In which Zeke meets Ga'Elian

Soon after a patrol of guards passes by, the Sylvanori ranger Ga'Elian quietly walks over, notably wearing much less than he normally does.... when his magic items are removed, about all that's left is his shirt, tights, a dagger, and a set of panpipes. So, that's what he's got on him, that and a case of ale bearing the logo of the Fernwood Public House. As he walks up, he seems to be fascinated by the anti-magic measures built into the place, but says, "Cards and dominoes only entertain for so long. I think I can help the time pass a little easier."

The sight of the unknown person who enters the small space of the cell startles Zeke to his feet. It's not a smooth motion but rather a jagged one. As he moves he flashes artificial limbs on his left side. An arm and leg that are not natural and the glimmer of crystal is unmistakable. The sith-makar blinks twice at Ga'Elian, once with his outer lids and once with the inner. It shows his nervousness as much as the flick-flick of his tail as he grasps his cloak in his right claw and pulls his cloak close about himself so that the limbs no longer show. "Peassce on your nessst. If you do not mind thisss one asssking... who are you?"

The greenclad elf smiles, then looks particularly at Zeke, and answers, "Peace on your nest, good sir." His tone of voice is genial and upbeat. <draconic>

"I am Ga'Elian, and I bring ale for any who wish to partake," he says to the room in general, adding, "And I bring my talents to alleviate the tedium of confinement in these austere surroundings... song, dance, pipes, juggling, acrobatics, or whatever." He takes a bow, then puts the case of ale on a table.

"Thisss one isss Zeke." He says his own name a bit oddly, as though he can not quite properly form the 'z' so that it sounds like another letter entirely. Zeke dips his head toward Ga'Elian. Notably, his voice has been quiet, so as to not disturb the other occupants of the room. "We are doing ressearch. It may be tediouss, but it isss nesscesssary work." His green eyes flicker toward the ale, then away somewhat dismissively.

Ga'Elian nods. "Good, good, friend Zeke. And the subjects of your study? Are their spirits hopeful? And as important as I'm sure your research is, I find that the mind works most keenly when fresh, and what is better to refresh a weary mind than a bit of levity from time to time? How goes the research, anyway?"

It takes a moment for Zeke to answer these questions, and he clearly is trying not to look at those that share this small space with him. "Chay hasss hope." As though that explains everything and is all the answer which that part of the questioning requires. Perhaps though this is true for Zeke. "Thisss one... what iss levity again?"

He seems to mull over the unfamiliar word for a moment before rolling his right shoulder in a shrug. "We are currently ressearching the vampire that attacked Alba. Do you know of it?"

Ga'Elian smiles and says, "Levity is <levity>" (draconic). Then he continues, "Chay is a clever hunter. If he is optimistic, then that is encouraging. As for the vampire, I have heard rumors and tales, but likely what you already know exceeds in quality and value anything I could add. Except that I did go to a place in the wilderness where, I believe at any rate, was the site where Alba was taken by this monster, or by reports was where she and her companions found him polluting a stream. Soon after I came to that place, I used the power of the Silver Huntress to commune with the land. I found the taint to be pervasive, but largely localized near Alexandria proper."

Zeke nods his head, the word in draconic clearing up his confusion. It's clear from his accent that he's more at home in his native tongue than he is in the common language of the land. For all that he's been speaking it for so long, sometimes it eludes him. Particularly with words so ill-used. The longer the talk the more that the sith-makar seems to relax though he never seems to entirely, nor even as completely as he had been before the elf entered the room. "We have been given many materialss on vampiress, ssso we are doing our besst to ssort through them."

He pauses for a moment here and tilts his head bird-like at Ga'Elian. "You have found taint in the wildernessss? Beyond the sssource of it in water?" The sith-makar is clearly curious about the nature of Ga'Elian's findings.

Ga'Elian looks around at the afflicted patients for a moment then looks at Zeke, opting to switch to Draconic both for clearer communication with the researcher, and for less likelihood of being understood by those seeking shelter from their magical malady within earshot. Where his tone to this point has been mainly light-hearted and friendly, the mood of this following discussion conveys a chaotic evil sense, by using a dialect of Draconic used normally by red dragons.

