Handle with Care
Log Info
- Title: Handle with Care
- Emitter: Cryosanthia
- Characters: Seyardu, Cryosanthia, Rocky, Jozi, Sasha
- Place: H03: Eldwyn Road
- Time: Tuesday, April 20, 2021, 5:28 PM
- Summary: Riding back to Alexandria astride Swiftclaws, Cryosanthia, with Lily, and Rocky come across the surpine form of Seyardu against a tree amidst signs of struggle. As they are investigating, Jozi, running to maintain her trim, comes accross the macabre tableau and gets involved, fearing a life could be at stake. Quietly invoking her Althean magics, she determines, yes, that the silver Sith has been poisoned in what altercation occured before they all found her, and does what she can within her limited means for her. The poison, however, is a persistant complication, one she has no direct means of counteracting, and the half-orc suggests using the Swiftclaws to ride her to the main temple in Alexandria, where those better equipped to deal with poisons are on hand. Alas, Lily gets ahead of things, riding off with one of the swiftclaws and Rocky tears off after her, while Cryosanthia keeps a wary eye over her friend's treatment in case the bandits return. In time, they manage to get things under control, though the poison continues to trouble Seyardu. Fortunately, they are intercepted by Hearthguard Sasha of that selfsame temple, who is able to cure the poison with her greater magics. With the crisis abated, the topics of drinks at the Fernwood is broached on the rest of the ride to town...
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--<* H03: Eldwyn Road *>--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
The Eldwyn Road meanders continuously around hills, wilderness, and farmland, though it is occasionally broken by fingerlets from the great Tornmawr. At one point, the road crosses the Tornmawr itself, which takes place by use of a ferry.
Further east and past the ferry are the great Redridge Mountains. These mountains, which run mostly north and south, charge through the landscape, and even through the eastern end of the Lord's City of Alexandria.
Towards the south is the city, with its flags rising far above the walls. The fiery Rising Phoenix almost glows in the sunlight and airships may be seen both in flight and in dock, as they make use of a carefully sculpted section of the Redridge.
Towards the north, the landscape of rolling hills and farmland breaks into denser forest.
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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Appearing, in Order -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Seyardu 5'6" 150 Lb Sith-Makar Female A friendly silver sith-makar with a perpetual squint. Cryosanthia 6'9" 291 Lb Sith-Makar Female A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman. Rocky 6'8" 460 Lb Sith-Makar Male A grey Sith in armor, bit like a statue. Jozi 5'8" 148 Lb Half-Orc Female A brunette half-orcess with a sunny disposition. Sasha 6'4" 245 Lb Human Female Huge Blonde Woman -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- NPCs of Note =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Little Fang, 'Lily' Kobold Female A carnation-scaled youngling, Cryo's foundling -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
It's a nice day, warm in the sun, cool in the shade, the sky a bright blue. Small white clouds move slowly across the sky, blown by breezes from the west. The air is clear and crisp.
There are clouds of midges every ten steps, that take about twenty steps to get through. They are all but invisible until one is upon them, then impossible to avoid or find a way around. The tiny bugs are harmless but can be irritating, if one finds such things so.
The day was a pleasant experience for most, with the clear skies and warm day inviting most who could to stay out if they were able, with the silver sith-makar being one of them, taking it as an excuse to explore the land outside of the city more. For them, however, the day has quickly taken a turn for the worse. Outside of the city, around a half hour out from the gates. There was a a spattering of blood on the grass to the side of the main path, signs of some altercation, the most obvious of those being the silver sith-makar propped up against a tree, their vest stained with a large patch of crimson.
Cryosanthia is returning to the city from Mictlan. She rides a dark-scaled Swiftclaw, the dinosaur raptor-like mount favoured by the Sith'makar. It's colours seem to be an indigo, shading to black, with a few bright blue highlights. Seated behind her is a carnation-scaled youngling, who has a belly strap that circles the whitesclale to hold onto. In addition to the waist-strap, Cryo wears a few around what seem to be wings, or perhaps flagpoles growing from her back, which are wrapped up in a cloth and bound together.
They're moving at a good clip. Cryo is talking to her riding companion, a second mounted sith'makar, or perhaps her mount itself, "Seriously, if you're Un'eth let me know." <draconic>
The swiftclaw doesn't respond. It does slow, scenting blood, causing the lizards to look around.
"Empressss," The pinkscale says, pointing at the silverscale against the tree.
Rocky sits still upon his mount, generally more comfortable on his own feet, but also quite slower. To be fair, the greyscale is often still anyway. He chuffs softly to the Speaker. "This One think Un'eth would not be quiet so long." The silver is noted, but is several seconds before the details come clear, and not just someone resting. "Saaa. Careful. Maybe trap." The Warrior swiftly dismounts (the mount being quite greatful for the break) and begins to cautiously approach the propped figure. <draconic>
Jozi, for her part, is moving at a steady run, heavy shod feet pounding the dirt of the road as she eats up the miles. The half orc glistens with the sheen of perspiration common to the unscaled under exertion, heat, anxiety.....
