"Living for the City" or "How to GTFO of Lurkwood"

Zimran Ibanez

"Living for the City" or "How to GTFO of Lurkwood"

« on: March 30, 2018, 11:50:41 AM »

Zimran sighed, ignoring the barbs from the half-orc perched atop the Doctor's wagon while he addressed the good, and beautiful, Captain Westbrook.

"I am sorry Westra, but I just don't see this as a worthwhile risk of my life," The bard continued. "It's not worth the risk of your lives either."

"I understand you want to find your brother, I really do, otherwise I would not have come this far, but we're no closer now than we were a few days ago. We only have more scratches to show for it. If it wasn't for Euron here, you would likely have met the same fate as your sibling." Zimran's voice holds a very real tinge of emotion. He isn't just worried for himself.

"If there really is a mad scientist, whatever that is, or a necromancer, or whatever name you want to give this evil, let's take this information to people who are equipped to deal with werewolves and their ilk. Let's warn the good people of Sunderwood before it's too late. You saw how dusty that room was. Going further into the forest does not help warn those people of the looming threat." Zimran could still see the determination on Westra's face, along with the disapproving looks from the others.

"If nothing else, let me go warn them and others. If you're unable to follow the half-orc's nose anywhere useful at least those people will be alerted to the real threat they face."

« Last Edit: March 30, 2018, 11:52:19 AM by Zimran Ibanez »

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Doctor Catriona Wicker

"Tarnation!!"
0
For Lantan.

Re: "Living for the City" or "How to GTFO of Lurkwood" / Post S30

« Reply #1 on: April 02, 2018, 12:34:19 PM »

The clash of personalities once again reared its head, and as always Mister Wolfe was near the center of it. Westra’s position was, for the first time to the doctor, not exactly as clear as usually was, yet somehow Mister Ibanez was taking her place in that. This was all much easier (though with less excitement) when she was exploring and experimenting on her own. Drama was not her strong suit, nor was seemingly random flights of instinct and fancy rather than logic.

The half moon-elf scientist ran her fingers along her temples, tucking her straight platinum blonde hair behind slightly pointed ears; a show of stress in the moment as the arguments escalated. No one was making proper sense. Except Euron; he was at least seeming level headed.

“This is.. um.. is there really any right answer here? If Mister Ibanez parts our company, there is a high likelihood he will come across the dangers of Lurkwood on his own. If we could barely match them as a group, what chance does one lone rider have?” She adjusts her glasses. “28.5%? If I am being generous?”

“Contrarily, this mission has transformed, no pun intended… umm.. to what? Haunted houses, mad scientists and mecha-wolves, possible staging area target towns for plots or experiments… needless to say, the scope has broadened to saving just one man to foiling some region wide paranormal menace.“

Briefly, she is interrupted by a disturbing howl in the distance. She tried to quickly make her point as time was of the essence.

“If this is some major plot, and the evidence suggests such, I think the Harpers and or..umm the Emerald Enclave should be appraised of it, no?" The doctor looks towards Wolfe. "It seems unfair that you want us to be swept up in... your zeal just because you feel it’s right, with barely information imparted to the rest of us."

"I don’t think we are going to succeed much if all everyone does is just assume the rest blindly follow and can be taken for granted.” This “follow me or get left behind” kind of process with the two strong minded personalities of this troupe was becoming untenable, even to her.

Catriona fidgets her arms some. “It just sounds like there is no plan other than just… 'my gut' make me want to take course of action X.” A slight shrug comes from the doctor, not particularly known for enjoying being in the center of a discussion.

« Last Edit: April 11, 2018, 12:59:32 PM by Doctor Catriona Wicker »

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Wolfe

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Death. Honor. Hangovers.

Re: "Living for the City" or "How to GTFO of Lurkwood"

« Reply #2 on: April 02, 2018, 08:36:12 PM »

"The wrong answer is the one that gets you killed." The Half-Orc grumbled, but mostly to himself rather than answer Cat directly. He turned to regard the scientist more directly, his gaze stern and intense. "What did you think you were gonna find out here, Cat? A bunch of cuddly Werewolves that were going to let you take their bodyparts for study? Shit's gone sideways, but it was never gonna be easy, nor fun."

