"I'm with Donimah. Sure, my father may be a f*~+ing cognatogen-addict with wrecked muscles... but him trying to investigate, to find out everything going on in this Daikitsu-forsaken town?!" Her hand twitches as she realized she just skipped over that line, "was caused by you, by the damn goblins, and those damned murders! You probably used your fathers bones in some f!%!ed-up Lamashtan ritual, didn't you?" She's practically snarling at Nualia, which is far less intimidating than her words were previously.
Ethan steps back, away from the prisoner as the women unleash a torrent of condemnations up on her.
He waits silently for the prisoner to respond, and see if her soul can be saved or, if for the sake of the community, she must be destroyed.
Arrian gives Ethan a look that he's making the right decision letting all three women have their say in full. And maybe even more...
At Donimah’s comment of mixed signals, Ano’s ears flatten in shame. “Sorry, it’s just,” the amurrun sighed, then glared at Nualia, “She remembers my father. Or at least, she should. I remember that day-that old crone coming out of nowhere, cutting a good chunk of hair off your head? And my father, who witnessed the whole thing, cussing that woman up a storm? When we took you back he told me it took all his willpower to not bury that woman alive. He cared for me, and he cared for you-he was a good man. He…” She choked on her words a bit before shaking herself back. “He would be devastated to see what you’ve become. But…what was the issue between you and Father Tobyn? What did he do to deserve you getting goblins and Tsuto to rob his bones?”
In an uncommon moment of perceptiveness, Zeldrith decides to stay back from the group's interrogation of Nualia, joining Ethan and Arrian near the treeline. Shaking his head, he sighs as he watches the others dealing with the mad aasimar. "Talk about crazy - that one's angelkith, you know, though you wouldn't know it from that arm of hers. She had all sorts of drawings of what she thought she'd become once she burned the town - spikes all over her, bat wings like my cousin Irie, that sort of thing. Respect or no, the townspeople liked her at least - she threw that all away, and for what? Now people who don't know her don't respect or like her because she looks like she's demonspawn, and people who know her mostly want to stab her repeatedly because she's a horrible person. Plus, when she dies - probably within the next five minutes, if Ano's tone is any judge - she's going to a horrible place where she'll suffer forever. I mean, I've got the hooves and all that, but I still have friends and faith and all that - how deluded do you have to be to give up every chance you have for happiness for eternity?"
He shakes his head. "Makes you wonder why the evil gods even make offers like that. Makes you wonder why the good gods don't, at that! I mean, Desna talks a lot about being at peace with yourself and all that, but if Iomedae said she'd get rid of your horns and such and make it so people like you and make sure you go to a beautiful place after you die, why, I'd bet you sails to pinch you'd see demon-blooded tripping over each other building orphanages, giving money to the temple, that sort of thing."
"Look. I want to help you in a way that works, I'm not going to blather on about Sarenrae's grace and redemption, Iomedae's righteousness, Erastil's community values, Desna's self-acceptance or any of the good gods that work with the angels that made you what you are. With what you went through, that feels hollow and empty."
She smiles as she grips her rapier tighter, chuckling a little bit menacingly. "But is Lamashtu really who you want to spend eternity with? She's a demon, and demons are all about sin. Burning down Sandpoint is just as effective in the Mother of Monsters' eyes as burning down some podunk town you have no connection to. For her, it's the lives ruined that matter. As Ethan said," Juriya says with a menacing twist of her rapier in the air, "do you really think she values your soul? You're scared of a pathetic kitsune who's somehow the runt of a LITTER OF ONE. Weak, frail, and with less common sense than an actual fox."
Juriya strokes her chin for a second, then has a realization as she remembers sections from a book cataloguing minor deities she had read just before the Swallowtail festival. "But, there are gods who will transform you for transformation's sake. Who hates the angels who birthed you with just as much vigor, if not more. A protean lord. Narriseminek, the Crownless, the Maker of Kings. So tell me, is your allegiance to your 'Mother' so strong now that you know what's out there? Someone who will let you tear at creation, at the angels who created you, instead of wallowing in shallow sin to sate your desires?"
