Nylah kept quiet as the Oni gave what information she had to them, though a small but deep pang of guilt striking her stomach with each cough and hack on Haruno's part. After Haruno would finish speaking, then, the Mothraki would give a small nod to her. She made anoother glance at the invisible (to the others for all she knew) tiny goddess watching a rat, fox, and hound chasing each other before looking back to Haruno. To others, she hoped it would look like she was in thought somewhat. Hopefully. But it brought back some of Haruno's words to mind all the same.
"I asked Lady Mie and she simply said that the Krysa were being unreasonable."
Unreasonable? Mie had said that, but what had the other two parties said as well? She almost wondered if they had asked for food or such, or perhaps demanded such rather than seek a more diplomatic route. Not to mention the Elder Beast passing through had sent things into a tailspin for everyone, including the village, meaning that...hmm. Perhaps they were desperate for food and supplies, and were trying to force Mie to hand over her goods?
It was all an initial guess at best though, an estimation.
She had no way of knowing what was going on or had gone on outside of Haruno's testimony, and however it actually was out there with the full situation they needed Mie's goods and so forth. Assisting her, perhaps, would be a boon for the village in that sense. If they could save her. If they could get people out alive and any remaining goods along with them in the caravan.
On the other hand, she was happy to see Lissa having come over as well. She'd been hoping to finally find her.
"Unreasonable...," Nylah said, quietly at first, letting the word mull and roll over her lips for a moment in thought before meeting the oni's eyes once more and speaking at a normal but respectful volume, "Thank you, Haruno. We can take things from here. Please go rest...ok? I'll even update you on things if we figure anything out, as soon as I can at least. You have my word."
Her own eyes were filled with a genuine worry and concern, and a bit of guilt more so now, but she couldn't stand seeing the oni in that much pain either. She needed rest, and as a healer...or...well as a person she couldn't stand it. It was her own problem, she knew that much, but it wasn't good to be running around bleeding or such either.
The apprenticing herbalist then looked over to Calra, gave a small nod, and then stood up once more before turning to Lissa.
"Could...uhm...we talk somewhere more private for a moment?"
Hopefully a spot with no more chameleons as well. Please no more of those things. And apparently the one that had chased them, according to the hunters, was a baby! A baby!!! If they'd met an adult she didn't want to think about it. Now she was considering something to ask Lissa about that was perhaps just as if not more dangerous.
Ugh. It made her antsy just thinking about it, increasingly nervous to boot.
She just hoped Lissa, ah, did not hold any extra sore feelings for that event a few days ago. Though she seemed willing to help Haruno's allies at least, from what the other girl had said, so Nylah had some hope they could work together again.
***Kyr Reed acted as a sort of coagulant as well as sedative. Made people calmer…not particularly useful for treating frostbite on its own, but it was useful for staunching bleeding or injuries. Could be crushed into a paste with a variety of other things to achieve various effects. Wind-Leaf acted as more of a stimulant. When properly mixed with Kyr Reed it made salves and healing poultices good for bolstering the immune system and promoting natural healing. Coral Moss and Slug mucus were a bit harder to find, since the slugs only could be found in shallow water during the day, with Coral Moss being found in damp sea caves off the coast near the Goddess Spear. Slug Mucus was good for making topical salves for alleviating pain, while Coral Moss, when exposed to certain other substances actually heated itself to temperatures good for gentle rewarming of frost-bitten areas.
***Making anesthetics and preparing healing potions and salves.
It’d be easy enough to prepare both of those things especially with the things she had on hand. Fresh water for a base, crush the ingredients, then boil it to a broth. Simple enough, they didn’t have time to refine it. The Salves could be made by taking the same ingredients and crushing them into a paste without the water. Better for topical use on flesh wounds.
***
***
-{Enthralling Dust} (Racial): Mothraki produce a potent pollen like dust upon their wings. Merely by existing they spread this where they go, though it's mostly harmless if not inhaled in large quantities. Causes hallucinations and dulls one's senses. As one may expect, people tend to frown upon this sort of thing.
-{Journeyman Light Magic}: A magic encompassing pure light and illumination, ranging from harmless orbs to light up one’s path all the way up to rays/beams of light as attacks to even light barriers and other light constructs such as swords and spears and shields and so forth. A versatile magic that does not call upon the fire of the sun, but does have its myriad uses and capabilities.
-{Novice Herbalist}: Non-magical practices of a healer, ranging from identifying or figuring out the use of new herbs and recognizing familiar ones, to making things like certain poultices and healing-based alchemy/potion-making, to how to handle wounds/injuries and such using these things.
-{Herbalist's Bag}: A simple leather bag with a well-built shoulder strap, that is filled with a good number of many types of herbs, a good amount of bandages, and finally tools to make tonics, poultices, and potions alongside a scare few pre-prepared ones that are within the bag itself. She usually wears it around most of the time. (EDIT: Has refilled her supplies. Also now has two vials of baby-chameleon-thing poison.)
-{Small Knife}: A gift from her mother, made with a smoothed-out bone handle and treated with certain oils, mainly used to help cut things like vines and plants when out collecting herbs and so forth. Also a very niche emergency self-defense tool.
-{Food}: A small pouch sitting on her opposite hip that contains a few strips of preserved game meat and a few dried edible herbs from the local area. Not much in amount, since it was meant to be snacks for heading into the woods to gather herbs before 'that' happened.
-{Wristband}: A simple little bracelet made of pretty stones dyed in various colors, carefully having had a hole made through each, sitting on a band made of twisted and treated leather strips. Worn on her left wrist and given as a gift to her by her mother. How long it took to acquire or even make is unknown.
-{Cuteness}: She is a definitely cute moth girl. This is inherent to her existence. Yes.
The past few hours for Seelay had been nothing short of chaotic and eventful. The moment the mermaid creature breached the water and reached for the food, the elf launched her Harpoon towards the creature. Following her lead, the other hunters would do much the same. A pained cry came from the creature as it’d recoiled from the hit.
The next events would happen almost too quickly to even process. Something leaped from the water near the gargantuan mermaid. A flash of steel and a torrent of water sliced every single rope or chain that the hunters were using completely in two, freeing the massive aquatic beast from the chains that would then crash into the ice between the hunters and the beast itself.
Standing before her were two creatures she’d have heard tales of, but likely never seen.
Valtem. Two of them.
It was too dark to make out their more distinctive features, but one was wielding a harpoon themselves. The pair would immediately engage Seelay and the hunters, though neither seemed focused on actually harming the humans, rather, they seemed to mostly just fighting defensively as the large humanoid behind them quickly swam back under the water, disappearing into the waters below. The moment it had dove far enough below…they two, would shortly follow, disappearing into the sea as quickly as they had come.
Now, what were Valtem doing so far from their home to the south?
As she was spending time discussing with the fishermen what happened - they would be hailed from a distance…by a dwarf, and another elf no less. An Elf, that Seelay would almost instantly recognize.
Leuca Whelani. King of Tamaln’s niece, and the only one current of royal blood to master her Leargas even some…meaning, she was next in line to the throne.
Leuca would explain that her escort had been attacked by Apostles just over the mountains, and after some consideration, she ordered Seelay to go find her. It wasn’t too hard to do once she reached the mountains, aside from the storm that had been slowly brewing overhead from the start. After dispatching some Apostles and finding Sorcha, Leuca’s escort. A human supposedly given immortality by the Fey in return for services, Sorcha gave Seelay a letter send back to Tamaln informing the king of events that had transpired.
That Gloomhollow and the Apostles dared to attack the Princess, for a Shadow Elf corpse had been found among the apostles bodies.
Sorcha, would continue north to Dawn, while Seelay…would leave Dawn behind, at least for now.
“Speak for yourself, pet. Physical torture is quite enthralling. Maybe I could teach you a few tricks?”
“...Tickling? How is tickling going to get someone to talk…?” Lazhira mumbled, frowning bemusedly at the idea of tickling someone as effective torture. “You know what, I’m not gonna ask.” She’d shake her head, a small cat-like cheshire grin forming on her lips as a seemingly wonderful idea popped into her head. “Hey hey. How about we have some fun with this? Whoever makes her talk first has to do something for the other one. I don’t mean to brag,” Lazhira chuckled. “Buuut…my old man left me a few tricks ya know.”
Whatever she meant by that was up in the air exactly, but Lazhira seemed confident that she could win this proposed challenge of hers.
“Be careful, dummy. This friend of yours is quite crafty. Not that we’d mind losing or winning this bet, heh.”
“If you accept, then I give you one hour to prepare anything you need!” Lazhira smiled. “I’ll meet you back at my place in an hour.” Lazhira would run by Nylah and give her a quick hug and a bye before running off out the doors to wherever it was she was going in order to ‘prepare’ whatever she needed for this little challenge leaving in such a hurry that she’d bump into three faces she hadn’t seen before in the village and not even bothering to say hello.
The moon goddess holds up a sign with an 18+ behind a red emblem on it looking quite displeased Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Potential Events:
Asvar has mentioned a lack of Ore and that he might know where more are. Apparently Raelzeth is having trouble locating it with her stone-singing.
The fish problem remains as of yet solved.
Apparently Mie was attacked by the Yaga and Krysa and is held up somewhere in the Northern Snowfields.
Enli mentioned not having enough coins or goods to barter with the merchant Mie, if she comes. Perhaps he himself have some ideas on this.
The Crypts are off limits. Did something happen?
There could be a way to start diversifying Dawn’s food options aside from its usual fish, berry, and forest animal diet.
Now who are these newcomers?
Perhaps there's something you, personally, feel that needs to be done?
“It was not my place to ask.” Haruno responded to Lissa’s question. “I-if you’re going to help, here-” Haruno she’d pull the broken mask she normally wore from where it had been kept in one of her various bags, handing it to Lissa and Nylah. “Give that to her…or…any other Oni if you run into them out there they should be able to recognize it.” Well, that seemed as though all the information they were going to get from Haruno without asking anything else specific.
“If you two are done interrogating my patient, I’m bringing her back now.” Calra huffed. “No buts.” Lifting Haruno she’d grab the Oni and pull her to her feet as she’d help her head back to the Longhouse that was still being used as a shelter and medical center.
Which left them to do as they wished, though the pair would notice three more people of quite an varied group walk into the cathedral.
