Orange Dress Full of Grey Ashes

Nikki Lauder totally got here when Muriel did and went in with her.

Muriel Hammerhand guides everyone along the winding path through the grounds to the main house, and then pushes the door open. "Tilda?"

[Say] Tilda Sunshield: "Over here. On the patio."

[Say] Sophia Stonewall: How fancy.

[Say] Muriel Hammerhand: "Oh, I should probably stand a little ways away."

Tilda Sunshield is adding the finishing touches to a massive web of runes all over the floor, which weave around various reagents: the purified bronze sun orb, a small adamantine statuette of a humanoid figure, holy incense, powdered silver in careful salt-drawing patterns. Two more circles, possibly recognizable as binding circles, are present and connected to the large central circle through the runework.

Nearby are two people, Declan and his mother Ruth. Ruth is a young woman who looks only JUST barely old enough to have an eight-year-old son before dipping into hella-creepy territory. She's just as pale and freckled, with wavy-curly ginger hair and deep black eyes that rake over the stranger Sophia with distrust. She and Dech are seated on the bench directly across from Tilda, their faces tightly drawn, Dech looking shaky, almost ill.

Tilda Sunshield herself looks... ...bad. She rises to face them, revealing that, where her skin is exposed, it's discolored, blotchy, thin, gaunt, a few bruises and sores already visible.

Nikki Lauder wrings her hands together several times over and then starts picking at her sleeve so intensely that she may very well end up ripping it. She make an attempt at looking reassuring, but fails.

[Say] Sophia Stonewall: ...Are you well Tilda?

Tilda Sunshield looks like she's managed to get somehow -even thinner- than normal just today, as if she hasn't eaten in a month.

[Say] Sophia Stonewall: You don't look well. At all.

[Say] Tilda Sunshield: "No."

[Say] Muriel Hammerhand: "...oh no. Not you too."

Nikki Lauder drops her shoulders and only just stops herself from going over to Tilda, afraid to mess up everything Tilda has set up.

[Say] Tilda Sunshield: "I have been resurrected once before."

[Say] Sophia Stonewall: So what's... With the runes?

[Say] Tilda Sunshield: "Once Khem gets here I can explain in full to everyone."

Muriel Hammerhand 's face falls and her brow tightens as she looks at Tilda, and then at the runes, and then at Tilda again. She's even less able to approach than Nikki, her precense is almost certain to ruin the magic.

Khemri Sturm sets off any Alrms and arrives with an incredibly unhappy looking quasit tucked under an arm

Muriel Hammerhand goes to the door to turn off the alarm.

[Say] Khemri Sturm: "I had to stop and get the quasit"

[Say] Tilda Sunshield: "I - oh. Just - that binding circle there." She points.

Khemri Sturm punts the quasit into said circle unceremoniously

Muriel Hammerhand deactivates the spell.

[Say] Khemri Sturm: "Imp in the same place?"

Tilda Sunshield points to the other one, opposite of the quasit. "That one."

Khemri Sturm summons up poor Belp and points to the indicated circle. The imp flips him the bird but flies over and into it

[Say] Sophia Stonewall: What is going on here?

Tilda Sunshield || Ruth stares at the fiends like she'd tear their heads off if they weren't bound.

[Say] Tilda Sunshield: "I can now explain. I have been researching, digging through old records. Spell tomes and religious accords. Compositing a complex, experimental ritual..."

Sophia Stonewall looks about as uneasy with them around, hand on her sidearm sword.

Khemri Sturm almost flips Belp off in return but remembers there are children present

[Say] Tilda Sunshield: "Intended to purify a part-fiendish mortal. The demon and devil give the spell a reference to know what fiendish essences to target and remove. It's a combination of spells I've found... Ones which can temporarily 'mortal-ify' an extraplanar being or vice versa, redemption pleas to gods to cleanse sins from a soul, powerful transmutation..."

[Say] Khemri Sturm: "Are you sure you've got something that complicated left in you?"

Muriel Hammerhand with each mention of another kind of magic, Muriel takes another small step back.

[Say] Tilda Sunshield: "With Lathander's blessing I hope I am capable. I was going to perform it at dawn tomorrow but I..."

Nikki Lauder gives Khem what be an otherwise withering look, if she didn't already look like she was about to jump out of her skin from nerves.

[Say] Tilda Sunshield: "I don't know if I'll..."

[Say] Khemri Sturm: "Fair enough"

Muriel Hammerhand swallows a lump in her throat.

[Say] Tilda Sunshield: "I died and was resurrected once. Diesa, who just - just died of this same illness, had been resurrected... The temples are filling with people like us. Nothing is working on reversing it." She clears her throat. "The upside being that it probably isn't contagious after all."

Muriel Hammerhand sniffles. "... that's ... not much consolation."

[Say] Sophia Stonewall: Not hardly.