Nualia stops to listen to Ethan. She thinks a bit but doesn't say anything. She finally speaks when Arrian asks her a question. She proudly says "I burned his bones. My Mother gave me this in recognition!" and she motions towards her demonic hand.
Just as quickly, she gets punched by Ano and healed back by Ethan. She smiles through Donimah's speech. Facing down, she says "Yes, now you understand. It's the rage. It gives you purpose. Stop pretending you are so righteous, you know how to get angry. Now do something with it. You've already defeated me and now I won't be able to complete my transformation, the one I'm owed by burning down that entire wretched town of Sandpoint. And feed the soulwell. I am not afraid of the consequences, no! I will speak of my actions proudly. My plan may have failed, but my rage is still with me and I will carry it for ever. Now that I know what I can do, I will never go back." One can tell she doesn't touch the subject of fathers again, as she probably doesn't have the upper hand in this.
As Donimah talks to Orik, however, she finds that he's nowhere to be found.
Even as Ano reminds her of what her father did for her, Nualia doesn't back down. She just says "That wasn't enough, now was it. If he really cared, he'd have done more." Her justifications sound as twisted as her hand. As Juriya offers her alternatives, this gives her actual pause. She replies "You don't understand, do you? It's not about the transformation... It's about ridding myself of this CURSE of this celestial heritage. And my Mother has already started to give me her gifts. Can't you see? I can't turn my back on Her now. I can't do to Her what was done to me."
This particular discussion is putting a large toll on Nualia. She never had to justify herself before, and her followers didn't really question her. She says "Lamashtu is a patron for the desperate. With her, I found the solace that was always kept from me. She gives me purpose, power and gifts. And if given the chance, I will continue Her work. I will offer revenge to those who need it." The next sentence, she says with a gutural voice "And I still need it."
In an uncommon moment of perceptiveness, Zeldrith decides to stay back from the group's interrogation of Nualia, joining Ethan and Arrian near the treeline. Shaking his head, he sighs as he watches the others dealing with the mad aasimar. "Talk about crazy - that one's angelkith, you know, though you wouldn't know it from that arm of hers. She had all sorts of drawings of what she thought she'd become once she burned the town - spikes all over her, bat wings like my cousin Irie, that sort of thing. Respect or no, the townspeople liked her at least - she threw that all away, and for what? Now people who don't know her don't respect or like her because she looks like she's demonspawn, and people who know her mostly want to stab her repeatedly because she's a horrible person. Plus, when she dies - probably within the next five minutes, if Ano's tone is any judge - she's going to a horrible place where she'll suffer forever. I mean, I've got the hooves and all that, but I still have friends and faith and all that - how deluded do you have to be to give up every chance you have for happiness for eternity?"
He shakes his head. "Makes you wonder why the evil gods even make offers like that. Makes you wonder why the good gods don't, at that! I mean, Desna talks a lot about being at peace with yourself and all that, but if Iomedae said she'd get rid of your horns and such and make it so people like you and make sure you go to a beautiful place after you die, why, I'd bet you sails to pinch you'd see demon-blooded tripping over each other building orphanages, giving money to the temple, that sort of thing."
"I know what you mean. I dealt with at least as much, and probably more, derision from the people of Sandpoint. Nualia had the advantage of the town's main priest in her corner. Jargie did the best he could but he's not exactly a pillar of the community, the Mayor, or anything important like Father Tobyn. But Jargie taught me that people are scared of what they don't understand and orcs have a pretty bad reputation in Varisia due to its proximity to Belkzen. So I understood at an early age life wasn't going to be easy. I suppose that's part of what drew me to Cayden."
