[Arya]
Arya is very confused about Pine since this whole battle started, (me sandra is to slow to think though that is why this didn't happen sooner) the questions to Pine about what his plans are now was a way to try to provoke him to see what she is thinking but as it doesn't seem to work she will ask Pine if he's willing to talk privately. Would he?
[Pine]
Pine would be open to talking to her, but it is clear he doesn't seem quite as open to friendship as before, after the fight with Ebonidris. As seen when she asked her questions before, he is maybe less likely to answer as fully as before.
[Arya]
Arya would nod to Pine to follow and go somewhere she felt sure Ularan couldn't hear them and say: "I don't understand what you are doing. Wasn't your oath that is so important to you to restore the three to godhod? This Jergal figure just told you, you don't need This plan ularan is working on, you just need the shards he has. You could fulfill your oath much quicker that way." She would paus for a moment as if struggling to find the right words.
"Ularan is powerful, I saw him as a bigger threat than that dragon, when he got possessed it was maybe the only opportunity you would ever have of getting those shards, why didn't you take that chance?"
She would paus again and then looking straight into Pines eyes saying: "from my point of view you are no longer following your oath, you have become a puppet to ularan and his plans."
[Pine]
Pine would have followed her, somewhat suspicious, and somewhat wary. But as she spoke, it was perhaps the first time that there was some hesitation in him as he considered her words. The accusation seemed to hit home more than the impassioned entreaty by Siax as he gave it proper thought before responding.
"I told Naralis that I intended to help Ularan. To not do so, when I had said, would be me breaking my word to him."
He paused for another long moment, trying to find the right words to make his position and his words as clear as he could make them.
"I have not broken my agreement with the Three. I am their agent still. I work for their interests. Nothing that has happened here stops me from seeing their wants completed. Your actions, though, have made it far more difficult."
He would frown, and behind him his tail started to agitatedly swish as he was once more brought in mind of that fight, and the troubles in it.
"You had your creature attack Ularan's, and you made it, and Ularan waste their resources countering your actions. We lost Idris because of that. Idris will likely never be recoverable against a soul like that who had twisted the minds of Ularan's most powerful allies, and yet Siax especially will now only go after him, and so I have lost two. Idris's presence was what kept this group together despite our differences, and he is gone. If you hadn't acted as you had, I could have saved him from that. The Three could have been strengthened by that dragon soul, and then Ularan would have had to rely on them, clear thinking strategists, rather than himself. The dragon's soul could have ensured the Three got what they wanted, and we would still have had Idris afterwards."
.
He would look at her, at her fae appearance; a reminder that she too did not view the world the same, or those in it. But in a far different way from him.
"My agreement has no time limit other than the degradation of the world around us and the actions of those involved. I have not broken my oath to the Three, but your actions have lost me bargaining power and now I have none. Perhaps if you had spoken to me before we went to the towers, this fight might have been different, but you did not. You kept silent and then prioritised attacking the person you disliked over stopping the dragon from taking Idris, so do not think to condemn me for things when your hands have lost us much."
[Arya would likely have noted Pine's frustration with the group at large during and after the fight, so it isn't just her he's frustrated with, but she's speaking to him, so she's getting the brunt of his ire currently]
[Arya]
Arya doesn't seem to react to Pines anger at her at all. She still just looks confused trying to figure out Pines way of thinking. "Ularan has clearly stated that he doesn't care about restoring the three, he would be satisfied with anyone becoming a death god, how can you be so sure he will help you with your task? The dragons powers wasn't needed for you fulfilling your oath that is just for Ularan's plans."
She would look him over thinking about his words. "You seem to be proficient in dealing with undeads, I don't think helping Idris will be such a big problem for you. As I said, I thinkUlaran is the bigger threat here. Giving him the powers of that dragon would make him even more dangerous."
She pauses again.
Her face becomes more soft and continues with a tone in her voice almost like a parent would talk to it's almost grown up child trying to find it's place in the world: "I think you should listen to your own advice to Idris. If keeping your word is so important to you I think you need to be more careful to what and who you give those promises or you might soon find yourself in a situation were you would have to choose between your word and your oath"
[Pine]
Perhaps interestingly, her very lack of emotional response actually helped to break through Pine's anger and frustration. Anger especially was rare for him. He rarely ever felt anything strongly, and so not being faced with further emotions, it seemed to help regulate the situation to let her words sink in more.
