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Not wanting to leave Novalie on the ground, she will do her best to get her feet while perhaps Oak or Kapelo can get her situated in bed in the guest room. After coming back down, she will go about picking up the shards of the teacup as she listens to Kapelo.
"How can we contend with such power? I mean...if he is in Hearth, and able to put one of our party to sleep from there, let alone a whole town...I...his powers must be great indeed."
She moves to Freya's side and places a hand on her forearm.
"I'm sorry about Novalie. I'm with you no matter what you want to do."
"Maybe it's all a trick. He set up Novalie to fall asleep just in case he died, and this new one in Hearth has no power over us at all."
He clutches his sword. "The idea of that pig getting away after all this time, laughing at me..." He trails off.
"Listen, we should check to see if what he said was true - is this whole town asleep now? And if it is, we need to get all the sleepers inside their houses, safe, and then get out."
Freya crumples the paper then ignites it, watching it burn in her hands. "There's no time to waste then. I'm not letting my aunt collapse in the middle of the fields. Everything else... That'll come once the villagers are safe."
Nempura nods to Freya and Kapelo insisting that they should check the town. At Freya's anger over the note, she understands and moves out of the room to hurry about checking on the villagers. At first, she will travel with someone, as she doesn't want to be alone if there is a Darkspawn attack. "If they are asleep, who will ensure they are fed? Bathed? Cleaned? Will they all die? Surely he couldn't have put them all asleep. He can't be that powerful, right? I may have to appeal to the Matron Mother of Rushing Falls to send aid workers."
Having seen that Novalie has been made safe and properly comfortable, Badhbh follows Nempura outside to check the village.
He pauses on the threshhold of Freya's house, crouches a momment as if to insppect the hearth, then leaps skyward. As his bare feet leave the ground he is already changing, his form contracts dark feathers form, then some bleach. Magpie pulls hard and accelerrates into the sky.
The draw of the air is strong, he longs to fly, swoop and soar, up, up. Up... But he has others in need now, not yet. He glides on hight for a few seconds surveying the buildings bellow, looking for any movement.
This done he swoops back down and flaps around Nempura flying from house to house, window to window. Looking for signs of life.
Between everyone's efforts on the ground and especially Badhbh's aerial scouting, you make a quick survey of the town.
Everyone you find is asleep.
Of course, Nempura will have to check those under the water. As Badbhb flies around, he would see her move into the icy cold water and submerge herself. Faint glimmers shine upward from the deep and like a bird hunting fish, he could see her move about until her depth grew too deep. He will notice that she stays under the water unseen for far longer than most undine will without ever coming back up to the surface.
There, she will ensure that all of those Swem and Traders who may be unsecured in River will remain in their homes or property and not end up down in Icefall or being something's snack. She will even swim downstream a bit to make sure she hasn't missed anyone. Before long, she will return to the surface, soaked from head to toe. It is probably the last time she will be able to swim for a while.
As she moves past the stables, she will stop and decide to harness them up and do her best to attach them to a wagon or carriage. Whatever is available and of alright quality. With a quick stop for her things at the inn, eventually, she will return to Freya's home with it in tow if able.
"I just can't believe it. Everyone...He either had a lot of time on his hands placing these people in a prepared state to sleep, or he is mighty indeed. I suppose we have our pick of transportation then? I saw this and thought we could use it?"
Nempura, you find elens asleep all over the reed-and-seaweed huts of the Swem and their servants. Luckily, they all seem to have had the wherewithal to tie themselves to furniture or the walls as the curse took hold. You are exhausted by the time you have accounted for them all.
You find a three-pogona team in the stables, along with a hefty amount of their spicy-smelling feed. The gangly lizards, bearded and deceptively wise-looking, stare docilely at you. Their heads are roughly as large as Oak's torso.
The wagon is large, with closed seating up front, and a sizable cargo hold, all covered by a huge tarp of sewn pogonaskin. There are several crates of luxury wines and a pile of fur coats taking up part of the space.
Kapelo laughs, the sound unexpected among the aura of quiet around so many sleepers. "Nempura! And now you steal, too! I like you more and more!"
