Post-Lunar Healing

Log Info

• Title: Post-Lunar Healing

• Emitter: Dolan

• Characters: Andelena, Dirk, Dolan, Rune, Slixvah, Zeke

• Place: Temple of Daeus

As usual for Alexandria in Aestry, the weather is positively disgusting. Today, there isn't even the benefit of sun or blue sky to improve the situation, and grey cloud promise rain that is likely to do nothing more than make everything even stickier than it already is. The good news is that here in the Temple of Daeus, the weather is better controlled and much more comfortable than outside. It's early yet, and a good many faithful and clergy are still at morning prayer before the altar to one side of the main area of the Temple grounds, others still leaving one by one as they complete their meditations and prayers for other tasks about the Temple and outside.

Dolan, having already finished his after an early arrival this morning, wears the gold and white mantle of the Corona openly over a high-collared, unbleached shirt, sleeves rolled up in deference to the heat, and tucked loosely into blousy trousers. His left arm is stashed into a black cloth sling for the moment and held tightly to him, and he seems to be waiting for someone or something, leaning carefully against one of the pillars that support the Temple.

Amongst the temple grounds is that of a rainbow ribboned egalrin woman. She's idly walking the grounds, an open journal in one hand with a rusty red feathered quill in the other. Who knows why she was here? To escape the muggy heat? Perhaps a little bit of sun praising to get the clouds to part? Killing time?

She scratches a finger against the underside of her beak. "... making pillars circles is boring..." she mutters to herself, the quill scratching against parchment She holds the page out, squints at it, looks out to the grounds, notes a few things, then back to her page as she strolls past Dolan. "... maybe little suns? No no, not you, Mista Dolan," she jokes. In her hands is a half made map of the temple grounds.

Dirk comes trundling slowly up the stairs to the temple. Out of field gear, he's dressed casually. A collared shirt is worn with a bright blue waistcoat, and simple brown trousers are worn down below, with black shoes and silver buckles on his feet. But even despite not being decked out in full armor, he's red-faced and sweating. He's a dwarf, and thus optimized for much colder climates than this. He fans himself with his tricorne as he pushes the door to the temple and lumbers inside. As soon as the cooler air hits him, he almost melts with relief. "Ohh, praise Dana," he mutters. Then pauses, eyes owlishly wide as he looks up and around. "Nae offense, Lord Daeus, sir," he says sheepishly.

He looks around, and spies Dolan. He turns his steps in that direction, managing a weary smile. "Och, Dolan lad. I'm glad tae see ye on the mend. How are ye?" Slix isn't ignored either, and gets that same smile. "Slixvah, nice tae see ye. Ye doin' all right, then?" Despite his chipper demeanor, there's a shadow hovering over the old snowbeard. As if he had his ownw personal stormcloud following him around, casting him in gloom.

Andelena is with Dolan, the newly-married couple looking an odd pair with the fact that the woman is dressed in a long tunic and pants but seems entirely fine in opposition to Dolan. She remains close to him but isn't touching him beyond that. Her steel-gray eyes flicker over to Slixvah and raise a brow.

"Brightest of days. Y'mapping the place out or something?" she asks.

Then Dirk approaches and she nods at him. "Brightest of days to you too, Dirk. You look like you've had better nights. Poor Bry here got the roughest part of it, it seems." She gives Dolan an affectionate and warm look.

The events of the previous evening had left Rune more than a little shaken. Enough that sleep hadn't found her, even after the early hours of morning. She had been sitting against one of the pillars, head tilted back, eyes half-lidded when another jolt of memory snaps her more awake with a soft groan.

Voices. People are talking. Rune blinks and looks over towards the gathering. So, she might as well join in.

Pushing to her feet, Rune stretches her arms above her head and approaches, "How's the arm?" She asks, while looking much like death itself at the moment. There are dark circles beneath the rogue's eyes which is not unusual, but the pallor to her features is a new addition. There's hints that whatever happened during the fight the previous evening, it hasn't let go entirely. This includes a slight milky quality to one eye and some lingering pain in her chest that the rogue seems to be trying to rub free with one hand.

"I'm about done with nightmares, but I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of them."

"Not even close, baby." Dolan isn't moving much, but turns his face towards the newcomers one and all, although he remains leaning against the pillar. "Not even close. I owe Tanith a damned barrel of fish, and I'll make good on that, too. Everything I did, I did to my own damned self, and there's no sense denying it."

He studies Slixvah first, putting on a cheeky grin that doesn't quite meet the lone brown eye. "Brightest of days. You mapping the Temple, or are you escaping the pig swill that is the air outside?" The cheek becomes a knowing look.

