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Bitter Leaves (Post Ses 8)

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Wolfe

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Bitter Leaves (Post Ses 8)
« on: September 08, 2017, 01:56:56 PM »
Wolfe finished administering the herbs and berries he had collected from the nearby woods to both Westra and Yvaine. It would take several minutes before they'd be up and about again; the poison from the centipedes had a terrible effect on the two human (as far as he knew) women. In the mean time the gruff Half-Orc settled down in a corner of the room that allowed him a full view of the hallway that entered the chamber they'd found a pair of zombies. His darkvision, superior to some others, would give him early warning in case more things crawled out of the ground or ambled down the hall looking for food.

He pulled out Talon, the magical longsword he'd recently received, and began to run over its edges with a whetstone. While Wolfe didn't much care for himself in terms of hygeine or in attire, his equipment was always pristine and well cared for. He took a moment to look up from his work over at the young woman sprawled out with a hood covering most of her features, then over to the self-described 'Doctor' who argued against the 'Kid' moniker he threw onto her.

Wolfe wasn't pleasant in his mien, nor in the way that he spoke, and that came across even more so as he spoke with a low grunt toward Catriona. "Why the fuck are you down here?" He asked, bursquely.
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Doctor Catriona Wicker

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Re: Bitter Leaves (Post Ses 8)
« Reply #1 on: September 08, 2017, 07:00:09 PM »
Before the pair of Helmites were given a reprieve from the insect venom by the oddly herb savvy swordsman, Doc Wicker paced some with a fretting rubbing of her hands.  It wasn’t a common thing for her to bear witness to seemingly powerful women who both seemed to trained for war be taken down by enormous arthropods that nearly were bigger than her.  So many legs!

When they started moving, she calmed some with relief that this wasn’t some doomed fools errand. Catriona was not proficient at fitting in, and faded to the background as other things and talks occurred.

Anxiety or fear of monsters,  however, did not cripple her mind as she rather quickly fell into inquisitive mode.  The poor lighting of the chamber they were in did not look to have an effect on her, though her glasses caught the reflection of any light source in her vicinity.  She meandered over to one of the destroyed zombie corpses, leaning over a bit to examine it while simultaneously pulling her hair over and behind an ear that was very slightly tipped enough to denote some elven heritage.

It was of note that that Doctor Wicker wasn’t garbed like a typical adventurer.  Lantanese garb itself was typically odd and varied whenever encountered.  Her attire was something of a dress, though made of some heavier fabric (if you could call it that; it certainly was made of something unusual)  and actually.  You could make the argument that she maybe learned how to dress from conservative dolls, though it all still had simplicity to it.  Gray stockings and small boots with a tall enough heel to affect her posture, but not to the point where it would be a hindrance of moving about.   For a brainy woman, she had more a build of a burlesque entertainer, though that was not in any real way shown off.

 In effect, at first glance, she appeared rather harmless in her curvy goth-doll chic, geek presentation.  With a steampunky pistol hanging from a baldric.

“Huh-me?” She straightened up and looked in his direction.

“Why am I where?  Like down here?  Because I came down the ladder, like everyone else to help find the likely expired folk that were dragged under?” 

“Or here in this region?”

“Or here in metaphysical terms… like… why are any of us here…?”

Pushing up her glasses with a singular digit, she adds.  “Please be more specific.”
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Wolfe

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Re: Bitter Leaves (Post Ses 8)
« Reply #2 on: September 08, 2017, 07:28:49 PM »
Wolfe grunted at her confusion, not seemingly amused by it. The Half-Orc blademaster seemed to be a gruff and unpleasant person overall; as many perceived 'his kind' to be. He certainly didn't help matters with as much as he drank and cursed and generally growled about. "As in why are you bothering with this shit? You're what. Sixteen? Maybe twenty? You're a pretty enough girl. You got a nice rack. You could get yourself a job in a nice comfy library or marry some rich guy and spend all his money."

The Half-Orc sneered, contininuing in his point. "Instead, you stutter and stumble around down here in the dark, with this self-deluded idiot." He gestured toward Yvaine and shook his head. "Both of you are fucking kids. And you're gonna die before you get old enough to realize what a mistake you made by coming here and throwing your life away."

