DEVA AF FFS, part 3
Log Info
- Title: DEVA AF FFS, Part 3
- Emitter: Cryosanthia
- Characters: Seldan, Thurid, Kira, Merek, Shalethiste, Havi, Geir
- Place: H01: Kultari Road
- Time: Sunday, December 06, 2020, 2:02 PM
- Summary: The healers reconvene at lunch to discuss how things are progressing. Kira was instrumental in preventing one of the critical patients from dying, and several improved. The camp has become more predictable, but many of the issues aren't resolved. Diplomacy and Intimidation by the paladins held ride herd on things, keeping the two transport crews separate and the running patients under control. Merek visits each patient and attempts conversation with the. Shalethiste has contracted Disease Type 2, and quick response and some spells from the other healers cure her affliction. She did experience strange tree-related urges. There is a patient who doesn't have the tree-hugging symptom, and everyone goes to see if this anomaly is useful. First impressions are bad, but then smoothed over, and Hashur reveals he is very tempted to hug a tree but resists because he knows it won't work as a cure. The Tree that needs to be hugged is in the Caldera Saute, a volcano in the Sky Curtain Mountains. The group discusses whether it's possible to get there, they do have an airship, although it has insufficient crew. At first, the trip seems unfeasible, but Hashur's stoic acceptance of his fate and good humour makes Thurid determined to do it no matter
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-<* H01: Kultari Road *>--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
From east to west, north to south, the Alexandrosian countryside weaves over hill, valley, and farmland. Kultari Road meanders through it at a comfortable pace. The roadside is lined with curbstones, their surfaces comfortably flat and warm, with sand pressed inbetween. At times construction meanders into dirt, and numerous pathways branch off here and there to different farmsteads.
Along this stretch is a waystation. Over its door is a carved marker with dual symbols of Gilead and Tarien, the patrons of travel and the meeting of wilderness-and-civilization, respectively. Not large, the waystation rests a comfortable ways from the main avenue, with a place for a firepit out front.
Towards the south, the sky and landscape darkens. The Felwood lies there, and an occasional screech from inhuman lungs may be heard.
Towards the east, the shining City of Alexandria.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Appearing, in Order =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Seldan 5'11" 187 Lb Human Male Ginger-blonde human in armor wearing Eluna's symbol. Thurid 7'1" 249 Lb Giantborn Female Bright-eyed, muscular, blond Giantborn woman. Kira 5'0" 120 Lb Human Female Blonde woman in simple robes with an eye patch. Merek 5'10" 215 Lb Human Male A black-haired, dusky male with golden eyes. Shalethiste 4'6" 96 Lb Shadow Elf Female A copper maned elf maiden, hued in the night sky. Havi 6'0" 180 Lb Human Male Seeker of Wisdom and Knowledge. Geir 5'8" 200 Lb Sith-Makar Male A short, copper-scaled Sith-makar. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- As the GM =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Cryosanthia 6'9" 291 Lb Sith-Makar Female A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
DEVA Station
After dinner the team spreads out to do their part and concentrate on the tasks they feel best suited for. It's a long night again, but a better organized one with many of the problems anticipated.
It's even possible to get a decent amount of rest. Using the other half of Mikilos' Magic Mansion was a great idea.
In the morning, the re-supply caravan arrives. As requested, some golem volunteers and Angorons have come to assist with the raw labour. The simple things of cleaning, caring and monitoring the patients. This leaves the specialists free to supervise and instruct.
The morning also, passes without an extreme event, but there are developments worth sharing.
GAME: Seldan rolls diplomacy: (19)+19: 38 GAME: Seldan rolls intimidate: (20)+7: 27 GAME: Seldan rolls bluff: (3)+12: 15 GAME: Shalethiste rolls intimidate: (3)+7: 10 GAME: Thurid rolls heal: (10)+8: 18 GAME: Thurid rolls diplomacy: (9)+2: 11 GAME: Geir rolls intelligence: (12)+0: 12
At some point in the morning, the sounds of an increasingly heated argument between the airship and the caravan crews drift across the DEVA camp. Things sound like they're getting a little nasty over there, but it doesn't take long for an armored figure with shaggy ginger-blonde hair to show up on the scene, for those who are looking and listening. It takes only a few heated minutes and a couple of staredowns before the argument gradually subsides into grumbling.
Aside from that, Seldan seems to spend the morning chasing treehuggers, for the most part. That floating disk gets quite the workout, between cajoling and browbeating of the patients, but he quickly gives up on any attempt at dissembling. One or two he tosses over his shoulder and hauls back.
The copper-scale Sith sleeps the sleep of the exhausted, hardly moving from the position he settled into at night. When he awakes, Geir stands and simply smooths out his robes, and heads back out to check up on how things are going. Those he has collected for certain tasks receive praise for jobs well done, and guidance for the day. Cats herded, Geir goes in search of ... developments.
Thurid has spent most of her night dealing with fixing the runaways who have torn bandages and opened sores in their attempts to go hug the trees, it is frustrating, like trying to patch holes in a sinking ship while new ones keep appearing. She's been rushed off her feet, and has become rather brusque with her patients as a result- it's difficult not to, when they are attempting to harm themselves even as she is attempting to heal them. Nevertheless, some of her patients begin to show signs of improvement.
The steadily worsening critical patients concern her, but she lacks the means to offer anything more than comfort for him, and prayers to her god to grant him the strength to pull through. And so she focuses on those who she can yet help.
