For convenience, information about the characters can be found here.

Session four can be found here.

Note: italic text was given OOC but too deliciously ironic to omit.

Player              Stat   Sex         Species  ('WS #help' for help)
------------------ ------ ----------- ----------------------------------------
Shinji              Zzzz   male        Morphic Unicorn
   Doing: Stands on its own
Kyubiko             i2m    female      Silver Fox
   Doing: Exploding the world as GuestKyubiko!
Kaelyn              Zzzz   Female      Anthro Unicorn
   Doing: I have absolutely No idea! ^.^
Mika                IC     Female      Vixen
   Doing: Praying...
Lairu               Zzzz   male        lutrai (otter)
   Doing: I want to believe
Mabsant             IIC    Male        Brown Bear
   Doing: Aha! My potion is comple-- *BOOM*
Strider             IC     Male        Jackal
   Doing: The Shaft of this century.
Serin               IC     male        ferret
   Doing: Looking for magic
Doro                IIC    female      Chinchilla
Vex                 WIZ    Female      Void Kitsune
   Doing: Dark plots.  What else?  ;>
--[ Found 10 characters. ( 7 Awake / 3 Asleep ) ]-----------------------------

###  The throes of the plague...

Mabsant uh-oh. Serin, you're doomed. :) nice knowing you. :)
Vex purrs, "We're starting where we stopped."
Serin smiles blandly at Mabsant.
Lairu gets into character.
Mika nods and isn't waiting for people to catch a nap before having something done about all this. ;)
Vex starts, assuming the unicorns fled in terror. ;>
When we last left off, Serin was clinging to Mabsant and Strider in mortal terror, pointing to something over a nearby dune.
Mabsant Gets into character. before bitch of eastwick bumped me off, i was holding serin and trying to calm him down..
Serin whimpers, trying to hide from his terrors.
Lairu says softly, "Alright, let's take stock of our situation here. Do we know who's been touched by the plague?"
Mika murmurs, "I do believe the kitsune can  verify..."
Mabsant Holds serin to him, ignoring his own joint pains, rocking the kit back and forth. "I think that i have.. something."
Strider pets the young ferrets back, "What the bloody hell happened to the boy?"
Jade peers around slowly at the group, eyes searching.
Lairu gets up onto his horse, putting on his helm, "Hey! We've got to get organized here! Now who can detect this thing? Foxtrot, you seemed able..."
Strider looks up towards Lairu, "Someone is wrong with the kid sir."
Foxtrot nods, "I've seen it in you, Mika, Mabsant, and Serin, though it's hard to keep track of."
Jade furrows her brow and nods in agreement with Foxy.
Lairu gets down off his horse, "Well then it's set. We have to move in and find out the nature of this plague. Our conditions may soon be entirely linked with those of the people in this region. Now what's wrong with who, Strider?"
And you see the corpse-lick creature crawling down the dune towards you.
Strider looks back towards Serin, "He's got a fever... but he's shivering... I think he may have contracted the disease."
Serin's voice is a bare whisper.  "Don't let it get me... Mabsant."
Mabsant says, "We have to stay separated frm each other."
Mabsant Hugs serin gently. "We won't let it get you, serin.. you're safe."
Mika glances up at Lairu. "Heh. I'll be damned if I'm going on with us like this. Do you want to try other remedies, or do you want to see about ending this now?"
Lairu says softly, "Serin looks pretty bad. We've both already got it, so let me see if I can use my healing abilities to lower his condition a little."
Mabsant nods. "I can help--two paladins are better than one."
Foxtrot looks at Lairu, "Anyone not infected, step waaay back.  I saw the disease swell."
Serin shivers as though to say, No don't you'll make yourself sicker.
Mika nods slightly, looking very scientific about the whole thing, considering.
Doro hrms and pads back.
Strider frowns and flicks his ears, "I don't know if I'm infected though, how would I get infected?  How would I know?"
Foxtrot moves back, eyes glowing as he watches the aether.
Foxtrot says, "I've not seen it in you."
Lairu says softly, "Aye. Anyone who hasn't got it. I suspect it may be more powerful if powerful magic is used. Perhaps it feeds on magic.""
Mika waves everyone not involved back away. "Safer this way. Infected or not, it's better to be clean, just in case."
Lairu says softly, "Wait a minute..."
Lairu looks at Mika.
Mabsant Sets serin down and takes out his rosary.
Lairu says softly, "You're the most powerful mage here...and you caught it first..."
Mabsant Kneels next to the kit and kisses the crucifix. "Our father who art in heaven.."
Serin stumbles a bit, tries to crawl away, then sinks to the ground exhausted.
Foxtrot watches carefully.
Strider nods and stands back reluctantly.
Mabsant Proceeds to say the rosary, building up the mental state needed to lay on hands.
Mika looks at Lairu and shrugs. "Whatever the case, this isn't entirely mana-based, or it wouldn't be hitting gypsies and dogs so hard. It's not just magic."
Lairu says softly, "Well put."
Foxtrot blinks.  "Hold it..."
Doro murrs softly, "Serin, let them try to help you."
Lairu says softly, "Still, let me see what I can do. The rest of you stay well back..."
Doro hmms?
Lairu looks back at Foxtrot.
Doro murrs softly, "What is it, Foxtrot-san?"

###  ...completely fade away?  O.o

Foxtrot says, "The infection's faded.  I don't see it in any of you except Serin, and even that's faded."
Strider sighs and folds his arms over, "I hope this works...."
Mabsant says, "Hail mary, full of grace, mother of our lord.. for blessed art thou among women.."
Doro murrs softly, "What?  How did that happen?"
Mika furrows her brow. "Why then...?"
Jade just stands quietly, listening to the discussion.
Lairu says softly, "It just...went away?"
Foxtrot says, "Faded."
Lairu smiles a little, "Whutta chump."
Doro murrs softly, "Did it find something else to go to?"
Mabsant blinks, his concentration broken. "What? went away?"
Strider frowns, "Sickness just shouldn't fade...."
Mabsant Furrows his brow. "This is very strange..."
Serin would have a thing or two to say about that were he not otherwise engaged.
Lairu says softly, "Okay, this is getting strange. Why don't we keeping heading for Anasie while we carry on these ponderings?"
Foxtrot nods.
Doro nods.
Lairu takes off his white cloak and wraps it around Serin gently, "Want to put him on my horse?"
Doro blinks and grumbles.  "Gods damn it.  FOxy, do I have the bloody plague?"
You're feeling better.
Mabsant says, "I can carry him."
Strider nods and looks over, "Let me carry the --" He winces then and gives off a shudder.  The jackal stiffens and shakes his head, "That's not right..." he murmurs... He looks back up, trying to maintain his composure, "Aren't you still sore Mab..?  Let me."
Mabsant takes the white-wrapped serin and holds him gently. "He probably got it from proximity to my magic, if your theory is right.
Serin sighs a bit as the cloak wraps around him, still asleep but peacefully.
Foxtrot blinks and looks at Doro.
Mabsant says, "It's fine. I'm okay."
Foxtrot blinks, and nods.  "Hai, Doro-san.  You are."
Doro rubs under her eyepatch.  "Great..."
Lairu gets back onto his horse.
Strider frowns and steps over to Mabsant slowly, "Well I'm going to watch you just to make sure."
Mabsant is still oblivious of his hair...
Lairu grins a little.
Kaelyn OOC GLOMPS!

### And off to Anansie we go!

A small, glowing white sphere floats over to the group, and hovers close to Mika.
Mika blinks?
Vex heads south towards Anansie, panting slightly in the heat.
Foxtrot leaves, with Jade walking along with him.
Vex takes you along with her, holding your hand.
{-------------------------------------------------------------------------}
Anansie Gates
You clamber over a dune, and then you see stretched before you, a
long, low, white wall.  Made of stone, and plastered over,
encompassing a rather busy looking desert city. An iron-wrought gate
is the only way into the city that you can see, and, as you approach,
you notice that it is open.   Also, you notice two jackals, dressed
in similar garb, guarding the city from intruders.  Above the gate is
a sign, with the single word 'Anansie' upon it, the city name. The
path becomes the main way in, leading through to the south, and the
north will return you to the dunes and sand.
Obvious Exits: north, south
Furries: [IC] Serin(#14891P/CJBXM)
         [IIC] Doro
         [IIC] Jade
         [WIZ] Foxtrot
         [WIZ] Vex

#2755
Anansie Gates
from Desert Wastes
------------------------------------------------------
Jade remarks quietly, "That's odd... The camp where everything was burned seems clean, yet the rest of the desert from what I can tell is... clouded by some... well, something that seems connected to the disease. It's almost mahou..."
Jade glances at Foxy. "I'm not the only one seeing this, am I?"
Foxtrot shakes his head, "I see it too."
Strider looks around, one paw on his side as he turns himself around slowly to consider this.
Doro murrs softly, "Almost mahou.  This gets better and better."
Mika wrinkles her nose as she regards the glowing sphere. "Well, that's a little bit more concrete, but I had my suspicions. Keep in contact, this stuff is pretty nasty," she murmurs to it.
Serin blinks, half in and out of sleep, as the gates rise before him.
Doro bundles up in a cloak.
Mabsant concentrates on putting one foot in front of the other, armour clinking and scraping against the sant. His fur is plastered with sweat, but he doesn't complain. he did the same thing on the crusades...
Lairu looks over at the sphere, and rubs his eyes. Puzzles, he reaches out to wave his lancetip at it, "What's this?"
Mika hrms, one ear flicking as she shakes her head. "Bad idea, that. Even with the range, a magical link like that might be a risk with what's going on here. I'll try to report once in a while, but let's keep the contact short."
Mika glances at Lairu and chuckles. "A message from Ramses, silly paladin."
Strider looks up towards the sphere, keeping in stride aside Mabsant, "So long as it isn't those annoying little glowing blobs again."

