Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

[Tassadar]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Spoiler

Naltaibur: HP = 49, PP = 58, EP = 56, Status = Fine, Paralyzed x6

NPC Stats
Mavra: HP = 63, PP = 54, EP = 56/79, Status = Pregnant, Paralyzed x16
Father Uldric: HP = 52/53, PP = 38, EP = 61, Status = Fine
Annabeth (Wizard Template) : HP = 35, PP = 50, EP = 0/55, Status = Helpless

Merc Stats w/ crossbows and swords, also duelist
Aluwin: Fine
Jax: Fine
Caden: Fine

Therion Guard Stats, shield/sword
Kormac: Fine
Jenkins: Fine

Archer/Duelists
Willem: Fine
Paul: Fine

When Naltaibur tried to scream, at first nothing more than a low croak came out, and the nearest alien crawled up onto the cot that she'd been laid on, several others not far behind. It moved almost lazily as it crept over her face, slowly drawing itself closer to the orifice from which it had been born only moments earlier, the light slowly creeping out. Mavra was covered in a swarm, and several leaped up onto Annabeth, going for her face and her leaking cunny. However, just as the paralyzed elf was blinded by her spawn and felt its ovipositor sliding past her lips, several more ripping at her clothes with their thin limbs in an effort to get at her other holes, the door slammed open and bootsteps sounded.

There was a chorus of skittering and curses, and suddenly the alien was ripped off of Naltaibur's face, and the light returned to reveal Uldric flailing the thing by its tail while one handing his hammer, which he quickly used to smash the scuttling monster against the wall over Naltaibur. Others were dealing with the swarm on the ground and the ones who had jumped onto Annabeth and Naltaibur, and even with as many as there were in the room the soldiers who piled in dealt with them quickly and efficiently. Soon the scuttling was gone, and the occasional drip of ichor and the heavy breathing of the men was all that remained.

"By the Lord of Stars," Paul muttered suddenly as he turned his gaze to Mavra and Annabeth, the latter having passed out, "what happened in here? Why.... Why didn't any of them call out?" Though she couldn't see most of the room, Naltaibur could see the look of anger on his face, and it wasn't the only one. Uldric, hovering over her, quickly slid the elf's mask back over her face while seemingly checking her for injuries, but there was no mistaking the thin frown and sweat that formed on the old priest's face.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

"Pa-ra-lid-dic," Naltaibur did her best to slur out. "Sss-wa... warmers... toxic." Now that the swarmers were gone, Naltaibur had at least the luxury of being able to take her time and retry when she failed to say anything.

"Just... nee... time," she forced out, speaking as best she could. The strain was immense - her body fought her for every action, every tiny movement and sound she wanted to make. "Poison... shoo... werr... off... soon. Can... tawk... den."

Ohhhh this was going to be such a problem. A headache. Probably even worse than what she had now.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Spoiler

Naltaibur: HP = 49, PP = 58, EP = 56, Status = Fine, Paralyzed x6

NPC Stats
Mavra: HP = 63, PP = 54, EP = 56/79, Status = Pregnant, Paralyzed x16
Father Uldric: HP = 52/53, PP = 38, EP = 61, Status = Fine
Annabeth (Wizard Template) : HP = 35, PP = 50, EP = 0/55, Status = Helpless

Merc Stats w/ crossbows and swords, also duelist
Aluwin: Fine
Jax: Fine
Caden: Fine

Therion Guard Stats, shield/sword
Kormac: Fine
Jenkins: Fine

Archer/Duelists
Willem: Fine
Paul: Fine

Uldric nodded, seemingly understanding what Naltaibur was trying to say. Unfortunately, he didn't have long to deal with her when the attention of the soldiers finally fell upon the prone and helpless Mavra and the mess she'd made of Annabeth. "Looks like the demon raped her," Willem remarked, his tone at once dry and sour. "Knew we shouldn't 'a taken it with us!" Caden spat, but Aluwin raised a hand to silence him and replied; "She hasn't done anything like this before. Well, not this.... Bad. We've all seen her fighting those things outside, and... Well, we've all heard of what demons do when they get hungry." His voice was grim too, but not as tinged with anger as his underling.

"You mean.... It took her soul!?" Paul said incredulously, his expression furious, and his wasn't the only one that promised imminent violence. Naltaibur, however, was left as little more than a passive observer, one who could barely even croak out semi-coherent words that were ignored by everyone but Uldric. "No," the old priest said quickly, drawing the attention of the soldiers as he rose to his feet and joined them around the two fallen women. "At least not all of it," he continued, but Wilem exclaimed; "All of it!? What do you mean all of it!?"

"Sister Annabeth will be fine," Uldric hurriedly said, trying to reassure them. "Fine?! She was just raped!" Paul said angrily, and Willem and Caden both nodded and scowled. "The creatures have a poisonous effect, you know that. It was likely that which caused it," Uldric reasoned, but Aluwin shook his head, "and then she was somehow paralyzed? She's awake, but obviously can't move." It was then that one of the Therion guardsmen, Kormack, decided to speak; "Why it happened doesn't matter. What are we going to do about it?"

Uldric scowled darkly at him, "it doesn't matter? Nonsense! Of course it matters!" Jenkins shook his head, "according to the law, it doesn't." Caden and the Blue Falcons nodded, but Uldric and Aluwin's expressions soured. "What are you suggesting?" the mercenary captain asked, "that we carry out her "sentence" for something that she probably couldn't help!? She's fought with us for heaven's sake!" Kormack's expression soured to match Aluwin's, "so has Annabeth, and unlike the demon, she didn't rape one of the people she'd fought beside!"

