OK... New Plan

Log Info

• Title: Ok... New Plan
• Emitter: Cryosanthia
• Characters: Ashes, Cryosanthia, Toha, Verna, Auranar, Seldan, Malik
• Place: A15: Vardaman Temple
• Time: Sunday, May 31, 2020, 5:57 PM
• Summary: In the Vardaman Temple, two of Eclavdran's latest victims are laid out. Verna and Toha, who remains were returned by Iskandar, are prepped for resurrection by Ashlee. She leaves when Cryosanthia and Auranar arrive. Seldan has also been summoned, and Malik arrives seeking him. The arrival of the mage puts the wild elf into a dark mood. A few details of the encounter were provided to Seldan and Auranar, but Cryo is waiting for the two to be brought back, so they can tell their own story. Before this happens, the paladin and the mage depart, after using Detect Magic to see if Cryo's scrying snowflake is active. As far as the sith can tell, it isn't. Verna is brought back, then Toha, by a senior Temple Mourner, who then departs. Cryo fills in what little after-death details she is aware of. Mostly, there was a gross descreation of Verna's body by the Demon Duke. Hearing the details makes Auranar violently sick. Toha requires some assistance effecting additional repairs, which Cryo provides, then she is given some privacy as the sith goes somewhere safe with Verna to transfer Eclavdran's effigy from her backpack.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=<* A15: Vardaman Temple *>=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

The Vardamite temple is a solemn affair. Composed of carved blocks of basalt, it looks as if the whole thing were set into a scooped-out chunk of the mountain. Braziers and torches, despite the presence of more modern conveniences, are the main source of light. The basalt columns and blocks are engraved with prayers for the dead from hundreds of cultures and dozens of races. Some are works of master carvers, still others are little more than the work of desperate or sorrowful petitioners, quick prayers lovingly scratched into an empty space.

An outdoor altar is littered with offerings, as are the steps and even ground surrounding the front of the temple. These offerings are frequently collected or cleaned away by serious-faced Mourners, or Mourner-acolytes, while Serriel's Lancers guard the front doors. As ever, the sound of monks in perpetual chant can be heard as a low background noise as they go about their somber business.

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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  Appearing, in Order  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ashes        5'11"    177 Lb     Hobgoblin         Female    A somber arvec in grey clothes with a skull face
Cryosanthia  6'9"     267 Lb     Sith-Makar        Female    A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman.
Toha         6'2"     282 Lb     War Golem         Female    A woman shaped contrivance of leather and steel, with oruch weaponry.
Verna        4'5"     98 Lb      Half-Elf          Female    Petite humanoid in bulky gray robes and cloak.
Auranar      4'8"     123 Lb     Wild Elf          Female    A wild elf with dark skin and a red dress
Seldan       5'11"    187 Lb     Human             Male      Ginger-blonde human in armor wearing Eluna's symbol.
Malik        6'2"     195 Lb     Human             Male      A sandy-haired tsuran with blue eyes.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

In the private spaces of the Vardaman Temple are the other rooms. The ones dedicated to preparing and laying out the dead for visitions by family. Rooms where Mourners do their work, washing, praying, and performing the rituals necessary to get the Grey Lady's attention.

Smaller, and more private rooms are set aside for those hoping for the return of a loved one back. Or in this case, fellow adventurers and partners in crime. The remains have been laid out and cleaned up, the bodies covered with sheets. Robes and some other clothes provided behind a privacy screen. The ashen arvec nar woman finishes up the preparations and steps out, passing a white sith-makar, to whom she delivers a flat, "They're ready. A senior Mourner will be along soon."

Cryosanthia enters quietly. Still in her adventuring gear, leather and mail armour, and has her haversack cinched on tight. She stares silently at them waiting. Messages were sent once she was sure this could happen.

Toha's form is shorn through in numerous places, whatever blade used carried enough force to even sheer through the metal framework beneath, to say nothing of the studded leather motive straps. About her limbs, slashed through 'muscles' are splayed from their anchor points like octopi too long ashore and half of her doll like face hangs lopsidedly from an internal piece of broken framework, the dark ruby of her eyeslit spiderwebbed from whatever impact so ravaged her face. Within the wounds are signs of various ages, craftsmanships, of internal structure and artifice, like rings of a tree.

