"I will try to investigate this, Mancini, but not's not something the like of which I have encountered before," Jolinda comments. "Aoife, thank you. That's useful to know: that it is deadly to plant lfe too. One might assume it has a general effect, like a draining of life-force, rather than something that spreads or promotes disease or poison. But if I may check you first? If so, please stand still as  you can until I've finished. I will share anything I discover and any such may add to our knowledge of the statue."

If permission is granted, Jolinda casts a couple of spells focusing on Aoife and examines him as one would expect of a physician.

She then turns to the statue and casts a couple of spells focusing on that. Tired after the unacustomed magical exertions she says, "Please give me a a short while, I need a little rest." She tries to settle for ten minutes' rest.

======
OOC: 10:54, Today: Jolinda rolled 8 using 3d6.  Aura 15 (-2FP) on Aoife
10:58, Today: Jolinda rolled 6 using 3d6.  Body Reading 15 (-1FP) on Aoife
11:01, Today: Jolinda rolled 12 using 3d6.  Daignosis 13+2. (skill used on Aoife)
11:03, Today: Jolinda rolled 6 using 3d6.  Mage Sight 15 (-1FP) on the statue. MoS 9!!
11:29, Today: Jolinda rolled 10 using 3d6.  See Secrets 15 (-4FP) on statue
This message was last edited by the player at 22:58, Tue 07 Feb 2023.

In reply to Jolinda (msg # 589):

Aoife stand still to allow her to check her out, unsure if the cure disease did anything. A check was always welcome...

While Jolinda is resting, Ardenas adds something else.

"That statue doesn't look demonic to me, but we've seen at least one instance where it looked as if demons were cooperating with Elder things, Outsiders.  We saw a cult sacrifice a demon to summon something, but we managed to kill it before it could do much."  He looks up at Kalima.  "That was shortly before we met our friend here."

"Well, I'm pretty certain this device is not, in itself, demonic," answers Jolinda. She feels lively and involved suddenly and it shows on her face and her movements.

[Private to GM: Am I allowed to spend the 1CP on Hidden Lore (Elder Things) ?]

In reply to Jolinda (msg # 592):

Aoife is strongly Nature aspected; you suspect Druidic empowerment. she does not seem to bear a curse.
the statue is not magical, but is unpleasant to touch.

spend that point!

"The good news is that you don't seem to be either cursed or diseased," says Jolinda with a smile. She turns serious again as she returns her attention to the statue. "The statue seems neither demonic nor magical, but is creepy to the touch. Hmmm, I wonder.." Jholinda's attention seems to turn inward as she works through myriad odd facts and theories she's heard or read over the years.

[Private to GM: I bought the Hidden Lore (Elder things) and spotted that I had a point from char creation unspent, so I've spent that at the same time on Hidden lore (Faerie). Roll on each of these in relation to the staue:
   17:02, Today: Jolinda rolled 11 using 3d6.  Hidden Lore (Elder Things) 13
   17:05, Today: Jolinda rolled 9 using 3d6.  Hidden Lore (Faerie) 13]

In reply to Jolinda (msg # 594):

What would Aoife roll to identify what is going on?

[Private to GM: Aoife is looking to spend some cp...

1) Animal Handling (Invertebrae)
plus Shapeshift Other (Large Octopus), to transform someone into a medium sized octopus? 3 cp

2) Psychic Guidance (Spider Silk) 1 cp

3) Animal Handling (Wild Boars) 1 cp

4) Guild Rank 1 (For Quarters) 1 cp

5) Shape Earth spell 1 cp

6) Green Death 1 cp

7) Druids Panacea 1 cp

8) Plant form Other 1 cp]

In reply to Aoife (msg # 595):

Jolinda realizes that this idol is something elder, and that the fishfolk may be also.

[private to Aoife: next tme do this in the other thread; guild rank 1 is 5pts, no hassles is what costs a poi t, and is included in rank 1.  lets say no to octopus for now, and keep in mi d you are usually in a low nature area for the most part;  the other spells are good, invertibrate handling is split between cephalopods and vermiform anyway, and no.]

Jolinda announces this quietly to her newly found companions, "I'm pretty certain that this statue is something 'Elder' and that the fishfolk may be Elder also. I cannot figure out more than that just now.

Anyway, what do you folks want to do next?"

In reply to Jolinda (msg # 597):

"What does that mean? Demons working with Elder things to give them their anti-life idol?"

"Good questions," responds Jolinda. "But as I said, I cannot figure out more than that just now. So, what do you folks want to do next?"

In reply to Jolinda (msg # 599):

"Anyone know who might know?"
This message was last edited by the player at 00:34, Fri 10 Feb 2023.

"The fish folk perhaps?" suggests Jolinda who then gives up talking for the few minutes she needs to recover some energy.
This message was last updated by the player at 00:37, Fri 10 Feb 2023.

"I doubt the fish folk will be friendly after we've made off with their idol -- if that's what it is to them."  Ardenas thinks for a moment.  "I recall we turned over a couple cultists to the Hadereum, from the folks who were trying to bring Elder things through to our plane.  I wonder if they've gotten anything out of them?"

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 602):

"That sounds like a better place to start, to be sure. Shall we head there?"

"In any case, we better unload this statue. It would be better for everyone as a whole...and us, in particular."

"No question of that, and the Hadereum is the place for that, too."

Ardenas turns again to Rafaelo.

"Sorry again that we had to kill your good fortune -- but if those fish folk are what we think they are, this is a little step toward saving the world.  Meantime, you haven't lost anything compared to where you were before you got that statue -- at least assuming you haven't gone into debt against your expected catch."  He reaches into his pouch and (with his human hand) offers Rafaelo five francs.  "Thank you for not fighting us on this.  I hope this will help you going forward."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 605):

Head back to Haderaum for now...unless anyone objects?

======
OOC: Fine here. Is there a summary/outline of Haderaum ?

Mancini heads towards the Haedereum.

Not really. Think police who do their job religiously. I was thinking that there was a post about Northport that would describe their role, but I could not find it...

In reply to Aoife (msg # 609):

======
OOC: TY, Aoife, even that's hudgly helpful! I'd assumed it was the name of a town.  :)

West of the docks you find the multi-domed structure of the Hadereum, most of which is underground. There you are greeted by the purple robed acolyte who seems familiar with your group.
"What is it this time, Mancini?"

Ardenas waits for Mancini to speak.

Mancini scowls at the dismissive tone in the official's voice, but then returns to his usual mannerisms. "While on our adventures, we came across an individual who used an idol to catch fish at an unnatural rate. We were able tobribe, err convince, the individual to give up the idol, and thanks to Aoife's shape shifting magics, we were able to retrieve the idol. We were hoping the Haedereum would have a use for such an item..."