“Whew, can’t tell ya how good it feels to get outta that cold.” The dwarf said with a friendly smile to her companions, taking a look back at them. “...who broke your pickaxes, huh?” She’d give them a mildly annoyed expression at their seeming lack of joviality.
The dwarf in question, would then notice Nylah and Lissa.
“Oi, lass, got a question if ya don’t mind a dwarf taken up some of yer time.” She’d wave them over. “Where in the sage-forsaken underground are we at?”
“And while you’re at it,” The human woman interrupted. She’d place a hand on Leuca’s head, pulling her a bit closer. “Who’s in charge here?”
The moon goddess is watching a rat, a fox, and a hound chase each other in circles.. Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Potential Events:
Asvar has mentioned a lack of Ore and that he might know where more are. Apparently Raelzeth is having trouble locating it with her stone-singing.
The fish problem remains as of yet solved.
Apparently Mie was attacked by the Yaga and Krysa and is held up somewhere in the Northern Snowfields.
Enli mentioned not having enough coins or goods to barter with the merchant Mie, if she comes. Perhaps he himself have some ideas on this.
The Crypts are off limits. Did something happen?
There could be a way to start diversifying Dawn’s food options aside from its usual fish, berry, and forest animal diet.
Now who are these newcomers?
Perhaps there's something you, personally, feel that needs to be done?
As the group began talking, Maira would start cleaning Atzi’s place. Putting anything out of place up, getting rid of any dust or dirt that might be on tables or in the fireplace. Nothing unusual there, really.
“...aha,” Enli chuckled in a somewhat nervous manner. “I can certainly assure you, Gideon, the problem in the catacombs have nothing to do with the Cult.” He shook his head. “She tried to be…overly helpful and we have a small problem on our hands, that is all.”Still, Enli would not stop him from leaving should he so wish after that bit of information and would turn his attention back towards Maira and Atzi. “That is precisely one of the things Achel was trying to ascertain when we ran into a problem. It’s…somewhat difficult to explain so if you want to know, you have my permission to enter. I’m sure she would love to see you again.”
“...that seems like a bad idea, Atzi.” Maira quietly responded to her friend. “Its a magical thing, we don’t know what would happen if it breaks.”
“Well, we don’t know for certain. We may need to start seeing if we can find this second key. If we know where it is before they can get their hands on it, we could have leverage over them.”
The moon goddess laughs…her hair briefly turns into tentacles. That was just a trick of the light, right? Right. Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Potential Events:
Asvar has mentioned a lack of Ore and that he might know where more are. Apparently Raelzeth is having trouble locating it with her stone-singing.
The fish problem remains as of yet solved.
Apparently Mie was attacked by the Yaga and Krysa and is held up somewhere in the Northern Snowfields.
Enli mentioned not having enough coins or goods to barter with the merchant Mie, if she comes. Perhaps he himself have some ideas on this.
The Crypts are off limits. Did something happen?
There could be a way to start diversifying Dawn’s food options aside from its usual fish, berry, and forest animal diet.
Perhaps there's something you, personally, feel that needs to be done?
Atzi frowned at the talk of the second key. If Maira was correct about the dangers of breaking magical things, what exactly were they going to do even with the second key to the shrine? Keep it with them? And considering how the cultists featured an undying, superstrong, magic-cancelling tentacle-faced idiot, what leverage could be had that wasn’t just sparking an all-out war? Certainly, she didn’t see them as members of the village, so they were fundamentally enemies. It was weird then, that Enli considered all this.
But Atzi was just a young craftswoman who now only had one arm, and Enli was the village elder with decades of experience and knowledge. He was probably skipping through the five steps that led him to his conclusion.
“Alright, no breaking things for now…” She frowned, almost disappointed that the simplest answer wasn’t one that could be used in such circumstances. “...but I still think that it’s a good idea to like, better protect the first key, y’know? Recover it, then put it somewhere super safe and all. Like, I trust you can trap and hunt them all down, but if it’s the God of Knowledge that they worship, Maira, they’ll know eventually right? And then you have zombie-octopus-man after it.”
An unexpected snort of derision.
“Unless it took all their god’s power just to find the first one.”
“Well, that’s fair,” Lissa frowned, but accepted to Haruno’s answer. Really, it would have benefited everybody if she had asked, though. The next best thing was accepting her broken mask as a means of identification. Despite the oni’s help, there really wasn’t much to go on, but interrogating Calra’s injured patient any further was not going to do anybody favors, either.
She was about to turn and leave herself to contemplate what to do next when Nylah stopped her to have a word in private. “Sure. Something important? Let’s step outside, then--”
Even that she wasn’t able to do, though, when a trio of newcomers entered the cathedral. “More travelers?” she muttered, taking note of the demeanor and gear they wore. They certainly were an eclectic bunch. A young elf noble and her escort, perhaps? A strange escort, if so.
Nonetheless, she couldn’t help but to make a light joke as they approached. “Ah, reinforcements for the rescue expedition, I presume?” Of course, it was obvious they were not, but on the off-chance they were willing to help, that would be nice, wouldn’t it? Still, she raised an eyebrow at the rapid-fire questions the two adults of the group began to ask.
“Perhaps not then. You’re in the town of Dawn, and I do believe we’re above ground, rather than underground,” she responded. “As for who’s in charge…” she thumbed in the direction of the village elder had previously been. Right, he’d been dragged out earlier. “Ah, it seems he’s left. Well, you’re going to want to speak to Enli, he’s the village elder.”
The Mothraki felt another small pang in her gut as she watched the oni and Miss Calra leave, but would try to refocus herselff as Lissa finally responded to her question. Yes. It seemed the other girl outright wanted to help, and that perhaps made her chances of getting the human to join her on a stupid venture more likely. Then perhaps if Mie and them were assisted soon enough, it would at least help flesh the village out some and put the...well...maybe in the debt of the village a little bit. Help and safety in return for some help, among other potential trades they could make if they scrounged up some things to give to the merchants in return. Well, then again that'd be if things worke, they all got back, and there were still goods and such to trade for that remained! Plus it'd save more lives from needlessly being lost out there...
Ugh. It all made the mage-herbalist's head hurt some, though something would soon ring in her left ear that made her nearly jump up to the ceiling.
"Watch your ass, mothie."
she could jump as Vammy's little 'message in a bubble finally popped next to one of her ears. It had arrived silently, without warning, much like the light hammer of butt-protection and friend-protection had before. Even so, she'd been keeping more aware since Vammy's arrival and intentions becoming clear at least. Or at least intentions to grab butts and harass one of her best friends. Hmph! The nerve!
That being noted, before the Mothraki could go back to think more on the ramifications and details of her and maybe Lissa's potential quest she was interrupted. A trio of new arrivals walked abruptly in, and ultimately targeted her and her compatriot to talk to. Lissa seemed to give them the most basic gist first, at least, but out of habit the moth waited for her turn to speak before piping up.
"This is the village of Dawn, as Lissa has told you, and I am Nylah. However our Elder, Enli, has had to go off on other likely business for the time being it seems,", Nylah said, motioning to Lissa as she said her name before looking back at the trio of new arrivals. She was likewise trying to be polite, though as the summary of the situation came to mind it pushed at the edges of her mouth as if trying not to grimace at the grim situation overall, "The village has been still undertaking many efforts to recover after...after Elder Beast Azral Suralng and his kin passed through this area. The area has been a general danger for travelers, of which a few have stopped and sought to help us in our time of need. I and Lissa were about to talk about one of these matters.
We could look for Priestess Akala if you wish for sanctuary here for the time being, until Enli can speak with you, but there are yet still many dwelling here who have lost homes.
If you seek some rest in less cramped quarters, I could for the time being host you at I and my mother's home in the meantime at least. We have a spare room you could stay in."
It was a somewhat sudden, but modest, offer. But without Enli here, or another big representative, it was the least she could try to offer these potential travelers seeking to stay out of the cold. They at least didn't seem hostile, but all the same she had no idea of their intentions or frankly who they were in the first place. So whilst her polite offer to help was genuine, it wasn't without some measure of proper caution being silently held and left unspoken on her part.
***Kyr Reed acted as a sort of coagulant as well as sedative. Made people calmer…not particularly useful for treating frostbite on its own, but it was useful for staunching bleeding or injuries. Could be crushed into a paste with a variety of other things to achieve various effects. Wind-Leaf acted as more of a stimulant. When properly mixed with Kyr Reed it made salves and healing poultices good for bolstering the immune system and promoting natural healing. Coral Moss and Slug mucus were a bit harder to find, since the slugs only could be found in shallow water during the day, with Coral Moss being found in damp sea caves off the coast near the Goddess Spear. Slug Mucus was good for making topical salves for alleviating pain, while Coral Moss, when exposed to certain other substances actually heated itself to temperatures good for gentle rewarming of frost-bitten areas.
***Making anesthetics and preparing healing potions and salves.
It’d be easy enough to prepare both of those things especially with the things she had on hand. Fresh water for a base, crush the ingredients, then boil it to a broth. Simple enough, they didn’t have time to refine it. The Salves could be made by taking the same ingredients and crushing them into a paste without the water. Better for topical use on flesh wounds.
***
***
-{Enthralling Dust} (Racial): Mothraki produce a potent pollen like dust upon their wings. Merely by existing they spread this where they go, though it's mostly harmless if not inhaled in large quantities. Causes hallucinations and dulls one's senses. As one may expect, people tend to frown upon this sort of thing.
-{Journeyman Light Magic}: A magic encompassing pure light and illumination, ranging from harmless orbs to light up one’s path all the way up to rays/beams of light as attacks to even light barriers and other light constructs such as swords and spears and shields and so forth. A versatile magic that does not call upon the fire of the sun, but does have its myriad uses and capabilities.
-{Novice Herbalist}: Non-magical practices of a healer, ranging from identifying or figuring out the use of new herbs and recognizing familiar ones, to making things like certain poultices and healing-based alchemy/potion-making, to how to handle wounds/injuries and such using these things.
-{Herbalist's Bag}: A simple leather bag with a well-built shoulder strap, that is filled with a good number of many types of herbs, a good amount of bandages, and finally tools to make tonics, poultices, and potions alongside a scare few pre-prepared ones that are within the bag itself. She usually wears it around most of the time. (EDIT: Has refilled her supplies. Also now has two vials of baby-chameleon-thing poison.)