"You will not harm a hair on her head," Uldric said gravely as he moved to stand over Mavra, but he wasn't the only one who put a weapon to hand over the matter. Caden looked ready to join Paul, Willem, and Kormack when they prepared to advance on Mavra despite Uldric's statement, but Aluwin shoved him aside and moved to stand with the priest and Jax quickly moved to support his captain, the larger man scowling down the three others. That left a hesitant Caden and Jenkins on the side, but the latter seemed the calmest of them, and said; "Hold! There is a time and place for this sort of thing! She's no threat to the rest of us right now, and we should at least move Naltaibur and Annabeth out of here before anything gets decided!" That didn't diffuse the situation entirely, but that much at least the others seemed to agree on. "I'll carry Naltaibur," Jax grumbled quietly, before moving to lift Naltaibur's limp frame in a bridal carry. Kormack and Jenkins moved to haul away Annabeth, but if Naltaibur wanted to witness the rest of the conversation over her lover's fate she would have to try and speak up, before she was hauled out of the small storage room.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Naltaibur's eyes tried to follow the speakers, but the toxins in her were overwhelming - even her eyes were sluggish. Instead, she settled on watching the riled-up soldiers, who were clamoring for Mavra's death, reading them and trying to glean how difficult they would be to dissuade, individually.

When they spoke about taking her away, however, Naltaibur's thoughts shifted gear; she started envisioning how to handle the situation to keep from being hauled off, and to keep them from not only killing Mavra, but from killing each other as well.

When Jax picked her up, she spoke - hoped that, if her voice would not be heard when she spoke normally, then it would be noticed through contact. "No, leave me with Mavra," Naltaibur struggled to say, the paralysis making her voice catch, stop, and choke, and necessity making it repeat as necessary. If Jax didn't seem to notice, she would retry until he did, struggling hard to repeat it louder if she had to. "I explain when recover, ask wait. Remind others, quiet."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Spoiler

Naltaibur: HP = 49, PP = 58, EP = 56, Status = Fine, Paralyzed x6

NPC Stats
Mavra: HP = 63, PP = 54, EP = 56/79, Status = Pregnant, Paralyzed x16
Father Uldric: HP = 52/53, PP = 38, EP = 61, Status = Fine
Annabeth (Wizard Template) : HP = 35, PP = 50, EP = 0/55, Status = Helpless

Merc Stats w/ crossbows and swords, also duelist
Aluwin: Fine
Jax: Fine
Caden: Fine

Therion Guard Stats, shield/sword
Kormac: Fine
Jenkins: Fine

Archer/Duelists
Willem: Fine
Paul: Fine

The men who seemed to clamor for Mavra's punishment did so with heated outrage over what she had done to Annabeth. It was entirely possible that their heated rage would fade with time, making them more agreeable, but it was hardly a certainty given the passion with which they seemed to call for her head over her grave crime.

When she was lifted to be taken away, Jax calmly shook his head when she demanded to be left with Mavra. "No," he said, "she won't be harmed, but that's no place to leave anyone. When the rest have been talked down from their madness, she'll be moved into the main room," he replied grimly, and ignored any argument she might try to make on the subject from there on out.

Once outside of the room, the argument taking place inside would be completely inaudible, and she would be set down behind the counter where Annabeth, freshly wrapped in her robe, was laid nearby. Caden was shoved out of the storage room they'd been sleeping in, Aluwin grunting a command to watch the doors, and then the door was closed again after Jax had been the last to walk back in.

Minutes passed in tense silence as Naltaibur felt the hold of the poison offering no ground if allowing her to move or speak more coherently. Whatever happened in the smaller side room where Mavra had been left on the floor was left up to Naltaibur's imagination, but it seemed that not knowing was getting Caden just as antsy. The soldier began to pace back and forth in front of the counter, not in her line of sight but his footsteps scraping against the wooden floor loud enough for her to hear. After a few minutes he began to mumble under his breath, and though her movements were dulled the poison left her perception unhindered, and her sharp elven ears let her comprehend some of his mumbling; "Gods damned fools... Even thinking to let that foul thing live after what it did! And to a priestess! Madness! Utter madness... I knew the priest and the doctor were under it's spell, but Aluwin and Jax too?"

He fell silent for a few moments, the only sound in the room the scraping of his boots against the floor. "There's no choice," he said suddenly, just a bit more loudly, but then continued back in his subdued tone; "if they won't do what's right.... What if they force the others under her thrall too? What if I'm the last one left with their own will? I can't let this continue." Caden paused again, but this time his pacing paused as well, and after a few seconds he continued; "If they haven't taken care of it... I'll do what needs to be done when they bring her out. I'll have to be fast, so they can't stop me and so Uldric can't save her."

He began to pace again, and the next ten minutes went without sound save for the scrape of the mercenary's boots unless Naltaibur attempted to speak, though the poison would continue to inhibit her. Eventually, however, the door would open again, and Jax would step out. Kormac and Jenkins followed, both frowning, and then Paul and William followed with outright scowls. Uldric and Aluwing were last, hauling Mavra between them with her pants providing her a bit of decency even if the tight garb left her still present shaft plainly visible. Caden subtly started toward them, moving quietly and quickly as his hand reached for the dagger at his side, and Naltaibur was still helpless to move or raise her voice....

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

"What? I wasn't asking, Jax, put me back down! Hey!" Naltaibur said in alarm as her orders were rejected, as urgently as she could muster. The doctor was positively seething as she was put to rest outside. Asshole!, she shouted at him in her mind.

She soon had more to worry about, however: Caden's agitation was not conducive to anything good. Hoping to distract him, she started wheezing, and then calling his name. If she managed to get his attention, she would wheeze out a few words, making sure to sound as labored as possible (which really wasn't difficult at all, given how she could barely speak in the first place): "This poison... hard to breathe... getting harder. Need remedy... I'll walk you through. Please... get my herb bag. In room. Knock."

