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"Sure, I like that idea," Dianora agrees.
Once Yuki's ready, Dianora enters. "I'm so sorry to bother you," she says. "We saw you help that poor man in earlier and I thought he needed help. I had to help my friend here -- she had a bad goiter, you know. Not her personally, of course, but her pet goat -- but I just couldn't stop thinking about you, and thought I should come check. I did learn a little bit of healing at my meemaw's hand -- that's how I know what a goiter is, of course. She had an awful one! -- so ... can I help you?"
”Oh dear sister these people don’t want to hear about goats or goiters, even if you are the goat of healing.” Yuki says looking apologetically at the poor confused woman, whilst edging closer to the book shelf. ”But she really is the best, got me through something dreadful let me tell you.”
The acolyte seems confused, but she is apparently taking you for nosy do-gooders, at least for the moment.
"It is a broken ankle, and a bit of a fever. I don't believe an infection is rampant, so time and a little watchfulness should prove all of the salve he needs."
Crystal steps up to the woman in the market buying the bits and pieces of a medical kit and helps her collect the bits. "Here. I'm not much of a medic but I know how to tell a good quality tool set from another and you seem like you could use a hand. Wouldn't want anyone's tools to betray them when trying to care for someone else and treat them after all. I'll give you a hand and add them to some stock I'm picking up for myself and you can consider it a gift for doing such good for another."
Crystal hands Kimmich a list of random crafting items to pick up from the shelves to help sell the bit.
The acolyte doesn't seem particularly suspicious of Crystal, and, though this is an island of assassins, people still help each other out in the marketplace.
"Thank you, I didn't expect to be out shopping today. Could you pass me that tincture? I have a fever patient back at my home."
Despite the pleasant demeanor of the exchange, Crystal gets the feeling that eyes are on her in the marketplace.
Yuki, sighs in releif that it is nothing serious. "Oh dear, well you are super thoughtful to be here looking after them. What happened? I must say, it's been a while since I have met a healer willing to make house calls."
Kimmich stands stoically as Crystal works to deceive the healer, large arms full of healing tools and supplies. He idly gazes about the market, keeping an eye out for pursuers or spies.
"Let me take a look," Dianora says. "I can make sure it's nothing too serious."
Crystal starts fondling alchemicals and casual turning herself round trying to look as much like an unassuming powders eccentric as possible.
Sister Dianora's examination of the patient confirms what the acolyte told her. "This is actually my house, but you're right, I don't usually make calls from it. I work at a nearby facility, but we are currently airing it out to remove negative energies and contagious malaises," the resident tells Yuki.
"I don't think I'd combine that wormwood and those mantis tear petals," the shopping healer advises Crystal with a raised eyebrow. "It would make quite a mess as the patient bleeds out from every oriface."
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"Oh, what kind of contagious malaises? It's not the lurgy, is it? That one's particularly tough to get rid of. It just hangs around and hangs around despite your urging it to move along," Dianora says, continuing to distract the woman with discussion of other maladies.
While worrying about this mysterious new plague, and not wanting to hang around for too long… Yuki takes a chance and snatches the book from shelf (and deposits it in her sleeves of holding, while the conversation turns to the shadow she sees moving past the window.
”The lurgy really does just hang around and overstay its welcome… Oh dear what was that outside?
"It sure does! I did my journeyman project on the lurgy, in fact," the acolyte happily chats with you about symptoms and treatments of the disease. She seems to have forgotten, or be ignoring, your question about why the Abby is being fumigated.
Meanwhile, Yuki is able to take advantage of the distraction to slip the suspicious book into her sleeve.
"Well, it does seem you have everything here under control, so we'd best be going," she says.
Once they figure out what's in the book, and if Kimmich and Crystal are returning or have been killed by fellow Mantises while away, they can decide what to do next.
The book, Sisters in Serenity, is a folio, written in Common, that lays out the tenets of the Sisterhood. A casual inspection of the book presents the Sisterhood of Serenity as a benevolent organization of healers.