Verna is no stranger to the temple, nor any of the various rooms (some refer to them as 'cells' in common temple parlance, though 'crypts' is a growing term in the Vardaman vernacular as well) and the duties therein. What makes this occassion more unique is that she is present as one of the deceased, rather than as a Mourner.

Were she able to do so, she would rest comfortably in the knowledge that all due care, propriety, and respect would be given her, and any others, here in The Grey Harpist's Hall in the prime material. Meanwhile, the parts of Verna not currently present and in action reside in Her (true) hall.

As for her physical form, with only a sheet, she makes for a rather unimpressive silhouette beneath a sheet. The only positive, related to appearance's sake, is that the arrangement and shroud make her appear quite intact.

Auranar arrives quietly, trouble on her brow. She closes the door behind her out of respect, and joins Cryosanthia. Her expression only becomes more troubled at the sight of Verna laying there on the table. Toha's grusome visage sends a shiver down her spine and she looks over at the white-scaled sith last. "Is it true? Did... did Eclavdran do this?" The question is quiet.

It takes some time, but at length, a clatter of armor - unusual in this place - can be heard in the halls above, and a few minutes later, the armor sounds come closer, accompanied by a familiar male voice with a Myrrish accent, speaking in low tones. The armor clatter is not quite so loud as one might normally expect armor to be, but neither is it silent, and presently, a younger Mourner leads a slightly flushed Seldan into view. From the deep way that he breathes, he very likely came at a run, and he nods his thanks to the Mourner, closing the door behind him. "Her light shine upon your path," he greets quietly. "What has happened?"

Cryosanthia nods slowly, her hands clasped. She exhales and her breath is visible even in the cell, "He did. When Seldan arrives I'll share the details. I don't know what happened after I left... " Her tail coils about her legs, she stands tall, seems a little distant.

"Ah, Sir Seldan. Peace upon your Scabbard. Well..." Another exhale, more mist, "Verna was doing some research. It took us to the village of Maridran, where there is an effigy of Marael. It turned out to be a rather large one, too big to shift. The village was deserted. She decided to study it there, and warned us that if He showed up, we should flee. The effigy was a scrying focus the way I am, allowing someone to look out, which reminds me."

Cryo takes off her left glove, brushes the air to evoke her spell. There is a sparkling along her scales, "The Demon showed up. I ran. Iskandar collected and returned their remains after the Demon left."

Auranar blinks as Seldan appears quite suddenly, and clearly at what had been a run. The elf nods politely to the paladin, but perhaps doesn't look overly pleased to see him. Or maybe it's the circomstances. She lifts a hand to her brow, rubbing it gently and then reaching out as if she might touch Verna only to think better of it and hold her own hand instead. "I... I haven't ever seen a dead body before." She has the grace to look embarassed. "I can't believe he killed her. I mean I can but... He's..." She seems at a general loss for words.

Seldan's eyes go to the left glove when it is removed, but lower sadly at the explanation, but the sadness is short-lived in favor of determination - at least for now. He returns the polite nod to Auranar, but explains quietly, "And Toha as well. I count the both of them as friends and allies, my lady. The loss is a blow to us all." His eyes go to the other motionless form. "Do you mean to attempt to petition the Grey Lady to release them?" His gaze inevitably returns to Cryosanthia, watching her closely.

Cryosanthia's tail hangs limp behind her. She replaces the glove on her left hand. She blinks, "Yes. Well, ask a Mourner to ask on my behalf. The Lady Greyscales wouldn't listen to me. The circumstances of their deaths were explained to the Temple Seniors. Because it is directly related to the Demon, there are... considerations. A senior Mourner should be arriving soon. I don't know either of them that well... always bad circumstances... perhaps they'd heed you asking them to return more?"

As if summoned by the mention of them a Mourner arrives at that moment through the door. It's an older woman, wrinkles at the edges of her eyes as telling of her age as the streaks of gray in the hair she has tied up into a bun. She nods politely to everyone present, but moves immediately to look at the bodies. Clearly these are of more importance to her than the living people. The Mourner carefully draws the sheet up over Toha, clearly displeased that it is out of place, and then moves to Verna's corpse. "I will begin with my fellow Mourner unless you have any objections."