"For my boon, he said he would prioritise the Three being the ones to ascend, and I would have tried to have the Three take the dragon's power, not hand it over," he said, calmer but still troubled. "Raising Idris from the dead was not the issue. Stopping the dragon to get him back is. It will be stronger if you meet it again."
Arya had seen cat people in the faewild before. Not tabaxi, but they were similar in the way that all cats tend to have similar traits. As she continued to speak, that knowledge would likely be able to show how her words started to trouble him more, for his ears drooped more to the side, his tail fell still and low.
And yet it wasn't the words about his oath that he answered with, the words showing where his thoughts had gone.
.
"It didn't truly occur to me to attack him here. I suppose you are right; we might have managed, and in the managing the Three could have put the dragon to rest. I did not think of it, for the Three sent me to him."
Another failure.
In that moment, there was evidenced a weariness to him that had been lifted somewhat for a while now, but had come back full force at this thought. It could have been done, and over. Truly the Three would not have cared, Bhaal had even mentioned it. Jergal wanted Ularan's plans subverted. And yet he had gone into that room and the thought of double-crossing Ularan had not truly occurred to him.
"I dislike fighting."
It perhaps seemed a strange thing to say, but perhaps Arya would understand anyway. Pine fought in combat because he needed to, not because he enjoyed it. No matter his poor social skills, he much preferred to just make agreements and stick to them, hoping that others would adhere to them too.
Seeming to shake off the thought, he looked back to her.
"So now the group is fractured, and I have no recourse but to follow with Ularan's plans and hope he keeps his word to me, the letter and spirit of the agreement. I find my hope for such things is low, but I will not be chasing after Idris."
[Arya]
"I agree, going after Idris is not the most important course of action. He is a fool making oaths without proper care. But I do know I can't get what I want alone. Ularan might help you but their is no way to be sure. He will probably stick to his words to try to make it so but if he gets what he wants in another way I belive he will do so. Siax on the other hand is someone you can trust, I don't think he has his own agenda, he sincerely wants to help his friends and that includes you. Getting that stone might be the answer for all of us to get what we want but I don't want it anywhere near ularan. Siax would follow if he understands that getting that stone might be the only way to save Idris and Effie seems also willing to follow a path away from Ularan. That way we can keep the strength of the group and you would still work towards your goal."
She would look at him still calm, she might seem to be chaotic in her actions and mostly care about herself, maybe new to this world and not caring about it in the same way but she had lived far longer than any of the others in the group and in that gained another kind of wisdom that only comes with time.
"If you think the best thing for you is to stay here then do so, but I will put my trust in this group above ularan." Pausing looking towards the room with ularan and the rest of the group and continue: "I might have something that Ularan does not, you joining us would give a much higher chance of success." She would then turn and go back to the others leaving Pine to think this through.
[Pine]
"Siax leads with his heart, not by reality. He has broken faith with the Three already. You heard him do so. His words and actions are not reliable, or trustworthy."
His voice was steady and sure in those matters. To him, what Siax had done had lost him Pine's trust. He understood Siax's beliefs, and his reasoning, having been travelling with him so long, but he could not trust in someone who would break their agreements in the way Siax had.
And yet he did not dismiss her other words out of hand. Truly, he had not thought to even attempt to get the ruinstone himself, having very little idea of where to find it, nor the power to do so. An ancient elf had taken it, against the Bramble Queen's wishes, and so it was mixed up deeply in all the Enclave business. All the elf business. All the fae business, and while he disliked some of what Ularan was intending to do, it felt more within his skillset or field of expertise, than anything to do with the chaotic realm of the fae, or the wordsmithery and manipulations of the elves.
"You want the stone for yourself," he said, having parsed her words before she walked away, "You want it for yourself or for someone you serve. Your words offer me the illusion of hope, but there was no certainty in them. 'Working towards your goal' does not mean completing it. It does not mean you will not let me get that far and then turn on me when my presence no longer suits you."
[Arya]
She would look back and smile at this: "I would never serve anyone but myself and I don't have big ambitions or any interest of manipulating the world in anyway. I just want freedom for myself. A small thing if that stone is as powerful as it seems."
