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Mare Internum: An Exalted Quest

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For A Better World 52
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    • Parabola said:
    [X] I need a bath.
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    "I need a bath."

    IRIS: "Well, the bandages are waterproofed, so you should be fine. Just make sure you don't pull your sutures. Lily, go fetch some water for the magistrate's bath."

    LILY: "Mother, I really need to-"

    Iris holds up a finger. Lily's shoulders slump and she leaves to go draw the water.

    IRIS: "Eat your breakfast, lady. I'll ready the tub back here."

    While Iris busies herself readying the washtub you sip on the congee. The rice porridge is thin enough that you can drink it straight from the bowl. It's warming and filling, which are qualities you didn't know you needed until right now. The ginger adds a pleasant sweetness and bite of flavor to an otherwise bland dish.

    EMBASSY: You know, most Dragon-Bloods have servants. A lot of them even have slaves. Shouldn't you have people serving you like this at all times?

    [ ] Yeah, that would be pretty great.
    [ ] I like this, but they're just being nice, let's not make it weird.
    [ ] Actually people doing what I want is making me pretty uncomfortable.
     
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    • For A Better World 53
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    • pucflek said:
    [X] Actually people doing what I want is making me pretty uncomfortable.
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    "You don't have to do everything I say, you know."

    IRIS: "You said you wanted a bath."

    "Yeah, but you don't have to do that. I was just voicing preference. Most people just ignore it when I do that."

    IRIS: "Maybe I wanted to give you food and a bath, did you think of that?"

    "Why would you want that?"

    IRIS: "Oh, hush up and eat. You look like you've lost some unhealthy weight recently. What, have you been out begging for your dinner?"

    "I don't know, maybe."

    IRIS: "You don't know?"

    "I lost my memories." you say, between slurping down the last of the bowl of congee.

    IRIS: "Well, you look like you've been hit in the head a few too many times, that would probably do it."

    Lily returns, brow shining with perspiration, hauling a pair of heavy wooden buckets of water.

    CRAFT: They are crossbar pails. They have recently been drawn from a well.

    You set aside the bowl and stand.

    "Here, let me take those."

    LILY: "Lady, your arms are broken."

    "Oh yeah."

    Iris helps Lily empty the water into the washtub.

    IRIS: "I suppose you'll be wanting some fresh clothes, too."

    "What's wrong with my clothes?"

    Iris gestures down at the discarded clothes, covered with blood, mud and soot.

    IRIS: "Your coat and britches are probably fine after a quick scrub, but the tunic's a waste. Boots are done, too."

    [ ] Nah, they're probably fine.
    [ ] The tunic was a gift, I want to keep it.
    [ ] Sure, I'd like some new clothes.
     
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    • For A Better World 54
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    • Omicron said:
    [X] The tunic was a gift, I want to keep it.
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    Iris picks up the remains of the tunic, looking over it with a critical eye.

    IRIS: "I'll see if I can get this to the seamsters tent, they might be able to patch it up. Maybe they can take it out so it fits you better, too. Let me get you something to wear in the meantime while you bathe, though."

    LILY: "I'm going to get going before I catch any more errands. Don't want to miss marching orders."

    IRIS: "Pah, that old goat Colter won't be moving until he's told, just like always. If he gives you grief, girl, you send him to me."

    "Thanks for the help, Lily."

    She gives you a warm smile and nods to her mother before ducking out of the tent again.

    IRIS: "I've got to run a few errands, so I'll see about your clothes. You take your time now, you look like you've seen enough excitement."

    After Iris leaves, you settle down in the cool water in the corner of the tent and start the process of cleaning yourself. Iris has provided a sponge, a stiff brush and a block of lye soap identical to the one you used yesterday. The monks, still busy with their patient, ignore you, and are ignored in turn.

    You are just running the brush experimentally through your hair to try to disentangle it when someone appears in the mouth of the tent.

    He's an unassuming man, dressed in an off-white shift like Iris. He's bald, slightly wrinkled, dark eyed. He would be entirely unremarkable except that he is staring at you with an astonished expression.

    INTEGRITY: Recognition. Horror. Embarassment?

    The man quickly turns on his heel and leaves the tent.

    [ ] Get up and follow him.
    [ ] Ask the monks who that was.
    [ ] Ignore it.
     
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    • For A Better World 55
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    • glyph said:
    [X] Ask the monks who that was.
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    "Hey, who was that at the entrance just now?"

    One of the monks turns to you briefly.

    MONK: "Wellren, lady. He's one of the surgeons."

    "Is there any reason why he would know me?"

    MONK: "I think he operated on you last night."

    "Oh. Why did-"

    MONK: "Lady, please, we are in the middle of surgery."

    "Right, sorry."

    You get back to the important business of scrubbing yourself. With the assistance of brush and sponge you are able to cleanse much of the grime that clung to your skin even after yesterday's waterfall bath.

    You hear a commotion outside, the clattering of metal armor.

    Mei sweeps into the tent, snarling helmet held under one arm, followed by a pair of her runners.

    MEI: "You! What the fuck are you doing?"

    "I'm taking a bath." You hold up the sponge to show her by way of explanation.

    Mei's runners, a young man and woman barely out of their teens, are both staring at you, goggle eyed. The woman's mouth hangs open.

    MEI: "Give us a moment, would you two?"

    She closes the tent flap, blocking their gaze.

    Mei sets down her helmet on a pallet.

    MEI: "Well, what are you waiting for? Get dressed, we've got to go."

