Kulan shakes his head when the bartender arrives, signalling that he will pass on this round of drinks. Cor issues her challenge a moment latter.
"Of wits? In your current state? If you weren't beyond plastered maybe I'd feel like I stood a chance, but not now. It's probably about time we got you all home to Kaya's anyway. If we stay here much longer, yer hangover tomorrow will keep us in Port for a tenday."
Kulan wouldn't mind accepting the challenge, but Cor's current inebriated state makes him think it would be wiser to her to turn in for the night.
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Jil groaned a little as another shot was placed before her. She released Larken for a moment, and with a shaky hand, grasps the tiny cup, quickly throwing back the liquid. Jil grimaced again, the strong, cheap alcohol sending shivers down her spine. Curling up, she rests her head in Larken's lap, pointing a finger up at his face. "Don't... don't let me forget! I need to go to my shrine!" Her hand drops and she mumbles again, "Need my shrine."
Seeing Kulan signal to the bartender, Larken does the same. Just as he's about to give Brod Jil's drink, she gulps it up. He lets out a slight chuckle and asks the bartender to bring a round of waters instead. "I think we're done with the good stuff," he says. "Just waters from now on." He nods to Jil and strokes her hair. She didn't have much, but she needed to be awake for her rituals.
He turns his attention back to Kulan, "Aside from the goal of destroying the item we seek, what brings you to Chult..." He was about to call him Blessed of Ilneval, but he had completely forgotten his god's name. "Kulan?"
“I can kick your ass, no matter how drunk I am,” Cor booped Kulan’s nose. “You don’ even need to decide wha’ happens when you win, because you won’t.” The rogue smiled. She was the best at trash talking.
”I can guess,” Cor raised her hand, in response to Larken’s question that was not directed at her. “He’s a holy person, which means he seeks to right wrongs... and stuff.” She tried to do an imitation of Kulan, but failed miserably. “Also, issa challenge, to fix the... thing no one else can... fix.” Words were hard.
Zitembe tilts his head in Korine's direction and nods. He motions for her to follow as Inete and the others filed out of the room. Calmly he leads her on what could almost be a tour of the Temple, aside from the fact that he doesn't really say anything at first. Instead they just walk.
"You have a hard path before you," Zitembe said softly. "One that many, more experienced folk, have tried and failed to complete." Zitembe gives Korine a look, calmly, and then looks away. He sighs. "Truthfully...Inete is not the only one with dreams of strange happenings of late." There is a moments pause. "Do you understand?"
Korine follows after Zitembe, curious what the priest has to tell her. What he might know. Walking along at his side, she takes in the granduer of the Temple, so very different from the more stark stylings of the Tormite temples she has visited. She does not break the silence. Instead she waits for Zitembe to speak.
"You have a hard path before you"The young paladin smiles ruefully at this observation. As to his question, she nods in understanding - at least, to a certain degree of understanding. "I think the path you speak of is not merely the obvious one, is it Grandfather? We have a path ahead of us, yes, out into the jungles seeking answers to whatever it is that is happening. Seeking this Soulmonger. We have heard that Sylvane has already sent other groups looking before we arrived and that none have returned." She shrugs in acceptance. "Nonetheless, it seems we are destined to try. But paths - I have my own to walk, a... calling? I know I've been gifted with certain abilities. By Torm, or... who knows. I don't. His message is one that resonates with me though, and trying to follow that provides a framework to build on? If that makes any sense. I know there is more within me, waiting to blossom. I just haven't figured out how to access them yet, but I can feel the potential is there."
Korine falls silent for a time, merely walking through the Temple again. "The dreams are real, I know that. At first they just seemed random, no rhyme or reason to them, but over time, I've come to understand them better. I know, now, that they serve a purpose. They direct me to where I am needed. Where I can help someone, or do something. Usually, I can find the place, and once I'm there, something triggers a... memory, almost. Like more of the dream that I had forgotten. Then I know more and do what I can to help. I don't know why I'm here yet. Meeting Sylvane, being sent here - it all feels right, but I sill don't know why." She grimaces in frustration. "This is the hardest part. Waiting for the next sign. Stumbling around blindly for a time. She has a name, you know. She's told me," adds Korine, suddenly seeming to change the topic. "Whoever send me the dreams, that is. Seraphina. I see a face sometimes, shining and almost blindingly bright. She fills me with a sense of hope that this world can be a better place if I just listen to her and do my part to help."
Zitembe pats Korine on the arm with a rather pleased smile. Yes, this one understood him quite well. While the dangers inherent that purportedly resided in Chult--something at him chafes at the thought, and that is obvious to anyone who looks. The idea of something so foul in Chult does not make any clergymen--of Savras, or the other temples dotted throughout--any happier. They can all taste the foulness in the air to some extent, after all.
"Whether your personal path and this path are but a momentary crossing doesn't matter," Zitembe explains softly. "You have been guided here--helping hands in dreams, or from a sense of duty that doesn't matter. What matters is what you do while you are here. Seek out this...Soulmonger? Do as Sylvane has paid you for? Help Inete, or some other of the townsfolk...the reasons why for you presence are, ultimately, your own to discover. Having a guiding hand is merely that--a guide, to aim you were best you might achieve something toward whatever goal you seek. It is your own decision to be here and that, more than anything, is commendable. So...Korine, one of Torm's Chosen, if you have need of me you need only ask. I have my own gifts...that are available to aid you if you so desire."
Zitembe paused once they reached the foyer again, and then turned to regard Korine carefully. After a moment he nodded once. "Keep my granddaughter safe, and upon her return we will speak again. Good evening, gifted one." With that Zitembe turned and left.
"Thank you for your guidance, Grandfather. I will think on your words, and take your wisdom to heart. For now, our oaths have crossed, through Inete, and perhaps that serves a purpose yet unknown as well. I will do everything in my power to keep her safe, you have my word." Taking her leave, Korine makes her way back through the unfamiliar streets. A wrong turn or two makes the trip longer than it should have taken, but she eventually finds her way back to Kaya's House of Repose. It appears none of her new companions have yet returned, so she finds a quiet corner and sits to wait, turning her mind to the what Zitembe told her.
