That ooze was quite strong. Fortunately, it was also very slow and clumsy. It makes a *squish* as you smash it flat.
After taking just a moment to be sure there wasn't a second ooze blocking the way - always a possibility - or anything she ought to be picking out of the muck, Iris began running forward at the best speed she could while remaining safe. No sense in remaining down here any longer than she had to, not when she needed to catch up with the one who'd sent those animals after the judge.
The mouth-filling stench of the sewers finally breaks in the relatively fresh air of the city docks. The moonlight shining down upon the weathered stones beneath the sewer gate catches a glint of gold: a small, worn locket smashed upon the rocks holds a pair of tiny portraits. One shows a young human male. The other, torn and gnawed, shows Markow Rutowski - Vilk's former lover.
A howl pierces the night sky. Several blocks away, a hunched figure pauses to watch you emerge from the sewer, then takes off running in the direction of Rutowski's townhouse.
Iris chanted under her breath as she moved, and a surge of power moved through her body.
Travel was one of her primary domains - and like heck she was going to allow any creature to outrun her and harm an innocent. As soon as the spell had settled over her, Iris took off running, charging after the creature and aiming to bring him down before he could hurt anyone else. One hand hand clutched her staff, the other went into her bag to pull out the vial of wolfsbane. Probably going to need that soon, and she didn't want to dig through her things mid-battle...
Your quarry takes off running, but with your increased speed, you're able to match pace. However, there's a collapsed building in your way. The door appears stuck but can be forced open and would grant you easy passage through . Alternatively, you could try to navigate around/through the rubble.
Iris braced against the ground for just a moment before running forward as fast as she could, shooting over one of the walls and sprinting forward in pursuit of her target. Did he really think he was going to outrun her that easily? At this point, mortals would likely have complained, or perhaps yelled threats. It never even occurred to Iris that she ought to do such a thing - her target clearly wasn't in his right mind or in the mood to listen, so all she had to do was put him in a position where he had to listen before she began speaking.
You explode into a blur of motion and easily vault over the wall. Your momentum carries you through a thicket of overgrown brush and over a bridge that collapses behind you. You skid to a halt at a guard station. There's a patrol out, and you see your target hide in the shadows before continuing to run after they pass by. They're almost within sight of you and will doubtless have questions as to your reason for being out on so dangerous a night.
Iris continued running forward, making a snap decision. She wasn't overly fond of lying, but if it wouldn't harm anyone - and would, in fact, be able to help them... well, that's how things went. "Nothing to see here, you're just nervous and wishing you could see a pretty girl right now!" Iris said as she sped past the guards. They may or may not have even seen her face, but if they had, they would've seen perhaps the best poker face she'd ever managed... and at her speed, she'd probably be past them and out of sight before it hit them. Stealth was a bit harder - she was, ah, noticeable in many ways, but right now, she was basically glaring reality into submission and daring it to try and stop her.
+
The old wolfman hunches down on the cobblestones, panting from the chase and glaring with fiery red eyes. "So, you're the lapdog the Decemvirate sent to cull me? Pathetic. Your cut throat will barely slake my thirst from our little run." The Mauler grins, baring ragged yellow fangs. "How shall we do this, little one?"
Iris smiled beatifically. "If you people keep confusing me with that funny little organization, I'm going to get very upset." she said. "Honestly, I don't like violence that much... why don't we be friends instead?" With that, she tapped her staff on the ground, then shot a spell at him. Rather than trying to hurt him, though, she was simply looking to pierce through the lycanthropic disease clouding his mind and dispel some of that hostility.
Vilk roars in anger and draws a shortsword. Baring his fangs, he snarls, "I am not some weak-willed pup that can be swayed by your magics. I am the alpha! Who are you who dares to challenge me? I would know the name of my prey."
Well, that was unfortunate. Her magic wasn't what it had once been, though she was working on fixing that. She spared just a moment to glance down at his weapon...
...before she looked into his eyes again. "My name is Iris." she said calmly. Talking was definitely her preferred way of doing things, and she focused her power into her sweet words as she continued speaking.
"However, I am nobody's prey." she cotninued. She slammed her staff into the ground, and celestial light shone from its runes to illuminate her form. "You have turned to the path of darkness, Vilk, but the dawn always comes, and help is always offered to those who seek the path of righteousness. If you repent of your misdeeds, then I will help you overcome your problems and guide you to paradise when your time comes... but if you are unrepentant for your sins, then your soul is damned and I have no problem with sending you to your eternal punishment here and now." She raised her staff and pointed the end at him. "Your fate is what you choose it to be... so make your choice."
