bloodsucker

Yeah, Bloodsucker!

Let's monster it up

Healer! We never get to play white mage

Healer!

healer.

bloodsucker

Be all of the good at healing.

Healer who also sucks blood for some reason

Healer who is also a bloodsucker! Nobody suspects that their blood was taken if it gets replaced immediately afterwards.

Healer! Let's find someone we CAN help!

Yellow 2013/06/08(Sat)16:01 No. 515406 ID: eaa372
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The healer never gets a break. People are always hurting themselves and others. Folks say healers are always compassionate but how do you hold onto that compassion with so many folks dying in your hands?

Forgive me Ando, I couldn’t save the poor sods. Too many folks dying, not enough mana for me to heal em, not enough willpower to bury them either. Sorry Ando, I just don’t have the wherewithal to drag them out to the graveyard. This servant of yours underestimated how bad this damn curse was on the village. I sent one of the boys out to find someone with more mana than I, course you won’t find many mages in these parts. Even fewer genuine healers are around these parts too.

Oh dear. What's this about a curse?

Thus is the curse of the healer. Even those of the non-magical variety. Power over life and death, but never enough.

So what do you do? You do what you can. It's all anyone can do.

Now... if treating the villagers as they fall victim to the curse isn't good enough, perhaps you should go after the root of the disease. What's the curse? And who or what placed it here?

You did the best you could. Now you're going to pack up and do the best you can elsewhere. And again. And again.

Yellow 2013/06/08(Sat)16:49 No. 515432 ID: eaa372
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Church sent me over this way. Wayfarers were telling stories of a village slowly dying from mystery plague that left corpses with red splotches cross their whole skin. Panicky fools said it leprosy of the soul. My gut told me it was the hemorrhaging plague when I got a look at the villagers’ skin. Knew that some of the sick weren’t going to make it so I set my healing hands to the healthier ones that looked like they had a chance. I was halfway through my mana reserves when the rest of the village came down sick, the blacksmith, the farmers, the children, even the under taker got wiped out.

There’s a pattern to plague an ugly rhythm to dance to but it’s there all the same. This did not follow the plague’s rhythm; folks kept dying in the wrong order. The weak died prolonged deaths while the strong died before the day was out. Nobody left to bury em, nobody left to mourn em except me. No mana, no results, just corpses

Enough tears I have to find Preacher Carlyle. I’ll have to check the temples up in the city of Larkfell to the North, failing that I may have to resort to going all the way to the ministry we have far off to the East. But this is a curse will show up again, it's too destructive not to be used again. Might have more luck finding a mage who knows a bit about curses than asking a man I won't find quickly.

Which is first though?

Do I search for a mage who studies curses in Larkfell?
Hunt for Preacher Carlyle in hopes that he's still trying to convert the pagan priests in Larkfell?
Go far east and find somebody in the church's ministry who knows something about curses?

If we're concerned with saving lives from the next outbreak, expediency seems the best course of action.

If we can't count on finding the father quickly, heading to talk to the mage seems a better option.

Church sounds like the best option if we want to learn to DO something about this. Asking a Mage might work, but the trouble is, they'd prolly know how to cast it and how it works moreso than how to stop it. How to stop it is what this healer desires.

Before we go anywhere... how long is the incubation period for the plague? We don't want to spread it beyond this village if at all possible.

Yellow 2013/06/08(Sat)18:37 No. 515468 ID: eaa372
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Incubation period? I just said it was a curse not a plague, completely magical in nature and beyond my expertise. It won't spread by any classical vector. The time it took to kill each villager varied wildly. The only way it will spread is if whoever or whatever casted it decides to strike again. I've warded myself against any curses so I shouldn't be at risk.

I can’t decide between going to the ministry back East or going to Larkfell. Right now I’m in what’s left of the village of Brelyas. Going to the ministry means crossing the Highlark Mountains and braving the bandits that prey on the Iron Road. I’ll have to find a caravan going towards that direction over at the trading post in Tausen. Dangerous, but the ministry can help me investigate this curse without a doubt.

