{se} A soldier meets a general
For Wessex
Darkeye Dwartonarm
Cleric / Blacksmith

Age: 156 | Height: 160 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 5 - Strg: 25 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 29 - Luck: 19 - Int: 0
Mahariel - Regular - Black Panther
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#1
Blackeye
Not the strongest win the battle —
Darkeye was on his way into the woodland to find out about the fauna of the Hollowed Grounds. But the words of Bastien wouldn't go out of his mind? What war and what did it have to do with the gods? What was the meaning behind the war? Why did the gods even fight? He breathed in and hoped that Kor might give him clarity. The woods around him had something peaceful. He walked a few steps into the woods and heard a sound. Could it be a trap or an ambush? He got his weapon ready and tried to hear from where that sound had come. Was it an enemy, a beast, or just a normal being like him? And then he saw someone. "Kor greet you, young one."
— the smartest do
Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
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#2
WESSEX
She hadn’t meant to sneak up on anyone out here - but that’s the inherent problem in both knowing these woods intimately and having a high Dex stat possessing a preternatural ability to move quietly. Wessex sees the flash of his weapon before anything else and is about to call out to announce herself when the stranger beats her too it, just as she’s rounding a thick tree.

Honestly? It makes her snort. And just for show, she look around, as if there might be someone else coming up behind her. “Young? Me? Clearly you haven’t met many Grounders.” Which is to say that she is one of the older ones - and at forty-something, she is by no means old. However, such was the harshness of life before the bubble broke.

And she isn’t quite sure what he said first - Core? As in their Core? It sets her Outlander-senses a-tingling.
No, I’ll be the stone
I’ll be the hunter, a tower that casts the shade
I lie awake and watch it all
Darkeye Dwartonarm
Cleric / Blacksmith

Age: 156 | Height: 160 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 5 - Strg: 25 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 29 - Luck: 19 - Int: 0
Mahariel - Regular - Black Panther
Played by: Lostdream Offline
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Posts: 920 | Total: 920
MP: 515
#3
Blackeye
Not the strongest win the battle —
He was surprised at how silent that woman moved. If she wanted to hit him, she would be able to do it without him even noticing it. He is angry about it. Once he had been this kind of person, but now he was on the other side. So this was how it felt. An enthusiastic smile appeared on his face and his eyes focused on that woman.

" Grounders are the people of this land? Are you one of the Bastiens friends?" He tried to calm himself down a bit. "I'm sorry this is all a misunderstanding. I don't want to harm you, young one." He tried to make a few steps back to give her space and room to breathe. He lowered his weapon.
— the smartest do
Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
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#4
WESSEX
“Oh - you must be new. Yes, we call the people who live in the Hollowed Ground ‘Grounders.’” She smiles in return and takes a small step closer. “Then you have your Halovians, who live in Halo, and Torchers, who live in Torchline.” And she’s sure the people who live in Stormbreak call themselves something fancy, but she doesn’t give a flying fuck about them. “But all of us are Caidonites, because we live in Caido.” Or should it be on Caido?

“And yes, I’m a friend of Bastien’s. Like a sister, almost.” That joke’s funnier when you know the context, and she doesn’t expect this Outlander to understand the intricacies of their politics quite yet. Putting her hands up, she waves away the apology. “You’re fine. I doubt you could actually hurt me right now.” And then realizing what she’s just said, Wessex quickly tries to follow it up. “Not as an insult, I’m just… far stronger than I look.” Hopefully that’ll serve as a satisfactory placeholder for now.