Attempting to answer Zel's religious questions, "The evil gods tempt mortals with promises because they realize people want the easy way out to become rich, powerful, immortal, or whatever they desire. Good gods explicitly do not promise such things because mortals lives are supposed to be what they make of them. If the gods gave us everything what would we have to strive for? It's why I serve Cayden so I can help others as Jargie, the Arimas, the Clovermarks, Fathers Tobyn and Zantus and others helped me. Hopefully my efforts will make it easier for the next 'different' people to be accepted by society."
Ethan shakes his head slowly in resignation, as Nulia condemns herself with her own words.
"She has waded into the river of blood so deep she you can no longer turn back, and has resigned herself to let its currents carry her to further atrocities," Ethan observes.
"Your own words have closed the casket lid upon any hope of your redemption. You do not wish to be saved, and any mercy granted would be tainted by your continued slaughter," he says to Nualia.
He unsheathes the cold iron dagger at his belt, and holds it up.
He says to the group, "I will invoke Erastil's blessing upon this cold iron dagger, if you wish, so that it will cut true into the heart of this evil creature. It is time for her terrible story to come to an end."
"The transformations would render you free of the taint! But... if you don't wish, or if you oppose, I'll do it all the same. No blessings, just a ticket to the Abyss."
Ano takes the dagger from Ethan. She looks at the aasimar.
“Nualia…I came here to save you. I really thought the friend I knew was alive, just used by some demon or something. But…I was wrong…” The catfolk starts to shake. “I-I’m sorry. I thought I did all I could to help bring some light in your life but…I wish I could have done more. I’m…I’m so sorry Nualia…” Her voice begins to break as more tears fall-it’s clear she still thinks her childhood friend can be saved.
Arrian and Juriya put their heads together. Given what Nualia has already said, she is doing sacrifices to transform herself into a demon or demon-like creature. Literature about this does exist, but it is mostly theoretical. Given what she said, it seems like she is exchanging this transformation for the sacrifices she's making with the hope of completely getting rid of her aasimar traits.
They have never heard of a thing called soulwell, nor can they imagine what it could be.
Nualia looks at Juriya with defiance and says "I'll be welcomed in my Mother's arms, I'm her chosen."
Seeing Ano struggling with carrying out the execution, Ethan offers, "I will do it, if you wish. I do not know her, and I can more readily detach myself from the proceeding." He takes a step forward, and extends his hand to take back the dagger, should Ano choose.
Donimah considers the rites and "soulwell" Nualia describes...and more importantly, what connections they might have to ancient Thassilon.
"Wrath...No wonder the ruins resonated with your presence. Alaznist of old would have found in you a kindred spirit..." she muses.
Ano shakes her head. “I don’t want to…but if…if it’s the only way to help my friend…”
Donimah holds up her hand.
"Ano, wait."
Donimah has definitely read of soulwells. They are also artifacts of the runelords. The rune magic that they used was somehow connected to people's souls. A runewell was fed by souls related to its particular sin. It was also used to create sinspawn, a process you've seen first hand in the dungeon below Sandpoint. This means that orange pool is a soulwell.
"That's why we saw sinspawn in the ruins: you fed wrathful victims to it. But you wouldn't have known that without firsthand experience: you're not a student of history like I am. So...what happened down there, Nualia? Your memories stained that place, Ano saw them because of her bond with you. Your anger to Sandpoint, it's not just because of superstitious people thinking you could bless them. The demon baby wasn't you, was it? You were the mother."
Ano’s ears flattened as she remembered those visions…
“That’s right…Nualia, the catacombs…what…?” The catfolk was too emotionally overwhelmed to complete her sentence.
Nualia is startled by Donimah's comment. It seems like she didn't expect the woman to have known about the catacombs below the town, as if she still hoped for that quasit to be able to wreck some havoc.
She calms down and says proud "That's where my connection to my Mother started. I got pregnant there. But the baby was deformed, probably because it was so close to Lamashtu's shrine. I met Erylium, who taught me all about Lamashtu."