Regardless, her expression is determined but unperturbed despite the hoarse cadence of her breathing. It isn't common to see one of those big beasties loitering about on the road, though perhaps if they were nearer a watering hole she could see it. Instead, seeing the bearing of the riders, she looks to the side of the road they face and she redoubles her pace, "Ho, there!" she calls. As one rider dismounts, she considers planting feet and going for her bow, but no. The cautious approach of the large Grey is... not that of a smug nightrider, and so she things there must be something else amiss. Still, she eyes the other rider(s) with caution, and as her approach slightly slows, "What's this, then?"
The closer Rocky approached, the clearer the scene appeared, though the caution is not unwarranted. There is signs of an altercation in the grass, a small patch of blood on the ground that shrank to a thing trail among the flattened grass leading to the tree. A bag was on the ground near the blood with a large shield pinned underneath it, torn open and stained with a shimmering black liquid, from what appeared to be a shattered bottle of some sort. The sith-makar against the tree barely roused at the commotion, her eyes closed, but still breathing.
GAME: Jozi refreshes spells.
"No, no, this one knows her." Cryo says, twisting and dismounting. Her nascent-wings bounce as she hits the ground, prompting a painful growl, "Ouch."
She hands the reins to Lily, who has slid into her place on the saddle. "Don't wander off," the whitescale says, either to her daughter or her mount. She crosses towards the injured sith.
"Seyardu, this one will assist." It could be a trap, Rocky's warning comes back. Not one the silverscale is masterminding, but where she is set out as bait, a victim to draw in more victims. "What happened?" <draconic>
The suddenly approaching half-orc makes her pause, her right hand starts a motion, then stalls. Across her body, there is a twinkling of her scales, little flashes of cold light. She recognizes wariness, and no hostility, "Injured. A friend."
Rocky chuffs acknowledgement, letting Cryo pass without objection, but stays alert. The half-orc of course gets some of his attention, but the sith doubts is part of a trap. No proof, just a gut feeling. A larger gut than it used to be. Too much softskin food and not enough winter activity.
Jozi narrows her eyes slightly as the second sith, herself dismounted, starts to cast a spell, and her own hand, festooned with blades, flicks into an odd gesture of it's own. She slows her pace, weighing the postures involved, then she nods, "Mebbe I can help." She opens her hand, then, as the other aborts her more spectacular spellcraft. One hand comes to her throat, curling under her collar to touch something and she begins to suspurate words to another Presence, "Mother of Compassion, please show me any venoms that would despoil your children." <yrch-speak>
Her pupils subsumed in her invocation leave her irises as solid golden pools as she continues to approach, even as she eyes the silverscale to take stock of their wounds, taking a knee alongside.
GAME: Jozi casts Detect Poison. Caster Level: 2 DC: 12
The silver sith-makar barely stirs despite the presence growing closer to her. The half-orc's incantation reveals that the they have been poisoned, but specifics were unclear.
Her eyes cracked open, unfocused upon hearing the voices, and the hand not clutched to her stomach pulled at the warhammer that had been behind their back. But it barely raises off the ground before it tumbles out of their grip with a grunt, the hand joining the other on her stomach area as she closes her eyes.
"Actually injured. Mean no harm." She manages to speak, cutting off with a cough and another grunt.
The whitescale continues to twinkle with tiny lights, as if she's some artifice dynamo spinning up or spinning down. No longer actively casting, her magic remains activated. The shield, the broken bottle, the black liquid catch her attention, as does the half-orc's spell. Cryo didn't quite catch the holy symbol, "You're a healer?"
She switches to draconic, "Help is here. We attend. Your attackers have fled?" Cryo remains wary, watching the treeline. <draconic>
She looks at the half-orc again, indicating herself, then the others. "Cryo. Rocky, The injured is Seyardu. Was she pois... Lily! Swiftclaw! Come back here."
Rocky chuffs in acknowledgement again, moving a bit further from the road. If attackers have not left, that's one of the more likely spots they'll attack from. The greyscale tries to put himself between danger and others.
GAME: Jozi casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 2 DC: 13
"Easy, sugar!" The half-orc says quickly, bringing up her clawed gauntlet wardingly as the sith tries to bring the hammer up, her other hand held more placatingly, "I'ma cast a heal spell, get the bleeding under control." She frowns, then brings her hand back to her collar, "Great Mother, please grant me the power to mend your child's wounds." <yrch-speak>
Her attention, pupils returned to normal as her concentration sacrificed to cast the second spell, "Charmed, sugar, I'm Jozi. Definately poisoned, I'm not sure what kind, an I ain't got anythin fer that." A second spell allayed upon the wounded Sith Makar with a gentle touch. She looks to the errant Swiftclaw, "Think y'all can get'er ta the Mother's Temple?"
The sith-makar looks up and around again after another cough, offering just a light bow of her head in aknowledgement of the half-orc's offer. A long breath escapes them as whatever wound was beneath their hands closed up.
"I am sorry, I can not say for certain if they are gone or not." She speaks more clearly as she pushed her back up more against the tree, looking between everyone who was there as her breathing steadies. "Something or someone scared them away after I struck one in the chest. I did not expect the second though, and it wasn't long before I was knocked to the ground."