Jil suddenly sat upright. "Wooo..." she mumbled, as the world spun around her. "My shrine," she exclaimed, remembering she needed to do her rituals. She fumbled around with her pack, finally getting a good hold on it, and darted... well, stumbled... to the door. She bounced off the door frame before managing to make it out the door, and into the night air. "Is nice out here," she said to herself, looking at the moon. She began to walk down the street, then stopped, and realized she was heading the wrong direction. Finally getting herself headed the right way, she began to stumble down the street, slowly.
Vistani did not count the coin she gathered, but tucked it away thinking it had to be close to fifteen gold. Not a bad night's work at all. It made up for the night's things just didn't work, like strings breaking or her voice being off. No tonight, was one of those nights she wished she had more of. She felt good and all had run remarkably well. She gave all the patrons a flamboyant bow and wave before she left.
Once in the fresh air she took a note of her surroundings. She saw Jil stumbling her way down the street. Nothing looked untoward at the moment so she waited to see how the others stumbled out, but would follow Jil if no one joined her in the next couple of minutes.
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As it gets deeper into the night, Cor finds herself another shot while everyone else at the table drinks water. Moments after she takes it, she mumbles to Kulan, "We're've got to get up... s'early." Small snores start to escape her as she falls asleep on the half-orc's shoulder.
When Jil hops up from Larken's lap, Larken looks over at Kulan, "Will you be able to take Cor back to the inn?" He asks. "I need to make sure Jil makes it to her shrine." He stands for a moment, taking in the tavern, then looks back over to Kulan, "Thank you. I think your help in this will be much appreciated." He wanted to talk more with the half-orc to learn more of his intentions for being here, but he couldn't let Jil get too far away.
Outside he sees Jil slowly walking in the wrong direction. He rushes past Vistani, gives her a knowing nod, and in a few quick steps he catches up to Jil, "May I walk you home, moonmaiden?"
Jil took Larken's arm. "No... I need to... my shrine!" She looked at the moon, determining which direction she need to go in, and pointed. "That way!" As they walked, she mumbled to herself. "Home... I can't go home. Too much needing to be doing. I'll never go home again."
"It was a joke, Jil," Larken gave her his arm to hold on to. "Let me lead. This late at night... I can smell the dinosaur pens from here." They'd spent enough time in the bar to get Larken more sober than he had been. Two shots back-to-back messed him up, but a couple hours sitting with water brought him back to a functional state. Jil probably shouldn't have taken that second shot.
Clinging to Larken, Jil mumbled, "I don't need help. I know where my own shrine is." She looked up at the moon for a moment then sighed. "She used to talk to me, ya know? I could hear whispers from the moon. I was... connecterd. Now..."
"She still talks to you, moonmaiden. Don't ever think otherwise." He pulled her closer as they walk, eyes darting down every alley they pass. She might not be as powerful as she once was, but he knew she still had Selune with her.
Jil shook her head. "She has forshaven... forsahe.... forsaken me. Tomorrow, I will walk into the jungle to die. There was so much I still wanted to do." She stopped, facing Larken, and placed her hand over his heart. "So much I wanted to say but was always too scert. Now I'll... well I'll never get to."
"It is by her will that we're both still alive." He stopped with her, lifting her face up to look into her eyes. Selune has always protected them and provided for them. They will beat this. He leans down and kissed her forehead. "Stay strong, Jil. Your heart is bigger than mine... I need you still." They have no choice but to trust that their goddess had given Jil enough time to beat this. To have any sort of doubt now would make any future efforts futile. "We'll beat this," he said, pulling her along to continue the walk to the shrine.
Jil hugged him as they walked. Staring at the ground before her, wondering why the world was so wobbly, she continued to talk, as thoughts hit her mind. "Remember when we first met? I miss those days. Those were good days. We had fun. As much fun as a young priestess could have. I've always loved you since then. You're all I got." She stumbled a moment, but used him to keep her balance. "Promise me. You gotta promise. You'll take me home. Bury me at the Temple."
"The first time I thought I lost you, I went crazy... I... hunted the streets for your killer. This place become my jungle. I wasn't there when you died, and I wasn't there when you woke up. I'm here now... until the end." He didn't tell her that he failed to beat the one that killed her. He was too weak... he needed to get stronger. He touched his chest and felt the pain there. Its constant, an ebbing flow. With each beat of his heart he could feel the poison running through his veins. "We'll beat this," he said again. They had to.
"I'm sorry." Tears began to slide down Jil's cheeks. "I'm sorry dragged you into all this. I shoulda left before you came back. I coulda spared you all this. I want you to be happy. That's all I want. But now... but now... you gotta see me like... this." She flailed her hand down the length of her torso. "I'm sorry. I..." She blinked a few times, then looked at the moon again. "I dunno. I dunno what I'm saying."
Cor nearly brought a corpse back to Jil when she delivered Larken to her. If Jil hadn't been there to heal him with Selune's magic, Larken would have been dead. Perhaps this was the price she had to pay to get him to live again. For Larken, this was too high of a price for her to pay. "I can blame myself as well, Jil. I wasn't there to protect you, I wasn't strong enough to protect you... You're still as beautiful as you have ever been." He can smell the pens up ahead. They were getting close. Looking at the moonlight it was as though they would make it just in time. "Do you want me to help?" He asked. He knew Jil preferred privacy, but she never objected to him observing her rituals before. Lately though... it had been different.
Jil was conflicted. She didn't mind him sitting in on her rituals. She always welcomed him. But what came after, these days, she'd done her best to keep him from it. He didn't need to see that. "I don't... I... yes. Please, stay. I need to change my bandages tonight." The smell of the dinosaur pens hit her, and made her stomach roll. She groaned, struggling to keep her stomach in check.
