Nairn Tuckamore and Fira-Nar
While the group's goal was to keep one (or more) cultists alive long enough to question, the cultists seemed to have other plans. It quickly became clear that while their primary intention was to kill the party members, they weren't about to be left wounded. In the course of the skirmish, some of them turned their own weapons on themselves or swallowed small pouches of what could only be poison for how it left their faces and bodies twisted in pain. Fira found she was having little luck not completely braining any of them who came in her sword's path.
Nairn decided that she had the advantage of perspective once again. While she could have leapt into the fray, she hung back a moment, judging the individual cultists as best she could with their similar raiment. The ones that ran forward to die by the sword weren't very interesting, but the ones that hung back, attempting to cast magic...in particular, one who was being guarded by two others. She took a step closer to Anakita and spoke quietly despite the din, "Cover me. Far wall." and vanished through a shadow portal.
She popped up between the two guards, her back to them, facing the main caster. With a flick of her wrist, she brought the tips of her daggers up and raised her arms in a swift motion. The points caught the man under his arms, the motion driving his hands up and away from each other as he was pinned to the wall several feet off the ground. Nairn didn't turn to ensure her safety, knowing that if she took her eyes off her quarry for an instant he might find a way to follow in the footsteps of many of his comrades.
Islands on Another World (GW2)
-
Monkey Kitty
- Posts: 700
- Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 7:31 pm
Re: Islands on Another World (GW2)
Anakita Snakecharm
This was an instruction Anakita understood well. She nodded, and maintained cover fire for Nairn, loosing a steady stream of arrows on anyone who might interfere with Nairn's plan. Anakita wasn't quite sure what that plan was yet - but she was happy to do her part, and wait and see.
The cultist, however, had other ideas. He looked Nairn in the eyes.
"Interesting company you keep, kin-slayer," he said, with a faint sneer and no sign of fear or hesitation.
This was an instruction Anakita understood well. She nodded, and maintained cover fire for Nairn, loosing a steady stream of arrows on anyone who might interfere with Nairn's plan. Anakita wasn't quite sure what that plan was yet - but she was happy to do her part, and wait and see.
The cultist, however, had other ideas. He looked Nairn in the eyes.
"Interesting company you keep, kin-slayer," he said, with a faint sneer and no sign of fear or hesitation.
Re: Islands on Another World (GW2)
Nairn Tuckamore
They were a proud lot, these cultists. So far, she wondered what they had done to merit such confidence when they seemed to be cut down just like any regular foe. Still, she could appreciate the sentiment. It was almost Norn.
The man's gaze was returned with an emotionless stare of her own, though she cocked her head at his insult. She almost didn't answer it, but she had to admit she was curious.
"A baseless insult. I have no kin. And why would the company I keep matter to you?"
They were a proud lot, these cultists. So far, she wondered what they had done to merit such confidence when they seemed to be cut down just like any regular foe. Still, she could appreciate the sentiment. It was almost Norn.
The man's gaze was returned with an emotionless stare of her own, though she cocked her head at his insult. She almost didn't answer it, but she had to admit she was curious.
"A baseless insult. I have no kin. And why would the company I keep matter to you?"
-
Monkey Kitty
- Posts: 700
- Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 7:31 pm
Re: Islands on Another World (GW2)
Anakita Snakecharm
"Not a kin-slayer?" the cultist replied, his lip curling with what seemed to be amusement. "Then why do they call you Nairn the Murderer, I wonder? Oh, yes - I know all your secrets. That and the secrets of the questionable company you keep. Even aside from the undead abomination you've decided to bring with you. There is one who has already been sacrificed to a daedric prince. One who spent half her life as a helpless plaything to a man. Two who were slaves. One who is a drug addict..."
As the cultist continued his litany, the battle had ended, and all eyes and ears were now turning to this scene.
"One who summoned vile undead powers in a pact to cheat death and save her love through forbidden magic..."
Anakita waved her hand in the air and grinned like she had won a guessing game. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "That one was me!"
The cultist frowned. Galenwen had gone pale as a ghost and gasped audibly.
"Then I suppose there are two who meet that description," the cultist replied, looking back and forth between the party.
"Not a kin-slayer?" the cultist replied, his lip curling with what seemed to be amusement. "Then why do they call you Nairn the Murderer, I wonder? Oh, yes - I know all your secrets. That and the secrets of the questionable company you keep. Even aside from the undead abomination you've decided to bring with you. There is one who has already been sacrificed to a daedric prince. One who spent half her life as a helpless plaything to a man. Two who were slaves. One who is a drug addict..."
As the cultist continued his litany, the battle had ended, and all eyes and ears were now turning to this scene.
