[The party is awakened the next morning by Veridis' cat, Vim, meowing.]
Clymestria: Already awake after a battle of will with the remaining herb in her system (a bad case of bongitis). She struggles to keep her mind sharp as she finishes her morning ritual
Brilligh: [lays quietly on her bed, listening to Veridis' house waking up. After some deep breathing, she stands, stretches for several minutes, then silently begins her morning salute to Hecate & four of the directions of the Multiverse.]
Pfeftzet:[groans and rolls over on her side covering her head with her arm]
[(enter Veridis Mov) Veridis gets up and feeds the cat. And starts to prepare breakfast]
Pfeftzet:[Throws a boot at the door and mutters some indistinguishable curse words. As the house continues to awaken, she grudgingly rises and prepares herself to join the part.]
Veridis: Here you go little Vim, eat up... There's a good cat.
Veridis: Here you go little Vim, eat up... There's a good cat.
Brilligh: [In her mind's eye she watches Veridis with his cat, thinks upon her turncoat crow, & ponders the pros & cons of another familiar. For about 20 minutes, she writes down an account of what she experienced and committed in her last battle. The 'mind effect' the party was debilitated by was unusual, but her response to it, a pure blast of willpower, was equally odd. She hopes that by writing out this account, she might come to understand what she did, and use this 'talent' or 'skill' in the future.]
Veridis: [Goes to each room and knocks on the door] The morning is here. Time to awaken! Breakfast will be ready soon.
Veridis: [Goes to each room and knocks on the door] The morning is here. Time to awaken! Breakfast will be ready soon.
Clymestria: [Standing in the doorway as Veridis comes knocking] Morning.
Veridis: Lady Clymestria, good morning to you. Please join me for breakfast downstairs, it shall be ready soon.
Clymestria: I know that, as a comunity, you have chosen to keep out religion. But if you desire, I could offer my services to your household.
Veridis: Thank you, that's a kind gesture but it won't be necessary. No offense to you or your beliefs.
Brilligh: [Waiting for a couple other members of the group to go out of their rooms and join the host so she will not be directly forced to make small talk with any one person. (She has nothing in particular against her host, or most of the people in her party, but she is explicitly uncomfortable in those 'pretend polite' situations, and would just prefer to keep everyone at arm's length.)]
[At the sturdy well built dinner table a man servant is setting places for the party.]
Veridis: [seated, stands to greet the party] Good morrow friends. Please sit and eat with me. Before you go I'd like to give you a proper parting.
[food is served, a meal of goat cheese, bread and a vegetable soup]
Peter: (eyes rolling in back of head possible concussion symptoms)[quietly hovers and awaits to be seated by a competent staff member] (clears throat loudly) Hmm-hmm. (looks at Veridis) I want to thank you personally for your hospitality. You have been so kind sir. My apologies but I'm still feeling a bit ill. Do you perhaps have something gentle on the stomach like a potage with milk cream and fruit on the side? Mayhaps some toasted rosemary bread and a side of mint leaves served of course with a tasteful fruit juice. (Peter looks at Brilligh and Clymestria with an almost look of respect and nods knowingly to their power).
Veridis: It may take some time before the people here realize the amount of good you've done for this town. I received word early this morning that Kair Amaa's body was found in the house he was renting. The landowner's agent found him stuffed under the floorboards. I've had my suspicions that there was something going on for a while. I had been hoping to speak you, but I was not sure if I could trust you folks.
Servant: [to all] Would anyone like a drink this morning?
Brilligh: [to servant] Sure, I'd fancy a carafe of red wine and a carafe of cold filtered water.
Clymestria: Watered wine, please.
Pfeftzet:[to servant] Mead.
[exit Servant]
Clymestria: Thank you for your kindness Veridis. [Blesses her food and says a prayer to Athena]
Snatch: [her voice altered by the Homunculus in her throat] THANKS BE TO YOU VERIDIS. YOUR HOSPITALITY IS MOST GRACIOUS.
Clymestria: I feared, after our ancounter at the keep, that Kair Amaa's strange behaviour may have been of the same kind. [ Quietly says a prayer for the soul of the fallen, sending it to Hades, or to the Elesian Fields]
Snatch: AAAHHHH THE POWER OF GOODNESS. IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE WINGED SOLARS IN THE ABYSS I AM SURE I WOULD HAVE BEEN A MEAL FOR THE WICKED MAWS OF THE CURSED TANAR'I. NEXT WE SHALL RESCUE OUR CLUTCH MATE KARZOKA FROM IMPRISONMENT. ALL SHALL KNOW OF OUR DEEDS AND STRENGTH.
Snatch: BRILLIGH AND CLYMESTRIA ARE THE ONES TO THANK. WITHOUT THEM WE MAY NEVER HAVE FOUND AND DEFEATED THESE CREATURES. THEIR STRENGTH WAS NO MATCH FOR SHEKINESTRA AND ATHENA'S POWER. [to Clymestria] CLYMESTRIA, DON'T YOU AGREE THAT, ALTHOUGH THE ESTABLISHED ORTHODOX CHURCH IS IMPORTANT, I CAN SEE SHEKINESTRA'S THREE-FOLD-WAYS DO EXTEND MUCH FURTHER THAN I COULD HAVE POSSIBLY IMAGINED. I FEEL COMFORTED WITHOUT THE CHURCH FOR YEA, THE GODDESS EXTENDS HER POWERS IN AN AWESOME MANNER, UNCOMPREHENDABLE TO OUR MINISCULE MINDS.... [continuing to ramble while Brilligh speaks over her]
Brilligh: [to Veridis] What makes you so sure you can trust us now? Perhaps we boxed the sheriff & his men to take out the battle-ready men of this berg, and make a play for power ourselves. This little corner must see hende jink pass through. And not just the baubles, souls spend just as well, and here you are perched on the doorsteps to a couple deadlands. This here is a golden apple, just waiting to be plucked and have some teeth sunk into it.
Brilligh: [To herself] Let's see who shows their hand after that comment. Conversations like this always freak people out.
Pfeftzet: You sound confidant that this town's plague of evil is vanquished, yet you continue to find death.
Clymestria: [looks at her party members nodding affirmatively to question of trust.] [To Veridis] Do you think the trouble has subsided? What was the motivation of this incusion to your town?"
Snatch: IT IS AN IMPORTANT QUESTION: WHO IS IN CHARGE NOW THAT THE CONSTABLE AND SOME OF HIS MEN HAVE BEEN KILLED? HOW WILL THE PEOPLE OF CRUX FEEL NOW THAT THE LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN SHAKEN SO?
[enter Servant, with drinks]
Brilligh: [Mixes the water & wine 1/2 & 1/2 in her cup, and drinks slowly, smirking.]
