Scavengers
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)
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#1
An item, Ludo had said. A shield or piece of armor. And Jigano had considered the armor Deimos had made for him before LongNight, the shield he was far from adept at using and the gorget and bracers he liked but rarely wore when not planning to walk into a fight. No, this item had to be something he would always have with him, just in case.

It meant he would have to make it himself, using the techniques Caiside had taught him and the forge that needed only a small push to make usable again. He would have to make more Guild pins, too, for the new members who had been joining of late. He was glad to see the numbers increasing, but the proud joy in it had been dimmed by the tragedy of Fiat Lux. Now he moved almost mechanically, looking out from the edge of the Settlement into the Ruins beyond, blue eyes hard and distant as he forced himself to keep moving, keep pushing through, keep being where people needed him to be instead of running away again.

White hair was pulled back in a thick braid to keep it out of the way and his lantern hung from his hip, glowing in spite of the summer heat and brightness of the day. His rapier rested on his other hip, old habits dying hard when the ruins held their own dangers. The small pack at his back contained mostly water skins and some food, but also some small tools to aid in his scavenging. Still he paused a moment before setting out, closing his eyes and taking in the scent of hot, dry air, letting the arid breeze blow away the memory of blood and mud.

Oliver
Blacksmith

Age: 29 | Height: 5'6 | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Greatwood
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#2



oliver
Things weren't going great. Not in the slightest. Everything that could go wrong seemed to be going wrong. Wasn't life supposed to get better after Deepfrost? Seemed to be that it was only getting worse and worse. Right when Oliver thought his time in Caido would get better, everything was ripped away from him and burnt in a fire.

So what better way to deal with his emotions than avoiding them! Going for walks seemed to be a small bit of help. At least, it prevented him from staying indoors completely and allowed him to at least feel slightly better. Sometimes he saw things that reminded him life wasn't a total shit pile. One of those things was Jigano. He tried to force a small smile on his face as he walked up to the familiar man. His voice would come out strained, like he was trying his best to at least seem just as upbeat as usual. "Hey Jigano, what you up to?"

By the looks of it, Jigano was searching for something....but didn't Wessex scold him for doing this very thing?
don't worry, be purple
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
The breeze brought more than the summer-scent of the ruins to his nose: dry and dusty, old stone and rotten wood, a brief hint of cool mustiness drawn up from some still-intact basement... And a voice he hadn't expected, young and a little stiff, but then, Oliver had seemed an anxious young man when they'd first met, and little in their subsequent interactions had changed that impression. Slowly the bard let his eyes open and turned to glance at the blond, brow arching slightly at the forced smile. The tragedy of Fiat Lux weighed heavily on them all, of course, and each dealt with it in different ways. Instead of returning a false smile he simply nodded a greeting before looking back over the ruins of what was once a beautiful town.

"I'm about to head into the Ruins for some more mapping," he answered. "I've some things I need, and some raw materials which I'm most likely to find in there." He waved his hand at the maze of collapsed buildings and buckled streets. "Might as well hit two birds with one stone. And you? What brings you out this way?"
Blacksmith

Age: 29 | Height: 5'6 | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Greatwood
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#4



oliver
Huh. So maybe he wasn't looking around for things people had left behind. Jigano was actually doing something important, by the sound of it. Though, wouldn't the ruins have been mapped out by now? Possibly not, seeing as they were hardly ever used.

Jigano's answer was fitting but his? Well, Oliver knew it was going to be stupid. Thankfully, Wessex wasn't around this time. "I just...don't wanna be stuck inside. I don't know...I'm not in the mood to be in the settlement, it's too crowded and packed...but I also didn't want to go somewhere too far out." And the Fields...gods no That left him with very little options. He could explore everyone's houses, but possibly see someone he hurt? Hell no.

