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Post by wolsey on Jul 26, 2018 5:04:59 GMT -8
Luke leans back and asks Te-Teh, "Did you make good coin on the caravan? Nice work. I have a small list of things you might consider with those donations." He flips to the back of one of his holy texts, and removes a small scrap of paper. On it is listed in tight precise handwriting:
Torf - Orc Child - Shoes
Madam Tailor - New needles, and an oil lamps to sew by
Jeremy - Wants a pony, but really needs a bed
Paralis - New set of work clothing
James Family - Food
Sara - Rent for three months, just had baby
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Post by Dungeon Master on Jul 26, 2018 8:22:50 GMT -8
Te'Teh flops down on the other side of Luke, while pulling her purse out.
“I managed to ‘convince’ the merchant train to donate 21 gold and 4 silver. I did have some expenses but I still have 14 gold and 7 silver, I even tracked my expenses, oh and I think Jonah needs new houseware, there was a break in and it got destroyed.”
With that Te’Teh pulled out a book to show the recorded donations and expenses. She also pulls out a partially filled pouch that jingles.
She glanced over at Jack and slaps the blanket she is on. “Don’t be shy, come sit by me, tell me about the sea.”
Te’Teh
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Post by Dungeon Master on Jul 26, 2018 10:10:45 GMT -8
Rabbit listens to the two tieflings talk about charity. She resettles her head on Luke’s shoulder as if she isn’t quite comfortable.
She looks back at Glorion and Key, an obvious habit of centuries to keep watch over her companions. She turns back to Luke and reaches under her throat, pulling out a silver necklace with a tiny silver spider holding a tiny lapis lazuli gem.
She deftly yanks it off her neck and drops it on the pouch of coins.
"That should be worth a couple hundred gold, consider it a down payment on my donations.”
She then rearranges some of Luke’s chain and lays back down against his shoulder and stares at the fire.
RABBIT
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Post by wolsey on Jul 27, 2018 5:29:33 GMT -8
Luke looks at her, "That looks like it is worth more in emotional weight that coins will ever cover." He doesn't move to take it. He just watches Rabbits face.
(I started this thread because 1. Luke's not getting married, and can't contribute, and 2. I am a slow poster, and didn't want to hold anyone else back that was faster than me, 3. I am sure you two have some "issues" to work out and I wasn't sure you'd want to do it with Luke's full attention on you.)
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Post by Dungeon Master on Jul 27, 2018 5:47:38 GMT -8
Rabbit lays against Luke for awhile. Still staring at the fire as Luke talks. The silence stretches for a short while, while she thinks and seems to be weighing what she will say. Finally she starts talking, her voice quiet, almost raspy.
"I have several of those, similar designs, plus ones that are more valuable at home. They were given as awards for 'meritorious actions' when I was part of the handmaidens. The high priestess liked to give out baubles as they called them for how many people we killed, how quickly we put down a slave revolt, or maybe how quickly we dealt with interlopers. She especially liked to reward us for successfully completing an operation of some sort. Some of the baubles would be used to replace the necklaces of trophies we came back marking our kills.”
Her eyes seem to almost cloud up as she remembers back. She licks her lips hesitantly and then she stops for a moment, as if dreading the response from Luke or the rest of the group. She then looks up into Luke's eyes, the fire has receded and they just look tired. She pats his chest.
"I have always meant to find a place to get rid of them. I have carried them for a long long time not sure what to do with them. I don't want to sell them to buy weapon that will kill, or give them away to someone who will profiteer from them. Maybe though a charity to help the poor might be a good place.”
She becomes quiet and continues to watch Luke, waiting for his response with a bit of hesitation.
RABBIT
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Post by Dungeon Master on Jul 27, 2018 5:51:38 GMT -8
Te'Teh eyes fall away from Jack and swivel back to Luke and Rabbit. She becomes very quiet as she listens to the elf, her expression serious and she slows her movement as if she is afraid of attracting attention and not wanting to interrupt. She pats the blanket beside her one more time lightly, motioning for Jack, but doesn't say a word as she watches Luke for his response.
Te’Teh
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Post by wolsey on Jul 27, 2018 6:30:15 GMT -8
Luke sighs, and looks at the necklace. "In our world, we would be selling it. It could still end up doing those things. There is a market for Drow artifacts. That's would makes the necklace valuable. I can take it, and turn a profit with it to feed and care for the people in the Warrans, but I can't guarantee the fence won't sell it to someone else that will do what you fear for it," Luke explains. "I don't want you to be under a false impression of what I'd do with it."
He looks down are Rabbit, and smiles sadly. Being judged as "evil" just for existing, and being raised as if it was normal, was something he understood.
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Post by Keyleth on Jul 27, 2018 7:03:18 GMT -8
Key moves from the opposite side of the fire to sit next to Rabbit. She’s close enough to give her a bump of encouragement before depositing a pouch with 20 gold onto the pile in front of Te’Tet. She looks around the group before speaking. “I was eves dropping, could you melt it down before you sold it?”
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Post by wolsey on Jul 27, 2018 13:47:03 GMT -8
Luke squints, and thinks before saying, "I think the very fact that it's a trophy marker for a Drow hunter is what makes it so valuable. It's a nice bit of jewelry on it's own, but what makes it valuable is what it represents. People like buying an item with a story. Always have a story when you sell something."
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Post by Dungeon Master on Jul 27, 2018 15:10:28 GMT -8
Rabbit watches as Key comes over and makes herself comfortable, she gives the elf a small welcoming smile. She turns her attention back to Luke, a little life returning to her eyes.
"I completely understand what may become of them. I just didn't want to profit from them personally, the only thing I need to buy generally is alcohol and weapons or armor and I didn't want to promote that with the markers. If the money feeds children, pays a pregnant woman's rent, maybe that squeezes a tiny bit of recompense for what I did to earn them.”