"River Stone, three attacked." Cryo calls towards Rocky, in case he's too distant to hear the details, preferring draconic for the security through obscurity. It also gives her an opportunity to check on Little Fang. They're close, not close enough. "Youngling." He'll know what to do. <draconic>
"I doesn't see or scent them. We are watchful. Just relax. Jozi? Jozi has you, you're in good hands." The whitescale sounds reassuring, even on alert. She focuses on the healer for a moment, "I only know anatomy, not how to put people back together." An odd form for the knowledge to take. She examines the smaller sith woman, in case there are injuries she isn't feeling. Combat can be a disorienting mess.
Rocky's tail thumps heavily into the ground, eyes scanning the surrounding trees. As nothing obvious jumps out, the greyscale beings to circle back towards the road, where there's certain to be trouble eventually... if only in the form of a youngling getting bored.
"Alright, sugar, we'll keep an eye out." Jozi replies, glancing about to that end, then, "Are ya feelin any wierd sensation? Numbness, burnin, sluggishness?" She shifts her opsition a touch and leans in to try and get a better eye on the sight of the wound, searching for discoloration or residues, "Did ya see what they stuck ya with?"
She looks to the palescale as she starts relaying things in their tongue, then answers as she's addressed, "She should be ok ta move. She's awake an I stopped the bleedin, but the poison's got me worried, and it's a long hike ta the temple on foot."
There is another plea to the Heavens, "Mother of Compassion, please show me any venoms that would despoil your children." as she tries to determine if the worst is past or if Seyardu is still poisoned.<Yrch-speak>
GAME: Jozi casts Detect Poison. Caster Level: 2 DC: 12 GAME: Jozi rolls wisdom: (3)+2: 5 GAME: Jozi rolls heal: (12)+7: 19 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls heal: (11)+1: 12
"I was supposed to be the healer." The sith-makar chuckled, but the movement just made her groan again and close her eyes beneath her hands is just one wound to their abdomen, a large puncture wound. It didn't appear in a place to hit anything vital, at least. Elsewhere were several cuts, and a few bruises.
"I will relax. rest." She agrees. "I am in no state to tend to myself properly, I will trust Jozi. I do not feel quite right, I thought it from blood loss. But my body feels heavier than usual, and it is a struggle to move my arms like normal. I should not have been laid low by a single dagger."
"That's... the poison. I don't recognize what kind." Cryo says, after sniffing at some of the black goo then very carefully wiping it off on the grass. "It's still in your system, then. My swiftclaw can carry you in. A temple is the best way to deal with poison if we can't in the field."
The whitescale stands, arms hanging at her sides. She's gazing into the trees, carefully scanning section by section, looking for lurkers. "I don't see anyone. Let me know when Seyardu is ready to move, Jozi."
Lily meanwhile, has found the 'gallop' command with the reins. She squeals in delight as the Swiftclaw takes off down the road.
Rocky pauses a moment, then chuffs a weary sigh and takes off after Lily. For as big as he is, the greyscale is susprisingly quick. He calls back to the others. "Use mine. Will meet at gates."
<OOC> Jozi says, "ok, i have calming touch, which can remove certain conditions"
"Well, funny thing, sugar, sometimes, we need folk ta take care of us, too." Jozi says with a little smile. "Cain't quite figger whatcha got hit with, but lemme see if this makes it easier ta sit the trip." She closes her eyes, laying the bladed hand over her heart and touches the afflicted Sith, infusing her with the balming radiance of Althea's compassion. She smiles to Cryo, "I... figger she's as good as anything I can do will get her. When ya get there, talk ta Sentinel Kira if ya see her, Hearthguard Bromir, Hearthguard Grima or... just look fer Hearthguard with gold trim."
"No, I mean, nevermind." The sith-makar began to speak, but she finished with a sigh from the magic, and a glance to the white scaled sith. "There was only one at first, and they appeared injured, which was clearly a lie. That is not poison, Cryosanthia. Just one of my ink bottles that must have broken in the fight. I think they were searching through it for a bit afterwards."
Seyardu shook her head. "If they had been in need of coin, I would have done what I could to help without needing to be attacked. But I should be alright, to get back into town. I thank you, Jozi."
"Okay River Stone. Little Fang! Swiftclaw! Stop! Obey your clutch-uncle." Cryo calls out, watching as the greyscale takes off after the other two. Her scents shift to something more concerned, maternal instincts going to higher alert. She wants to chase. Her current condition prevents her doing that easily. Her light show increases, especially down her back.<draconic>
"This one knows Kira, very well. Bromir, Grima, I'll look for the Hearthguard and the gold trim." The whitescale answers Jozi. Her tail coils from side to side, her hands clench, release. She remains watchful, looking for shadows. She limbers up her left wrist, ensuring her armour is set in case she needs to cast.
