Merelda attempts to look almost helpless but her eyes move quickly, gazing at the various men confronting them.
The man rushes over and embraces Innis in a large hug and in the enthusiasm picks her up and twirls her about shouting to the men in buildings. "Rodare and Felix stop youse fools. Don't you dare hurt my friend 'ere or I'll cut youse myself!"
On this order both men lower their crossbows and disappear back behind the window. The other two men on the street put their axes away and silently watch the interaction between Innis and their leader. "My friend...what brings youse and yours this way?"
Innis giggles as she is twirled about her husky voice is dark and smooth like a cool midsummer night's breeze. "Ah trying times are these for your dear friend Innis, my people.." motions to the motley of would-be heroes. "have had quite the rough-and-tumble. But I knew I could come here for a smile. We're looking for a place to recompose ourselves but first what news do you bring friend?"
She beckons the rest of her group to join the conversation "Oy, come now we're all proper friends, Lords and Ladies here. Kirzon I know you must be tired but I doubt Him'Wazir finds that position to his liking".
He nods "Been a trying night from what I heard. Attacks all over the Locker. Several people dead and more wounded. Was a bunch of crazed fools if youse believe what is coming those who saw it and lived. The Harbourmaster has put a stop to ships sailing out. Causing an uproar even had the Watch come down this way. Not sure what they expect to find. They couldn't find a pike if it stuck them in the face. Might want to watch it they are stopping anyone looking out of place. Err your friend looks a little overcooked there? He going to make it?" he laughs at the last part and continues to smile at Innis.
"Tis all true and more than anyone would like. My man.." Motions to Him'Wazir "Would vouch for it, if he could that is. But he's earned a rest as you might see. He'll recover I'll see to it he's done more'n his fair share so it's only right. Got word of a safe place where some fellows might see to themselves without worrying about the Watch snooping about?"
"Safe place? Youse be best to get your man to a good priest and ease his pain. He don't look good at all. For that matter neither does any of you 'cept maybe the snake!" he laughs and his men chuckle as well. "The Grayguard ain't far at all and unless one of youse is a skilled cutman I'd think it be best. The Watch is spread too thin they swept through here probably won't be back for another few movements. They got people with larger purses to protect. That they came into the Fen says things might be pretty bad though. How did your man get hurt anyhow? Didn't hear about any fire."
Innis shrugs "Wrong place wrong time. In all this chaos small details get missed. But as you say one way or anther we don't have the luxury of waiting around, I believe we must be making our way." motions for the group to head onward.
"One last thought dear, before I depart. Are there any places best to avoid I'd hate to be caught unawares of by last nights troublemakers."
"Dark alleys! Haha. Bes be off and find help for your man there."
The man waves at Innis while his men allow the rest of the group to pass. You continue onward through the Fen and meet no resistance. Occasionally you feel eyes on you from behind dark windows or down deep alleys but none are apt to stop your passage.
Finally leaving the soggy quarters of the Admiral's Fen you see the high vertigo-inducing walls of the what you correctly assume must be the Grayguard Castle. A large crowd of people have gathered outside of the gates leading into the keep and you watch as several small groups of the Watch stop and question people heading into the keep.
Lililinda (until this point caught up in tending to Him) catches sight of the Watch. Oh dear. I hope none recognize us.
"Hopefully our run in was not the highlight of anyone's evening." Innis murmurs quietly.
Cassandra had been having an unpleasant time since her arrival. It was obvious now, in hind sight, why they were being sent here. The priests were to help with the disease while she herself was their guard for now. After their first night Cassie had escorted a couple of the priests through the town to keep them from being overwhelmed by people wanting their aid. Thus far she'd been able to keep any gathering crowds back and she'd done it without hurting anyone. She knew it was bound to end at some point.
It was a short time later that noticed a dwarf and a human carrying a frail man on a gurney and knew they likely would need assistance. She started to look at the priest with her when she realized the broken man was accompanied by a serpent and said quietly to her companion, "I think I've found a part of the prophecy, a broken man accompanied by a serpent." She pointed in the direction of those she'd noticed and said, "I'm going to go speak with them, see if they know anything of use to us. Do you want to come along or should I meet you back at the inn?"
The young priest nods and follows after Cassandra. "The man needs help regardless of prophecy or not." There is a certain nervousness in the priest's voice.
In complete agreement with the priest Cassandra approached the arriving group quickly and called out, "Can we help you? My companion is a priest and might be able to heal your companion." She kept her glaive shipped over one shoulder so that it wouldn't seem as threatening and could only hope they weren't too late.
Despite Kirzon's best efforts to keep a low profile the group is singled out by a tall human woman with extravagantly long chestnut hair who appears to be a warrior priestess of some sort.
Innis a tall pale beauty of alien heritage welcomes the woman with a picturesque smile. Her mis-colored eyes however tell a different story calculating a suspicious.
