first quest § video

[therangerking]

[ The video comes on to show a... wall. It's a nice wall. One of the passenger room walls, pretty plain. Then Aragorn turns it around.

He's sitting at the edge of the bed and almost literally covered in blood. It's even more obvious because his shirt is gone - the top half of his jumpsuit is torn into pieces, and blood covers the left side of his chest. Half of the shredded rags from his jumpsuit are in his handss, and he's wrapping them slowly around his shoulder. That's where all the blood is coming from. It looks to be slowing down, though.

The other half is bound around the wrists and ankles of the man on the bed. Those who have met him when he first came would recognise Errol Partridge, dressed in his heavy Cleric's uniform. He's unconscious, but it's not an easy sleep - his head shifts from side to side, and half-formed words escape his lips.

Aragorn is entirely calm as he fixes his eyes on the camera. ]

I need athelas. In the Common Tongue of my world, it is named kingsfoil. It is a small shrub with dark green leaves and white flowers. The oxygen garden is too dangerous to enter right now, but if there are any who have a few leaves, I will be grateful.

[ He inclines his head towards the camera. ]

Thank you. [ He grabs hold of one of his makeshift bandages with his teeth and pulls it tight around his shoulder before he reaches out and switches off the video. ]

Comments

action;

[errolpartridge]

[ Restlessness turned into waking without warning, Errol starting out of his sleep into wide eyed wakefulness, every muscle tense. The effects of the poison were as strong now as they were before, but it took a few seconds for the fear to sink in fully.

Blood. There was blood everywhere. He'd witnessed enough massacres that it wasn't new, and yet all he could see were bodies. Bodies that he'd put there; bodies with vacant eyes, crashed against walls and bent out over furniture, twisted into shapes they would never take in life. ]

No!

action;

[therangerking]

[ Aragorn is turning around just as Errol wakes, and he immediately drops whatever he's doing. He reaches out and presses his hands against Errol's shoulders, slamming him onto the bed as Aragorn looms over him, filling his vision with his own visage.

His shoulder screams, but he does not address it. ]

You are safe, son of Libria. [ Quietly. It's a manner of reminder to himself, the address he uses. ] There is nothing to fight against here.

action;

[errolpartridge]

[ Errol is strong, and Aragorn has been weakened by his wound, but for a moment sheer panic overcomes him and there's no order to his resistance, so he's easy to overwhelm. ]

Can't you see them? Don't you see what I've done?

[ The panic fell into order the same way as it always did, and he resisted by driving his head straight up into Aragorn's wounded shoulder, as hard as he could from the low angle, with the hands on his shoulders. ]

action;

[therangerking]

[ Aragorn cries out sharply at the bright-blossoming pain, spots of red appearing in front of his eyes. Blood seeps even further through the cloth. But he was used to worse pain, worse bloodloss, and he blames this man not. There is poison in this man poison that he needs athelas to draw out of him, and Aragorn can only try to hold him down.

He raises his voice. ]

Heed my words, Errol! There is naught here but us. Calm yourself.

[ It is a healer's instinct, a healer's trick, but Aragorn starts to sing, trying to draw Errol's attention away from what he sees to Aragorn's own voice, quiet in song. He sings of the song that this man never fails to remind him of. ]

Through Rohan over fen and field where the long grass grows,
The West Wind comes walking, and about the walls it goes.
'What news from the West, O wandering wind, do you bring to me tonight?
Have you seen Boromir the Tall by moon or by starlight?'

video.

[ohhdeer]

[ the youth in the video feed is red-haired and antlered, gold eyes wide and stunned in his face. ] I-- [ for a few seconds, he looks as if he's not going to be able to continue, but then he takes a shaky breath. ] I think I can-- create it for you, but-- but is a plant really going to be enough?

voice forever.

[therangerking]

[ The replies come later- much later, when he's done wrestling Errol done again. ]

It is what I need. [ A pause. ]

How will you create it?

[ohhdeer]

Ah-- it's my-- I mean, I can-- do that. [ an uncomfortable twitch, gaze sliding away. ] Grow-- things. Plants. It would.. um. It would help if you could-- sketch it, maybe. And describe what it does pretty.. thoroughly.

[therangerking]

I can provide you a sketch, but not its workings, for that is unknown still.

[ i.e. nope not talking about Kings here. ]

[ohhdeer]

Oh, w-well.. I guess I can-- try based on the sketch, then. I can't-- I can't promise it'll be right, though.

[therangerking]

[ Gently: ]

I will be grateful for the effort.

video;

[faderbroderson]

[No one can mistake Godric for a young boy, though he appears as such. His mannerisms and his aura are much too old. It can be off-putting to some, but he is calm and polite.]

Is it the plant you require, or any balm that will aid in healing? I can access the oxygen garden without coming to harm, but what you seek may not grow there. I can also access the medical bay, and may be able to find something more helpful, if less familiar. [Like antibiotics and coagulants.]

voice forever.

[therangerking]

[ He notes it. ]

The plant itself. [ Kingsfoot. In the hands of the King, it gives strength, drives away the Black Breath, and drags the poisoned from the gates of death. In the hands of the King alone. ]

If it cannot be found, then linen bandages and ointment will be fine.

video

[faderbroderson]

Then I will endeavor to find it. Where are you located?

[ooc; Do you have other plans for this, or can Godric go hunt down some things in the medbay? I imagine kingsfoil doesn't actually grow in the gardens...?]

video

[therangerking]

[ A pause. Then Aragorn gives him his room number. It's 006 something, I forgot. ]

video --> action

[faderbroderson]

[Godric nods agreeably and signs off. It isn't too much longer after that there's a polite knock at the door.]

action

[therangerking]

[ He hears the knock immediately, but it takes a slightly longer time for him to be able to answer. Errol is unconscious again, and Aragorn's fingers ache for materials to heal with, so that he can release this man from his pain.

It is around five minutes before he opens the door, and he looks just a little bit more ragged than before- and he tips his head down a little to look at Godric. ]

Thank you. [ Barely a gust of air. ]

You have done a great boon for me.

Video

[alwaysagit]

I'm unfamiliar with that particular plant, but I can offer you essence of dittany, which has healing properties. [Magically enhanced healing properties, that is.]

voice eternally.

[therangerking]

[ ... He has never heard of dittany. Aragorn tips his head, the curiosity evident in his voice even though you can't see the motion. ]

What are its properties exactly?

[alwaysagit]

Essentially, it is a restorative, causing fresh skin to grow over a wound. What is the exact nature and extent of your injury?

[therangerking]

It was caused by a gun. [ Beat. ]

I would be deeply grateful.

[alwaysagit]

What of the bullet? Is it still inside the wound? [As he speaks, Snape opens his wardrobe and looks over an assortment of vials before selecting one.]

[voice]

[uncodlyawwesome]

[oh its that guy.]

Holy shit, wwhat the fuck happened to you?!

voice. LMAO ERIDAN.

[therangerking]

'Tis just a shallow wound. [ Sounding a little distracted. ]

voice. LOOK HE'S... CONCERNED I GUESS

[uncodlyawwesome]

Yeah, shalloww like a fuckin' underwwater faultline! Do you evven havve any blood in you any more?!

voice. ERIDAN WHY SO CUTE.

[therangerking]

I still speak, do I not?