aground upon the sands
Harper Quinn
the Stalwart
Teacher

Age: 33 | Height: 5'10 | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Nomadic
Level: 5 - Strg: 15 - Dext: 15 - Endr: 27 - Luck: 19 - Int:
Played by: Brit Offline
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Posts: 1,036 | Total: 6,169
MP: 9427
#15
HARPER
Harper's gasp is positively delighted, his grin more akin to a shark than a human. "I would say! You certainly strive for pear-fection in every way, don't you?" He lets loose a deep belly laugh, glad for this brief respite from academic and historical talk to enjoy the simplicity of puns and plays on words. Coming from a modern, advanced world nearly all his references don't land, but at least puns are a timeless tradition. The cockroach of linguistics.

He is an attentive student, and Jigano's unraveling of history is interesting enough to warrant his continued attention regardless of his normally wandering mind. "It takes a humble soul to admit to the inherent bias every person holds," he compliments, glad that the man is at least self-aware enough to even note it aloud, to a relative stranger at that. "Have you met her? You mentioned that the Gods here visit frequently, and I'd not want to assume your er...race?" Because race to Harper means something entirely different. "But if she is the sole combatant against an entire collective of Gods, I admit I'm more curious about her than anything. I met Safrin once, but she said I ought not even bother with the others on her side, much less The Voice." A curious brow is lifted here, wondering if the Old Gods have reason to try and sway worship from their siblings. He can't help his curiosity, his desire to know more. Safrin's sadness over nobody being directly informative about her makes him want to know more about all of them.

"Sounds like a fun challenge," he cheekily responds to the nature of the Greatwood, already wondering how many times he can get himself turned around. It's the best part of traveling. Getting lost is probably one of his favorite past-times.
and I was thrashing on the line
somewhere between desperate and divine

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
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
#16
"The fruit of a lifetime's worth of experience," Jigano said with mock-modesty, blue eyes twinkling and his own smile breaking out, broad and relieved that an encounter that had started with such concern had turned to laughter. It was a balm to the lingering shadows of LongNight, a reassertion of life and optimism that he clung to gratefully, innocent of the further tragedy that waited just around the seasonal corner at the upcoming Festival.

'Humble' wasn't a term normally applied to the chatterbox bard, but he nodded his head in acceptance of the compliment with a rueful smile. "Hmm. The Voice, you mean? Yes, several times. I used to be far more discrete about such things... but by now you can ask just about anyone in the Settlement and they'll be able to tell you," he said with a wry chuckle and a slight shrug. "I arrived from my world Attuned, but I recently earned the ire of one of the gods and was struck down for my hubris. Since then I've regained - or rather, attained - the ability to do magic as well." He tilted his head thoughtfully at Harper's questions, trying not to wince at the mention of Safrin. "Ah. Yes. The star-eyed lady is the one whose bad side I ended up on," he admitted with a wince. "Though the same could be said of the Voice... I don't have a good record with the goddesses of Caido, I'm afraid."

Curiosity about the Voice, though? Even after Safrin had warned him away from her? Harper might not realize what a dangerous game he was playing, but he was a grown man. Perhaps he'd learn from Jigano's mistakes... or perhaps he'd have to make his own. Barring an angry bear, he seemed like the type who was able to take care of himself, so the bard hummed thoughtfully as he marshaled his memories. He'd already told Harper what he knew of her origins, but more recently? "She is... secretive," he said at last. "When I first arrived I went with others to her Shrines, curious or wishing to support them. She made it clear that those who weren't Ascended - specifically, those who were Attuned or mages, weren't wanted there. She seems as eager to convince the Accepted to Ascend as the old gods are to convince them to Attune, which only makes it look more like the two sides are gearing up for a fight - or, no," he interrupted himself with a faint grimace. "The battle is already underway, though for the moment it's on a smaller scale, at least. She is... not a physical goddess, like Safrin or Frey tend to appear. She looks more as though she's made of light, like some kind of electrical illusion, and she takes the appearance of a young girl." He paused throwing Harper a warning look. "Don't be fooled. She's neither sweet nor innocent. She's been directly involved in the killing of Fae, and of an ancient, peaceful tree-spirit in the Greatwood. She can freeze you with less than a flick of her finger, hold you trapped and still as a lamb to the slaughter." His expression was grim, his voice hard as he recalled a clearly personal encounter. "She might have been human once... but from what I've seen, she's abandoned all that she was in her ascension. It is power that matters to her, and her desire for more of it, that drove the first war, that drives her still, I think."
Harper Quinn
the Stalwart
Teacher