“I’m Wessex. You are?”
No, I’ll be the stone
I’ll be the hunter, a tower that casts the shade
I lie awake and watch it all
Darkeye Dwartonarm
Cleric / Blacksmith

Age: 156 | Height: 160 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 5 - Strg: 25 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 29 - Luck: 19 - Int: 0
Mahariel - Regular - Black Panther
Played by: Lostdream Offline
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Posts: 920 | Total: 920
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#5
Blackeye
Not the strongest win the battle —
"Kor greets you Wessex, nice to meet you. I'm Blackeye and yes, I'm an outlander. Thank you for that information that helps me a lot. Yes, I am quite new to this land. Many strange people live in Caido. It's kind of fun and interesting. Maybe you could be so kind and you can give me more information if this would be possible?" he smiled at her and took a small book out of his backpack. Then he started writing.

" Bastien gave me a little hint that a war is coming and I want to understand why? If this is possible for you. He said that he is an
ambassador, what is your position if it is allowed to ask? I understand, I have met a few strong People here and there. It would be an insult for me if you pretended that you are weak"
he smiled again to get her in a better mood.
— the smartest do
Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
LOKI - Mythical - Dragon (Energy Blast)
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Posts: 3,156 | Total: 4,350
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#6
WESSEX
Core? Wessex’s face scrunches up in brief confusion at the repeated greeting, but as the man goes on, she chooses not to draw attention to it quite yet. Clearly this Outlander came from a land very different from Caido. He even goes so far as to take out a notebook before he’s finished asking his questions and the Wraith chuckles - she certainly wouldn’t underestimate the grizzled man, but she does decide that in this moment, he isn’t a threat.

“Wow, you go right in for the hard stuff, don’t you?” Glancing around the two of them, she spots a decent sized log and gestures towards it in an invitation to sit. This might be a longer conversation than she’d originally planned. “Well, I happen to be the General of the Grounds. Which isn’t saying much, but I suppose when the time comes, I’ll be in charge of strategy and all that. And yes… a war is coming whether we like it or not. It’s god-driven, mostly. Which is unfortunate, because I think if you left it to the people, we’d say fuck it, no thanks.”

If the Old Gods would just leave it all alone... ah, but that's something she'll get to shortly, as she pauses briefly to see if there are any questions from Darkeye.
No, I’ll be the stone
I’ll be the hunter, a tower that casts the shade
I lie awake and watch it all
Darkeye Dwartonarm
Cleric / Blacksmith

Age: 156 | Height: 160 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 5 - Strg: 25 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 29 - Luck: 19 - Int: 0
Mahariel - Regular - Black Panther
Played by: Lostdream Offline
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Posts: 920 | Total: 920
MP: 515
#7
Blackeye
Not the strongest win the battle —
" Sure young one, this is how I learn. Never the easy way." He looked at the log and noded. He sat down after her and waited for Wessex to talk again." A general, amazing. For me this is much. Maybe a general can give me more information about this situation. What is the position of the grounds in the coming war? And who are you fighting then?  I know the gods want the war but what I know is gods would never fight for themselves. The voice takes people to this world, said Bastien, to fight for him. The old gods take the people from here then? But why do they fight? What is the reason behind all this shit? I'm sorry that I ask so much but I need to understand this." He wrote his questions down, leaving place for Wessex' answers.
— the smartest do
Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
LOKI - Mythical - Dragon (Energy Blast)
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#8
WESSEX
“How old are you?” she begins with a chuckle, “that you keep calling me young? I’m older than almost everyone I know.” Which isn’t saying much, given how her people had led brief, hard lives for over two centuries, but it is a lot, when it comes to life and experience.

His barrage of questions finally comes to an end and the Wraith looks amused. “Okay, you’re probably going to have to repeat at least a few of those.” Ticking the first one off her finger, she begins again. “The Grounds is the current home of the Ascended, which means it’s for the New Gods, because we’re children of the Voice, the primary New God. We’ll be fighting against the Old Gods and their followers, which is… most everyone else.” Her tone falters a bit, betraying her ever-simmering feelings of dismay and disappointment. “I believe we have allies in a few non-Ascended, but for the most part it’s racially divided.”