His eyes shifted to Zimran, a man he had no particular loyalty and only animosity toward for way the bard had publicly humiliated him while they rode into Neverwinter. The Half-Orc had a grudge there, and little patience for the Half-Elf's opinion on the matter at hand. "There ain't no-one else out here. Flaming Fist came up here to stop it and lost, badly. Spellplague's killed all the big goddamn heroes in the world. We're it. At least the only people close enough to handle this sort of thing.

Maybe you've lived your life passing on the scary shit to someone else to handle, because you're afraid. But I don't, and I won't. I'm perfectly capable of handling this situation." He turned to regard Westra, Cat, and Euron in turn. "And so are all of you."

He shifted his focus back to Cat in full. "The plan is to find who's responsible and to kill them. That's the plan. Sera knows what's going on, and can help us figure that out." He pointed up toward the northwest, where he'd been leading them. "And she's that way.

So do you have something more insightful, Doctor? Then I'm all ears. Otherwise? We're wasting time sitting here."

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Zimran Ibanez

Re: "Living for the City" or "How to GTFO of Lurkwood"

« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2018, 09:37:54 PM »

Zimran supposed the Doctor low-balling his chances as her way of saying she cared, but at least she seemed to see his point. What were they doing out here?

The bard rolled his eyes at the half-orc's jab towards his bravery. The fact that Zimran believed he had better chances alone than going deeper in the forest following Wolfe's nose seemed lost on the brute. Then came the plan that wasn't a plan and half-elf decided to speak up in response.

"So then you don't have a plan. We're just supposed to follow your nose? Who is this Sera? Why would she know what's going on? How many of these werewolves are there anyways? They may have bested a Flaming Fist patrol, but that doesn't tell us anything. Could have been a well laid trap executed by a few, or maybe there's a whole pack of beasts waiting deeper in these woods? Following some drunk half-orc around a forest isn't bravery, it's foolishness." Zimran stopped himself from unleashing a stronger set of vicious mockeries at Wolfe. Now wasn't the time.

Instead the bard moved to gather his things from the wagon. He didn't see the need to convince them of their fool's errand. He warned them this was a bad idea. The known threat is to Sunderwood and they have a job to do in Luskan.

« Last Edit: April 03, 2018, 07:15:12 AM by Zimran Ibanez »

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Euron Sand

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Re: "Living for the City" or "How to GTFO of Lurkwood"

« Reply #4 on: April 03, 2018, 12:40:31 AM »

There were deeper cracks in the party's foundation than Euron first recognized. Things were tense right now and emotions had been running high since before he joined the party. Now, though, some people either weren't' making sense or seemed to be holding back important information that the party needed to make decisions. Both positions bothered Euron. As the newest member of the Watch, however, he felt that it was poor form to voice his thoughts without being asked.

But time was of the essence and silence wasn't an option.

"Mr. Ibanez, leaving the group is a bad plan, no matter your level of skill. If you wish to go, then Helm be with you. But matters in Luskan can wait until the current issue has been dealt with.

That being said, you've asked valid questions." Euron said, his attention turning to Wolfe.

"Wolfe, you've clearly got an idea of what necessary to stop this and keep other people from suffering. But if you're going to lead in any capacity, the people working with you deserve to know everything you can tell us so that we can make an informed decision. No one's looking to pass this on or walk away.

Diplomacy is fine when people aren't dying or suffering." Euron said.

"But I'm not leaving this matter to someone else to do deal with. Lord Neverember's task can wait. I have trouble believing that he'd leave something this important to just one set of people. That's not the issue, though.

Wolfe, I think that telling us a little bit about this Sera and her connection to this matter may put Doctor Wicker at ease, at the very least. Then we can find her, figure out who is doing this, and see them stopped for good." Euron said.

He fell silent, waiting to hear Westra's comments or for Wolfe to speak up.

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Westra Goldbrook

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Faith. Courage. Honor.
- [Character Sheet]

Re: "Living for the City" or "How to GTFO of Lurkwood"

« Reply #5 on: April 03, 2018, 10:43:24 AM »

Westra had been conspicuously quiet for the majority of the argument, silently struggling with the matter. Her sense of duty was massive, and had been the driving motivation behind much of what she'd done with her adult life. Coming from a family with similar leanings, it had typically been an easy path to walk because she'd had the affirmation and support of people around her, people that she respected and trusted. At the moment her sense of duty was telling her to honor the obligation she'd made to Lord Neverember, regardless of what other distractions may be pulling at her or how worthwhile they may be. She'd accepted a task, and Lord Neverember had not sent another party to Luskan because he'd trusted her to follow through on that task. The thought of just abandoning that responsibility literally sickened her, and her stomach turned while she considered it.

