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Outfitted in her new black chain shirt, Alexa goes looking for Darya & Luci.
"You two--before we set out for the quarry tomorrow, I was wondering something." She digs into her backpack and pulls out her sketchbook. "Watching the two of you in action was something to behold--something that'd look good on recruitment posters for the crusade."
"Would you mind if I sketched the both of you? We can sort out the recruitment posters once the current crises are resolved."
Sario will check on the children and help out around Defender's heart as she can. Once she feels she has done enough she will see out Irabeth.
Excuse me, have you heard from those who went to the Grey Garrison?"
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Sario checks in on the children, who seem to be doing well. When she first finds them, they are playing a game of hide-and-seek in some of the unoccupied rooms upstairs, hiding in closets, under beds, and in armoires. Miles is a little too old for those sorts of games, but he is much improved from when you all last saw him: His color and energy have returned and he's absorbed in fiddling with a small wooden curio box, trying to figure out how it's constructed. He brightens noticeably when the druidess spots him.
"Sario!" says Miles. "You're back! Alexa must be back too, then. I better go see her!" He rushes past, stops, waves shyly and says, "But it's good to see you, too," before he races down the stairs to find Alexa.
One of the other survivors comes looking for Sario while she's playing hide-and-seek and, after finding her chasing around one of the children, says, "We've been trying to plant a vegetable garden in the back yard area, but we could use your advice. It seems like some areas are... damaged, somehow? I'm not sure what to call it, but the ground looks... strange, and nothing grows there. Since you study plants and such, could you help us out? We're going to need to grow our own food again as soon as we can!" This particular survivor is a heavyset middle-aged woman with a lined forehead and a sturdy apron over her bodice and skirts.
Meanwhile, downstairs, as Alexa is waiting for one of the crusaders to get a black-lacquered chain shirt for her, Miles comes running up behind her and hugs her around the waist. "You're back!" he says rhetorically. "You gotta be careful out there. Irabeth says the crusader scouts have been reporting lots of things moving around in the old part of the city. We're pretty far from that so we're safer... but you gotta make sure you come back!"
As Alexa digs out her sketchbook and requests a portrait of Luci and Darya, Azura snakes her arms around both ladies and says, "You can borrow them for a portrait if I can have them when you're done."
Irabeth is closeted with Iomenna during all of this, and explains, "I have some small groups of crusaders out in the city, still, doing scouting on short rotations. Latest news is that there are more demons showing up at the Gray Garrison. The other team is already on their way there, but I can have some of the scout teams start trouble to draw off enemies at the garrison and give them a better chance to get in and finish this. Quednys has produced an item that the other team will need, and I've sent a runner with it to find them - a rod of cancellation that they can use to drain the residual energy from the remaining fragment of the wardstone so that the demons can't twist it to their own uses."
Alexa gives Miles a hug when he approaches her. "I will. I promise."
"You can borrow them for a portrait if I can have them when you're done."
The aasimar blinks and arches an eyebrow. "Of course."
"Actually, would you like a portrait as well? You look like you'd be right at home on a poster."
Alexa gives Miles a hug when he approaches her. "I will. I promise."
"You can borrow them for a portrait if I can have them when you're done."The aasimar blinks and arches an eyebrow. "Of course."
"Actually, would you like a portrait as well? You look like you'd be right at home on a poster."
Miles says more seriously, "Alexa... I want to help out, but I don't know what I can do around here. I'm too big to play with the little kids, but I'm not big enough to do things like help build the forge or hold a crossbow at the windows. Do you have any ideas of what I can do?"
For all that he has been a mischief-maker in the past, Miles seems... almost dejected? Like he is coming to terms with the fact that the world has crashed down around him and he's largely helpless to do anything about it. Probably quite a bit of survivors' guilt wrapped up in that.
