[ROS] Soldiers of Fortune - Evening in the Tavern (IC)

[Lacco]

The fire was warm, the benches comfortable. It was past midnight, and everybody was sleeping. Except for them.

Tavern Banter: Engage!

[Anyr]

Kate sat, illuminated by the crackling fire. The stern look on her face made one thing clear: She didn't want to be here. This had been a very long day. She just wanted to take her bath, and go to sleep. But this little chat couldn't wait until sunrise. It had to be done now. She frowned across at the figure opposite her. This man owed her an explanation.

"I think you already know what this is about."

This serves as the opening for two different conversations. Kate is talking to Gerric and Gregor separately; But to save time, we can run both talks simultaneously.

[Mathis]

His stomach was full of porridge and ale, enough to send any man to sleep. Yet Ruark sat at the table wide awake. He downed the last bit of drink and slammed the tankard down at the table with a rattle, shaking the empty plates and utensils scattered about it. He wiped whatever food had missed it's intended target with his sleeve and unleashed a content belch. He knew that later Uruk would want to have chat but for now he eyed the target the tavern keep had set up with ambition... "So Gregor, you seem like a boastful type yet I have not seen a trace of real fight in you yet, I did not arrive in time to witness your little scuffle at the last tavern. Do you know of any way I could... take your measure? I notice the owner has a small target over there, how about a friendly little competition?"

Ruark stretched to the side before giving Uruk a friendly poke with his elbow, "I promise I'll hold back."

[Dienekes]

"Well, o' course I know what it's about, I'm the one that asked to talk. I need t' know if I'm in danger stickin' with this group, and I respect you enough to talk about it, direct." Gerric stretched back on his chair until he heard the bones in his back pop into place. He was fidgeting, uncomfortable with the whole situation. It felt like he was being scolded by his mother, which was somewhat awkward considering the woman sitting across from him was much younger, and looked almost exactly the opposite of what he remembered his mother looked like.

[Anyr]

It took Kate a while to reply. She had the look of someone who was choosing their next words carefully. When at last she spoke, it was with the measured tones of a diplomat.

"That depends on where you stand between truth and myth. Reputations twist with each new ear they visit. I want to know whether the man in front of me is really the 'Demon' of rumour.

...Have you ever heard of the Monastery of Antiea?"

A slight quaver entered her voice at the end there. Behind Kate's mask of calm and reason, strong emotions lurked.

[Dienekes]

Gerric nodded, "Aye, I heard of it. What do you want me to tell you 'bout it?"

[Eplov]

Gregor, stomach full of tasty porridge, sized Ruark up, finished "his" ale, and stood up from the bar stool with a stretch. After sliding a pair of throwing knives from a sleeve he held them out for his compatriot and said, "Your restraint is admirable. Next round is on the looser, yes?" Then, with a courtly bow, he adds, "After you."


So is it just success vs. success?

[Anyr]

Gerric nodded, "Aye, I heard of it. What do you want me to tell you 'bout it?"

Kate raised an eyebrow. That wasn't the reaction she'd expected.

"Whether you destroyed it."

[Lacco]

As the tavernkeeper put additional logs on the fire, the room darkened for a moment, before the flames raised once again.

The inn was silent, save for a lonely snore or ill-sounding cough. The wind picked up outside, as the flames in the braziers outside danced on the coals and often sputtered sparks.

A lone, bearded man in ragged clothes entered the inn, looked around, as if to see whether there is a place for him. His slow glance stopped on Urukubarr, his eyes widened... and then the tavernkeeper welcomed him with the same question as he did for the party. The man shook his head and left through the front door.

The tavernkeeper followed him outside, and they noticed he started closing the wooden shutters. Still, a small draft remained...

My inputs will be mostly about adding some flavour :smallsmile: since I don't have to do anything here...

As for the knife-throwing competition: let's have each throw 3 times. Aim + proficiency, full pools. Feel free to influence other character's pools in any way you like except direct violence.

There are 3 circles on the target. To hit the outer one, you need 1 success and you get 1 point. To hit the medium one, 2 successes = 2 points. To hit the smallest, inner one ('"black"), 4 successes = 3 points.