If he suspected her manipulation, she'd simply keep breathing raggedly, urging him with "Hurry"s and "I can't breathe"s, and answering accusations with something to the effect of "Paralyzed lungs, getting harder..."


If he bought it, Naltaibur would have him sort through the giant pile of similar-looking plants she'd taken from her laboratory. Using the dim light behind the counter as an excuse, she asked him to drag her onto the other side, preferably some way away from the counter, where the light would be better - the further he was from the door when they came out, the harder his plan would be.

She honestly was coaching him through creating a potion to cure her paralysis - the sooner she could be rid of this damnable poison, the sooner she could take command of the situation, after all. However, heating the water to steep the herbs in would take quite some time, and sorting through her herbs for all that she would need would take a lot of time as well, not to mention actually preparing everything - applying mortar and pestle, cutting, making sure to do the right things to the right herbs, and double-checking that the plants he'd selected and she'd approved weren't similar-looking things that would make her organs seize. Hopefully, she could keep his attention long enough for his plans to go awry.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Spoiler

Naltaibur: HP = 49, PP = 58, EP = 56, Status = Fine, Paralyzed x6

NPC Stats
Mavra: HP = 63, PP = 54, EP = 56/79, Status = Pregnant, Paralyzed x16
Father Uldric: HP = 52/53, PP = 38, EP = 61, Status = Fine
Annabeth (Wizard Template) : HP = 35, PP = 50, EP = 0/55, Status = Helpless

Merc Stats w/ crossbows and swords, also duelist
Aluwin: Fine
Jax: Fine
Caden: Fine

Therion Guard Stats, shield/sword
Kormac: Fine
Jenkins: Fine

Archer/Duelists
Willem: Fine
Paul: Fine

After Jax ignored her and set her down outside of the room where Mavra's fate was being decided, Naltaibur's efforts to distract Caden were, at first, met with failure. She did eventually manage to attract his attention, however, and when he peaked his head over the counter and found her seemingly struggling to breath he hurriedly abandoned his pacing and jumped the counter to try and help. The mercenary would simply nod and rush off, returning quickly with her bag out of which Dolly hurriedly crawled and took up a perch on the counter, sniffing about excitedly at the new surroundings but not going far from Naltaibur.

Her efforts to try and get moved to the center of the room - and thus get Caden farther from where Mavra would be coming from - resulted in failure. "I can't move you far... If something comes in you'd be in the way. You might be trampled. What do you need?" he said, and then followed her instructions as well as possible. It became quite clear that the mercenary had very little in the way of schooling, but that some practical experience in creating medicine for wounds at least made him capable. They didn't have nearly the time or materials needed to properly brew a potion infused with magic, but a simple herbal poultice that could assuage her paralysis - assuming that terrestrial medicine could help with the alien's poisons at all - was not beyond their time. It wouldn't be fun to take, but it might treat the symptoms of the poison a little bit faster at least. They had no way of heating water, or even getting water besides what was in their waterskins, so the result would have to be ground into a paste or chewed instead of mixed properly.

Her efforts to divert his attention wouldn't keep him far from the door, however, and when the rest of their group came through he promptly abandoned them. Naltaibur was left just as helpless as before... But she had forced him to come from the opposite side. The side with Aluwin. And that, thankfully, made Caden hesitate greatly, allowing the duo hauling the unconscious demoness to get past, to set her down on the counter where Caden had been mixing their potion, which he hastily moved aside for them, his dagger back in its sheath and his plan seemingly abandoned. The group of warriors set about guarding the various entrances while Caden continued following Naltaibur's instructions, mixing the potion right by Mavra now as well. Several minutes later, the mix was ready, and that left the elf with the choice of how to test it and how to try and administer it.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

The elf's breath caught in her throat when her demoness and the others emerged from the back room. ...Figuratively, anyway. Naltaibur had to keep her concentration on keeping up her charade of suffocation, to keep Caden's trust - or whatever remained of it - from crumbling, and to keep his attention off his assassination plan. She also had to worry about instructing Caden through making her medicine. It was a simple remedy, and she could make it in her sleep - though unfortunately, she could not make it while her body was near-entirely unresponsive, and Caden wouldn't be able to make it on his own.

Mavra was placed next to her, which was a comfort, until she realized Caden would be working right next to the demoness. Naltaibur continued to instruct Cayden, hoping nothing would come of this.

"Mortar n' pestle...in bag. Paste mix with." she said, as the last ingredient was added to the batch. "Smear on... mask nosehole. Will check... by smell..."

The doctor used her sensitive nose to examine the paste's smell - she expected it to be pungent-smelling, but too pungent might mean it was too strong. A variety of other smells could suggest some unforeseen effects to the mix, as well...

If the mix smelled satisfactorily certain not to kill her, Naltaibur would continue. "Expose mouth... put small dab... my mouth. Check by taste."

