[Pine]
Pine did an insight check on what the white dragonborn cleric's impression of his was, and to a lesser extent the group after they had done the ceremony for the dead.
[DM]
So, a dragonborn is naturally hard to read as their expressions differ than the more humanoid races. To add on top of that Raghar seemed to be the stoic sort.
However, spending time with the man performing burials and other ceremonies you were able to get some ideas. He seemed to look at the group pretty favourably, all the more as he inspected the freed hostages and noticing their healthy condition.
He seemed to be protective of the towns children and the group having found the missing kids even further made him approve of the group.
However with a 21 you caught him looking at you a couple times when your back was turned. The look was a thoughtful one, without a hint of malice but still, it seemed you were on his mind.
He seemed like he had something to tell you, but held back, if that makes sense.
[Pine]
Times had certainly changed, and not all for the worse. A year ago, he would certainly not have noticed the subtle signs that the white dragonborn cleric wanted to speak with him, likely away from others, but now he did. When the ceremony was done, Pine would step away from the firelight and the people, watching from the abundant shadows that came with night creeping in, and waited for him to be done ministering to the people.
Pine knew that this was what most clerics did. They involved themselves in the lives of the people, but it was not his way, and never had been.
When most of the people had dispersed, he got himself up from where he had been sitting against a tree, and made his way over to where Rhogar was gathering his belongings and about to make his way back to the settler camp.
"You wanted to speak to me, I think," he said, words short and to the point, not only because it was his way, but because it might limit how uneasy someone would become from the echoes of the dead in his voice.
[DM]
The Dragonborn priest would look at you, his expression changing. Dragonborn can be hard to read and you first think he is grimacing but the glimmer in his eyes makes you realise it's just a wry smile.
"You are very perspective Master Pine, to be expected by a cleric who has performed such miracles as I have heard." Rhogar continued to pack the vestments and equipment that had been used for the ceremony.
"Perhaps you'd care to accompany me into the town? No one lived there yet but I've been keeping my clerical equipment there, trying to patch the building as much as I can every evening."
The dragonborn would grab the packed equipment and swing it over his shoulder. That equipment must have weighed around 100 pounds and yet the man did not seem burdened. With his other hand he would hold out a smaller bag for Pine to take.
" It should be a short walk, how about it?"
[Pine]
Unlike the other cleric, Pine had used little in the way of vestments or other accoutrements for the ceremony. As a cleric of death, he mostly merely needed himself and the power granted by his calling. It was interesting to him to watch another cleric at work, seeing how they did it compared to himself. There was a lot, he found out, that this cleric at least, needed to use.
"Sure."
He would step forward, although he would hesitate at the bag being offered. A regular person, a good person, would think nothing of helping out, of picking up the bag and carrying it to help out, but Pine had not grown in that way amongst the bountiful help between people, but largely alone and self-sufficient. Add to that, although the dragonborn seemed like an ally, one could never be too sure without actions showing the truth of the matter. It could be cursed, although the other man had handled it himself, so that was unlikely, or it could have something else detrimental in it. None of the group had ever asked him to carry their belongings, but they were adventurers, rather than someone from a town. The rules were likely different.
Without enough power to call upon to make sure, he was having to trust, in that second's hesitation, that the cleric was not giving him something detrimental to hold, and so he took it, unsure still, but willing to play along for now.
As they walked, he would ensure that they walked past the group, enough that eagle-eyed Siax would be able to see him with the cleric. Towns and people made the former tabaxi uncomfortable, and if something went wrong, he would rather the group know where he was going, and with whom.
[DM]
The bag seems to contain various vestments and equipment. A lot of it was less so for the ceremony and more for the people attending as you did notice the living grief stricken villagers seemed more at ease than usual.
You eventually make your way into Leilon and come up to the temple like building Idris had spotted. Rhogar would produce a large set of keys, each one a few inches long, and unlock the front door.
He would head in first and soon light spilled out as he lit candles.
"Please, come in. Would you like anything to drink?"
[Pine]
Pine would follow, thankfully noticing nothing suspicious. It would make sense for the cleric to want to spend time in a place he was comfortable, but it did not make Pine necessarily feel comfortable. This was a place of worship dedicated to another God, and those sorts of places he had typically tried to avoid wherever possible. Not that he was up to no good, but he had historically wanted to avoid the notice of other gods.