She knew that doing so only because she feared for the fate of her brother was not just. Antony was a grown man and a capable fighter in his own right, better equipped than most to encounter a gang of monsters and survive. What's more, the further this mission progressed the less likely it seemed to Westra that she was going to encounter Antony and find him healthy and hale. He'd be a werewolf like his men at best, if he wasn't dead already. The odds that they were already too late seemed formidably high, and abandoning her assigned duties only to fail to save her brother was an unsatisfying prospect, to say the least. That thought was what had initially pushed her towards wanting to head to Luskan. She was so afraid of letting that sympathy for Anthony influence her that she'd wanted to move resolutely in the opposite direction.

And yet, the affairs of the werewolves were a danger to far more than the missing Flaming Fist contingent. The fate of the people of Sunderwood weighed on her, and ate away at her resolution to follow her assigned duty. Was not her duty to protect the innocent a higher calling? Was it not more honorable to make every attempt to vanquish an immediate evil like this than it was to sit at a banquet and try to influence political schemes? The Paladin loathed the conflict that tore her in two different directions, and while the others argued she held her tongue and tried to solve it.

Ultimately, it was Euron's comment that reminded Westra of what she needed to do. But I'm not leaving this matter to someone else to do deal with, he said, and conviction stabbed at her heart, clear as the rising sun after a long night. No, she could not be presented with an evil and walk away from it, then send someone else to confront it in her stead.

"Do not discount instinct," she finally said, calm but confident, to Zimran. "Even the best-trained warriors yield to their gut. Sometimes our instincts provide us with insight even if our minds overlook something. While you are more than justified to complain about Wolfe's crassness or hygiene, his instincts have proven true so far."

She looked to the half-orc before adding, "That said, the reason we are not currently sharing the fates of the Flaming Fist soldiers before us is that we function as a highly skilled team. I understand your passion for resolving this, and I respect it, but you must consider that there are other concerns that are valid, aside from yours. You would have no more success by yourself than any of us would; our strength is in our cooperation, regardless of how uncomfortable any of us are with that fact."

To the Doctor, she said, "Our mission has not changed. What we know about the circumstances has, and yes, this is a larger problem than we initially believed. But our mission is still to uncover what happened to the missing soldiers and save as many innocent lives as we can along the way. Even at the risk of our own." She looked to Zimran at the last. "If you are determined to part ways here, then we will not stop you. I think it unwise, and I know that we will be less effective without your help, but we cannot abandon this course now that we know how much evil is going to potentially be unleashed on innocent civilians. Any others we summon to address this problem will be lives risked in our stead, and we are at least as well equipped to handle something like this as anyone the Harpers would send."

She tucked the damnably short (but silvered!) sword in her hand into the belt of her armor, and drew a breath, then turned to Wolfe.

"Consider carefully whether your desire to find this 'Sera' is a personal one, or if you truly feel finding her would lead to a more expedient way to save the people of Sunderwood. If you believe the latter, then that is the course we will take."

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Doctor Catriona Wicker

"Tarnation!!"
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For Lantan.

Re: "Living for the City" or "How to GTFO of Lurkwood" / Post S30

« Reply #6 on: April 03, 2018, 01:52:21 PM »

When Wolfe patronizes her, the spectacled girl just says, “Don’t do that. Don’t reduce me to some caricature so you can dismiss me easier.” As her alien powers were inexorably tied to her personality, she had been using shadows and ice all night; any push into an emotional direction have those aspects become quite prominent in her affectation. Her expression deadened and she went silent as the half orc went on to the bard and then back to her.

Before she could respond to his question, the bard did. Zimran was right, to her, at least in the fact that it was not a plan. Still, she felt that travel alone would be perilous… then again the man survived in the den of the Black Spider. It wasn’t as if she didn’t put herself in insane situations alone, either, so perhaps throwing stones in that glass house was hypocritical.

