Shadows of the Past
- Thread starter Azel
- Start date
- Original Fantasy
Chapter 40: Admissions
- Location
- Germany
[x] [Actions] Go back to Tlamaca.
[x] [Smuggling] Try to bribe the guards.
[X] [Xochi] "You know, I think we may have more in common than I first thought. You crave adventure, don't you? Your blood sings when you are treading the knife's edge, you rebel at the thought of sitting still, of living your life placidly, in the same place, doing the same things."
-[X] [Xochi] "That's why you don't particularly care to return. You joined up expecting something else entirely, didn't you?"
-[X] [Xochi] "I can relate. I was born on a hunter tribe, a nomad lot who walked the very same path for their entire. Damn. Lives. Can you imagine? Literally walking in circles until you drop dead?"
-[X] [Xochi] "But what is it that you truly want? Is there a goal you are working towards? An item, a title? Maybe something more personal? Or perhaps it's something general, a state of being, a style of life? I find myself intrigued by the mystery that is Xochi."
[x] [Smuggling] Try to bribe the guards.
[X] [Xochi] "You know, I think we may have more in common than I first thought. You crave adventure, don't you? Your blood sings when you are treading the knife's edge, you rebel at the thought of sitting still, of living your life placidly, in the same place, doing the same things."
-[X] [Xochi] "That's why you don't particularly care to return. You joined up expecting something else entirely, didn't you?"
-[X] [Xochi] "I can relate. I was born on a hunter tribe, a nomad lot who walked the very same path for their entire. Damn. Lives. Can you imagine? Literally walking in circles until you drop dead?"
-[X] [Xochi] "But what is it that you truly want? Is there a goal you are working towards? An item, a title? Maybe something more personal? Or perhaps it's something general, a state of being, a style of life? I find myself intrigued by the mystery that is Xochi."
1.6.17.10.10.4 - 4th of the White Storm
The answer to your question seems ultimately rather straightforward. She isn't fitting in with the others. Given the high-handed sneering and dismissal you got from her two companions, it's no wonder that someone as open as her is in no hurry to return to them. After a bit of pondering, you decide to just voice your thoughts. There is little reason to dance around it, not with Xochi. "You know, I think we may have more in common than I first thought. You crave adventure, don't you? Your blood sings when you are treading the knife's edge, you rebel at the thought of sitting still, of living your life placidly, in the same place, doing the same things. That's why you don't particularly care to return. You joined up expecting something else entirely, didn't you?"
She just snorts and throws her head to the side, giving you a oddly intense look. "What I expected? Oh, most certainly something different. We came to Tlamaca to do a job, after all. Go out and hunt bandits capable of overwhelming even well-protected caravans. Instead we were left to cool our heels while Tlacaelel, the leader of our glorious party, was trying to pretty much extort the Wise Men. Kinda expected the old bat to give up after a few days and just do it, the haul would be good either way, but she is a stubborn one." You can tell that she is neither offended nor hostile about your question, yet she picked the more direct meaning of your words.
You think about correcting her about what you meant, but it seems she wants to rather talk about this and so you humor her. "So I was a nice distraction, then?"
"So to speak. You gave Chipahua as good as you got, which is rare enough. Most people don't bother after a few sentences with that dolt. And it was quite amusing how you went about our little wager." She grins at you before averting her eyes and poking around in the fire with a stick. "I thought it would be fun to go around with you for a bit. Getting to know you a bit to pass the time and just... doing something. It was a lot more excitement in the end than I had hoped for, but it did go well in the end." Silence falls for a moment as you can't help but think of the part that didn't go so well again, while Xochi still shifts around some embers. As if guessing your thoughts, she lifts her eyes again. "Look. I don't regret coming with you and don't think I think I don't appreciate what you did for me. Nobody from my group would have given a rat's ass if I died on them. Thank you for that. It was a bit awkward to say it right after you admitted to considering me a meal, but I felt I owe you at least that much."
You just wave her off, but can't keep the small smile from your lips. It is rather nice to hear those words, after all, even if you considered her not screaming in panic already a good outcome when you told her. Though the implication that nobody else would have cared about her life seems a bit harsh to you. "I'm sure they would have tried their best to help you. I just could go a bit farther than most."