"Do you...need any help?" It was obvious to even a child that Oliver wanted something to do, anything.
don't worry, be purple
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
#5
Oliver seemed to be upset about something, but whether it was something specific or a general restlessness Jigano didn't know. He could understand not wanting to be around people at the moment, though, not after all that had been lost, and he nodded silent understanding to the young man's desire to simply be away from it all. He'd been planning on running this excursion alone (memories of his journey with Edy twisting bittersweet through his heart), but at the unexpected offer he tilted his head at the blond youth, looking him over with more focus.

He had seemed a peaceful enough young man at their first meeting, and still carried no weapons that the bard could easily see, but if they encountered trouble he could probably get Oliver to safety before he got hurt - and if he was, Jigano could at least heal him.

Assuming that whatever had blocked him from Healing Amalia completely didn't stop him from doing the same to others.

Finally he nodded, tilting his head in acceptance. He waited for Oliver to catch up with him before he headed off down a broken street, sharp eyes noting landmarks from his previous trips here at the edge of the crumbled desolation of broken lives and shattered pasts. The sun was hot above, but he had a soft, broad-brimmed hat that he unfolded from has pack and settled over his head to protect him from it's rays. "I'm glad to see you looking well," he said politely, glancing over at his companion. "Have more of your memories returned yet?"
Blacksmith

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#6



oliver
The blonde wasn't the best at hiding his emotions. Whether he be filled with rage or incredibly sad, Oliver had a lot of trouble with keeping those feelings under wraps. They'd always spring out, especially at the worst time possible. It didn't help that Jigano was also an attuned, meaning it would be easy for him to accidentally project his feelings onto Jigano considering that he hadn't exactly gotten the hang of hiding them yet.

Oliver recognized that his emotions could be obvious, so he tried his best to keep them as hidden as possible. So far, Jigano hadn't pushed him too much, which was a good thing. Oliver didn't want to make today about being sad and moping, rather, he wanted to keep his mind active and far away from any of his problems.

Jigano started to move on and Oliver followed after him like a lost lamb, keeping close and looking around at his surroundings as the two traveled. He wasn't in the mood to have anything spring up him alone, so he made sure to stay close to his companion. Looking well was....semi-correct. He didn't look like total shit, mostly because all of his outer wounds had already been healed. The bags under his eyes weren't as heavy as before and his hair wasn't a total mess. So sure, he didn't look as shitty as he had before. "Thank you....you look nice too. I like your hat." It was a genuine compliment thrown in at an absolutely awkward time, showing how Oliver's thought process was currently going. It was everywhere but also nowhere.

Taping his foot, Oliver watched Jigano and thought intently. "Yeah....yeah, some have come back, absolutely. Do you...wanna hear about anything in specific?" There were clearly too many things to talk about, but he also wanted badly to share the information with someone.
don't worry, be purple
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
This close to the Settlement the Ruins were fairly safe, so long as you stayed on the sturdier roads and didn't go out at night. And didn't go poking into shadowed alcoves or crumbling basements, of course. Those who went looking for trouble often found it...

And maybe Jigano was looking for a little trouble today. Or at least, he might have been, if Oliver hadn't joined him, an unexpectedly stabilizing presence to curb the reckless self-destruction he occasionally slipped into.

The awkward compliment finally earned a hint of a smile as the bard slanted a look back over at Oliver, giving a slight nod of acceptance. "Thank you. I'm rather fond of it." He was certainly an odd duckling to have fallen through to Caido, but he could be earnest and sincerely helpful, and Jigano appreciated that.

He hopped lightly over a broken slab of stone that had once been part of a wall, now spilled across the ruined street, and looked back curiously at hearing that some had returned. "I'd be honored if you'd share them," he said courteously. "Though I'm not sure where to begin asking. Why don't you tell me about some of the best things your remember? The ones that make you happiest?"
Blacksmith

Age: 29 | Height: 5'6 | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Greatwood
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#8



oliver
The fox was a weird one, indeed. He would often slip up and say something awkward, most often when good intentions in mind. In this case, he genuinely did like Jigano's hat and simply wanted to compliment it. Plus, he sort of wanted to get some hats for himself. "Do you remember where you got it?" It was an odd conversation to have, but why not. Oliver wanted to get some more hats, especially considering it was hot as fuck right now. Already he felt like his skin was burning. His cheeks were a light pink and it wasn't because he was blushing.

