Acedia Makes a Splash
Walery is here dropping off a small package for one of the priests. He drops it off, gets a signature, and look around to see how things are going. But the priest has wandered off.
Wax. Candles. Fire. Chay clasps these to his side as he emerges from storage. Then--begins his way down the hall. His shoulders stroop somewhat, though his back is straight. The tail hangs, unmoving, behind him. "Sser," he says, as he passes one of the Hearthguards. The Hearthguard barely looks up; only hurries on past.
Somewhere, a bit deeper into the Soldier's Defense, a wee Gobbo snores. Not so loudly as to wake up others, but it's discernable elsewhere in the building. Drawn on the door are five marks. Four of them are up and down: ||||, while the fifth one crosses the four others: ------
<OOC> Chay rereads, tries this to bring W in. :3
Another Hearthguard stops--this one younger. A Hearthguard? No, an acolyte. He gestures towards the entryway, and Walery. Chay stops and turns to look where the youth is pointing.
"This one hears, sser," he says. He looks back towards the door of the sleeping gobber, then--turns away, and heads towards Walery.
"Excuse me, sser. One heard you were delivering ssupplies?" he asks. "If this one might, sser--were there candles in the sshipment?"
Walery looks startled, peers at Chay. "Oh, me?" he asks. "Uh... I don't know, actually," he says apologetically. "The box was sealed. The task came from the Explorers, so I don't even know who sent it."
Mikilos has arrived.
<OOC> Mikilos peeks, waves
<OOC> Acedia waves.
<OOC> Chay says, "Heyo. ':)"
<OOC> Walery waves
The door near Chay opens slightly, and a wee face peers out. She look at Chay and then Walery, her ears perking up as she listens in on the conversation.
<OOC> Acedia says, "Was me."
"They would not have come from there, sser," the sith-makar says, as he lowers his muzzle. "Thank you. ...but perhaps you may be of help, sser? This one might ask--are you good with a club, sser?" he asks him.
The sith-makar looks at Walery more directly, his expression otherwise--expressionless.
Chay and Walery stand near the front of a hall within the Soldier's Defense. Walery had just delivered a package. Acedia is in one of the sick rooms, and/or had been sleeping.
<OOC> Acedia blinks. "What does Walery need a club for?!" She bars the door. Screams for the guard. xD
<OOC> Chay laughs.
Is he good with a club? Walery shrugs, pats the giant wrench at his hip. It's at least three feet long, and looks like a club that would leave a mark.
Mikilos mutters absently to himself as he enters the temple, reading over a dusty text in his hands. A few glowing stones circle around the mages head to provide light, and a few pages of notes bob helpfully in his wake upon unseen hands, waiting to receive attention again. The tall elf does slow and quiet as he enters the place of healing, glancing around absently before drifting Chay's direction. Mikilos' seen him before, so he's likely in charge to some degree, right?
"...one is attempting...if you are brave, sser, please come this way. One will explain on the way," he says. Chay lowers his muzzle, and then gestures towards the hall.
"Acedia? With your permission, sser, one was to try again," he says to the gobber. He sounds apologetic, his voice lowered enough that it might not carry down the hall. The sith-makar glances towards Mikilos.
The Gobbo's eyebrows widen, and she disappears from the small crack in the door. "Is it going to work this time?", she wonders. "It's... really terrible to puke up those monsters." Definitely an unhappy Gobbo.
Walery shrugs, will follow Chay to see how he can help with whatever is going on?
Mikilos's eye light up. Literally. They shine with a blue glow of arcane power as he looks to the goblin with intrest. "Oh, there's a volunteer? I didn't think were any currently advailible."
"One can only try, sser," the sith-makar says as they walk. He looks towards Walery. "...there may be a partial cure, sser. ...but it is difficult at best, sser. Please, this way--and keep your voice low, sser," he says.
A look to Mikilos. "...it is...we have little choice, sser. If you are willing to help, sser--there is a room ahead, sser. One--one would be very glad for you to take the lead, sser," he says. The sith-makar has a few candles tucked beneath an arm. He gestures with the other down the hallway.