-{Small Knife}: A gift from her mother, made with a smoothed-out bone handle and treated with certain oils, mainly used to help cut things like vines and plants when out collecting herbs and so forth. Also a very niche emergency self-defense tool.
-{Food}: A small pouch sitting on her opposite hip that contains a few strips of preserved game meat and a few dried edible herbs from the local area. Not much in amount, since it was meant to be snacks for heading into the woods to gather herbs before 'that' happened.
-{Wristband}: A simple little bracelet made of pretty stones dyed in various colors, carefully having had a hole made through each, sitting on a band made of twisted and treated leather strips. Worn on her left wrist and given as a gift to her by her mother. How long it took to acquire or even make is unknown.
-{Cuteness}: She is a definitely cute moth girl. This is inherent to her existence. Yes.
Lazhira wanted a competition huh? Well! "Of course I'd accept!" Vammy exclaimed as Lazhira had already figured it would be accepted and ran out. The demon smirked a small bit, confident she could win. Well, an hour was a long time. So she would... Need to kill time a small bit. Well, really, she'd probably just think a bit about what she wanted to do with the little prisoner and head back early. That is, until she spied the dwarf, human and elf group that had entered.
They were talking to Lissa and the moth. Well, she saw exactly what she could do first. So she stepped out for a minute. She snuck into a small building where some food was stored. Some of it was made by her anyway so no one should complain if she just... pilfered a bit... Regardless, she smuggled out a sweet roll and kept it in her hand, heating it to an enjoyable temperature. Not too hot but warm enough to keep a small elf girl warmer. She stepped quietly as she snuck up behind the elf child and made sure the sweet roll was carefully in her hand. She looked precious unlike some of the brats that wandered around town looking for something to do.
And then she slapped the dwarf on the shoulder the moth had just finished talking to them it seemed so she spoke up ever so slightly. "And if you want the warmest place in town, that'd be wherever I'm staying~ Ah, but Lazhira might do me in if I invite someone over by myself... Well, if you two ever need to be warmed up well, I'm your gal~" The demon said with a slightly suggestive tone to her voice, giving a nice little wink to the dwarf and trying to not set off the rather extreme looking woman. She looked Nylah in the eyes and gave her a wink too, trying to remind her off that little warning.
"Ah! And, if you want more sweet rolls, just come find me. I know my way around the kitchen. Or, what counts for a kitchen here." The demon seemed to question that thought a small bit before she shrugged and left the religious site, heading elsewhere for a small bit before heading towards home, ready for her competition.
As Gideon made his way out, he did consider the situation with the cult a fair bit. Whatever danger they could cause to the village is surely one that needs to be thwarted with utmost expediency. However, Gideon also knew the cult was very much embedded into Dawn's social structure. To paint himself as an enemy of this group would be unwise at this point. After all, he is still an outsider, yet to truly embed himself within the village as a member of the community.
There was also an issue of the growing hostility of the surrounding groups. Had the world gone mad? Or perhaps those who come to Dawn wish for the village even more trouble than they were already facing. Trying to save this hamlet would prove to be difficult, after all. Gideon wondered for a moment if that was the true reason Grams had sent him to this place.
Whatever the case may be, the Sage knew that he needed to do what he had ought to. It is the time where he needed to stop thinking as a Sage, and begin to see the world through a cold gaze of Steel. Because of this, he further resolved to enact his plans for the village further. The hunters already trusted him, but they would still be ill-equipped. Spears and bows of bone would not serve as proper weapons for the small army he wished to shape out of Dawn's most physically capable.
As such, Gideon knows just who he needed to speak to next, and what he needed to do. He would make his way to Asvar, the village's smith, to try and resolve the ore shortage. After all, to have an army of steel, Gideon needed iron.
“Underground, above ground, eh. All the same to a dwarf.” Eirhild responded with a shrug. “Thanks lass.” The blond human though, seemed less than enthused by the company present, eyeing both the Mothraki and Lissa critically with a glare that could freeze the sun itself. “And don’t mind the blondie. She’s uh, she’s got a lot on her plate right now - huh? Guh, sage stones, a demon!?”
This, seemed to both put the human and dwarf both on the immediate defensive. The moment Vammy showed up but she was already making her way out just after leaving a roll of some sort in Leuca’s hands. The elf didn’t even bother holding onto it as Sorcha swiftly snatched it up. Leuca seemed to make a further effort to retreat behind Sorcha.
“...Hmph. This village harbors Mothraki and even demons. I’m surprised you’re not a den of degeneracy and evil yet.” The roll in the humans hands would suddenly start sparking with electricity as only seconds later it’d simply almost be vaporized in a show of sparks and crackling of energy. “Allow me to ask you one more thing. Are there Apostles of Rheanne in this village?”
“There’s a demon here of all things!” Eirhild huffed. “The apostles would burn this place to the ground if they found it!”
“I can’t be too careful, Eirhild. I am not putting Leuca at unnecessary risk, and if I have to I’ll be the one burning this village.” The woman then turned her attention back to Nylah. “Thank you for the offer, Mothraki, but I have no intention of housing Leuca on the same roof as one of your kind.”
“...uhm…S-sis? Sorcha?” The soft voice of the elf hiding behind the woman quietly was heard.
“What is it, Leuca?”
“I think…we can…trust her.”
“...You are aware what Mothraki can do, aren’t you?”
“W-well, yes, but…the others here don’t seem to mind her…I think its fine, Sorcha.”
“...hmph, well, alright then. Allow me to introduce myself. Sorcha. You don’t need to know who we are beyond just travelers. If you would be gracious enough to allow the both of us to stay in your home, then if Leuca is fine with it I have no reason to refuse. But let me be very clear - if any of you do anything to Leuca,” The woman's expression shifted to one of simple hostility to one of pure murderous intent. “I’ll turn this entire village into a crater.”
“...Sorcha, stop that.”
“You stop being so nice to people, Leuca.”
“You’re the one who taught me to be open minded!”
Eirhild simply was leaning on a pew, seemingly trying to distance herself from the two of them bickered. “So what’s this about a rescue operation? I got free time and I’m lookin’ for work lass.” She’d question Lissa.
“O-oh, uhm…there was another elf…I think her name was Seelay? She wanted to pass along that your fish problem is being caused by Valtem and one of their Leviathans…” Lecua chimed in to the both of them having properly quieted Sorcha. “I uhm…she went back to Tamaln, too…”
The moon goddess glances up at the sky, before a bolt of lightning falls from the top of the screen and slams into her. Rather comically, it only burns her clothes and she makes a cheeky attempt at covering herself with her arms. Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Potential Events:
Asvar has mentioned a lack of Ore and that he might know where more are. Apparently Raelzeth is having trouble locating it with her stone-singing.
The fish problem remains as of yet solved.
Apparently Mie was attacked by the Yaga and Krysa and is held up somewhere in the Northern Snowfields.
Enli mentioned not having enough coins or goods to barter with the merchant Mie, if she comes. Perhaps he himself have some ideas on this.
The Crypts are off limits. Did something happen?
There could be a way to start diversifying Dawn’s food options aside from its usual fish, berry, and forest animal diet.
Well, the human doesn’t seem to be the friendliest.
Perhaps there's something you, personally, feel that needs to be done?
“...careful around that human, Vammy.” The demon said in her head as she’d leave the cathedral. “Something about her makes my little heart shudder in the ‘oh, I might actually die’ way.”
Heading back to Lazhiras, Vammy wouldn’t have much trouble aside from the demon making complaints and speaking incessantly about that blond haired woman and wanting Vammy to stay away from her for some reason. In fact, there was a small amount of -fear- from the demon, something that Vammy hadn’t felt from her in any other capacity since they’ve been together.
Regardless, as she pushed open the door to Lazhira’s house she’d be met with quite the unfortunate sight on the part of their little prisoner.
The woman had managed to free herself somehow. Her robes had been done away with now and whatever enchantment that was keeping her face from being indistinguishable from others had finally seemingly been done away with revealing a slightly darker skinned human with shorter hair and a bit angry looking amber colored eyes.
“Aha, you just had to come back now, huh?” The woman clicked her tongue, seeming none too pleased. “Ugh, and I was hoping I wouldn’t have to deal with something so boring.” She had managed to pilfer the knives Lazhira likely used for foraging and was holding them, ready to somehow defend herself and get out of here. “Well, whatever. I’ll at least take your corpse back and dissect it.”
The moon goddess holds up a sign with an 18+ behind a red emblem on it looking quite displeased Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Potential Events:
Asvar has mentioned a lack of Ore and that he might know where more are. Apparently Raelzeth is having trouble locating it with her stone-singing.
The fish problem remains as of yet solved.
Apparently Mie was attacked by the Yaga and Krysa and is held up somewhere in the Northern Snowfields.
Enli mentioned not having enough coins or goods to barter with the merchant Mie, if she comes. Perhaps he himself have some ideas on this.
The Crypts are off limits. Did something happen?
There could be a way to start diversifying Dawn’s food options aside from its usual fish, berry, and forest animal diet.
Seems like a certain prisoner is getting uppity
Perhaps there's something you, personally, feel that needs to be done?
Maira paused her cleaning and frowned. Atzi did have some logic to her words, after all, but still…if it was in the village then word would spread easier about where it was, and there was no telling what would happen then.
“Atzi you need to understand Iva’krorh is very…disconnected with his followers.” Enli responded to her question with a thoughtful hum. “He doesn’t help directly. Moreso give a sort of guidance to people who follow him and ask him things. He doesn’t stop them from doing things like this, but he rarely does he order mortals around.” Enli’s mouth slowly turned into a troubled frown, though as he’d continue. “Still…there is a possibility that he does have a more direct hand this time, and if he does…” Enli sighed, pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose. “Well, then there’d be little we could do to stop him, even if we were protecting it.”
“...what do we know of the second key?” Maira questioned.
“Only that it looks nothing like the first and was tossed to the mortal realm by the god himself for ‘safekeeping’ apparently.” Enli replied. “Little more than that, I’m afraid.” He looked to Atzi and Maira. “Truthfully…I do not know the best way forward here. Maybe if we didn’t have to deal with the blizzard the village had already gone through and another one possibly in the near future this wouldn’t be so difficult…” Enli shook his head. “I’ll let you decide what to do. Otherwise I’ll speak with Akala about this and see what she thinks.”
