It's Not My Child

[Azrael]

21 Zi'Da 719 | Azrael Blackfire | The Wilds

The sellswords trekked into Raelia, dragging the body of a grendel behind them. Talissa sat atop the horse with the child in front of her, slowly stroking the side of the horse's mane out of curiosity. It seemed that the child enjoyed the way that the horse felt and Azrael didn't mind so long as it kept the thing quite. He and Talissa had a lot of time to talk on the way back because while she may have been riding the horse, Azrael was leading it on foot. Every once in a while Talissa would have to open Azrael's map and of course whenever she did, the child wanted to look at it as well, so she had to let it stare at the scroll for a few bits before looking at it herself and giving them the correct direction back to the city. But they were in the city now and got more than a few strange looks as they came down the street, dragging the grendel behind them.

"We should go see my father. He works for the Ragnari. He'll want a report on what happened to the Ydalir. I'm sure he'll be able to sort out what to do with this child." Tali suggested as they moved forward. The child seemed to recognize they were referring to it with that name. It turned towards Tali and opened it's mouth "Pew, pew, pew." It made the strange noise it always made and Azrael rolled his eyes.

"First we get rid of the beast, then we can see your father." Azrael wasn't looking forward to that. He'd done a good job of avoiding the Ragnari thus far and would have preferred to keep avoiding them... but something about Tali made him want to hang around. There had never been a trill of dull conversation on the journey back from the destroyed village. They talked about blades, contracts they felt good about, archery, and even more simple things like spirits. He wanted to keep talking to her and she seemed to want the same, so she nodded to Azrael when he said they'd offload the beast first. He wanted to turn it into a cloak to proudly display his victory... but he had no idea how to. Azrael hoped skinning it would be a good first step but again, he had no idea how to skin it... so he'd get someone else to.

Turns out it was easier to think about finding someone to skin your grendel than it was to actually find someone to do it. They stopped at about six different shops before finding a butcher who was willing to skin the monster for a fair price. A few nels and any of the meat that he could get from the skinny thing. In return, he'd give Azrael the skin. Azrael agreed because he didn't see any value in anything but the skin. Azrael paid in advance and left the beast in the butchers shop. The butcher told Azrael it would take the rest of the trial and that Azrael should return after sundown so Azrael went off with Tali and the child to report the deaths of the Ydalir. No sense in waiting around the shop when he could return later.

[Azrael]

21 Zi'Da 719 | Azrael Blackfire | The Wilds

"I thought the Ragnari and the Ydalir were different groups?" Azrael asserted as they hitched his horse outside what Talissa had told him was a 'Ragnari Headquarters.' It looked like a pub. Azrael had been in enough of them to know. This didn't seem like any military building he'd ever heard of. When Azrael stepped through the door he was certain this was no headquarters. Was Talissa being sarcastic when she said that this was?

"They are, that doesn't mean the Syns don't want to know what's going on." Tali countered, giving Azrael a better idea of what was going on. Somehow this was a political move... a game. They should have been telling the Ydalir but she wanted her father to know first. Tali looked around once she stepped into the room. When Tali spotted a man with slightly darker brown hair than her own and a full beard at the bar she quickly rushed across the room over to him, leaving Azrael with the child waddling next to him. Azrael looked down at the child and the child looked up at him.

"Pew." It said. Azrael nodded.

"Let's go see what's going on." Azrael crossed the pub to Tali and the man she was now sitting beside. The man turned to face Azrael before he reached them and looked him over curiously. Too curiously. Azrael didn't like it... but then he found himself not really minding it a moment later. It was if something in him had shifted... or had been shifted by someone. The man held out his hand and Azrael felt compelled to shake it so he did. "Azrael."

"Adrian Aldwick. I'm a Warlock with the Syns." Adrian said as he waved for the bartender to get Azrael and Tali drinks. After the drinks were brought over, two clear liquids that Adrian seemed confident in, the Warlock fixed his gaze back on Azrael."So you're the hero?"

"I'm just the guy who had a horse." Azrael countered as the child struggled to ascend the stool beside him. Azrael watched the little ithecal flail for a few moments, his small arms trying to pull his body up and his legs kicking wildly beneath him. Then he helped the child into the stool and turned back to the bearded man.

[Azrael]

21 Zi'Da 719 | Azrael Blackfire | The Wilds

"Nonsense. According to my daughter, you road into the village alone to kill the beast and that's exactly what you did." Adrian asserted before casting a glance at Talissa in her chair. She had a nervous grin on her face and brought her drink to her lips. "Or are you telling me that my daughter is a liar?" Adrian put pressure on Azrael in more ways than one. Situational and mystical. Adrian was messing with Azrael's tangle to keep himself from revealing anything he didn't want to because deep down, Adrian felt Azrael's allure and it frightened him. It wasn't often that someone had that effect on him at first sight and he didn't like that it was Azrael who had made him feel the way he was. So he'd make Azrael uncomfortable as well to see how the man managed it.

