Zion: Light of the New Moon Part 2, Ch 2.1 Shrad
Zion - Light of the New Moon, Part 2 Chapter 2.1
Shrad The Lawless Wilds
Based on votes from the end of 1.5, Shrad receives + Favor but, sadly, no character got enough votes to gain a bonus experience point. Based on the party's event arc, the following modifiers on this chapter are + Luck, + Willpower, + Treasure if successful or - Luck, - Willpower, - Treasure if they fail.
"This is wrong." Loric noted with certainty, standing atop one of the group's wagons as Shadow continued transferring supplies and equipment to and from the slavers' wagon, "Stop this."
"Freeing the slaves is not wrong." Shadow stated, picking up a bedroll and moving it to the slaver's wagon, "We're giving them leave to find happiness... something they can't do when they're forced to answer to the whims of others."
"Which means you're taking away happiness from their future owners." Loric stated, "And the joy of free men is far more important."
"I'm glad we can agree on that." the black wolf acknowledged, "because they aren't slaves any longer."
Loric growled, "You're impossible... and when we return to Shrad your superiors will hear of this, Shadow Darkfang."
"Lord Kriabnish," Guardsman Sten spoke up from the side, stepping into the circle of wagons, "We ARE in the Wild Lands... you're making a pretty amazing target standing there, you know."
The arctic fox's scowl deepened, and he climbed down, "Talk some sense into this buffoon." he spoke to the otter, motioning toward the black furred wolf, "If he doesn't want to bring the slaves along I can accept that, but we could SELL them at the next Wayside and re provision ourselves... hire an escort... sweet Goddess, Darkfang," he turned back to the wolf, "You could get a whore... you like whores, don't you?"
"Wouldn't know." Shadow responded, walking past the fox with a satchel of trail rations in it, "Never hired a woman for that sort of thing."
"I'm sure they have boys too." the fox offered with a shrug, "Whatever you like!"
"What I'd like, 'your Lordship'," the black wolf turned around with a growl, "is for you to shut your muzzle and let me see to the safety and support of these people."
"Lord Kriabnish," Tolen spoke up quietly, "what we're doing is for the best." he offered, "These people deserve a chance to be free."
Loric shot a glance at the meek fox, "You give our breed a bad name." he accused, "Freeing these people... bah! It's like freeing a hearth dog in the middle of the woods. You may feel good in letting them go, but given a week they'll wide up dead in a ditch... these slaves have no sense of understanding about how to survive on their own. You're giving them a death sentence and costing us our finder's fee."
"These people know when to shut up." Nori spoke, standing up from his seat on the steps of an adjacent carriage, "Which means they know more about survival than you do."
Loric growled, "Is that some kind of threat, you pre-pubescent gutters squir--"
"Enough!" Sten barked, "We've taken the time to consider the options and in all ways this is the best one."
"Truly." Gaerid noted from his place by the fire. The rottweiler sat, calmly patting Wyse, "If we had to take the slaves with us there's a good chance they'd die. If we had to take them to the town to sell them then we'd be going out of our way."
"But all the coin--" Loric interjected, but the bounty hunter quickly spoke over him.
"If you're carrying a sack of gold when you're swimming then you drown." he stated, staring right at the fox, "Better to drop the bag and live then let your attachment to coin be the death of you."
Loric's scowl deepened, "I hate the idea... but I understand your point," he relented, "Fine... to the Eternal Flame with all of you... I'm going back to my carriage."
"Wait." Tollie spoke up from the side.
Loric's demeanor changed immediately as his posturing subsided and his high-societal tail swish quickly turned into a lowered angle of submission, "Yes, your Eminence?"
"Loric is right." the hyena noted simply.
"Praise the Goddess... he speaks." Sten acknowledged with a smirk, then glanced to Tollie, "Why is he right, Tollie?"
"We cannot release all of the slaves." the seer stated.
"Ah... you see?" Loric grinned, motioning to the hyena, "We cannot release the slaves."
"Not all of them." Tollie clarified.
"I can work with that." the fox smirked, "I think the Doe is a good choice, and perhaps the male human..."
"No... they go free." the hyena countered.
Loric paused, cocking his head to the side, "But you said--"
"They may all go free, except--" but Tollie was cut off by Shadow.
"They're all going free. No exceptions." the black wolf declared.
"You aren't in charge, Darkfang." Loric chided.
"Well neither is he." Shadow stood his ground, turning to look at the hyena. He spoke directly to Tollie, though his voice held just a faint bit of hesitation in it, "You aren't in charge."
"I did not claim to be, Shadow Darkfang." the seer acknowledged, bowing his head slightly, "I am not telling you what to do... merely saying what must be done."
"That sounds a lot like an order." Shadow countered.
"It may, if there were not good reason for it." Tollie offered.
"And the reason is?" Sten asked.
"One of them will die if he's freed." the hyena answered.
"What?" Nori asked, tail puffing, "That's a lie. There's no way you could know--" and his words slowly trailed off into nothing as he gained several calloused looks from the rest of the party.
"Allin is a Blade Slave." Sten spoke, "I've heard stories of them up and dying when they lose their master."