The moon goddess laughs…her hair briefly turns into tentacles. That was just a trick of the light, right? Right. Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Potential Events:
Asvar has mentioned a lack of Ore and that he might know where more are. Apparently Raelzeth is having trouble locating it with her stone-singing.
The fish problem remains as of yet solved.
Apparently Mie was attacked by the Yaga and Krysa and is held up somewhere in the Northern Snowfields.
Enli mentioned not having enough coins or goods to barter with the merchant Mie, if she comes. Perhaps he himself have some ideas on this.
The Crypts are off limits. Did something happen?
There could be a way to start diversifying Dawn’s food options aside from its usual fish, berry, and forest animal diet.
Perhaps there's something you, personally, feel that needs to be done?
Finding Asvar wasn’t hard. His forge while it had been silent since the blizzard ended, was located a bit towards the shoreline and towards the southern end of the village. While Bolcha and his men were general handyman that did a lot of the construction work and general day to day work, the dwarf from Azurumnal did work as one could expect of a blacksmith - working with iron, steel, and making all manner of higher quality weapons. Arrowheads, shaping harpoons, armor if he had enough, but generally he tended to forge things for much more domestic affairs and use.
As he neared the shop though, he’d finally run into one of the little gremlins known for causing mischief in Dawn. Asvar’s daughter, a Half-shadow elf by the name of Raelzeth. A short girl of dark skin that possessed both the magical talent of Shadow elves, and the stone-singing of her father.
“I’ve heard of you.” The young girl walked up to Gideon, walking alongside him. “The grown ups say you’re some sorta smart guy, huh? How smart. You ever been to Naraheim?” The land of demons, buried under Gloomhollow Gideon would know of it at least. He’d also know that from what he’s heard of Raelzeth from before, she was likely up to some small mischief.
The moon goddess punches an oddly shaped square tree that produces an oddly shaped square block of wood which she then somehow turns into a wooden pickaxe. Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Potential Events:
Asvar has mentioned a lack of Ore and that he might know where more are. Apparently Raelzeth is having trouble locating it with her stone-singing.
The fish problem remains as of yet solved.
Apparently Mie was attacked by the Yaga and Krysa and is held up somewhere in the Northern Snowfields.
Enli mentioned not having enough coins or goods to barter with the merchant Mie, if she comes. Perhaps he himself have some ideas on this.
The Crypts are off limits. Did something happen?
There could be a way to start diversifying Dawn’s food options aside from its usual fish, berry, and forest animal diet.
Perhaps there's something you, personally, feel that needs to be done?
He was in a white void, a clock ticking around him, echoing into the vast nothingness. He was awake, but he could not move, nor breath, nor blink. He was conscious, but suspended in this vast nothingness. Above him as he laid there, he could see into a vast infinity. What seemed to be a tapestry of worlds disintegrating and fading into a patch of clockwork and gears before they too, would vanish into nothing as they stretched on and on. Below he could not see for he could not move, but he was being watched.
But by what, he had no idea, and finally the clock would cease its ticking as he’d find himself falling, falling…
Within the now off limit crypts of Dawn, there was the sound of a clock slowly ticking away unheard by any but the man currently laying on a carved stone table. His flesh having recently turned black and starting to seemingly rot and bloat. He had been brought in shortly after the Blizzard had started, before things got bad by Maira who had found him washed up in the rivers edge in some sort of strange coma.
Achel had decided to keep him here since it’d be the easiest place to keep him in this unknown state.
Yet it seemed like whatever ailment had afflicted the young man, had finally run its course.
Something a certain gravekeeper was finally going to make advantage of.
“Okay okay, I can do this. Totally won’t go wrong a tenth time!” Using her threads to move the body into a slightly more manageable and easy to work with position, Achel began focusing on the magical energy in her objectively tiny body. “Ancient rites of death, the oath of the dead and bindings of the underworld, I ask thee for a soul to inhabit this body and to render aid!”
The ticking, would quite suddenly stop for Finn and as he fell into that white void below, he’d suddenly find himself waking upon the table. There was a ripping and tearing noise as the blackened flesh would tear itself from his body as he moved, much like a serpent shedding his skin Finn would shed the necrotic skin he had previously been in.
And he’d find himself face to face with about three zombies in front of him.
Gears tick away at the edge of the screen, the Moon Goddess sits on a rotating gear, but otherwise she says nothing. Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Potential Events:
Finnegan drifted aimlessly within the infinite white expanse; naught but his own thoughts and the ceaseless ticking of an unseen clock.
How long had he been here?
How did he get here?
What was this place?
Though he had no true answer to these questions-- he could still remember small bits...
An expedition.
Screams.
Water cold as winter, and black as night.
The palm of his hand in searing pain.
Unfamiliar voices chanting in prayer.
One voice; a woman's voice, saying he was chosen...
That he was to be a Hero.
And from that turbulent sea of darkness-- the young Apostle was jettisoned into the endless white expanse. Stranded in the ceaseless void, unable to move, speak, or even breathe-- the newly minted Hero did the only thing he could...
He watched.
And as he stared into the nothingness, Finnegan Connors would soon begin to feel as if he himself was being watched as well. Yet, despite his strange circumstances...
It was oddly comforting to know he wasn't truly alone. That he hadn't been cast aside to be forgotten just as quickly as he had been saved.
Only then did his eyes finally see how filled this limitless expanse truly was.
Worlds.
Tens. Hundreds. Thousands. Untold billions and trillions. Spanning beyond comprehension...
Woven together like an ornate tapestry.
All would turn to ash, and be remade as gears and clockwork-- spanning ever onward into the beyond.
Even in his wildest dreams, Finnegan couldn't even begin to imagine something so profound.
So entranced was he by what his eyes had witnessed that he barely noticed when the ticking stopped.
Nor when he began to fall.
Luminous eyes slid open as Finnegan sat up abruptly; pulling free of what necrotic husk still clung to him. A womanly voice from behind the young Apostle exclaimed in disbelief at his sudden revival, eliciting a strange chuckle from the man she had thought dead mere moments before.
"It would seem so Sister!" Finnegan replied cheerfully; his hands vigorously rubbing the sleep from his eyes, "I'm just glad to be back in Av-"
Finn's words abruptly halted as a small box appeared in the edge of his vision. He'd thought it a trick of the light at first-- but now that he looked at it... It seemed to contain a strange depiction of a vaguely familiar woman sitting atop a gear... And were those words?
In a single moment, the surreal feeling that had followed the dream had all but vanished; replaced instead by a surge of adrenaline-fueled panic.
"RHEANE'S TITS!"
Finnegan's fearful scream echoed throughout the catacombs as the heel of his boot slammed into the forehead of the lunging Zombie, throwing it back-- in addition to sending him ass over teakettle off the other side of the table. Hurriedly scrambling back to his feet, Finn took a defensive stance in front of the Woman he had woken with; drawing his hunting knife as the trio of Living Corpses continued their shuffling advance.
Finn's eyes shifted warily between the three undead; gritting his teeth nervously as he tried to remember the basics of CQC.
"If you’re forced into using your knife-- you've already screwed yourself. So you better be paying the FUCK attention!"
He could almost feel the end of the Drill Marshal's cane jam into his ribs as the words reverberated sternly inside his head. Raising his left arm to act as a shield, Finnegan shifted his weight onto the balls of his feet; his knife-wielding hand poised to slash and stab away at whatever got close.
"I'm not sure who you are miss, nor how I got here-- but stay behind me. God willing, I'll get us out of this mess and back to safety!"
Where in the world were these travelers from?! Not that Vammy's involvement helped many social situations at all, ever or if at all in her mind, but the killing intent from the woman was as clear as day. Not that she blamed anyone for being afraid of someone like herself, given what she could do...her mother had let her know that much at least. So too had experience. History. The far past. It had been a boon against that ridiculous beast from a few days ago at least, though, which made her glad to have had some means to help that situation if nothing else. But still...hmm. At least the child, Leuca, seemed to be friendly and trusting enough to give her the benefit of the doubt. A potentially dangerous thing, as the child's obvious protector likely knew, but in this case it felt like a small relief.
Not that the murderous gaze didn't send a visible chill down her back and make her lips stay tightly shut to not interrupt Sorcha's words.
But as the child spoke up at the end Nylah found herself somewhat surprised. The elf she'd heard was helping out the fishing issue, Seelay, gone? Just like that? Perhaps some business had popped up at her own home that required attention? Or, er...the Mothraki had no idea really. But it was information that could help that particular problem at least, even if the one who had procured it had left.
Still, the Mothraki seemed to ponder on Leuca's words briefly before letting out a small sigh and looking to the others and ultimately on Sorcha and her charge. The woman seemed generally in-charge of whatever was going on with these travelers, or enough so at least.
"Y-Your warning is duly noted, Miss S-Sorcha. I wouldn't dream of hurting a child, though that is simply my word as a stranger.
But before we all speak further, perhaps we can head to I and my mother's home to get you all settled first in the spare room. Certainly Enli would want to hear of the news about the fishing, but until he returns we can't really tell him this either. I can get some food over the fire in the meantime, at the very least, and try to help make you comfortable before I check in on mother as well."
Nylah let out a small sigh, before motioning to the others to follow as she began to walk away toward her home.
Things had been slowed a bit, but guests taken out of the cold would at least be the right thing to do in her mind. The spare room was plenty big enough, and she could get a fire started within it to help cook as well. That and...well...she'd been wanting to talk to Lissa anyway about a potential rescue mission. Or something like that, she supposed, considering they were only two people. So getting things comfortable would hopefully ease the situation for the travelers, let her check in on her mother before heading out anywhere if they did go on some mission, and frankly give them all a chance to talk in a less chilly spot.
Not that Sorcha didn't still make her a bit nervous. She was trying to not make direct eye contact out of fear another murderous glaze would come her way. But with mother not in prime condition, perhaps the one silver lining was them not being seen as a worse threat perhaps. Maybe. Hopefully?
Hmm. Perhaps the sooner they arrived and got settled, then, the better things would be.
