The Sisters' Chronicles

[Xihirli]

Spoiler: OOC

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Boots isn’t afraid of Spirit Guardians.

(1d20+5)[21]; (1d4)[2]; (2d8)[5] SMIIIIIITE

Alifa! Kill the elemental! (1d20+5)[8]+(1d4)[2]; (1d10+3)[5]+(1d6)[5]

[Xihirli]

Boots coughed but kept right on hacking away.
"Are you alright!?" Alifa asked, firing distracted.
"I’m fine! Stay back!"

[Valmark]

Boots cut into the elemental, but its last strands still stood, poised to strike her down.

"Clephesia? Your right"

As the paladin looked to the right she felt crackling of fire as something hot passed behind her head, Ethrindae's flame moving through where a second before had been her cheek and hitting the elemental with just enough precision to burn away the remnants of it. The bleeding heart fell to Boots' feet.

She then lifted a seed, and put it in her mouth- blowing, bright pollen flew out of her mouth toward Boots- as the houri breathed it in, she could feel Ethrindae's pollen fighting the rot within her body.

"Unless you feel confident, I would like to suggest backing off from the very obviously incapable of chasing enemy and use ranged attacks"

Ethrindae descended from Tilly.

The flowerbed kept pumping pollen desperately. Or at least so it looked to Boots- she wasn't sure how, but it was clear to her that with the elemental gone the flowers were scared.

Spoiler: Ooc

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Ethrindae dealt the last damage needed to the elemental and used an Healing Word to heal 11 hp to Boots.

Boots cannot get out of the Spirit Guardians aura before it reaches her: DC 13 Wis save to halve (3d8)[20] necrotic damage.

So- The heart is at Boots' feet. The flowerbed is 30 feet away so Boots would need to Dash to reach it- she is also within Dash&Mount distance from Tilly.

Ethrindae has left Tilly, so I'm putting her under Alifa's control unless you wish otherwise- remember that Alifa actually acts after Ethrindae, so she can still move if you wish. She also can change her action, though if you're going to Eldritch Blast another target you're gonna keep the roll.

And yeah, the flowerbed extended her Corruptive Pollen (i.e. Spirit Guardians) to 40 feet.

Ethrindae is leaving the elk in case Boots wants to use Tilly as her mount.

[Xihirli]

Spoiler: OOC

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General tactic is staying back and cantrip spamming.

Wis: (1d20+2)[21]+(1d4)[2]; concentration (1d20+2)[8]+(1d4)[1]
Ray of Frost (1d20+5)[7]+(1d4)[1]; (1d8)[2] cold damage

Boots nodded weakly and lit a torch. She dropped it, backpedaled away, and icy wind blasted from her hand after the plants.
Alifa moved her curse to the next cluster of plants and kept firing, moving Tilly a bit back now that the cave was better lit.

[Xihirli]

Ice and bolts went in a chorus toward the flower bed, freezing and then shattering leaves, branches, and at last the stem. As the rotting pollen fell, Boots ran back to the heart of the pollen elemental she’d left there and picked it up.
"Let’s make sure this cave is clear, then burn every piece of the corruption we have."
"So... the cave is the source, but we still don’t know who killed Gary, if he was corrupted, or whether it spread outside of those two."
"We should definitely give the town a once-over after the afternoon show. I can detect the corruption, so if there’s any left we should be able to find it."

[Valmark]

The black heart was still beating and pumping out blood, although now it wasn't being absorbed by the soil but instead started splattering it.

Ethrindae massaged her temples as the molten lava receded from her eyes and from around them- they left sizzling burn marks behind, much to Ethrindae's dismay.
"I think... Some fresh air will do me good. I'll wait outside" she turned around to leave.

Can I go too? Place gives me the creeps Tilly asked And everything seems fine now anyway.

The cave was indeed clear- and everything left of the corruption of the ground was all stuff that burned super well, despite the humidity of the place. They could easily make one big pyre and get out of there.

Spoiler: Ooc

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Remember that:

- Garret told you that he and his brother breathed in the black 'smoke' and then Garret first shed his skin, the black patch Alifa has been carrying;
- Something was missing from within the corpse's chest.

[Xihirli]

They made one big pyre and tossed in the heart, the skin Alifa had, the crystal fragments, anything left of the flower bed, and anything of the corruption they had that I am forgetting.
Then they joined Ethrindae outside. Boots's skin didn't look great. "I could use a breather after we get back," Boots admitted, and climbed onto Tilly.
"Thank you for your help," Alifa said to Ethrindae again. "I have a question... where we're from, druids are taught a secret language that is very important that they don't share it with anyone irresponsible or evil. Does the same happen here?"

