(Casual D&D) A Game of Trust

[Mithreander]

OOC: I did not see any alignment restrictions in the character creation rules, and even the title would make one believe that such free role-playing would be welcome, so I'll continue to play Furgus as I see fit, and I except any consequences that go with it... as I'm sure you are as well.

Furgus turns to Fendric, a surprised look on his face, and sheaths his dagger, which he was about to do when Xias hasd turned away from his challenge.

Taking a deep breath, he turns his rightous ire onto the follower of Pelor. "You hipocrate! Did I harm the half-man with my words? No! Did I even offer what little advice I had on the subject in an attempt to help? Yes! But do you see this? No. Blindness has taken you! For I have done no harm and you offer ultimadums for offering to defend myself froma real attack! True, I had chellanged the monk in the inn when I had thought that he had taken the only opening in your group. Do you not except challenges of honor? No, it appears not. The fact that once I was corrected in my misunderstanding, I withdrew my challenge mean nothing to you? No. Did you forgive me for my behavior then? No, for you now hold it against me. But wait, you do worse then that! You repremand me for attempting to protect myself. Where are the repromands for the one that attacked me? I did no harm, but he harmed me!"

Furgus takes a breath and continues. "Answer me this: would you have repremanded the half-orc if he had repremanded me for my behavior with force? No, for you have already allowed someone other then the orc to do exactly that! But when I offer to protect myself from an attack, do you come to my aid? NO! You attempt to banish me in your pride. Prey to Pelor's light to show you the rightous path, for it is odvious that you have missed it! To further the darkeness that holds your heart, you repremanded me when I challenged in the inn, but here the monk hits me from behind, without warning and you repremand the victum! Prey for wisdom from Pelor, for his light seems to have turned from you, and you now walk in darkness!"

 

[Festy_Dog]

Nurthk rolls his eyes upon hearing the halfling's outburst.

The last thing the halfling wants to be doing is challenging a cleric's belief in their own actions... if that halfling's still around by the time I can move again I should give him a good talking to.

 

[dpdx]

Fendric shakes his head, sadly.

"Do you even understand what's at stake, here, Furgus? Did you listen to anything in the hall?"

Fendric walks over to the saddlebag on his horse, and pulls from it the remaining letters.

"Each of these letters represents a community in this Realm, in some cases communities across a sea that we have yet to find a way across. For every letter we deliver, there's a slim chance that its recipient will find a way to divert a wave of hatred from that particular community, and people won't needlessly die. It may look mundane, and boring, but it's that important. That's our mission.

Meanwhile, we're rescuing Father Premule so that he can act on the letter he already got, and on the way to that, Nurthk has fallen ill during the performance of the one task we've accomplished to merit the one respite we've gotten in two weeks, without which we wouldn't have been able to stop to get yourself and Xiao Yu, both of whom we're happy to have, hard as it may be for you to believe at this particular time. And we have to decide where to go that we can both get Nurthk healthy, and still find Father Premule.

So while we're doing that, you've managed to question the gender of our only warrior, and dart in and out from beneath him as I've tried to keep him from dying. I'm at least the third person to react to that obvious show of disrespect, and somehow I have darkness in my heart?

That blow to the head must have done more damage than I thought, because I know you can't possibly normally be that thoughtless. You're right, you've been grievously wronged. Are you sure you don't need some healing?"

 

[Mithreander]

Sensing the sarcasm in the last comment, Furgus shakes his head. "You are to quick to judge. Am I evil? Am I harming anyone with my antics? No. You see, I have excepted you with all of my heart and assumed that you had done the same, but I see I was wrong. If you had excepted me, then you would see that what I was doing was showing faith in the recovery of the warrior. Yes, that's right faith. You seem to be morning his condition, while I selibrate in the future recovery of his condition. Where you show doubt, I show encouragement. You do not see it? Well answer me this: How did I face the one who attacked me with weapons? With weapons. ANd how do I face you now that you have chosen to attack me with words? With words. I expect no less from others that I face, for it is written 'And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise' so I treat the ogre fully expecting him to return to health and return the words to me."

Furgus sighs and looks up at the cleric? and adds "You of all people should also realize that because many do or feel one way does not mean that those feelings are rightous. Infact you should look at the favored demeanor of others closely before following in the path lead by the many, for few men can be rightous, but many can be unrightous. So you saying that 'I'm at least the third to show his displeasure' means little to me except to let me know that other men lead your behavior and actions, and not that of your god, whom you swear to follow."