Azura waits for Miles to finish his interaction with Alexa and instead turns to Luci, then Darya, and says, "What do you think? Are we going to be the new 'face of the resistance'? I may have a pretty face but I'm no warrior - I might not be the right message. I have to find other ways to motivate our heroes." She plants a kiss on Luci's cheek.
Alexa winces for a moment when Miles laments not being able to help at the forge or hold a crossbow. Miles, it's my fervent hope that you never have to hold a weapon. Not while you're still a child.
She ponders his question for a bit, tapping her chin in thought. "...I have an idea."
"Do you understand how important clear communication is in times of crisis?" She gets on one knee to look Miles in the eye. "It can make or break a defence, an assault, or a rescue effort. In times like these, people need someone who can be relied upon to deliver them clear instructions on how to proceed."
"I'm quite certain there's no shortage of messages to be delivered around the Heart. Perhaps you could ask the quartermaster or the commanders if they have any messages they need delivered around the garrison?"
There was another question on Alexa's mind... one that she at once wanted to know and couldn't bear to know the answer to.
"Miles, have you seen Mom and Dad? Kelvim or Wilhem?"
Miles shakes his head in the negative. "No, they haven't come here. I'm really worried," he says. "I can take messages. I can have Kimroth and Irabeth give me messages and relay them to folk here. But what should we do about our family? Where would you even look for them?"
It's a good question - it's been several days. Your parents, and the siblings, could be anywhere in the city now - if they're even still alive.
Alexa lets out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "...I don't know where to look for them. My first thought would be at the house, but..."
She shakes her head. "Tomorrow, the team and I are planning to venture to the quarry. They'll have some vital supplies there... and maybe I'll find the rest of the family."
Luci was a bit surprised at Alexa's suggestion of drawing her and Darya. Flattered, certainly, and she'd been the subject for such sketches in the past (albeit for more... private collections - and making them swear to Shelyn that they stayed private), but something about being on a poster to inspire people was quite new.
She'd been about to reply when Azura showed up, bringing a smile to her face, which only grew as the aasimar kissed her cheek and prompted her to wrap her tail around Azura's waist.
"Well I'm certainly up for being sketched, whether you want to be in or not's up to you, Azura. Might be a good idea, though; a lot of this sort of inspirational stuff focuses a bit too much on paladins or other soldiers already, might be good to remind people that it's not all just heavy armour and swords."
Sario follows the woman outside to the garden, getting down on her hands and knees Sario picks at the dirt, turning it over and looking at it closely even sniffing it.
"Did they tell you where they were going to go?" asks Miles. "I mean, when we all split up? Were they going to one of the festivals? Were Kelvim and Wilhelm going to participate in a tournament or pick up ladies or something?"
Azura leans against Luci and says, "If you mean like... 'inspirational' art in the more, um, boudoir sense, we could try something like that. If it doesn't embarrass Alexa too much. But we'd need to get my other clothes back from Darya's house." She nudges Luci. "You know the ones I mean."
You check the dirt in the back, outside of the old stable. It has an odd grayish coloration, and digging down more than a few inches, you find it's permeated by thin gray tendrils. It looks like some kind of fungus network under the ground. One thing you do know is that soil picks up characteristics from things that leech into it, and for the last several days Kenabres has been saturated with blood, demonic ichor, and ash. That's not a very healthy combination.
"That is not what I meant and you know it," she said, playfully nudging Azura with her elbow. She was starting to wonder if Azura had always been this direct or if that was something she'd picked up while Luci had been off training.
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Alexa thinks for a moment. "I remember Kelvim said he was going to take Wilhem to find some girls to woo... and Mom & Dad said they were going to watch the jousts..."
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"If you mean like... 'inspirational' art in the more, um, boudoir sense, we could try something like that. If it doesn't embarrass Alexa too much. But we'd need to get my other clothes back from Darya's house."
Alexa's expression doesn't change. "I'm certain I could think of something for you that would capture you just fine without being too lewd. Something like... you healing the poor, wounded & downtrodden with the song you leave in your wake. That sort of thing."