Ink... well that explains why it was hard to rub off. Cryo nods, "Bandits are an on-going issue. I'm sorry your kindness was repaid with treachery. When you feel you are strong enough, we can get you to the Swiftclaw." She kneels on one side of the silverscale, holds out her hands to assist Seyardu getting up, nods for Jozi to take her other side.
Rocky doesn't try to keep up, swiftclaws are called that for a very good reason. But when it does eventually stop, he'll be as close as possible to get things back under control. Well, so far and mounts and younglings go, anyway.
Jozi gives a gently pat, "Yer welcome, Seyardu. I'm sorry I can't do much more fer ya. They'll treat ya right at the temple, though." The deal with the child and the mount damages her optimism, "Should probably try an get a move on." She does take the time to put another healing spell into the fallen Sith, just to make sure.
"You did a lot, and I appreciate that." Seyardu reassures before pulling herself to her feet with the assistance, buckling slightly under her own weight, and stumbling with her movements, each step slightly stiff.
"Will he be able to reach Lily? It is probably for the best she does not see me like this at the moment. I would not wish to cause undue worry."
The swiftclaw runs. Lily doesn't seem to be steering much, or if she is, the swiftclaw is ignoring the tiny rider. One might expect it to follow the road, but one would be confusing a Swiftclaw with a horse. When it gets to a corner the darkscale goes right off it, into a small boggy section beside the road.
It is well used to swamps, having come from one, and starts clawing and digging around. This makes it much easier for Rocky to catch up with.
Cryo is giving the area another go-over. Less looking for threats and more for memorization. She travels this road a lot, sometimes along except for her youngling, and less often, a mount. It's been a trap once, it will be so again, and she wants to recognize this as a bad place to stop. Alone, she'd help, with a dependant any stricken traveller will have to wait for the first help she can send.
"They've gone around a curve, I can't quite see. Rocky will catch them." Cryo re-assures, "We shouldn't split up further, and thank you, for worrying about her. Here, let this one clean you up a little."
She makes a few gestures, her gloves glow, and then magical cleaning wipes away the blood, and the scent, from Seyardu. The whitescale looks at Jozi, "When you're both ready, we can get you up."
Rocky is more a creature of the jungles than swamp, but the wilds hardly slow him. Getting close to the Swift does. Slow, that is. Little point in catching up just to have it run off again. If the mount is content to dig around and keep mostly in the same place, the warrior is in no rush to stop it. Lily seems amused, and the swift will eventually want fed and pampered. When it does, Rocky will be there to step in.
Jozi nods and smiles to the two Sith, "Sure thing, sugar." She helps Sey to her feet, offering whatever support the wounded one requires.
Between the two helping her, and the healing already provided, the sith-makar is able to drag herself to the swiftclaw, but it takes a bit of assistance to help her on, despite familiarity with the beasts. She stops by her ruined pack, crouching down slowly and with a bit of trouble to see what she could salvage, and pull her shield from it.
"I don't believe I have ever seen a softskin with metallic eyes before." She says during her search.
Lily waves, watching Rocky approach, a tiny lizard on top of a much bigger lizard, being stalked by an intermediary sized one. She holds onto the saddle, and has the reins wrapped around a horn. One of hers, not the saddles.
The Swiftclaw digs, looking for things to eat, pulling up muck. A fish or a water rat will do nicely. It snorts at Rocky. Returns to scraping.
"This one... knows a few." Cryo says, guarding while Seyardu gathers her stuff. She also looks around but can't see anything worth saving, only some broken glass. "Do you mean Jozi, or did the attacker have such? I've seen so many with magic afflications, strange eyes and even gems, and I'm not sure how war golems 'see'. I don't know what it means."
Rocky has slitted eyes with a nictating membrane. Perfectly normal. He waves back to Lily, doubting the Swift will find anything, but willing to be proven wrong.
Jozi shrugs a shoulder, "It's the Mother's blessings, they're less shiney normally." She looks to Cryo as she muses forth, "I seen folk had replacement eyes, but... yeah, I dunno how golem eyes work, either."
"I am speaking of Jozi, yes. And I just gave my spare bottle of ink to Aryia the other day, too." The sith-makar sighs, more at the state of her things than having to explain herself. The shield looks fine, and a few odds and ends are alright. A healer's pack, her journal stained slightly on the front and side, but the pages themselves alright. She picks up her things, leaving the torn and soiled pack behind and balancing everything in the back of the wooden shield as she struggles back to her feet. "I find myself blessed by a different mother, but I don't believe my eyes are a result of that. It is possible, though. I have not had the chance to meet a war golem yet, but I have heard tales of them."
The swiftclaw is a good hunter, but the bog is not a good hunting ground. It continues to search as the greyscale gets closer. When he's right upon its side, the pink youngling leans over, tilting her head in his direction so he can grab the reins.
"Oh, here, let me help you." Cryo reaches over her shoulder into her backpack, rumages around, then pulls out an identical pack to the one she's wearing. Non-descript, it has a durable construction. She holds it out to the silverscale, "Here, I've got a bunch of these. Leftovers from Traveler's Day. To replace the one you lost."