Wolfe sheathed Talon and set it aside, confident in its sharpness now. His chore finished, he retrieved his flask and uncapped it. "You got some talent with your magic wand. No doubt. But you two got a long life ahead of you still and you're both going to waste it if you get yourselves killed. So you're either nuts or you got nowhere better to be. Which means you're nuts." Swigging back his alcohol, Wolfe let out a heated sigh as the burn of the liquor swelled in his throat and in his chest.

He looked to her afterward, expectant. He seemed to anticipate some sort of response from what he said, and looked at her as if he waited for her to pay up on it.
« Last Edit: September 08, 2017, 07:30:48 PM by Wolfe »
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Doctor Catriona Wicker

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Re: Bitter Leaves (Post Ses 8)
« Reply #3 on: September 08, 2017, 09:47:34 PM »
While Doctor Wicker tended to speak with a certain lack of self confidence in most matters outside of her on fields of expertise (particularly banter), she did not look to be taking much in the way of offense from the half orc.

“Oh, it is not a bother.  It is educational.”

She becomes somewhat self conscious at part of his statements,body language having her turn somewhat away and crossing her arms.  “You are making wildly incorrect assertions there, Mister Wolfe.”  For a moment there, it was likely a thought to pass an on-looker’s mind that she would probably look quite amusing when angry.

The reality, of course, was quite the opposite.  But that was for another time!

“This fascination with my age.”  Something she wasn’t especially partial too, considering how she had to always be the youngest one in class. “Homos Orcinus, colloquially called the Half-Orc.  Standard considered adult age, 14.  Natural life-end transition typically occurs in the early 70s, though that age is usually not reached due to a penchant life interruption via combat.”

“When you consider the arithmetic and proportional disparity and parallel-

(Convoluted scientific math, delivered in an on the fly, stream of consciousness style)
...and so in a roundabout way, you could be considered on the cusp of manhood.”

She seemed confident in this, if not mildly proud of herself for figuring it all out  “Pff. Nailed it.” she says to herself in a quirky moment of self commendation.

“I am not too familiar with her, so not sure we can be so associated. I don’t even know what the top half of her face looks like.  It could be a singular eye, like a cyclops.  Have you seen a cyclops before? How do they interact in their environment with no depth perception?” she said, suddenly wondering.

Catriona regains her focus as Wolfe makes mention of her wand.  “It isn’t a wand.  Wands are for *scoff* mages.”  It was almost like someone saying jocks are dumb;  that was her tone when it came to stupid wizards.  “It is a firearm I modified into a B.O.O.M.E.R.  I am still perfecting it.”

Her hand rested on the part of her baldric near where the handcannon hung.  “It isn't an enchanted sword, I guess, but…  hey is that a katana sword?  Did you take it from somebody you defeated?”  Last bit was somewhat delicately said… but her mind was not all that much on his sensibilities.

Catriona took an interest and in doing so uncrossed her arms more, shedding the body language of self defense tentatively as her interest was piqued.  “Wait, no you use the stance similar to that used by knights from Kozakura.  Have you spent time in Kara Tur?”
« Last Edit: September 10, 2017, 06:33:09 PM by Doctor Catriona Wicker »
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Wolfe

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Re: Bitter Leaves (Post Ses 8)
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2017, 10:40:03 PM »
Wolfe's eyes narrowed just a tad at Cat's assertion that he was 'on the cusp of manhood'. "Yeah, if only it worked like that. Trust me, it doesn't. What sort of fucked-up logic tells you that? Made up numbers?" The warrior didn't seem overly impressed with her arithmetic or her supposition, if anything it seemed to further irritate an already grumpy man.

But... her comment on a Cyclops and her weird way of trying to figure it out made him smirk a bit behind his beard and tusks. He took a swig of liquor, then let out a chuckle. "I've seen one. Fought a couple. They can't see too well but they hit hard." He rolled his shoulder, remembering an old wound, and winced. "Really hard."

Cat's talk about mages and her BOOMER lost him some, but he nodded along just enough to indicate he was listening. He was about to yell at her that she was wasting her time and her breath, but then she suggested that he stole the katana on his back as loot and it obviously angered him, his features darkening and his eyes brightening a touch in the dark. But her quick transition into the origin of the blade and her recognition of the way he fought...

