video | un: haltham

[aprescoup]

( Friends, family, travellers: you might remember this friendly speaker, eyes bright and wild while blood's drenched the better half of his grinning face. )

Hello? This is Haaaaaaltham. How do you do? Me... I'm — ( The pendant briefly slips from his hands, showing glimpses of Haltham and a rolling, feral dead creature he subdues with a final snap of its neck. Patiently, after recovering the pendant: ) Fine. You, um... you're fine, yeah? Also? You're good people. Good people.

So I told m'friend, I told her... said, me, these are good people, and they will help you. ( Another pause, as a rabid goat jumps over Haltham's head to crush a dead man. Behind him, rows of burning homes distinctly different from the snowed-under peaks of Haltham's native Sa-Hareth. ) Goat says hi. Good goat.

Now... now, my friend, yeah? She's... last we met, she wasn't that, she was... riding hard. In the fancy magic city. And them others coming after, her old friends. One of them. Only... now she's not feeling friendly with the Brothers no more. Now, she's wanting to be friends with us. All of us. Cause she's... in a bit o'trouble with that one. The mean one. The one that brays like animals... and... that's no nice way to treat a lady. Me, I always thought... you got a lady friend, you treat'er well.

She's got to stay in Krrrr-Croak-Weeeey-who? Couple o'days. Call it... three? Four weeks? But she doesn't want no finding, when the animal comes. And she's a little... slimmer in her strengths. Til the old man mountain breathes fire again. So, you know. If you can be nice to her, our huntress. She'll make it worth everyone's while. Yours... mine... ( Another undead creature assaults his back, only to solidify in pure ice within half a heartbeat. Haltham points behind himself: ) His.

What do you say? ( All at once, warmth wanes from Haltham's voice, hollowing it: ) ThIn K. Th ErE aRe BenEfitS o F Gi vInG HER tHre E weEks o F shElt Er. WhaT Do YoU saY?



( ooc: — cast an IC vote until 23:59 GMT on 2 April if the party should hide and protect the Huntress for a few weeks in Ke-Waihu, during the Beastmaster's upcoming visit

— new characters can assume party NPCs Asgeirr or Hatisse have shared told them about the Huntress, Haltham/Anurr and Beastmaster

— feel free to spam/threadjack/discuss IC opinions in this post — Haltham will respond sporadically; no input from the Huntress at this time! )

Comments

un : deft hand of little deaths (voice)

[scrapgege]

........ You're asking us for help now?

video

[soulsrob]

[Cheerfully:] Darling! How have you been! Your lady friend seems quite nice, but whatever would this Beastmaster want with her? He seems horribly rude already.

It'd probably be for the best to try and find a way to keep her safe...

[aprescoup]

Well... if it isn't no hardship.

[aprescoup]

Hello! You. I remember you.. .you... kept my... mirror Fr Om ME.

[soulsrob]

I did! [She's delighted he remembers] Though, to be fair, I wasn't aware it was holding you captive in it. I would have let you out much sooner had I known.

[She looks sympathetic and apologetic] I can't stand to see someone locked up like that, simply dreadful. Do forgive me.

[aprescoup]

It's all right... it's... it's all right.

( Friendly, fond, fatherly. ) You're a good person.

[scrapgege]

.......... It kind of is, and she attacked us last time. And so did you.

[aprescoup]

Wasn't you! Was... the others. You were there. In between. But you made it out!

[soulsrob]

[She smiles warmly] Thank you for saying so, dear, I do try.

I'm afraid I might not hold much sway over the group's decision, however. Even if they won't take her in, is there anything one could do to help?

[aprescoup]

You'd help her? Even on your own and lonesome? You would?

[un: sprite bulb] voice;

[bearshermark]

[You know what. He doesn't have the temperament for this]

No.

[aprescoup]

I'm sorry you feel so, little friend. You got you your reasons... and I'm... I'm... a N uN DErSt ANdinG soRt.

[scrapgege]

A lot of people died. They didn't deserve that.

[soulsrob]

Of course!

[Why not, after all??]

I'm sure there's a few that might be sympathetic to her that would like to help if we could anyhow. [And since Winnie lacks a soul, she figures she's safer than most people with these sorts of things.]

But I'd rather that Beastmaster fellow not get his hands on her either.

[aprescoup]

And a lot... lot of people! A lot... were spared. Because we kept them others back. We did that. My people. And some o'them... also died.

[aprescoup]

He's... mean, he is. No way to treat a woman.

[bearshermark]

[Snarls]

I'm sure the souls whose voices you're stealing and the people whose homes you're burning would agree.

un: absterge

[downswing]

Evil unstudied cannot be expelled.

[aprescoup]

Heh? H aHahhAHAHahhaa... ha... tHe Y WoULd.

D O I buRN thE M, LAd? OR do I Le T them BE Eat En by MOnS tERs?

[aprescoup]

It's fine, if you're angry. Many young people are. I'm thinking, me... is it the age?

[soulsrob]

[She shakes her head sympathetically] Absolutely not. But you and the lady Huntress seem to get along well! I'm sure she appreciates the efforts.

[bearshermark]

[It may be possible to hear the squeak of clenched teeth]

Don't pretend mercy when you're killing them.

[scrapgege]

Even then, I don't think it's a good idea. There's already too many curses in this place. That, and some members of the group have... a grudge against her.

Why can't you take her in yourself?

[aprescoup]

We'll make do. She got no one else... and better know the enemy, isn't that the truth?

[aprescoup]

She wants to be sitting with the mountain... I suppose... you want me to be coming there?