Holding up a finger to correct his next assumption, Wessex finds she has to dig a little deeper than the surface explanations she’s been relying on. “And the Gods did fight, in the first war. But the Old Gods failed to destroy the New ones and instead had to settle for imprisonment. I think they’ll fight again.  And I think that’s what the Old Gods are still scared of - that the Voice is too clever for them. That she’ll have invented something or come up with a new magic that’s beyond anything they’ve seen before.” Maybe it’s fantasy. Maybe it’s her fantasy, but Wessex has seen first hand how ingenious her Lady is. How she works with the world and molds it to fit her vision. “The Old Gods are stagnant. The don’t want anything to change. They see her rise to Godhood as a threat.”

She knows she didn't get all his questions, so the General falls silent and waits for Darkeye to prompt her again with the rest of them - or not.
No, I’ll be the stone
I’ll be the hunter, a tower that casts the shade
I lie awake and watch it all
Darkeye Dwartonarm
Cleric / Blacksmith

Age: 156 | Height: 160 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 5 - Strg: 25 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 29 - Luck: 19 - Int: 0
Mahariel - Regular - Black Panther
Played by: Lostdream Offline
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Posts: 920 | Total: 920
MP: 515
#9
Blackeye
Not the strongest win the battle —
" In my world, I was one hundred and fifty-two. I don't know if I got a new body here so I think I'm still that old. You look young I think. I hope I don't offend you. In my world, humans get only sixty or seventy years old. You look like you are in your late thirties. That's why I say young one. I will stop if you wish so or say that I'm wrong." Darkeye looked at Wessex, not sure if his words offended her.

Darkeye grabbed his beard again. "I have many questions. I sure will ask a lot more. If that is okay? But why does the Voice take people from other worlds? We are the intruders from other lands. Sure the people are going to fight you. You take the people's land. This is a good reason for war even without the gods. So it is obvious that the people of this world don't like the Voice. Will you kill all that serve the old gods?" Darkeye knew that this was a tricky question. But he needed to know how far this would go.

Darkeye looked surprised. He smiled. "Gods that fight their own war, interesting. Where did they imprison the new gods? Gods are always afraid that this might happen to them, both being imprisoned and something to change. You follow the Voice I think. Magic is a problem in this world then too. Strong magic comes with a price. In my world, there was once a certain god. He had the aspect of power. But power devours all. So he must be stopped. He changed in a way that was not acceptable. He could not be killed but he was captured and is still being tortured. But this makes him angrier and revengeful. We know him as the rat child and he is neither a god nor a demon. Because he is like a plague that rots even a good person. I hope the Voice is not that kind of god. Yearning for power makes good people into a monster." Darkeye's hand clutched to a fist. So many dead people for a fucking god's ego. He will become what is necessary if this repeats.
— the smartest do
Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
LOKI - Mythical - Dragon (Energy Blast)
Played by: Astor Offline
Change author:
Posts: 3,156 | Total: 4,350
MP: 0
#10
WESSEX
Well, that is a surprise, and Wessex doesn’t bother to hide it. “Damn, okay, she says with another chuckle. “I’m forty-three now, but I’ll always look thirty-eight. That’s… older than most for my people. Conditions were hard here for a long time, and a lot of us didn’t make it to old-old age.” Shrugging the shitty memories off, she lets the offer to stop calling her young one die - she wasn’t really offended, anyway, just curious.

And they’re off to the races again, so she tries to hold as many questions in her head as possible before finally letting the last ones go. “Ah, right. Okay. So she doesn’t really steal you from your world. From what I understand, she makes… a copy of sorts. You’re still you, in every way, and if there’s a version of you still alive in your world, that version remains. So you aren’t really leaving anyone behind. I think she initially pulled people here because she knew that the natives - we call ourselves Naturals - didn’t have the will to break out of our prison by ourselves.”