Climbing onto one of the broken pieces, Oliver tried to make himself ever so taller. A soft hum escaped his lips and he tilted his head to the side. "The best? I mean...I can try?" The memories were in weird chunks and he couldn't exactly pinpoint anything that made him exceptionally happy. He was always excited to receive new memories, but joy? Had he even experienced joy since coming here?

"I...I think I may have a family? Er- I mean, siblings? I know....that there were children in my life. I would sing songs to them- and oh! I know two songs!" That realization did show a small bit of happiness. Oliver enjoyed singing, so it made him happy to finally have more than one thing to actually sing.
don't worry, be purple
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
Ah, there was the question. Not 'where' specifically, but in any conversation about the Hollowed Grounds it seemed eventually a question would pop up that led to a tale of tragedy and loss. "There was a farmer in the outskirts that occasionally did some trading with my mate. His son disappeared one day and never came home. We don't know if he was eaten by a Landshark or a Wicker Woman or something else... but the farmer was selling off some of his son's things since he didn't have a use for them anymore. I traded two braces of rabbits for it." In the guise of a black-haired older man, hiding as he was from Zariah at the time.

Jigano looked back to see Oliver standing tall and some of his cool restlessness slipped, a faint trickle of amusement breaking through the weary exhaustion of the days that had followed the tragedy of the festival. He continued to lead the way, pausing a little more often as they began to leave the more picked-over areas and headed into ones less well-known to him. Some of the buildings were larger here, with a few corners still reaching up above their heads and blocking sight lines beyond. A few crows flapped up from something they'd been worrying nearby, and Jigano grimly angled them a little ways away from that area.

Mention of family earned a proper smile, albeit a sad one, and the bard hummed in interest and approval at the mention of new songs. "Can you sing them?" he asked, genuinely curious and eager to hear new music from a distant world.
Blacksmith

Age: 29 | Height: 5'6 | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Greatwood
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#10



oliver
That was....a lot to unpack. A frown appeared on Oliver's face and his eyebrows scrunched up. People in Caido seemed to die quite a lot, which was honestly horrifically tragic. Oliver was glad that the hat could be repurposed, but wasn't it also a sad reminder of how insignificant their lives are? Also... "What's...what's a landshark? Or a Wicker Woman?" Sharks didn't sound fun, especially ones that were on land. As well...was it a woman who made deadly baskets?

He was able to push past these new undesired emotions when he started to climb around. This would be a perfect place to be in as a fox, seeing as Oliver could climb much easier as a fox. Still, he liked being tall for once, it meant he could actually get a good look at things. Maybe his next shift would be something that could climb even better than a fox or fly even higher than his bird shift. What he had would do for now, so he wouldn't complain.

Moving on, he tried to stay on broken pieces of wall in order to stay tall, but unfortunately he would eventually have to jump back down, making him remember just how tall Jigano was compared to him. Man. Imagine being able to stand on someone's shoulder as a fox or a bird, to see everything they see at their eye level. That would be perfect and-

Oh. Jigano was asking him something he....didn't expect. With now wide eyes, Oliver glanced over to him "Do you...want me to sing the entire song? Just a part of it?" He would be fine with doing whatever Jigano wanted, he simply didn't expect Jigano to actually want to hear his singing voice. He hardly ever sung to anyone.
don't worry, be purple
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 glanced over his shoulder, feeling a pang of nostalgia at Oliver's questions as he remembered a more innocent time, when he hadn't known the answers to those questions either. Back then the world had been a brighter, more optimistic place. Back before he'd realized just how much death awaited those who dwelt in the Hollowed Grounds. "A landshark is a great beast, something like a fish with gigantic teeth, that moves through the earth like a fish swims through water. There's probably some magic to it that lets it do so, considering the size of the creatures. I've come across them... twice now," he admitted, his expression tightening with loss. "Each time one has come up from below the fields and opened its maw directly beneath the... the person it chose as its prey. I've never seen their bodies, but their jaws are large enough to swallow a human whole. Then they subside back beneath the earth to hibernate and... digest their meal, for a year or so."