Dirk and Rune, he takes a longer look at, studying each of them. "You two all right? That was a pretty damned nasty nightmare we got shoved into. I'm used to it, but - you need to talk, I've got ears." The words are said gently.

Slixvah cracks a beak-smile towards everyone. "Doin' alright, Mista Dirk, Dana's wind cool you," she chirps with a tease as she shifts to Andie and Dolan. "Shiny days, guys! Yuppers! Gettin' a lil' practice in, way too hot elsewhere," she elaborates with an equally cheeky smile, showing the journal. It's not blueprint level of details just yet, but there is a point where it was rote and rigid, and now she's just drawing fun symbols in place of boring rectangles. The bushes has little smiles on them, for example. "By the by, congratulations, you two. I heard the party was a rager!"

She looks about, perking up at the sight of Rune. "Ru-Ru! It's good ta see ya, hon-" Slix squints at her. Then to Dolan, the others. The journal is stashed into robes, and she puts her hands on her hips. "... same here. Well, not really ain't got ears, but- ya know what I mean. Hugs are free!"

As the group gathers in the entryway, it draws some attention as it naturally might. However the individual who draws up to the group is not here because they've drawn attention, but because he was already - previous to the gathering - called upon to be here. The blue-scaled sith-makar comes to a stop a bit of distance away from the group, looking across the weary adventurers and thrumming low in his throat. "Peassce on your nessstsss."

The sith nods to each in turn. He seems embarrassed in truth, to be interrupting. "It sssseemssss to thissss one that more than Dolan may need ssseeing to." He gives them a gentle once-over again and looks between Rune and Dolan. "Thisss one can provide healing yessss?"

Dirk draws a slow breath, casting his eyes downwards. His meaty digits grip the brim of his tricorne, until he's almost wringing the poor thing like a dishcloth. "Oh, you know me, laddie," he says, letting the breath loose in a sharp sigh. "We dwarves dinnae hold much with whingin' 'bout our troubles. I'll manage. Somehow. I always do." He doesn't sound very convinced, but he's doing his very best not to burden others with his problems. He's hardly the only one who has them.

He looks over to Andie, his smile turning wistful. "I'm sorry I missed the weddin'," he says. "I've got you an' Dolan's weddin' gift back at me cabin. I'll have tae have ye both out fer supper some time, so I can give it to ye. I made it meself, an' I'm nae too humble to say I'm quite proud o' how it turned out."

As Zeke arrives, the old dwarf offers the sith that same weary smile. "Och, Zeke. Peace on yer nest, friend. It's good tae see ye. I hope yer doin' well." Then Rune gets his attention. He knows exactly what she went through, having been through it himself. He reaches out to give her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "We made it out, lassie. We're still here, an' he isn't. We won." He casts his eyes downward, sighing quietly as he gently pats her shoulder before releasing it. "We won," he mutters, as though trying to convince himself of that.

"I'll fish for Tanith too," Andelena says. "Two barrels for the little lady. It's exactly what she deserves." But she does fix Dolan with a small look that suggests her own worry and replies, "I'll need to do more research on that armor I've been meaning to make for you. I'm hoping the proper design can help support your shoulder more."

She looks at Slixvah and smirks. "Thank you. Yeah, it was a party, all right. Although my favorite part was getting a room with my husband at the end of the night." Yeah, she's still bragging about Dolan being her husband like he's the prize. "And don't worry about missing it, Dirk--the fact you thought of us at all is damn nice present too, y'know?"

But finally Zeke approaches and she looks relieved, nodding to him. "Zeke," she says gently. "Brightest of days. More than a few people could use healing." Not her, but her compassion as she looks at Rune in particular suggests she'd like to help where she can, although she's not so accomplished of a healer compared to Zeke.

As Slixvah mentions the party, it brings some life to Rune's features as her lip quirks, "Wish I could have been there for more of it. Took me a while to shake my companion for the night. Though he seemed happy enough in the company of some of the brothel girls." She chuckles softly, "Hope you two had a good time, all things considered." Rune nods to both Dolan and Andelena.

"Hey Slix. Peace on your nest, Shaman." She reaches down to take out a water skin, which may or may not actually be water, and takes a long swig before tucking it away again. It's only then that she realizes that there are eyes taking in her disheveled form.

Then with so many squinting at her, Rune just lifts a shoulder in a half-shrug. "Still alive." The hand on her shoulder draws a smile, though it's tired. "We won, for now, at least." She agrees with a nod. "Though, I have my doubts that it is truly over."