There are 3 ranges you can throw from - close (no modifiers), medium (-1 die, +1 point per hit) and 'trick shot' (-3 die, +2 points per hit, double on the "black").

If you fail to get successes, you failed to hit. 0 points.

You can pick a range. To aim specifically for one of the circles, consider that you need to reserve 2 dice from your pool to move the hit from outer to medium circle, 3 to move from medium to inner. This is cumulative.

So: pick a range. You have to throw 3 times from the same range.
Use full dice pool. If you want to aim more accurately, reserve dice (any amount) for moving the hit.
Any questions?

After each round, you both drink. Roll (HT+WIL)/2, target number 6. Failure = lose 2 dice due to getting drunk. Fumble = lose 1d6 dice. Success = lose 1 die. First one to lose more dice than HT or WIL goes under the table (of course, it is assumed that Gregor will - before drinking - talk to Kate. Timing is of no importance here. We can assume he talked to her before the competition starts.

Any questions?

If not, let the fun part of the evening start!

[Eplov]

The firelight dancing across her skin was... distracting. With an effort of will he tried to see past her beauty and talk to her like he would anyone else. "I know we've gotten off on the wrong foot. I can sometimes get a little a overly enthusastic, and, as you no doubt already know, you are very distracting." Taking a long pull of ale to buy himself time to think, Gregor set the mug down gently, and went on. "You lot have a very different method of doing things than I'm used to, but I don't necesarily see that as an obstacle. We both have something different to bring to the table."

[Mathis]

Quite eager to impress the newcomer, Ruark stepped up to what he considered to be a respectable distance. He toed the line a bit as he leaned forward and went through the motion of throwing the dagger a couple of times before finally releasing it. "Now watch this" he mumbled, more than loudly enough for the rest of the tavern to hear. The dagger flew in a beautiful arc before lodging itself solidly at the edge of the center. "Hah!", he exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air victoriously. "Let's see you do any better southerner!"

All rolls were settled in the roller thread and followed in real time by Eplov and myself over Discord. These posts will just be quick banter back and forth to settle the IC reactions.

[Eplov]

Gregor walked slowly forward, impressed with Ruark's throw. "Very nice." Not to be outdone, he took a careful eye on the target as he added, "but why are you so close to the target? Are you nearsighted or something?" Turning around, he took several long paces away. Then, spinning back around to face the target he released the blade in one fuild motion! With a quiet thunk, the knife sunk into the target in the outer ring. Pleased with the hit, Gregor raised an eyebrow at Ruark as he took a deep draught from his ale.

[Mathis]

"Hah! You have some skill after all I see, I was just testing you. Now drink! A toast! To surviving the second longest, second most dangerous night I've ever experienced!" Some chatting was done and soon another ale was downed. His vision and speech almost unmarked by the strong drink, but not quite, Ruark stepped up the new distance Gregor had chosen for himself. "I'll be damned if I'll be any worse...", he said and thumbed his nose, wiping imaginary dust off his shoulders and taking his sweet time finding a comfortable stance to throw from.

"All right, no nonsense. Let's see if I can't hit that damned center!" Another solid throw, the dagger found it's target's outer edge, just enough to score a respectable hit. "Hehehe, distance is no challenge for me. See?"

[Anyr]

The firelight dancing across her skin was... distracting. With an effort of will he tried to see past her beauty and talk to her like he would anyone else. "I know we've gotten off on the wrong foot. I can sometimes get a little a overly enthusastic, and, as you no doubt already know, you are very distracting." Taking a long pull of ale to buy himself time to think, Gregor set the mug down gently, and went on. "You lot have a very different method of doing things than I'm used to, but I don't necesarily see that as an obstacle. We both have something different to bring to the table."

Kate suppressed a shudder. This man was looking at her in...that way again. His flirtatious banter was probably supposed to be endearing. But personally, Kate found it tasteless and charmless. Still, he was right about one thing: His talents were quite useful. But if he was to continue travelling with their company, he had to learn the rules.

"Let's clear the fog from those words. You were not being 'overly enthusiastic': You stole the purse of an innocent tradesman. Perhaps this group's activities have given you a false impression of our moral compass. So, in the interests of education, let me enlighten you: We do not prey upon the innocent. Good people should have nothing to fear from us. If you're the type of person who is compelled to exploit every opening, then you have no future with us. Is that understood?"