A mirthless laugh escapes her throat, and as you glance over to her she is staring back into the fire. "Don't be so sure about that. The Anenqui care about themselves first and foremost. Then comes the mission. Maybe a comrade comes in third, but I wouldn't bet on it." You just stare at her in mute incomprehension, and after a little sigh she elaborates further. "We are mercenaries and mostly used to working alone. Keeping yourself alive is the most important thing we are taught to do, since training up replacements takes time and it's not good for our image among the clients when we die on them. That the client is happy is the other big thing to take care off, but dead clients tell no tales and when that great and skilled blade for hire comes back wounded and tells stories about grand battles, most don't pry too deeply."
A shiver runs down your spine as her words register. "So when I dropped into that hole and the Fleshweaver came..."
"You didn't pay for fighting spirits, so I would have been supposed to wait long enough to make sure that you were done for and then go home. There is a reason we insist on payment up front. I'm just not that good in being a cold bastard like that." She awkwardly runs her hand through her hair at the admission. If it is because it pains her to admit this or because she sees it as a failure that she didn't run, you are not quite sure, but from her chagrined expression, it seems to be the former.
Still, you can't quite find it in you to be angry and even derive some morbid humor from the image of Xochi thinking about letting you get eaten when you later contemplated to eat her. Maybe she is rubbing off on you, but you let out a quick chuckle. "We are even then." You can hardly think of anything better to say right now, yet it seems to be enough and she relaxes again. "So the Anenqui are a bunch of bastards. Can't really say I'm surprised, what with pretty much everyone with some shred of power seeming to share that trait. But why did you join them?"
"Well, I was young and my head full of grand tales of dashing warriors fighting against monsters to protect the innocent. They train you well and it takes a while till you really notice how they work. They are hardly advertising the negative things and... well... let's just say that I'm not guessing when I say that they would abandon a 'comrade' in a heartbeat just out of convenience." The somber mood claims her again and while your curiosity eggs you on to ask for that tale, you know that now is hardly the best time.
Something else you wanted to ask her and maybe it would help to get her out of this funk to talk less about her group. "But what is it that you truly want? Is there a goal you are working towards? An item, a title? Maybe something more personal? Or perhaps it's something general, a state of being, a style of life? I find myself intrigued by the mystery that is Xochi."
At once, she erupts into full-blown laughter and your cheeks redden in embarrassment. "The mystery that is Xochi? Girl, that was a bit over the top. You should be a bit more subtle when hitting on me." If the sly grin is meant as mocking or encouragement to hit on her, you can't honestly tell. "Sorry, Yaxkin, that was just a bit much. I'm most certainly not some kind of fireside tale hero with a mysterious past." You dearly want to correct her on that, given that she seems to have her fair share of troubling tales to tell, but you just shifted the topic away from that and so keep your mouth shut. "What I want... that is a good question, actually. Back when I was a kid, I had hoped to one day make the world better by killing the bad things my grandfather told stories about. However, little point to it. The spirits are not going away any time soon, no matter how many we might be able to kill, and petty bandits and raiders are never in short supply either. Might as well try to turn back the Fall."
She sighs again and looks into the fire. "I'm just kinda going through my life. I made my peace with not being able to change anything, so I try to at least not make things worse and have my fun while I still can. Life is short and brutal, even in the oh-so-safe villages and cities, so I would rather go out in the heat of the moment than sit back and wait for it. People keep telling me that I have a death wish, but no, I just don't see the point in being scared about everything around me. No grand ambitions for me." A short shrug and then she raises her eyes back to you. "And what about you? You wouldn't ask something like this if you didn't have something. Though, why do you ask me?"
What do you respond?
[] Write-In
AN: Closing the chapter here since it seems a good moment to let you get a few words in. Next up the remainder of this discussion and probably the return to Tlamaca.
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- Location
- United States
@Azel, so Xochi is a completely disenfranchized adventurer with no close ties to anyone? Perfect, except for the part where we're looking to join the seemingly "evil" Matlal and all that, which would go against Xochi's childhood dreams of being a hero. How the hell do we get her to join us and avoid long-term conflict?
