Lund smiled and pointed at Isa. “Exactly. ‘The balance is mercy.’ That’s what the cleric in my old unit used to say.”

“Cleric,” said Isa. “I’ve heard that name a few times now, but what is it?”

Mery hooked her thumb over her shoulder. “That is a cleric.”

“The men?” Isa shifted to look directly at the dead men behind them. “Which-- ah, the spellcaster. I remember Joth saying that clerics use magic.”

In the firelight something metallic glinted on the cleric’s belt. “What in the world….?” She put down her plate and stood up for a closer look. Indeed, hanging from his belt was an 8 inch metal skeleton. The craftsmanship looked quite fine; the limbs appeared to move freely, and the ribs were spaced out so that Isa could see the cloth of the robe behind them.

She reached out a finger to flick at one of the silver legs, and Mery said, “Don’t fool with that, now. No cause for mucking with a red cleric’s holy symbol.”

“His robes are gray.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Lund said from his spot by the fire. “He could be wearing white leather and he’d still be a red cleric. It’s the religion not the cloth, if you see what I mean.”

Mery nudged the dead cleric’s foot. “Didn’t say much, this one. Of course with Hamma up there, who could get a word in?”

“He cast a spell - said some words and then blood….” Isa stopped as the memory of the moment washed over her.

“He’s been repaid,” Mery said softly. “And no doubt his god is praising him in whatever heaven he expected.”

“Speaking of that, can we, like, bury them?” Isa said. “If we’re going to wait for a messenger I’d rather it wasn’t in a house of dead people.”

Lund wiped his mouth and stood. “What do we got, 5 of them? You two keep watch from upstairs. And I’ll….” he sighed. “Yeah, I’ll see to them.”

“Not sure they would have done the same for us,” Mery called out to Lund as he mounted the stairs.

“What do you mean?” Isa asked.

Mery picked up the plates and mugs. “I’ve traveled the length of this land, and a few others besides. Most people are good. Seen it with mine own eyes. But some, some are bad right through, like an apple rotten at the core. And this lot? Well, I didn’t need to see his holy symbol to know he was a red cleric.”

“But you had a drink with--”

“Don’t remind me now!” She walked to the kitchen. “It was just pretty Hamma there at the time. The honeypot,” she said as she returned. “The honeypot to cage this bear who ought to have known better.”

Isa picked up the navigator’s tools that Lund had set aside. “How do you know what someone is?”

Mery stopped on the stairs to let Lund pass with the bald guard over his shoulder. The she said, “For fighting do you mean? Sometimes you don’t know. Usually a spellcaster will keep both hands free, or a cleric will have their god symbol in hand. But rogues, fighters, brawler types, you just don’t know. You got a lunk in front of you with a sword, and so you pay attention to how they swing, how they move, and you adjust as you go.”

As they settled down to watch the road from the upstairs bedroom Isa said, “You cast spells. Where’s your symbol?”

“Clerics need their symbols to focus. Wizards, their books. But bards, bards need only their instrument.”

Isa smiled slowly, waiting for the punchline.

“What?” Mery asked.

“You don’t have an instrument.”

“I don’t?” Mery patted her sides. “Where’s my….? Ah, yes, it’s right here.” She pointed at her face. “With an instrument like this, do I really need a lute?”

Isa began to laugh, and considering all that had happened in the last few hours, she wanted to keep laughing so the sound could wash over her and blot out the memories of swords and blood and spells.

Mery joined in, and as a tear rolled down Isa’s face, she reached over and brushed it away. “Hey now,” she said softly. “None of that. You’ve come through a storm, and there’s a light in the west.”

But Mery’s words were lost in Isa’s sobs. She hadn’t known that she would break down. Isa had come through so much the last few days, and to have a tiny gesture of kindness crack though her defenses, well it didn’t seem fair. She didn’t want to fall apart, and certainly not in front of this strong, cool-headed woman.

She wiped her face with both hands. “Ah, OK. Crap, I need a tissue.”

“Bathe your face, lass. The ewer’s right there. Blood, snot, tears….. Water washes it all away.”

When Isa returned to the seat by the window Mery went on, “And what water can’t touch, sometimes words can help.” Mery spared a glance out the window. “And when words fail, well, sometimes fancy can fill the gap, at least for a nonce.”

Mery held up a bit of wood. “Thus,” she said and made to throw the wood into the air, but instead 4 balls of light rose and danced across the ceiling. As Isa watched Mery made 2 balls hop one over the other and then the other 2 zoomed from one side of the room to the other.

“This is magic that I can get behind,” Isa said and clapped softly. As she watched, Mery made the 4 balls come together into 1 big ball and then break apart again. They danced across the ceiling a few more times, and Isa felt like she understood for the first time just how intoxicating this world could be. She tore her eyes from the balls to watch Mery control them. Her friend’s mouth was pursed in concentration, and her eyes followed the balls’ movements with intense focus. Streaks of afternoon sunlight filtered through Mery’s hair turning it golden brown, and Isa reached out to touch a strand. “Magic,” Isa murmured.

The balls fell from the air as Mery turned toward Isa, and their lips met in a kiss.

Spoiler: Isa's Character Sheet

Name: Isa Chamberlin

Race: Human

Height & Weight: 5ft 6inches / 120 lbs

Class: Fighter Level: 3

Alignment: Good

Background: Stranger in a Strange Land

Hit Points: 20 AC: 13

Current Hit Points: 20

Combat: +4 to Hit

Weapons: Rapier (left hand) 1d8 +2 (piercing) / Quarterstaff (right hand) 1d6 +2 (bludgeoning)

Coin: 21gp, 10sp, 22cp

STR

11

0

DEX

14

+2

CON

11

0

INT

13

+1

WIS

13

+1

CHA

12

+1

Saving Throws: Str and Con +2

4

Acrobatics* (Dex)

1

Medicine (Wis)

1

Animal Handling (Wis)

1

Nature (Int)

1

Arcana (Int)

3

Perception* (Wis)

0

Athletics (Str)

1

Performance (Cha)

1

Deception (Cha)

1

Persuasion (Cha)

3

History* (Int)

1

Religion (Int)

3

Insight* (Wis)

2

Sleight of Hand (Dex)

1

Intimidation (Cha)

2

Stealth (Dex)

1

Investigation (Int)

1

Survival (Wis)

Special Attack: Two weapon fighting. When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Class Features:

Second Wind - On your turn, you can use a Bonus Action to regain hit points equal to 5 + your fighter level. Short or Long Rest before you can use it again.

Action Surge - On your turn, you can take one additional action on top of your regular action and a possible Bonus Action. You must finish a short or Long Rest before using it again.

Martial Archetype: Surgical Fighter

3rd level - Clinical Eye: Spend 1 combat turn studying your enemy and learn one of the following: if the enemy is equal to or stronger than you in strength, dexterity, or constitution. Can spend up to 3 turns to discern all 3. Can be used outside of combat as a free action - spend 1 minute to learn all three.