"One who summoned vile undead powers in a pact to cheat death and save her love through forbidden magic..."
Anakita waved her hand in the air and grinned like she had won a guessing game. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "That one was me!"
The cultist frowned. Galenwen had gone pale as a ghost and gasped audibly.
"Then I suppose there are two who meet that description," the cultist replied, looking back and forth between the party.
Re: Islands on Another World (GW2)
Nairn Tuckamore and Fira Nar
A small, fanged smirk had risen to her lips when he'd first started his discourse. How he'd learned of her name was of some interest, but the fact that he was just as mistaken as everyone else who used that name to describe her was somewhat amusing. As he continued,though, the situation quickly lost its humour. A smaller blade appeared in her hand and she fussed with it as she waited for him to come to the point. When there didn't seem to be one, she took advantage of the pause Anakita had brought about and spoke to the man directly.
"You speak so disparagingly of these my companions, but yet here we stand while your companions lay at our feet. I have no use for your words as they are. I advise you to give us answers to our questions and keep your petty judgments to yourself."
The tip of the knife rose toward the cultist's midsection, prompting Fira to approach. She wasn't certain if she needed to be concerned about this 'the Murderer' thing, but she knew that they needed information from this man now that his comrades were dead. A moment of violence could set them back significantly. Nairn sensed her approach and casually tapped the knife against the man's belt.
"No need to worry. I am certain if I plunged it in, nothing would come out except hot air."
A small, fanged smirk had risen to her lips when he'd first started his discourse. How he'd learned of her name was of some interest, but the fact that he was just as mistaken as everyone else who used that name to describe her was somewhat amusing. As he continued,though, the situation quickly lost its humour. A smaller blade appeared in her hand and she fussed with it as she waited for him to come to the point. When there didn't seem to be one, she took advantage of the pause Anakita had brought about and spoke to the man directly.
"You speak so disparagingly of these my companions, but yet here we stand while your companions lay at our feet. I have no use for your words as they are. I advise you to give us answers to our questions and keep your petty judgments to yourself."
The tip of the knife rose toward the cultist's midsection, prompting Fira to approach. She wasn't certain if she needed to be concerned about this 'the Murderer' thing, but she knew that they needed information from this man now that his comrades were dead. A moment of violence could set them back significantly. Nairn sensed her approach and casually tapped the knife against the man's belt.
"No need to worry. I am certain if I plunged it in, nothing would come out except hot air."
-
Monkey Kitty
- Posts: 700
- Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 7:31 pm
Re: Islands on Another World (GW2)
Anakita Snakecharm
Anakita had not missed the fact that this cultist was trying to humiliate and accuse her friends. She had deflected that, in her own way - by calling attention to her own behavior, which was a source of pride rather than shame - but it made her unhappy that he was trying to inflict pain. She might not know some of these people well, but they were a team now... and no one should be stomping on the underdog, anyway.
"Yeah, Nairn is right," she said, stepping beside her Norn friend. The Ranger glanced around. Some of the faces were hard to read. The Rutherfords looked worried and wary, though. Galenwen looked like she was afraid someone was about to attack her. This wasn't going to stand, Anakita decided.
"For the record, no one cares about any of this. No one's past matters here. What matters is the future - and yours, Mr. Cult Man, is definitely in the air right now. If you care about surviving, you'd better start giving us some information we can use. So start talking. What's going on here? How do we help this kid?"
The cultist shook his head. "I think not. You'll have to find out for yourselves. The hard way."
Anakita had not missed the fact that this cultist was trying to humiliate and accuse her friends. She had deflected that, in her own way - by calling attention to her own behavior, which was a source of pride rather than shame - but it made her unhappy that he was trying to inflict pain. She might not know some of these people well, but they were a team now... and no one should be stomping on the underdog, anyway.
"Yeah, Nairn is right," she said, stepping beside her Norn friend. The Ranger glanced around. Some of the faces were hard to read. The Rutherfords looked worried and wary, though. Galenwen looked like she was afraid someone was about to attack her. This wasn't going to stand, Anakita decided.
"For the record, no one cares about any of this. No one's past matters here. What matters is the future - and yours, Mr. Cult Man, is definitely in the air right now. If you care about surviving, you'd better start giving us some information we can use. So start talking. What's going on here? How do we help this kid?"
The cultist shook his head. "I think not. You'll have to find out for yourselves. The hard way."
Re: Islands on Another World (GW2)
Fira Nar and Nairn Tuckamore
It was obvious that they were not going to get the answers they needed. The fact remained they needed more to go on than what the vampire had told them about the child - and they didn't have time for 'the hard way'. Perhaps it wasn't that the cultist couldn't be motivated to give up information, perhaps it was simply the wrong set of motivators.