By way of explanation, Rune offers out, "I'm prone to particularly nasty nightmares. Something our enemies have taken advantage of a time or two. This one just doesn't seem to want to shake free, even in the light of day." Her head tilts, squinting out towards the weather, "If you can call this the light of day."

"Yeah, we won. Despite everything that bastard threw at us, we're still standing. The only thing he had to throw at us was the phantoms from our minds, mind." Dolan's tone is firm and confident, and he straightens - gingerly - at Zeke's approach, not mentioning the talk about the party for the moment beyond a, "Yeah, it was something else, and a damned good time at the end." There's a wicked note that quickly turns serious again. "We've got the portal and one other problem to deal with, but we'll be handling that." This time, his cheeky grin is real, if laced with considerable discomfort. "The trick is to figure out what's real and what's just phantoms, yeah?"

"Brightest of days, and peace on your nest, Zeke," he tells the azure sith-makar at his approach. "It came out again, and I'm sorry about that. It's that one move I just can't be doing," he sighs heavily. "I ain't wanting to bother you so early."

"Peace on ya nest," Slix offers Zeke, but she can't help but snort at Andie's and Dolan's conclusion of the reception. She simply shakes her head and finds a pillar to lean against as she opts to listen to the others.

Her feathered brows quirk upwards. "Dirk, lad, ya lookin' like ya be managing ta shove tha' worry inta diamond. While I kno' ya prolly got a sparkly heart, takes a lotta pressure ta make diamond. Things tend ta explode wit' too much pressure," she offers, a large wing extending to pat him on the back.

The egalrin watches Rune for a moment overlong. Looks up to the clouds. Thinks. "If ya ever want ta vent, honey, you know what bar I work," she offers in chirps and coos to the half-sil woman as she watches the clouds. Better to air such laundry in solitude. <Auran>

Zeke nods to those that greet him, but seems to be a bit in thought at the moment. Still, there's patients to be seen and the blue-scale is first and foremost a healer. "You do what you mussst to aid your friendsss and comradesss Dolan. Thisss one will sssee if the damage can be repaired." He glances toward Rune, and then in the end addresses them both. "Would you prefer that thissss one attend you here, or in private? Thissss one will need to look over sssaid injuriesss."

He looks around a bit. "Thisss one will gladly ssee to anyone elsssse that isss injured asss well."

Dirk looks up at his friends, his expression one of quiet sorrow and desperation. Rune in particular gets a nod of understanding. "Aye. It never gets better. It never goes away," he says. "It's never like the tales, is it? They only talk about the great glories an' honors the mighty heroes earn for 'emselves. They never talk about the cost. They never talk about what it takes from ye." He wrings his tricorne again, lowering his head. "But we cannae turn away from it, can we? We're the only ones who can stop it. So many people depend on us, an'... they'll never know. They'll never know how close they were tae losin'... everything." He lifts a hand to run through his hair, pulling a couple strands loose from his ponytail to drape down against his temple. "I never cared about the honors, or the riches, or any o' that. I just... wanted tae do some good, that's all." When he lifts his eyes, his expression is bleak. "So why do I feel so... so empty? So jealous? So full o' hate an' misery an'..." He bows his head again, whiskers all a-bristle. "I think... summat might be wrong wi' me," he says in a very tiny voice.

Rather than go into detail, Rune offers a short chirp of acknowledgement as she nods her head, "I think I'm too tired for ranting at the moment." She smirks, leaning to nudge her arm against Slixvah's feathered one. "Soon, though."

Turning eyes to Dolan, her brows furrow slightly, "I think that's where I need a bit more work. When I'm in that place, everything feels real." She doesn't dwell on that, though. "Thankfully, I've got good folks who I can depend on to pull my ass out of the fire."

Dirk has to talk about the price. "And maybe that's the point?" She offers softly. "I'd rather have nightmares every night of however many years I have left, so that some kid somewhere can sleep safely and never know the danger." This time, it is the rogue who reaches out to touch his arm. "We did good. You did good. Hells, we very well may have changed the world." But, she knows all too well that that may not be the answer, "If you need to talk, I'm here, okay?"

Then, there is Zeke who is talking about tending to wounds. Her head tilts in her own look of slight confusion, "See, that's the problem, Shaman. I'm not actually injured anywhere. Didn't even take a graze from a wolf claw."

