Marduk is dragged into the healer's den by a traveller. His cheeks are a little redder than usual and he is bleeding from what looks like a fat lip. He looks a bit dazed as he slurs his speech. "I haven't been beaten this bad since boot camp" and he collapses into an empty bed. The traveller explains that he was being held at knife point while the other bandits were inside his wagon stealing his wares. Next thing he knew, this gnome came running out of the bushes throwing magic as he came. "He hit my captor with a ball of magic and the bandit dropped the knife he had at my throat. All-in-all, he looked rather heroic running in like that until the other bandits exited the cart wielding some of the new oak axe handles I was taking to market. After that, the fight went pretty bad. They got away with all my wares, but at least we're still alive. He's been out for a while now. That was the first full sentence he's said since he's woken up."
From deep within the seemingly endless rows of old bookshelves the horrifying sound of anguished groans and fierce grunting could be heard from within the dark corners where no candlelight seemed to shine. Soon the noises of heavy and bumbling footsteps were heard approaching those tending to the injured gnome. Whatever was making such ghastly noises was surely coming ever closer.
It wasn't long before the strange being passed by a dimly burning candle and the nightmarish features of a dwarf were revealed in the vibrant orange light. His face appeared to be contorted into that of a menacing scowl as his nostrils flared and every tooth seemed to be exposed like that of a cornered beast.
"Nngh...hggrnn...grrahh..." Grumbled the strange dwarf as he passed into the shadows again before walking into the well lit area where the distant kin to his own race laid injured. Now in the much brighter light it was clear that he had been struggling in vain to devour a piece of dried animal jerky
"Badger meat." Blisdon grumbled with frustration, trying his damndest to anounciate his vowels with a long strip of meat between his teeth. " It's just as tough and stubborn in death as it was in life."
He quickly stuffed what large portion of BadgerJerky that had remained defiant somewhere inside of his satchel as he turned his attention to the Gnome before him. "Ahh...Gnomes, I just can't get enough of 'em. They build em tough, perhaps not as tough as a dwarf but...."He paused and hearily chucked to himself as he threw back a long and refreshing swig of whatever black and murky ale that filled his tankard while taking special care not to injest any of the mushroom caps which floated at the top...and what also appeared to be the fin of a shark no longer than blisdons own thumb as it cut through the foamy head of the ale. " What on the shards possibly COULD be tougher than a determined dwarf?"
Blisdon's little joke put him in good spirits and he placed his hands near one of the more badly battered areas of the small gnomes body and cleared his throat.
"By the spirits of the...Of the..." Blisdon had first started out strong and confidently but upon considered what proper spirits to invoke to heal this Gnome and his many injuries had left him dumbfounded and scratching his head.It took several seconds of deep thought before his face was brightly lit with that of a brilliant epiphany as he victoriously shouted out to the heavens above "BY ALL THE SPIRITS IN MY LIVER I HEAL YA, LAD!" [Heal 10]
"Oh...and -hic!- what powerful sprits they be." Said blisdon,now with a grin of madness painted upon his face.
Akon enters the den and looks about, wasting no time to go about her business. Crusted head to foot in black blood, soot and healed gouges, she walks to one of the shelves and rummages through it. She mumbles to herself in mild annoyance. "The things I do for these people...." Her armor remains torn to shreds, claw marks and teeth prints imbedded into the leather of her chest armor. Her fingers light upon their target, and she pulls several small sheets of linen from the shelf, tucking them under her arm. On her way out, her gaze then catches the three, looking over the gnome, and finally spotting Rhadama. Pausing then, she blinks and walks over, and her tone of annoyance vanishes as her gaze fixes on the injured gnome. "Miss Rhadama, is he indeed alright?" She looks over to her with her embered hues, furrowing her brows in concern. "Vhat happened to him?"
Akon scrunches up her nose, her tone in distaste a moment. "Hell vill do that to you...I'm fine for now," she says dismissively. But her attention fixes back on the gnome, her tone a touch softer as she reaches down to move bits of his clothing and bedding as she inspects him. She then gently grasps his chin if he let her, tilting his head from side to side to look over his injures. She frowns, seeming displeased. "I cannot be everyvhere at once...I am glad this vas not vorse..." She looks to Rhadama directly. " I am indeed sorry for my absence... I told you I am here to aid you, you need merely call. Are theese bandits now dealt vith, or do they still pose threat to you?" She looks between Rhadama and Marduk for the answer.
"When I came upon the traveller and the bandits, one of the bandits had a dagger to the traveller's throat. I felt I was too far to run back to camp for reinforcements and was worried that the bandits would kill the traveller after they robbed him." Marduk sits up to face the friends around him and can't help but notice that Fancy's leather armour looks like it was used as a chew toy for an entire preschool class. "So I figured with surprise on my side, I could take them or at least scare them off. I disarmed the first bandit that had the traveller at dagger point and continued throwwing spells until... well...... the other bandits jumped me with some clubs." Marduk looks a lil embarassed and says "Unfortunately, that was the last I remember before waking up here. In all the commotion, I wasn't able to get a good look at the bandits faces. They must be long gone by now." Marduk sighs and says " At least the traveller is ok."