Naltaibur would hold the sample in her mouth, testing its effects without swallowing any of it. If it was poison, she'd be ready to spit - or perhaps drool - it out. She held it in her mouth or a good few minutes, letting the effects of the herbs propagate before making a decision to either spit it out or ask for a larger sample.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Spoiler

Naltaibur: HP = 49, PP = 58, EP = 56, Status = Fine, Paralyzed x6

NPC Stats
Mavra: HP = 63, PP = 54, EP = 56/79, Status = Pregnant, Paralyzed x16
Father Uldric: HP = 52/53, PP = 38, EP = 61, Status = Fine
Annabeth (Wizard Template) : HP = 35, PP = 50, EP = 0/55, Status = Helpless

Merc Stats w/ crossbows and swords, also duelist
Aluwin: Fine
Jax: Fine
Caden: Fine

Therion Guard Stats, shield/sword
Kormac: Fine
Jenkins: Fine

Archer/Duelists
Willem: Fine
Paul: Fine

Following Naltaibur's instructions, Caden mashed the various herbs together and then placed a sample on the nose hole of her mask. The pungent, bitter, spicy scent didn't seem off to her and by itself actually seemed marginally invigorating, but that didn't necessarily mean that it would work. Tasting it provided more or less the same reaction, but at the very least the small sample didn't make her feel any worse. That would probably have been a feat, given her continued nausea and splitting headache. Her jaw still didn't truly work, leaving her with little motor control to work with, so she'd have had to get Caden to shift her if she wanted to spit the stuff up properly. Waiting several minutes, Naltaibur noticed no real changes, nothing significant suggesting that it would work or that it would poison her from so minor a dose. The latter would likely have shown some symptoms by now, but without magic to empower it and make it take effect faster the medicine would probably take a long time to have any real effect if it were to work as intended, so if she wanted to get a real test out of it she would need to simply have Caden help her swallow the stuff. For now, the mercenary had seemingly abandoned his quest to kill Mavra, as he watched Naltaibur impatiently for signs of the medicine taking effect.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

"Doesn't work... as quick... without magic," Naltaibur wheezed out while waiting for results. When her tests proved fruitless, she (mentally) shrugged. Caden's mix didn't seem off... even if these little tests weren't restoring any feeling to her mouth or tongue that would be indicative of a success, she'd neither noticed any effects signifying that the remedy would harm her - outside of tasting horrible to compound how horrible she presently felt, and how terrified her waking and the proceeding events had been. Hopefully, she wouldn't regret her decision.

"Seems alright. ...Moisten... with waterskin... in bag... then... mash more. Feed me... the lot. Not too much... at a time... so... I don't choke."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Spoiler

Naltaibur: HP = 23/49, PP = 58, EP = 56, Status = Not Fine, Paralyzed x2, Hyperactive Poison (2d20+2 damage per round for 5 rounds or until healed.)

NPC Stats
Mavra: HP = 63, PP = 54, EP = 56/79, Status = Pregnant, Paralyzed x16
Father Uldric: HP = 52/53, PP = 38, EP = 61, Status = Fine
Annabeth (Wizard Template) : HP = 35, PP = 50, EP = 0/55, Status = Helpless

Merc Stats w/ crossbows and swords, also duelist
Aluwin: Fine
Jax: Fine
Caden: Fine

Therion Guard Stats, shield/sword
Kormac: Fine
Jenkins: Fine

Archer/Duelists
Willem: Fine
Paul: Fine

Rolls

Spoiler

Naltaibur has poisoned herself. The medicine partially works, but then it acts as a powerful stimulant that gives her a heavy adrenaline surge. Her body is unable to take the strain, and will take 2d20 +2 damage per round as her heart threatens to give out.
Damage: 6 + 18 + 2 = 26 damage.

Caden would nod and follow Naltaibur's instructions, watering the herbs and then mashing them up some more before slowly feeding Naltaibur the mix portion by portion. She felt feeling and energy returning as her body began to process the mixture, the paralysis slowly fading as her body was given the strength to fight it. It would take a few minutes to feed it to her and few minutes more for the effects to really set in, but as they did it became apparent that something in the mix had gone wrong. The herbal mixture she had concocted had included a number of stimulants, some of them fairly strong, but something had seemingly interacted to make that portion of her makeshift potion far too strong. As her limbs unlocked, Naltaibur could feel her breathing becoming labored, could feel her heartbeat speeding up to very dangerous levels. By the time she could properly move again, it had begun to beat so fast that it was in grave danger of going off rhythm, of stopping entirely, or even of exploding. As the elven doctor felt wild adrenaline surging through her, even that was unable to disguise the pain of her rapidly overloaded heart. If she didn't do something quickly, either to strengthen her heart muscle, repair the damage being done, or nullify the drugs before they could do more damage, Naltaibur was quite likely to die.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Naltaibur was unable to keep her face from contorting in pain once the drug's lethal side-effects started to kick in. Her strained breathing was actually real now, but thankfully, her mask was only pulled up to clear her mouth, so no one else had to see her dying. Well... 'thankfully' in that there wouldn't be any further strain on her group's morale at this point. The fact that no one would notice her expiry would be problematic, if control over her body weren't already returning.

Though the imminent relevance of her mortality was a terrifying thought, through the pain, Naltaibur tried to crack a wry grin. "I have good news and bad news, Caden," the elf started. "The good news is that your remedy worked. Thank you. The bad news is, it has also induced a heart attack. Let me concentrate."

The lock-up of Naltaibur's body away from her had even locked away the center of her magical power, preventing her from casting even the simplest of spells, but its return, almost any ailment was now hers to squash. She brought up her hands, closed her eyes and concentrated; with her finger, she wrote the magical formula for the panacea-spell, one of the powerful healing spells meant to eradicate any harmful processes in the body. It was a difficult spell made more difficult by the distraction of pain and mortal peril, but Naltaibur felt as if she had grown more used to her spell-casting faculties while her body had rejuvenated itself as she rested...

Spoiler

Casting Body L4 spell:
Greater Restoration (Utility) [Removes any negative status effects from the target.]

