Umbertiel, part 2 (Inquisition)

[Graybeard]

"Heads up. A story about Bree the Walking Dead is soon to spread throughout town. It stands to grow with every re-telling."

Sister Rose winced, then swore softly, never mind the irony, as she remembered one of the aphorisms from the Commentaries of Bishop Nuria: no good deed goes unpunished. "Damn. I was afraid something like that was going to happen." She told Argus about the magical inquiries with Bishop Cyrus, the late Sister Bree's personal journal, the cat, the two stretcher bearers. As she talked, she got an idea ...

"Cyrus doesn't want me to touch anything, never mind that there isn't really anything to touch. But he didn't say anything about you touching anything. Do you think you can do anything with that journal?" She pointed to where it lay on the table, where Cyrus had been examining it before he was summoned to the fire. "Speaking of whom, do you have any idea why he's taking so long?" Uh, oh. The look on his face ...

"Do I really want to know?"

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Brad groggily regained consciousness just in time, and just long enough, to sense Lillith's kiss. He turned slightly toward her. "I love you," he said simply, and took her hand for a kiss of his own ... after which he was asleep again, still holding her hand.

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"Let me help," the priest's voice said over Desiree's shoulder. "The bishop is stable for right now, and you look -- you look -- wow -- you look like you need some support."

He knelt by the whimpering woman and placed his hands next to Desiree's, but it didn't take a lot of discernment to recognize that his eyes were lingering on the healer, not on the victim ... and they were very wide open. "Wow," he repeated, before the magic began to flow from his hands into the damaged leg.

[Drusia]

"Let me help," the priest's voice said over Desiree's shoulder. "The bishop is stable for right now, and you look -- you look -- wow -- you look like you need some support."

He knelt by the whimpering woman and placed his hands next to Desiree's, but it didn't take a lot of discernment to recognize that his eyes were lingering on the healer, not on the victim ... and they were very wide open. "Wow," he repeated, before the magic began to flow from his hands into the damaged leg.

I look over - the bishop is breathing normally. The clot must have broken up and moved on. Of course, there was still a danger it might lodge elsewhere - but, hopefully, the body would finish breaking it up.

"Thank you," I say, sitting back. I take a few moments to catch my breath.

I'm so tired, it takes me a moment for me to realize that the priest is looking at me. I blink - I was expecting to be branded a heritic and burned or stoned, but instead this priest looks like he wants to tumble me in the nearest haystack. And, looking at him... if I was less tired, I might've let him.

I glance around, but I don't see any of my traveling companions nearby. So. If I need protection, this priest might be the only option. I gather my strength and manage a smile in his direction.

[Drannin]

Argus grimaced as he walked over to the book, trying to find the words. Well, hell with it. Just be honest. "He got worked up enough to have a heart attack right in the middle of the street... and Desiree's magic saved his life. Should be some interesting fallout, there." He frowned at the book. "Some interesting wards, here, but nothing that I can't handle." A wave of his hand, a mental push, and it was done. He turned back, to Rose, finally voicing what was really on his mind. "Are you alright?"

[Jack Rothwell]

OOC I'm going to be erratic for the next few days, drag Eli around as needed./OOC

[Graybeard]

"Are you alright?"

"Just fine," Sister Rose smiled back. "Not ghostly at all." She winked. I suppose I should feel bad for that poor man ... but I don't, and I'm much happier having Argus here than putting up with his condescension. For lots of reasons.

Then she turned to the book. "Hmmm. The wards are gone, thanks for that. Still looks encrypted, though. I have -- a little experience with encryption magic from my old days on active duty." She didn't think it would be a good idea to mention that her particular focus was on breaking Tsuirakuan encryption spells, but the ones in use here wouldn't be more complicated than that. Would they? She slipped the diary into a fold of her robe. "Let's look at this thing at leisure tonight. If we get any flak from the other priests, we'll just remind them that they wouldn't have the magical wherewithal to decode it, which is almost certainly true, and we're still working for the Patriarch on this one. Meanwhile, I think we'd better go do some rumor control. Are all of our people okay at the fire?"

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"I -- I thought I knew all the healers in town," the tall priest said, still having a hard time concentrating on the injury when he'd clearly rather be looking at Desiree. "Are you new here? Could -- could I show you around a little after we get these injuries dealt with?" He flushed as he realized what he'd said. "I -- sorry if that came out too -- forward, I just thought maybe ..." His flush deepened, and he didn't finish the sentence, but went back to working on the leg.