***Kyr Reed acted as a sort of coagulant as well as sedative. Made people calmer…not particularly useful for treating frostbite on its own, but it was useful for staunching bleeding or injuries. Could be crushed into a paste with a variety of other things to achieve various effects. Wind-Leaf acted as more of a stimulant. When properly mixed with Kyr Reed it made salves and healing poultices good for bolstering the immune system and promoting natural healing. Coral Moss and Slug mucus were a bit harder to find, since the slugs only could be found in shallow water during the day, with Coral Moss being found in damp sea caves off the coast near the Goddess Spear. Slug Mucus was good for making topical salves for alleviating pain, while Coral Moss, when exposed to certain other substances actually heated itself to temperatures good for gentle rewarming of frost-bitten areas.
***Making anesthetics and preparing healing potions and salves.
It’d be easy enough to prepare both of those things especially with the things she had on hand. Fresh water for a base, crush the ingredients, then boil it to a broth. Simple enough, they didn’t have time to refine it. The Salves could be made by taking the same ingredients and crushing them into a paste without the water. Better for topical use on flesh wounds.
***
***
-{Enthralling Dust} (Racial): Mothraki produce a potent pollen like dust upon their wings. Merely by existing they spread this where they go, though it's mostly harmless if not inhaled in large quantities. Causes hallucinations and dulls one's senses. As one may expect, people tend to frown upon this sort of thing.
-{Journeyman Light Magic}: A magic encompassing pure light and illumination, ranging from harmless orbs to light up one’s path all the way up to rays/beams of light as attacks to even light barriers and other light constructs such as swords and spears and shields and so forth. A versatile magic that does not call upon the fire of the sun, but does have its myriad uses and capabilities.
-{Novice Herbalist}: Non-magical practices of a healer, ranging from identifying or figuring out the use of new herbs and recognizing familiar ones, to making things like certain poultices and healing-based alchemy/potion-making, to how to handle wounds/injuries and such using these things.
-{Herbalist's Bag}: A simple leather bag with a well-built shoulder strap, that is filled with a good number of many types of herbs, a good amount of bandages, and finally tools to make tonics, poultices, and potions alongside a scare few pre-prepared ones that are within the bag itself. She usually wears it around most of the time. (EDIT: Has refilled her supplies. Also now has two vials of baby-chameleon-thing poison.)
-{Small Knife}: A gift from her mother, made with a smoothed-out bone handle and treated with certain oils, mainly used to help cut things like vines and plants when out collecting herbs and so forth. Also a very niche emergency self-defense tool.
-{Food}: A small pouch sitting on her opposite hip that contains a few strips of preserved game meat and a few dried edible herbs from the local area. Not much in amount, since it was meant to be snacks for heading into the woods to gather herbs before 'that' happened.
-{Wristband}: A simple little bracelet made of pretty stones dyed in various colors, carefully having had a hole made through each, sitting on a band made of twisted and treated leather strips. Worn on her left wrist and given as a gift to her by her mother. How long it took to acquire or even make is unknown.
-{Cuteness}: She is a definitely cute moth girl. This is inherent to her existence. Yes.
Folding her arms, the Raam-in-disguise nodded in agreement as Nylah elaborated on her own explanation. Lissa wondered what the mothraki had wanted to her ask her in private, but with these newcomers, she guessed that it could wait for later. She was about to respond further when she spotted the village’s resident demon sneak in among the trio to… reverse pickpocket a sweet roll into the young girl’s hands.
She briefly tensed up, the same as the clearly noble girl’s escort did. Lissa herself was still unsure about the demoness, but she was equally concerned how the travelers would react to something obviously unusual as… Vammy. Lissa held up her hands in placation. “Everybody, let’s not be too hasty,” she began, but made sure to shoot a very dirty look in the lewd demon girl’s direction. “As far as I know, she hasn’t done anything of harm yet, and with the disaster that has befallen this village and general region, it can use any body or helping hand it can get. It’s why I’m staying here myself, so I’ll have to kindly ask you to refrain from any potential arson!”
Thankfully, the trio’s talk only remained on the level of bickering and was moderated by the half-elf girl, of all things. How important to them was that girl if a couple uncertain words in Nylah’s favor was able to calm her escort? Curious and curiouser, Lissa wanted to know who these people were exactly.
Well, a basic introduction would do for now, even if it was tainted with the threat of violence. “Lissa, traveling knight and part-time merchant. Nylah and the villagers would never do such a thing, but if you act against the village, I’ll be obliged to intervene.”
She sniffed as the girl and her charge began to bicker again. Thankfully, the dwarf was more approachable, and Lissa lit up as she mentioned her rescue mission. “Looking to join? There’s a merchant caravan some ways away from the village that are bogged down in the snow and are being sieged by some local groups. I’ve been told they’re the Krysa and the Yaga, but what’s important is that they’re in a bad way, and the village itself also needs their help. I intend to mount an expedition to either relieve them or at least get a better idea of what’s going on. Your help would be… really appreciated, and I’m sure both the village and Mie and her caravan would duly reward you for the assistance."
Dawn get the fuck out of my room im playing minecraft
Gideon looked at the sassy, lost child with some curiosity. It was clear to him that this was Asvar's daughter. For a moment, he pondered what the correct nomenclature for such a half-breed was. Shadwarf? Delf? He would stroke his chin as the different possibilities came to his head. After all, the Shadow Elves and the Dwarfs do live in close proximity. He didn't think too hard on it, however, as the child probed him with questions.
"No, I'm afraid I have not. Us Raam have metal bones, you see, and the heat of Naraheim would be... uncomfortable, to say the least. I wouldn't be that smart of a fellow if I went into such depths without a care in the world, especially with the other dangers that lurk in Naraheim."
Before he would make his way to Asvar's shop, however, Gideon stopped walking, looking at Raelzeth with a bit of concern. This stemmed from both him resisting the urge to ask for an "official" name for Half-Elf Haf-Dwarf children, but primarily because he felt a bit... off around the runt. It seemed like she was up to something, for sure, but he just couldn't quite put his finger on it. For some reason, it felt like if he went into her father's smithy, her plans may come to fruition.
It's not like he needed to talk to Asvar immediately, anyway. The dwarf is probably working the forge, and it wouldn't be a good thing for Gideon to step in at such a time. Plus, he could just as easily get to the heart of the problem right now. After all, the stone-singer was in his presence.
"... and I've heard a few things about you, as well, Raelzeth. Your talents in magic, both Elven and Dwarven, are astounding from what I hear. I've also heard you are having a bit of trouble finding ores with your stone-singing. Perhaps a 'smart guy' like myself can help you figure out that issue?"
"Huh. I didn't think you had an actual survival sense." Vammy mentioned to her demon roommate on the way back to Lazhira's house. "Well, she kinda scares the stuffing out of me a bit too. Dwarf girl was easy on the eyes though, right?" She questioned before opening the door to Lazhira's place, only to see a not so soothing sight.
"What...? Hope did you manage to get free?" Vammy questioned looking over the woman before it dawned on her. "Ohhh.... Ohoooo? I can see your features now~" Vammy cooed a small bit. "Well, what can I say. You're actually a fair bit sexy aren't you?" The demon shook her head. "No, ogling comes later. Just how did you get out of your binds here..." The demon questioned rubbing her chin a small bit. "If you wanted to dissect me, I'll have to pass though. I rather prefer not having a knife in my guts." Really though, she needed to make this a safe situation before Lazhira got home. She didn't want to introduce the girl to danger.
Vammy pointed behind the escapee and ordered out, "Get her, mutt!" At the non-present there form of the dog. This was a bluff, of course. She just needed a small distraction to hastily get to the captive and trip her without being stabbed. From there, it would be simple enough to hold her down (by sitting on her) and remove her weapons.
@Pyromania99 “Please, of course I do. Blood demons know when they’re clearly outmatched.” The demon harrumphed at Vammy’s assertion. It was true she had a tendency to bite off more than she could chew at times, but well, she wouldn’t be a demon if she didn’t. Blood demons only got stronger in such scenarios, really - its what made them so dangerous, but when matched against something they clearly stood no chance against? Well, they weren’t fools.
Unlike this human attempting to flee.
“Ha, like I’m gonna fall for some stupid-” The woman initially responded, only to have her eyes widen in mild fear when she heard a loud growl from behind her. Lazhira left the window open, and Tallen happened to have made a little bed right outside it. She didn’t want the dog in her house, so she said. “-bluff!”
The mutt in question leapt through the window, tackling the woman and proceeding to knock her right over and then decided to do what vammy had wanted, using her as a seat.
“Getoff you smelly animal!”
The moon goddess holds up a sign with an 18+ behind a red emblem on it looking quite displeased Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Potential Events:
Asvar has mentioned a lack of Ore and that he might know where more are. Apparently Raelzeth is having trouble locating it with her stone-singing.
The fish problem remains as of yet solved.
Apparently Mie was attacked by the Yaga and Krysa and is held up somewhere in the Northern Snowfields.
Enli mentioned not having enough coins or goods to barter with the merchant Mie, if she comes. Perhaps he himself have some ideas on this.
The Crypts are off limits. Did something happen?
There could be a way to start diversifying Dawn’s food options aside from its usual fish, berry, and forest animal diet.
Now who are these newcomers?
Perhaps there's something you, personally, feel that needs to be done?
“Hmph.” Sorcha barely even acknowledged Lissa’s words as she’d give Leuca a gentle push to follow Nylah. “Brave words for someone that’d be nothing but slag.” She’d only briefly pause next to Eirhild, passing her what seemed to be a few gemstones. The dwarfs eyes lit up upon seeing them, eagerly and happily accepting them as seeming payment. “You have my thanks for protecting Leuca. If you find yourself in Tamaln just give my name and no one will bother you, Eirhild.”
“Eh, don’t worry about it!” The dwarf smiled as she’d pocket the gems, turning her own attention back to Lissa as Sorcha and Leuca followed after Nylah.
Sorcha for the most part said nothing as they trekked through Dawn, aside from a few comments about the rather in her opinion, poor state of the village. Leuca was too busy looking and taking in everything, speaking briefly to Sorcha about having never been so close to the sea before and seeming generally a little excited to be here.
