[HQ Ignorance] Scene Ten: The Nature of the Beast

[Sam Elliot]

> Aalmon sat back with his feet up, munching hungrily on a crust of bread
> wrapped around some cheese. He nodded to the others as they came in "No
> disrespect to our hosts but my belly needs some real food."
>
> He finished munching whilst Baros positioned himself next to the one
> window, clearly listening for eavesdroppers.
>
> "Before we get down to the nitty gritty I'd like to say something. What
> the Nameless Man said was that we are seeking more the holders of
> Talor's weapons than the weapons themselves. I get the feeling that some
> of our hosts would love us to go in swords swinging and rid them of an
> embarrassment but I don't think that is what our quest is about and
> anyone who wants to do that better speak up now..." He paused to glug
> down some watered wine from a bottle "..so I can beat some sense through
> their thick skull."
>
> "Anyone else want to eat while we talk? Wine?"

With a satisfied expression, Icthya poured herself some wine from a teapot
and related her findings to the others. She even gloated a little as she did
so, not being the most humble of elves, nor always the most pleasing
company.

"I suspect," she said, "that these weapons are more symbols than objects. A
beast made of various parts? Why, an axe for severance and perhaps peace. A
greatsword in the north can only mean Death, though why with the trolls I
know not. A flail - I have never seen a flail but I believe it is an item
for castigation? To expurge this Loskalmi ideal of Sin?"

Feeling quite clever, although in a dizzy, slightly drunk sort of way, she
looked at Azhur significantly, even raising an epiphytic eyebrow at the
human.

"I am more inclined to sympathise with this beast than wrest its axe from
it, as Aalmon says. Likely safer too. I imagine being merged with Karala,"
she said, glancing at the hsunchen, before deliberately mispronouncing the
dwarf's name, "Karleon and a darkman, and I don't feel very comfortable at
all." She effected a shudder before continuing, "I understand that in the
Near East*, there are centaurs and their kin who are not of the Green Age,
but were rendered in experiments like that of which this Golden Dwarf
speaks. They are forever seeking either healing or revenge upon their
maker."

"Could we not," she asked her companions, "find a way to offer a form of
revenge to this beast in exchange for whatever it is we seek?" Having
conveniently forgotten the healing option, Icthya sat back feeling quite
smug.**


* "Near East" - Dragon Pass. That make sense?
** If anyone wishes to burst Icthya's little smugness bubble, please feel
free.