"No thank you," he would say, trying on some manners in an attempt to make himself seem less hostile in his discomfort. He knew he could come across as sharp or uncaring, sometimes being the truth of the matter, sometimes not.
[DM]
Rhogar would notice your discomfort and would let out a laugh. "I worship Lathander as you can see, God of the Dawn and Rebirths." You notice Rhogar quickly makes a gesture typical of a Lathander prayer before he looks at you pointedly. His gaze becomes dark and his teeth, before just a detail, suddenly feel predatory.
"A God famously intolerant of undead creatures, or as our clergy names them, vile mockeries of life."
His face cleared, replaced by that small wry smile. The dragonborn raises his hands in a peaceful manner.
"But I am not the clergy. I have eyes of my own and they saw you being pivotal at saving the people I have sworn to protect. As such, I swear to you - unless you turn against the people of Leilon you are safe to enter any place where I hold sway."
Rhogar would lift his arm, his hand in a half gesture urging you to enter the dimly lit chamber.
[Pine]
As the other cleric became more predatory, so too would Pine react to that threat, his lips raising in the start of a snarl, the fur at the back of his neck and tail fluffing out, claws flexing into visibility, red as the blood they had come from.
And yet violence was seemingly not called for, and he could respect the lines that had been drawn between them. Clear in their indication, truth there in the starkness. Teeth and claws slipping away from obvious view once more, only the hackles of his fur remaining tense, likely until he smoothed them down again himself.
"The dead do not move on as they should," he would grant the other cleric, "my task has always been to tend to them, so they can. I have no quarrel with you or your god." He would watch the other for a long moment before adding as he stepped in, "Towns and people are not where my strength lies. I leave that to the others."
[DM]
"I see." Rhogars arm would fall to his side. "And yes, I did want to broach a subject with you. I was aware of you from the tales coming from the north, tales that include a shrine in the new outpost of Axeholm."
The dragonborn would go deeper into the building and start searching for something. "One moment."
[Pine]
Pine would listen, and then nod a little. "I carved that. People should know the truth of who saved that place, no matter if it makes them uncomfortable. Tales tend to shift with public opinion, and thousands would still be cursed with undeath against their will in Axeholm, if it were not for the Three. There was no way we, or anyone, could have put thousands to rest, or even stop the spread of the curse that had taken Axeholm, not without them. Death and those who rule it are not typically comforting to people, but They are the truth of those circumstances, and that deserves to be remembered."
His voice, which was usually so clipped, was stronger there, purposeful and direct, but not shying from stating those truths. This was something he clearly believed in strongly.
As the dragonborn turned to go deeper, Pine would grunt a little in acknowledgement and stay where he was, waiting.
[DM]
Rhogar would continue digging through his stuff but his silence showed he was listening to what you were saying intently. As you finished he would straighten and come back to where you stood holding an ornate piece of paper. You recognise the seal at the bottom as that of Lord Neverember.
"It was this that I wanted to speak to you about. The church of Lathander went to great effort to secure this and to spare you reading though the ornate language I will..." Interrupting himself the Dragonborn would place small spectacles, created to fit over the large dragonborn snout. His voice here would change, becoming more monotone as he read out the contents of the letter verbatim.
"No temples, shrines or other places of worship can be built within the town for the first five years without the approval of the local administrator. No attempts can be made to convert the local population en mass without said approval. No organisation will seek tithes without approval. "
Rhogar would shrug."It continues like that for quite the length. So you can see why I wanted to talk to you." He would stop there peering you, obviously waiting to see what your reaction would be.
[Pine]
Pine would remain there, and then listen attentively while the other started to read the legal document for him. The more that was read, the more a sort of sneer took over his muzzle, although it was directed at the document, rather than the dragonborn.
"I am not here to convert. I would rather not be in Leilon at all, but Neverember pushed his agenda to Idris enough that we ended up here anyway. I made the shrines in Axeholm because without the Three, there would be no Axeholm. I am no preacher with a flock. Who people follow, it is their own choice, their own path."
He fell silent, but behind him his tail was swishing angrily as he stared at that document, and the presumption listed within it. "For someone so invested in how Phandalin and Leilon should be run in his commands and documents, he is visibly absent until the trouble is over."