Her expression visibly softened a little as Euron spoke some sentiments that she felt. Leadership wasn’t bullying people to just do what you want to do, however you want to do it without properly doing it. At least not to her. It was basically the opposite of Zimran’s impetus, save the bard wasn’t just expecting everyone to just go with him “just because.”

A deep cold exhalation escaped Doctor Wicker’s lips as Westra finally interjected. The woman was a heck of a speaker, that was for certain. Catriona wished she had half that conviction and presence when addressing others. Maybe she’s born with it, maybe it's Helmism.

The mission she agreed to was more defined, she recalled, though it wasn’t as if the scientist wasn’t interested in all manner of discovery. But these mainlanders had a far different perspective on responsibility than she did. The more they harped on doing everything themselves, the more she realized that sending word back to civilization was likely important. She no longer weighed in on Zimran leaving alone, given that if he successfully reached someone important, those with proper resources and manpower could contain it.

Westa’s talk about others risking their lives, however, was strange to her. “Captain, you died already for a cause. Doesn’t that mean anything to you in your cosmic balance? And I don’t discount instincts in their proper context.” Her tone is oddly lacking warmth, lips slowly creeping to a bluer color. “You two run head-first into danger without thought or care for anything else and just expect us to support you and follow like ants in a hive. The pleasantries expire once we leave civilization - explanations or rationale for courses of actions that affect everyone become obtuse, if they exist beyond rank violence.”

Opening the carriage door. “Not everyone thinks like you do and it isn’t fair to pressure us to do so. Instinct, Faith, Knowledge, all communicate differently. Currently from my perspective, Wolfe has an unexplained inspiration by scent and wants to go interrogate someone to go kill someone else. And the Captain is using a silver butter-knife because we did not discuss as a group a plan to arm properly for what may be ahead.” The steel-faced doctor then has her brows push together as if another notion interrupts...herself. Her bluish lips fade slowly back to a natural color.

To Wolfe, “Is this related to the Syra you mentioned a couple of weeks ago?” The names sounded similar, had some emotional resonance to the swordsman and ...in the wealth of information, one fills in gaps.

« Last Edit: April 11, 2018, 12:59:15 PM by Doctor Catriona Wicker »

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Wolfe

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Death. Honor. Hangovers.

Re: "Living for the City" or "How to GTFO of Lurkwood"

« Reply #7 on: April 03, 2018, 03:30:00 PM »

Wolfe took in the words of Zimran, Euron, and Westra. He wasn't inclined to really say more than he already had. Zimran had mocked him, Euron was a stranger, and Westra grated on him constantly and was little better than the bard. Cat had been the one, so far, to have stuck through and not died on him or followed his lead. Her reprimand for his discounting of her feelings didn't have the desired effect of mollifying him. But it did remind him of conversations they'd had of when they'd been talked down-to and their shared resentment of that. While in the back of his head Wolfe didn't completely believe that Cat had been persecuted in the same way he had, she had also been supportive of him while others had abandoned him or worse.

"It's a wakazashi." Wolfe snarled in annoyance at Cat's disrespect of his weapon. "Given to me when I was younger than you, and it has served me for over twenty five years. And I am lending it to Westra, to arm her, because everyone seemed to not do their homework about what Werewolves are or what they do, or what it takes to kill them."

The comments that he found a personal affront were exacerbated by the fact that Westra and Zimran were in the doghouse as far as he was concerned, and he didn't fully agree with Westra's belief that he couldn't handle this himself. But Cat brought up the name Syra and he frowned as that realization struck him that he had let something loose with her. Probably while you were drunk, you old bastard. He thought to himself with annoyance.

"It's Sera. Not Syra. Musta been pretty hammered when I said her name like that." He said with some exhalation as he looked up to Cat, then. His brow was creased. He trusted the Doctor, but the others...

He turned to look at Cat directly, as she was the one who brought up the topic in the way that most affected Wolfe.

"I've known Sera her whole life." He said slowly, as the others pressed for information. "She's a werewolf. A natural born one. She ran away to up here, and I promised her mother that I'd go after her and bring her home. It's why I'm on this godsforsaken continent." The words came out sharply, emotion lining the edges like serrated blades.

He turned then to the others, as they had asked about Sera and her relevance. "We don't know anything about what's going on with the craziness in the mecha wolves or the insane cultists. Sera's scent is all over that house, and it's a strong trail to the northwest. Yeah, I'm going off the best guess here. I don't have all the facts. I'm going off of my best guess to get us some answers. I care about those people in Sunderwood just as much as you all; I want to make sure they're safe.

