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Cassael's Lament - An Eberron Story (Updated 5/1)
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<blockquote data-quote="Anti-Sean" data-source="post: 2545150" data-attributes="member: 11797"><p>Niv led Autumn and Kiva through the streets of Wroann's Gate, ducking and darting through throngs of farmers, laborers and travelers like a fish navigating the shifting currents of the ocean. She regaled her new client with a description of the city of Sharn and a breakdown of its various wards and districts as they walked. One hour and one lift ride later, they were in the Cornerstone district of Middle Tavick's Landing. The weatherbeaten sign above the door Niv finally stopped in front of showed a small cauldron tipped over, its red contents spilling out to form the words 'Bucket of Blood'. Autumn gazed up at the sign, half-whispering, half-chanting a snippet of verse in a far away voice.</p><p> </p><p> <em>"He waked through the rain</em></p><p><em> And he walked through the mud</em></p><p><em> Until he came to a place</em></p><p><em> Called the Bucket of Blood"</em></p><p> </p><p> Niv looked over at him, arching an eyebrow. "A warforged poet? I really have seen everything now!"</p><p> </p><p> Autumn chuckled. "No, no, just an old memory from a lifetime ago. There was a scout in one of the campanies I served with during the war who fancied himself to be somewhat of a minstrel. He was always singing a ballad or reciting some epic verse. That was from one he sang most often; the tavern's sign reminded me of it."</p><p> </p><p> "Was he any good?"</p><p> </p><p> "He was alright, I suppose. His singing helped to pass the time in camp, and he had his wits about him enough to keep silent in the field. I don't think he ever amounted to much, even if he survived the war. I remember that our lieutenant would always say he was a bad seed. Shall we enter?"</p><p> </p><p> The roar of the boisterous crowd inside the Bucket of Blood was deafening even compared to the bustle of activity in the streets and marketplaces outside. Autumn observed the tavern out of habit, taking note of the mannerisms, the behavior, and the weaponry of its various patrons. After a few moments, he had already planned out several different escape scenarios in case trouble presented itself. A short, stout, balding man with a prodigious amount of unkempt whiskers and an overabundance of chins bellowed at them as they made their way inside.</p><p> </p><p> "Oi! You! You cannot bring that mangy mongrel in here without it being leashed up!"</p><p> </p><p> Autumn stiffened, attempting to maintain his composure as he responded. "I can assure you, sir, that Kiva is no mongrel, and will be no trouble to you or any of your patrons."</p><p> </p><p> The barkeep waved a pudgy finger in Autumn's face. "I was addressing the lovely young lady here, and I was referring to <em>you</em>!" Niv watched the warforged tense up even more. After a few seconds of awkward silence, the barkeep's expression softened, his mouth splitting into a wide, toothy grin and slapping Autumn on the back. "Just having a bit of fun with you, lad! I wanted to see what it'd look like if you smiled with that set of teeth you've got! Come in, come in, make yourselves at home! I'm Doran, and this here is the finest tavern in Cornerstone! Have a seat anywhere you like, and let one of the girls know what we can get for you!"</p><p> </p><p> Niv picked a small booth tucked away in a far corner of the tavern and flagged down a nearby serving girl. "One mug of tal and a bowl of stew, please." Kiva laid down under the table as Autumn took a seat across from Niv.</p><p> </p><p> "I'd like some tal as well, please. And a leg of mutton for my friend, as well." Autumn added, shrugging his shoulders at Niv's look of surprise.</p><p> </p><p> "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you don't eat or drink, am I right?"</p><p> </p><p> "That's right. but I've been in enough taverns and inns to know that my kind aren't exactly welcome, since they can't sell us a meal. In the eyes of many innkeeps and barkeeps, each warforged they let in is one less person they can profit off of. So I try to order something just to be polite. You can have mine so it doesn't go to waste."</p><p> </p><p> Niv smiled. "How very conscientious of you."</p><p> </p><p> "Well, I must admit, it's not entirely without benefit to me. These are difficult times for all of us. With the war over, my people are struggling to find our way in this world. We seek a greater sense of purpose, as individuals and as a whole. People are trying to move on with their lives, and every time they see me, I serve as a painful reminder to them of what they've lost. To one person, I represent the enemy who took one of his limbs, or ended his comrade's life. To a child, I am a the reason one of her parents never came home, or the farm or village that was destroyed during the war and forced her into a refugee camp." Autumn paused for a moment as their food and drink was delivered. He dropped the leg of mutton under the table for Kiva and continued where he had left off.