Strife in Sokara - A solo game for Brother Shatterstone

[Jarval]

Brystasia leads the way through and out of the theater, from where Hestia takes the lead. Ged's observation about market day chaos seems to be well founded, as the streets are now crowded with merchants, trader, labourers bringing goods from the docks, and the customers to purchase everything on offer. Soldiers from the New Sokaran Army do their best to direct the traffic, but given the shear volume of people, animals and carts, it's proving difficult to keep the roads flowing.

After nearly fifteen minutes of struggling through the throngs of people, Hestia turns into a wide street. While busy, it's not as choked as the other streets, and the atmosphere is slightly more peaceful. A large, well built, but surprisingly unadorned stone building dominates, which Brystasia recognises as Marlock City's temple to Rontra. Hestia leads her way past it to a smaller building, nearly indistinguishable from the tavern opposite, or the house to it's right. The only signs marking it as the Healing Hall is the sign of three blue teardrops over the door, and the trailing white flowers growing in baskets hanging from the upper story's windows.

"Brother, sister." A middle-aged woman acknowledges Ged and Hestia as she makes her way out of the Hall, looking curiously at Brystasia. Hestia and Ged both return the greeting, before making their way into the Hall.

Inside, the Hall is spotlessly clean, and the pleasing smell of various herbs hangs in the air. Hestia continues onwards, past two rooms lined with beds, the first housing several sleeping men and women being tended to by two white robed Matriarchs.

Hestia stops outside the last door along the corridor, knocking quietly. After a moment, a voice calls from inside.

"Who is it?"

"Hestia, Holy Mother. Ged and I have returned."

"Come in Sister, and tell me what you found."

Hestia opens the door and steps into the room, followed by Ged and Brystasia. It leads into a room that is part study, part herbalist's workshop. A silver-haired woman wearing a blue-trimmed white robe sits behind a table, clearing bundles of herbs into a small chest.

"Sit down child. You too Ged, and introduce me to your friend." The woman smiles warmly at Brystasia.

"This is Fair Dame Brystasia, an Aesthete of the Lyceums of Aymara." Ged's introduction is flawless, but rather formal. The woman nods, studying Brystasia for a moment.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Brystasia, although your name is already known to me. As I'm sure it is to many in this city. It's not every day that a child of the fair folk favours our city with her presence. I'm Mother Asha." She waits until everyone is seated before continuing.

"So, what did the Compass hold? By Ged's frown, I take it wasn't as empty as we'd hoped?"

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

Bryastasia Purelove: Half-Nymph/Female (Gestalt:Holy Warrior/Rogue)

Looking around the room at the various devices Brystasia gives a warm smile of familiarity before she turns her attention and her turquoise blue eyes to the old lady. She smiles graciously and nods her head in introduction but doesn’t say anything out of respect and the desire not to interrupt the old woman.

As Brystasia gracefully takes a seat next to her friends she gives each of them sidewise glances seeing if either of them wants to field the older lady’s questions but after hesitating a second or two she begins speaking firmly but respectfully, “Holy Mother, it was much worse than any of hoped for. Numerous undead, though some where in the process of sweeping up the dust and the cobwebs on the second floor but whoever was commanding there cleaning had no desire to be discovered as the main floor looked like it hadn’t been touched since the fateful day the Compass closed.”

Brystasia drops her eyes and pauses for a second as she signals for the other to pull out the items found and reaches into her backpack for her own, “But they where not entirely successful, we found these in a second floor bedroom.” She gives a small troubled look but continues, “They where in a locked chest that was rigged to poison the unexpecting.”

Looking briefly at the other she continues, “Also in the caller we found a magically trapped and sealed door.” Giving a slight sheepish look as she persist, “We did manage to get pass the trap but the door is still locked and is beyond are capability.” Nodding to the book in Ged’s hand, “and so is the book.”

 

[Jarval]

As Brystasia lays the items found in the chest on the table, Hestia takes the vial containing the poisoned needle out of her own pack and places it alongside the other finds.

"Whoever created the undead seemed to have produced a unique quality in one of them." Ged adds. "One creature that I would have otherwise called a zombie possessed a bite capable of shearing through both my shield and my armor." He holds up his arm, showing the gaping hole in the sleeve of his mail shirt.

