Millicent reigned in the horse of the so called "Wagon of Wonders", pulling to a stop at the gated entrance of the monastery. Gwendolyn had worked with fish before, but the Tiefling was new to her. She had spent most of the journey in silence whilst listening to him, and resisting the urge to buy Dragon-Be-Gone. Priscilla hopped off the back, and opened the door for the crew, bowing as her lady rushed out the door to fresh air.

    The Golden Consortium had commissioned its less scrupulous members to investigate and retrieve the source of this places miracle waters, said to cure almost any disease known to Charonians, and even some unknown. The Monastary of the Holy Revival was a relatively new one, being constructed and completed only a few months ago. The solid oak gates stood high in the pale moonlight as Gwendolyn stretched out from the long journey. She waited for the others to disembark, and asked a question that should have probably been discussed during the ride.

"So...What's the plan?"

Fish spent most of the ride watching Morrigan closely, Fish was working on a new sleep poison and wanted to see if it would work by slipping it into Morrigan's drink. When they never passed out, Fish furrowed their brow but refused to explain why they were suddenly so cross.

One of these days Fish was going to steal their blood and find out just how the tiefling keeps resisting the poisons. That came second to Fish's true dream, first steal a star, then poison Morrigan Moonweaver.....then maybe kill a god. Busy schedule for an 8 year old.

Fish poked their little beak over the side of the wagon to look out as it seemed like they were rolling to a stop. "Search the grounds and find the water....Fish understands that is the basics of the mission. Fish would like to have some samples to test the veracity of the claim made."

Morrigan was fairly certain that Fish was attempting to poison them again over the course of their journey.

This, unfortunately, was not a rare occurrence.

At least this time it only seemed to be a sleeping drought, based on the way they occasionally found their eyelids getting heavy while steering the wagon of wonders. Whenever they wizened up to the poison taking effect, they would subtly take Junior and use the black bog leech to cure them of the poison, trying not to snicker when Fish grew frustrated that their efforts weren’t bearing fruit.

At least it kept them working and crafting. Honestly, Morrigan didn’t mind their attempts. It was important for Fish to constantly be perfecting what they were doing. The little criminal was one of the brightest alchemical minds Morrigan had met, as evidenced by their entry into the Golden Consortium at their age. Not to mention their attempts to poison Morrigan reminded them of days spent learning under Madam Medb, who encouraged such curiosities. She had not been exempt from random poisonings while Morrigan was learning the craft, and in turn, neither had Morrigan. For character building.

As much as they would have liked to simply let Fish succeed at poisoning them - and getting in a well-deserved nap while Fish noted down the results of their experiment - this particular quest took priority. And gods, did Morrigan enjoy a good heist, especially when the prize was a miracle cure-all water. It sounded exactly the kind of item that Morrigan could turn a profit on, if they could get their hands on a sample to replicate it. They needed to be in top form today.

They had just reached the gates of their target for the evening, where Fish’s acquaintance, another member of the Consortium that Morrigan had yet to meet before today, finally spoke up.

Morrigan shrugged as they disembarked from the wagon. A shadow passed overhead, momentarily blocking out the moon - Morrigan’s insurance. If anything went wrong, Bubbles in his drake form was ready to swoop in at a moment’s notice.

“If I’m being honest, my good lady, I’m not much for planning.” They admitted with a low, sweeping bow. “But Fish is far more stealthy than I.” They weren’t sure how sneaky Miss Gwendolyn was, but given that she was wearing that big, clunky suit of armor, Morrigan was fairly certain she was about as subtle as them. “Perhaps you and I sweet-talk the brothers and sisters of the cloth, while Fish searches the compound?”

"Sweet talk, Get the water. Got it. Shall we?" She could sweet talk people, sure! What wasn't to like about her inheirant charm. And with the Tiefling at her side? Well, there wasn't anyone who could say no. Gwendolyn turned and opened the gate, showing a long sort of pathway up to the Monastery on the Hill, silhouetted from the moon behind it. The cobblestone path wound between dense trees and sculpted bushes.