Magpie, you look into windows, under stilthouses, through the dock market, past a green field of family shrines in the middle of town, and you wheel back to the others. Every single place is the same - elens living their lives have suddenly been stopped, frozen in time.
Oak wanders the town and peeks into some of the buildings and examines the sleepers. The whole thing seems like a dream to him, and he stands in wonder and awe that something could place this entire town under a curse.
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"The inquisitor spent quite a while skulking about. Who knows what he was doing." Upon seeing the bodies in the street, the ifrit rushes to the rice fields. She grabs the first cart she can find, piling up everyone she spots in the fields and wheeling them to shelter. it's a lot of work, but Freya doesn't stop until she's sure she found everyone.
Carrying her aunt with the grace of a sack of potatoes, the paladin sets her down in her bed.
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Having moved throught the vilage with Nempura, checking houses only to find more comatose els, Magpie comes to rest on a fencepost beside the river.
He watches head cocked as Nempura slips effortlessly into the water. The way the constricting liquid seems to compress her clothes to her body and paste her hair to her head makes his skin crawl. He feels the pull of the air, the desire to move upwards, freedom. A moment later and he launches upwards. A call echoes across the unnaturally quiet village
”Caa…”
As he sprirals upward his eye is caught by a torch reflecting fitfully from a pool. The pool beside the shrine where the orb was... born?
Badhbh lands at the Kalyeer family shrine in el form, stepping over to where the earlier fire consumed the shards of Ky La. He crouches and blows the ashes aside and his fingers sift through the cinders, he is surprised to find that the inqquisitor's talisman and robe are intact. He holds them for a moment.
Not mine. Not anybody's. Maybe I can return them!
He packs the acoutrements away carefully in a side pocket of his rucksack, alongside several nuggets of molten glass from the fire.
Moments later Magpie is perched once more on the fencepost, watching for Nempura's return.
The magpie will see her return and gather her three pogona-team. The lizard-like beasts seem quite content with her soft touch and approach, as though she knows what exactly to say and do. He will also see her skillfully lead them into position to be taken. As she rides off, he can find her pulling up to the home they all left.
To Kapelo, she breaks her icy barrier with him and lets out a small chuckle, trying not to find too much mirth in the moment. To him, it is the first sign of her easing in his presence. The thought of her being a thief too is humorous to her.
"There are untold depths to my character that may brighten me in your sight further," she jests with a sly grin up on the wagon. "Care to be the first driver?" She offers him the reigns. As it is, if he takes them, he will be joining her upfront.
Knowing that they will be traveling at speed, she begins to bind her hair into a bun and will produce some brilliant silver pins from her pack of high quality that will keep her purple hair in place.
Knowing that it'd be left to spoil, Freya takes whatever food she can find in her aunt's home. She then goes to the nearest dried goods store and takes what she thinks she can afford, sheepishly leaving 4 gp.
Stocked up on supplies, the Ifrit loaded up her equipment. "What about all this extra stuff?" Freya pointed towards the barrels of wine and coats. "It's just weighing us down, and it's not ours."
She looked to the Large Oread, "You, um... Big Guy, can you help me offload this junk?"
Kapelo takes the reins graciously from Nempura, with a skilled hand. "Ah, that pogona smell. You won't mistake that for anything else, am I right?"
Turning around to address Freya, "Hey, what's the harm is keeping some valuables around? Who knows, might meet some poor helpless elens in need of the warmth of both coat and wine, eh? Or maybe the poor souls will be us, eh? Don't turn down good luck when the gods accidentally give us some. I'll pay it back when we wake the town up, you have my word as a v'Adril."
Kapelo can tell just how Nempura feels about the pogona smell as she takes out a scarf and wraps it around her face and hair with a chuckle. This is partially to block the dirt of the road (and whatever is flung up at her) from hitting her face.
"I didn't notice them back there," she mentions regarding the supplies. "I actually agree with Mr. v'Adril in this case. We will be traveling at speed, and that means cold air with little protection for you all. We can return the coats and I can make them perfectly clean and mended as new. The wine we will use sparingly if possible. The owner surely will not mind even more if you rescue them from eternal sleep. You cannot do that if you are an ice cube."