His mien seemed to relax, just a touch, and he gave a slow nod. "Couple decades. This sword.." He gestured to the katana with his thumb. "Is five hundred and thirty two years old. It belonged..." He began to speak of the story of its origin and how he came about it, but stopped.

Instead, he frowned again, his expression turning grim. "Doesn't matter anymore. Don't know why I'm bothering telling you anything. You got it in your fool head that cause you think you're smart and you can use your..." He gestured to her gun. "Boomer that you should be fighting monsters or some shit. Maybe you're just one of those kids that were too smart and got bored in school. My Syra was like that."

Wolfe was quiet a beat, then shook his head, taking another long drink. "Doesn't matter. You'll end up like Tealina or Hjalkhom. And like other people like them. Dead or wishing you were."
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Doctor Catriona Wicker

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Re: Bitter Leaves (Post Ses 8)
« Reply #5 on: September 09, 2017, 12:41:00 AM »
“Maybe you aren’t the only one who can make wild assertions, hmm?” quips the scientist at his rebuffing of her overly-complicated self defense of her age.

“Fascinating… I have never been but their delegations have made their way to my homeland on multiple occasions.  Usually for technology exchanges.” remarks the Doctor, thinking back on some childhood memories of the colorful retinues that would visit every so often to trade in smoke powder and explosives as well as more peaceful marvels of invention.

As he moved to begin a story, the aqua-blue eyed half elf’s pupils dilated behind her glasses, prepared for some intriguing grand tale.  Some fascinating heritage of a distant land, nuggets of esoteric knowledge and possibly bits of the eastern philosophy that so rarely made its way out west.  But then he recanted just as her hope wells up for a proper distraction.

Frustration and then disappointment visibly crossed her wide, expressive face.

Again, she draws back her pearl colored curtain of hair behind a modestly jeweled ear and then looks mildly uncomfortable.  “I didn’t mean to make you think of bad memories.  I don’t think sometimes before I ask questions and get seduced by exotic weapons.”

She was not that daft to see that she may have triggered him into some kind of melancholy spiral of doom.  The bottle was likely doing nothing but making the matter more gloomy and she stepped back once, straightening her posture.  The name he mentioned, she could not discern if it was a daughter or wife;  she was not good with understanding family ties herself.  Someone close was lost and perhaps, the drink was revealing some dark truths about this ornery stranger.

At bare minimum, she knew it wasn’t her place to pry into something seemingly so touchy from someone she knew barely a few hours.  And so she… looked awkward a moment, then said… “I was.  Too smart.  Much younger than my peers at every level.  But that has nothing to do with what drives me.”

“Some people have little choice but to follow any lead that presents, Mister Wolfe, no matter how treacherous.  Problems do not solve themselves.” she said with a thoughtful sigh.
« Last Edit: September 10, 2017, 06:31:53 PM by Doctor Catriona Wicker »
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Wolfe

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Re: Bitter Leaves (Post Ses 8)
« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2017, 12:58:59 PM »
"Wild Assertion? What, are you one of those Elves that is like two hundred years old and look like you're twenty? Cause if not, then I'm not wrong. There are plenty of wild assertions I could make about you, but they'd be wrong. And I'm not wrong a lot." Wolfe muttered with some grump as he leaned back against the wall, providing some more of that sweet, hot nectar upon his palette to further cause his senses and his concerns to drift away further than they already were.

Though.. her comment about being 'seduced by exotic weapons' made him laugh. "Well, if you live another year doing stupid shit like you're doing now, I know what to get you for your birthday."

He quieted down and looked down at the ground; at the two young women who were laid out and unconcious after fighting fucking centipedes. He glowered, his mood obviously darkening as she said that problems didn't solve themselves. "So why are you down here? Fighting zombies and centipedes and all sorts of other shit that can kill you? You work for Neverember?" He looked up at her then, his eyes focused and pointed, almost in an accusation.
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Doctor Catriona Wicker

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Re: Bitter Leaves (Post Ses 8)
« Reply #7 on: September 09, 2017, 02:15:30 PM »
Catriona simply shakes her head at his seemingly trying to bait her into defending herself or into some kind of argument. “I am not an elf, just partially.  And trying to put me in a neat and tidy box is not going to work because I don’t fit in any.” It was evident that his persistence in trying to pigeonholing her was (twss) irritating her.   Her emotions were easy to read if only briefly before she willed herself to try to suppress them and realize she had to look strong.

