RedSavant

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal Barris has the grace to look embarrassed as Callie chides him, and clears his throat and begins flipping through his tome; but the conversation moves on fairly quickly, and by the time it looks like he might have found something else to talk about, the rest of the party has picked up the slack, with Argus's stirring verse, the Mother Abbess's tale of loss, and Callie's hopeful story. The small golden sprite on his shoulder hardly pauses its quill as the others speak, noting down their stories and the details of the crossing as they pass the time. "It's remarkable how dry the earth is here," Barris murmurs, shielding his eyes and doing his best to discreetly spit out some airborne dust. "You'd hardly think there was such a large river only an hour away from here." As the structure comes into sight, he visibly relaxes, seeing the shade under the stony overhang of the door.

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal "I'd heard of the disturbance at Dreykun's Ferry, but I didn't realize..." Barris starts, looking at Calar with surprise. "The full story didn't make it all the way out to the town I was in at the time, but to put it another way, the gist of the story certainly did. I even heard people discussing it in the tavern." Hoping to save Jacoby, Callie, and the rest of the group a second fumble, Barris keeps up his momentum as the conversation moves forward. "A story, is it..." He thinks for a few moments, resting a hand on the book in the sling around his shoulder. "I could read out some finance records from the capital. Guaranteed to make the trip pass in a flash, as I'm sure it'll put you all straight to sleep." He chuckles to himself, but continues. "Well, one thing that comes to mind - ah, and a cautionary tale at that. If you ever have occasion to do business in Alondale, stay away from a trading house called the Ruby Road. For a long time now they've been engaged in price fixing scams, especially on leather goods. Some could argue that's just the privilege afforded by being a large and successful trading house, but in fact it's rooted in exploitation of purchase points and strong-arming the suppliers of hides, which goes beyond simple economics of wholesaling into..." He trails off, looking around, and clears his throat. "In any case, Alondale as a whole is quite under the trading house's thumb and their reach is extensive. And, as it turns out, they have stringent objections to people attempting to disrupt their dirty business, which is why there are warrants for my arrest out across much of the western part of the country." He says this last part with a certain amount of pride, sitting up on the bench and looking rather pleased.

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal "It warms the heart to see people doing good business," Barris agrees, helping with the dishes as well if there's any room to be had by the washing basin. "And a fair price for fair labor. There are places in bigger cities that would charge twice as much, simply to stock the guildmaster's manor with more velvets and brocades than he would know what to do with." Barris chuckles, though the fine embroidery of the robe he's wearing doesn't seem to escape his notice either.

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal "No, I hardly think anyone will be looking for 'action,'" Barris chuckles, a little bit surprised. The knight's twinkling eye hides a bit of a good-natured scoundrel, it would seem. That said, it's not an unreasonable assumption, though Callie does pass the topic quickly. "I believe there was some talk of Calar making himself scarce in the company of a fae in Arbormast?" He pops some of the scallops into his mouth and chews with relish. "While it's hardly my business, I do hope the fellow realizes he doesn't need to prop up the entire faith on his own - or if he does, he's certainly equal to the task of doing it with a wife at his side."

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal "And make that a third order from me, please," Barris adds, stacking his own coins in the growing pile on the woman's palm. "As for any further information, it would be appreciated. We've no desire to cause trouble for anyone, and we'll be out of town on the first ferry to the other side of the river come morning light. Simply someplace safe to lay our heads, without getting in the way, would do."

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal Barris blinks at Calar's joke, then chuckles, grinning at the young priest. "I'm sure we could find plenty of seasoned brawlers in town who could answer that for you," he says. "Take care on the docks so you don't find out." With Calar and Aurelia heading to the docks, Barris turns back to Callie and Argus. "Well, I suppose that leaves us in charge of lodgings," he says briskly.