He says, "My spell gave me knowledge of a circular area some 20 miles in every direction from where I stood. The earth was sick, the streams and ponds polluted with this black... blood. The flora had been corrupted... trees walking about like treants but menacing. The grasses turning vinelike and thorny, seeking to entangle and tear down any who might wish to pass. Scarcely could I find an animal unaffected, mostly the birds who were too ignorant to avoid landing in the branches of these corrupted trees. The native beasts were tainted and foul, vicious and malicious, quite unlike the typical attitude of wild animals. It was like the Felwood on a bad day, but all over the place, until one got further from the City. I took it upon myself to make haste and warn the surrounding communities so that they might not come unawares into the tainted lands." <draconic>

This is a lot of information to take in, and Zeke listens carefully, quiet for a long moment after Ga'Elian speaks. The sith-makar looks troubled, even more so than he had before this information was given and in truth he had already worn the mien of one who is consumed by concern. Thus now he looks worn by such dire news. "Then it is not only sentient beings that are being affected by this sickness." Now that he's speaking draconic there's no accent to be found, not even a hint of the more common languages inflections to be found. "Worse... if this taint affects plants and animals in such a way, we must ask ourselves if it might begin to affect more sentient races in such a way as well. There is no way to tell if it began as a plague among the wild creatures and then developed into something that warped their natures. If so... then we may find that /we/ are being twisted by this thing."

Dire thoughts indeed. <draconic>

Ga'Elian speaks in a more Mictlan-dialect now, "To be quite honest, before anyone seemed to have any inkling of the extent of this threat, before even these deranged cultists began their murder spree, there was a friend of mine who found a pool of the filthy water in the woods, and a crone's pet cat who after being immersed in it had somehow transformed into a purple panther with diaphanous, almost faelike wings. He now cares for the panther as I care for my griffon, but I haven't seen him about lately. He may have fled elsewhere in search of safety, as so many of the folk of Alexandria lately have. His beast, though, seems if anything more docile than feral, but that may be due to the affections of the wee girl who made herself his daughter." Then he pauses and says, "I'm not quite certain, but it seems like the rumors of the time tied this quest that he was on when he had found this ichor pond to a series of engagements the Adventurers Guild was doling out... to do with exploring various places for some publication... evaluating them. Why I myself went on one such mission. A tower in a flaming landscape with black ooze eating it from the top down. Hmm." <draconic>

"This one is not overly familiar with the Guild though I have done a few such jobs for them. It seems likely that someone merely complained about seeing strange things and they put out a request for adventurers to look into them." Zeke is considering it too however. "This one does not truly believe in coincidence however. After all so many of these things have been linked together it would be wise to look into it more carefully.”

Zeke looks toward the mound of papers to his side and lets loose a sigh. Thinking of Alba. "Perhaps it would do Alba some good to look at one of these creatures that was changed. Or the plants. Their changes may give some clue. This one is not good at tracking or capturing animals however and Chay is ill. Perhaps you know of someone who might be able to procure a specimen for study?" <draconic>

Ga'Elian handwaves the idea, "Oh, I can do that easily enough. Should I bring the specimens here or to her spider ranch in the Felwood, or to her rooms at the Hospital?" <draconic>

"It would depend on what you catch. Even a small animal would be difficult to care for here however." He motions to the small surroundings they stand within. Indeed even the few people in here make the room quite crowded. Enough that Zeke's tail has not ceased to stop flicking now and again as they talk. "Nor would one truly be welcome at the hospital - unless you could find a more docile and small animal?"

Zeke shakes his head subtly and meets Ga'Elian's gaze for a moment. "This one can not give permission for you to take a possibly dangerous creature to someone's home, but if you can get permission from Alba her home might well be the best place for it." <draconic>

Ga'Elian asks, "So, will you let her know to expect a small delivery from me? Or she can get word to me through the Guild if she wants me to get (or not get) something specific." <draconic>

Ga'Elian then picks up the case of ale and walks it over to the huddled masses. He says, "Once you've emptied a few bottles. I'll juggle them."

The blue-scaled sith-makar offers a low bow to Ga'Elian, a strange practice for a sith and yet one that is clearly well practiced by this particular one. "This one will do so. This one appreciates your help in this, Daeus knows that we need all the assistance which can be had." He rises from his bow and meets Ga'Elian's gaze again briefly. Watching him move deeper into the room; moving aside to make as much room for the elf as is possible. When he speaks again he sounds a little apologetic. "This one does not drink." <draconic>

Ga'Elian returns to the table with a considerably lighter case. He smiles at Zeke and says, "Well, this isn't the strong stuff, but I'll not take offense if it's not to your liking. In the meantime, I did come here to provide a break for these good peoples monotony." With this, he sets the case back down and takes his panflute, striking up a fanciful tune with a catchy dance beat, but softly so as to be sensitive of any whose hearing may be delicate.

-End