The Widening Gyre (open)
Jigano Silversmith
the Sage
Provost of the Loreseekers Soul Shepherd
Portal Guardian
Age: 36 | Height: 6'2" | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 30 - Dext: 45 - Endr: 38 - Luck: 42 - Int:
ISUMA - Mythical - Griffin (Venomous)
Played by: Cirago Offline
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Posts: 3,914 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#1
He had carried the broken bundle of flesh and bone back towards the room that held Roana, singing softly as he paced, and Isuma had dragged the lantern behind, all cheer gone from her golden eyes. He had continued to sing as he moved mechanically, putting the body to rights as best he could in its mangled state. The room was cold, chilled by Sugar’s frostbreath to keep decay from setting in when they still had most of a week left, but he didn’t seem to notice it, anymore than he heeded the wound that had been left in his shoulder by the retreating monster.

He had been too late.

He didn’t heed his bloody hands as he took the lantern into his lap, sitting beside Caiside as he continued to sing, voice clear and quiet though his shoulders shook with grief. The gryphlet climbed to his shoulder, nestled against the side of his neck to provide what comfort she could as tears slipped down her companion’s cheeks, blurring the sight of the body and the terrible things that had been done to it.

There would be more, of course. During LongNight there were always more.

But for now this was already too much, and he hugged the lantern to his chest as if to protect the souls he hoped had already found their way to its light while a strength born of rage kindled slowly deep within his breast.
Adam Pikely
Smuggler's Liaison

Age: 36 | Height: 6'3" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 5 - Strg: 17 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 17 - Luck: 12 - Int:
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#2

After he had prepared himself to fire shots into a monster, Adam had found the shocking reveal of Caisides body (or what was left of it) to be oddly powerful. He did not often like to think of himself as squeamish or easily affected by horror (after all, he'd seen many dead bodies in his line of work, even if he was opposed to creating them), but something about the event had made him feel weird. Uncomfortable, unable to slip into easy smirks and quips like usual.

He'd gone for a 'walk', though really it was more of an excuse to get away from his friends and boyfriend, who he loved appreciated very much, but who at the moment made him feel worse with their upset faces and quiet voices.

This place really was just horribly depressing. He hadn't even heard of the damn guy and he was feeling sad about him. Adam walked down back corridors, hoping none of them lead to a secret monster hole. He had hoped to steal some weapons until he'd learnt the weapons here were free for anyone to use, which really put a damper on his plans, but it was still useful to learn the layout of places for any future ideas.

As he walked past a door, he heard what sounded like soft crying. Adam paused. It could be a monsters trick, or worse: someone actually crying that he would have to try and comfort, which had never been his area of expertise. He took a step past the door, then stopped again and looked at it, something like guilt or concern tugging him towards it.

With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, Adam cracked open the door, immediately feeling the cold before he saw Jigano, bloody hands and gryphlet and all, sat crying by the body. This really was not the kind of situation he knew how to handle, but he'd opened the door, so he closed his eyes, sighed and walked in. Jigano had begun to teach him to read, after all, and kept the secret: the least he could do was talk to the guy now.

He leaned against the door and cast an eye over the body. "Was he...a mate of yours?" Adam began with.

A D A M
Do you wanna dance?
Do you wanna fight?
Do you wanna get drunk and stay the night?


Jigano Silversmith
the Sage
Provost of the Loreseekers Soul Shepherd
Portal Guardian
Age: 36 | Height: 6'2" | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 30 - Dext: 45 - Endr: 38 - Luck: 42 - Int:
ISUMA - Mythical - Griffin (Venomous)
Played by: Cirago Offline
Change author:
Posts: 3,914 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#3
Jigano's tears had been silent. He had been singing since he had brought Caiside's body in, hoping - praying - that his friend's soul had been safely guided into the lantern that the bard held to now. It was a song without recognizable words, the lyrics old enough to barely be dreamed as such as his trained voice carried each note with brittle perfection.

