hadriel | video; a call to... scalpels?

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harlan halliday

video; a call to... scalpels?

[ The video starts out centered on a place rather than a person -- the clinic, identifiable from the similar but unrestored buildings around primarily by the sign out front. When someone does speak the voice is soft and nervous-sounding. Pell's never done anything like this, exactly, an announcement where he had some sort of responsibility. He thought it would be easier if he wasn't on camera, but it turns out there's no difference, and this isn't just asking help for himself. The wording matters more. He'll just have to do his best. ]

This is a familiar sight to many of you... the clinic serves to help everyone we can, both on site and on call. It's done so for as long as I've been here, but currently we're working with a very small staff. Six of us for the entire city with a handful of supporters, and with a move coming up and not knowing when Hadriel might be attacked again, we need to ask for some help.

If you can't take shifts that's fine, on-call staff for emergencies are vital too. Anyone capable of healing, who knows medicine, first aid, or are willing to scavenge or bargain for supplies, you'd be greatly appreciated. Please, reply here or come to the clinic on west island and ask for Pellaz Cevarro if you can help somehow.

[ Which is his cue to be braver. The camera does turn to show him, then, and the nerves seem better. This part is a little easier; something to offer rather than ask. ]

In two days' time at midday, some of us will be offering lessons. First aid classes like we have in the past for anyone who would wants to learn the basics, simple medical kits to facilitate them, instructions on how to move an injured patient safely, and I may be able to teach people to heal if our abilities are similar. There's no obligation to work with the clinic, everyone is welcome.

Thank you for listening. I hope to see some of you soon -- preferably not bleeding.

[ Should he not have made a joke? Oof, this is hard to navigate, and there's a brief flicker of awkwardness in his expression before Pell turns the feed off. Wondering quietly if he shouldn't have written himself a script. Oh well. ]

((ooc: ~~There will indeed be a first aid class/clinic mingle log posted on the 13th, since such a thing would be difficult during the event and then we're off to a new world. OTA of course!~~ Cancelling this mingle due to lack of interest/a lot going on this month already but! The clinic comm is

undersupplied, the staff list is here if your character would offer their services, and in future there will be a monthly mingle that can be used for CR opportunities and characters requesting medical assistance.

Any questions, you can hit me via PM or

cuddlebug! ))

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[Hey bud you look pretty nervous on camera there. HH is definitely responding to this with text for your benefit, yep, for sure.]

i have all of one healing spell but ill help out if ur that desperate for ppl.
its like magical first aid. i cant bring someone back from the brink but i might be able to stabilize them.
or w.e.
idk medical talk.
anyway im thinking an on call setup would work best since im useless except for that one spell.

That's one healing spell more than we had before, and on call would be great. Day to day there isn't much demand for medical care, but arrival days and certain other events have been pushing us. I'm concerned that if something bigger happens, people will show up hurt and we'll be overwhelmed.

If it's a spell, not an ability, do you have a limit on how many times you can cast it?

yeah that makes sense.
im tangentially familiar w. clinic shit. my bf works there. michael.
its not like i have any other big scheduling obligations here. lol. hmu whenever u need an extra hand.
ill prob just show up at the coliseum on arrival day tho. thats a consistent thing.
theres technically a limit but i seriously doubt ill ever hit it. its an easy spell and ive got a lot of magic these days.

Oh, then I think I know who I'm speaking to now. You keep a short beard, yes? I've awkwardly waved at you before.

I prefer to have people at the colosseum on arrival day as well, traditionally the regular staff have split our presence. Don't worry, you'll probably know before you get a call to come help that you're going to. Things around here aren't subtle.

Thank you for volunteering, it sounds very useful.

lol. yeah thats me. hey.
np.
heres my spell list btw.

[He attaches a file.]

its mostly meant as a selection for when im teaching ppl shit but if u guys ever need anything on there for w.e reason lmk.

[ There's a bit of a delay between messages now, because Pell's reading that list closely. Hmm... ]

I see a few things, message and the teleportation especially... and I'd be lying if I said cages wouldn't have come in handy a few times but we do have a friend that handles security and a good relationship with the Guard.

You teach these things, though? I can do some things on your list without a "focus." Do you think I could learn others from you even though the magical mechanic is obviously different?

o yeah i can teleport. i can bring ppl w. me too. ive already helped a guy get to the clinic w. it once. lol.
forcecage is really fuckin useful too but its a tough spell to cast. it takes a lot of fuel so i can only cast it a couple times a day before i burn out.
same w. teleport.
message is neat but prob not as useful as ur thinkin. it only works between two ppl and the other person can only talk back to me. they have to know the spell themselves to ping me first.
plus its got a limited range. uh i wanna say abt a hundred feet or so?
easy spell to cast but u get what u pay for.
yeah tho ill teach u w.e u want to know.
ive never tried to teach anyone who already knew their own form of magic but i dont see why u couldnt learn my shit too.
idk. im willing to try.

