"Thank you" she smiled, bobbing just a little in a slight courtesy to go along with the thanks. "Da drilled me in its use, saying even a girl with my literary inclinations might need to defend herself from time to time."
After explaining, she looks again at his leg "Like a... star. No! Like one of those bladed weapons that you throw, a dagger at each cardinal point..."
"Thank you" she smiled, bobbing just a little in a slight courtesy to go along with the thanks. "Da drilled me in its use, saying even a girl with my literary inclinations might need to defend herself from time to time."
"My Uncle Hemlock always says the Pen maybe mightier than the sword, but brigands don't know that as they aren't big readers." He gives a smile under his head dress of butterflies.
After explaining, she looks again at his leg "Like a... star. No! Like one of those bladed weapons that you throw, a dagger at each cardinal point..."
"Well, that's bizarre," He admits surprised, "I'm a bit embarrassed now." He does look a bit concerned, "I don't want anyone thinking I've set this up and am mocking a sacred festival. That's.. that's just being a jerk."
"I could shoo them away" Cailyn shakes her head "But if it isn't just pure chance, it would be unwise to tempt whatever divine entity is directing your winged fan club."
"You said sugar water attracts them, I could go get some, then let the butterflies themselves decide their fate?"
"That would tkae away your time having fun" He says "Enjoy the festival. Eventually the butterflies will move on. I dont' think it's my doom to be turned into a public exhibit forever." A touch of humor in his voice there. "It's just odd is all."
Cailyn was going to PishPosh that but she stops, unsure if Scrapeknee's reluctance to accept her help was due to the fact he was nice or because this was interesting, which it was.
So she accepts, but offers a bag up to him "Would you like a spiced potato, or two, while we wait?"
Sheepishly, he reaches into the bag , very slowly, and pulls out a potato, "Thanks. Aren't the butterflies being released lovely though? It's really an experience"
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Dare smiles genuinely at Conrad, just kind of chuffed in general at the idea of someone greeting her in a friendly fashion. She flips one of her coins to him. "Sold a few. Given I'm not much good for sales, I'll call it a win."
Her face falls as he brings up Joanna and Tera, but she does not believe in shooting the messenger, fortunately. "I see. Yeah, I have to find them, actually. Turns out they have business with my Family." She quirks an eyebrow, lets that sink in. "So I am apologize to them," she says, her tone making it clear this is not her idea. "'Preciate it if you point them in my direction if you see them first."
She uses the excuse of a human child, toe-headed and blue-eyed, who has stopped to gaze up in awe at the tall tusky, husky woman, to turn her attention away. "Hey chief, want a butterfly token?"
Conrad frowns. "Why w-would you apologize? I don't g-get it."
He senses there's something more important that Dare is not telling him, and that she's definitely not up for elaborating.
Still, in the hopes that she will explain the matter a little more, he lingers. He smiles encouragingly at the kid. " Have you heard it's g-good luck if one lands on you?" He picks up a random wooden butterfly. "W-want to hold out your hand?"
"Truly" Cailyn answers with a smile, but something in the smile is troubled. She turns about, looking, before she finds a bench that happens to be right next to the butterfly magnet. "curious place for a bench, right here where I exactly need it." She rests her hands against the scarred wood for a second, wondering about what it has seen in its life. Then she smooths out her skirt and rests her bottom on it. "If the gods decide to keep you here for a prolonged period, someone must be a witness of the miracle."
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When Naffer sweeps her up into a hug, squeezing hard enough that a few joints pop in protest, Lita nearly cries. She hugs him back, stammering half-managed assurances that his apologies weren't needed, he did as much for her at the time as anyone could expect, she certainly doesn't hold any past events against him. She spends some time catching up, telling him all about her travels, about having found a mentor in a dedicated church to Sarenrae elsewhere, her training and struggles, and about the decision to return to Sandpoint for the time being.
He offers her a place to stay in the Cathedral, then, and suggests it might be home, and that does make her cry, overwhelmed tears that she quickly realizes she can't hide, and she blots with her scarf. Yes, of course she'll stay at the Cathedral, and when the option comes up to help prepare for the festival, that decision is another easy one.
So, that's how Lita spends much of the rest of her time - rushing about town, directed by Father Zantus or by Naffer, doing whatever she can to help prepare for the festival. Which leaves her tired on the day of, but not by so much that she can't enjoy the festivities. She stands by the stage with Naffer during the speeches and the release of the butterflies, scale armor polished to gleaming and looking every part the temple guard, her guisarme at her back, and mutters a quiet prayer as the butterflies take off to the skies. There's a smile on her face, gentle and peaceful, as she spends a few minutes at her station, watching them as they flit through the air following the initial flood. But, as the festivities progress, she leaves her post to wander among them, sampling food from vendors and trying her hand at various games, though never with any real intent to win.
"Truly" Cailyn answers with a smile, but something in the smile is troubled. She turns about, looking, before she finds a bench that happens to be right next to the butterfly magnet. "curious place for a bench, right here where I exactly need it." She rests her hands against the scarred wood for a second, wondering about what it has seen in its life. Then she smooths out her skirt and rests her bottom on it. "If the gods decide to keep you here for a prolonged period, someone must be a witness of the miracle."
He munches the potato slowly, and almost forgets he has food in his mouth "mmprhcle?" A swallow and gulp "Sorry, a Miracle? No, miracles happen to...well, holy people or heroes or hte like. I'm just a shoanti innkeeping milita patrolling guy with a bad leg. You should be enjoying the sights ...maybe find Willie and listen to some of his music?"
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"Hmmm?" Cailyn hums in question, mouth full of another potato. She covers her mouth, to expand on the sound "What I mean is, that I've heard my cousin play. Several times in fact. What I've not seen is a Shoanti innkeeping militia patrolling guy with a perfectly acceptable leg covered in divine butterflies. Almost like a holy person. Or a hero. Or the like." she swallows, pops another lovely tuber in her mouth.
OjWoj blushes a bit "I suppose I am rare when you put it that way. But if there's anything holy going on it's probably for godly chuckles at best." A thought "I wouldn't be surprised if my cousin wasn't watching YOUR Cousin hoping to learn musical techniques while her friends oooed and awed."
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Conrad frowns. "Why w-would you apologize? I don't g-get it."
