The Crucible (F)

[Alexander_Hamilton]

Wilhelm’s words were as wise as they were welcome. The anxiety in Vivien’s heart faded and determination poured in. He sat with his hands on his knees, leaning forward a much as he could without appearing to stoop, and looking very much like a devoted pupil.

“Thank you very much for your wise words. I have been too judgmental of the far more worthy Helena, instead of focusing on my own path to serve the Saint.” He pushed back his chair and stood up. “I will try my best to heed your guidance. I hope I have not been too much trouble.”

[Kodos]

Wilhelm gave Vivien a big handshake and placed his hand on his shoulder. "You've not been a trouble at all, Vivien. Believe me, it has been a pleasure. I look forward to seeing you again in the future."

***

As always, everyone knew better than to show up late to Helena's meeting. There was a new face there, as well. Lucille wasn't around, maybe she had other business to attend to?

Helena was seated behind her desk, out of her chainmail the party was reminded of just how attractive a figure the terrifying woman had. "I've more meetings and business to attend to today." Helena said with her usual disinterested monotone, "but you will no doubt be pleased to know that I have managed to find some work for you. Idleness begets sin."

"The Witch Hunters have uncovered a vile nest of heretics and apostates lurking within the catacombs. You will report Inqusitor Laure Guidonis who shall brief you further on the matter, and lead you as you cleanse this filth from beneath our city. You will answer to her for the duration of this mission."

"If you have no questions, I would suggest you go and report to Inquisitor Guidonis."

[Superdooperphailmachine]

"Non Ma'am." Replied the new face.
The new face was a pretty plain, dark haired she who seemed to be something of a Jock, nearly 6ft tall and as muscular as a woman can naturally get.
Olivia wore a black, turtlenecked unitard with a red tabard and Cuthbertian belt. She also had a Red Beret.

Si je pouvais écrire des introductions d'une manière moins jambon poing je le ferais, mais je ne peux pas.

[Regantor]

From behind the gathered communion came the faint rattle of chain, and the alternating toggles from a rustic tin chime... A second newcomer?

Far from frightening, they moved with a passive silence and grace which denoted the timid and heartwarming nature of a house servant. Ethereal, with clear, pale skin and a long braid of soft blonde hair, plus an angular face with large lips, and dark, distant eyes. Lastly, she had an attractive, elongated body somewhere in between athletic and lithe; It took a moment to realize that she was in fact much taller than Olivia, even.

Yet, the woman was no priest; A ramshackle of thick brass armor plates were bolted into place around each limb from the joint downwards, leaving the torso completely exposed save for a simple white cotton tabbard. Dozens of chains holding little Cuthbertine emblems, along with a mass of wax-stamped holy literature, coated the armor plate randomly with examples of zeal. This all wasn't mentioning the titanic cleaver-sword chained to both of her gauntlets and currently obscured at the rear of her waist, itself half weapon and half object of dedication.

The woman named Oriel was humility practiced to the point of obsession, slothful and soundless as to reduce any appearance of intimidation. Arcing her head downwards with a small but firm nod of agreement towards Helena, she just averted her eyes and said nothing.

It was easy enough to believe she never made any noise.

[Kodos]

The Witch Hunters were a specialized sub-division of the Inquisition created primarily to deal with heresy and apostasy among the laity (while the more experienced mainstream Inquisitors policed the church itself) and with the threat of witches; unsanctioned or otherwise rogue arcanists and psions. While in some ways less severe and terrifying than the Inquisition proper, the Witch Hunters were known to be extremely puritanical, generally, about arcana with many of them viewing all arcanists as blasphemous heretics who ought to burn.

***

You met with the Witch Hunter in the undercroft of one of the many, many, many, churches in Lareaux. of Inquisitor Guidonis was dressed in a black dress of sorts, with a red veil. Like many of the more severe Inquisitors, she chose not to be too ostentatious in her faith - preferring to let her actions show her faith instead - wearing only a single necklace with the holy symbol of the saint on it. She seemed to be actively trying to deemphasize her chesty physique, unlike Helena who seemed largely oblivious about her own beauty, but clearly her clothes were simply not up to the task. She was joined by two people of indeterminate gender in full plate armor and tabards, by a three men in severe gray robes - presumably lower ranked Witch Hunters - and by two stunningly gorgeous women.
The first woman was presumably a priestess, an extremely curvy young woman in a far more revealing outfit than the Inquisitor. She had black hair, a beauty mark below her mouth, and great big tracts of land. Her nearly as curvacious counterpart was fairly more toned, wearing an outfit that ran against the limits of what Cuthbertines were willing to tolerate, and carried herself with an air of haughtiness, confidence, and sensuality. Ramirez hadn't seen her at any of the Horned Society get-togethers (so to speak) but she certainly seemed like she might fit in. She had a beauty mark too, go figure.

"Grand Crusader Amalric has recommended you to my service, and I trust you shall not disappoint either me or her." Was Guidonis' version of "Hello, nice to meet you, I'm Inquisitor Laure Guidonis."

"We have recently discovered the meeting place of the 'Carnival of Hope' a vile cult of debased apostates." Guidonis started, her voice showing clear contempt as she spoke of the heretics. "They meet regularly and for extended periods within the catacombs. Our task is simple - we shall go to this den of heresy and administer the Saint's punishment. Fire cures all follies."