[DM]
Rhogar looks at you and lets out a deep laugh while putting away the document "You said that people aren't among your strengths and it seems to be so - alas this is the way the sword coast has survived for many a century now."
Still chuckling, Rhogar would deposit the document on a nearby table. "I do envy you though, knowing too much about governance is only a troublesome burden. You see most nobles sit far away from us all, in their gilded towers. Oh some of them do spend some of their youth gallivanting around to claim honour for their clan but that is but a brief stop before they also return to their lofty keeps. Your companion, Idris, will likely be welcomed back shortly if I'm not mistaken."
He would shake his head as if trying to shake the phantom of politics from his mind. Still, you note, this was the longest he spoke and there was a passion in his voice, a derision for the existing structure of powers that was evident in his tone.
"Regardless, I wanted to extend an offer. I've heard what you've done, I saw the care you took with the ceremonies and I heard your words. And it turns out I am the local administrator of the church. Show me that you hold the wellbeing of the people and their souls here as a priority and I will allow, nay bless, the construction of your shrine, even if it is to Gods long dead."
Rhogar would look thoughtful again.
"You may not want to do so but I've found that spiritual servitude to others can be the way to show what path your life should take. It can be as much a salve to the soul of the priest as it is to the flock." As he spoke Rhogar would slowly extinguish the candles and tidy up the equipment. He seemed to be packing and readying to head back to the settlers camp.
[Pine]
Pine would huff, trying to visibly settle himself away from the irritation that had taken ahold of him at hearing the words of Neverember. "I grew and lived upon the mountains, tending to my task. It is only in recent times that I have been away from them for long."
At the comment about nobles, he would shake his head a little, "Idris may be called, but he has oaths to fulfil. He will remain while I do, as our paths are intertwined. He will not abandon it willingly." It was something he had not needed to grant the other cleric, but he was leaning to liking the man who did not seem overly bothered by his manner. There was a solidity to Rhogar's manner that was far more pleasing than many. Practical and down-to-earth.
As the dragonborn spoke of being the administrator, and offer, Pine, instead of jumping at this, would instead frown.
"My task is not in Leilon, and I am not here for the people any more than I am for any people. My calling is not of the living, but of the dead." It did not seem to occur to him to lie, or he was merely being openly candid. "Yet Idris has brought us here, and with that he has made agreements that include me in the fact that I support him, much as he supports my own cause. If the people are attacked, and I am not called by a duty to do something else, then I would defend them. If that is enough for you, so be it. If not, then I do not hold it against you, nor regret it. My path is unusual, I think, from many clerics."
When Rhogar became thoughtful and suggested spiritual servitude, Pine would just look at him with a sort of quizzical expression, partially confused, partially amused, and partially disbelieving in some way. In turn, he would respond.
"My entire adult life has been spent in servitude to my path. I have walked many mountains, seeking out the dead and putting them to proper rest. The dead on the mountains have had no others. The living… that is more your path I think, than mine. If someone wished to know more of the Three, or of laying the dead to rest, then they can seek me out, but I am a hermit by nature, and preaching is not my skill. I can teach, perhaps, but the work you do, it is not my path. If you mean through spiritual servitude to other gods," he would offer a huff of a laugh, "Three is enough for me."
He would have handed back over the bag that he'd been given, having laid it down at some point.
"Speaking of the town though, Neverember told us that there was a Keep just outside of town we could use for our duration here. Do you know where it would be?"
[DM]
He would hold his hands up. "I hear you master Pine. It does seem your life has had a different trail than most. So be it, in the end we all find our own path."
At your question Rhogar would shrug while taking the second bag inside.
"It could be about anything, the fields out there are full of ruins. But a standing keep close to the town? I have no knowledge of such a building."
Rhogar would now start locking the door of the damaged temple.
"Thank you again for accompanying me, I find that life and death are two sides of the same coin, both concerning the living as much as the dead."
Without hesitating he would start walking back towards the settler camp.
[Pine]
At the knowledge of the lack of structurally sound keeps, he would frown, clearly discontent with that knowledge, and the knowledge that Neverember had pulled a fast one, like a card sharp. He fully intended on discussing it with the others. If there was no keep, then their agreement in Leilon was null and void. Sadly, Idris and Siax were unlikely to turn away from their task now, much as Neverember had likely intended.