Crystal smiles in a friendly kind of way. "You're a part of the abby's staff right? I always thought they would keep well stocked did you lose your healing supplies somewhere? It's why I'm happy to pick these up for you sounds like good work is being done there, after all."
"Oh, how wonderful. It's like a branch of our own Red Mantises, except instead of killing, they just watch people," Dianora says. "Here, it looks like they misspelled heal, but really it means they want to bring certain people to heel. But ... we definitely can't trust them, unless we can find a way to subvert them to realizing we're the ones in charge."
The acolyte gives Crystal a shallow bow, "Thank you for the compliment. We are well known for ministering to the people of the island and any visitors in need. Should you need healing, please visit us, as well."
The acolyte purses her lips. "Perhaps not for a few days, though. The abbey is being cleared of negative energy. We have been displaced and temporarily inconvenienced. So, I am scrounging for supplies here."
Crystal gives an honest shock not even a feigned one. "Negative energy? Goodness who haunts an abbey full of healers that seems demonstratively unwise." She shakes her head, staring at the ground but wraps up the rest of her transaction. "Well I'll be sure not to get injured for a few days, but I'll certainly remember your kind offer next I need assistance. Well, assuming I'm still on the island then anyway."
The group gathers together, sharing what they found out and decides to take advantage of the relatively empty state of the Abbey. Approaching in disguise, they make their way through the steamy streets of the city.
The Hospice of Serenity is a relatively humble one-story stone building. Its 15-foot-high walls are accented by 40-foot-tall minarets at each corner, while a large copper dome surrounded by several glass skylights adorns the main roof.
No one is visible as you approach the seemingly-empty building.
"Oh, this will be fun. I love a good play. It's even in the name. Play. Like you're doing a game. I mean, this game is probably going to turn out pretty awful for the people in that building, but that's part of a game. There's always a loser. I just like to focus on being the winner. And the important thing is to have fun!"
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”If work is play and play is work then I guess playing at this game is just a perk of our line of work. Are we the wicked that this way come? Or, are we here to see crimes undone… Look quick companions this maid is unwell we must get get her inside before she begins to swell.”
Crystal smiles and continues in the most beautiful and harmonious sing song voice she can muster, "I most certainly am not a master of rhymes but I do love a show, as I am quite the sight to see even on my worst of days. I have poultices a-plenty for maids such ailed as this, but let me handle them for even just opening them will give you quite the show stopping whiff."
The clandestine caravan makes its way to the doors of the Hospice, which they find locked.
Just as you try the knob, a pebble drops onto the path next to you--evidently dislodged by a careless footstep. Figures appear on the roof above, silhouetted by the jungle sun, despite their efforts to take you by surprise.
~+~Combat Round 1~+~
Kimmich
Sister Dianora
Sister Maeri (Black)
Orange
Gray
Red
Pink
Blue
Crystal
Yuki
Yellow
HP 203/203
AC 36, void resistance 5
Fort +27 (fifth doctrine), Ref +26, Will +28 (resolute faith)
Hero points: 2
Focus Points: 1/1
Spells: Cantrips: daze, detect magic, guidance, message, void warp; 1st: bless [] protection [] sure strike []; 2nd invisibility [] see the unseen [] sure footing []; 3rd cleanse affliction [] heroism [][]; 4th invisibility [] unfettered movement [] vision of death []; 5th heal [][] summon dragon [x]; 6th heal [][] vision of death []; 7th energy aegis [] execute [] heal []; 8th divine inspiration [] spiritual epidemic []
Divine Font (8th rank): Harm [][][][][][]
Effects:
"Well, that's just downright rude. We were going to try to sneak in when there wasn't anyone here so we didn't have to kill anyone ... and they were clearly just waiting here to try to kill us. They didn't even say hello or anything. What if we really were sick people coming here for help? I mean, obviously we're not, but what if we were?"
She looks around. "We should probably get inside as quickly as we can. We don't really want to fight out here in public. You never know what could happen, like a dragon attacks!"
And with that, a dragon attacks, as she summons it onto the abbey's roof. The flame drake immediately blasts a fireball into the massed assassins.