Back On Track

[*Hydra]

The following days Kala continued to work hard despite the touch of the far realm on her soul. She tried managed the production of weapons and amulets, making sure to have at least fourteen of them, as her Factor had asked.

She then went on comparing the energies of the amulet she had crafted using the power of nature and the regular one, to see if she could use them as beacon. She also tried various experiments to see if it was possible to enhance the power of the sign by having multiple amulets present in the same location at the same time, if the power of the ward could spread like a weave.

In her free time, she took care of the two kids she had promised to help. Children weren't her strong point, she tried to remember how to deal with them, but her mind was almost empty regarding that issue. Finally decided to improvise, they weren't as different as small animals after all, they needed to be cared after, taught to not do this and that along with a bit of softness, perhaps her new animal companion could be of some use... The whole experience proved to be exhausting and strange, but it started to feel good after a while, and it was useful. She carefully followed the instructions of the old hag, trying to asses the impact of the sign, then she used the amulet empowered with the energy coming from Karastra.

[*Midnight]

The pair of girls named Alice Isobel, are a little more tricky to care for than an animal companion. They seem to possess a base cunning reserved for the most devious members of the animal kingdom. Whilst they are not malevolent they seem to enjoy being disruptive. Kala finds work is slow until they find a way of distracting themselves, in this case she finds them carefully taking a part a Mechanus crossbow that they loot from one of the foundery's workbenches. The skill they show at this does not seem normal for their age. Both respond well to the treatment, taking comfort in it where before they complained bitterly.

Her experiments would tell her that the amulets made in The Beastlands are stronger, and that by grouping a lot together she could not increase their power but she could greatly increase the area they covered.

[*Hydra]

Kala cursed the promise she made, another burden it was and she'll probably get emotionally attached and unable to let things go. For now she'll try to act like a distant mother, too busy with her work, so the kids had to move often, between her friend Sasha and more patient godsmen. Though the time she spended with the girl, she tried to understand and appraise the potential of small humans, she even started to find them amused and played with them.

But there were other matters at hand, one day she decided she had to get to the gatehouse and see...

[*Hydra]

While Kala was busy in the gatehouse with her plan, she continued to work on another project. A few days ago a Myconid named Wullie asked her to research if his spores could be "imbued" with the power of the sign, or simply used to fight the invader off, as he was a plant, and thus of natural origin. Kala wasn't a plant specialist and earthy things like mushrooms never caught her attention.

Now she had a sample, of a spore, she didn't knew exactly what it was able to do. She first carefully analysed its magical nature, trying to find if it could be actually imbued in some way, or perhaps the Myconid himself could be.

((Spellcraft roll : 4+42 = 46))

She then analysed the substance of the spore, trying to assess its proprieties with her rudimentary knowledge in alchemy.

((Alchemy roll : 8+9 = 17))

[*Selebius]

While the research on the Myconoids spores and body gave no usable results that would help in battling the invaders her time was not wasted, her knowledge about the creature's physiology growing greatly and perhaps she might even be able to reproduce the spore's effects through alchemical means.

As she works on another sample she almost misses the half elf that stands behind her silently, watching her work.

Soon he is gone again, too quickly to allow her to adress her factol.


**************************************************************

The battle at the Gatehouse won she returns to the Foundry once again, the ring of hammers and tools mixing with the voices of her fellow factioneers talking.

On her workplace she finds a simple letter, sealed with the Factol's mark.

Kala Ta'Kan,

your dedication to our work and yourself has not gone unnoticed. We all work within our own limitations, work with the tools we have but few succeed as well as you do. Many wonders have you forged but you also are aware that in the end it is yourself that is in the anvil, that it is your live that you forge to accept a greater destiny.

So I now call you a Factor among our ranks as I believe you are ready to accept and embrace the growing spark of divinity inside you.

Ambar Vergrove.

A freshly printed badge is in the same envelope as the letter, showing Kala's name as well as her new rank.

[*Hydra]

Kala took the badge, she had desired it for quite some time, but she never wanted to admit it. She told herself it was easier than she had expected. As soon as she took the badge, she felt the power, not the petty power to influence others, that was the burden, but rather the more immanent power coming from the source. She knew she had done a step forward, and crossed a line and that it was only the beginning of her journey, she just had new resources and powers now.

[*Hydra]

Of course things weren't over yet. The bleaker had asked for amulets containing both the sign and a lesser restoration spell to cure all the infected, and as always the Godsmen will provide it, the Far Realm tried to restrain or kill the potential of so many people, that wasn't acceptable at all.

Since the crisis was calming down, Kala took more time to care of the girls. She had taken notes of the development of the cure since the beginning and was again ready to share them for the "greater good" of the planes. She however knew that all she had would have a more practical results. She asked a few factotums to inquire the namers about what they've been hearing recently about the faction's popularity and asked the treasury if the recent commands of amulets and weapons had yielded substantial benefits.

[*Midnight]

When not engaged in acts of wanton mischief Kala would notice the two girls watch her as much as she watches them. They question her a lot almost to the point of irritation. From what she can tell they are cured, however from what they tell her the process is not pleasant to begin with. This might require patient to be confined to begin with ironically somewhere like The Gatehouse would be well suited to this.

The Believers, always a relatively popular Faction enjoy a boost in their influence. They will never have friends or allies amongst The Triad of Entropy but for now the opposition is less pronounced and for time being they can count those Factions they considered neutral as friends until Sigil's next political turn changes the landscape of The Hall of Speakers.

The sale of items and wards has proved profitable. The Factol, never a man to sit idle has already used the gold to begin the construction of a new forge to increase The Foundry's output.

[*Hydra]

As she was asked by the Bleakers Kala took some time to attempt to craft amulets both containing the sign and a spell of lesser restoration.

In her free time she spent more and more time with the girls, but she refrained to answer to many question keeping her sober and neutral demeanor that proved to be frustrating as well. One day though, she came back and seemed to have changed, she was suddenly a little emphatic and understanding and tried to show some signs of genuine affection towards them. Kala spent a whole evening with them acting more like a older sister or a mother rather than a dispassionate caretaker, telling them a bit about herself and her past adventures.