BC should be 35 VS DC 30.
(18 base, +16 Concentration x2, +10 Focus in Body, -1 armor, -8 HP damage)

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Spoiler

Naltaibur: HP = 23/49, PP = 58, EP = 50/56, Status = Better

NPC Stats
Mavra: HP = 63, PP = 54, EP = 56/79, Status = Pregnant, Paralyzed x16
Father Uldric: HP = 52/53, PP = 38, EP = 61, Status = Fine
Annabeth (Wizard Template) : HP = 35, PP = 50, EP = 0/55, Status = Helpless

Merc Stats w/ crossbows and swords, also duelist
Aluwin: Fine
Jax: Fine
Caden: Fine

Therion Guard Stats, shield/sword
Kormac: Fine
Jenkins: Fine

Archer/Duelists
Willem: Fine
Paul: Fine

Rolls

Spoiler

Casting: Success.
Naltaibur cures her poisoning. Including the paralysis.

"'What? Wait, what!?" Cadne said when Naltaibur delivered her dire news. "Uhhh.... H... Help! Somebody! I think... I think I got the medicine wrong!" he called, perhaps a little bit more loudly than was safe. Uldric and Caden hurriedly joined him in watching over Naltaibur, and the old priest demanded; "What happened? What did you do?"

Before Caden could answer, however, Naltaibur drew her runes in the air, the complex pattern guiding her energies in assailing the toxins running through her body and the damage done by them. Both her potentially fatal adrenaline surge and the leftover effects of the poison pumped into her system by the creatures that had crawled their way out of her throat were wiped away in moments by her potent magic, and with her system cleared she could move again and her heartbeat slowed to its normal rate. The others watched and waited, giving Naltaibur an opportunity to speak in Caden's place.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Once she was no longer in danger of dying, Naltaibur forced her stiff and awkward body to get to its feet. She felt unattended to strains on her body from the poison, but she could attend to it momentarily.

"Shh, remember. I had Caden mix a remedy for me, but I didn't attend to the potency as closely as I should have, and it was bad for a moment. No harm, otherwise. We may want to make preparations in case anything heard us with all that's just gone on - how long was I out? Have any of you perhaps seen a pot or something around that I could use...?"

While they answered, Naltaibur went about checking on the other two women, assessing them to see if there were any problems with their breathing, and whether or not their eyes were responsive. "Some things need to be discussed regarding what just happened, but right now, I need to make sure we're all okay," the doctor said as she got to work. If her initial checks told her they were okay, she progressed to use her custom-made diagnostic spell, washing her magic through them like dye to find their ails. With Annabeth, she also checked to see if the priestess had gotten pregnant. Gods... this was going to be complicated. If that all went without incident, she would also see about getting a pot and some materials and fuel together, to see if she couldn't get herself some restoratives made. She swear she'd piled some of that waspweed in her bag...

Spoiler

Gonna cast Diagnose on Mavra and Annabeth, starting on whoever's closer.

Also gonna try and start some EP potions cooking if I can. Is four doses too much?

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Spoiler

Naltaibur: HP = 23/49, PP = 58, EP = 50/56, Status = Better

NPC Stats
Mavra: HP = 63, PP = 54, EP = 56/79, Status = Pregnant, Paralyzed x16
Father Uldric: HP = 52/53, PP = 38, EP = 61, Status = Fine
Annabeth (Wizard Template) : HP = 35, PP = 50, EP = 0/55, Status = Helpless

Merc Stats w/ crossbows and swords, also duelist
Aluwin: Fine
Jax: Fine
Caden: Fine

Therion Guard Stats, shield/sword
Kormac: Fine
Jenkins: Fine

Archer/Duelists
Willem: Fine
Paul: Fine

"We're keeping watch in the streets," Aluwin remarked quietly, and glanced over to Paul and Kormak who were doing just that. Neither man seemed disturbed or offered any signal of incoming danger following the outburst from Caden, and the mercenary commander looked back to Naltaibur as Uldric asked; "You were out for the rest of the day. It's morning now." Then he glanced at Caden and said; "Go grab a pot from the kitchen. And fill another with water, if the plumbing still works."

Caden glanced at Aluwin, who nodded, and then went off to do as Uldric had asked. "Are you feeling any better?" the priest asked somewhat more coldly than one expressing genuine concern might have, but an addition a moment later might suggest the reason for that, "can you tell us.... What happened in there?"

When Naltaibur turned her attention to the two downed women, her spells would reveal their condition plainly. Mavra was closer, and the demoness was fully aware of her surroundings despite the paralytic poison still leaving her muscles unresponsive to her brain's commands. The number of creatures that had crawled up her throat had resulted in some damage to its lining, albeit nothing more serious than a cause of modest discomfort. Perhaps more worryingly, the eggs had seemingly found some way to attach themselves to the inside of her throat, leaving behind their small fleshy anchors that seemed as if they might eventually fall off on their own, in order to sap nutrients from the demon's body. Though she normally wouldn't have suffered from such nearly as quickly as a human might have, Mavra was moderately malnourished from having to support so many in addition to the child developing in her womb, fathered by Naltaibur now some two days prior. The fetus was healthy, but if Mavra didn't get a proper meal of some sort soon that might very well change.

Annabeth, on the other hand, seemed mostly alright. She hadn't been virgin when Mavra had raped her, that much was clear enough, and despite the likely forced nature of their tryst her body hadn't seemingly been afflicted with any great harm as a result. Unfortunately, Mavra seemingly hadn't been of a state of mind to keep herself impotent as Naltaibur might have heard demons could do if she had given them any great study. Annabeth was pregnant, the child so newly conceived that it had apparently only just taken root in the woman's womb. As Naltaibur examined that stressful detail, however, she would notice something extremely odd. The child showed no sign of demonic heritage, which should have been quite readily evident even at such an early stage. It hadn't started growing yet, even though Mavra's was already as large as a clenched fist and showing a vaguely humanoid sense. What was even odder was its general lack of corruption, something that it should have been rife with given its parentage, but Naltaibur could still feel a bit of magic emanating from the freshly created offspring. Expanding her senses back to Annabeth, Naltaibur would feel that same sense of strange magic coming from the woman, and although that might simply have been an aftereffect of her own spellcasting talents it was still odd.