[Valmark]

Spoiler: Ooc

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Tecnically you left the rat corpse in the room at the inn, but let's pretend you kept it to destroy it. I assume you'd do it anyway, so this is just skipping steps.

Ethrindae's burn marks were gone by the time they joined her.

"Yes" the druid answered Alifa "I hope you'll understand if that's all of the answer you'll get from me on the subject- even if you don't seem to fall into either category" she turned away.
"If you wish, Clephesia, after you've checked the city for corruption I could've a look at your wounds- paladin vigor or not, that can't have left you with a pleasant taste in your mouth, and one of those attacks from the elemental seemed to have gotten you good. But first we should likely have lunch- agreed?"

[Xihirli]

"Yes," Boots agreed immediately. "Thank you so much, mo-ma'am." She followed Ethrindae to wherever she was going, Alifa chuckling behind them.

[Valmark]

They went back, running only a bit late for lunch. The sisters ate with all of the circus' staff, but then separated- it was time to work.

Boots and Alifa combed through the city- it wasn't hard, thanks to Boots' Divine Sense they could check whole buildings without entering, but the city wasn't small and it still took a couple hours. Luckily thanks to Tilly Boots had no trouble keeping up despite her injuries.

They did not find any more traces except some rapidly-deteriorating remnants in Garret's shop from when he was being actively corrupted- and interestingly enough Garret, Xvchimeras and the giant lizard didn't ping Boots' senses. It seemed like an healed partially corrupted person didn't register to her.

Gary's body had been moved and buried- thanks to funerary rites his body was not going to be dangerous in any way.

It seemed that, by intervining as fast as they did, the sisters had saved the city's people- without their intervention the corruption might have grown unopposed until it was too late.

Ultimately, Boots left to go take care of her wounds while Alifa found herself in front of the barracks- thanks to taking their time combing through the city they roughly knew where to find what they needed now.

[Xihirli]

"Hello," she said. "I spoke to a dwarven captain of the guard before," she said. "Could I see him again?"

[Valmark]

The guard Alifa addressed was one of those that had been present on the crime scene- he recognized her, and was promptly escorted to the dwarven officer.

It was a relatively big office, with cabinets of documents and a racket of weaponry- in the middle a desk with a huffing dwarf who did not seem to like bureocracy by the way he glared at the papers in front of him.
"Please tell me this is good news" he said seeing Alifa be led in.

[Xihirli]

"It is. We determined that the black nails were the result of corruption that Gary was infected with – he was becoming a darkling," Alifa explained. "Along with his brother Garrett. We managed to cure Garrett and stamp out the rest of the corruption in the area, which originated in a cave south of the fishing lake. We know that somebody or something infected killed Gary, but the lack of tracks suggests to me that he killed himself to prevent the transformation from continuing, afraid he would hurt someone. Garrett's condition will not progress and he is in control of himself, but if he hurts someone they might become infected, so it might be best to keep anyone from attacking him. While we didn't find out exactly what corrupted thing killed Gary, we did wipe out all the infection in this town. The danger, at least, is past." She smiled sadly. "I'd like to speak to Britta, if possible."

[Valmark]

The dwarf nodded gravely- under all his projected spite Alifa could see a good person, who was saddened and relieved of hearing the news.
"Of course. We brought her in for some questions, though we've had to be light since she was in no condition for... Tactless questions" he said then looked at the guard "Show her where Britta is. Meanwhile have someone call Garret in- don't worry traveler, he's not in danger. We just need to corroborate your story- we'll investigate, and if you haven't lied by tomorrow morning we should've a reward prepared for solving the crime"

Britta was sitting in a confortable-looking chair in a room that seemed to be used for questioning, given that it had three chairs on one side and only the one on Britta's. She was holding a mug of some dark liquid which smelled good, and looked up at Alifa meekly.
"Yes...?"

[Xihirli]

"Hello, Britta." Alifa sat down across from her. "Do you remember me? Me and my sister were investigating what happened to your fiancé."

[Valmark]

Britta took a deep breath, then nodded.
"Yes... You... Accompanied me home, right?" she asked- she seemed to still be reeling from events of the day before, understandably. But there was enough recognition in her eyes.

[Xihirli]

"That's right. We found out... or mostly found out, what happened." She took a breath. "Gary was infected with a particular disease that was turning him into a darkling. He caught this illness when fishing with his brother. The corruption is why he spent so much time..." Alifa considered if it would be a good idea saying "drinking," and instead went with "away from you. The corruption wanted to make him do terrible things. Me and my sister have removed everything else corrupted in the town, and none of it could have killed him except... him. We... I have concluded that he killed himself to stop the spread. To venture a bit more into the territory of guessing... I believe he did so in order to protect you."
Alifa offered Britta a hand to hold.