GAME: Kira rolls heal: (3)+24: 27 GAME: Kira rolls diplomacy: (12)+26: 38 You paged (Kira, Thurid, Havi) with 'Kira, if you can Remove Disease you can save the one that would otherwise die, from the D1 group.' From afar, to (Thurid, Havi, Cryosanthia): Kira can via Lay on Hands. GAME: Kira rolls paladin: (10)+10: 20 to Cryosanthia GAME: Havi rolls Druid: (15)+2: 17
Kira is familiar with Magic Magnificent Mansions. Mikilos' even, as she's been in them on more than one occassion. She has every belief that this stay will be much better than the most recent one as she does her best to tend the most critical patients. The Healer's blessings allow her to best help those most dire, though even she can only help so many in that way. The rest are tended with more mundane healing skills, but all are assured with her unwavering smile.
Kira is imbued by The Healer with the ability to ease and even cure many ailments. If only it was without limit; all here could be restored and return to their lives hale and hearty. When it becomes a matter of life and death, however, the Sentinel feels more than justified in judicious use to remove the disease entirely. One on the road to a hopeful full recovery... and many, many, far too many more to go.
GAME: Merek rolls heal: (13)+20: 33 GAME: Merek rolls knowledge/nature: (5)+8: 13 GAME: Merek rolls craft/alchemy: (8)+8: 16
Merek's healing efforts are definitely appreciated, four of the critical patients he worked on improved, and two that were bedridden also did. He got a lot of samples, but the insights weren't there. The patients overall still seem indifferent, but a lot of them aren't concious or fully aware, so it's unlikely to make any sort of favourable impression on them.
Shalethiste, for her part, and true to her concerns, more or less died as soon as her tiny figure settled into a piece of furniture, the exceedingly long blade held propped to her shoulder as much by the curve of her dainty foot as the drape of her arm. Unusually for an elf, her respite is a bit better than half that of a human's, though that to clear the debt of days.
Upon reawakening, and the particulars of morning wakefulness assuaged, the Mul'iessan paladin makes her way out into the triage proper to reinforce efforts to quell mischiefs fuelled by discontent in their shared circumstances. Her appeals to reason meeting with little success, and the subtle crook of her thumb under the guard of her sheathed blade, the added bass in her voice, do little but reinforce the larger ginger's assertions toward maintaining order, though the patients aren't quite looking upon her with sparkles and rainbows in their eyes in the aftermath. She's perhaps been trained overmuch toward facing evil than ease aggression, though the deficeit nags at her, she has to rely on what she knows in the short term. She passes along to others of the peacekeepers than there is one soul amongst the second triage that seems thus far uninclined toward polishing bark, and so warrants a most studious eye turned in that direction.
As those outburst lessen in frequency, the dark Silver Guard devotes more and more of her time toward helping supply A reach triage B, or guiding some of the new volunteers toward their tasks, noting a couple of novel designs amongst the golems but remarks not upon them.
Merek seems to be making a round with the patients, improving a few of them that are critical and bedridden. He seems to be focused upon the task, while he works on finding herbal remedy along with basic healing technique. He doesn't talk a lot, he doesn't really make a lot of conversation, he seems to be checking to see what he can do with the people also.
Havi has been hard at work. The Blarite with D3 and the Bludguni with D4 have been separated, one is at the waystation and the other is out at the tents. Havi has discovered that they are not aware of each other, but only because he has no given them that information. Between the two, only the Bludguni is conversational, but since he only speaks the Goblin tongue, communication has been interesting. Havi has discovered its name, which is Urbarra. Sadly, the Blarite is nonconversational. But progress has been made with the bugbears.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Some Fort saves are necessary.
Kira, Seldan, Shale, you're immune to disease becase you're paladins, right?
Thurid please make 1 at +4, Havi please make 2 at +4, Merek please make 4 at +6."
GAME: Merek rolls fort+6: (7)+12+6: 25
GAME: Merek rolls fort+6: (19)+12+6: 37
GAME: Merek rolls fort+6: (19)+12+6: 37
GAME: Merek rolls fort+6: (15)+12+6: 33
GAME: Thurid rolls fort+4: (7)+5+4: 16
<OOC> Shalethiste says, "i'm not yet"
GAME: Shalethiste rolls fort: (2)+7+4: 13
GAME: Shalethiste rolls fort: (4)+7+4: 15
GAME: Shalethiste rolls fort: (12)+7+4: 23
GAME: Havi rolls Fort+4: (13)+4+4: 21
GAME: Havi rolls Fort+4: (9)+4+4: 17
The new volunteers are welcome relief. Some of the others have been following the examples set by the temple representatives, pushing themselves for long hours, meals on the run, doing as much as they can. Maintaining proper procedures is hard, but necessary. As soon as the new volunteers are briefed, many of the acolytes and lay healers that have been working dilligently take some immediate rest.
Supplies and surgical beds for amputation has been set up. No surgeries have been performed yet.
As it's mid-day and most are rested, it might be possible to converse with a few of the patients. Finding a coherent one amongst certain symptom groups might be a challenge, though a few that might be worth speaking to have been noticed already.
A letter confirms that a tree specialist has been tasked with researching the ones in Alexandria, and directed to try an draw comparisons with species up near Bludgun, though there are no results yet.
Seldan receives a letter, indicating someone may be coming to discuss his concerns. Political concerns, regarding the possibility that these diseases were developed deliberately.