Ano remembers what she felt. From Nualia's description, Ano actually envisioned the act that got her pregnant, and also the pain and fury she felt. Somehow Ano knows that the child's father disappeared as soon as he heard that Nualia was pregnant, as young men do.
Nualia continues "My would-be father thought I was just not praying to Desna enough. Ha... That went on for a while. But one day... Lamashtu touched me. I had terrible nightmares and woke up with renewed fury. I returned to Erylium and she helped me plan everything. The fire was beautiful. Wasn't it?" Nualia smiles to herself, reliving her glory.
Donimah turns to Ano.
"I have to wonder if Father Tobyn was less like your father...and more like...Fosyo," she says, clearly uncomfortable bringing the woman up.
"And that makes me wonder how in your right mind you were this whole time," she continues, turning back to Nualia. "You were a teenager, you were rebelling against your father, you were abandoned when you got pregnant and the birth was traumatic. Lamashtu...took advantage of that. Came to you at your lowest point, after a traumatic incident she engineered, with a minion ready to groom you into her service. Nualia, she took advantage of you."
Nualia replies "Yes, of course she did! She showed me how the world is. You can't count on anyone, and have to make your own way. And I have gotten my share from her as well, it's a two way street. Something you should have learned by now, Shoanti girl. Ano, learn this lesson too. These people? These friends? They'll turn their back on you. One day or another. Then you'll really see what your rage can do."
She seems satisfied with herself.
"I can count on my father. It's how I got where I am now. And Ano can count on me, and the rest of us, considering how we stood by her when her mother turned on her."
Donimah glares down at Nualia, but more a disappointed glare than angry.
"And you couldn't have "made your own way" with a plan like this: you needed to count on Erylium to run the soulwell, you needed to count on the goblins to do the actual fighting and burning, you needed to count on your lieutenants to keep them in line, you needed to count on Tsuto to be your eyes and ears in the town to set all this up. And even with all that we still beat you. You're coming up with one self-satisfied rationalization after another to try and avoid admitting you're WRONG and you FAILED."
She sighs.
"You aren't angry that Lamashtu basically tricked you into her embrace? Took advantage of you after that boy took advantage of you and your father took advantage of you? Even if you don't give a **** about other people, I'd think it'd piss you off that the foundation of all this faith you've built is a lie and your life's just been one person after another using you!"
After listening to what's been said, and what he, Juriya, and Donimah know about the transformation and the soulwell, Arrian says, "We've learned what we can; it's time to end this."
“You’re wrong,” Ano said coldly, “You only believed I was a horrible friend because of what Lamashtu told you. I tried to be comfort for you in a town that treated you badly…and you abandoned me over a fling who wasn’t loyal. I was willing to run into a burning building to save you…and you told me I should have died in the fire as well. And everyone here believed that you were gone, that the friend I knew was dead…and I didn’t listen to them because I truly wanted the Nualia I knew as a child to still be alive. Yes, Lamashtu took advantage of you…but even when that is clear as day…you still believe she was your one true friend…all this time I thought I was the horrible friend…that I didn’t do enough. But you…even before Lamashtu…you never treated me like a real friend…all this time, I blamed myself for your fate, but the horrible friend is and always has been ”
She shrieked that last word, loud enough for it to echo across the wilderness. She gripped the hilt of the dagger…she glared at Nualia in pure fury. Fury for both the Nualia she stared at, and the Nualia who took her for granted.
Nualia hears Donimah and after Arrian speaks, she says "It wasn't a lie. All the power and gifts my Mother gave me were real!"
Donimah sighs as Nualia continues not to listen.
"Give her a quick and painless end, Ano. She'll just take suffering as validation she's right."
Ano looked at Donimah…then the dagger…then Nualia. Even after all of this she held the tiniest amount of hesitation…
And then she remembered the day the aasimar told her that she was no longer needed.
With a shriek of fury and pain, Ano plunges the dagger into Nualia’s heart.
