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Message: <blockquote data-quote="infax" data-source="post: 1658890" data-attributes="member: 12784">[PLAIN]Meeting Gaubond (compiled ICQ chat) [english version][/PLAIN]Gaubond raises his hands and addresses the wolf:"This is the what I promised you to vanquish the Mind Flayers, wolf. I come in peace..."While he comes closer to the wolf, a humanoid silhouette is made visible. The shadow is thin, with its back arched, leaning on a gnarled staff. When it gazes in the Giant's direction, a green light illuminates his eyes, then several runes start glowing softly along the old man's naked forearm."An interesting object." He says with some suspiscion. "Stay where you are! I can see you perfectly from here.""What do you want from me, kid? You don't look like you have what it takes to free yourself from being their mind-slave. You don't look like your average city moron, you are not running around ignoring when the Mind Fire will come to destroy Bastillar."They are coming, you know? They will be here in a few months. At the end of the summer it is easier for them to suffer this climate, and at the start of winter they will send the Behir!"Calmly the Giant answers the exasperated old man."All my life I trained for this moment, wizard... I can resist them better than most people in this town... I want freedom back."The mage seems to get a grip on his flaring emotions. Rotugom doesn't seem anymore amenable for that matter. "Hmm..." he stays in silent for a couple of minutes. "Easy to say, youngster. Have you ever fought any of them? What do you know of them?""More importantly", he starts again, Gaubond still unable to answer," what do you thing you are bringing to the cause?" He questions pointing a gnarled finger in the wheel's direction."No..." looking to the ground, the Giant finds his words. "But I train for this since forever. I got this Branded", Gaubond says, folding back his sleeve to point at the Saasheen mark on his arm," because I don't agree with the way we leave today... I don't know what is this wheel, but I know it has some power over them...""Yes..." the Abjurer seems distracted, with his gaze still held by the wheel. "You would have to learn a lot..." Rotugom takes a few steps forward. Gaubond's flickering lantern light illuminates the elder's face. It is etched by time, with very deep, red, tired eyes. Those are still enthralled by the vision of the large metal ring in the Giant's hands."You would have to learn to close your mind, to dominate your emotions, to learn to fight them for real and to foresee their tricks." The wizard changes his tone, "What is your experience with witchcraft Gaubond?""None sir." The Warmain is forced to admit sheepishly. "I know only how to fight.""Ah, that may be too little, kid. You will need more. You will need ot be better prepared, better trained, better equipped."Now, tell me", and Rotugom takes a few more steps forward, almost touching the wheel, lifting his finger toward the artifact. Gaubond suddenly notices the wizard's eyes never wavered from the wheel. "How did you come into possession of this peculiar item?"All of a sudden taken by caution, Gaubond steps back. "Be calm, sir!""I got it by getting it... I came to this meeting hoping you would help me with the Wheel. Did you come to take it from me?""No, no", Rotugom says, lowering his head. "I wouldn't dare.""But you did not give me a good explanation. Kid, I will need to know more thatn that."Tell me, also, what do you expect from me exactly? I have no talent for a teacher and certainly I am no diviner.""You are fighting them for a long time, sir... You must know about some rebellious organization. You must know about some Mindflayer weakness..." those words are said with a rapid deflating confidence. "I am looking for solid information about the Mnd Fire... and how to use this", Gaubond says holding the wheel in front of him."Hah! Rebels!"No, kid. Today its only me. Only I fight them around here. All others are no more than cowards - spineless, prideless - unable to offer any kind of real resistence against those Encephalophages." Rotugom harangues in a single breath."You want to use the wheel, well use it yourself. Now how to use it... hm... that can be a problem." Stepping back again, the mage scratches his beardless chin. The shaggy wolf comes to stay at his side, although there seems to be no real connection between them. "What do you do in town, Gaubond?""I am member of a guild... an adventuring guild sir."What do you mean by a problem, sir?""Adventurers." Rotugom seems to be thinking and ignores the Warmain's question. "That can be useful. Listen kid, I have a lot to do now. I have to take care of something more important - the Whitelight." He says looking around. Gaubond can see he has something more to say, his eyes come back to the artifact and linger again.In a disappointed voice, Gaubond says: "Really, I don't know what to do, sir. About the Whitelight, it came from this wheel. It was I that made it, with the artifact and... I got it in the mines..." As he finishes, his hand goes to his sword, muscles at the ready for any kind of reaction.A smile crosses the wizard's face. His eyes sparkle green again, more intensly than before, with this clearly unnatural light. "Do it again!" He commands."I believe I can't do it again, sir. It has no charges left." And as his temper flares, Gaubond snarls, "Will you help me or not? I told you everything and heard nothing promising in return."Disappointed taking back control over his face, Rotugom, for the first time, looks straight at the Giant's face. "That's alright kid..." Something seems to surprise the old man as their gazes cross. He sighs. "I was serious, there is no resistance. No one fights anymore, only me. And I will fight to my last breath, but I can't do it alone. If you really want to do something with that wheel, you'll have to use it - and use it soon! They have to fear you.""They will fear me." The you Giant says with confidence. "But I fear this power only works once in a year.... Where could we attack now? We could take another town? Where?""If you want my help, you'll have to ally yourself to me. There is no middle ground, there is no informal alliance. And I know very well what that mark in your arm can force you to do."You'll need me, and I will use you." Determination supports the wizard's voice. He is not kidding, nor is he threatening. He is clearing a point with a teacher's attitude."Yes. If it is an alliance you want, an alliance you'll have... this mark only stands for others... as long as you are loyal to me, so will I be to you... sir.""We will take Razula."But that explanation will wait until later."For now I have to explain to you the most elementary concepts of strategy, and the first lesson is to have a base, and never to surrender it." As he says this last part, a smile touches his face."You'll need Bastillar to be your base - and presently, it is no one's."Gather your forces, make a stand and make the city yours."Whom can you trust? Who are your lieutenats? Who can you confide in? Who watches over you when you are betrayed and wounded beyond convencional help? Who keeps watch for you when you are away?"Find out the answers for all those questions. Determine how you want to make Bastillar your base and only then come back to look for me.""Yes sir! I'll do it."Rotugom, the Unassailable, seems to be feeling the weight of ages on his shoulders again. A faint shuffling of leaves can be heard and dropping from a branch a lean shadow of a person, draped in black, appears near the old Abjurer. It steps up to the elder and, without ever looking in the Giant's direction, helps to keep him upright. The wolf disappears in an electrical flash.The meeting seems to be over. The old man turns his back to Gaubond and takes a step towards the ticket's shadows."I'll find out what it is you carry, don't be worried. When you need me again, go back to Harman, or to the tower. In a way or another I will find you." The wizard says, presenting only his back to the warrior."Without another word, Gaubond unfolds his sleeve, adjusts his sword in the scabbard and turns towards the city.Both man part ways in silence, with no goodbyes, they have the certainty they will be seeing each other again and soon. And there is no reason to be rejoyced by that thought.</blockquote>

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