But this is the most concrete lead I see, so I'm taking it."

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Zimran Ibanez

Re: "Living for the City" or "How to GTFO of Lurkwood"

« Reply #8 on: April 04, 2018, 02:40:11 PM »

At least the Helmite priest and the good doctor understood why Zimran's faith in their forest trek had flattered, even if they believed him to be foolish to travel alone.

When Westra spoke up Zimran gave her his full attention. He may have flights of fancy, but when the captain spoke, he listened. His reactions however weren't always agreeable. When Westra brought up Wolfe's instincts, the bard gave her a befuddled look. He had yet to see any instinct in Wolfe beyond a natural affinity for the blade, followed by avarice, poor planning, and a volatile temper. Those were not instincts Zimran put much stock in. Westra's experiences with the half-orc prior to meeting Zimran must have been vastly different. Still the captain spoke true to her beliefs, something the bard admired among the many attributes the woman has, which caused him to question whether he should leave or not. It was hard to not be inspired by Captain Goldbrook.

When Doctor Wicker spoke up again, Zimran's eyes grew in disbelief. He never would have thought the meek doctor would stand up Wolfe, and yet here she was, reminding the half-orc of her place and then to Westra as well. Turns out the young half-elf woman had some more fire in her than he thought before. She seemed to be looking for more information, much like he was.

As soon as Wolfe spoke up however, the bard's confidence in following this plan began to waver again.

"So this whole time you've been looking to make contact with this werewolf friend, you never thought to tell us your connection to all of this?" Zimran grew visibly frustrated, not out of anger, but as if this had proved all along that the bard was right; Wolfe was not to be trusted.

Zimran gestured towards Wolfe while he looked at the others, "This is the nose you all choose to follow? A drunk looking to find some runaway? And not just any runaway, but a werewolf from another continent? How do we know she isn't the cause of all of this? That she wasn't the reason Westra's brother and comrades succumbed to this fate? That Wolfe isn't holding something else back from us?" The bard's shoulders slumped in resignation. This was all a waste of time to the bard.

He looked to Westra, genuine sadness in his eyes, "I cannot follow you to where this half-orc leads you. I'm sorry. None of this threat makes sense to me beyond the people of Sunderwood deserve to be warned. I will go and warn them, help defend them if need be, then move on to Luskan. If I do not see you all in a fortnight's time I will assume the worst."

"And don't worry about me not being there to aid you, both the Doctor and priest can do what I do, just not as fabulously," Zimran tried to finish with a half hearted smile, but the energy behind his usual humor wasn't there.

(click to show/hide)

« Last Edit: April 04, 2018, 02:44:47 PM by Zimran Ibanez »

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Euron Sand

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Re: "Living for the City" or "How to GTFO of Lurkwood"

« Reply #9 on: April 05, 2018, 12:54:43 AM »

Zmran's reply was disheartening, but Euron felt a knot of uneasy coil in his stomach. It did, in fact, seem that Wolfe knew more than he was telling about the situation. He disagreed with Zimran's choice to leave the group, but he understood why the man resisted following the half-orc.

No one liked being kept in the dark.

Euron remained quiet as Cat spoke to Wolfe. The pair seemed to share a genuine connection and she appeared capable of getting through to him where Westra and Zimran were not. Wolfe mentioned that he'd known this Sera her whole life. The choice of words sat wrong with the priest, though he couldn't have said why, had he been asked directly at that moment. Even when Wolfe gave them more information, it felt like they still were not receiving the full story. Euron wished that he'd stopped that elf and asked him about the issues between these people prior to his disappearing.

He was walking blind here.

"You make good points, Mr. Ibanez. But no one is privy to the intimate details of someone's life. I'm basing my decisions on his actions since I've met him. He gave his word that he would find Sera and help her return home. He's standing up for the people of Sunderwood against the werewolves regardless of the personal cost to himself." Euron said, looking to Wolfe, though he spoke to everyone.

"Honor can't be washed away, no matter how much booze one drinks."

"I found tracks that lead to the northwest as well and I believe that we'll find the answers we seek. Walking away now punishes only the people of Sunderwood and anyone else unfortunate enough to run afoul of these creatures." he said.

