Trying Not to Drown

Log Info

• Title: Trying Not to Drown
• Emitter: Schara
• Characters: Schara, Warrick, Verna
• Place: Temple of Vardama
• Time: March 2nd, 2023
• Summary: At the Temple of Vardama, Schara is doing their best to work up the courage to go into the temple proper. While they are waiting, Warrick leaves the temple, him having been paying respects just as Verna arrives to fulfil their Mourner duties. They talk about troubles down by the dock, Verna apparently somewhat familiar with the situation. Conversation steers towards Schara expressing overwhelming worries about many things, which, for once, Warrick all but pleads for them to go speak with the Mourners. Verna is more than happy to assist. Schara gives it a shot.

The temple of Vardama, late afternoon.

People often came and went to the mountain temple, but the later in the day it got, the less petitioners were about, having left to make the journey back while the sun was still hanging in the sky. What little light was left was threatening to dip fully over the horizon.

At the base of one of the many basalt pillars sat an elf, bundled almost completely in the fur lined cloak they were wearing, other than their head sticking out in a white woolen hat. She wasn't paying attention to the comings and goings of people, instead hunched over a book with a metal rod sticking out of the corner of her mouth, but ocassionally she looked up towards the door, and quickly back to continue their reading.

Coming out of the mountain temple was that of an eldanar man in a grey overcoat, a sheathed longsword held by the strap in hand. Eyes a tinge red, he rubs his face, and looks out up to the sky beyond. The elf's movements get him to glance over, and he quirks a brow up high. Languidly, he ambles over. "Schara," he greets, voice a touch hoarse.

From the mountain road outside the temple, a form approaches the basalt steps. Verna begins to rather blend with the stone as soon as she begins her ascent of the stair, given her cloak, robes, and complexion (when seen) all only vary between charcoal and gray. "Afternoon," she greets those outside as she nears.

Schara looked up from her book, and looked at Warrick for a moment before she sighs. "Hello Warrick, it's good to see you." The elf answers. "I'm sorry, I don't know you that well, and I'm not particularly good at giving hugs anyways, otherwise I would offer you one, still, are you alright? If you need someone to talk to, I'm here to listen if you need and you look pretty sad."

"Oh, and hello miss Verna." She adds in greeting to the mourner. "I hope you are alright since a lot of people aren't these days, and thank you for overseeing everything here the other day."

Warrick shakes his head. "Appreciate the offer, but I've done enough crying as is," he politely declines. "I'm fine. Just... paying respects is all. I'm more surprised that you are here. This doesn't seem to be your... kind of place?"

He turns some to spy Verna. "Mourner," he greets respectfully with a slight bow.

Verna's hood opening lingers upon Warrick for a time before it dips respectfully. "If there is anything I might do to aid the Bereaved, please do not hesitate to inquire." Hood and focus pan to Schara. "That is a most subjective question. The Cycle brings joys and pains, alike. I am well enough, perhaps moreso than some at this moment. Tomorrow, the positions of our relative status may be reversed. Are you both well enough this day?"

"Alright, but I'm here if you need someone to talk to, but not crying more is probably better." The artificer sighs. "I'm not sure. I'm still thinking if I should even go in there, or not. It isn't really my place, no, but there aren't many places to pay respects to the dead."

"It would be nice if people could just have a straight answer of feeling okay these days. I guess it comes with part of being a mourner." The elf sighs again. "I'm not alright, but that's okay. I wasn't sure if I'd be capable of talking to people in there, but if no one has done it yet, then someone needs to figure out if Harshad had any next of kin to notify, and I wanted to apologize to Kira for messing up on my first job again and that happening, and being unable to help those two guards, but the offering area was changed for other people and I don't know where to go now."

"Crying is good. In doses," Warrick deadpans. "But I'll keep that in mind. I am... a bit too familiar with these grey halls. But you should go in there. Best not leave regrets." At that, he looks to open doors into the halls, searching for something.

But he shakes his head and turns towards Verna. "Sage wisdom, Mourner. I have grieved enough, I am just merely visiting the catacombs."

He quirks his head at Schara. "Harshad? The ruffian we worked with? Why would be his next of kin need be notified?" he asks, a touch worried. "... you sound like you need Verna's services, Schara.