[Eplov]

Putting down his ale, his mind only a bit dulled due to its influence, Gregor tips an imaginary hat to Ruark. "Well done!" After retrieving the knives from the target, Gregor stepped up to Ruark and set a friendly hand on his shoulder. Looking at Ruark the whole time, he flung the knife backwards over one shoulder. The same sound as before told him that he'd scored. Without looking back to check his hit, he said with a confident grin,"What were you saying about nonsense, again?"

[Mathis]

"What the..." Ruark was left agape. "Backwards? Without even looking! Pah! Well a hit's a hit no matter how flashy you wanna make it!" He seemed worked up now, nervous almost. Worried about losing maybe? After another round of ale and smashing tankards against tables, Ruark got up again. A bit wobblier than before he took up position, knife in hand. he fumbled it around a bit, felt the weight of it. He took a long time now, concentration practically steaming off his hairy head. The knife flew. Round and round it twirled. THUNK! Another hit! Again on the outer ring. "Well how about that! Another one for me! Three for three!" He twirled around triumphantly to gather praises, but few were found.

The innkeep even found it pertitent to mention that there were points involved. And that Gregor was solidly in the lead. "No, what? Points!? Hah, let's try it with axes next we'll see how many points are left on that board."

[Eplov]

Kate suppressed a shudder. This man was looking at her in...that way again. His flirtatious banter was probably supposed to be endearing. But personally, Kate found it tasteless and charmless. Still, he was right about one thing: His talents were quite useful. But if he was to continue travelling with their company, he had to learn the rules.

"Let's clear the fog from those words. You were not being 'overly enthusiastic': You stole the purse of an innocent tradesman. Perhaps this group's activities have given you a false impression of our moral compass. So, in the interests of education, let me enlighten you: We do not prey upon the innocent. Good people should have nothing to fear from us. If you're the type of person who is compelled to exploit every opening, then you have no future with us. Is that understood?"


Irritated with this woman and how she seemed determined to take everything he says and does in the worst possible light Gregor again had to rely on his intensive training in keeping his face straight in any and all circumstances. Attempting to keep his tone light, he replied, "That was just a bit of fun. I had honestly intended to leave it somewhere for him to find that would be entertaining, slightly embarassing, but totally harmless. My 'moral compass' is in fine tune, but I can see how you mistook my intentions. I wasn't looking to exploit the man, and neither do I seek to exploit every opportunity that presents itself. As what I take to be the leader of this crew I assume you are within your rights to dismiss me out of hand, but I expect you would regret that decision in good time." Leaning back in his seat Gregor let out a long breath in an effort to release the tension he hadn't realized was there. Kate certainly had an unerring ability to get under his skin.

I realize she took it as such, but Gregor wasn't trying to flirt with her. He was just commenting on her face being distracting is a fact.
I will also have to run through with spell check later and fix any mistakes I've made, there isn't one built into the browser on my tablet.

[Eplov]

Ruark's final point was a solid one, and Gregor was both impressed and amused. "Another good throw. I don't think the board would survive thrown axes for long, but maybe we can try those another time." He spoke from his seat by the bar which was roughly double the distance Ruark stood from the target. Still seated with his ale in one hand he flung the final blade with a casual flick of his wrist. The blade turned end over end twice before solidly emebedding itself in the second ring. Grinning happliy Gregor added, "Well look at that! Next round's on you."

[Mathis]

Ruark grumbled, and with a defeated, slouched demeanor went to retrieve the final knives and return them to their owner. He had been completely outclassed. "Next time I'll have to come up with a better challenge, oar dancing maybe... and wrestling's a good one. Arm wrestling too, I haven't tried that against anyone except Uruk for a very long time now."

And that was that for Ruark's part. He went to bed solidly drunk and full of food.

[Dienekes]

Kate raised an eyebrow. That wasn't the reaction she'd expected.

"Whether you destroyed it."