Auranar looks at Seldan and nods. "Indeed. He's killed /far/ too many. Leaves a trail of corpses in his wake and though we know where he is we do /nothing/ about him." Her words are bitter indeed. Growing quiet as they are joined by the Mourner she stands stiffly in her place, feeling that she has no place to tell a servant of Vardama what to do to bring people back from the dead.

"No objections, Mourner," Seldan inclines his head politely to the Mourner as she enters, stepping aside to ensure that she has the space she requires for her work. "It is not my place to tell you your business." His bearing takes on an impassive, closed quality. "The mightiest of the heroes of the city have stood against him and failed, my lady. He will not be removed by strength of arms alone, and seeing him banished may well entail the ruin of the pattern of the sewers beneath the city, for it is itself a summoning circle. How to do so without collapsing the city ... I know not, yet."

"No objections." Cryosanthia says, stepping back quietly out of her way. Very conscious of where her tail is, keeping it close and her voice down. She nods, half listening to the conversation, then says, "Could you let them know that Cryosanthia, Seldan and Auranar are asking for them, should She find the appeal acceptable."

Malik makes his way in from -- wherever he was outside, at a mild run. He moves up beside Seldan, giving the man a look, though for the most part he remains silent, simply observing what is going on -- and looking very, very angry.

The Mourner seems surprised by the late arrival, but focuses instead on the things at hand. "It doesn't quite work like that." She nods to Cryosanthia, then begins the process of the ritual which will bring Verna back from the edge of death.

Auranar nods to Seldan, seeming to be in agreement if only somewhat. It's clear she has more to say on the subject, but she keeps her words to herself. Then, Malik arrives and anger flashes into her black eyes, spilling down to tighten her lips into a grim frown. Quickly she looks away from the mage, her posture tense and her bearing that of someone distinctly trying not to say something that would be rude.

GAME: Seldan casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 14 DC: 17

Seldan looks over at Malik as he enters, and although he doesn't smile, something in his bearing relaxes, just a little, barely perceptibly. He turns his head towards the mage, studying him intently - and although he says nothing, after a moment, he raises a hand and invokes a swift, simple sigil, the golden/silver light forming as a sheen before his eyes. He glances then at Cryosanthia, blinking a few times, but turns his attention back to Malik.

Cryosanthia takes a step forward, so she's between Auranar and Malik, blocking her sight of him. She reachs out to take the wild-elf's hand. Otherwise, she stands tall and stark white in the room, watching the ceremony quietly.

Malik turns to look at Auranar, blinking, confusion there -- and then Cryosanthia is between them, and Seldan is casting. Whatever the wizard might have been thinking, it's past now, a new expression taking hold as he watches Seldan -- features darkening even more than when he came in. "Time to go, then?" he asks.

The Mourner waves her hands one last time over Verna's corpse, a whispered prayer coming to its end and the work is done. Gently she picks up a cup of water and places a comforting hand on Verna's shoulder. "Welcome back to the land of the living. Would you like something to drink?"

Auranar is surprised by Cryosanthia moving, but she doesn't seem to mind until Malik speaks up and then she steps back to look at the mage. "Why?... Why would you come only to leave so quickly?" The words leave her mouth and then the Mourner is talking to Verna and Auranar's attention is suddenly divided.

Verna remains a tidy, organized, yet rather inert form beneath the shroud for several moments. Perhaps long moments to the expectant, though, to her, time is experienced quite differently at present... or in the past, now. A sudden sharp gasp is heard, with accompanying motion as lungs abruptly require air and reflexively inhale to fill themselves.

Promptly afterwards, new sounds are formed using this newly needed and obtained air. "-phrase was intended in an affectionate expression of surprise, and in no way ever conveyed as pejorative nor blasphem...ous?" The voice is rough and somewhat hoarse, though recognizable, with the last syllable gaining a tone of surprise.

Verna then sits up rather suddenly, the shroud puddling at her waist to reveal her blinking several times in attempt to focus her vision as well as the simple, modest shift she was dressed with. Her face is contorted somewhat in a mild frown, which may signal that all is normal, though this particular expression is due to momentary confusion.