[OOC: Come on, somebody adopt this guy! He could be a lot of fun ...]

[Porcelain Fish]

Maduin eyed the priest tendering his aid to Desiree evaluatingly, but it quickly became apparent that she was in no real danger, except perhaps, of being kissed if the moon-struck look in his eyes was any indication. The fellow was clearly thoroughly smitten with the half-elven priestess's charms.

His gaze went to Bryce, and he watched as the big red-headed soldier tossed one last bucket of water on the smoldering remnants of the stable and wiped his dirty face with the sleeve of his soot-stained shirt. He glanced around, and caught Maduin watching him from the other side of the street, still standing next to the bakery.

Maduin watched him, saw those green eyes study him for a long moment, and waited, still holding his jacket. A part of him was already whispering that he'd lingered here too long, that prudence dictated leaving the jacket somewhere clearly visible in Bryce's sight and making his own way back to the inn. Maduin ignored it, continued to wait, even as coldness crept into a small place in his breast.

Bryce studied him a moment longer, and then started toward him.

Maduin didn't let out a sigh of relief. His expression remained utterly serene, perfectly calm, but the storm that had been rising behind the hazel eyes subsided as the soldier neared.

"I have your jacket," he said quietly as Bryce came to a stop.

Bryce nodded, looking him up and down, but there was a definite hesitation before he spoke. "Hold onto it for me. I'm filthy."

SIde by side, not speaking, they walked back to the inn.

[Jack Rothwell]

OOC Managed to steal a little free time so.../OOC

Eli passed Maudin and Bryce with a nod as he returned to the scene of the smoldering fire. He stared, frowning at the healer who'd appeared at Desiree's side and cleared his throat meaningfully to get their attention.

"Is... everything under control now?" He said.

[Drusia]

"I -- I thought I knew all the healers in town," the tall priest said, still having a hard time concentrating on the injury when he'd clearly rather be looking at Desiree. "Are you new here? Could -- could I show you around a little after we get these injuries dealt with?" He flushed as he realized what he'd said. "I -- sorry if that came out too -- forward, I just thought maybe ..." His flush deepened, and he didn't finish the sentence, but went back to working on the leg.

"I'm just passing through town," I reply, smiling. "I'm traveling with some people. You might know one of them - sister Rose." I pause, considering how I should describe our... odd relationship. Technically she's family - a dozen generations removed, and only by marriage, but still, I could claim her as such. Alternatively, we both loved the same person, which... I doubt counts outside of Snamish as the basis for identification. Hmmm...

"I wouldn't necessarily mind an escort," I tell him, acting as demure as possible. There - let him make the next move.

-- Desiree

[Graybeard]

"Sister Rose ... Sister Rose," the tall young priest said, searching his memory. "No, I don't think I know a Sister Rose. Should I?" He turned to pump more magic into the now-healing leg, but his attention remained focused on Desiree.

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The selfsame Reformed nun, meanwhile, was making her way through the cloisters with Argus ... and was discovering that word of the "ghost" was already getting around.

"... Cephas said she was surrounded in flame," a young nun was saying to another nun as Rose and Argus passed by. "You could see the fires of hell right behind her." The young women shuddered, but Rose kept going, wordlessly. She and Argus went down the stairs, where another conversation was going on.

"He said she tried to suck his soul," a servant (a cook, maybe) was saying to a novice, who snickered. "Suck his what?" Well, at least somebody wasn't taking things so seriously ... but still.

"<This could be bad,>" Rose thought at Argus; this didn't seem like the time for any verbalization at all ...

[Graybeard]

OOC: I'd appreciate advice on how to handle a logistics thing that's going to come up shortly.

If all goes according to plan (never a good assumption here ...), it won't be long before Rose and Argus start de-crypting Sister Bree's journal. What should I do with the translation? It will probably be too long and verbose to post here as a single article, it may not break up naturally into multiple entries, and having them just talk about a summary may lead to interesting/important stuff being missed. My current inclination is to put the whole shebang into the "Background Noise" thread, so that people can read as much of it as they want, meanwhile letting Rose and Argus summarize here. Are there other approaches that people would prefer? It'll be a few days of real time before all that is ready, so no rush, but I'd value people's opinions.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled chaos.