    There were several lights up on the hilltop still lit, candles and night-owl clergy. Two of them seemed to be lantern that wandered the walled hillside. Guardsmen perhaps? Why would a monastery have warriors on standby? Interesting. Whatever properties this water had, it would have to be pretty impressive to warrant even amount of security, as insufficient as it was. 

    The two maids walked politely behind their master, Millicent having lit up a cigarette. Gwendolyn's nose scrunkled up as the scent barely touched her nostrils through the perfumed veil. She opened the top of her maul Enlightened Redolence and lit the incense within.

"Hope you don't mind..." A snooty side comment aimed at Millicent but spoken to Morrigan. The clank of armour combined with the scents certainly attracted one of the wandering guards, coming to inspect the hubub after being alerted to the Carriage that had approached the gate.

"You there, halt. What business have you here at the Monastry?"

Fish continues to look over the monastery to make a quick plan. Gwen was tough, but loud and Morrigan was talented but also Morrigan. What Morrigan excelled at was improv and stalling, Fish was unsure how good Gwen was at that.

They look up to Morrigan, "Go with Operation Corvus Bennetti...Morrigan will have to be the decoy."

Fish would neglect to explain further, but Morrigan would know the basics. A very simple ruse, probably one of the best the pair had together. Morrigan would pretend Fish was gravely injured and in need of help. Fish would play dead or wounded. From there they could create a scene, Morrigan wailing desperately and collapsing into the mark's arms to then steal something from them. Or they gain entry to a home, then as Morrigan is inconsolable, Fish would empty the place of goods.

They finally hop out of the wagon and hold out both a knife and a simple bottle of fake blood. Morrigan could either really sell it or avoid getting stabbed. Their choice, for once.

They were getting closer to the monastery, Gwendolyn’s maids following her loyally behind. As one of them lit a cigar, Morrigan considered the logistics of getting a couple of maids or servants of their own. It sure would be nice to have a personal butler of their own to attend to their every whim! Lady Gwendolyn seemed less than pleased with Miss Millicent’s smoking habits, though. They merely shrugged, interrupted by the distant sound of guards who were getting closer to them.

They had to move fast.

Morrigan rolled their eyes when Fish suggested Corvus Bennetti… with Morrigan themselves playing the victim. “Oh, come on, I was the victim last time!” They protested, staring down at the fake alchemical blood and the proffered blade in the expectant bird’s hands. They got what Fish was going for, though - Morrigan and Lady Gwendolyn could act up a storm, play victim and concerned friend, while Fish used the commotion to find the water.

The look on the small bird’s expectant face and the rapidly-approaching guards said that there was no time for argument or they were really about to find a blade in between their ribs. Again.

“That damned water better be worth it.” Morrigan rolled their eyes, snatching the materials and going through the motions with quick, deft hands, and tucking the blade in between the crook of their arm and their torso to give the illusion that they’d be stand. It was the perfect crime, unnoticeable to anyone except perhaps for people with eyes. But what would really sell the deal was the fact that Morrigan’s eyes immediately rolled into the back of their head, and the diva with the propensity for drama went entirely boneless and they dropped into Gwen’s expectant arms.

“I feel weak… faint… Solaria’s light is coming for me! Oh, the humanity!” They moaned, clutching at their chest. They glanced up at Gwendolyn and winked before resuming character, throwing themselves into the victim role with aplomb right as the monastery guards reached the three of them.

"Oh...uh, Please sir! Please help my friend!" Was this Cordo Benyeti? She was still working out understanding Fish on the day-to-day so she wasn't sure if she misheard, but they were easy in the thick of it now. Morrigan winked at her with a look of understanding as Gwendolyn stood there holding the flailing tiefling in her arms before the guards. And what did this have to do with yetis?

"My friend...Has fallen ill! Glade Fever! It's very contagious, do you have a healer?!" She cried out, holding him towards the guards as they took a step back in fear. It wasn't her best work, but it would have to do. Just like all the courts of the realm, little brought panic to a society faster than an illness never heard of. Gods this Tiefling was kinda heavy.

