Because Heroics Don't Have to Be Big and Loud and Dramatic

[drehnifusbahi]

Here's a face that hasn't been seen around the Nexus in quite some time - since the mass de-aging event, in fact. But that's long since passed, and the Dragonborn is back to his usual self, if a little more warmly dressed in deference to the autumn chill. (Armor without true sleeves is perfectly fine for Snow Elves, not so much for southborn Imperials.)

He's currently seated at a Convenient Nexus Table&trade, on which he's set up his alchemy equipment. There's a satchel full of ingredients on the bench-like seat beside him, which he dips into every now and again, grinding and blending and decanting in fluid, repetitive movements. He works steadily for a while, by all appearances absorbed in his task, churning out potions to cure disease, along with more general healing potions.

After a certain point, though, he sits back, idly rubbing feeling back into hands that are starting to cramp. "I can't promise they'll be entirely effective against diseases that aren't actually of Tamriel," he says, addressing the Plaza at large, "But I've potions of Healing and Cure Disease, for any who need them, and also a healing spell I could try."

[So, as stated, Van's brewed up some healing potions and is also willing to make with the Healing Hands for anyone who spoke to -or just got too close to- Rotund'jere. But it'd be a little boring if he could just fix it all in one go, right? So to make this a little more interesting, and avoid god-modding on my part, I figured we could let the RNG decide how effective his attempts are or aren't on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being 100% healed and 1 being a complete failure.]

Comments

[drehnifusbahi]

Praise the Eight! Which isn't a thought he's ever had about an approaching legionaire before (save Hadvar), but. Given the alternative...

The actual transaction being over, he sets the money pouch aside and slides the existing bottles toward Rotund'jere. "But it appears I have other business to attend to, at present," he finishes smoothly, and scoots down the bench so that he's no longer directly across from the monk.

"Good afternoon, Tribune." This is the point where Stratos might note that the Dragonborn seems... distinctly relieved to see him.

[auspex_caelo]

Relieved, hm? That's... not an unusual reaction, from fellow legionnaires or nobles hoping he'll take a problem off their hands. Stratos's eyebrows rise for a just a moment, but he smoothes his expression before he takes another glance at the robed... mage? High priest? Vanyel was serving previously.

"And to you. It's been a while since we last spoke; I'm glad to see you looking more yourself." Last time, after all, Stratos was rather shorter. "This is a new side-venture, I take it?"

[drehnifusbahi]

It's not so much taking a problem off his hands as it is giving him a graceful out from a terribly awkward situation. Either way, though, Vanyel is now in his debt.

"I could say the same to you." Vanyel recalls; so was he, though admittedly not to the same degree.

"Well, something like that. I couldn't help but notice that quite a few folk are suddenly taking sick, and since I have the means to do something about it..." He waves a hand at the equipment.

"The good monk there," he nods in the green-robed man's direction, "insisted on paying me for my work, but it wasn't precisely intended as a for-profit venture."

[auspex_caelo]

"Quite." Stratos smiles a moment. He does approve of those willing to take responsibility and act to help the people around them. Even (and especially) in smaller, less glorified ways. The means matters less to him than he claims.

Further comment is put on hold though, as he pauses at Vanyel's latter words. He gives a distinctly puzzled look after the departing... well. "Monk? Are you sure?"

That's a... very ostentatious monk.

[drehnifusbahi]

"So he said," Vanyel replies, momentarily distracted by the need to search through his ingredients - he's not at all sure Rotund'jere intends to hand out the potions as he said, so the sooner he can replace some of what he sold, the better. "Though I've never seen a priest or monk so well off in my life."

Mudcrab chitin and vampire dust retrieved, he sets about preparing them - though in truth, there's not much that needs to be done to the dust. "He called himself Rotund'jere the Necrophos, and evidently he's a new arrival," he continues in the same conversational tone as before.

It's also worth noting he seems to have relaxed considerably with the man's departure.

[auspex_caelo]

"Would that I could say the same," he notes quietly, mouth twitching in a little grimace. Not that every well-provided-for priest or priestess he's met got that way illicitly, or even by breaking their own tenets. But that level of wealth certainly hints at some power and connections that, in the tribune's particular experience, say nothing good.

There's also the sharp look he gives Vanyel at that title. Looks like he likes the sound of that no better than the Dragonborn does.

"Interesting name. He certainly leaves an impression," he says, then - and he doesn't look like he's teasing, "Was he a pleasant customer?"

[drehnifusbahi]

That's not so surprising; Vanyel's travels haven't brought him into direct contact with many rich folk, save for some of the Jarls of Skyrim. The only priests and priestesses he'd met up until now were either outright poor (his own mother and aunts, Erandur) or comfortable at best (Danica Pure-Spring, the Dibellan priestesses in Markarth).