And there are other things going on in the camp, but they haven't boiled over yet, so they can perhaps be safely ignored.
Over the course of the morning, Seldan has paused at times to offer words of encouragement to those around him, and especially to Shalethiste - the man seems to be keeping his temper remarkably well, and even has a smile at times despite a harried look. Towards lunchtime, though, he drops by the healers' area, separate from the patients. "If you would, when you have the time - I would have someone speak with," and he identifies a particular patient among the D2 group, fairly badly off. "He alone among those ill there has not attempted to run for the trees. The run for the trees may well be making them worse, and I would know why he alone among them has not made the attempt. There may be things to learn."
Kira may not need to worry of infecting herself in this situation, but it wouldn't dim her willingness and enthusiasm even if it was a concern. During a brief respite when all appear to be tended or are resting, she steps out of the Triple-M ward to check on the others; patients and aiders alike. "Does anyone need anything?" She enters the healer's resting area last, in time to catch the latter part of Seldan's comment. "Silver Guard, how are you... " she blinks as the comment registers. "The trees are making it worse?"
Thurid is there, when Seldan arrives, scrubbing off in between her patients. Her hands and forearms are red with all the scrubbing she's been doing, but better that than spreading the disease or catching it herself. Thurid nods her head, "I think you're probably right. At first I thought it was just because of them splitting open their sores or getting dirt in their wounds or disrupting their bandages when they made a break for it, but the disease seems to progress more quickly after they have made a break for it." she says to him, "Since it's to do with their circulation, it could be that it's the vigorous activity rather than the trees themselves. But as I said last night, I still think we ought figure out what in the trees if anything has an affect on disease samples." she says.
Thorughly scrubbed down, she moves over to get herself a drink of clean water and something to eat during this brief respite. "The surgical equipment arrived, I want to see if amputating the affected limb early enough can save the disease from spreading. But I'll need volounteers, and the patients aren't too fond of the big giant woman who keeps dragging them back to their beds."
Shalethiste finds her hands off approach in most cases to be something of a boon, albeit of mild mitigation. It's on occassion that the Mul'iessa is brushing her hair back, that she notices the crimson stains left in the moist sticking of her copper locks and she makes pains to examine herself in some isolation, though clearly in sight.
With Seldan's notes of encouragement, and his suggesstions, she smiles with rueful gratitude, and nods, making effort to maintain a distance yet from him, "I had noticed that one, too, Sir, and perhaps I... tarried overlong."
In lieu of bellyaching or evasions, she simply meets the taller Silver Guard's eyes and holds up her sword hand, stained with the ruddy tears of her puffy, weeping cuticles.
Geir eyes the patient in question, when Seldan point them out. "This one has trouble speaking with softskins, if experience here is any indication. This one would prefer not to make things worse." He rubs his hands together slowly. "Perhaps something in the tree is mixing with something in the disease? Trees may be causing an allergic reaction, perhaps?" The copper-scale settles upon a small stool. "Would not be the first time."
"Well, it's probably best that they aren't generally trying to run around while they are ill anyway," Merek notes, while he nods. With a little bit of shifting along, he finds a place to settle in and take a break with the notes to begin recording information he notes about the patients.
The two arcanists, the lens covered gnome and the tall, elderly dawn elf, are inseperable. They stick together and appear to come as a pair, and while they exhibit the casual bickering of a married couple on occasion, their relationship seems to be solely a professional one. One that's been going on long enough they know each other's weaknesses and strengths, and take no guff from each other.
It is the elf who comments, looking on at Shalethiste's hand with some concern. "Oh dear."
Havi rejoins the group, humming a moment. "The Bugbears are seeing little improvement, though the cognitively active one has given me his name: Urbarra." He looks upon Seldan. "Then a previous theory may be correct. Something in the spores of the trees, or the plants that grow at their base, could be the source of this illness." He states. "An allergic reaction? Perhaps. We would need to study them further to know for certain, I feel."
"That may well be so. I am not an expert in the ways of the trees and animals, save only as much as may be needful to survive in the wild, and I would defer to those who are of it. I have been told that there may be political concerns regarding this, and that shall I see to." Seldan's tone is pleasant enough, until he turns to examine Shalethiste's hand. "Blast," he murmurs, reaching for her forearm to examine it. "You have taken ill, it seems. This must be seen to as swiftly as possible. Warrior, Seer, she needs help." He addresses Thurid and Merek by their titles, not impolitely, but with a sharp tone meant to get attention.
Thurid winces at the revelation of the swolen hand, and then nods her head at Seldan, and heads over towards Shal to take a better look at her, "This is definitely the disease I've been treating. Give me your arm, we'll apply a tourniquet for now to stop the disease from spreading." she says, "And sit somewhere. It spreads with the beating of your heart, so still it as best you can." she advises as she goes to grab some first aid supplies to begin treating the short woman.
A thought occurs to Thurid, "Are you feeling any unusual urges? To run for the trees?" she wonders as she returns with bandages, distilled alcohol and bindings for a tourniquet, which she promptly sets about applying to the affected limb. "If you do begin to feel any sort of urge, please let us know as soon as possible. It may help us gain an understanding of how and why that particular symptom develops." she adds.
