Keep bitchin' and I'll change your name to Bitchy_Wizard

[wizard_sass]

You honestly could not think of another title? Your last idea was hardly stellar either.

My escort mission was just fine.

[Worst. Escort mission. Ever]

I would like to think it was reasonably more tolerable than Reaver's. My commentary was succinct and to the point, instead of needlessly superfluous and self congratulating.

Comments

[thetyrant]

Given the way Reaver speaks in my time, I have no doubt that your words are more...delicately chosen. [Ahem.]

[wizard_sass]

There's no reason to become crude. Most of Reaver's actions are often beyond polite commentary but there is no reason not to attempt it in any case.

[thetyrant]

I couldn't agree more. If nothing else, he seems to restrain himself to commentary now. I...heard stories from my mother.

[wizard_sass]

Your mother.

[Oh yes, Sparrow's children]

Has he at all settled with age? He has to have gained something from all the years he's been alive.

[thetyrant]

If he has, I shudder to think of his youth.

[wizard_sass]

I will take that as a no. Tell me he has at least not gotten worse. The last I heard of him he was starting bar fights in Samarkand.

[thetyrant]

[Logan looks pained.] He runs the industrial quarter of Bowerstone now. He enjoys...ruling by fear, as it were. [Logan doesn't really like admitting that he knows what Reaver is. He prefers to pretend to think that Reaver is extremely tough but fair.]

[wizard_sass]

.... Who gave him that kind of power?

[thetyrant]

[Oops here's kingly defensive mode. Logan draws himself up a little.] The kingdom needs resources, and he is exceptionally good at getting every drop of use out of every scrap I can toss him.

[wizard_sass]

[Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh.]

... I'm surprised nothing is on fire.

I wonder how long they'll tolerate him before they eventually retaliate and blow something up.

[thetyrant]

I don't intend the arrangement to last forever.

[wizard_sass]

Even a year is too much. Reaver has no concept of morality, no interest in supporting anyone but himself. It'll only be a short matter of time before someone becomes brave or stupid enough to do something about it, and it won't end well.

There will be damage, both casualties and collateral.

It isn't worth the scar he'll inevitably leave.

[thetyrant]

[If you only knew, wizard. Logan's voice has gone just a shade quieter.] Albion's survival is worth any scar.

[wizard_sass]

[Tell him. He might have a clue, he did live near the desert where that thing came from]

What are you not telling me?

[thetyrant]

[Logan considers this. On the one hand, he knows no one could ever understand that thing, that he'd be locked up in an asylum if he tried to speak of it. On the other, if anyone's going to believe him, it's probably Garth, and Logan is so tired of suffering this burden alone.]

It...there is a...a thing. [He knows he's being stunningly articulate right now but he finds it difficult to speak of. Just thinking of Shadelight puts him into a cold sweat, and he's not sure he'll be able to explain this without choking on the words.] It...no one could understand it. [Reflexively, Logan's left hand -- his sword hand -- starts to clench and flex. It carries a memory of his hand clutching a sword so hard he needed help to let go of it later, swinging it wildly into the darkness as the Crawler poured fear into him. Nothing so benign as fear of the dark, or of death, or of failing his kingdom, but pure, black, poisonous fear.] Not without experiencing it.

[wizard_sass]

You'll understand it when I say this explains nothing. Where did you find this thing? How long ago? Did you awaken it or did you go there to fight it? This world is filled with unimaginably terrifying monsters that are beyond description. I've seen them myself.

You have to tell me what you saw, as much as it may pain you to do so.

I will not think less of you, and I will not disbelieve you.

[thetyrant]

It's not- [And yes, he can't seem to get any more words out. To some degree, the Crawler is trying to prevent him from speaking, so it can feed on his fear and his sanity. It left its poison inside him.]

The...the desert of Aurora. A kind of cave...Shadelight. [One question at a time. He's not trying to form coherent paragraphs anymore, just get enough words out to communicate.] Four or five years. We didn't know.

[wizard_sass]

... The Auroran desert. I remember that place. Though I didn't attach any immediate names to the place you're talking about...

I think I know where you've been. I was personally never able to reach it. I only heard rumors of what called that old, dark temple home. I had been intent on discovering what it was for myself, but I see I should have considered myself fortunate that I took a bullet instead.

i swear i didn't mean to derail this into my logan feels sob

[thetyrant]

In the extreme.

Perhaps if you were fortunate, you would have died there and not had to live with it. I...I had my men with me. ["I was the only survivor." He can't seem to get those words out.]

lol totally okay

[wizard_sass]

... I see.

[Not gonna lie, Garth is a pretty proud wizard. He's very big on the whole 'nothing can get the better of me' image.

But if this thing took down a small army, chances are one smug little spell flinger isn't going to have much of a chance.]

I still wish I could have gotten there. Put up a few more seals or made the place more difficult to reach.

I JUST HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS and also headcanon about logan and garth

[thetyrant]

The world would be better for it, I am certain, though I don't know that it would help. The...it... [Deep breaths.] The Crawler, it builds its strength. It wants to be free. It will be free.

NO ITS OKAY

[wizard_sass]

At this point anything would help, even holding it back for a few more years. I don't claim to know what it's capable of but if it can take down a small army, it's something that needs to be kept in a hole for a long time.

[thetyrant]

It's coming for Albion. It--

[Aaaand he's done. Logan goes silent and does not appear to be breathing, left hand clenched tightly into a fist and shaking slightly.]

[wizard_sass]

[Garth is not a therapist, Logan. He understands the whole 'traumatized beyond belief' thing, believe him he does. He spent ten years in the Spire.

But that doesn't mean he's going to be good at dealing with it in other people]

Breathe. Collapsing in a fit now would be counter productive.

[Though he does lightly tap Logan on the arm to try and draw him out of his stupor. This is hard stuff.]

[thetyrant]

[There's a difference between trauma and being filled with the Crawler's corruption, that black ooze slopping through his veins. Sometimes he can feel it. His heart is pounding like it's trying to push the corruption out and Logan doesn't speak, but he makes himself blink and breathe, even if it feels artificial.]

Forgive me. [His voice is still tight and strained and he's nowhere near normal yet, but speech is progress, right?]

[magic101]

Hello. I know we haven't met. But my player was rather pleased with you, though wished that you were more important to the plot since it took so many years to save you from the spire.

[wizard_sass]

I feel I did my part just fine. It is something of a shame that I could not have done more, everything considered. But things are what they are. I'm happy enough that I could help.

[magic101]

My player also said that it was a shame you didn't get more screen time, and that your personality was one that is slow to warm up.

[To me.] Really? You can't say it yourself?

[wizard_sass]

It is part of my personality to be a bit... closed off. Unlike other people I could name.

[Reaver]

Still, the screen time I had was adequate. I accomplished what I had to.

[magic101]

Yeah. You don't seem too bad. Though I just met you.

[And she learned first hand not to trust appearances.]

[wizard_sass]

I would like to think of myself as not bad at all. There are far worse mages than I am. I am, apparently, a hero after all.