She slowly sits up and unsnaps her leather outer layer, and pulls the mail coif off her head and shoulders, and unsnaps the connecting pieces allowing her to slip out of it partially, revealing an incredibly pale white shoulder, so pale it almost glows in the dark. The shoulder is so thin and delicate that it looks like it could be broken with a slight shove. Across the shoulders are scars from battle wounds, covered and surrounded by the familiar and numerous tattoos, mostly in different spider icons, shapes, and drow text. The occasional non-drow tattoos that seem scattered are a stark difference, filled with color and life. She points to a flat black insignia tattoo that was an icon of a small spider holding a small heart. She taps it twice.
"The baubles always felt extraneous, they tattooed us at the same time so we would always have our marks no matter where we go.”
Her ocean blue eyes are hard, like a dyke holding back the water.
"I would very much like the proceeds to feed a family, or provide medical care, or help someone somewhere. When we get back I can write up the stories that go with each item.” She chuckles wryly, "I don't have even close to enough paper to write it down here."
RABBIT
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Post by Keyleth on Jul 27, 2018 17:10:38 GMT -8
Key watches as Rabbit as she peels back her armor to show her tattoos. Her eyes take in the marks then rest on the scars. A look like anger glides over her face then vanishes. “I can help you write. I think there is some irony in feeding the needy with your jewelry.” She looks over to Luke. “Does the story have to be true?” She flashes him a mischievous smile while she waits for his answer.
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Post by wolsey on Jul 27, 2018 19:42:25 GMT -8
"It helps if it has the ring of truth. No one that isn't Drow would be able to put those kinds of details into it. If they seek an opinion from another Drow on the veracity of the story, Rabbit's own story would probably ring more true than what you and I would consider exciting," Luke says.
He then takes a pause and asks gently, "Rabbit? Why do you keep markers from a life you were pressed into, and had no real say in participating in? Sure they are a part of your life, but you don't have to carry it around on your skin. It's always going to be a part of you, but some would say you have been reborn, and might be worthy of a clean slate where your own choices are what matters, not what you were trained for, and expected to do."
He offers a small weak smile.
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Post by Dungeon Master on Jul 28, 2018 6:17:00 GMT -8
Rabbit looks away for a moment, she runs her fingers along her shoulder and she closes her eyes.
"I have tried having them removed, but clerics haven't been able to remove it, nor has any wizards. One cleric said it is because 'she' still has a hold of my soul and I still belong to her. When I was exiled I even went through the L'hal'l d'l'phish dobluth, The Ritual of the Red Outcast, where part of it was a resurrection to strip me of my endowments. The markings never went away. They were given to us as ways to remember our successes, so sometimes each marking will feed into a handmaiden's dreams so she can relive it.”
She hesitates slowly as she looks back up at Luke then to Key and back to Luke. Unsure about her next words but she seems determined to say them..
"I need to be honest with you. You are a good person Luke, far more kindness then I see in the majority. Key, you seem very much part of your order's beliefs, what you did for the merchant caravan was important.
She hesitates for a moment, looking for the right words.
"I am not the same. When I was young I enjoyed what I did, reveled in it even. I was fully dedicated to her. To be honest I don't even know when or why I changed. I think it was small things, but I still haven't understood why. I am terrified I will like it again. Either way, I am not good, you both shouldn't worry about me."
She looks back down ashamedly, avoiding eye contact with Luke or Key.
RABBIT
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Post by Keyleth on Jul 28, 2018 6:52:51 GMT -8
Key’s eyes grow wide as Rabbit opens her heart. “ You are to harsh on yourself. When you were young, you knew nothing other than what you were brought up to believe. I bet if you look back into your past to when you first noticed yourself changing, that you will also see times when the world had showed you something other than cruelty and death. Everyone is capable of change. You ARE a good, loyal, loving person. That is your heart now. You can’t rid yourself of your marks because you haven’t come to believe that yet.” She reaches over to give Rabbit a gentle shove. “I plan to drag to to that place kicking and screaming if need be” Key smiles warmly at Rabbit
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Post by wolsey on Jul 28, 2018 9:05:41 GMT -8
"Okay. first off, that cleric was an idiot. If you make a mark, you can remove a mark. It's just about figuring it out. Seriously, who did you consult? The sect of 'I hate drow and I want you to remember your past forever'?, Luke says with a snort. "Do you actually follow Corellion? If you do, there might be some options there. If not, there are other options."
"Secondly, you really don't know anything about me. I was raised as part of a pact between my mother's idea of a 'real' Tiefling, to embrace my demonic blood. I was at my mothers side until I was ten. Yes I was a child, but I was taught the things we did were fine and great. I did not see anything wrong with what we did. I had no context to see anything we did as wrong. Until they hunted my mother down, and executed her for her crimes, which were horrific and voluminous in nature. I thought that what we did was the natural order. I was tossed into a shit orphanage in Kokand to make me someone else's problem because executing a 10-year-old was too hard on the magistrates consciousness. It was not an act of mercy, but of politics," He smiles, but it didn't reach his eyes.
"Like you, I had to figure out what was good and evil. I had to learn on my own, and without help because orphanages are ethically desolate places. So much so I left to be a homeless child because it was safer and I could feed myself better than they would. Also, they were not happy with a Tiefling in their midst," Luke says.
"The point is, you can't learn until you are ready. Period. You couldn't have known any better, and nothing in life is a two dimensional evil. Even people in authoritative regimes have good points, or the regime would not last. Stop being so hard on yourself and actually look for a solution for your tattoos, because I think you keep them around as a way to punish yourself for your past," Luke says, and shrugs. . . "Just an opinion."
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