The road to Larkfell is significantly safer but I can’t say the same about the port city itself. The pagan temples don’t enjoy it when followers of Ando show up regardless of whether we have Good News to spare or not. The atheists in the mage guilds have the same animosity. At least most of the street thugs won’t harass a healer obligated to help any wounded that approach her regardless of sin. One upside to openly worshipping Ando in this pagan land.

Now, Larkfell or the Iron Road?

Larkfell

Yellow 2013/06/08(Sat)20:05 No. 515492 ID: eaa372
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Larkfell it is.
More to come tomorrow.

Yellow 2013/06/09(Sun)18:49 No. 515743 ID: eaa372
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There isn’t much to distinguish Larkfell from other port cities. A mix of foreign tradesmen, officials, and sailor’s from all over. I suppose Larkfell is unique in the sense that there is no landed gentry that oppress the small folk. Rather it’s the various competing guilds that keep things running while the oppressing the small folk.

I could tour the temples to find Father Carlyle or go to a mage guild for leads on this curse.

Find Carlyle first. He might not know about the curse, but the mages might not be friendly to us at all, and from working here he would be able to tell us who will and won't be willing to help.

First check for Father Carlyle, see if he's still in town. He's known to you, and the pagan temples may not object so much to simply trying to find one of your own.

[1/2] Yellow 2013/06/09(Sun)20:26 No. 515777 ID: eaa372
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Last I checked Carlyle took exception to the temple of Kagnis, the storm god in these parts. He believed the ritual sacrifice of cows by burning them to ashes was a flagrant waste of good meat that brought tears to Ando’s eyes. I don’t know about the theological problem with the ritual but I can understand Carlyle’s dismay since he used to be a butcher before he took up the cause of spreading Good News. Course’ it’s not just the Good News that bothers the pagan temples. We’re also a damn sight better at the art of healing than they are. They have such outmoded ideas on how the body-

[2/2] Yellow 2013/06/09(Sun)20:26 No. 515778 ID: eaa372
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Saint Ardor’s tits! The fools are going to apply mud and herbs to that man’s open wound!

I wonder how anyone trusts them with that sorta procedure. Infection is sure to follow.

Mud and herbs is good for certain occasions, especially deep wounds. It can be very astringent and form a barrier if let dry. Especially if you have the mud isolated and cultured, basically a clay compress at that point. Not generally a good idea though.

Well, um. Some herbs have medicinal properties, in the right circumstances, and prepared correctly.

But just dumping raw plant matter and dirt is the wound is more likely to cause a festering infection than anything else.

...is there any way to politely intervene or offer your services? (Do you even have mana to spend at this point?) The temple probably isn't going to be happy about it either way, but it might be nice not to rub it in their face that you're better if possible.

[1/2] Yellow 2013/06/09(Sun)22:45 No. 515877 ID: eaa372
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I got about a quarter of my mana back from walking from Brelyas, around 6 or 7 hours for a quarter of my mana to regenerate. I can at least seal the man’s flesh against infection.

"For the love of Ardor at least stitch his wound closed before you start smearing your stinking herbs across his wound!"

Just a quick burst of healing and I’ll get a layer of skin grown over this.

[2/2] Yellow 2013/06/09(Sun)22:49 No. 515880 ID: eaa372
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Strange. I don't recall being able to see arteries through the skin. Why's it so warm?

>>515880
Stop immediately and ask what he got the wound from.

I don't think this is a problem him. I think its the problem with you. The colour of you magic changed. What does yellow mean?

Shit, abort abort!

have you maintained your shield against curses this whole time?

You leveled up, maybe? Or... there's something different about this man? Or the pagans are frying him in outrage?

Yellow 2013/06/10(Mon)12:21 No. 516026 ID: eaa372
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I think the priest is annoyed at my presence but I just can’t hear him! His heart’s beating too hard for me to make out his words. I mean look at the size of that heart, such thick walls for cramming all that rich blood throughout his body.