The conversation she would have liked to follow more was about the katana, as that was one genuine moment of proper fascination.  Even so, she now had appropriate trepidation in regards to that topic now, not wanting to make the same mistake twice.  As such, she only made a weird face of confusion (one of many she has) on the joke he made about her birthday. 

Doctor Wicker seemed to not do with her hands in the moment of silence, following his gaze towards the afflicted Helmites.  The sudden addressing of her again had her focus snap back.

“I do not know who that is.” Never having stepped foot in Neverwinter, the names of its prominent persons weren’t known to her.  “Following the leads.  Like Miss Yvaine said, she had a hallu…a vision or some manner of extra-sensory perception.  She knew my name and found me in the middle of ruins.   I don’t put much stock in prophets and soothsayers, but the issue I am investigating is somewhat beyond the realm of conventional science, so… following the leads.”

The ample shaped halfblood shifted her weight from one foot to another, looking towards the sick warrior women.  “I made a joke when she and I initially broke words that I followed weirder visions after experimenting with poisonous mushrooms.  Now she’s battling toxin in her system.  I feel kind of bad.”

“Obviously, no correlation, but I mean... when trafficking in superstition and all.”  Somewhat worried, but still weird, this one was. 
« Last Edit: September 10, 2017, 06:28:37 PM by Doctor Catriona Wicker »
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Wolfe

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Re: Bitter Leaves (Post Ses 8)
« Reply #8 on: September 09, 2017, 06:35:58 PM »
"Heh. Well. You and I have that in common ki--.." Wolfe stopped himself mid comment, seeming to ponder the whole 'getting put into a box' thing, given his whole life had such things done unto him. "Cat." Poor kid was gonna get herself killed. There was no reason to piss on her desire to at least be referred to in the way she preferred. "Always been called an Orc. Ever since I was a kid. People call you by what's different about you -- not what's the same."

She stated ignorance toward who Neverember was, and that caught him visibly by surprise. "Neverember. Lord of Waterdeep. He's the big shot in Neverwinter. He's Westra's boss, basically. One of the reasons I don't like her." He nodded to the laid out Paladin of Helm. "That and she's a self-righteous, racist bitch. A tough one, but that don't erase the rest." He grumbled with slow, drawling discontent. He took another swig and shook his head.

"Not your fault they're laid out. It's not even theirs, really. Just nasty shit out there tryin to kill us. Whoever's down here has critters that are set up to be their guards or their minions. Ain't no accident. So when we find who's responsible we'll gut em and get some answers.

But..." He turned from his distant stare to focus on her, instead, seeming to catalogue her person for the first time. "You haven't answered me. What is it you're looking for? What answers are you tryin' to find?"
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Doctor Catriona Wicker

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Re: Bitter Leaves (Post Ses 8)
« Reply #9 on: September 09, 2017, 09:21:02 PM »
"Well…" she starts, kind of looking off and slightly shrugging.  “People can be annoying.”  His statement rang with some truth when she considered it;  being a half-elf in a kingdom of gnomes and humans was not particularly easy. One of her many layers of weird and different that others could pluck at to make her life less pleasant than it had to be.  Science was more dependable and less judgey.

“Politics really aren’t my thing… my father was a politician and I suppose you could say I am biased against it.” Perhaps one normal thing was that she had daddy issues?  The nature of which though, she did not get into in the moment. “I’m not from the mainland either and I only lived in Waterdeep a few months.  There was not much time to familiarize myself with all that… aren’t their Lords secret or something anyway?” Knowledge of governments outside of the isolated country she grew up in were rudimentary at best.

The mousey scientist’s shoulders tensed some in a shrug again at the matter of critters and gutting things to find answers.  It certainly was an aggressive way of approaching mysteries.