"I'm a man of faith. Not merely faith in Helm but faith in people. I'm placing my faith in Wolfe because he's standing up for those who can't stand up for themselves. I'm placing my faith in each of you because I know that you're the best people for this job. I was placed here to help. Everyone else can decide as they will.

As for me, I'll follow the half-orc." Euron said.

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Doctor Catriona Wicker

"Tarnation!!"
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For Lantan.

Re: "Living for the City" or "How to GTFO of Lurkwood" / Post S30

« Reply #10 on: April 05, 2018, 01:16:19 AM »

She slightly shakes her head, those pearl-blonde curtains of hair bobbing with the movement yet still show looking pretty well coiffed for someone in the wilderness (#shampoo-alchemy confirmed). “You know I know what it is called, I was using a simile to put emphasis on a larger point of umm.. inter-group gaps in information. Pretending I’m ignorant to lash out and ignore my point isn’t helping...” It wasn’t as if the doctor hadn’t shown enthusiastic interested in the knights of Kara-Tur, their warfare and their weapons. Her fascination was no small thing and it was with that confidence that she was able to rebut Wolfe’s disparagement.

Of course, emotions were now seemingly flying high and she did not add anything beyond that. Even her last words there trailed off as if she had little desire to hold some heated back and forth.

And when she did have that name Syra/Sera come up and mentioned it… then things took an odd turn.

-------------------

The revelations and crucial crux of the matter aired, Catriona chewed on her lower lip some and looked off to the side. The tale was affecting to a degree and she was never one to be able to really mask her expressions. You could literally see the battle of aggravation, sadness, stress and frustration all on that youthful countenance. The cause was noble, the application was problematic, and now was resulting in lost of trust of an ally that weakened the troupe as a whole.

Zimran breaking the silence took her out of it; mostly because the first thing he said was spot on. “I mean… he isn’t wrong…” she said quietly, characterizing his first statement. “We are risking our lives, so it would.. Um.. I mean, would you appreciate being in our position?” she said towards Wolfe and then sighed in disappointment. “I would have just agreed to assist anyway.”

The bard interjected once-more, and it became more inflammatory than anything else, even if started from a true place. At this point, Catriona figured Wolfe was just punches back when feeling attacked, so this tactic was unsound. Yet, she looked over at Zimran and saw that he seemed to be at a wit’s end rather than trying to pick a fight.

Stoic statements from the priest showed where he stood, able to appreciate the insubstantial more than Catriona and Zimran were. It was the quintessential issue of the logic based and the faith based. This ordeal eroded her trust, not strengthened her faith. What if she never brought this up at all?

“Whatever you decide, Mister Ibanez… uh… thank you for your assistance thus far. If I can provide to you some of the evidence to disseminate to your superiors, I would feel more at ease. Your melodic stylings drowning out the creepier sounds of the locals we visit will be missed.” While she was skeptical of his safety in lone transit, but his core points were valid in her opinion.

« Last Edit: April 11, 2018, 12:57:45 PM by Doctor Catriona Wicker »

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Westra Goldbrook

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Faith. Courage. Honor.
- [Character Sheet]

Re: "Living for the City" or "How to GTFO of Lurkwood"

« Reply #11 on: April 07, 2018, 01:55:36 PM »

Westra listened in silence as the others spoke further on the matter. She was disappointed by Zimran's continued belief that leaving the group was the best course, but she believed she understood his reasoning and couldn't fault him too much for it. She worried over his chances of escaping the Lurkwood unscathed, but if he managed to do it then alerting the Harpers could be immensely helpful. She was conflicted, both wanting him to remain with the group for safety's sake, and wanting the larger groups of potential guards to be alerted. In the end, though, she'd said all she could say on the matter. She nodded to his points, but he failed to deter her from her own course.

"If you will allow me, I would like to pray over you before you leave us," she told Zimran. "Helm's favor may keep you safe for a time."

Whether or not Zimran agreed, Westra would bid him farewell once it was clear his mind was made up. She was sorry to see him go, but time was critically short already. She turned back to the others, and waited for them to work through their thoughts on Wolfe and his methods. Westra didn't bother, as being at odds with the half-orc typically did not impede her ability to kick ass alongside him.

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Wolfe

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Death. Honor. Hangovers.