- Location
- Germany
She mostly sees her childhood dreams as just that. The dreams of a child that didn't knew how the world worked. She is still running around with the Anenqui after all, despite their not terribly nice way of operating.
- Location
- Brazil
My thoughts exactly
So, should we perhaps spring an offer right now? "Wanna go adventuring with me?"
- Location
- United States
That's what I'm thinking. It's pretty much now or never. We've already proven that unlike her current comrades we actually give a damn and won't leave her to die. And unlike her current comrades we're an aspiring dungeon delver and do all sorts of interesting things.My thoughts exactly
So, should we perhaps spring an offer right now? "Wanna go adventuring with me?"
Okay, organizing this.
Selling points:
1. Will treat her like an actual ally and friend and won't leave her for dead.
2. Top-notch medical healing now that we're at Medicine 4 (thank you XP).
3. Equally split loot.
4. Plenty of adventure with us, and we can also provide knowledge of the various spirits we might encounter.
5. Childhood dreams, sure, but there's nothing that says we can't go after the bandits and various spirits. No reason we can't make the world a better place while profiting on it.
- Location
- Brazil
@DragonParadox I don't suppose you'd like to write a Nice vote for this
Metrux
Gentle Demon Lord
- Location
- Brasil
Got here somewhat late, lot's of things this weekend, so, I guess we recruit her now 
But, if we do, we should be honest about our afilliation right now. If we trully do recruit her, there's no need for dark secrets. Or, at the very least, we should tell that we are thinking of being part of an organization, and that we shall tell more later, after we're sure the Wise Men won't get the info out of her head.
But, if we do, we should be honest about our afilliation right now. If we trully do recruit her, there's no need for dark secrets. Or, at the very least, we should tell that we are thinking of being part of an organization, and that we shall tell more later, after we're sure the Wise Men won't get the info out of her head.I think we should emphasize just how stupid the Anenqui are. In any sort of group fight, nothing is more important than trust and cohesion. We are not going to get far appealing to whatever shred of idealism she may still nurse, but if we first lay out why it is sensible to treat her with respect I think we can throw in the stuff about maybe making the world a better place.
- Location
- United States
Yeah, that leapt out at me as well. They prioritize personal survival because training is costly, but wouldn't it make sense to look out for each other precisely for the same reason? Wouldn't you be more likely to survive as a team rather than on an every-man-for-himself philosophy? Just... holy shit, whoever made this system was a moron.
Metrux
Gentle Demon Lord
- Location
- Brasil
Actually, it depends on the situation. If someone fell into a trap from a spirit, like happened with us, something dangerous enough that there's a chance everyone involved may die... You could veryy well save more lives by leaving the one who fell to die. This is not nice, but it is a good way. Now, there are situations that don't fit, and helping each other is best instead. The thing here is about discerning when is each situation, when it's better to help or to let go, and unfortunately you can't teach this, so they made a choice on which one would be "best" and stayed with this.
- Location
- United States
There's common sense in not throwing your life away against what seems like a lost cause, and then there's the attitude of the group Xochi belongs to.
That does not paint a pretty picture, and it doesn't suggest any sort of assistance to each other in less dangerous situations than a spirit battle. All I see is an every-man-for-himself attitude. It would be far smarter to have some notions of teamwork and looking after each other with a dash of prudence in running away when something is just too much, but no.
Suffice to say that these guys disgust me. You look after your party members, you don't treat them like meat shields.
That point is moot. Xochi's perspective is the one that matters when it comes to recruiting her.
- Location
- United States
Pretty much this. Approaching from a neutral unbiased perspective is not going to win us any points here.
- Location
- St. Petersburg
Alright, I think I need to step back and ask what exactly we are thinking here. What is our goal?
Suppose we recruit her. What is our plan for her? Just a reminder, we are supposed to travel to Nonotzale soon to continue apprenticing under Matlal, or so I believe our goals are. Do you want Yaxkin to take Xochi with her?
