• Closed • Strange Alliances

[Ralgar Warborn]

Date: TBD

"Have you travelled out of the jungles in recent times?" Caelin Ash asked curiously as the pair approached Scalvoris town, Ralgar looking on with confidence. The powerful man wore his bearskin cloak with the hood down, wearing fur covered pants and a shirt that let his arms stay on display and his tattoos be on show for those around. Making an impression would be important. If he was cold he would look weak as he shivered in front of the councilwoman he was due to meet. But his tattoos showed who he and his tribe were. Bro'ky'na did not hide that through fear of cold, nor through fear of prejudice.

They wore it with pride.

"Scaltoth has everything my people need. Since arriving here and seeing how the civilized folk live, I never stepped foot outside of it. But I remember how to be, how they all act" he said with a small glance at the traveler. Whatever it was the people of Scalvoris town wanted the tribe's help with, Ralgar had been interested immediately. It wasn't out of the goodness of his heart, nor was it out of some obligation to the Island. It was a statement. Scaltoth was not the only home of the Bro'ky'na, it was not the cage that held the tribe in place. It was a choice they made on where to live. Scalvoris was their island just as much as the civilized people or the other tribes. All lived there in harmony, all had right to their own land - and Ralgar was tired of hiding from the rest of the world.

As they made it to the town the giant received many looks, standing taller than most of the crowd and looking different compared to the rest of them. As much as he had been used to civil life before his time in Scaltoth it was never like this. Melrath, at least the part of it he was raised in, had been cold and harsh. Everyone played their part, everyone knew one another and everyone was sure to work side by side for survival. Half of the men and women before him wouldn't have survived a Season. They wore comfortable clothes with frilly hats and vibrant colors, flaunting themselves like peacocks. Every one of them seemed to look at him with either confusion or fear, as if he was some strange predator that had found its way into the middle of Scalvoris town.

"Don't mind their looks. Few people know of your tribe's existence, and even fewer would ever dare and see one. You are the first tribesman almost anyone here has seen, I'd imagine" Caelin explained to the Mortalborn, Ralgar nodding as he glanced around at the people before focusing his eyes forward again. "I understand. My people have been masked by the trees of Scaltoth for too long. I'm here to change that" he said with a deep growl to his voice, one of passion.

Smirking a little, the guide pat Ralgar's arm. "I see why they call you Deathkissed" he said, Ralgar glancing at him and shaking his head. "Believe me, friend. I hope you never see why they call me Deathkissed" he said with a serious tone to his voice, the guide taking a deep inhale and moving away, making a mental note that Ralgar was intense and didn't take well to humor.

Eventually, they arrived at Kura's office, strangers looking at Ralgar the entire way. "We're here to see the Alberach, about the tribes" Caelin spoke in the common tongue to Kura's secretary, the two being let in almost immediately. Ralgar ducked his head under the doorframe and entered the room, finally meeting Kura face to face. As he entered Caelin offered a hand to the Albarech, before gesturing to Ralgar. "Ralgar Warborn, or the Deathkissed of the Bro'ky'na tribe in Scaltoth. He volunteered to speak on his tribe's behalf, to perhaps help with the...current affairs" the guide explained as Ralgar stepped forward, offering a hand to shake with Kura.

"He doesn't speak much Common, so I came to translate for him."

~~Haltunga~~ Common~~

[Kura Wolfsdotter]

Kura looked up as Caelin Ash and a frankly massive man were shown into her office. Reaching out, she shook Caelin's hand and then looked up at the substantially sized fellow that Caelin introduced as a tribesman, who stepped forward and offered his hand. Kura shook it, smiling at him, then gestured to the chairs across from her desk. "Please, sit. And thank you for bringing your friend to see me, Caelin." she said, before looking at Ralgar. "I do apologize, but I am not familiar with the customs of your people. The Tribes of Scaltoth are not overtly welcomin' to city folk, after all. However, I do not wish to be rude, so if there is a custom that needs to be observed upon first meetin' or an honor due your title that I am not observin', please tell me and I will correct the mistake." she said, her voice calm and clear.

Once all the proper formalities were observed, Kura got down to the matter at hand. "Now, to business. There is a man here on Scalvoris, the Warden of a place called Slags-Deep. He has sought to undermine the government of the island and has, repeatedly, broken our laws in our territory. Given that he made a deal with the first Council of Scalvoris to be considered an independent territory, these trespasses are an act of war on his part, which cannot go unanswered." she said, before grimacing slightly. "I'll admit, on the surface it has little to do with the people of Scaltoth. However, one of the more vile crimes the Warden commits is dealin' in enslaved peoples, profittin' off the misery of others. A trade that we, thankfully, have outlawed in Scalvoris as a whole. In this capacity, he may well have preyed upon Scaltoth. He would most likely be known to you as Sparrow, as he prefers that name for such activity." she said, trusting Caelin to be able to properly translate her admittedly sometimes verbose language into the language of the tribes. If he, or Ralgar, needed her to, she would of course be glad to explain any of that in more detail or simpler terms.