Nylah’s home was of a fairly humble construction. Tyua had given Bolcha some pretty specific instructions when he had built it when she came to this village all those years ago, a baby Nylah barely old enough to flutter her wings. Situated just on the beach and made of wood and stone, the outside didn’t seem too different from similarly built houses here but the interior was constructed with specifically spacious rooms in mind, the floor a step or two lower into the ground giving it a rather tall and roomy ceiling. Windows situated in time to allow the morning sun and afternoon sun to filter light into the home. Thick carpets were placed over the flooring while various trinkets and weapons hung on the walls of the living room area along with a few wooden chairs, a larger fire pit and some things she brought with her from her homeland. A few handmade clay vases and jars she made, too inscribed with various symbols of Kythet.
“...ho.” Upon entering and observing for a few moment, Sorcha gave a curious hum. “I am surprised to see a Mothraki living in a house with holy symbols and icons of the Bastelians. I take it this ‘mother’ you spoke of is a Bastelian, then?”
The moon goddess redresses herself with her robe of water seemingly pouting that you potentially saw her without clothing. Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Potential Events:
Asvar has mentioned a lack of Ore and that he might know where more are. Apparently Raelzeth is having trouble locating it with her stone-singing.
The fish problem remains as of yet solved.
Apparently Mie was attacked by the Yaga and Krysa and is held up somewhere in the Northern Snowfields.
Enli mentioned not having enough coins or goods to barter with the merchant Mie, if she comes. Perhaps he himself have some ideas on this.
The Crypts are off limits. Did something happen?
There could be a way to start diversifying Dawn’s food options aside from its usual fish, berry, and forest animal diet.
Well, the human doesn’t seem to be the friendliest.
Perhaps there's something you, personally, feel that needs to be done?
Eirhild gave each of the gems given to her a good look over as Lissa told her what was happening. Two well cut, shiny emeralds. A blue, tear-shaped gem of some sort. And a ruby of an unnaturally deep red color. Satisfied that they were real, the dwarf would finally respond to Lissa.
“Krysa and Yaga are acting up eh?” Eirhild frowned. “That’s weird. They live close to each other but the two don’t usually interact. If they’re teamin’ up like this, this Mie lass must’ve sanded their stones ‘em somethin’ fierce.” The dwarf leaned on a pew, mulling over the offer in her head before coming to a conclusion.
“Well lass, as I said name’s Eirhild. You pay me a fair bit and treat me fair I’ll help ya. Dunno much about the Yaga or Krysa beyond what I already said but my sword arm’s good and my shields as sturdy as a rock.” She’d put out a hand for Lissa to take. “Since I finished with those two might as well go ahead and take another job, aye? Got any idea about this rescue operation yerself?”
The moon goddess redresses herself, plucking a few gems from thin air. Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Potential Events:
Asvar has mentioned a lack of Ore and that he might know where more are. Apparently Raelzeth is having trouble locating it with her stone-singing.
The fish problem remains as of yet solved.
Apparently Mie was attacked by the Yaga and Krysa and is held up somewhere in the Northern Snowfields.
Enli mentioned not having enough coins or goods to barter with the merchant Mie, if she comes. Perhaps he himself have some ideas on this.
The Crypts are off limits. Did something happen?
There could be a way to start diversifying Dawn’s food options aside from its usual fish, berry, and forest animal diet.
Well, the human doesn’t seem to be the friendliest.
Perhaps there's something you, personally, feel that needs to be done?
“Ah? Tch, I don’t need help.” Raelzeth clicked her tongue. “Why would I wanna do work when I'm avoiding it?” She’d stop near Gideon, frowning and seeming to look over the Raam quickly. “Which is why I’m bothering you! If I’m with you, it looks like I’m doing something important so no one bugs me about work.” She seemed awfully proud of this plan, scooting a bit closer to Gideon with a smug, cheeky grin as though this was the perfect way to get out of work. “Sooo, I’ma hang out with you, smart guy. I could tell ya some stuff about Naraheim if ya let me.” Whatever this little gremlin was up to she didn’t seem deterred by the fact Gideon had stopped just outside of Asvar’s smithy. If anything, she seemed a little more bold now. Didn’t he hear people talking about how she liked to pilfer things from people's pockets if given the opportunity?
Whatever the case, didn’t seem like she was going to take no for an answer.
The moon goddess punches an oddly shaped square tree that produces an oddly shaped square block of wood which she then somehow turns into a wooden pickaxe. Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Potential Events:
Asvar has mentioned a lack of Ore and that he might know where more are. Apparently Raelzeth is having trouble locating it with her stone-singing.
The fish problem remains as of yet solved.
Apparently Mie was attacked by the Yaga and Krysa and is held up somewhere in the Northern Snowfields.
Enli mentioned not having enough coins or goods to barter with the merchant Mie, if she comes. Perhaps he himself have some ideas on this.
The Crypts are off limits. Did something happen?
There could be a way to start diversifying Dawn’s food options aside from its usual fish, berry, and forest animal diet.
Perhaps there's something you, personally, feel that needs to be done?
Finn’s boot met the zombie’s forehead, an audible crunch as its skull would be visibly caved in slightly form the impact. It fell backwards, its uncoordinated movements sending it onto the ground from the impact though it would not stay down for long. The other two shuffled closer, unconcerned about the knife the young man was swinging wildly around.
The closest lunged towards him, a long, fleshy rotten arm reaching for his neck. His knife would find itself getting stuck in the creatures flesh just as the second undead would make a lunge for his thankfully armored sides, but he was going to get weighed down at this rate.
“Ah-ah, uhm, oh dear uhm.” Achel, meanwhile, behind Finnegan had move a bit further away, and Finnegan could hear her shuffling through some items. Metal clanking against metal, something being dragged across the floor. “Ugh-heavy! Here! Its not supposed to be used as a weapon but it should help!”
Finnegan would thankfully find what seemed to be the head of a black colored flail of some sort slam itself into the head of the undead tackling him from the side before it could get a good hold on him. Intricately carved with imagery relating to the Death Goddess. Rose thorns engraved into the hilt with a flower opening to show a set of scales along the blade. The ‘Flail’ portion of the weapon seemed to in fact be some sort of hollow bell shaped object.
…it was in fact no flail at all, but seemed to just be a large candle snuffer of some sort.
“Use it! O-or not. Er, whatever you wanna. I can handle it, probably, I’m a clever little spider, hehe!”
The gears tick away, the moon goddess holds a small broken one in her hands before dropping it into the ocean below her. Seems she’s rather grumpy about something. Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Potential Events:
"Shit! SHIT! SHIT!" Finnegan cried out in panic as the Zombies rushed, and promptly overwhelmed him. Cut and slice and stab as he would-- the Apostle's efforts did little to dissuade the living dead from their onslaught; his opposition only serving to catch his knife in the decaying flesh of one of his attackers.
Rotten blood gushed from the wound, causing his grip to slip from his knife as the Zombies tackled him to the ground.
"Fu- fuck!"
Any semblance of chivalrous attitude Finnegan had previously displayed all but vanished as adrenaline surged through his veins. The Militiaman flailed and twisted as he tried to wrench free of the Zombie clinging to his side and the one that currently had hold of his throat.
It was far from enough.
Just as frantically as he was attempting to escape the grasp of the undead; the undead themselves sought to feed upon his living flesh. Though Finn had managed to keep the one on his side at bay-- the one that hung over him; it's undying grasp wrapped tightly around his throat, pulled it's reeking jaws close...
Finnegan fought to push the abomination away from him-- just enough to get out from under it. Every time his left hand reached out to push the creature back, the oil-like slick of blood caused his hand to slip, again and again until--
CRUNCH!
A scream echoed through the halls of the Catacombs as blackened teeth cut through the first joint of Finnegan's ring finger.
A second surge of Adrenaline pumped through the young soldier, sound and smell fading into obscurity as his vision began to tunnel. The sound of his own heartbeat pounded wildly in his own ears as the Zombie clutching his side began to make headway toward his neck as well.
And then a black object slammed into the skull of the second Zombie.
Whatever the Woman might of said-- it never reached Finnegan's ears.
Whatever ornate carvings decorated the black object that had landed beside him-- Finnegan payed no heed.
All he knew; all that mattered-- was that he had a weapon.
His right hand formed a white-knuckled grip around whatever the object was-- and swung it hard into the temple of the Zombie that held his throat!
"RAAAAAAAAAGH!!!"
Again and again, he bashed the Zombie's skull with the odd flail he had been supplied; ravaging it until it's grip would loosen enough to break free! With a violent jerk, Finnegan whipped the pommel of his newly acquired weapon into the face of the second undead as he kicked away from his assailants, scrambling to get back to his feet!
Lissa couldn’t help but to sniff at the continuously rude treatment she was getting from the child’s so-called bodyguard, but elected to ignore her in favor of continuing her conversation with the more amiable elf. It seemed the two were leaving anyway; she gave Nylah a small wave as the three of them headed off to her house.
The Raam glanced over curiously at the gems the dwarven girl had received as payment. There was definitely a story to be had there, what with a dwarf being a hired hand to protect a young noble girl, but she decided to pry at a better time. There were better things to do right now, and it seemed the girl knew about the groups that she had been talking about. Lissa had intended to ask Haruno or Nylah more about them, but she hadn’t gotten a chance with the repeated interruptions.
“Mhm, seems like it,” she nodded. “I don’t know too much about them myself, so I’ll appreciate any information about them, but I think it’s likely the recent disasters in the area might have made food and supplies scarce. Food insecurity’s a good reason for tempers to flare if any… it might just be as simple as the two of them teaming up to survive,” she mused. “Ah, right, I’m Lissa, a pleasure. I’m sure the village would make it worth your while for your assistance. If not, I have the means to make it right,” Lissa nodded, inclining her head towards Eirhild’s recent payment. She had a reasonable amount of coin with her after offloading much of her things recently, and she wasn’t afraid of spending it for a good cause.
Lissa offered a hand. “You can consider it another job, then. As for the operation itself… it’s my plan, but I’m still in the early stages of planning it out. I’m going to ask around for more information on the three groups in the village, but I want to keep it simple; we get in, intervene, and figure out a way to drive off the Kyrsa and Yaga, or convey Mie’s group safely to the village. Failing that, scout out the situation and figure out a contingency from there.”
