<span style="font-weight: bold">&lt;&lt;KAELEN AND LARYNN&gt;&gt;</span><br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Larynn wrote:</cite>"<span style="color: #00BFFF">It’s okay. Try not to move.</span>"<br/><br/>"<span style="color: #00BFFF">The demons are gone….  You saved us. Just relax and we’ll help you.</span>"</div></blockquote><br/>"<span style="color: #00BFFF">Saved... Th... thank goodness...</span>" The wounded archon - her identity beyond doubt by this point - relaxes visibly from Larynn's words, and settles as comfortably as possible into her wrecked 'bed,' shifting her arm out of its guarding posture to allow the amateur healer better access. The shift in pressure on her wound makes her wince, but she quickly relaxes, even managing a weak smile at Larynn.<br/><br/>Unfortunately, Larynn's magic isn't having nearly the same effect on her patient as her bedside manner. Despite her apparent ease with her doctor, the archon's supernatural defenses continue to reject the healing spells from Larynn's wand as surely as they would any harmful magic. It's not clear whether the archon has even noticed Larynn's attempt at healing her wounds yet.<br/><br/><div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">Archon HP: 0% (staggered)<br/><br/>Larynn still needs to beat spell resistance until the archon lowers it, which she hasn't thought to do yet. It might help to suggest...</div></div></div><br/>The attention of Padma and his troop remains firmly fixed on Larynn and her patient, even as Kaelen sheds his illusion and steps to the elder's side. It isn't until Kaelen's hand brushes the elder's robe that he finally acknowledges the ophiduan's presence; even then, it's only a dismissive wave and a quiet "not now.." as if he were shooing a student.<br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Kaelen wrote:</cite>"She's been badly hurt, and the last thing she needs is an audience right now. If you could keep your friends here under control, I think she'd appreciate it."</div></blockquote><br/>"Wha- oh!" Padma starts, leaping several inches away in alarm from the unexpected voice at his side. He gives Kaelen a quizzical look as he collects himself, trying to place him in recent memory - wasn't he the shopkeeper next door who disappeared when everything went pear-shaped? Wherever he went, he's clearly been busy: he's definitely bigger and bloodier than he was a few minutes ago, not mention better armed. Padma debates asking, but concludes that he's probably better off not knowing - assuming Kaelen would tell him in the first place.<br/><br/>"I reckon you're right," Padma admits. "No sense in crowding the young lady, eh? Alright lads, you heard the fellow- best be running along. I'll meet everyone back at the caravan once we're through." The elder vanara shoos the troop away amid a collection of halfhearted gripes, but makes no motion to follow as his students depart. Instead, he plants his cane firmly and fixes his attention on Kaelen.<br/><br/>"If you don't mind, I think I'll stay for the time being," he declares. "I'd like to hear with this woman has to say when she comes around - seeing as she did mention the<span style="font-style: italic">vanara ke raja</span>by name."<br/><br/><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">&lt;&lt;DAGNYR&gt;&gt;</span><br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Dagnyr wrote:</cite>"Rest easy, citizens, the attack has been repelled, and with the aid of Aura's light, I can mend those wounds of yours..."</div></blockquote><br/>Dagnyr's assurances are met shouts of heartfelt praise from the gathered citizens, shrinking into a reverential silence as the healing light of Aura bathes their wounds but quickly swelling to new volumes as the fading light leaves them newly sound and invigorated. Several of the patrons clink empty or broken tankards in a toast to the paladin, while others call for gifts of drink. It seems that the invasion has had little impact on Prometa's spirit - or spirits, as it were.<br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Dagnyr wrote:</cite>"And my thanks to you miss for assisting in the defense of the city and its inhabitants."</div></blockquote><br/>"Ah... don't *urp* mention it," the laika gal replies. Chortling to herself, she pats her gurgling stomach and leans back in her chair, reaching for a full gallon tankard that survived the demons' wrath by some miracle - or perhaps dedicated effort on the part of its owner.<br/><br/><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">&lt;&lt;EVERYONE ELSE (PLUS DAGNYR &amp; KAELEN AGAIN)&gt;&gt;</span><br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Angel wrote:</cite>"The reason I'm not in chains is because without my help even more people might have been hurt. And I'm sure that your watchmen can attest that this is hardly some innocent creature I'm digesting."