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Post by exile on Aug 29, 2008 20:52:24 GMT -5
Hadrian looked from the freshly turned earth to the crestfallen shepherd with a level expression as if to state ‘but the grave is empty, cutter.’ With considerable restraint however, he held his tongue; it was unlikely that the good men of Elysium would enjoy the gallows humor to which the Bleaker was long accustomed. Did they think it better perhaps to bury the deader’s belongings in the ground and hope to grow a crop of swords instead? Light, and bashers called him barmy.
“Grave robbing implies that it was the decedent’s last wishes to be interred with his effects, and I now choose to violate his living will,” Hadrian exclaimed after a moment from his half-crouch. “I would wager that that this man’s eventual fate was the farthest thing from his mind when he awoke this morning. In fact,” he persisted, indicating the deader’s amulet with a casual gesture. “I would conjecture that this man never thought about his death at all. He spent his entire life living for the moment, and now that moment has passed.”
“You may not approve of this act, cutters, but I will say this: It is not evil. Lawless, perhaps, but not evil. Where he has gone, he will not want for such things, and where we dare to go such things may be all that stand between us and a bed of cold earth for ourselves. My conscience is not burdened, cutters, but if it eases yours I will make this promise: Should it be my good fortune to survive this little venture and set foot once more in the City of Doors, I will endeavor to do right by his kin and bring them peace and resolution.”
(OOC: Sorry, that’s all I have time for tonight. Who knew there was so much to plan for? As an aside, if anyone needs an education on stemware or formal plates I can now write an essay on the topic.)
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Post by Stix on Sept 12, 2008 23:14:14 GMT -5
The shepherd frowns, shaking his head in dissatisfaction with Hadrian's interpretation. "Beware the evils of greed and avarice," he cautions. "They are the first steps on a foul path." Sighing, he makes his way back to his flock.
The other man remains silent, continuing to dig the short-notice grave.
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Post by exile on Sept 13, 2008 0:00:23 GMT -5
“You’re counsel is duly noted, friend” Hadrian says as he ceases his ferreting. “I will be wary of such pitfalls in the future, and the dangers that accompany them.” Gathering up a small bundle of some of the deceased’s effects, Hadrian return’s to the Deva’s side.
Addressing John and Gl’Fnak he states: “Unless you cutters have further business here, I suggest we aim for the inn the good shepherd spoke of and from there on to the monastery.”
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Post by TheGratefulNed on Sept 13, 2008 15:47:24 GMT -5
Gl'Fnak listens to the brief exchange before remarking sagely, "the less thought and more action given to the handling of his corpse and belongings would be the more pleasing to him." That said, the tiefling takes careful note of the items which Hadrian gathered from his factionmate, but said nothing further and paced somewhat anxiously until the aasimar stood and indicated his desire to be off.
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Post by john on Sept 13, 2008 22:07:19 GMT -5
"Yeah. Let's do it." John husks, but offers no further comment or thought for the moment.
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Post by exile on Sept 16, 2008 7:52:09 GMT -5
If Hadrian noted Gl’Fnak’s apparent anxiety, he said nothing of it at the time. Belting the newly acquired weapons on his hips, the aasimar knelt to bear up the limp form of their celestial ward. “A little help, taker,” he exclaimed, as he struggled to rise. With the unlikely troupe at last prepared to depart, Hadrian fixed their destination in mind and set out for the Inn.
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Post by john on Sept 16, 2008 18:10:56 GMT -5
JOhn moves to assist carrying the deva without further comment,. except for a grunt of effort as he lifts him.
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Post by Stix on Sept 22, 2008 12:50:44 GMT -5
After a little over an hour of following the winding road with the shivering, unconscious deva in tow, the group again comes across a sign of civilization beneath the darkening sky of the Restful Plane. Splintered driftwood has washed up in a long stretch along the shore -- and among it, three humanoid forms, one of them seizing and sputtering in agony.
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Post by exile on Sept 22, 2008 21:29:40 GMT -5
“John,” Hadrian exclaimed, a note of urgency in his tone. Transferring the balance of weight from his shoulder onto the Taker’s, he continued. “See to our ward while I see to these bashers.”
The aasimar raced for the shore side and knelt down amidst the driftwood. His spear clattered to the ground unheeded in his wake, discarded in his haste to reach the afflicted man. “Easy, cutter,” he announced, inspecting the poor sod for some physical sign to correlate with his distress. “Tell me what happened.”
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Post by Stix on Sept 22, 2008 22:00:53 GMT -5
As Hadrian's eyes adjust in the low starlight, he spots an immense bite out of the wounded man's leg. The insensate fisherman trembles as he tries to force the effort to say something, but instead only manages to clear some of the froth from his mouth as he yelps in pain. He arches his back, clawing at his chest as the bebilith's foul venom courses through his veins.
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Post by exile on Sept 23, 2008 8:04:05 GMT -5
Hadrian curses upon his realization of the significance of the man’s wounds and quickly reaches for his spell pouch. Producing a clove of garlic from the purse, he hastily crushes it into the lacerated flesh and begins to intone a prayer to his Father and Patron.
“Allfather, quell the venom which afflicts this man and stay his suffering. Grant me the hours that I, your servant, might endeavor to cleanse him entirely, I beseech you. ”
(OOC: Casting hold poison, duration six days.)
The blessing, as the wording implied, was not strong enough to allay the toxin completely, but it would buy them time. Turning back to regard his companions, Hadrian’s countenance appeared ashen in the moonlight and his voice was hoarse as he spoke.