He senses there's something more important that Dare is not telling him, and that she's definitely not up for elaborating.
Still, in the hopes that she will explain the matter a little more, he lingers. He smiles encouragingly at the kid. " Have you heard it's g-good luck if one lands on you?" He picks up a random wooden butterfly. "W-want to hold out your hand?"
The child's caretaker, likely from similar features, his mother, gives Dare a wary look, but as Conrad joins in, his friendly demeanor helps her relax. She stands close, but gives the child a nod, who eagerly holds out his hand.
She answers Conrad as Conrad plans to do whatever he is going to do with the token. "Ah, well, my family would like me to help them out, see..."
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"I c-can understand that," Conrad replies carefully. He certainly doesn't feel that Dare is entirely comfortable with the subject. "Still, you shouldn't feel f-forced to anything."
The young man looks about to put the butterfly in the kid's hand, but at the last moment he exclaims "Hold s-still!" and puts on gently on the top of the little boy's head. "Look! It landed on your head! Ex-x-tra luck!" he gasps in amazement. He retrieves the butterfly after a few seconds. "You're a l-lucky one. They d-don't d-do that with everyone," he says conspiratorially to his young audience.
Despite the playfulness of the moment, he suddenly has a lump in his throat. It had been a long while since he last interacted with his siblings. This boy couldn't be much older than Lillia...
He missed his family too.
Conrad turns back to Dare. "I t-think I'll have a couple of your b-butterflies," he takes out his pouch. "The k-kids will like them."
"Ah, the orcoid, Cailyn's friend! The very top of the morning to you! How are you this fine festival day?"
The voice that called out over the throng was as jovial as only those raised on crumpets, clotted cream and cash could be. Not one to ignore even the most quaint of acquaintances, Wilberforce ankled his way over upon spotting the unmistakable Dare. Granted, his memory of their one shared evening at the Dragon was foggy with alcohol fumes and worse, but that was his charge, not hers. Failing to stop and say hello would be plainly rude! Besides, he was quite sure that he recalled cousin Cailyn and her getting along swimmingly.
The roughshod fellow with Dare he walked straight past, Conrad not having left any impression with him.
"Oh, working the mendicancy trade, what?" The gentleman eyed the orc-blooded woman's tokens. So she was a beggar! Well, that wasn't altogether unforeseen. The old thing didn't exactly have the look of an honest worker about her, and the civilized world could be a frightfully frosty place to these Green Menace derivatives.
"Here you are," he said, charitably flicking her a shiny gold coin. If he did so out of generosity or whether the sheltered gent had no idea of the true worth of a gold piece was for the jury to decide. "Mind you, I had half a tilt to beg you not to fritter that away on drink, except I don't think anyone in town will be going to sleep hungry tonight!" He laughed gaily and took a deep breath, practically tasting all the savories on the air.
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The child giggles at Conrad, grasping at the token, and then taking and looking at the butterfly carefully etched into it. He looks up at his mother expectantly.
"Keep it. Have fun at the festival." Dare says, waving away as the mother reaches for her purse. If the kid wasn't scared by her that seemed reward enough in the moment. The mother shepherds off the child through the crowd.
As Conrad offers to buy a few, she asks, "You sure?" She hands him another (this is in addition to the one she handed him when she first approached). "I mean..."
And Willie, the man drinking himself senseless the other night approaches. Princess Crinklenose's cousin or something, with the socks. Dare has a sense she should be offended at Willie, except that the words coming out of his mouth seem to make no sense in the order in which he speaks them, so it's probably not worth the energy trying to figure out which ones she should be mad at. She catches the gold piece--that she has certainly no moral qualms about taking money from a toff and definitely presumes he has no idea of its value--and flips one of the wooden tokens back at him. "I've seen the way you drink, mate, so the more coin you spend on other things, the better."
She pauses, and as he walks past, she calls out to him again. "Hang about! You're related to the merchants, ain't you? The creepy weirdo and the nicer one. Don't suppose you know where they are? My uncle wants me to talk to'em." She didn't actually want to know, but she felt a need to prove she did due diligence.
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"I'm sure. They l-look-"
What Conrad thinks Dare's butterflies look like she'll never know, because right at that moment a familiar face barges right in the conversation with the subtlety of a hundred bulls screaming obscenities in a dainty old lady's china shop.
He can only gape as the hurricane goes past.
"Cousin interaction is a thing, from time to time." Cailyn chats without a direction, as she waves to a walking vendor to purchase a small snack, directing the vendor to give one to Scrapeknee as well. The directionless comment leads her anyway toward another statement "Wilberforce and I are not close like Sarla and you are. " a hint of something coloring her voice, as she looks down in her sack of something "The night at the tavern was probably the longest time we've spent together in truth." she bites, chews, savors, then swallows. Looking up she shows a little embarrassed smile "And I can't even remember most of it."
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Before Meeting Scrapeknee
As you walk around enjoying the food and talking with your mother and sometimes your father in your head, you receive a number of comments on your performance at the archery competition. Some joke about when you'll be joining Sandpoint's town guard or someone named Shalelu out in the hinterlands. Others wonder if you'd be willing menace a slacker into doing their job properly, and most just congratulate you on your splendid shots. More than a few of those serving food give you a free sample of their wares in exchange for your opinion on the snacks and treats they are serving. One particularly jovial and boisterous Varisian matriarch hails you as "Crossbow Cailyn, Mistress of the Bolts" as she proclaims your love of her spiced nut treats, which are quite tasty with a satisfying crunch and a pleasantly sweet and savory flavor with just a little heat. She hands you a bag full of them and a few more filled with a variety of her other wares as the crowds, some of them recognizing you from the competition, gather around to both give the treats a try and congratulate you on your win. As the day heads towards noon, you hear the moniker Crossbow Cailyn more and more. It would appear that you've gotten a nickname.
Shortly after the release of the butterflies, you spot Scrapeknee with a crown of them and more forming a four-pointed star on his leg, right were a starknife might hang if he were to carry one. Curiosity grabs your attention and pulls you in.