"I gave my oath, I ain't gonna lie to ya. The cities gone because o' me and mine. It's probably just easier to say I destroyed it." He wasn't sure what he should say. Something told him his usual dispassionate logic wouldn't work explaining things, he'd need to draw on emotions or something. But, some people only had one tool, and when they needed to use something else, they had no idea what to do.

[Eplov]

"You'll have to show me what oar dancing is some time, but I welcome the challenge. And arm wrestling Urukubaar..." with a sideways look at the man in question Gregor adds, "do you ever win?"

With that Gregor heads to bed, theroughly exhausted and belly brimming with ale.

[Anyr]

Irritated with this woman and how she seemed determined to take everything he says and does in the worst possible light Gregor again had to rely on his intensive training in keeping his face straight in any and all circumstances. Attempting to keep his tone light, he replied, "That was just a bit of fun. I had honestly intended to leave it somewhere for him to find that would be entertaining, slightly embarassing, but totally harmless. My 'moral compass' is in fine tune, but I can see how you mistook my intentions. I wasn't looking to exploit the man, and neither do I seek to exploit every opportunity that presents itself. As what I take to be the leader of this crew I assume you are within your rights to dismiss me out of hand, but I expect you would regret that decision in good time." Leaning back in his seat Gregor let out a long breath in an effort to release the tension he hadn't realized was there. Kate certainly had an unerring ability to get under his skin.

Kate's expression didn't soften. She didn't really believe Gregor's story about a harmless prank. And even if he was telling the truth, that just upgraded him from 'greedy' to 'reckless'. Either way, this behaviour needed to stop.

"And you didn't think to consult anyone before taking this insane risk? In case you hadn't noticed, you're part of a group now. If you'd been caught, all of us would have been dragged down with you. 'Place no burden upon your comrades that they are not willing to handle': That's one of our rules. Do you understand?"


"I gave my oath, I ain't gonna lie to ya. The cities gone because o' me and mine. It's probably just easier to say I destroyed it." He wasn't sure what he should say. Something told him his usual dispassionate logic wouldn't work explaining things, he'd need to draw on emotions or something. But, some people only had one tool, and when they needed to use something else, they had no idea what to do.

Kate took several deep breaths. She was clearly trying very hard to remain calm. The man in front of her had proved himself loyal and steadfast many times. He deserved a fair hearing. Nonetheless, her hands had already clenched themselves into fists. It took a lot of willpower to keep the anger at bay.

"Do you have...any idea what was lost on that day? The priceless treasures that perished in those flames? The Great Library was a bastion of knowledge and learning. Its collection of tomes took centuries to assemble. How could anyone bring themselves to defile-"

A pause. Several more deep breaths. Then she continued.

"...But I wasn't there. I don't have all the facts. Perhaps you had good reason. Perhaps the outcome was unavoidable. So, tell me: Why? Why did you do it?"

[Dienekes]

Kate took several deep breaths. She was clearly trying very hard to remain calm. The man in front of her had proved himself loyal and steadfast many times. He deserved a fair hearing. Nonetheless, her hands had already clenched themselves into fists. It took a lot of willpower to keep the anger at bay.

"Do you have...any idea what was lost on that day? The priceless treasures that perished in those flames? The Great Library was a bastion of knowledge and learning. Its collection of tomes took centuries to assemble. How could anyone bring themselves to defile-"

A pause. Several more deep breaths. Then she continued.

"...But I wasn't there. I don't have all the facts. Perhaps you had good reason. Perhaps the outcome was unavoidable. So, tell me: Why? Why did you do it?"

"The facts? The facts were the entire reason I brought my army there in the first place was 'cause I wanted that library. Do you have any idea how to run a kingdom?" Gerric thought for a second, actually, she probably does. "A new one, made out of a bunch o' tribes that've been killing each other since the world was forged. I promised them if they'd work with me they'd go on raid, a raid that would make every man who went with me rich. And I did, the city of Tierno, I conquered it, and every soldier I had took more silver than they could carry. So, I kept pushing, to get something I really wanted. The Library, Euric and I needed that library. You southerners have been running kingdoms forever. We needed to know how you made it work. So I headed to the library, I conquered the city, I had the knowledge of the world in my hands."