"When they have no master, yes." Loric confirmed, crossing his arms, "Which means releasing him is a BAD idea. If we have to take HIM into town to sell we could just as easily--"
"Give him over to one of the others' for protection." Sten suggested, "I'm sure the raccoon would do the right thing."
"We keep him." Tollie stated decisively.
"Finally someone talking sense." Loric declared.
"What?" Tolen spoke up, "We're setting them free."
"No." Shadow stated with certainty, "They're all going free."
"This is not your choice, Shadow Darkfang... it must be this way." Tollie explained.
"Stop the fate and destiny bullshit." Shadow scowled.
"I do not wish to argue about this, please." the hyena offered, "It is not something that can be debated. This is what is best."
"Prove it." Shadow demanded.
Tollie looked to his right where Allin remained impassive, "Allin, would you like to be freed?"
The Tamaskan's ears went up and he glanced for a moment to Tollie, and the hyena had the full attention of the piercing blue eyes, "I... do not understand, Master Tollie."
"'Master' Tollie..." Shadow scowled. "You and Loric deserve each other." he noted in a disgusted tone.
"You're free to go, Allin." Tollie stated, looking straight at Shadow.
"Free, Master Tollie?" the dog's deep voice held a tone of confusion.
"Yes." the hyena acknowledged, still staring at Shadow, "You have no master... you are your own man."
"Good." Shadow acknowledged, then looked to the Tamaskan, "You aren't a slave any longer, Allin... you're free."
"What will you do now, Allin?" Tollie asked casually.
"There is nothing left to be done." the dog acknowledged. Without even blinking, the dog pulled his blade free of its sheath and summarily pulled it with both paws it into his own gut.
"Sweet GODDESS!" Shadow screamed, dropping the pouches he was carrying and he ran straight for the collapsing dog.
"Allin," Tollie spoke up, still looking at Shadow, "I changed my mind... I am still your master."
"You're insane!" Shadow growled at the hyena, kneeling down next to the bleeding dog. "Tolen! Get over here!" he motioned to the fox, "Goddess... he's bleeding."
"Stand, Allin." Tollie ordered, and the dog obediently got to his feet, "Are you injured?" he asked, eyes never leaving Shadow.
"Yes, Master." Allin confirmed.
Shadow backpedaled as he looked up at the stoic face of the Blade Slave, "You have a sword in your stomach! What in the Eternal Flame are you doing STANDING?"
"My Master ordered me to stand." Allin answered simply.
"Let Tolen tend to your wounds." Tollie spoke, gaze still locked on the black wolf.
"He should be laying down." the healer suggested.
"Follow Tolen's requests." the hyena ordered then added after a moment, finally breaking his gaze with Shadow to look at the Tamaskan, "And do not die."
"Yes, Master Tollie." the dog acknowledged, and followed after Tolen, who brought him to his wagon.
"Oh Goddess..." Shadow watched the Blade Slave walk off trailing a line of blood, "He's..."
"Broken." Tollie explained, looking to Shadow again, "You cannot expect a bird to fly with a snapped wing and you cannot expect a runner to run a race with an injured leg."
"He wasn't injured before he--"
"He was, Shadow Darkfang." Tollie argued, "Minds can be damaged as surely as bodies... they just do not show it as well."
Shadow glanced down at the ground before growling out, "You knew he'd do that."
"Of coursee he did." Sten stated flatly, "He told us several times that we couldn't free Allin."
"Just shows you that sticking to meaningless morals doesn't save you from destroying peoples' lives." Loric stated with a smirk, "Congratulations on almost killing a slave, Shadow... you're one murderous hero."
"That is not helping, Loric." Tollie said softly.
"I'm sorry, Your Grace... I thought we were telling Shadow off for doubting you." the fox bowed.
"There is no need..." the seer spoke, "he feels bad enough already."
"You're colder than your sister." Shadow noted his observation quietly, but loud enough to be heard, "I'm starting to wonder if she's protecting you from the world, or protecting the world from you."
Tollie blinked, looking to the black wolf with an almost bemused expression on his muzzle, "The path of the seer is rarely one that is understood, but the one thing you can know for certain is that I dislike people to suffer."
"You fooled me there." Shadow declared, looking up at Tollie again, "From where I'm sitting you look like you thrive on it."
"I enjoy knowing that any pain I cause means that I save that much more from happening elsewhere." Tollie answered.
"So you enjoy meddling... is that it?" Shadow questioned.
"No." Tollie admitted, shaking his head, "It is not easy having to always choose the lesser of two evils, but if I were to know the outcome of a situation and did not do what I could to try for the best outcome then that would be a choice in and of itself." he stood up and turned, entering his wagon.
"I think you're good at seeing hidden injuries in others because you must be injured too." Shadow accused.
Tollie stopped just inside the doorway, "I saved Allin's life today, Shadow Darkfang" he declared, "If you had relented in your demands he would not be injured-- had I relented in mine then he would be dead." The hyena turned around as he eased the door closed, "Consider that." and the door shut.
* * * * * *
Welcome to Chapter 2, Post 1 for the Shradian Caravan in this, Part 2 of Zion: Light of the New Moon.
It looks like the party went straight into their plans on releasing the slaves, but not everybody agrees that it's a good idea.
Since the voting is already long passed on this chapter there isn't much of a point of posting options, is there?