Before Conrad Joins
The Fatman's Feedbag barely has sheets on the beds, much less anything so fancy as a guest ledger. After the wench, a young Varisian woman that you're sure you've seen before in Magnimar with far less cleavage and leg showing, delivers your breakfast and you've finished eating and gathering your belongings, the only thing left for you to do is let the innkeeper, A large, rotund man with a greasy handlebar mustache named Gressel Tenniwar, know that you're leaving. He nods as you tell him the cot you've been using is free and walk out the door.
The early morning light isn't so bad now that you've eaten and settled your stomach somewhat. Even with the early hour, it seems that the streets of the town are positively teeming with festival goers. It takes you a little bit to find a good street corner that wasn't already occupied. Technically, it was, but the middle-aged minstrel that was already there offered to share since he didn't need all of the room he had. In a few minutes, you're set up and calling out to the people that pass by and stop to listen to the music the man is playing. At first, you don't see many sales, but as the morning wears on, more than a few people stop by asking if you were the one that sold the lovely butterfly trinkets. By the time lunch and the release of the swallowtail butterflies rolls around, you've made almost 4 silvers.
Thankfully, no one notices your tear as you watch the beautiful display. Perhaps it is something about the simple lesson being taught or the graceful dance of the butterflies, whatever it is that tugs at your heartstrings stays with you as the crowds move to enjoy the free food the local eateries are providing. As you turn your attention back to your wares, a butterfly, it's wings gold and red, lands on your hand. A sense of rightness and encouragement fills you before the butterfly takes off and Conrad comes over and asks how you're doing.
Before Meeting Dare.
The morning passes quickly as you look over the wares and works of art for sale. Some of the artisans and craftsmen notice your interest in their work and ask if there's something you liked or if you had an interest in whatever art or craft they practiced. Still, even though Sandpoint is a small town, it's almost overwhelming to a boy from a small farming village in the frontier of Varisia to see so many people in one place.
Sadly, you do not spot Joanna nor Tera among the crowd as you wander about. Still, you find plenty to occupy your thoughts as the opening speeches and the release of the Swallowtails captivates everyone who sees them. As the butterflies dance upon the gentle autumnal breeze, you find Dare as she's Hawking her wares.
Before Running into Conrad and Dare, hopefully not literally.
Your morning starts far too early for any reasonable person. The sun had barely crested the eastern horizon. Many were the nights that had bleed into mornings where this would have been the signal to get off to bed for even the most practiced of wastrels needed their sleep. However, this day it isn't your dear Aunt Kendra nor the scowling maid with arms thicker than your waist, doubtlessly from years of torturing any poor soul she found lacking that wandered, witlessly, into her clutches, that dragged you from bed, sometimes not at all figuratively speaking, but your cousins. The lot of them, a young lad near eighteen, a lass of barely sixteen, and twins, a boy and a girl, just in their teens, cajole you out of bed and into your best festive-wear so they can show you around.
It is a fine day, a cool morning with just the right amount of briskness to waken even the most ailing of ale-ridden minds and addle-brained beans. You might even develop a habit of waking early just to experience more of it, you think for a moment before the horror of what has just ran through your mind settles into your very marrow.
Shaking off the foreign thought (it must have been a curse your Aunt Arabella had paid to have placed on you, It couldn't have been your thought after all,) you spot here and there familiar faces from your (once-)frequent forays into the Rusty Dragon. Joanna and Tera sharing a pastry large enough for three of them, Cailyn winning the archery competition, Conrad shyly looking over various bits of handicraft and artistry, and Ol' Joel who'd taken you three bouts out of seven, the last ending in a draw as you both passed out under the table simultaneously, though before you can begin moving closer for a polite hello, your cousins drag you to the next thing you absolutely had to see.
To be fair to the young ones, they were right more often than not.
While the speeches aren't much to your liking, the release of the swallotails is like an anchor being released from your soul. Once again you're ready to carouse with the best and the worst of them. After filling your belly and with a jaunty tune on your lips, you spy Dare and Conrad.
Before Cailyn meets up with you as you're sporting your new butterfly accessories
The morning is a cheery one as friends return cheers and greetings. While many of the girls continue looking for a dance partner, there is one that stays with you and even joins you in singing. A young acolyte named Dani Starblossom, a girl of mixed Chelish and Varisian blood that was left on the steps of Turandarok Academy seventeen years ago as a babe. She'd joined Desna's clergy when she was thirteen, about four years ago, around the time of your fateful climb up the Deverin's manor. Thinking back on that night, she was one of the ones that wanted to know about Shoanti star reading the most.
For a moment, between songs, she seems like she's about to say something when you're distracted by another of your friends calling out to you. When you turn back to see what she was about to say, she's disappeared.
The swallowtails that are released float and flutter above the crowd before some of them come to rest on you, giving you a crown and something on your injured leg. One thing you do see is that all of them are in deep rich purples and blues, rare colors even among Desna's children. It's then that Cailyn comes up and mentions them being in a pattern on your leg.
Standing Guard
When you come out dressed in shining armor, Naffer wipes away a tear.
"You look beautiful, Lita," he tells you before offering an arm to you. "I may have been a smuggler," he says, "But I did learn me so manners." His grin nearly takes in his ears.
The festival is just as busy as it seemed it would be and twice as merry as anyone had dared hope. Looking around as the speeches are given, it seems that the most prevalent emotion on the air is hope, hope for new beginnings and fresh starts after tragedy and loss. The release of the swallowtails is as breathtaking as you can ever remember it being when you lived here. There's a sense of rightness to having that old tradition, for it had been around since long before Sandpoint's founding as you'd been told as a girl, herald the beginning of a new era.
As you watch, a few of the butterflies, ones of red and gold wings that look like shimmering flames, settle on your horns and your brow. You feel a sense of calm wash over you and hear a gentle voice whispering to you that you have done the right thing in coming. Across the way, you see one of the butterflies land on Dare and feel that same voice asking you to help her when she needs it. A warm breeze blows through the square and send the swallowtails dancing anew.
Later, when you go to enjoy what the festival has to offer, you find that a gaggle of young children have started to follow you around like little ducklings. After a little while, one of them works up the courage to ask a question.
"Are you a knight," the young boy asks, opening the flood gates almost before you have a chance to answer the rushing stream of questions. Despite denying it, many of them start spreading a story that you'd defeated a dragon before by kicking it with your hooved feet. You notice, before they find something new to catch their attention, that a number of them have wooden coins with the image of a butterfly burned into them hanging from their necks. It seems Dare's business is doing well.
