Barnacle Removal

(Please be gentle guys, posting logs gives me great anxiety.)
((Thank you to the mob-possessing person, you were wonderful))

Backstory:
Mariena had been part of Lord Slyphe's order before moving north and becoming Sciomancer once more. The last vestiges of her time with the Maelstrom were a set of barnacles attached to her shoulder, numbering around ten in total, they were attached to the bone.

Mariena had joined the Malevolent's congregation in search of help in the removal (among other reasons but that was a big reason). Many offerings had happened. Many hunts, and let's face it, a lot of dying because I am the suck when it comes to anything combat/hunting.

Setup:

(Tells): Draden "the Mauler" Jibbs tells you, "Hey newbie."

(Tells): Draden "the Mauler" Jibbs tells you, "Heard you had a problem you couldn't rightly fix
yourself."

You tell Draden "the Mauler" Jibbs, "Oh?"

You tell Draden "the Mauler" Jibbs, "Aye, I do as a matter of fact."

(Tells): Draden "the Mauler" Jibbs tells you, "Got an associate who might be able to fix you up."

You tell Draden "the Mauler" Jibbs, "I am very interested. What do I need to do?"


(Tells): Draden "the Mauler" Jibbs tells you, "Ever visited the Lair?"

You tell Draden "the Mauler" Jibbs, "I've not been, though I've heard of it from Nenelos."

(Tells): Draden "the Mauler" Jibbs tells you, "No better time to acquaint yourself."

--move move move. Greet Draden, learn how to get into the Lair, die once, meet Alathesia, finally get in --

The Meat of the Story:

(Tells): Jarva Ruek tells you, "I presume you're the one with the problem?"

A phospherescent lounge (49794) - the Lair (Unmapped)

The warm tunnel terminates into a small chamber, dug out from the soft earth to resemble a womb in shape and form. The center of the chamber has been cleared away to make room for a large, circular seating area of curious construction. In the center of the ring of seats is a low to
the ground table, seemingly constructed from the earthy chamber itself. The entire area is
awash with a phosphorescent glow, due to the presence of hundreds of tiny bright glow-worms
slowly inching their way over the ceiling and walls. A small earthen table sits within the
center of the seating area. Jarva Ruek is here. A circular seating area occupies the center of
the room. A tray of unfinished volcanic glass hovers off of the ground, its base vanishing into
a fog of shadow. Dripping black ichor, a heaping skeleton of bone creates a construct from the
earth here. There are 2 wrought-iron drink carts here. A small sign indicates that LIBRARY
CATALOG will list the materials in this library.

Mariena steps into the library, eyes casting around. They alight on Jarva Ruek and she raises a hand in greeting.

Jarva Ruek pushes off his perch against the wall, walking over to observe you without preamble.
"Did a real number on you, didn't He?" he remarks without emotion, eyes trailing the path of
barnacles.

A cluster of barnacles has attached to the skin and bone of Mariena's shoulder, then multiplied
in number. They cover the upper shoulder, though do not grow close to the neck, numbering
roughly ten in total. Most are fairly large, though a few are smaller, and all grow in a fairly
tight grouping. They have taken on some of the pigment of Mariena's skin but also carry hues of blue, purple, and even orange - almost having a coral-like appearance.
It can be worn in the following locations:
head arm forearm
wrist shoulder face
It weighs 1 ounce(s).

Mariena nods and shrugs off the robe to better show them, about ten in total. "They're attached bone deep," she agrees.

Jarva Ruek sucks noisily on his teeth, closing the last few feet separating the two of you. He traces a finger along the outline of one of the barnacles, eyes tilting upwards for a few moments before he nods. "I can fix this. But there'll be a price."

"I would love t'have this fixed. What's the price?" Mariena returns without preamble. The barnacles, for their part, let out a mist of water.

Jarva Ruek's hand falls back to his side as his eyes meet yours. "Pain," he intones, voice still bereft of emotion. "A lot of Pain."

The woman is a vampire, and as such does not need to draw in breath or exhale it out, as if steeling herself. The time spent for such activity is spent twitching the staff in her hand instead. After which, Mariena nods. "I am prepared."


"A delicate operation," Jarva Ruek says to you. He makes a grand show of digging in his pockets before extracting a very simple, very sharp scalpel. The man walks across the room, in no great hurry, to scrape a few of the illuminating glow worms off the wall and into his hand. "Might want to take a seat," he suggests, motioning to the circular seating area.

Mariena makes her way towards the center of the chamber and the circular seating provided there. She sits, and draws herself into a cross-legged position on the seat, as if anchoring herself into a solid position less prone to swaying. She does not say much, but does work her right arm out of the blouse's sleeve so all ten barnacles are clear and able to be seen.The shirt still covers necessary bits as such, and she asks, "Do you need towels or anything I could get you before we begin?"

Jarva Ruek's glance drifts to the west for a moment before settling back upon you. "I'm sure we can deal with a bit of blood," he says dryly, setting his collected glow worms down on the circular bench beside you. He plunges the scalpel directly into the meaty portion of a glow worm, steam hissing out from the wound as immense heat radiates out of the wriggling creature. Jarva retracts the instrument after a minute, blade now glowing an angry red, waves of heat rolling off the metal. Without any warning, the man promptly sinks the blade into your exposed flesh right at the edge of a barnacle.

