Legacy of the Black Queen - Main RP Thread

Nicholas sat slumped in a chair, fatigue having caught up to him after assisting in administering healing and medical aid to the survivors. It had been difficult to conceal his genius, but by dividing his attention for his comrades and the caravan leader, there would be no sign of his usual excellence. Truly, his talents knew no bounds, he pondered with a weary smile.

As his colleague spoke, Nicholas looked over at the caravan leader. Indeed, by the time Nicholas had gotten to him, it was too late to clear his lungs or shield his skin. It had taken a great deal just to keep him breathing. And now, his life was on the scales...

"His daughter...if his daughter was here, maybe that could help tip the odds in favour of living. Have they found her?"

"Thank you so much for your care, doctor," Mark said. If he weren't trying to still maintain these ridiculous covers to avoid any questions, he'd have told the man what he really thought about the butchery that passed for medicine in this backwater cave.

Still, who knew what supplies they had laying around. He sure as nine hells wasn't going to sit by while Zhen Long died, not while the man could still prove useful. He certainly hadn't tried to get on the trader's good side for the warm feeling in his heart.

"Doctor, show me your store room, I want to see if I can brew something up for him, since you only know what's lega-aaaahhhrrr," he caught himself and grabbed his arm in a false spasm. "Ow. I mean I know some alternative remedies bound to cure him. You doctors all rely on your schooling your science, probably missed something obvious."

edited 30th Jul '14 9:58:22 AM by nman

Sarah was bitting her lip... she practically had not stopped since she had found Mr Zhen... and also failed to locate his daughter. She sat on a corner, refusing medical help by acting crazy and agitated when anyone approached. She wasn't all that bad off... the explosion had shocked her more than anything and her landing was rough which had made her dazed for the whole ordeal... but aside from that, she wasn't all that wounded. Nicholas could tend to her later if need be. However, for now she was bidding her time to go back to the wreckage.

And in the meantime... she stroked the head and feathers of her vulture. Thanking him for his valiant work. And bargaining with him in the odd way that druids could be... seeing into its eyes, how expression and intent showed a lot more than words could. She had more work for him... to go back to the wreckage for her. Keep himself safe... but look for her. Any sign of her. And for his work... well, he could make a hearty meal of the horses. As the cycle of life demanded... for all of them to rot was more of a waste than anything else when their deaths could feed new life.

Thetor Fort - Courtyard

Jhelani's ring pulsed faintly, transmitting its magical signal... and soon enough, she heard a response. It was a different woman's voice, and unlike the first, this speaker was clearly nervous. "W-w-who's this?"

Thetor Fort - Infirmary

"We didn't find any bodies resembling the description of Zhen Ya-Jing," the captain said, looking clearly troubled, "but it's hard to say - the explosion and fire left some of the bodies unidentifiable. We might need the palace experts to take a look."

On his part, the healer shot an offended look at Mark, clearly annoyed by the intrusion of some unlearned bumpkin into his domain. "Now see here, sir - I can't let any layman fool around with our medicines! In the wrong hands, a potion becomes a poison-"

"Master Daud," the captain interjected, "Zhen Long stands with one foot in Death's domain, and Mr. Pavote's attempts are either going to help him or put him out of his misery. I don't think we have much else to lose. And besides, not only healers know their way around potions and poisons."

The vulture hopped to the window and watched silently, its accusatory gaze wandering over each party member, before flying off in the direction of the forest.

edited 31st Jul '14 10:11:38 AM by Pyrite

"Gods smile upon you, Captain, " Mark said in the nicest tone he could muster. He looked at the doctor again. "Now if you'd so kindly show me your wares. Since traditional medicine has its limits, it'll be up to me to make a remedy from the farm."

Or at least enough horse steroids to keep the man alive for a week before his liver exploded.

Thetor Fort - Infirmary

The healer begrudgingly turned towards a small room at the back of the infirmary, gesturing at Mark and Nicholas to follow. "We do get basic medical supplies here in Thetor, but nothing close to what you'll find in the capital. Journeyman, make sure you keep an eye on him. You should be familiar with what we have."

edited 31st Jul '14 10:04:37 AM by Pyrite

"This is Jhelani Elinh," Jhelani said, careful to keep her voice down. "I want to talk to the Dame. It's important, so don't keep me waiting." That was some of her father and some of Zhen Long speaking. She got the feeling that she'd need to be aggressive with the Dame to get what she was looking for.

"I hope to all the gods above that you have aloe," Mark said, following along.

Thetor Fort - Courtyard

The sound of hushed whispering passed across the connection. Apparently, there was more than one person in Mission Control, and neither of them seemed comfortable to be there.

"...She told us to inform her immediately if there was word from the team!"

"I know! But she's in the middle of a meeting and she clearly said not to disturb her! You know what happened to the last agent who interrupted her-"

"And you know what happened to Abigail when she didn't report the first 'bandit' attack! I don't want to end up with my head on a pike!"

There was a pause, pregnant with terror and uncertainty, and the first voice replied to Jhelani, "Uh... The boss- I mean, D-dame Edith is currently busy. You'll have to leave a message."

