041: Another world will surround me, another heart will forgive

[Sierra]

<El-Cideon> "Well now," Rosemund starts, glancing idly around the idyllic landscape of Arcadia. "Where should we go?" There isn't an obvious landmark in sight beyond the orchard you appeared next to.
<Julia> "And would anyone mind if we took a few apples?" Julia asks. She's feeling peckish.
<Franceska> "I studied about all these planes we hate some," Franceska muses. "So unless someone has a better idea, then as on Fire I will just take a look at where we are from the sky."
<El-Cideon> "It does not look as though they are owned by anyone," Rosemund guesses.
<Steph> "What was it called," mutters Stephanie, picking out a book from her pocket and flipping through it. "Hutchfield Overlook, huh? Any idea where that is?"
<Franceska> Turning into a massive owl with a very stylish cloak, Franceska takes off into the air to get a better view!
<El-Cideon> "Your destination was not in the bounds of my previous visit here," Belinda notes with a disinterested shrug.
* Julia walks over to the nearest tree and plucks a convenient apple off to take a bite of.
<El-Cideon> Julia finds her snack perfectly crisp and tart (and not at all likely to put her to sleep like those apples on Arborea). The trees themselves have a silvery gold hue to the bark, lending the impression of dwelling in a gilded wonderland. For Franceska's part, the only thing breaking the picturesque monotony of the local plains is a river some miles away, winding from the north to the southwest.
<Steph> "What about your destination?" asks Stephanie, glancing at Belinda.
<El-Cideon> "Ah, that was the experimental station, yes?" Rosemund recalls in response to Stephanie. "I would like to put a stop to...whatever manner of awfulness is going on there, if we can."
* Franceska tries to think if there was any river in the vicinity of Belinda's desired destination.
<Julia> "These are quite nice," Julia says, munching away as she rejoins the rest of the group.
<Steph> Stephanie nods to Rosemund. "That's where it's meant to be. I guess I wanna check it."
<El-Cideon> "Tranquil Valley," Belinda says. "There is a priest there I am due to meet."
<Franceska> roll 1d20+10 K:P
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+10 1,0K:P --> 6,0[ 1d20=15 ]4,0{25}
<El-Cideon> Franceska recalls from her studies that Tranquil Valley plays host to a river on the first layer of Arcadia...of course, whether this is the same river, she can't guess on sight. Hutchfield Overlook is a modest rise on Arcadia's second layer, Buxenos.
<El-Cideon> "Mia, something for the road?" Belinda suggests in response to Julia's foray into foraging. Her maid obediently nods and goes to fill a sack full of apples.
<Franceska> "It seems we are reasonably close," Franceska says upon returning and becoming human once more. "There is a river a few miles that way," she continues, gesturing to indicate the direction. "Following it until civilization might be our best bet."
<Steph> Stephanie holds her hands behind her head. "I'm starting to think the whole idea of heaven is a big con," she mutters to herself. "Oh, good! Hopefully, the plane is not infinite and we won't have to walk for a thousand miles?"
<Franceska> "Considering the spell, it should be half that at the most."
<Steph> "As long as we don't go the wrong way, eh?"
<El-Cideon> "But it looks perfectly pleasant to me," Rosemund is obliged to point out on Arcadia's behalf, though she looks to suffer from a mental itch herself.
<Steph> "So how come it feels so off?" complains Stephanie. "It's like... like there's a pair of eyes, watching me. Judging eyes."
<Franceska> "Well yes. But in that case, we will just have to catch a boat instead of actually walking?"
* Franceska snorts.
<Julia> "Perhaps a guilty conscience?" Julia suggests. "Really the place seems inoffensive. Hardly spectacular, but... well, it's not much different from the prime, really."
<Franceska> "It has well-behaved nature so far."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund starts walking in the direction indicated by Franceska. "Just because it's a heaven doesn't mean it's your heaven," Belinda observes smoothly.
<Steph> Stephanie snorts. "Yeah, I dunno, maybe you gotta die to fit in or something."
<Franceska> "If you do happen to die," Franceska asks curiously, "would you like to be resurrected and billed for it, or have your new self pulled from the afterlife?"
