Closed I got bit!

[Marone]

8th Fall 514 AV

The bounty has been out for a few days now. With a 100 GM for every live Dhani captured it was the topic which got many people interested Marone included. The man knew that a person can't have enough money in Sunberth and 100 GM meant he could work a little bit less but there were just a few problems.

Marone doubted he could even catch a Dhani dead which would've solve a few of the problems he thought of and provide him with raw materials for his malediction. Having to capture them alive was just going to make things harder. He could try and trick one into being captured but Marone knew he wouldn't feel right doing that. It was better to go straight at it if possible.

Concluding that it would be near impossible to capture a Dhani at this point in time Marone decided he could do the next best thing and stick to his strengths. With the proper item for the proper buyer he could help someone else do the job instead and get paid doing it. Maledicted items were fickle but when successful is one of the best prizes a person could get. Now Marone's problems were limited to the sort of item he was going to make.

He could try to make a weapon suitable for hunting the Dhani but anyone that needed help in capturing a Dhani would already have a weapon suitable for the hunt and being forced to depend on another might be trouble for them. This narrowed the scope of Marone's problems even more. By the time Marone figured everything out about the nature of the maledicted item he was going to create and how he was going to create it he decided he would stick with a simple charm that would either lure the Dhani to its owner or help the owner identify the Dhani.

This item was going to take a lot of trial and error but sooner or later Marone believes he will get it right.

His first stop was a place he could get animals. His crafting always required those and he always had to go to a different source to avert suspicion. This man was no stranger to him and asked the usual questions begins with.

"What do you need this time?"

"A snake."

"Everyone's been looking for snakes since the bounty started. It won't work my friend."

"The bounty?" Marone asked feigning ignorance. "I don't know about any bounty. All I wanted was a pet. It gets lonely you know."

Eventhough the man didn't believe Marone he explained a little bit with Marone asking a few questions especially on how getting a snake won't work and how they could tell the difference between the Dhani and a normal snake to keep the ruse going. Eventually after the explanation was over he asked Marone "do you want a poisonous snake or a harmless one?"

Astounded Marone asked "why would I want a poisonous snake if I want to keep it as a pet?" the tone he used would be distinguishable enough for the man to know Marone was honest this time.

"They all say they want pets but all they want poison for... things. So a normal snake then sir?" he asked once more.

While he didn't want poisons Marone's intentions were just as sinister given the nature of malediction. Unable to keep up the ruse but still refusing to yield and allow his intents to be known his eyes fell to the ground as he answered "Yes. One of the harmless ones. And give me a rat too to feed it."

The request for the rat was a strange one since they were all over Sunberth but the man nodded and started to bring out the animals Marone wanted and told him the price. Marone did not agree.

"That's too expensive! How about that one?" he asked pointing to a smaller one.

The man shook his head saying "just because its smaller doesn't mean its cheaper. See the colour? Its poisonous which means its more expensive." He pointed to another snake which is even larger compared to the one shown to Marone. "This one is even more cheaper but I wouldn't recommend it bec-"

Marone cut him off saying "I'll take it" because he knew a bigger snake would mean a more accurate item from him. "And give me a bigger rat to feed him to" he said not concerning himself with the price. The rat was the animal he was after if anyone knew what he was up to.

As soon as he returned Marone got to work in coaxing the snake to eat the rat. Aggravating it and trying to lure the snake towards him Marone was moving around his workplace with the rat. This went on for a few minutes until Marone hid the rat for the snake to find on its own and once the snake got to devouring it the maledictor took up his knife.

Too busy with its meal the snake seemed to ignore Marone but he didn't want to take the chance. Marone slowly rounded around the snake quietly to keep the snake's attention off him. He even hid from cover to cover with the various furniture in his workplace as he slowly made his was. A minute later he was facing the snake's back without any changes. That was when he decided to strike.

Marone should've listened to what the man was about to say because even without poison a constrictor wasn't any less dangerous. At first he had the upper hand when he wrestled the snake to the ground. Its head was brutally smashed on the ground when Marone exerted his strength on its head and prepared his knife to follow. However he was not prepared for the slippery snake to slip out of his grasp and bound on him.

If it wasn't for his weapon it would have been the end for Marone.

It took a few tries in that dangerous state of the snake trying to strangle him but Marone finally got a firm hold on it after slipping or missing. Using what strength he could muster he pulled the snake free and threw it violently away. Recovering just enough to get back on his feet Marone held up his knife with much enthusiasm and attacked.

