The bodies upstairs are brought over to the Temple of Pluto, and the building cleaned.  Bit by bit, the survivors of the town gather here, and the story that emerges from them is shocking.  Normally, the Huns have sought to conquer, and enrich themselves with the labor and resources of the places they place under their control.  But not Viroviacum.  This was never a large town.  The population numbered in the hundreds, not thousands.  But only a quarter of that remain.  Of the rest, the survivors know that some were removed forcibly, and hauled away in slave caravans.  Many others were killed.  The townsfolk are hazy on the exact numbers, but they report on some buildings used as “temporary tombs”, and at the Temple of Pluto, Xybezza adds these to her list.  Most of the survivors had been herded together into buildings turned into prisons, and they believed that one by one, they were being fed to something; possibly the Orcs themselves, or some creatures the Orcs had with them.

For the survivors, this is a time of grief and relief; who survived, and who didn’t.  Some families are gone, some are shattered, a few remain whole.  But no one seems to know quite what to expect next.


Many ideas are floated by the survivors:  flee in mass?  Try to carry on and rebuild?  How?  With who?  Can the people here regain a normal life?

Aelasuria calls to Spica feeling she will be needed here. If Spica isn't already with her. She felt deeply for the people her expression sad though she knows that they need help, support and hope. "You can play for them if you want Cirrus. Something that will help to ease their minds. Though you don't have to you can simply help people get settled if you like."

"Hello, I am Aelasuria, this is Spica my Unicorn companion, and Cirrus. We have with King Theoderic routed the Huns from this town. The Huns will be stopped though it will take time. IT will require hard fighting and this is something that King Theoderic, I and his allies have committed to. I want you to know that if you wish it you can come to Ravinicum King Theoderic's Capital. Though the journey might take a while. However I also wish to say that this is your home."

 "It's yours again and you can rebuild the homes you have spent your lives in. This is where you raised your children, found the men and women that you love and have chosen to spend your lives with. I can't promise the Huns won't come back. It's unlikely because they will be busy trying to accomplish their goals and fighting King Theoderic and his allies. However if they do then you should come to Ravinicum. As a alternative Duke Bastow of the were Kingdom could take some of you in. I and Theo can write up a royal letter on this matter to the duke and I feel he would honor it within reason. Or if you wish you could go to closer lands not currently occupied by the Huns. That is for those of you that chose to leave because of what you wish to do."

She pauses to let it sink in that they actually have a choice to stay and rebuild their lives in their homes. That or if they no longer wish to be here that they had a choice of places to go. "We will help you as best we can." She caresses Spica's mane hopping that the people would take hope now.

For the survivors of Viroviacum, it's been very disorienting.  Yesterday they were in a living hell.  Now... an army has come to rescue them, and here are two beautiful women, and a Unicorn!

Spica looks a little bit nervous, though.  The Unicorn normally doesn't feel comfortable in front of so many people.

More and more people gather here, when they here that the fate of the town is being discussed.  Aelasuria has tossed them quite a choice.  Stay... or leave.  It hadn't occurred to them that they would find refuge somewhere else.

A youngster asks, "Isn't the war everywhere?"

Some people are very suspicious when they hear that Xybezza survived.  Xybezza serves Death, does she not?  Is it coincidence that all the other clerics here are dead, but they spared the priestess associated with Death?

"Are we sure she wasn't with them?"  someone asks.

This starts an argument.  Xybezza has plenty of defenders here, and a large woman points out that Xybezza's two novice assistants are both dead.  Spica makes a horselike whickering sound, and the argument stops quickly.

There are more immediate issues. The people are confidant that for the moment, they are safe.  They have some food stored away for the winter.  It might be enough.. no one knows.  The Huns took a lot, including most of the livestock.

Giving Spica a comforting hug Aelasuria gives her a apologetic look for a moment. She says softly to Spica keeping it private. "They need us Spica. Thank you for being willing to be here despite the number of people present."

She shakes her head slightly speaking softly to the Youngster. "No the war isn't everywhere. The Huns can not be everywhere at once. However no matter where we go there will always be the risk that war will come to our doorstep. If you stay there is the possibility the Huns will someday return. Though they might never come back to busy fighting others trying to complete their conquest. You could go somewhere else but there is no guarantee the Huns won't show up there someday. The simple fact is that we must go on with our lives. The sun will still rise in the morning, we still work, sleep, eat, and do all the things we would do in a day. Your free, the Huns have been driven out and it's time to rebuild and go back to your lives. The only question is will you do so here or will you chose to do somewhere else."