Thetor Fort - Infirmary

"Aloe?" The old man repeated. "Of course, we've got plenty of that to go around."

They reached the storeroom, and he opened the door to reveal shelves upon shelves of potions, salves and medicinal draughts. "Work your magic, Mr. Pavote. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to tend to the other patients."

edited 31st Jul '14 10:34:51 AM by Pyrite

Jhelani bit her lip, hoping that her indecision didn't transmit across the connection. "Just... let her know that I have another request," she said finally, choosing her words carefully. "Not for me, but... for a brave man and his family. There was... there's been another attack, and..." Jhelani paused, something niggling at her mind.

...when she didn't report the first 'bandit' attack.

She hadn't said a word about another attack.

A cold chill ran down Jhelani's spine.

"A-anyway... there was another attack, and... some of our caravan crew was killed. Can the Dame, or the Queen, provide their families with anything? They died serving the Crown, after all..." The words felt like ashes in her mouth, and she had to fight to control her breathing. She made a few more affirmative noises as the operators confirmed her story, gave some details and names - especially, she stressed, the Zhens and the Bard's Head in Kaltor Village should receive pensions - but her mind was racing. Finally, she cut the connection... and immediately started shaking.

Sarah... she needed to find Sarah.

"Oh of course, please don't let us distract you from your duties," Mark said as the doctor left.

He closed the door and turned to Nicholas. "Alright, doctor, that old man is just about our only source of information of the roads around here who isn't on Zakarath's payroll. Any idea what you need to get him awake and then keep him alive and moving for a week? Or would you prefer I choose for you? Hurry up, because we need to go out and investigate the wreckage once we're done with him. Either find the daughter and patch her up and he'll follow us out of gratitude, or find the body and falsify evidence that her killers ran off in our desired directon. And if she's been kidnapped by a cult we're going to need to dress up one of the corpses to look like her, which I hope you are capable of. Whatever - the point is I'd like to leave this place before whoever that was can regroup and strike at us."

With that he started grabbing different ingredients off of the shelves, including a large amount of aloe, and looked around to see what sort of equipment was lying around.

edited 31st Jul '14 4:43:38 PM by nman

I'll be right after, my friend says Sarah within her mind, mouthing the words without a breath as she moves. She removed the ribbon off her neck, the jacket of her suit... leaving only the undershirt and then puts on once again her cloak. Who was anyone to question her actions? She was merely a crazy person.

Without a word she walks off the infirmary... Jhelani had gotten out without a problem, so she expected to be able to as well. This all had left a bad taste in her mouth... a sense of helplessness that only increased the weight she carried since she learned the reason she was summoned to the Capital.

The suit jacket had stifled her... something she had worked so much for and yet, seeing what nobility had done for them out here, she just needed to be away from it. Her education, her knowledge of law had not helped her out here. The gift her family and community had entrusted her, labored for so hard... No. Instead, it was another education... one spent barefoot, under the trees of her beloved forests, with flowers adorning her head. That knowledge... powerful, ancient and woefully good... that, was what had been of use for her.

And upon it, she would trust now as she walked once again towards the wreckage site... after her vulture. She just had to see it all once again. She had to make sure.

Nicholas stirred out of his half-asleep daze, and as Mark went on, the frown on his already grumpy face deepened.

"...I can have him wake in a couple of hours, and with time I can make him travel with us. But the next days that man is going nowhere, neither spurred by medications nor by your fever-dreams of madness."

Thetor Fort - Main Gate

Sarah found herself stopped by the guards, who didn't look particularly inclined to let anyone pass - not so soon after an explosion outside the fort, at any rate.

"Sorry. By orders of Lord Isham, passage out of the fort is strictly prohibited - at least, until we're sure it's safe to go out."

"Hey, kid!" A voice rang out from behind her: it was Jones, the soldier who'd found Zhen Long. He ran up to her, a worried look on his face. "You crazy or something? Damn near got your ass blown up out there, and you want to go back?"

Jhelani rounded the corner of the fort and spotted Sarah. Breaking into a bit of a trot, she called out to her. "Newt, there you are," she said, coming up to her. She fell easily back into the affected southern tones, smiling at the soldiers even while her heart felt like it would pound out of her chest. "We told him not to wander off, but he doesn't listen too well. Come along, Newt," she said, grabbing Sarah's hand and tugging her urgently away.

Sarah bit her lip as she was stopped from going outside the keep. To the point that when she growled lightly at the guards that wasn't completely just keeping up the act. As for Jones question, she gave him a frown that made it certain that was indeed her intentions.

However, soon enough Jhelani was there to take her away... and just feeling the grip on her hand as they moved away made her know that this was something serious.

Riviera, meanwhile, sat semi-patiently outside the Barrack and made small talk with a laxly-disciplined constable. She has spent the last hour subtly hinting then, remembering her disguise, loudly demanding an audience with the Lord of the Keep - in his office. It was certainly terrible the fate that befell the caravan, but these things happen. She would already be dead thrice over if she let guilty conscience overtook her.