GAME: Thurid rolls heal: (18)+8: 26 GAME: Merek rolls heal: (1)+20: 21 (EPIC FAIL) <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Merek make another Fort save please." <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "+2 because the MMMM is favourable." GAME: Merek rolls fort+2: (13)+12+2: 27
Merek looks then to Shalethiste and nods to Seldan, while he makes a way to the woman, then he places on the goggles which he keeps with him, "Right, I will do what I can to assist, I don't have any spells prepared to take care of that. We could remove that arm, it's the safest way. Unless you all find another way."
Kira is still processing the thought of trees causing or exacerbating the illness and gasps when Thurid mentions amputation as an option. She looks to her with fret. "I think that should be only a last resort; everyone needs their limbs to live and work..."
There's another gasp when she realizes Shalethiste's condition... and another when maiming in mentioned again. "There are other ways to treat this... May I?" The question is for Shalethiste as she steps up to examine her.
Shalethiste is less comforted by the words of the Dawn Elf than she was probably expecting, as the Mul'iessa simply nods an even, "Indeed."
As much, then, does Seldan's invokation buoy her spirits, but her head shakes a touch, hmm.. trees, "Were we afforded the luxury. By far, others are more in need." She regards her hand, closing slowly to a loose fist ere relaxing anew, the word tourniquet tending to end it's tales one way. She starts slightly on the large woman's question, "Trees, pardon? Ahh, err..." and sure enough, as she fumbles through guile and her alignment, there is a furtive glance, perhaps at the distant... leafy.... beautiful.....
Shale's arm causes Geir to groan lightly. "This one is not well versed in the treatment of such. One would hope that removal of said limb would be the last resort, not the first." The copper-scale rubs his chin lightly. "And you are in need. You can provide much aid to others, healing you ought to be a top priority."
There's not much to Heal, and Thurid is very large. There's only so much space around Shalethiste and Merek and Thurid occupy most of it.
While the others are seeing to Shalethiste, Seldan releases her and steps aside and to one of the stations to scrub up. He follows with a quick spell to remove anything else that may have clung to him unwitting in the process.
"Perhaps a last resort, but much as with gangrene, the longer you wait, the more of the limb is lost, and the greater the chance that it is not enough." Thurid replies to those discussing her plan, "Gruesome though it may be, better to lose a hand than an arm or a life." she says, but then goes about turning the tourniquet, tight. "Stop flexing. You're pumping the infection along with your blood." she tells Shale, a bit brusquely- maybe why she's not particularly popular with her patients.
A pause, "You are, aren't you? Thinking about trees?" she asks the patient, snapping her large fingers to gain her attention.
"Though, I think we've caught this case early enough..." Thurid adds, to assuage fears and perhaps dismiss Merek's notion that they should reach straight for the bone saws- at least on this occasion.
Havi looks alarmed at the sickness present in Shalethiste. "Nine Hells." He curses under his breath. "Take care of her." He tells Thurid and Merek. "Without taking off her arm, if preferable. But if that is the only way you see fit. I will trust your judgement" He informs them. " But, I'm going to investigate these trees. See what I can discover."
- And so off Havi goes.
Seldan is making free use of his cantrip. It is a thing he can do all day and will do for the asking. Helpful, as it is not among the orisons that the acolytes can learn, and the only healers present casting it are doing so through the Apprentice Cheating gloves.
"Try to relax," Kira offers to Shalethiste with a smile as she steps to her and reaches to take her afflicted arm gently. That she puts herself between the mul and the great outdoors she's glancing at is almost entirely coincidental! "All will be fine." And no one's going to be hacking off limbs, though she isn't so crude as to say that.
"Are you sure we don't want to watch the progression of the disease?" The lens covered gnome asks, getting up on a chair so he can peer over at Shalethiste. He clicks several coloured lenses down in place on his goggles. "Might tell us something."
"Borzi, she wants to keep her hand." The elderly elf cautions.
"Why? She can get a much better artifice hand! Superior in every way." The gnome, 'Borzi', says dismissively.
Warm... inviting... purify-'Ahhhhhhh!' The cinching down of the tourniquet yanks Shelly's attention back to the now as the other entreaties to her awareness hadn't quite managed, and as things progress, she hisses through gnashed teeth, "Tree nibbling rotters, that hurts!" <sildanyari>
"May The Healer's Grace cleanse you," Kira states softly, but firmly, the same as her grip on Shale's forearm. Her hands alight with warmth that spreads to the other Paladin.
Shalethiste pants some once the speaking begins in her direction anew and, "Hrrrrr..... y-yesss....!" and her eyes close, chin dipping, "Let me go.. just for a minute, it's early, yet!"
Kira's gentler touch draws her eyes again, "I... I'm... I'm trying...." To trust Kira... and get a gander at the dissiduous relief being cruelly kept from her eyes.
GAME: Seldan casts Prestidigitation. Caster Level: 16 DC: 17
While this whole process has been going on, Seldan has been speaking with some of the other healers in the tent, and has set about casting a similar spell on other healers and various surfaces within the tent. It's an ongoing process, and is taking him some time to do, but he seems in no rush.
Thurid has been dealing with patients like this for a couple of days now, and so she snaps her fingers again to try and draw Shale's attention back towards her, she takes out the alcohol and rubs clean the affected limb below the tourniquet and then sets about wrapping it- tightly- with bandages. It's uncomfortable, but at least it won't actually cause her arm to drop off like the tourniquet might if it isn't removed once the bandages are applied.