Larken nodded and gave her hand a slight squeeze of reassurance. He'd watched her at night since she died, even if she didn't know it. He saw what she went through, saw the wound that would never heal. He smelled it... even now. It was a constant reminder of the goal they had. This Soulmonger would be destroyed and all will be fine. Each time he saw her and smelled her, his determination was reinforced. He lead her away from the smelliest areas of the pens and into the jungle. Not far in was the shrine he had helped Jil build. Occasionally sailors would find their way to the shrine for their own words to the moon mother. But this was their shrine, built by their hands.
Once at the shrine, Jil fumbled around in her bag, pulling a couple candles out, and shakily lit them, sending a soft, warm glow across the shrine and their faces. Other various religious trinkets were produced and placed around the shrine, before Jil pulled out a couple small white cloths from her pack. One she folded and rolled, setting it aside for later. The other she used to lovingly clean the dust of the day from the shrine. As she did, she prayed silently, hoping to hear something, anything from Selune. Anything to let Jil know she wasn't alone, that there was some purpose to all of this. As she worked, she lost herself in her thoughts, in her prayers, forgetting Larken was close. Her hand trembled and she looked up to the moon, tears in her eyes. "Why?" Her voice was a mere whisper, but Larken would hear every word of it. "Why would you put this burden on me? Why would you leave me when I need..." She hiccuped and sniffled a little. "Need you most? Have I not been faithful? I've always done your bidding. I've been loyal. I've brought others to you." Jil waited, begging for a whisper... but... nothing.
Larken watched from the shadows, reminded of the first time he saw her in front of a shrine almost two decades ago. He watched her for hours that night and returned every night thereafter to see if she would return. He had a feeling she knew he was there at that time, but it wasn't confirmed until she beckoned for him to come forward. Eventually they had both gotten comfortable with each other's presence and their current relationship was formed. They knew things about each other that no others in the world will ever know. He was closer to her than he had ever been with his own brothers and sisters. Had he been able to recreate that moment now, he would. He places his hand over his old wound. He might never be his old self again...
Jil sighed, after a long while, and continued her rituals, saying her quiet prayers as she always did. Normally, when she was done, she would pick up her trinkets, packing them away, and blow out the candles. But now, everything was different. She held the cloth she had rolled in her hands, and sat, as if she were waiting for someone or something. She watched the moon slowly make its arc across the night sky, wondering if it were moving quicker than normal because of the drinks she had consumed earlier in the night. She felt tired, but sat steady... as steady as she could.
Then she began to feel a twinge. She inhaled sharply and brought a trembling hand to her chest. She slowly exhaled, but there was another twinge, causing her to cry out. She quickly stuck the rolled cloth into her mouth, and held it between her teeth. Soon, the pain was upon her. She clawed at her armor, as she could feel the sword pierce her heart once again. The pain radiated across her chest and throughout her back. She gritted her teeth against the cloth, and tried to remain on her knees, but soon toppled over. Writhing on the ground, before the shrine, she gasped loudly. She could feel a part of herself being drained, as if she was losing a small part of herself. Every night was a little worse than the night previous. Eventually, the waves of pain ebbed away, and Jil was left sobbing on the ground. What felt like an eternity to Jil had been mere seconds to Larken.
Larken wiped away the tears that formed on his face and approached Jil in the silence of the night. This soulmonger will be destroyed, he thought. Wrapping her in his arms he attempted to steady the priestess. He was thankful to Selune that she was granted another day, but he felt a surge of anger that threatened to boil over. For all the good she had done in her life, she did not deserve this. He helps her to regain control of herself and wipes away the sweat and tears from her face. "Another day," he whispers to her.
Jil sobbed into Larken's chest, unable to speak. His embrace was comforting, and soon, she began to take deep breaths. She regained her composure, and looked up at him, weakly. "Thank you," she whispered. "I'm sorry you had to see that."
He smiles down at her. "I'll be with you every night," he says. He battled the urge to lick her face clean, instead wiping it away with one of the cloths.
Jil caressed his cheek lovingly. She struggled to sit, fumbling with her armor. She took a deep breath, feeling absolutely exhausted, then realized everything felt... wrong. Her stomach churned, and she realized she was going to be sick. Scrambling away from the shrine, and from Larken, she dashed to a nearby tree, and began to purge the evil from her stomach. A few moments later, she groaned, "Why did I drink that vile stuff?"
Larken follows her up to the tree after she purges, "I hope you're referring to the gut buster of Cor's... Evermead is far from vile." He wraps his arms around her and asks, "Are you ready to get back to the inn? We need to leave early." Focus, he thought. We need to focus on the goal at hand.
Jil stood, feeling a little better. "Almost. I'd like to change my bandages. Would you help me please?" She made her way back to the shrine and handed a candle to Larken, so he could see her back. She began to work her way out of her armor, leaving her in the robes she wore underneath. She shrugged her left arm out of the robes, exposing half her chest and back. She peeled away the large bandage that covered the wound over her heart, and fished out a waterskin from her pack. She carefully washed the wound, then handed the waterskin to Larken. After bandaging the never healing wound, she waited for Larken to finish her back.
He'd never seen or smelled her wound up-close like this before, illuminated by the moonlight. His wound was inconsequential compared to this. Rather than the nasty scar he had on his chest, her wound was a tainted hole of putrefied flesh that would never heal. Small dark veins spread out from the wound even though it never bled. They raised the skin surrounding it like a random series of dark spiderwebs. No wonder she was so self-conscious about it. He carefully poured some water around the wound and dabbed it with the cloth. Even though Larken's pain was occasional, it would never kill him. Not like this... He tosses the old bandage aside, yellow with puss, and puts the fresh bandage on. "How often do you change these?" He asked.
"I change this one every night," Jil said, placing her hand over her heart. "That one is a little more difficult. It doesn't get changed nearly as often as it should. I'm not entirely sure it matters."
Larken nuzzles her neck to indicate he's finished. If changing the bandages makes her feel better, he's happy to oblige. It's better than letting the wound fester more than it is already.
Jil smiled at the nuzzle, but quickly put the robe back on, and covered it with her armor. "I'm sorry. I never wanted you to see this." She quickly began to put away the religious trinkets. Resting her hand on the shrine, she whispered, "May this shrine being comfort to those who need it, and bring those who need comfort into your embrace." Blowing out the candles, she packed those away and turned to Larken. She was weary, and didn't look at him directly. "I'm ready."