The Holy Mother listens closely to the recount of the events in Compass, a troubled look starting to show on her face. She picks the book up from the table, quickly leafing through the slim volume.

"I don't recognise the script, but I'm sure we can find someone to translate for us." She says, returning the book to its place on the table. She quickly looks over the other items, uncorking the vial holding the needle. She cautiously sniffs it, looking thoughtful.

"Wyvern venom. Expensive, and very dangerous. Whoever locked that chest didn't want anyone who discovered it to live long enough to tell about its contents.

"You've done well, by the sounds of things. I will contact the city watch immediately, and have them place a guard on the theater until we can investigate further. I will need to contact the church of Mormekar, and find a suitable locksmith to open that door for us. Fair Dame Brystasia, would you mind waiting here with Ged and Hestia? You have proved most helpful, and I would ask that you continue to aid us when we return to the Compass.

"Hestia, Ged, wait here, and I will tell Edward to bring you some refreshments. My business make take an hour or more, so make yourselves and our guest comfortable." The Holy Mother leaves the room, taking the book and vial with her.

"Well, I guess we just wait for now..." Hestia says as the door closes. Ged nods, looking a little gloomy.

"I'd rather that we didn't have to bring Mormekar's followers into this. They're odd fish, to say the least." He shifts in his chair, then stands, removing first his tabard then his chain shirt. He settles back into his seat, looking more comfortable in his rust-stained undershirt. "Damned uncomfortable thing." He grumbles.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

Bryastasia Purelove: Half-Nymph/Female (Gestalt:Holy Warrior/Rogue)

Brystasia gives a small smile of acceptance as she nods her head at the old healer, “Holy Mother, It would be an honor to help and it just wouldn’t seem right to not accept this duty to the very end.”

Brystasia simply nods at Hestia’s comments, an artist most wait hours for their masterworks to be done, so the wait didn’t bother Brystasia at all but it appeared that her friends where not use to waiting it seems.

Brystasia turns her nose up at what she she’s as insensitive comments and she quickly scolds Ged, “Did you think the same thing when the Holy Mother asked for a follower of Aymara to help?” She quickly looks apologetic, “I’m sorry Ged, I know your heart is in the right place, and I will freely admit I’ve only meet one Mormekim. He was an Obedient Brother, who seemed to have taken a fancy in me, and from what I’ve been told they’re not as a strange cut as the rest…” She gives a small quirky smile as she thanks back upon there meeting, “but he was always nice to me.”

She looks longingly at Ged’s armor on the ground but hesitates from removing her own. Nodding her head at his armor she smiles softly and speaks sincerely in Ged’s direction, “Will it be a distraction if I join you in getting more comfortable?”

 

[Jarval]

"No, I didn't." Ged replies, unapologetic. "Followers of Aymara don't oppose the greatest of the healing arts, or hunt down those who have been brought back from death. Followers of Aymara don't heckle the Holy Mother or our other senior clergy. Followers of Aymara don't oppose the will of Morwyn!

"Wait until you've had to deal with more than the one Obedient Brother before you give them all the benefit of the doubt." Ged continues heatedly, not noticing Bryastasia's question about removing her armor. Hestia does notice however, and gestures that Bryastasia should make herself at home.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

Bryastasia Purelove: Half-Nymph/Female (Gestalt:Holy Warrior/Rogue)

Taken back by the harshness of Ged’s voice Brystasia quickly moves to protectively cover her chest as her elegant eyebrows crinkle in anger. Words of anger form but Brystasia simply says nothing as she sulks deeper into her chair.

Seeing Hestia’s answer to her unheard question Brystasia slightly pouty lips mouths a simple no as she shakes her head at the same time, her feelings where hurt from the harsh words and she felt more protected within her armor.

After a few seconds of pure silence Brystasia steals a glance at Hestia, giving the healer a small meek apologetic smile. After deeply sighing she turns back to the floor speaking softly as her words carry her pain, “I’m sorry Ged, you’re right of course, I’ve only met the one brother and that’s not nearly enough to judge them all by. I’ve been told I’m far to trusting of others… So I guess this is simply another example of that. I am sorry I didn’t mean to cause you any irritation.”