"Are they... Alright?" Uldric would ask after leaving Naltaibur to examine the two for a few moments, and Aluwin looked as if he would quite like an answer to that as well.

Spoiler

Go ahead on ye potions.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

"Yes, I think I know what happened... one moment." A quick, magical check was all it took to assure Naltaibur neither of the women were mortally imperiled. "They'll both be fine."

Naltaibur took a moment to set her body back to normal. Siphoning power from the air, Naltaibur wrote it mentally into the familiar glyphs of the simplest of healing spells. It was a simple incantation, and she'd learned it from her father, before even her formal classes in the Academy - though she'd struggled with it then.

This spell, she used on herself, letting it soak through her. One glyph directed the magic; it embodied ideal health, and described a whole, unmaimed form, which the other glyphs used as a guide.

This spell, she repeated on Annabeth, to soothe whatever abrasions she'd sustained, and then on Mavra, whose throat was most definitely in need of such attention.

When that was done, Naltaibur stood up, and looked at the rest of the group, trying to gather her thoughts on how to explain this.

"Aluwin, I assume you remember that invader that you pried off of my face yesterday? While it was on me, it... apparently laid eggs in my mouth. Down my throat, actually. One also got to Mavra after she fainted yesterday, and Annabeth was caught, but as I recall observing she managed to throw her's up during the battle. Seven of the monsters you just killed crawled up from my stomach and out my mouth." Naltaibur paused, to look at her group. "I counted."

"They also seemingly flooded both Mavra and I with paralytic poison, presumably to prevent us from interfering with their emergence, and which is why we were both unable to move. My examination spell revealed fifteen hooks in her throat and windpipe where those eggs supposedly anchored themselves - I assume I have seven lodged in there as well. It also appears that they siphoned what they needed to grow out of us, so Mavra and I are going to need to eat soon. Incidentally, those creatures seemed already prepared to lay their eggs in us again, which, um. Might've killed us, judging by how many their were, and that they steal their nutrients from us to grow. So, thank you."

"Next... please forgive me for this digression. Spellcasting requires magic energies, of course - very weak magic can draw on power in the air, but spells of any significant strength use the spellcaster's soul to fuel them. The soul rejuvenates over time, so this is not normally a problem, though exhausting oneself causes one to faint - the soul simply no longer can operate the body."

This is a basic tenant for all magicians - I turn my soul into healing and whatever else you've seen me do, as does Annabeth and Mavra. She used up essentially all of her soul on that cut to the flying invader yesterday, which is why she passed out. Unfortunately, Mavra's soul is... different. She can only rejuvenate by taking soul from other people."

Quickly, Naltaibur added, "And taken soul rejuvenates! Annabeth will recover. The issue is that, when such a soul as Mavra's is as used up as her's was, it overrides the rational mind, and seeks out replenishment... and for most that must take soul to rejuvenate their own, the method of taking is... intimate contact. So, um. That's... that's why this happened."

Naltaibur once again interjected, before the others could speak. "Let me first say that this is my fault. I collapsed before I could address it yesterday, just as I collapsed before I could address the issue of being mouth-raped full of invaders. If I'd been able to stay conscious awhile longer, I might've been able to warn you to prepare for the hatchlings, and to have left her with me, so she could have raped me instead. I, Um... I've been feeding her my soul, incidentally. She didn't have a penis those times, though..."

The admission of her relation with Mavra left the elf blushing a little under her mask, but she'd made so many faux pas in keeping it secret, she might as well give it up, she thought. They probably suspected as much by now, anyway.

"And lastly, I would like to remind you all that her magic was instrumental in killing both of those flying mage-invaders and Kormac from dying when a lizard got him," Naltaibur said. "What happened does not change the fact that Mavra is an invaluable reason that we haven't all - in fact, none - of us, have perished yet. What happened was terrible, but not indicative of malicious character, only a desperate act of survival. Therion's inhabitants are already being slaughtered en masse by the invaders, and every hand against them is needed - I implore you to put aside your anger for the sake of Therion and her people."

"Now that there's time, safety and materials, I can work on brewing some potions to restore the soul that will prevent this from happening in the future. I will also remove the poisons in Mavra, before she starts suffocating as I was. Enough time with enough soulstuff has passed that that the madness should have left her. If I may..."

Spoiler

Provided the group simply let her continue with her plans, which Naltaibur honestly was unsure they would, the night elf would cast her spell purge Mavra's body of poisons, and then try to make her way to the kitchen to set about making the aforementioned potions and finding something to eat. Preferably, she'd drag Mavra along with her... pushing her mask out of the way and squeezing her arms tightly around the demoness once she'd got her alone. Naltaibur just wanted to hold her demoness tight... this situation was too tense for her, and she was scared something might happen to her...

Spoiler

NALTHREAD: THE EXPOSITIONING

Casting Least Healing Touch on me, then Anna, then Mavra.

Totes wanna make 6 Energy potions out of whatever I have in my herb bag.

Also, 2 Morning After potions.

Have Herbalist, so that's 1/4th the listed price, right. Should be 25 denarii, if you wanna take it outta ye money?