Recognition and realization seem to grow upon her, judging by her countenance, beginning first from the basalt walls, then the fellow Mourner before her, and then regarding those gathered about. She clears her throat dryly and a hand reflexively lifts to rub gingerly at her neck. "That was ..." Her peer's offering of water now registers and she nods. "Yes, please."

Seldan is about to open his mouth to speak, although in response to whom is unclear, when the spell completes. He immediately throws up an arm to shield his eyes, instead, with an "Agh!" He utterly ignores Auranar, shaking his head and blinking as if to clear something. "Yes, I cannot see," he manages.

Cryosanthia remains where she's standing. Her tail curls, lightly brushing the back of Auranar's calves, she squeezes her held hand. The sith is facing forward, watching Verna's return, silent throughout. She's been holding her breath, and when the recently returned speaks she finally exhales a small cold cloud. "This one has information, when you are ready Mourner Verna, and hopefully for Toha to hear also. I ran. I'm sorry. Welcome back."

She doesn't look to her side, at Seldan. She's not even really seeing Verna, simply is pointed in her direction. "This one checked just before you arrived. She's not watching."

Malik, though, seems to have no particular inclination to explain himself. He puts a hand on Seldan's shoulder, and as quick as anything, the pair are simply gone.

The Mourner gives Verna the glass of water, but is cautious in case Verna has any lingering weakness that might cause her to drop it. The woman says nothing further, but watches the two men leave with an air of interest.

Auranar gapes at the place where the two men made their quick getaway and then shakes her head. In the end she moves forward, offering a strained smile to Verna. "Hey... How are you feeling?"

The whitescale glances over as the two men exit, watching impassively. She holds back from approaching, giving Verna her space and waiting for an acknowledgement. She nods as Auranar asks her question. She also, has a careful, toothless smile and her hands clasped in front of her.

Verna takes the cup with both hands and takes a few small, careful sips. "Thank you," she remarks to Cryosanthia before focusing on the nearer Aurana. "I feel ... more whole, and more ... weary than before."

"Before your friends begin to question you, and discuss the things of the living, there remains your companion who died at your side." The Mourner motions to Toha. "Are you well enough to return her to life yourself, or would you have me do it?"

Auranar nods solemnly, understanding in a way that most people probably can not. "I'm glad you're back."

Verna may not have not noticed the other form, of Toha, on the other slab. She was not entirely present to be aware of her fall, before, either. She turns towards, and perhaps too quickly, as her balance shifts and she abruptly adjusts to try and keep it. It is then that she nearly drops the cup, as her fellow Mourner was previously concerned. Once stabilized, Verna admits, "Perhaps it best that you do so, Mourner. Now would be an unfortunate moment for mispronunciation or poor motor skils."

The Mourner nods, catching the water and returning it to Verna's hand. Some is lost, but there's enough left for Verna to drink if she wants more. Wordlessly the woman heads over to Toha's body, repeating the same words, the same symbols with her fingers and uttering the same prayers which are time-honored rituals for the return of the dead. A few moments later, she is placing her hand on Toha's shoulder, though she is notably not offering a glass of water to the golem. "Welcome back to the land of the living."

As the Mourner begins her rote again, Auranar falls silent, watching the ritual through it's completion.

The construct's ravaged form doesn't resist the Mourner's call to it's wayward animus, something within could even be resonating with the magics involved, rekindled artifice reaching out with eldritch tendrils to reanchor the Angorite's spirit to this body...

There are sporadic ratchetting noises from under the sheet, a soft, faltering thrum as the golem's arcane dynamos start turning over in sequence...

A feeble, terrified, "bleh blrgl" then a mortal shriek of, "blah" <unknown>

A series of slaps, like leather against leather, occaisional hissing along steel as the sundered motive straps send ripples along the cloth while they try to reattach themselves...

The grating screech of straining metal as the reunited straps try to pull her joints back into alignment, "Stoooop!" and the thrumming, "-hurts...!" becoming muffled under the structurally restored, "whyyyyyyy?" if still badly damaged framework as glowing silver mist starts to seep through the cloth draped over her....

A shift along the sheet where her head is, as the severed mass reorients to properly seat itself with a sharp clang to the rest of her face.