Turning to continue walking back she paus and says: "Not everyone's truths are in their words. Siaxs' is in his feelings, you can't view him as the same as yourself, you need to understand that all people works differently, to really be able to know what someone will do and be able to trust them you need to understand how they work."
She would look back again and smile: "Some might call that manipulation I would more say it is a way of finding mutual interests."
[I am so playing on the fact that Arya has a really high insight, but I as a player don't so I can get things wrong. But I guess it doesn't matter cuz Arya could also get things wrong sometimes but she would believe she is correct so I guess it works anyway ]
[Pine]
[Haha, yeah, Pine understands Siax, and he can judge his reactions and goals etc, but that isn't the same as trusting him, not to Pine. Trust is something for him that is bigger and more encompassing.]
"I do not view him the same as myself. But understanding and insight are not the same as trust."
He noted that while she spoke of what she wanted out of the stone, and of Pine's view of Siax, she had made no mention of the rest. No denial that she might turn upon him, as he guessed she might be inclined to do should his actions go against what she believed in or felt was right. It was answer enough on that count, for silence often told things louder than words.
"You remind me of the wind," he said as he watched her, although he made no other comment, merely letting her walk away this time.
He looked over to where Naralis still lay. He had seen what had been left of him outside, what he had suffered before succumbing. And there was another body, crafted by blood and power, and Naralis slumbered. A god kept alive by Ularan. He had questions he wanted to ask, but who knew how long the elf's slumber would last, or, he considered, just how in thall Naralis was to Ularan. He had seemed filled with fervour over Ularan's plans, and his loyalties to him, but was that genuine, as it possibly once had been, or was it manufactured for Ularan's purposes. Would Pine get any truth from asking him, or only words puppetted from Ularan's desires? How much of his own person was Naralis truly?
[If possible, I'd like to have Pine make some sort of check to see if he can figure out whether Naralis might be under a geas or other sort of coercion by Ularan. There were some blind spots in his observation skills, and the trust seemed abnormal. Knowing that Naralis is in a sort of similar position to the Three, but has got a body, but without his own shard, I was wondering if Pine could work out how much influence that might have over him etc.]
[DM]
[All you can tell is that there is no hint of life in Naralis. But nor is he a corpse. It's as if you stood before a chair or any other inanimate object.]
-==I==-
[Arya]
Arya would go back to the others and sit down with Effie and speak to her in thieves can: "How are you feeling? Do you still have some ace up your sleeve if necessary?" Then looking towards Siax trying to figure out his state of mind right now.
"Whether we like it or not I think we are stronger working together and it might still be possible." She would then look at Ularan and continue talking to Effie in thieves cant: "How does he look to you? Would we stand a chance if he were to attack us right now?"
[Annika]
[I'm not sure I - the player - got the correct message from Arya's conversation, so if I interpreted something wrong just let me know! @Arya (Sandra)]
Effie listens to Arya while discretely looking around to see if anyone else seems to understand what they are talking about, then answers back in thieves cant, skipping names that are more difficult to hide in common phrases.
"I wouldn't mind an ale and a hot meal right about now." She lets out a chortle before continuing: "But my sword and I can dance if needed, and I've got some basic magic left in me, if that's what you mean. What about you?"
"As for the ace, you know I always have one!" She turns to Arya and smirks. "But this time it comes with conditions and I'm not sure I could find a way to save all of us." She looks at her friend with a hint of an apologetic look in her eyes. If it comes down to a choice between certain death or saving her own ass, she'll go for the latter and ask for forgiveness later. And she hopes her friends will manage to do the same.
The question about their chances if Ularan attacked them surprises her. "I don't think the big guy gains anything from fighting us." She wonders why Arya would even ask that. Did she read something between the lines that Effie missed? Effie takes a breath, making sure to remain cool, calm and collected - like the baron taught her.
"However... if it were to happen right now, it would be the three of us..." she tilts her head slightly towards Siax, "Probably against both of them." She looks towards Ularan and Pine. Effie is pretty sure that if Ularan decides to attack the group, Pine wouldn't just sit and watch or try to defend them, he'd join Ularan's side. "Our feline companion mentioned he's almost out of resources, and I'm not sure how much Ularan has left in him after what he's been through - but he is a powerful being so I wouldn't underestimate him."
