Salome's parents were star-crossed lovers from rival warclans. They lived the nomadic life, trying to stay one step ahead of both clans who had them both marked for death. When Salome was a little girl, her father's clan kidnapped Salome's mother and murdered both of her parents when her father went to rescue her mother. Then her mother's clan looted what was left of her family's belongings and left Salome on the street to fend for herself.
Ever resourceful, Salome dressed as a boy and joined a children's gang and survived on the streets for several years. However, when she came of age and was no longer able to hide her gender, she came under the "protection" of a pimp and worked the line with other orphaned girls, servicing traders and warclansmen. During her childhood, she observed much of humanity at its worst and developed a cynical and self-interested view of the world. She quickly learned how to identify people's weaknesses and desires and manipulate their behavior to her own advantage, and did whatever it took to survive.
One night she got into a situation she couldn't escape and was beaten in an alley by a gang of warclansmen who attempted to rape her. Garjjan De intervened with an amazing display of divine power that struck down her attackers. He then ministered to Salome and taught her of Sarenrae. Salome wasn't yet ready to follow him down the divine path, but began to seek a purpose in her life. She had training in combat and defense, and her excellent martial talent caught the attention of several warclans who pressured her into aligning with them. Instead, she rejected the underworld life and decided to seek religious training and perhaps find Garjjan De.
The abbot of the monastery, Mejjur De, was an arrogant and corrupt man who was a follower of Sarenrae in name only. Besides twisting Sarenrae's teachings, he frequently singled out Salome for his tirades and extra work. Salome spoke out against him, but he only retalliated by heaping on more abuse. Once she felt she had learned all she could -- and borne all she could bear -- she left, looking once again for the Gardian Angel who had rescued her years before.
Intentions
Spoiler:
As a substitute for Naelah, I designed Salome with the intention of creating someone who would fill the role of the wise healer when Naelah was absent, but having a distinct and different personality and set of motivations so that if they did interact, they would have something to work with. Where Naelah was airy and intuitive, Salome was practical; where Naelah was quiet, Salome spoke her mind; where Naelah was coolness and air, Salome was fire.
I also saw Salome as a split being, struggling between the opposites she contained. She wanted to be peaceful in a life marked by war and conflict. She sought the spiritual life, but was pulled back again and again by the underworld. Her "fatal flaw" was pride -- she saw herself as one-down, often feeling jealous of or less-than those around her, but unwilling to ask for help or show her weaknesses to anyone but Sarenrae. Although she was jaded by worldly things, she was still fairly young in terms of her own spiritual growth, largely due to things she missed out as a result of her deprived childhood. Therefore, she did many good things out of a sense of duty, a desire to "be good" and to atone for her past (and present) sins, but she hadn't progressed to the point that she was doing it out of love for her fellowman. That changed when she joined the "Heroes of Sandpoint," and allowed herself to connect with them.
I liked playing Salome as a strong woman who didn't recognize her own strength, and as a good person who didn't recognize her own goodness. From her chaotic background, she craved the structure that ritual and religion created in her life. She was definitely a wounded healer. She wanted to make the world a better place, but often felt overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task and was acutely aware of all the ways she fell short. Yet she persevered.
Relationships with other PCs
Spoiler:
Corran: Didn't really know him.
Ehlissa: Salome admired Ehlissa, but may have been a little jealous that she seemed to come from a great, glamorous life. She really wanted Ehlissa's approval and friendship.
Malcolm: Salome didn't trust Malcolm; he reminded her of the bandits on the trade routes and she imagined he had something to hide.
Naelah: Salome didn't know Naelah very well, but did heal her a couple of times. They worked well together in the tunnels, and definitely had a polite relationship. I don't know if they would have been good friends or if their differences would have created conflict down the line.
Slidell: I loved how Salome and Slidell were total opposites on the Wisdom vs. Intelligence spectrum. Salome was naturally suspicious of majji, and anyone else who worked outside her religious framework and worldview. So he frustrated her to no end. But remember, she wouldn't have gotten mad at him if she didn't care. :)
Vesh: Vesh touched a very deep place for Salome, perhaps seeing a lot of her own shadow in him and wanting to help and redeem him somehow -- and perhaps if she could help him, she could help herself. He also represented the family she never had (bazé/zostra) and didn't want to let go of. It was through her relationship with Vesh that Salome began doing her good works not out of duty or compulsion, but out of real charity and love for others.
Zieke: Salome saw Zieke as a kindred spirit -- older, somewhat calloused by the challenges of life, but with a strong sense of justice and wanting to set things right. At the same time, Salome had to meet Zieke with strength and was not yet able to admit her vulnerability to him.
Facts and influences
Spoiler:
• Salome struggled with a dual nature. Love/hate, war/peace, fire/ice, good/bad. The name "Salome" means peace, yet Salome was also the name of the girl who danced before King Herod and requested the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Yeah, not so peaceful.
• The name bajAtru was influenced by Atreyu in The Neverending Story. In TNES, Atreyu means "child of all" -- he was an orphan. Reading that, Bastian concludes he must be a "child of none" because his mother is dead and his father doesn't notice him.
• Salome's mother may have also been a priestess of Sarenrae, but Salome didn't consciously know it.
• Garjjan De may not have existed; he may have been a vision or an angel. He was a Radian Servant of Sarenrae -- a class with a pretty cool description; it would have been fun to play Salome at that level.
• It was fun making up Qadi words to sprinkle in.
• After all the stuff I'd made up about Qadira in my head, Paizo came out with their gazetteer and changed it all. Dang!
• It really is true that everyone Salome ever loved was taken from her; and I'm sorry that that worldview was reinforced within the game. I had hoped she would learn that that doesn't necessarily happen. But it explains a lot about how she functions.
• I'm still a little shocked that Zieke considered Salome the leader of the group, but quite flattered that a veteran player would put so much trust in the PC of a novice.