Gerric paused as he shook his head, in anger more than anything. "And the ****in' greedy fools set fire to the place! Do you have any idea what it feels like? Any idea at all to know that the answer to every one o' your problems is right in front of you, and to watch halfwits destroy it! The city was ruined. I couldn't even mount a defense of the damn walls when the fires ended! What should have been my new kingdom's place of trade and knowledge. One city that would overnight turn Dragontooth from a backwater to civilization. Gone! I saved a few books from the fires and lead my people out of the city, before their idiocy would get us all killed."

[Cavir]

Nazir sat at the table, quiet. He watched as Kate and Gregor went for a chat, then Kate and Gerric. Nazir's lack of movement made it easy for those around him to forget his was there but his mind was moving like a sprinting horse. It was retracing the months he had spent chasing the Demon of Dragontooth and his army. Nazir had been with one of the lead scout squads, and with the quickness of his feet was usually out ahead of his unit. That often led him to being the one to discover the wanton destruction and slaughter. The buildings burned. The elderly and those who could not travel killed where they were found. Brave men and women dead from standing their ground trying to give others time to get away. Women half stripped killed for resisting rape. Men killed for trying to defend those same women. The bodies of children out in the open, trampled to death by horses and men, half buried in the mud, half a flattened paste by the passing barbarians.

Under the table, Nazir's fists were so clenched it was beginning to hurt. The pain brought the halfling back to the present. Ruark and Gregor were having their little contest across the room. Yes, he had to get his mind off Gerric for now. He wanted to be there with Kate when questioning Gerric but that wasn't happening, those answers would have to wait. Gregor threw the knife behind him over his shoulder and scored a hit. Impressive. Something Nazir hadn't tried but will have to consider. They continued to throw, coming up with tricks. Nazir's mind was still in overdrive. He redirected his focus to what tricks he could come up with with his bow. Two arrows at once? More? Ricocheting off something to hit his target? Maybe off the shield of one to then hit the one next to him? He had more ideas but he knew it was a process, skills to work up to. He found his hand feeling the handle of the one dagger he had. He took it out and felt its weight. It was a decent dagger. He looked at the target they had been using. He was sitting a bit further away from the game and it was far from straight on.

Still sitting, he took the dagger by the tip and felt the balance. Ruark fetched their daggers one last time and headed back to his drink. Nazir considered trying a throw from here. It would be child's play with his bow but he wasn't practiced much with throwing daggers. Maybe he should take it up, in case of a last ditch emergency. For tonight, it wasn't worth hitting someone. Nazir smiled. Seeing the other head up, he put the dagger away and helped the merchant to their room, to retire for the night.

[Anyr]

"So, it was an accident. Small comfort."

Kate wanted to curse Gerric. She wanted to scream at him. She wanted to teach him the folly of resorting to barbarism: Preferably by smashing his head through a table. But Kate resisted those urges. The past was past. No amount of rage would restore the Great Library. The Gerric sitting here now wasn't the same one who'd led that army. He could learn, and atone, and redeem himself. Descending to his level would just cause him to regress. So with a supreme effort, Kate schooled herself into calmness (or a fair substitute) once more.

"You were trying to build a better life for your people. I can respect that. But your methods were abhorrent. I'm not sure whether it's possible to wash away that much blood from your hands.

...However, I'm willing to let you try. If the rest of us are also willing, then you still have a place in this group: Until, that is, you take even a single step back into your own footprints. Do you understand?"

[Dienekes]

"Kate, I don't know much 'bout your home. But do you think they ever got the type of power they got without as much blood on their hands? I built a kingdom. How many people alive can say the same? Eh? The only thing that made it happen was a mountain of corpses. Every war ever fought, whether you think it was noble or not was won through people like me. Not strong people, not even skilled, or smart. But because they were willing to crawl over the dead and keep on pushing, get others to follow you by feeding them more people to kill and more silver to spend."

Gerric shook his head, he wasn't helping himself. But isn't this what he was supposed to do? Be honest, not just about himself but about the world. She had to learn reality, that there were no monstrous barbarians and noble knights in war. There were just people willing to kill to win and those that died.

