Malcolm looked over. “Sounds like you’re back to you. If Skwilly is suffering now, then we need to move as quick as we think is safe. A smaller dose to slow it down would be better than nothing.”
Valgrin lowered his head and cast Create Ice, with substantial restrictions on the power he used. A thin white frost layer covered the priggy. Several seconds later, Skwilly shook and raised his head, a distant, dazed look in his eyes.
“What happened?” Skwilly asked after a few seconds. “Last I remember, some enormous monster was chasing us. Then things get—um—strange. I sorta remember getting pulled into the swamp, then nothing until now.”
Valgrin sat Skwilly down. “Something messed with our heads. Best guess is the green goo. Everyone, except Malcolm faced a genuine fear. Yours must have been the monster. Though that might be the swamp thing that took you. Malcolm rescued you.”
“Well, it was a more joint effort.” Malcolm nodded toward Valgrin.
Valgrin paused mid nod.
<
BOON:
+30 points to Intelligence
+20 points to Wisdom
Enhanced Information: Ability to discover information on a situation, person, or object—not readily known or available. Cool down will be in correlation with information given. Average cool down forecasted to range between six to eight days. >>
“Sorry,” Valgrin pointed at his head. “Just got an alert that I earned a boon. Added to my stats and seem to have a more powerful identify type of spell. I got them for stopping the poison from doing what it did.” He answered a few questions for the group.
“So, poison verified.” Izzy pointed to Valgrin. “And nice work on your part. I’ve already searched the archive. Nothing about green goo in the archive. Not a single entry." She looked up, eyebrow raised. "Your new Enhanced Information might come in handy right about now.”
Valgrin's fingers drummed against his knee as he frowned. “Let me ask Sandy. I need to check on the variable cool down, see if I can get an idea of how it works. Hate to use it and not have it later when we’re facing Tahlur and Drathnor. But then, that won’t matter if we never reach them.”
Sandy?
<
Yep, I have questions on Enhanced Information. Also, are you the same Sandy that answers Malcolm? He doesn’t seem to have the same type of interactions with his Sandy.
<
To use this—you ask us a question, which we know you’ll do, if it’s not one the Structure could/would normally answer, you can invoke Enhanced Information. The cost of that information is calculated and presented to you…so you will know how much of a cool down before accepting the answer. And, no, I cannot provide you with how that is calculated—even if you invoke Enhanced Information. You will, possibly…no…change that…you will, without a doubt, ask something I cannot answer. Either it’s not known to the Structure or the Rules of the Accord prevent sharing. Attempts to use Enhanced Information to bypass restrictions may cause permanent revocation of the ability. As far as me being the same entity for Malcolm—yes, and no, I’m tweaked a little different for my interactions with you. Now on to the inquiry into the green goo, there would be a twenty-four hour cool down. Which is the minimum cool down currently available to you. >>
In that case, give me what you can on the green goo. Valgrin’s eyes widened as the information became immediately available. That was way faster than expected.
<
That was trying to hard. In case you care.
<
“Okay, strange and unnerving, but I have the info on Ootnah sap, known to us as green goop. The Ootnah tree can alter its sap into a psychotropic toxin, secreting it in the process of conversion. The toxin can induce realistic hallucinations and can affect abilities or attributes. Based on other reports it seems to bring your strongest fear to the forefront. Creating hallucinations and in some cases altering the victim to enhance this fear. Washing the contact area with acidic fluids will limit the effect. Cold temperatures will also limit, and possibly cancel, the effects.” Valgrin focused back on the group. “Kinda cool. It dumps all the info into my memory and I have access to it like I knew it all along. Cooldown cost of that info was twenty-four hours.”
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“If we avoid skin contact, we’ll be okay?” Deeah asked.
“Um, yes—or other ingestion methods. But I have even better news. If you’ve been exposed to the toxin, you have a temporary immunity to further attacks. That immunity is variable—usually three or four days. There have been cases of a little more than one day. So, I’d say we’re in the clear for at least the immediate future.”
“So we don’t have to worry about it, right away, at least. Convenient you getting that info ability just now.” Izzy cocked her head.
Malcolm nodded, “Thinking the same thing. Is this one of those Structure bailing us out things?”
“Me too.” Valgrin said. Sandy? I agree the timing seems to be a little too good to be true. Did someone play with my settings?
<
Valgrin passed on the information.
“Probably a good time to check notifications,” Malcolm spoke up.
The group nodded as they read.
