Age of Ruin IC: When all your friends are dead

There is a still, cold silence in the air, broken only by the groans of the wounded.
Two men stare out in shock from a room that has just had one wall collapse. A thin Davethran scholar with yellow eyes, and a fat, balding, Qusan merchant, both shocked at the destruction in front of them.
The main room of the Bronze Cauldron, and the bedrooms above it, have completely collapsed. In the centre of the pile, a red-headed man struggles, trapped by rubble, and near him a tiny woman is standing on top of the pile of brick, beams and bodies, looking rather stunned. Near the edge, by the back room, a pretty young Mokai woman is standing on top of the rubble, pulling a dusty Zhan out of the bits of wood and brick, and his tiny pesudo-dragon.
Several burly men are trapped under beams, groaning. Luckily, they don't seem to be in too much pain, due to their advanced state of drunkenness.
These few appear to be the only survivors, but there could be more people buried under the rubble.

Akim was just about to say something when suddenly, one wall decides to rudely interrupt their little chat.

"..... "

For a few moments, he just sits there, trying to make sense of what just happened.

"Uhm. Meeting adjourned i suppose...."

He gets up from his chair, still slightly stunned, taking a look at the situation.

"Oh dear.... that doesn't bode well..."

Then he realizes that there are survivors.

"Can anybody tell me what just happend here ? And someone go get some help, we have to move this rubble, there might still be survivors trapped under it !"

Akim tries to make his way over the rubble, looking for something.

Lycar

Krashnix

Krashnix tries to escape from the pile of rubble, but is unable to, there's just too much. Not giving up just yet he calls out for help.

If anyone is still alive i could use some help over here.

Livina
For a moment, all the Mokai could do was stare at the black flames blossoming across the tavern, but then instinct jumped in, and she dodged nimbly the falling scraps and pieces of ceiling as the inn began to collapse.

Now, the dust choking in her lungs, she found herself helping Rheban out of the pile. Anything to stop thinking about what must have happened.

"By the lady..." She breathes, as she straightens up once more and surveys the damage. Shaking her head, she steps to and works on removing the rubble above the strange red-haired man that had called himself a priest.

Between the two of them, Livina pulling the beams and Krashnix pushing them off, they manage to lever him out of the rubble. His once-beautiful blue robe, with a golden phoenix embroidered on the front, is torn and covered in dust. After a bit more work, they manage to get Krashnix's mace and heavy shield out as well.

Leaving him by the wayside for the moment, Livina continues to search deeper, looking for Ismal and Draven.

Rhebin

Still caught in utter, terrified surprise, Rhebin stands there, unable to help after Livina's aid.

Master? Are you awake? Master?

"...Come on, Aidan," Rhebin says, finally pulling himself together. He moves swiftly towards the wreckage, the psuedodragon in toe, chanting a quick, curt spell while motioning. As he reaches the remnants, Rhebin suddenly spurts up, growing to twice his height while his tiny psuedodragon suddenly fills out to the size of a fairly large dog. Both now proceed to help Livina extract any survivors, both secretly hoping to see Ismal and Draven...its so hard to make new companions.

Rhebin, Livina and Aidan search through the rubble, and are soon joined by the local Qusans from the street. Rhebin, with his wizardly intelligence, remembers where everyone was, and it isn't too hard to pull a number of men from the rubble. Many others however, are quite dead.
After about half an hour of digging, the fat merchant shimmers and fades, revealing underneath the yellow-eyed, black-clothed man who you saw in manacles earlier. He shrugs at Akim, and gives a wry smile.
Searching the area where the explosion happened, over several hours of digging, Rhebin manages to find the corpses of Sumner, Hern, Khorik and Draven. Underneath Draven, they find the body of a beautiful woman, familiar to Livina and Rhebin, but not to Akim, Kizima or Krashnix.
All of the corpses are badly burnt, and crushed by falling masonry. They're quite definitely dead.

Livina
Livina bites her lip and droops her head as she sits back.
Damn it. I was just starting to like them a little. The Mokai offers a silent prayer to the Lady.
Wherever you two are, I hope you're together. She averts her gaze for a moment, and then turns to Rhebin, hopelessness in her face.
"What now? They're dead. All of them. How are we supposed to find Orin now?"

Kizima

Orin...I guess he figured out the potion well enough. This confirms it.

During the recovery, Kizima does her best to help with moving the rubble. Afterwards, she faces the yellow-eyed man.

"Orin, I see you're still well. I don't suppose you have any idea what just happened?"