"It takes a lot of strength to keep going, Jil. Stay strong, ok?" He takes her by the hand and leads her back to Kaya's House of Repose. He kept his thoughts to himself. Any form of pity or depression would lower her resolve. Maybe if he continued to show strength and support, it'd be reflected in her. This was his hope. He would always keep his fears to himself though...
"I'm trying," she said, resting her head against him. "I'm trying so hard. But I feel like I'm being taken into the jungle and I'll never leave. I'll never see this shrine again, never go home. I have no direction, anymore. No guidance. I'm not a fighter like you. You and Cor have seen things I can't begin to imagine. I don't know if I can do this. I don't know if I can ask you to put your life on the line for me. I don't know if I can ask that of anyone. It's killing me that you'd lay down your life for me, and I can't even help you. I'm trying, Larken. I really am."
There's been numerous times Larken has charged into a fight for Jil. Though her clergy were relatively pacifist, there's always been some form of evil to dispatch in the past. At that time it was different, as the possibly of death was fleeting for him. Now that possibility was a reality, but it still didn't waver his resolve. "I might bleed now," Larken responds, "But there's no one else I'd rather bleed for in this world. Everyone has their own reasons for this journey, and if removing this... curse cures you and others with it, there is no other choice. It's you who shouldn't go..." He'd brought this up before, but given her power and station within the Selunites she felt this was her mission. And it very well might be... "You could be resting with Syndra."
"I'm no good to anyone if I'm just resting." Jil snuggled against his arm. "I have to do something. If I die, so be it. If that is Selune's plan for me, fine. But I won't allow you to die." She poked him in the ribs with her free hand. "You're not allowed to die."
Larken and Jil get back to the inn late into the night.
When Jil hops up from Larken's lap, Larken looks over at Kulan, "Will you be able to take Cor back to the inn?" He asks. "I need to make sure Jil makes it to her shrine."
Kulan nods in response. As soon as Larken leaves, Kulan stands up, picks up Cor'avin, and takes her back to Kaya's House of Respite. He takes her to her room (based on the assumption that there are more females in the group, so they'd be in the room with more beds), then returns downstairs for a nice meal, and to wait for Larken's return. After all, Larken had asked a question and then left in a hurry.
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Korine glanced up when the door opened and Kulan came in, carrying the passed-out Cor'avin. She begins to rise from her seat before the half-orc waves her off. "I'll get her to bed, stay here," he says. She stifles a laugh at the odd sight, and settles back into her seat, awaiting his return.
"You've been gone for hours," she observes once Kulan returns to the common room. "I take it everyone had a good time? Something is going on with those three. I don't know what, but they are very worried about what's going to happen out there. They seem almost desperate, and under a huge amount of stress. Hopefully an evening of drink and fun will help them before we head out into the dangers of the jungle."
As Larken and Jil enter the inn, they both spot Korine and Kulan at a table. Larken gives them a slight nod before turning to Jil and hugging her. "Get a good sleep in, Jil. We'll have everything ready in the morning. I want to leave before noon."
He then turns his attention to the two sitting at the table. Without asking, he sits and says, "The meat markets are always freshest in the morning. We should gather enough food and water for at least two weeks. It takes a lot of water to stay hydrated in this heat. You need to boil any water, aside from the water caught in a rain catcher, before drinking. Beware of bugs... they carry a lot of diseases. If you apply repellent daily, you wont have to worry about that. Travelling in any kind of heavy armor," he looks at both of the paladin's armor, "Will make the journey much more difficult. It's up to you if you wish to enter the jungles wearing that armor." With a nod of finality he says, "Any questions for me?"
"Jilwyn told us on the walk to the temple that you'd all been here about a year now, Larken, so your advice is certainly appreciated. I'm not familiar with the challenges of jungle travel, I admit. He have a fair amount of coin, and more promised from Inete, so hopefully we can afford everything we need after hiring our guide. Did you have any success in tracking either of our candidates down earlier this evening?" At Larken's mention of the challenges of traveling in heavy armor, Korine absently brushes at the white tunic she currently has on, imagining the sweat and discomfort her chain mail will cause in the jungle. "What sort of heavier armor do the locals wear? Do we have any alternatives? If the jungles outside these walls are filled with undead, dinosaurs and gods know what else, I can't say I relish the though of going without, and it seems Sylvane brought Kulan and I into the group to add some more combat power to the mix."
Larken listens quietly as Korine speaks, once she's done he answers. "No luck in finding them yet, but most ships arrive early in the morning so the guides will be out on the docks in full force. As for your armor... breast plate works well as it gives you the maneuverability of your limbs. Many that wear heavier armors in the jungle seem to prefer it." He waits for any other questions they might have for him.
"I'm afraid that such protection is beyond my ability to afford it right now," replies Korine with a wry smile. "I'll just have to make due for now, I suppose, and if the opportunity arises to take advantage of something more suitable I will." Climbing to her feet, she bids the two good night. "I get the impression that you and Kulan had something to discuss that I am not privy to, and will take my leave so that you may. Until morning, then. Sleep well."
Kulan nods in response to Korine's question, before continuing. When Larken arrives, he listens intently.
"I too will stick to my chain armour, though primarily because I am used to its weight. If I were to switch, I worry that it might through me off balance. We have 145 gold to work with, after the rain catchers we bought, and Inete provides her 100. Or 170 gold if I add my personal funds."
At this point, Korine decides to take her leave, reminding Kulan why he was waiting down here originally.
"Cor'avin's answer was far from right. While Ilneval is an Orcish god, he's not as bad as the rest of them. However, he's still nowhere near a beacon of hope from whom light shines from every orifice. I ain't doing this to right a wrong, or as a personal challenge. I came here to help because I was bored of life on the Sword Coast. If you want a more meaningful answer, then I guess its a strategy of some kind, one of Ilneval's many."
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Kulan shakes his head when the bartender arrives, signalling that he will pass on this round of drinks. Cor issues her challenge a moment latter.