As the afternoon wears on, Dare finds that she's sold most of what she had on hand, close to seventy coins fills her purse, more than enough for a meal and a night in a common room, especially with Willie's generosity.
The sun begins to set and many of the vendors are closing up their stalls and packing up their carts as they run out of goods to sell. Murmurs about the consecration happening soon flow through the crowd. A number of Dare's customers, or their parents rather, nod as they pass by and recognize her. There's an electricity to the air as the sun's bottom limb touches the western horizon.
"Nobody'd think that Hawk," an acolyte that Scrapeknee recognizes as Dani blurts out when he admits his concerns about looking like he'd set this up. She clams up and turns beet-red as she realizes that she's been caught following the young Shoanti.
"I-I-- I'm sorry," she mutters as she pulls the hood of her robes low over her face. "I-I mean, I shouldna've been sneaking around l-like that. I just... I wanted..."
She turns on her heels and calls out, "Enjoy the festival with your girlfriend," before scurrying away.
Eventually, the butterflies do leave on their own, though Scrapeknee does get ribbed by his friends a few times before they do. Most of it is about him and Cailyn being a couple, despite any protestations to the contrary. The rest of the day is filled with walking about and enjoying the festival's various treats and attractions. As the sun sets, its bottom limb touching the horizon, murmurs about the consecration starting soon flow through the crowd like the gently sea breeze off the water. There's some electric in the air as anticipation builds up.
As the sun slips below the horizon, Father Zantus takes the stage once more. He enchants the blossoms in the vase on the lectern with divine light so that he may see his notes. The crowd grows hushed as the air thrums with excitement. As the last sliver of the sun disappears, the priest pulls out a stone and flings it to the ground. The sharp crack of thunder rolls over the crowd. Silence falls as all eyes turn towards towards the stage. Father Zantus opens his mouth, and a shrill scream of terror comes from somewhere else in the town. More screams come as the high-pitched voices of goblins all rise up in song.
Goblins chew and goblins bite.
Goblins cut and goblins fight.
Stab the dog and cut the horse,
Goblins eat and take by force!
Goblins race and goblins jump.
Goblins slash and goblins bump.
Burn the skin and mash the head,
Goblins here and you be dead!
Chase the baby, catch the pup.
Bonk the head to shut it up.
Bones be cracked, flesh be stewed,
We be goblins! You be food!
As the horrid tune fills the air, several of the greenskinned runts hop from hiding places and begin to slash at people in the crowd, stuff food into their mouths, set tents aflame, and run amok. One appears near the acolyte that had run from Cailyn and Scrapeknee earlier, slashing at her legs and sending her tumbling to the ground. Another two rush at two young women that turn out to be Joanna and Tera before either of them can do anything to defend themselves. Joanna shields her friend, taking both blows to her side and nearly getting cut open in the process. Another looses an arrow at Lita and bounces harmlessly off her scale armor just as three more goblins, these bearing torches rushed about setting everything they can reach on fire.
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He shoots a side glance, impressed by her voice and glad she's in the spirit of things. She certainly sings better than he is, but the fun's the thing.Before Cailyn meets up with you as you're sporting your new butterfly accessories
The morning is a cheery one as friends return cheers and greetings. While many of the girls continue looking for a dance partner, there is one that stays with you and even joins you in singing.
A young acolyte named Dani Starblossom, a girl of mixed Chelish and Varisian blood that was left on the steps of Turandarok Academy seventeen years ago as a babe. She'd joined Desna's clergy when she was thirteen, about four years ago, around the time of your fateful climb up the Deverin's manor. Thinking back on that night, she was one of the ones that wanted to know about Shoanti star reading the most.
He remembers the talk about the star reading, and perhaps it was Dani who tried to talk him out of taking up that dare. It was nice that she actually cared about his culture's gift with the stars.
The years have been kind to Dani, one can't help but notice it, and he's sure she'll be a fine cleric one day.
For a moment, between songs, she seems like she's about to say something when you're distracted by another of your friends calling out to you. When you turn back to see what she was about to say, she's disappeared.
The swallowtails that are released float and flutter above the crowd before some of them come to rest on you, giving you a crown and something on your injured leg. One thing you do see is that all of them are in deep rich purples and blues, rare colors even among Desna's children. It's then that Cailyn comes up and mentions them being in a pattern on your leg.
He wonders what Dani wanted to talk about but he understands today of all days she's probably got more to do than just chat. So he focuses on the conversation with Cailyn.
"Cousin interaction is a thing, from time to time." Cailyn chats without a direction, as she waves to a walking vendor to purchase a small snack, directing the vendor to give one to Scrapeknee as well. The directionless comment leads her anyway toward another statement "Wilberforce and I are not close like Sarla and you are. " a hint of something coloring her voice, as she looks down in her sack of something "The night at the tavern was probably the longest time we've spent together in truth." she bites, chews, savors, then swallows. Looking up she shows a little embarrassed smile "And I can't even remember most of it."
"Given how much Willie encourages drinking, I can't say I am surprised encounters with him lead to memory loss," About as wry as he gets, "You were a good sport though ,and if you wonder where your stockings are.. well, check the Dragon's ceiling."
"Nobody'd think that Hawk," an acolyte that Scrapeknee recognizes as Dani blurts out when he admits his concerns about looking like he'd set this up. She clams up and turns beet-red as she realizes that she's been caught following the young Shoanti.
He smiles "Thanks, Dani. Have you met..." but before that really gets out...
"I-I-- I'm sorry," she mutters as she pulls the hood of her robes low over her face. "I-I mean, I shouldna've been sneaking around l-like that. I just... I wanted..."
She turns on her heels and calls out, "Enjoy the festival with your girlfriend," before scurrying away.
"you too..." he waves back out of habit then blinks, "Wait? WHAT? No we're just..." but it's too late to stop the gossip chain of a small town
Just for a second, before her face explodes in red, and she looks down into her food as quickly as she can.
She tries not to make the rest of their interactions weird, but HOW could it not be weird when it kept coming UP!?!?
"I am so sorry about that. I'll.. set the record straight. That's not fair to you."