She shakes her head withe a gentle expression full of confidence as she continues. "No Xybezza is not with the Huns. They seek to kill the priests and priestesses because they are a threat to their demon masters and their plans. We need the clerics support fighting the evil the Huns are working. She simply was lucky enough to survive. Helped by a few good heroes that were there at the right time."

She feels for them knowing that food being in short supply will make things hard. "Yes times will be hard because of what the Huns have done. Everyone will need to work together to make things better. King Theoderic will continue in his efforts to defeat the Huns stopping them from doing things like this again. I will speak to King Theoderic on your behalf. If it comes to pass that you know that you can not make it through the winter. That you need additional food supplies we will try to get some sent to you."

She pauses for a few moments then continues. "Some of you will still want to leave and if so my offer still stands. The choice is yours."

The people of Viroviacum realize that not only are they in a state of surreal shock because of the events of the past few weeks, and also very divided in their opinions, they are also without a single spokesperson or leader.

This is not the normal state of affairs.  There has always been someone.  The town had no noble lord, although it was within the territorey controlled by tthe duchess of Ganda     priests, especially the priestess of Juno, would be ones to rally around.  After all, they had the wisdom of the heavens, right?

Only now, except for Xybezza, the clerics were dead.  Even so, they come to a consensus.  In every large group, there are a few people who insist on going their own way, but for the most part, they decide to act as a group.  They've already lost too many people they know.

Some of whom might not be permanently lost, though.  If they leave, and some of those were taken manage to escape and make their way back here... what will happen?  Will they find an empty village?

The people of Viroviacum, for the most part, choose to stay.  They have their homes, fields, and food, and maybe some of those who are gone will make their way back.

They tell Aelasuria they have decided to stay, and they will be grateful for whatever help she can arrange.

For now Aelasuria talks with them finding out what they might need. She will try to help organize them figuring out who can help to rebuild if any homes need to be repaired or built. Who is most knowledgeable about their current supplies. If they can grow crops and how many live stock they have. Mainly she's helping them to organize themselves. Once they have direction and gets busy she suspects the rest will take care of itself.

"I will do my best. Perhaps until new clerics of Juno arrive Xybezza could help lead the rebuilding. That or perhaps if you wish I can ask King Theoderic to leave someone to assist in the rebuilding and perhaps become town lord. Another option would be to elect a town mayor that would be responsible for helping the town and being in contact with the king."

She wanted to give them a choice as well as offer help. Once they settle on that she continues softly. "I will go let King Theoderic know what we discussed."

Aelasuria never has trouble finding Theoderic.  Sh locates him after

He is a little surprised at first that she took this on herself...but then, of course.  He can always count on her to try to help people, and he realizes that the solution, getting everyone to stay here, is the option he would favor himself.  And by taking the initiative here, she freed him to work with the Centaurs, evaluating their fighting styles to fit them into his army.

"It's good that there's two of us," he tells her.  "Especially since part of the two is you."

At the moment, though it is a dangerous time to be establishing a new town lord.

"Things are still very... well, changeable, until we find the main Hun army and defeat them.  They could easily swing back this way when we are not here to protect them, and then they'd kill anyone we put in charge.  They need someone, but not until we can guarantee their safety.    But we will help them now.  We'll get Rita to do whatever she can healing people in the time we have before we leave again, along with the other clerics."

Seti and Scolo arrive, and there are a number of people still here, praying for aid, still trying to figure out who is merely missing and who is dead, discussing the future of the little dairy village... all the cows have to be milked, what about those belonging to the missing and dead?  Who gets what?

The wizard and the cleric walk over to the Lucida Font, the pool of water surrounded by a circle of polished stone.

Seti has heard some things about it.  He makes an automatic knowledge check. 

There is a rainbow sheen on the water, as if someone had poured just a little oil on the water.

There are Infernal runes recently carved into the perimeter stones.  Seti knows at once that if the pool is corrupted, it cannot be fixed until the runes are gone.

Seti begins his examination, "This is most troubling,", still standing at a respectful distance from the pool. "These runes around the perimeter," he says, pointing to the recently carved Infernal runes,"are Infernal. I am not adept in that language, but they certainly have a magical presence, as part of the ritual ceremony used against the pool. And see," he points again, "something has polluted the top of the water. It looks healthy underneath, so perhaps all is not yet lost. Now, for speculating, I suspect the ritual may have required some sacrifice or torture for completion, a common ingredient in powerful Infernal spells. They may have hoped to round up certain priests or other key figures for such purpose and been interrupted. Be careful," he reminds Scolo, "the runes very well may be trapped."

