The road to Getsemiel

[Jack Rothwell]

Eli absorbed the conversation with periodical shudders and disbelief written all over his face. Death Gods? Death magic? It sounded like something from The Book of Nar a hellish collection of horror stories and myths guaranteed to leave a young man awake long after the night had fallen.

He looked at the palms of his hands, willing a faint glow into them that became a tiny flame which danced from one finger to another. He stared at the elemental magic, wondering if would be any help if he came face to face with the entity that the group were discussing.

Maybe, maybe not.

"Maybe it would just be better to have someone shoot him." He interjected. "Preferably from a long... long way away."

[Graybeard]

"Maybe it would just be better to have someone shoot him. Preferably from a long... long way away."

Sister Rose's thoughts turned involuntarily to the pistol she'd confiscated from her cousin, what seemed like half a lifetime ago, although it was really only a short time, maybe three weeks at the most. I was taught that Luminosita would provide, she thought, but I really didn't want to be "provided" that particular thing ... and just who was that Chekhov guy anyway? "Hopefully it won't come to that," she said. She turned to Brother Tim. "The commission is a good idea, I'll say something about that with the next parrot, which we'll launch before sundown. And yes, we can probably make arrangements for a military airship to come get Blaise, if we can subdue him." Preferably without any deaths. "As for your defensive plan, let's definitely plan on a Barrier teaching session this evening at the campsite." She smiled faintly again. "Hey, travel is supposed to be an enriching experience ..."

[OOC: This was all written before I saw today's Errant Story.]

[Sareth]

"One other thing," Lillith spoke from where she had been sitting in the wagon. "I think we all need to know as much as possible about how the deaths occurred. He may not have done them, but they have been happening anyway. If there's any kind of pattern we'll know what not to do when we meet him. If it's an object he has, or some sort of thing he leaves behind without knowing it, anything." She shrugged and stared into the gloomy, dampened evening sky. "If we know what to look for, we won't need to kill someone we don't know to be guilty. He could be just as much a victim here."

The girl shivered in her damp clothes, and wrapped her arms around herself. "And if worst comes to worst, that's alright to. Death isn't something to fear. It's simply another part of the cycle of life. Even if some elven... god... claims responsibility for a very natural thing it's not to be feared, simply postponed until it is your proper time."

[Alberich]

Timothy looked down and scowled at Eli's comment, making an effort of will not to glare at him. It was just how he thought the half-elf viewed humans - when in doubt, kill 'em like dogs. He was glad to let Rose answer that one.

Lillith's words made him want to nod vigorously. He perfectly understood why the Church would not want to spread information about dangerous Elven gods to the masses. He did not understand why Rose would want to withhold anything she'd told him from any member of this mission. The half-elves might have useful information on their own gods, plus magical talents that could be used in the upcoming fight. And if they were too scared to face the issue - better to let them go now, than to rely on them and have them panic in the crisis. Lillith, at least, sounded ready to face it. And that makes sure of Brad.

To Tim, the most important fact was that Rose herself had survived an attack, looked this "death" in the face and lived to tell about it. If it was a direct attack by a god, Lord Luminosita was obviously stronger. If, as he suspected, it was something much weaker, the point was that it wasn't too strong for them to fight. Since they were all on this mission, they should all know enough to help with that task. He looked up expectantly at Rose, hoping she would speak freely.

[Graybeard]

To her surprise (and, as soon as she realized it, chagrin), Sister Rose found herself starting to bristle at Lillith's entirely innocent declaration. That's easy for you to say, dear. You'll outlive me by fifty years, and you have a full hundred years ahead of you ... if we can keep you from getting killed by an elf first, whether that's a "natural" end to life or not. And you didn't have that ... thing ... looking back at you from the grave, which was damn well not a natural part of life. Then she caught herself. The girl was right, after all, and she was just doing the best she could to reassure some skittish fellow travelers. Who would ever have thought that Lillith was going to assume the role of the stable, worldly-wise, calming presence ... But it's appreciated. She flashed a smile at the nature priestess before turning toward the horse bearing Bryce and Maduin.

"One thing," she said. "I don't think you ever debriefed us on the way your -- I guess 'interview' -- with Blaise went. What happened there that might shed some light on why he'd be carrying that picture around?"