"If you want me to make some drawings of you of a more salacious nature afterwards, well..." Alexa shrugs. "...I wouldn't mind."
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"Oh, I see!" says Azura. "I was thinking more of how some of the crusaders keep, um, 'inspiring' images up on the walls of their barracks. But yeah, for about the city, sure - something more 'angelic' would work, I think." She rests a hand on Luci's tail against her waist and says, "Hey, if you want a picture as a keepsake, y'know..."
Miles perks up and says, "Well then it would be in the crusader camp! Because that's where they do the jousts and melees!" He speaks with the excitement that only a twelve-year-old boy can muster at such sports. "And Kelvim and Wilhem would've gone to the Old City where they have the big ceremony with the dances and the food and things! Didn't the commander say that the other team is going to the garrison there?"
Alexa whips out her sketchbook, opens up to a blank page and starts scribbling the locations Miles mentioned down. Then she rips the page out.
"...I think they did. I had something else on my mind, that's why I didn't think of it sooner."
"That reminds me," says Azura with a snap of her fingers. "I've been doing a little cleaning with some of my magical tricks - if you like I can clean everyone's outfits. Get out that blood, grime, and sweat. Only takes a few minutes."
Irabeth is closeted with Iomenna during all of this, and explains, "I have some small groups of crusaders out in the city, still, doing scouting on short rotations. Latest news is that there are more demons showing up at the Gray Garrison. The other team is already on their way there, but I can have some of the scout teams start trouble to draw off enemies at the garrison and give them a better chance to get in and finish this. Quednys has produced an item that the other team will need, and I've sent a runner with it to find them - a rod of cancellation that they can use to drain the residual energy from the remaining fragment of the wardstone so that the demons can't twist it to their own uses."
Iomenna nods as Irabeth reports the activities she's been directing while the strike teams have been on their missions. "Good, I'm sure they'll need all the help they can get. I just hope the crusader teams you're sending out are staying out of too much trouble." She pauses to think about the movements of all the groups currently in the city, poring over the map and considering their own next mission.
So we're heading east, the complete opposite direction of our friends at the Garrison. And Darya's place is northwest of us here...then there's the aqueducts and the warehouses in the Gate District...*Sigh.* So much to do! But we have to do it if we're ever gonna get this city back on its feet and push the demons back.
Iomenna straightens up and looks Irabeth squarely in the eyes, "Thank you, Irabeth. Your leadership while we're away is invaluable. I have a favor to ask, though. It seems that Azura has some belongings that might be of use back at Darya's house a little north of here. If they tell you where the house is and what Azura's things look like, do you think one of your scouting teams could swing by to try to pick it up? Oh! And while we're talking about useful resources, do you think Quendys could help us sort out what this does?" Iomenna reaches into her bag and produces the wand she and the others had recovered from the Tower of Estrod. "I tried to figure it out, but I don't know much about magic."
"We will have to dig out the soil here, it is contaminated with demonic blood, regular blood, ichor and ash. We could try to sift out the large bits and take it into the building and try to clean it up." Sario tells the woman.
"You two--before we set out for the quarry tomorrow, I was wondering something." She digs into her backpack and pulls out her sketchbook. "Watching the two of you in action was something to behold--something that'd look good on recruitment posters for the crusade."
"Would you mind if I sketched the both of you? We can sort out the recruitment posters once the current crises are resolved."
As Alexa digs out her sketchbook and requests a portrait of Luci and Darya, Azura snakes her arms around both ladies and says, "You can borrow them for a portrait if I can...
Darya grins as Alexa suggests drawing her and Luci, smiling even more when Azura arrives, her hand idly playing with the bouncy bard’s hair.
"Well I'm certainly up for being sketched, whether you want to be in or not's up to you, Azura. Might be a good idea, though; a lot of this sort of inspirational stuff focuses a bit too much on paladins or other soldiers already, might be good to remind people that it's not all just heavy armour and swords."