The whitescale sounds momentarily wistful, "The golems are... complicated. They have a very strange outlook. This one has spoken to a few, wrote a song about them. They're... they're good, all the ones I've met."
She takes the reins of Rocky's mount, holding it steady, kneeling and resting her hand on her knee. Arm rotated, it's a kind of ladder. "Just step up."
Rocky takes the rein, careful to unwrap it from Lily's head (that could go badly) and let's the Swift dig a bit more. Likely was something tastey there at some point, and hope springs eternal. In the meantime, Rocky fishes a bit of old jerky out from his pouch. Little more than a scrap of leather, it's still something to let the Swift chew on before guiding it, and Lily, back to the road.
Jozi's brows knit, "Traveller's Day?" she wonders, "That a big city thang?" she inquires. No one told her! Someone might need The Talk. "See Golems about here an there, couple I talked to seemed ok. Hard ta read, though."
"I don't believe I have heard of traveller's day either. But I am thankful for the existence of it." She notes while stowing what she had in the bag, and fitting her shield back to it. She takes her time getting onto the swiftclaw, with the assistance of Cryo and Jozi. But her leg locks up when she is almost on, resulting in the sith-makar flopping onto the back of the beast with a grunt.
"Sorry about that." she says with a pat to the swiftclaws side once she rights herself. "Maybe I will encounter some in my travels, I should learn more about them. Ah, apologies. Could one of you bring me my hammer? I left it beside the tree, when you both helped me up. I do not like relying on others too much, but if I had to remount here, I don't know if I would succeed a second time."
Success! The hunt has produced: jerky! Cryo's swiftclaw is easily led by food and a strong hand on the reins. Back down the road to the other group, it chews, trying to get the strip down in the fewest bites.
Lily, hisses and admonishes in trade, "Eat ssslower." It's advice she's heard often.
Cyosanthia moves to steady Seyardu as she flops back, but the sudden lurch makes her wince. Her wings hold her painfully back. "Ah! Ah... I'll... I get your hammer." She turns, embarassed, taking a moment to settle herself and keep the topic off her wings. As she walks over to the weapon and picks it up, she launches into a well practiced spiel. "Traveler's day is a big city thing! It's a day to celebrate all the visitors to Alexandria, from all parts of Ea, who bring wares and take wares, often as their own beast of burden." It sounds like she's said it a hundred times. Perhaps, a thousand times. Or thousands. "I've got spares, Jozi, do you want one too?"
Returning, the whitescale ensures Seyardu is properly seated, she hands up the hammer, then checks the saddle straps. The reins are next. "Here, no worries, we all have to rely on others at times. Now, don't let the Swiftclaw turn its head too far to the side, and don't be afraid. They can smell fear very easily, you don't want the Swiftclaw to think there's food on its back. Be dominant, you'll be fine."
Cryo huffs a little. Things are cooler around her, but not dramatically so. Her eyes focus on the half-orc's, staring. "They don't have scent cues at all, only oil, grease, ozone and artifice, all the time. They'll do 'body language' if someone has explained the concept and given examples, but it's not... a natural thing for them. More like acting."
Rocky chuffs quietly, nodding to Lily. "Savor the flavor." Likely from an ad somewhere, but still suits. Back on track sooner than expected, the greyscale turns towards town at a casual stroll, easy for others to catch up, but enough to keep the Swift occupied and moving.
Jozi hmmm's softly, "Mebbe I'll catch it next time." she says thoughtfully. She'll ask around at the Temple later so she can arrange proper foodstuffs. "Thanks, though, sugar." the half-orc looks up to make sure Syardu is sitting the saddle well enough, then meets Cryo's occular study, "True, but some of them... over do it, I think."
The silver sith-makar was seated properly for the most part, tail draped over the left side of the swiftclaw. "It is not my first time on one, Cryosanthia, but usually I have time to acquaint myself first, so I will keep that in mind." *She replies once she reattaches the hammer to the side of her belt and grabs the reins, giving the swiftclaw a gentle pat on the neck before she leans back. Still with that ever present stiffness. "It sounds like an interesting time, I am not used to so economically minded festivals, though. I would like to see it while I am here, as well."
Cryosanthia can think of a few. She grins, something she does with her nose dipped to somewhat conceal all her sharp teeth. Her maw still looks dangerous, but more playful, "Yes, they smile in a way that makes the People seem subdued. The more humanoid shaped ones have better... what is the word? Rote-response. I think. Depends on their creator. Being able to interrogate one's creator must be... interesting."
Lily meanwhile, has her clutch-uncle escorting her and a Swiftclaw underneath her. Captive adult attention! She launches into everything she's been doing lately, a long, rambling, unbroken explanation of things she's seen and made, half in draconic, half in goblin. She sounds like fireworks, hissing then making exploding noises. Perhaps she's been making fireworks.
The trio are out in front, but not out of sight of the trailing trio.
"Okay, that's good. This one had to go through a lot before they'd release a Swiftcalw from Mictlan to me." Cryo says, "The festival was a little over a month ago, so you'll have to wait around for next year. It's one of the early spring ones. To symbolize the roads and the rivers opening up."