###  The city is in agony

Anansie is in turmoil.  The walls are barricaded, and guards are posted along the walls.  For a half a mile around the area, nomads and villagers and commoners from all over the region are desperatly trying to get inside to avoid the dreaded plague.  Several hundred of these poor souls surrounding the city walls are already suffering from the disease's ill effects to one extent or another.  The devastation of the gypsy camp is mild in comparison to the sight outside Anansie.  Entire families waiting with all of their worldly possessions, and fighting off bandits and aggressive nomads who feel the oppurtinity has presented itself to steal from the weak and ill.  Numerous fights have already erupted, sending more than one person to the fire pit before ever being touched by the plague.  The makeshift fire pit crematoriums, watched and maintained by the city guards, are filled to capacity.  As you approach, another body, that of a young girl, is thrown into the fire.
Mika pushes the sphere toward Lairu. "Smash that, wouldja?"
Doro scowls and keeps a paw on the handle of her sword.
Kaelyn blinks at all the goings on, "eh, this -is- a dark day indeed.
Strider frowns, watching the young girl burn.  He mumbles softly, barely audible to any aside from Mabsant and Serin aside him.
Strider mumbles, "She only looks about as old as Koji..." to Mabsant and you.
Lairu scowls at the greusome seen of chaos and suffering, backswinging with his lance and smashing the glowing sphere, "This is a nightmare come to life. Perhaps I should speak with the city guard...if the infections have faded, we may be let in."
Jade shudders as she takes in the scene. Reality wavers around her slightly as her clothing shifts, forming a cloak that she pulls closed around her.
The once beautiful gardens of the sultan that lay outside the castle walls have been trampled, and whatever fruits or nourishment that could be taken frmo the trees are already gone.  The roads are strewn with filth, and ramshackle tents rest along the side of hte road, housing packs of commoners from the city.  Their eyes, haunted and sunken, watch as you pass.  The people in the area are bitter, desperate, and afraid.  Those suffering from the plague are nestled near those still healthy, and the only thing stopping them from killing each other is the fear that they might lose their place in line for examination.
Mabsant looks up and winces. "It looks the way London did during the plague..."
Serin ducks back under the blanket, for fear.  Then he peeks out again.  "'nansie..."
Strider covers his own mouth and nose up, looking around as his usually comic personality withdraws for the moment in the middle of all this depression.
Mabsant says, "If only there were something we could do... the people need to be segregated, they'll infect each other..."
The gates to Anansie are closed, but four of the Sultan's guards, led by the Grand Vizier, stand at the gates, examining each person who wishes entrance.  Those who are healthy may be allowed in, of they can prove that they have business inside the city.  Those who are obviously ill are sent away, and anyone foolish enough to argue over the decision -- the guards kill outright.  The weapons of the guards have tasted a great deal of blood lately.
Mika smirks. "They are segregated... by the city walls."
Kaelyn just watches....
"W-what happen' to the city?  It's all closed." you say.
Foxtrot walks among the sick and healthy, his poor spirit breaking at the cries of help he hears from those he passes.  These are people he's sworn to protect, as a follower of Inari...
Lairu raises his lance, the tip adorned with the penant of Solinar Order, and approaches the guards on horseback.
Two of the four guards cross pikes and bar the way, waiting for word from Kyubiko.
One of the guards says, "Get in line."
Mika waves to Kyubiko. "Guess we came at a bad time, eh Vizier?"

###  We approach Kyubiko, the Vizier of Anansie

Kyubiko waves a hand to the Guards. "Allow them near." she commands. Simply. Efficient. She is not in the best of spirits.
Foxtrot bows to the guards.  "We have been sent to assist."  He produces a scroll from... somewhere.
Lairu says softly, "My companions and I are here to help. We've come a long way to offer our services, and we do not seek reward."
Foxtrot bows respectuflly to Kyubiko.
Kaelyn just stays quiet, wanting to help these people, but not really knowing how at the moment
Strider is drawn towards what looks like some affected children playing, though weakly.  He steps over, "Hey there..."  He smiles gently.
Kyubiko holds a hand forth as Foxtrot offers the scroll, shaking her head. "I need no word from another to trust, Foxtrot-san.."
"We're here to heal." Serin says in a coarse whisper, before realizing the irony of his situation.
Mabsant Also wanders from the group, moving among the affected, giving them water from his own flask.
Doro just keeps quiet.
Mika regards Kyubiko and nods. "We really should get somewhere we can talk."
Kaelyn hrfs... and now wonders if a massive purification spell would help, maybe burn the plague from the area.....
Strider kneels by some children, laughing gently and talking to them.
Serin tries to get up, weakly.  "These people... need us."
You're fine now.
Shinji looks to Kaelyn.  "How can we help?"
Jade smirks slightly beneath her hood.
Foxtrot hmms? at Jade.
Serin slips off the horse, landing on unsteady legs.  He looks for a moment at all the unhappy suffering around him, then leans against the horse, closing his eyes sadly.
Kyubiko nods slowly ro Mika, and asks quietly, "Whom among you is infected?" She sounds a little grim, having seen much in the last few days to rattle at her spirit..
Mika smiles wryly at that.
Foxtrot nods to Kyubiko, and hands her the scroll.  He looks around.  "It seems some of us had it at some point, but it has faded from them, and others are sick now."
Mabsant crosses himself and performs the last rights for an unconcious woman, in the final stage of affliction. his waterflask exhausted, he returns to the group, a sad look in his eyes.
Kaelyn erfs.. "i've no clue shinji....
Kaelyn wickers softly, "if'n this was a regular plague, then I'd say yes... but I've no good idea"
Shinji wickers, "If it's not a normal plague... That means it's got not a normal source, right?"
Shinji wickers, "Cursed water, or something?"
Kaelyn nods "Aye.
Shinji wickers, "If someone enchanted a major well or oasis..."
Kyubiko breathes a deep sigh. Then looks over each person, seeking signs of infection..
Lairu glances around slowly, his gaze rather steely and flat. Lowering his visor (partly to block the sight and smell), he lowers his lance and dismounts, "Alright, we need to gather as much information on this plague as possible. Can you tell us anything, Kyubiko?"
Kaelyn wickers softly, "no, what I be thinking is it's a huge spell that blankets the entire area..."
Mika remarks quietly, "At the moment, you might be safest thinking we're all infected. I don't much trust this 'plague' the way it behaves."
Shinji wickers, "Wouldn't we be all affected now, too?"
Kyubiko holds one hand up slightly to Lairu, noting quietly, "soon.."
Lairu nods a little.
The woman is consumed by a terrible fever, moaning as their minds show them visions too terrifying for them to handle.  She screams in her sleep until she's hoarse, her fur turning white from terror, even as she's being boiled alive by the fever.  Her skin cracks and blisters, leaving her covered in open sores.  She's covered in vomit, and her body's soiled by diarrhea, her eyes forced closed by the swelling of her tear ducts, her tongue swollen painfully.
Strider laughs, tossing around a small cloth ball with the children he's found.
Foxtrot twitches at the cries of agony and terror around him.
Mabsant crosses himself again. "Holy christ. i've never seen anything this bad before.
Shinji scritches his chin.  "Anyone know if anything weird happened before the plague event?  Mysterious spellcasters, Strange Rituals- sacrifices, etc.?"
Foxtrot says, "Lady Doro is infected.  The only ones I know of as 'clean' so far are my wife and daimyo, Lady Jade, myself, Lord Shinji, Lady Kaelyn, and Lord Strider.  The others were infected at some point before, but the symptoms and signs are gone.""
Serin tugs on a deer-lady's skirt, offering her a bit of spelled water for her pain.  When she doesn't respond, he looks around at the dead body of the child she clutches, weeping silent tears.
Lairu, able to bear little more of this, slings his lance and flings off his gauntlets, muttering a soft prayer as he moves towards the dying woman. Healing energies gather in whispy blue arcs around his paws, and even the ground he walks on greens a little. Kneeling, he puts his glowing paws down on her forehead, and pleads with his goddess to show some sign of hope to these people."
Strider looks as though he enjoys the companionship of the children, telling them a story.
The guard looks over at the screaming woman.  "If she dies, she will be one of the fortunate."
Strider has disconnected.
Kyubiko finally reaches a decision, speaking to the group, "by the orders of the Lord, none whom are infected may enter the city.." she then looks to Foxtrot, "if we are to speak, then either we are not to enter, or we are to find a place to speak outside."
Serin turns to the guard.  "What do you mean?  What happen to unfortuates, sir?"
The guard looks at Serin.  "It gets worse."
The other guard nods quietly.  "The unfortunate live, to suffer more.."
Strider has connected.
Serin suddenly realizes something, looking around for his donkey, Nell.
Mika rakes her fingers through her hair. "Okay, if it helps, you can isolate us somewhere, we can get everyone in the group purified, then we can enter."
Kaelyn hmmms "I think I kin do it.....
Kyubiko blinks once. "You are able to purify?" she asks. "How?"
"'didn't work very well last time we tried it." Serin mutters rooting through his bags. "Hmmph."
Strider stands, leaving the children with a small wave of his paw.  He moves back to the group, "We need  to do something."  He decides on this as if for the sake of the world.
One of the guards rubs a stiff arm.
Mika smiles at Kaelyn. "I have doubts, but I'm eager to see you try regardless." She glances at Kyubiko and nods subtly toward Jade.
Shinji rubs his chin slowly...
Kaelyn erfs... "well supposedly it's 'part of what m'kind have been gifted with...
The woman Lairu heals looks slightly better, eyes opening as she sees Lairu's face.