>>515930

Damn damn damn! I have to get out of here before I do something stupid! There's too many people with beating hearts here I can barely hear myself think.

Just turn and leave, walk out of town, looks a bit awkward but you can explain later.

Oh crap! Quick, what do you know about Bloodsuckers?
Anything in particular on how to reverse the condition?

>>516033
Just walk out. The pagan priest will be glad to see the back of you.

Does your healing magic come with some kind of analysis spell? To assess the condition of a patient, and search out less obvious problems? If so, start checking yourself. As you walk, if you can, when you reach somewhere private, if you can't.

Yellow 2013/06/10(Mon)16:43 No. 516086 ID: eaa372
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Back out the front door then and into the street full of people walking around like giant bags of blood.

>>516062
Vampires? I’ve treated the wounds of a few before but they never described their hunger as seeing glowing hearts but that I think I know what they meant about that gnawing hunger now. I sincerely hope it’s not permanent like vampirism.

That horse over there looks even more juicy...

Can you make out non-living objects at all?

It may be a good idea to get away from the city and find a random forest critter to eat.

You treated vampires? Really? Healing magic doesn't always work on the undead, and there are usually rules against offering them any kind of succor in a religious order.

Keep walking until you're out of town. Then you need to meditate, and examine your own condition.

>>516086
Buying livestock and eating it sounds like a good plan.

>>516092
Kind of hard to buy livestock if we're currently unable to communicate with anything with a beating heart.

Also, I'd rather not just give in to whatever this is without turning our healing powers on it to try and investigate the cause. And don't jump to assumptions that we need to eat things- she hasn't described any hunger or desire yet. She just sees circulatory systems and all sound is drowned out by beating hearts.

She's using words like 'juicy' and 'rich' to describe this, and now empathizes with vampire's hunger complaints. I think she might be feeling some hunger.

Still, it's probably better to resist rather than give in. But do move to a place with fewer distractions, yes?

If you can't communicate get approximately twice what an animal is worth, tell him you haven't the time to haggle and grab the animal in question. He'll let greed take control if he's like most used car-salesmen and won't ask why.

Yellow 2013/06/10(Mon)18:56 No. 516116 ID: eaa372
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The Church of Ando provides relief and succor to all walks of life. It’s why our numbers are so few, apparently people don’t give money to a church that doesn’t promise an afterlife and reaffirm their own prejudices.

>>516092
Speaking of money, I don’t have nearly enough to purchase an animal anyways. I don’t relish the thought but I may have to sink my teeth into a stray animal. Thing is I’m pretty sure people will be alarmed if they see a woman eating a raw animal in a healer’s robes.

However eating flesh might even make it worse. Curses aren’t my expertise, I’m specialized in treating the maladies of the body. Carlyle's a preacher anyways, he knows the good book forwards and backwards but you won't find any instructions for dealing with curses in its pages.

Out of the city then. If your curse gets strong enough to override reason you do NOT want to be near people you could harm. Find a place with plentiful game.

>>516116
This doesn't sound like the curse/plague you were dealing with before. You've caught something else. I think you'd better do some research quick on this. Ask literally anyone with knowledge about it.

>>516124
You should probably avoid mentioning that it is you that have these symptoms. Bring it up as described to you by someone you were treating.

You're limited in options, then. If we assume you are (or will be) a risk to those around you, your immediate aim should be to leave town.

If you do not believe you can treat yourself with your own methods, an alternative route would be to seek help from someone who could. You said before the mages might be able to help with curses.

The problem is, can you locate the mages' building or communicate in your current condition? You couldn't hear people talking before, and your vision seems impaired.

...you sure you don't have any healing spells that might help? Merely tracking or observing changes in your biology might be important.

We need to make a choice, before it gets made for us.
Are we staying in town and asking about these symptoms, or shall we avoid human contact and hope it goes away/that we can cure it?

Also, are we aware of any vampires who are somewhat learned? It might be worth checking with one of those.