[Say] Khemri Sturm: "Sure it is. At least you get to spend your remaining time near your family instead of with all the other dying people"

[Say] Tilda Sunshield: "Anyway."

Nikki Lauder doesn't seem capable of actually talking at the moment, but does make a noise that seems to catch in her throat. She continues to claw at her sleeve, listening.

[Say] Tilda Sunshield: "I don't know... how... long I will have, overall. I only just started to feel fatigued several days ago. And... worsened to this state by now."

[Say] Khemri Sturm: "That's concerningly fast"

Muriel Hammerhand sniffles again and starts wringing her hands.

[Say] Tilda Sunshield: "It is. No one knows what factors are part of it."

[Say] Khemri Sturm: "Aside from having been resurrected, apparently"

Tilda Sunshield nods. "Mine was a psionic-based resurrection, and even still. So I decided that instead of leaving the ritual to another, it would be best if I did the ritual while I have my strength."

Khemri Sturm looks like he really wants to be a smartass but is too afraid of Nikki to actually say it

[Say] Tilda Sunshield: "I left Rose, Thorn, and the dog with Richard."

Tilda Sunshield swallows. "Are... do you have any more questions?"

Muriel Hammerhand shakes her head.

[Say] Khemri Sturm: "Is this going to kill the quasit?"

[Say] Tilda Sunshield: "It might."

Nikki Lauder just shakes her head, attempting to take deep calming breaths, which turn shakey quickly.

[Say] Khemri Sturm: "Good"

[Say] Tilda Sunshield: "I'll... begin then. Dech, take off your bracelet and sit in the middle circle."

Khemri Sturm || Belp and the quasit team up to make rude gestures at literally everybody in the room. Small comforts

Sophia Stonewall looks rather uncomfortable with all of this, truth be told.

Khemri Sturm watches, but looks somewhat doubtful

Tilda Sunshield || Dech bites his lip and removes his husky charm bracelet, and carefully steps into the middle circle of runes.

Tilda Sunshield kneels before it and draws her holy symbol. She Thaumaturgies to light the incense sticks, then begins to chant, as her symbol begins to glow.

Muriel Hammerhand takes another big step back and tightens her hands into fists as she watches.

Tilda Sunshield || Dech, also, is wearing a jade circlet with amber beads on it. It's new.

Tilda Sunshield chants and incants and prays in Celestial. The patterns on the floor light up in spots here and there, the light spreading out until combining, all the runes glowing white-gold.

Tilda Sunshield continues on like this for half an hour, because these heavy duty rituals are serious time investments. The gods need to know you're -committed-. Dech sits with his knees hugged to his chest.

Khemri Sturm watches Dech for most of it, but shoots an occasional smug glance at Belp and the quasit

Tilda Sunshield || Abruptly the lights flare to where they almost form opaque pillars of white around the imp and quasit, as the 'mind' of the spell locks on to them and literally -rips them apart- with divine fire, dissolving them in seconds, and the lights change color, deepening to amber.

Muriel Hammerhand during the half hour of chanting, Muriel manages to drain the entire jug of four X moonshine she got from the mask, earlier. That level of alcohol would be fatal to a non-dwarf, most likely, and should thoroughly mess her up. It doesn't seem too, though.

Tilda Sunshield || The silver starts to hiss and pop like firecrackers. Dech looks VERY concerned, hugging himself tighter, tail curled over his feet.

Nikki Lauder seems to be getting more nervous the longer this goes on, if that's actually possible. She's pulled loose several threads from her sleeve by now.

Tilda Sunshield sounds hoarse and exhausted from chanting for so long but doesn't let up, even though her arm is shaking from holding up the holy symbol.

Tilda Sunshield || The amber light then arcs like a tesla coil to Dech's circlet, then suddenly coils around him like two lashed whips of fire, lifting him off the floor. The magic embeds into his flesh with a probably terrifying acid-like hiss, his eyes and mouth opening wide with shock and what looks like pain, but no voice can escape him it seems.

Sophia Stonewall just watches. Quietly. No ticks or nothing.

Khemri Sturm is halfway expecting the kid to just explode

Tilda Sunshield || For a moment he's forced into his natural cambion form, a pair of red scaly wings erupting and claws growing on his hands and feet, and then the spell seizes on what fiendish traits in can reach and starts searing them out of him. However - it needs mortal essence to replace it - and the light arcs to Tilda and encompasses her in a lightning-quick flash.

Muriel Hammerhand winces and turns away.

Nikki Lauder cringes, but can't seem to bring herself to look away.

Tilda Sunshield jolts and gasps with pain but grits her teeth and keeps chanting, supporting her upper body with her free hand on the floor.

Tilda Sunshield || The central pillar of light glows brighter and brighter until Dech isn't visible at all within, and the light is coming from Tilda, channeled through her weary body like a firehose through a sieve

Tilda Sunshield || Ruth jumps up. "Aunt Tilda! Stop! STOP!"