###  Well I did think it was weird....

Serin thinks it's kind of weird that no one noticed him wake up.  He must be really quiet.
Lairu bares his teeth slightly, his blue-glowing eyes closing to slits. He focuses and repeats his mantra, the arcs of blue light intensifying. Flares of whispy blue light pour from his paws into the dying woman, and her breathing becomes easier. Many of the wounds close and heal over, and the paladin sits back at length, panting softly and hanging his head.
Foxtrot looks at Lairu, then at Jade.  "Baka...."
Doro gives her cloak to someone with the chills, covering them up with it.
Jade blinks at Lairu and scowls deeply under her hood. "It... reacts badly to magical healing. While one is healed, the sickness spreads around it," she says loud enough for the lutrai to hear.
Kaelyn ummms... "well m'people's purification isnae magical healing... it's more of umm a burning of things unpure... also VERY painful to those it is used on, but it won't kill.
Doro takes one of her waterskins and takes a sip.
Lairu gets up slowly, wiping sweat from his brow, "Bloody modern plagues...I bet this was cooked up in some mad necromancer's lab..."
Mika smirks. "Worse than that, love."
Strider licks over his lips, shuddering once.  The jackal winces and shakes his head, murmuring to himself, "No.." He tenses himself up, as if to give himself strenght.
Lairu says softly, "Worse, eh? Why's it always worse?"
Serin grabs his bag of tiddly winks from the donkey's side.
Mabsant says, "It seems that way..."
Doro murrs softly, "To give normal furs a chance to be heroes, why else, Lairu. :)"
Lairu says softly, "Oh, aye."
Serin hurries over to Strider.  "Hi Strider!  Look.  I'm feeling *much* better and... Strider what's wrong?"
Foxtrot looks at Kyubiko.  "No chance of the sick coming in, hmm?  Well, for now, I guess we meet outside.  Is there a chance we can go into the remnants of the garden?"

###  A garden thrives...

Speaking of gardens, Lairu's blessing has seemed to restore it somewhat.  Fresh fruit is hanging from the trees, the flowers are healthier, and some are even blooming.
Strider flicks an ear, smiling down to Serin, "You're a regular trooper kiddo."  He chuckles and shakes his head, hiding the truth, "I'm fine."
Shinji wonders.  "Hey, Kae-love?  Can you tell if it's magical in nature- the plague?"
Lairu looks around slowly, and closes his eyes, whispering a silent thanks to his goddess.
Serin sighs.  "Good. 'cause if you were having chills and achy joints, I'd be worried."
Kaelyn umms 'definately magical in nature.... but how to get rid of it...
Mabsant has once gain waindered off, giving water to the sick, and praying over those who are about to die.
Shinji shrugs.  "I can try magic shunting- see if that helps."
Doro murrs softly, "Finding the source seems our best best... but I know little of magic."
Strider frowns, thinking to himself as Serin mentions that.  "Nah..."  He decides.  He looks back to Serin, "I'm the toughest jackal in the shire.  Don't you worry."
Foxtrot looks around.  "Enough with magic!  NO magic.  NONE.  We are going to forget magic.  Magic is NOT an option."

###  Away from the city, to deduce the cause.  To the garden we go...

Kyubiko nods slowly.. "Not if you wish to discuss this without the cries of others nearby.." she instead looks around. "There are few places where we are able to speak as you wish, so here is as good as another place.."
Shinji wickers, "Foxtrot: That's what I'm saying.  I can push all magic out of an area, for a little while."
Kaelyn hmmms an shakeshakes "nah
Doro murrs softly, "Easy enough for me, Foxtrot-san.""
Foxtrot says, "We are NOT healing one, only to make scores of others die."
Foxtrot picks up a handful of sand.  "This is not magic.  This is the very land and air tainted and spoiled.  This.. plague.. is as much a part of this desert as the ground we walk on."
Kaelyn hms "wassa thinking a purification rite... doesnae heal, but might burn the plague from someone to let them heal on their own...course if they're too far along it could kill em too
Strider grins as magic is declared invalid, "Wonderful, looks like I'll have advantage then."
Lairu says softly, "How are we going to find the source of this taint?"
Foxtrot throws it to the ground, the anger and pain making his eyes burn.
Serin lets his eyes glaze over, looking out with his soul across the aether.
Mika murrs, "While I tend to agree with our dear kitsune, I'd like to see what Kaelyn's methods do for us, just to know."
There is a grey haze over everything, infecting the land and air, which has grown stale.
Jade rests a paw on Foxy's shoulder, closing her eyes.
Serin searches for concentrations of haze.
Doro murrs softly, "Well, uses a place where there is not as many furs about then?  To see if it does work and not endanger unnecessarily."
None visible.
Kaelyn nods "agree....
Shinji sighs.
Serin sighs, blinking his eyes back to their normal brown.
Strider puts a slightly stiff paw to Serin's shoulder.  "Let's do this now... we'll help them all more by getting this figured out."
Shinji had an anti-magical suggestion but.... bleh.
Mabsant makes the sign of the cross on a young ursine's forehead. "Et nomine pater, et nomine pedo, et nomine benedictos secula, amen."
Mika nods and beckons, walking away from the walls to find a clear place.
Foxtrot sighs.  "If we're going to use magic, then I suggest we do it far from here."
You say, "I know Strider.  I was just looking for somefing..."
Doro murrs softly, "That's what i said, Foxtrot."
Lairu follows Mika.
Foxtrot nods to Doro.
Foxtrot asks, "Kyubiko-sama, will you join us?"
Foxtrot sighs, "And the guards have the plague, now..."
Serin taggs along beside Strider, watching him worriedly, though trying not to show it.
Mabsant returns to the group... "Well, what was decided upon?
Shinji shrugs and falls in behind Kaelyn.