Vammy smiled as she saw the mutt jump through the window and plow over the escaping prisoner. As soon as she saw the dog sitting on her, Vammy walked over and removed the weapons from the woman's hands before stepping on her and holding the woman down with a foot. "Now, how did you escape little missy~?" Vammy asked with a smile. "And I can see you now too~ You're making me interested in you even more now. That said..." The demon looked toward the mutt that had saved her a lot of trouble. "It looks like I need to feed you even better for our next meal, eh, Mutt?" Vammy said with a smile. She seemed rather please that the dog had helped her out.
"Now then, I maybe I should tie you up again. Or I don't do that and choose to help myself to checking out your person for more weapons." The demon said, licking her lips with perverse thoughts obviously on her mind. She should probably wait to do anything unless Lazhira calls her a cheater of some sort. "Or, maybe I should just tie you up. Watch her mutt." Vammy said before going to grab some rope and coming back quickly to tie the girl up as she awaited Lazhira's return.
Sorcha seemed to be a woman not afraid to speak her mind, that much was for sure, though the comments about the poor state of the village were as redundant as anything. They'd weathered the passage of a proper Elder Beast through their area, and the fact the deaths had been limited to what they were felt like a miracle. Yet in contrast, Leuca seemed to be as eager and bright and hopeful as anything. A clear contrast to, and somewhat a relief from the comments of, Sorcha herself. If naught else, though, the visage of her home was something that brought a sense of some small relief to the Mothraki.
A lovely house near the sea, built well and cozy with tall ceilings and a lot of space to move. Carpets and mother's weapons, icons of the goddess Kythet and a large fire pit, the works. She'd never thought to ask her mother if it had been made to resemble designs of her old homeland, but in truth she'd not needed to ask such things. She'd been content to learn, to grow, to...to live with Mother around and to try to make her proud. By the time such questions became apparent, the Elder Beast had arrived after and things had become a mess. A grand mess.
“I am surprised to see a Mothraki living in a house with holy symbols and icons of the Bastelians. I take it this ‘mother’ you spoke of is a Bastelian, then?”
Was it so odd? Then again, Mother had acquired her in not the best of circumstances. Not all details had come out, but she had figured that time to talk more about it would come. That they'd be able to sit down more, all before that illness had stricken the only parent she knew down and left her bedridden. Ill.
"Ah...y-yes. Mother is a Bastelian, and the only mother I've ever known. In truth, I've no real memory of living anywhere else but here in the village either."
Not far from the main room with the fire pit and such, and across from her own room, Nylah would guide the duo to the spare room she'd mentioned prior.
A large and open spare room, of the same style as the rest of the house, filled with spots on the floor for extra bedding that was piled up in the corner along with some wood and tinder and other very simple supplies. Enough of a place to host a guest, or a few guests when Mother had kept some hunters over a few times before the night before a big hunt in particular in the past. The room likewise had a smaller fire pit in the center of it, one that was surrounded with stone and ventilated out of the ceiling. Even so, no wood currently sat in the pit that had gone unused since before the Elder Beast's arrival.
Decorations were scarce, but some hide carpets and such did provide a certain sense of 'home-i-ness' when it came to the local tastes of the village. At least it didn't look so empty, if nothing else.
After entering the room proper with her guests, the Mothraki would quietly walk over to the stacked wood and bedding were and work on pulling some bedding down for the duo to make use of. She would keep it close together, as she figured Sorcha would prefer most likely, and would begin to perform the process of stacking some tinder and wood and getting a fire going with a flint and small bit of metal to strike with left sitting by the smaller fire pit's edge. Not that there was must left to make use of at this stage, compared to their stock prior to the blizzard, but she'd managed to get some help once or twice restocking some after events. Somewhat. Truth be told she'd had to make do herself with most of the work, even if it was a struggle, and that had been after providing mutual assistance to those who'd helped her.
And, somewhat ashamedly in her mind, some of the unusable housing and other ruins left in the initial wake of things had been scavenged by herself and others a bit for useable wood and materials. All out of desperation.
Pursing her lips as she focused, eyes unwavering from the task in front of her hands despite the somewhat far-looking glaze that had formed in her eyes somewhat, Nylah would eventually get the sparks going as Mother had taught her. She almost didn't need to think about it at this point, as starting the fire and keeping one had been a chore for so long it had become second nature to her. So natural and basic, and yet...something so vital to survival all the same. Like breathing air.
"Whew...well, there's some bedding and a fire at least! If you need more, there's more bedding here in the corner as well as more wood to keep the fire in here for warmth. I'll go to the storage and see what to get simmering in the pot over the main fire pit, though Mother was very insistent we keep things that would preserve and last before the blizzard hit."
Perhaps...once she and Mother were through the nightmare things had become, once she found a way to make Mother well again, then she could make her a hearty and piping hot dinner again as well. Something to bring back something of better days. Even if just a bit. Even if just for one evening.
Still, once food got going well enough she could perhaps even go back for a moment to get Lissa and the other newcomer. She'd hoped they would come along with her and the others, but they had apparently stuck back behind to talk. Hmm. She'd wanted to talk to Lissa about going to to assist Mie and her group, even if it meant sneaking in to provide medical assistance or something, but she didn't want to simply up and walk away from her guests either.
(("Alas, with the mini-goddess re-clothing herself Nylah hadn't the chance to imagine her a cute little dress. Though the fact the mini-goddess had lost clothing from that little event was a small shock to her indeed."))
-Herbs/Herbalism Knowledge:
***Kyr Reed acted as a sort of coagulant as well as sedative. Made people calmer…not particularly useful for treating frostbite on its own, but it was useful for staunching bleeding or injuries. Could be crushed into a paste with a variety of other things to achieve various effects. Wind-Leaf acted as more of a stimulant. When properly mixed with Kyr Reed it made salves and healing poultices good for bolstering the immune system and promoting natural healing. Coral Moss and Slug mucus were a bit harder to find, since the slugs only could be found in shallow water during the day, with Coral Moss being found in damp sea caves off the coast near the Goddess Spear. Slug Mucus was good for making topical salves for alleviating pain, while Coral Moss, when exposed to certain other substances actually heated itself to temperatures good for gentle rewarming of frost-bitten areas.
***Making anesthetics and preparing healing potions and salves.
It’d be easy enough to prepare both of those things especially with the things she had on hand. Fresh water for a base, crush the ingredients, then boil it to a broth. Simple enough, they didn’t have time to refine it. The Salves could be made by taking the same ingredients and crushing them into a paste without the water. Better for topical use on flesh wounds.
***
***
-{Enthralling Dust} (Racial): Mothraki produce a potent pollen like dust upon their wings. Merely by existing they spread this where they go, though it's mostly harmless if not inhaled in large quantities. Causes hallucinations and dulls one's senses. As one may expect, people tend to frown upon this sort of thing.
-{Journeyman Light Magic}: A magic encompassing pure light and illumination, ranging from harmless orbs to light up one’s path all the way up to rays/beams of light as attacks to even light barriers and other light constructs such as swords and spears and shields and so forth. A versatile magic that does not call upon the fire of the sun, but does have its myriad uses and capabilities.
-{Novice Herbalist}: Non-magical practices of a healer, ranging from identifying or figuring out the use of new herbs and recognizing familiar ones, to making things like certain poultices and healing-based alchemy/potion-making, to how to handle wounds/injuries and such using these things.
-{Herbalist's Bag}: A simple leather bag with a well-built shoulder strap, that is filled with a good number of many types of herbs, a good amount of bandages, and finally tools to make tonics, poultices, and potions alongside a scare few pre-prepared ones that are within the bag itself. She usually wears it around most of the time. (EDIT: Has refilled her supplies. Also now has two vials of baby-chameleon-thing poison.)
-{Small Knife}: A gift from her mother, made with a smoothed-out bone handle and treated with certain oils, mainly used to help cut things like vines and plants when out collecting herbs and so forth. Also a very niche emergency self-defense tool.
-{Food}: A small pouch sitting on her opposite hip that contains a few strips of preserved game meat and a few dried edible herbs from the local area. Not much in amount, since it was meant to be snacks for heading into the woods to gather herbs before 'that' happened.
-{Wristband}: A simple little bracelet made of pretty stones dyed in various colors, carefully having had a hole made through each, sitting on a band made of twisted and treated leather strips. Worn on her left wrist and given as a gift to her by her mother. How long it took to acquire or even make is unknown.
-{Cuteness}: She is a definitely cute moth girl. This is inherent to her existence. Yes.
“Enough with the ropes demon! Just stop!” The woman in question shouted, but it was unlikely that Vammy would. Soon, the woman would be tied up back in the storage room that she had been in earlier. It seemed like she had managed to escape by scooting out and cutting the ropes on her hands on some implement, likely the same knives she was using. Perhaps Vammy would end up tying her up in some other method.
Regardless, when she was about halfway done tying the woman up, Lazhira would walk through the door, excited, at least until she saw what Vammy was doing with the prisoner.
“...vammy I know your a demon but I don’t think that kind of torture is very…good.” Lazhira said with a frown, obviously misunderstanding something here. “But if that’s what you wanna do, I’ll make sure to take very extensive…notes.” She’d nod, excitedly.
The moon goddess holds up a sign with an 18+ behind a red emblem on it looking quite displeased Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Potential Events:
Asvar has mentioned a lack of Ore and that he might know where more are. Apparently Raelzeth is having trouble locating it with her stone-singing.
The fish problem remains as of yet solved.
Apparently Mie was attacked by the Yaga and Krysa and is held up somewhere in the Northern Snowfields.
Enli mentioned not having enough coins or goods to barter with the merchant Mie, if she comes. Perhaps he himself have some ideas on this.
The Crypts are off limits. Did something happen?
There could be a way to start diversifying Dawn’s food options aside from its usual fish, berry, and forest animal diet.
Now who are these newcomers?
Perhaps there's something you, personally, feel that needs to be done?
If Sorcha had any further thoughts on Nylah’s parentage she didn’t voice them, falling quiet and letting the Mothraki prepare the bed and room for them. She’d end up leaning against a wall, arms folded across her chest, doing her best job of trying to kill the Mothraki with a gaze alone. Leuca elected to remain quiet, too, for the most part though the silence was clearly making the small elf comfortable.
“...Uhm, Sorcha?”
“What?”
