RP: Shattering the Phylactery

Game Master	The ironwood breastplate splinters and breaks into several pieces. Black smoke pours out from the broken pieces and begins to fill the room. When the first wisps touch LE, the smoke rushes into LE's nose and mouth. LE gasps and chokes, but the entire scene takes only seconds to play out. LE slumps to her knees, and is only kept upright by the white-knuckle grip with which she clutches her staff. She pants and struggles for breath.
Germain	approaches cautiously - LE? Are you... are you alright?
LE	with pain on her face and tears streaming from her eyes, reaches a hand up to Germain.
Mose	sees the inhaling out of the corner of his eye, as he turns fully from where he was slamming his sword into the armor. Again?! LE! I think you are cursed, possessed, or worse... When we get back to Wydmoor, I'm going to insist that the Hadriarch give you an exorcism or something. I thought it was just a gryhuld (OOC: which means 'weak dwarf' in dwarven, and typically refers to a very rare unfortunate thing) when you inhaled that massive dark wolf in the swamp when we first set out. Then you killed Edrell's sister despite pleas to take her alive... Lately you've been so eager to finish off monsters through some sort of magic-- and the look of ...power in your eyes after you do so-- it just makes me shudder. And now, like clockwork, that spirit of an ancient evil gets sucked into you once we defeat it. Now, I know you, LE, and have trusted you with my life many times, but I think perhaps there is some darker force influencing you that you don't know about. It's time we asked the Church about this-- because if nothing else, it's surely not healthy to inhale corrupted magical smoke! They can help you.
Germain	helps steady LE - Omnity Above, Mose! Have a little decency, would you? Are you alright? What happened?
LE	clutches at Germain, burying her face in his cloak (forgetting her disapproval about its origins). Sobbing into Germain's shoulder, she'd look like any other young girl, if not for the twisted, dark staff held fast in her hand. Please help me, she whispers.
Kimika	rushed over to LE as fast as her little legs could carry her as soon as the smoke started towards her. Arriving be LE, she leans over LE's side and puts a comforting arm around her shoulders.
Al	Now in Al form again Man.. I'm with the dwarf dude. LE's either got some major malfunction or she's been holding something back this whole time, or both. Whatever's going on, there's something you're not telling us, and it's starting to seem like something BIG. I mean, barfing up some centipedes is one thing, probably happens to lots of people, but breathing in a dead undead dude's smokey remains... trails off a little If you want us to help you, you have to tell us what's going on. It seems both evil and unnatural, so we need to do everything we can to help you get rid of it. We like you, dudette! We don't want to see you breathing in any more dead things, or vomiting up any more live things! makes a heal check on LE for lack of anything better to do
LE	Egg... I need Egg, he knows. He can help, he can explain!
Al	What does Egg know? Awesome if he can help, but why hasn't he helped sooner? And why can't you tell us what's going on?
LE	letting go of Germain, and stepping back, looking dizzy Eggs's been trying to help, he reads... he needs to be stronger, learn more. sitting down, laying the staff across her lap It's him, he's always there, in here (touching her head and chest). I can feel him, he can see me, I can't hide, so he knows everything.
Kimika	backs away slightly as LE backs away but stays protectively by her side, care and concern obvious on her face.
Al	Momentarily confused Egg's in your head and chest? Er, wait. Nevermind. So, uh, who is it you can't hide from? This guy have a name? Erm... Is he listening to us right now?
Germain	Alright, settle down. Slow down. I won't lie, Egg - and myself, and Kimika, too, for that matter - know a little more about what's going on here than the rest of you. Only a little, though. Research is slow going, especially with this damn war taking up so much of our time and attention. But, I think her wanting to keep her cards close to her chest in regards to this is perfectly understandable, especially with Mose's predictably unstable reaction. That said, perhaps Al is right that the time to have a more frank and open discussion about what's going on here. But, let me say this: Whatever is going on, we're keeping it compartmentalized.. keeping it in the family. We are absolutely not going to serve up LE to the Hadriarch and into the hands of our enemies. It will end badly for her, and frankly, for the rest of us, too. LE is our friend, and it's her problem to solve, which means it's our problem to solve. If it's even solvable. Mose, you want the Church to look into this? Well, they are. Kimika is a representative of the church, and has been working with LE for months. Hells, Mose, you're the Church, too, and it would probably serve the needs of your friend to act more like a friend and less like an antagonist when she's at her most vulnerable. If a simple exorcism or some other Churchy hand-waving would take care of this, it'd be taken care of already.