###  Morale is lost as the plague respects no rank.

The looks on the guard's faces at Foxtrot's statement is one of horror and defeat.  One of them turns, and tries to run for the city gates, as if fleeing the prediction.
Mika asks as she walks. "And Foxy... tell me precisely what you saw that time?"
Lairu mutters, "Bloody hell."
Kaelyn erfs and tries to pull the guard back @.@
Doro nods in agreement with Lairu.
Kyubiko looks around, and nods, "Stop him.." she asks. Then she turns to a messenger, "tell the guards within no one is to enter until my return.."
Strider smiles, despite himself, looking to the group, "It's not hell just yet.  Only if I leave."  He winks playfully.
The guard runs harder as he's chased by Kaelyn, but the guards closer chase him down.  One runs him through, pulling his pike up as the former guard twitches.
Kyubiko closes her eyes and sighs.
The other two guards go back to their posts with steely resolve.  "Nobody passes without your orders, Vizier."
Serin turns his back.
Shinji follows Kaelyn slowly.
Kaelyn erfs... and returns to the group.
Kyubiko then follows, posture rather grim.
Lairu looks at the guard in rather amazed disgust.
Lairu says softly, "You waste life even now. As if there wasn't enough of it going around."
Foxtrot nods to Jade, and walks quietly.  "Well, Mika-sama, what I saw was the air seeming to recoil and react to the magic, spreading and growing, spreading out among everyone there."  He bites his lip, peering at some of the others.
You say, "We canna heal the furrs since it makes others sicker, Lairu."
Strider winces, waiting for the others to gather and speak.
Mabsant frowns... "Stripped of our magic, and our immunity... hm..
Doro murrs softly, "Not with magic, apparently, surely there are other ways to treat an illness."
Mika murmurs, "Chastising doens't help much either at the moment, however truthful." She considers. "Hmm... the air? And you said it wasn't magical in nature? How does something like this come to pass, then?"
Lairu raides over to the stricken guard, and dismounts.
Mabsant Frowns, thinking...
Lairu takes a roll of bandages from his rucksack.
The three guards stand their posts, the captain nodding to Lairu.
Kyubiko nods to Doro.. "there are many.." she then adds, "but a plague is a dangerous thing.."
Doro murrs softly, "Aye, I know.... but unless we know what exactly is being dealth with, how it started and what will work against it, all that's to be done is what we can."
Foxtrot ponders as he walks.  "Something is spreading a sickness across this land.  Its source could be magical, or natural.  If something is present in a region long enough, eventually, its opposite will grow too."
Mabsant . - <Magic=energy... all life forms require energy to survive... bacterium in vents at the bottom of the sea feed on poison sulphur... this world is strange enough that virii or airbourne bacteria could feed on magical energy.. an airbourne biological toxin? Maybe it was created, a biological weapon. but why? bother it. i know nothing of the physics of this strange place..>
Foxtrot says, "So this plague could be a curse, or a spell, or it could be just the land's reaction to magic."
Doro hmmms.  "A new type of plant maybe...."
Mika glances at Foxy and perks an ear. "Meaning?"
Strider frowns, folding his arms over, "And we'll never know unless we get on it now.  Wasting time helping only one isn't going to do the whole much good."
Mika hrms..
"It's like a fog of bad things all over everything." you say.
Doro murrs softly, "Strider, helping one might aid in understanding this whole mess."
Lairu grimly unfastens the guard's breastplate, and surveys the damage, attempting to revert back to his older healing skills, taught to him before he received his healing touch."
The speared guard is fatally injured, and drowning on his own blood.
Mika murmurs, "Thing about 'the land' is it tends not to react so suddenly. Something of this magnitude, yet localized in the region... this doesn't strike me as natural. Could something like this just happen?" she asks the kitsune.
Mika stops and faces the group once she's clear of the refugees.
Lairu bares his teeth, and does what he can to comfort the dying fur. When it's over he walks back over to the captain of the guard, and stamps his colors with a bloody pawprint, "You forgot this."
Kyubiko quietly notes, "there is nothing in this world or another that 'just happens'. All things come because of something."
"And usually the plants are the first to suffer when the land is sick.  What I saw was the garden getting better, while the people got unbetter." you say.
The guard looks at it, then looks at Lairu, but says nothing.
Doro hmms and looks towards the garden that had gotten better for a moment.
Foxtrot hmmms, and kneels, picking up a handful of sand, peering at it.  "No, I believe something triggered this."
Kaelyn hmmms "perhapse someone has something to gain from this?
Shinji wickers, "Foxxy?"
Shinji wickers, "I was asking that earlier."
Lairu walks back to his horse and mounts again, slapping down his visor, "If the land is reacting badly to magic, then we must ask if any great magics have occured lately, that may have started the reaction?"

###  Foxtrot becomes his role as Kitsune of the Heavens.

Mika murmurs, "So, kitsune of the heavens, what could trigger this?"
Serin looks to Kyubiko, then to Foxtrot hopefully.
Shinji wickers, "We need to find out if somehting weird happened- a sacrifice of epic proportions, magical rituals- ruins unearthed..."
Strider sighs and watches, leaning on one leg.  "What if it's something concocted by someone magically powerful and wise.  No one can use their magic without making it worse.  And it spreads so easily.."
Mabsant says, "Or the rising of a cult..."
Foxtrot looks at Mika a moment, then sighs and stares at the heavens.  "I hate doing this."  He taps into his element, fading from sight.  One moment he's there, then a moment later, he's spreading out, becoming just a whisp of himself as he seems to grow and fade out into the sky.
Serin O.o
Mabsant o.O
Lairu rides off after the group, his lance raised.
Serin giggles.  "We bof raised a different eyebrow."
Strider watches, his eyes looking a bit heavy, though he forces them to remain open.
Kyubiko turns, some feet away from the group, eyes surveying the horizon toward the city.. her arms are behind her back. Silent.
Mika glances at Jade and smiles. "Oh, and would you be so kind as to de-plague me? It probably won't last under these conditions, but I just don't care for it."
Serin looks sideways at Strider.  Then *looks* sideways at Strider.  Wonder what his Aura looks like...?
After a few minutes where Foxtrot 'was', he gathers again, seeming to 'draw down' from the sky and concentrate.
Doro murrs softly, "Learn anything, Foxtrot-san?"
Foxtrot stumbles, eyes glowing with white light.  It fades as he looks around.
Kaelyn hmms and peers around...
Jade winces and smirks faintly as she looks at Mika. "Mika-sama, you don't seem to be sick now anyway."
Foxtrot asks, "What was I looking for again?"
Shinji scritches his chin and erfs.
Strider smiles over to Foxtrot, "Anything..."
Doro murrs softly, "Um, what could've triggered the plague."
Mika blinks a little and frowns. She shrugs and turns to Foxy again.
"Where it comes from..." Serin says not turning away from strider.
Kaelyn thinks a moment....
Shinji trots over to Kyubiko.  "You work here, right?"
Strider looks to Serin, perking up one brow, "Whatcha looking at kiddo?  I'm fine... really."
Foxtrot nods, his eyes still not completely clear.  "Even the sun casts his shadow, and what lays in darkness may be far worse than what lays in light.  Leave your enemies clear and they will be hated far more than if you strike them down yourself."
Kyubiko nods to Shinji's question, eyes still on Anansie. She has not turned into salt, though. Rest assured.
Serin's ash grey eyes seem to stare off through Strider.
Mabsant says, "Normally i would go with the 'ruins unearthed' idea... but the land's reaction, it makes no sense.. It's not transmitted through water, as we've only drank our own... It must be something in the air. or something inherent to the area..."
Mika says, "Ah. Kaelyn. While we're here and talking, you oughta see if that non-magical purification stuff of yours will work on someone sick."
Shinji wickers, "Ok.  Has anything weird happened recently?  Such as, recent/before the plague?"
Mabsant says, "Something under the ground!"
Strider frowns, looking from Serin and then to Foxtrot, "For those of us who are rather simple... what could that mean?"
Mika frowns. "Foxy... you've gone Tamper on me..." She grins a little. "I'm bloody impressed."
Kyubiko shakes her head to Shinji. "Nothing unusual to my understanding has occurred before the plague.."
Foxtrot blinks, his eyes returning to their silver-green as he looks at Mika.  "Pardon?  Sorry, I didn't find anything."
Doro murrs softly, "Gone Tamper?"
Foxtrot looks downcast.
Mabsant says, "The only place the sun constantly casts a shadow is undergound, in catacombs or something..."
Serin hmms.  "The sun casts everybody's shadow.  Darkness is worse than light.  Leaving enemies clear to dig their own doom... it seems all common sense to me."
Mika laughs for just a moment at Foxtrot's reaction, then nods to herself. "Right." She clears her throat and looks to Kyubiko. "That actually clears things up a little... though not entirely."
Kaelyn shrugs "I can try, it's kind of a thing given me people by the gods..." she then looks to foxtrot "y'think that m'purification abilities would be able to help any?
Kyubiko then turns to look at the group, "But my place here is new still."
Mabsant says, "No, no.. but at some point, the sun is constantly casting a shadow somewhere... except underground."
Foxtrot looks at Serin, confused.  "Pardon?"
Mika declares, perhaps out of nowhere, "Beryn."
Foxtrot says, "Then sun doesn't cast a shadow.  Objects touched by the sun's light casts shadows."
Foxtrot ...?
Lairu leans back in his saddle, silent.
Strider shakes his head, wincing once and grumbling before recomposing himself and looking back to the group as they figure out the workings of this.
Serin is still a bit distant.  "Yup.  I meant that."
Mabsant sighs, seeing the other method of the wording. "Oh."
Mika waves to get everyone's attention. :)
Foxtrot is looking at Mika.
Mabsant looks at mika.
Doro looks to Mika as she takes another sip of water.
Lairu looks over at Mika, "Mm?"
Kaelyn headtilts atta Mika
Serin can't see anyone waving right now.
Strider looks over.

