BestatBlack

The Dweomer of Akkad - [ A Fire Emblem-like RPG! ]

Iddin: Ashur and Zarif have the right idea! I do not see Lyun... However, the strategy still stands! Do your best to persuade the man if we encounter him. Stay cautious until he strikes an enemy: don't let him be an agent into our ranks. But if we convince him, we gain a valuable asset in this battle!

The priest skips forward, kicking up plumes of dust from the road. The smallest of glass shards form in those clouds and twinkle as they catch the sun.

Iddin: Zuzu, the great, the overseer of eternity, the collector, grant your grace upon this battlefield! May our band be given a fraction of your strength to quell these foes! I ask again to tap into your divine gifts, and bolster these men, and show them your glory!

_{Iddin moves 2 tiles to 16-37 and Waits. Inspirational gives +10 Hit/Avoid to Siris, Makeen, and Ashur for the turn.}

The Dweomer of Akkad - [ A Fire Emblem-like RPG! ]

Iddin dwells on Doan's words and sighs. He takes one last glance at his notes on the tablet and stabs the reed in it upright. The tablet is left on the ground as he stands up and looks at the assembled band, especially Lyun and Doan.

Iddin: I loathe to admit it, but you are right. We do not have the means to survive making the empire truly angry. I suppose we will have to bend the knee and accept this operation. But combing an entire city with the size of our band is still impractical... And the operation as laid out only makes our role more difficult. We should head out early and take any opportunity to discuss details with the other bands that may, perhaps, have been given greater warning to prepare. I find it hard to believe they planned this entire operation without some earlier notice to their cooperating assault bands.

The priest looks over to Lyun again. Any information here is valuable enough to risk fighting a defector. And perhaps a defector could still gain the band an upper hand...

Iddin: It sounds as to me that you want to assess this situation on your own terms. Why not head sooner into the city, make your way in as before the assault you can, and make your own judgements? I trust you will be able to get inside without great suspicion. And if they are your people, give them a good word for us and contact us on the breach. We cannot stop the other band's assault but we can hide away who we can.

Iddin looks over to Doan for approval. Hopefully the captain picked up that Iddin's intent: defeat the enemy with the witting or unwitting help of an insider. Or claim Lyun's moral high ground if the enemy wasn't approachable. Whether the captain understood or not, Iddin was confident he could minimize risks with some trickery.

Iddin: We would benefit from more allies, after all. And this band is tight lipped enough to hide some renegades with new identities.

The Dweomer of Akkad - [ A Fire Emblem-like RPG! ]

Iddin was changed into new, subdued robes absent the usual ornamentation but equally absent the previous bloodstains. Unfortunate: it's always difficult to repair those on the road. The priest still had a slight limp and hesitation from his wound's memory as he entered the tent and paid his respects.

The priest produces a newly recycled tablet and reed, marking it as the group speaks. He clicks his tongue: a bit of time to research this one could be useful. He marks down the vague geography off the top of his head and some basic numbers. Population, distribution of the cash, and the like. But he catches particularly on the mention of "will" and responds dispassionately.

Iddin: "Since when were we the Hellions of the Akkadian Empire? I am hesitant to accept this on their terms. But they have given no time to negotiate. We sorely lack information: the number, the arms, the morale. But we can buy some time if we are the only forces to be sent. I propose we send some of our less conspicuous members to scout the city and movement, if safe. A regular operation of this sort on a city would require this preparation regardless: it would not be a suspicious delay."

Iddin: "In the meantime, our response should demand they acknowledge our independent position and provide extra compensation for the offense. If subduing this group is infeasible, we can claim insufficient recompense and abandon the mission. If they do not acknowledge their error, we can reject regardless. In either case we would not engage the dissidents unless we are prepared, and they would be unaware we planned to attack them. A particular advantage of our small band is sealed lips."