The room? Empty. Or so it seems. One might notice the Gobbo-shaped form under the covers and sheets, hiding near the bottom of the bed. Almost blending in. Almost. No words. Not a sound. The window? Suspiciously ajar. Has she sprung the coop?
<OOC> Chay uhoh. XD
Walery nods to Chay, follows without saying anything. He can do that, shutting up is a skill he has. He's been asked to do that often enough that he's gotten a clue. For a given value of clue. He takes his hand off his giant wrench, he'll be told when to use it, he supposes?
Mikilos blinks, eyeing the 'empty' room. "So... I havn't been keeping up with all the treatment attempts. What exactly is being tried this time? Cure Disease, Heal, Dispell Magic, Break Enchantment, as i understand all fail to help. Simple soap and water, last I heard, are effective outside the body, but cause problems whe used internally."
"Which room? They'd always been headed towards this one. Chay knocks on Acedia's door. Waits.
Waits.
"Acedia? Sser?" he says. And, "...Mikilos Mithralla is here, sser. He is a far better sspellcaster than mysself. Perhaps it will ssucceed this time, sser?" he suggests. He pushes the door the rest of the way open, and waits.
"...forgive this one, sser. The last few attempts have been painful for her, ssers. And, the removal of magic, sser. When magic is removed--the creature fights it, sser. Ssometimes, it comes forward--" A gesture of the tail towards Walery. "--and we fight it off, ssers. Ssoapy water is the strongest defense, ssers. After that, a bludgeoning weapon ssers. At least, this is what one is given to understand."
Iskandar has arrived.
A lengthy sigh can be heard from down low, and a shock of red hair appears from under the bed. The Gobbo pulls herself out from under the bed, her nightgown sprinkled with dustbunnies. "It is really terrible.", she complains softly. "And everyone risks catching the plague. You have to be quick to beat it to death."
<OOC> Mikilos waves!
<OOC> Iskandar waves :D
<OOC> Chay waves to Isk. Isk, if you'd like to join in--we're about to try to RP removing part of the plague. We won't know the results until AF can get back to us. But if you'd like to join in--y'can say the Hearthguards sent you to help?
<OOC> Chay says, "They need folks to help beat the plague with clubs if it shows up. ^^;"
<OOC> Acedia says, "Please note that the Gobbo is NOT the plague. :D"
<OOC> Chay laughs.
<OOC> Iskandar laughs and nods
Walery is not entirely sure what's going on. This is a mix of being clueless with social cues and Chay's manner of speech. He's pretty sure he's been asked to help out some how, and he's colunteering to help. "The name's Walery," he says. "You don't need to call me sir. I'm just Mick Walery."
Mikilos nods to the golbin in understanding. "The last time this happened, the goo tried to grab my face. Not quite the same, I understand, but something I'm not looking foreward to risking again." He glances to Chay. "The likely source has been linked to a group that used a 'snowflake' icon. Do you know if anyone has tried ice or fire? Either way, do we have buckets of soapy water ready? I'd prefer to be over prepared than under." Turning focus to Walery, he gives a small bow. "Mikilostravia Abrioudelanarchie Mithralla, Magi and Builder Arcane. But just 'Mikilos' is fine."
"Just...throw the ssoapy water on the goo if it appears, sser," the sith-makar says to Walery, sounding unbelievably tired. He points towards a row of buckets along the wall. They are labeled: SOAPY WATER.
"Then, use a bludgeoning weapon if that does not fix it, sser." The sith-makar points to the wrench.
"Ssoap and water on the goo if it appears, FIRST, sser. Then the bludgeoning weapon, ssers. The sspellcaster, Mikilos, will eesplain what to do further, ssers. And sser Mikilos, one only knows that the ultimate cause is whomever is controlling the vampire. Sser."
The group of them are in a side room, preparing to attempt to remove well, a stage of the plague at least.