"My services are available," Verna notes. "If you wish a private or semi-private chamber to offer your respects or prayers to any decedents, such can be arranged." After a moment's pause, she adds, "My apologies if my answer was misleading nor confusing. The intent was only thus: all things change. How you are or feel today, all will not be the same on the morrow. If you are unwell, all shall likely improve; if you are well, there will be times you are unwell. None are immune to this, myself included."

"Harshad? You're right, I guess he is okay after all that, maybe." The artificer answers. "But what if they aren't? You saw what happened to those two oruch guards, and what they did to that gnome. What if it was some affliction that affects oruchs, maybe half oruch? Has anyone checked on them since then?"

"And what if things are unwell, and keep getting unwell?" Schara sniffs. "You saw what that person did to them, and I highly doubt it's a coincedence they have the same name, or were pretending to use the same name as whoever bought off my debts."

Warrick nods along with Verna, him leaning against one of the basalt pillars with his arms crossed. "Can't have bad days without good days," he adds, seemingly quite familiar with the notion. "The services are quite helpful, in my opinion."

Something Schara says his eyes widen, and he's down on his haunches next to them. "Schara. You are over analyzing. Whatever that black muck was... I have a hunch it was that mul's doing. Probably did it to keep from having ties to them."

A sigh escapes him. "If its the person that bought off your debt, then we have pretty strong evidence that points to us being able to do something about it. Besides, how many mul'neissa with red hair live in Alexandria? It's not like they have many places to hide beside underground."

Verna's hood pans between the two, more than once. "Oruchs? Mul'niessa? Black muck? If it is any consolation, I have received no word of such at the temple. Admittedly, I may simply be unaware."

"Maybe they're keeping it hushed up because we weren't supposed to be there, but the information led us directly into a trap." Schara huffs, curling up even more beneath their cloak. "And what if he does it again? If he killed those two people so easily, what's stopping them from doing it again? And what evidence do we really have? They knew we were going to be there and they were feeding us false information the entire time. I wouldn't be surprised if that was just an illusion to get someone else arrested while they continue to work with any suspicions gone. And then it will be me dragged in there instead of that gnome, and who knows what will happen then?"

GAME: Warrick rolls will: (13)+2: 15

Warrick's jaw subtly clenches, his hold on his sheathed sword tight and white knuckled. It seems as if he's about to say something, but he instead closes his eyes and takes a deep breath through his nose. A moment to collect himself. "Schara," he says firmly. "Listen to me. Life is full of what ifs and what coulds. I would not be here right now if I got hung up on those, okay?"

He looks back into the halls, chewing his lip. "We aren't the Watch. Which means we don't go by the rules. I don't like adventurers much, but one thing they are good at is wringing an entire ocean out of a pebble of information. Our false information might line up with a consistency somewhere else."

He looks up to the Mourner. Watches her for a moment. "And with Verna's information, we know none are here. My whole job was information and lack thereof. Mourner Verna, a loan shark is doing nefarious transmutation to those indebeted to them. Turning them into rats for some kind of sick game. Keep an eye out for a dark skinned mul man with red hair."

He turns to Schara, and for perhaps the first time, there isn't a usual deadpan manner to his tone. A heavy, hefty, guilt ridden firmness supplements: "And for your own sake. Go. Talk. To. The. Mourners."

Verna simply listens to each as they speak, in turn. No further inquiries are made and she is quite for a few moments after. She looks to Schara, first. "He is correct. One should focus upon what can be done, now and in the future, to address concerns, not what might have been done. That said, I am well aware that knowing that truth and believing that truth are wholly different."

"Your warning is noted," she assures Warrick, "and the Watch should nbe notified. If not them, with magic involved, the Arcanist Society could certainly aid." She pauses to consider before finally inquiring. "You mentioned a gnome. Did this occur on or around the docks?"

"I'm not sure if I agree with everything, but you're right on most of it, at the very least." Shara relents. "They were using the name Mortin, either to frame someone else, or to hide their identity, but they were at least using it for legal documents to denote payments, and it did happen around the docks" She adds to the explanation.

"I, I don't know if I can talk to the mourners. I could try, but I don't want to be hurt even more again."

Warrick looks to Verna. "Yes, near the docks. There was a gnome. Was. They are a rat now. We can't alert the Watch, aside from a tip off, as we were trespassing. But the Society, yes."

He kneels down to Schara, getting eye level with them. Behind that gruff visage and sunken eyes is a lot of pain that's typically masked. But at present, he's peering over it. "Nothing hurts more than regret. If not for your sake, then for the sake of those that are gone," he hoarsely intones. "Mourner Verna here would be more than willing to help. You seem to know them. You're drowning, and I hate to watch it happen to someone else."