Mose	mostly involuntary, booming HAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA vulnerabHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA leans on sword, completely overtaken with mirth, wiping eyes HAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA she's so vulnerHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA Oh, whew. Heh heh. Oh man. I needed that. Somehow now our friend who kills people with a few words, explodes fire with a wave of her handd, and eats Lich souls as a snack.. ha ha... Now needs the dwarf to lay off. I mean, she could kill most of us without much effort, so I'm not buying the vulnerable spiel. If you guys had this 'secret' under control, then maybe we wouldn't need more help, but it is clearly getting out of hand and we need better solutions... Maybe we should seek deeper help.
LE	silently bows her head. fresh tears roll from her eyes.
Kimika	puts an arm comfortingly around LE again, attempting to comfort her dear friend.
Germain	Your track record for saving party members in mortal peril is far from perfect, and you're the only person among us who has buried their axe in an innocent child. Why don't you drink a mug of humility, have a bite of empathy, see to your own failures and start thinking before you speak before you, once again, say or do something everyone is going to regret.
Mose	apparently ignoring Germain's condescension for the umpteenth time and not catching the subtle Qa reference, but softening as he senses (probably wrongly) that LE is quite shaken Look, I worry about you as a friend, and you're not the lil upstart I helped carry through the swamp, knocked unconscious. Now you're the most powerful person in this ragtag bunch of powerhouses, and if something is happening to you, not only might you get hurt, but we're all doomed as well. I wouldn't be standing here if you hadn't saved me a bunch, but I also don't think you're above needing a little saving now and again, and what's happening to you doesn't seem ideal for any of us. At least consider seeking bigger help frm the Church or one of the Universities soon... From what you hint at, this may be out of Eggs league, if this has been going on this long...
Kaleesarynn	looks utterly confused and not a little bit terrified at this point. She has backed away from the rest of the group, and is quickly looking from person to person, looking more often than not at LE. She starts quietly whispering to herself in Odessan: Shit, what the hell.. Should've just stayed put, fuckin' pot to the frying pan.. The whispering continues, but becomes incoherent
Al	Sees things starting to get out of control Dude, Germain, not cool! Glad Mose doesn't pick up on subtleties so well.. But insulting each other isn't going to help much, man. Back home that sort of thing just caused problems, ya know? We need to focus on what's important: LE needs our help! notices Kaylee starting to freak out Er, so does Kaylee. Hey, dudette! No need to lose it. Moves over to comfort Kaylee We're all buds here. There's some seriously messed up evil magic going on, but, you know, that's why we're all together! We can't make the world awesome-er if we go nuts every time someone breathes in a lich!
Kaleesarynn	Her eyes widen as Al moves toward her, and she starts backing away. She suddenly disappears from her spot and reappears at the entrance of the room that everyone is currently in (assuming no one's near the entrance). (OOC note: standard action, 7 psp spent)
Al	Ahhh, crap.
Kimika	reaches into her belt pouch and gives LE a handkerchief but never taking a protective and comforting arm off of her. She looks at the group gravely and with an aura of sternness Mose, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the Hadriarch is corrupt. They will not lay a finger on LE or know of her predicament as long as I am alive and if that means that I break with the official church body, then so be it. I will follow Alexandria my own way. Kimika gently squeezes LE's shoulders in a hug before looking up at the rest of the party and continuing. We are all friends here. LE has saved all of our lives on more than one occasion. What kind of friends are we if we would not do the same for her? Can you not see that all of this is as disturbing to her as it is to you? Kimika turns to Mose, her look both reprimanding and sorrowful. Mose, how in the world can you be so cruel as to kick your friend while she's down? You grill her when she needs our support and understanding the most? She turns to Germain and looks at him pleadingly. How quickly can we get Egg here?
Kaleesarynn	After hearing Kimika speak comfortingly about LE, Kaylee seems to relax a little, but still looks very wary. She takes a moment to compose herself and then pipes up. Um, hello? Can anyone explain to me what the hell is going on here? First, you guys - who I don't really know, may I remind you - pluck me from my home and my training - and I understand, Hedrafax is a bad guy - I always suspected, but well.. Whatever. Anyway, totally happy to be on this adventure and all and finally getting to put my awesome skills to the test, but you're talking about barfing centipedes like it's nothing, and then she's *pointing to LE* inhaling liches! Well, lich, singular, I guess, but whatever. What the hell!? I am soo confused! This is worse than the riddles that my instructors liked to torture me with! I can guarantee that those were extremely hard too, because I'm pretty damn smart and it took me a whole minute to solve them!
