“Ghhaaahhh” Tilly breathed in explosively, emerging from the putrid pile of unmentionables like a swamp monster being birthed from primordial soup. He tumbled out of his cart almost bumping into Amelia as she emerged from her cart with much less drama.
“Acolyte, channel a basic cleanse for as long as you can. We won't get much out of them with this smell clouding the room.” Tilly looked up to see the same elderly clergyman from outside. Upon closer inspection, Tilly saw that he was a Satyr of the almost human variety. It seemed he had accompanied both the carts to conduct a quick interview of his odiferous guests.
Tilly found himself in an austere but neat waiting room with what looked like a few benches and cots for the sick. He thought this might be where they triaged people before they were seen by someone on a typical day. The temple steward stood with his arms crossed next to a nervous-looking young elf in priestess robes and a few guards. Behind them, lying on one of the benches propped up by pillows was a sleeping woman well past her prime. She was wearing more ornate robes than anyone in the room and Tilly assumed she was one of the more powerful members of the temple. She appeared humanoid but had a green tinge to her skin and leaves instead of hair.
The young elf clasped together her hands and began to chant a hymn. The song washed over the room and Tilly felt it press against and then saturate his armor, which seemed to almost drink in the magic. He heard hissing and popping from the piles behind him and the almost overwhelming stench was slowly reduced. The young woman’s voice began to grow hoarse as if the chant was somehow becoming more difficult the longer it went on until she finally cut off with a fit of coughing. Tilly moved forward unconsciously in concern, but the guards moved to block him immediately.
“Hmm, your concern is appreciated, human. I am Steward Mateus of the temple of the Lady Light. Amelia has dealt with me honestly for years and we are taking her at her word. She says you can do something about this sickness afflicting our city…” He trailed off, not quite asking a question. Tilly waited a moment to see if he would continue, but then he just stood there, leaning into the awkward pause. So Tilly just picked up where he left off, trying to decide what was 'need to know' and what was dangerous to share.
“Well... For starters, my name is Jonathan Tillman, and almost as soon as I arrived here on this plane, I was set against the force responsible for this 'sickness'. My system tells me it's something called Corruption. The Lapin outpost was under siege for weeks by creatures infected and eventually enslaved by this same force. Now we have proof that the members of the Cult of the Serpent are under its effects too. Although, I believe they have partnered with it willingly.
"Something strange happened to me as I fought to cut it off at its source near the Lapin village. I gained a patron Deity and my class was altered. Now I'm basically the antidote to this stuff.” Tilly said, hoping that was enough to let him get started without involving him in any divine politics.
In response, the steward slowly nodded, taking in the human's story before shaking loose his hands from his robe, “Yes, well give me just a moment.” He said, as arcane symbols lit up around his hands and one eye flashed with the same color as the symbols. Tilly felt the same tingling he normally felt as he was identified, but the feeling continued to intensify as if something was pressing in on his very soul. Then the fire within him kindled to a deeper heat in answer and pressed back against the metaphysical weight releasing a "wumph" of pressure, washing through the auras of all present.
The steward's eye flashed back to normal, and the symbols around his hands flickered out. He visibly flinched and shook out his hands as if stung, “Interesting, I have been blocked before, of course. But I have never quite felt so… rebuked.” He said, trying to process what he had just seen.
Just how much was he supposed to share with this unknown element? They were obviously working hard against this incursion and they didn't seem to be profiting from it in any way, but he thought back on his Title, [Harbringer]. Whatever Origin was, it didn't seem that well known by anyone he had interacted with so far, and he was hesitant to step into another divine radar. He already had the attention of one god, and that seemed to be more than enough.
He didn't even know where Origin stood in the grand scheme of things. He might be the big "G" God to all of these other little "g" gods, but who was supposed to tell them that? Or it might be the other way around. He just didn't know enough to safely pick a side, and he certainly didn't want to be some sort of evangelist for a God he knew nothing about.
If it wasn't for the fact that he was stuck fighting Corruption, something that Origin's power seemed uniquely suited to do, he was pretty sure he would already be looking for a way out of this Champion Mantle thing. It just screamed, 'strings attached'. After another second of thought, he decided to partially level with the Steward.
“Look, Mateus, I am the Champion of a Deity that does not want to be discovered… I think. Honestly, I’m not sure but I would rather not figure that out right now. What I do know is this; I have an ability that can expel this stuff from anyone's body. I can help with a lot of the people you have out there, I'll just need somebody on hand to destroy what comes out and recharge me when I reach empty.”
