(Closed for Joe Wood)
It's late in the afternoon, when many cultures have their dinner hour. The pervading heat of day lingers in the air, but it has begun to cool. Signalling the slow approach of Fall and the Summer's decline. Theron can be seen exiting out of the back of the Tavern in the upper part of New Haven. He wears his traditional red and black, belt lined with his book, pens and pouches and a series of charms still dangled off the side bouncing this way and that. His pace is easy as he hops down the last step, carrying two flasks. Circling to the back along where trees are near the back road he finds Doc and tosses one with him. "Even at the ending of the world, we can count on vodka to be in supply with the same urgency as weapons." He quipped as he moves to stand facing his brother. He taps his flask to the other. "Vengeance for Jaina," He says using one of the Order's battle cries as a drinking toast.
Volnin looked at the flask, and raised it in a return salute. "Nostrovia, brother." He bit the cork, pulling it out and spitting it into his hand before tilting the container back to his lips. The vodka was warm, and it burned like fire on his tongue. Just how he liked it. Volnin swallowed a large gulp, and wiped his mouth before coughing a bit and smiling. "You know, I'm surprised that I've never heard of that toast before. Of course, after recent events, I think vengeance should be something we consider heavily." He spat on the ground, and recorked his bottle. Under his coat, he now wore a much lighter cotton shirt, and then his tabard and a new breastplate. "You know, vodka is not just a spirit. Its a medicine, a fire starter, and a good companion on a cold night." Volnin looked away for a moment, and twisted his beard ideally as he grappled with some thought that intruded on him. "There is much being done, and yet much to do if anything is to have any real longevity. Do you have any news on anything that I need to be made aware of?"
Theron follows his swig from the coughing of someone who's drink of choice isn't vodka. He covers his mouth as he regains his composure and smiles despite himself. "Which part of this stuff is the medicine part?" He takes a smaller swig having gauged the strength of this drink, then talks with the hand that's holding the flask. "The term was originally used by Sister Rhodda Loftspire. Her and her cohort were the ones that tracked down the Maimed Lady's origins. Story goes the more she learned off all the things Jaina endured the more it filled her with vengeance. She got her Calling tracing back that long road and decided that if Jaina died without payback she would be the one to deliver it." Theron pauses to look at the flask while talking. "Others use it too. A representation that the vengeance cannot be fulfilled while demons still exist. And that Jaina's duty continues even now." He looks to Volnin. "Fitting as her role; Knight Exemplar, can actually be held in death." "As for business," He switches tone. "Zyvian is still working on her research. The celestial runes which seem to indicate evidence of these lesser, Eldest related things. Her dark stone work seems to be a success. She's working on transcribing that stuff from Baph. A very interesting one she's doing is teaching the local farmers techniques to read demonic activity. If it pans out, could be something the Wind and the rest of could use to get word of suspicious activities." He points to him. "I've been helping as instructed. But I'm admittedly rusty at just being able to get back to full time book bitching." "Kodruck's working on his metal working techniques. Including that chain stuff we got pointed to before and with Balance." Theron doesn't sound happy to say that last name. "My effort to make that book have hit a wall. I borrowed a book from Torben, and well. Turns out I can't fake the Ko'jin runes on myself. It's not just a matter of the runes, but it actually requires genuine Ko'jin skin. So. That fucks that up proper." "Aside from that?" Theron shrugs. "The Elendari continue to die. They should descend into full madness soon, I would figure. There was an attempt on Commander Raven's life. Despite having numerical, strategic, logistical, morale, intelligence, material and any other sort of superiority they could want the drow continue to have not wiped us out. As is always, failure is a proud tradition of those degenerates." "Course" Theron rubs his chin. "New Haven remains I'm sure in their minds, useful pawns. Witting or otherwise. I can't think of any area that has furthered their agendas more than the people here. But hopefully the collective belligerence of the place will start turning that tide now that there is, quite actually, no room left to maneuver for fucks up." "But as they hope we'll fuck up as bad as those mooks handing over the the blood stone against like a pack of cowards, I still hope the promise I see in the place will come to fruition. Little chaos can do the world wonders when the conversations of what to do next are dominated by idiot tyrants." "That's neither here nor there. The real issues of course with the demonic activity around here remain constant. We're still having to wait before we can dispose of the Spawn fully and properly. That's going to require the Guardian. Coming up fast we should start seeing something from this 'veil weaver' to watch for. That's going to be key to finding the new guardian and concept." "In this, I think our talks with the Green Keepers have been most fruitful." "Still nothing about this 'wish demon,' I'm keeping my eye out for any relevant lore. Crossroads deals, broken dreams from fulfilled desires. Weird soul activity and the like." "Aside from that. Quiet."