###  Beryn, the Sun's Shadow?

Mika takes a breath. "Okay, some of you got a quick rundown on Arion and Beryn back at the Hold, if you recall. Arion's a sun deity. Beryn's his 'opposite,' an entity of destruction. That's about as much a shadow cast by the sun as one can hope for, neh? Then..."
Serin doesn't like to blind himself to the real world for this long.  Can I see Strider's aura or not?
Foxtrot nods quietly to Mika, wondering where she's suddenly got this information.
Lairu says softly, "Does this mean we're going to fight another god?"
Foxtrot mumbles, "You make that sound like we do it all the time."
You say, "Or his followers."
Mabsant ohhhh... "Yes, that makes sense..."
Mika goes on, "... there were the activities of the Berynites mentioned there. Something up with them, obviously. A friend of mine reported recently that Beryn is... well, active in some manner in this region."
Mika shakes her head...
Mabsant says, "Beryn's Cult? Something gone wrong, or something worse gone right?"
Lairu says softly, "I consider fighting two gods to be too many."
Lairu says softly, "At least in one lifetime."
Strider frowns, his brow creasing, "My mother said if you're fighting a god, you're already dead."
Mika says, "Even if Foxy didn't know what he was saying, I'd wager the person speaking for him did. We'll accomplish a lot more by revealing Beryn and his followers as the source of this plague than we will by confronting them directly."
Lairu says softly, "I think we've found our culprit."
Kyubiko quietly nods.. "A cult.." She shakes her head to Lairu, "battling a god would be foolish. His followers are the key.." She turns to Mika, "if that is the source.."
Doro murrs softly, "So how do we find them?"
Kyubiko smiles quietly. "That is not difficult.."
Mabsant says, "How do we garner proof, is the question, and make them veunerable to be destroyed?"
Mika smirks at Kyubiko. "I don't know what they're up to here, but this seems like his sort of thing from what I know."
Lairu says softly, "If they're in this area, we'll find them."
Foxtrot stares up at the burning sun, the light turning his eyes silver.  "The sun's shadow is nothing but a sliver of its glory.  But even cracks can cause one to falter, and one who does not know his own weakness may forget himself."
Strider nods once and continues the thought of finding them, "Once that's done, we can beat them into a pulp.  Works for me."
Lairu says softly, "Right now, I think our weakness is magic."
Mika trails off, pondering to herself, "The big question is, what does he want here." She perks an ear and smirks. "But what is Beryn's weakness?"
Serin shakes his head, clearing the grey from his eyes.  "It's obviously not healing magic."
Lairu says softly, "I'm not sure."
Strider shakes his head, "The only way would be to use everything else we know against him."
Mabsant says, "Wouldn't his weakness be Light, and the connotation thereof? law, goodness, and order?"
Lairu says softly, "I suspect you're right."
Kaelyn hrfs... "so would something designed to put order on an area work?
Mabsant looks at Kyubiko.. "You seem to be in charge here... could you utilize an archive or library and have someone bring us all information documented here on Beryn?
"Light is order?  I thought it was chaos.  We should have the right definitions, I think." you say.
Kaelyn wickers softly, "or better yet, couldn't we just tell arion to help us? ^_^"
Strider looks to Mabsant, "But isn't healing a form of goodness?"
Foxtrot keeps his eyes on the sun, eyes turning white.  "One man has made the difference.  But he forgets himself.  Soon, he will remember, then the Sun's Shadow will spread."
Kaelyn shakeshakes "healing is just the reparation of something damaged
Kyubiko sighs. "if there were such record here, it would have been noted by myself.." she replies quietly.
Mabsant says, "Strider, it may be a built in connotation of whatever's going on..."
Mika kneels down again, drawing a pattern in the sand and murmuring quietly to herself.
Lairu watches Mika curiously.
Doro hmms and listens to Foxtrot.
Strider sighs and nods, shrugging up his shoulders a little wearily, "Right.  I'll stick to being the strong, tough guy."
Mabsant sighs. "Well, thanks anyway.."
Foxtrot stops, and kneels, rubbing his eyes, weak and uneasy.  Though you didn't notice, he's faded away, and is just now reforming.
Serin hmms.  "Is the one who forgets a bad guy or a good guy?"
Foxtrot says, "I am not doing that again.  Not for a ... long while."
"Well thank you for helping." you say.
Shinji wickers, "Sun's shadow."
Serin could use a shadow in this heat. -.-;;
Shinji wickers, "A shadow is caused between the sun and something else, right?  So..."
Kyubiko says to Serin, "the one whom forgets may be both.. there is seldom a definite 'good' or 'evil'.."
Shinji wickers, "What would cause the sun to be a shadow?"

###  Knowledge gained, but at what cost?  And who is Kyn looking for?!

Foxtrot looks around, blinking back tears.  Pearls have pooled under him, and there's a small ring of ash around him.
Jade tailsnugs Foxy gently.
"No, we're the good guys an' the bad guys are makin' the plague." you say, " Ooo, shiny!"
Foxtrot asks, "Sun's shadow?"
Foxtrot curls his tails around Jade.
Mabsant says, "An eclipse!"
Serin looks closely at a pearl.  Maybe he can snatch one really quick...
Strider frowns, laying his ears back to excentuate his furrowed brow in confusion.
Foxtrot doesn't notice the pearls, nor the ash.
Lairu looks up, and then nods to Mika, "Beryl's our problem."
Shinji quirks an eyebrow at Mabsant... "Hey... yeah..."  He looks at Kyubiko.  "Any eclipses lately?"
Mika stands back up. "The 'one who forgets' came up too. Kyn's looking up on him."
Doro also look at the pearls and picks 'em up.  "Foxtrot-san, what are these?"
Serin almost drops his pearl.  "Mabsant... that's a good idea!"
Foxtrot blinks, and looks at the pearl.  "Err.  Tears.  Kitsune tears."
Foxtrot looks at Jade, "What did I miss?"
Serin wows.  "When I cry it just soaks into the ground.  You must be pretty special."
Doro murrs softly, "And the ash?"
Kyubiko quietly notes, "the riddle mentioned that even the sun casts his shadow.. not a time, but a statement.. everlasting.."
Mabsant says, "And during an eclipse, they might have done this.. or will do this even worse..."
Serin pockets the shiny a bit more carefully now that he knows what it is.
Jade smiles lopsidedly. "Um... you doing wierd prophesy talk."
Lairu says softly, "An eclipse..."
Foxtrot hmms?  He looks down.  "oh.  Err... spirit ash.. mana, in the food sense."
Doro hmms and gathers it up, might be useful, who knows.
Foxtrot looks at Jade?  "Prophesy?"
Strider leans back against a tree, arms folded across his chest as he awaits a final answer.
Serin giggles atta resourceful Doro, taking a long drink of water from his flask.
Mabsant says, "Have there been any eclipses lately, and/or will there be one soon?"
Foxtrot looks at Jade and blinks a bit.
Jade nods.
Foxtrot bleahs.  "But dear, I'm terrible at prophesy..."
Jade fuzzles Foxtrot lightly.

###  Shinji gets one past me.  And everybody else for at least 5 minutes!

Shinji wickers, "You can never turn a prophet, huh?"
"Aww, you made a really neat prophecy just a little bit ago." you say.
Mika rakes her fingers through her hair. "Unfortunately, we have the plague hanging over us. That limits our freedom a bit. And, thusfar, very little in the way of clues." She looks at Kyubiko. "You haven't noticed any odd cult activity here, have you?"
Mabsant notices his quiet mumble has been completely overlooked...
Lairu says softly, "Aye, or any powerful magical rites."
Kyubiko nods.. "in the south, there was an eclipse, according to the astronomers.."
Foxtrot tailwhaps Shinji.
Shinji eeps.
Shinji wickers, "Ahah!  So you WERE telling us a tall tail."
Mabsant says, "When? and where was the umbra centred?"
Foxtrot asks, "Umbra?"
You say, "It's the dark part."
Mabsant says, "The centre of the eclipse's shadow."
Doro has disconnected.
Shinji looks at Kyubiko and huh's.   "An eclipse, huh?  What's the Lore hereabouts on eclipses?"
Kyubiko thinks for a moment. "the plague seems to be ineffective to those able to cast magicks.." and sighs. "the people of Anansie take this as a sign.."
Mabsant retcons, "..Eclipses' shadow's centre.."
Mika frowns. "Ah... really?"
Mika grins. "Well now, that makes all sorts of sense."
Kyubiko quietly shakes her head, "I know not the precise location.. only that it would be seen from the south.."
Mabsant says, "Then let us seek out a scholar who would."
"We can't just wander south," you say, "after all."
Kyubiko looks at Mabsant, "knowing where it would be exactly would require a witness."
Strider nods once, "Let's figure out what we can do based on this... 'prophesy' right now."
Kaelyn just listens ^_^
Mika grins at Serin. "Oh why not? We just wandered into a plague-infested desert knowing little or nothing about the goings on."
Kyubiko smiles very slightly, suddenly reminded of something.
You say, "Yes, but we knew where we were going.  We just couldn't help at Anansie."
Foxtrot looks at Jade, and sort of sits there.
Doro has connected.
Mabsant looks inquisitively at Kyubiko?
Mika taps the side of her muzzle and goes to murmur to Jade.
Strider seems a little restless as he refolds his arms over, looking from one fur to another.
Serin still wants to know what Strider's aura looks like.
Jade furrows her brow and nods a little.