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal "I can't say for sure," Barris says quietly, in response to Callie's concern. It's clear he's wrestling with opening up even this much, and he picks his words as he continues. "My mother carried on quite well, until a sudden downturn. If my symptoms progress the same way, then I expect I should be able to manage almost as normal, until..." He spreads his hands, not having to finish the sentence. "I intend to use all the remaining time I have in constructive ways, though. And I certainly don't intend to perish in the next week." He smiles at his traveling companions. "I've made several rather weighty promises in the past few days and I would feel simply awful if I let them go unfulfilled."

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal "Nothing I've seen suggests that it could be," Barris admits to Calar, "though I don't claim to know the depths of the faith. It's possible... though perhaps unlikely." He looks out along the treeline again, perhaps trying to get a glimpse of their next destination. "I am sorry for keeping this a secret... and thank you for not immediately attempting to bustle me into a sickbed."

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal Barris has been through more tricky situations in his years than his history and bearing may suggest, from showdowns with hired mercenaries to a memorable trip down a raging river in little more than a dinghy, but this may one of the toughest to endure. Red to the tips of his ears, Barris studies the distant treeline as the party walks on, feeling distinctly itchy as Aurelia explains. If any of the party are looking at him with pity, he'd rather not see it. "Barring the worst luck, it shouldn't come up at all," he says, once Aurelia finishes. "If anything, the sea air ought to do me some good, hm?"

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal It's getting late now, and the weight of promises exchanged seems to fill up Gilly's shack, not leaving much room for further small talk beyond polite good-nights. Barris feels a bit light-headed as he steps back up to the dirt road, looking around what little of the village can be seen from this vantage. It still hasn't quite sunk in yet, what he's promised. That these buildings will someday be as familiar to him as the stacks back in the cloister... for some time, at least. "Well... I suppose it didn't take much drink at all, in the end," he says to the Abbess, after some moments of walking in silence. "What do you think? Will the Church sanction this mission?"

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal "Ah..." After the teasing from Sir Argus and the Mother Abbess, Barris had done his best to convince himself that they were wrong, or at least off-base. He's no stranger to attention, but... "Well... perhaps you're not wrong. It's true that Barrow isn't high on my list." He smiles at her, knowing not to flatter the town or her situation. "But if I can help change that, then I would like to. And if you still desire to leave, letters are valued across the kingdom, numbers moreso. A woman who can read can serve a noblewoman as a handmaiden or enter a countinghouse, or join the postal service and travel across the land in the caravans with bundles of letters from afar. In ten years, you could be aboard a merchant ship as it comes into port in the sunny southern capitals." He realizes his own momentum, and slows down, not wanting to overwhelm the young woman. "Gilly, I promise you that when the time comes that you want to leave, if I have any strength left in me, you will have the tools you need to do so. You will be able to find your way... and you won't be beholden to a sick old town, or a sick young man."

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal "Gilly. It's my pleasure," Barris says, moving just a little closer. There's noplace to sit, but he doesn't want to loom over her, or talk down to her. Her words, and the despair in them, bite into him. Calar is trying to grow seeds in fallow ground, by exhorting the sprouts to stand up straighter and reach higher. These people aren't lacking in effort or work, but there is truly nothing here for them to support themselves with. They would fight for survival if given even a single toehold to scrabble against. Barris looks at Gilly, then glances back toward the door, toward the Abbess, and sighs. "Gilly, I... there's something I haven't told my fellow travelers," he says softly. "I'm... sick. It won't pass to anyone else, mind— this is a sickness in my blood, passed down from my mother. It's incurable, and from my memory, once it begins to progress, it... well." He folds his hands in front of him, gathering his words. It surprises him how even his tone is. "When the Pilgrimage is complete, I intend to spend the time I have left compiling a record of our journey, the current state of the Faith, anything else I can think of... Poems, maybe..." He takes a breath, then forges ahead. "And I'll do so here in Barrow, if you all will have me. You won't need to concern yourselves much with my health or upkeep, and if I'm lucky, I'll be able to teach as many as are willing— letters and numbers, history perhaps, how to barter without being taken advantage of. I'll pass on everything I can, and hopefully it will serve you all well." "As for where you can go after that..." Barris opens his bag and pulls out a small silken kerchief, carefully folded and tucked into an interior pocket, and smiles. "I do have some connections I could reach out to."