Rocky actually listens as Lily talks about her activities. Understand, not so much. Not speaking Goblin certainly plays a role, but chemicals and artifice are over the greyscales head. Still, he follws along well enough to look impressed at the right parts, and ask the occasional senseable question. When he can get a word in.
Jozi nods, "Interrogations are... involved." she says bleakly. There's a quick look to the youngling, then, she moves to follow along on their ride to the temple, "She sounds like she's havin' a grand ol' time." she observes, upnodding to the little pink Kobold.
"I don't actually have one here in Alexandria. But it was usually safer for myself to take a mount on my travels, if only to avoid too many injuries and move quickly at a sign of danger. Most were willing to part with a mount for a while for the aid I provided." She chuckles as she guides the swiftclaw to walk down the path, closer to where Rocky and Lily were, occasionally shifting to remain upright in the saddle.
"Perhaps I need to see about acquiring one here. Interrogations, I am lucky to say it is not something I have much experience with. But I am used to most I come across being open with their needs."
"There are a lot of Sunguard Sith'makar at the Temple of the Dragonfather." Cryo says, "Svarshan, the best known. They share the Swiftclaws they use to go back and forth to Mictlan. Rocky and I will be leaving ours there. So that is a place you might get one."
Lily is very happy to have Rocky's attention, and the occasional question. She even gets around to telling him about her trip through the shadow realm, which was brief and exciting. She has also, apparently, learned that conversation means letting the other speak once in a while. So she hisses, "What hass River Sstone doing?" <draconic>
Cryo nods, following Jozi's glance. "She is getting quite gregarious. She speaks to the goblins like she was born one, and this one has talked her out of most of her bad habits. It is still necessary to be observant in stores. I'm so happy to have her. So grateful."
The road passes by underfoot, Alexandria drawing nearer.
The whitescale rambles a little, "I mean more 'interrogation' in a general sense. Being able to ask, 'why did you make me this way, why did you do this to me, what were your plans?' and... get an answer. There are few occasions when one really gets those addressed." Personal questions, which can apply to more than just war-golems, and in Cryo's case, do. She coughs, "'You wouldn't understand', by the way, both is and isn't an answer."
Rocky considers how to answer, and goes with an indirect tale. "This One went to a big city, under the ground, to find a magic stone. There were many traps along the way." No need to mention the army of feral kobolds that set them. "At one part, the floor was a monster in disguise, who stole This One's sword."
Jozi nods, smiling with a sort of warm nostalgia, "That's a good thing ya done, sugar." she says softly, "Sometimes, all it takes it the right kinda folks ta come in at the right time."
The half-orc considers the shimmerscale for a time, trying to appraise her condition, then glances at the grey Sith then back to the white, "How long you two been lookin out fer her?"
"I did not know there were many at such temples. When I went to investigate the temple dedicated to their view of the great nest mother, I felt out of place despite their ideals. Their goals are nothing but respectable though, if not admirable." Seyardu notes, a smile creeping into her face, though it is almost a grimace from some of the pain. She still seems to be awkward in her posture. "Facing parenthood is a challenge filled with joys that make all the trials worth it. But it is one that is faced by the tribe as much as the family. If you ever need someone to look after Lily, then you can always seek me out. Perhaps when I am not recovering from being stabbed, however, the offer would be more of a good idea."
"I will, this one will ask. Thank you." The whitescale says, "I found the temples differeint than I was expecting also."
Cryo looks thoughtful, considering the earlier question, watching the trio ahead, "Half the summer, all winter, the spring. Nine months." She pauses, the time sinking in, "Nine months. This one... did not realize how the time went."
"Rocky, Tenoc, several of the other clutch-mothers and egg-watchers at Mitclan have assisted this one. She has softskin clutch-mothers too, Faranmidahn, Braelnoir, my scale-sisters, and aunts Serrendine, Aya, Irshya, Sabina. Arch-Magus Mikilos watches out for her as well." The whitescale explains, "We've been very fortunate to have so many helping that care. I hope you'll enjoy watching her as much as this one and they have."
She's silent for a while, staring at the city in the distance, "Are you feeling okay, Seyardu, are the symptoms getting worse? We can move faster if you need, but don't want to jostle you too much if haste is unnecessary."
Jozi frowns up a little at Seyardu, "Symptoms comin back, Sey?" she asks wth some concern as she notes the Sith having trouble with her posture. She sets her hand against the silvered leg, using her gift to suppress them once again, just in case.
She looks to Cryo, then, "I like youngins, an i take care of'em now and then." she assures her, "Most times, though I'm on the road."
It's only now that a horse can be heard riding up, but the horse itself keeps its distance as the rider dismounts. She's tall for a human, but is actually wearing clerical vestments underneath a cloak. She draws closer towards the group. "You are the ones that ran into the bandits...correct?" She says as she draws the hood of her cloak back....revealing blonde hair....
The Silverscale shook her head with another sigh. "I'll be alright for now. Just a bit hard to move." She says.
"Oh, yes, well, no." She calls out to the rider. "The others here were not attacked thankfully, just myself. Ah, sorry, I do not know if I say too much. Who would you be?"