GAME: Havi rolls Knowledge/Nature: (12)+10: 22
Havi looks upon the trees that he decided to investigate, his eyes narrow upon them for a moment as he kneels down and looks at their roots...their branches, the brush. The trees seem healthy in themselves, though...the evergreen trees draws his attention as a runner seems to make their way over to it, only to get grabbed. So he targets the Evergreen trees as a sight of his investigation.
GAME: Kira rolls paladin: (5)+10: 15 to Cryosanthia and Shalethiste
The stricken paladin will, once sufficient treatment and invocation of her faculties, advise to some numbness in her fingers, with a frustrated, yearing glance or five toward the trees, though the itching is somewhat abated, despite the lack of trees.
The Sentinel's laying on of hands seems effective. For the mul'niessa, the itching continues to fade, then is gone. Trees, are just trees once more. Her cuticles remain a raw and a little swollen but seem healthy once more. With the release of the tourniquette and the rush of blood, she feels a pins-and-needles sensation, but no itching.
And trees are just trees. She's sure now. Just trees.
There's an interruption. Someone calls, "Silverguard Seldan? We need the disc. Another runner!"
The silverguard has a good idea where it's going to be wanted. Coincidentally, or perhaps not, it won't be far from where Shalethiste might lie down, and the patient who can shed some light on this disease is.
The runner is already caught, also not far from the druid's investigations. The patient is being held, convinced not to struggle and wait for the ride back. The delirium doesn't help, but Silverguard is convincing enough and gets them to return. Others have followed, to help with the questions.
The one non-runner patient with this disease lies in his tent. It's large enough for two and can be opened up so others can look in and speak. There's a stove, a bed with short legs, a small table which has a piece of paper held down by some medicinals. The patient is a hobgoblin, a young soldier just past his twenthieth year. He's asleep and has both hands and one foot bandaged.
In the interest of helping out, while also staying out of the way, Geir has taken to marking the trees that the runners dash to. He does so by means of jamming a small branch into the soil near the tree. One for each patient who has gone to hug it. "Perhaps a pattern will emerge, yes?", the copper-scale offers.
Shalethiste after the final ministrations, seems to be none the worse for the experience, though, perhaps abashed as she recalls the apparant follunacy she'd fallen victim too. The Mul palms her face with her bare hand and sighs, "Sky Dancer's Light on my path...." <sildanyari>
Shalethiste, still somewhat embarassed looking, smiles weakly and, "Thank you, all... I... apologize for losing my wits. I am feeling much better now and.. my yearnings seem to have been abolished by the Sentinel's touch."
Thurid washes up again after trating Shalithiste, and then makes her way out with the other healers and Seldan to head to meet this unusual patient the Paladin mentioned earlier. To Shal she offers a smile, "There is no shame in it. You fell ill tending to the ill, that's all." she offers sheerily enough. She steps inside of his tent, along with a basin of water and some clean cloths so she can administer some tending while she is there. Finding him sleeping, she doesn't move to wake him immediately.
"Yes, of course." Seldan vanishes from the tent again without preamble, following the runner out and towards the trees. The spell is simple enough, and he wastes no time in returning the patient to his bed. Only then does he join the others, listening without comment at first.
Movement in the tent and the shift in air currents rouses the injured soldier. At first, he keeps his eyes closed, perhaps someone is feeding the heater stove. The presences remain, and he opens his eyes. He doesn't attempt to rise, or even move. He stares upwards at the canvass of the tent.
"Am I dead yet? Are you going to cut off my arms and legs yet? Be angels or demons I don't care, just end the torment."
Merek looks between people, then nods, before he's back to doing rounds, while looking for a few people he can assist. He takes time to check on each and every one, "How are you, are you doing alright?" He tries to be friendly.
GAME: Merek rolls diplomacy: (4)+27: 31
The safe finds most of the patients are asleep, or delirious. Even the ones he can talk to don't make a whole lot of sense. However, it does seem to be helping them, along with the basic care. It will take quite a while to get to each patient, there are one hundred and twenty three, so he will be away some time.
"If the pain is so great, and we cannot find a way to reverse it, then we may. But we are hoping it won't come to that." Thurid offers him, moving on over to wipe his brow with the clean cloth. "I haven't had a chance to talk to you yet, but the other healers have said that you have been staying in bed, while many of your countrymen are suffering from delusions." she says. "I wanted to ask you a few questions, it might help us treat you- and them." she adds then.
When the questioning starts, Seldan comes around the far side of the bed from Thurid, to seat himself on the end of the bed near the stricken man's feet. "It is as she says," he tells the man quietly. "You alone among those stricken do not seem to seek the trees. Is it your desire to do so?"
Geir eyes the gathering at the man's bed, finding little busy things to do nearby, subtly but not subtly listening in on the conversation. And then another runner catches his attention, and he trails along behind the woman, looking for another stick to mark which tree she finds best able to cure her disease.
"My name is Hashur, my rank is Leftennant, and my serial number is sewn on my clothes and I forgot it and don't have them." The hobgoblin soldier says grimly, "You can torture me all you want, I'm not giving up any secrets."
His eyes move, attempting to see Thurid, then Seldan, to put faces to the voices. He could turn his head just a smidge and easily see them, but he doesn't. "Where am I being held prisoner? In Myrddion?"
His voice gets a little dreamy, the hobgoblin discipline fading, "Oh I would love to see the trees again." He is lost in his thoughs. The discipline snaps back, so fast his teeth click. "The trees won't help. They're not the right tree."