Adam's entrance barely phased him as Isuma shivered against him, mourning their friend alongside her companion, but the scoundrel's words broke the quiet of the grave that pervaded the coldroom, and Jigano's grieving song finally faded to silence as he drew a shaking breath. He continued to watch the body, seeing it clothed in green and brown and gold, Caiside's smugly-certain grin still dancing on its lips in place of the nightmare screams he had died with. "...Yes," the bard whispered into the silence, curling his arm protectively around the lantern, hoping his friend's soul was safe within it by now. "A very... a good friend," he managed to continue, the words dragged past a throat raw from singing and a grief too great for weeping. "Did you... ever meet him?"
Adam Pikely
Smuggler's Liaison

Age: 36 | Height: 6'3" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 5 - Strg: 17 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 17 - Luck: 12 - Int:
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#4

So maybe he'd heard singing - Adam was not the most attentive man (and neither apparently was Lam, who can't read). Either way, Jigano looked pretty damn depressed.

Jigano had known the man on the table; made sense, Adam supposed. Few people looked quite this ruined over someone they weren't close to. "Uh...no, I...don't think I knew him." He admitted, casting an eye over Caiside again, frozen smile and all. Looking at the body made him feel uneasy so he tilted himself a little away from it, again addressing Jigano.

"You wanna tell me about him?" He asked, unsure of if it was best to take the topic away from the dead or not. Probably not, so soon after. People liked to mourn, to reminiscence, right? "At least it was probably quick, right? Those monsters don't really seem like the longterm plan sorts."

A D A M
Do you wanna dance?
Do you wanna fight?
Do you wanna get drunk and stay the night?


Jigano Silversmith
the Sage
Provost of the Loreseekers Soul Shepherd
Portal Guardian
Age: 36 | Height: 6'2" | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 30 - Dext: 45 - Endr: 38 - Luck: 42 - Int:
ISUMA - Mythical - Griffin (Venomous)
Played by: Cirago Offline
Change author:
Posts: 3,914 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#5
Caiside had died in terror; the smile was only in Jigano's memories, though at least his friend's expression had relaxed somewhat in death. The bard simply nodded at hearing that Adam had never met the smith. It made sense, really, since the rogue had insisted on private lessons and Jigano had chosen times when the other Loreseekers wouldn't be around to meet with the man. Caiside tended to be found at the forge they had been building together (who would use it now? Some other outlander, yet to arrive? ...no, no that didn't feel right for Caiside's hard work to be taken over by a stranger), or in the woods or at a shrine. He was a man of many talents, but it was hard to think of how his path might have crossed with Adam's.

"...Thank you," he said quietly, still sitting where he had been when Adam entered, still covered in the dried and drying blood of his friend - of the body he had carried inside. "I... not yet." It hurt far too much still, the edges of his grief still raw and seeping, jagged teeth that tore into his soul with every beat of his heart. "We weren't fast enough to open the door. A few seconds sooner and maybe... maybe..." There was no maybe about it. A few seconds sooner and Caiside definitely would have been saved. Now? Now he was a corpse in a cold room and Jigano was to blame for messing about with passwords and peekholes and other such foolishness that had cost a good man his life.
Adam Pikely
Smuggler's Liaison

Age: 36 | Height: 6'3" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 5 - Strg: 17 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 17 - Luck: 12 - Int:
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Posts: 1,044 | Total: 8,707
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#6

Adam slid down the door to sit on the floor, his legs out before him and his arms resting on his knees. He'd been where Jigano was now, though not very often; he had had few people to mourn in his life. The most mourning he'd done had actually been once he'd realised he was stuck in Caido and that he would never see the ones he had known back home again.

"Hey, no, don't be doing that. If you want you can 'maybe' about any fucking thing in your life. Maybe if I said that, he'dve done that, maybe if I'd been there that wouldn't have happened....but truth is you don't know and there's no point torturing yourself, is there?" He found himself more passionate about this than he had thought, but it was true. Adam had lost himself in 'what ifs' before and he knew it didn't lead anywhere good.