Brystasia turns back towards Hestia with more of a confused than pained look, “I’ve never heard of any stories of trouble between you and the Mormekims? If there is such a hatred then why would the Holy Mother chose to seek out there help let alone accept it?”

 

[Jarval]

Hestia gives Ged an exasperated look, before turning to face Brystasia again.

"What Ged speaks of is those who follow the word rather than the spirit of Mormekim's teachings. They feel that offering the dead another chance at life is immoral, and oppose us when we grant such a gift. But these rigid-minded Mormekims are few in number and the Obedient Brotherhood are almost never seen among them.

"There's no hatred between those who truly follow the two faiths." Hestia gives Ged a hard look at this point, and he looks slightly ashamed. "We both work to keep the cycle of life running as it should, and for the most part the faithful are on friendly terms. The Holy Mother knows this, and knows also that the Mormekims have far greater knowledge of the undead than anyone else. If we are to find out what it was that attacked Ged, it will be from them."

Ged shifts again in his seat, although this time his discomfort is brought by Hestia's disapproval than his discarded armor. He looks over to Brystasia, bowing his head to her.

"I'm sorry for my words, Brystasia. I spoke in haste, and I had no right to take such a harsh tone. I ask your forgiveness."

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

Bryastasia Purelove: Half-Nymph/Female (Gestalt:Holy Warrior/Rogue)

Brystasia looks thoughtful as she listens to the healer’s words and her expressions swiftly turns to understanding and is on the verge of speaking when Ged’s soft words of forgiveness interrupt her.

When Ged’s words of forgiveness are finished Brystasia breaks into a warm smile and leans in, brushing a stray blonde locket from her eyes in the process, and gives him a small chaste kiss on his exposed cheek. Her face stays close as her eyes search for his, “Ged, thank you.”

Leaning back she responds tenderly to both of them while her smile continues to glow warmly, “There’s no need to apologizes, all of us regret what was said so lets simply forget it happened, but I can see where your two faiths could clash. Hopefully this will not happen here and I will do my best to keep the piece if it does happen.”

Feeling the warmth from her close friends Brystasia quickly discards her armor and she absently pulls her shirt away from her body to remove the clinginess caused by sweat, “So do we know whom the Holy Mother was going to talk to specifically?”

 

[Jarval]

Ged meets Brystasia's gaze, and he smiles. "Thank you." He replies simply.

"I'm not sure who it is the Holy Mother will see." Hestia says. "I've had few dealings with the Mormekims' hierarchy, and Ged has made a point of not speaking with them." She shoots another, half-joking, annoyed look to Ged, who makes a small embarrassed cough.

The study door is opened, and a boy of around fourteen year of age walks into the room carrying a tray laden with a jug of fruit juice and a plate of small biscuits. He stops and stares wide-eyed at Brystasia, until Ged speaks up.

"It's not polite to stare so, Edward." The boy starts at being addressed, and quickly turns to face Ged.

"Why don't you put the tray down before you drop it?" Hestia suggests, her voice full of suppressed laughter. Edward gladly follows her advice, placing the refreshments on the desk.

"Can I be of any further service?" He asks, the question almost solely directed to Brystasia. "I can get you something else to drink if you don't like the juice, or some bread, or something..."

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

Bryastasia Purelove: Half-Nymph/Female (Gestalt:Holy Warrior/Rogue)

Brystasia gives a small forced smile at Hestia’s joke as she subtlety reaches out for Hestia’s leg and gives it a light squeeze through the robes… As their eyes meet Brystasia quickly gives a look of warning as her golden lockets shields Ged’s view of it.

Though she was on the verge of leaning in and whispering in her ear the sudden opening of the door has her instinctively pulling herself upright. Seeing the young man’s problems she hides her laughter behind a huge pleasant smile while she address him with equally niceness, “Ged, he’s fine I’m sure Edward meant nothing by it.”

Still smiling she scoots a tad into her chair as she leans closer giving him all of her attention, “I’m sure the juice will be fine Edward but if you think you could find some jelly that would be much appreciated.”