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal "Well, before anything else... I would like to apologize for upsetting you this afternoon," Barris says, choosing his words carefully and speaking soothingly. Aurelia is just behind the doorframe, her expression stern, and for a moment Barris feels like he's a student again, being led to apologize by one of the sisters. "Before, you said you didn't want to go to Vanaris. If you'd be willing, I'd like to know what it is you do want to do... but first, I don't believe I caught your name, either." The Abbess's gaze is ticklish from the side, but Barris keeps his eyes on the young woman. That feeling from before is still present, still strong - without another way out, this woman has nothing.

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal "Unfinished business..." Barris can't help but sigh at the Abbess's phrasing, perhaps letting a bit of uncharacteristic annoyance show on his face. As though refusing to bring an unarmed woman along on a journey that could easily be perilous is unreasonable, or... Rather than stew over the remains of the stew, he nods and stands up, pushing his chair back in. Momentum will carry through where conscious thought remains jumbled and, frankly, somewhat lost. "If you see no reason to assume my presence will make matters worse, then I'll accompany you, Mother Abbess."

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal The deflection is bitter on his tongue, but it's a taste Barris is well familiar with, and one he doesn't balk at. Instead, he busies himself with the records, doing as much as he can in the short time they have left - mostly a report on Barrow's condition and the misfortunes that brought it here. Maybe it will be of some use to someone in the capital... more use than left here, or brought to Archpriest Sol. The depth of one's care only matters as far as one's ability to do something with it, and right now he feels desperately shallow.

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal "It wasn't my intention to hide it, Mother Abbess," Barris says, after a little while."But it didn't seem relevant. Especially given the state of the faith as it stands." He looks out across the rooftops of Barrow, up at the church, where a small gaggle of villagers are still milling around Argus, Callie, and Calar. "Who else would be able to go, if I said no? I could have turned the messenger away. But what would have happened then?" He gives a weak grin, patting the tome at his side. "Who would tell the tale of your duel, if not me? In ten years' time, who will remember what happened here, if not for this?" With that, he stands up more fully from the fencepost he had been leaning against, and takes a deep breath, as if testing his lungs out. "If you want to hear the rest of the tale, well, I'd recommend getting me into my cups first. Now, I think we should return and make sure no one worries, yes?"

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal "Is now really the time?" Barris looks to be improving minute by minute, standing straighter, with the concerning peaks of color in his cheeks fading away quickly. "Maybe we should..." He trails off as Vivienne gives him a look, somehow doubly accusing from such a dewy, baby-blue horse eye, and sighs as the steed trots off after the young woman. "There... isn't much to answer," he says, after some time. "And like I said, nothing to worry about. It's not contagious, nor will it stop me from performing my duties. I intend to see the final Remembrance to its completion, and I intend to write down everything that happens between now and then. What happens afterward... is a question that can be answered then."

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal It's a long moment before Barris is able to draw a complete breath, though Aurelia's magic does help, spreading through his chest like a cool breeze. He coughs again, clearing his throat, and pulls a handkerchief from his pouch to quickly scrub at his hand and mouth. "I'm... better now, thank you, Mother Abbess," he croaks, taking slow and measured breaths to fill his lungs back up. "Just a bad..." He stops, then sighs, looking down at the bloodstained scrap of cloth in his hand, and clearly not wanting to lie so blatantly to the elven Abbess. "It's nothing to worry about. She didn't attack me or anything. So please don't blame her." He looks after the fleeing young woman, confusion knitting his brow. "I wonder... what she wants, then. If not to go to the capital, then where...?"

