Kapelo seems on the verge of giving some sarcastic rejoinder, but then his expression softens. "That's all I want. Just someone to say, 'no, you're not crazy Kapelo, this is injustice and needs to be fixed.'"
He takes out a cigarette--which looks suspiciously like one of yours--lights up, winks, and says, "Or maybe I'm crazy and wrong, and I guess it would be good to know that too, eh?"
"Oh, yes. I get that feeling with him too. I can't say he's not to be trusted, but then again, I do not know the man. He at times seems violent and at times seems nice. In any case, shall we?"
She will lift some of the bowls meant for the other patrons and with care, will hand them out. It would be quite strange for some to see a fully dressed noble handing out food, but she chose to wore such an outfit for the impressing of Kapelo and to ease him into telling her everything. Instead, she was thwarted in her motives.
Now she simply hands the bowls out with a kind smile and briefly goes her way so as not to overly engage with those who were still a bit sleepy. In most cases, if the door was not answered right away, she would leave it at the doorstep.
When they were all finished, she headed to her room once more to change into a more simple outfit. She let her hair down and truly looked like a daughter of the swem now, beautiful, but simple. Still, as she reemerged, those lingering in the inn could see that even her dress was made with nice quality.
Nempura:
Binh thanks you again and again for your help, seemingly overwhelmed by your unexpected and continuing kindness. The patrons that you meet are all happy to converse with you for a few minutes, mostly sharing their fears over the sleeping sickness. A few recognize you from the healing huts the day before, and praise you for keeping a level head and calming down the Maelstrom Mother.
Iryani greets you, rubbing sleep from her eyes. "Hey, so how did things go with that ifrit? And where are the others?"
Nempura will love to speak with the patrons. What most wouldn't know about her is her desire to know everyone. Her restrictive lifestyle, the aspiration to know the outside world, even her small bubble of community among the Swem all would lead her to strongly have a desire to explore the world and its people. Her desire to be a diplomat clearly is also a driving factor. The patrons could be delighted to see her engage with them openly, not restrictively like a noble and she would ask questions of them instead of turn her face from them. Whatever praise she receives concerning the matron mother, she seeks to steer toward inspiring her people to treat her as their leader. Knowing Tien, she was not the kindest person, but Nempura believes that for most of her life, that has been fueled by jealousy. If her people embrace her, Nempura believes she actually will be a good leader. This was what Nempura's job was now--to unite the people.
With her tasks done and finally changed into an elegant but simple floral cotton dress, she comes across the sleepy Iryani. Nempura did not expect the huntress to show up and it was a pleasant surprise, even if late.
"Aw...thank you for coming. I fear you are a bit too late to see the situation unfold, unfortunately. Unlike how we planned, Freya waited downstairs in the middle of the inn, and when Kapelo came in, he saw her and was immediately put on guard. Eventually, he stormed off and the last I saw was Freya bounding out after him. Maybe you should go check on her to make sure she is doing alright?"
Despite the sore subject, Nempura is not harsh in her words concerning the Ifrit and after having finished explaining, she will go down to help clean the kitchen and the finished dishes. To do this, she will bind up her exceedingly long hair into a bun; hardly recognizable from the woman who came down the stairs that morning, but still quite attractive in her such a natural state.
Freya scowls and searches her person, lighting her own cigarette if she still has them. Perception was never her strong suit. The paladin shakes her head and says, "I hope for all our sakes you're just crazy, things are less complicated that way. What did you come to talk about anyway?"
She looks around the street, It's still early enough, but there's more people out than she'd like. "Hold on, let's move somewhere quieter." I'm not sure I should be trusting this Kapelo, but it can't hurt to hear what he has to say. We'll see how things go from there.
"Well, do you know the saying 'the heart will write the play?' That's what I feel like. I'm trusting my instincts, and my gut says you are okay." Another provocative eyebrow, and he says as a quick whispered aside, "The cute watersinger has a good heart anyway. The jury is still out on you, Miss drinking and smoking paladin." His fritan accent intentionally thicker as he jokes.
Rolling his hand as he holds the cigarette, escaping smoke slightly swirling from the motion, "Anyway, I told you I have a gift. If there's still darkspawn around, I am completely immune to it. If you want me to prove my worth and prove my story, then let me stick around the stage, eh?"