Re: "Living for the City" or "How to GTFO of Lurkwood"

« Reply #12 on: April 07, 2018, 02:43:39 PM »

"Why would I tell you a fucking thing, Zimran?" Wolfe asked the Bard with no attempt to conceal his sneer. "As far as I'm concerned you could get eaten in the fuckin' woods." He turned to Cat then, his stare relenting in its anger but only slightly, as his passion for the matter was still high. "I'm going to remind you that these two put me in the back of a cart, chained up, and mocked me for the whole fucking city to see and hear, while some magic curse was driving me insane. That when I got dragged infront of Westra's murderous master, she went all-in on his bullshit and called me a smelly beast.

Nevermind the fact that we put ourselves in danger to bring her back to life, or that we've shed blood together. There is no honor in either of them. And there's no reason for me to extend trust to either of them.

I told you I had my own personal business up here. Maybe I should have told you more, but I've not kept anything from anyone here that puts them in danger. I just haven't told them my life story." He straightened his spine then, steel in his voice and in his gaze. "I gave my word that I will help Westra find her brother, and help keep you safe." Wolfe turned his eyes to Euron then, giving a nod toward the Helmite. "No offense, Euron. I just don't know you. But I appreciate the vote of confidence."

Wolfe turned away from then to walk forward on their route put a bit of distance between the others and himself. "Say your goodbyes to the bard and when you're ready we can get going."

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Zimran Ibanez

Re: "Living for the City" or "How to GTFO of Lurkwood"

« Reply #13 on: April 09, 2018, 10:21:40 PM »

Zimran arched his brow when Euron praised the half-orc's honor. Who was this Wolfe that the Helmite priest spoke of? In the bard's short time with the party he had not seen honor, selflessness, or sacrifice in the half-orc warrior. Perhaps Zimran viewed faith differently than Euron. The bard had little faith in people, except that people would do whatever it took to survive, hence why Zimran was leaving with his life while he could. Still, he did not wish to offend the strange priest's faith, so he kept his own philosophies to himself.

The one person who seemed to understand the bard was oddly enough the eccentric doctor. Knowing he would be missed warmed his heart during this bitter discussion. Zimran had learned so many new words to rhyme with because of Doctor Wicker. The half-elf hoped he would see her again.

Westra's request to say a prayer over Zimran broke his heart. Perhaps he should have made a stronger case for them to all leave while they could, but the religious fervor of the two Helmites and misguided judgement of the half-orc simply drowned out his passion to live on and make music. The bard still admired Westra's conviction, no matter how misguided he saw it to be. Zimran nodded his head in approval for the prayer nonetheless.

The half-orc's tirade fell on unsympathetic ears. In fact when Wolfe brought up the comical song he made up while escorting the bound beast of avarice a few weeks ago Zimran was unable to contain his smile. It was a good song that earned him good coin in Neverwinter during his short stay in the city. Still it seemed Wolfe was not only unable to take a joke, but held onto any slight made of him. This caused him to worry that the beast would be leading the others into some sort of werewolf trap in some misguided revenge. There's a reason why orcs and their kin were often bloodthirsty villains in tales and not heroes of renown. Why the others could not see this in Wolfe was beyond Zimran.

After the half-orc put some distance between himself and the others, Zimran reached into his coin pouch and counted out fifty gold pieces worth of wealth which he handed to Westra.

"This should cover the cost of his horse. I'll take good care of the steed should you all want it back if... when, you continue on to Luskan. I usually stay at The Rose and Crown in Luskan, ask for me there," Zimran stated simply while wearing a warm smile for the paladin. He waited patiently to allow the Helmite warrior to pray over him.

When done with her prayer, the bard took the warrior's armored hand and kissed it, "I hope to see you in a fortnight's time, even if it means proving me wrong. My epic tale of yours isn't finished yet."

Moving on to Doctor Wicker, Zimran also kissed the back of her hand, "Should we... When I see you again, perhaps we can talk about making improvements to my yarting while you fill me in on what you found out here. I have many more words to learn from you yet!"

The bard merely shrugged then nodded to Euron, "May Waukeen bring you all good fortune, and Helm protect you."

Farewells said, Zimran gathered his belongings and mounted up before departing back the way they had come through into the forest.

« Last Edit: April 09, 2018, 10:51:45 PM by Zimran Ibanez »

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