”I’m in! I’d honestly be honored to inspire art.” the flame haired paladin adds.
"If you want me to make some drawings of you of a more salacious nature afterwards, well..." Alexa shrugs. "...I wouldn't mind."
Arching an eyebrow, Darya’s trademark grin pops up. ”Well that’s good to know.”
"That reminds me," says Azura with a snap of her fingers. "I've been doing a little cleaning with some of my magical tricks - if you like I can clean everyone's outfits. Get out that blood, grime, and sweat. Only takes a few minutes."
”Oooohhh, that would be good…..next best thing to a nice hot bath.”
Alexa nods. "Having a chance to clean up would be wonderful."
"Once we're more presentable, I'll find us a room to work in."
Irabeth calls Quednys over, and the old mage looks at the wand with a raised eyebrow. He casts a quick cantrip and slowly inspects it, turning it over in his hands. Finally he says, "Odd that the Templars would have this - it would've been taken from a crusader, most likely. This wand holds the spell bless weapon, a minor enchantment that causes a weapon to strike true against evil foes." He hands the wand back to Iomenna.
Irabeth says, "I'm just doing what needs doing. For now my crusader teams are working in small groups, harrying the opposition and retreating. Until the Gray Garrison is dealt with, we can't risk engaging the demonic forces in a full-scale battle. Since my teams are working primarily as skirmishers and scouts, it will be no trouble to have one of them swing by Darya's home and look for anything left behind."
Corrupted soil is a serious problem - and the magic to remove disease or neutralize poison is outside of your reach for now. But you think that one of the main problems is the fungal growth; it's strangling the root systems of other plants that grow there. It's entirely possible that the infusions of corpses and ichor have caused the fungus to become monstrous, in the same fashion that such fluids can cause mundane plants to become mandragora. You'd have to dig up the topsoil in a large area to find out for sure, though, and if the fungus has become corrupted and dangerous, it might also be capable of attacking people.
Still, probably better to deal with it now rather than later...
Azura says, "If you want a warm bath I can set that up too. Kimroth does have a big tub, occasionally guests would request a bath while staying here back before everything happened. I can use magic to get the water warm, at least." She giggles slightly as Darya pets her hair and her eyelids flutter happily. "That's nice! So um... to the quarry tomorrow? If we're going to get everything done tonight I'd better start now!" She lingers for a moment more with her companions, then delicately separates herself from the group to go make arrangements for the various creature comforts of the evening.
"Yes, Azura. Please do."
The thought of a warm bath before the sketching sessions brings a rare smile to Alexa's lips.
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"Knowing Azura, I'm starting to wonder just how big a tub she's talking about."
Azura leans back as she heads down the hallway and replies to Luci, "No more than two at a time, sorry!" She vanishes into one of the side rooms to set up the aforementioned tub.
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Luci paused in surprise for a moment after Azura's quick return.
"Okay, does she have a sixth sense for people making innuendo-ish remarks? Because you'd think the one descended from a succubus would have that." Luci didn't actually know if there was a succubus somewhere up the family tree, but it sure as hell wouldn't surprise her.
It takes about ten minutes for Azura to set up the tub with water (provided by a helpful acolyte) and warmth (provided by repeated use of a cantrip).
"Who's up first?" she says cheerfully as she returns. "I'll handle cleaning your clothes while you're in the bath."
Kimroth has taken the opportunity to provide some warmed bread and ale during the wait. You don't even realize your hunger until he brings it out; all of the running and fighting has pulled on the resources of your bodies to a high degree, leaving sharp hunger in its wake.
Several of the survivors in your compound are willing to help you dig up the ground in back to remake it into a garden, but as you investigate the fungal growth, they are clearly worried - even without you saying anything so far, they can tell from your expression that Things Are Bad.
Irabeth's troops will take care of scouting Darya's old home as you re-equip for your trip to the quarry. Kimroth will provide some preserved food for your journey - 15 days' worth in all, good for three days out - with the hope that you can find more when you arrive.
