Linnix raises an eyebrow, slightly shocked.

Finally, she blurts out the seemingly outrageous question, "Are you serious? So, what you're saying is if I wanted say a potion that could bring back the dead, you'd have one?"

The notion seems so absurd to Linnix, and yet, by the confidence exuded by the figure, perhaps there was indeed something... after all, if there was a potion that had the effect (albeit a side one) to change Xaris's physiology, perhaps a life-raising one wouldn't be out of the question. And if this uniquely peculiar merchant indeed has one, what then? Would she get it?

The answer comes quickly, and Linnix knows it in her heart. Yes, she would get it. Even if the path from life to death and then back to life is hard, it would be able to hold firm the threads of connections between people, and what would otherwise be permanent becomes only temporary. Yes, to return someone that was lost would be far better than for others to feel the sorrow of their loss. Loriel, Kas, and now Sheva... the group shouldn't have to feel another loss.

"Why yes I would have a potion that is said to give new life to old bones. Though Obviously I've not put myself in a position to try it myself. I mean how would I; If I'm dead, I can't drink it. But you, you have friends yes yes! They can feed it to the fallen. I'm told it is one of a kind and thus very valuable. As such I'm asking a paltry 3000 gold. Is there a life worth that much to you young lady?"

Linnix smiles, paying the unknown merchant. Friends are priceless, She returns, and it is impossible to determine a value on another's life that can be easily measured.
Perhaps another time, years ago, Linnix wouldn't have bothered with it, keeping the monetary gain to further her own ends, but now... she has changed.

Care for those around you, not just close to you.
Yes, even now, Linnix may not fully understand just what Caera meant, but she is getting there. She just has to keep moving forward.

“I have never met a human or…” Aelistae shook her head and left the thought unsaid. “What I mean to say is I would be honoured if you could teach me some of the songs you know. I have never learnt anything of how the edain sing.”
"I would be happy to do so, that is, if you intend to continue travelling in the same direction as I. I plan on staying at the temple for maybe a few days to decide where I should head next.
"I personally have learned much about how most of the musically inclined races sing. I even know a song or two in elven, not to say I'm any speaker of the language."

---------------------------

"The civil war saw many things of beauty and worth reduced to rubble, and it is said this monastary was one of many such sites that bore the wrath of conflict upon its broad stone shoulders, but in the end could not weather the burdens of war and collapsed into ruin. Now obviously that's a broad analysis of the past events, but if it interests you I have available a telling of the war on account of a Captain Isaiah Marshal, who once stayed at this very monastary with his forces mid conflict. Perhaps it tickles your fancy?"
"No thank-you, good merchant, I have not much gold on my person. I only ask because I intended to be enjoying the hospitality of Deneir and Oghma this evening," Dylan replies. It seemed that he would have to move on sooner than he had planned. He returned to sitting in the cart to let the others process their needs, while he did the same for his own. Where to next? I could head up north to Zazesspur, or return to Castle Tethyr and continue on to Myratma. He dismissed the idea of going south, for that direction led on the the Calim Dessert, and Dylan was under no uncertain circumstances partial to extreme heat. Up north would mean sooner or later a hike through mountains or a sea voyage.

Eventually an idea occured to him. Why not stick with these folk? They certainly were freindly enough people, and they were obviously well armed against the troubles of the road. Granted there was also the fact that the company would be significantly better, one grows to long for the sight of civilization after a week of conversing with one's scenery. He decided he should put the question to the others as soon as they moved on.

“But you don’t know anything of how the Illythiiri sing, surely?” Aelistae inquired, suddenly curious just how much Dylan did know.

“Anyway, let us hope that the Lady dictates that we are to have more time together.”

“You want to be rid of me?”

The words were more of an accusation than a question, but the women that they were sounded towards did not seem to notice. She merely continued the fluid movements of the sword in her hand until the silver of the blade, the silvery locks of her hair and the glistening contours of her body became one. The graceful dance continued until all her breath was spent and her body could take no more.

“And what makes you think that, my Sister?” she replied at last in a breathless whisper.

“You would send me away from those I know, those that have become my family…to live among the rivven….”

“And would that be so bad?” the woman interrupted, casting her dark eyes accusingly at the source of the voice.

“I…no…no, it wouldn’t. And if the humans would accept our kind, I would gladly live among them. But they fear us Qilué and would likely kill us out of blind panic. Why do you send me among them?”

“Because there’s nothing more for you to learn here. It has been fifteen Aeloulaeva since you joined us Aelistae; fifteen since you took the Sword Oath and embraced Eilistraee. But to fully embrace your future it is not enough to know the Lady’s message, but to see why it must be so. To see the Surface World in all its glory, to witness the everyday kindnesses of those that live upon it, and to feel love in your heart.”

The woman’s hand fell upon the other’s shoulder and squeezed it softly. “Do you understand?”
“I love him,” she confessed in a whisper, as Firin finished his tale. In that moment it did not matter to her if the merchant heard the words she had quietly spoken. She felt the love she held for Nash so keenly that it pained her. And it was by giving voice to what was in her heart that the feeling began to ebb.

“…Thank you,” she added to Firin, after clearing her throat.

She walked over to where she had left Daisy, and slowly petted the white mare’s neck. Her thoughts, however, were elsewhere.

’I will find this mirror,’ she vowed, ’And I free him from this demon. I just…I just hope I have my friends with me.”

[OOC: An 'Aeloulaeva; is an elvish measurement of time that correlates with 4 years.]