Seeing Freya returning with some supplies from the general store, she will hop down and head there too. She will help secure some rations for the trip, as well as the means to make some more by grabbing some potatoes that will last a while on their trip. If Freya is still making trips to bring her supplies, she will notice Nempura's purse is far lighter than the Ifrit might imagine, but she still will drop 10gp of coin for payment and hide it and Freya's gold under the counter. After all, there are still travelers on the road who may make their way to the town and find everyone in this state. It would be free for the taking, as would anything in the store. For that reason, Nempura will also grab a quill, some ink, and two sheets of parchment.
In an elegant hand, she will craft a message that the town has been closed temporarily and to move downstream or upstream to the next villages for service. Hopefully, this temporary note can sustain the protections of the village for a bit until help to guard them arrives--help she hopes to gather along the way up north.
"I fear looting might happen among those asleep," she mutters to herself as she writes, regardless of who is there. Once finished, she will grab the supplies purchased, a hammer and some nails to nail the signs into the doorway of the general store and one for the inn. As best as she can, she will close up the shop and make her way back to the wagon.
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Freya watched the noble dump more than twice what the ifrit had with Freya's payment before hiding them both behind the counter. The six coppers she had left were nothing next to Nempura's jingling purse. It wasn't really a surprise, but it still stung.
Kneeling by the river, she refilled her canteen with water, murmuring a small prayer to River in thanks for borrowing her water. The paladin wasn't certain of the words, but hoped the intent was enough. For a while, she gazes at her reflection, wondering how things would've been different if she'd been born an undine.
*******
Freya rolls her eyes at Kapelo's usual opportunism, but doesn't argue. "So where are we heading? The next town over, or is there some hideout you know of?" She seats herself in the back, leafing through one of Volcano's holy texts. If Nempura was right, maybe there was some clue to what Ky La had been doing... or maybe not. These travel books might not be enough.
The ifrit resolved to check for libraries or other sanctums of knowledge on their journey. If what Ky La was doing was heretical, it'd go a long way to peacefully putting an end to his threat.
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When they return to Freya's house Magpie once again takes elen form.
Badhbh helps pack the wagon, leaving the others to decide what supplies are needed but helping where he can.
He cocks his head and observes as Nempura pens her signs.
Such a sheltered life... she has not seen what I have, the way the powerful distain those they percieve to be powerless.
As she hammers up the signs he breaks his silence
"Soineanta. The world is not full of noble elen Nempura, weakness invites predation. Once people realise how helpless these folk are, their possessions will be the least of their worries. I think we need something a little stronger. How about this..."
he takes some parchment himself and in a tight, almost printed, hand writes his own sign.
"What is the name of this place again?"
"Freya, does the church have any way of marking notifications as official? Some sign or symbol? One of these on the road as we leave, half a candle out, should put people off."
When the wagon rolls Badhbh will be stood on a side plate, hanging onto
the struts of the cover and embracing the wind on his skin. Any dust that is kicked up seems to swirl around him but never make contact.
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The food purchased would be obscene for just herself. It is a lot to spend, but also unknown is her intention to share it with all. Among them, they hopefully will not go hungry along the way.
At her minor scolding concerning the sign, she will step back and allow Badhbh to take charge with grace. "The thought had occurred to me...," she thinks to herself. She hopes there is no negative fallout from the stronger worded message. Trade routes could shift, the whole town could be avoided on southern pilgrimages from now on, and public reputation will be affected by it for years; even after proving they are not diseased. It, however, will definitely protect their valuables though, which is what she wants. With a struggle, she will remove her nails and help post up Badbhb's signs.
"The name is Vi Thanh," she replies to him. "In these parts, the more effective symbol would be that of the ebbing Chord, which I believe looks like a trident with a U-shaped river behind it."
Once settled and ready to journey, she will tighten her scarf up about her face once more and will take her position up by Kapelo once more.
Oak nods his agreement and helps to unload the wagon and then helps reload all the things needed for the journey.
"I am Ohkwarikó, but the others call me Oak."
The massive el walks serenely beside the wagon as they leave, his form too big for the vehicle.
"Hmm, where to, that's a good question. For now, north is the obvious answer. We won't have to decide whether to go on the eastern roads or follow River west for a day or two. No reason to borrow trouble from tomorrow when today is so horrible, eh?" He laughs cynically.