[Valmark]

Britta latched onto Alifa's hand, bringing it in front of her face- Alifa heard crying, Britta holding onto Alifa's hand thightly as she hid behind it to weep.

It was a long while before Alifa heard something.
"...thank you"

Spoiler: Ooc

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Level Alifa up whenever you want.

[Xihirli]

"You're welcome," Alifa said. She stayed with Britta as long as the woman needed.

[Valmark]

Britta started telling Alifa stories. About how she met Gary, how they used to play as kids jumping into mud pools after the rain and be promptly scolded by their parents. About how he and her were always sharing every secret and would help each other in the smallest things, and how he had proposed to her under the moonlight with a ring with a semi-precious gemstone the color of her eyes.

By the end of it, Britta looked... Not happy, of course, but at least relieved. She had needed someone she could talk to about Gary, even if it wasn't going to bring him back.

Finally, she let go.
"I'll... Be fine, thank you"

Spoiler: Ooc

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Anything you want to do with Alifa? Otherwise after Boots is done next post will be dinnertime I believe.

[Xihirli]

Alifa offered Britta a final hug, then went to go find the circus.

Spoiler: OOC

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No, I don't think so. Alifa is ready to move on to the feywild... though Boots can maybe convince her to wait until morning.

[Valmark]

Eventually, they found their way back together around dinnertime- Ethrindae looking the most relaxed she had ever looked since the sisters met her.
"So, will you be staying the night?" she asked the sisters as they ate.

[Xihirli]

"Yes," Boots said while Alifa simultaneously said "I'm not sure." They traded a few glances, and eventually Alifa returned to the question.
"Yes."
"Is there going to be an evening performance?" Boots asked.

[Valmark]

Ethrindae looked at Nabar, who chuckled "I've heard some people leave because they realized that Boots wasn't gonna be there, I predict that if we show up without the sisters there won't be much of an audience" he recounted- it seemed like Nabar's work was a very behind-the-scenes kind of operation, since the sisters never saw him step on stage.
"There you have it, we'll need you for the evening show" she looked sneakily at Boots when she said 'need' and the houri could be sure there was a smirk directed at her. It seemed like Ethrindae enjoyed a bit of subtle teasing as well.

[Xihirli]

"Well, Alifa? Are we going to have an evening show?"
"Absolutely!" Alifa said. "I haven't gotten to perform yet!"
"Oh, by the way, Elwin..." and Boots told Elwin all about the corruption and her curing Garrett and fighting the corruption in a cave.

[Valmark]

Elwina was drinking avidly from Boots' words, these cool, strong travelers fron another world fighting the monsters that make up a great part of the evil of the world... And saving people. Even Xvchimeras looked with respect hearing about Garret.

Likely because it was personal.

There was a collective murmur hearing about Ethrindae's lava healing, and Nabar opened his mouth to speak up.
"Don't" the elf cut him off with a sharp tone and pretty much everybody moved away from the evidently sore subject.

Spoiler: Ooc

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I believe that if you don't have else to speak about we can move over to Alifa's show, and gloss over the rest as it would be a repeat of the morning one.

[Xihirli]

Alifa came on in the middle, after her and Ron went on together she stayed out. She lifted into the air a metal disk on her mage hand, then pointed at it and fired into the middle, opening a little hole in it. She then dropped it gently into the crowd so someone could see and feel that the hole was real. She then, in full view of the audience, no slight of hand necessary, created a miniature statue of a rabbit. She threw it onto the ground and it vanished. "What else do you want to see?" She asked the audience and, taking suggestions, used Minor Conjuration to produce all manner of things, passing them around the audience for them to feel her creations before she removed them from existence to create a new one.

[Valmark]

There was plenty of affluence- in a day, the city's people had grown enamored of the two newcomers that had made so many people laugh... And helped so many. Boots and Alifa were going to be remembered even if what they did may not have looked big on the grander scale of things.
Yet.

The night, Boots and Alifa slept well- not in the same bed and Boots certainly stayed up longer, but they both went to bed satisfied.

Spoiler: Ooc

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Long rest!

The next morning, Alifa woke up in her bed and Boots woke up cradled in Ethrindae's embrace, the elf smiling down at her.
"Morning"

[Xihirli]

Boots closed her eyes again.
"No, at morning I have to go, so it’s not morning yet."

---

Alifa figured Boots would want to sleep or at least stay in, and she needed to buy something. She headed into the markets looking for anyone selling charcoal and/or incense.

[Valmark]

Ethrindae smiled sweetly and shifted position to hug Boots better, kissing her head. She seemed to be fine with that.

---

The markets were fairly easy to locate after her foray into the city the day before, and she could easily find what she wished for at market price. Passing by the barracks, the guards handed her two filled bags of coins- for their services to the city the sisters had earned 100 gold coins each. Alifa was given both sacks, for convinience.