He waits a beat. "And be just a little less abrasive. That would mean a great deal. " Smiling, smoking.
Nempura and Novalie:
Iryani shrugs. "I think Freya can take care of herself. I want to make sure we stick together in case that creep Ky La comes around again. He's up to something." She shakes her head.
"Did you want to see my family shrine first? It's a little messy..."
Freya breaks into her own smile. "No deal. But if there's Darklings about, I'll be sure to let you prove yourself. And if you do find anything suspicious, let me know. I may only be a Valiant, but I am a member of the Temple. I'll have much easier time dealing with them than you."
Smoke never really hurt an ifrit, and Freya finished her cigarette quickly. Stomping the remains, she prepares to take her leave. "They're probably worrying about me. If there's nothing else, I'll be on my way."
"Sure, all of you meet me for lunch, say twelfth candle, at that noodle place down the road that just looks like somebody's house. We'll have pho and discuss our foes, haha." He gives you a short bow with some sarcastic flourishes.
"Of course, Iryani. I would be honored to."
She was curious about the mess at her family shrine, but to each their own. Perhaps she has a big family who leaves a lot of offerings?
"I am curious how we should proceed with Ky La. This scathing account of him hasn't exactly been founded, and while charming, Kapelo has offered us nothing to serve as authentication to his words. I think we should view both men as neutral for the time being without judgment and find the Darkspawn still affecting these people."
Some soap bubbles splash up as she cleans the dishes. The offending bubbles and water hit her on the cheek as a dish falls from her slippery hands into some water. With haste, she wipes the offending bubbles away with her shoulder's cloth to her cheek. She asks Iryani inquisitively, "So what do you enjoy hunting in this region?"
Iryani takes a moment to respond, staring at the floating bubbles with thoughts of her own. "Oh, I just go after the small game, whatever is handy and easy. Voles, small birds, pangolins, tapirs, or sometimes a mouse-deer. What I don't enjoy is when a tiger or some other nasty wanders around, and all the other hunting families get suspiciously too 'busy' to deal with it. It takes a good trap and a lot of luck to kill a big cat before it kills you, and you have to do it fast enough so it doesn't try to pick off any kids while you're twiddling your thumbs."
She looks over at you. "Sorry, you probably don't want to hear about traps and killing."
Novalie watches with interest as Nempura cleans away the dishes and begins to wash them, she slides a small, well worn book out of her clothing, opens it to a marker, and begins to read, her lips slightly moving as her eyes flick back and forth over the pages. A short while later, she finishes and returns the book to a fold in her clothing.
Her mind returning from the planes of prayer and back to the mortal realm she takes in the conversation Iryani and Nempura, "I don't trust them either, one I haven't had a good feeling about since I met him. The other threatened you with a sword. I'm still leaning to the sword jerk being part of the plan and tempting us to say something contrary to the church and the inquisition."
"You know why I don't have a leaning preference, Novalie? It's because I think we've let politics consume us. While politics is healthy, speaking as a noble, I think too much and too little of cooperation can undo us. You know the Swem, Novalie. They are not the most open of people. We have not participated much in the world's affairs like many others have done, but that's my goal. I want to reunite our various races to work together than separate. To reunite Trader with Swem, Ifrit with Undine. To recognize our differences as strengths. So even if Freya hates my guts for no reason...," she scrubs her dishes a little harder here finishing them up quickly, "...or whether I'm at swordpoint, or I just plain don't trust someone, I'm not going to let it stop me. I hope one day to make it to your Temple and meet the people there for myself. To see what they believe and walk in their footsteps," she voices a bit dreamily at the end, having calmed a little. "It just disturbs me that at the beginning of my pilgrimage that I'm faced with this issue terrorizing your families. I couldn't imagine if it was my father who fell asleep. I would rip apart the world to find the darkspawn doing it. I wouldn't care about Kapelo, or Ky La or any of it until those abominations were dead. I can't begin to put myself in either of your shoes."
It is hard to speak of one's goals. To lay them all out there on the table for others to accept or reject, but those are her motivations and so until they comment, she will finish cleaning her hands of the abrasive soap and will put the dishes away where they belong.
