powered by FreeFind index sitemap

The group had been collectively drowning their sorrows in the Goblin Skull inn when they spot Blondung entering.

He looks somewhat relieved to see them and hurries over. "I don't know what happened whilst you lot were down below, but I sure noticed when these buggers," he jerks his forearms free of his voluminous sleeves to expose the moving sigils briefly, "started their damn itching again." He scowls at the group for a moment. "I hope you lot have finished wasting time in this god-forsaken hell-hole, because while you lot have been playing at heroes, I've been organising us a commission to travel with a caravan heading south..." He frowns, his scowl deepening as he takes in the sombre mood and the missing Unknowns at the table. "So what went on down there anyway..." he asks slowly, suspecting the worst.

Vaslin;s eyes whipped around to Blondungs face and she stood up to face him hands akimbo.

"So you want to know what happened when we went down there and you stayed up here, do you?" Well pick up and mug and join us as we drink a toast our fallen Comrades. Count our numbers, look at who is missing. And I don not care if your arms itch are anywhere else itches." You're ......" her voice trailed off Vaslin's tempered flashed of anger the big man engendered on his arrival and words his words did not help her any.

"Thanks for all your help, Blondung. We probably would not have lost them but for your absence." she adds with biting sarcasm.

Blondung shakes his head in denial, his own eyes flashing in response to Vaslin's anger. "Don't blame me for your choices! None of us asked to be here with these things on our arms..." He starts to fold his arms as if he was finished before suddenly unfolding them again and raising a finger to wag at Vaslin, as another thought came to him. "And just because we all have them doesn't immediately qualify each and every one of us for suicide missions." He shakes his head, the tone in his voice softening somewhat. "I'm am sorry to hear Larz and Herod are no longer with us, doubly sorry," he adds bitterly, his voice hardening again, "as our chance of surviving to see all these sigils disappear has significantly lessened now they are not with us!" He clenches his fists at his side for a moment, his knuckles whitening as he controls his own emotions.

Taking a breath he continues in a more even tone. "Maybe if I had been there they might not have died..." he says. "Or maybe I might have died as well. Either way, the chance of either could have all been avoided completely..." He looks around the group his eyes lingering in particular on Dorn, who had been one of the loudest voices demanding that the group help out the dwarves.

Merrell listened to the other mage and waited for a break before he spoke up.
"Blondung, you're right, maybe they would be alive, maybe not. Maybe you'd be alive, and maybe not."

"From your selfish point of view we lost some good fighters that could protect you from harm. From my stand point we lost valued friends whos value was more than their ability to fight."

"I feel sorry for you that you can not look past what is in it for you. WE went together becuase WE look out for each other. If one goes into battle WE all go into battle. I understand your reluctance to risk your neck for these dwarves, after all what have they done for you?"

"But YOU are part of WE, weather you like it or not. None of us here have not, nor would not do again, risked their lives to save you. You don't seem to understand this. You should have went with us becuase WE went, not because there was something to gain by doing so."

"If the others would have died? who can say? But WE found out who WE can count on and who WE can't."

Cleo looks to the Zhent. "WE could have used you help, she added simply."

She grabs up a mug from the table and pours some ale into it. "Raise you toast to those lost."

Vaslin turned away before she said more. She knew it wasn't really his fault that Larz had his accident but perhaps his magic could have saved him. Perhpas.

When she turned and found Luc behind her paused for a moment then she leaned against him and sighed deeply.

"He is what he is," she shrugs her shoulders and then straightens up. "Thanks for your shoulder."

Luc drapes an arm over Vaslins shoulder, comforting her, "don't worry girl... you can count on me. I'll never bail out on you..."

"or the group for that matter" he adds as he blushes realising the comment came out somewhat intimate.

Trying to change the subject Luc says, "so what next people, do we get out of this place with the caravan?"

He points a finger to Bloondung as he says "and from now on I will keep a close eye on you, wherever we go, we go together... try anything funny and I'll be there. And don't think for a moment that you magic can protect you from me if you cross me!"

Blondung rolls his eyes, dismissing Lucretia's loosely veiled threat, his face a mask with this own anger still.

"Luc," Vaslin laid a hand on his arn. "We have all been comrades thus far, and while We have had our difference over this current matter, Blondung has the right, as we all, do to what he wants and feels is necessary. To threaten him in any way is not right either.

Blondung, you are a part of us, We share these marks and are not less anxious than you to discover information about them. But, neither will we change our natures because of them. I certainly won't. That is why we did what we did. Because it was right to help others who could not help themselves. To do what we can despite our own problems.

Blondung can't meet Vaslin's eyes as she speaks of helping those who could not help themselves, and remains silent.

"I wish to apologized for what I said to you. I was angry and took it all out on you. We must work together in harmony if we would have any chance for success."

Blondung goes to speak, coughs, clears his throat and speaks again. "I am sorry too. All I saw was a fool hardy dwarf looking for adventure and coin - not some sort of charity mission to help the weak." He glances again at Dorn, and then around at the group. "Perhaps I should have tried harder to persuade you from taking the job, but I'm guessing you were all set on it." He pauses for a moment. "You are right, whilst we have these damn sigils, we are forced to rely on each other, and we should stay together." He grimaces. "Even IF the majority decide to do something foolish."

For a moment there is silence, then he changes the subject.

"As I mentioned before, I have arranged for our group to travel with a caravan heading south" he repeats. "They'll even pay us and supply our food. All we have to do is protect the caravan from attack" he adds dryly.

Luc lowers his head to Vaslin, and speaks in a very low voice, almost a whisper, "you better make up your mind girl... can't get me worked up so and then try to cool me down! I was about to clobber him for you"

Valsin fropped her voice as well to respond.

"Were you? Really?" Vasin asked in amazement. "I am sorry I was very angry and his self centered remarks set me off. When I cooled down I realized that despite his personality pr....ah....traits, He is still one of us because of those marks and all that we have been through together., unless he wants to leave for his own reason."

"Come on, let us forget him right now and get some food. I am zo hungry."

Vaslin nods at Blondung words, they could be view as an apology of sorts and that was fine.

Turning to Lucretia. "Thank you for you readiness to defend me." she gave him a smile that lit up her face.

"When does it leave Blondung and do we have time for a good night's sleep." She had already decided that they should get moving. This was a possible start, at least.

Blondung nods. "In the morning" he says simply in answer to the Luckpriestess's question. "By the 7th bell, so an early start."