• Literary and media influences include several of Orson Scott Card's books, Arabian Nights, "Aladdin," "The Thirteenth Warrior," Zoe from "Firefly," the X-Men movies (I thought, what if a mutant looking for Dr. Xavier was recruited by Magneto instead?) several kids' nonfiction books at the library about Persia and the cultures of the Middle East and India, and -- OK -- maybe a little bit of me. :)
Waking, Salome feels a new sense of determination. After cleaning herself up and eating some honeyed bread and fruit, she makes her way to the south end of town to Hannah's house and knocks at the door.
"Good morning, Hannah," Salome says, bowing. "May the light and goodwill of this day's Dawn shine upon us," she smiles. "Hannah, I need your help. Can we take a walk?"
"Hannah, you are the first person I met here in Sandpoint. I respect you for your skills in the divine art of healing and for your knowledge and insight. And right now I have a problem that exceeds my wisdom."
"I have spent the past week assisting the 'Heroes of Sandpoint' in their assignments. They rescued Ameiko who had been kidnapped by her half-brother, Tsuto, and they were asked by the mayor and city council to clear out some tunnels they discovered under the glassworks. Along the way, they suffered severe wounds--you saw that majji's burns--and discovered a dangerous evil. It appears that there was a shrine to the goddess Lamashtu hidden in the tunnels. A vile black liquid, the Milk of Lamashtu, flowed freely, carrying the goddess's evil to all in its path. We even saw the effects it had on one of her monsters--and one of our own." Salome pauses and traces an ankh in the air, as if to ward off the evil of which she had spoken. "Fortunately, by the grace of the Dawnflower, I was able to purify the shrine and cleanse away the influence of the Beast-Shaper."
"My problem is this. Despite all that we saw, those heroes--especially the majji seem to be obsessed with the fire that took Father Tobyn's life and with the fate of Nualia. I do not understand it. This town is threatened by goblins and the growing darkness of Lamashtu, yet they keep talking about the priest's daughter. Is there anything you know or anything I can tell them that would allow me to convince them that Nualia has nothing to do with this and there are far more serious matters to attend to?"
"In my service to Sandpoint, I have seen that these good people have suffered much in the past five years. They are grieving and they are afraid. My hope is that, if the Heroes understand there are greater forces of good and evil at work here--and perhaps if we can learn some means by which we can turn the scales to good--we may set things to right and end the late unpleasantness and bring light and healing back to this town."
"Will you please help me in this?" she asks Hannah.
It probably all seems obvious now, but it wasn't easy to match up characters and calls. I didn't want to dictate where everyone went next; I didn't want it to be an obviously good or bad fate; I wanted space to fill in with each person's interpretations and imaginations; and I wanted it to be a place or a call to which each person would willingly go.
Corran was called to the military life; I wasn't sure where to send Zieke. Both the military and monastary had a "been there, done that" feel to them. He's a man on the run, but after their last conversation, I didn't want Salome's dream/fantasy to single out or punish Zieke. So I didn't give him a named destination. And not having a 1:1 correlation between people and places does leave some extra room for interpretation.
So did Salome count wrong? Does Zieke leave his own way or does he stay with her? Or is that "mystery man" someone else from her past? (I don't even know; I can think of 5 or 6 possibilities.)
- A palace of ancient tomes... Slidell -- combination of knowledge and power -- but whose palace is it?
- A great ship on the high seas... Malcolm -- didn't stick around long enough to say where he was going; maybe he doesn't know?
- A river flowing past a meadow of snow-white flowers... Vesh -- reference to the river where his sister disappeared and the Velashu snow; also a juxtaposition of heaven/hell or life/death, his uncertain future
- A gust of wind passing through the trees... Naelah and Veran -- I imagined Naelah disappearing into a whirlwind and riding above the forest; she goes where the wind blows
- An urgent letter and a great horse... Ehlissa -- I imagined what it would take to change Ehlissa's course. A summons to Cheliax? A letter from her family? A call to a crusade? A surprise inheritance? The request of a noble? A proposal? Either way, it would likely come in letter form, and be very official. I was thinking of Ehlissa's horse, Fleetfoot (who hasn't gotten much screen time this chapter), but I think I described more of a warhorse instead. Hmm...
And the unseen voice belongs to... oops, I'm out of time. :)
Back in her room, Salome indulges herself in a few more selfish tears, grieving the loss of the man she thought was her friend, hating herself for letting herself care about him, and angry with Zieke being so, so... Ziq! she shouts into her pillow. Zieke, solid, steady, immovable, concrete, duty-bound -- and clueless about the secrets of the human heart. She thought Zieke was her friend too...
Exhausted and empty of tears, she falls asleep.
Salome finds herself in the middle of a bustling bazaar, surrounded by people so focused on buying and selling their wares that no one seems to notice her. A young woman with purple eyes strides past and Salome suddenly remembers she urgently needs to talk to this person. She tries to follow--but loses her in the milling crowd. The press of the humanity nearly knocks her off her feet, but she moves forward, pushed to the center of town by the oblivious multitude.
She is surprised, upon reaching the town's core to find herself, not in a marketplace, town hall, or cathedral, but alone in the middle of a misty graveyard, standing before a freshly filled grave. Salome becomes aware of others joining her, conversing quietly. Her heart leaps when she sees her companions of the last two weeks--people so recently strangers--encircling her.
"What shall we do next?" she asks. But rather than answer, she notices her companions are looking elsewhere, seeing things she is not immediately aware of. But when she follows their gazes, she sees... A marching army and distant drums... A palace of ancient tomes... A great ship on the high seas... A river flowing past a meadow of snow-white flowers... A gust of wind passing through the trees... An urgent letter and a great horse... One by one her friends, called by ghostly images, turn from her and fade away. She reaches out, trying to grasp them before they disappear, keep them with her--but in vain. Again, she is alone.