"Of wits? In your current state? If you weren't beyond plastered maybe I'd feel like I stood a chance, but not now. It's probably about time we got you all home to Kaya's anyway. If we stay here much longer, yer hangover tomorrow will keep us in Port for a tenday."
Kulan wouldn't mind accepting the challenge, but Cor's current inebriated state makes him think it would be wiser to her to turn in for the night.
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Jil groaned a little as another shot was placed before her. She released Larken for a moment, and with a shaky hand, grasps the tiny cup, quickly throwing back the liquid. Jil grimaced again, the strong, cheap alcohol sending shivers down her spine. Curling up, she rests her head in Larken's lap, pointing a finger up at his face. "Don't... don't let me forget! I need to go to my shrine!" Her hand drops and she mumbles again, "Need my shrine."
A dwarf with a canoe on his back? What could go wrong?
Seeing Kulan signal to the bartender, Larken does the same. Just as he's about to give Brod Jil's drink, she gulps it up. He lets out a slight chuckle and asks the bartender to bring a round of waters instead. "I think we're done with the good stuff," he says. "Just waters from now on." He nods to Jil and strokes her hair. She didn't have much, but she needed to be awake for her rituals.
He turns his attention back to Kulan, "Aside from the goal of destroying the item we seek, what brings you to Chult..." He was about to call him Blessed of Ilneval, but he had completely forgotten his god's name. "Kulan?"
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“I can kick your ass, no matter how drunk I am,” Cor booped Kulan’s nose. “You don’ even need to decide wha’ happens when you win, because you won’t.” The rogue smiled. She was the best at trash talking.
”I can guess,” Cor raised her hand, in response to Larken’s question that was not directed at her. “He’s a holy person, which means he seeks to right wrongs... and stuff.” She tried to do an imitation of Kulan, but failed miserably. “Also, issa challenge, to fix the... thing no one else can... fix.” Words were hard.
PBP: DM of Titans of Tomorrow
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PBP: Cor'avin in Tomb of Annihilation
Zitembe tilts his head in Korine's direction and nods. He motions for her to follow as Inete and the others filed out of the room. Calmly he leads her on what could almost be a tour of the Temple, aside from the fact that he doesn't really say anything at first. Instead they just walk.
"You have a hard path before you," Zitembe said softly. "One that many, more experienced folk, have tried and failed to complete." Zitembe gives Korine a look, calmly, and then looks away. He sighs. "Truthfully...Inete is not the only one with dreams of strange happenings of late." There is a moments pause. "Do you understand?"
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Korine follows after Zitembe, curious what the priest has to tell her. What he might know. Walking along at his side, she takes in the granduer of the Temple, so very different from the more stark stylings of the Tormite temples she has visited. She does not break the silence. Instead she waits for Zitembe to speak.
"You have a hard path before you" The young paladin smiles ruefully at this observation. As to his question, she nods in understanding - at least, to a certain degree of understanding. "I think the path you speak of is not merely the obvious one, is it Grandfather? We have a path ahead of us, yes, out into the jungles seeking answers to whatever it is that is happening. Seeking this Soulmonger. We have heard that Sylvane has already sent other groups looking before we arrived and that none have returned." She shrugs in acceptance. "Nonetheless, it seems we are destined to try. But paths - I have my own to walk, a... calling? I know I've been gifted with certain abilities. By Torm, or... who knows. I don't. His message is one that resonates with me though, and trying to follow that provides a framework to build on? If that makes any sense. I know there is more within me, waiting to blossom. I just haven't figured out how to access them yet, but I can feel the potential is there."
Korine falls silent for a time, merely walking through the Temple again. "The dreams are real, I know that. At first they just seemed random, no rhyme or reason to them, but over time, I've come to understand them better. I know, now, that they serve a purpose. They direct me to where I am needed. Where I can help someone, or do something. Usually, I can find the place, and once I'm there, something triggers a... memory, almost. Like more of the dream that I had forgotten. Then I know more and do what I can to help. I don't know why I'm here yet. Meeting Sylvane, being sent here - it all feels right, but I sill don't know why." She grimaces in frustration. "This is the hardest part. Waiting for the next sign. Stumbling around blindly for a time. She has a name, you know. She's told me," adds Korine, suddenly seeming to change the topic. "Whoever send me the dreams, that is. Seraphina. I see a face sometimes, shining and almost blindingly bright. She fills me with a sense of hope that this world can be a better place if I just listen to her and do my part to help."
Zitembe pats Korine on the arm with a rather pleased smile. Yes, this one understood him quite well. While the dangers inherent that purportedly resided in Chult--something at him chafes at the thought, and that is obvious to anyone who looks. The idea of something so foul in Chult does not make any clergymen--of Savras, or the other temples dotted throughout--any happier. They can all taste the foulness in the air to some extent, after all.
"Whether your personal path and this path are but a momentary crossing doesn't matter," Zitembe explains softly. "You have been guided here--helping hands in dreams, or from a sense of duty that doesn't matter. What matters is what you do while you are here. Seek out this...Soulmonger? Do as Sylvane has paid you for? Help Inete, or some other of the townsfolk...the reasons why for you presence are, ultimately, your own to discover. Having a guiding hand is merely that--a guide, to aim you were best you might achieve something toward whatever goal you seek. It is your own decision to be here and that, more than anything, is commendable. So...Korine, one of Torm's Chosen, if you have need of me you need only ask. I have my own gifts...that are available to aid you if you so desire."
Zitembe paused once they reached the foyer again, and then turned to regard Korine carefully. After a moment he nodded once. "Keep my granddaughter safe, and upon her return we will speak again. Good evening, gifted one." With that Zitembe turned and left.
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"Thank you for your guidance, Grandfather. I will think on your words, and take your wisdom to heart. For now, our oaths have crossed, through Inete, and perhaps that serves a purpose yet unknown as well. I will do everything in my power to keep her safe, you have my word." Taking her leave, Korine makes her way back through the unfamiliar streets. A wrong turn or two makes the trip longer than it should have taken, but she eventually finds her way back to Kaya's House of Repose. It appears none of her new companions have yet returned, so she finds a quiet corner and sits to wait, turning her mind to the what Zitembe told her.