As Rhogar spoke again, Pine would shrug a little, "True, but as you saw, the living are not my strong point, even less now than before. I'll let you know if I find the urge to build a shrine inside the walls. It is unlikely but not impossible. We can never truly know what time will bring."
[DM]
Rhogar would remain silent for a while, the only sounds you can hear being the buzzing of swamp insects and faraway voices from the camp.
"I see. My apologies Master Pine" his voice would suddenly ring out, a small bow of his head emphasising his intent.
"There is a Luskan saying about assumptions and it seems it applies here. You are most certainly not a typical cleric which is perhaps fitting as I do not of many, or any, clerics that follow your same creed."
Rhogar voice would become more thoughtful, pausing between words as if he was still thinking on the subject.
"It's an odd thing, faith. Most of its flavours ask of its followers to surrender their wants and thoughts completely, to think and act as the faith requires.
I do not like that and perhaps that makes me a poor cleric. But I've seen the mistakes that zealotry makes people do. To prioritise the divine over the world around us is to lose perspective. At least, that's how I see things."
Rhogar turns to you, his eyes now clear as he focuses on the here and now." I've done it again, have I not? That was not intended as a slight against how you or any other pursues their faith. I tend to speak confidently, my beliefs framed as how the world actually is which is a bad habit I've picked up from even before I found the Morninglord."
[Pine]
"I was not raised as a cleric, nor sought it," Pine would say, "perhaps that is why. My path found me, and my calling was shaped by my task. Here and now, my tasks are more different than they have ever been, and I do not always know the way. But They tell me, if I am erring, and give me the direction I need to go. But I doubt preaching will be part of that. They know it is not my way. Like any Gods, they seek strength, in worship and otherwise, but I doubt I am the person for that task."
Rhogar would likely get the clear sense that Pine was a practical person, just doing what he felt necessary, while being aware of his own shortcomings. He seemed to hold no animosity for the other's opinions or beliefs, nor attempt to sway him towards his own Gods. If what he'd said before rung true, then he likely did not feel it necessary to do so, if everyone found their own path in their own time, patient that it would happen perhaps.
"Crafting shrines, well, that is something I am decent at doing. It does not require me preaching to others," he said, with a wry smile.
[DM]
"I've always thought I was a good judge of character Master Pine and while the tales about your deeds and your demeanour may strive to say otherwise, but I think you have a kind soul. I'm glad we've spoken."
With a clawed hand he gestures back to the shadowed town. "You have my blessing to create a shrine if you wish. People, especially people living in the frontier, should remember death. Without it, life has no meaning."
You are now almost at the camp, yet still outside of earshot. Rhogar momentarily looks ominous, his fanged jaw once more looking more like deadly weapons than a simple smile.
"I say the next part with a heavy heart but it is my duty to do so as you have your own. As part of my creed, the faith I have in Lathander, I must protect my flock. If your duty ever compels you to endanger them I will destroy you without hesitation.
I do not say this with anger or malice and it is not a threat. It's a statement made in the intention of clarity. A setting of borders."
Any hint of the danger previously exuded by the dragonborn suddenly fades replaced by that wry, somewhat knowing smile.
"Thank you for accompanying me Master Pine, I wish you a restful night."
[Pine]
Pine would nod, and despite his earlier ambivalence over the situation, did seem pleased by the offer to allow him to craft a shrine, and the understanding between them.
He would likewise listen as the line in the sand was spoken, and yet he did not seem threatened by it, nor aggressive as he had that first time. He understood the dragonborn a little better now, and he took it for the statement of truth that it was.
"Likewise," he would say, feeling the need to speak the truth while such words were being offered, "Should you act against the Three, or actively try to hinder them, my duty to them will likely set us at odds. I hold no animosity towards you, but my duty and loyalty to the office of death comes before all else. Outside of that, you may consider me a neutral party with leanings towards aid should it be necessary."
As Rhogar would smile, and nod, Pine would incline his head and watch the dragonborn head off back towards the thick of humanity. Pine, on the other hand headed towards his own travelling companions, needing to have a word with Effie especially.