</div></blockquote><br/>"..." Sgt. Ananda mutters something too quiet to make out, then lapses into a long and uneasy silence as she mulls over Angel's response. The answer itself isn't hard to believe - she and a good fraction present have one demon or another stewing in her own gut right now - but coming from those lips? Despite Angel's eloquence, Sgt. Ananda's ears easily pick up the note of challenge in the lupine woman's voice, and the possible implications therein. Is it the sound of a cornered beast preparing to lash out... or an honest citizen taking out her bad day on an unwelcome authority figure? After some deliberation, Sgt. Ananda finally decides, grudgingly, to file Angel away as"not a monster, probably" for the time being and move on with the investigation<br/><br/>"Adjutant Niberos," she demands. "Can you corroborate this... individual's story?"<br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Alyssa wrote:</cite>"What Miss Celaire says is true...<br/><br/>...to arrest them without cause or evidence would be a direct violation of my oaths as a watch adjutant."</div></blockquote><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Dagnyr wrote:</cite>"I too can vouch for the actions of Celaire and Vanika. Despite appearances, we owe them a debt of gratitude for their service in defense of the city."<br/><br/>"And as such, I didn't feel it neccesary to chain them up, I think they'd be more willing to answer questions if we didn't treat them like criminals for selflessly leaping to the aid of Prometa."</div></blockquote><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Vanika wrote:</cite>"Uh, yeah. What they said."</div></blockquote><br/>"I see," Sgt. Ananda says. Then, she falls silent, brow furrowed in concentration as she process her four witnesses' statements, scrutinizing each in somewhat uneven turn: Angel, Vanika, Alyssa, Vanika, Dagnyr, Vanika...<span style="font-style: italic">Dammit.</span>This would be a much easier decision to make it weren't for that one. Angel's innocence she could buy, but Vanika? There's no way in hell or abyss to explain the winged red giantess except "demon," and she can't very well let one of those run free in her city - even if she managed to behave herself by some miracle, there's no telling what kind of panic she'd cause. On the other hand, that same demoness has two officers of the watch on her side, one of them an Aurain paladin. She might outrank him by several bars, but a paladin's word on matters of good and evil carry a weight that transcends secular authority. It would be unwise to take his words lightly...<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Dammit,</span>Sgt. Ananda thinks again. Her mind wrestles with the issue for a moment more, then finally relents. "Alright, you-"<br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Vanika wrote:</cite>"By the way, did you realize we were here before or after you walked up spouting redundant orders?"</div></blockquote><br/>A loud *click* follows Vanika's interruption as Sgt Ananda's jaws snap shut, neatly severing the rest of her statement before it escapes her lips. Someone familiar with her tells might recognize the slight twitch of her sword arm as her hand forms a tight grip on the hilt of an imagined blade, and the gleam in her black eyes that warns just how close she is to drawing her real weapon. It takes several more seconds, and one very deep breath, before her grip finally relaxes, and her hand reluctantly returns to its former place on her hip. Her clenched jaw still refuses to relax as she glares poisoned daggers at Vanika, then snaps her attention back to Alyssa and Dagnyr with the a look that's only slightly less accusing.<br/><br/>"You think you can deal with them?" Sgt. Ananda snaps. "Fine- they're yours. If I find out either one of them's caused even the slightest hint of trouble, I'm holding both of you personally responsible. Understood?" She holds her deathglare on the pair a moment longer, until her attention is drawn by another approaching figure: Kaelen, all blood, blades and belly swinging. Another vitriolic salvo begins to gather on her tongue, before she notices another aspect of the ophiduan's attire: a silver cloak fastener in the style of the Pending Blade, but oddly shortened. A glimmer of recognition appears in Sgt Ananda's eyes as they briefly meet Kaelen's - acknowledgment of a fellow Domrunian, or something more?<br/><br/>"And... what can I do for you?" she asks. Her tone remains curt, but free of the anger that swelled only a few seconds before.<br/><br/><div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">Yuki's attitude toward Vanika can be improved will require a DC 25 Diplomacy check. Alyssa's Patient Optimism trait applies to this check. Vanika is free to oppose these checks if she likes. B)</div></div></div>