Mark glanced over at Nicholas. He thought Master Palmer had been something the doctor had made up for his cover, looks like he knew something useful after all.
Nicholas nodded. Their relationship was strained, but they were not strangers and one expected cooperation between colleagues in the white school of magic. Master Palmer was a fool, in Nicholas' eyes, but a capable Healer.
"We are acquainted with each other. If I use my real name, there is no way he can refuse to listen to a request from me."
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Thetor Fort - Lord Isham's Quarters
Lord Isham smiled at Nicholas's answer. "Is that so? Good. I imagine that you will have much to speak about when you meet. I shall have my men convey a message to him, and we shall see if we can bring you to him tomorrow. Until then, you are free to enjoy the hospitality of our fort, as meagre as it may be. But before Captain Lee shows you to your quarters - if there is anything I can do for you, you need to but ask, and I will endeavour to assist you as best as I can."
edited 14th Aug '14 4:02:33 AM by Pyrite
Not a substitute for a formal medical consultation.
"Given the nature of our journey," Mark said. "If you could be so kind as to spare a few horses for us, it would be much appreciated."
Jhelani shook her head. "Nothing for me, Lord," she said quietly. "But please send a rider to the Bard's Head in Kaltor. Ask after Kaede, and see if you can find any family for the guards who were killed, please. They didn't ask for this." Not that their strange band of five had either, really, but... "Aside from that, perhaps... an escort out to the attack site for Newt and myself. We owe it to the Zhens to look for Jing."
It's been fun.
Riviera nodded her assent at Mark's word, then added her own. "That, or a coach. It'd be more useful in maintaining what cover we may salvage." She kept the fact that she doubted the girls -and the doctor, comes that- chances of making any distance without breaking their necks after their inevitable fall from a trot unsaid.
At Jhelani's word, she shook her head. "Your sense of duty is commendable, but we should get a move on. I suspected-" She quickly swallowed any implications of any of their assailants having compatriots within the fort to avoid insulting the men of the keep in front of their Lord and Captain. "-I believe we should make haste. The longer we wait, the more time the next ambush have to prepare. We should leave the search to professionals- the Lord gave us his word." She turned to fix a steady look at Lord Isham. "That is correct, Lord Isham?"
Finally, she looked at her own sending ring, then at the scrying orb. "I don't suppose there are any means to contact the fort? We could keep you updated on any further attacks within your territory, or request aids should it be necessary."
"Lord Isham," Nicholas said, after some consideration. "You have mages here and no doubt records concerning the Blasted Lands. While our time here is short, any information or informant you could share with us about this ashen frontier that we are about to venture into would be most welcome."
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Thetor Fort - Lord Isham's Quarters
"Ah, so many questions. Let's see..." Isham rose from his seat, his robes hanging limply from his narrow frame.
"Doctor Barnett, you know that the Blasted Lands were formed in the aftermath of the Great War, and that the magic from that time still lingers in the earth itself even today. I am no alchemist, but our scholars tell me that it is this magic that causes the unnatural storms and poisons the air itself, rendering the land barren - and some say cursed, even, and in a way, it is. Those in the Exiles' Quarter, man and beast alike, are hardly spared from the touch of the magical taint - Master Palmer spends his time among them and does the best he can, but he has told me before - in private - that most of them are beyond his help, and I fear that his efforts may be in vain. He may be able to shed some more light on that issue."
"Miss Riviera... I do not know how you will contact anyone once we part ways at the Exiles' Quarter - if Dame Edith has supplied you with the means, she has not disclosed them to me."
"And as for Miss Elinh..."
He paused in mid-sentence, caught off-guard. "Who is 'Newt'?"
Captain Lee coughed. "I think she means 'Salamander', or Miss Wrynn. Our men are still surveying the site, my lord, but at least there's no evidence of any further activity as per Miss Riviera's concern. There's a risk that our guests may interrupt our investigations... but if you insist, I can send a guard with them."
"They may spot things that we might have missed, Captain Lee. It is worth a try, is it not? Miss Riviera, I understand your concerns about the need for haste, but we must also make arrangements for your safe passage through the quarter - they will take a day, at the very least."