And she lurges up off of the pallet with a hand snapping up to snatch the sheet from over her, a confused "What the hell?" Her head shakes, little flakes of ruby spiralling out of her eyeslit, "Where am I?" and almost as she's gotten sat upright, little rivulets of silver flowing out to congeal into welds(?) scabs(?) in those spots where the armour's been pushed close enough together, she looks around and, 'aah.... uh... Hi!' Ahem, 'So.... that was....' she brings a hand to cover the damaged section of her eye and face, 'Did.... everyone else get away alright?' and the mist dissipates as if it had never been. <yrch-speak>

Cryo watches the war-golem re-assemble herself. Her hand goes to her mouth at some of the noises, when she sees the silver mist. It is unsettling, but it makes sense. The sith nods, "Yes. Ygraine, Iskandar and I successfully escaped. He did not pursue."

Verna observes the re-animation with significant interest, both academic and personal. She does not comment or opine, as she lacks the details to fully answer questions. That and the return of her head to her body seems to have brought a nagging ache with it. This indirectly proves that decapitation does, indeed, prevent or cure migraines.

With Toha returned to life, the senior Mourner nods politely to everyone, and makes to depart. Her place in this is done, and she seems eager to grant those in the room privacy.

Auranar frowns at the golem's odd words with concern, then hesitantly pipes up. "Are /you/ alright?"

Several things ratchet inside her body as Toha turns her face toward the hand on her shoulder, "Thank you, Mourner." her tone grateful. She looks to Cryo and nods a little, still covering her face, "That's something, anyway." Her focus turns to Verna, "I... couldn't run... not seeing... I'm sorry I couldn't stop him." she says ruefully, before turning to Auranar's question, "Half left." she replies in a weak attempt at humor, but, "I can... make the repairs, it'll just take time, thank you, miss."

"You did naught worthy of regret nor apology," Verna notes firmly to Toha, following it with the last of the water. The cup is carefully set aside. "Not all things can be defeated with force or arms nor mana, and one not need destroy a foe to achieve victory."

"I'm glad you're... mostly ok. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to get away. I greatly dislike running from him." Cryosanthia says, formally and subdued. She keeps her hands clasped, standing and watching. "I had a bit more information. I had hoped to share with Seldan as it concerns him. I do have the items we discovered with me. I'll take them out of the backpack when you think it's safe."

Auranar, honestly doesn't know what to say, not to anyone, but she smiles at Toha. Nods her head to the golem and falls silent in the absence of something to offer. Her ears perk slightly as Cryosanthia speaks, her black eyes darkening at the mention of the demon that had laid low so many of those in this very room.

Toha nods to Verna, "Still... goin' beyond with success in my hands woulda been nice." she remarks drly, then turns to Cryo, "It was the right thing t'do. I'm glad you guys got out, ok." She offers her free hand to Auranar with, "I'm Toha, nice ta meetcha!" then looks around at the women, "Did my stuff make it back? Or... does anyone have a repair spell? There's something I'd like t'fix, first."

"I do not have such spells prepared to use at this moment," Verna notes to Toha, "but I can assist you given some time to rest. While not my area of expertise, I also have some knowledge of artifice, if that is of any use." She cannot answer the question of belongings, instead carefully turning herself and shifting so that she can put her feet down to leave the slab and stand, turning to Cryosanthia in the process. "I will ensure that the items are secured. One may aid us in our efforts. The other may need to be returned to the owner, if they can be found."

"I don't have a repair spell. All your things should be here. Iskandar brought most of you and your things back. I brought the rest." Cryosanthia explains, looking quite formal in her posture. She's very straight and tall, her tail tucked tight against her legs, and while she's not exactly nervous there is an uncertainty in her voice. "He wanted to use the effigy to summon the Demon to us while we were fleeing, and I had to refuse. This one didn't think it would help... In the morning I returned..."

The sith gazes at Verna, hesitating. "Um..."

Auranar smiles at Toha, then takes her hand to offer a brief but firm handshake. "Pleasure to meet you though, I wish it could be under better circomstances." Her smile fades quickly in the wake of her words and she turns sharply toward Cryosanthia at the other woman's words. "Wait... what? You have a... thing that can summon him?" The elf's voice is shocked and she is suddenly tense from head to toe.