Salome falls to her knees and buries her face in her hands. "Dawnflower," she prays--
"Yes, child?"
Salome looks up to see the golden woman once more. "My Lady," she motions toward the graves around her. "It is ending, is it not?"
She nods. "All earthly things come to an end. Did you expect differently?"
Salome recognizes the chastisement and shakes her head, but she persists. "Was it worth it?" she asks.
"That is for you to decide. You may not choose what happens, but you can choose the meaning you make of it."
Salome hears a crackling sound behind her and turns to see a flaming triangle on the surface of the grave. Three vents open -- two on a leg and one on a vertex of the triangle -- and acrid smoke seeps out. The ground rumbles and a claw pushes through the soil atop the grave.
"I am Salome bajAtru, Child of None!" Salome shouts to the coming threat.
"Ah, but you are not alone," says a deep, familiar voice behind her.
"The others agree. Even Ehlissa and Mal," Zieke nods, "It's a hard life out here, sister. It's hard everywhere. It doesn't seem your friend Vesh came out of a noble's household. That means he's lived no life of ease. So I reckon he'll make his way just fine."
The priestess's eyes flash angrily at not being included in the discussion but holds her silence.
Zieke Halveran wrote:
"We plead with him to reconsider? Meanwhile, Nualia and her army razes Sandpoint?...Everyone else needs you here...much more than Vesh needs you chasing after him right now."
"You act like it is either one or the other--Why can we not do right by both? Besides," she adds in a near-whisper, "Vesh did more for me than Sandpoint ever did," her eyes welling with tears again.
Zieke Halveran wrote:
Then, Zieke's expression softens a little. "As for your time at the riverbank," he offers, "I came running quick enough, did I not? Are you telling me that was your way of saying good-bye?" His words linger in the silence as he measures her response.
Her lower lip trembles, but she swallows keeps her voice steady. "Vesh is not the only one who has had a hard life. Healers come by their knowledge of pain and suffering through experience. But no one considers whether or why they may be in pain."
Zieke Halveran wrote:
He moves to leave, but looks back over his shoulder..."I'll be at the Rusty Dragon once I've gathered a few things for the trip to Thistletop. If you want to talk, find me there..."
"I think we have said enough on this. I see that I am fighting a losing battle. I will follow you to Thistletop and whatever fate lies there, but I believe that this path is leading us to our end."
By now, Salome is all business, her emotions once again locked deep in her heart. "Thank you for being the one to let me know," she says evenly. "It looks like we have work to do." She turns her back on him and walks deliberately back upstairs to her room, leaving her unfinished breakfast on the table behind her.
That's not quite how I expected this to go. I think these guys are in serious trouble as they prepare for the final battle. How many will we be? Three? Four?
As her sobs subside, Salome closes her eyes and breathes, listening to Zieke's words. "Duty. Yes, duty. I always have a duty to do..."
Zieke Halveran wrote:
"...It's better for everyone this way..."
My father's family said that before they took all my parent's possessions and turned me out on the streets. The leader of my ganya said that after he discovered I was a girl and forced me to leave. The women on the line and the man who sold us. Even Mejjur De, before meting out a punishment or taking away any tiny joy I happened upon. "It's better for everyone." Why is it that things that are "better for everyone" are never better for me?
Zieke Halveran wrote:
He continues to stand solidly, holding Salome, and trying to use his presence as a reassurance for her. But he waits for her own reaction before deciding on any further response.
Salome sets her jaw before pushing herself away from the big man. "I take it that the others agree with you?"
She scoffs and adds bitterly, "You will all just let him go. No questions. No good-byes. No attempt to find him. If I had drowned that day you found me on the riverbank, would any of you have raised a finger to find my body? Because, "liability" to us or not, I honestly believe Vesh is going to get killed out there."
I do not intend for Salome to be monologuing here. Feel free to interject and break up what she says with Zieke's responses as you see fit.
Zieke Halveran wrote:
"Priestess..." Zieke greets her as he approaches her table.
Salome, startled from her reveries about the best way to approach Hannah, looks up, then offers a rare smile when she sees the warrior. "Zieke, what brings you here this morning? I had imagined you would be gathering supplies or planning strategy."
Zieke Halveran wrote:
"We need to talk..." he explains, "Something's come up....It's about Vesh."
Salome's brow furrows questioningly as she takes the letter and begins to read. It takes a few moments for her to understand what she is reading. As she reads, her expression passes from curiosity to disbelief to shock and grief. She shakes her head. "No," she whispers. "No, no. No, no, no!" she crescendos, as if she can command the letter to change, to retract its own words.
"Zieke! We need to bring him back! We cannot let him go! Who knows what will happen to him? I promised I would protect him. I promised I would heal him. I promised I would stay by him... We need to go. We need to go now and find him, bring him back." She looks around the room as if searching for a clue, a plan to suddenly present itself.
"Yes, yes. We can do this," she says, though it's unclear whether she's talking to herself or to the former guardsman, "but we need to leave right away, before he gets too far or gets in trouble." She looks up Zieke. "You can track him. I will convince him to come back. He will listen to me. We can be back here before noonday and still leave for Thistletop when we planned." She stands up and heads toward the door before turning back and beckoning to her companion.
"Zieke, please, we need to go," she says, growing more agitated. "You do not understand. This is Vesh we are talking about. Mijn bazé -- my brother. Lamashtu must have poisoned his mind against us. She is turning him away from us when she knows we all need each other the most. She is trying to weaken us, break us apart so we cannot complete our mission. We must find him!"
Growing more frantic, she lowers her voice, again seeming to talk to herself. "It must be Lamashtu. It must. Desna is good. She guided him so many times, blessed him with luck. Preserved his life. Lamashtu must be making him think this way. Because if she is not...if she is not...the only alternative is that...oh, no. No, no, no, no!" The normally stoic priestess starts rocking and breathing heavily, trying to stave off the nearly overwhelming flood of emotions behind her realization. "Zieke, I did it. It is my fault. I told him that when he attacked my face, he attacked my soul. It is Qadi belief. But I held no grudge. I forgave him. I did not mean to send him away! I need to talk to him! I need to bring him back!"