###  Strider's Aura is...

Really bad.
Kaelyn headtilts anna listens?
Serin sighs and gazes once more at Strider, his eyes going grey.
Doro stretches out a bit in the silence.
Kyubiko's smile seems to vanish just as quickly. The memory causing it passing.

Mabsant Does an aside, shakespeare style. "An we be so close to each other, yet so far from understanding; what can a man do to protect himself from the ineffable existance of love and death? Here in the desert, they are indeed so close, so horribly close, that they may blend one into the other. There are two plagues here, methinks; one of the flesh, and one of the soul, though the second most assuredly pains me more. But enow, to the party of those who i go with, perhaps to exonerate both myself and others." (Exeunt)

Foxtrot applauds, impressed.
Doro blinks?
"Strider?" Serin says wandering over without breaking his gaze. "Are you feeling okay?"
Lairu says softly, "Aye, very well spoken."
Mabsant says, "Perhaps there is a sage we can speak to, Vizier? (I'm assuming that Kyubiko is a vizier)."
Strider looks sidelong to Mabsant, "And here I doth bloody say, let's get on with it already."  He blinks and looks back to Serin, "I'm fine.  I'm a big jackal."
Foxtrot hmms.  "Kyubiko, can those you know here who are not afllicted go to your libraries?"
You say, "Right.  But tell me exactly how you feel."
Kyubiko is not only a vizier. She is the vizier. She replies, "yes, but what do you seek to know within them?"
Strider smiles to Serin, "Fine.  I feel fine."  He grins, pushing aside any pains he carries as he looks to the ferret.
Mika clears her throat and smiles. "Oh Foxy..."
You say, "I think you're lying."
Mabsant says, "The exact location of the centre of the shadow of the eclipse."
Kaelyn OOC I gotta go, need be up at 6
Foxtrot hmms.  "I'm not sure.  I'm thinking perhaps of seeing if there's anything like this from the past....?"  He looks at Mika as she gets his attention.  "Hai?"
Mika says, "Shouldn't a celestial kitsune know where a shadow like that fell?"
Mika fuzzles Kaelyn!
Kaelyn OOC wavies 'sorry yall, just gotta get up too bloody early inna mornin, cyall later!
Kaelyn has disconnected.
Foxtrot blushes.  "Hai.  I didn't think of looking though."
Strider snorts at Serin, "The good looking jackal has no reason to lie.  I'm fine.  Maybe just a touch tired, nothing I shouldn't be able to deal with."
Mika smiles and continues in a sing-song voice. "Sure you did. Didn't he, Jade?"
Doro raises an eyebrow.
Lairu leans up against Mika, and whispers to her.
Jade rolls her eyes.
Foxtrot looks fom Jade to Mika and bakc.
Jade glances at Kyubiko. "Exactly how long ago was it?"
Shinji brbs again.
Serin's eyes shine with tears.  "No, I think you're lying, and you're feeling chills, and achy to the bone.  Just like I was back at the gypsy camp.  And then you're gonna have those bad dreams that don't go away when you wake up, and NOONE should have ta see that!  Strider... you can't tough out the plague.  I think you're sick.  Am I right?  Am I right?!"
Mabsant looks over.. "What? strider?"
Strider furrows up his brow looking down to the young ferret, "If I'm feeling chilly, it's because it's cold.  I'm achey because I had to sleep on the sand last night.  I won't have bad dreams because I doubt I'll be sleeping tonight."  He sighs, "I'll be fine..." He reaffirms this, mostly to himself.
Kyubiko quietly says, "there has been no record found, but we have not been able to scour the libraru for this sort of thing.." she looks at Foxtrot, "if you wish to lend aid in this, you may, though it would be but one more.."
"Strider is sick." Serin says to mabsant. "And it's only a matter of time before he gets like I was."
Foxtrot smiles a little to Kyubiko.  "I understand, but perhaps one more is what is needed."
Mabsant Sighs.. he looks at strider. "Well?"
Strider frowns, looking between Mabsant and Serin, "I /will/ be fine.  I can bloody handle anything."
Serin isn't going to take his eyes off Strider until he's all better happy.  "And that is that."
Shinji looks at Kyubiko.  "I'll be no help with the library- what can I do?"
Foxtrot says, "Jade-sama and I can search the libraries.  I am fluent in Hinde, thanks to my father, and Jade-sama can help speed things along."
Mika chuckles. "I still say my idea's faster," she remarks to Foxy.
Foxtrot hmms?  He looks at Mika.  "What is your idea?"
Serin lets his eyes clear to brown, and some semblance of quiet forms in the background while Foxtrot and Kyubiko and crew discuss.

###  And the plague takes Strider.

Strider blinks, going wide eyed abruptly.  He hops back a step and grabs for his fighting dagger, yelling out, "Bloody hell... what is that...?"
Kyubiko quietly nods to Foxtrot then. "those of you whom are users of magicks may enter.. as well as any not even suspected of infection.." she frowns as she says that. She is trying to look wholly collected.
Mabsant blinks at strider?
Serin oh dears.  "Strider... Mabsant.  Hold him down."
Mabsant Is a user of magic...
Serin digs in his pouch of herbs.
Mabsant Obeys and holds strider down.
Jade looks at Strider and frowns deeply.
Foxtrot looks at Kyubiko.  "Jade-sama and I can go.  The rest stay and search for clues."  He frowns, as if he hears something.  "Those who use magic here are carriers, and immune to the plague themselves."
Strider flicks his ears and growls, trying to struggle free of Mabsant with all his strenght, "Let me go you stupid bear.  It's coming!"
Serin places a black crumbled leaf in his canteen, and shakes it, murmuring a small spell.
Mabsant just holds him back. "You are hallucinating."
"Ow!" Serin drops the hot canteen, spilling a bit before he grabs it again, tossing it like a hot potato. "A little bit cooler... done."
Kyubiko arches a brow, and asks, gravely, "do I carry the plague?"
Serin walks over to Strider, trying to get him to keep still.  "You need to drink this.  It will make things better."
Foxtrot looks at Kyubiko.  He looks closely.  He looks deep.  "You are not infected, but you carry it."
Doro takes a sip of water and looks around.
Strider snarls and snaps at the air, "Let me go!"  The jackal flips himself back, trying to twist himself free of Mabsant.
[FFRP:Roll]Strider rolls 'Acrobatical Agility'. Result is :  26
Serin jumps back, and tries to keep from spilling the water.
Lairu pats Vex on the shoulder.
Lairu has disconnected.
Shinji jerks to attention, frowning... "Need some help?"
Mabsant lets go helplessly.
Kyubiko nods slowly. Then she blinks and frowns, looking at Strider, concentrating..
You say, "Please Strider.  It's all I can do.  You gotta drink it!"
Doro sighs to herself, pads a bit away from the group and sits down as she drinks some more water.
Foxtrot asks, "Are you okay, Doro?"
Strider frees himself and launches himself forward to attack something only he can seemingly view.  His energy seems to fail him however and he hits the dirt heavily.  The jackal whines once, closing his eyes and shaking his head, murmuring repeatedly, "Don't look, don't look..."
Serin leaps onna jackal and tries to get some liquid down his throat.
Kyubiko clasps her hands together, eyes closed a moment as she then looks to Strider, deeply..
Mika goes and sits by Doro. She's not about to lend spellcraft to sedating anyone right now, and there's more than enough capable furs to handle Strider.
Mabsant awks and runs over, and scoops strider into his lap. he hugs his friend protectively.
[FFRP:Roll]Kyubiko rolls 'Sorcery (Water)'. Result is :  24
Strider coughs and sputters, though the liquid does go down.  He groans, his eyes still shut he tries to push off Serin, "No.... like a mountain... off!"
Jade sighs quietly and murmurs, "You shouldn't use spells in healing... even minor ones."
Serin backs off, leaving him to Mabsant.  "Try to keep him still.  What I gave him works like Valarian... just stronger.  It won't even let him dream."
Foxtrot looks at Jade, "Let's get to the library, time's running out for them."
Kyubiko shakes her head to Jade. "I asked his mind to calm.." she replies quietly.
Mabsant holds him down.
Jade murmurs, "Time... it doesn't have to be." She sighs quietly.
Strider murmurs, his movements weak and poorly coordinated, "Let me go... I have to get home... the cub."  He settles a little, allowing himself to be held, the jackal speaks in hushed and raspy tones, "I don't want to die."
Shinji has disconnected.
Kyubiko then follows, asking one of the guards upon reaching to allow the two passage, and to get word that she is not going to enter. To tell the Sultan (wink, wink) that magi are carrying the plague, and show no signs.