Toha nods, "If my gizmos made it intact I can do the important stuff, here." she explains, finally bring her hand from her face aith a sort of reluctant, through she looks between the others, then settles on Auranar and she asks, "Are.... you ok?"

"I have discovered several means to summon him, this item is perhaps the latest," Verna notes. She looks to Auranar and her tension. "It is stable, and is unlikely to be activated unintentionally. We will certainly NOT call him here, or now, Auranar." She then addresses the white sith's hesitation. "The item that might one day be returned would be the child's diary. It was no more that what it appears."

"Yesss...." Cryosanthia says, looking at Auranar, smiling awkwardly. "It's one of the things we found in the village. It's in my haversack, magic extra-dimensional space, too small. A halfling could fit in it, I don't think he could."

The whitescale sith looks over at Verna, "It was more... I was wondering how your stomach feels..."

Startled, Auranar glances at Toha and has the grace to look embarassed by her tension. "Sorry it's just... I /hate/ him." The word 'hate' is laced with as much venom as the elf can manage to put into it. "I know we're not going to summon him right now. That'd be... suicidal but... Just thinking of him..." Her hands clench into fists and she glares at Cryosanthia's backpack furiously.

Verna accepts Cryosanthia's clarification literally and her hands move to her abdomen. Given the current situation, it isn't illogical that she check to see if anything is absent or amiss. Belatedly, she wonders if the comment was intended more generally. Possibly prompted by a vibration under her hands before they lower. "If you ask if I am well enough to dine, I believe so."

"Auranar, you are not alone in your opinion. He is despised by many, and a threat to many more. He will be dealt with and removed as a threat however is deemed feasible, but the matter much be approached with much forethought."

Toha nods slightly, "That makes sense." is all she says, and leaves the matter be. She turns from the women as they discuss refuelling and her attention turns to her bag of tricks.

"I would like to have dinner with you. It was, um... He... spelt the name 'Malik' with your intestines. The large intestine for the M, the other letters formed with the small intestines... and with leftovers made little curlicues around the name... and... your heart was the dot on the 'i'..." Cryo explains, awkwardly, "This one... had hoped to let you and Seldan know at the same time, and Malik. Except they left. If you wish me to be discrete I won't mention that to them."

"He didn't make anything with you." She looks at Toha, shaking her head slightly, "didn't even smash you up further after death. Just... Verna." The whitescale does her best to ignore angry elf eyes glaring at her backpack. It's such a nice haversack... that Malik made for her.

Verna's eyes widen. Obviously, she was not aware of this act of post-mortem creative calligraphy on the fiend's part. "I see..." She considers the result while attempting to not consider the medium overmuch. "It would be little surprise if this were a threat or demand, as I am aware that he harbors significant ire towards Malik. Not that he harbors myself, nor most, any good will at all." While she did just check her abdomen, in light of this news, a re-verification seems in order.

Auranar takes a deep breath and tears her eyes from the backpack in question. "I agree. It's just... It's hard to sit here and feel like you're doing nothing. Being..." She stops and her skin pales at Cryosanthia's description. "Oh gods I think I'm going to be si-" She turns and moves quickly out of the room.

Toha doesn't blink, as that's a bit outside her design parameters, but, "That's all manner o'personal." she observes. She slips down heavily off the pallet and moves toward what looks like her stuff, though she does seem a little odd about distances. As Aura ops to bail, possibly to hurl, the golem turns back toward the door, "What's wrong with her...?"

"It was... excessive. Most humans, and elves... aren't used to their parts, and what Demons might do with them." Cryo says, watching the doorway. She quickly adds in a quiet voice, "I don't think telling her what He said about you owing him, would help her. Is this necessary knowledge?"

Verna looks to the door, as if tempted to follow Auranar. However, given her improper uniform and inability to halt any possible regurgitation in progress, she turns to seek her own belongings in the other corner. "Did he comment further, afterwards?" she asks over her shoulder, "Or do you refer to the words he shared with me?" For all she's aware, there were further conversations after her demise.

While awaiting an answer, and with back to the others, she addresses her dress. The shift is shed so that she can don the fresh robes present in lieu of her own personal attire at the moment. She is does not consider this immodest in the context of her current company given that one is artifice and the other is sith-makar. As well, both are, perhapse ostensibly in toha's case, female.