She gestures in the direction of the Grounds border. “Once, we had a force field around this area. It’s big, sure, but it was still a prison and it trapped everything inside. Weather… people, animals, plants. Eventually it started to kill us, and we lost a lot of people just trying over and over again to get out. People who have to struggle to eke out an existence don’t have a lot of energy left over to fight monsters or gain power. But these new people… they did.”

And here’s where she didn’t quite follow Darkeye’s statements, venturing slowly, “But no one is stealing anyone’s land. Caido is massive. Torchline, Halo, and Stormbreak all have cities. The Greatwood is inhabited too. King’s End would be a beautiful place to live. There’s plenty to go around.” As for hating the Voice, well, she knows of a few who had been here and experienced the Blight and the Mathair incident. She shrugs again. “I hate the Old Gods and their heralds for imprisoning us here. I hate them for actively killing my family and encouraging others to do the same. The Voice just wants to live and let live. Existing isn’t a reason for war, let alone the genocide of an entire race of people.”

But you’d never get an Old God to concede that fact. And there’s a steel flash in her ice-blue eyes, something harder than Darkeye has seen over the past conversation. “I’ll kill in defense. Or to get the advantage. But if they don’t fuck with me or the Ascended - then no, I’ll do my best not to harm them.”
No, I’ll be the stone
I’ll be the hunter, a tower that casts the shade
I lie awake and watch it all
Darkeye Dwartonarm
Cleric / Blacksmith

Age: 156 | Height: 160 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 5 - Strg: 25 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 29 - Luck: 19 - Int: 0
Mahariel - Regular - Black Panther
Played by: Lostdream Offline
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Posts: 920 | Total: 920
MP: 515
#11
Blackeye
Not the strongest win the battle —
" In my culture, you would only now be an adult. Only the strong survive, that is not always a good thing. You have a lot of fights to survive, young one. But you are the general of this place. So what did you do to save them?" Darkeye saw that this part of the conversation made her uncomfortable. But he needed to understand.

"Then she splits my soul in two? That isn't better. And I still have the feeling of leaving my people behind. As a general, you know what I am talking about." It sounded naive to him. How would she know if a copy stayed behind? Darkeye rubbed his hands. He didn't like what he heard. But this didn't mean that it was not true. "No one likes to be in prison. Many of you were innocent then. This needs punishment!" Darkeye was angry at such foolish behavior of the gods. "Why did you not want to break out?"

Darkeye followed the gestures of Wessex. "Then this place was a hard way to grow up. You don't want to have revenge? Most people who are in such a situation will go on a warpath for revenge. But as cruel as it sounds, this makes you even stronger. You learned to survive in such a place. The danger to die any moment give you a sixth sense of danger. Make the best of that situation. It's hard to see if many people you loved died. I know that. I was born in slavery.  I saw my people die. Demons ripped them apart before my eyes. I can imagine what you went through. Just a few of us were freed, from people who come to the place where we were kept. I got a part of my revenge, I can tell you. It gives you a short relive, but it turns into sorrow quickly. You have to survive to remember the dead." Darkeye rubbed his hands all the time while he spoke. It was hard for him to hear such a story.

Darkeye was surprised. "This doesn't matter, it is still their land. People will fight you just for that. Even there is much more space." Darkeye wrote it all down. But for the first time, he had the feeling this was the true Wessex. "I'm truly sorry for your loss. But existing is the only reason for war! This is when even an animal that is peaceful starts to fight. On that point, you are very wrong." Darkeye looked closely at how Wessex would react to that.

Darkeye looked her hard in the eyes. "No, you would kill all of the old gods if you can. Just to get the revenge. You can't hide that from me. Are you truly able to forgive and forget the people that caused your people to die? Because this is what is necessary to make true peace! Are you able to do so?" Darkeye saw his old self in her.
— the smartest do
Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
LOKI - Mythical - Dragon (Energy Blast)
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Posts: 3,156 | Total: 4,350
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#12
WESSEX
Up until now, Wessex has had (or so she thinks) a decent amount of patience with Darkeye's endless line of questioning. She's trying to keep up, but it's too much when again, he asks six or seven things and then starts to tell her how this world is and more importantly, what she’s like. Any and all cultivated patience snaps. The lines of her mouth become harder, accompanying a flash of steel in her gaze as she swallows immediate retorts and lets him speak.