"Glade Fever? Whoa, don't touch me. You take your friend to the prior in the white house, next to the monastary. Go on then, and don't linger out in the open. Don't want me family getting this Fever you lot gone brung here."

"Thank you mister, Cmon stay with me Gary!" Shit, Gary? What kind of fake name was that. Whatever, her metal clanked as she waddled further up the hill towards where the guard had pointed. One of them followed with a lantern, lighting the way. Helpful, and yet not for their purposes. Not to mention she had to leave her maul behind to carry the still whinging purple man. Still handsome though. though we won't speak that secret.

Fish was thankful to be out of sight by the time this display is happening. Morrigan was an actor on par with any whatever the Charonian equivalent of Shakesperian actor, but they also did love hamming it up. Convincing, but dramatic.



The kenku scrambles over the wall and ducks behind a bush to conceal themselves. Scanning the grounds, they don't see too many guards around this place. Makes sense, it was a monastery. Though Fish was too cautious a bird to get cocky already.



Time to find where these light elementals will be. It would have helped if Fish was given an idea of what they look like, but the shifting nature of Spritelings apparently made them hard to categorize. Was it just the water itself?



Fish starts to creep across the monastery grounds and towards the fountain. In the distance, Gwen and Morrigan can see a flash of feathers as Fish ducks between hiding spots.

Morrigan did so indeed love their performances to be over the top and dramatic. It may have been hammy, yes, but it had the intended effect as the monastery guard kept his eyes solely on Morrigan, not wanting to let the poor, ill miser out of his sight lest he accidentally stray too close. Morrigan doubted that he’d even noticed the little bird scrambling away to hide. Good.

… But what kind of plain, boring ass name was Gary?

Oh, well. Morrigary supposed they were now stuck with that name for the rest of the heist. Better get used to it. Escalating the act, they let out a weak, pitiful moan, unsure what the symptoms of Glade Fever even were but they weren’t about to let that stop them. They bit the inside of their cheek hard enough to draw blood, coughing up a bit that dribbled onto their shirt. Though they were limp in Gwendolyn’s arms, their mind was moving a mile a minute, trying to figure out what the best way to draw out this performance would be, to keep all the attention on them for as long as possible.

That was when inspiration struck.

Morrigary gripped onto Gwendolyn’s arm with a weak arm, cracking one eye open at the pretty lady. “You should not have come with me my dear…” COUGH, “W… What if you get infected too?” They were getting closer to the monastery, where a couple of robed individuals were lingering around, curious about the commotion. Morrigan raised their voice to a wail, and enough so that they could be overheard by anyone listening. “Who will watch our children in our stead? Oh, the humanity! Lunala, take me if you must, but leave my wife be!”

There, that should be enough to do the trick.

    Distracted enough by the task of dragging Gary up the hill, she noticed a feathery blur up ahead. A cough shakes her back to the situation at hand as they near the the main area. Her entire face grew red as the purple man in her arms spoke of their children and marriage. She almost dropped him right there, but hefted him further up and continued towards their destination. 

    Throughout the town several monks whispered as they passed by, Morrigan's mouth dribbling blood. Was he always this dedicated? Through gritted teeth she says "Worry not dear... This too will soon come to pass." A little lower following up with "were you to die here I think I would follow you out of spite". A nearby monk raises an eyebrow slightly having overheard the last part, she replied with a sweaty half-smile. "Ah-he, just comforting my sweet Gary. Gotta stay strong for them, please, make way."

    She reaches the door of the healers hut and back's into it to open. inside was a small area with only two beds, one of which she tossed the chummy Tiefling onto. The outside door was crowded by several concerned clergymen and the guard who had followed them. The ruckus had managed to summon the healer from the back of the hut. He came out in a bit of a hubub, quite the comely old man whose aged and bloodstained white robes bore signs of deadly experience.

    "Hwhats this? A tiefling with hematemesis and malaise? What manner did this illness come about?"

    Gwendolyn eyed the practically empty main square behind the small crowd that is gathered outside of the hut in a small circle. She bent down to whisper into Morrigan's ear.