"If you're worried that I'm going to go raidin' or murderin' indiscriminately, I won't. I never killed anyone without a reason, and what reason would I have to draw attention to myself? But I will tell you, whether or not you respect me, or like me, or ****in' want me around. You're goin' to need me, soon, I'd reckon. Euric's set his eyes on this city. And I may have gotten the name Demon, but Euric knows everything I've just said. He's walked over the same pile of corpses I have, and you're goin' to need someone who knows what he'll do and how to kill him."

[Lacco]

There was a moment of silence. The only sounds that could be heard were sounds from the street, luckily dampened by the closed shutters. Drunks, revering in their mindless fun, roamed the old market square, singing, quarelling and trying to attract any person of appropriate sex for them to have some entertainment.

Time moved on, and the moment seemed to last too long for comfort. Their eyes itched and they knew there was only so much hours of sleep ahead. Tomorrow never forgives anyone the decisions they make today - but the words needed to be said and the troubling ideas alleviated.

Ok, I have discussed a solution to current situation with Eplov - I suppose he will be able to give Kate an answer now. At least asking about the other rules... :smallbiggrin:

@Anyr: will you accept that he will not join at the moment, but after he deals with "bussiness" he has?

[Eplov]

Kate's expression didn't soften. She didn't really believe Gregor's story about a harmless prank. And even if he was telling the truth, that just upgraded him from 'greedy' to 'reckless'. Either way, this behaviour needed to stop.

"And you didn't think to consult anyone before taking this insane risk? In case you hadn't noticed, you're part of a group now. If you'd been caught, all of us would have been dragged down with you. 'Place no burden upon your comrades that they are not willing to handle': That's one of our rules. Do you understand?"


Gregor's steely gaze mirrored Kate's. His air of joviality gone. "Insane risk? Did it occur to you that helping you lot in the first place was an 'insane risk'? Helping you get into the warehouse quiet as a whisper so that you could ambush those things was an 'insane risk'. Sticking around you even this long when you so clearly have an unending array of enemies hunting you is an 'insane risk'. If I'd been caught you would have turned on me, denounced me as a stranger, and you'd be done with me. I realize my most recent risk wasn't to your benefit, but has it occurred to you that after dancing with the reaper sometimes folks need to blow off some steam?"


With a long exhalation he continued on, his cold tone receding. “Look. You can usually judge someone by their friends, and even more so by their enemies. I still have no idea what those things were, and I want to help stop them however I can. I have… a previous engagement that I must attend to before I can honorably agree to your rules. Can we agree to table this until I can give this horror its full attention? In the meantime I will endeavor to maintain my self control and keep from causing you any inadvertent grief. Agreed?”

[Cavir]

Nazir takes his watch during the night. When his time is up he nudges Gerric awake for his turn, then waits outside in the hallway for him to come out. Gerric finds the halfling sitting with his back against the wall, knees bent with his feet flat on the floor and his arms resting on his knees. With an open hand he offers Gerric the spot across from him. His manner is calm but firm, as if he had just been meditating to reach that state.

"That was quite some news today, learning your nickname. My name is not known like yours is, but I too had a part in your war. I was one of the lead scouts for the Zhengar and Concenia army chasing you. I was the one finding village after village of innocents lives slaughtered. The constant stench of rotten meat day after day for months. It was my squad that first laid eyes on the ruined city of Antiea. It was me, with my fey sight, rushing through the ruins to see if there were any surivors. You know how many I found."

"Even though your army had long gone we pursued. We chased and chased. The images of the wanton slaughter were etched into my mind as I helped lead the chase. Your army refused to stand and fight. I can understand that- the mountains were advantageous to you. We were catching up, driven on by our new dreams of what we would do to you, Euric, and every one of your soldiers who took part. "

"But you figured out we were closing. Was it you personally that ordered the murder of every prisoner? Was it you that decided that if you couldn't enslave them then the option was brutality for innocent men, women, and children?"

"People see me and fearor hate me for my looks. Most of those that can get past that come to respect me. You are the opposite. Without knowing you you are treated like any other citizen. Once people learn your identity they justly fear and dispise you. That first day we met, in the tavern. If I knew then it was you I would have called it out for the whole tavern to know. You would have been rushed and outnumbered. Even dogpiled like that my arrow would have somehow found its way to pluck out your eye like I did Mad Dog."