The Dweomer of Akkad - [ A Fire Emblem-like RPG! ]

Iddin

The priest watches the battle through glazed eyes, still ranting as his allies fight. Iddin sees the formation pull back, and Lyun struck with another arrow. Siris seems injured... but he's too far ahead. Iddin staggers on back across, his ornaments creating a cacophony, and slams into the opposite wall. A glass whistle shatters as he clumsily kicks sand towards Lyun, the priests repeated staggering into the wall creating a rough rhythm.

Iddin: "Zuzu, grant strength! Kill the betrayers! This man fought with your help, and he needs it again! Fashion him an eternal warrior, grant your grace, restore him anew!"

The dust forms around the arrow, pushing it out as it forms new blood and skin.

_{Iddin moves to 11-16, casting Heal on Lyun. Lyun gains 9 VIT. Iddin gains 18 EXP and 1 Theurgy EXP, losing 1 Heal durability.}

The Dweomer of Akkad - [ A Fire Emblem-like RPG! ]

Iddin

Iddin can barely react. The blade lands in his shoulder, not his neck, only by sheer luck. Blood spurts and and sword bounces out... bounces out? The priest stumbles back for a moment, expecting death, but greeted with the favor of his god instead! His shoulder turns back from glass to flesh and Iddin feels a strange cocktail of emotion. Rage at the other band. Joy at Zuzu's favor. And, mixed together, a religious fury.

Iddin: "ZUZU, THE PRESERVER, STANDS ON OUR SIDE! DIE, SCUM! BE REDUCED TO SHAMBLING BEASTS IN THE AFTERLIFE, DENIED A PART OF ZUZU'S ETERNAL ART! HELLIONS! SLAUGHTER THEM!"

The priest wildly stumbles past his assailant. Glass shatters as he falls near Lyun, struggling back to his feet. The dust cloud forms around Lyun as Iddin gestures out his left hand, spreading blood. He continues to rant, propped up against the wall. The blood loss was not helping his sanity.

Iddin: "Arrows, begone! Cuts, begone! Impurities from your form, begone! ZUZU GRANTS YOU STRENGTH! His divine flesh promises you victory against the heretics. The heretical Yeeks, worshiping a inferior god. The heretical MEN, turning against a priest of the truly divine! Strike them with the flesh! STRIKE THEM! DAMN THEM!"

The cloud mixes into Lyun, digging out the arrow, filling wounds, restoring blood, replacing flesh. For much longer than usual, a noticeable moment, the new skin seemed much shiner than usual...

_{Iddin moves to 9-17, casting Heal on Lyun. Lyun gains 18 VIT. Iddin gains 32 EXP and 1 Theurgy EXP, losing 1 Heal durability.}

The Dweomer of Akkad - [ A Fire Emblem-like RPG! ]

Iddin

At last the priest caught up with Siris. Iddin shook his staff, bringing a pile of sand into his left hand. He considered for a moment... and decided this one needs a lesson. Iddin dug his hand into Siris' wounds, covering them in sand. And he threw in a short threat, for good measure.

Iddin: "Idiots have short lives in dangerous company. May Zuzu remind you of the pain of flesh, as it grows anew! For he shall not preserve folly among the eternal gallery."

Iddin swings his left hand, dripping with blood, over Siris' head. The shrill whistle boils the sand into Siris, patching skin and internals back together. The remaining blood crystallizes, falling down Siris' armor to the ground. Shards likewise fall off Iddin's hand as he looks around, surveying for the next injured mercenary.

_{Iddin moves to 11-16, casting Heal on Siris. Siris gains 11 VIT. Iddin gains 21 EXP and 1 Theurgy EXP, losing 1 Heal durability.}

The Dweomer of Akkad - [ A Fire Emblem-like RPG! ]

Iddin

Iddin looks forward, seeing the advanced group. He snarls for the briefest moment, but regains his composure.

Iddin: Some mercenaries are too stupid to live, truly. But I suppose he gets to live another day.

The priest bounds forward gracefully, the movement billowing his robes and echoing through trinkets. Once he reaches the middle of the group, he addresses the vanguard.