Stab. Stab. He missed.

Another quick exchange with the snake and Marone finally had the upper hand with the snake leaving itself wide open after another of its attack. Without much thought Marone brought his knife down and sliced at the snake's head. An outcome he wished to avoid because he'd rather have the item whole but necessary in hindsight.

The only thing Marone experienced after that was a still racing heart and a burning sensation at his throat where the snake tried to get at him. However trying to put down the knife he found his hand was still latched on hard to it despite him trying to put it down. That was when he saw the puncture marks on it. This was all just because of the heated fight he had but he misunderstood.

"Damn it! He tricked me!" he exclaimed before running out in search of a doctor to help him with what he believed was poison.

[Kechaiya]

Kechaiya was sitting upon a crate, looking out over Baroque Bay, as she tore into her loaf of bread voraciously. She was humming a little ditty her parent, kicking the heels of her boots off the wood, attempting to keep with her rhythm. She had already done her rounds by the orphanages, and was considering taking the day off from fixing people up. She'd heard a lot of people talking of water breathing people showing up here and giving out treasures. What a load of nonsense. No one gave away treasure for free, except in tall tales. Then this morning someone put out a king's ransom for the capture of these supposed water breathers. She had no intention in participating in such a snipe hunt, but she thought it might be entertaining to watch others do it. And that is what brought her to the docks. Ebony eyes watched as fool after fool jumped in the waters, trying to find these people, or get lucky and find treasure that they may have dropped. The most humorous of them were the ones that couldn't swim. Kechaiya most certainly couldn't swim, but was also smart enough to not leap into the sea. None had drowned yet, nor did they have any luck at finding what they sought. A pair had pulled themselves out a while back and were now talking about these people. One of them had flaming red hair and a nose that appeared to have been broken more often than not. "One-eyed Billy says theys called the Ivyess. He says theys the ghosts of pirates." The darker beanpole of a man shook his head, "No way, I hear those lunatics in Zeltiva forced Dhani and Charodae," he spit in disgust at the mention of these races, "to petch each other, and these are there offspring. And that they are spies for those bookpetchers." Kechaiya chuckled to herself, now biting into her cheese. She'd heard other whispers of the name Ivyess, so perhaps that was the only truth among these rumors. It mattered not to her, it would all be revealed one way or another. She wouldn't mind patching one up though, just to see what they were up close. She heard a commotion from behind her, and she looked back, and saw some fool rush out of an alley and he looked to be in a lot of pain and panic. She ripped off another hunk of bread, deciding this would be her new entertainment for now.

[Marone]

Secret :

Actually I wouldn't say he ran out of a store. More like an entryway from the underground tunnels although it might look like he was coming from a store. I'll try to roll with it. See if this works.

It took him a few minutes before Marone got out of the building. There was no poison true but Marone thought there was and the mind is a funny thing. As he was running through the room he felt dizzy and the room started spinning. He ran into the wall, stumbled over a chair, was blocked by a table and nearly tripped over himself but he made it. He was out into the underground.

The dark and cramped place he was in was not helping. Marone felt like he was suffocating as he struggled to loosen his collar from his throat. In a stupor he threw his arms around in front of him to make sure he didn't run into anything again. There wasn't anyone to worry about hitting down here and Marone would be happier if there was. Either way he would be dead but if he was lucky someone would figure out he was poisoned and take him to a doctor instead of waiting to loot his corpse for whatever meager belongings he had on him.

A thousand curses with his dying breath will be hurled their way if they decided to watch him die instead of getting him help but that was not unexpected in Sunberth.

Marone was sweating by the time he left the tunnels and reached the surface. The amount of energy he used for the panicked motions of his arms and legs to run in relative safety would've been a clue that he wasn't poisoned but Marone didn't have time to think. Instead he took the increased sweat as signs the poison was getting worse and his lack of breath an aggravated symptom. Time was running out on him.

Like a madman he ran from person to person. The only words mentioned "Help. Poison." before he moved on to the next after he was ignored or pointed to some random direction which Marone followed. By the time he reached the familiar sight of the Baroque Bay his legs were tired but the Bay had everything a person might want like the snake which bit him. Maybe the antidote could be found here.