Freya casually waves the other ifrit off and makes her way back to the inn. She spots Novalie and walks over to talk to them, noticeable less angry than when she left. "I caught him, he said he'd meet us later around twelfth candle. I don't really trust him, but if what he says is true, I can't turn a blind eye."
She notices Nempura's work in the kitchen and comments, "I suppose we're finished here then? Let's get going on that tour. Wouldn't want to miss our 'date'."
As you all step outside, the acrid smell of fritan tobacco lingers in the still winter morning air.
Iryani leads immediately to the outskirts of town, obviously preferring walking in fields rather than streets. Big, leafy rows of bok choy still await harvest, the town stopped in its tracks by the sleeping sickness. Sure-footed, Iryani moves on.
A half candle later, you are at the edges of the swamp, near to Iryani's house. She takes you to the family shrine, elegant red arches and traditional architecture. The beauty is marred by heaps of pink and red slime that cover the floor and splatter the walls. It appears that a variety of marine life has been sacrificed here.
Iryani sighs. "Yeah, that's kind of what I meant when I said my mother was acting crazy."
Freya doesn't say anything, but unease is plain on her face. She follows closely behind Iryani, bizarre sacrifices turning her stomach. Mentally preparing herself, the paladin lets out a held breath and focuses her senses towards the presence of Dark.
Novalie replies to Nempura in a low, sad voice while clenching and unclenching her fists, "I do want to rip the world apart. It would give the greatest pleasure to see the enemy and destroy them. One of the things they did not teach me in training was how to track down darkspawn."
"Maybe as a team we can learn that together," she replies to Novalie.
As Freya makes her way back inside the few of them are talking about going and seem to be ready to head off. She nods in reply to the Ifrit but doesn't say anything. Sympathetically, she pats Novalie on the back and then will walk out the door.
At the shrine, she witnesses the marred heaps of slimes covering it.
"oh...that's...no."
Nempura's eyes scan the fish guts and remains to see if there was any pattern or significance to how Iryani's mother offered things. If there was a rhyme or pattern to it, she would try to piece together whether the animals used bear any significance to the offering, and whether the act on the shrine was a cry for help or an attempt to foul the offering. She also will attempt to see if magic is at play on the shrine itself.
You do detect the presence of evil right at the edge of your Sight (60 feet away). It is beyond the shrine - instead, it is in the pond that the shrine overlooks.
There is a ritual at work here, some frenzied plea to the Lonely Giant, the undine god of death and endings. In a savage language of entrails, it calls for the death of what caused the sleep.
The shrine overlooks a pond, utterly still but not yet frozen for the winter. A single candle, seemingly out of place upon the shore of the pond, burns brightly, beeswax melting onto the snow-kissed grass.
Freya released another breath, hissing out: "The pond, something's in it!" She draws her weapon in one hand, flipping the weapon to a more natural position. She cautiously approaches the water's edge, but does not enter. Like many ifrit, she didn't enjoy being in the water. It's only for her family's sake she ever learned to swim.
Trepidation on her face, she peers out into the water looking for what could be cause.
"I take offense to that, Valiant, haha." Inquisitor Ky La's oily voice comes from the pond, to the left. In his arms he holds a dark, round object. The aura of evil comes from the black sphere he carries.
"I'm glad you're here. Your sword will prove quite useful in destroying this cursed thing."
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"He seems to be everywhere!" Nempura thinks concerning the Inquisitor as he seems to trudge out of the swamp.
As she analyzes the Shrine, she decides to vocalize her thoughts regarding it.
"Iryani dear, your mother seems to have been pleading with the Lonely Giant. Not for herself, being that the Giant is the God of Death and Endings, but for the death of what caused the sleep. See here the bluefin, and the pink entrail. That symbolizes death. This one here, a plea, and this one here, to sleep."
She points to each and then backs behind Freya as Ky La approaches closer with that Black Sphere. She racks her brain on lessons of the Dark that the Matron Mother of Rushing Falls taught her when a youth.
She also looks around them for disturbances in the water. If their past fight was any indication, they were quickly surrounded by foes because they didn't notice they were there before. Perhaps if the black orb truly is evil, it will call forces forward again to fight them from insecure locations rather than fighting their front liners.