"I suppose not!" she'll comment to her traveling companion. He can't see it with the scarf wrapped about her face, but she's smiling largely as they get going. Always, from birth until arriving here, she has been required to travel inside of a carriage.
She looks back at Oak walking with them. Is he truly so large they can't find space for him? With him being Oread, she wonders if he weighs as much as a boulder? If they can find a spot for him, they can go even faster along the road. She studies his physicality, his gait, height, and how deeply he is pressing into the mud to gain a proper engineering perspective of how his weight can be distributed in the wagon and if his size will fit.
Kapelo suddenly starts laughing, almost dropping the reins as he shakes with mirth. "I just realized. We said we were gonna meet up this afternoon for lunch, right around this time. When we thought we were safe in that place, even for a second." He sobers. "I mean, it's funny because it's so sad."
"I suppose you'll definitely eat lunch together, just not how you planned. We'll all be eating together for a while now..."
Head out and neck extended into the breeze, Badhbh seems quiet as the wagon rolls on. If any come close enough to notice though, they would hear that he is alternately humming or whistling. No specific melody or noticeable tune, but what his uncle always described as his 'busy whistle.' Repeating certain refrains a few times before abandoning them for new ones.
Despite his idle and carefree manner he is always watching: the road ahead, behind, the rolling countryside to either side. This is not nerves or anxiety; he knows it pays to be aware.
Nempura laughs a little behind her improvised mask at Kapelo again. Humor and delight are ways to ease her, so she seems a bit more relaxed in his presence as they go down the road, whereas before, she seemed to always be ready to go for her weapon with him nearby.
"I'm sure we will," she responds to Badhbh. Her eyes look back to him a bit and she chuckles at his behavior. "Would you like me to play a song for you all? It might make the road seem less long."
If so, she will play an improvisational tune.
Freya waved her hand, not looking up from her books. "Go right ahead." Nempura was right, it'd be a shorter journey with music. She rummaged through her pack, producing a small bag of almonds, which she ate occasionally.
Plodding behind the others, Oak alternated between walking and jogging to keep the wagon in sight. Carried by the wind he can hear the faint sound of music, and he soon finds himself humming the tune.
The small golden orb of light, tucked in your jacket, has been quiescent since you agreed--in whatever strange way it meant--to be its mother. When asked its name, it replies 'your son' several times. Eventually, together you settle on "Yorse" as a name. The yellow presence cools slightly, and its quiet babbling ceases; you believe it is asleep.
Your journey starts slowly, a bit bumpy; it takes a few candles to find a rhythm of riding, jogging, and taking watch before you set a good, consistent pace. The road is following River for now- being so close to the life-giving water, there is, naturally, foliage on both sides of you. The road itself is well-maintained and free of brush, a service of the Central River Traders who frequent these routes. You pass the last outskirt of Vi Thanh - a lone watermill. Its wheel paddles on, even as its master sleeps.
Nempura's song is casually exquisite. The floating, ethereal notes climb up and down scales and chords, rarely repeating, but building upon larger themes, meandering like River. Winter birds join in here and there, a low tooweet and a high ta-peep to be heard from perches upon rambutan trees just beginning their winter blossoming, blood-red against the snow.
The day is peaceful. It is easy not to think about the village you are leaving behind, if you choose to do so.
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Having read through most of her holy texts, Freya takes a moment to stretch and take in their surroundings. She remembers passing this way with Novalie not so long ago, and the thought lingers in her mind a while. Idly, she wonders if the little boat she sent downstream made it to River's end.
As they approach the watermill, the ifrit pipes up. "It's getting late, should we stop here for the night or push on to less civilized areas? The watermill is better shelter than this wagon." Though she snacked along the ride, the paladin's stomach grumbled, ready for a true meal.
"I think that's a good idea," she will agree with Freya. It will let Oak catch up and they will have some time before it gets truly dark to make something to eat. "Maybe I can try to make something with these rations and potatoes...Unless someone else wishes to cook? Maybe one of us can find a fish or something to cook up with them?"