The sharp look is met with a level one from Vanyel. he's fought more than enough necromancers to be well aware what nasty characters they can be; he mislikes the idea of one setting up shop here, of all places.

His mouth draws into a thin line at the question and his gaze drops down to the remains of the chitin, half-mashed into paste. "A bit too pleasant, if anything."

Not that he minded other men flirting with him, or hadn't done his fair share himself. But there was something deeply unsettling about that particular man.

[auspex_caelo]

For his part, dealing with magical threats is Stratos' primary responsibility... and this isn't Skyrim, but it's literally on the doorstep. If a dangerous mage wants to settle down here, the tribune may not be able to actually drive him off. He's going to have to step up his efforts to keep an eye on the place... and figure out what influence he can exert.

"I see." No more polite little evasions. When someone brings a concern to him - deliberately asking for help or not - he takes it seriously. "Perhaps we should keep an eye on him. I would be interested in hearing of it, should you have any more encounters with the man." He can hardly order Vanyel to report anything; it's more of a quiet invitation, to speak with him if the Dragonborn finds any more cause for concern.

Besides, even if the 'Necrophos' isn't up to anything shady at all, Stratos needs to start keeping better track of significant persons in the Nexus. Which includes Vanyel himself, for that matter.

[drehnifusbahi]

It's not necessarily the Nexus he's most concerned for, if the Necrophos is anything like that title makes him suspect; there's a limit to the trouble the monk could cause here. But are also countless unguarded portals to worlds where he could potentially roam unchecked, and it's mainly due to the efforts of the Caelus brothers that the route to Tamriel isn't one of them.

Which is why, when that quiet invitation is issued, he looks up at Stratos again, hands stilling. "He... I think he was making me ill, or trying, the entire time we spoke."

He doesn't know it for sure, of course, but he didn't fell the slightest bit ill before encountering the mysterious monk. And there was the matter of the potion, too; it had been made correctly, he would lay money on that, so why hadn't it worked as it should have?

[auspex_caelo]

That has the tribune's eyebrows aiming at the skies. He's not going to doubt Vanyel directly, but... he wishes he could be more skeptical.

"That's no minor concern, Stendarr knows. The last thing we need is some new Thrassian plague... How do you feel now?"

[drehnifusbahi]

Vanyel can hardly blame him; he's not sure he'd believe it either, if it hadn't just happened to him.

"Better. I drank one of the potions - how better to test its efficacy?"

Though he's still not entirely right; there's still a tightness in his chest and a soreness in his throat, but it's nothing life-threatening. Once he gets to a decent stopping point, he'll cast a quick healing spell on himself.

[auspex_caelo]

Stratos nods, eyes flicking over Vanyel's work-in-progress with an experienced eye. "It's some comfort that we have the means to foil his power. Nevertheless, I would advise you continue taking precautions - some sicknesses have a way of recurring. I may be interested in knowing precisely what type of danger it poses, but I have no desire to see it run its course. In the meantime, should you run short of supplies... we seem to have a curious abundance of vampire dust in stores lately."

[drehnifusbahi]

"I may have to take you up on that, then. The other ingredients I have plenty of; vampire dust, not so much." It's almost as if the vampires decided that the man who took down Harkon in single combat is probably not someone they want to mess with, thus denying him chances to collect any. "And I don't doubt we'll be in need of healing potions and spells for at least a little while yet, considering the sicknesses that seem to be going around."

And there's also the little fact that the outbreak seems to have coincided with the arrival of a man who can make others sick by his very presence. Could be a coincidence, but he rather doubts it.

[auspex_caelo]

Stratos's people, on the other hand, have all too many of the blood-drinking fiends willing to try and make a meal of them. Word might get around if they keep winning those encounters, but it's hard to imagine they'll ever seem like a tougher target than Harkon's slayer.

Of course, Stratos being ignorant of all that, the tribune simply puts it down to 'the Dragonborn has larger and scalier problems to focus on'.

"I fear you're all too correct in that. I'll return in a while and see how you've fared - assuming no-one with a greater need appears in the meantime, I'll request a few phials to distribute among any residents who've taken ill."

[drehnifusbahi]

He isn't entirely wrong; the cultists who arrived from Solstheim not long ago with orders to kill him might well be the first signs of a much bigger problem brewing, one entirely separate from the vampires, or the Dragon Crisis, or even the war.

(Not that he knows that for sure, but given that both the vampire and dragon situations started out seeming at least a little less dire than they turned out to really be...)

"And you'll be welcome to them," he replies solemnly. "If not for the risk of illness, I might even suggest you talk to our friend the monk - he said he intended to distribute the ones he bought to those in need."

And if he was being at all honest about that, he'd probably not be averse to the good tribune helping him out with that. Keyword: if.