<Steph> "If I die, you fucking bring me back!"
<Franceska> "But which manner is the preferred one?"
<El-Cideon> Rosemund nods obediently!
<Julia> "If I die don't be alarmed if you see me still walking around," is all Julia will say on the subject.
* Franceska shudders.
<Steph> Stephanie frowns. "My new self? You mean how.. how... Rosie, what does she mean?"
<El-Cideon> "I am not sure. Do we want Ghost Stephanie with us? I think she might be happier...wherever she goes when she is a ghost?"
<Franceska> "So we're not bringing her back, then?"
<El-Cideon> "Of course we are! But none of this matters because I am not letting any of you die!" This sounds like Rosemund's final word on the subject.
<Steph> Stephanie shudders herself. "Yeah, look, uh, just bring me back, ok? As a human. Tiefling. Whatever."
<El-Cideon> An hour or so's walk sees you to the river. It's a modest waterway, but broad enough that crossing it would require more swimming than wading.
<El-Cideon> "Downriver or up?" Rosemund wonders.
<Julia> "Down, I think?" Julia says, looking either way in case something is immediately in sight.
<Franceska> "How about up? If we are going the wrong way, it would be faster to sail back, too."
* Julia shrugs, geography not being her strong point. "That's fine too."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund shrugs and starts her way upstream along the banks of the meandering, crystal river. You encounter no man-made structures along the duration of a couple hours' trudge--although, crossing your path in the distance is a winged figure in the air. With an excited little gasp, Rosemund lights up her mace to serve as a beacon and waves it in the air.
<Franceska> "Someone to ask directions!"
<Julia> "I hope they're friendly," Julia says uncertainly.
<El-Cideon> The figure turns in the air and wends its way your direction, ultimately alighting on the ground before you. It's a tall man with golden skin and brilliant silver hair, regally handsome with a beatific glow in his eyes, and magnificent feathered wings spanning out behind him. He wears only a simple cloth tunic. "Well met, strangers," he greets you in a voice of celestial harmony.
<El-Cideon> "Ah, hello there!" Rosemund gushes happily. Is she blushing?
<Steph> "H-hello," stammers Stephanie.
<Franceska> "Hello," Franceska echoes everyone, struggling to keep from frowning. "We are heading for Tranquil Valley. Is that far?"
<Julia> "Greetings," Julia says, finally getting a chance to try that celestial language her mother taught her. Hopefully she won't be rusty, but she gets much more practice with the Abyssal Thing taught her.
<El-Cideon> "Twelve, perhaps fourteen days at a mortal's pace," the angel answers. "Less if you should take the river. You are new arrivals to Arcadia, I take it, as you do not seem to have your bearings--" he smiles gently, "--and are in fact traveling the wrong direction?" He bows to Julia and responds in Celestial. "A learned child! How delightful."
<Franceska> "Of course we are. Well, at least we didn't lose more than a few hours. And it did lead to us getting proper directions... actually, is there any sort of boat service we could make use of?"
<Julia> "My mother instructed me in the language when I was young," Julia explains in common for everyone else's benefit. "But would it be a problem if we cut down some trees to make a raft?" she asks in case there's no boat service.
<El-Cideon> "There are ferries at regular intervals," he says. "Keep on in this direction and you should find one sooner than by reversing your tracks." To Julia: "None here shall begrudge you a desire to profit by your own labors, should you wish to construct your own craft."
<Julia> Oh that's much better than those tree huggers in Arborea! "Excellent, though it shouldn't be needed if we can find a ferry."
<Franceska> It's nice that heaven is starting to feel predictable, Franceska muses. "It should be quicker to just walk until we can secure passage," she agrees.
<Steph> "Especially since none of us actually know how to build a decent raft."
<Julia> "It's a board of planks, it can't be hard," Julia insists breezily.
<El-Cideon> "Oh, thank you very much," Rosemund babbles. "You see, I brought us here through magic, but the spell is rather imprecise and we arrived some miles off-target and had no idea where to go and well we are all very thankful for your assistance!"