[Arya]
[Does arya get the sense that Ularan understands what they are talking about?]
[DM]
[Give me an insight role]
[Actually no need, your passive is enough, no doesn't seem he does]
[Arya]
"Right now they won't go the same way" looking over at Siax and Pine. "But the only problem is the oath, I thought that was what we came here for, to help him fulfil that oath and being here we got to now that it's not that difficult to do, we don't need the ritual, that is just what he wants" looking over at Ularan. "But what we need is the shards, I think I can get most of us onboard if we deem it possible and are willing to risk it."
Just like Effie she avoids names and hoping that Effie will follow in the conversation anyway. She would give a small sigh "this would have been easier an hour ago with the dragon holding the right body and before Idris decided to use that crystal. Now we can only hope that thing doesn't come back, I don't think our odds are very good if it does" she pauses and looking at Effie. "If we decide to do this."
[Effie]
Effie ponders for a bit before summarizing where she feels they're at: "So either we trust that the big guy helps the cat and we let them do whatever it is they're going to do, and we go find the noble boy without him. Or we try to get the shards from the big guy now. He'll probably never be this weak again, so this would be our only chance for that option." She looks towards Pine and sighs. "Either way our feline friend won't be pleased with us."
[Arya]
"My thought exactly. Now is probably our best chance but it is still a risk. My fear about just leaving is him finding that stone, I don't like the idea of him having even more power. If we leave I think we need to find that stone before he does."
She looks over at Pine. "I think when it all calms down, he would just be glad to be able to restore those gods of his. He might not like us fighting Ularan but I'm not sure he would stand with him either. If we do this smart and fast it might be over before he even realize it started."
She looks over at Naralis body, not seeing any signs of movement, not even breathing. She know how to use death of one creature and give life to something else, She could even stop the soul from leaving the body but naralis must have been like this for quite a while now. Does he even still have a soul? Or is it just a vessel? He talked as If being conscious not like the zombies they met. Do former gods have a way to always come back to a body, a sort of immortality, in that case how long will it take?
"Will he wake do you think?" She continue to Effie.
[Effie]
"I agree that we should get the stone, not him." Effie replies quickly, remembering the reason why she came here in the first place.
"As for sleeping beauty, I have absolutely no idea what's going on there. Maybe we could ask the big guy? He's been acting all honest now, he would probably answer." She then turns towards Siax and continues: "You're going to talk to him too before we do anything, I assume?"
[Arya]
Arya would get up and place herself sort of in front of Siax but not up his face, blocking his face from Ularan. Knowing how she herself could follow in a conversation with just reading lips.
[Siax]
Siax looks up towards Ayra. His face a mix of emotions although you can see he's trying to contain it.
[Arya]
Arya would with the back turned towards ularan look at Siax and say (keeping her voice low): "the most important thing for Pine is to keep his oath, thats just how it is and will always be. I thought we had a chance to help him do that here after what Jergal said. We might still have that chance. What do you think? Or do you just wanna leave?"
[Piine]
Pine, separate from the others, had sat down against a wall after his talk with Arya, and was once more writing in his journal. His brow was furrowed, and his long tail was curled around himself, away from being accidentally stepped on. He, at least, wasn't paying particular attention to the room currently.
[Siax]
Siax keeps his voice quiet. "I am not sure what to think now...."
He pauses trying to process the situation.
"We started on this journey together. Pine, myself, Idris and a lady human called Zenari. We have been through alot together..."
Siax pauses once more trying to hold back the emotion in his tone. Composing himself seemed a struggle. Many emotions flooding through him.
"Pines oath is his bond. We have always known that."
Siax glances at Pine.
"I always felt OUR oath, OUR bond was to each other. After everything we have been through. Now I'm not so sure. Perhaps Pine only saw us as tools or pawns to complete his task."
Siaxs face is clearly sad but slowly turns to anger.
"It's not the first time...." Siax mutters to himself.
Suddenly with new resolve and determination he says to Ayra, "If one of us was in danger, including Pine, Idris would risk all to save and help us. I am positive of that! That's why I can't leave him. I would do the same for all of you. So would Idris..."