"Everyone I have ever loved has been taken away from me. Now Vesh too!" Unable to hold back her overwhelming grief, Salome covers her face and weeps, still rocking. "Mijn bazé, mijn bazé," she repeats, futilely calling him back through her tears.
Alzanist. Lamashtu. Quasit. Nualia. Naelah. Hannah. "Give me peace, my Lady," she pleads silently -- and then realizes --
Why am I crying? she wonders.
Slightly confused, Salome shakes her head as though to clear it and wipes her eyes. Back to business. She starts to rehearse her side of her conversation with Hannah as she wanders back to the White Deer Inn for breakfast. Maybe the white-haired druid will be there... they could plan out what they need in order to keep their party alive in the goblins' nest...
As Salome begins her morning prayers, a dark cloud passes across the sun, blocking the comforting sunbeams of morning. After a few moments, the cloud seems to pass, but the shrine remains darkened.
Distant hoofbeats. Silence.
Salome feels an irrational sense of dread deep in the pit of her stomach. "Dawnflower," she prays, "guide me this day, for I fear the darkness is rising."
Thoughts tumble through her mind. Alzanist. Lamashtu. Quasit. Nualia. Naelah. Hannah. "Give me peace, my Lady," she pleads silently -- and then realizes --
The wizard-wolf-induced commotion catches Salome's attention and she returns to the table. Maybe she left to get something for their meeting. She briefly catches Naelah's eye and offers a Qadiran bow.
Long, busy day for me today. This will probably be my only post.
"You know, I'm still confused about something the Mayor said to the Sheriff," Zieke confides in Salome as they continue walking, "I could've sworn she mouthed the name of Hannah to him when we were telling them about Nualia..."
"I saw that, too," replies Salome.
Zieke wrote:
"...I wonder what that could mean? Is there something they're not telling us about the fire at the cathedral all those years ago?"
"The others were digging up Father Tobyn and Nualia's grave the first time I saw them, and there seemed to be enough there for them to question whether Nualia died in the fire. I had been told that Father Tobyn died in the fire, but when we were talking by the river, Nafir told me that he pulled Father Tobyn out of the fire himself, and Father Tobyn was still breathing. He died soon after from the smoke."
Zieke wrote:
"I know a little bit about Hannah..."
"I had not realized she is a half-elf. I worked with her for a couple of days after the goblin attacks. She is a skilled healer and was invaluable to the town. It seems like Father Zantus trusts her with much of the laywork at the cathedral."
Zieke wrote:
"Knowing what we know about Nualia and Father Tobyn, could there be some kind of connection there?" he asks, "Was Nualia pregnant? Or could one of them have sought out Hannah for something? Maybe we should talk to her before setting out for Thistletop. And by 'we'...I mean you. I think you two have enough in common, that she might open up to you more than most. What do you think?"
"I am not sure what we do know about Nualia and Father Tobyn. That is, I do not know what everyone else has learned. I have not spoken to Hannah in more than a week. As a healer, she keeps people's confidences, but it does seem that she has been even less talkative than usual. Perhaps even avoiding us. But with that majji around, I cannot say I would blame her..." she trails off.
"If I were to talk with her, I do not even know what I would say, or what I should ask."
It's time to pool our knowledge on this, maybe in the discussion thread. Past attempts to speak to Hannah have been fruitless, though she is becoming more suspicious. How should this best be approached?
...As everyone leaves the mayor's office, Salome lags behind to converse with Zieke. "Sometimes in times of darkness, the path is lit only one or two steps ahead, but it is still your path. And you are still blessed for you walk with friends." Without waiting for an invitation, Salome follows Zieke into the cool evening air.
It seems like Salome and Zieke are both in planning mode. Salome is also inclined to offer some words of comfort or wisdom as Zieke vacates the barracks.
One more thought. Would it be appropriate for Zieke to roll a Knowledge(Local) check for information about Hannah and other oddities?
Salome notes the Mayor and Sheriff's discomfort then notices the Mayor mouth something to Hemlock. Hannah? What does she have to do with this? Salome wonders.
Re-post:
By way of response, Salome simply offers a Qadiran bow to the mayor. "As you so choose," she says, respectfully not making eye contact. "May the Lady of the Dawn smile upon you, Sandpoint, and those who protect it."
Once the mayor leaves, Salome feels impressed to calm the exuberance of the youths as the coinage glitters in their eyes. "I know almost nothing of Thistletop, but it sounds like we are heading into the snakes' den. Let us be certain that we are fully prepared before we leave. We all need to replenish our gear. And I believe there are still some questions remaining that require answers," she looks directly at Slidell. Then, addressing the group she adds, "Meet me at the White Deer for dinner tonight. There are fewer ears in the walls."
"...And in general, a small group of specialists historically have more success with a quiet infiltration than a large group would have 'storming the castle', as it were."
Quiet? Salome thinks to herself. With him around? But she wisely holds her tongue.
Slidell Stormraven wrote:
"Mayor, I do have one request..."
By way of response, Salome simply offers a Qadiran bow to the mayor. "As you so choose," she says, respectfully not making eye contact.
"You remember Brodert Quint, the 'Sage of Sandpoint'? I mentioned him before. He's the one with the wild theories about some of the landmarks around here. Like the 'Old Light' being an ancient Thassilonian weapon. I really don't understand why he's considered an eccentric, " he mutters aside to Veran.
Salome looks at the excitable mage with a raised eyebrow.
Slidell Stormraven wrote:
"Thistletop is this small island, more like a really big rock according to Quint, just shy of touching the shore. It's supposed to be infested with goblins. Actually, I think it's one of the few places where they actually know where the goblins are! Anyway ,... Quint says that if you look at Thistletop from the right angle, it looks like a giant head!"