"What about a trade?" Fira began, "It is obvious that you pride yourself on your information gathering - yet there are some gaps in your knowledge. Perhaps for some details of our lives," She looked pointedly at the two people who seemed least disturbed by the cultist's earlier words, "you could share with us some details of this girl's life."
Nairn grinned toothily at the suggestion and nodded her assent. "I'd be willing to swear by the truth of the name you spoke over me that you will know more if you go first."
It was obvious that they were not going to get the answers they needed. The fact remained they needed more to go on than what the vampire had told them about the child - and they didn't have time for 'the hard way'. Perhaps it wasn't that the cultist couldn't be motivated to give up information, perhaps it was simply the wrong set of motivators.
"What about a trade?" Fira began, "It is obvious that you pride yourself on your information gathering - yet there are some gaps in your knowledge. Perhaps for some details of our lives," She looked pointedly at the two people who seemed least disturbed by the cultist's earlier words, "you could share with us some details of this girl's life."
Nairn grinned toothily at the suggestion and nodded her assent. "I'd be willing to swear by the truth of the name you spoke over me that you will know more if you go first."
-
Monkey Kitty
- Posts: 700
- Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 7:31 pm
Re: Islands on Another World (GW2)
The Rutherfords
The cultist looked sorely tempted. "Perhaps," he said. "But my information is valuable. I will accept your offer, Nairn the Murderer. That is not enough, however. My price is going to be a bit higher. Secrets. Real secrets. Not just the tavern gossip of the willing."
He looked around the room, and his eyes fell on Cara. "You, perhaps. Tell me, girl, who is your father?"
Cullen took a step in front of Cara, blocking her from view. "I'm her father."
The cultist looked amused, and shook his head. "You're not her blood."
Cullen met his eyes calmly, but with a hint of steel beneath the tone. "Irrelevant."
"Ah. I see. Then this is how we're playing things. So, young Cara Tr--"
Whatever name he would have said, Cullen cut him off before he could get out more than the first sound. "Leave her alone. If you need more secrets, you can have mine."
The cultist's eye seemed to bore into Cullen's skull. Finally, he said, "Acceptable. Your past is full of secrets, isn't it? Your hands are filthy."
"Hey!" Anakita said. "And mine. You're going to love how I saved Stefan from being a ghost!"
Finally satisfied, the cultist said, "Very well. The girl is from a farm on the mainland. She has great arcane gifts. Those gifts were wasted on a future milkmaid. We took her in to become our future high priestess instead. But first she had to pass our trials to prove herself worthy - that was as you found her."
Sellia, the vampire, was frowning. "That's not what you said before!" she insisted.
The cultist shook his head. "These adventurers are not foolish enough to believe a lying creature of the night - a blood-drinker, a monster - over the word of an honorable elf. Silence, you bloodsucking vermin!"
The cultist looked sorely tempted. "Perhaps," he said. "But my information is valuable. I will accept your offer, Nairn the Murderer. That is not enough, however. My price is going to be a bit higher. Secrets. Real secrets. Not just the tavern gossip of the willing."
He looked around the room, and his eyes fell on Cara. "You, perhaps. Tell me, girl, who is your father?"
Cullen took a step in front of Cara, blocking her from view. "I'm her father."
The cultist looked amused, and shook his head. "You're not her blood."
Cullen met his eyes calmly, but with a hint of steel beneath the tone. "Irrelevant."
"Ah. I see. Then this is how we're playing things. So, young Cara Tr--"
Whatever name he would have said, Cullen cut him off before he could get out more than the first sound. "Leave her alone. If you need more secrets, you can have mine."
The cultist's eye seemed to bore into Cullen's skull. Finally, he said, "Acceptable. Your past is full of secrets, isn't it? Your hands are filthy."
"Hey!" Anakita said. "And mine. You're going to love how I saved Stefan from being a ghost!"
Finally satisfied, the cultist said, "Very well. The girl is from a farm on the mainland. She has great arcane gifts. Those gifts were wasted on a future milkmaid. We took her in to become our future high priestess instead. But first she had to pass our trials to prove herself worthy - that was as you found her."
Sellia, the vampire, was frowning. "That's not what you said before!" she insisted.
The cultist shook his head. "These adventurers are not foolish enough to believe a lying creature of the night - a blood-drinker, a monster - over the word of an honorable elf. Silence, you bloodsucking vermin!"
Re: Islands on Another World (GW2)
Nairn Tuckamore and Fira-Nar
"Though apparently foolish enough to allow you to talk this long."