“...how long are we going to stay here?”
“Until I believe it safe to travel back to Tamaln and inform his majesty of the shadow elves betrayal personally.”
“I…I see…” Leuca glanced towards the floor, frowning lightly. “So…it might be awhile before I can see uncle?”
“Yes.”
“...why would the Shadow Elves…do this? There were even Apostles there…”
“...Leuca.” Sorcha turned her attention from Nylah, instead turning towards the Elf child, expression noticeably softening for the first time they had been here. She placed a hand on Leuca’s head, gently ruffling her hair. “You know I won’t let anything happen to you, right?”
“I-I know, I just…Do you think Queen Vasserassa really would do this?”
“Leuca…” Sorcha glanced to the side as she’d respond, unable to meet the young elfs gaze. “...that’s just how they are. That’s how most people are. I know I taught you to try and keep an open mind, but…”
“I know, you’ve told me before. But do they have a reason to?”
“...did the Fey and Elves have a reason to curse that god in that story I used to tell you?”
“...w-well, no…I mean, maybe to them they did but…”
“Leuca.” Sorcha pulled her into a hug. “Shush. Get some rest, okay? We’ve had a long day you should be your usual smiley self, not this. That’s my job.” Sorcha gave her an affectionate kiss on the forehead just as Nylah had finished the preparations for the fire and food. “Thank you for the consideration, but I’ll prepare our meals myself.” Sorcha said, pulling away from Leuca. “If there will be nothing else then, we’ve had a long day and I would very much appreciate some rest.”
Assuming there was nothing else nylah wanted to do, it seemed her guests were fine taking care of themselves.
The Moon goddess seems somewhat amused Nylah is thinking about her in other dresses. Suddenly the dress changes to a purple one and she sticks her tongue out at Nylah. Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Potential Events:
Asvar has mentioned a lack of Ore and that he might know where more are. Apparently Raelzeth is having trouble locating it with her stone-singing.
The fish problem remains as of yet solved.
Apparently Mie was attacked by the Yaga and Krysa and is held up somewhere in the Northern Snowfields.
Enli mentioned not having enough coins or goods to barter with the merchant Mie, if she comes. Perhaps he himself have some ideas on this.
The Crypts are off limits. Did something happen?
There could be a way to start diversifying Dawn’s food options aside from its usual fish, berry, and forest animal diet.
Well, the human doesn’t seem to be the friendliest.
Perhaps there's something you, personally, feel that needs to be done?
“Aye, well, uh, can’t say I know too much about em myself. I ain’t never left Azurumnal before now so I only know what the Scholars say about ‘em. The Krysa have some sorta knowledge to make living metal or something and control steam. The Yaga are a bunch of folk who live under ‘em. Not sure what that means, though, but they’re generally a pretty peaceful bunch. Their religion is pretty peaceful and they’re fairly open to outsiders usually.” Eirhild responded thoughtfully, mulling something over in her head before responding further.
“Uh, the Krysa though. They got this Elder Beast they sorta…worship? Its apparently got the temperament of a ravenous Crystal Eater and the wits of a dwarven high scholar though.” The dwarf frowned. “Not sure how accurate that is but probably don’t wanna mess with ‘em.” Eirhild glanced around, frowning a bit at the people in the cathedral. She had figured something had been going on here, but to hear that it had been that dire.
Well, honestly…wasn’t really much of her problem, all things considered.
“Alright lass, if ye need me I’ll probably be here. See if I can’t find a place to get a good rest.”
The moon goddess redresses herself, plucking a few gems from thin air. Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Potential Events:
Asvar has mentioned a lack of Ore and that he might know where more are. Apparently Raelzeth is having trouble locating it with her stone-singing.
The fish problem remains as of yet solved.
Apparently Mie was attacked by the Yaga and Krysa and is held up somewhere in the Northern Snowfields.
Enli mentioned not having enough coins or goods to barter with the merchant Mie, if she comes. Perhaps he himself have some ideas on this.
The Crypts are off limits. Did something happen?
There could be a way to start diversifying Dawn’s food options aside from its usual fish, berry, and forest animal diet.
Well, the human doesn’t seem to be the friendliest.
Perhaps there's something you, personally, feel that needs to be done?
The zombie assaulting Finn would finally, finally cease its movements as it’d fall to life atop him, but not before giving Finnegan a few good claw and bite marks over his neck and the hands he was attacking with. It’d be easy to shove off as he’d bash the second one with the pommel and loosening its grip just enough so he could get away from the undead, now reduced to just two.
“Oh goodness, you actually-” The woman had moved behind him again, making certain she wasn’t in the immediate line of fire as the two remaining zombies responded to the two of them with guttural, pained howls. Thankfully for Finn now that he had a proper weapon, as ill suited for being one as it was, the zombies would prove much less of a threat. “Haaa, dear Goddess my poor little heart can’t take this much excitement. I’m not a spider meant for fighting…first that meanie Raam and now the consequences of my own actions haaa…”
Finnegan could hear the woman going through more objects behind him, though it wasn’t quite clear what she’d be doing from sound alone, but once he dispatched the other two zombies he’d find that well…she was definitely not human, but definitely not a normal chiralta either.
And this would be the scene Atzi finds herself stumbling on. After getting a key for the crypts from Akala, Atzi would find herself standing in the main hallway of the crypts. Following the sounds was a simple thing to do, and she'd open the door and find the two zombies assaulting Finn and Achel.
"Ah? Atzi! Shouldn't you be resting!" Achel shouted to her as she'd enter the room.
The gears slowly stop moving, slowly grinding to a halt. The moon goddess still says nothing as her back is turned to Finn. The gears slowly began to decay, dropping into the sea below her. Seeing someone else though, the Moon goddess' attitude seemingly does a 180 and the gears all disappear and the screen returns to its usual blue coloration with the Goddess sitting at the top of the screen. Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Potential Events:
Well you solved the immediate zombie problem
Good for you
You want a cookie? Too bad, I’m not giving you one.
This was looking to be getting pretty complicated and messy, wasn’t it? If even Enli didn’t have any clear idea what to do, then Atzi was definitely even more stumped. The large woman exhaled between clenched teeth, leaning against the wall of her hut as she scratched her hair. The second key was, fundamentally, something that would definitely be difficult to find, while the first key was going to be something that drew the attention of all cultists in a hundred kilometer radius.
But in that case…
“That big fish is still a problem, right?” In a way, she was grasping at straws, but in another way, Atzi was thinking broadly. “What if we just…fed the first key to the fish? And had the cultists fight that? Use problems to solve problems?”
She didn’t really want to go to Akala for help either. The priestess of the Moon was busy enough, after all, and Enli…didn’t Enli just say some time ago that they couldn’t trust anyone outside of this room?
“Hm…I suppose that would be one way to handle it?” Enli replied with a frown. “Getting it to cooperate would be another matter entirely, though. We’ll have to see how Seelay’s hunt turned out. She might have already killed it.”
“...Atzi, I could use your help if we find the first one.” Maira glanced over to her friend. “I could probably handle it, but…it’d be better just in case to have two of us.”
“I’m still not sure if bringing it here would be a good idea.” Enli sighed. “But I’ll trust the two of you with whatever it is you decide. Now if you’ll excuse me,” The village chief bowed his head. “I really must speak with Akala.”
“Alright, tell her I said ‘hi’,” Atzi replied, waving at the village elder as he made his exit. “And yeah, Maira, I’ll tag along even if you didn’t want me to. Just…”
The phantom sensation still annoyed her, but more than that, even if her body was in good condition sans right arm, the dark-skinned woman didn’t have the time to readjust her instincts to accommodate for her current body.
“…let me find Achel first, alright? Think I’ll get a skeleton arm. Just for this.”
There’ll be time after the blizzard and after the cult for living with her mistakes. But for now? She’ll accrue more debt if it have her what she needed to protect her loved ones.
“A…skeleton arm?” Maira frowned. “How would that help?”
Atzi waved with her stump. “Two arms are better than one?”
“...I guess?” Maira seemed completely dumbfounded by Atzi’s logic, frowning and trying to come up with a logical answer for it, but soon gave up and sighed with a shake of her head. “...Atzi, please be careful. You really should be resting…” The huntress stopped her cleaning, quietly picking up her things from the cabin, sheathing her hunting knives, arrows and bow. “I’ll head out. I’ll meet you near my cabin. We can head out from there once you’re done with Achel.”
"Yeah," Atzi smiled, ruffling up Maira's hair. "I'll see you there then. Be sure to pet Tallen before you leave though, yeah? I'm sure he misses you."
With that, the dark-skinned woman pulled a cloak over her shoulders once more as she prepared to set up, fumbling a little bit with the brass pin before she could get the nail through the fabric. Nodding at her friend once more, Atzi stepped out of her hut and into the blinding light of the snow-covered village once more. The trip to the church, and then the catacombs, was uneventful but vaguely pleasant. Light exercise had always been better for her than a full rest, after all, and though her stump still burned from the medicinal herbs patched against it and the still-ruined flesh underneath, it wasn't any sort of pain that she couldn't stand at all. Just a reminder, once in a while, to make sure to use her left arm instead of her right.
Which, of course, really didn't matter when the gloom of the crypt revealed Achel and a total stranger being beset by zombies?
Zombies? No. Colt, that drink-loving farmhand, who kept too many pets in his home to ever be that popular with the village maidens. Shuunti, smiling even now with her lips frozen off, famed across Dawn for her flower-infused beverages. Familiar faces that passed too soon. Familiar faces, risen to besmirch the names of the fallen.
Atzi sucked in a breath, clenched the one fist she had left. Emotional labour, always. And to think her mood had been so...not bad just moments ago.
"Shit." Her eyes narrowed. "Hey, don't carve em up if you can help it, stranger!"
She advanced, warlike. Swatted away Shuunti's arms with such force to send her spinning, before stepping so they were back to back. It was easy after that. Her left arm curled around the undead woman's neck and then Atzi leaned forward, her large frame offering leverage enough to lift the entire body off the ground. The limbs continued to flail ineffectually, but without any way to kick off, nor the higher intelligence to get out of this particular hold, that was all the zombie could do.
Her one eye settled on Achel, and then softened.
"I will rest," she said, unmoving despite the writing human over her back. "Could you tie this one up so I can?"