    "I don't have any clothes. Iris is bringing me some."

    Mei rolls her eye in exasperation.

    MEI: "You know what? Fine, we'll do it here, it's not like I haven't seen it before."

    She hauls a small crate over next to your tub and sits down opposite you.

    [ ] Are you going to kill me?
    [ ] Is everyone okay?
    [ ] What happened at the northern pass?
    [ ] Do you want a report?
    [ ] Could you warm up my bath water?
     
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    • For A Better World 56
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    • CogAndStar said:
    [X] Do you want a report?
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    "Do you want a report?"

    MEI: "No, I'm here for your personality. Of course I want a fucking report. Colter said you were in surgery."

    "I am in surgery."

    MEI: "You're in a bath."

    "The bath is in the surgery tent."

    Mei closes her eye and keeps it shut.

    INTEGRITY: I think she's counting to ten.

    MEI: "Okay, are you wounded?"

    "Yeah."

    MEI: "How did you get wounded?"

    You look down at yourself.

    "A few different ways."

    MEI: "Okay, let's try this. Did you fight an undead Exalt with a reinforced skeleton?"

    "Yeah, I did."

    MEI: "Did you win?"

    "Yeah."

    MEI: "And you left the body with Colter."

    "That's right. How did you know it was an undead Exalt? You couldn't tell from the corpse."

    MEI: "First smart thing you've said since I came in here. I guessed because I fought one too. Ex-earth aspect. I'm guessing yours was fire, based on the state of the forest."

    "That's right. He had backup. Raigi with grey skin and blindfolds who could see through the smoke clouds."

    Mei looks thoughtful at that.

    MEI: "I've heard of stuff like that from Tengese ghost cults. Something to ask the sorcerer about. How many were there?"

    "Less than forty. And yours?"

    MEI: "About fifty, but they didn't have blindfolds, like you describe. They crumbled when they hit the legion line, but the undead creature was wrestling Rooster evenly when I got there."

    "I saw the explosion."

    MEI: "You and everyone else. Damn thing wouldn't stay down, I had to go overboard. Was yours a Dynast?"

    You shake your head.

    "Lost egg, like us."

    She narrows her eye at you.

    MEI: "Well, you remember some things. And lost egg is real bad news."

    "Why is that?"

    MEI: "We knew a couple of Dynasts were missing that could have been remade into these things. There's maybe a dozen Dynasts in Ashglass. No lost eggs."

    WAR: DIFFICULT
    6 1
    CHECK PASSED

    "He came from your legion."

    MEI: "That's what I'm thinking. We lost fifteen Dragon-Blooded legion officers in the storm, and almost a dozen more in navy officers, monks and civilian administrators. If they've all been turned like this, we're in for a hell of a fight, even if our reinforcements land intact."

    [ ] Is everyone okay on the north front?
    [ ] Are you still going to try to capture Ashglass?
    [ ] What can I do to help?
    [ ] I think you owe me an apology.
    [ ] Can we talk? You said we would talk if I survived.
     
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    • For A Better World 57
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    • ctulhuslp said:
    [X] What can I do to help?
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    "What can I do to help?"

    MEI: "I don't know, what can you even do, except charge madly at things and survive getting perforated?"

    Iris returns as you are about to venture an answer.

    IRIS: "I left the tunic at the seamsters and picked you up a- oh, begging your pardon, dragonlord, I didn't see you there."

    MEI: "Iris, are you running sewing errands for a civilian when I told you to expect a wave of casualties?"

    Iris dumps the pile of clothes on the bench.

    IRIS: "As far as I've heard this civilian is the reason why we don't have a wave of casualties, so I figured she was worth a favor, lady."

    MEI: "Why is she in a bath?"

    IRIS: "She said she needed a bath."

    "It's true, I did say that."

    MEI: "You shut up."

    Iris addresses you, pointedly ignoring Mei.

    IRIS: "Lady, the seamsters are working on your tunic, but I don't know what tent you're in, so I'll need to tell them where to deliver it."

    "I don't have a tent."

    IRIS: "What's this? Why doesn't she have a tent, dragonlord?"

    "She's a civilian, I don't have to give her a tent."

    IRIS: "I'm a civilian and I've got a tent. What, you expect a prince of the earth to sleep outside?"

    MEI: "Iris, we're trying to have a conversation here."

    IRIS: "Well, where am I supposed to send this tunic?"

    MEI: "Send it my tent! I don't care! Just go away!"

    IRIS: "Fine. I just think you should give her a place to sleep, if you're sending her off to battle, is all. That's a medical opinion."

    Mei glares steadily at her.

    IRIS: "Oh, stop it, I've seen it often enough. I'll go off and do my orders and leave you to your conversation."

    Iris stacks up some bamboo scrolls in her arms and leaves you alone, save for the silent monks and dying man.

    MEI: "Insufferable." She sighs. "She's not wrong though, you did good today."

    Her tone is so grudging that you decide not to give your opinion on this because you feel like confirming that she said it will be met with immediate aggression.

    MEI: "I should set you up somewhere. What do you think you're best at, aside from fighting? After you recover, I mean."

    [ ] I'm pretty good with anatomy, I think. I could help out here.
    [ ] I know how to make stuff. Maybe I could help out the engineers?
    [ ] I guess I can lift and carry stuff. Chop wood? I don't know, I feel active.
    [ ] I've got good eyes. I could ride a demon, like your sorcerer suggested.

    This is a consequential decision, please vote.
     
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