Dolan's harlequin stare - topaz artificial and brown flesh eye alike - fix Dirk for a long, long moment, assessingly. Not angrily, only thoughtful, but after a moment, he shakes his head. "I ain't picking up no evil on you, Dirk. I've got to get this handled, and ain't none of you need to see this. It ain't nice to look at." His words are tight, in the way of one in definite discomfort, and maybe more than just physical. "When I come back, though, we'll talk about it, yeah? It's sure a lot."

He turns next to Rune, and offers a quirk of a half-smile. "You get 'em too, do you?" he asks gently. "It feels damned real sometimes. Like I'm still there. It helps to have people who can snap you out of it. If you ever need a hand getting out -"

With that, he turns to Zeke. "I'd show her what I'm talking about, but ain't nobody needs to see that. Let's go find a room."

Slixvah gives a squinty-smile at Rune at the nudge, her returning it with one of her own. "I'll hold ya to it."

Though her main attention is on Dirk. A sad smile reaches her eyes. She nods towards Dolan and Rune. "Thems two's right, honey," she says softly in her usual smooth coo. "All them feelin's are totally valid. Accepting them is th' best way to move on. Everyone handles stress different. And like theys sayin'- we here ta talk. That's th' best way to work through it."

There's a nod towards Dolan. "I understand, shug. I mean, ya helped jam my wing back into place after I broke it when I first got here. Totally ain't fun ta watch. Or feel. Certainly feel." She shudders.

There's a look up to the sky. A squint. Counting on her fingers. "... shoot. Aight, my shift at the Defense is comin' up, gotta fly. Lemme know if ya'll need anything, okay?" she says to everyone, resting a hand on both Dirk and Rune's shoulders to subtly direct the question towards them. "Peace on your nests, brightest of days, open skies and delicious pies," she chitters before taking several steps back, unfurling her large wings, and taking off with a massive flap.

Andelena offers a wave and a farewell of her own to Slixvah as the lady-egalrin departs. Then she turns to Dirk.

"People like us pay the price," Andelena says gently to Dirk, motioning to the scar on her cheek. "Those of us who do good in the world wear scars that're physical or hidden underneath. Everyone else gets to sleep and worry about their problems. We're the people who make it so they get to do that. And at the end of the day... We're often the ones picking each other up and helping each other as best we can, because none of those people out there can comprehend even a little fucking bit what any of us have been through. And none of them ought to."

She goes to follow Dolan. "Right behind you, baby," she says. Because she always is.

Zeke looks at Rune as she defers and he blinks. "You do not look hale to thisss one, and if you will allow, thisss one will look to ssssee if thisss one can make you feel better." In fact his eyes slide to Dirk next, taking in the dwarf who seems so very depressed and he offers a low thrum of comfort to the man. "Thisss one will make time for you asss well Dirk. Not all injuriesss are to the body, and thisss one tendsss to thosss of the heart and mind asss well."

However, Dolan is ready to go, and so Zeke nods low to him and leads the way away from the group, bringing him to a healing room so that he can attend to Dolan's injured arm. Allowing any who might wish to follow to do so. Such is in the end, Dolan's choice.

Dirk winces visibly at everyone offering their support. "It's nae fair fer me tae put all me problems on the lot of ye," he says in a tight voice. "Gods know ye've all got things of yer own yer dealin' with. I don't matter. I'm nae important, not like you all are. I just..." He shivers a little bit. The poor old dwarf is so close to his limit, and yet, like all his stubborn kin, he digs in his heels and refuses to budge. "I just want everything tae be all right again." As Dolan and Zeke prepare to head off, he squares his shoulders. "I'll go wi' ye, laddie. Nobody should have tae suffer alone."

Rune's eyes linger on Slixvah for a moment, a bright spot against the gloom of the day. Then, blinking as she seems to rebel against exhaustion, the half-sil turns back to the others.

There is a soft sound of acknowledgement, just a little 'mmm' that seems to affirm Dolan's appraisal of what Rune might experience. Then, she shakes her head, "You won't show me anything that would be more horrifying than the things I've already seen." And yet, Rune understands not wanting to show off some scars to the general public.

"You're welcome to take a look, Shaman." She moves to follow, "Besides, it seems only fair. Scars for scars."

Blue eyes flick to Dirk then, "Don't say things like that. You matter. Every single person matters." She chuffs once, an almost draconic sound, "Besides, burdens are lightened when they are shared."