<Steph> "Given how big these places are, getting close enough is a miracle in itself," muses Stephanie.
<El-Cideon> "Yes, of course," the angel says, sounding familiar with this manner of planar traveler. "Now, as it is my duty to maintain the harmony of this world, I trust you will permit me one brief formality before I see you on your way?" He raises a hand to begin the gesture of a spell.
<Steph> "Formality? Watcha doing?"
<Franceska> "We might want to invest in maps in the future," Franceska mutters.
<Julia> roll 1d20+15 spellcraft that shit!
<Rei-chan> 6,0Julia rolled :6,0 1d20+15 1,0spellcraft that shit! --> 6,0[ 1d20=7 ]4,0{22}
* Julia shifts slightly to stand in front of Franceska, as subtly as she can.
<El-Cideon> The angel glances over the party with shining eyes, paying no specific attention to anyone in particular until his gaze alights on Franceska. Even frowning with disapproval, he remains divinely handsome. "You bring curious company with you," he says to mortals he has less immediate reason to be suspicious of. "This one's soul carries an unseemly taint."
<El-Cideon> "She is getting better!" Rosemund protests.
<Steph> "Hey, uh, your spell messed up? She's a human, I'm the tiefling."
<Julia> "She's walking a rocky road towards redemption, and we hope our friendship and trust can keep her true to the path," Julia says piously.
<El-Cideon> He gives Stephanie an apologetic smile. "Whatever your lineage may be, I do not see that you walk such a questionable path as your friend."
* Franceska gives Stephanie an incredulous look.
<Steph> "Are you kidding? Yeah, I know she's a lawyer, and we all know lawyers are evil, but jokes aside, the worst thing she ever did was not know what a maid was," replies Stephanie, frowning.
<El-Cideon> "She is traveling with us on a mission to free heroic prisoners trapped throughout the planes!" Rosemund protests. "She has been much help to us so far, and I am prepared to state in my official capacity as a servant of Pelor that she will cause no trouble while present in Arcadia. Please understand that it is a long road to the light for some and that I am to serve in her guide in these matters."
<Franceska> Nothing she can say will matter. In fact, she's fairly confident that speaking will only lead to trouble. How unfortunate.
<El-Cideon> Invoking Rosemund's divine patron seems to pass muster as far as the angel is concerned. "And I will allow you that possibility of redemption," the angel allows, continuing, "but I caution you that any misbehavior here will be swiftly revenged by the inhabitants of Arcadia. The einherjar are quick to expunge dangerous elements upon detection, be they pursuing redemption or no. Take care to mind your friend's conduct throughout your visit."
* Julia nods earnestly.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund bows. "Thank you very much for your understanding," she says.
<El-Cideon> "There is little sense to righteousness if it does not allow for reconciliation of past misdeeds," the angel concludes. "Only see that your friend finds this." He turns to take wing again. "Farewell for now, travelers."
<Steph> Stephanie folds her arms unhappily. "What the fuck was that all about?" she says, after the angel flies away.
<Franceska> "Definitely investing in maps of our destinations," Franceska mutters. "These local guides have been hit and miss, mostly miss."
<Julia> Once he's flown off Julia promptly turns to Franceska and casts undetectable alignment on Franceska. "I got lazy about using this spell after Arborea. It'll prevent any further awkwardness."
<El-Cideon> "W-well, he seems to think that Franceska is a bad person..." Rosemund says.
<Steph> "That don't mean you need to agree with him!"
<Franceska> "I only kept quiet since I dislike needless violence. More importantly, Stephanie, I indeed know what a maid is! I only... didn't know how much one was usually paid, that is all."
<El-Cideon> "Well, what else was I supposed to say!" Rosemund protests.
<El-Cideon> For her own part, Belinda merely looks smug.
<Julia> "Really, going with the tale of redemption was the best way to get out of it quickly. Don't worry, I think you're fine the way you are," Julia assures her.
<El-Cideon> "Well, maybe Franceska could stand to be less critical of everyone she meets..." Rosemund starts.
<El-Cideon> "But that is probably not enough to condemn a person!" she concludes. "Probably."