"And this makes you...happy?" she says, rather perplexed by Slidell's growing excitement.
Slidell Stormraven wrote:
"Ok, what if Quint is right? What if This 'Thistletop' is really the remains of one of the old Thassilonian monuments? The head of a giant statue?!
"Were we not just in a Thassilonian monument? The Thassilonians themselves were not giants, were they? But that room beyond Alzanist and the runewell were huge..." her voice trails. Returning she says, "The island, a statue? I do not believe that the Runelords would build a tribute to a slave. I think it far more likely that goblins would build a dwelling out of a corpse."
Slidell Stormraven wrote:
"I think that your goddess just told you where we can find Nualia!"
"And I think you do jump to conclusions. But thank you for the information about giants," answers Salome tersely before walking into the mercantile to look at looms and yarn... maybe a few scarves...
Salome does not have money, but would like to take a look around. Any butterflies or snowflower-motif items?
Slidell's expression goes from puzzled to outright confused. "A Jackal,... staring out the eye of a LIVING giant? I don't know much about interpreting dreams, but,... Wait, wait a second,..." He holds up a hand for a silence, the other hand furiously rubbing his chin. "That sounds familiar somehow,...Alright," He says briskly. "I think I'm missing something important here. Please start at the beginning, and tell me every detail that you can remember about this man's dream.""
"I do not need you to interpret the dream," Salome says, clearly annoyed at the wizard's delay. "I want to know about giant-lore. In Qadira, we have jackals; ancient people worshipped jackals as death-gods. And there are desert stories of large people, qu-Laths, but not giants."
Slidell Stormraven wrote:
"Sorry, where are my manners. Candy?"
It seems to me you have none, Salome thinks, while he's talking with his mouth full of candy, but simply shakes her head at the philistine's offer.
Slidell Stormraven wrote:
These rolls...
I say roll first and ask questions later!
"That's the story. He dreamt of a giant with a jackal in its eye socket."
"Come on slowpoke." Slidell tells the bird, despite the fact that said bird is perched on his shoulder. "I want to check out one more shop before they close. If this rod idea is going to properly channel sound energy, it will require a very certain type of wood,..." He starts moving again, still talking, still oblivious to Salome's presence on the street. As they pass Salome, Veran turns his his head, and winks at her. Allowing the mage to continue uninterrupted.
He really is koozeh, Salome thinks. I think he would be having this conversation even if there were no bird on his shoulder... She braces herself before addressing the riled-up majji passing by her.
"Majji!," she calls out, half hoping he doesn't hear her, and hoping even more that the people on the street are unaware that they are associated.
When he is close enough she can speak softly, she asks, "What do you know of giants in this land? A man I know dreamed a dream in which he saw a jackal looking out the eye of a living giant. Are there tales of such things in the west?"
Salome will talk to Slidell if he rolls a knowledge check and can help her get some info on this. Otherwise, she'll proceed to the mercantile and pretend she doesn't know him.
Salome notices the bells representing the six dieties honored in the cathedral, and observes that the easternmost bell -- Sarenrae's -- was likely the one that blinded the bell-ringer.
But he does this every day. What made this different? she wonders, believing more and more that the Dawn Goddess had a hand in this new revelation.
She thanks Naffer with a bow. After her prayer at the shrine, Salome then heads south, generally toward the docks, figuring she will take the scenic route toward the Rusty Dragon.
If she doesn't run into anyone, she may stop at the Mercantile before going to the Rusty Dragon.
You inspect the book and flip through the crisp leaves...
As you finish your perusal, Naffer smiles broadly and gazes at you expectantly. "Very good, is it not?"
"Oh, yes," Salome says encouragingly, "very good. Continue to take good care of this book. I am sure our lady of the dawn will smile upon you." As she speaks, her eyes are drawn to the stacks of parchment. Perception check (1d20 5=12)
Very curious as to the parchment stacks, and possibly Naffer's reaction to her looking toward them.
"Nafir, can you show me where you were when you had your--" she clears her throat-- "vision?"
As she follows him out, she has one more question. "Do you know if there are any other Dawn-worshippers in Sandpoint? I thought perhaps we could have a prayer service on Sunday."
After getting the caretaker's tour, Salome bows in thanks and takes her leave. She wanders around the cathedral a little, stopping to offer a brief prayer of gratitude to Sarenrae for her continuing protection, and especially for the holiness bestowed upon the subterranean shrine.
Then she walks through the town, trying to better familiarize herself with the area. If this is where Sarenrae wants me, it would do well for me to know where I am...
No plans at this point. No money for clothes or anything right now. May wander toward Vernah's Fine Clothing or the Sandpoint Boutique to window-shop for clothes, loom, etc. Salome is available to intersect with someone else.
"I wish I knew. But based on what I have seen these last days, I believe Lamashtu is beating a path of destruction and Sandpoint is in her sights."
"Nafir," Salome says thoughtfully, "I wanted to ask you if I could look at your prayer book. May I walk with you back to the cathedral?" On the way, she asks him about the old church and what, if anything, he knew of Father Tobyn's daughter.
Salome takes in the story. After checking for injuries, and making sure that Naffer is otherwise OK and has calmed down a bit, she asks for more information:
"You dreamed of a giant with a three-eyed dog in its eye socket?"
"Have you ever had a dream or vision of any kind before?"
"Did any of those images remind you of something?"
"What stories do people around here tell of giants or demon-dogs?"
"Did someone or something awaken you? What happened after you woke up?"
Salome offers Naffer a piece of fruit as she walks around the room, trying to piece this new information together.
"I'm terribly sorry, ma'am. We asked him to return later, but the moment I turned my back he rushed up the stairs screaming your name and babbling about demons and giants."