"Rune's got the right of it," Dolan tells Dirk as they walk. "You're a friend, Dirk. Don't ever doubt that. I've got your back, and you've got mine." The words are still tight, and he is quite clearly in some real discomfort as they walk, but he keeps talking anyway, a sort of laser focus keeping mind and words clear. "A real companion'll tell a friend when they're full of it. You're just as important as I am, or Andie, or anyone here. Your thunderbelcher's always ready when there's trouble, and your honey cakes are second to none. It ain't matter who's important, Dirk. We all get it done together. Yeah, Tel and Lana and Verna are far scarier than they know, but look what happened to Tel. That's a damned sight harder to do to a group. We win because we stick together."

When they get to the privacy of the healing room selected by Zeke, Dolan sighs, looks around at the group, and quirks a half-smile. "Most of these have seen this before," he starts. "Sorry, but it's easier to do what needs doing if the shirt comes off. Andie, can you lend a hand? I can't move it." He then begins to remove mantle, sling, and shirt, but does seem to be having a very difficult time moving the shoulder.

"Zeke - is pretty damned good as a counselor," he adds to Dirk, as he works, carefully and with the occasional hiss or wince. "We've - talked some." He leaves it at that.

Andelena does exactly as asked, grinning a little at Dolan with the ask. "Wish I was taking off your shirt in more fun circumstances, babe," she says. The old adage he'd given her about being rude holds true. Being herself helps him.

"It's just like they said," she tells Dirk, motioning to Dolan and Rune both as she holds Dolan's shirt in her hand and sets it down. "It's not burdening. No person is a statue that stands all on their own, Dirk. Yes, Tel and Verna are scary as shit when they want to be--but they need people to lean on too. You can't solve everything with a fuckton of magic. There are matters of the heart that magic won't touch or will only make worse."

Zeke says nothing as they advance on the healing area. It seems that most if not all are coming with, and when Dolan doesn't request privacy for his healing, Zeke says nothing of it himself. It is in the end, Dolan's choice. However, he does indeed require the ability to see the injury done and know its breadth so that he can repair the damage. Thus as Dolan begins to take his top-most clothing off, the sith moves in to assist Andelena in doing so.

It is quickly clear that Zeke is well practiced in the art of assisting a patient in whatever respect is required, and he is quite capable of being an assistant without getting in the way. It's almost surprising given his size and that long tail, that he doesn't somehow manage to get tangled up with Andelena, but he never does. It's an art he's long perfected.

Dirk follows along after everyone else. "I'm sorry," he says. "I must seem a right miserable fool. I don't know why I cannae get me head on straight. I don't know what's wrong wi' me." He lifts a hand to rub his face. "I just... other'n springin' up a patch o' brambles, I dinnae do much of anything, did I? I unloaded everything I had on Marsward an' it just... wiffed right past 'im. I couldnae land even a single shot on 'im. You all succeded in spite o' me, nae because of anything I did. I just feel so... useless."

"Honey cakes?" Leave it to Rune, even in her exhausted state, to hone in on the prospect of baked goods. After nearly a week on end on the road, good food sounds like paradise. "This sounds like something I need to be introduced to."

As Dolan gets to the undressing part, Rune leans agianst the wall to give plenty of room. His injury is first priority in her mind.

Instead, she looks towards Dirk, "I did jack shit against Marsward, because I was too busy being trapped up in here." Tapping her own temple, Rune lifts her shoulders in a shrug. "Sometimes, we get to be the big damn hero. Other times, we sit back and watch our friends kick ass." Folding her arms across her chest, Rune adds, "Honestly, 'Lana deserved that kill. After what that asshole did to Telamon, I think she needed it."

Catching her lower lip briefly between her teeth, the half-sil rubs again at her chest, seeming unable to quite ease the ache there. "Trust me, as I've been there, even if it doesn't feel like you're doing much, just being there to support your friends? That's a big deal."

Indeed, the bawdy remark from Andelena seems to help, and he chuckles despite himself as the shirt comes off. "Ouch! Thanks, baby. Dirk, I didn't manage to do a damn thing outside of hurt myself, yeah? That's part of what teamwork is. Some days you're the hero, and other days you're the damsel. The trick is not to be the dragon."

When the shirt and other gear come off, the result is - a sight. Well-muscled and trim, but far from ordinary. Across his front, a pair of tiny golden bars are inserted through each of his nipples, above and surrounded by a veritable basket-weave of straight scars, as if something had been woven into his flesh carefully and with great consideration. On the back, from both shoulders past his hips, disappearing into the waist of his trousers, is a - bas relief, worked in scars. Long strips of flesh above the muscles in his back have been removed, leaving only skin over muscle, in an artful pattern surrounding a dozen or more whip scars. This is deliberate, macabre art, with this man as the canvas, the effect like nothing so much as a shattered stained glass window.