You should think about what you want to do next once the smithy is done. Getting supplies from the quarry will greatly boost your available building material, and you could build another useful structure such as a Mill or a Stable or a Barracks.
Once Azura finishes drawing the bath, Alexa looks at the other women. "I'm fine waiting for another two to take one first."
"If you're sure," she replied to Alexa's suggestion that she could wait, "I guess Darya and I did end up with more of the physical labour."
"I'll clean and warm the water again magically when it's time for the next turn," says Azura. "I've added a bit of floral scent to the water as well. Magic's a handy trick."
She takes Luci's hand and says, "Let's get you out of those dirty things!" She glances to Darya and says, "You too - I'll get them cleaned while you two are washing up." She winks to Alexa and says, "Sorry, your sketch pad will have to wait until after the bath."
Azura and the paladins disappear into the bathroom, then Azura peeks her head out and says to Alexa, "I'll make sure these ladies don't take forever."
Since the windows of Defender's Heart are now shuttered and barricaded, very little natural light comes in. Instead, Azura has placed a few candles around the room near the walls. The floor is flagstone - some kind of former storage room, rather than one of the many bedrooms - and the large wash-basin is made of banded wood and filled with rose-scented warm water that looks all too inviting.
Azura enthusiastically sets to helping with doffing any and all armor.
"So what all did you find out there?" she asks. "Any signs of other survivors? Anything useful? Another ray of hope for another day?" She chats as she works on the buckles and straps of the paladins' heavy armor.
Sario looks around at the group around her. "The soil will need to be dug up but I have a feeling there will be moree to it than just that. I am going to get my friends inside and we will do it, I don't want any innocents hurt." Sario thanks those gathered for understanding then heads inside."
"Ladies I have a favour, the soil in the garden outside is contaminated, I feel there is some sort of fungus growing in the soil, I have a feeling that it could be alive like other plants I have seen before. I need your help."
Alexa can't help but groan on the inside when Sario approaches her with a favour to ask. As much as she was looking forward to soaking in warm water, she can't bring herself to turn her down.
"Alright... what do you need me to do?" She stands up and smooths out her new chain shirt.
"We have to dig up the top soil and burn out the fungal infestation, there might be some creature that is living down there though." Sario says almost apologetically
Alexa sighs. "Very well, then. It's something to do while I'm waiting for my bath."
"Well, we found out more about the cultists and their collection of cells roaming the city, even took out the leader of the ones we brought in, and we have an idea of who they're all answering to." she replies, leaning against the wall to slip off a boot.
Azura helps with pulling off boots and buckles.
"Interesting that they're answering to someone," she says. "I was under the impression that demons don't really have a hierarchy. It implies that someone much more powerful is forcing them into line."
Azura takes the armor pieces and neatly places them on a bench on one side of the room, then helps the other ladies shimmy out of their gambesons and undergarments and carefully brings those over with her as she sits on a stool. She sits and with a quick gesture invokes prestidigitation, then starts passing her hands an inch over the surface of each of the garments, removing stains, dirt, blood, sweat, and grime, leaving the clothing pristine and faintly lavender-scented.
"There's a brush next to the tub on the left side and a bowl of soap next to it," she says with a grin as she steals an occasional glance at her associates dipping into the water. As usual for the supplies of this era, the soap is a gray, filmy liquid with an unpleasant smell that's masked by the rose scent in the water.
"Looks like you two have both been really busy. If you like, when I finish with the armor, I can help brush out and clean your hair. Get out some of the nasty business from fighting demons." She grins notably at the bathing beauties.
As she walked to the tub she managed to resist the urge to sway her hips for their benefit - she didn't want to keep Alexa waiting too long and if she started behaving like that then they'd be here for at least an hour. Such thoughts faded as she stepped into the water, the warmth making her realise just how sore her muscles had gotten between the fighting and hauling of the day, drawing a relaxed sigh out of her as she sank in.