He took in a breath, unsure of if this was pushing too hard. "You...sure it's good for you to be sat in here staring at him? He's not gonna go anywhere if you wanted to come for a little walk around the place."

A D A M
Do you wanna dance?
Do you wanna fight?
Do you wanna get drunk and stay the night?


Jigano Silversmith
the Sage
Provost of the Loreseekers Soul Shepherd
Portal Guardian
Age: 36 | Height: 6'2" | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 30 - Dext: 45 - Endr: 38 - Luck: 42 - Int:
ISUMA - Mythical - Griffin (Venomous)
Played by: Cirago Offline
Change author:
Posts: 3,914 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#7
He hadn't really expected anything from Adam, too sunk into his own mourning to study his companion, but the sudden surge of advice and support would have caught him off guard even if he had been at his best. The Outlander rogue could be charming, brash, thoughtless, and stubborn in their reading lessons. This was more insight than Jigano had been giving him credit for, and the sudden need to reevaluate the Devil's Advocate was enough to shake some of the fugue from him as he turned to blink at his companion.

"...Perhaps not," he granted, a little of his surprise sneaking through at Adam's vehemence and understanding of what was going through his head. The not-quite-suggestion wasn't a bad one, though a large part of him railed against the idea of leaving Caiside untended at his deathwatch. It hurt, but then, the truth so often did. Jigano exhaled slowly, looking down at himself and realizing, if dully, that he was still covered in his friend's drying blood. "I... perhaps I should clean up." The admission was reluctant, if only because it meant leaving, but he took a shaky breath and nodded a little more firmly. "I... yes. Water, and some soap. Do you know where I could find some?" He was not as familiar with the Guild's layout as he wished, at the moment. Perhaps Adam would know more.
Adam Pikely
Smuggler's Liaison

Age: 36 | Height: 6'3" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 5 - Strg: 17 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 17 - Luck: 12 - Int:
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Posts: 1,044 | Total: 8,707
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#8

Jigano looked down at himself, and as he did Adam followed his eyes and took in again just how covered in blood the bard was. At least if Jigano was realising it too, that was probably a good sign. "Yeah, I scouted the place out when I--" Was casing it for a robbery almost came out of his mouth and he coughed, hoping the sudden correction wasn't too obvious. "When I got here, so I could see good places to go if there were monsters and stuff."

He stood and opened the door, just a crack, and gestured for Jigano to follow him, then went through it and waited to be followed. "There's a little washroom down here. Do you have some other clothes? I could lend you some, but..." Adam looked Jigano over. They were similar heights (or would be, if Adam didn't wear tall heels) but he had the body of a starved rat and most of his clothes were...of a unique style. "..Well, you're welcome to 'em if you want."

Coming to a door at the end of the corridor he opened it, revealing a small tile and stone room with a bathtub and some soaps. "...I'll..stick around for now, but I won't look if you get naked or anything. You sorta seem like you don't wanna be alone."

A D A M
Do you wanna dance?
Do you wanna fight?
Do you wanna get drunk and stay the night?


Jigano Silversmith
the Sage
Provost of the Loreseekers Soul Shepherd
Portal Guardian
Age: 36 | Height: 6'2" | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 30 - Dext: 45 - Endr: 38 - Luck: 42 - Int:
ISUMA - Mythical - Griffin (Venomous)
Played by: Cirago Offline
Change author:
Posts: 3,914 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#9
Adam's catch was painfully obvious, but it was a mark of how sunk in grief Jigano was that he didn't notice it, nodding at the words even if they didn't sink in very far. 'Yeah' was the only part that really mattered, and he forced himself to get to his feet, though the lantern remained clutched tight to his side. He followed the other man almost mechanically, blinking at the entirely pragmatic question that he should have considered first.

