RP:Kovl and Josleen, Unsupervised
Part of the Thy Kingdom Come Arc
Summary: Kovl delivers medical supplies donated by Healer’s Guild leader Sabrina to Hildegarde’s military camp. Josleen welcomes the relief, but knows that while this is helpful, the supplies aren’t enough, and the medics need special reagents native to Frostmaw. She worries that the lack of supply will destroy what is left of morale after the last attack. Kovl and Josleen hatch a plan to alleviate the pressure on Hildegarde’s army.
East Hall, Medical War
Hildegarde’s War Camp in the Xalious Mountain Range
Josleen suffered a bad blow to the back during the attack in Xalious a week ago. The camp moved here to be closer to the army’s target, and the exhausting number of wounded demanded a large hall to house the medical ward. The medics set up camp in the East Hall, and Josleen as their director takes up residence in the north-east corner with nothing but a rolling screen partition to give her some semblance of privacy. The partition has been rolled against a wall so that Josleen, her cot, and a medicinal sabinet are visible to the several dozen rows of cots and patients and nurses arranged across the hall. The bard’s posture is tense. Pain twists and puckers her lips as she haltingly brews the day’s batch of pain relievers. The stock in the open cabinet is low. The math in her ledger of supplies and patients is getting dire, even rationing as frugally as she already does. They won’t have the necessary supplies to care for the sick and wounded, a risk to annihilating the already low morale. She hasn’t worried Hildegarde with this yet; Josleen can troubleshoot this herself. She hopes Sabrina’s donation can buy them more time.
Kovl pats his satchel as he glides purposefully toward a mansion nestled in Xalious's mountain range. Much has happened since he was commissioned by Sabrina to deliver a long list of supplies to bring Josleen in Xalious. Kovl learned her camp was attacked and was promptly directed to their new location. The pixie worries for Josleen, and that worry adds to the speed behind his wings. Upon arrival, the mage mention's Josleen's name to the staffer who greets him. The human shows relief in his eyes as Kovl mentions his name, and he points the pixie to Josleen's cot. The worry for Josleen can be heard in Kovl's voice as he nears the partition. "Josleen?" After waiting a few seconds, the pixie decides that is enough time for her to make herself decent before he shoots into the opening to her 'room'. Kovl's figure stiffens as he sees Josleen gritting in pain as she mixes the painkilling herbs. "Jos?"
War has a way of making women forget their vanity. Josleen doesn’t bother to tidy her hair or straighten her rumpled apron, but simply turns around, stiffly and without twisting her back or neck, to face Kovl. Relief softens her stiff posture. She smiles wide. “Kovl. I’m so glad you caught up with us. How did it go with Sabrina?” She rolls her shoulder to work a kink out of her back. It’s getting better. This is what better looks like.
Kovl's emerald eyes study Josleen as she stiffly turns to face him in the door. "Sabrina is one of those people who you'd only bring to parties if you were lonely." Kovl lets a small smile cross his face. A good joke lightens the mood. It always lightens the mood. "Josleen, I heard you were attacked. Are you alright?"
Josleen laughs at Kovl’s description of Sabrina. She could use all the laughter she can get. Hildegarde and Kelovath have also made her laugh in recent days. War is more bearable with good company. “I don’t know her well.” She nods and runs a hand along the backside of her ribs. “I did. I was thrown, crashed into a cauldron. I’ll be alright. I was seen to immediately, have been blessed. I’m moving quicker now. In a few days, I should be back to my old self. Just hurts now to use my back muscles.” Such as when churning a pain relieving brew. “What did she say? About the supplies?”
Kovl is visibly relieved as Josleen explains that her condition is temporary and nothing too serious. "Good. I'm glad you're alright." The pixie pauses for a moment. "Sabrina sent an Arcane Steward to go collect herbs and potions and then acted like I cannot handle even that." The pixie shakes his head. He knows very well that Sabrina didn't trust him because of his 'sap' use. "I have the supplies. And now I'm to deliver a letter to a man named 'Eleenin'. At least that part will be more fun." Kovl smirks.
Josleen waves her hands like ‘show me’, in reference to the supplies. “Eleenin trained me, and Sabrina too I believe. I don’t know if he is still a free man in Frostmaw. The situation in Frostmaw is worse than I feared. Balgruuf, that the current usurper, and his ilk are turning to dirtier tactics. They’re more underhanded and their numbers larger than I first imagined. I worry you won’t find Eleenin, or even if he is free, he is likely in hiding. You may get caught asking around to find him. Or worse, what if he is allied with Balgruuf? Then he’ll give you nothing.” She shakes her head and glances towards the wounded. “There’s too many unknown variables to continue with that plan.” She pauses and looks back at the pixie. “Can I see the list?”
Kovl nods as Josleen explains the unknown variables with delivering a letter to Eleenin in this tumultuous time. "That's exactly why delivering his letter would be fun." The pixie begins to remove the medical supplies from his satchel and place them before Josleen. As each item is removed from his bag, they grow to their original size before plopping onto Josleen's cot. Then Kovl hands Josleen the list. Seven items including various potions and herbs are on the list in Eleenin's handwriting. "As you can see, I got them all." Kovl watches Josleen as he hands her the list, looking for any sign of excitement or relief on her face.
