Immersive Ink

"KICKED IT ACROSS THE - ?!?"

Josiane shoots Gustave a despairing glare of outrage, but forces herself to concentrate her attention on her afflicted patients for now.

"If I might see the staff, please?" she asks in distinctly frosty tones.

"Carefully," she adds hastily before any more ungodly booting of holy artefacts ensues...

doctorx wrote:"KICKED IT ACROSS THE - ?!?"

Josiane shoots Gustave a despairing glare of outrage, but forces herself to concentrate her attention on her afflicted patients for now.

"If I might see the staff, please?" she asks in distinctly frosty tones.

"Carefully," she adds hastily before any more ungodly booting of holy artefacts ensues...

"I mean no...disrespect my dear, but the article in question stung me, quite without provocation, and with my wee comrades here in distress, I did not want to be dealyed with err...formalities", says Gustave by way of explanation, allowing himself a sheepish grin.

"I believe our flamefingered colleague is having a look at it now"

Wen would draw himself away from the doorway when Josiane arrives and calls for light. Torch in hand he would make his way over and and add to the illumination supplied already by Ulric lantern. "What do you think of the Staff Ulric? Has it any markings that you recognize? I found runes upon the threshold back there, but they have no meaning to me, I suspect they are the underpinnings of the spell trap. Best to leave them be for now."

Desmond winces at the tone of Josiane's rebuke.

"Perhaps I was exaggerating a bit, Lady," he says, meekly. "I..."

"If'n it war jus' a stick, then kickin' it ain't doin' no harm. If its one o' them ar-tee-fax, then kickin' it ain't gonna do it no harm, neether," Mondes interrupts, bluntly.

"By the gods... I wish that trap woulda made you mute. Or me deaf," Desmond mutters in reply.

Gustave leads the train of halflings out of the cramped passage and into the reliquary proper, where there is both ample light and also room for Josiane to minister to the needs of the sightless.

Josiane therein examines the blinded trio, but there does not seem to be any sign of injury to their eyes. They simply can't see. Without any specific ailment to focus on there seems little she can do...

Meanwhile, Armando casts his gaze upon the lockbox which Gustave has so practically moved from the store with his boot. 'Tis a sturdy timber box, probably 18in by 12in or so, and not more than 6in deep. It looks to be well worn, the dings and dents being from years of toil perhaps? The lid is hinged and help fast with a 2in square metal lock built into the box and lid.

At Desmond's advice, Gustave considers placing the silver bowl back into the fountain nave from whence it was pulled. This is a somewhat watery affair, but easily accomplished in the end.

Once the bowl has refilled, Gustave presents it to Desmond/Mondes (momentarily perplexed as to which head to begin with).

"Drink up, my friend, perhaps will help. Or at least, quench your thirst", he says.

Desmond doesn't drink the water. First, he cups his hands, fills them with water from the bowl, then washes his eyes with the water.

If that does nothing, then he tries drinking it...

Desmond bathes his eyes in the cool water, but alas his sight does not return. Mondes hopefully tries his eyes too but only gets wet. Drinking the water proves refreshing but no divine alms are administered. The hobbit pair remain as blind as ever...

Seeing the water has no ill, if also no beneficial, effects, Gustave permits himself a long draught, wishing that there was greater patronage to the Gods of wine in this region.

"It seems there is little either of us can do for our pint-sized comrades at the moment", he says to Josiane, "but perhaps you have some insights into these my dear", he adds, emptying (carefully) the items collected from the blinding room onto the floor.

"They were taken from the room with the nasty stick-err...holy staff".