At Jabbars Trade Shop
As Jabbar, Burrai, Ersun and Ren step out into the storm Avar bolts the door behind them with a cheerless expression. The young sundered dwarf was clearly not a fan of guard duty.
Elloral, meanwhile, stands by the hearth holding her robes tightly about her shoulders. Evidently feeling a chill while also looking worried and vulnerable. She stares into the flames, her eyes unfocused, yet still wide open. "Strange day..." She says out loud almost to herself as the smoke from Burrai's and Jabbar's pipes still linger in the air.
Avar: -snorts- "You could say that..." He acknowledges, stepping past her into the kitchen opening cupboards.
Elloral: "I hope Jabbar keeps something strong to drink in there."
Avar: -Grunts- "My thoughts exactly..." he states as he rummages through cabinets, ignoring the sweeter offerings of elven wine and Tejj seeking something a little stouter. "I suppose this will do..." He states pulling out a cask of Barossan rum, carrying it over to one of the seats beside the hearth.
Elloral: Glances over appreciatively. "I hear Barossa is a fine kingdom, as much a home to dwarves as humans."
Avar: "Though not without its troubles." He answers while pouring two mugs. "Smugglers like Jabbar, Aust and myself, see many things most don't."
Elloral: -Nods- "Few lands enjoy true peace anymore..." She states, accepting a mug with gratitude before taking a seat herself.
Avar: Drinks deeply before remarking sourly. "Peace is simply the lull between battles. I have never truly known the feeling the way others speak of it."
Elloral: "Given the history of your clan that doesn't surprise me."
Avar: Nods bitterly, quickly downing his mug and pouring another. "Only a dwarf can comprehend the loss of a clans lands and hearth. It leaves a hole within us that can never truly be filled."
Elloral: "I do understand, not only as a dwarf, but as someone who has lost their sense of belonging." She says with a similar edge of bitterness.
Avar: "Oh? Forgive me but you bear the markings of a respected clan and the robes of an even more respectable faith. You look like you've already lived a long and full life, complete with honors, opportunities and education I could only dream of!" -Takes a breath- "Meaning no disrespect..." He hurriedly adds "...but when I saw you sitting beside Burrai at Putyuks of all places, you looked decidedly out of place."
Elloral: -Smirks- "I know I don't fit with Burrai's rough-and-gritty persona. Clerics of Vaulkana don't typically travel far from the homestead. We oversee funerals, births and other ceremonies honoring our ancestors. I served that role dutifully and happily for most of my life..." Elloral Swallows "...but things change..." She states as she fixates on the flames once more "...Once you've glimpsed into the shadows, you start to see them everywhere. Even the Dwarfholds do not feel safe anymore."
Avar: "The goddess Vaulkana is highly respected among my clan. Though we were robbed of our ancestral burial sites and temples long ago, we still gather together to hear our clerics recount the lives and deeds of our founders as often as we can manage. Yet our clerics hold no doubts about the evils you speak of. Perhaps there's much you can learn from us?"
Elloral: "I do not doubt it. I would like to meet more of your kin and hear what they have to say."
Avar: -Nods- "I will see what I can do. We do not gather often, lest our enemies have an easier time tracking us."
Elloral: "I was serious about what I said when we met. Dwarves should stand together."
Avar: "And I also meant what I said. I'll believe it when I see it." He says clearing his throat to change the subject. "Speaking of standing together, what is your connection with Burrai? Is there some relation? All the rumors I ever heard say he has no living kin."
Elloral: -Takes a deep drink- "That is true. I am no kin of his, not by blood." She swallows. "But I've known him a long time, and he wasn't always without kin. I was there for both funerals when he burred them..." She says with obvious pain cracking into her voice.
Avar: -Looks to Elloral thoughtfully- "I see... so this is about vengeance?"
Elloral: "I left the dwarfholds because I uncovered an evil that brought great risk to everyone around me. An evil responsible for many deaths, including those of Burrai's kin. Vaulkana herself is angered, I feel it in my soul. She has tasked me with this quest to destroy whoever, or whatever, is responsible. Anything less would be the same as inviting those shadows to spread and fester further!"
Elloral pauses to drink her mug down hastily, her emotions prompting a deep thirst. Avar waits patiently and keeps listening, refilling her mug as soon as she empties it.
Elloral: -Sighs- "I regret how long it took me to recognize the evil for what it was decades prior. I am haunted by the guilt that perhaps I could have done something more for Burrai if I had. I feel I have already failed him as his priestess. I do not even know if I have the strength or years enough left in me now to aid him as much as might be necessary to see this through? In any case, I do not expect I will see home again until the quest is over."
Avar: -Raises his mug- "We have a saying in my clan... Vengeance is the only motivation a dwarf ever needed to battle the whole damned world! It is as you say, so long as the shadows spread and fester, I expect there will be many dark days in Sion yet to come."
Elloral: -Raises her mug- "Then let us drink to vengeance and the coming dawn! ...and pray the new day brings light enough to burn the shadows back!"