Iddin: Zuzu walks alongside! But keep your advance moderate, for his grace is limited... Siris, is it? I trust you understand what limited means.

_{Iddin moves 6 spaces to 10-19, passively triggering Inspirational. Ashur, Zarif, Siris, Gesties, and Kastilus gain 10 Hit/Avoid for the phase.}

The Dweomer of Akkad - [ A Fire Emblem-like RPG! ]

Iddin

Iddin surveys the area. Gesties and Makeen where wounded and nearby, Siris... that idiot would have to wait. Makeen was already upon Gesties wounds, so Iddin moved to heal Makeen in turn. The priest stirred the ground with his staff, the glass ornaments chiming. Iddin stepped next to the mercenary and put his hand over the wound, directing the sand on top.

Iddin: "I stand before a healer of a different sect. Zuzu, grant mercy to the waylaid. They do not heal through you, but they still pay their respects to the gods. Let his lesser divine heal the outsider, and let your power restore him."

Iddin slams the staff, then holds still as the sand heats into flesh and repairs Makeen's body.

_{Iddin moves 1 space to 10-25, casting Heal on Makeen. Makeen gains 5 VIT. Iddin gains 12 EXP and 1 Theurgy EXP, losing 1 Heal durability.}

The Dweomer of Akkad - [ A Fire Emblem-like RPG! ]

Iddin

Iddin takes a deep breath, adjusting in to the pain of his wound. He steps out into the hallway, seeing Lyun fighting ahead. The priest makes a quick calculation. Just barely in reach...

Iddin: "By grace of Zuzu, the breath of his faithful holds."

Iddin strides forward, a small trail of blood behind. Wind whispers through his regalia. The steady beat resumed. The theurg stoops, takes a handful of sand, blown towards Lyun. Iddin stood his staff firmly besides Lyun and drummed an increasingly fast, urgent, complex rhythm with his free hand.

Iddin: "The warrior holds the fetid horde at bay! Their brutish weapons defile his flesh in turn. Let it be undone! Let Zuzu grant a speedy return. Set upon his injuries, unrealized glass!"

The burning sand whips around Lyun and flows into his skin. It seeps into wounds, staining red, and writhes to fill the holes. Iddin smacks the staff with his palm and goes silent. The sand hardens into flesh born anew.

_{Iddin moves to 9-25, casting Heal on Lyun. Lyun gains 11 VIT. Iddin gains 21 EXP and 1 Theurgy EXP, losing 1 Heal durability.}

The Dweomer of Akkad - [ A Fire Emblem-like RPG! ]

Iddin

Iddin almost steps back to the fray, but the wound halts him. The priest clutches the bloody patch and whispers a few words. The surface bleeding glazes over to a thin layer of glass. Not a real treatment, but it will stop the wound. He chuckles as Etor steps in front of him.

Iddin: "You're making my job easier, Etor."

The stale wind whispers through Iddin's garments as he raises a hand toward Etor. The priest hits the ground in a simple driving beat.

Iddin: "Let this man be worthy of Zuzu's grace! He stands against the fetid Yeeks and their unworthy god. Divine flesh shall grow where Etor's was lost. He hears false sound. Fill his ears with the sound of grace. Standing apart from some of our company, he respects Zuzu's great name. Reward the pious, so the impious may see their errors before they join Arallu beneath."

Iddin trusts his staff forward dramatically, and the thin layer of sand inside the chamber pours towards Etor. It crawls along his skin like insects seeking out his blood. Iddin clenches his empty hand when the grains coalesce on Etor's wounds. The sand suddenly heats up, cauterizing the wound in one painful moment. It then melts together and hardens, restoring the skin to what it was before.

The stiff replacement quickly adjusted to its host and was soon identical to the original. Well, at least, it looked and felt that way.

_{Iddin stays still at 10-30, casting Heal on Etor. Etor gains 4 VIT. Iddin gains 11 EXP and 1 Theurgy EXP, losing 1 Heal durability.}