The captain nodded at his lord's reply, although the look on his face suggested that he wasn't entirely convinced. "Worth a shot. By the way, Escalonius, we can only let you borrow the horses until you reach the Exiles' Quarter. They're state property. You'll have to find some alternative method of getting around after that, because I'm pretty sure that no horse has survived out in the Blasted Lands for long - or at least, if it survives, I'm not sure if you can call it a 'horse'."
edited 20th Aug '14 8:08:26 PM by Pyrite
Not a substitute for a formal medical consultation.
"Well I appreciate them however long we can have them," Mark said. "Now unless anyone else has anything to say, I believe we are done here, correct?"
Doctor Nicholas frowned, looking dissatisfied. When he spoke, there was an audible dryness in his voice.
"With all due respect, milord, as a trained Healer I am well acquainted with the magical blight that lies over the Blasted Lands and the way it corrupts body and mind. Do you have any practical information to share with us, such as maps, known routes and scout reports? I can speak with your Librarian with your permission. After all, your Lordship is the keeper of this blighted frontier and administrator of the border, and so holds the keys to such records of knowledge that pertains to the lands beyond."
Nicholas' tone sweetened slightly as he spoke, trying not to let his irritation turn his attempts at showing due respect come across as sarcastic.
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Thetor Fort - Lord Isham's Quarters
Captain Lee's eyes narrowed again at the affront to his lord. Not wanting to let Nicholas's statement go unchallenged, he stepped forward, one hand on the hilt of his sword - and stopped just as abruptly as he realised that the doctor's words had merit. "He has a point. After all, I don't see him telling you how to run a fort. Least we could do is give him a map or something."
"Of course - good point, Captain." Lord Isham took the criticism in his stride. "You shall have access to the library, and I will inform the staff. In the meantime, I suggest maintaining your covers until you've crossed the border. While your identities are known to a few of us, you never know who might be watching."
"Alright, time's a-wasting. Ladies, if you'd be so kind..." The captain pointed to the door.
Thetor Fort - Archives
Nicholas's request had been answered: a veritable mountain of tomes, maps and assorted notes lay on a table, hastily-assembled by a mousy and unassertive-looking young man. "Lord Isham asked me to get these for you. If you need any help, I'll be at the counter."
With that, he left the doctor to his own devices.
Compared to the libraries in the capital, Thetor Fort's archives were tiny - but even so, there was still enough material to fill several rows of shelves. A locked door at the back of the room was labelled, "Restricted Access only".
Thetor Forest - Caravan Wreckage
"Here we are," the soldier named Jones announced. A few soldiers were milling around the site of the wreck, standing guard, and the caravan's wreckage had already been cordoned off with rope. "Our guys have moved all the bodies for identification, but none of them match the description of the caravan leader's daughter, if that's who you're looking for."
He pointed to the far corner of the enclosure, where rows of white-shrouded corpses had been laid out neatly, and a familiar figure sat, perched, on a nearby tree.
"...It's that damnable vulture again," Captain Lee said, sighing.
The bird croaked mockingly in reply.
edited 26th Aug '14 7:00:01 AM by Pyrite
Not a substitute for a formal medical consultation.
Thetor Forest - Caravan Wreckage
"Maybe it likes you, Captain," Mark said to Captain Lee as he headed over to the epicenter of the blast. He looked around to see if there were any traces of the alchemical components that might have been used.
The Maid
Sarah's expression brightened up a bit at the sight of her vulture, hurrying over to reach the gigantic and woefully under appreciated bird. She lightly stroked his feathers before she looked at him in the eyes, trying to understand the creature's intent "Did you find anything? She asked, right under his breath so that none could hear.
If I'm sure of something it's that I'm not sure of anything.
Jhelani kept a close eye on Sarah as she peered around the blast site, the stink of magic still strong enough in the air to make her nose wrinkle a little. That, and the smoke and char... She pointedly didn't look at the bodies the Fort Thetor guards were collecting. She trusted them to at least be able to tell a teenage girl from a burly caravan guard... thinking about it too much made her stomach turn, so she focused on the forest past Sarah's shoulder. Maybe her vulture had seen something... she walked a little closer, hoping to be able to hear what Sarah was saying without forcing her to speak up.