Shock is quickly replaced by searing, burning pain as the blade's descent is stopped by your bone.

>>ffuuuuuuaagehrelghgvchckFfuuuuuuaagehrelghgvchck.

Though expected, no warning makes the first blade plunge wring a strangled noise from Mariena who sits ramrod straight when the blade hits bone. The grip she has on her own legs is enough to leave bloody furrows, which pale in comparison to the burning.

Jarva Ruek pauses for just a moment, shifting his grip upon the handle of his scalpel, before
carving the instrument through your flesh. He traces the blade along the outline of the largest
barnacle, halfway through slicing apart all the infected flesh before noticing the cluster
close by. "Oh, should have planned this better," he remarks in a low drone, retracing a few
steps before setting the blade along a new trajectory to include the cluster.

>>Still, still and calm. Still and calm. This isn't so bad. This will be okay.
You can handlethis you can handle this you can handle thi...ffuu-OW! *Strangled mind
screaming* stillandcalmdon'tmovedon'tmove.


Low and keening, a pained note escapes the woman, a fine trembling taking her.It is probably a boon that Mariena is not living, as less blood pumps forth to obscure the work being done. Still, the scalpel does draw blood as Jarva Ruek digs around her shoulder.

Having traced a satisfactory outline around this cluster, Jarva Ruek removes the blade, taking care to leave the segregated island of flesh intact on your body. "Need to remove them all at once," the man remarks, voice remaining without urgency despite your obvious distress. "And everything they're attached to. They're set to kill you if they detect a conventional attempt at removal." Having extracted the knife from your body, Jarva plunges it through another glowworm, its dying hiss spreading up into the air.

"Tiiiriick They like to use," Mariena offers, stumbling the first word. This reprieve is short lived and she does not dare move from position. She is locked into it as rigidly as if paralysis were afflicted. "Did tha.at to an armpiece, too."

"Tricks, yes. Nothing a whole lot of pain and suffering can't get around," Jarva Ruek replies,inflicting just that upon you as he begins digging around the next cluster.

Grunting, Mariena's face scrunches up and an answer is not given, perhaps not able to be given through the clenched jaw. If it clenches any further teeth might crack, but she remains shivering and still enough.

>>Don'tmovedon'tmovedon'tmove wegothis don'tmovedon'tmove
livethepain, embodythepain, washthrough,breathein, breathe outyeswe gothisin
outinoutinout.

The process repeats itself over again. And over, and over, and over. In fact, you're reasonably sure that you now qualify as an expert in the art of having chunks of yourself carved away.

An eternity later, Jarva Ruek finally lays the scalpel down, no hint of metal still visible underneath its coating of your blood. "Now for the painful part," he declares in monotone.

'grrngt' Mariena answers. It is reasonable to assume she has slid past a previously thought of limit and is floating somewhere past that boundary.

Jarva calmly removes each chunk of barnacle-infested flesh, paring down layers of fat and muscle right down to the bone. The pain threatens to overwhelm your psyche.

Health Lost: 6035, unblockable, none

Jarva Ruek takes a few careful steps back, leaving a wide berth around you. Right on cue, the skittering of thousands of legs echo along the tunnel as a horde of insects scurry by,depositing a few bloodied, slain corpses. "Heard these help get you blood-loving types back on your feet."

Mariena's head has lulled forward and it snaps up now, eyes bright red, the need for sustenance warring with the haggard expression. She slides off her chair and to her knees, unceremoniously dragging a corpse forward with her left arm. Feeding is not elegant, at this point.

--feed x3--

Jarva Ruek wipes his hands on his coat, heedless of the mess he's spreading everywhere. He nudges the discarded chunks of your flesh with his foot, pointing to them. "Carry them west to the dining table for me. I'm sure She will appreciate the snack when She gets around to visiting."

Mariena nods and picks up the pieces as best she's able, the things squishy and oozing. She is crusted in blood herself, and after a second takes a glance at her shoulder, unsure of what she'll see.

You pick up barnacles attached to severed flesh.

This heap of tattered and bloodied flesh is covered with an infestation of barnacles.

--go west, put barnacle on table--

Mariena places the barnacles on the blood-soaked table without thunking them
down, careful to heed the warning of explosion.

--go back--


Jarva Ruek slowly lowers himself to sit on the circular seating area. He leans forward with elbows on his knees, deeply considering some private thought.

(Tells): Draden "the Mauler" Jibbs tells you, "Been down there a while! Get your problem taken
care of?"

Mariena seems to be walking in a fog, but does pause at the seating. "Thank you,Jarva."

You tell Draden "the Mauler" Jibbs, "Ah, you were right. Jarva did know how to detach them. Yes.
"

(Tells): Draden "the Mauler" Jibbs tells you, "Hah! You owe me some fine booze and a cigarette
next time you come visit. Know what, make it a whole case of cigarettes. Aight, just go to that
giant maw and tell me "leave" to get yourself out. I got some business to take care of."

You tell Draden "the Mauler" Jibbs, "I can get you both, for certain. If you have flavor
preferences, chuck me a messsage and I'll make sure to make what you like."