Again, the moment she had to speak about something she knew about and was confident about, that confidence translated into her affectation and posture.“I study the effects of the realm-wide event that caused the trans-dimensional cascading failure of arcana.  Particularly the effects that caused it to devastate my country and remove most of it from the map.” Beat.  “Among other things.”   Her mouth formed a line and she loosely crossed her arms as her thoughts drift to memories that were more troublesome.
« Last Edit: September 10, 2017, 06:27:43 PM by Doctor Catriona Wicker »
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Wolfe

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Re: Bitter Leaves (Post Ses 8)
« Reply #10 on: September 10, 2017, 05:28:37 PM »
"That's a fact. People are worthless half the time." The Blademaster grunted with clear agreement with the socially-inept scientist. A commonality between them in their backgrounds, though not fully explored, was that they didn't fit in well in their homelands. "And I've found the more people are surrounded by like minds, the more annoying they are.

But.. good to hear you aren't gonna be a Neverember cheerleader. I've got about all I can handle with that shit. You're right as a general rule, but Neverember's the Open Lord of Waterdeep. The one guy who shows his face; not that anyone wants to see it."

Cat's language was somewhat confusing to the inebriated Half-Orc, and it was clear he didn't quite understand what she was saying. He seemed to bob his head as if trying to puzzle out her meaning. But after a moment, he somewhat gave up and just looked at her with a more annoyed expression than confused one.

"What was that? Say it slow. I didn't go to some fuckin' fancy school."
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Doctor Catriona Wicker

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Re: Bitter Leaves (Post Ses 8)
« Reply #11 on: September 10, 2017, 06:13:59 PM »
Be it a positive or negative to her character, Doctor Wicker did not look to be invested in this Neverember character or whatever cheerleaders he may have in his employ.  There was almost an obliviousness to it as she held concerns for matters closer to her existence. “Oh.  Okay, now I know should the matter come up.  I am not important enough to matter to someone like that.”  It was a tacit acceptance of the facts.

The more she spoke, the more it was reminiscent to hearing the way gnomes spoke, with big words and plenty of syllables, often unnecessarily.  That is, if he’d ever met some industrious gnomes, of course.  It would become evident in time that trying to get her to speak in a more pedestrian manner would be akin to doing the same to one of those gnomes.  It was similar to an accent;  she grew up dealing with a language and its intricacies much longer her experiences out with a broad range of common-speakers.

Catriona didn’t dwell on the part about the fancy school.  “They refer to it as the Spellplague here.  I study its effects so I can understand better what it did… how it can destroy or swallow whole countries and alter life down to the molecules.”  Beat.  "That is the stuff everything is made of." she adds the last bit as an explanation of what molecules are.
« Last Edit: September 10, 2017, 06:21:53 PM by Doctor Catriona Wicker »
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Wolfe

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Re: Bitter Leaves (Post Ses 8)
« Reply #12 on: September 12, 2017, 02:17:53 PM »
Wolfe let out a grunt that could either be dismissal or agreement to Cat's suggestion she wasn't important enough for someone like Neverember. "Let's hope so." He lifted his flask in salute to her statement, then closed his eyes as he took another long pull of alcohol.

The Half-Orc, nonetheless, nodded along with her reiterating her point in a nomenclature he could understand. He seemed to lack the higher education and reading she did, so her making it plain for him allowed him to further engage in the matter. "Yeah, Spellplague fucked up Neverwinter a lot too. Swallowed up half the city and turned it into a monster farm. Killed most of the people in charge. Lots of work been done to clear up the area. Different hero groups handled most of it. Regulators and what not. But still plenty of problems.

Goblins, Orcs, Undead, Ogres --  not to mention the opportunistic fucks those Bandana Wearing Fuckers were, make life for the regular folk straight up shit around out here. So Princess, me, Raithe, and the two that got swallowed up top, came out here to help clear things out." He opened his eyes then and looked directly at Cat as he did so.

"The two of them probably dead now, since we had to slow down for Westra and Yvaine. Ain't gonna leave 'em behind, but it's a reality.

You wanna do this hero business, it'll probably get you killed."