Nairn abruptly pulled both blades out of the man's shoulders, tossing the one in her left to rest with the one in her right as she took hold of the robes in the centre of the man's chest with her dominant hand. Picking him up off the ground, she casually walked over to the nearest window and tossed him out of it. Wiping her daggers on the drapery, she noticed Fira's open-mouthed shock and shrugged.
"He was a liar and a sadist. He only told the truth about one thing - that we would have to find our answers the hard way." Gesturing at the tables and cupboards full of papers and knick-knacks, "We will have better luck with these, I think."
At least paper couldn't accuse these people of wrongdoing or...being wrong.
"Though apparently foolish enough to allow you to talk this long."
Nairn abruptly pulled both blades out of the man's shoulders, tossing the one in her left to rest with the one in her right as she took hold of the robes in the centre of the man's chest with her dominant hand. Picking him up off the ground, she casually walked over to the nearest window and tossed him out of it. Wiping her daggers on the drapery, she noticed Fira's open-mouthed shock and shrugged.
"He was a liar and a sadist. He only told the truth about one thing - that we would have to find our answers the hard way." Gesturing at the tables and cupboards full of papers and knick-knacks, "We will have better luck with these, I think."
At least paper couldn't accuse these people of wrongdoing or...being wrong.
-
Monkey Kitty
- Posts: 700
- Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 7:31 pm
Re: Islands on Another World (GW2)
Anakita Snakecharm
No one other than Fira seemed distressed by Nairn's actions, Anakita noted. Other reactions varied from stoic to relief. Not that Anakita blamed them for that.
"Good call," she said. "He was just going to waste time trying to mess with people, and we're on a schedule here."
She looked over at the Rutherfords. Anakita might not be the best judge of human nature in general, but what was happening now was something she could recognize. These were people with wounds that had formed scars - all of them - and right now they were circled to protect each other, trying to figure out if someone was about to stick a knife in and open the old injuries back up.
Time to reassure them it wasn't going to happen.
She made eye contact with Cullen - since he was the one who had stepped forward, the one who had been accused of having unclean hands. "I get it," she told him. "You love your family. You protect your daughters, always, don't you?" That with a nod to Cara - acknowledging the father she claimed, not the unwanted paternity that the cultist had alluded to. Cara nodded back. "Well, don't worry about this one," Anakita concluded. "He was just trying to dig up the past to be mean. It's not relevant. No questions asked."
Well, for the most part. Anakita was going to talk to Galenwen later, privately, about something that had been said. But it wouldn't be a question, really. It would be a reassurance. Not in front of everyone, though.
With all the interpersonal issues (in her mind) resolved, Anakita began to search with Nairn for useful documents.
Mikael, however, was eying Sellia suspiciously again. "So we're just believing the vampire about all this?"
Anakita sighed - this was too much talking for her all at once - but she was spared from replying when Gwindor, of all people, stepped in.
"We have no reason not to," the quiet elf said. "Nothing she has said to us thus far has turned out to be a lie. It is far more reasonable to take her word than his." The latter with a gesture toward the window.
No one other than Fira seemed distressed by Nairn's actions, Anakita noted. Other reactions varied from stoic to relief. Not that Anakita blamed them for that.
"Good call," she said. "He was just going to waste time trying to mess with people, and we're on a schedule here."
She looked over at the Rutherfords. Anakita might not be the best judge of human nature in general, but what was happening now was something she could recognize. These were people with wounds that had formed scars - all of them - and right now they were circled to protect each other, trying to figure out if someone was about to stick a knife in and open the old injuries back up.
Time to reassure them it wasn't going to happen.
She made eye contact with Cullen - since he was the one who had stepped forward, the one who had been accused of having unclean hands. "I get it," she told him. "You love your family. You protect your daughters, always, don't you?" That with a nod to Cara - acknowledging the father she claimed, not the unwanted paternity that the cultist had alluded to. Cara nodded back. "Well, don't worry about this one," Anakita concluded. "He was just trying to dig up the past to be mean. It's not relevant. No questions asked."
Well, for the most part. Anakita was going to talk to Galenwen later, privately, about something that had been said. But it wouldn't be a question, really. It would be a reassurance. Not in front of everyone, though.
With all the interpersonal issues (in her mind) resolved, Anakita began to search with Nairn for useful documents.
Mikael, however, was eying Sellia suspiciously again. "So we're just believing the vampire about all this?"
Anakita sighed - this was too much talking for her all at once - but she was spared from replying when Gwindor, of all people, stepped in.
"We have no reason not to," the quiet elf said. "Nothing she has said to us thus far has turned out to be a lie. It is far more reasonable to take her word than his." The latter with a gesture toward the window.