Rhebin

"Damned Gar'zeth...I don't know, Livina," Rhebin says, speaking her name for the first time, "this whole calamity has been one loss after another--the Aelf, Gar'zeth, Malus..." he drifts off, voice stammering a bit as he looks to the corpses of Ismal and Draven where Aidan stands, moving as if in prayer for both.

He was a child of the dragons. It seems only appropriate that I...and she...and...

"We understand, Aidan," Rhebin manages to eek out. "So I don't know."

Livina Lightfoot
Flexing a leg, Livina kicks at a piece of rubble with the toe of her doeskin boots, looking angry.
"To hell with the archmage. I'm done running his errands, People with doubles, people exploding people wi- wait." She blinks rapidly and then passes a hand through her now gritty black hair, held back with a green ribbon. "I think we just missed something." She swivels and looks over at the midget woman and the yellow-eyed pair. "Did she just call that man Orin?"

Kizima

"Not too many other suspicious-looking young men with yellow eyes around here, my friend. I'd be surprised if it were someone else."

Livina Lightfoot
Looking at Kizima in confusion, Livina chooses her words carefully. "Well...I see two suspicious-looking people with yellow eyes right now..." She shakes her head. "but I guess that can wait," she says, looking around at the wreckage. "We'd better see if we can at least free the other patrons..."

Rhebin

"...More dead men, then, Livina? Fine..." Rhebin says, helping to sift through the last bits of the remnants.

Any within sixty feet of Aidan would clearly hear a sad, rasping voice in their heads, reciting some barely audible chant.

The yellow-eyed, black-robed man looks with anger at Kizima. I am well, no thanks to you and your friends who kidnapped me and made me come across the ocean with you. He gestures at the red-haired man, Krashnix. Luckily, people on this side of the Bitter Sea are evidently kinder, and free you rather than kidnapping you.
He looks Livina up and down. You said you were looking for me. Why? Are you here to kidnap me as well?
He turns his head slightly to Akim. I know you said I ought to keep my identity secret, but this midget woman knows who I am, so there isn't much point.

By this time, the Qusans have taken the few survivors away.
Searching diligently, Kizima manages to find Kaleff's body, burnt to a crisp.
However, Akim is unable to find Gareth's body under the rubble.

Livina Lightfoot
"Weeelll..." she clasps her hands behind her back and toes the rubble. "Yeah, kinda. I mean, we were supposed to tell you that Govan in Ralm wants you to become the Magus Sillwater. If you came back, I was gonna get paid a lot of gold. I don't suppose you want to be the Magus?" She asks, half hopefully.

He raises an eyebrow. And why exactly does he want me to do that?

Rhebin

"Hmph. Don't be so cold, Livina," Rhebin says, now returned to his normal size as he kneels beside Aidan, the psuedodragon still watching over Draven's corpse, and Ismal's.

"This...oh, this has just been a long line of misfortunes. And oddity. What happened here? That man exploded...and that man was another man too. And now, honorable people are dead and the damn wizard's run off to who knows where and this is not a time to be concerned with that old mission. That job," he says, pointing to Draven and Ismal, "is over. I don't want anything to do with it."

Livina Lightfoot
Livina adopts a "Well, what can you do?" expression
"Some sort of ritual, I dunno. Govan's man said it wouldn't hurt you, whatever it is. Anyways, think about it; I'd be really really happy in you want to go back, but I guess i'd understand if you didn't. I won't try and make you." It's an incongruous statement, given that the Mokai woman in front of you is completely unarmed and unarmored. With that, she begins sifting through the rubble, trying to free any other survivors amidst the onwatchers.

She pauses as Rhebin makes his remark. "Hey, I'm sorry they're dead too! I was kinda getting to like them; I'm just saying, six thousand gold is six thousand gold!" A thought seems to strike her "Oh yeah...Gar'zeth's gone. That'd be one hell of a walk. Blow that, then."

Livina Lightfoot
As the Qusans leave, Livina turns to Rhebin. "So...you know dragons, right? Is there something we should do, now they're dead? A song, a prayer, or something?"

Rhebin

"I don't know dragons," Rhebin says. "He does," and motions to Aidan, who has finally concluded his strange vigil. Rhebin turns and appraises the other survivors while drawing out a silver flute from his satchel.

"What now?" he asks, then plays a few clear, loud notes and stands, waiting.

Livina
The Mokai woman looks from side to side. She seems to be wrestling with some internal debate. Finally, she speaks.
"Um, if we're going to bury them and all...they don't need to take their stuff with them, do they? I mean, we could probably sell some of it to pay for the burial." She smiles as she warms to the topic. "Maybe even pay for a good memorial stone? Yeah. I think we owe them a decent burial."
Satisfied with her reasoning, Livina steps towards the corpses and begins searching them for valuables, magical equipment, etc.