But after looking around the store which sold him the snake was not at the spot he found it the previous day. Marone ran into the store nearest to it and quickly asked about where it was but with no proper answer he dashed out of the store again becoming increasingly worried. Would he be able to find another animal store selling snakes he could get an antidote from? He could but Marone wasn't going to risk it. He couldn't even ask for a doctor properly earlier and he doubted he could describe what the snake looked like now.

"Snake. Poison. Bit. Help. Doctor."

Pretty much the only words he could be heard saying properly most of the time as he followed his old method. Running from person to person and bursting out the words before going on to another until someone finally is able to give him the help he needs or he exhausts himself.

[Kechaiya]

She watched as the crazy man ran from person to person, saying what looked to be the same thing over and over again. Kechaiya couldn't quite make out the words, but found the varying reactions from the people he asked amusing. No one would help him, what could be so bad that he was in such a panic. He looked healthy, he had no knives sticking out of his gut, no armed men chasing him, and he was walking way too well to be drunk. She finished her food, beginning to grow bored with this lunatic. Unfortunately, the man ran up to her. She watched nonchalantly, as he pleaded for help, claiming he'd been bit by a poisonous snake. Kechaiya immediately doubted his claims, and even if it was venomous, it probably wasn't that deadly. He'd been running around for a long time, keeping his heart rate high, which would've spread the venom throughout his body. Odds are he'd be dead by now. He just looked sweaty from panic and running around. Kechaiya stuck out her hand, "I doctor, can heal snake bite. But pay first, two golds. No pay, go die in a hole." She thought about what was in her pack that could help. She had a little acson left, that would induce vomiting, usually used for animal and ingested poisons. She was out of the delaviv wine that flushed poisons from the body. She did have some jile berries that would clear up the venom pretty quick. If he paid her, she would treat him regardless, as well as entertain herself. Otherwise she would find something else to do. Maybe restock some of her herbs.

[Marone]

A doctor. Finally. Marone was able to rest and had his hands holding himself up by the knees while he tried to catch his breath. He took a few deep breaths as he tried to process what the doctor said. Her accent was horrible and her words pretty broken up but now that Marone has the time to rest after his mad rush he was able to better process the things that he experienced.

I doctor. Just the words he wanted to hear.

Can heal snake bite. That was even better because that was exactly what Marone needed.

Pay first. Two gold. That sounded reasonable enough considering how desperate he was. Of course had he more time to think he would have insisted on paying after. Marone couldn't be sure of the woman's claims or if she could heal him at all.

No pay go die in a hole. The words were a bit cold but that was the way in Sunberth and Marone was no stranger to it. After he had his chance to compose himself Marone nodded and started rummaging through his pockets to fish out the money he was forced to pay under duress.

A few seconds later and Marone was still trying to look through his clothes for the coins and being unable to find any since he wasn't prepared with any money when he rushed out of the house he started to panic again. His breathing obviously quickening again Marone was praying to any gods that would listen to him that there might be some coins left in his clothes.

And as it was because of his earlier fight with the snake his clothes started to get patches of red where his hands left them because of the blood it had from its killing. It took a little while longer but finally Marone found something. Something which he just only used recently.

The bloodied knife which he used to kill the snake.

Being a weaponsmith Marone was quite familiar with the price of a knife. A new one would cost exactly two gold. Marone's was not exactly new but the knife should fetch the same price for the correct buyer. Marone started waving the knife excitedly at the doctor at his stroke of luck. The explanation only came a few seconds later.

"I don't have any gold on me for you. I'm not lying. I'm not! But I have this. I'm a smith and I know that a dagger is worth exactly two gold. Take it if you want. If not take it as payment until I can bring you the actual money. Take it!"

Of course waving a weapon around like a madman would make Marone's attempts of persuasion seem more like violent demands but Marone wasn't thinking too well with death looming over him as the poison he believed was in him was counting down.

[Kechaiya]

Kechaiya watched, a bit amused as this fool's hands scrambled over his person looking for coin. What self respecting Sunberthian didn't know where their coin was at all times? She probably should've told him to calm down, since a panicked heart just spread the poison faster. There was a light smirk on her face, thinking it might be better if this guy just passed out, let her find the coin on his person, then treat him. Would probably be quicker.