Meanwhile, Vosk makes eye contact with you. His face is caked with sweat and grime, his hair is a wild mess and this clothes appear unwashed. "Please. I'm sorry. I must speak with you. I have had a vision!"
"I appreciate your concern, Garridan. I know this man; he works at the cathedral." She looks at Naffer Vosk, still very agitated, and again addresses the innkeeper. "He does seem very upset. Let me speak with him. Would you please send up a blanket and some water for this gentleman?" She bows in her customary manner as the Shoanti men take their leave, and nods when Garridan raises his eyebrow in an "Are you sure?" sort of way.
Leaving the door partially open, she leads Naffer to a chair and instructs him to take some deep breaths to calm down. "Now, from the beginning, tell me what happened."
Later, you sleep peacefully for several hours. However you are awakened by an urgent knock at the door. As you hastily throw on your garments, you hear a soft voice on the other side, "please, Daughter of Sarenrae, please let me in." This plea is followed by the gruff voice of the innkeeper, "I thought I told you she was resting. Come back later."
Salome hastily throws on some clothes and properly covers her hair with a hijab. "No, no, I am awake," she says just as she reaches the door. She opens it and asks, "What is needed?"
At the shrine of Sarenrae, Salome diligently performs her morning prayers and devotionals, finding some comfort in the sunlight streaming through the east windows and playing on the floor. Yet her mind wanders to the miraculous glow she experienced in the Other shrine -- evil defeated, her companions healed -- power far greater than anything she had ever done before.
"Dear Lady of the Dawn," she prays, "what is thy call for me? How can I heal the wounds of weapons, but I cannot heal a broken heart? How can I cleanse evil from a shrine, yet I cannot erase the sins of my past? How can I wield the power of light, yet I cannot understand?"
"I care about these people. They often look to me for guidance, and I do my best to follow thy paths. But if they truly saw me..." she shudders, and then her shoulders heave as she breaks down into tears. She bows, her forehead to the ground, wetting her tattered rug with her tears, offering her qa and all its sorrow to the Mother of Light.
Mother. Mami. What would you think of me?
Her tears exhausted and her rituals complete, Salome asks blessings on her companions before rolling up her rug and gathering her pack.
On her way out of the cathedral, she asks after Naffer Vosk, hoping to see his prayer book and perhaps plan a time to hold a devotional. From there, she makes her way back to her room at the White Deer Inn. She says a prayer of gratitude when she notices her bowl of fruit and bread filled once again by the generous Shoanti. After eating, she retires to her bed and falls asleep in the embrace of midmorning sunbeams. Not forgotten...
As Zieke and the others share a drink, Vesh can't help but feel lost. He feels a gentle hand on his shoulder and looks up to see Salome standing next to him.
Salome wrote:
"Come," she whispers. "We walk."
Vesh leaves a half-full cider on the table, stands, and exits the Rusty Dragon with Salome.
Following the route that Vesh led her on to the cathedral the previous evening -- Eternities ago!* she thinks -- Salome walks beside the Varisian stripling, deep in thought. Finally, she speaks.
"Vesh, do you believe in a qa, a soul?"
"In Qadira, we believe in four parts of Self inside: qahld'rah," she places a hand on her belly, "qhor," she indicates her heart, "qaaft," to her temple, "and qa," she touches her forehead above and between her eyes. "Qa is not here," she says, pointing again to her heart, "it is up here," she circles her face with her hand. "Even Chelaxians know this when they say Qadi words: Aqo bin raam bajQa. 'The eyes are the window to the soul.'"
She continues, "When I bow to my goddess, I offer my soul at her feet." In one graceful motion she touches her forehead with her fingertip then shows Vesh her open palm. "You see?"
"When you drank the Milk of Lamashtu, Lamashtu took your Self from you, filling your qahld'rah with hate, turning your qhor cold, darkening your qaaft, and stealing your qa. I know it was not you--" she takes a deep breath and closes her eyes "--I know that, but..." she looks up at him, her amber eyes wet and shining, "...mijn bazé, you attacked my soul."
Once again she traces the scratch marks on her face.
"Look at me. I kept my promise. And I will keep my promise. I will heal you and I will not leave you. But right now, I need healing too. My qa...hurts."
Salome looks up at the cathedral now looming in front of her. "I need to pray. May I suggest you do the same?" With that, she takes her leave and heads toward the shrine of Sarenrae to perform her morning devotionals.
* Remember way back on page 40? That was, like, just over 12 hours ago!
To those at the table he finally asks, "What is to be done now? Hmm? If there is more for us to do, I'll do it. If you'll still have me. If you won't, speak, and I'll collect my share and be on my way."
This is kind of a placeholder... I'm posting now to state my intent... I'll finish this conversation after everyone else has had a chance to speak around the breakfast table.
Salome listens intently to the ensuing conversation, but keeps her peace. She notices horizontal sunbeams from the pink sky starting to stream through the windows, and realizes that sleep must wait; it is time for her dawn devotions.
She gets up, grabs her pack, and gently rests a hand on Vesh's shoulder. "Come," she whispers. "We walk."
Anyone need extra healing beyond a good day's sleep?
He shoulders his pack and walks out past the others in the same direction that Salome took. Stopping in front of her as she sits against the wall, he cannot bring himself to turn towards her but says a quiet, "I'm sorry. I..." But he has nothing else to say.
By now, Salome appears to be meditating, back to the wall and eyes closed. She takes a deep breath and sighs tiredly.
Vesh wrote:
Suddenly turning back to the others he says, "let's get out of here, this place leaves a bad taste."
Salome nods slowly. "I have done what I needed to do here." she says, "I am ready to move on." She Lights her shield and looks over her shoulder at Zieke, who still seems huge to her. "Unless there is anything else you need to check in these tunnels, I think it is time to go back to Sandpoint."
Vesh wrote:
Without waiting for a reply, Vesh turns to make his way back towards th surface--waits for Slidell to activate the door--and continues on in silence.
