After helping Radwa to their feet, Derrick spares a second glance for the anthropomorphic squirrel, but then nods his heads in agreement with the creature's directions and proffers his arm to Radwa to support them out of the barn. All he says to Mayhew is: "Be careful, I'll come back as soon as I've got this one some help."

As he helps Radwa out of the barn, he takes a moment to introduce himself. "My name is Derrick. I've just arrived in town so i'm afraid I don't know many people yet. Hoa said you are called Radwa. Is that right?" He doesn't broach the subject of what happened, leaving that topic for Agatho.

"None of this is good for us!"

Hoa Sen moves swiftly through the increasing gloom. While some fire extinguishing device would be more than convenient, she doesn't remember any such things sitting here. There are, though, a pair of mismatched lights: an organic-looking floodlight and a much harder-edged crystal that hangs from the ceiling. The kasunda goes for the floodlight, grimacing even through the smoke as she strokes the fleshy appendages that coax the thing to illumine.

Radwa allows Derrick to lead them out of the barn, and seems to recover a bit more once they're outside.

"Yes. I'm... better now, thank you. Hold on," they say before turning back to the barn. "Hoa Sen! Grab the crystal on the ceiling and throw it at the fire! That should help out it out!"

The older man nodded.

"I will try again.  May the Sovereign One aid us..."

He placed his hands upon Kal once again, and prayed about twice as long as last time.  Once again, his hands glowed gently for a moment...

RPoL Dice Roller:

15:17, Today: Agatho rolled 2 using 1d20.  DT3 Healing Touch w/Extra Healing Effort.
17:17, Today: Agatho rolled 11 using 1d20.  DT3 Healing Touch w/Repeated Attempt Effort.
17:17, Today: Agatho rolled 3 using 1d6.  Healing Touch #2.

The older man raised his head and opened his eyes to examine the wound.  He looked paler than before, and his hands trembled slightly with fatigue.

"How do you feel now, friend Kal?"

As Derrick and the woman who must be the wright emerge from the barn and begin shouting back and forth to those within, Artor moved swiftly once more. Seeing the crowds posed no threat, he moved to the barn, shrouded in flame and darkness, to lend what aid he could to the furry one

Hoa Sen trusted Radwa's advice; the numenera were after all their department. With the floodlight still only half-illumined, the arkus dodged through spark, smoke, and shadow. Her training at the Durkhal had not, after all, been entirely a matter of bureaucracy, rhetoric, and the human mind. As she landed from a particularly long hop, Hoa Sen put both feet together and coiled. Immediately, she uncoiled, leaping up to grab the light crystal. Even as she returned to the barn's floor, she was flinging the object into at the smoldering, sparking pile.

OOC:  20:21, Today: Hoa Sen rolled 17 using 1d20 ((17)).

Re: barn folks

OOC: Mayhew, make a speed defense roll.

Artor, as you approach, you see no damage apparent on Derrick or the person he is helping.  While smoke continues to issue from the building, the density of it seems to be lessening some.  As you get a better view of the interior, you see Hoa throwing something toward a loose stack of metal plating that Mayhew is standing beside.

Re: clearing folks

Kal's wounds continue to heal under Agatho's efforts.  Soon the skin appears whole, if slightly singed, and there are no traces of foreign objects remaining in his tissue.  His initial efforts to stretch his leg and rotate his ankle are successful.

"Thank you," he expresses to Agatho.

"That was incredible," added the lattimor next to him.  "Who are you, healer, that I have never seen you before?"

OOC Speed Defense roll. And with a roll of 18 combined with his Training and Effort, he would succeed at a Difficulty 8 task.
  He is Trained in Speed Defense. And I'm going to spend a level of effort.
  18:00, Today: Mayhew rolled 18 using 1d20 with rolls of 18. Speed Defense (Trained, Effort).

OOC: excellent

Hoa's aim is true and the crystal, now activated, strikes right at the edge of the metal plates where they shelter the smoldering material beneath.  Mayhew, paying enough attention to heed Radwa's words, leaps out toward the open doors as soon as he realizes that Hoa isn't hesitating.

As the crystal strikes the solid surface, it erupts into a sphere of water, ten feet in diameter (approx. 3 meters).  Mayhew and Hoa are both spattered a bit by the effect, but most of the water drops straight down, quenching any heat below.  Rivulets of muddy, ashen water rush along the parched ground, under gaps in the walls, and part of the way into the open area where Derrick and Radwa are standing.

The stench in the barn transitions from acrid smoke to wet ashes as Hoa and Mayhew stand with very wet feet.  No trace of fire, ember, or spark remains.

The older man gave them a gentle smile and nod as he dabbed the perspiration from his forehead with a weary arm.

"I am Agatho of Hayrest, an unworthy servant of the Sovereign One.  'Peace to you.'  It was a privilege to serve."

"I just arrived in Canthus some minutes ago.  I will be here for a few days, until we depart for the Shimmering Veil."

"I know that your name is Kal.  What is your name, friend lattimor?"