"Of course not." Azrael replied quickly. "But she did help. If not for you're daughter, I'd probably have been killed by the beast. She gave me the opening to kill it." Azrael looked to Tali but Adrian's eyes never left the mortalborn in front of him. Adrian was searching Azrael in every way. His tangle and his frequency. Adrian wanted to know what Azrael was made of and whether he was worth the time they were spending. Azrael just didn't want to make Tali think he didn't appreciate her help. When Adrian didn't notice familiar notes (particularly the racial note of humanity) in Azrael, he became a little more interested in the man before him.

"But you did kill the beast?" Adrian asked, staring at Azrael far more than the sellsword was comfortable with... but then again he was used to people staring at him. Azrael nodded and Adrian grinned. "You don't look like a military man but you do look like you've seen battle. Where are you from?"

"Leave him alone, father, he's not a recruit." Talissa chastised her father as she set her now empty cup on the counter. She was fast... but Azrael had a feeling it would probably catch up with her. "I just thought you'd want to meet him."

"Any man can be a recruit if he has the good of Melrath at heart. So, Azrael, what's in your heart?" Adrian pressed again and Tali gave Azrael an apologetic glance. She hadn't wanted this when she suggested they meet her father. She'd just been hoping for a quick catch up and then maybe he'd take the child off their hands but so far her father hadn't even mentioned the thing.

"Pew." The child chimed in from it's seat and Azrael quickly got the bartender's attention.

"A water for the little one." A few trills later a cup was placed in front of the child and it stretched across the counter with it's stubby arms but couldn't quite reach the glass so Azrael moved it a little closer. The child took the cup and began drinking from it while Azrael turned back to Adrian. "I just want to make some nels and find cool things." Azrael decided. "Tali said you could help us with the child, can you?"

"I'm sure there is an orphanage somewhere in the city you can leave it at." Adrian said in probably the most offhanded way Azrael had ever heard someone say something. "Cool things? What sorts of things interest you, Azrael?"

"Father-"

"Don't interrupt me."

"Pew."

Now Azrael stared at the mage with a certain dislike behind his eyes. What did Azrael want? "What do you want?" Azrael pushed back with his whole being. Adrian's hold on Azrael's tangle fluttered for just a moment as something unexpected pushed back against him. Adrian was far too disciplined to fall for the compulsion but he felt the urge rise. He felt his desire come to the center of his mind but he didn't say anything. Adrian settled back in his chair as a sort of satisfaction crossed his face. Azrael had his attention before the outburst, but now he had his intrigue as well.

Azrael felt it too. He felt something in him reach out to Adrian but it didn't quite connect so Azrael thought it another one of the mage's manipulations.

"Nothing of consequence. I'm afraid I must be off now. I have to speak with the Syns." Adrian said before rising from his chair and extending his arm to Azrael. "I look forward to seeing what you do next, Azrael."

[Pig Boy]

Azrael

Experience: 10 no magic

Knowledge:

Caregiving: Water for the little one
Negotiation: Giving up a lot to get what you want
Acting: Pretending to be modest
Stealth: Grendel hide retains it's chameleon affect
Socialization x 2

Renown: 5 for dragging the body of a Grendel through town.

Skill Usage: There are issues here, but more so the thread that preceded this (which I didn't have the opportunity to grade). I understand you killed the grendel with relatively low skills. Grendels are among the fiercest beasts in Melrath. I wouldn't allow such without some serious consequences/injuries. i know it was almost dead from it's battle with the other rangers and soldiers, but a grendel being near death makes it more dangerous, not less. Please be mindful of your skill levels when choosing what enemies you take on.

Now for the issues with this thread... Negotiations went rather smoothly with the butcher for having almost no negotiation skill. Getting the scent of the grendel all over him means that the butcher won't get out to hunt anytime soon. Too risky with the way the scent follows and attracts other grendels. That puts him out of commission for at least a ten trial, ten trials where he loses work and as such wealth. Wealth that he'll expect compensation for. Azrael is tier 4 wealth, I don't think it's within his tier to afford such a grand prize as a grendel's hide without losing some financial footing. I'd say 2 wp would be a fair price considering your low negotiation and persuasion skills, so please adjust your ledger accordingly. Perhaps 1 more wp for getting it processed into a cloak.

Loot/Losses: -2 wp for the skinning of an average grendel hide.

Injuries/Conditions: Exhaustion and shellshock from having faced down a grendel. The sound of an animal growling will put Azrael in a panic for at least a season, unless he seeks psychological help.

Consequences: Just what i've said so far.

Comments: Alright, all that aside, there's some fine writing here. I very much enjoyed the dynamic that's emerging with Azrael's new friends, the girl and the tagalong ithecal kid. I felt the part with the butcher might've been given more attention given the importance of it all. A grendel's hide is no small trophy. I daresay he may find challengers if he dares to wear it out around Melrath. Men would kill for such a cloak. I'm not kidding.

Great writing and enjoy the rewards!

If you have any concerns about this review, please PM me about them.