Toha turns back to her stuff, taking a couple of tries to actually make contact at first. She pulls a small strip of leather, lined with myriad wispy jointed brass armatures. She steps back toward her pallet and sits on the edge. She flounders blindly for a moment until she makes contact with the sheet, then drapes it up over herself. She lays the... gizmo beside her, then her hand lifts under the sheet to remove her faceplate, though the previously severed section falls out of her hand to the floor, and with a single, flat note, she shakes her head a little bit, and sets the majority of her face on the other side. Keeping her head tucked to conceal her exposed substructure, "I... will need someone's hands for a minute, please." sounding... a little bashful.

"About owing him a death. I'd rather she not feel somehow responsible because you saved her." Cryosanthia elaborates, paying attention to the doorway. "This one... ran when he grabbed your throat, did not return. Ygraine, also. Iskandar had some conversation but nothing of any substance."

"I do agree with her. I would like him to pay. I have no wish to encounter him again. When you feel it's safe I would like to transfer the items to you."

"Sure..." The whitescale holds out her hands where Toha can manipulate them. "Whatever you need Toha."

"You did what I requested, and I requested it as it was necessary, Cryosanthia." Verna turns back to them now that she is robed and adjusts her satchel. She glances briefly to the doorway and the sounds from the hall beyond before looking back to the sith. "You need not share that portion. It will not aid anyone."

Her attention turns to Toha and the work in progress. This time it is not for academic interest, but to see if she might aid, even indirectly by assisting Cryosanthia.

Toha brings both hands up under the sheet to her face, there are several clicks, and the hiss of stone agaisnt steel and her hands emerge, carefully cradling a cracked, shaped band of almost black ruby a sil could probably use as a tiara, embedded with fine, intricate sygils formed of wire, "I need you to hold this together, just like this, please. It's... probably fragile like this."

After a moment or six, Auranar returns, looking somewhat better but paler. "I'm sorry... so sorry about that." She leans against the wall and takes in the changes that have happened since her abrupt departure. "Do you... Do you need help with that Cryosanthia?"

Cryo matches her fingers beside Toha's, so she can take the black ruby band. She looks over the sigils and wires, not understanding any of it. "This one has it. Are there other things that need to be held?" She's focused on the part, so she doesn't look away at Auranar. "It's ok, I should have warned further, or shared less. The Demon is horrible."

"It is understandable, Auranar," Verna offers to her, though her tone may convey more fact than consolation. "I am uncomfortable with that image, myself, and I am accustomed to remains." She returns to watching the repairs in progress.

Toha feels the touch, but nonetheless has to ask, "Have it? Good." and carefully extricates her hands from the process, leaving the Sith holding her eye and her hand carefully slides along the pallet seeking the little artifice contrivance, "Oh, welcome back, Auranar!" she offers cheerily. She gently takes it up as she feels it and brings it to her hands, flicking a tiny lever with her thumb before the tips of the little armatures are alight with tiny pinpricks of magic, "Very.... carefully, can ya set that band in the middle of this, please? I... can't see."

"Yes..." The procedure seems obvious, and Cryo has good dexterity despite some of her rough reptilian features. She lowers the band, aligning the armatures and the lights, "Like this? The ends are on the points."

Embarrassed, Auranar moves a bit closer to Verna, offering her hand to the other woman. "I'm sorry he... did that to you. That's aweful. Sometimes... I honestly don't know if I'm cut out for this."

Verna accepts and clasps the offered hand with her own, which happens to be bare rather than gloved, due to the circumstances. "Neither his deeds, or mine that led to his appearance are your doing." She adds a slight smile in attempt at encouragement, though it sours to a frown afterwards. "I regret that you suffered at his hand, before. His arrival, then, was due to my actions, not yours."

Toha doesn't dare shake her head, but, "Other way, so the crack is where the little arms can reach? I'm sorry, I should have been more specific. I've... never had t'do this before." She moves her thumb slightly to another lever, "Once it's in place, hold it steady and say the word, and this should do the rest." Her head pivots slightly as she hears the other conversation going on, but there is no sensation of being watched, not with her means of doing so cradled in Cryosanthia's hands.

