Dicing with Death: Episode 193

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==Synopsis==
Divan is poisoned by the little god Platos, and Platos demands a nicer shrine, offerings, more devoted subjects, and mice, in order to remove the curse from the water. Villagers catsh some mice, and Platos bites Divan again, serving as an antidote. Divan offers Platos to travel with him somewhere else, Platos agrees and turns blood back to the water. Divan visits Atropos, gets high, and has a strange vision. With Platos in tow, he arrives back to Nekkraut and finds out village elder's granddaughter has been kidnapped. He follows the trail of culprits, finds them at dusk with the little girl as a prisoner. Divan defeats them in combat, kills one of them, and brings back the other as a prisoner. The prisoner reveals the nearby village Romulus kidnaps people and demand contribution to keep them alive. Divan brings Platos to turn the water into blood near the Romulus village. He decides to warn villagers of Psynes, a village between the creek and Romulus, of the impending disaster. 
==Recap==
===24th June===
Divan is in the village of Grekos to investigate why its well-water turned into blood. Divan has gone to the local shrine to their small god Platos. He removed the roof to Platos's tiny house and found the small god inside, a red & white snake, 6 foot long, with a tri-tripped tongue. Platos threatens Divan with a curse if he doesn't return the roof. Divan asks about the well and Platos says the mortals haven't been treating it well, demanding a nicer hole, garden, and offerings. Platos adds they are the only one able to undo the curse and the venom in Divan's veins. Platos demands Divan worship him and give an offering to be cured of its venom. 
Divan returns to the group of villagers and explains Platos's demands. The villagers start catching mice. Divan tourniquets his arm to try to stop the venom spread. Divan's hand has swollen in size. 
Divan then delivers the bag of 3 mice to Platos. Platos demands a new garden, but Divan points out he'll be dead soon from the venom. Platos bites Divan again and the venom is gone. Divan removes the tourniquet. The swelling in the hand goes down. 
Divan returns to the villagers and asks about Platos. Platos hasn't been benevolent and makes demands of the village they can't fulfill. The Village Elder would like the Small God gone.
Divan talks with Platos about leaving the village. Divan claims that Platos could rule all the land, not just this village. Platos agrees, curling up in a potplant that Divan gives him. Divan then uses the Sweetwater Potion on the well to cure it. The well water turns back into pure water.
Divan leaves the village with Platos and a bag of mice. Divan marches through the night eastward to Atropos's cave. Atropos identifies Platos as a serpent of life, a water bringer, and bows to the small god. Platos then tells Divan to breathe in the fumes inside the cave. Divian has a vision after inhaling.
:Your mind is filled with a thousand images. A huge single eye laying before you. There is a deep cave that expands into the infinite universe beyond with a million stars inside of it. There is a stone being lifted upon stone, lifted upon stone, that extends hundreds of feet into the air, then the stone crumbles and leaves the shape of a building behind. You have flashes of boars, animals with golden fur. You see strange sea monsters reaching out. You find yourself digging a city out of a wall single-handedly. The vision lasts for an eternity, but when it is over it feels like just a moment.
===25th June===
When Divan is awake again the sun is up. Atropos is unconscious. Divan leaves the cave with Platos. Platos speaks of a vision of eyeless cyclopes that they have taken over.
Divan carries Platos to Nekkraut in his pocket. When he arrives he hears the sounds of mourning and wailing. The town elder's youngest granddaughter, Persephone (12 years old), has been abducted. There was a fight at the elder's house overnight. Persephone's mother and father were beaten unconscious with Persephone being taken by strange men. Persephone's mother's wound has the imprint of someone wearing a ring. People have been sent out in search of Persephone but there is no news yet.
Platos tells Divan the culprits are in a village to the south-east in a village shrouded in the hills. Divan sets out.
After some time at a dry creek Divan finds the remains of a villager, Theocules who was part of the rescue party. He was slain by a weapon. Besides Theocules is a staff sling. Divan keeps following the tracks, down the creek.