The Gobbo looks at the buckets all lined up to go, and she points at them, peering at Chay. "When did these get here?", she asks, putting her hands on her hips. Acedia looks to the others who have gathered. "Yes, be sure to soak the slime with the water. Not me. Just wasting water if you hit me." She looks to Mikilos. "Oh... uh." The Goblin reaches under the bed and pulls out a leather backpack, rummages around inside of it and pulls out a small notebook. Paging through it, she stops, studies a page, then peers at Mikilos. "Oh. Yep. You're that guy." The notebook is quickly stuffed back inside the 'pack. "So uh... I guess no time like the present, yes?"
<OOC> Acedia ran out of noms. D:
<OOC> Chay <3
Walery nods to Mikilos, then to Chay. He nods about the soapy water. "Check," he replies, and places a hand on his wrench for a backup. "I'm ready whenever we're doing what we're doing."
Mikilos blinks, mildly annoyed at himself for having missed the buckets. "Okay, what I'm going to do is shove all magic away from myself. Centered around me will be a bubble where magic doesn't exist. Spells won't work, magic items won't function properly, magically effects will cease. So if something goes wrong and someone needs magical healing, it'll need to happen a distance away from me. The downside being that if I move, the bubble moves. Left alone the field will last just shy of two hours. I'll likely shut it down long before then." Best to have everyone clear on exactly what's going on. "Everyone ready?"
"..." The sith-makar looks away. He could tell her, such buckets, at least two, had begun to be placed in sick rooms as a precaution. That perhaps--a bard had become an inspiration.
Perhaps not quite the inspiration she'd HOPED to be, but.
"...Hearthguards' orders, sser," he says instead, which is most of the truth. It just doesn't well, get into the rest of it. The unintentional inspiration or the--slight panic their attempts had caused. Or the slight, unintend hopes.
Chay looks to the side instead and--reaches up to massage at his own wrist. "Sser. Just tell this one where to sstand, sser. I...this one will lend magic as well just...just as a chance, sser. One understands this plague is sstrong, sser."
Iskandar steps into the hospital and turns his head slowly to pan his gaze around the room. He has a huge amphora tucked under his arm but as he listens he tries to shift his grip so that it's held hidden behind his back. There's no way to manage due to the sheer size, but finally he heads over to the buckets and sits it down next to them - it moves heavily, and sloshes heavily with the sound of something nearly full already. Iskandar sets it down with a wink. "Maybe for later," he asides before taking up a bucket in each hand. Then he goes and stands between the other adventurers and the line of buckets, ready to pass them along.
Walery nods his readiness to Mikilos. "Yep," he says. As far as magic not working, he says, "I think that'll put the kibosh on my healing also, so we'll get to a distance before I use any."
GAME: Mikilos refreshes spells.
Mikilos nods, and focuses, drawing on decades of experience to do something he's never really tried before... push magic -away-. The magi murmurs softly of a moment, then tosses a small handful of iron filings into the air. The dust-like pieces hover for a moment, then expand oytward in a sphere. The space left beind is... dull. Mundane. Plain. In a world filled with magic, this is... not. The shight shimmer, the faint gleam, the magical potential of what wonders might be... aren't there any more. For a fey elf, it's really quite freaky. Likely not a lot better for other magical creatures.
GAME: Mikilos casts Antimagic Field. Caster Level: 11 DC: 24
Iskandar's arms waver ever so slightly. Without the magic of his belt feel ever so slightly heavier. But he adjusts quickly. "What a powerful spell!" He has a new respect in his eyes as he gazes at Mikilos. He glances around at some of the others and then ventures, "...so what's next?"
Acedia glares at Chay. "I asked when, not why.", she says, showing off as many of her teeth at possible. She looks to Mikilos and nods slowly. "But uh..." Too late. For a few long moments, while the chanting, finger wiggling and sacrificing of iron filing, nothing really happens. The Gobbo stands somewhat nervously. Then she starts coughing wetly, holding her sides. "I HATE THIS!", she screams, before vomiting out a really disgusting stream of... stuff. Inky black with a slight shimmer, like oil floating on water, forming an expanding pool at her feet. It goes on and on and on, almost forever. She pauses, crying and panting, and the pool begins to coalesce, slowly forming a shape and LUNGING at Mikilos.