Kizima

Kaleff...are you coming back? Is anyone coming back? Hern? I'd even settle for Cafoas at this point. Is everyone really gone this time?

Kizima ignores Orin completely, seemingly lost in thought.

Okay, they want valuables. I suppose that's justifiable. As much as I like my friends, they deserve a decent memorial. And I could use some help to finish what they started. Okay, Kaleff had that ring that turned aside Evil Hern's blows, kind of like that dragon had some forcefield (must be similar), and Hern had a really big, decorative sword that someone said was magical. The sword can probably pay for everyone's memorial, and I think the ring should go towards continuing the betterment of the world, just as Kaleff would have wanted it. Which means I'll hold onto it until I can find a better recipient.

Kizima searches Kaleff's fingers for the ring, then goes to where Hern was found to see if she can locate his greatsword.

Thought I heard something about 6000 gold...wonder if I could get in on that.

Rhebin

Rhebin "supervises" Livina as best he can, trying to make sure that each item taken into her custody doesn't disappear...less a question of trust, he told himself, and more a question of his own wretched nervousness and ruthlessly mercenary past.

Orin sighs. Look, I didn't get on with most of these people... I think it's best if I leave now. I'm sorry, but I won't be going to Govan. As you say, without a wizard it's a long way. And I don't really want to be sacrificed to summon an army of demons.

Kizima searches Kaleff's body, and finds two rings. One is the ring that deflected blows, the other the one that Kaleff never worked out the purpose of, though he was sure it was magical. He just never got around to identifying it. Around his neck is a talisman, the holy symbol of Imshaeroth that he got from Ruchion's corpse before. On his arms are magical bracers, and at his belt is a pouch with magical components on. His backpack can't be found, it's probably under the rubble.
She next goes on to Hern. He's wearing his spiked plate, which will be very difficult to get off, and holding loosely the great blade he got from the vault in Mokar. It's hilt is engraved with angelic wings.
Around his neck is an amulet of some sort, and on his belt are tied four bottles, all of which have been smashed by falling masonry.

Meanwhile, Livina (watched by Rhebin) searches the bodies of Draven and Ismal. She finds Draven's mighty mace on his belt, the one that sparks when bashed against things, and of course the mithral full plate that his corpse is still wearing. On his hands are gloves inscribed with runes, and on his back is a beautiful cape, but it's torn and shredded.
Ismal wears a beautiful vest under her clothes, covered in magical sigils, and has a set of matching silver jewellery, necklace, earrings, and finger rings. She also has a pouch of spell components on her belt, and a finely-wrought dagger of cold iron.

This leaves the corpses of Sumner and Khorik still unsearched.

Livina
Gathering together the vest and Jewelry, Livina sighs as she turns away from the remains of Ismal. "You could be pretty creepy sometimes, but I'm sorry you're dead." Working through the remains of Draven, Livina removes the gloves and then also takes the mace.
"I'm sorry you're dead, too. Bull-headed as you were, you were brave and gorgeous."

After a moment's silence, Livina moves on with some curiosity to the bodies of the men called Khorik and Sumner, looking for valuables.

Rhebin

Unwilling to deal with the corpses of those for whom he has no relation, Rhebin kneels beside Ismal, perplexed. He ticks off Livina's discoveries on his fingers--especially easy for a zahn, possessed as he is of twelve fine fingers.

Vest, jewelry, components, rings, dagger...but shouldn't there be a spellbook? Unless of course she was gifted by a talent like the Voice, innate power...perplexing.

Quote:

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After a moment's silence, Livina moves on with some curiosity to the bodies of the men called Khorik and Sumner, looking for valuables.

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Akim watches scowling as the small woman loots the corpses of her earstwhile companions. As she turns her attention to his former companions however, he steps up and holds his hand in front of her, standing firm.

"No. Let them be. They didn't survive their track back out of the ash desert just to be picked clean by some featherless vulture."

"They were imperial nobles and they deserve better then that. Do not touch them or i will have to summon the town guard to have you arrested."

Lycar

Livina Lightfoot
Stopping, the Mokai lady turns her head to one side as she regards the man in the scholar's robes.
"Oh. You knew them? Sorry..." She dusts off her hands. "They're yours, then." Backing away from the adept, she returns to Rhebin. "I guess...we find an undertaker now? Someone ought to stay with them..."