"I've received word of other projects going well to, involving Sister Lillith and Brother Brand. I won't say much more, but they are well." Volnin took another long pull from the bottle, and exhaled happily as he felt the warm liquid fill his belly. "You know what I don't understand? What other value could this town have? Surely the Drow have done nothing but sow discord and animosity here. Do they not fear to reap that harvest?" "It is like demons of madness grip them in regards to this place. Orcs run about, unopposed, while trolls seem to spring up more and more." He spat on the ground, and then took another swig. "I am not sure how you managed to react to so many changing, circling situations at once, Brother Theron of the Tome." Volnin looked down at the pin adorning his armor, and sighed. "I am not as good on my feet as I once was, and I am well liked because I am useful instead of being good at words. You have patience with these people that I have shown to lack, but I think its for the best that you, Scribe Theron, help me by leading our diplomatic attempts."
Theron chuckles some, looking at the drink again. "There's something weird, and something special about this place. Pieces of gods wandering around. Fae concentrated like we're living in fables. This odd, swirling vortex of flashpoints that always seems to center on this place." Theron looks back to the town. "All concentrated here. Sort of like we're all bringing it with us. Or. It's coming to find us." He looks back to Grozny. "For good or ill, I couldn't say brother. But I would say this; whatever the cause or source is irrelevant compared to the need to deal with it. I admit I've got a soft spot for this place. I see in eveyone what I saw in the Sword all those years ago that renewed my ability to hope. All these people, from all corners of the land thrown together much against their will. I remember landing somewhere you'd never imagine and having to make something of it. They are wounded, but they lack the ability to heal because so few of them have ever considered how to heal their soul." "For us, it is the Calling. For everyone else there is something. Some purpose, some focus, some reason. A world's worth of purposes, focuses and reasons all concentrated," he points to the ground, "right here." "The potential is staggering." "I..." Theron struggles to find the word. "Appreciate your assessment of how I handled it. But I still always felt I lived in the shadows of my better that came before. Still. I did well enough to get us by. But we need you now." "I will gladly take up any diplomatic needs for you. That's a smart play. Most important lesson as a Primas; the cohort is your weapon. Learn to utilize the strengths of your brothers and sisters, and safeguard them against their vulnerability." "Brand inspires, Zyvien unlocks, Kodruck creates, Walker endures, Rowan seeks, Carro illuminates, Nyx discerns, Ayin strives, Valen overcomes, Lillith dismantles. When I reacted well, I reacted by doing everything in my power to put our brothers and sisters in the best position for victory. When I failed, I failed because I looked only inward."
"I will give you this advice for when you doubt yourself; your own misgivings should mean less than the trust your brothers and sisters put in you when they appointed you. When you don't trust yourself, trust them instead."
"I'm not saying that you didn't make mistakes. I'm saying that you were flexible and versatile enough to adapt to these ever changing conditions in New Haven." Volnin looked at Theron with his best attempt at being deadly serious. "New Haven is a trying place, but I think you have the right of it. This place is a crossroads of power and fate. The ramifications are far felt in this world. I suspect that they are even more far felt through the realms around us."
Volnin drank again, letting out a belch this time as he covered his mouth. "Excuse me." He laughed a bit, and p4ut the flask away. "I want us to keep a very close eye on things here. Maintaining our vigil will require much of us, but we are fortunate to have an abundance of friends and allies who are willing to support our cause."
"Well, despite our latent insanity, opposing the forces of the Abyss is a mission that resonates with the sane we live with here." Theron thinks a moment, swishing his vodka in his flask. Unwilling to give it up yet. "But similarly, we need to be ready to take up their causes." He raises a finger to make a point. "Fighting the Abyss is not always so simple as to attack demons. The world needs to be hale and whole to resist their influence, and to avoid them making anchors into the world." "When people fear, and their decisions are driven by despair, it draws the gaze of the demonic. The more the state of the world aligns with the Abyss the easier it is for them to influence people, draw power from this alignment, and worst of course, to cross over." "Those that are driven by purpose are the ones we'll find most common cause with. And when they are successful, and the state of the world is harmonious and the mortal plane is better suited to rebuff the Abyss. We should also continue to be mindful of those who may not have purpose but actively seek to discover for themselves what it is for them." "Who we need to be cautious of are the ones seeking power for power's sake. Who are guided by excuses as to why they crave it, not with any understanding how and why to wield it. They are the unwitting pawns to the Abyss and a danger to everyone. As we've already seen." "The drow for example, are excellent pawns. They are clever and cruel enough to cause harm, but too arrogant to begin to question who they are truly serving. Would that eventually some of them were born with ambition greater than doing exactly what they're told they might be less retched." He snickers. "Hell, I'd settle for one of them wake up and ask simple questions such as why they haven't just won this war, given it would be easy for them currently. Then they might realize that winning the war isn't the true goal of their society."