08. Medicine and Meetings

A whole slew of new people reveal themselves to the Solars. But who can truly be trusted? 
With the fight over, the gang had a moment to regroup. Rey still wanted to get her father’s medicine, but Valeria’s anima had flared during battle and had not yet settled down. So Val told Jorek the name of the plant , which he should be able to get from any apothecary, and she waited outside of town with Summer Blaze’s horse.
Jorek led them to Blue Sky, where the apothecary tried to interest Rey and Summer Blaze in various items (while complimenting them in an unpleasant manner), intending to get Jorek to buy things for the women. Rey was beyond unimpressed, so Jorek cut to the chase and got the plant Val had requested. Surprised at the basic request (Val had given the taxonomic term for mint), he prepared it quickly, and Jorek chose one more item for himself. Upon leaving the shop, Rey “accidentally” broke the doorknob from the outside.
Meanwhile, Val heard rustling in the bushes nearby. Unable to determine what or who it might be, she mounted the horse to get a better view (and a preferable tactical position should she need to fight.) What emerged from the bushes was simply a curious fox.
On their way out of the city, they ran into the Magistrate, who ordered Jorek to come speak to her. She made it obvious that she had no care for the lives of the poor of Nexus, angering Rey. Once again, Jorek implied his intention to help the Magistrate, and extracted himself.
Reunited outside the city, both Jorek and Rey took a liking to the fox, and kept it with them as they continued back toward the manse.
Near dusk, about halfway home, a figure approached across the river, and rode alongside them. They stopped, and so did the rider – the fox seemed uneasy. Val called across, and the woman responded. She wanted them to come across the river to her, saying she was like them, and dropping her weapons then walking a distance away from them. Val showed her caste mark, and asked the woman to do the same. She did so – revealing a circular mark which was black with a silver glow.
Val asked Jorek to hang back, training his bow on them lest the woman try anything. Rey swam across first, then Val, then Jorek (bringing the fox with him).
The woman revealed herself to be Three Fates Shadow – some form of exalted with no pulse, who was once dead but now lives. Val had read something of undead, and decided that she must be that… Val asked her a series of questions, trying to understand what Three Fates wanted, and it was revealed that she had killed the two Terrestial Exalted who had been leading the army. Val was upset by this – she was hoping that word of their exploits would return to the Blessed Isle and begin to sow seeds of doubt. Three Fates left, and Val set off to see the bodies. Rey didn’t want to go, so she re-crossed the river with the fox and waited with Summer Blaze, while Jorek followed Val. The Terrestrials had been snuck up on and killed with swords… Val was relieved that no peculiar means of mortification had been employed, and committed the bodies to ash.
Rey left the fox outside near the manse, but got a blanket for it from inside, along with some food.
When Jorek and Val returned, Jorek stopped to pet the fox, and it transformed into a woman.
Category:EXN-Ep