<Franceska> "I would, except we end up meeting an unacceptably high ratio of would-be rapists and slavers, Rosemund," Franceska is forced to remind her.
<Steph> "Rosie, dear, if being a snide prick was what got the angels mad at you, heaven would be empty," notes Stephanie. "I guess it would explain why the abyss is a fucking infinite hole, though."
<El-Cideon> "I have no recollection of meeting any such here on my last visit," Belinda says to Franceska, "if that's of any consolation to you. So perhaps we shall lower that ratio soon enough."
<Franceska> "Ah, see, this is because we are on the first layer. The slavers from Mechanus are on the second layer!"
<Steph> "Einharjar musn't be too worried about them, I guess?"
<El-Cideon> "Obey local laws and don't cause trouble," Belinda advises, "and it will be less likely to find you."
<Franceska> "Not to worry. We accepted the job of getting you to your destination safely, after all."
<El-Cideon> Another ninety minutes' walk upstream and you find your first encounter with proper Arcadian civilization. There is a bridge crossing the river here, made of stone--or there was, at least? There's an incomplete span on either riverbank, shrouded in scaffolding and crawling with workmen. A stout, graying man with craggy features stands some ways off observing the construction work.
<Steph> "Hey, there! You know if there's a boat due anytime soon?" asks Stephanie, striding forward.
<El-Cideon> The foreman turns and looks at you. "Ah, you're looking to cross, young lady?" he says. "Apologies for the inconvenience, we're rebuilding the bridge here," he points out, perhaps unnecessarily. "Old Richter hauled his raft down here from Elms to ply travelers across for coin, if need be. Of course, if you're feeling real adventurous, we've got a plank spanning the gap for the lads to shamble over."
<Steph> "Nah, nah, not across," replies Stephanie. "We wanna go down that way," she says, pointing behind them.
<Franceska> "We are looking for a ferry to take us to the Tranquil Valley," Franceska elaborates, coming up to Stephanie.
<El-Cideon> "You always make your way downriver by walking upstream?" he observes. "Ah, that's none of my business. You walk on a ways, he's got his craft tied down by the lads' camp over there." He points to a shantytown of tents erected around the worksite.
<El-Cideon> "What happened to the old bridge?" Belinda asks. "Not washed away, I'm sure. Arcadia was always too well-mannered for flooding, in my experience."
<El-Cideon> "Hm?" he raises an eyebrow. "Oh, nothing at all. But who's to say we couldn't make it better?" he adds with a laugh.
<Julia> "How very industrious of you," Julia says.
<Franceska> "Time for us to catch our boat, then?"
<Steph> "Raft, sounds like," muses Stephanie, nodding to the man and heading on to the tents.
<El-Cideon> It is in fact only a simple, flat-bottomed log raft, unlikely to provide much in the way of protection from the elements, but Arcadia seems docile enough in that regard so far. It looks just big enough to suit your entire group, with little space left over. The raft's wiry old owner professes that Tranquil Valley is beyond his usual rounds, that the simple pole barge wasn't made to go back upstream...but he can always make another if you've got five hundred gold to spare for his present means of livelihood.
<Franceska> "Sold," Franceska says without delay.
<El-Cideon> Counting up his pay, he advises the following: "Right, so, eight days or so downstream, assuming you don't stop none, the Silver here joins up with the Sten. You'll want to disembark at Bankside there and walk upstream the Sten a couple days. That should get you where you're going."
<Julia> "Is there anything we should know about using a raft?" Julia asks.
<El-Cideon> "Don't fall off?" he suggests. "Well, the Silver's not so deep that you can't find bottom if you need to pole yourself from one side to another. You look like smart girls, I'm sure you'll figure it all out."
<Franceska> "Yes, I'm sure Stephanie will figure it out," Franceska agrees. "We should get going."
<El-Cideon> So everyone piles onto the raft and starts out downstream, soon leaving the bridge behind. After an hour or so, without warning, the sky simply goes dark in a blink. Where one second there are sunny blue skies, now there is star-speckled darkness. Unfamiliar constellations, not the stars of Solata.