Of more immediate interest is the left shoulder. It is immediately obvious that something is badly, badly amiss, for the left shoulder is badly misshapen as if the join has been pulled completely free from the socket. The entire shoulder, spreading down into the arm and across the deltoids, is blackened with deep bruising and swollen.

Even though she knew how bad it was, still looking at the sight of the shoulder in its current state makes Andelena wince ever-so-slightly. There's an obvious look of regret in her eyes that she didn't go with him--but she had a fort to hold down.

She steps out of Zeke's way now, her attention focused entirely on her fellow Sunguard and how she can assist him in caring for her husband. She wasn't there for the showdown with Marsward, so she leaves Dirk's comfort in that situation with Dolan and Rune--who were there and saw it best.

Zeke moves into the space that Andelena vacates smoothly, his green eyes only for the injury. He lets out a soft sigh that would speak volumes to anyone who knew him. It's not chastisement, it's concern. "Thisss one will have to ussse a prayer that you are familiar with Dolan, powerful magicssss." He gingerly touches the other man, ensuring that it is okay with Dolan before his claws ever actually touch flesh. "But firssst, it mussst be returned to plassce."

There's a moment where his eyes meet Dolan's and then a soft wet *pop*. It doesn't sound *right*. Zeke rotates the limb into proper place, but the sound makes him shake his head. "Dragonfather, aid thissss one." He murmurs, beginning the prayer that will make Dolan's shoulder whole.

GAME: Zeke casts Regenerate. Caster Level: 16 DC: 20

Dirk's eyes get wide as Dolan's shirt is removed. He sucks in a hissing breath through his teeth, seeing the extent of the damage to his shoulder. "Beards o' me fathers, you poor lad," he mutters softly. He takes a step to the side so he's not in Zeke's way. "I do know some minor healin' magicks. Just never thought tae ever use it. But maybe I should have done. Might see 'bout pickin' up a wand at some point, so we got some back up healin' next time we're out in the field."

He looks up at his friends, idly scuffing the toe of his shoe against the floor. "Aye, I suppose," he says. "An' I'm glad tae be there fer moral support when it's needful. But when I'm up against all these great an' terrible evils, an' I see everyone else bringin' such power tae bear against it... an' I just... can't." He sighs quietly. "Suppose it's sinful of me. But I cannae help it. I want tae be the verra best, like no one ever was. Sometimes, I want it tae be all about me. I want tae be the grand an' glorious hero." He sighs sharply. "Gods, listen tae me. I sound like a bloody twit, don't I?"

Try as she might to be respectful, the sight of a shirtless Dolan is enough to draw Rune's eyes, her brows lifting slightly at both piercings and the array of scars. She's quiet for a time, not quite stunned silence, but the sort of appraisal that comes from seeing something dramatic and trying to contextualize it.

"Someone really did a number on you, my friend." She murmurs softly, "I hope they died a painful death in return, or if not... we should make plans." Anyone who would do this to another human being, may very well deserve whatever fate such actions might bring to them.

There is an apologetic look cast to Andelena, and then her gaze finds Dirk again, "Don't worry, you're not the only one who pales in comparison to the 'big guns' among us. But... if you ever want to try a spar to hone your skills, hit me up. I'd be glad to help."

Whatever Dolan was about to say, whatever reply he was about to make, is lost in a shattering world as Zeke resets the abused-looking shoulder. He screams and sags against the wall, then crumples to the floor, the world going black behind natural and artificial eyes. In seconds, he is mercifully out, slumped against the cold stone of the wall.

Andelena goes to catch him, her arms careful to wrap around his torso rather than his shoulders. "Bry!" she hisses. She's seen it happen before. That doesn't make it any better. It never does.

She catches her breath once she's got him. "Zeke, help me get him to a bed," she asks gently, her eyes fully on the Sunguard. She'd been listening to the conversation, but any additions she had to it are gone now. "Please."

Dirk startles as Dolan goes slack, and he leaps forward, his own woes and miseries forgotten. He gets on the other side of Andalena, moving to help heft his friend up. "Lead the way, friends," he says. "Not tae fret, laddie. I've got ye. I won't let ye fall."

Zeke hasn't really been paying much attention to the conversation at all. Instead his focus is on Dolan. He's still surprised though when the other man falls to the ground and he hastily moves to assist Andelena in carrying the muscular swordsman to the bed that is in the room. "He mussst have been more tired than he wasss letting on." He says gently, tucking Dolan in and settling the arm into a comfortable position.

In spite of his concern for Dolan he turns toward Rune and nods to her. "Thisss one would sssee to you next if you allow."

