Uh... I was born in Cassomir. In Taldor. And my brother, Aron, he got busted being a scoundrel, so he got... conscripted into the Crusades. So I followed him here. The Crusades were good for him. He's disciplined now."
She grabs a leftover slice of shepherd's pie from the platter, along with some dinner rolls. She digs in voraciously... then pauses and coughs. She swallows it down and winces. "Ugh. That's.... not very good pie. Like horribly bad. Way to get the crappy leftovers, Markus."
She washes the taste away with the mead. And what mead! She smiles, closing her eyes in pure ecstasy as she sips slowly. "Oh... wow! Nevermind, I forgive you. This is amazing! What is this?"
Hinagiku sweeps the crowd in search of the monks she travelled with to Kenabres. She doesn't find any of them. She is sure, because, well, they would have stood out amidst the crusaders and citizens. This is unfortunate because she last saw them on Armasse.
She tries asking around for their whereabouts but finds that most crusaders have difficulty understanding her accent. The ones that are already familiar with her simply say they don't know.
Ary looks amongst the inquisitors, and finds that they are all followers of Iomedae. In fact, around 80% of the people she sees in the immediate area are followers of Iomedae.
"Um... Miss Bishop?" Ethan calls from behind Ary. The messenger boy grins and offers a salute.
"I have a letter for you." He hands over a letter, the wax bears Lord Gwerm's family crest - a crescent moon and a badger.
Miss Bishop,
I appreciate your attention to keeping me informed on the ongoings of the Crusades. It is good to see how my money is being spent, after all. I am confident in your impending success, though, so relocation should not be necessary.
I hope that things have gone well for you. Please stay in touch.
Also, if you find anyone trustworthy in need of a job, I am still in need of a new waitstaff.
Lord Horgus Gwerm
Aravashnial listens to the aasimar's tale. Isilme can remember that he was difficult to read back when he had a whole face, as he was cold and clinical most of the time. Now, his face is partially swaddled in black cloth, with only a mouth visible that seems permanently frozen into a small frown. Now he is virtually impossible to read. He goes silent for a couple of minutes after.
”It’s… It’s alright. Please don’t cry,” he says at last, awkwardly. He attempts to stroke her back, to be comforting, but the motions are rigid. ”That was a long time ago.”
”You saw…. Visions? Were they divine? Are you sure they weren’t illusions or hallucinations?” he asks, perhaps a little insensitively.
The golden glint of Ary's eyes stay for a moment as she looks at the boy and breaks the seal on the letter, studying the young man for a moment. "Hello there, Ethan. Thank you very much for the delivery." She doesn't seem quite so pleased to see him this time as the last; granted... that's not at all his fault. She'd tried to trap Liotr and had only become trapped herself.
As she reads over the missive, it manages to return her smile to her, though it also makes the spell dissipate from her mind in the process. 'Perfect timing, Horgus.' she says, smiling down to the young Ethan. "Have you eaten yet tonight, Ethan?" she asked, seemingly abruptly. "And where's your family? It's awfully late for you to be delivering missives, isn't it?" she says with a small smile.
"Of course I've eaten. Have you? Have you tried the pies?" says Ethan.
"No way, I don't want to miss this for anything, Miss Bishop!" He smiles. "The crusaders say we've won! We've taken the city back! I knew Kenabres couldn't fall."
Isilme studies Aravashnial's face as best she can while he sits there silently. She had certainly seen him be cold to others before, and even dealt with it herself. In the past she'd just shrugged it off and continued on without worrying, but this time she finds it unsettling. She lets her hand fall from his face and leans back in her chair.
She reacts little to his awkward attempt comforting her, lost in her own head, but when he asks about the vision she laughs a little. "You always have had a knack for asking questions in just the right way..." she says as she wipes her eyes dry. She pauses for a moment and continues, "It was divine. We all shared the visions, and they included things we did not know about each other, and things none of us could have known. Also despite lasting for quite a while, Irabeth said no time passed between the destruction of the wardstone and when we regained consciousness."
Unsafisfied with how things stand, she returns to the original topic. "I know you're not comfortable with this sort of thing, and this may be the most selfish request I've ever made of you, but I want to know what you're thinking and feeling. For once Ai'sintar, don't hold yourself at arms length. Not now, please."
Aravashnial sighs and fidgets with his carving, running his fingers along Li'an's name.
"I'm sorry, Isilme. I know that it likely seems... insignficant to an azata such as yourself, but try to understand. I've almost spent a century living here, and I've spent it watching every person I've ever loved die. Occasionally multiple times," he says, humorlessly. "I'm only mortal. It weighs on me."
Isilme places her hand on Aravashnial's as he traces Li'an's name. "Nothing about you has ever been insignificant, Ai'sintar, your feelings especially so. For all the pride I take in being a Raelis, I'm not really much of one any more. I never mentioned it, but after that day in Mossbrad I lost all of my memories of Elysium and most of the early days of my travels to Golarion. And as I stand now, I'm as mortal as you are. I am just Isilme now," she says, giving his hand a slight squeeze. "That everything that has happened to you weighs upon you is only natural. If you ever decide you want help shouldering that burden, you only need to ask."
Anevia returns with three slices of shepherd's pie - it is rich and hearty and filled with lamb. (She also nabs an entire loaf of bread for Ary, as she still hopes that the ranger will join them.) She is accompanied by a barmaid, a dwarf woman with her hair in a long braid, who carries an entire barrel of mead and pewter tankards.
She pours both Valaria and Ehren a drink and plops herself down on a chair.
"So. Weird stuff at the Grey Garrison? Demon killing? Dish!" She grins. "What happened?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
After her failed investigation through the crowd, and saluting a few of the people she had met in the few hours she had spent at Defender's Heart the first time she came, Hinagiku heads for the kitchen. There, she tries to appear as inconspicuous as possible while picking up small pieces of bread, vegetables, some nuts, and a tankard of water.
Truly it is destiny, if I hadn't mastered by body as my master asked me, I would never have been able to survive the imprisonment.
Having paid for her food she moves back to the common room, spear in one hand, dish in the other, and the tankard between her left arm and her body. Once she spots the table where Valaria, Ehren, and Anevia are, she makes her way toward them, gently places her dish on the table, and sitting with them. The others can notice that her dish only barely contains what could be considered a meal, and looks more like a snack that a young kid would eat.
"All of you, please forgive me, I did not bring anything for you. If you like, I could go back to the kitchen." she asks, in her usual even yet kind voice.
"頂きます" she whispers, before starting to eat. For someone who has been imprisoned for the past days, she eats with surprisingly little appetite.
"A haven of peace for the body and mind. I am thankful for it." she says looking at the others, and eating some more. "I hope I am not being rude. I do not know many of your customs, so please tell me if there is anything that I forget to do." she eats some more, searching for something to say that would bring them closer. "I can see that drinking in celebration is a custom that is shared here though. Is it also followed by loud speaking and... carousing?" she asks, while a smile on her lips.