As the sun slips down and the butterflies decide to move on, she excuses herself from Scrapeknee's presence "Thank you for letting me keep you company." she says simply, then goes (not hurriedly!) to the bleachers.
He's blushing himself "The same."
Riveted by the spectacle, Scrapeknee watches it with respect. Desna is not the goddess he understands always, she's so flighty! yet he loves the stars so he honors her, besides, this also celebrats Sandpoint...
Then? It all goes to hell!
Goblins chew and goblins bite.
Goblins cut and goblins fight.
Stab the dog and cut the horse,
Goblins eat and take by force!Goblins race and goblins jump.
Goblins slash and goblins bump.
Burn the skin and mash the head,
Goblins here and you be dead!Chase the baby, catch the pup.
Bonk the head to shut it up.
Bones be cracked, flesh be stewed,
We be goblins! You be food!
"Milita, to arms, shield the citizens!" He calls out as he was taught to by his Uncle Hemlock! Yet, despite that lesson, he feels overwhelmed. SO MUCH IS GOING WRONG!
One appears near the acolyte that had run from Cailyn and Scrapeknee earlier, slashing at her legs and sending her tumbling to the ground. Another two rush at two young women that turn out to be Joanna and Tera before either of them can do anything to defend themselves. Joanna shields her friend, taking both blows to her side and nearly getting cut open in the process. Another looses an arrow at Lita and bounces harmlessly off her scale armor just as three more goblins, these bearing torches rushed about setting everything they can reach on fire.
As the blood spills from Dani in one area, and Joanna and Terra are rushed at, he finds his focus! It is chauvinistic perhaps, or maybe chivalrous? or perhaps both, but they're hurting women? OUTRAGE.
Drawing his spear, which still has colorful ribbons tied to it this day, he lurches and limps towards the wounded acolyte cursing his slowness. He's no wise cleric, no great warrior, but he can fight!
There's a burst of fire to his left, south of the downed Dani. It draws his eyes... Fire, Blood, and Sin his thoughts echo from an uknown source. He calls out, "By Stars and Soil, NO!"
And something happens, without a cloud in the sky, the heavens seem to rip open and pour down water upon the fire as if in agreement with OjWoj Scrapeknee! The Little Hawk's cry is sharp, loud, and... answered!
Scrapeknee's call the heavens is answered as the water douses the fire and soaks the tent. While the goblin manages to keep the torch lit, it's unlikely to be able to reignite the tent for now. Looking around for the scoundrel that ruined its fun, it spots no one with a bucket and a look of fear begins to cross its ugly face.
Meanwhile, his call to arms is echoed by others, some he recognizes from the watch, others from the militia drills, and many he does not recognize at all as those with grit and courage rally against the threat.
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Cailyn's mouth dropped in surprise at the other woman's assumption, staring gapping at her retreating form. Then at Scrapeknee when he looks at her.
Just for a second, before her face explodes in red, and she looks down into her food as quickly as she can.
She tries not to make the rest of their interactions weird, but HOW could it not be weird when it kept coming UP!?!?
As the sun slips down and the butterflies decide to move on, she excuses herself from Scrapeknee's presence "Thank you for letting me keep you company." she says simply, then goes (not hurriedly!) to the bleachers.
The song hits her more than the screams of terror. For a moment, she thought it might be a prank by her cousin, making his normally melodious voice as shrill as possible just for fun.
But no, fire and blood follow this song.
Cailyn might have ran with the crowds, since it was very sensible to do so.
But she sees the girl that first assumed fall to the ground, with a leering face of yellow teeth looking down, ready to tear and rip.
Cailyn has a crossbow, but she doesn't reach for it. Her mind had counted the seconds it would take her to load, pull, and fire, and this Dani did not have that amount of time left.
Instead, she shoves her hand into her leather satchel and pulls out a GLOVE. An old falconer, too big for her small hand. Brandishing the old garment in front of her like a weapon, the half-elf yells to nothing "Cleo, Attack!"
A split second later, a glowing blue owl erupts into the air in front of the goblin, teaching it that it really should be nicer to young ladies.
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Before Scrapeknee can come to Dani's rescue and before the goblin can do more than he has to the poor, young acolyte, Cleo flies out with vengeance in her eyes. The spectral owl dives at the goblin, who manages to ward off the first of the wicked talons with its arm, but that only leaves it open for the following talon and the beak. It screams as the talon gouges its flesh. The scream turns into a gurgle as the bird of prey tears out the wretch's throat and takes off as it falls to the ground to choke on its own blood.
"Thank you, Cailyn. I don't know how you summoned water AND a magic owl but keep it up!" He calls to her impressed, and believing she's responsible for both events. I mean, who else could it be if Dani didn't do it?
"Dani, can you get on your feet and get to me? I'll try to shield you.. or if you see cover take it..."
At Scrapeknee's words, Cailyn's eyes were pulled from the brutal killing of the goblin by her little friendly owl. There was a bit of haunting in their depths "Water?" Cailyn seems surprised at the question, surprised enough to push back her reaction to killing her first being. "That wasn't me."
At Scrapeknee's words, Cailyn's eyes were pulled from the brutal killing of the goblin by her little friendly owl. There was a bit of haunting in their depths "Water?" Cailyn seems surprised at the question, surprised enough to push back her reaction to killing her first being. "That wasn't me."
"Odd," He says with twinkling eyes, "Well, I'm just glad it happened then. Thanks for saving Dani. My damned leg is slowing me down in this crowd."
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The day had gone well enough that the sick feeling she'd had in the morning--whether from previous evening adventures or what Iulius and Jubrayl had asked her to do--had begun to dissipate. Forgetting food had been free (Dare was not used to things being free) she realized she'd nearly doubled her liquid assets which was pretty good.
So no wonder Willie hadn't really gotten to her. She waits for his reply about Joanna and Tera and realizes it's time for the consecration...
And then her stomach drops into her shoes as the screams erupt and the goblin chant grows louder. No. No no no.
The sound of fire growing, crackling. Women and children scream.
For a moment, Dare is 10 years old. Beds are on fire. A child weeps, hysterical. Dare, help!
Dare, HELP!!
She blinks. And sheer terror transforms into searing anger. She walks toward the nearest goblins (and closer to the merchants) who themselves are not close to people or objects she can harm. "You wanna burn things? Then BURN!"