“We bear another to the monastery it seems. His wounds are beyond my ability but I have won him respite for now.” Although his hopes were dim, the aasimar turned his attention on the other forms, silent and still, that lay beside the shore.
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Post by john on Sept 23, 2008 18:40:23 GMT -5
"I don't owe that other bugger nothing. If I'm dragging his weight too, he's going to owe us."
He still sets his weight, and then lays the Aasimar aside, looking for trees from which to form a crude sledge to drag the poisoned man, and the aasimar on, since that will be less burdensome than directly carrying them.
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Post by TheGratefulNed on Sept 29, 2008 10:58:42 GMT -5
The horse-hoofed tiefling likewise bolts immediately for the three bodies along the banks. He crouches to watch and feel for breathing in the two still ones while the aasimar tends to the one in midst of seizure.
Nodding at bringing the wounded man along, Gl'Fnak scowls at the Taker's all-too-expected words. He comments matter-of-factly, without sounding reproachful, "that attitude, while second-nature to you, will only hinder our travels here. I'll draw his body behind myself." When Hadrian moves from the spasming man to the two he was watching, the Cipher stands up to give the holy man more room. Seeing the mutilated, vulture-helmed man looking about for trees or sturdy branches to fashion into a litter the rogue draws a coil of Celestian silk rope and a bedroll from his backpack to support the bodies and bind the branches.
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Post by exile on Sept 29, 2008 21:11:10 GMT -5
Listening to the bickering of his compatriots while he worked, an exasperated sigh escaped from Hadrian’s lips. Admonishments and entreaties to the Taker’s charitable side would more likely change the tides of Oceanus than John’s heart. The truth was that he could be quite pliable so long as one was willing to work within his code.
“An interesting observation, that,” Hadrian called back from over his shoulder. “But it occurs to me that while you must labor here under the dictates of your blood oath, or whatever it is you have sworn to the Deva, Gl’Fnak and I are simply here out of some misguided sense of what is right and wrong. Ergo, were we to not set another foot forward along this path, you would be obliged to go on alone, cutter.”
“I have a modest proposal of course, as I now consider this man to be in my charge. In return for your assistance with my endeavor I will strive in turn to advance yours. Conveniently, they both happen to coincide for the foreseeable future. Is this arrangement agreeable to you?”
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Post by john on Sept 30, 2008 17:59:11 GMT -5
"You are correct in your observation about my debt." John rasps, and shrugs his shoulders, saying, "I consider this a well-bargained arrangement." With that, he continues to work on the litter, nodding at Gl'Fnak as he offers more suitable materials from which to construct it.
"It is good our companion was so thoughtful to bring along such things as he did, for it will make our work all the easier."
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Post by Stix on Oct 1, 2008 12:04:01 GMT -5
The other two fishermen are decidedly dead, carved open with swordlike slices so clean they may as well have been made with enormous razors.
After a few minutes of hasty branch-collecting and knotting, the sledge is complete.
(Scene 2 to come when I next have computer access. Feel free to continue RP here for the trip to the Crescent.)
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Post by john on Oct 2, 2008 1:15:57 GMT -5
Drags the sledge along with a fair amount of grunts and snarls, apparently they help him move it faster.
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Post by exile on Oct 2, 2008 16:23:33 GMT -5
Finding the remaining fishermen far beyond his ability to tend to, Hadrian utters a brief prayer over the dead. With their cargo of two invalids in tow however, his obligation lay with the living. Someone else would have to attend to the burial of the deceased.
“Best we were going,” the aasimar states, rising to his feet. Falling in beside his two companions, Hadrian shoulders a portion of the rope yolk and surges ahead.
After walking in silence for a time, he turns to face Gl’Fnak without losing stride. “You’re troubled with my actions, cutter.” It was a statement more than a question. “Do you wish to discuss the matter?”
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Post by TheGratefulNed on Oct 4, 2008 22:19:46 GMT -5
His persistent smile beams a little brighter at Hadrian's words. "I'm here because this is where the Cadence and my actions have placed me. Though the clear wrong done to this deva would have been balanced by another's actions were I not the one now accompanying you." The tiefling lets out a hearty, amiable laugh at John's comment about the items he produced. With a friendly wink and grin he comments, "'thoughtful' is a word not often used to describe any member of the Transcendent Order. 'Lucky' would be better suited."
Gl'Fnak walks just ahead of the sledge, clearing any branches or rocks from their path and leading around anything that can't easily be moved. After about half an hour of walking he states simply to John and Hadrian, "when either of you begin to tire, I'll take your spot at the yoke."
When the aasimar addresses him, he turns a sincerely confused countenance at the Ysgardian. "I've seen no actions which have troubled me. They have been mostly reactionary and intuitive, with little if any thought given before you set about them. In that, I whole-heartedly approve. Your selflessness will also greatly aid the speed with which we travel here."
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Post by exile on Oct 6, 2008 17:31:08 GMT -5
“Your words set my heart at ease, cutter,” Hadrian replies with a feeble smile. “I had worried that I had offended your sensibilities along those of the gravedigger. I meant no disrespect to your faction mate, and indeed I mourn his fate. Perhaps when this is over, you will help me in locating his kinsmen, should they exist. ” The aasimar’s rich blue eyes conveyed only sincerity and his voice echoed his calm reserve.
(OOC: @stix, when you get back, I’m just wondering if Hadrian gleaned anything from the detect magic cast back in the first scene.)
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