"Why? Why try to hide in the city that gains everything from mounting your head on a stake to rally army after army?"

[Dienekes]

Gerric groaned which quickly turned into a yawn, as he woke up. He slapped his cheeks a few times to shock himself conscious before standing up and stretching until he heard the bones in his back pop into place. He nodded to Nazir, hoping to signal to him that he was ready and the archer could go to sleep. Only, he didn't move. It took his brain a few moments to realize what Nazir wanted from him.

He sat, and listened to the man recount the horrors that Gerric left behind. And as the elf spoke, Gerric thought back and every village he burned to the ground, every corpse he tossed aside. Everything he'd done, and all there was to show for it was another man on the throne.

"Then, I suppose I'm glad you didn't know who I was that night in the tavern. And I don't doubt you'd be the one to kill me. You're somethin' special, give it time, I'm certain there will be songs written about you."

Gerric shrugged. "When we met, I saw my wife's corpse, I watched as my daughters were dragged into the Goligai pits. I was stabbed, by the closest friend I ever had," he pointed to one of the scars that ran across the side of his face and took out a chunk of his ear. "I had lived alone for two years, on a frozen mountain. I spent every day trying to survive, trying to make a plan. But, I couldn't think of a way to beat Euric. When the shack I built for myself finally collapsed, I just had enough. I headed south. I didn't expect to stay long, didn't expect to make myself known to the ****in' captain of the guard and their spymaster chief. I just didn't want to be cold, for just one night. If I hadn't met you lot, I'd have kept goin'. My father had been a farmer, I couldn't make the soil on the mountains work, but I thought, maybe I could where it's hot?

But by the god's breath, I met you, Ruark, Uruk, and Kate. I thought maybe I could use what I know for somethin' useful. Or maybe, my motives weren't so noble, maybe I just didn't want to be alone anymore. I'm a monster. That I won't argue, but no matter how much you hate me. Do you think each of you would have made it this far, without a scratch, if I wasn't here? I've planned every one of our ambushes, I've fought as hard as anyone, and put myself in danger just to protect the rest o' us. And now we know my old friend has cast his eye on this city, and I'm the only one in this whole damn city who knows how he thinks and what he's likely to do.

So, if you still want to shoot me through my ****in' skull, I won't stop you. You want to put my head on a pike for your soldiers to cheer? I know I've earned worse treatment than that. But, I'm here to keep you and the rest alive. I'm tryin' to think of what we can possible do to fight 'dark ones' and the army I built a kingdom with. I'm goin' to keep plannin' how we're goin' to do that until we win, or I die. Are you goin' to help me or not?"

[Cavir]

Nazir stayed calm. "I didn't say anything about killing you here or that your fighting skill hasn't been vital. I do need to understand the Why. Why destroy a city? Why kill tens of thousands that weren't threatening you? Just to pillage, kill, and burn?"

[Dienekes]

Nazir stayed calm. "I didn't say anything about killing you here or that your fighting skill hasn't been vital. I do need to understand the Why. Why destroy a city? Why kill tens of thousands that weren't threatening you? Just to pillage, kill, and burn?"

"Because, it kept my people alive! Your force was bigger, unwieldy. I could outrun it, I could maybe bring back enough loot to fuel trade and fire in my people's bellies. But, if we kept being slowed by the slaves we'd never make it. If we fought I would need to keep a quarter of my forces aside just to guard the slaves. I'd lose and any chance Dragontooth has to develop dies with me.

So the slaves needed to be gotten rid of. But you try telling a thousand Goligai that they can't bring back the slaves they won by fair steel to sacrifice to Hok and the Faceless. You'd be dead before you finished talkin', I gave them a night to conduct their rites. One night then we could make it to the mountains. We'd be faster, we'd reach the cliffs. We'd reach our terrain and if you lot continued after us we would have destroyed you. Like we have every time one of you ****in' southerners think to invade our mountains.