Siax's mind starts racing. A more comfortable spot as his mind goes through various scenarios and tactics.
"If we attack Ularan now, Pine will likely defend him. It will be difficult to leave here without getting attacked by Ularans other allies. I need to get and track Idris. The longer I leave it, the longer the dragon has to gain strength over Idris. My best bet is to try and leave peacefully."
Siax looks at Ayra.
"I can track Idris. But to defeat the dragon....that's another thing entirely. Last time I fought a lesser dragon, it took 6 of us and some of us died in the process."
There's a pause as the realisation of the task at hand hits home harder then previously. Blinded by the thought of rescuing Idris, Siax had not stopped to think things through in depth.
"Ayra, I can't do this on my own. We can get more allies from Leilon. But they can't confront the danger ahead like you or Effie. If you both come with me and help Idris It will help turn the tide. I don't know yours or Effies goals...."
Siax pauses on purpose to let the last sentence sink in.
"However if it was either you or Effie, both me and Idris would do the same if the dragon had possessed either of you."
Siaxs head hangs low.
"I thought Pine would be the same. I guess I misjudged him..."
[Arya]
Arya would look at Siax while he talked sorting through the mixed feelings and try to figure if Siax could be of any use in a fight right now. "Getting the shards would fulfill the oath and it would be quick, then you could have the aid of Pine and the three in getting Idris back."
She would wait letting those words sink in and then continue. "I'm not so sure he would go against us, he does what he thinks he needs to do to follow what he has promised. Here right now we have a chance that might never come back. You can fight, you're strategic, you can calculate strength and weaknesses, what are our odds?" Her voice is low and calm but in her eyes you could almost see a fire burning. She needs Siax to focus here and now. If they were gonna do anything they needed to act quickly before Ularan managed to recover even more.
[Siax]
Siax looks back up at Ayra. Then quickly glances around the room.
[ @DM (Charalampos "Babis") can I make some sort of check to work out the odds of what a fight might look like against Ularan. Siax wants to know if they take out Ularn now what are the chances of Ularans allies attacking them and the survivability in getting out alive? ]
[DM]
[You have that feature that let's you study an opponent right? I'll allow it and give me an insight followed by a perception check] @Siax (Darren )
[Siax]
[Yes. It's more of a using Siax's tactical awareness of what might potentially happen after attacking Ularan. Likely odds of escaping once Ularan was defeated. Not necessarily Ularan himself. If that makes sense?
Insight = 25, perception = 23 ]
[DM]
[So, which of the following are you looking as per your feature. Let me know and then I'll write exactly what you manage to figure out]
[Siax]
[Current hit points and AC please.]
[DM]
You take a good look at Ularan. A.. Person you've met a while back now but standing here in the same room allows you get a better sense of the man.
He wears ornate armour, blackened with age or intent you aren't sure. However when you fought he moved as if there was no armour hindering him. Magical. The enchanted metal would make him a hard opponent to hit [20 AC].
You saw him cast a spell to heal his wounds but those wounds were grievous. Any ordinary man would have died ten times over and yet the leader of the Dead Hand still stood. Only you could see the slight hitch in his gait, the pained expression. He was hurt and badly. [Less than half hp at only 100].
The spells he had cast had taken your breath away, if not for the dragon possessing Idris you were certain The paladin would have been instantly slain.
And yet... Those spells had been cast. You don't much about magic but you've been travelling with those who do. You saw how their efforts, grand as they may be, somehow exhausted their reserved power.
Ularan had been caught in a trap for months and once released used his most powerful spells in a desperate attempt to stop Idris. Injured and low on resources, if there was a time to kill Ularan that time is now.
But you also take a look at your companions. Beaten up and exhausted though none near the edge of death... Yet.
You realise that you could kill Ularan. And he could kill you.
An injured wolf doesn't strike madly if it can avoid it. It hides in the shrub. It ambushes.
----------
Looking farther you see that the dead hand, at least the part that existed here has been decimated. Pathetic wretches, their minds half broken are the only cultists you can see. You don't think they'd be able to do much, not without time to steel themselves.
As for the creature, that so called bodyguard? You have seen nothing of it since it left, pursuing the winged paladin.
[Siax]
"you are right. If there was ever a time to strike it would be now. Ularan is hurt. He hides it well..." Siax whispers.
