Sabbath's Response to Pandemics and Epidemics

Yesterday (4/10/2020), on Facebook, I mentioned writing posts during my time off from work on the thoughts of my many characters about facing pandemics or even a nasty epidemic. Some wouldn’t care, others, a bit of concern, while a few would throw themselves into doing what they can to help others get through until the sickness was gone. Admittedly, many of these characters have magical abilities and decent skills in their fields, but the reactions would be different.

Naturally, Sabbath would be the first. She is my oldest character and most written. She occurs in many forms, so not all my characters will be voiced in these posts, but there will be many.

So, without further ado, the first of the many voices in my head on handling pandemics and epidemics; Sabbath Silverclaw.

Name: Sabbath Silverclaw

Alias(es): Sabreela Ethalli Silverclaw

Occupation: Retired. Formerly a protector of the world of Haven, Healer, Diplomat, Mage, and Lady of the city of Cat’s Haven

Sabbath’s reaction to what is going on in this world would be one of curiosity and genuine concern. It is her nature to help those in need to become well and do everything in her power to heal, by magic or more traditional methods, everyone who falls sick. But, there is a caveat. She won’t heal just anyone, and it wrenches her soul to not tend to certain ones.

First of all , they must want her aid. She asks if they want her to help them. Then, gives them the choice of magic or medicine. In the world she lives in, magical healers aren’t very common but aren’t rare, either. Few are strong enough to withstand the worst diseases by their own ability. For her, she considers it a blessing to be able to go where other medical experts will not due to the severity of the illness.

Sabbath would use the skills she learned by the guild masters to research the illness and find a cure that any healer in the guild could administer. She did not rely on magic and taught that to others when she could. When possible, she’d bow to the more experienced if she knew she could not figure out a means to cure the sick. But, she would record the ways which succeeded in curing without the aid of magics.

She’d work those long hours on the front lines like our doctors and medical personnel are doing now. Deciding who would be given the life saving medicines and who would die was never easy for her. Epidemics and pandemics would have her falling out of her True Neutral ways to the more lawful good side.

Altruistic, yes, and willing to do what it takes. She’d be one to stay in the hospitals 24/7 until someone made her stop to rest.

As a leader, she’d be urging everyone to keep calm and do what they could to keep from getting sick… much like how our current President is doing with us. But, in this case, she’d do what she asks others to do.

Any questions for Sabbath, I will gladly answer them in her ‘voice.’ Ask your questions here or on Facebook. Twitter is not used and rarely monitored.

A Heart-Felt Thank You

To all the police officers, guardsmen, and security personnel, I want to say thank you for giving us, the citizens of these cities, hamlets, and other populated areas, your time to keep us safe from harm.  Thank you for stopping the robbery with a chance stop for refreshment during your shift.  Thank you for helping store security wrangle that shoplifter who tried to make off with groceries and big screen TV.  Thank you for escorting the customer service supervisors as they go around the store at night pulling tills and making sure, the law-abiding citizens, are also following traffic laws.

You put your lives on the line for the people of your town and protect them to the best of your ability whether those same citizens want you to or not.  You deserve our respect, not our scorn.  You deserve more than what is given to you daily, not the pittance most receive.

It may seem that you have a target painted on your back after the tragedy that has happened in Dallas and Baton Rouge.  Your families may not be as safe as you once thought we were with so many wanting to see the police departments disbanded and defunded.   The world, as we know it, is falling apart and those simple things, respect, honor, and loyalty, are falling by the wayside to be replaced by ignorance, hate, and self-importance.

I am but one small cog in the giant retail machine.  But, as a tiny cog, my simple greeting of "Be safe" is always with all the best intentions.  I understand how dangerous your job is on a normal day without snipers laying in wait for the unwary.  I want, and wish, you to return home to your families so that I, and my co-workers, may see you come back to our store the next day to catch another round of thieves and prevent assault on the rare occasion.

While there may be the few bad apples hiding in each precinct which have helped cause this problem we have today, that doesn't mean that all of you are racist or cruel.  You are doing your jobs and you are doing your jobs to the best of your ability.  That is all we can expect.  Trust me, when I say that we notice when you do go above and beyond the call of duty and many of us mourn with you when your comrades have fallen.

This letter cannot begin to say what I want to say, but it is my hope that you, and everyone who reads this, understands that there is not enough thanks that can be said, written, or even drawn to show you how I, and others within my store, feel.

To the police, thank you.  Thank you.  Thank You!  For being there and keeping us safe.  To the security guards, and servicemen, retired and active, my deepest and most heart-felt thanks go to all of you.

Be Safe, all of you.

I mean it.

A Little About My Fantasy World

After such a long hiatus from this blog and other writing pursuits, it has come to my attention that not many know much, if anything, about the world I create in; the world which centers around the short stories of my compilation Trysts of the Hearts; the series which is supposed to be erotic based.  So, without further ado, I’ll give some insight into the paranormal aspects of my fantasy world of Haven.

Hauntings in my world aren’t uncommon.  There are the deep, dark forests where few animals live because of spirits, either from the dead or nature, dwell.  In these places even the most dulled senses can pick up the creepy vibe when they enter, but only those with a shamanistic background in magic or their talent is connected with communicating with ethereal beings can see and either banish them or work with these spirits.

Animated skeletons in these places are always planted by necromancers and other pranksters to scare people away their secret places.  Bogs, forests, ancient cemeteries forgotten by time are usually filled with hidden places filled with treasure and all of them are guarded by any number of undead such as skeletons, ghouls, and mummies.  Any powerful mage is capable of animating or ensnaring these to protect their labs and libraries.

Goblins, vampires, licht, nightmares, and the like are very real entities who prey on the living.  Zombies, in their own right, are also just as real within this world and in some places, are a problems for adventurers to handle for a bit of gold and treasure.  Regardless, they are dangerous without someone strong enough to defeat them or at the very least keep them at bay.  Magical weapons are a good resource when delving into old towers and dungeons.

Just don’t forget the special charms at the apothecary shoppes or the person who sends you on that quest because they just have to have that particular item and are too scared to get it themselves.  Better yet, hire a good mage and shaman to accompany you on that adventure because even the kitsune can be more than a handful for the best adventurers.