Muttonhawk

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

While Ahnasha fetched Sabine, Fendros stepped over to the upturned chair that Elinenne leapt from and righted it next to Jespric, around the table corner. He sat down and rested his hands together on the table, looking at Jespric intently and trying to ignore the child's pain. "Start from when you first contacted them. Tell me everything from there. Every detail."

Barely half a minute passed before Sabine stepped in and took in a slow, horrified gasp at the scene. She immediately charged a powerful healing spell in her hands and stepped up to the mother and child. "Let me help," Sabine urged. "Show me your injury."

Even Sabine was affected by what Ahnasha had done. Unlike the apparently blank Fendros, she looked to be on the verge of tears. She was as gentle as she could be with Aneitta while staunching the bleeding, numbing the pain, and carefully repairing the stab wound.

Fendros did his best to ignore it all and remained staring at Jespric.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Fendros did not like the violence. The fact that it was being inflicted on a child was sickening to him. For the sake of the mission, he remained blank. He was still Jespric's way out of this.

"If you do not tell us, you will be carrying your family home in those stones," Fendros said, glancing his eyes to the stones pointedly. "This is not a lie or a deal. This is what will happen. Talk to us and we guarantee your safety from Vile and the lives of your family, souls and all."

Fendros straightened again and turned his head to Jespric's wife. He took her by the arm and roughly brought her upright to face Jespric. His grip was firm enough that she would not be lashing out. "Eleninne, please say what you will. This should be a family decision."

He hoped that they would come to a conclusion quickly. Fendros could feel bile creeping up his throat.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

It didn't matter how many times Fendros saw it. Ahnasha could be terrifying when she needed to be.

"Jespric," Fendros spoke and put on a pained expression to regain his attention. "You betrayed Clavicus Vile by failing him at the meeting spot when we ambushed your band. He finds any excuse to take a debt like a soul." Fendros tilted his head. "When your agreement was laid out. When you signed up for this deal. Was it detailed that you would get any amnesty if you were captured? Can you say with confidence that they will forgive you and let you carry out your debt after your leader died and you lost your captives? Do you think going up to them holding the gems that contain Aneitta and Eleninne's souls will give them sympathy? We could arrange that so you trade them in as a forgiveness-begging down-payment. They might accept that." Fendros shook his head. "But it's not worth it, Jespric. You know it's not worth it. And I don't want you to have to do that."

While Jespric thought, Fendros wandered to a bag at the side of the room and brought out two empty black soul gems. He laid their rigid forms out, one by one, on the wooden table. He may not have known how they worked, but Fendros had already made it clear what the outcome would be.

At that point, however, Ahnasha would more likely take all three souls for herself.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Fendros pushed off the wall and held out a hand to stop Ahnasha. If she was to keep up her role, so would he. "I have already made it clear to Eleninne that it wouldn't matter to them if you told us anything," Fendros said to Jespric. "The moment you walk away from us, they'll find you and collect on their debt through the worst means they can."

A step forward brought Fendros up to the table again. He held his hands behind his back and looked down at Jespric. "Your employer preys on the desperate, such as yourselves. They make deals that can't be refused." Fendros bent forward and leaned his forearms on the table, bringing his head to Jespric's eye level. His voice lowered to a swift mumble. "But this is a luckier day than you think because we can get you out. We are your employers' enemies, fighting against them for years -- they don't know where we go, how we move. They can't track us. We can get you, your wife," Fendros nodded his head back. "And your daughter Aneitta to a safe place. You can start fresh with new names, in peace. We're your best chance." Fendros carefully leant his body towards Jespric. "You just have to tell us everything from when you joined up with that band and got that equipment from them, to now."

Fendros slid his arms up to lean his hands on the table so Jespric could see his family while he made a decision.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Fendros nodded at the door. "Suits me. We will probably not need both for these ones, though. I think the wife will be able to convince him for us." Fendros' expression turned uncertain. "Just one thing. Which one is Jespric?"

A few minutes later, Fendros brought back the captive the had the physical description of Jespric. Unfortunately for him, he still had the bruises and injuries of the previous fight. Keeping him in his bindings, Fendros sat him down on the chair opposite Eleninne and Aneitta. "This is your lucky day," Fendros said to him. "Not only did you survive, but so did your family, even after dipping your toes into something particularly dangerous."

Fendros leaned against the wall perpendicular to the family and crossed his arms. "Eleninne, how about you explain to him what is going on?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Fendros found it unfortunate that they had tried to lie to them. Why they would bring their daughter into such a dangerous situation was a curiosity, but they could use the family relations to their advantage.