<Julia> "That's deeply unsettling," Julia observes. "Isn't there some theological significance to dawn and dusk?" she asks the resident cleric of Pelor.
<El-Cideon> "Ah, dinnertime," Belinda says calmly. Her maid obediently rifles through her supplies and lays out a repast of fruit and cheese for her mistress before starting up a kettle of tea (with some care to avoid setting the raft alight).
<El-Cideon> "Oh, yes," Rosemund says. "It would be very awkward for a temple of Pelor here--they couldn't say the morning or evening prayers without it looking very silly indeed."
<Julia> "Perhaps if they were extremely quick about it?"
<Franceska> "So this is just them being random?" Franceska asks, forced to stick to rations which she shares with Grey.
<El-Cideon> Grey watches Mia at work, looks around in a mild panic. "Should I be doing that?" she whispers to the others. "I didn't bring any supplies!"
<El-Cideon> Rosemund will, of course, provide a less savory dinner for any who need it.
<Steph> "Nobody asked you to, so you didn't have to," says Stephanie.
<Steph> She pauses. "And just 'cos someone does doesn't mean you have to, either!"
<Julia> "It'll be difficult adjusting to freedom," Julia concedes, "But I suggest you look to Stephanie here as your role model."
<El-Cideon> She just looks at Stephanie with incomprehension. She's been largely glued to Franceska's proximity all day and doesn't look quick to change that.
<El-Cideon> "You have your work ahead of you if you mean to salvage that one," Belinda points out to the others, sipping her tea calmly. "It might be kinder to just give her more of what she's used to."
<Franceska> "There is no need to look at Stephanie too much. After all, she doesn't even have a house of her own," Franceska speaks up. "Also, if I actually ask you for something that falls within your duties, then you really should be doing that. In fact, when we reach our destination, how about shopping for supplies to take with us? I will pay for them, of course."
<El-Cideon> Grey nods happily, reassured.
<Franceska> "Do you have any hobbies?" Franceska asks over serviceable but tasteless rations.
<El-Cideon> "I just...cook and I sew, milady," she says. "That's all I was taught."
<Franceska> "Can you read and write?"
<El-Cideon> Rosemund, looking unnerved by the young woman's dogged subservience, busies herself conjuring up a simple dinner for the rest of the group.
<El-Cideon> "Well enough to keep inventory," Grey says.
<Franceska> "We could work on that to start with. I have an excellent library at my main home!"
* Julia helpfully adds some spices and salt to Rosemund's dull conjured food to at least give it some flavour.
<El-Cideon> "Ah, we had a statue that was possibly not a statue, did we not?" Rosemund recalls suddenly as she polishes off a bowl of porridge. "It was eerily lifelike! Do you think I should try and do something with it?"
<Steph> "Oh, yeah!" says Stephanie, glad for the sudden distraction from what appears to be some strange indoctrination process. She digs it out of her pocket.
<Franceska> "No harm in it," Franceska says cautiously.
<Julia> "At worst we'll end up with a fleshy sculpture, but I don't think it would have been secured so well if it was mere statuary," Julia nods.
<El-Cideon> "Right, wish me luck!" Rosemund says before sitting down next to the yawning stone dragon and chanting a prayer of liberation in the name of her god.
<Steph> "Unless it's actually super valuable," points out Stephanie.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 CL
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+10 1,0CL --> 6,0[ 1d20=1 ]4,0{11}
<El-Cideon> The dragon remains resolutely inanimate.
<Steph> "Rock's still a rock," observes Stephanie.
<Julia> "That's odd. Shouldn't it have at least turned fleshy?" Julia asks, poking it.
<El-Cideon> "Um." Rosemund looks embarrassed. "I may try that one more time today!" She focuses her will for another attempt!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+10 --> 6,0[ 1d20=19 ]4,0{29}
<El-Cideon> Rosemund chants fluidly in Celestial, imploring the lord of sunlight to free this poor creature from its earthly curse of stone! It's all very florid and impassioned...but nothing happens. "That--I feel as though that should have worked," Rosemund says with evident disappointment. "I was very certain that it would work that time!"