[Drusia]

"And if worst comes to worst, that's alright to. Death isn't something to fear. It's simply another part of the cycle of life. Even if some elven... god... claims responsibility for a very natural thing it's not to be feared, simply postponed until it is your proper time."

I open my mouth, then shut it. It's not that he claims responsibility - he is death. Or, from another, more multicultural point of view, he is the elven name given to that very 'natural' process. Of course, from that point of view, I am a priestess of the acts of sex and child birth.

... then again, that is kind of the case. Elven gods tend to be very... primal... that way.

Still, Lillith was so... casual the way she said that. Like death doesn't mean anything to her. Like she knows it - intimately.

"You sound like my mother," I tell her softly.

-- Desiree

[Sareth]

Lillith's face could have been carved in marble. Cool eyes contemplated Desiree. "You don't know me."

The girl shifted in the back of the wagon and grabbed her pack, flipping it open. She rummaged and pulled out a dry blouse. Shrugging out of her wet shirt in a way that showed she clearly did not care how many people could see she curled the the wet shirt up bare chested and wrung it out, then pulled the new, dry one over her goose bump clad skin.

"What could elves know about death? They deal it, but it's not in their nature to understand it."

"Sweet one," Brad started to gently pull Lillith close, though he was still blushing furiously from the clarity with which he'd seen how the cold was affecting his beloved's flesh. "I don't think she meant..."

Lillith blocked him with her hand softly, but unquestionably. "Don't. Not now."

[Graybeard]

Sister Rose was too busy listening to Bryce and Maduin to notice what was transpiring between Lillith and Desiree, but Brad, of course, wasn't. He subsided, abashed, at Lillith's gentle touch, but gentle or not, there was hurt in his puppy-dog eyes. Brother Tim and Argus also seemed interested in what Bryce and Maduin were saying, so he turned his face toward Eli. Based on what he'd seen (and heard...) going on between the soldier and the priestess, he suspected Eli would understand his own discomfort ...

What's that all about? he mouthed silently to the other man, as soon as he was sure that neither Lillith nor Desiree could see.

[OOC: A bit difficult for the other characters to make progress until Maduin and Bryce are heard from, but if PF doesn't drop in shortly, I'll put some words in their mouths to move things along. And right on queue ... good to hear from you again!]]

[Porcelain Fish]

Maduin, who'd been pondering the question, felt goosebumps creep over his skin at the ice in Lillith's tone. He pointedly didn't glance at the wagon as she changed her blouse.

"He asked a lot of questions about the Artifact," Bryce said at last, breaking into the tense silence that had descended. "Although at one point he did seem interested in you in particular, when you gave him that line about ruling justly," he added with a glance at Maduin, who rode in the saddle in front of him. "I didn't think anything of it at the time, but in retrospect, with the pictures and stuff, it's starting to sound a little creepy."

Maduin rolled his eyes. "If I was going to rule an empire, Veracia would be the last place I'd choose for my dominion, let me assure you." He winked at Rose. "No offense."

Maduin tilted his head back against Bryce's chest, looking up at him. "I'm not sure that's something we should attach any relevance to, but Blaise or whatever's pulling his strings likely aren't looking to put me on a throne anyway."

[Drusia]

Cool eyes contemplated Desiree. "you don't know me."
"What could elves know about death? They deal it, but it's not in their nature to understand it."

I blink. I didn't - huh?

"I'm sorry," I say, following after Lillith, although I make sure to give her plenty of space. "I didn't mean to offend you. I... I'm not very good at dealing with the whole... death thing. It scares me. I just meant... you're very... strong." That isn't the right word, but I don't know what the right word is, and I'm afraid I'm offending her further.

"I mean," I stammer, "You -- you don't want to die, but you aren't afraid of it either. Like my mother. I... I'm not brave like that." Damn it, I'm supposed to be good at talking. This isn't my element. "Every time something scary happens, I freeze up." Like I did yesterday. Like I'm afraid I will do next time. My mother would never freeze up like that - she was in the war. I wonder what made Lillith like that. I'd ask, but I'm afraid of making things worse.

-- Desiree