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Spoiler

Naltaibur: HP = 49, PP = 58, EP = 50/56, Status = Better

NPC Stats
Mavra: HP = 63, PP = 54, EP = 56/79, Status = Pregnant
Father Uldric: HP = 52/53, PP = 38, EP = 61, Status = Fine
Annabeth (Wizard Template) : HP = 35, PP = 50, EP = 0/55, Status = Helpless, Pregnant

Merc Stats w/ crossbows and swords, also duelist
Aluwin: Fine
Jax: Fine
Caden: Fine

Therion Guard Stats, shield/sword
Kormac: Fine
Jenkins: Fine

Archer/Duelists
Willem: Fine
Paul: Fine

Uldric and Aluwin showed a good bit of relief at being told that both women would recover from their ordeals, though both allowed her to finish hear healing without asking further. She felt the anchors through which the parasitic eggs had leeched nutrients from her body dissipate as the healing magic worked on her, and the same would happen to Mavra when she was healed. Annabeth hadn't suffered much in the way of physical trauma when Mavra had raped her, thankfully, and even a minor healing spell cleared up what little bruising she would have suffered. That wouldn't ease the memory of it, however, nor would it remove the child that Mavra had seeded her with.

Then it was time for Naltaibur to explain what had happened, however, and her initial report of how the creatures had crawled up from her stomach seemed to sicken everyone in the room. It was obviously a chilling thought, and another horror that these invaders had inflicted upon the people of Therion, with the knowledge of how the newborn creatures had paralyzed them during birth and prepared to lay more eggs in them after painting a dark picture. "Gods.... How many people do you think have ended up like that? Just... Paralyzed, making more and more of those things," Aluwin muttered, while Uldric solemnly shook his head. "One more horror to put against these creatures," he said, "they have much to answer for."

As Naltaibur continued on to explain about how magic drew its energies from the soul, Uldric seemed to follow it just fine, quite possibly already knowing it considering the talents that he had already displayed, while Aluwin and the rest were mostly looking as if it was all going right over their heads. They mostly seemed to accept that Annabeth's soul would be fine, at least, and her admission that she'd been feeding the demoness only came off as a surprise to those who hadn't been with them long enough to have been around for one of their sessions. It did prompt a glimmer of distrust from Caden and the two Blue Falcon mercenaries, but if Naltaibur's attention was focused on the two men most directly before her it would likely be missed.

Pointing out that the demoness had been instrumental in their survival did seem to sway those who had been on the fence about what to do about her actions, mostly the two Theronian soldiers, though there were still scowls all around. The room fell into silence for a few moments after she implored that Mavra be forgiven for her crime in light of the present situation and her past actions. Uldric nodded without comment or question, accepting the idea immediately, and after glancing at the priest Aluwin followed suit. "We can't spare the help," he said, prompting Caden to glare at him in fury and suspicion. "No," Kormac said suddenly, the normally calm man's scowl now fairly severe, "we let it go... For now. But when this is over... Justice needs to be done. That's how it is." His tone broached no argument, and though he seemed more hesitant than his companion Jenkins eventually nodded.

Naltaibur would nonetheless be allowed to relieve the demoness of her paralysis, her spell clearing the poison from her system and leaving her able to move again. Mavra wouldn't move for a few moments, gazing blankly towards the ceiling, before slowly sitting up and silently staring at Aluwin and Uldric. Her gaze drifted over to Caden, whom she had been fully conscious around while he'd been plotting to kill her, and then back to Naltaibur. She didn't say a word.

Unfortunately for Naltaibur, she would not be granted privacy. Aluwin would signal for Jax to follow them, and after a moment Paul and Willem would follow them as well. She could still make her affectionate gesture, but Mavra would return it in a fairly numb manner, wrapping her arms lightly around the elven doctor's waist and gently holding her.

Spoiler

Did I give you a number for how much dosh worth of stuff you had? If I didn't, you have 100 dosh worth. Herbalist halves it again on top of the ritual already halving it, so the costs are pretty low. Round up.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

The elf didn't keep her eyes on one place as she scanned the crowd, and so saw the fall in the faces of the Blue Eagles and Caden - perhaps looking a bit like the bird whose face she wore, turning each way as she peered through the lenses of her mask. "Is justice your goal, or your shield, Kormac?" Naltaibur asked. The night elf stood straight up, mustering whatever grandeur her meager height possessed. "Very well. As I have said, it is my failure that caused this. I was unable to keep Mavra's reserve of magical energies high enough that she could fight in battle, and in defense of myself and us all, she drained her soul, which I furthermore failed to address before it came to this. The blame is mine."


In the kitchen, Naltaibur embraced Mavra in spite of the four men that had elected to join them, partially to comfort her demoness, and partially to comfort herself. Worry for Mavra was causing her to shiver, and even though she tried to stop herself - to put on a brave face for her demoness - she couldn't stop the shakes completely. "I'm sorry, Mavra," Naltaibur whispered. "I'm sorry I couldn't get us out of there fast enough to keep you from doing that, and I'm sorry I lied when I told you I'd never let you go empty again. I'm sorry."

Naltaibur reached out with her mind to grasp Mavra's. ['Are you alright?'] she asked. Naltaibur wondered what was going through the demonesses' head right now... she was a sensitive woman, Naltaibur thought she might be horrified by what she'd done. She also hoped Mavra wouldn't resent her for not even trying to say she didn't rape Annabeth...


There was work to be done, though. Naltaibur would leave their minds entwined, but would step away and withdraw her thoughts from Mavra's once she thought she might have calmed down some, and might perhaps want some alone time to think to herself.

"Are you lot here for my protection or because you don't trust me?" Naltaibur asked, as she set 5 pots with water - summoned with magic, if need be - to heat on the kitchen's huge hearth. For the most part, she shut the windows, not wanting the smell to attract attention. It might get a little warm, but she was used to that by now - spending all the time in her thick clothing, often down in her secret laboratory, where potions were often bubbling, and the sole ventilation came from a tiny chimney and a small vent near the entrance. She dug through her sack, choosing herbs and reagents, and then preparing them for their recipes. She lined up tiny, sturdy phials that had so far survived their tribulations from her bag of surgical and sample-taking equipment, ready to receive her mixes once they were done.