<El-Cideon> OOC: K:P may be relevant at this time for anyone who has it
<Julia> "Well then that proves it's just a statue, doesn't it?"
<Franceska> roll 1d20+10
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+10 --> 6,0[ 1d20=6 ]4,0{16}
<Steph> "Give up it, dear. It ain't anything but a bauble," says Stephanie, tossing it back into her bag. "But hey, you never know when a statue actually will be some poor sap, huh?"
<Julia> roll 1d20+12 I have that
<Rei-chan> 6,0Julia rolled :6,0 1d20+12 1,0I have that --> 6,0[ 1d20=6 ]4,0{18}
<El-Cideon> "I suppose so," Rosemund admits. "Well, I suppose it was only locked up because it was very valuable, then? It was very impressive work; I should like to compliment the sculptor, whoever it was."
<Steph> "You want to hold onto it, Rosey? Maybe stick it in the showcase back home?"
<El-Cideon> Rosemund nods. "Oh, certainly."
<Steph> Stephanie takes it out again and hands it over. "Go nuts! The rest of this stuff, oh, my. Vain noblewomen have killed over lesser stones," she muses.
<El-Cideon> "Well, that ring--I would like to do something with that, if we can," Rosemund says.
<Julia> "If it's not black onyx I don't really care," Julia says apathetically.
<Franceska> "Do you have any ideas?"
<El-Cideon> "It looks more like a sapphire," Rosemund points out. "But it is actually a soul!"
<Steph> "Yeah, a bad one," muses Stephanie. "I suppose we shouldn't just try grinding it into dust?"
<Julia> "Really? I always thought souls would look more ghostly."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund shakes her head. "I do not know what would happen if we just...broke it," she says. "Would the soul go back to Baator? Do we want that to happen? Maybe it has learned its lesson from being a ring that is constantly in pain!"
<Franceska> "I doubt it hates less after being subdued to torture."
<Steph> Stephanie rubs her head. "Um, you know, all the bad people we killed, Rosie... they're probably going to hell, or something like it?" she says, uncomfortably. "Franzy's right, anyway. Pain might make you obedient, but it sure don't make you good."
<Julia> "I could probably use the soul in making some manner of tortured undead being," Julia volunteers. "I've never had access to a physical soul so it would be educational to experiment I suppose."
<Steph> "Why does it have to be tortured?!"
<El-Cideon> "I do not think I need to make up my mind right now, anyway," Rosemund concludes. "They may have been in there for a very long time...so I do not imagine a few days will change anything." At Julia's theory, Rosemund clutches the ring protectively and gives her friend a disapproving look.
<Franceska> "If we do end up going to Baator to retrieve what's her name, we might learn something useful in the process?" Franceska suggests.
<El-Cideon> "Perhaps so," Rosemund agrees, storing the ring away for future research. "This person can just wait until then."
<Steph> "Anyway, nobody's using the ring, right? Maybe he's not actually being, uh, tormented this very instant?"
<Julia> "Well just because it's already tortured, it's a natural fit," she shrugs. "And most undead that can think about their situation are somewhat traumatised."
<El-Cideon> "One must imagine that existence being terribly dull," Belinda observes drily. "Perhaps any change in form would prove welcome after all."
<Franceska> "Or it might try to kill us all."
<Steph> "I'm sure most people would take boredom over torture," notes Stephanie, mirroring Belinda's tone. "And that hasn't worked for anyone yet."
<El-Cideon> "So I have noted," she agrees, sounding satisfied with this arrangement. She adds, as her maid goes about laying out blankets for her, "Well, I'm for resting. Morning will come with equal suddenness."
<Steph> Stephanie yawns. "Keep watch, Franzy," she says, before grabbing her own bedroll.
* Julia lays down on the raft directly, not overly bothered by the risk of splinters.
* Franceska hands her supplies over to Grey, so she could lay out all the blankets they might need.
<El-Cideon> Even at night, Arcadia maintains the atmosphere of a mild summer day. One needn't necessarily bother with blankets at all unless they like the familiar feeling of being in a bed. Night passes calmly with the sounds of the river burbling by in the background, and morning ultimately stabs its way into everyone's eyes with the same suddenness as had the previous night.