Shalethiste maintains her distance, as she ascertains with the merest glance that her approach to Order has garnered her no adoring fans. She stands at earshot to attend what fetchings are called by her fellows, though she is clearly watching the proceedings with great interest. "You are in joint triage, Lieutenant Hashur, within Alexandria's borders." she says gently, trying to be assuring, and maybe polish some of the rough edge her public relations has acquired.
Merek keeps on making rounds. Occasionally, he might come by one of the others while he is working, while it looks like he's pretty busy.
GAME: Thurid rolls diplomacy: (19)+2: 21 GAME: Shalethiste rolls diplomacy: (1)+1: 2 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Seldan rolls diplomacy: (20)+19: 39
"What is the correct tree?" Seldan tilts his head, watching the arvek thoughtfully. "You are west of Alexandria, not in Myrddion, and you shall be freed when you are well. Aught that you can tell us may aid us in healing you and yours."
Thurid leaves the questioning largely to the paladin- for her part, she continues with her cleaning of the sweat from his brow and checking on his bandages, though she does pipe up from time to time. "We have no stake in your war, we only want to heal this sickness. We're not here to judge or to torture or anything of the sort." she assures the Hobgoblin.
Havi has fallen into a steady silence as he returns to the group, his hands held at his sides while his hood covers his head. His investigation was not as forthcoming as he had hoped. But he does not speak. He only listens as the wise oft do, nor does he speak out of turn.
"It's leftennant!" Hashur says abruptly, somehow detecting the spelling difference of a word he can't write through an accent he's unfamiliar with. Why it matters is unclear. He can't see the mul'niessa, but he dislikes her already. Thurid's voice, and Seldan's are much more calming to him. The Silverguard has a silver tongue, and perhaps there's some honey in there too.
The hobgoblin calms down, visibly relaxing under the sheets. He sounds conversational now, "Alexandria huh? Always wanted to see her. Maybe I can hop over."
Then there are more questions about trees. His eyes tighten, the muscles on his neck flex. The front of the tent is open, he could lift his head up and see trees. Easily. Or another tent, he tells himself. It's an illusion. One the mul'niessa might find herself sympathetic too. "The one in Caldera Saute. The big one, that's in all the pictures. Gerfried got the blood fingers. First. Private First Class, 'Goofy Gerfried'. Of course he gets it first. Won't shut up about trees. Hand swells up, he runs out into the NML, stays all night some how. Comes back with a wooden hand. Fingers that move."
Shalethiste's lips part reflexively as she is so passionately rebuked on her pronounciation, seeming about to respond when higher wisdom kicks in, and one can almost hear her teeth click together behind willfully sealed lips. Halfway to turning, mayhap to leave, and so doing, unencumber her fellows efforts to gain faith and information from the man, perhaps notes the look in his eyes toward the entrance. something within her eyes flickers, a knowing resonance of recently abated yearnings, and so the Mul'iessa reluctantly unfastens the straps keeping the tentflap open, and lets it swing closed.
Thurid sees how the patient reacts to the mention, and at the comment about Alexandria, she smiles brightly, "It is a great city, I'm sure you'll have the chance to see it." she tells him, reassuringly. She clasps his shoulder- gently, and where the fection has not yet crept. "You have a disciplined mind." she offers him.
As the information is forthcoming, her eyes widen a touch, "What of after?" she wonders, "Did he recover? Or at least, cease to worsen after the change?" she asks, then, of the Hobgoblin. "I don't know of this... place." she avoids the 'trigger' word.
Havi takes a deep breath as the information flows. "Interesting." He clears his throat as he speaks up. "The Caldera Suate...the Cauldron Jump, is an active volcano crater in the Sky Curtain Mountains. A pass exists, though it lines the edge of the crator. It's a few days travel from here, but its do-able. We could save time and attempt the jump, as it were, though it may be dangerous...furthermore, there is a tree. Thousands of Years old. An old cypress tree, but...it may be worth investigating also. Or just to see." Havi jokes.
The copper-scale Sith huffs as the tentflap closes, now unable to eavesdrop without making an appearance. "Perhaps...", he mutters to himself, as he moves closer to the tent's side, out of the path of those coming and going. He places his head up close to the tent's canvas, focusing on hearing what is happening inside. "Old cypress tree.", Geir says to himself. "Fascinating."
The tent flap closed, the temptation to move, removed, bolsters the hobgoblin's calm and discipline. He remains relaxed, so much so that when Thurid leans over to wipe his brow, he exclaims, "You're the prettiest ogre I've ever seen!"
Hashur answers her question, "Gerfried was fine. Was like they were his regular fingers, but wood. Even had a scar he had from before. Other fingers and toes were fine. He told everyone, you had to hug..."
The struggle to retain his focus renews again. He is in control. This will not affect him, "Hug the tree. The big tree. Beg for a new hand and she'll give it to you." His lips purse tightly, "He died two days later. Spears. Got too friendly with wood."
The Skycurtain Mountains and Caldera Saute are a lot further away than a few days. Perhaps as a druid flies, or an airship, that might be possible but overland travel would be longer and through hostile territory and a 'light war'. A trip should not be ruled out, but would also not be undertaken lightly.
Thurid smiles brightly, "Why thank you!" she says, taking it as the compliment it seemed to be intended as rather than the potential insult it might be interpereted as. She settles back to listen as she wrings out the cloth, and she ponders for a while. "Havi, are there any Cedars growing nearby? Or fairy groves?" she wonders of the Druid. "It sounds as though this first sufferer made some kind of pact, could as like be a curse as a disease." she murmurs. And then another thought occurs, "Or mayhap it's not the species is important but the age and pedigree. There's the Ygdrassil- a mite closer than that Caldera." she says.