Freya eyes the orb with unease. "What is that thing?" She keeps her sword at the ready, prepared to strike at the Inquisitor's command.
Smirking beneath rounded glassed eyes, "Simple and to the point, Valiant, that's what I treasure about your outlook on life. This," he indicates the matte black sphere, a little larger than a brutbreve ball, "is what you might call an 'egg' of the Dark. Little demigods in waiting. 'Volcano' only knows why the things spawn where they do. But, haha, one always finds tools at hand when needs must."
He heaves the orb onto the red lacquered floor of the shrine. It makes a loud thump as lands, obviously much heavier than it looks.
Ky La is holding the candle from the shore now, and his words have blown it out. He sets it down next to the sphere. "Would you light this for me, Valiant?"
Nempura could not recall anything concerning the Dark Sphere, nor could she see disturbances in the swamp. Iryani was mostly standing there agape and so Nempura put her to watch around them to make sure they were safe.
"What are we to expect when destroying this "egg"?" she asks Ky La. Nempura wants to make sure that by lighting the shrine, it is actually not part of some ritual of devious intent.
"Sure." Freya leans over the candle, and with a snap of her fingers, ignites it once again. Once the task was done, the ifrit returned to surveying the waters. "So if that's an 'egg', is there a mother out there somewhere?" The thought of another creature like the dream-eater turned her stomach.
Inquisitor Ky La laughs and laughs, a sound like curdled milk at the back of the throat. "Do not worry yourselves about that. The motherspawn was defeated months ago. Just cleaning up its dirty little messes now."
Without looking at Nempura, he says, "What we should 'expect' is for our problem to be solved."
You see Ky La surreptitiously pour a few drops of brackish water near the candle.
The inquisitor gestures to the egg. "Now, Valiant, make ready your blade and gather your courage to strike!"
Freya stands over the dark spawn, takes her weapon in both hands and plunges it into the orb.
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Suddenly, Freya was given the order to strike, and a dread feeling pulsed through Nempura that this man was not to be trusted. While all parties seemed to be focused on the ritual and the act of destroying the egg, she, having command over the powers of water, forced the brackish component of the ritual to move the distance and hover in the air behind her.
With a sudden, near-silent dance of her feet she would command a small blob of water to come to her from the shrine before the Ifrit could strike.
Ky La gives a small noise of surprise. The candle goes out. The inquisitor looks toward the orb.
Freya, as you lift your blade, the dark covering sloughs away from the sphere, and a yellow, warm, life-giving glow pours out.
Ky La barks, "That is false imagery! Do not be swayed by the emotions it can evoke in you! Destroy it, now!"
Freya hesitates. "The candle has gone out again, inquisitor. We should re-ignite it." As she speaks, the paladin focuses her senses once more, attuning herself to the presence of Dark.
"Hold on, Freya!" she reacts. "Ky La has snuck this darkened brackish water thereupon the shrine secretly. He didn't think I would see him, but I have taken it away and now look at what you are going to destroy!"
"TIme is crucial, Valiant! This thing will grip us all in its mind, in its dreams! Strike!" You feel the suffocating weight of mind control magic behind his words.
arcana - only with using detect magic, it was an illusion spell that Ky La was using
local -- nothing in the local lore about this. Ky La made a comment earlier that made it sound as though these...orbs, whatever they are, appears somewhat randomly.
religion -- you are confident this sphere has nothing to do with the Giant. Your best guess is that Ky La is trying to harness whatever power this shrine currently has, and subvert it to his own purposes. You are confident it is nothing to do with River, or Forest, or Volcano, that it is something...different. Especially now that you are seeing the light from inside. A new demigod? Is it possible?
Seeing Ky La's words for the true, twisted forms they are, and how he is seemingly motivating Freya in an unnatural way, she assumes he is trying to force his will onto her friend to control her mind. Nempura empowers her words with the unique quality to counter that reactive power.
"Do not listen to him," she sings with a style and power not heard before by the group. This song, different from the others, has a unique feel to it that instead of resonating courage, seems to instill strength and sharpness of mind. "He has taken each of these powers into himself and by killing this, it is making him stronger in his own will. You are killing a new demigod to empower this man..."
