Solo A Visit to the Cursed

[Alric Wilmot]

45th of Summer 513 AV Alric walked along with a slight limp, still sore from his beating the other day. His elbows were black and scabbed from the abuse, and his side was a sickly purple. And he had had to change the bandage about his head from the excess blood coming from his ears. He was worried that they might be permanently damaged. Still, he thought it was worth it. He had gotten to test just how handy his power of illusion really was, and he had corrected a villain’s behavior. He seriously doubted she would be mugging anyone ever again. Still, he felt as if he'd gone through another Winter Crisis. The ache was greater now than when he had gotten it. He thought it might have been the adrenaline at first, but was proven wrong when his limit on illusionism came up. He had been using it to numb the pain from his headache, and had unconsciously done the same to all his aches. Because of that, he hadn't felt the wounds as intensely at the moment. Now of course, he had to bear with it. It was early in the morning, and his mark still needed charging. The mist rolling through the street glowed a soft pink as the light from the sun hit it. The sun had just begun to creep up from its sleeping place. As Alric walked along, he found the buildings abandoning the grid-like structure he usually saw them have and began to place them selves haphazardly among the street, which was simple dirt. Granted the dirt was white, but it was dirt, nonetheless. As he trudged through the morning mist, he caught sight of exactly what he was looking for, an apothecary. Above the door was a painted sign that read "Arrhizal's Apothecary". He gave a brief prayer of thanks and went forward. As he entered the establishment he was greeted with a very odd sensation that he hadn't ever felt before. It was like a poignant stench, but Alric could smell nothing out of the ordinary. As Alric looked about he noticed the place was in a complete state of disarray. Bottles and cans were strewn about every which way. A small, cluttered counter stood in the center of the shop, with a tall gangly man sitting behind it with a scowl on his face. Instantly Alric knew where the feeling was coming from. This man has been cursed by his god. Not once, either, but twice. Suddenly Alric was filled with revulsion as the man took his eyes off a book he was reading to meet Alric's own. Before Alric could say anything, the man spoke. "Get out." Alric didn't move. He tried to swallow his own dislike for the man, he needed a potion of Rak'keli to mend his body. And he wasn't about to chance Alvadas for a few more hours to try and find another apothecary, not when Alvadas brought him here for some reason. He closed his eyes and imagined a bubble around himself, and then breathed in and out. The bubble expanded to include the man. He opened his eyes and found the man glaring at him. He focused in on the eyes, and sent a suggestion of compliance. "I realize we are on the opposite ends of matters in terms of allegiance, but I only wish to make a purchase. Surely we can come to an agreement." The man narrowed his eyes and plucked a bottle off the counter, before Alric could say anything, the man hurled it at him. Alric ducked just in time to avoid the bottle smashing against his face. The man had good aim. "I said get out. If you refuse I'm in my right to do whatever I want to get you to comply. The law's on my side, so don't get any funny ideas." Alric narrowed his eyes and this time imagined four tendrils of djed striking out and into the man's ears and eyes. Alric got up and dusted himself of the white dust that seemed to have found its way into the apothecary "You will allow me to purchase what I need, and then I will leave. Understood?" The man scrunched up his face again, not quite as affected by Alric's hypnotism as he had hoped. Most likely the man was so opposed to Ionu's mark, that the thought of merely tolerating one was close to impossible. Still, he didn't throw another bottle. Alric took that as a good sign. "Fine, one bottle of Rak'keli potion is it? That'll be 100 gold miza." Alric nearly choked. That was double its value! He walked up to the counter, wary of where the man, Arrhizal if he was the indeed the man the place was named after, was keeping his arms. "Excuse me? Do you take me for a fool! That's double its value, if you think I'm paying that you're crazy. Lower the price to an acceptable number. After all your trouble with the god of illusion do you really want to tick off one of his followers?" The man slammed his fist on the counter-top. "Don't test me! You want