###  We who would bring life are bringers of death.

Jade follows Foxy...
You say, "Great.  Now whoever healed me, do the same to Strider.  Something's killing him...."
Doro has connected.
Kyubiko also asks to allow Jade and Foxtrot to see whom among the mages are infected.
Foxtrot heads off with Jade to the library, and to perhaps talk with the Sultan.
Foxtrot goes home.
Foxtrot leaves, with Jade walking along with him.
Doro has disconnected.
Kyubiko then resumes her duty at the gate.
Mabsant says, "You won't die, strider... I shan't let you."
Doro rests her head on her knees.
Strider keeps his eyes closed, sniffing around and using his ears as the senses of choice now.  "I better not... I don't want you taking care of my kid.  You'll make it weird..."
Mabsant Actually looks really hurt by that comment.
Vex found that kinda funny. :>
Mika leans over, peering at Doro. "You 'kay?"
You say, "We're... we're carrying the plague?  Foxtrot, wait!  So anyone who can use magic... carries it?"
Strider grunts, speaking as though he has to so that he'll remain awake, "Shelley wouldn't stand for it anyhow... and I can barely keep you two from fighting in life, let alone death."
Serin looks confused and troubled, but glad that the drug seems to be calming down Strider.
Doro murrs softly, "Oh, other than feeling too weak to stand, achy, hallucinating, getting odd welts on my paws so far and having a scratchy throat, I'm peachy."
Not you too, Doro!" Serin wails.

###  Doro's condition: just as bad, though silent denial has kept it secret from us.

Mika smirks. "Sounds just lovely. And you were gonna sit through it 'til you fell over dead?"
Mabsant Sets strider down and walks off, sitting down with a sign.
Serin stays by Strider, keeping a close watch over him.
Mika remarks, "There's at least one person in the group capable of 'curing' people, you know. Without offing others."
Doro opens her eye to look at Mika.  "Don't be ridiculous!  I'd rather sit down than fall down.  So where do we start looking for clues?"
Strider groans, "Oh Mab... I'm not trying to mean.  I'm just a jackal.  We have big beaks!"  He coughs then, and as he attempts to continue speaking, cannot for cause of a swollen tongue.

###  Strider gets sicker, and begins to fade...

THe jackal moans painfully and rolls onto his stomach, grabbing at his stomach as he proceeds to retch up all the ale he's been drinking over the past little while.
Doro closes her eyes tightly and growls slightly in pain.  She gags slightly and her eyes seem to start swelling shut.  She opens her mouth to pant and her tongue is obviously swelling.  "Good thing I didn't eat today..."
\Mika stands, glancing at Serin. She shakes her head. "If his healing's anything like Lairu's, it'll make anyone around worse."
( Is there an alchemist in the house?! )
Mabsant Rushes to his friend's side and gently wipes his mouth... he cradles him. "Oh, you poor creature.."
Mika remarks, "The time kitsune who just wandered off to the library can undo the whole bloody thing. Of course, she may be limited in how many people she can help, and it gets harder they longer they've been sick, I imagine. Most of all, though, she can't do a bloody thing for you without being asked. Rules and all."
It is now late evening.
Serin sighs, tending to poor sick Strider.
Kyubiko is over at the gates, refusing anyone at all passage. Then she gets the idea this is pointless, and just tells the guards to seal off the city. She then goes back to the group.
Doro murrs softly, "Kinda.... hard to ask her when she's not here...."
Mika smirks. "Indeed. Perhaps someone should go get her?"
There's cries of anguish as the guards refuse anyone from entering the city, and the guards on the wall prepare for a fight.  However, most of the people outside are too weak to protest much.
Doro murrs softly, "Cute..." she trembles in pain.  "The hallucination.... is the sickness..."
Strider whimpers, it's all he can do vocally.  The jackal continues to vomit, though it's becoming dry retching because of the lack of food in his stomach.  He shivers in pain and cold, though simmers to the touch.  He wails then, trying to crawl backwards, only slipping in his own vomit and confused by everything around him, everything aching to the touch.
"Maybe something..." Serin mixes in some majoram, and tries to get strider to drink again, holding him as still as possible.
Mabsant Holds his friend tightly, ignoring the fact he's getting all mucked up.
You say, "It'll taste weird, but majoram stops demons in the stomach."
Mika smirks silently.
Doro curls up in a ball, just panting and retching also, spitting up the water to the side as that is the only thing in her stomach.  Her shudders are of pain and cold as she furrows her brow, trying to fight off the sickness by force of will.  Refusing to give in.
Strider kicks out weakly, his voice struggling to be heard again as he keeps trying to speak, though all is heard is dry heay breaths.  The jackal absently grabs for any of his daggers, taking the throwing one in paw as he cuts the air in front of him madly.

###  From out of the darkness, a savior comes...

From out of the darkness comes a young, black lioness.  She looks the group over, wearing black scale-mail and keeping herself cloaked in a black robe.
Mika regards Doro for a moment, then borrows Lairu's horse. She blinks, peering at the lioness. "Yes?"
Kyubiko kneels by Doro, quietly sighing and covering him with her kimono, leaving her quite unclothed, but not seeming to care.
Mabsant Disarms his friend. "Stop! Lay still, you arse, before you hurt me or yourself!"
Lillith spots Kyubiko, and walks towards her.  "If any of you so much as breath a word of magic, I will take your head off," she says to the group as she approaches.
Serin sighs.  He's only got 3 doses of White Willow.  "Try giving Doro an infusion with some of this.  It might get the fever down."
Mika chuckles faintly. "Indeed, though you might want to keep clear anyway, we have a couple here pretty bad off."
Strider whines and rolls onto his back, sputtering finally, "End me... it's awful..."  He can't even open his eyes anymore, they're so swollen.
Kyubiko looks up at Lillith, tilting her head? "Hai?" she hasn't the strength of spirit now to discuss drastic threat.
Doro's ear swivels slightly at the sound of a new voice, but still she concentrates on fighting as she can.
Serin eeeps.  "No, my mistake.  It needs to be cold water."
You say, "Strider, you can't give up now.  Koji needs you.  She would be so sad..."
Lillith brings out three crystals from a pouch, looking at Doro.  She kneels, placing the crystal on Doro's chest, eyes closed.  Healing energies flow into Doro, causing the swelling to lessen, the pain to fade.  When she's done, all Doro feels is aches and a slight thirstyness.
Mabsant says, "-I- need you.. you're my bloody best freind, and i'd be miserable if you died... Oh, strider... don't die.."
Serin ohhs.  A fellow stone healer.
Mabsant rocks him back and forth.
Kyubiko looks to Serin, and asks, "may I see what you have for healing?"
Lillith looks up at Mabsant and Strider.  She discards the black crystal, and brings out a fresh one, approaching Strider.
Strider whines softly, tears forming along his eyelids.  The jackal shivers and clutches onto the bear shakily.
You say, "Hmm.  I tried to gather as much as I could, but it doesn't look like enough."
Mika furrows her brow, watching Lillith closely.
The black lioness looks over at Mika.  "My father asked me to help.  I am a mentat as well as a sorceress.  I will not use magic here."
Doro blinks her eye open after a moment.  "What in the ...."  She sits up and reaches for on of her waterskins she DIDN'T drink out of when she was sick.
Mika nods. "I suspected that... He sent you here specifically, did he?"
Mabsant says, "Please.. can you heal my friend?"
Doro offers Kyubiko her kimono back.
Lillith looks at Mika.  "Yes.  I came as quickly as I could."  She approaches Strider, and places the crystal on his chest, closing her eyes and drawing the sickness from him with her psi.
Mika murmurs, "And perhaps he has some understanding of what is going on."
She concentrates, the black tigress drawing the pain and terror from Strider, until all that's left is sore joints and thirst.
Lillith looks over at Mika.  "He has yet to inform me of details, but I have enough difficulties in Threshold that I do not wish to get involved here."
Kyubiko bows her head to Doro, taking her kimono and replacing it upon herself, no longer nude. She seemed.. oddly comfortable that way. "please rest.." she whispers. "healed or not, you need to recover.."
Mika frowns. "Difficulties there? Such as?"
Doro massages her shoulders, legs and neck.  "What's goin on in Threshold?"
"Th... thank you mylady." Serin says, looking up at strider's benefactress.
Strider's shivering ends and he slowly blinks his eyes open.  The jackal is quick to regain his composure and attitude.  "Oh bloody hell... I smell."  He sits up, "This is not the look for someone as good looking as me."  He turns to Mabsant and laughs, "Like I'd let you off easy and die."  He snickers and stands, working out the sore joints and reaching for his bottle of ale affixed to his belt as he regards Lillith, "Thank you."
Kyubiko rises, bowing to Lillith, "you have my appreciation.." This is not something Kyubiko takes lightly.