Yellow 2013/06/11(Tue)13:12 No. 516286 ID: eaa372
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I don’t know if I can restrain myself in this state if I were to try and get help from the mages. Best I can do is try to put some proper distance between myself and Larkfell, maybe even get some precious silence. There’s a few places I could go on the Mawken coast that will let me keep some distance from people.

Staying in the countryside near Larkfell strikes me as a bad idea. If I gave into hunger and started consuming someone’s livestock it would bite me in the ass within the month. The local guilds are ruthless when potential threats to business show up.

The swamp towards the North has treacherous terrain but that could work in my favor. Far fewer people for me to run into but clean water will be tough to find.

The Highlark mountains are prone to rockslides but as long as I avoid the trails I shouldn’t be a threat to anyone.

I prefer the mountains to be honest. Lets go there.

Mountains, ho! Good place for quiet reflection and mediation. You don't know much about curses but you are going to study this. You will find a cure.

...and if necessary, the mountains offer a quick and permanent solution.

I hope the guy you attempted to treat doesn't get treated by any more of your kind of healers. Oh well, water under the bridge now!

Hrrrm... Ok quick question: How is Vampirism spread normally? Can you think of when you could have been infected, at least?

[1/2] Yellow 2013/06/11(Tue)15:59 No. 516323 ID: eaa372
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>>516296
Such a positive thought. I hope it won’t come to that up in the mountains.

[2/2] Yellow 2013/06/11(Tue)16:00 No. 516324 ID: eaa372
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Hope the church can afford to send someone to investigate Brelyas at some point.

Healer Yellow 2013/06/11(Tue)19:53 No. 516352 ID: eaa372
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Live long enough and you’ll inevitably make a mark on the world. Every day you will put something into the day ahead to get something in return. Hate will leave give you bodies and vengeful orphans while indifference will leave behind outrage and resentment. However, charity will give you the greatest return, more enemies and friends than you could possibly handle.

What kind of friend can charity give you in return?

A bloodsucking tailor who’s seen the best fashion of many eras?
A meticulous botanist who despises tree huggers?
A hot blooded chef with burning hands?

A meticulous botanist who despises tree huggers?

>>516353
To a botanist, Tree-Huggers are a horrible mix of Luddites and Perverts.

Botanist sounds good.

Botanist sounds like fun.

Botanist or tailor.

Botanist I suppose...

Healer Yellow 2013/06/12(Wed)21:49 No. 516534 ID: eaa372
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Tory’s letter to Father Carlyle said she went up to the mountains to avoid harming civilized company. I owe her several times over for saving me from the mosaic leaf rot so helping her diagnose her problem is the least I can do. Besides, who else will politely nod as I describe my theories on cross-pollination communication and its effect on creeper vines?

I’ve got my chemicals and books; at the very least I can confirm what her problem isn’t. If I don’t learn anything I can act as an intermediary with the mage guilds and keep Tory from attacking anyone while we investigate her problem. One of the perks of being a wood nymph is that meat eaters don’t eat people that taste like trees.

Now if I recall correctly Tory described her symptoms as the following in her letter;
1. A craving to consume animal flesh
2. Being deafened by the sound of heartbeats
3. Able to detect the circulatory systems of nearby living and recently dead animals

My initial theory was that she was infected with lycanthropy but that doesn’t match up with symptoms 2 and 3. Normally I wouldn’t give any credence to curses being involved but Tory is an incredibly competent healer and wouldn’t allow herself to have even left Brelyas if she suspected that she carried any sickness. Question being, who or what would benefit from using this mystery curse on a village full of halfwit farmers and a healer of the Church of Ando?

>>516534
Someone near the village that wanted all of the villagers out or dead. If someone were to investigate, they would search for rumors about ruins or other mysterious things near the village in question.

How's Tory holding up? Has she been hunting, or just trying to avoid consuming animals at all?

>Question being, who or what would benefit from using this mystery curse on a village full of halfwit farmers and a healer of the Church of Ando?
Perhaps somebody is experimenting in curses where they think nobody will care.