"What happy fortune we have, to cross paths with you then. We are weary travelers in search of brief sanctuary and as you can tell our need is great."
To whom do we owe the blessing of such hospitality?"
Bites her lip at Kirzon's tactlessness
The young man looks at the dwarf when he hears his words. "A fiery ghost? I must ask sir if you are certain? I can't for the world of me ever heard tale of such a thing? Let me look at the man I can at least help with what pains him." The priest looks is about to tend to Him's wounds when he stops and looks at each of you. He slowly starts to move away and grabs at the lady's arm pulling her back. Making little attempt to quiet his words you hear him say, "Cassandra. Look at them? They don't look right at all. Their eyes..that little one it's wrong. They are sick."
Merelda coughs and speaks harshly with a pointed finger.
"So? Treat his wounds, not his sickness then! That's what's killing him right now! What are you priest?
A Razmian cultist who is afraid of every cough and sneeze he's ever encountered? Fix Him, or by the
Triple-Sting: get out of our way!"
Cassandra nodded in understanding as the priest identified them as having the disease that had been going around and took a step back from them. When Merelda suddenly became belligerent and threatening Cassandra's instincts kicked in and she placed herself between her charge and the angry elf while bringing her glaive into a position to defend if necessary. She kept a close eye on the antagonistic woman and asked the priest behind her, "Do you wish to aid them? If not go and I'll cover you if needed."
Innis sighs and whispers to herself "Ah trouble follows..."
Innis will stand beside Merelda and sneer at the priest "I know not whom you serve that allows such cowards into their Graces, the offer of hospitality turned snake so quickly. But be warned you spurn two Sisters of Calistria, and The Lady in the Room holds her vows with passion."
Cassandra glared at the two women and said in an even voice, "And yet more threats towards those who came with offer of help. I do not spurn you, I react only to your aggressiveness towards one under my protection. I will back down if you will, then maybe my companion can do something to help but until you calm yourselves we can do little to help."
Innis gives the other woman a venomous smile the men all clearly forgotten in this conversation at least to her "We take no offense from you Lady Cassandra. Your companion however should learn some respect. Treat our friend or not as you like but we will not be gawked at, certainly without price."
Innis and Merelda will each feel a tug on their clothing. Lililinda stands between them, looking up plaintively at them. "Please. They aren't our enemies. The ones who made us sick are. Direct your anger there. I know you're hurt and frustrated, but don't lash out at others who have done you no wrong."
...still looking at Cass "Lady Lili has a kinder heart than Sister Meralda or I. We may borrow it to forgive this insult or would your friend rather keep gawking."
"Yes alright. Can you please step aside so I can administer my blessings to him" the young priest warily moves between the party quick to keep his hand over his mouth and nose. "The man is seriously injured I will do as much as I can to help him." muffles the young priest.
Saying a quick prayer you watch as Him's body is surrounded in a thin soothing light. The priest does this another time and you watch as Him's burnt skin falls off and is slowly replaced with new skin. "I have done what I can but your friend was near death. Be happy you we helped you when we did. He will still need rest..." the priest quickly stops as he looks past the group. You watch as a few people who were near you in the line move to one of the Watch and start pointing in your direction. "Cassandra quickly go with them. I pray that the Eternal Rose has guided us to the correct individuals. Help them as you must but be away from here. I fear the Watch will delay you if they have the chance to and I do not think any of us can afford that. I will stay with your friend and give you as much time as possible to get away. Go. Now."
Innis sighs once again to herself "Ahh trouble follows..."
She quickly pecks a kiss on Him'Wazir's forehead before turning Kirzon "We must be away from here it seems, I appeal to your wisdom Sir Dwarf.
With no reprieve in sight Innis will produce a cure potion from her pack ad hand it to severely injured Merelda
Cassandra shifted her grip on her glaive and returned it to a rest position as the priest stepped forward though she watched the two Calistrians carefully. When he told her to go with them she looked with surprise at the priest she'd been escorting, she hadn't expected to be sent away like that but knew that he likely knew better than she what was needed. She nodded and said, "I understand Father, I'll do what I can to aid them." She made a sign to Shelyn and said to him, "May beauty and love find you Father."
Her goodbye finished Cassandra promptly turned back tot he group they'd found and said, "I believe he's right, introductions can wait until we're safely away from here. Come, we don't have much time." With that she quickly began moving in the opposite direction from where the guards were coming though she made sure that the group followed her before going too far.
Innis catches up with Cassandra after making some hurried suggestions to Kirzon and the rest of her group. "How is it we find ourselves on the side of the same coin so quickly?" She muses.
I believe we all have a fair bit of explaining to do wouldn't you agree?"