service? You've got it. If you don't like the price, then get out and find someone else! I don't need your business. Now," He pulled out a bottle with a yellowish liquid inside from under the desk. "If you want this, fork up 100 gold miza and let me get on with my life." Alric gave an annoyed sigh. This man was not easily manipulated. Alric was briefly curious as to what caused the man to be so angry. Most likely it was related to his cursed status. Why has his god cursed this man? Alric gave it a brief thought, and decided that he would have to be a bit more tactful here if he wanted to hypnotize Arrhizal. He tilted his head to the side and avoided eye-contact, clear signs of defeat. Then he brought his hands up to the counter in a lazy fashion, an unconscious way of displaying patience. He sent feelings of calm and patience into Arrhizal, trying to curb the disgust both he was feeling and what Arrhizal might be feeling. He sent in more feelings after a few moments, of curiosity and regret. Before Arrhizal said anything or questioned the feeling, Alric spoke. "I apologize. I am just a bit on edge. As you can see from the bruising on my face, I was in a bit of a tussle. I can't afford to spend weeks healing, and my employment options are rather dismal. The Temple rejected me after the Womiyu refused to reinstate me." As Alric spoke, he sent in more feelings, this time of guilt and sympathy. The man obviously didn't like Ionu. But Alric thought he could use that. After all, even though Alric found blasphemers distasteful, he knew they had their place. And this man's place was to help Alric restore himself so that he could continue his works of worship. If Alric could use his hatred of Ionu, to make him befriend one of his disciples, would that not be the oddest illusion of all? Alric continued "You live your life the way they expect you too, and help them achieve their goals and they throw you aside when they deem your actions not good enough. Honestly, I serve Ionu so faithfully, why does he seem to mock me so? I do good work, heal the minds of people, bring them joy. So why does it seem I am only shown suffering?" Arrhizal looked at Alric with a face that seemed torn between two expressions. On one hand, he looked disgusted. But on the other, he looked rather sympathetic. "You wonder why the god of trickery and illusion isn't behaving in a predictable manner? You think the god of illusion is going to be straightforward with you? Are you daft? You should have expected this from the start. Ionu only hinders good meaning people, she doesn't care that you're faithful or trying to help others. You probably insulted it, and now it refuses to see your contributions! You deserve those bruises, as I see it. Teaches you for relying on a god of trickery." Alric bit his tongue, it wouldn't help him to berate the man. Let him have his own illusions, after all, in the end it didn't really matter. Alric simply needed that potion without blowing a fourth of his savings. After that was accomplished, then he might be able to preach to him. Though, with two cursed marks, he may be beyond helping. Though that would hardly stop Alric. Alric went ahead and put aside his brief moment of righteous anger and focused on the task at hand. "Honestly, I've begun to think the same way, I think I may have cast my lot with the wrong god. But really, what am I to do? I already have a mark. And I don't want to become enemies with Ionu. No offense, but that just doesn't seem the proper course of action." Arrhizal looked upon Alric with a despondent look, before solemnly nodding his head. It seemed that he had lost his appetite for vexing gods. Alric grabbed onto that look, and glanced up to look him in the eye. He sent an emotional surge, greater than any impulse, into the man. Waves of guilt and pity flooded him. Before Alric could speak, continue to build on the hypnosis, Arrhizal broke the brief silence. "Look, you seem pretty banged up. Why don't I just put this on a tab? You can pay the whole amount later. I don't particularly care when. Just take the bottle. You really look like you could use it." Alric took the bottle in mild surprise. He was glad it hadn't taken longer. Still, he thought this opportunity might be too good to give up. He had an emotional connection to a cursed individual. If he played his cards straight, he may be able to reconcile this man to his god. But he'd have to take it in chunks. He would plant a seed now, and let it grow over time. He put all his power into his mouth, and began to speak. "Listen to the sound of my voice and listen intently, do not speak. You are