The steward’s face slipped from disbelief into confusion, and Tilly thought that he probably lost him completely somewhere around needing to destroy a bodily expulsion.
“Look,” Amelia interjected, rescuing the derailed conversation.
“The little ones that you sent to me have all been cured. I know that none of their cases were too advanced, but I don't think it matters with his ability, and he can cast it ten times before running out of Mana. He has something this city needs and is willing to help, we just need to use you for a little anonymity.”
As Amelia described how many casts he could do in one sitting, the young priestess looked up in hope and even the sleeping matron cracked an eye, proving that she had not been sleeping at all.
“What did you see Mateus?” the matron asked, with a dry voice, that reminded Tilly of the crunching of leaves. He turned to her in concern as one of the guards rushed forward with a cup of glowing water.
“Nothing overly concerning Mother. He is not Demonic-Aligned and while I sensed no ill will, I was limited in my gaze to the knowledge that he is a hybrid caster with a relatively small well. The best direction that the Lady was able to give me was that he probably fell within the realm of Chaotic Good” He reported crisply, some of the concern he had shown for the priestess outside coloring his tone once again as he addressed his leader.
“Well, it's not like we have many options. None of our healings cure this ‘Corruption’. We have been reduced to supporting me as I cast an Advanced Banish. Bring in the first one, and we will watch as he uses this ability. If what he says is correct, then we will place the full support of the temple behind him and see just how many people he can cure before he is wrung out.” She ordered, before taking a thirsty drink from the offered cup. Tilly saw that she sat up with some considerable effort. She was beautiful in a stately way, but her face was drawn with deep exhaustion, and he wondered just how long she had been pushing herself.
“Jerin, bring in the first.” The steward ordered the guard nearest the door who nodded and left.
“Wait, Mateus, we need something to hide his identity," Amelia interjected
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"He has already had to face off against Shadow Hunters within the city walls, and the Marcellus family has marked him for death. We came in here to hide him long enough to actually do some good... Do you have any robes of the Forsaken on hand?”
The church members in the room flinched at the mention of enemies already in the city, except for the Mother who just sighed, “I wish we had more than just the spare uniforms on hand. Dark days are ahead for this city, and while the Cult wouldn’t dare to touch us, we will only be able to shield a few from their wrath… Fetch him the uniform, and delay the first patient until he is ready.”
Another guard rushed off, leaving the steward with only two guards and the junior and senior priestesses. Tilly was about to thank them or ask about the Forsaken when the elder priestess spoke again issuing more orders as she considered the changing circumstances.
“Mateus, I want you to have another Discerning Eye ready. Focus on whatever is expunged from the patient. We may not be able to fight in the physical battle, but this is our supposed realm of authority, and I have hated having nothing but questions and apologies for our flock.” To which the steward nodded seriously.
Just then the second guard returned with a simple white uniform draped over one arm. He held it out in reverence to Tilly who took it reluctantly and tried to figure out how to put it on over his existing kit.
It included a face wrap with a shining lantern of some sort emblazoned where his forehead would be and a tabard with an oversized hood. As he handled it, his Identify pinged, and he pulled up the description.
Robes of the Forsaken. Worn by warriors of the Light who have forsaken all other ties and covenants to do battle with Demon kind. +10 to wisdom. Demonic-sourced mana will be 50% less effective in mental and spiritual attacks.
As he struggled with the unfamiliar cut of clothing, Amelia stepped up and helped him find the right way to hang it over his leather jacket, “I thought of this disguise because they are always swooping in to fight for the light-aligned factions and then fading away. Their abilities are as legendary as they are mysterious and their identities are one of the things they forsake when they take up the class, so the news of healings at the temple can be pinned on the mysterious Forsaken Order instead of the new Human freshly arrived in the city.” She said pulling up his cowl to cover his now-covered face. She stepped back and nodded to herself.
“These are a loan, Human. I hope the Wisdom will help you in your efforts, but neither you nor we are ready for the consequences of you donning that uniform officially.” Mateus said seriously off to the side.
“But you must admit, it does suit him…” The Mother said thoughtfully behind him.