Then he pulled out his knife and began waving it around like a crazy person. On instinct, she'd grabbed at hers, fumbling a bit but had it out in front of her, clasped in her right hand. She was not about to die by getting stabbed by some crazy fool. She had too many things left to do. Her eyes caught the blood on it, and she immediately assumed he'd killed, and recently. Her first thought was he'd gotten in a fight with a Dhani or something, and had been bit. She didn't know much about poison, or the different types of Dhani, but if that was the case, then he was truly a fool. Probably another idiot treasure hunter.

Then he settled down a bit, and was now offering this dagger as payment. She rarely bartered, but wasn't totally against the idea. She didn't really need another dagger, but supposed it couldn't hurt. And apparently this man was a smith. But again, she didn't have much need for one of those either. But it wasn't a terrible trade, considering it took very little effort on her part. "Is good deal. Give dagger. Slow." Her spare hand was stuck out, and upon receiving payment, would set the new dagger next to her, keeping a wary eye on her patient. Reaching into her pack, she dug into her pack, and pulled out two pouches. The first was acson leaves. She had to put on her glove to handle these, for they were poisonous under normal circumstances, but had the benefit of inducing vomiting. She plucked a single leaf out, and handed the man a waterskin, "Open mouth, swallow leaf, use water. Then turn that way," pointing over his shoulder. She had no interest in being vomited on, and was prepared to drop it in his maw whenever he accepted it.

[Marone]

A dagger was a pretty good deal to get healed and Marone was relieved to hear the doctor accepted the deal and completely ignored the fact she held a dagger out to him. As far as he was concerned even the dagger would have made a good cure. Weapons? That was Marone's thing. Poison? That was a coward's tool. He was in no hurry to die where suffering was involved it would've been a better thing.

But Marone knew if he didn't throw in with a gang like the Sun's Birth his life in Sunberth would be nothing but suffering. That was how life in Sunberth is defined. Suffering. Not unless a person had the power to do what they wanted. To take what they wanted.

And Marone didn't have the power to do anything of the sort which was why he had to overlook threats to him like this. The doctor had all the power now.

Marone knew how to handle weapons after working with them so much. The dagger spun in his hand and he held it in between his fingers by the edge and pressed the hilt right into the woman's free hand. Once he was sure she had it in her hands he rushed the doctor to cure him. It was the only important thing. The only thing that mattered to him.

"You got your pay now give it. Give me the cure before it gets me. Hurry."

Because she wasn't too clear with her instructions and Marone was too impatient to make sure he quickly made a grab for the leaf in her hands and dumped it into his mouth followed by the water after he has chewed on it a little. Mixed with water the combination in his mouth was like paste. Paste of which Marone has never had to eat ever since he had joined the Sun's Birth with all its good food.

He didn't like the taste of it one bit. No one would. It was absolutely disgusting. Saying it was like the swill he was forced to eat before would be complimenting it.

Only a part of it went through the throat before the rest of it was spat out in an explosion of dark colours. That wasn't all of it much to Marone's chagrin. Likely because of the taste of the leaf Marone vomited the contents of his stomach like the doctor knew he would. A warning of it would be appreciated but none was provided. He will remember this the next time he needed a doctor.

Those people nearby that were a part of Marone's panic induced search for a doctor laughed when they saw what the madman did next. Some who didn't laughed all the same at his misfortune. Marone's eyes showed his bitterness towards his experience and the person which induced it but he sucked it up because he had to make sure.

In between trying to get rid of the taste in his tongue with the remains of the waterskin he asked "are you sure the poison is gone now or do I have to do something else?" The tone in his voice implied he was expecting something just as bad to add to his humiliation.

[Kechaiya]

Kechaiya inwardly groaned as the foolish man grabbed the leaf with his bare hands. That was his own fault, and in a few bells he would have a lovely rash on his fingers and hand. And she was not going to warn him of this. Perhaps he would learn to listen. Thankfully it wouldn't do anything to the interior of his mouth. And she waited. Watched his face go through a variety of unpleasant expressions. And waited, knowing what would happen. He had spewed his guts all over the ground in glorious fashion, attracting the ridicule and ire of those around him.

But his treatment wasn't done yet, as he practically begged her with his question for it to be over. A little vomit was nothing, especially for a proper Sunberthian man. Well, the panicking act earlier coupled with this just proved to her that he was another weak willed person that would likely die in Sunberth. But she'd been paid, and would finish her treatment. Turning her glove inside out before removing it, she set it aside, knowing it would need washed before she used it again. She grabbed her pouch of Jile berries, and plucked out exactly five of them. Offering them to the man, "Eat this. No make vomit. Work as antidote. Piss might be different color, is normal. Where snake bite at? Want clean and treat?"