<El-Cideon> roll 3d6
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 3d6 --> 6,0[ 3d6=8 ]4,0{8}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+3
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+3 --> 6,0[ 1d20=10 ]4,0{13}
<El-Cideon> Belinda's pretty maid looks somewhat ashen on rising the next morning, shaky and ill. This does not stop her from promptly going about laying out a breakfast for her mistress, who observes with vague disapproval.
* Julia grumbles at the sudden light and sits up, looking around to see if there's anything interesting on the riverbanks before she employs the river directly for a drink and to wash her face.
<Julia> "Are you alright Mia? You look unwell," she says after finishing her abbreviated routine.
<Steph> "You alright, Mia? World of infinite sweetness and light not doing it for you?" asks Stephanie, already awake.
* Franceska should be fine, she thinks, but plenty of people might get sick if what Mia has is infectious....
<El-Cideon> "Ah, Julia and I are both trained healers," Rosemund says. "We could certainly help if you are unwell."
<El-Cideon> After a long silence between the two of them, Belinda speaks for the pair: "I believe I may confidently state that she will be better on the morrow," she says, giving her servant a nod.
<Franceska> "And the reason behind your confidence being?"
<Steph> "Will she be better on the morrow, or will she be pretending to be better on the morrow?" asks Stephanie, wryly.
<El-Cideon> Belinda smiles enigmatically as Mia goes about brewing the morning's tea. "Close enough to the former."
<Steph> "Well, at any rate, there's no need to make her work when she's ill then, is there?" muses Stephanie.
<Franceska> roll 1d20+10 K:A
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+10 1,0K:A --> 6,0[ 1d20=14 ]4,0{24}
<El-Cideon> "Nonsense," Belinda says. "Very therapeutic to keep busy during uncertain times."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund frowns. "You know, I am perfectly capable of preparing your meals instead while she is ill. In fact, I do not see why you cannot do so yourself."
<Franceska> "How strange," Franceska mutters, telling Grey, "If you ever feel sick, don't hide it. Otherwise, how could you get the proper treatment?"
<El-Cideon> Grey looks surprised at this statement. "Oh, really? But if I was ever ill in the past, the master would add the treatment cost to my outstanding debt." She adds quietly, "So I usually didn't say anything."
<Steph> "Question!"
<Steph> Stephanie peers at Grey. "Just how much was your debt?"
<Franceska> "I think we can all agree he was a terrible waste of a human being."
<El-Cideon> "Father made many poor business choices," she says. "My service was supposed to cover ten thousand gold worth of the outstanding total."
<Steph> "And how much was your wage?"
<El-Cideon> Rosemund nods in agreement with Franceska. "I do not understand why people do such awful things as he did. Or how they can think that they are entitled to! It is a constant mystery to me."
<Franceska> "Not to mention that it makes no sense whatsoever. In a very real sense, treating people badly was what directly lead to his death."
<El-Cideon> "I was not paid in wages," Grey explains calmly. "My service was meant to account for three gold per week."
<Franceska> "And, since I am starting to recognize a pattern, your living expenses and food were subtracted from it?"
<El-Cideon> She nods timidly.
<El-Cideon> "It really is quite foolish behavior," Belinda agrees. "You can hardly expect enthusiastic service from a person in such miserable straits."
<Franceska> "Well, that was then. Your own pay will just go towards your savings or anything personal you would like to buy for yourself. Luxuries, in other words. Your living needs will be provided for you, naturally."
<Steph> "How enthusiastic do you need your cleaners?" notes Stephanie. "Docile and obedient suits some people more, eh?"
<Julia> "Your grandchildren would still be paying off the debt at that rate," Julia says in disgust. "People should just sell their bodies to be used after death as undead servants when they've moved on and have no use for their bodies anymore."
<Franceska> "At least so enthusiastic that they do not tell random strangers how to invade your home and murder you."
<El-Cideon> "Why, that is a very practical idea you have hit upon there," Belinda beams at Julia.