"However, outside the troubles with the Warden, there is another matter I would like to speak with you about." she said. "Scalvoris is a strange island, to be sure. Ice caverns that move you about, shrines to every Immortal that seem to come from nowhere, trees that make giant bunnies that blow smoke rings, ghost ships, things of that nature." she said, smiling slightly as she spoke before her expression turned serious. "However, while I've been able to track such oddities in every territory of Scalvoris that I have oversight of, it has left me with little knowledge of what's goin' on in Scaltoth. So, if you're comfortable doin' so, I would like to know if there's been any particularly unusual occurences in your jungle home over the last two arcs or so." she asked, her tone one of genuine curiosity.

[Ralgar Warborn]

Shaking Kura's hand, Ralgar maintained a firm grip as he nodded to the Alberach, sitting down in the chair she offered. As Caelin translated her words the Deathkissed listened, every word being taken into consideration as he considered what to say. Eventually, a small grin spread across his face. "My people aren't usually concerned with formalities. Titles, lots of titles, but no formalities - just respect" he explained, his harsh language being translated as he went. While he had been given the title of Deathkissed because of his abilities he had been offered no privileges, no private medics or personal servants, just another level of respect from the members of the Bro'ky'na and a responsibility to share his knowledge with others. As of now, however, Kura had shown him plenty of respect.

After the formalities came the details of the Warden.

As Kura mentioned the word slavery and it was translated, Ralgar's face soured. Perhaps what Kura was saying was false, that this so-called Sparrow had left Scaltoth well alone for slaves. But perhaps it wasn't. Bro'ky'na was closest to Scalvoris town. Their tribespeople were the most likely to be in the area to capture. Had anyone been taken, anyone enslaved, it would have been his own tribe that suffered. Besides, the man had never much liked slavery. It made little sense to him, taking the freedom of others to force them to do work one should be capable of doing themself.

After a few moments of silence, Ralgar leaned forward in his chair a little and looked at Kura directly, his eyes intense - but never hostile. "To the North of Scaltoth lies a tribe that enslaves their men, sacrificing them and cannibalizing their bodies, women ruling over them. Countless men have been taken from my tribe and killed at the hands of the slavers, countless men eaten in the name of their tribe" Ralgar explained, his tone remaining harsh and guttural, his words slipping out with a slight tone of anger and hatred. "Killing slavers is my pride. Sending them to meet Death is what drives me. This man will be no different."

Leaning back again as Caelin translated the last of his sentence, Ralgar pondered for a moment. His determination to kill a man was one thing, but the help of his tribe was another. It was something he would need to fight for, something he would need to try and show them was worthwhile. "I can not promise the help of other Bro'ky'na, but you have at least one. Until I have gone home to speak with them, that is all I can offer you up front" he explained, hoping she would understand. Alberach or not, Ralgar knew that Kura did not speak for every member of Scalvoris Town. As different as they were, being Deathkissed of Bro'ky'na was much the same.

Then came the question of oddities in Scaltoth, Ralgar smirking wide for a brief moment. "I grew up in Melrath, with civil folk, for many Arcs. Scaltoth itself is an oddity. Creatures you wouldn't believe until they were eating someone in front of you" he explained, before debating what sort of things she would wish to hear about. "However, lots of storms this Cycle. More than usual. Some of my tribe believe the Jungle is angry, others say it is an omen of death. But an oddity, whichever way you view it."

"Otherwise, just the tribes. Three. Bro'ky'na, Mur'thi, and the cannibal scum of Shoma'khan" he said, almost spitting with disgust at the name of the slavers to the North. "Mur'thi are said to perform miracles, and many of our people travel to them just to heal. Many believe they can speak to a Spirit that grants them power and wisdom, but only their leaders claim to have spoken to this being, and I have never travelled there myself. Just heard stories." he nodded, before raising his left arm slightly to show tattoos of death and skulls.

"My people worship Death. Not the Immortal that civil folk call him, but a Spirit of Death, living within a canyon. Our elders have talked to Death, and she has answered. They believe Death gives me the powers I have, and that my blood is not just Immortal, but filled with the Spirit of Death itself" he said with a small undertone of pride, his voice intense as he traced a finger down one of the long, winding tattoos.

"Now I ask something of you, Alberach" he started, looking to Kura. "Why my people, why did you ask for us in particular - and why now?"

~~Haltunga~~ Common~~