Geir squints, leaning closer to the tent, almost touching it. "Ogre?", he mouths, blinking. "This one does not recall ogres being on staff. Not that it would be bad, however..." He exhales noisily. "This one can almost guess at what we're facing. Dryad. Definitely tree related. Perhaps old dryad. Like softskin granny, off her rocker." The copper-scale fall silent.. more silent, and strains to hear further conversation.
As the druid seems to have covered the information, Seldan nods. "I know not exactly where it lies, but it lies near the border between Blar and Myrddion. I would have those with knowledge of the wild seek it. I must remain here, I think, for do I not, there shall be trouble between the two sides. There has been enough death here."
Thurid shakes her head at Seldan's suggestion, "No, none who have had contact with the infected may leave. We should ask the Union to dispatch rangers." she suggests as a counter to Seldan's comment.
Merek would begin to keep on asking the questions, while he does what he can to assist people, taking the time to heal along conversation as well.
Shalethiste doesn't realize she'd curtailed Geir's efforts at first, not until she hears his musings from beyond the flap. She leans toward the seam and draws it aside just a touch to peek out to the copperscale beyond, "Pardon, I had only thought to lessen his temptations." she explains, "They can be... distracting."
Fidget.
She turns slightly then as the discussion continues, and, "What of the ship? Has it cleansed, or is there still concern of taint? We could prevail upon the Captain for common cause in rooting out the problem."
The Blar airship remains tied down in the south field. The gas-bag has been partially deflated, the levitators inverted, and the mana-engine spun down. It's been cleaned, but like much of her crew is waiting to be released from quarantine. The remainder of the crew have fallen ill, become sick from transporting the patients. This is a concern that Captain Infalia regularly raises with the Silverguard.
There's nothing stopping it leaving. It's only restriction is entering Alexandria airspace.
Thurid takes some time to consider Shale's suggestion, "I suppose, if the captain were amenable to allowing us to use the airship, I could check volounteers for infection before they board. We'd need to set up some kind of system to thoroughly clean off between leaving the camp proper and boarding the ship, so that those boarding don't accidentally track any tainted soil or water into the airship." she says after a while, seeming vaguely uncomfortable with the idea of anyone from the camp leaving. "I still feel a missive is safer, but it will likely be several days before it reaches the union, and several more before we hear back."
Seldan's answer to the raised concern is and has always been _we shall tend them with the others, and all will be free to depart when they are well. Remain here, lest this be carried back to your own armies and own nation. None of us want that._ "The ship can be cleansed, but I would not have the Captain leave now," he warns. "Many of their crew are ill, and they have not sufficient hale crew to launch."
Geir is surprised at Shale's reopening of the tent, and blinks in embarrassment. He moves into the tent, and quietly stands to one side, listening in on the conversation in an official fashion. "This one tried to organize them such that the disease would not be spread, but the nature of the diseases is more virulent than expected."
"You're going back? Take me!" Hashur exclaims, starts to rise. He's overhearing wonderful things. The conversation continues, he sighs and sinks onto his bed, "Oh, not going back."
"I don't know what it's like there. Our position was overrun, we fired the steps, had to fall back. Everyone was in a horrible state and worse after a forced march."
Another long sigh escapes, "I'm ready if you want to cut off my limbs."
Shalethiste considers her hand, nearly on the block, itself, then she turns half back toward the conversation, "As did I." she offers, in sympathy for the Sith. She sighs and looks to the others, first to Seldan, "Of course, I had ill considered that much. Airship operation is... not amongst my experiences." A shrug, as today seems most especially her ball to drop.
The Mul's attention is snared by Hashur's enthusiasms running their gamut, and when they do, she wonders, "Mayhap Sentinel Kira could do something for him?"
Thurid nods her head slowly at him, and settles back in her seat, looking quite worn down all of a sudden. It's rough getting to know patients. "There's no guarentee that it will save you." she says to him, softly. "And I don't want to, I really don't." she says to him and smiles sadly. "But I don't want you to die, either. Any of you, if I can help it." she offers. "So, if you're sure, I'll see if the surgical tent is finished being set up." she says to him, and gives his shoulder another squeeze. "You know, you're a rather dashing Hobgoblin, yourself." she offers him another brief smile. She stands, then, picking up the water and washcloth she came in with, and makes her way to leave the tent. The Giantborn woman certainly seems troubled by all this.
Hashur smiles at Thurid, and spares some precious motion to watch her leave. "I'm not sure," he admits to the cloth tent, "I think I'm running out of options."
He calls to the departing Jotun, "Maybe after we can dance, at least you won't have to worry about me stepping on toes, right? It'll be a ball!"
He's keeping his spirits up, that's good, right?
"If you have any other ideas? Maybe I could wait until this Sentinel Kira is free?" The hobgoblin exhales heavily, otherwise remaining motionless, "or a little tree, in a pot, that I could look at. I could hold out a few more days with that, I think." Havi has disconnected.
Thurid spends a few minutes outside the tent collecting herself, and then she furrows her brow. She comes back into the tent. "Seldan, you know both the leaders, yes?" she asks. "Get them together, see if they have enough able bodied crewmen between both sides to get that blasted airship in the sky." she says and then she stomps back out of the tent.