He stayed quiet for a moment, eyes scanning the ruins and mind mourning Edrei. Unlike Oliver he was content to walk along the easiest path, saving his energy for later, in case they needed to move masonry or something else. He cleared his throat after a few minutes, making sure his eyes were dry before he addressed the second question. "Wicker Women are trees," he explained. "Pretty rare around here, but I've seen more of them in the Greatwood. They're not intelligent, thank goodness, but they are carnivorous, and they can move pretty fast. They respond to touch or vibration, from what I've seen. If you touch a branch or pass close to the trunk of one, they'll wrap a branch around you and pull you close to the trunk. The more you struggle, the tighter they wrap you up. Their sap is extremely dangerous, which makes struggling even less wise; it's a hallucinogenic. If you damage the tree and the sap comes to the surface it'll make you hallucinate and stop fighting. Eventually you starve to death and die, and your body feeds its roots. Watch out for gnarled trees with lots of branches that seem tangled around the trees around them, with branches wrapped around birds in their crowns, or piles of bones at their bases."

Warnings given, he was glad to turn the conversation to something lighter and happier. Music was a joy for both of them, and as they reached the edge of his last exploration he took out his small journal and a pencil and started making notes of what he saw around them before indicating they should head to the left, between two smaller buildings that had once probably been modest homes. "However much you feel comfortable with," he assured Oliver with a smile. "I enjoy hearing new music, and I'd appreciate whatever you're willing to share with me."
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#12



oliver
The silence that settled between the two once Jigano explained the beasts that could have killed the man that Jigano once called a friend was deadly. It made Oliver's body ache with fear and worry. Everything was so dangerous here. If it were possible, Oliver might have considered staying cooped up inside all day, never once venturing out in fear of the dangers that the world held...but he also wanted to help others. There had to be an answer to all of this, a solution to put a stop to all this massacring. Oliver knew he could find it some day and to find it, he had to venture out into the deadly unknown.

"Are there ways to kill the Landshark? So we can stop people from dying?" Why even go to the Fields ever again anyways. Blood had been shed there before thanks to the Landshark and now even more blood tainted the ground after the disastrous festivities of Fiat Lux. It was a grave site, hardly a place for celebration.

Even if Oliver wasn't much of a singer, he was happy to change the subject to something much lighter. Anything to distract from those terrible thoughts and ideas. Offering a small smile to Jigano, Oliver cleared his throat, thought for a moment, and then started singing. His eyes never once fully landing on Jigano's, afraid of seeing any kind of reaction from the bard.


"Over in Killarney,
Many years ago,
Me mother sang a song to me
In tones so sweet and low.
Just a simple little ditty,
In her good old Irish way,
And I'd give the world if she could sing
That song to me this day.
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral,
Too-ra-loo-ra-li,
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral,
Hush, now don't you cry!"


His voice trailed off and he offered a sheepish smile to Jigano. "And then it goes on, repeating the same chorus and um...yeah. It's basically just a super catchy song you sing to someone, often times to comfort them and...yeah... I was taught it I think...and then I would sing it myself since I don't think I had any other ideas on how to calm a child or how to get one to sleep." He laughed at his final comment, seeing as that's what he had assumed the reason was for him singing. Oliver knew he hadn't joined a choir or anything and that he only sang to a small crowd consisting of children.
don't worry, be purple
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
Edrei had been a young and vibrant woman, irreverent and loud and utterly in love with fire and chaos and booze (not necessarily in that order). Theirs had always been an odd-couple friendship, until she had become Queen and he had left her hanging in the lurch by passing his crown to Ronin. She had never forgiven him for that... and now, because of a landshark, she never would.