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Freya brings down her blade... directly in front of the orb. A thin sheet of metal now stands between the inquisitor and the object. Anger seethed forth from the ifrit, "Do not try to control me!" She picks up the object and hands it to Iryani, the closest thing she could surmise as the true owner. Her eyes never leave the High Inquisitor. "What is going on here inquisitor? This is clearly not a darkspawn!"
"Oh my, the pogona is out of the pear, it seems. Let me tell you as much of the truth as you will likely understand."
He takes his glasses off. "I say both of these will absolute veracity, Valiant. This is indeed the young spawn of an enemy god. And Volcano's own power will diminish if this thing is allowed to survive. Do you believe me?"
Instead of waiting for Freya to make up her mind on whether or not Ky La is truthful or not, she instead gives the context of his words.
"I am sick of your deception. This orb has nothing to do with Giant, true, however, you were trying to use this item to gain power for yourself. If we are being honest, your real motivation here is not to defeat an enemy god, and that is deceit." Looking to Freya who seems focused on Ky La, she comments, "He snuck this brackish water onto the ritual platform with a sleight of his hand instead of openly doing so. He tried to manipulate you forcefully and masked this being in an aura of illusion to make it seem dark and evil and now manipulates your undying loyalty to Volcano titling you as a heretic in so many words if you don't do what he says. Those are the acts of a villain, not of an Inquisitor of Volcano who fights the Dark." Looking back to him, she lets Freya make up her own mind, though her hand is ready to draw her weapon at a moment's notice.
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Freya was taken aback. A god? What in Volcano's name!? "A new godling? Or is it a fragment of..." The ifrit struggles to remember something she'd heard long ago. "...Sky?! If so, those godless slyphs could finally be useful for something other than blowing themselves up and making golems! How could that be a bad thing?" A strange sort of excitement grew in Freya's breast. This could be our turning point against the Dark!
Ky La puts his glasses back on and crinkles his brow, attempting to look sympathetic. "I'm sorry it has come to this, Valiant. Ahem. If you want your families to wake up, destroy it. Otherwise, I will ensure they all sleep their lives away like an ifrit fairytale."
"I would suggest you leave her family out of it and stop attempting to manipulate her," she growled to herself in defense of Freya. Even if he was right, his methods were sinister, and she didn't believe Ky La had a sympathetic bone in his body, so his attempt to look as much only enraged her further. That has not been in his character since they met him. Still, it was Freya's decision, but regardless, Nempura twists her hip askew to present as a smaller target for the Ifrit should Ky La attack. With her hand hidden behind her, she unhooks her starknife. "He didn't say, 'it will keep your family asleep', he said 'I will ensure they all sleep their lives away'. I believe Kapelo is in the right about this el."
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Still facing Ky La, the paladin put out her palm towards Nempura. "Inquisitor, please." Freya's mind raced as words just flowed out of her head. "I.. I think we can try another approach. This... newborn, we could raise it as a follower to Volcano. Its strength would be his, if indirectly. With the Dark surrounding us, this little creature might be enough to turn the tide against our true foe."
Freya's mind was made up, and her thoughts focused. "We've fought together against Darkspawn before, Inquisitor. All of us would have died if we hadn't worked together. As comrades-in-arms, please, grant me this request."
Surprisingly, Freya keeps her cool. While it is the preferred path for Nempura, being the diplomat, she does not trust Ky La at all now. On her face, however, is civility and patience. In her hand is readiness for battle, however, it lingers close to her clip and for all appearances, could very well still be there. As Freya seeks to have peace, she will return it to its place.
"Please, Ky La," she implores him as well.
The inquisitor stops for a moment, head cocked, listening to something in Freya's voice. "Sincerity. I had almost forgotten what it sounds like. In recognition of your service to the Temple, I will give you one more chance before I condemn all your sleepers to-"
Kapelo's voice rings from behind Ky la, "No more spells, inquisitor! No more threats, no more extortion!"
His blade pierces the inquisitor from behind. He turns to Freya. "Now is the time to choose! Is mind magic and threats to your loved ones not enough?! Kill him, or kill me!"