<OOC> Acedia says, "Don't get any in your mouth while bludgeoning it. It splats and splashes really easy."
<OOC> Chay ;_;
<OOC> Chay holds pose, gives our warriors a chance to react. ^^;
Walery guesses this is the time for soapy water? He'll pick up a bucket and try to splash the yuck that Acedia has barfed up. His skill with pails of water is only bog standard, alas, but he does what he can.
Iskandar stares at the pool. A look crosses his face that somewhow shows intense surprise and mild disgust both at the same time. But he shakes himself to alertness and then moves forward. He holds out a bucket for Walery, to replace the one he just used. "Here!"
"This--no!" SPLASH! goes the water, diluting the creature. Chay, Chay. Chay leaps, attempting a strike at the dissolving goo with his fist--just as his kin had taught him.
His kin who would have so many words for him. Right now.
The strike splashes into the creature, and hopefully, directs it away from Mikilos. Some of it splashes on the reptile, who doesn't have time to react just right now.
Mikilos looks... weird. He's an elf. Elf's -are- magic... except the lesser bits, that are just meat and bone and stuff. And right now? That's all that's left. It's hard to say what exactly is different, but it's there. Then there's the whole puddle of goo thing. The no-longer-magic-man is disappointed, but not surprised as the oily mix makes itself known, and is even less suprised when it lundges for him. Which isn't to say he doesn't let out a little high pitched shriek as he dives aside, because he totally does.
<OOC> Chay hee's. <3
<OOC> Mikilos says, "Black goo! Comming for my face! AGAIN!!"
<OOC> Chay laughs.
<OOC> Chay says, "One more pose each, then we'll mail this log to AF? ^^;"
<OOC> Chay says, "Or however. :3 I am just hoping this helps cure Acedia. ^^;;;"
<OOC> Mikilos really just wants to understand how it all works and fits together... but yeah, helping people is good too. ;)
<OOC> Chay laughs.
The Gobbo makes many unhappy Gobbo noises, which include dry heaves, and loud rumbling in her stomach. She stumbles backwards quickly, trying to get away from the slime she just 'birthed'.
Walery takes the next bucket from Iskandar and splashes the slime with that, too. Then it's clobbering with the wrench, though he's not particularly effective at that. He'll do the best he can.
Iskandar holds his remaining bucker with both hands now. One cradled under the container to give it force, the other on the rim for control. He takes a few steps towards Acedia and then bellows, "Hold still!" Then he proceeds to upend the entire bucket onto the much smaller figure. "Only way to be certain," he assures her before turning back to look at the others.
Chay is looking at his hand, at the goo. "This one...excuse me," he says, voice quiet. "One--one must find the baths, ssers. Or is there another bucket?" he asks. He looks to the others, and...perhaps, perhaps, takes a step back. "This one is sorry, Acedia, sser. I--one has gotten ssome of it on me. Excuse me--" ...and he hurries to find a bucket, and dump it over himself, as well!
Mikilos's first instinct is to cast a spell. He's a wizard, it's what he -does-. But, as a wizard, he also has a secondary tactic, used by spell casters for generations with great success! Run Away! Which is this case is really more a mad scramble to keep away from the goo. Which is much easier when it get hit by water and starts to disolve, and then splattered... which makes the splashes hard to dodge, but they don't seem to be moving any more. "I... I think maybe it was weaker? I'm honestly not certain. Rather hoped would be destoryed utterly, but I suppose that would be too much. Anyway, think we learned as much as are likely too, I'll dispell the field and help with the cleanup."
Acedia shrieks. "NO!", as she sees the bucket coming, she was really, really quick to get away. The torrent of water causes her to stop, and she stomps her feet a few times. "THAT WAS COMPLETELY UNCALLED FOR!", she wails. And she runs at Iskandar, and attempts to kick him in the shins, or ankles, or whatever is close... as many times as she can manage.