Meanwhile, Lily listens intently to the greyscale's story, and even asks, "The floor iss a monsster?" She stares at the ground, "Did you get the sword back, or the magic stone?" <draconic>
Rocky chuffs, and nods. "Was much trouble, along the way, but worked out in the end."
"Yesss!" Lily claps, bouncing in the saddle. She's enough of a lightweight it doesn't disturb the swiftclaw. She watches as Sasha arrives and another conversation starts up. She points, "I'll watch for floor monsters too. That makes a great trap." She definitely still thinks like a Kobold. <draconic>
Jozi sees the rider come in, being it's a lone rider, and there's so many of them, she isn't inclined to reach for her bow. Instead, she plays it cool and looks the big human/small Jotun over, "Takin her ta the Temple ot Althea. wounds been tended some, but she's been poisoned an we ought not get ta lollygaggin, sugar."
Cryo is in the process of nodding to Jozi when Sasha rides up. Whatever response was planned is shelved for the moment. She doesn't do much of anything, although her scales start flicking more, the brightness and frequency of the light coming off her increasing. Something tied to readiness, perhaps.
"The rider here, was. Attacked and poisoned. It's making her feel heavy, sluggish to move." She conveys what they were able to determine. "We're also not sure where her attackers went, or if they went far."
"Hard to move can be a good or bad sign....depending upon the poison." Sasha says as she moves through everyone to Seyardu......and actually puts her hand on the silverscale's head. "As for getting you to the Temple of Althea.....someone sent word ahead of you. So the Temple of Althea came to you. I am Hearthguard Sasha, one of the acolytes of the Blessed Lady." She says with a smile. "Where were you hit that you were poisoned?" She says as she lightly tugs open one of Seyardu's eyes....
Seyardu Blinked in confusion as the cleric reached over and placed the hand on her head. opening the eye more made the metallic silver visible, though three shades denoted the normal structure she would expect.
"Hearthguard Sasha, Jozi was saying to seek one of you out. It is fortunate that you showed up here. I was cut in a few places, but the most significant injury was to my abdomen. I would suspect that the majority was through there."
"This one can help you down," Cryo says, moving out of Sasha's way and looking up at Seyardu, "I'm not a healer, it'd be best if I kept watch. Let me know what I should do."
She moves around to the near front of the swiftclaw, holding onto it's bridle.
Distantly, Lily and Rocky move out of sight.
Cryo keeps flicking her hands, as if she's on the verge of casting, while watching the surroundings carefully. Her scales still sparkle.
Jozi makes sure Seyardu is easing down ok before she nods and turns to make sure whatever bandits were afoot before don't return. To that end, she pulls the bow from her back and, using her thigh as a bench, bends the weapon amidst a deep, ominous creak, to string it. That done, she nocks and arrow and takes to sweeping the area, just in case.
Sasha keeps checking Seyardu over, even as others sweep the area. Even if they were in a lot of danger, Sasha's full attention is on the patient. After a bit, she sighs softly. "Must be a new poison, or one I haven't encountered yet." Sasha then stands up. "As much as I'd like to get a sample so we could make an antidote..." She says as she slides her necklace...which is in the shape of a star...from around her neck, and wraps it around her hand...to put on Seyardu's head. "Althea, Lady of the Stars....hear my plea...." She begins in a whisper. "....please remove the poison that ails this one...one of your many followers."
It only takes a second or two...but the medallion begins to glow with a bluish light....and slowly flows over Seyardu's body. A few seconds later...the light fades...and Sasha looks to Seyardu. "How do you feel?"
Once her tail is back on one side of the swiftclaw, the silverscale slides down the side onto the ground, stumbling a bit but remaining upright as she fought with her own movements. She closed her eyes as the necklace was pressed against her head, the magic taking a moment before she sighs and opens them again. A moment passes as she rolls her shoulders and stretches one arm, the sith-makar offering the smile she could.
"Better, much better. As if I had been carrying game into camp, and just dropped it off for cleaning. I thank you, Sasha."
Cryosanthia watches, the prayer, the plea, the blessing and the result. Her nostrils flare a little. She checks the sides of the road again, looks back to healer and patient. "That sounds positive."
"I think we should continue to Alexandria. Thank you Hearthguard, your help was much needed." Another check on everyone's position, and everythinga round.
Jozi looks about, though she casts a look over her shoulder to watch the invocation of the Mother. She bows her head with a little smile, "Thank you, Hearthguard. I'm glad we were able ta get her seen to in time."
She nods, "Sounds like a plan, mebbe we can have us a drink at the Fern."
Sasha smiles to them both. "It wasn't my doing. It was the Blessed lady. For now, we should go." She then looks to Seyardu. "Perhaps some prayers, thanking her for her aid one night." She then winks to the silver scale and begins to walk to her horse. "I am sure the sentinels and Wardens will want to hear of these bandits before long...so they can make the roads safe again."
"Yes..." Cryosanthia says, "Celia the Serpent is active on the western road. This may be her or another group. A drink sounds good."