"Oh, ah, right." Cryo adjusts her hold and moves the band so the crack is over the little arms, "It's in position now."

Auranar nods. "I know, I know." She sighs, looks at Toha with a worried expression on her features. "I know, but I still feel guilty that I'm not strong enough to stop this from happening. He runs around killing and there's no consequence for that. Some people, they just stand there and say that he's not a problem. That we should just ignore him. But I feel like every minute we ignore him is one that he's hurting /someone/ and..." Her dark eyes return to Verna. "You can't tell me that I'm not some of the reason that he hates you so much that he... did that to you."

"Some feel he is a lesser threat," Verna affirms, "and if the greater is resolved, he will be weakened at the least, or depart never to be seen again, at best. Some may feel he is unstoppable. I do not believe this, however, and I expect that he would continue to do as he wishes, were he free to do so. He will face justice, but I believe that it will require knowledge, more than anger or even strength, to ensure this."

Auranar's hand is given a firmer grip, then, as she notes, "He despises me due to my actions, on multiple occassions, not yours. Even had he no ire, the same might have occured just as well, merely to his whim. He is a fiend, afterall, and they seek to sow fear and chaos." She relaxes and then releases Auranar's hand.

Toha thumbs the tiny switch and the little arms start to buzz as they thrust upward to poke and prod and... only Toha knows what else to the band, but the ruby, within some seconds of the device's work, is once again returns to what is most likely it's intended condition. The sparks on the little arms dissipate, and the little armatures crumble to brass dust. Feeling the gizmo on her hand crumble, she asks, "How's it look, is it ok?" Her head turns to it's proper facing, then, and she refrains from chiming in on something she knows little about.

GAME: Toha casts Repair Light Damage. Caster Level: 3 DC: 13

"It looks repaired, a solid band again." Cryosanthia replies, still concentrating on the device. She wasn't expecting the armature to crumble, but she has little experience with artifice. "Do you want it back?"

"It's not your fault, Auranar, that he gets upset at people resisting his whim to kill them."

Toha leaves the strip of backing leather draped on her thigh and cups her hands, "Yes, thank you so much, Cryosanthia!" she replies cheerily, now that she can get back to seeing and... maybe putting her face back together, "He likes t'talk, too, doesn't he?"

Auranar takes her hand back, clasping it with her other one and then backs away. "I'm going to head out. I... I should get back to my research. It's my best way to contribute to all this." Her eyes flicker to Cryosanthia's bag and then away. "Be... careful with that thing okay? I'm glad you two are back. And it was nice to meet you Toha." With that she makes for the door, clearly uncomfortable.

"This one is glad to have helped." Cryo says. She does step back, to give Toha room to self-repair, and looks at Auranar, "I'm glad you came. I'll be careful with it. I will try to join you with research, soon."

The sith nods, "He does talk Toha, but it's rarely of anything useful. The most useful information he gave us was a warning we ignored. Once you're ready, we should go somewhere safe so I can give you the artifacts."

"It is good to be back," Verna nods to Auranar and then assures, "and we shall use all caution and care. Take care, yourself." She gives that as farewell before turning towards Toha. "All is well for you, also?" She had not paid acute attention to a portion of the repairs. Lastly, a nod to Cryosanthia. "I would secure them here in the temple. There are vaults designed for such."

Toha judges by feel the orientation of the band, feeling around the ends with her fingers before she brings it up under the sheet where, just as it had come out, it locks into place and she turns to more deftly pick up the majority of her faceplate, "Have a good night, Auranar, I hope ya feel better!" and she slips down to pick up the other piece of her face off the floor before bringing them both up under the sheet. As she rises anew, drawing the covering aside, the silver seam once again joins the two pieces of her face, "Much better, thank you! I can get outta yer hair t'do the rest." Hmmm, she looks to Cryo then, "Warnings are awful considerate. I hit'm with almost everything I had and he didn't even flinch. That.... doesn't happen."

"Let's go there then, to make a quick transfer, and give Toha time to repair herself in private. Then we can get some food and discuss ramifications." Cryosanthia suggests, moving towards the door. Clearly, she wants to be rid of the effigy. Eclavdran popping out of her backpack is unlikely, but on the off chance he summons himself to the wooden carving, she doesn't want to be near it.