The sudden jerk of movement and the collapse of Dolan has Rune flinch, but she doesn't seem surprised by it. Injuries like that, especially with that level of bruising and likely permanent damage are bound to be sore. "He'll be okay. Probably for the best to be out for most of it, it'll let him rest."

The others seem to have the matter of carrying Dolan well in hand, so Rune stands back, still leaning against the wall, until Zeke turns his attention on her. "Like I said before... I'm not really sure there's anything to see, but..."

She trails off, and then shrugs once, "If the nightmares and whatever Marsward was doing are realted, then it probably all goes back to the same source." Rune unstraps the leather outer layer that she wears over a silvery sleeveless mithral shirt with a series of elaborate markings along the edges. The leathers are simply chucked over a chair before she hooks her arms beneath the back of the shirt.

As Rune lifts just the back of the shirt up over her neck, leaving her front covered for the most part, it reveals that there are certianly some similarities between Dolan and herself. There is a massive black mark squarely between her shoulder blades. Jutting out from it are a series of spider-web like cracks which fade from black to red to pink and then white at the very edges. These are not ordinary scars, but ones from some sort of quite intense magic. It looks as if her back were a shattered pane of glass.

"You won't be able to fully heal it, but maybe you can do something about whatever fuckery was done to it last night."

GAME: Zeke rolls Heal: (1)+17: 18 (EPIC FAIL)

"Yeah," Andelena breathes in response to Rune's reassurance that Dolan will be okay, once Dolan is safe and sound on the bed. She gets out of Zeke's way and rubs her face with her hands, sighing gently. She does look at Rune's own mark and she narrows her eyes, like she's trying to discern if it was a tattoo, a scar--or something in between.

"Maybe," Andelena replies to Rune. "Maybe it is and maybe it ain't. Bry and I have been focused more on the demon part of things." Referring to Marsward's dealings with demons.

Zeke moves toward Rune, drawn by his curiosity as well as the fact that this is a clear injury done to her that he has never seen before. "Thisss one will try." He answers her, peering at the wound and hovering his claws nearby. "Thisss one will touch you yesss?" He awaits her permission and then when it is given his touch is a gentle thing.

At first there's no magic. There are times after all where a touch tells more than looking does, but the strangeness of her injury does not reveal itself so easily. "Thisss one will begin with ssssome-thing sssmall." He explains, removing the hand and sending a small pulse of energy through her. Then he peers at the injury to see what effect this had on it.

Dirk's eyes get wide as he sees that terrible mark on Rune's back. "Gods be good," he mutters softly. He reaches up to rub a fingertip over the triple scars on his right cheek. "I'll never complain 'bout gettin' swatted by a lynx ever again."

With such an elaborate tattoo mark down Rune's right side, it may be easy to mistake the mark along her back as some part of the design, but it is clearly something entirely other the longer one looks at it. The blackened center, the radiating red scar lines that fade outward like cracks, when her muscles flex, it is almost as if the void at the center barely moves.

"Yeah. Go for it." Rune consents, though it is with the tone of one expecting something that is about to suck, big time. There is a soft huff of a laugh as she looks to Dirk, "It's Charneth doing, some sort of spell. Thankfully it didn't take too long to bleed out, otherwise it would have sucked worse than it did."

And then Zeke is touching the mark and Rune stiffens like a shock going through her. The outer edges feel like normal scars, but the center of it is strangely hard beneath the papery skin that seems to flake away at the lightest touch. That pulse of energy? It seems to radiate along those cracked lines like a flicker of electricity, causing her to grit her teeth.

And then, Rune demonstrates her linguist abilities by starting with, "Fuuu---" and then devolving into a draconic growl-curse. "Yep, that's unpleasant." She croaks out.

GAME: Zeke rolls Heal: (12)+17: 29

Zeke nods to himself, but seems to be displeased with the results. He rumbles to himself and his tail flicks in amusement at her draconic cursing. "Thiss one will have to do ssssome resssearch about thisss wound. It ssseemsss... wrong." Indeed there's much wrong about it. Enough so that he is worried that further healing would be risky. To this end he motions for her to let her clothes return to their natural state. "Ssssit."

There's a chair nearby, and he pulls it to her. "Thisss one ssshould not hurt, but it might. The wound on your back issss... It ssseemsss likely magical in sssome way." He nods to her. "Dragonfather, thisss one callsss upon you to grant your light to thisss one."

One might wonder if he means her or himself, but either way the magical power of his prayer sinks into Rune.

