It was the question that had launched previous interrogations, sharp words and wounded egos, insult taken and exasperation given. Something in Jigano bristled, deep and dark and petty, and for a moment he wrestled with it, outwardly serene but inwardly railing against how little Deimos's apology had meant when he promptly went back to his old ways.
But there was genuine curiosity in his tone, and Jigano had been vague in his own answer, assuming Kiada had told the General all. She had never walked beside him on a moonless night, however, and the one time she had found him calling souls they had both been too blighted to bother with explanations. So the bard drew in a slow, deep breath, settling himself as best he could before he gave his host a nod. "A year ago I was given a song," he said solemnly. "Ludo's Song, to call lost souls. This summer I bargained with the masked god for the right to offer mortal assistance in his rounds, to go where they could not to retrieve souls that had wandered too far. I undertook a quest and was in turn given a special Lantern to catch and keep souls until they could be returned to Mort, to be used in conjunction with the Song. Together, they will hopefully call Ru'in to us, and capture his soul once Kiada defeats what has become of his body." Any more than that, he did not know. Quests given by gods could be strange things, filled with danger but also rewards.
The offer of support was as unexpected as it was welcome, Jigano arching a pale brow at the General in surprise but the hint of a smile tugging at his lips. Deimos and Kiada had a special bond, that much he had witnessed. That the big man would want her protected to the best of Jigano's ability was something the bard could appreciate, and he nodded slowly. "I haven't worn armor since I came to Caido," he admitted, voicing his thoughts from earlier. "My old armor was enchanted to be light and silent, stronger than steel but flexible chain. My rapier, too, was once enchanted to discharge electricity when it struck..." He trailed off, shaking his head as he smiled wryly at lost treasures, never to be reclaimed. "Caido has taught me that I relied too heavily on magic that I took for granted." Not that he wouldn't like to rely on such things again, but unless a god granted him a treasure or Remi made him a magical munition he was unlikely to see their like anytime soon.
"Something to strike from a distance with might suit me better," he said thoughtfully instead, turning to more practical matters and the well-crafted and delightful items he had seen Deimos create before. "A crossbow, perhaps, if you have any. I've done enough work on the farm that cocking one will be much easier now, I think." Easy to load and aim and fire, and packing enough punch to get through most armor at close or even medium range. It didn't have the distance of a longbow, but then, he didn't think he'd need it since he'd be close enough to support Kiada and protect her as necessary. "And... a shield, to defend her with."
But there was genuine curiosity in his tone, and Jigano had been vague in his own answer, assuming Kiada had told the General all. She had never walked beside him on a moonless night, however, and the one time she had found him calling souls they had both been too blighted to bother with explanations. So the bard drew in a slow, deep breath, settling himself as best he could before he gave his host a nod. "A year ago I was given a song," he said solemnly. "Ludo's Song, to call lost souls. This summer I bargained with the masked god for the right to offer mortal assistance in his rounds, to go where they could not to retrieve souls that had wandered too far. I undertook a quest and was in turn given a special Lantern to catch and keep souls until they could be returned to Mort, to be used in conjunction with the Song. Together, they will hopefully call Ru'in to us, and capture his soul once Kiada defeats what has become of his body." Any more than that, he did not know. Quests given by gods could be strange things, filled with danger but also rewards.
The offer of support was as unexpected as it was welcome, Jigano arching a pale brow at the General in surprise but the hint of a smile tugging at his lips. Deimos and Kiada had a special bond, that much he had witnessed. That the big man would want her protected to the best of Jigano's ability was something the bard could appreciate, and he nodded slowly. "I haven't worn armor since I came to Caido," he admitted, voicing his thoughts from earlier. "My old armor was enchanted to be light and silent, stronger than steel but flexible chain. My rapier, too, was once enchanted to discharge electricity when it struck..." He trailed off, shaking his head as he smiled wryly at lost treasures, never to be reclaimed. "Caido has taught me that I relied too heavily on magic that I took for granted." Not that he wouldn't like to rely on such things again, but unless a god granted him a treasure or Remi made him a magical munition he was unlikely to see their like anytime soon.
"Something to strike from a distance with might suit me better," he said thoughtfully instead, turning to more practical matters and the well-crafted and delightful items he had seen Deimos create before. "A crossbow, perhaps, if you have any. I've done enough work on the farm that cocking one will be much easier now, I think." Easy to load and aim and fire, and packing enough punch to get through most armor at close or even medium range. It didn't have the distance of a longbow, but then, he didn't think he'd need it since he'd be close enough to support Kiada and protect her as necessary. "And... a shield, to defend her with."