"Bellerose, Atkins, you shall focus the Saint's blessing towards punishing the heretics and purging the undead abominations which are likely to cross our path as we make our way to the nest of sin. Sister Leveque shall handle our wounded." The curvacious black haired woman in the white outfit gave a shy little wave towards Vivien, apparently to let him know she was Ms. Leveque.

Laure turned to Ramirez. "I believe that by harboring men such as yourself that we place our souls in mortal danger." She said simply. "I will not doubt your usefulness, however. You have a body, use it. I do not want to see any of your blasphemous magics put to use in my presence."

And so, led by Inquisitor Guidonis, you made your way through the undercroft and into the catacombs.

***

Lareaux had a lot of underground. There were the pits and tunnels of the Inquisition. There were cellars and sewers, forgotten rooms, dead ends, spaces behind ancient walls, and even natural caves in the bedrock itself. And, of course, there were the catacombs where the people of Lareaux had interred their dead since before Lareaux was even Lareaux.
And they all intermingled, combined, and twisted into each other in a tangled spiderweb network of underground. It was doubtful that anyone besides the Saint Himself knew, really, just how much underground Lareaux had and what it all looked like.
The catacombs, unsurprisingly, were full of the dead. The walls were covered in alcoves that stored corpses in various states, some were ashes in urns, more common though were the alcoves covered in bones or with coffins. Thankfully, however, the dead so far seemed to be just that - dead. Besides being a byzantine maze, the catacombs were known to harbor not only cults like the one Guidonis now hunted, but also dead that hadn't quite stopped moving yet, as well as more spectral undead horrors.

***

And so the Cuthbertined made their way through the catacombs, the two people in armor sticking close to Guidonis, apparently her guards, while the rest of the group clustered according to your own whims. Ms. Leveque made her way over to Vivien and gave him a shy little smile . "Hello," she smiled, "you can call me Maryse, or Sister Maryse if you really want to be formal like that." Maryse gave a awkward little laugh. "It's nice to meet you."

[Regantor]

Oriel lurked behind the group at a perfect six paces behind for the distance, never once making clear eye contact or uttering a single word. Her combat garb spoke, however; A simple shield-like plate was lashed across the lower chest down to the pelvis, just enough to cover the vitals and retain modesty. Something told you it was the bare minimum for avoiding lewd accusations, rather than death, however. The short sparks of embarrassment on her face loomed too frequently.

Suddenly, deeper into the catacombs, she used that same timid essence to slip past. Personal distance between her and Theresa shortened the more her confidence grew.

"Lady... Noireaux... It's wonderful to make your acquaintance... again..." Oriel could talk! It was a sweet, empathic whisper, a sheepish greeting towards an old friend. Concurrently, you see the rear of the torso for the first time; and the sprawling mess of long, thin scars it contained.

No doubts about it now; The quiet, unassuming sweetheart was a die hard Cuthbertine flagellant.

[Kodos]

Lady Theresa Noireaux, daughter of the Duke Noireux, was the woman in red who was currently deliberately not looking at Oriel as she responded to her. "Oriel." She said, slightly amused. "I see that despite your best efforts you're not dead. Are congratulations in order?"

[Regantor]

"I'm alive as per his will, of course." Oriel spoke with conviction and a small self-assuring smile, glazed over eyes imagining some unseen angelic figure. She lent around into the muscular woman's visual range after a moment, but was careful to keep a low profile and avoid actual contact with Theresa's impressive arms. "...It's... It's okay if you joke... I don't mind. The sin is kept fluent and the soul remains clean. But I did miss you, old friend. It's been much too long."

[Evil_Cake]

Rosaline actually managed to get some sleep the night before. Perhaps with the added energy, she would be able to make up for her past failures.

SPOILER! :

prepared spells:
0 lvl = 8 spells
-----
Light
Light
Guidance
Guidance
Guidance
Guidance
Detect Magic
Detect Magic


1st lvl = 6+1
------
~ Enlarge Person
Hide From Undead
Shield of Faith
Shield of Faith
Cure Light Wounds
Cure Light Wounds
Detect Undead

2nd lvl = 5+1
--------
~ Spiritual Weapon
Gentle Repose
Cure Moderate Wounds
Cure Moderate Wounds
Spiritual Weapon
Hold Person

3rd lvl = 5+1
-------
~ Magic Vestment
Cure Serious Wounds
Cure Serious Wounds
Searing Light
Searing Light
Searing Light

4th lvl = 4+1
-------
~ Divine Power
Divine Power
Cure Critical Wounds
Cure Critical Wounds
Repel Vermin

5th lvl = 2+1
-------
~ Righteous Might
Disrupting Weapon
Disrupting Weapon


6th lvl = 1+1
-------
~ Stone Skin
Undeath To Death

[Alexander_Hamilton]

Vivien smiled back at Maryse, blushing a little at having the attention of such a pretty lady. "A pleasure to meet you too, Sister Maryse. I mean, Maryse." He felt a bit guilty for casually chatting during an important mission, but they weren't exactly in harm's way yet.