"I vote for Nempura to cook, I guarantee she's the best out of all of us," Kapelo says, smiling.
As the wagon group stops to make camp, Oak arrives. He sets to helping immediately and assists by offering some wild herbs he gathered while traveling.
Nempura wets her lips very briefly at the opinion of Kapelo. Whatever that means, it is a mystery, but she seems to have at least appreciated the compliment. There is no response from her, however. She will continue in noble grace to set up her cooking gear she brought with her. If people agree that she is to cook, she will get started. Someone in the meantime can go gather wood and light the fire, and someone could go hunting. Oak seems to have brought some wild herbs and she tries to see what they are before utilizing them in the cooking.
"Thank you, Ohkwarikó."
She will separate what is useable for the dish and what isn't while she sings a song to herself. It is an improvisational tune filled with undulating tones elevating and falling. She is not overly loud, but those near her as she is cutting and stripping potatoes can hear it.
When wood is finally collected for the night, she will summon water from seemingly nowhere to fill the pot. She will let someone else start the fire if they wish, unless everyone else is otherwise occupied.
As they travel and Nempura's song forms, Badhbh does his best to join in even trying to harmonise. He is not loud or imposing, again the sound seems to be almost subconscious.
This is probably for the best, has has not got Nempura's skills.
------------------------------------------
Once they stop for the evening he will hop of the wagon
"I'll see what I can find to fill the pot Blue."
With a skip and a jump Badhbh leaps and Magpie appears once more, pumping wings hard to gain height. He begins to circle over the surrounding country, looking for prey.
Anything he manages to find and catch will be returned and placed gently at Nempura's feet. He then takes to the air again to find more.
Kapelo quickly finds wood close by, gives a portion of it to Nempura with a flourish, and lights it with a showy spark of flame from a clap of his palms.
Dusting his hands as if congratulating himself on a job well done, the duelist walks toward a nearby clearing to practice his blade forms.
Freya watches the sylph fly through the air with the same tinge of jealousy most grounded creatures have. Idly, she wonders what it would be like to fly like Badhbh does. Maybe it's similar to the way undine swim? The thought of Illiya, Novalie and even Nempura flying through the sky tickles her and she chuckles to herself. She pictured the three of them flapping their arms like birds and it brought a tear to her eye.
With everyone else busying themselves preparing food, the paladin investigates the water mill proper, making sure the occupants are safely put to rest in their beds. She begrudgingly takes any food that might spoil as well.
As she leaves the building, she spots Kapelo practicing his bladework. Never one to turn down a challenge, she marches up to him and says, "As much fun as it is to fight the air, how about a real challenge? A sparring match, between the two of us?"
You notice that Kapelo is wielding his dueling blade in his left hand, despite having the scabbard positioned for drawing with the right. Your eyes go back to his wound, inflicted by the glass shards of a dying inquisitor. The index and middle fingers are gone.
"So when you lose, are you gonna blame it on last night's drinking, Miss Paladin?"
He salutes you with his sword, respectfully.
Badbhb will learn that day that Nempura is skilled with her starknives. As he places the fish at her feet, before he can even fly off, the star angled blade will gracefully split open the fish. Even with his sharp eyes, it is hard to see the cut, yet a moment later, the fish is splayed open for her to clean.
"Thank you," she sings to him as he flies off to find more. It is seconds later and she has cut hard into its side, followed the spine downward with the blade, and before pulling down so as to make a final cut, she pauses momentarily, flips the filet over, and uses her knife to peel downward. In a matter of seconds, she has a perfect boneless filet of catfish, as if she's done it million times before. She'll then proceed to flip the fish over and do the other side.
It appears from his catches that they are going to have a hearty fish and potato soup. Fortunately for the group, she has a mess kit, or else they would be eating it out of the pot. All in all, she has bowls and plates for them all. She will continue to sing to entertain those nearby, but as the two start to fight, she'll sing more of a battle hymn
The paladin cheekily sticks her tongue out. "Liquor doesn't slow me down. When I win, you're paying for my next drink!" She returns the salute, then the contest begins in earnest!
Freya was rather fast, but her attack left something to be desired. Turning her blade so as not to cut was much harder than she remembered. In her training, they'd used dull wooden weapons, using actual swords certainly added challenge.