Slowly, he opens his eyes. He flinches at Slidell's finger, but you see nothing in them but the dark brown you've grown accustomed to.
As Vesh stirs and begins to talk, Salome breathes a sigh of relief, for him as well as for the rest of the party. She also notices that in the golden light that had filled the room, many of her companions' injuries have been healed, and they are all moving with less pain.
Instinctively, she touches the scratch-marks on her face.
Vesh wrote:
He looks at each of you and seems to gather himself for the answer as he says, "Tell me. What did I do?"
The combination of physical and emotional exhaustion from their recent battles are too much for Salome. At Vesh's question, her eyes involuntarily well up. Still with her hand to her cheek, she purses her lips, turns her back, and leaves the room she just purified. One room closer to the exit.
Finding a place just out of sight, yet still near enough to hear conversations, she leans against the wall, sinks to the floor, and breathes deeply, trying to regain her composure.
I know Consecrate doesn't actually do anything to people, but can I have Vesh brought into the room to benefit from the purification, too?
Leaving others to pick up the jewels and daggers, Salome takes the vial of holy water and the bag of silver dust out of her pack, miraculously unharmed from the earlier fire. As she methodically circles the room, chanting in Qadi, silver dust pours like the desert sand through her fingers. Then she reverses course, retracing her steps and sprinkling holy water onto the silver dust. Near the center of the room, where the statue once stood, Salome traces Sarenrae's symbol in the dust and kneels on her singed prayer rug to pray. She pauses to allow those who wish to participate, or decline, to move as necessary.
"Lady of the Dawn, may thy grace penetrate this room, dispel the evil that dwelt here, and protect thy children from the influence of evil," she says, looking pointedly in Vesh's direction. Rising, she reads from the precious scroll, which seems to glow gold in her hands...
Salome turns away from the acrid gas coming off the mixture, instinctively reaches for a scarf to cover her face, and wishes again that her scarves hadn't burned in the quasit's fire.
Zieke Halveran wrote:
"What are you two doing?" he asks,
"By the grace of Sarenrae, this should make the Milk of Lamashtu safer for us to destroy," answers Salome, satisfied with the grey swirling sludge.
Zieke Halveran wrote:
"Let's push this thing over and get out of here..." He sheathes his longsword and moves behind the statue, waiting for the others to line up next to him for one final push.
"Agreed," answers Salome, joining the oversized warrior.
JSL: Do we all roll Strength checks now? Are Will saves still required? By my reckoning, we are starting Round 4 now.
Since Aid Another is a punt, I'll roll both, with the intention of leaving room for Ehlissa to roll to Aid Another and for Slidell and Zieke to RP their respective rolls with the cumulative benefits, if any.
Sorry about the delay in posting; I got a hotline call from the hospital after midnight last night, and was there for about 5 hours. Too tired and busy today to post earlier.
"Zieke, can you look at this?" Salome calls out from behind the statue. She points out a square plate on the floor at the base. "It's heavy iron, set to look like the floor stones. Do you think you can move it?"
JSL wrote:
Someone can make a strength check to pry the plate loose.
Zieke is the most likely to succeed the Strength check. Sounds like Slidell would be more successful rolling for Intelligence than Craft: Alchemy. Salome and Ehlissa still need to roll their Round 3 skill checks. Once Round 3 is resolved (hopefully, with 6 successes!), then we can use Round 4 to pull/push or otherwise topple the statue. After that, I don't thinke there should be any difficulty for Salome to successfully activate her Consecrate scroll.
I'm going to wait for JSL to respond before I choose which skill check Salome should roll.
Slidell waits for Ehlissa and Salome to join him. Then says, "One,... Two,... Three,... PUSH!"
Yeah, I think he's going to have to wait for a while. Do you think it might be wise to check out the weak spots in the shrine first? Maybe roll that Int check? Maybe see if we can get JSL to expunge Veran's 1d2 Perception check? Just a thought.
Zieke finishes up and then heads for the door. He pauses just outside the door, and the statue's influence. "Salome? I'm ready. If you've got a blessing to help shield me from turning on the rest of you, I'll be happy to help..."
"Wait right there," says Salome, walking around the statue and assessing the problem. She moves to the door and pulls out her ankh. Saying a few words in Qadi, she touches the symbol to Zieke's temples and the center of his forehead. Cast Resistance, +1 on saves.
Zieke Halaveran wrote:
Zieke can feel the menacing effect of the statue bearing down on him, almost as if seeking to savage his mind for taking away Vesh as the shrine's last guardian. He attempts to shrug off the effect, but finds that his own willpower isn't sufficient. Only by the grace of Sarenrae and Salome's blessing does he summon up a shield to hold off Lamashtu's influence.
"Okay..." Zieke says between gritted teeth, "I'm alright. Let's do this..."
He hurries to join Ehlissa and Sli. "Where's the best place to push?" he asks, "Do we have any tricks that might make this easier?"
I've already rolled my Round 2 Religion check, but if it would be more helpful, I can roll for Perception: Perception check (1d20+5=25)
I would like to point out that with only two people in the room rolling checks, it's going to take longer to get up to 6 successes -- with time-limited spell assistance. Also, rather than four people working to topple a 1000 lb. statue with a combined Aid Another of +9, as in Zieke's example, y'all have left the two women in the party (who have a combined weight of 233 lbs.) to do all the heavy work.
Would it be legal for Slidell to roll an Arcana check before leaving the room?
Heal check (1d20+7=15)Not to heal Vesh per se, just to confirm efficacy of Sleep spell and assess damage and degree of incapacitation. I'm a little behind the posting rate today! Backing up a little...
Salome examines Vesh while Zieke continues to hold him. "He is asleep," she says. "Get him out and tie him up. Majji, how long should this last?"
Salome, didn't you say you had something that could boost a person's resistance to outside influences? You might want to give that to Zieke in case he needs to re-enter this chamber.