She calls out to Willie and Conrad. "Find anything to smother. Water's fine but also blankets. Dirt! And fire likes to climb! Don't let it!"
Red Pyro - 2/6 hp
Yellow Warrior - 2/6 hp
The crowd, sensing something dangerous from Dare clear a path that lets her unleash a torrent of flame at the goblins. They're light on their feet, if not exactly quick thinkers, and they dive aside just as the fires of Dare's rage roar over them. They're both badly burnt, but still alive and glaring at Dare.
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Conrad goes through his pouch for a couple of coppers, and realises he only has a few gold pieces left. With a sheepish smile, he gives one to Dare, and takes six butterflies from her stand. "K-keep the change," he tells her.
As the sun sets, a relaxed Conrad heads to the stage to listen to Father Zantus' speech. The day has been full, but pleasant so far, and he's eager to hear what comes next - secretly hoping for some more funny bits from Drokkas.
He turns around to find some familiar faces in the crowd, and his gaze suddenly meets Joanna and her friend's, who wave cheerfully at him. He suddenly remembers that Dare asked him to arrange a meeting between them if he could, so he starts making his way through the crowd to reach them...
That's when all hell breaks loose.
Later, he wouldn't be able to tell what exactly he heard first - the goblin's macabre singing, or the screams. He would however recall, with crystal clear accuracy, the first yells of alarm and pain as goblin blades began to cut through flesh, the frantic moves of the crowd desperately trying to flee an enemy it couldn't see, and Joanna throwing herself throwing herself on her friend to push her out of harm's way, exposing herself to a goblin's blade.
It was basically at this point that he stopped thinking altogether.
Conrad strides through the crowd, elbowing people out of the way if needed, completely obviously to the panic going around him and even to Dare's cries. In spite of the chaos, he's by Joanna's side in a matter of seconds.
Without even taking the time to reach for his flail, he sucker punches the goblin in the face.
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"Hang about! You're related to the merchants, ain't you? The creepy weirdo and the nicer one. Don't suppose you know where they are? My uncle wants me to talk to'em."
Willie's animated eyebrows leapt clear up to his little pompadour at this description. He blinked a few times, gawking at the half-orc like a stranded fish. Privileged as the young man's life had been, he wasn't altogether used to colorful remarks being levied at one's kin. What was the proper procedure in such instances? The fraternal spirit certainly wanted to climb the witness box in defense of the injured party.
"Well, that's an unfair picture of Cailyn I should think," he tried diplomatically. "Opprobrious even. Granted, the old thing is steeped to the gills in books and, er, serious purpose, but she's a smashing girl, really. Not at all 'creepy'. The charge of 'weird' I might concede, but still. Besides, she's no merchant at all! No, you're thinking of Joanna and Tera. They're the two darlings you met in the Dragon the other day. As a matter of fact, I believe I saw them just earlier..."
Nary had the young gent craned his gangly form round to look for the two women before a most... yes, well, one had to reach for the word again... opprobrious song erupted with such shrillness it entirely drowned out the festival gaiety. The screams that followed certainly didn't add to the ol' joie de vivre. "I say!" Aroden's ghost, what was this all about? Willie knew the local provincial sensibilities didn't always align with urbane palates such as his, but this took the giddy biscuit! This katzenjammer was an insult to cats! Admittedly catchy, yes, but a jaunty tune could only go so far.
His blood did not so much freeze as jellify at the first sight of a green floppy ear accompanied by fire. Slowly, only very slowly, did Willie grasp the situation. 'Goblins?' he thought, mouth agape. No, surely not. Attacks by beasties was something that happened to other, simpler folks out there in the boonies, not gentlemen in 200 thread count vests. It took him another moment to realize that he wasn't in jolly Magnimar, that goblins likely didn't care for the quality of his vest, and that this was happening. "Oh lor'." His mouth felt very dry.
So stupefied was he that Dare's no doubt very sensible call quite passed him, simply standing rooted in place. What did reach him, however, was a familiar voice shrieking in pain.
"Joanna?"
Eyes aglow with fright searched the area he thought he'd seen the young women at before, no easy task given the multitude hieing to and fro in a panic. Sure enough, there they were, and not alone. Two goblinoids, grins as sharp as their knives, were advancing upon them. Joanna had already taken some frightful blows and Tera appeared next on the cutting block.
Willie couldn't rightly tell you what spurred him into action because before he could gather any semblance of thought, his legs had already barreled him through the throng over to the two friends.
"Oi, you bally bounder!" he yelled at the offending oik, fear cracking his voice like the driest of tinder. It was all he could do; he couldn't reach them in time. Such was his state that he even forgot the sword hanging by his side, not that it would have been any use. All he had to avail him with were those little hedge wizard tricks he had picked up for a lark. Hopefully they would do. Willie looked into the beady red eyes of the nearest monster.
"Whu, er...
What's green, black and screams like a lyre?
A goblin lighting itself on fire!"
Red Pyro - 2/6 hp
Yellow Warrior - 2/6 hp
Red Warrior - Prone
Conrad's fist caves in the goblin's skull, dropping it to the ground as dead as the proverbial doornail. The other goblin turns to face this new threat, only for Willie to catch its attention. Its face screws up weirdly as it hears the joke, but then it gives into the inevitable and starts to howl with laughter and slapping its knee as it falls to the ground in a hysterical fit.
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It wasn't long after that that Lita found herself similarly surrounded, a crowd of curious young faces, following her quietly from a distance at first, and then firing questions in a volley too constant for her to possibly respond. She tried to, of course, but before she knew it, their questions had transformed into their own story, spinning a tale before her own eyes of her, valiant, stomping a dragon to death with her deadly hooves.
Kids.
As soon as it was clear she wouldn't be getting a word in edgewise, she just started smiling, indulgent, and nodding on occasion, waiting for them to wear out their imaginations on her supposed exploits and find something else to capture their attention.