He closed his eyes and exhaled with a long, annoyed sigh. "But if zombies and giant flesh-eating centipedes aren't gonna scare you off we're probably stuck with you. Hope they taught you how to fight in that fancy school of yours, in case you run into something that doesn't give a fuck about your Boomer and it's fire."
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Doctor Catriona Wicker

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Re: Bitter Leaves (Post Ses 8)
« Reply #13 on: September 12, 2017, 04:23:24 PM »
“At least it was able to be saved, I guess.” she replied in regards to the dilemma of Neverwinter and all its Spellplague wrought catastrophe.  There was a very significant difference on a place being under siege , like it sounds Neverwinter the city, was… and a nation falling off the face of the world and drowned in tsunamis. 

“Yes, I suppose realm-wide tragedy has a way of emboldening exploiters and profiteers, looking to capitalize on suffering.”  Catriona rubbed at her nose a bit, considering all the factions he named, not being all that familiar with what stakes they had in the region.  Goblins and orcs, she was somewhat familiar with, though typically pictured them as pirates.  Half orcs were relatively new to her but in Waterdeep, they weren't uncommon.  Bandana Wearing Fuckers were a breed she was wholly unfamiliar with; though, they did not sound all that pleasant.

She visibly made a mildly confused face when he referred to the ‘princess’, not understanding who that was.  Westra, possibly, but she said she was a captain. She probably would have mentioned that if it was the case.  All the ins and outs of the relationships were not known to her yet, given the short amount of time that had passed. 

“Lantanese citizens can opt to attend university by devoting a minimum of three years to the military.  Usually the option one takes when one isn’t well off, financially.” is how she answered his comment about whether or not she was taught to fight.  “There was no katana training, however.”

Beat.

“The BOOMER is a tool more than weapon, I invented it using parts of a Lantanna pistol that typically fires round metal projectiles.”  Unhooking the BOOMER from her belt, she offers the ornate hand cannon to him;  it had a surprising amount of heft, as if forged of heavy iron and durable wood.  It had definitely looked like something that was an artistic weapon that had been modified.  It was absolutely harmless, though could be cocked for amusement.  It had no effect in any hands but her own.

"The powder used for pistols is near impossible to find here, though perhaps you came across it in Kara-Tur?  I know not the Kazakuran or Shou name for smoke-powder; but you would know if it you saw it.  Black sand stored in barrels or horns. Highly volatile in untrained hands.  I believe this Spellplague incinerated all of it as it did in my home of Lantan. That morning was filled with the thunderous explosions until well into the evening.“

“That was the first indication that something widespread and catastrophic was coming.”
« Last Edit: September 13, 2017, 01:44:03 AM by Doctor Catriona Wicker »
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Wolfe

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Re: Bitter Leaves (Post Ses 8)
« Reply #14 on: September 14, 2017, 11:01:18 AM »
"More or less. A good chunk of the people living there got turned into mutants and monsters. Neverember exiled them or quarantined them off into a part of the city to die off or get eaten by the shit that was coming up from the Chasm. Tylmandra and the Regulators changed that. Closed the Chasm, brought the exiles back. One big happy fuckin' ending. Save that Neverember's still around and able to tell people what to do." An obvious axe to grind here, Wolfe's mood visibly darkened as he spoke of the city that he and Westra had left behind for their errand.

A small bark of a laugh came when she suggested there was no katana training, and he shook his head with a rumble of amused thunder. "No, No I suppose that there wasn't. Hard to attain out here in the West."

He seemed hesitant to hold her weapon for a moment. But after it hung between them for a few awkward seconds, he set his flask down and reached out to take the pistol. The way Wolfe held the weapon showed an obvious respect and reverance for the unique weapon she had put in his possession. His orange, fiery eyes scanned over the contours of the hand cannon with a methodical inspection. "Kayaku." He said the word slowly, a rumble of knowledge and respect there -- maybe a hint of something more if she were particularly Insightful.

Wolfe slowly handed the weapon back to Cat then, bowing his head some in acknowledgement of the trust she had offered in him, then. "It's well made. Something to be proud of."

The Half-Orc quieted down, considering, and then he reached down and picked up his flask. He extended it toward the Doctor then, his eyes holding some more value for her than they had moments ago.