Zieke: I have one Resistance (+1 saves for 1 min.). Let me know if/when you want it.
Aside from Aid Another is there a way to combine strength scores in a more cumulative way? This looks like it would be more effective as an all-on tug-of-war rather than "Let's each take a turn pulling." Salome's Str bonus is only +1, not much use in toppling on her own...
"Bazé," Salome whispers to Vesh, "are you all right?" Space for response.
She nudges Malcolm. "Perhaps you could offer to restrain him?" she nods her head toward Vesh. "Just long enough to keep him safe while we work."
Slidell Stormraven wrote:
Slidell watches as Salome prepares her items for the task ahead. "If I may... Perhaps we could... It may not work... it is an idea. How long will it take...? Will it save time if...? I am familiar with..."
Salome ignores the overeager mage's questions and offers to help. From a distance, they seem to be doing a strange dance as she turns her back on him and he keeps moving in front of her to get her attention. Finally, she faces him. "Look," she says, focusing her penetrating amber eyes on his face, "if you want to be useful, let me concentrate on my job so I can get this right the first time. In the meantime, you and Malcolm keep an eye on Vesh. Lamashtu wants him back and I refuse to allow that to happen."
OK, I have no idea what to do next. I have the Consecrate scroll, holy water, and silver powder. Do we knock it down first? Do I need to make any other rolls?
Someone should pick up the wrathspawn's dagger. 200 gp will help finance some leveling-up stuff. My next move is to go to the shrine (I could even go ahead with one other person - who has a strong WILL save [Ehlissa?] - while Vesh and Malcolm are exploring) and decontaminate it before Vesh has to go through.
JSL - It looks like Zieke wants to check on and/or secure more of the cave complex. Is there any place else worth going to? What are our choices? Otherwise, like Vesh, I'd be happy to fast forward once the shrine is purified.
"We've done it, Sandpoint is safe from any further threats from here!" He smiles.
"You seem very sure of yourself, majji," cautions Salome as she takes in the enormity of the room. "And did Veran check the landings and the tunnels beyond the fallen-down rocks while we were fighting the djini? I get the sense we have only seen a fraction of this place," she shines her shield-light toward the distant towering walls.
Zieke Halveran wrote:
"So...what's the verdict, sister?" he asks Salome.
Salome raises an eyebrow. "Ziq naz-Sharif," Salome addresses the guardsman and bows in the most formal way possible. "Where I come from, a gentleman does not presume such familiarity with a lady within hardly a day of their first meeting. Nor does he seek to change her name without a formal proposal of marriage," she tilts her head slightly and smiles too-politely. "My name is Salome bajAtru, Daughter of Fire and Peace, Child of None. Perhaps one day we shall be cousins, but for now you may call me Salome." She bows again, but with a more generous smile this time.
Zieke Halveran wrote:
"Let's make sure the rest of this place is safe and then we can let Corporal Marsk and his men seal it off again."
Slidell Stormraven wrote:
"NO! You can't!" He cries in a panic...[Slidell rants] You can't just,... just,... put up a wall and pretend it isn't here!"
As Zieke and Slidell argue about the fate of the tunnels, Salome listens but continues to look around the room.
JSL wrote:
While looking around, you also notice (again) the seven curved pillars arrayed around the well. Looking closer, you see that each is marked with Alzanist's rune. The pillar opposite the balcony has the rune featured most prominantly. The markings on the other six are a little smaller. Below each of these runes is another, smaller rune. While similar, each smaller rune is different.
Seeing Slidell march off in a huff, Salome follows him to the balcony and turns him around. "You," she glares accusingly, "are the most selfish, spoiled-child majji I have ever seen! You may not see yourself as wicked as the power-hungry, conniving, and charlatan majji of Qadira, but your self-centeredness makes you just as dangerous. You were perfectly willing to sacrifice your friends for your own wants, and now you believe you are entitled to turn your back on the people you have been commissioned to protect in order to achieve your own desires. You walk around declaring this safe or that important without any evidence beyond that fact that it suits you. And when things do not go your way, you argue, whine, or stomp off rather than use that "superior intellect" of yours to find a viable solution.
"How hard would it be for you to make a rubbing or write some notes on your ever-present scrolls? We do not have much time. You know it was not our choice that the walls of this cave would be sealed; it was your employers'. I am sure that once we have completed our duty here we can go back and re-explore. But clearly, keeping your promises and keeping your friends are not your top priorities.
"If you want to be sealed up in here with all this ancient knowledge, be my guest. But if you decide that you have no reason to protect the people of this town, then I have no reason to protect you. I have other places to focus my energy."
Salome strides to the archway. "I think we are about done here."
Zieke wrote:
Looking to rebalance himself with someone who typically makes sense, he seeks out Salome again. "So what now? Is there more to this place to explore and secure? I assured the Mayor we'd clean out every room and slay every threat this place might pose toward Sandpoint..."
"I do not know if that is a promise we can keep this night. You have seen the piles of rubble blocking stairs and passages. We have no idea how big this place really is. These caverns and rooms are so huge; whoever created them must have been much larger and stronger than we six. There is no way we could explore every room and tunnel before our time here is up.
"I think we have dealt with two of the three most urgent threats: the wrathspawn and the djini. Let me take care of the shrine and then let the Guard block off the entrances. Perhaps, once we figure out what was behind the Swallowtail massacre and get rid of the goblins and whoever is commanding them, we can come back with a work ganya and finish securing the impassable tunnels."
Salome nods approvingly at Ehlissa. "Well done, Milady." She illuminates her shield and walks into the vast room for a closer look at the pile of wrathspawn.
Cast Light on shield. Salome is looking for anything of use in the room, anything we may have missed before when we were preoccupied by the quasit and the runewell disaster.
The 7-pointed stars keep showing up; is there anything of religious or historical significance in this room? I don't plant to stay and look for long; Light will work for about 30 minutes.