By the time it came for Father Zantus' speech, Lita had found her way back towards the stage and taken her earlier spot beside it, a sense of... peace, maybe, and pride that she had contributed in some way to the success of the event, that she had come back for this at all. He throws the thunderstone to the ground with a resounding crack and Lita's back goes straight, shoulders back, at attention. She'd been ready for that, knowing it was part of the plan for the evening, but a scream splits the air, then another, then the sick sound of a blade hitting flesh and a sudden roar of fire and all of it too fast for her to react to. There's too many things happening at once, and Lita's eyes dart across what she can see of the crowd - what to do, what can she do - before landing, finally, on Dare's burst of flames, and the two goblins caught in it. The crowd would make it difficult, but that, she could help with.
"Get out of here, get to shelter!" Lita raises her voice to address the civilians as she bursts into action, drawing her guisarme from her back as she starts to work her way through the crowd.
She curses under her breath, unable to properly maneuver her blade in the throng.
Red Pyro - 2/6 hp
Blue Pyro - Charged (-2 AC)
Yellow Warrior - 2/6 hp
Red Warrior - Prone
Lita's call is echoed by Father Zantus urging people to seek shelter in the nearby buildings or the cathedral. While her strike misses the mark, her bravery is echoed by a few dozen men who go after the other goblins that are running amok. One goblin that was trying to stuff a whole roast chicken down its gullet is skewered on the tines of a pitchfork. Another is seen chasing a young child with ill intent plastered on its face before being beaned in the bean by a well-timed club. A third, laughing after setting another goblin alight, is run through by one of the town's guards before she puts the flaming goblin out of its misery. Still more screams echo all through the town as the green menaces sow as much pain and chaos as they can.
The sound of a ripping seam cuts through the cacophony as Joanna tears a split in her dress to reveal a dagger strapped to her thigh. She draws the weapon and follows Tera as she takes a step from the goblin before chanting in the arcane tongue of wizards. Magic circles and runes form and coalesce around Joanna, armoring her with mystic power, as Tera puts her hand on her friends back.
Meanwhile, Dani tries to stand, but finds that her injured legs won't support her. She looks to you, terrified, but knowing that as part of the militia you have your duties. She clenches her jaw and nods before pulling herself under the cart next to her.
The crowds clear the square, those being left behind the ones who are holding the goblins back and those that are too hurt to move. Smoke begins to rise over the town as other fires set by the goblins take hold. The two fires that have not been put out spread and consume more of the tents they had been set upon.
The goblins, meanwhile, have other things on their minds. The last one on the west side of the square looks about and spying the spectral owl that is Cleo, decides that it is the culprit that has ruined its fun and charges the owl with torch held aloft. The sudden rush takes Cleo by surprise and the owl hoots indignantly as some of it's feathers are charred by the barbaric attack.
Back on the eastern side of the square, one of the torch carrying goblins sees the fire is going well and moves to find more fun when it spots Conrad. Ignoring the goblin laying at the man's feet, it rushes in waving its torch about and tries to whack him with it. The scrawny, green runt isn't able to get much force behind the blow, barely bruising Conrad. Too bad for it, it's now in pummeling range.
The goblin caught in Willie's spell laughs hysterically as it rolls on its belly and pounds the ground with its fist.
The other two goblins in the area, the ones that Dare had burnt, rush her intending to pay the sorceress back. One misses Lita and rushes by, giving her a chance to rip it wide open. Dare sees them coming and deftly dodges the clumsy swings of both goblins.
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Scrapeknee looks worriedly at Dani's lack of mobility, but at least she's gotten undercover. Some part of him feels like he's missing something, something he could do to help her that ...
But then the goblin whose fire he put out charges forward to strike the owl!
And THAT is just a little too close to Dani. He moves forward with his shortspear and attempts to stab the goblin, "Get out of our town!"
Unfortunately, his outrage has him forgetting his focus!
And still the feeling persists, as if the spear were the least of his weapons at hand... but that makes no sense!
"Somebody start putting the fires out!" Dare shouts to anyone who can hear. She can't just yet, she has goblins poking at her.
And as she burns who burns, she stabs who stabs. She draws the longsword at her hip and swings at one of the goblins charging her.
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Red Pyro - 2/6 hp
Blue Pyro - Charged (-2 AC)
Yellow Warrior - 2/6 hp
Red Warrior - Prone
Scrapeknee's blow is wide of the mark. The goblin doesn't seem to have noticed him yet. The image of butterflies glittering with starlight flying towards each of his companions form you fills his head for brief moment before reality snaps back into place.
"Good show, my man!" Willie exclaimed at seeing a stout chappie biff the nearest goblin of what little sense it had with his bare hands. A sort of almost hysterical relief washed over the young gent as surely as the heat of the fire, as with one such beastie laid low and the other crippled by his magic - happy days! - dear old Tera and Jo were out of immediate danger. A nervous smile dared pull at his cheek.
It was soon extinguished as he caught on to the fact that the danger was far from over. Said heat, for one, was only growing stronger, the fire consuming the nearest tents to the mad cheers of the green-skins. And those little fiends were hardly routed yet! Out of the smoke came another one, hollering and slavering and waving its chopper about in bearing down on the man with the golden fists.
"Go on, dear fellow!" Wilberforce cried, trying very hard to demonstrate the proper rallying-round spirit whilst trying harder still to keep from fleeing. "Show these knobbly-faced little excrescences what for!"
He remembered the sword at his hilt and fumbled for it, thinking it would add a certain vim to his whoop if he looked the part of a proper scrapper. Of course, Willie had only added the weapon to his ensemble because he thought it made him look rather dashing. Never had he expected to have to use the blasted thing! And if the chap with the strong shoulders could just keep up his efforts, he hopefully wouldn't have to.
This encouragement wasn't so meager a contribution to the struggle as he feared, however. Although still oblivious to the extent of his magic, the layabout lordling's voice was laced with the arcane, working its way into all who heard it to bolster them.
As one of the goblins scrambles just a little too close to her, Lita spins her polearm to put the blade in the horrid little creature's path.
Cailyn cries out as Cleo gets bashed hard by the goblin's torch. She knows the sweet bird is but a memory brought out of her master's glove, but Cailyn had loved her deeply.
The old owl isn't out of mind yet. With a pained hoot, Cleo attacks again.
Cailyn looked around for the first time, Dani's near death had held her attention fully. She sees others fighting goblins. Everyone, oddly, who shared a table from that night in the Dragon.