He looks around to ensure that they are left alone, that any crowds of other who may have gathered near the Font can be shooed away. Dagnish should be able to manage that task, as many people have a natural revulsion to Mongrels already.

"As I recall, Iris, the divine herald of Juno, appeared here and was given water by the priestess Lucida. In return, Iris blessed the water, but the priestesses kept the knowledge of its power to themselves, something not uncommmon amongst clergy and I suspect wizards too," he adds, hoping to help Scolo understand their human similarities in the face of so many differences.

He sighs briefly, "Unfortunately, I know little of rune magic either. I have spent most of my career guiding men, not material items, and while Lord Pluto is committed to his Olympic kin, the celestial nor infernal realms are my specialty. I could summon a celestial outsider, for the benefit of their presence, but my powers could only keep it here a short time, several minutes. I can perhaps remove any curse left behind, but I have not yet learned all of the rituals to proper hallow such an artifact. I could pray for guidance, that He may grant me insight, but there are no priestesses left here to which we can turn; although it seems likely their spirits may remain and could offer some guidance."

"You know much of melding the outer planes and prime materials. How do you think we might remove these runes and the oil polluting the water?" he asks, hoping Scolo's brilliance extends this far.

Realizing they'll need help, at some opportune moment, he asks Dagnish to summon Spica. Knowing the populace is already suspicious, he tries to keep a low profile, not likely easy with the grandiose wizard in tow. He knows that the unicorn also exudes some celestial presence, but he does not know the extent of her power. "The water," he says somberly, "it's poisoned, in a manner of speaking. Being a fey, kin to the natural elements, I wondered if you might know anything of how to undo this corruption." It's a long shot, but it seemed worth asking.

"Do we know anything of what happened here?" he asks Spica, since she's been here for a while. "Did the priestess leave anything behind. If they knew what was coming upon them, they may have had some contingency plan for such a disaster, although few ever see their end coming as quickly as it does."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:49, Thu 02 Aug 2012.

"Yes I was thinking we should secure whatever treasure we can from the defeated Huns. With it we could help to recover some of their lost food supplies and livestock. It would also help to purchase provisions for all that are fighting so valiantly against the Huns. Yes I thought that the Huns might return. If they do I think we should draft a letter to Duke Bastow asking him to take in the people of this town should they go there. Others could go to Ravinicum or anywhere else that isn't held buy huns at the moment."

When Seti and scolo arrive she's interested in what is going on particularly when they call spica into things. "I have expended most of my magic. I might be able to help dispel the runes once I have a chance to memorize my spells again." She will study the Runes from a discrete and hopefully safe distance to see if she can learn anything useful to help everyone present.

Scolo steps around the pool looking at the details recalling other portals such as his own and how these things are meant to work. This Is in fact Scolos main area of expertise. He looks at all the Runes, with understanding, as the language is one he knows well, he blushes at one of the runes.  He intentionally skips about the circle in a Caldesachi sequence pattern rather than read them in order to prevent his mind from unwittingly processing the formulaic calculation intended by those who carved the runes.

He keeps his hands free and does not speak for some time while first looking.

The two wizards study the pool, each making sense of it from within their own realms of experience.

Theoderic like Aelasuria's suggestion.  "I will put the word out.  What wealth we can gain here, we will use to buy food.  This won't be the only town with this problem.  It will be all through Belgica.  If the Halflings are still in control of their kingdom, though, they will have food to sell."

There will be some, he knows, that will resent it when they learn that Theoderic intends to not let them keep any treasure they find.  It's times like this when the simple bargains the Huns make become more tempting for some.

She was happy to be able to help Scolo and the others with this infernal problem. "From what I can tell so far it seems that the runes invoke the power of the infernal lords to take over the portal. It's actually a divine portal meant to help the Celestial powers and those they favor. Unfortunately it's currently controlled by the infernal's. That's all I know at the moment. I can guess we need to purify the portal and or dispel the runes to break their hold. What have you learned Scolo?"

Hmmmmm.... Scolo gives the wizardess a look as if to consider her education.
The Antonian envelope vectors on this portal have been shifted - it took some effort .... Yes ... this portal no longer goes to any nice rainbow and unicorn places. ... It's infernal, a smelly noxious swamp ... I can't tell if it's working yet - anyone want to step in and test it out?
This message was last edited by the player at 23:51, Sun 05 Aug 2012.