"Let's go." Before he leaves, he sets the Clear Bell back in its case. It's undamaged — though he's not surprised that it isn't, given the level of artificing it has.

Marina and Feya will walk, slowly and carefully, around the bend until they can see Đani, but not move any closer. Does she notice them?

Marina is wearing a simple dark green dress with a thin woven cord strap around the waist, and a white wide brimmed hat, with a green cloth ribbon trim dye stamped with a pattern of yellow flowers.

Feya is wearing a close-fitting white long-sleeved linen tunic and pants, also of linen, with both of them having vertical pinstripes.

She doesn't notice them for a moment after they enter her field of view, and then startles and turns to face them head-on.

She calls to them in a foreign language, her voice sounding urgent, and makes a gesture towards them. The language seems to have a relevantly simple sound to it, although they should not read too much into the lack of nasals, because she's still holding her nose with her other hand.

Feya looks at Marina.

"No, I don't understand her either. Shall I?"

"Yes."

Marina casts Telepathy.

Establishing the link doesn't feel like anything, not if one doesn't have honed ecclesiastical senses, but the feeling is unmistakable once a message is sent.

:Hello.:

The link remains open, and the spell will pick up what Đani desires to convey.

:Startlement!: Đani exclaims, falling off the rock. She winces and picks herself back up. She tentatively lets go of her nose, and then rubs a finger gently across the bottom of her nostrils, before inspecting it.

:I'm sick; you shouldn't get near me,: she informs them. :Also maybe hallucinating, because it feels like you're talking to me but I can't hear you.: The thought is accompanied by confusion and concern.

She repeats the thought about maybe being hallucinating out loud, in the same unfamiliar language.

Okay! So at least them getting eaten by the snake monster was good, because now they can treat all the sick people inside the snake monster. Or rather, Feya's caravan will do that, and she will stand there being Flowery at things.

:Don't worry, it's how Telepathy works. I'm using this because I don't know your language.:

She'll summarize what Đani says verbally to Feya, and send what Feya intends to say to Đani to her.

:I am Feya Pio Meyangchan Nuaiheya, Master of the Eleventh Caravan of the Society of Solace. Marina Hiupio Inse Suimche is casting Telepathy on my behalf. Greetings.:

Marina's Telepathy makes it clear that these are supposed to be Feya's words, transmitted to Đani through Marina. It also makes it clear that normally, they are just referred to by Feya and Marina.

:That is too many names,: Đani objects. :Uh, sorry. I am Đani, daughter of Genilha, of the Southern Fishing Village.:

She fidgets for a moment, trying to think.

:I have never heard of Telepathy, or the Society of Solace. So that doesn't make me feel less likely to be seeing fever-dreams. But if you're a trade caravan, you should set up outside the village, so you don't get sick. I can ... show you there, and get Penþa, for negotiations.:

She pushes herself to her feet, looking tired but determined, and slings her sack over her shoulder.

Feya and Marina's language lack /ð/, but Telepathy doesn't require phonemes!

:We are not a trade caravan. The Society of Solace runs healing caravans that treat people in outlying villages. We were not planning on coming here, but circumstances were such that we were brought here.

Please don't exert yourself. If you give us directions, we can go there.:

:Try thinking the directions at us. Then we'll know where to go.:

:I have to get back,: Đani says. :The village is just down the road,: she continues, including with it a sort of ground-level appreciation of the path the road takes. It's not a complicated explanation — just ignore the one turnoff between here and there. :But I have to bring the willow-bark,: she explains, patting her sack. :We would be going to run out*, and something has to keep the kid's fevers down.: 

She starts walking down the road, giving the impression that she's kind of forgotten that she was in the middle of a conversation.

* This thought comes through more compactly in her thoughts; her native language has an appropriate irrealis mood.

:I can carry it. Don't worry about me catching a disease — I have a blessing that protects me from them. I and my caravan can also treat you and the other people in the village.

Sorry, I assume that everyone I meet is familiar with our Society, but I should explain. Our Society is dedicated to the alleviation of pain, and in furtherance of this goal, want to give treatment to the sick and injured. We do this for free — we rely on donations to sustain our Society.: Which may not be forthcoming, if the people here don't know of them. Hopefully other places would have, though. Or that they could contact another caravan or base of the Society and ask for funds.

:Well, as long as our supplies last. If we run out and cannot resupply, then we would have to have you bring supplies for us to use in treatment.:

Feya will walk closer to Đani and make a motion of carrying, but he'll stop approaching if Đani looks suspicious or scared of him.

Marina does not have such a blessing and so will not approach. She'll switch to using Telepathy for relaying to Feya too. It's far enough that she would have to raise her voice, but not far enough that it would be too expensive for her Telepathy.

Đani pauses, processing the claim that Feya is protected from disease.

:Are you sure?: she asks. :I don't think we know of any protections that work, other than keeping your distance.:

:Then again, I didn't think we had Telepathy either.:

She lets him take the sack, not showing any particularly fearful reaction. If he gets close, and has acute enough senses, he might notice that she is running a fever.

:Just having some people to help who can't fall sick would be a huge boon.:

:Yes, I'm sure. More specifically, I'm protected from infectious disease. Which is not every disease. Marina doesn't have it, so she'll stay back.:

Feya cannot sensorily tell that Đani has a fever, though he would expect it. He will take the sack and walk with her.

:What is the willow-bark for? I am unfamiliar with it.:

Marina will walk at the same pace, keeping the same distance.

:What do we do with the caravan?: Marina asks Feya.

:Have them keep pace with us. Also, have everyone wear the masks and gloves. You can go and pause to do that, if you want.:

:Eeeh, it would be awkward to do it now, so I'll wait until there's a better moment. I've relayed your order, though.:

:Suit yourself.:

And then, back to Đani, :If you haven't heard of the Society of Solace, have you heard of any other Societies?: Marina's Telepathy has enough bandwidth to carry the implication that these are capital-S Societies that have people who have similar powers like incorruptibility from infectious disease, or speaking directly to minds.

Đani is internally dubious of a healer who hasn't heard of willow-bark. But there's clearly something weird going on, so she'll reserve judgement.

:The willow-bark is a fever-reducer,: she explains. :Also an analgesic. And no, I've never heard of a Society with powers like that.:

She isn't moving at a terribly fast pace, so the caravan will have no trouble following. She appreciates not having to carry the pack, though.

:What a wonderful plant! Typically we use spells to do those. If you are sick, I can cast Normalize Body Temperature and Nullify Pain on you, but it won't do anything for your disease specifically. It will only treat the symptoms. Would you or the other sick villagers want this? If there are many sick, then I would be very pleased to help them. Preferably to try to treat it directly, but otherwise, just ease their pain.:

He feels...weird...needing to signal his benevolent intentions. Typically people are overjoyed to see Society of Solace caravans arrive at their town. But it's an understandable reaction if this place really hasn't seen any Societies before. Are there also no practitioners here? What kind of place is this???

Anyway, metaphysical speculation can occur after the sick people have been treated. He pushes away that thread of speculation.