“Ma’am, I'm pretty sure I am taken. But I do hope my guy and yours are friends. By the way, after all this, do you mind giving me some pointers on how to contact a deity, if I’m gonna keep fighting this stuff, I want to know who I’m fighting for…”
Before she could answer the first sick person came in. She was a smaller minotauress who would have towered over Tilly by a foot if she was standing up straight. Instead, she shuffled in front of the guard on a swollen leg that could be smelled as soon as the door opened. It was wrapped up with multiple layers of bandages, but those did nothing to hide the rot. She stiffened at the sight of Tilly in his uniform, but then hesitantly explained her situation.
“Good afternoon your holiness. Thank you for seeing me. The caravan leaves tonight and I didn't want to be a burden in this state. My company had taken a contract a month ago to escort some villages fleeing the Scale-belly advance, and in that action, I took a barbed arrow of theirs to the knee. This would normally be nothing to my kind and I didn't think of it for days, even as it continued to worsen. Then it started to smell and swell up. Our healers couldn't do anything about it, even when they evoked the Bright Ancestors. So I was sent here.”
“Come forward into the Lady’s light child.” The steward said calmly as if he knew exactly what was about to happen. She hobbled into the center of the room before Tilly and Amelia, and she smiled at the minotauress in encouragement.
“You may proceed,” Mateus said, and it took Tilly a moment to realize the steward had been speaking to him. He took a step closer to the minotauress and kindled the flame in his chest before breathing out deeply in front of her. She blinked rapidly in surprise before beads of sweat started to appear on her brow.
“Describe what you are experiencing child,” Mateus said in a kindly tone, even as his eye flashed again. She answered through clenched teeth,
“I know not what the Warrior has done, but I felt a burning enter my body through his breath. It has settled into my leg and centered on the wound. It is burning fiercely!” She said, gritting her large bovine teeth tightly against the pain. Then she grunted and the sound of something popping issued out from under all of her bandages. They had not been clean when she came in, but in the seconds following the sound, they were soaked in an unsettlingly dark maroon color.
“Cut those off!” Mateus barked, glaring at the bandages with his shining eye. The guards quickly complied, and as soon as they pulled the bandages free, they began to animate, wiggling like a hundred little appendages.
“Great Ancestors!” The Minotauress huffed in relief, even as Tilly stepped quickly forward with an enflamed fist to consume the bandages. He had once again found himself moving almost by reflex at the sight of the Corruption, calling his blue fire even as he moved to attack the creepy manifestation.
The rest of the room however looked at the man in the Forsaken uniform with various expressions of shock or surprise, except for Amelia who wore a look of smug satisfaction.
“Ancestors Light be upon you!” The newly healed minotauress said moving her now normal appendage. Nothing but a slight burn scar was left to mark the wound and her eyes shone with admiration as she glanced back up at her savior.
“Thank you, sister, that will be all. Many more to see today.” Amelia said, stepping in and pulling her around to face the door again. As soon as she was out, Mateus spun on Tilly,
“I understand your fidelity, believe me, I do. But we are not the only branch facing such a malady. Please you must tell me as much as you can.” He said, his eyes showing with an almost feverish light. The elder priestess stepped in to blunt some of the steward's enthusiasm,
“We understand you are here in charity… Do not be pressured by our needs if you can not share.” the older priestess stated from her perch on the bench. She had watched the Minotauress leave with a new hope sprouting within her. She didn't need a name to recognize something good when she saw it, “Whether we hear the story now is of no consequence, we are obviously on the same side. May the Light always prevail.” She said, her tone heavy with meaning at the last phrase.
Tilly looked back and forth between the people in the room and thought again about his interactions with the administrator and then the blue flame in the Temple. They had said nothing about hiding their existence, and while he wasn't sure what informing this faction about more of his experience would do, Tilly couldn't help but feel like these were the good guys. It wasn't the name or even the fact that they seemed to be a religion focused on healing and demonic opposition. It was the look on their faces when they discovered that he was actually able to destroy whatever was infecting the populace. It wasn't greed or fear. It was relief. They were just happy to finally find a way to help, and that dispelled any lingering suspicion he had with the group in the room.
He was already involved in some sort of cosmic power struggle… what are a few more Deities in the mix?
“Alright, give me a few minutes before the next one, and I'll give you the cliff notes version.” He relented, deciding to go big or go home on telling them everything he knew.
Mateus gestured at the guard near the door to wait, “Human, I do not know what cliffs have to do with this, but any information would be greatly appreciated.”
Tilly just winced at the misunderstanding before deciding not to bother with it, and continued with a short version of his story, “Well I woke up on Nephesh about four days ago-”