The sound of their mugs clank together loudly in the common room as the fire crackles in the hearth before them.
Elloral: -Lowers her voice a bit- "What is your opinion of the elves?"
Avar: -Chuckles- "The elves? Well, they're both resting when neither of them technically need sleep leaving us awake to deal with whatever comes next. That's what I know for sure right at this moment." He says somewhat unkindly.
Elloral: "Sounds like that makes them the smart ones. We should all be resting whenever we get the chance... because we never know if we'll get another chance will we?"
Avar: "Well by all means get some rest. I am technically the only one asked to be on guard duty."
Elloral: -Sighs- "If I close my eyes... all I think about is how awful I'll feel if I wake to hear something awful has happened to Burrai and the others. We are so close now to actually making significant moves against our enemy... which just makes any other risks seem so much greater and unnecessary!"
Avar: "Burrai can handle himself. Jabbar put him in charge for a reason after all."
Elloral: "And how much trust has Jabbar put in you and Aust?"
Avar: "Aust has lived here as Jabbar's partner for a while so he is trusted very highly. But he and I haven't usually gotten along."
Elloral: "And why is that?"
Avar: "He is careless and foolhardy!" Avar says raising his voice. "The fool got himself cursed by a Talisman of Vermithrax and stuck full of poisoned crossbow bolts from a dark elf in less than the spread of an hour!"
Elloral: "Perhaps you judge too harshly? You don't exactly come across as the careful type either Avar. Besides, Aust put himself at risk to keep Noro's thugs from burning this place to the ground!"
Avar: -Grumbles- "I'll give him credit and thanks for that. All I mean is that we each take risks differently Aust is not ready to take charge of this place."
Elloral: "Aust is a drinker, that's not so common among elves. I'd bet he does it because he's unhappy with his past the same as anyone else who drinks too much. Sometimes angst makes people like that prone to rash decisions. He might be hiding something compromising."
Avar: -Raises a brow- "Interesting notion. I admit I know very little about him. It did always seem odd to see a gray elf living so far from home. Usually they never leave their great walled cities for long."
Elloral: "Well none of you will be able to keep this shop going for much longer either. You realize that right?" She asks pointedly.
Avar: "I do, but I've got no problem picking up and moving on if needs be. Never have."
Elloral: "What made you want to work with Jabbar in the first place?"
Avar: "He's one of the best smugglers around. His services have been quite valuable to my clan. Besides that, they heard enough rumors to believe he could be an ally against the Black Network. They tasked me to confirm those rumors. If they were true I was told to join him in the hopes of sharing information and possibly forming an alliance."
Elloral: "And Jabbar was ok with this?"
Avar: "He was skeptical at first, but I proved my worth to him out there beyond the wall..." He says with a jut of his chin.
Elloral: "While Aust on the other hand has proven his worth within the walls?"
Avar: -Nods- "Yes I suppose he has, for the most part. Gray Elves are naturally used to cities after all, with all the commerce and negotiations common to business within them. We sundered dwarves on the other hand have never really been comfortable indoors. My clan perhaps least of all..." He states rubbing the tattoo of chains around his neck.
Elloral: "Well we'll all have the luxury of choosing our allies later after the evils of the Black Network are dealt with. For now I think we need to be practical, and grateful, to have as much help as we can get. Which brings me to the other elf in question, Billanverthorne?"
Avar: "He's in this for vengeance the same as us. You heard his theory about Jarahdrin and the death of his father. Besides that, he spoke at length with myself and Jabbar outside the walls earlier. His initial plans and ideas had some flaws, but he's got a lot of fire in his heart that one. I think he's the most capable warrior among us besides Burrai, and just as committed as any of us to stand against Black Network." -Smirks- "Odd to hear myself give such high praises to an elf."
Elloral: "Seemed that way to me also, but there's a lot left to question about him as well isn't there? You saw that tattoo on his forearm. He's something of an elite archer among the elves. How committed is he to our cause on top of theirs?"
Avar: "Well, the same can be said about any of us. My first duty is to my clan, as I imagine yours is. Perhaps Billanverthorne is no different? Yet so long as we are all fighting the same mutual enemy... we are each serving our respective kin and kith the best we know how, whether by their direct mandate and support or not."
Elloral: "Fair enough. Which brings me to the most recent stranger, Aletia."
Avar: "Ah yes, the snake-keeper..."
Elloral: "I imagine its a familiar."
Avar: "It's strange is what it is, but admittedly I've never been one to comprehend the ways of magic users."
Elloral: "She certainly seems bright with a lot of heart and genuine desire to help the cause. She spoke of loosing a mentor and life's love... I wonder who that was and what, if anything, the Black Network had to do with it? Jabbar certainly took easily to trusting her because his friend Kayote Burlock apparently already has. But she is also clearly naive and the one we know the least about."
Avar: -Hmmphs- "Well maybe you should have a talk with her and settle some of these doubts?"
Elloral: -Sips her rum again- "Oh I intend to."