I just can't wrap my head around bringing someone we barely know to a conspiracy that relies on secrecy to survive. We had to kill a person to earn entry - that's how they test loyalty. Do you think they will be more lenient to Xochi just because a sixteen years old vouches for her despite only knowing her for two weeks? Furthermore, do you think Unity (who might or might not be behind the raids she was hired to stop) is a better fit for Xochi than the Anenqui? They are pretty cold-hearted bastards themselves, far as I reckon.
Xochi is cool and all, and would be a wonderful traveling companion if all we wanted is to travel. But I am guessing we want to drag her in the shadow war business?
Sometimes you have to ask not 'how', but 'should you'?
It is a conscious decision for a company whether they want greater cohesion at a risk of an occasional full wipeout. As long as every man knows what they are getting into, I suppose.
Suppose we recruit her. What is our plan for her? Just a reminder, we are supposed to travel to Nonotzale soon to continue apprenticing under Matlal, or so I believe our goals are. Do you want Yaxkin to take Xochi with her?
I just can't wrap my head around bringing someone we barely know to a conspiracy that relies on secrecy to survive. We had to kill a person to earn entry - that's how they test loyalty. Do you think they will be more lenient to Xochi just because a sixteen years old vouches for her despite only knowing her for two weeks? Furthermore, do you think Unity (who might or might not be behind the raids she was hired to stop) is a better fit for Xochi than the Anenqui? They are pretty cold-hearted bastards themselves, far as I reckon.
Xochi is cool and all, and would be a wonderful traveling companion if all we wanted is to travel. But I am guessing we want to drag her in the shadow war business?
Sometimes you have to ask not 'how', but 'should you'?
There was nothing smart or prudent in what Xochi did, and more often than not it would have resulted in a TPK. We were exceptionally lucky to succeed on the ritual and heal ourselves and her. By no means it was something to count on.
It is a conscious decision for a company whether they want greater cohesion at a risk of an occasional full wipeout. As long as every man knows what they are getting into, I suppose.
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- Location
- United States
I never said that Xochi's decisions were smart or prudent. Ironically enough, the spirit fight we just won would have qualified as "too much" and she would have been fully justified in running away. I'm glad she didn't, though. What I was saying was that there's a happy medium that can be achieved. You don't have to be a cold heartless bastard who doesn't give a damn about his companions, or a self-sacrificing maniac. You can help your companions and look after them up to the point where doing so becomes suicide. That's what I meant by smart and prudent, since just not being an asshole when it comes to the people you work with tends to pay off in the long run.
- Location
- St. Petersburg
What is there to say they didn't? Mercenary companies do not last without proper risk assessment. It works for them. It works great, actually. They are renowned, and there are people who want to join in.
I am pretty sure 'jump on a Fleshweaver with an arrow' Xochi just talks smack about a group she already resents a little. She thinks they could be have been better if they did more for the sake of their companions, but as we have seen, Xochi is not one you want to take advice from.
And absolutely useless waste of metal arrows. She jumped down because it did nothing.
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- Location
- United States
Xochi for one says they didn't. The woman who actually aspired to join them and was subsequently disillusioned. It's one thing to not want to go against suicidal odds for your companions, that's understandable, but from her accounting they don't take on danger at all for their companions and just leave them for dead. They're renouned and people want to join them because they don't advertise the negatives. And why would they? Bad for business.
Don't be so dismissive of Xochi's account. Just because she doesn't like her mercenary group and was willing to risk her life to save us doesn't make her an outright liar. I'm inclined to think her issues with her group are genuine. You don't exaggerate on claims that people will leave others to die. And Xochi doesn't seem the sort to over-embellish anyway.I am pretty sure 'jump on a Fleshweaver with an arrow' Xochi just talks smack about a group she already resents a little. She thinks they could be have been better if they did more for the sake of their companions, but as we have seen, Xochi is not one you want to take advice from.
- Location
- Australia
She rolled badly and the arrows are worth much less than a fully trained Anenqui.
You definitely shouldn't try to pistolwhip a Cape Buffalo and shooting it with a small calibre pistol probably won't do much but it's worth a try if you're in a tree watching your companion get hoofed to death.
Generally speaking when stuck in a bad situation you want an able bodied human over a limited resource of narrow application.