For a moment, something changes in Vilk's eyes, as if he's attempting to plead for help. Then the hardness returns. "Darkness? There is no darkness in my path! The light of the moon gives me strength and vitality. This is the best I've felt in decades! Besides, those whelps dared to banish me from my territory. My blood is stronger than their blood. I'm simply banishing them in return!"
EDIT: Vilk's sword is finely-crafted but doesn't appear poisoned. You do note a faint magical glow emanating from his armor, though.
"Really? You still look old to me." Iris observed. "But when your only power arrives at night, giving you the power to sin even as your time for repentance dwindles away, I think it's fairly easy to see what's really going on here. Still, I don't believe your path is entirely set yet..." Well, she probably couldn't talk him into giving up... she'd have to keep practicing with that. In the meantime, however, she stepped forward...
...and attempted to simply shove the dose of wolfsbane down his throat. Force-feeding poison was chancy at best, but if she could remove that part of his problem and help him overcome his curse, then perhaps he'd be more amenable to reason. Some part of his mortal mind had asked for help, and she quite literally would not refuse that. She may have been bereft of power, but she was still a goddess of good, and those who truly sought her help would receive it.
Vilk lashes out with his blade as you suddenly step forward, grazing your side. As you force the poison down his throat, his fangs clamp down hard on your hand and mangle it badly. Your injuries proves to be worth it in the end, however, as Vilk falls to the ground in convulsions. Coarse fur falls out in clumps, and his body writhes and warps to eventually reveal a withered old man. His lycanthropic curse has been cured, but the poison currently traveling through his veins may make this a Pyrrhic victory if you're not careful.
Leaving her injured hand alone for now, Iris began using her other to treat the man of the poison he'd ingested. Healing was one of her stronger points - she had quite a lot of divine power, after all - but with proper care, he ought to be able to live through this part.
You're able to hold the poison at bay until it burns itself out. Vilk appears cured but remains unconscious. His old body has been through a lot, and it may be some time before he wakes up.
Doing things with one hand wasn't easy, but Iris eventually managed to sling Vilk over her shoulder and hurry towards Rutowski's place. Without his curse of lycanthropy driving him, he ought to be far less of a threat, and Rutowski would probably have a bed he could rest in until he woke up... at which point he'd probably be quite upset, but she'd see what she could do to talk some sense into him once he'd recovered properly. She could fight with just one hand if necessary, though it wouldn't be pleasant - and indeed, she planned to either rest for a bit or find a cleric who could cast a simple restoration spell for her. It was quite galling to not be able to do that herself yet - she'd lost a lot of power, but she'd never been so proud that she'd refuse to ask for help when she thought it was necessary.
Rutowski's manor isn't far from your location. After all, Vilk was heading there in the first place. When you arrive, the courtesan only speaks to you through the closed front door, but when you explain that the danger is past, she lets you in. Rutowski lets out a slight gasp when she sees Vilk's unconscious body. "Thank the gods! You got him! Is he all right?"
"You're welcome." Iris said automatically, apparently not consciously noticing Rutowski's first exclamation. "I fed him wolfsbane to counteract his curse, then treated him until the plant stopped being toxic to him. He bit me fairly well-" she held up her injured hand. "-but it shouldn't take long to heal. Contrary to popular belief, a werewolf's bite isn't a guarantee of infection, and I'm... resilient. Unfortunately, the curse seemed to have affected his mind - he was talking about being strong and vital." she paused for a moment, then added, "It sounded to me like he was simply afraid of being old and weak. He'll need to confront that when he wakes up, but a reminder that his body will be renewed when his soul moves on may provide the comfort he needs. He may be hostile or confused when he wakes up, so be careful to avoid underestimating him."
Rutowski nods in understanding. "If it's not too much to ask, can you stay until he wakes up?"
"Of course. I don't like leaving jobs unfinished." She said... though she did keep her staff within her good hand. She'd need to sleep eventually, but could probably manage for at least a little while, and settled in to watch over this mortal until he woke up.
Vilk's eyes flutter open with the breaking of the dawn. He looks around in confusion, then his eyes fill with shame as he sees you and Rutowski. "I ... I ... I'm so sorry..."