###  ...with grave news as well.

Lillith loks over at Mika.  "Rukshasa are trying to infiltrate and impersonate my retainers.  The Kithain are a bloody nuisance."
Mika smirks. "Ah... the usual, then?"
Doro smiles to Kyubiko.  "Anything that doesn't knock me on my arse I can handle."  She slowly stands up.
Kyubiko lays a hand on Doro. "But there is no need for activity now.."
Strider looks himself over, "Oh bloody hell... where can I wash up?"  He takes a swig from the bottle, grinning cockily.
Lillith shakes her head.  "No.  Ravana is doing a major assault.  It's just invisible to the populace."
You say, "Strider!  You're better."
Mabsant embraces strider making a happy bearish noise.
Kyubiko again, asks of Serin, "What do you have, by the means of herbs, upon your person?"
The black lioness frowns at Strider as she discards the wasted crystal, leaving one left.  She looks around.  "I may be able to cure one other.  Who should I cure?"
Mika hrms. "Interesting timing. These things all seem to come at once."
Doro murrs softly, "Think Ravana and Beryn might be working together?"
Strider winks to Serin, "I'm a tough jackal.  I told you so."  He erks, looking to Mabsant, "Oh come on... this is making me look like a wuss bear."  The jackal nevertheless pats Mabsant, using him as a wipe for all the vileness on him.
Mika scowls...
Lillith nods, "I do not believe in coincidence.  The Emerald Adepts are saviours, and stopped two assassination attempts on me just last night."
Doro murrs softly, "Or at least enough to keep the bigger powers of the lands busy and divided?"
Strider looks to Lillith, sincerity showing momentarily, "All things considered though... there are children sick.  You should have spent your energy on them."
Mabsant whimpers. "I couldn't have born it if you'd died.."
Lillith shakes her head, her hair bouncing in curls behind her.  "No, Ravana does not want the world destroyed.  He just wants to rule it."
Strider arches a curious brow at Mabsant, "What now?"  He crinkles up his muzzle.
Mika says, "Bad, bad news. Have you informed the king and queen?"
Doro murrs softly, "Yeah, but still, those who are very powerful generally tend to think they can control their allies or take away from them."
The black lioness frowns at Strider, her tone cold.  "Would children save the city, and search for the source of this problem?"
You say, "How can he rule the world by killing people wif a plague?"
Lillith shakes her head, "I believe they have enough on their paws, but if you think it best."
Strider lays his ears back at Lillith, "They're children all the same.  I'm of little comparison to them."
"Ravana is not the source of this sickness."  Lillith looks at Strider, "Shall I return you to your weakened state and nightmares, then?"
Kyubiko nods to Strider, "but you may be able to aid in the cure.." she responds.
Mika murmurs, "I'll trust your judgement on whether they should know or not, for now."
Doro murrs softly, "Strider, you want to help the kids right?  Well, this way, we help them all in the long run.  The lady's way would help ONLY ONE in the short term."
Annoyed, Lillith takes the last crystal, and heads back into the astral plane and away from the group.  "I will inform them now."
You say, "We can't fix things if we're too sick.  I would be grateful, Strider."
Mika says, "Everyone, thank the nice psionic..."
Lillith winks from sight.
Doro bows to Lillith.  "Aye, thank ye very much, m'lady."
Strider frowns and shakes his head, "Fine."  He lays his ears back, guilt burnt into his eyes, "But I'm not going to bury any of the ones who don't make it."
Serin sighs, and wishes he knew more healing asides' from magic.
Kyubiko returns to the gates, asking of the messenger there a few things. Her naginata, and a single satchel. When they arrive shortly, she returns to the group, and seems to wait, her expression grim.
Doro looks to Strider.  "Then don't."
Vex scritches Strider.  "Yep."
Doro lables Strider 'The Drama King'.

###  Whew.  And the chapter draws to a close.  But how can we resist a plague of the soul?

Strider murrs and nuzzles, getting off the rest of that vomit on Vex, "I am the actor."
You dash off, in search of adventure!  The world seems to slow to a blur.
Anansie
Anansie Streets
Cheetah Lane
Intersection of Cheetah and Griffin Lanes
Griffin Lane
Intersection of Griffin Lane and Cougar Way
Griffin Lane
Intersection of Cheetah and Griffin Lanes
Cheetah Lane
Anansie Streets
Anansie
Anansie Gates
You clamber over a dune, and then you see stretched before you, a
long, low, white wall.  Made of stone, and plastered over,
encompassing a rather busy looking desert city. An iron-wrought gate
is the only way into the city that you can see, and, as you approach,
you notice that it is open.   Also, you notice two jackals, dressed
in similar garb, guarding the city from intruders.  Above the gate is
a sign, with the single word 'Anansie' upon it, the city name. The
path becomes the main way in, leading through to the south, and the
north will return you to the dunes and sand.
Obvious Exits: north, south
Furries: [IIC] Kyubiko
         [IC] Mika
         [IIC] Mabsant
         [IC] Strider
         [IC] Serin(#14891P/CJBXM)
         [IIC] Doro
         [WIZ] Vex
Sleepers: [asleep: 33m] Shinji
          [asleep: 52m] Kaelyn
          [asleep: 39m] Lairu
Serin hahs!  <== Who says he can't go in Anansie? ^.^
Mabsant does another aside...
Vex shouts "There is new RPNews. "rpnews" to read. (automated message)"  (Wiz-@all-shout)
Mika says, "Well, I know more now. Mages are susceptible in that they act as carriers. Magic of any sort causes this taint to... ripple out. Healing one person might work, but anyone around will be infected, or have the sickness accelerate. It seems designed to cast suspicion and fear on mages and healers."
Strider says, "Awww... you didn't include my amazing performance in the news."
Doro nods.
Vex GIGGLES at what she puts into the rpnews.  ;>
============================================================
Midnight TP.  :>              | 07/19/00 by Vex
------------------------------------------------------------
As the sun sets on our group, they realize just how bad this plague's gonna be.  Meanwhile, the kitsune hit the scrolls, trying to find any clues to how to end this plague before it hits the innocent and unknowing furries in the north.
Will they find the cure in time, and will they be able to remove the plague from their own ranks?  Will Foxy go blind if he keeps doing what he's done all session?  You decide!
============================================================
*Done.  No more unread RPNews.*
Serin giggles too.  ^.^
Doro fluffs Vex!
Mika says, "Oh... so that's how you do that. Heh. I can answer you then, while I type. I meant the one where Foxy and Jade went, but I can send a guard to get them just as easily. I just need to talk to one or the other before returning here."
Foxtrot punts Vex.  :P   (Wiz-@all-pose)
Strider says, "I say that next session.  A hoard of good looking vixens go and molest Strider..."
Strider says, "I'll fight them off with all my might..."
Kyubiko will pass, thank you. :)
Serin hacks the MUCK!  (Wiz-@all-pose)
Next session:  A hoard of good looking and plague-riddled vixens molest Strider.

Mabsant says, "A child, a paladin, an expatriate, a comedian--what a very strange lot we are. are we a lot in this strange gamble between oppositional forces, or merely an inconsequence, like the moth that flies towards the flame and is consumed? Will our suffering lead to healing, or simply another list of deaths at the hands of death? Perhaps. But it is what is within that disturbs me--What lurks in myself and others.  I fear for myself, and for my friends, and the cause of my distress. Am i selfish, or merely alive, part of the grand psychology of things? I do not know. but whatever demons haunt me now, shall haunt me still, methinks, until i die." (exeunt.)"

Doro LOL
Doro noogies you!
You say, "Very nice, Mabsant.  That's one for the logs."
Strider asides as well...
Serin gets noogied.  -.-  "Aww, cut it out Dora!  Hey!  Eeee..."
Mabsant grins at the RPnews. :)
Doro murrs softly, "Who's Dora?"
Strider says, "It's hard being so good looking and surrounded by people with boils on their boils.  How will I survive this travesty and will I ever get the girls?"
You say, "I meant 'Doro A. Silly'"
Mabsant says, "Nor my stunning asides. ;) You must include my stunning asides! :)"
Doro fuzzles you!
Doro murrs softly, "the asides are great :)"
Serin decides to cut the log short before someone gets hurt.

Serin is Copyright 2000, Starling. All other characters are copyright their owners.
Please do not reprint without permission.
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