Akon's burning red eyes take on a look of kind compassion as a soft smile come to her lips. Holding her hand at the side of his face tenderly about his ear and chin, she bends down to look at him level from under her tattered hood. "You vere brave. And you most likely saved theese travellar's life. I only vish I vas there to help you make sure those bandits are never needed to be delt vith again." She smiles a bit more as she rises, giving his shoulder a light squeeze. "Rest, ve vill be needing you on your feet, brave Marduk." She tosses a gentle smile towards Rhadama as she turns to leave. "I am but a wvord avway, Miss Rhadama." She bows at the waist, tucking one arm to her mid before turning with a swirl of black tattered cloth and leather to walk out the door, giving the jerky-chewing dwarf a brief nod as she passes.
A couple minutes after Akon exits the door, it swings open and Taklinn strides in with his arm in a sling. "So I heared about town that a single Gnome attacked a bunch o' bandits waylayin' on the road, and that he is restin' up in the Healer's Den! Thought I would come by and see how ye fare lad." he says as he gets up to the bed where his friend is resting. "Of course throwin' magic about ain't quite as effective as splittin' there durned heads with an axe, but ye seem none the worse fer ware." he says smiling to his Gnomish friend while giving a wink in the direction of Blisdon and Rhadama.
Marduk looks up at Taklinn, smiles and says, "If I would have had you and your axe beside me, I believe we could've brought those bandits to justice. But, by the point of my hat, I was not going to let those bandits harm that traveller." Marduk lays back down, embarassed as he realized that he was beginning to raise his voice. After a sign, he states, "Thieves are thieves. Stuff gets stolen and we can always replace it. But lives are unique and irreplacable. These thieves will steal again... and we'll catch them sooner or later. Besides, how could one feel bad among so many friends."
Blisdon had mended far too many wounds and terrible injuries created by Uordeq blades in his travels to ever turn his back to one of their kind as he nodded politely in response to her as she left the den as swiftly as she entereded. Despite the treatment of her armor she seemed to be in remarkably good condition physically and hardly in need of any more helping hands of medicine men.
Blisdon didn't dwell long on her condition or the possible reasons for whatever hell she must have put herself through for no sooner than two short swigs of his questionable Ale after she she exited the small library and impromptu hospital of sorts than the door swung open to reveal a sturdy looking dwarf inquiring about the injured gnome.
"Aye, hes quite the chatterbox now. That's good I'd say, I haven't met a gnome that wasn't. Here Gnome, Chew on some badger until your strength comes back. Healer's orders. " Grumbled blisdon sternly, producing his stiff piece of meat and dropping it on the gnome with a slight thud before turning sharply around to address the Dwarf, or more specifically the strange sling that his arm was in.
"So whats the matter with you? I heard a banging from outside all day and for the first time in years sounded like how a forge was supposed to sound. It MUST have been another dwarfs work, Don't tell me you decided to forge your own arm. I know us dwarves are as tough as Iron but our bones are no ore to play with." chuckled Blisdon, who kept his jolly demeanor as he moved closer to inspect the injured arm. "It's badly maimed, is it not? Give it 'ere then, Up north I was of the Bonemason clan; We reforge such things as easily as a blacksmith does a blade."
Marduks nostrils twitch.. "Mmmmm ..... Badger!" he looks up and thanks Blisdon then chows down on the delicious piece of badger.
"Nu Mooun nu du shoo nuu?" Marduk swollows the piece of badger he was chewing on and clears his throat. "Is that what that was? I thought that pounding was just in my head."
Aye I was in the Warrior's Hall tending to the forge. But it ain't a new arm I'm aiming to make, tis a more fittin' piece o' armor, Though I think I will fancy to keep the color the same as me old one. But I had to make implement to do the Art with only one arm, and it required me to make a few tools. An' the arm won't heal with conventional healin', that Army must have done somethin to make it not heal correct! But they misjudged this old dwarf's bones, and it is feelin better already. Afore long it will be mended proper I'm sure (OOP it is unfixable until the next event from a death deck draw lol.) Feel free to stop by the Warriors Hall if either of ye are needin to hone yer skills or sharpen yer blades!" he says jovially to the pair. He looks to Marduk and says "Well I see yer in capable hands, an' we will get to findin the bandits in due time if they be stickin' around, but get yer rest and I will be seein' ye. The Forge calls to me for the first time in a century, and I don't aim to keep her waitin." With a bow to the pair he heads back out and goes in the direction of the Warrior's Hall.
"Oh Prime Above!" gasps Rhadama as she jumps up from the table and runs to the prone gnome. "What were you thinking?" she mutters. She runs gentle fingers over Marduk's head and face (Diagnosis) then breathes a sigh of relief.
"It's bad, but not as bad as it could be, I guess." She says. "Thank you so much for bringing him in, sir." She lays a cool hand on the gnome's brow. "By the power of the Prime I heal you." (Heal 10)