Nikki Lauder apparently takes Ruth's outburst as confirmation that they can yell at Tilda now. "Tilda! It's going to kill you! Stop!"

[Say] Khemri Sturm: "Interfering at this point will probably kill them both"

Tilda Sunshield doesn't stop, but this potent magic, what's running through her and what it's taking from her, is clearly wrecking her.

[Say] Nikki Lauder: "It's probably killing them both already!"

Muriel Hammerhand 's grip on her bottle tightens enough to crumble it. "...I trust her."

[Say] Khemri Sturm: "Frankly one of them was already mostly dead. Let it happen"

Sophia Stonewall moves to bodyblock! "They -will- die if we interrupt."

Tilda Sunshield finishes casting the ritual with a sudden POP. Not even quite a BANG - it's like a sudden decompression, the light exploding outward (harmlessly but tingly).

Khemri Sturm grimaces

Tilda Sunshield || The pillar isn't quite gone though, and is -still- leeching off of Tilda even as she slumps unconscious to the floor.

Tilda Sunshield doesn't need to continue chanting for the magic, like dominoes, to keep doing whatever it's doing.

[Say] Nikki Lauder: "Sophia...please. She's unconcious, it's clearly pulling from her life, just let me sit with her. Please."

[Say] Khemri Sturm: "It might start pulling from you too"

[Say] Nikki Lauder: "Yeah, I get that."

[Say] Khemri Sturm: "I suppose if you're okay with that"

Muriel Hammerhand stares at the ritual site while she grinds the shards of jug-glass in her hands into a sand like powder.

[Say] Nikki Lauder: "I am."

Tilda Sunshield || Ruth is wringing her hands on her dress as she watches, eyes wide and wet from fear and staring at the blinding bright-ass light in an attempt to see her son.

Tilda Sunshield is breathing more weakly and shallowly with every moment.

Sophia Stonewall sighs and backs off, "Just... don't disturb them. We can't let this go badly."

Muriel Hammerhand inches closer, but stays away from the edge of the ritual.

Nikki Lauder instantly covers the space between her and Tilda, reaching down to try and pick her up a bit.

Tilda Sunshield is awfully lightweight now, easier to lift. The light arcs to Nikki immediately.

[Say] Muriel Hammerhand: "Nikki, be careful!"

Nikki Lauder winces, but doesn't seem to be in a terrible amount of actual pain. She considers just pushing Tilda entirely away form the ordeal, but is too concerned about Sophia pulling her away.

Tilda Sunshield || Nikki's contribution seems to be helping, hopefully? The leeching light slows and grows dimmer until leaving them both alone entirely, and then the pillar of light dies down gently.

Tilda Sunshield || Dech is heaped on the floor, conscious and alive but looking like he just got beamed over the head with a chair. And also no longer a cambion, reduced to a tiefling again it seems. He doesn't appear harmed, just dazed, staring upward and panting shakily.

Muriel Hammerhand takes a step toward Dech, and then realizes that she'd be in the way of his mother going to him. Instead, Muriel rushes off to the kitchen to get water.

Nikki Lauder momentarily glances over at Dech then looks back over at Sophia and Khem. "I..I can't pick her up by myself."

Tilda Sunshield || Ruth indeed rushes over to Dech, scooping him up and murmuring soothingly.

[Say] Sophia Stonewall: Of course.

[Say] Khemri Sturm: "I'm not getting anywhere near that circle"

Sophia Stonewall steps over to heft the priestess.

Tilda Sunshield is hefted. She's limp and barely breathing at all.

Muriel Hammerhand comes back with a towel, a jug of water, and two glasses. "Wh-where should I put this?" she asks, and then just puts in on the floor nearby to help lift Tilda, which isn't necessary. This whole situation has very little violence in it, and thus it really isn't her area of expertise.

Tilda Sunshield || Ruth pours some water in a glass for Dech at least. The kitchen trip served some purpose!

Nikki Lauder stands up shakily, still practically attached to Tilda despite Sophia carrying her.

[Say] Khemri Sturm: "I.. suppose I'll go, then"

[Say] Muriel Hammerhand: "O-okay..."

Tilda Sunshield stirs, just a little. Her mouth moves and there's some noise, but she's having trouble quite speaking.

Nikki Lauder doesn't respond to Khem, now fixated on Tilda possibly coming around.

[Say] Tilda Sunshield: "...did... work?"

[Say] Sophia Stonewall: Yes, Tilda. It worked.

[Say] Muriel Hammerhand: "Yus... i-it worked."

Tilda Sunshield gives a weak hum of acknowledgment.

[Say] Muriel Hammerhand: "Y-you should take her upstairs, to her room..."

