pawnstorm | [Open]

Who: Syrlya and You.
When: The first week of November.
Where: Caissa and job-related parts of Blanc.
What: Syrlya copes with the lingering forest illness and does his part to find a cure for the people still afflicted.
Rating: PG.

[Caissa]

[As it turns out, the corruption isn't actually fatal... which leaves Syrlya at two weeks of illness. He hasn't slept well, felt well, and most food don't even taste good anymore. Except meat.

It isn't as hard for him to ignore the constant craving of flesh, but it is uncomfortable and anything to stave off the desire helps. Which is why at almost all times he can be found chewing on jerky. With a whole bag in hand.

And if he catches another infected hero he offers them a piece of the dried meat as well.] Here. I find it helps.

[Alternatively, he's leaning over the edge of the railing, groaning and holding his neck. Trying not to be sick.]

[Job 1 - The Carbuncle]

[It's a relief to be in a forest that isn't rotting, and feeling the vibrant life of the trees almost makes Syrlya feel better--though he's wary about touching anything even with the enchanted ring. And gloves. Look, he'll just feel guilty if he spreads this disease to anyone.

He's wringing his hands as he walks around the forest for any sign of the Carbuncle...] Of course it won't be easy... I hope this works.

[He cups his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice as he laughs.] Ha... hahahaha!

[It doesn't sound even remotely genuine.]

[Job 2 - The Baby Tree]

A fairy tale... that is something that is not true, correct? A fanciful story?

[He looks aside to the other hero patiently awaiting access to the baby tree, furrowing his brow.] Just from my world and not my people, correct? Ah--would you happen to have a story like that to share?

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[Syrlya clears his throat before clasping his hands behind his back.] In my home of Tyria, there is a piece of land in a similar state as the forest now is. It is an island the humans called Orr, and hundreds of years ago it sunk beneath the waters.

But then the Elder Dragon awoke and brought it back to the surface. It was called Zhaitan, and its domain was death magic. It blighted the very soil of the land and rose every corpse to life and under its control. Thousands of minions available that washed upon our shores and attacked our people. Attacked everyone.

[He brings his hands forward to gesture, worrying over his lip a moment.] When I Awoke, I was tasked with defeating Zhaitain... but Trahearne had the task of cleansing the land of Orr so that it could recover. It was, I believe, the harder task.

[Maybe she should look as eager as the little ones around them? BUT SHE IS. This world sounds nothing like back home. No island that would sink under water (unless Atlantis is true...?) and certainly no dragons.

But war, she knew of war, way before even coming here. It's never something pleasant.]

Good heavens, is that what you were doing before you were called here?

Ah, Zhaitan has been dead for some time, but... I was fighting another dragon, yes.

[He turns his face down a moment, but quickly shakes off a somber expression before he looks back up.] He spent twenty-five years looking for a cure for the land but... I think he knew it would be impossible so long as Zhaitan was there. So when I awoke he mentored me for a time, we helped each other and--

[He waves a hand quickly, sheepishly.] Sorry, that is... anyway, Orr is what would happen if that forest were left to rot. It's quite decrepit. But our mother gave him a magical blade made of one of her thorns, and with it a plan to counter the magical corruption with our own magical cleansing.

Oh, another! [How many dragons are there?

Actually, this sounds a little sad. 25 years to find a cure for the land. She wonders if he will ever succeed...]

How would you be cleansing the land? It sounds like an arduous task, even with such blessings!

By mending the corruption of the Dragon. Ah--[He runs a hand through his bangs, pursing his lips as he pauses to find an explanation.] The dragon's poison what they touch, and normally it cannot be reversed... it was almost believed to be impossible to save Orr.

[But this is a story, not a lecture.] He took her thorn and an army and I into Orr. Although this was a new fight on the Dragon's very soil, we were able to venture deep into Orr and curb the minions that wander the land.

She named her thorn Caladbolg, and with it Trahearne was to use a spell of healing on the land with such strength as to wipe away the corruption. Healing dragon corruption was unprecedented... and his first attempt did not succeed.

Oh, I see! [No wonder they need to go on this adventure. She darkens, only because of how the dragon's power is irreversible.

And then continues to listen.]

His first attempt, and in such dangerous land...

It was painful, at first. But Orr and all of Tyria were depending on our success, so we could not falter.

He knew that there was a "heart" of Orr, where the humans claim their gods first stepped on the land. It has the strongest concentration of magic that could be used to power the spell. Er, he didn't know where exactly it was, but a sea-faring ghost named Romke helped point the way for us. It was a deeper push into the land, right under the Dragon's nose--we were hard fought, but we were able to break its last defense guarding the heart of Orr.

[How determined, but this sounds more complicated than she thought. Though she should've suspected. Even small jobs back home weren't easy.

Still, looks like some success! She sits up, closer.]

And you claimed the heart?

We did. [He smiles.] Zhaitan's defenses were not enough for us, and when Trahearne plunged his sword into the water and began the ritual... it was a weight lifted off our shoulders. Healthy foliage began to sprout immediately and the earth felt a little more energetic.

I think we should take heart that the forest can one day be recovered. It is not just our own illness we can cure.

[He chose a story that linked not just the heroics of a determined individuals who managed to band up to save the world, but also because of the illness that he and other suffers. A smile appears on her lips, and she nods.]

Everything can be fixed in the end.

[He smiles, though it's stained.] We can repair this forest as well and heal our people, so long as we do not give up hope.

[He looks among them.] Is that... a suitable story to retrieve one of your fruits.]

[She knows that look, because he's in pain. A forest is in pain, and that is close enough to his kind. And then with him being ill...]

I believe so too. And it's a story that links with our quest, no? Can we have the fruit, please?

[Look at how she pleads! She looks over to the rest. They seem to be convinced...but how convinced are they really?!]

[Well, it wasn't a fairy tale... but for a group of people who shy away from magic so strongly, it's certainly fantastic. Lei allows them to pass, allotting them one fruit from the baby tree.

Syrlya grins and bows his head.] Thank you very much! It will be only a moment. [He smiles to Vietnam and gestures for her to follow before rushing into the garden.]

[It was a great story, though! And fairy tales have their roots from legends, sometimes. This is the kind of success they needed. And so she quickly follows after Syrlya!]

Alright, now where is that tree...oh! There it is!

[She spots the tree with the strangely shaped fruits--]

It looks rather...detailed.

[He stands up on his toes and grabs the lowest-hanging fruit, plucking it off with a small bounce of the branch.

It's only when he has it that he looks at what Vietnam means about "details" and does a double take.] Er--

[He turns the fruit around so she can see it.] I suppose there is... a reason it is called a baby tree?

[Thank goodness for him, because she wouldn't be able to reach!

And here she nods very slowly.]

It's...a little bit disturbing, no? I know this is for the mission, but imagine if we had that as a fruit normally. Having to bite into that...

[Good heavens.]

I'm... sure it tastes perfectly normal. [Is he going to try it, though? Not at all.

Instead he cradles the pear in his hands, securing it from the air and any accidental bumping.] I hope this will help everyone.

[Nor does she, and she's usually good at trying out new foods. In this case, she wonders if it will scream--]

I do too. I am glad that we managed to secure one ingredient. I wonder exactly how they will use it. I suppose...alchemy?

[Open]

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