It's been fun.
Riviera considered her option. Deciding that discretion is the better part of valor - not least because she'd very much like a bloody cold drink - she seek out the Fort's Inn or other likewise establishment. Failing that, a gathering relaxing area would work. A courtyard, a garden, the sort.
edited 24th Aug '14 11:46:09 AM by Pblades
Nicholas thanked the librarian, then sat down with the stacks of books and paper. The map was familiar, since it was almost the exact same as the one Dame Edith had shown them back at the Palace. Based on the dimensions of the map, their indicated objective was four to five days away, on horseback. That was, if the horses lasted that long. They would have to take extra provisions for when the horses gave out. He made sure to make a rough copy, though the location of their exact destination remained in his memory. That way no one could find the artifact if the map came into the wrong hands.
Once that was in order, Nicholas started on the older maps. His expectations had for once been exceeded. The archives held several older maps dating back before the great war, and showed various locations and landmarks that for long had been lost. He made some shorthand notes on certain points of interest, in a minimalist handwriting that so often baffled and frustrated those outside the medical profession. Nicholas took great pride in the fact that his was the most illegible of them all, which showed his dedication to the medical arts.
The lack of scout reports was irritating, but not unexpected. Neither Zakarath nor Godsforge was permitted to perform operations in the Blasted Lands, so information pertaining to any activity that was done contrary to that agreement would of course have to be classified information. Such reports were most likely in the Restricted Access-area. For a brief moment, Nicholas felt a sting of annoyance at not having their party rogue handy so that he could sneak his way inside, but Nicholas discarded that train of thought. It would probably be more hassle than it was worth.
Instead, Nicholas approached the Librarian's desk. Something was nagging him.
"I say, can you give a hand locating some books for me? I require books about old Godsforge back before the Great War. Also, I need everything you have on Arcadia and Horva'nai."
edited 24th Aug '14 11:35:31 AM by Lemurian
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Thetor Forest - Caravan Wreckage - Blast Zone
"Hey-" Jones started, but his captain cut him off with a hand on his shoulder.
"Keep an eye on him, Jones, but let him do his job. Maybe he'll find something we missed."
The explosion had carved a gaping crater in the middle of the road, scattering wood, metal and flesh across the forest - but the centre of the blast had been peppered with small shards of metal, with little to hint at their origin except a lingering hint of sulphur and a vague sensation of unease, just beyond the reach of Mark's senses.
Thetor Forest - Caravan Wreckage - Bodies
The vulture gave Sarah a happier-sounding cry, and hopped off its perch. Sarah and Jhelani would note that the bird had decided not to feed on the corpses. It chose instead to stalk through them, occasionally craning its neck for a tentative prod, until it finally stopped at a shrouded body.
Its features were obscured, but it was the right size for a young woman, and the blackened hand that peeked out from under the shroud was clutching the charred remnants of a flail.
Thetor Fort - Courtyard
The matron in the kitchen had given "Liliana" a tankard of ale, but not much else in the way of information, and Riviera found herself in the courtyard nursing her beverage. It was bland and weak, with a faintly-bitter aftertaste that almost tasted like...
"...rat piss. I thought I warned you, Ma'am?"
It was the boy from earlier, who observed her with a sardonic grin on his face. He couldn't have been more than thirteen, judging from his size, but the look in his eyes made him seen far, far older. "Not that we have much of a choice here, though. Beats drinking the water."
Thetor Fort - Library
The librarian gave Nicholas a look of bewilderment. "Begging your pardon, mister, but I thought you were just doing a survey of the land around Thetor like Lord Isham said. Arcadia? Horva'nai? Those places were swallowed up by the Blasted Lands long ago, and we don't have much to go by except the official histories. Everything else is just legends now, and more fodder for the Black Queen fanatics."
He shrugged. "I guess you're a fan, so if you want those, I'll see what I can do." With that, he shuffled quietly to one of the bookshelves on the far end of the room and pulled out a pair of books - almost as though he remembered their locations from memory - before bringing them over to Nicholas's table. "Here you go."
edited 26th Aug '14 10:16:09 AM by Pyrite
Not a substitute for a formal medical consultation.