She's walking, rather swiftly, as Rocky has gone ahead with her youngling and she wants to catch up.
It won't be long.
"It was your own doing by the nest mother's will." She replies with a shake of her head and confused look to Cryosanthia , and a smile to Sasha. "She gives you the strength to act in her stead, like she does for me. Her actions are your actions, as long as you continue to follow her beliefs. Do not worry about that, she hears from me regularly."
She stretches again, looking down to the torn area of her vest, and back down the road. "Yes, as much as I do not wish to admit it, they should be dealt with in some manner. If you had been the one who came across an injured man on the road, you may have been in the position I was, or someone else. But, I think a drink would be good now, maybe something to eat to go with it. I am sure you would understand if I was more than somewhat tired."
And with that she follows quickly after Cryosanthia, keen to catch up with them, and make sure Lily and Rocky were both alright.
Dramatis Personae
Jozi
An orc-blooded lass of around eighteen and close to five an three quarter feet in height, Jozi carries herself with an easy, jaunty gait and an expression of sunny warmth.
Her small nose is straight under a slightly heavy brow. The large golden pools of her eyes, alert, if atwinkle with mirth are swift to align on whatsoever catches her interest. Her skin is somewhat fair, though given a notable olive tinge by her ancestry, and through good fortune or copious use of alchemy, shows none of the blemishes of hard living. Her nut brown hair spills in a sort of peekabo arrangement back over her shoulders to the small of her back.
Her attire at the present is largely militant, timeworn and well cared for, though almost nothing is of exceptional make. A scaled arrangement of blue dyed leather brigantine that ends in a kilt hemmed above the knee at the front and around the calf at the back provides the moorings for a steel breastplate burnished to a satin finish. Working back around her waist along her equipment belt are several pouches, dagger, canteen and the double frogs for her prong faced warhammer. Her feet are clad in hard soled knee boots of black leather rivetted in brass. Her left hand is clad in an open finger sleeve of steel-reinforced leather, and from the back of her fist, three slightly splayed blades extend in flat arcs several inches past her fingertips with enough clearance to spare her needless bleeding. Finally, in a pouch riding a baldric at her back is an exotic horseman's shortbow parallel to a quiver stuffed with arrows fletched blue and white.
Rocky
'A large grey rock in armor' tends to be most first impressions of this sith-makar, though a closer look finds his scales are actually a mix of white and black, with a few splotches of green, a look not unlike a granite rock covered with bits of moss. Taller than the average human, he's massively stout, built thick and heavy, not unlike the boulder he resembles.
Rocky is almost always armed and armored, heavy plates of metal protecting his major organs, with layers of leather filling the gaps between. A kilt of smaller, flexable plates trails down over his legs, offering protction without hindering movement. He carries a green metal shield, and a simple set of weapons, favoring a plain longsword worn on his hip. Several smaller bags and pouches hang from his outfit.
He tends towards stillness, sitting quietly, moving only when there is need.
Cryosanthia
Cryosanthia is an elegant sith-makar woman in the first year of her second century. She radiates confidence, a deep power from within. Her scales are a brilliant white, highlighted by ones which are the palest of glacial blues. These pale scales trace out the scars she used to bear, her hide is restored. She bears two fantastic patterns of these, one on her chest, the other completely covering her back from crest to tailtip. When the light hits right, one sees the dragon within. Her bearing is intense, her motions minimal grace. Two horns sweep back from her brow. Her eyes are like glittering saphhire gems, and when she blinks her eyelids have the glacial blue to them as well. She carries no weapons, and still keeps a tiny bag close to her heart.
Her clothing is various ensembles. At times she wears a layered robe, a mithril swashbuckling outfit, kilted leather, a loincloth, or nothing. The colours inevitably mirror her own. Brilliant white with shimmering blue highlights, piping and whorls. Snowflakes and dragon-eyes are a common motif.
Cryo has been changed, physically and fundamentally by her experiences. She grew into herself under the Queen of Endless Winter, and struggles to reconnect with herself, her body, and friends she hasn't seen in decades. Alien at times even to the sith-makar, her heritage is written on her scales, along with her spells.
Seyardu
While not as physically imposing as many others of her kind, Seyardu still towers over most regardless. The sith-makar is covered in bright silver scales, with almost metallic, silvery eyes that are usually found in what looks like an appraising squint. Two long, ridged horns curve forward on their face, and a long tail trails slightly on the ground, keeping them balanced. Usually they are seen in town with simple, plain clothes, a simple vest and accompanying gray skirt. A large rucksack is usually slung over her back with most of her worldly posessions, with a large wooden shield, well used but completely bare, save for a rough dark black painting of a dragon's head.
Sasha
Standing a few inches over 6 feet tall, this is a fair skinned woman with long blonde hair. Her light blue eyes look out from under dark color eyebrows and over high cheekbones. She also has an angled jaw, and full red lips.
She has a full figured body, covered by blue robes with silver trim, with the blue rose of Althea displayed prominently upon the chest of the robes, and dark boots covering her lower legs. When she IS adventuring, she wears a kilted breastplate to protect her.