You want to know how I could kill thousands? Because one day, soon, my mountains will be comin' south to bring judgement on every southern bastard that saw us as no better than animals. Every merchant that sold us copper for dragon shells. Every priest that called our gods lies and demons. Every conqueror that tried to push whatever cities borders just a little further. We ain't stupid. We watched you, we learned. The south shaped us into the hardest most dangerous bastards in the world. I may be a monster, but at least I'm honest about it. I chose to be me, to unite my people and push back on you lot.

And what gets me, you know what I'm sayin'. How many of these people look at you with revulsion? How many Sinkrin's have you met? How many look look at you and all they see is a halfbreed freak? How can you stand with these people, who think they're so damn superior? Who pretend their history isn't just as bloody as mine? I know why, I'm goin' to fight tooth and nail against my own people. But what possible reason do you have for stayin'? They'll never accept you here. You could make a name for yourself anywhere else."

He needed a drink. There was so much talking today, his throat was starting to feel sore. When had he turned into such a talker?

[Cavir]

Nazir shakes his head. "That is the problem. You have only ever known slaughter and betrayal your whole life. You can't imagine that there is anything other than that. The world is not perfect but there is more to it than killing every single thing you can. I didn't grow up in the city. I grew up in the woods. A woods-elf. I killed when need be. Animals kill what they need. They don't kill just for the sake of killing. That is what a monster is. What you confessed to having been. A city or kingdom needs stability to stay united and flourish. What good could become of the mountain people if they fall apart every time someone like you decides they want to be in charge instead and starts the killing all over again? That's just endless chaos without reaching a long lasting unity. Even without betrayal, no man lives forever. Without some order when Euric, or you, dies of old age it all collapses for naught. What is it for you, lust for personal power or a future for your people?"

"People can change, but they have to want it and work for it. In our own ways we can all help with the war. Yes, there are those that hate me for what I am. Some hate me out of envy or as a scapegoat for their own gain. That's Sinkrin and his crew. Some hate me based on the fear drilled into them as kids. Some of those learn to think differently when they get to know me. Some are wise or educated enough to know better. Sinkrin's predecessor, Captain Aldarman, was one of them. That Councilman we met tonight, Unaric, is another. They treated me fairly. How do I handle the others? Watching my back and showing there is more to life than hate. The fey in general disown me for what I am, but my mother did not. She helped me learn to deal with it as we were both ostracized."

"Why do I stay? There are good people here. Running without a plan is just a slow tortuous death. A buffalo is easy prey for a wolf-pack, but when the buffalo stand and work together the wolf-pack doesn't stand a chance. Wolves know this. You know this. They need us and we need them. I hope we can be unified in that."

[Dienekes]

"Aye, but even the buffalo leave the weak, old, and useless to the wolves to save the rest. Your morals do you credit, but don't confuse them with life. These real people are goin' to disappoint you. When the wolves come at the gates, you'll watch these people who've not tasted hardship and slaughter before start to blame themselves, start to betray each other, start to leave the undesirables out for the wolves. I've seen it happen before, and I have no intention of bein' sacrificed by some merchant or some fat coward on a council, just because they think it will give them another day free of Northmen and demons. Prepare for them to stab you in the back, then you'll never be disappointed in folk."

[Cavir]

Nazir is able to keep his voice calm, hoping it is infectious. "A tiny part of the herd, yes, but not most of the herd. You said you spent 2 years and couldn't come up with a way to defeat Euric. Now there's an army that has the same goal as you and you just want to run. You are so blinded by hatred of everything you can't think straight. If you want to kill Euric you are going to have to take chances trusting others."

"I do need sleep. See you in the morning." He eases himself up and goes into the room to his spot on the floor. Sleeping on earth out in the woods would have been more comfortable, but it was still better than sleeping in a prison or rocky outcrop exposed to the weather.

[Dienekes]

"Never said I was runnin', said I'm puzzled why you weren't. I'm here to see Euric bleed. That's somethin' real, I'll be able to feel it. I'll know that I'm destoryin' him piece by piece. It's you I can't figure. You're problem was with me, not him. You've been nothin' but harassed by these bastards in the city. And your trust is just as dangerous as my axe."

Gerric shrugged, as Nazir went off. "Get a good sleep. I hope the world in your dreams works with honor and trust, because once you wake, it's back to this one, which isn't so friendly."