<El-Cideon> "That is a ghastly idea!" Rosemund protests, prompting Belinda in turn: "Please, child, of what use is your body to you after your death?"
<Julia> "Isn't it?" Julia agrees. "All the drudgery gets done by those lacking any mind to care, leaving the living to focus on more fruitful pursuits."
<Steph> "Some people might believe that, as a former part of themselves, the body might deserve to be treated with some respect," notes Stephanie, flatly. "Also, it's a practical way to get lynched, you know? Back home, at least, the nobles wouldn't stand for it." She purses her lips. "Besides, regular people don't wanna look at corpses doing stuff like that all day. It'd get you to think about
<Steph> death all the time, who wants that?"
<Franceska> "Then, there are also the dangers," Franceska muses. "Anyone with the right sort of magic could subvert all these heartless automations and could lead to atrocities."
<El-Cideon> "Far better to pretend things we do not like do not exist," Belinda concludes, sipping her tea, giving her maid a placid smile.
<Julia> "Yes, there would need to be some sort of societal upheaval for it to be accepted at large," Julia admits. "But I defy any of you to tell me it's worse than slavery."
<El-Cideon> "I do not like either option," Rosemund decides. "People should be allowed to rest with some dignity! Well, good people should..." she amends for the sake of Julia's sensibilities (and historically useful undead servants).
<Steph> Stephanie snorts. "It's not worse than slavery. But I know I don't want some zombie cleaning my house for me, that's for sure. Also, they fucking stink, Julia."
<El-Cideon> "I am going to talk about something else other than corpses," Rosemund announces. "Oh, there was something else in that vault which I wanted to try out. That potion? So that there will always be someone in our group than can fix petrification. If Stephanie gets herself in that sort of trouble again."
* Julia accepts the subject change rather than defend odourless skeletons. "I hope it doesn't make you sick."
<El-Cideon> "We shall find out?" Rosemund suggests. "I will trust in my natural resilience!" She digs through the group's possessions until she finds the vial of sluggish gray liquid. "It certainly does not look very appetizing..."
<Steph> "Is now really the right time? Maybe drink it when you're at home instead of on the road, eh? Since it will make you sick."
<Franceska> "Is there much of a difference?"
<Julia> "At home she can lay in bed and be fussed over."
<El-Cideon> "We never know when it might be important!" Rosemund protests. "We did not expect it last time it happened, did we?"
<Steph> "That's right!"
<El-Cideon> Rosemund uncorks the vial. "Since I am the one who will be taking the risk, I believe I may choose when," she announces before downing its contents.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12 fort
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+12 1,0fort --> 6,0[ 1d20=19 ]4,0{31}
<Franceska> In the end, it is Rosemund's decision and so Franceska sidles up to Belinda and quietly asks her, "I have been wondering about this, but is your maid human?"
<El-Cideon> Rosemund gags and coughs, but manages to choke the vile stuff down without any obvious ill affects. "Oh my lord!" she declares in disgust. "It is all ashes and vinegar and concrete and I believe I would like some of that tea if you do not mind."
<Steph> "Have some water first," suggests Stephanie, handing Rosemund a flask. "Rinse your mouth, then spit it out."
<El-Cideon> Belinda looks at Franceska in surprise. "Well, yes. What else would she be?" Mia takes this inopportune moment to manifest a case of butterfingers and drops the tea kettle to spill its contents between the raft's logs. "Oh Mia, how clumsy of you," Belinda observes.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund eagerly rinses her mouth out with water instead.
<Julia> "Drink water from upstream," Julia suggests, considering the recent spill.
<El-Cideon> "Well, I do feel...more resilient?" Rosemund decides eventually. "But oh, that awful taste will just not leave me. I should have had breakfast afterward."
<Steph> Stephanie pokes Rosemund in the cheek. "Shouldn't a potion that stops you turning to stone make you feel more squishy?"
<El-Cideon> "Why would it?" Rosemund asks. She flexes one arm. "Please, I must be solid to swing the hammer of righteousness with all due force!"
* Franceska just rolls her eyes and returns to admiring the scenery.
<El-Cideon> ~