Mort says:
This woman is dangerous to be around. She only got the upper hand because you were nauseous and not your best. She would’ve killed you if you were alone.
You have to look out for yourself. Give him an ultimatum. It’s either her or you.
Tell him you only came because he promised you community. And your first meeting wasn’t too kind either, after all in the beginning they tried taking your food from you! If she’s coming too, you’ll leave. You only have one life.
As much as you don’t want to be stuck here with these degenerates, you’d prefer to not return to the Lightkeeper empty handed. I doubt she’d pardon Iron as a consolation prize.
And after that Gnomanyan greeting you did, there’s no chance you’d have any leverage here, that he’d choose someone he’d just met over his “dear sister”.
Colonel says:
Sheez, that was foolish, Glass. Hopefully you’ve gotten it all out of your system. If this mission is to work, you need to work WITH these people, up until such time as you can turn them in to the authorities. So swallow your pride, and show them the necessary grace to get this done and over with.
Cringelord says:
I BELIEVE IN YOU GLASS! It wasn’t a fair fight and you were drunk from heatstroke and disoriented … she did properly kick your ass, though, so don’t take this as an indicator to try again.
You’re getting sick of being pushed around. Chased. Grabbed. By people that can just do whatever they want to you.
Right now you feel a calm frustration. You’re reminded that you’re powerless, but you’d be lying to think it wasn’t cathartic to just let loose on someone like that. Just expect the tension between your shoulder blades to return. It always returns.
But it doesn’t matter how you feel. Iron’s freedom is on the line. You can’t afford anymore screw-ups.
lightningfox89 says:
Be sneaky like a Sorya and try to play him off against her. Ask him why he puts up with her outbursts.
Look, you said you understand the Sorya. You’re not trying to be like one. You’re trying to beat the allegations, remember? Though, given The Circle’s eccentric members, Yenkaran does seem out of place. It seems like a fair question.
You ask, “Just a moment… Effrenka, was it? What do you… exactly see in her?”
Yenkaran tilts his head, “That’s a… strange question.”
“Y’know… her outbursts,” you gesture to your snout, ”You seem to put up with it.”
“Putting up with her is irrelevant. She’s my kin. A True Hunter of The Circle. We folk cannot afford the luxury of mere squabbles. The evils of this world will pick us apart if we can’t respect one another.”
“I reckon she doesn’t respect me.”
“Well, that tends to happen when one is spat upon.”
“I meant from the moment she decided to pin me down and have you go through my shit.”
Yenkaran falls silent. Of course he does.
He begins to stand up. “I’ll… let Effrenka know you’re okay.”
“I’ll join you; I just need to check on a few things first.”
Fienrya says:
You should check that all the contents of your bag is still there.
Head knocks followed by strangulation is not exactly good for your brain. Is your story still straight? Are your possessions still in your possession? Are your irises the same size?
zebediah zebbins says:
Get a drink outta that waterskin. You’re pretty exhausted!
You’re fine. You’ve been through worse. You take inventory, and gulp down the rest of your water. Aside from The Waterskin, the bag appears undisturbed. The papers are still haphazardly stuffed the way you left them. It didn’t seem like they snooped around. At least Yenkaran still doesn’t know you’re illiterate.
solstice says:
briefly consider shooting celebratory fireworks at effrenka to show how much you like her
Viksen says:
Mental long-term note: acquire firearm to avoid situations like this.
Shooting’s all you’ve really been decent at.
Your quest log’s taking longer to scroll. It’s almost as if you should start completing things.
After collecting your thoughts, you gather your things and hobble over by the riverbed to join them.
“There you are, Madam. Would you be so kind to oblige us with your discovery?”
You start, reciting what the Lightkeeper instructed you to say, albeit with less energy. “So yeah, The Stacks District. It’s a gang, smuggling weapons for the Nanzuul. We can take the weapons, and maybe… catch something as well?”
Effrenka glances at Yenkaran, “…You’re not gonna ask? Really?”
You exhale impatiently.
She continues, “Fine. I’ll ask: Where did you hear such things?”
“From my… prey. In a plea for his life.” you lie.
“That so?”
Yenkaran chimes in, “Yes, this was the one she caught in the forest when we met her yesterday.”
“‘We’ as in…?”
“It was Mikella, Tazmun, Nairn, and myself.”
Her brow furrows, “So let me unpack this: There were four of you. Armed for the hunt and you just let her walk away with them?”
“She left a good impression on the pack. See for yourself.” He chuckles and shows his hand.
“What? You allowed this frail wretch to cut you?”
Yen stammers. “She was so frightened. And I like to think of myself as a courteous man. And furthermore, she found it first. Hunter’s rights.”
“I’ve been gone too long.”
“Are you suggesting I should’ve harmed a fellow Sister of the Circle?”
“I’m suggesting you should’ve put her in the ground and fed your starving folk.”
“I reject that. That is not how we do things. We aren’t savages.”
You hear the horrible woman break into laughter. Bitterly. A long wheeze. Then a snort.