"...Yes," he said after a moment, drawing in a deep breath and blinking as some of the shadows were chased from his eyes by the light in the hall. "I do have some. I packed for the week..." This year he'd been prepared, and he'd expected to bleed helping Kiada and going on his own rounds. He had several changes of clothing, if only he could be bothered to clean up and change into them. "I should get a fresh tunic, at least." It was half question, though not really aimed at Adam as he took another breath again, feeling like he hadn't been breathing since he'd entered the room with the dead.

"Thank you." The offer of clothing was kind, and he would remember it later when his head was less full of the fog of tears. He followed Adam obediently to the washroom, nodding distractedly at Adam's courtesy. "I... probably shouldn't be," he admitted with surprising candor as he moved to fill a bucket with water from a tap. Remi's work, he thought, though he wasn't certain. "I'm not... thinking clearly." To say the least. "Are you sure you want to stay, though? This... probably isn't how you wanted to spend your time." Babysitting a grieving guildmaster who refused to let go of a lantern wasn't high on anyone's list for the evening, he suspected.
Adam Pikely
Smuggler's Liaison

Age: 36 | Height: 6'3" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 5 - Strg: 17 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 17 - Luck: 12 - Int:
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#10

"Oh, cool. Cos you probly don't wanna wear a shirt like this, huh?" Adam laughed, not unkindly, tracing the deep 'V' of his shirt, which went down to his navel. He knew his style was (sexy, amazing, cool) different from everyone else here.

He watch Jigano begin to fill the bucket, softly shutting the door behind him so no one could peek in. He wasn't running a show here, after all. Sliding down the wall to sit again he waved a hand, gesturing to show he was fine with being there. "Oh man, don't worry, I've had much worse ways to spend time. Fuck, I've been to jail like thirty times."

Oh dear. After the words were out Adam realised he had been keeping that kind of thing from Jigano, but he had said it now and perhaps it would help the man to think of something else. He added a quick correction: "Not for murder or anything nasty. Just stealing and shit and uh...one time for public indecency but that was bullshit."

Aware he was probably rambling on too long, he tried to be more helpful, holding out a hand towards the bard. "You want me to take your lantern while you're doing that?"

A D A M
Do you wanna dance?
Do you wanna fight?
Do you wanna get drunk and stay the night?


Jigano Silversmith
the Sage
Provost of the Loreseekers Soul Shepherd
Portal Guardian
Age: 36 | Height: 6'2" | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 30 - Dext: 45 - Endr: 38 - Luck: 42 - Int:
ISUMA - Mythical - Griffin (Venomous)
Played by: Cirago Offline
Change author:
Posts: 3,914 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#11
Jigano only shrugged at Adam's laughter, blue eyes dull with grief and finding no humor in it. He would wear such a shirt if he needed to, but it lacked the pockets tucked into the sleeves of his current tunic, where so many useful odds and ends were kept.

For the moment he would start with water though, and soap, and cleaning the worst of the blood from his hands before he worried about his clothes. He set the lantern beside him, close enough that he could feel it against his leg as he scrubbed half-heartedly, giving Adam a glance at the mention of jail but not looking surprised at having his suspicions confirmed. The quick rush to explain why earned a slow nod, the words tucked away for a time in the future when the bard could fully process them. For now it was just words, words that couldn't bring Caiside back or protect Kiada when he went out later.

"No!" He spoke swiftly, a faint, weary warning edge to his voice as he shook his head, shifting to keep the lantern a little more behind him. "...No. Thank you. But a little water won't hurt it." He wasn't sure he had the focus to explain in detail why, but also knowing that Adam was a thief did nothing to encourage his trust in the other man. "I... did you want to continue your lessons this week?" he asked instead, as much to change the subject as from any true interest. His mind was full of dead friends and monsters and teaching was the last thing he felt competent to do just then, but perhaps it would distract the other guildmaster and send them down a different path.
Adam Pikely
Smuggler's Liaison

Age: 36 | Height: 6'3" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 5 - Strg: 17 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 17 - Luck: 12 - Int:
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#12

It was in Adam's nature to ramble along, make jokes and tell random stories in a desperate attempt to make everyone happy again; he knew he had very little skill in actually comforting words or gestures and hoped that he could distract someone enough they might not notice. Though Jigano seemed unaffected by his merriment and he sighed, decided to try and tone it down.

