Dubhaine Family/Moira/Roleplays/2008/May

May 12th - Krimml

Moira paced back and forth in her tent, once more listening to the torrent of abuse that her bondsman had spewed forth. Could any doubt, reading the threats of murder and claims of persecution that he must be one of those poor souls tormented by the Gods for some unknown slight or passing whim?

"What do you think Helion?"

"It's clearly the taint at work milady. In each of us there is a careful balance of humours, in lay terms the vital forces which regulate the body and give it life. Poisons work by disrupting this balance such that a single humour such as the black bile or the phlegm becomes ascendant and the connection between flesh and spirit weakened leading to death or severe disability."

"In the case of red shade it would appear that the elixir amplifies the effect of the bile leading to unpredictable changes in mood, such that at one moment the black bile dominates and there is irritability, at another the yellow bile and the afflicted is prone to violent and irrational outbursts."

"As if this were not bad enough - and do not worry Countess if details seem difficult to grasp, for this is a very subtle point of medicine - the phlegm is completely suppressed during one of these incidents. This leaves only the humour of blood in its natural condition, leading to a desperate longing for physical exertion as a soporific for the deeper hurts, and the artistic passions of the individual becoming completely predominant over the rational faculties."

"During these episodes it is essential that the patient be restrained from any kind of physical or mental exertion, which is why the City physicians prescribed that course of action. In the event of early treatment this alone would have been sufficient to rebalance the humours and with a course of emetics and bleeding to purge the taint. Now alas more radical treatment would be required."

The physician placed a folio of vellum on the trestle campaign table, opening it to a number of gruesome hand-drawn images of sufferers in various states of distress and the contraptions which could be used for rebalancing the competing biles.

"Well I cannot punish him for words of which he is not culpable," Moira lent forward to look at the images and read the accompanying text, written in an impenetrable hand and peppered with alchemical symbols. "Are you certain this treatment would work?"

"According to the learned Areoscarbus, a physician of considerable authority in this matter, trepanation and extended bleeding with leeches is the most effective treatment in severe cases. But even then perhaps one in three long-term victims will still experience minor relapses subsequently, although the violence is generally diminished."

"And of course if the affliction is as far advanced as these ravings suggest then there may not be much more time before the taint either becomes untreatable, leaving Sir Louis a danger to all," the physician turned serious eyes to meet hers.

"I know Helion, but until he presents himself to a physician for examination there is nothing that can be done. He has after all already once escaped from the most secure prison in Fontan, not to mention those of our enemies," and she sighed a deep sigh, pained that the protege of the noble Duke Aeneas should be so utterly undone by those who - for whatever reasons - had conspired against hi that night, long ago in Krimml.

May 13th - Krimml

The cool dark interior of the refectory was punctuated by multi-coloured light from magnificent stained glass windows, casting tales of Darton and the Balancewalkers across the tiled floor and heavy black dining table. Usually this was where the monks of the foundation would break bread together, sat in peaceful contemplation.

Today it served a rather different purpose, providing neutral ground in which Countess Moira Dubhaine of Oporto and her estranged vassal Sir Louis de la Fere would once and for all settle the question of his sanity. It had taken some effort on the Countess's part to ensure that this meeting would not be overheard, but nothing compared to that required to tempt the wily knight from his shadowy existence on the frontier.

Moira sat uncomfortably in one of the ornate wooden chairs provided by the abbot, flanked by her bodyguard Yfain. The giant reaver towered over her chair whilst her whilst Captain Heinman and her guards awaited within earshot. It did not pay to take security lightly with a man who had publicly threatened to knife her in her sleep, but she would not call upon them unless absolutely necessary.

To Moira's left sat her personal physician Helion, leafing through a folio of vellum parchments and scrutinising the faded labels of various coloured vials to ensure they matched the text contained within. By his side was a black leather case containing exquisitely tooled steel instruments and carefully packed glass containers, many with a mysterious purpose known only to those skilled in the medical arts.

"Do you have everything you need for the examination Helion?" Moira leaned towards him, resting her chin on her clenched fist.

"It would appear so milady. I've checked and double-checked the various reagents needed to draw the humours and I have the necessary instruments should treatment be necessary. All appear to be in good order," the physician reassembled the parchments into a neat stack.

"Then I hope that Sir Louis will not keep us waiting much longer. Arranging this meeting has proven both difficult and costly, the abbot having driven a tough bargain for the use of his refectory."

"I would have thought that the least of the difficulties Countess," Yfain's roguish voice sounded particularly out of place amongst the stately pillars and stone corbels.

"Admittedly Sir Louis was not keen to meet in person. He seems to have taken it into his mind that I am part of some conspiracy against him, and I wonder if he will turn up at all. I hope he will, for this matter must be resolved one way or the other."

"Well from what I recall of the tax office incident it's no surprise if he's wary: someone surely has it in for him."

"Doubtless Yfain, but we have to be certain that he is in his right mind before we can get to the heart of the matter."