>>516534
could be a novice testing out a new spell or something and thought a small village in the middle of nowhere would be a good spot to practice, some kind of cult doing some kind of ritual for some kind of dark god or something like one, or hell it could be some new kind of disease or curse that Tory was just lucky enough to discover.

whatever it is we do need to help her.

Someone targeting the Church of Ando of course. Pagans would be my first guess. Someone looking to subsume the church would be another. Or maybe it's one of those pesky tree huggers.

>>516534
>Question being, who or what would benefit from using this mystery curse on a village full of halfwit farmers and a healer of the Church of Ando?
First thing to ascertain: is it the same curse?

Healer Yellow 2013/06/13(Thu)01:23 No. 516578 ID: eaa372
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>>516537
Well judging by the body of Mister Dark, Mysterious, and Dead over there Tory isn’t doing well. I know where she’s holed up but I’m still trying to figure out how to approach her. Obviously I’m not concerned about getting my throat torn out like Mister Dead here but killing a man so savagely even in self-defense is a point of concern. See healers like Tory take several oaths when they join the Church of Ando, chief among them being no killing.


While the Church is big on forgiveness it’s Tory who I’m more concerned about. The curse has alienated Tory from her peers for the past 2 months but now she’s been forced to break one of the core tenets of her profession. Not to mention I’ve seen a few folks skulking around in the area dressed up in the same clothing as Tory’s recent victim.

>>516553
A possibility, perhaps a mage screwed up the parameters of his little experiment and didn’t account for the effect it would have on magic users.

>>516569
Good point, Tory’s a medical expert but curses are outside her field of expertise. Can’t expect her to rationally analyze something she knows so little about.

so should we just head up to the cave and call out to her or do you think it would be better to just march in and see how she is doing herself.

>>516578
Talk to her from out here. Ask her how she's doing, and if it's okay if you came in to talk.

Okay, the curse forces her attack living things, and makes circulatory systems visible, and drowns out all sound with a heartbeat.

Could you use some botany to help yourself here? Make yourself less of a target with plant derived drugs or chemicals? Mask your scent? Slow or weaken your heartbeat?

Also- examine corpse. Plants may be your specialty, but maybe you can learn something from the corpse. Did Tory leave anything behind? A blood, tooth, claw? Anything that you could study?

[1/3] Yellow 2013/06/15(Sat)23:30 No. 517207 ID: eaa372
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>>516606
Not to worry, I don’t have a heart or blood. Just a series of tubes that circulate bitter syrup.

>>516583
I suppose the direct approach will work best here.
“Tory you silly girl! Get out of your hidey hole! The man you killed brought friends with him!”

[2/3] Yellow 2013/06/15(Sat)23:31 No. 517208 ID: eaa372
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Hrk-

[3/3] Yellow 2013/06/15(Sat)23:32 No. 517209 ID: eaa372
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Okay, she’s definitely worse off than before if she’s got claws for hands. Apparently she’s also learned how to mislead trackers.

“Please shut your mouth Frey. They’re coming over here for certain because of you.”

She still knows you and has manners so that is a good sign.
Suggest that the two of you move to a different location if they are going to come here, and ask who they are anyway.

I trust you know the details of this curse? Seems to be carried by unsuspecting wounded people, curses you as soon as you use Ando's healing magic on it. Makes you sorta vampirey in a tear their organs out and feast on them sort of way. Oh and it makes your eyes yellow for some reason. Thoughts?

...shutting up. And follow her lead.

If we're going to have to fight off or deal with bandits, do you have anything to offer in that respect? You're a botanist so... got any drugs? Potions? Chemicals, darts? ...pruning shears?

>analytical curse status stuff
Well, claw hands is obviously bad. But she still seems in control of her mental facility, her speech, and her memories. If it were just turning her into something bestial, those would be effected.

>Just a series of tubes that circulate bitter syrup.
Oh, nymph. Missed that that detail, before. (...so if she dislikes tree huggers that means she doesn't like to be hugged!).

...sorry, got your letter but you didn't say anything about being tracked. So you got a plan?