Leaving Him in the care of the Shelynite priest a part of you almost wants to turn back but as you think to do so you hear the Watchman now calling out to you. Knowing if you turn around it will only give the Watch greater reason you ignore the calls pretending not to hear the calls over voices of the people gathered outside of the gate.
You hope the young priest can delay the Watch enough for you to escape away in time.
With no reprieve in sight Innis will produce a cure potion from her pack ad hand it to severely injured Merelda Merry receives a Cure moderate wounds potion from Innis.
Smiling to herself as he stumbles into the crowds with the others, Merelda hugs the potion gratefully then drinks it. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she quietly intones a prayer to the Callistria.
"Chaos is where the Lady dwells. Let her blessings fall upon us all. Especially...Him. May he know her careful touch and her understanding smile in his dreams."
As the party turns to leave, and the healers take Him away, Lililinda notices she still has his cloak. It had been laid over his body like a blanket, and she had picked it up to give the healer access. Now everyone was hustling away, and she still had it. Oh well, no sense in letting an enchanted garment go to waste, right? He'd want us to have every advantage in the fight, surely. she justifies to herself, resisting the urge to look back at him, one last time.
Not wanting to run Kirzon quickly takes you back along the way to the Fen but decides to do something a little different. Instead of immediately going into the Fen he takes you into the Grayguard's Shadow (AREA 11 on Cassomir Map) a district dedicated to supplying the castle with whatever it needs. Its borders press tightly against the castle’s impressive walls, starting north of the castle and winding around to the southeast side. You pass by a number of patrols led by the constabulary and naval security forces but they all ignore you concerned with their own affairs.
You are almost about to cross over into the Admiral's Fen when a patrol coming from the Admiral's Fen catches sight of you and calls you over. The group consists of 5 armed men each carrying a pike. They are dressed in constabulary uniforms.
"Good morning to you. There have been some disturbances in the city this day. We have been asked to question anyone leaving or entering the Admiral's Fen. Can you state your business there?"
"Greetings to you and yours kind Sirs" Innis performs a large sweeping bow giving the constables ample time and an accommodating vantage point for them to appropriate her curvaceous features of her chest.
"I and a few of my fellow Sisters..." ~gestures towards Merelda & Cassandra~ ..."are abouts the city to delivering cheer and good will to the people after a night of chaos. Some of these poor creatures might not have survived the night without us." ~She kneels down by the out-of-sorts gnome and looks up pleadingly. "We are simply seeking respite with good company in tow after a long nights work before we resume spreading pleasures amoungst the people."
"Guess you didn't make enough coin from last night? Never seen so many of your type travel together. You seem to also be armed quite well for your sort. So tell me what the real story is?" the watchman casts a stern look at Innis and the rest of the group.
"Good sir, can't we convince you..."
Nope, no one will buy that one now.
Suddenly Merelda tries to straighten her hair and expose more of her already ample 'tracts of land', as she tries a different approach.
"Maybe I could make it worth your while..."
Oh great...I've seen that look before. He's one of THOSE.
"Screw it."
Tiredness leaking from all her pores, Merelda will gently push past Innis and look the guard square in the eyes for a full 20 seconds. Letting him get a good look at her and her bedraggled state. She then speaks, her voice almost monotone, eyes shot, and blood on her cracked lips.
"Good sir, I ask you to STEP ASIDE. Tonight my friends and I have been shot, stabbed, chopped, chased, swarmed, spewed upon, tackled, poisoned, blasted, raked, bitten, cursed, burned, and nearly killed a half a dozen times more. We are trying to be NICE, and solve your town's little dilemma, but your simple interference is hampering OUR progress. I can tell you for certain: THAT is not acceptable. Not by any means of of any notion I have EVER heard of. Now, take a look at us. A good LONG look. Do you see any weakness left here? ANY chance we won't be getting past you? Because I assure you we will get past. The question is, do you want to say to your future family that you met us on a really bad day? The day THOSE people were where I could help them? Just a little? Maybe helped make a difference for my town and my people? OR DO YOU JUST WANT TO BE ANOTHER PERSON TODAY WHO GETS IN OUR FACE AND REGRETS IT? Your choice. Now STAND ASIDE."
Either way, without giving another moments thought, she will push past the man and keep going.
The watchman looks a little dumbfounded at how to respond to this raving female in her almost burnt through courtesan attire. He looks back to the other men for assistance but they also are unsure what to do. While Merelda pushes through you watch as he sizes up the rest of your group.
His only response is, "Crazy woman. Get back to whatever den mother threw you out on the street. That sharp tongue will get cut out one day. Keep whatever wares you are selling to the Fen and don't let me catch you outside of that area."
The constables let you pass but you know you have made no friends here. You take his advice and head into the Fen hopeful to be rid of any more constables until you have had a chance to rest and reassess. Kirzon takes you down a side street and as before the streets are relatively quiet until you hear several screams from a female ring out close by.