GAME: Zeke casts Restoration. Caster Level: 16 DC: 17

"It's the wound that killed me." Rune explains, but her voice is soft. "What you see is what remained after I was ressurected at the Temple of Eluna a year and a half ago." It may not truly offer reason for the strange mark, or the odd reactions, but there are many things related to Rune's story that even she does not understand. "I think it's tied to the Sky-Singer, or to some Fey being, or both. Can't say I fully understand it."

With the instruction to replace her clothing, Rune pulls it back down over her back. "I think what we're seeing is echoes from the nightmare. The injuries I had at the time of my death. I imagine it would be more dramatic if I'd stayed trapped there longer than I did." She chuffs again in that almost draconic way, "Should have seen the look on Harkashan's face, like he'd seen a ghost." Her ghost, probably.

Whatever the case, this second casting of magic, which is not aimed directly at the wound in question, seems to carry the desired effect. Her left eye returns to normal, the pallor begins to lift, as do a few red lines across her arms and shoulder.

Rune lets out a sigh.

Dirk winces a bit. "An' here I thought gettin' turned tae stone hurt," he says. "Really it was just a bit of a gap. One minute I'm facin' down some dozy bint wi' snakes fer hair, an' the next I'm here at the temple wi' a bunch o' priestly sorts standin' over me. Gave me a crackin' good headache fer a bit, I'll tell ye that fer nothin'."

Andelena observes the healing with a quiet regard. "That's... Odd. Really damn odd," she says. "The fey, huh. I'm not... a huge fan of them. Bry, Telamon, and I met one and... He was fucking terrifying. That realm of reality they've got is one hell of a place."

She looks back down at Dolan, a natural little motion for her. A wife worrying over her husband. Then Dirk mentions being turned to stone and she blinks, turning her head back to the conversation. "Yeah, I remember that. Gods, Dirk. I felt awful I couldn't do anything for you then either."

It's at that moment that there's a stirring from the cot where Dolan had been placed, and a creak as Dolan starts to sit up. "What-" He blinks several times, still clearly trying to get his bearings.

Seeing that Rune is somewhat repaired Zeke nods with satisfaction. "Death-woundssss can be... lingering. But thisss ssseemsss magicial in some way-" He starts to say more but then Dolan wakes and he starts toward the man. "Easssy Dolan. Be gentle." He makes gentle motions with his hands and indicates that Andelena should intervene. She's his cihuaa after all. It only made sense that she should help him. He doesn't need more healing now; only care.

"Thisss one ssshould get sssome tea for you all. You all have been through very much of late, and you dessserve sssome-thing to warm your ssspiritsss." Zeke steps toward the door then, nodding to everyone.

Dirk gasps softly at Dolan as he starts to sit up. "Woah, easy now, lad! Just rest an' relax, aye?" He fidgets on his feet, once again wringing his tricorne, but Andie's got things well in hand. "We cannae have ye tearin' up yer shoulder again, right? Got tae get ye on the mend." Andalena gets a glance and a soft smile. "Aww... I'm sorry I made ye feel badly. It was me own damn fault, lettin' meself get a glimpse o' that scaly bitch. An' I really dinnae feel much of anything. Just... got cold fer a moment an' then I was out. It's nae like I died or anything like that." He gives Rune a sympathetic look.

Dirk adds to Zeke. "Some tea would be lovely, Zeke. Thank ye so kindly."

When her eyes open again, Rune looks to Andelena first, giving a nod. "Of the two I've met, one was terrifying and one was sexy as fuck. I know which one I prefer." With the edge of pain gone, her humor seems to return in full as she rolls her shoulders, testing the range of motion. "As for the one waiting for me... well, we've yet to see how that will turn out."

Thankfully, that is when Dolan begins to come around. "Welcome back to the land of the living, sleeping beauty." She offers.

Then, to Dirk, there is a soft smile, "Still here. Have to believe it's for a reason and I'm glad of it." She reaches for her leathers, then pushes to her feet. "I'll have to rain-check on tea, I'm afraid. I'm sure Harkashan will be wanting to talk. It... was a trying night."

"Hey baby," Andelena greets Dolan as he awakens again. She kneels down beside his bed and takes his hand in hers. "He is a sleeping beauty, it's true," she says of Rune's remark with a wicked little grin, before kissing Dolan softly.

Those who have faced down Marsward and lived to tell the tale remain in the room with the Sunguard until Zeke returns with tea, a wonderful thing to soothe and calm. It's just what is needed on the heels of the nightmare. The calm after the storm, where people begin to pick up the pieces and go on from there.

Even if there are still more clouds yet on the horizon.