</p><p></p><p> "My people were created for war. Our single, solitary reason for existence was to kill, to maim and to destroy, to prolong the war that nearly consumed this entire world We were given life in order to fight and to die, an expendable replacement for the dwindling numbers of humans able to fight. In the eyes of far too many, that is all we will ever know, and all we will ever be useful for. Yes, a small act of kindness on my part here and there will benefit the person who receives it, and that is very good. Ultimately, though, it is myself and the other warforged who will benefit as each of those acts helps insure that we will gradually come to be judged as individuals who are as worthy and as capable of anyone madeof flesh and blood. At least, that is my hope."</p><p> </p><p> Niv stared at him, the mug of tal and bowl of stew placed before her moments ago remaining untouched. "Are you sure this isn't some elaborate hoax with a human hidden underneath all of that warforged armor? You have more insight into human nature than most people I've met." She smiled, trailed off into silence. "So what's your story, Autumn? How did you come to these realizations, this level of awareness... is it something you saw during the war?"</p><p> </p><p> Autumn chafed at the question, his voice becoming somewhat strained. "That is diffcult to say. I consider the war, and any involvement I had in it, to be a lifetime ago in a very literal sense. My life, as far as I am concerned, began almost eight years ago in the Eldeen Reaches. I awoke in the care of an elderly shifter. She taught me the lessons she had learned since childhood; a way to live in harmony with the world around us, to draw strength from it and to return its blessings by defending it from those who would lay waste to it and to its children. Through her, I was initiated into druidic mysteries that stretch back for thousands of years. From her, I gained a sense of purpose, a reason for being, and the beginnings of an understanding of my place in the grand scheme of things."</p><p> </p><p> "Oh? And what would that place be?"</p><p> </p><p> "I don't know yet. As I said, I'm only beginning to understand it." Autumn's jaw flexed in a way that almost resembled a smile. "I watch, and I learn, I observe signs and portents as I find them. When I learn of my place for certain, I'll let you know. Before I left the Reaches, my teacher told me she had seen several signs. These signs told her that I would find the answers to some of my questions in Sharn. So, after several months of travel, here I am. An that's my story, for the most part. If I may return the question, Niv, what is your story? And what is your place?"</p><p> </p><p> Niv took a long, slow sip of her tal before setting it down on the table and answering. "Now that isn't as easy it would seem. I've lived in Sharn my whole life. Or for all of my lives, I guess you could say. I spend so much time wearing different faces that sometimes, the lines between who I am inside, and who I am at the moment tend to blur after a while. Where does Niv end, for instance, and where does Gorm, the half-orc you met earlier, begin? Is there really a difference between the two? Are they masks that I choose to wear, roles that I choose to play, or different pieces of me that reveal themselves at different times? Multiply that by the number of different names and faces and lives I wear, and I still don't think I'd be ready to begin to answer your question. I suppose its like being an actor on a stage permanently. You know, it's funny; I've heard it said that there are some people who are always alone in a crowd. Well, some of us can be our very own crowd, and still find ourselves alone."</p><p> </p><p> "It certainly sounds like it is a burden for you. Regardless, I would very much like to be able to do what you can do. I know who I am, and who I'm trying to be, but most people will only see me for what they think I am. You are able to make people see you in whatever way you want them to."</p><p> </p><p> Niv looked away, a slight cast of bitterness coloring her laughter as she drummed her fingers on her mug. "But at what price, Autumn? Is it worth it if I wind up losing myself in the process?"</p><p> </p><p> "I don't know, but I think that it's harder to get lost when you have companions with you. Kiva and I look out for each other since our paths crossed. I don't know where I would be if not for her. You don't have to be alone, Niv. No one has to be, if they don't want to."