"You should be." Iris said sternly. "Your actions caused harm to innocent people, all so you could try to grasp at a fleeting dream. I would have no sympathy at all for you if you didn't regret your actions, but since you do..." her expression softened.
Divine benevolence seemed to flow out from her body as she looked down at the elderly man. "You're not expected to be perfect, Vilk. All people make mistakes at times, but as long as you admit your wrongdoings and keep trying to do better after a failure, your sins will be forgiven. Think about what you've done and do what your heart tells you is right - if you can manage that, then age and death are nothing to fear, for salvation and paradise will welcome you with open arms." Her splendor seemed to fade a bit as she let go of her remnant of divine power. "Now, I do believe I'd like to rest for a time and allow my arm to heal. Are there any rooms I may use?" she inquired. "Simple is fine, so long as it's comfortable."
Vilk and Rutowski fall back a pace and stare at you in wonder as you speak. In a quiet voice, she asks, "Who are you? Really."
Iris took a step backwards, into the first true ray of dawn's light as it came through the window. "I'm just a friend who came here to help." she answered as the light lit her from behind, a mischievous smile crossing her lips. It was true on several levels, though it was most likely they'd only recognize the surface. There were some gods - like Nethys - who really only interacted with a very select group of individuals. Her portfolio was a little broader, though - the sun rose on every part of the world, and people anywhere, of any status, might be interested in a new beginning. She'd been born because of living creatures' awe at the beauty of the morning, and Iris existed to spread light on both the literal and metaphorical levels. That may have explained why she was so quick to forgive others regardless of their sins... as long as they truly wanted to change, at least. "Let's just leave it at that, shall we?"
Rutowski nods. "Of course, friend Iris. I'll take you to one of my guest rooms. Please stay as long as you'd like and let me know if you need anything else."
She leads you to a large bedroom with a comfortable-looking bed. The room is nice, well-furnished, and away from high-traffic areas of the mansion. There's even a smaller room off to the side for washing up. "Nobody will disturb you here. If you require anything, just pull the rope." She gestures at a bellpull by the bed.
Iris just nodded. She was a bit wobbly now, but she still needed to... ah, right. "I need to go talk to the Judge." she said, putting all of her things except her staff into a corner of the room before heading back to the front of the house. With a wave - and her hand still injured - she returned to the courthouse to see how things were proceeding there. What she really wanted to do was rest until her arm healed, but it was important to take care of this matter first and ensure that the town could start to relax from its fears. It would probably take several months of peace before they truly believed it, but the light of dawn was still shining, and that made it the perfect time to explain some of what had happened.
The courthouse is just as you left it. The two bodies lie undisturbed outside, and the broken door still lies ajar. You find the Judge downstairs in a cell, still clutching her ceremonial sword. She looks at you with a mixture of fear and hope. "Is it over?"
"It is." Iris said kindly. "I apologize for taking so long - I needed to be sure that the issue had been resolved properly." She held up her injured hand. "I don't believe the... creature... will be troubling you any further. A new day has dawned here, even if your people haven't noticed yet, but I think they'll recognize the truth once time goes by without further incident." She offered her uninjured hand to help the Judge out of the cell. "Come, I'm sure there are people who are worried about you, so let's reassure them... and give our condolences to the families of the deceased."
The judge takes your hand gratefully. "Thank you. You saved my life, and I don't even know your name. Why would you put yourself in such risk?"
Iris blinked. What a silly question that was. "Because someone asked for my assistance." she explained. "This town needed help, and I happened to be in a position to provide that help. I don't need a reason other than that." Weakened though she was, some things about deities simply didn't change - including their core essences. Of course, there was also the fact that the people of this town clearly hadn't been able to resolve this on their own - a depressing thought in its own right - and that had played a role in her decision. Like most deities, Iris hadn't been the type to respond to literally every single call for her aid - she gave direct help when in pursuit of a specific goal, while her faithful - mostly Clerics and Paladins - were simply given power in bulk and expected to use it as they saw fit. Mortals had to do most things for themselves - it was when they truly needed help beyond their own resources that the gods were likely to step in.
...
Well, most gods. Some were more active than others.
"Come, let's go find your citizens." Iris said, leading the judge outside.
The judge follows you outside where dawn has just broken. People are beginning to cautiously leave their places of residence, and many tired but alert guardsmen are patrolling. It only takes a moment for them to notice the carnage outside the courthouse.