Jil suddenly sat upright. "Wooo..." she mumbled, as the world spun around her. "My shrine," she exclaimed, remembering she needed to do her rituals. She fumbled around with her pack, finally getting a good hold on it, and darted... well, stumbled... to the door. She bounced off the door frame before managing to make it out the door, and into the night air. "Is nice out here," she said to herself, looking at the moon. She began to walk down the street, then stopped, and realized she was heading the wrong direction. Finally getting herself headed the right way, she began to stumble down the street, slowly.
A dwarf with a canoe on his back? What could go wrong?
Vistani did not count the coin she gathered, but tucked it away thinking it had to be close to fifteen gold. Not a bad night's work at all. It made up for the night's things just didn't work, like strings breaking or her voice being off. No tonight, was one of those nights she wished she had more of. She felt good and all had run remarkably well. She gave all the patrons a flamboyant bow and wave before she left.
Once in the fresh air she took a note of her surroundings. She saw Jil stumbling her way down the street. Nothing looked untoward at the moment so she waited to see how the others stumbled out, but would follow Jil if no one joined her in the next couple of minutes.
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PbP - Tome of Annhilation - Vistani Mocanu, Human, Bard
As it gets deeper into the night, Cor finds herself another shot while everyone else at the table drinks water. Moments after she takes it, she mumbles to Kulan, "We're've got to get up... s'early." Small snores start to escape her as she falls asleep on the half-orc's shoulder.
When Jil hops up from Larken's lap, Larken looks over at Kulan, "Will you be able to take Cor back to the inn?" He asks. "I need to make sure Jil makes it to her shrine." He stands for a moment, taking in the tavern, then looks back over to Kulan, "Thank you. I think your help in this will be much appreciated." He wanted to talk more with the half-orc to learn more of his intentions for being here, but he couldn't let Jil get too far away.
Outside he sees Jil slowly walking in the wrong direction. He rushes past Vistani, gives her a knowing nod, and in a few quick steps he catches up to Jil, "May I walk you home, moonmaiden?"
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Jil took Larken's arm. "No... I need to... my shrine!" She looked at the moon, determining which direction she need to go in, and pointed. "That way!" As they walked, she mumbled to herself. "Home... I can't go home. Too much needing to be doing. I'll never go home again."
"It was a joke, Jil," Larken gave her his arm to hold on to. "Let me lead. This late at night... I can smell the dinosaur pens from here." They'd spent enough time in the bar to get Larken more sober than he had been. Two shots back-to-back messed him up, but a couple hours sitting with water brought him back to a functional state. Jil probably shouldn't have taken that second shot.
Clinging to Larken, Jil mumbled, "I don't need help. I know where my own shrine is." She looked up at the moon for a moment then sighed. "She used to talk to me, ya know? I could hear whispers from the moon. I was... connecterd. Now..."
"She still talks to you, moonmaiden. Don't ever think otherwise." He pulled her closer as they walk, eyes darting down every alley they pass. She might not be as powerful as she once was, but he knew she still had Selune with her.
Jil shook her head. "She has forshaven... forsahe.... forsaken me. Tomorrow, I will walk into the jungle to die. There was so much I still wanted to do." She stopped, facing Larken, and placed her hand over his heart. "So much I wanted to say but was always too scert. Now I'll... well I'll never get to."
"It is by her will that we're both still alive." He stopped with her, lifting her face up to look into her eyes. Selune has always protected them and provided for them. They will beat this. He leans down and kissed her forehead. "Stay strong, Jil. Your heart is bigger than mine... I need you still." They have no choice but to trust that their goddess had given Jil enough time to beat this. To have any sort of doubt now would make any future efforts futile. "We'll beat this," he said, pulling her along to continue the walk to the shrine.
Jil hugged him as they walked. Staring at the ground before her, wondering why the world was so wobbly, she continued to talk, as thoughts hit her mind. "Remember when we first met? I miss those days. Those were good days. We had fun. As much fun as a young priestess could have. I've always loved you since then. You're all I got." She stumbled a moment, but used him to keep her balance. "Promise me. You gotta promise. You'll take me home. Bury me at the Temple."
"The first time I thought I lost you, I went crazy... I... hunted the streets for your killer. This place become my jungle. I wasn't there when you died, and I wasn't there when you woke up. I'm here now... until the end." He didn't tell her that he failed to beat the one that killed her. He was too weak... he needed to get stronger. He touched his chest and felt the pain there. Its constant, an ebbing flow. With each beat of his heart he could feel the poison running through his veins. "We'll beat this," he said again. They had to.
"I'm sorry." Tears began to slide down Jil's cheeks. "I'm sorry dragged you into all this. I shoulda left before you came back. I coulda spared you all this. I want you to be happy. That's all I want. But now... but now... you gotta see me like... this." She flailed her hand down the length of her torso. "I'm sorry. I..." She blinked a few times, then looked at the moon again. "I dunno. I dunno what I'm saying."
Cor nearly brought a corpse back to Jil when she delivered Larken to her. If Jil hadn't been there to heal him with Selune's magic, Larken would have been dead. Perhaps this was the price she had to pay to get him to live again. For Larken, this was too high of a price for her to pay. "I can blame myself as well, Jil. I wasn't there to protect you, I wasn't strong enough to protect you... You're still as beautiful as you have ever been." He can smell the pens up ahead. They were getting close. Looking at the moonlight it was as though they would make it just in time. "Do you want me to help?" He asked. He knew Jil preferred privacy, but she never objected to him observing her rituals before. Lately though... it had been different.
Jil was conflicted. She didn't mind him sitting in on her rituals. She always welcomed him. But what came after, these days, she'd done her best to keep him from it. He didn't need to see that. "I don't... I... yes. Please, stay. I need to change my bandages tonight." The smell of the dinosaur pens hit her, and made her stomach roll. She groaned, struggling to keep her stomach in check.