She had considered tacking on another price for this service, but he'd already proven to have nothing else of value. Besides, the effort she put in was minimal. "You live. Next time bite by snake, no run. Run make poison kill faster." Grabbing the dagger she'd received as payment, she wiped it clean with a rag from her kit, then stowed it away in her pack. Then she realized that he would've had to have been in town when bit, if it were venomous, or else he'd be dead by now. "Where get bite in town? Snakes no like town."

[Marone]

There always had to be something more. Always. Because in Sunberth there is never enough even if it was a bad thing.

Marone eyed the berries with suspicion as if they were even worse than the poison plaguing him but there was no reason for this doctor to poison him now that he has established he had nothing on him. Unless she was one of those serial killers. In fact he was still unsure if she was even administering the same cure. She didn't even ask about the snake but immediately started giving him stuff. Stuff which became a bad experience for him.

At least she warned him about the berries this time. If it was just coloured piss it would be something that Marone could live with.

He was distrustful towards the doctor after the lack of a warning about the leaf and begun to scrutinize everything she said and did. However because the leaf only made him vomit after he ate it and did nothing to his hands yet Marone just assumed her taking off her gloves was just some sort of medical habit he had no knowledge of and completely ignored it instead of concluding it was to protect herself. Either way he had no choice with the berries and popped them in one by one accompanied by a gulp of water just in case he ended up vomiting again.

However everything which happened today made Marone become more stingy with trust but he showed his hand anyway because cleaning and treated it sounded good. Might as well make the most of his payment and including the humiliating treatment he got, the advice about not running after getting bit was worth it if he remembers it the next time he ends up in a panic.

But being bitter about the entire ordeal he instead asked "so either I try to find help quickly and hope I get it before the poison kills me or I just sit around and die. How wonderful." There could be a more better solution for it but Marone wasn't in the mood to think more about it.

Marone couldn't tell everything about the snake either because it would mean hinting about what he did. Deciding to omit everything about his work and what the snake was for he instead decided to talk about that unscrupulous merchant which misrepresented his product. On the bright side he might be able to convince the doctor to come with him to get a refund since the snake turned out to be poisonous and the snake cost a lot more than his dagger.

Which shouldn't be too hard because they were now in the Bay where he bought the snake and rat from.

"Bought the snake here in the Bay. Took it home and tried to feed it when it went crazy. Had to kill it but noticed I got bit. That bastard" Marone said angrily before a short pause. "He told me it wasn't poisonous. Assured me after I tried to confirm. When I find him, I better be getting my money back. At least the treatment you had to give me is proof that it was poisonous."

[Kechaiya]

Kechaiya cocked an eyebrow at the full as he was clearing giving her sass. This wasn't unusual for a Sunberthian man, but he wasn't intimidating in the least bit like other, normal men. But his sass was indeed another business opportunity, "Or you find two gold, I give berries. No panic." Kechaiya left it open ended, for she always had Jile berries, it was one of the most common staples in her kits and she went out of her way to keep it stocked. She took one look at the snake bit hand and chuckled, "No need waste supply. Heal on own."

Then he went on to explain how he got bit, and she realized just how foolish this man was. First he'd bought a snake and probably knew nothing about handling it, which is why he got bit. Then he wasted a perfectly good snake by killing it. That was just a sleight against Caiyha if anything. And that he thought that he could get his money back in the town of Sunberth nearly put her in a fit of giggles. He was more likely to get punched in the teeth than see his mizas again. Finally, her treatment was in no way, shape, or form proof that he'd been poisoned. The leaf still would cause him to vomit, the berries would still change the color of his piss, regardless of poison or not.

But at least he was entertaining. Like the idiot jesters her former slave master occasionally made out of some of them. And Kechaiya enjoyed a good laugh now and then. "You right. Should get miza back. Is bad business. I come with." He hadn't taken her offer to fix the tiny holes where the snake bit, though in all honesty he really wouldn't need it. And if he did, by some miracle, get his money back, he could buy some Jile berries from her as an emergency antidote. Either way Kech would be pleased. She gathered up her belongings, and slung her pack over her shoulder. "Is no right. He thief. Get money back." She was ready to follow him all the way to the sight of either his beat down or her business endeavor.