</p><p> </p><p> Niv nodded, lost in thought as she drank her tal. They sat there for a while in silence, alone in the raucous crowd of the tavern.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Anti-Sean, post: 2545150, member: 11797"] Niv led Autumn and Kiva through the streets of Wroann's Gate, ducking and darting through throngs of farmers, laborers and travelers like a fish navigating the shifting currents of the ocean. She regaled her new client with a description of the city of Sharn and a breakdown of its various wards and districts as they walked. One hour and one lift ride later, they were in the Cornerstone district of Middle Tavick's Landing. The weatherbeaten sign above the door Niv finally stopped in front of showed a small cauldron tipped over, its red contents spilling out to form the words 'Bucket of Blood'. Autumn gazed up at the sign, half-whispering, half-chanting a snippet of verse in a far away voice. [I]"He waked through the rain And he walked through the mud Until he came to a place Called the Bucket of Blood"[/I] Niv looked over at him, arching an eyebrow. "A warforged poet? I really have seen everything now!" Autumn chuckled. "No, no, just an old memory from a lifetime ago. There was a scout in one of the campanies I served with during the war who fancied himself to be somewhat of a minstrel. He was always singing a ballad or reciting some epic verse. That was from one he sang most often; the tavern's sign reminded me of it." "Was he any good?" "He was alright, I suppose. His singing helped to pass the time in camp, and he had his wits about him enough to keep silent in the field. I don't think he ever amounted to much, even if he survived the war. I remember that our lieutenant would always say he was a bad seed. Shall we enter?" The roar of the boisterous crowd inside the Bucket of Blood was deafening even compared to the bustle of activity in the streets and marketplaces outside. Autumn observed the tavern out of habit, taking note of the mannerisms, the behavior, and the weaponry of its various patrons. After a few moments, he had already planned out several different escape scenarios in case trouble presented itself. A short, stout, balding man with a prodigious amount of unkempt whiskers and an overabundance of chins bellowed at them as they made their way inside. "Oi! You! You cannot bring that mangy mongrel in here without it being leashed up!" Autumn stiffened, attempting to maintain his composure as he responded. "I can assure you, sir, that Kiva is no mongrel, and will be no trouble to you or any of your patrons." The barkeep waved a pudgy finger in Autumn's face. "I was addressing the lovely young lady here, and I was referring to [I]you[/I]!" Niv watched the warforged tense up even more. After a few seconds of awkward silence, the barkeep's expression softened, his mouth splitting into a wide, toothy grin and slapping Autumn on the back. "Just having a bit of fun with you, lad! I wanted to see what it'd look like if you smiled with that set of teeth you've got! Come in, come in, make yourselves at home! I'm Doran, and this here is the finest tavern in Cornerstone! Have a seat anywhere you like, and let one of the girls know what we can get for you!" Niv picked a small booth tucked away in a far corner of the tavern and flagged down a nearby serving girl. "One mug of tal and a bowl of stew, please." Kiva laid down under the table as Autumn took a seat across from Niv. "I'd like some tal as well, please. And a leg of mutton for my friend, as well." Autumn added, shrugging his shoulders at Niv's look of surprise. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you don't eat or drink, am I right?" "That's right. but I've been in enough taverns and inns to know that my kind aren't exactly welcome, since they can't sell us a meal. In the eyes of many innkeeps and barkeeps, each warforged they let in is one less person they can profit off of. So I try to order something just to be polite. You can have mine so it doesn't go to waste." Niv smiled. "How very conscientious of you." "Well, I must admit, it's not entirely without benefit to me. These are difficult times for all of us. With the war over, my people are struggling to find our way in this world. We seek a greater sense of purpose, as individuals and as a whole. People are trying to move on with their lives, and every time they see me, I serve as a painful reminder to them of what they've lost. To one person, I represent the enemy who took one of his limbs, or ended his comrade's life. To a child, I am a the reason one of her parents never came home, or the farm or village that was destroyed during the