Larken nodded and gave her hand a slight squeeze of reassurance. He'd watched her at night since she died, even if she didn't know it. He saw what she went through, saw the wound that would never heal. He smelled it... even now. It was a constant reminder of the goal they had. This Soulmonger would be destroyed and all will be fine. Each time he saw her and smelled her, his determination was reinforced. He lead her away from the smelliest areas of the pens and into the jungle. Not far in was the shrine he had helped Jil build. Occasionally sailors would find their way to the shrine for their own words to the moon mother. But this was their shrine, built by their hands.
Once at the shrine, Jil fumbled around in her bag, pulling a couple candles out, and shakily lit them, sending a soft, warm glow across the shrine and their faces. Other various religious trinkets were produced and placed around the shrine, before Jil pulled out a couple small white cloths from her pack. One she folded and rolled, setting it aside for later. The other she used to lovingly clean the dust of the day from the shrine. As she did, she prayed silently, hoping to hear something, anything from Selune. Anything to let Jil know she wasn't alone, that there was some purpose to all of this. As she worked, she lost herself in her thoughts, in her prayers, forgetting Larken was close. Her hand trembled and she looked up to the moon, tears in her eyes. "Why?" Her voice was a mere whisper, but Larken would hear every word of it. "Why would you put this burden on me? Why would you leave me when I need..." She hiccuped and sniffled a little. "Need you most? Have I not been faithful? I've always done your bidding. I've been loyal. I've brought others to you." Jil waited, begging for a whisper... but... nothing.
Larken watched from the shadows, reminded of the first time he saw her in front of a shrine almost two decades ago. He watched her for hours that night and returned every night thereafter to see if she would return. He had a feeling she knew he was there at that time, but it wasn't confirmed until she beckoned for him to come forward. Eventually they had both gotten comfortable with each other's presence and their current relationship was formed. They knew things about each other that no others in the world will ever know. He was closer to her than he had ever been with his own brothers and sisters. Had he been able to recreate that moment now, he would. He places his hand over his old wound. He might never be his old self again...
Jil sighed, after a long while, and continued her rituals, saying her quiet prayers as she always did. Normally, when she was done, she would pick up her trinkets, packing them away, and blow out the candles. But now, everything was different. She held the cloth she had rolled in her hands, and sat, as if she were waiting for someone or something. She watched the moon slowly make its arc across the night sky, wondering if it were moving quicker than normal because of the drinks she had consumed earlier in the night. She felt tired, but sat steady... as steady as she could.
Then she began to feel a twinge. She inhaled sharply and brought a trembling hand to her chest. She slowly exhaled, but there was another twinge, causing her to cry out. She quickly stuck the rolled cloth into her mouth, and held it between her teeth. Soon, the pain was upon her. She clawed at her armor, as she could feel the sword pierce her heart once again. The pain radiated across her chest and throughout her back. She gritted her teeth against the cloth, and tried to remain on her knees, but soon toppled over. Writhing on the ground, before the shrine, she gasped loudly. She could feel a part of herself being drained, as if she was losing a small part of herself. Every night was a little worse than the night previous. Eventually, the waves of pain ebbed away, and Jil was left sobbing on the ground. What felt like an eternity to Jil had been mere seconds to Larken.
(continued)
A dwarf with a canoe on his back? What could go wrong?
Larken wiped away the tears that formed on his face and approached Jil in the silence of the night. This soulmonger will be destroyed, he thought. Wrapping her in his arms he attempted to steady the priestess. He was thankful to Selune that she was granted another day, but he felt a surge of anger that threatened to boil over. For all the good she had done in her life, she did not deserve this. He helps her to regain control of herself and wipes away the sweat and tears from her face. "Another day," he whispers to her.
Jil sobbed into Larken's chest, unable to speak. His embrace was comforting, and soon, she began to take deep breaths. She regained her composure, and looked up at him, weakly. "Thank you," she whispered. "I'm sorry you had to see that."
He smiles down at her. "I'll be with you every night," he says. He battled the urge to lick her face clean, instead wiping it away with one of the cloths.
Jil caressed his cheek lovingly. She struggled to sit, fumbling with her armor. She took a deep breath, feeling absolutely exhausted, then realized everything felt... wrong. Her stomach churned, and she realized she was going to be sick. Scrambling away from the shrine, and from Larken, she dashed to a nearby tree, and began to purge the evil from her stomach. A few moments later, she groaned, "Why did I drink that vile stuff?"
Larken follows her up to the tree after she purges, "I hope you're referring to the gut buster of Cor's... Evermead is far from vile." He wraps his arms around her and asks, "Are you ready to get back to the inn? We need to leave early." Focus, he thought. We need to focus on the goal at hand.
Jil stood, feeling a little better. "Almost. I'd like to change my bandages. Would you help me please?" She made her way back to the shrine and handed a candle to Larken, so he could see her back. She began to work her way out of her armor, leaving her in the robes she wore underneath. She shrugged her left arm out of the robes, exposing half her chest and back. She peeled away the large bandage that covered the wound over her heart, and fished out a waterskin from her pack. She carefully washed the wound, then handed the waterskin to Larken. After bandaging the never healing wound, she waited for Larken to finish her back.
He'd never seen or smelled her wound up-close like this before, illuminated by the moonlight. His wound was inconsequential compared to this. Rather than the nasty scar he had on his chest, her wound was a tainted hole of putrefied flesh that would never heal. Small dark veins spread out from the wound even though it never bled. They raised the skin surrounding it like a random series of dark spiderwebs. No wonder she was so self-conscious about it. He carefully poured some water around the wound and dabbed it with the cloth. Even though Larken's pain was occasional, it would never kill him. Not like this... He tosses the old bandage aside, yellow with puss, and puts the fresh bandage on. "How often do you change these?" He asked.
"I change this one every night," Jil said, placing her hand over her heart. "That one is a little more difficult. It doesn't get changed nearly as often as it should. I'm not entirely sure it matters."
Larken nuzzles her neck to indicate he's finished. If changing the bandages makes her feel better, he's happy to oblige. It's better than letting the wound fester more than it is already.