The cooperation of a Lord would certainly proves beneficial, even if the only card she may plays is her pseudo-patronage of the Dame.

"We need to get out of here," Jhelani said urgently, her voice a low whisper as she slowed her pace. They were out in an open yard in the fort - maybe not terribly inconspicuous, but definitely out of hearing range of any guards. "Remember how suspicious everyone was of the last bandit attack? I just called into the Capital to ask about... well, getting some money paid to the Zhens and to Kaede and the Bard's Head, and they didn't seem surprised at all." She lowered her voice even further. "The girl on the other end knew it was another attack before I even said anything." She felt another chill run up her spine as she said what she knew was the truth. "We need to get out of here. I don't want to leave Zhen, but we can't move him... and if Jing's still alive, we can't let them just have her." She sniffed, her eyes stinging a bit. "What do they possibly get from this...? If they wanted to kill us, they could just as easily have done that in the Capital, without dragging the whole caravan into it." She bit her lip.

"I saw your vulture flying off a while ago... can you, I don't know, look through his eyes or something? Is he going to the wreckage?"

Infirmary
"So you'll need stimulants, then, is what you're saying," Mark said, pouring some aloe into a flask, and dumping some powder into a bowl. "I'll need to make some smelling salts as well, for when the high fades."

He started slowly pouring the liquid into the powder as he stirred. "With luck, we can stay here tonight, leave in the morning, and be halfway across the province before whatever report these guards send back to the capital lets them know we're alive. Right now our families are safe enough as the Dame can't kill them without cause without massive legal repercussions, leaving us as the only targets. Though I'm inclined to think it's a matter beyond simply killing us, or else they'd have just blown up these rings remotely by now. Likely a political ploy by an underling, to make it seem like the expeditions are ineffective, possibly to blame Godsforge and start a war, possibly to have their own business take charge and keep the treasures of the Blasted Lands to themselves. Either one requires team after team of dead adventures. So my point is, if you ever want to see your wife again and feel her tender embrace, it's of the utmost importance that we DON'T STAY HERE."

"Juan. Juan! Mark! Calm down!"

Nicholas put his hand on the rogue's shoulder, looking him in the eye.

"I understand what you are saying, but we can not rush into this. It's exactly because we are in such a grave situation that we need to calm down and not make rash decisions. Now, let me take care of the patient. I will get him awake, and get as much information from him as possible. Leave it to me."

...before you add another cup of crushed Redweed and make the pick-me-up a poison, Nicholas managed to restrain himself from saying. The man was a dab hand at alchemy, no doubt about it, but in his current riled-up state, Nicholas was not going to let him close to Zhen Long.

Thetor Fort - Barracks

The squad leader appeared in the doorway of the barracks, catching the constable by surprise, and cuffed the slacker behind the ear. "If you have the time to chit-chat, Constable Leroux, you'd be better off doing your damn job! As for you, Miss Vess, if you want to meet Lord Isham that badly, gather the rest of your crew and meet outside his office in fifteen minutes. And try not to make so much noise while you're at it - you'll wake the dead, at this rate."

edited 3rd Aug '14 7:27:39 PM by Pyrite

Infirmary
"I am perfectly calm," Mark said, finishing stirring in another powder into the mix, and slamming the bowl down on the table upside-down. When he took the bowl away there was a thick paste lying on the piece of paper he had laid out. "Here's some burn salve," he grumbled as he slid the paper over towards Nicholas and started working with a different group of reagents.

"I happen to be the only one of us actually concerned with living to see another sunrise, and in my generosity I've even included keeping you four alive as well. Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." He took a few small bags and vials over to the lab equipment, and started to adjust the condenser.

With sharp strides, Riviera made her way to the Infirmary. Her conspicuous sense of urgency imbued her march such that her journey was faced with a minimum of startled handmaidens and fuzzy rodents. Along the way, she enlisted the aids of a few procrastinating servants, by hook or by crook - sheer curiosity here, a silver piece there, a poison of choice yonder - such that when she arrived, there was an inquisitive gaggle -not quite a bunch, nor a gathering- of lads and lasses ready for a stint of courier work.

Gently, she entered the infirmary, spotted the Rogue and the Healer, and quickly made her way over.

"Juan? Why are you- nevermind, are you two about done here? We should meet with the Lord. Where is Groot and the Magician girl, anyway?"

"Trouble then... It may be spies from Godsforge. Or a third group. It makes no sense to send us to our deaths... I do believe the Lady is sincere in working with the Queen... but our communication by the rings may be compromised from what you told me" says Sarah after a few moments to think over what was said to her... the young lawyer bitting her lip at the added troubles "My vulture... I sent him to search the wreckage for Jing. I maybe could see though his eyes... but not at a distance, I would have to prepare that with him near me"

Infirmary
"How should I know?" Mark said to Riviera, turning up the heat on the still pot and pouring in a few liquids of different colors. "They're probably crying somewhere about their terrible luck to be sentenced to this fate."