"Ularans army has been decimated. From what I can see here I don't think they would be able to put up much of a fight."
Siax's looks over at Pine before speaking with Ayra again.
"It's achievable. With some luck. We are not exactly fresh ourselves...
I'm not convinced that Pine will fight with us. Or come to help Idris afterwards."
Siax then looks sternly at Ayra. Focus beginning to come back as he surveys the different scenarios, odds and tactics.
"I can't shake this feeling your not telling me the whole story. What are you not telling me?"
[Arya]
Arya would step closer and whisper basically in Siax ear.
"He is powerful, he could kill with a word but possibly not right now. As you say, a chance we will never get again. Kill him now, get the shards, Pine fulfil his oath and no more rituals that destroy entire cities.
Our only other option as I see it is to leave and find that stone before he does and gets even more power. The stone could help us save Idris.
But I don't like the idea of leaving as it is and not know what will happen."
She says all this in a low whisper but as a clear statement. She would then soften hear voice and continue.
"I think you can convince him. He is bound by his word, and he trusted you to keep yours. Tell him you still want to keep that word but you can't wait cuz you need to keep your promise to Idris as well. You help Pine fulfill his oath here and now and in doing so you keep your word."
She would back away somewhat but still stay close enough to continue. "I think that is your only option to keep your promise to all your friends and keep them together."
[Siax]
Siax looks at Ayra and thinks on her words. Ayra's words had logic behind them and time was ticking.
"OK. We will do this. With or without Pine. Then we go get and Idris back. I will talk to Pine and see if I can convince him. If I can't convince him we take out Ularan regardless. Be ready. This will not be easy and as you say it appears thus is our best chance at this."
Siax looks over to Pine and sighs.
Then starts walking towards Pine.
[Pine]
Across the room, Pine had paused in his writing, seemingly having had a thought that would not be set aside entirely. Brow furrowed he tidied away his journal and writing implements with practiced motions and stood.
His gaze moved to Siax as approached, and there was some discomfort there, visible, perhaps even resignation towards another argument. He, at least, was calmer after having got his thoughts in order on those pages.
[Arya]
Arya would nod to Siax and then she went back to Effie. "I think we'll do this" nodding towards Siax and Pine. "Any thoughts about how to make maybe a distraction or something that would give us a head start?" [In thieves cant]
[Effie]
Effie answers in thieves cant: "Too much preparation will likely make him suspicious, so I think a surprise attack is our best option." She picks up her lute and starts plucking some strings, attempting to look utterly bored as she usually is when there's too much downtime and waiting around. "If you want to take the risk, I could try to make him speechless to begin with. Just let me know." She then starts nonchalantly walking in a circle around the cave while plucking to her favorite tune.
[Siax]
Siax walked slowly towards Pine with a troubling expression on his face. For he knew this was not going to be an easy conversation. This was a conversation that could change the future of everything.
"Pine...." Siax would start, emotion seeping through as he thought on his words carefully.
"I am at a loss here."
Siax hangs his head, struggling to even look Pine in the face.
" I know and you know that what Idris has done has been extremely careless. I know and you know this isn't the first time...."
Siax pauses pondering on his next words carefully. So much was in the balance. Siax had travelled with Pine from the beginning and although Pine was strange in his own ways, Siax had grown to rely on Pine. Either in battle or in difficult situations.
" I have come to learn that You value oaths and agreements more then anything. Your word is your bond. Your anchor. Your very being."
Another pause. The intensity and the weight really bearing down on Siax.
"I know you feel like I am untrustworthy for breaking an oath to your gods. The three."
Siax gripped his bow tighter. Looking for additional strength to find the right words. He felt a soothing presence as the bow sensed the uneasiness of Siax's thoughts and emotions.
Like ripping off a bandaid, Siax looked up and directly into Pines eyes. (At least where the eyes should be) The deathly glow and gaze of Pine normally worried and scared people. Now was not a time to be scared. The next few words will be the heaviest words Siax had ever said or felt. Surpassing those he felt for his father when he wrote the latest letter.
With determination,certainty and strength in his voice Siax followed with "My oath was never to your gods. My oath has always been to you. To Idris. To Zenari. To Falcon, Factori."