    "Any bright ideas? Because i'm about 6 seconds from sleep gassing this whole crowd."

    She kisses his forehead and addresses the healer promptly. "Please, you must do something! My darling, he has contracted Glade Fever, I truly wish for his recovery." Her maids who stood at the doorway exchanged looks of concern both for their master, and for the situation as a whole.

    "Glade Fever? I've never heard of that... Perhaps a acute acquisition of Horlops..."

The blur of feathers makes its way into the monastery, ducking past the few guards and attendants they find. In the middle of the courtyard stands the brilliantly carved fountain, marble hewn and polished to capture and reflect the light that focuses into this area. If Fish had any appreciation for the arts they would be in awe, but they don't so they aren't.

They hop forward to the water with a curious eye. It is perfectly crystal clear and pristine, but it doesn't seem magical. Fish begins to wonder if this is just a more elaborate version of the potion scams they sell with Morrigan. They are about to just collect the water and go when the light ripples strangely.

A little face appears in a mote of light looking back at Fish. Shiny....Fish must capture it. They take out a beaker and try to scoop up the mote but it shifts away. Fish hops around the edge and tries to scoop it again but once more it moves.

Now, Fish is frustrated. They hop up onto the ledge and into the water with a little splash as more faces start to appear. So many shiny things, Fish will drain this fountain if need be to catch all these light spritelings.

The success of this plan relies on their partners to cover up the sound of splashing as Fish attempts this.

“No - you mustn’t follow me, my dearest. Think about the children… Anna Margaret, Cleo, Sprigalia…” Morrigary started prattling off a list of random and obscure names at random, mostly in the act of stalling for time. They’d made it into the square, but once Gwendolyn leaned down and asked them if they had any kind of plan, Morrigan realized a fundamental flaw in theirs.

Namely, that they didn’t have one.

Honestly, gassing didn’t seem like a horrible idea. Morrigan whispered back, “If you truly can sleep gas people, now would be the perfect time to do so.” Their leech was still strapped to their waist and tucked out of sight, perfect for removing any kind of toxins for the system. If Gwendolyn could put everyone to sleep, then Morrigan could just wake themselves and Gwen back up and they could continue about their business, undisturbed. If that wouldn’t work, they always had a piece of spare marshmallow pocket in their chocolate to slip to Gwendolyn.^[1] As they flailed and acted sick, she would find that her pocket was suddenly heavier with a piece of the enchanted sweet, a last resort if she needed it. It was either that or the pandemic potion they kept in their bag as an extra-extra last resort.

Until then, they would just have to continue on hamming it up and keeping all eyes on them. The distant sound of splashing said that Fish was still having a difficult time getting their hands on the water - what the hell were they doing in there? Morrigary increased their volume, covering up the sounds of the crime-bird in the distance.

“YES, I HAVE CONTRACTED THE GLADE FEVER… THE FEVER OF THE GLADE! GLADE’S FEVER! Will a kind healer not take pity on me and either heal my maladies or put my out of my misery so that my dear wife’s prolonged suffering at my own sickness may end?”

---

1. Storm Chocolate

    Oh she was suffering alright. Suffering an aneurism at this poor Tieflings masquerade as a competent actor. The splashing and explicit consent from Morrigan however told her it was party time. All pretense of acting as a doting wife stopped to much the surprise of both the Cleric and the Guard. She reached into her side satchel and pulled out two vials, one milky white and one purple and hazy. Her maids eyes widened as they both sat down crosslegged on the floor in anticipation for a rapid loss of consciousness.

    Mixing the two, the purple vial immediately began to bubble and offgas a noxious purple haze that quickly filled the room. Guard, Cleric, and small crowd of onlookers made a small attempt to escape before each falling asleep in succession. As the final monk who had the bright idea to hold his breath surrendered to the soft claws of unconsciousness, she woke her two maids.

"Grab the Tiefling. He has a surprise waiting for him" She motioned with little amusement on her face.
"O-okay Madam..."
They lifted him from the bed, carefully stepping around the now snoring amalgamation of bodies and clergymen. Walking outside, they met up with fish who was apparently busy playing in the local fountain.