Taking a deep dreath, the halfling looks to the Fendric and concludes his oration with, "I realize that I have been harsh in my words, but I tell you the truth, I mean the best by them and mean no harm. To show you this, I will show you exactly how much I understand your mission,a nd will point out an error that I see in your present couse, and you can tell me why I am wrong. You tell me that though mundane, your mission is to deliver the letters you hold to communities to offer slim hope of salvation to them. And what are you doing now? You are on your way to save one that you have already dilivered the letter to. Now tell me this: Which serves the greater good, offering many the chance to salvation or offering the few? From where you said you are heading now, it appears that you have chosen the few, for even if you DO save the father, that no more garantees the success of that one letter, then the undelivered letters in your posession. I say to you: if you trully think that your message was only given to that person and he shared it with no one defore being taken, then it would be just as well to deliver the message by mouth to another that can carry out it's dire warning and move on to the other comunities, for without your deliverance of their message you are in fact condeming then to the fate you fear."

 

[dpdx]

Fendric listens calmly to the halfling. When Furgus is finished, Fendric nods and says, "Fair enough. But I stand by my words: I will not tolerate every disagreement within this party devolving into armed conflict, potential or real, at the first hint of trouble, and those who continue to escalate it will be banished or otherwise dealt with, may Pelor mark these words, once and for all. As you are no doubt aware, we have well enough on our plate as a group, without adding our own allies' highly-sensitized tempers to the stew.

I am aware that Xiao Yu slapped you, and I do not necessarily agree with it, but the appropriate response is not daggers vs. staves at high noon, no matter how hypocritical, evil, or foul you may think me, or him, to be.

So if you can live with that one condition, you're welcome to stay. Other than that, you can lecture me and scream at me until you're blue in the face, if it helps you contribute to the success of this mission."

He then turns to the others. "Fortunately, Fergus has just now contributed an interesting point, in the midst of his withering lay opinion of my religious commitment. Is it, or isn't it, the best use of our time to be actively attempting to rescue Father Premule?

Fendric then picks up the feet of Nurthk (strength check?), nodding at Hiritus to help him with the other, and proceeds to the boats.

 

[Uriel]

OoC: Off to Gencon West, please auto-play Niccolo untuil Monday, have fun all!

 

[doghead]

Xaio watches Fergus as he speaks. He is clever, that one. My heart would have me trust him, but his words are quick and slippery. Better to be wait and see, I think.

Xaio shifts himself to one of Nurthk's shoulders and, assuming Hiritus steps up, motions for him to take one side of the blanket while he takes the other. Between the three of us we should be able to do this smoothly.

 

[Guilt Puppy]

Hiritus helps bring Nurthk down to the boats -- between the three of you he's not too heavy, and the rigid flexing of his muscles does make him a bit less cumbersome than a body gone limp.

Placing him safely in the boat takes up most of the footspace -- Niccolo and Furgus could travel safely in the same boat, although one of the larger folk could probably fit, as well (with some difficulty pedaling.) You currently have three other boats to occupy.

Some things which still need answering before we can progress:

- Do you want Shavah to come along? She's currently willing to break with the rest of her group.

- Does anyone want to try to persuade the rest of the Heironeans to come along? (And persuade Ozzy to get some more boats for you, in that case?)

- Once that's sorted out, who's boating with who, and what will be your formation travelling downriver?

 

[dpdx]

[How wide is the river where they are, right now?]

Fendric turns to Shavah before leaving for a boat. "Er, there's room on the boat if you, specifically, wish to remain with us, Shavah. I would like that, even. Your colleagues, however, mayPelorprotectthem, we'd need more boats. They'd be welcome, too, though. But it sounded like they're ready to go home. Do you think it's safe for them to return?"

 

[Guilt Puppy]

[How wide is the river where they are, right now?]

(Around 20 yards of open waterway, not counting what's covered by the docks and other structures which line the banks.)

"Er, there's room on the boat if you, specifically, wish to remain with us, Shavah. I would like that, even. Your colleagues, however, mayPelorprotectthem, we'd need more boats. They'd be welcome, too, though. But it sounded like they're ready to go home. Do you think it's safe for them to return?"

"If it isn't safe, then isn't that where they're needed most?" She sighs, looking a little guilty for a moment. "Myself... I just want to see what's down that river. If Premule is coming through here, someone of his cloth should be here to greet him, right?"

She heads back to the others, to grab a few things and say a few goodbyes, before returning to get on the boat, and head onward.