[Admittedly, Carlisle has been putting this off. First, it was that he didn't like the idea of working within the confines of the Clinic -- that was Kate's area, not his. He was more inclined to do his duty upon request or offer his services on rare occasions. The city had plenty of other healers, he reminded himself on occasion, including a literal miracle worker at one point. What did they need him for?

But miracle workers came and went, and he remained. By then, it was harder for him to work as he used to, his health growing more and more precarious until he had no choice but to limit himself, lest he wear himself too thin. Even with Glacius' Mote, giving him access to the alien's energies, his mortal frame could only handle so much as his health deteriorated.

Now, his body restored, he finds himself looking for excuses again, and comes up with none adequate enough to convince him to put it off further. As much as he would have liked to have been properly asked, especially since he knows Kate had records of his abilities on file, he knows he should make a conscious effort to better spend this new life he has been given.]

Are you leading the Clinic now?

[ Pell recognizes the name on the incoming response, and tilts his head at it curiously. Lets it ring once more before answering, too, a little worried what one of Kate's friends might have to say. And of course the question catches him off guard. How forthright should he be? It's probably best to keep his self doubt quiet in public. ]

Yes, though luckily I have assistance with the administrative duties. You helped Kate with those healing items that we used to add to first aid kits, right?

That's right.

[The slightest pause of a man still considering putting down the phone. No, his goddess would disapprove. He now has the faculties with which to resume his duties, and he should use them.]

I am a healer by trade. I cannot enchant such trinkets on my own, though were we desperate for more of them, I could see what I can cobble together.

All good to know, I'll make note of that.

I'd very much appreciate lessons, then, if you have the time for them. My kind can teleport, I've seen it done, but didn't get the chance to learn. Even if the method is different, all I really should need is to know what it feels like, what to focus on. In theory. Our magic is largely applied willpower.

...oh. That wasn't in the records, I'm fairly certain.

[ And he knows Carlisle's never been staff, he's in with the helpers and suppliers. So why now? And is he only offering more trinkets, if desperate, despite Pell asking for actual hands on a metaphorical deck? Navigating these things is out of his realm of experience, but he was going to have to wing it. ]

They're helpful, but if you can't enchant them I'd worry about recharging them, without Kate. Right now I'm more worried about being overwhelmed by serious injuries in the case of a violent event. If you could possibly be available on call, that would be amazing.

[Kate couldn't even have the decency to mention he's a healer in her no not going to stew about that right now.]

Have you many magical healers among the six of you? I haven't any idea how many are even left in the city.

[ Probably so no one would chase you down to lecture you about civil duty while you weren't able to help, Carlisle! Maybe. Who knows. The question makes Pell pause uncomfortably, though, remembering those who have gone. ]

Ah... no. One of our doctors can perform surgery with his powers but bills himself as such. His patients still need time to recover. I didn't actually know of any other healers in the city, either, until just now. It seems there's me and you, and Harlan has a healing spell that sounds about equivalent to your trinkets.

[The Carlisle Conundrum: wanting to be left alone, but also wanting to be recognized for the one thing he can do well.]

I see.

[Harlan, Harlan. Where has he heard that name before? Is that the fellow who lives with Michael? The one who may or may not have given him the flu on purpose? Time seems to go by so quickly here that it's hard for Carlisle to keep up, especially when he's been so occupied with his own problems as of late.]

I mostly asked to gauge how familiar you are with such arts. I know magic doesn't exist in some worlds, and the idea of being healed by it is an anomaly in others. I am quite adept at what I do, I assure you. Or if- if I need to come down there to demonstrate, I suppose that would be fine.

[ You can't have it both ways, unfortunately.

It's a good thing this is audio because Pell's brow furrows at that, utter bewilderment on his face now. What... does that even mean? He's said several times that he's a healer, how would he... not be familiar... what? ]

I don't understand. Everyone working at the clinic is familiar with it, we've had several healers on staff including myself now. They've just all left. I wasn't questioning your abilities, only whether you were available to offer them now.

[ He sounds very confused, Carlisle. ]

I have found that healers vary greatly from world to world, lad. Some are magical, some more manual, and not everyone within those two categories has the same capacity for healing. For example, I wouldn't call someone who has but one spell at the level of those trinkets a healer. A magician with knowledge of a restorative spell, yes, but not a healer by trade.

[Though apparently, one doesn't need to heal for a job or for duty to work at the Clinic. Look at Kate.]