"I tried my best as a follower of Verity as well as Daikitsu to see if I could manage to get to the truth and spare a life... I guess I failed at that. Sorry, Ano. Also, just in case the harbingers come knocking, burn any material we find related to how she got a demonic hand?" Juriya says off-cuff. "Oh, also, Ethan, please don't mention to anyone about me being a Kitsune? We keep it secret due to well... not a lot of people here are used to them."
"'Just not praying to Desna enough?' Does that sound like a Desna follower to you guys?!"
As misguided as Nualia was, she still dies with resolve. A cold breeze passes through, but then the chirping of birds brings back normality.
"May the Gray Lady weigh your soul justly," Ethan says, as the life fades from Nualia's eyes.
After a moment, he replies to Juriya. "It sounds like you have good reason to be circumspect about your nature, Mistress. I have no cause to divulge your secret, as it poses no threat to the community."
"Daikitsu's a god of community as well, so I can get behind a good portion of what Erastil espouses. Not all of it, of course," Juriya says with a wink.
Ano sinks to her knees…her whole body trembles…
“Ano?” Cherry asked, the cardinal perched on her shoulder.
The catfolk can only sob. Softly at first, then into pained cries. Not just for mourning Nualia…but for feeling so foolish into thinking she could save someone she considered a friend…
"'Just not praying to Desna enough?' Does that sound like a Desna follower to you guys?!"
"Maybe a BAD follower of Desna," Donimah comments. She's about to snark about Ano's passionate slaying of Nualia, but seeing the poor girl break down shuts Donimah up immediately.
Ano sinks to her knees…her whole body trembles…
“Ano?” Cherry asked, the cardinal perched on her shoulder.
The catfolk can only sob. Softly at first, then into pained cries. Not just for mourning Nualia…but for feeling so foolish into thinking she could save someone she considered a friend…
Arrian awkwardly kneels next to Ano and puts his arm over her shoulder and gives her a hug.
"You're a great friend Ano and you might never know how much you helped me when I arrived in Sandpoint. I'm here for you."
His eyes get misty with tears seeing his friend in such pain. Although he can't help but notice the cold breeze that passed through.
"The birth of another sinspawn perhaps?"
Ano couldn’t bring herself to say anything; all she could do was whirl around and hug Arrian tightly, sobbing hard on the half orc’s shoulder.
While Arrian is comforting her, Ethan reaches down and gently removes the dagger from her hand, concerned for her current emotion state and the proximity of a sharp weapon.
He cleans the blood from the blade and returns it to its sheath.
"Should we cremate the body? Is there risk of her rising through some sort of necromancy?" he asks the others.
While Arrian is comforting her, Ethan reaches down and gently removes the dagger from her hand, concerned for her current emotion state and the proximity of a sharp weapon.
He cleans the blood from the blade and returns it to its sheath.
"Should we cremate the body? Is there risk of her rising through some sort of necromancy?" he asks the others.
Donimah shrugs.
"That would require a necromancer. I imagine if we bring her back to Father Zantus, he'll grant her proper last rites and sanctify her burial site so she doesn't rise on her own. There's an open grave there whose occupant won't be returning after all, thanks to Nualia."
"Not necessarily a dedicated necromancer -- you're giving wizards too much credit -- but we should give her last rites, even if she probably went straight to the Abyss."
Donimah shoots Juriya a petulant look, but doesn't say anything.
"I only bring it up because my parents had heard horror stories of the alchemist equivalent to your necromancers, so keep an eye out for any weird alchemists that are new in town. Eugh. Mom injecting deathwatch is grisly enough..."
"Let's return to Sandpoint and bring the body to Father Zantus. He'll probably have the means to ensure she doesn't come back to haunt us."
"Anyone see where her mage ran off to?"
"No clue. If we can, we're both nabbing her spellbook, right?"
"If you want I can try to track the mage but she has quite the lead on us."
Arrian speaks softly as he comforts Ano realizing that, unfortunately, life goes on even in the face of tragedy.