On the side, she began cooking. Frying was loud, so she instead boiled some of the food she could find in the kitchen in a sixth pot, seasoning it liberally with whatever spices and the like she could find. There was a lot of cooking to be done, and this being a kitchen only two days in, she figured there'd be a goodly stock of food for her to use. They were all tired and hungry, after all - a good meal would help them in ways her healing magic wouldn't. Naltaibur was a pretty decent cook, she reckoned - being too afraid to go out without her mask on for several years had rather necessitated that she learn. It also had helped explain all the meat she bought for her research - both its acquisition, and its disposal. Not that she ate it, with all those mutagens and experimental substances she'd used. Rather, it helped when she burned or threw out old meat...

When some of her food finished, she tasted it, reseasoned it some, and then gave some to everyone that was present in the room with her, biggest portion going to her depleted demoness, of course. "Eat," she commanded, already flitting about tending to both what herbs had to go in which batch of brew and preparing a second batch of food as well.

Spoiler

"You'll never have to go empty like that as long as I'm with you, Mavra."

Telepathizing to Mavra for 2 EP.

Assuming I can cook them all at the same time, I'mma cook up:
8 Energy Potions
4 Healing Potions
4 Morning After Potions
4 Deadly Poisons
3 Paralyzing Poisons

Total cost: 85 denarii

If I can't, I'll omit the Healing Potions and the Paralyzing Poisons.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Spoiler

Naltaibur: HP = 49, PP = 58, EP = 56, Status = Better

NPC Stats
Mavra: HP = 63, PP = 54, EP = 56/79, Status = Pregnant
Father Uldric: HP = 52/53, PP = 38, EP = 61, Status = Fine
Annabeth (Wizard Template) : HP = 35, PP = 50, EP = 0/55, Status = Helpless, Pregnant

Merc Stats w/ crossbows and swords, also duelist
Aluwin: Fine
Jax: Fine
Caden: Fine

Therion Guard Stats, shield/sword
Kormac: Fine
Jenkins: Fine

Archer/Duelists
Willem: Fine
Paul: Fine

"She raped a priestess," Kormac answered coldly when Naltaibur questioned his motives. "Whether or not circumstances ought to mitigate or negate the punishment for what she did isn't for us to decide. It's for the courts," he continued in the same cold tone. "That is the law. Whether or not either of you like."

Whatever her reaction might be to Kormac's words, Naltaibur would soon be in the kitchen with a still seemingly numb Mavra, plus a few unwanted extras. "It wasn't your fault," Mavra replied distantly, coldly, while still barely returning her embrace. When Naltaibur sent a mental tendril her way, the demoness violently refused it, pushing it away and not giving the elven physician even the barest glimpse at her thoughts. Naltaibur could try to press that contact, but Mavra had apparently had some experience in resisting such and had talents similar to her own, so it would probably just be a waste of energy when she could just ask out loud. If she did, however, Mavra would hesitate for a moment before simply shaking her head, and offering no further information with which to work.

"Both," Willem responded, and though Paul would nod both Jax and Aluwin would scowl and shake their heads, the leader of the trio replying; "For your protection. Only." The divide between the two sets of mercenaries only grew as they glared daggers at each other, but whether or not Naltaibur wanted to try and end the conflict brewing over what ought to be done about Mavra's attack on Annabeth was her business.

In the meantime, she had potions to brew. Setting up a few pots and throwing in some summoned water and carefully arranged and mixed ingredients, Naltaibur would have her various projects in the works in short order, though it would be about an hour before they were ready. Gathering up some food to boil into a stew in the process didn't add more to her workload than she could handle, however, having gotten used to multitasking over the years. When it was announced that food was on hand, there was a bit of a jostle for everyone else to get some as well, but Mavra was fed first, and Uldric waited to eat just to make sure that Naltaibur herself got a decent portion herself. She would be almost out of intact vials by the time she'd poured out all of her potions, however, and her useable herbs would be mostly depleted. Dolly had somehow gotten out, but was sniffing at Naltaibur's hand and running around the table while flapping her batlike wings, making no apparent effort to get too far from Naltaibur while she and the others ate, and despite their hunger a few of the soldiers gave the unusual little rat some scraps to eat.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

"It wasn't yours, Mavra," Naltaibur whispered back to the demon. "I know we haven't known each other for very long, but... I'm confident that, had you had a choice, this wouldn't've happened. You're a good person, Mavra. I'm confident of that." Naltaibur squeezed harder. "I'm sorry for anything I've said that upset you. Please, just know that my feelings haven't changed."

Naltaibur interrupted her preparations to step between the soldiers. "You lot knock that shit off," the doctor said, annoyed. "I've got a splitting headache from overusing my telepathy yesterday, and my whole body still aches from how much magic I've been using. I didn't get to enjoy what sleep I got either, what with the seven little monsters leeching offa my body from the inside that woke me up clawing their way back up my throat. Since I suspect you won't fuck off and let me have some alone time, could you at least let me have a somewhat tension-free atmosphere while I cook up these potions and a hot meal for us? Gods above."

The comforting business of working had completely driven her need to build herself back up from her mind - Naltaibur only remembered it when she tried to hand food to Uldric, who reminded her that she needed food as well. She couldn't exactly eat right now though... pulling her facemask up to eat blinded her, and she needed to pay attention to myriad of bubbling concoctions. She didn't want to unmask entirely, either, since there were so many sharing her kitchen with her... so, she handed the plate back, promising to eat once she was less busy.