war and forced her into a refugee camp." Autumn paused for a moment as their food and drink was delivered. He dropped the leg of mutton under the table for Kiva and continued where he had left off. "My people were created for war. Our single, solitary reason for existence was to kill, to maim and to destroy, to prolong the war that nearly consumed this entire world We were given life in order to fight and to die, an expendable replacement for the dwindling numbers of humans able to fight. In the eyes of far too many, that is all we will ever know, and all we will ever be useful for. Yes, a small act of kindness on my part here and there will benefit the person who receives it, and that is very good. Ultimately, though, it is myself and the other warforged who will benefit as each of those acts helps insure that we will gradually come to be judged as individuals who are as worthy and as capable of anyone madeof flesh and blood. At least, that is my hope." Niv stared at him, the mug of tal and bowl of stew placed before her moments ago remaining untouched. "Are you sure this isn't some elaborate hoax with a human hidden underneath all of that warforged armor? You have more insight into human nature than most people I've met." She smiled, trailed off into silence. "So what's your story, Autumn? How did you come to these realizations, this level of awareness... is it something you saw during the war?" Autumn chafed at the question, his voice becoming somewhat strained. "That is diffcult to say. I consider the war, and any involvement I had in it, to be a lifetime ago in a very literal sense. My life, as far as I am concerned, began almost eight years ago in the Eldeen Reaches. I awoke in the care of an elderly shifter. She taught me the lessons she had learned since childhood; a way to live in harmony with the world around us, to draw strength from it and to return its blessings by defending it from those who would lay waste to it and to its children. Through her, I was initiated into druidic mysteries that stretch back for thousands of years. From her, I gained a sense of purpose, a reason for being, and the beginnings of an understanding of my place in the grand scheme of things." "Oh? And what would that place be?" "I don't know yet. As I said, I'm only beginning to understand it." Autumn's jaw flexed in a way that almost resembled a smile. "I watch, and I learn, I observe signs and portents as I find them. When I learn of my place for certain, I'll let you know. Before I left the Reaches, my teacher told me she had seen several signs. These signs told her that I would find the answers to some of my questions in Sharn. So, after several months of travel, here I am. An that's my story, for the most part. If I may return the question, Niv, what is your story? And what is your place?" Niv took a long, slow sip of her tal before setting it down on the table and answering. "Now that isn't as easy it would seem. I've lived in Sharn my whole life. Or for all of my lives, I guess you could say. I spend so much time wearing different faces that sometimes, the lines between who I am inside, and who I am at the moment tend to blur after a while. Where does Niv end, for instance, and where does Gorm, the half-orc you met earlier, begin? Is there really a difference between the two? Are they masks that I choose to wear, roles that I choose to play, or different pieces of me that reveal themselves at different times? Multiply that by the number of different names and faces and lives I wear, and I still don't think I'd be ready to begin to answer your question. I suppose its like being an actor on a stage permanently. You know, it's funny; I've heard it said that there are some people who are always alone in a crowd. Well, some of us can be our very own crowd, and still find ourselves alone." "It certainly sounds like it is a burden for you. Regardless, I would very much like to be able to do what you can do. I know who I am, and who I'm trying to be, but most people will only see me for what they think I am. You are able to make people see you in whatever way you want them to." Niv looked away, a slight cast of bitterness coloring her laughter as she drummed her fingers on her mug. "But at what price, Autumn? Is it worth it if I wind up losing myself in the process?" "I don't know, but I think that it's harder to get lost when you have companions with you. Kiva and I look out for each other since our paths crossed. I don't know where I would be if not for her. You don't have to be alone, Niv. No one has to be, if they don't want to." Niv nodded, lost in thought as she drank her tal. They sat there for a while in silence, alone in the raucous crowd of the tavern. [/QUOTE]
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