[ He's only getting more confused and fussy, and a more formal because he's worried he sounds stupid or something, not getting his point across. His voice is a little firmer now, and he feels like he's defending himself. What is happening? ]

Neither Harlan nor I called him a healer. I said exactly what you just did, that he has a spell that would be helpful in an emergency. We have staff with other useful abilities, and everyone knows at the very least first aid. Some go by doctor, others just medic, as far as I've been working here we've only used the term healer for someone with magical abilities that is proficient in healing that they use as a first resort. When you said healer, I did assume you meant magic for that reason.

Does that clarify my terminology?

[It's a good thing eye-rolling isn't audible.]

It was an example, lad. I can recall well enough what you said seconds ago.

Then what is it you needed further clarification on once I'd answered your question? Or did you assume I was using a different vocabulary for some reason?

[ And if you don't stop calling him lad like he's a child he swears, Carlisle. ]

I wanted to know how familiar you are with such arts. Your level of expertise. How good it is you are at what you do. Cisth, do you channel through your hands? Heal with vocal magics? Perform literal miracles with no regard to the planes?

[He's starting to wonder if there's a reason this fellow in particular is taking over the Clinic.]

Then you should have asked that. Just as, if you said yes, you were willing to help, I would have asked you your own methods and skill and endurance.

[ He has a bit of a method at least, here, geez. There's a soft huffing sound. After two and a half years at the clinic, he has to be the one to go through an interview to determine if... what? He's fit for it? Hasn't he proven that? Oh wait, Carlisle wasn't around to know, he must just want to know if he'd be volunteering to assist someone beneath him or not. That's the attitude coming across, at least, and Pell has certainly met enough superior types since he was turned. ]

Extremely familiar. With my own, and that of several healers here before who used different methods. Will sang, as you speak of. I admit most of my experience has been gained here over the past two and a half years or so, but you can imagine the times of heavy volume. I channel through my hands because the physical connection helps me apply my will and I've found it puts patients at ease. I only know to use my own life energy, but although I'm limited by that I've yet to hit that limit here. I worry I might someday, if an occurrence strained us too far, but in that case I've learned a great deal of traditional medicine as well and have knowledge and access to healing herbs and would apply those skills. If I was a miracle worker I wouldn't be asking for help, honestly, and if you're hinting at something here then yes, you may well be far more powerful than me. Many here have been, and we've worked alongside each other just fine. We've worked under leadership that couldn't heal at all, that weren't professional doctors. If you want qualifications I have no papers for you, but I could start calling past patients for references.

[ He takes a slow breath, knowing that was a bit of a rant but it was, technically, answering the questions. Maybe he's too young, maybe he doesn't know what the hell he's doing, but he certainly won't be the one to suggest Carlisle take the job of clinic head, at this rate he'd alienate basically all of the staff that's left. Pell knows he can be a pain in the ass too, but he's trying here. ]

I hope none of that would be a problem for you, if you wanted to offer aid. Which I'm still not clear if you do.

[Well, that was a lot. He keeps his tone even, neutral.]

I would not have responded to this message were I not offering to help in some capacity. I don't know you, nor do I know whether one of us is more powerful than the other, nor does it particularly matter so long as the job is getting done. It is not often I get to speak with other healers, and I merely wanted to know more about what experience you have had with the craft, as well as what knowledge there is to be found at the Clinic.

Well...

[ And now he feels extremely awkward and childish for feeling cornered, like he was being prompted to appeal personally and beg, which was what he was worried about all along. His childishness is what the others have all scolded him over for years. But he thought taking on a familiar responsibility... no, he can fuss later. ]

I do wish you had simply asked that, but you're informed on me personally, now. I can get you up to speed on all the others that remain, as well, and discuss my own successes and failures in private if you like for a sense of ability.

He hesitates once more, and then adds: ]

My response was not... professional, I apologize.

[Pell can't see it through audio, but if he could, he'd see a man go from quietly belligerent to utterly befuddled in the span of a few seconds. Was that... was that an apology? An honest-to-goodness apology and clear communication rather than more snippy behavior and vague deflection at his inquiries? Hm. Perhaps this Pellaz Cevarro character isn't as much like Kate as he'd initially thought.

His tone is marginally softer as he replies.]

I appreciate your apology. That is more than some would have offered me, and perhaps more than I deserve. I did not mean for any misconception.

[And misconceptions about his abilities are something he's dealt with his entire life, and not always due to his own communication failures. People expect him to be a valiant Longinmouth, or an unquestioning follower of the Clarity; they have also judged him to be misguided in his desperation to live beyond his years, poisoned in both body and mind by his affliction. Whether due to his position as the heir of the Longinmouth line or a twice-cursed, he's used to having people expect much of him, only to be disappointed.

tries to be a bit nicer.]

I would far prefer to hear of your successes than failures, if it is all the same to you. As I said, I have not had the opportunity to speak with many healers aside from those of my world.

[And he is definitely a big nerd who loves to talk about magic, especially now that he's actually in good enough health to do it.]

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