The reaction to what Adam thought was just a polite offer was surprising, but people acted funny when they were grieving. "Alright, alright, keep the lantern. It's fine." He reassured Jigano, holding up his hands in surrender.

A question about his lessons felt wildly out of place, but he answered it anyway. "Uh...I mean, sure, but are y'sure you really want to, right now? It's okay if you wanted to take a break, you know. Sides, I know enough to sort of see each letter and try to...sound it out...y'know. So thanks for that." Saying that out loud made him feel stupid, but it was true and it had been a revelation, even if having to slowly take apart words in his head was a pain.

A D A M
Do you wanna dance?
Do you wanna fight?
Do you wanna get drunk and stay the night?


Jigano Silversmith
the Sage
Provost of the Loreseekers Soul Shepherd
Portal Guardian
Age: 36 | Height: 6'2" | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 30 - Dext: 45 - Endr: 38 - Luck: 42 - Int:
ISUMA - Mythical - Griffin (Venomous)
Played by: Cirago Offline
Change author:
Posts: 3,914 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#13
Adam made no move towards the lantern, and Jigano relaxed again, going back to his washing. Hands clean it was time to work on his arms and torso where the blood had seeped through his clothing, and he began to empty the pockets sewn into the wide sleeves of his tunic, setting aside a small collection of useful odds and ends; pencil stubs and folded paper, neatly coiled wire and thread, a set of broken spectacles and two small mirrors, cotton wadding and a small set of embroidery scissors in a wooden sheath.

"Right now?" Jigano repeated as he was gathering things safely off to the side and away from the water. "...No, not... that's not what I meant," he corrected with a faint grimace. "Sorry. I just meant later this week. I'll... probably need some distraction anyways. Practice will make it easier for you, too." Adam had proven to be a remarkably adept pupil given how late in life he was starting, but Jigano was glad to see his interest and teaching something he loved was a nice break from all the misery and gloom that had lead up to LongNight.

That continued tenfold now that the darkness had fallen once more.

He pulled his tunic over his head in the same slow, weary way he had done everything else, revealing a lean body beneath the veiling cloth, one that was toned and defined far more than it had been when he had arrived on Caido. Silver scars traced over his left shoulder where flesh had once been shredded and torn, and he began to scrub the blood on his arms and chest with the same rough, efficient strokes he had used to clean his hands.
Adam Pikely
Smuggler's Liaison

Age: 36 | Height: 6'3" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 5 - Strg: 17 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 17 - Luck: 12 - Int:
Played by: lancydulac Offline
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Posts: 1,044 | Total: 8,707
MP: 0
#14

It made Adam smile faintly to see the items Jigano removed from his pockets. If he hadn't known better, Adam would have assumed them both thieves. He also always had all sorts of odds and ends on him; coins or jewellery, little pouches of 'herbs' or scraps of paper containing maps and sketches of floorplans.

"I'm...surprised you want to do it this week either. You could take a longer break if you wanted, y'know. Hell, when I--" He paused, thinking of how to phrase what it was he wanted to say. "When I went through something hard a while ago, I spent like...two years getting fucked up in bars before I got back to life. I mean, I'm not saying you should do that, but maybe give yourself some slack."

Politely Adam looked away as Jigano took off his shirt. He'd seen enough naked bodies in his lifetime to not give a shit, but he thought the bard didn't seem like the type who'd want eyes on him. "You got any friends in here you want me to go get for you?"

A D A M
Do you wanna dance?
Do you wanna fight?
Do you wanna get drunk and stay the night?




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