Arrival in Cyric

1st of Baldir 358

There was a giant window viewing out into a large archive with a big construct moving ladders around and organizing the archive. This place had the same sort of energy to it as the ruins we first met in. Tenebrous and Friend want to get out of here as soon as possible, and as do I. Something about this place gives me an eerie feeling. I looked around and saw something curled up in a ball in a pile of scrap, and different small things moving around such as a knife. I swear the table had been moved slightly and the armor has moved itself. Friend and I communicated this to the others, and Tenebrous approaches the sleeping figure. I followed behind him, peeking around him. There is a faint whirr sound and the clicks of gears. The figure stands up and stretches and coughs. Their entire lower body is made of porcelain and mechanical parts and they had long, flowing hair. As they stretched, I heard the porcelain setting into the metal. As I looked at them, I was able to tell they seemed confused, a bit groggy.

She tells us we are deep underground in her archive. Fathom seems concerned about her state, continuing to ask her questions about if she is okay and commenting on how she looks like she is about to collapse and coughing. She insists she is fine and then says her experiments have compromised her immune system and she only has had two hours of sleep. Fathom says it his not his business and she leads us through a hallway and through a door that opened itself. We arrived at a wide staircase, which she said will lead us above ground and to the city proper. Tenebrous thanks her for her hospitality and says that he hopes we won't bother her again. Fathom calls to her saying he never got her name, and she said that is true and continued walking, the sound of porcelain clacking against stone. As we walked up the staircase, Tenebrous told Fathom to not ask as many questions next time. I was quiet this whole time, my mind elsewhere. Both thinking about Åsmund and my feelings about his death but also... about Raleig. I think... I think I'll write her a letter.

A page is torn out

We arrived at the surface and as soon as I breathed in, I had a coughing fit. It seems the air quality has gotten worse since I was last here. It felt like my lungs were burning. I will never be used to the smell and quality of the air of cities this... industrialized. I am used to the clean air of home. Tenebrous offered me his gas mask, I think I look rather silly with it on but it makes breathing way more bearable. We asked around and we eventually made it to a place called "The Black Ink Gallery". Fathom made a sound inside, calling out for if anyone was inside. I heard a creak of wood and a click. A tall, rounded figure was in the dim light, pointing a gun towards the door. I stepped away from the door and Fathom materialized a painting of Hornet, saying we are their friends. They enter the light in full, opening the door and putting their gun to their side. They had shoulder length white hair, a fluffy white beard with a streak of black and two long bunny ears. He invites us in.

He tells us Hornet came here recently, about two days ago. Hornet came here to get a tattoo done. They got the tattoo but while they were catching up, an inky creature came out of the mark on their abdomen and made a mess of his shop and attacked him, afflicting him with something. He points out his fur on his back was dying and his veins are bulging and have a black color to them. I think I remember that creature. From the attack on the citadel, when I dragged Hornet out after we got paralyzed by fear.

His name is Quillen and he doesn't know where Hornet is. Tenebrous healed him but it seems like whatever he had spread to him. Healing seems to help though, as Quillen has been drinking potions to deal with it and it stops from permanent damage. I'll stick with Tenebrous until we can find a fix for this and heal him when it looks bad. Fathom suggests we split up. Quillen offered us use his home as a rendezvous point. Before I left with Tenebrous, Friend said that they had business in the city they have to deal with, so they will be focusing on that. Tenebrous suggested we look at bars and taverns first, as Hornet likes going to those for their card tricks. As I followed him, I looked around for a post office to send my letter to Raleig. I saw a box with a label of the post but I was unsure if it was for sending mail or not. I also noticed before we left we seemed to have lost Ferryman again. I ran to go catch up with Tenebrous.

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