"Sorry about your home."
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Doctor Catriona Wicker

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Re: Bitter Leaves (Post Ses 8)
« Reply #15 on: September 14, 2017, 12:56:17 PM »
The clarification of the situation of Neverwinter was a wealth of unusual information;  all she knew of the “Jewel of the North” was that it was that it had inventive methods of temperature and climate control.  She had caught wind of Lantan scholars seeking to study and replicate this environment without magic, on a smaller scale.  But now the idea of mutation causing Chasms and such were a thing, it might have been interesting to study before the crises ended…

Catriona fidgeted her fingers while Wolfe examined the BOOMER, her expression for the most part still save for the occasional twitch of her nose from the unpleasant odor of the environment.    She was far more used to clean laboratories and classrooms, or at least the sea-breeze air of the island nation than necromancer lair pits full of carcasses and decay.  The word he used made her head cant to the side and she squinted some, “Is that what they called it? I think, at some point, I would like to visit the East.  See what marvels that remain, possibly katana sword training by the masters.  For science and study, of course.”

Still, she got the impression he had some inkling about smokepowder and decided not to explain it further as to possibly not be redundant.  “Oh.. well thank you.  Necessity is the mother of invention.” She takes back the weapon and goes about fastening it back onto her baldric, where it would hang at her hip.

Offered the flask, she looked hesitant.  “I don’t think that would be a good idea. I am not an experienced drinker, Mister Wolfe…” The admission was kind of timidly given, in a way, though that made it sound all the more sincere.  They were, after all, currently in harm’s way.  Her stumbling about would only make things worse for everyone.

“But thank you.  I just try to focus on understanding the nature of what happened rather than dwell on the horror of it.”  Shoulders rose and fell in a resolved shrug of 'acceptance', if you could call it that.
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Wolfe

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Re: Bitter Leaves (Post Ses 8)
« Reply #16 on: September 14, 2017, 01:05:20 PM »
"I haven't been there in a long time. Don't know what's still standing after the Spellplague. Whole place might have sunk. But if there's any left.." He gave her a sidelong smile. "There's still katana training."

He shrugged at her refusal to drink and took the flask for himself, taking a deep swig of the liquor. He exhaled roughly as the fire water burned into his chest and made his body warmer. A touch of sweat sheen showed at his brow, now. "Suit yourself. If we live through this I'll fix that when we're in town." He resolved in as staight-forward a manner as she might have heard it. It was less an invitation as it was a reassuring of an already-given promise.

"Good attitude to have. Can't change the past. Focus on the present. Smart. Speaking of." He grunted as he got slowly to his feet - the sound of bones cracking beneath the metal of his chainmail. "I better make sure we're not gettin snuck up on. Once the girls get back up, we'll be ready to move again. Have that Boomer of yours ready. I have a feeling we got nastier shit than bugs down here to worry about."
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Doctor Catriona Wicker

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Re: Bitter Leaves (Post Ses 8)
« Reply #17 on: September 14, 2017, 01:54:12 PM »
The whole place might have sunk.

That would be a travesty of incredible magnitude, she thought.  The kingdom of Lantan barely had near a hundred thousand citizens, if that. If the countries of Kara-Tur fell, the death toll would be in the millions.  The landmasses were also so large that she felt like they would know if they were destroyed.  “I think if such substantially large parts of the world were removed, it would have far reaching global effects that we would definitely know about.”

It wasn’t much, but maybe there was room for a little hope in science.

She is not well versed enough in banter to have a proper response about the katana training, to the point where she is not one-hundred percent certain what he means and does not push to have him clarify.  She just makes a doe face briefly and looks around with some uncertainty.

The same then went for whatever he was going to fix in town; she had not even thought about anything about any towns other than returning to Phandalin to sleep after getting all her readings and work done in the field.  “I... uh... Okay..." Catriona was not even sure what she was agreeing to;  she was just awkward-ish in the moment and unsure in how these clever back and forths properly went.

At any rate, he seemed nicer to her than before, so maybe there was a net positive?

“Uh, yes. In most subterranean ecosystems, the simpler aggressive species typically reside around the entrance.  The more complex and intelligent creatures lie in wait deep within, capitalizing on intruders weakened by the initial aggressive lot.   Less effort and easier meals.” she described as he rose to do his sweep, as if trying to contribute something...

“But.. uh.. Ready when everyone else is.”
« Last Edit: September 14, 2017, 06:44:09 PM by Doctor Catriona Wicker »
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