Magpie is indeed impressed by Nempura's blade work.
If anybody cared to watch his hunt they will have seen that the water was the last place he looked. He circled long over the green before turning to the blue. Even then, his forays are tentative and he does all he can to keep his feathers dry.
The truth is that if he wasn't keen to impress upon new companions his usefulness, he would rather go hungry than enter the water.
-----------------------------
When he has caught the two fish he transforms once more into Badhbh
"You handle those... is knives the correct term?... with a lot of skill. May I hold one?"
Just then the sparring begins and Badhbh move over to watch. He shows no particular bias, but is a very load and vocal audience.
From what I can work out Freya ran from the last fight, I wonder how capable she really is.
"Thank you, you may, she will answer Badbhb as she hands him her Starknife. "We call them Dao Sao in this region, but elsewhere they are called a star knife. Careful, it is very sharp. If you thrust your hand out improperly, you can cut yourself quite badly."
Her starknife is a thin ring of metal with hardened seaweed formed like leather about the handles, and each blade is sharp; similar to a fish filleting knife. It could easily splay an el open just as easily as it could the fish in the right hands. The way she uses is strangely unique, however, as though there is no force behind it, but the way it cuts is miraculous.
She will hold her hand out for her knife to wipe clean after he is done holding it and will then place the lid on the pot to cook.
"Can you tell me a bit about your people Badbhb?" she will ask as she calmly adds fuel to the fire. Part of the time, she will glance at the fight. For some reason, she feels Kapelo is far more skilled than many would give him credit for.
Kapelo casually sidesteps your attack and raps you sharply on the shoulder. No blood drawn of course because he does not use the tip, but it stings for a moment.
"So what were you saying about you buying me a drink?"
"Tsk, I took it easy on you with your injured hand. But I'll concede. This time." She sticks her tongue out again, but breaks into a smile. "Glad to see your capable of handling yourself. Hope that injury isn't slowing you down too much." She settles down to relax and wait for the meal to be finished, looking happier despite her loss.
"Sorry to say, but I don't actually have any money right now. We'll have to wait on that drink. Maybe in the next town over we can look at some money-making opportunities." She says unabashedly, her total of six coppers coming to mind.
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"My people?
My parents are Mael and Esme Jewel, jewellers of great skill and no imagination, Cladhaire. I'm not sure I ever brought them joy.
But that probably not what you meant.
Men. Well men are much like women...
But probably not that either.
Ah, you mean the Scattering? the Misfortune? the Godless?"
He takes a seat on the ground by the fire, his tone melancholic
"My people are all cladhaire, Blue. We work for other's prestige while mocked or pitied. It is Pity-ful. Have you ever seen a Wing Blue? One of the ancient sculptures of my people?"
He absentmindedly traces the outline of one of the great sculptures in the dust with a long finger as he talks
"Beautiful. I suppose they were holy places once. Divine. My people are so able, so capable. And yet we cower in cities making and sending, always making and sending away. We were something once, we held our own. Great sky is hidden from us but it is time my people stopped feeling sorry for ourselves and found our pride once more."
At that moment there is a sound of metal on leather as Kapelo strikes Freya to end their duel. The sound seems to carry, deafening, in the moment of silence.
more of a runner than a fighter after all
"Your blades are beautiful Blue. They seem so impractical and yet you are so deft with them, perhaps you should challenge Kapelo?
Your not quite sure if he is joking
Nempura feels sad at hearing of his people. She is a sympathetic person and her face masks his. To answer him, she will shake her head "no" at having seen a sculpture of his people.
"It seems impractical because it is not primarily a melee weapon. It can be thrown on the air too, but as for sparring? No thank you. I am set to cooking, but maybe later I'll spar with him. Although, I'm not sure I'm quite on par with him, but that's okay," she will respond with a small smile and a cute shrug. Despite him seeing her absolutely explode the shadow in half in one deadly hit, she seems to be humble and yet unafraid to lose.
"You look like you enjoy flying. I saw you soaring up there looking for this food. You seemed so peaceful. As I was watching, a lot of what you did seemed to mimic how my people swim in currents. Are their currents up there?"