Age: 33 | Height: 5'10 | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Nomadic
Level: 5 - Strg: 15 - Dext: 15 - Endr: 27 - Luck: 19 - Int:
Played by: Brit Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,036 | Total: 6,169
MP: 9427
#17
HARPER
There's not much more to do but sit and listen, and Harper doesn't mind doing so when there's so much juicy gossip interesting information on display. "I'm surprised you give her a morality," he admits when the man finishes, hoping he's not being disrespectful as shown by his cautious tone. "I'm not gonna say I'm even remotely aware of the intricacies of everything happening here, but Safrin doesn't seem close with the other Gods on her respective side either. And she is the one you said you ended up on a bad side with. Isn't Safrin just as inhuman even if she didn't start as one?" Oh god he's gonna lose his friend before they even have a chance to try, all because Harper is a philosophical bastard who suffered through too many religion courses in college before he dropped out.

"I'm not trying to be rude, it just...you speak of them very differently. Safrin could probably hold you in place to kill you too. I can't say if any of the other Gods have killed or harmed, but didn't they trap you guys in a bubble?" At least his memory is still sharp, because that seems like a big thing that they're just...not really remembering. "Instead of fighting her head on, or trapping her until they could reconvene and perform a tactical strike while she was weakened, they subjected innocents - their own followers - to being trapped. Why can't we just let them fight it out themselves? " His voice grows disgruntled, and he leans against the tree still at his back with a sigh. "Sorry. I'm not the right person to talk about all this, I barely know any of the facts. I'm just...so tired of fighting other peoples wars." Because that's what it's shaping up to be: follower against follower. Harper's not sure what side he stands on, if any. Already his appreciation of Safrin has place him somewhere on the board, and that distresses him.
and I was thrashing on the line
somewhere between desperate and divine

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
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
#18
"What morality did I give her?" Jigano asked back, a bit bemused as he tried to remember whether he had used any words like 'good' or 'evil' in his descriptions. He tilted his head at the other man, confused by the sudden what-about-ism. First Oliver, now Harper. He was truly beginning to feel the frustration the Naturals had felt towards the early Outlanders, those who arrived casting judgments - himself not least among them - on those who lived here and their relationships with their gods.

Gods least fortunate, karma was a proper bitch at times.

"Safrin did hold me in place," he said dryly, "and threatened to kill my loved ones, as a matter of fact. But you didn't ask about her, you asked about the Voice, so the Voice was who I told you about - at least, from my perspective and interactions with her." He snorted as he pushed away from the tree he'd been leaning against, wondering if it was time to go. If Harper was just looking to start an argument, the bard was not in the mood. "And they did trap her - that was the bubble you just mentioned. Gods don't live on the same scale that you do, though. Hell, the Fae don't live on the same scale. What's a few centuries, to an immortal? She was trapped - and you assume much, in thinking that those initially caught in here with her were innocent, and not her own followers who the old gods were trying to prevent from working to free her from the outside," he added, growing no less disgruntled than the young man he had just Healed. "Though that is precisely why Ludo, Safrin, and Frey were put in here with us. So they could help the people who came after, so that true innocents weren't forsaken by the gods." He arched a brow at at the sigh, giving a slight snort of disbelief. "Ask, perhaps, why the Voice's followers chose to have children in the bubble they'd been trapped in, knowing that they'd be subjecting those children to imprisonment. All of which is a rather academic point," he finished dryly, "since we don't know either way whether those who were first trapped were truly innocent or willing followers of the Voice, working to overthrow the Old Gods." He shook his head again, reaching up to rake his fingers through his long hair, pushing it back out of his face.