“And you.” she narrows her gaze towards you, “You have some nerve returning to us and causing more trouble. It was only a matter of time before you ran into someone like me, huh? Listen closely when I tell you this: If you ever cut him again, I will take your head and kick it around like a ball.”
You snarl, “The hell you mean, ‘trouble’? I have boundaries.”
“If you value your boundaries then you’d best stay away from folk like us. You should’ve just taken your meatbag and vanished; You’d be set for a year. Now you want to share with us?”
“I want to help. And I’m doing this for Yenkaran; He’s the only one that’s been nice to me.”
She scoffs, “You don’t know him.”
“And,” you continue, irritated, “I need better weapons to defend my catch. Where I come from, I’ve learned that nothing’s truly yours unless you can fight for it. Maybe we can get those weapons together, they’re not exactly easy to get in Cohv.”
“Freckles—we have weapons. You want one? Ask Yen. If he let you walk away with our victuals then I’m sure he’d give you a little sword to accidently fall on. Better yet, I’m sure he’d even give you the fillings out of his teeth since he’s feeling so generous.”
“Enough of this! C-can you just entertain her for one second, please? Our hunts haven’t exactly been the most bountiful as of late, and Glass is willing to help us even after you decided to utterly brutalize her. We are kin. And you both are sisters now.”
You and her share a mild look of disgust.
Effrenka replies plainly, “Fine, carry on.”
“Glass if you may.”
“It’s on a pinnace, docked near the old cranehulk. And they only unload in the morning. Should only be a couple there, at least until dawn.” You speak as if you know what a cranehulk or a pinnace is, but they’re probably things that float.
She stares at the water, “Which cranehulk?”
Yenkaran replies, “We’ll there’s only one now. The other one on the Rusted Jag sank into the slop a few months ago.”
“Okay, and shouldn’t we assume it’s a set up?”
Yenkaran cocks his head, “We scout before we decide, right? Is there any reason to not follow your own wisdom here?”
“No. We can take a look. What about her?”
“What about her?”
She gestures to you, “Is she prepared?”
“I can provide what she lacks. I believe I’ve a spare mask and wraps. That is if you don’t have any yourself, Glass.”
“I’d appreciate that, thanks, Yenkaran.”
Yenkaran and Effrenka push the boat off the riverbed. You watch her open a panel and start checking on the strange machinery attached to the aft. To no one’s surprise you hear more cranky sighs and scoffs out of her.
As he brushes off his hands, he looks back at you, “So… pardon any assumptions, but I peg you as a trapper. That trap you set yesterday was quite impressive. Clever use of the vines I must say.”
You reference another good memory with Dad, “Yeah, back home I’ve made a few traps. Although the best ones were built from guns and tripwires. Those worked well. Even better with wheellocks. Matches… they suck.”
You hear Effrenka swear in a different language.
“I’m sure you miss your tools. What do you think will be on the pinnace, anyway?”
“Honestly, I know as much as you do. I don’t even know what a pinnace is.”
“I’d like to tell you, but she and I have argued once before about it. Sometimes it’s a large boat. Other times its a small ship. Sometimes it goes into larger ships. It’s really confusing.”
“It really isn’t a hard concept to grasp, Yen.” Effi huffs.
“I think its best we to just look for the cranehulk.” he nudges you.
He faces you directly, “All being said, I want to know how you feel about a more direct hunt. Your confidence in the fray, that is. I feel it best to have you, but I wish not to place you in needless peril. So tell me, dear Sister, how do you prefer to work?”
Effi seems to be a bit abrasive now, and she is not nearly as likeable as Yenkaran. However, I like to think that she has some tragic backstory. I get the feeling she was instrumental in establishing the Circle. I think that maybe the Nanzuul raided her village or town, killing everyone. She wanted revenge, and decided to look into the Circle. It doesn’t excuse what she has done with the Circle, but it makes her more likeable and provides a springboard to redeem her.
Effi and Yenkaran seem to me as the next romantic couple of this series after Zeb and Glass. Yenkaran sees the Circle as a noble cause, to fight against the tyranny of the Nanzuul. Effi knows they are all just savages, mocking the others for not getting their hands dirty enough. The backstory of the Circle has to be more complex than what has been showed. It only features wild cats and wild dogs so far. While Lion wolves and Hyenas are some of the most recognisable predators, they are still other famous ones. Crocodiles, snakes, eagles, hawks are some. Where do they fit in? As the story continues, both characters will have their convictions tested, perhaps learning that the Circle is far from what both of them independently believed. They’ll have to rely on each other to navigate the new environment, falling in love if they haven’t got feelings for each other already.
I wonder if there is a way to mind control the Circle. Their rituals induces them into a savage frenzy, altering their minds. Could it be possible to use different chemicals and substances to yet again control their behaviours by editing and modifying their savage stupor?
“Like I said. By trap and misdirection. Lone hunter tactics. Lurk in wait and follow up the trap. Hit the weakest point. Big fan of skulking too. Love a good skulk.”