Josleen didn’t mention that Eleenin could be dead. She doesn’t even want to entertain that possibility. A patient near Josleen’s corner moans in pain, begging for more pain killer which they cannot give because the nurse are rationing their store. She eyes the supplies then reads the list and sighs with relief. “This will buy us another week. Thank Sven.” She turns over a few potions, appraises them, then sighs again, this time a bit more daunted. “This war will endure longer than a week. We need more supplies.” She pulls the partition in place to give herself and Kovl a bit more privacy. “The trouble is, the only place we can find more is in Frostmaw. And Eleenin didn’t label his jars or dried herbs or picked ingredients--none of it. Someone who knows what they’re looking at needs to go. I’ve been thinking...can you get me into Frostmaw?” This wouldn’t be their first time infiltrating frost giant enemy lines either. If anyone can get it done, she believes it is him.
Kovl sees the relief in Josleen's face, but the need for more herbs to sustain longer than a week is felt by Kovl. "Some of those herbs I gave you are not easy to come by and luckily my siblings had enough of the Frostmawian herbs stored in Enchantment. However, due to the border being closed, we don't have a lot more of them to go around. That being said, I'd happily escort you into Frostmaw. The company is appreciated." The pixie smiles. "It's not like it'd be difficult anyway. Just a fun challenge." Kovl knows he's understating the danger involved in this mission, but he is also confident. "Are you sure you are fine to travel?"
Josleen smiles wryly at Kovl’s declaration that this won’t be difficult. “I should be able to travel in a few days. This,” she nods at the cot, “will buy us some time.” A furtive glance scans the seams of the partition for eavesdroppers. Finding none, she whispers, “We can use the same trick we used when we rescued Collin Eliason some years ago. My disguise. I can be her again. We get in, stash the goods in your bag, then escape.”
Kovl nods again at Josleen's suggestion. The pixie matches Josleen's whisper, "I have a map telling me where Eleenin is supposed to be." The pixie pulls a map of Frostmaw from his bag and points at the mark indicating his location. "We can start there, and then if he's not found, we may at least have the supplies we need. I know I can slip past Frostmaw walls without much fuss by myself, so if we need to search for Eleenin, I can go back to Frostmaw when we bring the supplies back."
Josleen nods at the map and the location. It’s Eleenin’s clinic. She has worked there before. Kovl explains he’s willing to return to locate Eleenin should they need it and she smiles faintly. “If it comes to that I’d appreciate it. Eleenin is an important figure in my life.” An at times scary one, but most good mentors are. “Alright, the plan is you will make me appear to be a frost giantess. I will tell the guards I happened to be traveling during Balgruuf’s take over. I support him,” she purses her lips thinly, hating even the useful lie, “and want to join the cause. I’ll say I’m a shaman so that if they moved the supplies they’ll be likely to lead us to them too. I really don’t know what to expect once the guards let us in.” She crosses back to the cabinet and consults a calendar. “Shall we go in three days? Maybe four?”
Kovl asks, "Are you sure the Frost Giants are so gullible that they'll accept any foreign shaman in and bring them right the very supplies their enemy needs? Well, I'm sure I can poof up any proof that they require. I'll be thinking of possible scenarios that may occur." To answer Josleen, "We leave the instant you feel you can walk and move without much problem. And Jos, I know you have a lot of things going on, but I do want to say you've got an ally in me. The issue going on with Xalious and the necromancers... I have the Guild behind us now. That's all I can say, but at least you know the creature will be going down. It's one less stressor for you."
Josleen shrugs at Kovl’s concern. “That’s why you’ll give me big boobs.” She winks playfully. “Some improvisation will be required, of that I have no doubt. You’re quick. You’ll give me what I need, I trust you.” The pixie circles back to Xalious’s troubles and Josleen’s breath hitches. She tries to deal with stress by focusing on one thing at a time, ignoring what isn’t directly in front of her. The bard could really use a friend to shoulder some of the emotional burden, a partner. Kovl provides some of that and she smiles at him. “Thanks. I don’t know how you pulled that off, but I’m not surprised you could. What’s their plan?”
Kovl chuckles at Josleen's suggestion. "Yes, big boobs it is. And if they don't believe you, I'll make them bigger." The pixie smiles at Josleen's affirmation in him. What a contrast to Sabrina's total lack of faith in his abilities! "I can't tell you their plan, but know you have an ally. A pretty powerful ally at that. We'll not worry much about that now. Let's get you into Frostmaw first." The pixie prides himself in his ability to navigate Josleen's questions.
Josleen doesn’t push it with the Guild. There will be time for that later. “Sure. One thing at a time.” She walks to the edge of the partition and calls, “Eileen?” A nurse comes over and Josleen instructs her to start processing the supplies, doing what needs to be done. Once that’s handled she turns back to Kovl. “Will you be staying here until we head out?”
Kovl shakes his head. "No, I'll be staying at the tower while I wait for you to recover. It's not that far from here. I will be visiting you on my down time." Kovl smiles at the nurse and waits for her to leave. "I'll be sure the illusion is perfect for you. I've advanced since the last time you've seen me. Rather than me having to focus on upkeeping your disguise, it will be imbued on a piece of jewelry so I may concentrate my mental resources elsewhere while infiltrating. You'll see." Kovl smiles again.
Josleen’s brow lift, clearly impressed by Kovl’s advancement. “I remember when we rescued Eliason you needed Ezekiel,” a sentence jam-packed with exes, “to power, uh, what did Satoshi call it? An arcane reserve crystal of some sort? I remember it was fluorite. Well, you’ve come a long way since then.” She turns back to the medicine cabinet to continue her brewing. “Sounds like we have a plan. See you in a few days, Kovl. Take care. And thank you again, for everything.”
Kovl smiles at Josleen's praise and waves. "Get well, Josleen." The pixie leaves, making his way for the Mage's Tower feeling a lot better.