Another pause. Confirmation from the bow as Siax spoke true to his heart. Without giving time for Pine to interject he followed..
"My oath is still to you. You have my bow. But my oath is still to Idris. I cannot.....I will not leave Idris to be corrupted by this dragon entity."
He repeats "I can not."
"You have said to me previously that chasing after others without logic is folly. Suicidal. Your right. I cannot help Idris on my own. I need others. Allies. I need you."
"If I go to find allies and help Idris I will be breaking my oath to you."
Siax hangs his head low again.
"That is why I am at a loss...."
"What will you do now? Do you truly believe that Ularan will help you with your quest?" Siax asks.
[Pine]
Pine watched as Siax came over towards him, not liking the confrontation of words that was inevitably to follow. It had taken some time for him to learn that Siax's truth, how he saw the world, was fundamentally not what Pine saw in the same words and actions. But for Siax, it was the truth, and Siax followed his own path, much as everyone did when they had the agency to do so, and so he would listen as Siax struggled with his words of diplomacy, understanding even before the words were stated, that Siax needed him for his task to get Idris.
"Agreements should be binding, even if magic does not force the issue," he said, his voice once more controlled and modulated as it had not been earlier. The time alone with his journal, and before that with Arya, had tempered his reactions once again. "I listened from Jergal's office, as you demanded that the Three bring me back from death. Every word that was said, I heard. They said to you "But if we do so, I would like a pledge from you all. If we bring this individual back, he will have another mission, a quest. Your pledge is to assist him. Ensure that he succeeds. A simple enough task." They asked you if you agreed, Siax, to that pledge to them, and you said yes. You reason that it was your feeling of a bond towards myself that prompted it, but your words were to Them. Your pledge was to Them."
He would pause a moment, trying to find words that would illuminate the situation for the ranger. He had failed before, but he tried again now.
.
"Imagine for a moment that you are with a friend, and the friend is starving. You go into a shop that sells food, and you say to the shopkeeper, 'I need food to feed my friend, for he is starving.' The shopkeeper says 'I have food that will feed your friend. This is the cost. Pay it, and you shall have the food'. You agree and take the food from the shopkeeper and you leave the shop, but no coin has exchanged hands. Your need to feed your friend does not negate the fact that you just stole from that shopkeeper. That is what you have done with the Three. They upheld their end of the deal, and you have not."
Again he pauses, as much to let Siax digest that as it was to try and find more words, when they were not his strong point. But in this he had to try harder, and more. So much hinged on whether Siax immediately left to run after Idris or not. After his talk with Arya, if that could be staved off even a short time, it would be preferable.
"Ever since the tower, Idris's choices have been, while well-intentioned, lacking in sense. But each man walks his own path. He has made agreements, and broken them, or at least set them aside with enough force to make them so in time. He likely assumes he will triumph over the situation and return as if nothing had happened, but that is not the world we live in. Those who have dedicated themselves to his vision, to fight by his side, who changed their very nature to do so, have been abandoned and lost all hope for the future."
.
He pauses again, hand skirting the sheath that Eefe was in, drawing attention to the blade.
"He made the same agreement to the Three that you did, although in his case, perhaps he saw taking the dragon away from us as the best way to ensure his side of the bargain under the circumstances. But now he has willingly and decisively taken himself away from the group, choosing to rely on his own strength alone rather than ours. That was his decision, Siax, just as it is yours to continue to chase after him. That is your path, and I do not dispute that. I do not attempt to alter people's paths, unless they go against my own."
As he says this, his gaze would flicker over towards where Ularan was last seen. It was perhaps the first overt thing he had done that might show he was having more than one conversational topic here.
"Ularan gave me his word that he would bring back the Three if it were possible, and we know it is. How he chooses to do so is not what I would have preferred, but I know he is capable. He has had thousands of years to prepare. The situation with the dragon and the rebellion, it is a setback, but a temporary one."
He sighed, and in that moment he looked weary, as he ran a hand over his head, smoothing back his ears a moment before letting his hand fall to the side, then seeming to shake it off once more.
"My first priority has to be the Three, Siax. I cannot spend weeks hunting down Idris when Ularan's plans are to take place so soon. Without me, the Three cannot ascend by whatever method or ritual is in the offing."