Germain	collects his thoughts. LE didn't want to talk about what was happening with her because she is frightened, and probably also a little bit ashamed, I'd wager, of her condition. I don't blame her. From what I see, it looks plenty terrifying, and the fear that her own friends might abandon her to church authorities and Omnity-knows-what if they found out about it is a lot to bear. Germain glares at Mose. I didn't want to intrude on LE's privacy, but I also wanted to make sure that she wasn't going at this alone either. It seemed to me too much to bear without help. Egg has a tremendous amount of esoteric knowledge, a better chance at figuring this out than any of us, and LE trusts him, so I approached her and offered his help. At the time, I just wanted to make sure that she had someone she could turn to, and I was hoping the whole thing was a fluke and that it would pass. Unfortunately, I don't think this is the sort of problem that just goes away, and I, for one, would like to help out my friend. I'd hope that we could all, without politics, agenda, or goddamn doctorine, help our friend out. Germain shoots an apologetic look at Kaylee. "Can we talk later?" he thinks. Germain turns his attention to LE. Do you need us to bring him here? Can you make it back to the city?
LE	steadying herself, takes a deep breath, and then sighs. I guess we should go back to the city, but... eyes Mose warily Would everyone promise to let Egg and Kimika help me, and not to tell anybody else who might just kill me without a second thought, like the Church? I don't think that's so. For what it's worth, I'm pretty sure killing this body without trying to fix things... would only make it worse.
Mose	Oh, of course! Egg should get first crack at it (snort chuckle at his pun), I'm happy to promise that-- as long as you guys promise to go to the Church or a University if Egg and Kimika can't get a handle on this by the time the war is over or we're all dead. For your sake and ours, this isn't the sort of thing that we just shrug our shoulders over and say "Oh well, we tried" if we don't get you back to normal. It's true folly to turn your back on dark effects like this! LE, if you feel okay and like you have a handle on this for now, we should figure out our next steps with regards to Wydmoor and the Lizardmen. If those horrifying dead Lizardmen were right, then we shouldn't need to fight the Hydra now. How do we confirm that they weren't tricking us?
Germain	eyes Mose warily. I'm sure there are a number of resources we can tap to help out our friend above and beyond Egg and Kimmy, so let's not just run off and go telling anyone that looks important. Ok? Al? Kim? Can you please tend to LE as best you can? I think the Lizardfolk will know if we have freed them from their obligations, and I don't feel like we ought to go killing any other little godlings or demonlings down here without more information. I'm sure the consequences of what we did will be felt across the swamp. Why don't we get LE back to safety ASAP, and have Al treat with the Lizardmen again and figure out what kind of state they are in and what they make of all this. How does that sound? Al, are you ok being the diplomat to the Lizardmen, or would you like my help getting a read on them and managing them?
Al	Does what he can to help LE Hey, man, I'm cool with whatever I can do to help. I'll diplomacize all I can. You're better with words than I am, but the lizard dudes seem to like me pretty well.
Kaleesarynn	At Germain's silent plea, she crosses her arms and leans against the entryway staring at everyone with suspicion, but now more so at Germain. She remains silent for the remainder of the discussion.
Mose	Oh, nay, I won't be spreading word about LE's affliction, Germain. I'm not Kimika, sweet as she is, who was telling our business to the Church. Ever since Edrell showed his true colors, outside of the Arch-Warden herself and the Silverwalkers, I'm not sure if anyone I've met since coming to Wydmoor can really be trusted. But I do know that we're going to have to trust someone else powerful if Egg and Kimika can't help LE. That's a great idea to send Al to talk to the Lizardmen. Saves us a trip! half-smiles at Kaleesarynn, trying to put her at ease
Kaleesarynn	scowls at Mose, but says nothing
Game Master	The Silverwalkers exit the temple, leaving the Cryohydra and the Wraiths for another day. Al pays a visit to the Hierophant while the rest of the Silverwalkers return to the city. (put rpchat above this)