Divan travels for the rest of the day. At dusk, he spots a campfire with 2 men and a young girl as their tried up prisoner. Divan overhears the men talking about how the girl will be added to the others and soon all the nearby villages will be subject to their rule. Divan ignores his own exhaustion and sneaks up to the camp, but his approach is noticed by the men. Divan calls them fools, saying they will serve Nekkraut instead and puts out the fire with his extinguish spell.
One of the men withdrawals with the girl, the other man attacks Divan with his spear. Divan knocks out the first man and changes after the other. The man throws the tied up girl in the creek. Divan knocks out the man. Divan then saves Persephone and pulls out of the creek.
Persephone composes herself and comes back to the campfire. Divan magically starts the fire again. Persephone says these men mentioned sacrificing her when they got back to their village. Divan and Persephone discuss the fates of the unconscious men. They end up deciding that they will kill one and bring back the other to town alive. Divan executes one of the men with the silver knife from Seltzer's Grotto, for the first time in his life killing a man. He then gives the dead body to Platos to consume.
===26th June===
Divan and Persephone head back towards Nekkraut, with Divan dragging the prisoner behind him.
Once back at Nekkraut, they go to the Elder's House. Persephone is reunited with her family and Divan speaks with the town elder with the prisoner. The Prisoner says he is from the village of Romulus.
Divan agrees to go find the village of Romulus. He is paid 15 silver by Persephone's parents.
Divan goes rest at his family home. 
===27th June===
Divan wakes and goes into the town. He sees the Romulan prisoner tied to a stake. Divan gives the prisoner some water and tells them he is heading to Romulus. There are 150 people who live in Romulus.
Divian then sets out for Romulus south-east. He returns to the camping spot where he found the 2 Romulans last time.
===28th June===
Divan travels due east and finds a village of 80 people. Divan speaks to a shepherd. The Romulans have also taken a hostage from this village, the grandson of the village elder. They are demanding 2 goats, 2 sheep, and 2 pigs a month and the hostage will be kept safe.
Divan keeps traveling and arrives outside of Romulus near nightfall. He sees the village feasting on meat, unusual for the society where animals are needed for their produce. 100 villagers surround the leader. Divan asks Palatos to turn the water supply to blood. Platos says it'll take a week and Divan will need to make a shrine.
Divan heads down the creek and sets up camp there. 
===29th June===
Divan starts work on the shrine, overseen by Platos. After several hours, and much nagging from Platos, the shrine is done. 
===30th June===
During the day a traveler comes past where Divan is camping. He claims to be seeing out Atropos, and is from a small fishing village, Psynes. The fish have stopped biting since the last new moon (21 June). As Divan is unable to help him directly, he gives directions on how to find Atropos.
===2nd July===
The shepherd that Divan met a few days ago travels past. Divan warns him of what is going to happen to the river. The shepherd is very skeptical. 
===5th July===
Platos tells Divan it is time to enact the plan. Platos goes into the creek and turns the river to blood. Everything downriver from the shrine has turned to blood. Platos accidentally reveals he has to stay in at the shrine for the blood will keep flowing.
Divan decides to go in search of the fishing village, Psynes. Divan leaves the hills and enters the plains, following the creek. Psynes is at the end of the creek that flows through Romulus. Divan warns villagers of Psynes the people of Romulus have been cursed, so the creek to turn to blood, but the creek will keep flowing down to Psynes so the fishing village will be impacted as well. The villagers gather as much water as they can before the blood arrives.
Psynes manages to gather a week of drinking water before sunset. Divan sits on the sea coast and watches the stars appear. Some villagers come to ask Divan about the curse. It seems that Romulus has also taken a grandchild in this village as a hostage as well, Brianna, who is only 5 years old. The people of Psynes seek to lift the curse. Divan says the only way to lift the curse is to deal with Romulus.
Divan goes swimming into the sea, with a potion of water breathing, and goes in search of the fish. 
==Experience==
3710 total (1855 to each class)
* extra 40 exp to fighter
* extra 100 exp for wizard
Fighter (5218) & Wizard (6129) both level up to level 3
* Max HP from 12 to 16 (+4)
* Max MP from 18 to 27 (+9)
Category:Divan Episodes
Category:Dicing with Death Episodes