Shortly after Alexis gives Ezrin the two priceless potions from sometime around the second age, Alexis sits down with Ezrin.
“You’re new here, and I worry you have an orientation towards treasure hunting that is not shared with the Crimson Calling. The speed with which you wanted to bundle up all the artifacts in your supplies. The clear frustration around being robbed of treasure. These things worry me, and I will share where my fears come from. You have come to us recently, but the Crimson Calling has been around for years and dealt with many treasure-obstacles, and I consider myself very, very, fortunate to have made it this far.”
“While I have always led the Crimson Calling, I have claimed virtually none of the artifacts from our adventures, even though it is my right as the leader. In our first major find, only Gus and Red walked away with priceless items of power.” Alexis gives a shrug clearly showing that this doesn’t bother him.
“Significantly later, on a quest from a powerful patron, two of us were perverted by a powerful magic item and had to be subdued to finish our quest. It is for the best we did not keep that item.”
“One of our previous companions suffered from artifact-avarice such that he stole from us in the night and wandered off with a significant fortune. He has since spent, drank, or gambled all of it and is in a very lonely place.” Alexis looks clearly sad about this last part.
“Another time, one of us succumbed to an item of power beyond comprehension and enslaved most of the rest of us. Thankfully our close bonds allowed us to overcome this item.”
“One of us stumbled upon madness, possibly in the presence of several powerful forces/items/powers, and unleashed a threat to this whole area. The two wyverns that were spotted were part of that madness, and we were fortunate that we were able to prevent many, many, more dark creatures from flocking to this area.”
“Related to the madness I just mentioned, one of us carelessly touched the creation (mentioned earlier) without thinking about the consequences and unleashed a minion of a dark power. A being of corruption and lies. There are still times I wake up in a sweat seeing that corrupted being.” Alexis shivers at the thought.
“More recently, we had someone with us who had learned secrets to use our magics against us. Gus was most affected by this using-our-magics against us, possibly given how magical he is” Alexis looks towards the holy grove for a moment.
“These are the cautionary tales we three live with every day. This is why we don’t see all treasure as equal. Why all power isn’t to be sought with the same ferver.”
“But you know we don’t eschew treasure. You know of the Mithril Lord, who was created because the Crimson Calling pooled our treasure to make sure he would be rewarded for his time with us.”
“And even those that try hard, but fail, we still attempt to reward if we can. Before you, we have traveled with many others. At one point we had the son of a rich man join us for the ‘glory’ of it. And even though he nearly got us killed by the giant, we still rewarded him with a trophy head for his future tales of glory with us.”
“We have refused to work with powerful forces that do not align in treating magics with the sort of care we know is important. They are not our enemies, but we have to go our separate ways. And you have the same question in front of you now Ezrin. Will you embrace the Crimson Calling, even if it means you may never see any magical treasure of your own, or will you strike out on your own for treasure that you may study from, learn from, and grow rich off of?” Alexis looks relaxed but expectant for an answer.
At first Ezrin is taken aback, and seems like he wants to say something, but he listens carefully to Alexis, and at several points he clearly wants to ask more questions, but stays focused on listening. When Alexis finishes, Ezrin’s mind is clearly racing, putting the pieces of this conversation and previous conversations together. His face shows that he has at least one “Ah ha!” moment as the puzzle pieces fall together.
“I see. First of all, thank you. The better helps me understand where you are coming from and… corrects some of the assumptions I have held about you and your group.
“Second, though, I must tell you that I feel you have made several assumptions about me and my motivations based on your interactions with other people that I hope you will give me the grace to also correct.
“I never meant to claim any particular items as mine, nor did I pack them up to keep them for myself, and I am sorry that was not more clear to you, but I now understand why. That’s not How It Works, for me, or for either of the organizations to which I.. belong. Collecting and carrying what we find along is a collective responsibility, shares, if any, are divided later, or the treasures go to the employer and pay is received. I assumed, incorrectly it seems, that you were acting in your capacity as an Esteemed Colleague and that items of power or concern would be shared with the Collegium.
“I will admit that I am the stage of my development that it is time for me to venture forth and learn things… outside of the Collegium. I have already learned so much in these three short weeks…
“That said, I still believe that the Collegium is the best place for artifacts that we are not safe with, and that I have the tools to keep us safe while we take them there. Burying them in the ground is not the answer, I can still hear their call… It would not be hard for me to find them on my own. I say this to you not as a threat, but hopefully the fact that I have not already dug them up, with appropriate protections, and left to take them to the Collegium without you, shows you a little more about who I am and why I am here.
“Thirdly, your concerns about me seem to me to overlook several actions of mine that you should think on further.
“For example, I took a huge risk putting on the ring and saving Gustav’s life. I did not do that to claim the ring, I did it in a desperate attempt to save his life. He is the kindest most generous person I’ve ever met…
“Also, you seem to have forgotten that I have shared freely with you items of power that I have gathered over the years, in part because I wish to help, but also with the idea that there was more treasure to come once the giant was defeated. You seem to take this expectation as avarice on my part, I can now understand where some of that idea comes from. But I do feel like you…. wait, do you think I have been trying to trick you? Lull you into a sense of safety by being generous and then steal from you?”
Ezrin appears confused, horrified, and disappointed by this idea.
Alexis appears affable through the whole exchange. “I feel absolutely confident, 100 percent, that you are not trying to trick me or lull me into a sense of safety. The thought had never even crossed my mind until you brought it.”
Alexis seems to be totally satisfied.
Ezrin is visibly relieved, nods is his head, and then looks quizzically at Alexis.
“I must admit I am somewhat confused, your reputation is that of treasure hunters… very successful ones at that, not just in riches, but in… uniqueness. I did indeed hope to study and learn with you, and from the treasures we might find together… What exactly is your… calling?”
Alexis raises an eyebrow at Ezrin.
“My ‘calling’?” Alexis leans a little closer and gives a puzzled look to Ezrin who can almost hear the unspoken questions in the look: My warren orientation? Why I hunt for treasure? Why I return the treasure to Sutheron? Regarding the Dark Hand? Religious? Some other meaning of the word ‘calling’?
“Yes, calling, your WHY, your purpose so great that you name yourself after it? What am I getting into here exactly?”
“My father said that I’m named after a previous Alexis. Probably 3 or 4 generations back.”
“I mean, we’re named the ‘Crimson Calling’, and maybe that’s what you’re getting at. We are called to bring the lost artifacts of humanity back. To hunt in the caves, the ruins, and the old places. The Dark Hand would use humanities ‘heritage’ for their slaving purposes; they must be stopped, and our rightful heirlooms must be returned. For humanity!”
Alexis can see an unasked question in Ezrin’s face, ‘Did your father name your team too?’
“For humanity!”
On that Ezrin can set aside his class differences with Alexis, the lost artifacts of the Dwarves, Elves and Gnolls are rightfully the heritage of humanity after all.