Iris strode boldly forward, making no effort to hide herself, as she bent down by each of the departed, made sure their eyes were closed, and whispered over each of the bodies. She ignored the townsfolk until she was done, finally whirling around to face them and tapping her staff on the ground to get their attention.
"Good morning." she said, smiling at them. "As all of you can see, there was some trouble last night, but I'm happy to be able to tell all of you that this monthly issue of yours has been resolved, and the Mauler will no longer be a threat to your families. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them now, though I hope you'll keep them brief - it was a long night, and I'd like to be able to sleep at some point." Her constitution was near peak human performance, but this body of hers got tired in the same way most mortals' forms did, and she'd been up all night and through the day before.
You're immediately assaulted with a barrage of questions. The ones you can make out are of the expected variety: "What happened? Who are you? Why are you here? Who are you working for? Why should we trust you? How do you know we're safe?" You can see a few guardsmen approaching, but it'll take them a minute or two to force their way through the clustered mass of questioners.
"The Mauler sent some minions to attack the Judge. I eliminated the dogs, then took care of the Mauler himself. I'm just a visitor to the town - there's really no 'why', other than sheer coincidence. I don't work for anyone. As for my trustworthiness, I highly encourage all of you to remain vigilant over the next few months - if several moons pass by without issue, then you'll have reasonable evidence that this series of murders has truly ended. Until you've all had the opportunity to see it for yourselves, I don't expect you to completely believe me, and that's fine. It's always best to be cautious and verify that you're safe before you lower your guard, and I'd be quite concerned if you were willing to do any less. I neither request nor require any compensation for my efforts, though if there's a cleric or other holy person in your town who can heal my hand, their aid would be appreciated." She said, answering the rapid barrage of queries as best she could. There'd been a time when she could have done all of them at once, but limited as she was, this was the closest thing... and it was actually quite nice to be talking to a larger group of mortals again.
By the time you finish answering the initial flurry of questions, several guardsmen have managed to reach you. "Please come with us, ma'am."
The guards lead you to a different courthouse. "No need for alarm, ma'am. We'd like to hear your story in greater detail. If what you say is true, you've done this town a great service, and we'll see to it that you're compensated appropriately. Would you mind stepping into this circle so we can verify your story?"
Two courthouses - this town must've been more violent than she'd thought. Well, all the more reason to bring a little light to it. Iris casually glanced at the circle, then shrugged and stepped inside. "What would you like to know?" she inquired mildly, deliberately allowing the magic to affect her instead of trying to resist it so she could lie. There were those who habitually tried to conceal things, but she saw no reason to do that. If there were things she didn't want to say, she'd just find another way of hiding things - most gods of good were actually quite practiced at guiding the opinions of mortals with cryptic statements.
"Please give us a detailed account of last night's encounter with the Mauler. Be specific. How do you know it's no longer going to be a threat?"
Your questioner sounds only mildly interested, as if conducting a routine inquiry. Now that you think about it, he's probably heard countless crackpots claim to have slain the Mauler. No sense in getting excited over something that only has a slim chance of being true. Just a formal questioning to debunk your ludicrous claim.
"Oh, that." Iris said blandly. Well, surprising mortals who failed to be sufficiently awed of her could be fun, too. "Well, I'm very new to town, you see, and I found out that a number of citizens were giving me odd looks, as if they were suspicious of me. I'm not entirely certain of their thoughts, but it seemed they thought I might have had something to do with the Mauler... which, let's face it, is ridiculous." she looked directly at the guard. "Being wary of strangers is something I can understand, but if you've had a problem like a rampant werewolf going on for many months, then the person who just arrived in town is the least likely culprit. Anyway, a nice fellow was willing to see past that bit of paranoia and provide some information about what was going on. After a few more talks-" With who, she didn't say, "-I determined who the most likely target would be and set out to protect them. The performance of the guards outside the courthouse was abysmal, by the way. I think the dogs sent against the judge were the ones that did it, and considering I killed more than one of them all on my own, there's simply no excuse for being that inept. Anyway, I took care of them before they could seriously harm the judge and had her lock herself in a safer area - which she should have already done - and tracked the Mauler through a passageway he'd opened up. I moved through sewage for you." Eeeeeew.
"I don't think the Mauler was expecting to be chased, but I managed to catch up with him as he fled and made sure that there would be one less werewolf around to trouble you." All of her words were quite candid... and without lies, though it wasn't her fault if they misinterpreted that as killing the Mauler instead of curing the disease. A goddess of justice and laws she was not - she'd forgive practically anything if she thought the person asking truly meant to start over and do better... and descend with all the wrath of the sun on anyone who lied and tried to abuse her mostly-kind nature. "He managed to hurt me a bit before the issue was resolved, but it's nothing that won't heal within a few days."
