The TyLin Two Step

In a moment in the tent, Telosh approaches Ethelred.

Hey ’Red, can I talk to you for a minute? The other day you said something about how I’ve been lying about following TyLin. I know I’m deceitful, but I’ve never lied about that.”

Telosh is clearly upset, but trying to hold it back.

“Yes, I turned away from TyLin and didn’t say anything about it, I let that be part of Inkam, not Lucius, but I have never falsely revered Her.

Bitterness and anger are apparent on the Westlander’s face.

“I would have sensibly cowered with you and the others when we faced Yogg if I had not received the stone beforehand. I would still have Thraan’s rapier, and the bow I took from The Made.”

He takes a long look at the Aegrian, and shakes his head ever so slightly.

“I may use trickery and guile when needed, but I don’t lie to my companions.”

If The Sword Falls

After the previous conversation.

“And if the three of you are the only ones to survive, take it to the Westlands. Having touched it, I have come to realize, and I still don’t really understand why, that it belongs there.”

“If it comes to this, Red, you’re my first choice to hold the blade. You have a fate surrounding a blade and you’re reluctant.”

“If not Red, then you Gus, since you’re just reluctant.”

“What should be done with the blade?” Alexis shrugs his shoulders.
“Unite the tribes, or at least attempt to?” Alexis shrugs his shoulders again.
“Become a servant to one of the leaders of the West?” More shrugging.
“Depose one of the leaders yourself? Actually that sounds like a bad idea.”

“Can I get your agreement on this? Alexis looks for the agreement of each in this group.”

If I Am to Fall

While the group is in the Copper Hills mine waiting with Raff and his few remaining followers, Alexis addresses his companions in a hushed voice.

“If I don’t survive Earika, please take my notebook to the Collegium along with my ring. There is another copy of my notebook in Sutheron, but this one should go to the Collegium. Will you promise me this?”

You can take the boy out of the country…


Sometime along the way to Yog’s fortress…

“Oi, Coz,” Telosh calls to Gustav.

Gustav looks confused, Telosh’s accent is extra think at the moment, and a little odd, different somehow from his usual Westlander, or his reasonable good Sutheroni, and his attempt at Aegerian.

“What was it like where you grew up? You’re different from Red and the other Aegerian’s I’ve met. More like my cousins, maybe.”

Telosh’s accent seems to have shifted back quickly.

“Aye, you remind me of Gorf, and Sven a bit too…”

Telosh looks away for a moment, blinks a few times and looks back.

Order and Chaos

Not long after seeing the Kohlar, Priest of Anashar preach, Telosh signals to Alexis and behind a hand quietly mentions:

“Perhaps the good friar would know the right thing to do with Raff’s tooth.”

Telosh makes the signals, Priest, Law, Sword.

“If it is broken, surely he’d be the right one to deal with it.”

Twice Break, Sword. Three times.

Hood-rin?

Somewhere along the way, on the journey from Sutheron to the Copper Hills Fort, Lucius, complete with Sutheron accent, strikes up a conversation with Alexis:

“Say my fellow Sutheroni, I heard an interesting speculation in the Five Winds Inn and Tavern between a couple of priestly types, and it nearly started a fight with some Westy horse traders, apparently one of the horse traders is from a farming family…

“Anyhoo, the one acolyte says to the other, ‘Oo-rin is THE Harvest God, and Hood harvests souls, seems like may be two facets of the same gem, the scythe is associated with both as well, right?”

“Now, the Westlander overheard this and started yelling, ” ‘arvesting gray-en ain’t da say’m as peoples!” and whatnot… no Hoodites were to been seen to stand up for their Patron, but there certainly wasn’t much more discussion of the issue that night!”

“What is your learned opinion, Esteemed Alexis Laelius? Is Hood connected to Oo-rin? It seems odd to me, I always thought Hood was just the… children’s name for Erlik…”

Lucius Requests Aid

Around a wilderness campfire, after leaving the Copper Hills Fort, Lucius “Of Sutheron” slips out of his Sutheroni accent, and starts to speak.

“Well then, I clearly need some help at being from Sutheron… rather than have a noble name, which seems… complicated…. I’m thinking I’m a young bravo out to prove himself, perhaps my mother was a Westlander slave, and I am the bastard of a noble, or perhaps my mother was a Sutheroni woman of the night, and my father was a Westlands horse-trader… Something that will be understandable and also… not worth talking about?”

“What do you think will be the most… sellable? believable? At least to Aegierians?”

“Lucius” looks around at his companions, waiting for them to respond…

That that was left for the Dark Hand

(while recovering from the damage of the orc encounters near the cave)

“Alexis, the Dark Hand is breaking open the tombs of the Dwarves, breaking those beautifully made cover stones, raiding any items held with. Any treasure, any items of power… those are all now within the grasp of our enemy. I know your decision was probably the righteous one, the human one, the honorable one. But how do you feel about it now?”