The Maid
Sarah took a deep, deep breath... then moved to her vulture, lightly stroking his feather "... You did a good job... thanks..." she says in a quiet whisper, letting the bird fly off and do whatever it wishes for a while... also thankful that it didn't nibble on any corpses. The lessons of her Druidic Senior seemed way too morbid at the time to consider... and yet, after looking down at the charred corpse for a few seconds she couldn't bear it anymore. She walked off, away from the scene and into the trees... to crouch down among their shade... breathe in the air of the forest as she put one hand to a tree, feeling its strength and life as support.
If I'm sure of something it's that I'm not sure of anything.
Nicholas gave his most innocent smile.
"Ah, you found me out. You see, I greatly enjoy reading about these long-lost days of yore, and I thought that while I was here checking the maps, I could indulge myself in seeing in what you had on the subject this close to the Blasted Lands."
He sat down with the books, and started carefully leafing through them.
"Thank you very much."
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Mark groaned, seeing the composition of the blast. Sulphur, so crude, and possibly a touch of magic, so bothersome. He hopped down into the crater, aiming to get a better idea of what had done this. He pulled out the dagger he had taken off of the bandit at their first ambush, and poked it into the earth at the center of the crater, then at the metal bits. Digging around, he tried to see what else he could identify about what sort of object had been here.
edited 26th Aug '14 3:15:09 PM by nman
Jhelani looked down at the body, feeling sick. She followed Sarah as the druid turned away, but let her go as she headed for the forest. If this was Jing, there was nothing on earth that could be done for her now. Instead, she took a deep breath as soon as the air was clear enough to stomach the thought, and steeled herself for something quite possibly less pleasant.
"What have you found so far?" she asked Mark quietly, coming up to the blast crater.
It's been fun.
"So far, nothing but a hole," Mark said, digging around in the dirt and shrapnel of the crater. "Any luck on your end?"
"...maybe," Jhelani said, not really willing to put it into words. "There's a... body that looks about the right size. I can't be sure, but I can't think of anyone else it could be..." She sighed. "This was a magical bomb. Can I take a look?"
It's been fun.
"Help yourself. There's enough room for a platoon down here," Mark said.
"So you got a body but it seems iffy? Isn't that hard to dress up a corpse to look like it used to be someone else and fool most coroners, especially if a bomb's involved. All you need's a dead peasant, a wine barrel, some headless nails, lime mortar, a keg of vinegar, and a private place to work outside and light something on fire.... Or so I've heard." He cleared his throat. "With how much we've had to deal with so far, might as well add faking a few deaths to the list."
edited 26th Aug '14 5:20:26 PM by nman
Thetor Fort - Lord Isham's Quarters
"To the Hells with rewards. If I get my hands on the bastards who dared to set up an ambush right under our noses, I'll send them to the grave in pieces for free." The captain smiled ruefully and shook his head. "I don't know what the Palace told you to give you that sort of assurance, but if it means a shot at getting the Black Queen's spear back, we'll do what we can - even if it means throwing our lot in with criminals like you. But we can only protect you as far as the border. Beyond it... well, if men were made to survive out there, we'd have gone out long ago and searched for it ourselves. The furthest anyone actually gets is the Exiles' Quarter - it's a shanty town right outside the edge of the kingdom. Barely habitable."
"The ones who live there, as you might have surmised from the name, are paying for various crimes - or allegations thereof," said Lord Isham. "As much as I would like to help them, my duties to the kingdom include making sure that they stay there. A sad conflict of interest, but where my hands are tied... others, shall we say, are able to act more surreptitiously."
"There's a doctor who goes down there on a regular basis. Brings down medical supplies out of his own pocket, does what he can to heal the sick - and gods know, this close to the Blasted Lands, there're plenty of sick to go around." Captain Lee continued, gesturing at Nicholas. "Does the name 'Palmer' ring a bell?"
edited 13th Aug '14 9:24:43 AM by Pyrite
Not a substitute for a formal medical consultation.