"Gods I needed this," she muttered as she relaxed in the water. She looked over at Azura at her suggestion and ran a hand through her own hair.
"Now that you mention it, it could do with a brush - if I don't take care of this for too long it starts knotting up like crazy. And might be worth making sure it looks good for Alexa's drawing."
Watching Luci walk to the tub, the aasimar was reminded of just how capable that tail was, almost causing her to physically shake her head to clear her thoughts. Following into the tub, her sigh echoes her fellow paladin's as the hot water greets her aching muscles in the most glorious manner. "OOoohhh.....this is amazing." she utters settling into the tub. "Scooping up a double handful of water and pouring it over her head she chuckles. [b]"Y'know none of the stories ever talk about the hero or heroine having to brush cultist or demon out of their hair."
"Just give me a minute to finish cleaning these garments, then," says Azura brightly. "You can soap up in the meantime. Or just relax! Goodness knows I love a relaxing bath now and again."
She finishes cleaning Luci's garments and moves on to Darya's. "Will you need any special weapons?" she asks while working. "Cold iron, silver, something like that? I can focus on trying to find more useful things while you two are at the quarry."
She smiles softly at Darya's comment about getting the demon out. "War is a messy business," she says in agreement. "But you never really know what you're getting into until the heat of the moment."
After her meeting with Irabeth and Quendys, she was quite wrapped up in thought, trying to figure out what use they could put the materials from the quarry to. Should they build a stable in case they come across some horses or livestock? Or maybe a barracks to better fortify their position and house more survivors? Then again, a mill would be of great use. They already had found a grain silo that seemed ready for the taking if it wasn't too corrupted by rats.
Iomenna stands from the large couch she had been sitting in for the past several minutes since her meeting ended. Coming out of her revery, Iomenna turns to Sario and smiles, "Of course, Sario, I'd be glad to help. Though if we need to burn out the infestation, we may need to see if someone here has skill with such magics. I know I don't, though I suppose I can swing a torch around if that would help."
Sario looks relieved that people are willing to help.
"Thank you, now we just need the other ladies but I feel they might be to busy." Sario says going back out to gather the supplies to dig.
With Sario in the lead you head out back to the stables and the garden plot next to it. There's a small hole in the ground where Sario and the workers dug down about a foot to check the earth, and the writhing white fibers of the fungal incursion are quite visible. To put this thing down, you'll need to determine where the fibrous matter goes - you'll need to dig holes in the ground all around it. Sario suspects that the stables are probably infested too, as they were the sight of the gruesome slaughter of the stableboy and horses by demons.
After a few minutes of digging, you find that the fungal colony seems to occupy a patch of ground roughly 20' in diameter, but worse still, in the stable (where nobody has gone since the day after the attack, when you discovered what happened there) it has infiltrated the planks and boards of the walls. Small mushrooms grow out of the walls and they vibrate and let out a small high-pitched squealing sound when anyone comes near.
Based on Sario's knowledge of fungi, there's probably a large central node buried near the wall, with its invasive tendrils in various clumps. When you start digging up the central node to burn it, it's likely that the whole colony will react.
This gives you a few choices: You can dig up the central node and try to burn it and deal with the rest of the colony as it responds and hope that when the central node dies the whole thing dies; or you can station people all around the garden area in hopes of tackling each piece as it responds to your attacks; or you could try hacking up some of the outlying mushrooms first and work your way in and hope that it doesn't all become "live" as soon as you damage a piece of it.
Azura nods and says, "Cold iron it is. I'm sure the crusaders must have a few of those weapons - being prepared to fight demons and all - so I will see if I can scare up a few cold iron swords and maybe an earthbreaker." She continues cleaning Darya's garments, dispersing blood and sweat into the ether.
While Luci and Darya soap up, Azura asks, "Is there anything else I can get you? I have some drying cloth handy, but if you'd like something else to enjoy your bath, just let me know."
"So, hack our way in and burn the bloody thing?"