If he asks what the difference between lurking and skulking is, tell him it’s kinda like the pinnace thing.
There’s a difference but no one can agree on what it is.
Establishing that you approach a hunt by sneaking about means your furtive behaviour is pre explained and your actions will be expected while you try to figure out a way to sneak off from this disaster in potentia
Tee hee, I can’t help but feel there’s a bit of innuendo going on with all this discussion of pinnaces, their size, and what they go into. ^w^
I can sense the traditionalists vs realist divide among this group.
If Effi is a traditionalist, then how is she getting her prey? She has been isolating herself from the others, seemingly because she sees them as pathetic failures. She rejects all of their ideas, meaning she probably doesn’t disguise her activities as much behind a civilised facade. She could be a baker, but that could be her baking cannibal foods on her own. So how does she get prey if she won’t act civilised to blend in? My personal theory is that she has made a deal with some entity that allows her to magically bake organs and flesh from dough and other baking supplies. That’s how she can supply the Circle with so much food.
I meant Effi is the pragmatic one against a bunch of “larpers” who act for the sake of cultural reclamation.
Sorry! Misunderstood. I wonder though if Effi herself is only acting, just more hardcore. I don’t think that any members of the current Circle are that good of warriors. Even Effi, who might just be a little more savage and willing to get her hands dirty. My personal theory is that Effi is the middleman between the Circle and something else. Some powerful entity that provides bountiful prey in exchange for something. It would fit in with Effi’s realist character; she has had to make a deal with a creature, basically handing over the Circle to it and making them reliant on it. They are no longer true hunters, but slaves. She hates this, but has to do so because her team is so incapable.
Effi is like a single mom of a household of brats, always dreaming about that ultimate getaway.
hahahaha
Yenkaran’s starting to rethink he previous convictions. Let’s help him out by giving him an antidote. I suggest we must burn him, or apply fire directly to his blood stream via a open wound. It worked in Temple of Doom with the Thuggees, so it should work here.
say you like to earn trust, lead your prey off one by one, and then catch them off guard. gives you an excuse to go talk to them beforehand and figure out how to pull this con without anyone dying
Glass needs to get her own butt out of harms way. If I think the number of guards are going to appear that I think are going to appear, then no amount of wit is going to be able to prevent the Circle from being captured. She needs to worry about herself, and finding an excuse to hide out until the chaos blows over. What I am worried about is what she is going to do after this little stunt has been pulled.
I wonder who is actually the better fighter. Effi or Yenkaran. I get the feeling Yenkaran is generally holding back, perhaps because he does not fully agree with some of the Circle’s teachings. He is generally trying not to be savage. Effi is using her true savage potential, and is at full strength. If this is correct, then Yenkaran is probably a lot, lot stronger than her.
Glass should not go either as a trapper or combat hunter. This whole thing is a damn trap, one that the Circle won’t be able to sniff out. Kivari has set up something that they won’t expect. If Glass gets caught setting traps or hunting with cannibals, off to Qothic jail she goes. Instead, she should tell Yenkaran she has to prepare what she will do, so she has to go and do it privately. This is the excuse to go back and hide out in the city until the whole thing blows over, and then she can go from there. Where? I don’t recommend she goes back to the Beacon either. Kivari will have her guards pounce on her and hand her over to the Qoths. So….. we need to get Glass to find out Kivari lied. Perhaps we, need to get Glass to overhear Kivari talking about how her plan has gone right, and how Glass will be executed when caught. Once she knows Kivari lied, Glass can find a way to escape from the city.
You sure seem convinced that Kivari is lying. Why and about what exactly?
Essentially, Kivari has very seductive and snake-like body language in entries 48 to 50. She pouts mockingly when Glass is revealed to be a criminal, and she playfully comments about how dangerous Glass is being a ‘Sorya’. She is enjoying the intrigue, treating Glass more as a exotic toy than a person. Kivari smiles slyly when Glass tells her she is a coward in 49, which reinforces the idea she is toying and using Glass like a toy. This behaviour doesn’t seem to match that of a benevolent religious leader. I wouldn’t expect the Pope to act like this. Well, maybe one. Pope Alexander IV. Her interest of intrigue and political plots gives Kivari similar feels to the Borgias, which reinforces my thoughts about her. If you know anything about the Borgias, then you’ll know why. Basically, this behaviour, so out of place for a religious leader, makes me think Kivari will just use Glass up and spit her out.
She wants to assume control of Cohv from the Qoths, ruling with absolute power. She is using Glass to create an incident. The Circle will attack the Nanzuul, sparking a major terrorist attack in Cohv. Kivari will hand Glass over to the Qoths as a patsy. This does multiple things. The Soryaonia is increased, and the ability of the Qoths to protect the people of Cohv is questioned. Kiavri can swoop in an restore order.
Even if Kivari isn’t going to betray Glass, we still need to think of a way to get her into the Beacon without being caught by the Qoths.