Derrick is unsure whether Radwa really is alright, but he allows them to support themselves when prompted to do so. He continues to watch, somewhat nervously, as the action inside takes place and once water starts to run out of the barn, he makes a suggestion. "If you are injured, my friend Agatho is a healer. It might be wise to let him tend to you..."

Radwa smiled - actually smiled - when the fire went out, as clarity came back to them and they finally passed through.

"I thank you for the offer, Derrick, but my scar is not... not physical, and I doubt it would be within his capacity to heal," they explained. "It's... good to meet you, though... I'm sorry about the, um... circumstances." they finished, trying and failing to look directly at Derrick.

Mayhew looks to Hoa Sen with a smile. "Nicely done! I take it you're Hoa Sen. Pleased to meet you. I'm Mayhew."

He begins walking out of the barn. "Perhaps some fresh air would do us good."

Hoa Sen experimentally lifts a foot out of the wet mess of ash, shaking it briefly to see how clingy the stuff is. She grimaces. "I am. An effective solution, but not the tidiest." Sen picks her way carefully out of the shed. She's smutch with ash and patches of damp--all except for her yellow scarf, which is immaculate. "I hope none of your salvage was lost to the water."

Outside, her glance goes to Radwa. She doesn't yet ask what happened.

To: Agatho

"I am Blorr.  I was on Mayhew's expedition to the east and northeast, as was Kal.  We only just returned the past hour or so."

Blorr looks across the open space toward where Radwa is standing, now with Derrick.  Artor is nearby and Mayhew is just emerging from the filthy air of the barn, followed by Hoa.

The older man smiled.

"Well met, Blorr.  What did you find on your journey?  Are any of you joining the expedition through the Shimmering Veil?"

Blorr's face fell more to sadness as she recalled her expedition.  "Death.  Desolation.  Menace springing up all over.  No hope in that direction, certainly.  We brought back some plating and other parts that might help defend Canthus until a new destination is found."

Blorr stood and helped Kal to his feet.  "I am done exploring."  She nodded toward the furry person near the barn.  "Mayhew is the only member of our expedition planning to go out again."

After scanning the area, she turned to Kal.  "Did you see which way Heppa went?  How far she may have gone?  The other aneen," she clarified to Agatho.  Kal merely gave her a skeptical look before shaking his head and conspicuously examining the ruined leg of his pants.

Artor followed behind Hoa Sen and her befurred acquaintance as the made their way from the barn, ready to support either of them should they stumble. If the anthropomorphic squirrel glanced his way, he paused to introduce himself, "Artor, I am known to Agatho and plan to accompany the expedition past the Veil"

The older man's face mirrored Bloor's sadness as she spoke to him, and he nodded sympathetically.

"I must check these others for injuries.  If you need help finding Heppa, I will come as soon as I am able."

Nodding to Bloor and Kal, the older man made his way over toward all of those who had been in the barn.

"Does anyone here need healing?  Is everyone all right?"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:14, Thu 27 June 2019.

Mayhew jogs over to Bloor and Kal. "How are you Kal? Bloor, are you okay? What happened?"

Derrick makes it difficult to make eye contact by staring a little too intently, the stare is not intense, merely polite concern. "Agatho can sometimes help with those kinds of scars too." His statement is merely fact and he seems perfectly willing to let the matter rest there if Radwa wishes. He doesn't seem at all put out by the circumstances of the meeting.

Derrick shifts his focus to the barn and the small rivulets of water now flowing out of it. "Will you be coming on the expedition to the Veil as well?"

Radwa nods happily and indicates the partially-assembled transport cart occupying a large chunk of the barn. "Yes - I'm building a cart for everybody to ride safely in for when we go explore," they explain, keeping their focus on the barn. "I think the fire was pretty well-contained, so I don't think it will have sent me back too much time."

"I... gather these others will be coming too?" Radwa asked, indicating everyone else that had gathered.

Derrick looks around at the others in the area and indicates that he knows for certain will be joining the expedition. "My friend Agatho and I journeyed together, we will both be coming. I have just met Hoa Sen who will join us..." He lowers his voice slightly. "... and the man in the mask, who is called Artor, is coming as well."

Feeling that someone should make sure the barn is safe and the fire is out, Derrick advances into the structure towards the pile of metal plates. Given the volume of water it is hard to imagine anything could still be burning, but he has seen stranger things. He pulls the mace from his waist and begins to poke at the pile from behind his shield.

There is no indication of any further fire or even risk of it from under the metal plates.  A stronger breeze has diluted the smoke further and the organic mechanism Hoa activated has reached its full illumination inside the structure.

There are no further calls for healing and the assembled citizens are leaving to return to Canthus proper.  The remaining aneen is led around to a pen beside the barn and provided hay and fresh water.  The plates it was carrying, as well as the bag of parts, have been stacked in a pile in the open area, well away from the barn.

"Do we need to worry about the missing aneen, Madam Radwa?", asked Artor softly, his mask expressionless and the wind catching the voluminous cloak he wore - causing it to snap and crack softly, "Was it carrying any part you required?"