Salvation Outpost - Chapter 2

"Do you, by chance, know with whom I might speak regarding the sale of the stone?" 37 asks. He would furrow his brow, if his face worked like that. It was a polite way of asking if she knew who worked as a fence.

Peldan, under non-verbal orders by Armat to remain where he stood, couldn't do much else but that. He would have liked to have been a part of this moment...to aid this spectre in reaching the void it had requested it be sent to, and to commit to doing all he could to find its undead body and put it to rest. But he had no idea how to make that desire known without disturbing this most solemn of moments.

Not that Armat would want his help...the man likely only saw him as some bumbling innkeep out for some glorified adventure...when in fact, for Peldan, this journey was an attempt to truly find himself. To be something more than what he currently was. To become something...to become someone...that made a difference. Not in the lives of the few, but rather in the lives of the many. To affect the world beyond the confines of his small inn. He could only hope that someday, someone would see enough in him to give him that chance.

Armat steeled himself, mentally preparing himself for the specter's touch, then stepped forwards within Vela's reach.

The touch was cold, the visions, no, memories, painful, heart-wrenching. Such pain. Such betrayal. Armat finally understood why Vera had chosen this path. And even when her touch passed, there was a coldness lingering. With a steeled breath, Armat looked around, seeing the world as if for the first time and all he saw was a cold, empty void devoid of life and hope. Vera's world. It was maddening, and it took all of Armat's resolve to not give in to despair. Even so, his knees trembled as if they wished to buckle and his breath quickened. Then he willed himself to stand, his legs to obey, his breath to calm. Then he looked straight ahead, at where Vera had been before, and took a deep breath.

"Do you know where they took your body?"
The question was clearly the last, so laden with finality was its tone. The discussion, and Vera's existence, were about to come to a close..

With an apologetic look to Vera, Armat glanced back at Peldan again and quietly shook his head that this was not a path that was open to the halfling. He then looked back at Vera and brought up his hands. His voice rose, becoming heavy and formal, as he intoned Vera's last rites.
"We are Seekers of the Divinity Within. Our flesh is fleeting and our bones are a temporary vessel. But our blood has the spark of divinity, to pass beyond the veil of mortality."
Armat brought his hands up to Vera's face, cusping the specter's head in his gentle grasp.
"Today we grieve the passing of Vera, whose journey has ended. Her potential passed, but her lessons not forgotten. We go on, to complete the journey, remembering Vera and taking her memory into eternity."
The Red Knight's hands began to light up with a warm golden glow as he channeled his inner divinity to them. It was an ability normally used in battle to smite his foes, but today it was put to another purpose, for the light of divinity was anathama to the undead. Armat's grasp firmed to prevent Vera from struggling free in a moment of desperation as it burned away her existence.
"Be at peace Vera. Though our roads part, your suffering is over. Farewell."
With that, Armat unleashed the full power of his inner divinity, surging it into Vera's spectral body. He could not imagine this process to be painless, but it had to be done...

Armat lowered his hands slowly and stood still watching the chains swing, seemingly lost in thought..

What was your lesson Vera? A commoner's perspective on life during the war? A life of fear, with little specks of joy, only to be brutally cut short? To see the Blood of Vol only as something to cling to in the darkest nights, but not to live by every waking moment? To help others find the Divinity Within, but never believing you can achieve it yourself? Such a shame. You were strong in many ways, even if you did not see it until you acted in despair. I am sorry that I had to send you to Dolurrh. But now you can forget that monstrous betrayal and fade away. I must think carefully on your lessons, and how I will share them..

37 will mull over Irullan's words and then make his way to the revelry, in hopes of finding a shifter with impressive hair.

"... aaand the Titan she did fall!! Vice sings as he sees more of his group enter. He taps the shifter on the shoulder, "Oh, take me over to 37! The warforged in the .. . cowboy hat? " he clambers down to introduce the two to each other, and to introduce himself to one of 37's drinks. "I'm glad you've started drinking but pace yourself mate. Zodor, this is 37. 37, meet Zodor, he's the one that helped me find the catacombs under the church. Dont know that id thank him for that though.Je's also a local fence. and a so so baritone."

37 will hand off the drinks, not even entirely sure how he got them in the first place before shaking the shifter's hand. "I am pleased to meet you, Zodor. As luck would have it, you are the one I came to speak with. While I regret needing to infringe on your revelry, I would like to speak with you."

SheK is full winds to sail as she is dancing on a table. With a rather slurred voice, "Hey metal man. Come and dance with .. ME." Obviously she is pointing at 37. It is rather difficult to figure how she is still up there and hasn't fallen off. You might think those that are giving her drinks are making sure she is still up there. They really can't believe she is still drinking too! Could be that outlining shadow she has. And that pointing she was doing was weaving a lot.