[Say] Sophia Stonewall: I am.

Sophia Stonewall starts up the stairs without much more fuss.

Tilda Sunshield mumbles something sounding like, "...love you..." as Sophia turns, and sighs out weakly and seems to wither all at once in seconds, and then, suddenly, there's a hollow orange dress full of grey ashes.

[Say] Muriel Hammerhand: !

Sophia Stonewall blinks. "Oh."

[Say] Khemri Sturm: "Definitely going now"

Nikki Lauder startles, and makes a distressed sounds, then looks form one of tehm to the next rapdily. "Wh-where---"

[Party] Tilda Sunshield: Today's roleplay moment is brought to you by hit 80s tune "I'm Just Dying In Your Arms Tonight"

[Say] Sophia Stonewall: She's dead, Nikki.

Muriel Hammerhand sniffles again. "...she's gone... Deedee went the same way..."

[Say] Sophia Stonewall: Does anyone have a container?

Tilda Sunshield || Ruth sucks in a sharp breath, and Dech turns with an alarmed jerk. "No!"

[Say] Nikki Lauder: "No. No she's not. No! No!"

[Say] Khemri Sturm: "I have the box the quasit came in, but I doubt you want that"

[Say] Muriel Hammerhand: "I-I'll get something."

[Say] Sophia Stonewall: An urn is the usual thing.

Tilda Sunshield || "She can't die! She can't DO that again!" Dech shouts as Ruth holds him back.

[Say] Sophia Stonewall: Do we... want to put the dress in there too?

Muriel Hammerhand returns with a good sized vase, white porcelain gilded with gold and silver. It could probably sell for as much as typical family home.

[Say] Khemri Sturm: "Why would anybody have an urn handy?"

Khemri Sturm isn't helping

[Say] Muriel Hammerhand: "...Deedee's in the only urn I have."

[Say] Sophia Stonewall: Well apparently...

Nikki Lauder has started to cry, but doesn't seem to realize she's doing so. Instead she focuses on Khem. "Get the fuck out."

Muriel Hammerhand seems oddly apologetic about this.

[Say] Khemri Sturm: "Alright"

Khemri Sturm goes

Muriel Hammerhand is also crying, the tears rolling quietly down her cheeks as she holds out the vase.

Tilda Sunshield || Dech is practically thrashing in Ruth's arms to get away, as if he's going to somehow get a hold of the ashes and fix this himself.

Nikki Lauder stares blankly at Sophia and Muriel, shaking like a leaf and somewhat hyperventilating. Evidently her plan of yelling at Khem worked too well and now she has nothing left to distract herself with.


---

[11:52 PM] Sophia Stonewall: "Tilda's dead."
[11:53 PM] Khemri Sturm: "And I thought I was insensitive"
[11:54 PM] Sophia Stonewall: "I will kill you."
[11:55 PM] Echo: "What? How?"
[11:56 PM] Richard Lauder: "Oh no. Oh, no, Goddess - what happened? The - is he - "
[11:57 PM] Nikki Lauder: Nikki isn't at all coherent but seems to say something possibly along the lines of 'not again'.
[11:58 PM] Alicia Ferrin: "Explanations sound VERY nice right now."
[11:58 PM] Sophia Stonewall: "Whatever killed Diesa. Some disease."
[11:58 PM] Alicia Ferrin: "Whatever killed who?"
[11:58 PM] Clover: "What?!"
[12:01 AM] Nikki Lauder: There's another hysterical burst of emotion from Nikki but even her mental voice doesn't seem clear enough to make any sense.
[12:02 AM] Sophia Stonewall: "What, do you think I know?"
[12:03 AM] Clover: "I... I was there shortly before miss Diesa died. She claimed it was because of her resurrections."
[12:03 AM] Muriel Hammerhand: "Hello? This is Muriel. Nikki is here at the Hammerhand house and she's... she's pretty broken up. She needs someone." Her own mental voice doesn't sound exactly stable.
[12:06 AM] Echo: "What are the symptoms like?"
[12:06 AM] Sophia Stonewall: "Wasting until collapse into ash."
[12:08 AM] Barravel: "I'm not sure if I'm the right one for this, but.. I can come over."
[12:10 AM] MochaKimono: Richard: "I... have the children... I can - should go over."
[12:10 AM] Clover: "I am... rather terrible at that sort of thing, but I can be there if needed."
[12:11 AM] Muriel Hammerhand: "I turned off the alarm and the door is unlocked... I'm going to my room if someone needs me." Her stone goes silent.
[12:12 AM] Barravel: ".. I have no idea where any of the two of you are, so.."
[12:17 AM] MochaKimono: Richard: "Oh I - the Hammerhand manor is at -" He gives directions.
[12:19 AM] Barravel: "Alright. I'll be there if needed, but it's probably best not to.. Pile on. You should check on her first."