Conferring

Ostiarium > Misty Ward > Rectory of Kupen
Joint Post with Omni, Lucian, and Bandorchu
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"How... long have you been standing there?" Voah chuckled somewhat anxiously.

“Long enough to see you haven’t lost your touch.”

Tarmen chuckled in return, their performance reminding him of their previous talk. That wasn’t important at the moment though as he turned his thoughts by gesturing with the armor he had gathered.

“May need to work these out a bit to fit, but should do the job for coverin’ your more recognizable features.”

Voah gave a small laugh, and gently shook her head at Tarmen with an appreciative smile, acknowledging the effort he had made to protect her identity.

"Thank you two for going out of your way... but it seems the winds have shifted. Sir Zane and I have spoken, brought together by the will of Ereuhin, I have no doubt. Now I am to wait here for word from the Keep. My time for hiding is over... and if all goes in my favor, my presence will soon be officially sanctioned. If not... I ask that you two no longer do anything to put yourselves at risk for me."

She glanced at the armor pieces, now unnecessary. "I will still take whatever you are willing to spare, if that is your wish. Though they may serve you better to keep them since... my road ahead remains uncertain."

Voah then gestured towards the gazebo, inviting her friends to come in further and discuss things more comfortably. "I had a run in with some of the Brotherhood. I was a little surprised to see they had acted so quickly. And their next target is very likely the shrine of Kupen or this very priory. What about the two of you? Have you learned anything new?"

“Yeah, you certainly drew some attention with that stunt.”

Alexis looked her friend over, somewhat relieved Voah had come out of that conflict infinitely better than her adversaries.

“Carver considers to either recruit you or buy you a drink. Maybe you can barter for both if you play your cards right.”

She quipped dryly.

“As for sanctioned actions, the Duke is interested enough in those landmarks to have them checked out. This afternoon to be precise. We’ll be part of that.”

Voah gave a wry smile regarding Carver's offer, understanding the layered humor behind it. "That particular encounter with the Brotherhood happened quite by accident, I assure you. We supsected they would come, though I didn't expect it would be so soon. They must have been after something inside, or perhaps just trying to deprive the town of whatever medicines and herbs remained..." She continued speaking as she moved over toward her leather pack. "The Keep had already moved most of the supplies out of there, but I found a secret stash of Felfar inside the shop AND..."

She bent over and retrieved two small bottles corked with wax. "...it would appear... that our dear apothecary friend was working with the Keep, attempting to weaponize that mind-damning mould we found under Fang. How dreadful. Though... I suppose it could come in handy in a desperate situation."

Tarmen's whole being froze at the sight of the spores and the mention of Felfar, two cursed creations of this land that plagued his nightmares. His thoughts were a blend of old and new, seeing merit in using the mind-altering mould as weapons and yet recoiling at the idea. Hearing that it had been Nicolaus working on such things was unsurprising, but felt like a betrayal all the same. He gained enough sense to set the armor down and move a step closer, finding his words at last.

"Gods help us if they had gotten hold of it, though I will calmly ask why you haven't roasted those damned spores already?"

Alexis couldn’t agree more. She remembered all to well what that mould had done to her friends and really, really wished that would have been the last she ever saw of it.

Nicolaus being the one to spearhead the development of something like that left a bitter taste. But maybe she shouldn’t be surprised. Nicolaus had been a man of science as much as a man of healing. Maybe he had been too engrossed in finding out what he could to stop and consider wether he should.

Tarmen's disapproving inquiry reminded Voah of the time she appealed him to abandon that accursed imp's head.

"I had a mind to do so, Tarmen. Truly. Destroying it was my initial instinct. But... considering the Ozainae have a magik that seemingly cannot be vanquished by our traditional methods..." She raised a persuasive eyebrow. "Should we destroy it? Desperate measures and all that? The Arcadians are coming for total annihilation. I doubt we've seen their worst, and they will not hesitate to use every weapon at their disposal."

She paused, her gaze steady and thoughtful, recognizing the gravity of the situation. "You have both been true allies and friends and I will honor your counsel now. I will destroy it if that is your wish."

Alexis eyed the bottles warily, internally leading an argument she had with herself many times over in one way or another.

And yet… Despite everything that had come before and everything that would come in the near future… the outcome remained the same.

She sighed, the hint of a self-ironic smile tugging at her lips.

“I don’t consider my ‘counsel’ sound for desperate situations. Do what you must.”

Alexis could be completely stupid perfectly on her own.

“If there is anything even halfway worthwhile to consider I can offer it would be this.”

She nodded at the bottles.

“If this represents the whole of your stash, then in a battle with thousands it will likely do very little in the grand scheme of things. It might, however, do a whole lot to you for using it.”

Tarmen couldn't agree more. Two small vials in such a monumental battle would need some luck to have a major effect. Of course, he could already imagine ways to give them a farther reach. Of course, they weren't exactly in the clear in their own "home turf" as it was. A hand ran through his hair as he continued to argue between his split conscience.

"Somethin' to discuss later, but... this IS the time for desperate measures."

He straightened himself, taking his recently learned truths to heart and trusting they were on a better path.

"Just make sure the Duke doesn't find them either. Would be better to think they were stolen or destroyed. Besides, could be a last resort if things go sour with his Grace's 'good will'."