Xaris stood with his chest bare and tattoos for all to see. Two backwards half moons on his chest highly contrasted on his pale white skin, unlike when he was almost the same colour as the black ink. He looked around at the purchasing going on, and looked to members of his group. He needed armour if they were going to get anywhere, as if fights like the one from from the night before are going to happen, taking them on bare chested would be quite a challenge.


" Umm, if it's alrigh would I be able to purchase a suit of armour? I have no money of my own, but I fear I cannot fight as well if I have no protection."

Zorana goes up to the door and take a corner of her cloak and wipes off the golden door.

"A lit candle is a part of Dinier's symbol and the book could be a differenet way of showing reference to Ohgma, whose symbol is a blank scroll."

She looks it over for any other runes or glyphs.

"I would say this is probably the way to go, but careful still."

"I will go as carefully as I can," respond Silvara well aware of the possible dangers especially after that pit trap and the snakes. She still wondered about those still being active in a ruined Monastery especially when others had entered her before them.

Silvara takes out the candlestick with the hole through the center. and tries looking thought it at the door. If nothing catches her eye as she looks through it she will put it away again and check out the door. One is it locked or unlocked. She does not opened it right off without checking first.

"Any words of wisdom you would like to share with me.
Zorana. A prayer to the Deities involved for safe passage would be nice. You being the religious sort ought to have in inside road on that," Silvara adds.

"Cat got you tongue," quips Silvara

(Yeah 700th post in this tread and I made it.

Firin was certainly a welcomed spirit in contrast to the past few days. With every transaction his projected attitude was lightened even more, as though with each gold piece that crossed his bandaged palms the companions were elevating him to a higher station of life.

Linnix purchased with much enthusiasm Firin’s miracle draught, an odourless liquid that glittered with some reddish incandescent light from within a glass vial fit delicately into a hollowed finger bone, the stopped affixed to a knuckle bone which conveniently still had enough of the sinew and tendons affixed to allow it to bend and close the vial. While obviously not the most pleasant potion to look at, the prospect that it could stave off death was well worth the unsettling appearance of it.

With the potion in hand, she also purchased a new short bow and a compliment of ammunition. Xaris inquired about armor, and Firin showed him a wide assortment of wares, he needed only make a decision (See q/a)

Bartholomew procured an additional week’s worth of provisions, and stored them in the newly acquired bag of holding while Aelistae silently obtained vital information to setting her heart and mind at ease.

Dylan and Talus didn’t seem interested in acquiring anything new, and so with there dealings complete, Firin hopped up on his rock once more and spoke mentally to all around. “You people have been so generous in helping me attain my goals of th greatest merchant to ever live! I like you people, and would very much like to do business again and so I will be very generous in return, and bestow upon you my magic business card. Ingenious I know! I know!” Firin removed a golden hued card and handed it to Bart. “Normally house calls cost a hundred gold each, to help cover the cost of the magic’s in the card, but I have a feeling we’ll be seeing much more of each other, and so I grant you this first one free. Simply tear it in half when you require my services, and I will contact you hopefully within the hour. Remember, when you deal with Firin Ranklefoot, Satisfaction is guaranteed! Tell your friends!” With that he waved to the group before returning to his perch atop the rock.

This gave Aelistae time to go about distributing the potions and cast her spells (let me know who get’s a potion and who get’s a scroll cast please) Satisfied she had done all she could to aid her friends and companions. It was time to make to move toward’s their goal once more. Would Dylan join them? Or attempt to explore this reliquary of knowledge buried and lost to the ravages of war? Had they all been cured of lycanthropy? Would they ever make it to the keep and if they did, would they be in time? (insert ending to the old Adam west batman show here lol )

(I’ll allow a couple days for some interaction, but expect a mid week update to get you on your way)

Looking through the seemingingly mundane candlestick and scanning the door shows that the 'candlestick' in the actual door appears to not actually be there, and instead is a relief where a candlestick like object could be affixed, upon closer inspection of tactile use, it appears the 'golden candlestick is a well made illusion, even feeling like it is there, though now knowing better, the Dc check to disbelieve is much more manageable and you may proceed as though you know all is not as it would appear.

Silvara's looking for any visible handle or way to open the door, locks or otherwise comes up empty, only the newly discovered illusion and relief are apparent.

Zora takes her sword in two hands holing it point down, the position of Justice.

"Tyr, you too reveer Knowledge, Please convey to Denier and Oghma, that I am here in the name of justice, to retrieve for you that which will aid us in the fight against evil."

She then reverses the blade, into the position of retibution.

"For our parts we will do what we can to rid the temple of evil, so that it will be safer for the Clergy of Denier and Oghma to reclaim."

"Well that is certainly strange." she comments and she takes the candlestick from her eye and looks at the door again trying to confirm what she saw.

"That candlestick in the door certainly seems to be there but it isn't." She looks again through and sure enough the candlestick was revealed and a high level illusion one that was tactile as well as visual.

Taking the candlestick in her hand she positions it exactly like the candlestick on the door.

"Be ready, I don't know exactly what is going to happen here." With that she presses the candlestick into the area occupied by the illusion.

A smile would have tugged at the corner of her lips at seeing the antics of Firin, if Aelistae had been in a lighter mood. The small merchant had a boundless enthusiasm that ordinarily would have appealed to her. But the battle with the werewolves, the death of Sheva, and then the news she had received of Nash, chased any smile she might have worn away.

“Here,” Aelistae said quietly, as she handed out the three potions she had procured from Firin to Linnix, Talus and Xaris. “Drink it. It’ll stave off any curse passed on to you by the ze-illrin.”

“Artanis and I will…well we’ll use these,” she added, pulling out the two scrolls she had also purchased.