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal "Miss? Miss! Wait," Barris calls out, extending a hand after her. It doesn't work, of course - the woman is too worked up, and it's not like he even knows her name to call after her. He stands rooted for a moment, his face and ears hot as he looks around at the staring eyes of the villagers and his companions. I didn't mean to. It's not what it looks like. Excuses well up his throat, and before they can start spilling over, he puts his head down and runs. Of course the fleeing woman is much more familiar with the streets than Barris is. But for some small mercy, the houses are fairly set apart, and it's not that hard to track which way she's gone - even if only by the people who turn to look, scandalized, to see what the woman is running from. It's a horrid look, but Barris bites down the sick burn and focuses on keeping the woman in sight. And maybe the Martyr is watching over him, as he manages to catch her by the wrist just past a turn. "Miss, please listen to me," he says quickly, trying not to hurt her but desperate to be heard. "Please, just for a moment, listen. Ten days. In ten days, I... we'll be returning from the pilgrimage. We'll be coming back this way. Mother Aurelia will see you to the capital or anywhere else you wish to go, I promise you that." He squeezes her wrist, hopes she hears, hopes she understands that there is a way out of this place that isn't at the end of a braided rope. "Your name. What's your—" Something is wrong. They've been walking or riding thus far, and Barris, while more suited to scholarly pursuits, isn't unathletic. But the heat in his chest isn't going away, the burning shortness of breath from a short run of barely fifty meters. Barris pulls back, tries to catch his breath, and feels only thickness in his throat. A coughing fit takes him, and when he straightens back up his hand is speckled with bright red blood.

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal "It's a treat, I'm told. Like honey or fruit, but from a plant that grows far, far away," Barris says. He offers her one of the little bites the coatl made, small enough for the children to enjoy, but also - most likely - about as big as any of the adult villagers would enjoy, as well. It's a rich, dark, and sweet thing that sticks to your teeth and throat, the flavor remaining in your mouth for a long time afterward, even when there's no more to be had. Barris suddenly feels sick to his stomach. Is any of this going to help? He had caught some of Father Urim's talk with Argus, and the priest's words ring in his mind again now. What do I do now? The church is mended, the Father relieved of his flask, but it won't change the trade routes. It won't bring the forests or the fields back. A magicked meal is right at hand when it's required to wow the wayward flock, but how many prayers of just as ardent faith went unanswered in this ramshackle town before now? How many times can people be expected to keep calling out when the only thing that answers them is silence? The faith may have little left, but these people have nothing... and for the first time since arriving in Barrow, Barris feels himself among the ones gazing upward, hoping for a reply, instead of the ones standing tall, giving just enough gifts to win back loyalty for another few years. Barris becomes aware that he's been quiet too long, and he takes a breath to compose himself before answering the woman. "We left from Vanaris and traveled through Arbormast to reach here," he says. The second half of her question, and its implication, hangs in the air between them, and he takes a breath. "I'm sorry, but the way we're traveling will be perilous even for us. I couldn't, in good conscience."

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal It's quite a little party, as it turns out. Though the surroundings remain as bare as they were before, and the people themselves seem only a little lifted out of the grim fog that had settled around them, in terms of degrees it's a greater achievement to have these people, trampled on by misplaced optimism and betrayed by everyone around them, smile with food in their hands than any of the lavish banquets Barris has seen thrown by rich merchants in the city. It's heartening... at least for the time being. Argus's words give Barris some pause, and he can't help but give a sheepish smile to the old soldier. "I admit, I wasn't intending to... but if you've noticed, it would be rude of me to ignore her." So saying, he sets his mug aside and makes his way across the square, trying not to spook the young woman. It's about as inconspicuous as he can be, dressed in a robe that shimmers in the firelight like the sun across the evening sky. "Good evening," he says, as he approaches. "Have you had a chance to try this... cacao, yet?"