When she finally does, she is deliberate. “Let me be very clear. This is my home. I grew up here. I continue to work to make it less of a barren ruin while anyone else who had any sort of influence left for greener, prettier pastures. But that’s beside the point. This has nothing to do with land and everything to do with religion. You’re not listening.”

After a moment’s pause, she takes a needless inhale and unclenches her jaw. “Now if you want to actually listen and learn something, and ask questions two or three at a time, we can start again. Otherwise -” she flicks her wrist off to the side, indicating that he’s free to leave if he doesn’t like those terms.
No, I’ll be the stone
I’ll be the hunter, a tower that casts the shade
I lie awake and watch it all
Darkeye Dwartonarm
Cleric / Blacksmith

Age: 156 | Height: 160 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 5 - Strg: 25 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 29 - Luck: 19 - Int: 0
Mahariel - Regular - Black Panther
Played by: Lostdream Offline
Change author:
Posts: 920 | Total: 920
MP: 515
#13
Blackeye
Not the strongest win the battle —
Darkeye looked at her with suprise. "I want to understand this world better, to find my place in it. This is why I ask that much. From soldier to soldier. I thought that you are from another world too. I like this place a lot, it has potential. I listened and it is rude to say otherwise. We can talk serious, if you want." Darkeye closed the book and watched Wessex with a glance of anger.

Darkeye looked directly into Wessex' eyes. "Then let's start over. If you still want to answer some of my questions. What is your opinion on the war? What do you know about other people's opinions on the war? And the most important question is, why should I join you? I know that you want to stay neutral. I know that you were trapped by the old gods. I listened, young General. I understand that you lost people that are important to you. I just have a different perspective on it." Darkeye wanted to know many more things. But the mood was intense right now. He realized too late that he and Wessex talked past each other. He took a deep breath to calm himself down.
— the smartest do
Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
LOKI - Mythical - Dragon (Energy Blast)
Played by: Astor Offline
Change author:
Posts: 3,156 | Total: 4,350
MP: 0
#14
WESSEX
They could probably argue in circles about listening and truly listening, but that shit’s exhausting and Wessex doesn’t feel like entertaining that kind of debate right now. If there’s bristling when he calls her rude, it softens as Darkeye continues - asking the questions she can actually answer.

“Thanks.” Nodding, her top fangs start to worry the inside of her lip a bit as there’s a pause before she answers. “I think the war is bullshit, but we don’t have a way to stop it. I think there are a handful of mortals who genuinely want it, if only to try to kill all the Ascended and get rid of the Voice. But everyone else?” She shrugs and slumps forward a bit, elbows to knees as her gaze drifts over the Woodlands. “We’re forced  - or feel forced to pick a side. Some are scared about being caught in the middle and fear neutrality is a death sentence. But me and all the rest of the Ascended? We’re going to be fighting for our lives.”

Shaking her head now, she pulls back up, straightening into something much more like a General. “I don’t want to kill anyone. I’d like to give them all lobotomies and take out the crazy racist parts and spend the rest of my days exploring Caido in peace. But if they’re intent on erasing us from the earth, I’m going to make it as difficult as possible.” And if that means killing, then so be it.

“And you should join us because it’s the right thing to do. Neither side is perfect or without blame. But at least we can say we just want to live and let live. Free will, you know? Worship whoever the fuck you want - or don’t. Who cares?” That is to say, Darkeye need not worship the Voice to join their side. He just needs to understand that they’re literally fighting for their lives. The others - not so much.
No, I’ll be the stone
I’ll be the hunter, a tower that casts the shade
I lie awake and watch it all


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