Jil smiled at the nuzzle, but quickly put the robe back on, and covered it with her armor. "I'm sorry. I never wanted you to see this." She quickly began to put away the religious trinkets. Resting her hand on the shrine, she whispered, "May this shrine being comfort to those who need it, and bring those who need comfort into your embrace." Blowing out the candles, she packed those away and turned to Larken. She was weary, and didn't look at him directly. "I'm ready."
"It takes a lot of strength to keep going, Jil. Stay strong, ok?" He takes her by the hand and leads her back to Kaya's House of Repose. He kept his thoughts to himself. Any form of pity or depression would lower her resolve. Maybe if he continued to show strength and support, it'd be reflected in her. This was his hope. He would always keep his fears to himself though...
"I'm trying," she said, resting her head against him. "I'm trying so hard. But I feel like I'm being taken into the jungle and I'll never leave. I'll never see this shrine again, never go home. I have no direction, anymore. No guidance. I'm not a fighter like you. You and Cor have seen things I can't begin to imagine. I don't know if I can do this. I don't know if I can ask you to put your life on the line for me. I don't know if I can ask that of anyone. It's killing me that you'd lay down your life for me, and I can't even help you. I'm trying, Larken. I really am."
There's been numerous times Larken has charged into a fight for Jil. Though her clergy were relatively pacifist, there's always been some form of evil to dispatch in the past. At that time it was different, as the possibly of death was fleeting for him. Now that possibility was a reality, but it still didn't waver his resolve. "I might bleed now," Larken responds, "But there's no one else I'd rather bleed for in this world. Everyone has their own reasons for this journey, and if removing this... curse cures you and others with it, there is no other choice. It's you who shouldn't go..." He'd brought this up before, but given her power and station within the Selunites she felt this was her mission. And it very well might be... "You could be resting with Syndra."
"I'm no good to anyone if I'm just resting." Jil snuggled against his arm. "I have to do something. If I die, so be it. If that is Selune's plan for me, fine. But I won't allow you to die." She poked him in the ribs with her free hand. "You're not allowed to die."
Larken and Jil get back to the inn late into the night.
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Kulan nods in response. As soon as Larken leaves, Kulan stands up, picks up Cor'avin, and takes her back to Kaya's House of Respite. He takes her to her room (based on the assumption that there are more females in the group, so they'd be in the room with more beds), then returns downstairs for a nice meal, and to wait for Larken's return. After all, Larken had asked a question and then left in a hurry.
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Korine glanced up when the door opened and Kulan came in, carrying the passed-out Cor'avin. She begins to rise from her seat before the half-orc waves her off. "I'll get her to bed, stay here," he says. She stifles a laugh at the odd sight, and settles back into her seat, awaiting his return.
"You've been gone for hours," she observes once Kulan returns to the common room. "I take it everyone had a good time? Something is going on with those three. I don't know what, but they are very worried about what's going to happen out there. They seem almost desperate, and under a huge amount of stress. Hopefully an evening of drink and fun will help them before we head out into the dangers of the jungle."
As Larken and Jil enter the inn, they both spot Korine and Kulan at a table. Larken gives them a slight nod before turning to Jil and hugging her. "Get a good sleep in, Jil. We'll have everything ready in the morning. I want to leave before noon."
He then turns his attention to the two sitting at the table. Without asking, he sits and says, "The meat markets are always freshest in the morning. We should gather enough food and water for at least two weeks. It takes a lot of water to stay hydrated in this heat. You need to boil any water, aside from the water caught in a rain catcher, before drinking. Beware of bugs... they carry a lot of diseases. If you apply repellent daily, you wont have to worry about that. Travelling in any kind of heavy armor," he looks at both of the paladin's armor, "Will make the journey much more difficult. It's up to you if you wish to enter the jungles wearing that armor." With a nod of finality he says, "Any questions for me?"
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"Jilwyn told us on the walk to the temple that you'd all been here about a year now, Larken, so your advice is certainly appreciated. I'm not familiar with the challenges of jungle travel, I admit. He have a fair amount of coin, and more promised from Inete, so hopefully we can afford everything we need after hiring our guide. Did you have any success in tracking either of our candidates down earlier this evening?" At Larken's mention of the challenges of traveling in heavy armor, Korine absently brushes at the white tunic she currently has on, imagining the sweat and discomfort her chain mail will cause in the jungle. "What sort of heavier armor do the locals wear? Do we have any alternatives? If the jungles outside these walls are filled with undead, dinosaurs and gods know what else, I can't say I relish the though of going without, and it seems Sylvane brought Kulan and I into the group to add some more combat power to the mix."
Larken listens quietly as Korine speaks, once she's done he answers. "No luck in finding them yet, but most ships arrive early in the morning so the guides will be out on the docks in full force. As for your armor... breast plate works well as it gives you the maneuverability of your limbs. Many that wear heavier armors in the jungle seem to prefer it." He waits for any other questions they might have for him.
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"I'm afraid that such protection is beyond my ability to afford it right now," replies Korine with a wry smile. "I'll just have to make due for now, I suppose, and if the opportunity arises to take advantage of something more suitable I will." Climbing to her feet, she bids the two good night. "I get the impression that you and Kulan had something to discuss that I am not privy to, and will take my leave so that you may. Until morning, then. Sleep well."
Kulan nods in response to Korine's question, before continuing. When Larken arrives, he listens intently.
"I too will stick to my chain armour, though primarily because I am used to its weight. If I were to switch, I worry that it might through me off balance. We have 145 gold to work with, after the rain catchers we bought, and Inete provides her 100. Or 170 gold if I add my personal funds."
At this point, Korine decides to take her leave, reminding Kulan why he was waiting down here originally.
"Cor'avin's answer was far from right. While Ilneval is an Orcish god, he's not as bad as the rest of them. However, he's still nowhere near a beacon of hope from whom light shines from every orifice. I ain't doing this to right a wrong, or as a personal challenge. I came here to help because I was bored of life on the Sword Coast. If you want a more meaningful answer, then I guess its a strategy of some kind, one of Ilneval's many."
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