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal Each record is worse than the last. As expected, there's no terrible evil to defeat here - no demons blocking the trade roads, no mayor skimming profits from his townsfolk. Barris has to admit it's a relief not to see the Ruby Road's name mentioned in the ledgers... but the relief is short-lived and pale, a small and selfish thing. What was a suspicion as they walked into town is now a certainty. Towns, like people, may linger on for quite some time with a wasting illness like this one, weakly protesting that they would get better. The next doctor's visit, the next harvest, a lucky find of some mineral to mine. But the end comes all the same. Barris realizes a bit late that he's gripping the edge of the desk too hard, and slowly unpeels his aching fingers from the dry and splintery wood. With a sigh, he glances back toward the door, just in time to see Aurelia finishing up her work with Callie. "Could I accompany you, Mother Abbess?" he asks, stooping to pick up Manyminds as he leaves the records room. "I've just finished in here and I could use some fresh air, I think."

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal Ah, town records. So long as the town has had someone able to write, and willing to keep track of the comings and goings, births and deaths, and major happenings in and around, records like these could be a valuable resource... but that is a lot of assumptions Barris isn't willing to make, not after seeing the state Barrow is in now. And even less so, seeing the state the records are in. It's almost an insult... but, it's also hard to blame the townsfolk. They can barely take care of themselves and their homes; spending time and effort restoring history that clearly has done no good for them is too much to ask. Still, that ends today, if Barris has anything to say about it. After a protracted stand in the doorway to the records room, trying not to worry his lips too much as he surveys the shelves, he abruptly nods. "No one is to come in here without first speaking to me from outside," he says, addressing his party as well as Father Dantrus. "I don't want anyone opening windows to let in the breeze, and if you try to blow the dust off these books the Martyr will have to wait her turn until I'm through with you." Barris opens his tome and carefully sets it down by the door. "Hop to, Manyminds," he says. "We have a lot of information to get through, so be careful and thorough." The pages of the spellbook rustle, then shift, and finally flutter, giving off a faint golden light before the text on the pages flies up into the air, forming a modest illusion of a hooded figure. Silently, the figure floats up to Barris's shoulder, watching intently as he approaches the first shelf and begins the process of sorting through it all. Investigation: 1d20 (11) + 5 = 16

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal Regardless of Barris's personal feelings, he listens to Calar as the younger man starts taking charge, arms folded in a pensive mien. "I was hoping to have a look at the general store or market, myself," he says. "But I can't make any promises. This village seems desperately poor, and if there's no trade coming in or out to begin with, then there's precious little I can do to help improve their rates or their bargaining skills." He glances around the near-dilapidated church, less taking in the details and more simply gazing around. "Are there any town records I could look through? Things didn't get this bad in only one season. There must be something... a trade route shifting, or a mass conscription. Something took this place's future from it."

Barris Astelan Human Scribe 8 AC 18 HP 48/48 HD 8/8d6 1st 4/4 2nd 3/3 3rd 2/2 4th 2/2 Condition Normal Barris keeps his counsel to himself for the most part as they make their way through the narrow and poorly-maintained streets of Barrow. Despite Argus's glance, there's no indication on the scribe's face that he intends to stay his quill; if nothing else, having just discussed the untruths that records could promote seems to still be foremost on the younger man's mind. Still, he puts his tome away in its sling as they reach the church, and he turns to look out over the town from whatever poor vantage is offered by the hill. There's something clearly on his mind, and after a few minutes he can't help but shake his head. "'Sloth,'" he says quietly. "He can't believe people 'choose to live this way.'" He glances back at the church, at Aurelia inspecting the door's hinges and at the conversation clearly audible from inside, Calar's magically raised voice and the priest's drunken mumblings. "As if it were so easy to fix something like this with a bit of spit and effort." Turning back to the horizon, he looks around for a general store or a market, anywhere that might serve as a place of commerce. "Witnessing a sick man and blaming his sallow face on a lack of self-respect... it's no wonder these people have no time for this place."