A short squeal captured everyone’s attention. “Oops, shouldn’t have squealed.” Skwilly bit at his bottom lip. “But I got a new ability. One we need to coordinate on. I can now create a Hypnotic Pattern with my glow. I can use it on up to three targets. If it successfully affects a target, I entrance them as long as I can glow. The success percentage applies to each target individually, meaning some may be entranced while others may not. Also, anyone not an intended target can be entranced at a much lower success rate.”
“What’s the word, then?” Malcolm asked.
“Close is for light-flares. Swirl for going hypno?” Skwilly offered.
“Swirl works for me.” Malcolm took in the nods of the group. “And it’s unanimous. Both words mean don’t look, swirl means don’t look until told it’s okay.”
“I’ll be careful and only use it as a last resort until we can test it out fully,” Skwilly said.
“Sorry to change the subject, can we get another log or two on the fire. I’d like the extra light and warmth. Mostly the light.” Izzy stood looking around for a log. “Can’t help but wonder what’s out there—and maybe it’d help me shake off the impact of my hallucinations.”
Deeah looked over at her friend, “As long as it’s not too much. The fire kind of reminds me of my hallucinations. I’d be willing to take the first watch, not sleepy at all.”
Izzy stood up, “I have some light-stones. We could set them up to help us see what comes near us. That way we get light and don’t build the fire.”
“I’ll help,” Malcolm stood and moved to Izzy’s side. “Shouldn’t do something like this alone.” He grabbed her hand and headed away from the fire. “How far out do you think?” He called back to Valgrin and Deeah.
Valgrin waved vaguely at the perimeter. "Use your judgment." He turned to Deeah, who sat staring at the flames, her fingers twisting in her lap. "Want me to dampen it down?"
Deeah's eyes reflected the dancing orange light, her pupils constricting slightly each time the fire popped. "It's fine at this size." Her fingers twisted together in her lap. “Being around fire, right now, no matter how big, is a little unnerving.”
“I would imagine so,” Valgrin flashed a simple smile. “Not that I’ve gone through what you have, so my imagination could be way off.”
“You lost a partner too,” Deeah said softly.
“Sort of, but I still have hope to find her again. So, mine is different, but I have ears to listen and shoulder to cry on—whenever you need.”
Deeah watched Malcolm and Izzy placing stones in a wide circle, heads bent together, shoulders touching. "Look at them," she murmured. "Not that he’s shown it, but I have to ask, he’s not going to hurt her, is he?"
Valgrin pulled his eyes from watching the line of light-stones the couple were placing and over to Deeah. “First, I know he’s happy with the direction the relationship is going. Second, he’s trying to do things different than he’s done them before in order to avoid hurting her. He’s not always had the best in relationships—some of the issues were his fault, some were from the other person. Said all that to say, he’s not going to intentionally hurt her, but the unintentional could impact them.”
“That’s no different than any other relationship then, no way to avoid the unintended.” Deeah paused, “Well there might be ways to avoid whatever hurt comes up, but it’s reactionary and…I should shut up since I’m just rambling on and not making much sense.”
“I understood wha…”
Malcolm's shout tore through the night, jolting Valgrin and Deeah upright. They sprinted toward the sound, hearts hammering, feet pounding against the uneven ground. Skwilly's light beam cut through darkness, illuminating Malcolm sprawled in the dirt, his face contorted as Izzy frantically pulled him to his feet.
"I'm fine," Malcolm gasped, his voice shaking as he stood, brushing dirt off his tunic and pants. "Stepped into some kind of sinkhole—thought something had grabbed my ankle. Felt like I was being dragged under for a second." His eyes darted around the perimeter. "Nothing out there—at least nothing I could see when I fell. So, we’re good to keep putting the lights out.”
Valgrin looked over at Deeah, “You want to join them or go sit back down at the fire?”
"They seem to have it under control." Deeah's gaze lingered on Malcolm and Izzy for a moment before she turned away. Her footsteps dragged as she made her way back to the fire, where she sank down onto a log, rubbing at her reddened eyes.
“Think you should take a later watch. Some sleep would do you good. I can take first watch. Once they get done, of course.” Valgrin jogged over to the fire and poked at the embers with a stick, sending sparks spiraling upward. “Want something to eat or drink while we wait?”
"Some water for tea would hit the spot."
Valgrin uncorked his waterskin with his teeth, tilting it carefully over the dented camp pan. The water splashed against the metal, steam rising immediately as he positioned it over the hottest part of the grill. His eyes crinkled at the corners as he glanced at Deeah. "One cuppa coming uppa."
Deeah's head fell back, her eyes rolling skyward. "Ughhh."