Normally Cailyn's heart would hammer at the possibility of a budding story. But it is already hammering, And people are getting hurt, AND there are fires.
For a moment, she considers using her crossbow to help dispatch... goblins.
('The Goblins are hurting people, you don't need to feel ready to throw up at the thought of killing them').
But while she has practiced firing into a melee (a staged one with dummies), there are So many people running around.
With a firming of her features, she decides the fire would be best for her to help with. Scrapeknee and Cleo had the last goblin in hand.
Cailyn grabs her silk skirts, jumps off the bleachers like swooshing petals, and rushes into the crowd while being bumped and battered by understandably terrified fleeing townsfolk, toward the blazing tents.
Red Pyro - 2/6 hp
Red Warrior - Prone
As Willie's words of encouragement Lita cuts down the goblin rushing past her with ease, though Dare has much less luck, her sword skittering off the rough leathers it wears for protection. Conrad is similarly vexed as the goblin who smacked him dances out of the way of his mighty fists. Cleo, though, fares much better in her revenge, tearing the throat from a second goblin and sending it to whatever fate Pharasma decrees for it.
Lita keeps her guisarme moving, spinning the haft about her as she moves into position opposite Dare, using the momentum from the first attack to send her blade slashing towards the remaining goblin.
Lita's guisarme cleaves the goblin in twain, spraying blood over the ground and onto Dare.
Red Warrior - 2/6 hp
The fires continue to spread as Tera backs up and blasts the one burning the green tent. Joanna tries to stab the one that fell for Willie's joke, only to miss it as it rolls about. Its fit subsides and it stands, giving the young woman another chance to stab it. Her dagger leaves behind a bleeding gash across its chest, but doesn't quite go deep enough to kill it. It tries to retaliate, but it leaves itself open to a counter from Conrad in the process. One he's more than in a position to take advantage of as he bats the other goblin's second clumsy strike aside.
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Cailyn spares a glance back to see the goblin is down with Cleo pecking at the corpse's face. She lets out a shrill two-finger whistle, getting its attention "More Goblins!" she shouted pointing. The owl launched into the sky toward more prey.
The young half-elf rushes toward the fire. With quick gasping breath, she greets the two warriors she arrives next to, "Oh, hello Ms. Ashborn, Ms. Turandarok, fancying meeting you both here. One moment..." the odd noblewoman grasps her large glove and wrings it with gusto like she is writing every last drop of water from it. Even though it is dry as a bone.
Water decides right them to pour from the sky on the tent nearest to Conrad.
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The image of butterflies glittering with starlight flying ...
Cleo is so swift and fierce, OjWoj almost doesn't see the strange owl down the goblin he failed to get, then fly across the field effortlessly ...
He could help Dani, but ... the fires.. "Dani, I'm so sorry. I have to help put out the fires. The nearest goblin was killed. Just hide as best you can but don't be afraid to scream if you need aid."
And he hobbles forward at , what for him, is a full run. When he walks, it's not so bad, but the run really shows how bad his leg is, making him seem like a lurching leg dragging thing.. and it hurts a bit. He's used to that pain by now, but it does hurt. Nevertheless, he races forward.
He sees one of the fires go out thanks to Cailyn, and he wonders again if she put that other one out last time after all, but no. One, she wouldn't lie bout that. Two ,she didn't use the glove that way before.
She'll need help, and increasingly he's realizing something Could that have been ME? It seems impossible, but if it iS possible, and he doesn't put out more fires when he could? The death of good people will be partly on his hands, as well as the goblins.
Lita almost winces, looking up at Dare apologetically at the spray of blood, and then back away, taking stock of the situation as it stands. Two goblins remaining - no, scratch that, one, as Conrad's flail crushes one of the two - but too much distance between them to cross quickly. The more immediate concern, she thinks, is the gradually spreading fire in front of her, and she crosses to try and smother it.
Unfortunately, her attempt turns out to be not much more than some awkward flailing.
Conrad crushes the annoying goblin with the torch, splattering the ground and himself with gore. The last of them, badly injured and outnumbered, falls soon after. Between the spells of Cailyn and Tera and the help of the others, the fires are quickly brought under control. An eerie stillness falls over the square as everyone catches their breath and takes stock of the situation. Several goblin corpses litter the square, as do a couple of bodies of those that were unfortunate enough to not be able to get away. Dani still hides under the cart and Joanna leans against Tera as she calls upon the power of her goddess to mend her wounds.
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As the others down the last goblins in the immediate area, OjWoj reaches deep within and as others start to smother the flames? He starts to cry out as he hobbles about the fires in circular motions with hard stomps "Plači za nama, Noćno nebo! Plači za nama, da udovice ne moraju! Stavite sjeme vatre na počinak! Iščupajte crveni cvijet svojim ljubaznim suzama! Poštedite narod gubitka! Zovem vas. Ja plešem za tebe. Isporučite nas svojim plačem!"
"Cry for us, Night Sky! Cry for us, so the widows do not have to! Put the seeds of fire to rest! Pluck out the red flower with your kind tears! Spare the people loss! I call to you. I dance for you. Deliver us with your weeping!"
It hurts, but there is purpose to the pain. And with it, realization, for this old prayer, this 'rain dance' motion his mother hinted at when he was young... it works! He IS doing this. He's not sure how, but that's not what matters!
Over each fire that stil lingers nearby, the flames find themselves denied further growth as they are snuffed by waters from a still cloudless sky. It as if the stars were shedding tear drops with great and wondrous accuracy. Those watching Scrapeknee find his 'dance' an inelegant lurching thing; but there seems to be a glow about him, as if he was putting off the slightest amount of light around him, particularly around that lame leg.
When it seems done, he stops, but he's not done yet. He looks at those who fought for Sandpoint "I thank you for this... pardon. There is.. something else I must try." And he makes his way to Dani, bending down, "Hold still, Dani. I don't know what's happening to me, but that can wait. The town's going to need more help. And I should have moved faster to protect you." He mutters over her legs "Soil and Stars, Flesh and Heart."
And the wounds on Dani's legs seem to glimmer and glow, even as bones knit and flesh mends.
He stares at it for a moment. SO many questions, but none more important than this as he looks back to those who fought off the goblins "Who else...needs healing. It seems.. I can do that." And he has no idea how.