Taking the Scar
As the party sets up camp Aleith will instruct all those who are new to the scar to remove their rings of mind shielding, not to hand them over, just to take them out of service for a bit of time.
Taking the Scar
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» Taking the Scar
Sometime after the battle, and after the man Jax’s re-assembly, Richard approaches Althum, and sits with him.
He looks… Tired… And sad.
“Althum I…”
He stutters, having some difficulty finding his words.
“… Althum, I handled myself poorly in confronting you about Tarstis… And I am really sorry.”
He heaves a sigh.
“I’ve been having a pretty hard time since the war…
… I’m trying to keep strong, but honestly, I’m not doing a very good job of it.”
He rubs his brow, trying to smooth the deep crease growing there, but failing.
“… Can we talk..?”
Althum finishes wiping Jax's blood from his coat and nods, taking a seat next to the paladin. "We can always talk, Richard. Tell me about your troubles."
“Why are we here?”
The words slip out faster than he would have liked, but they are true enough, as he lets them hang there.
“Honestly?”
He chews his lip.
“Why any of it?
Why fight the rats for Vesh? Why fight the beetles here? Why lift a finger for any of it?”
He scoffs.
“And don’t give me any nonsense about duty or obligation. We’re both well passed that, I think.”
The journeyman's eyes look over the field of dead, coming to rest on a pair of bickering flensedrakes. The two creatures flapped and fought fiercely over a morsel while surrounded by an ocean of food. "I suppose I need the scope of your question. Are you asking why the likes of you and I should leave our homes to assist others? Or are you asking why we as mortals should attempt to do anything at all?"
Richard nods.
“You and I, specifically.”
"Ah. Why us?"
Althum lifts his massive hat from his head and scratches at his straw-like hair. Across the way, the smaller flensedrake abandons its claim, crawling away with bloody wounds and tattered wings.
"I've honestly never given it much thought. I suppose there are multiple ways to view the question. For my part, I was selected to represent my city at Duruval due to the being both talented enough to succeed, yet inexperienced enough to be risked. At least, that was the official reason. I suspect there were pettier forces looking to get rid of an uppity apprentice.
"Since then, I've simply been doing the best I can to keep my head above the waves. But I fear the current has been so strong, I've not had much sway over my destination."
“But you continue…”
He shifts his weight.
“You might have stayed in Hollowfaust when we returned… Gods, you could have made your report on Vesh and advised the guildsmasters to leave them to their fate. And many would have considered you wise for doing so.”
He sags a bit.
“You had an opportunity to retire. And you could easily have ignored all further calls to action.”
He looks you searchingly in the eyes.
“Why didn’t you?”
"You know, that's exactly what I want? I would love to spend the rest of my life turning the magics of death into tools to preserve life. Finding ways to kill off infections and tumors while leaving the host healthy and whole. I believe I could do it. I have been turnign theories around in my head for years."
He tears his gaze away from the grim scene and looks to his friend. "I suppose the healer in me was too strong. We live on the corpse of a broken world. There are scattered patches of civilization but the bulk of Scarn is filled with monsters and horrors. Unless kept in check, those horrors will grow and spread and infect new areas.
"There aren't many anatomists in Hollowfaust. Even though we were few, in the year of war, our efforts saved thousands of lives. Thousands. The same is true of the soldiers, merchants, suppliers," he smiles at Richard, "and knights.
"The few can make a large difference, sometimes. You just never know if it will be worth it until it's all done."
Richard smiles, and seems to swell as he sits up.
“You are absolutely right. We few can make all the difference.”
He stands, his full hight towering over you, and he again seems to radiate hope and conviction.
He glances towards Tarstis, and then back at you.
“Keep listening to that healer in you, and let even your smallest actions be a balm on this broken world.
I will do my best to do the same.”
Althum smiles as his friend walks away. When Richard had enough distance, the smile sours. He pulls out the the skull of his Assassin Bane and begins rubbing a preserving oil into the desiccated flesh. "It's vital when treating the ill to give them what they need to survive," he whispers to the dead weasel. "The truth could break him, and then what kind of healer would I be?"
Tarstis waits until Althum moves away from Jax. Then approaches, whiskers twitching and smelling for familiarity.
“Your back again? Had to go visit that Vangal again eh. Are ya still all in there?”
A minute passes before Jax replies, he’s staring at a cut on his thumb apparently in some sort of shock… “Back yes, whole…? I think not….” He shifts his weight and sits up, grimacing as if in pain.
“I’m not regenerating Tarstis…” “But no, I did not see Vengal this time… I saw Aera who was leader of the tribe of heart seekers I was staying with before you and I re met in the forest.” “This is very confusing, I know not how she was able to reach my mind here, but it troubles me…”
He sighs and says, “how fair you, old friend? I expect better than I heheh”
“ I was worried you were a mindless slave to the death mage……”
He questions with whiskers again.
“Your still free?”
“ he put your body back together but didn’t bless you with god healing? “
“Did he take your regeneration powers?”
“If you need to leave…….?”
“Enslaved no, I am still free. But I feel weak, and am in a great deal of pain… I don’t know if he somehow intentionally took my healing power or not, but he must’ve caused it somehow…”
“Unless… perhaps Aera took it from me through some magic… but no, I doubt that.”
“I’ll need to see how much I am capable of like this before I decide to leave or not… If it turns out that the mage intentionally stole my power somehow though, I’ll kill him…”
“ I meant no alarm but maybe you should ask him. With the elves present. Maybe it will come back once you get some strength back.”
“Im glad your not dead. You being gone, the thought was worrying. We are all we have out here. The others hold no reason for us except to work towards their goal.”
“ what did Aera want? “
“ Here”. His gives your mace and whip back.
“Not sure if this will work or help the pain but maybe Richard sir can help”
Expends a use of mosquito amulet, attempting to heal you
The amber amulet sparkles as it's magic is released, & indeed: some of the weeping stitches & inflamed red flesh abates under the healing magic…but the pain in undiminished, & the Gifts of Kadum seem absent.
(OOC: Jax is currently at 1 Hit Point plus whatever Tarstis rolls with his 2nd Level Cure spell. Additionally, Jax suffers a -4 to all Attack Rolls, Ability Checks & Saving Throws. Further, your Regeneration isn't working at all)
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