Even so... "Anything mortal can be killed," Jigano said mildly. "Should they be, though? What of those that drown in the Oasis? Should we drain it to protect them? What of those that are struck by lightning each year? Should we find a way to stop clouds from gathering and rain from falling?" He shrugged, looking to the south and pausing to make a notation in his journal on the landmarks before he continued to pick his way between buildings, sharp eyes searching for something in particular. "They only rise once a year to feed, and usually they take deer or wolf or luxere. Ideally, I wish we could find a way - a noise, a vibration, something like that - to warn them away from humans, but if you want to stop all people from dying of anything in this world, you'll have to take that up with Mort and Vi." Hell, people died from slipping in the tub and cracking their heads on the porcelain. Would Oliver crusade against baths next?

Music was a better way to spend their time than back and forth in an unanswerable philosophical debate over the morality eminent domain and extinction agendas. Oliver's voice may not have been highly trained, but it was hardly the worst the bard had heard. The song itself had a good meter and a simple, easy lyrics. It was easy to see how it would make a good lullaby, and Jigano nodded thoughtfully, a faint smile of enjoyment on his face. "Did you take care of children often?" He asked, curious. "And what is an 'Irish way?'" Kilarney, he could assume, was the name of some place on a distant world, but he'd never heard of an Irish before.

Jigano climbed up onto a tumbled section of wall and paused to look around, sweeping the ruins with sharp eyes. Something caught his attention a little ways away, and he made another notation before hopping down and heading off in that direction, sure-footed even on the shifting rubble. "I think I see something promising. Follow me," he called back, reaching up to tug his hat down a little more firmly against the blazing sun above.
Blacksmith

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#14



oliver
The frown that formed on Oliver's face was obvious. "You cant be saying that we shouldn't try to prevent all the death. That it's completely fine that children were killed at a festival where they were supposed to be happy and safe." Oliver tried to hide the small bit of disgust he felt. How could someone genuinely excuse all of this death? They could do something so why not do it? Guess Jigano also believes that they shouldn't board up the windows and doors during LongNight because that's the way it's supposed to go. Nature doesn't board up walls so we shouldn't either. Fucking bullshit.

This way of thinking wasn't healthy and Oliver knew it. Taking a deep breath, Oliver closed his eyes and attempted to stabilize his breathing. It's okay. People were allowed to have different opinions. Jigano is still a good person. "I hope we can make a warning system of sorts...maybe that's something I can try to research or design." His mood shifted, though, along with the conversation. It was something Oliver was very grateful for, seeing as he despised being mad at anyone, which included his white-haired companion.

A small giggle escapes Oliver at Jigano's unique comment. "An Irish way is....well, I think I'm Irish? Like...it makes sense, yeah. I cant remember exactly where I'm from, but I'm Irish...so I guess it's just my people's way of doing things?" It's funny to explain what being Irish is, especially seeing as it didn't really matter anymore. Though, guess he should address the other question too. "I think so? Yeah.... like I think I'd take care of children almost nightly. Or daily... maybe both? I don't know. Frequently enough to where I have tiny memories, but they clearly didn't happen on the same day." Oliver could remember playing with animals and pretending like they were going to go on an adventure. Only a couple of his memories with children were outdoors, almost all were indoors. The time of day didn't really matter, but he had hints at whether it was night or morning.

His eyes blinked as he was shook from his thoughts. Oliver wasn't about to sit around and wait, so he instead rushed on forward, following after Jigano. He made sure to stay a couple of feet back, just in case they needed to stop suddenly or Jigano had something to say to him.
don't worry, be purple


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