"You can certainly try to avoid the conflict. Don't pray at any shrines, avoid assisting those who have been given tasks and quests by the gods, keep your head down and try not to make too many friends among the Attuned and Ascended... it's possible to stay out of it. But you were brought here by the Voice's machinations, so you're involved whether you want to be or not. Un-involving yourself is going to take work, and it will probably be a lonely road unless you go to one of the lands where the Voice hasn't started her proselytizing yet." He shrugged, feeling drained and disappointed for reasons he didn't want to examine too closely.
Harper Quinn
the Stalwart
Teacher

Age: 33 | Height: 5'10 | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Nomadic
Level: 5 - Strg: 15 - Dext: 15 - Endr: 27 - Luck: 19 - Int:
Played by: Brit Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,036 | Total: 6,169
MP: 9427
#19
HARPER
Harper's brows inch higher and higher incredulously up his forehead the longer Jigano speaks. Well sue him for asking questions huh? This has certainly gone pear-shaped. It's incredibly difficult not to laugh at his own internal joke while Jigano is ranting about the gods, but that would probably be incredibly insulting and so he bites his tongue to stop himself. Waits until the man has run out of steam before clearing his own throat softly.

"No offense intended, but what the hell man?" He stares at Jigano from where he rests against the tree, still flabbergasted by the man's scathing response. "How in the world can you claim to be running a guild about lore and information when you bite the head off of someone who hasn't even been here a season for asking hypothetical questions about gods I admitted to not knowing? Have you ever heard of the words theoretical or philosophy? Or are you just too afraid of being questioned to care about educating people who might rub you the slightest way wrong?" Hands hang uselessly limp at his sides, gesturing vaguely. Wondering what the hell he did wrong to have the man suddenly descend in a righteous wave of "you're wrong and I'm right and how dare you be confused" when he'd admitted at the end of his question that his questions were emotionally charged and that he didn't know enough to be an expert. "I wasn't mean or antagonizing, and yet you'd prefer to say I'm assuming too much and that I'm myself biased or stupid. Seriously?" Harper had been more befuddled as he had spoken than anything, had been weary and saddened by the state of godly civil war and had spoken that plainly. But apparently that had been a person affront to Jigano.

"You could have told me any of that without sounding like a complete biased insensitive asshole, dude. I would have happily listened to more history on The Voice. And yes, I did assume much, that's why I asked about them. I'm not the type to be fed information blindly." Perhaps a pointed remark towards the man, but what other words aren't at this point? Harper has certainly been spurned, and he's not the type to take it quietly. For better or worse. Lifting off the tree himself he shakes his head and fiddles with the ripped flap of his pants, feeling disheartened and uncomfortable beneath such a hellfire response. "If you ever want repayment for the healing, come find me. I truly appreciate the kindness. Otherwise, I think I'll take my questions to friendlier fields." And so saying he turns and begins to walk away, because there's no point in activating his temper - something he is ashamed to have, and which likes to appear at the worst times - against someone who had otherwise been kind to him.

- Fin for Harp ;_;
and I was thrashing on the line
somewhere between desperate and divine

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
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
#20
Harper exploded with a temper that caught Jigano off-guard, swearing and throwing insults when the acrobat had been the one acting like he knew better than those who had been here or come before. The bard blinked, for the other man had sounded antagonizing to him, implying that they were fools for following the gods. He opened his mouth to protest, for he hadn’t called the other man stupid – though, admittedly, he’d been worried about the bias that Harper’s questions had seemed to lean towards—

More invective silenced him and he shut his jaw with a snap, stiffening at the name-calling and sharp knives that came out in the words of the man he had Healed. His eyes narrowed, though, at the mention of a guild… that he had made no claim to be running. He felt his hackles rising in suspicion, wondering what else Harper had known about him before this ill-fated meeting. ”Well,” he said softly, when it seemed as though the tirade had ended. ”I am sorry to have snapped at you. Your questions touched several very personal nerves… but as you say, you didn’t know,” or did he? Though if the mention of being emotionally tortured by one of the gods hadn’t been much of a clue, he didn’t know what would have been. ”And I shouldn’t have let out my frustrations like that. You needn’t worry about seeing me again, though. I didn’t Heal you for repayment. This ‘asshole’ isn’t that insensitive.” He shook his head in weary frustration, stepping back into the trees and letting his shape slide into pale feathers, seeking the freedom of the sky and the warmth of spring sunshine to cleanse the guilt and regret from his mind.

{Fin Jigano ;_;}


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