As you recount your tale, the guards expressions shift through a variety of emotions: surprise, chagrin, wonder, embarrassment, relief. When you finish speaking, there's silence for a few moments as they process everything's you've told them. It's clear that they're not entirely sure what to make of you. After all, you're obviously a capable warrior to defeat a werewolf single-handedly. On the other hand, adventurers of that caliber are often recognizable, and the more pleasant ones are even revered as minor celebrities. However, nobody's ever seen or heard of you before. You've derided the city watch and residents but don't seem to expect a reward for your help. Yes, you're definitely a mystery.
In the end, though, the service you've done outweighs any concerns the guards still have. "Well, ma'am, it seems that we're in your debt. We'll be happy to attend to your injuries, and of course there's the reward for offing the Mauler. Can you tell us a little about yourself? At least some basic information for the town crier?"
Iris simply shook her head at the man's first words. "If you care to offer me something, I have no reason to refuse, but there's no debt to me." she clarified. To her, this was an important detail. "I simply did what was right. If you feel there's any debt, then pay it by training the guards of this city to a higher standard. At the very least, mere animals should not pose a threat to people guarding your most important public figures. As for who I am, my name is Iris. I'm simply a visitor here in town and don't know how long I'll be staying." ...That was all she had to say about herself, wasn't it? Well, spell or not, they might have a hard time believing the rest of it...
"Well, Iris, your assistance has been greatly appreciated. You're welcome to stay in our town as long as you'd like. If you ever need anything, please let us know. Perhaps once you're healed and rested, you could give us some tactics to use if another werebeast should attack us? We'll pay you, of course."
Iris simply inclined her head and, eventually, made her way away from the area and towards a cleric for healing. Only after checking to be sure she wasn't followed - discreetly, of course - did she ultimately make her way back to Rutowski's and half-fall into bed. She was tired - a strange feeling indeed - and was quite frankly ready to sleep for a long time indeed.
You hand is fixed up by a lesser restoration from a Pharasman priest, and you then head back to Rutowski's residence and pass out in your bed. When you finally wake up, the half-elf has prepared a vegetarian feast for you. It seems that Vonran Vilk has sworn off meat - and understandably so. The mood in the manor is quiet and subdued, and conversation is kept to a minimum.
"Vilk and I haven't discussed what happened yet. Last night took a lot out of both of us."
The evening passes by uneventfully, and you go to bed early. Awakening shortly before dawn, you head outside to greet the day. It's cloudy, but a ray of sunshine breaks through the cloud cover when you step outside.
"Hah! Take that, weather!" Iris said triumphantly. She... hadn't actually had anything to do with the amount of sunlight coming through - probably - but didn't seem to care much as she basked in its light for a bit before heading into town to see how things were doing.
They'd also mentioned something about a reward for defeating the Mauler, and would probably be more upset if they couldn't give it out. If nothing happened to draw her attention, she'd look in on that - and the guards - once she was done checking around town.
While you slept yesterday, word has spread around town that the Mauler has been slain by an unknown hero named Iris. There's a definite aura of relief coming from the populace . As you pass the courthouse (where a crew is busy repairing the doors), Judge Pradowca sees you and calls you inside. "I know it's not much, but I wanted to thank you for saving my life." She offers you the ceremonial sword she was using to fend off the wolfhounds. "Please, take it. If there's ever anything you need, please let me know."
Later that morning, you stop by the guard station where the men present you with a 1,000gp reward for slaying the Mauler.
Iris calmly accepted the sword, nodding to the judge as she did so. She didn't have too much use for it, but a gift was a gift, and it was impolite to refuse such things unless they were actively insulting. "Lives are indeed worth far more than objects." Iris agreed as the judge spoke... and she gave the woman a smile. "I'm just glad that the people here are safe now." After spending a few more moments talking and ensuring that everything was fine there, she collected the reward for defeating the Mauler. It was a nice, tidy sum - though only the start of what she really needed to make a difference in the world. Still, the first rays of dawn were always the weakest - and the growth of its light was inevitable.
Feeling quite cheerful now, she began singing quietly in-between her attempts to gather information. It wasn't really a performance, as such - just something she liked to do when she had a little free time on her hands.