"I'll get your water," Fendros said flatly. He walked to the front door and returned a few moments later with a wooden cup filled with fresh water. He had Sabine chill it and it already beaded with dew. He then turned a chair, sat down opposite Eleninne, and placed the cup down on the table. He pushed it slowly by the base towards Aneitta with a frown.

"Eleninne, was it? I can understand why you might want to hide things. Your employers would not tolerate giving information to us." Fendros rested one arm across his front on the table. "The truth is, however, that merely being captured has likely sealed your fate. You're too much of a liability." Fendros paused for a breath and looked up to one side. "However, I can tell you some things. I can tell you that we are a powerful group. We could inflict much suffering, but not likely more than your employers. We could also make sure that your employers never find you after all this. You would be safe." He resumed eye contact. "I can also tell you that I have a son. I want the best for him, I want him to be safe. I know you want the same for your daughter. I can tell you that we are your best chance now. So..."

Fendros readjusted to lean forward and weave his fingers together on the table. "I need you to start from the beginning. Tell us everything about your involvement with that Imperial woman on the wagon. I cannot guarantee your family's safety if you lie to us."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Fendros' confusion was reflected right back at Ahnasha. "Ahnasha, I do not think we'll be forced to kill them."

She was already eager to move on. With Ahnasha not heeding Fendros' words, he exhaled and decided to leave the issue to a later time.

A short while later, they had the captives before them and were ready to get underway. The sheer volume of information that Ahnasha had meant that it would probably be better for them to get to the interrogations with Ahnasha advising as necessary. Fendros did not want to detain the driver and the girl any longer than they needed to.

"I'll see what I can do," Fendros responded to Ahnasha. He walked up to the woman and child and beckoned them up. "Stand up. Come with us, please."

Fendros' voice was calm, but firm enough to remind them to obey. He took them to the next room, one way or another, and sat them down at a table while he and Ahnasha remained standing. Fendros looked over them both with a neutral face. "Do you need any water? Or food? What are your names?"

Instead of a hostile approach, Fendros wanted to try and build a rapport with these people in case they were innocent. Offering some hospitality would be a better opening to calming their nerves than simply assuring their safety after the threats he had previously given.

Mid/High Casual - Divinus: The Deity Roleplay Mk.II

@BBeast Hmm, I'm not actually sure. I imagine that putting a sack over its head would elicit a similar reaction to how a dog would react; either walking backwards or trying to paw the thing off.

Perhaps you could try something else to stuff with its navigational systems. If you lash a bridle to its head and tug it up to face the sky, it might get confused, sit down, and gently try and fail to reach the bindings.

If you did both at once, I would grant full license for that to work until something on its shitlist turns up.

Mid/High Casual - Divinus: The Deity Roleplay Mk.II

@Cyclone I don't think white giants have been forgotten so much as there're plenty of places around the world that they still roam that have simply not been documented by IC posts. There are still plenty around. They are incredibly tough, despite the number that may have been crunched by spooked brush beasts or the like. They might have some plants growing on them at this point, though.

I had actually planned on documenting white giants as a means for distant transportation for those that can climb on top of them and ride them. Given that their patrol patterns are very consistent and chaotic stuff isn't always around, a couple of hain could sit back on one while it takes them to a tribe kilometres away.

As for dismantling them, that's a bit tricky. The first problem is that they were made before Toun even came up with his calligraphy -- they are controlled by artificial souls in a rather temperamental biological frame. Given that Toun used them as a 'fire and forget' creation, he's not really updated them to use Tounic Calligraphy instead. Currently, the hotbed of mortal calligraphy use is with Sularn's Rovaick in Rulanah. Even if the giants had any calligraphy in them, dismantling one would be a delicate and dangerous process that risks breaching the magical siphon within them and causing random behaviour in the local space of reality. Your best bet would be to find a pre-exploded one in the wild somewhere, like the hain that discovered their aluminium bones.

The good news is that Tounic Calligraphy is not entirely cut off because of the above details. Toun sent countless droningbirds all around the globe to look for and spy on godly creatures. They have Tounic calligraphy all over their interiors. They are much easier to catch! However, they are still powered by a small magical siphon that could cause trouble to those that aren't careful.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

At first, Fendros shrugged at Ahnasha's questions. However, as soon as she said the word 'souls,' Fendros caught half a breath and raised one hand. He waited for Ahnasha to finish before speaking. "No, not them. Why do...? Look, Ahna, I do not know how much they know, but even if they are lying, it's just a mother and child. We've got hostile captives, those will do for now. I would much prefer that we let the drivers go once we've questioned them."

Before continuing, Fendros stepped up to Ahnasha and placed a hand on her shoulder. He spoke just above a murmur. "I know you're close. It's been hard work." He paused and made eye contact with Ahnasha. "There's no need to rush the last step, okay?"