following my every move. Follow my finger, and empty your mind of questions." As he said this, Alric stood up straight and held up his finger, moving it side to side. Arrhizal gave a scowl, but Alric was able to hold the man's attention. The connection they had shared allowed Alric to override the man's natural suspicion. When he went back and forth three times, Alric tapped him on the forehead. The sudden touch was unexpected, and allowed Alric to send in more djed than normal. This time he flooded the man with hallucinations of clouds and light, and feelings of serenity and compliance. Within hypnosis, there were two techniques. Shock, and comfort. You could waste time making your victim comfortable, and relaxed. Or, you could get them comfortable around you briefly, and shock them into a hypnotic state with a burst of power. Alric preferred the former, but it was quicker to go with shock. The effects were not as powerful, but it allowed Alric to work more quickly. "Now, you will take what I say, and obey. You will not consciously remember this commands, in fact you will not consciously remember this conversation at all. Instead, you will take this and put it into the deepest parts of your mind. Now, take your bitterness and grief and lock them away. They surround you like chains, and you wish to free yourself. And you will, I am giving you the key. Take the key and unlock the chains. Once you are free, nod." He nodded, and Alric continued. "Now, I want you to forgive the one who put you in chains. We both know who that is, right?" Arrhizal nodded, and muttered 'Ionu' Alric shook his head. "No, Arrhizal. It was not Ionu. It was you. You caused this grief. You slighted a god, knowing full well the consequences. No, you must forgive yourself, for you are to blame. Ionu is the god of illusion, the god who preaches that reality can be better. Your reality is too real, isn't it? You scorned her, and now you cannot see the joys of illusion. Stop your hatred of joy, Arrhizal." Alric allowed Arrhizal to struggle for a bit before sending in another emotional surge of quiet. It was tiring to use so many surges at once, but Alric's stamina had grown in the hypnotic arts. "Now, one last thing, Arrhizal. I want you to attend prayer at the temple once a week, and ask for forgiveness. This is very important, Arrhizal. Because you need the joys of mischief more than anyone. You know what it is like to lose them. Remember what it was like before your curse and latch onto that. Ask Ionu to forgive you, for whatever blasphemy you spewed. And give praise to Ionu. Do this, Arrhizal. You were in the wrong. Say it, Arrhizal. You were in the wrong." Arrhizal stiffened, not wanting to say it. But after a good solid minute, he relented. "I was in the wrong" Alric gave a large genuine smile. This was what he was born to do! Some people just weren't very good at directing their own lives. So it was fortuitous that Alric was! "Now, Arrhizal, when I leave this store, you will remember these commands, but not me. You will remember giving a potion of Rak'keli to a poor broken man. But that man's face will be a blur. This conversation will not be able to be recalled by your conscious effort. Understood?" To Alric's glee, the man nodded. Alric gave a laugh of triumph and grabbed the bottle. He had succeeded in getting a man who had cursed Ionu to visit the temple every week! How glorious. It was not Alric's place to forgive the man, or make him worship. Not when Ionu had scorned him. But perhaps Ionu wouldn't mind forgiving the repentant. It didn't truly matter if the man was coerced, did it? Alric didn't think so. After all, this was for the man's happiness, and he deserved to be happy. Everyone did, with life so short. The fact that Alric was forcing them to be happy, wasn't really all that important in the grand scheme of things. With one more chuckle, Alric downed a few drops of the potion and allowed his body to be restored before retreating, and allowing the cursed man his autonomy back.

[Elysium]

Alric Wilmot

XP:
Hypnotism +2
Rhetoric +3
Observation +1
Negotiation +1

Lore:
Alvadas: Arrhizal's Apothecary
Rhetoric: Changing Tactics
Negotiation: An Unsuccessful Haggle
Hypnotism: Bringing Absolution

Awards and Penalties: Alric receives one Potion of Rak'keli.

Notes: This was concise and played perfectly to your skill level. I couldn't award too much in the way of Hypnotism as Alric didn't necessarily do anything too challenging, but he was certainly clever about it, so I awarded some points elsewhere. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me!

and so, the journey continues...