"What's the holdup?" Gwen asked in a whisper, as she scooped up a bucket and filled it with the fountain water. She hoisted it up, pouring it on the snoozing Tiefling. She hissed a whispered threat at the presumptious purple man, attempting not to alert anyone else but to also sound more threatening.

"Just who the hell do you think you are wise guy. Now everyone here thinks i'm married with child to a charlatan. You best pray they forget once they wake up, or else i'm shoving this maul straight up-"



Filter Veil: A elegant Perfumed Veil that is worn over the face and used to protect the mouth and nose. A rich perfume emanates from the object, protecting the wearer from toxic or poisonous materials that would be breath in through the nose or mouth. This allows the wearer to move through things like gas or smoke without worrying about toxic materials entering their systems. Twice per topic you can passively activate the veil to increase the scent, this will remove any currently active mental affects on you, and protect you from being targeted by mental effects, spells or abilities until the end of your next post.

Miasmic Catalyst

Sleep Poison

Fish had managed to capture two of the lightlings in the fountain when Gwen and Morrigan are dragged out of the fountain. Their head snaps up as before they can explain the situation to the woman, she has scooped up a bucket of water and the last lightling with it.

The bird watches it spill out onto the monastery grounds, immediately running for it. Fish vaults over the fountain and spring boards off Morrigan's chest to chase after it. It's like watching a cat try to catch a laser pointer, or whatever the Charon-equivalent of a laser pointer is.

They are far too focused on catching the lightling for the moment to respond, but with one fateful pounce they are eventually able to catch it and shove it into a stoppered beaker. Only when they finally have caught the last one do they look up and recongize the other two are there.

"Why was Morrigan sleeping?.....It's very quiet here suddenly." Fish opts to tap out their words for Gwen's sake figuring that Morrigan is somehow too intoxicated to translate.

Morrigan continued on their lengthy diatribe up until the moment that Lady Gwendolyn whipped out a couple of potions and filled the room with a thick, purple smoke. Morrigan dropped the act, a nervous smile growing on their face as the tendrils of sleep-smoke reached ever closer. “You’re going to wake me up soon, right? Please tell me you won’t just leave me asleep-“

And that was when the world went black.

...

“... Moonweaver. Master Moonweaver.”

“BWUH-HUH?”

Morrigan jolted awake, nearly slamming their knee into the wooden table they were sitting at. For a moment, they were disoriented, up until the moment that they noticed the hag of a woman looming over them, a pair of thick glasses perched on her nose as she stared down at them. And all around them, other students were perched in identical desks to their own, all wearing the same slack-gray uniforms. They were in... a classroom?

“Ah, good, you’re here. Just in time to take your potions final.”

What? No way! “But I thought that was tomorrow!” Morrigan protested, panic setting into them. “I haven’t even studied at all!”

“That sounds like your own poor time management skills, Master Moonweaver.” The teacher glowered down at them, narrowing her eyes until they resembled slits. With her pursed mouth and wrinkles, she resembled more a skinned prune than a person. “Then again, how can you be expected to take your exam… when you’re not even wearing any pants!”

“Huh?” Morrigan looked down at their lap - much to their shock, they weren’t wearing any clothes save their underwear! How in the hell had they even walked out of the house without their clothes? Blushing furiously, Morrigan looked around for something to cover themselves up with while the other students around them pointed and laughed, only furthering their shame. Not only were they going to flunk their potions test, but they were going to forever be known as the one who’d flunked out while naked!

“This is horrible! This is a nightmare! This is-“

- A sudden shock of cold water brought them back to reality. Morrigan bolted upright, gasping for air as if they’d just been submerged for an extended period of time. “Wha… where am I? Am I late for my potion final?”

Wait a minute, I never even went to an alchemy school in the first place! Forcing themselves to relax, Morrigan rubbed at the side of their head, blinking the sleep out of their eyes.

“Man, what did you put in that potion? I just had the weirdest dream… doesn’t matter. Did you manage to get your hands on the water?”