IC: Runething
Two men, half-elves both, stand at the edge of the wood near a small settlement by a great lake. They eye each other with suspicion.
BREVIS: "Do you remember the ending to the credo? 'Birds of a feather, trees with no leaves, Darkness will reign, unless we're all...' The last word seems to escape me, you must have sung it..."
CAILE: "Thieves, of course, stealing back the light from the dark realm of death."
BREVIS: "Good to see you again, brother."
CAILE: "Likewise, brother. The years have not been kind, but at least I am still adding more to the tally. As are you. What happened to the other Childer? Faertid, Galen and Diara? Did they also make it?"
BREVIS: "I heard Galen was either killed by a Rust Brother or became one, the translation of the message was unclear.
The other two, I cannot say. Did you leave Harga on good terms?"
CAILE: "I'd rather not speak more of Harga, the Wastes lie behind me and only sorrow can come from dwelling upon it."
An elderly human emerges from the woods, he looks disoriented and seems to be searching for something. He notices the two men.
HARINDER: "What year is it? Where am I? You there. Name?"
CAILE: "Who? Me?"
HARINDER: "You two. Both of you. And the names of your fathers."
CAILE: "My name is Caile, and I just arrived here this morning. I came here seeking my old childhood friend, Brevis."
The travel-worn half-elf covered in dust and caked mud points to the man next to him.
CAILE: "The name of my father I do not know, for I grew up a street urchin in a small township south of Alderstone. As did my brother here."
Caile puts a hand on Brevis' shoulder. A slight smile appears on his lips and the fatigue from the journey seems to vanish into the air.
BREVIS: "It may require some patience on your part, for you ask difficult questions. Would you describe yourself as a patient man?"
HARINDER: "Then I know you not. What year is it? Does this place still go under the name of Thing? You, half-blood. How many winters do you count?"
BREVIS: "I'll take that as a "no", so i'll be brief. Brevis. And I was here last winter. That's one."
CAILE: "I think he's asking for your age, brother. Though in a rather roundabout way, it seems. You'd think that humans would be quick about it, considering their short lifespans. Oh, such tragedy is life, here one moment, gone the next. As for the year, according to whom? The Rust Brothers? The dwarves, humans or elves? There are as many ways to count the years as there are kin in these forbidden lands. And as for the name of this here village, I was told the name Runething as I searched this land for my long lost friend."
HARINDER: "The Runes. Yes. That makes sense. *mutters* Could there be that there are no one left? I must seek elsewhere. Perhaps the stables..."
BREVIS: "Yes, Runething accurately captures the essence of this place. A vague and rudimentary sense of it's own importance. Have you questions for the horses as well?"
This message was lightly edited by the player at 18:01, Tue 02 June 2020.