Merek keeps working along with the people, he will do what he can to assist in recovery while he speaks with them. There are gifts offered along with assistance in healing.
Seldan, who has been largely silent while the hob talks, speaks up now. "Perhaps a tree in a pot, within the tent, might aid others besides yourself. A fine idea indeed." He looks around at the other healers present. "Can that be done?"
The druid and the copperscale confirm, there are cedars and conifurs in the area. They weren't the exclusive choice of the running patients, but they were popular. Seedlings and yearlings can be found in the forest, and they might even be satisfied with a pine-cone. There are a few options to try.
With that information in mind, Thurid continues stomping, all the way to the edge of the camp and into the forest surrounding it. She's gone for a while, but she eventually comes trudging through the camp, a sapling matching the description she has received of a Cedar firmly grasped in one hand, roots and clods of dirt still hanging from the bottom where she's pulled it up. She grabs a bucket in her other hand without slowing as she passes and returns to the tent. She drops the bucket down, and then plants the sapling in it, next to Hashur's bed. "That's a promise, Blarite soldier's don't go back on their word do they?" she asks him. "You hang in there for a couple more days. We'll figure this out." she asserts.
With that done, she'll leave him in his tent with his new sapling for company, and share her plan with the others- She wants to get someone out to that tree as quickly as possible, and her plan for that is figuring out if the Blarites and Bludguni can stop fighting for long enough to band together whoever they have who isn't sick and cobble together a crew, taking some of the adventurers along with them to investigate the tree. And then she will go back into the forest, pulling up saplings for the other sufferers of D2. Thurid will work through the night, tonight, if needed to get all of the D2 sufferers a cedar sapling, and then tend to them with magical and mundane healing.
Shalethiste smiles sadly and nods, then turns to make her way out to return to her duties. Her recent brush with contagion stirs her to mostly focus her efforts amongst the second triage, in case her treatment has only left her asymptomatic rather than truly cured. She soon establishes a runner from the Golem volunteers, and does what she can to help the logistical matters via this new proxy to keep the logistics coordinated, though she continues to assist with maintining order, she is trying to let that resolve itself under more capable hands than her own.
Seldan, too, sets about marshaling people to provide a few saplings to that tent, but also pinecones and stray needles, directing and helping to scatter these things where each patient can see something of it. He'll spend as long as necessary to that task, but when he is done, turns back to his peacekeeping and placating duties, turning in for some quick rest when he can get it.
"I promise," Hashur says when Thurid returns with a sapling, and he turns his head to look at it. He can't look away, but having it there does seem to bring him new strength and a calmness. He manages to sleep.
The other patients suffering from this disease seem to respond well also. They like holding the pinecones, which perhaps isn't good for them. The saplings keep them in their tents, though they do get out of bed to try and hug them, and then eventually get back in. Movement, still, but a big improvement over rushing through an early winter field. Spreading the needles under the sheets actually seems to keep them in bed. The scent or the feel, some benefit.
One every patient is supplied, the corralling drops of completely. It's an improvement, one less thing to ride herd on.
There are still issues to sort out, and that promised visitor, but the reports back to the Temple at the end of the day will be positive.
OOC Stuff
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "okay, Some quick OOCs. Everyone here on time gets a free re-roll. So that's Geir, Kira, Seldan, Thurid. As this is intended to be roll-light, I'll also allow it to be used as an inspiration instead. ie: "Hey GM, is there some info that you have that *I* as a druid just might know right now that would be helpful and move things along?""
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "This will be primarily RP. Generally, I'm leaning towards Pose first, roll second, so I can apply bonuses. Simply, the more pose you give me the more I can work with. While a high level 'I do x' is nice, there's not a lot to work with or entertainment value, so I'd prefer to hear you do x while you're up to your elbows in blood and trying to hold back a sneeze and dreaming of the fjords. It's also as much 'strategy', as rolling a skill. Decisions will be made and things will grow from that. Some poses will be in 'over several hours' time, and others more focused 'minute to minute'. This is a bit of a repeat from last game's preamble, but I figured it would help to have it."
<OOC> Cryosanthia nods, "Everyone not-paladin, the number of fort saves is based on the disease groups you expose yourself to, and the bonus is based on your heal roll representing your ability to do the precautions correctly, and sometimes other factors. Ah, ok, then... yes Thurid, and it's good that you did.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "You can use your Heal checks on 6 people, so, that's either directly on the patients or supervising others, where it would count towards their skill checks, and all the NPC healers are Take10"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "If you wanted to work an exit pose for the tent and an endpose that covers what you plan to do for the rest of the day and through the night, that would be helpful. Merek you're still seeing to the 123 patients. Seldan I expect you're doing peacekeeping and the political thing - which would be a nice side scene if we can get it in. Geir, Kira I'll have do what they're doing. Shale, Havi, Thurid what you're working on would be nice. Amputation-wise, you could do Hashur, but anyone else and the Major and the Captain will interrupt, which I was saving for a next scene, so could be part of talking to them."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "would be nice to know the number of CLW, CMW, Heal, Remove Diseases, Channels you're capable of if that's all you cast." <OOC> Thurid says, "That's my endpose/intent. I can cast 3 CLW, 2 CMW, and Channel 2d6 7 times." Shalethiste pages: i have 4 lay on hands a day for 1d6
<OOC> Shalethiste nuzzles her pinecone.