"Mortin..." emits quietly from Verna's hood, both with recognition and repetition. Not to mention a frown, if her tone is indication, "is a demon, according the a gnome myself and others spoke to only a few days past. The gnome moved oddly, as if unaccustomed to his form, yet there was no illusion nor temporary effect. Transmutation, perhaps. This may be no mere criminal seeking coin..." A nod of hood is made to Warrick to acknowledge his last without speaking of it aloud.

Her focus then turns fully to Schara. "I cannot guarantee a cure to your ails, yet if you wish conversation, I am available. If you would not care to speak to a Mourner, I need not be on duty for such conversation."

"So they were a demon? I don't want to assume, but the gnome did something they shouldn't have, and were punished for it." Schara notes, wincing just a bit at the thought. The elf blinks, and bows her head. "Alright, I guess I can give it a try, since Verna seems nice enough and she's also married so there's nothing to worry about there." They consider, before looking up and nodding. "Alright, I can talk to miss Verna, but I don't know any of the other mourners well enough to talk to them right now. I'm sorry, but all this business is just bringing up too many bad memories."

Warrick listens quietly to Verna's synopsis, him idly fiddling with a fastener on his sleeve and leaving it unbuttoned. He nods slowly as if filing that information away for later. "Great. More demons," he deadpans, spoken like a true guard.

He rises to his feet, and offers a hand down to Schara. "I don't understand what being married has to do with anything, but I know of the Mourner, and she is good folk."

His eyes half lid. "Thank you. For at least giving it a chance. Bad memories have to get worked through to get used to them. It's what my squad would have told me to do. And my wife."

"He may well have been punished for his words to us," Verna notes rather neutrally. "Such was his concern, yet once he spoke of demons, we could not ignore the risk. Perhaps he can be located and retrieved, yet. I shall see what might be done." Her hood dips low to Schara. "At your conveniece and only so much as you wish." The comment on her marital status is confusing, though she makes the most logical leap she might of Schara's concerns. "I can assure you that, wed or not, my intent is to offer an open ear and possible advice, not to bed you." A long exhale emits from her hood before it dips to Warrick. "Yes, demons. At times it appears that I cannot walk from temple to market without tripping over one. I tire of their machinations as much, if not moreso, as others."

Warrick rubs his neck after helping Schara up, if they so wish to be pulled up. He can't help but snort at Verna's neutral comment. "Last thought on my mind, to be honest. But, yes, more demons isn't... fun. Had to deal with that."

He shakes his head and pats his pocket. Pauses. Pats again. "Ah. Forgot something in the catacombs. I must go, can't leave that around. Have a good day you two. And... Schara." He affixes them with a soft gaze. "... thank you."

That being said, he briskly walks back into the basalt temple.

"Alright, thank you, Warrick, I'll at least try to give it a chance. As for what it has to do-" The elf begins answering as she helps herself up with Warrick's assistance, unable to properly hold the hand herself but still pull upwards, the elf blinks, and wipes at her eyes with her other arm, the book she had been reading tumbling to the ground. "Thank you, that is very reassuring to hear miss Verna, and means a lot."

"Demons, I'm not sure how to deal with them, but I hope they can be dealt with. Take care Warrick, and you're welcome for something or other, but maybe I'll figure it out later." She adds with a small wave to the departing man.

Verna stoops to retrieve the fallen book. She is there to assist, for one. As well, damage to any tome would be unfortunate. She bids Warrick farewell and then offers the material politely to Schara to retrieve at her convenience. "I am pleased to reassure and to that end: yes, fiends can be dealt with. Furthermore, they shall be. Some may be formidable, but they are not all-powerful."

"Thank you, Verna, I didn't realize how worried I was about everything, that I forgot what I was even doing here to begin with, to that end." Schara notes as she takes the book back carefully and stows it in her jacket, a nondescript tome on medicine of some kind. "Well, if they are dealt with, that's good for everyone, isn't it?" The elf attempts to smile, which fails quickly. "Well, I've been out here long enough. Could you show me inside before I start thinking about why I shouldn't go in again?"

"Certainly," Verna gestures ahead to the temple with one glove hand whilst the other extends out slightly towards Schara: one to indicate, one to aid in ushering and escort. "At your convenience, this way. We will find a suitably appropriate and comfortable room for your use."

-End Scene-